Around the NBA: Eastern Conference Midseason Report
A week before the NBA All-Star break and you know what that means.
Time for the Semi-Annual-Still Looking For a Sponsor and Free Tickets to the Knicks- NBA Midseason Breakdown.
It’s been a year since the last edition of this column and although many things around the league have changed, many have stayed the same.
Kevin Durant is still not getting his due, Carmelo Anthony still wants out of Denver Nuggets (then he doesn’t, then he does again), the Boston Celtics are still really, really old and really, really good and Jerry Sloan remains a fixture behind the bench in Utah…..not.
But enough 90’s adolescent sass talk, let’s get to it.
Note: All Records and Standings Listed Current as of February 10th, 2011.
Boston Celtics: 38-13
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The Celtics have carried over the momentum they built up in the playoffs last year into the first half of this season.
Their core team is back, healthy and has the luxury of being supported by one of the deepest benches in the league.
Odds are they will falter a little down the stretch and try to rest their veterans as much as possible, so they may not finish as strong as they started, but if they end up with a 1 or 2 seed heading into the playoffs .
This is the team to beat in the East.
It also bears mentioning that Doc Rivers has done a great job managing the massive egos that make up this team starting with Shaquille O'Neal on down.
Miami Heat: 38-14
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After a little bit of a rough patch, the "Super Friends" are cruising along down in South Beach.
Although much lip service was paid to thing being Dwayne Wade’s team, there is no doubt that King James is truly running the show at this point.
Those two would probably be doing fine without Rupaul, Chris Bosh, as the big man has been putting solid, but hollow, numbers up to this point.
Similarly disappointing has been the play of hyped acquisition Mike Miller and third year point guard Mario Chalmers.
That said, they are only game behind the Celtics and haven’t even hit their stride yet.
However their record against winning teams should cause some concern about their playoff chances.
Chicago Bulls: 35-16
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No Boozer? No Noah? No problem.
Although it‘s not the best, the Chicago Bulls may have the most impressive record in the league.
They have gone huge stretches without their top players, except Derrick Rose, and have continued to win games and improve.
First year head coach Tim Thibodeau brought some of the Celtics’ defensive swagger and execution to the "Second City" and the proof is in the pudding.
The Bulls start Keith Bogans—a guy that makes Bruce Bowen look like an offensive powerhouse.
They may not be a championship contender, yet, but the Bulls may be able to boast having an MVP and a Coach of the Year at season’s end.
Atlanta Hawks: 33-19
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The Atlanta Hawks are young, athletic, exciting to watch, and still primed for an early exit from the postseason.
They have brought back almost exactly the same team as last year (remember the one that barely made it past a Bogut-less Bucks squad and then got smoked by the Orlando Magic?) and I just don’t believe that a coaching change is the move that is going to put them over the top.
Add in the fact that Joe Johnson is playing for nothing—he got a max $119 million deal over the summer—and that versatile but volatile Jamal Crawford is upset he didn’t get a deal over the summer, then you have a recipe for a team that going to topple like a house of cards at the first breeze of adversity.
Plus Mike Bibby is their point guard, still.
Orlando Magic: 34-20
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Will the real Rashard Lewis please stand up?
Nope, he never could.
Ditto for half man-half amazing how he disappears in big or close games: Vince Carter.
The Orlando Magic were smart to recognize the flaws of these two and ship them out of town. I’m still not convinced that Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Gilbert Arenas were the right guys to bring in, but only time will tell.
Dwight Howard continues to be an extremely dominating force in the middle and the emergence of guys like Ryan Anderson and even J.J. Redick as role players has been a stabilizing factor for this squad.
If Arenas can get healthy and get hot to take some of the pressure of the streaky / perpetually underperforming Jameer Nelson, they will be scary in the second season.
New York Knicks: 26-25
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One of the pleasant surprises of the season, the New York Knicks are above .500 for the first time since Charles Barkley was skinny.
Raymond Felton, Amar'e Stoudemire and Landry Fields (who?) have got Knicks fans thinking playoffs and finally brought some basketball related excitement back to the Big Apple.
They are still a few defenders away from being a really good team but they definitely completive and can play, up to a point, with the elite squads.
The Knicks are on the right track and it would be foolish, although totally in character, for the organization to make an impulse trade near the deadline.
There also are far too many stories about James Dolan wanting to hire back Isiah Thomas floating around to make me entirely confident that they have finally turned the corner.
Philadelphia 76ers: 24-28
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It’s always bummy in Philadelphia.
Simply put, this team just plays, and starts, too many bums.
Spencer Hawes isn’t a real NBA center but he plays one in the league and the same can be said for starting shooting guard Jodie Meeks.
The 76ers would clearly benefit from a shortened rotation that emphasizes a run and gun style—Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams would all go nuts—but they can’t because they have to pound the ball into money pit Elton Brand.
