Predicting Each Team's X-Factor After the NBA's All-Star Break

The first half of the 2011-12 NBA season seems as if it has just started, but the second half is approaching quicker than any of us had assumed it would. There are some early breakout stars that no one was expecting, but that should be expected of the NBA. Amazing things happen in the pros and the action is far from over.

There are some key players lurking around the league just waiting to conquer those who they have fallen to in the first half of the season. Some of their names you may know well, yet some of them may be as fresh as the sneakers they wear on their feet.

But without a doubt, scripts will flip in the second half of this NBA season, and there are still jaws left to drop.

Don't worry—these men will make that happen sooner than later. 

New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony

Every warm-blooded mammal on Earth is waiting for me to say that the rights and wrongs of coach Mike D’Antoni’s season rest on Jeremy Lin’s shoulders.

But to be completely honest, they do not. The New York Knicks are still focused primarily on Carmelo Anthony’s valleys and peaks. Lin's exuberance in the superstar’s absence has been great and quite unexpected.

No one thought after crash-coursing his way around the league and then crash-landing on his brother’s couch that Lin would be making quite the impact he has been. He scored 38 points against the LA Lakers at home, but against the Lakers nonetheless.

However, Anthony’s re-emergence on the hardwood will most definitely shift Lin’s scoring responsibilities. The scoring load will be heavily thrust upon 'Melo, as Lin’s primary involvement in games would be to rack up dimes and shovel out those hard passes to make sure Anthony gets the good looks.

The Knicks are not ready to give up on the blockbuster trade that could be, and that means exhausting the possibility of what Anthony can be. The spotlight is still his to lose. 

New Orleans Hornets: Trevor Ariza

The New Orleans Hornets were supposed to plunge into the depths of hardwood hell when Chris Paul left.

They fared pretty well in the trade that brought along Eric Gordon until he was hit with an injury. So far, everything predicted has gone according to plan. The Hornets sit at 6-23 with virtually no hopes of getting into the Western Conference playoffs and plenty of time in an early set offseason to get things moving in the right direction.

Recovery is going to be a long phase as every other franchise in the West is already on the up and up. However, to make things a little easier to swallow, Trevor Ariza could stand to chuck up a bit more offense as New Orleans could stand for him to be a bit more offensively stable. One thing that Ariza has that a lot of others players in the league do not is heart.

New Orleans should have been playing with a chip on its shoulder this season, but it seems as if every franchise in the league has its number. Ariza could add a stronger spark to the team even if it only comes in the form of synthetic motivation. It would make Nawlins fans a little lighter-hearted. For now, they still have the Saints!

Miami Heat: LeBron James

LeBron James is the key to anything Miami will be able to accomplish in the second half of the season and subsequently South Beach’s second trip to the postseason.

Of course the Miami Heat have been to the playoffs before in the franchise’s history, but not in the magnitude they have forged in the last two seasons. Last season was not supposed to happen but thanks to LBJ, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh’s immediate comeuppance in chemistry, the trio battled past the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls.

They were halted by Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks after a few colorful displays of immaturity in the media, but they accomplished something most fans thought they would not in their first season together. The blame rests on LeBron’s shoulders as his fourth-quarter performances were of little to no value and Wade was the front man in charge of guiding the Heat to another NBA Championship.

The biggest problem with that notion is that Wade is not meant for that right now. With LeBron in his corner, Wade understands that James needs to be the leader of this team for him to win another ring.

LeBron’s confidence jams his trigger finger and it will be up to his restored game plan, renewed shot selection and redefined post game to determine how far Miami goes or how short they're stopped. 

Milwaukee Bucks: Stephen Jackson

Stephen Jackson is in a head-to-head battle with Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles, and the murky waters do not seem to be heading towards filtered lands anytime soon.

A lot of times in the NBA, there is a disgruntled player who may be benched in the latter half of a game or may see his playing time gradually fall off. It is a part of the league’s circle of life.

The “what have you done for me lately?” mentality has grown to preposterous magnitudes, and what was good for the squad last week may not always be the best for the squad tonight. Jackson, already pouting coming into Milwaukee, has yet to change his tune about the team and his relationship with Coach Skiles only disintegrates the probability that Milwaukee will be his home team for much longer.

