The basketball season is less than a week away and no one is more pumped than this guy. With all the players movement in the off-season we are surely going to have a memorable NBA year. With that being said, here is how I see all the teams being placed come playoff time…

Eastern Conference:

1. Boston Celtics, 63-19: Sheed’s going to have his moments where he makes the Celtics seem like a team in distress and out of sync. However, with a healthy Kevin Garnett the team’s overall play will hide any mini blowups. X-Factor: Rajon Rondo, coming off a huge Bulls and playoff series, he is bound to keep on impressing.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers, 60-22: Does Shaq make this team better? Absolutely. Does he make them title favorites? No. With that being said, Lebron is going to get his and if Mo Williams can find any sort of a shooting stroke their chances of reaching the Finals will be strong. X Factor: Shaquille O’Neal. Bron-Bron got his wish and that is to finally play with a star. However this star is fragile and can break down at anytime.

3. Orlando Magic, 59-23: We are finally going to see if Vince Carter is the bonafide star that many think he is. I think he is a better all around player than Hedo Turkoglu but can he mesh with Dwight and Rashard Lewis the biggest question. X Factor: Jameer Nelson. He seems to be getting lost in the shuffle of the roster. If the Magic have Nelson fully healthy against the Lakers, how different is the series?

4. Atlanta Hawks, 48-34: The Hawks continue to be a team with young talent who are looking to take the next step. Last year, they finally won a playoff series and with the same roster plus Jamal Crawford, they are positioning themselves for another solid season. X Factor: Josh Smith. “Smoove” as Defranco calls him, fills up the box score night in and night out and is the biggest matchup problem on the team.

5. Washington Wizards, 46-36: If this team is healthy, they are very dangerous. Already they are starting without Antwan Jamison who will miss three to five weeks with a shoulder injury. I love the depth on this team and think they are a team that can make some noise. X-Factor: Easy, Gilbert Arenas. He is a top 10 scorer who can take over the game at any time. The Wizards will go as far as he can take them.

6. Miami Heat, 43-39: Top to bottom this team has the weakest roster out all the teams I have making the playoffs. However, they have Dwayne Wade who can single handily bring any squad into late April. This team is a much improved Michael Beasley away from making even more noise. X-Factor: Michael Beasley. Is he a 20-10 type of player? I’ll be cheering hard for Beasley this year after his rehab stint over the off-season as he tries to reach that sort of potential.

7. Philadelphia 76ers, 42-40: Not many teams play the way Philly does with their athletic up-tempo type of offense. Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young are two players who continue to improve and recently received extensions. X-Factor: Elton Brand. Last year, before he got hurt, Brand had no place on this offense as he could not fit into the up-tempo type of play. This year, Jordan will continue to run but will incorporate Brand nicely and I expect a bounce back year.

8. Detroit Pistons, 42-40: Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuava are two of the biggest signings of the off-season. The big question: Can Gordon coincide with Rip Hamilton? He will start as the 6th Man, a role he is used to from Chicago. If the Pistons can maximize the talent out of Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey they could be setting themselves up nicely. X Factor: Charlie Villaneuava. His partner in the starting front line is Kwame Brown. Enough said…

9. Chicago Bulls, 41-41: Talk about a team blowing it big time. I cannot believe the Bulls made little to no effort in trying to resign Ben Gordon in the off-season. I see no one on this team that can match what Gordon did for this team. Derrick Rose will continue to be great but I have major questions about Luol Deng’s health and their front court (Tyrus, I’m looking at you…) X-Factor: Joakim Noah. He showed me something against the Celtics and if Tyrus can’t play consistently on a night to night basis maybe Noah can.

10. Toronto Raptors, 39-43: They’re close, but not close enough. Hedo Turkoglu improves the team but his deficiencies on defense will be exploited as he no longer has Dwight Howard to back him up. After Chris Bosh, does this team have another solid scorer that can consistently score at least 15 points? X-Factor: Andrea Bargnani. He might be the guy who can average 15 points but I fear that Hedo is going to take away some of his shots. Despite being a 7-footer, he spends a lot of his time on the perimeter, a spot similar to another foreign dude on the team.

11. Charlotte Bobcats, 37-45: I think this team made a huge mistake not going after Allen Iverson in the off-season. They could have used his offense…big time. The Bobcats have talent but the problem is they won’t be able to score. Larry Brown’s coaching will make up for some of their flaws on offense and he can get the most out of his point guards and especially Gerald Wallace. X-Factor: Tyson Chandler. He is not the same type of player on offense as Emeka Okafor but he can hold his own on defense. Will he be on the court though or will he be hindered by injuries?

