Barons

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

Moke Hamilton reacts to the BasketballNews.com staff's picks for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game and explains his selections.

Selecting the 2022 NBA All-Star reserves

We're flipping our calendar at BasketballNews &mdash; but not before taking one look back at a memorable 2021.
Sports never cease to give us compelling storylines. Last year, they came from all places, from the pros in the U.S. and abroad, to college, to youth levels, and even off the basketball court. Below are some of our staff's best stories, arranged in several categories. Read the Best of BasketballNews 2021:
Best Features
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/gary-payton-ii_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-raptors-905-gary-payton-ii-on-growing-up-in-fathers-shadow-we-have-two-different-paths">Gary Payton II on growing up in father's shadow: 'We have two different paths'</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Former NBA execs, Overtime Elite seek to revolutionize amateur-to-pro p</a><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reparation</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-daniel-gafford-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-bradley-beal-tony-falce-arkansas-razorbacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Gafford, Wizards surging since trade: 'When I got here, it clicked automatically'</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pj-dozier-took-a-whirlwind-journey-to-the-denver-nuggets-starting-lineup">Two-way threat: PJ Dozier reflects on whirlwind path to Nuggets</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/g-league-finals-mvp-devin-cannady-remains-focus-bigger-goals">NBA G League Finals MVP Devin Cannady remains focused on bigger goals</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/theres-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around-for-frank-ntilikinas-failure">There&rsquo;s plenty of blame to go around for Frank Ntilikina&rsquo;s failure</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-vucevic-may-finally-get-credit-he-deserves-with-newlook-bulls">Nikola Vucevic may finally get credit he deserves with new-look Bulls</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/meet-juste-jocyte-15-year-old-phenom-and-professional-record-breaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meet Justė Jocytė: 15-year-old phenom and professional record-breaker</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks">Kristaps Porzingis' renewed confidence leading to resurgent season</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/scoot-henderson-aspirations-far-exceed-any-hype-we-can-give-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA G League star Scoot Henderson's aspirations far exceed the hype</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
Best Interviews and Q&amp;As
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/markelle-fultz_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team">Richaun Holmes Q&amp;A: 'I definitely feel I&rsquo;m deserving of the All-Defensive Team'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-orlando-magic-rj-hampton-q-and-a-i-dont-think-you-can-put-a-cap-on-our-ceiling">Magic's R.J. Hampton Q&amp;A: 'I don&rsquo;t think you can put a cap on our ceiling'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-8-episode-7-stephen-curry">The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins Episode 7 - Stephen Curry</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-10-episode-9-james-jones">The Rex Chapman Show: James Jones on Suns' culture change, player-to-GM leap</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes">One-on-One: Derrick White, Spurs' youth trying to make a name for themselves</a> &mdash; with Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-one-on-one-patrick-patterson-los-angeles-clippers-tyronn-lue-paul-george-kawhi-leonard-demarcus-cousins-kentucky-wildcats-basketball">One-on-One: Patrick Patterson opens up as Clippers begin playoff run</a> &mdash; with Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing">Larry Nance Jr. Q&amp;A: 'I did not come out here to half-ass this thing'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jermaine-oneal-on-reconciling-with-ron-artest-i-didnt-know-about-mental-health">Jermaine O&rsquo;Neal on reconciling with Metta World Peace: 'I didn't know about mental health'</a> &mdash; with Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/markelle-fultz-reveals-what-really-happened-with-his-shot-shoulder">Markelle Fultz reveals what really happened with his shot, shoulder</a> &mdash; with Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-alex-kennedy-podcast/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-29-thad-young-on-getting-blindsided-by-trade-to-spurs,-dealing-with-recent-trade-rumors,-the-key-to-nba-longevity,-more-ep-29">Thad Young on being blindsided by Spurs trade, trade rumors, key to longevity</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
Best Player Breakdowns
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/kyle-lowry_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/on-lock-how-jrue-holiday-became-the-nba-finals-xfactor-">On Lock: How Jrue Holiday became the NBA Finals&rsquo; X-Factor</a> &mdash; by Jannelle Moore
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/enough-no-bag-talk-giannis-antetokounmpo-put-the-nba-on-notice-finals-mvp-champion">Enough 'no bag' talk: Giannis Antetokounmpo put the NBA on notice</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-kyle-lowry-brings-to-the-miami-heat">Film study: What Kyle Lowry brings to the Miami Heat</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dime-fest-breaking-down-courtney-vandersloot-historic-night-wnba-playoffs">Dime Fest: Breaking down Courtney Vandersloot's historic night</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/all-signs-pointing-to-marcus-smart-as-the-celtics-swing-player">What does Marcus Smart at point guard look like for the Celtics? </a>&nbsp; &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gay-is-injecting-the-jazz-with-funk">Rudy Gay is injecting the Jazz with funk</a> &mdash; by Mark Schindler
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-jaren-jackson-jr-a-star-in-making-or-something-else">Is Jaren Jackson Jr. a star in the making, or something else?</a> &mdash; by Matt Brooks
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dissecting-desmond-bane-role-memphis-grizzlies-offense">Dissecting Desmond Bane's growing role in the Grizzlies' offense</a> &mdash; by Jackson Frank
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-dave-bing-right-about-cade-cunningham">Is Cade Cunningham a franchise player the Pistons can build around?</a> &mdash; by Mat Issa and Bryce Simon
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-the-nba-all-star-case-for-cavs-big-man-jarrett-allen">Making the NBA All-Star case for Cavs big man Jarrett Allen</a> &mdash; by Bryan Fonseca
Best Team and League Breakdowns
