J-Speaks: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly January in NBA

In January, the Atlanta Hawks went from a good story in the NBA to a serious contender in the East and were rewarded in a big way, while the Cleveland Cavaliers thanks to a couple of trades and the return to form of their best player have gotten back into the title conversation. The Houston Rockets have risen in the West, despite missing a key player and their in state rival the San Antonio Spurs got back on track after a tough December. The Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder had a tough month because of inconsistent play and injuries to key personnel. Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant had his season cut short for the third year in a row because of injury. Here is The Good, The Bad and the Ugly in The Association for January.

The Good

Hawks Soar to Top of East

After a 14-2 December where they beat the likes of the Bulls (30-20), the Cavs (31-21) twice, the Rockets (35-15), Dallas Mavericks (34-18), Los Angeles Clippers (33-18) and the Milwaukee Bucks (27-23), the question was could the Hawks keep this high pace of winning up.

They not only kept on winning, they established some team history as well as some NBA history.

Since a 107-77 loss versus the Bucks the day after Christmas, the Hawks have not sustained a loss since then.

They proceeded to win 19 consecutive games from Dec. 27 to this past Monday night, a 115-100 loss at the New Orleans Pelicans (27-23).

In those 19 straight wins, they took down the Trail Blazers twice, the Clippers, the Memphis Grizzlies (37-13), the Wizards (31-20), the Bulls again and the Toronto Raptors (33-17).

To put the Hawks streak into perspective, their 19 wins in a row tied the fifth longest winning-streak in NBA history. Their 17-0 mark in January established the first time a team in NBA history won that many games without a loss. They won 12 straight games against the mighty Western Conference, which ended with their loss at the Pelicans. It also ended a 12-game road winning streak.

The Hawks never trailed by double-digits during the streak and on just one other occasion did they record under 20 assists in a game, which they did on Monday night and lost.

Along with putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the East with their great month, head coach Mike Budenholzer and his staff will be coaching the East All-Stars next weekend at the NBA All-Star Game in New York, NY. Joining him will be three of his players in starting forward Paul Millsap, starting center Al Horford and starting lead guard Jeff Teague, who will be making his All-Star debut.  

While the streak ended on Monday night, the Hawks remained even keel and understand that they still have a long ways to go to become a serious contender in the East.

“Give our guys the credit for a lot of good work over the last month. Tonight wasn’t our night. Very proud of them. We’ll get back to work tomorrow. We’ll get back to figuring out how we can improve and get better,” coach Budenholzer, whose team has won 34 of their last 37 games, said on Monday night.

The Hawks winning habits and how they work together as a collective unit on both ends has drawn comparisons to the Spurs, who have used that formula of success to win five NBA titles. While the Hawks are not anywhere close to that level of greatness, their success has been predicated on their ability to get major contributions out of everyone.

During the winning streak, it has not just been the play of Horford, Millsap and Teague that have gotten the Hawks to the finish line victorious over the past two months, it has been the sharp shooting of starting shooting guard Kyle Korver, who is on the verge of becoming the first player in NBA history to shoot over 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line. He along with the sharp shooting and tough perimeter defense of starting small forward DeMarre Carroll (11.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 40.0 3-Pt.%) has made the Hawks starting quintet one of the best in the league and that group became the first in NBA history to be voted players of the month for January.

The second unit of swingman Thabo Sefolosha, back-up guard Dennis Schroder (8.4 ppg, 3.5 apg), forwards Mike Scott, Pero Antic and guard Shelvin Mack have more than held their own against other second units and have at times played just as good if not better than the starters.

It is that collective production and willingness to make each teammate better on both ends is why the Hawks sit atop the East. It also helps that the players individually and collective play smart at all times.

“It’s really a fun style to play,” Korver, who had 24 points, hitting 7 for 9 from three-point land said to NBATV’s Matt Winer back on Jan. 18.

“Everyone’s bought in. Everybody touches the ball. Everybody passes the ball. Everybody sets screens. When you play good team basketball and you play with a lot of energy, good things happen and for us it has been some wins here.”

This amazing season has also done something even more special for the Hawks, it has gotten interest from their fan base in a major way.

