NBA PREDICTIONS FOR 2008-09

Since just about every writer out there is making some predictions for the upcoming NBA season, I think it's time I made mine. If you listened to the show this past week, I made some picks for who would make the playoffs in each conference. I did make a few tweaks to the original predictions, but the conference finals and NBA finals teams are the same. So without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2008-09 NBA season:

Eastern Conference (*= division winner)
1. Boston Celtics*
2. Cleveland Cavaliers*
3. Detroit Pistons
4. Orlando Magic*
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Philadelphia 76'ers
7. Miami Heat
8. Chicago Bulls

First Round:
1. Boston OVER 8. Chicago
2. Cleveland OVER 7. Miami
3. Detroit OVER 6. Philadelphia
5. Toronto OVER 4. Orlando

Second Round:
1. Boston OVER 5. Toronto
2. Cleveland OVER 3. Detroit

Eastern Conference Finals:
1. Boston Celtics OVER 2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Western Conference (* = division winner)
1. Los Angeles Lakers*
2. New Orleans Hornets*
3. Houston Rockets
4. Utah Jazz*
5. San Antonio Spurs
6. Phoenix Suns
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Portland Trailblazers

First Round:
1. Los Angeles OVER 8. Portland
2. New Orleans OVER 7. Dallas
3. Houston OVER 6. Phoenix
4. Utah OVER 5. San Antonio

Second Round:
4. Utah OVER 1. Los Angeles
2. New Orleans OVER 3. Houston

Western Conference Finals:
New Orleans Hornets over Utah Jazz


NBA Finals:
New Orleans Hornets OVER Boston Celtics
Finals MVP: Chris Paul

AWARDS:
MVP: LeBron James, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
ROY: Michael Beasley, F, Miami Heat
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Thaddeus Young, F, Philadelphia 76'ers
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Garnett, F, Boston Celtics
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Rodney Stuckey, G, Detroit Pistons
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jerry Sloan, Utah Jazz