After reading this piece from SB Nation, I got inspired to make Hoop Nut’s very own Playoff Projections for the current season. By projections, I mean simply looking at the current crop of teams playing for Playoff spots or playing the rankings game. This is meant as just ONE WAY (and there are many other ways I’m sure) of seeing how the rest of the regular season might turn out, and, therefore, which teams will make the postseason, which teams will have an early summer, and what the possible Playoff seedings might be.

It’s an insane task. I concede that maybe most of the things you’ll read here might not even happen, but, hey, that’s never stopped me before, and, well, this is why it’s fun to cover NBA basketball.

Also, please keep in mind that the methodology used to produce the following commentary is not exactly rocket science. Heck, it might not even qualify as seventh grade algebra. The thing is, I don’t want to be too technical, too number-ish, with how this going to go down. I wanted to keep it simple and accessible enough so that even the slowest student in Mr. Oracion’s Math class can understand it (this student probably doesn’t pay much attention in class because he’s too busy thinking of the NBA in the first place). Having said that, there will be some numbers included (of course!) just to give this some semblance of statistical reliability.

So, what the hell is this methodology anyway? Okay, you asked for it:

1) I will not look at all 30 NBA clubs. I will look at only the Top 8 teams in the East (MIA, NYK, IND, ATL, CHI, BRO, BOS, and MIL) as well as the Top 11 teams in the West (SAS, OKC, LAC, MEM, DEN, GSW, UTA, HOU, LAL, POR, and DAL). I think the East’s Top 8 are pretty much set already. Though I’m not discounting its possibility, PHI making the Playoffs (the Sixers are 6 games behind the eighth-seeded Bucks) is a real stretch – a stretch I don’t want to stretch even further by including it here. Things are different out West, however, because there are as many as 6 teams vying for the 6th to 8th seeds. Now THAT I’m willing to stretch.

2) In forming the possibilities for each team, I chose to look at each one’s…
a. current standing,
b. # of regular season games left to play,
c. # of remaining games against “stronger” teams, and
d. # of remaining games against “weaker” teams.

3) Please take note that teams will be labeled “stronger” or “weaker” depending on their place in Hoop Nut’s Power Rankings as of Week 17.
a. To illustrate this, here’s a for instance:
b. Let’s look at my sentimental favorites, the Houston Rockets. Houston is ranked #14 in our latest Power Rankings, which means all teams ranked higher than them, #1-13 are “stronger” and all teams below them, #15-30, are “weaker.”

4) Now this is where the numbers come in. Because the season is pretty much 75% finished already, I’ll use 75 as my peg (told you this wasn’t rocket science). For the remainder of a team’s schedule, I will “predict” that any given team will win 75% of its games against “weaker” competitions, while losing 75% of its games against “stronger” foes. In using 75%, I believe I am accounting for the strength of each team relative to its opponents, but also for the probability or improbability of an upset. Of course, this could all just be hogwash, but what the hell, right?
a. In Houston’s case, the team’s current standing is 32 wins against 28 losses for a total of 60 games. That is good enough to put the Rockets at eighth spot in the West and 2.5 games ahead of the Lakers. It also means Houston just has 22 games remaining before the postseason begins.
b. Of those 22 games, 9 are against “stronger” teams and 11 against “weaker” foes.
c. Using the 75% peg, the Rockets will win 2.25 games against “stronger” opponents – let’s round that down to an even 2 games. Conversely, they will win 8.25 games against “weaker” teams – let’s round that number to an even 8. In total (2 + 8 = 10 wins), Houston will go 10-12 to finish the season with a 42-40 record. Where that places them in the context of the Playoffs, of course, still depends on the projections for the other teams.

Phew. Okay, enough of the stuff only calculators will understand. Now let’s proceed to the stuff we hoop nuts are really after.

Note: All standings and schedules were taken on March 3, 2013 (Manila time).

