MVP Watch

Fresh Prince

Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans, 25.4ppg, 11.2 rpg, 3.4bpg)

Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies 19.8, 8.3rpg)

Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors, 24.2ppg, 7.7apg, 5.5rpg)

James Harden (Houston Rockets, 25.3ppg, 6.7apg, 6.4rpg)

Notable Mentions

Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)

DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)

MVP watch this week features some defensive studs and a couple of offensive aces. I’ve still got Anthony Davis leading the race however, with his Pelicans currently sitting 10th in the West with a mediocre 7-6 record. Others are closing in fast though. Marc Gasol is a name you may have heard of more for being Pau’s younger brother but the younger Gasol is leading an impressive Grizzlies squad who currently are leading the stacked Western Conference. Gasol is a force on both ends, being a perennial defensive player of the year candidate and an efficient scorer. Curry and Harden are both standouts who are having impressive years and continue to be in the conversation. On the fringe I have a new face in Kyle Lowry, the point guard on the Toronto Raptors. Lowry is showing he is an elite point and leading the Toronto team to a Eastern conference leading 13-2 record.

Nighthawk

Steph Curry (GS) 24.2 ppg , 7.7 apg , 5.5 rpg. Steph Curry has led the Warriors to a 12-2 start and are second in the competitive Western Conference. He has put up big numbers and as the Warriors seem as though they are cruising at this early point in the season, they are showing they are one of the teams to beat having won by double digits 4 of there last 5 games.

Anthony Davis (NO) 25.4 ppg , 11.2 rpg , 3.4 bpg. Davis still has yet to slow down from his huge start as his scoring numbers are actually going up although his rebounding is coming down. The Pelicans still aren’t in the playoff mix as they are in the Western Conference however he has the Pelicans in contention for sure and his play has been the big reason for this. They still need some more depth to make them contenders but Davis’ play has the arrow pointing upwards for the Pelicans and is arguably the best player in the league at this point in the season.

Demarcus Cousins (SAC) 23.5 ppg , 12.6 rpg , 1.5 bpg. Cousins has been a beast so far this season and the big surprise has been his maturity early on in the season. The Kings are just out of the playoffs but again post 9-6 record that puts them 9th in the West currently (would be 4th in the East) and Cousins' play is the reason they are doing well. His play offensively has always been his strength but so far his play on defense has been surprising, his showing against Anthony Davis the other night shows that as he held him to just 14 points on 4-12 shooting.

His Airness

Stephen Curry – 24.2 ppg, 7.7 apg and 5.5 rpg. Anyone that averages these numbers is deserving of a mention in the MVP race. Add the Warriors 12-2 winning record and you get the most valuable player. Curry has been making nearly 50% of his shots and shooting 45% from beyond the arc - Curry has been lights out. Despite having a strong supporting cast in the likes of Klay Thompson, take Curry out of the team and the Warriors are no where near 12-2.

Anthony Davis – 25.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg and 3.4 bpg. Davis is one of the most efficient players in the NBA, he does it all and has been an absolute beast. If Davis can get his Pelicans team into the playoffs expect Davis to become the youngest MVP in league history

DeMarcus Cousins – 23.5 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg. Cousins beats out LeBron for the number 3 spot. Cousins like Davis has been dominating, his impact on the Kings team has lead them to an impressive 9-6 record and also comparisons between him and Shaq.

Standouts

Fresh Prince

The Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors are currently sharing the league’s best record at 13-2, being strong on both ends. The Grizzlies continue to be defensive force currently sitting 3rd in opponents points allowed, while the Raptors are more effective on the offensive end sitting 2nd in team scoring. Both squads have had little changes from last season and are performing well thus far into the season.

Another team with few changes and current standouts are the Portland Trailblazers. The rip city squad is currently on a 9 game winning streak and rank among the top 10 in both scoring and opponent scoring. Led by all-stars Lamarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, the Trailblazers are one team to keep an eye on.

