NBA Team Recap – March 11, 2013

The%20Heat%20easily%20dispatched%20the%20Pacers%2C%20who%20are%20considered%20the%20best%20threat%20to%20beat%20them%20in%20the%20East%20playoffs%2C%20and%20added%20to%20their%20winning%20streak%20%2818%29.%20%28Photo%20by%20Issac%20Baldizon%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Manu%20Ginobli%20is%20playing%20up%20to%20his%20old%20standards%2C%20averaging%2017%20points%20and%205%20assists%20over%20the%20last%20three%20games.%20%28Photos%20by%20D.%20Clarke%20Evans%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Considered%20moving%20the%20Thunder%20up%20to%20%232%20and%20next%20week%20is%20likely%20if%2C%20as%20expected%2C%20they%20get%20a%20win%20tonight%20against%20the%20Spurs.%20%28Photo%20by%20Layne%20Murdoch%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Since%20trading%20Rudy%20Gay%2C%20the%20Grizzlies%20are%2013-4%20and%20playing%20like%20they%20did%20when%20opening%20the%20season%20at%2014-3.%20%28Photo%20by%20Joe%20Murphy%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Clippers%20tend%20to%20get%20thumped%20every%20so%20often%20as%20they%20did%20this%20week%20against%20the%20Nuggets%2C%20but%20DeAndre%20Jordan%E2%80%99s%20dunk%20last%20night%20over%20Brandon%20Knight%20of%20the%20Pistons%20is%20why%20you%20like%20this%20team%20so%20much.%20%28Photo%20by%20Noah%20Graham%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Nuggets%20are%20on%20an%20eight-game%20winning%20streak%20fueled%20by%20point%20guard%20Ty%20Lawson.%20%28Photo%20by%20Garrett%20W.%20Ellwood%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Danny%20Granger%E2%80%99s%20comeback%20was%20cut%20short%2C%20but%20a%20MRI%20revealed%20no%20new%20damage%20to%20his%20left%20knee%20and%20his%20return%20is%20day-to-day.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Fernando%20Medina%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Lakers%20commandeer%20the%20final%20playoff%20spot%20and%20are%20looking%20to%20move%20even%20higher%20as%20teams%20directly%20ahead%20continue%20to%20slump.%20Plus%2C%20Pau%20Gasol%20may%20return%20sooner%20than%20later.%20%28Photo%20by%20Andrew%20D.%20Bernstein%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Celtics%20fared%20well%20this%20week%20with%20close%20wins%20over%20the%20Pacers%20and%20Hawks%2C%20and%20battled%20the%20Thunder%20in%20a%20loss%20for%20most%20of%20the%20game.%20Avery%20Bradley%20is%20a%20defensive%20force%20pressuring%20the%20ball.%20%28Photo%20by%20Layne%20Murdoch%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Nets%20regrouped%20with%20wins%20over%20the%20Bobcats%20and%20Wizards%20and%20continued%20the%20momentum%20by%20beating%20the%20Hawks.%20In%20the%20Wizards%20win%2C%20Deron%20Williams%20went%20off%20making%2011%20three-pointers.%20A%20soft%20schedule%20continues%20with%20the%20Sixers%2C%20Hornets%20and%20Pistons.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Streeter%20Lecka%2FGetty%20Images%29

Getting%20away%20to%20California%20was%20good%20for%20the%20Bucks%20who%20won%20against%20Sacramento%20and%20Golden%20State.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rocky%20Widner%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Hawks%20have%20not%20beat%20a%20quality%20opponent%20in%20quite%20a%20while%20and%20have%20the%20Heat%2C%20Lakers%20and%20Nets%20upcoming.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Bulls%20are%20not%20playing%20well%20with%20a%20lack%20of%20perimeter%20shooting%20with%20Kirk%20Hinrich%20out%20and%20no%20Derrick%20Rose%2C%20although%20he%20has%20been%20given%20medical%20clearance%20to%20play.%20%28Photo%20by%20Gary%20Dineen%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

James%20Harden%20is%20a%20scoring%20machine%20as%20Omer%20Asik%20is%20a%20rebounding%20machine%2C%20but%20even%20their%20combined%20effort%20was%20not%20good%20enough%20to%20beat%20the%20lowly%20Suns.%20%28Photo%20by%20Barry%20Gossage%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Apparently%2C%20at%20the%20beginning%20of%20the%20season%2C%20the%20Warriors%20had%20an%20opportunity%20to%20trade%20for%20James%20Harden%2C%20but%20were%20reluctant%20to%20give%20up%20Klay%20Thompson%20and%20other%20pieces.%20Not%20a%20no-brainer%2C%20but%20hindsight%20is%20always%2020%2F20.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rocky%20Widner%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Mavs%20are%20on%20a%20three-game%20winning%20streak%2C%20but%20signs%20that%20things%20are%20not%20going%20well%20was%20releasing%202010%20first-round%20selection%206-5%20guard%20Dominique%20Jones%20who%20didn%E2%80%99t%20pan%20out.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20Sherman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Jazz%20can%E2%80%99t%20seem%20to%20stop%20the%20bleeding%2C%20slipping%20out%20of%20the%20playoff%20picture%20with%20four%20straight%20losses.%20They%20finally%20released%20Raja%20Bell%20who%20has%20not%20played%20all%20season.%20%28Photo%20by%20Gary%20Dineen%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

