Around the NBA: Week of Jan. 30

After a wild spree of scoring throughout the NBA last week, players and teams have seemed to cool off a bit. Or have they?

A potential contender in the East

After having a promising season last year, winning their first playoff series since the 2013 season, the New York Knicks have emerged as an Eastern Conference contender.

Since trading for OG Anunoby, the Knicks are 15-2 in their last 17 games and now sit third in the Eastern Conference standings.

They have won nine straight games and have had one of the best defensive ratings in the entire league since the trade.

Jalen Brunson is leading the surge, playing at an All-NBA first-team level this season averaging 27.1 points per game, 6.4 assists per game and 3.9 rebounds per game.

If he continues to play at a star level and their defense continues to shine, the Knicks could make a deep playoff run this year.

Red Hot Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 12-1 in their last 13 games and currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference standings after beating the Memphis Grizzlies on the road on Thursday night.

Donovan Mitchell has led the way averaging 28.1 points per game this season along with many young promising guys stepping up such as Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert.

Although this team had a disappointing ending to their season last year, they are looking better than ever and have been doing everything.

No LeBron? No AD? No problem

On Thursday night the Los Angeles Lakers went into Boston as massive underdogs and came out with a huge upset win over the Celtics on a night where LeBron James and Anthony Davis didn’t play.

Austin Reaves led the way scoring 32 points as he shot 7-10 from three, taking down the league-leading Celtics fully healthy squad in their own home.

For a Lakers team that has had a very up-and-down season so far, this game surely gave them a spark and some motivation for the rest of the season.

New Look, New trouble

After the acquisition of Damian Lillard, the “New Look” Milwaukee Bucks have struggled defensively, even when fully healthy.

While their record looks great as they currently sit at second in the east, the Bucks rank 23rd in the league in average points per game given up to opponents at 119.9 per game.

On Damian Lillard’s return home this week, he was not welcomed with open arms. The struggling Portland Trail Blazers spoiled his return in a huge upset win 119-116 on Wednesday night.

The MVP race is Back up for Grabs

While Joel Embiid has had quite the season, averaging 35.3 points per game, 11.3 rebounds per game and 5.7 assists per game, including his legendary 70-point performance last week against the San Antonio Spurs, he will soon become ineligible for the MVP award.

The new rule states that a player has to play at least 65 games in the season to be eligible and while Embiid was already getting close to that mark, he will now miss more time with a meniscus injury in his left knee that he suffered on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors.

While Embiid was the clear favorite, it now seems that Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo are all back up at the top of the ladder.

With all three teams being near the top of their respective conferences it will be fascinating to see which player steps up the most and takes the award.

Michael Landis is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mpl5930@psu.edu