2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: EASTERN CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS

For the second consecutive season, the Chicago Bulls finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and, based on a head-to-head tiebreaker against the San Antonio Spurs, the Bulls will have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals if they get that far.

Last season, the Bulls were eliminated in the conference finals by the Miami Heat. Just like last year, the Heat will enter the postseason with the second-best record in the East. Both teams may not be at their best heading into the second season, with the Bulls concerned about Derrick Rose’s health and the Heat concerned about Dwyane Wade’s finger and ankle injuries. However, they’re still easily the best teams in the conference and it will take a monumental effort to knock them out.

Here’s how OneManFastBreak sees how things will shake down in the Eastern Conference playoffs:

FIRST ROUND

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
Doug Collins should get votes for coach of the year for what he has done in Philly. The Sixers play good defense and share the ball on offense. They have a first-team all-defender in Andre Iguodala and one of the top sixth men in Lou Williams. However, the Sixers don’t have enough offensive firepower to put the Bulls defense at risk. Philly may stretch this to a six-game series because of Rose’s shaky health, but that’s about it. BULLS IN 6

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
The Celtics won the season series 2-1, but all the games were very close. Going back to the 2008 playoffs during Kevin Garnett’s first season in Boston, the Hawks matched up well with the Celtics. Joe Johnson loves to play against his former team and Josh Smith is playing at a high level. The Celtics go into the playoffs hobbling a little bit with Paul Pierce nursing a toe injury and Ray Allen hampered by a foot problem. This could be the final run for Boston’s Big Four so they won’t go down without a fight. CELTICS IN 7

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
In years past, the Magic are a shoe-in to move past the first round. Not this year. Without their franchise center and three-time defensive player of the year Dwight Howard, the Magic could have their shortest postseason run in the Howard era and may lead to the firing of head coach Stan Van Gundy. The Pacers may have the easiest road to the second round than any team in the East. PACERS IN 5

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
The Heat have struggled after the All-Star break, leading some to believe that the NBA’s most hyped squad are extremely vulnerable this postseason. But last time we checked, the Heat still have LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the roster. And whenever you have two top-five players on the same squad, you are a tough out. Carmelo Anthony may be able to scratch one victory by himself against the Heat, but ultimately Miami’s superior dynamic duo and battle-tested defense will win out. HEAT IN 5

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are a resilient bunch, but now they’re facing a formidable foe with a devastating 1-2 punch. During the regular season, the Pacers had trouble handing LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and the Heat went on to win three of the four games. There is no one in the Pacers’ locker room who defend James or Wade one-on-one. Indiana coach Frank Vogel has huge matchup dilemma in his hands. If Vogel goes with the starting lineup of George Hill and Paul George at guard and Danny Granger at small forward, he has to put Hill on Wade and George on LeBron because Granger has no chance against Wade or LeBron. Look for the Heat to try to wear down Granger, much like how LeBron wore down Carmelo Anthony in the previous series. HEAT IN 5

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
The injury to Paul Pierce’s leg is a major concern in Boston. Kevin Garnett may be the Celtics’ best player, but Pierce is the guy who makes them special. Pierce appears to be dragging his leg in the Hawks series and left a lot of shots short because he had very little lift. Look for the Sixers to take away Pierce by putting their best defender, Andre Iguodala, on him. The other key matchups are the KG-Elton Brand battle up front and the Rajon Rondo-Jrue Holiday duel in the backcourt. It’s nice to see the Celtics-Sixers rivalry renewed. The Sixers will bring their youth and athleticism to the series, while the Celtics bring their experience and grit. It may not have the same feel as those Dr. J-Larry Bird battles during the 1980s, but this series will be an absolutely war. CELTICS IN 7

CONFERENCE FINALS

(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
You could argue that the Celtics had a huge hand in making the decision for LeBron to leave the Cavaliers after dispatching James and the Cavs in the 2010 playoffs. And James probably hasn’t forgotten about that. This is definitely the last hurrah for Boston’s Three Party of KG, Ray-Ray and The Truth. Allen is a free agent and seems finally slowing down. There’s a good chance KG may come back, but that’s not a certainty. The Celtics live and die with Rajon Rondo, and they feel last year’s playoff game could have been different if Rondo didn’t dislocate his elbow. The one wild card in the series is the health of Chris Bosh, who hasn’t played since Game 1 of the conference semifinals. If Bosh plays, the Heat should roll past the Celtics. Without him, this series is wide open. Miami will get Boston’s best shot, and could stretch this series to seven. But in the end, the Celtics simply are not healthy enough — mainly Pierce and Allen — to deal with LeBron and Wade for an entire series. HEAT IN SIX