Tigers

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

The Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets played two games in the Middle East for the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 and here are some key observations from both teams after their first two preseason games.
Celtics vs Nuggets: Battle of the Champs
In a matchup between the past two NBA champions, the Celtics (2024 winners) prevailed twice over the Nuggets (2023 winners). The first one was a thriller, 107-103, while the second one was a blowout, 130-104.
Despite it still being the preseason, the Celtics showed their ability to win in both kinds of games, whether it was close or blowout. They proved their caliber against a fellow NBA champion that was hypothetically a matchup to watch out for, especially with the two teams being from different conferences.
The Celtics are really, really good &ndash; they did not miss a beat&nbsp;
The Celtics are back and are looking more dangerous than ever &ndash; at least from what they&rsquo;ve shown in these two games. They are really, really good and they mean business this year. This seems impossible after coming off a championship, but the Celtics appear to be hungrier for a chip than they&rsquo;ve ever been and they&rsquo;re looking to prove everyone wrong after a somewhat question-mark season last year, with all the injuries their opponents have endured. The Celtics ought to prove that the championship win was not a fluke, and this starts in the preseason by showing their usual dominant selves.&nbsp;
No championship hangover for these Celtics
The Celtics mean business, and when I say business, that&rsquo;s Jaylen Brown gesturing a too-small sign on Jamal Murray after scoring a tough bucket inside over him.
Jaylen Brown is back better than ever, and after that intense underwater basketball workouts and at just 28 years old, the Finals MVP is firmly in his prime and should play his best basketball ahead of him.
Jayson Tatum comes in with an edge after the Olympics run where he did not play twice, and gunning for the Finals MVP he did not win.
Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are Boston&rsquo;s ever-reliable do-it-all guys and they&rsquo;re gonna do everything that&rsquo;s asked of them.
The whole Boston core, with big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, along with crucial bench pieces Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser, just appear to be ready for this title defense.
Mazzulla ball is in full effect &ndash; even if it&rsquo;s just the preseason
The Celtics under Joe Mazzulla make it to a point to shoot as many open threes as they could, and in Game 1 vs the Nuggets, they shot a whopping 61 attempts, making 20 of them; and in Game 2, shot 47 attempts with 18 makes &ndash; a respectable 38 percent clip.
This style of play has brought them a championship and should be rightfully used as such until teams find a way to counter Boston&rsquo;s offense. This is the kind of game that Mazzulla wants to play for the Celtics and they have the roster and the men to do it &ndash; a loaded roster of shooters and floor spacers.
The Celtics still have room for improvement &ndash; and that&rsquo;s scary
&ldquo;Defensively, just got to be a little more tighter on that end,&rdquo; Derrick White said post-game. &ldquo;With some of our communication and the things that we&rsquo;re doing, and I think that comes with time. Offensively, just continue to make the right read and make the right play.&rdquo;
This should be bad news for the rest of the NBA as the defending champions themselves feel they still have something to fix and improve as the season goes on &ndash; a never-ending learning and lessons that can only be taught through game experiences.
Nikola Jokic is still really good
This should be another MVP type of season is on the horizon for the 3-time MVP as he has shown no signs of slowing down and is getting even better and smarter with each game that he plays.
In two games vs Boston, the Joker averaged over 20 points and 8 rebounds in just a little over 18 minutes of playing time. The Celtics haven&rsquo;t found a solution against Jokic inside and that resonates with the entire NBA as well.&nbsp;
Jokic&rsquo;s MVP campaign this season could come from him having to carry this roster more with some key departures from the team. He will have more responsibility on the offensive end and Jokic should just be dominant and assert himself to lead Denver to the upper echelon of the West.&nbsp;
Life after Bruce Brown and KCP for Denver
The Nuggets have now lost two key figures in their championship run in back-to-back offseasons, and if this is any indication, the past champs that lost their key role players struggled in the seasons to come. Brown and KCP&rsquo;s skillset should be replaceable but their chemistry with the team especially with MVP Jokic has been vital and Denver could take a step back on that end without those two.
Following their departures, the Nuggets have yet to replace them and will rely on young Christian Braun to replicate their success, or from a veteran like Vlatko Cancar who just recently returned from injury.
Denver&rsquo;s bench is suspect
Denver has no one off the bench who is legitimately an offensive threat or someone who can create his shot, so Michael Malone should probably stagger Jokic and Murray&rsquo;s minutes more, and lean on Michael Porter Jr for more offensive creation. This was exposed against the Celtics as the Nuggets struggled to have some offensive flow within their second units. Westbrook looked to be the answer for that problem but with his age he could not be tasked alone anymore to carry the offensive load for the bench.
Unless Denver makes a big FA signing or a splash before the trade deadline, expect their bench to struggle at times and they could be relying on their starters more often than not to supply all the scoring.
Westbrook&rsquo;s role
Newcomer Russell Westbrook has looked good at times for Denver in these two games. He was pushing the pace, driving and drawing the defense, and kicking it out to shooters which was a good sign for Denver as he figured out to be their backup point guard behind Jamal Murray, or even play alongside him at times to slot Murray at the 2. Westbrook at this point of his career does not need to do much on the offensive end, especially with an all-timer like Jokic in his prime. He could just provide energy off the bench for quality minutes and should be a big piece in Denver&rsquo;s rotation.
Jamal Murray&rsquo;s health
Perhaps the biggest factor out of them all, Jamal Murray&rsquo;s health is the biggest concern for Denver and should be their main priority heading into the season. Murray did not look right in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Canada&rsquo;s Olympic run, and he was not able to find his groove yet in two games vs Boston.
With teams scheming against Jokic every single night, Murray has to come in and set the tone for the Nuggets as their primary secondary option and draw the defense away from the MVP.

