Bulldogs

There are few certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Dorian Finney-Smith corner threes.
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Death, taxes&hellip;and a Dorian Finney-Smith corner three. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mavs</a> <a href="https://t.co/meTTIRgc18">pic.twitter.com/meTTIRgc18</a>
&mdash; Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1501718770460602369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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When Finney-Smith entered the league six years ago, the Dallas Mavericks wing was told that the corner three is the easiest shot in the NBA and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;make a lot of money" if he could knock it down consistently. &nbsp; &ldquo;I was already playing into the corner my rookie year, and once I realized how many corner threes I was going to get, I just worked on it,&rdquo; Finney-Smith told BasketballNews.com in a one-on-one conversation.
He laughs, as if he's just now realizing that it has become his trademark shot. Then, he shouts out the former teammate who helped his corner three become so deadly.
&ldquo;Wesley Matthews was a good vet for me. He was always telling me that I needed to get that (corner three) shot down pat if I wanted to be on the court," Finney-Smith said. "And I did!"
He would spend the next few years focused, head down, determined to prove he belonged in the league. He developed into a reliable shooter and perfected the corner three, just as Matthews advised.
This season, Finney-Smith shot 46.1% on corner threes &mdash; a huge improvement from his rookie year, when he shot just 26.3% from that spot. During the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he's been even better, knocking down 52.5% of his corner threes.
&ldquo;I had the confidence that I could shoot. I shot the ball well in college, it just ain&rsquo;t translated the first couple of years in the NBA,&rdquo; Finney-Smith said.
He knew there was only one way to get his shot back: stay in the gym and work.
&ldquo;Repetition builds confidence," Finney-Smith explained. "Also, I think my teammates seeing how hard I worked, it also built confidence in them. The ones who have been here with me throughout this journey &mdash; like Maxi [Kleber], Dwight [Powell], Luka [Doncic] &mdash; I think they see the work I put in and that also gives them confidence to give the ball to me in late-game situations.
&ldquo;Guys see the work you put in; they can tell if you've been in the gym or if you been BSing, and I built confidence with those guys, especially Luka, to pass me the ball in those clutch situations. They have trust in me, even when I miss it.&rdquo;
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Finney-Smith also earned the trust of Dallas' front office. After playing his best basketball and helping the Mavs win a lot of games (in the regular season and now in the playoffs), Finney-Smith is getting the recognition he deserves. The undrafted baller from Portsmouth, Virginia, was also rewarded with the biggest payday of his career.
In early February &mdash; six years after signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavs &mdash; Doe-Doe (as he is affectionately called) signed a four-year contract extension worth a reported $55 million. After earning $4,000,000 this season, he'll reportedly be paid $12,402,000 next year.
He has played his way into a starting role and into the hearts of MFFL&rsquo;s, becoming one of the fan favorites. Finney-Smith has established himself as an integral piece of the Mavs' future after averaging a career-high 11.0 points along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals (while shooting 47.1% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range).
During the postseason, he has elevated his game to a higher level. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, Finney-Smith finished with a playoff-career-best 24 points (on 8-12 shooting from three) and 8 rebounds. He became just the third player in Dallas' franchise history to make at least 8 three-pointers in game, joining Maxi Kleber (8 threes against the Utah Jazz on April 18, 2022) and Jason Terry (9 threes against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 8, 2011 &mdash; exactly 11 years to the day).
On Tuesday night, with the Mavs down 0-3 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, he helped lead Dallas to victory with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 threes and 2 assists while shooting 69.2% from the field and 57.1% from three.
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The underrated 3-and-D specialist opened up to BasketballNews.com about this Mavs team, his happy place, his experience going undrafted, what talent he wishes he had and much more.&nbsp;
In your own words, how did the Mavs get here &mdash; to the Western Conference Finals?
Dorian Finney-Smith: "Just by staying together. Early in the year, we weren&rsquo;t shooting the ball as well as we wanted to. I feel like we just stuck with it. We didn&rsquo;t blame nobody else; we looked inward and we took accountability as a team. And shout out to the coaches: J-Kidd, he did a good job of making us hold each other accountable. All those close games that we were in the last couple of years, I feel like this year we made that step &mdash; finishing the game the right way."
After going undrafted, what allowed you to keep going mentally? And who's been in your corner?
Finney-Smith: "I have a big family. [The answer is] them. My kid&rsquo;s mom (Jasmine).
"I always felt like when I first made the team, I just wanted to get on the court. And once I got on the court, I just wanted to make sure I showed everyone I belonged. Once I started playing on the regular, I just always wanted my presence to be felt, even if I was making or missing shots."
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Did you ever think that playing in the NBA wasn&rsquo;t going to happen for you? Did you ever get down on yourself?
Finney-Smith: "Nah. Nah. Hell nah. I never got down. I was a little mad I didn't get what I wanted on my first deal. I played a whole lot, then I started&hellip; just me being&hellip; At times, it was a little frustrating just because I&rsquo;m human."
Who are you closest to on the team?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "Trey Burke, Reggie [Bullock]. Actually, we all pretty much hang out together. We are a close-knit team; even Luka comes and kicks it with us. This is probably the closest Mavs team I've been on. When I first got here, I had an older team: Devin Harris, JJ [Barea], Dirk [Nowitzki]."
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finney-Smith: "Quiet. Or with the kids playing around. When I am not on the court, I am quiet."
What living person do you admire most?
Finney-Smith: "My mom because of her resiliency, and how she never let what she was going through show."
What talent would you most like to have?
Finney-Smith: "I wish I could sing. If I could sing, I probably&hellip; woo&hellip; I would sing all the time. I would sing myself out of trouble. (laughs)"
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?&nbsp;
Finney-Smith: "I don&rsquo;t know. God gave me everything I got for a reason, so nothing."
What drives you? What&rsquo;s your motivation?
Finney-Smith: "I would say fear of failure. Coming from where I came from, a small city, I always grew up around a whole bunch of 'I used to be' or 'what I could have done' stuff like that, so I am just trying to make the most of my opportunity because I know a lot of people may never get this opportunity or the chance to even get this opportunity."
Who is your favorite WNBA team and player?
Finney-Smith: "The (Dallas) Wings. Elizabeth Williams (of the Washington Mystics) is my favorite player. She is from Virgina; we both came out together in high school. She&rsquo;s a Virginia girl."
Who or what is the greatest love(s) of your life?
Finney-Smith: "My kids or my mom."
If you died and could come back as anything or anyone, what would it be and why?
Finney-Smith: "A lion. 'Lion King' is my favorite movie, and I love lions."
If you enjoyed this piece, be sure to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out Dorothy J. Gentry's exclusive interview with Dallas Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock</a> as well.
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Dorian Finney-Smith opens up about his breakout season, the Dallas Mavericks' playoff run, going undrafted, his happy place and more.

Dorian Finney-Smith Q&A: 'This is the closest Mavs team I've been on'

With the 2022 NCAA Tournament right around the corner, it's time for conference tournaments to begin so teams can begin punching their ticket to The Big Dance in March.
Mid-major tournaments have already gotten underway, on Wednesday, five Power Five tournaments will have begun theirs to join the club.
(Editor's note: Check out our breakdowns of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-acc-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACC</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-big-ten-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Ten</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-pac12-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pac-12</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-sec-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC</a>.)
Since everyone will have their eyes on the best players in these conferences over the next few weeks, BasketballNews.com has highlighted each Power Five and its top 2022 NBA Draft prospects.
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Here are the names to look out for in the Big 12.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>
Forward | Baylor
Height: 6-8 Weight: 205 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.1 Nationality: USA
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A big, strong and explosive wing with a high motor, Kendall Brown has provided an impact as a freshman at Baylor this season. Brown can finish with both athleticism and finesse as a slasher despite lacking elite self-creation. He is also a terrific defender, using his length and quickness to disrupt the opposition. Brown is a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/ochai-agbaji" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ochai Agbaji</a>
Guard-Forward | Kansas
Height: 6-5 Weight: 215 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 22.2 Nationality: USA
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Ochai Agbaji is a versatile wing who has shown promise as a defender, slasher and shooter. Early in his career, he was known for his athleticism and defense. However, this season, he has emerged as one of the best shooters in America, making giant leaps as a scorer in both volume and efficiency. Agbaji has solidified himself as a viable 3-and-D option at the NBA level, and is a candidate for National Player of the Year.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jeremy-sochan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan</a>
Forward | Baylor
Height: 6-9 Weight: 230 Wingspan: 7-0
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.1 Nationality: Poland, UK
Jeremy Sochan is an energetic, athletic forward with positional size at 6-foot-9. He has a tremendous motor and excels as a defender and rebounder due to his footwork and length. Although still 18 years old, Sochan has shown flashes of self-creation, but is primarily scoring off of cuts at the rim and catch-and-shoot threes at the moment. He will still only be 19 on Draft Day, but he is already showing why he has big-time potential at the NBA level. Sochan's combination of size, athleticism, instincts and skill is unique.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/christian-braun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Braun</a>
Guard-Forward | Kansas
Height: 6-6 Weight: 205 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 21.2 Nationality: USA
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At 6-foot-6, Christian Braun has positional size, showing the ability to score from anywhere on the floor. He has a smooth release from three and can pick his spots off the dribble. He is reliable on and off the ball on offense, while providing intelligent defense on the other end. Braun is a well-rounded player and makes a strong case for the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/matthew-mayer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Mayer</a>
Forward | Baylor
Height: 6-9 Weight: 225 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Senior Draft Day Age: 22.6 Nationality: USA
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At 6-foot-9, Matthew Mayer is a fluid ball-handler and scorer who has been an essential piece of Baylor's success the last two seasons. Although his role and usage have never been overly significant, his impact is often felt on both ends of the floor. He projects as a scoring wing at the NBA level who plays strongly on and off-ball defense, providing true versatility. In addition, Mayer has positional size, making him worth monitoring down the stretch as he makes a case for himself in 2022.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/terrence-shannon-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terrence Shannon Jr.</a>
Guard-Forward | Texas Tech
Height: 6-6 Weight: 215 Wingspan: 6-8
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 22.1 Nationality: USA
Terrence Shannon Jr. is an energetic, athletic wing who hangs his hat on defense. He possesses an impressive frame and mobility, and is a solid on-ball defender who provides versatility. He missed many games due to injury to start this season, and will need to show more consistency as a shooter and rim-finisher. However, Shannon&rsquo;s physical tools alone make him a viable option in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Others worth noting:
James Akinjo | Baylor
Izaiah Brockington | Iowa State
Mike Miles | TCU
Taz Sherman | West Virginia
Jalen Wilson | Kansas
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Matt Babcock highlights the top 2022 NBA Draft prospects in the Big 12 Tournament.

