NBA Standings: All-Star Break

NBA Standings: All-Star Break

Eastern Conference

1. Miami Heat (35-14)
2. New York Knicks (32-18)
3. Indiana Pacers (32-21)
4. Brooklyn Nets (31-22)
5. Chicago Bulls (30-22)
6. Atlanta Hawks (29-22)
7. Boston Celtics (28-24)
8. Milwaukee Bucks (26-25)
9. Philadelphia 76ers (22-29)
10. Toronto Raptors (21-32)
11. Detroit Pistons (21-33)
12. Cleveland Cavaliers (16-37)
13. Washington Wizards (15-36)
14. Orlando Magic (15-37)
15. Charlotte Bobcats (12-40)

Western Conference

1. San Antonio Spurs (42-12)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (39-13)
3. Los Angeles Clippers (38-17)
4. Memphis Grizzlies (33-18)
5. Denver Nuggets (33-21)
6. Golden State Warriors (30-22)
7. Utah Jazz (30-24)
8. Houston Rockets (29-26)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (25-28)
10. Portland Trail Blazers (25-28)
11. Dallas Mavericks (23-29)
12. Minnesota T’Wolves (19-31)
13. New Orleans Hornets (19-34)
14. Sacramento Kings (19-35)
15. Phoenix Suns (17-36)

Schedule

Thursday, February 14th

• Miami Heat @ OKC Thunder, 8:00 PM ET on TNT
• LA Clippers @ LA Lakers, 10:30 PM ET on TNT

Friday, February 15th

• NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, 7:00 PM ET on ESPN
• Rising Stars Challenge, Team Chuck vs. Team Shaq, 9:00 PM ET on TNT

Saturday, February 16th

• 8:30 PM ET on TNT – NBA All-Star Saturday Night
• Shooting Stars (1st Event)
• Skills Challenge (2nd Event)
• Three Point Contest (3rd Event) Participants: Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Steve Novak, Ryan Anderson, Matt Bonner, Steph Curry
• Slam Dunk Contest (4th Event) Participants: Eric Bledsoe, Terrance Ross, Gerald Green, James White, Kenneth Farried, Jeremy Evans

Sunday, February 17th

• NBA All-Star Game, 8:00 PM ET on TNT
• East Roster: Carmelo Anthony (NYK) LeBron James (MIA) Kevin Garnett (BOS) Dwyane Wade (MIA) Chris Bosh (MIA) Tyson Chandler (NYK) Luol Deng (CHI) Paul George (IND) Jrue Holiday (PHI) Kyrie Irving (CLE) Brook Lopez (BKN) Joakim Noah (CHI) Coach – Erik Spoelstra (MIA)
• West Roster: Kevin Durant (OKC) Blake Griffin (LAC) Dwight Howard (LAL) Kobe Bryant (LAL) Chris Paul (LAC) LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) Tim Duncan (SAS) James Harden (HOU) David Lee (GSW) Tony Parker (SAS) Zach Randolph (MEM) Russell Westbrook (OKC) Coach – Gregg Popovich (SAS)

* All-Star weekend takes place in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center

* Information provided by NBA.com

NBA midseason outlook and playoff picture

This NBA season is about half way done and so far, it’s lived up to expectations. We’ll take a look at everything from MVP to best team and rank each category. I’ll also be showing the playoff picture as of today. (1/26/2013)

MVP

1. Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder)
2. LeBron James (Miami Heat)
3. Chris Paul (L.A. Clippers)
4. Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)

• It’s really only a two man race at this point between Kevin Durant and LeBron James for MVP. Durant and the Thunder have the best overall record in the NBA and KD is leading the league in points per game at 29.5. It’s clear LeBron is the best teammate on the planet and his numbers across the board show it 26.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg & 7.1 apg. They are simply unbelievable and you can’t go wrong with either player at this point. It’ll be a battle for MVP. This is a regular season award and the Thunder are on pace for a better season than the Heat and Durant is certainly going to compete with LeBron for the award. Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony are having big season for the Clippers and Knicks, but there’s no way either one competes with LeBron or KD.

