After more than 12 straight hours of NBA coverage on Christmas, some questions arise:
5. Can the Knicks actually play defense? New York held the Bulls to 12 fourth-quarter points to win 103-95 on Saturday. But the Knicks still rely on their offense to win games. New York is 27th in points allowed and tied for 23rd in field goal percentage against.
4. How good are the new-look Magic? Orlando ended the Celtics’ 14-game winning streak two days after putting the Spurs’ 10-game winning streak to a halt. And Saturday was just the fifth game since Orlando acquired Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. But let’s not forget the Magic lost eight of nine entering the San Antonio game.
3. Are the Heat the favorites to win the title? LeBron James & Co. downplayed facing the defending NBA champions, but beating the Lakers in Los Angeles is impressive. Miami has won 14 of 15 games. After 31 games, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have figured out how to co-exist. But can they beat the Celtics?
2. What are the expectations of the Thunder? After taking the Lakers to six games in the first round of the playoffs, Oklahoma City became a trendy pick this season. The bar might have been set a little too high for the West’s No. 8 seed last year. Kevin Durant is a stud, but Oklahoma City’s ceiling is hosting a playoff series and getting into the second round.
1. Who is Monta Ellis? The Golden State guard belongs among the elite scorers. He dropped 39 points Saturday and trails only Durant and Amar’e Stoudemire in points per game. He profits from the Warriors’ up-tempo system, but he takes smart shots. His shooting percentage (.481) is higher than those of Durant, Kobe Bryant, James and Carmelo Anthony.