This is a problem. There is a space clearing on the Bucks bench, but as stated by SLAMonline, unloading Jackson is not going to be the easiest task. He would need to be included with a more explosive player—say, Brandon Jennings? Now do you see why he is the franchise’s X-factor?

Jackson needs to be cleared from Milwaukee’s roster. However, it remains frighteningly true that he would need to be coupled with a younger, vibrant player with x-amount of potential.

A deal with him could possibly change the genetic makeup of the team and launch them into an epic rebuilding phase. Jackson may not be Milwaukee’s most important player on the court, but he is beginning to become a player that can definitely change the game from the front office. 

Los Angeles Lakers: Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol has played well this season, which is of course a step up from the ridiculous way he ended last year’s postseason. Gasol has always been one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ most talented players, but the issues arrive when he does not always play like it.

The big man operates off emotion, which is a dead giveaway that something is not right internally when his hook shot is not the prettiest some nights or when his jumpers just will not fall. His professionalism has taken center stage as he was also a part of the Chris Paul trade that ultimately fell through with a brief swat by commissioner David Stern.

Lamar Odom has moved on to the Dallas Mavericks, while Gasol stayed behind to pick up the pieces of his bruised ego and a Lakers roster that took a swift kick to the behind. He has been an operative fraction of LA’s success, no matter how inconsistent it may seem as they battle for territorial claim from the rising Clippers.

However, with the March 15 trade deadline approaching quickly, Gasol may crack under the pressure. Constantly being looked at as a trade option can get to anyone, even someone with one of the most solid positions in the franchise.

He trails both Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum in front office importance. However, he is an integral part of coach Mike Brown’s illustrious game plan. It has yet to be perpetually figured out yet, but can only function during the building-block process with players like Gasol consistently dishing out offense and pulling down boards around the rim.

Gasol is extremely important to the Lakers’ success, and while he has looked great so far, who knows how long he can avoid these trade mind games?

Chicago Bulls: Luol Deng

The Bulls have fallen out of contention as the franchise with the best storyline in the league. Last season, they were well on their way to beating the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. This season, the biggest question lurking over Thibodeau and Co. is, “How many games might Derrick Rose play?”

The Bulls are creeping through the season with a bit of a San Antonio-esque feeling. They have only lost seven times, racking up 25 wins in the process and sit atop the league in assists, second in rebounds per game and third in points allowed.

But, as structured as the team seems, no one has them coming out of the Eastern Conference, and no one seems to be concerning themselves much with the Bulls. The most important man is just as perplexingly uninteresting.

Luol Deng is and always has been Chicago’s second in charge. Deng has been long overlooked as Rose’s second in command as analysts and fans have vied for a sharpshooter to take the weight of the scoring load off the league’s favorite point guard.

However, the small forward has been likely offense for Rose and the Bulls for far longer than fans are willing to recognize. Deng averaged 17.4 points per game last season along with only 1.9 turnovers per.

However, he may not have readily recognized his role as Chicago’s No. 2, as it seems Joakim Noah or the in-and-out performances of Carlos Boozer may have swiped that spot in conversation. Deng has staked claim to that position quietly and now that Rose has been out of the picture for an extended period of time, that fact can be spotted much more easily.

He is the key to the Bulls’ victories along with everything that made them so successful last season (defense, turnover ratio, speed, offense in transition). 

Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo spearheads the direction in which the Celtics should be headed, but unfortunately the organization’s standing amongst players like Ray Allen and Paul Pierce will be readily recognized instead.

Rondo is one of the best point guards in the league for more than a single reason, but primarily because he makes those around him more efficient.

Good point guards include even their most worn and torn teammates, which is what Rondo has become gradually successful at. But, in Danny Ainge fashion, the Celtics cannot seem to see the forest for the trees. Rondo has taken over the Boston franchise, whether century-old leaders Pierce and Allen want to accept his emergence or not.

The PG’s position on the team should have been made solid early on when the team’s failures and accomplishments seemed to rest on his shoulders. Yet, it seems as if Boston’s executives and fans are waiting for Pierce’s last miraculous stand.

Dealing Rondo would be another huge mistake in light of attempting to keep Boston’s Big Three afloat, and would only deal another humongous blow to their title aspirations. Rondo should not be on the trade block, but with his presence or absence, Boston will come to see how valuable he was.

