Atlanta Hawks

Every NBA season comes with its fair share of surprises, and the 2024-25 campaign has been no different. While championship contenders and superstars have dominated headlines, several teams have quietly &mdash; or loudly &mdash; rewritten their narratives in spectacular fashion. These aren&rsquo;t just flukes or hot streaks. These are teams that have made a leap, exceeded expectations, and found themselves in playoff positioning when few thought they&rsquo;d be here, or surpassing their previous season&rsquo;s accomplishments.
Whether it&rsquo;s through masterful coaching, player development, savvy roster moves, or simply finding the right chemistry at the right time, these are the teams that have all proven that projections and preseason power rankings don&rsquo;t always tell the full story. Here's a closer look at how these franchises flipped the script and are now among the best feel-good stories of the season.
Detroit Pistons Previous season&rsquo;s record: 17-65 This season&rsquo;s record: 44-38, 6th in the East
Perhaps no team has made a bigger leap &mdash; or captured the league&rsquo;s heart &mdash; more than the Detroit Pistons. Just a year removed from a miserable 17-win season, the Pistons have pulled off one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent NBA memory. They are now sixth in the Eastern Conference, and have set a playoff date against the third-seeded New York Knicks.
Much of that credit goes to newly hired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who brought immediate structure, accountability, and belief into a young locker room. But the star of the show has been Cade Cunningham. After an injury-riddled season last year, Cunningham has blossomed into a true franchise player this year &mdash; a dual-threat scorer and facilitator who commands the game at his own pace. His decision-making has improved drastically, and he's showing why he was the No. 1 overall pick. Cunningham is here, and he&rsquo;s gunning for that star/superstar status.
Surrounding Cunningham, players like Jaden Ivey (even though he was injured) and Ausar Thompson have also taken noticeable steps forward, while big man Jalen Duren has anchored the middle with toughness and poise beyond his years. Detroit has also had key free agent signings that brought veteran presence in the locker room in Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris. They have also picked up vet PG Dennis Schroder in a trade to help Cunningham with the ball-handling duties. Everything that Detroit has done was in order to come back and see this moment &ndash; to be back in the playoffs. It&rsquo;s not just that Detroit is winning &mdash; it&rsquo;s how they&rsquo;re doing it: through defense, selflessness, and maturity. They&rsquo;ve gone from laughingstock to legitimate in over a season, and it has been incredibly fun to watch.
Houston Rockets Previous season&rsquo;s record: 22-60 This season&rsquo;s record: 52-30, 2nd in the West
After four long and grueling seasons of rebuilding, the Houston Rockets are back &mdash; and better than ever. They&rsquo;ve clinched 50 wins for the first time since the James Harden era and have soared into the second seed in the loaded Western Conference. This transformation didn&rsquo;t happen overnight, but every move the Rockets made over the last four years has culminated in a roster that&rsquo;s deep, versatile, and hungry.
It started with the front office, who made smart picks in the draft: Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green in 2021, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason in 2022, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore in 2023, and Reed Sheppard in 2024. The result? A blend of high-upside talent that&rsquo;s matured quickly under the right guidance. And that guidance came in the form of Ime Udoka &mdash; the tough, defense-first head coach who has instilled discipline and identity from day one.
The Rockets also balanced their youth with veteran leadership. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks were crucial free-agent signings, and the trade for Steven Adams added much-needed size and experience in the paint. Sengun has quietly become one of the most skilled bigs in the league, averaging near triple-double numbers with his passing and post play. Meanwhile, Jalen Green&rsquo;s shot selection and efficiency have improved, making him a more consistent offensive threat.
Everything is clicking in Houston, and the best part? They&rsquo;re still only scratching the surface. It&rsquo;s officially liftoff time in Houston, Texas.
Cleveland Cavaliers Previous season&rsquo;s record: 51-31 This season&rsquo;s record: 64-18, 1st in the East
It might sound strange to include a 50-win team in a list of surprises, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have surpassed what many expected from them &mdash; and in a completely new way. After losing to the Celtics in the second round last season, many believed Cleveland had plateaued, stuck in a tier below the East&rsquo;s elite. But the arrival of head coach Kenny Atkinson changed everything.
Atkinson brought more than just X&rsquo;s and O&rsquo;s to Cleveland &mdash; he brought vision. His innovative offensive schemes breathed new life into the team, particularly Evan Mobley. The former third overall pick has emerged as a true two-way force this year, expanding his offensive bag while remaining a defensive anchor. Mobley has become more comfortable operating as a playmaker, setting high screens, making short-roll reads, and even spacing the floor.
Donovan Mitchell remains the alpha, capable of carrying the offense during clutch moments. But with Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen playing supporting roles to perfection &mdash; and the perfect role players giving them a punch off the bench &mdash; the Cavaliers are deeper and more dangerous than ever. This is their best season since LeBron left, and it feels like they&rsquo;ve finally found a sustainable identity. They're not just winning games; they&rsquo;re playing like a team that believes it can win the East.
Los Angeles Clippers Previous season&rsquo;s record: 44-38 This season&rsquo;s record: 50-32, 5th in the West
No team entered the season with lower public expectations relative to their talent than the Los Angeles Clippers especially after Paul George left in free agency. The assumption was that LA&rsquo;s championship window had finally slammed shut. But instead of folding, the Clippers responded with a defiant, gritty, and unified season that caught the league off guard.
Kawhi Leonard returned healthy and dominant, looking like the MVP-caliber player of old. His midrange game has been clinical, and he&rsquo;s elevated his play on both ends as the postseason approaches. But perhaps the most shocking resurgence came from James Harden, who has turned back the clock and delivered one of his most efficient seasons in years. Harden has assumed full command of the offense, orchestrating everything with poise and flair while re-establishing himself as a top-tier guard in the league that could possibly fetch an All-NBA plum.
The supporting cast has been outstanding. Ivica Zubac has taken a huge leap, anchoring the Clippers&rsquo; defense and finishing strong around the rim. He&rsquo;s firmly in the Most Improved Player conversation. Norman Powell has been a revelation in an expanded role, consistently providing scoring and hustle. The &ldquo;addition by subtraction&rdquo; idea has rung true &mdash; with more touches and opportunities, Powell has been better than ever.
And of course, credit must go to Tyronn Lue, who has maximized every piece of this roster and turned what many assumed would be a rebuilding year into a redemption tour. The Clippers became this gritty and rugged defensive team that no one wants to meet in the playoffs. They might be underdogs, but they&rsquo;ve built something real.&nbsp;
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These four teams &mdash; Detroit, Houston, Cleveland, and Los Angeles &mdash; entered the season with vastly different narratives. But they all share a common thread: they weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this good. Whether through internal growth, roster management, or coaching brilliance, each franchise has exceeded expectations in its own way.
The playoffs will be the true test, but what these teams have already accomplished is worth celebrating. In a league where dynasties often dominate headlines, it's stories like these that keep the NBA fresh, unpredictable, and thrilling year after year.

Discover how the Pistons, Rockets, Cavaliers, and Clippers have surpassed this season's expectations and rewrote their narratives.

Teams that have exceeded expectations this season

The Indiana Pacers have recently embarked on an impressive six-game winning streak, elevating their season record to 22-18 and securing the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. This resurgence is particularly noteworthy given their slow start to the season. A standout moment during this streak was their 108-93 victory over the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, which snapped Cleveland's 12-game winning streak.&nbsp;
Several factors have contributed to the Pacers' recent success, with significant improvements on both ends of the court.
Enhanced defensive strategies
The Pacers have placed a renewed emphasis on defense, incorporating zone defenses into their repertoire. According to Sports Illustrated, the Pacers worked on zone strategies during training camp, aiming to disrupt opponents' rhythms and force them into uncomfortable positions. This tactical adjustment has been effective; in preseason games, opponents averaged just 0.33 points per possession against the Pacers' zone defense, shooting a mere 1-for-14 from the field.&nbsp;
This strategic shift has carried over into the regular season. Over the past eight games, the Pacers have allowed 113.4 points per 100 possessions, a notable improvement from earlier in the season. Their defensive rebound rate has also increased, limiting opponents' second-chance opportunities.&nbsp;
Key defensive contributions from players
Individual performances have been pivotal in the Pacers' defensive resurgence. Andrew Nembhard, returning from injury, has been instrumental as one of the team's best on-ball defenders, capable of guarding multiple positions. His presence has contributed to the team's improved defensive metrics, with the Pacers' defense being over 11 points per 100 possessions better when he's on the court, according to Forbes.
Additionally, rookie Ben Sheppard's energy and team defense have been valuable. His return has coincided with the Pacers' defensive improvements, as the team allows a lower three-point percentage with him on the floor.&nbsp;
Offensive efficiency and ball security
Offensively, the Pacers have demonstrated increased efficiency, particularly in transition. By reducing turnovers, they've limited opponents' fast-break opportunities while creating more scoring chances for themselves. This focus on ball security has been evident during their winning streak, where they've maintained a positive turnover differential.&nbsp;
In their victory over the Cavaliers, the Pacers outscored Cleveland 68-40 in the second half, showcasing their offensive prowess. Despite losing star guard Tyrese Haliburton to hamstring tightness at halftime, the team maintained composure and executed their game plan effectively and efficiently.
Balanced scoring and bench contribution
The Pacers' offense has benefited from balanced scoring, with multiple players stepping up when needed. In the game against Cleveland, Andrew Nembhard led with 19 points, while Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner added 18 and 15 points, respectively. The bench has also been productive; Obi Toppin contributed significantly during the Cavaliers game, scoring 10 points in a crucial five-minute span.&nbsp;
This depth has allowed the Pacers to maintain offensive pressure throughout games, preventing opponents from focusing their defensive efforts on a single player. The team's ability to share the scoring load makes them a more versatile and unpredictable opponent.
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The Indiana Pacers' recent ascent in the Eastern Conference is just the beginning of a long season. As they continue to build on these strengths, the Pacers are positioning themselves as a formidable contender once again in the East after an Eastern Conference Finals appearance just a season ago.

The Indiana Pacers have recently embarked on an impressive six-game winning streak, elevating their season record to 22-18.

