League leaders

After two consecutive losses, the Boston Celtics are riding high on the crest of a 15-win streak and for the moment are leading the Eastern Conference and the league with a 15-2 win-loss slate. Occupying the bottom are Chicago and Atlanta with still 3 wins to show in 16 games played. Philadelphia, starring Joel Imbiid and Ben Simmons showed great improvement likewise New York and Indiana with Kristaps Porzingis and Victor Oladipo leading the way respectively.

Kyrie Irving seems to have made himself at home with the Celtics and continues to take charge in the fourth, their “winning time”. He’s getting lots of help

from 2nd year player Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum but they have this nasty habit of falling behind by at least 14 points during the last several games before climbing back for the victory.

Over at the Western Conference, the LA Clippers and Sacramento join Dallas at the bottom while Utah, LA Lakers and Phoenix are displaying some cohesion. Despite injuries to Rudy Gobert and Ricky Rubio, the Jazz are doing well but they have to rely more on veterans Rodney Hood and Derek Favors than the rookie Donovan Mitchell. Yes, he’s good but he’s still raw to be the team’s leader in shot attempts per game.

Meanwhile, Lonzo Ball joined Laker greats Jerry West and Magic Johnson as the third rookie to make multiple triple-doubles in their rookie season. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green continue to be Golden State’s Fantastic Four and the team rule the WC. OKC’s Big Three of Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook need to do more big things to move up ahead of Memphis and New

Orleans as they currently sit a 9th in the WC standings.

Eighteen games into the season, here are the league leaders:

SCORING:James

Harden (HOU:31.6), Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL:30.1), LeBron James (CLE:28.9), Kristaps Porzingis (NYK:27.8), and DeMarcus Cousions (NOP:27.1).

Gobert (UTA:2.5), Kristaps Porzingis (NYK:2.3), Kevin Durant (GSW:2.2), Anthony Davis (NOP:2), and Marc Gasol (MEM:1.87).

Andre Drummond (DET:15.8), DeAndre Jordan (LAC:14), DeMarcus Cousins (NOP:13.2), Dwight Howard (CHA:12.5), and Clint Capela (HOU:11.5).

James Harden (HOU:9.9), Russell Westbrook (OKC:9.5), John Wall (WAS:9.3), LeBron James (CLE:8.6), and Ben Simmons (PHI:8).

George (OKC:2.4), Kris Dunn (CHI:2.1), Jimmy Butler (MIN:2), Kent Bazemore (ATL:1.94), and Frank Ntilikina (NYK:1.92)

BLOCKS:Rudy

REBOUNDS:

ASSISTS:

STEALS:Paul