Joakim Noah and the Bulls have the best record in the East. Is that enough to carry them to the NBA Finals? (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Home-court advantage and the No. 1 seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs have not resulted in a championship the past two seasons. Just ask LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James powered the Cavaliers to 66 and 61 wins and the No. 1 seeding in the East two years in a row, but a great regular season turned into a nightmare in the postseason. Last year was the most painful one, as the Celtics eliminated the Cavs in the conference semifinals and LeBron walked off the TD Garden floor with his head down, took off his Cavaliers uniform for the last time and bolted for South Beach.

This year, Derrick Rose has powered the Chicago Bulls to 62 wins and the No. 1 seeding in the East. Even though the Bulls have clearly been the best team in the East this season, the playoffs are a totally different challenge. Can these upstart Bulls and their soon-to-be crowned league MVP handle the immense pressure and scrutiny of the playoffs? That’s the No. 1 question facing first-year coach Tom Thibodeau.

FIRST ROUND

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Indiana Pacers
The Bulls took three of four games from the Pacers, who may be able to win one game in this series but that’s about it. Too much Derrick Rose, too much Bulls defense. Prediction: Bulls in 5.

(4) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
Last year the Hawks were thoroughly dominated by the Magic and had no answer for Jameer Nelson. The Hawks picked up defensive specialist Kirk Hinrich at the trade deadline and he should help deal with Nelson’s dribble penetration and contest his jumpers off screen-and-rolls. However, the Hawks didn’t pick up anyone to deal with Dwight Howard in the post and that will ultimately be, again, their Achilles’ heel. Prediction: Magic in 6.

(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) New York Knicks
Most experts feel this could be the best first-round series. From a pure entertainment standpoint? Yes. In terms of the length of the series? No. Chauncey Billups and Amare Stoudemire both have health issues, and the Knicks play way too loose on offense and defense to keep up with the highly efficient and battle-tested Celtics, who could break out of their shooting slump against a very forgiving and extremely soft Knicks defense. Prediction: Celtics in 5.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
The Heat’s biggest weaknesses are at center and point guard. Fortunately for Miami, Philly doesn’t really have a low-post presence who can command double teams. And point guard Jrue Holiday is playing in his first postseason so don’t expect this series to be competitive. Prediction: Heat in 4.

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (4) Orlando Magic
This is where the shocker of the postseason occurs. Orlando has a significant edge in the middle with Howard, and Chicago really has no one on its roster who can keep Orlando’s 6-foot-11 beast out of the paint. Joakim Noah is still bothered by an ankle injury and backup center Omir Asik will be in foul trouble throughout the series because he’s not athletic enough to stay in front of Howard. Another matchup problem for Chicago is Jason Richardson, who should win his one-on-one battles with Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. And as good as Rose has been all year, he has yet to lead the Bulls out of the first round. Prediction: Magic in 6.

(2) Miami Heat and (3) Boston Celtics
Miami’s victory over Boston in the fourth meeting between the two teams was not only a huge confidence booster for the Heat but it was also a reality check for the Celtics. The addition of Mike Bibby gives LeBron and Dwyane Wade a true sniper who can spread the floor and be counted on in the fourth quarter. For the Celtics to win this series, three things must happen: 1) Shaquille O’Neal plays 24 minutes a game,2) Rajon Rondo makes some jumpers, and 3) Paul Pierce averages more than 20 points per game. All three will be very difficult to achieve against a Heat squad that is coming together at the perfect time. Prediction: Heat in 7.

CONFERENCE FINALS

(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Orlando Magic
In 2009, Howard and the Magic denied LeBron a trip to the NBA Finals. This year, James has D-Wade to lean on when the going gets tough. James’ biggest obstacle the past two postseasons has been his inability to raise his game in big moments. That’s where Wade comes in. This is the series where Wade turns into Jordan and LeBron happily takes on the role of Pippen. The two teams split the season series, so that means home court will decide the outcome of the battle of Florida. Prediction: Heat in 7.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

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First, it was the Bulls. Then, it was Cavaliers. Then, it was the Knicks. Now, the Heat have become the front-runners.

