KeedaHoops: NBA's Mid-season rumblings
As the season heads towards the All-Star break, the teams now have fairly a good idea of where their season is heading. We take a look at the some of the big stories and the recent happenings in the world of the NBA. While some things glared at us in the eye, some went under the radar.
Tom Thibodeau deserves all the praise that can be heaped upon the oft-temperamental coach. Coming into the season with Derrick Rose still recovering from his ACL tear and in danger of missing probably the whole season, everyone thought that the Bulls would call the season a success if they could garner themselves a spot in the play-offs.
Come February 2013 and the Bulls sit 3rd in the Eastern conference (29-18 record) with Rose yet to step foot on the hardwood and after missing Noah during stretches as well. On Saturday Thibodeau trusted Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Nate Robinson to stretch their limits to 40 minutes against the Hawks as they pulled off a 93-76 victory.
The Bulls are for real this season. If you add to the already existing fit roster the spark of ex-MVP Derrick Rose, you got a terrifying prospect heading into post-season.
While the basketball world got exasperated by the off-season recruits of the Lakers, the Warriors quietly built a functional roster around their core, Stephen Curry. Last year the state had seen the Clippers haul the Californian dream with Griffin and Paul. This year when everyone expected the Lakers to win by merely showing up at games, the purple and gold have failed to deliver while across the bridge the Golden State Warriors have outshone anyone else’s expectations.
The improved play of sophomore guard Klay Thompson, the steady progress of rookie Harrison Barnes coupled with the addition of seasoned veterans like Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack have lent fire power and much needed experience to the team.
While Andrew Bogut slowly makes a comeback, David Lee and Stephen Curry have proved to be one of the most lethal big-small combination in the league right now with Curry narrowly missing out on All-Star honours.
Linsanity was over and the Knicks moved into the new season with the oldest roster in the NBA as the likes of Jason Kidd and Rashard Wallace headed for Madison Square Garden. With Amar Stoudamaire and promising rookie Iman Shumpert out at the beginning of the season, the people of New York looked pensive at the prospect of the Knicks.
Then, all of a sudden Carmelo Anthony seemed to finally “get it” and Raymond Felton showed up as his old self, propelling the Knicks to a fantastic start to the season. They rocketed off to a 6-0 record, their best since 1993. They may have cooled off but the parts seem to be in place for the franchise. Mike Woodson has crafted this veteran side well, neither are they too old, nor are they too sluggish.
They may not be the first name to ushered out when the word contender comes to mind, but the Knicks are making a lot of noise and most of it is the right sort.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were the team that everyone loved. It was built the way every other general manager wants his team to built; around the draft picks. In the space of three years, three successful draft picks in the form of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden transformed the once meandering Super Sonics into the formidable Thunder that went all the way to the NBA Finals last year.
Everything seemed to be in place but the NBA is a funny place. Great performances mean bigger pay-outs. When it came to extending James Harden, the All-Star shooting guard refused to budge for anything less than the maximum and the Thunder were forced to deal him to the Rockets for Kevin Martin and other picks.
As the season started, the many questions were raised but as the season has gone on, the list seems to have dwindled. Under the guidance of Scott Brooks, Kevin Durant is giving it his best shot for the MVP honours. While Kevin Martin has seamlessly gone into the role of scorer off the bench that Harden was famous for. At 35-12 it’s safe to say that the beard no longer remains in the memories of an Oklahoman.
Kobe Bryant and the Lakers may have finally turned a corner this season, courtesy of a change in role adopted by Kobe Bryant in the Lakers offence. With the Lakers struggling the integrate its many talented pieces, Kobe took to the role of a facilitator rather the main scorer of the team. That has meant more open shots for guys like Nash and Pau Gasol.
Kobe Bryant had to do a film study of the top point guards such as Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy, which gave him a solid foundation on adapting to his new responsibility. The work seems to be paying off as the Lakers have pulled off 5 victories in their last 6 games. Lakers now stand at 22-26, still 3 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Rockets.
During the stretch of games Kobe has averaged a double-double with 11 APG and 17 PPG. Will Kobe continue to revel in his new role? Only time will tell. But whatever happens, Rest In Peace “Kobe doesn’t pass jokes!”