Can anyone stop Stephen Curry and the Warriors?
Jonathan Ebanks is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Jonathan, check out his archive and follow him @hogz4lyfe.
The Warriors continue their legendary start in a quest to win the West, a coach has already been given the axe, and the injuries are piling up in this hardwood bloodbath we call basketball. Plus, two triple-overtime thrillers happened while most of you were sleeping, and the Celtics officially phone it in as they look to the future.
This is the Week That Was.
The Warriors Have Come To Play
– This GIF was posted on Reddit by user 36DD
As of Dec. 20 the Warriors were 22-3, which is redundantly both awesome and amazing (awemazing?)! I mean, they’re good … like, stupid good! Everyone expected them to be one of the upper echelon teams of the West, but I don’t think anyone had them performing quite like this. The Warriors boast arguably the league’s best backcourt, comprised of two sharpshooters (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) who can drop bombs from anywhere on the floor. According to ESPN’s Hollinger’s 2014-15 NBA Playoff Odds, the Warriors are nearly 40 percent more likely to represent the Western Conference in the Finals than any other team, but considering their playoff inexperience and the experience of Dallas, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City, there’s some room left to doubt their projected dominance of the West. For now, let’s just enjoy the “Greatest Show on Hardwood.”
Mike Malone Gets Canned
– This GIF can be found on SBNation.com
The Sacramento Kings fired former head coach Mike Malone on Dec. 14 for not meeting the “win-loss expectations of ownership”. The writing was on the wall here. Tension had been brewing in the Kings’ organization for a while now since Malone has not wanted to run the fast-paced scheme that management and ownership desired him too. The organization found it opportune to let him go after the team started 11-13, despite missing the services of DeMarcus Cousins for the last nine games at that point. Ty Corbin will be the interim head coach in Sacramento for likely the remainder of the season, and if his Utah Jazz coaching experience was any indication, it’s not like he’ll be running a much faster-paced scheme either. George Karl and Vinny Del Negro are the current long-term coach candidates being eyed by the organization. Honestly, a team that is willing to hire coaches that don’t fit their own basketball philosophies in the first place is one that isn’t well run and may not be the best situation for a coach.
– This GIF can be found on Reddit and was uploaded by user 36DD
See, even George Karl himself agrees.
Jabari Parker Goes Down For The Season
-This GIF can be found on DimeMag.com
On Monday, Dec. 15, the Bucks squeaked out a 96-94 win over the Suns, but they didn’t escape the court unscathed. This painful, slightly cringe-inducing GIF is of the moment when Bucks’ rookie sensation Jabari Parker suffered a non-contact, slightly torn ACL. Needless to say, his season is done. Folks, we’re not even in January yet and the injuries are piling up. Robin Lopez has a fractured hand, Chris Bosh will likely miss the Heat-Cavs Christmas showdown with a strained calf, Josh McRoberts tore his meniscus, Deron Williamssuffered a calf injury and Kevin Durant injured his right ankle. All of the injuries to important players occurred in the last two weeks, with most happening over the last seven days! Might as well have these dudes don pads and toss around the ol’ pigskin.
Russell Westbrook … MVP Candidate?
– This GIF can be found on DimeMag.com
Averaging 27.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 7.2 APG, Russell Westbrook is easily having the best year of his career as the main man in Oklahoma City. Durant’s injuries have opened up the door for Westbrook to showcase his talents and make his case for the team and league MVP this season. It might sound crazy to compare Durant and Westbrook on even ground since Westbrook will often step back in Durant’s presence and let him work, like when Durant dropped 30 points on the Warriors in the first half on Thursday. But when you consider that the team is currently hovering around .500 after starting off 3-12, much thanks to the surge and resilience of Westbrook, that alone should at least put him in the early-season MVP conversation. Before the Warriors game, Westbrook had nine straight games with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. His true shooting percentage is by far a career-high at 58 percent. His value over replacement-level players is much improved over last season, while his defensive rating has been the best of his career so far. Do you agree with the Westbrook MVP Consideration? Yay or nay? How about you take a look at his game log and then get back to me.
