Is San Antonio the best NBA team of the 21st century?

Who's the best since the start of the new millennium?
The Lakers (top)? The Heat (middle)? The Spurs (bottom)?

14.6 points.

That was the average point difference in each of the wins of the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Finals. That’s the biggest average winning margin in NBA Finals history.

And they did it against the team with the planet’s best basketball player.

Many might contend that the last five games of the 2013-2014 NBA season weren’t really contests in as much as they were clinics. That’s how dominant the Spurs were here, dethroning the Miami Heat in five games and stifling their desires for a rare three-peat. It was a title-clinching run done with such ruthless efficiency that it ended sooner than everyone expected. The defending champs were made to look like chumps, dominated in such unprecedented fashion since the Big Three brought their talents together in 2010.

Nobody should have been able to embarrass the Heat. Not in the Finals, of all places. Not at the American Airlines Arena, where they went unbeaten in the first three rounds of the postseason.

The NBA Roundup: November 18, 2013

The Blazers and Grizzlies are slowly climbing the ladder out West, while someone out of left field is having a surprisingly good start for the Lakers.

Zach Randolph helped power the Grizzlies past the Kings.
(image by Rich Pedroncelli/AP)

The Best:

• Raise your hand if you had Jordan Hill averaging 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block while shooting 62% from the field through 12 games. No takers? Looks like we now know who benefited greatly with the exit of Dwight Howard.
• How about Nicolas Batum and Damien Lillard combining for 49 points, 8 triples, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, and just 2 turnovers as the Blazers won in Toronto? Don’t sleep on these upstart Blazers, who are now 8-2 and second in the West just behind the Spurs. They also currently hold the second-best win streak so far – 6 games.

The Worst:

• Mike Miller had ZERO points and 3 turnovers in 21 minutes against Sacramento. Yep, I don’t think he’s missed that much in Miami.
• You kinda know you’re in it deep when the three guys who shot the most field goals came off the bench, and, worse, they made just 33% of their shots. Against Memphis, John Salmons, Isaiah Thomas, and Marcus Thornton combined for 14/42 FG shooting. In contrast, the Kings’ entire starting unit took just 32 shots.

The NBA Roundup: November 11, 2013

The Spurs leaned on Danny Green’s hot shooting, OKC rallied past the Wiz, the Suns beat the Pelicans, and the Wolves snapped a losing streak to the Lakers in today’s NBA action.

Gerald Green spiked this one through the rim as
the Suns rose past the Pelicans.
(screencap from the NBA YouTube account)

The Best:

• The Wizards played really well against the Thunder, but Kevin Durant was just too much in the end. KD dropped 33 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and had 6 assists as OKC rallied to beat the upstart Wizards, 106-105 in OT. Washington leaned on young gun Bradley Beal, who finally broke out with 34 points behind 6/8 three-point shooting.
• Ricky Rubio registered the season’s second triple-double as Minnesota beat the Lakers at the Staples Center, 113-90. Rubio scored 12 points, handed out 14 assists, and collared 10 rebounds while also getting 5 steals in a superb quarterbacking effort. The T-Wolves finally beat the Purple & Gold after losing to them in their last 22 meetings.

The Worst:

• JR Smith was horrendous against San Antonio. Smith missed all but one of his shots to end up with just 5 points in 21 minutes. Not enough misery? How about adding 4 turnovers, too?
• Wesley Johnson seems to have cooled off after stroking the nylon against Houston last week. Johnson hit just 2 of 10 shots against the Wolves today, and his overall FG% has now dipped to under 33% for the season. For a guy who launches nearly 10 field goals per game, that is NOT good.

The NBA Roundup: November 8, 2013

On a day when D-Wade, the Beard, and Blake Griff all lit up the board, it was white-man-who-cannot-jump Steve Blake who stole the show with a game-winning three over former teammate Dwight Howard.

The Best:

• Steve Blake. Three-pointer. For the win. 1.3 seconds to go. Over maybe the whiniest big man in Los Angeles history. Lakers 1. Dwight Howard 0. As a team, the Lakers made 16 triples, with Jodi Meeks netting 5 and Blake canning 4.
• How about Wade turning back the clock as the Heat rallied from a halftime deficit to upend the visiting Clippers. D-Wade pumped in 29 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals to go along with 13/22 FG shooting.

Steve Blake's shot that will haunt Dwight Howard till
the next time Houston plays the Lakers.
(image Bill Baptist/Getty Images)

The Worst:

• It’s a good thing the Lakers won, because Pau Gasol was crap against the Rockets. I love every one of his 12 rebounds, but he shot just 1/10 from the floor, had zero blocks, and turned the ball over thrice. He could’ve been the goat, but thanks to Blake’s heroics, his crap performance is now forgiven (not forgotten).
• Can someone tell Patrick Beverley he isn’t the top PG in Houston? Beverley sot 1/10 from the floor on his way to 3 points in 34 minutes. Kevin McHale, what are you doing playing him that much?

The NBA Roundup: November 6, 2013

Indiana continued its unmolested run to open the season, earning a road win over an improved Detroit squad for win #4. In the meantime, New York was ambushed by the unheralded Bobcats, while Houston rebounded from a blowout loss by overcoming Portland.

The Best:

• LeBron James recorded his 500^th straight double-digit scoring game by unloading 35 points on top of 8 rebounds and 8 assists on the Toronto Raptors, who actually led by double-digits at one point in the game.
• Paul George continues his phenomenal growth as one of the top small forwards in the league (the other two are, you know, LBJ and KD – Melo is right behind PG24 right now), scoring 31 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. More importantly, though, his Pacers are 4-0.
• Monta Ellis probably won’t be one of the top ten players this season, but he’s certainly one of the top guys on the Mavs’ roster. Ellis shot 11/14 from the field and finished with 30 points to go along with 9 assists. He also shot a perfect 8/8 from the line as Dallas blew out the Lakers.

PG24 led the Pacers to a 4-0 start in the NBA's new season.
(image by Allen Einstein/Getty Images)

The Worst:

• I love what Josh Smith brings to the Detroit Pistons, but in their game against the Pacers. J-Smoove finished 16 points, yes, but he shot just 5/16 from the field and turned the ball over four times. Had he played more efficiently, MAYBE they wouldn’t have lost by just 8 points.
• Someday soon, Enes Kanter should become a really good big man for Utah, but that’s only if he cuts down on his turnovers. The young Turkish slotman coughed the ball up 7 times against the Nets, and that is just too high a number for anyone who primarily plays under the basket.

