Yeah, those three games... The two wins you're referring to weren't just against any non-contending team. They were against arguably the worst teams in the NBA right now. Wizards have the worst record; Bobcats are on a 13 game losing streak. And they barely scraped by. 76ers aren't exactly an elite team either.
They will have a chance to prove themselves in the next three weeks. Warriors, Knicks, Thunder, Spurs, Clippers...
So far the Lakers have beaten the Warriors and Knicks. They still need to continue the streak. Also, today the Heat beat the Thunder. 5 technical fouls called. And Westbrook showing some emotions at the end.
Yeah, Lakers have picked up some momentum, and Steve Nash has definitely been a key contributor. The question is whether or not this type of play is sustainable through the 82-game grind. Many key players are on the wrong side of 30.
Meanwhile, Houston is also becoming a legitimate threat. McHale has figured out how to maximize Lin and Harden's strengths, and it's showing in the box score. Lin has been posting Linsanity numbers in the past few games, and they've won against some pretty good teams (Knicks, Grizzlies, Bulls). Their starting center, Omar Asik, is a definite candidate for Most Improved Player. He's averaging a solid double-double.
The Lakers problem is not offense. It's their defense. With Nash aging, he won't be able to guard premier point guards like Russel Westbrook, Derrick Rose, etc.But their inside defense should be good since Gasol and Howard are there.
Nobody expected for Omar Asik to put up all these numbers. All five starters average more than 10 points. They also have a decent bench (Marcus Morris, Toney Douglas, and Carlos Delfino.)
^ Interestingly though, Omer Asik signed a $25.1 million, 3-year contract with the Rockets. For someone who barely got any playing time last season, that sure is a lot of money. They must've saw some potential in him. I mean, he was averaging 5.3 rebounds in only 15 minutes. I've seen him play a few times this season, and he definitely gobbles up the rebounds. His defense is pretty solid as well. It'll really come down to his offensive development. From what I've seen, he's mainly a lay-the-ball-in-if-open kind of big man, but if he can develop a nice mid-range shot and some post moves, the Rockets will be a force to reckon with.
The question is, will the Rockets be able to hold their ground and contend come playoff time? They're still a very young team. Only Harden is the only one with some playoff experience.
A lot of people are saying D-Will is the perpetrator. Whether he is or not, he's regressed. He used to be one of the best point guards in the league, but a combination of his perplexing diminishing ability and the influx of elite point guards in recent years has left him a shell of his former self. Maybe he was just a system player, but he wasn't worth that max deal. Unless they can find a coach who can accommodate D-Will (assuming he is a system player), the Nets are nothing more than a low-seeded playoff team at best. Otherwise, changing coaches isn't going to fix the root of the problem.
Did the Heat Vs Thunder game already happen ? if it did could someone post the score it sounded like a great game. I don't really watch basketball but when I watched it in the Olympics the US was da bomb is wasn't even fun to watch lol.
Deron is right now by looking at the Celtics game, an average point guard in the NBA. I expected the Nets to do a little better earlier this year. But Deron and Johnson haven't found that click yet. Also, some people believe Phil Jackson might be the target for the Nets.
I think the Hornets can make some noise in the coming seasons. Eric Gordon is back and performed well in his return. Obviously, they have Anthony Davis, who'll probably develop into an All-Star. Ryan Anderson has improved every season he's played and is a potent threat as a outside shooting big man. They also have a few surprise players that have improved greatly, like Greivis Vasquez (who just won Western Conference Player of the Week honors) and Robin Lopez. They could probably use a more consistent player at small forward, but otherwise, it's just bench depth and defense. Look for them to be a borderline playoff team within the next one or two seasons.
Another team I think that can make some noise is the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard is an emerging star point guard. And right now he's putting up very good numbers for a rookie. Blazers have a fairly young team with Batum, Matthews, J.J Hickson, etc.
I agree with the Hornets. A lot of improvements and potential within the team. But they need to be more durable, especially Eric Gordon. He's the leader of the team. He's the star there.
Yeah, Trail Blazers, too, though they're currently in contention for a playoff spot. They've got the eighth seed right now, I believe, and they'll be looking to secure it. I really would like to see them make the playoffs, too. All those woes that spawned from the Roy and Oden fiascos... But they've finally landed upon a guard with All-Star, if not superstar, potential. I just hope the curse doesn't carry on and either Aldridge or Lillard get severely injured. But anyway, it'd be very exciting to see how the rookie holds up in the playoffs if they do secure a seed.
In other news, Clippers have lost two in a row following their 17-game winning streak. Lolwut. And the Lakers are looking flaky. Things were starting to look up with wins over the Warriors and Knicks, spearheaded in part by the return of Nash, but they've dropped back down to sub-.500. Maybe they can deal the Clippers another blow into a three-game losing streak, but I doubt it. And it's hard to see things improving much even with Nash. Almost all of their key players save Howard are on the wrong side of 30, and they don't quite have the bench to support the starters when they inevitably need longer rests.
If the Blazers do manage to hold up the 8th seed for the playoffs, I don't think they'll get past a Spurs or Oklahoma City team. It would be incredible if they pulled off the upset.. But their chances are pretty low there. Yes, they are in contention, but what I meant was that they could become an even better team. An elite team that everyone would talk about everyday.
Clippers have now lost their fire. Curry and Thompson were really the ones who were on fire yesterday. I noticed that Clippers always brought on the double team to try to trap Jarrett Jack and the ball handlers. Unfortunately, most of the time the Warriors passed out to David Lee and it would be a simple dunk/layup for David Lee and the inside scorers. I think the Clippers will redeem themselves against the Lakers. Tough they should watch out, the Lakers are very desperate for a win right now.
Lakers have lost four in a row, and the Rockets are the hottest team in the NBA at the moment with a five-game winning streak. Their wins haven't been that impressive, and their schedule looks to be relatively easy through the rest of January (only the Clippers pose a significant challenge, though the Pacers and maybe the Nets games may also be good). I'm glad Jeremy Lin is finally playing with some consistency. I haven't watched too many Rockets games, but the stats seem to indicate that he's playing with more aggression, akin to that of the Linsanity days. Unfortunately, his turnovers have gone up, but that is something that can be improved.
Speaking about the Rockets, they lost to the Hornets today. Vasquez, I think, has been the underdog or underrated point guard. He's not the flashy, athletic guy you would like to see, but he plays very well. And so far this month, his statistics have improved a lot. Now, they just need Gordon and Davis to step up their game.
Lakers once again lose. They have no dribble penetration and are crippled inside with Hill, Gasol, and Howard out. I feel kind of sorry for Kobe in this one. His stats this year are better than vintage Kobe. But this year will just be thrown away. I don't think they'll even make into the playoffs unless this surprising gone on a win streak. That's not happening though because they don't have any depth in their roster and they're fighting off injuries here and there.
