With just about a month and a half left in the 2014-2015 season, there’s still so much to be decided. Will Cleveland climb into the second seed? Is Washington in free fall? And, most importantly, can the new look Nets drag themselves into the Eastern Conference playoffs? Well, we’ve decided to predict the fates of all twelve Eastern Conference teams that are fighting for position or a berth in the playoffs.
Can the Nets keep it together? Will the Heat make it without Bosh? Are the Cavaliers really that good?
Below is your handy-dandy guide to the last six weeks of the season.
(Note: This is obviously just one way things may shake out– they may be completely blown up if Brooklyn loses tonight to Charlotte, but what fun is it to deny the imagination?)
Atlanta Hawks:
Current Seed: 1st
Current Record: 48-12
Projected Record: 63-19
Projected Finish: 1st
Key Wins: vs Spurs
Key Losses: vs. Cavaliers, @Warriors, @Thunder, @Chicago
All Wins: @76ers, vs. Kings, @Nuggets, @Suns, @Lakers, @Kings, vs Spurs, @Magic, vs. Heat, @Hornets, vs Bucks, vs. Nets, vs Suns, vs Hornets, vs Knicks
All Losses: vs. Cavaliers , @Warriors, @Thunder, @Pistons, @Nets, @Wizards, @Chicago
Schedule Difficulty: Easy
Nets Watch: A cruising Atlanta team may have begun resting players by the time they meet Brooklyn for the last time. Nets will likely be desperate for a win, look for a 1-1 split in the two remaining games.
Toronto Raptors
Current Seed: 2nd
Current Record: 38-22
Projected Record: 51- 31
Projected Finish: 4th
Key Wins: vs. Heat, @Chicago, vs Houston
Key Losses: vs. Cavaliers, @Thunder, @Spurs, vs Blazers, vs Bulls, @Nets
All Wins: @Hornets, vs Heat, @Pacers, vs. Wolves, @Bulls, vs Knicks, vs Lakers, vs Rockets, vs Wolves, vs Celtics, @Hornets, @Magic, @Celtics
All Losses: vs. Cavaliers, @Thunder, @Spurs, vs Blazers, @Pistons, vs. Bulls, @Nets, @Heat, vs Hornets
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: This game could go either way, but what fun would it be to bet against Brooklyn at home against the team they hate the most?
Chicago Bulls
Current Seed: 3rd
Current Record: 38-23
Projected Record: 53-29
Projected Finish: 3rd
Key Wins: @Raptors, vs Hawks
Key Losses: vs Thunder, @Spurs, vs Memphis, @Thunder, vs Raptors, @Cavaliers
All Wins: @Pacers @76ers, @Hornets, vs. Pacers, @Pistons, vs Hornets, @Raptors, vs Knicks, @Bucks, vs Pistons, @Magic, @Heat, vs 76ers, vs Hawks, @Nets
All Losses: vs Thunder, @Spurs, vs. Memphis, @Thunder, vs Raptors, @Cavaliers
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: The Bulls may struggle over the next few weeks without Rose and Butler, but they always give Nets nightmares.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Current Seed: 4th
Current Record: 38-24
Projected Record: 55-26
Projected Finish: 2nd
Key Wins: @Raptors, @Hawks,, @Spurs
Key Losses: @Mavericks, @Grizzlies
All Wins: @Raptors, @Hawks, vs Suns, @Spurs, @Magic, @Heat, vs Nets, vs Pacers, @Bucks, @Nets, vs 76ers, vs Heat, vs Bulls, vs Celtics, @Celtics, vs Pistons, vs Wizards
All Losses: @Mavericks, @Grizzlies
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: Brooklyn has struggled terribly this season against Cleveland. Maybe Markel Brown will help, but for now, 2-0 to Cleveland.
Washington Wizards
Current Seed: 5th
Current Record: 34-27
Projected Record: 45-37
Projected Finish: 5th
Key Wins: vs Atlanta
Key Losses: vs Heat. @Bucks, vs Grizzlies, vs Blazers, @Clippers, @Warriors, vs Rockets, @Grizzlies, @Cavaliers
All Wins: @Hornets, vs Kings, @Jazz, vs Kings, vs Pacers, vs Hornets, vs 76ers, vs Knicks, @76ers, vs Atlanta, @Pacers
All Losses: vs Heat, @Bucks, vs Grizzlies, vs Blazers, @Clippers, @Warriors, vs Rockets, @Grizzlies, @Nets, @Cavaliers
Schedule Difficulty: Hard
Nets Watch: Brooklyn gets revenge for two ugly losses and tie the season series at two.
Milwaukee Bucks
Current Seed: 6th
Current Record: 32-28
Projected Finish: 41-41
Projected Seed: 8th
Key Wins: @Wizards
Key Losses: @Warriors, @Pacers, @Grizzlies, vs Spurs, @Nets, vs Warriors, @Hawks, vs Bulls, @Cavaliers, vs Nets
All Wins: @Wizards, vs Pelicans, vs Magic, vs Pacers, @Celtics, vs Magic, @Knicks, @76ers, vs Celtics
All Losses: @Warriors, @Pacers, @Grizzlies, @Pelicans, vs Spurs, @Nets, vs Cavaliers, vs Heat, vs Warriors, @Hawks, vs Bulls, @Cavaliers, vs Nets
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: You can’t reasonably expect me to predict losing to Jason Kidd twice more this season, right?