Predicting which team LeBron James chooses to sign with is kind of like forecasting when or where the next earthquake will hit. Amid all the speculation and so-called experts’ opinions on where James is going to play next season and for years to come, the reality of it is this: no one knows for sure what the two-time NBA MVP will do.

Actually, there are a few things we know for sure: the Los Angeles Clippers have NO SHOT at signing LeBron James. Let’s just get that out of the way. And the New Jersey Nets are only in the running because LeBron doesn’t want to embarrass his good friend Jay-Z.

So, that leaves four teams in the hunt: Miami, Chicago, New York and Cleveland.

LeBron and his management group, also known as The Four Horsemen from Akron, are keeping a very tight lid on the situation and only LeBron knows what LeBron wants. For now, LeBron is telling everyone to wait in line before he serves up his decision, which comes at 9 p.m. EST today and televised live by ESPN.

Have I mentioned that the Clippers have no shot? Just checking.

A one-hour special on the Worldwide Leader? Really? Seriously? This is utterly ridiculous. No one player in the NBA deserves this much power and this much attention.

Thanks to Team LeBron – comprised mainly of his buddies from high school and led by a guy named Maverick – ESPN’s family of networks have morphed into LeBron TV. Each time you tune in there is some news about LeBron James and his free-agency decision.

He made the jump from high school to the NBA, so he never experienced the whole college recruiting process. He’s definitely making up for it, though. No matter how sophomoric the idea is, it’s definitely LeBron’s way of reliving college without having to attend classes. It wouldn’t surprise me if James lined up baseball caps in front of him, the same drama-filled moment when a high school kid makes his college commitment.

Maybe, LeBron should do the show “Rock of Love” style with LeBron playing the role of Bret Michaels. But instead of backstage passes, LeBron should hand out headbands to the winning suitors. I’mwilling to bet the Clippers would be the first team dismissed. Just a gut feeling.

I can see it now. LeBron, while holding the last headband, asks Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert how much Cleveland loves him. Then, Bron-Bron turns to Heat owner Micky Arison and asks him if South Beach is big enough to house three basketball All-Stars.

Now that’s reality TV at its best!

But I digress. So, again, why is LeBron going on national TV to announce his intentions? He could have done so through a live press conference holding his kids, just like every other athlete who takes the podium. Hasn’t he gotten enough coverage the past month (the past two years if you’re a Knick fan)? If he has indeed already made up his mind to move to Miami, why would he subject Cleveland fans – the very people who worship the ground he walks on – to a very painful rejection and completely humiliate them publicly?

Spurning the Cavs would be like to stabbing your best friend in the heart in front of all your closest friends and family, and making your mom clean up the mess. OK, maybe that’s a bit extreme but you get the point.

Dru Joyce, James’ high school coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary, once said that LeBron is an entertainer and enjoys a little drama. Joyce knows LeBron really well, and maybe he’s on to something. This certainly explains all the bells and whistles of Thursday’s one-hour made-for-TV event. It’s all about feeding LeBron’s massive ego.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh stole some of his thunder Wednesday when both announced that they would team up in Miami. But Thursday belongs to LeBron and only LeBron. If this doesn’t satisfy LBJ’s insatiable appetite for attention then nothing will.

It was bad enough that he made high-ranking representatives from the Nets, Clippers, Knicks, Heat and Bulls fly to Cleveland to meet with him and his LRMR team. Each team gave three-hour presentations on how much they would love to have LeBron. For lack of a better term, it was three hours of “ass kissing.”

This is shades of what Kobe Bryant did in 2004 when he was being courted by the Lakers, Clippers and Bulls. Bryant really had no intention of leaving the Lakers, but he somehow convinced the Clippers and Bulls that he was serious about playing elsewhere.

As much as I hate to admit it, I’ll probably end up watching the LeBron James TV special. Sadly, it will be a ratings bonanza, with special interest from audiences in New York, Chicago, Miami and Cleveland. It’s like watching a bad Ben Affleck movie. When there is nothing else good on the TV guide, you are forced to watch it because you want to see how it ends.