The NBA Roundup: November 4, 2013

Three Kevins hogged the limelight in today’s NBA action. Kevin Love and Kevin Martin combined to hit 7 triples as the T-Wolves remained unbeaten in three games, while Kevin Durant welcomed running mate Russell Westbrook back by scoring 33 points in OKC’s comeback win over PHX.

The Best:

• Kevin Love and Kevin Martin were clicking for Minnesota as the Wolves took on New York’s finest. Love rattled in 34 points on 10/19 FG shooting on top of 15 rebounds and 5 assists to give the Twin Cities a superb 3-0 start to the season. Former OKC and HOU player Martin also continued to sizzle for Wolves, hitting all 5 of his rainbow attempts to finish with 30 points.
• KD laid out the red carpet for the return of Jet Zero to the hardwood, unloading a 33-point and 10-rebound double-double for the Thunder, who had to claw back in the second half to avoid the upset axe against Phoenix. Westbrook, for his part, delivered 21 points and 7 assists in his first game back from a leg injury he sustained in last season’s Playoffs.
• Another guy whose stroke was pure was ATL’s Kyle Korver, who shot a flawless 6/6 from long range. Korver ended up with 22 points, but his Hawks fell short against the Lakers, 103-105.

Kevin Martin waxed hot as the Wolves upended the Knicks.
(image by Noah K. Murray/USA Today)

The NBA Roundup: October 31, 2013

It was a day of upsets as the Philadelphia 76ers, after formally going through Allen Iverson’s retirement from pro ball, ran past the Miami Heat, while the upstart Cleveland Cavaliers welcomed Mike Brown back with a win over projected East contender Brooklyn.

The Best:

•  Lost amid the din of Philly’s upset over Miami was the career-high-tying rebound performance of Dwight Howard. Looks like the big fella has settled in quite nicely into the scheme of things in Houston, hauling down 26 boards on top of 17 points and 2 blocks as the Rockets beat the Bobcats, 96-83.
• The biggest story of the day, however, was 11^th pick Michael Carter-Williams, who dropped 22 points on the strength of 4 triples to lead the Sixers’ unexpected conquest of the defending champs, 114-110. MCW actually had a near-triple-double (near-quadruple-double if you stretch it) with 12 assists, NINE steals, and 7 rebounds. The only thing he didn’t do was dunk on LeBron, but that was fine because teammate Evan Turner did it anyway.
• Another huger performer was ½ of the Splash Brothers, Klay Thompson, who hit 5 treys on his way to 38 points. Thompson shot 15/19 overall from the field as the Warriors brought the Lakers back to earth, 125-94.

Now he has everyone's attention. 11th pick Michael Carter-Williams
dropped a huge game as Philly stunned the Miami Heat.
(image by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The NBA Opening Night Roundup: October 30, 2013

Please remember that all times are MANILA TIME, which is why the title reads October 30, 2013 and NOT October 29. This blog’s biggest market, after all, is right here in the Philippines, so there.

Now that THAT little details has been cast aside, it’s time to look at what happened on day one of the 2013-2014 NBA season, which will now be known as the Miami Heat’s historic three-peat effort. I, for one, won’t lie. I don’t want them to win (gulp gulp gulp down that haterade!).

But I think they will.

Especially if they play the way they did against the Bulls for most of their remaining 81-game schedule. I mean, seven Heat guys scored in double-digits, and they pretty much obliterated the #1 ranked (at least if you ask Bill Simmons) Chicago five from the second quarter onwards. They let Carlos Boozer drop 31 points on 13/18 FG shooting, which they will choose to live with any day, but limited the erstwhile super impressive Derrick Rose, who settled for a dozen markers on 4/12 FG shooting. He also coughed the ball up five times.

Derrick Rose returned to the NBA with a whimper, struggling
against the tenacious Miami Heat in Day 1 action.
(image by J Pat Carter/AP)

Looks like it will be another looong season, folks. The Evil Empire definitely looks to be the team-to-beat.

The NBA: Houston, We DONT Have A Problem!

Dwight Howard announced on Twitter that he will join the Houston Rockets.
That was about 5 hours after reports came out that he already made a decision.
(Photo from: Dwight's Twitter)

They sent a couple of basketball Hall of Famers to help recruit him. They have one of the best rising (super)stars in the NBA and they have no state income tax. This team also has a huge following in Asia and especially China where marketing and endorsement opportunities are enormous. The Houston Rockets received a verbal commitment from Howard that he will join their team for 4 years and 88 million dollars. Nothing is official yet because players cant sign until July 10 -- so, things could change because this is Dwight Howard but that probably wont happen, right?

Dwight Howard made the right decision for himself and his career. He will be joining James Harden to form an inside-outside duo that could rival the pairing of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler that brought a championship to the Rockets in 1994-95. The Rockets turned themselves into championship contenders overnight while the LA Lakers could actually miss the playoffs next season. James Harden, Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons are all under the age of 25 which gives them time to grow and mature as a team. Expectations are lower in Houston and the fans plus the media are more forgiving compared to Lala-land. Howard needs an environment where he can laugh and smile more often because that is his personality.

The Rockets boosted their appeal to Dwight because James Harden made him feel more welcomed. Harden will be their main guy but he was willing to share the spotlight with Howard. This will be a fresh start for Dwight with no bad history at all. The same cannot be applied to Kobe who butted heads with D12 and even criticized him last season. Howard also had a tough time playing for Mike D'Antoni so a new coach (Kevin McHale) definitely interested him. The Rockets also have a younger and healthier core who could give Howard multiple shots at reaching the NBA Finals.

On a basketball level, Houston was the best fit. The Rockets could employ an offense similar to what the Orlando Magic did during Dwight's better years. Houston has multiple shooters who can space the floor well  which leaves Howard as the only big man around the paint. Teams will be hesitant to double team him down low because of all the open shooters. Additionally, Coach Kevin McHale was among the best low post players in NBA history so his constant tutelage of Howard could result in the eventual growth of his offensive moves. Plus, Hakeem Olajuwon is a consultant for the Rockets and his influence on Howard cannot be understated. Howard is scheduled to train again with Olajuwon this summer to improve his post moves. We might even see Calvin Murphy (former player and broadcaster for the Rockets) -- career 89% FT shooter who made 78 straight FTs at one point -- return to the Rockets to help Dwight and his awful FT shooting.

