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76ers

It&rsquo;s 2024, and teams led by Stephen Curry and LeBron James are once again near the top of the Western Conference. The Warriors have surged to a 6-1 record, placing them tied for 2nd, while the Lakers aren&rsquo;t far behind, holding the 5th spot in a jam-packed situation with several other teams with a 4-3 start. These strong beginnings reflect the impact of both veteran leadership and tactical innovation from new coaching staff.&nbsp;
At the center of it all are James and Curry. The two will always be intertwined after all those years of squaring off in the Finals, even more so now after being the de facto faces of the league. Despite some rocky performances, both Steph and LeBron remain the league's gold standard for sustained excellence.
The Warriors have been on fire to start the season, and they&rsquo;re doing it through defense. They are first in the league in deflections through 7 games played, disrupting opposing teams&rsquo; schemes. More than their high-octane offense, it's their defense that&rsquo;s had a noticeable jump from last year and it&rsquo;s showing up early in the standings.&nbsp;
At the heart of the Warriors&rsquo; offense though is the generational talent in Steph. Curry's impact on the game remains unmatched &ndash; his consistent scoring and playmaking are invaluable and he commands the respect of defenses while creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Draymond Green&rsquo;s defensive influence has anchored Golden State&rsquo;s early success. Even without Curry for three games, the Warriors have continued their winning streak and Draymond was leading the pack with their leader sidelined. His energy and presence bring stability to the defensive end, setting the tone for the entire team. Green&rsquo;s communication and hustle provide a roadmap for the younger Warriors, exemplifying what&rsquo;s expected in terms of effort and awareness on defense.&nbsp;
Younger players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody have brought depth and energy. Kuminga&rsquo;s athleticism and refined shot selection have given the Warriors a scoring boost, while Moody&rsquo;s steady hand and court vision have added depth.&nbsp;
Under head coach Steve Kerr and his new assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse, the Warriors&rsquo; dynamic rotations leverage both the experience of seasoned stars and the energy of rising talent.&nbsp; With a more reliable bench this season, head coach Steve Kerr has even more flexibility in his rotations. The team signed free agents Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and DeAnthony Melton &ndash; all solid role players that have contributed to their cause.&nbsp;
Along with second year players Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Warriors&rsquo; depth is crucial as it allows the team to maintain intensity and momentum when the starters rest. Each player is clear on their role, which keeps the Warriors competitive in all game situations and allows Kerr to implement strategic adjustments without compromising the team&rsquo;s flow.
The Lakers are also enjoying a strong start to the season despite recent disappointing losses. With new head coach JJ Redick bringing a fresh perspective and strategic shift to the team, the Lakers look an entirely different team from a year ago. Redick&rsquo;s emphasis on ball movement and three-point efficiency has provided the Lakers with an offensive boost, allowing their shooters to maximize space and versatility. His experience as a former player gives him a strong rapport with the team, allowing him to instill a confident and cohesive approach.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain crucial, with LeBron&rsquo;s court vision and leadership guiding the Lakers&rsquo; offense while Davis continues to dominate defensively and in the paint. Their veteran presence is balanced by young players like Austin Reaves, who has stepped up as a consistent scoring and playmaking option, enhancing the Lakers' depth.
Why LeBron and Steph, Lakers and Warriors, being good is great for the NBA
With James and Curry&rsquo;s teams on top, the NBA benefits from a renewed excitement to their teams. Both the Lakers and Warriors lead in national TV appearances this year &ndash; with 39 and 36 respectively &ndash; underscoring the pull of their megastar leaders.&nbsp;
These two franchises add a level of intrigue that fans and the league can&rsquo;t get enough of. In a landscape with younger stars emerging, LeBron and Steph&rsquo;s presence at the top underscores their lasting impact and broad appeal&mdash;creating a formula for success and driving fan engagement everywhere.
The simultaneous resurgence of both the Warriors and Lakers is not only exciting for their fans but also beneficial for the NBA. These two franchises, with storied rivalries and legacies, bring added viewership and energy to the league.&nbsp;
Their renewed competitiveness boosts the Western Conference&rsquo;s intrigue and sets up the potential for classic matchups in the playoffs, reigniting a rivalry that has captivated fans for years.&nbsp;
As the season unfolds, the Warriors and Lakers are proving that their presence at the top is essential for keeping the NBA as thrilling as ever.

It’s 2024, and teams led by Stephen Curry and LeBron James are once again near the top of the West --- it’s great for the game.

The Warriors and Lakers could be back, and it’s great for the NBA

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

High-school basketball phenom Cooper Flagg recently made headlines when he announced that he reclassified from the 2025 class to the 2024 class.
He's now the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. But before he sets his sights on the NBA, where will he play next season?
BetOnline has released odds on Flagg's next team, with the Duke Blue Devils emerging as the heavy favorites to land the 6-foot-8 forward. Can the G League Ignite or another college program steal him away from the Duke? Here are the complete odds:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 53.0017%; height: 147px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">NEXT TEAM</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">ODDS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Duke Blue Devils</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">-300</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">G League Ignite</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+275</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 15px; text-align: center;">Michigan State Spartans</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 15px; text-align: center;">+900</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">UCLA Bruins</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+1100</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Connecticut Huskies</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+1200</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 34.724%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Any overseas team in Europe</td>
<td style="width: 14.6196%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+3300</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Flagg has received offers from many schools, including Albany, Bryant, UConn, Duke, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Maine, Michigan, Providence, Texas, UCF, UCLA, Villanova and West Virginia. He received his first offer (from Bryant) when he was still in middle school.
While he has plenty of offers, it's worth noting that he has only visited one school: Duke. The Blue Devils are considered the heavy favorites to land Flagg's services.
If Flagg does commit to Duke, he would have a chance to become the latest Blue Devil to be selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft, joining Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson, Kyrie Irving, Elton Brand and Art Heyman.
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After reclassifying, Cooper Flagg is now the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Where will he play next year? <a href="https://twitter.com/betonline_ag?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@betonline_ag</a> has odds: Duke (-300) G League (+275) Michigan State (+900) UCLA (+1100) UConn (+1200) Overseas (+3300) <a href="https://t.co/iG6IIQxTV1">pic.twitter.com/iG6IIQxTV1</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1691849341206495342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Flagg is the top-ranked prospect in <a href="https://247sports.com/Season/2024-Basketball/RecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">247Sports' prospect rankings</a> for the class of 2024. The <a href="https://247sports.com/player/cooper-flagg-46129443/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experts at 247Sports</a> are also predicting that he will choose Duke.
Flagg is from Newport, ME, but he is currently attending Montverde Academy in Florida.
In 2022, he was named USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year, becoming the youngest player to ever win the award after thriving on Team USA's Men's U17 National Team. He was also named Maine's Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

