As the season goes along, teams make trades and injuries occur that affect the playoff picture. Like trading cp3 added the clips to the playoff mix while subtracting the hornets and injuries to Manu and Zach have the spurs and grizz hopes in jeopardy. So as of today the 8 teams in the west I think will make playoffs - in no particular order: 1) Thunder 2) Lakers 3) Blazers 4) Mavericks 5) Clippers 6) Nuggets 7) Rockets 8) Spurs Thoughts? What 8 will make it in the east? Update based on new trades / injuries.
East: 1) Bulls 2) Heat 3) Sixers 4) Pacers 5) Celtics 6) Knicks 7) Magic (factoring in trade after ASG) 8) Hawks
(imo) I dont think Dwight Howard will get traded after ASG and I for some reason want Rockets to tank this season instead...
Orlando wants to stay competitive (aging owner). You think they won't move him for something and risk it?
Yeah Orlando will fall out of playoff contention when they trade Dwight. They will definitely trade him. Dwight has made it more then obvious he doesn't want to stay and will never sign with Orlando.
I'm not sure Orlando misses playoffs. They are off to a good start now which will be a nice buffer for trade. Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, Ryan Anderson, and Bynum or Brook Lopez may be good enough in East. East is top 3 heavy. The rest isn't panning out this year.