Hopefully, they do not realize his contributions as he is prospering with another squad.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook

Are you done now? Have you wiped those crying eyes because the NBA’s proverbial song of everything Michael Jordan stood for with the exception of a bald head did not make it to the NBA Finals? Is your heart back in one piece, stitched up by high-scoring games and high-flying dunks over Kevin Durant’s opponents?

Good.

Now it is time to crush your dreams again and relay the message that the Thunder’s greatest echelon of success does not lie primarily in his hands. Durant is the Batman of the OKC Thunder. He knows it, coach Scott Brooks knows and Russell Westbrook’s ego got a cool, elephant-sized dose of it last season on the court and in the media.

OKC’s Western Conference finals failure was ultimately attributed to his lack of point guard-ishness. Therefore, it only makes matters equally ridiculous that Westbrook be credited with their victories. Brooks’ system rises and falls on the accomplishments of Westbrook’s position, and more than often the Thunder benefit heavily from the 40-point games that the young and still-budding guard is capable of.

If he were not able to establish a greater-than-heaven relationship with Durant on the court, he would have become a cancer to the franchise and everything that his potential has slated him to be.

The Thunder need Westbrook at his greatest, which includes his superstar ceiling, his speed, his athleticism, his agility and everything else that makes him significant to the change of championship tide in the Western Conference. Durant shines bright in such a small-market organization, but Westbrook fuels the Thunder’s train just as much.

Let’s see how life turns out when both are adequately functioning. 

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

Monta Ellis deserves an All-Star nod? In what association? The National Basketball Association and its fans elect the most deserving, and somewhat celebrity-like, players of the league to participate, and Ellis is not one of those men, unfortunately.

Maybe next year with the improvement of his efficiency, he can be born again in the All-Star Weekend spotlight. But for now, it is most important that Golden State’s fans are concerned with Stephen Curry’s emergence in the season’s second half.

As one of the most hot-and-cold young players in the league, there is no longer a safe bet when it comes to the Warriors’ promising guard. With an injury that can strike again at any moment, Curry has enough talent for 10 men, but obviously not enough structure in his game to exhaust it all.

He can score 36 points in an eight-point win against the Denver Nuggets and only score eight several days later in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Ellis’ outrageous scoring average allows Golden State to consistently be in contention, but the franchise still needs the combined backcourt to make big things happen.

The Warriors will not make the playoffs this season. It may be a preemptive strike to the hearts of their fans, but a 12-17 record does not instill much confidence in a squad that still needs a redefined effort from one of its perpetuated stars. Curry is Golden State’s key to almost greatness.

Without him, they’re just a flashy, high-volume offense with not much to show in the win column. 

Minnesota Timberwolves: Michael Beasley

Michael Beasley’s future with the Minnesota Timberwolves in up in the air right now. Not up in the air as in no one knows if he will finish his career off under Rick Adelman; Beasley will most likely stray away from Minneosta’s murky waters sooner than later.

The only toss-up comes in the fashion of whether he will be traded or if he will make a grand exit via free agency. Beasley is not exactly turning heads as Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love have this season, and the Timberwolves’ rebuilding period is absolutely perfect for a decision to be made.

Either fix his fraction of production on the team or ship him out and bring in a more fitting puzzle piece. Minnesota will most likely head in the direction of releasing the somewhat troubled young player. This is one of those occurrences where the player will not affect how the team functions as much as the decision made on his behalf would.

He is an easy piece to move with youth and raw talent firmly positioned on his side. Beasley has a home in the league; it just does not seem as if it is with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

A move could change the game in either direction for Minnesota, so their front office may want to make sure their next move is their best move. With the postseason being wide open, especially in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves could do more harm than good at such a critical time in a shortened season. 

New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez is back. For a while he was simply mentioned as an involved player in the many trade talks circulating the league regarding the league’s most honest and true center, Dwight Howard. If he had been healthier in the first half of the season, a trade with the Orlando Magic for Howard may have been a bit more likely.

Now, the Nets are just stuck with Deron Williams and a recovering Lopez who adds the dimension of size, strength and inside presence they have been missing. Allow Nets fans to dry their tears with a higher win percentage. Williams is arguably the second-best point guard in the league (many would argue he is No. 1).

But, no one can deny that without Lopez to run those pick-and-rolls with, Williams lost a certain dynamic that made the Nets slightly underrated. With him back in the lineup, as rusty as he may have seemed, Lopez is going to create opportunities for the Nets at the free-throw line and slightly mid-range that will push the Nets over a few teams that they have fallen to in the past.

