NHL Post-All Star Break Predictions: Western Conference

Now that the East is in the books, it's time to attempt to tackle the insanely deep and competitive Western Conference. As of the beginning of the day Thursday, February 3, a mere 10 points separate 4th place in the conference from 14th. Needless to say, every single game down the stretch is incredibly important to nearly every team out there. Deep breath, and here we go...

1. Vancouver Canucks - 117 points

Admittedly, this was the easiest of the eight spots to rank in the West, as Vancouver has been on an absolute tear all season. Their home ice has proven to be the hardest building in the league to get a regulation win, as they have only lost 3 times in regulation there this season. This does not bode well for any challengers they will face in the playoffs, as they are looking Presidents' Trophy bound this year and will have home ice throughout the Playoffs. This team might be the most balanced in the league, ranking no lower than 4th in Average Goals For, Average Goals Against, Power Play % and Penalty Kill. Newcomers Manny Malhotra and Keith Ballard have added to an already loaded lineup (despite Ballard's recent affinity for injuring goaltenders that play for or used to play for the Florida Panthers, see Tomas Vokoun and Craig Anderson. Watch out Luongo). Despite the recent loss of defensive leader Alexander Edler, the Canucks look like a team on a mission, led by the Sedin twins, Ryan Kesler and one of the best backstops in the league Roberto Luongo (not to mention their more-than-solid backup Cory Schneider). The bottom line is, while this team has never quite been able to get over the hump in the Playoffs, it looks like this year with their new additions could be a special one.

2. Detroit Red Wings - 111 points

No matter how old they seem to get, the Red Wings just keep on motoring (pun intended) as one of the elite franchises in the NHL. Ranking 1st in Average Goals For and 5th on the Power Play, this team is still loaded with weapons that allow them to stay in any game. With names like Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Franzen, just to name a few, this team approaches the Playoffs with a "been there, done that" attitude that has them prepared for any and all situations. On D, despite their advancing ages, Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski are still two of the premier blue liners in the league, and Niklas Kronwall continues to wreak havoc while never getting called for leaving his feet on checks. In net, they have the benefit of choosing between a young and talented Jimmy Howard and an experienced Playoff veteran in Chris Osgood. To top it all off, the Wings also boast probably the best head coach in the league in Mike Babcock. This team is always a threat to go deep in the Playoffs.

3. San Jose Sharks - 104 points

Despite a very disappointing, lackluster start to their season, the Sharks look to be on their way back to the top part of the standings. While their division is absolutely loaded, the Sharks remain one of, if not the most talented all around team in the Pacific, and also have the most stretch run and postseason experience (regardless of their lack of Playoff success). While it looks like as many as 5 teams from the Pacific could potentially make the Playoffs, I believe the top spot will be decided in San Jose and Dallas. The Sharks' top three lines can compete with any in the league, and their already loaded roster from last season has welcomed some key new additions in now Cup Finals veterans Ben Eager and Antti Niemi, both fresh off winning it all with the Blackhawks last year. Additionally, Calder Trophy candidate Logan Couture has been one of the best surprises for any team all season. Dan Boyle, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Douglas Murray highlight a solid defensive crew, and the aforementioned Niemi and former NHL starter Antero Niittymaki give these Sharks solid but not outstanding options in net. When it comes down to it, I believe it will be San Jose's great amount of experience that will allow them to edge out the Stars and take the division crown yet again.

4. Dallas Stars - 101 points

The Stars have been one of the most surprising teams of the season thus far, though if you really look at their team, their success shouldn't be THAT unexpected. Many people seem to forget that this team is led by a former Conn Smythe winner and one of the best players in the league Brad Richards. He seems to have found a niche in leading warm weather teams to great success. Additionally, this Dallas bunch is fortunate enough to have three brilliant young left wingers in 25-year old Loui Eriksson, 23-year old James Neal and 21-year old Jamie Benn. Those young guns complement a solid veteran core of the previously mentioned Richards, Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro and the recent re-addition of old flame Jamie Langenbrunner. Kari Lehtonen is a better goalie than people seem to give him credit for, but I still think that the Stars don't quite have enough to outlast the Sharks in the division race. However, they will certainly make the Playoffs, and could be a dangerous bunch if Lehtonen gets hot.

5. Nashville Predators - 99 points

He may look like someone whose primary job would be living under and guarding a bridge, but Barry Trotz continues to be one of the most outstanding coaches in the game. He always manages to get the most out of his players, and this season his crew looks the most promising it has yet. The Preds return their solid, blue collar core and welcome in new additions like Montreal pariah Sergei Kostitsyn. Captain Shea Weber leads the battalion of Tennessee hockey mainstays David Legwand, Steve Sullivan and Martin Erat, while youngsters Ryan Suter and Patrick Hornqvist continue to make even larger contributions to the team's success. This Predators lean heavily on their team defense to fuel success, as they rank 4th in Goals Against and 3rd on the Penalty Kill. This will be key in the Playoffs, where there are many more 2-1 and 3-2 games than 5-4 and 6-5 games. The other key ingredient to maintaining these solid defensive numbers is the play of goalie Pekka Rinne, who, now that Dan Ellis has gone to Tampa, has taken over as the unquestioned starter. While this team needs to improve on its offensive game, their all around defense looks good enough to make them very competitive in the Playoffs. Hopefully they can get more fans to show up to their games to see a great hockey team play, instead of just serving as something for drunk Vanderbilt students to do on a Thursday night.