Overall, the entire Rockets' organization wanted Dwight Howard to play for them. Im not sure the same thing applied to the Lakers.

P.S. players on new teams that signed or got traded after July 10 are eligible to be traded starting on December 15 until the March trade deadline.

Kobe Bryant posted this photo on his Instagram right after Dwight
Howard tweeted that he would be joining the Houston Rockets
(Photo from: Kobe Bryant)

Kobe Bryant immediately posted a photo of himself with Pau Gasol on his Instagram after Howard tweeted his departure from the Lakers. Then, Kobe un-followed Dwight on Twitter while Gasol copied Kobe and un-followed Dwight as well. Im still waiting on Metta World-Peace to tweet his thoughts on Howard.

The Lakers did not get Howard for the next 5 years but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Even with Dwight, the Lakers were not considered as championship contenders because of Kobe's Achilles injury and the overall health of the other Lakers (Hill, Gasol & Nash). The Lakers also have a very thin bench with the departure of Earl Clark to the Cleveland Cavaliers while Antawn Jamison remains unsigned. Depending on how many games Bryant will miss for this season (if any), the Lakers might actually miss the playoffs which could be a blessing in disguise. It's quite possible that the Lakers might even consider "tanking" because the draft class of 2014 is impressive (Wiggins, Randle, Parker, etc). Early comparisons of 2014 have been linked to the abundance of talent found in the class of 2003.

The Lakers will also have a ton of salary cap space for 2014-15 since Pau Gasol, MWP and Kobe will all become free agents. That gives the Lakers a fighting chance to make a run at LeBron, Melo and the other free agents of 2014. A lost season for the Lakers in 2013-14 could also be beneficial for Kobe Bryant. Maybe he will realize that he does not need to rush his recovery and decide to sit longer and miss more games. There were rumors that Kobe could be ready by opening tip but an Achilles injury typically takes a year or longer to fully recover. His age (35 in August) and the 53K+ minutes played in his career, should make the Lakers extra careful with his return. The extra time off could potentially extend his career.

The Lakers lost Howard but they could end up getting more from Kobe during his final years. How many Lakers' fans out there will choose Dwight over Kobe?

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Cold Howard, Hot Curry

Dwight Howard lost his cool and got ejected in Game 4.
That might have been his final game as a Laker.
(Image from: USA Today) 

#GoneFishin #Dwightmare

The tumultuous season of the Lakers finally came to an end after the Spurs swept them. The Lakers had no chance to win this series and they failed to even keep one game close. Most of the Lakers played hard on their final game except Dwight Howard who got ejected in the 3rd quarter after complaining too much to the referees. The Lakers were down big when Dwight got tossed and without him, the season was basically over. It felt as if Howard just lost interest in Game 4 and lost interest in his team. Getting himself ejected seemed like taking the "easy way out". There's a big chance that Howard played his last game for the Lakers and if that is the case, how many Lakers' fans would be happy that he's gone?

#Sweep #NoShow
The Bucks never led in Game 4 although they kept it close up to the 4th quarter until Miami decided to turn up the pressure and end the series. Brandon Jennings was a non-factor for the 3rd straight game and was unable to support his brash comments about beating the Heat in 6. Even without Dwyane Wade, Miami did their business and accomplished their 1st sweep in the Heat 3 era. Kudos to Udonis Haslem, Ray Allen and Mike Miller for stepping up with D-Wade missing the game. It also helps a lot when LeBron James drops 30 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The Heat has won 12 straight games dating back to the regular season and now they will have a lot of time to rest their bruises while waiting for the winner of Nets-Bulls.

#TheJet #StayingAlive
Jason Terry has been a disappointment during his first regular season with the Celtics. He was also a non-factor in their first 3 games vs the Knicks until Terry came alive in the overtime session of Game 4. The Jet made a key three and some free throws in OT to keep the Celtics' season alive for another game. Boston almost lost the game after being up by 20 points but the Knicks came back thanks to Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert. JR Smith missed the game due to a suspension and that certainly helped the Celtics steal one game. Carmelo Anthony still scored 36 points but he had to hoist 35 shots while making only 10. Paul Pierce, Jeff Green and Kevin Garnett all had big games which the Celtics need to replicate to win Game 5 in New York.  

#SizzlingHot #DubNation
Stephen Curry had one basket while having ankle problems during half time. Still, Curry played in the 3rd quarter and exploded for 22 points. He was sizzling hot, similar to his past 3 games where he averaged 30 points on 55% shooting. A close game suddenly turned into a rout and the Warriors are comfortably up 3-1. Curry had lots of help too coming from Andrew Bogut who dunked on multiple Nuggets and Jarrett Jack who continues to make key shots and good decisions. Ty Lawson had another good game but he needed more help since Faried and Chandler failed to score at least 10 points. Coach Karl made a puzzling decision by letting Andre Miller guard Curry during his 22-point explosion. Expect George Karl to make the necessary adjustments for Game 5 by putting Iguodala or Lawson on Curry more.

#Stats #News

• Melo launched 35 shots which is the 2nd highest this year (Kobe had 41)
• Ray Allen was the Heat's 2nd leading scorer vs the Bucks 
• Bryant sat on the Lakers' bench after Dwight got banished to the lockers
• Tony Parker had 23 points in 26 minutes
• Only 8 teams have managed to win after being down 3-1 in a series

#Player of the Night
Stephen Curry (Warriors) - 31 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals. 

#Highlights of the Night
Dwight Howard quits on his team
Andrew Bogut over JaVale!

#Tweets of the Night

NBA on TNT ‏@NBAonTNT

"He doesn't know how to post up. I like him a lot as a person, but as a player he's got a long way to go." -Chuck on @DwightHoward

Earvin Magic Johnson ‏@MagicJohnson

LN: Dwight, I've been swept before but I never let my team down by getting kicked out of the game.

