Has the new year brought some new blood among the NBA’s top teams in the Eastern Conference?
The Bobcats have a 9-1 record, while the Magic and Celtics are a combined 8-12 in 2010.
At least the Nets have been as consistently bad as we remember in 2009 — New Jersey has yet to win a game since Jan. 1.
But are the Bobcats really this good?
Charlotte has the best defense in the league (92.2 points allowed per game). On Wednesday night, the Bobcats held the Heat to 65 points in a 39-point victory over the team a 1/2 game behind Charlotte.
The acquisition of guard Stephen Jackson has made the Bobcats a much improved team. Charlotte lost the first three games with Jackson, but is 18-10 since, including two wins over the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers.
The former Golden State Warrior has led the team in scoring and has allowed swingman Gerald Wallace to focus more on defense. The 6-7 forward is fifth in the NBA in rebounding (11.3) and is a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
So, what’s wrong with the Celtics and Magic?
Boston hopes to solve its problems with the return of their leader, Kevin Garnett. The Celtics have lost four of their last five games without the Big Ticket. Not having the former MVP is obviously tough, but with a team filled with All-Star veterans — Ray Allen and Paul Pierce — and highly touted up-and-comers — Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins — struggling like the Celtics have, even without K.G., is just not acceptable for an NBA-title contender.
Orlando has an identity crisis. Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson and Vince Carter all have missed games this season. For the Magic to return to the NBA Finals, they need to identify their roles on the team, starting with Dwight Howard. If the Magic want more out of their All-Star center on the offensive end he’ll need to: A) Acquire a jump shot or a dominating drop step like Shaquille O’Neal and B) Average more than 10.6 shots a game.
If the first month of 2010 is any indication of the rest of the season, the Celtics and Magic might want to take note of the upstart Bobcats.