When this season began, it did not start off well, especially with the team up for sale and the absence of GM/President of Basketball Operations Danny Ferry has taken a leave of absence since some unfortunate comments about then free agent forward Luol Deng, now a forward for the Miami Heat.

Since that time, the team has tried to change things not just with the players, but with the fan base.

Hawks’ CEO Steve Koonin told Vince Cellini, Sekou Smith and David Aldridge of NBATV’s “The Beat” on Jan. 26^th that the team fixed up the family room as well as the menu in the family room to make the environment for the players better. Koonin also said that they have even improved the travel for the team when they go on the road.

“We told them when all this happened to listen to your heart,” Koonin said on Jan. 26 about the team’s turbulent off-season off the court.

“If you want to speak, speak. If you want to be quiet, be quiet. Listen to your heart.”

The team has done that and so far has been record wise the best in the East and will be well represented during All-Star weekend in the “Big Apple” next week and has proven to be a major threat in the East.

Cavs Meeting Expectations.

An 11-6 mark for a month would be considered good for any team in the NBA. When you are a title contender like the Cleveland Cavaliers, that record would be considered underachieving. With that being said, it is a lot better from where they began the month of January.

They began 2015 losing seven out of their first eight games, which included a six-game losing streak.

Not having four-time MVP LeBron James, who was out from Dec. 30 to Jan. 11 resting an ailing back and knee did not help matters.

James did return on Jan. 13 and had a solid performance with 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but the team lost at the Phoenix Suns (29-23) 107-100 for their six straight defeat and it brought their record to below the .500 mark at 19-20.

The Cavs have not lost since, winning 11 straight games which began with a 109-102 victory at the struggling Los Angeles Lakers (13-36) on Jan. 15. It reached 12 games with 105-94 win versus the Clippers last Thursday night.  

That victory along with the 126-121 victory at the Clippers one night later are the only two times that he Cavs have surrendered 100 points or more. The one team that came close was the Thunder when they scored 98, but he Cavs won 108-98 back on Jan. 25.

In their first 39 games, the Cavs’ opponent’s field goal percentage and three-point percentage were ranked 29^th and 18^th respectably in the NBA. During their 11-game winning streak, the Cavs are ranked 6^th in opponent’s field goal percentage and are tied for 8^th in the opposition’s three-point percentage.

In the last 10 games, the opposition is averaging just 92.1 points per contest on 40 percent shooting from the field and just 32 percent from the three-point line. It was the first time in Cavs history they have held 10 consecutive opponents under the century mark and 45 percent shooting.

A big reason for the turnaround on the defensive end has been the acquisitions of center Timofey Mozgov (8.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg with Cavs) from the Denver Nuggets, swingman Iman Shumpert (6.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg with Cavs) and J.R. Smith (13.6 ppg, 36.2 3-Pt.% with Cavs).

Those additions have given the Cavs something that they a lot this season, structure and balance. Mosgov has given the Cavs a presence in the paint in particular at defensive end and on the glass. That has been a major plus since the team lost starting center Anderson Varejao (9.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg) for the remainder of the season due to a torn Achilles he sustained back on Dec. 23, a 125-104 win versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (9-40).  Smith has given the Cavs the knockdown shooter on the perimeter and Shumpert, who missed games because of a shoulder injury has given the Cavs the perimeter stopper that was missing from the team.

The Cavs have gone 12-5 since acquiring of Smith, Shumpert and Mosgov.

This team though is going to go as far as the likes of James, starting guard Kyrie Irving and starting forward Kevin Love can take them.

Since the return of James, the team has won 11 of their last 12 games, winning their last 11 in a row. The team has averaged 107.7 points per contest on 46.8 percent from the field.

The only game James missed during this recent stretch was versus the Trail Blazers on Jan 28 because of a sprained wrist he suffered in the Cavs 103-95 win at the Detroit Pistons (20-31) the night before, where he scored 32 points to go along with six boards and seven assists.

In his absence, Irving had the best scoring night of his career 55 points going 17 for 36 from the field, including a franchise record 11 three-pointers in 19 tries. His 11 make from distance broke a 94-all tie with 6.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Cavs went on to win 99-94.

