Southwest Division Player Grades: Who Gets an "A"?

SOUTHWEST	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	DIFF	STRK	L10
San Antonio	33	11	.750	-	18-2	15-9	9-2	18-8	104.0	95.8	+8.2	Won 5	7-3
Memphis	26	14	.650	5	15-6	11-8	4-4	15-10	92.9	89.4	+3.5	Lost 1	6-4
Houston	22	21	.512	10 ½	14-7	8-14	3-7	7-16	104.4	103.2	+1.2	Won 1	3-7
Dallas	18	24	.429	14	11-8	7-16	3-4	9-15	100.2	102.9	-2.8	Won 1	5-5
New Orleans	14	27	.341	17 ½	7-14	7-13	3-5	7-17	93.3	97.0	-3.7	Won 1	7-3

This division has seen some of the most up and down play of any division in the league.  We have seen some indivduals have break out seasons while others have faltered and let fans down.  let's break down the players of the southwest division for the first half of the season.

San Antonio Spurs:

Tony Parker: A

The MVP candidate has only gotten better with age as he leads the Spurs in Points, Assists, and Minutes.  He leads all NBA point guards in shooting percentage and has the offense clicking as one of the premiere offensive clubs in the league.  You can't leave him open as he will drain any open shot, and you can't crowd him or he will blow by you to use that silky smooth floater of his.  So far this season, he has been nearly unguardable.

Tim Duncan: A

Duncan has slipped back in time to 2005-2006 with his campaign this season.  He has not only showed his gift for low post scoring, but his defense has reached a level not seen in over a half of a decade.  He is averaging 2.74 blocks per game, to go along with 17.5 points and nearly 10 boards.  Duncan is still a dominant force.

Danny Green: B

Green does exactly what he is supposed to do when is on the floor.  He knocks down open threes, shooting almost 40% from long distance and plays very good defense on opposing two guards.  A great piece for this team as they make another run for a Larry O'Brien trophy.

Tiago Splitter: B+

Tiago is a highly efficient scorer and a handful as a defensive player.  He is massive and athletic, creating a sort of "twin tower" dynamic with Tim Duncan that allows them to control the interior.  He has also shown significant improvement in his free throw shooting which is up to 74%.

Kawhi Leonard: B

Leonard has had some trouble staying healthy, but this long rangy defensive minded second year player is no slouch.  He is a dominant defensive player one on one and he has shows improvement in his shooting abilities.  He combines his elite athleticism with a shooting percentage near 50%.  As the season goes on, I only see him putting up even better numbers.

Bench: A

Well, when you have Gino and Gary Neal on your bench you know you can score the ball with the second unit. No only them though, Boris Diaw, DeJuan Blair, Matt Bonner, Nando De Colo, and Stephen Jackson are all good players. The depth makes this team one of the best in the NBA.  I wouldn't want to face them in a seven game series.

Memphis Grizzlies:

Mike Conley:B-

He is also a solid defensive player, but his lack of shooting ability combined with low assist numbers really hurts his overall grade.  Anytime a player shoots below 42%, I start to question their shot selection.  He has to hit his jumpers for this team to make a serious run,

Rudy Gay: C

He is shooting only 41% from the floor, including 30% from downtown and shooting a lot of shots per game.  Sure, this isn't a great offensive team so you expect him to play a little 'hero" ball but I'm just not impressed with what I'm seeing so far. He does play good defense and is a solid rebounder, saving him from an abysmal grade.  Now that we believe he will be with the team the remainder of this season, dos he turn it around?

Tony Allen: B+

Allen continues to be one of the best defenders in the league as he will surely be selected for a first team all defense again this season.  He is a poor shooter however, which keeps him from the A range, but let it be known, he has a quality impact whenever he is out on the court.  Although they lost to Indi the other night, he was the only reason they were even in that game to begin with.

Zach Randolph: A-

Randolph may not be an elite defensive player, but that's really his only downfall.  He is a monster on both the offensive and defensive glass as well as being an excellent low post scoring option.  He is a double double machine and has played as well as anyone on this team.

Marc Gasol: B

I love Gasol's game, but right now he is not scoring as efficiently as i expect him to as he is shooting under 49%.  He plays excellent interior defense and has the ability to dominate offensively as a creator for his teammates or as a scorer.  

