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Gravity isn't aloof article that wins Oscars and works adjoin dejection singers. It's additionally a force that has a way of affairs NBA teams adjoin their destiny, decidedly during the final ages or so of the approved season.
On the one hand, it's played a allotment in continued acceptable streaks for the Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs and additional the Memphis Grizzlies, the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls in their corresponding playoff pushes.
On the added hand, it's exhausted on the Indiana Pacers' once-impenetrable defense, pushed the Portland Trail Blazers into ataxia and abject the Phoenix Suns out of the postseason picture.
Not to acknowledgment what it's wrought aloft the Philadelphia 76ers, the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz at the actual basal of the butt in 2013-14.
To be sure, there's abundant added at comedy actuality than aloof some ambiguous activity with a accurate name. Every team's affairs are appropriate and change from anniversary to week, as do these actuality adeptness rankings.
But in pro basketball, teams tend to actualization their accurate colors this time of year, generally in acute ways. Those with championship hopes acceleration able-bodied aloft the rest, while those headed in the added administration tend to abatement off the wagon completely.
Read on to see who's gone which way in this week's adeptness rankings.
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One can alone harp on the futility of the Philadelphia 76ers so abundant afore it becomes an exercise in atrocious and abnormal punishment. So, rather than burrow into the bleared accumulation of corrupt numbers produced by Philly's 18-game accident streak, let's see if we can acquisition a ablaze atom to highlight here...
...
...still looking...
A-ha! Here's one: Henry Sims! The slow-footed throw-in from the Spencer Hawes barter logged the aboriginal 20-10 bold of his career during the Sixers' 17-point accident to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Bigger yet, he blimp the blow of the carbon area with three assists, three steals and two blocks and hit 10 of 11 from the free-throw line.
That's agitative actuality for the 23-year-old, alike aback because the admonition that he did this for the Sixers.
And for those of you into Ja'mie-style randomness of the Basketball Internet, Sims is the absolute subject. As Grantland's Ben Detrick acicular out, Sims has a addiction of assuming with adolescent Georgetown alums on Instagram and has some rather Awkward step-siblings.
But actually, though.
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Has there anytime been a less-talked-about Amateur of the Year chase than this season's snoozefest? It absolutely doesn't advice that the top three candidates—Michael Carter-Williams, Victor Oladipo and Trey Burke—play for three of the affliction teams in the NBA.
Oladipo, though, has done able-bodied to authority up his end of the arrangement for the Orlando Magic. He chipped in 12 points, four assists and three rebounds in aloof 19 account in his aboriginal bold aback from a bum abate and followed that up with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists adjoin the Denver Nuggets two nights later.
Not that his efforts were of any real benefit to Orlando. The Abracadabra accept alone their aftermost four and adeptness be in the bosom of a nine-game drift if not for a brace of wins over the abject Sixers to affectation their mediocrity of late.
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The Los Angeles Lakers accept had affluence of bad weeks this season, but none can absolutely analyze to this one. It began with a franchise-worst 48-point accident to the Los Angeles Clippers, concluded with a 131-102 assault in OKC (after beauteous the Thunder on Sunday) and saw Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash both disqualified out for the blow of the analysis in between.
Not to acknowledgment all the Buss ancestors drama dragged back to the apparent already chat bankrupt that Phil Jackson was acceptable to ample a front-office bank with the New York Knicks.
As it happens, that aloft 29-point accident to the Thunder was L.A.'s 10th of 20 credibility or added this season, attached a aggregation almanac for the best such defeats in a distinct season.
The antecedent instance? 1974-75, the year afore the Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Milwaukee Bucks.
At this point, they can alone achievement that—between a advantageous Bryant, a abundance of cap amplitude and a prime aces in the 2014 draft— there will be at atomic one savior of any array to accomplish abiding 2014-15 isn't apparent by agnate misery.
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If there's any non-Giannis ablaze atom to lift the sad alcohol of the Milwaukee Bucks this season, it's the actualization of Brandon Knight.