2022 NBA Draft: Top prospects in the Big 12 Tournament

DeMarcus Cousins, starting in place of ailing Nikola Jokic, scored a season-high 31 points and the Denver Nuggets bounced back from a loss to beat the struggling Houston Rockets 116-101 on Friday night.
Jokic, the reigning MVP, was held out because of a non-COVID-19 illness.
Cousins, a midseason acquisition by the Nuggets following his release by Milwaukee, found out he was starting for Jokic during the pre-game shootaround.
&ldquo;I was trying to take the best shots, trying to make the right play every possession,&rdquo; Cousins said. &ldquo;I play the game the right way. It was very satisfying and it&rsquo;s even better when you have a coach that believes in you, an organization that believes in you and teammates that have your back. That&rsquo;s all I&rsquo;ve been searching for on this journey. I&rsquo;ve found that right now and like I said earlier, I&rsquo;m going to leave everything on the floor.&rdquo;
JaMychal Green and Jeff Green each added 14 points apiece as Denver shook off a loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday night for its seventh win in eight games.
Will Barton had 11 points, hitting two 3-pointers to pass JR Smith as the Nuggets&rsquo; career leader with 769.
Christian Wood had 22 points for Houston, and Jalen Green added 18. The Rockets have lost 12 straight.
Barton hit two 3-pointers a minute apart late in the third quarter to break the mark. The Nuggets called a timeout during their ensuing possession and Barton&rsquo;s milestone was flashed on the scoreboard, bringing the crowd to its feet with a roaring ovation that Barton acknowledged with an appreciative wave of his arms.
&ldquo;It was a surreal moment,&rdquo; Barton said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s something you dream of as a kid, to one day make history at the biggest stage."
Cousins added a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws around a jumper by Garrison Mathews in the final 1:16 of the third period and Denver took a 17-point lead into the final quarter. &ldquo;They had the lead the whole game,&rdquo; said the Rockets&rsquo; Eric Gordon. "This is a game where you&rsquo;ve got to come in here and take it from them. You&rsquo;ve got to disrupt their rhythm somehow. Of course we&rsquo;re in the game but it&rsquo;s a different kind of energy and effort to really try to win the game and we just didn&rsquo;t have that tonight.&rdquo;
Cousins&rsquo; dunk, one of several that he had in the game, put the Nuggets up 103-89 with 4:43 left and Denver maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way. Cousins was taken out of the game with just under two minutes remaining and got a hug from coach Michael Malone and an ovation from the crowd.
TIP-INS
Rockets: G Dennis Schroder missed a second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. &hellip; Former Nuggets star Kenyon Martin was on hand in the stands to watch his son, Kenyon Martin Jr., play for the Rockets. &hellip; Houston has only seven wins in 34 road games.
Nuggets: G Austin Rivers also was ruled out of the game because of a non-COVID-19 illness. &hellip; F Zeke Nnaji remains sidelined due to bilateral knee soreness. &hellip; Cousins&rsquo; previous season high was 22 points against Dallas on Dec. 23 while with Milwaukee. &hellip; Denver swept its season series with the Rockets 3-0.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Host Memphis on Sunday night.
Nuggets: Host New Orleans on Sunday night.

DeMarcus Cousins, starting in place of ailing Nikola Jokic, scored a season-high 31 points.

Cousins leads in Jokic's absence, Nuggets beat Rockets

I'd like to get a quick thought off my chest.
Why do we dub the post-All-Star break games as the second half of the NBA season? It's an 82-game season, and every team in the league has played north of 50 games. That's simply not how math works?
Anyway, we&nbsp;are ramping up for the postseason push. As such, most of the storylines will center around the top of each conference. Contender talk, flaws, favorable matchups, buyout targets &mdash; all that Jazz.
We'll focus in on the Play-In races. As of now, the Washington WIzards (0.5 games back) and New York Knicks (3.5) are a mini-run away from overtaking the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks (or No. 9 Charlotte Hornets) in the Eastern Conference. The San Antonio Spurs (2.0), New Orleans Pelicans (2.0) and Sacramento Kings (3.5) are all within striking distance of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The teams at the bottom &mdash; firmly outside of the Play-In race, likely to jostle for better lottery odds &mdash; are going to get lost in the grand scheme of things. I get it from a "winning matters/is more fun" perspective, but you'll miss a lot of cool things if you completely disregard those teams.
Remember, for example, that Darius Garland averaged 18.8 points and 6.3 assists with a 57.0% True Shooting percentage after the All-Star break last season before getting shut down. The hints of his growth &mdash; slick interior feeds and a more aggressive trigger from deep (40.4% on 5.4 attempts vs. 38.4% on 4.5 attempts before the break) &mdash; were present if you peeped those games.
Related: We just watched him in&nbsp;the All-Star game.
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Every team at the bottom doesn't have an All-Star in waiting, but this is my plea to keep an eye on them. I'm here to give you a brief guide.
INDIANA PACERS &mdash; TYRESE HALIBURTON'S ON-BALL GROWTH
Haliburton serving as the blue-chipper to bring Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento wasn't on my bingo card. The early returns have led to super-charged offenses on both sides, so I'm not sure either team is too upset right now.
On the Haliburton front, he's enjoyed a near-unquestioned run as a primary ball-handler. He's averaging 20.8 points (.519/.452/.813 shooting splits) and 11.0 assists (3.5 turnovers) through his first four games as a Pacer, but even that undersells it a bit.
He has completely transformed how the Pacers play; their pace with Haliburton on the floor is roughly four possessions faster than their regular-season mark (97.95, 20th). You have to take that with a grain of salt &mdash; it's been a four-game sample &mdash; but watching this team blaze up the floor after misses&nbsp;and&nbsp;makes has been a startling shift.
The heightened pace makes it a little easier for Haliburton create advantages. Against an unset defense, he's able to manipulate his defender into screens, and reads second- and third-level defenders with ease. He's a darn&nbsp;good passer, and his ability to shoot off the dribble &mdash; he's <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1630169/shots-dash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">converting north of 40%</a> of his pull-up twos (44.1%) and&nbsp;threes (41.7%) this season &mdash; makes him a pretty dynamic weapon.
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There are some areas of growth present though. He's not particularly bursty, so he does occasionally require a re-screen (or two, or three) against top-notch defenders. His shooting has gotten good enough to where ducking under probably isn't a good idea; he still has some questions to answer against switches though.
Beyond that, keep an eye on how consistently Haliburton accesses the paint. His film is (still) littered with reps where he'll come off the screen and find an outlet once he reaches the free-throw line, versus taking an extra dribble or two in order to engage the big.
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STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Isaiah Jackson seems fun! He's already a dynamic roller and pairs well with Haliburton; the very, very early returns have been good &mdash; a whopping 1.4 points per possession on direct hookups, per Second Spectrum.</li>
<li>Buddy Hield is averaging 5.0 assists (1.8 turnovers) since becoming a Pacer. And this isn't of the "find a guy in transition" or "pass it to an open guy as part of a set play" variety. He's making, like, live-dribble reads. If that proves real, we need to start rethinking his offensive value (and how he fits a contender).</li>
<li>As someone who genuinely wasn't familiar of him until a couple of weeks ago, I want to see more of Terry Taylor. He's 6-foot-5 and stocky, and has averaged 13.6 points and 9.5 rebounds (!) since joining the regular rotation nine games ago.</li>
</ul>
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER &mdash; TRE MANN'S SHOT CREATION
Tre Mann is fun.
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No, I mean&nbsp;really&nbsp;fun.&nbsp;
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You generally don't get this blend of ball-handling, shooting touch and footwork from a rookie guard. It's easy to get caught up in the aesthetic of this kind of shot creation, but I'm keeping an eye on it.
His shot profile is already wild. To this point, only 69.4% of his threes and 24.7% of his twos have been assisted on. It makes his overall three-point percentage (36.5%) a little more impressive; it also makes his two-point percentage (39.9%) wildly concerning. But hey, I'm interested in seeing if he can leverage his pull-up shooting into cleaner driving lanes.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>He's overqualified for the stray thoughts section, but good lord is Josh Giddey good. Similar to Haliburton, how intentional he is about generating paint touches vs. early kick-outs is going to be key to his development as a high-level initiator. The fact that's been able to create (and rack up triple-doubles) to this degree with that question mark is a testament to how good he is.</li>
<li>Hey, the Thunder have the third best half-court defense in the NBA in 2022. My pal Mark Schindler <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-oklahoma-city-thunders-emerging-defensive-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently wrote about it</a>. Let's see if it holds after the break.</li>
<li>I just... don't want Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shut down for the year like he was last season. I hope we see plenty of him, provided the ankle sprain isn't too severe. Provided he plays, have fun laughing at his weird drives and hope the jumper comes around. He's your "Garland to watch for" in this exercise.</li>
</ul>
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HOUSTON ROCKETS &mdash; KEVIN PORTER JR.'S PG EXPERIMENT
Porter's transition to point guard was something I wrote about as part of my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Something To Prove</a> series before the year. It's worth checking in on that.
First 13 games: 13.2 points (.375/.301/.644 shooting splits), 5.2 assists (4.4 turnovers)
Next 13 games: 11.6 points (.344/.360/.556), 6.5 assists (3.4 turnovers)
Last 13 games: 16.6 points (.481/.477/.600), 6.9 assists (2.8 turnovers)
Two quick things on that.&nbsp;
For starters, that second section of games is pretty split up due to him being in and out of the lineup. A poor roster context, plus inconsistent burn (in a new role!), is going to lead to some shoddy play.
Second, look at the relationship between assists and turnovers! The dimes are up, the giveaways are down. Beyond the numbers, you could see the gradual progression of Porter's processing.
The simpler reads were (and are) being made more quickly. He isn't as interior-focused, as he's gotten more reps reading the second level. Nearly 46% of Porter's assists have come via threes this season, way up from his 35.6% clip last year.
He's finally looking for the corners! About 14% of his assisted threes came from the corner in his first two seasons; that's up to 22.7% this year.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m66b7z" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Hopefully Porter is able to stay healthy so he can continue to get these reps. Even if he doesn't prove to be point guard material, this experience should make him deadlier in a secondary role moving forward.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Keep an eye on Jalen Green's progress as a downhill threat. A larger share of his shots have come at the rim since the turn of the year (34% in 2021, 42% so far in 2022, per Cleaning The Glass). His turnover rate on drives has been cut in half (14.1% to 7.0%)... but he's also passing at a less-frequent rate on drives (41.1% to 31%) during the same time period. It's gonna be fun watching him find that balance.</li>
<li>Can Stephen Silas find a way to supplement the Christian Wood/Alperen Sengun frontcourt he's been running with lately? The early returns haven't been great (minus-12.9 Net Rating in 523 possessions, per Cleaning The Glass). The most used trio around that pairing &mdash; Porter, Green and Jae'Sean Tate &mdash; has a pretty solid defense (108.1 DRTG) and a ghastly offense (96.0 ORTG) in 126 possessions. Keep an eye on this group with Garrison Mathews in place of Tate; it's only 25 possessions, but there *are* positive (plus-10.1) returns.</li>
<li>KJ Martin is fun, man. I'd just like to see him get more burn so we can see if the jumper is real. If he isn't the best weak-side rim-protector under 6-6 in the league, he has to be top-five.</li>
</ul>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
DETROIT PISTONS &mdash; CADE CUNNINGHAM'S FREE THROWS
Stop me if you've seen this scene play out.
Cade Cunningham runs a high ball-screen. His defender either gets caught on the pick, or tries to duck under, but fails to cut off the driving angle. Cunningham gains inside leverage, absorbs a blow, puts up a shot that rolls off the rim, and the play goes the other way.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a40075" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
There are <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVE_FTA&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=DRIVES*GE*10:DRIVE_FGA*GE*5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">32 players</a> currently averaging at least 10 drives and 5 field-goal attempts on drives. Cunningham's 1.2 free-throw attempts via drive rank 25th; the players below him on the list:
1) Are point guards, with the exception of Tyler Herro (1.1 FTA)&nbsp;
2) Average fewer attempts at the rim than Cunningham does.
Cunningham has had to figure out how to win with drives &mdash; the pace + bump + shoulder nudge seems to be his ideal method of madness. But now he's up against the "rookies don't deserve calls" thing. It's as hilarious (for non-Piston fans) as it is perplexing when watching live.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>It should be noted that Saddiq Bey is averaging 18-5-3 while shooting 37.4% from three on 8.4 attempts in 2022. He's absolutely&nbsp;flinging&nbsp;it and mixing in post-ups against smaller guys. Teams are very &mdash; almost disrespectfully &mdash; comfortable with switching against the Pistons since they don't have pure blow-by or deadly pull-up threats right now. That's led to a lot of mismatch hunting, and thus, Bey getting to put his shoulder into people. It makes for a rough watch at times, but the reps should matter down the road</li>
<li>Will Isaiah Stewart get back to shooting? Please? At least try it? Me and my homies miss second-half-of-2021 Beef Stew.</li>
<li>Killian Hayes is a good defender, darn it. Don't sell all your stock on him yet.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
ORLANDO MAGIC &mdash; DOUBLE BIG LINEUP
This possession is going to live in my head for a long time.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/77zalb" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
This is the Magic attempting to use their talented big-man duo of Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba together. It's a Double Drag look that flows into another screening action for Bamba to shoot off of.
In theory, opposing bigs should have trouble tracking across screens. It should be a unique way to stress defenses out. Instead, we get LUKA DONCIC playing DROP COVERAGE because he is not at all worried about the initial pop in Double Drag. Even with Doncic eventually fighting over and contesting the shot, the rest of the defense stays at home.
And this, my friends, is the center (you laughed, it's fine) of my intrigue with this group. Defensively, you see the upside. Two very good rim-protectors with enough mobility (especially in Carter's case) to switch up your schemes. Want to go back to the Chicago Bulls/Jim Boylen days trap with Carter? That's cool, because Bamba and his tree limbs are behind the action. Want to show Bamba high? That's cool, because Carter can clean up messes too.
The Magic are holding teams to 94.1 points per 100 half-court possessions with Carter and Bamba on the floor together, a mark that ranks in the 56th percentile. Their starting unit &mdash; Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Carter and Bamba &mdash; is holding teams to an 87.3 offensive rating in the half court, a ridiculous figure.
But then there's the half-court offense, which is awful in that lineup (83.1) and generally awful with those bigs on the floor together (88.5). While Bamba (34.4% on 3.7 attempts) and Carter (32.1% from 3.6 attempts) are willing shooters from deep, teams don't fear them. They're able to shrink the floor, which is a bit problematic considering Suggs' shooting woes and Anthony's size issue.
I want to see if they can figure the offense out, because they are a joy to watch defensively.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>On-Ball Franz has arguably been the most surprising development of this draft class; at the very least, it's the most suprising among rookies playing in the United States. He's a mean driver with plus-passing chops to boot.</li>
<li>You know who's still delightful? Robin Lopez and his array of sweeping hooks. Perfectly capable third big. I have no clue if he's going to get bought out, but he'll give you some low-post funk.</li>
<li>Aside from the shooting, keep an eye on Suggs defensively. I touched on it <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dont-forget-about-jalen-suggs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in an earlier piece</a>, but he's a few on-ball tricks-of-the-trade away from being a gnarly defender.</li>
</ul>
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Nekias Duncan gives a guide for what to watch for among the non-playoff teams during the second half of the season.

