NBA Western Conference

LA Lakers (1) vs. Utah Jazz (8)

The Jazz had a strong second half of the season. Carlos Boozer's return was vital to Utah sneaking into the playoffs. Deron Williams had a good year, but I really expected the Jazz to win the Northwest division with something along the lines of 55 or more wins.

Andrew Bynum's return is incredibly important for L.A. In the Laker's victory over Utah on Tuesday, he dropped 22 points to go with four rebounds and three blocks. With Bynum healthy, the Lakers are probably the best team in the league.

When the two teams met this week, the Lakers had four guys in double figures, with both Bynum and Pau Gasol putting up 20 or more.

Williams had 25 points and 13 dimes for Utah, and if will have to be on fire if the Jazz want to have any shot at beating L.A.

In the end, Kobe Bryant will play like the reigning MVP that he is, and will move the Lakers into the semis. 

Prediction: Lakers in five.

Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs. Houston Rockets (5)

The Blazers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA heading into the playoffs. Brandon Roy had a phenomenal season, and he has led Portland back to the postseason for the first time since 2003. 

Houston will, of course, be McGrady-less, which they've proved isn't exactly the end of the world. The Rockets have kept playing good basketball, and role players like Ron Artest, Shane Battier, and Aaron Brooks have all pitched in to help the Rockets' scoring effort. 

The thing that scares people about the Blazers is their incredible depth. With players like Travis Outlaw (who is a Sixth Man candidate) and Rudy Fernandez coming off the bench, Portland could pose a threat to a team like the Lakers, if they can get past Houston. 

Yao Ming will create problems for both Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla on both sides of the ball, but I think that Portland's home field advantage and the play of Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge should be enough to get them by.

Prediction: Blazers in seven.

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. New Orleans Hornets (7)

Chauncey Billups has been the man this year for the Nuggets. He meshes with Carmelo Anthony far better than Allen Iverson ever did. And now that Kenyon Martin is finally healthy again, Denver looks to finally get past the first round.

The Hornets are still a talented team. Chris Paul is the premier point guard in the league, and averaged a double-double this season. But a tough April schedule knocked New Orleans into the bottom part of the Western Conference playoff picture. 

A special player for the Nuggets is Chris Andersen, who has been a monster on the boards and on defense this year. He was a great pick-up replacement for Marcus Camby this offseason, and adds to the arsenal that is the Denver Nuggets. 

I think the Hornets are pretty burned out, but could still give Denver a run. However, it won't be enough to stop a Nuggets team that could go pretty far this postseason.

Prediction: Nuggets in six.

San Antonio Spurs (3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (6)

These teams know each other really well. I believe that the Spurs are the better team, but it's going to be an exciting series because of the familiarity factor.

Something that's important to look at is Tim Duncan's averages this season against the Mavs—23.3 points and 13.7 rebounds per game. Dallas center Erik Dampier is no match for Duncan.

The Mavericks are yesterday's team. They had their big playoff run a few years ago, and beat the Spurs en route to a Finals appearance, but they just aren't the same team they used to be.

The Devin Harris for Jason Kidd trade didn't pan out the way they wanted either. 

However, Kidd has loads of experience, which could help the Mavericks win at least one or two against the Spurs. Dirk Nowitzki has also been there and done that. 

In order for Dallas to have a shot, Nowitzki will have to put up at least his season average (25.9 PPG) each game. And if the Mavs can somehow capitalize on the absence of Manu Ginobili, we could have a series here. 

But I don't see Duncan and Parker choking—They've been through this too many times.

Prediction: Spurs in six.

Finally, the NBA Playoffs are upon us. Not a minute too soon.

Craig Trapp from CT Sports Picks is hot, as his NBA Plays have gone 10-2 in the last 10 days.

Today, Craig will break down the odds of making the Conference Finals for each Western Conference Playoff squad. There's some great value to be had here if you can get past the huge favorite Los Angeles Lakers.

If you missed Craig's article breaking down the Eastern Conference odds, make sure you check it out also!

Los Angeles Lakers: -400

This team has all the weapons that any coach would want to win a championship. The West Title will go through L.A.

But let's throw them out for any future, since there is no betting value.

