Although most basketball fans have their eyes on this week's collegiate conference championships and next week's NCAA tournament, a few NBA teams are turning heads with impressive performances. After a lackluster start to the season at 16-18, the Detroit Pistons currently boast a 34-23 record that has placed them second in the Eastern Conference.
Led by Jerry Stackhouse's 22 points per game, the Pistons are an eclectic group of seasoned veterans that include deadly three-point shooter Jon Barry, aged but still dangerous Clifford Robinson, hefty former Arkansas star Corliss Williamson, and improving defensive force Ben Wallace.
While the Pistons are capable of posting convincing offensive numbers, they are winning by playing solid defense. The team has only allowed 87.5 points in its last 23 games improving from the 91.5 points per game it has yielded for the entire season. Although this squad in no way represents the Bad Boys of the late '80s, rookie coach Rick Carlisle has his club headed for the most wins since the 1996-1997 campaign. The Pistons are currently a half a game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division and four and a half games behind the New Jersey Nets for the overall lead of the Eastern Conference. If this winning streak continues, they can secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. With home court advantage, the Pistons could very likely represent the East in the Finals because of their 20-8 record at home.
Another Eastern team currently eyeing the playoffs is the Miami Heat, whose postseason chances seemed dismal after the first two months of the season. After a 108-74 thrashing by the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 12, the Heat's record stood at 8-26. It seemed that coach Pat Riley would miss the playoffs for the first time in his coaching career. Since that loss, the Heat has been scorching with a 17-6 record, and now is just three games behind the Indiana Pacers for the final Eastern playoff spot.
Like the Pistons, the Heat are succeeding by means of defensive excellence, surrendering a league-leading 88.3 points per game. On the other hand, offensive input has been extremely lacking. With Eddie Jones and an aging Alonzo Mourning leading the way with 19 and 15 points per game, respectively, the team has a plethora of capable veteran scorers in Jim Jackson, Rod Strickland, Kendall Gill, and Brian Grant that must step up down the stretch.
If Miami continues its solid play for the remaining 25 contests, it will give Indiana a definite challenge for the eighth seed in the playoffs. The Heat's only obstacles are the Washington Wizards, who without MJ have sunk to a sub .500 team, and the Toronto Raptors, whose current 11-game losing skid has them headed for an early summer vacation.
In the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers are suddenly reemerging among the league leaders. The Blazers, who have perennially been a Western powerhouse and a fixture in the playoffs, struggled to a 13-18 record through 31 games. However, the Blazers have not been the same since Jan. 2, completing a drastic turn-around, posting a 24-6 record including winning their last ten contests.
As in the past, Portland is winning through a balanced scoring attack including seven players averaging double-figure points. Veterans Rasheed Wallace, Scottie Pippen, Dale Davis, and Damon Stoudamire are leading the way and showing young developing players such as Ruben Patterson and Bonzi Wells how to win against the league's premier teams.
Since the All-Star break, Portland is at perfect 6-0 against a very strong Western Conference. This streak includes victories against the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Sacramento Kings. Looking forward to the playoffs, Portland's multi-faceted scoring approach may be troublesome for teams such as the Lakers and Timberwolves, whose bench production can be inconsistent.
In other news, last Friday NBA fans received a preview of the upcoming Amy Fisher vs. Tonya Harding bout following the LA Lakers 96-84 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Just seconds after the final buzzer sounded, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant approached Pacers guard Reggie Miller near halfcourt and threw a punch at the 14-year veteran. The two eventually ended up in a skirmish on top of the scorer's table before being separated by teammates. The league handed Bryant a two game suspension without pay and fining him an additional 12,500 dollars. A surprised Miller, who claims that he was neither the instigator nor the aggressor in the incident, also received a two game suspension and a 10,000 dollar fine.
Although both players are extremely physical, and Miller is a notorious trash-talker, there was no indication during the game that a fight would ensue. If any squabble was expected, it was one between Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal and Pacers center Brad Miller. The two centers were involved in a mini-brawl in January after Miller, then with the Chicago Bulls, committed a flagrant foul against Shaq.
O'Neal served a three game suspension for his roundhouse swing at Miller. With all the hype surrounding the two, their tempers did not flare on Friday. Shaq actually assumed the role of peacekeeper in trying to separate the two combatants. While Bryant later issued an apology to his Laker teammates for missing two games, he refused to apologize to Miller.