6. Los Angeles Kings - 97 points

The Kings currently sit in the 5th spot in the Pacific division, but that still has them sitting as one of the contenders in the crazy Western Conference. LA has been bitten by the injury bug this year, but they still have built one of the best young core of players in the league. Young center Anze Kopitar along with D-men Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty are already some of the premier players at their positions in the world. Captain (and still relatively young) Dustin Brown, Ryan Smyth, Michael Handzus and Jarret Stoll are just a few of the great leadership group for this team. Them, along with the additions of defenseman Willie Mitchell and the resurgence of winger Justin Williams make these Kings a very dangerous team that I believe will have a great last few months of the season to secure a solid spot in the Playoffs. This group was able to get a taste of the postseason last year, and they will look to build on that this year to make a deeper run.

7. Anaheim Ducks - 96 points

Anaheim is a team that has seemed to get better and better as the season has progressed. Even while enduring a long stretch without Ryan Getzlaf and relatively middle of the road statistics, they have been playing well and getting better thanks to their veteran leadership, goaltending and deadly power play that ranks 2nd in the league. Recently this team has been carried by the play of right winger Corey Perry and net minder Jonas Hiller. When Getzlaf returns, this team will get even better, but I still don't think they have enough to finish higher than 7th. Their defensive and penalty kill numbers are both simply average, and while they have been lighting the lamp often with the man advantage, they still rank just 20th in the league in Goals For. It will be interesting to see how this bunch navigates not only the crazy Western Conference standings but also their insanely competitive division. If they are going to make any noise in the Playoffs, I believe it will be based on the play of Hiller and their special teams.

8. Chicago Blackhawks - 95 points

Following their magical Stanley Cup run of yesteryear, the Hawks were forced to get rid of some of their most precious assets in order to become salary cap compliant for this season. Major contributors Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Antti Niemi along with leadership guys like Andrew Ladd were all lost in the fray (personally, I would have never signed an aging Marian Hossa to such a ridiculous contract so that I could keep a dynamic young player like Byfuglien, but i guess that's just me). This team is now saddled with questionable goaltending at best, and are naturally finding it harder to compete in this loaded conference. However, they still have one of the best all around players in the game in captain Jonathan Toews, as well as other great players like forwards Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp and one of the best defensive pairings in the league in Norris trophy winner Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Even though Chicago will be handcuffed by the salary cap at the trade deadline, I don't believe that Toews will allow them to miss the Playoffs. However, I believe that simply making the postseason is all this team can hope for.


Finally, as a die-hard Colorado Avalanche fan, it pained me dearly to pick them to miss the Playoffs, but they simply have not shown me that they have what it takes to be one of the top eight teams in maybe the most competitive conference I've ever seen. Unless they can solve their goaltending and special teams issues, or if they can get Peter Mueller back and have him make a huge impact, I just don't see it happening this year. (Also, I am hoping that by not picking them they will prove me wrong and go on a run. One can only hope...)

NHL Post-All Star Break Predictions: Eastern Conference

With the All Star Break behind us, and since I haven't done a post in months, I decided to make my predictions for how the sixteen NHL playoff spots will be filled this spring. In this first post, I will be focusing on the Eastern Conference, which this year is somewhat easier to map out than the wild wild West. Here goes...

1. Pittsburgh Penguins - 112 points

While everyone seems to be clamoring to find a good seat on the Flyers' bandwagon, I am not convinced that the boys from Philly are even the best team in their own division, let alone the conference. The Penguins are simply the best all-around team in the East, and certainly the team that is best built for the Playoffs. If this team can ever have Crosby, Malkin and Staal healthy all at the same time, their motor could really start humming during the last month or two of the season. Along with all their talent down the middle, they also boast a splendid crew of experienced, gritty blue liners like Brooks Orpik, Kris Letang and newcomers Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek. Furthermore, the Pens possess one of the greatest assets a team can possess: a proven, all-star goalie with a road Game 7 of the Cup Finals win on his resume. Look for this team to be one of the favorites again to toast with Lord Stanley's Cup.

