19-0 go the Golden State Warriors. 0-18 go the Philadelphia 76ers. Who will lose the zero first?
The Warriors are on the front end of a seven-game road trip which will feature the Toronto Raptors this Saturday. The defending champs nearly lost to the Utah Jazz in the Vivint Smart Home Arena, but Stephen Curry took over in the closing minutes to secure a 106-103 victory on Monday. As for the Sixers, they have come close to getting their first win of the season numerous times, but remain the poorest excuse of a team in professional sports history. This week at home against the Los Angeles Lakers may be their best chance to do so as Kobe Bryant makes his last stop at the Wells Fargo Center.
*All stats recorded prior to Tuesday night's games
Best Team
The Indiana Pacers entered the week having won five straight. Paul George is officially back to All-Star form and has scored 30 points or more in four of the last five games. PG-13 also had at least seven rebounds in four of the five games and has five double-doubles this season.
Over their win streak, the Pacers averaged 113.8 points-per-game, which is a notable increase from their season average of 101.8ppg. As a team, they shot nearly 50 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range. C.J. Miles, who is on pace for a career year, has been the second-leading scorer over the five-game winning streak.
In a 123-106 win against the Washington Wizards, Miles dropped 32, making eight of his nine three-point attempts. The Pacers have aligned themselves next to the Cleveland Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference standings and appear poised to make another run at LeBron James this season.
Best Player
The aforementioned Paul George has been on fire. The five-year veteran averaged 33.2ppg over the Pacers' five-game win-streak. The team's leader has recovered beautifully from a broken leg and is a surefire bet to represent the team at the All-Star game. He is playing the best basketball of any player in the league and has brought the Pacers within a game and a half of first place in the East. Buckle up, PG-13 is here to stay.
Best Moment
Dwight Howard caught a pass from Marcus Thornton as he rolled off a pick and absolutely crushed Kristaps Porzingis with an alley-opp slam. Howard only has about 25 pounds on the rookie, but gives up nearly four inches. Yet, the veteran asserted his power over the 20 year-old and, finally, someone put him in his place.
Worst Team
The Wizards have been playing bad basketball lately as a result of poor defense, but this award cannot be shared. The Philadelphia 76ers have lost their first 18 games of the season and are on pace to lose as many games as their name. There simply has been no bigger joke of a franchise in all of major professional sports than this one. Even after drafting one of the most promising young talents in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Sixers carried over their losing streak from last season and have now lost a record 27-straight games.
It broke the 2013-2014 Sixers' record of 26 consecutive losses, which was shared with the 2010-2011 Cavaliers. There is only so much tanking a team can do. 27 straight losses is a record across all major professional sports in the United States. Congratulations Philadelphia. You are the laughing stock of the NBA. And would probably be the laughing stock of the NCAA.
Worst Player
A harsh label for one of the greatest to ever play the game, Kobe Bryant has been a shell of himself over the past two seasons. Even when healthy, it has been as painful to watch as it must be for him to play. Finally making the announcement that the 2015-2016 season will be his last, Bryant suffered some of the worst shooting performances of his career last week.
In three losses for the Los Angeles Lakers, the 20-year vet combined to shoot 4-for-19 from three-point range, lowering his percentage on the season to 14. The 37 year-old made just 12 of his 54 shots from the field in those three games and is simply being outlasted by other greats his age. As sad as it will be to see a Kobe-less Lakers team next season, his announcement only makes his final season bearable.
Worst Moment
After several incidents with fans in both Boston and Philadelphia, Jahlil Okafor reportedly has been assigned a security guard. The third overall draft pick was also clocked driving 108mph by police in October. Okafor, who will be 20 on December 15, is heading down a path similar to Jameis Winston and brings more troubling news to an organization that is already six feet deep.
Fantasy Watchlist
Paul Millsap
The Atlanta Hawks have been struggling, but Millsap has gone the opposite direction. He had three double-doubles in five games last week, but very nearly recorded one in all five contests. He has elevated his scoring as well, averaging 20.8ppg over the last five outings.
Gordon Hayward
The leading scorer for the Utah Jazz, Hayward broke the 30-point mark for the first time this season last Wednesday. His fantasy value goes as his scoring does, but he is ranked eighth in rebounding among shooting guards. If his turnovers don't negate his assists, Hayward is a great play.
Reggie Jackson
Leading the scoring effort of the Detroit Pistons, Jackson has been on a roll in all facets as of late. He is coming off a 31-point night in which he also added eight assists and five rebounds. His production in the latter two categories has been a great compliment to his scoring, while he has excelled at limiting turnovers.
Avery Bradley
Bradley has become a scorer for the Boston Celtics this season and may soon be one of the better two-way players in the NBA. Notorious for his defensive, the 25 year-old brought much-needed explosiveness to the Celtics' offense this season. However, you will not get a lot of production out of Bradley in rebounds or assists, so look for his fantasy value to be generated by points, steals and blocks.