First of all, the Lakers are liars. Reports all year have been coming out that Dwight Howard goes 40-40 from the line in practice. Well last night the Magic welcomed him back to Orlando they only way they knew how: To hack away at his bionic(correction: formerly bionic) arms.
(OH SO SMOOTH!)
Here are a few stats from last night's box score that you won't see everynight:
Dwight went 25-39 from the FT line last night. He took 22 more attempts than the whole Magic team, and made 16 more than Orlando.
While completely unrelated, but interesting, Dwight's +/- was the same amount of that made FT differential between him and the Magic, 16.
By going 25-39, he shot 64% from the line. That is 15% higher than his season average, which currently sits at 49% after last night. By shooting this much better, he improved his season average by over a point(47.8 to 49), which is extremely rare to do in one game this late in the season.
Dwight took 39 free throw attempts, and just 13 attempts from the field, meaning he shot three times as many free throws.
Dwight in total attempted 53 shots, which is just 17 less than the entire Magic's starting five FG attempts.
With the Magic slowing the game down so much by fouling Dwight, there were only 11 fast break points in the whole game(7 by LAL, 4 by ORL.)
Kobe Bryant finished with just 11 points, and was 4-14 from the field. Makes sense seeing as he had no rhythm with the ball never getting across half court.
-OKC are winners of four in a row, and Westbrook and Durant combined for 77 points last night in a win over Phoenix. Also, Kevin Durant has continued ruining lives. (EJ)
2. Los Angeles Clippers 29-9
-The rest of the league needs to be a little worried if the Clippers are winning in that dominant of a way without Chris Paul. Eric Bledsoe had no turnovers in 28 minutes of efficient basketball in a 16 point win over Memphis, and LAC continued to roll on. (BF)
3. San Antonio Spurs 29-11
-Just to put what Tim Duncan is doing this year into prospective, consider that the past two years he has averaged 13.4, 8.9. and 1.9 (points, rebounds, blocks) and 15.4, 9, and 1.5. This year he is averaging 17.1, 9.6 and an amazing 2.7. He had 7 blocks, a season high on Sunday. The Big Fundamental is still bringing it after all these years. (AL)
("So what if I'm boring? So is this 'regular season' business.)
4. Miami Heat 24-12
-As much as the they want to hide it, the rebounding is an issue and it showed against last night in a loss to the Jazz. After getting rebounded by 17, is their anyone on this team that is attractive for a team with a big? Maybe Ray Allen bites the dust. (BF)
5 Indiana Pacers 23-15
-Three straight wins over Milwaukee, Miami and the Knicks shot this team up the rankings, even with the loss to Brooklyn on the road. The next step for the Pacers is finding a way to work Danny Granger in the offense in a beneficial way once he returns. (EJ)
5. New York Knicks 24-13
-Apparently Carmelo had been fasting the previous 15 days, eating no meat or carbs during that period. Doing that during the season is ridiculous, but he has played decent ball during that stretch, however his shooting percentage is only 42% in January. After seeing him fall into his old habits of poor jump shots over the past week, I'm not convinced Melo is ready to make the jump this year to a truly elite player (winner as well as someone with great stats). The Knicks are also showing there age with a bevy of injuries. Most Recently Marcus Camby will be out around 6 weeks. Time will only tell with this team...They are great, but have there vulnerabilities on both ends of the floor. (AL)
7. Memphis Grizzlies 24-12
-With trade winds swirling around this team, they continue to play quality basketball, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. They had won 4 in a row heading into Saturday's tilt with the Mavs in which they were blown out by over 20 and were trailing by over 30 during the game. This team needs to prove its a championship contender soon or ownership will sell of some of pieces. (AL)
8. Golden State Warriors 23-13
-The Warriors were out muscled at home against Memphis and on the road against Denver, where they lost the rebounding battle by five both times. This team needs to win the battle of the boards against the elite teams in the West to be more than a first round exit. (BF)
(While the Warriors still have plenty of reasons to smile, the road in the West is never a fun one.)
