Titans

The USA Men&rsquo;s National Basketball Team started off strong in its pursuit of a 5th straight gold medal after routing Serbia, 110-84, at the Pierre de Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France.&nbsp;
Team USA cleared any first-game jitters that have plagued some of the best teams in the world with a blowout. Several Team USA players are playing in their first-ever Olympic Games, including legend Stephen Curry, NBA MVP Joel Embiid, and rising superstar Anthony Edwards.&nbsp;
Leading the way for the Americans were 4-time Olympians LeBron James and Kevin Durant, who led both in scoring and manning the entire team. James previously played in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Games while Durant appeared in 2012, 2016, and 2020 editions.&nbsp;
James had an all-around performance, scoring 21 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out a team-best 9 assists on a game-high 27 minutes played. Durant on the other hand looked really good in his first game back after missing all of Team USA&rsquo;s 5 exhibition games over the past month. Durant finished with a game-high 23 points on an impressive 8/9 shooting from the field, hitting 5/5 threes. He did all that in just 16 minutes after coming off the bench in this game.
Six players scored in double digits for Team USA in this overall team effort to dismantle reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia.&nbsp;
Up next for Team USA is South Sudan who gave them fits in their exhibition game in London, winning by just one point, 101-100.&nbsp;

The USA Men’s National Basketball Team started off strong in its pursuit of a 5th straight gold medal after routing Serbia, 110-84.

Team USA opens Olympic journey with convincing rout of Serbia

Carmelo Anthony, the star forward who led Syracuse to an NCAA championship in his lone college season and went on to spend 19 years in the NBA,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/carmeloanthony/status/1660639136242343936" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced his retirement</a>&nbsp;on Monday.
Anthony, who was not in the NBA this season, retires as the No. 9 scorer in league history.
Only LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal scored more than Anthony &mdash; who finishes his career with 28,289 points.
&ldquo;Now the time has come for me to say good-bye ... to the game that gave me purpose and pride,&rdquo; Anthony said in a videotaped message announcing his decision &mdash; one he called &ldquo;bittersweet.&rdquo;
Anthony&rsquo;s legacy has long been secure: He ends his playing days after being selected as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history, a 10-time All-Star, a past scoring champion and a six-time All-NBA selection.
And while he never got to the NBA Finals &mdash; he only played in the conference finals once, with Denver against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 &mdash; Anthony also knew what it was like to be a champion.
He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2003 Final Four when he led Syracuse to the national championship, and he helped USA Basketball win Olympic gold three times &mdash; at Beijing in 2008, at London in 2012 and at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Anthony has played in 31 games in four appearances at the Olympics, the most of any U.S. men&rsquo;s player ever. Anthony&rsquo;s 37 points against Nigeria in the 2012 games is a USA Basketball men&rsquo;s record at an Olympics, as are his 10 3-pointers from that game and his 13-for-13 effort from the foul line against Argentina in 2008.
&ldquo;Carmelo Anthony is one of the NBA&rsquo;s all-time great players and ambassadors,&rdquo; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. &ldquo;We congratulate him on a remarkable 19-year career and look forward to seeing him in the Hall of Fame.&rdquo;
Anthony will remain part of international basketball for at least a few more months; Anthony is one of the ambassadors to the Basketball World Cup, FIBA&rsquo;s biggest event, which will be held this summer in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
&ldquo;I remember the days when I had nothing, just a ball on the court and a dream of something more,&rdquo; Anthony said. &ldquo;But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong, my communities, the cities I represented with pride and the fans that supported me along the way. I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me Carmelo Anthony.&rdquo;
Anthony was drafted No. 3 overall by Denver in 2003, part of the star-studded class that included James at No. 1, Hall of Famer Chris Bosh at No. 4, and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade -- he gets officially enshrined this summer &mdash; at No. 5.
Anthony will join them at the Hall of Fame before long. He averaged 22.5 points in his 19 seasons, spending the bulk of those years with Denver and the New York Knicks. Anthony has long raved about his time with the Knicks, and what it was like playing at Madison Square Garden, especially as a kid who was born in Brooklyn.
&ldquo;The Garden,&rdquo; Anthony said in 2014. &ldquo;They call it The Mecca for a reason.&rdquo;
Anthony also played for Portland, Oklahoma City, Houston and ended his career with the Lakers last season. He went unsigned this year, and now his retirement is official.
He said in his retirement address that he&rsquo;s looking forward to watching the development of his son Kiyan, a highly rated high school shooting guard.
&ldquo;People ask what I believe my legacy is,&rdquo; Anthony said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not my feats on the court that come to mind, all the awards or praise. Because my story has always been more than basketball. My legacy, my son ... I will forever continue through you. The time has come for you to carry this torch.&rdquo;

After a 19-year NBA career, Carmelo Anthony officially announced his retirement on Monday.

Carmelo Anthony retires after 19-year NBA career, 3 Olympic gold medals

LOS ANGELES&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 25 points after Dillon Brooks was ejected for striking him in the groin, and the Los Angeles Lakers survived Ja Morant&rsquo;s 24-point fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 111-101 Saturday night for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Morant scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence with a sore right hand, even scoring 22 consecutive points during his stunning fourth quarter while Memphis attempted to rally from an early 29-point deficit. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but the second-seeded Grizzlies couldn&rsquo;t come all the way back after scoring a franchise-low nine points in the first quarter.
Rui Hachimura scored 16 points in another strong effort off the bench for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who came out impressively in their first home playoff game with a capacity crowd in 10 years. Los Angeles tied an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter, and Memphis couldn&rsquo;t get closer than 13 points until the final two minutes.
Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles.
Brooks was ejected 17 seconds into the second half after the Memphis agitator struck James in the groin while guarding him near midcourt. While the top scorer in NBA history rolled on the court in pain, officials tossed Brooks after a brief video review.
With the Lakers&rsquo; sellout crowd booing his every move, Brooks had just seven points on 3-for-13 shooting before his ejection. He drew the Lakers fans&rsquo; ire for his behavior during and after Game 2, when the 27-year-old Brooks called the 38-year-old James &ldquo;old&rdquo; and belittled James&rsquo; abilities.
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This rivalry stayed chippy in the third quarter, with Lakers forward Hachimura getting a technical foul for a furious reaction to a foul.
Aside from the physical play, the Lakers were in control of Game 3 until the Grizzlies made it mildly interesting late, never getting closer than nine points.
Morant wore a black brace and padding on his hand and appeared tentative with it at times, but Memphis&rsquo; leading scorer started slowly before rounding into his usual unguardable form in the fourth quarter.
Desmond Bane scored 18 points for the Grizzlies.
A frenetic crowd showed up for the Lakers&rsquo; first playoff game in 10 years with a full arena, and Brooks&rsquo; provocative behavior provided a perfect outlet for the fans&rsquo; energy. The fans booed Brooks in pregame warmups and each time he touched the ball before his ejection &mdash; but more importantly, the Lakers played with a similar edge from the opening tip.
Los Angeles rushed away to a double-digit lead and went up 35-9 after one quarter while the Grizzlies flailed offensively, going 3 for 25 with six turnovers. Brooks was particularly bad, missing 10 of his first 12 shots and making little impact on defense.
The Lakers led by 29 in the second quarter before Memphis finally shook off its road jitters and made a 10-0 run to close the first half, trimming its deficit to 16.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Brooks is the only player in franchise history to be ejected from multiple playoff games. He has been ejected six times in his six-year career, and he served two suspensions this season for an accumulation of technical fouls. ... Memphis hadn&rsquo;t played a postseason game in Los Angeles since 2013.
&nbsp;

The Los Angeles Lakers survived Ja Morant’s 24-point fourth quarter to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 111-101 Saturday night for a 2-1 lead.

LeBron’s Lakers beat Grizzlies 111-101, take 2-1 series lead

When Franz Wagner heard his name called in the 2021 NBA Draft, he did not expect to be a lead ball-handler and playmaker this early in his career with the Orlando Magic.
&ldquo;No, not at all,&rdquo; Wagner told Basketball News in a locker-room interview in Cleveland. &ldquo;Obviously, it depends a lot on the situation and just what the team needs. I think all the players, but especially me, I think I'm very lucky to get so much responsibility so early. Obviously, it's a little learning on the fly too, but being able to [make] mistakes and [be] learning is the coolest thing for a young player.
&ldquo;It's just I haven't practiced a bunch at point guard, didn't grow up playing point guard, so some of the stuff is new to me that... I think I'm pretty fast at adjusting to stuff, but it's not like I grew up playing point guard all my life.&rdquo;
In three of the first five games of the year, Wagner has dished out five assists. If that doesn&rsquo;t quite jump off the page, maybe his counting numbers will: Franz is averaging 16.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.0 dimes per contest with a 24.4% usage rate.
Further, his 1 point per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler will illustrate his effectiveness. Just watch how he reads and reacts to certain situations in the half-court.
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Franz Wagner'ın Smacı &amp; &Ccedil;IĞLIĞI! 💥🗣️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA360?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA360</a> <a href="https://t.co/hsmyQEjc2q">pic.twitter.com/hsmyQEjc2q</a>
&mdash; NBA T&uuml;rkiye (@NBATurkiye) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATurkiye/status/1583606211781349376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
Even against the defiant and aptly-named Tower City duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the second-year forward went west often on his way to the paint and finished with his left and right hands on numerous possessions. To be fair, he was also blocked and challenged at the rim by his fellow draft classmate, but the fearlessness was on full display.
The 21-year-old exhibits impressive patience for his age, particularly with the timing of his decisions and his instincts. It&rsquo;s knowing when the screen is coming, how and when to use it and, ultimately, determining whether a pass or an attack is the best option.
&ldquo;I really do believe (it was) starting out early on in his years, playing in Germany, learning how to play basketball, and he's a student of the game,&rdquo; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said of Wagner&rsquo;s high basketball IQ. &ldquo;He loves to study film. He understands when to cut, when to move, how to move, the setups he has to use in a pick-and-roll. He does a great job of that, but it goes back to that studying of the game, and our development guys doing a phenomenal job with him.&rdquo;
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Wagner echoes Mosley&rsquo;s sentiments, giving the credit to all of his youth coaches in Berlin. In addition, he believes Juwan Howard&rsquo;s teachings at Michigan helped him mature in that department.
&ldquo;I was able to play some pick-and-roll there [in college]. And even there, I wasn't perfect and he let me make a couple mistakes, so I think that's super important for the confidence of a player,&rdquo; Wagner said. &ldquo;It's probably just from when I was really young. The coaches [in Germany], I think, did a really good job of making sure I know how to play, know kinda when to go, when to slow it down sometimes in games. And then I think it's just reps and a little bit of experience in playing in those situations for a little bit.&rdquo;
Terrence Ross is the veteran of this up-and-coming Orlando bunch, and he&rsquo;s watched Wagner&rsquo;s progression since he came in as a rookie. Assuming the point forward role is just another tool to add to the bag.
&ldquo;[He&rsquo;s adjusted to it] perfect, man &mdash; walked into it perfectly,&rdquo; Ross told Basketball News. &ldquo;He's really worked on his game, and you can kinda see it &mdash; it's speaking for itself. He's doing a lot of different things and he looks very natural and comfortable. He has a pro game and it's translated. Like, you didn't really see too much of that in college, but it translated a lot when he got to the pros. So it's just one of those natural things that you can't really teach.&rdquo;
Something else that looks unteachable is Wagner&rsquo;s newest unique turnaround jumper. Driving into the elbow area &mdash; again, usually on the left side of the floor &mdash; he&rsquo;ll stop in his tracks, plant, turn and fade away from 8-to-10 feet. It&rsquo;s almost reminiscent of a future Hall-of-Fame superstar that happens to hail from Germany.
&ldquo;You know, I wish I could take some type of credit for that, but he's seen and been around Dirk [Nowitzki] before,&rdquo; Mosley said. &ldquo;And I will tell you what &mdash; our player-development staff does such a phenomenal job with these guys. They have 'em ready before games, they're working after. They just do such a fantastic job of finding different wrinkles in the game of what he's capable of doing and using his height to his advantage.&rdquo;
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"Franz Wagner doing the Dirk" <a href="https://t.co/IEgVK5ISNR">pic.twitter.com/IEgVK5ISNR</a>
&mdash; Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1583981428521730049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;It's just, I think, another good shot for me. I think it's tough for people to contest it. I know people are worried about me getting all the way to the rim; I think it's good to have counters to that,&rdquo; Wagner told Basketball News. &ldquo;And then, I think it's just a good shot. I'm a pretty tall player. Leaning back a little bit, it's hard to contest that.&rdquo;
Snakebitten by injuries and misfortune once again, the Magic are trying to turn a negative into a positive. Standout guard Cole Anthony is the latest to go down, as the team announced he sustained an oblique injury on his right side during Wednesday&rsquo;s game in Cleveland. He&rsquo;s the fourth player in Orlando&rsquo;s backcourt to get hurt, joining Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris on the sidelines.
So what happens when you don&rsquo;t have point guards to organize your offense? You turn to your forwards to lead the pack &mdash; which is exactly what Mosley&rsquo;s had to do in back-to-back seasons with the Magic.
&ldquo;It changes the way we rotate a little bit, but what it also does &mdash; it provides opportunity,&rdquo; Mosley said prior to the team&rsquo;s game against the Cavaliers. &ldquo;I think I talked about it the other day &mdash; last year when Jalen went down and Cole went down, it provided us the opportunity to see Franz with the handle. And a similar situation happening now, you're gonna see the ball in Paolo [Banchero]'s hands a little bit more. So those are what they provide, the opportunity for other guys to do some things we might not see.&rdquo;
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Though the Magic have employed some large lineups by necessity, it also follows a league-wide trend of big-man combinations. For example, the Cavaliers started three 7-footers last season, the Toronto Raptors&rsquo; roster is littered with rangy wings that have plenty of height, and even the Minnesota Timberwolves have thrown Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert together in their frontcourt.&nbsp;
However, as we&rsquo;ve seen, having the personnel necessary to execute it successfully is the key.
&ldquo;It is about size and skill. I think it is very true, just guys that can make decisions,&rdquo; Mosley said. &ldquo;I don't care how small or big they are, you want decision-makers and high basketball IQs on the floor as much as you can have it.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I think one, defensively, I think you can switch ball-screens and stuff like that. I think it makes it hard for people to get easy shots. And then anytime you have skill and size on the floor, you can rebound better without losing good decision-making,&rdquo; Wagner added. &ldquo;Yeah, I think it's just good for any offense. At the end of the day, it's a skill game and if you have five players that can make decisions with the ball, it's really good.&rdquo;
Winless to this point, Orlando is learning good habits through unfortunate setbacks, and the players are developing not only individually, but also as a team. Wagner is encouraged with the direction the Magic are going, and eventually, it&rsquo;s going to all come together.
&ldquo;I think we're really confident. I think we've seen a lot of improvements already this season,&rdquo; Wagner said. &ldquo;Although we haven't won a game yet, I think we're playing good teams really close and we just gotta continue to build. Obviously, us players, we gotta continue to get better and keep building and doing what we've been doing.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies chats with Magic forward Franz Wagner about his pick-and-roll prowess, his high basketball IQ and more.

