The Half Court Heave: Piece of the Aggro Krag

Welcome one and all to the Half Court Heave Finals Edition. On our fourth episode, we discuss the NBA Finals, what could happen with the Suns and Magic, water socks with tube socks, Ryan's performance at a Pacers halftime show, our fruitless pursuit of a piece of the Aggro Krag, and much more.



Download the Half Court Heave Episode 4: Piece of the Aggro Krag

Intro Song: "Friction" by Television
Break Song: "Future Days" by CAN
Outro Song: "Pause" by Jay Dee

At Least There Really Are Irish People in Boston

Here's the thing; I hate both the BostonCeltics and the Lakers. I actually can't think of any two NBA teams I dislike more. I hate them both like I hate the New York Yankees. The only championship match-up in all of sports that I could detest more would be the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

BUT - If I'm going to keep this interesting, I'd better disagree with SlipperyMcFaggot (I'm totally out of clever ones, so these will probably just get increasingly vulgar).

That's right - teenage_mustache is officially picking the Boston Celtics as 2010 NBA champions. In five.

Here's another contributing factor: How many rings do I need to see Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson win? Well, I've seen more than enough already. And I don't give a damn about the fact that the first three-peat was with Shack and now this is really Kobe's team. If I remember correctly Kobe was still a starting player back then.

Now for Artest. I'll be damned if he gets a ring before Chad Ochocinco! I rooted for Barkley as a kid. How many rings did he get? Patrick Ewing? You get the idea.

OK, so there was really no point to post this. But now you know where I stand. Go team that's not the Lakers!

Brooklyn Thunder? Not Gonna Happen

For the first time in Dank Game history, one of our popular conspiracy theories has been lobbied at yours truly, teenage_mustache.

Specifically (if you don't feel like clicking the hyperlink above or the "read more" link on the post below), SlimMcBitchTits and some hack co-conspirator Andy "the turd" Young have suggested that LeBron's looming free agency could impact my beloved Oklahoma City Thunder. The suggestion is as laughable as the Cavaliers' defense against Garnett and Rondo.

While I appreciate Andy and Slim trying to look past the obvious - recognizing OKC, Northern Ohio and NYC interests convening at an opportune time - let's look at the facts. First off, the Thunder is one of the few teams that truly doesn't need King James. I'd like to remind you that Durant actually outscored LeBron this season. I don't see Durant and LeBron on the same team outside of the Olympics. Someone even asked Durant via Twitter (KDthunderup) if he'd like to see the Thunder sign LeBron and he responded more or less to the tune of; 'no, this is my team.'

The Half Court Heave: Witchcraft Guys

The Half Court Heave is back with our third episode. We get into the Cavs early playoff exit, the LeBron Sweepstakes, both conference finals matchups, our concept for a two-man comedy routine, bloomin' onions, dead wrestlers, and much much more.

Also, let Ryan know if he should get an English Bulldog, Black Lab, Golden Retriever, or Akita.



Download the Half Court Heave Episode 3: Witchcraft Guys

Intro Song: "Friction" by Television
Break Song: "It Seems Like Nothing's Gonna Come My Way Today" by the Outsiders
Outro Song: "Rhymes Like Dimes" by M.F. Doom featuring Cucumber

Fascinating Failure

Another year, another early playoff exit for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was supposed to be their year, but they came up short against a wily Boston Celtics team that put it all together after waffling through the second half of the regular season. While the Celtics deserve praise for how they handled the Cavs, much of this epic collapse falls on the Cavaliers organization.

Despite being the best regular season team two seasons in a row with the league's back-to-back MVP, the Cavs' personnel moves have reeked of desperation ever since they pulled the trigger on the Shaq trade this past summer. With the clock ticking down on LeBron's impending free agency, Cleveland's management made decisions that were supposedly meant to put the Cavs over the hump, when in reality they were making decisions in an attempt to appease LeBron James. Of course this is easier said in hindsight, but the Cavs made moves simply because they could, not necessarily because they should. These trades culminated in another heartbreaking season for Cavs fans that was wrought in irony.

What Role Will LeBron Play Tonight?

Tonight LeBron James and his Cavaliers will hit the road, putting their season on the line in Boston. What role will LeBron play tonight against the Celtics? Can he channel his inner Mel Gibson and come out of the visitor's locker room of TD Banknorth Garden as a road warrior? Or...