How the Pacers quietly rallied back in the middle of action in the East

The 2024 NBA Las Vegas Summer League is officially underway with the league&rsquo;s brightest rookies and young stars put to the test to hone their games and develop their wares to be ready come the official NBA season. Here are some of the players who stood out on the 1st day of action.
Anthony Black and Jett Howard, Orlando Magic
The duo was the Magic&rsquo;s first-round picks just a year ago and just in their first game both Black and Howard showed some promising developments that could catapult them into the team&rsquo;s rotation moving forward.
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Magic's Summer League backcourt today: Anthony Black 📊 20 PTS | 6-9 FG | 4 STL Jett Howard 📊 22 PTS | 5-10 3P | 4 AST Bright future ahead ✨ <a href="https://t.co/vYVp2HvkzS">pic.twitter.com/vYVp2HvkzS</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811892100755259632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
This year&rsquo;s third overall pick showed out against the Lakers dropping an efficient 23-ball alongside manning the offense for the Rockets. Sheppard looked like he has all the makings of a solid PG in the NBA, which locks in Houston&rsquo;s core for the foreseeable future alongside young studs Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Cam Whitmore.
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Reed Sheppard tonight: 🟥 23 PTS 🟥 9-17 FG 🟥 4-6 3P 🟥 5 AST 🟥 4 REB 🟥 3 BLK <a href="https://t.co/RZNq6fOpOG">pic.twitter.com/RZNq6fOpOG</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811942641644503138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Over three summer league games since the California Classic, Knecht has looked like the Lakers&rsquo; best player and continued to do so in Vegas. The 23-year-old shot the ball particularly well and looked confident in taking catch-and-shoot jumpers as well as some on-ball creation at times.
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Dalton Knecht despite the loss: 🟨 25 PTS 🟨 9-18 FG 🟨 5-11 3P 🟨 6 REB 🟨 4 AST <a href="https://t.co/J928gQBS1U">pic.twitter.com/J928gQBS1U</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811943377371623610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
The top 2 picks in this year&rsquo;s draft went on a duel with Sarr and the Wizards coming out on top to down Risacher on the Hawks. The French duo both showed great potential on both sides of the floor which explains why they were picked where they were picked in the draft: the talent is clearly there.
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Zaccharie Risacher tonight: 🟥 18 PTS 🟥 7-16 FG 🟥 3-9 3P 🟥 5 REB 🟥 2 AST <a href="https://t.co/Rw198OUtv0">pic.twitter.com/Rw198OUtv0</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811985256419065994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Alex Sarr NBA Summer League Debut: ◻️ 12 PTS ◻️ 7 REB ◻️ 4 AST ◻️ 4 BLK (‼️) A young defensive juggernaut for the Wizards 🔒 <a href="https://t.co/DdAj3naXZ9">pic.twitter.com/DdAj3naXZ9</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811986265841295766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a>
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Jordan Miller, Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers&rsquo; second-round selection in last year&rsquo;s draft, Miller went off with a 30-bomb against the Denver Nuggets to lead LA to the win. He went 6-10 from three and 8-8 from the FT line, which was impressive from a player who played mostly in the G-League the past season. With Paul George&rsquo;s departure, Miller could have a real chance of fighting for a rotation spot if he continues racking up performances like these.
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Jordan Miller WENT OFF tonight: 🟦 36 PTS 🟦 11-18 FG 🟦 6-10 3P 🟦 8-8 FT A masterclass performance by the 48th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft 🤯<a href="https://t.co/aWuzdriUdE">pic.twitter.com/aWuzdriUdE</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811986702832926912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The 2024 NBA Las Vegas Summer League is officially underway with the league’s young stars putting their games to the test.

2024 NBA Summer League: Day 1 Standouts

Blake Stern previews the NBA's Central Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and burning question entering the year.

NBA Central Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

Springfield, Massachusetts has been offering glimpses into the future of basketball since James Naismith put some peach baskets on a YMCA wall in 1891. Every MLK weekend, the town gives us another in the form of the HoopHall Classic, where dozens of the best high-school players in the country descend on Blake Arena.
The HoopHall Classic is also one of three high-school showcases this season that was given the green light for NBA scouts to attend. It's a prime opportunity for the elite talents to separate themselves from the pack &mdash; or for less heralded names to put themselves on the map.
I checked into the arena at 10 a.m. and caught all eight contests. These standouts, among many others, caught my eye:
DeMatha Catholic (MD) 66, Bishop Loughlin (NY) 55
Mason So, Bishop Loughlin &mdash;&nbsp;So wasn't the leading scorer of the game or the team MVP, but he really impressed with the little things he did to help the Stags keep control. The UNC Greensboro commit finished with 14 points and operated as a secondary ball-handler and spaced the floor well.
So hit 2-of-5 three-point attempts, but his best play came when he initiated the offense, passed the ball away, snuck behind the Bishop Loughlin zone to the low block and got it back for an easy layup. The senior also hustled on the glass impressively for a 6-foot-2 guard and grabbed 7 total boards.
Mount St. Joseph's (MD) 54, North Laurel (KY) 48
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Mount St. Joseph wins by 6 over North Laurel! 😤 🏀 Mount St. Joseph - 54 North Laurel - 48 🏆 MVP - Tyonne Farrell 19 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 🏟️ - Hoophall Classic 2023 cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Spalding?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Spalding</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MSJ_Basketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSJ_Basketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/943lF8n6bW">pic.twitter.com/943lF8n6bW</a>
&mdash; Legit Sport Stats (@LegitSportStats) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegitSportStats/status/1614685273568288768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Tyonne Farrell, Mt. St. Joseph's &mdash;&nbsp;Farrell logged an awesome statement game in front of the college recruiters and NBA scouts: 19 points, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 4 rebounds. The forward (listed at 6-foot-6, though he seems taller) was a monster protecting the rim. Both squads talked trash back-and-forth throughout and Farrell's rejections made quite the statement.
"Scrappy game; they were talking a lot of smack," Farrell told Basketball News. "It was good to block shots and talk back."
He also nearly brought the hoop down with an emphatic designed alley-oop slam. But Farrell, a junior, was more than a rim-runner and cutter. He made 1-of-2 triples and was not afraid to power-drive from the perimeter. Farrell grew up playing guard but has grown and built out his frame. He lists Paul George and Jayson Tatum among his favorite pros to watch because of the way they can handle the ball and use their strength fluidly.
Farrell and Illinois-bound senior teammate Amani Hansberry teamed up for 5 assists apiece; each took turns dissecting North Laurel's zone from the middle of the half-court. Hansberry had a strong afternoon of his own with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.&nbsp;
"Me and Amani, we go well together because we both can pass," Farrell said. "So he'll catch the ball, I'll backdoor slip and he'll find me. And then, we'll set screens for each other, [and] we both can handle the ball pretty well for bigger people. So it's lovely playing with Amani. He's a great player."
Farrell didn't dive into his college situation, but he has publicly posted an offer from Rhode Island and said he's confident in the direction of his recruitment. He didn't even know NBA personnel could attend this year's Classic &mdash; but it added another boost of confidence when he learned afterwards.
"That makes me feel great; I didn't know that," he said with a laugh. "That's amazing... gotta get my name out there."
Reed Sheppard, North Laurel &mdash;&nbsp;Sheppard, a four-star senior bound for Kentucky, simply didn't have his shot falling (5-for-21 from the field, 3-for-14 from three-point range). But he still ended up with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals by impacting the game just about everywhere else. He played at a rapid pace that really worked in transition, but even his drive-and-kick passes occurred at blazing speeds. Sheppard follows in the footsteps on his father, Kentucky legend Jeff Sheppard, but the younger ballplayer looks more than capable of carving out his own path.
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Ss. John Neumann-Maria Goretti (PA) 55, Vashon (MO) 45
Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti &mdash;&nbsp;Alright, another smaller guard with a big day! Wright, a 6-foot junior, has already committed to Baylor and he posted 17 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals for Neumann-Goretti in the victory. He displayed some impressive passing reads and decision-making in the open floor. Wright didn't shoot all that well and did struggle in the half-court with some of the opposing size. But he's crafty and creative, and his 5-foot-10 teammate Khaafiq Myers helps form one of the most fun backcourts seen this weekend.
Simeon Career Academy (IL) 52, Archbishop Stepinac (NY) 39
Miles Rubin, Simeon &mdash;&nbsp;Rubin is a 6-foot-9, 3-star big man en route to Loyola Chicago. He finished with an efficient 17 points (8-for-10 from the field) plus 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, and was the beneficiary of some timely interior passing. His frontcourt partner and twin brother Wesley (7 assists) frequently caught the basketball around the elbow and threw it inside as Rubin cut to the basket.
The senior also added two blocks, one being an impressive help-defense rejection on 5-star guard Boogie Fland. Simeon tasked Rubin early with showing hard in pick-and-roll defense and it led to two fouls, so there's room to improve with his mobility on the perimeter. Still, Rubin was rock-solid inside and a safe bet as a decision-maker.
Also, I have to shout out Simeon guards Michael Ratliff and Rashard McKinnie. They took turns tracking Fland and neutralized his downhill speed and strength. Fland can get low and slide right by most defenders, but not these two.
AZ Compass Prep (AZ) 55, Oak Hill Academy (VA) 35
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Zayden High shot 100% from the field in AZ Compass&rsquo;s win over Oak Hill 55-35 🐉 <a href="https://t.co/oEPuA4L7hC">pic.twitter.com/oEPuA4L7hC</a>
&mdash; NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/NIBCOfficial/status/1614756786053218304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Zayden High, Compass Prep &mdash; &nbsp;Most of this high-caliber clash was pretty ugly, but High helped Compass Prep pull away late with some timely two-way moments. The 6-foot-10 power forward went a perfect 5-for-5 with 15 points, including a three, a one-dribble pull-up two and some interior scores. His one block was a monster rejection at the rim on Oak Hill big man Drayton Jones.
"I like to think of myself as a shot-blocker," High said postgame. "I'm really good at timing the ball before it goes to the rim. It's all about timing for me &mdash; timed it, blocked it, right point at the right time."
High took instruction from his coaches late in the game regarding screening angles on both sides of the ball. In his first year at AZ Compass Prep, the UNC-bound big man says he's learning a lot about the ins-and-outs of screening.
"Coming to AZ Compass, I've learned a lot about setting screens, shifting my hips and being able to re-screen," he said. "It's helped me out because I'm a pick-and-pop guy; I'm a pick-and-roll guy. So it's lethal to the defense."
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Paul VI Catholic (VA) 72, Roselle Catholic (NJ) 59
DeShawn Harris-Smith, Paul VI &mdash;&nbsp;The Maryland-bound senior absolutely rocked in a huge win for the Panthers. Harris-Smith compiled 23 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. He's quite strong for a wing listed at 6-foot-4 and used that strength to surge past defenders on his drives. Harris-Smith also showed some foresight as a vertical cutter and held his own defensively. He seems physically prepared and experienced enough to make the leap to college ball as a dynamic 4-star talent.
Simeon Wilcher, Roselle &mdash;&nbsp;Wilcher, with 21 points and 5 assists, was Roselle Catholic's scoring spark to keep this game competitive. The senior guard has all sorts of tricks in his bag, including one crab-dribble-type move that split two defenders and ended in a layup. Wilcher had a lot on his plate with 5-star teammate Mackenzie Mgbako struggling, so the 6 turnovers are understandable with the load he had to carry as a creator. He'll be the next top-notch guard to watch at North Carolina next season.&nbsp;
Prolific Prep (CA) 71, Westtown (PA) 33
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Top freshman Tyran Stokes and <a href="https://twitter.com/ProlificPrep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProlificPrep</a> lead Westtown 29-16 at halftime of their <a href="https://twitter.com/HoophallClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoophallClassic</a> matchup ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/tyran_stokes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tyran_stokes</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wds1Plac2V">pic.twitter.com/Wds1Plac2V</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCNext/status/1614787207159504899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Tyran Stokes, Prolific Prep &mdash;&nbsp;There was one moment late in the second half of Prolific Prep's blowout victory where Stokes caught his breath during a pause in action. A young fan exclaimed, "He's just a freshman!" from the bleachers and Stokes tossed a sly wink back.
"My game, I just come with a swag," Stokes told Basketball News. "My teammates come with it [too], so it's just a group thing."
Stokes will assuredly be among the top freshmen in the country whenever 2026 rankings drop, and he backed up his confidence with an easy 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. The 6-foot-7 wing threw down two alley-oop dunks from senior Aden Holloway and lobbed up one of his own to Zion Sensley.&nbsp;
Prolific Prep has several more experienced playmakers, so Stokes can get comfortable spacing the floor and cutting for the most part. He says his coaches and teammates have helped advance his overall processing speed as a cutter.
"[In] middle school it was a lot slower, but once I got to high school, it just became way faster. The game was faster, so I had to step my game up," he said.
Stokes already has swarms of colleges after him (just check his <a href="https://twitter.com/tyran_stokes/media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>), and HoopHall was a big test for his maturity under the eyes of college and pro scouts. He says his mother, Kee, is his biggest source of support and helps relieve some of the stress of his impending rise.
"Me and my mom, we just work as a team to block all the noise out," Stokes said. "People come at me, people come at her, and we just stick together and don't let nobody get to us."
Zion Sensley, Prolific Prep &mdash;&nbsp;Beyond throwing down that alley-oop from Stokes, Sensley earned his game's Most Valuable Player robe with with 18 points, canning 7-of-10 shots. He knocked down threes from the corner, ran the floor for layups and even added in some mid-range self-creation. Sensley has more game off the dribble than he got the chance to show in a dominant win, and his offensive versatility at 6-foot-8 is intriguing. He's a 4-star junior worth keeping an eye on.
Imhotep (PA) 62, Cardinal Hayes (NY) 59
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Justin Edwards puts the first points on the board for Imhotep. <a href="https://t.co/z6dhGBzqYJ">pic.twitter.com/z6dhGBzqYJ</a>
&mdash; Bella DiAmore (@belladiamore) <a href="https://twitter.com/belladiamore/status/1614805998539100160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Justin Edwards, Imhotep &mdash; Edwards made his case for the top billing in the 2023 high-school class with a dominant effort in a thrilling Sunday nightcap. The 6-foot-7 wing amassed 25 points, 12 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists.&nbsp;
The defense particularly impressed me. Edwards took on Ian Jackson (11 points, 4-of-10 from the field, 5 assists), one of the best juniors in the country, and stuck with him throughout the matchup. He sprawled out on the floor for one steal and used some quick-twitch hands to poach other passes and get running. Edwards includes a defensive emphasis whenever he tries to cultivate a well-rounded performance.
"When I have an all-around game, it's me locking in defensively and getting my teammates going, so that was just the main thing," he said postgame.
Of course, the scoring was pretty remarkable too &mdash; a combination of emphatic driving slams and lefty mid-range pull-ups. He even snuck in an impressive entry bounce pass that turned into a layup assist. If you want to call Edwards the best senior in the country, you'll get no complaints from me.
Steven Solano, Cardinal Hayes &mdash;&nbsp;Solano's final stat line (4 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks) might not pop off the page, but his impact far transcended the box score. The lanky 6-foot-11 center was an impactful rim protector even beyond his swats and consistently thwarted Imhotep with his length and timely rotations. He only got on the scoreboard twice, but one bucket was a nifty layup spinning out of the post, suggesting he has a bit more of a bag than we saw. Solano's a 3-star center with a host of high-major offers and he could be an underrated find wherever he ends up.

