Now that the dust has started to settle after the NBA trade deadline, the playoff picture in both conferences has changed. Starting in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks are well on a pace to win 60 plus games for the first time in team history. The Hawks have flirted with 60 wins twice, coming up three games short in both in the 1986-87 and 1993-94 seasons respectively. The Hawks have a fairly soft schedule until a March 18 matchup with the Golden State Warriors that could potentially be a NBA Finals preview.
The Chicago Bulls were a team that many thought would be frontrunners in the East. The Bulls team has been riddled with injuries. Derrick Rose is out with a torn meniscus and Jimmy Butler is currently on an extended absence with an elbow injury. The Bulls sit third in the Eastern Conference but hanging on by a thread. The Cleveland Cavaliers have surged in front of the Bulls.
The Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards seem to have tapered off since the All-Star break. They each lost five straight games to close out the month of February. The Wizards recently welcomed SG Bradley Beal back into the lineup. Beal missed time due to an injury. The team’s schedule in the month of March have them squaring off with several top teams in the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trailblazers, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. Should the Wizards continue to slide backwards their coach Randy Wittman should be on the hot seat. This team showed a lot of promise early on in the season and they desperately need him or somebody to bring up the nose of the plane.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder continues to play hopscotch for the 8th seed with the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans. MVP candidate Russell Westbrook game gives a whole new meaning of the word “Beast Mode” he went off in the month of February averaging 31.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 10.3 assists. He hasn’t been slowed down by the recent injury to his right cheek and ensuing surgery.
The Houston Rockets, led by another MVP candidate James Harden, sit third in the conference and they are dangerous. The Rockets unit is very long and athletic. They make at least 10 three pointers a game. Big man Terrance Jones returned to the Rockets lineup to close out the month of February he posted a double-double against the Brooklyn Nets while James Harden struggled going 4-15 from the field. The Rockets are a much different team when they have Jones in the lineup. He missed most of the season with various leg injuries. The acquisition of Josh Smith is paying off, his ability to pass, rebound and knock down an occasional three-point shot gives the Rockets plenty of much needed firepower in such a stacked conference as they patiently wait on the return of Dwight Howard.
The Clippers are close to getting PF Blake Griffin back, but in the meantime DeAndre Jordan is rebounding like a mad man, in a win against the Chicago Bulls, Jordan pulled down 26 rebounds. For the season he’s averaging over 14 rebounds a game. He’s already posted eight games this year with 20+ rebounds and he’s played in 300 straight games. That’s especially surprising in this day and age as more teams use metrics to calculate when to rest certain players. Teams have resorted in fouling Jordan, who still struggles from the charity stripe. However, he’s making teams pay on the other end of the floor. He’s making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year. He deserves it, especially when you think about him being snubbed as an All-Star. The Clippers have actually played better with Griffin out with elbow injury. They sit only a half-game behind the Portland Trailblazers for fourth, in the conference.
It’s still anybody game out West. When it’s all said and done, the most dangerous team in the Western Conference will always be the San Antonio Spurs. As long as the Spurs qualify for the playoffs they are a legitimate title contender. The great Gregg Popovich keeps piling on wins with one of the most successful franchises in professional sports. As usual, the Spurs are not on everyone’s radar, but by the time you do notice them, your team of choice is most likely getting eliminated from the playoffs.
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