Miami Heat

Scoring was up in the NBA this season, to a level not seen in more than a half-century.
NBA teams averaged 114.7 points per game. That&rsquo;s the ninth-highest figure in the league&rsquo;s 77 seasons and the most since teams averaged 116.7 per game in 1969-70.
It represents a jump of 3.7% over last season.
A record 282,127 points were scored this season, smashing the previous mark of 273,573 set in 2018-19.
FREE THROW RECORD
The NBA has never had a better season from the foul line. Again.
The league-wide record for accuracy will fall for the third time in the last four seasons. Teams have combined to shoot 78.2% from the line this season.
That topped the 77.8% mark from two seasons ago. And while that difference &mdash; a mere 0.4% &mdash; doesn&rsquo;t look like much, it is. NBA teams could have combined to miss their first 200 free throws on Sunday when the regular season was ending and still have been on pace to set a season record.
A BOSTON FIRST
When you&rsquo;ve done something that&rsquo;s never been done before in Boston Celtics history, that&rsquo;s impressive.
So, take a bow, Jayson Tatum.
The forward averaged 30.1 points per game this season &mdash; the most ever by a Celtics player. John Havlicek and Isaiah Thomas each averaged 28.9 in their best seasons in Boston, and Larry Bird averaged 29.9 in 1987-88, but Tatum is the first to average 30.
Bird technically averaged 29.93 points that season, and two more points would have given him 29.95, which many would have rounded up to 30.0. He was five points shy that season of averaging exactly 30 per game.
BRIDGES&rsquo; STREAK
Brooklyn&rsquo;s Mikal Bridges technically missed a game this season, but his consecutive games-played streak &mdash; now 392 games and counting &mdash; lives on because he wasn&rsquo;t eligible to play while the Nets were completing the process of acquiring him in a trade with the Phoenix Suns.
Regardless, he still played in a league-best 83 games this season. It&rsquo;s quirky, since a season is 82 games, but the Nets had more games to play than the Suns did when the trade happened. And it lived on in Sunday&rsquo;s season finale because Bridges appeared for the first 4 seconds to extend the streak, then checked out for the day.
Bridges didn&rsquo;t miss a game at Villanova, either. His last missed game was in high school.
Bridges is the first player to appear in 83 games in a season since Josh Smith in 2014-15. Bridges was one of 10 players to not miss a game this season &mdash; Houston&rsquo;s Tari Eason and Kenyon Martin Jr., Chicago&rsquo;s Nikola Vucevic and Patrick Williams, Boston&rsquo;s Derrick White, Golden State teammates Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole, New York&rsquo;s Isaiah Hartenstein and Sacramento&rsquo;s Harrison Barnes also played in all 82 for their clubs this season.
The NBA&rsquo;s all-time record for games in a season probably is one of those records that&rsquo;ll never be broken. Walt Bellamy played in 88 games in 1968-69 &mdash; 35 with New York, then 53 with Detroit.
SCORING MARGIN
San Antonio was outscored by just over 10 points per game this season &mdash; the worst margin in Spurs history.
It was the 20th time in NBA history that a team had been outscored, on average, by double digits for an entire season.
3&rsquo;s DOWN
For nine straight seasons &mdash; 2012-13 through 2020-21 &mdash; the NBA saw a record set annually for 3-pointers made per game.
It seems the growth era from beyond the arc has plateaued.
For the second consecutive year, 3-pointers made dropped this season, albeit slightly. The league saw an average of 24.7 3s per game this season, down from 24.9 per game last season and the record 25.4 per game in 2020-21.
The league finished the regular season with 30,359 3s made &mdash; just off the record total of 30,598 last season. But teams also attempted, on average, about 3% fewer 3-pointers this season than they did a year ago.
3s UP
That said, there were more highly prolific 3-point shooters this season than ever before. The league finished with 20 players with at least 200 3-pointers &mdash; the most ever, just ahead of the 18 who made at least 200 3s last season.
The 20 in the 200 Club this year: Golden State&rsquo;s Klay Thompson, Indiana&rsquo;s Buddy Hield, Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry, Cleveland&rsquo;s Donovan Mitchell, Portland&rsquo;s Damian Lillard, Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum, Brooklyn&rsquo;s Malik Beasley, New York&rsquo;s Julius Randle, Dallas&rsquo; Tim Hardaway Jr., Portland&rsquo;s Anfernee Simons, New Orleans&rsquo; CJ McCollum, Golden State&rsquo;s Jordan Poole, Toronto&rsquo;s Fred VanVleet, Minnesota&rsquo;s Anthony Edwards, Sacramento&rsquo;s Keegan Murray, Miami&rsquo;s Tyler Herro, Sacramento&rsquo;s Kevin Huerter, Chicago&rsquo;s Zach LaVine, New Orleans&rsquo; Trey Murphy III and Utah&rsquo;s Lauri Markkanen.
AND 3s RECORDS
The Warriors finished with 1,363 3-pointers as a team, the most by any team in an NBA season. The previous record was 1,323 by the 2018-19 Houston Rockets.
Four of the six most prolific 3-point seasons in NBA history happened this season: The Warriors broke the record for a team, Boston (1,315) finished eight behind Houston&rsquo;s 2018-19 mark, Dallas (1,246) made the fifth-most in a season and Milwaukee (1,217) made the sixth-most in a season.
Golden State, Boston, Dallas and Milwaukee obviously also set their franchise single-season record for total 3s made. So did Brooklyn, Indiana, the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Sacramento.
BETTING STATS
Those who bet the Oklahoma City Thunder all season long probably did quite well.
The Thunder covered the spread a league-best 58.5% of the time this season, just ahead of Orlando and Philadelphia (57.3%).
The Los Angeles Lakers were a perfect 50% against the spread &mdash; 41 times covering, 41 times not.
Dallas and San Antonio bettors likely weren&rsquo;t happy. Those clubs both covered only 39% of the time, just a bit worse than Miami and Detroit (both 40.5%).
ONE OF EACH
Golden State&rsquo;s 56-point win over Portland on Sunday was the biggest of the season. The biggest rout going into the season&rsquo;s final day was a 45-point win by New Orleans on Nov. 21 &mdash; against the Warriors.
That made the Warriors the first team since the 1997-98 Trail Blazers to win a game by at least 45, and lose a game by at least 45, in the same season.
Portland beat Dallas 120-75 on Nov. 17, 1998. The Blazers lost to Indiana 124-59 on Feb. 27, 1998.

Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press breaks down the 2022-23 NBA season by the numbers.

Inside the NBA numbers: A look at the season’s stats

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic scored 33 points, Christian Wood had a season-high 32 points along with 12 rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 130-110 on Friday night.
Two of Dallas' top three scorers each had 20 before halftime &mdash; the NBA scoring leader Doncic with 23 to 20 for Wood &mdash; and combined to make 22 of 35 from the field as Dallas shot 56%.
Damian Lillard also had 20 before the break with 21, but finished with 24 to end a four-game streak of at least 35 points that was tied for the longest in the NBA this season with Philadelphia's Joel Embiid.
The Mavericks ended the Blazers' three-game winning streak while beating Portland for the sixth consecutive time. The average margin during the streak is 25 points.
Wood's first 20-point half with Dallas helped the Mavericks turn an eight-point deficit into a 14-point lead in the second quarter before Dallas settled for a nine-point halftime edge.
&ldquo;He did a great job of being able to play through him in the second quarter was huge for us,&rdquo; coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;The time he was on the floor on both ends, he gave us a lift tonight.&rdquo;
Dallas, which had lost three of its previous four games, outscored Portland 28-10 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter for a 27-point lead. The lead never fell below 19 after that.
Doncic and Lillard sat the entire fourth quarter &mdash; along with the rest of Portland's starters &mdash; with both teams on the first night of a back-to-back. Doncic went to the locker room with 6:40 remaining.
&ldquo;We didn't have it,&rdquo; Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. &ldquo;We'll talk about why we didn't have it. I wanted to be smart about it. We're in a tough little stretch. Got to know when to fold 'em.&rdquo;
Lillard, who averaged 38 points in the previous four games, started hot again before cooling off with three straight misses from 3-point range in the second quarter. He finished 6 of 14.
While the top three scorers for Dallas combined for 78 points (Spencer Dinwiddie had 13), the Blazers' trio of 20-point scorers had just 38.
Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant finished with seven points apiece, combining to go 5 of 19 from the field. Grant scored 37 in Dallas' 117-112 win at home last month.
Doncic and Wood were the first Dallas teammates to score at least 20 points each in the same half since Doncic and Seth Curry in a 122-111 victory over Detroit in Mexico City three years ago.
Jusuf Nurkic and Trendon Watford scored 16 apiece for Portland, and Watford had 11 rebounds.
HELLO, HOME FOLKS
Kemba Walker made his home debut for Dallas, converting a three-point play when he beat the shot-clock buzzer after rebounding his own miss and got fouled. He also had a 3 to finish with six points. The four-time All-Star with a recent history of knee trouble signed with Dallas on Nov. 29.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Lillard is 46 points from passing Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler as the franchise's scoring leader. ... Grant opened the scoring with a 3 but went 1 of 7 the rest of the way.
Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. ... G Josh Green, who missed his fourth consecutive game with a right elbow sprain, will make the upcoming road trip. ... C Dwight Powell sustained a left thigh contusion early in the third quarter and didn't return. The Mavs are already without F/C Maxi Kleber, who will miss multiple weeks with a torn hamstring.
&nbsp;

Luka Doncic scored 33 points, Christian Wood had 32, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 130-110.

Doncic, Wood lead Mavericks to 130-110 win over Blazers

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The Orlando Magic announced that Dennis Scott will soon be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame, becoming the 12th person to receive this honor.
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&ldquo;Dennis still remains one of the elite, long-range shooters in both Orlando Magic and NBA history,&rdquo; Magic CEO Alex Martins said. &ldquo;His ability to shoot from beyond the three-point arc was a major key to our success during his time in Orlando and his records stand to this day. We are proud to make Dennis the next inductee into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.&rdquo;
Scott was drafted by the Magic with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. He played seven seasons with Orlando (from 1990 to 1997), and helped the Magic advance to the 1995 NBA Finals.
Appearing in 446 regular-season games (including 322 starts), Scott averaged 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 30.7 minutes while shooting 40.3% from three-point range (981-of-2,432 from deep). Scott also appeared in 41 playoff games (including 31 starts) with Orlando, averaging 12.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists, while shooting 36.4% from three (92-of 253 from deep).
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During the 1995-96 season, Scott set a then-NBA single-season-record with 267 three-pointers made, which lasted for 10 years. The 267 three-pointers remains the franchise record for most made in a season. On April 18, 1996 vs. Atlanta, Scott connected on 11 three-pointers, breaking the then-NBA single-game-record &mdash; a mark that lasted for almost seven seasons. The 11 three-pointers also remains the franchise record for most threes in a game. On May 25, 1995 vs. Indiana, Scott made 7 three-pointers during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, setting a franchise playoff-record that still stands today.
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Scott remains the Magic's all-time leader in three-pointers made with 981. Entering this season, he also ranks among the franchise&rsquo;s all-time leaders in three-pointers attempted (second, 2,432), field-goals attempted (seventh, 5,737), games played (eighth, 446), steals (eighth, 429), points (10th, 6,603), field-goals made (tenth, 2,421) and minutes played (10th, 13,692).
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Previous inductees in the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame include Pat Williams (2014), Nick Anderson (2014), Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal (2015), the late Rich DeVos (2016), Anfernee Hardaway (2017), Jimmy Hewitt (2017), Tracy McGrady (2018), David Steele (2019), Darrell Armstrong (2020), John Gabriel (2022) and Brian Hill (2022). The inductees are selected based on their overall contributions to the team and organization (on and off the court), years of service, impact in the community and general character.&nbsp;
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The Orlando Magic Hall of Fame is an exhibit that's located on the terrace level of the Amway Center near the Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience.
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The Orlando Magic are inducting Dennis Scott into the team's Hall of Fame, making him the 12th person to receive this honor.