Views from the bottom: What to look forward to from NBA non-contenders

As we near the end of the NCAA regular season, let's take a dive into college basketball's Power Five conference standings, remaining matchups, and teams to watch as we come down the stretch.
Earlier this week we addressed the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/state-of-the-conference-evaluating-the-sec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC</a>. For this article, we'll dive into the Big 12.
Here are the current Big 12 standings, with conference wins and losses to the left and overall record to the right (table via <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-12/2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBB Sports-Reference</a>):
<table dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 112.547%; height: 264px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><colgroup><col width="50" /><col width="120" /><col width="61" /><col width="61" /><col width="81" /><col width="61" /><col width="61" /><col width="64" /><col width="65" /></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Rk&quot;}">Rk</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;School&quot;}">School</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W&quot;}">W</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;L&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">L</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W-L%&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:4,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;[$$]#,##0.00&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">W-L%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W&quot;}">W</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;L&quot;}">L</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W-L%&quot;}">W-L%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:1}">1</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas&quot;}">Kansas (6)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;2&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">2</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.833}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">83.3%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:21}">21</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.84}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">84%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:2}">2</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Baylor&quot;}">Baylor (7)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;3&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.75}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">75.0%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:21}">21</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.84}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">84%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas Tech&quot;}">Texas Tech (11)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;4&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.667}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">66.7%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:19}">19</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.76}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">76%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas&quot;}">Texas (20)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;5&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.615}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">61.5%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:19}">19</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.731}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">73%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas State&quot;}">Kansas State</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;7&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.462}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">46.2%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.56}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">56%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;TCU&quot;}">TCU</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;6&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.455}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">45.5%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:16}">16</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.696}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">70%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 44px;">
<td style="height: 44px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oklahoma State&quot;}">Oklahoma State</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;8&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">8</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.385}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">38.5%</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:13}">13</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.48}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">48%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Iowa State&quot;}">Iowa State</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.308}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">30.8%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:17}">17</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.654}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">65%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oklahoma&quot;}">Oklahoma</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.308}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">30.8%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.538}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">54%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;West Virginia&quot;}">West Virginia</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.25}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">25.0%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.56}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">56%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
FRONTRUNNERS: KANSAS, BAYLOR
Other than their embarrassing loss at home to Kentucky, the Kansas Jayhawks have looked the part of a No. 1 seed with an offense ranked third in the country and Adjusted Efficiency that ranks sixth. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun are incredibly difficult to contain, while role players such as Jalen Wilson and Remy Martin are reliable in their own right. Kansas has a primetime matchup against Baylor coming up, but other than that, the team should be able to finish the season on a strong note.
The Baylor Bears are only one game back from the Jayhawks, but recently lost Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua for the year with a devastating knee injury. While this will certainly impact them down the stretch, potential first-round picks Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan have the potential to win game when it matters, leading the No. 14 defense in the nation. Baylor is led offensively by a three-headed monster at guard: James Akinjo, LJ Cryer, and Adam Flagler. They are effective as floor generals, scorers and facilitators, and will look to power the Bears through the final few weeks of the regular season with an eye on the top spot if they can defeat Kansas on Feb. 26.
Notable games remaining:&nbsp;
Kansas: Baylor (Feb. 26), Texas (Mar. 5)
Baylor: Kansas (Feb. 26), Texas (Feb. 28)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17546573_lg.jpg" alt="" width="647" height="431" />
ON THE HEELS: TEXAS TECH, TEXAS
Sporting the third-best defense in the country, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are ranked 11th nationally and have a chance to move even higher up with a win against Baylor on Wednesday. Sitting only two games back from the top spot, Bryson Williams, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Co. are nearly unbeatable at home, so Tech will push for a top-two seed over the next few weeks. Oral Roberts transfer Kevin Obanor is the swing factor for me. He&rsquo;s been inconsistent as a scorer, but when he&rsquo;s clicking and stretching the floor, the Red Raiders are incredibly difficult to compete with. Look for him to have a strong finish to the year.&nbsp;
The Texas Longhorns entered this season ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, but are only 8-5 in conference play. While they have underperformed, I still wouldn&rsquo;t want any part of them come Big 12 or NCAA Tournament time. They are senior-laden, experienced and skilled across the board. Currently projected as as No. 5 seed in March, Timmy Allen, Marcus Carr and Co. have a very difficult schedule the next couple weeks, but have an opportunity to turn the tables in their favor.
Notable games remaining:&nbsp;
Texas Tech: Texas (Feb. 19)
Texas: Texas Tech (Feb. 19), Baylor (Feb. 28). Kansas (Mar. 5)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17582791_lg.jpg" alt="" width="648" height="423" />
SLEEPERS: TCU
The TCU Horned Frogs are 5-6 in conference play, but we are going to find out what they&rsquo;re made of down the stretch. Five of the final seven games are against ranked opponents, a gauntlet that has not been friendly to others in the Big 12. Mike Miles is leading the team in scoring, but will need to play at an elite level to carry the team to the end.&nbsp;
Notable games remaining: Texas (Feb. 23), Texas Tech (Feb. 26), Kansas (Mar. 1, Mar. 3)
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THE REST: 
Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Iowa State
2022 NBA DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown, Baylor</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/ochai-agbaji" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ochai Agbaji, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jeremy-sochan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan, Baylor</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/christian-braun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Braun, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/matthew-mayer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Mayer, Baylor</a>
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Terrence Shannon Jr., Texas Tech
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Nearing the end of the NCAA regular season, Derek Murray takes a dive into the state of the Big 12.

