Demons

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs tip off, every team in the Eastern Conference brings with it a burning question. Some are looking to validate their dominance, others are hoping to make noise for the first time, and a few are simply trying to recapture playoff magic from the past. Here&rsquo;s one key question for each East playoff squad heading into this year&rsquo;s postseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers &ndash; Are they for real?
The Cavaliers were expected to take a leap under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, but few predicted it would be this significant. Cleveland posted a 64-18 record, up from 51 wins last season, and ranked eighth in the NBA in defensive rating (111.8) while climbing to the best in the league in offensive rating (121.0). It&rsquo;s a massive leap in two-way consistency, anchored by Evan Mobley&rsquo;s breakout campaign and a more dynamic offense tailored around Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Mobley&rsquo;s development has been a game-changer. The 22-year-old averaged career-highs in points (18.5), rebounds (9.3), and assists (3.2), while maintaining elite rim protection (1.6 blocks per game). Offensively, his confidence as a shot creator and short-roll playmaker opened up space for the rest of the team. The Cavs now run more actions through Mobley, especially from the elbows, and his improved jump shot has made him far more difficult to guard.
But make no mistake &ndash; Mitchell remains the barometer. The All-Star guard battled injuries down the stretch but still averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds on 44.3% shooting. If he can stay healthy and lead confidently on both ends, Cleveland has the pieces to make a legitimate run to the conference finals.
The Cavs have the metrics, the momentum, and the maturity. Now it&rsquo;s about proving they belong with the league&rsquo;s elite when the lights are the brightest.
Boston Celtics &ndash; Can they go back-to-back?
The reigning champions enter the playoffs with a sense of unfinished business &mdash; not because they failed last year, but because they&rsquo;re now chasing greatness. The Celtics finished 61-21 this season for back to back 60-win seasons. They had the league&rsquo;s second best net rating at +9.4, fueled by elite balance: second in offensive rating (119.5) and fourth in defensive rating (110.1).
Jayson Tatum continues to evolve as one of the NBA&rsquo;s most complete stars. His 26.8 points per game came with improved efficiency (58.2% true shooting) and a career-high 8.7 rebounds. Tatum has learned to pick his spots better, moving the ball when doubled and attacking mismatches when given space. Jaylen Brown, fresh off his Finals MVP last season, has become a more consistent creator as well, averaging 22.2 points.
Add in Kristaps Porzingis&rsquo; floor spacing and rim protection, Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s stability on both ends, and Derrick White&rsquo;s ability to do everything in between, and the Celtics are again the most complete team in basketball. But repeating is never easy. No team has done it since the Warriors in 2018, and even small injuries or matchup issues can derail a title defense.
Boston is built for this moment, but with every other East contender gunning for them, the question looms large: can they close the deal twice in a row?
New York Knicks &ndash; Can they stay healthy?
When fully healthy, the Knicks look like a team that can hang with anyone &mdash; and that includes Boston and Cleveland. But that&rsquo;s been the caveat all season. Jalen Brunson missed 17 games, Karl-Anthony Towns sat for 10, and OG Anunoby dealt with multiple absences due to elbow and hamstring issues. New York&rsquo;s starting five of Brunson, Hart, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns had time to play with pace and their own style, and they looked formidable.
Brunson has been the Knicks&rsquo; engine, averaging 26.0 points and 7.3 assists while continuing to elevate in crunch time. His pairing with Towns gave New York a new level of offensive versatility, and Mikal Bridges&rsquo; ability to guard top wings allowed them to scheme freely. But concerns about wear and tear remain &mdash; especially under Tom Thibodeau, whose rotations have leaned heavily on his starters. All five starters have averaged in the top 15 of the most minutes played in the league, and that can likely put a strain on their bodies.
Depth is another concern. The Knicks rely on Precious Achiuwa, Cam Payne, Delon Wright, and Landry Shamet to absorb the bench minutes. A deep run hinges on all starters being available and fresh throughout the postseason. If any one piece breaks down, New York could fall short of its championship aspirations.
This is their most talented team in years &mdash; but availability may be just as important as ability.
Indiana Pacers &ndash; Do they have enough to make a deep run once more?
Last year, the Pacers surprised many by reaching the second round, aided in part by injuries to their first-round opponent. This year, expectations are higher &mdash; and the margin for error is thinner. Indiana finished 50-32 and ranked 9th in offensive rating at 115.4. Their identity remains clear: run fast, shoot threes, and trust in Tyrese Haliburton to control the tempo.
Haliburton posted 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game this season, and despite shooting efficiency dipped slightly as teams began pressuring him more aggressively, he bounced back quite nicely and got back to the high level he was playing at. That&rsquo;s where Pascal Siakam comes in to help him and provide a stabilizing frontcourt presence, while defending opposing bigs.
Depth-wise, the Pacers have the tools. Myles Turner remains one of the league&rsquo;s best shot blockers, Andrew Nembhard has been solid alongside Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin has been a spark off the bench, and Aaron Nesmith&rsquo;s development as a 3-and-D wing adds much-needed versatility. Still, the question remains: can they win when the pace slows and every possession becomes a grind?
Indiana is fun, fast, and fearless. But deep playoff success often requires more grit than style &mdash; and this postseason will test how much of both they truly possess.
Milwaukee Bucks &ndash; How lethal can the Giannis-Dame combo be?
It&rsquo;s been a bumpy road for the Bucks since pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, but they enter the playoffs with renewed hope. Injuries limited their time together but when both were on the floor, Milwaukee looked like a top 4 team in the East. The potential for a dominant inside-out attack remains, even as questions swirl around their chemistry and late-game execution.
Giannis put up another MVP-caliber campaign (30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.5 APG) on 60.1% shooting, while Lillard added 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game, albeit with a slight dip in efficiency (44.8 FG%, 37.6 3P%). Their pick-and-roll tandem has shown flashes of brilliance, especially with spacing provided by their teammates. But Milwaukee&rsquo;s defense remains a glaring concern, particularly at the point-of-attack.
Much of that responsibility falls on new head coach Doc Rivers, who took over midseason and has spent much of his tenure reshaping the defensive schemes. The team has shown better connectivity lately, but consistency is key. If the Bucks can get solid two-way contributions from Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince, and Kyle Kuzma, their ceiling rises considerably.
This postseason is the first true test of the Giannis-Dame partnership after a failed one last year. Can it deliver in crunch time and carry Milwaukee back to the Finals?
Detroit Pistons &ndash; Can they win a playoff series?
One of the most surprising stories of the season, the Detroit Pistons went from dead last in 2024 to securing the No. 6 seed in 2025 with a 44-38 record. It&rsquo;s a dramatic turnaround fueled by internal growth, better health, and the emergence of Cade Cunningham as a legitimate star. Cunningham averaged 26.1 points, 9.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, and improved his shooting splits across the board &mdash; including a respectable 35.6% from three.
Head coach J.B Bickerstaff deserves credit for stabilizing the young roster. Jaden Ivey (despite being out for the year to injury), Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren have all taken steps forward in their roles, and the addition of veterans Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris has added much-needed floor spacing and leadership. The Pistons ranked 10th in defensive rating at 112.5 &mdash; a massive leap from their abysmal finish last season
Still, playoff basketball is a different animal. Detroit lacks experience, and their margin for error will be slim. Can Cunningham carry the offense when defenses trap him? Can their shooters hit timely shots? And can Duren hold his own against seasoned playoff bigs?
Winning a series would be monumental for the franchise &mdash; and a sign that Detroit&rsquo;s rebuild is truly behind them.
Orlando Magic &ndash; Can their offense hold up?
There&rsquo;s no questioning the Magic&rsquo;s defensive pedigree. They finished second in defensive rating (109.1) and boast a switch-heavy scheme built around length, versatility, and discipline. But the big question entering the playoffs: can they score enough? Orlando ranked just 27th in offensive rating (108.9), and the loss of Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner due to injuries further thins their already-limited shot creation.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner carry the bulk of the offense, but both have faced inconsistent stretches. Teams often sag off sub-par shooters like Cory Joseph or Jonathan Isaac, daring Orlando to hit perimeter shots &mdash; something they&rsquo;ve struggled to do all year. Against Boston&rsquo;s elite defense, those issues could be magnified.
Orlando will try to control tempo, force turnovers, and win the possession battle. They&rsquo;ve been excellent in close games, but whether they can consistently generate efficient halfcourt looks remains uncertain.
Defense may win championships, but the Magic need buckets to even stay in the fight.
Miami Heat &ndash; Will they be able to replicate the Heat playoff magic this year?
The Heat have built a reputation as a team you never want to face in the playoffs &mdash; especially as a lower seed. In 2023, they made the Finals as an 8-seed. In 2024, they made the Celtics work despite key injuries. But can they pull off another surprise run this year? The roster remains largely intact, but injuries, aging stars, and inconsistency have clouded their outlook.
Without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo must step up on offense while anchoring the defense. Tyler Herro&rsquo;s scoring punch is much needed, and the role players should contribute as well. But questions linger around depth and chemistry within their lineups after a shaky year.
The Heat finished just 21st in offensive rating (112.4) and 9th in defensive rating (112.0), a sign that the margins are tighter than ever. Still, if any team knows how to punch above its weight class, it&rsquo;s this one. Erik Spoelstra will maximize every mismatch, he always finds a way to manipulate the opposing team.
Don&rsquo;t count them out just yet but don&rsquo;t expect the same magic to happen each and every time as well.

Breaking down the biggest question facing each team in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.

2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question in the playoffs

​In a surprising development, the Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Despite the team's solid 44-29 record and a fifth-place standing in the Western Conference, Jenkins would be fired with days remaining before the playoffs start. Assistant coach Tuomas Iisalo has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the season for the Grizzlies.
Jenkins, 40, departs as the winningest coach in franchise history, amassing a 250-214 record since his appointment in June 2019. During his tenure, he led the Grizzlies to three playoff appearances and was instrumental in the development of key players.
General Manager Zach Kleiman stated that the decision was made in the best interest of the team's future, emphasizing that it was his sole decision and not influenced by players.&nbsp; The move comes as the Grizzlies have faced a recent downturn, losing five of their last seven games.
Tuomas Iisalo, who steps in as interim head coach, brings a wealth of experience from European basketball. Prior to joining the Grizzlies as an assistant, Iisalo served as the head coach for Paris Basketball, leading them to a EuroCup victory, and was named Coach of the Year in Finland in 2024.&nbsp; His promotion marks him as the first Finnish-born head coach in NBA history.&nbsp;
The Grizzlies face a challenging schedule ahead, with eight of their final nine games against teams contending for playoff or play-in spots.&nbsp; The organization and fans alike will be watching closely to see how the team responds under Iisalo's leadership as they approach the postseason.​

​In a surprising development, the Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins.