Season In Balance

Last night, in a game that should have been approached as a must-win game 7, the Cavaliers came out on their home court and played like it was a scrimmage. Hell, I'd expect a team to show more intensity in an off-season charity game. The Cavs were outperformed in nearly every aspect of the game as Boston dismantled Cleveland in a 120-88 blowout, good for the Cavs' worst home playoff loss ever.

If you're a Cavs fan, you'd like to credit Paul Pierce and the Boston defense for holding James to 15 points on 3-14 shooting, but the fact of the matter is that LeBron's poor performance falls largely on his own shoulders. He started the game getting his teammates involved with 4 assists in the first quarter, which is all well and good, but he should have started attacking the rim sooner than he did. James just couldn't hit a shot in the first half, and when he did start to take it to the hoop in the second quarter, Boston smartly made him earn it at the line to prevent him from getting in rhythm.

The second quarter was possibly some of the ugliest basketball I've seen during these playoffs outside of the Hawks pitiful performance against the Magic. The Cavs were stuck at 29 points for nearly 6 minutes, turning the ball over and missing shot after shot as they basically invited the Celtics to take the lead into the half. Garnett was having his way with Jamison, Pierce got into a rhythm for the first time this series, and Mo couldn't keep up with Ray Allen as he moved without the ball and knocked down jumpers. Keep in mind that a lot of this was going down without Rondo on the floor.

Spurs Swept! Suns On The Rise!

Wow. I did not see that coming. I've said time and time again this season that the Suns couldn't go any further than the second round. Well, not only did they prove me wrong, but they did so in convincing fashion as they swept the Spurs en route to their first appearance in the conference finals since 2006. After having been eliminated by San Antonio four times in the playoffs since 2003, with Nash on three of those four teams, the Suns have finally overcome the Spurs.

Although they completed the sweep, they didn't leave San Antonio unscathed. Halfway through the 3rd quarter with the Suns up 64-57, Steve Nash caught an inadvertent elbow above his right eye from Tim Duncan who was pulling up for a shot. Nash returned after having six stitches, with the Spurs taking the lead at one point during his absence. The Suns recaptured the lead though, heading into the fourth up 72-71.

Upon his return, Nash's eye was swollen shut and it took on a shade of purple darker than the Suns' jerseys. It looked disgusting to say the least. Despite only being able to see through his left eye, Nash showed incredible poise as the Suns continued to outclass San Antonio. He scored 10 of his 20 points in the decisive fourth quarter, including a huge three-pointer on a fast break that gave the Suns an 80-77 lead. Nash also dished five of his nine assists in the fourth as well. The Spurs had no answer for Nash and Stoudemire's pick and roll offense, as Amare hit a few long jumpers to help seal the win.

The Spurs nearly made a game of it in the final two minutes, as they overcame a 10-point deficit. George Hill was fouled by Amare on a converted three-pointer with under 30 seconds left, and he would hit the free throw to bring the score to 103-101. But the Suns would hang on to win after two Grant Hill free throws, a missed Ginobili three-pointer, and two more free throws from Jason Richardson.

Farewell 2009-2010 Thunder

Alas, the former champs finally did get the best of the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder. Two Dank Game teams down, one to go.

Having been a lifelong fan of Cincinnati sports, this is the least I've ever felt badly about a promising season coming to an end. With the Reds and the Bengals, you always kind of know that a winning season will not be followed by another.

So maybe it's a blessing that Cincinnati lost the Royals. It frees up SlimMcFavorite and myself to become free agent fans. Also fortunate is that we weren't douchey enough to become Celtics or Lakers fanboys (or have hair like the pictured Thunder fan).

So unlike the Cincinnati teams, I know I won't have to wait twenty years for another solid Thunder squad. Only seven regular season wins separated them from the defending champ Lakers. And in their series against the best in the West, the Thunder took two games, and lost by a basket or less in two others.

And here's the real kicker: This is about as young as an NBA team could possibly be. Every core member of the team hovers within a year or so of 21. And unlike almost every other team in the league right now, the Thunder aren't about to implode amidst the much ballyhooed 2010 free agent sweepstakes.

So I feel I can safely say this team is only a few years away from at least threatening a deep playoff run - conference finals or further. Meanwhile I'm just hoping the Bengals can post back-to-back winning season for the first time in 28 years.