State of the Conference: Evaluating the Big 12

After the Los Angeles Lakers were embarrassed by the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Tuesday night (before Los Angeles lost to a bad Portland Trail Blazers team missing half their roster), a reporter asked LeBron James how his squad stacks up against Milwaukee and the league's other elite teams.
LeBron gave a surprisingly candid response: "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-players-believe-changes-must-be-made-before-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We ain't on their level</a>."
When asked if he believed the Lakers could eventually reach the Bucks' level this season, <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/lebron-james-admits-lakers-are-not-on-championship-level#:~:text=After%20the%20game%2C%20LeBron%20James,a%20flat%2C%20%22No.%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James replied</a>, "Where they are right now? I don't know. Do I think we can reach the level where Milwaukee is right now? No. Is that what you want to hear from me? No. We can't get to where they are right now. They're the defending champions for a reason and I guarantee you if you would've asked teams coming out of the bubble if they could get to the level that we were playing at when we won a championship, they would've said the same thing."
Let's flashback to the championship group for a second, shall we?
It may seem like it's been 16 years or so since LeBron led LA to a title in the bubble, but, incredibly, it's been less than 16 months. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Finals on Oct. 11, 2020. The team's two cornerstones, Anthony Davis and LeBron, remain, but the rest of the rotation has been turned over completely.&nbsp;
So, how did this team go from raising the Larry O'Brien trophy, to being four games under .500 and fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament just a year-and-a-half later?&nbsp;
Let's break it down.&nbsp;
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In the offseason following their championship, LA's major move was trading Danny Green (a significant two-way contributor on their title team) and LA's 2021 first-round pick (Jaden McDaniels) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Dennis Schroder. That summer, LA re-signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (three years, $39 million) and used its cap space to ink free agent Montrezl Harrell to a two-year, $18.9 million contract. They also brought in Wesley Matthews and Markieff Morris for the veteran minimum and inked Marc Gasol to a two-year, $5.3 million deal.&nbsp;
In mid-March, in the days leading up to last season's trade deadline, the Lakers were cruising. More than halfway through the 2020-21 campaign, the Lakers' were 15 games above .500 and owned the league's second-best record at 28-13.&nbsp;
At that point, the Lakers made a decision that would come back to haunt them. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but the Lakers arrived at a fork in the road and chose the wrong path. They've been headed downhill ever since. (Over the past 11 months, the Lakers are 43-51 in the 94 games they've played).&nbsp;
On the eve of the 2021 trade deadline, the Lakers and Toronto Raptors were engaged in serious discussions on a potential deal that would have sent Kyle Lowry to LaLa Land, giving LeBron and Co. the established veteran point guard (and proven winner) the team desperately needed. The Lakers and Raps <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> were close to finalizing a swap sending Schroder, Caldwell-Pope and some draft capital to Toronto in exchange for Lowry. Yet, in the hours right before the deadline arrived, "the sticking point was the inclusion of Talen Horton-Tucker," <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jovan Buha and Bill Oram of The Athletic</a>.&nbsp;
"Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' vice president of basketball operations, insisted that price was too high for the 35-year-old Lowry, and that he was not willing to trade Horton-Tucker, the 20-year-old combo guard who has emerged as a valuable rotation player for the Lakers in his second season," Buha and Oram <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/">reported</a>.
Looking back, it's impossible not to wonder how the future of several franchises might have changed if the Lakers had been willing to pony up for Lowry, who is now averaging 13.0 points and 8.1 assists per game for the Heat. This is the same Heat team that is poised to enter the All-Star break with the best record in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
As we know, the Lakers stood pat at last year's deadline and would struggle mightily in the six subsequent weeks. Over a 25-game stretch from mid-March through the first week in May, LA posted an 8-17 record.
The Lakers would eventually be eliminated in six games by the Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers' starting lineup in Game 6 after missing the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to a groin injury, but logged just five minutes before limping off the court. It was the first and only time in LeBron's career that he lost a first-round series (he had been 14-0).
"What matters to me is getting this team back healthy," James told reporters after the loss to Phoenix.
Well, as it turns out, Pelinka and James were unwilling to run it back with the same squad and hope the group would avoid injuries.&nbsp;
Instead, the Lakers rolled the dice, agreeing to one of the most dramatic and controversial trades in recent NBA history.&nbsp;
On the evening of July 29, both Woj and Shams <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1420855153410854925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Lakers had consented to take on Russell Westbrook (and his onerous contract).&nbsp;
A week later, the trade was officially announced. LA had traded away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson (whom the Lakers had selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) in exchange for Russ and several future second-rounders.&nbsp;
The justification from the Lakers was that they viewed Westbrook as an offensive powerhouse that could lighten the load LeBron had been forced to carry.&nbsp;
The Lakers rounded out their roster this past offseason by adding Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Rajon Rondo. They gave Kendrick Nunn the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9 million for two years). They also re-signed Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal worth $32 million.
Shockingly, despite advanced analytics that confirmed he was a near-perfect fit playing alongside LeBron, the Lakers decided not to bring back Alex Caruso, who had excelled as a role player in LA. Caruso's aggressiveness and versatility on the defensive end, as well as unselfishness on offense, made him an ideal wingman to AD and King James.&nbsp;
However, having Westbrook on the books for $44.2 million in 2021-22 and another $47.1 million in 2022-23 undoubtedly played a part in Pelinka's decision to let Carouso leave.&nbsp;
Still, as he explained on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-lakers-botched-alex-carusos-free-agency-and-lost-a-key-piece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JJ Redick's "Old Man and the Three" podcast</a> back in November, Carouso had hoped to re-sign with the Lakers and was even willing to give them a hometown discount. Before ultimately accepting the offer he received from Chicago (a four-year, $37 million contract, though the final season only carries a $3 million guarantee), <a href="https://twitter.com/oldmanandthree/status/1458257821405954052?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caruso said</a> he and his agent "went back to L.A., asked if they could do the same, they said no. We asked for something else that was a little bit less; they said no."
As it turns out, the concerns many critics envisioned over the summer related to potential issues arising from the addition of Westbrook have reared their ugly head. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Westbrook's declining athleticism has hamstrung the former All-Star.
At various points this season, Westbrook's alarming regression has been uncomfortable to watch. In the closing minutes of LA's victory over the New York Knicks last weekend, Russ found himself alone in the corner and as he was about to launch a three-pointer, the home crowd <a href="https://twitter.com/FanMahome/status/1490172360892329985">screamed at him not to shoot</a>. Coach Frank Vogel yanked him out of the lineup in overtime vs. New York. In the Lakers' embarrassing loss to the Bucks on Tuesday, Westbrook was benched for the final 14 minutes of the game, including the entire fourth quarter. Russ sat out Wednesday's loss to Portland with a "lower back" injury.&nbsp;
His counting stats on the season are solid (18/7/7), but the peripheral numbers are putrid, and his plus/minus is the worst on the team. This season, the Lakers have been outscored by 123 points with Westbrook on the floor, whereas they have outscored their opponents by 35 points with Russ on the bench.
The situation has careened toward rock-bottom this month. Over the Lakers' last four games, Westbrook is shooting just 27% from the floor, 15% from downtown and 55.0% from the free-throw line. He's also leading the league in turnovers.
Yet, now that the 2022 trade deadline has passed, we know that Lakers fans have no choice but to hope Russ can somehow locate his confidence and contribute to winning.&nbsp;
It has been rumored this week that the Houston Rockets were willing to trade John Wall to the Lakers for Westbrook, but Pelinka was reportedly unwilling to include LA's 2027 first-round pick, which Houston was demanding. Will the decision come back to bite LA, as refusing to include THT at last year's deadline did? Even if Wall failed to live up to expectations, would it have amounted to addition by subtraction?&nbsp;
Although Monk has been fantastic, and Melo has given LA as much as they could have hoped for, Howard, Ellington and Bazemore have failed to deliver. Ariza is averaging 4.2 points while shooting 36% from the floor. Rondo is no longer on the roster. Nunn, hampered by a bone bruise in his right knee, has yet to log a single second in an NBA game this season. Horton-Tucker is converting career-lows from the floor (41%) and behind the arc (27%). Despite playing nearly six more minutes per game, THT is averaging fewer assists this season (2.7) than he did in 2020-21, while still committing 1.5 turnovers a night.
Sum it all up, and you see why the Lakers have lost more than half of their games and find themselves in ninth place in the West, despite LeBron authoring the greatest season in NBA history by a 37-year-old.&nbsp;
This is a particularly bitter pill for Lakers fans to swallow considering the team purportedly had several different options to choose from this summer when shopping around their Kuz/&rsquo;Trez/draft picks package, including a deal for Sacramento sharpshooter Buddy Hield. In that scenario, the Lakers could have held onto KCP and added Hield, and the combined salary of both players still would have been $8 million less than Westbrook's cap hit of $44.2 million.&nbsp;
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To be fair, it's worth noting that in 2020-21, Westbrook played his best basketball of the season after the All-Star break. Over the Wizards' final 35 games of the season, he averaged 23.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 13.4 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting a respectable 44% from the floor, 32% from behind the arc and 72% from the FT line. Washington closed the regular season by going 17-6 over their final 23 contests and advanced to the playoffs.&nbsp;
Will Russ and his teammates feel less pressure now that the deadline has passed? LeBron and the Lakers don't need Westbrook to dominate the ball and chase triple-doubles, but they do need him to focus on playing the best defense of his career and help facilitate the offense, especially when James needs a breather.&nbsp;
If Russ cannot shake out of his slump, LA will have a very tough time getting back on track and achieving the goals they set for themselves back in October.&nbsp;
And if Los Angeles fails to right the ship (wasting a year of "Prime LeBron" in the process), the team's fans will look back with rage on the terrible trades and free-agency failures over the past 12 months that led to the Lakers' demise.&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer delves into the errors of the Lakers' ways following their championship success one-and-a-half years ago.

How the Lakers managed to turn a contending team into a sub-.500 mess

Nekias Duncan thoroughly grades every NBA trade from 2022 Deadline Week.

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball hit the go-ahead basket with 15 seconds left, Terry Rozier scored 27 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks for the second time in three nights, 103-99 on Monday night. 
Ball scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half, and Miles Bridges added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who have won six of eight games and improved to 12-5 at home.
Khris Middleton had 27 points and 11 assists, and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks, who also lost 114-106 to the Hornets on Saturday night.
The Bucks battled back from the 15 down in the third quarter to tie it when Antetokounmpo scored on a drive through the lane with 38.8 seconds left and drew a foul. He missed the free throw, but Wesley Matthews got the tip-in to tie it.
Ball took control when he drove across the lane, sweeping the ball above his head before launching an off-balance 10-foot runner to give the Hornets (22-19) the lead.
The Bucks (26-17) turned the ball over the next possession. Antetokounmpo drove the lane and tried to dish to Pat Connaughton in the corner but instead threw the ball over his head and out of bounds with 3.3 seconds left.
Bridges then sank two free throws to seal Charlotte's win.
The Bucks led 48-47 at the break as the teams combined to shoot 38% from the floor in the first half.
The Hornets came out of the break hot, surging ahead by 15 behind Ball's 16 third-quarter points, including a 3 off the glass from the wing and a step-back 3 from the top of the key off a fast break.
Rozier was 4 of 11 from 3-point range, marking the seventh time in the last eight games he has made at least four 3s. He is shooting 47.6% (40 of 84) from long distance during that stretch.
TIP INS
Bucks: Connaughton returned for Milwaukee, but Grayson Allen and George Hill remained in the health and safety protocols. Connaughton struggled, missing all six shot attempts including five from long distance.
Hornets: Played without top reserve Kelly Oubre Jr., who entered the league's health and safety protocols on Monday. Oubre was averaging 25 points over his last two games. 
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host Golden State on Thursday night.
Hornets: At Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball led the Charlotte Hornets to a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rozier, Ball lead Hornets to back-to-back wins vs. Bucks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr. hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 0.4 seconds left to give the Houston Rockets a 114-111 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Porter and Christian Wood returned from one-game suspensions for conduct detrimental to the team. Wood added 22 points and 11 rebounds to help the Rockets snap an eight-game losing streak.
Jalen Green also scored 22 points and Eric Gordon had 19 for Houston.
Bradley Beal led Washington with 27 points. He fouled out with 9:10 to play on his second offensive foul. It was the three-time All Star's first disqualification since Nov. 29, 2017, and the first of his career before the final two minutes of regulation.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 26 points, and Kyle Kuzma had 24 for the Wizards. They failed in their bid for their second pair of consecutive wins since the start of December.
The Rockets started the fourth on a 7-0 spurt to push their lead to 10, and were still up seven when Beal fouled out. The rest of the Wizards responded, first tying it at 102 on Raul Neto's contested layup.
They then battled from five down inside the final minute, when Caldwell-Pope's 3-pointer closed it to two before Neto's drive resulted in a tying goaltending call.
Porter had the decisive say on the next possession when he sank a 24-footer over Neto's outstretched arm. 
A video review restored 0.4 seconds to the clock, and Kuzma's catch-and-shoot attempt was off target after Washington's timeout.
TIP-INS
Rockets: Opened the game on a 12-2 run. ... G Garrison Matthews drew a charge from Kuzma with 2:13 left in the first quarter, Corey Kispert with 11 to play in the second, and Beal with 4:50 left in the half.
Wizards: Neto played for the first time since Dec. 23 in his return from health and safety protocols. ... Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said C Thomas Bryant (left knee) is getting closer to his return. “He should be available the next week or two, that would be ideal,” he said. ... G Spencer Dinwiddie, G Aaron Holiday and F Rui Hachimura have cleared health and safety protocols, but remained out as they regain their conditioning.
CULTURE CHECK?
Silas disputed the idea that Saturday's incidents in a home game against Denver, resulting in suspensions for Wood and Porter, were indicative of poor team culture.
“Nobody ever said anything about our culture until two games ago,” Silas said. “And I think sometimes people overreact when stuff happens.”
UP NEXT
Rockets: Host Dallas on Friday night.
Wizards: At Chicago on Friday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Rockets' Kevin Porter Jr. hit a three pointer with .4 seconds left to lead Houston over Washington.

Porter hits 3 with 0.4 left, Rockets beat Wizards 114-111

We're flipping our calendar at BasketballNews &mdash; but not before taking one look back at a memorable 2021.
Sports never cease to give us compelling storylines. Last year, they came from all places, from the pros in the U.S. and abroad, to college, to youth levels, and even off the basketball court. Below are some of our staff's best stories, arranged in several categories. Read the Best of BasketballNews 2021:
Best Features
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/gary-payton-ii_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-raptors-905-gary-payton-ii-on-growing-up-in-fathers-shadow-we-have-two-different-paths">Gary Payton II on growing up in father's shadow: 'We have two different paths'</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Former NBA execs, Overtime Elite seek to revolutionize amateur-to-pro p</a><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reparation</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-daniel-gafford-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-bradley-beal-tony-falce-arkansas-razorbacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Gafford, Wizards surging since trade: 'When I got here, it clicked automatically'</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pj-dozier-took-a-whirlwind-journey-to-the-denver-nuggets-starting-lineup">Two-way threat: PJ Dozier reflects on whirlwind path to Nuggets</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/g-league-finals-mvp-devin-cannady-remains-focus-bigger-goals">NBA G League Finals MVP Devin Cannady remains focused on bigger goals</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/theres-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around-for-frank-ntilikinas-failure">There&rsquo;s plenty of blame to go around for Frank Ntilikina&rsquo;s failure</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-vucevic-may-finally-get-credit-he-deserves-with-newlook-bulls">Nikola Vucevic may finally get credit he deserves with new-look Bulls</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/meet-juste-jocyte-15-year-old-phenom-and-professional-record-breaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meet Justė Jocytė: 15-year-old phenom and professional record-breaker</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks">Kristaps Porzingis' renewed confidence leading to resurgent season</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/scoot-henderson-aspirations-far-exceed-any-hype-we-can-give-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA G League star Scoot Henderson's aspirations far exceed the hype</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
Best Interviews and Q&amp;As
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/markelle-fultz_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team">Richaun Holmes Q&amp;A: 'I definitely feel I&rsquo;m deserving of the All-Defensive Team'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-orlando-magic-rj-hampton-q-and-a-i-dont-think-you-can-put-a-cap-on-our-ceiling">Magic's R.J. Hampton Q&amp;A: 'I don&rsquo;t think you can put a cap on our ceiling'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
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BasketballNews highlights its best stories over the calendar 2021 year.

