Painting the Playoffs Picture: NBA 2009-10 Eastern Conference

Two more months and about an average of 20 games left for each teams in the NBA before the playoffs begins, the chase for the elusive 8 spots in the Eastern Conference is getting tighter and tighter. So far, 4 teams have already made a solid hold of an assured playoffs spot but still have to solidify their grip and another 5 are vying to make it to the last 4 spots. Some familiar faces and names are in the playoffs hunt while some surprising ones made it big this season. Here's the top 9 teams in the East.

1.) Cleveland Cavaliers - With the addition of Shaquille O'Neal and midseason acquisition of Antawn Jamison, the Cleveland Cavaliers became the favorites to win the Eastern Conference and make it's second NBA Finals appearance. LeBron James is having another MVP type season averaging 30.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.65 steals, and 0.95 blocks in 39.1 minutes per game and led the Cavaliers to a league leading record. Playing in 5 games so far with the Cavaliers, Jamison averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 44.4% FG shooting. Jamison gave the Cavaliers more scoring options which already had Maurice Williams (16.2 points per game) and Shaquille O'Neal (12.0 points). As a team, the Cavaliers is among the top defensive teams. They ranked 5th overall in limiting the opponents scoring output at 95.28 per game and had the largest rebound differential for the season (+3.95). The promising thing about the Cavaliers? The performance of JJ Hickson lately. Hickson is a high energy player for the Cavaliers and though his stats for the season doesn't speak much (7.4 points and 4.3 rebounds), he provides spark for the Cavaliers when he's on the court.

2.) Orlando Magic - The defending Eastern Conference champions is the deepest team in the NBA for the 2009-2010 season. Though the Magic lost Hedo Turkoglu, they got Vince Carter, Jason Williams, Matt Barnes, and Brandon Bass in return. Individual statistics doesn't tell much about the Magic aside from Dwight Howard's double-double average (18.6 points and 13.3 rebounds). The Magic continues to rely much on their outside shooting but the presence of Vince Carter gives them more versatility. Carter is averaging 16.3 points per game for the Magic, a little below his usual averages with Toronto and New Jersey. Aside from Howard and Carter, the Magic still have Rashard Lewis (14.8 points), Jameer Nelson (12.2 points), and Mickael Pietrus (8.2 points). One of the bright stories for the Magic is JJ Redick. Redick is averaging a career high 9.2 points per game for the 2009-2010 season and has got a big role in the Magic's offense. Playing a great dose of offense and defense, the Magic is third overall in point differential with +5.51 and is 6th best in limiting their opponents output at 95.55 points per game. Another NBA Finals appearance is not impossible for the Magic.

3.) Atlanta Hawks - A great dose of experience, youth, and passion, that's what the Atlanta Hawks are all about. Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Mike Bibby have helped establish the Hawks as one of the Eastern Conference elites. The acquisition of Jamal Crawford gives the Hawks more depth and scoring options and the resurgence of Al Horford makes Atlanta's interior better reputation. The Hawks ranks 7th overall in point differential with +4.20 per game and third overall in steals differential with +1.22 per game. Atlanta is just average statistically but it's their explosiveness that helps them. Johnson leads the Hawks with 21.9 points per game while Crawford, coming off the bench, is the second leading scorer for the Hawks with 17.2 per game which makes him a solid candidate for the 6th Man award. Josh Smith's (15.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.05 blocks per game) all-around play helps the Hawks a lot and individually, he makes the Hawks defense good. The Hawks had the reputation as the team that the Boston Celtics struggles against. Can they keep such reputation this season and even do it against Cleveland and Orlando?

4.) Boston Celtics - The return of Kevin Garnett and offseason acquisitions Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels made the Celtics a more formidable team. The Celtics fell short against the Orlando Magic in 7 games in the 2009 Eastern Conference semifinals where Garnett didn't suit up due to an injury. With Garnett back and hopefully a healthy "big 4", the Celtics will eye redemption and another shot at the title, probably the last one for the "Big 3" era. Rajon Rondo, finally having a well-deserved All-Star stint, is having another great season. Rondo, the glue of the Celtics offense, is averaging 14.1 points, 10.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.54 steals per game. The Celtics ranked 2nd overall in steals with 8.63 per game and had the best steals differential margin of +1.40. The Celtics ranked 6th in point differential with +4.24 and limits the opponents to a season best 94.24 points per game. The drawback on the Celtics though is they ranked last in rebounding with 38.87 per game, not good for a team that had Garnett, Sheed, and Kendrick Perkins. The Celtics will heavily rely on loads of experience to their credit come playoff time. With Cleveland and Orlando dominating the East, it's a tough climb for the Celtics to make it to the finals once again.

