As the Thunder are trying to achieve a Northwest Division title & home court advantage during the 1st round of the post-season, the T’Wolves encounter the possibility of not having their best player for the rest of an additional frustrating year. The host Thunder can get closer to accomplishing both goals having a 9th straight win against a T’Wolves club not having star Kevin Love on Friday evening.
Following their 6 game winning run had been broken having a 95 – 93 home court defeat to sluggish Toronto on Sunday, the Thunder ( 46 – 24 ) rebounded back having a 106 – 94 win against the Jazz on Wednesday. The Thunder are 10 – 2 in March & have a 4 game advantage over the Nuggets within the division with twelve matchups left. A club that has not claimed a division title since the SuperSonics picked up the Northwest during 2004 – 2005, the Thunder are 4th within the West. The Thunder ought to feel excellent about the way they have performed on the defensive end recently, allowing 87.7 points per game while picking up 6 of the previous 7. Durant & the Thunder have an opportunity to tweak their offense with the Timberwolves ( 17 – 55 ) on their home court.
The Thunder have put in 113.3 points during the previous 6 matchups versus the T’Wolves, who’ve dropped 3 consecutive at
The Rockets had been discounted early following beginning the year horribly, however they are now making a solid rally for the post-season. The Utah Jazz’s playoffs hopes seemed to be fading only 7 days earlier, however the squad has put that tough span behind their & appears to be finding their rhythm. During a game of clubs fighting for the last Western Conference post-season position, the Rockets are trying to pickup a victory for the eleventh occasion in 3 games Sunday evening when they have Utah, who’re trying for their 3rd consecutive win.
The Rockets ( 36 – 34 ) started the year by losing 10 of 13 and lost All Star C Yao Ming for the season during the 1st month. The Rockets, however, have fought back to pull within 1/2 game of 9th place Jazz ( 36 – 33 ), which sits barely behind 8th place Memphis. The Rockets have been particularly good on the defensive end lately within their 10 – 3 upswing, permitting 82.7 points within a 3 game winning run, 21.0 less than their average for the year. Houston earned 1 of their most outstanding wins of the year Friday, permitting their lowest point total of 2010-2011 during a 93 – 77 against the Celtics. Kevin Martin got a team best twenty-five points while Kyle Lowry put in 20 & first-year Patrick Patterson, making his 3rd consecutive start for the hurt Luis Scola, put in eighteen points & a personal best twelve boards.
The Rockets are 19 – 1 when keeping competitors to 96 or less points, however they may have issue keeping the Jazz to
The New Jersey Nets are going to try to make a run at the playoffs in the future. They are going to end up falling short this year. They do need to make sure that players like forward Damion James are available to develop to their full potential. Kris Humphries has been playing well for the team recently, but they aren’t necessarily satisfied with the front court play that they have been getting. You have to end up finding someone in free agency because Brook Lopez can only do so much on the low block. Brook Lopez is a smart guy and he tries to make a reasonable amount of plays, but it can be frustrating for a guy like Lopez to get beat up in the post all of the time. The Nets did end up trading two young, potential cornerstones in Devin Harris and Derrick Favors in order to acquire Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz. Avery Johnson has tried to instill a certain level of defensive discipline with these young players and it is beginning to pay off. They are starting to not only defend their home court with a great amount of tenacity, they have even proven that they can win games in London, England as they went forward to defeat the Toronto Raptors twice.
The Nets did acquire some outside shooting in the last offseason with the likes of Anthony Morrow and Travis Outlaw. The fact that they acquired Deron Williams is only going to increase the amount of quality three point shots that these two men will end up putting on a regular basis. Williams
Memphis has won again. And Denver nuggets lost about staggering eight points. Seriously this is a disaster don’t you think. The Denver players have been seen after the game shaking their heads in disbelief and not letting the course of the defeat into their heads. Let’s face it they have just lost the first offer three games on the road doing Donna play. Not a great start of October.
But they have their moments during the game after scored 24.0 this was his career high so far. Zach Randolph from the Memphis view on the other hand was the one who got them to win the game.
