THE 2021-2022 NBA season is already halfway through its calendar, and the playoffs picture is shaping up with the top teams taking their rightful positions entering the new year.

Despite the continuing threat of the coronavirus, the NBA season is already off to an exciting and unpredictable start.

We can’t wait to see how things change in the remaining half of the season.

If the NBA playoffs started today….

No. 1 Chicago Bulls (26-10) vs. No.8 Charlotte Hornets (20-19).

With DeMar DeRozan putting up MVP-like numbers and getting big help from his supporting cast, the Bulls are again in good position to contend for the Eastern Conference title with 26-10 win-loss record halfway through the regular season.

With DeRozan and Zach Lavine, Chicago and coach Billy Donovan have one of the league’s top-scoring duos.

Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball and Coby White have also done well enough to give the Bulls a two-game lead over their closest pursuers.

The Bulls should also be favored if they get to meet the Gordon Hayward-led Hornets in the first round.

LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges have also given the team a lot of bright moments. But most experts still believe the team hasn’t fully arrive just yet,.

Prediction: Bulls

No. 2 Brooklyn Nets (24-13) vs. No. 7 Toronto Raptors (19-17).

Despite their recent struggles and the absence of superstar Kyrie Irving due to his refusal to get the COVID vaccine, the Nets remain as the heavy favorites to win the NBA championship.

Two of Brooklyn’s Big Three — Kevin Durant and James Harden– have carried the team pretty well alongside veterans LaMarcus Aldrige, Blake Griffin and Patty Mills.

And while the Nets certainly don’t look as unbeatable as most fans expected before the start of the season, they remain strong favorites to win it all.

Standing right infront of them at No. 7 if the playoffs started today are the Toronto Raptors and championship era holdovers Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.

Both Siakam and Van Vleet are still very good to keep the Raptors competitive.

But the Nets have already beaten the Raptors twice already — 115-103 and 131-129 — with Durant producing a pair of 30-point plus performances to remember.

Advantage: Nets 

No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks (26-15) vs. No. 6 Cleveland Cavaliers ( 22-17)

The Bucks are the 2021 NBA champions and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the “Greek Freak”, have a lot to do with it.

The Bucks have stayed mostly unspectacular coming off a short offseason after winning the 2021 championship, but they have also not shied away from marquee matchup as shown by their convincing 121-109 victory over the Nets last Jan. 8.

And with Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and even DeMarcus Cousins playing better, the Bucks are widely expected to play their best come playoff time.

The return of center Brook Lopez, who hasn’t played a game since opening night, should also prove valuable if the Bucks hope to repeat as champions.

If healthy, the Bucks should be like the team no one will want to see in the playoffs

At 22-17, Cleveland is one of the biggest surprises in the league so far with Kevin Love, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and “Rookie of the Year” frontrunner Evan Mobley leading the way.

It is already the best start for Cleveland since the departure of NBA superstar LeBron James in 2018.

Injuries to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, however, could spoil the fun for the Cavs. Both blue-chip guards are out for the remainder of the season due to injuries.

Prediction: Bucks

No. 4 Miami Heat (24-15) vs. No. 5 Philadelphia 76ers (22-15).

On paper, the Heat-76ers first-round showdown should be the most exciting to watch in the East.

The Heat remain a championship-caliber team with a line-up that counts on Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.

With a little luck and a few favorable matchups in the playoffs, Miami is expected to duplicate its success in 2020 where they fell two wins short of winning the championship against James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers.

Like the Bucks, the Heat have nothing to prove in the regular season and the fans know they are always at their best during playoff time.

The Heat are currently three and a half games behind the Bulls and one game behind the Nets and the Bucks for the top seed in the East.

They should be better in the playoffs.

Even without disgruntled superstar Ben Simmons, Philadelphia remains one of the most entertaining teams to watch mainly because of Joel Embiid.

A certified superstar, Embiid has shown he can compete against the other elite players in the league.

Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Seth Curry,Danny Green and Andre Drummond should also step up for the 76ers.

Prediction: Heat

NOTES — Welcome back.to my youngest brother Christopher N. Andaya, who returned home after years of work in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Our Mom Virgie can’t wait to see 9nce he completes the mandatory quarantine priod for returning OFWs.

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