Best Team

1. OKC Thunder (34-10)
2. San Antonio Spurs (35-11)
3. Miami Heat (28-12)
4. L.A. Clippers (32-12)

• It’s obvious the Thunder are the best basketball team. They’ll be hard to beat in a 7 game series, same goes with the Miami Heat. These two teams look to be the toughest out in a 7 game series. That being said, I believe the San Antonio Spurs are the 2nd best team in the NBA right now. Yet again, they are quietly a top 5 team and no one is talking about them. I guess I’m just not on the Clippers bandwagon again, just like last season. Personally I don’t see the Clippers beating the Spurs in a 7 game series, but that’s just me. We’ll see how the Clippers and Spurs look at the end of this season, but they’ll probably have to meet up again to meet OKC in the Western Conference Finals. As for the East, Miami is the clear favorite. I really like the Knicks and Bulls when healthy, but neither team is 100% and both will have to be if they want to compete with Miami. It’ll be interesting to see how Chicago does with Derrick Rose back.

Surprise Team

1. Golden St. Warriors (26-16)
2. L.A. Lakers (18-25)
3. Boston Celtics (20-23)
4. Atlanta Hawks (25-18)
5. Chicago Bulls (26-16)

• I like to think that Golden St. is a bigger surprise than the Lakers. The Warriors haven’t been playing with their big man from Australia, Andrew Bogut and rookie Harrison Barnes is stepping up. Jarrett Jack is a big help for the Warriors off the bench also. Last season Golden St. had 23 wins total, while this season they are 26-16. Steph Curry and David Lee are having all-star caliber seasons for Golden St. Although Curry did not make the all-star game, David Lee did. Obviously this team is having a fantastic season. They’ve also beat the Clippers 3 times, Thunder and Heat once. As for the Lakers, they weren’t built as a defensive team anyway before the season started. Dwight Howard is a nice anchor in the middle but other than him, not much defense there. Plus D12 isn’t looking like his old self this season, Kobe Bryant is having an incredible season offensively, but he doesn’t seem to be making anyone else on the team better. The entire season has been a disaster, starting with Mike Brown, going through Steve Nash and ending with Mike D’Antoni. Boston is having a disappointing season, not looking like a team that was one win away from the NBA Finals last season. Celtics are searching for answers and just blew a 27 point lead to Atlanta. The Hawks lost Joe Johnson and the Bulls haven’t been playing with their MVP, Derrick Rose. Both nice surprises for Atlanta and Chicago.

Rookie

1. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
2. Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets Pelicans)
3. Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)
4. Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
5. Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis are going to be successful in this league for a long time. The Blazers got a steal at the 6th pick in the draft with Lillard, he’s averaging over 18 points per game, shooting about 43% and is helping Portland look at a potential playoff spot. The point guard out of Weber State has been a delightful surprise and is impressing everyone. Lillard seems like a lock at this point for rookie of the year, but Anthony Davis is having a great season for New Orleans. Speaking of New Orleans, they just got a name and logo change (New Orleans Pelicans). http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/orleans-pelicans-unveil-team-logo-214138275–nba.html Anthony Davis, the number one pick is averaging 12.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg & just under 2 block a game. Davis is averaging 29 minutes a game. Andre Drummond needs more minutes in Detroit for the Pistons, fans are hoping for that to happen. He’s also going to be an outstanding player. Andre has no jump-shot, but his athleticism proves to be lethal as a 6-10 big man. Bradley Beal can shoot is averaging just under 14 a game for Washington. Him and fellow rookie shooting guard Dion Waiters are having similar seasons. Beal is shooting a better percentage though.

