By Joe Manganiello and Dave Holcomb
1. Oklahoma City Thunder: The Boston Celtics have held Durant to 21 points in two games against the Thunder this season. Of course, the forward did not even play in one of the contests and Oklahoma City still won both.
2. Indiana Pacers: Vince Carter to Paul George, “Hey, that’s my dunk bro.”
3. Houston Rockets: When Dwight Howard is shooting 65 percent from the free throw line, this team is very difficult to beat. The center is at that mark in his last five games and Houston has won six straight.
4. Miami Heat: LeBron hits a buzzer beater to win a game in February. He still wishes he could fast forward time to April.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: If fans can vote for the All-Star team and put players like Kobe into the starting lineup, why can’t fans vote to put guys like Blake Griffin in the slam dunk contest?
6. San Antonio Spurs: Joe and Dave are both skeptical of the Spurs come playoff time, but still any team would take a .717 win percentage at the All-Star Break.
7. Portland Trail Blazers: If we were betting men, we’d put five bucks on Damian Lillard in the slam dunk contest. He has 5-1 odds.
8. Memphis Grizzles: The Grizzles wished they were in sunny Orlando to play the Magic rather than snowy Tennessee.
9. Dallas Mavericks: After the break, Dallas fans get ready to welcome the Heat in a rematch of the 2011 Finals.
10. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry had 29 points and seven assists before LeBron stole the show on Wednesday.
11. Phoenix Suns: The Suns may be last in assists per game, but still have five more wins than the team had all of last season.
12. Chicago Bulls: Last in points scored, but second in points allowed. Traded Luol Deng for nothing, but got better. Tip your hat to the Bulls.
13. Brooklyn Nets: Things are starting to come together a bit, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This team lost to Detroit last Friday. At least that was before Cheeks was fired.
14. Toronto Raptors: Hitting the break at 28-24, the Raptors have not finished .500 since the 2006-2007 season
15. Minnesota Timberwolves: As promising as this team has been at times, Kevin Love is still the team’s only real scoring threat.
16. Washington Wizards: John Wall nearly averages a double-double per game with assists. Incredible.
17. New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelican mascot needs the weekend off as much as some NBA players. Pierre the Pelican is getting reconstructive surgery on his beak.
18. Denver Nuggets: A four-game losing streak including losses to the Knicks and Pistons, there have been better sports times in Denver.
19. Atlanta Hawks: Ironic that Wednesday’s game in Toronto was played but if it had been in Atlanta it more than likely would have been postponed. The Hawks, having lost five straight, could have used a snow day.
20. Charlotte Bobcats: Eighth in the East might not be much to brag about, but Bobcat fans have to be pleased this team is one of the only ones below .500 that have held it together.
21. Utah Jazz: Despite a three-game winning streak, Utah citizens were probably still in uproar over Jimmer Fredette Wednesday night. So were Glen Falls citizens who are probably Knicks fans.
22. Orlando Magic: Even though the team lost to Memphis on Wednesday, wins over Oklahoma City and Indiana last week give this team some momentum going into the break.
23. Boston Celtics: Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk and Butler’s Brad Stevens make quite a pairing in Beantown.
24. Los Angeles Lakers: There was a Steve Nash citing this week!
25. Sacramento Kings: As much as we would all like Seattle to have a team again, do Supersonic fans really want to do to Kings fans what was done to them? Does the young Kings roster with DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette have a chance to be the next Oklahoma City Thunder?
26. New York Knicks: To be or not to be? More like, to do or not to do with Carmelo Anthony? Do the Knicks risk not moving him and Anthony taking his talents elsewhere or do they trade him for building blocks? If Anthony does leave, the Knicks might be better off with a completely clean slate.
27. Detroit Pistons: Apparently the Browns aren’t the only team to fire coaches after one season, or in this case, less than one season.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers: Cleveland fans might not care when Brandon Weeden says he wants to leave, but Kyrie Irving is a different story.
29. Philadelphia 76ers: It’s pretty difficult to find yourself below some of the laughing stock teams from No. 26-28, but a eight game losing streak will do that.
30. Milwaukee Bucks: Maybe the Brewers will do better.
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