With the All-Star Game in Dallas less than a week away, it’s time to take a look at the NBA’s top six teams. These six are also the best in each of their respective divisions, so there’s a good chance we’ll see all of them in the playoffs this spring.
In the Eastern Conference, the league-best Cleveland Cavaliers currently hold a modest lead over the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics. This is partially due to the Cavs’ explosive offensive attack led by LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and “Mo” Williams.
LeBron is averaging 29.3 points per game, and he has made 50 percent of his field goal shots thus far, astounding numbers complemented nicely by Shaq’s .558 field goal percentage and Williams’ amazing .897 free throw percentage. These three are also aided by capable players Anderson Varejao, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Delonte West.
If these players’ defensive numbers remain strong in the second half of the season, the Cavaliers will be a favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.
The Orlando Magic are also looking strong again this year thanks to great performances from Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson. Howard leads the team with a .601 field goal percentage and 17.8 points per game, while Nelson and Lewis are averaging 11.7 and 15 points per game (PPG), respectively. Vince Carter has also contributed a steady hand to the team’s offensive game. He is making 84 percent of his free throws and averaging 15.6 PPG.
Though they lost to Cleveland earlier in the season, the Magic continue to give the Celtics trouble; they hold a 2-1 season record over Boston thus far. As long as Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis stay consistent, the Magic will continue to have impressive numbers.
The third-place Boston Celtics seem a bit fragile as they approach the All-Star break. The Celtics have had trouble beating quality teams both at home and away this season. They were embarrassed by the surging Atlanta Hawks four times in the first half; this is the first time in ten years that the Hawks have swept the season series against the Celtics. Boston has also lost twice to both the Magic and the Sun, and last week they were edged in a close game against the LA Lakers.
Many fans blame some of the team’s difficulties on the absence of Kevin Garnett for much of the first half of the season. While some players have had health issues, it is also apparent that the Celtic’s need to improve their defense later in games. Blowing double-digit leads in the third and fourth quarters seems to be Boston’s bad habit thus far, and it needs to stop if this team hopes to finish first in the Eastern Conference.
This goal is not impossible, but its achievement depends largely on the Celtics’ ability to keep the Big 3 intact and healthy. If Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce or Ray Allen suffer debilitating injuries in the latter part of the season, it could mean another early exit from the playoffs for the Green.
The Western Conference has a higher concentration of quality teams this season; eleven out of the fifteen teams in the conference have a winning percentage above .500 – impressive, considering only six out of fifteen teams in the Eastern Conference can boast this achievement. The Los Angeles Lakers currently hold first place by four and a half games over the Denver Nuggets, and the Dallas Mavericks aren’t far behind in third place.
The Lakers have continued to put up excellent numbers this season. They are led, of course, by Kobe Bryant, who averages 29.7 PPG and boasts a .813 free throw percentage. He has continued to make memorable shots this season, including an improbable last-second three pointer to put away the Miami Heat as time expired. He was also responsible for the late victory over the Celtics last week, making a well-defended two point shot with seven seconds left in the game.
While Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Ron Artest have also been big for the Lakers, no one can dispute that Bryant is the veteran leader. They will be in the playoffs come April, and it is quite possible that they will get the chance to defend their 2009 NBA championship in the Finals.
That being said, there are other impressive teams in the West, not the least of which is the Denver Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith lead the team in PPG, and both Anthony and Billups have performed consistently at the free throw line.
This team destroyed the Lakers 105-79 when they played them in November, and they will face LA for the second time this season on February 5. The Nuggets can compete with the Lakers this season, and if they can avoid an upset in the playoffs, they will pose a serious challenge to LA should they both reach the Conference Finals.
Lastly, the Dallas Mavericks have played respectably in the first half of the season, currently ranking third. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Shawn Marion have been playing fundamentally sound, consistent basketball, but the team has still lost important games to the Lakers, Suns, Cavs and Hawks. In the second half, the Mavericks will need to improve upon the offensive and defensive success they have found against teams like the Celtics and the Nuggets.
I expect each of these top six teams in the NBA to make the playoffs, but some certainly seem to be in better shape than others. Basketball fans: stay tuned for the second half of the 2009-2010 season. The matchups only get better as April approaches.
