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Kevin Durant says that Russell Westbrook is set to return Thursday night for the Thunder’s game against the Heat. Westbrook was playing some of the best basketball of his career before going down in late December.
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Indy’s next seven games are against teams below .500 with a combined record of 124-243. The Pacers got sloppy heading into the break, losing five of 12, and this stretch gives them a chance to get back on track.
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After winning seven in a row, it seems that the Rockets have found their identity. Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin have heard their names in trade discussions all year, but both play important roles on this team. Does the front office stick or twist?
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The brilliance of LeBron James covered Miami’s inconsistency again last week when he nailed a game-winner against the Warriors on Wednesday. After three years of outstanding defence, cracks are starting to show—the Heat currently rank 14th in defensive efficiency.
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In a matchup of two of the league’s top three offences last Wednesday, the Clippers outgunned Portland en route to a 122-117 win. The return of Chris Paul hasn’t slowed Blake Griffin down at all. The big man is averaging 32.3 points and 11 rebounds over his last three games.
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The Spurs finally defeated a contender, besting the Clippers on the road Tuesday night, but they paid the price. Tony Parker can now be added to the team’s lengthy injury list, out “for the foreseeable future” with a variety of complaints.
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The Blazers have gone just 5-8 over their last 13 games, a stretch that also includes a squeaker of a win against the Raptors in early February. Losing LaMarcus Aldridge for a week won’t help them get back on track.
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Taking down the Pacers in Indiana was a real statement, but the Mavs win in Memphis the week before might end up being more important as Dallas earned a tiebreaker over their division rivals.
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The Warriors’ heartbreaking loss to the Heat last Wednesday undoubtedly left a sour taste in Mark Jackson’s mouth. Righting the ship will be difficult with six of their next eight on the road.
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The trade rumours are swirling but, more importantly, Toronto has shown an encouraging ability to come away from winnable games with the W—notching consecutive victories over the Pelicans, Hawks and Wizards.
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Whenever the 2013-14 Suns have suffered a blip, they’ve quickly fixed their mistakes and recovered. Having lost three of four, look for them to rebound this week.
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Securing a playoff spot isn’t going to be easy for a team that struggles to score. Thankfully, the Grizzlies have been great after the break in recent seasons, going 23-8 in 2012-13 and 22-10 in 2011-12.
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Joakim Noah emphatically declared that the Bulls wouldn’t tank after the Luol Deng trade. He’s backed that up by leading Chicago within a game of the third seed in the East.
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After dropping six games in a row, the Hawks are losing ground in the race for home-court advantage. Wednesday’s matchup against the Wizards is a crucial one, with both teams on the second leg of a back-to-back.
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The Timberwolves have dropped four of their last five and will be in tough again on Wednesday when they host the Pacers in their first game since the all-star break.
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Jason Kidd guarded and went at Deron Williams in practice this week in an effort to get more out of his injury-riddled star. The Nets will need Williams at his best as they head to Utah on Wednesday for the start of a six-game road swing.
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John Wall looked like he belonged at All Star weekend. He lit up a dire Slam Dunk contest and helped the East rally to win the main event, drawing some praise from Kevin Durant along the way.
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Barely escaping Milwaukee with a four-point win last Wednesday wasn’t how the Pelicans wanted to head into All-Star Weekend. But, hey, at least they got to host the festivities.
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Charlotte’s win over Detroit on Tuesday gave them an all-important tiebreaker over a team they’re fighting for the eighth spot in the East. They look to extend their lead at home against the Pistons on Wednesday night.
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The Nuggets have made the playoffs for 11 straight seasons, the second-longest such streak in the league behind the Spurs. With their injury problems and inconsistent play it’s likely that the streak ends this season.
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The Cavs have quietly reeled off five straight wins. Their next four games are against Eastern Conference opponents, giving Cleveland a great chance to jump up the standings.
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The Pistons need to shore up their defence, particularly in the paint. Al Jefferson bullied Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond in Charlotte’s big win in Detroit.
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It’s no secret that the Knicks are in the market for a point guard as their current crop just isn’t cutting it. New York has lost six of seven.
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Jazz brass will be happy that Trey Burke’s ‘win‘ in the Skills Challenge won’t negatively impact their chances of landing a top-three pick.
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Is it time for Kelly Olynyk to get more minutes? Boston scores 107 points per 100 possessions with the Canadian on the floor compared to 98.6 when he sits.
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It’s safe to say the Magic are most comfortable in Florida. Orlando is nursing a 13-game road losing streak, which doesn’t bode well with five of their next six contests taking them out of state.
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Jimmer Fredette went off in the Big Apple last Wednesday, dropping a career-best 24 points on the Knicks in what could be his last game in a Kings uniform (if rumours prove true).
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The last time we saw the Lakers they were blowing a double-digit lead against the Thunder in their franchise-record seventh-straight home loss. So there’s that.
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It seemed admirable when Bucks general manager John Hammond said his team wouldn’t tank. Unfortunately for fans in Milwaukee, that was before the season began.
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You could call losing by 29 to the Cavaliers ‘hitting rock bottom’ if the Sixers didn’t redefine the term so often. They’ve lost nine in a row.
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