NBA Week 18: Dallas back in business, Lakers face reality check and All-Star showdown approaches | NBA News

Week 18 of the NBA approaches, and with All-Star weekend drawing near we take a look at the players worth keeping an eye on and the teams which may be in a spot of bother ahead of the playoff and play-in picture.

Trouble ahead for high-flying Boston?

Things probably don’t look so concerning when you’re looking down from the top of the Eastern Conference, but change happens quickly in the NBA, and before you know it, you’re in trouble. Perhaps that’s not entirely the case for the Celtics, but their growing injury list could make it so.

It already had Marcus Smart and Robert Williams on it – alarming enough as these two are the heart of their defensive setup. Add in Al Horford and possibly Jaylen Brown, who picked up a facial injury colliding with his own player on Wednesday, and you’re looking at the prospect of having to put Luke Kornet up against Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Cam Thomas to continue to dazzle

Who needs Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant when you have Cam Thomas?

Indeed, the Brooklyn Nets’ prospective star has made history this week, coming seemingly out of the blue and becoming the youngest player ever to score 40+ points in three straight outings, surpassing Allen Iverson, who did so in five consecutive contests back in 1997.

This run of entertaining performances might just be an adrenaline surge, but it’s one that the Nets cannot afford to turn away. They’ve failed to put up consecutive victories in a concerning stretch of games as a result of the trade fallout, and now will be looking to rebuild their franchise. Thomas could be the one to do it around if he remains in this vein of form.

Look out to see if the 21-year-old can keep it up against the Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers this week.

Dallas back in business?

The Mavs have Irving in tow after a furiously fast move ahead of this Thursday’s trade deadline. This will be the first week in which we start to see how that trade really pans out on the floor.

He already kicked off his debut in Wednesday night’s 110-104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers with 24 points. The 30-year-old also had four rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes of what amounted to a dress rehearsal before the injured Luka Doncic returns to give the team a powerhouse backcourt.

When Doncic does come back, these two will be arguably the most feared attacking duo in the league, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing the new superstar tandem in action this week in back-to-back games against Sacramento.

Lakers face reality check ahead of tough fixture list

The dust settled in Lakerland after a euphoric week in which LeBron James become the league’s all-time points record holder, and the emerging view is not a pretty one.

As mesmeric as the moment was when he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s previous haul, the Lakers still lost that game to an Oklahoma City Thunder side that they really should have been equipped to deal with.

It’s been the theme of the season really; James continuing to reach new individual heights while the rest of the franchise remains stuck in the same place.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like things will change very soon, especially with the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks and resurgent New Orleans Pelicans next on the cards.

Two of those teams are battling for pole position in their respective conferences, the Dubs have no Stephen Curry but all of Klay Thompson, the Blazers Damian Lillard is continuing to light it up week after week. And the Bucks? Well, they have Giannis.

So, if their current form is anything to go by, James and co have a huge task ahead of them if they are hoping to make it to the end of the week with their playoff or indeed play-in hopes intact.

A memorable All-Star weekend set to unfold

February 19 is fast approaching, and with it the promise of all All-Star matchups unlike any other in Salt Lake City.

Team LeBron faces off against Team Giannis, Mike Malone versus Joe Mazzulla, two star-studded line-ups, and a bench that would rival most championship teams any day of the week. Does it get any better?

Well, maybe not, but it does get more suspenseful, with the news that both captains won’t be picking their teams until the night of the competitions.

Whatever goes down, and whoever is donning the Jordan Brand uniform, it’ll be a high-profile event for all involved.