2. Boston Bruins - 107 points

Over the course of the season so far, this Bruins team has proven itself to be the class of the Northeast Division, outlasting their inconsistent rival Montreal. Even in what seems like it should be the twilight of his career, Tim Thomas has put himself in position to be the front-runner for the Vezina Trophy this year. Additionally, if Thomas should break down for some reason, the Bruins have one of the league's best backups in Tuukka Rask, who was putting up eye-opening numbers of his own toward the end of the 2009-10 season. As far as skaters go, despite the most recent loss of Marc Savard, Boston has a great mix of eager young guns (Tyler Seguin, David Krejci, Milan Lucic to name a few), and battle-tested veteran leaders (Mark Recchi, Zdeno Chara). Along with all their tangible assets, the Bruins also have a huge chip on their shoulder after blowing a 3-0 lead to the Flyers in the Playoffs last year, so look for these Beantown boys to be extra hungry down the stretch.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning - 105 points

New GM Steve Yzerman has made an immediate impact on the Lightning's fortunes with the acquisitions of players like Simon Gagne, Sean Bergenheim and the hard-working Dominic Moore. Adding these players to a roster that already includes dynamic young guns (Steven Stamkos, Steve Downie and Victor Hedman) and solid veteran leadership (Martin St. Louis, Mattias Ohlund and Ryan Malone), and it is a recipe for success. Throw in the emergence of players like Teddy Purcell and you've really got something. The one major question mark with this team is a big one: goaltending. Grizzled vet Dwayne Roloson has stepped up to bandage the bleeding for now, but if neither he nor Dan Ellis (or Mike Smith if he gets healthy) can step up and announce with their play that they will be the goalie the Bolts can lean on down the stretch and into the playoffs, this team could get tripped up early. All in all, they will be one of the most interesting teams to watch down the stretch.

4. Philadelphia Flyers - 107 points

The East's breakout team of the first half of the season will have a lot to prove down the stretch this year. The Flyers top three lines are among the league's best and most complete, and their miracle run to the Cup Finals last season will surely be very useful to them come Playoff time, but their continued question mark in net will be what defines their season. The loss of Simon Gagne has been filled with younger up-and-coming stars like James van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux and Andreas Nodl playing a bigger role in the offense. Also, the addition of Andrej Meszaros has proven to be a very key one. The Flyers have great leadership with Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Chris Pronger, and it will be on their shoulders to carry this team as far as it wants to go. Finally, the huge elephant in Philly's locker room, unproven goaltending, has to be addressed. While youngster Sergei Bobrovsky has been great for this team in the first half of the season, he has never seen anything like the Playoff push at the NHL level, let alone the actual Playoffs. This along with their slew of backups who could just as well be working at Chili's right now will ultimately prove to be their undoing.

5. Washington Capitals - 103 points

The Capitals' front office came out at the beginning of the season and said this season was Stanley Cup or bust. Unfortunately, it's looking like Washington has a 7 and a 5 showing and the dealer is about to hit them with a face card. The team's captain, Alexander Ovechkin, just does not possess the maturity to lead a team to a prize as difficult to win as the Stanley Cup, as can be seen in his trophy case that is packed with individual awards but lacks any significant team trophies. While this team is built to score with the best of them, their continued blue line mediocrity and questionable goaltending will send you home Cup-less every season. Until the Caps can address these issues, I will simply not consider them a serious Cup contender, especially with the Penguins, Bruins and Flyers in their conference.

6. New York Rangers - 99 points

Having watched the Penguins-Rangers game right after the All Star Break, I became a believer in the Rangers making the Playoffs this year simply by witnessing how hard they play. It looks to me like these Blue Shirts will find themselves in the tournament this year based on two things: goaltending and sheer will. Henrik Lundqvist is one of the finest goaltenders in the league, and any team that he protects the net for, particularly one that works so hard in front of him, will always have a shot to do something special. With leaders-by-example Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Staal and Ryan Callahan, this team has the character to present a challenge to anyone they face. Throw in the unexpected contributions of players like Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust, as well as the talent of Marion Gaborik, Ruslan Fedotenko and Wojtek Wolski (who, since he is in his first year with the Rangers, will actually try hard before he reverts back to his lackluster, complacent self) and this team could make some waves in the Playoffs.

7. Carolina Hurricanes - 95 points

I was very impressed with the reception All Star Weekend got in Raleigh, from the fans to the atmosphere and everything in between. I have always known that Carolina was one of the NHL's experimental cities where hockey actually worked, and that the Canes have great fans. It was nice to see one of the more under-appreciated fan bases in the league get to show their stuff on All Star Weekend's national stage. The Hurricanes were beginning to make a push toward a Playoff spot before the break, and I believe they will carry the momentum of hosting the All Star Game into the 7th playoff spot. This team has lifted the Stanley Cup before, and they still have key pieces from that team to lead them back to the Playoffs again. Cam Ward is one of the better goalies in the league and has a Conn-Smythe in his trophy case. Eric Staal is one of the more under-the-radar superstars in any sport, and has the talent and intangibles to lead the Canes to the promise land.