#Game Recaps

Final Score: Boston 97, New York 90 (OT)

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - After being pushed around by the New York Knicks in the first three games of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, the Boston Celtics showed some fight. Jason Terry scored Boston's final nine points of overtime, beginning with a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 1:32 left, and the Celtics staved off elimination with a hard-earned 97-90 Game 4 decision over the Knicks at a raucous TD Garden. Terry finished with 18 points, with Paul Pierce putting up a team-best 29 and Jeff Green adding 26 to help Boston force a Game 5 that will be held Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. Kevin Garnett did his part as well by pulling down 17 rebounds and recording nine of his 13 points in the second half and OT. Playing without NBA Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith, suspended for the contest after being assessed with a flagrant elbow of Terry during Friday's 90-76 New York victory in Game 3, the Knicks struggled to a 34.4 percent field goal percentage. New York still managed to overcome a 20-point second-half deficit and send the game into extra minutes behind a dominant third quarter, during which Raymond Felton dropped in 16 of his 27 points. Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 36 points, but went just 10-of-35 from the floor and 0-for-7 from 3-point range. Iman Shumpert compiled a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in defeat.

Final Score: Miami 88, Milwaukee 77

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - The Heat recorded their first series sweep in the playoffs since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami. But the Heat didn't need Wade's services in Game 4 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. James led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals as Miami took down the Bucks, 88-77, to post the franchise's fourth postseason series sweep. Ray Allen and Udonis Haslem added 16 and 13 points, respectively, for Miami, which swept a playoff series for the first time since the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Bosh tallied 10 points and four blocks. Wade sat out Sunday's playoff game to rest his bruised right knee. He averaged 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the first three games of this series. The Heat will face either Chicago or Brooklyn in the next round. The Bulls lead that series by a 3-1 margin. Monta Ellis ended with 21 points and eight assists for the Bucks, who haven't won an opening-round playoff series since 2001. Mike Dunleavy and J.J. Redick donated 17 and 10 points, respectively.

Final Score: San Antonio 103, LA Lakers 82

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs ended the Los Angeles Lakers' drama-filled season in sweeping fashion. Tony Parker had 23 points and the Spurs dominated the Lakers, 103-82, on Sunday to sweep their first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Lakers had never been swept in a first- round series since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams during the 1983-84 season. Los Angeles was swept just once previously in an opening-round playoff series in franchise history (1967, 0-3 to San Francisco). It was a disappointing end to a season that started with so much hope for the Lakers, who acquired All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the offseason. After an 0-8 preseason record and a 1-4 start to the regular season, head coach Mike Brown was fired. Assistant Bernie Bickerstaff was named the interim coach until Mike D'Antoni took over as the full-time head coach. Los Angeles made a late push to make the playoffs but lost Kobe Bryant (torn Achilles tendon) in the process. The Lakers were plagued by injuries in this series, and played Sunday's game without the services of Metta World Peace (left knee), Nash (hamstring), Steve Blake (hamstring) and Jodie Meeks (ankle). The second- seeded Spurs, who handed the Lakers their earliest playoff exit since 2007, will either face Denver or Golden State in the next round.

Final Score: Golden State 115, Denver 101

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry's sore left ankle didn't seem to affect his shooting on Sunday night. The Golden State sharp-shooter scorched the nets for a game-high 31 points, including 22 in the third quarter, as the Warriors surged past the Denver Nuggets, 115-101, to grab a 3-1 series lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal matchup at Oracle Arena. Curry went just 1-for-3 for seven points in the first half, but finished 10- for-16 from the floor to go with seven assists in helping the Warriors earn their third straight victory. Jarrett Jack followed with 21 points and nine helpers, while Carl Landry tallied 17 points in the victory. Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 26 points and six assists and Andre Iguodala added 19 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn't enough to keep Denver from finding itself in a do-or- die situation. The Nuggets will look to extend the series in Game 5 on Tuesday in Denver.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Day 7 - Wild Finish in SF

Ty Lawson had a big game with 35 points and 10 assists in Game 3.
But that was not enough for the Nuggets to win as they lost by 2
(Image from: Associated Press)

#BestSeries #WildFinish
The most entertaining and most exciting series did not disappoint for the 3rd straight game. The Nuggets and Warriors went down to the wire with crazy turnovers and impressive shots from everyone on the floor. The game went back and forth and it featured a wild finish. It started with a 5-second in-bounds call against the Warriors. Then Lawson slipped and lost the ball with the Nuggets down by 1. Barnes made 1 of 2 free throws which gave the Nuggets one last chance. Iguodala raced to the half court line and heaved a mid-court shot that almost went in. An overtime period (or 2 or 3) would have been perfect! Ty Lawson had a game-high 35 points but his turnover (could have been a foul on the Dubs) in the dying seconds cost the Nuggets a shot for the win. Meanwhile, Steph Curry continued his hot shooting with 29 and 11 assists. Curry was joined by Harrison Barnes and Jarrett Jack who had big games as well.

#NoMatch #Looking4Sweep
The Spurs walloped the depleted Lakers by 31 points at the Staples Center. The Lakers did not play Nash, Blake and Meeks and that left them with inexperienced players. Their starting back court consisted of Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock. WHO? Actually, Morris and Goudelock had decent scoring games as they combined for 44 points but both of them were -28. The Lakers also literally got nothing from MWP who had ZERO points while their bench produced just 9 points. The Spurs had more firepower and it was simply an impossible game for the Lakers to win especially with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan playing at a high level. The Spurs shot 61% from the field and grabbed 49 rebounds.

#BostonStrong #SwingingElbow
The emotional high and extra motivation from Boston fans could not lift the Celtics past the Knicks. The Celtics struggled early and were down by 16 points at half time. Boston did not really threaten the Knicks in Game 3 and now New York can sweep on Sunday. The Celtics have averaged 75 points in 3 games and they are now 1-6 vs the Knicks including the regular season. The major story in this game was JR Smith's swinging elbow striking Jason Terry's head. Smith was given a flagrant foul 2 and was ejected. IF the NBA decides to suspend Smith for one game, then the Celtics have a chance to avoid the sweep and steal Game 4.

