NBA Team Recap – February 18, 2013

Manu%20Ginobli%20returned%20after%20a%20two%20week%20absence%2C%20but%20Kwahi%20Leonard%20hit%20the%20big%20three%20with%202.9%20seconds%20left%20to%20lift%20the%20Spurs%20to%20a%2096-95%20win%20over%20the%20Cavs%20to%20enter%20the%20all-star%20break%20on%20a%20three-game%20winning%20streak%20after%20destroying%20the%20Bulls%20and%20Nets.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20Liam%20Kyle%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Heat%20are%20on%20a%20seven-game%20winning%20streak%20where%20LeBron%20James%26%238217%3B%20personal%20streak%20of%20scoring%2030%20or%20more%20points%20on%2060%25%20shooting%20was%20stopped%20at%20six%20games%20when%20he%20shot%20only%2058%25%20in%20a%20110-100%20win%20over%20the%20Thunder.%20%28Photo%20by%20Layne%20Murdoch%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Thunder%20ripped%20though%20it%E2%80%99s%20opponents%20this%20week%20winning%20all%20games%20by%20no%20less%20than%2021%20points%20after%20ending%20last%20week%20with%20a%20loss%20to%20the%20Cavs%2C%20but%20had%20no%20answers%20for%20the%20Heat.%20%28Photo%20by%20Melissa%20Majchrzak%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Clippers%20made%20quick%20work%20of%20the%20Lakers%20and%20headed%20to%20the%20all-star%20break%20nine%20wins%20shy%20from%20the%20franchise%26%238217%3Bs%20best%20season%20win%20total.%20%28Photo%20by%20Noah%20Graham%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

In%20its%20only%20game%20of%20the%20week%2C%20Marc%20Gasol%20dropped%2024%20points%20and%20grabbed%2012%20rebounds%20in%20a%20win%20over%20the%20Kings%20as%20the%20Grizz%20return%20to%20the%20top%205%20after%20a%20long%20absence.%20%28Photo%20by%20Joe%20Murphy%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Nuggets%20got%20a%20little%20road%20weary%20this%20week%20as%20after%20falling%20in%20triple%20OT%20on%20Sunday%20in%20Boston%2C%20they%20lost%20to%20the%20Raptors%20and%20got%20crushed%20by%20the%20Nets.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ned%20Dishman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Carmelo%20Anthony%20suffered%20a%20minor%20arm%20bruise%20in%20the%20last%20game%20before%20the%20all-star%20game%2C%20but%20the%20Knicks%26%238217%3B%20ego%20has%20been%20more%20bruised%20lately%20by%20ending%20the%20first-half%20losing%20to%20the%20Raptors%20and%20looking%20out-of-sync.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ray%20Amati%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Nets%20had%20a%20big%20OT%20win%20over%20the%20Pacers%20as%20these%20teams%20will%20likely%20battle%20for%20playoff%20seeding.%20The%20Nets%20followed%20that%20up%20with%20an%20easy%20win%20over%20the%20Nuggets%20as%20Brook%20Lopez%20is%20playing%20as%20one%20of%20the%20best%20centers%20in%20the%20league.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ned%20Dishman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Paul%20George%20continues%20to%20step%20up%2C%20recording%20his%20first%20career%20triple-double%20with%2024%2C%2012%20and%2012%20in%20a%20thrashing%20of%20the%20Bobcats%2C%20101-77.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Ron%20Hoskins%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Bulls%20had%20a%20bad%20week%20with%20a%20loss%20to%20the%20Spurs%20without%20Tim%20Duncan%2C%20Tony%20Parker%20or%20Ginobli%20playing%20and%20limped%20into%20the%20break%20scoring%20only%2069%20points%20in%20a%20loss%20to%20the%20Celtics.%20Also%2C%20Derrick%20Rose%20says%20he%20may%20not%20come%20back%20this%20season%20after%20all.%20%28Photo%20by%20Brian%20Babineau%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

There%26%238217%3Bs%20trouble%20by%20the%20Bay.%20The%20Warriors%20have%20lost%20five%20in%20a%20row%20and%20introduced%20a%20t-shirt%20style%20uniform%20jersey%20they%20will%20play%20in%20for%20several%20upcoming%20games%20%26%238211%3B%20seems%20like%20a%20not%20so%20good%20idea.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rocky%20Widner%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Rockets%20easily%20beat%20the%20Warriors%20after%20so%20much%20talk%20that%20they%20would%20seek%20revenge%20against%20the%20Rockets%20in%20scoring%20an%20embarrassing%20140%20on%20them%20in%20the%20previous%20week.%20But%20without%20James%20Harden%2C%20the%20Rockets%20couldn%E2%80%99t%20handle%20a%20good%20team%20like%20the%20Clippers%2C%20losing%20106-96.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rocky%20Widner%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

