2009 NBA All-Star Ballots Open (My Selections)

The 2009 NBA All-Star ballot has just been released and the voting is under way, so I'm picking up what I did last year by picking who I vote for and why. Two teams. Two guards, two forwards and a center each, and a write-in. It's not about the top talents like Chris Paul LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. They're already getting in. It's about getting other all-star talents recognized.

You can vote online everyday until January 19. You can vote on nba.com, or you can do it right here, using the NBA All-Star 2009 widget on the top-right side of my blog. T-Mobile will be helping out the Phoenix community by donating $1 for every ballot you cast in a T-Zone or T-Mobile's wireless web portal. So if you can, do it.

Enough talk, let's get it on.

WEST

FORWARD: ANDREI KIRILENKO Utah Jazz. He's coming off the bench now as one of the best sixth men in the league. He's getting 14 PPG on 55% shooting, 6.8 RPG, 2.9 APG 1.1 SPG and 1.4 BPG. He's an all-around player, efficient on both sides of the ball helping his team to a 6-1 record, which includes winning five straight. If he keeps this up, he'll make his first all-star team.

FORWARD: LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE Portland Trail Blazers. Aldridge, in only his third year, will be a dominant force in the NBA with his ability shoot. His numbers are 18.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 1.4 BPG. He has the ability to have a 20-10 game and he's had a 24 point, 13 rebound outing this year already. In the future when he's working with Greg Oden, the Blazers frontcourt will be a force to be reckoned with.

GUARD: KEVIN MARTIN Sacramento Kings. K-Mart looks like he's back with a vengence. He's come out as more agressive and has made his case on a 4-game homestand after starting 0-4 on the road. He's averaged 28.7 PPG on 53% shooting, 3 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.6 SPG, leading the Kings on a 3-game win streak at home. Unfortunately, he re-sprained his ankle against the Warriors, but he should be back in a week. Otherwise, with some all-star moves early on in the season he's sure to make his case to get on the team again this season.

GUARD: STEPHEN JACKSON Golden State Warriors. Since Baron Davis left for the Clippers and Monta Ellis was injured and out until January and now Corey Maggette injured, Captain Jack has taken charge of the team with the best numbers of his career so far. He's averaged 23.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.6 APG and 1.4 SPG. Even though the team has struggled with a 2-5 record, he's doing everything he can to get his team through some tough times.

CENTER: ANDRIS BIEDRINS Golden State Warriors. Biedrins has been very good early on. Averaging 16.8 PPG on 53% shooting, 14.3 RPG 1 SPG and 1.8 BPG, Biedrins is an unstoppable force on both ends on the floor. He fights for every board, which is why he averages nearly five offensive RPG. There's no other way to put it, he's the best center in the West on the ballot.

EAST

FORWARD: ZACH RANDOLPH New York Knicks. So far, he's stayed out of trouble. Maybe Mike D'Antoni straightened him out. He's averaging 19 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 1.5 SPG as the Knicks' new center at 6'9. He's also helped lead the team to a 4-3 record. As long as he stays out of trouble and puts up some good numbers, I'll vote him. If he's really changed, there's a spot on the team for him.

FORWARD: TAYSHAUN PRINCE Detroit Pistons. In 2005, Ben and Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups were all-stars. Prince was the only one of the starting five who wasn't chosen. I think it's time he became one. He's averaging 18.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.6 APG and 0.9 BPG. He's really coming into his own. Don't worried about him being injury prone, he's an iron man. He's started in all 82 games for four straight seasons. He's played in all 82 games for five straight seasons. Even with Allen Iverson coming in, it's still Prince's time to shine.

GUARD: JOSE CALDERON Toronto Raptors. The Spanish Sensation up north, Calderon is starring beside Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal. He's averaging 13.5 PPG and 9 APG and has over a 5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He was a big part of the Spanish National Team in the Olympics before he was injured, missing the gold medal game. Calderon came out of nowhere last year when T.J. Ford was injured. Now with the starting role he continues to shine.

GUARD: JOE JOHNSON Atlanta Hawks. JJ has led this team to 6-game winning streak to start the season, and he was questioned by Paul Pierce last year on why he made the team last year over Ray Allen initially. He's averaging 24.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.9 APG and 1.6 SPG in an effort to make sure the Hawks finish better than an eight seed. He and the Hawks are making sure that the whole NBA knows and Johnson is the perfect canidate for the Hawks.

