A Month Into The League

We’re in Week 5 of the world’s greatest basketball league which technically means that we’re a month into the world’s basketball league, the National Basketball Association or if you will, the NBA. We’ve seen plenty and a whole lot of the “wow” moments and the “ahh” moments, whether it being the rise of the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo or the fall (and rise) of Lonzo Ball. Either way, the NBA has been nowhere near disappointing this past month yet it’s certain we haven’t seen all of the spectacular moments just yet. Let’s take a look at what has made the NBA really awesome this past month.
Celtics Make Their Own Luck

Let’s be honest, during the opening stages of the NBA we all thought the Boston Celtic would just be a mediocre team considering how they gave up a lot just to put themselves in the “Rebuilding” process (we’ll come to the real moments later), not to mention they lost their alternative LeBron James, Gordon Hayward to a horrific injury, the odds were certainly against the Boston Celtics aapecially Kyrie Irving. But to those who knew that the Celtics would be a driving force, kudos to you because the Boston Celtics are now at the throne of the Eastern Conference. The team itself have found their much needed groove and we could be witnessing a Boston Celtics team that may spearhead themselves into the history books of the NBA. They’ve recorded an eleven-game winning game streak which saw them defeat the reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors. A streak which has eclipsed the 2009-10 Boston Celtics team streak. One can really say that the 2017-18 Boston Celtics team are making their own luck.
A Rocketing Warrior Fight In The West

In the past three seasons, the Western Conference has belonged to the Golden State Warriors. Although many predict that the Warriors will take the West again, as of right now, that isn’t much the case. The Houston Rockets have been immensely amazing in recent games. James Harden has already unlocked his inner MVP to charge the Rockets to the top of the Western Conference and nobody can really blame The Beard for doing so. Many critics believed it would be the Oklahoma City Thunder that would offer competition to the Warriors but they’ve been absent and have been showing us just why we could never count on a KD-less OKC team even with the likes of Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and the reigning MVP Russell Westbrook. So how and why has the Rockets been a throne to the Warriors’ dominance of the West? It’s simple…other than Harden’s sensational MVP performances, Mike D’Antoni has found a much better system for the Rockets to play in and it has been a charm for them. Meanwhile on the Bay, the Warriors haven’t been finding green pastures with their silly turnovers, not enough converting of baskets and a defense without the actual D (NO PUN INTENDED). It’s so bad that Stephen Curry tweeted to his followers and Warrior fans that they will fix things. Because they’re the reigning champions, they have to! So as the next coming weeks go by, we will see a change in the poles of the Western Conference and we will surely witness more beautiful basketball by the Warriors and the Rockets
Three Words…” TRUST THE PROCESS”

The Philadelphia 76ers have been the worst team in the past three to four seasons. Purposely throwing away games just to land that lustrous number 1 pick in the NBA Draft and this has been called “The Process”. Enter Joel Embiid who would give himself the name “The Process” and he assured 76ers fans that they should TRUST THE PROCESS. This was Embiid letting fans and other people know that there is more to come from the 76ers. This season, the 76ers have shown us why The Process are to trust. Usually, they should be in the last position in the Eastern Conference but this time they are in the Top 8. It’s still an unbelievable thing to actually try believe. Joel Embiid has been a rocking force in the paint, offensive and defensively for the team and he even went to record 46 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. And there’s Ben Simmons, the rookie who was out the whole of last season has been amazing and he is already favourite to win the Rookie of the Year award. Not to mention that they have talented players who are actually getting the job done on both ends of the court. So far, the 76ers stand a good chance at going to the Playoffs but we’re pretty sure they won’t go past the first round but at least the players will go home knowing they played a part in bringing the Playoffs to the city of Philadelphia, which is something that hasn’t happened in a long while. Other than that, The Process is truly at full work and this may be a new era of greatness for the 76ers. This season will be theirs for the taking.
The Rollercoaster Ride of the Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers have surprised us so far, this season. Not in a good way though. The Cavs have recorded more losses than we least expected them to especially within a month of the NBA. Silly losses to the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets and New York Knicks has just shown us that the Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t in their right minds. We can understand that they have a problem in filling the point guard position because Derrick Rose is in and out due to minor injuries and Isaiah Thomas is still recovering from his hip injury that many saw as an liability to the Cavs but with a team like the Cavs, it’s not something we hear everyday that the almighty Cleveland Cavaliers are at the mercy of these other ridiculous teams. LeBron James has been putting all the weight on his shoulders from time to time and we’ve seen great help from Dwyane Wade, Kevin Love and Kyle Korver as these guys have a way of shooting the Cavs back to the game only for them to lose in the dying minutes of the game. And in most games, the Cavs would have to comeback from double digits down and make a comeback which is something that may cost them come Playoff time…that’s if they’ll even reach the Playoffs this season, just by the looks of the performances. So perhaps in the next coming month, LeBron will rally up his Cavaliers and get them to wake up and fight off from their slump to take back the Eastern Conference. FYI, Stephen Curry said that the weather in Boston must be nice in June…clearly this is a shot at the Cavs and it’s up to them and only them to deny the Warriors from travelling to Boston come Finals time.
A Kawhi-less Spurs