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/jarrett-allen_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-to-tank-or-not-to-tank-analyzing-the-toronto-raptors-present-and-future">To tank, or not to tank? Analyzing the Raptors' present and future</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-draft-lottery-is-not-rigged-and-heres-why">The NBA Draft Lottery is not rigged, and here's why</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-big-men-take-more-time-to-develop-in-the-nba-than-guards-and-wings">Why NBA bigs take more time to develop: 'They're used to imposing their will'</a>&nbsp;&mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-the-offseason-revs-up-what-nba-teams-are-in-the-dead-money-doldrums">As NBA offseason nears, which teams are in the dead money doldrums?</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-create-unnecessarily-awkward-situation-not-signing-deandre-ayton-to-extension">Suns create unnecessarily awkward situation by not extending Ayton</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-the-nba-length-matters-unedited">Length matters: The NBA's long-ball revolution may be coming</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grindhouse-how-the-grizzlies-are-winning-with-defense">The Grindhouse: How the Grizzlies are winning with defense</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tom-thibodeau-isnt-the-only-reigning-coach-of-the-year-to-struggle">Tom Thibodeau isn&rsquo;t the only reigning Coach of the Year to struggle</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-reclaim-top-spot-from-suns">NBA Power Rankings: Bulls are hot, Warriors reclaim top spot from Suns </a>&nbsp;&mdash; by Tommy Beer
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-embarrassing-defense-sinking-their-enticing-potential">Hornets' embarrassing defense sinking their enticing potential</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
Best Opinion
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/draymond-green_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/injuries-galore-the-nba-all-too-soon-return-has-made-losers-of-us-all">Injuries Galore: The NBA&rsquo;s all-too-soon return has made losers of us all</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-can-the-nba-do-to-prevent-ugly-fan-incidents">What can the NBA do to prevent more ugly fan incidents?</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rachel-nichols-maria-taylor-incident-exposes-espn-racism-sexism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Nichols-Maria Taylor incident exposes ESPN&rsquo;s racism, sexism&nbsp;</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-discourse-around-nba-superteams-is-tiresome-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The discourse around NBA stars and super-teams is tiresome</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-beginners-guide-to-nba-stats-written-by-a-beginner">A beginner's guide to NBA stats: The three types of statistics</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-players-could-have-realistically-played-in-the-nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Which NBA players could have realistically played in the NFL?</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/no-enhancement-necessary-the-nba-should-leave-well-enough-alone">No enhancement necessary: NBA should leave well enough alone</a> &mdash; by Jannelle Moore
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nets-should-be-ashamed-of-themselves">The Nets should be ashamed of themselves</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/missing-the-forest-through-the-trees-on-christmas-day-games">Missing the forest through the trees on Christmas Day games</a> &mdash; by Mark Schindler
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/greg-monroe-and-the-brief-case-for-us-to-see-more-nba-veterans-this-season">NBA teams need to show more respect to veterans, and we're seeing why</a> &mdash; by Bryan Fonseca
Best of the NBA Draft
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/james-bouknight_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-behindthescenes-look-at-james-bouknights-predraft-training">Behind the scenes with projected lottery pick James Bouknight</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-nba-draft-prospect-nahshon-bones-hyland-demands-your-attention">Q&amp;A: Draft prospect Nah'Shon 'Bones' Hyland demands your attention</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-2021-nba-draft-intel-with-lead-draft-analyst-matt-babcock-rumors-offseason">2021 NBA Draft: Matt Babcock on rumors, trades, risers, fallers</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller and Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-little-guy-from-bendigo-dyson-daniels-game-is-unlike-anyone-elses">The Little Guy From Bendigo: Dyson Daniels is unlike anyone else</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-qa-french-big-man-ismael-kamagate">2022 NBA Draft Q&amp;A: French big man Ismael Kamagate</a> &mdash; by Jason Filippi
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-jean-montero-scouting-report">2022 NBA Draft: Jean Montero scouting report</a> &mdash; by Doc Martin
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/babcocks-takeaways-jabari-smith-patrick-baldwin-jr-matthew-cleveland-more">Babcock&rsquo;s Takeaways: Jabari Smith, Patrick Baldwin, Matthew Cleveland</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-the-evolution-of-kansas-guard-ochai-agbaji">2022 NBA Draft: The evolution of Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji</a> &mdash; by Derek Murray
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-getting-to-know-alabamas-native-son-jd-davison">2022 NBA Draft: Getting to know JD Davison, Alabama's native son</a> &mdash; by Grant Aqui
Best Player Pieces
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/james-posey_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-troy-brown-jr-bradley-beal-russell-westbrook-outbreak-covid-19-coronavirus-virus-contract-health-safety-protocol">Behind the scenes of the Wizards' COVID-19 outbreak: 'It's been a wild season'</a> &mdash; by Troy Brown Jr.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-a-shame-carmelo-didnt-end-up-in-portland-sooner">It&rsquo;s a shame Carmelo Anthony didn&rsquo;t end up in Portland sooner</a> &mdash; by Kenyon Martin
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-first-time-getting-traded-learning-what-its-like-to-be-dealt-in-the-nba">My first time getting traded: Learning what it's like to be dealt in the NBA</a> &mdash; by Troy Brown Jr.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kwame-brown-stephen-a-smith-stephen-jackson-matt-barnes-charlemagne-etan-thomas-washington-wizards-media">After 20 years of public degradation, Kwame Brown is fed up</a> &mdash; by Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/paul-george-is-silencing-his-critics-los-angeles-clippers-nba-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul George is silencing his critics</a> &mdash; by Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-is-big-business-and-players-should-be-allowed-to-act-like-it">The NBA is a big business, and players should be allowed to act like it</a> &mdash; by James Posey
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-doesnt-seem-to-be-succumbing-to-father-time-just-yet">LeBron James doesn&rsquo;t seem to be succumbing to Father Time just yet</a> &mdash; by James Posey

