Random Basketball Thoughts - 4/3/18

1. The Cavs have not improved after their blockbuster blow up mid-season trade. We can give them time, but will that (and Kevin Love's return) fix things before the playoffs? They just lost again to a mid tier team in the Nuggets, and are barely beating bottom dwellers. LeBron, as the best player in the league, just can't do it all.

2. Lonzo Ball is ballin. He's setting the tone, defending as usual, getting a high number of rebounds (as a PG) and scoring as needed. And the Lakers (sans Ingram) just won against the Spurs (albeit they're also missing a few important stars, but still, it's the Spurs). The Lakers did not make a mistake with him as the No 2 pick (where's Fultz anyone?).

3. It's all setting up to become an interesting end to the regular season. The West is as tight as ever. The East is also interesting as LeBron's team continues its free-fall in a weak division. Just try to close your eyes to the teams intentionally losing among the bottom-dwellers.

And As Usual, The NBA Eastern Conference Still Goes Through LeBron

The LeBron Soap Opera continues with more drama than any TV show/comic, and the Cavs change half the team mid-season (probably to fix the locker room more than the on court product). But did anyone think they'd be this good in their first game together with the new players?

You really have to pity Isiah Thomas for what he's going through, with a precipitous fall from grace (MVP candidate to bench player in less than a year). But when you enter a new locker room full of alpha males and create disharmony in the locker room while not being a stud yourself coming back from injury...