Many San Antonio Spurs fans and other fans will notice that there’s something missing in the NBA. The Klaw…also known as Kawhi Leonard. By now, Kawhi should be on the race to MVP or leading in steals and blocks but he’s not. Simply because of injuries that are keeping down The Klaw from laying waste to the NBA. But it’s okay, for once we get to realize that Kawhi Leonard is human and he deserves all the time to recover fully. However, time is something the Spurs don’t need and instead they need their Kawhi back, the no-smiling easy bucket hard guarding Kawhi. Spurs have been doing just okay and that isn’t okay especially for a team led by the mastermind coach, Greg Popovich. The bright side to the Spurs so far is that they’ve managed to find a way to utilize LaMarcus Aldridge and have nicely exploited the talents of Kyle Anderson and have relied better on the sharpshooter that is Danny Green. The down side to the Spurs is that they’ve been in uncomfortable positions in the Western Conference and there’s only one person that can push them back to the top…Kawhi Leonard. But according to Popp, Kawhi will be back in a matter of weeks possibly the coming month and fans of other teams better fear because it will certain that Kawhi will be a trouble factor especially for the Rockets and the Warriors.

So seeing how it’s been a month since the NBA came back, the world has truly gone back to normal and we’re all happy that we are far from coming to the end of what is to be a hot season.
Stay tuned for more on the NBA
IMAGE CREDITS

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Image 2 – http://cdnau.ibtimes.com/sites/au.ibtimes.com/files/2017/11/14/chris-paul-injury-update.jpg

Image 3 – http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a0d9be835876ea2008b6650-1128/joel-embiid.jpg

Image 4 – https://cbscleveland.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/gettyimages-873839190.jpg?w=640&h=0&crop=1

Image 5 – https://img.bleacherreport.net/cms/media/image/99/2b/5d/ae/ae3a/47f2/a0ce/de01a463477e/crop_exact_preview.jpg?h=400&w=600&q=70&crop_x=center&crop_y=top

Race to MVP – Oct/Nov

It’s only been three weeks since the opening of the world’s greatest basketball league, the NBA and already the race to the most prestigious individual award, Most Valuable Player, is heating up like a grandma turning up the temperature to the oven to make her delicious scones. Credits must go to the players who are in this list and although it’s early to tell who the MVP will be, this list is just here to give you a heads-up on which player is dominating the league. Take a look…

These players are ranked and rankings will change during the course of the regular season.
*NB: THE FOLLOWING ABBREIVATIONS: PPG (POINTS PER GAME), APG(ASSISTS PER GAME), RPG(REBOUNDS PER GAME) & SPG(STEALS PER GAME)

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks

Kobe Bryant have the Greek Freak a simple challenge to accomplish this season; to win MVP. And so far, the Freak is showing just how serious he’s taken the challenge. Truth be told, Giannis has been a dominating factor since last season and he’s finally an All Star. So it would make sense for him to lead the race to the MVP award. Something about the Freak this season shows us that he isn’t just a tall talented forward that can play point at any time but just by looking at how he affects the game on the both ends of the court, the Freak is a complete basketball player and with his incredible IQ and speed, Giannis surely will be getting the W’s for the Bucks. So far he’s averaging 31.3 PPG, 10.6 RPG & 5.3 APG.