Here are some key observations from both the Celtics and the Nuggets after their first two preseason games.

NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024: 10 key observations from Nuggets-Celtics back-to-back games

LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have become synonymous with the sport of basketball, serving as the gold standard for this generation of players and drawing in fans from all over the world.
Aside from 2021 and 2023, every NBA Finals series since 2011 has featured one of James, Curry or Durant. The trio have a combined 44 All-Star appearances, and at the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, we got to watch them play together on the same team for the first time ever.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant all on the same team for the first time ever tonight 🔥✊ <a href="https://t.co/uUaAKwxaVr">pic.twitter.com/uUaAKwxaVr</a>
&mdash; Guru (@DrGuru_) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrGuru_/status/1759349903652995079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
Seeing the faces of the NBA share the court as teammates was a lot of fun and left fans wanting for more.
Enter Team USA.
The world might witness these three legends team up once again in the coming months &mdash; this time while donning the red, white and blue. in hopes of leading Team USA to a fifth consecutive gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
While we got a taste of the trio during NBA All-Star Weekend, fans would love to see them in a competitive environment. Curry&rsquo;s otherworldly shooting, James' IQ and playmaking, plus Durant&rsquo;s deadly three-level scoring with extremely high stakes? That would be something to behold.
James, Curry and Durant are all highly intelligent basketball players who complement each other really well, so it would likely be a seamless transition on Team USA.
All three have expressed their interest in playing for the national team and were <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/usa-basketball-announces-player-pool-for-team-usas-2024-mens-national-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently included in the player pool that Team USA announced</a>.
Although the NBA season is still ongoing and a lot can still happen between now and July, but barring injuries or any unforeseen circumstances, the three global basketball icons will likely lead Team USA&rsquo;s pursuit for the gold medal in this year&rsquo;s Olympic Games. This hunt for the gold will coincide with the 50th anniversary of USA Basketball, making their run even more special.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Beautiful, isn't it? Breaking down our 50th Anniversary logo 👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAB50?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USAB50</a> 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/O4F7odCkWY">pic.twitter.com/O4F7odCkWY</a>
&mdash; USA Basketball (@usabasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status/1749606150721388855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
The American trio will aim to replicate the success of their predecessors from the original &ldquo;Dream Team&rdquo; in 1992 when NBA superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird won the gold medal in Barcelona.
James, 39, has won three Olympic medals for Team USA (one bronze and two golds) with the last one coming 12 years ago when he won gold in London. The NBA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer has expressed interest in suiting up for Team USA once again, and he has been in contact with several other NBA stars to join him including Curry and Durant. James&rsquo; impressive track record for his national team speaks for itself. After serving Team USA for eight years from 2004 to 2012, he is second all-time in games played (24) for Team USA.&nbsp;
The 35-year-old Curry has yet to play for Team USA in the Olympics. Curry already has two FIBA World Championships in his trophy case, which also includes four NBA championships and two NBA MVPs, but winning an Olympic gold medal might be the cherry on top of what has been an illustrious career. Curry has notably shown interest in playing for Team USA in the Olympic Games, and he is very likely to do so this year. With Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also calling the shots for Team USA, it makes a lot of sense for Curry to make his Olympic debut in Paris.
Finally, Durant is arguably the most accomplished Team USA player of all-time. Winning three Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016 and 2020-21) and a FIBA World Championship (2010), Team USA&rsquo;s &ldquo;Captain America&rdquo; is gunning for his record-setting fourth Olympic Gold medal. (He's currently tied with fellow USA great Carmelo Anthony, who also has three gold medals). Durant winning another gold medal would likely solidify him as the greatest Team USA player of all-time (if he isn't already). A two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, Durant is one of the most lethal scorers the game has ever seen.
Aside from James, Curry and Durant &ndash; the NBA&rsquo;s most recognizable faces &ndash; who else will don the red, white and blue? The other finalists for the 2024 USA Men&rsquo;s national team are Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Paul George, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Jrue Holiday, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Trae Young.
With James, Curry and Durant leading the way, Team USA will the favorite in Paris. However, they'll face stiff competition from the rest of the world, particularly world-champion Germany and star-studded squads like Australia and Team Canada. Generational international talents like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama will look to dethrone Team USA.
This iteration of the Olympics is shaping up to be the hardest challenge the Americans will ever face, and hopefully James, Curry and Durant will be at the forefront of it all. In likely their last dance in international competition, James, Curry and Durant will surely want to ride off into the sunset wearing gold medals around their necks.

