On the two edges of the “satisfaction of your profession these days from NBA superstars” measure, we’ll find the top two shooting guards in the league – One is Dwyane Wade, coming off a 40 point performance against the New York Knicks, improving the Miami Heat’s record to 24-9. That was Wade’s first 40 point game since April last season.
These days, there’s not much need to carry the burden and the scoring load with LeBron, Bosh and the Heat’s always-improving defense. The Heat have kept their opponents below 100 for the last 16 games, going 15-1 in those games. Right now, along with the Spurs and Mavs, Miami are playing the best basketball in the league and have the second best record in the East, behind the Celtics (24-5).
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On the other end of the satisfaction meter these days is Kobe Bryant. His Lakers finished their 2010 schedule on a low note, losing to the San Antonio Spurs (27-4) in a quite convincing fashion (97-82), ending the year with three consecutive losses, including that christmas day loss to Wade and the Heat. Bryant, like the rest of his teammates, is struggling. He is averaging 17.6 points in the Lakers last 5 games, shooting below 40% from the field.
It’s too early to count out the Lakers. They are the defending back-to-back champions. They probably have the best lineup in the league. In the NBA, especially in the NBA, the months that matter the most are April, May and June. Still, something is very wrong at La La land. Kobe snapping at George Hill for whatever reason is proof that the Lakers aren’t exactly taking their latest funk lightly.
