NBA at Midseason

Well its Midseason Time in the NBA World. Remember the NBA? That organization with the basketball? I'm not entirely sure why it feels like its fallen off the face of the Earth but at least to me it feels like it. That said I figure maybe a little post would help return the NBA (or provide a topic while football is on hiatus). So here's some story lines going on and should be followed

1. All Aboard the MVP L-Train
Lebron is in the midst of one of the great seasons ever. I realize in Cleveland Lebron is beyond an icon but the Cavs recent run has been fueled by his gaudy stats. Lebron is throwing in 34 points 10 rebounds and 8 assists this month and those numbers aren't that different from his regular seasons. Without Lebron the Cavs are a bottom feeder with him they're among the elite. KG has turned the Celtics from good to great but the L-Train comes out ahead in my book.

2. Boston Down the Stretch
The Celtics are currently on pace for one of the best records ever in NBA history. Deal. The question is do they add to Boston's stranglehold on title games? The Celtics are a collection of old timers and young rookies, neither of which the NBA playoffs looks kindly on. So can they continue their winning ways or fall flat is an open question?

3. Hornets Take Center Stage
The second best team in the deep West isn't San Antonio or Dallas or LA but the New Orleans Hornets. Free of the curse of Oklahoma (I can only assume Oklahoma is cursed place like the Fox Network) Chris Paul has quietly become the best point guard in the league. David West and Paul run the best pick and roll in the league. Tyson Chandler has become one of the great defensive players in the league. All told its time for the Hornets to take center stage among the league's elite.

4. The Race for Playoffs
Out West Utah and Houston are actually on the onside looking in for the playoffs despite having records that would place them as the fourth and sixth seed, respectively, in the East. At this point only two and half separate the 10th seed and the 7th seed so 4 teams are competing for those last 2 spots.

5. Is Retro In?
The injuries to Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal just have pointed to the lack of dominant big men. The NBA Post Season used to be playground of giants as we can all remember series changing performances by Hakeem or Ewing or Robinson or Daugherty to name a few. Outside of Duncan its hard to think of an interior presence that changed a playoff series (Yao hasn't escaped the first round). However this year might be different. Dwight Howard under the tutelage of Ewing is becoming a complete player on both ends of the court. Andrew Bynum, before his injury, was making similar strides under Kareem Abdul Jabbar's guidance. Add in Lamarcus Aldridge emergence and this year might see the return of the dominant big men.