Bench: ummm...D?

Well I guess I like Dorrell Arthur and if they sign Delonte West I'd like that move.  Tony Wrotten Jr will now get an opportunity to shine, let's see if the young kid can handle the big time. Otherwise, this bench is horrendous.

Houston Rockets:

Jeremy Lin: C-

This is probably the lowest grade Lin has ever received, as the Harvard grad has really struggled to find his shooting stroke this season.  We all see the skill there, so I'm sure he will put it together at some point.

James Harden: A

He has turned into an all-world scorer, pouring in 26 a night which includes an NBA leading 10.1 free throw attempts per game.  He needs work defensively, but he is one of the two or three best pure scorers in basketball.

Chandler Parsons: B+

He has had some inconsistencies this season, but Parsons has blossomed as a player.  Second on the team at scoring at a little over 14 a game, he has shown the ability to score from anywhere on the court.  He thrives in the uptempo game that Coach McHale has implemented and should continue to put up stellar numbers.

Omer Asik: A-

What a great signing this has turned out to be.  Asik, a double double machine, is just a beast.  You gotta love his energy, work ethic, and blue collar type approach to the game.  Now if only he could shoot free thows.....

Patrick Patterson: B

Patterson has shown great improvement as he can knock down open jumpers and finish at the rim.  Think of him as a rich man's Brandon Bass.

Bench: B-

I really like this unit, but they are young and often mistake prone.  They have a ton of talent though in Marcus Morris, Delfino, and Toney Douglas among others.  They need work defensively, but offensively they can score.

Dallas Mavericks:

Darren Collison: B

3rd in the NBA in shooting percentage by a guard, the only thing holding Collison back from a better grade is his inconsistently to come out and do it every night.  He can score from anywhere and is definitely more comfortable in a scoring role rather than a distributing role.  13 points and 5 assists a game are solid numbers though all in all.

OJ Mayo: A-

He carried this team offensively when Dirk was injured and has absolutely lit up the league from downtown shooting almost 43% from there despite a recent shooting slump.  You really couldn't ask for much from the gifted scorer.

Shawn Marion: B

Leads the team in rebounds at over 8 a game, the Matrix still has some game left in the tank.  He comes out every night and provides energy despite his inconsistent offensive performances.  All I can say is that he would have a spot on my team any day.

Dirk Nowitski: Incomplete

We just haven't seen enough from him yet to grade him, but I really like his recent progress.  Dirk is an amazing player and an all-time great so expect an A performance the second half once he is healthy.

Chris Kaman: B-

Kaman has been steady as the starting center spot. The man can score in a variety of ways and is an ok rebounder.  His height will be key to a hopeful second half run by this veteran group.

Bench: C

I really like what Vince Carter has done this season despie his poor shooting because he is really the only offensive weapon on the pine.  I'm just not impressed with this unit.

New Orleans Hornets:

Grevious Vasquez: B+

Dammit, well he continues to play well despite me hating on his game since college. He is 3rd in the NBA in assists at 9.2 a game and has shown an ability to score in the paint.  He is not a great shooter, but he is putting together a very good season.  He is also a terrific rebounder for his position thanks to his size and ball hawking abilities. 

Eric Gordon: Incomplete

Gordon is another all-star caliber player just returing from injury.  He has a history of being an inefficient but prolific scorer.  I can't wait to see him and Anthony Davis run that pick and roll in the second half of the season.

Al-Farouq Aminu: B+

Whoa, a B+ for Aminu you may say to yourself, but Aminu is a world class rebounder at the small forward position, is a good defensive player with his amazing length, and takes mostly good shots.  I really like his game and he is finally showing the promise of the high pick that he was.

Anthony Davis: B

Davis has gone through rookie woes at time, but clearly will be an elite player if he stays healthy.  He is averaging 13 points on 52% shooting and 8 boards.  He hasn't dominated many games yet unfortunately, but that will come in time.  WATCH OUT FOR A MONSTER SECOND HALF that may propel him ahead of front runner Lillard for the ROY award.

Robin Lopez: B-

Can't ask for much more from this guy.  He hustles like a mad man every night, but just isn't an elite player at anything. 11 points and 5.5 boards is serviceable, but I'd like to see a couple more rebounds a game from him.