This is the order of the teams based on their current standings:
1) Miami Heat:
a. Current Standing: 42-14 – 26 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 0
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 26 (projected wins = 20)
d. Projected Final Standing: 62-20 (0.756)
e. Commentary: Considering the way the Heat are playing, it’s tough to imagine them losing 6 games in about eight weeks. It pains me to the bones to say this, but 20 more wins might actually be the baseline for this squad. In fact, I’m 110% sure they’ll clinch the East’s top spot well before the season formally ends. If there’s one thing that MIGHT make them meet the 6-loss projection, it’s this – coach Spo might rest his stars with about a week to go. LBJ won’t need the rest, but Miami’s other guys, most notably Udonis Haslem, Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, will probably welcome the short respite before the grueling Playoffs.

2) New York Knicks:
a. Current Standing: 35-20 – 27 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 7 (projected wins = 2)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 20 (projected wins = 15)
d. Projected Final Standing: 52-30 (0.634)
e. Commentary: The Knicks will benefit from a relatively “light” schedule to end the season. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easy. Some of the “weaker” teams include Utah, Golden State, Boston, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. If the Knicks continue to be as inconsistent as they were this past month (5-5 in their last 10), then 17 more wins might actually be optimistic.

3) Indiana Pacers:
a. Current Standing: 37-22 – 23 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 3 (projected wins = 1)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 20 (projected wins = 15)
d. Projected Final Standing: 53-29 (0.646)
e. Commentary: Wow. The Pacers, should things pan out, actually have a strong chance of overtaking New York and finishing second in the East. April 14 will be the big date, as the Pacers and Knicks rock the MSG that night. Whoever wins that game might as well enjoy homecourt till the Conference Semifinals.

4) Atlanta Hawks:
a. Current Standing: 33-24 – 25 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 6 (projected wins = 2)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 19 (projected wins = 14)
d. Projected Final Standing: 49-33 (0.598)
e. Commentary: With a frontline currently playing better than any other frontline in the league (yes, even if one forced LBJ as a 4 and Bosh as a 5), the Hawks have been mighty nasty, winning 7 of their last 10 games. They have no chance in hell of winning their division, but they have a strong chance of gaining homecourt in the first round.

5) Chicago Bulls:
a. Current Standing: 34-25 – 23 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 9 (projected wins = 2)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 14 (projected wins = 11)
d. Projected Final Standing: 47-35 (0.573)
e. Commentary: It’s going to be a tough stretch for the Bulls. Truth be told, 13 more wins might be reaching, but if Joakim Noah can continue nightly near-triple-doubles, and if Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng can hit their shots, then the Bulls can keep their spot in the middle of the postseason pack. The catch is the next team on this list has a much lighter sked.

6) Brooklyn Nets:
a. Current Standing: 34-26 – 22 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 3 (projected wins = 1)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 19 ((projected wins = 14)
d. Projected Final Standing: 49-33 (0.598)
e. Commentary: The Nets will be gifted with a lighter schedule compared to most of the squads here, but the question is can they really make the most out of it? I mean, this is a team that went 5-5 in its last 10, with strong wins over the Pacers, Nuggets and Bucks (twice), but nobody should forget this is also a team that just lost 4 of its last 5.

7) Boston Celtics:
a. Current Standing: 31-27 – 24 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 11 (projected wins = 3)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 13 (projected wins = 10)
d. Projected Final Standing: 44-38 (0.537)
e. Commentary: The myth that Boston is better without Rajon Rondo is just that – a myth. It is, however, not a myth that Boston will really have to scramble to have a sliver of hope to rise in the East Playoff seedings. Once the Cs manage to get in the Playoffs, though, I honestly believe whoever draws them will think themselves terribly unlucky.

8) Milwaukee Bucks:
a. Current Standing: 29-28 – 25 games left
b. # of games against “stronger” teams: 14 (projected wins = 4)
c. # of games against “weaker” teams: 11 (projected wins = 8)
d. Projected Final Standing: 41-41 (0.500)
e. Commentary: So get this, the Bucks have gone 3-1 since getting JJ Redick. Will they continue winning 75% of their games till the end of the season? Hell no, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the league shouldn’t be wary. Redick has been quite a difference-maker, averaging 15.0ppg since trading sunny Florida for, um, Wisconsin. It’s a pity that the Bucks will have to face the indomitable Heat in ...

