The New Jersey Devils are a classic case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and either face can show up on any given week, month, game or period. The Devils are a team who have historically always had a strong defensive identity with skilled players that can tilt the ice and cycle the puck down low on the boards, tiring teams out. This team is no different. The Devils made a power move when they swapped Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall, as the Devils gave up a massive piece of what looked like their future identity. This trade is not a loss, though, as the Devils DESPERATELY needed offense anywhere they could get it and it isn’t so often you come across a player with Taylor Hall’s game-breaking ability. Since the departure of Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise, the team has not been the same offensively, understandably so with those two players being franchise-altering talents. Through the first half of the season the Devils have had games where they look like a playoff team and an equal amount of games where they look like they belong at the bottom of the standings. As of January 19, they are somehow 3 points out of the second wildcard spot.
Cory Schneider, the Massachusetts native and former Canuck, is an elite goaltender who has proven himself both in the NHL and on the international stage. However, like any other goalie, Schneider has had his ups and downs this season. In a stretch that ran from the middle of November to the middle of December, Schneider was undoubtedly one of the worst goalies in the league, giving up four goals or more in 9 of 13 games in that stretch. The blame cannot all be put on him as the defense certainly wasn’t helping out. In that stretch though, it seemed like he was missing something. That absolute game-breaking steadiness that Devils fans have come to know and love with Schneider following in the footsteps of the greatest goaltender of all time in Marty Brodeur. In the month since, Schneider has settled back in and returned to consistent form. He needs to keep this up and be the Devils’ best player game in and game out for them to have a chance to make the playoffs.
Consistent production is a common characteristic in any great team and this team is the exact opposite of the word consistent. In a November game against Toronto, the Devils had gone down 3-0 after the first period only to dominate the Maple Leafs in the second and third periods to send the game into overtime at 4-4. Even though they eventually won in the shootout, it’s games like these that show the extreme lack in consistency coming out of the boys from Jersey. In order to make the playoffs, the Devils need to start showing more consistency in their game, especially on the road. In a recent four-game road trip, New Jersey went 3-0-1 and had an impressive come from behind win against the west leading Minnesota Wild, showing some promise in carving out consistent performances. Coming off of this road trip, however, the Devils flopped against the Canadiens and got completely dominated in the first half of a back to back. The next night against the arch-rival Flyers, they controlled play for a majority of the game and saw one of their rising rookies in Miles Wood shine. Wood netted 2 goals and energized his team in a fight against Wayne Simmonds.
Offense is a facet of the game that the Devils have lacked since Parise and Kovalchuk left. They have struggled to stay out of the bottom five in the league in goals for per game and total goals in the last few seasons. The desperate need for offense was shown when the devils traded for Taylor Hall. Hall is the dynamic, game-breaking, playmaking left wing that the Devils have longed for since their Stanley Cup Final loss against the LA Kings. He led the league in even strength points coming into the season, since the 2013 season. Even with the addition of Hall, emerging youngster Kyle Palmieri, prized rookie Pavel Zacha and veteran sniper Michael Cammaleri, the Devils offense still sputter. The Devils need to work on their net-front presence, second chance opportunities and deflections to create more offense. The Devils are 28th in the league in Goals and Goals for per game, which is not acceptable. Look for them to try to improve that number in the latter half of the season
The Devils could potentially make a splash before the trade deadline and trade some of their draft picks for a quality forward, not only for this year but as a piece for the future. Over the next two drafts, within the first three rounds the Devils have a total of 10 picks to find a top-end player or trade for some offensive help. The team also has an influx of prospects that they can trade to help up front. In a perfect world, the Devils trade wildly inconsistent Jon Merrill while he is actually playing well for depth players that can score.
The Devils need to start taking advantage of their Prudential Center and start grinding out wins at home. To open the season, the Devils were 7-0-2 and were extremely tough to play against at home. On a recent home-stand, they plummeted to 0-2-1. The Devils will play 12 of their next 16 games at home and will need to take advantage of this valuable home-ice advantage to make up for some points. Straying away from complacency while the team is riding this winning streak is extremely important in order to maintain the streak. They need to keep up the intensity and keep playing in desperation. Recently, the Devils lost against the Canadiens by a score of 3-1 at home to start this home game stretch off.
The team has a long second half of the season in front of them and they most likely will not make the playoffs, but if they hope to have a chance, they need to stay persistent. The team is not as bad as their record and has the identity of a team that is downright tough to play against. Look for a surge from Jersey’s team in the next few months. The hope is that they make the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 Stanley Cup against the Kings and ride an underdog story throughout, but how it will play out still remains to be seen.
competitive, but it isn’t. The Golden State Warriors are easily the best team in the West. They will be in the finals and there isn’t anything the West can do about it. The bay area super-team boasts the 2nd best offense and the 3rd best defense in the league. The balance that they lacked last year on the defensive end is sure to provide them the motivation to turn their defense around and make a deep playoff run. Seemingly one of the only teams that can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Warriors offense is practically unstoppable and their defensive tandem of Durant and Green has provided the rim protection they were hoping for.