Grizzlies and Spurs Triple-Overtime Thriller
https://t.co/yUgetXHi7t via @vine
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) December 21, 2014
– This was posted on Vine by user kiop
Instant Classic! If you were fortunate enough to bear witness to (and stay awake for the end of) this early season gem, then you will have likely seen the best game of the season. Two Western Conference titans clashed during this Wednesday night thriller. The Grizzlies had led by as much as 23 points in the second quarter, but the Spurs showed extraordinary toughness and resilience staging a heroic comeback. The Spurs’ bench went to work and cut the Grizzlies’ lead down to five points towards the end of the third quarter. Before you knew it, there were 10 seconds left in the game and San Antonio was up 89-86. Then Mike Conley nailed one from downtown with seven seconds to go. But Danny Green, who banked seven triples that night, got a three up and in and put the Spurs up 92-89. Just when you thought it might be over, MVP candidate Marc Gasol sent the game to overtime with what he did in the above Vine.
The first overtime featured your typical Tim Duncan missed free throws and a shooting contest between Conley and Green … “meh”. The second overtime however, was quite the opposite of “meh”. Courtney Lee let loose a trey to put Memphis ahead by two with 2.6 seconds remaining. The seemingly, un-aging Duncan pulled off a feat of mere luck in Vine numero dos. Take that Gasol!
https://t.co/aB7gPkzWMe via @vine
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) December 21, 2014
– This was posted on Vine by user kiop
OT three begins with both teams looking like they wished they had an oxygen tank. They were visibly gassed, as you might expect. Zach Randolph gets all six of Memphis’ points in the final overtime, but Green gives his team hope after hitting his final three with 40 seconds left to put the Spurs down by one. However, Manu Ginobili’s three to win the game with five seconds left did not fall and the Grizzlies escaped with a 117-116 victory.
The Newest Maverick
– This can be found on DimeMag.com
On Thursday night, the Celtics sent four-time All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell to the Mavericks for the flourishing Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, a conditional 2015 first round draft pick, and a 2016 second round pick.
Considering Rondo’s desire to win and that Boston’s championship window closed when Ray Allen left for Miami, there was very little chance that Rondo would re-sign with Boston once his contract ran out, so why not trade the guy, right? Mark Cuban knew that his Jameer Nelson/Raymond Felton point guard combo was not something that could win a championship, so being the opportunist that he is, he was able to pry Rondo from Boston in an attempt to get Dallas back to the NBA Finals. While we’re all sure the Mavs are a better team now than they were before, how much better are they? Have they truly re-entered the championship conversation? I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but Rondo’s Dallas debut in 99-93 victory was a step in the right direction, albeit against the short-handed Spurs. Rondo finished with six points, nine assists, and seven boards … a vintage Rondo performance.
Rip City Is Back! Blazers-Spurs Wage Triple-OT Duel
Damian Lillard tried to end the Spurs with this dunk. https://t.co/H5vDhbUWCJ via @vine
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) December 21, 2014
– This was posted on Vine by user Dane Carbaugh
Again … instant classic! San Antonio, how must it feel to lose a wild, arduous, three-overtime contest on Wednesday night, just to do it again two nights later? This game was pretty entertaining until Damian Lillard felt like he had to finish off the Spurs at the end of regulation with an emphatic tomahawk! As you can see in the Vine above, it didn’t really work out like he planned it and overtime was about to commence … but Lillard ain’t takin’ no guff.
The Spurs got up by six in the first overtime, but Lillard’s attack on the basket got the lead down to three. An then this happened:
https://t.co/3sAnUXX1pu via @vine
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) December 21, 2014
-This was posted on Vine by user gs2
“Lillard Time” was in full swing and his clutch gene was fully activated for that one … but wait, there’s more! The Spurs clawed their way back up to six like before, and how does Lillard respond?
Damian Lillard Monster Two Hand Slam https://t.co/bAuC5c5chV via @vine
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) December 21, 2014
-This was posted on Vine by user cjzero
He took it to the house with a two-hand jam! After the Blazers tied it again and forced the third and final overtime, much thanks to Lillard’s passing, Portland went into all-out Rip City Mode and turned it up a notch. The Blazers laid the smackdown on San Antonio in the final OT to beat the Spurs 129-119. Lillard himself finished with 43 points, three boards, six assists, and a couple steals. LaMarcus Aldridge added 32 points, 16 boards, and five steals in Friday’s contest.
