Hawks Slide All The Way Down to Eighth Spot in the East

Just two months ago, the Atlanta Hawks seemed to have a firm grasp on the 3rd seed in the eastern conference. However, after suffering the team suffered through a litany of injuries that resulted to ever-changing lineups and rotations, the Hawks suffered strings of losses. Players on the team had struggled as their roles got changed from one game to another as the coaching staff tried to patch up the holes that is left by the absence of injured players.

 After going 2-8 in their last 10 games, the Hawks are now below .500 with 26 wins and 29 losses. The team is currently holding the 8th and the last playoff spot in the east.

Although they have comfortable lead over the 9th-place Detroit Pistons, they will have to turn things around in a major way if they wish to reach the playoffs. This is going to be hard considering the fact that the team is not out of the woods yet in terms of injury situation. It also didn't help that the front office didn't make any improvements before the trade deadline ended.

If the team is going to turn things around, it will have to rely on individual improvements from players.

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Outdated Post: Grizzlies Slips Into a Playoff Spot, Mavericks Slips off

This is a bit late and thus outdated but for my personal record-keeping purposes, I've decided to just post this right here. It's about the time last week when the Grizzlies where able to temporarily slip into a playoff spot. Obviously, it's not true now but whatever.

Grizzlies Slips Into a Playoff Spot, Mavericks Slips off

After a strong run to start the year that saw them win 13 of their 16 games, the Memphis Grizzlies have slipped into the 8th playoff spot in the very competitive western conference. The team started season poorly due to a new and more fast-paced system the coaching staff was trying to put in place. A couple of weeks later, the team fell back on their old and lumbering system which allowed them to win a string of games. However, they lost their defensive anchor in center Marc Gasol as he injured his knee on November 22. The team struggled throughout the next month of December and the first two weeks of January.

However, after Gasol returned on January 14, the Grizzlies have improved their play. Their defense is back to its old stingy self and their offense is also much improved.

With the rise of the Grizzlies, it also meant that one other team had to fall. That team is the Dallas Mavericks who aren't exactly having that good of a run in January. Although Dirk Nowitzki is putting up some pretty good numbers, the team's unreliable defense has been its downfall. The team has only won 9 of their 17 games for the month which is far from being good and resulted to them slipping off the top 8 teams in the west.

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Kawhi Injures Right Hand Against OKC Thunder

During the January 22 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs wing Kawhi Leonard suffered a broken finger in his right hand and had to be taken out of the game and did not return after coming in contact with the arm of Thunder center Steven Adams in the second quarter of the game.

There is still no timetable for his return. The Spurs are already without two starters as guard Danny Green and center Tiago Splitter have also been out for a while due to injuries. These injuries are unfortunate as the Spurs are just about to enter the tough part of their regular season schedule and are competing with the Thunder and the Trailblazers for the best record in the western conference.

Leonard has been averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds this season. He is the team's premier wing defender who often gets the unenviable assignment of checking an opposing team's best player. With him out for a while, the Spurs defense is certainly going to suffer.

Defense Still a Problem for the Mavs

After winning the NBA championship for the 2010-11 season, one would thought that the Dallas Mavericks might have figured out the formula for winning titles or, at the least, being elite contenders. However, the team hasn't had much success since then. In the 2012 playoffs, they got booted out in the first round. In 2013, they missed the playoffs.

Over the off-season, the Mavs management tried to go after the big free agents. They failed and had to resort to finding what many considered lesser basketball talents. It wasn't exactly a bad move as I honestly think they've made some smart signings.

However, more than two months into the season and the team doesn't really look primed for a successful run this season. Their records isn't that bad with 20 wins and 15 losses. However, the way they are losing games, it is hard to imagine them winning games against the top teams in the western conference. 

