WE are officially on the home straight for season 2016-17. Some teams have lived up to the hype and exceeded expectations, others not so much and have plummeted towards the bottom of the lottery. Teams have been reviewed at the quarter, halfway and three-quarter mark of the year. Let’s quickly wrap the third portion of the season so far for the teams from the Southeast division.
Washington Wizards (36-23)
Thumbs Up
WASHINGTON turned a corner since my last review of their play. They have dominated opposition for the months of January and February posting a 19-6 record. Scoring at over 110 points a night and shooting an elite clip from three (39%), the Wizards seem to be getting better ever day. They could be very dangerous come playoff time.
Thumbs Down
DEFENSIVELY the Wizards remain wedged in the middle of the pack. They are relying on their offense to win games, which is all well and good, but if you’re going to battling with players like Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James and Isaiah Thomas come playoff time, you need to be able to stop the bleeding in a sense.
Look Out For….
WILL the additions to their bench be enough? Brandon Jennings and Bojan Bogdonavic bring much needed support the Wizards 2nd unit and alongside Oubre Jr and Mahinmi can they carve out a solid support for the starting five?
Image from csnmidatlantic.com
Atlanta Hawks (34-26)
Thumbs Up
I have been impressed by Dwight Howard in his first year with the Hawks. The Atlanta native has had a tumultuous few seasons as of late, and seems to be back in his groove at the moment. The rebound numbers are elite, but Atlanta wouldn’t mind a few points and blocks here and there.
Thumbs Down
2017 All-Star Paul Millsap has been the cornerstone for this team moving forward, and he managed to navigate through all the trade rumours and distractions he has faced with. The month of February was unkind to him though, as Millsap had his worst rebounding numbers and shooting percentages so far this year. Atlanta needs him to bounce back.
Look Out For….
LIKE many teams in the playoff bubble inconsistency is hurting them. The month of February saw losses to the likes of the Magic and the Kings, but saw wins over Houston and Boston, both on the road. If the Hawks are going to make it our of the first round and push other teams they need to stay consistent.
Image from atlanta.cbslocal.com
Miami Heat (28-33)
Thumbs Up
THE game after I wrote Miami’s 2nd quarterly review the Heat had a nice win over Houston. Then Dallas, then Milwaukee, the Golden State. They kept winning setting a record for the longest winning streak by a team with a sub .500 record with 13 on the trot. The playoffs are a realistic ambition now thanks largely to the rejuvenated play of Dion Waiters.
Thumbs Down
A team who has lost three times in the past six weeks is tough to pick apart in a negative way. Most of their defensive and offensive stats rank in the top third of the league, however they turned the ball over close to 15 times a game in February as opposed to just over 11 in January. Taking care of the ball will have to improve is they want to make the post-season.
Look Out For….
UNWANTED last off-season, Dion Waiters has emerged as the driving force behind the Heat’s recent success. He has a player option next year with the team for just over $3 million, which I strongly believe he will decline. The question is can Waiters maintain this stellar play? Or is he a flash in the pan?
Image from nba.com
Charlotte Hornets (26-35)
Thumbs Up
CHARLOTTE continues to pile up L’s but they have seen some promise from their young guys. Before injury in January it was Cody Zellar contributing in a positive way, hustling up and down the court and scoring at a solid rate. In February with Zellar injured, Frank Kaminsky stepped up to the challenge and emerged as the teams second best scorer. At this point in time any good signs for the future are all the Hornets fans can cheer for.
Thumbs Down
AS the Hornets continue to lose, their lack of support around All-Star Kemba Walker is evident. They have very little bench help/depth and Walker’s play as of late has slipped. I feel awful for knocking Kemba, but the month of February was easily his worst of the season so far. It should come as no surprise then when I tell you that the Hornets were 3-8 in Feb.
Look Out For….
BELIEVE it or not Charlotte are only a few games out of the eight seed at the moment. That says more about how average the Eastern conference is, rather than how good the Hornets are. It would be in their best interest to continue collecting loses and move further up the draft order with their eyes on the future.
Image from star-telegram.com
Orlando Magic (22-39)
Thumbs Up
MOVING on from Serge Ibaka was the right move to make for the Magic. Ibaka struggled to find his footing in a logjam at power forward and they got a solid return for him in Terrence Ross and a draft pick. Hopefully this mean Aaron Gordon can be used at the 4 more now Serge is gone.
Thumbs Down
ORLANDO has one of the worst offenses in the league and over the past few weeks they have been the worst three point shooting team in the league. They posses solid players on the wing, but no superstar scorer’s evident by their small point totals.
Look Out For….
THERE isn’t much to look forward to as a Magic fan for the remainder of the season. As we tick over into March, keep half your eye on the college scene to get a glimpse at the likely #4 pick (Dennis Smith) who will be suiting up in Orlando blue in 2017-18.
Image from hoopshabit.com
IF you liked what you read be sure to check out the Southeast division team’s 1st quarterly and 2nd quarterly reviews, as well as more SportsbyFry articles by hitting this link. Follow our fan pages on Facebook and Twitter to never miss a minute of the action!
Banner from miamiherald.com
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