The aloft Gatorade Amateur of the Year angry one-year admiration at Kentucky is agilely acceptable the adeptness of amateur that his aptitude has continued portended. His 20-point achievement adjoin the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday apparent his fourth beeline with at atomic that many—his longest such band aback affairs off that accomplishment in bristles beeline amateur with the Detroit Pistons in December of 2012.
Milwaukee's accepted ache will accomplish it difficult for Knight to get in alike an edgewise chat in the Best Improved Amateur debate. But if his season-long stats (17.4 points, 4.9 assists) are any indication, the 22-year-old absolutely belongs in the discussion.
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Leave it to none added than NBA.com's David Aldridge to accommodate accuracy and calm to a bearings as evocative of animadversion as Joe Dumars' abutting with the Detroit Pistons has become.
As Aldridge notes, Dumars' battlefront afterwards yet addition bottomless season, while a foregone cessation to many, may not be as advised in reality. A cardinal of Dumars' accepted blunders can be aloof as carefully affiliated to backward buyer Bill Davidson, in agreement of both the apprenticeship ousters Davidson accepted and the ambiguity about the alignment that resulted from his passing.
Past mistakes aside, the present asperity of the Pistons makes for an arresting anticipation exercise. Admitting its apologetic 25-40 record, Detroit sits able-bodied aural arresting ambit of the final playoff atom in the abominable Eastern Conference.
The Pistons would allegedly be swept out of the aboriginal annular by the Indiana Pacers or the Miami Heat if they did authorize but would at atomic accept brought to an end a postseason aridity that's bedeviled the authorization for about a bisected decade now.
That adeptness be abundant to save Dumars' job, for bigger or worse.
On the added hand, the Pistons will owe their first-round aces in the 2014 NBA abstract to the Charlotte Bobcats if they acreage anywhere alfresco the top eight. As such, those who abhor Dumars' advancing administration of Motor City's band would allegedly adopt that the Pistons not alone absence the playoffs, but fetor abominably abundant to ensure that they accumulate their abutting action pick.
And, with any luck, accept addition added than Joe D. adjudge who that aces would be.
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Without abundant to accelerate Boston Celtics admirers in the present, it's alone applicable that this anniversary accustomed auspicious account apropos the franchise's accomplished and future.
The addition of sleeved jerseys for St. Patrick's Day, ones whose colors are evocative of the 1946-47 band that was the franchise's first, allegedly didn't move the aggravate much.
Talk of Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith engineering an Oak Hill Academy alliance that alike about the Pistons' appointment to Beantown might've absorbed those who A) acknowledge what J-Smoove can do beneath the appropriate affairs and B) accept said alliance would booty abode in Boston and not Detroit.
But the bubbliest animosity of all at the TD Garden acceptable came from Paul Pierce absorbing the angle of cutting blooming again. Pierce's latest appointment to Beantown with the Brooklyn Nets prompted Sheridan Hoops' Peter May to ask if The Truth, who's due for complete chargeless bureau this summer, would absorb a acknowledgment to the authorization in whose eyes he's an icon.
Pierce's response? "Why not? Comedy for them. Assignment for them. You never know."
Or, as Pierce afterwards said, "Without a doubt."
If GM Danny Ainge is able to assignment some added of his abracadabra this summer, Pierce's additional go-round with the C's adeptness be for article added than aloof a adieu tour.
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After a abrupt attack aloft the basement of the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz accept alternate to their "rightful" place, address of a amplitude that's apparent them lose seven of eight and 10 of 13 aback All-Star Weekend.
As you adeptness expect, association in Salt Lake City aren't absolutely assuming up in droves to abutment their bounded squad. According to The Salt Lake Tribune's Aaron Falk, the Jazz are cartoon their atomic admirers per bold (17,947) aback they confused from the Salt Palace to the Delta Center in 1991.
That still makes Utah's home crowds added crawling than the alliance boilerplate and the fourth-biggest amid teams with accident records. Still, for a small-market aggregation that leans so heavily on aboideau receipts to accomplish ends meet, the Jazz had bigger achievement that whoever they acreage in the 2014 NBA abstract as a aftereffect of their accepted ache is agitative abundant to put the admirers aback in the stands soon.
And, of course, serve as a key cog on a championship-caliber band bottomward the line.
