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10 NBA story lines to watch for the rest of the season
Kobe Bryant's NBA career is almost over. David Liam Kyle/Getty Images

The most intriguing NBA story lines for the rest of the season

The NBA All-Star Break is upon us, and with that every NBA player is getting a well-needed break from the rigors of an 82-game schedule. After Sunday’s All-Star Game comes to a close, the second half of the NBA season will commence, and a number of story lines across the league will pick up steam.

Here are 10 story lines to watch in the second half of the NBA season.

1) Can the Warriors go 73-9?

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls set the gold standard for regular-season play in the NBA. Led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, the Bulls went 72-10 that year, a regular-season record.

Currently with a record of 48-4, the Golden State Warriors are on pace the best the '96 Bulls. With basketball savant Stephen Curry leading the way, the Warriors have redefined what it means to play basketball in the 21st century, but there are still several factors that may prevent them from finishing with a record better than 72-10.

First off, the Warriors have stayed remarkably healthy this year. Other than losing Harrison Barnes for a significant period of time, Golden State’s key rotation players have played in almost every single game this season. Secondly, with the Warriors well on their way to earning homecourt advantage for the entire playoffs, head coach Steve Kerr may want to rest his top players toward the end of the year. After all, the Warriors' true goal this season is to win back-to-back NBA titles, not finish with a single-digit loss total — although it would be pretty cool if they did.

2) Kobe Bryant’s last stand

With Lakers great Kobe Bryant having announced his retirement effective at the end of the season, NBA fans across the country have embraced “The Black Mamba” in way that once seemed unimaginable. Kobe has routinely been receiving standing ovations, video tributes and gifts from teams and fans that once hated his guts. But times have changed. Kobe is no longer the assassin on the court he used to be, and the Lakers are, well, awful.

As his final career game April 13 against the Utah Jazz draws nearer, it will be fascinating to see how Bryant’s historic NBA career comes to a close.

3) What is going to happen with Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers?

In case you haven’t heard, last month in Toronto, Clippers star Blake Griffin broke his right hand when he punched a member of the team’s equipment staff. The incident was an absolute embarrassment for both Griffin and the Clippers organization as a whole.

Griffin is now expected to miss four to six weeks of playing time, and upon his return, he has been suspended by the team for four games. Clippers brass and Griffin both seem committed to working through the incident, but it will be an interesting dynamic to watch when he does return to the court.

The Clippers have actually been playing better in Griffin’s absence, and if upon his return the team begins to struggle, you have to wonder if coach and team president of basketball operations Doc Rivers may begin to have some second thoughts about his 26-year-old superstar. If the Clippers are once again unable to make it past the second round of the playoffs, major changes may be in order, and that could put Blake Griffin on the trading block in the offseason.

4) The race for Ben Simmons

Considered by some to be the most talented NBA prospect since LeBron James, LSU forward Ben Simmons is a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft. The only question regarding the ultra-talented Australian is where he will be playing next season.

The 76ers, Lakers, Nets and Suns currently have the four worst records in the league, but sadly for Brooklyn, the Boston Celtics own the team's first-round pick. Nothing is guaranteed with the NBA lottery system, but considering Simmons has the potential to be a franchise-altering player, expect the Sixers, Lakers and Suns to be in full-on tank mode for the remainder of the season.

5) Who can threaten the Cavs in the East?


Led by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cleveland Cavaliers are heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference and advance to NBA Finals for a second straight year. At this point, it’s simply a forgone conclusion. But could the Cavs be upset early on in the playoffs? It’s improbable, but not impossible.

The Raptors appear to be all in this season, and a trade deadline acquisition (Paul Millsap?) could potentially put them over the top. Also, with a little bit of luck, the Heat and Celtics might be able to give the Cavs a scare.

6) Who will win Defensive Player of the Year?

More likely than not, San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard will win his second straight Defensive Player of the Year award. However, don’t be shocked if Warriors forward Draymond Green is able to make a late run at the award. Green is one of a handful of NBA players who can guard every position on the floor and is the linchpin that holds the Warriors together on both side of the court.

Sure, Kawhi might be the best one-on-on defender in the NBA, but there isn’t a player who makes his teammates better the defensive side of the floor than Draymond Green.

7) Will the Wizards make the playoffs?


After making it to the second round of the playoffs last season, the Washington Wizards have struggled immensely this season. Despite being led by All-Star point guard John Wall, the Wizards currently find themselves outside of the playoff picture in the East.

For a team that was considered to be on the rise, the Wizards have been a tremendous disappointment this season. Whether or not they can begin to turn their season around and make a run at a playoff spot will be something to watch for in the second half of the season.

8) Will the Rockets make the playoffs?

If there’s one team in the NBA that’s been more disappointing than the Wizards, it’s the Houston Rockets. After making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season, nothing has gone right for Houston this season.

James Harden is not playing like the MVP candidate he was last year, Dwight Howard is no longer the player he used to be and the Ty Lawson trade has been a failure. Additionally, the team fired coach Kevin McHale early in the season, a move that was both rash and somewhat perplexing.

With a record of 27-28, the Rockets would not make the playoffs if the season ended today. This team has regressed, and there is going to be pressure on general manager Daryl Morey to do something drastic to shake things up in the coming weeks. Which brings us to or next topic …

9) Do we see a major trade?

Will we see a blockbuster trade by the Feb. 19 deadline? We know the Rockets have been shopping Dwight Howard, but pulling the trigger on a trade of such magnitude midseason, let alone one in which they would hardly receive equal value, seems unlikely. The Hawks have made Paul Millsap, Al Horford and Jeff Teague available, but the franchise has been known to be stubborn when it comes to trades.

Truth be told, the Knicks should be looking to trade Carmelo Anthony, as his value will likely never be higher than it is now, but president of basketball operations Phil Jackson has nixed any speculation of Anthony being moved. Like most NBA trade deadlines, expect a lot of talk but very few trades of any significance.

10) Can anyone take down the Warriors?

The short answer to this question is no. The long answer: Probably not. Assuming the Warriors stay healthy, it’s difficult at this point in time to envision any scenario in which they don’t repeat as NBA champions. They’re just too good. After all, why score two points when you can score three?

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