On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

THE NBA Who’s On Top?

We are officially past the midpoint mark for the NBA Season with 42 plus games played to date and still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the league are the Boston Celtics (35-10). Them Boys haven’t lost a beat and seem to be getting stronger as a unit game by game on both ends of the floor. Once again, the competitiveness of the Eastern Conference is vastly improving, keeping things quite interesting throughout the season so far. Creeping up behind them are the Milwaukee Bucks (31-13), the Philadelphia 76ers (29-14), the New York Knicks (28-17), the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-16), the Indiana Pacers (25-20), the Miami Heat (24-21) and the Orlando Magic (23-21). The Eastern Conference is definitely heating up!

The usual suspects at the top have taken quite the hit this year but surprisingly still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the Western Conference are the Minnesota Timberwolves (32-13). Them Boys have been looking the part game by game showing the basketball world that they are on a mission to silence the naysayers out there but, breathing down their necks looking to overtake them are the Oklahoma City Thunder (31-13) and the Defending Champions Denver Nuggets (31-13) while the Los Angeles Clippers (28-14), the Phoenix Suns (26-18), the New Orleans Pelicans (26-18), the Sacramento Kings (25-18) and the Dallas Mavericks (24-20) are all staying within striking distance to overtake one another in the standings at any given time. Real Talk!

The power struggles within both conferences continues to give the second half of the season that much more “HYPE” so stay locked in.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and with the successful completion of the first NBA In-Season Tournament, the changing of the guards is looking quite optimistic within the early standings updates making some teams quite uncomfortable at the moment.

The NBA In-Season Tournament created some traction and some competitiveness that kept the players involved and motivated to reach the destination in Las Vegas and the two surprising teams to represent their respective coasts for this In-Season Tournament were none other than the two No. 5 Seeds in the Indiana Pacers (12-8) and the Los Angeles Lakers (14-9). Staged on a neutral floor both teams balled out like the NBA Finals and brought us a serious game this early into the season. LeBron James and Anthony Davis took it to the next level and raised the bar with LeBron closing out the game with 24 points and 11 boards while Davis finished off a run that secured him the first NBA Cup MVP Award with a performance of 41 points and 20 boards. Unbelievable! The Laker’s one-two-punch was simply too much for Indiana to contain. The Lakers were the In-Season Tournament’s best team from the jump and proved it by walking away with the Trophy of the NBA’s first In-Season Tournament. As the In-Season Tournament Champion all the players and coaches on the Lakers will receive $500.000 each and as runners-up, the Indiana Pacers will receive $200,000 each. Incentive well-earned.

In Season Tournament aside the championship game will not count for either team’s regular season record, unlike every other game played in the event.

Although the In-Season Tournament was interesting, the true and surprising team holding down the No. 1 Spot is none other then the Minnesota Timberwolves (17-4). Them Boys have been looking like true contenders game by game. The season is a long one but if they can maintain the right nucleus and keep growing as a unit, they could see themselves creating some serious havoc come Playoff time.

Another surprising team on the come up is the Oklahoma City Thunder (14-7). With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander increasingly improving year by year and leading this team to stardom, the Thunder seems to have the right attitude and competitiveness to maintain their position amongst the tough Western Conference.

The Dallas Mavericks (13-8) have been maintaining but have also been hit with the injury bug to key players like Kyrie Irving. Depending on how long Kyrie could be out they could find themselves in the hole quickly if Luka can’t hold down the fort for the time being.

The Defending Champs the Denver Nuggets (14-9) haven’t been themselves as of late but still maintain a certain presence in the league as Defending Champs. Health is key and when healthy they are damn near unstoppable. Nikola Jokic is still piling up the stats in an impressive fashion and has proven capable to carry the team when needed.

With new faces climbing up the standing in the Western Conference the Los Angeles Lakers (14-9) (In-Season Tournament Champion), Sacramento Kings (12-8) and the Phoenix Suns (12-10) could find themselves moving up in no time.

The Boston Celtics (16-5) are holding the No. 2 Spot in the league and are in a very competitive Eastern Conference where the new players on the squad have been gelling just right. Them Boys are proving to be legit and can ball with the best of them from either coast. Definitely early contenders on the watch.

The Orlando Magic (15-7) have showed mass improvement and seem to be getting it together. They have been competitive night in and night out but still have lots to prove but are definitely willing to put in that work.

The Milwaukee Bucks (15-7) have proven to have the fire power on the offensive end to hold onto their standing for now but where they fall is at the defensive end. With the loss of Jrue Holiday, the defense has taken a major hit that needs to be addressed if they are to compete towards a Championship.

