NBA Playoffs Round Two Storylines

Not Westbrook 1, Not Westbrook 2Where’s the competition?

I was under the impression the NBA Playoffs were supposed to become tighter and tighter as the rounds progressed—it seems that isn’t the case, at least for the second round. The first round saw six of the eight series go to a Game 6, and the Chicago Bulls needing a Game 7 to get past the Brooklyn Nets. Only Miami and San Antonio—teams that swept the Lakers and Milwaukee, respectively, played less than six. In the second round so far, it looks like NBA fans will be lucky to see more than one Game 6 played aside from Game 6 of the San Antonio-Golden State series which the Spurs lead 3-2. Every other series is being virtually dominated by a team leading 3-1: Indiana leads New York, Memphis leads Oklahoma City, and Miami leads Chicago. Hopefully in the next round the likely match-ups of Indiana-Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals and San Antonio-Memphis offer up a little more drama and intrigue.

Reggie Jackson is not Russell Westbrook

It’s amazing how many people still believed the Thunder to be prohibitive Western Conference favorites to match up with whoever emerges from the East this season—which is likely Indiana or Miami. Anyway, since Westbrook’s injury the Thunder are 3-5 in the eight games played and are scoring just under 97 ppg. If the Thunder offense played at its current scoring clip, it would’ve ranked No. 18 among all NBA teams in the regular season. Bear in mind, Oklahoma City finished third in the Association scoring nearly 106 ppg in the regular season.

The reason for the scoring and winning drop? The absence of Russell Westbrook. Very few in the league could fill the void Westbrook’s injury left the Thunder with—in fact, probably two or three players max could—and none of them play for the Thunder. And there’s only so much Kevin Durant can do on his own. This team needs Russell Westbrook, and its championship hopes are waylaid for another year.

J.R. Smith is not the reason the Knicks are losing—at least, not the only one

After the Knicks’93-82 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semi-final series, Smith offered himself up as the one to blame for the play of a New York team now trailing 3-1 in the series. Rather, New York going down 3-1 to Indiana—a better-coached, better-disciplined team—reveals the issues many forgot about for awhile earlier in the season. Mainly, that the Knicks aren’t able to hang with most teams when a game comes down to defense. Yes, New York was a Top 10 when it came to points allowed per game this season. But really, who is going to be the guy to stop the other team’s best offensive threat? Roy Hibbert is dominating the interior against Tyson Chandler. There is no one to guard David West. If anyone, one would have to pick Iman Shumpert but he’s really the less-valuable equivalent of a diamond in the rough in this situation. And don’t tell me anyone actually expected Carmelo Anthony to play defense…

With the Pacers holding New York to sub-100 points per game in three of the four games played thus far, it’s no wonder the Pacers lead 3-1.

NBA Playoffs: Overlooked Storylines

Tony Parker is Back

It was bound to happen sooner or later, and happened in the second half of Game 2 in San Antonio’s first round series against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs held a lead over the Lakers for just about the whole game but L.A. continued to scrap and stay close to San Antonio, looking to steal one before the series shifted back to Los Angeles. Tony Parker made sure that didn’t happen. Parker, likely recognizing the lack of any quality perimeter defender on the Laker roster, began attacking the rim with reckless abandon. Even though he finished 9-for-20 from the field, Parker led all scorers with 28 points and got to the free-throw line 10 times. In other words, the Tony Parker many discussed as an MVP candidate showed up and ensured a 102-91 Spurs victory and put the Laker sin a 2-0 hole. Parker followed his Game 2 outburst with 20 points in Game 3 and 23 in the Spurs’ 103-82 sweep-clinching victory in Game 4. The series against L.A. served as the perfect chance for the Spurs to regain their normal steadfast and suffocating consistency after head coach Gregg Popovich said they entered the postseason “discombobulated” as a unit. The veterans took full advantage and none more so than Parker, who put up 22 ppg and 7 apg in the series, and Spurs fans should be grateful for the opportunity the injury-decimated Lakers provided San Antonio and Parker especially. More specifically, because Parker’s services will be required at maximum strength with a match-up against either Denver or Golden State looming in the second round—teams that feature Ty Lawson and Steph Curry at the position Parker matches up with.

What is happening in the Indiana-Atlanta series?

I don’t think I’m alone in having expected the Pacers to roll through this series. Despite the New York Knicks holding the No. 2 seed, Indiana is the team many believe hold the best chance at knocking off the Heat in the Eastern Conference. But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

The Hawks fell behind 2-0 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis but at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, the Hawks somehow figured out how to not only beat the Pacers but actually destroy them. Game 3 saw Atlanta win 90-69 and Al Horford posted a monster 26-point, 16-rebound game. Really, it all started in the paint as the Hawks outscored Indiana 50-30 in the painted area in Game 3, and held the Pacers to only 27 percent shooting. Indiana shot 81 times, and made just 22 field goals. That’s one of those numbers you look at and think that they had to have tried to shoot that poorly. But more than anything, it really started in the paint with Atlanta’s defense. When the Pacers entered the ball down low, as many as four Hawk defenders swarmed to the ball to make life hell for David West and Roy Hibbert. Atlanta delivered another solid defensive performance in Game 4, holding the Pacers to another subpar shooting performance of 38 percent and using a 35-19 second quarter to push to a series-tying victory. Color me surprised after thinking Indy would walk all over Atlanta, a team that never really performs well in the playoffs to begin with.

The Clippers? Out of the playoffs?

Oh yeah. It’s real. Lob City trails the Memphis Grizzlies 3-2 after taking a 2-0 series lead in similar fashion to how Indiana started against Atlanta by winning the first two games of the series at the Staples Center. But when the series headed east to the FedEx Forum in Tennessee, the Grizzlies changed the series’ momentum with a 94-82 Game 3 triumph and then tied the series with a 21-point demolition of L.A. in Game 4, 104-83. And then in Game 5, Memphis came back to Hollywood and scored a 103-93 victory to take control of the series.

The difference? Zach Randolph. Z-Bo scored just 13 ppg in Games 1 & 2 of the series, with just 6 rpg. Vastly below the numbers NBA fans saw him post in postseasons past. That all changed though, when the Griz went home. In Game 3, Randolph decimated the Clippers’ front line with a 27-point, 11-rebound performance that reminded the league who he really is. A 24-point, 9-rebound game pushed the Grizzlies into a tie with the Clips, and the Z-Bo show went on the road with a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double in Game 5.

Now, Lob City is on the verge of elimination with a Game 6 fast approaching in Memphis.