CENTER: ANDREW BOGUT Milwaukee Bucks. He's probably one of the most balanced centers in the East right now when it comes to stats, but he's done better in the past. Averaging 10.1 PPG, 10 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 1.1 BPG, he's ready to prove that he earned his extension. He's playing with two very good scorers in Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson, but if he gets rolling like he did at the end of last season, the Bucks can start see some wins coming their way.

WRITE-IN: NENE Denver Nuggets. Filling the void Marcus Camby left at center when he was traded, he's bounced back from testicular cancer to play one of the best seasons of his career so far. He's avveraging 15.6 PPG on 67.2% shooting, 8.9 RPG, 1.4 SPG and 2 BPG in a bounce back season when it looked like his career may have been over. Now it's about staying healthy for his team because he's a key piece. Without him, even with Chauncey Billups they can't think about the playoffs. Nené is that important.

LAST THOUGHTS: There's a few newcomers on the ballot. Yi Jianlian, after getting a lot of votes as a write-in last year, is on the ballot this year. Rookies Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo and Greg Oden have made the ballot as well. If you haven't noticed, there're five international players that I've picked. Kirilenko (Russia), Biedrins (Latvia), Calderon (Spain), Bogut (Australia) and Nené (Brazil). It's amazing how many good players there are from overseas. Rudy Fernandez and Ricky Rubio could be next.

I'm done now, so go vote. There's 67 days left to do it, and you can do it every day. Be on the lookout for Part 2 in a couple of weeks.

Donte Greene Goes off for 40 on Day 4

Rockets (1-0) v. Suns (0-1)

We got our first 40 point performance, thanks to Donte Greene leading the Rockets past the Suns 100-97, the highest scoring game yet. Greene, who also had 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, shot 12-20 from the field, 5-10 beyond the arc, 11-12 free throws and 36 of his points came from the first 3 quarters. Mike Harris also played big with 21 points on 9-14 shooting and 13 rebounds while Maarty (with 2 A's) Leunen had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench. Aaron Brooks had 13 points and 4 rebounds.

D.J. Strawberry, son of former baseball player Darryl Strawberry, put up 22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, a block and a steal. Alando Tucker also posted 22 points and 6 rebounds, along with 2 assists. In his debut, Robin Lopez, twin brother of Brook had 19 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks while Iowa State's Jiri Hubalek had 10 points and 3 rebounds off the bench.

Knicks (1-0) v. Cavaliers (0-1)

In another thriller, Wilson Chandler led the Knicks to a 97-94 win, putting up 26 points, 8 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Alan Roberson had a great night with 22 points, 2 assists and a block while Mardy Collins had 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Danillo Gallinari made his debut with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a block.

Rookie J.J. Hickson also had a solid debut with 26 points and 9 rebounds for the Cavs, and Clay Tucker had 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks off the bench. Darnell Jackson 10 points and 8 rebounds, Mike Green had 4 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, a block and a steal, and Robert "Tractor" Traylor had 8 points 3 rebounds and a block after spending some time out of the NBA recovering from heart surgery.

Blazers (1-0) v. Wizards (0-1)

Jerryd Bayless scored 28 points (with the help of 18 free throws made) and 4 rebounds in his debut to help the Blazers edge the Wizards 78-73. Finland's Petteri Koponen pitched in 19 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal, while Josh Davis added 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks and Bernard Robinson had 7 points, 7 rebounds and a block.

Andray Blatche came in and dropped 17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and a block for the Wizards and Nick Young chipped in 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Wake Forest's Frank Elegar had 10 points and 4 rebounds while both Dominique McGuire and Vladimir Veremeenko each had 6 points 5 boards and a block. JaVale McGee had 11 points and 3 blocks.

Nuggets (2-0) v. Raptors (0-2)

Taurean Green led his team with 17 points on 3-3 shooting and hitting 9 free throws, along with 3 rebounds and 4 assists, leading his team to a 90-79 win over the Raps. Elton Brown had a double double with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Dhantay Jones posted 16 points and 3 rebounds. Bobby Jones, Mike Hall and Curtis Sumpter, all had 10 points and 4 rebounds.