Teams on the rise

Fresh Prince

Toronto Raptors 13-2 (6 game win streak)

Memphis Grizzlies 13-2

Portland Trailblazers 12-3 (9 game win streak)

Golden State Warriors 12-2 (7 game win streak)

San Antonio Spurs 10-4 (5 game win streak)

Nighthawk

The Grizzles have to be the surprise team so far, can’t say many people would have picked them to be the top of the Western Conference through the first month. They have stayed healthy as that was a problem last season and have played extremely well as a team in the early going. Marc Gasol is already one of the best defenders in the league and this season his offense has been just as good. That along with consistent play from Zach Randolph and Mike Conley are the reason they are the top team in the league through the first month.

His Airness

Toronto Raptors – holding a 13-2 in the East the Raptors have been very impressive this year. Lead by DeRozan and Lowry the Raptors have depth and the stars they need to continue this run. The Raptors still have a lot to prove and I am not sure they can hold the top spot in then East all season but I certainty think they are a playoff team that could go a few rounds.

Teams on the slide

Fresh Prince

Philadelphia 76ers 0-15!

LA Lakers 3-12

Detroit Pistons 3-12

Minnesota Timberwolves 3-10

Nighthawk

The Charlotte Hornets have been disappointing so far this season; they are 3rd worst side in the weak Eastern Conference. Coming off a great last season and a playoff series they are one of more disappointing teams, new edition Lance Stephenson has struggled early on as he was expected to be the piece that took them to the next level. This may be just a early slump in a new team but the Hornets need to turn things around sooner rather than later as getting into the playoffs may not take much in the East but there are many teams this season that are near the playoffs. It would be disappointing for the Hornets to take a step back from last season's progress.

His Airness

LA Lakers. Once again the Lakers find themselves at the bottom of the West with a 3-12 record. The return of Swaggy P showed promise for the Lakers but this soon faded away, their defense has been terrible and offence has been very inefficient. I don’t see the Lakers getting any better unless they make a few trades before the window closes.

Performance Of The Week Thus Far

Stephen Curry- 40 points (12/19 FG, 8/11 3PT, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) vs Miami Heat

Play Of The Week

Gerald Green is no stranger to a highlight dunk and this reverse jam was another gem from the swingman!

Steven Adams Watch

8.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 26.5 mins per game

Adams has continued to chip away while his OKC Thunder are still battling their way through injuries. There haven’t been any standout games for the Kiwi but he’s still growing into his new role as starter and still playing important minutes. Westbrook is expected to return vs the Knicks if not shortly thereafter, which will have a big impact on the Thunder and their 4-12 record. Kevin Durant is still a question mark as to when he returns but hopefully for Adams and the Thunder, a healthy Russell Westbrook will lead to few more W’s.

Rookie Watch

His Airness

The rookie class has not lived up to expectations so far this season but there has been signs of hope. The top contenders remain Wiggins, Parker and Noel however, there are others that are beginning to impress. The top of this list will have to be Nikola Mirotic from the Bulls. If Mirotic can get the minutes expect him to be in the race however, in a team like the Bulls those minutes will be hard to come by.

Storyline Watch/Random thoughts

Fresh Prince

Now that we’re almost in December and nearing a quarter of the way through the season, I expect some teams will start to hit mid-season form and we should see a clearer picture for whom the real early season contenders are. It’s an interesting time in the NBA as franchises will begin to assess whether they are a realistic title contender this year or what they need to add to become one. Trade rumors will begin to swirl and tanking tactics may emerge but as we get closer to mid-season the NBA landscape will begin to change. A few things I’ll be keeping an eye on is the direction of the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics. A title this year is looking unrealistic and with Kobe Bryant on board, the Lakers refuse to rebuild but rather reload. They currently hold a top 5 protected pick in next years draft which is a valuable piece, it will be interesting to see what happens with this pick and the Lakers. The Celtics on the other hand are mid-way through a rebuild and face a tough call regarding Rajon Rondo. Do they resign him or make way for Marcus Smart, their number one draft pick in this years draft. Other stroylines to follow are the Chicago Bulls/Derrick Rose situation and how they manage Rose’s workload to ensure he can stay healthy, and the team chemistry on the NBA’s most talked about team the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are looking ominously similar to the 2010 Miami Heat.

Games to watch (All NZT)

Grizzlies @ Kings on Monday

Raptors @ Kings on Wednesday

Cavaliers @ Knicks on Friday