Dennis Scott will be inducted into Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic had 42 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 117-112 on Saturday night.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points, capped by three 3-pointers in the final 2&frac12; minutes. The first of those tied it at 106 with 2:35 to play. His next, with 1:52 to go, put the Mavericks ahead for good.
Christian Wood scored 19 points off the bench after missing Dallas&rsquo; previous two games with a knee sprain.
Jerami Grant scored a season-high 37 points for the Trail Blazers, who finished a six-game road trip 4-2 and remain one game behind first-place Utah in the Western Conference. Damian Lillard had 29 points and 12 assists, and Anfernee Simons added 24 points.
Doncic scored 30 or more points for the 10th time in 12 games after being held in the 20s in Dallas&rsquo; previous two games, losses at Orlando and Washington.
&ldquo;He had 42, a triple-double &mdash; I mean, it&rsquo;s just a little walk in the park,&rdquo; Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of his 23-year-old superstar.
Dinwiddie was 6 of 8 from behind the arc after having his two highest-scoring games of the season with 29 at Orlando and 33 at Washington.
&ldquo;They trapped Luka. He makes the right read, the right pass,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said of his late flurry. &ldquo;We then were just swing, swinging and it just found me.&rdquo;
Portland played its third consecutive game without Jusuf Nurkic, seventh in the NBA in rebounding, who is sidelined by a right hip adductor.
The Blazers ran off the game&rsquo;s first seven points thanks to grabbing the first four rebounds and led 23-20 with 4:23 left in the opening period. Wood, who plays the most minutes at center but doesn&rsquo;t start, then entered for the first time and scored 10 points as the Mavericks went on a 15-2 run to lead 35-25 at the quarter.
Dallas led 49-33 midway through the second quarter following two 3-pointers by Tim Hardaway Jr. and another by Dinwiddie. The Blazers cut it to 59-57 at the half.
ALL IN YOUR HEAD
Blazers coach Chauncey Billups didn&rsquo;t fear his players would lack the proper focus going into the finale of the long road trip.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s still a basketball game,&rdquo; Billups said. &ldquo;Yeah, we&rsquo;re excited to get home, but no matter whether you win the game or lose the game, we&rsquo;ll get home at the same time tonight.&rdquo;
WORKING HIS WAY BACK
Hardaway was a team-high plus-23 with 16 points. He has played in all but one game this season after missing the second half of last season with a fractured foot.
&ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m just so amped to be back out there,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;My guys are feeding me the rock. They tell me to shoot the ball when I&rsquo;m open. No hesitation.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Blazers: Justise Winslow, who started four of the previous five games, was out with a sprained ankle. &hellip; Shaedon Sharpe returned to the lineup after missing one game with a finger fracture and scored five points in 19 minutes.
Mavericks: They shot 50.6 percent from the floor (41 of 81) and outscored the Blazers 48-36 in points in the paint. &hellip; Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock each started and finished with two points.
UP NEXT
Blazers: Open a three-game homestand on Tuesday vs. San Antonio.
Mavericks: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday in the second of five consecutive home games.

Luka Doncic had 42 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season, and the Mavs beat the Blazers 117-112.

Doncic's triple-double, Dinwiddie's late run lead Mavs past Blazers

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

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes Chauncey Billups' dual-threat nature and impact on the next generation of point guards.

Blazing the Trail: Chauncey Billups, the basketball cheat code

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes Penny Hardaway as a dual threat and how he stood out from other point guards.

Blazing the Trail: Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway, the floor giant

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes the offensive splendor of Dirk Nowitzki and the dramatic evolution of his career.