NOTHING EASY!!!

Zaza Pachulia and the Hawks overcame their fear of the deer in game 6 in Milwaukee and have pushed the series to the fateful game 7. Zaza knows better than anyone else that nothing's easy, but it might be a little easier this time around now that the Hawks will have the actual support of their fans on Sunday afternoon. Oh, and they'll be playing the Bucks rather than the Celtics. But still, Zaza knows... NOTHING EASY!!! GAME 7, BABY!!! WE LOVE YOU!!! WOOOO!!!

The Half Court Heave: Who Is The Batman To Robin Lopez?

And we're back with the second episode of The Half Court Heave. Once again, myself and the homeboy Ryan discuss the NBA Playoffs. We also briefly discuss Ryan possibly getting a new house, and Beyonce's "Single Ladies" interrupts us at one point, which is pretty cool.



Download The Half Court Heave Episode 2: Who Is The Batman To Robin Lopez?

Intro Song: "Friction" by Television
Break Song: "All Around You (Intro)" by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Outro Song: "The Other Side Of Town" by Curtis Mayfield

Ron Artest's Mustache Smothers Durant/Thunder

After a convincing 110-89 game 4 victory in Oklahoma City on Saturday, the Thunder appeared overwhelmed by the Lakers last night in Los Angeles. What made the difference in the Lakers' 111-87 win? While many people are crediting Kobe's defense on Russell Westbrook, the real difference was Ron Artest's mustache.

"When Ron had the fucked up dyed hair in games 3 and 4 in Oklahoma City, I was able to get into a good rhythm. His shit just look so botched that I got into a mindset like, 'Can't nobody with fucked up hair like that stop me,' and I was able to just take it to him," said Kevin Durant in his post-game interview.

"Tonight though, I guess I just wasn't prepared for the mustache and bald head. That shit was mad intimidating. I'm just going to have to watch some tape with coach and figure out how to overcome it. He might come out with a totally new look though, so I have to be prepared for anything."

Ron Artest also gave credit to his mustache for getting into Durant's mind.

"I could tell that the dyed hair was losing its power after games 1 and 2, so I knew that I had to come back into LA with a new look that would throw Durant off his game," said Artest.

"As soon as I finished shaving my head and getting my mustache right, I looked into the mirror and said to my mustache, 'You're going to be the X-factor tonight, 'stache. Can't nobody get by you.' From that moment on, I just knew we were going to take them out. As great as my mustache was, I think my bald head deserves a lot of credit for this win too."

While Artest's 'stache proved to make the difference last night, can it continue to slow down the Thunder on their home court? Lakers' coach Phil Jackson is already planning what Artest's next look will be for game 6.

"Now that Ron is bald, we're starting to run out of options as far as what to do with his appearance," said Jackson, "but we've been tossing around some ideas on how he can come into Oklahoma City with a new, and even more intimidating look. Our first idea was to bring in a professional make up artist to make Ron look like one of the zombies from Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' music video, but that little bitch David Stern caught wind of that and threatened to fine me again. It's a real shame too, because we a had whole dance routine in the works for the announcing of the starting line-ups. At least we have Pau who basically looks straight out of the 'Thriller' video."

Because he's a big fan of mustaches and the Thunder, I tried to get a comment from Dank Game's Teenage Mustache regarding Ron's 'stache and the Thunder's loss last night. Thus far he hasn't answered his phone or responded to e-mails. I suspect that he's jealous of Ron's mustache and embarrassed by how much crazier Artest has proven to be than the Cincinnati Bengal's Chad Ochocinco.

Maybe I Should Jump On The 'Bron Bandwagon

With the Heat simultaneously shitting and pissing the bed against the Celtics, I'm thinking about finally giving in and cheering for the home state Cavs. This reinterpretation of the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony classic has got me facing a, ahem, crossroads in my NBA fandom.

Then again, I could start cheering for the Bobcats. This video gives me pretty good reason to give them a chance.