BasketballNews highlights its best stories over the calendar 2021 year.

The Best of BasketballNews: 2021

A month is only a fraction of the NBA calendar, but it does set a tone for teams as they find their groove. Some franchises have burst out of the gate, while other have underwhelmed to start.
While it's still a small sample size, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers earlier this week:
<h3>One month into the season, which team are you most concerned about?</h3>
Alex Kennedy: It has to be the New Orleans Pelicans, right? The team is 3-15 and they rank in the bottom-five both offensively (26th) and defensively (29th). Zion Williamson will likely miss a few more weeks as he recovers from a fractured right foot; he&rsquo;ll be re-evaluated on Nov. 24 to determine whether he can start participating in full team workouts. Executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pelicans-exec-david-griffin-on-hot-seat-after-slow-start-altercation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly on the hot seat</a> due to the team&rsquo;s struggles. Things are ugly behind the scenes too, as Griffin and former Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry recently got into an ugly altercation at Smoothie King Center and had to be physically separated. But wait, there&rsquo;s more! There are some big-picture concerns too: Back in June, <a href="https://theathletic.com/2656520/2021/06/17/inside-the-end-of-stan-van-gundy-with-the-pelicans-and-an-ongoing-battle-to-keep-zion-williamson-happy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic reported</a> that some of Zion&rsquo;s family members &ldquo;want Williamson on another team" and have "voiced their displeasure with the organization." Yikes.
Nekias Duncan: It has to be the Atlanta Hawks for me. They've looked disjointed on both sides of the floor, a troubling sign for a team fresh off a Conference Finals berth. The defense has fallen off a cliff; the offense doesn't generate enough paint touches. Lineups have fluctuated, and now De'Andre Hunter is expected to miss time with a wrist injury. Hopefully they'll find some semblance of rhythm soon.
Spencer Davies: Before the season, even before the Zion Williamson injury news, the New Orleans Pelicans were kind of trending downward for me. There just seems to be a disconnect somewhere from the top on down. Add in Brandon Ingram &mdash; who&rsquo;s having a career year, in spite of NOLA&rsquo;s issues &mdash; missing some time in early November, and this team has had to rely on a lot of Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte&rsquo; Graham to push them forward. The former is having a great individual season statistically, but the Pels just can&rsquo;t seem to A) play with leads or B) keep games close. Two wins in 16 games is hardly going to do you any favors in the Western Conference. You have to feel for Willie Green, and it almost is reminiscent of what Stephen Silas went through (and is still going through) in Houston.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks have come out of the starting gate with one of the worst defenses in the NBA. Now they've lost De'Andre Hunter for two months due to a wrist injury. It also concerns me that, per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta ranks 26th in rim frequency and 28th in three-point frequency but 2nd in mid-range frequency. It doesn't seem like the offense is maximizing its talent, and the defense is giving opponents an advantage.
Jannelle Moore: The Los Angeles Lakers, at this point, are the most concerning. Granted, LeBron James was out of the lineup for most of the start. But that doesn't explain their struggles on defense. They have AD and Russ; they shouldn't be struggling to this degree.
Moke Hamilton: Portland, without question. Personally, I feel like it&rsquo;s time for everyone to move on, including Damian Lillard. It looks like, many times, they&rsquo;re just going through the motions and don&rsquo;t really have the look of a team that believes it&rsquo;s actually playing for something. As much as I like Dame and have advocated for everyone to leave him alone, it&rsquo;s time to send him elsewhere, along with CJ McCollum.
Evan Sidery: New Orleans, not only because Zion Williamson&rsquo;s injury issues, but also because of the lack of depth. Brandon Ingram is an All-Star talent. Jonas Valanciunas is a solid starting center. Outside of that, there&rsquo;s not much else to bank on consistently. The Pelicans&rsquo; slow start has put them into a deep hole that Zion likely won&rsquo;t be able to dig them out of. New Orleans is on the fast track to a top draft pick.
Blake Hairston: The Boston Celtics have been the team I've been concerned about for a few years now. Each season they're good but not good enough, and now the teams around them have gotten better. It just feels like each season we question what this team's ceiling is and this year that question got a little murkier.
Alexander Cohen: Despite Ja Morant picking up from where he left off in the playoffs, averaging a career-high 26 points per game, the Grizzlies are in trouble. They own the NBA's worst defensive rating and their offense isn't much better, ranked 20th. While Dillon Brooks returning from injury could help shore up their defense, it wasn't enough to prevent an embarrassing double-digit loss to 1-12 New Orleans Pelicans in his second game back. The Grizzlies are a young team, but they need to exhibit improvement in Ja Morant's third season after a massive Jaren Jackson Jr. extension, not take a step backwards.
Drew Maresca: Selfishly, the New York Knicks. As far as their record is concerned, New York is right where you&rsquo;d expect. But there are a number of problems. Generally, the Knicks have the 18th-best defensive rating, down from third last season. That&rsquo;s worrisome. Even more alarming is their starting unit&rsquo;s defense, which had the worst defensive rating of any five-man rotation ever entering play last Monday night, according to StatMuse. Coach Tom Thibodeau is known for defense, so there is reason to believe this will right itself. But if it doesn&rsquo;t, it&rsquo;s going to get significantly uglier. The Knicks play the fourth-toughest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.
Jesse Blancarte: The Bucks. Key players have been sidelined, but the reigning champs are struggling more than I would have imagined to start this season. There are several teams missing key players that are managing better than Milwaukee, but it&rsquo;s still only November. There is time for the Bucks to turn things around and climb their way up the Eastern Conference standings.
Check out our other roundtable discussions, where we asked our writers about which <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-which-team-is-better-than-its-record-indicates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teams are better than their record shows</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-which-player-has-surprised-you-in-the-first-month" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which player has surprised them the most</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-which-player-will-shake-off-a-slow-start" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which star will be able to shake off their slow start</a>.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks are among the most concerning teams to start the season.

NBA Roundtable: Which team are you most concerned about?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 in a sloppy game on Friday night.
DeAndre Williams added 13 points and Earl Timberlake finished with 10 for the Tigers (4-0).
Camron Justice led the Hilltoppers (1-3) with 18 points, while Jairus Hamilton scored 14. Dayvion McKnight had 11 points and eight rebounds as Western Kentucky lost its third straight.
It was the play of Duren controlling the middle that kept the Tigers from dropping their first game of the season.
&ldquo;Jalen&rsquo;s energy definitely made up for those mistakes that we made shooting the ball in the first half. We shot the ball horrible,&rdquo; Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said, adding: &ldquo;Thank God for Jalen Duren tonight because he kept us in the game and won it for us.&rdquo;
Duren had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the second half and helped the Tigers pull away.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why he&rsquo;s one of the best players in America,&rdquo; Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury said &ldquo;He beat us up around that rim. He got those put-backs. He&rsquo;s hard to keep out and keep off that rim.&rdquo;
The game ratcheted up the competition for the Tigers, who travel to New York next week to play in the NIT Season Tip-off. They will face Virginia Tech in the opener.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thankful for a game like this right before we go on the road,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;I think everything has been so easy that the guys get a little complacent. Tonight, we got into a good game.&rdquo;
Memphis shot poorly from 3-point range and committed 26 turnovers, keeping Western Kentucky in the game even when the Tigers stretched their second-half lead to double digits.
Western Kentucky had its own problems with 25 turnovers and poor free-throw shooting.
&ldquo;You can point to a couple of things. You can point to turnovers. We had 25,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;Then the free-throw line. You can&rsquo;t go 5 for 13 from the foul line. Those kinds of things just take the air from you.&rdquo;
The Hilltoppers gave Memphis by far its toughest challenge this season, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half. Memphis went 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first half against the Western Kentucky zone defense. A late rush by Memphis left the game tied at 38 at the break.
&ldquo;Give them credit for going to a zone,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;We work on zone every day. Got a little stagnant on the offensive end.&rdquo;
Western Kentucky had its own turnover issues in the first half, preventing any kind of flow to the game. In the second half, Memphis&rsquo; defense held the Hilltoppers to 26.5% shooting. Memphis was better at 39.4%, but made only one of its nine 3-point attempts after halftime.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t win the game, but I&rsquo;m awful proud of the way our guys came in here and battled,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;We just played one of the better teams in the country. And we were right there.&rdquo;
BIG PICTURE
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers can give opponents plenty of trouble with their zone defense, along with busy hands swatting away passes. Western Kentucky&rsquo;s 3-point shooting kept the game close until it finished the game by missing six of its last seven shots.
Memphis: Turnovers continue to plague the Tigers. The 14 first-half giveaways resulted in 19 points for the Hilltoppers. And the ballhandling was just as bad in the second half.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
It wasn&rsquo;t pretty, but it was a win and Memphis should at least hold onto its spot in the AP Top 25.
HOLD ONTO THE BALL
In the first five minutes of the game, the teams combined for 10 turnovers. The Tigers came into the game averaging 20 turnovers a game, and Western Kentucky was forcing their opponents into roughly the same amount.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky: Hosts Alabama A&amp;M on Wednesday.
Memphis: Faces Virginia Tech on Wednesday in the NIT Season Tip-off in New York.

Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and 5 blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 on Friday night.

Memphis beats Western Kentucky behind Jalen Duren's 22-19-5

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors &mdash; have gone through rough patches recently. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs &mdash; no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton and last year's additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis.

Which franchise has the best front office? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which franchise has the best front office?