Ethan Fuller recaps his standout stars from Sunday's HoopHall Classic games in Springfield, MA.

HoopHall Highlights: Top performances from Sunday's action

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Bradley Beal and the Wizards renewed their commitment to each other when he agreed to a five-year deal worth up to $251 million to stay in Washington.
Whether that commitment will make the next five years any more successful than the last 10 is the big question.
&ldquo;I want to win a championship and I want to do it here,&rdquo; Beal said Friday in a news conference to discuss his max-value contract. &ldquo;I believe that we can win in D.C.&rdquo;
There hasn&rsquo;t been much evidence that the Wizards can back up that belief. Since drafting Beal in 2012 to play alongside point guard John Wall, the Wizards have made five playoff appearances, never advancing beyond the second round &mdash; and the last time they got even that far was five years ago, the last full season Wall played in Washington.
Since then, the Wizards have had a revolving door at point guard alongside Beal, who averaged over 30 points in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and haven&rsquo;t persuaded a big-name free agent to join him in a star-driven league.
&ldquo;We have the opportunity to show the NBA what happens, the commitment that we&rsquo;ll make to our players, to their career,&rdquo; general manager Tommy Sheppard said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re talking about one of the most coveted free agents on the market re-signing with the Washington Wizards, committing to what he believes, that we can win here.&rdquo;
This season, the Wizards will surround Beal with big man Kristaps Porzingis, acquired in a midseason trade with Dallas; Kyle Kuzma, who became the team&rsquo;s primary scorer with Beal sidelined by injury in the second half of last season; a new point guard in Monte Morris, acquired in a trade with Denver; and a collection of young role players including Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert and Daniel Gafford.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re doing everything we can to make that mix right. We&rsquo;re a free agent away,&rdquo; owner Ted Leonsis said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re always looking at how we can improve, and Tommy has been given the green light and I&rsquo;ve said no to nothing. I want to win.&rdquo;
Beal has become rooted in the Washington area through philanthropic efforts and has shown a growing awareness of social issues. He began his news conference by lamenting the imprisonment of WNBA star Brittney Griner in Russia; the mass shooting at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois; and a spate of gun violence in his hometown of St. Louis.
His two young sons attended the news conference and Beal noted that because of his financial security, &ldquo;they think they won&rsquo;t have to work for anything. I have to try to find that balance and figure it out. You don&rsquo;t see that all the time, especially in the Black community.&rdquo;
Beal said he&rsquo;s comfortable with his decision and that winning a championship in Washington would be more satisfying than chasing a title with a &ldquo;super team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;You proved all the doubters wrong. You did everything you possibly could to make it work and you did it. That would mean everything to me,&rdquo; Beal said. &ldquo;That would mean more than leaving and playing with four All-Stars. And, having conversations with guys who have done that, it&rsquo;s not always great. It&rsquo;s not always fun. It&rsquo;s not always what you think it is.&rdquo;

“I want to win a championship and I want to do it here,” Bradley Beal said on Friday. “I believe that we can win in D.C.”

Bradley Beal believes Wizards can win title after his max deal

It simply wasn't supposed to be this way.&nbsp;
On paper, the Minnesota Lynx were supposed to be one of the dark-horse contenders in the WNBA heading into this season. A Hall-of-Famer on the sidelines in Cheryl Reeve; a dominant frontcourt, headlined by future Hall-of-Fame center Sylvia Fowles and budding star Napheesa Collier. With health, a wing group featuring Kayla McBride and Aerial Powers could give defenses fits in all three levels.
In reality, we haven't seen Collier, as she's been out due to the birth of her first child (congrats!). Fowles is now out indefinitely with a knee injury, halting another All-Star-caliber season and potentially ending her legendary career on a low note. McBride has missed five games due to injury; Powers, with the lack of creation chops around her, has been overtasked for most of the season. Her efficiency numbers &mdash; 36% from two, 29% from three &mdash; are not at all indicative of how good she actually is.&nbsp;
With the roster in flux for most of the season &mdash; heck, you go back to preseason with the surprising release of 2020 Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield, the return of Odyssey Sims and the eventual release of Sims &mdash; the Lynx haven't been able to find a rhythm. They currently sport The W's worst record at 3-13. Though they got off to a slow start last season and ended their campaign by winning 17 of their last 20 games, it's difficult to envision them having a similar turn of fortune.
However, in the midst of the things that have gone wrong for them at this point, I'd like to highlight one of their silver linings. Versatile forward Jessica Shepard has been plugging holes all over the place, particularly on the offensive end.
She's having the best season of her young career: a career-high in minutes (29.1), points (9.6), rebounds (8.4), two-point percentage (51.5%), three-point percentage (26.7%), free throw rate (41.5), True Shooting Percentage (55.2%), and a career-low turnover rate (16.2).
Against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday night, Shepard slapped up a career-best 22 points, 19 rebounds (also a career-high), and 6 assists in 28 minutes off the bench. It was a wildly efficient outing as well; in addition to shooting 9 of 11 from the field, her 6 assists only came with a pair of turnovers. It isn't responsible to define&nbsp;a player by their absolute best game, but Sunday's outing was a nice window into what Shepard's been providing all season.
Though it'd be easy to start with the scoring, I find myself most impressed by the way Shepard reads the floor. She maps it out incredibly well, which is what allows the Lynx to use her directly as a high-post hub, a handoff partner, a short-roll playmaker in ball-screens. If not directly, she's able to find her own offense with impromptu cuts and a nose for the glass. You don't grab 19 boards, 6 on the offensive end, without knowing where to be.
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Not only does Shepard have incredible court awareness, but she also combines it with ball skills that a player her size shouldn't have. She's a deft handler and passer, which opens up the playbook for inverted sets or, again, allows her to take matters into her own hands with randomness.
There was this nifty drive from Shepard against Dearica Hamby, after relocating to the short corner:
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Early in the fourth, the Lynx went to high post with Shepard to set up this screen-plus-flare action for McBride. Peep the live-dribble lefty feed from Shepard.
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This might've been my favorite possession of the night from her as a playmaker.
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It's a beautiful setup from the Lynx.
An Elevator set with McBride in the weak-side corner is certainly a way to spread the floor. Shepard exacerbates things by slipping to the basket after setting her side of the screen. Hamby attempts to pick her up, but she's on Shepard's hip.
A'ja Wilson has to choose between rotating down to cut off a shot from Shepard, or staying home on the sharpshooting McBride. The second Wilson shifts her weight towards Shepard, Shepard hits McBride with a touch pass to the corner for an open triple.
The movement, feel, and playmaking chops were all on display within a six-second span.
On the scoring front, it's important to note Shepard's touch. It hasn't quite translated to three-point range this season &mdash; she shot 4 of 11 (36.4%) from three in the first five games of the season, but has attempted four threes since &mdash; but she's a quality outlet inside the arc. She's comfortable as a pick-and-pop threat against drop coverage. When asked, she can chew up some space and finish in the intermediate area.
Deeper in the paint, Shepard is an able finisher with either hand. More importantly, she does her work early. When she isn't cutting into space at random, she's able to use her frame to shield off defenders to help her set up shop in the paint. There's a reason she's converting a career-high 62.3% inside of 3 feet this season.
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This isn't just the best campaign of Shepard's career, it also happens to be the healthiest. Heading into this season, she had only logged 343 minutes across 28 games. She's already up to 465 minutes this year!&nbsp;
For everyone's sake, hopefully the Lynx as a whole are able to get healthy and put together a run. The talent is there, when it's available.
For now, let's enjoy Shepard's breakout. It's been a long time coming.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the under-the-radar season of Minnesota Lynx forward Jessica Shepard.