Grizzlies part ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins before playoffs

The New York Knicks have high hopes for the 2024-25 season after a series of offseason moves to bolster their roster. Boasting a revamped starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, Coach Tom Thibodeau has leaned heavily on this five-man unit by relying on their defensive versatility and scoring prowess to carry the team night after night. Yet this dependency raises questions about sustainability, with risks of fatigue, injuries, and late-game breakdowns looming over a long NBA season.&nbsp;
The Knicks&rsquo; starting five are logging heavy minutes early in the season. Jalen Brunson, in particular, is averaging over 35 minutes per game as the team&rsquo;s primary playmaker and scorer. Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are also averaging significant playing time, tasked with balancing offensive responsibilities while handling tough defensive assignments on opposing wings. Towns, who is crucial on both ends by providing floor spacing on offense and size on defense, is also averaging close to 35 minutes per game. These players are giving their all each night, but the mileage can add up as the season moves along.
NBA history shows that overextending starters early in the season can lead to burnout, and Thibodeau is no stranger to this trend. In his previous coaching stints, especially with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Thibodeau&rsquo;s teams experienced both early success and, ultimately, the cost of fatigue and injuries. During those stints, key players who logged high minutes often missed time later due to injuries or wore down in critical playoff moments.
The Knicks&rsquo; reliance on their starters has led to noticeable fatigue in the fourth quarter. The high-minute load impacts shooting accuracy, defensive effectiveness, and overall energy levels down the stretch. In recent games, the Knicks&rsquo; fourth-quarter stats reflect a slight decline in scoring efficiency, with players missing more shots and committing more fouls late in the game. This is particularly concerning in close matchups, where even minor drops in performance can shift the game&rsquo;s outcome. Opposing teams, with fresher players, often capitalize on the Knicks&rsquo; tired legs, exploiting gaps on defense and taking control in the final minutes.
If the Knicks are to reach their potential, Thibodeau may need to expand his rotation to preserve the health and effectiveness of his starters.
A balanced rotation could alleviate these issues. However, it doesn&rsquo;t help that starting center Mitchell Robinson is still yet to come back from an injury, as well as regular contributor Precious Achiuwa. The Knicks&rsquo; bench is shallow as of the moment with only Cameron Payne, Miles McBride, and at times Jericho Sims as players who can step in to relieve starters and bring fresh energy. Rookies Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti have had good summer league performances and showed something interesting in the preseason, but Coach Thibs has yet to commit to trusting rookies during the regular season. However, by giving a little bit more minutes on their reserves, the Knicks would have the flexibility to keep their starters fresh, reducing the risk of late-game lapses and helping maintain energy throughout the season.
High minutes also correlate with an increased risk of injury, a risk that only compounds as the season progresses. For players like Brunson and Anunoby, who play physically demanding roles, the toll of heavy minutes can lead to strains and nagging injuries. Towns and Bridges, though durable, have histories of minor injuries, and prolonged wear could increase their risk as well. If any starter were to miss time, it could disrupt the team&rsquo;s chemistry and potentially derail their season.
The Knicks have already invested heavily in this core, both financially and strategically, so ensuring their health and longevity is critical. Coach Thibodeau&rsquo;s emphasis on conditioning may help, but even the best-conditioned athletes can fall prey to injuries when overworked.
One solution lies staggering the starters with the bench guys. An expanded rotation would also provide versatility and unpredictability, as the Knicks could mix lineups to create favorable matchups and keep opponents off-balance.
Last season, teams with deep rotations generally fared better in the later months and into the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets, for example, leaned on a nine-man rotation that kept players fresh and ready for postseason intensity. The Knicks have the personnel to replicate this approach, but it requires a willingness to let the bench play through mistakes and grow into their roles.
The Knicks&rsquo; high-minute starters have impressive stats, but the numbers suggest potential pitfalls. Brunson and Towns lead the team in points, yet their fourth-quarter shooting percentage has dropped as games wear on. Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby rank among the league leaders in defensive metrics, but all three have seen dips in effectiveness late in games. These stats underline the wear on the Knicks&rsquo; starting five, and without adjustments, the team could face challenges maintaining performance over the long haul.
Thibodeau&rsquo;s strategy has yielded early success, but balance is the key to a sustainable season. By trusting his bench and managing his starters&rsquo; minutes, he can preserve the team&rsquo;s health and performance for the playoffs. The Knicks have the depth to make this adjustment, and doing so would likely pay dividends as they aim for a deep postseason run. In a grueling 82-game season, longevity and resilience are paramount, and a balanced rotation could be the key to the Knicks realizing their potential.

Heavy minutes for the Knicks’ starting five could lead to fatigue, injuries, and late-game struggles.

Knicks’ Overreliance on Starting 5 a Double-Edged Sword

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards has reached an exclusive list even the greatest shooter of all time Stephen Curry was not able to do early in his career.
On Saturday night, Edwards became the youngest player in NBA history to hit 800 three-pointers in their career. At just 23-years-old, Edwards' game has evolved from the time he was drafted in 2020 with his high-flying antics and rim-soaring dunks. Now in his 5th NBA season, Edwards has become a respectable shooter, and a hotshot at that as he gains more reps into his shot.
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youngest player in <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a> history to make 800 threes. that's our <a href="https://twitter.com/theantedwards_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theantedwards_</a>. 🐜🐜🐜 <a href="https://t.co/3mAzbLaGLh">pic.twitter.com/3mAzbLaGLh</a>
&mdash; Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1850634826090524699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a>
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Edwards has made it a point to shoot more threes this season. Over the Wolves&rsquo; first three games, Edwards has been 21-45 from three, shooting at a 39% clip.
Edwards has been making his threes in a variety of ways. There have been times he hits threes on the move, off the dribble, stepbacks and on some catch and shoot opportunities. This has highlighted his shotmaking and has been a main source of Minnesota&rsquo;s offense to start the year.
According to Wolves&rsquo; media Dane Moore, Edwards has more than 50% of his shots from three, something that he&rsquo;s increased this year. Last season, only 30% of his shots were from three, this year it&rsquo;s up to 58% to start the season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Through 2.5 games, Anthony Edwards has taken 60 shots, and 35 of them have been 3s. That's 58% of his shots. Last season 30% of his shots were 3s. <a href="https://t.co/FyEgJZMs8A">pic.twitter.com/FyEgJZMs8A</a>
&mdash; Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaneMooreNBA/status/1850347919251042524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a>
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Moreover, Edwards joined Curry and Kemba Walker as the only players in NBA history to hit 5+ 3PT in three straight games to start a season, <a href="https://x.com/StatMamba/status/1850366050308690045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1850366050308690045%7Ctwgr%5E78ba9d628247b21d3ac56c3d1dadad80a8e28fd1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2Fwarriors%2Fnews%2Fanthony-edwards-makes-nba-history-joins-steph-curry-on-exclusive-list-01jb5y1c17pc">per Stat Mamba on X</a>. The 6-foot-4 guard scored his 7,000th point in their game against the Toronto Raptors.
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7,000 career points and counting. 🐜 <a href="https://t.co/Wb8oWY23Y4">pic.twitter.com/Wb8oWY23Y4</a>
&mdash; Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1850362817079062547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a>
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Edwards has had a good start to his NBA career, and he&rsquo;s one of the young players being groomed as one of the next faces of the league.

On Saturday night, Edwards became the youngest player in NBA history to hit 800 three-pointers in their career.

Anthony Edwards makes NBA history as youngest player to hit 800 three-pointers

The Philadelphia 76ers were aiming to &ldquo;bounce back,&rdquo; according to coach Nick Nurse, from Thursday's disappointing loss to the New York Knicks, and they did just that against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
"A lot of length, a lot of size, they got really good defense to protect the rim. I think both guards can hurt you in a lot of ways,&rdquo; Nurse said of the Cavaliers&rsquo; roster prior to the matchup.
There were an abundance of Knicks fans in Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, but the arena was packed full of Philadelphia supporters on Friday evening. The Sixers won the tip-off, wasting no time to get the crowd on their feet. Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. delivered a monster slam dunk on the opening possession over Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen. The star of the show for Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey, kicked off his night with a stepback three-pointer. The opening quarter was highlighted by the late efforts of guard Cameron Payne, who grabbed an offensive rebound for a layup and drained a corner shot from the arc to level the score at 25 after one.
The second quarter began with Tobias Harris struggling, with multiple missed shots inside the paint within the first three minutes. However, Payne picked up for the slack on offense, with points from all three levels. Maxey operated the pick-and-roll game with forward K.J. Martin masterfully, which led to a clear lane for Martin to score. The efforts of Allen and guard Isaac Okoro kept Cleveland within reach until halftime, when the Sixers led by three points.
Payne led the 76ers in scoring at the half with 13 points, while star guard Darius Garland led the Cavs with 12 points.&nbsp;
The Cavaliers were refreshed coming out of the break as Okoro found the basket for two, followed by a drive-and-score from forward Max Strus. Maxey refused to let the Cavs take over, responding with multiple contested shots of his own. Harris was able to find a rhythm at the midway point of the quarter, draining a three-pointer and a set of free throws. Triples from sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Oubre increased their lead to 11 points. Late energy from big man Evan Mobley and Strus kept the Cavaliers competitive, with a score of 74-70 entering the final 12 minutes.
The final quarter began with an electric acrobatic finish from guard De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, followed by a fluent mid-range shot from center Paul Reed. Interior defense was a glaring issue for the Sixers throughout the night, with Allen taking full advantage. The night couldn&rsquo;t end before Maxey created a multitude of looks for himself down the stretch, which resulted in a 24-point outing. It was a back-and-forth battle until the final buzzer, but ultimately the 76ers prevailed. Despite the comeback attempt from Cleveland, a deep-range three-pointer from Hield was the dagger, resulting in the 104-97 victory.
The Sixers are facing off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday evening, where Patrick Beverley makes his return and Payne takes on his former team.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s turnt. It&rsquo;s turnt. Let&rsquo;s get it,&rdquo; Payne told Basketball News postgame when asked about playing against the Bucks.

Tyrese Maxey led the Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Monstrous fourth quarter from Tyrese Maxey carries Sixers past Cavs

The trade-deadline madness is officially over for the Philadelphia 76ers, and they ended up making fewer moves than anticipated. Their total haul was Buddy Hield, Cam Payne and two second-round picks.&nbsp;
With that said, there are a few key players that the Sixers could pursue in the buyout market. Among those players are Kyle Lowry and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Lowry is a Philly native and the most likely option if he were to be bought out. He would be a slight upgrade over Patrick Beverley, who was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks (although he wouldn't match Beverley's energy). He hasn&rsquo;t officially been bought out by the Charlotte Hornets yet, but he is expected to be. Averaging just over 8 points per game, Lowry would be used as the team's primary backup point guard.
Dinwiddie is another option who would certainly be an upgrade over Jaden Springer in terms of scoring. Dinwiddie has been an established scorer for quite some time, generally scoring 15 points-per-game or more each season.&nbsp; This has been a bit of a down year, but you can rely on him much more than someone like Springer. However, he's not nearly as good of a defender, which would hurt the 76ers.

The Sixers may pursue Kyle Lowry, Spencer Dinwiddie and Marcus Morris on the buyout market.