It was the 10^th 50-plus point game in Cavaliers’ history. Irving scored 28 of his 55 in the second half and six of his 11 makes from three-point range came in the second 24 minutes. Irving’s double-nickel effort established a new high-scoring night for a player this season.

Not bad for a guy who started the game 0 for 7 from the floor.

“My teammates do such a great job of continuing to encourage me. T. (Tyronn) Lue did a great job of just telling me to keep shooting. Don’t worry about it,” Irving, who led the Cavs to just their second win in eight chances without James, said to FOX Sports, Ohio’s Allie Clifton after the game.

“The law of averages just balances itself out, but more importantly, I’m just thankful we got the win.”

Irving’s performance is also just the fourth time in NBA history a player scored over 55-points individually and the team did not reach the century mark. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Hall of Famer Michael Jordan scored 56 in a game back in 1987. James had a 56-point effort back in 2005 and the late Hall of Famer of the then Minneapolis Lakers George Mikan scored 61 back in 1952.

Of the so-called “Big Three” it has been Love who has been the most inconsistent. There are times this season he will have a big performance and there are other times he would just fade to black at the offensive end settling for three-point shots.

Back on Jan. 30 versus the Sacramento Kings, Love had his best performance in quite a while when he scored 23 points along with 10 boards in the Cavs 101-90 victory versus the Kings.

In his return to his old stomping grounds at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN on Jan. 31, Love had 14 points to go along with 17 rebounds in the Cavs 106-90 victory. James led the way with 36 points.

The Cavs had a tough beginning going 5-7 in their first 12 games. They won 12 of their next 15 games and then lost 10 of their next 12 outings. They are playing at their best right now with 12 straight wins, with the 12^th coming on Thursday night, a 105-94 win versus the Clippers.

Besides turning their season around, they have also taken the heat off of 1^st year head coach David Blatt and have gotten back into the conversation of being a contender in the East. The team understands though, they have a long way to go to reach their ultimate goal.  

“I think the title is the ultimate goal, but we haven’t played in a playoff series together. Haven’t played one playoff game. One playoff minute,” James, who had 18 points and 11 assists in the Cavs 97-84 win versus the Philadelphia 76ers (10-39) said after the game on Monday night.

“That’s when it really counts. You build your habits and your progress over the regular season, but for us were a team that has a lot to make up and we can’t be complacent.”

Rockets Rising in West

When this season began, the Houston Rockets said goodbye to two fifths of their starting five in guard Jeremy Lin and forward Chandler Parsons back-up center Omer Asik.

The spotlight was one the likes of Donatas Motiejunas, Patrick Beverly, Terrence Jones, Kostas Papanikolaou and veteran additions, who have championship experience in Trevor Ariza and Jason Terry to contribute alongside All-Stars James Harden and Dwight Howard.

Through the first 31 games, the team as a whole was up to the task going 22-9.

With that being said, the team felt it was missing something. The day after Christmas, the Rockets claimed talented, but troublesome forward Josh Smith of waivers from the Pistons and six days prior acquired swingman Corey Brewer from the Timberwolves.

The additions of Smith and Brewer have helped a great deal, but the incredible play of Harden (27.1-Lead NBA, 6.7 apg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 spg) is not only having a career year, but is a legitimate MVP candidate for the first time in his career.

His play has made up for the absence of Jones and Howard, who have combined to miss a combined 58 games because of injury.

On Wednesday, Howard, who did not make the All-Star team after eight straight appearances received a bone marrow aspirate injection on his right knee to deal with the swelling in a joint. He will begin to rehabilitate the knee and be re-evaluated in four weeks.

With Howard in the line-up, the Rockets have gone 22-10, scoring 104.4 points per contests on 45 percent shooting from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point land. While the team has gone 11-5 without their starting center, the Rockets are only scoring 99.1 points shooting just 41.9 percent from the field and just 33.5 percent from three-point territory.

A big reason for the Rockets rise to third in the rugged Western Conference is that they are playing much better at the defensive end, with our without Howard.