The Duke Blue Devils have emerged as the heavy favorites to land Cooper Flagg, who's projected to go No. 1 in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Duke has best odds to land potential 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle scored 57 points to tie the third-highest game in Knicks history, but the Minnesota Timberwolves rode a sizzling start and a steady finish to beat New York 140-134 on Monday night.
Taurean Prince scored a season-high 35 points and went 8 for 8 from 3-point range for the Timberwolves, while Mike Conley added 24 points and 11 assists. His three free throws gave Minnesota the lead for good with 2:17 remaining.
Randle&rsquo;s final basket, a three-point play with 42 seconds remaining, cut it to 137-134, but he was beaten to a rebound by Kyle Anderson on Minnesota&rsquo;s next possession, and a cutting Prince scored inside with 10.1 seconds left before Conley made a free throw after Randle was called for a technical foul.
In a spectacular display of shooting and scoring, the Timberwolves made more than 70% of their shots in the first half and led by 17, before Randle carried the Knicks back with a franchise-record 26 points in the third quarter.
He finished tied with Richie Guerin behind the only two 60-point games in Knicks history, Carmelo Anthony&rsquo;s 62 on Jan. 24, 2014, and Bernard King&rsquo;s 60 on Christmas Day in 1984. But the Knicks had their three-game winning streak snapped.
The All-Star forward threw down a powerful driving dunk in the first quarter but did most of his damage from much farther away. Randle made eight 3-pointers in surpassing his previous career high of 46 points.
The Wolves made their first 10 shots in the most sizzling start by an NBA team this season and didn&rsquo;t cool off much the rest of the game, finishing at 61.4% despite playing without Anthony Edwards for a second straight game because of a sprained right ankle.
Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s basket made the Wolves the first team this season to make its first 10 shots, and Knicks fans loudly cheered when Jaden McDaniels missed Minnesota&rsquo;s next attempt, nearly seven minutes into the game. The Wolves led 42-32 after one, shooting 16 for 22 (72.7%).
Prince&rsquo;s 3-pointer made it 70-53 with 4:35 left in the first half, but the Knicks finally put together some stops to cut it to 79-70 at the break.
Then Randle came back and went 9 for 10 in the third, hitting 5 for 6 beyond the arc. He raised his hand to fault himself after the one miss, an ill-advised attempt that missed the rim by a couple feet. But he could hardly be blamed for trying the way almost everything else he threw up was going in.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Coach Chris Finch said Karl-Anthony Towns was &ldquo;really, really close&rdquo; to returning from his calf injury.
Knicks: Swingman Josh Hart arrived for the game wearing the No. 32 jersey of his great uncle, Yankees great Elston Howard.
EDWARDS UPDATE
Finch said Edwards hadn&rsquo;t done anything besides get treatment thus far, but the Wolves didn&rsquo;t rule him out until Monday, indicating his injury isn&rsquo;t as bad as originally feared. &ldquo;For sure there&rsquo;s some relief,&rdquo; Finch said. &ldquo;But you know Ant, like Ant always wants to play. He never thinks he&rsquo;s hurt, so hopefully it is feeling better, which he says it is. But in terms of pain tolerance, range of movement, stability, all those things, I think we&rsquo;re trying to figure out where that really is with him.&rdquo;
NEW COACH, FAMILIAR FACE
Former Knicks coach Rick Pitino will be back on the sidelines at Madison Square Garden for some St. John&rsquo;s games after being hired by the Red Storm on Monday. The school announced he&rsquo;d be introduced during a news conference Tuesday at the arena.
&ldquo;When I was a young coach, I used to watch his practices at Providence,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;So he&rsquo;s good man, great coach and I know he&rsquo;ll do a great job with St. John&rsquo;s.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Host Atlanta on Wednesday.
Knicks: At Miami on Wednesday.

Taurean Prince scored a season-high 35 points and went 8 for 8 from deep for the Timberwolves to stave off Julius Randle's effort.

Wolves overcome Randle’s 57 points, beat Knicks 140-134

The trade deadline is fast approaching and the Memphis Grizzlies have to make an important decision.
Grizzlies general manager and executive vice president Zach Kleiman has been doing his best Marvel impression by living in a multiverse, attempting to walk out two timelines: contending and developing.
The core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane is in its third year together and, when healthy, is one of the top trios in the entire NBA. More importantly, only Jackson is beyond his rookie contract, as Morant and Bane are both still on rookie deals. This fact has led to a polarizing debate surrounding the Grizzlies.
When Memphis knocked the Golden State Warriors out of the first NBA Play-In Tournament, everyone raved at the "ahead-of-schedule" nature of this team. Last season, the team traded away Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams and a shot at developing Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama. Kleiman was trying to develop ancillary pieces while still putting a competitive product on the floor.
Morant and the Grizzlies surprised everyone, finishing with the second-best record in the league and pushing the eventual-champion Warriors to six games in arguably Golden State's toughest series last year. The "ahead-of-schedule" Grizzlies were still given a pass because they were young and overacheiving.&nbsp;
Memphis is still the second seed in the Western Conference despite losing eight of their last nine contests. Injuries have been a huge factor as Jackson (17 games), Bane (22), Adams (10) and Morant (8) have all missed time due to injury. With the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, the question is whether Kleiman will push the chips in and go for a title piece this year or continue on his multiverse timeline.
Re-signing Adams and Tyus Jones suggests Memphis is interested in contending. Trading away De'Anthony Melton, who struggled mightily in the postseason, suggests the same. Playing Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia is the organization attempting to sneak in development. It makes sense, as you have to find the right role players on affordable deals (in this case, rookie contracts) who can have winning impact around your big three.&nbsp;
But even if it makes sense, there is also the flip side. At some point, you are no longer ahead of schedule and overachieving. At some point, the schedule and timeline eventually readjust to the progress that has been made, and a new schedule begins. The Grizzlies are no longer up-and-coming. They are here and the league has adjusted, and so must Memphis.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
There have been social-media posts circling that the Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans both do not want their counterpart to land O.G. Anunoby, and that Memphis would be a perfect fit for OG. This Grizzlies front office has historically moved in silence, and nothing suggests it will overpay in a bidding war for a player who might&nbsp;move the needle toward a title.
Over the next few days, Kleiman will have to decide what is most important for the franchise entrusted to his leadership. The Grizzlies clearly need shooting (still) and perimeter defending &mdash; two things every team is looking for at all times.&nbsp;
Morant, Bane and Jackson are non-starters in any trade conversation (as they should be). They are a core that meshes beautifully. It's the pieces surrounding them that Kleiman has to be willing to part ways with.
One of the most polarizing players in the NBA is Dillon Brooks; you either hate him or you love him. He is on an expiring contract, with his days in Memphis possibly winding away. Brooks' antics on the court and refusal to accept his spot in the pecking order offensively at times have led many to wonder whether he is a long-term fit with the Grizzlies.
With Bane due for a near-max payday, Brooks could be traded at the deadline for assets or given the Kyle Anderson treatment, using his contributions for this run and letting his deal expire at season's end.
Then, there is Jones, who is often lauded as the best backup point guard in the NBA and basically a health-insurance policy for Morant. Memphis needs to send Tyus somewhere he can start and bring in a bigger combo guard who can help Bane run the non-Morant minutes.&nbsp;
Adams and Danny Green are the veterans on the roster who also have extremely tradeable contracts if Kleiman were to do some type of big-game hunting. Adams' presence has allowed Jackson to develop into the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he has become, but at some point, JJJ needs to become the full-time starting 5.&nbsp;
Williams and Xavier Tillman are pieces that Memphis should be willing to include to upgrade their roster. And as well as Memphis has done drafting the last few years, they should now be at the point in this process where first-round picks are on the table.&nbsp;
OUTLINING POTENTIAL TRADE IDEAS
I'm no trade-machine guru, but something along the lines of this framework makes sense for both teams:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-6-2023_1-05-25pm.png" alt="" width="685" height="337" />
Memphis gets to keep its primary defender in Brooks while adding a 24-year-old scorer to come off the bench. If the Toronto Raptors begin a fire sale, they get an expiring contract, two second-round picks (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjg0d7A8oP9AhVuFlkFHQ-iAGkQFnoECEQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoopshype.com%2F2023%2F02%2F03%2Fgary-trent-jr-s-trade-value-at-a-protected-first-round-pick-or-two-good-second-rounders%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EDYmp9Yp1qneXxEEdRIt_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trent's reported projected value</a>) and a player who fits their mold of lenghty wings.
The Grizz bench unit is currently 12th in the NBA in scoring at 35.5 points per contest, but is a minus-313 in scoring for the season. They are also 25th in three-point percentage (32.4%) in the league. Adding Gary Trent Jr. could bolster a glaring weakness if Memphis is to be a legitimate contender.&nbsp;
In the interest of getting assets in return for Brooks, Kleiman would likely be choosing to remain on the course of developing players, as Morant, Jackson and Bane are not yet in their primes. Memphis can recoup cheaper, more controllable assets by moving Dillon:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-25-52am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
In this scenario, Memphis takes a shot on Cam Reddish while finding the eventual Jones replacement in Immanuel Quickley. The Knicks get a perfect-fit player to go with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle in Brooks as they attempt to make a run in the Eastern Conference this postseason, plus a lottery-protected first-rounder from the Grizzlies via the Warriors (from the Andre Iguodala trade in July 2019.)
Speaking of replacing Jones, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins could use a defensive upgrade in the backcourt as well someone with a little more size:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-55-00am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
The Chicago Bulls are at a crossroads, and if they decide to start rebuilding the makeup of their roster, bringing in Jones as their starting point guard would not be the worst idea. The Grizzlies get two combo guards in Alex Caruso and Coby White in this trade framework.
White is playing the least amount of minutes of his career this season, and could afford a change of scenery. Caruso is a perfect fit for Memphis, as an athletic guard who can defend on the perimeter. This move also fits Kleiman's desire to flirt with two timelines.
These three trades could be a sequence of moves done at once, but there's a next-to-zero chance Memphis makes multiple moves at the deadline, if any. However, there are peripheral moves to be made for Memphis because it seems clear that standing pat and riding it out is no longer the right choice for this franchise.&nbsp;