While their offense has been decent, their deficiency on the defensive end is stopping them from consistently winning games. Due to have Mavs not having a good enough defensive wing, the team's defense is quite vulnerable to penetrating drives. This wouldn't have been so much of a problem if the team has a rim protector to somewhat patch the hole. However, the team doesn't have that guy and as a result, the entire defense ends up being compromised.

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Spurs Continue to Struggle Against Good Teams

Despite their impressive 22-7 record, not everything is going smoothly for the San Antonio Spurs. So far this season, the team has been struggling when playing against the better teams in the league. Here are the teams and the number of losses they have so far this season:

• Trailblazers - 1
• Thunder - 2
• Rockets - 2
• Pacers - 1
• Clippers - 1

Each one of their losses had them being dominated throughout the game.  Why are the Spurs having a hard time against the better teams?

Don't Match Up Well With Athletic Teams

Having watched all their games this season, I have come to realize how poorly the Spurs match up against athletic teams. The team has a hard time stopping penetrations from speedy ball handlers which results to the entire defense being compromised. That is why against teams with an aggressive offensive player, the Spurs struggle to make stops in crucial parts of the games.

This shouldn't have to be a problem if the Spurs don't have a...

Lack of a Go-To Scorer

The lack of a go-to scorer is hurting the Spurs just as bad as the lack of an on-ball defensive stopper at the guard position. When the Spurs offense gets disrupted by the defense, the lack of a player that can create an offense by himself means that the possession is doomed to fail or requires a ton of luck to succeed. In recent years, this has become the responsibility of Tony Parker and his become quite good at it. This season, however, Tony is struggling in such situations and as a direct result, the Spurs are too.

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Lakers Coaching Faces a Tough Challenge with the Return of Kobe

With the return of Kobe Bryant, there are many questions that needs answer. For basketball fans, a major concern is whether he will be as good as he was before the injury. For the Lakers, the main concern is how to Kobe will be able to fit into the lineup.

The Lakers have surpassed the expectations of many who predicted the team to greatly struggle this season. In what seems like a plot for a movie, the roster full of misfits are playing surprisingly well, always giving a hundred percent effort and showcasing a brand of basketball that is simply fun to watch. Aside from taking advantage of their athleticism through transition offense, they are also moving the ball quite well in half-court sets.

There comes the concern. Kobe has always been the type of player who needs the ball in his hands to be effective. This means that his return could adversely affect that good ball-movement that the team is showcasing right now.

The Lakers coaching staff who has done a marvelous job to start this season will have their biggest challenge yet as Kobe returns. They will need to figure out how to get Kobe to fit in the system while not disrupting the way that team has been playing.

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Rose Injury: Early and Painful Conclusion to the Season for the Bulls

The return of Derrick Rose gave the Chicago Bulls and its throngs of fans a good reason to be hopeful prior to the start of this season. Everyone has seen what the former MVP can do when he is healthy and playing at his best. He gives the tough defensive team a boost on offense that allows them to stand toe-to-toe with the best clubs in the league.

However, less than a month into the season, the hope has been dashed with another potentially season-ending injury to Rose. This is a big blow to the team and the player who missed the entire previous season while recovering from a left knee ACL injury.

Rose injured his right knee on Friday when the team played against the Portland Trailblazers. It was late in the third quarter and he was trying to make a backdoor cut when his knee seemed to have buckled. He limped to the sidelines and had to be assisted while heading to the locker room. There wasn't any details released at that time, but the non-contact nature of the injury gave fans a big reason to be scared.

On Saturday, reports came out that Rose has suffered from a torn meniscus and will require him to undergo surgery. Recovery from such injury is estimated to last between 4-6 months.

The Bulls who have been playing impressive after a rough start has a murky future ahead of them. They can still make the playoffs, but any hopes of contending for a title is very much out of the question right now.

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A Breakout Season for Anthony Davis

With the current 3-4 record, the New Orleans Pelicans aren't really doing as well as fans are hoping for. However, there is always something to be glad about every time the team steps on the court. Although it is still quite a bit early into the season, Anthony Davis has looked quite impressive for the team. He has taken a huge leap from the previous season wherein he was pretty much overlooked by NBA fans.

