The NBA hits the unofficial halfway point of the season with the All-Star break. Tonight is the Rising Stars Challenge. This is an All-Star game with rookie and second year players. Tomorrow night is All-Star Saturday with the skills competitions. Sunday is the All-Star game. It’s time to look at the most surprising team, disappointing team, and the MVP at the halfway point.
The most surprising team has to be the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks ended last year 38-44, good enough to make the playoffs as the eighth seed and face the number one seed Indiana. They gave Indiana a run for their money losing in seven games. This year has been a whole different story for the Hawks. They are 43-11, with five more wins than they had all of last year. If the playoffs were to start right now, the Eastern Conference Playoffs would go through them. They are the number one seed. The Hawks are an impressive six and half games ahead of Toronto for that number one seed. There is no question this is the most surprising team. They were predicted to make the playoffs as a seventh or eighth seed. That won’t happen. Atlanta has played too well. They will be at least a top three seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The most disappointing team is the New York Knicks. The Knicks barely missed the playoffs last year at 37-45, costing Mike Woodson his job as the Knicks fired him after the season. This past summer owner James Dolan hired Phil Jackson as team president. He was responsible for hiring the next head coach. He wanted Steve Kerr but Kerr turned down the job offer and went to Golden State. Jackson hired Derek Fisher who had never coached before. It has been all downhill. The Knicks are an NBA worst 10-43. This was a team at the start of the year who was supposed to compete for one of the playoffs spots. They are playing for next year and to receive the best odds in the Draft Lottery in April. No doubt they have been the NBA’s most disappointing team this year.
The MVP race is heating up. There are many worthy players for the award. The MVP at the All-Star break is James Harden. Harden is leading the league with 27.4 points per game. That’s 1.5 points more per game then Lebron James. If you take James Harden off the Houston Rockets they wouldn’t be 36-17 or a top four seed. They would be fighting to be in the playoffs as a seventh or eighth seed. Harden is the MVP at the All-Star break.
Who is your MVP? Which NBA team has been the most disappointing? Which NBA team has been the most surprising?
I like the lead up to the All Star game. Too bad other sports don’t do likewise. Wish I had a team destined for the playoffs. Maybe some day.
first thing first, the nuggets have either make a lot of trades or fire the coach.