Miami Heat
Current Seed: 7th
Current Record: 26-33
Projected Finish: 42-40
Projected Record: 6th (tie breaker over Brooklyn)
Key Wins: @Wizards, vs Nets, vs Blazers, @Pacers, vs Raptors
Key Losses: @Raptors, vs Cavaliers, @Thunder, @Hawks, vs Spurs, @Cavaliers, vs Bulls
All Wins: vs Lakers, @Wizards, vs Kings, vs Celtics, vs Nets, vs Blazers, vs Nuggets, @Bucks, @Celtics, vs Pistons, @Pistons, @Pacers, vs Hornets, vs Raptors, vs Magic, @76ers
All Losses: @Raptors, vs Cavaliers, @Thunder, @Hawks, vs Spurs, @Cavaliers, vs Bulls
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: Brooklyn continues to struggle against Miami and drop their final matchup this year.
Brooklyn Nets
Current Seed: 8th
Current Record: 25-33
Projected Record: 42-40
Projected Finish: 7th (Heat hold tie breaker over Brooklyn)
Key Wins: vs Hornets, vs Bucks, @Hornets, vs Raptors, vs Hawks, vs Wizards, vs Bucks
Key Losses: @Heat, @Cavaliers, @Hornets, vs Cavaliers, @Hawks, vs Blazers, vs Bulls
All Wins: vs Hornets, vs Suns, vs Jazz, vs Pelicans, @76ers, @Wolves, vs Bucks, @Pacers, vs Celtics, vs Lakers, vs Pacers, vs Knicks, vs Raptors, vs Hawks,, vs Wizards, @Bucks, vs Magic
All Losses: @Heat, @Cavaliers, @Hornets, vs Cavaliers, @Hawks, vs Blazers, vs Bulls
Notes: Yeah, only seven losses is a pipe dream, I know. But, hey, they were one of the hottest second half teams last year, why not?
Charlotte Hornets
Current Seed: 9th
Current Record: 25-33
Projected Record: 34-48
Projected Finish: 10th
Key Wins: vs Nets, vs Pistons, @Raptors
Key Losses: @Nets, vs Raptors, @Pistons, vs Wizards, vs Bulls, @Clippers, @Bulls, @Wizards, vs Hawks, @Pacers, @Heat, vs Raptors, @Hawks, @Pistons, vs Rockets
All Wins: vs Kings, vs Jazz, @Kings, @Wolves, vs Nets, vs Celtics, vs Pistons, vs 76ers, @Raptors
All Losses: @Nets, vs Raptors, @Pistons, vs Wizards, vs Bulls, @Clippers, @Bulls, @Wizards, vs Hawks, @Pacers, @Heat, vs Raptors, @Hawks, @Pistons, vs Rockets
Schedule Difficulty: Hard
Nets Watch: The two desperate teams will most likely split games in their home and away duels.
Indiana Pacers
Current Seed: 10th
Current Record: 25-34
Projected Record: 33-49
Projected Finish: 11th
Key Wins: vs Bucks, vs Celtics, @Celtics, vs Hornets
Key Losses: vs Bulls, vs Raptors, @Bulls, @Cavaliers, vs Nets, vs Rockets, @Wizards, @Bucks, vs Mavericks, @Nets, vs Heat, vs Pistons, vs Thunder, vs Wizards, vs Grizzlies
All Wins: vs Knicks, @Knicks, vs Magic, vs Bucks, vs Celtics, @Celtics, vs Hornets, @Knicks
All Losses: vs Bulls, vs Raptors, @Bulls, @Cavaliers. vs Nets, vs Rockets, @Wizards, @Bucks, vs Mavericks, @Nets, vs Heat, vs Pistons, vs Thunder, vs Wizards, vs Grizzlies
Schedule Difficulty: Hard
Nets Watch: Just have a feeling the Nets will take both. Expect everything for Indiana to change if Paul George is healthy and plays– I just don’t think Bird will take the risk.
Boston Celtics
Current Seed: 11th
Current Record: 23-35
Projected Record: 29-53
Projected Finish: 12th
Key Wins: ???
Key Losses: ???
All Wins: vs Jazz, @Pelicans, @Magic, vs Magic, vs 76ers, @Knicks,
All Losses: @Heat, vs Grizzlies, @Pacers, @Thunder, @Spurs, vs Pistons, @Nets, vs Heat, @Clippers, @Hornets, vs Pacers, vs Bucks, @Raptors, @Pistons, @Cavaliers, vs Cavaliers, vs Raptors, @Bucks
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: I think that Ainge and Stevens will eventually pump the brakes and accept their fate as a lottery team. Celtics still need another top draft pick and don’t want to throw it away by sneaking into the playoffs.
Detroit Pistons:
Current Seed: 12th
Current Record: 23-36
Projected Record: 36-46
Projected Finish: 9th
Key Wins: vs, Hornets, vs Celtics, vs Raptors, vs Hawks
Key Losses: vs Bulls, @Heat, @Hornets, @Bulls, vs Heat
All Wins: @Pelicans, vs Hornets, @Lakers, @Jazz, vs 76ers, @Celtics, vs Raptors, @Magic, vs Hawks, vs Celtics, vs Pacers, vs Hornets, @Knicks
All Losses: @Rockets, @Warriors, @Blazers, vs Grizzlies, vs Bulls, @Heat, @Hornets, @Bulls, vs Heat, @Cavaliers
Schedule Difficulty: Moderate
Nets Watch: No games against the Nets remain. Pistons give a valiant effort in the second half of the year but fall just short.
Playoff Match-ups:
- Atlanta Hawks vs. 8. Milwaukee Bucks
(Hawks win season series 3-1)
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 7. Brooklyn Nets
(Cavaliers win season series 4-0) - Chicago Bulls vs. 6. Miami Heat
(Bulls win season series 2-1)
- Toronto Raptors vs. 5. Washington Wizards
(Wizards win season series 3-0)
What do you think? Are these predictions accurate or way off? Can the Nets climb higher than 7th? Or do you think they won’t make the playoffs at all? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!
