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| Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers are the Darkhorses of this year's playoffs. |
As the playoff race in the Eastern Conference barrels toward a scintillating finish we here at BDD&C want to give names to all nine of the teams in contention in the only way we can.
1. Chicago Bulls
The Ultimate Team's Team
The Chicago Bulls haven't had Derrick Rose for a majority of the season, yet they still have shown all year that they're the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Tom Thibodeau-led Bulls are defensive, scary deep and have knock 'em out, drag 'em out attitude that is reminiscent of their 90s forefathers. Their old-school style has a lot of basketball purists drooling. Chicago is a likable squad that play hard and have a quiet superstar who plays with the intensity of a bull, literally. They're most likely going to be the matchup of the Miami Heat in the ECFs, which will make them everyone's team. If any team in NBA could be compared to a unified college team, this one is it. Their inexperience killed them last year, maybe their experience will be their savior this time around.
2. Miami Heat
Legion of Doom
No one likes the Miami Heat except for a bunch of fair-weather Miami fans, a couple people who have a dying affection for Lebron James and stat geeks who are all fired up about James' PER. Miami plays a suffocating style of defense and loves to run the fast break like Michael Vick likes to hit DeSean Jackson on the fade. Their 3-star alignment combined with a mockery of role players is at times laughable and other times mind-blowingly good. Mike Miller and Shane Battier have been horrendous in their respective roles, and if it wasn't for Norris Cole's emergence and Chalmers steady play, the Heat's 2nd unit would be a joke. The Big Three has accepted the villain role, but are struggling to uphold it.
3. Indiana Pacers
Darkhorses
It's actually sort of wild to think that the Indiana Pacers are 18 games over .500 even with the preseason hype they got this year. This team could be called the poor man's Chicago Bulls or the rich man's Philadelphia 76ers, whatever floats your boat. They are deep, play like the Hoosiers and have a serious chip on their shoulder. Danny Granger is one of the more underrated players in the league, but the emergence of Roy Hibbert as an all-star along with a formidable power forward in David West whom they acquired in the off season have taken the Pacers to the next level. If the pieces fall the right way this team could stumble into an Eastern Conference matchup with the Chicago Bulls which could be an interesting series despite it's lacking in national interest. I'm not as high on the Pacers as everyone else, but I see them as a good matchup for the Heat in the second round.
4. Boston Celtics
The Aging Wonders
Every year it's supposed to be the Celtics final try and every year they make a run in the regular season that dispels that notion. Boston was struggling to maintain the 8th and final playoff spot earlier in the year, now they've clinched the division and at least secured the fourth spot in the East. The turn around has seen a revival of Paul Pierce and the quick development of Avery Bradley as a lock down perimeter defender. If Ray Allen's relegation to the bench can resurrect his shooting career then the Celtics could be dangerous. They'll face the athletic Hawks in the first round, and if their solid defense can shut down the high flying, yet sporadic, Hawks then they'll meet Chicago in an exciting second round matchup.
5. Atlanta Hawks
The Bad Boys
The Hawks are an interesting team here, they're chalk full of talent but are a sometimes selfish and lazy group. Three straight losses in the Eastern Conference Semis has this team both thinking they're a contender and realizing that they just might not have enough to escape the second round. Josh Smith is one of the most talented players in the league, but his basketball IQ is low, making him an eye sore at times. I wouldn't compare them to the bad boys of the 90s Pistons in so much that they are fighters, but more because they can make it look easy or they can make it look like they just don't give a damn. Every year this team is a dark horse and every year they hit a brick wall in the second round.
6. Orlando Magic
Cirque De Soleil
Dwight Howard turned a contending Orlando Magic team into a complete and utter mockery with his trade deadline shenanigans. Then he had an encore performance by enjoying the night out with his boy Jameer Nelson in New York and then losing by 30+ points. Howard and co. have quit on their coach and have made the Orlando Magic exactly who the Indiana Pacers want to play: a big joke. Aside from getting blazingly hot from the three point line, the Magic have no offense(or defense) beside D12. If Dwight doesn't play hard in the playoffs, which he won't, then expect a quick and ugly exit from the Magic.
7. New York Knicks
The One Man Show
The Knicks have two things right now, defense and Carmelo Anthony. Anthony has been on a tear since Mike Woodson took over and is trying his best to recreate Dirk's magical one man ride last year. 'Melo and the Knicks are blessed to have the same defensive stalwart in Tyson Chandler that Dirk had. The Knicks can be a threat in the playoffs if two things happen, one, they play exceptional defense and let Carmelo just go to work or two, have Amar'e come back and tear it up in a similar way. I'll tell you what, if the Knicks can somehow pull off the upset against the Heat, they will have a damn good chance of beating the Indiana Pacers and being in the Eastern Conference Finals.
8. Philadelphia 76ers
The Fading Upstarts
At one point the Sixers were 20-9 and clearly a lock for the Atlantic division title, let alone the playoffs. Now they are on the verge of missing the playoffs, and probably won't be seeded higher than eighth. This sort of collapse is exactly what happens when you're a team of 10 sixth mans. Andre Iguodala has been a bigger offensive disappoint than Michael Jordan is as an owner. Lou Williams has emerged as a nice player, but the rest of the team just hasn't picked up the slack. Spencer Hawes who was a heralded player earlier in the season has been an absolute disappointment lately. These Sixers will probably make the playoffs thanks to an ugly Bucks loss to the Wizards last night, however I'm pretty sure the brooms will be out in Chicago once the Sixers come to town.
9. Milwaukee Bucks
Too Little, Too Late
The Bucks made an interesting move at the deadline bringing Monta Ellis for the oft-injured Andrew Bogut, but have slowly realized that trade might have been a bad one. The volatile Ellis, Jennings backcourt could blow up in their faces next year and it hasn't really got them closer to a playoff spot this year. Even though the Sixers are trending downward fast, I don't see the Bucks catching them. Oh and Ersan Ilyasova just isn't that good.
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