We saw a lot of great performances in the Love Month of ’13. The Heat lost just one game all month, Steph Curry dropped 54 on the Knicks, Tony Parker and James Harden provided strong numbers, and, of course, the All-Star Weekend in Houston had a lot of memorable moments (let’s just forget the Trade Deadline shall we?). Now we find ourselves entering the third month of the New Year. The top half of each Conference’s Playoff seedings are pretty much set, unless some favorites make monumental runs or meltdowns. All the other squads, however, will begin scrambling for the bottom Playoff spots, or, in the case of the Minnesota Timberwolves, will simply hope nobody else gets injured. Time to look back and appreciate all the players and teams who made the good kind of noise in February 2013.

This is the fourth in a series of “Best of the Month” citations based on the Efficiency Recap ratings on HoopsStats.com. Team citations will be based on Efficiency Recap Difference (Team Efficiency – Opponents’ Efficiency), while Player citations will be based on Player Efficiency. You can check out the Stats Glossary here.

Team Citations:

Best Backcourt: Houston Rockets - 50.9ppg, 12.3rpg, 16.8apg, 4.6spg, 15.0 DEFF
Jeremy Lin hasn’t been as good as his Linsanity days, but that’s okay, because he has James Harden as his partner. More on Harden further down in this post.

Best Frontcourt: Indiana Pacers - 66.0ppg, 35.3rpg, 12.4apg, 5.3spg, 5.9bpg, 28.0 DEFF
David West, Paul George, and Roy Hibbert (finally) have been collectively impregnable for Indiana.

Best Bench: Utah Jazz - 42.3ppg, 19.7rpg, 9.4apg, 3.8spg, 3.0bpg, 24.8 DEFF
Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors lead a Utah bench that bested every other team’s reserves.

Best Starters: Oklahoma City Thunder - 78.0ppg, 29.4rpg, 15.5apg, 5.7spg, 7.8bpg, .519 FG%, 35.5 DEFF
With Russell Westbrook shooting so well and KD being, well, himself, nobody should really be surprised, right? The questions is can they turn it up even further come the Playoffs?

Best East Team: Indiana Pacers - 102.2ppg, 45.9rpg, 22.8apg, 7.8spg, 6.8bpg, 30.2 DEFF
The Heat went through the month with just one defeat, yes, but who was that team that beat them? THIS TEAM.

Best West Team: Oklahoma City Thunder - 111.5ppg, 43.1rpg, 23.0apg, 9.4spg, 9.9bpg, .506 FG%, 34.1 DEFF
It was an inconsistent run through Feb for the Thunder, but they’ll take it. They’ll also take that notion that it seems they haven’t even peaked yet.


Player Citations:

Best Point Guard: Tony Parker (SAS) - 26.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 8.3apg, 1.1spg, .540 FG%, 28.2 EFF
Texans want him to be MVP, but he probably won’t be. That’s just reality. His numbers? That’s reality, too.

Best Shooting Guard: James Harden (HOU) - 28.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 6.8apg, 2.1spg, .529 FG%, .493 3pt%, 31.2 EFF
James Harden is already a superstar. Talk about a coming out and dominating.

Best Small Forward: LeBron James (MIA) - 29.7ppg, 7.5rpg, 7.8apg, 1.8spg, .641 FG%, 36.6 EFF
One word – untouchable.

Best Power Forward: Josh Smith (ATL) - 19.6ppg, 10.2rpg, 5.4apg, 1.0spg, 1.2bpg, .509 FG%, 25.4 EFF
And yet the coaches continue to snub him for the All-Star Weekend. #timetolearnfolks

Best Center: Al Horford (ATL) - 21.5ppg, 11.3rpg, 3.0apg, 1.3spg, 1.8bpg, .621 FG%, 29.8 EFF
The former Florida Gator just chomped on every other big he went up against.