Justin Lewis explains how the Grizzlies have to move ahead with contention and suggests three possible trades that could help.

Proposing 3 potential trades that could spark the Memphis Grizzlies

Only 18 times in NBA history has a player averaged 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and 5-plus rebounds per game across an entire season. James Harden and Nikola Jokic are on pace to join the list this year.
Three NBA players &mdash; Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas &mdash; have put up at least 20 points and 10 assists per game over four or more separate seasons in their career. Harden is on pace to be the fourth.
Harden missing out on his 11th NBA All-Star appearance is simply a travesty. Maybe it's because the scoring volume is down, or because he's no longer the top bucket-getting option on his team. Whatever the case may be, he deserves applause for the way he has adapted with age and in a new role to help Philadelphia reinvent its path to contention.&nbsp;
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6 threes for <a href="https://twitter.com/JHarden13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JHarden13</a> and call it a SZN HIGH! <a href="https://t.co/OZF4WCWR1i">pic.twitter.com/OZF4WCWR1i</a>
&mdash; Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1620969675780935684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a>
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Harden is currently posting 21.0 points, 10.9 assists and 6.4 rebounds per contest. His mark of 14.9 field goal attempts per game is the lowest since his days on the Oklahoma City Thunder, but his overall efficiency is on par with his prime years in Houston &mdash; albeit in different forms. And with a dominant scorer in Joel Embiid by his side, Harden has reached new heights as a table-setter.
At 33 years old, Harden doesn't attack the basket with the same ferocity as his peak years. Only 24% of his shot attempts are coming at the rim (career-low), per Cleaning the Glass, and he's driving the basketball 13.3 times per game (lowest since 2013-14), according to Second Spectrum. They're still high numbers for most NBA players, but low by Harden's standards. His straight-line speed, probably still underrated in his heyday, has been sapped a great deal.
That's okay. Harden has been&nbsp;relatively&nbsp;confined to the perimeter, and he's made it work with a 38.8% three-point clip, his best since 2011-12. One key reason for the jump: Harden is canning a red-hot 47.7% of his attempts off the catch, which make up over one-eighth (12.7%) of his total shot diet, according to PBP Stats. That's the largest share of catch-and-shoot treys he's logged since 2016-17 and almost double last year's frequency.&nbsp;
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James Harden&rsquo;s reaction to making three catch-and-shoot 3s was pretty funny. And then, more serious: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working on it, so that&rsquo;s pretty exciting. You don&rsquo;t do too much, just catch-and-shoot it. You put the work in, I work on it every day.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/bH9p2iGTNX">pic.twitter.com/bH9p2iGTNX</a>
&mdash; Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann/status/1620982628995448832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a>
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This isn't to say Harden has completely disavowed his iso-ball ways. According to Synergy, he takes the third-most isolation possessions per game (6.2) in the NBA. But those possessions are less taxing because he has a co-superstar beside him; Embiid actually logs a slightly higher isolation volume (6.3). And Harden doesn't have to will himself to the basket at his age &mdash; Embiid is also collapsing defenses.
The Harden-to-Embiid assist combination is the most popular connection in the league this season. The Beard has hit up The Process 150 times, per PBP Stats, including 71 Embiid buckets at the rim. Their 40-assist lead on the second-most prominent combo of Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield (110) is as large as that duo's edge between it and the 31st-ranked coupling (a tie between Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett, Killian Hayes and Bojan Bogdanovic, and Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton).&nbsp;
Meanwhile, though much less often, Embiid is the most frequent passer when Harden picks up an assisted bucket. They've teamed up 19 times this season, including 11 Harden makes from beyond the arc.
The Embiid-Harden pick-and-roll has boosted their ascension to perhaps the most dynamic two-man action tandem in the league. But Harden's comfort in Philly is also boosting the supporting cast &mdash; most exemplified in Tobias Harris.&nbsp;
Harris, now 30 years old, has quietly settled into an efficient complementary role while Harden, Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton initiate most offensive possessions. He's shooting a career-best 58% from two-point range. Harris' at-rim frequency (34%), field goal percentage (69%) and assisted-make rate (62%) are all the highest of his four-plus seasons with the Sixers, according to Cleaning the Glass.
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Less than a minute into the second half, James Harden records his 71st career triple-double with this dime to Tobias Harris 🔥<a href="https://t.co/uC4MpbmmYv">pic.twitter.com/uC4MpbmmYv</a> <a href="https://t.co/VEgsAzQYG2">https://t.co/VEgsAzQYG2</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1612200618436730880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The scoring opportunities get easier with Harden on the floor. The former MVP sends 18.1% of his passes to Harris, who in turn makes 59.2% of his ensuing twos and 37.7% of his threes. Harris has typically averaged 8-10 drives per game over the course of his prime years vs. his 6.7 drives this season. The creation burden has been lessened and the efficiency has increased.
It helps that the Sixers added De'Anthony Melton to space the floor and act as a secondary ball-handler, and Maxey certainly gives them another sharp driving punch. But Harden has made everyone, including Harris and Embiid, better since finding his comfort level on the team.
Harden's average of 92.7 touches per game ranks third in the NBA and is still on par with his typical touch rate throughout his career. He's still the ignition for Philly's ninth-ranked offense and a matchup nightmare when he's on the floor, even if the picture looks a little different.&nbsp;
Whether it's the lack of All-Star recognition or the general lack of buzz, Harden's superstardom has taken a back seat in the national consciousness. Don't make that same mistake.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>A cool blocked shot locations graphic from Edoardo Vergani. Look at Bol Bol!</li>
</ul>
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NBA: Blocked shot location of the 12 players with most blocks during this season! What pops out? Let me know! <a href="https://t.co/shFXLWFonW">pic.twitter.com/shFXLWFonW</a>
&mdash; Edoardo Vergani (@ed_vergani) <a href="https://twitter.com/ed_vergani/status/1621863738931400705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>Brandon Miller is such a fascinating NBA Draft prospect:</li>
</ul>
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Brandon Miller is putting up unprecedented versatility and efficiency in his jumpshot diet for a college big wing. Here's how he compares to some other 6'7+ shooters - Jabari Smith, Keegan Murray, Saddiq Bey, Brandon Ingram, and Khris Middleton. <a href="https://t.co/DUNsKNXfb4">pic.twitter.com/DUNsKNXfb4</a>
&mdash; Mark (@MarkC_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkC_NBA/status/1621229412091039744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>The Pacers are an absolutely chaotic basketball team, as shown in this table from Tom Bassine:</li>
</ul>
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Net rating in each quarter. Best by Q: 1 - Nuggets 2 - Pacers 3 - Thunder 4 - Cavs <a href="https://t.co/0dKf9ChDbI">pic.twitter.com/0dKf9ChDbI</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1622230703017525249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>

