Fathead Blog

Now that the NBA All-Star Weekend has come and gone, it’s time to focus on the second half of the season. There are a lot of questions to be answered in the coming weeks. How will Carmelo Anthony change the Knicks? Can the Lakers reach a fourth straight NBA Finals? Who is going to come out of the Eastern Conference? What will Blake Griffin do next?

The one thing I do know is that I shouldn’t have eaten that last eggroll. While I try to recover, let’s take a look into the crystal ball and see what the NBA has in store for the rest of the season.

Feb. 23

As the trade deadline approaches sources say talks heat up for a major trade involving the Toronto Raptors. When the deadline passes with no deal made, word comes out that the United States and Canada were close to a Toronto Raptors for Nashville Predators trade. Sources say both sides will continue trade talks in the offseason.

Feb. 24

With the Carmelo Anthony trade to New York already a done deal, no major deals are expected at the trade deadline. The biggest trade of the day is a deal between the Lakers and Nets. The Lakers send Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian to New Jersey in exchange for Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian.

March 11

Looking for a spark, the Lakers turn to their past and sign Mark Madsen for the rest of the season. Madsen was part of the Lakers championship teams in 2001 and 2002 and was known for his celebratory actions from the end of the bench. “Nobody supports a teammate better than Madsen,” said Kobe Bryant. “He is always the first to give me a high-five when I do something great.”

April 13

Denver goes into the final day of the regular season tied with Utah for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Nuggets win on a buzzer-beater by Timofey Mozgov (the rookie center who was nearly a deal-breaker in the Carmelo Anthony trade).

Playoff teams in the East: Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, Charlotte.

Playoff teams in the West: San Antonio, Dallas, Oklahoma City, L.A. Lakers, New Orleans, Portland, Phoenix, Denver.

May 17

The Cleveland Cavaliers pick up their biggest win of the season and come away with the first pick in the NBA draft lottery.

June 2

The NBA Finals begin in Boston as the Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks.

June 16

Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks celebrate winning the NBA Championship in Boston with a 95-89 Game 7 win.

June 20

With the end of the NBA season and the threat of a work stoppage looming, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban purchases a Dairy Queen. “Who knows when we will play
basketball again?” Cuban says. “I care about my players. These guys have families. If they can’t work for me as a Dallas Maverick, they can work for me at Dairy Queen.”

There we have it. The second half of the season should be exciting and full of surprises. We better enjoy it while we can. My Magic 8 Ball says the outlook for basketball next season does not look good.