Joey Graham had 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists for the Raptors and John Lucas had 11 points 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Coleman Collins 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. C.J. Giles put up 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 blocks and a steal.

Mavericks (1-2) v. (0-1) Timberwolves

Reyshawn Terry starred off the bench with 15 points, 4 rebounds and a block in the Mavs first summer league win 88-74. Jajuan Smith had 19 points and a steal while Shan Foster had 17 points and 3 rebounds. Pape Sow had 6 points, 6 rebounds and a block and James Singleton had 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. Gerald Green did not play.

Kevin Love debuted in the T'Wolves first games, with 18 points, 13 rebounds and a steal. Sophomore Corey Brewer had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal while Blake Ahearn had 17 points off the bench. Chris Richard had 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal and Pooh Jeter had 9 points and 5 assists.

Spurs (1-0) v. Grizzlies (2-1)

Ian Mahinmi helped the Spurs fend off a late Grizzlies rally to win 78-76 in their summer league debut. Mahinmi led the team with 18 points and 8 rebounds and George Hill put in 17 points and 8 rebounds. Anthony Tolliver had 13 points and 4 rebounds and Devin Green had 12 points, 4 rebounds and a steal.

Darrell Arthur had a bounce back game and led the Grizzlies with 23 points, 6 rebounds and a block while O.J. Mayo had 18 points on 5-17 shooting, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. He also hit a 67 foot shot. P.J. Tucker 12 points, 9 rebounds off the bench, 2 steals and a block while Ebi Ere had 11 points and a block off the bench. Javaris Crittenton had 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

Day 4 had the best performance yet from Donte Greene. Hopefully, the best is yet to come.

Summer League Recap: Day 2 & Rankings

On day 2, many players put out great effort.

Kings v. Raptors

In the kick-off game, Spencer Hawes had one of the top performances of the day with 23 points and 9 rebounds in a winning effort against the Raps. Shelden Williams posted a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Quincy Douby had 20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals and a block. Jason Thompson, the surprise lottery pick, got hot late with 12 points, 7 rebounds and a block and Sean Singletary had 9 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in the game. Good all-around team effort.

The Raps' Joey Graham, twin brother of the Pacers' Stephen Graham, had a game high 24 points to go with 8 boards and a steal. Deji Akindele had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks while Jaycee Carroll had 14 points in 14 minutes off the bench. John Lucas had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal while Hassan Adames finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Joel Bosh, brother of Raptors' star forward Chris Bosh, did not play.

Grizzlies v. Bucks

O.J. Mayo stepped up big for the Grizzlies, putting up 26 points, 5 rebounds, an assist and a steal, leading the team to a 88-79 win over the Bucks. P.J. Tucker had another great night with 11 points, 8 boards and a block. Javaris Crittenton put up all sixes, 6 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and German Malick Badiane put up 9 points and 6 rebounds. Mike Conley had 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists and Darrell Arthur had 10 points and 4 rebounds.

The Bucks' Ramon Sessions had 12 points, 9 assists and 2 rebounds and Trey Johnson had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Matt Freije's 3 of his 4 made shots were 3 pointers for 11 points off the bench and Darius Washington had 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.

Bobcats v. Clippers

D.J. Augustin and the Bobcats toppled the Clippers 81-66. Augustin made his debut and led his team with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals , while rookie D.J. 15 points, 8 rebounds and a block. Kyle Hines had 7 points and 5 rebounds off the bench while Guillermo Diaz came off with him with 9 points and 3 rebounds. Orien Greene had 6 points 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal after playing most of the year with the New Zealand Breakers.

Clippers' sophomore Al Thornton highlighted the night with 22 points, 7 rebounds and a block. Eric Gordon had a better shooting game with 15 points on 4-10 shooting, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Mike Taylor, from Iowa State, had 10 points while DeAndre Jordan had 4 points and 6 rebounds. Jordan, through 2 games, is showing why he was a 2nd round pick.

