Breaking Down the NBA: What We Have Learned About Every Team Thus Far
With every team having played at least three games thus far, I think it's safe to say that one can have a general idea about how each and every squad in the NBA is going to shape up this season. With that said, let's break down all 30.
NOTE: This is based on all games that ended by 7 PM ET on December 31st.
Atlanta Hawks (3-0) - Yes, they're undefeated, but their three wins have come over the lowly Nets (twice) and the Wizards. That said, you've gotta love the way young point guard Jeff Teague is playing. The kid is going to be good.
Boston Celtics (1-3) - Had Paul Pierce been healthy, Boston probably would have beaten New York and Miami and would be sitting at 3-1 right now. The newly signed Mickael Pietrus should also provide them with a nice option off the bench. Don't worry: the Celtics will be fine.
Charlotte Bobcats (1-2) - They won by one over Milwaukee, lost by one to Miami, and then got blown out by Orlando. There really isn't much to look forward to in Charlotte this season other than the progress of youngsters like Kemba Walker anyway, though.
Chicago Bulls (3-1) - Plain and simply, they look good. They already own two very quality wins over the likes of both of the Los Angeles teams, and, to no one's surprise, Derrick Rose is killing it. It's going to be very interesting to see if the Bulls are ready to take that next step.
Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2) - Maybe Cleveland isn't doomed. The Cavaliers have actually looked pretty solid through their first three games, with number one pick Kyrie Irving dropping 20 points in the team's most recent loss to Indiana. Also, is Ramon Sessions ever going to truly get a chance to shine? The kid clearly has extraordinary talent, but now he's stuck behind Irving.
Dallas Mavericks (1-3) - After two ugly (and I can't emphasize that word enough) losses against the Heat and Nuggets to start the season, the defending champion Mavericks lost a heartbreaker to Oklahoma City and then beat Toronto for their first win of the year. Dallas is clearly going through an adjustment period with all of the roster changes. My gut tells me they'll be fine, but they will certainly miss Tyson Chandler.
Denver Nuggets (2-2) - Somewhat surprisingly, Denver has looked very impressive, blowing out Dallas and Utah and nearly beating the Lakers in Los Angeles. As many expected, Ty Lawson appears ready to bust out. I'm not sure if the Nuggets can keep this up, but there is certainly talent here.
Detroit Pistons (0-3) - One of three remaining winless teams in the league (the other two being Washington and Minnesota) and falling by double-digits in each of their three losses, the Pistons have all sorts of problems. I fully expected Austin Daye to break out this season, but he posted doughnuts in the scoring column in the team's first two games. Obviously, though, it's still very early. As far as the organization as a whole goes, is there really a direction here?
Golden State Warriors (2-1) - They have two very nice wins over Chicago and the Knicks, and the newly acquired Brandon Rush is giving them some very valuable minutes. If only Andris Biedrins can regain his pre-2010 form.
Houston Rockets (1-2) - How about the play of Kyle Lowry? The 25-year-old point guard is averaging 17 points, 9.3 assists, and 6.3 rebounds through his first three games. Don't sleep on the Rockets. I'm not saying they'll make the playoffs this year, but there is talent here for the future.
Indiana Pacers (3-0) - I love this team, and frankly, you had to be out of your mind if you didn't think this team had an extremely bright future coming into last season. The Pacers are absolutely loaded with young talent, and with the addition of David West up front, they are ready to make noise in the playoffs now. Look for breakout years from Darren Collison and Paul George in particular.
Los Angeles Clippers (1-2) - After a big win over Golden State to kick things off, the Clippers proceeded to get torched by San Antonio and Chicago. That said, you've gotta give these guys time to become acclimated to one another, as this is a very different team than it was last season. Oh, and with Blake Griffin's athleticism, you would think he should have been able to muster up at least one block at some point through the first three contests. The kid is an unbelievable talent and will challenge for the MVP award for years to come, but his defense needs work.
Los Angeles Lakers (3-2) - The Lakers played back-to-back-to-back (yikes) games to start the season, losing to Chicago and Sacramento and annihilating the Jazz. They then followed their win over Utah up by beating the Knicks two days later, and on Saturday, they topped Denver. Most importantly, it doesn't appear that the torn ligament in Kobe Bryant's wrist is providing any ill effects thus far, as Bryant is averaging just a shade under 26 points per game.
Memphis Grizzlies (1-2) - The Grizzlies picked up their first win on Friday night, thumping the Rockets by 20. Also, how about Rudy Gay filling up the stat sheet through Memphis' first three games? The lanky forward is averaging a double-double. I'm not saying he is going to do that all season, but it's still worth noting.
Miami Heat (4-0) - Yes, they're 4-0, but they beat Minnesota and Charlotte by the skin of their teeth and had to hang on for dear life to beat a Pierce-less Celtic squad. They're obviously one of the frontrunners for a title, but let's not jump on the "guaranteed championship" bandwagon just yet. I still say they need more inside.