5.) Toronto Raptors - Though not considered among the Eastern Conference heavyweights, the Toronto Raptors is making a serious push for the playoffs. Still 5.5 games behind 4th seeded Boston as of this writing, the Raptors however is the best team in the 5 remaining teams in the East vying for playoffs contention. Chris Bosh is having a solid season averaging 24.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game to lead the Raptors as the number 1 scoring squad in the Eastern Conference with an average of 104.5 points per game (4th overall). The bad part though is that the Raptors are allowing 105.24 points for the opponents per game and ranks 25th in that department. Andrea Bargnani is another bright spot for the Raptors aside from Bosh. The former number 1 overall draft pick is averaging 17.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and is the team's second leading scorer. Considering the fact that the Raptors might not end up higher than 5th, will they have enough to survive either of the top 4 teams?

6.) Chicago Bulls - No more Ben Gordon, John Salmons, and Tyrus Thomas from last year's playoffs contending Chicago Bulls team. But the emerging game of Derrick Rose and the return of Luol Deng still makes the Bulls more than an average team. Rose is averaging team best 20.3 points and dishes out 5.7 assists per game while Deng is contributing 18.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Midseason acquisitions Ronald Murray and Hakim Warricks seems to be a good fit for the Bulls as both are averaging more than 10 points per game in 6 games with the Bulls so far. The Bulls leads the NBA in rebounding with 45.5 per game and shot blocks with 6.13 per game. Those numbers are expected to go down though as Thomas is no longer with the Bulls. Nevertheless, though the Bulls isn't a really big team, how come they led in those departments? One name: Joakim Noah. Noah is averaging 11.4 rebounds and 1.56 blocks along with his 10.7 points per game. The Bulls is a youthful team and they could give teams a run for their money come playoffs time. 2009 playoffs Chicago vs Boston anyone?

7.) Milwaukee Bucks - Midseason acquisition John Salmons just made the Bucks a better playoffs contending team. The Bucks has been one of the biggest surprises for the 2009-2010 season after rookie Brandon Jennings made an early strong ROY campaign and set a new rookie scoring high with 55 points. The more surprising part? The Bucks are above .500 and they did it without Michael Redd playing most of the season. Jennings and Andrew Bogut are having a big season and are the key reasons of the Bucks success. Jennings is averaging 16.1 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.27 steals per game while Bogut have 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.34 blocks per game. The Bucks ranks 4th overall in rebounding with 43.49 rebounds per game and has been playing great team basketball lately. What could further fuel the Bucks playoffs campaign? John Salmons. In 7 games with the Bucks after being traded by the Bulls, Salmons got back his scoring prowess and averaged 20.1 points for the Bucks.

8.) Miami Heat - How could a team that have Dwyane Wade end up with the possibility of missing the playoffs? A bunch of average teammates. Dwyane Wade is having another big year statistically with 26.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.80 steals, and 1.07 blocks but remained as the lone bright spot for the Heat. The Heat ranked 25th in scoring (95.68) and only have 3 players averaging more than 10 points per game. Michael Beasley is averaging 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while Jermaine O'Neal is having a decent 13.4 points, 7.3rebounds, and 1.44 blocks per game for the Heat who got nothing much from the rest. The Heat boiled down to just three players which is not good should they contend for the playoffs.

9.) Charlotte Bobcats - Michael Jordan assumed ownership for the Charlotte Bobcats and with the trade deadline done already, the best that MJ could do is at least see the Bobcats make a solid push for the playoffs. The Bobcats made some midseason acquisitions that brought Stephen Jackson, Tyrus Thomas, and Theo Ratliff to the Bobcats, all three players capable of contributing big for the team. Jackson have assumed the scoring leader role for the team by averaging 21.9 points in 48 games so far but the biggest story for the Bobcats is underrated forward and first time All-Star Gerald Wallace. Wallace is having a very solid season averaging 18.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.56 steals, and 1.16 blocks per game. Wallace is the only player left since the Bobcats joined as an expansion team back in 2004 and has assumed the leadership role. It would be a great gift to Jordan if the Bobcats could make it to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.