Damon%20Lillard%20dropped%2035%20points%20in%20a%20136-106%20win%20over%20the%20Spurs%2C%20but%20reality%20set%20in%20during%20the%20next%20game%20after%20losing%20to%20the%20Hornets.%20That%20loss%20could%20ultimately%20kill%20a%20playoff%20spot.%20%28Photo%20by%20Sam%20Forencich%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Wizards%20allowed%20Deron%20Williams%20to%20match%20the%20entire%20team%20with%2033%20points%20in%20the%20first%20half.%20But%20they%20bounced%20back%20over%20the%20Bobcats%2C%20led%20by%20Trevor%20Ariza%E2%80%99s%2026%20points%20off%20the%20bench.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jesse%20D.%20Garrabrant%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Raptors%20let%20the%20Lakers%20steal%20one%20in%20a%20118-116%20OT%20loss.%20They%20won%20the%20next%20game%20against%20the%20Cavs%20without%20Rudy%20Gay%20%28stiff%20back%29%20and%20Andrea%20Bargnani%20%28strained%20elbow%29.%20%28Photo%20by%20Andrew%20D.%20Bernstein%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Cavs%20considered%20shutting%20down%20Kyrie%20Irving%20for%20the%20season%20after%20suffering%20a%20hyper-extended%20knee.%20He%20continued%20to%20play%20and%20then%20injured%20his%20shoulder%20in%20a%20loss%20to%20the%20Raptors.%20The%20only%20thing%20that%20will%20hold%20him%20back%20is%20being%20injury%20prone.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20Liam%20Kyle%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Suns%20may%20have%20something%20in%20center%20Hamed%20Haddadi%20who%20was%20received%20in%20a%20trade%20from%20the%20Raptors.%20He%20played%20tough%20and%20grabbed%2011%20rebounds%20in%20a%20win%20over%20the%20Rockets%20in%20the%20absence%20of%20an%20injured%20Marcin%20Gortat.%20%28Photo%20by%20Garrett%20Ellwood%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Pistons%20are%20on%20a%20five-game%20losing%20streak%20and%20center%20Greg%20Monroe%20wondered%20aloud%20if%20his%20teammates%20have%20given%20up.%20%28Photo%20by%20Dan%20Lippitt%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Sixers%20are%20also%20struggling%20in%20the%20midst%20of%20a%20five-game%20losing%20streak%20and%20the%20Andrew%20Bynum%20saga%20continues%20after%20suffering%20a%20setback%20in%20practice.%20%28Photo%20by%20Issac%20Baldizon%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

No%20more%20back-to-back%20games%20for%20Eric%20Gordon%20to%20protect%20his%20knees%20and%20they%20managed%20to%20beat%20the%20Blazers%20without%20him.%20%28Photo%20by%20Layne%20Murdoch%20Jr.%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Twolves%20have%20the%20ability%20to%20bounce%20back%20with%20a%20high%20lottery%20draft%20and%20by%20taking%20the%20right%20player%2C%20but%20this%20season%20seems%20interminable%20with%20injuries%20and%20blow-out%20losses.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20Sherman%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

DeMarcus%20Cousins%20is%20playing%20well%20with%2024%20points%20and%2012%20rebounds%2C%20but%20he%20got%20tossed%20for%20an%20elbow%20to%20the%20head%20of%20Mike%20Dunleavy%20%26%238211%3B%20that%20prompted%20Dunleavy%20to%20score%2014%20of%20his%2016%20points%20to%20lead%20the%20Bucks%20over%20the%20Kings.%20%28Photo%20by%20Garrett%20Ellwood%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Magic%20had%20one%20win%20against%20the%20folding%20Sixers%20and%20Dwight%20Howard%20coming%20to%20town%20on%20Tuesday%20night%20will%20energize%20the%20fan%20base%20to%20come%20out%20to%20support%20their%20team%20and%20boo%20Howard.%20%28Photo%20by%20Fernando%20Medina%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

The%20Bobcats%20are%20on%20a%2010-game%20losing%20streak.%20%28Photo%20by%20Kent%20Smith%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29