NBA Playoffs: Reactions through Game 2

Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks, Heat lead 2-0

Give the Bucks some credit. They actually hung around with the Heat in Game 2 after taking a 23-point loss in Game 1. Milwaukee actually led for most of the first quarter Tuesday before the Heat scored a quick bunch of points to take a lead into the second quarter. But what this actually means for Milwaukee? Not much at all. The Heat are still going to win this series no matter what happens. With the series shifting to Milwaukee for a pair, the Bucks might steal one on the road if Monta Ellis (19 ppg) and Brandon Jennings (18 ppg) get hot in a game but that’s really it for the Deer to look forward to.

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics, Knicks lead 2-0

This one is really a surprise. If you asked me which one of the top seeds I’d expect to fall from either side of the playoff bracket, this is the team I would’ve put my money on. I didn’t think the Knicks would have the ability to defend well enough to win a playoff series, plus I probably put too much stock in the playoff experience of the Boston Celtics. The Celtics finally look washed up. Players like Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have looked tired at multiple points in each game, and Avery Bradley and Jeff Green aren’t ready to take up their mantle. The Knicks beat the Celtics at their own game Sunday, winning Game 1 85-78 in a knock-down, drag-out defensive battle. In Game 2, the Knicks turned it on in the third quarter and led by double-digits until the end of a 87-71 win. We’ll see if the Celtics recover in Beantown in a series one would think they’d like…New York is shooting just 41 percent from the field—well below their 45 percent rate from the field in the regular season—but Boston is only at 39 percent. The opportunities have been there for Boston, but New York is the one capitalizing thus far.

Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks, Pacers 2-0

It seems this is the least-talked-about playoff series thus far, but there is really isn’t too much to talk about from the side of the Hawks. Indiana won Games 1 & 2 by double-digits, and seem to have control of the series unless something crazy happens in the ATL. Paul George is playing incredible basketball, averaging 25 ppg in the series and putting up a 23-point, 12-assist, 11-rebound triple-double in a 17-point Game 1 victory on Sunday. George then went off again, dropping 27 in a 15-point Game 2 win. One thing that Atlanta does have in its favor? The Hawks have won 11 in a row at home against Indiana.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls, tied 1-1

I really still have no idea what to make of this series. With Joakim Noah back in the lineup, the Bulls have a clear advantage in the post with Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson flanking Noah. Noah’s impact showed as he made a litany of key plays on the glass in the fourth quarter of Game 2 Monday that allowed Chicago to tie the series. Noah’s return couldn’t come soon enough after Brooklyn decimated the Bulls in Game 1, throwing up a 17-point victory. After Deron Williams put 22 points and seven assists in Game 1, the Bulls locked him down in Game 2 as Williams shot 1-for-9 and scored just eight points. We’ll see how he responds in Game 3 in Chicago. And of course, no one knows what the deal with Derrick Rose is. It seems more and more Rose isn’t going to play this season, which is a huge disappointment.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets, Thunder lead 2-0

Game 1 saw the Thunder do exactly what everyone expected them to when OKC destroyed Houston, 120-91. But Houston almost turned the tables in Game 2, coming back from down 15 points in the fourth quarter to take a late four-point lead and put the pressure on the Thunder. OKC responded, as a 10-2 run over the next two minutes put the game back in the Thunder’s possession. James Harden rebounded from a subpar Game 1 (20 points, 6-for-19 shooting) to go off for 36 points mostly on the strength of the 20 free throws he shot and not his 7-for-24 performance from the field. In Houston, expect the Rockets to steal a game with a huge performance from Harden but that should be all they get.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Spurs lead 2-0

The Lakers aren’t getting destroyed this series. More like suffocated. The Spurs, having lost to the Lakers eight out of 11 times in the postseason since the beginning of the 21st-century, are the kings headsmen here and control the death of the Lakers’ season. It seems they’re making it a slow and painful one. In both Game 1 and 2, the Lakers weren’t blown out. Neither game has been a blowout, with the Lakers staying close throughout each. But every time the Lakers make a move on the Spurs, San Antonio seems to have a counter-punch for it. And eventually, the Spurs made one final run in each game that put the dagger in the Lakers each time. In the worst Lakers season in recent memory (literally everyone got hurt at some point or played hurt at some point) Laker fans probably just want this to end, call it a wash, and look toward the future.

Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors, tied 1-1

This may be the most interesting first-round series, after Denver took Game 1 by just two points and Golden State then took a 131-117 victory at the Pepsi Center—where the Nuggets finished the regular season 38-3. Steph Curry rebounded from a sub-par Game 1, going off for 30 points and 13 assists in Game 2 in which Curry seemed to have the entire Denver defense on puppet-strings for the entire game. Many wrote the Dubs off after the loss of David Lee, but losing him allows head coach Mark Jackson to play Carl Landry who can play slightly faster and maybe makes the Warriors better-suited to play with the Nuggets up-tempo style. The Nuggets themselves are missing key pieces, with leading scorer Danilo Gallinari out for the year and Kenneth Faried just returning from injury. Faried notched just four points and two rebounds in 21 minutes Game 2, by far less-effective than his usual output.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies, Clippers lead 2-0

You really have to feel bad for the Grizzlies. Running into the same Clipper team two years in a row that you match up so well against, but just don’t have the same star power that Chris Paul brings to the table. That’s really the deciding factor in the series, and was the deciding factor of the Clippers’ two-point Game 2 victory when CP3 made the game-winner with seconds remaining for a 93-91 victory and a 2-0 series lead. With the series shifting to Memphis, the Griz are going to need a huge game from Zach Randolph to get on the board and start thinking about tying the series. Randolph’s averaged just 13 ppg and 6 rpg so far and speaking of rebounding, the Grizzlies have only registered 61 rebounds in the first two games of the series after averaging almost 43 per game in the regular season. That’s a problem from a frontcourt-oriented team like Memphis.

Behind the Basket Power Rankings 1.6

King James is currently giving a thumbs down to every other team in the league at the end of their battles.Looking Great

1. Miami Heat (43-14): Without a doubt, the Heat are the league’s best team as Miami currently rides a 14-game winning streak. With the run coming at a time when the schedule turns closer to playoff-time, it certainly helps dispel the notions thrown around off the Heat coasting through the regular season—as well as doubts regarding if LeBron and Co. can flip the proverbial “switch” for the playoffs.

2. San Antonio Spurs (47-14): Quietly as ever, the Spurs keep on keeping on as San Antonio holds the league’s best record. But a storyline to watch throughout March revolves around the health of the Spurs’ most valuable player Tony Parker—leading the team with 21 ppg and roughly 8 apg—who is projected to sit out the entire month after a Grade 2 sprain of his left ankle.

