1. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, 58-16. If Lebron James hasn’t locked up the MVP by now, then people simply aren’t paying attention. Not only is James the best pure scorer and athlete in the sport, he is simply the MOST VALUABLE. Imagine that team without him leading the way. They would be the Milwaukee Bucks, more or less (not that there’s anything wrong with that). King James is averaging nearly 30 PPG and 9 APG, an extraordinary combination because more scoring usually results in less assists. But at this point, I think we all know Lebron is anything but ordinary. The Cavs have won 3 of their last 4 games, and are gearing up for a playoff run after re-acquiring lumbering big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas. The Cavs are a complete team, and they are sure to have much more momentum going into the postseason than the 2009 club that lost to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. And in the playoffs, it’s all about momentum (and who has Lebron).

2. ORLANDO MAGIC, 52-22. On Sunday Vince Carter did what Vince Carter does best- limp off the court whimpering. Vinsanity sprained his toe in the first minute of the Magic’s 103-97 win against Denver and did not return, and it’s anybody’s guess to see how he’ll respond down the stretch. Still, the Magic have won 3 of their last 4 and Rashard Lewis has bounced back from an extended shooting slump to score 24 points in each of his last two games. Not only that, but Orlando has Dwight Howard. And that has to count for something. If the Magic hit threes, they can beat anybody. If not, they’re in deeper trouble than the lawyer in Jurassic Park. Simple as that.

3. LOS ANGELES LAKERS, 54-19. Uh oh, do I see some trouble in paradise (or LA)? The Lakers have lost 2 of their last 4 games, including games to the New Orleans Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder, two playoff teams. Pau Gasol has been dominating the paint lately, scoring 56 combined points in his last 2 games, but Ron Artest continues to underachieve. He recently got a haircut that spelled out the word “defense”, but maybe he should’ve added the words “shooting” and “rebounding”. Artest has averaged only 11.1 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 2010, 6 PPG under his ’08-’09 totals. The Lakers are going to need him to flip the switch, as well as get contributions from Lamar Odom if they are going to repeat as champions.

4. UTAH JAZZ, 49-26. Maybe it’s because they play in an utterly bland sports market, but the Utah Jazz are constantly underestimated. The Jazz are once again the best team that nobody is talking about, winning an impressive 30 of their last 40 games. Deron Williams is quietly the flat-out best point guard in the NBA, averaging 18.4 PPG and 10.4 RPG this season. Carlos Boozer is still the team’s big scorer, averaging 19.4 PPG and 11.1 RPG, and establishing his presence inside. If the Jazz can get consistent scoring from either big man Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, or Wesley Matthews they will have a chance to challenge in the West. And who knows, maybe they can win their first NBA Championship in Jerry Sloan’s 318th season as head coach.

5. PHOENIX SUNS, 47-26. Robin Lopez, hair and all, have been a huge boost of energy for Phoenix ever since joining the starting lineup, thus allowing Amare Stoudemire play his preferred position of power forward. Sadly, Lopez recently suffered a bulging disk in his back, and will most likely be out until the playoffs. Phoenix is going to need to adjust, and that means Channing Frye will need to carry more of the load and continue his best year as a pro. The Suns are currently on a tear, winning 7 in a row against playoff teams such as New Orleans, Portland, and Utah. Don’t get too excited, though. Phoenix is very old, headed by Nash, Jason Richardson, and Grant Hill, and those players may begin to wear down heading into a marathon playoff stretch. Considering that the Suns never got very far in their glory years (2 or 3 years ago), I don’t see them making a run now. But if this prediction is anything like my NCAA tourney bracket, I very well could be wrong.

The Rest:

6. Dallas Mavericks, 48-25
7. Denver Nuggets, 48-26
8. Portland Trail Blazers, 45-29
9. San Antonio Spurs, 44-28
10. Atlanta Hawks, 47-26
11. Oklahoma City Thunder, 44-28
12. Boston Celtics, 47-26
13. Milwaukee Bucks, 40-32
14. Miami Heat, 40-34
15. Charlotte Bobcats, 38-34
16. Chicago Bulls, 35-38
17. Memphis Grizzlies, 38-35
18. New Orleans Hornets, 34-40
19. Houston Rockets, 36-36
20. Toronto Raptors, 35-37
21. Indiana Pacers, 27-47
22. New York Knicks, 26-46
23. Los Angeles Clippers, 27-46
24. Philadelphia 76ers, 26-47
25. Golden State Warriors, 21-52
26. Sacramento Kings, 24-50
27. Detroit Pistons, 23-50
28. Washington Wizards, 21-51
29. Minnesota Timberwolves, 14-60
30. New Jersey Nets, 9-64. Look who’s won 3 of 4! Watch your back, Minnesota!