Teams were back in action after the All-Star break and some deserved our attention more than others. Here’s who stood out last week (March 11 to 14).
5. Memphis Grizzlies
It’s basketball common sense to believe that Ja Morant is the primary reason to watch the Memphis Grizzlies. The guy’s a showman; using his tenacious speed and daredevil drives as his primary tricks. However, to rationalize the Grizzlies to just one man doesn’t do justice to what the team does on a daily basis. And sure, their 17-17 record won’t make casual fans jump out of their seat, but they’re a competitive group who’s going to challenge teams consistently.
The Grizzlies are first in steals (9.8), second in deflections (17.4), and second in forcing turnovers (16.4). They are long, agile, and downright pesky. All the defensive havoc they create leads to easy opportunities in transition. Their 16.4 fast break points, which is second in the league, are a testament to their defense-to-offense attack.
Last week, the Grizzlies defeated the Washington Wizards before suffering a one-point loss against the Denver Nuggets.
4. San Antonio Spurs
The impending departure of LaMarcus Aldridge has put the San Antonio Spurs in the spotlight. Those who were surprised to know that both LMA and the Spurs mutually agreed to part ways, were probably the same ones who weren’t paying attention to how the 2020-21 Spurs have been playing. DeMar DeRozan is excelling at an All-Star level and the San Antonio second unit is thriving.
Gregg Poppovich has mixed and matched several lineups and they’re playing well, even without Aldridge. Like most teams, the Spurs have fully embraced the modern era of positionless basketball. Poppovich has the luxury to plug in a plethora of big-bodied wings like Drew Eubanks, Rudy Gay, Luka Samanic, and Keldon Johnson. Add a couple of feisty, hard-nosed guards in Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills, Lonnie Walker IV, the Spurs are a well-oiled machine.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Aldridge-Spurs thing plays out, but in any case, San Antonio games are worth the watch.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
With a league-worst 8-30 record, the Minnesota Timberwolves obviously still have a lot on their plate. But even not-so-good teams have their moments. Last Friday, the Timberwolves turned an early 16-point deficit to a resounding 135-105 road victory against the New Orleans Pelicans. It was an amazing yet improbable feat considering the Pelicans looked like they were about to cruise to an easy win.
Minnesota's youth brigade bannered the comeback win Jaylen Nowell conjuring up a personal-best 28 points and number one overall pick Anthony Edwards submitting a 27-point performance. Fellow rookie Jaden McDaniels also notched a career-high with his 20 points built on four 3s.
The Timberwolves lost their next game versus the Portland Trail Blazers but they fought tooth and nail till the bitter end. If it wasn’t for a vintage performance from Carmelo Anthony, the Timberwolves might have pulled the upset. The worst team in the league isn’t a total eye-sore and if you’re up for watching young players take over, this is the team for you.
2. Charlotte Hornets
It seems like every week, the Charlotte Hornets find their way into our list. And by the looks of it, they could be here awhile. They’re fun and downright entertaining, and they still have that underdog aura about them. They’re good, but not yet elite good, and that’s what makes them worth a peep every game day. And of course, there are plays like these:
LaMelo with the CRAZIEST of the @hornets franchise-record 16 1st-half threes?? pic.twitter.com/ilkdy0OlFf
— NBA (@NBA) March 14, 2021
The Hornets are on a three-game winning streak, including back-to-back victories last week against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. Who knows, the sixth-place in the East Hornets might not be included in this list next time around since they won’t be an under-the-radar team soon.
1. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are one of those teams whose record doesn’t necessarily tell just how good the team is. Currently, the Indiana ball club is ninth in the East with a 17-20 record. Last week though, the Pacers stood toe-to-toe against the defending champions LA Lakers before coming out on top against the formidable Phoenix Suns. Plus, there’s the feel-good story of Caris LeVert whose journey back to the hardwood should already be enough reason to tune in.
With LeVert back into the fold, the Pacers might go on a run. Malcolm Brogdon continues his supernova season while All-Star Damontas Sabonis remains elite as ever. They’ve been inconsistent but that doesn’t mean they’re not a dangerous team that can slay the giants in the league. A solid three-game winning streak can immediately catapult themselves into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.
