NBA at the Break: Midterm Grades

The Bobcats have clearly gone backwards this season. Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor have regressed, and Sam Vincent hasn’t nurtured the ‘Cats the way Bernie Bickerstaff did. The trust, the confidence, and the effort aren’t there.

Chicago Bulls: F

The Bulls got tired of Scott Skiles’ fascist tendencies early in the season and quit on him when they started to lose. Ben Wallace is washed up, Ben Gordon thinks he’s a star but isn’t, Luol Deng’s been hurt, Kirk Hinrich’s been terrible, and the only players who play with any heart are Joe Smith, Tyus Thomas, Andres Nocioni, and Joakim Noah. It’s been a complete and total failure.

Cleveland Cavaliers: C-

It isn’t hard to expect that the Cavs would struggle with such an inept supporting cast. They still need a point guard, a creative wing scorer, and a more consistent power forward. Too often it’s been LeBron James against the world. Mike Brown can only do so much with his roster: namely get them to defend, rebound, and hope LeBron James is spectacular.

Dallas Mavericks: D+

The regular season is always a joke for Dallas. Their flaw is the collective fragility of their key players, the reason why they melt when an opponent turns up the pressure. They still lose focus often, and get flustered easily, forcing Avery Johnson to waste time outs to coddle his team, get them to take deep breathes, and convince them that the sky isn’t falling. They fancy themselves as championship contenders, but they don’t have the psyche to go the distance—Unless a proven Warrior like Jason Kidd provides Dallas with a much needed spine.

Denver Nuggets: B+

Carmelo Anthony’s growth, the time needed for Carmelo and Allen Iverson to mesh, and J.R. Smith’s improved three-point shooting have the Nuggets playing inspiring ball. The team’s penchant for one-on-one play and their lack of defensive toughness still spells an early playoff exit.

Detroit Pistons: B+

The commitment to defense is back (except for Antonio McDyess’ late rotations), and the offense has been opened up some with more and more screens for Rip Hamilton to run through. Will Flip Saunders revert back to one-on-one basketball when the playoffs start?

Golden State Warriors: A

For such a full throttle team, the Warriors are remarkably consistent. Baron Davis thrives and is unselfish as the team’s ringleader, and Monta Ellis’ electric early-offense drives to the hoop offset the punch lost when Jason Richardson was traded to Charlotte. Plus, Don Nelson has his Warriors playing with a swagger that intimidates weak-hearted opponents.

Houston Rockets: C+

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