Miami is poised for another title run, finishing with a 66-16 record and earning home court throughout the playoffs.

In what has been a thrilling NBA season filled with emotion, now is the time where greatness shines brighter than ever before. Players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony look to build their legacy by capturing an NBA title. Teams go through a multitude of trials and tribulations during a grueling 82-game schedule. However, the intensity only grows from here on out. From the Perimeter has broken down every first, second, third and final round matchup in the NBA playoffs; projecting outcomes from the opening tip to the presentation of the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Western Conference:

1st Round:

(1) Oklahoma City def. (8) Houston 4-1

(4) Los Angeles Clippers def. (5) Memphis 4-3

(3) Denver def. (6) Golden State 4-1

(2) San Antonio def. (7) Los Angeles Lakers 4-2

2nd Round:

(1) Oklahoma City def. (4) Los Angeles Clippers 4-1

(3) Denver def. (2) San Antonio 4-2

Conference Finals:

(3) Denver def. (1) Oklahoma City 4-2

-The Nuggets fast paced offense is orchestrated by Ty Lawson, and with a dominant rebounder in Kenneth Faried, this Denver squad can make a deep run in the postseason. This will be attributed to an equally deep bench and team-first atmosphere instilled by coach George Karl.

Eastern Conference:

First Round:

(1) Miami def. (8) Milwaukee 4-0

(5) Chicago def. (4) Brooklyn 4-3

(3) Indiana def. (6) Atlanta 4-1

(2) New York def. (7) Boston 4-3

Second Round:

(1) Miami def. (5) Chicago 4-2

(2) New York def. (3) Indiana 4-1

Conference Finals:

(1) Miami def. (2) New York 4-3

-In what seems like a no-brainer to some, the Miami Heat will come out of the eastern conference. It won’t be an easy road however, facing two tough defensive teams in Chicago and New York.

NBA Finals:

(1) Miami def. (3) Denver 4-2

-LeBron getting his second ring is all but inevitable in the 2013 playoffs, and the only way Denver will stay competitive in this series is with the help of their raucous home crowd. If the Nuggets can steal a game in Miami, there’s potential for a monumental upset by Denver. However, LeBron and company are men on a mission. For everyone else in the NBA, it looks like mission impossible.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

A short time ago I wrote an article praising LeBron James as an all-time great. What I now regret is how minimally I acknowledged Kobe Bryant as one of the greatest of all time. In tonight’s 118-116 victory over the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers took a blow from which they may never recover. Multiple sources in Los Angeles have confirmed that Kobe Bryant has a torn achilles tendon, an injury suffered while Bryant played yet another grueling stretch of minutes.

In this case, there is nobody left to blame but the Los Angeles Lakers organization and coach Mike D’Antoni. No professional basketball player with 17 years experience should ever play 48 minutes in a game. Bryant did that Wednesday in Portland, and gave a historically great performance.

Los Angeles continues to scratch for an 8-seed, and they will undoubtedly have to do so without Kobe Bryant henceforth. The truly appalling aspect of this situation is that Bryant’s career is in jeopardy, solely because nobody else on his team could step up when it mattered most. When asked if this injury was the biggest disappointment of his career, Bryant told reporters, “By far.”

Another reporter acknowledged the ludicrous nature of his question, but asked Bryant if there’s any way he could play through this injury. Bryant replied with tears in his eyes, “I can’t walk man.” Kobe fielded countless other questions from the media, continually holding back a plethora of emotions. Further discussing how this injury can become a motivating factor, Bryant snickered and replied, “It’s fueling me. I can feel it right now. It’s pissing me off right now.” What a competitor.

Although the Lakers defeated the Warriors, a man who is the definition of a warrior may have just limped out of Staples Center for the final time in purple and gold. Throughout his career Bryant has carried the Lakers to 5 of their 17 championships as a franchise. In the latter stages of his career, Bryant should never have been subjected to the wear and tear that even rookies can’t handle. And to think that Bryant had to put his body and career on the line for a measly 8 seed? It’s pitiful, it’s embarrassing, and it shows just how much of a “business” the NBA has become.