They rank 12^th in points allowed at 99.0; 8^th in opponent’s field goal percentage at 44.2 percent and they are 2^nd in opponent’s three-point percentage surrendering just 31.6 percent. The Rockets are also second in steals per game at 9.8 and are third in the NBA forced turnovers per game at 15.8.

Prior to their 114-101 setback at the Pistons on Jan. 31, which snapped a four-game winning streak, they gave up an average of 87.0 points in their prior three straight wins at the Lakers on Jan. 25; versus the Mavericks on Jan. 28 and at the Boston Celtics (19-30) on Jan. 30.

In their 101-90 victory versus the Bulls this past Wednesday night, the Rockets held the boys from the “Windy City” to 34.8 percent shooting from the field, 32.0 percent from three-point range, outscored them in the paint 50-28, scored 14 points off 13 forced turnovers, had six steals and eight block shots.

“Our defense all season has been tremendous. One of the best in the league. Credit to the coaches and our team,” Harden, who lead the Rockets with 27 points and had two blocks said to ESPN’s Chris Broussard after the game.

“Obviously we can score the ball with anybody in the league, but defensively we made a conscious effort to go out there and try to lock up every night.”

When healthy, the Rockets have proven that they are ready to take that next step to become a true title contender. Unfortunately for them, so are a number of teams in the West. If Howard can get back soon, Harden keeps playing at the level he is and the role players can bring it night in and night out, the Rockets have a chance, especially if they continue to get the job done at the defensive end.

Spurs Regaining Championship Form

Over the past few seasons, the Spurs (32-18) and head coach Gregg Popovich have used a maintenance program for their key players like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard to name a few.

The reason, to keep them fresh during the season and to prevent injuries that can linger or keep them out of the lineup for an extended period of time.

This season has been different for the Spurs and that plan because Leonard and Parker in particular have been banged up and have missed games due to a hand and hamstring injury respectably.

To put the Spurs season into perspective, when Leonard has been in the line-up this season, the Spurs are 23-9. When the MVP of last season’s NBA Finals missed time because of the hand injury the team was just 9-9.

That hindered the team in the month of December when they had their first losing month in a long time going 8-10. During December, they gave up 104.1 points per contest to the opposition. Five of their games went to overtime, including a triple overtime 129-119 defeat on Dec. 19, 2014 versus the Trail Blazers. They also turned the ball over at a high clip committing 15.2 miscues per game.

Like most defending NBA champions, the Spurs got back on track when the calendar turned to 2015 as they went 10-4 in the month of January. Their always stellar defense got back on track in January as they allowed just 94.1 points per contest and reduced their miscues to just 13.4.

After losing to the Trail Blazers twice in December, they got their first victory in three tries against their Conference rivals from the Northwest, when they defeated them 110-96 on Jan. 16.

Leonard, who made his return from a 15-game absence because of a torn ligament in his right hand scored 20 points in 31 minutes of action. Danny Green had 19 points connecting on 4 of 5 three-pointers. Patty Mills had 18 points off the bench. Parker had 17 points and seven assists and Ginobili had 13 points and seven assists off the bench. Duncan had a double-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

While the Trail Blazers shot 50 percent overall from the field, the made just 6 for 19 from three-point territory; were out-rebounded 49-32; committed 16 turnovers and had just 20 assists to the Spurs 34.

After a very disappointing 104-81 defeat at the Bulls on Jan. 22, the Spurs won their next three games defeating the Lakers (99-85); the Bucks (101-95) and the Charlotte Hornets (22-27) 95-86.

For most teams, being seventh in the West, which the Spurs are right now would not be a good thing. We must remember though, this is not just any team. These are the defending World Champions, who know how to win games in an opposing team’s building in the postseason. If any of the teams in front of them slide, the Spurs will be quick to take advantage. Plus this is around the time right before the All-Star break that they get it in gear and hit their stride.

The Bad

The Struggling Bulls

Over the past two seasons, there have been two things that have not allowed the Chicago Bulls to cap their seasons off with the ultimate prize. Injuries and an offense that at times can be as flat as a tire that has out of air.

