Inconsistency is still the story of many teams, as the NBA All-Star break approaches in early March. Trade rumors & injuries also are trending topics.
Philly loses 3 straight games vs West playoff teams, still #1 in East: The Sixers lost recent games to Portland, Phoenix & Utah. Philly’s early success still has them on top of the East.
Harden goes off for Nets without KD & Kyrie, bench playing well: James Harden had 38-11-7 in Brooklyn’s win over Phoenix. Jeff Green, Bruce Brown, Tyler Johnson & Landry Shamet are contributing nicely off the bench.
Bucks lose 4 in a row, Jrue Holiday out: Milwaukee is missing a huge piece on defense in Jrue Holiday. They have another tough game vs Toronto tonight.
Pacers still without TJ Warren & Caris LeVert, Brogdon averaging career-high in PPG: TJ Warren has only appeared in 4 games and Caris LeVert hasn’t played yet for Indiana. Malcolm Brogdon is averaging a career-high 21.6 PPG, as he’s taking more shots this season.
Celtics fall to #5 in East, Marcus Smart & Kemba Walker injuries: Lack of a healthy roster has hurt Boston in 2021. Marcus Smart has been out the last 10 games, while Kemba Walker is back, but has missed 4 games since returning from injury.
Knicks trade for Derrick Rose, Julius Randle scores 44 vs Atlanta: New York added Derrick Rose to come off the bench with Alec Burks & Immanuel Quickley. Julius Randle continues to put up crazy numbers, he had 44-9-5 vs the Hawks in a win.
OG Anunoby returns for Raptors, VanVleet breaking out on offense in February: OG Anunoby played in his first game on Tuesday after missing 10 straight. Fred VanVleet is having a breakout month, games of 54, 33 & 32 points in February.
Hornets & Bulls trying to stay in playoff race, guards playing well: Charlotte & Chicago aren’t an easy win, especially when their guards get going. Both clubs starting lineups consist of efficient shooters from deep.
Hawks finally win after 4 game losing streak, De’Andre Hunter still out: Trae Young scored 40 points in last night’s win vs Boston. Atlanta is missing the versatility of De’Andre Hunter on both ends right now.
Heat & Magic trying new lineups, injuries taking a toll: Miami’s Kendrick Nunn is now starting at point guard, as Gary Clark has started in 8 consecutive games for Orlando. Notable names like Avery Bradley, Goran Dragic, Cole Anthony & Aaron Gordon have missed a bunch of time.
Wizards win 3 in a row, averaging over 120 PPG during streak: Washington finally looks competitive with a healthy roster. Davis Bertans had 35 points off the bench in their last win.
Cavs & Pistons ready to trade big men, young players Allen & Bey look solid: Andre Drummond & Blake Griffin are on the trading block. Jarrett Allen had a 23-18-5 game this month and Saddiq Bey went off for 30 points on 7/7 from three vs Boston.
Jazz continue to pile up wins, six guys averaging over 2 APG: Utah has the best chemistry in the NBA. Unselfishness has the Jazz in first place.
Anthony Davis goes down with injury for Lakers, tough games coming up before All-Star break: LA’s Anthony Davis is dealing with an achilles injury. Matchups for the Lakers coming up include Brooklyn, Utah, Portland & Phoenix.
Kawhi & PG miss time, Clippers bench players showing worth: The Clippers are grinding it out without their star duo. Lou Williams & Marcus Morris are shooting the ball productively as of late.
Portland’s vets making a difference, Lillard continues to amaze on offense: Bench players like Carmelo Anthony, Gary Trent Jr, Enes Kanter & Anfernee Simons have stepped up in a big way. Damian Lillard is averaging 36 PPG & 12 APG in his last three games.
Solid team efforts win games for Phoenix vs Sixers & Bucks: The Suns are happy to have Jae Crowder, Dario Saric & Cameron Payne back from injuries. Three guys who Phoenix depends on quite a bit off the bench.
Derrick White returns for Spurs, Jakob Poeltl playing well in absence of Aldridge: Derrick White has shown solid playmaking abilities since returning. Big man Jakob Poeltl is contributing on both ends with LaMarcus Aldridge out.
Golden State’s Curry close to being 50-40-90 player, Kent Bazemore & Eric Paschall play hard vs Miami: Steph Curry is currently shooting 49.2% from the field, 42.5% from three & 93.5% on free throws. Kent Bazemore balled out with 26-8-3 in Golden State’s last win, as Eric Paschall played 32 minutes and put up 11-7-3.
Jamal Murray averaging over 25 PPG in last 4, Denver still trying to find consistency: Denver’s Jamal Murray is starting to score the ball like he did in last year’s playoffs. The Nuggets are having a hard time with guys being consistent besides Jokic & Murray.
Vets helping Memphis & Dallas hold on: Both clubs have veterans who compete on both ends. As for young players, rookie Xavier Tillman has recently stood out for Memphis.
Kings on bad losing streak, letting up a lot of points: The Kings are starting to lose confidence. Letting up close to 120 PPG on the season.
Pelicans playing different guys off the bench, Lonzo Ball improving free throw %: Kira Lewis & Willy Hernangomez have played well since receiving minutes. Lonzo Ball is shooting 74.1% from the free throw line, compared to being in the 40’s & 50’s his first few years.
Rockets lose 7 straight, Wood & Oladipo out: Houston has struggled without top players Christian Wood & Victor Oladipo. The club is currently hurting on both ends, as they have some tough games ahead.
OKC’s Roby & Maledon impressing for the future: Isaiah Roby & Theo Maledon are two players to watch for OKC’s future. Versatile skills.
D’Angelo Russell knee issues, Minnesota’s Jaylen Nowell shooting the ball nicely: Minnesota will be without D’Angelo Russell for a while. 21-year-old Jaylen Nowell is shooting the ball efficiently since getting some playing time.
