We Always Win

Bandwagon Assessment: 1st Quarter

Every team has played at least 25% of their schedule so it’s time to evaluate which bandwagons are worth jumping on. (Records thru 1/28/12)

Chicago Bulls 17-4

• Jersey to buy: Derrick Rose
• Bench player to rally around: Taj Gibson
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Joakim Noah
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump On
• Long-term outlook: Reigning league MVP Derrick Rose makes at least one play a game that blows your mind. Their offense still needs another guy who can create his own shot.

Miami Heat 14-5

• Jersey to buy: LeBron James
• Bench player to rally around: Norris Cole
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Chris Bosh
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump On
• Long-term outlook: Most Heat fans are bandwagon fans- which we endorse obviously. They need more fans like Lil Wayne if they are to rise to true greatness.

Philadelphia 76ers 14-6

• Jersey to buy: Jrue Holiday
• Bench player to rally around: Thaddeus Young
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Spencer Hawes
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump On
• Long-term outlook: This is a solid League Pass team. They’ve got young ballers being coached by a veteran coach. They’re winning but their injury-prone bigs will have a say in how far they go.

Atlanta Hawks 14-6

• Jersey to buy: Josh Smith
• Bench player to rally around: Ivan Johnson
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Zaza Pachulia
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: For a team called the Highlight Factory doesn’t it seem like no ones cares about this team.

Indiana Pacers 12-6

• Jersey to buy: Danny Granger
• Bench player to rally around: Tyler Hansbrough
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Dahntay Jones
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump On
• Long-term outlook: Indiana has a team. They get under opponents’ skin and have just enough offense to beat you. And they aren’t afraid of Chicago.

Orlando Magic 12-7

• Jersey to buy: None
• Bench player to rally around: J.J. Redick
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Quentin Richardson
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: It’s only a matter of time before Dwight Howard is traded. This team has turned in two heartless performances recently. Not a good situation.

Boston Celtics 9-9

• Jersey to buy: Rajon Rondo
• Bench player to rally around: Brandon Bass
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Kevin Garnett
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: Hard to count out the Celtics but the Perkins/Green trade was a gamble that they lost.

Milwaukee Bucks 8-11

• Jersey to buy: Brandon Jennings
• Bench player to rally around: Jon Leuer
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Stephen Jackson
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump On
• Long-term outlook: I like this team… and their old logo. The Bogut injury might be too much to overcome but they’ll battle.

Cleveland Cavaliers 7-11

• Jersey to buy: Kyrie Irving
• Bench player to rally around: Alonzo Gee
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Anderson Varejao
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: The Cavs are showing signs of improvement and that’s admirable. Slightly disappointed I couldn’t write this note in Comic Sans.

New Jersey Nets 7-13

• Jersey to buy: Drazen Petrovic
• Bench player to rally around: None
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Kris Humphries
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: The impending move to Brooklyn and the uncertainty around their roster means you should wait for their new jerseys.

New York Knicks 7-13

• Jersey to buy: Carmelo Anthony
• Bench player to rally around: Bill Walker
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Jared Jeffries
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: Help Wanted: Point Guard to run high-powered offense with two of the leagues best scorers in the world’s most famous arena.

Toronto Raptors 6-14

• Jersey to buy: Andrea Bargnani
• Bench player to rally around: Leandro Barbosa
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Aaron Gray
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump On
• Long-term outlook: Just say Bargnani a few times. Then watch this.

Washington Wizards 4-16

• Jersey to buy: John Wall
• Bench player to rally around: Shelvin Mack
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Andray Blatche
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: Team building is hard and the Wizards have a culture of losing. They’ve had too many ‘Get Mine’ guys. The Bullet Wizards are casting blanks.

Detroit Pistons 4-17

• Jersey to buy: Tayshaun Prince
• Bench player to rally around: Will Bynum
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Ben Gordon
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: Joe Dumars made some mistakes with this roster. They stink.

Charlotte Bobcats 3-18

• Jersey to buy: Michael Jordan
• Bench player to rally around: Byron Mullens
• Player you’ll love but everyone else hates: Boris Diaw
• Bandwagon Assessment: Jump Off
• Long-term outlook: You get the feeling Jordan might be a distant owner given his team is still named after the previous owner. They stink.

Western Conference