In the first 7 games of the team this season, Davis has definitely made his presence felt on the basketball court. His work on both offense and defense are reflected not only by his stats but by the way the team is being able to compete well even against quality competitions. He is currently averaging 21.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. These impressive numbers are a result of his adjustment to the NBA game and taking advantage of his natural abilities.

Although he did show some glimmers of his potential to be great last season, Davis somewhat struggled in his first year in the NBA as he got outmuscled by stronger and more experienced players. So far this season, he is using his speed and athleticism to get the better out of his opponents. His ability to run the court at high speed is a problem for anyone trying to guard him. His speed is also useful in defense as it allows him to cover a wider area of the floor, blocking shots from non-suspecting players.

Again, it is a little bit too early in the season. However, his ability to adjust and make use of his advantages is something that will last not only this season but throughout his career. It's an amazing and frightening thought.

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Credits: Image from NBA.com

A Chance for a Great Start for the Indiana Pacers

As good of a team as they may be, the Indiana Pacers had had the tendency to start slow in the season. Last year, they started the season losing even against mediocre teams. That is why despite finishing the season great, they mostly went under the radar as most NBA fans have already looked as a non-exceptional team that is not worth paying attention to.

Now, after making a noise as they made a successful run in the recent playoffs that saw them taking the eventual champions Miami Heat to 7 games before bowing out, the Pacers will have a chance at a great start for a season as they open the year with very winnable games against not-so-good teams.

The First Three Games

On the opening day of the NBA, they play against the Orlando Magic, a team that is laden with young talent but is still in the process of rebuilding and expected to be one of the worse teams for the upcoming season. 

Their second game is against the New Orleans Pelicans, another team that is loaded with talented players but is still lacking experience and also considered to be in the process of rebuilding and might want to tank the season to help the cause.

The third game might be tougher as they play against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that made transactions in the off-season that was intended to make them competitive this season.

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NBA Predictions: Atlanta Hawks

The NBA season is just a few weeks away and with team rosters almost complete, it's much easier to predict how certain teams are likely to perform next season. Several websites for betting on sports have already released season predictions for every NBA team, providing general insights on teams that expected to be good and those that are anticipated to have a bad year. If you like to bet on sports, these predictions might come in handy for you.

The Hawks in Limbo

The Atlanta Hawks are one of the few teams that are still in limbo when it comes to season prediction. There's the assumption that the team will try to tank in order to get a better positioning for the next year's loaded draft. However, if you look at the current roster of the team, they have enough talent to be competitive in the east.

Master of Their Own Fate

 The Hawks can go whatever direction they see fit. They are the master of their fate. If they decide to compete for the playoffs, there's a very good chance that they'll be able to do so. However, I don't think that the team would want to only reach the playoffs.

The Likely Ending

The way I see it, the Hawks will try their best to be competitive in the early part of the season. If things doesn't pan out, you can expect the management to make some big changes in the middle of the season that is likely to worsen the team but help with the rebuilding cause.

Did the Knicks Upgrade Over the Summer?

After a successful regular season wherein they were able to have the second-best record in the eastern conference, the New York Knicks faltered in the playoffs against a tougher opposition in the form of the defensive Indiana Pacers. The Knicks offense who featured the year's scoring champ were stifled. Their defense wasn't any better. To put it bluntly, the team still needed a lot of work if they are to become legitimate contenders for an NBA title.

In a tougher eastern conference

This offseason saw several new players added to the Knicks while some  players from last season were traded away or left during the free agency period. The team has been active, to say the least. However, all the transactions that the team have made still doesn't put them on the upper echelon of the league, or even the eastern conference for that matter. Even if they did improve, the other teams in the east has upgraded by leaps and bounds over what the Knicks have done so far.

