Broncos

This season hasn&rsquo;t gone as planned for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Entering the campaign, the Blazers were hoping to be one of the Western Conference&rsquo;s top teams. With new head coach Chauncey Billups and a veteran-laden roster, Portland hoped to continue their eight-year playoff streak and go on a deep run in the postseason. To get an idea of how Portland was perceived last summer, recall that Larry Nance Jr. asked his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to trade him to the Blazers because he wanted to join a contender.
Now, at 27-48, Portland has the 12th-best record in the West. The Blazers currently sport the NBA's 25th-ranked offense (scoring 106.3 points per 100 possessions) and 29th-ranked defense (allowing 113.3 points per 100 possessions). And after trading away vets such as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/after-a-crazy-season-cj-mccollum-is-thriving-with-pelicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CJ McCollum</a>, Norman Powell, Robert Covington, Tony Snell and Nance, Portland seems headed for the NBA draft lottery for the first time since 2013.
Throughout this disappointing season, there has been an undeniable bright spot for the Blazers: Anfernee Simons. The 22-year-old took the next step in his development and proved that he was ready to take on an increased role. His emergence is a big reason why Portland&rsquo;s front office felt comfortable trading away McCollum and Powell prior to the deadline.
Simons averaged 22.0 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 threes and 2.8 rebounds in 30 games as a starter, while shooting 45.2% from the field, 41.5% from three and 87.1% from the free-throw line. This offseason, Simons is poised to hit restricted free agency and get a lucrative payday.
During his first three seasons in the NBA, Simons had just five games with 20 or more points. This season, he did it 19 times despite only playing 57 games. (He&rsquo;s been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to patellar tendinopathy in his left knee).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Anfernee Simons🔥 🐜 In the win vs Trae &amp; the Hawks 43 Points (career-high) 13/21 Shooting 9 Threes (ties career-high) 7 Assists <a href="https://t.co/Wt5uiLzO7J">pic.twitter.com/Wt5uiLzO7J</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1478240059140841473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote>

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On Jan. 3, he had a 43-point, 9-three, 7-assist performance to defeat the Atlanta Hawks. Last month, he helped the Blazers upset the Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies in back-to-back road games, finishing with 31 points and 6 assists in both contests. Portland was 7-1 when Simons scored at least 29 points this season.
&ldquo;They believe in me. They think I'm a great player and I can help them win,&rdquo; Simons <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-anfernee-simons?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjI2MjQ1LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1MDI2MzY0NiwiXyI6IkZsWjNwIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ4NTcyMDMyLCJleHAiOjE2NDg1NzU2MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.dZ6HuN__uKrHVFj7kSlYaP1sSa_nUd8qqOfXCIcfVsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Marc Stein</a>. &ldquo;It's crazy how stuff moves pretty fast in the NBA &mdash; just being prepared when my opportunity was presented and taking full advantage of that. And I think I've been doing that. I gained the organization's trust. For them to make these moves just shows that they believe in me and want me to succeed.&rdquo;
Simons&rsquo; huge strides have him being mentioned as a potential candidate for the Most Improved Player award. If he wins, he would become the fourth Blazer to win Most Improved, joining CJ McCollum (2015-16), Zach Randolph (2003-04) and Kevin Duckworth (1987-88). LaMarcus Aldridge finished as the MIP runner-up twice (in 2007-08 and 2010-11), but he came up short to Hedo Turkoglu and Kevin Love, respectively.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think I put myself in a good position to at least be nominated for it &mdash; to at least be in talks for being Most Improved,&rdquo; Simons <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-anfernee-simons?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjI2MjQ1LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1MDI2MzY0NiwiXyI6IkZsWjNwIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ4NTcyMDMyLCJleHAiOjE2NDg1NzU2MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.dZ6HuN__uKrHVFj7kSlYaP1sSa_nUd8qqOfXCIcfVsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Stein</a>. &ldquo;But I can't control who picks who, so I'm just going to continue to work hard on trying to get better.&rdquo;
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Simons acknowledges that he still has plenty of work to do, and he knows what aspects of his game he wants to hone next.
&ldquo;[I] just want to continue to get better at playmaking &mdash; continue to see the floor better &mdash; and work on finishing around the rim and getting fouled,&rdquo; Simons <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-anfernee-simons?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjI2MjQ1LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1MDI2MzY0NiwiXyI6IkZsWjNwIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ4NTcyMDMyLCJleHAiOjE2NDg1NzU2MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.dZ6HuN__uKrHVFj7kSlYaP1sSa_nUd8qqOfXCIcfVsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Stein</a>. &ldquo;A lot of the great players know different ways to draw fouls.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;ll be interesting to see how Coach Billups utilizes Simon and Damian Lillard together next season. This season, Simons didn&rsquo;t move into Portland&rsquo;s starting lineup until Lillard was sidelined due to an abdominal injury that required surgery. In the 27 games in which they both suited up, Simons came off of the bench and his role was limited, averaging 12.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists. How will they fare when both players are in the starting lineup?
"I think we complement each other well&hellip; We're gonna be a hard backcourt to navigate and guard because we're both threats in the pick-and-roll, making plays and scoring the ball,&rdquo; Simons <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-anfernee-simons?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjI2MjQ1LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1MDI2MzY0NiwiXyI6IkZsWjNwIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ4NTcyMDMyLCJleHAiOjE2NDg1NzU2MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.dZ6HuN__uKrHVFj7kSlYaP1sSa_nUd8qqOfXCIcfVsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Stein</a>. &ldquo;Teams are going to have to choose who they want to blitz.&rdquo;
Lillard is nearly a decade older than Simons and he has emerged as the young guard&rsquo;s mentor in recent years. Simons has learned a ton from watching Lillard &mdash; on and off the court. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &ldquo;I've been watching him my whole career, so I've picked up on things he does. He's probably one of the most humble dudes I've ever met &mdash; especially with the success that he's had,&rdquo; Simons <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/a-conversation-with-anfernee-simons?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjI2MjQ1LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1MDI2MzY0NiwiXyI6IkZsWjNwIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ4NTcyMDMyLCJleHAiOjE2NDg1NzU2MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.dZ6HuN__uKrHVFj7kSlYaP1sSa_nUd8qqOfXCIcfVsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Stein</a>. &ldquo;He walks around like he's a normal person. Each and every day he's always giving people confidence and encouraging people. Just to see that firsthand and see how he works and what he puts into being who he is, it's amazing to see. He's my vet. He's been helping me my whole career and I'm very grateful to have him as a teammate.&rdquo;
While Blazers fans would love to forget this frustrating season, at least some good came out of this campaign, with Simons beginning his ascent to stardom and putting the league on notice.
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Anfernee Simons has been an undeniable bright spot for the Portland Trail Blazers this season.

Blazers' Anfernee Simons seems poised for stardom

Damian Lillard&rsquo;s defiance has made him a social-media punching bag, as his Portland Trail Blazers are dissolving around him and looking like a completely different team.
Lillard hasn&rsquo;t played since New Year&rsquo;s Eve, and as he recovers from abdominal surgery, he watched his team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal Norman Powell and Robert Covington</a> to the Los Angeles Clippers while the best player coming back is Eric Bledsoe. Keon Johnsn was also included in the trade and while Portland hopes he pops off, he's only 19 years old, so who knows how soon he can make an impact? The Blazers also received a 2025 second-round pick &ndash; the year Lillard turns 35.
Then, on Tuesday, Lillard watched his Blazers acquire Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky and draft picks in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell, and the reason we&rsquo;re gathered here today: CJ McCollum.
#Narratives are already in motion. The jokes have been flying on social media about how people are, in hindsight, underwhelmed by the run that Lillard and McCollum had. But before we stomp on their Basketball-Reference pages and laugh in their comments about &ldquo;not having won anything,&rdquo; we should offer a massive amount of respect for what they accomplished in Portland.
You&rsquo;ve probably seen the photo of a 5-foot-2 McCollum as a freshman in high school, but even that symbolizes so much here.
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CJ McCollum was really 5&rsquo;2&rdquo; playing Varsity basketball as a freshman lol <a href="https://t.co/ukPiVyOUYC">pic.twitter.com/ukPiVyOUYC</a>
&mdash; Nothing Matter3D (@HiDefDee) <a href="https://twitter.com/HiDefDee/status/1376562700440965131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The parallels Lillard and McCollum maintained were astounding; they were the reason the backcourt became divisive among NBA consumers &mdash; with some loving them and thinking that the Blazers could build a contender around them, while others refused to believe that a pair of 6-foot-3 scoring machines could lead a team to a title, even in this guard-friendly era.
These things need to be delivered out loud and thoroughly processed.
Lillard went to Weber State, and McCollum went to Lehigh. Both played in mid-major conferences, and they are two of the better mid-major players we&rsquo;ve seen this century. But really, the Big Sky and Patriot League are closer to the bottom of the NCAA&rsquo;s Division I conference rankings; take it from a Northeast Conference alum.
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Lillard was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012; the only Weber State player drafted in the first round, period. McCollum was taken No. 10 overall the following year and is <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.fcgi?college=lehigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still the only Lehigh player to be selected in an NBA Draft</a>. One of the first things that people noted when Lillard got drafted was that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXXXDlzv0-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he never played against a top-25 team while in college</a>. And Bill Simmons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJBwqmwfQbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">couldn&rsquo;t believe a Patriot Leaguer was selected</a> in the top-10 in 2013.
Suddenly, we looked up and Lillard was the NBA's Rookie of the Year, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2013.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving every single first-place vote</a> over perennial favorite Anthony Davis, who won a gold medal with Team USA during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.&nbsp;And then, in 2013-14, Portland was in the playoffs, where they&rsquo;ve been every year since Lillard and McCollum became teammates &ndash; the longest active streak in the NBA. Even then, McCollum didn&rsquo;t have his coming out party until 2015-16, when he immediately filled an All-Star sized scoring role vacated by LaMarcus Aldridge (who left for San Antonio) and won the NBA's Most Improved Player award.
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They played similarly and complemented each other exceptionally. Lillard and McCollum would each produce 20 points a night, occasionally going off for 30 each, and in a brutal Western Conference, return to playoffs no matter what was around them. And then they&rsquo;d lose, which led some to dismiss them.
In 2015, it was a five-game gentlemen&rsquo;s sweep as a No. 4 seed against the Grit N&rsquo; Grind Memphis Grizzlies, who went up 2-1 on the Golden State Warriors in the semifinals before losing to the eventual champions. In 2018, as a No. 3 seed, it was that memorable sweep against the same Pelicans that McCollum now joins, who were the sixth seed.
Then, in 2019, we finally saw a breakthrough: a run to the Western Conference Finals. Thanks to a legendary 37-point performance from McCollum in Game 7 of the semifinals, the Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets on the road &ndash; still CJ's paramount performance to date. Portland met up with the Warriors in the Conference Finals, and Golden State ultimately swept them (even though they were missing Kevin Durant, who was out due to a calf strain).
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The Blazers followed up that Conference-Finals appearance with consecutive first-round exits. With that said, Portland's failures can't be blamed on Lillard and McCollum alone.
Their fellow starters and key teammates include Al-Farouq Aminu, Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh, Jusuf Nurkić, Evan Turner, Mo Harkless, Jake Layman, Zach Collins, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Hassan Whiteside and Norman Powell. Despite having one of the best backcourts we&rsquo;ve seen in generations, the Blazers could never figure out how to properly surround them with talent. (And honestly, doing is probably harder in the real world than we realize).
But in spite of their nitpickable shortcomings, their rigorous conference, their identical 6-foot-3 statures, their style of play and the lack of an ideal supporting cast, Lillard and McCollum co-engineered (along with Aldridge the first two years) the NBA&rsquo;s longest playoff streak. And they did so defiantly, as underrecruited long-time college players who stunned scouts by becoming top-10 picks and high-end NBA talents.
They led five 50-plus-win teams and two No. 3 seeds out West. Lillard is a <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-76 NBA player ever</a>, and McCollum is one of the best active NBA players to never make an All-Star team (and he probably would've made multiple appearances had he been in the Eastern Conference instead).
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People have been trying to separate this duo for years via trade machines, NBA 2K, forums, social-media posts, comments under those posts, text threads, direct messages, barbershop debates, radio call-ins, post-sex conversations, you name it. Finally, that day is here, and the circumstances suck.
Lillard <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/damian-lillard-loyalty-over-everything" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continually preached loyalty and wanting to win the hard way</a>. McCollum <a href="https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/2021/2/3/22263991/brooklyn-bliss-draymonds-dip-and-cj-mccollum-stops-by" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked us to stop putting him in trade rumors</a>.
The parallels between the two are why many loved them, and the parallels proved to be their demise. But dammit, they accomplished a lot. We could say that they were ultimately underwhelmed by their surroundings, but let&rsquo;s also acknowledge how hard this damn thing is. You can&rsquo;t take playoff streaks for granted &ndash; look at what the Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings are doing this week in hopes of ending their postseason droughts.
This could&rsquo;ve had a happy ending, and it still might, but it doesn&rsquo;t appear that it&rsquo;ll be with Lillard and McCollum together. They didn&rsquo;t fail, and they probably didn&rsquo;t live up to your (or their own) expectations, but that&rsquo;s usually how our experiences on Earth go. Regularly, even if we don&rsquo;t want to admit it, that&rsquo;s OK, because more often than we acknowledge, that&rsquo;s life.

