The 2013 NBA playoffs are set to continue, and today at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping a close eye on the series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies. These two should be going at it in a great set of battles, and we are going to have our NBA playoffs predictions and scores update on a nightly basis for this and all of the great series throughout the playoffs. Check back to this page often, as we will be updating our final scores and our series analysis so you can make the most informed NBA picks every step of the way in this series.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Playoff Schedule

Spurs Win Series 4-0

Game 1: Memphis Grizzlies 83 – San Antonio Spurs 105
Game 2: Memphis Grizzlies 89 – San Antonio Spurs 93 (OT)
Game 3: San Antonio Spurs 104 – Memphis Grizzlies 93 (OT)
Game 4: San Antonio Spurs 93 – Memphis Grizzlies 87

Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs Series Odds at
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Memphis Grizzlies +1450
San Antonio Spurs -2750
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Grizzlies vs. Spurs Series Update
Game 1: One of these teams clearly had a heck of a lot of experience. One of these teams looked shellshocked. The Grizzlies were hoping for better in their first ever game in the Western Conference Finals, but they fell behind by 17 points in the first quarter and never had a shot of getting back in the game. F Zach Randolph only scored two points for the night, while he and C Marc Gasol both ended up with just seven rebounds. San Antonio had 14 three-point shots, and in spite of the fact that the tempo was played at the pace that Memphis would have wanted, San Antonio still dropped gobs of points on the board. Five players scored in double figures for the Spurs, led by G Tony Parker’s 20. Spurs 105 – Grizzlies 83 (Spurs Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: Once again, the Grizzlies played the game that they wanted to play in Game 2 of this series, but they just weren’t able to do enough to get the win in OT. San Antonio only managed 24 points in the first and fourth quarters combined, and it coughed up a 12-point lead in the fourth before ultimately finishing the job in OT. The Grizzlies pulled down 60 rebounds in the game, but they only shot 34.0 percent from the floor. All five starters for San Antonio scored in double figures. G Tony Parker had 15 points and a whopping 18 assists, the most that any player has had in a single postseason game. He also only had two turnovers. Spurs 93 – Grizzlies 89 (Spurs Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: Turnovers. Get used to hearing that word. San Antonio turned the ball over a ton in the first quarter, and in an interview between stanzas, Head Coach Gregg Popovich literally only used the word “turnovers” twice, and they were the only two words out of his mouth in the entire interview. Alas, those turnovers went away over the course of the next 20 minutes of game time or so, and as a result, the Spurs took a 17-point deficit in a game that could have gotten away from them and turned it into a lead. The Grizz fought back in the final few minutes of the game to force overtime, but for the second straight game, the defense for San Antonio clamped down and the nerves were too much for Memphis to overcome. This young team just doesn’t have the goods to beat the big boys. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan combined for 50 points, while Manu Ginobili came off of the bench to score 19 for the Spurs. Mike Conley had 20 to lead all scorers for the Grizzlies, but after the first quarter, he cooled off dramatically, and he ended the day with five turnovers and just 8-of-21 shooting from the field. This series is all over but the crying. Spurs 104 – Grizzlies 93 (OT) (Spurs Lead Series 3-0)

Game 4: The Spurs had to think that they were going to be in a bit of a fight from the Grizzlies in Game 4 of this series, but alas, Memphis looked like a team that had it right out of the blocks. San Antonio won the first quarter by 10 points, it scored at least 20 points in all four quarters, and it held down the Grizzlies to just 14 points in that opening quarter. It all wasn’t enough for Memphis. It was a magical season for sure, but the only man that really overachieved was Quincy Pondexter, who scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Zach Randolph was rather MIA, and he and Marc Gasol only shot 9-of-25 between them. Tony Parker starred for the Spurs, knocking down 15-of-21 shots from the field and all six of his free throws to tally a game-hugh 37 points. Everything else fell into place for the Western Conference champs to move onto the Finals for the fifth time in the Tim Duncan era. Spurs 93 – Grizzlies 86 (Spurs Win Series 4-0)

2013 Grizzlies vs. Spurs Series Preview

If you like your defensive basketball, you’re coming to the right place. The San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies are going to be going to battle, and they should be playing some awfully low scoring series. The two know that this is going to be a brutal set of up to seven games, and NBA betting fans should know just how great of a series this has the potential to be. Even the oddsmakers, who have San Antonio as a -145 favorite on the NBA series odds, know how great this series will be.