The additions of All-Star Pau Gasol (18.1 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 2.2 bpg), Aaron Brooks (11.2 ppg, 45.5 3-Pt.%) and Nikola Mirotic (7.4 ppg, 35.7 3-Pt.%) and the strong play of Most Improved Player candidate and first-time All-Star Jimmy Butler (20.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.8 spg) and the return of 2011 MVP Derrick Rose (18.7 ppg), the Bulls have become one of the best offenses in the league, ranking ninth in scoring per contest at 101.9.

Besides the likes of starting center Joakim Noah, Rose and sharp shooter Mike Dunleavy (9.6 ppg, 41.7 3-Pt.%) having missed a total of 39 games because of injuries this season, the main calling card of the Bulls under head coach Tom Thibodeau in his five seasons at the helm defense has been very inconsistent this season.

The prior three seasons, the opposition has averaged 88.2, 92.9 and 91.8 points per contest, ranking the boys from the “Windy City” No. 1, No. 3 and No. 1 respectably. This season, the Bulls are ranked just 19^th in points allowed, giving up 99.9 points to their opponent’s.

In the month of January, the Bulls gave up 100-plus points 11 times, going just 5-6 in those contest.

The team’s frustrations came to ahead after 108-94 loss on Martin Luther King Day at the Cavaliers, their sixth loss in their last eight contest. The Cavs shot 45.6 percent from the field; out-rebounded the Bulls 54-40 and outscored them 46-30 in the paint.

“We’ve got to decide when enough is enough,” Thibodeau said after the game. “We’ve got to get better. It’s really that simple. The way we’re playing is not acceptable, so we have to change it.”

Rose, who had just 18 points on 5 for 15 shooting said after the loss, “If we don’t have that edge, we’re going to continue to get our butt whipped. Basketball should be fun. It seems like we’re overthinking.”

The other thing that has not helped the Bulls cause lately is that they have lost to lesser opponents last month like versus the Utah Jazz 97-77 on Jan. 7; versus the Magic 121-114 on Jan 12 and at the Lakers 123-118 in overtime on Jan. 29.

The one good thing if anything right now for the Bulls is the fact that the All-Star break is nearing and some time away from the game might get them back on track. More than anything, they need to get Dunleavy back on the court and the team needs to get healthy so they can build some cohesion on the court on both ends.

Lack Luster Wizards

After a great season in 2013-14, the Washington Wizards were no longer going to sneak up on anybody in 2014-15.

The took that challenge of becoming a contending team very seriously as they came into the month of January with a 22-9 mark lead by the explosive back court of lead guard John Wall (17.5 ppg, 10.2 apg-Leads NBA, 1.9 spg), who leads all guard and is sixth in the league with 28 double-doubles and sharp shooter Bradley Beal (15.0 ppg. 43.6 3-Pt.%).

After two losses at the Thunder (109-102) and the defending champion Spurs (101-92) to start 2015, the Wizards reeled off seven wins in their next nine chances from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19.

Unfortunately since then the team has lost four of their next six to close January and are currently on a five-game losing streak after their 94-87 defeat at the Hornets on Thursday night.

When you have a team with as much talent as the Wizards have, losing games like they have recently has come down to their inability to play with consistent effort at all times during a game and that it takes a team and not just the play of a few individuals to get the desired outcome, a victory. It is that reason, the team has lost to the Hornets twice in a 72-hour span.

“Until we understand it, it’s going to be like that. The same exact thing over and over again,” Wizards head coach Randy Wittman said after the 94-87 loss at the Hornets on Thursday night.

“For whatever reason, we take it upon ourselves to say, ‘This is a time for me.”

When has struggles like this, it comes down to getting back to the basics. Being able to move the ball on offense. Communicate at the defensive end. Play together and most important of all, have a level of concentration that can never be broken.

What also helps is having a player on the team that can speak truth to power. The Wizards have that in 16-year veteran swingman and former champion Paul Pierce. It is in times like this that the Wizards need their prized off-season acquisition to lead not just in practice, but in the locker room and on the court during games.

Above all else, they need their All-Star floor general Wall to be more assertive when the Wizards have their struggles during games. That is what the great ones do and if the Wizards are going to get out of this funk they are in, he must step to the fore front.