The Philadelphia 76ers (14-7) have been competitive for the time being but do also suffer from weak defense that needs to be addressed as well. Two-way player MVP Joel Embiid is playing at an all-time high but can’t cover every part of floor at the same time.

The Indiana Pacers (12-8) (In-Season Tournament runners-up), the Cleveland Cavaliers (13-9), the New York Knicks (12-9), the Brooklyn Nets (12-9) and the Miami Heat (12-10) all have the talent but lack consistency but with the right momentum going their way could find themselves bumping the higher ups down from their pedestals.

So much can change from game to game so stay locked in as the season progresses.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are officially past the midpoint mark for the NBA Season with 42 plus games played to date and still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the league are the Boston Celtics (32-12). Them Boys are mission driven this year playing some very good basketball from both ends of the floor. However, holding on to the No. 1 spot won’t be easy with the other Eastern Conference teams staying quite competitive. The Brooklyn Nets (27-15), the Milwaukee Bucks (27-16), the Philadelphia 76ers (27-16), the Cleveland Cavaliers (27-17), the New York Knicks (25-19), the Miami Heat (24-20) and the Indiana Pacers (23-21) have all showed some serious improvement making the second half of the Season that much more intriguing.

The Western Conference teams have been playing musical chairs with their standings while the new faces climbing up have been making a serious stand of their own. The Denver Nuggets (30-13) now hold the No. 1 Spot with their back-to-back MVP player Nikola Jokic doing just about everything on the floor to keep them afloat for the time being. However, breathing down their necks are the Memphis Grizzlies (29-13), the New Orleans Pelicans (26-17), the Sacramento Kings (24-18), the Dallas Mavericks (24-21), the Los Angeles Clippers (23-22) while the Minnesota Timberwolves (22-22), the Golden State Warriors (21-22) and the Portland Trail Blazers (21-22) are struggling to rectify their situation but are not counted out yet.

The drastic changes of power within both conferences are exciting and mind-boggling but the second half of the season could still bring some more drama so stay locked in.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and the changing of the guards within the early standings updates is making some teams quite uncomfortable at the moment. Although the NBA Season is in its early stages the panic button is staying at arm’s reach for some particular teams.

Holding the No. 1 Spot in the league are the Boston Celtics (18-5) who lost their Coach Ime Udoka for disciplinary reasons early at the start of the season, but have maintained a level of competitiveness night in and night out keeping them on pace to the task at hand.

The Milwaukee Bucks (16-6) are staying at arm’s length of the Boston Celtics ready and willing to relieve them of the No. 1 Spot. With Giannis playing at a Super Star level night in and night out with a competitive squad having his back, no one in their right mind should ever sleep on the Bucks regardless of their standing because the Bucks want next no matter what.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (15-8) surprisingly keep moving up the ladder a lot quicker than expected and are showing some serious grit in the way they’ve been balling at this early stage. They are definitely a team to keep a close eye on. While the Atlanta Hawks (13-10), the Indiana Pacers 12-10, the Brooklyn Nets (13-11), Philadelphia 76ers (12-11), and the Toronto Raptors (12-11) are all in position to readjust their standing as the season progresses.

The Phoenix Suns (15-7) have re-emerged at the No. 1 Spot for the time being, proving to be key players still in a championship run regardless of any previous outcomes. That said, holding on to their No. 1 Spot in the tough Western Conference won’t be easy with new faces climbing up the standings like the Denver Nuggets (14-8), the New Orleans Pelicans (14-8), the Memphis Grizzlies (13-9), the Sacramento Kings (12-9) who are making some early noise.
The defending Champs the Golden State Warriors who have been going through an unexpected slow start sitting in the 6th seed (13-11) working their way back to a respectable seeding one game at a time. (Still not to be slept on).

The Los Angeles Clippers (13-11), the Utah Jazz (14-12) and the Portland Trail Blazers (12-11) could all climb up the standings but these two particular teams on the outside looking in at the Dallas Mavericks (11-11) and the Los Angeles Lakers (9-12) who have the right nucleus to rise all the way up (Fat Joe voice) if your team gets caught slipping throughout the season.