The Grizzlies are almost like the bastard children of these playoffs. They don’t play flashy basketball, and they don’t have any care in the world about it. The team is allowing 92.4 points per game in the playoffs, and that number came down to 89.6 points per game in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were one of the best teams in the league offensively this season. Granted, we know that Memphis has gotten some help, as men like G Chris Paul, F Blake Griffin, and most importantly, G Russell Westbrook have gotten hurt along the way. However, this is a team that has most certainly earned its way to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. Remember that Memphis traded F Rudy Gay during the regular season as well. Just that alone is a wow factor that will not be forgotten. F Zach Randolph and C Marc Gasol took over in the second round against Oklahoma City. They are now averaging 38.0 points and 17.2 rebounds per game between them in the playoffs. G Mike Conley Jr. was good for nearly a triple-double every single night in the second round, and he is now averaging 17.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

The Spurs had no troubles whatsoever getting past the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, but they had a significantly harder time getting through the Golden State Warriors in the second round. We don’t know whether it was a matter of coming out flat or a matter of getting used to the pace of this series, but in the second round, Golden State held the control of the tempo in those first two games. When the series shifted back to Oakland though, Head Coach Gregg Popovich almost seemed like he “figured it out,” and when that happened, the series was over with. G Tony Parker and F Tim Duncan are combining to score 41.1 points per game in the playoffs, and that’s after basically never having to play in the last six minutes of any game in the first round against LA. San Antonio is calling upo nine difference players to play at least 11 minutes per game in these playoffs, and Popovich is going to continue to utilize his entire bench to get the job done.

This has been a heck of a series all season long. Two of the four games went to overtime and the most recent meeting in the beginning of April was decided by a single bucket. The home team went 4-0 SU in the four games this year, but the hosts also only went 2-2 ATS in those outings. We do think that the Grizzlies are going to be able to steal a game in this series in San Antonio, but we don’t think that the Spurs are ultimately going to be denied. We think that this series will play out just like the second round series against Golden State when the Warriors won a game in San Antonio and then ultimately ran away with the series.

Spurs vs. Grizzlies Series Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 6

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Consider this page your one stop shop for all things related to the Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA playoffs series! These two teams are going to be squaring off in what should be a fantastic second round playoff series, and regardless of whether you are looking for a series preview, our Warriors vs. Spurs predictions, the NBA playoffs series prices for the Warriors and Spurs, or just an up to date listing of all of the final scores with recaps of all of the games, you’ve come to the right place. Be sure to bookmaker this page if you’re a fan of either of these teams, or if you’re just a generic NBA fan, but this is your official handicapping home of the Warriors vs. Spurs series.

Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Playoff Schedule

Spurs Win Series 4-2

Game 1: Golden State Warriors 127 – San Antonio Spurs 129 (2 OTs)
Game 2: Golden State Warriors 100 – San Antonio Spurs 91
Game 3: San Antonio Spurs 102 – Golden State Warriors 92
Game 4: San Antonio Spurs 87 – Golden State Warriors 97 (OT)
Game 5: Golden State Warriors 91 – San Antonio Spurs 109
Game 6: San Antonio Spurs 94 – Golden State Warriors 82

Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs Series Odds at BetRevolution Sportsbook
Golden State Warriors +575
San Antonio Spurs -850
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Warriors vs. Spurs Series Update
Game 1: There were 205 total shots from the field. There were 56 shots from beyond the arc. There were 100 total rebounds. There were 49 total assists. There were 50 total fouls. And when the dust settled, it was G Manu Ginobili who won it for San Antonio with a bomb of a three to steal Game 1. The Warriors were up 16 points with four minutes to play before Spurs went on an 18-2 run to force overtime. G Stephen Curry did everything he knew to try to win this game, as he played all but four seconds of the game and scored 44 points with 11 assists. G Tony Parker led the way with 28 for the Spurs, and he had a lot of help as well. Five players scored at least 16 points in what turned out to be a prototypical well coached, level headed game by Head Coach Gregg Popovich. This might not have been a cover for San Antonio, but a win is a win, and it might be the victory that ultimately proves to get this team on fire for the rest of the postseason. Spurs 129 – Warriors 127 (2 OTs) (Spurs Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: We’ve been asking the question for the last three weeks as to what would happen to the Warriors in the event that G Stephen Curry had a bad game. Curry didn’t play terribly, scoring 22 points, but he also only shot 7-of-20 from the field. The man of the hour? G Klay Thompson, who hit 8-of-9 from long range and led all scorers with 34 points. It wasn’t a thrilling day for the Golden State offense, particularly in the second half when a 62-43 halftime lead started to evaporate. The fact that the Spurs were challenged for the second straight night in spite of the fact that they got 23 from F Tim Duncan, 20 from G Tony Parker, and a double-double from F Kawhi Leonard is scary to say the least. This is a series that is inevitably going to be a long one. Warriors 100 – Spurs 91 (Series Tied 1-1)

Game 3: In a way, order has been restored for the Spurs. They were able to go on the road right away, seize control of the first game in this series played at Oracle Arena, and ultimately hold on tight to win by 10. G Tony Parker and F Tim Duncan combined to score 55 points for the Spurs, but the story was the San Antonio defense. This unit did a nice job holding down both G Klay Thompson and G Stephen Curry in this one, as those two went just 12-of-37 combined from the floor, scoring a total of 33 points. The Spurs now know that this is a series that they really should win, though it is far from over at this point. Spurs 102 – Warriors 92 (Spurs Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: With five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Warriors were down eight points, and they had to feel as though they were as good as finished. G Stephen Curry was playing on a bum ankle, shots weren’t falling, and the Spurs looked like they were coasting to another double-digit victory. Alas, some more Golden State magic was in the cards, and the team outscored San Antonio by 18 the rest of the way to ultimately win by 10 in OT. Curry ended up with 22 points on the night, and for the first time in a long time, he was picked up by teammates who weren’t named Klay Thompson. G Jarrett Jack, who long wondered if he was going to have to start this game in place of the banged up Curry, scored 24 points, while rookie F Harrison Barnes came up with the biggest performance in his career with a game-high 26. G Manu Ginobili did what he could do for the Spurs, but his 5-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc wasn’t enough. Take our the Argentine, and San Antonio shot just 25-of-75 from the field and 2-of-17 from long range. That’s why this turned out to be an ugly offensive game. Warriors 97 – Spurs 87 (OT) (Series Tied 2-2)

Game 5: The Warriors are showing the fact that they are mortal, and they are now up against the wall known as elimination. G Seth Curry and G Klay Thompson both had atrocious games, as they shot a combined 6-of-22 from the field and scored just 13 points. It happens to be that the rest of the team played tremendous basketball for the full 48 minutes, but it just wasn’t enough without the stars shining. This was the game where the Spurs flexed their muscles and proved that they are the superior team in this series. The NBA Finals are just five wins away for San Antonio, and after another 25-point game out of G Tony Parker, it seems like it’s only a matter of time until the Spurs get within four wins of that goal as well. Spurs 109 – Warriors 91 (Spurs Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: Game 6 was a relatively boring game for the Spurs and the Warriors, and that’s just the way that San Antonio wanted it. The Spurs actually only took 73 shots from the field, by far the lowest in any game in this series, but that was more than enough to get the job done. G Stephen Curry did everything that he could, scoring 22 points on the night, but his bum ankles really held him back. Golden State never had the chance to explode from the perimeter as it has in the past in these playoffs, and that ultimately led to its demise. The Spurs held the Warriors to just four three-point shots for the game, and they had all five of their starters score in double figures to lead to the series clinching win. Spurs 94 – Warriors 82 (Spurs Win Series 4-2)

2013 Warriors vs. Spurs Series Preview

Many think that the San Antonio Spurs are set to romp right through to the NBA Finals at this point, as they clearly looked like the best team in the Western Conference when they stormed past the Los Angeles Lakers in four games in the opening round of the series. However, they might have their work cut out for them when they take on the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals. Golden State was able to pull off one awesome upset against the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the playoffs, and it might be able to pull this one off once again.