The next time LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are playing together, it will be with Team USA during the Paris Olympics.

LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant set to team up again — this time for USA

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.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/rose22.jpg" alt="" width="690" height="349" />
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.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/web2.jpg" alt="" width="690" height="348" />
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

Nekias Duncan thoroughly breaks down all five teams in the Atlantic Division ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division

The first weekend of the 2021-22 NBA regular season is here, as every team has now played meaningful action to start off the campaign.
As much as we love the game of basketball, there are a number of things about the NBA that grind our gears, and we usually vent about these things on social media or among friends. However, today we're going to air out those frustrations here!
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve?
Alex Kennedy: I hate the constant whining for foul calls. It has gotten really, really bad. There were always a handful of players who would whine to the refs, but it feels like more and more players are doing it these days. Now, you see it in every game. The other day, I went to an NHL game and I kept noticing instances when a player could&rsquo;ve whined about the officiating or flopped, but it didn&rsquo;t happen. It made me miss the days when whining was less common in the NBA. I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;m alone here; I think this annoys a lot of fans, and I hope the NBA addresses this. (Getting rid of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-nba-is-trying-to-eliminate-unnatural-foulbaiting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unnatural foul-baiting</a> is a good start.)
Nekias Duncan: For the love of God, if a defense forces an airball that would result in a shot clock violation and they retrieve the ball, LET PLAY CONTINUE. DO NOT BLOW THE PLAY DEAD.
Spencer Davies: I've got two. The first I'm going to steal from our good friend Scott Hale: Biting on every pump fake. It's especially maddening when it's a veteran (like a Lou Williams, who does it every single game), yet the young guys who watch the tape to prepare for it still can't just stay on their feet! My second one is when shooters spot up in the corners and position themselves out of bounds. I know there's not much room there, but it drives me nuts.
Ethan Fuller: This goes out to the media: Stop leaning on criticizing work ethic, motor and heart when you do not have an intimate understanding of a player as a person. Do athletes have mental lapses or get frustrated on the court? Of course. But these are the 450-ish best basketball players on the planet, and the work they do day-in and day-out to even stay in the league is unfathomable. There are very rare cases where these criticisms actually have merit, but they're too often a lazy cop-out from actual analysis.
Moke Hamilton: The league addressed two of them for me: one was allowing three-point shooters to draw fouls by jumping into defenders and the other was having way too many West-coast games begin at 10:30 p.m. ET. Many of the national games have been moved up 30 minutes, so that helps a ton. I, like many other fans, still get annoyed by the thin line between a block and a charge, but I don&rsquo;t think that will ever not be a thing in the NBA. Maybe both FIBA and the NBA should consider removing the foul-out rule and instead levy harsher punishments against teams and players the more fouls they commit. For example, if a player commits a sixth personal foul, the opposing team gets three free throws plus the ball, and each subsequent foul he commits results in one additional free throw (or something like that). Fouling out doesn&rsquo;t rise to the level of a pet peeve for me, but it&rsquo;s something unique to basketball that does sometime ruin a team&rsquo;s chances of winning a game and the fan-viewing experience.
Jannelle Moore: One of my biggest pet peeves about the NBA is the way it's covered. In my opinion there's a purpose for everything in terms of coverage. We have analysis and straight-laced reporters for obvious reasons. We have people pushing narratives and takes for a reason. The problem is that there seems to be an imbalance &mdash; more coverage on storylines than the actual action on the court.
Evan Sidery: When a player obviously commits a foul and they look around in disbelief. The latest example was when Michael Porter Jr. stiff-armed someone like Derrick Henry driving towards the basket on Wednesday night, then he was stunned that a foul was called. Maybe the adrenaline is pumping so much that they don't notice, but when it's so obvious, it can definitely be a personal NBA pet peeve.
Blake Hairston: My biggest pet peeve for the NBA is all of the jersey rules. Since Nike has taken over the league's apparel, players have been wearing some of the coolest new styles as well as bringing back some classic styles as well. But why outside of the "Icon," "Association" and "Statement" jerseys do they have to change every year? Once a team has a jersey, they should be able to continue wearing it in the following years &mdash; in addition to any new jerseys if the players or fans like it. If a playoff team has achieved the "Earned" jersey, it should be in the equipment room and allowed to be worn for as long as Nike remains the apparel provider. It feels very regulated.
Alexander Cohen: I hate when preseason highlights are shown in career highlight reels. All of a sudden, we're saying a play that doesn't count is a crowning achievement of a career. Why not include practice highlights? Where do we draw the line?
Mark Gunnels: My biggest NBA pet peeve is all the threes teams shoot, even if they don&rsquo;t have good three-point shooters, because analytics say so.