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James Harden is on pace to be the third player to average 20 points and 10 assists in five seasons. Ethan Fuller praises his play.

NBA Stats Notebook: Giving James Harden the flowers he deserves

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid made a jumper with 5.7 seconds left to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 118-117 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
&ldquo;I made a tough shot but it shouldn&rsquo;t have come to that after we were up by so much,&rdquo; said Embiid, who finished 30 points and seven rebounds.
James Harden had 31 points and 11 assists to lead Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points and Shake Milton added 17.
The fourth quarter belonged to Harden, who had 18 points and made six baskets during that stretch. He accounted for 16 straight points for the 76ers over 3&frac12; minutes to keep the Jazz from going ahead until late in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;I saw opportunities,&rdquo; Harden said. &ldquo;Fourth quarter, they made some shots. There was an opportunity to take advantage of it and I did.&rdquo;
Jordan Clarkson had 38 points and nine rebounds for Utah. Talen Horton-Tucker chipped in a season-high 20 points off the bench. Mike Conley added 14 points and eight assists, while Walker Kessler finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Clarkson scored 17 in the fourth, helping fuel a late rally.
&ldquo;We ain&rsquo;t scared of the moment, I can tell you that,&rdquo; Clarkson said. &ldquo;We have been in close games the whole year. We fight, we scrap.&rdquo;
After trailing by double digits for much of the game, Utah took its first lead at 115-114 on Kessler&rsquo;s tip-in basket with 33 seconds left.
Harden and Clarkson subsequently traded go-ahead buckets before Embiid&rsquo;s jumper put Philadelphia ahead for good. Clarkson missed a 3-pointer on Utah&rsquo;s final possession.
&ldquo;I think our team showed a lot of fight again, as we always do, executed some things really, really well as the game went on,&rdquo; Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
Lauri Markkanen was sidelined with a left hip contusion and the Jazz struggled early to fill the void left without their leading scorer.
Philadelphia shot 65% from the field over the first 12 minutes after making 14 of its first 19 shots and scored a season-high 41 points in the first quarter.
Clarkson cut the deficit to two on a jumper before the 76ers answered with a 13-2 run to break open the game. Maxey scored three straight baskets, including back-to-back 3-pointers, to punctuate the spurt that gave Philadelphia a 22-9 lead midway through the first quarter.
&ldquo;I swear the first six minutes, everything we did (worked),&rdquo; 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;Guys were in the right spot. The cuts were right. The passes were right.&rdquo;
Utah shot just 37.5% from the field and trailed by as many as 20 points during the first quarter.
The Jazz rallied in the third and cut Philadelphia&rsquo;s lead to 81-80, after Clarkson and Conley made back-to-back baskets to spark a 14-3 run.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
The Delta Center is returning.
Delta Air Lines re-purchased naming rights for the Utah Jazz home arena and it will be renamed the Delta Center starting on July 1, 2023. Vivint previously held naming rights as part of a 10-year deal signed in October 2015 until opting out of the contract, opening the door for Delta to become the rare company to resume its naming rights role.
Putting the Delta name back on the arena comes as part of a new multi-year partnership that includes numerous other sponsorship and branding rights with the team.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re already getting a lot of attention from the league, and around sports, for how the growth of Utah is catching up with the brands that are coming in,&rdquo; Jazz owner Ryan Smith said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a small market in terms of that. &hellip; We&rsquo;ve outgrown the narrative.&rdquo;
The arena previously carried the Delta Center moniker for 15 years from when it opened in October 1991 until Delta decided to not renew its naming rights deal after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005.
TIP INS
76ers: Tobias Harris (left knee soreness) was inactive. &hellip; De&rsquo;Anthony Melton tied his season high with two blocks.
Jazz: Horton-Tucker beat the first quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer from halfcourt. &hellip; Utah outscored Philadelphia 19-6 in second chance points and 20-10 in fast-break points.
&nbsp;

Joel Embiid made a jumper with 5.7 seconds left to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 118-117 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Embiid's jumper gives 76ers 118-117 win over Jazz

