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NBA Rumor Tracker: Compiling the latest news and intel

The 2022 NBA Draft is one day away, and rumors are surfacing left and right.
Which teams have been the most aggressive in trade talks? Will any notable players be on the move? Which draft picks could be dealt? BasketballNews has compiled all of the biggest rumors:
Malcolm Brogdon &ldquo;significantly likely&rdquo; to be traded
All signs point to the Indiana Pacers trading Malcolm Brogdon this week. Not only has Brogdon surfaced in trade rumors more than any other player, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that teams like the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks are expected to pivot to Brogdon trade negotiations if they can&rsquo;t move up to No. 4 for Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey.
The Ringer&rsquo;s Kevin O&rsquo;Connor reported that the Pacers were throwing the veteran guard into every trade discussion they were having.
On <a href="https://www.espn.com/radio/play/_/id/34125407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lowe Post,</a> ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony mentioned that the Los Angeles Lakers offered the following package for Brogdon: Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker and a future first-round pick in 2027. Givony said that the Pacers immediately declined the Lakers&rsquo; offer. Lowe also threw in that he&rsquo;s heard Brogdon and Myles Turner are &ldquo;coveted&rdquo; around the league.
During ESPN&rsquo;s NBA Mock Draft Special on Tuesday night, Wojnarowski reiterated that it&rsquo;s &ldquo;significantly likely&rdquo; that Brogdon is moved before the 2022 NBA Draft begins.
Hornets shopping Gordon Hayward
The Charlotte Hornets are prioritizing salary-cap flexibility in order to re-sign Miles Bridges, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons are also worth monitoring as potential suitors for Bridges, per <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039350-latest-nba-intel-the-divide-between-kyrie-irving-and-brooklyn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer</a>.
With the Hornets prioritizing Bridges, Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s future in Charlotte is certainly in flux. Windhorst said that the Hornets are looking to find a team that's willing to take on the final two years of Hayward&rsquo;s contract. As an incentive, Charlotte is reportedly willing to throw in one of their first-round picks (No. 13 or No. 15). We'll see if any teams pounce at the opportunity to land Hayward and a lottery pick.
Fischer notes that Charlotte is also gauging the trade market on Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre Jr., PJ Washington and Mason Plumlee.
With the hope of shedding salary to keep Bridges alongside LaMelo Ball, the Hornets seem poised to make a big move this week.
Hawks have been aggressive
There have been a ton of Hawks-related rumors of late. On Monday night, Wojnarowski appeared on SportsCenter and said that Atlanta has been aggressive in trying to find a star to pair with Trae Young.&nbsp;
John Collins has surfaced in a number of trade rumors as well. The Hawks have had talks with the Sacramento Kings about a potential Collins deal, according to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-hawks-engaged-in-john-collins-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>.
Versatile wing Bogdan Bogdanovic is also drawing interest from teams, per&nbsp;Windhorst. Atlanta has offers on the table for Collins and Bogdanovic.
Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Jake Fischer also shared an interesting Hawks nugget during his <a href="https://www.callin.com/episode/2022-nba-draft-preview-with-jeremy-woo-AojmeoFMXL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">live podcast</a> on Tuesday: Atlanta is trying to move up from No. 16 overall into the lottery, with their primary target being G League Ignite playmaker Dyson Daniels. Fischer said that the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 could be a potential team to monitor as Atlanta continues to pursue Daniels.
It's possible we could see an explosive draft night from the Hawks. They are weighing multiple moves, and the front office views Young and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter as the only untouchable assets, per Woj.
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Tucker, Gordon reuniting with Harden on 76ers?&nbsp;
The Philadelphia 76ers could be a team to watch this offseason. Not only do they have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/signing-james-harden-to-a-max-contract-could-cripple-the-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an important long-term decision to make</a> on James Harden, they also have a number of players who could be viewed as available. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-pj-tucker-nba-draft-free-agency-20220621.html?utm_source=t.co&amp;utm_campaign=edit_social_share_twitter_traffic&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=&amp;int_promo=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped multiple tidbits on the Sixers&rsquo; plans</a>.
After PJ Tucker declined his player option with the Miami Heat, Philadelphia and the veteran forward have mutual interest. In order to create cap space, the Sixers are looking to deal Matisse Thybulle and the No. 23 pick in a three-team deal.&nbsp;
Pompey <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-pj-tucker-nba-draft-free-agency-20220621.html?utm_source=t.co&amp;utm_campaign=edit_social_share_twitter_traffic&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=&amp;int_promo=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that Philadelphia is trying their best to offload Tobias Harris&rsquo; large contract, but it's been tough to find any potential suitors.
Finally, there's another Houston Rocket who could potentially reunite with Harden in Philadelphia. The Sixers and Phoenix Suns have expressed interest in Eric Gordon, per Windhorst on NBA Today.
It sounds like Daryl Morey is trying to get the band back together, with Gordon and Tucker running it back with Harden in the Eastern Conference.
Knicks have been very active
As previously mentioned, the New York Knicks are showing interest in Brogdon. In addition to Wojnarowski's report, we've seen similar intel from The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania and SNY&rsquo;s Ian Begley. Outside of Brogdon, are there any other targets on the board?