What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve?

It's offseason time for 28 teams in the NBA, which means we're primed for the rumor mill to turn.&nbsp;
We've already seen (super)star caliber players like Damian Lillard and Ben Simmons come up as potential blockbuster headliners. Former All-Stars and sub-elite players like CJ McCollum and Kevin Love have also been rumored as potential targets.&nbsp;
The class beneath that -- young impact players on their first or second contracts -- is always littered with interesting names. One that has surprisingly popped up is Spurs guard Dejounte Murray, an elite perimeter defender with a budding offensive game.
Zach Harper of The Athletic <a href="https://theathletic.com/2697848/2021/07/09/zach-harpers-nba-mock-draft-2-0-jalen-green-moves-up-plus-other-top-10-shake-ups-and-trade-deals-to-ponder/?source=twitterhq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently reported</a> that Murray and teammate Derrick White could both be gettable. It's important to note that "could be gettable" is not equivalent to "actively being shopped", but still: the prospect of landing Murray is an exciting one.
Murray's coming off of a season where posted career highs in points (15.7), rebounds (7.1), assists (5.4)
It's hard to oversell his defensive capabilities. At 6'5 with a massive-for-his-position wingspan, Murray can swallow up opposing point guards while having the versatility to defend 2s and 3s in a pinch. His best ability is screen navigation; it's hard to generate contact on his slender frame, allowing him to stay attached to enemy ball-handlers.
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The swing for Murray comes on the offensive end. While the three-point shot still isn't there for him, it was encouraging to see substantial growth inside the arc.
His finishing numbers jumped <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shooting/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DistanceRange=By%20Zone&amp;TeamID=1610612759&amp;sort=Restricted%20Area%20FGA&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over five percent points</a> from last season on similar volume. More importantly, Murray took a leap in the intermediate area.
He maintained a mid-40s percentage clip in the mid-range area despite increasing his volume from last season. Per Synergy, Murray made 43 runners (at a 47% clip) after converting just 8-of-29 last season.
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With Murray set to turn 25 a month or so before the 2021-22 campaign, and with more-than-reasonable money left on his contract (three years, roughly $50 million), it would take some major prying to pull Murray out of San Antonio.
Here are a few teams that should attempt to pull it off.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
If ever there was a team that needed some help at the point of attack, it would be a Cavs team that currently starts a pair of talented but undersized guards.&nbsp;
The Cavs' 25th ranked defense last season deserves context. They got All-Defensive team caliber play out of Larry Nance Jr before getting hurt, and also got a high level early season stretch from Andre Drummond before shutting him down. Once the injuries piled up, the defense predictably slid.
At any rate, adding Murray to the mix would alleviate a ton of concerns on that end of the floor. His slashing ability would be a nice complement to the pull-up artistry of Darius Garland.
There's been enough chatter about the SexLand backcourt to lean into a potential split, sooner or later. Heck, we explored Sexton deals <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-landing-spots-for-collin-sexton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in this space</a> not too long ago. Quietly, I think the Spurs could be a Sexton suitor.
His ability to shoot would be a welcomed addition to a squad that doesn't take threes in high volume. Sexton isn't a gunner from deep either, but would at least represent a sizeable bump from Murray. Behond that, his shot creation would either be a complement to, or a replacement of pending free agent DeMar DeRozan.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
The Blazers may be sellers in their own right, depending on if -- or how far -- Lillard pushes the envelop. Even if he doesn't attempt to force his way out, it's clear the Blazers are sniffing around to bolster the defense around their star.
They're likely to go big game hunting first; surely they'll sniff around the Simmons situation in Philadelphia. If that doesn't pan out, why not turn their attention to Murray? He'd immediately become Portland's best perimeter stopper -- Robert Covington remains an All-World helper, but leaves a little to be desired as an on-ball defender -- while adding some rim volume to a team that could use some downhill juice, even under the assumption that Norman Powell will be re-signed.
If the Powell assumption is a fair one, maybe there could be a workable deal around a Murray-McCollum swap. The obvious caveat is that salary would need to be added from San Antonio's side, which could complicate things from a value standpoint.
Other Landing Spots
<ul>
<li>I'm kinda here for a John Collins sign-and-trade that lands Murray in Atlanta. Similar to the Lillard dynamic in Portland, it'd be dope to see Murray hound dudes while Trae Young hides elsewhere.</li>
<li>I'd love to see Murray in Denver, but I don't see how that gets done without the other Murray or Michael Porter Jr being included. I'll just say I highly doubt Denver would be okay parting with either.</li>
<li>We have to throw in an obligatory Thunder reference just because they have the picks to land just about anyone in Murray's tier if they're interested enough. I'm here for a Murray-SGA-Dort trio from a lenght perspective. (Yes, I know SGA doesn't deserve to be mentioned with those two on the defensive end. Let me have this.)</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Nekias Duncan looks at potential landing spots for Dejounte Murray if the Spurs decide to move him.