Bryan Fonseca looks back on what Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum accomplished together with the Portland Trail Blazers.

End of an era: Saluting the defiance of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

The San Antonio Spurs have not housed an All-Star since the <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/all_star.html">2018-19 season</a> when LaMarcus Aldridge earned his seventh and final nomination. In fact, entering this season, the Spurs were the only NBA team in the league without a single former All-Star on their roster.&nbsp;
This three-year drought could finally be coming to a close, however, thanks to the spectacular play of one Dejounte Murray. While other breakout star guards like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/at-a-certain-point-well-have-to-mention-ja-morant-in-the-mvp-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ja Morant</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-all-star-case-fred-vanvleet-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fred VanVleet</a>, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/darius-garland-is-making-the-allstar-leap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Darius Garland</a> have all become social media darlings (rightfully so), Murray&rsquo;s career year seems to be slipping under the radar. But I&rsquo;m here to tell you: Dejounte Murray deserves your attention, and the case for his first-ever All-Star nomination may be stronger than you think.
Playmaking
To be clear, I&rsquo;m talking about Murray's knack for <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/04/06/evaluating-nba-perimeter-defense-establishing-and-using-a-rubric/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">event creation</a> on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;
On offense, I&rsquo;ll be the first to tell you he&rsquo;s a clear notch below the elite shot-composers. He doesn&rsquo;t get many layup assists (<a href="https://backpicks.com/2022-players/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">-1 relative layup assist percentage</a>). He&rsquo;s late on, or outright misses, some lay-down passes. And during my entire film study (roughly 750 possessions), I&rsquo;ve yet to witness him attempt a single skip pass.
However, the beauty of Murray&rsquo;s game is that he&rsquo;s well aware of his shortfalls as an offensive playmaker, and to compensate, he&rsquo;s mastered two very important passes.
The pocket pass.
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And the kick-out to a three-point shooter.&nbsp;
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As is the case with all great offensive initiators, Murray&rsquo;s facilitation abilities augment the rest of his teammates. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Spurs as a team experience a 4% increase in <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/2630/onoff#tab-team_shooting_fg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Effective Field Goal percentage</a> (93rd percentile) when Murray&rsquo;s on the floor, despite he himself being a below-average shooter efficiency-wise.
Additionally, his discipline as a passer beams out in his sub-10% turnover rate (84th percentile), which is a major reason why the Spurs rank&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 1 in the league</a> in that category (one of Dean Oliver&rsquo;s famous <a href="https://squared2020.com/2017/09/05/introduction-to-olivers-four-factors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Factors</a>).
Normally, I&rsquo;m partial to high-turnover passers who take risks to bend defenses. But in this case, I think Murray&rsquo;s ability to provide a steadying presence to a young team has been crucial to San Antonio's offense not folding in itself this season.
Defense
Defensively, Murray&rsquo;s creation is more of the chaos-inducing variety. He&rsquo;s in the 89th percentile in steal percentage (fourth year in a row that he&rsquo;s in the 80th percentile or higher), and it&rsquo;s because he does a great job of deploying his pterodactyl-like wingspan to nuke possessions &mdash; both on and off the ball.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Daniel Bratulić (great Twitter follow, by the way) charted &ldquo;On-ball steals per Game&rdquo; and &ldquo;Passes Intercepted Per Game&rdquo; for the best thieves in basketball, and what do you know? Murray excels in both manners of hardwood robbery.&nbsp;
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Here is a breakdown of how top stealers in the game get their steals. Some are better at pickpocketing the ball handlers (Thybulle, CP3), some are better while playing off the ball (OG, Haliburton) and some excel at both (Murray, Ball, Caruso, Smart, Butler) <a href="https://t.co/J4Bx58nxWY">pic.twitter.com/J4Bx58nxWY</a>
&mdash; Daniel Bratulić (@daniel_bratulic) <a href="https://twitter.com/daniel_bratulic/status/1484245391742844932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Other than the diversity of his pickpocketing portfolio (admit it, that&rsquo;s fun to say), one thing you probably noticed is that many of his pilfers result in &ldquo;pick-sixes,&rdquo; which... transitions.... us perfectly into the next portion of his All-Star argument.
Transition
The reason Murray's playmaking on defense is so valuable isn&rsquo;t solely because it helps end the opposing team&rsquo;s offensive possessions prematurely. It also ignites the most efficient form of offense in the game: the fastbreak.&nbsp;
This season, Murray is averaging 1.27 points per possession (79th percentile) on nearly three transition possessions per game. (For some context, that efficiency is on-par with one of the game&rsquo;s most explosive players in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling">Anthony Edwards</a>.)
Murray&rsquo;s fastbreak ferocity isn&rsquo;t limited to plays off of steals. He&rsquo;s prone to hit turbo after defensive possessions that result in him corralling a rebound (7.5 defensive boards per 75 possessions).
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The Spurs as a team are scoring nearly three more points in transition per 100 possessions with Murray on the floor (94th percentile). Overall, San Antonio ranks in the top-10 in the league in points per possession on transition plays &mdash; in large part thanks to Murray&rsquo;s stewardship in this department.
Mid-Range Game
While the <a href="https://youtu.be/59epmjId_z0">Mid-Range King</a> left the Lone Star State this past offseason, it appears a worthy heir has risen to take his place on the throne. So far this year, Murray is shooting more mid-range shots per game than he ever has, all while maintaining efficiency similar to his previous seasons:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 324px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
Year
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
Attempts Per Game*
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
Shooting Percentage*
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2017-18
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
1.2
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
42%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2018-19
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
3.5
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
36%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2019-20
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
4.7
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
44%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2020-21
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
8.1
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
44%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2021-22
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
9.4
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
42%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Data provided by Cleaning the Glass
As last year&rsquo;s playoffs taught us, in a world where everyone is trying to stop threes and layups, having someone who can burn defenses with the middie is a useful trump card to have in your back pocket.&nbsp;
Murray&rsquo;s proficiency from no man&rsquo;s land also opens up driving lanes for him. As someone who runs a ton of pick and rolls (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/ball-handler/#!?sort=POSS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of seven players who runs at least 10 per game</a>), big men could theoretically sink into a drop against him because of his poor three-point shooting. However, because of his gravity in the mid-range, defenders often have to come up on the level of the screen, which gives him a chance to maneuver himself right past them.
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Murray is currently averaging a career-high 65% on shots at the rim (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/2630#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">82nd percentile</a>) while also averaging more drives per game than he has for his entire career. The massive attacking volume (No. 6 in the NBA in drives per game) that his mid-range shooting enables him to carry makes him the kind of offensive player a team can lean on in the postseason (see Donovan Mitchell). Those types of players generally warrant serious All-Star consideration.
Conclusion
The other day, Andy Bailey put out a tweet ranking NBA players based on their average rankings in 10 catch-all metrics:&nbsp;
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If you sort every NBA player with 400+ minutes by the AVERAGE OF THEIR RANKS in 10 catch-alls (Box Plus/Minus, RAPTOR, Estimated Plus-Minus, LEBRON and Game Score per 36 minutes, as well as the cumulative versions of each), this is the top 30... <a href="https://t.co/Og4CguGtk3">pic.twitter.com/Og4CguGtk3</a>
&mdash; Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewDBailey/status/1485349610516213761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Murray had the 16th-highest average score in the league, which by that measure would not only make him an All-Star caliber player, but a solid contender for an All-NBA spot this season.&nbsp;
Now, I&rsquo;m by no means saying that Murray definitely deserves to be an All-Star (nor that he should be in the discussion for All-NBA); Murray certainly has his flaws as a candidate &mdash; poor foul-drawing rates, below-average efficiency and questionable rebounding value (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-rebounding/?CF=GP*GE*25&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DREB_CONTEST_PCT&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor contested defensive rebounding rates</a>). Plus, there has just been too much great guard play this season to the point where somebody has to be left on the outside looking in.
All I&rsquo;m saying is, when you factor in his high placement in widely-cited, catch-all metrics with the arguments I&rsquo;ve laid out for you here, Dejounte Murray&rsquo;s got a case for All-Star consideration.
And you know what, it&rsquo;s a pretty darn good one.
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Mat Issa lays out his reasoning as to why Dejounte Murray should legitimately be considered to play in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.