Jessica Shepard shining in dark season for the Minnesota Lynx

The 2022 WNBA rookie class has continually impressed on a multitude of fronts a third of the way through the season.
Atypical rookies like Kristy Wallace and Rebekah Gardner, who entered the league with a wealth of overseas play, are already playing a fundamental role on playoff teams.&nbsp;
Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas), Jasmine Dickey (Dallas), Evina Westbrook (Minnesota), and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Los Angeles) have all shown glimpses as second- and third-round picks to varying degrees.&nbsp;
The Indiana Fever superclass has been electric. NaLyssa Smith looks like someone who could grow into one of the best scorers in the league. Queen Egbo has impressed me greatly, blowing away rookie-year expectations with her stellar defense. Destanni Henderson should have been a first-round pick (and I'll die on that hill!). Emily Engstler has some of the most intriguing flashes and upside in the class, and I have no idea what to project her as going forward. Lexie Hull's minutes have been inconsistent, but the idea of what she can be in the league is clear as day.
Veronica Burton's defense has been fantastic for a Wings team trying to establish an aggressive scheme and mentality. The flashes she has shown as a steady hand in the halfcourt have been impressive as well, and her scoring and shooting are coming along too (she has as many threes in the past two games as she had in the first 11!).
There are multiple first-rounders whom we haven't even seen in extended minutes due to rotation crunches (Kierstan Bell) and injuries (Rae Burrell and Nyara Sabally).
Atlanta Dream forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-atlanta-dream-struck-gold-with-rhyne-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhyne Howard</a> has taken the league by storm, already cementing herself as one of the better perimeter players in the WNBA. She could make the All-Star team or All-Defensive team as a rookie and I wouldn't bat an eye.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Building our foundation for this season AND next.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllAboardToTheFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllAboardToTheFuture</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amtrak</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Fge9u77j7">pic.twitter.com/6Fge9u77j7</a>
&mdash; Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics/status/1511796682215800840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Based on the way Howard and No. 3 overall pick Shakira Austin have played thus far, this is a trade we're going to retrospectively debate for years to come.&nbsp;
Howard has been sensational for the Dream, and while Austin's box score isn't as gaudy and she doesn't create offense in the same way, her impact has arguably been as strong for the Mystics. I'm not interested in pitting the two against one another and going "____ won the trade because ____ is better than _____!"
We are not even a full year into their careers! It's too early for that! But it's important to note that while Howard is rightfully a runaway for Rookie of the Year at the moment, Austin has been vital for a team in contention, earning a starting role and showing bright flashes of her offensive upside as well.
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On/off stats are imperfect. They shouldn't be taken at face value, but they're a notable point of reference when considering state of play. Among players who have played at least 200 minutes in the 2022 WNBA season, only six players have an on/off swing of +22 or higher: A'ja Wilson, Ariel Atkins, Brianna Turner, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Shakira Austin. That's pretty incredible company!
The Mystics' offense (+16.67) and defense (+12.44) perform substantially better with Austin on the court, per PBP Stats.
As she showcased last night against the Phoenix Mercury, she's adept at flowing within the offense. Her screening and rolling along with intuitive cutting make her a remarkably effective spacer in spite of not being a shooter out to the arc. Quick decisions and intuitive decisions that work within the offense are arguably as impactful as shooting, especially when a player with Austin's size and fluidity is making them.
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Austin makes some fantastic connective passes within the offense, an incredibly important aspect for someone functioning primarily as an offensive outlet.&nbsp;
Her face-up drives both off the catch and from a standstill have impressed. Her ball control and strides at her size make her a difficult cover for bigger 5s, but her strength to mash a smaller defender provides an equal challenge for defenses. Her footwork is already incredibly advanced as a rookie, both on the roll and in the post. Her coordination at 6-foot-5 is kind of insane!
Send a blitz at Natasha Cloud or Ariel Atkins, and Shakira can slip and cover that ground to the rim just as quickly as you took it away.
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She's made some stellar live-dribble passes on the roll and on drives that make me extremely excited about her playmaking potential as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Austin's defense has been equally adept. Off rip, the shot-blocking and rim protection has translated (seventh in the league in total blocks, per Her Hoop Stats), but her pick-and-roll defense has been huge for a team built on the back of it's ability to contain the ball. She already has shown good feel for showing and recovering, playing near the level of the screen, and particularly roaming weak-side.
Watch the first stab playing close to the level against Courtney Vandersloot in pick-and-roll. Her hand activity keeps improving, and her reaction time and recovery tools give her top-notch margin for error.
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Most of her fouls have come from overaggression or general timing on late contests, largely on switches or against smaller wings and guards. Austin has shown the ability to switch in a pinch and ride out drivers to the rim, but honing that aggression will be huge in developing that versatility.
What Austin has brought the Mystics from day one as a rookie cannot be understated. She's played even better defense than former First Team All-Defensive member Elizabeth Williams (who has been very good in her own right!) and solidifed a starting spot. The sky is the limit on what she can be, and although she's been in a more contained role in DC, it's clear that there's a great deal of untapped potential that continues to be excavated game by game.
Shakira Austin is already a problem in the league, and her culmination of skills, size, aptitude and demeanor make her one of the most exciting young players in the WNBA.
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Shakira Austin's play continues to impress in the present while showing promising glimpses of what she can be in the future.

Shakira Austin is showing out for the Washington Mystics

Through two weeks of the WNBA season, where does each team stack up and what are some prime takeaways?

