A look around the league says these teams are:
Rockets….
The Houston Rockets are finally playing well with a 8-2 run over 10 and are now 24-19. That gives them a chance at redemption for what was a very disappointing season. The interesting part is that they started the run with a 5 game winning streak without Tracy McGrady. They then lost 2. McGrady returned and they are on a 4 game winning streak since. There was talk that the team might be better without the oft injured, high scoring, ball controlling swingman.
The team did well for a long stretch without Yao last year, under Van Gundy, and with Mutombo playing unexpectedly well in Yao’s absence. Adelman doesn’t let Mutombo see the light of day much more than a groundhog as he preaches an uptempo game. It makes you wonder if Dikembe might be regretting going back to Houston for what appears to be his final season.
Hornets…
I should have known that the New Orleans Hornets were going to off on everyone this year. They had a ton of injuries to all of their best players last year. PG Chris Paul is showing why he is among the very best at his position. The Hornets have lost only 12 games and are 9-1 after pounding the San Antonio Spurs 102-78. That is right. The Spurs.
Dallas…
That makes 3 teams from the same division that are ripping off a bunch of Ws recently. The Mavericks are 8-2 and 29-13 overall. They have beaten 3 very good teams in the stretch in Detroit, Golden State and the Lakers (without Bynum), and the rest are mediocre to bad. Dallas still has to prove it can win big games in the play-offs to get any special respect around the league after last year’s humbling by the underdog Warriors.
Utah….
They are finally playing more like Jerry Sloan team with an 8-2 of late. Is it a coincidence that it starts on the day Korver plays his first game for Utah? Was Giricek that divisive or negatively affecting the offense and the team? Or is Korver just what they needed?
The Cavaliers….
Sporting an 8-2 run themselves, they are now only 23-19. At least they are headed in the right direction. One of the teams in need of a solid point guard, they have found a way to get Hughes more involved, continue to get solid play from the Big Z, and Lebron is a locomotive all by him self. Anderson Verejao is a sparkplug. No one expects much from them in the play-offs, though they represented the East last year (in a SA sweep) They could be a sleeper if they can get Andre Miller or any other solid PG to come there.
There could be some big trades before the deadline and it should get more interesting, not less, before all is said and done.
T