Blazing the Trail: Dirk Nowitzki, the unicorn that became world champion

The second domino in Utah has finally fallen.
After trading All-World center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a league-shifting pick package, the Jazz followed suit by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-instant-reaction-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers-utah-jazz-collin-sexton-lauri-markkanen-ochai-agbaji-darius-garland-evan-mobley-jb-bickerstaff-koby-altman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trading star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers</a>. Three unprotected first-round picks, two unprotected pick swaps and a multi-player package headlined by Collin Sexton was enough for the team to officially set off its rebuild.
The stars are gone, but there are vets still on the roster. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Jazz aren't opposed to moving them if they're given more picks, young players or (ideally) both.
Chief among those vets is point guard Mike Conley.&nbsp;
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Conley is coming off one of his healthier campaigns, appearing in 70 games (72) for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Conley was steady, averaging 13.7 points and 5.3 assists (1.7 turnovers) while posting a 57.2% True Shooting percentage. He oscillated between diagnosing defenses as a pick-and-roll threat and spreading the floor for Mitchell to attack.
Coinciding with Mitchell's ascension, he's become more of a spacer than a focal point over the past two seasons. Conley's three-point rate &mdash; the percentage of shot attempts that come from deep &mdash; has hit career-high levels over the past two seasons (52.3). He's drained 41% of his threes on 6.1 attempts per game during that stretch; only three other players &mdash; Anfernee Simons, Zach LaVine and some Steph Curry guy &mdash; have hit 40% of their threes on 6 or more attempts on average (min. 100 games).
Don't let the off-ball focus fool you: Conley's blend of pull-up shooting, court vision and ambidexterity still makes him a valuable playmaker. Over the past two seasons, possessions featuring a Conley-led ball screen has generated 1.03 points per possession (PPP), a mark sandwiched between Damian Lillard (1.032 PPP) and James Harden (1.023 PPP).
Even at this stage, playing drop coverage against Conley is a mistake.
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Because Conley doesn't have the same burst anymore, he doesn't get two feet in the paint very often. His rim rate &mdash; the percentage of shot attempts coming inside of 3 feet &mdash; has dropped in each of the past five seasons. Only 7.5% of his attempts came at the rim last year, easily a career low.
He's been able to counter that by sprinkling in short pull-ups and floaters with either hand, but the threshold for bending defenses with those shots is pretty high.
Conley remains sound defensively. He's dutiful when navigating screens and still does a good job of reconnecting with ball-handlers. This might be my favorite stat find of the summer: Per Second Spectrum, among 165 players that defended at least 300 drives last season, only one player &mdash; Chicago Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu (13.97%) &mdash; was "blown by" at a lower rate than Conley (14.18%).
There's context to be added, like who Conley was directly matched up with, but that's a "he's typically in the right spot" stat if I've seen one.
Of course, Conley isn't perfect. There's only so much he can do as a shot-contester, even against his position, because of his size. While he's still a good screen navigator, his recovery speed isn't what it once was. If a screen nails him, you could be in some trouble.
Overall, Conley is still a good starting point guard with a game that can complement a high-usage star. If the Jazz are truly open to moving him, teams should come calling.
With a vet like Conley, finding a contending team for him is the likely priority. That makes trade talks tough since so many of the top teams either have (All-) star point guards already (Golden State, Phoenix, Milwaukee, etc.), younger players they're already invested in (Philadelphia, Denver), or vets they're okay with (Miami, Boston).
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The Dallas Mavericks may be the most realistic suitor within this lens. Conley could certainly slot into the Jalen Brunson-sized void that was opened this summer. Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract ($19.6 million in 2022-23) is enough to start the conversation, but you'd have to wonder if a middleground could be found from there.
The Mavericks owe a first round pick to the Knicks (top-10 protected through 2025) that you'd assume would convey this year, but that's off the table. Would the Mavericks be willing to throw in a later first-round pick instead? If not, is there a young piece on the roster (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/josh-green-impact-basketball-dallas-mavericks-playoffs-joe-abunassar-offseason-training-diet-nutrition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hello, Josh Green</a>) that they'd be willing to sweeten the pot with in lieu of the pick? It's hard to gauge.
I'd be intrigued by a trade centered around a Conley-D'Angelo Russell swap if the Minnesota Timberwolves were game.
(I don't think I'd be game if I were them. It'd have to be Conley and another player or two &mdash; Rudy Gay and Nickeil Alexander-Walker would get you there &mdash; since the Jazz are hard-capped. Beyond that, I'm sure they would've worked to include a Russell-Conley swap into the Gobert trade if there was real interest in that regard.)
There's been smoke, then fire, then smoke, then fog, then&nbsp;more&nbsp;smoke around Conley being featured in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for Russell Westbrook. Conley would certainly vibe alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis; I just don't know how likely it is that Westbrook is traded at this point, even if it might be best for everyone involved.
If it's not contender-or-bust for Conley, there are a couple of lottery teams I'd like to see throw their hats in the ring for him.&nbsp;
Depending on how you feel about the Kevin Porter Jr. point guard experiment, something I had my eye on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heading into last season</a>, there could be room for a half-season of Conley stability in the starting backcourt. Having a consistently-good decision-maker alongside Jalen Green could foster easier development for him.
There are things Green (or Porter, for that matter) could learn from Conley. My mind immediately goes to how patient Conley is against drop, and how good he is at snaking ball-screens and bending defenses. Green showed growth as his rookie campaign went on, but there's still room for improvement.
There's even a number for it. Per Second Spectrum, the Rockets generated a little over 0.67 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a ball-screen that Green snaked.
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Considering Eric Gordon's salary would likely be needed to make this work, a third team would make some sense here. An interesting framework would be sending Conley to Houston, Eric Gordon to New Orleans (I know, I know) and a combination of KJ Martin (if he <a href="https://theathletic.com/3373516/2022/06/20/houston-rockets-nba-draft-roster/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still wants a trade</a> from Houston), Kira Lewis and more salary filler to Utah.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>If Bradley Beal wants an even more dependable guard next to him than Monte Morris, Conley would make some sense in Washington. At minimum, the Wizards certainly have enough pieces to consolidate. I still don't know what to make of their forward room.</li>
<li>In light of the Lonzo Ball injury news, I can definitely see the use for a table-setter in Chicago. The Bulls may be content with Goran Dragic filling that void; beyond that, I'm not sure they could make the money work without getting ride of a core piece.</li>
<li>The Clippers would've been a fun team in here before <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-offseason-news-rumors-examining-john-wall-fit-with-los-angeles-clippers-houston-rockets-buyout-paul-george-kawhi-leonard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the John Wall signing</a>. I guess they could still be a dark horse if things don't work out, but I wouldn't bet on it.</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan analyzes the trade market for Jazz guard Mike Conley and which teams the veteran point guard could fit with.