Making the NBA All-Star case for Dejounte Murray

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-jazz-jump-up-into-top-tier-grizz-and-cavs-climb-into-the-top-8-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Phoenix Suns finally push past the Golden State Warriors to grab the top spot in the Basketball News Power Rankings for the first time this season, while the Cleveland Cavaliers climb into the top five.&nbsp;
1. Phoenix Suns (24-5) ⬆️ Last Week: 2
The Suns have posted a ridiculous 23-2 record over their last 25 games. And Phoenix welcomed back leading-scorer Devin Booker, who hadn't played in almost three weeks after injuring his hamstring in late November, in their 137-106 thrashing of the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night. The Suns have also gotten tremendous production from sharpshooter Cam Johnson this month. He's averaging 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 made triples (while shooting better than 44% from downtown) over his past nine contests.&nbsp;
2. Golden State Warriors (25-6) ⬇️ Last Week: 1
Golden State played without Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole (both are in health and safety protocols) but was still able to beat the Sacramento Kings by 15 points on Monday night, as they improved to a league-best 15-2 at home. Draymond Green led the way for the Warriors, racking up 16 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 2&nbsp; blocks and 2 steals. It was Green's 31st triple-double of his career. Remarkably, Golden State has won 30 of the 31 games in which Green has recorded a triple-double.&nbsp;
3. Brooklyn Nets (21-9) ⬆️ Last Week: 4
The Nets made headlines last week when they announced that All-Star guard Kyrie Irving would be welcomed back to Brooklyn. Although Irving remains unvaccinated, which will prevent him from playing in home games due to New York City's vaccine mandates, Kyrie will be able to practice with the team and play in road games (except for the matchups with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden and the Toronto Raptors up north). The Nets roster has been decimated by COVID-19 of late, with 10 players, in addition to several staff members, in health and safety protocols.
4. Utah Jazz (21-9) ⬇️ Last Week: 3
Not only is Rudy Gobert dominating the paint per usual (averaging 15.4 points and 15.0 rebounds this season) while also leading the league in FG% (72.3%). He's also shooting a career-high 69.3% from the free-throw stripe thanks to a revamped shooting stroke. His complete skill set was on display in Monday's victory over the Hornets, as Gobert racked up 23 points and 21 rebounds while knocking down a career-high 15 free throws on 16 attempts.&nbsp;
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-12) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The NBA announced Sunday that a total of five games involving nine teams would be postponed in response to COVID-19 outbreaks impacting several squads. One of the postponed contests was the Cleveland-Atlanta game scheduled for Sunday night after the Cavs, who have won six in a row, announced that five players entered protocols earlier that day. According to The Associated Press, all five Cavs &mdash; Jarrett Allen, Lamar Stevens, Dylan Windler, Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard &mdash; tested positive for COVID-19.
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6. Milwaukee Bucks (19-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 5
The Bucks, forced to play without both Giannis Antetokounmpo (health and safety) and Khris Middleton ((left knee hyperextension), have lost two in a row. They look to get back on track Wednesday vs. the Houston Rockets, and it sounds like there is a good chance Middleton will be cleared to return to action.&nbsp;
7. Chicago Bulls (19-10) ⬇️ Last Week: 6
The Bulls took plenty of heat for signing DeMar DeRozan to a three-year, $85 million contract last offseason, but the early returns have been exceedingly positive. Not only is DeRozan averaging a team-high 26.8 points, but he's also scoring them when Chicago needs them most. DeMar is averaging a league-best 8.0 points per game in the fourth quarter of games this season. He is shooting a scorching 54.2% from the floor, 45.5% from downtown and 91.2% from the free-throw line in the final frame.&nbsp;
8. Miami Heat (18-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
The shorthanded Heat have won 2 of their last 3, thanks partly to a very unexpected lift from Max Strus, who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-max-strus-on-heats-nextman-up-mentality-building-confidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke to our Spencer Davies at the beginning of last week</a>. The unheralded third-year pro exploded for a career-high 32 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 8 treys in a win over the Orlando Magic on Friday. He followed that up with 24 more points and four more triples on Sunday.
9. Memphis Grizzlies (19-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
The Grizzlies surprisingly posted a 10-2 record in 12 games Ja Morant missed due to a sprained left knee. The star point guard returned to action Monday night and played well, tallying 16 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds in less than 30 minutes. However, after the game, Morant told reporters that some fans told him he should sit back out. He acknowledged that "the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ja-morant-hurt-by-fans-telling-him-to-sit-back-out-as-grizz-fall-to-thunder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remarks from the fans actually hurt</a>," but Ja added, "I'm going to do what I normally do and bounce back and I'm very excited for this next game."
10. Philadelphia 76ers (16-15) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🔥Joel Embiid with a HUGE GAME in the <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sixers</a> win! 41 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 4 BLK, 2 STL <a href="https://t.co/r471bTMV01">pic.twitter.com/r471bTMV01</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1473141177650237441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Joel Embiid put Philadelphia on his back Monday night and carried them to a 108-103 victory over the Boston Celtics. Embiid tallied 41 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals. The much-needed win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Sixers.&nbsp;
11. Denver Nuggets (15-14) ⬆️ Last Week: 16
He seems to be running a distant third behind KD and Steph in the MVP race according to some fans and TV pundits, but you could make a very strong argument that Nikola Jokic is on pace to bring home another MVP award. How valuable is he to Denver's success? The Nuggets are 11-4 when Jokic scores 25 or more points this season. They are 2-6 when he scores fewer than 20 points or does not play. Over the nine games Denver has played this month, Joker is averaging 26.4 points, 13.1 rebounds and 9.2 (!!) assists a night. Yes, he's dishing out more dimes than Chris Paul or Trae Young. Crazy.&nbsp;
12. Los Angeles Clippers (16-15) ⬇️ Last Week: 10
Paul George returned to action on Monday night after missing the previous five games with a sprained right elbow. PG-13 poured in 25 points, but it wasn't enough, as the Clippers were whipped by the Spurs, 116-92. It was L.A.'s third consecutive defeat.&nbsp;
13. Los Angeles Lakers (16-15) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
Anthony Davis sprained his left knee on Friday, and we learned over the weekend that he'll likely miss four weeks of action. The Lakers are just one game over .500, and that's with LeBron James playing at a very high level and logging a ton of minutes. King James will have to carry the team on his back for the next month to keep L.A. afloat. We know the Lakers will be buyers at the deadline, so it'll be interesting to see if they try to make a move sooner rather than later.&nbsp;
14. Charlotte Hornets (16-17) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Hornets are in the midst of an exhausting six-game road trip and have lost 4 of their first 5 on this current West Coast excursion. Charlotte plays just once more this week (the final game of the trip is Thursday in Denver) before heading home to take on the Rockets next Monday.&nbsp;
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (15-15) ⬆️ Last Week: 20
The Wolves have won four in a row despite playing without Anthony Edwards, Josh Okogie, and Taurean Prince. And on Monday, Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt entered the NBA's health and safety protocols as well. Unsurprisingly, Karl-Anthony Towns has been doing the heavy lifting for Minny. Kat is averaging 26.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 triples during this four-game streak.&nbsp;
16. Washington Wizards (16-15) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
After scoring more than 30 points just twice over the first eight weeks of the season, Bradley Beal may finally be heating up. Over the three games the Wiz played last week, Beal averaged 31.0 points and 5.7 assists while shooting above 56% from the field and 42.9% from three-point territory.&nbsp;
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17. Boston Celtics (15-16) ⬇️ Last Week: 15
The C's have yet to win consecutive games this month, but it should be noted that they have played the league's most demanding schedule in December. Of the 12 games on Boston's calendar from Dec. 1 through Christmas Day, 10 of their 12 opponents have winning records. The Celtics take on the Cavs and Bucks later this week.&nbsp;
18. Dallas Mavericks (14-15) ⬇️ Last Week: 17
Kristaps Porzingis has been playing well of late, but exited Sunday's game with what the team called "right foot soreness." Luka Doncic is dealing with left ankle soreness and will miss his fifth straight game Tuesday vs. Minnesota.
19. Toronto Raptors (14-15) &harr;️ Last Week: 19
Fred VanVleet, Malachi Flynn, Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa all entered the league's COVID protocols on Tuesday, bringing the total number of Raptors in health and safety protocols to seven. As of Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday's game vs. the Bulls has yet to be postponed.&nbsp;
20. Atlanta Hawks (14-15) ⬇️ Last Week: 18
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Stay safe🙄🤦🏽&zwj;♂️🤷🏽&zwj;♂️😷 <a href="https://t.co/0cBfsg0CaW">pic.twitter.com/0cBfsg0CaW</a>
&mdash; Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTraeYoung/status/1472601570579779592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Hawks haven't won consecutive games since late November and are just 3-6 over their last nine contests. Because Sunday's game vs. Cleveland was postponed, Atlanta will have four full days off between their last game (a loss last Friday to Denver) and their next matchup Wednesday vs. Orlando. However, the team announced over the weekend that Trae Young had entered health and safety protocols, which will likely sideline him through the Hawks' Christmas Day showdown with the Knicks at MSG. On Tuesday, Clint Capela and Danilo Gallinari joined Young.
21. Indiana Pacers (13-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 21
After a very slow start to the season, it appears the Pacers are finally headed in the right direction. Indy has won 4 of the last 6 games, and the two losses during this recent stretch were to Golden State and Milwaukee. The team's success has coincided with an uptick in Caris LeVert's performance. He's averaging 21.9 points and 4.3 assists over his last seven appearances.
22. New York Knicks (13-17) &harr;️ Last Week: 22
Like many teams, the Knicks have been hit hard by COVID-19. What makes New York's recent run of back luck so frustrating for fans is that the team's young players seem to be sidelined following breakout performances. After Obi Topping scored a career-high 19 vs. the Raptors, he entered health and safety protocols the next day. Two days after Quentin Grimes poured in a franchise-record 27 points in his first career start, he was sidelined. Miles "Deuce" McBride stepped in and stepped up (15 points, 9 assists, zero turnovers) last Thursday in a win over the Rockets, and was forced into healthy protocols the following afternoon.
23. Portland Trail Blazers (13-18) ⬆️ Last Week: 24
The Blazers have won two in a row after snapping a disastrous seven-game losing skid late last week. They have another winnable game Tuesday when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans on the road. Dame Lillard is averaging over 30 points a night since returning from an abdominal injury on Dec. 12.&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (13-19) ⬆️ Last Week: 26 
With De'Aaron Fox (health and safety protocols) sidelined, Tyrese Haliburton has been a beast for the Kings. In the three games Fox has missed, Haliburton is averaging 24.0 points, 10.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 treys while shooting 54.7% from the floor, 57.1% from downtown and 85.7% from the charity stripe.&nbsp;
25. San Antonio Spurs (12-18) ⬇️ Last Week: 23
Dejounte Murray remained red-hot in Monday's win over the Clippers, tallying 24 points, 12 rebounds, 13 assists and 4 steals in 31 minutes. It was his third triple-double in five games, and his sixth this season. Murray is averaging 17.0 points, 10.4 assists, 9.6 boards and 2.2 thefts of the Spurs past five contests.
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26. Oklahoma City Thunder (10-19) ⬆️ Last Week: 27
After ripping down a career-high 18 rebounds to go along with 10 assists and 8 points against the Clippers on Saturday, Josh Giddey put up 19 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds in Monday's victory over the Grizzlies. Those are remarkable numbers in back-to-back games for a 19-year-old rookie. Over OKC's last seven games, he's averaging more than seven dimes and seven boards.&nbsp;
27. Houston Rockets (10-20) ⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Rockets have come back down to earth following their shocking seven-game win streak, as they have lost 5 of their last 7. Jalen Green (left hamstring) has been sidelined since Nov. 24, but coach Stephen Silas said he is hopeful Green will return by Christmas or early next week. Kevin Porter Jr. (left thigh bruise) is reportedly targeting a return before the end of December as well.&nbsp;
28. New Orleans Pelicans (10-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 28
After an awful start to the season, in which they won just 3 of their first 19 contests, the Pels are slowly but surely making progress and have won 3 of their last 4. Jonas Valančiūnas has picked up his production of late, averaging 20.8 points (on 61.6% shooting) to go along with 11.4 boards over his past five contests.
29. Detroit Pistons (5-24) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
The Pistons snapped their 14-game losing streak by beating the Heat Sunday night in the Motor City. Saddiq Bey, who scored a team-high 26 points in the victory over Miami, finally broke out of a nasty shooting slump last week. Bey, who was shooting below 35% from the floor and below 30% from downtown over the Pistons' first 25 games this season, averaged 25.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.0 made treys while shooting 54.3% from the floor, 42.9% from behind the arc, and 94.7% from the free-throw stripe over his last three.&nbsp;
30. Orlando Magic (6-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 29
Franz Wagner, the eighth overall pick in the 2021 draft, isn't drawing much national attention, but he has been fantastic for the Magic this month. Over Orlando's last 10 games, Wagner is averaging 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.