WNBA Power Rankings 5/22

Year 26 of the WNBA is finally here! There will be plenty of storylines to follow this year: Swan songs for long-time legends (Sylvia Fowles, Sue Bird), highly anticipated returns (Elena Delle Donne), new faces in new places (Tina Charles and Liz Cambage among others), and plenty of young stars looking to make leaps. It's a great time to get invested in the W if you haven't already.
Opening night was a doozy: four games featuring eight teams with wildly different expectations. Every game got my brain churning in some capacity, and the same can be said for my pal <a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler</a>.
So, naturally, we decided to team up and share our takeaways from each game. Let's dig in!
INDIANA FEVER VS WASHINGTON MYSTICS
THE SCORE: 84-70 MYSTICS
THE STORY: MYSTICS' OFFENSE SCARY HOURS
This was a weird game to say the least, something that will likely be the norm for an extremely young Fever team that started three rookies and had five who played significant rotation minutes last night.
The youth was apparent, but so was the budding potential. NaLyssa Smith finished her first game in the pros with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double while showcasing the footwork, fluidity and athleticism that make her a remarkable prospect.
Destanni Henderson carved up the floor with passes, hitting cutters with ease and operating out of ball screens with the guile that made her a joy to watch at South Carolina.
Most importantly, seeing a healthy Elena Delle Donne back was just awesome. She's gone through an insane amount medically in the past few seasons, and to come in without a minutes restriction was great.
The 84 points scored by the Mystics last night undersells the brilliant flashes they put together offensively. While noting again that this Fever team is of course inexperienced, Washington put them through the ringer. They threw so many actions and looks at the wall in the first game that impressed, and it felt like a playoff gameplan at times. The second Crystal Dangerfield checked into the game, sets were called to run lead guard Natasha Cloud off screens or cuts to post the much smaller Dangerfield up and draw a foul or easy bucket.
Cloud saw the court extremely well last night, and her control of the offense and ability to shift east and west to find better angles to attack was impressive.&nbsp;
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For a roughly five-minute stretch in the second quarter, the Mystics went to Delle Donne at the 5 with Cloud, Ariel Atkins, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Tianna Hawkins. All five players can shoot, pass, handle and attack the floor. While it's not a look that the Mystics can fully embrace for large chunks of the game, the run they went on (outscoring Indiana by 8 in a 4:47 stretch, per InStat scouting) showed glimpses of a potent lineup.
With Delle Donne up screening this high and three shooters fanned out, Fever rookie big Queen Egbo has to play at the level. Cloud is capable of hitting a pull-up two against drop. Delle Donne is too good of a shooter from *checks notes* everywhere to give her any modicum of space. It's hard to draw help from any of the off-ball defenders given the personnel the Mystics are employing.
Washington went repeatedly to a 5-out look with this group. Space Delle Donne and use Hawkins as a popper off a pick for Cloud, as she can drive to the basket off a hard close. This is a stout group defensively as well! There's length and mobility. While they'd likely struggle against a true post, the offense feels like it could be so good that it can dictate matchups and opposing lineups.
This Mystics team has a chance to really pop, and it's great to see them whole again. - Mark
STRAY THOUGHTS
-&nbsp;I was a bit surprised by how straight-up the Fever defended the Mystics in this one. Pick-and-rolls were defended two-on-two, often allowing Delle Donne to pop into open space or, if the Fever executed a late switch, drivers to get one-on-ones against bigs. Delle Donne saw plenty of single coverage on post-ups, including a notable up-and-under against NyLyssa Smith. Bless her heart.&nbsp;
- On the pick-and-roll front, I'm curious to see how teams defend the Cloud-Delle Donne duo moving forward. Drop is a non-starter, and switches aren't ideal considering the scoring ability of both. Do you really want to give Delle Donne short-roll opportunities with traps? Good luck.
- The post-up bullying aside, it was nice to see Dangerfield scooting around out there. I'm still a little shellshocked by the Lynx waiving her, especially considering the struggles they had generating offense in their game against the Storm. - Nekias
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LOS ANGELES SPARKS VS CHICAGO SKY
THE SCORE: 98-91 (OT), SPARKS
THE STORY: DANA EVANS!!!!
The most competitive game of the evening was also a cagey affair! Both teams have new faces in prominent roles, and it was clear that both coaching staffs were trying to pinpoint these new areas early to test the waters of their personnel.
Chennedy Carter had great flashes as a scorer out of transition and in the halfcourt, but she was also on a very different rhythm than the rest of the team, which was to be expected in her first game in LA. Derek Fisher rode with Jordin Canada down the stretch, as she cut up the Sky in the halfcourt on drives and set up her teammates extremely well. They don't win the game without her shotmaking (and that call on the last shot).
Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike were both fantastic &mdash; Parker with her playmaking and defensive freneticism, Ogwumike with her aggression on offense and defense as well. It was great to see Nneka look this fluid and fully healthy.
The story of the game for me was backup guard Dana Evans. A member of the Sky's title team as a rookie last season, Evans shined bright, going for a career-high 24 points, easily surpassing her 14-point outing that paced her scoring last season.
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Evans toggled on and off the ball, which made her performance all the more impressive. She got to her pull-up and operated well as a ball-handler in pick-and-roll. She canned some deep threes, which opened up even more for her off the catch. She was great intiating sets and then relocating and making herself involved in play, which is essential playing alongside star players.
Evans was great drawing contact, finishing through it and making herself a weapon as a secondary scorer and advantage attacker last night, feasting off of initial plays in sets.&nbsp;
With Julie Allemand (part of the Diamond DeShields trade in the offseason) coming over from overseas to play soon, it'll be interesting to see how the backup guard rotation shapes up in Chicago. Allie Quigley was out last night and Kahleah Copper (who is also finishing up overseas play) is really the only true wing on the roster. As <a href="https://twitter.com/5outbasketball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Kilkelly</a> pointed out last night, we should expect a lot of 3-guard sets from the Sky this season. This was a special, special performance from Dana that perhaps signified even more reason for excitement this season. - Mark
STRAY THOUGHTS
-&nbsp;Consider me intrigued with Chicago's frontcourt. Starting big with Parker, newcomer Emma Meesseman, and Azura Stevens is sure to pose problems for everyone. That combination of size and ball skills can only be matched by... two other teams? Maybe three? To the three-guard point, I'm excited to see more of the Parker-Meesseman duo. They already showcased some high-low chemistry in the opener.
- How about Jordin Canada, Starting Point Guard? It's about darn time! She's been one of the W's best drivers and point-of-attack defenders for quite some time. Watching her direct the offense and call her own number down the stretch was pretty fun. I don't think she's a 21-and-8 player, but there's clearly more in the bag than she was able to show in Seattle.
- Chennedy Carter is playing basketball again! Her shot creation should pop in this bench role. One might say she'll provide a Spark. - Nekias
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LAS VEGAS ACES VS PHOENIX MERCURY
THE SCORE: 106-88, ACES
THE STORY: OFFENSIVE FREEDOM
Let's get the caveats out of the way early. It's one (1) game. The Mercury, in particular, were missing a ton of talent. There was no Brittney Griner (GET BRITTNEY HOME) as she's still detained in Russia. Brianna Turner, one of the best young frontcourt players in the W, is still playing overseas. The same is true for Diamond DeShields, one of the most athletic wings in the W. That's a pretty large chunk of the Mercury's defensive infrastructure missing.&nbsp;
With that said:&nbsp;whew, buddy, did the Aces put the ball in the basket.
Not only did they drop 106 points, a mark they eclipsed just twice last season, the way they went about it was encouraging.&nbsp;
With A'ja Wilson starting alongside Dearica Hamby, there was more space to operate with. The pace was pushed more frequently &mdash; they won the fastbreak points battle, 15-6 &mdash; and the tempo was up in the half-court. More pace and space means Wilson and Hamby getting busy as screeners or post hubs. Actions with an empty corner have a little more juice now.
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Ah, and then there were the threes.&nbsp;
The Aces were the league's most efficient offense last season, but did so in the most predictable, traditionalist way. They fed the block and brutalized opponents inside. This wasn't a team that shot threes often; their 13.5 attempts last season ranked last in the league by a pretty decent margin.&nbsp;
The tide seems to be turning for the group under new head coach Becky Hammon. They attempted 23 triples in their lone preseason game. They took 21 on Friday night, making 11 of them. It was, per the broadcast, the third time in&nbsp;franchise history&nbsp;that they made 11 or more threes in a game.&nbsp;
Between Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray bombing away from deep (hitting a combined 6-of-11 from three), and the complementary play styles (and general mobility) of Wilson and Hamby, it should come as no shock that Jackie Young (20 points on 8-of-10 shooting) was also&nbsp;able to shake loose.
Good freaking luck with this group. - Nekias
STRAY THOUGHTS
- I've already started the Kelsey Plum All-Star campaign, and Kelsey has done so accordingly with her play!
- I was so so impressed by Las Vegas' ball movement and connective passing. While it's important to note that the Mercury were pretty depleted heading into game one, the Aces exacerbated all the advantages they could find and make.
- Jackie Young!!! Entering her fourth season, I have really high expectations for who Jackie can be. With a new coach and system, I think Friday night was a glimpse of her bright spots from past years as well as how beneficial pacing and an even more spread floor benefits her game. She's so strong on her power-drives to the rim and such a fantastic mid-range shooter on a variety of self-created looks. Her defense on Diana Taurasi was extremely fun and effective as well, really sticking to her off the ball. - Mark
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SEATTLE STORM VS MINNESOTA LYNX
THE SCORE: 97-74, STORM
THE STORY: GABBY WILLIAMS IS BACK
It's been a tumultuous stretch from Gabby Williams, a UConn standout turned gap-filler for the Chicago Sky. She had her contract suspended for roster-spot reasons &mdash; you can get a breakdown of that ordeal <a href="https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-women-gabby-williams-explainer-20210508-20210507-gtqqe5sspjdrfncall7kpcxzm4-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> &mdash; and was then traded from the Sky to the Los Angeles Sparks before the 2021 season began.
She was traded again over the offseason, this time to the Seattle Storm for Katie Lou Samuelson and the pick (#9 overall) that became Rae Burrell.
We're only a game in, but this is already looking like one of the best moves of the offseason for the Storm.
Wiilliams can do just about everything but shoot from deep (as she's a career 24.8% from three), which bodes well for a Storm team as active as this one.&nbsp;
Offensively, she's able to get the machine churning with her passing ability. Whether it's making entry passes, making kicks off the dribble or running the occasional ball screen, Williams can find her teammates. Off the ball, she's a willing screener and heady cutter. You can't really afford to "gap" her because she'll make herself &mdash; or a teammate &mdash; a threat.
The real appeal comes on the other end. Williams is a true multi-positional defender. She has the mobility to slide with guards, can deal with virutally any wing you throw at her, and is pesky enough to bother bigger players as well. Watching her slither across screens and mirror ball-handlers is a joy.&nbsp;
For people who aren't familiar or needed the reminder of what she can do defensively, look no further than her work in the second quarter of this game. These are just&nbsp;three&nbsp;examples of her versatility.
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You get it all here. Active hands, timely rotations off the ball, switchability, contesting without fouling. She's a beast. - Nekias
STRAY THOUGHTS
- I'm super intrigued by who Jessica Shepard could be for this team. Her shot was there and she looked confident in it. She displayed some really fun and tantalizing ball skills and court vision as a DHO operator and high-post playmaker. With the Lynx this depleted to start the season, they'll need as much as she can offer as well.
- The Storm miss Mercedes Russell's post presence without a doubt, as Sylvia Fowles bodied them early (a norm for W frontcourt players the past decade-and-a-half). Yet, their ability to rotate backline and flash recovery skills and communicate as a defense throughout the game was impressive. Williams and Briann January bring extra pop at the point of attack and this team shows real capability early to be a more stout defense. - Mark
<a href="https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler contributed to this article.</a>
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Nekias Duncan and Mark Schindler team up to give their observations from the opening night of the 2022 WNBA season.