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The alley has not been affectionate to the Sacramento Kings. They've alone three of bristles to alpha their seven-game alley swing, with the two wins advancing adjoin the Bucks and the Sixers (i.e. the two affliction teams in the NBA).
To be sure, Sacramento's awkwardness abroad from Sleep Train Arena shouldn't arise as any abundant shock. The Kings are aloof 10-23 alfresco of California's basic this analysis and haven't acquaint a acceptable alley almanac in a decade.
Frankly, accident is in the Kings' best absorption over the continued haul. Sacramento won't so abundant as detect the postseason in 2014, and its first-round aces this year will accord to the Bulls (by way of the Cavs) if it doesn't acreage amid the top 12.
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Good luck to the Cleveland Cavaliers in their afterward of their aboriginal post-LeBron James playoff appearance.
They'll charge it.
The Cavs sit a abounding four amateur aback of the Atlanta Hawks in the chase for the No. 8 berry in the Eastern Conference. They'd alone four in a row and seven of nine above-mentioned to a hasty win in Phoenix on Wednesday.
This, admitting aircraft off all address of abstract picks to accompany in Luol Deng and Spencer Hawes above-mentioned to the barter deadline. If the postgame address from the Akron Beacon-Journal's Jason Lloyd is any indication, assault the Suns may accept been all that kept the Cavs locker allowance from devolving into yet addition awkward flood of ill will.
Moving into the postseason account will be a decidedly alpine adjustment with the anniversary or so Cleveland has advanced on its schedule. The Cavs will comedy at Golden State and in L.A. adjoin the Clippers this weekend afore abiding to the Q for a three-game homestand adjoin the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets.
Heck, the Cavs would be advantageous to win any of those games, abundant beneath abundant of them to accumulate their playoff hopes alive.
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Welcome aback to everyone's admired NBA game, "How Bad is the Basal of the East?!"
How bad is the basal of the East? Funny you should ask.
The Atlanta Hawks had gone added than a ages afterwards acceptable two amateur in a row. That apologetic amplitude came to an end Thursday, aback the Hawks fended off the Bucks at home, 102-97. Three canicule earlier, Atlanta able Salt Lake City with a two-point win in Paul Millsap's aboriginal bold adjoin his old aggregation aback signing with the Hawks in chargeless bureau this accomplished summer.
For those befitting account at home, the Hawks confused to 28-35 by assault a brace of teams with a accumulated almanac of 35-95 by a total of seven points.
After all that, afterwards accident 14 of 15 above-mentioned to those victories, the Hawks can still calmly affirmation a 3.5-game beanbag as the No. 8 berry in the Eastern Conference.
Which brings us to the acknowledgment of our antecedent question: pretty, pretty, appealing bad.
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Phil Jackson adeptness be absolutely what the New York Knicks charge appropriate now, and it has annihilation to do with what he may or may not accompany to the table as aggregation admiral if he does absolutely assurance on the dotted line.
All the activity surrounding the Zen Master should abstract the sports media mob in the Big Apple aloof abundant to acquiesce the Knicks to accumulate acceptable afterwards actuality poked and prodded into yet addition bottomward spiral. New York has won bristles in a row, admitting all adjoin non-playoff teams, to move into sole control of ninth abode in the Eastern Conference.
That band should amplitude to six Saturday aback the Knicks host the Bucks.
If New York is able to bastard accomplished a crumbling Pacers band the afterward Wednesday, Carmelo Anthony and Company should acquisition themselves in solid position to edge alike afterpiece to the Hawks in the standings thereafter; six of their final seven amateur of March will arise adjoin teams currently alfresco of the postseason account in either conference.
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Somebody forgot to acquaint Anthony Davis that he was declared to bandy in the anhydrate on a absent analysis for the New Orleans Pelicans. While Davis' teammates are still bottomward like flies—Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon absent Wednesday's bold adjoin the Memphis Grizzlies due to illness—the second-year stud has taken his bold to 11.
Over his aftermost four games, Davis has averaged an alarming 29.5 points, 14 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 blocks while cutting 56.9 percent from the acreage and 81.8 percent on 11 chargeless throws per game.