Best East Rookie: Bradley Beal (WAS) - 17.5ppg, 5.1rpg, 1.3spg, 17.8 EFF
John Wall is NOT the best player in Washington right now. Beal is.

Best West Rookie: Damian Lillard (POR) - 19.8ppg, 6.2apg, .915 FT%, 16.0 EFF
Lillard ties Anthony Davis with “Best West Rookie” citations for the season. I’m calling it now – the guy who gets the next one will win ROY.

Best East Player: LeBron James (MIA) - 29.7ppg, 7.5rpg, 7.8apg, 1.8spg, .641 FG%, 36.6 EFF
Was there really any doubt?

Best West Player: James Harden (HOU) - 28.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 6.8apg, 2.1spg, .529 FG%, .493 3pt%, 31.2 EFF
Harden supplants former teammate KD as the West’s best, while also supplanting Kobe as the best SG in the league. Swallow your pride, fanboys.

Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
February 28
Final Score: LA Clippers 99, Indiana 91
Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Chris Paul scored 29 points, handed out eight assists and stymied Indiana's late comeback to help the Los Angeles Clippers hand the surging Pacers a rare 99-91 home loss. The Pacers had won five straight by an average of 24 points and last suffered a regulation defeat at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Dec. 7 against the Nuggets. The Clippers ended the impressive run by forcing 20 turnovers and holding off a late push led by Paul George to earn their seventh win in their last eight games. Jamal Crawford scored 23 points while Blake Griffin added 18 with 14 rebounds for LA, which has already clinched back-to-back winning seasons. George scored eight of his 20 points in the final 5:22, but Indiana, which was playing without suspended center Roy Hibbert, still came up short. David West and Lance Stephenson checked in with 22 and 16 points, respectively, in the setback.

Final Score: Chicago 93, Philadelphia 82
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Joakim Noah registered his third-career triple- double with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 11 blocked shots to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 93-82 win over the reeling Philadelphia 76ers at United Center. Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 12 boards, while Luol Deng finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Bulls, who had dropped their last three games at home entering the contest. Jrue Holiday scored 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor and Spencer Hawes added 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Sixers, who have dropped a season-high seven straight.

Final Score: LA Lakers 116, Minnesota 94
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant scored 33 points in three quarters and the Los Angeles Lakers continued the NBA's longest active winning streak over on opponent with a 116-94 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers have won 21 straight against Minnesota and 13 in a row at Staples Center. They used an efficient night from Bryant, five other double-digit scorers and 16 3-pointers to keep their dominance going. Antawn Jamison had 17 points and eight rebounds, while fellow reserves Jodie Meeks and Steve Blake chipped in 16 and 13 points, respectively, in the win. J.J. Barea paced Minnesota with 20 points, but it wasn't enough to snap the club's three-game slide. Luke Ridnour added 19 points, and Ricky Rubio totaled 13 points, 13 assists and eight boards in the setback.


Top Plays of the Night:


Game Highlights:


Source: HoopNut.com ...

He probably won’t win the MVP award this season, or maybe in any season, but that will not dim the fact that Tony Parker has been the best point guard of the past week or so. Joining him on this list are four young guns who will probably figure in the “Best PG” conversation long after Parker’s time is up.

Note: All of the following stats are based on the last five games of each player’s team as computed by HoopsStats.com. Stats were retrieved on February 28, 2013 (Manila time).

5. Kemba Walker (CHA) - 22.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 4.2apg, 2.0spg, .494 FG%, .536 3pt%, .905 FT%, 21.4 EFF
Prior to his most recent game against the Clips, Kemba dropped a total of 99 points over four games. All but one of those games were losses, but, hey, that shouldn’t dampen the awesome production from this combo guard. He struggled from the field against CP3, but he made up for it with 4 steals and 5 rebounds. Charlotte has nothing left to lose this season, which means Kemba will probably play out the rest of the Bobcats’ games with no pressure – just the way he likes it.