Bench: B-

How can you not love Ryan Anderson and Jason Smith? These guys play there respective games really well and show great hustle. If Austin Rivers would play like an NBA player on a regular basis then this group may get an A-.  I know they aren't the best bench, but i like their make-up a lot. The biggest weakness is a backup Center, which they don't really have despite Jason Smith doing his best to change from a PF to a C.

Atlantic Division Player Grades

ATLANTIC	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	DIFF	STRK	L10
New York	25	13	.658	-	14-5	11-8	4-2	15-6	101.5	96.5	+5.0	Won 2	5-5
Brooklyn	24	16	.600	2	16-7	8-9	8-3	18-9	96.6	94.6	+2.0	Won 1	8-2
Boston	20	20	.500	6	13-8	7-12	4-4	13-12	95.0	96.0	-1.0	Lost 3	6-4
Philadelphia	17	23	.425	9	11-9	6-14	5-6	9-12	93.2	97.3	-4.1	Won 1	3-7
Toronto	15	26	.366	11 ½	11-9	4-17	1-7	8-12	97.4	99.3	-1.9	Won 1	4-6

The Atlantic Division is starting to become a two team race between the Knicks and Nets, thanks to the inconsistent play of  the Celtics of late.  In this Atlantic Division roundup, I'll give player grades for the first half of the season.

New York Knicks:

Raymond Felton: B 

Felton had played really excellent ball prior to his injury. His only downside was that he isn't an excellent shooter, but his ball handling, dribble penetration, and passing was key to Knicks hot start.  His 2 man pick and roll game with Tyson Chandler is a game changer.

Jason Kidd: B+

What Kidd has done at the age of 39 has been amazing.  He continues to rebound and distribute well despite his advanced age,  but what he has really done for this team is help to open up driving lanes by stretching the floor with his three point shot. He is shooting 42% from downtown this season and is a stabilizing force for this team.

Ronnie Brewer: C

A Classic glue guy, he plays only 19 minutes a night, but provides solid wing defense. If he was a good shooter, he'd play more.

Tyson Chandler: A

This guy continues to dominate the interior portion of the court on both ends. He sets excellent screens,  is a top tier rebounder, and is a great defensive player both in one on one situations and in help defense. He leads the NBA in FG% by a wide margin and is the perfect player to mix with volume shooters like Carmelo and Smith since he gets nearly all his shots on put-backs and alley oops.

Carmelo Anthony: A-

That's right, I didn't give Carmelo perfect marks.  We all know his prolific scoring ability anywhere on the court,  but he still has a propensity for poor shot selection.  He also leaves a lot to be desired defensively.  Carmelo was my MVP choice early in the year, but right now I'm not convinced of it anymore.  He is shooting it great from outside which needs to continue for the Knicks to remain on top of the division.  As well as Melo has played, he needs to elevate his play to a whole new level of efficiency if the Knicks have a shot at a championship.

Bench: B+

The Bench has done a great job scoring the ball, led by JR Smith.  Injuries have hurt the front-court depth as both Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby are going to need to be instrumental pieces for this team in the postseason. Amar'e, Chris Copeland, PP, and Novak are all playing well.  Iman Shumpert has returned to the team too, and while he will be a starter and likely move Kidd to the bench once Felton is healthy, it will only increase the depth of this unit.

Brooklyn Nets:

Deron Williams: C+

As poorly as Williams has shot the ball, he has managed to play well in all other regards since the coaching change at the end of December.  When he is on his game he is a top 5 PG, but so far he has not played like the franchise player he is supposed to be.

Joe Johnson: B

JJ is a truly dynamic scorer who is just starting to find his groove.  His shooting is also not where it needs to be, but he has a great ability for one on one play.  His play off of Deron will be key moving forward.

Gerald Wallace: C+

The guy gives his all every time he steps on the court, but he looks like a shell of his former self.  He can't shoot, which he never could, but he isn't attacking the glass or blocking shots like he used to.  I love him as a glue guy and he makes the team better, but he isn't playing great so far this year.

Reggie Evans: B+

He rebounds and hustles as well as anyone in the league. He averages 9 boards in 22 minutes a game. If he does anything else, it's icing on the cake.

Brook Lopez: A-

Lopez is an elite offensive player, shooting nearly 52% and leading the team in scoring.  No complaints with his offense so far.  He plays okay defense, but is just a average-at-best rebounder.