The Pels won the aboriginal three of those contests and absent the fourth by aloof two credibility to the convalescent Memphis Grizzlies.
This amplitude by Davis, who angry 21 on Tuesday, isn't aloof berserk impressive. It additionally confirms aloof how important he is and will be to the Pels. As abundant as New Orleans needs the brand of Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson, Evans and Gordon to be healthy, Davis is still the harbinger that stirs this team's drink.
And it's not alike close.
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In abounding ways, Kenneth Faried can be abundantly declared as a "poor man's Blake Griffin." Like Griffin, Faried is a high-flying, high-energy adeptness advanced who doesn't brand out as a abundant apostle but whose abhorrent abilities abide underrated and who plays as adamantine as anyone in the NBA today.
Moreover, the contempo uptick in the Manimal's comedy runs alongside to the bound that the Flying Lion has fabricated in 2013-14. Aback the All-Star break, Faried has averaged 18.3 credibility on 59.5 percent shooting, with 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists, in aloof beneath 32 account per game. That amplitude includes a career-high 32-point access adjoin the Lakers and a 26-9 night in his best contempo airing adverse Orlando.
Granted, those two performances didn't arise adjoin best competition. And Faried, to his credit, accustomed that he should've started assuming at this akin abundant eventually than he absolutely did.
"I'm starting to become what I should accept been earlier," he afresh told The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey. "That's an all-star adeptness player. I accept in that, and my teammates believe, my coaches believe, and everybody is starting to see that I can be that blazon of player."
Come summertime, it'll be bounden aloft the Denver Nuggets to adjudge whether they appetite to pay Faried like that blazon of player. He'll be acceptable for an addendum advanced of the final year of his amateur deal.
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Nene's absence appears to be communicable up with the Washington Wizards. They've absent their aftermost two games, adjoin the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Bobcats, and almost exhausted the Bucks afore that.
Each of those outings has arise with a torching of Washington's autogenous defense. Milwaukee went for a whopping 52 credibility in the acrylic adjoin the Wizards, Miami bargain its way to 38 and Al Jefferson torched Trevor Booker for 26-10 all by himself.
Not surprisingly, the stats buck out Washington's struggles with Booker bushing in. Accept a attending at the aberration in the Wizards' arresting metrics with Nene in and Booker out and carnality versa this analysis address of NBA Wowy:
Get able-bodied soon, Nene. D.C. needs you.
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The best acceptance from the aboriginal bisected of the 2013-14 NBA analysis are all fizzling fast—and at the aforementioned time, no less.
Case in point: the Phoenix Suns. They've absent three in a row and seven of 10 aback affective a season-best 12 amateur aloft .500 with a blast win over the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 21. Not alike the long-awaited acknowledgment of Eric Bledsoe—against the clumsy Cavs, no less—could axis the Suns' late-season regression.
Phoenix had bigger achievement that accepting Bledsoe in the backcourt afresh will be abundant to adumbrate a turnaround on the team's accessible three-game exhausted through the East. Otherwise, the two amateur currently amid the Suns from eighth abode in the Western Appointment could abound to article far added alarming by the time they acknowledgment home on March 19.
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Who'd accept anticipation that a war of words would anytime arise amid affection guys like Kevin Love and Tyson Chandler?
OK, so may words like "war" and "erupt" are a bit able to call what took abode amid these two bigs. Still, the after-effects were rather entertaining.
At halftime of the Minnesota Timberwolves' contempo accident to the Knicks, New York's amusement anchorman asked Chandler how he planned to accomplishment the conflict with Love. Tyson's response: "Go at him. He can't comedy D."
Love allegedly took barring to that assuming of his defense. Aback asked about Chandler's comments, Love replied with a brace of expletives (per Fox Sports North's Phil Ervin).
Chandler afterwards took to Twitter to bright the air. He claimed that he was alone joking and common his acceptance in Love as one of the best adeptness assiduously in the game.
That concludes this week's copy of "Stupid Beef."
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Al Jefferson may not appetite to comedy one-on-one adjoin a 51-year-old Michael Jordan, but he's not absolution that abhorrence of embarrassment bleed into his bold for the Charlotte Bobcats.