Examining potential destinations for Mike Conley

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, it was a foregone conclusion Zach LaVine would eventually re-sign with the Chicago Bulls on a max contract. However, over the last month or so, there&rsquo;s been buzz about LaVine potentially taking his talents elsewhere.
Does it actually make sense for LaVine to leave the Bulls, an infrastructure well built to accentuate his strengths? If LaVine bolts the Windy City for greener pastures, the fit, not market size, should be of the upmost importance.
The market will be robust for LaVine as an upcoming unrestricted free agent, slotted at No. 1 overall on BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free Agent Rankings</a> page. LaVine joining a contender would instantly vault its status amongst the Association&rsquo;s elite.
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Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and try to figure out the best logical fits for LaVine away from Chicago via sign-and-trade.
Miami Heat
Bulls receive: Tyler Herro, PJ Tucker
Heat receive: Zach LaVine
Pacers receive: Duncan Robinson, 2023 first-round pick via Heat (lottery protected)
Miami&rsquo;s dire need for another aggressive scorer to pair alongside Jimmy Butler was showcased on the biggest possible stage. The usage on Butler&rsquo;s plate is simply too much, and Kyle Lowry has proven to taken a step back on the offensive end as well.
LaVine alongside Butler, Lowry and Bam Adebayo would be a dream scenario to unfold for the Heat. This offseason feels like the perfect time to make that all-in move with this core, especially with future draft picks available in deals.
Herro is the crown jewel of this deal for the Bulls, so it all depends how they view him. Tucker going back to Chicago also adds even more toughness on the defensive end with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
For contenders, pulling off a sign-and-trade to acquire LaVine is a little tricky. A third team would need to be involved to make salaries work; in this instance, that franchise takes on the bloated salary of Robinson and is rewarded with draft compensation for its participation. Look for teams with cap space that are rebuilding (Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, etc.) as potential dance partners under any sign-and-trade involving LaVine to a Finals contender.
Projected Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Zach LaVine, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo
Atlanta Hawks
Bulls receive: Kevin Huerter, Onyeka Okongwu
Hawks receive: Zach LaVine
Pacers receive: Danilo Gallinari, 2023 first-round pick via Hawks (lottery protected)
Could you imagine the fireworks on the scoreboard with Trae Young and LaVine sharing a backcourt? That&rsquo;s more than worth the price of admission for Hawks games, and it helps elevate their core to being a legitimate contender immediately. LaVine and Young being flanked by endless amounts of defensive versatility and length is a recipe for success.
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What makes the Hawks&rsquo; sign-and-trade more realistic is Gallinari&rsquo;s contract, which only has $5 million guaranteed. Atlanta would surely cooperate for draft compensation in order to bring LaVine aboard.
Chicago receives a promising three-level scorer in Huerter, plus a much-needed rim protector with Okongwu. This feels like a strong return for the Bulls under this scenario.
For Atlanta to make this work, a third team has to get involved that can absorb Gallinari's $21 million salary. Luckily, again, only $5 million is guaranteed, so the third team can easily get off his contract. The Pacers are mentioned here once more because I expect them to operate in a Thunder-like manner this offseason, as they really kick off their full-scale rebuild. Expect to see Indiana take on contracts for future draft capital, which would help project the rebuild timeline more clearly.
Projected Starting Lineup: Trae Young, Zach LaVine, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, John Collins, Clint Capela
Dallas Mavericks
Bulls receive: Jalen Brunson, Josh Green
Mavericks receive: Zach LaVine
Trail Blazers receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., 2025 first-round pick via Dallas (top-8 protected)
Luka Doncic needs help in Dallas for championships to be a realistic aspiration. Doncic is already one of the best players in the league at 23 years old, but how will the Mavericks further construct the roster around him? If Dallas is indeed going to make a splash, going for LaVine compared to a big man like Rudy Gobert is the smarter play. Doncic and LaVine would be a deadly backcourt duo that could go toe-to-toe with any team in a more perimeter-oriented NBA.
The Bulls receiving Brunson back in a double sign-and-trade would be a huge win, allowing his game to further blossom alongside an elite wing scorer like DeMar DeRozan. Brunson helps keep Chicago afloat in the Eastern Conference, while also presenting an enticing long-term piece to its core.
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While Brunson would need to sign off on this, as would LaVine, I think he would gladly pursue this idea. Operating as the No. 2 scoring option alongside DeRozan, Brunson will be able to further blossom his all-around game for a win-now contender in the East. Adding Brunson alongside Ball and Caruso also takes playmaking pressure off Brunson, which allows him to continue mismatch hunting in 1-on-1 situations.
If the Bulls are on track to lose LaVine, finding an even more motivated Brunson as the return compensation is a massive win for them.
The third team getting involved to take on Hardaway's remaining salary is Portland, who needs to find any sort of scoring help it can alongside Lillard. Hardaway certainly wouldn't be a splashy transaction for the Blazers, but his added offensive punch in the starting unit or off the bench would be a welcome sight. Trying to find a taker for THJ will be tough, so offering a future lightly protected first-round pick probably is the going cost.
Projected Starting Lineup: Luka Doncic, Zach LaVine, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber?
San Antonio Spurs
We&rsquo;ve now reached the portion where a team can outright sign LaVine without having to maneuver a sign-and-trade. How ironic would it be for LaVine to go join DeRozan&rsquo;s former team alongside fellow Pacific Northwest resident Dejounte Murray? That&rsquo;s a very strong complementary backcourt, but is it enough in the Western Conference to make a serious jump forward? We all know Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich would be all aboard a win-now idea at this stage of his career as well.
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For the Spurs, they need to find that final piece to an already intriguing core. Murray and LaVine leading the Spurs' youth movement forward towards realistic playoff contention each year would be a much-needed step forward. LaVine's arrival would take ample pressure off Murray, plus the latter's defensive presence helps further optimize the former.
Projected Starting Lineup: Dejounte Murray, Zach LaVine, Josh Richardson, Keldon Johnson, Jakob Poeltl
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland could be under new ownership, and the frontrunners as of Thursday indicate it could be a huge win for the organization. Nike founder Phil Knight and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Alan Smolinisky are leading the charge, so we&rsquo;ll see if that occurs soon.
On the court, Damian Lillard would love having a player like LaVine. A modern three-guard starting unit consisting of Lillard, LaVine and Anfernee Simons would simply be unfair trying to contain for all 48 minutes.
The Blazers would still need to make more roster moves &mdash; maybe <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-4-hypothetical-trades-for-the-blazers-firstround-draft-pick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipping off their No. 7 overall pick for Detroit Pistons wing Jerami Grant</a> &mdash; but adding LaVine would signal they&rsquo;re finally ready to go for it. In order to keep Lillard around past next season, making an all-in move for LaVine wouldn&rsquo;t be surprising one bit.
Let's say Portland pulls the trigger for an aggressive draft-night move involving Grant or Raptors wing OG Anunoby. If that occurs, it's the Blazers signaling to the NBA that they're ready to have a very aggressive offseason. Retooling on the fly and forming a deadly backcourt combination would quickly put Portland back on the map in the West.
Portland would need to gut their entire roster outside of Lillard and Simons to make an Anunoby/LaVine scenario possible under the salary cap. It's a lot of transactional work, but the end result for the Blazers would be an instant threat to make a deep postseason push with Lillard, LaVine, Simons and Anunoby.
Projected Starting Lineup: Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Zach LaVine, Jerami Grant/OG Anunoby?, Jusuf Nurkic?
Less than a month away from the NBA&rsquo;s legal tampering period opening, LaVine will become one of the hottest commodities available. Unless LaVine believes the Bulls are not real contenders, it would make the most sense for him to return on a new long-term deal. If it gets to the point we&rsquo;ve discussed, the Bulls will be okay extracting heavy amounts of value for a player on the way out.
NBA free agency was expected to be quiet, but, as we all know, the game never sleeps. Anything can happen, and this offseason is shaping up to be another wild one with star movement soon on the horizon once more.
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Zach LaVine enters this offseason as the top NBA free agent. What could LaVine's market look like if he leaves the Bulls?