NBA buyout rumors: 76ers linked to Kyle Lowry, Spencer Dinwiddie

Within the last two hours of the NBA trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers sent Patrick Beverley to the Milwaukee Bucks and Jaden Springer to the Boston Celtics.
Beverley was traded to the Bucks in exchange for Cam Payne and a second-round pick. Beverley first announced the news on his <a href="https://twitter.com/PatBevPod" target="_blank" rel="noopener">podcast&rsquo;s X account</a>. 
According to Beverley, Daryl Morey told him that he wouldn&rsquo;t be traded. Fans have already voiced their frustration over the departure of Beverley, who was viewed as a perfect fit in Philly.&nbsp;
Springer was dealt in a last-minute deal with the Celtics in exchange for a second-round pick. Much like Beverley, fans were devastated to see him go. Boston got themselves an athlete with a very strong defensive mind for a very low price.&nbsp;
Neither of these trades make much sense for the 76ers, but the Celtics and Bucks both walked away with very solid players. The Sixers were expected to potentially make another splashy addition such as Chicago Bulls big man Andre Drummond, but they settled on Payne and Buddy Hield.

The Philadelphia 76ers sent Patrick Beverley to the Milwaukee Bucks and Jaden Springer to the Boston Celtics.

Sixers trade Patrick Beverley, Jaden Springer to rivals at deadline

Blake Stern previews the NBA's Central Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and burning question entering the year.

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

Brendan Malone, whose coaching career spanned six decades, is the recipient of the 2023 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
&ldquo;Brendan Malone has been a name synonymous with NBA success for many decades,&rdquo; said Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers head coach and NBCA president. &ldquo;He's helped develop players and young coaches, and been a multiple NBA champion on Chuck Daly's Detroit coaching staff in 1989 and 1990. Congrats to Coach Malone on this prestigious recognition.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;I want to thank the National Basketball Coaches Association for this award,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;Tex Winter was a man I got to know and respect. I also want to thank all of the head coaches that I enjoyed working with during my 29-year career in the NBA, in particular Hubie Brown who brought me into the league; Chuck Daly and our two championships; the Van Gundys, Stan and Jeff, and Don Chaney. Lastly, I want to thank my wife Maureen and our six children for sharing my journey.&rdquo;
Wetting his whistle with a few years of coaching CYO basketball, Malone began his coaching career in 1967 at the legendary Power Memorial Academy in New York City where he won three city championships and three Coach of the Year awards.
He then moved to the college ranks in 1976 as an assistant coach at Fordham, then Yale, and then Syracuse. At Syracuse, the Orange went to the NCAA Tournament four times. Malone was a Syracuse assistant for the first five years of the Big East. He left Syracuse to become head coach at the University of Rhode Island (URI) in 1984.
While at URI in 1986, Hubie Brown recruited Malone to join him as an assistant for the New York Knicks, the beginning of his 29-year NBA career. Malone had three different tours with the Knicks, the most notable of which was the four years with head coach Jeff Van Gundy. From 1996 to 2000, the Knicks went 177-119 with two Eastern Conference Finals appearances, as well as a trip to the 1999 NBA Finals.
Malone was an assistant coach for Stan Van Gundy for five years (2007 to 2012) in Orlando. The Magic won 50-plus games four straight years, went to the Eastern Conference Finals twice, and to the 2009 NBA Finals.
Malone was also an assistant coach for Bob Hill and Rick Pitino in New York, Don Chaney in both Detroit and New York, Isiah Thomas in Indiana, Paul Silas in Cleveland and Stan Van Gundy in Detroit. He was also a scout for the Detroit Pistons.&nbsp;
But it was in Detroit with Chuck Daly that Malone made his name, orchestrating the Jordan Rules defense that helped propel the Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990.
Malone was the first head coach of the Toronto Raptors in 1995-96 and also served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for 18 games in 2004-05.
In 27 seasons of NBA coaching, teams that Malone coached went to the playoffs 20 times, to the Conference Finals seven times, and to the NBA Finals four times, winning the title twice. His teams compiled a 1165-1001 record (.538).
Brendan and his son, Michael, who is the head coach of the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets, are the only father-son coaching duo to have both won an NBA championship.
&ldquo;I want to thank the NBCA Selection Committee for acknowledging my father&rsquo;s impact and career in the NBA,&rdquo; Michael Malone said. &ldquo;His work ethic, his love of the game, and his passion for teaching were the foundation of my coaching career. This is a well-deserved honor and I feel very fortunate to be a part of this celebration.&rdquo;
Brendan Malone was enshrined in the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1993. In 1997, he was inducted into the Basketball Old-Timers of America Hall of Fame (which recognizes and honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to New York City basketball). He is a 2017 enshrinee in the Power Memorial Academy Hall of Fame.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Assistant coaches generally operate behind the scenes and almost never receive enough public recognition for their team&rsquo;s success. However, any head coach will tell you that they are an indispensable part of the team equation,&rdquo; said David Fogel, NBCA Executive Director and General Counsel. &ldquo;Coach Malone&rsquo;s contributions to the accomplishments of his teams are well known inside the NBA and his contributions to the game continue through his son Michael&rsquo;s tremendous success. Congratulations to Brendan on this well-deserved honor.&rdquo;
The NBCA Tex Winter Lifetime Impact Award honors the tremendous achievements and commitment of Hall-of-Famer Tex Winter, who set a standard of innovation, integrity, competitive excellence, loyalty, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball throughout the course of his outstanding NBA coaching career.
The award is selected annually by the NBCA Selection Committee, comprised of some of the most respected coaches and executives in the game, including Rick Adelman, Hubie Brown, Doug Collins, Wayne Embry, Danny Ferry, Mike Fratello, George Karl, Doc Rivers, Rod Thorn and Lenny Wilkens.
This year&rsquo;s nominees included assistant coaches Bob Beyer, Dan Burke, Jeff Bzdelik, Gordon Chiesa, Carroll Dawson, Hank Egan, Jim Eyen, Brian Hill, Jim Lynam, Bob McAdoo, Brendan Suhr and Bob Weiss.
Prior recipients of this award are Ron Adams (2022), Dick Helm (2021), Bill Bertka (2019), Tim Grgurich (2018), Ron Rothstein (2017) and Phil Johnson (2016).

Brendan Malone is the recipient of the 2023 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact award, the NBCA announced today.

Brendan Malone given Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact award

The Phoenix Suns have notified veteran point guard Chris Paul that he will be traded or waived this offseason, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1666554716380188673" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report</a> and <a href="https://theathletic.com/4591004/2023/06/07/suns-chris-paul-offseason-options-trade-waive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>.
If the Suns can't find a trade partner, they will waive the 38-year-old. If Paul is waived, Charania notes that Phoenix could look to re-sign him on a cheaper contract this summer.
Haynes <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1666557037021474817" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adds</a> that Paul has no plans to retire; he intends to play several more years and hopes to join a championship contender.
Paul is set to earn $30,800,000 next season, but only $15,800,000 of his 2023-24 salary is guaranteed. And none of Paul's $30,800,000 salary in 2024-25 is guaranteed. That opens the door for Phoenix to potentially waive Paul and save a significant amount of money.
The Suns <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-to-be-incredibly-active-before-deadline-chris-paul-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shopped Paul</a> prior to this past NBA trade deadline, but they ultimately didn't pull the trigger on a deal. At one point, Phoenix <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-to-be-incredibly-active-before-deadline-chris-paul-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly offered</a> Paul, Jae Crowder and a first-round pick for Kyrie Irving, but the Brooklyn Nets ultimately chose the Dallas Mavericks' package for Irving instead.
This season, Paul played in 59 games, averaging 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 threes and 1.5 steals, while shooting 44.0% from the field, 37.5% from three and 83.1% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
If Paul is waived, possible destinations include the Los Angeles Lakers (where he'd finally get a chance to play with his close friend LeBron James), Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks among other contenders.

The Phoenix Suns have notified veteran point guard Chris Paul that he will be waived, meaning the 38-year-old will be a free agent.

Reports: Phoenix Suns will trade or waive Chris Paul

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker has carried a massive offensive load for the Phoenix Suns in these playoffs, averaging more than 35 points per game despite defenders draped all over him in most games.
Faced with a nearly must-win game on Friday night, he somehow did even more.
Booker scored 47 points, Kevin Durant added 39 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 121-114 to cut Denver&rsquo;s lead to 2-1 in their Western Conference semifinal series.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s all I know, this is all I dreamed of as a kid,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve dedicated a lot of my life, moved away from my family when I was young, to pursue being in these moments.&rdquo;
Booker had another ultra-efficient scoring night, shooting 20 of 25 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Durant shot just 12 of 31 from the field, but made 14 of 16 free throws.
&ldquo;They knew what we had to do to win this game,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said.
The Suns will try to even the series in Game 4 on Sunday in Phoenix.
The Suns took a 90-88 lead into the fourth quarter, retaking the lead after the Nuggets erased a 15-point halftime deficit. Phoenix scored the first nine points of the fourth &mdash; including the final two on Durant&rsquo;s fast-break dunk &mdash; to push their advantage to 99-88.
They wouldn&rsquo;t trail in the fourth quarter. Durant started 1 for 9 from the field but made 11 of his final 22.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s frustrating not making shots, because that&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m paid to do,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;But there also comes a time when you&rsquo;ve just got to figure it out and push through it.&rdquo;
Denver&rsquo;s Nikola Jokic &mdash; who finished second in the MVP voting on Tuesday to Philadelphia&rsquo;s Joel Embiid &mdash; finished with 30 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 32 points, while Michael Porter Jr. added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Murray said he was disappointed he didn&rsquo;t contribute more down the stretch.
&ldquo;I had some great looks at the end of the game and that would have kept us right there,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;I feel like they pulled away because of that. I have to be more locked in, more relaxed down the stretch.&rdquo;
Denver coach Michael Malone said his team played well at times, but that the defense against Booker was &ldquo;unacceptable.&rdquo; Booker repeatedly got near the rim for short jumpers or layups, which contributed to the 20 of 25 shooting night.
&ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t a math major but that is a really high percentage,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;We have to be a lot better.&rdquo;
The Suns put Cameron Payne in the starting lineup to take the place of 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, who suffered a strained left groin in the Game 2 loss and didn&rsquo;t play on Friday. Payne &mdash; a playoff hero for a few games two seasons ago when Paul was out &mdash; scored seven points, including a big 3-pointer early in the fourth.
Williams also shook up the bench rotation, giving Terrence Ross, Jock Landale and TJ Warren more minutes. Landale finished with six points and nine rebounds, while Warren hit a couple crucial buckets in the final minutes to help the Suns keep the lead.
Booker scored 27 points in the first half on 12-of-15 shooting to push the Suns ahead 67-52 by halftime. Durant added 21, including 11 points on free throws.
AYTON BENCHED
It was a tough night for Suns starting center Deandre Ayton, who finished with just four points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes.
Ayton was so ineffective that Williams benched the former No. 1 overall pick in favor of Landale, who was providing much more energy and rebounding. Booker said it&rsquo;s his job to help Ayton push through the tough times.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s life,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been around long enough to understand that not every night is going to be your night. It&rsquo;s doing other things to make up for it. ... Energy and effort always has to be high, especially around this time. You can&rsquo;t get flustered, you can&rsquo;t get in your own head. I could see that a little with him today, so it&rsquo;s my job to pump him up.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Jokic had 10 assists in the first half. ... Had a 51-41 rebounding advantage.
Suns: Durant shot 16 of the team&rsquo;s 18 free throws. He had all of them until Booker shot two free throws in the final seconds.