Stay locked in cause this roller-coaster ride of an NBA Season is just getting heated.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are officially passed the midpoint mark for the season with 42 plus Games played to date and we have a new contender in the Phoenix Suns (35-9) holding down the No. 1 Spot by a very small margin over the Golden State Warriors (33-13). The Suns have been keeping their steady team play on point and on both ends of the court. A return trip to the NBA Finals is their soul mission and judging by the way they have been balling as of late they have the right nucleus and focus to reach their destination point at hand. However, the Warriors, the dark horse of the Western Conference are slowly but efficiently getting their squad back in order with Stephen Curry balling at an MVP level and Klay Thompson finally gracing the NBA court from his two season-ending injuries back to proving he’s still got “Game”. The Warriors are seriously back into the race but breathing down their necks are the surging Memphis Grizzlies (32-16) who have exceeded their expectation so far by balling extremely hard as a solid squad creating havoc throughout the league. Ja Morant is becoming a legitimate star in the league capable of pushing this team deep into the Playoffs. The Utah Jazz (30-16) has been on a steady  pace amongst the top tier in the league. They have a well-balance proven squad capable of grabbing that No. 1 Spot in the Western Conference, so overlooking them would not be a good idea. Surprisingly the Dallas Mavericks (26-20), the Denver Nuggets (23-21), the Los Angeles Lakers (23-23), the Los Angeles Clippers (23-24) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (22-23) have all fallen short as of late and are all struggling to survive within the Western Conference but, that being said the possibility of any of the bottom teams to move up is not unrealistic at this point in the season.

With the improvement of the Eastern Conference teams this year, holding on to the No. 1 Spot has been challenging with new faces emerging within the standings while familiar faces have been dropping out. As of today, the Brooklyn Nets (29-16) are holding on to the No. 1 Spot with a slight edge over the Chicago Bulls (28-16). Like quite a few teams throughout the season, The Nets have been hit with the Covid-19 protocol but still managed to maintain a respected record during their hardship. When healthy, this team is a serious problem to the entire league. That said the surging Bulls have made a point to not being counted out but taken seriously by all competitors. This squad has a strong nucleus that play both ends of the floor night in and night out. They have the goods to upset quite a few teams this time around come Playoff time. The Miami Heat (29-17) has been fighting through injuries to their key players but have managed to maintain a respectable record while still being competitive night in and night out. Once healthy this will create havoc on their way to the Playoffs. The Defending Champions Milwaukee Bucks (30-19) have looked vulnerable throughout the season so far due to injuries to key players as well but with Giannis Antetokounmpo still balling at an MVP level and with their squad at full capability, the Bucks will find their way back to defending their Championship. The Cleveland Cavaliers (27-19) have taken the league by storm this year with a very impressive record to date. This young core has gelled well and silently created a squad worthy of a Playoff berth if they can keep it up and maintain a hold of their ranking. The Philadelphia 76ers (26-19) are still in the mix but struggling to hold on. With the Ben Simmons situation still unresolved, the team play has visibly struggled at times but with a healthy Joel Embiid and a focussed squad, the 76ers still have enough juice to make some noise come Playoff time. The Charlotte Hornets (26-20) are a work in progress but definitely bubbling and can unquestionably put on a good show when the whole squad is focussed. If the Hornets can keep it together down the stretch, a Playoff spot is on their horizon. As for the Toronto Raptors (22-21), the Washington Wizards (23-23), the Boston Celtics (23-24), the New York Knicks (22-24), their records don’t do them justice. These remaining struggling teams have enough fire power to turn things around in the second half of the season. The question remains which team will dig deep enough to make that reality.

So much uncertainty in both conferences is making it that much more interesting. Keep locked in to see the final stretch to the NBA’S version of the “Sweet 16” aka the Playoffs.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s full NBA Season and although we are still striving through a Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the players from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference have put together a very competitive and balanced start of an entertaining season so far.

Sharing the No. 1 Spot in the entire league to date are the Golden State Warriors (20-4) and the Phoenix Suns (20-4). Them two teams have been balling out of their minds as of late even battling it out with each other each winning a game apiece in their first two encounters. The Warriors have been able to maintain their strong hold in the Western Conference by playing team ball while still without the services of Klay Thompson who will hopefully make an appearance soon. As for the Suns they were on a hot 18 game winning streak only to be snapped by the Warriors in their revenge game. That said, the Suns have their squad intact and are back on track causing havoc in the entire league. The Utah Jazz (16-7) has kept their name in the race with some steady play making sure they are not overlooked. They could easily find themselves at the No. 1 Spot as well. The Memphis Grizzlies (14-10) are surprisingly climbing up the standing beating some very good teams on their way up. A Playoff run might be in their near future if they can maintain this standing. The Los Angeles Clippers (13-12), the Dallas Mavericks (11-11), the Los Angeles Lakers (12-12), the Denver Nuggets (11-12) and the remaining of the western teams are struggling this early season but they still have time to change it up.