Franz Wagner showing his natural instincts as Magic's point forward

Nekias Duncan previews the Mavericks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Pelicans and Spurs ahead of the 2022-23 NBA campaign.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

After frittering away a double-digit-point fourth-quarter lead twice in this series, the Minnesota Timberwolves could have already defeated the Memphis Grizzlies by now and be preparing for the second round.
The Timberwolves will try to stave off elimination by the Grizzlies in Game 6 on Friday night instead, aiming to show the league, their fans &mdash; and perhaps themselves &mdash; that they have an ample supply of the late-game resolve needed to be a factor in the NBA playoffs.
What they don't necessarily need, though, is one of their stars to take over.
One of the main reasons why the Wolves have been unproductive in the final stretches of games is a stagnant offense and forced shots from one of the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards or D'Angelo Russell.
&ldquo;Everybody wants to be the hero, and that&rsquo;s not how you&rsquo;re going to win these games,&rdquo; coach Chris Finch said after practice Thursday.
Edwards tied Game 5 with 3.7 seconds left on a fadeaway corner 3-pointer. The second-year guard has quickly established himself as a true clutch player, so having the ball in his hands with the clock winding down is not at all a negative for Minnesota. The problems can arise, though, when there's little passing to or from him to set up the best looks at the basket.
&ldquo;It was me. I was a lot of that, what Coach talked about,&rdquo; Edwards said, reflecting on his Game 5 decision-making. He had 22 points but took 20 shots to get there.
Russell has had some ill-advised attempts, too, including a 10-foot pull-up in traffic with 12.3 seconds left in Game 5 that missed badly.
Entering the series, guard Patrick Beverley was the only player on the Wolves with any postseason experience of significance.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re young,&rdquo; Edwards said. &ldquo;I think we all know that, and we&rsquo;re learning as we going.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies are just as inexperienced on this stage, but they've been the better team in the last half of the fourth quarter, even if the other 90% of the game has mostly gone the way of the Wolves. Ja Morant belied his age by quite a bit in Game 5 by scoring his team's final 13 points, including the last-second layup that lifted Memphis to victory.
The rally in Game 5 came after Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out, prompting coach Taylor Jenkins to go to a super-small lineup with Morant next to Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke. Brooks and Clarke helped defend Towns, and Clarke dominated in the fourth quarter with seven of his 10 rebounds on the offensive end. Memphis had a 12-0 scoring edge in second-chance points in the final period, and Clarke finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds off the bench.
The Grizzlies last advanced to the second round in 2015, when none of their current players were around, nor the coaching staff.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just focused on how we&rsquo;re going to play our best basketball still. So hopefully come out with that physical edge, that mental edge you&rsquo;re going to need,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;You just need to take it up a notch for sure on the road against a really tough team.&rdquo;
Taking a early lead at Target Center could go a long way toward sending the Grizzlies to a Game 1 on Sunday at Golden State.
&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t want to give a team like that any life,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;When you have a chance to close out an opponent in a playoff series, you've got to try to take advantage of it. We obviously don&rsquo;t want this to go to a seventh game.&rdquo;
GRIZZLIES at TIMBERWOLVES
Memphis leads 3-2. Game 6, 9 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
&mdash;NEED TO KNOW: The Grizzlies with an average of 31.6 points are outscoring the Wolves by 8.8 points in the fourth quarter in the series, by far the largest disparity in this postseason.
&mdash;KEEP AN EYE ON: Bane. He averaged 30 points and shot 15 of 27 outside the arc in Games 3 and 4, the first two games in Minnesota. Bane joined Klay Thompson (three straight) and Stephen Curry (two) as only the third player in NBA history to make at least seven 3-pointers in back-to-back playoff games. He is shooting 48.3% from 3-point range on the road this season for both the regular season and playoffs.
&mdash;INJURY WATCH: Grizzlies center Steven Adams entered the COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will not play in Game 6. Backup forward Ziaire Williams (right knee soreness) was listed as doubtful for the game. Morant and Edwards have both played through minor leg injuries, but they have not been limited in any way.
&mdash;PRESSURE IS ON: Brooks. He was 3 of 18 shooting in Game 5, including 1 of 10 from 3-point range, and finished with eight points.
___
AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker contributed to this report.

The Timberwolves will try to stave off elimination by the Grizzlies in Game 6 on Friday night.

Timberwolves try to avoid 'hero' ball, stay alive vs. Grizzlies

For the first time since the 2017-18 season, and just the second time since 2003-04, the Minnesota Timberwolves are in the NBA playoffs.
In a raucous game at Target Center in Minneapolis, the Wolves came back from down double-digits early in the fourth quarter to gut out a defensive showcase down the stretch in a very fun (but also <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1514071151890386947?s=20&amp;t=cOTx5ha_fVET44iT43U6Yw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">very weird</a>) game.
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I added the Remember The Titans music to The Wolves winning the game. (Sound on) <a href="https://t.co/nYF9q9igAK">pic.twitter.com/nYF9q9igAK</a>
&mdash; Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) <a href="https://twitter.com/jga41agher/status/1514110660636033024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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First and foremost, celebrating is a good thing! I don't intend to straw-man; I'm sure it's a smaller group that's being vocal about the Wolves' post-game excitement, but it's worth hitting on. No, this team didn't win the NBA Finals and they're not on the way to doing that, but that loses the plot here. Other than maybe the Sacramento Kings, has there been a more frustratingly beleaguered franchise since the turn of the millenia?
Every turn this team has taken, including their one playoff appearance outside the Flip Saunders era, has come with consequences or at the expense of their future. I'm not a fan of the Timberwolves (or any team), but it's just awesome to see a team that has been resilient all year find their way and take the steps to be a solid team.
That's been special.
We don't need an entire halftime or postgame show clowning a team for enjoying themselves, rehashing history and talking about why a player wouldn't "make it in the 90s."
The game is different. What if we spent time talking about&nbsp;how the Los Angeles Clippers got Karl-Anthony Towns off his game? Or how KAT and the Wolves could scheme differently in the second half? I acknowledge that the TNT halftime show is not intended for me, and it did its job by drawing engagement, but if it's at the expense of the product they're dragging, what are we doing here?
JJ Redick gets it.
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Where&rsquo;s yours?
&mdash; JJ Redick (@jj_redick) <a href="https://twitter.com/jj_redick/status/1514118211674988546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The 109-104 final score is unsuitable as a descriptor of what this game was.
Let's dive in.
PATRICK BEVERLEY'S IMPACT
Early in the game, Kevin Harlan slid in that Patrick Beverley is "the most impactful player" for the Wolves right as the TNT broadcast went to commercial. I had to rewind to make sure I heard that right!
While I have to disagree with Harlan at large, my God, Pat Bev sure as heck made his case throughout the course of action.
There's a small handful of players who supersede the cliche "he-brings-energy-and-toughness-and-grit-that-can-change-the-game," emotional tropes, and Beverley continues to assert himself to that group. He does every little thing that can be done on the margins with consistency, and in a way that breeds both admiration and contention alike.
Timely tie-ups and steals, hounding switches, flying all over the place on close-outs. It cannot be undersold the amount of energy this man expended playing defense last night.&nbsp;
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He even had a momentum-saving block after a missed dunk that could've shifted the game.
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And he hit perhaps the most insane "WTF" shot I've seen from a non-star player in a while. Like, what is this?! A one-legged three while falling backwards as the shot clock expires is just nutty. In an elimination game!
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That was just a special special game from Beverley last night.&nbsp;
Whether he's the most impactful is up for debate (and probably wrong), but the impact he's had on this group is palpable and last night was a microcosm of his presence this season.
TAKING OUT TOWNS
As good of a game as it was from Beverley, it was the opposite for Karl-Anthony Towns, who fouled out with a little over half the fourth quarter remaining.
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The Clippers were 3-1 against the Wolves this year and they did the same things that allowed them to win the season series, putting a smaller player on KAT and bringing help late at the rim with Ivica Zubac. It's not fully on Jarred Vanderbilt, as he still played a pretty good game (particularly on defense), but part of the difficulty of having a player whose gravity comes from attacking the cracks of a defense is what happens when those gaps are tightened.
If he's in the dunker spot and KAT is driving the lane, the Clippers are okay helping off of him and mucking things up at the rim. It's also worth noting that Towns found Vando on a dump-off later in the game, and that's been part of their offense all season. This is going to be one of the very enticing chess matches to watch during the series with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Back to KAT: the Clippers played him well, but he also got in his own head and got out of his game, which was incredibly frustrating from a bystander and analysis perspective. He forced some of his attempts from outside and on drives. He felt rushed. He played into offensive fouls.
 It's okay and healthy to be emotional. Every person handles things in their own way. But teams have consistently used KAT's frustration against him. Towns has really put things together this year and shed a lot of those tendencies this season, but last night was a reversion to past years. He's the best player on this team and integral to their success, so they really need him to maintain composure again moving forward. Trying to replicate these kind of contributions up and down the roster going forward is asking for a lot. This single game is not a referendum on KAT, as he's a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/selecting-the-2021-22-all-nba-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deserving All-NBA</a> performer. Let's save the rash takes. Criticism for last night is warranted, but the overarching narratives are not.
D'LO AND ANT
D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards were fantastic last night in so many facets.&nbsp;
The Wolves came out extremely erratic and it seemed like the moment was too big for them to start the game. Their pace was quick but out of control. The defense was flying around, but almost too much.
The Clippers' defense struggled late as their offensive stagnation carried over, but the polarity of D'Lo and Ant gave the Clippers headaches throughout the night.
Russell's pacing was exquisite last night. It was by far one of the best games I've seen from him with regards to seeing the floor, picking his spots and attacking a defense. It felt like he hit every tough shot and pull-up last night, routinely never gaining separation, but it just didn't matter.
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Down the stretch, he masterfully pulled Los Angeles' defense apart, using some of their switching against them and orchestrating effective offense.
While Russell picked apart with pace and rhythm, Edwards was the overhand right coming off a jab. He set up his game early with a fluid contact finish over Marcus Morris and routinely found his way into the paint last night. Clippers defenders gave him an extra foot of space to try and wall off drives annnnd it was too much.
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He got to the line six times, nailed 5-of-11 threes, and hit shots off the bounce inside the arc if given the space.&nbsp;
When he doesn't make mistakes with the ball, it is so hard to defend Anthony Edwards. Do you give up the jumpers if he's hitting them at a high clip? Do you let him glide to the rim and hope help can bother him? It's a conundrum that many teams are finding harder and harder to solve as his game rounds out. He came ready for the moment last night off rip.
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"No one can guard him, and I keep preaching that to him" Patrick Beverley credits Anthony Edwards for his patience and hard work after the T-Wolves win to advance to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by Google Pixel. <a href="https://t.co/SwD25thKCO">pic.twitter.com/SwD25thKCO</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1514117290803052546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Pat's whole rant on Ant is awesome, but Ant nodding his head the whole time in agreement like, "Yeah, I know. They can't guard me," is just priceless and awesome.
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When the lights come on, I show up. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thurskii?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thurskii</a>
&mdash; Anthony Edwards (@theantedwards_) <a href="https://twitter.com/theantedwards_/status/1514120995669524480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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QUICK-HITTERS
Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaden McDaniels were so vital last night. The individual defense they played on Paul George was tremendous. He still got to his spots, but everything was well contested for the most part. He got to the line a good deal, but that happens against star players.
Last night, the Clippers were 12-of-28 in the paint with only 16 at-rim attempts and a large deal of that credit goes to that dynamic duo and their ability to crowd drives. By preventing full-on penetration, they were able to make some of the backline rotations just a little easier and cleaner for the Wolves. They went to a frontcourt of McDaniels and Vando at the 4 and 5 for a small stretch late in the game (which is not something that happened much this year) and they were able to hang tight before they brought in a true big. That was a really fun performance from them, and I can't wait to see how they perform in the playoffs.
The Clippers versus either the Pelicans or Spurs should be a fun match-up, and I can't wait to see that as well. The playoffs are almost here, and the postseason is already off to a fantastic start.

The Wolves are in the playoffs for the second time since 2004, earning their postseason trip after a terrific play-in performance.

