Every Tuesday, we’ll look back over the previous week of NBA action and put five teams under the microscope as we grade their recent performances. Who will be hailed as high-achievers and who needs to do better?
Houston Rockets (21-15, Wk 11 record 3-0) - Grade A
No Chris Paul, no problem for the resurgent Rockets, who have reeled off five straight wins (three in week 11) since their All-Star point guard succumbed to a hamstring injury.
Houston's franchise star James Harden has taken the plaudits for carrying them up to fifth in the West - rightly so after delivering 41.8 points per game in those five wins - but, finally, he's received some support from his team-mates.
Center Clint Capela turned in dominant 23- and 19-rebound performances as the Rockets recorded statement wins against Oklahoma City and Boston while new recruit Austin Rivers made clutch fourth-quarter shots against the Celtics.
Harden's scoring streak has bumped his league-leading per-game average to 33.3 points, 4.6 more than his nearest challenger Stephen Curry. On this form, the 2017/18 MVP is making more than enough noise to claim back-to-back honours.
Indiana Pacers (25-12, Wk 11 record 2-0) - Grade B+
The Pacers sit third in the East, holding their own in the middle of four more-fancied, more talked about teams (Bucks, Raptors, 76ers, Celtics) thanks to two week 11 wins (and a New Year's Eve victory to start week 12) that extended their winning run to five games.
Indiana dismissed the struggling Atlanta Hawks and the inconsistent Detroit Pistons - both teams they should be beating - but the manner in which they did it, with star man Victor Oladipo short of his best, is notable.
Against the Pistons and the Wizards, seven Pacers scored in double figures. Eight Pacers managed the same feat in the 129-121 victory over the Hawks. This balanced scoring, combined with the league's stingiest defence (Indiana's defensive rating of 103.0 is the best in the NBA) makes them a formidable opponent, even when their schedule gets tougher.
San Antonio Spurs (21-17, Wk 11 record 2-1) - Grade B
Have the 2018/19 Spurs found their identity? Seven wins, including week 11 victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and Western Conference leaders the Denver Nuggets, in their last 10 games suggest so.
The Spurs shoot the third-fewest three-pointers in the league (24.3 per game) but have built a top 10-ranked offense (113.1 points per 100 possessions) with the mid-range games of DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge.
In keeping with the principles of coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs are limiting mistakes (they rank second in turnovers) and, offensively, being ruthlessly efficient. While San Antonio shoot relatively few threes, no team score from beyond the arc with greater efficiency (39.3 per cent).
San Antonio's stodgy start to the season (they were 10-12 at the start of December) suggested their 21-season streak of reaching the playoffs was under threat. The Spurs now occupy the eighth playoff spot in the West and are trending upwards.
New Orleans Pelicans (17-21, Wk 11 record 1-2) - Grade D
Whatever plan the Pelicans had to convince franchise star Anthony Davis to commit long-term to the team isn't working out.
'The Brow', who had to produce a 48-point, 17-rebound effort to earn New Orleans' solitary week 11 win (a 114-112 home victory against the Dallas Mavericks), hasn't been able to single-handedly reverse his struggling team's fortunes. They've slumped to six defeats in their last eight outings.
One of the Pelicans' biggest issues is their inability to execute in crunch time. They are 6-14 in games where teams are within five points in the final five minutes. In those situations, they are outscored by 22.9 points per 100 possessions, the second-worst crunch-time net rating in the league.
In week 11, this problem haunted them again as they fell to a 122-117 loss in Sacramento and a 122-119 reverse in Dallas.
Atlanta Hawks (11-25, Wk 11 record 2-1) - Grade B
After spending much of the season at the foot of the Eastern Conference, the Hawks have started to show some life, winning two of their three week 11 games and going 6-5 over their last 11 games.
Given the potential riches on offer in the 2019 Draft, winning games now might not be the most prudent approach for the Hawks. Nevertheless, week 11 victories over the Minnesota Timberwolves and fellow East strugglers the Cleveland Cavaliers have lifted them to 12th in their conference.
There have been positive performances from rookie Trae Young (a 16-point, 11-assist double-double against the Timberwolves) and second-year forward John Collins, now back to full speed after missing Atlanta's first 15 games through injury.
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