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

NBA Power Rankings: Suns eclipse Warriors for the top spot

Because he agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/denver-nuggets/will-barton-10865/">two-year, $30 million deal</a> with the Denver Nuggets this past August, swingman Will Barton wasn&rsquo;t eligible to be traded until Dec. 15. Well, we&rsquo;re past that mark.
And as the Nuggets stand at 14-14 on the season, it&rsquo;s time to wonder what they&rsquo;ll do since Jamal Murray (ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) aren&rsquo;t returning to the lineup anytime soon, and might not play at all for the rest of the season.
(At this point, we can&rsquo;t even accurately predict who&rsquo;ll suit up tomorrow, so why try, I don&rsquo;t know, March?!?)
Barring a turn of events even Nikola Jokić wouldn&rsquo;t anticipate, the Nuggets aren&rsquo;t trading him, and that makes Barton the team&rsquo;s most compelling potential trade chip between now and the Feb. 10 deadline. Aaron Gordon would be the other, but he&rsquo;s in the first of a five-year deal signed this past summer. (So is Ben Simmons, but you get the point.)
In Murray and Porter&rsquo;s absence, Barton has been the Nuggets&rsquo; secondary offensive option this season. For some of you, it&rsquo;s a potentially frightening thought given that, conceptually, he&rsquo;s intended to be the fourth&nbsp;option on this team instead. But, if there&rsquo;s anything we&rsquo;ve learned from watching sports press-on during a pandemic, few things are more invoked than &ldquo;next man up&rdquo;... for better and/or worse.&nbsp;
Barton&rsquo;s averaging 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 44/38/74 shooting splits; 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per 36 minutes, so that's significant. Add in the fact that he's their current minutes leader (33.3 per game, 798 total) &mdash; &nbsp;should the Nuggets even consider moving Barton?
Having trouble deciding which way to lean, we'll make a case for both sides of the argument.
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The Case To Keep
Beyond just Porter and Murray, injuries have decimated the Nuggets&rsquo; rotation. P.J. Dozier tore his ACL <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nuggets-pj-dozier-suffers-torn-acl-in-left-knee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the day before Thanksgiving</a>. JaMychal Green is currently out with an ankle injury. Jokić and Barton have both missed a few games each during the season, and that&rsquo;s before you get to the league's COVID health and safety protocols, which is the reason why Austin Rivers has been out since Dec. 1.&nbsp;
Barton&rsquo;s primarily been the team&rsquo;s second-best offensive player, and it&rsquo;s reasonable to question what good it would even do for the Nuggets to trade him. Since being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers before the 2015 trade deadline, Barton&rsquo;s been with Denver, re-signing with the Nuggets later that summer. Jokić has never been on a Nuggets roster that didn&rsquo;t include Barton, the longest-tenured team member.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s something to be said for the chemistry they&rsquo;ve established. And, while the Nuggets&nbsp;could&nbsp;benefit from dealing Barton, what deal is out there that will make them markedly better? Without Murray and Porter, it&rsquo;s difficult to say.&nbsp;
In many respects, keeping Barton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/finding-the-perfect-team-and-deal-for-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making a move elsewhere</a> to improve the roster might go a longer way, especially if Murray and or Porter do return later this season. If so, that&rsquo;s probably the significant transaction you could make, and it would prevent this season from being a lost year so long as the Nuggets could position themselves for the playoffs. It&rsquo;s a safe and boring play, but one that keeps Denver afloat, in theory. There&rsquo;s no doubt Jokić needs more help, but upgrading Barton &mdash; who is giving him plenty &mdash; probably isn&rsquo;t the solution.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Will Barton no-look. Nikola Jokic through contact. 1Q on <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBATV</a> <a href="https://t.co/FgT7hgwEtg">pic.twitter.com/FgT7hgwEtg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1461521132004294658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Case to Trade
Or... is it?!?
If the Nuggets were to move Barton, it would be more beneficial to combine him in a multi-player Denver trade package and upgrade the top-end of the roster instead of breaking down Barton&rsquo;s salary into multiple (and likely lesser) players.&nbsp;
Looking at Denver's <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/DEN.html">salary cap table</a>, Barton&rsquo;s $15.4 million alone is around the range of guys like Lauri Markkanen, Duncan Robinson, Norman Powell, Gary Trent Jr., and... hmm... Dejounte Murray? That&rsquo;s the kind of guy you&rsquo;d want to package Barton for &mdash; if the San Antonio Spurs would be willing to even pick up the phone, that is; it's a two-way street, of course. (Totally hypothetical and aiming high, but that&rsquo;s why you&rsquo;re here anyway.)
Others in that $15-20 million category include guys like Jarrett Allen, Lonzo Ball and Terry Rozier &mdash; who are just about certainly staying put with their teams &mdash; or guys like Domantas Sabonis and Julius Randle. (Jokić and Sabonis is intriguing on paper, but you&rsquo;d probably need to deal more than you want if you&rsquo;re Denver.)
Dejounte does have $15.4 million coming to him this season, the second of a four-year deal worth $64 million. And if you&rsquo;re packaging Barton with, say, Bol Bol&rsquo;s $2.2 million expiring, it works out financially, according to your favorite trade machine. Significant draft capital would have to be involved as well.
At that point, you&rsquo;re even in Jerami Grant territory, who sits at $20 million with an additional $21 million coming next season. Myles Turner also hits that $17.5 million mark both this year and next.
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Let&rsquo;s focus on Dejounte, Grant and Turner briefly.
Dejounte and Grant would likely command, along with Barton and Bol, multiple future first-round picks, which is understandable. Grant was part of Denver&rsquo;s 2019-20 playoff run before signing the $60 million deal with Detroit last sum&hellip;err, fall prior to the 2020-21 season. Since joining Detroit, he&rsquo;s a different, more offensive-minded forward than he was in Denver, and it would serve this current version of the Nuggets well, especially with injuries.
The Spurs should want to keep their Murray, but amid a career season and prevailing health, maybe they&rsquo;d like to cash out. Plus, the Nuggets maintain all the necessary picks, as outlined in the our previous <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/finding-the-perfect-team-and-deal-for-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terrence Ross trade piece</a>. And, maybe, just maybe &mdash; Bol could actually play in San Antonio.&nbsp;
Picture a Jokić lineup including Gordon, Porter and the two Murrays. That&rsquo;s a Western Conference Championship contender if&nbsp;healthy, which is a big if, but an exciting risk to potentially take.&nbsp;
In another hypothetical, take out Dejounte and insert Turner. Yes, two centers, what a crime. The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing basically three of them in their starting lineup and have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/from-lovable-underdog-to-unforgiving-bully-how-the-cavs-got-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whooping nearly everyone&rsquo;s ass this month</a>. Turner is one of the league&rsquo;s best shot-blockers, is shooting 35% from three and would be a fascinating right-hand man to Jokić for a package similar to the one we&rsquo;ve been discussing.
The Verdict
Heading into this, I&rsquo;ve been partial to keeping Barton above all other options. While I&rsquo;m still mostly there, the exercise exposing the Dejounte and Turner deals, in particular, are maybe the only ones worth breaking up Barton and Jokić for on paper. The former, more so.
There&rsquo;s always something to be said for chemistry, familiarity and all the intangibles that spring from long-established camaraderie. It&rsquo;s way too often overlooked in our transaction-crazed time.
Maybe the Nuggets could facilitate something else through other means, but for now, don&rsquo;t expect anything earth-shattering yet.

Bryan Fonseca wrestles with the idea of Will Barton's future with the Nuggets: To trade, or not to trade?

The case against, and for, the Nuggets trading Will Barton

After rolling out my<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-the-top-150-nba-players-for-fantasy-basketball-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Top-150 NBA Fantasy overall rankings</a> last week, I have broken down each position into tiers.
It is important to state that these rankings are based on a nine-category roto format (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers). Also, please note position eligibility is based on Yahoo&rsquo;s fantasy settings and, as a result, many players qualify at multiple positions.
Guards
The two biggest question marks among all guards reside in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Ben Simmons has (awkwardly) returned to Sixers, but it is still unclear whether Big Ben plans to "merely report to the team or truly rejoin the team," <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-arrives-in-philly-takes-covid19-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>. Thus, Simmons is arguably the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy pick in the NBA this season.
Irving, on the other hand, is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/itll-be-difficult-for-kyrie-and-the-nets-to-come-back-from-this" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persona non grata in the borough of Brooklyn</a>. Although Kyrie is eligible to participate in the Nets' away games, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said Tuesday that Irving will not be allowed to play or practice with the team at all until he gets vaccinated. &ldquo;He has a choice to make, and he made his choice,&rdquo; Marks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters Tuesday</a>. &ldquo;And my job here is to make what we deem is the best choices for the organization moving ahead and as a whole.&rdquo; There is certainly still a chance Irving gets his jab and is cleared to play, but it&rsquo;s too much of a risk to roll the dice until late in the draft, in my opinion.
Tier 1: James Harden PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp; Luka Doncic PG, SG (DAL) Stephen Curry PG, SG (GSW) Damian Lillard PG (POR)
Tier 2: Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Trae Young PG (ATL) Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL)
Tier 3: Fred VanVleet PG, SG (TOR) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG, SG (OKC)
Tier 4: Jrue Holiday PG, SG (MIL) Chris Paul PG (PHO) &nbsp; Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI) Donovan Mitchell PG, SG (UTAH)
Tier 5: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) De'Aaron Fox PG (SAC)&nbsp; Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO)
Tier 6: LaMelo Ball PG, SG (CHA) CJ McCollum PG, SG (POR) Russell Westbrook PG (LAL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Dejounte Murray PG, SG (SAS) Malcolm Brogdon PG, SG (IND)&nbsp; Terry Rozier PG, SG (CHA)
Tier 7: Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Lonzo Ball PG, SG (CHI) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Ja Morant PG (MEM) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Darius Garland PG, SG (CLE) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Kyle Lowry PG (MIA) Tyrese Haliburton PG, SG (SAC) Derrick White PG, SG (SAS)
Tier 8: Mike Conley PG (UTAH) Jalen Suggs PG, SG (ORL) Spencer Dinwiddie PG, SG (WAS) Cade Cunningham PG, SG (DET) Ben Simmons PG (PHI) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) D&rsquo;Angelo Russell PG, SG (MIN) Collin Sexton PG, SG (CLE) Marcus Smart PG, SG (BOS) Jordan Poole PG, SG (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 9: Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp; Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Devonte&rsquo; Graham PG, SG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kemba Walker PG (NYK) RJ Barrett SG, SF (NYK) Reggie Jackson PG, SG (LAC) Dennis Schroder PG (BOS) Jordan Clarkson PG, SG (UTAH) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) Kyrie Irving PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp;
Tier 10:&nbsp; De&rsquo;Anthony Melton PG, SG (MEM) Jalen Green SG (HOU) Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) T.J. McConnell PG, SG (IND) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Eric Bledsoe PG, SG (LAC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Josh Giddey PG, SG, SF (OKC) Tyrese Maxey PG, SG (PHI)
Forwards
Looking for a potential sleeper at forward? I&rsquo;d suggest highlighting Pascal Siakam or Evan Mobley on your cheat sheet.&nbsp;
After a phenomenal 2019-20 campaign, in which he was named to the All-NBA Second Team, Siakam failed to live up to expectations last season; his scoring average, three-point makes and effective field goal percentage all decreased. In addition, Pascal is still working his way back from surgery on a torn labrum, which has forced his ADP (Average Draft Position) to plummet. However, earlier this week, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said his star forward has been &ldquo;going 100%&rdquo; without contact for about 4-6 weeks, and could return later this month.&nbsp;
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Evan Mobley is going to be a special defender in the NBA. GMs believe that Mobley will be the best player from his draft class in five years 👀 (🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Schmitz</a>) <a href="https://t.co/iPiaabn2Gu">pic.twitter.com/iPiaabn2Gu</a>
&mdash; NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1446161049753882629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Mobley&rsquo;s stock is soaring after impressive performances and extended usage for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the preseason (he&rsquo;s leading his team in playing time, logging 28.4 minutes per game). Mr. Mobley is probably worth the gamble, as his upside is emarkably enticing.&nbsp;
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Jayson Tatum SF, PF (BOS) Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C (MIL) Kevin Durant SF, PF (BKN) Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)&nbsp; Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Paul George SF, PF, SG (LAC)
Tier 3: Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Michael Porter Jr. SF, PF (DEN Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI)
Tier 4: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO) Myles Turner PF, C (IND) OG Anunoby SF, PF (TOR)&nbsp; Tobias Harris SF, PF (PHI)
Tier 5: Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Brandon Ingram SF, PF (NOP) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU) Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Zion Williamson PF (NOP)
Tier 6: Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS)
Tier 7: Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Jerami Grant SF, PF (DET) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Miles Bridges SF, PF (CHA) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC)&nbsp; Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET) Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 8: Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kyle Anderson SF, PF (MEM) Jonathan Isaac SF, PF (ORL) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Harrison Barnes SF, PF (SAC) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL) De&rsquo;Andre Hunter SF, PF (ATL) Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS)
Tier 9: Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Keldon Johnson SF, PF (SAS) Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) T.J. Warren SF, PF (IND) Jae'Sean Tate SF, PF (HOU) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Saddiq Bey SF (DET)\ Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 10: Kyle Kuzma SF, PF (WAS) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) Nicolas Batum SF, PF, SG (LAC) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Aaron Gordon SF, PF (DEN)
Centers
Centers take on added importance in fantasy hoops due to the scarcity. That&rsquo;s part of the reason why Jokic is viewed as the near-unanimous top overall selection in drafts this year.&nbsp;
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Last season, Jokic authored a season for the ages. Not only did he score a career-high 26.4 points and rip down 10.8 rebounds per game, but he also dished out an average of 8.3 dimes each night, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 boards and 8 assists over a season. Incredibly, Jokic tallied a total of 599 assists in 2020-21, which was the third-most in the entire league. Wilt Chamberlain, who led the NBA with 8.6 APG in 1967-68, is the only center to post a higher assist-average over a full season. As a fantasy cherry on top, the Joker proved incredibly durable, appearing in every game last season.
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Karl-Anthony Towns C (MIN)
Tier 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C&nbsp; Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)
Tier 4: Nikola Vucevic C (CHI) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Rudy Gobert C (UTAH)
Tier 5: Myles Turner PF, C (IND) Clint Capela C (ATL) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Deandre Ayton C (PHO) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU)&nbsp; Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL)
Tier 6: Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Jusuf Nurkic C (POR) Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR)&nbsp; Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS) Jonas Valanciunas C (NOP) Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Jarrett Allen C (CLE) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET)
Tier 7: P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Mitchell Robinson C (NYK) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Jakob Poeltl C (SAS) Wendell Carter Jr. C (ORL) Brook Lopez C (MIL) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL)
Tier 8: Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS) Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Ivica Zubac C (LAC) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 9: Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Mo Bamba C (ORL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Thomas Bryant C (WAS) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU)&nbsp;
Tier 10: Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Andre Drummond C (PHI)&nbsp; Steven Adams C (MEM) Serge Ibaka PF, C (LAC)&nbsp; James Wiseman C (GSW) Naz Reid C (MIN) Marvin Bagley III PF, C (SAC) LaMarcus Aldridge PF, C (BKN) Nicolas Claxton PF, C (BKN) Kevin Love PF, C (CLE) Hassan Whiteside PF, C (UTAH)

Tommy Beer divides the top NBA fantasy guards, forwards and centers into 10 tiers each based on their value.