4. Steph Curry (GSW) - 24.8ppg, 3.8rpg, 6.0apg, 2.2spg, .511 FG%, 23.8 EFF
Curry just scored FIFTY-FOUR points against the Knicks. That’s all we really need to know. Yes, GSW lost despite that, but one has to remember that the only guys who’ve scored more than that at the current MSG (a.k.a. Garden IV) are (you might know them) Bernard King (60 in 1984), Michael Jordan (55 back in 1995), and Kobe Bryant (61 in 2009). And don’t even get me started on his FG%. This Curry is mighty hot!

3. Ty Lawson (DEN) - 24.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 8.0apg, 24.6 EFF
The Nuggets’ 8-win and 4-loss February has pushed them to second in the Northwest and fifth in the Western Conference, and Lawson has been maybe the biggest factor in their solid play. He has scored double-digits in every February game, and scored less than 20 only twice. The former UNC Tar Heel should remain one of the best under-the-radar playmakers as the regular season enters its last quarter.

2. Russell Westbrook (OKC) - 27.2ppg, 5.2rpg, 7.0apg, .500 FG%, .615 3pt%, 24.6 EFF
For the past week or so, I haven’t heard any statement (nor read any Tweet or Facebook status) referring to Jet Zero as Westbrick. The former UCLA star has shot 47% or better from the floor in 8 of OKC’s 11 February games. In those games, the Thunder went 6-2. Conclusion? Can Westbrook shoot this well at a consistent pace? For the season, his FG success rate is just a shade above 43%, so OKC fans should be wary of the law of averages catching up soon.

1. Tony Parker (SAS) - 25.8ppg, 4.5rpg, 7.0apg, 1.5spg, .544 3pt%, 27.3 EFF
Will Parker be the second foreign-born point guard to win the MVP in the past 10 years? Will he follow in the trail of one Steve Nash? Nope. The way things are going, the MVP race is just really between LBJ and KD, but, hey, if stats and team performance were the only criteria, Parker would be a prime choice. The Spurs’ success this season may be attributed to TD’s resurgence and the rise in the play of guys like Danny Green, but Parker’s solid playmaking has, by far, been the real x-factor.


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
February 26
Final Score: Indiana 108, Golden State 97
Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - David West tallied 28 points and Paul George added 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Pacers downed another opponent, defeating the Golden State Warriors, 108-97, to capture their fifth straight win. George Hill contributed 23 points with six assists and Roy Hibbert finished with 13 points, nine boards and five blocks before getting ejected for the Pacers, who have strung together five victories in a row twice in the month of February. Danny Granger, who returned to action on Saturday in Detroit after missing the Pacers' first 55 games with a knee injury, made his home debut on Tuesday, but scored just five points on a timid 1-for-7 shooting. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 38 points, but was responsible for six of the Warriors' 20 turnovers. David Lee totaled 12 points and 12 boards as Golden State saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.

Final Score: Orlando 98, Philadelphia 84
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Arron Afflalo scored 16 points and dished out seven assists, while Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and 19 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 98-84 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Tobias Harris added 16 points off the bench and Andrew Nicholson chipped in 13 points for the Magic, who snapped a five-game skid. Orlando also stopped a 10-game road losing streak. Maurice Harkless, who was traded from the Sixers along with Vucevic in the offseason, added 10 points in the triumph. Orlando forward Al Harrington made his season debut after missing the first 56 games of the season with a knee injury. He scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds in just over 12 minutes of play. Jeremy Pargo and Damien Wilkins scored 14 points apiece for Philadelphia, which has dropped six straight. Dorell Wright scored 11 points and Evan Turner dropped in 10 to go with eight rebounds in the loss. Jrue Holiday, who averaged 19.2 points per game entering the contest, scored just nine on 4-of-11 shooting from the field for the Sixers.