Whatever the end result of this long, unnecessary, dragged-out process, James will be portrayed as an egotistical superstar who is way too in love with the spotlight. He will also be vilified in a lot of cities, but nothing compares to what Cleveland will unleash on him if he doesn’t stay with the Cavaliers.

If James decides to turn his back on the Cavs, he may not be able to return to his home in Akron. It would be comparable to Art Modell moving the Browns to Baltimore.

Brace yourselves Cavs fans. There is a good chance this story may not have a happy ending.

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New York Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni is confident the Knicks will land a big-time free agent this summer. (UPI)

The LeBron James Sweepstakes is underway and club officials from the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks met with James in Cleveland on Thursday to make their sales pitches to the two-time NBA MVP.

Team New Jersey included billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov, head coach Avery Johnson and rap star Jay-Z, a close friend of LeBron’s, while Team New York included Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh, head coach Mike D’Antoni and former Knick player Allan Houston.

Because the Knicks don’t really have a Derrick Rose or a Dwyane Wade on their roster to dangle in front of LeBron, D’Antoni and Co. are using the “Bright Lights, Big City” approach to reel in the biggest catch of this year’s free-agent class.

“I’m confident because we’ve got a great product. New York is very unique and we’re selling the best place in the world to come and live and play,” D’Antoni said in an exclusive interview with MSG Network that was posted on MSG.com.

Full exclusive interview here: http://video.msg.com/Home/Mike-D-Antoni-on-Free-Agency

“It’s going to be a process where every team will go through, have face time with potential free agents, and you just have to go with your instincts,” D’Antoni explained. “There will be some jockeying going on.”

So, what if the Knicks don’t land LeBron or a top free agent this summer?

“That’s always a possibility,” said D’Antoni. “That’s why we won’t sleep a whole lot for the next week. But we set ourselves up to be able to realize this plan and here we are and let’s see if we can get it done. We’re in the ballgame and we’re trying to win.”

D’Antoni added: “We have to win. We just have to convince the guys coming here that they can win because New York is a place where you need to win. And I think we can do that. Whether they like the style or not is up to the individual. We’ll see how it goes.”

This year’s crop of free agents have been called the best in league history, and only a handful of franchises will get to reap those benefits. Those who are left behind will have some serious catching up to do in filling up their rosters after clearing cap space for that past two seasons.

“This will set a course for the franchise for the next 10 years, which is a pretty important time. And we have gone through two years of not a whole lot of fun. This is what we all signed on for and this is what we’re trying to realize,” D’Antoni said. “I’m excited about it, at the same time obviously I think everybody’s a little nervous about it that’s because it’s high stakes out there. Again, the biggest point is that we have a good hand. We’re selling a good product in New York, and that’s pretty unique.”

Would the Knicks consider this offseason a complete failure should they fall short in landing a franchise player?

“I don’t think you can really address it until November 1st when we start playing,” the Knicks coach said. “We’re going to get the best free agents available, the best team, keep developing our young guys hopefully we’ll have some surprises with them, and have a lot better product next year.”

One thing D’Antoni is encouraged about is the development of the young players on the Knicks’ roster, such as Danilo Gallinari, Toney Douglas and newly acquired Bill Walker.

“I think our core of young players can be put up against anybody,” D’Antoni boasted. “We have some pieces that are very interesting and we have a lot of room, and we’re able to find players that compliment each other, play off each other, and the best fit.”

D’Antoni said Walker and Douglas are working extremely hard this offseason, coming in daily at 8:30 in the morning to workout. “They’re very talented basketball players and have shown the dedication to what they’re doing for about three weeks and that’ll continue throughout the summer. I’m excited about both of them.”

Walker is reportedly down to 227 pounds. He was 254 last year when he was acquired from the Celtics.

“He’s very athletic guy, jumping out of the gym,” D’Antoni said of Walker. “When he did come out of high school he was one of the top two players of his class. O.J. Mayo was the other guy. He just had those knee injuries. He’s back to his athletic form when he was dominating all the Reebok camps and Nike camps.”

D’Antoni also expects center Eddy Curry to be on the team next season.

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