Devin Booker scored 47 points, Kevin Durant added 39 and the Suns beat the Nuggets 121-114 to cut Denver’s lead to 2-1.

Booker scores 47, Durant adds 39, Suns beat Nuggets 121-114

Spencer Davies speaks with Taqwa Pinero about his life journey and how he's preparing both the future and current hoop generations.

Taqwa Pinero's knowledge is its own currency, and he's paying it forward

Heading into the weekend, I figured I'd followed the same script as the other two award pieces. Fill out and&nbsp; complete my (fake) ballot, sprinkle in some extra details or stray thoughts to account for questions that may pop up, then go about my business.
I dropped my "final rough draft" on Friday's episode of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a>, though I gave myself a weekend's worth of wiggle room to make any last-second changes. In typical fashion, I watched, researched and ultimately thought myself into a headache. The result of that is this piece: A separate article detailing where and how I landed on the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player, with a follow-up article coming to reveal the rest of my (fake) ballot.
Throughout MVP discourse, many people &mdash; voters or people like me who wish they could vote &mdash; have made it a point to mention how tough it is. To highlight how the top three &mdash; Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo &mdash; are all worthy candidates to win, and that we shouldn't be all that upset by who wins. There's truth to that.
(You, savvy reader and/or listener, can also tell when someone is genuinely perplexed vs. when they're throwing in that platitude in an effort to avoid smoke for his/her opinion. We can be real here.)
I landed in the former camp. To refresh your memory, this is where I landed at the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-award-picks-mvp-dpoy-rookie-sixth-man-most-improved-all-league-defensive-teams-volume-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beginning of March</a>:
Previous order (through Mar.1): 
<ol>
<li>Nikola Jokic (Previously No. 3)</li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo (Previously No. 2)</li>
<li>Joel Embiid (Previously Honorable Mention, Record)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum (Previously No. 1)</li>
<li>Luka Doncic (Previously No. 5)</li>
</ol>
This is where I am right now on April 11 with the regular season over:
<ol>
<li>Joel Embiid (Previously No. 3) </li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo (Previously No. 2)</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic (Previously No. 1)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum (Previously No. 4)</li>
<li>Domantas Sabonis (Previously Honorable Mention, Not As Good As Luka Doncic)</li>
</ol>
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With all due respect to Tatum and Sabonis, there isn't much to discuss with their placements.
Tatum was a two-way ironman for a team that flirted with the best record in the NBA. At full tilt, the Boston Celtics may very well be the best team in the league. Tatum became the first Celtic to average over 30 points per game for a season &mdash; a mind-blowing stat considering their history. Career-high averages in rebounds (8.8) and assists (4.6) are also nice. If you'd like to use Tatum's availability (and overall malleability) to argue for him to be higher, you can; it just wouldn't be my&nbsp;case.&nbsp;
Sabonis was the best player on the Western Conference's most (surprisingly) consistent team, acting as the hub of the NBA's most dangerous offense. He became just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 19 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in a season; add in his 61.5% clip from the field (63.9% on twos, 37.3% on a low volume of threes), and the list shrinks to him and Wilt Chamberlain.&nbsp;
The battle for MVP ultimately became a three-man race in 2023 &mdash; if you recall, Tatum was my MVP <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-early-season-award-picks-mvp-dpoy-rookie-sixth-man-most-improved-all-league-defensive-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in my first check-in</a> from mid-December &mdash; between Embiid, Giannis and Jokic.
There's more to discuss with Jokic, who nearly became the first center in NBA history to average a triple-double. Even that sells his season short; Jokic just logged the most efficient season in NBA history among players to average at least 20 points.
If Jokic and the Denver Nuggets hadn't, by their standards, sputtered to the finish line, he likely would've maintained the lead he had in my second check-in and gotten my fictitious vote. That he was already having a (much) worse defensive season than Embiid and Giannis and managed to go backwards over this recent stretch &mdash; particularly the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-concerned-should-we-be-about-the-denver-nuggets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">middle portion of March</a> &mdash; made it tough for me in a race this close.
There was even a quieter dip in Jokic's production offensively, though he was still absurd overall.
<ul>
<li>Dec. 14 through Feb. 28 (32 games): 25.2 points on 71.2% True Shooting, 10.7 assists (3.7 turnovers)</li>
<li>From March 1 onward (14 games): 24.0 points on 69.6% True Shooting, 9.1 assists (3.6 turnovers)</li>
</ul>
That being said, it was a ridiculous season from Jokic. He was still the best offensive player in the league for me. The Nuggets showcased, on multiple occasions, that they didn't quite know how to function without him. Even with the recent "slippage," he paced the league in many advanced metrics. A worthy choice, just ultimately not my choice.
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From here, let's talk about Embiid vs Giannis for a bit. Here are a handful of Embiid's stat lines since the beginning of March:
<ul>
<li>52-13-6 (plus 2 blocks) in a win vs. the Celtics</li>
<li>46-9-8-2-1 in a loss vs. the Warriors</li>
<li>36-18 (plus 4 blocks) in a win vs. the Cavaliers</li>
<li>31-6-10 in a win vs. the Bucks</li>
<li>39-7-4-1-3 in a win vs. the Timberwolves</li>
</ul>
This ignores the 37 and 16 against Chicago; the 42-on-16-shots affair against the Pacers; the 38-14-5 he slapped up against the Hornets. Of the 18 games Embiid played during this stretch, he scored 30 or more 12 times and the Philadelphia 76ers went 12-6 in those contests. He fell below 20 points once &mdash; 12-7-7 in 16 first-half minutes against the Bulls before sitting the second half of that blowout for precautionary reasons. There's a rule about assuming, but it'd be fair to project him putting up a nutty stat line in that game had he played the second half.
There just hasn't been a consistent answer for this guy all year. Crowding the paint only does so much when he's willing to shoot over you &mdash; and do so at a high clip. Doubling can only do so much when he's grown as a passer &mdash; the Sixers scored at an elite rate on possessions that Embiid passed out of a post-double team (1.17 PPP) or isolation double (1.14 PPP), per Second Spectrum &mdash; and can <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/3/31/23664110/joel-embiid-76ers-mvp-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brow-beat them</a> when necessary.&nbsp;
He's taken over half of his shots from mid-range this season and drilled them at a 49% clip. He drew 104 fouls in the mid-range area, per Cleaning The Glass; do you know how hard it is to have Embiid's shot profile and manage to get fouled as often as he does? It's insane stuff and speaks to the guard-like ability he has in this range.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kymug6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
The defense has waxed and waned over the closing stretch, but the Sixers ended the year with a 94.5 half-court defensive rating with Embiid on the floor, per Cleaning The Glass; that's equivalent to the second-best half-court D in the NBA, and is a mark that shouldn't be that high considering Philly's overall roster construction.
Even "Lax Embiid" can goad opponents into pull-ups &mdash; though that's something worth keeping an eye on as the postseason hits. Engaged Embiid &mdash; the guy that can blow stuff up at the level of the screen and still strut back to challenge shots at the rim &mdash; is, and has been, a world-ender.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/cot2l0" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
The TLDR summary: Embiid had a heavy load to carry on both ends of the floor, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-feature-philadelphia-76ers-sixers-joel-embiid-mvp-race-james-harden-tyrese-maxey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dominated offensively and anchored a high-level defense while flashing an even higher level when fully locked in</a>. Having a 65% win rate in his games helped; the advanced metrics also paint him in a favorable light.
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Of course, we can't lose sight of the work Giannis did in a less-than-ideal context at the beginning of the year. He was without his best pick-and-roll partner in Khris Middleton and didn't always have Jrue Holiday by his side. It's not a coincidence that, once those two were in the lineup with Giannis more consistently, the Milwaukee Bucks (and Giannis) took off.
Giannis remained a battering ram at the rim, drawing shooting fouls on a career-best 24.6% of his shot attempts this year, per Cleaning The Glass. His mark of 12.3 free throw attempts per game led the NBA. Giannis' downhill passing also remained a legitimate weapon; his rate of kick-out passes rose to career-high levels (17.1 per 100 possessions), while his turnover rate on total passes (1.57%) was his lowest in three seasons, per Second Spectrum.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/gu65qp" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
There was an obvious gap between Embiid and Giannis in points (33.1 vs. 31.1) and a larger one in efficiency (Embiid's 65.5% TS vs. Giannis' 60.7% TS). Again, it's hard to overstate the difference in shooting ability that the two displayed. Embiid was a monster from mid-range compared to Giannis' clip (31.8%), knocked down a higher percentage of threes (33.0% vs. 27.5%) and shot much better from the line (85.7% vs. 64.5%).
Milwaukee faithful would likely point to the context for the two, particularly what Giannis dealt with at the beginning of the year sans Middleton &mdash; and at times, with no Holiday. There's some credence to that.&nbsp;
How's this for a did-you-know: The Sixers logged a paltry 111.4 offensive rating in 333 minutes with Embiid on the floor without James Harden and Tyrese Maxey; the Bucks were slightly better &mdash; a 113.8 offensive rating in nearly double the sample (643 minutes) &mdash; with Giannis on the floor without Holiday and Middleton.
The scoring breakdown in those minutes:
<ul>
<li>Giannis: 608 points (34.0 points per 36 minutes), 57.7% on twos, 26.2% on threes, 60.3% TS</li>
<li>Embiid: 302 points (32.6 per 36), 51.4% on twos, 22.2% on threes, 58.4% TS</li>
</ul>
The playmaking still leans towards Giannis:
<ul>
<li>Giannis: 145 assists (8.1 per 36), 94 turnovers (5.3 per 36)</li>
<li>Embiid: 63 assists (6.8 per 36), 44 turnovers (4.8 per 36)</li>
</ul>
If you only filter for the minutes the two played with and without their primary ball-handler &mdash; <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612755&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203954,201935" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harden for Embiid</a>, <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612749&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203507,201950" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Holiday for Giannis</a> &mdash; some fun stuff is revealed, namely:
<ul>
<li>The Bucks' offense burned a little brighter with Giannis and Holiday (123.9 ORTG) compared to the Sixers pairing (123.2 ORTG).</li>
<li>The Sixers still operated at a top-10 rate when Embiid played without Harden (117.8, would rank No. 7); the same could not be said for Giannis without Holiday (113.0, would rank No. 26).</li>
</ul>
Zooming out, the defense is where things got tight for me.
Full disclosure: On Friday's pod, I listed Embiid as my choice. By Sunday morning, I was ready to flip to Giannis. And that was before Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1645111264623095808?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped his exclusive sit-down interview</a> with the 2021 NBA champion, surprisingly (and honestly, refreshingly) dipping into his, "Let's not get carried away, I still do this" bag. The Sixers tailing off defensively over the past couple of weeks really opened the door.
Giannis has been elite this year, an omnipresent deterrent lurking around the weak side. When challenged at the rim, opponents haven't had much success; they converted just 55.4% of their shots at the rim against Giannis, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-impact?CF=GP*GE*49:DEF_RIM_FGA*GE*4&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=DEF_RIM_FG_PCT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which ranks 10th among 51 players</a> to defend at least four shots per contest.
But of that 51-player group, Giannis ranked 40th in shots defended per game. Embiid was third and Jokic was fourth; that obviously speaks to how willing teams were to attack the latter, but the discrepancy is at least kinda funny when considering the scheme differences between the two.&nbsp;
Embiid ranked 12th in contested shots per game (10.3). Giannis ranked 44th (6.6); his teammate, Brook Lopez, was first (17.5) by a comically large margin.
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That led me down the Giannis-at-the-5 rabbit hole, which revealed that the Bucks were a middling defense (114.2 DRTG, would rank 13th) with Giannis on the floor without Lopez, per Cleaning The Glass. When you also&nbsp;remove Bobby Portis from the equation, however, that drops to a would-be-league-leading 104.5 DRTG in nearly 850 possessions.
There were other searches I did that I won't bore you with, such as Giannis without Holiday and Lopez (116.7 DRTG in 1,034 possessions) compared to Embiid without De'Anthony Melton and PJ Tucker (111.8 DRTG in 561 possessions).
(It's worth noting that such a query left the Jevon Carter minutes on the table for Giannis, as it did the pre-trade Matisse Thybulle minutes for Embiid.)
Ultimately, the fundamental question became this: Do you value Giannis being better in a secondary rim-protecting role than Embiid with his primary responsibilities, or do you give Embiid the edge for having to carry more responsibility on that end?
You're more than welcome to disagree, but I landed on the responsibility angle.
Embiid getting this&nbsp;team to a top-10 finish defensively was impressive. Having the offensive year he had, on the shot diet he lived on, was also wildly impressive. Only Stephen Curry and 22 games of 1982-83 Adrian Dantley have posted more efficient 30-point seasons than Embiid, and the Sixers big man averaged more points than both of them.
I geniunely don't think you could go wrong with any of these three. Jokic's team performed better with him on the floor than Giannis or Embiid; Giannis paced both guys in wins and win percentage in addition to his excellence.
The combination of production, efficiency, winning and responsibility gave Embiid the narrow win for me.

