However teams like Dallas and Utah struggle so much on the road that getting

However, teams like Dallas and Utah struggle so much on the road that getting a high seed and home-court advantage is imperative for their playoff successes.Also, teams that are new to the postseason (New Orleans) are best served by having their first postseason games at home to help adjust to getting acclimated to the physicality and intensity of playoff basketball. I think the Western Conference will stay the way it is right now, and the ninth team right now is the Denver Nuggets. I think that Phoenix will find a way to stop their slide, and the Texas teams, Dallas and San Antonio, will either gain ground or remain where they are in the standings. Golden State is currently (as of Monday the 17th) leading the Nuggets by one and a half games, and are riding a hot streak (8-2 in the last ten games).Chad Ridgeway:  A month and a half ago it was a battle between Houston, Denver, and Golden State. Now that Houston has rocketed it's way to the top it comes down to the Nuggets and Warriors, and it's a shame that one of these teams won't make an appearance on the big stage. However, Denver hasn’t made a strong case for themselves lately, so they’re out.Erick Blasco: No team is safe from missing the playoffs, but Denver has the steepest mountain to climb to get in. The Nuggets defense loses focus for prolonged stretches, and they are woeful on the road.

Golden State is more consistent and is a tougher defensive team.Joe Willett: I keep jumping back and forth between the Nuggets and Warriors as the team that will be stuck out of the playoffs.  Looking at the Nuggets, I think that they have a better chance at the playoffs because of the way that either Allen Iverson or Carmelo Anthony can completely take over a game or keep you in games that you shouldn't be in because of bench play or other reasons.  The Warriors face plenty of playoff teams and have a tougher schedule which will also cost them come the end of the season.  So the Warriors will be stuck out of the playoffs this season. Which under the radar team in the East should we be watching out for in the playoffs?Andrew Kneeland: The Cleveland Cavaliers. I don't know if they're really "under the radar", but they have quite a few great players on their team now after the blockbuster that sent them Wallace, West, Smith, and Szczerbiak Oh, and they also have a player named LeBron James. Do I even need to talk about that character? While Cleveland isn't exactly thriving after the big trade, I think the main reason to blame is how little they've played with each other These are some big name players who are joining one team. I think they will be a lot more comfortable with each other come playoff time.

Oh yeah, and the fact that LeBron can rack up 40 points any night is another reason why I like them in the weaker East.Chad Ridgeway:  None. There will be no first round upsets and, in fact, there will only be two good series in the east. Cavs/Boston in round 2 and then the winner playing the Pistons in the ECF. However, I will say this; with all the hype and melee around the Western conference it's important to remember that Boston and Detroit are just as good as any Western conference contender, and for all the pu’pu’ing that the east takes, the NBA champ could easily come out of that conference.Erick Blasco: None of them. Boston is clearly the class of the East and Detroit is second.

Orlando is much better than Washington and Cleveland shouldn't be fazed by Toronto in the first round. If Philadelphia captures a six seed, they have a chance to knock Orlando out in the first round, but that's the only surprise with a reasonable chance of coming to fruition.Joe Willett: Look out for the Raptors to surprise a lot of people come playoff time.  They are barely over .500, but they have Chris Bosh dominating the inside, and Jamario Moon is surprising everybody after not even getting drafted.  Andrea Bargnani is scoring in double digits but needs some help when it comes to rebounding, but in the East, anything is possible. The Rockets went undefeated in February and half of March. What will be their record in the playoffs in April and May?Andrew Kneeland: As I said before, I don't expect "the streak" to continue much farther. Don't get me wrong, I have absolute and total respect for their team, their players, and their coach for pulling off such a feat. I expect the Rockets to receive the number two seed in the West, and I also expect them to get into the second or even their conference finals. I do not expect, however, to see Houston in the NBA Finals, as they just don't have the depth and experience needed for the Big Game.

Were Yao to play again this season however, I reserve the right to change my answer.Chad Ridgeway:  There has never been, and there never will be, a pro team that wins 22 games in a row yet is still so divisive among fans and analysts alike. Any other playoff team in either conference on such a streak would immediately be considered the favorite to win it all, but since Houston is doing this without their best player they are the most enigmatic team in the playoffs. They are playing like a team of destiny but reality will catch up. They fall to the #7 seed in the playoffs and get outted in 6 games.Erick Blasco: This depends on a number of factors, including Houston's first round matchup, their health, and whether or not they can reach a higher level when an opponent matches their intensity.