Lopez needs to give his all to assist the Nets in reaching their utmost potential in New Jersey. The Nets’ chances of keeping Williams depend on it.

Toronto Raptors: Andrea Bargnani

The Toronto Raptors have become a mass non-factor, even more so than the Detroit Pistons on my long list of the inevitably blacklisted.

Even with the promise that a player such as DeMar DeRozan shows, the Raptors have managed to slide so far down the power rankings that only a major rebuild could reconstruct the franchise. Andrea Bargnani may or may not be a long-term player in that equation, but his return after the All-Star break will only push Toronto in the right direction.

No one knows a defined moment in the schedule when Bargnani will come back, but his return before the All-Star break is 100 percent ruled out. Granted, with Flipper (as Toronto’s head coach Dwane Casey calls him) in the game, there was not much of a jilt in the win column.

The probability of the Raptors making some amazing comeback without him is even less likely. With his return, the most the Raptors will opt to do is adequately evaluate everyone’s role on the roster.

Things have to change in Toronto and while flopping for the duration of the season may land them a lottery pick in the 2012 NBA draft, it will not say enough about the men already in place. Bringing a superstar rookie in is only as good as the pieces around him will allow him to be.

Right now those pieces look rugged and unsuccessful at best. 

Philadelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most underrated teams in the league, but nothing they have accomplished thus far merits anything else. For fans and analysts to rant and rave about the squad, there is one vital piece of the equation that is missing.

Maturity.

The main criticism about the 76ers is that while they have the high-octane conditioning and shooting ability to be great, the team still lacks the experience to contend in seven-game series against franchises like the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls and even the New York Knicks.

The biggest player in the insecurities the Sixers must scrap before the postseason arrives is Jrue Holiday. Everyone had been ranting and raving about the young point guard last season. What wasn’t to love?

Given that he is only 21 years old and has only been in the league for three short seasons, Holiday’s grind is through the roof. His size and strength add something different to the position, and his ability to score used to be a tick in Philly’s pro column.

Now, not so much. Holiday has become sort of a liability for the Sixers as his turnovers, and his epically bad decision-making create more opportunities for his opposition than they should. There is no doubt that he needs to step up as a major component of the Sixers offense that attempted to push Miami deeper into a first-round series in last season’s playoffs. It is time to put up or shut up.

The Philadelphia 76ers sit at No. 1 in the league in fewest points allowed and with added offense and better play from Holiday could be one of the most competitive underdogs in the postseason. They need him to wake up and realize it before it is far too late. 

Dallas Mavericks: Lamar Odom

The returning NBA champions looked fat and spoiled at the beginning of the season. With new recruits such as Lamar Odom and Delonte West, the Mavericks were not necessarily preparing for a repeat, but they were installing a gradual plan for the long-term.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was attempting to set his organization up for greatness that would extend far past tomorrow with the NBA Championship trophy well nestled under his bosom. It is no time for excuses, however. That seems to be all that is surrounding Lamar Odom’s brief stint with Dallas.

As of late, the most Odom has been known for is his taping of the now-infamous E! reality show "Khloe and Lamar" that follows around the not-too-newlyweds through their daily lives as they pounce on the subject of fertility and broken sex swings (see season premiere).

Odom is less and less a matter that NBA analysts discuss, unless it is in regards to how much of a slump he has been in since he was traded from Lakerville and landed in Dallas. A change of scenery may simply plague a player for a moment or two, but the strong ones survive.

Just watch J.R. Smith. With zero practices before hopping into a New York Knicks game beside media sensation Jeremy Lin, Smith looked and seemed to feel as if he was at home. Odom has been participating in countless practice sessions and games with the Dallas teammates.

The second portion of the season will need to either include guaranteed improvement from the emotional wreck he has become, or an instantaneous removal. Odom is playing for his livelihood; maybe soon enough his talents will echo that. 

Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

The Washington Wizards have to be the greatest compilation of nothingness the league has ever seen. Names such as Nick Young, John Wall, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee may spark inspiration individually. However, collectively, these men are merely speed bumps on the road to the playoffs for any team they come across.

The Wizards were supposed to show some variation of improvement coming into the 2011 season. Hell—any young team with a barrel of talent was supposed to show greater lapses of judgment as they battled against teams who may have had more experience, but are plagued with pesky laws of nature like age and injury.

