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Houston Rockets – Jeremy Lin Makes Them Look Like a Team
Like a trail of breadcrumbs left for Kevin McHale to pick up and understand the hints, each time he uses Jeremy Lin the way he’s supposed to be used, the Houston Rockets look like a very good basketball team. It doesn’t matter that Aaron Brooks starred for the team in their 112-101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, but it does mean something that James Harden didn’t play, and unless something is done about his playing style the potential of this squad will continue to be wasted.
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Knicks vs Wizards – John Wall Makes Things Even Worse
After reaching the conference semifinal, finding themselves with a 3-9 record just wasn’t something the New York Knicks planned. No Tyson Chandler, no Raymond Felton and a Carmelo Anthony getting more and more frustrated by the minute following a 89-98 loss to the Washington Wizards, led by John Wall with 31 points.
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Miami Heat – LeBron James Saving the Day Again
Not clutch? That shouldn’t be an issue anymore. In a tough game that forced the Miami Heat to dig deeper than expected, coming back from 16 points down, LeBron James was the one who pulled of the late seconds magic by hitting the game winning shot and leading the NBA champions to a 101-99 win over the Orlando Magic, left wondering how Victor Oladipo didn’t hit a wide open potential game-tying shot as the buzzer went off.
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Los Angeles Lakers – Pau Gasol & Nick Young Have Changed For the Better
The biggest enemy the Los Angeles Lakers have this season is consistency, which usually separated the good from the bad. Right now, their on the higher side of their 2013-2014 roller-coaster, defined by Pau Gasol giving his best game so far and Nick Young continuing an excellent shooting stretch, leading their team to a 102-95 win over the Golden State Warriors.
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Nets vs Timberwolves – Kevin Love Continues His Double Double Crusade
It’s hard to believe anyone is going to vote for Kevin Love when the MVP award is up. Too much of a numbers guy on a good, but not great Minnesota Timberwolves team. However, it’s hard to deny how well he’s playing, with the stats to show it, including 13 double-double performances since the start of the season, adding another one (17-16) as his team easily brushed aside the pathetic Brooklyn Nets 111-81.
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Spurs vs Grizzlies – Wasn’t Fair Even Before the Marc Gasol Injury
For those who thought the Memphis Grizzlies peaked last season, the reality of the 2013-2014 NBA campaign is shaping up to be exactly that, as the Memphis Grizzlies haven’t just disappointed with their start but have now also lost Marc Gasol for the next two or three months, not to mention losing to the San Antonio Spurs 102-86, with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili easily navigating the best team in the NBA right now.
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Pacers vs Celtics – Paul George Way Ahead of the Rest
It’s not really a fair fight as the Boston Celtics, now losing six games in a row and making offense look like a root canal operation at the dentist, play against the Indiana Pacers. Best team in the league? Their 11-1 record serves as some proof, as Paul George continues to play like a superstar, leading his team to a 97-82 victory.
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Bulls vs Blazers – Derrick Rose Injury Steals the Show
As of now, there is now word of how bad Derrick Rose injured his knee this time. Worst case scenario – he tore the ACL on his right knee, the “healthy one”, sending right back into rehabilitation limbo, and possibly making another comeback looking slightly impossible. Oh, and yes, there was also a basketball game which the Chicago Bulls lost 98-95 to the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Manu Ginobili – The Best Bounce Pass in NBA History
At 36 years of age, it’s hard to expect Manu Ginobili to play like an All-Star each night. Still, his creativity, improvisation ability and passing vision remain of the highest quality, as his incredible half court bounce pass to Marco Belinelli in the 102-86 win by the San Antonio Spurs over the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Bulls vs Nuggets – Luol Deng Embarassing Himself
It’s hard to think of the Chicago Bulls of a team that’s crippled by ego battles, but the Luol Deng contract situation is affecting him, making him try too hard when Jimmy Butler isn’t playing, leading to some catastrophic shooting and a 97-87 loss to the Denver Nuggets, as the Bulls’ road problems continue to hurt what could have been a promising start to this season.