At the start of the NBA season, this writer decided it would be a great idea to go through the league team-by-team and make predictions as to where they would finish. As far as great ideas go, this was right up there with the boomerang hand grenade and the cell phone that doubles as a steam iron.

However, predictions have been made and, with around half of the scheduled 82 games already in the books, it seems an opportune time to check them for any traces of accuracy.  So without further ado, here is the NBA mid-season report:

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics
Projected finish: Sixth in the Atlantic
Current position: Fifth (22-27)
Prediction: This will be Rick Pitino's final year as coach of Team Green

Pitino has indeed left Bean Town and the projected finish was looking solid until somebody forgot to tell Jim O'Brien that the Celtics were meant to miss the Playoffs. Since taking over as head coach, O'Brien has had the C's playing a more conventional style of defense and it has led to a promising 9-4 record.  It's still too early to start trumpeting a Celtics championship, or even a playoff berth for that matter, but O'Brien seems to be bringing out the best in Boston's stars Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce.  Pierce appears to have fully recovered from the stabbing which threatened his career just a few short months ago and Walker is now a threat to score a triple-double nearly every night.  In an Eastern Conference which is remarkably even, Boston could slip in for the final playoff spot, or at least play spoiler to some other teams on the bubble.
 

Miami Heat
Projected finish: First in the Atlantic Division
Current position: Third (30-20)
Prediction: The Heat will win the East.

This bold statement was obviously made before the extent of Alonzo Mourning's kidney ailment was disclosed so we plead extenuating circumstances, but it does provide an interesting "what-if" scenario which must surely drive Heat fans bonkers. Heat coach Pat Riley has managed to coax an injury-ravaged team into winning 60 percent of their games without their one true All-Star.  Imagine if Mourning was indeed healthy? Anthony Mason and Brian Grant have been huge additions for the Heat and have helped Miami retain their Playoff ambitions.  They should still go deep into the post-season and have the tools to challenge for the Eastern crown, barring any further disasters of course.
 

New Jersey Nets
Projected finish: Fifth in the Atlantic
Current position: Sixth (17-34)
Prediction: Unless Stephon Marbury shows he is willing to pass the ball, the Nets will again be the most talented team to
miss the Playoffs.

While New Jersey entered the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak, they are still a long way from playoff contention.  The loss of Jayson Williams, Kerry Kittles, Kendall Gill, Jamie Feick and Keith Van Horn to a variety of injuries decimated the Nets line-up for the first half of the season as Nets players missed the third-most games due to injury of any team in the league.  That being the case, Marbury actually didn't have a lot of options to pass to other than rookies Stephen Jackson and Kenyon Martin.  However, the Nets still fall into the trap of standing around and watching "Starbury" as he wheels and deals, which bodes ill for the second half of the season.  Marbury also still believes he must win the game every time, rather than looking to set teammates up for easy baskets.  This one looks to be pretty much on track unless Marbury learns to play nice with others.
 

New York Knicks
Projected finish: Third in the Atlantic
Current position: Second (29-18)
Prediction: The Knicks will wish that they had stood Pat.

The Knicks certainly did appear to be missing the presence of Patrick Ewing in the middle early in the season.  They went 15-12 through their first 27 games as they struggled to fit Glen Rice, who came to Gotham in the Ewing trade, into their rotation.  However, a seven-game win-streak that spanned December and January moved them up through the East's standings.  Marcus Camby is having a career-year since taking over the bulk of the minutes in the pivot, although his mental fragility was exposed when he went after Danny Ferry, resulting in a five-game suspension. New York went just 5-5 over their last ten games and will certainly miss Ewing's defensive presence when they move into the post-season.
 

Orlando Magic
Projected finish: Fourth in the Atlantic
Current position: Fourth (25-43)
Prediction: Grant Hill will get that sense of deja vu as the Magic are bundled out in the first round.

Hill, as we now know, will not play for the Magic again this season, leaving this prediction largely in the "what if" category along with Miami's.  The Magic however are still in the playoff hunt as Tracy McGrady's stellar play has earned him the right to start talking about himself in the third-person.  Darrell Armstrong has also recaptured some of his old form and has helped the Magic enter the All-Star break on a six-game winning streak.  Currently holding down the East's sixth seeding, the Magic do appear headed to the post-season, but again should flame-out in the first round unless T-Mac is even better than he already appears.

Philadelphia 76ers
Projected finish: Second in the Atlantic
Current position: First (36-14)
Prediction:   Iverson to carry the Sixers on his back into the Playoffs but then fade out in the second round as "The Answer" proves once again that nobody can carry a team all by themselves.

Despite losing 178 player games to injury/illness the Sixers have jumped on Iverson's back and he has carried them to the best record in the league. This is a major over-achievement when you consider that starting point guard Eric Snow has missed 32 games, key reserve Matt Geiger has played in just nine games and Toni Kukoc has, as predicted, failed to live up to expectations.  Although talk at the start of the season was of an Iverson trade, it would now take the National Guard to get the Answer out of Philly following his MVP showing in the All-Star Game.  This one remains on track however as the 76ers now face at least a month without All-Star center Theo Ratliff (still doesn't sound right does it?) and the 76ers still rely on Iverson more than is healthy for post-season success.

Washington Wizards
Projected finish: Last in the Atlantic
Current position: Last (12-37)
Prediction: New head coach Leonard Hamilton is in for a rough rookie NBA season.

This appears now to be less a prediction than an understatement, as the Wiz have been woeful. Juwan Howard has started to produce consistent numbers now that he is being allowed to play in his true position of power forward and Richard Hamilton has continue to develop into a handy scorer but there the good news ends for coach Hamilton.  The Wizards have been nothing short of woeful with the only upside for Washington fans being that finally the Bulls are worse than they are.  Talented but disgruntled point guard Rod Strickland continues to try to orchestrate a trade to get himself out of the capital but GM Michael Jordan has so far been unable to find any way of moving his contract.  Barring a minor miracle such as Jordan pulling on the high-tops, Washington is well and truly on it's way to a last place finish in the Atlantic.

CENTRAL DIVISION REVIEW COMING THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT
WESTERN CONFERENCE COMING THIS WEEKEND
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