Miss Strikes by Thunder

When the Super star tandem of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook returned from injury earlier in the season, many expected that it was just a matter of time before the Thunder got back into the playoff picture.

Unfortunately the team has struggled to find a level on consistency and it has not helped that the current holder of the No. 8 and final playoff spot the Phoenix Suns (29-23) and New Orleans Pelicans (27-23) have not faded to black.

After four straight victories over the Warriors (127-115) Jan. 16; at the Magic (127-99) two night later; at the Miami Heat (21-29) 94-86 and at the Wizards 105-103 in overtime, the Thunder have dropped five out of their last eight games.

The biggest issue for the Thunder has been their play at the defensive end, allowing 100-plus points in three of their final five games in January. The Thunder even allowed the New York Knicks (10-40) to reach the century mark in their eight point setback on Jan. 28 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks went from 20 points in the opening stanza to 23 points in the second quarter; 25 points in the third period and a 32-point output in the fourth quarter.

Things have not gotten any easier because Durant has been on the shelf in four of the last five games because of a sprained left big toe.

Westbrook has tried to pick up the slack and he has done so in a major way. He garnered the 10^th triple-double of his career with 25 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds to go along with four steals in the Thunder’s 104-97 win versus the Magic this past Monday night snapping a two-game losing streak.

He tied his career-high with 45 points to go along with six boards and six assists to lead the Thunder over the Pelicans 102-91. The Thunder held the Hornets to 14 for 46 shooting in the second half.

On the back end of the home-and-home between these two teams, the Pelicans got even on Friday night when All-Star Anthony Davis, who had 41, 10 boards and two blocks, hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pelicans a 116-113 win at the Thunder.

Davis’ first three-pointer of the season wasted new career-high and near triple-double of 48 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists of Westbrook.

Durant in his return had 27 points, but went just 9 for 26 from the field, including just 3 for 10 from three-point territory.

The loss not only brought the Thunder back to .500 mark at 25-25, it also put them three games back of the eighth place Suns and two games on the loss side behind the Pelicans.

Over the past five seasons, the No. 8 Seeded team in the West has averaged 48 wins. The Thunder have to go 23-9 the rest of the way if they have any hopes of making their sixth consecutive trip to the postseason.

For that to happen, Durant and Westbrook must stay healthy the rest of the way. The defense must get back to the level where the Thunder surrendered just 98.5 points per contest, ranks 10^th in the NBA. More than anything, the team must get more consistent play on both ends from the likes of the Dion Waiters, who the team acquired recently from the Cavs; Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Steven Adams and Anthony Morrow.

Wounded Trail Blazers

Last season, the Trail Blazers starting five of Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews and Damian Lillard missed a total of 13 games a season ago, all by Aldridge. That was one of the big reason they won 54 games a season ago.

This season Aldridge, Lopez and Batum have missed a total of 36 games this season because injuries. Lopez missed 23 of those games because of a broken hand.  

The result was an 8-9 record January for the team, which included six straight defeats on the road after beginning the month with four consecutive wins following a 115-107 loss versus the Hawks on Jan. 3.

In the Trail Blazers 98-94 win versus the Sacramento Kings (17-31) on Jan. 19, Aldridge injured his left hand. It was revealed that Aldridge had torn a ligament in his left thumb and needed to have surgery, which would have kept the Trail Blazers leading scorer and rebounder at 23.7 points and 10.3 rebounds out for 6-8 weeks.

Following two back-to-back losses at the Suns 118-113 and versus the Celtics 90-89, Aldridge delayed surgery and returned to the line-up and had a strong performance of 26 points and nine rebounds in leading the Trail Blazers to a 103-96 win versus the Wizards on Jan. 24.  

“My pain level changed a lot over the last 48 hours as far as being able to tolerate some things. I feel like I’m going to give it a try,” Aldridge said before the Jan. 24 contest against the Wizards.

“We don’t know if it’s going to go good or bad, but at the least I’m going to try. My idea now is to play the rest of the season, but if it gets too much where I’m not playing at a very good level, then I’ll stop, but hopefully it goes well for us.”