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

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid scored 35 points, James Harden had 29 points and 13 assists and the Philadelphia 76ers blew by the New York Knicks in the final quarter, extending their winning streak to eight games with a 119-112 victory Sunday.
Georges Niang hit four 3-pointers in Philadelphia's fourth-quarter surge and finished with 16 points, while De&rsquo;Anthony Melton added 15 as the 76ers got off to a good start on a four-game road trip after sweeping a seven-game homestand.
The Sixers never led through three quarters, then outscored the Knicks 24-9 to open the fourth, turning a one-point deficit into a 116-102 lead.
Julius Randle scored 35 points and Jalen Brunson had 23 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who have lost three straight following an eight-game winning streak.
Embiid scored 15 points in the third quarter and Harden took over the game when Embiid went to the bench, with a four-point play and another 3-pointer that trimmed it to 96-95. He made another 3 in the opening minute of the fourth to tie it at 98, then found Niang for a 3 that gave the 76ers their first lead with 10:37 to play.
Niang hit consecutive 3s midway through the period before Embiid had two baskets and Harden made one and set up the other in a 8-0 flurry that put it away at 116-102.
Embiid, the NBA's scoring leader, started slowly and the Knicks led 37-25 after one. They were still up eight when Embiid scored with 6.2 seconds remaining, and when Brunson lost the ball as New York tried to get a final shot, Shake Milton scooped it up and banked in a 50-footer at the buzzer that made it 63-60.
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SHAKE MILTON TO END THE HALF 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rlU9Uniplr">pic.twitter.com/rlU9Uniplr</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1607077323677007872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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TIP-INS
76ers: Coach Doc Rivers said PJ Tucker had some kind of pain or injury that was affecting his hand, but he wasn't worried about it yet. ... Rivers said the 76ers brought two busloads of families to the game.
Knicks: The Knicks fell to 23-32 in their league-high 55 Christmas appearance. ... The Knicks played their final home game of 2022. They take a three-game road trip to Texas next week that begins with Brunson's return to Dallas on Tuesday.
60-POINT PERFORMERS
Bernard King, who set the Christmas record with 60 points in 1984, was at the game. That stood as the Knicks' single-game scoring record until a 62-point performance on Jan. 24, 2014, by Carmelo Anthony, the former All-Star who was seated next to him and <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1607065947625373696?s=20&amp;t=cPUVMFL83z5QRNzSZX83Ag">got a huge ovation</a> when shown on the overhead videoboard in the first quarter.
UP NEXT
76ers: At Washington on Tuesday.
Knicks: At Dallas on Tuesday.

Joel Embiid scored 35 points, James Harden had 29 points and 13 assists and the 76ers blew by the Knicks 119-112 on Sunday.

Embiid, Harden help 76ers blow by Knicks to win 8th straight

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Brook Lopez hit a wide-open layup off an inbounds play with seven seconds to go and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-105 on Friday night.
The Bucks held on despite Giannis Antetokounmpo fouling out with 2:55 remaining. The Greek Freak finished with 28 points to end an eight-game run with at least 30 points.
Luka Doncic had 33 points and 11 assists and put Dallas ahead on a layup with 29 seconds to go.
But the Mavericks couldn&rsquo;t make their free throws late &mdash; they were a woeful 10 for 24 for the game &mdash; leaving the door open for the Bucks to win a fourth consecutive game while ending Dallas&rsquo; three-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s sixth foul came when he tried to close out on a 3-pointer by Tim Hardaway Jr., who missed all three free throws to keep Milwaukee in front by one.
Dorian Finney-Smith missed two more free throws after Doncic had put Dallas in front 105-104. The Bucks inbounded from near their bench, and Lopez slipped behind a screen for the easy bucket on the throw-in from George Hill.
76ERS 132, LAKERS 122, OT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid had 38 points and 12 rebounds, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton scored a career-high 33 points and Philadelphia recovered to beat Los Angeles after blowing a nine-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation.
Anthony Davis had 31 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James scored 23 points for the Lakers. James (sore left ankle) and Davis (illness) both missed a loss in Toronto on Tuesday night.
Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, joining Magic Johnson as the only Lakers with a triple-double off the bench.
The Lakers were down 12 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation but rallied on clutch buckets and costly fouls by the Sixers.
PELICANS 128, SUNS 117
NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Zion Williamson capped a season-high 35-point performance with a 360-degree, one-handed dunk in the final seconds that upset Phoenix players, and New Orleans beat the Suns in a matchup of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Players and coaches from both teams swarmed around one another angrily as officials frantically stepped in to separate them before both teams finally walked off opposite ends of the court, with Williamson gesturing triumphantly to roaring fans before disappearing down the tunnel to the locker room.
Jose Alvarado came off the bench to add 20 points for New Orleans, which had to hold on in the opener of a two-game series after the Suns hit 15 of their 22 3-pointers in the second half to erase a 16-point deficit.
Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 14 rebounds. The Suns (16-10) lost for the fourth time in five games to fall 1 1/2 games behind New Orleans (17-8) atop the Western Conference standings.
TIMBERWOLVES 118, JAZZ 108
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; D&rsquo;Angelo Russell scored 20 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 13 rebounds in his return to Utah and Minnesota beat the Jazz.
Rudy Gobert was traded Minnesota over the summer. The French center spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Jazz.
Malik Beasley scored 23 points to lead Utah. Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and Mike Conley had 17 points and six assists in his first game back after being sidelined for nine games by a left leg injury.
NETS 120, HAWKS 116
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant scored 34 points, Kyrie Irving had 33 points and 11 rebounds and Brooklyn finished a seven-game homestand by beating Atlanta.
TJ Warren added 14 points and Ben Simmons returned from a four-game absence with a left calf strain with six points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Nets won for the ninth time in 12 games overall.
They hadn&rsquo;t played seven straight home games since moving to Brooklyn a decade ago and they took advantage, losing only to the NBA-leading Boston Celtics while surging into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Trae Young had 33 points and nine assists for the Hawks, while Bogdan Bogdanovic rebounded from a miserable game at the Knicks two nights earlier with 31 points.
KINGS 106, CAVALIERS 95
CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; Harrison Barnes scored 20 points, Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 18 rebounds and Sacramento rallied to beat Cleveland.
Kevin Huerter made two 3-pointers in 56 seconds late in the fourth quarter, fueling a 21-2 game-ending run by Sacramento. The Cavaliers had held their largest lead at 93-85 on Caris LeVert&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 5:40 remaining.
LeVert had 22 points, six rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, which had its seven-game home winning streak snapped.
KNICKS 121, HORNETS 102
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle scored 33 points, RJ Barrett added 26 and New York beat Charlotte for its third straight victory.
Jalen Brunson had 11 points and 11 assists for the Knicks. They evened their record at 13-13.
Terry Rozier scored 24 points for Charlotte. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 points on his 27th birthday.
GRIZZLIES 114, PISTONS 103
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jaren Jackson Jr. had 20 points and four blocks and Memphis beat Detroit for its fifth straight victory.
Brandon Clarke added 17 points for Memphis, missing only one of his eight shots. Dillon Brooks had 16 points, and Ja Morant finished with 15 points and 12 assists.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 19 points, Marvin Bagley III scored 14 points, and Kevin Knox II and Isaiah Stewart finished with 13 points each.
PACERS 121, WIZARDS 111
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Buddy Hield scored a season-high 28 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 23 points and 11 assists and Indiana beat Washington.
Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points, Oshae Brissett 16 and Myles Turner 14.
Kristaps Porzingis led Washington with 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting. Kyle Kuzma added 27 points, and Jordan Goodwin had 19.
MAGIC 113, RAPTORS 109
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Franz Wagner scored 34 points and Orlando turned to rookie Pablo Banchero in the final minutes to hold off Toronto after the Raptors had wiped out a 20-point deficit in the second half.
Banchero finished with 23 points and six rebounds. Pascal Siakam had 36 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Raptors.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A recap of Friday night's NBA action features a thrilling battle between Milwaukee and Dallas.