can win the East. A coasting LeBron resting up for the playoffs and an improved Kyrie Irving currently have the Cavaliers sitting atop the Eastern conference standings. Although LeBron has fallen behind in the MVP race, he still continues to stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis. Another part of Cleveland’s Big 3, Kevin Love, has solidified his role on the Cavs with a solid 20/10, putting up his best numbers since he arrived in Cleveland. Cleveland looks very impressive but lacks a starting caliber shooting guard with a JR Smith injury earlier in the season. Cleveland’s acquisition of Kyle Korver is sure to help but their lack of depth at that position is still their Achilles heel.
surprising success in the last two seasons is mostly due to the Raptors’ league-leading offense. With the emergence of DeMar DeRozan as a true superstar and a career year for Kyle Lowry, the backcourt duo will both feature in the all-star game for the second consecutive year. The Raptors have kept pace with the Cavaliers, staying within a game behind them while holding off the surging Boston Celtics. While the Raptors offense has helped them win games, their inability to defend could hurt them down the line, especially if they want any chance to beat the Cavs. With the injury of Jared Sullinger, their depth in the front-court has proved to be an issue. An upgrade at the backup center spot would help the Raptors in a potential playoff run.
now aim to take the second seed from the Raptors. The Celtics disappointed coming out of the gate, but have recovered and are now in place for a top three finish in the East. Isaiah Thomas looks like a superstar despite his stature. Thomas is currently one of the top guards in the East and helped the Celtics recover from their early struggles. Rebounding still remains an issue for this squad even with the acquisition of Al Horford, who has still slotted in fairly well with the Celtics. The number-one issue for the Celtics, surprisingly, is defense. A team praised for their defensive effort last year added another defensive stopper in Al Horford, but is now 21st in defense. Their puzzling struggles continue, and the inconsistency of rookie lottery pick Jaylen Brown hasn’t helped.
and James Harden is playing at an MVP level. Darryl Morry’s acquisitions of Eric Gordon, Ryan Andersen, and Nene have fit in perfectly with new head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system. Eric Gordon is the frontrunner for sixth man of the year voting, providing instant offense when Harden isn’t on the floor. Houston’s mediocre defense is an improvement over last year’s awful Houston defense, and Patrick Beverly is a top defensive guard. Houston’s offense is one of the league best’s and has kept the surprising Rockets in the top three all year long.
again with the Clippers. Injuries have hurt them, but again, they are really good but not great. Blake Griffin has missed a large part of the season and DeAndre Jordan has stepped up and played at an all-star level. Chris Paul is his usual consistent efficient self, but will be missing six-eight weeks after undergoing successful hand surgery. The emergence of the Clippers bench has been an unexpected bonus for LA, but with Chris Paul’s injury and Blake Griffin trade rumors swirling, it looks like another season without the Clippers in the Western Conference Finals.
have finally arrived. New acquisition George Hill has fit in perfectly with Quinn Snyder’s system, although he has been hampered with injuries. The continued progression of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors has been a positive for Utah, as the Jazz boast a league-best defense. Rodney Hood has been a solid two-way player along with Gordon Hayward. Gordon Hayward is battling injuries, but continues to play at an all-star level as the Utah Jazz stay in the playoff hunt.
The Grizzlies’ stifling defense is amongst the top in the NBA once again. Marc Gasol is still a reliable big man, while Mike Conley is off to another great season in which he will once again be snubbed of an all-star spot. The Grizzlies have overachieved but desperately need offense wherever they can get it. On that note, Chandler Parsons has been in and out of the lineup and hasn’t provided offense for the Memphis Grizzlies which has the whole world wondering how this guy got a 94-million dollar contract to go with Conley’s fat deal.
expected them to be at this time of the year, with Russell Westbrook taking the league by storm in his MVP campaign, almost singlehandedly winning games for OKC. Victor Oladipo has been okay, but not enough for them to truly compete against the big teams. The Thunder should make the playoffs, but even with Westbrook’s monster numbers, it seems unlikely that they can go on a playoff run.
start, then trailed off, and now they are back. Kinda. Dwight Howard has been better than expected, but Kent Bazemore hasn’t lived up to expectations after signing a big money contract in the offseason. With Paul Millsap trade rumors and Korver already shipped out, this Hawks season seems like a failure. They are fourth in the East, though, and if the Hawks can string together some wins, they will be able to find some success in the mediocre East. Word has spread that the Hawks have committed to improving their team for future seasons, so it remains to be seen how the rest of the season will play out for Atlanta.
Wizards are surging and rising up the standings. John Wall is back to being a star and Bradley Beal is playing better than he has in past seasons. The emergence of Otto Porter has been huge for Washington, providing athleticism and living up to his draft position. They should consider rebuilding if they want to contend for a championship.