Denver Nuggets: +800

Yes, you read it correctly: The Nuggets have 8:1 odds to win the Western Conference Championship. Do not sleep on a very deep Denver team that can score at will against any team including the Lakers.

By the way, they are one of the few teams to win at L.A. this season. They're the best option to beat the Lakers in the WCF; Chauncey Billups has won a championship and could carry this team a very long way.

Utah Jazz: +800

Not sure what oddsmakers are thinking with this team. They're the eight-seed and will face Kobe and Lakers first round.

The Jazz can't win on the road and has no way to beat L.A.

Houston Rockets: +800

And here's another perplexing future odds. If this team could play every game at home, they might have a chance, but they can't go to L.A. or Denver and win consistently.

Would have been interesting bet with Tracy McGrady, but his injury makes this team an afterthought.

Portland Trail Blazers: +1000

The Blazers have been very hot late in the season, even away from home. Plus, they've got the second-best player in the West, Brandon Roy.

This club could give the Lakers a very tough series in the second round. Too bad they couldn't play their way to the three-seed so as to stay away from L.A. until the finals.

Kobe & Co. are too experienced, but the Blazers are interesting at 10-to-1.

San Antonio Spurs: +1000

These past champions will go down swinging, but without Ginobili (due to injury), this team will lose in one of the first two rounds.

New Orleans Hornets: +1300

Chris Paul is playing at an elite level, but the rest of his team has not picked up their game. The Hornets would need a triple-double every game from CP3 to have any chance.

Don't be surprised if they get swept in first round of Western Conference Playoffs. These future odds should be more like 20-to-1.

Dallas Mavericks: +2500

The odds say it all. This team just can't stop anyone consistently on defense.

The Western Conference Championship will most likely be won by one of three teams: the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, or Portland Trail Blazers. But there's no way you can bet the favored Lakers, so either take a swing with one of the two longshots!

Get in now as Craig's NBA Playoff Package is on sale for only $69.00! Don't miss out Craig has been on fire in the NBA!  Get all of Craig's free and premium sports picks at http://www.CTSportsPicks.com!

A LayupDrill.com Exclusive

The final night of the NBA regular season will have plenty of impact on this weekend's playoff matchups. Here is what we know for certain:

In the East -
Cleveland will play Detroit in the first round
Miami will play Atlanta in the first round

Boston will play Chicago if the Bulls lose tonight and Sixers win
Boston will play Philly if the Bulls win tonight or Sixers loss

Orlando will play Chicago if the Bulls win tonight or Sixers loss
Orlando will play Philly if the Bulls lose AND Sixers win

In the West -
LA Lakers will play Utah

Denver will be the 2 seed with a win or Rockets loss
Denver will be the 3 seed with a loss AND Rockets win

Houston will be the 2 seed with a win and Nuggets loss
Houston will be the 3 seed with a win and Nuggets win
Houston will be the 4 seed with a loss, Blazers win AND Spurs loss
Houston will be the 5 seed with a loss AND Blazers win AND Spurs win

Portland will be the 3 seed with a win AND Spurs and Rockets loss
Portland will be the 4 seed with a win AND Rockets win, Spurs win, or Rockets loss
Portland will be the 5 seed with loss AND Spurs win

San Antonio will be the 3 seed with a win AND Rockets loss
San Antonio will be the 4 seed with a win AND Rockets win and Blazers loss
San Antonio will be the 5 seed with a loss

New Orleans will be the 6 seed with a win or Mavericks loss
New Orleans will be the 7 seed with a loss AND Mavericks win

I’m sure you are just as tired of reading that as I was researching and typing it. My best advice—sit back, and enjoy the games tonight, and worry about the details later.

Houston Rockets (52-28) at Dallas Mavericks (49-32) Tomorrow Night

This is it for both teams. The end of the road is here, they're both in the playoffs, so what's the problem? Dallas has been on a roll lately, eclipsing the Suns and gaining the last playoff berth as well as taking out the Jazz and Hornets last week at home. On Sunday, they lost on the road to the Hornets.

The Jazz took a stunning defeat to Golden State, and that just about cemented the Mavericks' escape from the dreaded eighth seed, where the Lakers look to destroy in the first round. The Rockets have been on the other side of the bracket in the top four.

After the Lakers and Nuggets secured the first and second seeds, respectively, the Rockets found themselves in a three-way dance with the Spurs and Blazers (all 53-28).