3. Memphis Grizzlies (39-19): Memphis had a shot at setting a franchise-record winning streak of nine straight victories, a streak ended when the Griz ran into the buzzsaw known as the Miami Heat. But Memphis rebounded with an emphatic 26-point win in Orlando and won nine of its last 10 games.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (43-16): OKC is in something of a relative rough patch for the Thunder, as the league’s second highest-scoring team (105 ppg) is 6-4 in its last 10 contests. Like Memphis, the Thunder lost a close game to Denver at the Pepsi Center but responded with an impressive win at the Staples Center against the Clippers.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (43-19): After a 4-9 stretch from late January to early March, Los Angeles won eight of its last 10. More importantly, the Clips are finally healthy again after battling injuries to Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Chauncey Billups, and Eric Bledsoe.

Looking Good

6. Indiana Pacers (38-22): A hot streak for Indiana seeing the Pacers win seven of their last 10 combined with the New York Knicks’ recent ineptitude has resulted in Indiana’s rise into the Eastern Conference’s second-seed. Also playing a heavy role in Indiana’s success is its play at home, owning a 25-6 record at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

7. Denver Nuggets (38-22): While Denver’s notched victories over the Thunder, Lakers, and Celtics lately, the Nuggets have also lost head-scratchers to Toronto and Washington. Those losses haven’t hurt Denver too severely though, with the Nuggets staying firmly in the No. 5 slot and still threatening teams above them.

Looking Average

8. Atlanta Hawks (33-25): Atlanta’s having a lot of success recently with a lethal high-low attack featuring Josh Smith and Al Horford. Atlanta owns the No. 4 seed as of now, but are tied with Chicago and Brooklyn at 10.5 games back of the conference-leading Heat—meaning the Hawks will need to do better than winning six of every 10 games in March and April.

9. New York Knicks (35-21): New York continues to slide, having lost six of its last 10—a stretch including four consecutive losses coming to the Clippers and Pacers, but also two to Toronto.

10. Chicago Bulls (34-26): Not only does the rehabilitation of Derrick Rose plague the mindset of Chicago Bulls basketball and those associated, the Bulls are also contending with injuries to key contributors in Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, and Rip Hamilton. The Bulls are also under-.500 in their last 10, having lost six of those recent games.

11. Houston Rockets (33-28): Houston appears primed to make a run at a higher playoff seed with Golden State playing poorly and Utah playing in true Jazz-fashion—average. The Association’s highest-scoring team (107 ppg) should burn into the playoffs behind the efforts of James Harden who scores nearly 27 ppg.

12. Brooklyn Nets (34-26): Another team in the glut that sits 10.5 games behind the Heat in the East, Brooklyn has also been relatively average lately. When looking at the offensive talent, the Nets have underachieved this season putting up only 95 ppg but arguably over-achieving defensively, giving up only 95 ppg—the league’s fifth-best mark.

13. Boston Celtics (31-27): Beantown’s ballers have managed to keep their collective head above water even with the injury ending Rajon Rondo’s season. In fact, Boston has played better than its sub-.500 record it had with Rondo in the lineup as the Celtics are 10-4 since Rondo went down.

14. Utah Jazz (32-27): After winning three in a row against OKC, Minnesota, and Golden State in mid-February, the Jazz closed the month with a three-game losing streak as they’ve done just about all season. Utah currently holds the West’s No. 7 seed, but look more and more like the team that could drop out if a certain team manages to rise into the playoffs...

15. Los Angeles Lakers (30-30): On the strength of a 13-5 stretch—a mark bettered by only San Antonio and Miami in that span—the Lakers own an even .500 record for the first time since the beginning of 2013. L.A. will be tested once again, with a massive match-up looming Tuesday against the Thunder—a game that could provide a huge lift to the Lakers’ playoff hopes, or one that could deflate the team’s seemingly-fragile spirit.

16. Golden State Warriors (33-27): Of the top eight teams in the West, Golden St. has been the worst of late losing seven of its last 10. Not even 54 points from Steph Curry at Madison Square Garden last week could prevent the Dubs from losing.

17. Milwaukee Bucks (29-28): The Bucks are the Jazz of the East—a team holding steady at the bottom of the conference but best-described as average. Larry Sanders is making a strong case for the league’s Most Improved Player award, putting up 9 ppg, 9 rpg, and a league-high 3 bpg.

18. Dallas Mavericks (26-33): This season will likely go down as a lost one for Dallas, with the Mavericks unable to make up any ground on those it trails in the playoff race. Such an inability was highlighted with a loss Sunday against the West’s current No. 8 seed, Houston.

Looking Bad

19. Washington Wizards (19-39): As crazy as it sounds, Washington has played better than a lot of the teams below it in these rankings. The Wiz are over-.500 in their last 10 (6-4) and the return of John Wall has had a noticeable impact on the team—Washington is 14-11 after Wall recovered from a knee injury.

20. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-39): Another bottom-dweller playing better than its usual level, the Cavs are 5-5 in their last 10 and posted wins over Chicago and Oklahoma City in February. Kyrie Irving—averaging 23 ppg and 5 apg—will likely return against New York Monday a huge boost for a team missing its player who has been the catalyst for the team’s improvement this season.

21. Toronto Raptors (23-37): The trade landing Rudy Gay in Toronto has made the Raptors better than the sub-.500 team they were before the trade, going 7-7 since Gay’s arrival. In a Raptor uniform, Gay leads the team in scoring at 21 ppg while adding 7 rpg and over 2 spg.

22. Phoenix Suns (21-39): The Suns made another mystifying trade at the deadline, acquiring Marcus Morris from Houston to pair with his brother Markieff. Although the Suns have lost six of their last 10, Phoenix is on a three-game win streak—a marginal achievement for most, but something to write home about for Phoenix.

23. New Orleans Hornets (21-39): New Orleans contends with injury woes once again, with Eric Gordon recently managing to return but Anthony Davis out with a bone bruise in his shoulder. Greivis Vasquez is shaping up to be a strong candidate for Most Improved Player, averaging 14 ppg and 9 apg.

Looking Terrible

24. Portland Trail Blazers (27-31): Despite holding a record better than many teams in this area of the rankings, Portland’s recent skid has dropped its playoff hopes tremendously. The Blazers are 2-8 in their last 10 and dropped seven in a row that left them four games under-.500.

25. Detroit Pistons (23-29): While Detroit lingers near the bottom of the East, Greg Monroe continues to make his name as one of the league’s best young big men. Monroe averages 16 ppg and 9 rpg, playing a big role in the Pistons ranking in the Top 10 in rebounding at over 43 rpg.

