Beasts of the East: Capping the NBA Eastern Conference’s best

The end of the NBA’s regular season is on the horizon, with only a handful of games left as teams ramp up for the playoffs – and another two months of action.

Since well before the season began, the Miami Heat have been the favorite to win not only the Eastern Conference title, but also the NBA championship. So how do things look right now in the East?

Well, the Heat are still favored to reach the NBA Finals, but they are joined by the Bulls, Celtics and Magic in a four-horse chase. And all four have pluses and minuses.

Let’s take a look at how the East might be won or lost, aided by Covers Expert Matt Fargo.

Miami Heat +130

Why the Heat will win

Miami has arguably the best player in the game, LeBron James. And lest we forget, Dwyane Wade already has a championship ring on his finger. Oh yeah, Chris Bosh is pretty good, too. Jay Kornegay, director of the Las Vegas Hilton’s Superbook, has the Heat at +130 to reach the NBA Finals – the shortest odds among the Eastern Conference contenders
 
“Miami possess the most talent, and it is on a roll right now, winning eight of its last nine games,” says Fargo. “If the Heat can continue this surge, even though they may have to win more on the road, they will be a very tough out, no matter who they face.”

Why the Heat won’t win

For all its talent, Miami has been woefully inconsistent. Fargo pointed out that this season, the Heat own losing streaks of three, four and five games. Orlando has lost four in row twice, while the Celtics and Bulls haven’t lost more than two in a row all season.

Chicago Bulls +140

Why the Bulls will win

Believe it or not, the Bulls are now the second choice to claim the Eastern Conference crown, with Kornegay listing them at +140. And, if you’ve seen the human-highlight reel that is Derrick Rose, you can understand why Chicago is surging up the futures boards.

On top of that, Rose (25.0 ppg, 7.9 apg) has what all teams with championship aspirations must have – a strong supporting cast. That includes Carlos Boozer (17.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg) and a now-healthy Joakim Noah (12.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg), putting up ostensibly a double-double every night. And in case you overlooked it, Luol Deng is dropping in 17.6 ppg.

The Bulls could end up with home-court advantage, which is a big key in the postseason.

Why the Bulls won’t win

Boozer certainly has some playoff credentials, mostly from his days with Utah in the West, but Rose, Noah and Deng might need a little more seasoning before they can truly make a run through the Eastern Conference playoffs.

“Experience could hurt the Bulls down the stretch, as they have not been in this position since the Michael Jordan years,” Fargo said. “They are 13-1 within their weak division, but the rest of the power teamse from the other divisions.”

Boston Celtics +160

Why the Celtics will win

The Celtics are the opposite of Chicago. Boston is the most experienced team in the East and has advanced to the NBA Finals two of the past three years, winning the title in 2008 and taking the Lakers to seven games last year.

You’ve got loads of veteran playoff experience with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, one of the game’s best point guards in Rajon Rondo, and some good role players. Even Shaquille O’Neal can still pitch in. And the “Big Shamrock” does own a few rings.

“Boston certainly knows how to win, based on its playoff resume the last four years,” Fargo said. “They still have a shot at the top seed in the East, and even if they don’t get it, they could have home-court advantage until the Eastern Conference finals.”

Why the Celtics won’t win

There’s experience, and then there’s just getting old. Boston might very well be the latter. With the exception of Rondo, all the Celtics’ key players have a lot of wear on the tires and injuries have mounted this season. Making it through another playoff grind might just be too much to ask of Boston, whom Kornegay has as the third choice in the East at +160.

Orlando Magic +800

Why the Magic will win

With spring’s arrival, Orlando seems to be warming up just like the weather. The Magic, who are +800 to claim the East title, have peeled off five straight wins before falling short in overtime to the host Knicks Monday night. And don’t forget, this team still has several of the key cogs that took it to the NBA Finals two years ago – first and foremost the scoring, rebounding and shot blocking of Dwight Howard.

How’s this for a stat: Orlando has seven players averaging double-digit scoring, and Gilbert Arenas (7.9 ppg) isn’t one of them.

Why the Magic won’t win

Although the Magic have plenty of scoring options, they might be too one-dimensional. Howard is the team leader in points (23.2), rebounds (14.3), field-goal percentage (60.0), blocks (2.4) and even steals (1.3).

The only major stat he doesn’t lead is assists, which Nelson paces at six per game. Relying too much on one player can be a recipe for an early exit from the postseason. Plus, Howard and Co. would have the biggest playoff mountain to climb.

“Orlando will most likely be the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning just one playoff series with a home-court edge, barring any upsets,” Fargo said. “The Magic have struggled against the top teams in the league this season, going 9-13 (straight up) against the Top 10.”

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March 29, 2011 • Tags: Nba, Nba Eastern • Posted in: Sport Betting Analysis

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