Nekias Duncan narrows down his final candidates for the 2022-23 NBA MVP and picks the league's most valuable player.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award selections: Who wins MVP?

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored 39 points, one shy of his career high, and Quentin Grimes had a career-high 36 in the New York Knicks&rsquo; 138-129 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Obi Toppin added 32 points and the Knicks shot 52%. Mitchell Robinson finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds.
It was Robinson&rsquo;s game that most impressed Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
&ldquo;Mitch had a monster game,&rdquo; Thibodeau said. &ldquo;The rebounding with Mitchell was unbelievable.&rdquo;
Thibodeau said this was likely Grimes&rsquo; best game of the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s shooting the ball with a lot of confidence,&rdquo; Thibodeau said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s flying around the the floor, guarding people.. His confidence is growing game by game. They are rhythm shots and that&rsquo;s what I like about the way we are playing right now. We are creating rhythm for each other. When you play like that good things will come from that.&rdquo;
Jalen Smith scored 19 points for Indiana, T.J. McConnell had 18 and Bennedict Mathurin 17. McConnell had 12 assists.
The Knicks had a 52-37 rebounding edge.
The game went back and forth for much of the fourth quarter. With it tied at 120, Toppin started a 7-0 run with two dunks and Grimes added a 3-pointer.
&ldquo;Obi ran the floor well and got us some easy buckets,&rdquo; Thibodeau said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s hard to match up with what he can do. He continued to play to his strengths and his teammates&rsquo; strengths.&rdquo;
With New York leading 97-91 in the third quarter, the Knicks used a 8-0 run, helped by a flagrant foul call, to take a 105-91 lead. The Pacers ended the third quarter with a 7-0 spurt.
The Knicks shot nearly 52% to take a 70-67 lead at halftime. Toppin scored 19 of his points in the first half. Indiana shot 50% in the first half.
After the Pacers took a 7-4 lead, the Knicks reeled off 17 unanswered point to grab control. The Pacers tied it twice late in the second quarter.
&ldquo;We were down 14 points after five minutes,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;The second unit did a good job getting us back into the game. This is a great experience for the young guys that started. We got to learn from it as a group.&rdquo;
McConnnell&rsquo;s play coming off the bench helped the Pacers to get back in the game. &ldquo;I run out of adjectives to describe his competitive excellence,&rdquo; Carlisle said.
The Pacers and Knicks close the regular season in New York on Sunday. The Knicks have won the first three meetings between the two teams.
&ldquo;We have to look to New Orleans now,&rdquo; Thibodeau said of Friday night game. &ldquo;We want to play our best going into the postseason.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Knicks: With the No. 5 seed playoff spot clinched, Jalen Brunson sat out to rest his right hand. RJ Barrett missed his second consecutive game with an illness. &hellip; Julian Randle, who leads the Knicks with 25.1 points per game, continued to sit out with a left ankle sprain injury. Randle injured his angle March 29 and it&rsquo;s uncertain whether he will be ready to play when playoff series with No. 4 seed Cleveland begins.
Pacers: With the Pacers&rsquo; slim playoff hopes ending Sunday, Indiana leaned heavily on its younger players and reserves. Tyrese Haliburton missed his fifth consecutive game with an ankle injury. Myles Turner missed his sixth game in a row with left ankle and lower backs soreness. &hellip; Gabe York made his first appearance of the season for the Pacers. York, who signed a two-way contract last week was called up from the Fort Wayne Ants. York scored nine points.
UP NEXT
Knicks: At New Orleans on Friday night.
Pacers: Hosts Detroit on Friday night.

Immanuel Quickley scored 39 points, one shy of his career high, and Quentin Grimes had a career-high 36, while Obi Toppin added 32.

Quickley, Grimes lead Knicks past Pacers, 138-129

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists just hours after his most recent technical foul and one-game suspension were rescinded Monday by the NBA and led the Dallas Mavericks past the Indiana Pacers 127-104.
The Mavericks snapped a four-game losing streak and remained in contention in the race for one of the final two play-in spots in the Western Conference. Kyrie Irving added 16 points and six assists for Dallas.
Indiana was led by Bennedict Mathurin, who scored 22 points, and Andrew Nembhard, who had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists on a night the Pacers were missing three starters and a key backup. The Pacers have lost three straight and six of eight as they move closer to locking up a lottery pick.
Doncic had picked up his 16th technical that was rescinded on Sunday in the team&rsquo;s second loss to Charlotte. The technical came with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter of a 110-104 loss when Doncic argued a no-call after missing a shot on a drive to the basket. Crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report after the game that Doncic used &ldquo;a profanity directed at the officials in protest to a no-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review.&rdquo;
TIMBERWOLVES 119, KINGS 115
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Jaden McDaniels scored 20 points and Minnesota spoiled Sacramento&rsquo;s bid to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2006, the longest playoff drought in NBA history.
The Timberwolves won their fourth straight and completed a sweep of a back-to-back set at Golden State and Sacramento to tie the Warriors for sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race.
Naz Reid scored 18 points, Anthony Edwards had 17 and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the win.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox scored 29 points and Domantas Sabonis added 24 points and 10 rebounds for Sacramento, which shot 5 of 26 from 3-point distance.
The Kings will look to clinch a playoff berth when they travel to Portland for two games, starting Wednesday.
CLIPPERS 124, BULLS 112
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Nicolas Batum got all of his season-high 24 points on eight 3-pointers, and Eric Gordon added 22 points as Los Angeles beat Chicago.
Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points as the Clippers rebounded from an embarrassing loss to New Orleans with 20 3-pointers in an impressive outside shooting display led by Batum.
Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 10 assists and five rebounds as Los Angeles (40-36) kept hold of fifth place in the Western Conference standings and moved a half-game behind fourth-place Phoenix.
Zach LaVine scored 23 points and Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who followed up their impressive win over the Lakers on Sunday with a dud.
NUGGETS 116, 76ERS 111
DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic recorded his 29th triple double of the season and Denver beat short-handed Philadelphia in a game Joel Embiid sat out with a sore right calf.
That scuttled the highly anticipated showdown between MVP front-runners that many felt could have decided whether Embiid, the runner-up the last two years, denies Jokic a third consecutive award. With Embiid in the locker room, Jokic scored 25 points, pulled down 17 rebounds and dished out 12 assists.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 of his 29 points in the first half as the Sixers dropped their third straight.
PELICANS 124, TRAIL BLAZERS 90
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Ingram scored 29 points and New Orleans routed short-handed Portland.
CJ McCollum, who played nine seasons with the Blazers before he was traded to the Pelicans last season, added 17 points. Jonas Valanciunas finished with 10 points and 21 rebounds, and New Orleans led by as many as 36.
Keon Johnson had 20 points off the bench for the Blazers, who have lost nine of 10 and will, in all likelihood, miss the playoffs for the second straight season &mdash; although they have not been mathematically eliminated. Most of their regular starters were out with injuries, including top scorer Damian Lillard (right calf), Jerami Grant (bruised left quad), Jusuf Nurkic (right knee) and Anfernee Simons (right foot).
SUNS 117, JAZZ 103
SAT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker scored 24 points and Phoenix reserves sparked the decisive run in a win over Utah.
Deandre Ayton had 14 points after missing four games with a bruised hip. But a trio off the bench was pivotal for Phoenix: Terrence Ross had 13 points, Cameron Payne added 12 and Bismack Biyombo scored 11.
The Suns (40-35) had lost four in a row on the road. But with this victory they sit more securely in the fourth spot in the Western Conference playoff race &mdash; which would give them home-court advantage in the first round.
Lauri Markkanen scored 25 points for Utah, but shot 6 for 22. Walker Kessler had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz (35-40), who have lost four straight. Kessler also matched a career high with seven blocks.
KNICKS 137, ROCKETS 115
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 40 points and Julius Randle had 26 as New York snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Houston.
RJ Barrett added 19 points, Obi Toppin had 15 and Quinten Grimes scored 14 for the Knicks.
Quickley connected on 14 of 18 shots from the field and added nine assists. He started in place of Jalen Brunson, who missed his second straight game with a bruised right hand.
Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with 26 points. Jalen Green had 19 and Kenyon Martin Jr. added 18 as Houston dropped its sixth straight game.
BUCKS 126, PISTONS 117
DETROIT (AP) &mdash; Khris Middleton scored 34 points against the team that drafted him and Milwaukee beat Detroit without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee improved to an NBA-best 54-21 despite the absences of Antetokounmpo (knee) and Jae Crowder (calf). Goran Dragic made his Bucks debut after signing with the team on March 4, but didn&rsquo;t score in nine minutes.
Brook Lopez had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Bobby Portis added 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Jevon Carter scored 22.
The Pistons got 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists from Jaden Ivey, but lost their sixth straight game and 17th of 18. They are 1-13 against Central Division opponents.