26. Philadelphia 76ers (23-35): Philadelphia’s woes on the court are exacerbated by the off-court drama surrounding the status of Andrew Bynum’s health. Philly struggled through an arduous February, winning only three games and suffering a seven-game losing streak that spanned the final 17 days of the month.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-36): If there was an award for most-unfortunate franchise, Minnesota would win handily. With injuries to Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Chase Budinger, Brandon Roy, and Andrei Kirilenko at simultaneous and different times, a season filled with hope for the T’Wolves devolved into another terrible year in Minnesota.

28. Sacramento Kings (21-40): Maybe there was a clerical error somewhere along the lines, but apparently the Kings never got the message when it comes to playing defense and the necessity to do so. While the young Kings are capable of hanging 119 points on the board one night, they also are prone to giving up 130 as they did to the Spurs Friday. Sacramento gives up a league-worst 105 ppg.

29. Orlando Magic (16-44): Orlando continues to flounder at the bottom of the East, and are 2-20 since the middle of January. On a somewhat positive note, the acquisition of Tobias Harris has proved to be a surprisingly good acquisition for Orlando. Harris is averaging 20 ppg in the 10 games he’s played since being traded from Milwaukee to Orlando, highlighted by a 27-point performance against Houston Friday.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (13-46): Charlotte owns the league’s worst losing streak right now, having lost six straight games. As April draws near, the focus in Charlotte will likely shift from the 2012-13 season to the 2013-14 season.

NBA Trade Deadline Belated Reactions

J.J. Redick's reaction to the results of the 2013 trade deadline is shared by most fans.Biggest Move: Nothing happened. Seriously. At least, nothing involved any of the names thrown around for the weeks preceding the deadline when every talking head pondered where the likes of Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Josh Smith, Eric Bledsoe, and Paul Millsap would end up. But every single one stayed in the same uniform they wore the day before the deadline.

As for the other trades….

J.J. Redick to the Bucks, More Detritus Drifts to Orlando.

Again, start this one with a “Seriously”. What are the Magic doing? General manager Rob Hennigan dealt away the organization’s two biggest assets since he was handed the reins and Hennigan has returned absolutely nothing to indicate the Magic will get any better any time soon. This Orlando team is going to be really bad for a really long time. Despite it being only J.J. Redick—averaging a career-high 15 ppg—all Hennigan returned in the deal was Tobias Harris, Beno Udrih, and Doron Lamb. Now the Magic have another 30-year old point guard and a couple of young perimeter players who, at best, will end up as decent role players in their respective primes.

As for Milwaukee, the Bucks really ending up committing highway robbery at the expense of Hennigan and the Magic. Gustavo Ayon flashed value last season in New Orleans with some pretty solid numbers on a per-36-minute basis and could contribute in the frontcourt off the bench if he gets the minutes. Redick will do what he does best; shoot the ball. With Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis likely flanking him each time Redick steps on the floor, J.J. will have a lot of space when the ball enters his hands. With the addition of Redick, too, Milwaukee becomes even more dangerous from the perimeter with Redick adding to the proficiency of Ersan Ilyasova and Mike Dunleavy from three.

Houston/Sacramento/Phoenix Three-way Deal

To Houston: Thomas Robinson, Francisco Garcia, Tyler Honeycutt (from Sacramento), 2013 second-round draft pick (from Phoenix)

To Phoenix: Marcus Morris (from Houston)

To Sacramento: Patrick Patterson, Toney Douglas, Cole Aldrich (from Houston)

Arguably the biggest deal of anything to go down last week, the rest of the league likely won’t see much of an impact from this trade until later on down the road. Thomas Robinson is a project, but the Rockets got immense value in the No. 5 draft pick from 2012. Garcia and Honeycutt likely won’t see much playing time with Jamers Harden and Jeremy leaving little on the table for any other guard in Houston.

Phoenix made yet another puzzling move, when one minute it seems the Suns want to rebuild around young talent but then turn around and make deals for players like Goran Dragic, Jermaine O’Neal, and Luis Scola. But the deal pairs Marcus with his brother and college teammate Markieff. Marcus so far has proven to be the more valuable of the two, averaging 9 ppg and shooting 38 percent from three while starting 17 games this season for Houston. Markieff’s played in 57 games for Phoenix this season, but his shooting numbers are down from last season although he averages around 7 ppg as he did last year.

If any team benefits immediately from this deal, it’s Sacramento. The Kings now have a legitimate power forward to start next to DeMarcus Cousins in Patterson who put up nearly 12 ppg in Houston, the team’s fourth-leading tally. Although, Jason Thompson will probably still see time on the floor due to his rebounding prowess with Thompson pulling in 7 rpg as opposed to Patterson’s tally under 5 rpg.

Guard Shuffle: Jordan Crawford to Boston, Eric Maynor to Portland

Boston basically replaced the injured body of Leandro Barbosa with a younger version of himself. Crawford can fill it up when he’s on the floor with a career average of 13 ppg in 26 mpg. Crawford likely fills a role the Celtics were trying to fill with the losses of Barbosa and Rajon Rondo, and Crawford can play the role of sparkplug a la Nate Robinson in 2010.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific Northwest, Eric Maynor found himself traded for the third time in his four-year career. This time, to the Trail Blazers for a trade exception and the rights for a person named Georgios Printezis which will most likely ever be the only interesting thing about his NBA career. Maynor hasn’t proven much worth yet, but he also hasn’t had the chance to do so yet. Remember, this is a guy who led a No. 12 seed to a Final Four appearance in 2009 with averages of 22 ppg and 6 apg at Virginia Commonwealth. Maynor only played in nine games last season due to a torn ACL and missed nearly all of what some expected to be a breakout year for him as the team’s back-up point guard. This season, Maynor lost his back-up job to Reggie Jackson which resulted in his trade. In Portland though, Maynor should get his chance with Blazers GM Neil Olshey saying Maynor will be Damian Lillard’s back-up and could even see time on the floor with the starters and Lillard on the floor at the same time. The job is undoubtedly Lillard’s, but Maynor should finally start seeing the minutes needed to prove himself beyond what his career numbers of 4 ppg and 3 apg in 14 mpg say about him. Honestly, Maynor could prove the be the most underrated and most valuable of any acquisition at the deadline depending on how he plays the rest of this season.

Nerlens Noel: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Kentucky freshman center Nerlens Noel entered college hoops this season as the next Anthony Davis, the next shot blocking machine, the next one-and-done #1 pick (projected top-2 draft pick this summer by virtually everyone), the next John Calipari recruit who makes a mockery of being a student-athlete but nonetheless leads the Wildcats to top contender status.

Unfortunately Noel is in the news right now because he left Tuesday's blowout loss to Florida with a hyperextended knee that looked and sounded awful. It's unknown quite yet how this will affect his draft status or long-term future in the game, but now's as good a time as any to look back at what he's demonstrated in 24 games as a freshman, and what this might mean for his contributions as a pro.

