NBA halfway point: Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics (30-9)

The Celtics cannot wait to get Kevin Garnett back from injury. Not only is he Boston's leader, but he is also the most fundamental piece to the league's stingiest defense. Without KG, they stand no chance to win a championship. With him, they have an excellent shot. The Celtics' chemistry is second to none and they have one of the top coaches in the league. Rajon Rondo has become a superstar as well. No one wants to play the Celtics because it is almost a guaranteed notch in the loss column. They should be feared....tremendously.

2. Miami Heat (30-12)

Speculation mounted that Pat Riley would replace Erik Spoelstra after the Heat stumbled to a 9-8 start. The critics were silenced, however, as Miami reeled off 22 of the next 23. Think about that...it took this group of individuals a little over a month of regular season games to figure out how to bring out the best in each other. Heat fans need not be worried by the current three-game losing streak. All of those games were on the road against quality competition and the last two took place without LeBron. If the Heat play the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, it will likely be the most watched series in NBA playoff history.

3. Chicago Bulls (27-13)

Derrick Rose is incredibly good. Nearly impossible to guard, he is capable of breaking down the opposition's defense at the drop of a hat. Carlos Boozer is a 20/10 guy, Joakim Noah is a defensive stalwart, and Luol Deng is an extremely gifted small forward. On top of that, they have one of the best shooters in the league in Kyle Korver. It sounds like they may be an elite team with that kind of talent on the roster, doesn't it? Close....but no cigar. They are still one small piece away from being mentioned in the same breath as the Lakers, Celtics, and Heat.

4. Orlando Magic (26-14)

Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas in. Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, out. GM Otis Smith's decision to totally dismantle Orlando's roster was looked at as risky by some. Hogwash. All he did was make the team more diverse, more potent, and more capable of making it to the NBA Finals. Carter and Lewis faded terribly this season, did not make their teammates better, and were far too one dimensional. Orlando could get it done if they play to their potential. Time to see what kind of a coach Stan Van Gundy really is....

5. Atlanta Hawks (26-15)

Atlanta is an above average basketball club. They have a great all-around player in Joe Johnson and talent surrounding him....but not enough to be a serious threat to the top four teams in the East. If injuries play no role in the remainder of their season, the Hawks will win 50+ games and then lose in the first round of the playoffs. Barring any unbelievably creative and advantageous player swaps, that is what their future entails. End of story.

6. New York Knicks (22-17)

The Knicks are one of the most improved teams in the league this year. GM Donnie Walsh should get all the credit for acquiring Amar'e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, and rookie Landry Fields. Stoudemire has been nothing short of sensational and Madison Square Garden is the place to be for the first time in nearly a decade. Carmelo Anthony has expressed his desire to play in the Big Apple and if the Knicks can get him without giving up anything after the season, they become an instant title contender. They may be just one season away....

7. Indiana Pacers (16-21)

Danny Granger has a lot of talent and Darren Collison is improving rapidly, but overall Indiana is heavily outmatched at the other positions. The Pacers are in seventh place in the East and have won forty-three percent of their games. Oh, how wonderful it is to be in the lesser of the two conferences! In the end, it won't matter who gets the seventh and eighth seed. Why? Because those two teams will be swept by Boston and Miami.

8. Philadelphia 76ers (16-23)

Doug Collins is doing his best to resurrect the franchise but it appears as though the task is too difficult. It is not his fault. The Sixers don't have the players to compete with the better teams in the league. While Jrue Holiday continues to improve, Andre Iguodala's numbers are way down, and Elton Brand will never be the dominant player that he once was. That said, they should have enough talent to get into the playoffs....especially considering the rosters of the other teams in the East.

9. Charlotte Bobcats (15-23)

Michael Jordan's franchise took a huge step back this season. After making the playoffs last year, everything looked like it was moving in the right direction. The organization was rocked a few weeks back with the firing/resigning of head coach Larry Brown. They hired Paul Silas, most likely because he lived in the area. Truth be told, he is a veteran NBA head coach. He just hasn't been in the league since March of 2005. This team had been underachieving under Coach Brown. It will be interesting to see if Silas can do any better....

10. Milwaukee Bucks (15-23)

The Bucks have struggled all year long. Quite frankly, they have been a big disappointment. This squad won forty-six games a year ago. Expectations were high and deservedly so. Milwaukee has two very talented players in Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings. They also have a well respected coach in Scott Skiles. Look for Skiles' squad to make a push and maneuver their way into a playoff spot. If they don't, his job may be in jeopardy. That is just how the NBA works....fair or not.

11. Detroit Pistons (14-26)

Head Coach John Kuester has made one of the strangest decisions in basketball history. Kuester chose to bench Rip Hamilton simply because Rip's name has recently come up in trade talks. Let us not overlook his place in Piston lore. World Champion. Six straight Eastern Conference Finals. And he has led the Pistons in scoring each of the last eight seasons. He wants to play and will help the team win, so why on earth is he not playing? Let me repeat. Why on earth is he not playing? Perhaps there is more going on behind closed doors, but on the surface that decision makes no sense at all.

12. Toronto Raptors (13-27)

The Raptors franchise was blown up with the departure of Chris Bosh. It may be years before they recover and are decent again. After all, free agents have no desire to go to Canada, especially if they are Americans. The only bright spot on the roster is Andrea Bargnani. In addition to being a knock down shooter, he has made himself into a very good scorer. How much longer will he be in Toronto? If he wants to win he will leave sooner rather than later.

13. Washington Wizards (11-27)

The Wizards have decent young players. They just haven't figured out a way to make it work yet. John Wall, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, and Andray Blatche are all very promising talents. If the franchise drafts well and the youthful bunch continues to develop as they should, Washington could become a handful in two to three years. Until then, they are going to suffer some growing pains.

14. New Jersey Nets (10-30)

The only reason the Nets are in the news is because of their relentless pursuit of Carmelo Anthony. The latest is that the league is going to permit New Jersey to have a sit down meeting with Melo. No doubt the Nets' brass will do their best to convince Melo to sign a contract extension. If they are unable to do that, there will be no deal. Avery Johnson has to be praying that it gets done, for without Melo there is no hope in the Meadowlands....or Brooklyn for that matter.

15. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-32)

Everything turned sour in Cleveland when LeBron James decided to take his talents to Miami. While LeBron continues his greatness in the Sunshine State, the Cavs are struggling night after night to be competitive. It is impossible to replace someone as talented as LeBron, but Cleveland has more talent than their record indicates. One wonders if the franchise is not doomed forever after owner Dan Gilbert's public lambasting of the former King of Ohio.