The Raptors grabbed their ninth win in 10 games, outscoring the last place Hawks 30-13 in the final stanza. With just 19 games to play, Toronto stretches their hold on 1st in the East to two games. With a 27-5 record at home, you’d think that they would be the odds on favorites to advance out of the East, but general consensus (and Vegas) still likes Lebron to reach a 7th straight NBA Final. Even with the Cavs record of 3-4 since the break (and blockbuster deal), it’s hard to doubt The King.
The Rockets followed suit, securing their league leading 50th win on the season with a 122-112 road win against the Thunder. Their 16th straight win, the Rockets haven’t been in the L column since a two-point road loss to the Pelicans on Jan. 27th, a game in which Harden went an anomalous 1/9 from behind the arc. The loss leaves the Thunder in the bottom half of the precarious eight team battle for playoff spots 3-8 in the West.
In the midst of that race- Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans, a team that looked all but finished after losing 5 out of their first 6 games without Boogie Cousins. Since then? NO has reeled off 9 straight, catapulting into 4th place. Davis, who is averaging a ridiculous, almost Chamberlainesque, 37.7 pts & 14.6 rebs over that stretch, hit a silky turnaround jumper with 31 seconds to give NO the victory securing lead. Davis finished with 41 pts, 13 rbs, and 3 blks.
Davis has had a remarkable career trajectory, and has taken another leap forward in year 6. His play as of late begs the below question raised by Hoop Central.:
If Anthony Davis doesn’t slow down, and the Pelicans end 3rd in the West, does he have a legitimate chance at MVP?
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 7, 2018
As of March 4th Davis’s odds to win the MVP sat at +2800 behind Curry, Giannis, James and the runaway favorite Harden. I fully agree with Hoop Central (and Kevin Roberts’ article) – get this man in the discussion!
Other notables:
- Dwight Howard put up 30 in a losing effort against the 76ers. Howard last crossed the 30+ pts mark on 11/2/2016.
- Damian Lillard continued his torrid scoring pace, hitting 8/11 3pts on his way to a 37 point outing, the fourth time he has scored 35 or more in the past six games.
- Having dropped three of their previous four, the Wizards held on to beat the Hornets in OT. Bradley Beal went 12/16 for 30pts. John Wall (knee) participated in pregame shooting. He is expected to return sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.
- And nearly flying under the radar- Steph paces the Warriors with 34 pts, 6/12 from deep, en route to a 114-101 W over the Nets.