The Best of BasketballNews: 2021

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook both had triple-doubles and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a season-high, five-game skid with a 132-123 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;The hardest thing to do in this league is win," James said. &ldquo;So when you win you never take it for granted."
James had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his third triple-double this season, and it was his fifth consecutive 30-point game. Westbrook scored 24 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh of the season.
Houston stuck around for most of the night, but James took over late to allow the Lakers to pull away and hand the Rockets their fifth consecutive loss.
&ldquo;For us to battle through this together and to finish the way we did with LeBron and Russ doing it together, bringing it home, I think that&rsquo;s a big step forward in this," said assistant coach David Fizdale, who was filling in for a fifth straight game for coach Frank Vogel because of COVID-19 protocols.
The Rockets trailed by one when James was called for goaltending on a layup by Jalen Green that would have put Houston on top with 2 &frac12; minutes left. But the Lakers challenged the call, and it was overturned. Carmelo Anthony made a 3-pointer a few seconds later to extend the lead to 120-116.
James added two free throws after that and his one-handed dunk after a turnover by Houston made it 124-116 with less than 90 seconds to go.
Kevin Porter Jr.&rsquo;s 3-pointer got Houston within five before James struck again, making a layup to extend the lead to 126-119 with less than a minute remaining. James made four free throws after that to secure the victory.
&ldquo;I just feel like I&rsquo;m in a really good offensive zone right now," he said.
Green, the second overall pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, led the Rockets with 24 points after missing 15 of the last 16 games with a strained left hamstring.
&ldquo;We expected to win," Houston coach Stephen Silas said. &ldquo;We had no problems standing up to those guys, not backing down. They had some great players out there that played very well. Russ with the triple-double, LeBron with the triple-double and Melo doing his thing. It was tough."
Anthony had 24 points off the bench on a night James started at center and big men Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan didn't play.
James said it was the first time he'd started at center at any level of basketball.
&ldquo;I never played center in my life before," he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always been on the wing or handling the ball."
Fizdale raved about the versatility James showed in his role Tuesday night.
&ldquo;This guy is unbelievable," he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re all very lucky as basketball people to get to watch what we&rsquo;re watching with this man."
The Lakers took the lead by scoring the last five points of the third quarter and opened the fourth with a 6-0 run to make it 103-92 with 11 minutes to go.
Green got Houston going after that, making two 3-pointers during a 10-2 spurt that cut the deficit to 105-102.
Porter had 22 points and nine assists in his return after missing the last 12 games with a bruised thigh. Christian Wood also scored 22.
Josh Christopher tied it on a layup with less than a minute left in the third quarter. But the Lakers scored the last five points of the quarter, capped by a 3 from Westbrook, to take a 97-92 lead into the fourth quarter. Westbrook pointed at the L.A. bench and smiled broadly as he walked off the court after the shot.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Fizdale, said that Vogel was getting close to returning but he wasn&rsquo;t sure exactly when he could rejoin the team. ... Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Austin Reaves and Rajon Rondo missed the game because of health and safety protocols. ... Wayne Ellington missed the game for an illness that the team said was not COVID-19 related.
Rockets: D.J. Augustin, Kenyon Martin Jr., Garrison Mathews and Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate were out because of health and safety protocols.
BILES AT BASKETBALL
Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles took part in the team's first shot promotion for charity before the game. Biles didn't make the free throw but Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta still donated $1,000 to the team's foundation in her name for the effort.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Visit Memphis Wednesday night.
Rockets: Host Miami Friday night.

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook both had triple-doubles and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a season-high, five-game skid.

LeBron, Westbrook have triple-doubles, Lakers' skid ends at 5

We're now nearly a month into NBA free agency, and as expected, all of the big names are off the market. But the 2021 free-agency class was so large, that even weeks later, a number of quality pros remain available.
At this stage, your favorite squad isn't likely to sign a game-changer. But there are plug-and-play veterans and young castoffs who can provide value to any roster. Paul Millsap headlines the remaining best available players, and dozens of others are worth taking a peek at.
Below are some notable unsigned players for each of the three umbrella positional groups.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Guards</h2>
Wesley Matthews (UFA)
Matthews has now played for five teams in three seasons. The 34-year-old most recently suited up for the Lakers in 2020-21, averaging 4.8 points per game in a bench role. Matthews provides toughness on both ends as a 3-and-D veteran.
J.J. Redick (UFA)
Redick can still shoot it (37.1% from three last season) but has lost much of the explosiveness off the ball that made him such a threat throughout his career. The 37-year-old played for the Pelicans and Mavericks last season, and could help a team searching for an offensive spark. Redick has said that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jj-redick-to-bypass-training-camp-could-be-a-midseason-roster-addition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he will likely take his time</a>, skipping training camp and signing with a team in a few months.
Avery Bradley (UFA)
Bradley was traded from Miami to Houston at the March 25 trade deadline, but did shoot 42.1% from long range during his short stint with the Heat. The 30-year-old has been part of a number of successful teams, including the Lakers' championship squad in 2020. He'll be able to provide adequate shooting and defense wherever he lands.
Langston Galloway (UFA)
Galloway played a minor bench role for the Suns in their trip to the NBA Finals. The 29-year-old did what he was asked: he shot well from the perimeter (42.4%) and turned the ball over just 13 times in 480 minutes. He'll be a valuable and reliable reserve wherever he goes.
Frank Ntilikina (UFA)
The 2017 No. 8 overall pick never found his groove with the New York Knicks. Ntilikina's minutes were halved in his fourth season (just 9.8 per game) as he battled on the outside of Tom Thibodeau's rotation. He's still only 23 years old, though, and is an NBA-caliber perimeter defender. Ntilikina also made 23 of his 48 three-point attempts in 2020-21, a 47.9% clip albeit on a small sample size.
Others Include: Isaiah Thomas, E'Twaun Moore, Brad Wanamaker, Jordan McLaughlin, Dante Exum, Dennis Smith Jr., Tyler Johnson, Jeff Teague, Darren Collison
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Wings</h2>
James Ennis (UFA)
The journeyman wing has taken the court for seven franchises in his seven professional seasons. Ennis has made 36.0% of his threes in his career, but canned 43.3% of those looks with the Orlando Magic in 2020-21. He can operate as a mini microwave scorer, and floor-spacing wings will always have value in today's NBA.
Stanley Johnson (UFA)
Johnson worked his way to increased playing time with the Toronto Raptors last season, even starting 13 games for the team. It was a mixed bag &mdash; he shot just 37.8 percent from the field &mdash; but the former 2015 lottery pick had some bright moments, including a 35-point, 10-rebound effort in a May 13 loss to Chicago. Johnson has improve notably as a defender and may be one of the better free agent "flier" options.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (UFA)
If a team is looking for a defensive spark plug, they should start with Hollis-Jefferson. The 26-year-old can guard both forward spots and even some smaller bigs with his length and energy. Hollis-Jefferson has a rough offensive foundation, but he wouldn't need to be relied on as more than a finisher.
Others include: Denzel Valentine, Garrison Mathews, Paul Watson Jr., Gary Clark, Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson, Michael Beasley, Deividas Sirvydis
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Bigs</h2>
Paul Millsap (UFA)
Millsap has slowly regressed with age, and at 36 years old, is no longer the Swiss Army knife he has usually been on both ends. But he's still a versatile piece that teams can plug in at power forward or center while shooting the ball respectably. Millsap spent his last four seasons with the Denver Nuggets., and the <a href="Isaiah%20Thomas,%20E'Twaun%20Moore,%20Brad%20Wanamaker,%20Jordan%20McLaughlin,%20Dante%20Exum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Warriors and Nets have reportedly demonstrated recent interest</a>.
Jarred Vanderbilt (RFA)
Timberwolves fans were intrigued by Vanderbilt last season. The 22-year-old made 30 starts and generally battled on defense and on the glass. Vanderbilt also made 71.7% of his attempts around the rim, and still radiates potential.
LaMarcus Aldridge (UFA)
It appears that the veteran Aldridge, who retired just a few months ago due to a heart condition, has consulted with medical personnel and decided to attempt a return to the NBA (<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31959203/former-all-star-forward-lamarcus-aldridge-seriously-considering-return-nba-season-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>). Just based on the finesse center's face-up capabilities and ability to stretch the floor, he should draw plenty of suitors. He last played for the Nets.
Isaiah Hartenstein (UFA)
The Nuggets traded Hartenstein to the Cleveland Cavaliers at last spring's deadline. He seemed to find a groove in Cleveland, averaging 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Hartenstein is still only 23 and was a second-round pick in 2017.
DeMarcus Cousins (UFA)
Cousins fell out of the Clippers' playoff rotation because he simply wasn't up to par with the smaller, faster matchups he often faced. Injuries have drained the 30-year-old of his athleticism. But Cousins quietly became a knockdown, low-volume shooter (42.1% on 1.2 threes per game), and that could be a way to keep his NBA stock afloat.
Others include: Aron Baynes, Bismack Biyombo, Ed Davis, Harry Giles, T.J. Leaf, Patrick Patterson, D.J. Wilson, Ersan Ilyasova, Alen Smailagic, Luke Kornet, Tacko Fall

Paul Millsap headlines the list of remaining free agents.

Which notable NBA free agents are still unsigned?