A miscue on a play that sent McGee gliding down the hardwood to an empty opposite side of the court symbolizes his and his teammates’ season. Riddled with confusion, no one knows if McGee should be the big-man option in Washington.

Where he would land is also quite perplexing, but the elephant in the room that this is not where he belongs continues to rear its ugly head at the most inopportune moments. McGee is a raw talent in the league, but that next level that everyone expects the young player to hit has yet to be recognized.

Firing Flip Saunders was a move that had to be made because blaming it on the coach is just not an option anymore. The makeup of this roster is a no-go, and now the franchise’s front office can focus on the issue at hand.

McGee should be one of the first players evaluated for removal unless he emerges in the second half of the season as one of the team’s most stable talents. Good luck with that one!

Phoenix Suns: Shannon Brown

The stunning, yet somehow ragingly obvious move Shannon Brown made to the Phoenix Suns was slated to produce another avenue of scoring for Phoenix.

A certain factor of excitement was definitely arriving with the under-30 former Los Angeles Lakers player who leapt over Jason Richardson at one point in his career in purple and gold. Brown’s journey to the LA Lakers’ team includes a stint in the D-league and ended briefly after a sham of a series against the Dallas Mavericks.

Brown’s exit from LA may have had everything to do with a renewed role in a seemingly more solid franchise. It could have concerned Mike Brown taking over Phil Jackson’s spot at the head coach position or maybe he saw a storm brewing in LA that we still cannot fathom.

Either way, Brown has yet to reach the height that everyone believes he can. Not to say that he should be designated a starting spot immediately. Still, he can make strides towards improving that fleeting jump shot of his to make his game a little less video-game-stricken.

Brown should come into the second half of the season with a desire to be everything that Phoenix needs from him and 10 times more. He has the hops to leap over basketball gods that do not believe in him. Brown must restore the faith in him and prove that he is worth the rave. 

Denver Nuggets: Danilo Gallinari

There is somewhat of a clear-out happening with the Denver Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony is now serving with the New York Knicks, and J.R. Smith has hopped along in Anthony’s footsteps. Before a season-ending injury while playing for the LA Clippers, veteran guard Chauncey Billups played for coach Mike D’Antoni for a basketball minute.

Kenyon Martin is sounding off about the ridiculous nature of his former coach George Karl’s comments pertaining Anthony’s exit from the Nuggets as well. Four of the key players that made Karl’s season so interesting last year are prevailing or simply ailing, elsewhere.

Danilo Gallinari, after his return to the squad post-All-Star break, must become that guy for the Denver Nuggets. There are other players on the team that some fans may believe should be considered for the X-factor position, but they would just so happen to be frightfully wrong in this line of questioning.

Gallinari leads the team in scoring but has yet to show the dog instinct the squad needs when it comes to those fourth-quarter surges and confidence boosters. There is no superstar on this roster, but Denver could survive a deep run in the postseason with sheer will, courage and a man willing to put it all on the line to come out on top.

Gallinari’s shaky performances early on may force Coach Karl to shy away from him being the team’s No. 1 option, but the young player can get the job done. Consistency is the key and a toss into the lion's den is just the trick to get his juice flowing in the direction of the 2012 NBA playoffs.

The Nuggets’ record without Gallinari is a solid sub-.500. Enough said.  

Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge

A neglected should-have-been All-Star last season, LaMarcus Aldridge aka “L.A.” is Portland’s game-changer. Sure, Gerald Wallace is a defensive-minded player that seemingly stunned the offensive game plans of a lot of teams last season after his trade from the Michael Jordan-owned Charlotte Bobcats.

Nicolas Batum is spreading his wings as far and wide as his organization allows him to. Wesley Matthews is a budding Portland star with an eye for a three like nobody’s business.

However, Aldridge is the defined leader of the team and will remain that way until he is removed. Regardless of all of the things that could have overshadowed Aldridge’s leadership last season, including Greg Oden’s lack of a career due to injury and Brandon Roy’s eventful emergence in the playoffs, L.A. still shone amongst drama.

This season is proving to be one of his most productive, averaging 22.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game on 51 percent field-goal shooting. That alone not only propels him into the higher echelon of his team, but in a heightened percentage of the league.

Portland is at risk of wasting away at the core or the lack thereof. Aldridge is great statistically, but two things that cannot be recorded by numbers are heart and drive—the will to succeed even in the absence of possibility.