Final Score: Miami 141, Sacramento 129 (2-OT)
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Despite playing their fifth game in seven days, the Miami Heat kept their season-high winning streak alive. But it wasn't easy. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade combined for 79 points, and the Heat tallied their 12th straight victory in a 141-129 double-overtime triumph over the Sacramento Kings. James had a season-high 40 points, to go with a career-high 16 assists and eight rebounds, while Wade added 39 points, eight boards and seven assists for Miami, which hasn't lost since Feb. 1 when it fell to the Indiana Pacers. The Heat are two wins away from the franchise's longest winning stretch of 14, accomplished from Dec. 6, 2004-Jan. 1, 2005. Marcus Thornton hit eight 3-pointers and netted 36 points to lead the Kings, who have dropped six consecutive tilts.

Final Score: Cleveland 101, Chicago 98
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Dion Waiters scored 25 points and the Kyrie Irving-less Cleveland Cavaliers held off the Chicago Bulls, 101-98. Shaun Livingston added 15 points for the Cavaliers, who snapped an 11-game skid against Chicago. Wayne Ellington and Alonzo Gee tallied 13 and 11 points, respectively. Irving missed Tuesday's game due to a sore/hyperextended right knee. He is listed as day-to-day. Cleveland was also without Daniel Gibson (personal reasons). Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng had 27 and 26 points, respectively, for the Bulls, who have lost two in a row. Kirk Hinrich donated 11 points and 11 assists in his return to the lineup.

Final Score: Brooklyn 101, New Orleans 97
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Deron Williams poured in a game-high 33 points and dished out eight assists to help the Brooklyn Nets edge the New Orleans Hornets, 101-97, on Tuesday. Brook Lopez added 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and C.J. Watson dropped in 10 points for the Nets, who were without Joe Johnson (foot) for the third straight game. Greivis Vasquez scored 20 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists and Robin Lopez added 14 points and pulled down seven boards for the Hornets, who have dropped four of their last five games. Rookie forward Anthony Davis scored six points before leaving the game in the third quarter with an apparent left shoulder injury. Brooklyn shot a blistering 66.7 percent (14- for-21) in the first quarter to race out to a 31-20 lead. Williams scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor in the quarter.

Final Score: Milwaukee 95, Dallas 90
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Monta Ellis had 22 points and nine assists in the Milwaukee Bucks' 95-90 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Larry Sanders added 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Bucks, who had dropped seven of their last eight games coming in. Dirk Nowitzki tallied 21 points and 20 boards to lead Dallas, which has lost two straight since prevailing in five of its previous six tilts. The Mavs were just 1-of-17 from beyond the arc.

Final Score: Phoenix 84, Minnesota 83 (OT)
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Marcin Gortat scored 14 points, including the game-tying layup at the end of regulation to lead the Phoenix Suns to an 84-83 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Wesley Johnson scored 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds and Markieff Morris added 14 points and six rebounds for the Suns, who had dropped three straight entering the contest. Derrick Williams scored 21 points to go with 12 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic added 18 points and 12 boards for the Timberwolves, losers in three straight.


February 27
Final Score: Cleveland 103, Toronto 92
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Though Kyrie Irving has played a major role in the Cleveland Cavaliers' improvement over the second half of this season, the team is proving it can also win without him. With their All-Star point guard sidelined for a second straight night by a knee injury, the Cavaliers posted their second consecutive triumph by earning a 103-92 decision over the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena. Six Cleveland players scored in double figures to help offset Irving's absence, with Dion Waiters leading the charge with a 23-point, six-assist effort. Shaun Livingston added 15 points and six helpers for the Cavs, while Tristan Thompson contributed 14 points and eight rebounds to Cleveland's fourth victory in its last five games. The Raptors dropped their second in a row despite a 34-point performance from DeMar ...

It really is time to fear the beard. James Harden is the best shooting guard in the Association, maybe in the whole world, right now. No Kobe fans, I’m not hating on Mamba. I’m just laying out all the facts and straight up saying that Harden’s production trumps Kobe’s and Harden’s Rockets are in the West’s Top 8 while Kobe’s Lakers have been blowing hot and cold. Facts. Knowing how Kobe is, however, I’m sure he won’t take this sitting down. It’s Beard versus Mamba down the stretch.