If you blinked even once, you might have missed most of the NBA free-agency drama.
After two days of the moratorium period, many of the best available stars have locked up new contract agreements. Kyle Lowry is taking his talents to South Beach via sign-and-trade, and DeMar DeRozan is off to Chicago in the same scenario. Chris Paul has re-upped with Phoenix.
Dozens of free agents jumped off the board, but plenty of quality players are still searching for a new squad. If you've lost track of who's available, we have you covered here. Here are the best options remaining at each of the positional groups.
Updated 8/6/21*
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Guards</h2>
Dennis Schroder (UFA)
Schroder reportedly turned down a four-year extension worth $84 million during the season. At this stage, it is unclear where he could sign, or for how much. Schroder started all 61 regular-season games played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
Wesley Matthews (UFA)
Matthews has now played for five teams in three seasons. The 34-year-old most recently suited up for the Lakers in 2020-21, averaging 4.8 points per game in a bench role. Matthews provides toughness on both ends as a 3-and-D veteran.
J.J. Redick (UFA)
Redick can still shoot it (37.1% from three last season) but has lost much of the explosiveness off the ball that had made him such a threat throughout his career. The 37-year-old played for the Pelicans and Mavericks last season, and could help a team searching for an offensive spark.
Hamidou Diallo (RFA)
Diallo was traded somewhat surprisingly from Oklahoma City to Detroit last year. With the Pistons, the athletic guard averaged 11.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Still just 23 years old, he's a worthwhile flier, though the Pistons can match any offer.
Avery Bradley (UFA)
Bradley was traded from Miami to Houston at the March 25 trade deadline, but did shoot 42.1% from long range during his short stint with the Heat. The 30-year-old has been part of a number of successful teams, including the Lakers' championship squad in 2020. He'll be able to provide adequate shooting and defense wherever he lands.
Langston Galloway (UFA)
Galloway played a minor bench role for the Suns in their trip to the NBA Finals. The 29-year-old did what he was asked: he shot well from the perimeter (42.4%) and turned the ball over just 13 times in 480 minutes. He'll be a valuable and reliable reserve wherever he goes.
Others include: Frank Ntilikina, Isaiah Thomas, E'Twaun Moore, Brad Wanamaker, Jordan McLaughlin, Dante Exum
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Wings</h2>
Kawhi Leonard (UFA)
Leonard is still technically a free agent, and there have been no reports of him agreeing to a new contract yet. But all signs have pointed to him <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31936595/source-kawhi-leonard-declines-36-million-player-option-next-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staying with the Los Angeles Clippers</a>, hence the lack of chatter. Unfortunately, it'll be a while before we see him in game action as he recovers from the ACL injury suffered in the 2021 playoffs.
Josh Hart (RFA)
Hart has not had the same perimeter success as he did coming out of Villanova in 2017. He made just 32.6% of his attempts this past season, and is below 35% from the arc in his career. The 26-year-old does rebound well for his position; Hart averaged 8.0 per game last year.
Justise Winslow (UFA)
It just hasn't quite clicked yet for the former 2015 lottery pick, who fought the injury bug and appeared in 26 games for the Grizzlies in 2020-21. He finished the regular season strong with 25 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in a win over the Sacramento Kings. But Winslow shot just 35.2% from the floor on the year.
Svi Mykhailiuk
The former Jayhawk played 36 games for the Detroit Pistons before being dealt to OKC. Mykhailiuk had a down year shooting the ball (33.4% from deep in total), but profiles as a sharpshooter with room to grow.&nbsp;
Jarred Vanderbilt (RFA)
Timberwolves fans were intrigued by Vanderbilt last season. The 22-year-old made 30 starts and generally battled on defense and on the glass. Vanderbilt also made 71.7% of his attempts around the rim, and still radiates potential as a 6-foot-9 combo forward.
Isaac Bonga (UFA)
Bonga is still just 21 years old despite being drafted in 2018. He's another interesting name as a versatile defender who can handle the ball a bit at 6-foot-8. The German forward is also a non-shooter at this stage, but could develop into a rotation piece with the right developmental support.
Others include: James Ennis, Denzel Valentine, Garrison Mathews, Paul Watson, Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Gary Clark
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Bigs</h2>
Lauri Markkanen (RFA)
Markkanen's offseason has reached a confusing place. He was not part of the Chicago sign-and-trade that netted DeRozan, and the Bulls still have their qualifying offer in place, making Markkanen a restricted free agent. But with Nikola Vucevic locked down at center and Patrick Williams likely penciled in at power forward, it's tough to see where Markkanen fits if he were to return to the Bulls.
Paul Millsap (UFA)
Millsap has slowly regressed with age, and at 36 years old, is no longer the Swiss Army knife he has usually been on both ends. But he's still a versatile piece that teams can plug in at power forward or center while shooting the ball respectably. Millsap spent his last four seasons with the Denver Nuggets.
LaMarcus Aldridge (UFA)
It appears that the veteran Aldridge, who retired just a few months ago due to a heart condition, has consulted with medical personnel and decided to attempt a return to the NBA (<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31959203/former-all-star-forward-lamarcus-aldridge-seriously-considering-return-nba-season-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>). Just based on the finesse center's face-up capabilities and ability to stretch the floor, he should draw plenty of suitors. He last played for the Nets.
Aron Baynes (UFA)
The Toronto Raptors waived Aron Baynes today, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1422980538030297093" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>. His run in Canada was underwhelming after a breakout season with the Phoenix Suns, but Baynes still combines physical interior defense, rebounding and a dash of perimeter shooting &mdash; all skills that benefit a modern-day big.
Isaiah Hartenstein (UFA)
The Nuggets traded Hartenstein to the Cleveland Cavaliers at last spring's deadline. He seemed to find a groove in Cleveland, averaging 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Hartenstein is still only 23 and was a second-round pick in 2017.
DeMarcus Cousins (UFA)
Cousins fell out of the playoff rotation because he simply wasn't up to par with the smaller, faster matchups he often faced. Injuries have drained the 30-year-old of his athleticism. But Cousins quietly became a knockdown, low-volume shooter (42.1% on 1.2 threes per game), and that could be a way to keep his NBA stock afloat.
Bismack Biyombo (UFA)
Biyombo has spent the past three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. He started 36 games this season, and much of his value lies as a rim protector and finisher. Biyombo has averaged 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes over his career.
Ed Davis (UFA)
Davis is a well-liked veteran who suited up for 23 games with Minnesota during 2020-21. He rebounds ferociously, averaging 5.0 boards in just 13.0 minutes per game last year, but doesn't offer much as an offensive player.
Others include: Harry Giles, T.J. Leaf, Patrick Patterson, D.J. Wilson, Ersan Ilyasova, Alen Smailagic, Luke Kornet, Tacko Fall

A number of quality rotation players are still up for grabs in free agency. Here's what is left in the NBA's free-agent pool.

Which NBA free agents are still available?

The Los Angeles Lakers made the splashiest move during the 2021 NBA Draft, acquiring nine-time All-NBA player and modern-day triple-double savant Russell Westbrook in a blockbuster trade. By shipping out Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the No. 22 overall pick to the Washington Wizards for Westbrook, Los Angeles pushed its chips all-in on a new Hollywood Big Three.
LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Westbrook will bring the entertainment value on the court, but what about the actual basketball fit? It's clunky, to say the least. None of James, Davis or Westbrook are above-average three-point shooters. Cumulatively, the Lakers' Big Three shot 31.3% from deep last season (LeBron at 36.5%, Westbrook at 31.5%, AD at 26.0%). For a team starving for more floor spacing, adding Westbrook clogs the floor even further.
The Lakers' roster currently looks like this before free agency kicks off later this evening: James, Davis, Westbrook, Marc Gasol, Alfonzo McKinnie, Talen Horton-Tucker (qualifying offer), Wesley Matthews (cap hold).&nbsp;
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With that said, the Lakers need to retool their roster around the James, Davis, Westbrook Big 3 with sharpshooters. Lots of them. Luckily for Los Angeles, there are plenty of veterans on the market who will not only be intrigued by ring-chasing with a superstar trio, but also a bigger role than other places due to little three-point artillery.
Here are some perimeter-oriented players the Lakers may target when teams can start negotiating with free agents on Monday at 6 p.m. ET.&nbsp;
JJ Redick
There may not be a better option for the Lakers than the OG sharpshooter himself. At age 37, Redick is still draining shots from beyond the arc with the best of them. The one thing that's missing from Redick's resume is an NBA championship. Expected to ring-chase with maybe his final contract upcoming, now is the time for Redick to join a strong title contender. Enter Los Angeles, who could potentially offer Redick a starting role alongside Westbrook in the backcourt.
Carmelo Anthony
The most obvious fit on the list is LeBron's good friend, and 10-time NBA All-Star, Carmelo Anthony. For years, many have speculated on Anthony eventually joining the Lakers. Now, this offseason seems like the perfect time to make that happen. After being out of the league back in 2018-19, Anthony has reinvented himself, becoming a reliable three-point shooter. Over the past two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Anthony drained 39.9% of his three-point attempts. At age 37, Anthony has been yearning for the opportunity to finally win his first ring. With the Lakers, that dream could soon become reality. Anthony would be able to play alongside James, Davis and Westbrook as a stretch-4, and could also be a key cog in their second unit as well. Look for this marriage to happen, especially if the interest is mutual.
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Rudy Gay
Embracing a full-time bench role over his last two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Gay is a great fit for what the Lakers need to win another NBA championship. Gay is a three-level scorer, but one who has improved his deep shot-making over the years. During the 2020-21 campaign, Gay hit 38.1% of his three-pointers, which could be a sign of that number potentially rising with easier opportunities in LA. Gay's bucket-getting ability is a necessity for teams looking to make deep playoff runs, and would be a welcome addition to the Lakers' rotation immediately. Since he's also on the back-end of his career and looking to win the ultimate prize, Gay is another player to watch to take a veteran-minimum deal with the Lakers.
Wayne Ellington
Ellington provides optimum floor-spacing acumen for a Lakers team in desperate need of it. This past season with the Detroit Pistons, Ellington converted on 42.2% of his three-pointers at a high volume (six attempts per game). Turning 34 years old shortly after the 2021-22 season begins, add Ellington to the ever-growing list of veterans on the cheap that would make an instant impact for Los Angeles. Like Redick, Ellington could even become a full-time starter next to Westbrook in the Lakers' backcourt. If Redick signs with the Brooklyn Nets, which has been a rumored destination, Ellington is the next-best name on the free-agent market as an obtainable veteran shooting guard.
[Editor's Note: The Lakers signed Ellington to a one-year deal on Monday evening.]
James Ennis III
Since Ennis was playing with the lowly Orlando Magic last season, many may have missed that he shot a career-high 43.3% on three-pointers. Add in Ennis' versatility as a strong wing defender, and he's one of my favorite targets on this list for Los Angeles. Immediately, Ennis would step into the Lakers' rotation as a key cog to their second unit. Although the three-point efficiency&nbsp;jump was on a low volume (2.5 attempts per game), there's no reason to believe why Ennis couldn't repeat that performance with even more wide-open looks coming his way. And to no surprise, Ennis qualifies as a plus-age-30 veteran who could look to ring-chase for a veteran's minimum.
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Bryn Forbes
Although he fell out of favor in the Milwaukee Bucks' rotation during their championship run, Forbes was a huge asset as one of the NBA's best floor-spacing sharpshooters. With the Bucks last season, Forbes shot 45.2% on 4.9 three-pointers per game. Throughout his career, Forbes has been a 41.2% shooter from deep. Just imagine the possibilities with Forbes running around the three-point line while James and Westbrook set up endless drive-and-kick opportunities. Forbes will likely command anywhere between $4-7 million annually, and many immediate contenders will be calling for his services. Would Forbes be interested in joining the Lakers' rotation on their $5.9 million mid-level exception? It's a call the Lakers should definitely make once free-agency officially opens.
Patty Mills
A 12-year veteran who has proven to be a legit scorer off the bench throughout his career, Mills is a very strong fit for the Lakers as they search for guard depth behind Westbrook. Mills has converted nearly 40% of his three-point opportunities (38.8%), and there's reason to believe career-best numbers could be on the horizon if he were to sign with Los Angeles. Not only would Mills provide three-point shooting acumen, but could run an offense in a pinch &mdash; plus create for himself around the basket. The Lakers potentially having Mills and Caruso as their primary backup guards off the bench would be a huge luxury with little cap-space flexibility. Mills on a veteran-minimum deal is another one to watch out for with a win-now veteran rotation player.

Evan Sidery lists some names to keep an eye on as potential targets for the Lakers to address their current perimeter-shooting concerns.

Lakers free-agent targets: Players who could fit in Los Angeles

Russell Westbrook is now a Los Angeles Laker, becoming the latest star who will don the purple and gold.
Thursday night's biggest trade featured the Washington Wizards sending Westbrook and two future second-round picks to the Lakers in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and No. 22 in the 2021 NBA Draft (which was later traded for Aaron Holiday and Isaiah Todd).
There had been rumblings that the Lakers' top priority this offseason was adding a veteran point guard (which is why they were also linked to Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, etc.). Now, Westbrook fills that need.
Once Westbrook met with Anthony Davis and LeBron James at the latter's house two weeks ago, Los Angeles zeroed in on the nine-time All-NBA selection. The trio discussed the possibility of teaming up and what kind of sacrifices would be neccessary, according to <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2021-07-29/lakers-acquire-russell-westbrook-wizards-trade-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times</a>.
&ldquo;They talked about putting their egos aside and playing as one in their quest to bring the Lakers another NBA championship," Turner <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2021-07-29/lakers-acquire-russell-westbrook-wizards-trade-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. "James and Davis talked about the two of them changing positions if that was best for the team &mdash; James moving from small forward to power forward and Davis from power forward to center.
"Westbrook let James and Davis know he doesn&rsquo;t mind playing off the ball when James initiates the offense, something he did while playing alongside James Harden with the Houston Rockets... Westbrook talked about how his only intention was winning and coming back home to Los Angeles to become a champion."
Last season, the trio of James, Davis and Westbrook averaged a combined 69.0 points, 27.1 rebounds, 22.6 assists, 4.3 threes and 3.8 steals.&nbsp;
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As a kid in Los Angeles, Westbrook was a Lakers fan and his favorite player was Magic Johnson. He has said that his parents were even bigger fans of the Lakers than him.&nbsp;
The former MVP will earn $44,211,146 this upcoming season, and he has a player option for $47,063,478 in 2022-23. Because of his large contract, Westbrook hadn't been mentioned in many trade rumors as of late, so these talks were somewhat surprising when they were initially reported.
Westbrook and the Wizards got off to a slow start last season; however, he got much more comfortable after the All-Star break, lifting Washington into the playoffs by averaging 23.6 points, 13.1 assists, 12.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He looked like Vintage Russell Westbrook late in the season, breaking Oscar Robertson's career triple-double record (182) and recording 27 triple-doubles in 34 games.
The Lakers now have two players who rank top-five in NBA history in career triple-doubles &ndash; Westbrook is first (184) and James is fifth (99).
In order to improve their depth, the Lakers will likely look to sign veteran free agents who want to chase a ring and play in L.A. DeMar DeRozan has been mentioned as a possibility since he's from Compton and has said that his top priority in free agency is joining a contender. However, it remains to be seen if he's willing to take a significant paycut (since L.A. has no cap room). Carmelo Anthony, Rudy Gay and Reggie Bullock have been brought up as some other potential targets.
The Lakers will have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-do-the-lakers-have-to-address-in-the-2021-nba-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some decisions to make</a> regarding their own free agents, including Talen Horton-Tucker (RFA), Dennis Schroder (UFA), Andre Drummond (UFA), Alex Caruso (UFA), Wesley Matthews (UFA), Markieff Morris (UFA), Ben McLemore (UFA) and Jared Dudley (UFA).
Entering the 2021-22 season, the Lakers' Big Three has a combined 34 All-Star appearances, 30 All-NBA selections, 10 All-Defensive Team nods, five MVPs, six All-Star Game MVPs, three scoring titles, four assist titles and three block titles.

