NBA 2018-19: Teams of The Week - Week 21

The NBA 2018-19 season has been a great season so far, with some teams performing exceptionally well while others failing to succeed. Some surprising results too were on display in the Week 21 of the 2018-19 season, which could have some huge ramifications in the run up to the post season.

This is the time where most teams are looking to make a run for the playoffs and sneak in as the 7th or the 8th seed, just to give their fans hope that they too are competitive enough and give them something to cheer. With this in mind, let us look at the top 5 teams of Week 21.

5. Brooklyn Nets (35-33)

The Brooklyn Nets have been performing at the highest level all season long and their feel-good success story does not seem like it will be stopping anytime soon. They have been closing out some real tough games this season and are outperforming all expectations. They are currently 7th in the Eastern Conference with a 35-33 record.

They have won 6 of their last 10 matches and are on a 3-game winning streak right now. They won all 3 of their games this week and against some easy opponents. They won a blowout game against the Dallas Mavericks, winning 127-88 in a huge win. They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-107 in an entertaining matchup and finally got their 3rd straight win over the Atlanta Hawks, 114-112.

They seem to have found a winning formula with this team and are actually able to close out games and these matches matter a lot in the push for the playoff spots as the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards are all trying to fight for the 6th, 7th and 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.

4. Boston Celtics (41-26)

The Boston Celtics have found a rhythm of late

The Boston Celtics have had a really tumultuous 2018-19 season. They were one of the favourites to run away with the Eastern Conference but are currently languishing in 5th place with a 41-26 record. They have won just 5 of their last 10 matches but have put on a 3-game winning streak. They are still 9 games behind the top seed Milwaukee Bucks but have a better chance with the 3rd placed Philadelphia 76ers as they just 1 game behind.

The Celtics had a really tough schedule this week but managed to win all 3 of their matches. They faced the Golden State Warriors to open up the week but blew them out of the arena, beating them by a solid 128-95 win. Then they faced the fast-paced Sacramento Kings and managed to pip them in an entertaining match up, winning 111-109.

The final game of the week was against the struggling Los Angeles Lakers and the Celtics, led by Kyrie Irving, managed to sweep them aside, winning 120-107. They are enjoying a rare bit of form as of now and if they are able to carry it forward, they will be a really dangerous team in the post season.

3. Detroit Pistons (34-31)

The Detroit Pistons have been on fire this season

The Detroit Pistons were having a really bad start to their NBA 2018-19 season but have put together a really solid run of late. They are currently 6th in Eastern Conference and have a 34-31 record, just half a game ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and 3.5 games ahead of the Miami Heat.

They have won 8 of their last 10 games and are on a 5-game winning streak, including the 3 games they won in a row in Week 21. They faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first game this week, with Andre Drummond having a great performance, both offensively and defensively, leading them to a 131-114 win.

They played the Chicago Bulls twice, winning both. They won the first one at Chicago, 112-104 and then beat them in the return fixture at home, 131-108. They are currently in fine form and are making a real push for the playoff spots. They need to keep the Brooklyn Nets at bay to secure the 6th spot and keep winning games as the other teams are not too far back.

2. San Antonio Spurs (38-29)

San Antonio Spurs have been superb this week

The only reason the San Antonio Spurs made it over the Detroit Pistons is due to the fact that their opponents were really difficult and yet they managed to come out with 3 wins out of 3 this week. The Spurs are currently 7th in the Western Conference, with a 38-29 record and have won 6 of their last 10 games. They are on a 5-game winning streak, including the clean sweep in Week 21.

They started off the week against the Denver Nuggets, winning a really close contest 104-103. They then played the Atlanta Hawks, where they won more comfortably, 111-104. The last game of the week was against the Milwaukee Bucks, who the Spurs dispatched as well, winning the game 121-114 in a huge upset. The Spurs are consolidating their position in the standings and are just 3.5 games behind the 3rd spot as they are looking to make their 21st consecutive post season run.

1. Houston Rockets (41-25)

Houston Rockets have been on fire this week

Houston Rockets have been playing some really good basketball of late and this has continued this week as well, as they won their 3 stipulated games of the week. They are currently 3rd in the Western Conference with a 41-25 record. They have won 8 games in a row, which has been their best streak this season and continued to surge up the standings. They are just 4 games behind the top seed Golden State Warriors and are looking really menacing.

The Rockets faced off against the Toronto Raptors in their first game, winning it comfortably, 107-95. They played the Philadelphia 76ers in their next game, winning that one very comfortably as well, 107-91. Their defense really stepped up this past week as they played the Dallas Mavericks in the final game of the week, winning it in a cliffhanger game, 94-93.

The Houston Rockets have been a topsy-turvy team all season long but have put together a real strong run close to the post season which makes them one of the most dangerous teams, not just in the Western Conference, but in the NBA.

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