Examining potential trade destinations for Dejounte Murray

It wasn't long ago that Ja Morant was the talk of the town, and rightfully so. The Memphis Grizzlies guard commanded the basketball world&rsquo;s attention in his playoff debut with his jaw-dropping athleticism, indellible fearlessness and flawless float game, as well as an affinity for the bright lights in crunch time.
On the other hand, that same Grizzlies team also features Jaren Jackson Jr., a highly-talented, versatile gunner and lengthy defensive threat who just couldn&rsquo;t seem to get his feet wet in his first postseason series. Now, it&rsquo;s important to note that Jackson missed all but 11 games in the regular season; still, he never truly regained his form in the first-round series against the Utah Jazz. He couldn't find much of a rhythm on either end, making just 28.6% of his threes and recording at least four fouls in every contest. In fact, Jackson committed five fouls in seven of his last 17 games.
So in the short time he spent on the court in 2021, there seemed to be a regression for Jackson as a shooter and defender. However, we have to remember that this is a 21-year-old with plenty of potential and swagger who can absolutely bounce back in the future, especially with a normal offseason ahead.&nbsp;
But isn&rsquo;t it interesting that Morant snatched the eyes of everybody watching, while Jackson, who has an additional year of experience under his belt, floundered throughout the first round? Such an incredible contrast between these two young players within the walls of the same franchise begs a question in a broader respect: Do guards and wings develop quicker than bigs?
The rising talents who have burst onto the scene in the playoffs are Morant, Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. Glance at the top picks in those drafts from the last four years and pick out the power forwards and centers who are even remotely close to their level. It&rsquo;s tough to do, isn&rsquo;t it?&nbsp;
That doesn&rsquo;t mean that the big men can&rsquo;t get to that point. Hell, look at what Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are doing in their fifth and sixth years. It just took them a little longer to get there -- particularly Jokic, the 2021 NBA MVP. And if we&rsquo;re going to talk about Jokic, we&rsquo;ve got to bring up Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s impact on the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; playoff run to this point, and the job he&rsquo;s done in stifling the Serbian jack-of-all-trades in their series thus far.
Ayton was the No. 1 pick in 2018, constantly compared to Doncic because of where he was selected, and he always will be due to the magnetism of Luka&rsquo;s presence and the incredible skill set that comes with it. Yet as Ayton carries this burden throughout his career, it is his team that's left standing among seven others, and it is his progression in Year 3 that has been the perfect ingredient to add to the Suns&rsquo; impeccable mixture.
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Cody Toppert, who's currently on Penny Hardaway's coaching staff with the Memphis Tigers, was previously the director of player development and an assistant coach with the Suns. Toppert worked hands-on with Ayton during his rookie season, and he was instrumental in the growth of Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges.
As Ayton continues to thrive in his role to the tune of over 16 points and 10 rebounds per game on 75.3% shooting from the field, Toppert shared his thoughts on the Bahamian big man&rsquo;s maturation.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think a couple things that we're seeing with Deandre is him understanding that defense is consecutive effort and offense is consecutive action,&rdquo; Toppert told BasketballNews.com in a phone interview. &ldquo;He's doing a great job of getting much more aware of the go-straight-to-the-ball-screen, go-straight-to-the-ball-screen. Whereas maybe his rookie year, Book would have to wait on him to get in the action and kinda direct him. He's now naturally flowing towards the action.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And then on the defensive side of the ball, it's multiple efforts. What you're seeing is him understand when he's a weakside defender, he's rotating to protect the rim; but on a secondary kick-out, he's getting there also for a secondary rim-protection opportunity and closing with a defensive rebound. Or [when] he's in pick-and-roll coverage and then on a kick-out, he's rotating to protect the rim with verticality and then cleaning up with the defensive rebound. So that consecutive-effort mentality on defense is something that can be a separator.&rdquo;