Bucks beat Mavericks 106-105 after Antetokounmpo fouls out

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Obi Toppin hit a 3-pointer and Jalen Brunson finished off a three-point play seconds later as the New York Knicks rallied from 12 points down to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 106-104 on Friday night.
Brunson finished with 23 points to lead the Knicks. R.J. Barrett scored 22, while Toppin had 13 of his 17 in the fourth quarter as the Knicks snapped a three-game skid. Julius Randle had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Cam Reddish scored 11 points and Isaiah Hertenstein added eight points and 10 rebounds in extended minutes at center off the bench.
&ldquo;It all starts with playing good defense,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;Then from there we just had really good movement with the ball and were able to penetrate and get some looks. We needed everyone to do their job and they did.&rdquo;
Toppin was a key figure in the fourth for the Knicks, shooting 5 for 7 &mdash; including three 3s.
&ldquo;The way Obi has been shooting the 3 ... that&rsquo;s a big plus,&rdquo; New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;We talked about getting him into that (offensive) rotation if the opportunity presented itself, and tonight it did.&rdquo;
Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points, Tobias Harris had 23 and Montrezl Harrell added 14 for Philadelphia, which has lost two straight. The 76ers shot 13 for 47 on 3s.
Maxey missed a 3-pointer that would have given the 76ers the lead with 29 seconds to go. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton also missed a 3 with 1.2 seconds left.
Philadelphia gave up a double digit lead in the fourth quarter by being outscored 16-5 in a span of 5:30.
&ldquo;They went small and they started switching everything,&rdquo; Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. &ldquo;We stopped attacking. We stopped trusting.&rdquo;
The Knicks started slowly and struggled with turnovers (17) through the first three quarters, but they shot 10 for 18 in the fourth with only four turnovers.
Maxey scored 10 consecutive points in a span of 1:46 in the third quarter to help the 76ers build their lead.
TIP-INS
76ers: After a sluggish start to the season, Rivers now has to try to get his team on track without his two biggest stars &mdash; G James Harden and C Joel Embiid. Harden, the team&rsquo;s leading scorer, will miss approximately one month with a right foot strain and Embiid missed his third consecutive game with a &ldquo;non-Covid-related illness.&rdquo; Rivers said earlier in the week that Embiid had the flu. ... F Danuel House Jr. also missed the game with a non-Covid-related illness. ... G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton replaced Harden in the starting lineup and Harrell again filled in for Embiid.
Knicks: Two days after insisting he wasn't ready to make any lineup changes after a bad loss to Atlanta, Thibodeau plugged in second-year G Quentin Grimes in place of veteran G Evan Fournier against the 76ers. The two ended up splitting time as Grimes played 15:01 and Fournier 14:23. ... F Mitchell Robinson left the game in the second quarter in some discomfort and did not return. Thibodeau had no update on his injury after the game and said they would have more information Saturday.
PLAYING IT SAFE
Embiid has dealt with more than this illness to start the season. His conditioning has not been up to par and that stemmed from a bout with plantar fasciitis that he endured over the summer. But even with Harden out, the 76ers won&rsquo;t rush Embiid back.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re playing the long game with Joel,&rdquo; Rivers said.
Embiid will use the next two days to start to build up his breathing after his nasty flu. Philadelphia will then get him back on the court, but not the big minutes he&rsquo;s used to playing right away.

Obi Toppin hit a 3-pointer and Jalen Brunson finished off a three-point play late as the Knicks rallied to beat the 76ers 106-104.

Brunson, Barrett help Knicks rally to beat 76ers 106-104

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Kristaps Porzingis had 30 points and nine rebounds, Bradley Beal added 29 points and the Washington Wizards took advantage of Joel Embiid's absence for a 121-111 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Kyle Kuzma also added 18 points for Washington, which didn't trail for the final three quarters of the game and was able to match up against Philadelphia's smaller guard-heavy lineup with a steady diet of interior offense.
&ldquo;They had to switch up the style, but they are also good playing this way and playing off a pick and roll,&rdquo; Porzingis said. &ldquo;They all can shoot and they are a good team even without him. We made the right adjustments from (Monday night's 117-96 Philadelphia win) and we came up with the right results.&rdquo;
Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points for the 76ers, while James Harden had 24 and Tobias Harris added 16.
&ldquo;We just didn't get timely stops,&rdquo; Maxey said. &ldquo;They got some easy looks. We got the game close in the fourth quarter, but that's the time when you have to buckle down and get stops and we didn't get those stops tonight."
Embiid missed his third game of the season, sitting out with an illness the team said was not related to COVID-19. Sixers coach Doc Rivers said Embiid has the flu and has not been around the team in recent days to avoid spreading it around the locker room. Embiid, who has averaged 27.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in six games, missed Monday night's game in Washington for the same reason.
Washington controlled the inside against Philadelphia's backups of P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed. The Wizards outscored the 76ers by a 69-38 margin in the paint and held a 50-40 edge on the boards. Most of that was because of a confusion against Porzingis, who was able to pop outside at times and then rolled with Beal's feeds.
&ldquo;We know how much of a difference maker Joel is, but we were able to take advantage of KP's length,' Beal said. &rdquo;You have to stand there and make a decision. He can stand over you and shoot over you. He can space the floor and then roll. It's great versatility and he's an underrated defender. He has a nice overall game, I'm glad he's putting it together and we're going to have to continue to feed him."
TIP-INS
Wizards: Washington played Delon Wright (right hamstring strain) for the fourth straight game. Wright has averaged 6.5 points in a reserve point guard role, shooting 41.7 percent from the floor.
76ers: G De'Anthony Melton missed the game with lower back soreness. ... The game time was bumped up to 6:05 p.m. to avoid conflict with Game 4 of the World Series, which was taking place across the street from Wells Fargo at Citizens Bank Park. The crowd was noticeably thinner than a normal Sixers game would draw.
UP NEXT
Wizards: Host Brooklyn on Friday.
76ers: Host New York on Friday.

Kristaps Porzingis had 30 points and 9 rebounds, and the Wizards got a 121-111 victory over the 76ers on Wednesday night.

