After a tough 82-game regular season schedule that spanned from October 28, 2014 to April 15, 2015, the NBA playoffs are finally here with 16 out of the 30 teams making the post-season cut.
The Golden State Warriors finished as the No.1 seed in the Western Conference while the Atlanta Hawks are the top seeds in the Eastern Conference with a 60-22 card. By virtue of their franchise-best 67-15 slate, the Warriors hold home court advantage throughout the West playoffs and into the NBA Finals.
But a No.2 seed in the East -- the Cleveland Cavaliers --- are favored to win the Larry O'Brien trophy, according to the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. With their Big 3 of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavs are favorites with a 9-4 odds.
The Warriors, with the sweet-shooting MVP candidate Steph Curry at the forefront, is second with 5-2 odds.
At third are the San Antonio Spurs with 5-2 odds. Th Spurs are a modest sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 55-27 record. But the defending champions finished regular season play on a spectacular note, winning 12 of their last 13 games.
The Bulls, who had an up-and-down season filled with injuries to various players, most notably former MVP Derrick Rose, were pegged at 14-1. Chicago is the No.3 seed in the East and Rose had just recently returned from a torn meniscus surgery.
If Rose's good health holds up, the Bulls can make a real deep playoffs run, and quite possibly, win it all.
Two of the league's storied franchises didn't make the playoffs this spring. No thanks to a torn rotator cuff that sidelined Kobe Bryant for 47 games, the Los Angeles Lakers limped with team-worst 21-61 record and out of post-season contention.
The New York Knicks also lost their star -- Carmelo Anthony -- to 42 games and struggled mightily, before salvaging 17 wins in a dark season tainted with 65 defeats.
Photo: The Cavs' Big 3 is one of the top reasons why Cleveland is favored by many to win the 2015 NBA title this late June.
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