NBA: Atlantic division surprisingly exciting

The NBA’s Atlantic Division wasn’t supposed to excite fans much this season.

Most thought… The NBA’s Atlantic Division wasn’t supposed to excite fans much this season.

Most thought the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks would duke it out for the divisional crown and the Philadelphia 76ers would sneak into a seventh or eighth seed in the playoffs.

So far, the opposite is the case.

The 76ers lead the division, while the Celtics and Knicks attempt to salvage their seasons before things go from bad to worse. It appears age has taken a toll on Boston, and the Knicks still cannot find any defensive strength. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s youth and depth has Sixers fans ready for a return to the deeper parts of the playoffs later this year.

The Celtics’ season started off on the wrong foot when forward Jeff Green learned he needed open-heart surgery after doctors discovered an aortic aneurysm during a routine yearly physical. Green played as the team’s sixth man, and his injury left the Celtics with very little depth off the bench.

To date, Boston is second in the Atlantic Division, but it’s there with a record of 7-10. The team currently lies under a plethora of injuries, most notably to star guard Rajon Rondo and all-time 3-point shooting leader Ray Allen.

With the injuries and the Celtics only scoring 89.4 points per contest, things don’t look to be getting any better in Beantown, at least for this season. Rumors abound that Celtics’ General Manager Danny Ainge will be active at this year’s trade deadline, especially for deals that involve moving Paul Pierce or Allen for young talent.

Also in the Atlantic Division, the New York Knicks have not fared as well as the team’s fans had hoped. After New York’s front office acquired Carmelo Anthony at last year’s trade deadline and signed free-agent center Tyson Chandler to help shore up the defense, fans looked toward this season with high expectations.

Unfortunately, neither the offense nor the defense has lived up to expectations so far. In New York’s game Tuesday against the Charlotte Bobcats, a team with a record of 3-15, Carmelo Anthony scored just one single point on 0-7 shooting, a career-low. But the Knicks won the game to break a six-game losing streak that leaves their record at 7-10, third place in the Atlantic.

At the top of the division is one of the teams that has improved the most in the NBA since last year — Philadelphia. Currently, the Sixers are 12-5 and own the third-best record in the entire Eastern Conference.

The way this team is winning actually makes a lot of sense. No one player dominates the ball; instead, the rock is passed around early and often to find open shots for players. The Sixers also do something not a lot of teams do in the NBA: They play defense.

Both factors are evinced by Philadelphia’s numbers. On defense, the 76ers only give up 88 points a game, the second-lowest total in the league. Additionally, the team is fourth in rebounding, at 43.9 rebounds a game. The importance of rebounding well goes a long way toward defensive success. The better a team rebounds, the fewer chances the opponent has to score. Both of these factors become huge come playoff time.

Offensively, the 76ers are third in points per game, scoring 99.9 per contest on average. Assisting that total is the 76ers fifth-ranked passing game — they average 22.2 assists per game.

What astounds me is that seven players on this team average more than 10 points a game. The leading scorer, Lou Williams, at 15.4 points per game only plays 24.8 minutes per game and has not started once. The team’s success so far is a testament to what Coach Doug Collins has instilled in his players: the importance of rebounding and sharing the basketball.

All three of these teams present potential for intriguing storylines later on this season. I expect Boston to blow up its team, since the current run of this “Big Four” seems to be over. Rumors over the summer said that Ainge looked to deal Rondo straight up for guard Chris Paul, who ended up in Los Angeles with the Clippers.

New York has a much better chance than the Celtics to get its season together. The Knicks’ backcourt issues should subside slightly now that rookie guard Iman Shumpert is back from an injury and playing well. Baron Davis will also help. When motivated, the 14-year vet is a solid floor general.

Games to watch for the upcoming week:

Friday, Jan. 27 — New York Knicks @ Miami Heat, 8 p.m. on TNT

Davis figures to return for this game, and the contest should explode with offensive fireworks. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony compose one of the great matchups in sports, and watching their scoring prowess is always entertaining. Amare Stoudemire and Chris Bosh also present another matchup of top players, this time at the power forward position. Unfortunately, Dwyane Wade is not expected to play in this game, as he’s missed the past eight games with an ankle injury.

Sunday, Jan. 29 — San Antonio Spurs @ Dallas Mavericks, 6:30 p.m. on ESPN

This Texas rivalry always makes for a great game, and Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan are two of the best to ever play the power forward position. These teams are currently tied atop the standings in the Southwest Division at 11-7, having both rebounded from slow starts earlier in the year.

Wednesday, Feb. 1 — Los Angeles Clippers @ Utah Jazz, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN

The Clippers travel to Salt Lake City in a matchup that will showcase two great point guards and many great players in the post. For Utah, the young Devin Harris is still one of the better point guards in the league and will be matched up against Chris Paul, who should return from his injury any day now. In the post, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin will go against Utah’s talented frontcourt consisting of Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and rookie Enes Kanter.