Friday, December 6, 2013

The 2013-14 NBA Season The Few, The Proud, The Good Teams


The 2013-2014 NBA Season The Few, The Proud, The Good Teams
Baltimore December 6, 2013

Before the 2013-14 NBA season began many thought that this season would provide excitement in many different forms. Would the Heat come out on fire as they looked to challenge the Bulls 72 win season on their way to a three peat? Could Doc Rivers make the Clippers into a serious contender by bringing his championship experience and toughness? How would Brooklyn's attempt to go once more into the fray with KG and Paul Pierce turnout? Could the Spurs rebound from that devastating finals loss? How would Derrick Rose Return? Could the Thunder get over the hump? When and how would Kobe return? The questions were many and only time would tell the answers. Many thought they knew how the season would progress but, no one could have predicted how the first month of this year's NBA campaign would turn out.

A little over a full month of the season is in the books and there are only two, yes two teams above .500 in the Eastern Conference. Yes they are Miami and Indiana but, its not Miami who sits atop the standings with the best record in the NBA. The Pacers have been almost unbeatable at 17-2. Paul George has emerged as a bonafied superstar and is leading the Pacers as a man on a mission. In the Western Conference neither the Spurs, Thunder or preseason favorite Clippers currently hold the #1 spot. LaMarcus Aldridge is garnering early season MVP hype as he balls out of his mind and has the Trail Blazers at 16-3 surprisingly sitting atop the Western Conference. 
However, the Blazers lead is slim as the Spurs, Clippers, and Thunder are all right on pace with the Blazers out west. Moreover, Dwight Howard and James Harden have the Rockets playing playoff basketball once again along with the Nuggets, Mavericks and Warriors. 

The Eastern Conference however, has become the "Leastern Conference" as 11 teams are under .500 with the for-mentioned two above and the Wizards and Hawks sitting right at .500. The Nets experiment to capture some Irish luck and become the Celtics south has failed miserably thus far. The Nets are 5-14, have lost 7 straight at home and have as much chemistry as Senate Democrats and Republicans right now. Their cross town rival Knicks have been worse despite beating the Nets on Thursday night. Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony just can't seem to play together and the talk of Melo leaving New York for brighter pastures has already begun. 

The tragedy that is New York Basketball is disheartening but, it is not the saddest story in the NBA this year. The Bull's Derrick Rose the guy who the entire basketball world was rooting for to return from ACL surgery at his super human form did so, but only for a short time. Rose tore his meniscus in the opposite knee and is at least out until the playoffs and likely for the year again. Rose will return again but, will likely never be the same and that indeed is a tragic loss for the NBA. Rose's unique abilities and skills were something that many NBA experts say had never been seen before and will likely never be seen again. 

As for the rest of the league they stink and aren't worth talking about. But, as the highly anticipated Christmas Day games approach there are more questions to be asked and some will be answered as Kobe is set to return and the Heat will do battle with the Pacers next week. Stay tuned this is guaranteed to get interesting.