Since delaying surgery on his left thumb, Aldridge has been playing at the level that garnered him his fourth straight All-Star selection averaging 28.2 points and 11.0 boards on 50.5 percent shooting.

The team got back on track this past Tuesday versus the Jazz winning 103-102, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Lillard lead the way with 25 points and six assists. Aldridge had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Matthews had 21 points. Lopez in his return from a broken hand had 11 points, six boards and two blocks.

They followed that up with a 108-87 versus the Suns outscoring them 42-22 in the fourth quarter.

Batum led the way with 20 points and seven rebounds. Aldridge had 19 points and 13 rebounds, garnering his 25 double-double of the season and the 220 of his career, passing Sidney Wicks as the all-time leader in Trail Blazers history. Mathews contributed 14 points and eight boards. Lillard had 13 points, C.J. McCollum had 12 off the bench and Lopez had a double-double of 11 points, 12 boards to go along with four block shots.

Despite a tough January the Trail Blazers are within striking distance of the No. 2 Seed in the East and they still lead the Northwest Division by a healthy nine games over the Thunder who are on the outside of the playoff picture.

If the team can stay healthy for the rest of the season, they will have home court advantage at least in the opening round of the playoffs and who knows what can happen?

High and Lows of Detroit Pistons

In late December, the Detroit Pistons were 5-23 and in the midst of another lost season.

The team new that something had to change and the organization made a tough decision in waiving forward Josh Smith.

The result, the Pistons reeled of seven consecutive wins from Dec. 26 to Jan. 7, with the last two victories coming at the defending champion Spurs 105-104 on a game-winning shot by lead guard Brandon Jennings and a 108-95 win the next night at the Mavericks.

After a narrow defeat at the Hawks 106-103 on MLK day, the Pistons won five of their next seven games with their most impressive win coming versus the Magic 128-118 in their most impressive game of the season.

Starting center Andre Drummond lead the way with 26 points, 17 boards, and four steals and three blocks. His front court mate Greg Monroe had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Jennings had perhaps the best all-around game of his career as he put in 24 points, going 10 for 21 from the field with a career-high 21 assists and just two turnovers.

That great performance was short lived as three days later the Pistons lost at the Bucks 101-86. They also lost Jennings who injured his foot late in the third quarter.

A couple of days later, the team confirmed that Jennings sustained a ruptured left Achilles tendon. He eventually had season-ending surgery to repair the Achilles and it will take between six to nine months to recover.

Since Smith’s release from the Pistons, Jennings was averaging 19.8 points and seven assists per game on 43.9 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range.

Starting in his stead has been back-up guard D.J. Augustin, who had a career-high 35 points and eight assists, but the Pistons lost at the Atlantic Division leading Toronto Raptors (34-17) 114-110.

The Pistons got back on track on Jan. 31 defeating the Rockets 114-101, snapping a four-game losing streak.

Augustin had a 28 points, 12 assists and two steals. His starting backcourt mate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also had 28 points going 10 for 21 from the floor, including 6 for 11 from three-point range to go along with three blocks. Monroe had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Drummond had 11 points, 16 boards and three blocks.

With three wins in their last four chances, the Pistons at 20-31 stand 1.5 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot, which is occupied by the Miami Heat (21-29).

If they have any chance of making the playoffs for the first time since 2009, they need the front court tandem of Drummond and Monroe to continue their consistent play in the paint on both ends. They need Augustin to be a steady leader at the point as well as consistent perimeter shooting from Caldwell-Pope, sharp shooting forward Kyle Singler, Jodie Meeks, Anthony Tolliver and Caron Butler.

Above all else, they must play better at the defensive end. Surrendering 100 points or more in six out of the last nine games just will not cut it.

The Ugly

Bryant’s Season Is Cut Short Again

Back on Jan. 29, Lakers’ star guard Kobe Bryant was selected as a starter for the Western Conference in the 2015 All-Star Game, which will take place next Sunday night at Madison Square Garden on TNT. It is the 17^th time in the inevitable Hall of Fame career of the five-time NBA champion.