2021-22 NBA Fantasy Basketball Rankings: 10 tiers for each position

Kyrie Irving has never been afraid of taking the road less traveled.
The only problem, in this instance, is that nobody knows where it leads.
With a few strokes of a keyboard, Sean Marks and his Brooklyn Nets took a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard-line stance</a> as it relates to the point guard. In the quest for a championship, Marks declared that Brooklyn would not permit any of its players to serve in a part-time capacity &mdash; superstars be damned.
In other words, with respect to Irving, the messaging was clear: get vaccinated, or else.
Maybe betrayed is too strong of a word, but there&rsquo;s no way that Kyrie could have received the organization&rsquo;s decision positively.
Perhaps it&rsquo;s ironic that Brooklyn would decide that it would rather have none of Irving than half. Of Brooklyn&rsquo;s Big Three, he was the one whose joining the franchise was fairly and accurately declared a homecoming.
Of the three, it is Irving who was first to take his talents to Brooklyn, and it was he who was first to don the Nets' signature black and white threads.
Now, he is another first &mdash; the first to be sent away.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Sean Marks says the decision on Kyrie Irving was made by himself and Joe Tsai: <a href="https://t.co/vHvQ2UjF6B">pic.twitter.com/vHvQ2UjF6B</a>
&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1447956798598680576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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When Irving signed with the Nets in 2019, nobody could&rsquo;ve ever predicted such an outcome. It was as unforeseen as it is unfortunate, especially if you&rsquo;re Kyrie or someone who&rsquo;s sympathetic to his cause.
Behind closed doors and away from the cameras and the microphones, scores of NBA players have expressed reluctance to get vaccinated against COVID-19. But over the course of the summer, it became clear that in order to fully participate and have some semblance of normalcy, the league&rsquo;s players had a simple choice to make.
And for players who call New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco home, the stakes were even higher: full participation with their teams depended on their willingness to get jabbed.&nbsp;
In the end, for the players as a whole, the want to be full-time members of their teams and to enjoy their lives as competitors in the NBA won out. As a class, the league&rsquo;s players understand that their careers are relatively short, and that their window to earn is, as well. Their future generations and familial legacies can be enhanced with the stroke of a pen, and when painted into a corner, invariably, they choose to perform. The decision to go into the Orlando Bubble and continue competition after the murder of George Floyd told us that.
All things considered, the league&rsquo;s players tend to fall in line.
...Only not this time.
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It&rsquo;s become quite cliche these days for head coaches and team leaders to refer to their teammates and one another as "brothers" or as "family," but there&rsquo;s some merit in those declarations. At least during the season, most players spend more time with their teammates than they do with their children. They&rsquo;re married to their coaching staff just as they are married to their spouses.
So whether they say it publicly or not, members of the Nets organization probably look at Irving&rsquo;s refusal to get vaccinated as a stubborn refusal in which he&rsquo;s choosing his personal principles over the team&rsquo;s collective goal. And if you disagree with that, ask yourself why more 95% of the league&rsquo;s players are vaccinated. Ask yourself why Irving is the only member of either New York team who isn&rsquo;t.
And while there are other players around the league who have opted against the vaccination, none of them are on a team that enters the season as a title favorite; none face the possibility of missing 43 of their team&rsquo;s 82 regular season games.
Kyrie made a choice to stand his ground.&nbsp;
Marks had no choice but to do the same.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Sean Marks on the future of Kyrie Irving as a Net: "The hope is that we have Kyrie back. We'll welcome him back with open arms." <a href="https://t.co/MivSnk9CmG">pic.twitter.com/MivSnk9CmG</a>
&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1447958806466531337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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A descendent of Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s tree, Marks saw firsthand the kind of culture that can be built by competent organizational leadership. True success in the NBA begins with standards and equitable administration of a team&rsquo;s ideals. Ask Erik Spoelstra, Tom Thibodeau and the great Popovich, and they themselves will tell you the same.
So when faced with the prospect of allowing Irving&rsquo;s refusal to get vaccinated hover over his team, Marks did what any leader in his position would have &mdash; he made a tough choice.
As a basketball player and personality, Irving is as large as they come. Whether he was available or not would impact not only head coach Steve Nash&rsquo;s game planning, but the team&rsquo;s rotations. Every player, including both Kevin Durant and James Harden, would have had to have two separate instructional sets, catering for life both with and without Irving.
Those situations obviously happen in pro sports, but unlike other scenarios, whether Marks and Nash would subject their team to that reality was completely within their control.
So in the end, it&rsquo;s easy to understand why Marks told Irving to stay away, just as it&rsquo;s easy to understand how Kyrie could be put off.
As a player, Nash gave up sugar. Amar&rsquo;e Stoudemire took wine baths. Chris Paul decided to go vegan. For the most part, players view their bodies as not only their temples, but their empires. They spend their pre-professional days doing all they can to develop and take care of their bodies. And although each team employs its own set of medical professionals to support their teams, most players maintain personal relationships with their own set of medical and training professionals whom they trust.
Being told that they must receive a vaccination that a fair amount of the public doesn&rsquo;t fully trust is a foreign concept to the league&rsquo;s players. Irving, in particular, has previously been outspoken in his desire to be, in his eyes, treated more like a person and less like an asset.&nbsp;
From his vantage point, it&rsquo;s not that difficult to understand why he feels that his right to choose should be absolute.
It&rsquo;s also not that difficult to see how, in asking him to stay away, Irving feels like &mdash; despite what is said in the statement released by the Nets &mdash; he&rsquo;s not being supported by the franchise he chose to call his own before either Durant or Harden had found their way to Barclays.&nbsp;
Declaring itself to &ldquo;support&rdquo; Irving while also not permitting him to play or practice with his team seems a bit hollow. By their deeds, the Nets are forcing Kyrie&rsquo;s hand in an attempt to get him to take the vaccine. The team is looking out for its best interests, while Kyrie is doing the same for his. Unfortunately, in this instance, the interests of the parties just aren&rsquo;t aligned.
Like everything else in life, there are two sides to the story. Two ways to look at the situation.
Perhaps it&rsquo;s fitting. Long a contrarian and one who isn&rsquo;t afraid of solitude on an island, Irving has fully embraced the path of most resistance.
Two sides to the story. Two outcomes, two possibilities.&nbsp;
As both a man and a competitor, Kyrie Irving has never avoided the fork. He&rsquo;s long made his choice to opt for the road less traveled.
In this case, though &mdash; despite their common dreams and desire &mdash; it&rsquo;s hard to see it leading back to Brooklyn.

The Nets will not permit Kyrie Irving to play or practice with the team unless he gets vaccinated. So where do the sides go from here?

It’ll be difficult for Kyrie and the Nets to come back from this

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; No team in the NBA has a longer active streak of postseason appearances than the Portland Trail Blazers, who have gotten there in each of the last eight seasons.
That wasn&rsquo;t enough to save Terry Stotts, and Portland will have a new coach next season.
The Trail Blazers and Stotts parted ways Friday, ending a nine-year run that saw the team good enough to get to the playoffs &mdash; but not good enough to get past the first round in four of the last five seasons.
&ldquo;I have the utmost respect for Terry and what he has accomplished these past nine seasons,&rdquo; Blazers President Neil Olshey said. &ldquo;This was a difficult decision on both a personal and professional level but it&rsquo;s in the best interest of the franchise to move in another direction.
&ldquo;Terry will always hold a special place in the Trail Blazer family and the Portland community. We relied on the integrity, professionalism and consistency he brought to the job every day and we wish he and Jan nothing but the best.&rdquo;
It was being termed as a mutual decision. The move was made one day after Portland&rsquo;s season ended with a six-game, first-round ouster at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, a defeat that had Blazers guard Damian Lillard taking to social media after the game to indicate his frustration.
&ldquo;Just like at the end of every year, we are all evaluated,&rdquo; Stotts said after the season finale against Denver and as speculation about his status immediately started to grow. &ldquo;We will see what happens.&rdquo;
It didn't take long to get an answer.
Stotts, 63, was the NBA's fourth longest-tenured coach in his current job behind only San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, Miami's Erik Spoelstra and Dallas' Rick Carlisle. He went 402-318 in his nine regular seasons in Portland, with the eight playoff berths, and led the team to the Western Conference finals in 2019 &mdash; where the Blazers were swept by Golden State.
Well-liked throughout the league, Stotts was an assistant under Carlisle with the Mavericks for four years before taking over the Blazers. One of his most memorable seasons in Portland came in 2015-16, when the Blazers overachieved and went to the conference semifinals &mdash; despite losing starters LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Batum, Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez in the offseason.
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Rumors about Stotts' future with the Blazers began swirling last month, but the team's elimination by Denver sealed his fate. He had one year left on his contract in Portland.
Among the possible candidates that Portland may consider: Los Angeles Lakers assistant (and former Brooklyn and Milwaukee head coach) Jason Kidd, and ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy &mdash; whose last NBA coaching gig was with Houston in 2007.
&ldquo;He should (be at) the top of everybody&rsquo;s list who has an opening in the NBA," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of Kidd earlier Friday, hours before Stotts' fate became known.
The new coach, whoever it is, will certainly be lured by the chance to work with one of the game's dynamic scorers in Lillard.
But Lillard fueled speculation about his own future in Portland following the elimination loss to the Nuggets. He posted a photo of himself in street clothes at the Moda Center. The caption that he added quoted the late rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle.
&ldquo;How long should I stay dedicated?&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;How long til opportunity meet preparation?&rdquo;
If he stays, Lillard will no doubt have input into who the Blazers choose to be their new coach.
Portland finished the regular season 42-30 and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference. The team was riding momentum, having won 10 of its final 12 regular-season games.
The Blazers were also healthy, with both big man Jusuf Nurkic and guard CJ McCollum back from extended absences because of injuries.
But once again, the playoff trip was brief.
Lillard averaged a league-best 34.3 points and 10.2 assists in the playoffs, after averaging 28.8 points and 7.5 assists during the regular season.
He had 55 points, including a playoff record 12 3-pointers and 10 assists in Game 5 against the Nuggets, but Portland still lost, 147-140 in double overtime.
&ldquo;We've got to keep fighting, keep working and keep coming back to battle,&rdquo; Lillard said. "Regardless of how it ended, we are always going to have our heads held high, have class. They won, congratulations to them, but it&rsquo;s back to the drawing board to us."
A four-time All-Star, Lillard just wrapped up his ninth NBA season. The closest he's come to a title was that quick trip to the West finals in 2019.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t win a championship, so obviously where we are now isn&rsquo;t good enough,&rdquo; he said.
Nurkic, who averaged 11.5 points and nine rebounds but missed time with a fractured right wrist, has one year left on his contract &mdash; but only $4 million is guaranteed. He didn't sound committed to returning next season, explaining it had to be the &ldquo;right situation.&rdquo;
But when asked what the right situation would be, Nurkic replied: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. But it&rsquo;s not this.&rdquo;
McCollum, Lillard's backcourt teammate, averaged 21.3 points this season, his best since joining the league in 2013. But he missed games with a fractured foot.
Ten-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who filled a key role off the bench for Portland this season, will be an unrestricted free agent, along with Enes Kanter. Norman Powell has a player option for next season.
Stotts said he was proud of what Portland was able to accomplish, given the injuries and disruptions caused by the coronavirus.
&ldquo;What we did with CJ and Nurk missing games, I was proud of that,&rdquo; Stotts said. &ldquo;At the end of the season, to do what we did was pretty impressive."
In the end, it just wasn't impressive enough.
___
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Portland Trail Blazers and Terry Stotts parted ways on Friday, ending a nine-year run.