A recap of Monday's slate of NBA games includes Doncic keeping the Mavs playoff hopes alive and a fourth straight Wolves win.

Luka Doncic powers Mavericks to 127-104 win over Pacers

College basketball is full of excitement and drama. While winning a national championship is the ultimate goal for every team, there have been many loaded squads that came up short.&nbsp;
While the teams on this list didn&rsquo;t win a title, they are still often mentioned among the best teams in the history of college basketball. Here are the best college-basketball teams that failed to win it all.&nbsp;
11. 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats
The 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats were coached by Adolph Rupp and their talented roster included future NBA stars Pat Riley and Louie Dampier. The Wildcats finished the season with a record of 27-2 and advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Texas Western Miners. In a game that would later be immortalized in the movie "Glory Road," the Miners upset the Wildcats, 72-65.
10. 2006-07 Ohio State Buckeyes
Led by future No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden and longtime NBA point guard Mike Conley, the Buckeyes were hoping to win their second national championship in program history. Ohio State, traditionally a football school, finished the season 35-4 and ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. The Buckeyes advanced to the national championship game, where they faced a loaded Florida Gators squad that was led by future NBA All-Stars Joakim Noah and Al Horford.&nbsp;
In the national championship game, Oden avoided the foul trouble that had plagued him earlier in the tournament and put up a dominant 25 points and 12 rebounds. However, it wasn&rsquo;t enough, as the Gators defeated the Buckeyes 84-75 behind Horford's 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Four players from the Buckeyes' roster would go on to play in the NBA: Conley, Oden, Daequan Cook and Othello Hunter.
9. 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini
The 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini were a dominant force in college basketball. Coached by Bruce Weber and led by Dee Brown and Deron Williams, the Illini won their first 29 games of the season and finished with a 37-2 record.&nbsp;
Illinois advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the North Carolina Tar Heels (who were led by Raymond Felton, Sean May, Rashad McCants and Marvin Williams). Despite a valiant effort, the Illini fell just short, losing 75-70. Five of their players would go on to play in the NBA: Williams, Brown, Luther Head, Roger Powell and James Augustine.
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8. 2007-08 Memphis Tigers
Yes, John Calipari has back-to-back teams on this list. Coach Cal&rsquo;s 2007-08 Memphis Tigers were absolutely loaded and they were led by Derrick Rose, who would go on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey and Antonio Anderson were also key contributors who eventually had stints in the NBA.
The Tigers finished the season with a record of 38-2 and they advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Kansas Jayhawks. Despite a strong effort, the Tigers were unable to overcome the Jayhawks. Memphis missed a number of late free throws, which opened the door for Mario Chalmers to hit <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/march-madness-ranking-the-top11-ncaa-tournament-buzzerbeaters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in modern NCAA Tournament history</a> and force overtime. Kansas would go on to win, 75-68.
7. 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers
Led by head coach Bob Knight, the 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers finished the season with a record of 31-1 and advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the Kentucky Wildcats. Despite a strong effort, the Hoosiers were upset by the Wildcats, 92-90.&nbsp;
The Hoosiers would have eight players who would go on to play in the NBA: Scott May, Steve Green, Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner, John Laskowski, Bob Wilkerson, Tom Abernethy and Wayne Radford.
6. 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks
The 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks featured a pair of future NBA stars (Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz) and one of the best coaches in college-basketball history (Roy Williams). The Jayhawks finished the season with a record of 34-2 and advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the&nbsp; Arizona Wildcats.&nbsp;
Pierce put together a monster performance &mdash; 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 threes, 2 blocks and 2 steals on 69.2/60/100 shooting splits &mdash; but it wasn't enough to defeat Mike Bibby&rsquo;s Wildcats. The Jayhawks lost 85-82 in overtime. In addition to Pierce and LaFrentz, Kansas had four other players go on to the NBA: Scot Pollard, Billy Thomas, Jacque Vaughn and Ryan Robertson.
5. 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats
The 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats, coached by John Calipari, featured quite the collection of young, high-upside talent. Led by future NBA superstars Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker, the Wildcats finished the season with a perfect record of 38-0.
Kentucky advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the Wisconsin Badgers and were ultimately upset 71-64. In total, a whopping nine Wildcats would go on to play in the NBA: Towns, Booker, Trey Lyles, Willie Cauley-Stein, Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Tyler Ulis, Dakari Johnson and Alex Poythress.
4. 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas
The 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas, coached by John Thompson, were a powerhouse team that featured future NBA star Patrick Ewing. The Hoyas finished the season with a record of 35-3 and advanced to the national championship game, where they faced the Villanova Wildcats.&nbsp;
In one of the biggest upsets in college-basketball history, the Wildcats defeated the Hoyas 66-64. In addition to Ewing, Georgetown had four other players who went on to play in the NBA: Reggie Williams, Bill Martin, David Wingate and Michael Jackson.
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3. 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines
The prior season, the Fab Five took college basketball by storm, with bald heads and baggy shorts. They started five true freshmen and had a great season, making it all the way to the national championship game, where they were handled by a veteran Duke squad that was led by Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, losing 71-51.
In the 1992-93 season, the Wolverines were widely regarded as the most talented team in the country and they were the favorites to win it all. Unfortunately, they fell short to North Carolina in the national championship game in one of the most memorable endings in sports history. Future No. 1 pick Chris Webber called a timeout that Michigan didn&rsquo;t have, as they lost 77-71. Michigan had five players who would later play in the NBA: Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Eric Riley (plus Rob Pelinka would go on to run the Los Angeles Lakers' front office).
2. 1982-83 Houston Cougars
Led by future Hall-of-Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, the 1982-83 Houston Cougars were known as "Phi Slama Jama" for their high-flying style of play. The Cougars were a dominant force on both ends of the court. They advanced to the Final Four, where they faced the N.C. State Wolfpack. Despite a 20-point lead in the second half, the Cougars were upset by the Wolfpack, 54-52. In addition to the superstar pairing of Olajuwon and Drexler, Houston also had two other players who would go on to play in the NBA: Michael Young and Larry Micheaux.
1. 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels
The 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels are one of the greatest college basketball teams of all-time, despite not winning the national championship. Coached by Jerry Tarkanian, the Rebels had an incredible season, finishing with a record of 34-1.&nbsp;
Led by Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, the Rebels played an up-tempo style of basketball that was both thrilling and effective. In the Final Four, they lost a close game to the Duke Blue Devils, who would go on to win the national championship. Johnson, Augmon and Anthony would go on to thrive in the NBA, and two other Rebels would also make it to the league (Elmore Spencer and Eyric Gray).
Would you rank these teams differently? Who is missing from this list? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts now</a>!

Jamal Shakespeare looks back on 11 all-time great college basketball teams that failed to win a championship.

Revisiting 11 loaded NCAA-basketball teams that failed to win it all

CHICAGO (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant sees a loaded roster and all the possibilities that come with it for the Phoenix Suns.
It&rsquo;s up to them to make it happen. And they&rsquo;re off to a good start with their shiny new star.
Devin Booker scored 35 points and matched his career high with six 3s, Durant added 20 points in his second game with Phoenix and the Suns beat the Chicago Bulls 125-104 on Friday night.
Josh Okogie scored 25 points and made five 3-pointers, and the Suns improved to 2-0 with Durant in the lineup.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a lot of big names,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a lot of guys that have done so much in this league so far. But it&rsquo;s about how we come together as a group, and I think this is a tightknit group, a tightknit organization. We&rsquo;ll figure it out along the way.&rdquo;
The Suns, fourth in the Western Conference, put themselves in position to finish the season on a strong note when they landed Durant from Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade three weeks ago. They need some time to mesh the way they would like. But they&rsquo;re looking good so far.
Phoenix dominated the second half against Chicago, outscoring the Bulls by a combined 65-40 after trailing by four at the break. The Suns withstood big efforts by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, and won for the eighth time in 11 games.
&ldquo;We have (18) games left to find this chemistry and communication before playoffs start,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re trying to not take any day off. We&rsquo;ve had extended practices every day, going over both sides of the ball and game plans and schemes &mdash; things that we&rsquo;ve been doing for a few years here.&rdquo;
Booker made 6 of 10 3-pointers, and Okogie hit 5 of 10.
Durant continued to make a seamless transition following the trade from Brooklyn and once again showed no lingering issues from a sprained right knee that sidelined him for seven weeks. The 34-year-old star took just 10 shots. He had nine rebounds and six assists, helping the Suns win their seventh in a row against Chicago.
DeRozan led the Bulls with 31 points. LaVine had 27, but the 3-point discrepancy continued to be a big issue. Chicago was 7 of 23 from beyond the arc, while Phoenix made 20 of 47.
&ldquo;I think we have to take more 3s,&rdquo; coach Billy Donovan said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve to change our shot profile when you go against an elite team. They took twice as many 3s as we did, and they made nearly three times as many as we did.&rdquo;
BURYING BULLS
The Suns went from leading by 13 in the first half to trailing by four at the break. But they outscored Chicago 34-21 in the third and reeled off 10 in a row midway through the fourth to break open a seven-point game.
Durant scored seven straight early in the third to put the Suns back on top, 70-67. Cameron Payne gave Phoenix a double-digit lead when he hit a 3 to make it 88-78 with 3:41 left in the quarter.
It was 107-100 midway through the fourth when Chris Paul nailed a 3 to start a 10-0 run that buried the Bulls.
TIP-INS
Suns: Donovan said he expects Durant and Paul to be &ldquo;great&rdquo; together. Donovan had both superstars in Oklahoma City, albeit on separate occasions and not as teammates. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got two guys that are very driven, very motivated, very detailed, put the work in in every aspect possible to be the best they can be,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And everything is done from a perspective of how they can influence, impact winning.&rdquo; ... F Terrence Ross (sore right toe) missed his second game in a row.
Bulls: The Bulls have not beaten the Suns since March 18, 2019. ... Donovan said DeRozan feels &ldquo;really, really good&rdquo; since his return from a strained right quadriceps that kept him out of back-to-back games prior to the All-Star break. The six-time All-Star averaged 20 points in four games prior to Friday&rsquo;s contest. ... The Bulls signed G Carlik Jones from their Windy City G League affiliate.
UP NEXT
Suns: At Dallas on Sunday.
Bulls: Host Indiana on Sunday.

Booker scored 35 points, Durant added 20 points in his second game with Phoenix and the Suns beat the Bulls 125-104 on Friday night.