The Trail Blazers do not have an identity and a sprout of energy and heart from Aldridge could put them right where they need to be—in the winner’s chair more often than the loser’s.  

Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors

The Jazz do not have a guard and it is as simple as that. But even more disturbing about the distribution of playing time during Utah’s games is that neither Enes Kanter nor Derrick Favors can get a steady flow of playing time.

Favors’ lack of game time is more troubling than Kanter’s. Favors is one of those players that seemingly deserves a nod from his coach on the court, but may never get it. The inconsistency of minutes he has played has yet to falter and some might blame his lack of maturity for how his coach is assessing how much he is utilized.

Being fined $25,000 for launching a ball into the stands may not have been the smartest way to contest an offensive foul, but as a second-year player showing frustration, it is better than launching it at an official. Both Favors and Kanter have become demonstrative reserve players to back up Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson when that dynamic duo needs a breather.

The simple fact that Favors is learning how to construct his game around Kanter’s shows that he deserves a deeper role in Utah’s paint strategy. The young star can only emerge in the second half of the season if his coach allows him to; that has yet to be seen. 

Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith

The Atlanta Hawks quietly traipsed through December and January with a winning record and have only gained much media attention due to the upcoming trade deadline (March 15) and Atlanta’s more-than-shaky season in February.

With their February record dawning on 3-7, the trade rumors have begun swirling. Josh Smith’s irregularities are in direct correlation with Atlanta’s shortcomings, and it is widely speculated that while Joe Johnson is the one in the franchise with a monster contract, Smith’s value has exceeded Johnson’s by a mile or two.

The possibility of a trade for Smith would do wonders for the morale of any team he lands on, but would leave Atlanta with absolutely zero passion. The Atlanta Hawks are often looked at as bland. With the exception of Jeff Teague and Smith, the players on the Atlanta squad seem meek and mild-mannered more times than not.

Smith is that fraction of anger, power, dominance and ferocity that Atlanta needs to feed off of more often than allowing trade rumors to swirl around their most valuable player’s head. 

Charlotte Bobcats: Kemba Walker

Michael Jordan is known as the G.O.A.T; he is the greatest player of all time. No player is placed in the same conversation, unless your name rhymes with Kobe Bryant, without being humiliated and laughed at by all walks of life.

However, the piss-poor job he is doing with the Charlotte Bobcats makes his hardwood taunts at lesser opponents seem like Aesop’s Fables and Powerpuff Girls’ rhetoric.

The addition of Kemba Walker was supposed to be game-changer and while a tightly played game against the Miami Heat in their first meeting of a regular-season series showed promise, Charlotte’s 4-27 record speaks volumes to the tune of change.

Nothing will be able to change the course of Charlotte’s season short of a miracle, but Walker will be the highlight of a Bobcats fan’s dream in the second half of the season. His slow start, as he developed into an actual NBA guard, is long gone and after recording his first career triple-double, so are the excuses.

Sculpting Walker into a more league-ready guard was one of Paul Silas’ top priorities, and although there are still some flaws in Kemba’s game, he is well on his way to leading a fine group of men through Charlotte to the NBA playoffs.

Just not specifically this group of men. 

Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

Chris Paul is the greatest player in a Los Angeles Clippers jersey. That is undisputed, and if you think anything different, then you should have your head checked. Blake Griffin is an exceptional athlete but has a ways to go before he is as well-versed as a basketball player as CP3 is.

With that said, Griffin is the Clippers’ X-factor when all is said and done. Paul is going to give you the extreme capabilities of a competitor night in and night out. Despite a blown late-game opportunity against the San Antonio Spurs, Paul is still the Clippers’ No. 1 option, unless Griffin or DeAndre Jordan is carefully placed or ferociously battling right under the rim.

In that event, the decision is mindless: Get them the ball and watch magic happen. But, Griffin has another developing fraction of his game that needs to be practiced and exposed.

Griffin’s mid-range game is not evaluated as much because the kid is a human highlight reel. Everything about him screams “commercial” and “SportsCenter Top 10,” while everything about his game hollers, “I’ll always be on the brink but never on that next level.”

If Griffin wants to make the transition that his team needs him to make in order for the Clippers franchise to become an actual threat in such a contest as the Western Conference finals and one day the NBA Finals, he needs to expose the jumper in his game that would allow him to spread defenses.