To his credit, Brand is having a fantastic season so my criticism may be a bit harsh, but they have enough young scorers, Evan Turner is another, that playing like the Warriors East could go them some good.
Indiana Pacers: 22-28
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The Indiana Pacers can go as far as Danny Granger’s balky knees will take them.
The addition of last season’s breakout success, Darren Collison, hasn’t had the impact that some had hoped and Roy Hibbert has been extremely inconsistent, although better lately.
Indiana has a glut of wing players and no true second option to Granger, both of which are issues that need to be remedied before they can take a step forward.
I would love to say that I think Larry Bird is still the man in Pacerland, but that may not be the case anymore. They have a tenuous grasp on that last playoff spot and if, more like when, they lose it, Larry Legend will probably be out of a job.
Charlotte Bobcats: 22-30
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One of the bigger disappointments of the year, the mojo that the upstart Charlote Bobcats had last year is pretty much gone.
Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace are still the glue guys on this squad but neither one is having as good a season as they did previous and the maddening enigma that is Tyrus Thomas is done for the year with an injury.
The result of these, and a few other factors, is a Charlotte team that starts Kwame Brown (yes that is Kwame Brown) at center and relies on what you call finesse and what I call soft, Boris Diaw for over 35 minutes a game.
Can they make a run and get in the playoffs? Absolutely.
Would they be better off blowing it up and starting from scratch? Perhaps.
Let’s see how MJ wants to play it.
Milwaukee Bucks: 20-31
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Get on the disappointment bus and ride it directly from Charlotte to Milwaukee Bucks: do not pass go and leave the 200 dollars alone.
You could make the argument that this year’s Bucks team has been hampered by injuries—Brandon Jennings, Carlos Delfino, John Salmons—and you would be right.
You could also argue that signing Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette in the offseason to complement a team that thrived n defense and toughness wasn’t exactly a smart decision.
Either way, the second half of this year will be the real test. The Bucks have the team they wanted, back and healthy, and how they do down the stretch will go a long way to showing what’s really happening in Milwaukee.
Andrew Bogut returning to form will also really help.
Detroit Pistons: 20-33
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Much like the auto industry, the Detroit Pistons is in need of a massive overhauling. They are stuck holding onto relics of the past, Tracy McGrady starts for them.
Instead of letting all the youth they have drafted over the past few years take free reign.
It’s especially confusing because, at least on paper, they should have an awesome backcourt with Rodney Stuckey and Ben Gordon leading the way and dominating but that has not been the case.
Instead Detroit is led by Tayshaun Prince, which is all well and good, except that every minute he (or Ben Wallace) plays take away from the development of youngsters like Austin Daye and Greg Monroe.
Bottom line: They stink.
New Jersey Nets: 16-37
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After last year, the only direction the New Jersey Nets could go was up.
In some respects they have but this season still has to be considered somewhat of a failure.
Although the team has improved, their “stud” center Brook Lopez is regressing by the day and “key” free agents Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw have failed to impress.
The specter of Carmelo Anthony still hovers of this team but one has to wonder if they have a plan B.
With their impending move to Brooklyn on the horizon, the Nets need to start making themselves into a better ball club internally unless they simply want be doormats in a new state.
Washington Wizards: 14-37
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Even though they have yet to win a road game this season, the future is looking bright(er) for the Washington Wizards.
John Wall has more than lived up to all they hype and they have found some scoring punch in house this year with Nick Young stepping up to an increased role.
Andray Blatche has been hot and cold all year and he has not shown to this point that he can be the leader the Wizards need him to be.
If they continue to give their young guys as much run as they can handle and actually get something for Rashard Lewis and his contract over the summer, this will have been a positive season for them.
Toronto Raptors: 14-39
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You don’t know what you got until it’s gone.
Chris Bosh bolted for Miami and left the keys to the car in the hands of…..Andrea Bargnani.
If you thought Bosh was soft, you must not know bout Bargnani He’s a 7-footer who averages under six boards a game and is more apt to jack a three than block a shot.
I don’t want to make any sweeping generalities about foreign players but this team is chock full of them and you can see the results.
Jose Calderon has been solid and Demar Derozan looks like he’s got a future but the rest of this squad is pretty weak.
Maybe they will get it going in the second half - maybe not.
Cleveland Cavaliers: 8-45
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You REALLY don’t know what you got until it’s gone.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the third team severely affected by the Holy Trinity coming together in southern Florida, and are clearly the worst off for it.
They are so bad this year that the word contraction has been tossed around quite a bit and, at this point, it might be valid.
They probably only have one player that would start on any other team (Mo Williams) and another that would come off the bench on a good one in Antawn Jamison.
However, after both of those guys turtled in the playoffs last spring, who knows if a legit squad would even want them?
The Cavaliers have a lot of young players and the only thing they can do is let them play to see if any of them are worth holding onto or building around.
West Is Next
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WESTERN CONFERENCE COMING SOON