Nuggets v. Sixers

Even in the summer league, the Nuggets continue their high scoring ways outdueling the Sixers 99-85. Dhantay Jones was shining with 21 points. Sonny Weems had 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench for the Nuggets while Elton Brown posted a double double with 13 points and 11 boards. George Washington's Mike Hall had 12 points 8 rebounds and 2 assists while Keith Langford added 14 points and 3 assists in 16 minutes.

Although Thaddeus Young continues to score, his team is now 0-2. Young had 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Marreese Speights also cooled off from last night's performance, putting up 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Jamont Gordon had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal for the night. Jason Smith had a good night with 15 points and 4 rebounds.

Now, only 7 teams have to wait to make their debut until Monday including Knicks v. Cavs, Suns v. Rockets, Wizards v. Blazers and the Spurs debuting against the Grizzlies.

Now that a couple of days have gone by, here are the first player and rookie rankings of the summer league.

Player Rankings

1. Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30, 8, 1, 2, 2 (1-0)
2. O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20.5, 4, 3, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
3. Spencer Hawes (SAC): 23, 9, 2, 0, 0 (1-0)
4. Al Thornton (LAC): 21, 7, 0.5, 0, 1 (1-1)
5. Thaddeus Young (PHI): 24.5, 5.5, 1.5, 1, 0.5 (0-2)
6. Rodney Stuckey (DET): 21, 5, 4, 1, 0 (1-0)
7. P.J. Tucker (MEM): 14, 8, 1.5, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
8. Joey Graham (TOR): 24, 8, 0, 1, 0 (0-1)
9. Shelden Williams (SAC): 16, 10, 2, 0, 0 (1-0)
10. Eric Gordon (LAC) 19, 5.5, 2, 1, 1 (1-1)



Rookie Rankings

1. Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30, 8, 1, 2, 2 (1-0)
2. O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20.5, 4, 3, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
3. Eric Gordon (LAC): 19, 5.5, 2, 1, 1 (1-1)
4. Marreese Speights (PHI): 18, 9, 0, 0, 1.5 (0-2)
5. D.J. Augustin (CHA): 14, 3, 2, 2, 0 (1-0)
6. Deji Akindele (TOR): 13, 7, 0, 1, 2 (0-1)
7. Jason Thompson (SAC): 12, 7, 1, 0, 1 (1-0)
8. Darrell Arthur (MEM): 14, 3.5, 1, 1, 1 (0-2)
9. Trey Johnson (MIL): 12, 7, 0, 1, 0 (0-1)
10. Sonny Weems (DEN): 17, 3, 0, 0, 0 (1-0)

Best of the East

Boston, Detroit, Orlando and Cleavland. All of them dominated the Eastern Conference, but their were a lot of great individual performances too. Atlanta clinched their first playoff spot since 1999, Philadelphia surged late in the season for their first playoff spot since Allen Iverson left and Washington relied on their other All-Stars Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison despite Gilbert Arenas missing most of the season. Even though the West had dominance, there were stories in the East too.

All Atlantic Division Team

Kevin Garnett

C- Samuel Dalembert PHI 10.7-10.4-.5-2.4
PF- Kevin Garnett BOS 18.9-9.3-3.5
SF- Andre Iguodala PHI 19.9-5.4-4.8-2.1 SPG
SG- Vince Carter NJN 21.6-6.1-5

PG- Jose Claderon TOR 11.5-2.9-8.3

Paul Pierce BOS 19.9-5.2-4.6
Chris Bosh TOR 22.5-8.8-2.5
Richard Jefferson NJN 22.5-4.2-3
Zach Randolph NYK 17.6-10.3-2

Andre Miller PHI 17.1-4-6.8
Ray Allen BOS 17.7-3.7-3.1
Jamal Crawford NYK 20.7-2.6-5

All Central Division Team

LeBron James

C- Andew Bogut MIL 14.2-9.8-2.6-1.8 BPG
PF- Danny Granger IND 19.1-6.1-2.1
SF- LeBron James CLE 30.3-7.9-7.2-1.9 SPG
SG- Michael Redd MIL 23.5-4.4-3.5
PG- Chauncey Billups DET 17.2-2.8-6.9
Drew Gooden CHI-CLE14.3-9.3-1.7
Zydrunas Ilgauskas CLE 14-9.3-1.4
Danny Granger IND 19.1-6.1-2.1
Mike Dunleavy IND 18.7-5.2-3.4
Mo Williams MIL 17.2-3.5-6.3
Richard Hamilton DET 17.6-3.3-4.2
Ben Gordon CHI 18.9-3.1-3