Unfortunately, the third best scorer in NBA history had his season come to an early end again.

Bryant sustained a shoulder injury on a drive to the basket for a slam dunk in the Lakers 96-80 loss at the Pelicans on Jan. 21. It was later revealed he tore the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Bryant had successful surgery to repair the torn labrum in the right rotator cuff of the aforementioned shoulder last week. The recovery time is expected to be about nine months.

Just about 17 years ago, the 1998 NBA All-Star Game took place in the same venue that this year’s NBA mid-seasons classic will take place, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

This was the first All-Star appearance for Bryant and Spurs’ forward Tim Duncan, who will making his 15^th All-Star appearance next Sunday night.

It is hard to fathom that it has been nearly two decades that these two magnificent champions step onto the big stage and eventually would be in the conversation as two of the best to ever play the game.

These two are also a reality of what can happen to great player late in his career. The Spurs have continued to chase titles in the twilight of Duncan’s career, while Bryant and the Lakers are a far cry from being a playoff team let alone a contender.

On top of that, Bryant is an unfortunate example of father time being undefeated as for the third year alone his season ends early.

Two years ago, an Achilles injury late the in the season prevented him from participating in the playoffs and the Lakers were swept by the Spurs in the opening round.

On Dec. 17, 2013, Bryant suffered a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee in the Lakers 96-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. On Mar. 12, 2014, he was ruled out for the rest of the season and Lakers finished 27-55 and missed the postseason for the first time in the last eight season.

If Bryant can comeback from this, it would once again show the fortitude, internal strength and un-wavering courage that he has had throughout his entire career. If this is the end, it would be a shame, but understandable. While there is $25 million reasons to comeback, if it is not possible, it would not be the worst thing in the world.

He came into the league at the age of 17 and with current TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal by his side in the early 2000s brought three straight titles to the “Purple and Gold” and in the late 2000s added two more in succession with Gasol. 

He passed the great Michael Jordan to become the third best scorer in NBA history back on Dec. 14, 2014 a 100-94 win at Minnesota Timberwolves. He recorded the 20^th triple-double of his career with 31 points, 12 assists and 11 boards in the Lakers 129-122 overtime win versus the Raptors on Nov. 30, 2014. He added another with 23 points, 11 boards and 11 assists in a 111-103 victory at Denver Nuggets (19-32) on Dec. 30, 2014, which made him just the third player in NBA history to record multiple triple-doubles at age 36 or older.

Love him or not, one thing is for sure about the career of Kobe Bryant, it was one where he brought it every night win, lose or draw. 

Information, statistics and quotes are courtesy of www.espn.go.com/nba/standings/statistics/teams; 1/18/15 2 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” with Matt Winer, Mike Dunleavy, Sr. and Rick Fox; 1/26/15 5 p.m. Bottom Line news crawl on ESPN; 1/26/15 6 p.m. NBATV’s “The Beat” with Vince Cellini, Sekou Smith and David Aldridge; 1/26/15 6:30 p.m. NBATV’s “The Starters” with Trey Kerby, J.E. Skeets, Tas Melas and Leigh Ellis; 1/28/15 Bottom Line news crawl on ESPNEWS; 1/29/15 1 a.m. edition ESPN’s “Sportscenter” with Jay Harris and Kevin Connors; 1/29/15 2 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” with Vince Cellini, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal; 1/29/15 7 p.m. TNT’s “NBA Tip-Off” presented by Autotrader.com; 1/31/15 3 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” with Rick Kamla, Steve Smith and Dennis Scott; 2/3/15 12 a.m. edition “NBA Tonight” on ESPN 2 with Doug Kezirian and Tim Legler; 2/3/15 12:30 a.m. NBATV’s “The Beat” with Vince Cellini, Sekou Smith and Shaun Powell; 2/3/15 2 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime” with Matt Winer, Steve Smith and Brent Barry; en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant; 2/5/15 10:30 p.m. contest Phoenix Suns versus Portland Trail Blazers on TNT with Kevin Harlan, Brent Barry and Rachel Nichols; 2/6/15 1 a.m. edition of “Inside the NBA” on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Chris Webber.