By John Son / Richmond BC

With the second half of the season underway, there will surely be quite a bit of shuffling as teams try to position for a playoff spot. Let's take a look at some of the playoff-run battles that will be worth watching:

Western Conference

LA Lakers: The obvious bet here would be that the Lakers will make the playoffs. Barring an injury to the "Big 2", there isn't a doubt in anyone's mind that the Lakers will get in the top 8.

Phoenix: Marbury is carrying this team, leading them in scoring in the last 7 games. After a strong showing in December, they seem to have leveled off. They are 9-10 in 2003. They will have to do better than that to secure a playoff berth.

Houston: Their play has been erratic, shot selection and turnovers seem to be their biggest problems right now. Getting the ball to Yao should be their priority in the second half of the season, as he settles down the offense and gets everyone open shots. For the Rockets to make it, they will have to win the rest of their games against conference rivals Phoenix and LA. They will also have to learn how to win on the road.

Golden State: The Warriors are on the rise, but are hard-pressed to crack the top 8. They are the dark horse in the West, and seeing as Fortson (and perhaps Mills) will almost certainly be traded before the Feb. 20 deadline - they may be able to strengthen their team for the stretch run. What they will probably do, however, is use Fortson to free up cap space to re-sign some of their talented young guards.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference is definitely going to be interesting. With so many mediocre teams hovering around .500, anything is possible.

Boston: With Walker hobbling and Baker huffing, the Celtics are in a vulnerable position. Should Walker's knee problem worsen, they may find themselves battling for the 8th spot in the East. Pierce and Walker have a little extra incentive, after their benching in the All-Star game. They should be able to hold a playoff spot in the East, but if Walker's knee doesn't heal, expect an early exit.

Milwaukee: The Bucks are surging with the return of Kukoc, but not everyone is happy about the team's success. Sam Cassell's playing time has been reduced and he hasn't been a happy camper. If Karl can keep everyone's ego in check, they should be able to hold a spot in the weak Eastern Conference. They'll need to shore up one of the league's most pourous defenses in the second half.

Philadelphia: The injury to Todd Maculloch has hurt the 76ers. Look for them to make another trade-deadline move to improve their interior defense. Theo Ratliff may be the answer to their problems. If they can't pull off a move, the Sixers will probably hover around the 6-8 spot come playoff time.

New Orleans: Their success will hinge on Baron Davis' return to the lineup. If he can't return at full strength they will have to fight for the last couple spots in the East. Luckily for the Hornets, the next month should be fairly easy. They play Denver twice, Miami twice and Cleveland, Memphis and the Clippers once.

Orlando: With Hill likely out the rest of the season, the Magic's playoffs hopes rest on McGrady's shoulders. If his back holds up to the nightly abuse, and his teammates continue to contribute, Orlando might make it to the playoffs. But unless Hill makes a miraculous return, they likely won't last long once they get there.

Washington: This team is surprisingly starting to come together in Stackhouse's absence. Jordan has been carrying the Wizards and any playoff hopes hinge on his 40-year-old body holding up to the increased minutes. They will need their younger players to step up their play to keep themselves in the race. Washington may be able to catch Orlando, but they will need to survive a 6-game Western road trip in March.

New York: The Knicks are looking to trade Sprewell, which could be good or bad for them. Depending on how well their new player(s) mesh with the rest of the team, they may be able to make a late-season push. Many people have written them off, but they are only 3 games behind Orlando. Howard Eisley and Othella Harrington have given the Knicks a lift.

Atlanta: The Hawks won't make the playoffs, even though they are only 6 games out of the 8th spot. They will probably dump their young stars for cap room and hope for the best next season.

Miami: The Heat play hard, but aren't talented enough to win on a consistent basis. Trading Mourning for some good young players may be the answer for them to compete next season.

Chicago: If the Bulls played half as good on the road as they do at home, they should be in the hunt for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, teams have to learn how to win on the road (they have only 2 road wins all season) before they should even consider playing in the NBA's second season. They'll probably need another year or two to learn how to focus on the road.

Toronto: The Raptors, though 9 games out of the 8th spot, are the dark horse in the East. They have won 4 in a row, and their success has coincided with Carter's return to the lineup. Lamond Murray should return to the lineup at the end of the month, which bodes well for their playoff hopes. Rafer Alston has been spectacular since being signed to a 10-day contract in January. If the Raps have better luck with injuries, they could catch up (as they did last season) and make things interesting.


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