A hope more audacious than a junior senator becoming leader of the free world...

More unexpected than seeing the "Nuh Linga" performed in the Olympics...

Art Star Pham, I am predicting...can't even believe I'm saying this...

The New York Knicks WILL make the playoffs!

There, I said it...

You must think I'm crazy, blindly hopeful even, but I'mma tell you what has brought me such optimism...

Friday night, back home and watching MSG, witnessed the Knicks, albeit a preseason game, put the work to the Boston Celtics. Actually looking like a team! Ewing Jr. coming through with a monstrous dunk, Duhon running the point effectively, Lee and Randolph down low, and Wilson Chandler slowly making his mark as a poor man's Shawn Marion.

They won last night over a depleted Nets squad and face the Celtics again tonight. With the athletes the Knicks have--sans Eddy "Stay Puft" Curry--they will outrun, create steal opportunities, and win over 35 games which is enough to stay afloat in the East.

Here is my projection for the Eastern Conference's divisions and eventually playoff ranking:

Atlantic: Boston, Philly, Toronto, New York, New Jersey

Central: Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indiana

Southeast: Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington

9. Chicago

10. Charlotte

11.Washington

12.Milwaukee

13. Indiana

14. New Jersey

Boston over NY (I'm not that optimistic)

MIA over ATL

LeBron over Toronto

Philly over Orlando

Boston over Philly

Miami over LeBron

Boston over Miami (ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!)