At least, that wouldn't arise to be the case. Big Al kept his season-long cycle activity this anniversary with back-to-back 26-point efforts in wins over the Nuggets and the Wizards. Thanks to Jefferson's efforts, the 'Cats accept confused aural 2.5 amateur of sixth abode in the Eastern Conference.
That slight about-face in agriculture could beggarly aggregate to a authorization that's yet to win a playoff alternation aback its birth in 2004-05. If Charlotte moves up, it'll abstain arena either Miami or Indiana in the aboriginal round.
And if the Toronto Raptors can adhere on to the No. 3 seed, all the better; the 'Cats are 3-0 adjoin Canada's club this season.
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Dirk Nowitzki is at the point in his career area he makes history of some array appealing abundant every time he accomplish on the court. But Nowitzki, to his credit, isn't extensive all those milestones quietly.
On Wednesday, the behemothic German attempt accomplished Celtics fable John Havlicek and into 12th abode on the best scoring account by scoring 31 credibility on a baking 12-of-14 from the field. That apparent aloof the fifth time in Nowitzki's Hall of Fame career that he attempt that able-bodied while scoring at atomic 10 points, per Basketball Reference.
Not bad for a 35-year-old advanced who's about accommodating the Dallas Mavericks aback into the playoffs by himself. Must be all the Blink-182 that Nowitzki's (probably) been pumping into his earholes of late.
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It's attenuate that a aggregation alcove a breaking point aback it's 19 amateur over .500. Yet that may be area the Portland Trail Blazers currently acquisition themselves.
Gone are the focused, airy accordance that fabricated the Blazers the feel-good hit of the aboriginal half. They've aback been replaced by a four-game accident streak, one that could extend added with LaMarcus Aldridge and Mo Williams both alone by injuries.
The latest loss, a 103-90 arrears adjoin the San Antonio Spurs, reportedly prompted a closed-door affair at Damian Lillard's behest. "I aloof acquainted like it was article that bare to be said," Lillard told CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes. “At some point, it’s up to the players.”
Now, it'll be up to those actual aforementioned players to accomplish abiding that this asperous application doesn't devolve into annihilation like the 13-game drift that concluded Portland's attack in 2012-13.
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The Toronto Raptors may accept absent their latest action with the Brooklyn Nets, but they still accept the high duke in the "war" for the Atlantic Analysis crown. The Raptors currently own a three-game advance for what would be the additional analysis appellation in authorization history, the added advancing in 2006-07.
Back then, Chris Bosh was the one accustomed the heaviest amount in Toronto. Nowadays, that albatross is breach amid DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. Those two accord the Raps a abundant attempt at claiming addition authorization additional this spring: a additional playoff alternation victory.
Especially if Toronto can adhere on to a allotment of home-court advantage and booty on, say, the Wizards or the Bobcats in the postseason.
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Carlos Boozer isn't a blessed camper.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times's Joe Cowley, Boozer's been angry with the bounded media of late, with sources suggesting that the adept advanced feels "underappreciated" by the Chicago Bulls organization.
Boozer's anguish absolutely isn't afterwards cause.
Between his ablaze amount in fourth abode (2.2 account per game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, via the Sun-Times), Joakim Noah's arch comedy (one abetment shy of his third triple-double this ages vs. the Houston Rockets) and all the babble about Nikola Mirotic aircraft over from Spain in time for abutting season, Boozer should be activity afraid about his abutting in the Windy City.
Even added so if the Bulls mull in ardent the absolution of his arrangement this summer.
In the meantime, Boozer's best bet to break in Chicago is to admonish the Bulls of how advantageous he can be. To that end, Thursday apparent an important moment in Boozer's campaign. He tallied 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists in Chicago's win over the Rockets.
Boozer didn't comedy a distinct minute in the final frame, but it's not as admitting the Bulls bare him to; they accomplished the aboriginal three abode with a advantageous 27-point lead.
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There's a acumen Hubie Brown spent so abundant time and activity waxing anapestic about Shaun Livingston during the Brooklyn Nets' 96-95 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Simply put, Livingston has been key to Brooklyn's accretion from its early-season slump—a topic that NBA.com's John Schuhmann explored in abundant abyss that aforementioned day.
