4. James Harden Leads NBA In Assists Per Game
Is James Harden a “ball-hog?”
At times, yes he is.
Can he also be a terrific passer and one of the best “assist-men in the league?”
Yes he can.
Over the course of his career, James Harden has led the league in assists during the 2016-17 season and is averaging a league-high 10.8 assists this season.
Since being traded to the Nets, Harden is averaging 11.3 assists per game and is the best passer on this team. He has taken a step back and let both KD and Kyrie do a lot of the dirty work on the offensive end of the court, making Harden this team’s main distributor and facilitator.
Given the offensive firepower this team has and the talent they have, Harden will continue dishing out assists every night and as a result, he will finish leading the league in assists for the second-time in his career.
The best chance the Nets have to win a title is with Harden continuing to do what he does best as a passer, propelling him to earning yet another monumental achievement in his Hall-of-Fame career.
3. New York Knicks Make Playoffs For First Time Since 2013
Since their last playoff appearance in 2013, the Knicks have had 7 consecutive seasons with a losing record, but things are changing in MSG and Tom Thibodeau has this team way ahead of schedule in-terms of rebuilding.
Julius Randle has emerged as an All-Star caliber talent for the Knicks and with second-year guard R.J. Barrett playing at the highest level of his career, this team has a shot. I am going to say it — The New York Knicks are going to the playoffs this year!
This team has an excellent blend of some veteran talent and some young talent and given that they currently rank amongst the top of the league in total defensive efficiency, this is a team that will surprise a lot of folks this season.
Expect to see the Knicks be aggressive at the trade deadline in attempts to acquire more high-level talent to pair with R.J. Barrett and Julius Randle.