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. Since Sunday afternoon, the preseason has been in full swing, meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
Building a team is not an easy task without a dash of draft luck and a pinch of good chemistry. Once you find the combination that sticks, there's no telling how high your squad's ceiling can get. While we've seen a handful of organizations struggle with their inexperience year-after-year, we've also seen others soar and show that they'll be around for quite some time.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA team has the best young core?
Alex Kennedy: This is tough. The New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; young core has the most upside, with two potential superstars in Zion Williamson (21) and Brandon Ingram (24), plus talented prospects like Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23), Trey Murphy III (21), Kira Lewis Jr. (20) and Jaxson Hayes (21) among others. However, if we&rsquo;re talking about the &ldquo;best young core,&rdquo; I have to go with the Atlanta Hawks after what they showed during their Eastern Conference Finals run. Trae Young (23), John Collins (24), De'Andre Hunter (23), Kevin Huerter (23), Cam Reddish (22) and Onyeka Okongwu (20) is a very talented young nucleus that&rsquo;s already succeeding in the postseason. In a few years, this team could be a juggernaut.
Nekias Duncan: Trae Young, John Collins, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and Jalen Johnson are all 24 or younger. All but Johnson were contributors on a team that made the conference finals last season. I don&rsquo;t think I need to say much else.
Spencer Davies: There are a number of teams that intrigue me around the NBA as far as a youth movement is concerned. If we're talking about a young core that contends for a championship &mdash; let's call 26-and-under the cutoff &mdash; I like the Denver Nuggets a lot. Nikola Jokic has already won the league MVP and continues to only get better. Jamal Murray, when healthy, is as electrifying as any guard in the NBA. Michael Porter Jr. just earned himself a maximum rookie contract extension due to his outstanding scoring capabilities and potential to expand his game. Aaron Gordon's athleticism and defensive abilities make him the ideal complement to all three. That's a fantastic four to build around for a number of years to come, and ultimately, compete for a title in the process. Throw Monte Morris and P.J. Dozier in there with rookie Bones Hyland and mystery-box Bol Bol, and that's just about the perfect mixture of youth and experience.
Ethan Fuller: It's the Oklahoma City Thunder for me by a significant margin. Oklahoma City has the youngest roster in the NBA per RealGM, and those players are a mix of high-upside swings and crystal-clear NBA fits. The team has guys like Lu Dort, Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley and Theo Maledon, who are safe bets to be solid rotation players or elite specialists. Then, they have the potential game-changers like 7-foot wing Aleksej Pokusevksi and 2021 No. 6 pick Josh Giddey. Of course, OKC already has a rising star as well in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There's just so much to like across the board.
Drew Maresca: Easily the Hawks. Atlanta advanced to Game 6 in the East Finals last season, way before anyone expected them to be competitive. And they did so without two key youngsters (Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu). They&rsquo;ll only go as far as Trae Young takes them, but Young proved that putting him in any kind of a box is a fool&rsquo;s errand. The Hawks are going to struggle with expectations in 2021-22, but that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact that they&rsquo;ve arrived way ahead of schedule, and they&rsquo;ve done so with three starters who are 23 or younger.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ja gotta chill it&rsquo;s PRESEASON 🤣 (via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAonTNT</a>)<a href="https://t.co/VdSPG66MvE">pic.twitter.com/VdSPG66MvE</a>
&mdash; Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1445547212516192259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Moke Hamilton: If I had to choose one, I&rsquo;d probably say Memphis. For a 22-year-old, Ja Morant is damn good, and the Grizzlies seem to be further along in their development than other contenders for this label such as New Orleans. Ditto for Minnesota. Now that I think about it... Who else is even a credible contender for this title?
Jesse Blancarte: The Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker rose to a new level last season and led his talented team to the NBA Finals. With Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Landry Shamet and other young, talented players on the roster, the Suns are well-positioned to compete at the highest levels &mdash; this season and beyond.
Jackson Frank: Young core is such an ambiguous term to define because everyone cuts off the &ldquo;young&rdquo; moniker at different thresholds. But I&rsquo;ll make 25 the high-end here and go with the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young is a superstar. John Collins is a marvelous pick-and-roll/pop big, and tenable defender. When healthy last season, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter looked the part of a mighty fine two-way wing. Kevin Huerter took a leap last season as a 2-point scorer and defender. Onyeka Okongwu dazzled at times in the playoffs with his defense and finishing. Cam Reddish continues to hint at enticing on-ball defense and pull-up shooting; consistency and health are the vital pillars. Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper probably won&rsquo;t play much next season, but you saw their allure at NBA Summer League. Skylar Mays is even a useful combo guard. I hope I didn&rsquo;t miss any member of the Hawks&rsquo; young core, which is both deep and very good. There's a bright present and future for this team.
Alexander Cohen: Best young core is always a tricky question unless it&rsquo;s quantified. Based on sheer young talent, it&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks alone for simply having Luka Doncic. But if we&rsquo;re focusing on true young core of players that have a chance to grow together, I&rsquo;ll take the San Antonio Spurs for Devin Vassell, Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson and even Tre Jones. There&rsquo;s not one player there that I would anticipate becoming an All-Star, but I&rsquo;d be shocked if any didn&rsquo;t turn into at least high-level role players.

Which NBA team has the best young core? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team has the best young core?