Knicks' summer acquisitions

One of the significant transactions of the Knicks this summer is the trade for Andrea Bargniani that sent away Steve Novak. The presumption is that Bargnani, with his better skill sets, will provide the Knicks with another option in the offensive end. However, with several players on the Knicks that constantly handles the ball to be effective, it is very likely that his role will be relegated to what Novak used to do. The fact that his field goal percentages from last season  declined from the previous is a cause for more concern.

How is your favorite NBA team doing?

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Mayweather Beats Alvarez to Stay Undefeated

Coming into the fight, the odds for one of the most anticipated boxing matches this year was in heavily in favor of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. Prior to the fight, the Australian website for betting on sports had the winning lines for the fight 1.36 to 3.15, in favor of Floyd. The 36-year old undefeated fighter is considered to be the best athlete in the sport right now. With his defense and just insanely smart boxing that borders being boring for many, he is like a puzzle without a solution. He won the fight with a majority decision over Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez to protect his undefeated record.

Saturday night in the US, he showed once again why this is so. Canelo had a hard time trying to land punches while Floyd picked his punch and landed clean shots against his opponent time and again. Contrary to the majority decision that makes it sound like the match was close, he was in complete control of the fight.

Some might argue that Canelo won the later rounds. However, all those were rounds that Floyd can afford to lose. Floyd pretty much secured his victory in after round 8, so there is really no reason for him to take a risk. I understand that this is kind of annoying for anyone who wants to see an action-packed match, but that is just how Floyd is. As I mentioned, he is a smart fighter. And on Saturday night, he showed everybody just how clever he is. 

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Player Development Paves the Future for the Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the most successful NBA teams for more than a decade now. The franchise has created a system and a culture that allows them to always stay competitive. The way the team is careful in evaluating and adding players to the team is simply impressive, one big reason for their success over the years. There are many cases I could point out to prove the point. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are just two of the examples that really stand out.

You could argue that they took a risk and got lucky but you have to admit that the team really has the knack in finding rough gems and letting those gems get polished. And they have different ways with the polishing process.

In cases wherein they are dealing with foreign talent, they don't rush things and bring in the player as soon as possible. Just like with the cases of Manu and Tiago Splitter, the team let them gain more experience that helped them mature through international competitions or foreign league.

However, there is also another case wherein the team brought in an unproven players and forged him under the heat of NBA competition. This is what Parker had to go through as the Spurs who were wanting on the point guard position at that time. In an interview, the point guard mentioned how he would often find himself in tears while taking the shower after games or practices.

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My NBA Teams to Watch for 2013-14

With the NBA season  only a little over 2 months away from starting, it's time for those who bet on sports to start planning the teams to follow and the games to watch. The NBA regular season alone will have 1230 games. You know you're going to need some extra effort in choosing the games to watch.

I, obviously, can't say what games you should watch since everyone has their own preferences in terms of entertainment. However, I do have certain teams in mind that I know I'm going to give a close look. Here are the five team's that automatically comes to my mind. These teams are pegged by a website for betting on sports as contenders for the title next season.

Houston Rockets

Toyota Center will be packed next season.

Hate him or love him, Dwight Howard is definitely bringing in plenty of attention to his new team. People will be watching how his decision to leave the LA will turn out. I, on the other hand, can't wait to see how he pairs up with talented players who are just reaching their prime. 

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers will be ready to clash with the eastern conference titans
Source: Zach Primozic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The media might try to ignore the team yet again next regular season. However, the recent improvements they made in the roster this summer might produce too loud of a noise to ignore once they step on the court.

Brooklyn Nets

The season is going to be either white or black.

The team has acquired some prominent players. The downside is that these same players are old. Then there's the new coach with a zero coaching experience in the NBA. If this was a story, there would be too many loopholes that the team will need to patch up. I could get pretty or it could get ugly. Either way the story goes, it sure is going to be interesting.