The halfway point of the NBA season always brings some surprises, as well as some of the ‘same ol, same ol’ predictions from the onset of the summer league and training camps. Let’s take a good look at some of the things that everyone predicted going in, and some of the real surprises that NBA fans have enjoyed to this point.
NBA Halfway Point – Surprises and Not So Much
The Golden State Warriors Are More Than For Real
Did anyone really think the Warriors would be 38-4 just after the midway point of the season, and continue the momentum they had after beating the Cavaliers in The Finals last year? We all knew they were stacked, and bringing back a great team with experience under their belts, but a start like this, especially in the Western Conference – and without Steve Kerr behind the bench. This might be one of, if not the biggest surprise to the 2015-16 season to date.
Despite throwing up monster numbers almost every game, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson average a combined 50-points per game, and the way they hit 3-pointers is off the charts. Not only that, their first loss came to the Bucks, after playing a crazy overtime affair the night prior in Boston, and being on a long road trip. Curry, for his part, was banged up during the four losses; if he wasn’t, they might be 42-0 right now.
Lastly, they have beaten the Cavaliers twice this season – Christmas Day, and most recently they put on a clinic, and went into the King’s house to beat Cleveland by 34 points. The only time the game was close was on the opening tip. It’s going to be ugly for all of the Warriors’ opponents going forward, and Golden State has a real chance to break the all-time wins record by a team in a season.
The San Antonio Spurs Are the Model Franchise in the NBA
Golden State aside, the Spurs are doing what they normally do every season for the last decade – win. They have the best home record at 24-0, (yes the Warriors are also 19-0 at home), and this goes back to last season, where they just don’t lose a game at the AT&T Center. Is there a better coach and teacher in the NBA than Gregg Popovich? It’s amazing how many coaches and teams want to emulate the ‘San Antonio’ way of playing the game.
The team has probably the most well-rounded roster in the league. LaMarcus Aldridge, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, and the ageless Tim Duncan are as formidable as any team, and the bench is stocked with both scorers and defenders. They only have two less losses than the Warriors, and it’s shame that both teams can’t meet in the NBA finals. They are clearly head and shoulder above the rest of the NBA, and it should be a fun Western Conference Finals if everything goes true to form.
The West is Not the Best This Year
Perhaps this is one of the biggest surprises this season. The eighth seed in the West used to be able to compete with the one or two seed in the East for the foreseeable past. It seems that most of the teams came back to Earth a little this year, and whether that’s the aforementioned teams, or there’s more parity in the league remains to be seen.
At the halfway mark, the Utah Jazz hold the last playoff spot with an 18-23 record, although the Trail Blazers and Clippers are only percentage points behind. When was the last time you saw a team, in that spot, be five games under .500? It hasn’t happened, and some of the other teams that were supposed to ‘take that next level’, either have gotten out of the gate too slow, or never have lived up to expectations – like the Pelicans.
Phil Jackson Continues to be a Genius with his Draft Picks
Rewind to this year’s NBA draft – ‘and with the fourth pick in this year’s NBA draft, the New York Knicks select Kristaps Porzingis.’ Who? The boos were heard all the way to Madison Square Garden, and most Knicks fans felt that the Zen Master had finally lost his marbles. Karl Anthony Towns out of Kentucky, D’Angelo Russell out of Ohio State, and Jahlil Okafor out of Duke, seemed logical choices because of their stellar one and done seasons at the collegiate level – but an unproven talent like Porzingis? Knicks fans were going crazy.
At the halfway point, only Curry, James, and Kobe outsold their jerseys more than Porzingis has sold to date. His stellar play on both ends of the court and his mature presence in the Knicks lineup have led to the team’s 21-22 record, a four game improvement than all of last season. Porzingis has brought a solid presence to the richest franchise in basketball, and has had a major influence on Carmelo Anthony, who looked lost and empathetic last year. Once again, Jackson looks like the genius that he is – and who knows how far these Knicks can go this year?
Kobe’s Retirement Tour
Kobe Byrant, who came into the league when he was mere 18 years old, entered the historic Lakers franchise when Jerry West traded Vlade Divac to the Hornets for Bryant’s rights. The rest, as they say, is history. Does anyone think that Kobe is one of the top ten players of all time? That is certainly up to debate, but he has certainly been surrounded by some of the best supporting cast, which has allowed the Lakers to win championships with him on the roster – and for his whole career.
Kobe has been a fixture in Los Angeles for what seems to be a lifetime, and although he has had a great deal of injuries over the last few seasons and can’t ‘bring it’ every night, he is still one of the most popular players in the NBA, and can sell out arenas throughout the league. Kobe has faced some of the best players and teams in one of the most competitive conferences for years, but he stands head and shoulders for his duration throughout the last 20 years. Like him or not, Kobe will be sorely missed by many fans, and he’s a sure fire candidate for the Hall of Fame when he first becomes eligible.
These are just some of the major highlights that have taken place in the NBA this year, and the season is only half way done. The second half should be just as exciting, if not more exciting, and the league should be doing jumping jacks at how popular the sport has become over the years. The transition from David Stern to Adam Silver was seamless, and Silver is certainly all about branding and putting the NBA in the forefront of all the other sports.
There are many other issues that you can all discuss among yourselves – gun violence, comeback player of the year, coach of the year, but it’s clear that to date, this NBA season is exciting and continues to bring surprises each and every night. We’re only halfway done, and there’s much more to go.