Before arriving on UK's campus, the word on Noel was that he might be an even better shot blocker than Davis, but that he also owned an extremely raw offensive game and was a bit underwhelming as a rebounder. Before facing Florida, Noel was blocking a national best 4.5 shots a game, very similar to Davis' 4.7 last season, and he even bested the current Hornets' rookie by swatting a team record 12 in a single contest just a few weeks ago.

Offensively, he isn't doing much to show that he's a threat on that end of the floor, but he finishes well on open lobs and was completing 59% of his attempts, although he has only attempted a team sixth-best 7.0 shots/game, shooting just 1 and 2 shots in two of his last four games before Tuesday. With the dearth of real centers in the league right now, a defensive-minded big man who isn't a real part of the game plan on offense but who can routinely down 4 of 7 shots off pick-and-rolls is considered fine, although thinking of him as a #1 pick starts to sound a little far-fetched.

His pre-college reputation as a passive rebounder doesn't look, at first, to be entirely true as he's pulling down a rather impressive 9.6 boards a night in 32 minutes. A couple things we need to consider in order to properly contextualize this number are a) his offensive boards, since they're the harder ones to get and consequently tell us more about his true rebounding ability, and b) how well he grabs them in big games or against good competition. That first point is rather easy to judge; he's recording 2.8 offensive boards a night, a number that's comparatively low when looking at the nation's other elite rebounders, even those grabbing less total (of the 15 next-best rebounders below Noel nationally, only 4 average less offensive boards per game).

How well he grabs them in big games or against good competition is a little trickier since UK has fallen so far below expectations this season. Beginning the year ranked third, with hopes of winning another title on the backs of a team made up of many prominent freshmen, the Wildcats lost 3 of their first 7 and still aren't a lock to make the tournament. During those first 7 contests, Noel outrebounded Duke's Mason Plumlee (projected 10 to 15 pick) 8-3 in a loss, was outrebounded by Maryland's Alex Len (projected top 10 pick) 12-9 in a win, was outrebounded by Notre Dame's Jack Cooley (possible late second-rounder) 11-7 in a loss, and outrebounded Baylor's Isaiah Austin (projected top 10 pick) 16-5 in a loss. No real pattern, so not sure what to make it of it other than he's inconsistent.

Since then, the following note-worthy things have happened: Noel had a game-high 8 rebounds in a close loss to Louisville (although his overall impact wasn't very good, and 3 much shorter Cardinals each recorded 7 boards), was outplayed by “lesser” teammate Willie Cauley-Stein and arguably outplayed by Vanderbilt's Shelby Moats in a close UK win, has had two really good games against Texas A&M (who have no NBA prospects) in a big loss and an OT win, could not outplay Florida's two possible second round big men (Patric Young and Erik Murphy) in a blowout loss, had a big game on the boards and blocking shots in a close loss to Alabama, and was pretty well outplayed in the paint by both an opponent and a teammate in a close win over LSU. Again, no real pattern or consistency. He rarely has the biggest impact in important wins, and he often plays great when his team loses to supposedly inferior competition. Hmmm, not exactly the signs of a true game changer who actually has an effect on, you know, the game.

All in all, there's no denying that Noel is a big-time shot blocker who puts everything into his defense, but with a lacking one-on-one game that at best might develop into something in between Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden on the low-usage/high-efficiency scale, and a presence on the boards and in the paint that is all over the place and has no correlation with wins or losses, one has to wonder if Noel has anything more to offer than Charlotte project Bismack Biyombo (who's better on the offensive glass than Noel), especially now that Noel has already sustained one massive knee injury and his presence hasn't been able to keep Kentucky relevant.

Why Isn't Anyone Talking About...

This shot has a 42% chance of going in....how little Damian Lillard has to do with the Blazers exceeding expectations this season? Portland was picked by most pundits to finish nowhere near a playoffs berth, but currently sit within a game of the 8^th spot in the West. Many people want to give rookie PG Lillard a lot of credit for this, but the facts don't support this notion at all. What exactly does he offer a team as a scoring point guard? He's shooting 42% in a league that averages 45%. He's completing 35% of his triples in a league that makes 36% of them. With decent PGs averaging between 2.5 to 3.0 assists per turnover, Lillard is averaging 2.15. Consequently, the Blazers' Offensive Rating dropped from 105.7 last year (11^th best) to 105.0 this year (13^th). To make matters worse, he's somewhere between “not good” and “often lost” on the defensive end of the floor. If you want to know what the Blazers are doing right, it's having slightly better defense and offensive rebounding than last year, two things provided by the full-time presence of the severely underrated J.J. Hickson. Career years from starters Nic Batum and Wesley Matthews don't hurt either.

…the Spurs? As always, why aren't people talking about the Spurs, currently the only team in the top-6 in both Offensive and Defensive Rating?

...that this post-Rondo Celtics resurgence wasn't all that unexpected? Sitting at 20-23 on January 25 after a double-overtime loss in Atlanta, Boston found itself having lost 6 in a row, but seemingly more importantly they found out that Rajon Rondo's knee injury in the game was a torn ACL and that he'd be lost for the season. Since then, they gutted out a double-overtime victory over the Heat, held on to a 19-point halftime lead over the Clippers to win by 2, embarrassed the Lakers 116-95, and won a triple-OT thriller over the surging Nuggets, all while winning seven in a row. Jason Terry and Paul Pierce are playing with more moxie, and suddenly the C's are sitting in the seven seed in the East with a 27-23 record. It seems improbable that losing their supposed best player would allow the struggling Celtics to give its fans so much hope for the remainder of the season, but that's exactly what happened. Maybe it has to do with Rondo being a rumored team cancer for nearly his entire career? Maybe it has to do with how much more team-oriented and comfortable Boston's offense is now that no one is waiting to see what Rondo will decide to do this time down the floor. Maybe it has to do with how much better everyone seems to play when they enjoy playing with and for each other. Obviously all these issues are interconnected, but it is worth noting that Rondo had a team second-worst -56 plus/minus before tearing his ACL, a number way behind KG, Pierce, and Terry (all in the positive), who look to pull even further ahead now that whatever it was that Rondo was doing to hold everyone back is finally sidelined for the year.