Everyone who works here at BasketballNews.com has a crystal ball. And an opinion. On Saturday, after asking several of our writers to make an NBA Finals MVP pick and explain their choice, this columnist drove across the New York/New Jersey border and placed $10 wagers for each staff member.
Sadly, Patrick Beverley of the Clippers was not on the board at any of the big U.S. sportsbooks, nor was Kawhi Leonard. Fortunately, neither player was picked by our writers.
I took Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks, because I have a thing for glue guys who play great defense under Adam Silver&rsquo;s new and, ahem, improved rules. If the Bucks get past the Hawks, somebody is going to have to defend Chris Paul or Devin Booker or whoever has the hot hand at guard for the Clippers.
And since defense wins championships, and since Holiday was 38-1, and since short odds do not exactly do it for me, I took the guy who most certainly won&rsquo;t have the jitters from the free throw line if the NBA Finals comes down to a Game 7.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is my colleague Nekias Duncan, who also loves great defenders and went with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"I think I'm going to roll with Giannis here,&rdquo; Duncan said. &ldquo;There isn't a great option to throw at him from either West team, though Deandre Ayton (if the Suns make it) might have the best shot. His offensive prowess, combined with his defensive versatility, should make it easy for him to make a tangible impact on both ends. Great &lsquo;overcame-adversity&rsquo; narrative too.&rdquo;
Not a bad pick, as Giannis is the national favorite at odds of +115. Problem is, if Nekias wins his $10 wager, his winnings are $1.50. Years ago, 150 cents was worth a whole heck of a lot at the candy story. Today, it&rsquo;ll get you a Mars bar.
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The boss, Alex Kennedy, was initially tempted to go with Giannis, too. But Alex does not run with the pack, which is why he had more Twitter followers before he turned 21 than many celebrities have after a half-dozen major motion pictures. He has more contacts in his phone than an optician has in his shop.
&ldquo;Give me Devin Booker,&rdquo; Kennedy said. &ldquo;I think the Phoenix Suns have enough to win it all, and Booker has been incredible this postseason. I can see him shining on the Finals stage, scoring a ton of points and creating for others -- all while talking trash and winning over more fans with his brash personality. Prior to this season, Booker was often characterized as someone whose empty stats didn't translate into wins, and now it feels like he's taking out five years of pent-up frustration on his playoff opponents.&rdquo;
Booker is the second choice on the board at FanDuel, so Kennedy&rsquo;s $10 could turn into $32, enough to purchase a half-dozen frappuccinos at Alex&rsquo;s local Starbucks outside of Orlando.
Matt Babcock, our draft guru who is working the NBA draft combine in Chicago, went with Giannis, too -- apparently because Matt believes that airballs from the free throw line are merely a hazard of the business. (Just messin&rsquo; with you, Matt.)
&ldquo;At this point, I believe the Milwaukee Bucks are the front-runner to win the championship, making it a natural decision to pick their top player,&rdquo; Babcock explained. &ldquo;Also, with how much the Bucks depend on Giannis to carry such a heavy load for them, that&rsquo;s another reason as to why he is the natural choice.&rdquo;
In Chicago, Matt&rsquo;s $1.50 won&rsquo;t go as far as Nekias&rsquo; $1.50, but at least that buck-and-a-half will get Matt four slices of pepperoni at the original Uno&rsquo;s (but not an entire deep-dish pizza).
Columnist extraordinaire Moke Hamilton is a practicing attorney when he is not talking and writing hoops, so his decisions go through an IQ filter that the rest of us can only wish we had. He is also a non-insufferable New Yorker, which makes him an outlier &ndash; even if his pick is not.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll take a flier on Chris Paul,&rdquo; Hamilton said. &ldquo;If he is able to help the Suns get past his old team, I think he&rsquo;ll take advantage of the opportunity to win his first Finals. I also liked him for regular-season MVP, but obviously fell short there. Maybe second time is the charm.&rdquo;
Paul&rsquo;s odds are +440, and if Hamilton wins, he can take that $44 to a Brooklyn Nets game next season and get a cheeseburger and a water and still have $15.32 cents left over. (Yes, a cheeseburger and water at Barclays Center costs $28.68. And no fries are included). But Hamilton will have to put that money into plastic form, because concession stands at the Nets home area do not take cash.
Last but not least is our own Hartenstein, Spencer Davies, who is counting down the decades until the Cavs are an NBA Finals team again.
Davies went with Paul George.
&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s be bold, shall we? If the Clippers continue to display the resilience they have through being battle-tested, what about Paul George? This is a man in the midst of an underappreciated playoff run,&rdquo; Davies said. &ldquo;Everybody&rsquo;s looking at the shooting numbers from deep, but George&rsquo;s mentality to put his head down and get to the rim has really opened up things for Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard and company to fire away. That is how you impact the game, by drawing multiple defenders and making plays for your teammates, especially when your team is missing a former Finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard.
&ldquo;Defensively, he&rsquo;s been effective with deflections and multiple efforts as well. George has continued to answer the bell (aside from the two missed free throws in Game 2) when called upon, and it would be incredible to see him win the 2021 Finals MVP in a bounce-back postseason from the Bubble less than a year ago.&rdquo;
Davies&rsquo; wager is priced at +700, and if Davies wins, he can take that $70 and drive down to Dan Gilbert&rsquo;s casino across from the Cavs&rsquo; arena and play blackjack with house money. With a good run, Davies can have enough dinero to take Hartenstein out for dinner.
But it would have to be a heck of a blackjack run. Hartenstein, rumor has it, can put down a lot of food.
For help placing NBA bets, check out <a href="https://betql.co/nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BetQL</a>. And as a BasketballNews.com reader, you can get access to BetQL for 30% off when you use the code BBN30.

The BasketballNews.com writers make their early Finals MVP picks, and we put our money where our mouth is.

BasketballNews.com writers make early NBA Finals MVP bets

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; This time, Paul George didn&rsquo;t flinch. Playoff P showed up and dragged the Los Angeles Clippers back from the brink.
George scored 27 points and the Clippers pulled away in a dominant third quarter, beating newly returned Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns 106-92 on Thursday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
&ldquo;We continue to chip away, try to find ways we can be better and impose our will on opponents,&rdquo; Clippers guard Reggie Jackson said. &ldquo;We showed a lot of heart, a lot of fight.&rdquo;
The Clippers cut their series deficit to 2-1, ending the Suns&rsquo; franchise-record playoff winning streak at nine games.
&ldquo;Our guys keep grinding, keep fighting,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;We never give in.&rdquo;
Kawhi Leonard remained out with a right knee sprain, leaving George to carry the load again. After missing two crucial free throws in a one-point loss in Game 2, George had 15 rebounds and eight assists and played a game-high 43 minutes. He made 6 of 7 free throws.
&ldquo;PG did a great job of just moving on and having a great game for us,&rdquo; Lue said.
The Suns got Paul back after he missed the first two games while being sidelined since June 16 because of the NBA&rsquo;s health and safety protocols. The former Clipper, who was booed heartily during intros, had 15 points and 12 assists, but was 5 of 19 from the field.
Cameron Payne, who so ably filled in for Paul in the first two games, went down with a left ankle injury after playing four minutes and didn&rsquo;t return.
&ldquo;We missed him a lot,&rdquo; Suns guard Devin Booker said.
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Suns coach Monty Williams said he played Paul too much in his first game back.
&ldquo;Probably got tired,&rdquo; Williams said, &ldquo;but it hurt us when Cam couldn&rsquo;t come back so I left Chris out there for a longer stretch and that&rsquo;s on me.&rdquo;
Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 18 points.
Jackson added 23 points for the Clippers, and Ivica Zubac had 15 points and tied his career playoff high with 16 rebounds.
Game 4 is Saturday night at Staples Center.
After Phoenix won the first two games by a combined seven points, the teams played a close first half. George pumped up the Clippers going into the locker room with a thunderous one-handed dunk.
&ldquo;That probably killed their momentum a little bit,&rdquo; Jackson said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re fortunate to have a guy like that that can do a little bit of everything.&rdquo;
Los Angeles quickly went to work in the second half in front of 17,222 raucous, Thunder Stix-pounding fans.
They took control with the biggest run of the game, a 21-3 spurt that left them leading 71-56 in the third. Terance Mann got it going with six straight points and Jackson scored four in a row before George scored inside. Zubac dunked off George&rsquo;s pass and made a pair of free throws. The Suns were limited to a 3-pointer by Paul.
&ldquo;They just brought it,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;We just didn&rsquo;t match their force.&rdquo;
Booker picked up his third and fourth fouls in a 42-second span during the Clippers&rsquo; run. Booker &mdash; wearing a clear mask to protect his broken nose after he and Patrick Beverley banged heads in Game 2 &mdash; was 5 of 21 from the field, making only one of seven 3-point tries, and finished with 15 points.
Jae Crowder, who assisted on Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s winning dunk on Tuesday, fouled out with 4:51 remaining. He had nine points, six rebounds and six assists.
The Suns were just 35 of 90 from the floor, despite getting decent looks.
&ldquo;We weren&rsquo;t sound at all,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;They played good defense, but we didn&rsquo;t run our offense the way that we have been running for most of the playoffs.&rdquo;
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George capped the third by banking in a 3-pointer from just inside midcourt, and it beat the buzzer, stunning the fans and sending the Clippers into the fourth leading 80-69. He nearly bobbled the ball along the right sideline, with Booker and Cam Johnson pressuring, before getting the shot off.
Luke Kennard opened the fourth with a 3 from the right corner, getting fouled and making the free throw. Marcus Morris hit a three before George got fouled. He confidently made both, keeping the Clippers ahead 89-71.
Booker&rsquo;s basket drew the Suns within six, but Jackson answered with five straight points and George made a pair of free throws.
BOOKER&rsquo;S NOSE
Booker spoke to retired player Richard Hamilton on how to play wearing a mask. Hamilton broke his nose twice during the 2003-04 season and wore a clear plastic mask. It became his trademark and he wore it the rest of his career.
&ldquo;Nose feels fine,&rdquo; Booker said, confirming it was broken in three places. He had it reset and received several shots of a painkiller.
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INJURED MORRIS
Marcus Morris was close to being scratched after dealing with a sore knee. Instead, he came off the bench. He hit two big 3-pointers in the second half and finished with eight points.
&ldquo;He still did a great job,&rdquo; said Mann, who started in Morris&rsquo; place. &ldquo;Hit some shots, played great defense, in there battling for every rebound.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Suns: Fell to 10-3 in the playoffs, losing for the first time since May 27 against the Lakers at Staples Center in Game 3 of the first round. ... Booker and Beverley were called for double technicals in the third. ... Paul and Booker each missed their first six shots of the game and were both 2 of 10 with seven points each in the first half.
Clippers: Zubac is the first Clipper with a double-double in the first half of a postseason game since DeAndre Jordan on April 30, 2017, against Utah. ... Longtime fan Billy Crystal sat courtside.