Steve Nash is the most underrated NBA player within the league. The 2 time MVP is always overlooked when you start talking about the top 5 best point guards in the NBA.
He is getting older and his minutes are being reduced this year but can you name another team where the whole offense is dictated so well by any other point guard?
His stats are down a bit this year due to the complete lack of defense and trades that have reorganized the team and
As the 2010-11 NBA season continues, the potential playoff picture continues to take form as those teams which are likely to go to the playoffs are pulling ahead of those that will miss them. On Wednesday, two of the league’s better teams, each of whom are likely to make the playoffs will matchup in New Orleans as the Los Angeles Lakers travel to take on the Hornets.
Heading into this season, the Los Angeles Lakers were once again considered one of the front runners to win the NBA Championship. While the Lakers have done a good job defending their title, they have hit a speed bump recently and presently have a record of 21 wins and 10 losses, which is good for fourth place in the NBA’s Western Conference. The Lakers are also on a 3 game losing streak, which includes a Tuesday night loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The season, the Lakers are once again one of the most explosive teams in the NBA. The Lakers are 6th in the NBA in scoring with a 103.9 points per game average. Offensively, the Lakers
Carmelo Anthony has put on only one club’s jersey since being drafted 3rd all-round in 2003. At a minimum of for the time being, the 3 time All Star forward carries on to wear the powder blue & white of the Nuggets.
With deal take carrying on in gossip, Anthony & Denver will attempt set aside the hype Thursday as they go for their 11th consecutive win at Pepsi Center during a contest with the League finest Spurs.
Since leading Syracuse to a March Madness title in his only year on campus, Anthony has been the centerpiece of a Nuggets club that has made the playoffs 7 consecutive seasons after being absent in post season within the 8 years prior to his arrival.
Declaring he desired to keep his possibilities open, Anthony turned down a 3 season, $65 million extension with Denver in the summer. It’s since been talked about that the Brooklyn born free agent to be desires to go to either New York or New Jersey.
While Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri stated following Tuesday’s 111 – 94 win against the Magic that no trades were close & Anthony would understand if he was getting traded, gossip continues
The Magic understand they are definitely able to catch fire & punish competitors at home on their floor, however their away game outings tend to be much less outstanding.
Orlando are putting in twenty less points away from their new court, a pattern they will in all likelihood must change Saturday evening versus the Pacers should they wish to extend their winning streak to 4.
The magic (8-3) picked up a League high thirty-nine games by double digits last year, which includes an extraordinary sixteen away from home.
Orlando are not having any problem repeating their inclination for winning with big leads at home, in which 5 of their 1st 6 victories happen to be by a minimum of 15 points. They started with a 28 point half-time lead on the Suns club missing Steve Nash on Thursday evening, smooth sailing to a 105-89 victory where 6 players put in double figures.
The Magic’s 3 away games have not ended up so effortlessly. Following dropping 96-70 at the American Airlines Arena to the Heat on October 29th, Orlando have picked up their previous 2, by 3 playing at the Bobcats & one playing on the Nets home court, however even within these victories, they
It required 2 years for Chicago’s Derrick Rose to ascertain himself among the best point guards within the NBA. Washington first-year John Wall comes with the potential to adhere to the same road. 2 of the the prior 3 overall number one picks matchup for the first time Sat evening in the United Center as take on Chicago looking for a 4th consecutive home victory against the Wizards.
Rose, the 1st overall selection in 2008, reached his 1st All Star team in route to putting in 20.8 points & 6.0 dishes in 2009-2010. The Bulls local may be better still this year, putting in 23.6 points & 9.7 dishes. He had twenty two & thirteen assists
Yao Ming returned to a Rockets uniform for the first time since he broke his left foot in a playoff game against the Lakers. That marks a recovery time of over 17 months. It is somewhat of a personal triumph for Ming, who, for a time, thought he may never play again in the NBA.
The 7-6 center won the tip, but unfortunately, his team lost the game against the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. Ming missed his first shot, but scored nine points and had 11 rebounds before he fouled out with 6:30 left in the game. He battled
