Weekly NBA Wrap With The Mid Range Jumpers
MVP Watch
Fresh Prince
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors, 23.9ppg, 7.6apg, 5.3rpg)
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans, 24.8ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.3bpg)
Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies 19.4ppg, 8.0rpg)
James Harden (Houston Rockets, 26.7ppg, 6.9apg, 5.6rpg)
Notable Mentions
LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)
John Wall (Washington Wizards)
Steph Curry is phenomenal. One of the greatest ever shooters in NBA history often makes shooting 3's look like making a layup. He’s on a great team and has elevated his game to another level so far this season, working his way to the top of my ladder.
Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol have continued to impress albeit through niggly injuries that have limited their impact. Davis is working hard at pushing his team to the playoffs and has had some big games recently going for 30 points 14 rebounds and 5 blocks against the Houston Rockets. James Harden has been impressive and doing his job for the Rockets with some outstanding performances. His late 3 against the Denver Nuggets was cold blooded but then on the other end he got caught ball watching and his man Aaron Afflallo nailed a 3 at the buzzer. Fortunately the Rockets were able to get the W in the end.
His Airness
So far this season three players have separated themselves from the rest. James Harden, Steph Curry and LeBron James have all been instrumental in their team's performances and have put up great numbers. Curry and Harden are at this stage the front-runners, not only have they been averaging outstanding numbers but have taken over when their teams have needed them. Curry in the impressive win over OKC where he scored 34 points and Harden where he scored 44 points with a majority coming in the 4th quarter and overtime. LeBron has also been impressive recently, scoring very well while continuing his streak of assists. Curry and Harden beat out LeBron because of their record and their ability to take over a game at this stage in the season.
Nighthawk
Steph Curry (GS) 23.9 ppg , 7.6 apg , 5.3 rpg
The Warriors winning streak finally came to end after a loss to a strong Grizzlies team, however the Warriors didn’t slump afterwards as they got back to winning ways with a gutsy win over the Thunder and Curry led the way as he has all season with 34 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. The Warriors have looked terrific this season and Curry’s consistent, dominant play is the reason for it. It even has people talking about how they may reach the 70-win peak that only the 95-96 Bulls with Jordan reached when they won 72 games.
Marc Gasol (MEM) 19.8 ppg 7.8 apg 3.7 apg 1.7 bpg
The Grizzlies ended the streaking Warriors this week and then beat the Spurs on the road in a 3OT thriller. Gasol banked a 3 at the buzzer at the end of 4th to send it to overtime. Gasol has lead Memphis to big wins against very good teams (Golden State, San Antonio and Dallas) in their last 5 games and have them on a 6 game win streak. Many have been talking about how good the Warriors have been and for good reason but Memphis now only sitting one game behind and Gasol’s lead as NBA’s best big man has been the main reason.
Anthony Davis (NO) 24.8 ppg , 10.3 rpg , 2.8 bpg
It’s hard not to put Harden in the top 3 but Davis has continued to dominate this season. After getting a chest injury he came back and leds his Pelicans to 2 wins and in those wins he had back-to-back 30-point games. With a big road win against the Rockets, Davis dominated as he does, with a 30 point, 14 rebound and 5 block game which propelled New Orleans into the 8th seed in the West. If the Pelicans can stay in the playoffs and if Davis continues his play he might move back to the top of these rankings. If New Orleans didn’t have Davis you would think they would be sitting somewhere near the bottom of the West with no playoff hopes.
Standouts
Fresh Prince
Washington Wizards
The Wizards are on a five game winning streak and have won 9 of their last 10 games. John Wall has continued to grow and the Wizards now have in my mind one of the strongest starting 5’s around. Add in a healthier Bradley Beal and that already forms a top 5 starting backcourt in the NBA. The addition I like was the acquiring of Paul Pierce in the offseason. Pierce has been around the block a few times and knows how to win, his influence has created a buzz for the talented Wizards who now sit 2nd in the East.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are a team that often flies under the radar. They continue to chip away at the top of the West and with a strong defense, good depth and efficient offense, their 21-4 record is one game behind league leading Golden State whom they recently beat ending their win streak. The Grizzlies mean business and should not be underestimated, just ask the 10-11 San Antonio Spurs.
His Airness
The Washington Wizards (18 -6) finally have players living up to their potential. Currently 2nd in the East on a six game win streak the Wizards have played some good basketball and have gone somewhat under the radar. They have had some impressive wins over good teams and will hope these performances continue.
The Memphis Grizzles have had some close calls in their current six game win streak and are only a game behind the league leading Warriors. The Grizzles are for real this year and know how to get the W. Assuming this continues the Grizzles will be hard to beat in 7 games.
Nighthawk
Oklahoma City Thunder (12-14 Western Conference)
The Thunder have been clicking ever since getting Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back and have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games. The loss last night against the Warriors was a bit scary as Durant went down with an ankle injury and fingers crossed he comes back as soon as possible. In that game Durant looked back to his MVP form as he had 30 points in the first half and you have to think they could have won if he didn’t go down. The Thunder are currently 10th in the West and are 1.5 games off the 8th place Pelicans. If Durant is healthy you have to think the Thunder will be back inside the 8 and on the climb.
Teams On The Slide
His Airness
The Sacramento Kings have lost their last 5 games. After being in the top 8 for much of the season they have been on a slide recently much because of the illness to star player DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins returned today so I don’t expect this slide to last much longer but with recent rumors around a change in coach and defensive tactics the Kings could run into even more trouble.
Nighthawk
Indiana Pacers (8-18 Eastern Conference)
The Pacers season was always going to be tough after losing Paul George to the horrific leg injury but they were staying afloat before December came around and were sitting near the playoffs. They have gone 1-9 in the last 10 and are falling further and further away from the playoffs. To be fair they have played very strong teams in these games but going 1-9 isn’t great and they need to find some sort of rhythm before they find themselves deep in the lottery, although the season seems lost without Paul George so getting a high pick may not be the worst thing.
Performance Of The Week Thus Far
James Harden 41 Point, 10 Assists, 4 Rebounds (11/21 FG, 18/21 FT)
Play Of The Week
More so game of the week ! Check out the 3OT thriller if you hadn’t already.
Steven Adams Watch
7.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 24.1 mins per game
With Durant back in the picture Steven Adams' minutes have remained similar with the best outing resulting in his second double-double of the season vs the Timberwolves. The 16 point 11 board game is an impressive line however his +24 +/- stat is more impressive. For those unaware of this, it relates to the points differential during his minutes on the court. Often these can be skewed late in games however still a notable for Adams. The Thunder are still getting into a rhythm and Durant’s game vs the Warriors with 30 points at half time is a good sign. On the flipside, Durant injured his ankle, albeit a mild sprain and didn’t play in the second half.
Storyline Watch/Random thoughts
Trades
The big news around the NBA is the Rondo trade that went through today. Rajon Rondo is now a Dallas Maverick, a move that will certainly improve their roster and for most including me, put the Mavs straight into a top contender in the West. While the Celtics got a little short changed on Rondo’s value, they continue to add valuable pieces in a rebuilding effort. Now the window is open, the rumors will fly and franchises will look to rejuvenate their season or offload and look to the future.