Paul George scored 27 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the WCF, 106-92.

Paul George leads Clippers over Suns 106-92 in Game 3

Every postseason, there's a role player who surprises everyone by stepping up and contributing huge performances that help their team. Predicting who that role player will be isn't easy, but we asked our BasketballNews.com writers to give it a shot.
Which role player will elevate their game and make a big impact in the playoffs?
Alex Kennedy: Mikal Bridges could become a star, but he's still a role player for now so I'll go with him. The Phoenix Suns have their work cut out for them against the Los Angeles Lakers, and they'll need Bridges knocking down shots and playing solid defense if they want to take down L.A. In three games against the Lakers this season, Bridges averaged 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 threes, 1.0 block and just 1.0 turnover, while shooting a ridiculous 63.0% from the field, 45.5% from three and 100% from the free throw line. He's had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mikal-bridges-phoenix-suns-breakout-season-three-point-shooting-pick-and-roll-defense-deandre-ayton-turnover-percentage-monty-williams-chris-paul-villanova-jay-wright-ashley-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a terrific season</a> and he finds so many different ways to impact each game, so I can see him driving the Lakers crazy and having a coming-out party during this series. The 24-year-old has stepped up on big stages before, as he was a two-time NCAA champion while at Villanova.
Nekias Duncan: Dorian Finney-Smith may be Dallas' third-most important player in this series. He shot a career-high 39.4% from three (5.0 attempts), and I'm not sure defenses really care about him. Part of the reason the Clippers were okay with cross-matching with Kristaps Porzingis is that they're also content with Ivica Zubac "guarding" Finney-Smith. He'll have to make them pay with the three-ball to reconfigure those matchups.
Spencer Davies: I&rsquo;ll pick one from each conference. In the Eastern Conference, let&rsquo;s go with Reggie Bullock on the New York Knicks. Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s been able to rely on the eighth-year veteran in key moments due to his knockdown shooting and contributions on the defensive end. He can be a real difference-maker for that team. As for the Western Conference, Denver Nuggets point guard Monte Morris is going to be a calming influence on a squad who most believe is done for (due to the loss of Jamal Murray). Morris is a basketball savant, taking care of the ball and making unselfish decisions, but most importantly, hitting threes when his opportunities come. He&rsquo;ll pick your pocket from time-to-time, too.
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Moke Hamilton: This is tough to predict, but I think Seth Curry is a reasonable bet. The Sixers need him to produce, so he&rsquo;ll probably get a fair amount of reps. He quietly shot 45% from distance over the course of the season and with the amount of attention Joel Embiid is likely to command on the interior for Philadelphia, Curry will have an opportunity to make a name for himself. I think the Sixers are focused and have the pain of last year&rsquo;s sweep at the hands of the Celtics still pretty fresh in their minds. All things considered, I expect them to put it together, make a deep run and for Curry to be a major reason why.
Chris Sheridan: I have to go with Rajon Rondo given his illustrious playoff history. Also, if there was any doubt about his effectiveness at this stage of his career, Ty Lue tossed him into the starting lineup for the first time all season last week and he put up 13 assists without Paul George or Kawhi Leonard on the court with him. The guy has been around for 15 years and has 121 playoff games under his belt. He was the catalyst in the clincher for the Lakers last season vs. the Heat.
Ethan Fuller: If the Suns are ready to cash in on their regular-season breakout, I think Mikal Bridges must play an instrumental role in the playoff defense. He's become a key cog in a top-10 defensive unit, but the West has a gauntlet of scoring wings. Bridges will have to lead the charge on and off the ball, often guarding the best scorer on the opposing team. He'll likely spend a lot of time on LeBron James during the Suns' first-round matchup with the Lakers. If Bridges can wreak havoc on defense while continuing to be a spot-up sniper offensively, we could see his underrated two-way play go mainstream.

Which role player will elevate their game and make a big impact in the playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers share their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which role player will step up in the playoffs?