Two weeks ago, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and LeBron James met at the latter's house to talk about possibly teaming up.

How LeBron James, Anthony Davis recruited Russell Westbrook to Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a disappointing first-round exit after winning the NBA championship in 2020. Injuries derailed the defending champions, who now enter the 2021 offseason with little cap flexibility and some <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-do-the-lakers-have-to-address-in-the-2021-nba-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">big decisions to make on key players</a> who are up for new contracts.&nbsp;
LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined will take up roughly $76.5 million of the Lakers&rsquo; salary cap space. The overall total with current contracts on the books (including player options, qualifying offers, and non-guaranteed salary) could be as high as roughly $127 million next season. Along with LeBron and Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Marc Gasol are set to be wearing purple and gold next season.
Some key players who are free agents include: Dennis Schroder, Andre Drummond, Alex Caruso, Markieff Morris, Wesley Matthews, Ben McLemore and Talen Horton-Tucker (who will likely pass on the Lakers&rsquo; qualifying offer and become a restricted free agent). Also, Montrezl Harrell has a $9.7 million player option for next season.
While the Lakers can never be counted out as candidates to trade for a superstar, the likelihood is that&nbsp; L.A. will not be able to swing a deal for <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-says-report-he-plans-to-request-a-trade-is-not-true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">someone like Damian Lillard</a> this offseason. The Lakers do not have a core of young players to throw in a trade or a stash of draft picks to barter with. With little cap flexibility, the simplest path towards filling out the roster this offseason is through re-signing the free agents from last season&rsquo;s squad. While that will not make for the most exciting offseason in Lakers&rsquo; history, it would ensure the Lakers have a baseline of talent to put around LeBron and Davis.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Perhaps the most important player for the Lakers to focus on at the beginning of free agency is Schroder. Schroder reportedly turned down a four-year, $84 million extension during the season, which indicates that he believed he could get even more from the Lakers in the offseason -- when they could offer him significantly more money.
The Lakers are in a tough spot with Schroder. The 27-year-old is reportedly looking to <a href="https://twitter.com/manuel_baraniak/status/1409976057189572611?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign a new deal with the Lakers in the $100-$120 million range</a>. While that may seem like an absurdly high number for Schroder, the fact is that the Lakers are the only team able to pay him this much money because he has Bird Rights. The Lakers cannot pass on Schroder and try to pay another free agent with that kind of money since that player would not have Bird Rights, leaving L.A. with little cap flexibility. This gives Schroder tremendous leverage in these negotiations. With LeBron nearing the end of his career and Davis on the roster, the Lakers need to maximize their roster and compete for a championship this upcoming season, which means Schroder may in fact get his massive payday.
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Another tough question for the Lakers is what to do with Drummond. Drummond averaged 11.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1 block in 24.8 minutes per game with the team last season (21 total games). It is difficult to say whether Drummond would be a good fit alongside a healthy LeBron and AD since the three did not play in a lot of games together this season. Drummond is still relatively young (he is turning 28 in less than a month) and can produce big box score numbers. He is certainly worth bringing back for another season, but at what price?
The Lakers can only offer him 120 percent of his salary from this season, or they could offer him more money using their mid-level exception. However, considering that Drummond will be looking for more money in free agency than the Lakers can offer and that he didn&rsquo;t seem to fit particularly well on the roster, it is possible that Drummond will not be returning to Los Angeles next season.&nbsp;
The next big question for the Lakers is what will happen with Horton-Tucker. Horton-Tucker is only 20 years old (he turns 21 later this year), and has already developed into a quality player with a good amount of upside. The young wing will certainly pass on the Lakers&rsquo; qualifying offer to become a restricted free agent.
Horton-Tucker&rsquo;s situation is somewhat unique, as he only has two years of NBA experience under his belt, meaning the Lakers will have Early Bird Rights instead of full Bird Rights. This is important because it means that another team can offer Horton-Tucker a poison-pill type of contract that would boost his salary significantly in the third and fourth years of that deal; the Lakers would have a difficult decision to make on whether to match this type of offer sheet. Notably, the third year of that possible deal would fall in the 2023-24 season, which is when LeBron&rsquo;s current contract expires. It is unclear whether the Lakers want to invest a big portion of their future cap space in Horton-Tucker two years from now when James may no longer be wearing a Lakers jersey and the team may be looking to transition.
The next free agent priority for the Lakers is Caruso, a fan favorite who has developed into a quality backup guard and a particularly stingy defensive player. The Lakers want to bring Caruso back on a new deal, but Caruso has performed well enough that other teams are going to at least consider offering him a contract large enough to lure him away from Los Angeles. However, Caruso has expressed his desire to return to the Lakers, who have Bird Rights on Caruso and can offer him a significant raise over the $2.75 million he made last season.
If the Lakers manage to bring Caruso back on a new deal, it&rsquo;s possible they will look to expand his role and give him more playing time. With Caruso on a relatively small salary over the last few seasons, it was not critical for Caruso to produce big numbers with heavy minutes. But with a bloated cap sheet and a bigger salary, the Lakers may look to get more production out of Caruso if he signs a new contract with the team this offseason.
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In terms of the Lakers&rsquo; remaining key players, things become a lot simpler.
Harrell has a $9.7 million player option for next season, which means he gets to decide whether he returns to Los Angeles next season or not. Harrell was a solid contributor throughout the regular season, but his defensive limitations were once again exposed in the playoffs. This led to Frank Vogel benching Harrell in Game 2 and Game 3 in the first round against the Phoenix Suns. This may have dropped his value in free agency, enough that he will consider exercising the option and testing free agency next year. However, it would not be shocking for Harrell to test free agency again this offseason, betting on the idea that another team will ignore his playoff struggles over the last two seasons.
Harrell is still only 27 years old, so he should have a few more seasons in his athletic peak, but the back end of a long-term contract could be problematic down the road.&nbsp;
Morris is a solid forward who can spread the floor and help the Lakers, especially in small-ball lineups. Morris can be streaky in terms of his overall production, but if he is willing to come back on a relatively small deal, the Lakers will not hesitate to re-sign him.
Matthews provided the Lakers with some solid production on both ends of the court. The veteran guard is known for his defensive prowess and three-point shooting. However, Matthews is now 34 years old; we can't forget his injury history, as he suffered an Achilles tear in 2015. It is reasonable to believe that Matthews can provide more defense and three-point shooting next season, but there is always the risk that his production could plummet as he gets deeper into his NBA career.
Despite those factors, the Lakers would likely bring back Matthews back on an affordable contract if another team does not lure him away.
The Lakers could also bring back Ben McLemore on a small deal, but it&rsquo;s not clear how big of a priority he is for them this offseason. McLemore is 28 years old, still has plenty of athleticism and can score in bunches. McLemore has never rounded his game out, and it&rsquo;s unlikely that he'll have a breakout season, but he is a decent option to have at the end of a rotation.&nbsp;
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Outside of their own free agents, the Lakers will certainly look beyond last season's roster to bolster theirs for the 2021-22 campaign. The Lakers can try to make some big trades that could bring back a notable player or two by trading someone like Kuzma. While Kuzma has improved on both ends of the court over the last few seasons, it&rsquo;s no secret that his role has been unclear at various times, which <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kyle-kuzma-sounds-off-on-inconsistent-role-with-los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he believes has negatively impacted his production</a>. The Lakers could also engage in a sign-and-trade with one of their own free agents, but that will trigger the hard cap and would limit the team&rsquo;s flexibility, so don&rsquo;t expect that to happen unless a deal for a major player emerges.&nbsp;
The Lakers need to add more shooting around LeBron and Davis, so it&rsquo;s possible they will target someone who can spread the court with their mid-level exception.
Someone like Jeff Green could make sense for Los Angeles. Green is now 34 years old, but he shot well for the Brooklyn Nets last season (41.2% from beyond the arc), and can play as a small-ball center and defend relatively well.
The Lakers have also been linked to Spencer Dinwiddie, who has reportedly expressed his interest in signing with the purple and gold. However, Dinwiddie will <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/spencer-dinwiddie-says-5year-125-million-contract-could-keep-him-with-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certainly wait to see what kind of offers materialize</a> before considering playing for the Lakers on a massive discount.
Also, someone like Reggie Bullock, who played for the Lakers briefly a few years ago, could add valuable shooting from the wing on an affordable deal.&nbsp;
The Lakers face a somewhat challenging offseason. The franchise always looks to get involved in deals for star players, but without a war chest of tradeable young players and draft picks, it is more likely the Lakers will have to focus on bringing back their own players and rounding out the roster with a few free agents that can be had on bargain contracts.

Jesse Blancarte goes over what moves could be coming next for the Lakers, who could return, who could make sense to add and more.

Without many assets, the Lakers face a somewhat challenging offseason

Spencer Davies breaks down the Cavs' offseason and speaks to a source close to the team about what's next for the franchise.