9. Denver Nuggets 23-16
-With the schedule from hell over, the Nuggets have quietly wont five in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10. This team is first in rebounds, third in assists, sixth in points, and are playing their best basketball of the year. (EJ)
10. Boston Celtics 20-17
-I apologize if I'm overreacting to the recent stretch of games, but it's hard not to notice how differently this team has played since 1)The return of Avery Bradley and 2) the increased minutes Jared Sullinger has been receiving. Sullinger is a top tier rebounder who has averaged 10.2 points and 10.2 rebounds over his last 5 as well as providing incredible energy to the second unit. Boston's second unit is coming on strong of late with great balance and effort. The east playoff race is extremely close, as the C's, who are currently the 8th seed, sit only 5.5 games back of the Heat. (AL)
11. Brooklyn Nets 22-15
-The team continues to play well under interim coach PJ Carlesimo, posting a 7-1 record in his short time as HC. Deron Williams finally looks to be turning a corner, scoring 20 a game while shooting 48% from the field including 44% from downtown. (AL)
12. Chicago Bulls 21-15
-The Bulls continue to win with defense and out hustling other teams. The rest of the East has to be a little worried how well they are hanging around, and knowing Derrick Rose is chomping at the bit in the shadows. (EJ)
13. Atlanta Hawks 21-16
-The Hawks scored 58 points last night. 58. My rec league team scored 60 in a shorter timed game with a running clock. Atlanta is free falling, having gone 3-7 in his last 10 games. (BF)
(The Bulls' D made the Hawks look dreadful, scoring just five points in the 2nd quarter in last night's loss.)
14. Houston Rockets 21-17
-3 straight losses has this team reeling a bit, but now that Chandler Parsons has found his shooting stroke again along with the continued good play of Harden and Asik, the team really needs J Lin to start showing some consistency for this team to maintain there stellar record going forward. (AL)
15. Portland Trailblazers 20-17
-After a huge win against Miami, Portland followed it up with tough losses against Golden State and Oklahoma City. If Portland is going to make the playoffs, they need to beat better teams with consistency, and not once in a while. Are they putting too much pressure on Lillard? (EJ)
16. Milwaukee Bucks 19-17
-The Bucks have fully come down to earth. This once hot team is floating right into mediocrity, but looks to have a stranglehold on that 8th seed in the East. With no true big that can score the ball with consistency, is a trade in the works? (EJ)
17. Utah Jazz 21-19
-While the win over the Jazz was nice, don't get too excited. This team is heavily relying on Jamaal Tinsley to give them big minute every night until Mo Williams returns. That can't be good long term. (EJ)
18.Los Angeles Lakers 16-19
-Howard returns, and the Lakers got a big win over Cleveland to snap the losing streak. Wait, the Lakers beating Cleveland is a big win now? With Kobe taking more of a defensive approach, look to see more adjustment in LA LA land. (BF)
19. Minnesota Timberwolves 16-19
-The injury bug has finally bitten the Timberwolves too hard. Four straight losses has them reeling, and it gets even harder. The Clippers, Houston, Atlanta and Brooklyn are next up on the schedule. Where's the Love? (EJ)
(At some point, no Kevin Love is going to become an issue. Some point must be right now.)
20. Philadelphia 76ers 16-22
-This team is on one of the worst stretches of play of any team in the league this year. They are piling on losses and look to be headed toward a miserable season. They have a chance to turn it around still as they are only 4 games back of the 8th seed, but they seem over matched on a nightly basis. (AL)
21. Toronto Raptors 14-23
-After a great stretch of basketball, I think this team may come back down to earth soon. If they can play well over the next few weeks, they may not competely slide away from the playoff picture believe it or not, but I don't see them winning more than one of there next 5 games (Brooklyn, Chicago, Philly, LAL, Miami). (AL)
22. Detroit Pistons 14-24
-The Pistons have won seven out their last ten, but it gets alot tougher this week. New York, Boston, Orlando, Chicago and Miami are their next five games. a 2-3 stretch there has to be considered a win. (EJ)
23. Dallas Mavericks 16-23
-Dirk has started to look like his old self again, specifically with his ability to draw fouls and get easy points at the line. He has averaged over 5 attempts over his last 5 games, when he gets above 6 and even towards 7 attempts per game, we will know his full lateral quickness has returned The win against Memphis may have provided a blueprint for success for this veteran bunch. (AL)
24. Orlando Magic 13-24
-The Magic finally snapped their losing streak, but are still just 1-9 in their last 10. The Magic are finally starting to bottom out, which is what they need to do. With some young pieces, a couple solid draft picks could help this team climb back in a weaker East. (BF)
25. Cleveland Cavaliers 9-31
-Kyrie Irving is just so much fun to watch. He has to be at the top of the list for "guys you feel bad for", even though it's only his second year in the league. Imagine what this guy could do surrounding by guys who could shoot? (EJ)
(If Kyrie Iriving isn't an all-star, nobody should go.)