Note: All of the following stats are based on the last five games of each player as computed by HoopsStats.com.

5. Monta Ellis (MIL) - 19.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 7.2apg, 2.4spg, 19.2 EFF
The Bucks have lost three in a row, including back-to-back against the Nets, but it’s not for the lack of production from Ellis. Monta is showing everyone he can be a top-tier guard despite the presence of Brandon Jennings, whose skills mirror Monta’s in a very real way. If Ellis and Jennings can find a way to be this generation’s version of the Pistons’ Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, then the Bucks can surprise.

4. Joe Johnson (BRK) - 19.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 6.0apg, .421 3pt%, 19.7 EFF
It sucks that he’s injured right now, but the Nets can take comfort in the fact that when (if) JJ returns, then he shouldn’t take too much time to get back on the upswing. His most recent numbers pre-injury, as you can see, were very promising. He’s scoring high again and helping out D-Will in distributing the basketball. It’s also nice to see a jump in his 3-point shooting.

3. Dwyane Wade (MIA) - 21.4ppg, 5.4rpg, 4.6apg, 2.2spg, 1.0bpg, .535 FG%, 22.0 EFF
D-Wade is too good to be subpar for an entire season. His rediscovering of his old form is a BIG reason the Heat have been so dominant in February – Miami has won 11 straight after dropping their Feb. 1 assignment to Indiana. Wade is rebounding better, defending better, and shooting better. It’s time to be scared of the Miami Machine again.

2. Kobe Bryant (LAL) - 28.6ppg, 6.8rpg,7.6apg, .547 FG%, .895 FT%, 29.6 EFF
By all intents and purposes, February has been kind to the Lakers. They’ve gone 8-4 so far, and Kobe is having a helluva time. His numbers from the past five contests are all better than his current season averages, especially his FG%. The big question, of course, is will his production be enough to carry the Lakers into a postseason that might be even more hellacious than the regular season?

1. James Harden (HOU) - 30.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 5.3apg, 2.0spg, .471 3pt%, .938 FT%, 30.3 EFF
For the second straight month, Harden is better than Kobe. Does this mean there’s a new sheriff in town? Perhaps, but if the Beard really wants to be the best SG in the NBA, he will have to successfully lead his fledgling Rockets to the Playoffs. His numbers are out-of-this-world, but is his leadership up to snuff?


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
February 24
Final Score: LA Lakers 103, Dallas 99
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant poured in a game-high 38 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 103-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at American Airlines Center. Bryant added 12 rebounds and seven assists in the Lakers' third straight victory and became the youngest player in NBA history to eclipse the 31,000- point plateau at 34 years, 185 days, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain's mark of 36 years, 164 days. Steve Nash followed with 20 points and Dwight Howard finished with nine points and 13 boards for Los Angeles. Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while Vince Carter and Elton Brand added 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the Mavericks, who saw their three-game win streak come to an end.

Final Score: Golden State 100, Minnesota 99
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Jarrett Jack scored a team-high 23 points to go with eight assists on Sunday, as the Golden State Warriors snuck past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 100-99, at Target Center. David Lee recorded a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Carl Landry added 19 points and nine boards to help the Warriors snap a five-game road skid. Stephen Curry contributed 18 points and five assists in Golden State's third consecutive win overall. Derrick Williams led the Timberwolves with 23 points and 12 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic poured in 21 points to go with eight boards in the setback, Minnesota's second in a row and seventh in its last nine games. Ricky Rubio registered 16 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and six steals in the loss.

