NBA second-half predictions: How will playoff race shake out? Who will make play-in tournament?

Show Caption

It's crunch time in the NBA. The regular season resumes Thursday night with just over six weeks until the playoffs, and the race for postseason spots and seeding promises to be intense.

There are plenty of questions left to be answered down the stretch.

Who will emerge from the crowded Eastern Conference field? Can the Phoenix Suns maintain their hold on the top spot in the Western Conference without the injured Chris Paul? Are the Los Angeles Lakers doomed to miss the playoffs entirely?

As the league gets back to work, our Paste BN Sports NBA team made their predictions for how the rest of the season will unfold and how the playoff race will shake out:

SECOND-HALF PRIMER: Key storylines to watch for the rest of the NBA season

IMPACT PLAYERS: 10 NBA stars who will decide the title race down the stretch

AWARD RACES: Who is MVP and Rookie of the Year as the second half begins?

Jeff Zillgitt

Eastern Conference

1. Heat

2. Bucks

3. Sixers

4. Bulls

5. Cavaliers

6. Celtics

Play-in teams

7. Nets

8. Raptors

9. Hawks

10. Hornets

Play-in winners: 7. Nets. 8. Raptors.

Western Conference

1. Suns

2. Warriors

3. Grizzlies

4. Nuggets

5. Mavericks

6. Jazz

Play-in teams

7. Timberwolves

8. Lakers

9. Clippers

10. Spurs

Play-in winners: 7. Timberwolves. 8. Lakers.

East finals: Bucks over Heat.

West finals: Suns over Warriors.

NBA Finals: Suns over Bucks.

Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.

How are Devin Booker and the Suns reacting to Chris Paul’s injury?

SportsPulse: Paste BN Sports' Cydney Henderson discusses how the Suns are preparing to play without the injured Chris Paul and their "next man up" mentality.

Paste BN

Cydney Henderson

Eastern Conference

1. Heat

2. Sixers

3. Bulls

4. Bucks

5. Cavaliers

6. Celtics

Play-in teams

7. Nets

8. Raptors

9. Hawks

10. Hornets

Play-in winners: 7. Nets. 8. Raptors.

Western Conference

1. Suns

2. Warriors

3. Grizzlies

4. Mavericks

5. Jazz

6. Nuggets

Play-in teams

7. Timberwolves

8. Clippers

9. Lakers

10. Trail Blazers

Play-in winners: 7. Timberwolves. 8. Lakers.

East finals: Bucks over Heat.

West finals: Suns over Warriors.

NBA Finals: Suns over Bucks.

Follow Cydney Henderson on Twitter @CydHenderson.

Larry Starks

Eastern Conference

1. Heat

2. Sixers

3. Bulls

4. Bucks

5. Cavaliers

6. Nets

Play-in teams

7. Celtics

8. Raptors

9. Hawks

10. Hornets

Play-in winners: 7. Celtics. 8. Hawks.

Western Conference

1. Suns

2. Grizzlies

3. Warriors

4. Mavericks

5. Nuggets

6. Jazz

Play-in teams

7. Timberwolves

8. Clippers

9. Lakers

10. Trail Blazers

Play-in winners: 7. Timberwolves. 8. Clippers.

East finals: Nets over Heat.

West finals: Warriors over Suns.

NBA Finals: Warriors over Nets.

Follow Larry Starks on Twitter @larrystarksnba.

Breaking down the current NBA MVP frontrunners

Clear Play: BetFTW writer Prince J. Grimes joins host Tony Anderson to break down the frontrunners for all the NBA awards.

Clear Play, Paste BN

Matt Eppers

Eastern Conference

1. Heat

2. Bucks

3. Sixers

4. Bulls

5. Cavaliers

6. Nets

Play-in teams

7. Celtics

8. Raptors

9. Hawks

10. Hornets

Play-in winners: 7. Celtics. 8. Hawks.

Western Conference

1. Suns

2. Warriors

3. Grizzlies

4. Nuggets

5. Jazz

6. Mavericks

Play-in teams

7. Timberwolves

8. Lakers

9. Clippers

10. Spurs

Play-in winners: 7. Timberwolves. 8. Lakers.

East finals: Bucks over Heat.

West finals: Suns over Warriors.

NBA Finals: Bucks over Suns.

Follow Matt Eppers on Twitter @meppers_.