Seeding is very important in this case, as they want the best possible opponent. Rather, it's the Hornets, Mavericks, or Jazz. The problem is that one of those three teams will fall into the fifth seed, meaning no homecourt advantage.

Dallas is also in a three-way dance with Jazz and Hornets (49-32; Jazz are 48-33), but winning alone can secure the seventh seed, and if Hornets lose along with that win, Dallas could jump to the sixth seed.

The Rockets will need this win to avoid possibly falling to the fifth seed. The Rockets are on fire with five straight wins, but they've got to win on the road against a Dallas team who wants nothing to do with the Lakers. Houston has shown they can handle the Mavs, but they must be careful of J.J. Barea and Jason Terry, who can and will be looking to cause damage off the bench.

Utah Jazz (48-33) at Lakers (64-17) Tonight

The Utah Jazz were destroyed in Dallas and lost to the Golden State Warriors last week. Utah seemed to be in control a few weeks prior with a massive win streak of 12 straight victories, including winning 18 of 20 games.

The Jazz have been plagued all season with injuries, but so have the Lakers, Rockets, Mavs, Spurs, and Blazers. The whole team seems to be back together, but the Jazz must win on the road against the team they are trying to avoid in the first round, the Lakers.

The Lakers have Andrew Bynum back, and things aren't looking good for Utah. Not only must Utah win, but Dallas must lose for them to avoid in the first round the team that they're playing tonight.

D-Will, Boozer, and Co. better tune up the band tonight, because the Lakers might be looking to send a message. Losing to the team that you have a big chance of facing in the first round isn't exactly good, so good luck, Jazz. How many minutes will Kobe play? Better yet, how much will he score?

Denver Nuggets (54-27) at Portland Trailblazers (53-28) Tomorrow Night

This is big for one team and not so much for the other. The Denver Nuggets have safely secured the second seed, leaving the Blazers, Rockets, and Spurs to a three-way tango, and the Mavs, Hornets, and Jazz to another three-way dance.Then again, a loss for the Nuggets can pull them into the tango with the Spurs, Blazers, and the Rockets. Looks like the second seed isn't so safe after all.

With the six other teams on the backburner, the Nuggets can sit back and relax, but will they? The Lakers are certainly off their radar and their season has been stellar, starting with the Chauncey Billups-Allen Iverson trade (Sorry, Detroit).

The Blazers must win to avoid falling to the fifth seed and losing homecourt advantage, which isn't good for the young team. Brandon Roy better be looking for a big night.

Houston and the Spurs are right on their tail with the same record, so losing isn't an option, especially if one or both of those two teams win. Can they survive the onslaught from Melo, Billups, and Smith? The good thing is that the Blazers will be at home.

New Orleans Hornets (49-32) at San Antonio Spurs (53-28) Tomorrow Night

Both of these teams are in the midst of a seeding battle, and both teams must win. Too bad there can only be one winner. Despite splitting two games against the Mavs last week, the Hornets are still tied with them.

They can either maintain the sixth seed or drop to the seventh seed, while Dallas leaps over them. The bad news is that the Mavs face the Rockets at home in the last game. The Hornets have to win on the road against the Spurs, who must win as well to regain homecourt advantage in the first round.

Both teams are looking for a victory, and the Spurs will be at home. I'm sure Greg Popovich alerted Duncan and company that they must win tonight. Byron Scott will need numbers all across the board, and not only from CP3.

Will Chris Paul be a one-man machine in Texas? Or will Mason, Duncan, and Parker crush the big easy team in hopes of regaining homecourt advantage?

All eight teams are facing off against one another in their last games. What a coincidence, huh? It's going to be messy, so all eight teams better be checking their tie-breakers just in case.

With just two nights remaining in the NBA regular-season schedule, teams are scrambling to review game tape and scouting reports for up to four different scenarios come playoff time.

In the wild Western Conference only one postseason matchup is close to being determined—the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Utah Jazz. A preview of that probable series unfolds Tuesday night as the Jazz visit the Lakers in their regular-season finale. However, a Utah win would further cloud the issue in regards to the Lakers' first round opponent.

In the event of a Laker win on Tuesday, playoff bracketing seeds two through seven will have to wait for the final buzzer on Wednesday night to be filled.