Behind The Basket Power Rankings 1.5

It turns out that any athletic PG who sometimes scores in bunches and sometimes makes maddeningly me-first decisions in bunches can "lead" the Bulls to greatness, not just Rose.Looking Great

1. San Antonio Spurs (38-11): The big news in San Antonio currently revolves around the knee sprain suffered by center Tim Duncan Saturday in a win against Washington, but if the NBA has learned anything about the Spurs, it’s that there will be someone to step up and replace his production.
2. Miami Heat (30-14): Miami still resides in the basement when it comes to rebounding in this league, but LeBron & Co. lead the Eastern Conference by half a game currently. With this team, one gets the feeling the Heat are coasting through the regular season and will raise their level of play once April rolls around.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-12): OKC took a questionable loss home Saturday in Cleveland, and are 6-4 in their last 10. But the Thunder still reside in West’s second-seed and look like one of the West’s ultimate contenders as the halfway point has passed.
4. New York Knicks (30-15): The Knicks have won seven of their last 10 games, and lie only half a game behind Miami in the East. In Mike Woodson’s first full season the Knicks have evolved into one of the league’s better defensive teams, allowing only a shade under 96 ppg.
5. Chicago Bulls (29-18): Even without Derrick Rose, Chicago is still one of the Association’s premier defensive squads with opponents scoring just under 91 ppg. And with Rose getting closer to returning with every day that passes, the Bulls will likely be one of the league’s scariest teams heading into the postseason.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (34-15): Trouble with injuries lately have the Clippers winning only four of their last 10 contests, with superstar point guard Chris Paul still unable to even practice because of a knee injury.

Looking Good

7. Memphis Grizzlies (30-16): Memphis pulled off a shocker, sending Rudy Gay out of town and bringing in Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye, and Ed Davis. In the first game since, the Grizzlies pulled out a nine-point victory at home against Washington.
8. Denver Nuggets (30-18): Denver’s high-octane style of play has kicked into another gear lately, as the Nugs have won eight of their last 10. Denver currently ranks in the Top 5 among all teams in scoring, rebounding, and assists per game.
9. Brooklyn Nets (28-19): Brooklyn picked up one of its best wins of the season Friday, beating Chicago 93-89. The Nets haven’t scored as much as people thought they would with the additions of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson, but Brooklyn ranks fifth in defense giving up under 95 ppg.
10. Indiana Pacers (28-19): Another team hitting its stride, the Pacers also won a signature game by taking out Miami by double-digits. Indiana will face a crucial contest Monday with a game against Chicago, with whom the Pacers trail by one game for the Central Division’s lead.
11. Golden State Warriors (30-17): The young Warriors are holding fast in the West and are getting better with the return of Andrew Bogut to anchor the team in the paint alongside All-Star David Lee. Lately, the Dubs have won seven of their past 10 and are only three games behind the Clippers for the Pacific Division lead.

Looking Average

12. Utah Jazz (26-22): Utah has continued to race with those vying for one of the West’s lower playoff spots, winning seven of 10 to stay strong in the seventh slot. Offensively, the Jazz are scoring as a team with an average of 23 apg and scoring 98 ppg.
13. Milwaukee Bucks (25-21): Very few have heard of what Milwaukee is doing, but the Bucks are playing solid basketball that should carry them into a playoff berth. Brandon Jennings have developed into the facilitator his team needed, scoring 19 ppg and handing out 6 apg.
14. Houston Rockets (26-23): Houston is scoring a lot, and letting its opponents score a lot. So far, it’s working with Houston sitting in eighth place in the West albeit by only a single game.
15. Atlanta Hawks (26-20): Atlanta is another team you won’t hear much about, but is getting it done. Saturday, however, the Hawks took a 17-point loss to the Bulls on the chin—an example of a team they’ll need to beat if Atlanta hopes to break into the upper echelon of Eastern Conference contenders.
16. Boston Celtics (24-23): The loss of Rajon Rondo will undoubtedly hurt the Celtics in the second half of the season, but Boston will play as if no one told them that. In the first game Rondo missed with a torn ACL, Paul Pierce led the Celtics to a double-overtime victory over the Heat Sunday.
17. Portland Trail Blazers (24-23): Portland sits a single game out of the eight-seed right now, but will need to avoid such losing streaks as the six-game skid the Blazers endured in the middle of January if they hope to climb into the playoffs.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (22-26): Just as soon as the Lakers show signs that they’ve seemingly figured things out, all signs go out the window such as the double-digit lead Los Angeles blew Friday in the first game of its “Grammy Trip” in Phoenix. Of hope for Laker fans, the efficient facilitation Kobe Bryant has showed off lately could be a huge key in gelling the Lakers talented roster.
19. Dallas Mavericks (20-27): The return of Dirk Nowitzki from injury hasn’t appeared to breathe life into the Mavericks as fans likely hoped it would. Dallas remains five games out of a playoff spot, and will need a hot start to its final 35 games to maintain hopes of postseason play alive.
20. Philadelphia 76ers (20-26): Philly needs Andrew Bynum’s return to the lineup sooner rather than later in hopes he can bring some life into a team that seems to be fading from the East’s playoff race despite the brilliance of Jrue Holiday and his averages of 19 ppg and 9 apg.
21. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-34): It’s crazy, but Cleveland is .500 in its last 10 games with the highlight coming in a 115-110 win over Oklahoma City Saturday night. Kyrie Irving continues to put together a stellar sophomore campaign, putting up 24 ppg and over 5 apg.

Looking Bad

22. Detroit Pistons (18-30): Detroit almost pulled out a double-digit comeback win over the Lakers Sunday, but was unable to finish it off. Andre Drummond has been giving plenty of glimpses into what his future could be in Detroit, most notably with an 18-point, 18-rebound game against Milwaukee earlier in the week.
23. Toronto Raptors (17-31): Rudy Gay’s arrival in Toronto started with a bang with Gay scoring 20 points off the bench to guide the Raptors over the Clippers this week and scored 29 Sunday in a loss to Miami.
24. Phoenix Suns (16-32): The Suns delivered a comeback win over Los Angeles Friday, but were then beaten by 20 against Golden State Saturday. Phoenix has won only four of its last 10 match-ups, and will likely start looking toward next season especially with the trade deadline approaching.
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-26): Minnesota’s really just been dealt the worst possible hand it could’ve been given this season with injuries to Rubio and Love to start the season, and Love going down yet again. Minnesota is fading fast, having lost eight of its last 10.