His stutter step could use a lot of work on his way to the rim, but his jumper is almost intolerable. He could do so much better, and if he forces himself to function further away from the basket than he does currently, Griffin could open doors for the Clippers that no one thought would be so immediately possible. 

Sacramento Kings: Isaiah Thomas

The Kins may still be moving to Anaheim. J.J. Hickson hates it there and is most likely on his way out. DeMarcus Cousins is a spoiled brat with a ceiling of potential that is almost disgusting coupled with his whiny personality.

But, there seems to be another headline brewing in Kings territory, currently Sacramento, that no one saw coming. Isaiah Thomas is the rookie making a splash with the team instead of the almighty Jimmer Fredette.

Although performing with stability in the event of Sacramento’s losses, Thomas is making a late case as Rookie of the Year with a team everyone counted out far before he was counted in. Against fellow rookie Kyrie Irivng, Thomas shined immensely while throwing Irving off of his game.

Who knew that was possible? No one at the collegiate level could ever rattle the famed freshman Blue Devil. Guess things change mightily when it comes to the big leagues.

Thomas is Sacramento’s game-changer because he plays with a chip on his shoulder ever night. Along with the fact that he is usually the deemed the “little guy," Thomas was the last man selected with the 60th pick in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft. I guess you could call him the NBA’s Mr. Irrelevant. Well, maybe not so much anymore. 

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving

Speaking of Cleveland’s proposed savior...

What has been lost in the bevy of articles written to report a “probable” LeBron James return to Cleveland is that Cavaliers fans have apparently moved on.

Who have they moved on with, you ask? With a young man named Kyrie Irving that made an early exit from coach Mike Krzyzewski’s illustrious basketball program, that’s who. Irving is everything Cleveland needed to begin licking their “The Decision” wounds and actually focusing on life after Bron Bron.

Irving hopped into the NBA with one thing on his mind and has not been riddled with the legacy of what once was within the Cavaliers organization. The rookie is not all Dan Gilbert needs, but he is one hell of a centerpiece.

Irving is so effective in all facets of the game that he has been placed in a shooting guard position beside Ramon Sessions that seems to be producing well on a consistent basis. He is one of the few rookies in the league, present-day, whose talents automatically translated professionally and the Cleveland franchise should be gawking at what they have done and what a great decision they made in the 2011 NBA draft.

It was inevitable that Irving would be good.

But who knew it was going to be right away?

Indiana Pacers: Darren Collison

If J.R. Smith was a factor in Indiana, then he would have been the team’s X-factor. But signing with the New York Knicks put those rumors to rest, so it will not be that easy to figure out which young player on such a young team will be crowned the difference-maker for the second half of the season.

The Indiana Pacers are going through a spurt of ill sorts right now. The only player that can skid out of the fast lane to nothingness is Darren Collison. Previous sightseeing of the guard as well as future expectations have led me to believe that with the return of George Hill, Collison will push himself to new levels.

With the threat of losing minutes hovering over the second half of the season, Collison will be faced with few options and only one that coincides with the ultimate goal of a professional basketball player—that one option is to suck up the losses, evaluate and redeem.

Collison has earned his position in Indiana’s starting lineup and with more polishing will be just the man the Pacers need. Unfortunately, this age of the NBA requires a quickened sense of growth.

There is no time for him to reflect on everything he has done wrong, what his teammates have yet to conquer or even how many minutes Hill may swipe from him. Collison has to come out of the gate swinging with a low propensity to miss. 

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard operates in a strange fashion—at least that is what I’ve come to notice. While loving to be loved, Howard continues to parade himself in the media as a prize to be won.

With the continuous mention of who he would appreciate playing for and how his teammates just are not doing their jobs, Howard has all but forged his ticket out of Orlando like a superstar big man before him (Shaquille O'Neal). GM Otis Smith is not looking to move Howard anytime soon, not seeming too rattled by Howard’s demands.

But, he would be an idiot not to take heed and make quality moves before they lose their cash cow for nothing at all. Still, even with a probable trade or free-agency departure out of Orlando, Howard remains their most important player at any moment in the season.

A talent that grand is inexplicably influential regardless of the status or color of his jersey. His size and power around the rim, which force immediate hacks from defenders, have become more and more effective—for the opposition.