8. Montreal Canadiens - 94 points

Despite early season success, the Habs' inconsistent play since then leads me to believe they will finish exactly where they finished last season when they made their miracle run to the Conference Finals. This veteran-laden team looks on paper like it should be one of the top teams in the East. With players like Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, Tomas Plekanec, Brian Gionta, Hal Gill, Roman Hamrlik and Andrei Markov just to name a few, they should be a force to be reckoned with. However, this team has been victim to the injury bug, and despite Carey Price being voted into the All Star Game, he is still the goalie that got benched last year in favor of Jaroslav Halak. Price has little experience backstopping a team during an NHL Playoff push, and this team simply loses too many games that it shouldn't to be taken too seriously. But hey, it's the NHL Playoffs, and as we all know, crazy things can happen if you can just manage to get in...

Let's Fantasy Draft the NBA!

Ok, let me start this blog post by saying I am quite under the influence of alcohol right now. I decided to put all 30 NBA teams into a random order (by computer), and predict how they would fantasy draft their teams' starting 5's if the league decided to do such a thing. I will go through 6 rounds of the first ever NBA fantasy draft to get starting 5's and sixth men for all 30 NBA teams if such thing were to happen. I put the NBA teams in alphabetical order and put the numbers 1-30 in a number randomizer to get the draft order. The draft will be like a fantasy NBA draft in that it will snake through the teams (i.e. the 30th team will also get the 31st pick and the 1st team won't have another selection until the 60th pick). Then I will drunkenly pick the best starting 5 and sixth man among the 30. I will be analyzing each starting 5 for how they would fare in ONE season, not over several seasons, and that every player is healthy to start the season (which will also affect the way I will perceive teams' draft strategies). Here we go...