Neil Olshey discusses 'difficult decision' to part ways with Terry Stotts

It had been more than 14 months since I had last entered an NBA arena when I approached Madison Square Garden's media entrance on the corner of 33rd Street and 8th Avenue on Sunday afternoon.&nbsp;
The last year has felt like a blur, tinged with excessive amounts of anxiety and grief. New York emerged as the United States-based epicenter of a devastating global pandemic that has claimed more than <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/coronavirus-maps.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.4 million human lives</a>. Yet, with vaccination rates rising and COVID-19 case counts plummeting, Manhattan has been starting to feel a bit more "normal."
And Sunday almost felt like a flashback to a happier, less stressful time, with the sun shining brightly down on the streets outside MSG that were teeming with unmasked smiling faces above blue and orange jerseys.
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It had been more than eight years since the New York Knicks had last participated in a playoff game when they stepped onto the floor Sunday night for their matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. Over the 2,927 days that separated postseason appearances, the Knickerbockers lost more games than any other team in the NBA. The first 20 years of the 21st century provided depressingly few opportunities for Knick fans to get genuinely excited about the present or the future of their favorite team. Between <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1396479786197950469?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">awful trades</a> and embarrassing <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1396479791881203725?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">off-court controversies</a>, it became increasingly difficult for New Yorkers to remain loyal to their hometown team. However, so many of them did.&nbsp;
For those reasons alone, this 2020-21 Knicks squad has engendered an incredible amount of love and affection from the Knicks fan base.&nbsp;
More than that, this particular team will forever hold a special place in the hearts of many fans due to everything going on outside the comfy confines of the court as the season played out. The season started in December, which coincided with a dizzying spike in coronavirus cases nationwide. By January, the COVID-19 crisis in the U.S. had reached a terrifying peak, with the country averaging more than 250,000 new infections and nearly 4,000 COVID-related deaths per day. Sports, which have long been considered a much-needed distraction from the weighty worries of the "real world," have been crucial to the mental health of so many of us during the dark days of the pandemic. Due to a tightly-packed schedule, Knicks fans have had the opportunity to tune into a game seemingly every other night for the past five months.&nbsp;
In seasons past, Knicks games had often been rendered meaningless by Christmas, as the team sank to the bottom of the standings, year after year. Shockingly, the team didn't follow the all-too-familiar script in 2020-21. Although multiple outlets projected New York to finish with one of the league's worst records, and Las Vegas set the Knicks over/under win total at 22, the 'Bockers got off to a solid start. Still, even the most optimistic fans assumed the team would come crashing back down to earth, sooner or later. But a funny thing happened on the way to the lottery: the Knicks kept winning.&nbsp;
And it felt as if New York's loving embrace of this team was about more than just its surprising success. It might have had something to do with parents, worried about COVID outbreaks at their kids' schools, cherishing the opportunity to get lost in the triviality of a basketball game for a couple of hours. Or New Yorkers choosing to worry about who Tom Thibodeau should start at point guard instead of stressing about the sputtering economy.&nbsp;
If there was ever a season Knicks fans needed something to be hopeful about, something to believe in, it was this season.&nbsp;
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It had been more than two decades since the Garden rocked and swayed and shook the way it did Sunday night during Game 1.&nbsp;
My first year covering the Knicks professionally was 2005. Over the past 15 years, I've sat through plenty of games when the loudest the building ever got was when the Knicks City Dancers would fire T-shirts into the crowd. With many fans unable to afford tickets and the team effectively eliminated from playoff contention by Thanksgiving, there wouldn't be a passionate "DE-FENSE" chant inside MSG for months at a time. If the Golden State Warriors or Cleveland Cavaliers were in town, the loudest cheers were often reserved for Steph Curry or LeBron James.&nbsp;
Yet, the cacophony of sound heard inside Madison Square Garden during Game 1 was reminiscent of an earlier era, when giants such as Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason roamed the paint inside the World's Most Famous Arena.&nbsp;
The electricity and energy inside the building was evident from the very start of the evening. As soon as the gates opened and patrons began flooding in, cheering and chanting began to emanate from all corners of the arena.&nbsp;
By the time the Knicks players sprinted out onto the floor for pre-game warmups, the clamor had reached a fever pitch.&nbsp;
I remember Jeff Van Gundy once telling me that one of his most enduring memories from his time spent in New York was how loud the Garden got some 30 minutes before games even tipped off during those epic playoff runs in the 1990s. I thought about JVG's observation as I looked around MSG Sunday night with the guttural shouts from 15,000 unleashed fans washing over everyone.&nbsp;
The Knicks got off to a slow start in Game 1, possibly jolted and jittery by the deafening crowd noise. It was something they hadn't experienced this season, as local municipalities had set a cap on the number of people allowed to attend sporting events held inside. Nonetheless, everyone knew the Knicks were going to make a run. The partisan supporters packed inside MSG would make sure of it.
Surprisingly, it was a pair of rookies that sparked the charge. With New York down seven points in the middle of the second quarter, Immanuel Quickley dropped in a floater. A minute later, Obi Toppin drained a three-pointer from the top of the key. When IQ sank a three-pointer from 30 feet on the following possession, the Garden erupted.&nbsp;
Born and raised on Long Island, I made many a pilgrimage to MSG far before I started covering the team. On special occasions throughout the '90s, my dad and I would hop on the LIRR and head into the city. For those who weren't fortunate enough to experience it, it's hard to describe how loud the Garden got during crucial playoff games in those days. The decibel level inside the Garden on Sunday night was likely the closest approximation.&nbsp;
Midway through the third quarter of Game 1, RJ Barrett broke free on a fast break and viciously dunked over Bogdan Bogdanovic. Those of us seated on the Chase Bridge felt it wobble and quake in the aftermath of that Barrett bucket.&nbsp;
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RJ BARRETT JUST DID 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 <a href="https://t.co/4LINVWk7nb">pic.twitter.com/4LINVWk7nb</a>
&mdash; NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1396623627961917441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Speaking with reporters on Monday, Obi Toppin said the players "<a href="https://twitter.com/YaronWeitzman/status/1396908224129945602?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">felt the floor shaking</a>" Sunday night. Barrett described the atmosphere inside MSG as "amazing," adding it was "better than [he] could ever imagine."&nbsp;
A buddy of mine, seated in Section 109, texted me a screencap after the game; it showed that the health app on his phone had detected increased heart rate and physical activity from 7 to 9 p.m., signifying he had been exercising strenuously. My friend, a season ticket-holder for more than a decade, also noted that there was a feeling of camaraderie and togetherness among those in attendance Sunday night that he hadn't experienced before.&nbsp;
The Knicks allowed 15,047 fans into MSG for Game 1, only 75% of the building's typical capacity of 19,812. However, it's important to note that most of those 15,000 fans were forced to spend the better part of the past 15 months inside, socially isolated. I don't think it's a stretch to speculate that it contributed to the heightened intensity inside MSG. For many fans, it was the first time they had the opportunity to gather and let loose in a community setting; the first time in a long time they had the green light to scream and cheer and high-five strangers.&nbsp;
The Knicks ended up losing the game, of course, with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/trae-young-hits-runner-with-less-than-a-second-left-to-push-atlanta-hawks-past-new-york-knicks-nba-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trae Young turning raucous applause into eerie silence late in the fourth quarter</a>.&nbsp;
Yet, afterward, outside the Garden, there was still a palpable sense of excitement and exhilaration among many of the fans exiting the arena and heading out into the NYC night. And with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday, it's safe to assume Knicks fans, whether they plan to watch the game inside the Garden or from their couch, will relish the opportunity to be pleasantly distracted once again.

Tommy Beer describes Sunday night's atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden for Game 1 and how it lifted the spirits of New York.

Game 1 of Knicks-Hawks was much-needed return to normalcy for New York

Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker added 21 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-101 on Wednesday night to clinch a spot in the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
The Suns finally figured out a way to beat the Clippers, who won the first two games of the season series. Phoenix didn't trail the entire game but needed a fourth-quarter push to turn back a Los Angeles rally.
The Suns took an 86-80 lead into the final quarter. The Clippers pulled within 93-92 midway though the fourth but Paul scored three consecutive tough baskets to give Phoenix some space.
The 35-year-old Paul continued to play excellent basketball in his 16th NBA season, shooting 10 of 15 from the field, dishing 10 assists and generally looking like a player a decade younger. He was serenaded with "MVP! MVP!" chants from the crowd by the end of the fourth.
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A near flawless outing from CP3 helps the <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Suns</a> clinch a Playoff spot in the win! 😤 28 PTS (15 in 4th) 10-15 FGM 4 3PM 10 AST 3 STL 52.6 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/yvpCntGr3J">pic.twitter.com/yvpCntGr3J</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1387624183962775554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Suns improved to 44-18 while the Clippers fell to 43-21. The teams are currently ranked No. 2 and 3, respectively, in the Western Conference standings.
Paul George led the Clippers with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcus Morris Sr. added 16 points.
The Suns jumped out to a 39-31 lead after one quarter, making 7 of 9 shots from 3-point range. Phoenix pushed the lead to 14 points by midway through the second before settling for a 63-53 halftime advantage.
Frank Kaminsky led the Suns with 13 points before the break while Booker had 12. George scored 16 for the Clippers. The Phoenix bench outscored LA's reserves 28-8 in the first half.
CLOSE TO NORMAL
The Suns are able to have about 5,500 fans these days at Phoenix Suns Arena, slowly increasing capacity as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes.
It was a festive atmosphere for Wednesday's game that felt almost pre-pandemic, with shirtless fans with S-U-N-S dancing in the stands and huge cheers when Paul hit his crucial buckets in the fourth.
The Suns haven't been in the playoffs since 2010, when Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire made the team a huge draw in the desert.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Guard Patrick Beverley (hand fracture) and forwards Kawhi Leonard (sore right foot) and Serge Ibaka (lower back) didn't play.
Suns: Forwards Jae Crowder (right ankle sprain), Dario Saric (left ankle) and Abdel Nader (right knee) didn&rsquo;t play.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the Nuggets on Saturday.
Suns: Host the Jazz on Friday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker added 21 and the Suns beat the Clippers to clinch a spot in the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Suns beat Clippers, clinch first playoff spot in 11 years

After a 15-year career, LaMarcus Aldridge retired from the NBA on Thursday due to issues with an irregular heartbeat. The veteran big man announced his decision to call it a career via Twitter.
"My last game, I played while dealing with an irregular heartbeat. Later on that night, my rhythm got even worse which really worried me even more," Aldridge said.
"...I've made the difficult decision to retire from the NBA. For 15 years, I've put basketball first, and now, it is time to put my health and family first."
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<a href="https://t.co/q69S0VhdFf">pic.twitter.com/q69S0VhdFf</a>
&mdash; LaMarcus Aldridge (@aldridge_12) <a href="https://twitter.com/aldridge_12/status/1382706719684444161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
In 2007, Aldridge was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) after experiencing dizziness and a rapid heartbeat during a game.
Imagine laying on your side and all of sudden, you feel your heart flutter and you know what's coming next -- dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, fatigue, anxiety and so on.
Speaking from personal experience, heart palpitations are no joke and can last for hours.&nbsp;
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One day, I went to get my sinusitis checked out. During the initial screening, my heart rate was really fast. I told the nurse, "Oh, it&rsquo;s nothing, it happens often when I have difficulty breathing." The nurse was really concerned.&nbsp;
When the doctor came in, she told me that I needed to go to the emergency room because my heart rate was 180 beats per minute. I told her that I really didn't want to go to the ER; there was a $500 copay fee. She responded: &ldquo;Ok, I need you to sign this form saying you refused my medical advice. If you die, I won&rsquo;t be responsible.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Die? She said, "Yes, your heart can skip a beat and you will die," and she asked if I wanted an ambulance called. I was terrified. Since I wasn&rsquo;t too far from the hospital, I refused the ambulance and drove myself to the ER.
As soon as I made it to the ER, I was taken to the back room. When they checked my heart rate, it had increased to 190. I was alone at the ER for five hours, hooked up to tubes and an IV. Eventually, I was given some medicine to bring it down, but it was a nightmare. I really thought I was going to die.
Like Aldridge, I was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW). I also developed supraventricular tachycardia. According to <a href="https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/what-is-wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WebMD</a>, &ldquo;People with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome have an extra electrical pathway. It causes abnormal heartbeats. And it could lead to a very serious arrhythmia called supraventricular tachycardia. This is when the ventricles (the heart&rsquo;s lower chambers) beat very quickly.&rdquo;
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Now visualize being an athlete on the court with WPW. A teammate throws a lob and you rise up for the alley-oop, and all of sudden there&rsquo;s a flutter -- your heart starts racing, you can&rsquo;t breathe and you feel like you might pass out.
Was it always in the back of Aldridge's mind that an episode might occur?
When I have an episode, I experience chest pain, dizziness, fatigue and shortness of breath. If I know an episode is coming, I can&rsquo;t drink much caffeine. This is a medical condition that's difficult to deal with.&nbsp;
Multiple reports indicate that Aldridge has undergone multiple ablation procedures since he was diagnosed in 2007. An ablation procedure "scars tissue in your heart to block abnormal electrical signals [and] restore a normal heart rhythm," according to <a href="An%20ablation%20procedure%20&quot;scars%20tissue%20in%20your%20heart%20to%20block%20abnormal%20electrical%20signals%20[and]%20restore%20a%20normal%20heart%20rhythm,&quot;%20according%20to%20the%20Mayo%20Clinic." target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Mayo Clinic</a>. (I decided against having any ablations done because I was too scared of the surgery.)
Despite that fact, this man produced an arguably Hall-of-Fame career, one that resulted in seven All-Star appearances, five All-NBA nods and many more accolades. Aldridge is one of only 25 players in NBA history to record over 19,000 career points and 8,000 career rebounds, <a href="https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1382710480108539910" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per StatMuse</a>.
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Notably, he has missed multiple games throughout his career due to this condition, which requires numerous visits to the cardiologist, multiple annual tests and so on. Even though he probably had the best care in the world, it still had to be an issue.&nbsp;
WPW really takes a toll on you -- mentally and physically. I am in awe that Aldridge dealt with this for so long and continued his career as long as he did. I respect his decision to call it quits and wish him a speedy recovery.
This is something we're living with, and it isn't easy. We're all just trying to get through it one day at a time.&nbsp;

Like LaMarcus Aldridge, Sharon Brown has WPW. She details her experience with the heart condition and what Aldridge has been battling.