2022 WNBA season: Thoughts from each opening-night game

It&rsquo;s been quite an unconventional season in Washington.
The summer in D.C. was drowned out by an onslaught of Bradley Beal trade rumors. Instead of discussion about Wizards president Tommy Sheppard&rsquo;s impressive offseason, questions like the ones below dominated the news cycle.
Could Beal be the missing piece for Golden State? What if Boston broke the internet to form an all-St. Louis duo with Brad and Jayson Tatum? Is this the Ben Simmons trade that&rsquo;s been sitting there underneath our noses?
Well, here we are. Seven months later, Beal is still a Wizard, and as it so happens, most of us missed the point. Washington has cobbled together a deep, impressive group of veterans, which <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kyle-kuzma-montrezl-harrell-have-wizards-adopting-dog-mentality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit the ground running with an Eastern Conference-leading 10-3 record</a> and the third-best defense in the entire league to start the season.&nbsp;
But then, the inevitable defensive regression hit like a <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/miguel-sano-homers-22-on-a-fly-ball-to-center-field">Miguel San&oacute; deep-ball</a>; Washington has returned to its homey lair of a <a href="https://www.cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/summary?season=2021&amp;seasontype=regseason&amp;start=10/1/2021&amp;end=01/15/2022">bottom-10 Defensive Rating</a>, and the Wizards overall record has deteriorated in harmonious fashion, with the team going just 12-17 since Nov. 15. With Beal having a down year and the vaunted defense appearing... um, suddenly not-so-vaunted, Washington has since looked rudderless following the hot start.
That is, until Kyle Kuzma started averaging a cool 26 and 11 over the Wiz&rsquo;s last nine games.
His output has largely been a byproduct of circumstance. Seven Washington players entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols at the turn of the new year, forcing the Wizards to go the substitute-player route like most other ball clubs. This left a hefty load to shoulder for Washington&rsquo;s mainstays, and Kuzma, in particular, made quite the impression while eclipsing 39 minutes in three straight games to ring in 2022.
The plat principal of the Kuzma experience this season has been his inspiring commitment to rebounding. He&rsquo;s finally at his rightful position &mdash; the 4 &mdash; and has seen his overall rebounding average jump by a colossal 2.6 per game while inhaling a career-high <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced/?sort=GP&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*kuzma">12.8%</a> of available boards.
As Washington&rsquo;s corps dwindled, Kuzma only dug deeper into the comfy niche he&rsquo;s settled into this season.
Kuz&rsquo;s rebounding rate has bumped all the way up to 14.5% since Dec. 27, when nearly half of his teammates entered protocols. He's keyed in on opponents&rsquo; misses with the hunger of Shaggy and Scooby Doo on a Whole 30 diet, his hands fastening onto the rock like a toddler leash. (Side note, who the heck uses those things?)
From there, Kuz is more than capable of initiating the offense in the open floor after ripping down a&nbsp; board, something he&rsquo;s been quite potent at as of late. No longer sharing the floor with LeBron James &mdash; whose resume alone obviously merits sole ownership of a fastbreak offense &mdash; Kuzma&rsquo;s now been empowered to push the pace like true-blue point-forward.
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But Kuzma&rsquo;s more than just a rebounder. He&rsquo;s a full-blown supersized slasher that knifes through coverages with X-Acto Blade precision, and he&rsquo;s only carved opponents up with more voraciously as Washington has suffered its availability crisis.
Kuzma&rsquo;s average drives per game have nearly doubled from 5.9 to 12.2 since December 27, and he&rsquo;s shot a supremely impressive <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*kuzma&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DateFrom=12%2F27%2F2021">63.5%</a> on those forays to the rim in that time (his accuracy on drives sat at just 45% beforehand). For context, the league leader in field goal percentage off drives is Giannis Antetokounmpo at 60.2%. So basically, Kuzma&rsquo;s been the personification of the &ldquo;He Don&rsquo;t Miss!&rdquo; meme when putting the ball on the floor in the Year 2022.
Perhaps it was out of pure necessity, but what&rsquo;s largely spearheaded Kuzma&rsquo;s torrential downpour of downhill scoring has been his aggression. He&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCwZqaHipqs&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing through contact</a>, devising the necessary counters &mdash; like the occasional <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iANdyk_EHA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eurostep</a> &mdash; to leave opponents loopy in a drunken state. <a href="https://youtu.be/LXyy_Z8Zy5g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The glass</a> is the 26-year-old&rsquo;s friend if needed, of course. And his fabled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkXmnXdURF4&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hook shot</a>, which earned him modest prominence during his rookie season, will peak through the blinds when applicable. (Rejoice, Laker fans, it&rsquo;s back!)
Most importantly, when he gets to that right hand, it&rsquo;s basically over. Kuzma&rsquo;s always been a sturdy at-rim finisher, and his <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4230#tab-shooting_accuracy">74% accuracy inside 4 feet</a> ties a career-high for the Flint native. His rim attacks have become a reliable source of renewable energy when Washington&rsquo;s bottom-tier offense trips up.
Here&rsquo;s a fun example of his decisiveness.
Washington sets up a pair of staggered screens for Beal, and Kuzma makes his move right when the help defender (Gordon Hayward) turns his head to bark out orders. Miles Bridges is left... miles behind (sorry) as Kuz stretches out for the layup.&nbsp;
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It&rsquo;s strange, but his size seems to stand out more now that he&rsquo;s a Wizard, no longer sharing the floor with a gaggle of giants in purple-and-gold threads. You really feel that Kuz is a full 6-foot-10 on his bull rushes to the rim. He's a towering thunderbolt of an athlete with G5 jets affixed to his highlight-blue sneakers.
Nothing is more emblematic of Kuzma&rsquo;s hot streak than his recent success from floater range. He&rsquo;s shot a hellacious <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4230?season=2021&amp;start=12/27/2021&amp;end=12/28/2022#tab-shooting_accuracy">55% on short-range middies</a> in his last nine games, a massive bump from the mere 36% he posted prior; it's also good for the 72nd percentile among his peers. Granted, it&rsquo;s unlikely that he&rsquo;ll maintain this level of preposterous efficiency on in-betweeners, as runners like the one below are a tricky diet to survive off of. But for now, I&rsquo;m sure he&rsquo;ll gladly take it.
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What makes all of this so impressive is that his handle &mdash; which can get a little rickety when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9t8NDEGJEE&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bothered by nearby helpers</a> &mdash; hasn&rsquo;t been especially fluid nor deceitful as of late. His vision has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmbA8HBzZl0&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moments of genius</a>, though inaccuracy can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qmZXfjyI-Y&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plague him</a>. He grades out as a fairly average passer.
Most of all, his three-pointer remains a work in progress, and he&rsquo;s actually seen his efficiency from distance fall a percentage point to 33% during the recent hot stretch. He&rsquo;s pump-faking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CuZ0O8dJOw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defenders out their shoes</a> without the requisite long-range weaponry typically required to make the seas part and open up the rim.
Kuz made his bed as a defensive-minded grinder in Laker Land, and that calling card is still very much intact. As mentioned before, the dude&rsquo;s mobile and huge. It&rsquo;s tough as nails to score on him in isolation, where he ranks within the 75th percentile as a 1-on-1 defender.&nbsp;
Kuzma uses his body well to shield opponents away from the rim, with his 7-foot wingspan handling the rest. It&rsquo;s tough to get him in the air on pump-fakes. His body control is pretty exceptional, and here, he uses a 2-foot jump to slow down and leap with precise control while contesting Chuma Okeke.
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Recently, he&rsquo;s even had to pick up the slack and play some 5. Montrezl Harrell was one of the many players held out due to health and safety protocols, leaving the Wizards with only one available big man, Daniel Gafford. Playing Kuz in the middle allows the Wizards to switch pretty much everything, and he&rsquo;s had some super impressive reps against the likes of LaMelo Ball, Terrence Ross, Cole Anthony and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, just to name a few. Certainly a varied cast of opponents.
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Failing to mention Kuzma&rsquo;s legend inside of five minutes would be a disservice, because, well, you&rsquo;ll hear about it on nearly every single Wizards broadcast. Only a handful of people in human history have shown more exuberance about anything&nbsp;than Washington&rsquo;s play-by-play crew when discussing &ldquo;Klutch Kuz&rdquo;: Anthony Edwards when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Y2P-BQP5w&amp;ab_channel=DaHoopSpotProductions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranking fast-food french fries</a>, JAY-Z the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aayZ9ybDTBw&amp;ab_channel=MardyMoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first time</a> he heard the &ldquo;Dirt Off Your Shoulder&rdquo; beat, and pretty much anyone who has ever done a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGJhjHw4sMM&amp;ab_channel=Whereuat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nardwuar</a> interview.
That&rsquo;s it. That&rsquo;s the list.
Having said this, it&rsquo;s easy to understand NBC Sports Washington's fascination with Kuz in crunch time. His <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-traditional/?sort=GP&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612764" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.0 points</a> per game lead the Wiz in the clutch, and he&rsquo;s posting a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-advanced/?sort=TS_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612764&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*kuzma">70.6% True Shooting percentage</a> when it matters most. He&rsquo;s already nailed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-cVQhyBvw0&amp;ab_channel=ChazNBA">not one</a>, but two game-winners as a Wizard, sending the Pistons' fans home with a cheery wave and a toothy smile after a cold-blooded three. Truly villainous stuff from the hometown kid, if I do say so myself.
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It&rsquo;s been quite the revenge tour for Kyle Kuzma this year. Dangled in trades for almost the entirety of last season, his former employer sent him to the nation&rsquo;s capital in the Russell Westbrook blockbuster. Shortly after, the Brooklyn Nets felt a trade exception (that will likely go unused) was more valuable than his services in the Spencer Dinwiddie sign-and-trade. In the moment, it seemed quite telling that two teams on the brink of a championship said, &ldquo;Nah, I&rsquo;m good&rdquo; to Kuz.
Now, I bet they&rsquo;d surely love a do-over.

Matt Brooks takes a deep dive into Kyle Kuzma's resurgence with the Wizards and his incredible production since Dec. 27.

Don't look now, but Kyle Kuzma is silencing the critics

When the Washington Wizards acquired Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a blockbuster trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers, the franchise underwent a major facelift that left a lot of unknowns this offseason.
A brand new head coach in Wes Unseld Jr. A fresh-faced starting lineup. Seven new players.
And yet, in this case, change has most certainly been welcome.
As of Friday, the Wizards sit with the Chicago Bulls atop the Eastern Conference at 9-3. Make no mistake: this isn&rsquo;t your par-for-the-course, &ldquo;Bradley-Beal-carries-and-the-rest-fall-in-line&rdquo; group that we&rsquo;ve seen so many different iterations of in Washington D.C. This is a team in every sense of the word.
And the fact that it&rsquo;s come together this cohesively and this expeditiously, for a franchise that retooled its staff and personnel less than three months ago, is incredibly unique.
&ldquo;I mean it is a different team. Basically, half the roster's different, so it is remarkable that they've kinda pulled together as quickly as they have,&rdquo; Unseld said prior to Wednesday&rsquo;s win in Cleveland. &ldquo;But I give 'em credit. They were around in September, so we didn't wait 'til the first official day of training camp to say, 'Hey, let's start putting in work.' Those guys were trying to play together, do a small side of [pickup] games, get workouts [in], finding ways to be on the floor and build that chemistry. So it's paid off for us thus far."
"We've got a bunch of dogs, man,&rdquo; Kuzma added. &ldquo;Obviously, me and KCP, we've won. We know how to win in this league. Trezz has always been an underdog his whole entire career, being a second-round pick and fighting his way through the G League and all the way to being the Sixth Man [of the Year]. But the people here, too &mdash; it's not just us. It's a collective group. It's the coaching staff, it's us, it's Brad wanting to win big in this league. It's [Raul] Neto coming in, being a dog for us, being huge. [Daniel Gafford]. It's everybody. And it's all about the culture. It's all about trying to change cultures and just win. Everything's good when you win."
These Wizards are gritty and feisty. These Wizards have that dog mentality. These Wizards are going to make you earn it. Most importantly, these Wizards gut it out.
And while it is still a work in progress, when you have a collection of castoffs with something to prove and a chip on their shoulder, they&rsquo;re developing an identity of resiliency.
&ldquo;It's not something that I really mapped out. I think it's a byproduct of who we have and their individual situations, but I think they've all bought into team success,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;They understand that when the team thrives, the individual stuff will come. They don't have to press for certain things or play out of character. [They] play team ball, continue to play our brand and our style, and it'll work out.
&ldquo;It's a long season, so it's easy to say, 'Hey we figured it out.' I don't believe that's true. We're playing well right now, which is terrific, but I think it takes time &mdash; maybe a year &mdash; to say, 'This is who we are, who we have to be.' But a lot of times, that changes with your personnel. So, I think it's gonna take some time. It's easy to say who we want to be. It may be a little different as far as how it plays out."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Kyle Kuzma's 4th three of the 4th quarter WINS IT for the <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WashWizards</a>! <a href="https://t.co/T4MhNm71se">pic.twitter.com/T4MhNm71se</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1458623624575963139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