Looking around the NBA, there are quite a few teams with a talented, up-and-coming nucleus. But of all these teams, which franchise has the best young core? We asked our BasketballNews.com writers to share their thoughts.&nbsp;
Which NBA team has the best young core?
Alex Kennedy: Give me the New Orleans Pelicans' young core. Zion Williamson (20 years old) and Brandon Ingram (23) are both All-Stars with insane upside. Williamson could become the face of the NBA if he realizes his full potential. Lonzo Ball (23) is another franchise cornerstone who continues to make huge strides. However, this young core is also deep, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker (22), Jaxson Hayes (20), Kira Lewis Jr. (20), Naji Marshall (23), Wenyen Gabriel (24) and Didi Louzada (21). Steven Adams (27) and Josh Hart (26) aren't as young as the others, but they are great complementary pieces. The Pelicans project to have a top-10 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, so they'll likely add another top prospect to this core; plus, they'll receive multiple first-rounders from the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks over the next few years (due to the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades).
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;d go with the Phoenix Suns, narrowly edging out the Memphis Grizzlies for me. Devin Booker is a foundational talent. Mikal Bridges is one of the best wing defenders in the league, while also providing value as a shooter and cutter. Deandre Ayton has serious two-way potential. Those three plus Cam Johnson give you a pretty darn good quartet under 25.
Spencer Davies: If we&rsquo;re talking about the here and now, my answer would be the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic and John Collins (if he returns) is a solid core and they're about to get their first taste of playoff basketball. They&rsquo;re all guys with four years of experience or less. This goes without mentioning Cam Reddish, a defensive-minded wing with size who was out for a good part of this year with an injury, and Onyeka Okongwu, the No. 6 overall pick from this past draft who has shown signs of his development with big second-unit minutes. Even Clint Capela just turned 27, and he was one of the most underrated centers in the NBA this season, serving as a perfect partner for Young on lobs and a menace on the glass.
Ethan Fuller: The Oklahoma City Thunder, without any hesitation. OKC has already locked in a surefire star in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The franchise boasts budding role-players and specialists (Lu Dort, Kenrich Williams, Theo Maledon, Svi Mykhailiuk), athletic upside swings (Darius Bazley, Isaiah Roby, Moses Brown) and one player who's in his own tier due to his game-changing potential in Aleksej Pokusevski. That doesn't even account for the 2021 NBA Draft; the Thunder could nab a top prospect with their own pick, and then get another if Houston's pick lands outside the top-four. This is a masterclass in asset accumulation.
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Sharon Brown: Memphis. I believe this team hasn't quite tapped into its potential just yet. Granted, they have exceeded expectations for two years in a row. But I believe veteran leadership on the roster -- plus another go-to player to complement Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr. -- could put them over the top in the tough Western Conference.
Moke Hamilton: For the sake of this question, I am going to define &ldquo;young&rdquo; as 25 or under. So Joel Embiid (27), Nikola Jokic (26) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (26) don&rsquo;t factor in. I boil this down to the Celtics and Pelicans, and although New Orleans failed to qualify for the postseason, I'll take them. That does assume they re-sign Lonzo Ball this summer, which is no certainty. With Ball, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, you&rsquo;d be hard-pressed to find another trio that&rsquo;s this young and has that high of a ceiling. The Celtics get an honorable mention here, with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Robert Williams giving me similar feels, but New Orleans is my easy pick.&nbsp;
Chris Sheridan: If 28 if not considered "old," I will give it to the Atlanta Hawks, whose only 28-year-old player is Bogdan Bogdanovic. Younger than him are Clint Capela (27), John Collins and De'Andre Hunter (23), Kevin Huerter and Trae Young (22), and Cam Reddish (21). They will get their feet wet in the postseason against a decent New York Knicks team with a similar lack of playoff experience among young key players, and it'll serve them well going into next season.
Jonathan Concool: The Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis has the league&rsquo;s youngest team and they have essentially closed the door on the rebuilding process after competing in the league&rsquo;s play-in tournament for the second-consecutive year. With a young core of Ja Morant (21 years old), Jaren Jackson Jr. (21), Brandon Clarke (24), Desmond Bane (22), Dillon Brooks (25), De'Anthony Melton (22), Xavier Tillman (22) and more, Memphis fans must be feeling pretty optimistic about the future. The Grizzlies have nailed their past three draft classes (with some help from the lottery, of course). But finding Bane in the late first round and Tillman in the second round of last year's draft were big wins for the Grizzlies. Memphis finished 38-34 this season, beating out their Vegas win prediction for the second-consecutive year.

Which NBA team has the best young core? BasketballNews.com's writers share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which NBA team has the best young core?

Ethan Fuller evaluates the NBA landscape at the quarter mark of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Back to the rumor mill

With all due respect to Reggie Perry, replacing Jarrett Allen in Brooklyn is a difficult ask. As we have seen since the Nets parted with Allen as part of the James Harden trade, they have a bit of a donut problem &ndash; a hole in the middle.
DeAndre Jordan is an accomplished NBA veteran who has been starting since Harden was traded, but he is now in his 14th NBA season, and has a lot of mileage on his wheels with 892 career games logged for the Clippers, Mavericks, Knicks and Nets.&nbsp;
Perry is a 20-year-old rookie who is 6-foot-8 and played power forward at Mississippi State, and asking him to be the backup center through the NBA playoffs is asking a bit too much.
In their five games since trading for Harden, the Nets have been outrebounded only twice &ndash; although one of those was a 50-29 discrepancy in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Two nights ago against the Miami Heat, Brooklyn avoided getting outrebounded by having everyone attack the boards. Bruce Brown joined Jordan with eight rebounds apiece, Harden had seven and Kyrie Irving had six.&nbsp;
Perry and Jeff Green each had six boards in that game, which was more than Heat center Bam Adebayo&nbsp; had (five) in his career-high 42-point effort.
&ldquo;If roster composition changes for the better defensively, that&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; Nets head coach Steve Nash had said last Friday. &ldquo;But I don&rsquo;t think we can rely on that because that may not be possible. You know, it&rsquo;s not like they&rsquo;re just falling off trees for us to pick up guys that are going to change our defense.&rdquo;
There were reports Monday that Brooklyn would be interested in Cleveland&rsquo;s JaVale McGee, and they could acquire him without sending back any salary by absorbing him into the Disabled Player Exception that they were granted following the season-ending injury to Spencer Dinwiddie.&nbsp;
But could the Cavs get more for McGee elsewhere? &nbsp;That depends on whether Nets general manager Sean Marks would want to surrender a player or a second-round draft pick in a trade. The Nets&rsquo; own second-rounder is owed to Charlotte, but they have the rights to second-rounders from Indiana, Atlanta, Phoenix and Golden State between 2021 and 2025.
A league source said Brooklyn is looking at a variety of options and staying flexible, not feeling a need to commit to any specific player at the current time.&nbsp;
In a usual season, the Nets could look to the G League for help. But as we all know, this is an abnormal one because of the pandemic, and the G League will not begin its bubble season until Feb. 8. G League players begin <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-2021-season-orlando-bubble-teams-format-rules-two-way-players-jeremy-lin-rule-health-safety-covid-protocols-draft-ignite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reporting to the bubble at Walt Disney World</a> on Tuesday.
Overseas, there will be options for Marks once the Chinese Basketball Association playoffs have ended, and maybe even sooner. In the Chinese Basketball Association, Donatas Motiejunas is leading the league with 15.6 boards per game with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, but that team is currently in third place in the standings and could make a deep playoff run.&nbsp;
Considering Chinese teams that will not make the playoffs (and thus their players will become available in March), among the centers will be Arnett Moultrie of the Nanjing Monkey Kings, Marco Todorovic of the Tianjin Pioneers, Devin Williams of the Jiangsu Dragons, Isaac Haas of the Guangzhou Long Lions and Justin Hamilton of the Beijing Ducks.
But again, those players will not get letters of clearance to play in the NBA until their Chinese seasons are completed, and that is still several weeks away.
In the NBA, one name that could make sense is Hassan Whiteside of the Sacramento Kings. Whiteside was starting and putting up huge numbers for the Portland Trail Blazers last season before Jusuf Nurkic returned in the NBA bubble, and he has been used sparingly this season by Luke Walton backing up Richaun Holmes.&nbsp;
Whiteside is making a salary of $2.32 million that Brooklyn would have to match in any trade.

Chris Sheridan ponders what direction Brooklyn can look to find a suitable backup for DeAndre Jordan.

Where will Sean Marks find the Nets' next big man?

