By Tre’ Smith
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Another week in the NBA is over and it’s time for another analysis of the league. Going into this season, there were a lot of changes. Perhaps the biggest change was the franchise facelift the Charlotte Bobcats received as they were turned back? into the Charlotte Hornets and signed Lance Stephenson in time to start the season.
LeBron James ditched the city of Miami and the Heat to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Derrick Rose is finally ready to play. Now, two full weeks into the season, it is time to review how things are going. So far, all of the big offseason stories have been duds, as the Hornets and Cavaliers have gotten off to bad starts and Derrick Rose got injured again.
Just because the perceived “main” stories aren’t going as some thought doesn’t mean that all is lost. Instead, this season is full of action, as Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans are making noise. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have done well without LeBron and the Raptors, Grizzlies, and Rockets are the class of the league.
Note – all reviews are as of Sunday, November 9, 2014.
1. No undefeated teams left now
The Phoenix Suns defeated the Golden State Warriors 107-95 on Nov. 9, taking out the last undefeated team in the NBA. The Warriors are now 5-1, while three teams — the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets — are all 6-1. For the record, there have been 13 teams to start their seasons 10-0, with the 1993-94 Rockets and 1948-49 Washington Capitols each starting 15-0.
2. Charles, you can eat!
On a Nov. 6 episode of Inside The NBA, Charles Barkley said he would not consume a meal until the Los Angeles Lakers won a contest. Three days later, Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin each scored 21 points to lead the Lakers to a 107-92 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, the team’s first this year. I’m pretty sure The Round Mound of Rebound has posted a triple-double at the food court by now.
3. When will Philadelphia win?
Charles Barkley wasn’t going to make this bet with the Sixers — he’d be Kevin Durant slim by now. Philly has the Texas gauntlet in its next three games with road contests against Dallas on Thursday, Houston on Friday and San Antonio on Monday. Something tells me 0-7 will be 0-10 by the time the Sixers battle the Boston Celtics on Nov. 19 at home.
4. Will Cleveland get right?
If the playoffs started today, the 2-3 Cleveland Cavaliers would be on the outside looking in. The team ranks dead last in the NBA in assists with 17.8 per game, including an anemic six in a 102-100 loss to Utah on Nov. 5. Cleveland is also shooting 42 percent as a team and 24th in rebounding, even with the offseason acquisition of Kevin Love. Then again, give it time and I’m sure the early-season struggles will be a thing of the past as chemistry takes hold.
5. And the Hornets…
Up until the Nov. 9 loss to the Lakers, every Charlotte game has been within 10 points and four have had margins of three or less. The Hornets, at 3-4 will go through a tough portion of the schedule over the next seven days with road games at Portland, Phoenix and Golden State this week and a home game against Dallas on Nov. 17.
Follow Tre’ Smith on Twitter @MicrowaveNC.