Coach

1. Mark Jackson (Golden State)
2. Tom Thibodeau (Chicago Bulls)
3. Vinny Del Negro (L.A. Clippers)
4. Scott Brooks (OKC Thunder)
5. Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs)

• Mark Jackson is the clear favorite. Leading the Golden St. Warriors to a contending team in the Western Conference. They already have 3 more wins than last season and have defeated the Clippers, Thunder & Heat. The Warriors will be dangerous for years to come and Mark Jackson has this ship headed in the right direction. Tom Thibadeau hasn’t had Derrick Rose all season and they are still one of the best defensive squads in basketball. Chicago might make a late season run as one of the teams competing for an NBA Finals appearance. Del Negro, Brooks and Pop’ deserve to be on the list. Each of those three coaches has their respective teams in the hunt for an NBA Finals appearance. As does Erik Spoelstra for the Miami Heat.

Playoff Picture

Eastern Conference

1. Miami Heat (28-12)
2. New York Knicks (26-14)
3. Chicago Bulls (26-16)
4. Brooklyn Nets (26-17)
5. Indiana Pacers (26-17)
6. Atlanta Hawks (25-18)
7. Milwaukee Bucks (22-19)
8. Boston Celtics (20-23)

Western Conference

1. OKC Thunder (34-10)
2. San Antonio Spurs (35-11)
3. L.A. Clippers (32-12)
4. Memphis Grizzlies (28-14)
5. Golden St. Warriors (26-16)
6. Denver Nuggets (26-18)
7. Utah Jazz (23-20)
8. Houston Rockets (23-22)

* The NBA All-Star game takes place February 17th in Houston, Texas at the Toyata Center

All Star Rosters

Eastern Conference

– Starting Lineup

• Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics)
• Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
• LeBron James (Miami Heat)
• Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)
• Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

– Reserves

• Chris Bosh (Miami Heat)
• Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks)
• Luol Deng (Chicago Bulls)
• Paul George (Indiana Pacers)
• Jrue Holiday (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls)

Western Conference

– Starting Lineup

• Chris Paul (L.A. Clippers)
• Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers)
• Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder)
• Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers)
• Dwight Howard (L.A. Lakers)

– Reserves

• LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers)
• Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
• James Harden (Houston Rockets)
• David Lee (Golden St. Warriors)
• Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
• Zach Randolph (Memphis Grizzlies)
• Russell Westbrook (OKC Thunder)

Lakers are hurting, in plenty of ways

The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of big names, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol. But that doesn’t mean they’ll have plenty of wins. Right now L.A. stands at 15-19, while the 8th seed in the Western Conference (Denver Nuggets) has a 20-16 record.

Before the season, some NBA fans were declaring the Lakers a championship caliber team, why not right? With all that “star power” it was tough not too, fact of the matter is, big names doesn’t equal a championship. Look at the Miami Heat, it’s been anything but easy just winning one title so far. Talking championship with the Lakers right now is like talking championship with them Dallas Mavericks. Just not happening.

Three things in my opinion make you a successful team, playing defense, having an elite scorer or two and players that can hit the three point shot. L.A.L only possesses one of those qualities, Kobe Bryant being an elite scoring threat. Nash & Gasol are useless on the defensive end, D12 isn’t performing as an anchor and Metta World Peace is no longer the defender he used to be. This team does not have defensive or three point shooting threats like other championship caliber teams, MIA, OKC, NYK, LAC, etc.

Right now Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Steve Blake & Jordan Hill are hurt, the other night they had to start Robert Sacre at center in a 125-112 loss to Houston, yikes. You might say the Lakers could make a move, but I’d say not really. They don’t have any trading pieces and it’d be surprising if any team wanted Pau Gasol and his massive contract. Dwight Howard won’t be traded, he is in the end of a contract. I’m not even so sure D12 stays in L.A. but that’s a whole another story for a different day.

Over the last five seasons in the Western Conference, you’ve needed at least 46 wins to make the playoffs (Utah was on pace last season for around 46). That would mean the Lakers have to finish the season 31-17, yeah not happening. Championship? No, not at all. Right now in L.A. they are discussing the Clippers as being that and the Lakers are only in discussion for trying to make the playoffs. Mike D’Antoni signed up for this after Mike Brown was fired. I’m not so sure he’s enjoying that decision.

* Los Angeles Lakers (15-19) @ San Antonio Spurs (27-10) tonight, 8 pm et.