Are you confused yet?

The scheduling gnomes couldn't have concocted a more dramatic finish to the season. On the other hand, those gnomes couldn't have imagined the tangled web of confusing tie-breakers and formulas they set in motion for determining the final pairings.

For a comprehensive explanation of those possibilities, go here.

Two things are certain as the final night of scheduled play approaches on Wednesday: eight Western Conference teams will still have meaningful playoff implications at stake, and all eyes will be watching the overhead big screen for conference up-dates.

Other notes

Let the violins weep

The Lakers have invoked the powers of the NBA to look into a pregame incident from last Friday's 106-98 loss in Portland. The Rose Garden video staff replayed on the giant overhead screen, Trevor Ariza's hard flagrant foul on Rudy Fernandez from a previous Laker loss on March 9.

Apparently Laker coach Phil Jackson (who was not even present at the recent game) thought the replay incited the Portland fans and caused Ariza to perform poorly. Indeed, Ariza finished with four points in 25 minutes of play and was roundly booed every time he touched the ball.

Fernandez, who was carted off the floor in a neck brace, on a stretcher, has since recovered.

Kobe wants Blazers

In a postgame interview, Kobe Bryant was asked if he'd like to play the Trail Blazers in the playoffs. His response..."F- - -ing love it! Absolutely!"

Critical officiating error brushed off

The Spurs were in Sacramento on Sunday. The score was tied 92-92 with three seconds left in the fourth quarter. San Antonio's Michael Finley launched an open three-pointer as time expired on the shot clock.

The basket was made but the ball was released a good half-second after the shot clock expired. This was confirmed by network TV replays.

The officials ruled the shot good and the Spurs went on to win. Apparently a shot clock violation, by rule, is non-reviewable. A Spurs loss would have changed the playoff landscape dramatically.

With their 102-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, the Hornets have solidified their position as the sixth seed in the NBA Western Conference playoff race. Although they could drop, the chances of them rising in the rankings are slim.

As I look into the cloudy mess that is the Western Conference race, here is one scenario that seems possible.

1. Los Angeles

At 64-17, the Lakers are uncatchable.  There is no need to look at the rest of their season.

They may, however, get surprised in the playoffs.  The Lakers have amassed their impressive record playing in arguably the league's worst divisions.  Second place Phoenix is the only other team in that division with a winning record, and Golden State is in third at 29-51 for the season.

2. Denver

The Nuggets are 53-27, one game up on the three-way log jam at third. Remaining on the schedule for Denver is Sacramento at home and Portland away.

Expect the Nuggets to go 2-0 this week, beating the hapless Warriors and  the Trailblazers, one of the teams locked in the struggle for third in the conference.

Should somehow the Hornets face the Nuggets in the playoffs, expect the Bees to do well. The teams split the season series, and the matchups look good for the Hornets.

The Denver fans seem to know this also. In a poll on the team website, when asked which team they would like most to face in the first round of the playoffs, the Mavericks were overwhelmingly in first, or most beatable, while the Hornets squeaked past Portland for last, or least beatable.

The full results of that fan poll are:

Dallas: 44%
Utah: 24%
Portland: 17%
New Orleans: 15%

3. San Antonio

By tiebreaker, the Spurs are currently in third place in the playoff race. They are certainly in trouble without Manu Ginobili, who has averaged over 15.5 points and 3.6 assists per game.

The Spurs finish at Golden State tonight and at home against the Hornets.  I project an easy victory over the Warriors and a close loss against the Hornets in the season finale.

4. Portland

Currently in fifth place, the Trail Blazers face Oklahoma City and Denver at home.  Expect the Blazers to beat the Thunder and lose to the Nuggets to finish at 53-29.

5. Houston

The Rockets are the next team in the current three-way tie for third. The Rockets play the Hornets at home tonight and then finish at Dallas on Wednesday night.

It looks as though Yao Ming may miss the next two games with yet another foot injury. I am going out on the limb here, and predicting the Rockets will drop their next two games, finishing 52-30.

6. New Orleans

The Hornets play the Rockets tonight in Houston and finish on the road in San Antonio.  The Hornets lead the season series 2-1 and are even more beatable without Manu Ginobili, who has been a thorn in the Hornets side all season. Count on the Hornets to win out and finish 51-31.