#InjuriesSuck #TornMeniscus
It sucks that Russell Westbrook could potentially miss the rest of the playoffs due to a meniscus injury. There is no timetable for his return and the most probable recovery time is from 4-6 weeks, maybe even longer. Metta World Peace came back from a similar injury after 12 days but his play has suffered and his mobilty has not been the same. The Thunder could lose their series against the Rockets if they are unable to compensate for Westbrook's absence. Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin and Reggie Jackson all need to play more minutes and play better to overcome this setback.

#Stats #News

• Jarrett Jack had 23 points, 7 assists and 7 turnovers including the 5-second count
• Kenneth Faried started and played 30 minutes: 15 points and 7 rebounds
• Andrew Goudeluck was the MVP of the D-League
• Dwight had 25 and 11 and Gasol a triple-double but Lakers lost by 31
• Spurs were +14 on the glass and +11 in assists
• Celtics had 4 fast break points and 17 turnovers
• Carmelo failed to score over 30 for the 2nd time in his last 11 games

#Player of the Night
Steph Curry (Warriors) - 29 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 9-9 FTs

#Highlights of the Night
Iggy with the reverse OOP
JR Smith and his elbow

#Tweet of the Night

Holly MacKenzie ‏@stackmack

seems unfair for one of these teams to lose when we've had some ugly ass basketball in the east in the last 24 hours.

#GameRecaps


Final Score: New York 90, Boston 76
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The New York Knicks used another dominant half to guide them to victory. This time it was during the opening 24 minutes. Carmelo Anthony netted 26 points and the Knicks took a commanding 3-0 series lead following a 90-76 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of this Eastern Conference first-round series. Raymond Felton added 15 points and 10 assists for New York, which is a win away from advancing past the first round since sweeping the Toronto Raptors during the 1999-2000 season. The Celtics played their first home game since the Boston Marathon bombings 11 days ago, but the raucous Beantown faithful were quickly taken out of the contest. Boston committed to double-teaming Anthony in the first half and the Knicks made the Celts pay from beyond the arc, where they went 7- of-14 from 3-point range. Pablo Prigioni nailed three of those triples. Boston, meanwhile, shot just 35 percent. New York took a 16-point advantage into the break and was never seriously threatened in the second half. The Knicks had excelled during the second half of games during the first two tilts of this set. In Game 1, New York held Boston to just eight points in the fourth, and 25 overall in the final 24 minutes. Boston shot just 25.9 percent in the second half and made just three baskets -- 27.3 percent (3- of-11) -- in the final frame. The Knicks used their stifling defense in the second half of Game 2 as well. Boston recorded just 23 points and shot just 19.4 percent over the last two stanzas. J.R. Smith was tossed out of the contest following a flagrant foul two with 7:06 remaining for throwing an elbow into Jason Terry's face. The league office will look at the replay to determine whether to discipline Smith further. Jeff Green tallied 21 points for the Celtics, who went 27-13 at TD Garden during the regular season. New York will go for the series sweep Sunday in Boston.

Final Score: Golden State 110, Denver 108
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - It was a lightning fast-paced battle and Stephen Curry's ankle held up just fine. Curry tallied 29 points and 11 assists in the Golden State Warriors' 110-108 triumph over the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of this Western Conference first- round series. It was a hectic final few moments as Wilson Chandler nailed a left corner three to pull Denver within 109-108 with 16.5 seconds remaining. The Warriors called timeout with 9.4 ticks left, but were called for a five-second violation on the ensuing inbounds. Ty Lawson, who finished with a playoff career-high 35 points, turned the ball over on Denver's next possession with 5.3 seconds to go. Harrison Barnes split a pair of foul shots with 3.7 seconds on the clock and Andre Iguodala's heave from the right side of the midcourt line clanked off the front of the rim as Golden State escaped with the victory to take a 2-1 series lead. Curry rolled his left ankle late in the third quarter of his team's 131-117 Game 2 win, but returned for the start of the fourth and ended with 30 points and 13 assists. Although he gave the ball away seven times, Jarrett Jack added 23 points and seven assists in the triumph. Lawson also dished out 10 assists, while Corey Brewer deposited 16 points off the bench for the Nuggets.

Final Score: San Antonio 120, LA Lakers 89
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - With four guards sidelined, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris for a boost against the San Antonio Spurs. What they got was the worst home playoff loss in Lakers history. Now, they're are on the verge of being swept in the first round of a playoff series for the first time. Tim Duncan registered 26 points and nine rebounds and Tony Parker scored 20 in San Antonio's 120-89 rout of the Lakers in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Spurs, who shot 61.2 percent from the field, also got 13 points from DeJuan Blair, 12 from Kawhi Leonard and 11 from Danny Green. Pau Gasol had a triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Lakers, who also received 25 points and 11 boards from Dwight Howard. Morris scored 24 and Goudelock 20. Metta World Peace was held scoreless in 17 minutes. Steve Nash sat out for Los Angeles with a strained right hamstring and Jodie Meeks missed a second game with a sprained left ankle. Steve Blake (strained right hamstring) and Kobe Bryant (torn left Achilles tendon) were already ruled out. San Antonio took command early by hitting 61 percent of its shots in the first quarter, led by eight points from Duncan. Conversely, the Lakers went 8-of-23.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: West 1st Round Preview

The journey to 16 wins starts on April 20, 2013
(Image from: basketsession.com)

(1) Oklahoma City THUNDER vs (8) Houston ROCKETS 
Season Series: THUNDER 2-1 

How the THUNDER can win: OKC can score in bunches (3rd in points) and they love to run the fast break with elite athletes like Westbrook and Durant. The Thunder can capitalize on the miscues by the Rockets (last in turnovers) and rack up points fast. Westbrook has a big advantage on Jeremy Lin so expect big numbers from Russ. Thabo, Fisher, Ibaka and Kevin Martin will all get open looks from the perimeter due to Houston helping on KD or Russ. This crew of shooters is more than capable of making uncontested shots.

How the ROCKETS can win: The Rockets are 2nd in points and tops in threes made. Scoring is not a problem for them but defensively, they need to do a lot of work. James Harden, Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons all need to have big offensive games to keep the Rockets competitive since they got routed in 2 of their losses. Their lone win was a close game where Harden had 46 points, Lin had 29 and Parson with 17. They also need to limit their turnovers to prevent the Thunder from accumulating easy baskets.