Props to Trey Kerby of Ball Don't Lie

NBA suspends Garnett for "acting like a little bitch"

Kevin Garnett has been suspended one game by the NBA for what the league has described as "punk ass behavior." Towards the end of the Celtics victory over the Heat in game one, Paul Pierce was on the ground nursing a presumably fake injury and Garnett came over to check on him. Miami's Quentin Richardson started talking trash because he believed Pierce was dramatizing his injury (he would later call both Pierce and Garnett "actresses") and wanted to get on with the game. Garnett turned on his trademark intensity and shoved Richardson aside with his elbow. Some jawing ensued and before long an altercation broke out with Udonis Haslem, Big Baby, and others getting involved. In the midst of this skirmish, Garnett threw an elbow which caught Richardson in the face. Garnett immediately ran away after he threw the elbow.

Here's video of the altercation:



The NBA has released the following statement about the incident:

"The league has reviewed the incident that occurred during the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics game on Saturday, and has decided to suspend Kevin Garnett for acting like a little bitch. Although his elbow that connected with Quentin Richardson was enough to warrant a suspension, the NBA would like to stress that Garnett's punk ass behavior is equally punishable. The league empathizes with Quentin Richardson for reacting to Pierce's lame attempt to fake another injury, but as a matter of policy, the NBA is obligated to fine him $25,000 for playing a role in inciting the altercation."

In an unprecedented move by the NBA, the league has cited the following fan-made YouTube video to emphasize similarly punishable "bitch moves" made by Garnett in the past.

The Half Court Heave: Magic Everywhere In This Bitch

Alright, Dank Gamers. Here it is. Our first ever podcast, The Half Court Heave starring Slim McFavorite and the homeboy Ryan. We mostly talk NBA Playoffs, but we also get into The Adventures of Little Koala and magic. Trust me, you should definitely click on that magic link.



Download The Half Court Heave Episode 1: Magic Everywhere In This Bitch

Intro Song: "Friction" by Television
Break Song: "Flawless" by Fat Ray & Black Milk
Outro Song: "Weekend" by Wood

Can The Heat Light Up The Green?

The time has arrived, Dank Gamers. Playoff time. Kicking off tomorrow.

While the majority of the matchups in the East will probably be over before they start, the Heat look to be the only team capable of pulling off an upset.

Boston has lost seven of their last ten and have been playing .500 ball since Christmas. The Heat, on the other hand, have been playing their best basketball since March, with the best defense in the league since the All-Star break. They've had an incredibly easy schedule to close out the season, but hopefully they can carry their momentum into the playoffs and capitalize on the rudderless Celtics.

I can't stress enough how thrilled I would be if the Heat manage to bounce Boston. First off, it would likely increase the chances of Wade staying in Miami and it could help convince another top tier free agent to join him in South Beach. Secondly, the Heat advancing past Boston would likely be the end of an era for this Celtics team. I've been eagerly anticipating the demise of this Celtics squad since they won the championship, and how sweet it would be if the Heat turned this short-lived Celtics era to ash.

Dank Game Announcement: You've probably noticed there hasn't been much NBA Playoff talk here on Dank Game prior to this post. But don't worry, I'm not giving up right as things are just starting to get interesting. Keep your heads up for something to drop tomorrow that will break new ground for Dank Game... unless something goes horribly wrong, which is entirely likely.

Oh, It's On

That's right Dank Game, the moment has arrived. With the NBA playoffs only a few days away, the first official match-up is our beloved Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the hated Los Angeles Lakers.

Now I don't want to hear any guff about how the Lakers are defending champions, number one in the West, or a certain number 24. Because none of that is going to matter. The Thunder are too hungry.

Durant is the reigning scoring king of the NBA. Kobe Bryant is a pathetic fourth in the league. Russell Westbrook has 645 assists on the year. The closer Laker is this Kobe Bryant fellow again, with 365.

These stats tell me that the Lakers have only one legitimate offensive threat. Tell me how the Lakers are going to keep up with the Thunder air show with Serge "the Congolese Squeeze" Ibaka blocking half of everything Kobe tosses up with? (Ibaka has 91 blocks on the season as a rookie - he's also from the Democratic Republic of Congo - I'm trying to invent a nickname for him)

So that should settle it. Thunder over the Lakers. In six.

The only remaining question is whether it will be the Dank Game approved Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the Thunder in the finals.

Stats provided by NBA.com

Scorching Suns and Crumbling Nuggets

Throughout this season, I've had a tendency to underestimate the Suns and overestimate the Nuggets. It's my own personal biases influencing my skewed perceptions and now that the Western Conference playoff race is getting realer than real, it's becoming clear that the Suns are capable of catching fire in the playoffs and the Nuggets maybe aren't quite as solid as I had thought. Awful puns, I know.

