HeatCheck – Week 12

Our HeatCheck Week 12 is having to do a 180° turn as one team has switch spots from last week.

Note: All records and data are accurate through January 13, 2014.

Team	Season Record	Last Week’s Record
Washington Wizards	20-20	3-1
This was a tough choice between the Bulls, Wizards, and Grizzlies.  The Grizzlies took down OKC and Durantula last Tuesday at home, but successive wins over Milwaukee and Sacramento aren’t necessarily “On Fire”-worthy.  The Bulls had two OT victories against lottery teams Orlando and Los Angeles (Kobe’s team, not Chris Paul’s) as well as a trouncing of another lottery team in the New Orleans Pelicans.  The only loss for the Bulls?  It just so happened to come against our team that is on fire for the past week, the Washington Wizards.The Wizards started the week off by taking down Lebron’s squad, then winning a hard fought battle against the Bulls.  Both of these games were at home, but don’t underestimate the value of these wins to a team that could very easily see either one of those teams in April.  After the two wins, the Wizards suffered a very tough defeat at home against the Pistons by only 6 points.  They recovered a few days later and easily enough handled the Sixers behind a near triple-double from Bradley Beal.  Philly has been unintentionally tanking, losing 7 out of their last 8 games, so the win wasn’t as big as it may have been against the Heat, but beating teams that are lottery-bound is exactly what you need to see from a team heading to the playoffs.  John Wall has been masterful during this span, averaging 24.0 PPG and 7.75 APG while shooting .561 from the field.  Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat continue to be a strong supporting cast for Wall as they both scored in double figures during each of the past four games.  Somewhat surprisingly despite his height, Gortat has also rejected 10 shots over that same span.  He had his best game (as did Beal) on Monday when he registered 19/11 with 4 blocks in only 23 minutes.  Overall, the team has given Wall a lot of support during this recent strong play which has led to the Wizards having a shot at the 3rd spot in the East if they can overtake Atlanta and Toronto before April.
Lottery Spin
It’s just about safe to say that the Wizards have conjured up enough magic to stay afloat for the rest of the season without worrying too much about the Lottery.  I don’t have a crystal ball (and I know these wizard jokes are killing), but a 3.5 game lead over the Pistons and Bobcats for the 8th seed is a good place for the Wizards to be at so far.  I don’t fully expect them to maintain this current progress night in and night out, but I do expect this team to be a playoff team as I have all year.  Expect the Wizards to miss the lottery and land around 6th in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Team	Season Record	Last Week’s Record
New York Knicks	15-26	0-4
Wow.. What a difference a week can make.  Last week, the Knicks were in the spot above, riding a great record over the past month and a half and finally looking like a potential playoff team.  However, after dropping four straight, including an embarrassing performance at MSG against cross-town rival Brooklyn, the Knicks look like they’re back to their misguided and seemingly doomed ways.  Carmelo has NOT been a fan of the defense lately, and it’s easy to see why after Al Jefferson, a legitimate low post threat, lit the interior up for 35 points against the Knicks on Tuesday.  Follow that up with Blake Griffin throwing down 32 three days later and it’s easy to see what’s got Melo so frustrated.The Knicks lost by an average of 18.75 points during this span.  Two of the teams (Charlotte and Brooklyn) are very possibly going to miss the playoffs.  The other two were at home versus the Clippers and on the road versus the Pacers.  The Pacers game is obviously understandable considering what kind of a ridiculous tear the Pacers are on right now coupled with the fact that they may be the best defensive team ever.  However, the loss to the Nets in that fashion at home is simply inexcusable for a team with a very dedicated and loyal, yet somewhat hostile fan base.  The Knicks need a spark and they need it immediately.
Lottery Spin
It’s hard to tell what this will do for their lottery chances.  As it stands now, the Knicks would miss the playoffs by a few games.  I don’t really see things turning up for them too much between now and the end of the season, however I also don’t see them continuing to stink so badly for so long.  I am nearly willing to bet that they will still make the playoffs in either the 7th or 8th seed due to how poorly the East has performed so far.  It would be good for the organization to pick up a lottery pick and be able to draft better talent, but I’m thinking they won’t be quite there this year.  Expect the Knicks to finish around 8th in the East and MAKE the playoffs.

By Jon Elliott
Follow @TheJontlet