The All Star break is almost upon us NBA fans and every team in the league has completed more than half it's schedule. The playoff picture is shaping up but it can be different each and every night. Out West the N.O. Hornets, without All-World Point Guard Chris Paul, are gonna have an extremely difficult time hanging around 8 other teams who are within 4.5 games of the three seeded Utah Jazz. In the East the Miami Heat fifare just two games in front of the ninth seeded Bucks (who beat them last night by the way), but they are also two games behind the fifth seeded Raptors. That is life in the NBA right now, just call it the Battle at the Bottom of the Barrel. Here is my breakdown of the contenders and pretenders and every team in between…

NO CHANCE (Peter Griffin voice) - These teams are just getting their lottery representatives ready for ping pong ball day…

New Jersey - Derrick Coleman is having his finest linens pressed as we speak.

Minnesota - Resident scapegoat Kevin McHale is no longer around to keep apologizing to the fans for bone brain blunders.

Indiana - Ric Smits is somewhere rolling over in his size 28's.

Washington - Realistically the Wizards still have an outside SHOT. (I'm sorry bad joke).

Detroit - I wonder how many years removed from a title do you need to be before drastic measures are taken to have you removed from your position of power.

Golden State - I love Donny ball. A player can earn a handsome contract or reputation with 2 games a year against this group. Or one 55 point one.

Sacramento - The future is very bright in Sac-town. They just have to take their lumps right now.

Philadelphia - A.I. says he has a lot left in his tank. Good thing for him the ride from Philly to Secaucus is not that long.

So there is a "chance" - "…. what was all that 1 in a million talk" - Lloyd Dumb and Dumber.

New York - A nice trade could land the Knicks on the backend of the playoff bracket but with this summer emphasized like a billboard in Times Square, I doubt it.

Milwaukee - The Bucks do not actually look too far away… like how the earth is to the moon and the moon is to the stars.

L.A. Clippers - The Big 3 of Camby, Kaman and Davis (don't laugh) are capable of putting together a run but out West that "RUN" is only good enough for 11th at best.

New Orleans - Without Chris Paul for an extended period of time they are closer to NO CHANCE than a they have been in YEARS.

Houston - Rick Adelman has done one of the best coaching jobs in NBA history given his teams circumstances and that is not even close to good enough.

Yeah we are in but beware of the One Hitter Quitter - Mike Tyson in his prime would be proud…


Phoenix - The Suns can easily make the playoffs, just like they can easily miss them. Either way this team is going nowhere fast.

Memphis - The upstart Grizzlies will be so happy to make the playoffs they will forget how to win a game when they get there.

Oklahoma City - The way Durant is playing I would not put anything past this team… but they will be on the road in round 1... aka see ya next year.

Charlotte - No one wants to play the Bobcats but as a six, seventh or eighth seed… Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland or Orlando will take FULL advantage of home court.

Miami - Flash Wade has back, wrist, knee, elbow and eye lingering injuries. I did not know about the eye injury either until I was told it happened when he read the teams opening day roster.

If they win a round it would NOT surprise me… say Don Nelson's Warriors in 2007.

Chicago - Watch last seasons playoff series against Boston again. Sans Ben "Jordan", maybe not but the way Rose is going they can beat any team not from Ohio.

Toronto - The Raptors have been coming on strong and the Calderon to the bench move has been the key.

Portland - A healthy Brandon Roy gives this team a good chance to upset every favorite outside of Phil's boys but if Andre Miller puts up 52 again all bets are off.

Utah - As soon as Utah wakes up and trades Boozer for a quality two guard they will be a hit or miss organization.

Not good enough to take home to mama… but you could absolutely been seen in public with:

San Antonio - Most of the players and coach are still in place but these are not your Spurs of yester-year. The thing is they can STILL get it together which is scary.

Atlanta - The Hawks have a championship look: post play, defensive stopper, clutch All Star perimeter player and instant bench production but that is if you are in the dark. Once the light comes on you are left looking at Mike Bibby and Marvin Williams. YIKES!!!

If everything falls in place they can win it all… ummmm like the 2004 Pistons.

Orlando - They proved last year that they have championship aspirations and they did not need home court advantage to get to the Finals. Now THAT is tough.

Boston - There is no such thing as "The Fountain of Youth" but in 2007 a veteran Spurs team looked older than this group. Although they were even much younger.

Dallas - Dirk and Kidd have led there teams to the Finals before (they are a combined 0-3 when they get there) but it IS possible for them to do it.

Denver - Denver's best player is a former Finals MVP. Only two other teams can say that (San Antonio and L.A.) If Denver can get by either team or both… watch out.

It is OUR title to lose… the story of the 2008 New England Patriots.

Cleveland - A certain 66 win team from a year ago did not even make it to the NBA Finals. That will not happen to the King again. Will it?

L.A. Lakers - Robo-Kobe seems to play better the more his body parts start to fracture and sprain.

It is a nice novelty in February but come June he may not even be able to bend any of his joints.

Follow Marlon Benjamin on twitter: www.twitter.com/thehoopsforum.com