Porzingis, Beal lead Wizards over Embiid-less 76ers, 121-111

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant had 34 points and nine assists, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the New York Knicks 115-112 in overtime on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.
Santi Aldama had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, and Desmond Bane finished with 16 points.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while reserve Cam Reddish added 22 points, making 9 of 15 shots from the field. Isaiah Hartenstein finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
The Grizzlies took a 115-112 lead on Tyus Jones&rsquo; 3-pointer with 47.7 seconds left. Evan Fournier had a chance to send the game into a second overtime, but his shot from the left corner was off the mark.
Reddish's 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime tied at 108. Morant&rsquo;s layup with less than a second left in regulation was disallowed when an offensive foul was called on the Grizzlies guard.
Jalen Brunson had 15 points and nine assists in his regular-season debut for New York. Brunson was signed in free agency to help run the offense after the Knicks finished 11th in the Eastern Conference last season.
Memphis, meanwhile, is trying to replicate last season when it finished with the league&rsquo;s second-best record. The Grizzlies were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by Golden State, the eventual NBA champions.
The Knicks trailed by as many as 19 in the third quarter but rallied to take the lead on Brunson&rsquo;s reverse layup with 3:32 left in regulation.
TIP-INS:
Knicks: Fournier&rsquo;s 3-pointer in the third quarter gave him 244 for the Knicks, good for 24th place on the franchise list, passing Raymond Felton. ... Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high seven offensive rebounds. ... RJ Barrett had 11 points, going 3 of 18 from the field.
Grizzlies: Play six of their next seven games on the road. ... Coach Taylor Jenkins came out for his pregame press conference in a black hoodie honoring WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is being held in Russia after police said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. &ldquo;We just want her to know that we are thinking about her," he said. "Praying for her, especially with her family. We&rsquo;re really hoping that she comes home soon.&rdquo; ... Aldama&rsquo;s 11 rebounds were a career high.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Have their home opener on Friday against the Detroit Pistons
Grizzlies: Travel to Houston to face the Rockets on Friday.

Ja Morant had 34 points and nine assists, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the New York Knicks 115-112 in overtime.

Morant's 34 points lead Grizzlies to OT win over Knicks

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers opened the NBA season Tuesday night with a classic showdown of Eastern Conference strongholds.
Though the Celtics defended home court with a 126-117 win, most of the contest was a back-and-forth chess match led by dynamic duos. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 35 points in the victory, while James Harden also dropped 35 and Joel Embiid finished with 26.&nbsp;
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Opening night always sets a baseline for teams to build from, and yesterday's matchup gave us several answers &mdash; and some more questions &mdash; about these title contenders going forward. Here are five key takeaways from the clash:
1. The Celtics' bench made a statement.
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Tired: Malcolm Brogdon is gonna be nice for the C's this season Wired: Malcolm Brogdon might be sixth man of the year Inspired: Malcolm Brogdon is the greatest two-guard Boston has ever traded for <a href="https://t.co/gBvNRLTB0L">pic.twitter.com/gBvNRLTB0L</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1582788958316285952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Boston's move to get the franchise over the championship hump was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-malcolm-brogdon-qa-fit-boston-celtics-basketball-without-borders-africa-camp-egypt-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-danilo-gallinari-ime-udoka" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trading for dynamic driver Malcolm Brogdon</a>. When <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-offseason-news-boston-celtics-malcolm-brogdon-fit-brad-stevens-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I reacted to the addition this summer</a>, I stressed that an actualized Brogdon can change the topography of this offense from a unit that sometimes trudged upward into a downhill, attacking team.
After one game, Brogdon is achieving that mission. The combo guard was almost a guaranteed paint touch whenever he started with the ball. He finished with 16 points and shot 7-for-11 from the floor. Brogdon had a straight-line drive from the corner that stymied Harden and ended with an easy layup. He blew by De'Anthony Melton for another score, and also dug into his bag a bit against Tyrese Maxey (shown above). Brogdon shined in his role and inspired some tremendous optimism.
He wasn't alone. After not reaching an agreement on a contract extension in the offseason, Grant Williams balled out to the tune of 15 points on 5-for-5 shooting last night. He drilled three triples, including some difficult makes, and <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582755647078412288?s=20&amp;t=lYDew8R1c8uVL2leZPeEfQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues to improve off the bounce</a>.
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Noah Vonleh had six screen assists in just over 20 minutes last night &mdash; one less than Joel Embiid, who played over 37 minutes. 6.0 per game won&rsquo;t last, but for context, that would have ranked 2nd in the NBA last season.
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582808107973214210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Noah Vonleh might have been the biggest eyebrow-raiser for his screening prowess and physicality against Joel Embiid. The Massachusetts native helped free up Boston's playmakers, and on defense, put in an admirable effort against one of the best players in the world. Vonleh outplayed Blake Griffin in the contest, and appears to have locked down the backup center spot behind Al Horford. He wasn't perfect, but he played a valiant game that sets a solid foundation for the second unit.
2. James Harden is still a pick-and-roll maestro.
Amidst the rising crop of young guards and Harden's rocky road over the last two seasons, we (myself included) might have forgotten just how dominant he is as an orchestrator. The 33-year-old was in full control during the first half last night, and even as the game slipped away, he still showed just how hard it is to defend a player with his set of tools.&nbsp;
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This is a miss but here was a big challenge moment for Boston. They're going over on ball screens for Harden and playing the big in drop. But they can't give Harden or Embiid that type of space in front of them, so it takes a third guy (Smart) to help, opening up the weak corner <a href="https://t.co/VNvaV4Qx4d">pic.twitter.com/VNvaV4Qx4d</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582748404899532800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
When Harden used a ball-screen, the Celtics would send their guards over to cover a pull-up jumper and keep their screener defender in drop coverage. The challenge, particularly against Harden and Embiid, is that both of them have the touch to hit mid-range jumpers and floaters. It forces a third defender to "tag" Embiid emphatically so that the defending big man can keep them both in range. But as the above clip shows, that leaves a shooter open &mdash; and the Beard sees all.
Harden had a couple of passes like these that went unrewarded. He also hit Embiid for rolling baskets and knocked down a lefty floater with the space he received. It's still a mind-bending puzzle to solve a Harden pick-and-roll.