NBA Play-In Tournament: Takeaways from Wolves-Clippers

The nail was finally put into the Los Angeles Lakers' coffin on Tuesday night in Phoenix, as the purple and gold's postseason hopes are no more following the team's 121-110 loss to the Suns.
Even after a splashy offseason, headlined by Hollywood&rsquo;s newest Big Three in LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, it was an unmitigated disaster on multiple levels in L.A. Due to injuries, the Lakers&rsquo; star trio only played 21 total games together; it's far too little time to have an extended viewpoint on the subject, but even the small glimpses occasionally provided nightmare fuel.
Westbrook turned out to be an extremely poor fit next to Davis and LeBron, because none of them could adequately space the floor at a consistently above-average clip. Also, the role players for Los Angeles simply didn&rsquo;t get it done. The all-in bet on veterans backfired for Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.
Now, the pressure cooker has turned up to a whole new level for the Lakers entering an offseason with massive long-term ramifications.
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At points during the 11-point loss to the Suns on Tuesday, the Lakers looked shell-shocked, which eventually turned into a complete lack of energy once hit with a massive counter run in the second half. Just like that, Los Angeles folded at the first sign of resistance.
Already knowing of their postseason fate at halftime when the San Antonio Spurs upset the Denver Nuggets on the road, the Lakers' effort turned into an all-out embarrassment. Devin Booker was easily getting whatever shot he pleased. Chris Paul was bending the Lakers&rsquo; defense to his will, as the future Hall-of-Famer usually does.
Overall, the sense throughout was a team knowing its season was already over. Without James, the 2021-22 Lakers were toast long before their latest shellacking.
&ldquo;Extremely disappointed,&rdquo; Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said postgame. &ldquo;Disappointed for our fan base. Disappointed for the Buss family, gave us all this opportunity. And we want to play our part in bringing success to Laker basketball. We fell short, we were eliminated tonight. I can say it&rsquo;s not due to a lack of effort. We have all put in the work. All of our guys stayed fighting right until the end.&rdquo;
Reminiscing on one of the most disappointing seasons from any title contender in recent memory, the Lakers&rsquo; main theme was how injuries mangled a team with NBA Finals hopes.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take the injuries out, but championship,&rdquo; Davis said of the Lakers&rsquo; potential entering this season. &ldquo;When we first put the team together our goal was to win a championship. I feel like we had the pieces, but injuries got in the way of that. That&rsquo;s the difference in our season.&rdquo;
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Davis is correct on how injuries charted the Lakers off their path into rocky waters over the last few months. Davis himself missed 42 games while James missed 26. When you&rsquo;re missing the two foundational building blocks for at least one-third of the regular season, the game of catch-up will be seemingly impossible at the end. That&rsquo;s exactly what happened here with the Lakers, but the issues run deeper than simply injury issues.
&ldquo;When we put this team together we had championship aspirations. Once again, injuries kind of got in the way of that," Davis added. "The world love to see, we would love to see, what this team would look like if healthy for a full 82 (games).&rdquo;
Zooming out for a moment: Where exactly would the Lakers have finished in the Western Conference standings with a fully healthy AD and LeBron? It&rsquo;s an interesting question, but one that has holes. Westbrook looked like a deer in the headlights trying to mesh his game within the Lakers&rsquo; system. And without any real three-point threats from the outside, opposing teams could simply stack the paint to prevent real interior damage.
It was a flawed roster from the beginning, seen through purple-and-gold-shaded glasses in Los Angeles thanks in large part to two superstars covering gaps all over the place.
Realistically, based off the pedigree with LeBron alone, you could place the Lakers within the same tier as the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz. All three teams could win a round or two in the postseason, but the ceiling is eventually capped. Even with a dynamic one-two punch, it&rsquo;s not enough without the right pieces to cook with on the basketball court.
&ldquo;I mean that&rsquo;s the plan, but nothing is promised,&rdquo; Russell Westbrook said when asked about playing alongside James and Davis again next season. &ldquo;You kind of got to take it one day at a time each day. And like I said all season long, you play the cards you [are] dealt. We want to be able to see what that looks like, what it entails over the course of an 82-game season. We not sure that&rsquo;s guaranteed either, so hopefully we&rsquo;re able to do something in the future.&rdquo;
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If the Lakers truly are in run-it-back mode &mdash; and use injuries as the main excuse with Vogel as the scapegoat &mdash; they&rsquo;re in deep trouble for next season and beyond.
With the greatest player in the NBA&rsquo;s modern era on their roster, Los Angeles is back at the same spot it was when LeBron first arrived. And that&rsquo;s saying something when the roster is chock-full of current and former heavy-hitters past their prime years. The excuses are running thin in Los Angeles, and now it&rsquo;s time to see what all the issues under the hood truly are.
With the Lakers&rsquo; playoff plans officially dashed, Carmelo Anthony put what I believe to be a succinctly perfect bow on their disappointing campaign.
&ldquo;I would say this was a season we just didn&rsquo;t get it done,&rdquo; Anthony said. &ldquo;We had the tools. Some things we could control, some things we couldn&rsquo;t. It&rsquo;s nothing else more than we didn&rsquo;t get it done. You can&rsquo;t make no excuses about it. We didn&rsquo;t get it done.&rdquo;
No excuses, so what&rsquo;s next in Hollywood? The possibilities truly are endless &mdash; whether you view it from a positive or negative perspective.
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With the Lakers' postseason hopes officially finished, what's next? It's time to look in the mirror.

Are the Lakers truly ready to look in the mirror this offseason?

I'd like to get a quick thought off my chest.
Why do we dub the post-All-Star break games as the second half of the NBA season? It's an 82-game season, and every team in the league has played north of 50 games. That's simply not how math works?
Anyway, we&nbsp;are ramping up for the postseason push. As such, most of the storylines will center around the top of each conference. Contender talk, flaws, favorable matchups, buyout targets &mdash; all that Jazz.
We'll focus in on the Play-In races. As of now, the Washington WIzards (0.5 games back) and New York Knicks (3.5) are a mini-run away from overtaking the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks (or No. 9 Charlotte Hornets) in the Eastern Conference. The San Antonio Spurs (2.0), New Orleans Pelicans (2.0) and Sacramento Kings (3.5) are all within striking distance of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The teams at the bottom &mdash; firmly outside of the Play-In race, likely to jostle for better lottery odds &mdash; are going to get lost in the grand scheme of things. I get it from a "winning matters/is more fun" perspective, but you'll miss a lot of cool things if you completely disregard those teams.
Remember, for example, that Darius Garland averaged 18.8 points and 6.3 assists with a 57.0% True Shooting percentage after the All-Star break last season before getting shut down. The hints of his growth &mdash; slick interior feeds and a more aggressive trigger from deep (40.4% on 5.4 attempts vs. 38.4% on 4.5 attempts before the break) &mdash; were present if you peeped those games.
Related: We just watched him in&nbsp;the All-Star game.
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Every team at the bottom doesn't have an All-Star in waiting, but this is my plea to keep an eye on them. I'm here to give you a brief guide.
INDIANA PACERS &mdash; TYRESE HALIBURTON'S ON-BALL GROWTH
Haliburton serving as the blue-chipper to bring Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento wasn't on my bingo card. The early returns have led to super-charged offenses on both sides, so I'm not sure either team is too upset right now.
On the Haliburton front, he's enjoyed a near-unquestioned run as a primary ball-handler. He's averaging 20.8 points (.519/.452/.813 shooting splits) and 11.0 assists (3.5 turnovers) through his first four games as a Pacer, but even that undersells it a bit.
He has completely transformed how the Pacers play; their pace with Haliburton on the floor is roughly four possessions faster than their regular-season mark (97.95, 20th). You have to take that with a grain of salt &mdash; it's been a four-game sample &mdash; but watching this team blaze up the floor after misses&nbsp;and&nbsp;makes has been a startling shift.
The heightened pace makes it a little easier for Haliburton create advantages. Against an unset defense, he's able to manipulate his defender into screens, and reads second- and third-level defenders with ease. He's a darn&nbsp;good passer, and his ability to shoot off the dribble &mdash; he's <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1630169/shots-dash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">converting north of 40%</a> of his pull-up twos (44.1%) and&nbsp;threes (41.7%) this season &mdash; makes him a pretty dynamic weapon.
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There are some areas of growth present though. He's not particularly bursty, so he does occasionally require a re-screen (or two, or three) against top-notch defenders. His shooting has gotten good enough to where ducking under probably isn't a good idea; he still has some questions to answer against switches though.
Beyond that, keep an eye on how consistently Haliburton accesses the paint. His film is (still) littered with reps where he'll come off the screen and find an outlet once he reaches the free-throw line, versus taking an extra dribble or two in order to engage the big.
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STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Isaiah Jackson seems fun! He's already a dynamic roller and pairs well with Haliburton; the very, very early returns have been good &mdash; a whopping 1.4 points per possession on direct hookups, per Second Spectrum.</li>
<li>Buddy Hield is averaging 5.0 assists (1.8 turnovers) since becoming a Pacer. And this isn't of the "find a guy in transition" or "pass it to an open guy as part of a set play" variety. He's making, like, live-dribble reads. If that proves real, we need to start rethinking his offensive value (and how he fits a contender).</li>
<li>As someone who genuinely wasn't familiar of him until a couple of weeks ago, I want to see more of Terry Taylor. He's 6-foot-5 and stocky, and has averaged 13.6 points and 9.5 rebounds (!) since joining the regular rotation nine games ago.</li>
</ul>
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER &mdash; TRE MANN'S SHOT CREATION
Tre Mann is fun.
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No, I mean&nbsp;really&nbsp;fun.&nbsp;
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You generally don't get this blend of ball-handling, shooting touch and footwork from a rookie guard. It's easy to get caught up in the aesthetic of this kind of shot creation, but I'm keeping an eye on it.
His shot profile is already wild. To this point, only 69.4% of his threes and 24.7% of his twos have been assisted on. It makes his overall three-point percentage (36.5%) a little more impressive; it also makes his two-point percentage (39.9%) wildly concerning. But hey, I'm interested in seeing if he can leverage his pull-up shooting into cleaner driving lanes.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>He's overqualified for the stray thoughts section, but good lord is Josh Giddey good. Similar to Haliburton, how intentional he is about generating paint touches vs. early kick-outs is going to be key to his development as a high-level initiator. The fact that's been able to create (and rack up triple-doubles) to this degree with that question mark is a testament to how good he is.</li>
<li>Hey, the Thunder have the third best half-court defense in the NBA in 2022. My pal Mark Schindler <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-oklahoma-city-thunders-emerging-defensive-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently wrote about it</a>. Let's see if it holds after the break.</li>
<li>I just... don't want Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shut down for the year like he was last season. I hope we see plenty of him, provided the ankle sprain isn't too severe. Provided he plays, have fun laughing at his weird drives and hope the jumper comes around. He's your "Garland to watch for" in this exercise.</li>
</ul>
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HOUSTON ROCKETS &mdash; KEVIN PORTER JR.'S PG EXPERIMENT
Porter's transition to point guard was something I wrote about as part of my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Something To Prove</a> series before the year. It's worth checking in on that.
First 13 games: 13.2 points (.375/.301/.644 shooting splits), 5.2 assists (4.4 turnovers)
Next 13 games: 11.6 points (.344/.360/.556), 6.5 assists (3.4 turnovers)
Last 13 games: 16.6 points (.481/.477/.600), 6.9 assists (2.8 turnovers)
Two quick things on that.&nbsp;
For starters, that second section of games is pretty split up due to him being in and out of the lineup. A poor roster context, plus inconsistent burn (in a new role!), is going to lead to some shoddy play.
Second, look at the relationship between assists and turnovers! The dimes are up, the giveaways are down. Beyond the numbers, you could see the gradual progression of Porter's processing.
The simpler reads were (and are) being made more quickly. He isn't as interior-focused, as he's gotten more reps reading the second level. Nearly 46% of Porter's assists have come via threes this season, way up from his 35.6% clip last year.
He's finally looking for the corners! About 14% of his assisted threes came from the corner in his first two seasons; that's up to 22.7% this year.
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Hopefully Porter is able to stay healthy so he can continue to get these reps. Even if he doesn't prove to be point guard material, this experience should make him deadlier in a secondary role moving forward.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Keep an eye on Jalen Green's progress as a downhill threat. A larger share of his shots have come at the rim since the turn of the year (34% in 2021, 42% so far in 2022, per Cleaning The Glass). His turnover rate on drives has been cut in half (14.1% to 7.0%)... but he's also passing at a less-frequent rate on drives (41.1% to 31%) during the same time period. It's gonna be fun watching him find that balance.</li>
<li>Can Stephen Silas find a way to supplement the Christian Wood/Alperen Sengun frontcourt he's been running with lately? The early returns haven't been great (minus-12.9 Net Rating in 523 possessions, per Cleaning The Glass). The most used trio around that pairing &mdash; Porter, Green and Jae'Sean Tate &mdash; has a pretty solid defense (108.1 DRTG) and a ghastly offense (96.0 ORTG) in 126 possessions. Keep an eye on this group with Garrison Mathews in place of Tate; it's only 25 possessions, but there *are* positive (plus-10.1) returns.</li>
<li>KJ Martin is fun, man. I'd just like to see him get more burn so we can see if the jumper is real. If he isn't the best weak-side rim-protector under 6-6 in the league, he has to be top-five.</li>
</ul>
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DETROIT PISTONS &mdash; CADE CUNNINGHAM'S FREE THROWS
Stop me if you've seen this scene play out.
Cade Cunningham runs a high ball-screen. His defender either gets caught on the pick, or tries to duck under, but fails to cut off the driving angle. Cunningham gains inside leverage, absorbs a blow, puts up a shot that rolls off the rim, and the play goes the other way.
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There are <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVE_FTA&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=DRIVES*GE*10:DRIVE_FGA*GE*5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">32 players</a> currently averaging at least 10 drives and 5 field-goal attempts on drives. Cunningham's 1.2 free-throw attempts via drive rank 25th; the players below him on the list:
1) Are point guards, with the exception of Tyler Herro (1.1 FTA)&nbsp;
2) Average fewer attempts at the rim than Cunningham does.
Cunningham has had to figure out how to win with drives &mdash; the pace + bump + shoulder nudge seems to be his ideal method of madness. But now he's up against the "rookies don't deserve calls" thing. It's as hilarious (for non-Piston fans) as it is perplexing when watching live.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>It should be noted that Saddiq Bey is averaging 18-5-3 while shooting 37.4% from three on 8.4 attempts in 2022. He's absolutely&nbsp;flinging&nbsp;it and mixing in post-ups against smaller guys. Teams are very &mdash; almost disrespectfully &mdash; comfortable with switching against the Pistons since they don't have pure blow-by or deadly pull-up threats right now. That's led to a lot of mismatch hunting, and thus, Bey getting to put his shoulder into people. It makes for a rough watch at times, but the reps should matter down the road</li>
<li>Will Isaiah Stewart get back to shooting? Please? At least try it? Me and my homies miss second-half-of-2021 Beef Stew.</li>
<li>Killian Hayes is a good defender, darn it. Don't sell all your stock on him yet.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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ORLANDO MAGIC &mdash; DOUBLE BIG LINEUP
This possession is going to live in my head for a long time.
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This is the Magic attempting to use their talented big-man duo of Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba together. It's a Double Drag look that flows into another screening action for Bamba to shoot off of.
In theory, opposing bigs should have trouble tracking across screens. It should be a unique way to stress defenses out. Instead, we get LUKA DONCIC playing DROP COVERAGE because he is not at all worried about the initial pop in Double Drag. Even with Doncic eventually fighting over and contesting the shot, the rest of the defense stays at home.
And this, my friends, is the center (you laughed, it's fine) of my intrigue with this group. Defensively, you see the upside. Two very good rim-protectors with enough mobility (especially in Carter's case) to switch up your schemes. Want to go back to the Chicago Bulls/Jim Boylen days trap with Carter? That's cool, because Bamba and his tree limbs are behind the action. Want to show Bamba high? That's cool, because Carter can clean up messes too.
The Magic are holding teams to 94.1 points per 100 half-court possessions with Carter and Bamba on the floor together, a mark that ranks in the 56th percentile. Their starting unit &mdash; Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Carter and Bamba &mdash; is holding teams to an 87.3 offensive rating in the half court, a ridiculous figure.
But then there's the half-court offense, which is awful in that lineup (83.1) and generally awful with those bigs on the floor together (88.5). While Bamba (34.4% on 3.7 attempts) and Carter (32.1% from 3.6 attempts) are willing shooters from deep, teams don't fear them. They're able to shrink the floor, which is a bit problematic considering Suggs' shooting woes and Anthony's size issue.
I want to see if they can figure the offense out, because they are a joy to watch defensively.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>On-Ball Franz has arguably been the most surprising development of this draft class; at the very least, it's the most suprising among rookies playing in the United States. He's a mean driver with plus-passing chops to boot.</li>
<li>You know who's still delightful? Robin Lopez and his array of sweeping hooks. Perfectly capable third big. I have no clue if he's going to get bought out, but he'll give you some low-post funk.</li>
<li>Aside from the shooting, keep an eye on Suggs defensively. I touched on it <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dont-forget-about-jalen-suggs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in an earlier piece</a>, but he's a few on-ball tricks-of-the-trade away from being a gnarly defender.</li>
</ul>
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Nekias Duncan gives a guide for what to watch for among the non-playoff teams during the second half of the season.