Howard’s poor free-throw shooting has become even more abysmal as he tallied a record high in free throws attempted (39), yet only connected with 21, missing 18. Regardless of his foul-line woes, Howard is one of the most important figures in the league, let alone in his franchise. 

San Antonio Spurs: Manu Ginobili

Tony Parker is making a strong case for MVP. As everyone says, it is quite early to make the decision so brashly, but Parker leaves no choice. He is performing as if he did not say that the Spurs did not have a chance to win big previously and negating all claims that he will decline with age. If anything, he has gotten better.

But, Manu Ginobili is the wild card that changes the game instantly when he is on the floor. The Spurs did not make it past the Memphis Grizzlies last season, but credit should be given to the Grizzlies for what they were able to accomplish without Rudy Gay and to Ginobili for what he was able to do injured.

Not playing at 100 percent, Ginobili became the notable Spurs player last postseason as he showed why the organization still turns to him when the season is on the line. Both Tim Duncan and Parker are cornerstones in the franchise, and that will never be forgotten.

But Ginobili is that beast that is cut from a different cloth—the dirty player that is not afraid to wrestle on the ground to force a jump ball on what may have been an easy score on the other end. The loss of him is a headline, as is the gain.

Without him, the Spurs are damned in the playoffs and with him they have a fighting chance at one last hurrah before the holy trinity is dismantled by age, the arrival of new components and/or coach Gregg Popovich’s game plan. 

Houston Rockets: Kyle Lowry

Kyle Lowry. Who? Kyle Lowry! Oh, that kid.

No one surmised that we would be here making a statement about Houston’s season being credited to him.

At least he is responsible for a lot of the good parts. Lowry has jumped in head first and has improved in all portions of his game. His shooting percentage could use a spike, but Lowry is well on his way to being a landmark Rockets player. The Rockets lacks relevance, and deservedly so, because they are extremely uneventful at times.

There is nothing flashy about the team, nor is there anything explosive about the way they play. But Lowry is giving the fans something to look forward to. Houston collapses during key moments in games to only let them slip away and become losses, which must be firmly corrected.

Still, the potential Lowry has to continue to improve over time is of infinite importance to the future of the Rockets organization. This is his year and everyone should expect him to finish the season out playing as if he matters. Why? Because he finally does. 

Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Randolph

Did anyone happen to catch Zach Randolph in the 2011 NBA playoffs against the No. 1-seeded San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder?

If you missed it, then you missed a hell of a display by a hell of a player. Randolph broke out in a major way, in the absence of Memphis’ most interesting man in the world, Rudy Gay.

With added assistance from O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, Randolph put his signature on the Western Conference playoffs and became a household name almost instantly. The big man has been out of action for several weeks now, and the Grizzlies have missed him severely.

His predicted return is soon after the All-Star Game, but nothing has yet to be set in stone. There is constant progression, but basketball always leaves the door open for shocking possibilities.

Although the date is not solid, whenever Randolph returns it will be a day Gasol praises the basketball gods for bringing back his partner in crime. Forcing Marreese Speights to take his place is embarrassing and only served as a Hello Kitty Band-Aid to a third-degree burn.

Memphis wants to return to glory or whatever they were feeling that was close enough to it. They need Randolph to do it. 

Detroit Pistons: Brandon Knight

Brandon Knight is Detroit at this moment. His entrance was not the most vibrant. He did not appear ecstatic to step into such a troubled franchise, but he has made lemonade out of the sour, rotten lemons he was dealt in the 2011 NBA draft.

Knight brings along that dog instinct that everyone criticizes some of the league’s finest for not having, but it should not come as a surprise. As a member of the University of Kentucky’s starting lineup, Knight, as a freshman, was never afraid of the big moment.

It may have taken him a moment or two to find his rhythm in the pros, but it has become painfully obvious that he is an integral part of Detroit’s offensive scheme. Rodney Stuckey’s return was widely publicized as his battled in the boardroom for a decent extension spilled over into training camp.

But, it is becoming more apparent that Knight will be more important to Motown’s famed, yet dissipating basket all franchise in the future. Knight is a dual guard that can push the tempo in transition, turn into a spot up jumper or, if necessary, manipulate through defenders for a closer and cleaner shot. His decision-making skills will come with time and experience.

Don’t worry Detroit. You’ll have your star soon enough.

Follow Joye Pruitt on Twitter @JoyetheWar