1ST ROUND

1. Detroit Pistons - LeBron James, F

2. Portland Trail Blazers - Kobe Bryant, SG

3. Denver Nuggets - Dwyane Wade, SG

4. San Antonio Spurs - Chris Paul, PG

5. Sacramento Kings - Kevin Durant, SF

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Dwight Howard, C

7. Utah Jazz - Tim Duncan, PF

8. Atlanta Hawks - Carmelo Anthony, SF

9. Indiana Pacers - Chris Bosh, PF

10. Dallas Mavericks - Steve Nash, PG

11. Golden State Warriors - Deron Williams, PG

12. New Orleans Hornets - Derrick Rose, PG

13. Miami Heat - Brandon Roy, SG

14. Boston Celtics - Dirk Nowitzki, PF

15. Toronto Raptors - Pau Gasol, PF

16. Charlotte Bobcats - Chauncey Billups, PG

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Joe Johnson, G/F

18. Houston Rockets - Kevin Garnett, PF

19. Los Angeles Clippers - Shaquille O'Neal, C

20. Cleveland Cavaliers - Tyreke Evans, G

21. New Jersey Nets - Monta Ellis, G

22. Milwaukee Bucks - Amare Stoudemire PF/C

23. Oklahoma City Thunder - Danny Granger, SF

24. Los Angeles Lakers - David West, PF

25. Chicago Bulls - David Lee, PF

26. Memphis Grizzlies - Luol Deng, SF

27. Washington Wizards - Al Horford, PF

28. Orlando Magic - Zach Randolph, PF

29. Phoenix Suns - Rajon Rondo, PG

30. New York Knicks - Paul Pierce, SF

2ND ROUND

31. New York Knicks - LaMarcus Aldridge, PF

32. Phoenix Suns - Al Jefferson, PF/C

33. Orlando Magic - Gerald Wallace, SF

34. Washington Wizards - Stephen Jackson, SF

35. Memphis Grizzlies - Russell Westbrook, PG

36. Chicago Bulls - Rudy Gay, SF

37. Los Angeles Lakers - Josh Smith, SF

38. Oklahoma City Thunder - Carlos Boozer, PF

39. Milwaukee Bucks - Kevin Martin, SG

40. New Jersey Nets - Andrew Bynum, C

41. Cleveland Cavaliers - Caron Butler, SF

42. Los Angeles Clippers - Jason Kidd, PG

43. Houston Rockets - Brandon Jennings, PG

44. Philadelphia 76ers - Rodney Stuckey, PG

45. Charlotte Bobcats - Marc Gasol, C

46. Toronto Raptors - O.J. Mayo, SG

47. Boston Celtics - Aaron Brooks, PG

48. Miami Heat - Antawn Jamison, PF

49. New Orleans Hornets - Brook Lopez, C

50. Golden State Warriors - Ray Allen, SG

51. Dallas Mavericks - Chris Kaman, C

52. Indiana Pacers - Baron Davis, PG

53. Atlanta Hawks - Andrea Bargnani, PF

54. Utah Jazz - Trevor Ariza, SG

55. Minnesota Timberwolves - Michael Beasley, PF

56. Sacramento Kings - Nene, C

57. San Antonio Spurs - Corey Maggette, SF

58. Denver Nuggets - Andrew Bogut, C

59. Portland Trail Blazers - Marcus Camby, C

60. Detroit Pistons - Devin Harris, PG (huge sigh of relief to get out of NJ)

3RD ROUND

61. Detroit Pistons - Luis Scola, PF

62. Portland Trail Blazers - Mo Williams, PG

63. Denver Nuggets - Lamar Odom, F

64. San Antonio Spurs - Kenyon Martin, PF

65. Sacramento Kings - Tony Parker, PG

66. Minnesota Timberwolves - Andre Iguodala, SG

67. Utah Jazz - Jamal Crawford, PG

68. Atlanta Hawks - Andre Miller, PG

69. Indiana Pacers - Wilson Chandler, SF

70. Dallas Mavericks - Vince Carter, SG

71. Golden State Warriors - Danilo Galinari, PF (PF only because it's Don Nelson)

72. New Orleans Hornets - Jeff Green, F

73. Miami Heat - Raymond Felton, PG

74. Boston Celtics - Ron Artest, SF

75. Toronto Raptors - Jarrett Jack, PG

76. Charlotte Bobcats - Hedo Turkoglu, SF

77. Philadelphia 76ers - Brendan Haywood, C

78. Houston Rockets - Thaddeus Young, SF

79. Los Angeles Clippers - Troy Murphy, PF

80. Cleveland Cavaliers - Elton Brand, PF

81. New Jersey Nets - Grant Hill, SF

82. Milwaukee Bucks - Jonny Flynn, PG

83. Oklahoma City Thunder - Jason Richardson, SG

84. Los Angeles Lakers - Eric Gordon, SG

85. Chicago Bulls - John Salmons, SG

86. Memphis Grizzlies - Carl Landry, PF

87. Washington Wizards - Stephen Curry, G

88. Orlando Magic - Jason Terry, G

89. Phoenix Suns - Corey Brewer, SF

90. New York Knicks - Manu Ginobili, SG

4TH ROUND

91. New York Knicks - Emeka Okafor, C

92. Phoenix Suns - Al Harrington, PF

93. Orlando Magic - Joakim Noah, C

94. Washington Wizards - Kendrick Perkins, C

95. Memphis Grizzlies - Jermaine O'Neal, C

96. Chicago Bulls - Gilbert Arenas, PG (falls this far for bad salary and character)

97. Los Angeles Lakers - Anderson Varajao, C

98. Oklahoma City Thunder - Mike Conley, PG

99. Milwaukee Bucks - Shane Battier, SF

100. New Jersey Nets - Rashard Lewis, PF

101. Cleveland Cavaliers - Channing Frye, C