2. James Harden – Houston Rockets

The Beard was runner up to the 2015 MVP award and 2017 MVP award so it makes sense for James Harden to continue his MVP form. And from what we’re seeing from the Beard, his form isn’t slipping away. Before the season started, most people assumed Harden would have to reduce his time with ball because of the arrival of All Star point guard Chris Paul but because CP3 is injured, Harden had to unlock his inner MVP and because of his amazing performances, the Rockets are sitting in pole position of the Western Conference. But when CP3 is healthy again, we don’t know if Harden will continue his MVP form but whatever the case will be, he best continue because no offense is complete without the Beard! He’s averaging 26.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG & 9.2 APG.

3. Russell Westbrook – Oklahoma City Thunder

It’s no surprise that Mr.Triple Double is in this list. And we can’t also expect him to be back to back MVP but if he does come to that come the end of the season, it will be great. So far, Westbrook has been performing the same way he did last season and he already has four triple doubles to his name so far. Although he has the help of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, Westbrook doesn’t look to phased from their presence. In fact, he’s still the same monster we recognize him as the reigning Most Valuable Player. Although the OKC team sit in an awkward position of tenth place in the Western Conference, Westbrook will see to it that the team needs to sit at least in the top three and we expect OKC to end the regular season in the third or fourth position after the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. The MVP is averaging 19.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG & 11.9 APG

4. DeMarcus Cousins – New Orleans Pelicans

When one thinks about the Pelicans, they all think about Anthony Davis. He clearly is the best player on the squad but his partner in crime, DMC is finally finding his place in the Pelicans and we can finally recognize DMC as the joint best player of the New Orleans Pelicans. So far this season, DMC has displayed such breathtaking performances having made history with his 41 point, 23 rebounds performance against his former team, the Sacramento Kings. So it’s safe to assume that we will be seeing more amazing performances from the big man that is DeMarcus Cousins. DMC is averaging 30.1 PPG, 13 RPG & 5.9 APG

5. Blake Griffin – Los Angeles Clippers

During the beginning of the offseason, the Houston Rockets acquired Chris Paul and many had believed that it was over for the Clippers, that they wouldn’t see the dawn of the Playoffs. And because of the superstar talent of Blake Griffin many of us(especially myself) were wrong. Blake has been absolutely fantastic for the Clippers especially in their recent games. He’s making his presence known, something he couldn’t do during CP3’s stint with the Clippers. Other than that, Blake has indeed improved his shots and has found ways of being a better player for the Clippers. This surely shows that the Clippers will be keeping Blake Griffin for a long time. He’s averaging 22.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, & 4.7 APG
THE OTHER MVP CANDIDATES:
6. Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors
7. LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers
8. Kyrie Irving – Boston Celtics
9. Kevin Durant – Golden State Warriors
10. Andrew Wiggins – Minnesota Timberwolves

As earlier stated, the rankings will change during the course of the regular season but whoever your MVP is, be sure to on the look out for his performances because this race to the prestigious individual award is only getting started.
IMAGE CREDITS:

Header – http://www.rantsports.com/nba/files/2015/10/MVPTrophy.jpg

Image 1 – http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/omnisport/59/90/antetokounmpo-giannis-110317-getty-ftr_947fnlw4pjbk1006cpnbydd4c.jpg?t=-2090579369&w=960&quality=70