7. Dallas

Currently in sole possession of seventh place, the Mavericks finish at home with the Timberwolves and Rockets. The Mavs, who match up well against the Timberwolves,  lead the series with Minnesota 3-0. Expect the Mavs to beat the Yao-less Rockets and sweep the series with Minnesota to finish the season 50-32.

8. Utah

At 47-33, the Jazz are in sole possession of the eight and final playoff spot. They finish against the Clippers at home and the Lakers on the road. I predict a Utah sweep in the last two games.

The Clippers are, well they are the Clippers. The Jazz should have no problem in that game.

With nothing to gain and everything to lose,  the Lakers starters should see considerable bench time. That is providing that the Cavs have clinched home court advantage by that game. Including one preseason victory, the Jazz actually lead the series with L.A.

My projected Western Conference finish is:

1. LA Lakers  64-18
2. Denver  55-27
3. San Antonio  53-29 (third by virtue of tie breakers)
4. Portland  53-29
5. Houston  52-30
6. New Orleans  51-31
7. Dallas  50-32
8. Utah  49-33

Interestingly enough, if the final standing have the Spurs in third and the Ginobili-less Spurs, this provides one of the Hornets best opportunities to advance to round two, with or without Tyson Chandler. We will all know for sure by Wednesday night.

After watching another Suns' loss Sunday, I thought to myself, "this team is missing something."  Then, after watching the recap, it struck me. The Suns have the missing piece to their puzzle; he's just on the injured list!

After watching the game, a game where the Suns struggled to get any rebounds, one thing was relevant, the Suns have nok interior presence. 

In a game where Tim Duncan was Shaquille O'Neal's shadow for most of the game, it was a game, where one other big man could've made the difference. 

The Spurs out rebounded the Suns 43-36, and Tony Parker scored or assisted on 24 of San Antonio's last points, most which were either layups or postups.

So, since Terry Porter's departure, the Suns are 6-6, 4-6 without Amar'e.  Also, Amar'e put up 23 and 42, respectively, in the two games that he played in under Alvin Gentry's system. 

If you break down the losses, since Amar'e has been out, they have been by 20, 26, 12, six, four, and five. 

The 20 and 26 were against two of the top teams in the NBA right now (Boston and LA). Both got worse down the stretch, because guys like Kobe and Rondo were walking into the lane scoring easy points. 

The 16, six, four, and five were all winnable games, where the Suns lacked only one thing—a guy with size who could help take some pressure off of  Shaq and score some points down the stretch.

Now, I am not claiming that the only reason the Suns are four games out of the playoffs is because of one player, but you can't tell me that he couldn't have closed a 16, six, four, or five-point gap. 

Also, the game against LA was close until the fourth quarter, when Shaq found himself in foul trouble, and the Suns had no one who could play the center position effectively.

In conclusion, from this, my point is just that the Suns reached 140 points in both games that Amar'e played and were once again, for a short time, the most fun team to watch in basketball. 

Too bad Amar'e is out, and too bad for what could've been...

In the 2000 film Gladiator, General Maximus Meridius requests that his would-be executioners grant him a swift death instead of a slow, painful, dishonorable end.

The Suns should be doing the same.

Lead by Robert Sarver's money-motivated caution, the Suns have slowly transformed from a young, up-and-coming contender for years to come into an old, increasingly irrelevant team.  Like a butterfly morphing into a caterpillar, Phoenix has incredulously regressed when, at one point not too long ago, the sky was seemingly the limit for this franchise.

A core of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson/Boris Diaw, and Leandro Barbosa could be contending for a second or third championship by now.

Instead, an aging group of Nash, Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill are trying to lead an unbalanced and deunified group to the glorified eighth spot in the Western Conference.

How the mighty have fallen.

Instead of admitting the group assembled wasn't working and blowing it up to build it up, Sarver and Co. have decided to tweak here, tuck there.

Phoenix now resembles a gradual facelift that will never meet the image desired.

Small changes are needed when the team is on the cusp reaching the summit (see the Lakers trading next to nothing for Pau Gasol, or the Celtics picking up Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown last year).

Phoenix wasn't on the cusp this year. Trading Diaw and Raja Bell for Jason Richardson and Richard Dudley was akin to getting an oil change on your car after you've thrown a piston rod.