Golden State is really only going to go as far as G Stephen Curry takes it. This young man really is becoming a superstar before our eyes. He shot 43.4 percent from beyond the arc and averaged 24.3 points and 9.3 assists per game in the opening series, but he had a heck of a lot of help. G Jarrett Jack, F Harrison Barnes, and G Klay Thompson all averaged at least 14.7 points per game, and F Carl Landry was good for 12.8 points per game. It was unfortunate to lose to F David Lee for the rest of the playoffs to an injury though, and that might ultimately be the demise of the team. That being said, Golden State was able to essentially win all four games without him against a very good Denver outfit, and it was able to win games both at home and on the road, and both in wild skirmish games and in some relatively big defensive spots as well.

San Antonio didn’t just win its first four games, but it won all of those games by at least a dozen points. The average margin of victory against the was 16.3 points per game, and there wasn’t a team that was more impressive. Granted, we know that the Lakers had a team that wasn’t good enough to be in the playoffs, but they did their job nonetheless and took care of business like good teams should. Head Coach Gregg Popovich has a full deck of players to work with, as the only players that are still listed on the injury report heading into this series are C Boris Diaw and C Tiago Splitter, who both figure to be able to play at some point. In typical Spurs fashion, 10 players averaged at least 4.5 points per game, and all of them averaged at least 11 minutes per game. G Tony Parker led all scorers at 22.2 points per game, and he was also the lead assist man as well at 6.5 dimes per night. F Tim Duncan averaged 17.5 points per game, and he looked a lot like the man that has already led this team to numerous titles in his Hall of Fame career.

The home team won all four games this year, and the Warriors covered three of the four games. There is a real chance for Golden State to stick around in this series, but we think that the coaching abilities of Popovich are going to shine in this one, and this will ultimately be a relatively short series. The Warriors will win one on the back of Curry, but he won’t be able to single-handedly win this series the way that he did against the Nuggets.

Spurs vs. Warriors Series Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 5

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The 2013 NBA playoffs are set to begin, and today at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping a close eye on the series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers. These two should be going at it in a great set of battles, and we are going to have our NBA playoffs predictions and scores update on a nightly basis for this and all of the great series throughout the playoffs. Check back to this page often, as we will be updating our final scores and our series analysis so you can make the most informed NBA picks every step of the way in this series.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Playoff Schedule

Spurs Win Series 4-0

Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers 79 – San Antonio Spurs 91
Game 2: Los Angeles Lakers 91 – San Antonio Spurs 102
Game 3: San Antonio Spurs 120 – Los Angeles Lakers 89
Game 4: San Antonio Spurs 103 – Los Angeles Lakers 82

Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs Series Odds at
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Los Angeles Lakers +34000
San Antonio Spurs -100000
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Lakers vs. Spurs Series Update
Game 1: G Steve Nash came back into the lineup and played 30 minutes for the Lakers, but it is clear that they are going to need a whole heck of a lot more than that if they are going to ultimately find a way back into this series. They just had nothing going offensively right out of the blocks, scoring just 15 points in the opening quarter, and they were never able to get back on track. San Antonio got 18 points from G Tony Parker and 17 points and 10 boards from F Tim Duncan to take the first game of this series with ease. Spurs 91 – Lakers 79 (Spurs Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: LA was better offensively in the second game of this series, but unfortuantely for Head Coach Mike D’Antoni, so were the Spurs. San Antonio got 20 points from G Tony Parker and solid contributions from four others that scored in double figures. The bench players combined to go 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, and that really made the difference for the hosts. Spurs 102 – Lakers 91 (Spurs Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: The Lakers were back at home, but they had to play without G Steve Nash, G Steve Blake, and several others. F Metta World Peace played just 17 minutes and was benched for the second half after going scoreless with just one assist. G Andrew Goudelock, a D-League star, scored 20 points, while G Darius Morris scored 24. That being said, all of that, combined with a triple-double from F Pau Gasol weren’t nearly enough. San Antonio pulled away with a 30-18 first quarter and never looked back, shooting a blistering 61.2 percent from the field for the game, including getting 12-of-16 from F Tim Duncan. Spurs 120 – Lakers 89 (Spurs Lead Series 3-0)

Game 4: Isn’t it poetic justice that C Dwight Howard was ejected out of what could have been his final game as a Laker? Howard was dismissed after picking up two technical fouls, and the rest of the team just could not pick up the slack from his departure. No one on the team scored more than 16 points, and LA was simply overmatched without G Kobe Bryant, G Steve Blake, G Steve Nash, and F Metta World Peace all on the sidelines. San Antonio didn’t have a particularly sharp game, shooting 46.4% from the field and 31.2% from beyond the arc, but G Tony Parker’s 23 points were more than enough to lead the way to the series sweep. Spurs 103 – Lakers 82 (Spurs Win Series 4-0)

2013 Lakers vs. Spurs Series Preview

History will tell you that the potential is there for this to be a dramatic series. The Spurs and the Lakers have done plenty of big battles before, and these should be no exception either. However, with G Kobe Bryant out of the lineup, there is a real question as to just how close LA can really stay with one of the most talented teams in basketball.

The Lakers did win 30 of their last 42 games, but it still feels like they have a lot of questions that beg to be answered. Can F Pau Gasol and C Dwight Howard really co-exist together in big time spots? Is F Metta World Peace really healthy enough to play 35-40 minutes per game after coming back from series surgery during the season? Is G Steve Nash really going to be able to get back in the lineup and be effective when it seems like his body is simply breaking down? Are there enough guards to really carry this team through the postseason? All of these questions are very fair to ask, knowing that the light schedule really helped this team down the stretch of the season.

Of course, there are almost as many questions on the other side of the court as well. F Tim Duncan, G Tony Parker, and G Manu Ginobili each sat out this season for games here and there, and all three really didn’t spend a ton of time on the court together, relatively speaking. The Spurs played like garbage down the stretch, losing seven of their last 10, including dropping a crucial game to these Lakers at the Staples Center in the final week of the regular season. It’s just not good enough, to say the least. Now, C Tiago Splitter is playing with some sort of undisclosed injury, F Kawhi Leonard has been ailing, and G Tracy McGrady was signed to play in the NBA for the first time this year.

As much as we really don’t want to lay the -1000 with a team that is playing this poorly, this San Antonio outfit is the one team that we think really can flip a switch and become a dominating team again. We really don’t think that this series is going to be all that close when push comes to shove, and we think that all four of these games could end in double digit victories for the Spurs. As we see it, the Lakers don’t win a single game against the Spurs and get swept out of the second season.

Spurs vs. Lakers Series Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 4

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On the midst of all the exciting action that has been going on in college basketball over the last few weeks it has drawn attention away from the NBA. However, last night Chris Paul nearly reached an achievement that can not go unnoticed. The New Orleans Hornets got a big victory over the Philadelphia 76ers last night 101-86 and closed to only one game behind the San Antonio Spurs in the Southwest Division Standings. Hornets’ star point guard and last year’s MVP candidate Chris Paul nearly made history by earning a rare quadruple-double in his magnificent performance against the 76ers on Monday night.