102. Los Angeles Clippers - Louis Williams, SG

103. Houston Rockets - Rip Hamilton, SG

104. Philadelphia 76ers - Richard Jefferson, SF

105. Charlotte Bobcats - Courtney Lee, SG

106. Toronto Raptors - Mehmet Okur, C

107. Boston Celtics - Samuel Dalembert, C

108. Miami Heat - Spencer Hawes, C

109. New Orleans Hornets - Ronnie Brewer, SG

110. Golden State Warriors - Brad Miller, C

111. Dallas Mavericks - Al Thornton, SF

112. Indiana Pacers - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C

113. Atlanta Hawks - Andray Blatche, C

114. Utah Jazz - Roy Hibbert, C

115. Minnesota Timberwolves - Mike Bibby, PG

116. Sacramento Kings - J.R. Smith, SG

117. San Antonio Spurs - Nazr Mohammed, C

118. Denver Nuggets - Ty Lawson, PG

119. Portland Trail Blazers - Kevin Love, PF

120. Detroit Pistons - Ben Wallace, C

5TH ROUND

121. Detroit Pistons - Rasual Butler, SG

122. Portland Trail Blazers - Peja Stojakovic, SF

123. Denver Nuggets - Paul Millsap, PF

124. San Antonio Spurs - Anthony Morrow, SG

125. Sacramento Kings - Jason Thompson, PF

126. Minnesota Timberwolves - Andrei Kirilenko, F

127. Utah Jazz - Omri Casspi, SF

128. Atlanta Hawks - Martell Webster, SG

129. Indiana Pacers - Carlos Delfino, SG

130. Dallas Mavericks - Marvin Williams, PF

131. Golden State Warriors - Shawn Marion, F

132. New Orleans Hornets - Boris Diaw, PF

133. Miami Heat - Ryan Gomes, SF

134. Boston Celtics - Arron Afflalo, SG

135. Toronto Raptors - Matt Barnes, SF

136. Charlotte Bobcats - Udonis Haslem, PF

137. Philadelphia 76ers - Charlie Villanueva, PF

138. Houston Rockets - Nenad Krstic, C

139. Los Angeles Clippers - Tayshawn Prince, SF

140. Cleveland Cavaliers - Randy Foye, PG

141. New Jersey Nets - Brandon Rush, SG

142. Milwaukee Bucks - Tyrus Thomas, PF

143. Oklahoma City Thunder - Greg Oden, C (somebody HAD to take the risk)

144. Los Angeles Lakers - Kirck Hinrich, PG

145. Chicago Bulls - Joel Pryzbilla, C

146. Memphis Grizzlies - Anthony Parker, SG

147. Washington Wizards - Dahntay Jones, SG

148. Orlando Magic - James Harden, SG

149. Phoenix Suns - Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG

150. New York Knicks - Chris Duhon, PG

6TH ROUND

151. New York Knicks - Ersan Ilyasova, SF

152. Phoenix Suns - Jonas Jerebko, SF

153. Orlando Magic - Jose Calderon, PG

154. Washington Wizards - Steve Blake, PG

155. Memphis Grizzlies - Chris Andersen, PF/C

156. Chicago Bulls - Drew Gooden, PF

157. Los Angeles Lakers - George Hill, PG

158. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Posey, SF

159. Milwaukee Bucks - Jared Dudley, SF

160. New Jersey Nets - Beno Udrih, PG

161. Cleveland Cavaliers - Josh Howard, SF

162. Los Angeles Clippers - Mickael Pietrus, SG

163. Houston Rockets - Rasheed Wallace, PF

164. Philadelphia 76ers - Ben Gordon, SG

165. Charlotte Bobcats - Mike Miller, SF

166. Toronto Raptors - Nate Robinson, G

167. Boston Celtics - Hakim Warrick, PF

168. Miami Heat - Eddie House, G

169. New Orleans Hornets - DeMar DeRozan, SG

170. Golden State Warriors - Andres Nocioni, SF

171. Dallas Mavericks - DeJuan Blair, PF

172. Indiana Pacers - Jameer Nelson, PG

173. Atlanta Hawks - Kyle Lowry, PG

174. Utah Jazz - Taj Gibson, PF

175. Minnesota Timberwolves - Quentin Richardson, SF

176. Sacramento Kings - Roger Mason Jr., G

177. San Antonio Spurs - Mike Dunleavy, SF (I had to screw the Spurs at some pt.)

178. Denver Nuggets - J.J. Hickson, PF

179. Portland Trail Blazers - Shannon Brown, G

180. Detroit Pistons - J.J. Redick, SG (Why not?)

LINEUPS

PACIFIC DIVISION

Golden State Warriors

C - Brad Miller

PF - Danilo Galinari

SF - Shawn Marion

SG - Ray Allen

PG - Deron Wiliams

6TH - Andres Nocioni

Los Angeles Clippers

C - Shaquille O'Neal

PF - Troy Murphy

SF - Tayshawn Prince

SG - Louis Williams

PG - Jason Kidd

6TH - Mickael Pietrus

Los Angeles Lakers

C - Anderson Varajao

PF - David West

SF - Josh Smith

SG - Eric Gordon

PG - Kirk Hinrich

6TH - George Hill

Phoenix Suns

C - Al Jefferson

PF - Al Harrington

SF - Corey Brewer

SG - Chris Douglas-Roberts

PG - Rajon Rondo

6TH - Jonas Jerebko

Sacramento Kings

C - Nene

PF - Jason Thompson

SF - Kevin Durant

SG - J.R. Smith

PG - Tony Parker

6TH - Roger Mason, Jr.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Denver Nuggets