If%20it%26%238217%3Bs%20not%20Al%20Jefferson%20being%20traded%2C%20its%20Paul%20Milsap.%20Wait%20until%20the%20deadline%20passes%20and%20then%20we%20should%20be%20able%20to%20get%20a%20read%20on%20this%20team%20for%20the%20near%20future.%20%28Photo%20by%20Melissa%20Majchrzak%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Josh%20Smith%20may%20be%20traded%2C%20but%20he%20is%20going%20out%20with%20a%20bang%20by%20scoring%2026%20and%2030%20in%20two%20wins%20this%20week%20over%20the%20Mavs%20and%20Magic.%20%28Photo%20by%20Fernando%20Medina%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Bucks%20are%20fading%2C%20but%20ended%20the%20week%20with%20a%20narrow%2094-92%20win%20over%20the%20Sixers%20%26%238211%3B%20their%20nearest%20competition%20to%20nabbing%20the%20last%20playoff%20spot.%20With%20the%208th%20seed%20likely%20for%20the%20playoffs%2C%20they%20become%20fodder%20for%20the%20Heat.%20%28Photo%20by%20Gary%20Dineen%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Lakers%20were%20embarrassed%2C%20125-101.%20The%20torch%20has%20officially%20passed%20to%20the%20Clippers%20as%20the%20team%20that%20owns%20Los%20Angeles.%20%28Photo%20credit%20ROBYN%20BECK%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Wonder%20if%20any%20playoff%20teams%20are%20interested%20in%20Vince%20Carter%3F%20He%26%238217%3Bs%20playing%20quite%20well%20and%20could%20be%20a%20nice%20scoring%20threat%20off%20the%20bench%20for%20some%20team.%20%28Photo%20by%20Glenn%20James%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Rudy%20Gay%20gives%20this%20team%20a%20ray%20of%20hope%20as%20it%20plays%20with%20confidence%20of%20expecting%20to%20compete%2C%20if%20not%20win.%20They%26%238217%3Bre%20on%20a%20four-game%20win%20streak%2C%20including%20a%2092-88%20win%20over%20the%20Knicks%20in%20the%20Garden.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ned%20Dishman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Trail%20Blazers%20mailed%20in%20their%20last%20game%20before%20the%20all-star%20break%20after%20already%20losing%20four%20in%20a%20row%2C%20including%20getting%20killed%20by%20the%20Hornets%2C%2099-63.%20%28Photo%20by%20Issac%20Baldizon%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20all-star%20break%20should%20be%20good%20for%20the%20Sixers%20to%20re-energize%20and%20see%20what%20the%20last%2031%20games%20entail%20for%20its%20future%20with%20or%20without%20Andrew%20Bynum%20and%20Evan%20Turner.%20%28Photo%20by%20Gary%20Dineen%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

A%20win%20over%20the%20Wizards%20was%20fueled%20by%20new%20point%20guard%20Jose%20Calderon%20with%20his%20first%20big%20game%2C%20scoring%2024%20points%20%286-9%20from%20three%29.%20His%20shooting%20should%20help%20clear%20space%20for%20big%20men%20Greg%20Monroe%20and%20Andre%20Drummond.%20%28Photo%20by%20Allen%20Einstein%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Cavs%20let%20one%20slip%20away%20as%20Dion%20Waiters%20hit%20the%20apparent%20game-winning%20shot%2C%20but%20on%20ensuing%20possession%20the%20Cavs%20seemed%20to%20daydream%2C%20allowing%20Kawhi%20Leonard%20to%20hit%20the%20game-winning%20three.%20Could%20be%20one%20to%20learn%20from%20though.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20Liam%20Kyle%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Bradley%20Beal%20scored%2028%20in%20a%20win%20over%20the%20Bucks%20and%20may%20eventually%20be%20the%20best%20player%20taken%20in%20his%20draft%20class.%20Blazers%E2%80%99%20Damon%20Lillard%20will%20win%20Rookie%20of%20the%20year%2C%20but%20no%20one%20in%20this%20rookie%20class%20is%20more%20explosive.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ned%20Dishman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Kings%20are%20in%20no-man%E2%80%99s%20land%2C%20or%20is%20it%20a%20tale%20of%20two%20cities%20as%20the%20Kings%26%238217%3B%20future%20on-and-off%20the%20court%20is%20still%20hazy%20with%20rotating%20talented%20players%20and%20figuring%20out%20what%20city%20it%20will%20play%3B%20Sacramento%20or%20Seattle.%20%28Photo%20by%20Danny%20Bollinger%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20hope%20is%20Anthony%20Davis%20responds%20in%20the%20second-half%20or%20next%20season%20like%20the%20last%20game%20before%20the%20all-star%20break%20with%2021%20points%20and%2011%20rebounds%20in%20a%20win%20over%20the%20Blazers.%20He%20has%20not%20played%20bad%2C%20but%20bigger%20things%20were%20dreamed.%20%28Photo%20by%20Layne%20Murdoch%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

This%20team%20is%20already%20looking%20forward%20to%20next%20season.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20Sherman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

This%20team%20is%20likely%20looking%20to%20improve%20next%20season%2C%20but%20the%20season%20after%20with%20all%20the%20changes%20needed%20post%20Steve%20Nash.%20%20%28Photo%20credit%20ROBYN%20BECK%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Magic%20have%20a%20similar%20story%20with%20a%20regrouping%20need%20in%20a%20post%20Dwight%20Howard%20era.%20Funny%20thing%20is%20that%20Nash%20and%20Howard%20have%20not%20worked%20out%20well%20for%20the%20Lakers%20either.%20%28Photo%20by%20Fernando%20Medina%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Bobcats%20caught%20the%20C%E2%80%99s%20sleepwalking%20beating%20them%2094-91%2C%20but%20Byron%20Mullens%E2%80%99%2025%20points%20showcased%20he%20is%20a%20legitimate%20center%20to%20be%20reckoned%20with.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ron%20Hoskins%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29