Personal matters have forced me to slack off on my Fantasy Basketball blog writing for a time, but I couldn’t let the season end without making my annual Playoff Predictions.

Sometimes, I predict all of the playoffs.

Sometimes, I predict a round at a time.

This year, I have decided just to predict the whole thing in one blog.

Eastern Conference First Round

8. Chicago Bulls at 1. Cleveland Cavaliers – The Bulls lost as many games as they won. The Cavs won 20 more games than Chicago. Chicago doesn’t have any mismatches over the Cavs. In fact, I’m not sure that Chicago would win a seven game series against the Cavaliers second-string. This series is already over. Cavaliers in 4.

7. Charlotte Bobcats at 2. Orlando Magic – Charlotte is actually a very good team. They actually are good enough to win a playoff series against the right opponent. Unfortunately, they are going up against the defending Eastern Conference champion. The players also are lacking enough in playoff experience, that I don’t think even Larry Brown could coach them to a series victory. Magic in 5.

6. Milwaukee Bucks at 3. Atlanta Hawks – It’s really too bad that the Bucks won’t have Andrew Bogut. With Bogut, I might have picked the Bucks over the Hawks. Even without Bogut, they have still been playing extremely well, so I’m going to have to predict that the Buck take at least a couple. Add to that the fact that the Hawks aren’t a great road team, and you’ve got to think that the Hawks aren’t going to win in a sweep. Hawks in 7.

5. Miami Heat at 4. Boston Celtics – The Celtics swept the season series, but the Miami Heat have Dwyane Wade. I’m going to have to go with the team that swept the other team. That has to indicate that the Heat just don’t match up well with the Celtics. I still think this series will be close, but the Celtics will find a way to win. Celtics in 7.

Western Conference First Round

8. Oklahoma City Thunder at 1. Los Angeles Lakers – The Thunder could have made a great series against any other opponent besides the Los Angeles Lakers. The Thunder just don’t have enough playoff experience, in spite of their great talent, to pull the upset off. I’d like to think that the Thunder would take a game or two from the Lakers, but I don’t think they’ll even do that unless Kobe’s finger hasn’t healed up enough for him to shoot well. Lakers in 4.

7. San Antonio Spurs at 2. Dallas Mavericks – This is a tough one to call. San Antonio has been playing great of late, even blowing out strong teams in their last 10 games. The latest loss to the Mavericks, though, indicates to me that they aren’t going to be able to pull this one off. Dallas is just too good in this matchup. Mavericks in 6.

6. Portland Trail Blazers at 3. Phoenix Suns – Portland played very well against the Suns in the regular season. In fact, if Brandon Roy were playing, I might have even picked Portland to beat the Suns. The Suns have matchup problems, but without Roy, the Blazers won’t be able to capitalize on them enough to beat the Suns. Suns in 5.

5. Utah Jazz at 4. Denver Nuggets – This might well come down to who actually is healthy enough to play. The Nuggets have been playing terribly down the stretch — which is probably directly related to George Karl and Kenyon Martin being absent. Karl isn’t expected back for this series, which places the coaching hopes in the hands of assistant Adrian Dantley. Despite the regular season advantage that the Nuggets had in the regular season, I’ve got to give the nod to the Jazz. Jazz in 6.

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

4. Boston Celtics at 1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Cavs will be well rested. Cavs are much better than the Celtics, even with no rest. Cavs in 4.

3. Atlanta Hawks at 2. Orlando Magic – Had the Atlanta Hawks had the home court advantage in this series, they might have been able to beat the Magic. The defending Eastern Conference champions should win this one, even against a talented Hawks team. Magic in 6.

Western Conference Semi-Finals

5. Utah Jazz at 1. Los Angeles Lakers – The Los Angeles Lakers never have much problem with the Utah Jazz, mostly because the Lakers front line are all 7 feet, and the Jazz starting front court are all so much smaller. Even if Kirilenko and Boozer were healthy and playing at their best, I don’t think the Jazz could beat the Lakers. Lakers in 5.

3. Phoenix Suns at 2. Dallas Mavericks – Nobody has really managed to give the Phoenix Suns too much trouble down the stretch. The Dallas Mavericks are playing very well, but I’ve got to think that the Mavericks are going to fold again, like they seem to do every year. Suns in 6.

Eastern Conference Finals

2. Orlando Magic at 1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Both of these teams are playing phenomenally well. Do you go for Superman or King James? I’ve got to think that if Orlando could beat the Cavs last year, they will beat them this year as well, Shaq notwithstanding. Magic in 7.

Western Conference Finals

3. Phoenix Suns at 1. Los Angeles Lakers – This series really comes down to whether the Lakers will be at full strength by the time Phoenix comes sauntering into their arena. I actually think I like the Suns and their monstrous streak to end the season against the Lakers and their injury-laden close. Suns in 6.

NBA Finals

Phoenix Suns at Orlando Magic – I think either of the top two teams in the east will be too much for Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire to handle. In this case, they will be facing the Superman known as Dwight Howard. Superman will be the Suns’ kryptonite in this one. Magic in 5.