26. Sacramento Kings 14-24
-The Kings have games against the Wizards, Bobcats, Hornets and Suns are four out their next five. Maybe this is a good time to make a run and show some legitimacy. (BF)
27. Phoenix Suns 13-27
-The Suns can't seem to get consistent, getting blown our by OKC last night after playing a great first quarter and leading big early. With no true scorer, the Suns has nowhere to turn when the offense breaks down. When that happens, well, it's ugly. (BF)
28. New Orleans Hornets
-The Hornets are feeling better about themselves after winning four in a row before losing to the Knicks. I'll eat my words, Grevious Vasquez is playing good ball and i was wrong that he was a bad player. The man is averaging 14 points, 9 assists, and 4.5 boards per game. Also to note,Al-Farouq Aminu is playing great basketball with his increased minuted averaging over 11 boards a game in his last five. This is one of the best rebounding small forwards in the league. (AL)
29. Charlotte Bobcats 9-28
-The Bobcats have been called lazy, unproductive, and inexperienced in the past. What about just calling them bad? Those early season positives are long gone for a team searching for answers. (BF)
30. Washington Wizards
-YAAYY! JOHN WALLL!!!! The Wizards have won three in a row and are 2-0 with John Wall. If I am a Wizards fan, I simply watch Beal and Wall and see a future, and forget about the rest. (BF)
Entering Wednesday night's games, the Lakers were 15-19 after 34 games, roughly 40% through this year's schedule. No longer do the Lakers have the excuse of "it's still the beginning of the season." They have been above .500 just once(6-5 after a win against Brooklyn on 11/2), and at worse have been five games under, just one game below where they sit now. Dwight Howard is out for an unknown amount of time with a torn labrum, Pau Gasol is out with a concussion while also dealing with plantar fasciitis. Even Jordan Hill, their back up plan, is day to day with a hip injury. Their emergency plan at big Robert Sacre looked average last night, but looked lost whenever he was forced to make a decision in isolation. ESPN LA "The Forum" claims that the Lakers are most likely a 6 seed who will lose in the first round of the playoffs. Here is the link to that video here.
(The Lakers have had alot of looks like this one this year.)
But how does that happen? They are four games out right now, and have lost four straight. It simply is becoming less and less of a reality that this team can make the playoffs, nevermind contend for any type of title. It doesn't help that teams like the Clippers, Warriors, and Rockets have all established themselves as playoff teams and will look to take spots taken before by the likes of the Lakers and Mavericks. In the past 10 years(not including last years shortened season), the eight seed in the West has averaged 45.6 wins. So if the Lakers had to get to 45 wins to make the playoffs, that means they have to finish the season going 30-18 to get to a 45-37 overall record. Impossible? Certainly not. Will it happen? Not without a little luck.
With the Lakers on their worst official start in the last ten years, I wanted to take an in depth look at what they had left on their schedule. So far, the Lakers have had a little bit of unlucky fortune besides all of their injuries. They have played the 9th toughest schedule in the league, and have played four more games on the road than at home.(Of course one of those was against the Clippers in the Staples Center, in which Chris Paul was getting booed on his own floor.) They have also lost seven of their 19 losses by six points or less. However, the future doesn't seem to favor the Lakeshow. Here are some stats regarding the Lakers remaining schedule:
Out of their remaining 48 games, 28 of them are against teams who currently have winning records.
The Lakers still have to head East to play 7 out of the 8 remaining East playoff teams(as of today's standings). That is road games against the Bulls, Heat, Celtics, Hawks, Nets, Pacers and Bucks.
The Lakers have still have two games to play against the following teams; the Heat, Celtics, Bulls, Grizzlies, Thunder, Clippers, Warriors, Spurs, Mavericks and Trailblazers.
They will finish their season with three at home, yet those three will be against Golden State, San Antonio, and Houston(all of whom could be fighting for a playoff spot as well, or even home court.)
(You have to wonder if this is ever going to work.)
ESPN's Hollinger odds currently has the Lakers finishing 9th at 41-1, with a 30.5% chance of making the playoffs. But when you look that all is above, can you even expect that? You can't expect that even when Gasol and Howard return that all four stars will finish off the season playing every game together. And if this continues to go downhill, do the Lakers trade Pau, or even Dwight and admit that this was a failure? While there is still plenty of basketball played, and the Lakers stress that they will turn it around, the purple and gold may be running out of time.
One of the best barometers of how good you are as a team is to put yourself up against the best competition. Right now in the NBA, the Miami Heat are just that. The champs will be the team that everyone will test themselves on until they are knocked off the top. And while the Heat are 20-8 and Lebron James seems to be cruising towards another MVP, there has been another team in the NBA that teams are looking up at: The Los Angeles Clippers. Long the little brother in LA, the Clippers are in the midst of a 16 game win streak, and will try to push that to 17 tonight against Utah at home. Everyone has started to take notice, including cross town rival Kobe Bryant:
"To put together win streaks that are that long, it shows a lot of focus, it shows a lot of unity and a lot of depth because they can beat you multiple ways," Bryant continued. "If you're going to have a winning streak that's that extensive, you have to have guys coming in from all aspects of the game."
