NBA midterm grades: Who brought their 'A' game?

As ever, the following grades are not meant as a means of comparing teams to each other. Instead, they are an attempt to measure a team’s performance against its own capabilities. So, no matter what a team’s record might be, a C grade indicates that the team is right where it should be. Similarly, A's and B’s signify teams that are overachieving, while D’s and F’s indicate underachievers.

There are no adjustments made for injuries, since virtually every ball club has had key players unavailable for various periods.

ATLANTA: Credit the addition of Jamal Crawford and the maturation of Josh Smith for the Hawks' improvement. The team is much better than expected, but is still somewhat erratic.
Grade: A-minus

BOSTON: Rasheed Wallace has not had the expected impact, Ray Allen continues to show wear and tear, and the Celtics still need a creative scorer off the bench.
Grade: D-plus

CHARLOTTE: Stephen Jackson provides the shooter/scorer they lacked, and his presence also frees Gerald Wallace to pick up his points without forcing shots. Moreover, Larry Brown has finally put together a team that’s committed to playing defense.
Grade: A

CHICAGO: Despite the improvement demonstrated by Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose, the Bulls still have not filled the gaping hole left by Ben Gordon’s departure.
Grade: C-minus

CLEVELAND: They play well against the good teams, but too often lack focus versus the bad teams. Shaq has managed to keep both the Cavs and their opponents-of-the-moment in the game.
Grade: C

DALLAS: Getting peak performances from just about everybody. Even Erick Dampier is proving to be a sometimes scoring threat.
Grade: B

DENVER: They miss Dahntay Jones’ defense, and J.R. Smith has been up and down, but having Chauncey Billups around for the entire season makes them rock-steady.
Grade: C

DETROIT: The Pistons are lost on the road and boring at home. It’s past time to clean house.
Grade: D-minus

GOLDEN STATE: Under what passes for Don Nelson’s “leadership” the Warriors continue to be among the league’s most underachieving ball clubs. And, unless there are radical changes from top to bottom, there’s little hope for the future.
Grade: D

HOUSTON: An example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Kudos to Rick Adelman.
Grade: A

INDIANA: Except for the minimal excitement created by Danny Granger’s long-distance bombing, the Pacers are lifeless.
Grade: D-minus

Los Angeles Clippers: Even without Blake Griffin, the Clippers are on the upswing. That’s because Chris Kaman has become a bona fide weapon in the paint and Baron Davis isn’t taking as many games off as he usually does.
Grade: A

LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Feasting on home cooking, lots of last-second rescues by Kobe, plus occasional bummers against both good and bad teams. In other words, business as usual.
Grade: C

MEMPHIS: Rudy Gay has blossomed, Zach Randolph has lost weight and gained influence, and Marc Gasol has mastered the NBA game. Elvis lives and so do the Grizzlies.
Grade: A-plus

MIAMI: Jermaine O’Neal is inconsistent, and the Heat are still without an effective point guard and creative bench scorer, so despite Dwyane Wade’s continued brilliance, Miami remains mired in mediocrity.
Grade: C-minus

MILWAUKEE: The league has caught up to Brandon Jennings, Andrew Bogut only beats up on the NBA's weaklings, and Hakim Warrick’s dynamic offense hasn’t compensated for his dull defense.
Grade: C

MINNESOTA: The T-Wolves' main problems are their absence both of defense and quality athletes. Fortunately, the disastrous plight of the Nets has allowed Minnesota’s miseries to be mostly overlooked.
Grade: D-minus

NEW JERSEY: Ugh!
Grade: F-minus

NEW ORLEANS: The roster is clogged with too much dead wood, but sometimes unsuspecting passers-by can be crushed by falling limbs. Only Chris Paul is keeping this team alive.
Grade: C-minus

NEW YORK: When all systems are firing, the Knicks can scare anybody.
Grade: C-plus

OKLAHOMA CITY: From woeful to wonderful. Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are growing up together.
Grade: A-plus

ORLANDO: Vince Carter is a hit-or-miss player who misses too often. Dwight Howard doesn’t have the fire that burned so many opponents last year. Jameer Nelson has lost a step.
Grade: D

PHILADELPHIA: Andre Iguodala continues to prove that he’s not a franchise player. Samuel Dalembert has game, but is the wrong player for this team. Ditto for Elton Brand. The Sixers are slightly better on the road than at home -- but aren’t very good wherever they play. And brotherly love is in short supply in the Wachovia Center.
Grade: F-plus

PHOENIX: The Suns are running more but enjoying it less. Perhaps Robin Lopez can give them the youthful power in the middle that they need. Even so, he certainly won’t improve their awful defense.
Grade: C

PORTLAND: The Blazers are playing well enough to create enthusiasm in the Rose Garden, but with Greg Oden’s recurrent injuries the team’s future isn’t as bright as before.
Grade: C-minus

SACRAMENTO: Kevin Martin is proving to be a tough re-fit, but Omri Casspi and Tyreke Evans have given the Kings a huge boost, and have made better players of the rest of their teammates.
Grade: A-plus

SAN ANTONIO: While the Spurs still can play interesting team defense, at the other end of the court several of their vital parts -- Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili -- have lost their pizzazz. Plus, newcomers Antonio McDyess and Richard Jefferson have been disappointing.
Grade: C-minus

TORONTO: Chris Bosh is auditioning for his new team, and Andrea Bargnani is stretching out his talents. But the Raptors lack power and defense, so despite their improvement .500 is their upper limit.
Grade: B

UTAH: The discipline of the Jazz will continue to ensure winning seasons. But Deron Williams’ game is becoming somewhat stodgy, Carlos Boozer is increasingly erratic, and every game is a struggle.
Grade: C

WASHINGTON: The Wizards were bad last season, and even with the firestorm over their firearms, their current record is vastly improved. But the team still isn’t as good as it should be.
Grade: D-plus

If you have a question or comment for Charley Rosen, please email charleyrosen@gmail.com and he may respond in a future column.