Chris Paul has been extraordinary over the last two seasons running the New Orleans offense from the guard position. Outside of his tremendous ability to score at anytime and post big number Paul gains a lot of recognition from his ability to lift the other players around him. Paul leads the NBA this season with 11 assist and sports a double-double average with 21 points as well per game. However, on Monday night Chris Paul elevated his game even more. The playmaker out of Wake Forest got off to a fast start and showed how valuable he is on every end of the court. Paul racked up 15 assist by the end of the night along, 10 rebounds, 7 steals, and 27 points barely missing a rare quadruple double. It was quite apparent that Paul was running the show and to even have the quadruple double talk discussed is quite an accomplishment in itself.

For Chris Paul, the game marked his 3^rd triple double of the month and also the second time this month where he has accumulated 7 steals. Paul is known for his ability to swipe the ball on defense and of course has led the league for some time in the assist category. However, when Paul put them all together in what turned out to be a brilliantly played game. Paul came up nearly 3 steals away from achieving the quadruple-double. While it may sound far fetched to ask for 3 more steals, Paul performance proved to be one of the better games all around in NBA history not to mention how many fantasy players cashed in huge points last night off his feat.

So how big is the seemingly impossible quadruple double? Actually if Chris Paul could have got the 3 more steals last night, it would have only been the 5^th time in NBA History a player reached the quadruple double. 4 players have reached the quadruple double throughout the history of the NBA and only 1 player has accomplished the milestone including the steals category by the way of Alvin Robertson of the Spurs back in 1986. The other 3 players reached the accomplishment through earning more than 10 in the blocks category. Paul would have been the first player to reach this feat in the last 15 years considering the last quadruple double came in 1994 by David Robinson another Spurs player. The first ever player to reach the quadruple double was Chicago Bulls’ Nate Thurmond by in 1974 and the only other player to earn the accomplishment was NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon back in 1990.

While Paul’s performance will likely be forgotten in the next few games, it should gain some respect and marvel those NBA enthusiast that love rare accomplishments. Despite failing to actually get the quadruple double, Chris Paul deserves all the attention for getting near the feat in today’s NBA game that is usually conquered by players trying to score as many points as possible. However, Paul proves time and time again that he is a true team player that will do whatever it takes to get the win for his team. The little guy is fun to watch and so is the race in the Southwest between the Hornets and the Spurs. After a few days of wild College Basketball action seemingly drowned out the NBA play, Chris Paul delivers a big game and gets the attention back towards the NBA.

The NBA regular season a little more than halfway through and there is a pretty clear sight of who are the front runners with the chance for a few more teams to make a surprise down the stretch. The Eastern Conference appears to be the strength of the league with the powerhouses of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando. Out West we still await a contender to emerge to be able to challenge the L.A Lakers and the most likely team to take that role is the San Antonio Spurs. At this time in the season is when all the predictions start coming out and the betting lines are changing every day with new future odds. We break down the top 3 teams in each conference and provide some insight on some teams to keep an eye on that could surprise down the stretch.

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics (36-9)

The defending NBA Champions had the best start in NBA history at 27-2. However, the Celtics rang in the New Year poorly losing 4 out of their first 5 games and even 7 out of 9 at one point. The tough weeks of basketball exposed the first sign of troubles from Boston that we have seen in some time. Despite the tough stretch that featured 3 of 4 of their last losses on the road, Boston has bounced back with a vengeance. The Celtics have now knocked off 7 straight wins including a big win over what many call the best team in the league the Orland Magic last Thursday night 90-80. The difference in the wins and losses is how the Celtics play defense. In the Celtics last 4 defeats, the opponents were averaging 100.2 points per game. However, in the last 7 victories the Celtics have held opposing teams to only 88 points. The Celtics are 2^nd behind Cleveland in scoring defense this season and that has always been a big attribute to their success. With the troubles seemingly out of the way, Boston appears to be right back where they left last off last year.