All Southeast Division Team

Dwight Howard

C- Dwight Howard ORL 20.9-14.4-1.4-2.2
PF- Antawn Jamison WAS 21.5-10.2-1.5
SF- Josh Smith ATL 17.3-8.4-3.4-1.5-2.8
SG- Dwyane Wade MIA 24.6-4.2-6.9-1.7 SPG
PG- Raymond Felton CHA 14.3-2.9-7.3
Caron Butler WAS 20.3-6.7-4.9-2.21 SPG
Joe Johnson ATL 22.1-4.6-5.8
Jason Richardson CHA 21.5-5.3-3.2
Shawn Marion MIA-PHX 14.3-11.2-2.5
Hedo Turkoglu ORL 19.6-5.8-4.9
Gerald Wallace CHA 19.4-6-3.5
Rashard Lewis ORL 18.3-5.4-2.4

Rookie of the Eastern Conference

Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
10.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Best Defensive Player

Josh Smith
8.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG

Most Improved

Hedo Turkoglu

Last Season: 13.3 PPG, 4 RPG, 3.2 APG
This Season: 19.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG 5 APG

Martin Leads Kings Over Raptors, 106-100

Even without Bosh, Jason Kapono and Rasho Nesterovic both scored 20+ and kept the slumping Toronto Raptors aiming for a win in Sactown. Team play kept the Raps off of their back to get their 3rd win in 4 games. Hope NBATV enjoyed the game.

1ST QUARTER

Beno led the way with 12 points for the Kings, including 7 straight points for them. Despite a great start from the Kings, it was a bad quarter as the Kings didn't have their best bench player, John Salmons, injured at Phoenix a day before. Rookie center Spencer Hawes went down with a left foot strain and didn't return for the rest of the game. The Kings led 32-23.

2ND QUARTER

The Kings got a good performance from Anthony Johnson's early 4 points. Late in the quarter, Toronto overcame a 15 point lead and went on a 16-2 (10 straight from Kapono) run and trailed 53-49.

3RD QUARTER

The Raps took their only lead at 55-56 until the Kings unleased a 15-2 run, led by Kevin Maritn's 11 points. Toronto stayed in the game with a late 12-4 run to end the quarter 76-73.

4TH QUARTER

Despite blowing 2 double digit leads, the Kings weren't ready to give up another lead, despite Carlos Delfino, Kapono and Nesterovic leading their team behind the Kings by 1 point. Mikki Moore had a big game with 17 points. K-Mart had a great 4th quarter with 11 points, finishing with 32 points.

HIGHLIGHTS

KINGS
Martin: 32 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, stl, 5 TO
Ron Artest: 19 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl
Brad Miller: 14 pts, 11 reb, blk, ast
Moore: 17 pts, 7 reb
Beno Udrih: 15 pts, 7 ast. 6 TO
Francisco Garcia: 5 pts, 3 reb (bench)
Johnson: 4 pts, 2 ast (bench)
Shelden Williams: 0 pts, 6 reb (bench)

RAPTORS
Kapono: 26 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast, stl (bench)
Nesterovic: 20 pts, 8 reb, 2 blk, 2 stl, ast
Anthony Parker: 11 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl
Carlos Delfino: 8 pts, 6 reb, ast (bench)
Jose Calderon: 6 pts, 9 ast, 3 reb, 3 stl
T.J. Ford: 7 pts, 5 ast, 2 stl, reb (bench)
Kris Humpheries: 8 pts, 2 reb, blk, stl (bench)
Andrea Bargnani: 5 pts, 3 reb

The benches would be the reason the Raptors stayed in the game. A difference of 49-9 difference in favor of the Raptors. The Kings had a huge advantage on rebounds 50-36. The Kings managed to hold on despite a desprate Toronto team going 0-4 on their road trip, playing the Jazz the next day. For 9 games, Chris Bosh hasn't seen action but plans to play Wednesday against the Heat.