It's still broken.

The Suns needed a massive overhaul, and they had the pieces to do it. I say had, because now their biggest trade assets are damaged goods.

Stoudemire is likely out the rest of the season thanks to surgery performed to repair a partially torn retina.

Whatever trade value he had is shot until he proves he can still play at a high level and won't need follow-up operations, as has been hinted at by his doctors. No team wants to mess with that kind of medical baggage, especially when he can hit free agency in the summer of 2010.

Shaq and Hill are likely in the last two years of their relevancy. Again, this will keep teams from wanting to invest too many of their assets into acquiring them.

Nash could pull a Stockton and play well into his forties, but how much will any team want to give up for that?

The best the Suns can do to avoid an ignominious spiral into oblivion would be to trade what they have while it's still worth something to teams who think those players could the missing pieces to their championship hopes.

Or, look to teams who are desperate for marketing. Shaq, Nash and even Stoudemire have the ability to boost a team looking to sell tickets.

Trade them for draft picks and young talent.

They're too far away from a championship now to think one decent player or two will put them over the top. Now is the time to say, "Hey, our window's shut. Let's smash it and open a new one."

Otherwise, it's going to be a painful walk into the night for this one-time contender.

The biggest question heading into this matchup: which injury hurts more?

The No-KG Effect

Boston's Kevin Garnett was diagnosed late last week with a right knee strain that will keep him out of action for 2-3 weeks.  That's the kind of untimely, just-long-enough-to-be-bothersome injury that had Celtics' pundits concerned ever since the talented, albeit over-30, Boston Three Party was assembled last year.

Garnett's absence will be felt mostly on the defensive end. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is also the team's motivator when it comes to defense. Will the Celtics play strong enough "D" without Garnett keeping them together after the ball is tossed?

At the very least, he'll be encouraging them vehemently from the sidelines.

Seeing it through sans-STAT

Phoenix is trying to readjust its court-vision after losing Amare Stoudemire for the rest of the regular season, possibly even longer, after the All-Star forward underwent eye surgery last week to repair a partially torn retina.

As opposed to Garnett's presence on the defensive end, the Suns will miss Stoudemire on offense, where he had once again become a feared factor with new head coach Alvin Gentry allowing the team to run like only the Suns can.  Stoudemire's ability to finish on the pick-and-roll, trail on the break, and score in traffic is unable to be duplicated by any other Phoenix player.

His rebounding will also be missed. Critics point out he should have been grabbing more than the 8.1 RPG he snagged before his surgery, but remember, Shaquille O'Neal was also eating up space while claiming his own 8.9 RPG.

Two out of three enough?

Boston will rely on their remaining All-Stars, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, to carry the scoring load. Pierce will get his 20-plus. If Allen gets hot from the outside, Phoenix will be hard-pressed to stop him without a defensive ace to check him on the perimeter.

A potential X-factor is Celtics' reserve guard Eddie House. House has finally found a home in Boston, as has his previously wandering jump shot. Its extremely possible that he may be extra motivated, and therefore extra productive, playing at Phoenix, where he played in the 2005-06 season.  After averaging a career-high 9.8 PPG as a Sun, he felt underused in the Suns' playoff run to the conference finals that year.

Combine that with the fact he's a former ASU Sun Devil, and there may be a House party in Phoenix.

"Sun" rhymes with "run"

Gentry has truly inherited some of his philosophy from former coach Mike D'Antoni; when you're in trouble, run faster and smaller.

That mindset proved successful against league doormats like the Clippers and Thunder last week (Phoenix scored at least 140 points in all three of their games). Boston, even without Garnett, is a different animal.

Phoenix, however, is one of the few teams that may be able to withstand an injury of Stoudemire's magnitude thanks to its multiple offensive threats.  Guards Jason Richardson and Leandro Barbosa will be able to fulfill their massive scoring potential, instead of deferring to Stoudemire on the offensive end. Phoenix still has O'Neal, Matt Barnes, Grant Hill, and Steve Nash to round out the firing squad.

At the very least, it will be entertaining to watch. Up until All-Star Weekend, you couldn't say that about Phoenix this year.

Outlook

Boston's support group for their Big Three is decent at best. Without Garnett's all-around production as well as defensive motivation, they have to hope Pierce or Allen go off in a big way.

