Friday, February 24, 2012

NBA Midseason Report (Part 1)

We've reached the All-Star Break aka the midpoint of the NBA season. Some teams have so far exceeded expectations, others didn't. We look at all 30 teams at a glance on how the first half of the season has been.

Atlanta Hawks
Al Horford went down with a shoulder injury that ended his season, yet the Hawks have adapted to his absence, with a 20-14 record at the break. Joe Johnson remains an All-Star player, while Josh Smith stepped up his game. Then again, are they ready to take it to the next level?

Boston Celtics
Aging team whose days were numbered. A fragile bench, injuries and creaky legs led to an uninspiring 15-17 record at the break. No longer championship contenders at this point, so expect Danny Ainge to pull the plug at season's end.

Charlotte Bobcats
Sixteen straight losses led to a mediocre 4-28 mark. Nothing to say. Michael Jordan is not a good executive.  The Bobcats are too young and too immature, and no effort has been made to add All-Star talent to keep Bobcats fans happy. 

Chicago Bulls
Not even Derrick Rose's extended absences have prevented the Bulls from surging to a 27-8 mark at the break. Luol Deng finally broke out, while Richard Hamilton fulfilled the Bulls' needs of an shooter. Defense remains a Bulls hallmark of success, and should continue so until the season's end.

Cleveland Cavaliers
After a frustrating rookie debut, Kyrie Irving started to make his mark in Cleveland. The Cavs are 13-18 at the break, on the cusp of the top eight. Irving and Tristan Thompson are the future of the franchise in transition, as they look to move on from LeBron.

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