Looking Terrible

26. New Orleans Hornets (15-33): Another team to almost come back from a double-digit deficit against the Lakers this past week, the Hornets have been showing signs of what the future will hold when they morph into Pelicans. But that’s still the future.
27. Sacramento Kings (17-32): Amongst the backdrop of the wheeling and dealing occurring to move the Kings to Seattle, the Kings are not helping Mayor Kevin Johnson’s case to keep them in Sacramento with their current level of play. Sacramento has lost eight of its last 10, and owns the league’s worst defense by allowing over 103 ppg to its opposition.
28. Washington Wizards (11-35): With the return of John Wall, the Wizards have shown some signs of life with wins over teams like Chicago, Portland, and Denver. Washington also gives encouragement for its fans with the defense its played this season, coming in eighth allowing a hair under 96 ppg.
29. Charlotte Bobcats (14-33): The Bobcats remain tied in the league’s cellar with Washington, but for once it’s safe to say the Bobcats haven’t been the worst team in the league of late even though they lost eight of their last 10.
30. Orlando Magic (14-33): Orlando’s playing like the team most expected it to when it received just about nothing in return for Dwight Howard, relatively. Orlando has only won once in its past 10 games. On the bright side, Nik Vucevic is making a case for Most Improved Player with 12 ppg and 11 rpg.

Most Improved Player: Who’s Overlooked?

Tim Duncan and J.J. Hickson should be battling for more than just position and rebounds when their teams face each other.Halfway through the NBA season, it’s getting close to the time when races for awards begin taking shape. For one, the Most Improved Player race seems to be wide open. While players like Kemba Walker, Paul George (whose numbers are up because he’s getting the bulk of Danny Granger’s minutes, and George is actually shooting worse than he did last year) or ESPN’s MIP choice Omer Asik will get a lot of mention, here is a group of players who are currently being overlooked highlighted by four big men.

Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks Power Forward
2011-12: 12 mpg, 4 ppg, 3 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 46% FG
2012-13: 25 mpg, 8 ppg, 8 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 53% FG

In his third year out of Virginia Commonwealth, Sanders has established himself as one of the league’s best defensive big men. With the trade shipping Andrew Bogut to Golden State in exchange for Monta Ellis last season, the way was cleared for Sanders to rise up and take control of the paint. So far, the move has paid off for Milwaukee with Ellis’ scoring paired with Brandon Jennings in the backcourt has the Bucks in the playoff race. Underneath, Sanders has posted a 95.3 Defensive Rating, the second-best mark in the league behind another player on this list. But when it comes to swatting shots this season, Sanders is second to none. Sanders is turning away over 3 shots per game—double his total from last season—and leads the league in the blocks department.

J.J. Hickson, Portland Trail Blazers Center
2011-12: 23 mpg, 8 ppg, 6 rpg, 9 double-doubles, 46% FG
2012-13: 29 mpg, 12 ppg, 11 rpg, 26 double-doubles, 55% FG

Hickson and the Trail Blazers are just a match that just made sense. After playing for three teams in three years, and the Blazers searching for a center to pair with LaMarcus Aldridge, it seemed destined that Hickson would end up in Portland. Pairing Hickson with Aldridge has proved to be a fearsome tandem on the glass, with Hickson alone rebounding 21.5 percent of all rebounds when he is on the court, the third-best total in the league. And after 9 double-doubles in 54 games last season, Hickson already has 26 in 41 games, the top total among all centers in the league.

Grevis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets Point Guard
2011-12: 26 mpg, 9 ppg, 5 apg, 43% FG, 6 double-doubles
2012-13: 35 mpg, 14 ppg, 9 apg, 44% FG, 16 double-doubles

While the Hornets may not be the heaviest contender for the postseason this season, the soon-to-be New Orleans Pelicans are an interesting team to watch at the very least. Greivis Vasquez may be one of the team’s least heralded players when discussing others like Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, Austin Rivers, Robin Lopez, or Ryan Anderson, but Vasquez is a huge part of what the Hornets look to do in the present and future. Of all the Hornets’ scoring possessions, 46 percent end with an assist from Vasquez, the third-best rate among all players. Additionally, Vasquez is third among all point guards with 16 double-doubles—trailing only Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul.

Nik Vucevic, Orlando Magic Center
2011-12: 16 mpg, 6 ppg, 5 rpg, 45% FG, 2 double-doubles
2012-13: 32 mpg, 12 ppg, 11 rpg, 52% FG, 22 double-doubles

After being dealt in to Orlando from Philadelphia in the Dwight Howard deal that sent a bunch of players to a bunch of different players, Vucevic found the opportunity to start immediately for a depleted Magic team. Since, Vucevic has shown more of the potential he flashed when he put up 17 and 10 as a junior at USC, increasing all of his numbers. Vucevic ranks third in the league with his rebounding average and picks up roughly 20 percent of all boards when he is on the floor. For a team that has a long way to go until it is relevant again, Vucevic will likely be a literal centerpiece for the Magic moving forward.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs Center
2011-12: 15 ppg, 9 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 49% FG, 52% TS, 22 double-doubles
2012-13: 18 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.7 bpg, 51% FG, 56% TS, 20 double-doubles

Surprised? Granted, it is surprising to see the name like Duncan on a list like this, but the award goes to who has made the most improvement from one year to the next (at least it’s supposed to) and Duncan is not only having a markedly better year than last, but he’s having his best season in at least four years. In the paint, Duncan anchors the Spurs on both sides of the court and currently is at the top of the league in terms of defense with a Defense Rating a shade under 94, nearly two points better than Sanders in second. Every one of Duncan’s major statistics is higher than in recent years, especially blocks in which he has nearly doubled his tally from a season ago.

Behind The Basket Power Rankings 1.4

With career years from starters Nic Batum and JJ Hickson, plus SG Wesley Matthews (not pictured), the Blazers unexpectedly find themselves four games above .500 in the new year.

Looking Great

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (28-8): Can anyone slow the Thunder down? So far, it seems the answer is no. OKC leads the league in scoring at almost 106 ppg, and rank No. 9 in rebounding and No. 10 in defense.
2. Los Angeles Clippers (28-9): After the Clippers’ franchise-best winning streak, Chris Paul and Co. show no signs of dropping off. Los Angeles sits in the Top 10 in both scoring and scoring defense, a combination that will win a team a lot of games.
3. San Antonio Spurs (28-11): Rounding out the West’s triumvirate of teams at the top of the league, the Spurs have one of the best scoring margins in the league at +7.8 ppg and have won seven of their last 10. San Antonio has been the model offensive team, scoring almost 105 ppg, and ranking first in the league with over 25 apg—contributing heavily to the eight Spurs averaging 7 ppg or more.
4. Miami Heat (24-11): One gets the feeling Miami is coasting through this season, and saving its collective energies for the postseason. So far it’s working, as the Heat have the best record in the East. But of concern would be Miami’s rebounding, which is second-to-last in the league at only 39 rpg as a team.
5. Indiana Pacers (23-14): Indiana has been one of the league’s hottest teams of late, winning eight of the last 10 contests. To boot, no team in the league has been better defensively as head coach Frank Vogel’s squad is allowing only 89 ppg to its opposition.