Views from the bottom: What to look forward to from NBA non-contenders

In case you&rsquo;ve been overly consumed by the NBA, college basketball, or the WNBA off-season, now would be a great time to remind y&rsquo;all that the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers are going on.
And in case you didn&rsquo;t know, the host countries for the 2023 World Cup are Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines &mdash; more on that later.
The last World Cup was right before the 2019-20 season, but feels so long ago because this whole COVID thing hadn&rsquo;t yet clapped us up. If you remember, the 2020 Olympics took place in 2021 &mdash; as in, last year. Yeah, I know, the international stuff can get confusing, but I&rsquo;m here to help you. Trust me.
Now, perhaps quietly to some, international play quickly resumed this past November with the first window of 2023 World Cup qualifying, which we&rsquo;ll recap shortly.
You have four sets of qualifying regions: Africa, Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Europe. There are six windows played over a 15-month span (starting from this past November), where the competing squads normally would participate in two games per window. COVID had other ideas &mdash; more on that later.
Currently, each region has groups of four, and the top three in each group will advance to round two following the June/July window. This current round of qualifying is between Nov. 20-30, Feb. 21-March 1, and June 27-July 5, after which we&rsquo;ll enter round two. Round two also occurs over three windows: August 22-30, Nov. 7-15, and Feb. 20-28, then those who will have qualified will enter group drawing next March, and we&rsquo;ll see them compete between August 25-September 10 &mdash; the World Cup.
Now, let&rsquo;s lay out all the things you should probably know and, if you see a number in parenthesis next to a team that&rsquo;s listed, that&rsquo;s their current world ranking, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/rankingmen">according to FIBA</a>. So if you feel like your people are being misrepresented, leave me alone and take that up with them. (Unless &hellip; unless you mean, you know, actual greater good/societal misrepresentation, then &hellip; let&rsquo;s talk, because me, too.)
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African Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Angola, Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia
As they did in 2019, Africa will get five of the final 32 World Cup spots. Though they&rsquo;re hoping for a better result, because none of them advanced past&nbsp;group play. The Groups are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Nigeria (22), Mali (72), Cape Verde (74), Uganda (78),</li>
<li>Group B: Tunisia (28), Cameroon (64), South Sudan (82), Rwanda (84)</li>
<li>Group C: Angola (31), Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire (40), Central African Rep. (75), Guinea (99)</li>
<li>Group D: Senegal (34), Egypt (59), Congo DR (81), Kenya (103)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Africa has a slightly different format. Groups A and C each played three games from Nov. 26-28, the biggest perhaps being Cape Verde&rsquo;s 79-71 upset over Nigeria, which helped move their ranking from No. 100 to No. 74 in the world. Thus, Groups A and C will return in the summer window. Nigeria and Mali are 2-1 and lead Group A, and Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire went 3-0 in November, sitting atop Group C. Groups B and D begin qualifying on Feb. 25 at Dakar Arena in Senegal, which will be three straight days of games through the 27th.
Tunisia&rsquo;s To Lose?: Tunisia went 10-2 in their World Cup qualifying for the 2019 tournament, and is expected to have similar production in group play here. Tunisia won the 2021 AfroBasket this past September, led by tournament MVP Makrem Romdhane, and All-Tournament guard Omar Abada. There&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/african-qualifiers/news/the-african-champions-are-ready-to-soar-in-dakar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also a chance star center Salah Mejri suits up for Tunisia</a>. The 7-foot-2 former Dallas Maverick <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/teams/tunisia/2019.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">led Tunisia with 16.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game</a> in their second ever World Cup appearance three years ago.
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The Biggest What If: Tunisia plays Cameroon on Feb. 25. Cameroon is one of the many wild cards worth keeping tabs on. They still haven&rsquo;t been able to piece together the dream frontcourt of Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who hasn&rsquo;t played since the NBA bubble. <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/2/7/14539418/joel-embiid-named-cameroon-preliminary-roster-fiba-afrobasket-2017-luc-mbah-a-moute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embiid came close in 2017</a>, but ultimately didn&rsquo;t play. Obviously, NBA players rarely can compete in these qualifying windows because of, well, them being in the NBA. But if Cameroon could do well enough and qualify, who knows if that&rsquo;ll be enough to lure Embiid and Siakam into international play.
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American Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Argentina (silver medalist), Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USA, and Venezuela.
The Americas will, again, send seven to the World Cup late next year. The Americas have the standard format across the board, so this window will mark two games for each club. The groups are:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Argentina (7), Venezuela (17), Panama (50), Paraguay (77)</li>
<li>Group B: Brazil (15), Uruguay (41), Colombia (67), Chile (68)</li>
<li>Group C: Canada (18), Dominican Republic (20), U.S. Virgin Islands (54), Bahamas (62)</li>
<li>Group D: U.S.A. (1), Puerto Rico (19), Mexico (24), Cuba (65)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, Canada, Dominican Republic and Mexico are all 2-0. U.S.A. and Puerto Rico are the only 1-1 teams in the Americas, and will play each other on Tuesday in Washington D.C. Notably, for Team U.S.A., Jim Boylen coached the club in the November window, in which they held off Cuba 95-90, then lost to Mexico in Chihuahua City, 97-88. Although Cuba is 0-2, their star, Jaisel Rivero, is good enough to steal them a game. Rivero put 34 (13-18 shooting) with 9 rebounds and 3 threes on Team USA in their narrow loss. Rivero currently competes with Liga ACB and EuroCup&rsquo;s Valencia Basket in Spain, where he averages 11.1 points (second on team) and 4.9 rebounds (third on team) across all competitions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
21 points for <a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isaiahthomas</a> last night, including 4 made threes, none bigger than this dagger. 👀 Team USA defeated Cuba 95-90 to start 2023 World Cup Qualifiers. They face Mexico tonight. 📹: <a href="https://t.co/nNQDfvcF82">https://t.co/nNQDfvcF82</a> (via FIBA) <a href="https://t.co/dhAUAUVHLy">pic.twitter.com/dhAUAUVHLy</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1465437069073858560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a>
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Uncle Iso Joe: Among <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/game/0407/Mexico-USA#|tab=boxscore">the notables who suited up for Team USA in November</a> were Isaiah Thomas, Luke Kornet, Chasson Randle, Haywood Highsmith and Shaquille Harrison, among many other current and former NBA players. Seven-time All-Star and 40-year-old Joe Johnson, who famously was a Boston Celtic briefly earlier this season, is <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/news/nba-experience-leads-revamped-united-states-roster-for-second-window-of-2023-fiba-world-cup-americas-qualifiers">confirmed to be suiting up with Team USA</a> in this February window. Brian Bowen II is the only player returning from the November window. Other Team U.S.A. members include current G Leaguers Jordan Bell, David Stockton, Langston Galloway and Justin Wright-Foreman, among others.
La Nueva Era de Baloncesto: Both Mexico and Puerto Rico announced new head coaches shortly before the November window. Mexico&rsquo;s led by long-time NBA assistant Kaleb Caneles, while Puerto Rico hired Nelson Colon, who is a three-time champion and Coach of the Year in Baloncesto Superior Nacional, Puerto Rico&rsquo;s top pro basketball league. Former long-time NBA guard Carlos Arroyo was also appointed the <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/news/puerto-rico-appoints-carlos-arroyo-as-its-male-national-team-general-manager#:~:text=Americas-,Puerto%20Rico%20appoints%20Carlos%20Arroyo%20as%20its%20male%20National%20Team,of%20the%20men's%20national%20team.">Puerto Rican National Team&rsquo;s General Manager last June</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Both Puerto Rico and Mexico starting this cycle with new coaches, too: <a href="https://t.co/PCDaPmNumy">https://t.co/PCDaPmNumy</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1465151054278967302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Asia-Oceania Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Australia (finished fourth), China, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, South Korea and the Philippines.
The hosts &ndash; Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia &ndash; typically automatically qualify for the World Cup. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171213161459/http:/www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2017/12/13/1767946/learning-2019-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indonesia&rsquo;s qualification is more provisional</a> due to their lack of international success. Japan and the Philippines are automatically in, but they&rsquo;re all scheduled to participate in World Cup qualifiers anyway.
In the 2019 World Cup, Asia/Oceania sent eight teams over, which they&rsquo;ll do again in 2023. Here are the groups:
<ul>
<li>Group A: New Zealand (27), South Korea (30), Philippines (33), India (80)</li>
<li>Group B: Australia (3), China (29), Japan (37), Chinese Taipei (66)</li>
<li>Group C: Jordan (39), Lebanon (55), Indonesia (91), Saudi Arabia (79)</li>
<li>Group D: Iran (23),&nbsp;Kazakhstan (70), Syria (85), Bahrain (104)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Due to travel restrictions (COVID), <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/asian-qualifiers/news/update-to-the-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-asian-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several games had to be canceled</a>, so while the format was originally the same as the Americas, it came with some modifications. No one in Group A has played yet, so they&rsquo;ll each play four games to compensate, all of which will take place between Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. In Group B, only China and Japan were able to play, and China smacked them twice, 79-63, and 106-73. Australia and Chinese Taipei are each scheduled to play three times between Feb. 25 and Feb. 28. Japan will play twice in this window, once against each of them, and China will return for four games in the third window to end round one.
Medal Momentum: This will mark the first we see of Australia since finally winning their first medal at the 2020 Olympics (that were played in 2021). Australia had lost the bronze medal game in the 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2016 Olympics before finally medaling in their fifth attempt. In their history, they&rsquo;ve never had a better World Cup finish than in 2019, where they lost in &hellip; another bronze medal game. Perhaps Australia is really turning a corner now. &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🥉 HISTORY MADE 🥉 The Boomers have done it- Australia have secured their first ever men&rsquo;s basketball Olympic medal! The bronze is coming home! 💚💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/ngxiYRwHdk">pic.twitter.com/ngxiYRwHdk</a>
&mdash; Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballAus/status/1423988352987013120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a>
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European Region&nbsp;
2019 WC qualifiers: Czech Republic, France (bronze medalist), Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Spain (gold medalist), Turkey.
Europe is the largest region of basketball playing powers here, so their rules are slightly different. Instead of four groups, there are eight. As a result, they&rsquo;ll get 12 World Cup bids.
Here are the groups:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Serbia (6), Latvia (26), Belgium (36), Slovakia (63)</li>
<li>Group B: Greece (10), Turkey (16), Great Britain (44), Belarus (48)</li>
<li>Group C: Slovenia (4), Croatia (21), Finland (35), Sweden (51)</li>
<li>Group D: Germany (11), Poland (13), Israel (42), Estonia (49)</li>
<li>Group E: France (5), Montenegro (25), Hungary (43), Portugal (58)</li>
<li>Group F: Lithuania (8), Czech Republic (12), Bosnia (45), Bulgaria (53)</li>
<li>Group G: Spain (2), Ukraine (32), Georgia (38), North Macedonia (52)</li>
<li>Group H: Italy (9), Russia (14), Netherlands (47), Iceland (46)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Everyone here was able to play two games in November. Your 2-0 teams are as follows: Belgium, Slovenia, Israel, France, Lithuania, Bosnia, Spain and Russia. Your 0-2 teams are Netherlands, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Portugal, Poland, Croatia and Slovakia. Czech Republic was a story from the 2019 World Cup. They shockingly punched above their weight and reached the quarterfinals. Czech Republic, led by Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky, finished sixth, one spot above Team U.S.A. But, so far, they haven&rsquo;t won a game in 2023 qualifying. Czech Republic lost to Bosnia 97-90 and Lithuania 74-66. They should have a breakthrough against Bulgaria on the 24th, but it&rsquo;ll be difficult to set themselves up for a repeat of 2019, which was their first World Cup bid.
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The State of Spain: After winning the 2019 World Cup with an incredibly stacked team, including tournament MVP Ricky Rubio, captain Rudy Fern&aacute;ndez, Marc Gasol and Willy Hernang&oacute;mez, Spain was knocked out of the Olympic quarterfinals by the United States. Their Olympic team featured many of their same heavy-hitters, including even Pau Gasol, who retired in October and is now a member of the International Olympic Committee. Like the United States, many of the players you&rsquo;d expect to see on their World Cup roster <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/team/Spain#|tab=roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely won&rsquo;t participate much until then</a>. Even so, expect them to continue reigning as one of the top teams in the world. We could talk about the age factor around this time next year, perhaps.
The Sleeping Giant: Slovenia famously jumped 12 spots after their debut Olympic performance, largely led by Luka Dončić, accompanied by standout pro teammates Mike Tobey, Zoran (Goran&rsquo;s brother) Dragić,&nbsp;and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlatko_%C4%8Can%C4%8Dar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vlatko Čančar</a>. Slovenia finished fourth, losing to Australia in the bronze medal game. They didn&rsquo;t qualify for the 2019 World Cup, but did win the 2017 EuroBasket, in which Goran won MVP and Luka, at 18 years old, was named to the All-Tournament team. (Anthony Randolph played for the Slovenian team, then. Who knew?!?) Dragić and Tobey are <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/team/Slovenia#|tab=roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed on the roster for this window</a>. Look for them to continue raising hell in qualifiers, and if Dončić suits up, in the World Cup, too.
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For even more World Cup info and complete schedules, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go here</a>.
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Bryan Fonseca gives an overview of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Things to monitor as FIBA World Cup’s next qualifying window arrives