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3. Boston has a defensive game plan for Joel Embiid.
It took some work for Embiid to get his 26 points. The all-world center shot 8-for-12 inside the arc, but it was some of the shots he didn't take, plus his six turnovers, that told more of the story.
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Boston sent a double-team at Embiid whenever he was posting up in an empty corner. It began with the opening play (more on that later) but also included more tactical moments. Here, Tatum is the man to come double. Brogdon gets to stay guarding the outlet pass &mdash; an easy job because Harden barely moves off the ball. Tatum also waits until Embiid turns into a move on the baseline; that makes life easier for Brown and Marcus Smart, because those passes to the weak side become incredibly difficult.
Vonleh wears the first bump from Embiid and he has nowhere to go, leading to a turnover. The Celtics definitely built their game plan around Embiid's isolations, but they didn't let him frazzle their own spacing. That discipline over a full game is something interim head coach Joe Mazzulla can hang his hat on.
4. Philadelphia has to fix its offensive flow &mdash; and its transition defense.
However, these plays weren't just about Boston's defense. The Sixers had several seriously concerning moments with their offensive tempo. I'll defer to Nekias Duncan, who dissected two plays in detail that summed up the frustrations:
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🚨OPENING NIGHT 4x4🚨 We&rsquo;re digging into Sixers-Celtics, folks. -Philly&rsquo;s process -I don&rsquo;t &ldquo;Get&rdquo; it -A fun Boston progression -Noah Vonleh: Super Screener 🗣️SOUND ON <a href="https://t.co/ScBChP0eQP">pic.twitter.com/ScBChP0eQP</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1582767859444613120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Meanwhile, the most cringeworthy team stat for Philly was their 24-2 deficit on fast break points. I mean, they hemorrhaged transition buckets. Boston averaged 169.2 points per 100 transition plays; per Cleaning the Glass, that would have&nbsp;led the NBA by 35 points&nbsp;last season.
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Here are three Tatum transition scores that were a product of low effort from Harden specifically. I understand that transition play is naturally tilted toward offenses, and that the take foul is gone from the NBA. Still, there has to be a better fight in some of these instances.
5. Jayson Tatum may have fully arrived.
Speaking of Tatum, we have to highlight the best performance of the night. The 24-year-old superstar was a monster last night on both sides of the floor. He made 13 of 20 field goals, ranging from pushing the pace in transition to some unreal, contested makes &mdash; all while seeming perfectly in control. He was one of the most successful individual defenders against Harden and also made timely off-ball adjustments within Boston's scheme.&nbsp;
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So the game starts to turn here. Jayson Tatum recognizes that Tucker wants to stay with him and Embiid is playing super conservative, so he screens both. That effectively makes this a PnR with no Philly big defender. Harden helps off the strong side and Horford makes the 3 <a href="https://t.co/hZIirZNak0">pic.twitter.com/hZIirZNak0</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1582771740413161473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Even plays like this that won't show up on the box score were driven by Tatum. He showed such a full command of the offense, yet this didn't feel like a game where he was overly ball-dominant. Tatum has typically started seasons slowly, so this type of first-game outburst already has Celtics fans elated.

The Celtics were clicking on both sides of the basketball in their 126-117 win against the 76ers on opening night.

5 things we learned from Celtics vs. 76ers on NBA opening night

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

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes how Chris Webber's decision-making unlocked the Kings' revolutionary offense.

Blazing the Trail: Chris Webber, the read-and-react king

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

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; All-Star point guard Ja Morant borrowed a professional camera for photos of his teammates, even turning the lens on reporters covering the Memphis Grizzlies' media day Monday.
Ziaire Williams, going into his second NBA season, used a disposable camera from the podium and asked everyone to smile.
Safe to say the young Memphis Grizzlies remain just as confident, hungry and yes, ready for the brighter lights that come with posting the NBA's second-best record followed by a run to the Western Conference semifinals.
That earned the Grizzlies many more national TV games, including the coveted Christmas night slot against the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m extremely proud of our group on how serious, we took this offseason and how serious each individual took on themselves to get better, and it&rsquo;ll help us be a better team, as well as long as everybody improve," said Morant, the All-Star and NBA's Most Improved Player last season.
Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman made clear after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-memphis-grizzlies-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-e489a3f8659878f25878897f85528b83" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden State ended Memphis' season in six games</a> &mdash; the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-media-2a9aca3704eb84e7612c96fd808e284e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last three without an injured Morant</a> &mdash; that money wouldn't stop him from keeping his core together. Gone are Kyle Anderson and De'Anthony Melton, replaced by veteran Danny Green and a trio of draft picks.
Kleiman also signed Morant to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-9133154cdb4253d6dfebf0e68279b4c7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-year, supermax deal</a> after the point guard's third season, along with a deal for veteran guard Tyus Jones. Kleiman said they like to build through the draft and are confident in the players they've brought in.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited about what we did this offseason," Kleiman said.
JJJ UPDATE
The Grizzlies will start the season without Jaren Jackson Jr. Kleiman cleared up speculation on when Jackson suffered the stress fracture in his right foot Monday, noting Jackson was training somewhere else and immediately alerted team officials about the injury.
Memphis <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-jaren-jackson-3ada4d806e6023bae47277cc09c0fbc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected June 30</a> that Jackson would return within four to six months from surgery. Kleiman said the original timeframe has not changed for Jackson's return. Jackson told reporters he wouldn't be back for opening night Oct. 19 against the New York Knicks.
&ldquo;You'll like it,&rdquo; Jackson said of his return.
CONTRACT YEARS
The Grizzlies have a trio going into contract years in center Steven Adams, Dillon Brooks and forward Brandon Clarke. Kleiman said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-basketball-3a5646f4f496552a446219403a63d866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earlier this year that money wouldn't be an issue</a> keeping the Memphis' core together.
Adams joked he didn't even know if he'd be starting when asked about the qualities he likes in a power forward playing beside him. Brooks wants to be available after being limited to 32 games last season by injuries. Clarke said he was afraid of saying the wrong thing, but made clear he wants to stay in Memphis.
&ldquo;We view them as potential long-term pieces of this group, and we'll see how this plays out,&rdquo; Kleiman said.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE
The Grizzlies had three players receive votes for the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-ab99752f256668274bb16e1b325e6648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA's Most Improved Player won by Morant</a> with Desmond Bane fifth and Jackson 10th.
Williams, who started 31 of 62 games played as a rookie, is a candidate with coaches telling him he'll be on the ball more. Guard-forward John Konchar is another option after his own three-year extension this offseason, and 6-foot-11 Santi Aldama is another.
GRIZZLIES GET YOUNGER
Memphis has six rookies in training camp led by a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-danny-green-63893451fa143de6240640cac243f1e5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quartet of draft picks</a>. That includes forward Jake LaRavia out of Wake Forest, David Roddy from Colorado State and guard Kennedy Chandler, a Memphis native who played in college at Tennessee.
The Grizzlies also have an intriguing prospect in Kenneth Lofton Jr., a 6-8, 275-pound forward out of Louisiana Tech who impressed during summer league.
HELLO DANNY
The Grizzlies have had a bunch of veterans who never made it to Memphis in previous years, including <a href="https://apnews.com/article/d8e2365da84a12c0e0db7e3a4e82b790" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andre Iguodala who never dressed for them</a> before being traded to Miami in February 2020.
Green, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-danny-green-63893451fa143de6240640cac243f1e5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired draft night in a trade</a>, will be sticking around. Green says some teams didn't think he could be back at any point this season coming off a knee injury in mid-May. He said both he and Memphis think he can be back when it matters most and also help these young Grizzlies with his experience.
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Ja Morant and the young Memphis Grizzlies and hungrier than ever entering the 2022-23 NBA season.