Phoenix will run, and hope that Boston's defense does indeed falter under the onslaught.

Between the confidence the Suns have gotten after an explosive week and it being Boston's first game of an unexpected stretch without Garnett, Phoenix will prevail on their home floor.

Prediction: Suns 117, Celtics 99

The NBA trade deadline passed on Thursday at 3 p.m. EST. For the most part, it was a day filled with minor deals and trades made for financial reasons.

Now that the dust has cleared, he is a final grade for some of the teams that made trades prior to the deadline.

Orlando Magic: A

The Orlando Magic are the only team to make a move at the deadline that filled a glaring need. With all-star guard Jameer Nelson likely out for the season with a shoulder injury, the Magic were in desperate need of a point guard.

Realizing that the combination of Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson was not cutting it, Orlando acquired point guard Rafer Alston from Houston in a trade that also involved the Memphis Grizzlies.

This move is huge for the Magic. Alston is an excellent ball handler and passer, and brings good defense and toughness.

His shot can be erratic sometimes, especially from three, but he has been known to get hot and score in bunches. This move puts Orlando right behind Boston and Cleveland as the best teams in the East.

New York Knicks: B+

The Knicks have made no secret about trying to make moves that will give them plenty of salary cap space to pursue free agents in 2010, so it was a bit surprising that they made any moves at all, let alone two.

First the Knicks acquired guard Larry Hughes from the Bulls for Tim Thomas, Anthony Roberson and Jerome James. The Knicks have desperately needed help at the two guard position since they traded Jamal Crawford earlier this season.

By getting Hughes, a quality defender and scorer, New York fills a need for the remainder of this season and next while still having cap space in 2010 (Hughes has one year left on his contract at $13.9 million). The best part of this deal, however, may be finally get somebody to take Jerome James.

In the second deal, New York acquired Chris Wilcox from Oklahoma City in exchange for Malik Rose. The Knicks felt they desperately needed a big man to play alongside David Lee, and Wilcox fits that role.

He can score a little, rebound, and is more athletic than Eddy Curry. He's no superstar, but he's serviceable and has a contract that expires after this season.

The Knicks may have put themselves in position to seriously challenge for the East's final playoff spot.

Chicago Bulls: B

The Chicago Bulls were another team that was pretty busy at the trade deadline. The Bulls had a logjam at the guard position, and used those pieces to make a series of moves.

The Bulls traded Larry Hughes to the Knicks for Tim Thomas, Anthony Roberson and Jerome James. James is a worthless asset, Roberson is a bench player who will probably see limited playing time and Thomas is an athletic player who can play uptempo at either of the two forward slots.

All three players' contracts expire after next season (why else would anyone take Jerome James).

Chicago also sent Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni to Sacramento for Brad Miller and John Salmons. This trade adds scoring for the Bulls. Brad Miller will team with Joakim Noah at center.

They complement each other well, Noah being an athletic, defensive yet offensively challenged player, and Miller being an excellent scoring and passing big man who is an average defensive player at best.

Salmons is also a key addition at forward, having averaged over 18 points per game this season as the Kings second-leading scorer.

In a third minor deal, Chicago sent disappointing guard Thebo Shefolosha to Oklahoma City for a first-round draft pick.

All three deals help Chicago with their scoring deficiencies and clears up space at the guard spot, leaving a three man guard rotation: Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Derek Rose.

Toronto Raptors: B

The Raptors made a deal during the All-Star break, sending Jermaine O'Neal, Jamario Moon and a future lottery-protected first-round pick to Miami for Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks and cash considerations.

They also received center Patrick O'Bryant from the Celtics in a three-team trade also involving Sacramento.

Toronto has been one of the most disappointing teams thus far this season, and it became evident that O'Neal and Chris Bosh, both low post players, couldn't play together.

By getting Marion, a player who has the size and rebounding ability of a four and the athleticism and perimeter shot of a three, the offense is more spread out and should begin to flourish.

The trade also frees up cap space after this season for Toronto. That's money they can use to sign a free agent this off=season in order to show Bosh they are trying to compete before he's a free agent in 2010.

The deal for Patrick O'Bryant gives the Raptors another big man to come off the bench and replace O'Neal on the roster.