Image 2 – https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lTpy2j-vdE0i645IsD3-OBKd38Y=/0x0:3271×2218/1200×800/filters:focal(1253×209:1775×731)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57479051/usa_today_10394946.0.jpg

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Image 4 – https://cdn.nba.net/nba-drupal-prod/styles/landscape_320w/s3/2017-11/COUSINS%20PP.jpg?itok=-5bEMC8_

Image 5 – https://cdn.nba.net/nba-drupal-prod/styles/landscape_320w/s3/2017-11/griffin.jpg?itok=mFmKaWea

Trouble In The Land

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a top two team since LeBron James announced “I’m coming home” back in 2014 and since then, the Cavs have reach the pinnacle of the NBA and they’ve done this in sensational fashion. They’ve appeared in three straight Finals, winning one NBA championship (the very first in the team and city history) and have made history by coming back from a 3-1 deficit, having two players score 40 points each in The Finals and maintain dominance in the Eastern Conference.
Fast forward to the recent preseason, The Land has been through a rollercoaster ride. The whole Kyrie Irving trade demand, the acquiring of Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade and the changes in the starting five. Now this may not seem like a bad thing for a championship winning team, but any drastic change to a team can either change for the good or even affect a team in very bad way. And from the recent performances, the Cavs have been very affected. How well…
LeBron Can’t Do All Things (Alone)

LeBron has been showing us just how amazing he truly is, especially considering the fact that he’s in his 15^th season and just by looking at his performances, he’s nowhere near slowing down. But his dominant performances aren’t enough to pull the Cavs from this slump. Sure, he scored a whopping 57 points against Eastern Conference rivals, the Washington Wizards, LeBron can’t carry a whole team on his shoulders alone especially when there’s talent in the team. It’s given that we are to “WITNESS” more of LeBron’s GREATNESS as the season continues, but just seeing LeBron losing easy games just isn’t so great. One man shouldn’t stand up to assist the team but the whole team needs to step up to at least make it easier for LeBron to carry them straight to The Finals.
What’s Defense without the D!?

We cannot criticize head coach Tyronne Lue because in the year that he’s taken the reins of the Cavs, he’s been the mastermind of the Cavs’ high-octane offense and hustle-hard defense but this season, we’re just not seeing much of the hustling. Now, it’s okay to lose games by letting the lethal shooters take shots outside the arc but it is definitely not okay to lose games by allowing points to come in from the paint. This has been a major issue this season, too many buckets come from the paint and that already is just a concern of whether the Cavs will be able to hold it down especially during the postseason because the teams in the East will go all out especially against a team lead by LeBron. So it’s only best for the Cavs to go back to the drawing board to figure out who can do and who can actually contribute to the D in the defense. No team is complete without the D (NO PUN INTENDED)
The Second Unit Cannot Pick Up The First Unit’s Messes

There’s nothing like a coach’s trust in his starting five, it shows that the coach knows that his starting five will determine or rather take charge of the game. However, a coach’s trust in his bench players to change the game is also significant but no coach should come down to the point where he entrusts his second unit to actually charge of a game rather than the first unit. And so far, that is what’s happening with the Cavs. They have so much talent and firepower in every player but it’s unfortunate only five can start a game and it’s understandable for Lue to have headaches on who should start. It’s just unfortunate to see that the starting five don’t impact the game as much as the second unit does, okay perhaps the second unit players don’t get past at least 25 points individually but their contribution is what drives to the Cavs…to not lose by at least 30 points. It’s quite clear that there’s a chemistry issue going between the starting five but whatever the main issue is, the team needs to fix this at once!
It may be the beginning of the NBA season, but so far the Cavs are standing at the 12^th position and have won 4 games and lost 6. Something has to be done to the roster ASAP! No championship winning team deserved to be outside the Top 8 seeds. Major fixing needs to be in The Land.
IMAGE CREDITS:

Header – https://i1.wp.com/defpen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/dwyane-wade-lebron-james.jpg?resize=600%2C400

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