12. New York Knicks, 34-48: A slight upgrade from last year in terms of record. It’s not that the Knicks have a roster worth 2 more wins, it is just the entire Eastern Conference really improved. This is the last year before the big 2010 frenzy so we’ll see how impressive these guys can be for upcoming free agents. I’m saying Bosh and Joe Johnson in the big city…X-Factor: Danilo Gallinari. Yes, I know, I’ve hated this dude on the radio constantly but the truth is, he needs to have a big year for the Knicks for them to stay competitive. He had a major up and down pre-season but now he has to put it together.

13. Indiana Pacers, 29-53: Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy, Ghost of Roy Hibbert. Is there anyone else on this team? X-Factor: Roy Hibbert. I just want to make sure he still has a pulse.

14. New Jersey Nets, 26- 56: The Nets have real solid pieces with Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. The problem is, what do they have after that? Hopefully an up and coming Chris Douglas-Roberts and a lottery pick in Terrence Williams who can see an increased role on a bad team. X-Factor: CDR. I’m on the bandwagon. He had a real solid pre-season and could be your starting small forward shortly.

15. Milwaukee Bucks, 20-62: What a tough off-season for the Bucks. Losing Ramon Sessions, Richard Jefferson, and Chuck Villaneuava and receiving absolutely nothing. That’s gotta put you last in the conference. X-Factor: Brandon Jennings. He is the only guy worth watching. Period.

Western Conference:

1. Los Angeles Lakers, 65-17: I maintain the fact that the Lakers are a better team with Artest and not Ariza. With that being said, there are two things to watch this year. Can Artest fit and can Bynum hold up? If those two things happen, the Lakers are the easy favorites to contend. Kobe is going to be Kobe and this could be his most defining season if he can keep the team together. Odom is a newlywed and we all get to see Kim Kardashian courtside on Tuesday night. (Two thumbs WAYY up) X-Factor: Ron Artest. Close second is Bynum but the Lakers proved they can win a title without literally nothing from their center. Artest can derail this team very quickly and everyone is waiting for it to happen.

2. San Antonio Spurs, 60-22: The team with the best off-season should be in for a very impressive season. With Richard Jefferson, the Spurs are a younger more athletic team and that will help when they face teams like Portland, Denver, and Dallas. DeJuan Blair continues to impress so far. X-Factor: Tim Duncan. I think he has one more year in him where he can put up great numbers. He has the supporting cast to do so but the Spurs are the most fragile team out there.

3. Portland Trail Blazers, 53-29: Andre Miller right now is not happy after losing his starting position to Steve Blake but they paid him starter’s money in the off-season and I think he will regain his spot. Aldridge is paid so does not have to pout any longer and Brandon Roy is a top 10 player in the league. Portland is also one of the deepest teams in the West. X-Factor: Greg Oden. Had a resurgent pre-season and is determined to start over Joel Pryzbilla. If Oden is fully healthy, Portland is one of the teams that can match the Lakers’ height.

4. Denver Nuggets, 51-31: Carmelo Anthony matured into an elite superstar last season and it was not because of the scorer but by the overall talent he possessed. Chauncey Billups is getting older though and they may have to adjust their up and down style. Also, with J.R. Smith moving into the starting lineup, who can provide the scoring off the bench? Depth is their biggest question. X-Factor: Chauncey Billups. I just have a feeling that this could be a down year for Billups where he burns out at the end.

5. Dallas Mavericks, 50-32: I love what Dallas did this off-season. After losing out to Marcin Gortat, the Mavs knew they had to make a splash and they did so by acquiring Shawn Marion to play small forward. At the end of games, few teams can match Kidd, Howard, Marion, Dirk, and Jason Terry. I expect Dallas to make noise this season and win a round or two in the playoffs. Also, don’t count out the boy, “Roddy Buckets” (Rodrigue Beaubois). X-Factor: Josh Howard. Dirk and Marion can coincide on the court but how will Howard respond. He is a guy who can average 20 points but will see less production with Marion involved. Can he sacrifice the stats for wins?