Looking ahead to the 2020-21 NBA season, which team is prepared to make the biggest leap in the standings? BasketballNews.com asked a handful of veteran NBA writers/analysts to predict which franchise is poised to turn things around next year. Here's what they had to say:
Phoenix Suns: &ldquo;I think the Phoenix Suns are poised for a jump. Sure, there&rsquo;s probably a degree of recency bias at play &ndash; an 8-0 run in the Bubble will do that &ndash; but it&rsquo;s hard not to be excited about their core. Devin Booker is a bonafide star. Deandre Ayton looks like a two-way force. Mikal Bridges is one of the NBA&rsquo;s best wing defenders, while also providing plus-value as a spot-up shooter and cutter. Cam Johnson is quietly coming off a good rookie campaign. Those four, plus solid veterans (hello, Ricky Rubio and Dario Saric) and more-than-solid coaching from Monty Williams should put the Suns in the thick of next year&rsquo;s playoff race.&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="http://www.basketballnews.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com</a> 
Golden State Warriors: &ldquo;The Warriors trudged to a 15-50 mark, but they've got Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson coming back, a top-five pick and a $17.2 million trade exception to add salary should ownership choose. While there are reasonable questions surrounding the ability of Thompson and Draymond Green to play at peak levels, how much the organization can get out of Andrew Wiggins and ownership's willingness to increase salary in the midst of a pandemic, the bar was set so low last year that this team should manage at least a 35-win increase over last season.&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/NateDuncanNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate Duncan</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/duncd-on-basketball-nba-podcast/id986901174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dunc&rsquo;d On Podcast</a>
Golden State Warriors: &ldquo;The Golden State Warriors will make the biggest jump by virtue of being healthy. They&rsquo;ll go from horrible to elite again. The Brooklyn Nets will go from a playoff also-ran to a legit contender too.&rdquo;
- <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard">Chris Broussard</a>, <a href="https://foxsportsradio.iheart.com/featured/the-odd-couple-with-chris-broussard-rob-parker/">Fox Sports</a>
Golden State Warriors: &ldquo;Everyone knows that the Warriors will be drastically better next season. They had an NBA-worst 15 wins this year, but they were missing their focal points: Stephen Curry played just five games due to a broken hand and Klay Thompson missed the entire season after tearing his ACL in the 2019 Finals. The Warriors&rsquo; leading scorers were Eric Paschall (837 points), D'Angelo Russell (779), Alec Burks (773), Damion Lee (621) and Glenn Robinson III (619). This team will look completely different next year &ndash; not only because Curry and Thompson will be back, but also because Russell, Burks and Robinson III were traded in February. Golden State swapped Russell for a protected 2021 first-rounder and Andrew Wiggins, who should fit in well with the Warriors&rsquo; core and benefit from their strong culture. Also, Golden State have the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. They&rsquo;ll either be able to draft a stud or trade the pick for a key piece. This reminds me of when the San Antonio Spurs lucked their way into drafting Tim Duncan in 1997. They went from being a 59-win team in 1995-96 to a 20-win team in 1996-97 due to a ton of injuries. After landing Duncan with the No. 1 pick, they bounced back with 56 wins in 1997-98 and then won their first title in 1998-99. With Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green, Wiggins and a top prospect, the Warriors should emerge as a contender once again.&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="http://www.basketballnews.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com</a> 
Golden State Warriors: &ldquo;Given what we just saw in the bubble, the Phoenix Suns should be a popular answer, but I don't think anyone will take as big of a leap as the Golden State Warriors, health permitting. Maybe that's cheating because they spent this season dealing with so many injuries, but no other team has a legitimate chance to go from worst to first next season. A healthy Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green puts them into contention, but what should scare the rest of the West is the possibility that the Warriors turn the second overall pick into another star player via trade.&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/Trevor_Lane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevor Lane</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://lakersnation.com/author/trevor-lane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lakers Nation</a> 
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/KyrieIrving1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Brooklyn Nets: "That's easy: the Brooklyn Nets. Y&rsquo;all know who Kevin Durant is. Y'all know what happened the last two seasons that his body allowed him to finish. The two-time Finals MVP will be recovering from a ruptured Achilles that sidelined him all of this season. And there are a ton of questions about what he'll look like when he returns to action. But if Durant is anything close to what he was &ndash; and Kyrie Irving is also able to return to form &ndash; what the Nets become is a favorite to win the Eastern Conference and possibly the Larry O'Brien trophy. They'll have two established champions, a new coach ready to push them toward greatness, and a budding star in Caris LeVert, who will either blossom alongside Durant and Irving or get flipped for that difference-maker to elevate Brooklyn to super-team status. To take liberty with a classic Jay Z line, it'll be &lsquo;where the banner's hung and news cameras always come.&rsquo;&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Lee</a>, <a href="https://theathletic.com/author/michael-lee/">The Athletic </a>
Brooklyn Nets: &ldquo;The team that will make the biggest jump next season is the Brooklyn Nets. Superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving should be fully healthy for the start of next season. Caris LeVert emerged as a third star, averaging 25 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field, 6.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. LeVert has shown the versatility to be a go-to scorer and facilitator in pick-and-roll action as the focal point of the offense since the NBA restart in Orlando. Brooklyn also has Spencer Dinwiddie, who played at an All-Star-caliber level in place of Kyrie Irving, averaging 21.3 points and 7.3 assists as a starter. Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan should be a formidable center tandem, as Allen continues to improve as a rim roller and gain added strength. Brooklyn also has shooters along the perimeter in Joe Harris (assuming he re-signs), Taurean Prince and Garrett Temple. With a healthy roster, Brooklyn will have expectations of a top-four seed in the East going into next season.&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://hoopshype.com/author/michaelascotto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype</a>&nbsp;
Brooklyn Nets: "It seems obvious which team will make a big leap next season. The Brooklyn Nets are a feisty, short-handed squad making the best of the NBA bubble. Next season, not only will they get Kyrie Irving back, but they'll have another pretty decent player in Kevin Durant. With Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and, if they are able to bring him back, Joe Harris, the Nets are going to be an offensive powerhouse through the 2020-21 season."
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/EricPincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://bleacherreport.com/users/7951339-eric-pincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report</a> 
New Orleans Pelicans: &ldquo;While the Golden State Warriors are the obvious pick when discussing which team will improve their record the most, I'd probably have to go with the New Orleans Pelicans if we're talking about which franchise will go from struggling to respectable. I do have to give the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns their just due here; the Grizzlies essentially ended up sitting at home because they picked the worst possible time to lose seven of nine games, and it's impossible to ignore the 8-0 record the Suns put up in the bubble. Ja Morant is the real deal and Phoenix truly appeared to have turned a corner. Assuming New Orleans does the wise thing and re-signs Brandon Ingram this summer, it's easy to see a scenario where they make the most appreciable rise. This also assumes that the training wheels come off for Zion Williamson. Heading into next season, Williamson has to prove that his body can withstand the punishment of an NBA season, but along with Ingram and Lonzo Ball, New Orleans has a trio of players that has only begun to scratch the surface of their potential. That, plus the fact that Memphis and Phoenix finished the season with just one fewer win than Portland, means New Orleans could make the biggest climb in the standings.&rdquo;
- <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://twitter.com/MokeHamilton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moke Hamilton</a>, <a style="color: #d8d8d8;" href="https://theathletic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>

Which NBA team is prepared to make the biggest leap next season? We asked a handful of top NBA writers/analysts to weigh in.