On offense, Toppert sees Ayton gearing towards the rim after screens, showing great concentration on the catch off the roll with two hands and finishing with either dunks or a soft touch. He refers to Game 1 of the series vs. Denver, when Ayton hustled for two offensive rebounds on the same possession and got a hook shot to go down in a game that the Suns trailed by five with less than two minutes until halftime.
In that same game, Toppert observed two more things from Ayton. The first was him staying out of foul trouble, which is instrumental to the 22-year-old keeping a rhythm. The second was his ability to match Denver&rsquo;s physicality without being emotionally or physically reactionary (i.e. committing a frustration foul).
"To me, the talent has always been there,&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;Deandre's always been a sponge, he's always been a great kid and he's always wanted to do right and do well. And so now what he's seeing is a little bit of success, and his confidence is just soaring... The sky's the limit."
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&ldquo;He's getting better every year. He's a very talented player,&rdquo; Jazz center and 2020-21 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert told BasketballNews.com when asked about Ayton. &ldquo;He has a very good mid-range [game] and he's a very good finisher around the rim, so you have to try to be as physical as you can and make him earn it. That&rsquo;s the best thing to do -- make him earn it and try to make him take the toughest shot possible. But he&rsquo;s having a really good year, and he&rsquo;s gotten better every single year. He&rsquo;s definitely exciting to watch.&rdquo;
Perhaps another example of &ldquo;it takes time&rdquo; is Golden State Warriors center and the NBA&rsquo;s most recent No. 2 overall pick, James Wiseman. The rookie big man had an injury-plagued season, appearing in just 39 games in which his playing time fluctuated, as did his role on the floor.&nbsp;
As he did with Ayton in the pros, Toppert spent a lot of time with Wiseman at Memphis prior to the NCAA&rsquo;s questionable ruling of the young man&rsquo;s ineligibility. Toppert says this offseason will be big for Wiseman because he hasn&rsquo;t had the amount of reps necessary to consistently succeed yet.
&ldquo;There's a reason why -- and this goes for all players -- people tend to say, 'The best part about a rookie is he becomes a second-year player or third-year player.' You [use] that term, 'The game slows down for them,&rsquo;&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;But we know that the game isn't slowing down; what's happening is they're becoming familiar with the million scenarios that they're gonna see... A lot of times it's being successful, or being unsuccessful in those moments. It's actually what helps in development.&rdquo;
What decision has to be made? Is it a pop or a roll? Is it switching the angle of a screen? Is it the right time to make a dribble handoff? Is the defender going under the pick? Is there any opportunity to dive to the rim or catch in the short roll? Is the weak side open for a kick-out? Those answers come with time and experience.
In order to illustrate the importance of game repetition, he referred to seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.
&ldquo;He's so precise,&rdquo; Toppert said of Brady. &ldquo;He's seen all of the scenarios so many times that, despite maybe losing a step, he's still able to compete because he can make the right reads. And in the game of basketball, it's all about reading the situation, and then making the right decision.
&ldquo;A player who's been involved in 500 pick-and-rolls is probably not gonna be as good as a player who's been involved in 5,000... The more you do these things, the better you get at 'em... So, [James] will be able to get up to speed, but unfortunately that [rookie year] is kind of a little bit of a speed bump, just a little hurdle that he's gonna have to overcome."
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It&rsquo;s fitting that Toppert brought up Brady because he likens developing bigs in basketball to quarterbacks in football.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The big guys are the trigger guys; they've gotta trigger the action. So they're really like the playmaking initiators,&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;The best big men in the drag screens, they're not waiting for the guard to call for the ball screen; they're just going to the ball screen. They're initiating that action...
&ldquo;The majority of NBA big men are designated screeners, or they're like delayed playmakers. Those are really like the two big-man roles. So either they're playmaking through the trail, where you hit 'em in the trail and they're gonna go dribble-handoff to the weak side, or they're screener, roller, divers, lob catchers, etc.&rdquo;