After the Los Angeles Lakers were embarrassed by the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Tuesday night (before Los Angeles lost to a bad Portland Trail Blazers team missing half their roster), a reporter asked LeBron James how his squad stacks up against Milwaukee and the league's other elite teams.
LeBron gave a surprisingly candid response: "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-players-believe-changes-must-be-made-before-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We ain't on their level</a>."
When asked if he believed the Lakers could eventually reach the Bucks' level this season, <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/lebron-james-admits-lakers-are-not-on-championship-level#:~:text=After%20the%20game%2C%20LeBron%20James,a%20flat%2C%20%22No.%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James replied</a>, "Where they are right now? I don't know. Do I think we can reach the level where Milwaukee is right now? No. Is that what you want to hear from me? No. We can't get to where they are right now. They're the defending champions for a reason and I guarantee you if you would've asked teams coming out of the bubble if they could get to the level that we were playing at when we won a championship, they would've said the same thing."
Let's flashback to the championship group for a second, shall we?
It may seem like it's been 16 years or so since LeBron led LA to a title in the bubble, but, incredibly, it's been less than 16 months. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Finals on Oct. 11, 2020. The team's two cornerstones, Anthony Davis and LeBron, remain, but the rest of the rotation has been turned over completely.&nbsp;
So, how did this team go from raising the Larry O'Brien trophy, to being four games under .500 and fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament just a year-and-a-half later?&nbsp;
Let's break it down.&nbsp;
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In the offseason following their championship, LA's major move was trading Danny Green (a significant two-way contributor on their title team) and LA's 2021 first-round pick (Jaden McDaniels) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Dennis Schroder. That summer, LA re-signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (three years, $39 million) and used its cap space to ink free agent Montrezl Harrell to a two-year, $18.9 million contract. They also brought in Wesley Matthews and Markieff Morris for the veteran minimum and inked Marc Gasol to a two-year, $5.3 million deal.&nbsp;
In mid-March, in the days leading up to last season's trade deadline, the Lakers were cruising. More than halfway through the 2020-21 campaign, the Lakers' were 15 games above .500 and owned the league's second-best record at 28-13.&nbsp;
At that point, the Lakers made a decision that would come back to haunt them. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but the Lakers arrived at a fork in the road and chose the wrong path. They've been headed downhill ever since. (Over the past 11 months, the Lakers are 43-51 in the 94 games they've played).&nbsp;
On the eve of the 2021 trade deadline, the Lakers and Toronto Raptors were engaged in serious discussions on a potential deal that would have sent Kyle Lowry to LaLa Land, giving LeBron and Co. the established veteran point guard (and proven winner) the team desperately needed. The Lakers and Raps <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> were close to finalizing a swap sending Schroder, Caldwell-Pope and some draft capital to Toronto in exchange for Lowry. Yet, in the hours right before the deadline arrived, "the sticking point was the inclusion of Talen Horton-Tucker," <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jovan Buha and Bill Oram of The Athletic</a>.&nbsp;
"Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' vice president of basketball operations, insisted that price was too high for the 35-year-old Lowry, and that he was not willing to trade Horton-Tucker, the 20-year-old combo guard who has emerged as a valuable rotation player for the Lakers in his second season," Buha and Oram <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/">reported</a>.
Looking back, it's impossible not to wonder how the future of several franchises might have changed if the Lakers had been willing to pony up for Lowry, who is now averaging 13.0 points and 8.1 assists per game for the Heat. This is the same Heat team that is poised to enter the All-Star break with the best record in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
As we know, the Lakers stood pat at last year's deadline and would struggle mightily in the six subsequent weeks. Over a 25-game stretch from mid-March through the first week in May, LA posted an 8-17 record.
The Lakers would eventually be eliminated in six games by the Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers' starting lineup in Game 6 after missing the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to a groin injury, but logged just five minutes before limping off the court. It was the first and only time in LeBron's career that he lost a first-round series (he had been 14-0).
"What matters to me is getting this team back healthy," James told reporters after the loss to Phoenix.
Well, as it turns out, Pelinka and James were unwilling to run it back with the same squad and hope the group would avoid injuries.&nbsp;
Instead, the Lakers rolled the dice, agreeing to one of the most dramatic and controversial trades in recent NBA history.&nbsp;
On the evening of July 29, both Woj and Shams <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1420855153410854925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Lakers had consented to take on Russell Westbrook (and his onerous contract).&nbsp;
A week later, the trade was officially announced. LA had traded away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson (whom the Lakers had selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) in exchange for Russ and several future second-rounders.&nbsp;
The justification from the Lakers was that they viewed Westbrook as an offensive powerhouse that could lighten the load LeBron had been forced to carry.&nbsp;
The Lakers rounded out their roster this past offseason by adding Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Rajon Rondo. They gave Kendrick Nunn the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9 million for two years). They also re-signed Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal worth $32 million.
Shockingly, despite advanced analytics that confirmed he was a near-perfect fit playing alongside LeBron, the Lakers decided not to bring back Alex Caruso, who had excelled as a role player in LA. Caruso's aggressiveness and versatility on the defensive end, as well as unselfishness on offense, made him an ideal wingman to AD and King James.&nbsp;
However, having Westbrook on the books for $44.2 million in 2021-22 and another $47.1 million in 2022-23 undoubtedly played a part in Pelinka's decision to let Carouso leave.&nbsp;
Still, as he explained on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-lakers-botched-alex-carusos-free-agency-and-lost-a-key-piece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JJ Redick's "Old Man and the Three" podcast</a> back in November, Carouso had hoped to re-sign with the Lakers and was even willing to give them a hometown discount. Before ultimately accepting the offer he received from Chicago (a four-year, $37 million contract, though the final season only carries a $3 million guarantee), <a href="https://twitter.com/oldmanandthree/status/1458257821405954052?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caruso said</a> he and his agent "went back to L.A., asked if they could do the same, they said no. We asked for something else that was a little bit less; they said no."
As it turns out, the concerns many critics envisioned over the summer related to potential issues arising from the addition of Westbrook have reared their ugly head. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Westbrook's declining athleticism has hamstrung the former All-Star.
At various points this season, Westbrook's alarming regression has been uncomfortable to watch. In the closing minutes of LA's victory over the New York Knicks last weekend, Russ found himself alone in the corner and as he was about to launch a three-pointer, the home crowd <a href="https://twitter.com/FanMahome/status/1490172360892329985">screamed at him not to shoot</a>. Coach Frank Vogel yanked him out of the lineup in overtime vs. New York. In the Lakers' embarrassing loss to the Bucks on Tuesday, Westbrook was benched for the final 14 minutes of the game, including the entire fourth quarter. Russ sat out Wednesday's loss to Portland with a "lower back" injury.&nbsp;
His counting stats on the season are solid (18/7/7), but the peripheral numbers are putrid, and his plus/minus is the worst on the team. This season, the Lakers have been outscored by 123 points with Westbrook on the floor, whereas they have outscored their opponents by 35 points with Russ on the bench.
The situation has careened toward rock-bottom this month. Over the Lakers' last four games, Westbrook is shooting just 27% from the floor, 15% from downtown and 55.0% from the free-throw line. He's also leading the league in turnovers.
Yet, now that the 2022 trade deadline has passed, we know that Lakers fans have no choice but to hope Russ can somehow locate his confidence and contribute to winning.&nbsp;
It has been rumored this week that the Houston Rockets were willing to trade John Wall to the Lakers for Westbrook, but Pelinka was reportedly unwilling to include LA's 2027 first-round pick, which Houston was demanding. Will the decision come back to bite LA, as refusing to include THT at last year's deadline did? Even if Wall failed to live up to expectations, would it have amounted to addition by subtraction?&nbsp;
Although Monk has been fantastic, and Melo has given LA as much as they could have hoped for, Howard, Ellington and Bazemore have failed to deliver. Ariza is averaging 4.2 points while shooting 36% from the floor. Rondo is no longer on the roster. Nunn, hampered by a bone bruise in his right knee, has yet to log a single second in an NBA game this season. Horton-Tucker is converting career-lows from the floor (41%) and behind the arc (27%). Despite playing nearly six more minutes per game, THT is averaging fewer assists this season (2.7) than he did in 2020-21, while still committing 1.5 turnovers a night.
Sum it all up, and you see why the Lakers have lost more than half of their games and find themselves in ninth place in the West, despite LeBron authoring the greatest season in NBA history by a 37-year-old.&nbsp;
This is a particularly bitter pill for Lakers fans to swallow considering the team purportedly had several different options to choose from this summer when shopping around their Kuz/&rsquo;Trez/draft picks package, including a deal for Sacramento sharpshooter Buddy Hield. In that scenario, the Lakers could have held onto KCP and added Hield, and the combined salary of both players still would have been $8 million less than Westbrook's cap hit of $44.2 million.&nbsp;
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To be fair, it's worth noting that in 2020-21, Westbrook played his best basketball of the season after the All-Star break. Over the Wizards' final 35 games of the season, he averaged 23.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 13.4 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting a respectable 44% from the floor, 32% from behind the arc and 72% from the FT line. Washington closed the regular season by going 17-6 over their final 23 contests and advanced to the playoffs.&nbsp;
Will Russ and his teammates feel less pressure now that the deadline has passed? LeBron and the Lakers don't need Westbrook to dominate the ball and chase triple-doubles, but they do need him to focus on playing the best defense of his career and help facilitate the offense, especially when James needs a breather.&nbsp;
If Russ cannot shake out of his slump, LA will have a very tough time getting back on track and achieving the goals they set for themselves back in October.&nbsp;
And if Los Angeles fails to right the ship (wasting a year of "Prime LeBron" in the process), the team's fans will look back with rage on the terrible trades and free-agency failures over the past 12 months that led to the Lakers' demise.&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer delves into the errors of the Lakers' ways following their championship success one-and-a-half years ago.

How the Lakers managed to turn a contending team into a sub-.500 mess

You know who has the NBA's <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DateFrom=01%2F01%2F2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best offense in 2022</a>?
Not the Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors (111.6 Offensive Rating, 15th), who are winners of nine straight and generally the beacon of ball-and-body movement.
You're on the right track if you guessed the Trae Young-led Atlanta Hawks (115.5, 4th) &mdash; the man's been on fire (28.4 points and 9.2 assists per game, 61.8% True Shooting) by the way &mdash; but they're trailing the leader by more than three points per 100 possessions.
The #BeautifulGame Phoenix Suns? You're getting warmer (117.4, 3rd), pun intended. Nikola Jokic (26-13-9 with .608/.416/.875 splits) and the Denver Nuggets (117.8, 2nd) get you closer, but still misses the mark by over a point.&nbsp;
Your answer? The Minnesota Timberwolves, scorching the nets (and the Nets, hanging 136 points on Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago) to the tune of a 118.9 ORTG. Even if you shrink it down to half-court possessions, they still edge out the Suns (102.9) for the league's most efficient unit (103.6) per Cleaning The Glass.
After spending the 2021 portion of the season being a borderline-elite defense (108.2 Defensive Rating, 11th) and struggling offense (107.3, 23rd), the script has officially flipped in 2022. The Wolves' method of madness seems in line with their personnel now: We're going to blitz you with buckets, then garner enough stops (111.6 DRTG, 17th) to rack up Ws.
As such, Minnesota is 13-6 in the new year (No. 5 in the West, No. 8 in the NBA) while boasting the fourth-best Net Rating (plus-7.3) in the league.
Everything has perked up for the Wolves, particularly in half-court situations. Just look at the shift statistically, per Cleaning The Glass:
<ul>
<li>Through Dec. 31: 59.0% at the rim (26th), 36.3% from mid range (27th), 33.6% from three (22nd)</li>
<li>Since Jan. 1: 65.1% at the rim (16th), 43.9% from mid range (8th), 38.1% from three (3rd)</li>
</ul>
Generally, this is the point where the "truth is somewhere in the middle" mantra kicks in. But then, you remember the Wolves had a 105.7 ORTG up until the Chris Finch hire last year, and boosted that figure to 111.9 to finish out the season. There was goodness hiding in plain sight.
If there's one thing to highlight with this recent surge from the Wolves, I'd choose their post play. There's been a better flow from it. The spacing makes (more) sense. The off-ball movement is more threatening than chaotic.
In other words: They've learned how to play off one another.
It starts with Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the sport. The Wolves do a great job of mixing in high and low post looks for him.
Having one of their best shooters make the entry pass provides an easy outlet for Towns if a double team comes. If a non-shooter makes the entry, he's likely to cut through and clear to the opposite side.
The least threatening shooters on the floor (hi Jarred Vanderbilt, specifically) aren't just heady cutters, they're also willing pin-in screeners. Their combination of movement and screening occupies potential help defenders.
Those options &mdash; built-in or free-flowing &mdash; make double-teaming Towns less appealing. Towns becoming a smarter ball-mover of late (less hook passes, por favor!) has led to more efficient offense.
There are set plays they use to get Towns going. This is one of my favorite quick hitters, a Towns-for-D'Angelo Russell screen that flows into a middle-post. Notice the (lack of) help on this possession.
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That's Russell making the entry pass. Anthony Edwards and Malik Beasley occupy each corner. Help could only come from the left wing, but Towns is decisive on the catch, making his move towards the strong-side corner with Beasley. The general rule is to avoid providing help from the strong side in that way, which essentially gives Towns a 1-on-1.
Because of Towns' otherworldly shooting ability, the Wolves are able to leverage him as a movement threat. Centers aren't used to chasing guys around screens, which leads to some uncomfortable switching.&nbsp;
Related: Towns has been crushing switches. Since the turn of the new year, the Wolves are generating nearly 1.2 points per possession when Towns bullies a guard or forward, per Second Spectrum.
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The exit screen for Towns forces Cory Joseph on him. The Pistons send extra attention &mdash; because why the heck wouldn't they &mdash; which leads to this alignment.
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Not great!
As the clip plays out, Towns actually skips a step by hitting Patrick Beverley instead of Russell. The swing goes to Edwards, who attacks the scrambling defense. Russell floats to the corner, receives a kickout, then finishes things off with a floater.&nbsp;
Towns doesn't get the shot, an assist or even a hockey assist, but that bucket doesn't happen without him.
How about this nifty left-side clear-out with an inverted screen from Beverley to force a mismatch?
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Look at the strain that places on the Pistons. Isaiah Stewart is in an unfamiliar (and uncomfortable) help position. He can't double off of Beverley without risking an open three. And with Stewart on the perimeter, the largest player on the back line for the Pistons is Jerami Grant.
Tough sleddin'.&nbsp;
If you do want to double Towns, the timing has to be excellent. Show your hand too early, and he'll shift into QB mode. That's where the cutters get to shine.
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Come too late, and Towns will either have a favorable opportunity for himself, or he'll take advantage of your defense trying to correct itself on the fly with a pass.
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(That's some good stuff from McDaniels, who goes from setting a pin-in screen for Jordan McLaughlin &mdash; and being in position to do so for Taurean Prince &mdash; to cutting in front of Mike Conley since he's tasked with "splitting the difference" after Bojan Bogdanovic rotates to help.)
The outline of this kind of pick-your-poison attack has been here all season, but the execution simply wasn't. You can blame that on chemistry-building or injury woes &mdash; heck, those go hand-in-hand when you think about it.
What's undeniable is that they're executing on a new level. Through the 2021 portion of the schedule, the Wolves were generating 0.84 points per possession on trips featuring a Towns post-up. Since the turn of the year, that's shot up to 1.02, per Second Spectrum.
The Wolves are starting to figure stuff out, which bodes poorly for the rest of the Play-In hopefuls. Minnesota has a vice grip on the seventh seed (three-game lead on the Clippers), and now finds itself just a game behind the Nuggets for the sixth seed.
Best to keep an eye out on these guys.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the Wolves' surging post offense attack, led by All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