Milwaukee Bucks (2-1) - Brandon Jennings has been playing very well, averaging just over 22 points a night while shooting the ball at a 46 percent clip. The field goal percentage statistic has been a huge problem for him in his first two seasons (he shot 37.1 percent his rookie year and 39 percent last season). Maybe this is the year he corrects that.
Minnesota Timberwolves (0-3) - Yes, they're winless, but they put up a heck of a fight against Miami on Friday night, and Ricky Rubio, to my surprise, is playing some very good basketball. What I'm most interested in, though, is the progression of rookie forward Derrick Williams.
New Jersey Nets (1-3) - Their lone win came against one of the only winless teams in the league (Washington). Other than that, the Nets have been pretty putrid, getting smacked by 36 against Atlanta, losing to Orlando by 16, and then falling to the Hawks again. To make things worse for the Nets, Brook Lopez's injury makes it that much harder for them to deal for Dwight Howard. How must it feel to be in that front office right now with Deron Williams' free agency looming?
New Orleans Hornets (2-1) - There really isn't much to say about this team other than the fact that they're 2-1. After hitting the game-winning shot against Phoenix in the opener, Eric Gordon has missed the last two games due to a bruised knee. I'm just waiting for Al-Farouq Aminu to start doing something with the small amount of minutes he has been getting.
New York Knicks (1-2) - Even with the aforementioned Chandler now in the fold, it's blatantly obvious that this Knick team still has issues defensively, and that is perhaps something that will always be prevalent as long as Mike D'Antoni is the head coach. Amar'e Stoudemire (who just sprained his ankle) doesn't look too comfortable, either, but I'm sure he needs some time to adjust to now sharing the frontcourt with Chandler.
Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0) - Despite more friction between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (and an awful start by Westbrook to boot), the Thunder still boast an undefeated record. You have to wonder this, though: does the obvious beef between the team's two stars start to negatively affect the team, or will Durant and Westbrook simply "respect" one another on the court like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe did during the Laker three-peat?
Orlando Magic (3-1) - All of the "I want out" talk hasn't stopped Howard from dominating, as Dwight is coming off back-to-back 24-rebound performances and is averaging 17 points and 17.5 boards through Orlando's first four games. The Magic haven't really beaten anyone of significance yet, but as long as Howard is there, this team will approach 50 wins.
Philadelphia 76ers (1-2) - You've gotta be impressed with what Spencer Hawes is doing thus far, averaging 11.3 points and 12.7 boards per game while shooting 64 percent from the floor. He is a legitimate double-double candidate night in and night out. Also, Jrue Holiday is a star in the making.
Phoenix Suns (1-2) - After the outstanding run they had in the Stoudemire years, the Suns have essentially fallen into obscurity. It will be interesting to see if the newly-signed Michael Redd can resurrect his career here, though, as Phoenix's system is perfect for his style of play. You know what else will be intriguing? Whether or not the Suns try to trade Steve Nash.
Portland Trail Blazers (3-0) - You can't help but be extremely happy for LaMarcus Aldridge. After having a procedure performed on his heart in the offseason, Aldridge has bounced back very nicely, averaging just under 21 points per game in his first three contests. Portland will undoubtedly be a very fun team to watch in 2012.
Sacramento Kings (1-2) - There is so much talent here. They are like the Western Conference's version of the Pacers with young talent galore. And really, imagine where the Hornets would be right now if they had kept Collison instead of trading him to Indiana and if they had kept Marcus Thornton instead of trading him to Sacramento? Thornton has the ability to develop into one of the league's most prolific scorers. I don't know what in the world New Orleans was thinking when they dealt him for Carl Landry. It's not like he didn't display his offensive prowess there.
San Antonio Spurs (2-1) - The Spurs are the Spurs. They will likely finish with one of the league's best records, but come playoff time, they will prove too old to advance very far. To show how far Tim Duncan has fallen, he is shooting only 35.7 percent from the floor thus far and is coming off a four-point, one-rebound performance. Duncan is all but gone. It's sad.
Toronto Raptors (1-2) - Toronto certainly has an interesting young core with the likes of Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, and players such as Jerryd Bayless, Ed Davis, and Amir Johnson. Bargnani and DeRozan have already shown what they can do. Can the other youngsters step up?
Utah Jazz (1-2) - This is an exciting team to watch, but what is most appealing about Utah is the potential of its frontline, which consists of Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter. That could very well end up being the deepest frontcourt in basketball. The Jazz are oozing with talent. No one is going to want to play this team.
Washington Wizards (0-3) - And that brings us to the Wizards. Don't get me wrong: there is an ample amount of potential on this team with the likes of John Wall, JaVale McGee, and Nick Young, but Washington just can't seem to put anything together. Speaking of Wall, he needs to work on taking better quality shots. After shooting 40.7 percent from the floor last season, the second-year point guard out of Kentucky is shooting the ball at a 27 percent clip through three games this year.