Utilizing Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela as primary examples, Toppert looks at how screens and screen assists lead to offensive results stemming from their execution; Gobert leads the NBA in both categories in total thus far in the playoffs. Whatever amount of screens they set is the number of plays they are involved in, whereas a guard or main ball-handler might not even use all of those.
&ldquo;What you see at the college level is the guards dribble the ball, and you see them having to wave for the big guys, 'Come up! Come set this! Come get me!' In the NBA, it's like the opposite. In college, you've gotta call [the bigs] up; in the NBA, you've gotta send 'em away like, 'Oh, we got the switch we want, don't screen now.'&rdquo;
There is an inherent advantage if you&rsquo;re a guard transitioning to the pros versus being a big early in your career. Guards always have the ball in their hands, and a smaller guard such as Trae Young, for instance, has relied on his skills to beat taller, longer, faster defenders his whole life. Some backcourt players actually see their role even simplified; you could have high usage in college and be the go-to guy who&rsquo;s making all the plays for your team, then get to the NBA and have your main responsibility trimmed down to being a slasher, a spot-up guy in a corner and/or guarding your position.&nbsp;
On the opposite end of the spectrum, big men are used to their size and stature doing the work in their early years and through college. Taller and stronger than most, their body does the work almost effortlessly at the amateur stages; if they make a mistake at that level, they can recover because of their power and force on both ends... until they meet their physical-profile equals in the pros.
&ldquo;They can almost impose their will on the game, as opposed to reading the game -- two entirely separate schools of thought,&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;And so essentially, the bottom line is when you get to a level where you can no longer do those things, now you're gonna be forced to actually learn the game...
"James is pretty well built. Deandre was pretty well-built. But the game is so much more physical at the NBA level, and legal physicality, especially big man on big man, you can get away with a lot more in the NBA than you can in college without getting called for a foul. Getting used to that everyday physicality, pounding, beating, is not easy.&rdquo;
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Picking up nuances of the game takes time for most players making the NBA leap. Even the ball-dominant first-, second- and third-year guards have shown their fair share of lumps and bruises along the way because of that physical discrepancy, not because of their skill sets. For bigs, it&rsquo;s almost like both are working against them.
&ldquo;I think everyone's journey is different. Obviously, the physical aspect of the game is really important and when you're a big man, you need to be able to box guys out and [so on],&rdquo; Gobert said. &ldquo;And then you have some guys who are stretch-5s -- everyone&rsquo;s game is different.&nbsp;
&ldquo;For me, in my first year when I first got here, I remember being in practice against Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, and I knew I was going to have to get stronger because those guys were pushing me around. I was fighting back because I had some heart, but I needed more than that! (laughs) I really spent a lot of extra time in the weight room every single year, and my body became an emphasis; every year, I tried to get stronger. And it not only helped me increase my impact on the court, but also to stay healthy. The stronger you are -- if you work the right way -- you're able to lower the chances of getting hurt.&rdquo;
It goes back, again, to the grassroots level. These types of players are getting fed in the post and on the block against clear mismatches, and coming out of possessions with a bucket every time down the floor, so why wouldn&rsquo;t they stick to what they know?&nbsp;
According to an anonymous NCAA head coach, bigs aren&rsquo;t properly being developed in college, including at the highly regarded schools. The majority of offenses, per the coach, are motion-based and teaching patterns in lieu of read-based actions. They&rsquo;re not playing in pro-style offenses in college. They don&rsquo;t learn how to set screens at different angles, how to react to different coverages as a roller, how to make plays on dribble-handoffs, how to find baseline cutters with the ball in their hands, etc. It&rsquo;s learning a pattern over reading and reacting.