Final Score: Miami 109, Cleveland 105
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade finished with 24 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, to help the Miami Heat earn their 11th consecutive victory with a 109-105 decision over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena. LeBron James poured in a game-high 28 points to go with eight assists for the Heat, who watched a 22-point third quarter lead turn into an eight-point fourth quarter deficit before Wade took over down the stretch. Mario Chalmers chipped in 16 points to help Miami become the first Eastern Conference team to 40 wins. Dion Waiters led Cleveland with 26 points, while C.J. Miles made five 3- pointers en route to 19 points for the Cavaliers, who saw their two-game win streak come to an end. Kyrie Irving added 17 points and five assists in the setback, Cleveland's fifth in a row against the Heat.

Final Score: New Orleans 110, Sacramento 95
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Anthony Davis recorded 20 points and eight rebounds, as the New Orleans Hornets defeated the Sacramento Kings, 110-95, on Sunday at New Orleans Arena. Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson scored 17 points apiece, Roger Mason Jr. added 13, and Greivis Vasquez registered 12 points and 13 assists for the Hornets, who snap a three-game losing streak. John Salmons scored 18 points for the Kings, who have lost five straight games. DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and Isaiah Thomas scored 16 points apiece, with Cousins also grabbing 10 rebounds.

Final Score: Memphis 76, Brooklyn 72
Brooklyn, NY (Sports Network) - Zach Randolph recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 76-72 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Marc Gasol had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four blocks for the Grizzlies, who are on a seven-game winning streak. Tony Allen and Tayshaun Prince scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, while Mike Conley had 10 points, seven assists and three steals. Deron Williams scored 24 points for the Nets, who lost their second straight game. C.J. Watson scored 11 points and Andray Blatche registered 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Final Score: New York 99, Philadelphia 93
New York, NY (Sports Network) - Entering play Sunday, the sputtering New York Knicks saw their huge lead in the Atlantic Division shrink to one game. A date with the slumping Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden helped New York establish at least some momentum going forward. Carmelo Anthony had 29 points in the Knicks' 99-93 win over the 76ers. The Knicks built a four- game advantage in the division earlier this month over the Brooklyn Nets, but New York saw its gap dissipate to one as it came into Sunday's tilt on a four- game skid. Also prior to the tilt, the squad fell a game behind the Central Division-leading Indiana Pacers, who routed New York 125-91 on Wednesday, for the second spot in the Eastern Conference. Amare Stoudemire added 22 points in the triumph for New York. Jrue Holiday netted 30 points and Evan Turner finished with 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Sixers, who have dropped a season-high five consecutive contests.

Final Score: San Antonio 97, Phoenix 87
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs didn't look past their lowly foe in the finale of their longest road trip of the season. Kawhi Leonard led a balanced Spurs attack with 16 points, nine rebounds and three steals in San Antonio's 97-87 rout of the Phoenix Suns. Six Spurs finished in double figures, including Patty Mills (16), Tiago Splitter (14), Boris Diaw (12), Manu Ginobili (11) and Tim Duncan (10). San Antonio went 7-2 on its road stretch. Tony Parker missed his fourth game this year due to a right triceps contusion. The Spurs are 3-1 without him. Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns, who have dropped seven of their last eight games.

Final Score: Portland 92, Boston 86
Portland, OR (Sports Network) - Wesley Matthews scored 24 points and led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 92-86 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Matthews was 8-of-11 from the field, including five 3-pointers. Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 and 16 points, respectively, and J.J. Hickson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers, who snapped a seven-game losing streak. Paul Pierce had a team- high 23 points as well as eight assists and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who came into the game off a win against Phoenix. Kevin Garnett had 20 points and nine boards, while Brandon Bass and Jeff Green scored 11 points apiece.

Final Score: Oklahoma City 102, Chicago 72
Oklahoma City, OK (Sports Network) - The Oklahoma City Thunder finally clamped down defensively. Russell Westbrook had 23 points in the Thunder's 102-72 win over the Chicago Bulls. Oklahoma City had allowed at least 109 points in each of its last four contests when it went 1-3. Kevin Durant registered 19 points, though on only 6-of-19 shooting, to go with 16 rebounds and six assists for the Thunder, who held the Bulls to a season-low 29.1 percent (25-of-86) ...