At this stage of the season, teams need to be much more meticulous, implementing rigorous schemes to be as effective as possible. The margin between winning and losing is very narrow; therefore, they cannot afford the slightest of mistakes. Which teams were able to implement these changes in the first month of the year? Let’s take a look.
Miami Heat
Despite having a rough start this year, the Miami Heat have learned from their mistakes pretty quickly, improving in true shooting percentages and free throw efficiency. Most importantly, the massive three-point percentage jump, now 1st in the League, has been a determining factor when it comes to taking the lead in close games. Currently sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference, they are very likely to maintain a winning record, clinching a playoff spot as a result.
January record: 9-5
Denver Nuggets
At first, it seemed as if the Denver Nuggets had no potential to compete at the highest level. However, they recently have managed to solve their issues. While they do not stand out on any particular statistic, the consistency in every aspect of their game is what has brought them back to the playoff race. There is one differentiating factor, though; MVP-mode Nikola Jokić. His first-class performances make all the difference on both ends of the court.
January record: 11-5
Cleveland Cavaliers
Oddly enough, the Cavs have been a dark horse over the past few weeks. January has been a memorable month, proving that lacking a “superstar player” does not necessarily indicate poor performance. They have all supported each other, with each player playing relentlessly for a common goal: returning to this years’ postseason. What’s more, the team already has eight wins more than last season, with 32 games left to play!
January record: 10-4
Memphis Grizzlies
Probably the most enjoyable team to watch, the Grizzlies started off on the right foot this year. Among their most noticeable improvements are the blocks, steals, and rebounds per game, which help them generate more offensive opportunities that would otherwise be nonexistent. Considering this is the youngest team in the NBA, 24 years old on average, their performance is not only surprising, but exceptional.
January record: 12-3
Phoenix Suns
The Valley team does not seem to be stopping anytime soon! Once again, this month demonstrated their clear dominance in the league, being 3.5 games ahead of the second-best team, the Warriors. The duo of Devin Booker and Chris Paul is the cornerstone of their incredibly well-structured system, with stellar performances in every single game. Not to mention, their deep rotation is one of the best on today’s basketball. Will they finally redeem themselves by winning a ring this year?
January record: 13-1
This first month of 2022 was quite captivating. The level of competition will only go up from here, as the postseason spots are still up for grabs. As fans, this brings us nothing but utter joy.
Sources: nba.com, espn.com, basketball-reference.com, lineups.com