What will PROBABLY happen: The Thunder routed the Rockets twice by shooting well and making more threes than Houston. They also out-rebounded the Rockets by an average of 12 even with Omer Asik playing. Houston's poor defense (28th) should produce numerous open shots and easy baskets for the Thunder. Kevin Durant will be guarded by Parsons and that is a tough match-up for the 2nd year player. The same situation arises between Westbrook and Lin. If Parsons or Lin get into foul trouble, the Rockets will be in deep trouble.

X-FACTORS: Kevin Martin (Thunder). He replaced Harden on the rotation so it's up to K-Mart to provide the bench production especially since he's a shooter. Martin should mix in some drives to keep the Rockets off-balanced when defending him.
Jeremy Lin (Rockets). This is Lin's first postseason action and his task is to at least make Westbrook play defense since Lin cant guard Russ on offense. The Rockets cant have Westbrook guarding the passing lanes so J-Lin needs to active with or without the ball.

Prediction: THUNDER in 5

(2) San Antonio SPURS vs (7) Los Angeles LAKERS
Season Series: SPURS 2-1

How the SPURS can win: The Spurs can play uptempo or they can execute half-court sets to methodically to break down the Lakers' defense. They have young wing players in Leonard and Green who can fill the wings for an open transition three or go for a Tony Parker drive to the hoop. They can throw the ball to the post to a rejuvenated Tim Duncan and wait for him to make plays. The Spurs can have TP run a bunch of pick and rolls with Splitter or Duncan to free Parker up for his patented floaters and mid-range jumpers.

How the LAKERS can win: The Lakers dont have Kobe Bryant so playing isolation or hero ball is out of the question. They will need to play inside-outside more with Dwight Howard and a bunch of shooters. They can also run high-low post sets with Gasol and Howard. Pau Gasol needs to be primary decision-maker after he got 2 triple-doubles in their last 3 games. Gasol is still among the best passing big men so it's prudent to run their offense around him. The Lakers need to be more active on defense and they have to defend better in transition.

What will PROBABLY happen: The Spurs have injuries to Diaw, Parker and Ginobili. TP and Manu will play but could be limited which give the Lakers a chance to steal a game or 2. The Lakers were in the bottom third in team defense and they play poor transition defense. The Spurs will exploit that glaring weakness on every turnover or missed shot by the Lakers. Coach Pop will surely employ Hack-a-Howard so the Lakers must be prepared to sit Dwight during that or Howard simply needs to make his free throws. Overall, the Spurs have a deeper bench (T-Mac included) while Parker and Duncan have played well during the season. Expect them to rise to the occasion against the depleted Lakers.

X-FACTORS: Kawhi Leonard (Spurs). Kawhi will have an advantage on whoever is guarding him especially in transition. He needs to be aggressive and decisive with the ball on his hands. Leonard should not settle for perimeter shots, instead he needs to attack the paint more.
Steve Blake (Lakers). Blake had a great final 2 games of the season without Kobe and Nash. He exploded for a combined 47 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Blake needs to keep that up especially since Steve Nash is hurting.

Prediction: SPURS in 6

(3) Denver NUGGETS vs (6) Golden State WARRIORS
Season Series: Tied at 2-2

How the NUGGETS can win: The Nuggets will attack the paint and run on every chance they get. They will also attack the boards with Faried, McGee and Koufos. Ty Lawson is so quick and strong that he can drive to the hoop at will which forces the Warriors' defense to adjust and leave open guys. The Nuggets are a poor perimeter shooting team which allows the Warriors to pack the paint. But if the Nuggets start making their jumpers, the Warriors wont have a fighting chance in this series.

How the WARRIORS can win: While the Nuggets are an interior team, the Warriors are perimeter-oriented and they have a superb cast of shooters led by Steph Curry. The Warriors need to make a bunch of threes to slow the game down and prevent transition baskets by the Nuggets. Both teams are among the top in rebounds so the Warriors need to make multiple efforts to get the upper-hand on the Nuggets. The Warriors also shoot free throws at a higher percentage while the Nuggets are among the bottom 5. If the Nuggets are going for a layup/dunk, fouling would be the best option.

What will PROBABLY happen: This series will have a bunch of points and scoring runs. Defense is not a strong suit for both teams so outscoring your opponent is the best strategy. The Nuggets have a deeper team even with their injuries which means they can keep running and gunning without tiring their personnel. The home-court advantage (38-3, best in NBA) will definitely help the Nuggets especially the high altitude. The Warriors cant keep up with that and they are a foul trouble (or injury to Bogut) away from playing Andris Biedrins. Yikes.

X-FACTORS: Corey Brewer (Nuggets). Without Gallinari, Brewer is expected to get more minutes along with Wilson Chandler. Brewer is a better perimeter defender and he could find himself guarding Curry or Thompson. Brewer needs to be solid on both ends of the floor.
Jarrett Jack (Warriors). Jack will be the first guy off the bench and the 3rd guard on the floor when the Warriors play small ball. Jack has to deliver clutch baskets when called upon and on defense, JJ needs to keep Lawson away from the paint.

Prediction: NUGGETS in 7

(4) Los Angeles CLIPPERS (5) Memphis GRIZZLIES
Season Series: CLIPPERS 3-1

How the CLIPPERS can win: Chris Paul will lead their offense during transition chances and half-court sets. The Clippers are relying on CP3's mastery to provide them with good scoring opportunities while every forced turnover they get could turn into a highlight play. Jamal Crawford is also capable of getting hot quick so this opens up the floor for Paul to penetrate and create. They have capable shooters in Butler, Barnes and Willie Green which prevents the Grizzlies from helping on defense too much. Blake Griffin has added a half-decent jumper to his moves so he should not hesitate to take that shot when open. Blake should continue to attack the paint and draw fouls from Gasol or Z-Bo.

How the GRIZZLIES can win: The Grindhouse ended with the league's best team defense. They will be tough, physical and gritty. Defense wins championships so they need to rely on each other when helping on defense. The Grizzlies should pound the ball in the paint to Z-Bo and Gasol. They are decent foul shooters so being fouled is a good thing. On defense, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol need to patrol the paint and grab every available rebound. Mike Conley has to match the production of Paul to give his team a chance. Jerryd Bayless needs to be solid off the bench to counteract the bench mob of Barnes, Crawford and Bledsoe.

