Going into the NBA All-Star Game, Several Teams Look like They Can Win it All
We've reached a little past the halfway point in the NBA season and as usual there are some things that have occurred that were expected and other things that no one could have could have seen coming.
Even teams that have over performed and given a glimpse at what their true potential is and what they might achieve in the coming years. While other teams are beginning to show their age perhaps, and not sailing at the same lofty heights as we've seen in previous years. All this adds up to a difficult time for those making bets and looking for the best odds on basketball. The rest of the year promises to be just as exciting.
Let's take a look at some of the goings-on around the National Basketball Association.
What We Expected and Got
The Golden State Warriors fresh off of their drubbing of Cleveland in last year's NBA finals have continued its dominance. Kevin Durant is having an MVP season as usual, but he's also up to his level of Defense making him the potential all-defensive Team starter. Stephen Curry is still in human throwing accurate daggers at opposing teams at will. The rest of the Warriors cast I've been up to the task and the team holds the best record in the NBA by a large margin.
Boston showed tons of Promise last year and with the addition of Kyrie Irving running the team, there was an idea that they would move things to the next level. The only question was how long it would take and hardly anyone thought it would happen so quickly. Boston has the best record in the east and with the trade deadline approaching and Boston being actively in the mix, they could even improve their team for the second half of the season.
Toronto is having its normal dominating year, but we can definitely see that they are a low level first to your team that is not really prepared to compete with the few front-runners.. They are also looking to be buyers at the trade deadline and trade to be as strong as possible for the playoffs when they will meet Boston and Cleveland
Lebron James is playing his usual otherworldly game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everyone wonders when Lebron will slow down but at age 32 it could be argued that is actually getting better. He tells his offseason workout regimen and adherence to a strict diet as being responsible for his high level of play. We would add that his extraordinary talent also has a lot to do with why he's the number one basketball superstar in the world.
What We Didn’t Expect and Got
James Harden had a career year last year For the Houston Rockets, and still missed out on the MVP award which was given to Russell Westbrook. Believe it or not he is having an even better year this year and has position his Rockets as perhaps the only real challenge to Golden State. Currently the only a few games behind the NBA champions and Houston is looking to improve its roster even further before the trade deadline. If this can happen we might have a worthy opponent for Golden State. In any case, James Harden is sure to be in the conversation again for League MVP.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are finally living up to their potential. After stacking the roster with young stars and the addition of Chicago Bull Wing Jimmy Butler, they are leading their division and looking to pull away. It took some time but it appears that Minnesota has actually built a strong young core that can make them a playoff team for the foreseeable future.
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Miami Heat and no one expected them to have a winning record at this point. But the magic of Pat Riley is that he always manages to find a way to have his team overachieve. Most people couldn't tell you three people on the Miami Heat, but this cast of no names has managed to post a winning record at this point in the season. It remains to see whether they will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in NBA this season is how vulnerable the Cleveland Cavaliers look. The Cavaliers have the oldest team in the NBA, and many of saying that age is finally catching up with the group. Although Lebron is performing up to expectations the rest of the cast including Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert, Isaiah Thomas end JR Smith, all having down years leading everyone around the league to wonder if this is the year will Lebron led team finally misses the finals.