Bench: C

They have some solid pieces, but there is little front court depth.  The move of Evans to the starting unit and Humphries to the bench was a long time coming.  They just need a player besides Blatche to score and be active.

Boston Celtics:

Rajon Rondo: B-

Rondo has not played as well as his stats may indicate.  He often does not bring the necessary intensity to each game.  The thing about Rondo is that he can go by his opponent at almost anytime, often making making it look easy, but it has become far too common for Rondo to not be aggressive.  When he is aggressive, this team is good, when he is passive they are mediocre.  He is the engine of the C's train.

Avery Bradley: B

Well Bradley hasn't been back long, but he has shown elite defense in his return.  He can also knock down open threes and uses backcuts to get easy buckets. It's a small sample size, but right now he is playing solid.

Paul Pierce: B-

The Truth has not been his normal self so far this year, missing a lot of open jumpers and shooting a few too many threes. Saying that, he is still an elite player offensively and is the best one-on-one option for this C's team.

Kevin Garnett: B+

KG is starting to show age, but is still aggressive on both ends. He is shooting 50% right now and has been a great mentor for Jared Sullinger. KG is a winner, but needs to be a leader in terms of consistency for this team.

Brandon Bass: D

Bass has been terrible.  Defensively he can't stop anyone, Offensively he looks afraid.  He occasionally hits open jumpers, but its been an awful season for him.

Bench: B

What an up and down unit.  They have some great players who are just not gelling consistently.  Jared Sullinger is a beast, Jeff Green can dominate when he wants to, and Courtney Lee looks to have turned around after his slow start.  Jason Terry continues to struggle and Chris Wilcox has been injured.  They play great one game and poorly the next.

Philadelphia 76ers:

Jrue Holiday: A

Can you ask anymore from this kid? He has dominated the league offensively and shown good defensive promise.  He is scoring 19 a game and dishing out 9 dimes. Without any inside presence, those numbers are fantastic.  Unfortunately he is playing for a bad team.

Jason Richardson: C-

Richardson isn't shooting at an elite level, only 34% from downtown and when his shot isn't falling he is pretty useless on the court.

Evan Turner: B-

Turner just doesn't show the consistency we'd like to see from him.  He does everything well and still could be a star if he figures it out, but he is frustrating to watch game to game.  He needs to raise his 43% FG shooting percentage.

Thaddeus Young: B+

I love the improvement from Young. He has great energy, athleticism and ball skills, but he is undersized for a PF.  He is doing about all he can for this team, he just needs a big guy to play next too...cough cough Bynum Cough

Lavoy Allen: C

After looking really good in the postseason last year, Allen hasn't improved much this year.  His game is boring and would be fine for a backup PF, but he is having to start for this team and it's unfortunate.

Bench: C+

They have three serviceable bench players in Nick Young, Spencer Hawes, and Dorrell Wright, but no one else really.  This team just doesn't have the depth to be competitive.

Toronto Raptors:

This team has so many starting lineups, im just going to use what I think is their best...

Jose Calderon: B+

He is a boring player, but he rarely turns it over, shoots a high percentage from everywhere and dishes the rock to shooters.  His downfall is he isn't a slasher, but we knew this and therefore he has played as well as his potential allows for.

Kyle Lowry: B+

He does everything well and will thrive once Calderon is traded.  He hasn't shot the ball as well as he is capable of so far this year, but that hasn't stopped him from being efficient as a player. He leads the team in PER at 22.4 and has all-star potential.

DeMar DeRozan: B

He has played really well so far this year.  Not a good shooter but he gets to the rim at will and plays decent defense.  He will be a key piece as they rebuild.

Andrea Bargnani: D-

Shot the ball horribly and was allergic to rebounding when he was healthy.  They need to move this guy ASAP and make room for the young fellas.

Jonas Valanciunas: B+

The rookie played great before his injury.  He looks like a keeper as he hits the glass hard and can finish at the rim.  I look for a big jump his sophomore year.

Bench: B

I like Ed Davis, Landry Fields, Pietrus, Anderson and especially Terrence Ross.  This is a solid, athletic group that provides a lot of energy.  They lack star power, but they play well together.  Terrence Ross is a freak athlete who could be a star in this league soon.