The Eastern Conference teams have improved dramatically. As of today, there are 10 teams above the 500 PCT mark and that hasn’t happened in a long time. Leading the pack are the Brooklyn Nets (16-7) who are still without the services of Kyrie Irving but still keeping teams honest out there on the court making every game count. The Chicago Bulls (17-8) have a real good chance at the No. 1 spot the way they’ve been balling as of late. Them Boys are making some serious noise throughout the league. The Defending Champions the Milwaukee Bucks (16-9) are steadily working their way back into form and still have their squad intact so once fully healthy, they will definitely maintain a strong hold in their Division. The Miami Heat (14-11) and the Washington Wizards (14-11)  teams both possess a lethal squad capable of reaching the No. 1 Spot with the talent they have put together this year. In this early season they have already proven to be a problem at being very competitive with any of the top teams from both conferences. The Boston Celtics (13-11), the Philadelphia 76ers (13-11), the Charlotte Hornets (14-12) and the remaining Eastern Conference Teams are all bubbling around still searching to fit in but doing so while still being competitive. The Eastern Conference is on a come up with still lots of games to be played. These standings can change on any given day.

Stay locked in cause this season is surprisingly heating up early!!

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s shortened NBA Season and although we are still going through a Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the players from both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference have all managed to keep their morals up and  stay upbeat while entertaining us with some thrilling games.

The struggles of the unexpected circumstances have affected every team somehow in some ways but throughout the challenges, some teams have risen to the occasion while some unexpected teams have faltered trying to keep up.

The Philadelphia 76ers are taking claim of the No. 1 Spot on the Eastside for the time being with a modest start of 17-7 record. Under the guidance of new head coach Doc Rivers, the 76ers seem to have found the right leader to help elevate this team to Championship calibre. The Milwaukee Bucks have had some tough losses to date but still maintain a respected 15-8 record. The Boston Celtics have actually had to postpone a few games due to Covid-19 protocol but still managed a reasonable 12-9 record. With the latest acquisition of James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets who stand at 14-11 record, the fire power has just dramatically increased but only time will tell how well this version of the “Big 3” Kyrie, Kevin and James actually gel together. While the Indiana Pacers 12-11 record, the Atlanta Hawks 11-12 record, and the New York Knicks 11-13 are playing musical chairs between themselves, it has been the poor start of our Canadian team the Toronto Raptors 10-13 record and the Miami Heat 8-14 record that has been the most surprising to me so far.

The Utah Jazz lead by Donovan Mitchell is marginally taking claim of the No. 1 Spot on the Westside with their own impressive start of 18-5 record. Them boys have shown some serious growth and maturity in their steady play so far at both ends of the court. The defending Champions the Los Angeles Lakers 18-6 record and the Los Angeles Clippers 17-7 both have picked up where they left off last year and could easily steal that No. 1 Spot on any given day. That being said the Phoenix Suns 12-9 record have kept things very interesting. With Chris Paul now running the point this squad has upped their competitiveness to 100% at both ends of the floor. As for the San Antonio Spurs 12-10 record, the Denver Nuggets 12-10 record, the Portland Trail Blazers 12-10 record and the Golden State Warriors 12-11, it’s a toss-up from this point on. The Western Conference teams are all capable of putting up some serious win streaks together that could set the whole Western standings into a roller-coaster game by game. Real Talk!

Stay locked in and appreciate this attention-grabbing and unpredictable NBA Season.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are well passed the midpoint mark for the season with 51 plus Games played to date and leading the entire league again this year is the Milwaukee Bucks (43-7). Them boys are on a redemption tour playing hard night in and night out from offence to defence. The Bucks are locked in and driven to get to the NBA Finals and the way they have been ballin all season it could very well be theirs for the taking. Our own Canadian team, the Defending Champions the Toronto Raptors (36-14) are surprisingly keeping it interesting considering the loss of their MVP Kawhi Lenard to the Clippers. The Raptors still have a solid squad that can definitely upset any team thinking that they are a walk over. The Boston Celtics (34-15) and the Miami Heat (34-15) are presently tied for third but either team could easily grab the No. 2 Seed with the way both teams have been playing as of late. They are both well- balanced teams who play hard ball from start to finish. The Indiana Pacers (31-19) and the Philadelphia 76ers (31-20) are both trying to hold down their respective spots for a Playoff seed but truth be told I personally expected Philly to be fighting for the 1 to 3 spot and not the lower seeds. That being said, there is still lots of ball to be played and the brackets could change come April.

