NBA PLAYERS SET FOR SECOND- HALF SPRINT
The NBA’s All- Star break is often misconstrued as the midway point of the season. It’s not.
Teams have fewer than 30 games left. Once Thursday’s trade deadline passes, less than two months of the regular season remain. It’s a hectic dash to the finish.
Who will secure the final three seeds in the East? Just 41⁄ games separate the 2 sixth- place Indiana Pacers from the 11thplace Charlotte Hornets.
In the West, it appears seven seeds are locked up, but the eighth seed is undecided. Denver holds a 11⁄ 2- game lead over the Sacramento Kings.
So as we near the trade deadline, a look at some story lines for the stretch run.
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN THIS WEEK?
You’re going to hear a lot of trade chatter surrounding Carmelo Anthony and Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline expires. But don’t be surprised if both remain with their teams for the rest of the season.
Anthony has to waive his no- trade clause and has told management he prefers to stay with the New York Knicks. His salary and trade kicker ( which adds money to his salary if traded) make it difficult for most teams to absorb his contract, especially a contender.
As for Butler, could he be traded to the Boston Celtics? Yes. But are the Celtics willing to trade at least one of their firstround picks, which are turning out to be even more valuable assets under the new collective bargaining agreement?
“Nothing I can do about it,” Butler said about trade discussions. “Control what you can control. Why talk about it? Why worry about it? If you’re here, you’re here. If you’re not, you’re not.” CAN WESTBROOK JOIN THE BIG O?
Even if Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook doesn’t finish the season averaging a triple- double, the fact that he inspired comparisons to the great Oscar Robertson for much of this season is evidence of how good he has been.
With 25 games to go and the Thunder
firmly in playoff position ( 32- 25), Westbrook is averaging 31.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists. Yet if he’s going to trip up at the end on this front and perhaps leave Robertson ( 1961- 62) as the only player to have reached this feat, it’s the assists that will likely be his undoing. His pace has dipped since those first few months, from 11.3 assists per game in the first 23 games to 9.4 since.
WILL THE CAVS HOLD ON TO FIRST?
Cleveland has a tough stretch ahead. Not only are they without All- Star forward Kevin Love and shooting guard J. R. Smith until late March, but the Cavaliers also play 15 of their remaining 27 games on the road, including trips to play the Los Angeles Clippers, Celtics ( twice), Atlanta Hawks ( twice), Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.
But Kyle Korver is starting to find his niche in the rotation ( 63.3% on threes in his last nine games), and they also have All- Stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. As we saw in June, all things are possible with James on the court.
Even short- handed, the Cavs should maintain the top spot in the East.
CAN LEBRON STEAL A FIFTH MVP?
All season, the MVP discussion has centered on Westbrook and the Rockets’ James Harden. But James, 32, with the chance to become just the fourth player in league history to win at least five MVPs, has quietly played his way into serious contention.
It’s not just that he’s averaging 25.9 points, 8.8 assists, and 7.7 rebounds — numbers that only Harden ( 29.2 points, 11.3 assists, 8.2 rebounds) and Westbrook have come anywhere near. It’s that his Cavaliers, who suffered blows to starters Smith ( thumb surgery in late December) and Love ( out for six weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday), are still atop the Eastern Conference mostly because of him.