Monday 16 December 2019 21:11, UK
Which teams have shone and which have flattered to deceive over the last seven days in the NBA? Sky Sports NBA assesses the contrasting Week 8 fortunes of four teams.
The Lakers are going from strength to strength. They passed the first three tests of their current five-game road trip with flying colours in Week 8, matching the Milwaukee Bucks' league-best record of 24-3 and extending their streak of road wins to 14 games.
LeBron, Anthony Davis and their team-mates are proving they can find a way to win, regardless of what the opposition throws at them.
They shut down the defensively-minded Orlando Magic for a 96-87 win, overcame a poor shooting night (thanks to a spectacular 32-point performance from James) to hold off the Atlanta Hawks 101-96 and, in their signature win of Week 8, beat the Miami Heat 113-110 in what James described as "like a heavyweight bout, like the old days, the old boxing Foreman-Ali type of atmosphere".
The tests keep coming in Week 9 as the Lakers wrap up their road-trip with a visit to the Indiana Pacers and, on Thursday night, a meeting with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks (whose own perfect Week 8 performance was well worth an A grade) in what promises to be the game of the season so far.
Losing that heavyweight bout at home to the Lakers was the only blemish the Heat suffered in Week 8, and they emerged from that loss with credit. They sit second in the Eastern Conference with an impressive 19-7 record and seven wins from their last 10 games.
Miami's narrow defeat at LA's hands was sandwiched by home wins over the Atlanta Hawks (the Heat are a perfect 5-0 against teams from their own division) and the Dallas Mavericks. And while the early loss of Luka Doncic hampered the visitors, Erik Spoelstra's team pulled out a 122-118 victory that showcased their talent, depth and team ethic.
Jimmy Butler led the way with 27 points but five of his team-mates also contributed double-figure scoring. One of them, Bam Adebayo, produced a triple-double that reasserted his claims for All-Star selection next year.
In their victory over the Bulls, it was rookies Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn combining for 45 points that helped them get the job done. Against the Lakers, Nunn, Derrick Jones Jr and Kelly Olynyk shared 48 points.
Night in, night out, the Heat are proving they are a legitimate force in the East and there is no suggestion they won't be able to sustain their surge to secure a top-four playoff seeding.
Reality has started to bite for the T-Wolves in the ultra-competitive West. After a hot start to the season fuelled by the stat-sheet stuffing performances of Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota have started to struggle, losing all three of their Week 8 games to extend their losing streak to seven.
Along with the Phoenix Suns, the Timberwolves were one of the surprise packages in the early going but their recent regression has left them looking like a fringe playoff contender at best.
Towns is a superstar but the lack of depth, particularly at point guard, and the team's fragile defense (they rank a lowly 22nd in defensive rating, points allowed per 100 possessions) has enabled their super-charged conference rivals to run rough-shod over them.
Week 8 saw Minnesota lose to the Suns, the Utah Jazz and the LA Clippers. They conceded 125, 127 and 124 points respectively in those defeats. They are sorely missing some form of veteran leadership, a player willing to stand up and demand the effort required to arrest their current slide.
The Timberwolves are approaching a crossroads. They could explore the trade market to upgrade their roster, ideally netting a superior playmaker to point guard Jeff Teague, to ensure they achieve a low playoff seed. But all that would likely earn them would be a first-round spanking at the hands of the Lakers or Clippers.
If they chose to be sellers rather than buyers, trading '3 and D' forward Robert Covington could net them a future No 1 pick or a package including a current young player from a contending team looking for upgrade their perimeter options.
Quietly and effectively, the Indiana Pacers have recovered from a sluggish start to the season that saw them written off in some quarters. Despite the continued absence of their star man Victor Oladipo (the All-Star guard has been out since January and has no set return date), Nate MacMillan's team have climbed the Eastern Conference standings (they currently sit sixth) with seven wins from their past 10 games.
Week 8 began with their former star Paul George returning to haunt them. George poured in 36 points to lead his Clippers to a 110-99 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. But the Pacers responded well to that defeat, knocking off the Boston Celtics 122-117 before dispatching the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.
Against Boston, Malcolm Brogdon was at his ultra-efficient best, scoring 29 points despite making just 10 field goal attempts (he went 15-of-15 from the free throw line). Against the Hawks, seven Pacers scored in double figures to earn the win.
Against Charlotte, center Myles Turner had his best game since returning from injury, posting a double-double and impacting the game on the defensive end with five blocks. In all three wins, Domantas Sabonis posted double-figure points and rebounds.
Unlike their more celebrated, more fashionable rivals at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Pacers do not have a superstar player on their roster (until Oladipo eventually returns) but they remain a solid team very much in the fight for a top-four playoff seeding.
