Tuesday, January 24, 2012
A month ago, the National Basketball Association began its season with thrilling games on Christmas Day. Now, the season is a quarter of the way over. Some teams continue to excel while others continue to fall. Here are some of the early season surprises and disappointments.
Biggest surprise: Philadelphia 76ers (12-5)
A team that barely finished over .500 last season has the Eastern conference’s fourth-best record. The 76ers win with stifling defense that only allows 88 points per game, the second-best defense behind the Chicago Bulls.
Add the balance scoring attack to the defense and the 76ers suddenly become a different team. They have seven players that average 10 points and one who is just shy of averaging nine. Lou Williams leads the team in scoring with 15.5, but never starts a game.
With star player Andre Iguodala and the re-emergence of Elton Brand, the 76ers’ fast start might lead to more success in the playoffs.
Honorable mention: Utah Jazz (10-5)
Trading away NBA star Deron Williams and losing Andrei Kirilenko to a Russian team are monumental scars on this Jazz team. Somehow, the team finds a way to cope with the losses.
Big men Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap continue to excel as the top two scorers on this Jazz squad, but the third option may surprise people. Former Washington Wizard Josh Howard averages 10.7 points. Not his career best, but still better than expected for the eight-year veteran.
Add in the young, developing players such as Enes Kanter, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks and Derrick Favors, and the Jazz have a solid nucleus of players with the Western conference’s third-best record.
Biggest disappointment: Golden State Warriors (5-11)
Though the Warriors can turn their woes around, a team with this much talent shouldn’t struggle early. Yes, Stephen Curry’s injury can lead to losses, but losses to the terrible Charlotte Bobcats, struggling Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets?
What about the defense that Marc Jackson was supposed to supply? The Warriors are 27th in the NBA in points allowed per game. Oh, and don’t forget about the 24th-best rebounding team.
The roster has talent. Monta Ellis’ 23.3 points per game is great with David Lee’s 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. The Warriors even have Kansas alumnus Brandon Rush, who chips in nine points per game. Even with a loaded roster, the Warriors find themselves near the bottom with the New Orleans Hornets
Honorable mention: New York Knicks (7-10)
Last year, Carmelo Anthony was supposedly the answer for New York fans, but Anthony only led the Knicks to a sweep against the Boston Celtics.
This year, the Knicks nabbed a big key to the NBA championship in ex-Maverick Tyson Chandler, who averages a near double-double with 9.9 points and 9.7 rebounds. They also drafted Iman Shumpert, a rookie who averages 12.3 points.
Still, the same issue lingers with the Knicks: defense. The Knicks’ 97 points per game allowed is 21st in the league. In their six-game losing streak, the Knicks allowed 102 points per game. Until the defense improves, New York will struggle.
Though these teams are raising eyebrows early in the season, there are still plenty of games left. The start of the season is important, but finishing is most important, and these teams may rise and fall before playoff time.
— — Edited by Caroline Kraft
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