“NBA-at the Break”

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The NBA has gotten to its All Star Break, it’s 3-point shooting contest.  So we can look forward to a (190-187) games, featuring tons of long jumpers and not one shred of defense.

And you thought the NFL Pro Bowl and the NHL All Star Game were bad events.

But as we get to the break, there are alot of team notes to talk about, especially coming off last weeks wild NBA trade deadline.

Hopscotching around the NBA road map.

LAKERS…They have hit the reset button again.  The Russell Westbrook experiment bombed.  Last year’s acquisition of the Carmelo Anthony-Dwight Howard world failed.  The year prior it was a bunch of young players.  Oh everyone is excited about getting young role players off the bench.  So what.  The Lakers are in 13th place and are excited thet maybe they can finish so they get into the 1-game play in series to get a last playoff spot.  But they have no cap space and no first round picks till 2029.  Boy they have fallen from the years where banners and trophies were what the Lakers were all about, not play-in spots..

CLIPPERS…Sure like the deals that brought them 3-point firepower and a backup center.  Most important they got depth to put o a roster than won’t have to rely on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George along for points.  Bones Hyland-Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee will make a difference.

GOLDEN STATE…Age-injury and 200,000 miles have pretty much caught up the Warriors.  Steph Curry keeps getting hurt, Draymond Green looks ancient, and Klay Thompson is no longer what he was.  They gave up on James Wiseman and the other hotshot Jonathon Kuminga is behind the power curve.

DALLAS…Welcome Kyrie Irving, he’s your problem now.  Do you have enough around him and Luka Doncic?

SUNS..New owner, new player.  Kevin Durant will get healthy and then we see how he fits with Devin Booker and Chris Paul. I think fine, but they traded away such firepower in Cam Johnson-Mikhail Bridges to make the deal work, they don’t have enough depth.

SACRAMENTO…Yes the Kings have been atop the Pacific Division standings most of the season.  Mike kBrown has done a good job with mixed bag roster.

DENVER…Not sure why hardly anyone is talking about the (41-18) Nuggets and the fact this is more than just a Nikola Jokic driven team.  They have firepower, are deep, athletic and gritty.

MILWAUKEES…Got to keep Giannis and Kris Middleton completely healthy
but they are really good with solid support off the bench.

BOSTON…They fired the head coach as camp opened on a sexual incident but Joe Muzzolla stepped up and gave them solid leadership.  Of course having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown makes them the Beast in the East.

76ers..You keep waiting for this franchise to turn the corner but it cannot be just Joel Embiid night after night.  How much gas does James Harden have left in the tank.  Does not seem to be the same player

BROOKLYN…Well that didn’t workout well did it.  Gone from a year ago this time, coach Steve Nash, star Kevin Durant, and troubled Kyrie Irving.  Of course they still have under performer Ben Simmons.  What a mess

CAVS..Got talent and getting Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz has made them really dangerous over what is left of the season.

MIAMI…If they add another big in Kevin Love to go with what they have among the veteran roster, they could cause problems the back end of the schedule.

NEW ORLEANS…If they get Zion Williamson back and if they can keep him on the court heading to the playoffs, maybe they get into the playoffs and scare people, but Zion has to stay healthy, and he has not in his career.  Brandon Ingram is such a talent.

HOUSTON-SAN ANTONIO-DETROIT-CHICAGO…Woeful teams.  The Rockets have lots of picks.  The Spurs skid into this weekend with a 14-game losing streak.  Detroit has all these high picks but hasn’t flipped things yet.   The Bulls are a mess of injuries.

Enjoy the All Star weekend then we see what the race to the finish line looks like.
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