Booker, Durant, Okogie lead Suns to 125-104 romp over Bulls

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Sir&rsquo;Jabari Rice scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and overtime, and No. 6 Texas held off Oklahoma 85-83 on Saturday.
Rice&rsquo;s fourth 3-pointer of the game gave Texas an 84-77 lead with 2:26 left in overtime.
Oklahoma, however, had a chance to tie or win when Texas&rsquo; Tyrese Hunter missed one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left. But Sam Godwin missed a shot from near the rim, and Texas extended its winning streak against Oklahoma to five games.
Marcus Carr added 17 points for Texas (21-6, 10-4 Big 12), and Timmy Allen had 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Grant Sherfield led Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11) with 18 points, including a 3-pointer that sent the game to overtime. Milos Uzan scored 15 for the Sooners.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 108, GEORGIA 59
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Miller scored 21 points, Nick Pringle had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Mark Sears made five 3-pointers in the first half to lead Alabama.
The Crimson Tide (23-4, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) rebounded from their first SEC loss by racing to a 54-25 halftime lead and a season scoring high. Alabama was coming off a 68-59 loss at No. 10 Tennessee on Wednesday night after rising to No. 1 for only the second time in program history and first in 20 years.&nbsp;
ustin Hill led Georgia (16-11, 6-8) with 17 points. Terry Roberts scored 11 and Braelen Bridges 10.
NO. 4 UCLA 78, CALIFORNIA 43
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 20 points and UCLA routed last-place California to improve to 15-0 at Pauley Pavilion this season and extend the nation&rsquo;s longest home winning streak to 23 games.
Amari Bailey added 16 points and nine rebounds for the first-place Bruins (23-4, 14-2 Pac-12), who clinched a first-round bye in next month&rsquo;s Pac-12 Tournament with their 11th win in a row over last-place Cal.
Kuany Kuany scored 14 points to lead the Golden Bears (3-24, 2-14), who dropped their 11th in a row. They fell to 0-3 against top-5 teams this season, having also lost a pair against No. 8 Arizona.
NO. 5 KANSAS 87, NO. 9 BAYLOR 71
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; DaJuan Harris scored all 14 of his points in the second half as Kansas stormed back from a double-digit halftime deficit.
The Jayhawks (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) outscored the Bears 55-26 in the second half. Jalen Wilson led Kansas with 21 points and 13 rebounds. KJ Adams added 17 points and Gradey Dick had 16.
The Jayhawks are tied with Texas for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference.
Baylor (20-7, 9-5) got nearly all of its scoring from its three-guard combo of Adam Flagler (22 points) Keyonte George (20 points) and LJ Cryer (15 points).
NO. 7 VIRGINIA 57, NOTRE DAME 55
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark scored 15 points, including a pair of critical free throws with 22.6 seconds left, and became Virginia&rsquo;s career assist leader in the narrow win over Notre Dame.
With Notre Dame closing to 55-54, Clark converted both ends of a one-and-one. Trey Wertz made the front end of a one-and-one with 3.9 seconds left for the Fighting Irish, but missed the second after a timeout. The ball was tipped out to Dane Goodwin for a potential game-winning 3-pointer, but his shot bounced off the rim.
Armaan Franklin added 12 points and Reece Beekman had 11 for Virginia (21-4, 13-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Nate Laszewski led Notre Dame (10-17, 2-14) with 18 points and Goodwin had 12.
NO. 8 ARIZONA 78, COLORADO 68
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Oumar Ballo had 18 points and 16 rebounds, Cedric Henderson Jr. added 15 points and Arizona dominated inside to beat Colorado.
The Wildcats (24-4, 13-4 Pac-12) opened with a rash of turnovers, falling into an early 12-point hole. Arizona righted itself quickly with a big run and slogged through a slowed-down second half by shutting down the Buffaloes.
Tristan da Silva had 18 points the Buffaloes (15-13, 7-10), who shot 38%.
KENTUCKY 66, NO. 10 TENNESSEE 54
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Cason Wallace and Oscar Tshiebwe each scored 16 points and Kentucky rushed to a big lead and beat Tennessee.
The Volunteers (20-7, 9-5 SEC) trailed by 20 points at halftime and lost in their first game since toppling No. 1 Alabama.
The Wildcats (18-9, 9-5) earned their first regular-season sweep of Tennessee since the 2011-12 season. Kentucky defeated the Volunteers 63-56 on Jan. 14 in Knoxville.
Wallace had totaled nine points in the Wildcats&rsquo; previous two games. Chris Livingston added 12 points and Jacob Toppin had 11.
NO. 12 KANSAS STATE 61, NO. 19 IOWA STATE 55
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell hit a 3-pointer from near midcourt with 2:42 remaining to help Kansas State over Iowa State.
Nowell finished with 20 points. Keyontae Johnson had 15 points for the Wildcats (20-7, 8-6 Big 12).
Aljaž Kunc led Iowa State (17-9, 8-6) with 15 points. Without their 3-point leader Caleb Grill in the lineup, the Cyclones worked inside the paint. They had 24 points inside and relied on a balanced scoring line led by Kunc.
NO. 13 GONZAGA 97, PEPPERDINE 88
MALIBU, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme scored 22 of his 34 points in the second half and Julian Strawther added 28 points to help Gonzaga extend its winning streak over the Waves to 45 games.
The Bulldogs (23-5, 12-2 West Coast Conference), who haven&rsquo;t lost to Pepperdine (9-10, 2-12) since Jan. 18, 2002 and have won 20 straight on the road against the Waves.
Timme moved past Bill Cartwright, who scored 2,116 points for San Francisco (1975-79), into eighth on the West Coast Conference&rsquo;s career scoring list with 2,117.
Houston Mallette led the Waves with 22 points. Jevon Porter and Maxwell Lewis added 20 points apiece.
NO. 14 INDIANA 71, ILLINOIS 68
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Trayce Jackson-Davis finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, Jalen Hood Schifino made two free throws with 30.7 seconds left, and Indiana rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to beat Illinois.
Hood-Schifino had 13 points for the Hoosiers (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten), who have won nine of 11 overall and 15 straight on their homecourt.
Matthew Mayer scored 24 to lead the Fighting Illini (17-9, 8-7), who were without injured leading scorer Terrence Shannon.
NO. 15 MIAMI 96, WAKE FOREST 87
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Isaiah Wong scored 27 points and Nijel Pack finished with 24 in Miami&rsquo;s win over Wake Forest.
Norchard Omier had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting while Jordan Miller added 14 points for the Hurricanes (22-5, 13-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their sixth straight and improved to 15-0 at home.
Tyree Appleby scored 15 points and Damari Monsanto and Cameron Hildreth had 14 each for the Demon Deacons (17-10, 9-7). Andrew Carr and Mathew Marsh finished with 12 points each.
NO. 16 XAVIER 82, DEPAUL 68
CINCINNATI (AP) &mdash; Jack Nunge had 18 points and 10 rebounds as Xavier bounced back from a pair of narrow losses to beat DePaul.
The Musketeers (20-7, 12-4 Big East) reached the 20-win mark for the 34th time in school history, 32 of which have come since the 1982-83 season. It was the 17th career double-double for Nunge, eighth this season. Adam Kunkel scored 16 points and tied a career-high with eight assists for Xavier.
Umoja Gibson had 17 points and De&rsquo;Sean Nelson 16 for DePaul (9-18, 3-13), which lost its eighth in a row.
NO. 17 ST. MARY&rsquo;S 71, BYU 65
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Logan Johnson scored 27 points and Aidan Mahaney delivered once again in the second half to lead Saint Mary&rsquo;s to its 15th win in 16 games.
Mahaney scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and Mitchell Saxen added 13. The Gaels (24-5, 13-1 West Coast Conference) won their 16th straight conference home game to maintain a one-game lead over Gonzaga in the standings.
Fousseyni Traore scored 16 points to lead the Cougars (16-14, 6-9). BYU has lost four straight and was swept in the season series by the Gaels.
NO. 18 CREIGHTON 77, ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 67
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Arthur Kaluma hit three straight 3-pointers down the stretch and Creighton overcame a second-half scoring drought to pull away from St. John&rsquo;s.
Creighton (18-9, 12-4) remained in a three-way tie for second place in the Big East after Providence and Xavier won earlier in the day. Marquette holds a one-game lead in the conference standings.
Ryan Nembhard scored 16 points for the Bluejays. Kaluma finished with 13 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12 as Creighton won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Joel Soriano led St. John&rsquo;s with 15 points and eight rebounds. David Jones added 14 points off the bench but the Red Storm (16-12, 6-11) were unable to get their third straight win.
NO. 20 UCONN 64, SETON HALL 55
STORRS, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn used a big second-half run to beat Seton Hall.
Andre Jackson had a career high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for UConn (20-7, 9-7 Big East).
Al-Amir Dawes and Tyrese Samuel each had 16 points for Seton Hall (16-12, 9-8), which trailed by 16 points with six minutes to play before a late run that fell short.
NO. 22 TCU 100, OKLAHOMA STATE 75
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) &mdash; Mike Miles Jr. had 15 points in his first game in three weeks, five other TCU players also scored in double figures, and the Horned Frogs snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Oklahoma State.
Emanuel Miller had 18 points to lead TCU (18-9, 7-7 Big 12), which shot a staggering season-high 68.4% (39 of 57) from the field. Damion Baugh had 16 points with 11 assists. Shahada Wells had 15 points, Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon 12 and Micah Peavy 10.
Bryce Thompson had 18 points and John-Michael White 15 for the Cowboys (16-11, 7-7).
NO. 24 PROVIDENCE 85, VILLANOVA 72
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Ed Croswell scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Providence earned its 20th victory of the season.
Bryce Hopkins added 19 points and 12 rebounds. Noah Locked finished with 16 points. Croswell connected on two late free throws to notch the 1,000th point of his career.
The Friars (20-7, 12-4 Big East) have recorded 20 or more wins in seven of coach Ed Cooley&rsquo;s 12 seasons. They improved to 15-0 at home, including 8-0 in conference play.
Eric Dixon had 18 points and eight rebounds and Justin Moore added 17 points for the Wildcats (13-14, 7-9)&nbsp;

A recap of Saturday's action in men's college basketball includes a full slate of top-25 teams in heavy competition.