Just a cool fact before I'm done. Anthony Parker, whose sister is women's college basketball phenom Candace Parker, played against her fiancé Shelden Williams. The NBA is full of family ties. Once Mike Bibby and Eddie House, brother-in-laws, were teammates on the Kings. For a lot players in the league, the NBA is a family affair.

Look Ahead for the Eastern Conference

When the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen the East was considered to be a powerhouse once again. Then the only teams that really separated themselves from the pack were the Celtics, Pistons and Magic. Now a team doesn't have a .500 record to be in the playoffs, but like the West, many teams are still in the playoff hunt. Other than the Celtics, there might be a new playoff team.

1. Boston Celtics (41-9) Getting Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made Paul Pierce very happy. The one weak spot that they were thought to have was a good point guard. Look at Rajon Rondo now. Center Kendrick Perkins has been a great starter too. That 72-10 record is out of reach now, but they're a top 2 playoff team at the least. They've lost KG for 9 games and played well for the most part. It could be tough for them later on because the Pistons are trailing them.


2. Detroit Pistons (39-13) The Pistons are still one of the elite teams of the East. They haven't done anything different than last year except move Rasheed Wallace to center. A big part of their success is the rise of Jason Maxiell in the starting line-up. They didn't re-sign Chris Webber and traded Nazr Mohammed, but things have worked out for the better. Unless the Magic or Cavs have something to say, the East is gearing up for the Celtics-Pistons Eastern Conference Finals match-up. It's been a while since that happened.


3. Orlando Magic (33-21) The Magic have had a great season this far. After a red hot 16-4 start under Dwight Howard's MVP play, the Magic have slowed down, but no question they're playoff bound. What was even more surprising is that after acquiring Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu outperformed him throughout the season. They have a powerful All-Star caliber frontcourt. They've struggled against elite teams like Detroit, Phoenix, and San Antonio, but they're also one of the few teams to beat the Celtics. They're set to go as far as the 2nd round of the playoffs at least, but the conference finals doesn't seem that distant for them.
   
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-23) The Cavs are back where they're supposed to be, with the East's elite. The East seemed to be off to such great start that the Cavs seemed to get left in the dust and out of the playoff picture. The reigning conference champions passed those teams and reminded everyone who they are. Even though they're in the picture, the organization failed to get a point guard that LeBron James really wanted, since Jason Kidd is heading to Dallas and Mike Bibby is now a Hawk. Bibby was the ideal player for him to take off the scoring load for him, but James wanted Kidd. Either way he's not getting either of them, but Larry Hughes might be making a comeback after dropping a few high scoring games this year. Paired with sharpshooter Daniel Gibson, the Cavs might not have to look far to take the load off of James.


5. Toronto Raptors (28-23) The Raps are right back where they were last year, only they haven't played with T.J. Ford most of the year. Enter breakout point guard Jose Calderon and they're still on track for last year. He's been phenomenal in terms of playmaking, and has even been compared to John Stockton. Along with Chris Bosh and highflying rookie Jamario Moon, Toronto still plays well and show no signs of stopping. They're one of 5 teams that are over .500 in the East so if they stay over, it's automaticd that they'rein the playoffs.


6. Washington Wizards (25-27) No Gilbert Areans, no problem. They were supposed to be one of the worst teams in the league with their superstar done for the at least most of the season, but All-Stars Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were still on the team. Add the solid play of rookie Nick Young, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood, and this is a team determined to make the playoffs. No need to find out if Young will lose his starting job because Arenas said that he would come off of the bench, maybe not to disrupt the team's chemistry. Arenas is still planning to opt out, but it's a toss up wheather he'll stay or go.


7. New Jersey Nets (23-30) The Nets are in danger of not making the playoffs this year. Despite Richard Jefferson's great year, Vince Carter averaging 20 PPG and having Jason Kidd, one of the best point guards in the NBA, for some reason they couldn't get it done. They're on of the many teams that have talented players but can't seem to get the job done. Now they're losing Kidd and there are 6 other teams behind them that can make the playoffs as well. By getting rid of Kidd and getting Devin Harris, they're starting the rebuilding process right now, but they have to trade Carter, someone who wants out too, as well to free up some more cap space and truly start rebuilding. Sean Williams has been one of the best defensive rookies of the year, and Josh Boone is starting to show his potential. If they play their cards right, the process might not take as long.