What will PROBABLY happen: This is a rematch of last year's 1st Round series where the Clippers won in 7 games. The personnel aint the same with the additions of Crawford and Barnes for the Clips while the Grizzlies have added Prince, Bayless and Ed Davis. The best players are the same for the Clippers and that's an advantage for them. In the 3 games the Clips won, they had less turnovers than Memphis which limited scoring chances for the offensively-challenged (27th) Grizzlies. Expect Chris Paul to take care of the ball to maximize their possessions. If the Grizzlies double team CP3, he will be more than willing to make that pass to the open player. This series boils down to the role players who can make the open shots. The Clippers have more of that.

X-FACTORS: Matt Barnes (Clippers). At one point in the season, the Clippers were like 20-0 when Barnes scored at least 10 points. His bench production will be crucial when resting Butler and CP3.
Tony Allen (Grizzlies). Allen is playing better this year and much healthier. He is expected to guard Chris Paul often which should limit Paul's ability to run around the court unimpeded.

Prediction: CLIPPERS in 7 

You can find the East 1st Round Preview here.

Also check our FULL PLAYOFFS PREDICTIONS up to the NBA Finals.

Follow me @rollzter on Twitter

The NBA: Power Rankings: Week 24

This is the final week of the Power Rankings for 2012-2013. All 16 teams and their seeds are known. It literally took the last day and last game of the regular season to sort out everything. The playoffs are finally here and it starts this weekend! The Utah Jazz laid an egg on their biggest game of the season by losing to the Grizzlies in a rout, thus the Lakers made it to the postseason even without Kobe Bryant. The Lakers finished strong with 5 straight wins plus they crept up to the 7th spot by beating the Rockets in overtime.

Another surprise last week was the Spurs letting go of Stephen Jackson due to differences with Coach Pop. Captian Jack cannot play in the playoffs for other teams. A bigger surprise? The Spurs signed Tracy McGrady and he will be eligible to play in the playoffs after playing for the Chinese Basketball League.

Guess who has the longest winning streak going into the playoffs? The Miami Heat has won 8 straight while resting players and playing for nothing. They are poised to defend their title and all gears are turning. On the losing side, the Spurs are limping to the finish while the Pacers just gave games away with their starters still playing their usual minutes.

The Pacers and Celtics only played 81 games due to their tilt being cancelled because of the tragic incident at the Boston Marathon last Monday. Our prayers go out to Boston.

The standings are current up to April 18, 2013. The rankings from last week refer to Week 23.

Pau Gasol and the Lakers made the playoffs before playing their last game.
How much noise can they make in the postseason without Kobe?
(Image from: Bleacher Report)

1. Miami Heat | 66-16 | Last Week: 1 | Same
The Heat still continued to win even when sitting/resting players. Their bench is deep especially when the role players are hitting their shots. Miami is 31-0 when making at least 10 treys and they are 38-2 when scoring over 100 points. They finished the season top 5 in both points and points allowed.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder | 60-22 | Last Week: 3 | +1
The Thunder still got the best record in the West and they reached 60 wins even without Harden. Westbrook and Durant took their games into another level in the regular season. Can they raise it to another gear in the playoffs? Who will be their 3rd dependable scorer?

3. Denver Nuggets | 57-25 | Last Week: 4 | +1
The Nuggets lost Kenneth Faried to a sprained ankle and he missed a couple of games but the Nuggets still won those games. Faried is expected to be ready for the playoffs. Ty Lawson is back and he appears healthy. Wilson Chandler and Brewer have stepped up since Gallo went down

4. New York Knicks | 54-28 | Last Week: 2 | -2
The Knicks finished with a 13-game win streak which was their best 1993-94.  Melo corralled the scoring title from Durant and probably earned himself some votes for MVP runner-up. JR Smith will attract a lot of votes for Sixth Man award. The Knicks also signed Quentin Richardson for the playoffs.

5. Memphis Grizzlies | 56-26 | Last Week: 6 | +1
Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies did his brother Pau a huge favor by beating the Jazz. The Grizz finished with the stingiest team defense and DPOY votes will go to Marc and some to Tony Allen. Zach Randolph played like an All-Star with 25 points and 19 rebounds in his final regular season game.

6. San Antonio Spurs | 58-24 | Last Week: 5 | -1
The Spurs have lost 4 of 5 and they are limping to the playoffs. Injuries to Ginobili and Parker could make them ripe for an upset to the hot Lakers. A baffling roster move was done last week when they released Stephen Jackson who was popular in the locker room. A more surprising move was to get T-Mac.

7. Los Angeles Clippers | 56-26 | Last Week: 7 | Same
The Clippers have won 7 straight (5 against inferior teams) and will get the home-court advantage in the 1st round vs the Grizzlies. The Clips are going to the playoffs somewhat healthy with Billups and Butler getting some minutes in the last couple of games.

8. Indiana Pacers | 49-32 | Last Week: 8 | Same
The Pacers failed to win 50 games by dropping 3 straight and getting 1 winnable game cancelled. It was not due to them resting players since Paul George, West and Hibbert played their normal minutes. Their defense just let them down especially after giving 117 to the Cavs then 105 to the Sixers.

9. Brooklyn Nets | 49-33 | Last Week: 9 | Same
The Nets will have home-court advantage in the 1st round vs the Bulls. Deron Williams has played like an All-Star lately: 25 and 8 in his last 10 games. Too bad Derrick Rose wont be around to play D-Will. Reggie Evans and Joakim Noah battling in the paint will be fun to watch in the playoffs.

10. Golden State Warriors | 47-35 | Last Week: 10 | Same
Stephen Curry has claimed the record for most three-pointers in a season with 272 which passed Ray Allen's 269. Curry had a magnificent season as he finished 7th in scoring and 14th in assists. The Warriors going to the playoffs is icing on the cake.

11. Chicago Bulls | 45-37 | Last Week: 12 | +1
Still no word on Rose being back for the playoffs but you never know. At least Noah, Gibson and Hamilton are back playing although they are not completely healthy. Nate Robinson and Jimmy Butler have been spectacular lately. Even Carlos Boozer has shown signs of solid work.