Playoff Picture: Bottom of the West

The Suns are in the midst of a 5-game winning streak and hold the 5th seed in the West, just a game behind the Jazz. They could easily extend their win streak to ten games, as the rest of March is against teams currently out of the playoffs. April could be a tough month for them with games against the Bucks, Spurs, Thunder, Nuggets, and Jazz.

It's definitely possible that the Suns make it out of the first round, but I doubt they can go any further. Despite having the best offense in the league, they're still a lousy defensive team, ranking 22nd in the league. They also rely heavily on their three-point shooting, which will be hard to maintain throughout an entire seven-game series. It will be interesting to see if this team's core remains intact after this season, as their championship window is closing if it's even open at all anymore. Steve Nash is still one of the best point guards in the league at age 36, but I get the feeling he might be moved for younger talent if they're bounced in the first round. As for Amare, who knows what'll happen with him.

Projected Record: 52 - 30

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Utah Jazz

The Spurs sit two games behind Phoenix, tied with the Thunder for the 6th seed. They have a rough schedule ahead of them, so the Thunder could squeeze past them. In March, they face the Lakers, Cavs, and Celtics. In April, they have games against the Magic, Lakers, Suns, Nuggets, and Mavs. They also will face the Grizzlies in April, who could be fighting for their playoff lives.

Tony Parker's broken right hand at the beginning of March was a big set back for the Spurs, but they were struggling after the All-Star break even before he went down. George Hill has filled in capably and Ginobili has also taken on some point guard duties in Parker's absence. Parker is expected to return before the end of the regular season, which is good news for San Antonio, but I still have trouble seeing them as a real threat in the playoffs. They just aren't the same team they used to be. They haven't been the same on defense since Bruce Bowen retired, and Richard Jefferson hasn't seemed to fit in their system. They still have Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker though, so you can't count them out.

Projected Record: 49 - 33

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Dallas Mavericks

The Thunder are tied with the Spurs for the 6th seed and have a chance to pass them up. They'll have to close the season strong though, as they have a difficult schedule down the stretch. In March, their toughest games will be against the Lakers, Blazers, and Celtics. In April, they'll face the Mavericks, Jazz, Nuggets, Suns, Blazers, and finish the season against the Grizzlies. They'll have to do it largely without injured rookie James Harden, and his beard. The beard is clearly the bigger loss.

Everyone knew the Thunder would eventually be good, but nobody knew they'd be this good this soon... except for Teenage Mustache, of course. Many people have compared this year's Thunder to last year's Blazers, who made the transition from talented bunch of youngsters to playoff threat quicker than expected. Portland went into the playoffs last year with a "nothing to lose" mentality, and were put in their place by Artest and the Rockets in the first round. I think the Thunder will have more of a collective focus than last year's Blazers, but will ultimately have the same fate. They'll need a better bench and a more imposing presence at center than Nenad Krstic before they take that next step. I'll still be watching and hoping they prove me wrong (if they play someone besides the Nuggets).

Projected Record: 50 - 32

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Denver Nuggets

The Blazers sit just a game behind the Thunder at the 8th spot, with the Grizzlies four games behind them. I'm going to assume that the Grizz won't sneak in the playoffs, but it ain't over 'til it's over. Portland has a road heavy schedule ahead of them, which isn't a huge concern since they've been decent on the road. In March, their toughest games are against the Mavs and Thunder. They're schedule in April is manageable other than games against the Nuggets, Mavericks, Lakers, and Thunder.

It's been a tough year for Portland, as injuries have taken out several important players. Not long after losing Greg Oden for the year, center Joel Przybilla also had a season ending injury that has forced them to use 37-year old Juwon Howard at center. Not only is Howard old, but he's also not a center. Despite these and other setbacks, Portland has maintained playoff positioning throughout the season. Unfortunately, they'll probably end up getting bounced in the first round yet again at the hands of the Lakers or Nuggets. Even if everyone was healthy, I still think they lack the type of gritty, hard-nosed player you need in the playoffs.