C - Andrew Bogut

PF - Paul Millsap

SF - Lamar Odom

SG - Dwyane Wade

PG - Ty Lawson

6TH - J.J. Hickson

Minnesota Timberwolves

C - Dwight Howard

PF - Michael Beasley

SF - Andrei Kirilenko

SG - Andre Iguodala

PG - Mike Bibby

6TH - Quentin Richardson

Oklahoma City Thunder

C - Greg Oden

PF - Carlos Boozer

SF - Danny Granger

SG - Jason Richardson

PG - Mike Conley

6TH - James Posey

Portland Trail Blazers

C - Marcus Camby

PF - Kevin Love

SF - Peja Stojakovic

SG - Kobe Bryant

PG - Mo Williams

6TH - Shannon Brown

Utah Jazz

C - Roy Hibbert

PF - Tim Duncan

SF - Omri Casspi

SG - Trevor Ariza

PG - Jamal Crawford

6TH - Taj Gibson

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Dallas Mavericks

C - Chris Kaman

PF - Marvin Williams

SF - Al Thornton

SG - Vince Carter

PG - Steve Nash

6TH - DeJuan Blair

Houston Rockets

C - Nenad Krstic

PF - Kevin Garnett

SF - Thaddeus Young

SG - Rip Hamilton

PG - Brandon Jennings

6TH - Rasheed Wallace

Memphis Grizzlies

C - Jermaine O'Neal

PF - Carl Landry

SF - Luol Deng

SG - Anthony Parker

PG - Russell Westbrook

6TH - Chris Andersen

New Orleans Hornets

C - Brook Lopez

PF - Jeff Green

SF - Boris Diaw

SG - Ronnie Brewer

PG - Derrick Rose

6TH - DeMar DeRozan

San Antonio Spurs

C - Nazr Mohammed

PF - Kenyon Martin

SF - Corey Maggette

SG - Anthony Morrow

PG - Chris Paul

6TH - Mike Dunleavy

CENTRAL DIVISION

Chicago Bulls

C - Joel Pryzbilla

PF - David Lee

SF - Rudy Gay

SG - John Salmons

PG - Gilbert Arenas

6TH - Drew Gooden

Cleveland Cavaliers

C - Channing Frye

PF - Elton Brand

SF - Caron Butler

SG - Tyreke Evans

PG - Randy Foye

6TH - Josh Howard

Detroit Pistons

C - Ben Wallace

PF - Luis Scola

SF - LeBron James

SG - Rasual Butler

PG - Devin Harris

6TH - J.J. Redick

Indiana Pacers

C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas

PF - Chris Bosh

SF - Wilson Chandler

SG - Carlos Delfino

PG - Baron Davis

6TH - Jameer Nelson

Milwaukee Bucks

C - Amare Stoudemire

PF - Tyrus Thomas

SF - Shane Battier

SG - Kevin Martin

PG - Jonny Flynn

6TH - Jared Dudley

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Boston Celtics

C - Samuel Dalembert

PF - Dirk Nowitzki

SF - Ron Artest

SG - Arron Afflalo

PG - Aaron Brooks

6TH - Hakim Warrick

New York Knicks

C - Emeka Okafor

PF - LaMarcus Aldridge

SF - Paul Pierce

SG - Manu Ginobili

PG - Chris Duhon

6TH - Ersan Ilyasova

New Jersey Nets

C - Andrew Bynum

PF - Rashard Lewis

SF - Grant Hill

SG - Monta Ellis

PG - Beno Udrih

6TH - Brandon Rush

Philadelphia 76ers

C - Brendan Haywood

PF - Charlie Villanueva

SF - Richard Jefferson

SG - Joe Johnson

PG - Rodney Stuckey

6TH - Ben Gordon

Toronto Raptors

C - Mehmet Okur

PF - Pau Gasol

SF - Matt Barnes

SG - O.J. Mayo

PG - Jarrett Jack

6TH - Nate Robinson

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Atlanta Hawks

C - Andray Blatche

PF - Andrea Bargnani

SF - Carmelo Anthony

SG - Martell Webster

PG - Andre Miller

6TH - Kyle Lowry

Charlotte Bobcats

C - Marc Gasol

PF - Udonis Haslem

SF - Hedo Turkoglu

SG - Courtney Lee

PG - Chauncey Billups

6TH - Mike Miller

Miami Heat

C - Spencer Hawes

PF - Antawn Jamison

SF - Ryan Gomes

SG - Brandon Roy

PG - Raymond Felton

6TH - Eddie House

Orlando Magic

C - Joakim Noah

PF - Zach Randolph

SF - Gerald Wallace

SG - James Harden

PG - Jason Terry

6TH - Jose Calderon

Washington Wizards

C - Kendrick Perkins

PF - Al Horford

SF - Stephen Jackson

SG - Dahntay Jones

PG - Stephen Curry

6TH - Steve Blake

There are the lineups from my fantasy draft. Phew, I am productive when I am drunk. Now it's time to hand out some fake superlatives!

BEST IN THE PACIFIC: Sacramento Kings

Even though Phoenix and Golden State seem to have teams that fit their respective coaching and playing styles like a glove, I think Sacramento would be the most complete team in this division. Tony Parker still has some tread on the tires, and if he stayed healthy would be a great PG to pair with Kevin Durant. They could alternate possessions terrorizing the paint with their savvy drive-to-the-dish games and Nene and Thompson would definitely work hard on the boards and on defense. J.R. Smith would be the wild card of this team, like he is for the Nuggets right now, but if he kept his head on semi-straight, this team would be very dangerous. The Kings could choose to start him or Roger Mason, Jr., who both know how to fill it up, and either one could be a great spark off the bench. I think this team would have enough going for it to trump the perfect fits in Phoenix and Golden State.

BEST IN THE NORTHWEST: Denver Nuggets

This division would come down to the Nuggets and the Blazers. Denver has Dwyane Wade while Portland has Kobe (who have now both been alpha dogs on a championship team). In the end, though, I think the Nuggets would have a more complete team with their core 6. Their complementary pieces fit a bit better than Portland's. I would take Bogut over Camby due to age and durability issues for the latter. I think Millsap and Love would be a push, and Odom is definitely a more complete player than Stojakovic at the SF spot. Portland has a more experienced point guard, but in my mind he is not one of the elite PG's in the league so it doesn't make that much of a difference. Hickson and Brown both bring a lot of energy and athleticism off the bench, though at different positions. In the end, I think the Nuggets are put together just a little better than the Blazers.