Cavs banking on organic growth, supplementing talent to take next step

After two seasons that felt like one relentless grind interrupted only by a strange championship celebration, the Los Angeles Lakers simply need a rest.
The 2020 NBA champs weren't happy to be headed home this weekend after the Phoenix Suns knocked them out of the first round. Yet the early playoff exit came with the consolation of a title memory that's still fresh in many players' minds &mdash; and an abiding belief they will contend again next year if they just rest up and then stay healthy.
&ldquo;The one thing that bothers me more than anything is we never really got an opportunity to see our full team at full strength,&rdquo; LeBron James said. &ldquo;Either because of injury or COVID or something going on with our ballclub this year, we could never fully get into a rhythm and never really see the full potential of what we could be capable of.&rdquo;
When these Lakers were healthy, they were outstanding. But that period was brief, and it ended early.
Los Angeles was 21-6 on Valentine's Day when Anthony Davis went down with an accumulation of leg injuries that would ultimately keep him out for 30 games. He returned in late April, but wore down again in the postseason and missed nearly all of the last 2 1/2 games against Phoenix with knee and groin problems.
Davis acknowledged the roots of his latest injury-plagued season were planted in the Florida bubble.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t get a (full) summer, and it messed up the routines where you&rsquo;re trying to recover from a season and get ready for a season,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s all around the league, but now we have an opportunity as the Lakers to take advantage of this longer offseason and get our bodies healed.&rdquo;
James missed 26 games with a high right ankle sprain, and he acknowledged it wasn't fully healed even in the playoffs. Although the 36-year-old star still performed at an MVP level when healthy, time could be creeping up on one of the most resilient players of his generation: two of his three seasons with the Lakers have been significantly limited by injuries.
The supporting cast also picked up many knocks, from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's bruised knee in the postseason to Alex Caruso's myriad of setbacks. The injuries prevented the Lakers from forming a cohesive unit with the chemistry and teamwork that defined last season's champions.
Yet from the front office to the end of the bench, these Lakers still think they could have beaten anybody if they had been able to do it together.
&ldquo;We believe in the group that we have,&rdquo; Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Friday. &ldquo;And if we have the core of Anthony Davis and LeBron James healthy, we'll build the right supporting cast around those guys, and we'll have a chance to compete for a championship again next year.&rdquo;
WHITHER THE MENACE
Dennis Schr&ouml;der's future tops the Lakers' list of offseason questions. Los Angeles gave up Danny Green and a first-round pick to get the German point guard in the offseason, and he showed strong flashes of excellence during an ultimately inconsistent season.
Schr&ouml;der turned down a contract extension during the year, but he insists he only did it to have the experience of unrestricted free agency this summer &mdash; and he has repeatedly said he wants to return to the Lakers.
&ldquo;Unfinished business,&rdquo; Schr&ouml;der said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re better than this. ... I want to be here and win a championship. It's not even a question.&rdquo;
WHAT TO KEEP
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka will have plenty of time to figure out how much of his supporting cast will return, and nearly everybody will necessitate discussion.
Caldwell-Pope wasn't productive for long stretches, while Kyle Kuzma regressed offensively as his overall game blossomed. Both are among the Lakers' few tradeable assets.
Caruso likely could get a larger role with another team, and the unrestricted free agent guard's offensive limitations showed at times. Talen Horton-Tucker is a fascinating prospect who will be tempting to other teams as a restricted free agent.
Wesley Matthews and Markieff Morris both hope to return in their complementary roles.
&ldquo;I want to run this back so bad,&rdquo; said Matthews, who hit a career-worst 33.5% of his 3-point shots. &ldquo;Injuries took us out, but we continued to fight. That&rsquo;s just part of the expectation when you put on this Lakers uniform. ... If we stayed healthy all season, who knows?&rdquo;
And then there's wise veteran Jared Dudley, who wants to return in his role as essentially a player-coach: &ldquo;Come on, man. They need me like I need them.&rdquo;
UNCENTERED
The Lakers' three supporting big men all struggled to find a consistent role next to Davis, and the club must reevaluate its intentions at the position.
Marc Gasol was effective for long stretches, but his mobility has slowed, while Andre Drummond injected energy and rebounding in his late-season arrival before losing much of his playing time down the stretch. Drummond's skill set would appear to complement Davis' abilities, but Drummond was disappointed they never got significant playing time together due to his late arrival and Davis' injuries.
Montrezl Harrell's contributions also eroded as the season progressed, with the Lakers appearing to decide his defense wasn't good enough. Harrell has a player option for next season, and he was noncommittal on his future Friday.
ON STAFF
Vogel has completed two seasons of his initial three-year deal on the Lakers' bench. After winning a championship and turning the Lakers into the NBA's top defensive team, Vogel sounds unconcerned about his future: "I love this organization, and I hope to be a Laker for life.&rdquo;
Vogel's staff might not remain intact, however: Assistant coach Jason Kidd is thought to be a candidate for other head coaching jobs, and Vogel would support the move.
&ldquo;Jason has become one of my closest friends and someone that's been integral to our success,&rdquo; Vogel said. "Anybody that has an opening in the NBA, Jason should be at the top of their list."
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Lakers have an abiding belief they will contend again next year if they just rest up and then stay healthy.

After exit, Lakers hope to run it back with healthier team

A mere 236 days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers hoisted their 17th NBA title in Orlando. But fast-forward eight months later, and things feel hollow in Hollywood.
The No. 7 seed Lakers lost in six games to the Suns with the final dagger coming last night, and even with LeBron James on the court, yesterday's outcome never seemed in doubt. Phoenix led by as much as 29 points, and never let the margin slim to single digits in the second half.
Anthony Davis left early in the contest after <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/irresponsible-los-angeles-lakers-medical-team-anthony-davis-robert-griffin-iii-team-doctors-second-opinion-athlete-injuries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempting to play through a groin strain</a>. James' impact waxed and waned throughout the night. L.A.'s supporting cast failed to step up. Now, for just the second time in 16 years, a James-led squad will watch the NBA conference semifinals from the couch.
Suddenly, the 2021 offseason looms large for a team hampered by injuries and inconsistency. Los Angeles must take stock of a number of key free agents, and decide whether to keep continuity or start fresh behind its two stars. Here's a quick primer on the Lakers' offseason itinerary:
<h3 style="text-align: left;">NBA Draft</h3>
The Lakers own the 22nd pick in the NBA Draft. As it stands currently, this would be the franchise's highest draft spot since selecting Lonzo Ball second overall back in 2017. L.A. hasn't made a pick in the first round since picking Moritz Wagner with the No. 25 overall choice in 2018.
Rob Pelinka and the front office will have to decide whether to use the pick on a rotation-ready player, a developmental talent similar to Talen Horton-Tucker or as a trade asset.&nbsp;
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">Free Agency</h3>
With seven players entering unrestricted free agency and one restricted free agent, <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/yearly/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Spotrac</a>, the Lakers are in a pivotal year for roster construction. Among the free agents are:
Talen Horton-Tucker (RFA) --&nbsp;The lone restricted free agent, Horton-Tucker showed flashes of a strong, versatile scorer in his second year. The 20-year-old averaged 9.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds across 65 contests as a bench piece. His best performance came May 12 against Houston, when Horton-Tucker put up 23 points and 10 rebounds in a victory. He's one of the few true "prospects" on the team, but could be in line for a serious pay raise if another team wants to squeeze the Lakers.
Dennis Schroder (UFA)&nbsp;-- Schroder averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game as L.A.'s starting point guard in the regular season, but went remarkably cold as the playoffs wore on. The 27-year-old reportedly <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/03/30/report-dennis-schroder-rejected-four-year-84m-contract-extension-from-lakers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turned down a 4-year extension worth $84 million</a> back in March. It remains to be seen what Schroder wants as a free agent, and if the Lakers still wish to give him that kind of money in an extension.
Andre Drummond (UFA) -- As a prime buyout acquisition who fell out of L.A.'s rotation in the playoffs, Drummond sits in limbo. He's still one of the league's best rebounders (10.2 per game with the Lakers), but struggled mightily with efficiency and turnovers at the center spot. The team must decide if he's earned at least another offseason to help <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/andre-drummond-simplifying-the-game-producing-for-los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acclimate with the roster</a>.
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Alex Caruso (UFA)&nbsp;-- The 27-year-old emerged as one of the team's best 3-and-D complements. Caruso played in 61 games, made over 40% of his three-point attempts and was one of the few bright spots during some of L.A.'s rough patches in the spring. He made just $2.75 million this past season, and will assuredly receive more lucrative offers as a free agent.
Wesley Matthews (UFA) --&nbsp;Matthews helped the Lakers become the league's best defensive team with his chops on the perimeter. But a 51.7% True Shooting Percentage was a career low for the veteran shooting guard, and he made just 10 of 33 playoff field goal attempts. The 33-year-old made $3.6 million in 2020-21 and should be valued by contending teams.
Markieff Morris (UFA) --&nbsp;In his second year with the purple &amp; gold, Morris dealt with shooting inconsistencies, hitting on just 31.1% of his threes. He averaged 9.5 minutes per game in the playoffs, and made a tad over $1.6 million this past season.
Ben McLemore (UFA)&nbsp;-- The Lakers signed McLemore in April after he was waived by the Houston Rockets, and the former 2013 lottery pick mostly contributed as a bench scoring spark. He played only 36 minutes in the postseason, making two of his nine field goal attempts.&nbsp;
Jared Dudley (UFA)&nbsp;-- At this stage of his career, Dudley's primary value comes from his voice in the locker room. The 35-year-old played just 12 games in the regular season and five total playoff minutes as a reserve.
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">Salary Cap Outlook</h3>
To be frank: the Lakers have no cap space. According to the <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/cap/2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data at Spotrac</a>, Los Angeles will be shelling out over $116 million next season to LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell (player option), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marc Gasol and Alfonzo McKinnie (non-guaranteed). And the franchise still has to pay Luol Deng $5 million in dead cap money after stretching his deal years ago.
Theoretically, the Lakers could nix McKinnie's non-guaranteed deal worth $1.9 million and hope Harrell declines his $9.7 million player option. That could put the team a hair under the estimated $112 million salary cap -- assuming they also renounce every other free agent mentioned above. The chances of all of those things happening seem pretty low, though.
Essentially, Hollywood cannot spend Hollywood money this year to mix up its roster. The Lakers will have to be cunning on the trade market, pick up veterans on minimum deals and navigate any mid-level exception contracts.&nbsp;
It's been a challenging year for the Lakers, who were faced with the shortest offseason in the NBA before opening 2020-21 as the defending champs.
But with the wound of a first-round loss still fresh, the hard work has only just begun.

The Lakers have eight potential free agents and the No. 22 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Ethan Fuller breaks down the decisions that must be made.

What do the Lakers have to address in the 2021 NBA offseason?

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker scored 30 points after two quiet games and the Phoenix Suns sent LeBron James to the locker room early, dismantling the Los Angeles Lakers 115-85 Tuesday night to take a 3-2 first-round series lead.
The Suns won in Los Angeles on Sunday to tie the series and went right at the Anthony Davis-less Lakers in front of a revved-up crowd in Game 5.
Davis was out after suffering a groin injury in Game 4 and the Suns took advantage by attacking every chance they had. The Lakers put up little resistance, allowing Phoenix to score nearly at will while building a 30-point halftime lead &mdash; Los Angeles' largest halftime deficit in 25 years.
The Suns made 14 3-pointers and had just four turnovers against the NBA's regular-season defensive efficiency leader.
The only bad news: point guard Chris Paul took a shot to his injured right shoulder in the third quarter and did not return.
James scored 17 of his 24 points in the third quarter, but couldn't rally the listless Lakers. The four-time league MVP sat at the end of the bench by himself in the fourth quarter before heading to the locker room with about five minutes left.
Game 6 is Thursday in Los Angeles.
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The series between one-time rivals has been shaped by injuries.
The Suns won the first game in the desert despite Paul injuring his shoulder. Los Angeles won the next two with Paul ailing, then Phoenix took Game 4 102-94 in Los Angeles after Davis went down with a groin injury.
The Suns took advantage of Davis' absence early in Game 5, repeatedly getting into the lane for shots or kickouts for open looks.
Booker was the biggest beneficiary.
He had been relatively quite the previous two games &mdash; at least for one of the league's top scorers &mdash; scoring a combined 36 points on 11-of-24 shooting. Phoenix's young All-Star came out firing in the pivotal game of the series, scoring 18 points in the first quarter and hitting a corner jumper to put the Suns up 18 early in the second.
Booker wasn't the only one dropping shots.
The Suns had their way against Los Angeles' reach-and-swipe defense, leaving the Lakers flat footed with their quickness and rapid ball movement.
Phoenix made eight 3-pointers, 26 of 48 shots and had one turnover to lead 66-36 at halftime. It was the Lakers' largest halftime deficit since trailing Utah by 26 in 1998, according to SportRadar.
The Suns kept on the gas even as James became more aggressive in the third quarter, maintaining a 29-point lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
PAUL GOES DOWN
Paul reinjured his shoulder midway through the third quarter when he got tangled with Lakers guard Wesley Matthews while fighting for a rebound and hit the floor. Paul pointed toward Matthews as he went off the floor and was immediately attended to by Phoenix's trainers.
Paul got up after a minute or so and walked around, setting off a round of MVP! chants from the crowd. He returned to the game to hit two free throws and received a loud ovation before heading to the locker room for treatment.
Paul finished with nine points and six assists.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Kyle Kuzma was the only other Los Angeles player to score in double figures with 15 points. ... Markieff Morris, who started in place of Davis, had four points on 1-of-2 shooting.
Suns: Cam Payne gave Phoenix a nice lift, particularly after Paul went out. The backup point guard finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. ... Mikal Bridges had a solid all-around game with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. ... Booker shot 13 of 23 from the floor.
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Devin Booker scored 30 points and the Suns dismantled the Lakers 115-85 Tuesday night to take a 3-2 first-round series lead.