Dealing with WPW: Why LaMarcus Aldridge has more heart than most of us

A bunch of really good players got traded to really good teams at the NBA trade deadline, and some of them are doing better than others.&nbsp;
Why is that?
...Dare we quote Allen Iverson?
Chatter around the NBA includes complaints that teams do not have enough time to conduct practices regularly, in part because they spend so much time adhering to COVID protocols and being tested. The condensed schedule doesn't help either.&nbsp;
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said teams have practiced anywhere from 15-to-40 times, declining to be more specific. It varies from team to team.&nbsp;
The Dallas Mavericks have practiced 25 times, spokesman Scott Tomlin said.
When asked how often the team has practice, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said, "Rarely.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Mostly because of the schedule -- 29 some games in 30 or so days is hard," Cuban added. "So any days off are needed rest days... But sometimes you have to force-fit a practice. It's not that we can't. It's just that the physical toll of the schedule and the need for recovery by players make it difficult.&rdquo;
For teams that made midseason moves, it's tougher than ever to get new players acclimated. &nbsp; The Mavs acquired JJ Redick from New Orleans, but he has not yet played for Dallas, who had won five games in a row before dropping a 102-93 decision against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
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The best player in that game was Kelly Olynyk of Houston, who was acquired from Miami and is arguably Stephen Silas&rsquo; best or second-best player these days. Olynyk has averaged 17.4 points on 59.7% shooting since the trade.
But this column is about teams that are either in the playoff picture or in the hunt, so let&rsquo;s start with the best teams (listed by winning percentage), the player(s) they acquired and how things have been going since the March 25 deadline.&nbsp;
UTAH JAZZ (39-13): Acquired Matt Thomas from Toronto for a future second-round pick, but he has only seen spot minutes in four games and has done nothing of note.
PHOENIX SUNS (36-15): Acquired Torrey Craig from Milwaukee for cash, and he has been getting regular rotation minutes off the bench and scored in double figures in three of 11 games. He shot well, but was a minus-10 in 12 minutes in the Suns&rsquo; overtime victory over Utah on Wednesday.
PHILADELPHIA 76ers (35-16): Acquired George Hill from the Thunder and Ignas Brazdeikis from the Knicks. Hill has yet to play because of a thumb injury, but conceivably will help in the playoffs; Brazdeikis was waived Thursday. He played just eight minutes in one total game and missed all three of his shots.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (35-18): Acquired Rajon Rondo from Atlanta for Lou Williams and two second-round picks. Prior to going for 15 points and nine assists (and a plus-24) in 19 minutes against Phoenix last night, he had taken seven shots in two games and made two of them. But he plays that way from time to time every regular season, and then the playoffs come -- and we all know what happens. That&rsquo;s why he is known as &ldquo;Playoff Rondo.&rdquo; Nobody ever had that nickname, not even Robert Horry, so stay tuned.
DENVER NUGGETS (33-18): Acquired Aaron Gordon and Gary Clark from the Magic for Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton and a future first-round pick; landed JaVale McGee from the Cavs for Isaiah Hartenstein and a future second-rounder. The Nuggets have not lost since Gordon arrived, and he has moved into the starting lineup in place of Paul Millsap. He has not been quite as proficient as teammate Michael Porter Jr., but he is shooting nearly 61% from the field while averaging 12.5 points. He was averaging 14.6 points in Orlando on 43.7% shooting. McGee has appeared only briefly in two games. Clark was waived on Thursday following the team's two-way contract signing of Shaq Harrison.
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MILWAUKEE BUCKS (32-18): Acquired P.J. Tucker and Rodions Kurucs from Houston for D.J. Augustin and D.J. Wilson, with some first-round picks and swaps changing hands, too. Tucker played in only three games, making one of four shots, before suffering a strained left calf that has sidelined him since March 24. Kurucs has not played.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (30-21): Acquired Norman Powell from the Portland Trail Blazers for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood. Powell was playing like the best player on the Raptors for all intents and purposes, and with Portland, he is logging heavy minutes as a starter and had a 32-point game in a loss to the Clippers on Tuesday night. Terry Stotts has a heck of a starting lineup, but in the end, it will all come down to the Blazers&rsquo; defense, as it always does. The Jazz outscored them 40-19 in the third quarter last night.
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CHARLOTTE HORNETS (26-24): The best team that nobody ever talks about (especially given the fact that LaMelo Ball went down) acquired Brad Wanamaker from Golden State for a second-round pick, and the Danny Ainge castoff has been solid (8.2 points, 3.2 assists), if not spectacular as the backup point guard in his 20-plus minutes per game.
ATLANTA HAWKS (27-25): They are 4-1 with former Sixth Man Award winner Lou Williams coming off the bench, and he has shot 60% from three-point range in 24 minutes per game. The Hawks gave up 131 points to the Memphis Grizzlies, which is not the sign of a good defensive team, but Lou was not acquired for his &ldquo;D.&rdquo; And the Grizzlies have been playing well lately.&nbsp;
MIAMI HEAT (27-25): Acquired Victor Oladipo from Houston for Olynyk, Avery Bradley and a pick swap; landed Nemanja Bjelica from Sacramento for Moe Harkless and Chris Silva; picked up Trevor Ariza from Oklahoma City for Meyers Leonard and a second-round pick. The East&rsquo;s most confounding team not named &ldquo;Celtics&rdquo; is 5-3 since the deadline passed, having just beaten the Lakers. Oladipo has shot only 23.5% from three-point range and has contributed relatively little. Now, Oladipo will miss the Heat's four-game road trip due to a right-knee injury. Ariza has moved into the starting lineup and has been hot and cold like a leaky faucet; and Bjelica has played six games, with his best performance coming in a win over the Cavs when he had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
BOSTON CELTICS (26-26): The team that got nothing in return for Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford picked up Evan Fournier from Orlando for Jeff Teague and two second-round picks; they also landed Moe Wagner and Luke Kornet from the Bulls for Daniel Theis and Javonte Green. The Celtics sit at seventh in the East. Fournier had an inglorious debut in green, going 0-for-10, but had a couple of very nice games since then, going a combined 11-for-16 from three in his two most recent games. He averaged 3 points in his first two games and 20 points in his next two. Kornet has proven serviceable, and Wagner has started in a game.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (24-25): Acquired an injured Marquese Chriss from Golden State, presumably so that somebody down the line could replace LaMarcus Aldridge (who eventually was bought out and signed with the Nets). This sinking ship has lost four in a row, including a 24-point defeat at the hands of the JuggerCavs; Chriss was released to make room for Gorgui Dieng, who they signed off the buyout market.&nbsp;
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CHICAGO BULLS (22-28): Acquired Nikola Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and a pair of first-round picks; landed Daniel Theis, Javonte Green and Troy Brown Jr. from Boston and Washington in a three-team trade. These moves made Billy Donovan the winner of the &ldquo;Figure It Out On The Fly&rdquo; award. Vucevic, an All-Star, has adapted quickly, going for 32 points and 17 rebounds against the Pacers on Tuesday; Aminu and Green have not been rotation players. Theis was okay before going for 14 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday, and Brown has come off the bench and provided depth as a defense-first, playmaking forward. Arturas Karnisovas perhaps earned the &ldquo;Executive of the Year&rdquo; award for getting Vucevic, who will be the best player on the court in every play-in game he participates in.&nbsp;
Donovan will eventually have to acclimate the new Bulls with the old Bulls through practice, and it&rsquo;ll be up to him how to make that happen.
Yes, Mr. Iverson, we are talkin&rsquo; about practice. NBA teams are averaging about 1.8 practices per week this year. Last year (pre-bubble), it was 1.9, and the year before it was 2.0.
Practice makes perfect, and nobody in the NBA is unbeaten. But somebody is going to emerge as a champion by the end of the season, and how to get there is every team&rsquo;s ongoing challenge.

Chris Sheridan checks in on the players who were dealt at the NBA trade deadline and how they've performed with their new teams.

How recently-traded players on good teams are faring

Two-thirds of the way into the 2020-21 NBA season, Chris Sheridan breaks down the state of each team and gives them a grade.

Grading each NBA team's second trimester

Paul Pierce, Jalen Rose, Jay Williams, Adrian Wojnarowski and Maria Taylor gave Alex Kennedy an inside look at ESPN's "NBA Countdown."

Behind the scenes of NBA Countdown: Woj's role, preparation, COVID's impact

Behind the scenes of NBA Countdown: Chemistry and striking a balance

Prior to this year's NBA Trade Deadline, BasketballNews.com rounded up its writers and asked them to share their thoughts and predictions ahead of Thursday's flurry of moves. Over the next few days, we'll be dropping a number of these Roundtable articles. Today, we asked our staffers:&nbsp;
Which team should be a seller?
Nekias Duncan: Aside from Toronto, it would be nice to see the Orlando Magic finally sell off some stuff. Aaron Gordon isn&rsquo;t a long-term fit, nor is Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier, Khem Birch&hellip; you get my drift. It&rsquo;s time to make some moves so that a long-term vision for this roster can become clear. Right now, there&rsquo;s no telling what the Magic are even trying to do.
Alex Kennedy: The Detroit Pistons have the second-worst record in the NBA at 12-31, and the team clearly isn't going to be competing for a playoff spot in the near future. With that in mind, I'd be looking to move veterans like Wayne Ellington (33 years old), Mason Plumlee (31) and Rodney McGruder (29) for young players and draft picks. Moving Derrick Rose for Dennis Smith Jr. and a second-round pick was smart; that's exactly what this team should be doing. I loved the addition of Hamidou Diallo too. We'll see if Detroit continues to make these kinds of moves on Thursday.
Spencer Davies: You almost have to preface that question with its own question: &ldquo;Who has assets?&rdquo; It&rsquo;s no secret that the Houston Rockets want to get the most they can for Victor Oladipo. We&rsquo;ve heard the rumblings surrounding the Orlando Magic with Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier, as that era is likely coming to an end. Are the Sacramento Kings going to continue on that same path? Because Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes are good pieces that could return some value. It also wouldn&rsquo;t be surprising to see the Toronto Raptors cash in on Norman Powell&rsquo;s career season, as he&rsquo;s going to look for a big pay day in the summer.
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Chris Sheridan: The Orlando Magic. John Hammond needs to keep Nikola Vucevic and get whatever he can for Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier to engineer a quick rebuild built around Vuc, Jonathan Issac and Markelle Fultz. The Magic were a Murphy's Law victim this season, but even at full strength were never going to be a championship contender. They need one or two good, young coachable wing players and an extra first-round pick. Gordon is in demand, and I expect Hammond to be able to get good value in return -- the type of value that enables a quick turnaround.
Moke Hamilton: If you&rsquo;re a team that&rsquo;s under .500 without at least one young superstar-caliber player who can conceivably lead you to the playoffs, then you should be a seller. The Rockets seem to qualify, as do the Wizards and Magic. If I had to pick one, I&rsquo;d probably go with the Magic, though. You can only try with Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon for so long before you decide to go in another direction, and each have enough value to get a decent return back in a potential deal. The Wizards at least have Brad Beal (and Russell Westbrook), while Houston has assembled a nice collection of future draft picks in recent months. It might be time for Orlando to embrace rebuilding (again) around Markelle Fultz and whichever of Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac or Mo Bamba gives them the look and feel of a cornerstone.
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Jannelle Moore: I think the Toronto Raptors should sell. Kyle Lowry will be a unrestricted free agent after the season and their best bet is trading him now to get a player (and picks) to help them rather than letting him walk in the offseason without getting anything in return.&nbsp;
Ethan Fuller: This might be an off-beat pick, but the Indiana Pacers should absolutely sell. They are another East contender under .500, but don't have the star power to inspire confidence. What they do have are a number of solid rotation pieces (Myles Turner, Doug McDermott, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday, T.J. McConnell and more) who could help teams chasing a title. It's time for Indiana to reload the prospect chest and raise the franchise's ceiling.
Danny Cunningham: The Toronto Raptors should be sellers this year, although it&rsquo;s unlikely that will actually happen. Banners hang forever, and that franchise will always have the magical playoff run of 2019, but it&rsquo;s probably time for Masai Ujiri to examine what the future of the team looks like and put in place building blocks around Pascal Siakam to try and open up another window of contention, because this just isn&rsquo;t their year.
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Jonathan Concool: The Orlando Magic. It&rsquo;s time to move on from Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon. These guys are far too talented to be wasting their primes on a team that hasn&rsquo;t won a playoff series since 2010. Orlando could get real assets in return and start rebuilding from scratch, as a fresh start is desperately needed down in Central Florida.
Sharon Brown: I believe the San Antonio Spurs might be sellers and will finally get with the youth movement. LaMarcus Aldridge already isn't with the team. Is it possible that we could see them part ways with DeMar Derozan, Rudy Gay and/or Patty Mills next?
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MORE ROUNDTABLES:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-roundtable-will-this-be-an-active-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will this be an active trade deadline?</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-roundtable-who-is-the-biggest-name-that-will-be-moved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Who's the biggest name that will be dealt?</a>
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<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1habvwh r-i023vh"><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-roundtable-which-team-is-in-desperate-need-of-a-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Which team desperately needs a trade?</a></div>
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As the NBA trade deadline approaches, which teams should be sellers? BasketballNews.com's staff shares their thoughts!