With the Golden State Warriors forced to take a back seat this year, the Western Conference has a new face leading the pack with the Los Angeles Lakers (38-11). They started the season with the No. 1 spot and are still holding onto it thanks to the play of their two All Stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis helping to lead the way. That being said, holding onto the No. 1 spot won’t be that easy with The Los Angeles Clippers (35-15) chasing that No. 1 Seed and gunning for “king of the Los Angeles Court” with their two All Star players, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George getting it going come crunch time. The Denver Nuggets (35-16) are right there as expected and ready to take the No. 1 or the No 2 Seed if either Los Angeles team falter. The Nuggets may be overlooked here but they are definitely ballin the right way this season. The Utah Jazz (32-17) are bubbling at the right time securing their Playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference but holding onto their spot is a challenge within itself considering how tough the conference is. I expect a musical chair type seeding to happen within the remaining teams vying for a potential Playoff spot. The Houston Rockets (32-18), the Dallas Mavericks (31-19), the Oklahoma City Thunder (30-20) and the Portland Trail Blazers (23-28) all have a chance at a final run.

Just my thoughts.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s on Top?

We are at the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference have been playing some serious early competitive ball to jump start this NBA season 2019/2020.

The Milwaukee Bucks are taking claim of the No. 1 Spot on the Eastside for the time being with an impressive start of 20-3 record. The Bucks have been looking good and playing hard on both ends of the floor and although we are early in the season, they are definitely seeking to hold onto that No. 1 spot. The Boston Celtics’ 16-5 record is a well-balanced squad with Kamba Walker now leading the show and definitely keeping it interesting with their play. The surprising play of the Miami Heat 17-6 has made things very interesting.With the addition of Jimmy Butler, the Heat have improved dramatically in a competitive way. Without Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, our own Canadian Team the Defending Champs the Toronto Raptors 15-7 have managed to stay competitive at both ends of the floor and they’re not showing any signs of folding under any pressure of the competitive Eastern Conference. That being said, the Philadelphia 76ers 17-7 and the Indiana Pacers 15-8 are not to be overlooked.

The Los Angeles Lakers are also taking claim of the No. 1 Spot on the Westside with their own impressive start of 21-3 records. The powerful combination plays of LeBron James and Anthony Davis creating havoc on both ends of the court is this year’s version of showtime. The Lakers are looking to hold on to their No. 1 Spot but doing so will not be easy. The Dallas Mavericks 16-7 are surprisingly climbing up the rankings with their steady play as of late. They have a deceiving squad that can hang with the best of them on any given night. The Los Angeles Clippers 17-7 have all the goods and can turn things around in a blink of an eye. The combination of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is certainly keeping this team in the running. The Houston Rockets 15-7 are not to be taking lightly. As long as they stay focused and competitive, they can duke it out with the best of them on any given night. The Western Conference is a battle within itself. That being said the Denver Nuggets 14-7 and Utah Jazz 13-10 can’t be slept on just yet.

Stay tuned in. This NBA Season is full of surprises.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s On Top?

We are officially well passed the midpoint mark for the season with 57 plus Games played to date and lo and behold we have a new contender in the Milwaukee Bucks (43-14) holding down the No.1 Spot by a very small margin over our own Canadian team the Toronto Raptors (43-16). Giannis and The Bucks have been looking like legit contenders as of late. Real Talk! The Bucks as a Team are looking to secure their bid for the NBA Finals by balling hard every night with their MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way with his do it all, no holds barred playmaking. Giannis is balling on another level right now and the Bucks are definitely benefiting from it. That being said, the Raptors still have a very good chance of claiming the No. 1 Spot in the Eastern Conference as do the Indiana Pacers (38-20), the Boston Celtics (37-21) and Philadelphia 76ers (37-21). They are all battling to secure a better seeding come Playoff time.

Holding down the Western Conference once again is the Defending Champs Golden State Warriors (41-16) but, surprisingly, behind them is the standout play of the Denver Nuggets (39-18). The Nuggets are the wild card in the Western Conference that can undeniably disrupt the seedings and possibly take the No.1 Spot if the Warriors are caught slipping. Real Talk! That being said, the Western Conference is still a tight and competitive race with Oklahoma City Thunder (37-20) balling hard while holding on to the third spot but could perhaps shuffle up or down with the Portland Trail Blazers (34-23) and the Houston Rockets (33-24) breathing down each other’s necks. The Los Angeles Lakers (28-29) have fallen off as of late but do have “King James” on the squad that could still flip a switch and turn things around and get back into contention.

The landscape is changing fast for both conferences and making it that much more interesting. Keep tuned in to see the final stretch to the NBA’s version of the “sweet 16” aka the Playoffs?

Blaze