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According to Cleaning the Glass, Washington <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/fourfactors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranks fourth in the NBA</a> with a 103.6 defensive rating and, as specified by NBA.com, is allowing a league-low 8.5 transition points per game and just a 48.3% Effective Field Goal percentage. It all starts with the players guarding out on the perimeter, and keeping their assignments in front of them.
&ldquo;I think there's just an urgency to what we're doing. I've said this many times: it's never perfect. There's never a game where you walk away and those were a perfect 48 minutes of defense, but there's urgency to what we're doing,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;I think there's an understanding of how we want to play, how we want to guard concepts and situations. Where we were two weeks ago and where we are now, I think we're in a better place. And just, that's having gone through it. You can't simulate those reps enough, but having played [11] games now, you have a foundation you can kinda look back on and there's validity to it."
Not even a month into the season, Unseld&rsquo;s trust in Kuzma is already sky-high.
&ldquo;We saw it early in the preseason and obviously throughout the regular season, is our ability to switch and keep guys in front, and Kyle's able to do that,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;He's able to absorb some of the physical contact of those bigger wings, those power forwards, as well as keep those smalls in front, which is valuable. It keeps you out of rotations. And the way he's rebounded the ball in general has been dynamic. So if we can put those two things together, and you make a couple threes, you're a pretty good player."
Coming over from the West Coast, Kuzma believes that he and his Laker teammates are defensively-oriented people, but he gives much of the credit to Unseld as the reason why the Wizards are so connected on the most important end of the floor.
&ldquo;I think a lot of times in this league, what separates good teams and bad teams is defensive schemes,&rdquo; Kuzma said. &ldquo;I've been on both sides. I've been on good teams, and I've been on bad teams throughout the early part of my career. And one of the reasons why I thought we were bad was because we didn't really have schemes and whatnot. When you come here, first day of training camp, we want to be a top defensive team. Okay, how do we get that?&nbsp;
&ldquo;Wes puts us in great situations. It's really no &lsquo;air&rsquo; out there. You kinda know what it is. If it's a step-up, clear-side, we know what to do. Same thing, if we're in the lock and the trail, we know what to do. That just clears up a lot of thoughts you may have on the court, so you can just play freely and play."
Kuzma and Beal have logged the most minutes (307) among Washington duos and have allowed 99.8 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com. However, among two-man combinations who have played at least 150 minutes together, Harrell and Deni Avdija carry the top defensive rating (96.0) and net rating (19.1) on the team as a whole.
&ldquo;I think they did a great job of picking the right head coach, man. As you can see, it's resulting into our play,&rdquo; Harrell said. &ldquo;Coach comes in with a simple game plan, both offensively and defensively, as far as each team goes. But Coach does all the little things that some guys may not want to do at points in time, certain situations. But we're all bought in and tied in and we support him 100 percent because at the end of the day, it's a collective group effort. It's not just the coaches and then the players and then the top staff.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think this organization moves at its best when we're all working together as one, and I think that's what Coach has done a great job of and instilling with everybody &mdash; coaching staff, players, even all the way up to the front office with Tommy [Sheppard] and our owner [Ted Leonsis].&rdquo;
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We all know by now that Harrell is a man who&rsquo;s always going to win the scrap. He uses his upper-body strength and power relentlessly, wearing down frontcourt opponents of all sizes with his multiple efforts. It seems he&rsquo;s found his footing once again following an unusual situation with the Lakers. Trezz is putting up 18.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest on a career-best 70.8% True Shooting percentage, which ranks seventh in the NBA (min. avg. 15 minutes).
He&rsquo;s establishing quite the rapport with Beal not only in postgame press conferences after wins, but in <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1626149/passes-dash/?sort=PASS&amp;dir=1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;PerMode=Totals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pick-and-roll situations on the court</a>. According to NBA.com, Harrell is 18-for-30 on passes from Beal. Further, on InStat, Trezz is scoring 1.37 points per possession as a roll man in general and converts on a league-best 88% of his rolls.
Following a hard screen or a slip, you&rsquo;d be hard pressed to find somebody more aggressive in bolting to the bucket. Add that to his ferocious demeanor on the floor, and Washington has a one-man wrecking crew whose attitude trickles down to the rest of his teammates.
&ldquo;Trezz plays hard as sh** every night out. You've gotta prepare for him,&rdquo; Kuzma said. &ldquo;Obviously, an [opposing] team, you've got to bring your best every night 'cause he's coming at you full throttle. He's crashing the offensive glass every single time, defensive glass. He's challenging shots. If you give it to him in the pocket and he's got it in the paint, it's probably going in the rim. So he's a beast.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And that energy, we feed off of it, and it's important. Especially for 82 games. You can't bring that type of energy collectively as a group every night. It's impossible. But when you see guys out there like him doing it every night, it motivates you to play hard."
Unseld Jr. relays that Harrell&rsquo;s threat of getting to the rim and the free-throw line both allows Washington to score points and get its defense set, using his 16-point, 5-rebound effort in the first half vs. the Cavaliers as an example.
&ldquo;His voice carries a lot of weight, but that energy's contagious. And it's not just the highlight plays where he's dunking the ball or he's the first guy to the floor or he's getting second possessions. He kinda just galvanizes that group at times,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;Sometimes he does it on his own where he has that stretch in the first half [vs. Cleveland], where he was kinda the lone offense. But it's also behind the scenes &mdash; his voice on the bench, his voice in the locker room. So it's great to have a guy like that, who's played in big moments and understands the value of that."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Number of dunks by the Wizards so far this season&hellip; Montrezl Harrell: 26* Rest of team: 26 *3rd-most in NBA <a href="https://t.co/0iIKgIgorq">pic.twitter.com/0iIKgIgorq</a>
&mdash; Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseHughesNBCS/status/1457823082291281922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Beal is the head of the snake, and newcomer Spencer Dinwiddie has taken quite the load off of him as a ball-handler and initiator. Daniel Gafford is well on his way to becoming a household name. We&rsquo;ve still yet to see what this all looks like with Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant in the mix.
But with Unseld&rsquo;s approach, championship experience injected into the building and a number of people who know what it takes to be consistent on a nightly basis, the Wizards might have glued together the right parts to give D.C. a winner.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think we have an 'OK' chemistry right now. Obviously, it's still early and young in the season, 11 games in. But that [win in Cleveland] is something that can take 'OK' chemistry to good chemistry &mdash; finding a way on the road, with the crowd against you, with a big frontcourt like they had,&rdquo; Kuzma said. &ldquo;For us to pull out a win like that, that's a big moral victory obviously outside of winning. But for the morale of the team and to keep guys together and see how we molded into one out there that last five minutes of the game was huge.
&ldquo;I mean, we're picking up wins, but I think we can take it to another level. I think that's kinda just really plain and simple. Obviously, I think we have ways to go. We have a couple levels that we can take it up to. That's just kinda next-level thinking &mdash; certain things defensively we can be better at, offensively we can be way, way better. Like I said from the jump, it's gonna take time. Every regular-season game is rehearsals for the playoffs, and by the time we get to March, April and we figure things out, hopefully we're on the right side of things. Like I said, we've got a long ways to go. Obviously it's great to be 8-3, but it really doesn't matter in early November.&rdquo;
As Kuzma tweeted last week: &ldquo;Capitol Boys out here.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies highlights how the tone of the Wizards' defense has been influenced by the Lakers' castoffs and Wes Unseld Jr.

Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell have Wizards adopting dog mentality

For the first time in years, the Washington Wizards have finally put a competent roster around the face of their franchise. After constantly dealing with rumors surrounding Bradley Beal&rsquo;s future, who is entering the final year of his contract extension, Washington is now in a solid position to win the right way.
When Russell Westbrook worked behind the scenes to force his way to the Los Angeles Lakers leading up the 2021-22 moratorium period, many assumed that Beal would be next out the door. However, Beal has continuously showed his loyalty to the Wizards. Beal has had many opportunities to ask out, but they have come and gone with no trade request. Beal is now positioned to sign a five-year supermax extension with Washington next offseason, if he decides to stick around once more.
Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard has made a compelling case to Beal over recent weeks why he should remain their No. 1 option throughout his prime years.
The first step to the Wizards&rsquo; strong offseason revolved around shipping Westbrook to his hometown Lakers for a strong return &mdash; Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the No. 22 overall pick. Washington then flipped their newly-acquired first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for backup point guard Aaron Holiday and the No. 31 overall pick. In total, they received four rotation players plus a high-upside draft swing (selecting G League Ignite forward Isaiah Todd atop the second round).
Throw in their selection of Gonzaga sharpshooter Corey Kispert at No. 15 overall, and it&rsquo;s a perfect blend of NBA-readiness and upside with the Wizards&rsquo; two draft picks. It's a cherry on top of an already successful draft night since they returned great value for Westbrook.
Washington then made their strongest moves yet, executing a three-year, $62 million sign-and-trade for Spencer Dinwiddie. One of the best backcourt complements on the open market for Beal, Dinwiddie takes playmaking and scoring creation off his shoulders. During the 2019-20 season, Dinwiddie averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists while posting a 54% True Shooting percentage. Although Dinwiddie won&rsquo;t space the floor for Beal (since he's a career 31.8% three-point shooter), he does provide necessary elements to rejuvenate Washington&rsquo;s offense &mdash; efficient playmaking, strong downhill scoring around the rim and pick-and-roll wizardry. Dinwiddie&rsquo;s ability to thrive within a secondary role also suits the Wizards&rsquo; style of play, allowing Beal to be the alpha and take over games whenever he pleases.
When taking an in-depth look at the Wizards&rsquo; new rotation, they all fit well within the prism of Beal&rsquo;s All-NBA candidacy. Dinwiddie helps form the spine of a starting unit filled to the brim with high-IQ players. Davis Bertans, Caldwell-Pope, Kuzma and Kispert can space the floor on the wing. Rui Hachimura continues to develop into an intriguing piece for Washington&rsquo;s long-term plans, averaging 13.8 points on a 54.9 True shooting percentage. Deni Avdija, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 draft, is developing into a 3-and-D wing who also provides playmaking chops. Daniel Gafford and Harrell will feast on opportune pick-and-roll finishes from Beal and Dinwiddie. Once Thomas Bryant returns from a torn ACL, he&rsquo;s another big who can add more scoring punch.
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In totality, the Wizards are a team that&rsquo;s finding much-needed balance around its 28-year-old superstar, who averaged a career-high 31.3 points per game last season. Now with a roster that can go 10-12 players deep, Washington can make a compelling case to Beal for signing another max extension next offseason.
Projected Starters: Dinwiddie, Beal, Kuzma, Hachimura, Gafford
Projected Second Unit: Holiday, Caldwell-Pope, Kispert, Avdija, Bertans, Harrell
If the retooling around Beal doesn&rsquo;t go well, and Washington is left empty-handed during the 2022 offseason, there are still building blocks to put together a playoff contender. Dinwiddie, Hachimura, Bertans, Avdija, Kuzma and Gafford is a compelling nucleus of talent. Obviously it would be much better with Beal around, but it&rsquo;s not a completely hopeless scenario for the Wizards.
After making the play-in tournament and becoming the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s No. 8 seed last season, Washington had one member of their superstar backcourt depart. In the end, the Wizards might be better off because of it. Now, armed with endless amounts of shooters, versatile defenders, playmakers, and high-upside players, Washington&rsquo;s balance as a team in the win-now window with fascinating young prospects is complete.
I also wouldn&rsquo;t rule out Washington as a sneaky team to eventually make an aggressive move for a star-caliber player, if the urgency with Beal reaches another level down the line. Washington now has the right blend of mid-tier players on solid contracts and tantalizing young prospects to intrigue teams in future trade negotiations.
Kudos to the Wizards. This roster is perfectly built to highlight Beal&rsquo;s strengths as one of the Association&rsquo;s best three-level scorers moving forward.
Washington has made the necessary moves and now it's up to Beal to decide whether he wants to lead this new Wizards team as their face of the franchise past the 2021-22 season.