After a standout year last year for Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornets overall, the Hornets have lost key members of their bench in the offseason in Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee and Jeremy Lin. They didn’t make the offseason moves they needed to and are now stuck in mediocrity.
raw talent with a lot of promising young guys. Despite their promising future, Denver seems to look a couple of years away from a serious playoff run. The Nuggets are still fighting for a playoff spot and could possibly sneak in.
with sky-high expectations and have failed to live up to the hype. Paul George has played up to scratch despite lowered numbers compared to last year. Monta Ellis is having his worst season since his rookie year and the Pacers are falling off. Myles Turner continues to show promise. Look for this team to make a playoff push after the all-star break.
disappointing. No one expected them to contend, but things have been a little wild in Chicago. As most suspected, Rondo has been a nightmare to coaches, as usual. Their biggest let down has been their bench. Doug McDermott has missed time with a concussion and the rest of the bench has struggled. Dwyane Wade has been solid and Jimmy Butler is playing like an all-star starter, but it just isn’t enough in Chicago.
teams on this list, after an amazing season last year and what looked like great signings, Portland has taken a major step back this year. Despite this, they are still in the Western Conference playoff race. If they want to take the next step, then they have to become a better defensive team.
for their money in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Pistons have faltered without Reggie Jackson, who missed the first part of the season with a knee ailment. Detroit’s defense has failed this year, causing them to be one of the biggest disappointments this year. The only positive from this year is the play of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who has proved to be a very solid two way player in today’s game. The Pistons have a lot of talent but not enough star power to cut it in today’s game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has arrived. The Greek freak will be starting in his first career all-star game due to his amazing performances this season. Along with Giannis’ play, Jabari Parker has emerged and reminded NBA fans about his tremendous talent. The Bucks have a lot of pieces but seem to be a few years away from real contention.
The New Orleans Pelicans have squeaked into this tier. For the Pelicans, every game matters from here. Anthony Davis continues to shine as his team continues to lose. After an ugly start, the Pelicans have seen a slight improvement in play since Jrue Holiday has returned, along with the improved play of rookie Buddy Hield.
After getting off to a solid start have fallen off in the worst way and have shown signs of boredom at times. The Knicks look unmotivated. Derrick Rose has shown that he may never get back to his MVP pedigree and Carmelo Anthony is amid trade rumors, a classic overrated underperforming New York team. Kristaps Porzingis has improved but his efforts alone haven’t been enough as the Knicks seem to be imploding.
Another season of Demarcus Cousins trade rumors. The Sacramento Kings are surprisingly still in the playoff race, but with the Boogie drama and a below mediocre bench and defense, the future doesn’t look so good in Sacramento.
New addition Serge Ibaka has been solid, but isn’t the defensive force he used to be. Along with this, Evan Fournier hasn’t been anything special after signing an extension this past offseason. Rotation consistency has been a mystery to Orlando this year as they haven’t found any stability there. One positive from this season is the improved play of guard Elfrid Payton who is playing some of the best ball of his career.
It’s a disappointing season for Minnesota after every journalist called them the next big thing. The future still looks bright for the T-Wolves. Karl Anthony-Towns has continued his ascent into one of the biggest stars in the NBA along with the improved play of Andrew Wiggins, forming one of the best young duo’s in the NBA. These two, along with Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine provide the young nucleus that will undoubtedly lead the T-Wolves into future championship glory.
After an expected rough start, the 76ers are everyone’s favorite underdog team. Since December, the 76ers have been a top five defense, providing the team with an identity. Rookie Joel Embiid has been everything Philadelphia expected and more. Embiid and Ilyasova have been solid up front providing defense and offense. Philadelphia is doing all of this without Ben Simmons. Who knows how good they’ll be next season?
The sad end is here, the end of the Dirk Nowitzki era is looming. Dirk’s play is close to a career worst as Dallas is now one of the league’s worst teams. A positive from this season is Harrison Barnes as he has shown to be a dependable go-to scorer in his new role in Dallas. Dallas looks like it is close to rebuild mode as they desperately need youth and talent.
The Phoenix rebuild is still ongoing as young stud Devin Booker and fellow guard Eric Bledsoe have provided most of the offense for this Suns team. The Phoenix bench has been a positive in an otherwise pointless season. The Suns continue their rebuild as they continue to draft in the lottery and fail to find success.
An injury riddled Heat team has proven to be one of the league’s worst squads even with amazing efforts from all-star candidate Hassan Whiteside night in, night out. After a dynasty with LeBron, it’s clear that Miami is in full rebuild mode after letting Dwyane Wade walk and sign with Chicago.
After the amazing start to the season where LA was in playoff contention and Luke Walton was getting coach of the year nods, the Lakers have trailed off and have regressed to being one of the league’s worst teams. Despite a disappointing season after the great start, the Lakers have a lot to look forward to with some promising pieces. Their young nucleus that includes Russell, Randle, Clarkson and even Nance Jr. will develop, so cheer up LA, you’ll be good again soon.
Yep, they have their own category. They are that bad. With a league-worst record and rights to their future draft picks belonging to the Celtics, the future doesn’t look too good for Brooklyn. With no picks, the rebuild in Brooklyn is sure to last for many years.
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