Projected Record: 49 - 33

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Los Angeles Lakers

Playoff Picture: Bottom of the East

The Bucks hold the 5th seed in the East with a relatively comfortable three-game lead over the Heat. Picking up John Salmons at the trade deadline has proved to be a good move, as the Bucks have gone an impressive 16-2 since the trade. This run has included wins against the Cavs (sans LeBron), Celtics, Jazz, Nuggets, and Hawks. I expect the Bucks to win out the rest of their games in March except for the last one against Cleveland. To finish out the season, they'll play the Celtics and Hawks at home, and then the Celtics again in Boston. These games will be very important for Milwaukee, because they'll likely match up with either Boston or Atlanta in the playoffs.

Milwaukee's big turn around this season has been sparked by the inspired play of Australian center Andrew Bogut, dynamic rookie point guard Brandon Jennings, and John Salmons. They have also gotten a surprising amount of production out of Carlos Delfino and Ersan Ilyasova, who played in the Euroleague the past couple of seasons. Much credit is also due to head coach Scott Skiles, who's emphasis on defense has made the Bucks the 4th best defensive team in the league. Their defensive prowess makes them a scary first round opponent, especially because they've been on such a tear lately. You just have to wonder about their offense, which ranks 22nd in the league. I also wonder if Jennings can play consistently enough to win a seven-game series.

Projected Record: 47 - 35

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Atlanta Hawks

The Heat hold the 6th seed in the East, but Toronto and Charlotte are both just a game behind. The Heat have a very light schedule to close out the season, but with the way they've played this year, I'd almost prefer them playing contenders instead of sub-.500 teams. They're toughest games are coming up this month against the Bucks and Raptors. In April, they'll exclusively play the worst of the worst in the NBA. Here's to hoping they can capitalize.

I've tried to maintain optimism with this Heat squad all year, but they're inconsistency has made it tough. They have been a streaky team to say the least. While their defense has been encouraging, ranking 8th in the NBA, their offense has been downright atrocious at times, ranking in at 19th out of 30 teams. Because they're one of the slowest paced teams, you would think that they have a moderately formidable half court offense. The truth is they can be painful to watch when trying to run an offense, as their ball movement is usually stagnant at best. I would like to see them get out and run more, for the sake of entertainment and potentially easier buckets. For the Heat to make it out of the first round, I think Quentin Richardson will have to be hitting the three-ball consistently and Jermaine O'Neal will have to be big on both ends of the court. If Michael Beasley can produce that would be an added bonus, but my confidence in the kid is quickly declining. Also, Dwyane Wade will have to be on Jordan-mode throughout the entire series.

Projected Record: 45 - 37

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Boston Celtics

The Raptors are tied with the Bobcats for the 7th seed, with the season series currently tied between the two teams. I expect the Bobcats to surpass the Raptors by the end of the season. Toronto's next two games will probably be losses, as they play the Nuggets and Jazz. After that, they have the Heat and Bobcats, which I also think will be losses. Their schedule in April is fairly light besides games against Cleveland, Boston, and Atlanta. This team has been so inconsistent that any game could be a loss, though.

While the Raptors have a high powered offense, good for 5th in the league, they are the absolute worst team on defense. While I haven't actually watched an entire Raptors game this season, I think it's pretty safe to say this team is going nowhere in the playoffs. The Hedo Turkoglu signing is turning out to be a mistake, as he will be making pretty big money for the next four years and his production will probably continue to decrease. Factor in Chris Bosh's possible departure in free agency, and you have a team that could be in shambles for years to come.

Projected Record: 41 - 41

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Orlando Magic

The Bobcats are tied with the Raptors for the 7th seed, but I think they'll pass them up. Their schedule in March is light with the Raptors being their toughest out. April is also pretty easy despite games against the Bucks and Hawks. They do have two games against the Bulls in April though, who are just two and a half games back and will be fighting for their chance to make the playoffs. Their games against the Hornets and Rockets are also far from guaranteed wins.

Much like the teams they're battling against for playoff positioning (Heat, Raptors, Bulls), the Bobcats have been very inconsistent this year. With Larry Brown at the helm, the Bobcats have become the second best defensive team in the league, but they rank 22nd offensively. The midseason trade for Stephen Jackson has given them a big boost on offense and has been one of the main reasons they've been able to get into playoff contention. Charlotte will probably end up facing the Cavs or Magic, so expect to see a lot of Michael Jordan sitting in the crowd frowning with his arms crossed. Even if they manage to get Boston in the first round, I just don't think they'll have the offense to win a seven-game series against them.

Projected Record: 43 - 39

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Cleveland Cavaliers