On the block: Wolves surging behind Karl-Anthony Towns-led post attack

It's #DeadlineSZN in the NBA, which opens up the possibility of a host of players -- ranging in role and status -- could be on the move.&nbsp;
The big names are well known: Ben Simmons* and James Harden*, CJ McCollum, Jerami Grant, Domantas Sabonis and others have seen their name tossed around the rumor mill. As fun as those guys are to track, it's generally the under-the-radar names that swing things in terms of mid-season deals.
A prime candidate for this distinction is Magic guard Gary Harris. Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer dropped this nugget in his latest intel piece:
<blockquote>
League personnel expect Orlando will find a new home for Terrence Ross in a similar deal structure that saw the Magic part with Evan Fournier for two second-round picks last season. Meanwhile, Gary Harris has been painted as a potential buyout candidate if he is not moved.
</blockquote>
Harris originally made hay as an off-ball merchant in Denver -- flying down the court in transition, knocking down triples, and back-cutting unsuspecting defenders for buckets -- while doubling as a sturdy on-ball defender. His 2017-18 campaign -- 17.5 points (55/40/83 splits), 1.8 steals -- firmly cemented him as one of the best young two-way guards in the sport.
Injuries and a sputtering shot -- he converted 33.7% of his threes on 3.9 attempts over the next three seasons -- led to a decline in prominence in Denver and the eventual trade to Orlando (as part of the Aaron Gordon trade).
Harris has bounced back a bit this season, averaging 11.6 points (51/38/84 splits) in a shade under 30 minutes. He can still get loose off the ball, and has shown some springiness when attacking closeouts.
He isn't the same guy defensively. Once a sticky point-of-attack guy, physical decline has made screen navigation more of a chore for him. His pick-and-roll film is littered with late/peel switches after losing contact with the ball-handler.
That isn't necessarily a bad thing; it just means expectations need to be realistic.
He remains active as a help defender, makes solid off-ball reads, and has experience punching above his weight class on switches. Even at the point-of-attack, he's fine against non-elite ball-handlers and can still flow between pressing the handle and dropping back to give a cushion.
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There's utility for Harris in a scheme that doesn't make his screen navigation the end-all, be-all -- think a two-to-the-ball scheme like Minnesota or Milwaukee, or a heavy switching style like the Celtics or Clippers employ.
BUYOUT CANDIDATES
You know who's a hand-in-glove fit for what Harris provides on both ends? The Denver Nuggets.
He established great handoff and random-nonsense chemistry with Nikola Jokic earlier in his career; the Harris-Jokic handoff generated over 1.08 points per possession during the 2017-18 campaign, per Second Spectrum. His shooting and cutting would be welcomed to that injured guard room.
The Celtics have been trying to get consistent production from their backup guards/wings all season long. Peyton Pritchard, Romeo Langford, and Aaron Nesmith have all taken turns showing flashes; a vet like Harris could help solidify that spot.&nbsp;
The Lakers could use ... just about all the help they can get in the backcourt. With their half-court attack being built around the interior (or mid-post) play of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, having Harris as a spacer or cutter in some of their more intricate sets could be a solid fit.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>The Raptors need a ball-handler more than anything, but Gary Trent Jr. is their only (movement) shooter. There's room for Harris, if for no other reason than the Raptors' 6.5-man rotation.</li>
<li>The Cavs just made a swing with the Caris LeVert deal, but it'd be fun to watch Harris play off of Evan Mobley in the high post.</li>
<li>The Nets desperately need shooters, especially in light of Joe Harris potentially needing a second surgery. If Paul Millsap ends up getting bought out, Harris could take that roster spot pretty easily.</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan breaks down potential landing spots for Magic guard Gary Harris.

Examining possible landing spots for Gary Harris

When looking through the NBA standings, one team continues to show no signs of slowing down as a team officially taking the leap forward to sustainable playoff contender. The Memphis Grizzlies are breaking through their ceiling ahead of schedule, thanks in large part to point guard Ja Morant taking the leap to superstardom in his third season.
Thankfully, basketball fans weren&rsquo;t robbed of what could&rsquo;ve been a special season from Morant early on in the 2021-22 season with what looked to be a more serious knee injury.
Six weeks ago, Morant landed awkwardly on his left knee resulting in a sprain. In real-time, it looked way worse when remembering catastrophic injuries in the past with lower extremities. Morant stutter-stepped on a drive to the rim, which caused a non-contact buckling of his knee. In his absence, Memphis stayed afloat in the Western Conference as their young core carried the burden, spearheaded by late first-round steal Desmond Bane, who continues to look the part of a perfect backcourt complement alongside Morant.
Memphis is 25-14, comfortably sitting as the No. 4 seed in the West. As Morant&rsquo;s ascension continues full steam ahead, it&rsquo;s time to realize how strong this Grizzlies team is positioned both now and long-term.
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Morant is the straw that stirs the drink on Beale Street in Memphis, but the Grizzlies are a team littered with enticing pieces fitting together seamlessly on the fly. Bane is averaging 17.4 points per game while carrying an above-average 58.5% True Shooting percentage, boosted by his three-point marksmanship.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is taking strides forward in Year 4 after losing a full season to his own knee injury suffered in the 2020 Orlando Bubble. He's averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
After a short stint with the Phoenix Suns, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton has found a home in Memphis as an energizer third guard who brings endless amounts of two-way versatility. Dillon Brooks still remains as a key cog in the Grizzlies&rsquo; machine when he&rsquo;s been on the court this season, averaging 19.3 points per game himself.
The Grizzlies&rsquo; front office has consistently taken flyers on productive, high-upside college prospects and maximized on signing castoffs. Case in point with former Minnesota Timberwolves lottery pick Jarrett Culver. Memphis has continuously hit on second-round picks as well, with Xavier Tillman and Killian Tillie carving out roles. Last summer's No. 10 overall pick Ziaire Williams is working his way into the mix and could be a future asset to the Grizzlies&rsquo; successful rise in the West.
Add it all together and the Grizzlies are nowhere close to a mirage. If anything, they are just now beginning their climb in the Western Conference for years to come. Aided by a superstar in Morant, a valuable collection of successful young role-players who can fill multiple avenues of on-court value, stabilizing veteran presences like center Steven Adams, Memphis has hit the jackpot.
Morant has been everything the Grizzlies hoped for when they found their own lottery luck and jumped up to the second spot in the 2019 NBA Draft. Morant was a fast-paced, jaw-dropping offensive engine who provided endless highlight reel moments during his two collegiate seasons at Murray State. A meteoric rise in his sophomore season led to some even debating him alongside surefire No. 1 pick Zion Williamson.
Morant immediately showed during his rookie season how special of a player he was. Fast-forward to now, though, he&rsquo;s beginning to really take hold of being one of the best young lead guards in the Association.
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Morant is averaging 25.1 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals while taking a superstar-esque jump from the perimeter, shooting 40.0% on three-pointers. It&rsquo;s resulted in Morant&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage skyrocketing to a career-best 57.7% this season. When Morant has been on the court, Memphis is 15-12. He&rsquo;s not only carrying this Grizzlies squad, but taking the leap in the process.
As a true three-level scorer with rare explosive burst to the basket, Morant is a gem in the backcourt. When comparing him around the Association, his unique scoring blend makes him a nearly unstoppable weapon to contain. After an adjustment period returning from his sprained left knee, Morant is averaging an eye-popping 33.2 points over his last five games.
The Grizzlies are winning with a superstar buoying their offense, but the defense is there in more consistent spurts as well. Memphis ranks No. 7 in offensive rating (111.7) while being smack dab in the middle of the league in defensive rating (108.7). It&rsquo;s a sustainable formula head coach Taylor Jenkins is firing off on a nightly basis, which makes Memphis a real threat to nab a top-five seed this season.
When the Grizzlies snuck into the playoffs last season after defeating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, it provided much-needed playoff experience despite a quick first-round exit against the top-seeded Utah Jazz. Memphis not only came back stronger with internal development success stories across the board, but they found their weaknesses and turned them into passable grades.
It will be very interesting to see what the Grizzlies now do with a month left before February&rsquo;s trade deadline. Will they make a win-now move to further bolster their chances of securing homecourt advantage in April? It&rsquo;s a serious discussion to be had and could continue during the upcoming offseason.
Everything is falling into place for Memphis after a few down years following the successful Grit &rsquo;N Grind era. Now, a new era of Grizzlies basketball is thriving, with a completely different identity built around fast-paced play and relentless offensive firepower. They have a full-blown budding superstar in Morant alongside multiple young players who are taking leaps to serious starting quality as well.
Welcome back to playoff basketball, Memphis. You won't be leaving anytime soon.

After a few down years, a new era of Memphis Grizzlies basketball is taking the NBA world by storm with no signs of slowing down.

The Grizzlies are the NBA's latest rebuild success story

Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: New Year's Resolutions for each team

