Around the League Recap
With the season about a month old, let’s take a look back over the beginning of the season and see what the big surprises are. Before the season started we made our picks here, so let’s see how those are working out as well.
Our Picks:
Spurs to win the West: The Spurs are currently in first place in their division with a half game lead on the Mavs. The team has looked great for the most part, but Duncan has had some terrible games so far, and in the losses the team has looked old and tired. Of course, the team is the ultimate playoff team, so this early in the season some bad losses are to be expected.
Celtics to win the East: Looking like title contenders, the new-look Celts are tearing through the league with their big three dominating. The team is playing with passion and desire, and currently has a four game lead in the division with a 9-1 record. Rando, a question mark at PG before the season, is playing well enough, averaging almost 10 points per game, and just under 5 assists. The bench still needs some work, but it’s hard to argue with the record so far.
Our surprise team, the Bucks, are sitting on a 6-4 record and are just 1/2 a game behind the Pistons. The team is getting excellent guard play from Redd and Williams, and newcomer Yi Jianlian is averaging 9 points and 6 rebounds per game. Defense is still an issue, but in the most recent game, Redd held Kobe Bryant to 18 points. Interior defense is the real problem, and C Andrew Bogut leads the league with over 4 fouls per game.
Surprises:
Last years surprise team, the Golden State Warriors had a great run in the playoffs but haven’t been able to keep the streak going. This season, the team is 3-7. The good news is that PG Baron Davis sounds more like he will choose to stay with the club, rather than opt out of his contract as he hinted in the preseason.
The Bulls were lots of people’s pick to represent the Eastern Conference in the finals, but the team is looking like a shadow of last year’s version. Currently muddling along with a 2-8 record, the team is playing lousy defense, Luol Deng has been injured, and coach Skiles recently ripped 2nd year man, Tyrus Thomas for not hustling, then recanted the next day. This is a young, talented team that is suffering through a confidence crisis.
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