3:55PM EST November 14. 2012 - Three story lines from Wednesday night's 10-game NBA slate (all times p.m. Eastern): Heat at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30, ESPN: Another way to phrase this question: Do Blake Griffin and De Andre Jordan compose an elite front court? The Clippers' big men are the NBA's most athletic over sized duo, and the Heat play a small lineup that has struggled with interior defense and rebounding.
Jordan has blossomed this season, making 72.0% of his shots. Griffin has been inconsistent, averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds a game after 20.7 and 10.9 last season. But Miami doesn't have an answer for either in its starting lineup. With Shane Battier and Chris Bosh at the power forward and center spots, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is giving up size and strength. LeBron James has carried the burden on the boards, averaging 10.0 a game to Bosh's 7.4. Udonis Haslem may need to play extended minutes, but that cuts into Spoelstra's wide-open offense, which leads the NBA in points per possession. Or Miami can try to score enough that Los Angeles can't keep pace. That works, too.
Can the Memphis Grizzlies contend for a championship without a star?
Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8, ESPN: The example is tired at this point, but the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons stand as the one shining example. They are the only team to win an NBA championship without one of the league's 10 best players in the past 30 years. The Grizzlies beat the Heat on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win. Stretching that streak to seven would be seriously impressive with the Thunder followed by the 5-0 Knicks on Friday. They have the horses. Zach Randolph leads the NBA with 14.5 rebounds a game, and he is doing it without stepping on Rudy gay's toes offensively. Mike Conley Jr. can't match talent with the Thunder's Russell Westbrook or other elite point guards, but his quiet efficiency has justified an extension many criticized before last season, and he's helped by Marc Gasol, perhaps the best passing big man in the league. The 6-2 Thunder should win this game on paper. But the 5-1 Grizzlies are great on the court.
So the Charlotte Bobcats are good now, maybe?
Bobcats at Minnesota Timberwolves, 8: The Bobcats were a special type of miserable last season, one generally saved for the Matt Millen-era Detroit Lions. Their 7-59 mark stands as the worst in NBA history, and they didn't seem to improve their roster much in the offseason. But it's like Stevie Nicks said, "Children get older." Kemba Walker has gone from awkward rookie to high-scoring starter. Byron Mullens is becoming a viable NBA player after three years of inadequacy. Moreover, Michael Jordan's team added three veterans and one rookie who have become the team's second, third, fourth and fifth best players behind Walker. Experienced guards Ben Gordon and Ramon Sessions boost the bench, which was awful last season. And team old man Brendan Hawyood, 32, and young kid Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 19, have stabilized the frontcourt and led a defense that held the Washington Wizards without a field goal for 9 minutes, 20 seconds in the fourth quarter of a win Tuesday. Charlotte is 3-3. Jordan might even be willing to admit he knows these guys.
Wednesday's other games:
Detroit Pistons at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00
Utah Jazz at Boston Celtics, 7:30
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks, 8:00
New Orleans Hornets at Houston Rockets, 8:00
Washington Wizards at Dallas Mavericks, 8:30
Chicago Bulls at Phoenix Suns, 9:00
Atlanta Hawks at Golden State Warriors, 10:30