(ESPN, 12/30/12)
The Clippers have looked like one of the most complete teams in basketball, and I haven't hid my affinity for them on the blog or within our podcast(Episode 2 comes out tomorrow, and trust me, I do alot of gushing.) Their bench is first in the league in scoring, and many are saying that Jamal Crawford should be in the consideration for an all-star bid, even though he has not started a game yet. So while this is looking a bit ahead, what if the Clippers met the Heat in the finals. In a hypothetical seven game series, who wins?
(Lebron James and Chris Paul would certainly have alot to say within the Clips/Heat matchup.)
Point Guard: Chris Paul Vs. Mario Chalmers
-The point guard matchup could very well be where the Clippers find their edge. While Chalmers is by no means a slouch, and has fit well into the scheme of the Heat's offense since last year, Chris Paul is Chris Paul. The best point guard in the game has corralled all of the offensive weapons at his disposal, and has caused the careers of players like DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe take a huge leap.
EDGE: CLIPPERS
Shooting Guard: Willie Green Vs. Dwyane Wade
-While this most likely won't be Willie Green in the finals(Chauncey Billups, once healthy or even Crawford will most likely see starter minutes), it doesn't matter with Wade sitting on the other side. Wade can play excellent defense when he wants too, and is built for the playoff style: Slower pace and one-on-one execution. While the Clippers will end up throwing alot at Wade, he still get the edge.
(Despite some regression within his game, Dwyane Wade is still built for playoff basketball.)
EDGE: HEAT
Small Forward: Lebron James Vs. Caron Butler
-Caron Butler has been everything the Clippers have wanted from him. A steady veteran averaging 10 points in the 23 minutes per game who doesn't complain about is role. Butler is an above average defender, and has to be given respect anywhere on the floor with his jumper. But, come on, is this even an argument?
EDGE: HEAT
Power Forward: Udonis Haslem/Shane Battier Vs. Blake Griffin
-Depending on the matchup, the Heat have decided to play either Haslem or Battier opposite of Lebron thus far in the season(Haslem has started 10 games, Battier 15 and also averages 8 more minutes per game as well). You would most likely see Udonis here, who would have to take on the challenge of guarding Blake. While you would expect to see Lebron take some hits at Griffin as well, I don't see a scenario where a Haslem/Battier combination can keep Blake at bay all game. He has improved his jump shot, and has even showed a nice fade away that has been included into his post game. Even more important, Blake doesn't seem as afraid to go to the foul line this year. He's shooting a low 63%, but it is a career high. In the end, it's tough to pick against the highlight reel.
(Blake Griffin looks to take another step in the right direction towards a title.)
EDGE: CLIPPERS
Center: Chris Bosh Vs. DeAndre Jordan
-Two years ago, this isn't even a discussion. Last year, you could create somewhat of an argument. This year, you could easily either way. Bosh is certainly the better offensive player, averaging 17PPG to DeAndre's 10. They are even in both rebounds and blocks, but Jordan has shown more talent in defending other Centers. While Joel Anthony would definitely see more minutes in this series, he probably isn't on the floor in big minutes. Would Chris Bosh, a full 30 pounds lighter than Jordan, be able to handle him down low? At this point, I still think Bosh has the edge, but it is very close, and could be different come June.
EDGE: HEAT
Bench: Clippers: Eric Bledsoe/ Jamal Crawford/Matt Barnes/Lamar Odom/Ronny Turiaf/ Chauncey Billups/ Grant Hill
Heat: Joel Anthony/Ray Allen/Norris Cole/Mike Miller/Rashard Lewis/Udonis Haslem OR ShaneBattier
-When looking at the two lists above, you see alot of proven veterans looking to win a title later in their career. The Heat's bench looked great early. Ray Allen looked healthy, Mike Miller was filling into the role of backup defensive stopper, and Norris Cole showed competency in running an offense. Since then? Allen's shooting has regressed(36% shooting in the last ten games), Miller has looked a step slow on defense, and Cole hasn't created enough of a presence on the offensive end to make defenses worry about him. One stat sums it up, The Clippers bench is currently ranked 1st in the league in scoring and 12th in defense, Miami's is 23rd in scoring and 29th on defense.
(Eric Bledsoe could be a huge trade piece come next season with how well he has played.)
EDGE: CLIPPERS
-With the score being even, I believe the Clippers bench gives them the edge as of now. Lebron and Wade will certaintly have their way with some of these defenders, but the Clippers have the depth to show them many different defensive looks, and also have a huge edge on players who can create shots on their own. Beyond that, a team with Griffin/Jordan/Odom/Barnes is going to a nightmare for the Heat in terms of rebounding. If the Heat and Clippers met today, I think it comes out close, but I'd go Clippers in 7. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Next week, my division round ups will return, I apologize for not getting them up this week but we wanted to make sure to get up some posts up about individual players as well(Check out our pieces on Russell Westbrook and DeMarcus Cousins.) Also, make sure to look out for our power rankings tomorrow.