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Development in general takes patience to see through. The big man, more versatile and less strung in the post, is slowly coming back in basketball. Jokic and Embiid being the top-two candidates for MVP this season is indicative of that trend.&nbsp;
Looking at the lottery-pick bigs from the 2017 class and on, there&rsquo;s plenty of potential lying within.&nbsp;
Despite the Miami Heat&rsquo;s disappointing first-round playoff exit, Bam Adebayo is a Swiss Army knife-type who is one of the best dribble-handoff big men in the league. Marvin Bagley III showed an improved stroke from distance and an ability to put the ball on the floor. We still don&rsquo;t know what Wendell Carter Jr. is, and he&rsquo;s going to be on his fifth head coach in four seasons in Orlando next season. Mo Bamba looked as good as he ever has in the second half of the season. Jaxson Hayes looked like a completely different player in the month of May than he did prior. Onyeka Okongwu was a reserve for most of the season, but when he got more playing time late in the year, he made a solid impact as a modern big.&nbsp;
"People have to understand how to develop big men. Or, I usually say, people have to understand how to develop a basketball player -- I don't care what their size is," Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach and development guru Phil Handy told BasketballNews.com. "Can you teach footwork? Can you teach balance? Can you teach the elements of the game for players to get better? &nbsp;Forget about big or small, I always try to challenge coaches into developing basketball players. Period.
"To me, the game has kind of gone to this area of everything is based around the three-point line and bigs don't post up anymore. Most teams just wants to guys to set pick-and-rolls and set screens and roll. They don't really want to teach 'em how to play on the block or give them any footwork, so it's one of those things where the game has moved away from bigs being able to post up and take advantage of their size to everybody needs to be able to shoot threes now. So that's a whole area of the game where bigs kind of lose out on getting a chance to be developed because not all seven-footers can dribble [and shoot]. Not everybody is like Kevin Durant where they can handle the ball [or like] Porzingis where they're a seven-footer who can really stretch the floor. You gotta remember that the game is played in all areas of the court -- not just at the three-point line and not just at the rim. So, having the ability to post up and having bigs who understand what their game should look like is something that we have to continue to do. We have to continue developing basketball players; that's important to me."
The aforementioned Jackson and Wiseman will figure it out. They have too much talent not to. Even though their playing styles might not compare, maybe Ayton can be their model for success. There&rsquo;s no shortcutting a process like this; it takes time, determination, persistence and adaptation.
And until basketball addresses the lack of modern development at their particular position, that will continue to be the case for big men.

Spencer Davies digs into why centers and power forwards typically take longer to adjust to the NBA than guards and wings.

Why NBA bigs take more time to develop: 'They're used to imposing their will'

Ethan Fuller gauges which NBA teams should be zeroing in on Cade Cunningham.

NBA Sour Rankings: Cade-O-Meter 2.0

The San Antonio Spurs returned to practice Monday for the first time since it was revealed last week that at least four players tested positive for COVID-19. San Antonio is expected to return to play Wednesday vs. OKC in what will be their first game played in over a week. The Spurs will be without five players because of the league's health and safety protocols (Rudy Gay, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Quinndary Weatherspoon and Derrick White), and will also be without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan due to personal reasons (DeRozan shared that his father had passed away last week). 
In a game that the Spurs figure to be severely undermanned in, San Antonio could welcome back big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who hasn't played since Feb. 1 because of a right hip injury. Head coach Gregg Popovich said that Aldridge practiced Monday and looked fine. There won't be an official word on his status though until Tuesday, according to the team.&nbsp;
San Antonio will be in OKC Wednesday to take on the Thunder at 8 PM ET.

The Spurs returned to practice today amid the COVID-19 outbreak and are scheduled to play Wednesday vs. OKC.

Derrick