8. Philadelphia 76ers (23-30) The Sixers have been in the playoff hunt all year long. Andre Iguodala has been the best performer on the team so far. Samuel Dalembert has been an athletic center for the team too catching alley-oops from Andre Miller. It seems now that he's staying in Philly instead of being traded. If the team keeps up their chemistry, they can make a playoff push for the first time since Allen Iverson and Chris Webber were on the team.


9. Atlanta Hawks (21-28) Now that the Hawks recieved point guard Mike Bibby from the Kings, the Hawks now seem playoff bound for the first time since 1999. They were considered a darkhorse this year after a good start and are in a virtual tie for 7th place. Bibby has been seen as the answer to take the scoring load off of Joe Johnson and could be the point guard Atlanta has needed for a long time. Bibby can also throw good lob passes to Josh Smith. With a impressive young froncourt in Smith, Marvin Williams and rookie of the year canidate Al Horford, the Hawks could bring the playoffs back to Atlanta, maybe at a 6 seed.


10. Chicago Bulls (21-31) After counting the Bulls out of the playoff race. Coach Scott Skiles was doing a horrible job and was fired. After going 9-16 with Skiles, they're 12-15 with Jim Boylan. It's no surpise that Ben Gordon would continue his scoring ways, but it was a surprise that they asked him to go back to the bench for the 6th man role, an idea that some teams are benefiting from. Andres Nocioni has become a better 3 point shooter ever since the coaching change. New addition Joe Smith has been gettting better as time goes on. If Ben Wallace can improve this team might be back in the playoffs.
    
11. Indiana Pacers (21-32) The Pacers seem to have lost their playoff hopes. Once a 19-22 team, they lost 7 straight games resulting in a 2-9 record since then. Jermaine O'Neal is likely out for the season and the Pacers don't look like they're trying to do what the Wizards are doing without Gilbert Arenas. Jamaal Tinsley has been performing well at the point with back-up Travis Diener developing himself. Mike Dunleavy has come out this year as a good scorer for the team, and Kareem Rush may be another player the Pacers want to keep. With the way they're playing, they might not make the playoffs and O'Neal might not be around next year. It might be a rebuilding year for the rest of the team, but if he does come back, this team will look to the playoffs next year.


12. Milwaukee Bucks (19-34) The Bucks have a talented team in Andrew Bogut, Michael Redd, Mo Williams Charlie Villanueva and Yi Jianlian, but they can't seem to take off. Redd has been scoring 20+ PPG, Yi has been one of the great rookies of the year and Bogut has stepped up his game, but they just can't seem to take off. Hopefully, if they can't make it to the playoffs this season, they might be able to get another high draft pick, maybe the one to help this team get more competitive.


13. Charlotte Bobcats (19-34) Jordan's team hasn't been doing good as of late. The combo of Json Richardson and Gerald Wallace hasn't paid off as much as they hoped. Before going on a 7 game losing streak, they were seen as playoff bound. Now they have to make a big run in order to keep thier hopes alive. For next season, they might not have Emeka Okafor next season after not being able to reach an agreement on an extension.


14. New York Knicks (15-37) Getting Zach Randolph was supposed to be the last piece needed to help the Knicks make the playoffs in the East. It was supposed to be Eddy Curry, Randolph, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury reviving the team. No, what they got was a soap opera with fans chanting "Fire Isiah!" Randolph, Curry and Marbury were on the trading block, and Marbury ended his season with ankle surgery. The Knicks are lottery bound again and might break up their team again.


15. Miami Heat (9-42) From NBA Champions in 2006 to the NBA's worst. Why? Key players from the championship team were lost. Dwyane Wade came in the season coming off of 2 surgeries and he couldn't carry his team. They just lost Shaq and Shawn Marion couldn't replace him. They're in danger of getting the top lottery pick and Wade might not be there if he feels like it, and Marion could be out as early as after this season. Now the Heat find themselves rebuilding again. It will be another few years until they can be in the playoffs again, but with Marion, they might not finish as the worst team in the NBA this year.

The East might have a wild finish for the 7 and 8 seed, but it should be interesting to see who comes out.