6. Utah Jazz, 48-34: For a while I had the Hornets here, but I decided on the Jazz. Deron Williams is as good as they come at the point guard position and the Jazz keeping Paul Millsap not only gives them insurance to Boozer but a favorite for sixth man of the year. If the Jazz can find some sort of road consistency they will push 50+ wins. X-Factor: Carlos Boozer. If Boozer stays healthy, the Jazz can realistically pull an upset in the first round. The problem is, he probably won’t and the Jazz are looking at another first round exit.

7. New Orleans Hornets, 44-38: Day by day, the Hornets front office is absolutely crushing this team around Chris Paul. I like the Okafor trade but now he does not even want to get on the court and the teammates are getting pissed at him, claiming he is no longer injured. I do not have the same confidence in David West as I once did and their depth is absolutely putrid. X-Factor: Julian Wright/Peja/Mo Pete. Can one of these guys step up for once? Really, anytime now…

8. Oklahoma City Thunder, 41-41: Hey, I can dream, can’t I? The thing is, the “Zombies” as Bill Simmons calls them, do not have that much of an outside chance at making the playoffs. With Kevin Durant winning a scoring title this year (yep, mark it) and Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and James Harden as ROY (yep, mark it) the Thunder need just some sort of production from their front-court. Also, the end of their schedule compares favorably to teams like Phoenix and the Clips. X-Factor: Nenad Kristic. Just give me 12 and 8, man…

9. Phoenix Suns, 40-42: Nash is older and Amare is durability issue every time he runs up and down the court. Also, the Suns bench is absolutely dreadful with only Captain Barbosa to get excited about. The Suns will score but Coach Gentry just won’t get them to defend, and the West can score. X-Factor: Amare Stoudemire. Looking for a big deal in the summer, I expect him to have a big season if he can remain healthy.

10. Los Angeles Clippers, 37-45: The Clips are right there. They have the talent to make the playoffs this year. But like I told WCWP’s Max Caster this past week: As long as Mike Dunleavy is their coach, they won’t make the playoffs. Book it. X-Factor: Baron Davis. Davis is coming into the regular season in reportedly, the best shape of his career. He has always been a big point guard but this year he needs to stay healthy to prove my theory wrong.

11. Houston Rockets, 36-46: If Rick Adelman can get this team to the playoffs he not only deserves to be the unanimous coach of the year, but should be given the key to the city. Here is their projected starting lineup: Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier, Carl Landry, Luis Scola. It’s gonna be tough and I do not think it will happen, but I will not be shocked if they can get it done and play into late April. X-Factor: Luis Scola. Look for him to have a big year with Yao out. I’m thinking 16 points and 10 rebounds…

12. Golden State Warriors, 32-50: On paper, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Stephen Curry, and Andris Biedrins looks like a solid core. However, this team is just absolutely nuts with Don Nelson and Jackson wanting out. Ellis is happy one day and pissed the other. Anthony Randolph, one of my favorites, is going to have a monster season on a terrible team. I always feel bad for those guys. X-Factor: Anthony Randolph. Read above.

13. Memphis Grizzlies, 25- 57: Again, a ton of talent but only one ball. Iverson is coming off the bench but his presence is just going to stunt the progress of Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo. Rudy Gay is sure to be gone after this year and could become the most attractive trade piece in February. Not to mention this team has Zach Randolph. WTF, Chris Wallace?? X-Factor: Allen Iverson. How badly will this signing look come December. When they are 7-25, he is going to be crying to get out.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves, 22-60: Kevin Love’s injury really hurts as he won’t be back until December. I love Johnny Flynn but I wonder how well he can do this season with Ramon Sessions. If Al Jefferson can stay healthy, he will be your starting center for the West in the All-Star Game. X-Factor: Al Jefferson. Knee injury cut his season short last year after averaging 23 and 11. He has not even reached his potential yet…

15. Sacramento Kings, 15-67: And we have reached the worst team in the NBA. Tyreke Evans will have his impressive moments but he is a tweener between point guard and shooting guard. Kevin Martin can score but that’s it. Jason Thompson is also a decent piece but is over-looked. X-Factor: Spencer Hawes. He along with Thompson needs to improve after a solid season. His play will not make a ton of difference but can give King fans something to look forward to. Probably not…

Conference Finals: Boston over Cleveland

Los Angeles over Portland

Finals: Los Angeles over Boston

Quick Awards:

MVP = Kobe Bryant

Rookie of the Year = James Harden

Most Improved = Anthony Randolph

Sixth Man = Ben Gordon

Coach = Scott Brooks