12. Los Angeles Lakers | 45-37 | Last Week: 14 | +2
No Kobe but the Lakers still made the playoffs. They were almost out of it but they climbed up to the 7th spot with 2 crucial wins over the Spurs and Rockets. Steve Nash has been hurt but Steve Blake has provided support with 47 total points and 11 assists over the last 2 games.

13. Houston Rockets | 45-37 | Last Week: 11 | -2
The Rockets had a chance to climb to the 6th spot last week but a couple of losses and bad shooting nights from Harden doomed the Rockets. They are now in the 8th spot and will face Harden's old team, the OKC Thunder. This will be Jeremy Lin's first taste of postseason action and he needs to step up his game.

14. Atlanta Hawks | 44-38 | Last Week: 13 | -1
The Hawks sorta tanked the last couple of games to make sure they stay in 6th spot and not climb any higher. The reported shoulder injury for Al Horford is probably nothing serious but you have to be concerned if you're a Hawks' fan since Horford's shoulder has been a nagging problem before.

15. Boston Celtics | 41-40 | Last Week: 16 | +1
The Celtics managed to finish the season over .500 by playing only 81 games. Concerns on the basketball court became secondary after the horrific incident of the Boston Marathon. That catastrophe could motivate and boost the Celtics' aspirations to upset the Knicks in the playoffs. Im not counting on that to happen.

16. Milwaukee Bucks | 38-44 | Last Week: 17 | +1
The Bucks are happy to be in the postseason and they're lucky that Brandon Jennings did not suffer a major sprained ankle in their last game. The rookie, John Henson has received minutes lately and he has made the most out of them. Henson has had 3 double-doubles in his last 5 games.

17. Utah Jazz | 43-39 | Last Week: 15 | -2
The Jazz failed to show up for their biggest game of the season by losing to the Grizzlies in a rout. Only Al Jefferson scored in double figures with 22 points vs the Grizzlies. Paul Millsap has struggled offensively in the last month and the Jazz might elect to have Derrick Favors as their PF of the future.

18. Dallas Mavericks | 41-41 | Last Week: 18 | Same
The Mavs finally got to .500 which meant that their shaggy, ugly beards were shaved. Dirk finished strong but that was not enough to overcome their poor start without him. OJ Mayo cooled off in the 2nd half of the season and Coach Carlisle lamented the fact that Mayo did not play hard.

19. Toronto Raptors | 34-48 | Last Week: 22 | +3
My wildcard pick to make the playoffs fell way short. They finished the season strong with 5 straight wins but it was a little too late. Kyle Lowry had an underwhelming season while Landry Fields went into a steep decline. Good news: Valanciunas and DeRozan seem to be growing as players.

20. Philadelphia 76ers | 34-48 | Last Week: 20 | Same
A lost season for the Sixers due to Bynum's injury and now Coach Doug Collins is gone. It will be a very busy summer for the Sixers as they reflect on what to do with Bynum and who will coach the team. Credit to Jrue Holiday and Thad Young for still having great seasons.

21. Portland Trailblazers | 33-49 | Last Week: 19 | -2
The Blazers have lost 13 straight which ties a franchise-record done in 1971-72. They were hovering around  a playoff spot during All-Star break but once injuries affected their starters, their weak bench was unable to overcome the injuries. Still, Damian Lillard should easily win ROY.

22. Minnesota Timberwolves | 31-51 | Last Week: 21 | -1
Ricky Rubio had a somewhat good season, playing 57 games while averaging 10 points and 7 assists. He should be better and stronger for next season. The biggest issue is Kevin Love's health or lack of it. Love only played 18 games and his shooting was horrendous (35%) during that stretch.

23. Washington Wizards | 29-53 | Last Week: 23 | Same
Bradley Beal and John Wall will be an exciting young duo for next season once they get to play together. Wall had career-highs in scoring and shooting and his midrange jumper was vastly improved. The Wizards need to draft/sign a decent young big man to support their back court players.

24. Detroit Pistons | 29-53 | Last Week: 26 | +2
The Pistons closed with a disappointing 5-5 in their last 10 games. Brandon Knight did not improve much from last year, same with Greg Monroe. On the bright side, Jose Calderon was solid in the 28 games he played while Andre Drummond looks promising if he stays healthy.

25. Sacramento Kings | 28-54 | Last Week: 25 | Same
The Kings lost 4 straight to end the year and they even lost their last home game of the season which could be their last game in Sacramento. Cousins is a great offensive talent and arguably among the top centers but his attitude and temper ruins his effectiveness on the court. DMC needs to grow up fast.

26. New Orleans Hornets | 27-55 | Last Week: 24 | -2
Ryan Anderson and Grievis Vasquez will find themselves nominated in some awards ballot but the disappointing part is that Anthony Davis will not win ROY. The Pelicans hope that Davis comes back stronger and healthier next season. The same for Austin Rivers who got hurt after having a miserable year.

27. Phoenix Suns | 25-57 | Last Week: 28 | +1
Goran Dragic was a nice pick-up for the Suns this season and he delivered with 15 points and 7 assists. Gortat was also solid before he got hurt and was lost for the season. Overall, the Suns performed as expected after Steve Nash left. Wildcards like Beasley and Wesley Johnson cannot be depended each game.

28. Cleveland Cavaliers | 24-58 | Last Week: 27 | -1
The Cavs lost to the Heat without their Big 3 and now they have lost Coach Byron Scott. Kyrie Irving was lackluster in his past couple of games. He ended up with just 4 points to a loss to the Sixers. That effort and attitude needs to change if the Cavs want to finally compete next year.

29. Charlotte Bobcats | 21-61 | Last Week: 30 | +1
The Bobcats are finally out of the 30th spot in the last week of the Rankings. This season can be called "successful" since they won more games than last year and no longer occupy the bottom of the standings. Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson had good offensive years.

30. Orlando Magic | 20-62 | Last Week: 29 | -1
The Magic fell to the bottom of the league due to their massive injury list. Afflalo, Turkoglu, Davis, Nelson all missed a large chunk of their games. On the bright side, Tobias Harris has been a wonderful addition. He led the team in scoring during his 27-game stint. Nic Vucevic was also a beast on the glass as he finised top 3 in boards and double-doubles.

Please hit the comments and follow me on Twitter @rollzter