Miami Heat: C+

Once the Miami Heat felt that their power forward of the future, Michael Beasley, was more suited to play small forward, Marion and his expiring contract became expendable.

Miami traded for Marion and Marcus Banks for Jermaine O'Neal and Jamarion Moon, feeling that O'Neal could provide much needed low post offense the team hasn't had since Shaq was sent to the Suns.

O'Neal, once considered one of the premier front court players in the Eastern Conference, has been steadily on the decline since returning from his suspension for his part in the "Malice at the Palace."

The deal isn't a complete gamble for Miami, however, since O'Neal's contract expires after next season, giving Miami cap space for the much anticipated free agent class of 2010.

Minnesota Timberwolves: C

The Timberwolves only move was a curious one. They sent their under-performing former first round draft pick for another team's under-performing former first round draft pick.

Rashad McCants had fallen out of favor in Minnesota since Kevin McHale took over as coach, and hasn't played more than 15 minutes in a game since Dec. 27.

He was set to become a restricted free agent at season's end and the T-Wolves had no intention of signing him. Calvin Booth, the rarely used center, will also go to Sacramento with McCants.

In return for Booth and McCants, Minnesota will get rookie Bobby Brown and forward Sheldon Williams, the fifth pick in the 2006 draft.

Williams has underachieved in the NBA, not coming anywhere near what scouts thought he would be coming out of Duke. He will give Minnesota financial flexibility after this season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Brown has played well in a backup point guard role in his rookie season, averaging 5.2 points and 1.9 assists per game.

Sacramento Kings, Grade: C-

The Kings made moves with the intent of cutting salary and saving money. They did, however, get some guys who can play.

They received Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden from Chicago, and finally got out from under Brad Miller's huge contract. Gooden is a good defender and rebounder while Nocioni is a good shooting guard/forward who will have to replace the 18+ points per game that Salmons was putting up.

They also got rid of underachieving Sheldon Williams. Receiving guard Rashad McCants is somewhat of a lateral move, but he can provide scoring off the bench, and Calvin Booth is nothing special, but at least he's a big body to replace some of the minutes that Brad Miller was playing. McCants is a restricted free agent after this season.

Finally, the Kings sent a conditional second round draft choice in 2015 to Boston for guard Sam Cassell. Cassell hasn't played this season for the Celtics, and it isn't clear if the Kings will have Cassell suit up or release him.

He is 39, so even if he plays, Sacramento shouldn't expect a whole lot out of him.

Oklahoma City Thunder: D+

The Thunder tried to improve upon their young team, and almost came away with the steal of the deadline when they sent forward/center Chris Wilcox and forward Joe Smith to New Orleans for center Tyson Chandler.

That deal was rescinded, however, when Chandler failed his physical due to a bout with turf toe. So, in a last-minute deal with the Knicks, Wilcox was sent to NY for forward Malik Rose.

Rose was a bench player for the Knicks. He won't provide much on the court for the Thunder, but he is a great locker room presence and will provide leadership for the Thunder's young talented players. Still, getting Rose is a big letdown from getting Chandler.

Houston Rockets: D-

The Rockets traded their starting point guard, Rafer Alston, to Orlando and received guard Kyle Lowry and forward/center Brian Cook, easily a lopsided deal.

The Rockets did deal from strength, figuring second-year point guard Aaron Brooks is the point guard of the future, and Luther Head is a solid back-up.

The problem is that the Rockets were desperate to make a deal, any deal. They feverishly shopped Ron Artest with no success, and were in seriously talks with the Nets to trade Tracy McGrady for Vince Carter until McGrady informed the world that he needs micro-fracture surgery on his knee.

With both McGrady and Artest untradeable, Houston seemed determined to move either Alston or Luther Head even if they got little in return.

New Orleans Hornets: F

The Hornets were saved from making one of the worst trades in history when Tyson Chandler failed his physical with Sacramento. Still, Chris Paul and Chandler developed a great chemistry together, and the trade was made strictly for financial reasons.

That sends a message to the fans and your star players that the team is not putting winning first. Now that Chandler will remain with the team, will there be any resentment from any of the parties involved? It's a total mess.

Some teams made moves to better there team, others for financial reasons. Some teams were able to accomplish both. It will be interesting to see if any of these moves will have an impact on the playoff race.