Examining potential destinations for Zach LaVine

The University of Memphis and its men's basketball coach, Anfernee Hardaway, are facing major allegations, according to The Daily Memphian's Steven Johnson.
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Penny Hardaway, Memphis facing multiple Level I, II charges by the NCAA including a lack of institutional control: <a href="https://t.co/BrkjA8NhOj">https://t.co/BrkjA8NhOj</a>
&mdash; S. Johnson (@StevenMJohnson_) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenMJohnson_/status/1507761225509265419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Memphis and Hardaway are facing at least one Level I and two Level II violations, both of which are considered severe by the NCAA. In total, Memphis faces seven allegations. Many of the allegations against Memphis are associated with the school's recruitment of former number two overall pick James Wiseman.&nbsp;
The school responded by denying the allegations and stating that none of the accusations justify a Level I violation.&nbsp;
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Memphis and its men's head basketball coach Anfernee Hardaway are facing numerous Level I and two Level II violations.

Report: Memphis and head coach Anfernee Hardaway face major allegations

Luka Doncic had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists for his sixth triple-double this season, and the Dallas Mavericks led wire-to-wire in a 132-112 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.
It was Doncic's franchise-leading 42nd career triple double. He's one away from matching Fat Lever for 10th on the NBA all-time list.
&ldquo;Everything starts with Luka Doncic,&rdquo; said Kristaps Porzingis, who had 22 points for the Mavs. "Everything becomes much easier with him on the court.&rdquo;
Jalen Brunson added 20 points and 11 assists for Dallas, which led by as many as 23 points and had seven players finish in double figures.
Anfernee Simons led Portland with 23 points and CJ McCollum added 20.
Both teams were playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Mavericks fell 130-92 to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night &mdash; a loss that stung because Tim Hardaway Jr. fractured a bone in his left foot during the second quarter.
There is no timeline for Hardaway's return, the team said Wednesday. Coach Jason Kidd said that while the team will miss Hardaway, who was averaging 14.2 points off the bench, &ldquo;we've got some guys over there who want to play so this is a good time for them.&rdquo;
The Blazers were coming off a disheartening 109-107 loss to the Timberwolves on Tuesday night, in which Portland led for the better part of three quarters, but ultimately fell short.
&ldquo;Sometimes the schedule can help you or hurt you,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;This time it helped us by having a game where we didn&rsquo;t have to sit around and look at each other after last night's performance.&rdquo;
Doncic's deep 3-pointer put the Mavericks up 30-15 and Dallas held a 40-25 lead after the opening quarter.
The Mavericks stretched the lead to as many as 18 points but the Blazers closed the gap to 65-58 late in the half on Jusuf Nurkic's layup.
Porzingis had 14 points in the first period alone, matching his high for a quarter this season.
&ldquo;We just wanted to make sure we were the ones to come out and punch, and that&rsquo;s what we did early on and it kind of set the tone for the rest of the game,&rdquo; Porzingis said.
The Blazers pressured Dallas in the third quarter. Simon's dunk off a lob from McCollum got Portland within 78-74 &mdash; but that was as close as it got. Dallas led 98-81 going into the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;I think guys are fighting and competing hard, whether there&rsquo;s mistakes or not. We&rsquo;re trying to be aggressive. We&rsquo;re trying to figure it out, and we&rsquo;re going to continue do that and play the right way, and live with the results," said Norman Powell, who finished with 19 points for Portland.
The Blazers' defense was hurt by the absences of Nassir Little (shoulder) and Robert Covington (right knee).
&ldquo;We missed them a ton,&rdquo; Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. &ldquo;Got off to such a tough start. You give up 40 points in the first quarter, it's really tough to absorb that type of quarter. But I thought we came back in the second quarter and we got back in it. Just fighting uphill all night.&rdquo;
TIP INS
Mavericks: It was the second of three meetings between the two teams this season. Dallas won the first, 132-117 on Dec. 27.
Trail Blazers: Powell started against the Mavs after his minutes were limited the night before. Powell missed the previous eight games because of COVID-19 protocols and undisclosed personal matters.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Host Indiana on Saturday.
Trail Blazers: Open a four-game road trip on Friday at Houston.

Luka Doncic had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists for his sixth triple-double, and the Mavs led wire-to-wire in a win vs. the Blazers.