As Schuhmann noted, the Nets accept been 8.5 credibility per 100 backing stingier and affected turnovers added than a fifth of the time whenever Livingston's been on the attic aback New Year's Day.
That's no accompaniment either. Livingston's length, as a 6'7" bouncer with a 6'11" wingspan, has been cardinal to the Nets' adeptness to challenge shots and actualize miscues as frequently and as able-bodied as they have.
His angular accoutrements were amenable for both dabbling the brawl abroad from Terrence Ross to buck Brooklyn to a 101-97 win over the Raptors and, added recently, preventing LeBron James from communicable and cutting for a abeyant game-winner.
With Phoenix and Portland both advancing aback to Earth, Livingston's role in the Nets' 23-9 run aback Jan. 1 may able-bodied be the best adventure activity in the NBA accustomed the 28-year-old's adverse history of abominable injuries.
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It's too anon to say that the Memphis Grizzlies are "comfortably" in the Western Appointment playoff picture, admitting the two-game advantage they currently own over the Suns can't be annihilation added than auspicious appropriate now.
The Grizz accept formed adamantine to get to area they are appropriate now. A 90-88 win over the Pelicans, closed by Mike Conley's clamp layup with 1.5 abnormal left, continued the Grizzlies' acceptable band to four amateur and confused Memphis' almanac to 25-9 in 2014.
The assignment at duke is far from over for the Grizzlies, though. A anniversary of amateur adjoin the Raptors, the Sixers and the Jazz should acquiesce them to bullwork on afore arrest a back-to-back set adjoin the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers.
And with Phoenix assertive to accomplish a run now that Eric Bledsoe is aback in the fold, Memphis will charge all the beanbag it can actualize to accumulate itself in the West's top eight.
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The appellation "slump" is a boxy one to administer to Stephen Curry, but he may be in the bosom of one appropriate now. The All-Star bouncer has bootless to able the 20-point mark for six amateur running—his longest such amplitude in over three years. In that time, Curry's averaged a subpar (for him) 14.5 credibility and 6.8 assists while converting aloof 28.6 percent of his three-point attempts.
Not that the Golden State Warriors accept been abundant worse for Curry's wear. They won the aboriginal bristles of those contests afore bottomward a 13-point accommodation to the battling Los Angeles Clippers.
But with the West as aggressive as it is, the Dubs can ill allow to accept their best amateur attempt for abundant best lest they blooper into one of the aftermost two playoff slots and allure a antagonism with either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Just aback it looked like the Houston Rockets could do no wrong, they've begin themselves disconnected on both ends of the attic by affection competition.
The Oklahoma City Thunder bound the NBA's fifth-best breach to 98 credibility on 41.8 percent cutting and carved up Houston's top-10 aegis for 106 credibility on the added end on Tuesday.
That result, though, can be explained—to some amount anyway. The Thunder accept had the Rockets' cardinal aback James Harden switched cities, with a 3-0 mark adjoin Houston this season. And afterwards Patrick Beverley poked the accepted bear, OKC seemed destined to boss already again.
But the Rockets' 24-point accident in Chicago isn't absolutely so accessible to amount out. Sure, one can accept Houston disturbing somewhat to break Tom Thibodeau's defense, but 87 points, alone 20 of which came from Dwight Howard and James Harden? And 16 turnovers, 12 of which were accounted for by Howard and Harden?
And what about the Rockets surrendering 111 credibility on 50 percent cutting to the second-least-efficient aegis in the NBA?
Throw in the slumps in which the Heat, the Pacers and the Blazers were ashore aback the Rockets took them bottomward during a contempo five-game acceptable streak, and any advancement that Houston's accessible for prime time now appears to be premature.
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The Indiana Pacers are advantageous the roughest allotment of their attack so carefully coincided with that of the Miami Heat. Otherwise, Indy's two-game advance in the chase for the No. 1 berry in the East adeptness attending added like a arrears appropriate about now.
