The All-Star break is almost upon us. Golden State and San Antonio have separated themselves as the two best teams in the league. Cleveland meanwhile is dealing with multiple injuries to core players and watching closely as teams like Boston, Toronot and Washington creep closer and closer to them in the standings.
However, the drama in New York continues on. Charles Oakley might not be banned from Madison Square Garden anymore, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to show up again. Carmelo Anthony does keep showing up despite Phil Jackson’s best efforts to run him out of town. The question to follow throughout the weekend and up to the trade dedaline will be when is enough enough for Anthony? Will losing so many games make him look elsewhere? Will Jackson finally hit the nerve that makes Anthony willing to waive his no-trade clause?
There’s a lot to follow off the court at this time of the year. Below we take a look at how the 30 NBA teams have been performing on the court as of late:
Would it surprise anyone if the Brooklyn Nets didn’t win another game this year?
The only team capable of losing to the Brooklyn Nets. Will the Serge Ibaka trade be the jumpstart to their re-re-rebuild?
Devin Booker is pretty much a superstar and acting like one, and rumors suggest the Suns are looking to swing big at the trade deadline. If so, they might actually crack the top 25 this season.
TJ MCCONNELL WILL OUT-CLUTCH ANYONE! Joel Embiid being hurt makes me sad. (PS: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BEN SIMMONS?)
The once promising young core now looks like it stranded on a desert island after taking a three-hour tour.
Despite the losses, this team –particularly Andrew Wiggins (81 points in his last two games)– has looked better with Zach LaVine sidelined… *insert hand on chin emoji*
The Pelicans found a way to squeeze some production from Solomon Hill in their latest win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Now if they can work some more voodoo (or just have Buddy Hield nut punch everyone) at the trade deadline there’s a chance they can sneak into the postseason.
I think James Dolan only lifted the Charles Oakley MSG-ban because NBA commissioner Adam Silver agreed to select Carmelo Anthony as Kevin Love’s replacement in the All-Star game.
The Sacramento Kings mantra this year: “Get to the playoffs or kill DeMarcus Cousins’ trade value trying.”
Harrison Barnes might go down as the best signing (not named Kevin DuranT) of the summer of 2016. Yogi Ferrell isn’t a member of the Mavericks Hall of Fame…yet.
Some of the Knicks’ stink must have rubbed off on Michael Jordan during that summit at the league office because the Hornets have not been the same team lately.
As much as the Jabari Parker injury sucks, the Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo and honestly that in itself is amazing.
Their recent trade to acquire Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 first-round draft pick looked like a move that could signal something bigger on the horizon in the Northwest.
Nikola Jokic is the greatest thing to happen to Denver tourism since the legalization of marijuana.
The hottest team in the league was cooled off by the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic in back-to-back games. They respond by beating the Houston Rockets. WAITERS ISLAND FOREVER!