Luka Doncic's triple-double helps Mavs down Portland 132-112

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-and-suns-still-sit-at-the-top" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
Golden State and Phoenix split a pair of highly anticipated games last week, while the Bucks and Bulls continue to climb up the rankings.
1. Golden State Warriors (20-4) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
The Warriors were beaten by the Phoenix Suns last Tuesday, but bounced back and beat them in a rematch on Friday. Of note: Steph Curry is currently just 15 three-pointers away from tying Ray Allen as the NBA's all-time leader in made triples. Before embarking on a five-game road trip, the Warriors have one more home game: Wednesday vs. Portland. When asked if Curry could tie/break the record on Wednesday, coach Steve Kerr said it "absolutely" could happen. "He's Steph Curry, so anything's possible." Here's to hoping Kerr and the Warriors let Steph make a real run at the record by allowing him to attempt 25+ treys.
2. Phoenix Suns (20-4) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
Since the week of Halloween, the Suns have lost just once (the aforementioned defeat to the Warriors), compiling an absurd 19-1 record in their past 20 contests. Devin Booker strained his left hamstring in Phoenix's first matchup vs. Golden State and has missed each of his team's past three games.&nbsp;
3. Milwaukee Bucks (16-9) 🔼 Last Week: 4 
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to action on Monday after missing two games due to a sore right calf, and scored 27 points on his 27th birthday to help lead the Bucks to another victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Giannis is the only player in NBA history to tally at least 12,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists before turning 27. It's scary to think he is just now entering the heart of his prime.&nbsp;
4. Chicago Bulls (17-8) 🔼 Last Week: 5
On Monday afternoon, the Bulls learned that the team's leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan, would be forced out of actoin due to the NBA's health and safety protocols. Chicago is also without Alex Caruso, who is expected to miss at least a week due to a strained right hamstring suffered in Saturday's win at Brooklyn. However, the Bulls still found a way to beat the Nuggets on Monday night, notching their fourth consecutive victory. Ayo Dosunmu made his first career start in place of DeRozan and tallied 11 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.
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5. Brooklyn Nets (16-7) 🔽 Last Week: 3
The Nets have beaten up on lesser teams all season, posting a perfect 10-0 record against opponents with sub-.500 records. However, Brooklyn is 0-5 in the five games it has played against the top two teams in the West (Suns, Warriors) and the other two teams in the top three of the Eastern Conference (Bucks, Bulls).
6. Utah Jazz (16-7) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The league announced Monday that Donovan Mitchell <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mitchell-derozan-earn-nba-player-of-the-week-honors-for-nov-29dec-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors</a>. Over three contests, he averaged 33.0 points while shooting 57.1% from the floor &mdash; including 43.3% from downtown, and 93.3% from the charity stripe &mdash; to go along with 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals to lead the Jazz to victories in each.
7. Philadelphia 76ers (13-11) 🔼 Last Week: 10
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🔔 <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoelEmbiid</a> joins Giannis Antetokounmpo and Charles Barkley as the only players in the last 40 years with 40+ points, 15+ rebounds and 5+ assists at least 75% shooting! 43 PTS 15 REB 7 AST 15-20 FGM<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> W <a href="https://t.co/TdvnQTfEtN">pic.twitter.com/TdvnQTfEtN</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1468207421805973507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It took a Herculean effort from Joel Embiid (a season-high 43 points to go along with 15 rebounds and 7 assists), but Philadelphia was able to go on the road and beat the shorthanded Charlotte Hornets on Monday. In the process, the Sixers secured back-to-back wins for the first time in more than a month.
8. Miami Heat (14-11) 🔽 Last Week: 7
On Monday, Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup after missing four games due to a tailbone contusion. Unfortunately, he couldn't finish the contest, as he re-injured his back after a hard fall. Butler "drew contact and got shoved and landed on his tailbone," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. "There could not have been a worst scenario for us to start the game. It is a contact sport. It's an unpredictable thing... But he definitely reaggravated it. You can tell from that point on he was not his usual self. So we'll reevaluate him (Tuesday) and see where we are."
9. ​​Charlotte Hornets (14-12) &harr;️&nbsp;Last Week: 9
Despite missing five players &mdash; including starters Lamelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee, due to NBA health and safety protocols &mdash; the Hornets beat the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and nearly knocked off the Sixers and the second night of a back-to-back Monday. After pouring in 28 points vs. Atlanta, Kelly Oubre Jr. racked up 35 points (on 13 of 24 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, and made six treys in the Hornets' 127-124 overtime loss to the 76ers.
10. Washington Wizards (14-11) 🔽 Last Week: 8
The Wiz exceeded expectations early this season, winning 10 of their first 13 games. However, after falling to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, Washington has lost three in a row and 4 of its last 5. (In fact, the Wizards are just 3-6 in the nine games they've played since Kyle Kuzma made an interesting fashion choice. Could it be the <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1468058584625954818?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">curse of the oversized pink sweater?!?!</a>)
11. Boston Celtics (13-11) 🔼 Last Week: 14
The C's have won 3 of their last 4, but are entering a brutal stretch of their schedule. They play a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers in L.A. on Tuesday and Wednesday, then travel to Phoenix on Friday to wrap up a five-game road trip. Boston then returns home, but has to take on the Bucks and Warriors in the team's first games back in Beantown.&nbsp;
12. Los Angeles Clippers (13-12) &harr;️ Last Week: 12
The Clippers had lost 4 of 5 before beating up on an undermanned Portland Trail Blazers squad Monday night. Encouragingly for Los Angeles, Marcus Morris is healthy and seems to be finding his rhythm. Morris is averaging 19.7 points and 4.3 treys while shooting 56.8% from the floor and 56.5% from downtown over his last three games.&nbsp;
13. Memphis Grizzlies (14-10) 🔼 Last Week: 20
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Dillon Brooks with the slickest of his career high-tying 8 assists, setting up Desmond Bane for the late slam in the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> 5th straight W! <a href="https://t.co/H8waWUWIrr">pic.twitter.com/H8waWUWIrr</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1468060881598619651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Grizz have won five in a row, and I'm not sure what's more impressive: The fact that they've won all five games without Ja Morant (who is sidelined by a left knee injury), or the fact that Memphis has not trailed, even for a second, at any time during this five-game run!
14. Atlanta Hawks (13-12) 🔼 Last Week: 17