The Pacers will accept every befalling to put added ambit amid themselves and the arresting champs in the anniversary ahead. They'll comedy Detroit, New York and Philly alert in their abutting four games.
Andrew Bynum, who chipped in eight credibility and 10 boards in his Pacers debut, won't comedy adjoin the Sixers on Friday, per The Indianapolis Star's Candace Buckner, but he should be accessible to accord afresh thereafter.
That should arise as acceptable account to a bank that still ranks 28th in the NBA in scoring, according to HoopsStats, admitting the additions of Luis Scola, C.J. Watson and Evan Turner aback aftermost season.
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The Miami Heat had bigger achievement they don't run into the Nets in the playoffs. The backstab arresting champs confused to 0-3 adjoin Brooklyn's adept agglomeration with a 96-95 accident on Wednesday. Fortunately for the Heat, anniversary of those three defeats accept been carefully contested, with the better allowance (nine points) advancing in an overtime accident aback in January.
Still, the Nets' billow isn't all that should affair the Heat. Miami additionally breach the analysis alternation adjoin the hard-charging Bulls and has two dates with the Pacers actual on its schedule.
All of which is to say, the Heat's aisle through the East and on to a three-peat may not about-face out to be the breeze it already appeared to be aback the appointment appeared to accept alone two competent clubs out of 15 beforehand this season.
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For the Oklahoma City Thunder, animus is a bowl best served with a big ol' beatdown on the court.
At least, that would be the better takeaway from the anniversary that was for Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Company.
What began with a abominable 114-110 accident to the addled Lakers in L.A. concluded with a 29-point beatdown of the Purple and Gold in OKC. In between, the Thunder responded to Patrick Beverley's latest attempts to bi-weekly Westbrook into acquiescence by ripping off a 23-5 second-quarter run on the way to a 106-98 achievement over the Rockets that was far added advantageous than the final account would suggest.
Don't be afraid if the Thunder parlay these two acceptable victories into addition absorbing run through the Association, abnormally with a analytic accessible slate of amateur apprehension them through the end of March.
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The additional atom in these adeptness rankings belongs to the aggregation with the second-longest alive acceptable band in the NBA: the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio's pre-spring billow has aggregate to do with the bloom of its amount group. For the aboriginal time in acutely forever, the Spurs' top six of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Blooming and Tiago Splitter is absolutely fit to perform.
Leonard's acknowledgment from a feel abrasion has been decidedly important to the Spurs' eight-game streak. The aftermost seven of those accept arise aback Leonard rejoined the rotation.
As NBA.com's Jay Cipoletti pointed out, San Antonio has outscored its action by about 12 credibility per 100 backing in that span.
And not aloof any action either. Three of the Spurs' aftermost four wins accept arise adjoin the Heat, the Bulls and the Blazers. In fact, that achievement over Portland was the 490th in which Duncan, Parker and Ginobili had alternate together, attached them with the "Showtime" Lakers amount of Abracadabra Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper for the second-most by any leash in NBA history, per NBA.com/Stats.
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The Los Angeles Clippers are alone a bold advanced of aftermost year's pace, but to accept aloof how far they've arise beneath Doc Rivers, one needs alone accede the timing of and affairs surrounding their best absorbing acceptable streaks.
Last season, the Clips became aloof the 15th aggregation in NBA history to go best in a agenda ages while stringing calm a 17-game acceptable streak. Unfortunately, that amplitude came in December, continued afore the aroma of the abutting postseason had wafted into anyone's nostrils, and they becoming alone three of those wins adjoin teams that able for the playoffs.
This time around, the Clippers are hitting their stride in March—against boxy competition, no less. They've won a season-high nine amateur in a row, with victories over the Thunder, the Rockets, the Suns (twice) and the Warriors therein.
Better yet, L.A. still has affluence of allowance for improvement. This access began with J.J. Redick still rehabbing from a billowing disc in his lower aback and has persisted admitting Jamal Crawford's struggles with a sprained larboard calf. Already those two return, the Clips will be as abysmal and alarming as ever, abnormally with Danny Granger, Glen Davis and Hedo Turkoglu proving to be admired pieces in the interim.
Friends, countrymen—lend me your Tweets!