Being in the playoffs means playoff t-shirts, tickets, hats, TV deals, and more money for King Kupchak and company to roll around in while legends like Bryant continue to put their livelihoods on the line. If the Lakers organization thought of Bryant as anything more than an asset, they would not allow coach D’Antoni to play him such heavy minutes. But making a playoff push is impossible for the Lakers without Bryant on the floor. No matter how many miles he has on his odometer, and even with 4 flat tires, Bryant is the proverbial vehicle that the Lakers have driven into a ditch; all in an effort to maximize profits.

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

As the Miami Heat’s 27-game win streak came to a bitter end in Chicago on Wednesday, a timeless debate resurfaced: who is the greatest player in NBA history? Despite the fact that LeBron James and his team fell short in the house that Michael built, James has begun to show signs that he’s superior to Jordan.

Basketball enthusiasts and purists are seldom comfortable with challenging Michael’s position as the “G.O.A.T.” They look at his myriad of accolades, competitive fire and assertion of dominance as key factors in being the most talented player this game has ever seen. However athletically, James has a clear edge on the man he once idolized.

At 6’8″, 250 pounds, James is a man among boys in a league filled with dominant athletes. He was a highly touted football star as well as a basketball phenomenon throughout his high school career. His conditioning and brute strength coincide with lightning-quick speed and sensational footwork, making James nearly indefensible.

Early in his career, James could be forced to shoot an outside shot and defenders would hope to contain his driving abilities. The ever-improving James now shoots 39% from downtown and is a consistent threat all over the floor. His post-game has shown significant improvement from his days in Cleveland as well.

As a defensive presence, LeBron James is a menace. Although his career blocks and steals do not even compare to Jordan’s, James posts a better career defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) coupled with a better block percentage. However, DWS (Defensive Win Shares) is the most important defensive statistic of all, measuring total estimated wins attributed to a player’s defense. Through nearly 10 NBA seasons, LeBron James has 47.5 DWS. Michael Jordan’s 10-year DWS was 42.1.

In his first nine seasons in the NBA, James is ahead of Jordan’s 9-year pace in total rebounds and assists. Additionally, James has so far posted 36 career triple-doubles while Jordan had 28 in his entire career. Despite a clear advantage in this category, LeBron could have almost twice as many triple-doubles as he currently does. On 24 separate occasions James has been one rebound or assist short of a triple-double. If he hadn’t come up short on all of these opportunities, his career triple-doubles mark would be at 60, instead of 36.

Numbers never lie, but they can be deceiving. A large portion of statistical categories belong to Jordan, but James’s career is nowhere near over. Right now, LeBron James is not the greatest player of all time. Although he’s spent a decade in the NBA we cannot decipher his greatness just yet. When all is said and done, James’ accolades will speak for themselves.

“Five beats one every time I look at it” once said his airiness not too long ago regarding the James vs. Bryant debate. As far as titles and 80+ point games go, Bryant has the edge on James. He also has 20 more career win shares (estimated number of wins contributed by a player). However, Bryant is 6 years older than LeBron and continually produces at a high level. He also has a ring for every finger on one hand, while James believes that his one ring can be placed on a particular finger towards his critics. But can greatness truly be measured by playoff success?

At the pace James is setting, he will likely surpass Jordan and Bryant in categories that don’t include titles. Jordan has five career regular season MVP’s, while James is on track for his fourth at the end of this season. All-star games are somewhat irrelevant when fans are allowed to vote, but James needs only 5 more to tie Jordan’s mark of 14. Michael Jordan was named to 10 all-NBA first teams, and LeBron James will be named to his 7th in a few weeks.

Intangibles might be the most important aspect of determining a G.O.A.T. Competitive edge and overcoming adversity are two factors that Jordan and James share. Both men experienced adversity in their childhood. James dealt with poverty and growing up in a single-parent home, with basketball as his outlet. Jordan was cut from his high school varsity team his sophomore year, but persevered and was eventually named a McDonald’s All-American his senior year.

Both athletes possess a competitive fire and desire to win, but Jordan rarely experienced criticism at the level that LeBron has. Leaving Cleveland for South Beach turned James into somewhat of a villainous figure in pro sports. The pressure to win a championship weighed on him until the end of last season, and he has since become a more admirable and charismatic athlete. Jordan never had pressure to be great. He was always great in the eyes of the fans, and possessed nearly every quality of the perfect role model.

Who is the G.O.A.T.?  Myriad answers will span generations. Jordan, James and perhaps even Kobe Bryant will be considered as fans continue to debate this hot-button issue that rages on in basketball culture and lore.