The Houston Rockets are trending upward.
We're three weeks removed from <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2950751-sources-houston-rockets-weighing-future-of-head-coach-stephen-silas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on-the-hot-seat reporting</a> from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer concerning head coach Stephen Silas. The offense was bland and ineffective; the defense was spotty, to be kind. It wasn't all on Silas, as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-wrong-with-the-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained in this space</a>, but things certainly didn't look good.
Since that report, the Rockets have won eight of their last 11 games behind an elite offense (116.4 Offensive Rating, 3rd in the NBA). The defense still ain't great &mdash; it's actually gotten worse (115.7 Defensive Rating, 26th) during this stretch &mdash; but it hasn't bitten them yet.
Despite the recent success, the Rockets are aware of where they are: Stage 1 of the rebuild. As such, the phone lines are open for some of their veterans. Chief among them is Christian Wood, an All-Star caliber frontcourt talent.
On the surface, that's a surprise. When you think of Rocket vets that could swap teams, you'd likely land on 32-year-old Eric Gordon (absolutely balling as of late) or 29-year-old Daniel Theis. Not only is Wood better than both players, he's also much younger (26 years old).&nbsp;
But over the last week, <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-willing-listen-offers-christian-094911591.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Tim MacMahon</a> and Bleacher Report's Fischer have hinted at a willingness to at least hear offers for the big man. The price would likely be steep &mdash; Fischer ballparks it at "a first round pick plus further capital" <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2951461-latest-nba-trade-buzz-sourced-intel-on-simmons-kyrie-lakers-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in his latest report</a> &mdash; but that could be worth it for a team looking for help up front.
WHAT WOOD BRINGS&nbsp;
As our Jackson Frank wrote <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/christian-woods-offensive-versatility-will-benefit-houstons-core" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before the season</a>, there aren't many centers more gifted than Wood on the offensive end of the floor.
He's a dynamic partner in ball-screens, able to beat defenses as a roller or popper. He transitions smoothly from screener to roller or popper, allowing him to get a jump on the defense depending on what coverage they're in.
Wood has had to pop more this season due to the spacing around him, but he remains a paint threat due to his ability to pump-and-go. Leave him completely open and he'll fire above the break; close-out too hard, and he'll get downhill.
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Wood's ability to handle could be an added dimension for a team. He's not a Giannis-type threat to grab-and-go after misses, but he can push a break and allow offenses to attack earlier. His handle also allows him to initiate &mdash; or fake &mdash; handoffs against unbalanced defenses.
This is a down year for Wood as a finisher &mdash; spacing and playmaking issues have put a more difficult self-creation load on him &mdash; and he's still converting 73% of his shots inside of 3 feet, per Basketball-Reference. There's room to believe he could be even more effective with more room to operate, and/or more dynamic ball-handlers to work with.
LIMITATIONS
While Wood is able initiate some early offense in Delay sets, he doesn't have the passing chops to act as a true offensive hub. That's not inherently a bad thing; a team hoping to acquire him just has to understand he's a play-finisher that can sometimes get you into your offense, not Western Conference Domantas Sabonis.
Wood isn't the quickest processor when forced to make playmaking reads, and his actual pass accuracy leaves a bit to be desired. Combine those traits, and you get some rough turnovers when he's in creator mode.
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Defensively, Wood doesn't have the spatial feel to hold up as a primary rim-protector. His drop coverage film is littered with possessions of him conceding too much space to the ball-handler, or playing too high up (in a hunched over stance, no less) on the floor, allowing his assignment to get behind him for lobs.
Wood has shown some comfort switching out on the perimeter. He also possesses the mobility and hands necessary to play in more aggressive schemes. The swing skill for him would be his recovery; cutting off a ball-handler is one thing, but finding your assignment after the hedge is a separate task that he's had uneven results with.&nbsp;
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Even with some of his limitations, he's shown to be an active communicator. He's been a competent weak-side rim-protector. So long as you have good personnel around him, Wood can be a positive cog in a system.
LANDING SPOTS
If you're looking for a team with 1) a dynamic ball-handler, 2) plenty of spacers and 3) a strong defensive infrastructure, look no further than the Golden State Warriors.&nbsp;
Among the many weapons the Warriors have at their disposal, a vertical spacer is one they currently lack. It's safe to say Wood could slot right into that role. This may shock you, but Stephen Curry has had success with those type of partners.&nbsp;
Since the 2017-18 season, ball-screens spearheaded by Curry have generated roughly 1.08 points per possession &mdash; the best high volume mark in the NBA over that stretch, per Second Spectrum. When working with an athletic vertical threat &mdash; let's say JaVale McGee, Damian Jones, and Marquese Chriss &mdash; that number jumps to 1.12.
Last season's blockbuster trade cut the sample short, but it's worth noting just how successful the James Harden-Wood connection was last season (north of 1.13 PPP). It's fair to believe the Curry-Wood pairing would be a darn good one.
And if you need defensive covering for Wood, is there a better guy to pair him with than Draymond Green? Curry would be step up from what Wood has had to cover for at the point of attack this season; doubly so when Curry is replaced by Gary Payton II in the lineup.&nbsp;
The complicated matter would be the price. I would imagine the Rockets would want two of the Warriors' three young prospects &mdash; James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody &mdash; if possible.
The Athletic's Tim Kawakami recently laid out <a href="https://theathletic.com/3006586/2021/12/09/kawakami-why-the-warriors-absolutely-positively-are-not-trading-james-wiseman/?redirected=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a strong argument</a> regarding why the Warriors don't want to part with Wiseman right now. Beyond that, it would be shocking if the Rockets prioritized Wiseman considering they just drafted Alperen Sengun (please play him more!) and Usman Garuba over the summer.&nbsp;
Kuminga and Moody might be considered steep for the Warriors; only flipping one of those would make salary matching a bit of a chore. The Warriors do have all of their future firsts, sans a 2024 pick that will likely transfer to the Grizzlies.&nbsp;
For an off-the-radar team, how about the Minnesota Timberwolves?&nbsp;
Their defense has been surprisingly sturdy (6th in half-court defense, 12th in overall DRTG) thanks to an aggressive scheme. The offense has lagged behind (26th in half-court offense, 24th overall ORTG) behind spotty shooting and a quietly-subpar conversion rate at the rim.
The (admittedly reductive) question I have: What do the Wolves look like with Wood instead of Jarred Vanderbilt in the lineup?
Wood is not the overall defender that Vanderbilt is, but how much of the backline workload could he replicate?&nbsp;More importantly, is the gap between the two as defenders greater than the gap in scoring chops?
I would answer "maybe 75-80% of it" and "absolutely not" to those questions.
To the defense point, the Wolves often play at, or above, the level of the screen when defending pick-and-rolls. That puts strain on the backline to clean up messes behind it. Like this, basically:
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One blocked shot doesn't mean he can be peak Paul Millsap in this role, but again, Wood does possess legit weak-side rim-protection chops. If he can nail those rotations, the Wolves shouldn't see a major slide defensively. It also helps that Wood is one of the best defensive rebounders in the sport. The Wolves have, uh, struggled (30th in defensive-rebound rate) in that regard.
The offensive upgrade is an easier case to make. Wood has shot 36.9% from three dating back to his Detroit season (2019-20), and has converted 40% of his corner threes in that time frame. He's both a better shooter, and more of a threat to beat a (soft) closeout than Vanderbilt is.
With Karl-Anthony Towns often setting up shop above the break or from the mid-post, Wood seems more equipped to convert catch-and-shoot looks, or to take advantage of the space Towns provides with drives, and cuts, or to work as the screener in pick-and-rolls.
About those pick-and-rolls: I'm be interested in seeing what he could do when screening for D'Angelo Russell or Anthony Edwards.
Like the Warriors example, the price is worth the pause. The Wolves have all of their firsts moving forward. They also have Jaden McDaniels, an intriguing, rangy forward worth investing in.
The salary filler is where things could sputter. Taurean Prince probably isn't enough short-term help; Malik Beasley would further crowd the guard room, and I'm not sure how willing the Wolves would be to part with him. There's an intriguing package to be made, though.&nbsp;
I'd like to live in a world where Luka Doncic has a legitimate roll man (and thus, a complement to Kristaps Porzingis up front), but I'm not sure the Mavericks have the horses to get a deal done. What exactly is Tim Hardaway Jr. doing for this version of the Rockets?
The Hornets haven't just been linked to Wood in the past; they literally had him on their roster a few years ago, though this was obviously before he broke out. They could use some frontcourt juice, and have enough wing talent (hello, Kelly Oubre Jr.) to potentially intrigue the Rockets.
We'll keep an eye on the talented Houston big man moving forward, because there are bound to be plenty of suitors.

Nekias Duncan breaks down potential trade destinations for Rockets big man Christian Wood.

Examining potential trade destinations for Christian Wood

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-and-suns-continue-to-battle-for-the-top-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The same two names remain at the top of this week's Basketball News NBA Power Rankings, but there is a bit of a shakeup in the back half of the top-10, as Cleveland and Memphis continue to win. &nbsp;
1. Golden State Warriors (22-5) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Stephen Curry couldn't break Ray Allen's all-time three-point record Monday night in Indiana, but the Warriors were able to walk away with a 102-100 victory. Steph has a chance to pass Allen on Tuesday night in the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, against the team that was <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1470778720600403974?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one spot away from drafting him</a>: the New York Knicks.&nbsp;
2. Phoenix Suns (21-5) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
The Suns, playing without Deandre Ayton (non-COVID illness) and Devin Booker (left hamstring strain), were beaten badly by the Clippers on Monday night. The Suns still haven't lost consecutive games since before Halloween.&nbsp;
3. Utah Jazz (19-7) ⬆️ Last Week: 6
The Jazz, winners of seven consecutive contests &mdash; including four straight on the road &mdash; possess the league's longest active winning streak. Now, Utah returns home, where the team will commence a string of six straight home games beginning Wednesday. It's longest homestand this season for the Jazz.&nbsp;
4. Brooklyn Nets (19-8) ⬆️ Last Week: 5
Kevin Durant <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/durant-scores-51-in-nets-116104-win-over-slumping-pistons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poured in an NBA season-high 51 points</a> in the Nets' victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. The NBA's leading scorer, KD is averaging 32.9 points over his last seven games. But it's also worth noting he is averaging over 40 minutes per game during this current stretch &mdash; truly remarkable considering he is just two years removed from a torn Achilles.&nbsp;
5. Milwaukee Bucks (18-11) ⬇️ Last Week: 3
Khris Middleton limped to the locker room in the third quarter of Monday's loss to the Boston Celtics and could not return. After the game, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer <a href="https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/1470590960069488640?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Middleton suffered a hyperextended left knee, but stated that "initially there are positive indications" about the injury. However, the team will have a better idea of the severity of the hyperextension after further examination.&nbsp;
6. Chicago Bulls (17-10) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The NBA announced Monday that the Chicago Bulls' next two games (Tuesday's matchup with the Pistons and Thursday's game vs. the Toronto Raptors) will be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak within the locker room. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Troy Brown Jr., Coby White, Javonte Green, Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu, Alize Johnson and Stanley Johnson are all currently in the league's health and safety protocols. These are the first two games postponed this season. Unfortunately, they may not be last.
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7. Memphis Grizzlies (17-11) ⬆️ Last Week: 13
Despite seeming to fly under the radar, the Grizzlies are one of the NBA's hottest teams, having won 8 of their last 9 games. This 8-1 surge is especially remarkable when you consider the Grizz are doing it without Ja Morant, who suffered a left knee injury in late November. Plenty of credit goes to Tyus Jones, who has been starting in place of Morant. Over his last seven games, Jones is averaging 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.7 steals. He has dished out 47 dimes during this stretch while committing just eight turnovers.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-12) ⬆️ Last Week: 15
Kevin Love scored all 23 of his points in the second half of Monday's win over the Miami Heat to help lead the surging Cavs to their fourth consecutive victory. Remarkably, the Cavs are now five games above .500 without LeBron James on their roster for the first time since December of 2000, when they were 15-10. Yes, incredibly, it's the first time this century!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"You don't get this often." No lip service when Kevin Love talks about *these* <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a>. He's saying this team has something "bigger than ourselves" and "truly celebrate each other." <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/MJIf43fdLW">pic.twitter.com/MJIf43fdLW</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1470597707341479941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
9. Miami Heat (16-12) ⬇️ Last Week: 8
The Heat started their four-game road trip with a dud Monday night, falling to the Cavs. Miami has three road games left to close out the week, but after playing in Philly on Wednesday, they play the two worst teams in the conference (Orlando on Friday and Detroit on Sunday).&nbsp;
10. Los Angeles Clippers (16-12) ⬆️ Last Week: 12 
The Clips smashed the Suns on Monday night, despite playing without Paul George (right elbow sprain) and Nicolas Batum (ankle). Marcus Morris Sr. led the way for L.A., racking up 24 points on 10 of 16 shooting and ripping down a season-high 11 rebounds, two triples and one assist. We'll see if PG-13 is cleared to play Wednesday vs. the Jazz.&nbsp;
11. Philadelphia 76ers (15-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
The Sixers were forced to play without Seth Curry (right shoulder) and center Joel Embiid (rib soreness), and got hammered by the Grizzlies, 126-91. Memphis led by as much as 36 points in the final frame. "This is a burn-it film. Throw it away and move on to the next game," Philly head coach <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401360233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doc Rivers said</a> after the contest. Philly will look to bounce back Wednesday when they host the Heat.&nbsp;
12. Charlotte Hornets (15-14) ⬇️ Last Week: 9
Good news for the Hornets, as LaMelo Ball, Jalen McDaniels and Mason Plumlee have all been cleared to return from health and safety protocols. The three players have been assigned to the Greensboro Swarm for conditioning purposes. Charlotte's next game is Wednesday vs. the San Antonio Spurs.&nbsp;
13. Washington Wizards (15-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 10
The slumping Wizards have lost 5 of their last 6 games. Their only win during this current stretch was against the lowly Pistons in overtime. Washington hasn't won a game in regulation since Dec. 1, and things won't get any easier for the Wiz in the near future. Monday's loss in Denver was the first game of a grueling six-game road trip that includes stops in Utah, Phoenix and Brooklyn.
14. Los Angeles Lakers (15-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 17 
Over in the NFL, 42-year-old Tom Brady has a chance to become the oldest MVP ever in any pro sport in North America. Not to be outdone, LeBron James &mdash; who will celebrate his 37th birthday later this month &mdash; is averaging 29.8 points, 8.0 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 made three-pointers over his last eight games, while logging more than 39 minutes per contest.&nbsp;
15. Boston Celtics (14-14) ⬇️ Last Week: 11
Jayson Tatum poured in 42 points Monday in Boston's victory over Milwaukee. Tatum was joined by his fellow Celtic star, Jaylen Brown, who returned to action after missing five games with a right hamstring injury and chipped in 19 points for Boston.
16. Denver Nuggets (14-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 18
Nikola Jokic was ejected from Monday's win over the Wizards after being hit with two technical fouls, but not before he tallied 28 points, 19 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals in 31 minutes. Over Denver's last six games, Jokic is averaging a mind-boggling 28.8 points (on 60% shooting), 13.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists in just 33.3 minutes per contest.
17. Dallas Mavericks (14-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
Kristaps Porzingis was dominant in Dallas' victory over the Hornets Monday. Playing without Luka Doncic, who is expected to miss multiple games due to left ankle soreness, KP shouldered the load vs. Charlotte, tallying 24 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks. The Mavs host LeBron and the Lakers on Wednesday.&nbsp;
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18. Atlanta Hawks (13-14) ⬇️ Last Week: 14
Despite a 41-point, 9-assist performance from Trae Young, the Hawks blew a 19-point second-half lead Monday night in a bitterly disappointing home loss to the Houston Rockets. Atlanta has 4 four of its last 5 games and has lost five straight at home.&nbsp;
19. Toronto Raptors (13-14) ⬆️ Last Week: 21
After a disappointing and inconsistent start to the season, Chris Boucher is starting to turn it around for Toronto. Over the Raps past four games, Boucher is averaging 14.0 points (while shooting 56.8%) to go along with 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in just 22 minutes a night.&nbsp;
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-15) &harr;️ Last Week: 20
The Timberwolves welcomed back D'Angelo Russell to the lineup Sunday night in Portland after the point guard had missed three straight games due to a right ankle injury, and ended their five-game losing skid by beating the Portland Trail Blazers. Minnesota travels to Denver on Wednesday and then returns home to take on the Lakers.&nbsp;
21. Indiana Pacers (12-17) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Big double-double for Domantas Sabonis in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pacers</a> W 💪 30 PTS 11-15 FGM 10 REB 6 AST 3 STL 60 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/RD341JwbqV">pic.twitter.com/RD341JwbqV</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1468052587882721288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Monday, the NBA announced Domantas Sabonis as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging a team-high 25.0 points (on 75% shooting!) and 10.3 rebounds per game, to go along with 6.0 assists per game, as the Pacers went 3-0.
22. New York Knicks (12-15) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
The Knicks were forced to play Sunday vs. Milwaukee without RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin (who both missed the game because they are in the league's health and safety protocols), and Julius Randle and Evan Fournier combined for just 14 points. Unsurprisingly, the Knicks fell to the defending champs. It was New York's third straight defeat. The silver lining for New York was Quentin Grimes' performance in his first career start. Grimes poured in 27 points and knocked down seven three-pointers, the most ever by a Knicks rookie.
23. San Antonio Spurs (10-16) ⬆️ Last Week: 25
Dejounte Murray recorded his fourth triple-double of the season in Sunday's victory over the Pels. Murray has been playing extremely well over the past month, averaging 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.9 steals.
24. Portland Trail Blazers (11-16) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
Damian Lillard (lower abdominal tendinopathy) returned to action Sunday night and tallied 24 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, but it wasn't enough to get the Blazers back on track. Portland has now lost five games in a row and 8 of their 9 nine. And things don't get any easier for Portland this week, as they host the Suns on Tuesday night and take on the Grizzlies this Wednesday on the back-end of a back-to-back.
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25. Houston Rockets (9-18) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
After having their seven-game win streak snapped last week, the Rockets got back in the win column Monday in Atlanta. Houston is 8-2 over their last 10 games, which is tied for the best record in the league over that stretch.&nbsp;
26. Sacramento Kings (11-17) ⬇️ Last Week: 24
The Kings went 0-3 in their recently-completed three-game road trip. Sacramento coach Alvin Gentry <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401360230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> that his players held a closed-door meeting after Monday's embarrassing blowout loss to the Raptors.
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
Luguentz Dort, who has been one of the bright spots during a disappointing OKC season, sprained his left ankle in Sunday's loss to the Mavericks. Over the Thunder's previous 15 games, Dort was averaging 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 made treys per contest.
28. New Orleans Pelicans (8-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 28
Just when it seemed the Pels' 2021-22 season couldn't get any more depressing, it was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/zion-williamson-foot-experiences-setback-will-be-shut-down-from-basketball-activities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Saturday that Zion Williamson "continues to experience soreness in his surgically-repaired right foot and is likely to be shut down from basketball activities for the time being," and that Williamson's bone "has not healed the way the team expected and he will take some time off before proceeding." It appears there is now a possibility that Zion doesn't log a single minute all season.
29. Orlando Magic (5-23) &harr;️ Last Week: 29
The Magic lost each of the five games they played on their recently completed five-game road trip, but Cole Anthony refuses to slow down. Over the three games Orlando played last week, Anthony averaged a whopping 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 5.0 made three-pointers while shooting 53.6% from downtown.&nbsp;
30. Detroit Pistons (4-22) &harr;️ Last Week: 30
It was revealed over the weekend that Jerami Grant suffered torn ligaments in his right thumb and will be out indefinitely. However, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Grant is "one of the most sought-after players in a potential trade, with the Lakers and Trail Blazers among the teams pursuing the Pistons versatile forward." Shams adds that Grant's injury "is not expected to impact his trade market, as "dozens of teams call the Detroit front office about Grant each week, and sources said the team is open to a possible deal." Our own Evan Sidery looked at <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible destinations for Grant</a> on Monday night.

