[From the FanPosts. I hate predictions, and moreso looking back at them, but I guess SOME navel-gazing is OK. As long as we all admit that nobody knows anything. Especially me: I certainly am a lot less scared of the Heat than I was preseason -yfbb]

As the season winds to a close, I thought it would be fun to look back at Blog-a-Bull's preseason predictions. Here is the Official 2011-12 Eastern Conference standings prediction. And here is a poll I did asking how many games the Bulls would win this year.

There are lots of unofficial Eastern Conference standings predictions in the first thread, and if you see anything that looked prescient let us know. I'll focus on yfBB and Alex's predictions.

It looks like the Bulls will beat the Heat in the regular season, and what is more they will do it with Derrick Rose missing 26 games and several other players missing games as well, including new starter Richard Hamilton missing most of the season. However, the Bulls' front line has been much healthier than last year, and I think that has been the saving grace. Boozer's health throughout the season is particularly unexpected, considering his history. Also, despite all the injuries, the Bulls never lost anyone for the year.

The Knicks did much worse than either yfBB or Alex expected, but they will make the playoffs. The Pacers have clinched the three spot, which is closer to yfBB's prediction than Alex's. Boston will finish either 4 or 5, which is what was predicted. Alex was right and yfBB was wrong about the Hawks, which is all the more remarkable because they played most of the season without Al Horford, arguably their best player before he was injured. Orlando will slide to either 6 or 7, which is also what was predicted. The 76ers will finish 7, 8, or out of the playoffs, which is remarkably close to what was predicted. It's worth remembering that the 76ers aren't a disappointment based on preseason predictions, they are just a disappointment based on raised expectations in the middle of the season. The Bucks will finish either 8 or 9, which is pretty close to what was predicted, although yfBB was closer than Alex.

As for the certain non-playoff teams, Charlotte is last as Alex predicted and close to what yfBB predicted. Washington is worse than predicted. Cleveland is better than predicted, although not by much. That might have been different if Kyrie Irving had remained healthy. Toronto is roughly as bad as predicted. New Jersey is worse than Alex predicted, but about what yfBB predicted. Detroit is not as bad as Alex predicted, but about what yfBB predicted.

All in all, the biggest surprise is the disappointing Knicks. People still expect them to turn around in the playoffs, but I just don't think they are as good as people think. Still, if they play the Heat, I would love to be proven wrong.

Also the Bulls and Miami proved that their 1-2 finish last year was no fluke. Of course most people still say Miami will be better in the playoffs, and some even theorize that Miami tanked to avoid Boston and that other teams tanked to avoid Miami. The Bulls still don't get respect, and won't until they win it all. Although Barkley likes them.

As for the poll on how many games the Bulls would win, if you throw out the people who predicted a near-perfect record (I don't think those people took the poll seriously), the top vote was for 50 wins, which I hope will prove to be correct, if the Bulls can just win their last two games. However, if we had known Rose would miss 26 games and play hurt or rusty in several more, I have a feeling the prediction would have been less optimistic. In light of all their injuries, the Bulls again exceeded expectations.