Orlando Magic (33-9)

The Magic that is Orlando comes in the form of 6’11 Dwight Howard. Howard has been superb this year and so has the rest of the Orlando lineup. Howard leads the league in rebounds (14rpg), blocked shots (3.2bpg), and also supports with 20 points every game. However, it has not been all the achievement of one man. Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jameer Nelson are all averaging at least 17 points while the Magic are averaging 101 points per contest. Orlando had won 8 straight games before their loss to Boston on Thursday night and they own a 7 ½ game over Atlanta in the Southeast. Orlando is the only team out of the top 3 in the Eastern Conference to have captured a victory over the L.A Lakers this season which is clearly the best team right now in the West. The Magic are actually 2-0 over the Lakers and many think they are the most complete team at this point in the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers (32-8)

Cleveland appeared to be the best team out of the East only a matter of a few short weeks ago. However, the Cavaliers have gone 2-2 in their last 4 games with losses over the Lakers and Trailblazers. Not to mention Cleveland is facing some key injuries over the last few days. Starting shooting guard Delonte West has a broken wrist and will miss 4-6 weeks. Also starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has a fractured ankle and will miss 3-4 weeks. Despite the small dark cloud that has recently developed over the team, Cleveland is still among the best in the NBA. Lebron James is 2^nd in the NBA in scoring with 27.8 points and the team seems to be playing better behind him than they have in past seasons. The Cavs also are a perfect 20-0 at home meaning that they could be very tough to beat at playoff time.

Team to watch…

Philadelphia 76ers (20-21)

The 76ers have risen from the dead after they were nearly written off with a 13-20 start. However, they have now put together 7 straight wins before a tough loss to Dallas on Monday night. Considering how inconsistent the rest of the East is behind the top 3, the 76ers have a chance to really make things interesting if they can put together another similar streak.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (34-8)

The Lakers clearly look to be favorites again out of the Western Conference as they have a 5 game advantage over any other team from the West and a huge 10 ½ game lead in the Pacific division. Kobe Bryant’s 26.4 points per game is good for 3^rd best in the league and the Lakers lead the NBA with 108 points per contest as a team. A few short weeks ago the Lakers appeared that they would be unchallenged this year in the conference, but they are realizing that the San Antonio Spurs are playing very well and will attempt to give them a challenge for frontrunner in the West. Los Angeles has won 13 of their past 16 games including big wins over Boston and Cleveland in the process. If nothing else drastically changes, the Lakers will likely make another run towards the NBA Finals.

San Antonio Spurs (29-13)

A lot of questions arose after the Spurs got off to a slow start losing 5 of their first 7 games. However, San Antonio bounced back winning 7 of their next 8 and the momentum has not slowed down much since. The Spurs have now won their last 4 games and 8 of their last 10 including a huge battle where they took down the Lakers 112-111. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker continue to lead the way both averaging 20.4 points per contest. The Spurs win over the Lakers proved that they are back on the right track and not ready to hand over the season quite yet to the Lakers considering Los Angeles is everybody’s pick to win the West. San Antonio gets another big match-up with the Lakers this Sunday and it will be interesting to see how things shake up this time inside the Staples Center. Look for the Spurs to be playing their best basketball as they usually do around post season time.

Denver Nuggets (28-15)

Giving up Allen Iverson may not been a big of mistake as people first thought. Chauncey Billups is averaging nearly 20 points and the Nuggets seem to be in better shape than the Pistons. Carmelo Anthony leads the team with 21 points, but has missed some valuable playing time recently due to a broken hand. Despite their star player missing time on the court, the Nuggets have still managed to win 8 of their last 11 games. Anthony participated in some workouts on Thursday and it should not be long before he rejoins the lineup. Denver will desperately need him back considering they are bout to embark on an 8 game road adventure at the start of February. The Nuggets are only 11-9 on the road this year and how they perform in the next few weeks away from home will definitely make an impact on their ability to maintain their 2 ½ game lead over Portland in the Northwest.

Team to watch…

New Orleans Hornets (26-14)

The Hornets proved last year that they could really come alive during the playoffs. Chris Paul has played like Chris Paul with 21.2ppg and an NBA leading 11 assist per game. New Orleans may have been expected to be in better position at this point in the season, but they are still only a mere 2 games back to the Spurs and definitely in striking range.