NBA Power Rankings: Jazz vault into top-3; Grizz, Cavs keep ascending

&ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is back as we our every single day to hand out your early NBA betting edge. On Sunday, we have a fun little 5-game slate with some heavy-hitters playing. This season, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is carrying a 157-122-3 record (56.2%). Let&rsquo;s find out how we fare against the spread ending the weekend.
As always, our odds are provided by TwinSpires Sportsbook and over/under power play prop bets are provided by PrizePicks.
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It&rsquo;s hammering time!
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors (-3)
We&rsquo;re officially on a collision course for the NBA&rsquo;s biggest matchup yet on Tuesday in Phoenix between the Suns and Warriors. In the meantime, though, Golden State still needs to take care of business against a feisty Clippers team. The line movement here has doubled in the last 24 hours in favor of the Warriors rising from -1.5 to -3. Even with the spread rising, I still love the Warriors to win outright and cover. On PrizePicks, let&rsquo;s lock in a fun power play prop bet for this game: Stephen Curry over 26.5 points, Paul George over 24 points, Jordan Poole over 16.5 points, Ivica Zubac over 7.5 rebounds.
Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks (-3)
The Bucks are finally getting healthy and finding a consistent rhythm, which is a scary sight for everyone else in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee&rsquo;s slow start wasn&rsquo;t a sustainable trend, but what we&rsquo;ve seen recently most definitely is. Although Indiana is playing a lot better as of late, it&rsquo;s hard to trust them in this matchup against the defending champions. Giannis Antetokounmpo should feast against the Pacers as I believe there&rsquo;s good value to be had on wagering Bucks -3. Hammer the Bucks to cover the 3-point spread in Indianapolis, plus the following power play on PrizePicks: Giannis over 24.5 points, Malcolm Brogdon over 18.5 points, Khris Middleton over 16.5 points, Caris LeVert over 14.5 points.
Toronto Raptors (-2) vs. Boston Celtics
This is a game where I feel like the Raptors are going to miss the presence of OG Anunoby defensively, especially guarding Jayson Tatum in one-on-one situations. For that reason, I&rsquo;m leaning towards the underdog Celtics to win across the border on Sunday night. Expect a huge night from Tatum propelling Boston to a much-needed victory, but this should be a very entertaining outing. On PrizePicks, here&rsquo;s an enticing power play option I couldn&rsquo;t pass up on: Tatum over 24.5 points, Scottie Barnes over 12.5 points, Fred VanVleet over 5.5 assists, Marcus Smart over 3.5 rebounds.
Memphis Grizzlies (-1) vs. Sacramento Kings
I know Memphis is home here, but without Ja Morant I have a hard time seeing why they should be favored against an up-tempo Kings squad. If Morant would have played, it&rsquo;s a totally different story. However, I expect the Kings&rsquo; pace against the porous Grizzlies defense to play a huge factor throughout. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Sacramento&rsquo;s high-volume three-point shooters become too much to handle late for the Morant-less Grizzlies. As the underdogs, I love the Kings on the road to cover the 1-point spread and win outright. For the final two matchups on the slate today, there are no over/under props currently available as of recording &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; this morning.
Los Angeles Lakers (-10.5) vs. Detroit Pistons
This is a matchup where I feel very confident in the Lakers to pull off the victory and cover the huge 10.5-point spread. LeBron James is back in action for Los Angeles, plus he&rsquo;s going up against the team in which he was suspended one game for his altercation with second-year big man Isaiah Stewart. LeBron will be very motivated here, as will his other star companions in Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. Although the Lakers have struggled to find any sort of consistency this season, going toe-to-toe with the Pistons presents a perfect opportunity to roll. Hammer the Lakers to cover the spread for the final game of Sunday&rsquo;s slate.
Recapping our picks against the spread for &ldquo;Nothing But Bets,&rdquo; here&rsquo;s what is being lock in for Saturday&rsquo;s slate: Warriors -3, Bucks -3, Celtics +2, Kings +1, Lakers -10.5.
<h3>All users that deposit and use the promo code NEWS on Prize Picks will receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100! <a href="https://app.prizepicks.com/sign-up?invite_code=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up here</a>.</h3>

"Nothing But Bets" wraps up the weekend in the NBA providing picks against the spread alongside over/under power play props via PrizePicks.

Nothing But Bets: NBA Projections for 11/28/21

The NBA's free-agency period is in full swing, with agreements being reported left and right. Who were in the instant winners? After Day 1 of free agency, which teams made the biggest improvements to their roster? Let&rsquo;s go ahead and examine who stood out on the opening night of free agency.
MIAMI HEAT
Pat Riley once again proved that you can never, ever count out Miami. Not only did the Heat secure Kyle Lowry via sign-and-trade on a three-year, $90 million deal, but they also re-signed sharpshooter Duncan Robinson on a five-year, $90 million extension. Also, a very underrated move was Miami stealing gritty veteran PJ Tucker from the Milwaukee Bucks (on a two-year, $15 million contract) since he'll instantly become a key cog in their rotation as a small-ball big who can guard 3-5.
Lowry and Tucker are tremendous fits within the Heat&rsquo;s hard-working culture, as two veterans who are known for their relentlessness and drive to win. Miami went all-in on adding win-now veterans to an already intriguing core spearheaded by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Looking ahead to the 2021-22 season, Miami feels entrenched atop the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s second tier behind only Brooklyn and Milwaukee. The Heat&rsquo;s rotation now features a Butler-Adebayo-Lowry big three with valuable role players such as Robinson, Tucker, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn (assuming the restricted free agent is re-signed).
There are more moves to come that will further address their depth, but Miami is off to a hot start.
PHOENIX SUNS
For a team who just made the NBA Finals, the Suns have kicked off their 2021 offseason with a bang. On draft night, the Suns acquired shooting guard Landry Shamet from the Nets, who fits perfectly off the bench within head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; &ldquo;0.5 offense&rdquo; scheme. Shamet&rsquo;s three-point marksmanship helps form a deadly bench duo alongside Cameron Johnson, as snipers who can hunt for easy deep shots relentlessly.
That wasn&rsquo;t all for Phoenix, as they landed the best bargain deal on Day 1 of free agency. Backup point guard Cameron Payne returned to the Suns on a three-year, $19 million deal. Compared to other depth-guard signings, Payne seems to have given Phoenix a loyalty discount since they were the team that saved his NBA career. Payne&rsquo;s shot-creation ability off the bench is a huge asset for the Suns, and his further developing offensive profile is a massive spark plug that Phoenix couldn&rsquo;t let walk away.
Chris Paul also returned to Phoenix (as expected) soon after free agency opened, agreeing to a four-year, $120 million contract. However, Paul and the Suns created some flexibility down the line; the third year is partially guaranteed, while the final year is non-guaranteed. This is a win-win scenario for Paul and the Suns, who are ready to run it back with the future Hall-of-Fame point guard.
Following Dario Saric&rsquo;s torn ACL in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, adding a backup center became Phoenix&rsquo;s top priority outside of retaining their own free agents. The Suns needed to add size, length and athleticism behind Deandre Ayton. Enter JaVale McGee, who joins the Suns on a one-year, $5 million contract. McGee&rsquo;s veteran presence will help Ayton, but also add a new twist to the Suns&rsquo; second unit.
The Suns just made the NBA Finals and subsequently&nbsp;improved their roster. Watch out for Phoenix to stay atop the Western Conference next season.
CHICAGO BULLS
Lonzo Ball is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lonzo-ball-chicago-bulls-form-a-perfect-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the perfect fit for the Bulls</a> as their starting point guard of the future. Providing a perfect complement of playmaking, shot creation and steady defense alongside Zach LaVine, Ball is set up to thrive in the Windy City. What Lonzo cost Chicago was a steal, in my opinion. Sending out only Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick to the Pelicans in a sign-and-trade, Ball&rsquo;s four-year, $85 million contract is fair value for a player who continues to improve every season.
The rumor was that Chicago wanted to add multiple guards in free agency, and they accomplished that in stellar fashion, signing key Lakers reserve Alex Caruso to a four-year, $37 million deal. Like Ball, Caruso provides a nice blend of all-around game that will be an instant jolt to the Bulls&rsquo; second unit. Caruso shot plus-40% on three-pointers this past season in Los Angeles, and his pesky on-ball defense is an obvious trend Chicago prioritized early on.
The Bulls might not be done making splashes, though. There are heavy rumblings surrounding a potential double sign-and-trade sending DeMar DeRozan to Chicago and Lauri Markkanen to San Antonio. If Chicago is able to land DeRozan on top of their big-guard moves, Chicago&rsquo;s early free-agency grade vaults to an even higher level.
NEW YORK KNICKS
The Knicks had $50 million in cap space coming into free-agency, and they used it all up on the first day. Running it back by re-signing Derrick Rose (three-years, $43 million), Nerlens Noel (three-years, $32 million) and Alec Burks (three-years, $30 million), New York is prioritizing continuity for a team that finished as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference last season.
Utilizing the rest of their remaining cap space, New York signed three-level scoring guard Evan Fournier to a four-year, $78 million deal. Fournier might seem like a confusing signing for that amount of money, but he fits very well within the Knicks&rsquo; system. Fournier&rsquo;s shot creation will be a welcome asset alongside Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett. Since becoming a full-time starter in the league six years ago, Fournier has averaged 16.9 points while draining 38.1% of his three-point opportunities. Fournier brings a floor-spacing element that has been missing consistently within the Knicks&rsquo; offense.
New York now has an interesting rotation littered with depth across the board:
Starters: Rose, Fournier, Barrett, Randle, Noel
Second Unit: Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Burks, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson
After these early free-agency moves, there&rsquo;s no reason to believe the Knicks can&rsquo;t duplicate last season's success.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Once the Wizards traded Russell Westbrook to the Lakers on draft night, many assumed a full reset was incoming. Bradley Beal would soon ask out of D.C. with no hope of fielding a competent roster around him.
Turns out, those preconceived thoughts were way off. It&rsquo;s very impressive what the Wizards have accomplished over the last week, surrounding Beal with a young nucleus who can contribute immediately. Spencer Dinwiddie is on the verge of agreeing to a three-year, $60 million deal as Beal&rsquo;s backcourt partner. The last time Dinwiddie played a full season in Brooklyn, he averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists. Dinwiddie&rsquo;s efficiency should go up playing alongside Beal, and both take immense pressure off one another.
Not only is the backcourt fit now snug between Dinwiddie and Beal, but the role players are a strong collection who are tailor-made for their superstar shooting guard: Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Deni Avdija, Daniel Gafford, Corey Kispert, Isaiah Todd, Thomas Bryant and Montrezl Harrell. Washington&rsquo;s rotation now legitimately goes 11-12 players deep, a stark contrast from where they were a few weeks ago, even with Westbrook on their roster.
Inking Dinwiddie on a three-year deal vaulted Washington into the winners list, and they certainly deserve the praise for retooling on the fly around Beal.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
The Lakers are Day 1 winners in free-agency? Indeed they are, because they are attacking their biggest need: three-point shooting. In order for Hollywood&rsquo;s new big three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook to work, endless amounts of sharpshooters need to surround them. Through the first day of free-agency, Los Angeles is off to a great start.
Signing Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington and Kent Bazemore, the Lakers have added three above-average shooters from deep. Ellington could potentially step into a starting role alongside Westbrook in Los Angeles&rsquo; backcourt thanks to his 42.2% clip on threes last season with the Pistons. Meanwhile, Ariza and Bazemore provide two-way versatility as perimeter shooters and on-ball defenders who can cover multiple positions.
Los Angeles also signed Dwight Howard, who will become a key cog in their big-man rotation alongside Davis. Howard averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 18.9 minutes per game during the Lakers&rsquo; championship run.
If the Lakers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/los-angeles-lakers-free-agent-targets-10-names-that-could-fit-in-la-nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continue to address their spacing</a> in a positive manner, they are on the right track to making the LeBron/AD/Russ partnership work magnificently.

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