BASKETBALL NBA ARTICLES

If the Houston Rockets have designs of turning the season around and becoming a true contender in the Western Conference, they better start soon. The team that made the Western Conference Finals a season ago is not looking like that caliber in the 2018-19 season. Houston is under .500 still and outside the playoff picture, so every win at this point is huge. The Rockets will host the Los Angeles Lakers this week in a pivotal Western Conference showdown.... 

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s slow start to the season seems like a long time ago, as they have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past several weeks. The Thunder has zoomed up near the top of the Western Conference standings and will look to keep it rolling this week against the New Orleans Pelicans.... 

The Los Angeles Clippers have surprised nearly everyone with their hot start to the season, as they sit in third place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. There is still a lot of people dubious about their ability to keep it up and the Clippers will have a big chance to prove themselves more this week when they host the Toronto Raptors.... 

When the Golden State Warriors are healthy and rolling, there isn’t a team in the NBA that can stop them. After a clunky beginning to the year, that’s where the defending champions feel like they are now. Golden State has surged back to the top of the Western Conference and will welcome the talented Toronto Raptors to town this week.... 

It is no surprise to see the Philadelphia 76ers near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. It was not expected for the Detroit Pistons to be right behind them in the standings. Detroit has looked good on the young season and a win over Philly this week would be another big boost. The 76ers are the more talented team but on the road so this one could be a competitive matchup.... 

The Golden State Warriors have Stephen Curry back in the fold, and are hoping to start solidifying themselves atop the Western Conference standings. Injuries have taken their toll but this is still the team to beat in the NBA, and Golden State will aim to prove that in a major matchup this week against the Milwaukee Bucks.... 

The Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz both feel like they belong in the group of teams expected to give the Warriors the best run for their money in the Western Conference playoffs this season. They better start showing it.... 

The Boston Celtics are off to a slower-than-expected start, and with the way some of their Eastern Conference brethren is playing, there is a concern the team could go into the playoffs with one of the middle seeds. Boston has eyes on a championship and needs to pick up its level of play for that to become realistic. The Celtics have been on a nice run of late and should have ample chance to continue it when facing off against the New York Knicks this week.... 

Now that LeBron James is in the Western Conference, the East will have a new champion this year. Two of the main contenders are the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors, and they will face off this week in an early-season barometer of where each team stands. The Raptors have the best record in the NBA, as their trade for star forward Kawhi Leonard this offseason proved prescient.... 

The San Antonio Spurs lost star forward Kawhi Leonard this offseason and said goodbye to longtime stalwarts Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Even so, there was always the feeling the organization would be fine because coach Gregg Popovich remained and the team had such a tradition of excellence.... 

The Oklahoma City Thunder began the season slowly but has been able to turn it on of late. They are in a big mix of teams near the top of the Western Conference, just a game back of the Clippers and Warriors. The Thunder believes it has as good of a chance as anyone to give Golden State a run for its money in the playoffs.... 

It’s looking there was some addition by subtraction for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a drama-filled start to the season, the T-Wolves have played much better since the trade of disgruntled Jimmy Butler to the 76ers. The Timberwolves have won three consecutive games and will look to stay hot when they host the Boston Celtics in a game this week.... 

The Denver Nuggets barely missed out on the playoffs a season ago but look poised to finish among the top teams in the Western Conference this year. The Nuggets are off to a nice start and have a key game this week when they hit the road to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers.... 

The Houston Rockets expected to be championship contenders once again in the 2018-19 season. Right now, they aren’t even in line to make the playoffs. It has been a slow start for the Rockets, who will aim to turn things around this week against the San Antonio Spurs.... 

The Los Angeles Clippers are the most pleasant surprise of the NBA through the first quarter of the schedule, as they are keeping pace with everybody in the Western Conference. The Clippers are short on superstar talent but the team has come together beautifully as it hopes to compete for a playoff berth. The Clippers will hit the road this week for a matchup against another better-than-expected team in the Sacramento Kings.... 

The offseason trade for Kawhi Leonard has worked out nicely for the Toronto Raptors, who currently sport the best record in the NBA. They will face a big test this week when they host the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Golden State has been struggling lately without the services of star point guard Stephen Curry and do-everything forward Draymond Green.... 

The Washington Wizards are falling apart. The team has been a perennial playoff contender in the past several years but has started slowly and now there are reports of dissension in the ranks. The Wizards are reportedly willing to trade the star backcourt tandem of Bradley Beal and John Wall, so they are seemingly throwing in the towel on this group of players.... 

The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the biggest surprises thus far of the NBA season, as they are making it clear they have what it takes to be an Eastern Conference contender. The Bucks have gotten off to a hot start and will look to keep it going at home in a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.... 

LeBron James might be emotionally spent after a two-game road trip against his former teams. James looked great against the Heat and Cavaliers to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a pair of wins, but any sign of an off game could have the team in dire straits next time out. The Utah Jazz would love to be the benefactor of a letdown as they will travel to Los Angeles for this Western Conference matchup.... 

LeBron James has the ability to change the fortunes of a franchise by himself, and no one knows that better than the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs won a title with James but he has left the organization twice in free agency. The most recent switch was this offseason when James joined the Los Angeles Lakers, and he will head back to Cleveland this week for a game against his former team.... 

There is trouble in paradise. The Golden State Warriors have lost three straight games amid some high-profile tension between stars Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. The Warriors are no longer atop the Western Conference and will try to put the argument and the losing behind them this week in a matchup against the Oklahoma CIty Thunder.... 

The Golden State Warriors are looking more vulnerable than they have appeared in some time. Golden State has lost three of its last five games, and the rumor mill is buzzing that there is dissention within the ranks as the Draymond Green-Kevin Durant beef has continued to stir. The Warriors had their worst outing of the season on the road against Houston on Thursday night, finishing with just 86 points against a below average Rockets defense in a 21-point loss. The San Antonio Spurs are looking ... 

Atlantic Division rivals will square off on Friday night when the Toronto Raptors travel east to take on the Boston Celtics. Toronto currently holds a 3.5-game lead on preseason favorite Boston in the division, and the Raptors would love to extend their lead by picking up a win on the road against arguably their biggest rival in the East. Meanwhile, Boston is looking to cut into the lead after a disappointing first month of the regular season.... 

The overwhelming favorites in the Western Conference at the start of the season were the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. Golden State has won three of the last four titles and they have been a juggernaut in the Western Conference. They were odds-on favorites per the NBA betting odds to win both the Western Conference and the NBA Championship at the start of the year and remain that way.... 

The Milwaukee Bucks are out to make it out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Milwaukee has largely been a middle-of-the-pack team since that time, making the playoffs eight times, but the Bucks never won more than 46 games in a season during that stretch and were always one and done in the playoffs. They look ready to make the leap this year though, and they are currently leading the Central Division by two games. In the second part of an NBA Friday ...