After trading Russell Westbrook, the Wizards' roster is arguably better. Will it be enough to persuade Bradley Beal to stay long-term?

Wizards' retooling gives Bradley Beal a competent supporting cast

Everyone who loves the NBA looks forward to filling out an All-Star ballot, and this particular columnist waited until the day after Groundhog Day because the same old, same old does not cut it this season.
Yes, there are names on my ballot that are there year after year. That list begins with LeBron James, who is finally back in Los Angeles following a two-week road trip in which he drew inspiration from hecklers at two stops -- in Cleveland from an overzealous Cavs&rsquo; front-office employee, and in Atlanta from a woman whom he believes may have had more than a drop too much of alcohol.
This is a season unlike any other with all of the COVID-related restrictions and postponements, but the James Harden trade made January quite worthwhile, and we should expect a J.J. Redick move any day now as the Pelicans clearly look to go in another direction. His playoff experience will be valued by someone, as 20 teams (counting play-in games) are headed to the postseason. So stay tuned on that one.&nbsp;
Back to the ballot.&nbsp;
We shall start with the Western Conference. As has been the case for the past several seasons, voters are required to select two backcourt players and three frontcourt players &ndash; a nod to the positionless nature of the NBA in an era where the three-pointer is more valuable than ever. Just ask the Utah Jazz, who have three-balled their way into first place in the West. They only made nine last night in a victory over Detroit, but the Pistons do not require anyone&rsquo;s A-game on most nights.
So here we go... 
WESTERN CONFERENCE STARTERS
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers: "Dame Dolla" has let us all know that Hulu has live sports. So props to that smart TV service for latching on to the best player folks on the East Coast rarely get to see. We have been watching him bury 30-footers for so long now that he has surpassed Steph Curry as&nbsp; Player Most Likely To Hit From 38 Feet. Lillard is third in the NBA in scoring at 29.1 points per game, and his 11-9 team is the second-highest scoring team in the West despite the losses of CJ McCollum (fractured foot) and Jusuf Nurkic (fractured wrist). Lillard ranks eighth in the league in assists (7.2) and seventh in minutes per game (36). He also is making 94.7 percent of his free throws, only behind Jordan Clarkson, Chris Paul and Irving.
Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz: The temptation here is to give this spot to Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, who is fifth in the NBA in scoring. But Mitchell is the best player on the West&rsquo;s best team, leading Utah with 23.3 points per game on a three-point-centric team getting double-figure scoring from six players. We all saw when <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-shaq-donovan-mitchell-shaquille-oneal-neal-utah-jazz-inside-tnt-turner-joe-ingles-rudy-gobert-mike-conley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal interviewed Mitchell on TNT to produce one of the season&rsquo;s most uncomfortable moments</a>, and we should expect the Jazz to continue to feed off that disrespect. They own the longest winning streak in the NBA this season at 11 games, and their 285 threes in January marked the most in a single month in NBA history. Mitchell has reached 600 career three-pointers faster than any player in NBA history...including Steph.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15516353-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers: He never ages, does he? Some of his stats are down just a little from last season (most noticeably his assists) but the guy is making threes at a career-best 40.9 percent clip, and nobody has advocated more vociferously for allowing fans back into the arenas, something we are seeing more and more teams do. The Lakers have played only eight home games as opposed to 14 road games, and 11 of their next 14 will be at Staples Center. Remember last February and March when LeBron was starting to make a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo for MVP consideration before the pandemic shut down the season? Well, he is currently the 7-2 favorite for the award, just ahead of Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant. (Why the books have Lillard at 25-1 is perplexing.) Just as he never ages, it never gets old watching LeBron.
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers: He will never win any Most Quotatious awards, but his game does his talking, and he is at 26.3 points per game while also flirting with a 50-40-90 season. The Clippers are just a half-game out of first place in the West, and Leonard has played in 18 of 22 games as Ty Lue seems to be weaning the team&rsquo;s two superstars away from the load management that robbed them of team chemistry a year ago; they have used just seven different starting lineups after using 33 a season ago, and of Leonard&rsquo;s four missed games, two were for COVID protocols and two were for a mouth laceration. The Clippers lead the NBA in three-point shooting, with Kawhi hitting them at a 39.8 percent clip, his best in five years. He also is third in the NBA in steals, and get this: Leonard is the winningest player in NBA regular-season history with a 407-135 (.751) record.&nbsp;
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: The Joker went for 22 in the first quarter against the Jazz on Sunday and finished with a career-high 47points, and he is fifth in the NBA in assists at 8.6 per game. To put that in perspective, just behind him in the league-leader rankings are Ben Simmons, LeBron, Lillard, Kyle Lowry and Malcolm Brogdon. Slimmed down significantly after recovering from COVID-19, Jokic is the NBA&rsquo;s only player in the Top 10 in points, rebounds and assists, plus he is 11th in field goal percentage and 13th in minutes played a night -- a career-high 35.8. He also is averaging career-highs in field-goal percentage, rebounds, assists and steals. Jokic is currently on a streak of 11 straight games with at least 20 points, too. 
West Reserves: Luka Doncic, Mavericks; Steph Curry, Warriors; Paul George, Clippers; Anthony Davis, Lakers; Rudy Gobert, Jazz; Deandre Ayton, Suns; Devin Booker, Suns.
West's Left Out: Christian Wood, Rockets; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Kings; Zion Williamson, Pelicans; Brandon Ingram, Pelicans; DeMar DeRozan, Spurs; Ja Morant, Grizzlies. 
EASTERN CONFERENCE STARTERS
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards: Good to hear that he is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-bradley-beal-wont-be-on-trading-block-in-near-future-trade-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not requesting a trade</a>, which is what general manager Tommy Sheppard has been telling everyone who has asked for the past two seasons. The news that Beal is NOT seeking a trade is not really news. Beal is leading the NBA in scoring at 35.0 per game, which is 4.2 points higher than his closest pursuer. He failed to reach 30 points in just two of the Wizards&rsquo; 10 games in January, and last night he went for 37 in his second consecutive game. It's a no-brainer pick despite his team having the league&rsquo;s worst record. His scoring average is up 4.5 points from last season, when it was up 4.9 points from the previous season.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15411561-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics:&nbsp; This pick was not as easy, because despite his prolonged absence for personal reasons, Kyrie Irving may be the most talented point guard in the entire Eastern Conference (the dude went for 39 against the Clippers last night on 15-for-29 shooting, a season-high, and is well on pace for a 50-40-90 season). But Brown has produced more consistently for the Celtics without any of the Kyrie-esque drama that we all endured a couple of weeks ago. His 18-point game against Golden State last night tied his season-low, but he is at 26.6 points per game for the Celtics while shooting nearly 53 percent. Brown has played in all 19 games and is averaging career-highs in points, assists, blocks, steals and all three shooting categories.
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets: With all due respect to Irving and Harden, the Nets are KD&rsquo;s team. He is averaging 30.8 points per game and is flirting with a 50-40-90 season himself, and his perseverance in pushing Sean Marks to make the Harden trade cannot be understated. Yes, the Nets are all-in on offense and still have to find an interior rotation defender (Iman Shumpert is not going to be that guy). But they are now the NBA&rsquo;s only team with a Big Three, and Durant has been remarkably efficient from the field. His 11-for-13 night against the Clippers marked the 10th time in 17 games that he has been well-above 50 percent from the field.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers: We would prefer it if he dropped all references to The Process, which is sooooo Sam Hinkie. The Sixers are 14-2 with Embiid and 1-4 without him, and he has dropped 33 or more points in five of his last seven games. The seven-footer from Cameroon is a 41 percent 3-point shooter, more than three percentage points better than Nikola Jokic. Also, he has attempted the second-most total free throws (152) despite missing five games, and he is making them at a career-best 84 percent clip. If he can keep this up, he is going to be very much in the MVP conversation, which bettors in South Jersey and Pennsylvania have been wagering on quite heavily. He may drop 50 on Cody Zeller tonight.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks: The reigning two-time MVP is still a thrill to watch every time he takes the court, and tonight&rsquo;s game against the Indiana Pacers will be a test for the Bucks. It's too bad that we might not see Giannis test the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-myles-turner-outblocking-entire-teams-goal-all-defensive-first-team-dpoy-honors-blocks-steals-defense-nate-bjorkgren-scheme-indiana-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot-blocking prowess of Myles Turner</a>, who is questionable with a shoulder injury. We all get to watch that game on ESPN, which is nice because the Pacers &ndash; like the Utah Jazz &ndash; are not on national TV enough given the relative strengths of their teams. The Greek Freak is in the MVP conversation, but not dominating it as he did the past two seasons, perhaps because his turnovers are at a career-worst pace and his free-throw percentage (59.3) is at a career-low. But Giannis has shot below 50 percent just once in his past 13 games, and he is tied for sixth in scoring and is 10th in rebounding.&nbsp;
East Reserves: Kyrie Irving, Nets; James Harden, Nets; Domantas Sabonis, Pacers; Trae Young, Hawks, Nikola Vucevic, Magic; Jayson Tatum, Celtics; Zach LaVine, Bulls.
East's Left Out: Julius Randle, Knicks; Collin Sexton, Cavs;&nbsp; Gordon Hayward, Hornets; Fred VanVleet, Raptors; Russell Westbrook, Wizards; Malcolm Brogdon, Pacers.

Chris Sheridan selects his 2021 NBA All-Star starters and reserves for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.

Sheridan's 2021 NBA All-Star starters: Beal over Irving, Mitchell over Doncic

Etan Thomas, Dave Zirin, Drew Gooden and Tony Massenburg discuss what John Wall meant to D.C. and Russell Westbrook's fit on the Wizards.