Looking Good

6. Memphis Grizzlies (24-11): Memphis keeps going strong, but dropped one to Dallas Saturday night that was a bit of a head-scratcher. A huge Western Conference match-up looms Monday, when the Griz will take on the Clippers in the Pyramid.
7. New York Knicks (24-13): The honeymoon seems to be over in New York, with the Knicks losing six of their last 10 games which included a three-game skid against Indiana, Boston, and Chicago. Despite the best efforts of Tyson Chandler, the Knicks are encountering problems in the rebounding and defense departments which could become serious issues if not addressed.
8. Golden State Warriors (23-12): The young Warriors continue to play like a veteran team, sharing the ball, rebounding well, and scoring 101 ppg. In each of those categories, Golden State ranks in the Top 10 among NBA teams which bodes well for continued success.
9. Brooklyn Nets (21-15): Despite the turmoil associated with Brooklyn’s coaching situation, the Nets are still playing well and currently own a five-game winning streak. For a team expected to blow its opposition out of the water with scoring, the Nets are playing great defense, allowing only 94 ppg—the league’s fifth-best total.
10. Denver Nuggets (22-16): Another group of young players, the Nuggets are finding a rhythm here in the middle portion of the season. Ranking first in rebounding, third in assists, and sixth in scoring, Denver seems to get better with each week that passes.
11. Atlanta Hawks (21-15): Atlanta has gone through a little down-spell of late, going 4-6 in its last 10 games. But the Hawks are still playing some solid basketball, defending well with their opponents scoring 96 ppg.

Looking Average

12. Portland Trail Blazers (20-16): In a similar fashion to Denver, Portland is another young team that’s starting to find its way as the season progresses. LaMarcus Aldridge has been one of the league’s best in the frontcourt this season, putting up a double-double nearly every game with averages of 20 ppg and 11 rpg.
13. Chicago Bulls (20-15): Chicago is doing exactly what it needs to until Derrick Rose can return from his knee injury. The Bulls are still defending well and controlling the paint, translating into recent wins over the Heat and Knicks.
14. Houston Rockets (21-17): Yet again, this Rockets team is another young team with offensive talent that is starting to really put everything together, as the Rockets are among the league’s best in scoring, rebounding, and passing. But one area of concern for Houston will be defense, with the Rockets allowing over 103 ppg to its opposition this season.
15. Boston Celtics (19-17): Boston has underachieved thus far, but its veteran core has the team playing some of its best basketball this year. The Celtics knocked off the Knicks lately and held the Rockets’ high-octane offense to only 91 in a victory on Friday.
16. Milwaukee Bucks (19-17): Milwaukee continues to hang around in the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture paced by the play of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, two black holes that are somehow co-existing.
17. Utah Jazz (20-19): Utah will likely end up in a group of three teams competing for the two final Western Conference playoff spots, with the Rockets and Trail Blazers. On the outside looking in for now, Utah will need to string together wins to vault higher in the standings—the Jazz have never been more than two games under .500, but no more than one game over thus far.
18. Toronto Raptors (14-23): Yes, a number of teams have a better record than Toronto, but the Raptors have found a groove of late and won six of their last 10 games. Toronto has shown its potential this season—potential that may not be reached until next season—by beating the Trail Blazers, playing the Thunder pretty closely, and putting together a five-game win streak lately with wins over tough Western Conference competition.
19. Detroit Pistons (14-24): Likewise, the Pistons have been underwhelming this season. But the Pistons have won seven of their past 10 and recently notched impressive wins against the Hawks, Bucks, and a 10-point win over the league’s title-favorite Miami Heat.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-17): Just when everything seemed to be in place for Minnesota to start playing very well, the Wolves got hit with the injury curse again—this time, Kevin Love went down for the second time this season with a hand injury that will require surgery and the league’s best rebounder to miss roughly two months of games.

Looking Bad

21. Philadelphia 76ers (16-22): After sitting at 12-12, the Sixers haven’t hit the .500-mark since. Philly has lost seven of its past 10, and the need for Andrew Bynum’s return—if it ever comes—becomes more pressing with each game. This, despite the best efforts of Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner who are both putting up career years with Holiday putting up 19 ppg and 9 apg and Turner at 14 ppg and 7 rpg.
22. Los Angeles Lakers (15-21): It seems rock bottom continues to bottom-out in Hollywood, as things continue to go from bad to worse to beyond for a team expected to contend for the O’Brien Trophy. With Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard hurt, plus sixth man Jordan Hill done for the season, the Lakers have lost six straight and still none can definitively say if the season will turn around.
23. Dallas Mavericks (15-23): Even with the return of Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs are still struggling losing eight of 11 since Nowitzki came back to the lineup. But Dallas looked like its old self Saturday night with a 21-point win over the Memphis Grizzlies, a possible vision of improvement the Mavs may be capable of.
24. New Orleans Hornets (11-26): The return of Eric Gordon to the lineup has the Hornets playing as the team many foresaw prior to the season, with additions of Ryan Anderson, Anthony Davis, and Austin Rivers. Since Gordon’s return on Dec. 29, New Orleans is 5-3 and strung together a four-game win streak before losing to New York Sunday.
25. Sacramento Kings (13-24): Sacramento has a wealth of scoring talent in DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans, and Marcus Thornton. But that is all for naught because the Kings cannot play defense, giving up 103 ppg—the Western Conference’s worst mark.
26. Phoenix Suns (13-26): Phoenix isn’t scoring well, and Phoenix isn’t defending well—a formula that will never lead to success. The Suns did however just pick up a solid win on the road against a very good Chicago Bulls team, which was victory No. 2000 for the franchise.

Looking Terrible

27. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-29): Cleveland will be without center Anderson Varejao—leading the league with 14 rpg—for the foreseeable future, and will leave the team with a huge void in the paint. On the bright side, Kyrie Irving is having a fantastic sophomore campaign, putting up 24 ppg and 6 apg.
28. Charlotte Bobcats (9-27): Not much else is new in Charlotte…the Cats did manage to get rid of that atrocious losing spell they had going earlier this year, but improvement has been marginal if at all. Charlotte has lost eight of its last 10 games, and rank last in the league in scoring defense, allowing nearly 104 ppg.
29. Washington Wizards (6-28): The Wizards aren’t particularly any better, but the return of John Wall should make them better despite the black hole he is on offense. And to be honest, the Wizards get a break from the cellar for a spell just because of how bad the Magic are playing.
30. Orlando Magic (13-23): Although they have won 13 games, the Magic are finally playing to the standard—or lack thereof—I expected to see after the Magic sent one of the league’s best players out of town in exchange for a bunch of average ones. No team has been worse than the Magic of late, who have won just once in their past 10 games.