No. 6 Texas needs OT at home to hold off Oklahoma 85-83

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker scored 21 points and Chris Paul chipped in 19 as the Phoenix Suns cruised past the Indiana Pacers 117-104 on Friday night.
Playing one day after their blockbuster trade for four-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant, the Suns led by as many as 26 and never trailed in a game they outrebounded the Pacers 64-45.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s exciting times for the Phoenix Suns,&rdquo; Booker said. &ldquo;You have one of the best players to ever touch a basketball coming. He&rsquo;s going to fit right in.&rdquo;
Durant, acquired from Brooklyn on Thursday, hasn&rsquo;t played since Jan. 8 when he sustained a knee injury in a game against Miami. Durant, who was not with the Suns in Indiana, is expected to be healthy enough to play at some point after the All-Star break.
Bennedict Mathurin posted 22 points for the Pacers, while All-Star Tyrese Haliburton finished with 18 points and five assists. Indiana, which has lost 14 of its past 16 games, shot 42% from the field and committed 15 turnovers.
&ldquo;Rebounding has been a challenge for us all year long,&rdquo; Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;They had 19 offensive rebounds. Rebounding is an attention-to-detail and effort area.&rdquo;
Phoenix shot 46% and capitalized on ball movement with 25 assists on its 43 baskets. Paul had nine assists and Booker five. Josh Okogie finished with 17 points and six boards, while former Pacer Torrey Craig started at power forward and racked up 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Phoenix, which has won six of its past eight, led 30-24 after the first quarter, 60-47 at halftime and 95-77 entering the final period. The Suns bounced back from Thursday night&rsquo;s loss in Atlanta.
&ldquo;We had a trade, emotions, travel,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;(Thursday night) on the bus, plane, gave us a chance to get back to normal. Sometimes it takes you a minute to process whatever is going on.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Suns: Film study will play a &ldquo;huge&rdquo; role in determining how to work Durant into Phoenix&rsquo;s offense, according to Williams. &ldquo;Huge as far as us figuring out what&rsquo;s the most important thing to run,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Right now, it&rsquo;s the old (Gregg Popovich) saying: less is more.&rdquo; ... Cameron Payne (right foot sprain) and Landry Shamet (right foot soreness) sat out Friday&rsquo;s game. T.J. Warren, reacquired before the trade deadline, was not yet with the team.
Pacers: Indy native George Hill, acquired Thursday from Milwaukee in a four-team trade, chose to begin a second stint with the Pacers rather than be waived to pursue opportunities to join a contender, president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a pregame news conference. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s totally up to you,&rdquo; Pritchard recalled telling the 36-year-old guard. &ldquo;He immediately said, &lsquo;I want to come back and teach.&rsquo; I don&rsquo;t know if he&rsquo;s going to coach, but he&rsquo;s got valuable insights.&rdquo; &hellip; Big man Serge Ibaka, sent to Indiana in the same deal, will be waived, Pritchard said. The 33-year-old has played in only 16 games this season, averaging 11.6 minutes. &hellip; Hill and forward Jordan Nwora, the third player obtained from the Bucks whom coach Rick Carlisle said will receive a &ldquo;great opportunity&rdquo; to play in Indiana, should be ready to suit up for the Pacers next week, Carlisle said.
UP NEXT
Suns: Return home to face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
Pacers: Play at the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker scored 21 points and the Suns cruised past the Pacers 117-104 on Friday.

Ayton, Booker lead Suns past Pacers a day after Durant trade

Russell Westbrook may be on the move, again.
Following Westbrook's inclusion in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-lakers-timberwolves-jazz-agree-to-threeway-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a three-team deal</a> between the Lakers, Timberwolves and Jazz, Westbrook and the Jazz are expected to reach agreement on a buyout.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In three-team deal being discussed between Lakers, Wolves and Jazz, a buyout for Russell Westbrook in Utah would be the likely path, league sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAonTNT</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BleacherReport</a>.
&mdash; Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1623425850543681540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

While the trade value for Westbrook was on the lower side &mdash; his limitations, in addition to a gargantuan salary ($47 million) made trading for him a tough sell without pick compensation attached to him &mdash; Westbrook's market on the buyout market should be more robust.
He isn't the superstar he once was, operating in a primary bench role for the first time in his career. Westbrook remains a productive player, though: 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.0 steals are marks matched by three other players in the NBA this season &mdash; Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and James Harden.
More specifically, Westbrook still lives at the rim.
A whopping 44% of his shots come at the rim, a 94th-percentile mark among combo guards, per Cleaning The Glass. He ranks eighth in total drives (792), with the Lakers generating roughly 1.04 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Westbrook drive, per Second Spectrum.
The Lakers have played at the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?dir=A&amp;sort=PACE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second-highest pace</a> in the league this year. They've gotten in transition more often with Westbrook on the floor, a trend that has held in literally every season of Westbrook's career.
His ability to generate paint touches, with or without a screen, is still valuable to offenses. Once there, Westbrook has proven able to spray the ball out to the perimeter, or drop slick interior feeds. He's <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/passing?CF=PASSES_MADE*LE*50:POTENTIAL_AST*GE*12&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=POTENTIAL_AST" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of four players</a> averaging at least 12 potential assists per game while averaging 50 or fewer passes. To the interior feed point, Westbrook ranks third in the league in at-rim assists.
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That he's been able to do it with this volume, within a Laker offense that doesn't feature ideal spacing for drivers, should spark intrigue around what he could do in a better context.&nbsp;
While Westbrook has generated paint touches at a high level, his efficiency as a scorer has declined from peak form. For the second season in a row, he's converted just 58% of his shots in the rim. He's made a career-low 29% of his shots from floater range. Some of that is due to the roster construction during his Laker tenure, but the interior touch has been shaky independent of that.
There's also the matter of the jumper. His 32% clip from mid-range ties a career-low (2018-19), while he's drained a paltry 29% of his threes. A year after knocking down 44% of his threes from the corner (on admittedly low volume), he's down to 27% this year.&nbsp;
Teams aggressively gap him when he's off the ball. He can make hay as a cutter from the wing, but that isn't something you can build the boat around. Slotting him in the dunker spot, or using him as a screener, have seemingly been brought up as ideas more than we've seen it in practice. That could change in a new spot, but I'd temper expectations there.&nbsp;
So, which teams make sense for Westbrook? Let's go down the list.
NAH, WE'RE GOOD &mdash; PLAYOFFS/IN EDITION (13)
Teams: Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Indiana, Memphis, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento
This is pretty straightforward. All of these teams either have a star-caliber point guard, a deep point guard room or both.
NAH, WE'RE GOOD &mdash; DEVELOPMENT EDITION (5)
Teams: Charlotte, Detroit, Houston, Orlando, San Antonio
This is also straightforward. These teams are young and have more incentive to give their guards a runway rather than bringing Westbrook into the fold.
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CAN'T SAY I SEE IT (4)
Teams: Brooklyn, Minnesota, Toronto, Washington
The Nets didn't seem super interested in Westbrook before Kyrie Irving was ultimately moved; the picks were the real assets, and there were rumblings of Westbrook being rerouted in such a deal. In light of Durant being moved, I really don't see the point now.
The Wolves just made their own point-guard swap, bringing the veteran Mike Conley into the fold. You could make the argument for Westbrook bolstering their second unit, running ball screens with Naz Reid &mdash; or Karl Anthony-Towns, when he's back and if they're staggered together. Ultimately, trying to sort through touches with Westbrook and&nbsp;Rudy Gobert&nbsp;and&nbsp;Edwards&nbsp;and&nbsp;Towns is probably too much.
The Raptors with an actual point guard who could consistently generate paint touches and feed their talented forwards &mdash; all of which offer intrigue as screeners &mdash; would be nice. But I don't think Westbrook should be that option in light of the spacing issues the Raptors already face.&nbsp;
We've frankly done the Westbrook-in-Washington thing. He'd be an upgrade over the current point guards there, but I don't think that would be worth exploring.
HEAR ME OUT, THOUGH (2)
Teams: Milwaukee, Phoenix
This may be an unpopular opinion, but the Bucks could probably use another shot creator. Among perimeter players, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are kinda it.
Jevon Carter has taken a step as a pull-up shooter &mdash; did you know he's draining nearly 37% of his pull-up threes this year? &mdash; but he's not someone that can carry a unit. Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton &mdash; whichever is replaced by Middleton when he returns to the starting lineup &mdash; are complementary pieces, not players who can handle significant on-ball usage.
All I'm saying is a second unit headlined by Westbrook and Sixth-Man-of-the-Year candidate* Bobby Portis (when he returns) could be good stuff. Joe Ingles could help balance things out with his blend of playmaking and shooting. Being able to have two of Holiday, Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Westbrook on the floor at all times would be quite the luxury.&nbsp;
If the Suns were interested in Irving &mdash; and were possibly, maybe, allegedly, reportedly willing to involve Chris Paul in a deal to get it done &mdash; it stands to reason that they'd be in the market for more shot creation.
At the very least, the Suns need to pressure the rim more than they do.
Shout out to their increased work on the offensive glass &mdash; fifth in offensive rebound rate after ranking 21st last season &mdash; as well as the on-ball aggression they got from Mikal Bridges before moving him in a deal for some Kevin Durant dude.
They still rank 25th in drives per 100 possessions, 27th in free throw rate and 29th in rim rate (percentage of field goal attempts coming at the rim).&nbsp;
Westbrook could help in all of those areas.
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THE FAVORITES (3)
Teams: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami
Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes has reported that <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1623503500088070146?s=20&amp;t=CvvJPgcuaCLuvtoLr_Nfbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Bulls</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1623494584524505088?s=20&amp;t=CvvJPgcuaCLuvtoLr_Nfbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clippers</a> are expected to show interest in Westbrook, provided he's bought out.
I'll start here: without the Haynes report, I'd probably have Chicago in the "can't-see-it" section. I still want to put them there, but it's telling that we heard about their interest so early.
I get&nbsp;why there would be interest. Much like Phoenix, the Bulls have a mid-range heavy shot profile while ranking toward the bottom of the league in drives. Adding Westbrook to the fold could help that, while also taking some of the creation burden off of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Nikola Vucevic could be a versatile screening partner for Westbrook, or someone that could space the floor while giving him room to work. If the pick-and-roll partnership between Westbrook and Thomas Bryant can be fruitful &mdash; 1.06 PPP on direct plays, per Second Spectrum, a quality number &mdash; then surely he and Vucevic could make music together.&nbsp;
And ultimately, the Bulls' offense has underwhelmed this year. They're in the bottom third of the league in offensive rating; their 114.5 offensive rating with DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic on the floor would only rank 15th league-wide. Constantly being flanked with a passive guard &mdash; either the budding Ayo Dosunmu or the versatile Alex Caruso &mdash; puts a bit of a cap on the offensive ceiling of this group.
I'm not convinced Westbrook would be a great answer in practice, but I understand the logic behind how he could be.&nbsp;
The Clippers seem to be the natural fit for Westbrook for a multitude of reasons. They could also use his rim pressure, and could especially use the juice he provides in transition. There are enough shooters on the roster, including their two best players, to create a favorable context for Westbrook. On a personal note, it'd be pretty convenient for Westbrook, who wouldn't have to move at all.&nbsp;
If there's such a thing as a darkhorse favorite, the Heat would be it. They're the worst offense of this group of teams &mdash; 25th in offensive rating (112.2) when removing garbage time. Both on and off the floor, the Heat feel like a team that could use an outside jolt.
The biggest drawback to the fit is the spacing. Erik Spoelstra is one of the most creative minds in NBA history, but constructing a workable offense around Westbrook, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would be quite the challenge.&nbsp;
A challenge doesn't mean it'd be impossible.
We've seen Westbrook and Anthony Davis generate good looks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-lakers-go-low-against-the-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on low pick-and-rolls</a>; it's not hard to envision Westbrook and Adebayo doing the same. Westbrook could receive screens from, or be the screener for, Butler. In a vacuum, Westbrook's paint-heavy style could complement the pull-up chops of Tyler Herro in the backcourt.
All the Heat may need is a slight boost; even with their offense and the injuries they've had to sort through, they're a playoff team right now while playing in a league-leading 38 clutch games. Westbrook doesn't have to be a superstar; he simply needs to be an additive. There's enough in the tank to talk yourself into it.

Nekias Duncan explores the Russell Westbrook buyout market.

Dayne