NBA Trade Deadline Roundtable: Which team should be a seller?

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for March 19, 2021.
Understand the Grind
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Norm's argument for starting earlier this season <a href="https://t.co/Hf2essjMMX">pic.twitter.com/Hf2essjMMX</a>
&mdash; Joseph Whalen (@JoeWhalen19) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeWhalen19/status/1372558585847283713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Norman Powell is in The Good Place. The real Good Place.
Shut Up Marquis
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Shut up Marquis you haven&rsquo;t played in either <a href="https://t.co/LfHzQNSJMg">https://t.co/LfHzQNSJMg</a>
&mdash; Josh Hart (@joshhart) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshhart/status/1372594449360904195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It&rsquo;s always people who have never sniffed a basketball trying to diminish professional basketball players and their accomplishments.
Whose Man Is This
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??? What is wrong with these accounts lol <a href="https://t.co/BZ7bAidmSf">pic.twitter.com/BZ7bAidmSf</a>
&mdash; Becca Winkert (@BeccaMVP) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeccaMVP/status/1372529786392883206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Who in their right mind could hate Davis Bertans? I&rsquo;ve never heard of anyone saying Solomon Hill or Robert Covington is their most hated player. Gary Harris???? RUDY GAY????
I Would Die 4 U
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Prince just hitting a quick jumper mid concert 😂 <a href="https://t.co/iyvAdgj4XM">pic.twitter.com/iyvAdgj4XM</a>
&mdash; 🍥 (@freezep0p) <a href="https://twitter.com/freezep0p/status/1372605938646061059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The best thing that ever happened to the Minnesota Timberwolves is Prince being from there. Sorry, Kevin Garnett.
Toddlers and Tiaras and Turnaround Jumpers
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NBA Dads Pageant Moms 🤝 Living vicariously through their kids
&mdash; i. (@_nopename) <a href="https://twitter.com/_nopename/status/1372769342316634119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Honestly let&rsquo;s just have a reality show where LaVar Ball has to transform children into pageant winners.
Shots Fired
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Alright, Lavar on ESPN 710 LA. Mychal Thompson: &ldquo;why didn&rsquo;t you want melo to play with GSW.&rdquo; Lavar: &ldquo;I called Steve Kerr the MILLI VANILLI of coaching. He called me the kardashian of basketball. Steve Kerr does nothing but stand there.&rdquo;
&mdash; Under the Buss (@TheUndertheBuss) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUndertheBuss/status/1372666368995168260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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I mean. Steve Kerr isn&rsquo;t wrong. I&rsquo;ve been calling LaVar the Kris Jenner of the NBA for years. But is LaVar wrong? Hmm&hellip;.
See a tweet that should be featured in our next Tweets of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for March 19, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Dad Stop, You're Embarrassing Me...

USA Basketball has announced its finalists for the U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball team. The organization said in a statement:
"Adding 15 players to 42 previously selected USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s National Team finalists, 57 athletes today were announced by USA Basketball as finalists for the U.S. Olympic Men&rsquo;s Basketball Team. The player selections were approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors. The official 12-member U.S. Olympic Men&rsquo;s Basketball Team roster will be announced later this year.
"Added to the 2021 USA National Team roster, from which the U.S. Olympic Men&rsquo;s Basketball Team will be selected, were - Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers); Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets); Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons); Blake Griffin (Brooklyn Nets); Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks); DeAndre Jordan (Brooklyn Nets); Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls); Julius Randle (New York Knicks); Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat); Mitchell Robinson (New York Knicks); Fred VanVleet (Toronto Raptors); John Wall (Houston Rockets); Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans); Christian Wood (Houston Rockets); and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks).
"Forty-two of the athletes who were named as finalists on Feb. 10, 2020, also were confirmed for the 2021 list, including: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat); LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs); Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings); Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards); Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns); Malcolm Brogdon (Indiana Pacers); Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics); Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat); Mike Conley (Utah Jazz); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers); DeMar DeRozan (San Antonio Spurs); Andre Drummond (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets); Paul George (LA Clippers); Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors); James Harden (Brooklyn Nets); Montrezl Harrell (Los Angeles Lakers); Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets); Tobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers); Gordon Hayward (Charlotte Hornets); Dwight Howard (Philadelphia 76ers); Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans); Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets); LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers); Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers); Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks); Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors); JaVale McGee (Cleveland Cavaliers); Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks); Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz); Victor Oladipo (Houston Rockets); Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns); Mason Plumlee (Detroit Pistons); Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics); Russell Westbrook (Washington Wizards); and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs).
"'With the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics from 2020 to 2021, it&rsquo;s important that we continue to remain flexible and consider all players who can contribute to our efforts to field the best USA team possible. These additions we are announcing today will help ensure that we are doing that,' said Jerry Colangelo, who has served as the managing director of the USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s National Team since 2005. 'Having a larger player pool than what we normally have is critical because of all of the uncertainties we face about availability. But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.'
"The USA National Team coaching staff is led by long-time San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, and serving as USA assistant coaches are Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, former Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright."

Fifteen players were added to the list of 42 from early February.

USA Basketball announces finalists for men's Olympic team

We are now at the two-week mark of the NBA season, and surprises abound. Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers are very, very good&hellip; but we all expected that.
The Orlando Magic are 5-2, which is the second-best record in the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets are sitting below .500 and in the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s 10th seed, and they&rsquo;ll be without Kevin Durant for four-straight games. The Denver Nuggets are among the five teams tied for last place in the Western Conference. Somehow, the New York Knicks have the fifth-best record in the East.
If this is what defines 2021 being better than 2020, so be it.
But we are off to a strange start to this NBA season. There are times when things feel somewhat normal again, like when Steph Curry is going off for a career-high 62 points two nights ago against the Portland Trail Blazers and then follows it up with a 30-point outing to up his average to 32.0 points per game.
Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been okay, but not great. The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns have been tremendous, but can those teams sustain this level of success?
As we enter the third week of the NBA season, here are five players to keep a close eye on. Will they be able to continue producing at a high level after exploding out of the gate?
Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
The second-year player out of Kentucky is the second-leading scorer on a San Antonio Spurs team that did not make a whole lot of changes during the offseason and was widely expected to eventually shed DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge as they transition to a youth movement. But sometimes, the perfect mix of young and old can breed the correct chemistry. Johnson shot 7-for-11 and 10-for-16 in the Spurs&rsquo; two most recent games, and Johnson looks like yet another example of Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford finding buried treasure late in the draft.
There remains a logjam at point guard with Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills and the injured Derrick White, so time will tell whether the Spurs will try to make a trade to bolster their roster for a playoff push. This week, the Spurs will face the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday and Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, and those teams will key on him defensively. Last Friday, Johnson had no trouble putting up points against the Lakers, dropping a career-high 26 points along with 10 rebounds, 5 threes, 2 steals and 1 block.
Enes Kanter, Portland Trail Blazers 
Remember last year in the playoffs when every time Enes Kanter came into a game, good things happened on the court? Well, Terry Stotts is using him a heck of a lot more than Brad Stevens did last season in Boston and Kanter has three double-doubles in six games while backing up Jusuf Nurkic, who has not replicated his All-Bubble form. The latest effort from Kanter was 24 points and 12 rebounds in just 24 minutes against the Golden State Warriors, after he scored just 5 points in 11 minutes in the first game of the teams&rsquo; back-to-back. Kanter is now with his fifth NBA team and while he will never be known for his defense, he remains one of the league&rsquo;s best when it comes to battling on the boards and converting second-chance points.
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Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Tom Thibodeau is basically running his offense through the team&rsquo;s highest-paid player, and Randle is averaging 22.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists &ndash; team-highs in all three categories. The Knicks didn&rsquo;t compete in the NBA bubble, so Randle essentially had a long offseason and dedicated himself to getting in better shape, and it shows. He&rsquo;s displayed significant improvement when it comes to his motor and efficiency. This is his seventh season in the league after being the No. 7 overall pick of the 2014 draft (by the Los Angeles Lakers), and he is putting up better numbers (especially the assists) than he did in his previous career-year -- his 2018-19 campaign with the New Orleans Pelicans, when he averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
Thibodeau is leaning on Randle and Alec Burks while simultaneously trying to figure out his point-guard situation. Also, R.J. Barrett is starting to play like the Knicks expected when they made him the No. 3 overall pick of the 2019 draft. His three-point shooting still needs work, but his free-throw percentage has risen from 61.4 to 77.8, and his assists (3.7) and rebounds (7.6) are up while playing 38.7 minutes per game. Randle is just below him at 37.7 minutes per game, and we are again seeing that Thibodeau prefers to keep his rotations short. The 4-3 Knicks are in a four-way tie for fifth in the East.
C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
He went off for 28 points against the Golden State Warriors two nights ago and made only 2 three-pointers, which was a season-low through six games. We were all expecting Dame Lillard and Gary Trent Jr. to be the three-point marksmen for the Blazers this season, but McCollum is actually leading in the league in three-pointers made per game (4.7). McCollum is also first in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (8.5).
Last season, Portland was a disappointment in the West after making the Conference Finals the previous season, and a full season of Jusuf Nurkic was supposed to change that. But instead, it&rsquo;s been McCollum and Kanter along with the intangibles provided by new additions Derrick Jones Jr. and Robert Covington that have helped make this a better all-around ballclub. They are a .500 team after six games, but will play 10 of their next 12 at home, so do not sleep on them.
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
The 24-year-old forward is shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range, which makes his 71.4 percent free throw shooting somewhat of a mystery, eh? But we have seen this guy evolve over his five seasons and prove that he was clearly worthy of the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, but nobody could have envisioned a 6.6-point increase in his scoring average. Jayson Tatum often gets credit for being the best player on this team, but Brown is making a push.
Brown is now averaging 26.9 points per game and is the better rebounder and big-man defender, but Tatum has evolved into the better offensive player. As a duo, they&rsquo;re averaging a combined 53.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 5.7 threes, 2.6 steals and 1.6 blocks while shooting 52.0 percent from the field, 43.2 percent from three and 78.8 percent from the free-throw line. They became the first Celtics teammates to both score 200+ points in the first 8 games of a season since Larry Bird and Kevin McHale in 1986-87. Brown is shooting nearly 60 percent from the field, which is something that only centers are supposed to do.
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Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown become the first <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> teammates to both score 200+ points in the first 8 games of a season since Larry Bird and Kevin McHale in 1986-87. <a href="https://t.co/invaxZ3ewS">pic.twitter.com/invaxZ3ewS</a>
&mdash; NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbastats/status/1346315043156144130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Honorable Mention 
Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers (22.0 PPG, 7.0 APG)
Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers (25.7 PPG, 3.4 APG)
Christian Wood, Houston Rockets (23.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.0 BPG)
Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies (17.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG)
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers (17.2 PPG, 6.3 APG)

Chris Sheridan looks at five NBA players who got off to a hot start and whether they can sustain this level of play long-term.

Five overachieving NBA players to watch

Ethan Fuller breaks down the biggest takeaways from the NBA preseason.