The Hawks had lost 3 of 4 and were missing Bogdan Bogdanovic, Cam Reddish and Solomon Hill on Monday, but still found a way to push past the Minnesota Timberwolves. Trae Young scored 29 points despite shooting just 7 of 18 from the floor, as he was able to knock down 11 of his 13 free throws. After averaging 5.3 free-throw attempts per game over the Hawks' first 15 contests this season, Young is now averaging 7.0 attempts over his past 10 games.&nbsp;
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-12) 🔼 Last Week: 18
The Cavs had won four in a row before falling to the Jazz and Bucks in a torturous back-to-back set on Monday and Tuesday. Jarrett Allen has been a beast since returning to action in late November. Over his last eight games, Allen is averaging 22.6 points, 11.8 boards and 1.9 blocks while shooting 73% (!!) from the floor and 78% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
16. Dallas Mavericks (11-11) 🔽 Last Week: 11
The Mavs have lost 4 of their last 5, and 7 of their previous 9 contests. In Saturday's loss to the Grizzlies, they were forced to play without both Luka Doncic (left ankle) and Kristaps Porzingis (left knee contusion). Fortunately for Dallas, Porzingis said he expects to play Tuesday night against Brooklyn, and both Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. (right knee contusion) have been upgraded to probable for Tuesday's matchup vs. the Nets.&nbsp;
17. Los Angeles Lakers (12-12)&nbsp;🔽 Last Week: 16
The Lakers host the Celtics on Tuesday, but then play 5 of their next 6 games on the road. Head coach Frank Vogel did say Monday that Trevor Ariza was able to participate in live-action practice for the first time since he underwent ankle surgery back in October, indicating Ariza's rehab is progressing in the right direction.
18. Denver Nuggets (11-12) 🔽 Last Week: 13
In their last 10 games, the Nuggets are just 2-8, but those defeats certainly can't be pinned on Nikola Jokic. Denver went 0-4 in the four games Jokic missed due to injury, and in the six games he's played in, Joker is averaging 26.0 points, 13.2 rebounds and 7.8 dimes. On Monday, he notched his 60th career triple-double, passing Larry Bird for eighth place on the all-time career list.
19. New York Knicks (11-12) 🔽 Last Week: 15
The 'Bockers have lost three in a row, and for the first time since Tom Thibodeau was hired as head coach, the Knicks have given up more than 110 points in three consecutive defeats. Part of the reason for their struggles of late has been RJ Barrett's nasty shooting slump. Over the last month (13 games), Barrett is shooting 32.9% from the floor (50-of-152), 22.4% from downtown (13-of-58) and 66.7% from the stripe (22-of-33).
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (11-13) 🔼 Last Week: 19
Karl-Anthony Towns (tailbone contusion) returned to the lineup Monday night and chipped in 31 points and 16 rebounds, but KAT couldn't prevent Minnesota from losing its third straight game. The Wolves host the Jazz on Wednesday.&nbsp;
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21. Toronto Raptors (11-13) 🔼 Last Week: 22
The Raps have won two games in a row and are finally showing some improvement on the defensive end. Toronto has held three consecutive opponents below 100 points for the first time all season.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (11-14) 🔽 Last Week: 21 
The Blazers were forced to play without Damian Lillard (abdomen injury), backup point guard Anfernee Simons (sprained right ankle) and CJ McCollum (rib contusion) Monday, and unsurprisingly fell to the Clippers. On Monday morning, The Athletic <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-damian-lillard-wants-to-play-with-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>: "In recent weeks, sources say Lillard has grown frustrated with the team's play and tension appears to be on the rise between the players and Billups."
23. Indiana Pacers (10-16) &harr;️ Last Week: 23
The Pacers secured a desperately needed victory Monday night over the Wizards. Indiana had lost four straight before Domantas Sabonis (30 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals) put the team on his back to lead them past the Wiz. Indy will look to maintain the positive momentum going Wednesday when they host the Knicks. It should be mentioned that the team is also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-moving-to-substantial-rebuild-listening-to-trade-calls-on-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mulling significant long-term changes</a> despite its latest win, per The Athletic.
24. Sacramento Kings (10-14) &harr;️ Last Week: 24
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/TerenceDavisJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TerenceDavisJr</a> had the hot hand in tonight's victory, with a season-high 28 pts (6-11 3PM) 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/nA9qo3Ckq0">pic.twitter.com/nA9qo3Ckq0</a>
&mdash; Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1467386806593146882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Kings beat the Clippers twice last week to improve to 4-3 in seven games under Alvin Gentry, despite playing without Harrison Barnes (right foot sprain) in each of their past five contests. Terence Davis stepped up in the two wins over L.A., tallying a combined total of 51 points on 18 of 30 shooting, including 11 of 20 from behind the arc.&nbsp;
25. San Antonio Spurs (8-14) &harr;️ Last Week: 25
The Spurs had their four-game winning streak snapped by the red-hot Suns on Monday night. San Antonio will look to get back on track on Tuesday when they begin a five-game homestand by hosting the Knicks.
26. Houston Rockets (7-16) 🔼 Last Week: 28
Yes, the league's longest winning streak (six games) belongs to the Rockets, just as we all predicted before Thanksgiving &mdash; when Houston was riding a 15-game losing skid. After four straight wins against teams at least 10 games below .500, the Rockets get a much tougher test this week. They play the East-leading Nets Wednesday and the world-champion Bucks on Friday.
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (7-16) 🔽 Last Week: 26
The Thunder had lost eight straight before overcoming a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Detroit Pistons on the road Monday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for OKC, pouring in 30 points and dishing out a career-high 13 assists, while Luguentz Dort scored 28 points, including five made three-pointers.&nbsp;
28. New Orleans Pelicans (7-19) 🔽 Last Week: 27
The Pels' record is still awful, but it seems they are headed in the right direction. New Orleans is 4-3 over their last seven games, with all four of those victories coming against teams at or above .500. Brandon Ingram was a beast last week, averaging 30.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.0 made treys over a four-game stretch.
29. Orlando Magic (5-20) 🔼 Last Week: 30 
Although Orlando has lost 9 of their last 10 , Wendell Carter Jr. has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-orlando-magic-are-finding-their-front-court-of-the-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued to play well</a>. He's averaging 15.6 points and 11.4 rebounds over the Magic's past seven contests. And, on the season, he's shooting nearly 36% from downtown. Over his first three years in the league, WCJ was 27-for-112 from behind the arc. In 2021-22, he is 35-of-98 from deep.&nbsp;
30. Detroit Pistons (4-19) 🔽 Last Week: 29
The Pistons have lost nine in a row, but after a slow start to the season, Cade Cunningham is establishing himself as a Rookie of the Year favorite. Over Detroit's past three games, Cade is averaging 24.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks and 4.7 made treys while shooting 55.8% from the floor and 60.9% from downtown.&nbsp;

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