BEST IN THE SOUTHWEST: Dallas Mavericks

This division would come down to the Mavericks, the Rockets and the Grizzlies (although San Antonio has Chris Paul, they don't have great pieces around him). I had to give the edge to the Mavs because they have a solid Center in Kaman, and then essentially Steve Nash wheeling and dealing to some super stud athletes who know how to fill it up. They are not the most refined athletic players ever, and Vince Carter's selfishness would surely be an issue, but I feel Nash would be just the right leader for this group. I also love Blair coming off the bench for energy and ferocious rebounding. In Houston, I really like the Jennings-Hamilton-Garnett threesome, but their other pieces are questionable and unproven. Memphis would have the potential to be good enough to steal the division from the Mavs. If Jermaine O'Neal could play like he used to know how, their other pieces are all high energy overachievers that could simply out-hustle teams to victories. But in the end, I think the Mavs' superior talent and experience would make them the class of this division.

BEST IN THE WEST: Denver Nuggets

Of the three division best-of's I named, I think Denver would have the least amount of question marks and things that would have to go right for them to win. Also, Denver has the best player on any of the three teams in Dwyane Wade, and he has a lot more help than he does in Miami in real life. I would be disappointed if Denver didn't get to the Finals with this team.

BEST IN THE CENTRAL: Milwaukee Bucks

This division ended up loaded. I could make a case for the Bucks, Cavaliers, Pistons or Pacers as the best team in the division. When it comes down to it, though, Milwaukee looks to have the most diversified pieces of their puzzle. Flynn is a match head at the point. Kevin Martin can flat out score. Shane Battier is maybe the most under-appreciated player in the league, and he gives the team a defensive edge. Tyrus Thomas is freaky athletic and seems relatively terrifying paired with Amare Stoudemire in the front court. Finally, Jared Dudley is another under-the-radar, better-than-people-think player off the bench as the 6th man. I think all of the divsional games played in the Central would be mind-bogglingly entertaining, and in the end the Bucks would be the team to beat.

BEST IN THE NORTHEAST: Boston Celtics

This division came down to the Celtics and the Knicks for me. The Knicks look like they would be pretty damn good, but how can you argue against a team that has Arron Afflalo AND Ron Artest on the wings playing defense? They could shut down the top TWO scorers on any team they face. So if the Knicks throw Manu Ginobili and Paul Pierce at them, the Celtics would be more than prepared (and both Afflalo and Artest can shoot the rock a bit as well). The Celtics also have Dirk Nowitzki to take on the scoring load, and Aaron Brooks will zip in and out of everyone and run the show. Samuel Dalembert is a serviceable and complementary Center, and Hakim Warrick brings seemingly unlimited amounts of athleticism and energy off the bench. It's hard to make a case against this team.

BEST IN THE SOUTHEAST: Washington Wizards

This division was tough to pick. None of the teams' lineups really jump out at you and say, "Hey! We're the best!" However, if I were a Wizards fan, I would be pretty excited about my team. Curry is a special scorer, and he can be somewhat hidden defensively by Dahntay Jones. I think the Horford/Perkins front line is pretty formidable, especially compared to the rest of the division. And there's just something about Stephen Jackson. He is the one of two players in the league who I think would actually take someone's life to win (the other being Ron Artest...weren't the Pacers fun in 2004?). Finally, Steve Blake has proven to be one of the most reliable backup PG's in the league. I would be disappointed if this team didn't do well.

BEST IN THE EAST: Boston Celtics

The Celtics are the only team of the three that could win games through pure defensive prowess. Even if Nowitzki isn't scoring on a certain night, their defense would be enough to keep them in any game. Oh, and there's also that whole Ron Artest would probably kill another player to win. Advantage: Celtics.

MOST ENTERTAINING TEAM: Golden State Warriors

I made sure to draft players for the Warriors that I knew would fit their system. All of their players fit their mold of "Sure you're going to score a lot, but we are going to score more". How many threes would this team attempt in any given game? 50? And they would make a good percentage of them, too. All six of their drafted players can put the ball in the basket from distance. This team would be a free-wheeling ticket seller.

BEST OFFENSIVE TEAM: Dallas Mavericks

I'll be honest, when I was trying to choose this superlative, the first thought that came into my head was "which team has Steve Nash again?" Then I remembered it was the Mavs. Then I remembered how many weapons he would have at his disposal. This team would rip some nets.

BEST DEFENSIVE TEAM: Boston Celtics

I think I've already said enough.

BEST IN THE LEAGUE: Boston Celtics

Defense wins championships. Done deal.

Well as you can see, I have entirely too much time on my hands, and I do nerdy, sportsy, strange things when under the influence of alcohol. I think it would be madly entertaining if something like this happened for one year. If only... I hope you have enjoyed this, my most ambitious of blog posts.