Begley <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MxXPLPlNRM&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported on KnicksFanTV</a> that New York recently offered the Sacramento Kings multiple future first-round picks to move up to No. 4 for Jaden Ivey. The Knicks view Ivey in a high regard, and are willing to pay a steep price to move up seven spots in the draft.
The Knicks have also had talks with the Detroit Pistons about acquiring the No. 5 overall pick, and Cam Reddish was included in those discussions, per <a href="https://www.sny.tv/articles/knicks-pistons-touched-base-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Begley</a>.&nbsp;
It certainly seems like New York is trying to make a splash.
Hawks, Pistons are top suitors for Deandre Ayton
According to <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/33LDGb6QNc9VQor8CJVWoL?si=55021b96146147f5&amp;nd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">O&rsquo;Connor on The Mismatch</a>, the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are the main teams to monitor as it relates to Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s upcoming restricted free agency. Ayton could still stay with Phoenix, but Detroit and Atlanta will be among the teams pursuing the 23-year-old center.
Do the Suns actually view Ayton as a max-level player? If not, perhaps the Suns will try to get creative and explore sign-and-trade packages revolving around Ayton. Detroit and Atlanta have some intriguing assets that could make a deal worth it from the Suns&rsquo; perspective (although the Pistons could also try to sign Ayton using <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-teams-have-the-most-cap-space-entering-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their cap space</a>).
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Timberwolves inquired about Rudy Gobert, Clint Capela
During <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/33LDGb6QNc9VQor8CJVWoL?si=55021b96146147f5&amp;nd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuesday&rsquo;s episode of The Mismatch</a>, O'Connor also mentioned that the Minnesota Timberwolves have registered interest in Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela. This lines up with a previous report from Charania that Minnesota had inquired about Capela.
Where there&rsquo;s smoke, there&rsquo;s usually fire. So, are the Timberwolves really about to make Karl-Anthony Towns a full-time power forward? If the plan is to make a big move for a veteran center, moving one of the best shooting bigs of all-time further to the perimeter is an interesting thought.
According to <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/townska01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basketball Reference</a>, Towns played 100% of his minutes at center last season. In fact, the only time he has played power forward throughout his NBA career was during his rookie season in 2015-16, when 2% of his minutes came at the 4.
The more you think about it, the more a Towns-Gobert frontcourt is certainly intriguing though.
John Wall expected to get bought out?
The Houston Rockets and John Wall will work toward finalizing a buyout before free agency begins, according to Fischer on his <a href="https://www.callin.com/episode/2022-nba-draft-preview-with-jeremy-woo-AojmeoFMXL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest podcast</a>.
After Wall opted in to his $47.3 million player option, there were questions about what's next for the point guard. This is the final year of Wall's contract, which could make it easier for the two sides to reach a buyout agreement.
If Wall hits the open market, could regain his form on a contender (potentially signing for the mid-level exception or less)? Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists for Houston during the 2020-21 season, but he hasn't set foot on an NBA court since April of 2021.
Cavaliers open to trading No. 14 pick
According to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-bradley-beal-bobby-portis-nicolas-batum-lakers-nets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype&rsquo;s Michael Scotto</a>, the Cleveland Cavaliers are open to trading back from the final slot in the lottery at No. 14 overall. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams who have already called the Cavs about the pick, per Scotto.
It's interesting that the Grizzlies and Bucks &mdash; two legitimate contenders &mdash; trying to move up 10-plus spots on Thursday night. It's unclear who these teams are targeting, but our Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock currently has Ousmane Dieng projected at No. 14 overall. Rumors have been flying that Dieng has a guarantee, per Babcock, and he did receive an invite to the green room.
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Heat expressing interest in Jerami Grant
According to SNY&rsquo;s Ian Begley, the Miami Heat have checked in on the availability of Jerami Grant. The Detroit Pistons have been openly shopping Grant for a while, so perhaps a deal will finally go down this week.
Does Miami make sense as a potential trade partner for the Pistons? It's unclear what the Heat would be giving up in return for Grant, who averaged 19.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 threes, 1.0 block and 0.9 steals this season, while shooting 42.6% from the field, 35.8% from three-point range and 83.8% from the free-throw line.
Grizzlies attempting to move up
Reaffirming the Grizzlies&rsquo; desires of trading up on Thursday, Zach Lowe mentioned on <a href="https://www.espn.com/radio/play/_/id/34125407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lowe Post</a> that Memphis' executives are &ldquo;calling in every direction.&rdquo;
If that&rsquo;s not a sign that the Grizzlies are expected to be very active on Thursday, I don&rsquo;t know what to tell you. Memphis has a history of being active on draft night, and it seems this year won&rsquo;t be any different.
Are the Suns willing to pay the luxury tax?
Recently, many national pundits have suggested that the Phoenix Suns are hesitant to go deep into the luxury tax. However, Suns owner Robert Sarver recently told BasketballNews that Phoenix has no qualms about paying up in order to keep this team together long-term.
&ldquo;My position for a market like us with the tax is, if you get yourself where you can compete at the highest level, then you pay it and you go for it,&rdquo; Sarver said.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not saying we&rsquo;re in a market that can be in it 10 years in a row," Sarver added. "But when you get to a certain level where you have a chance to compete and you&rsquo;re a top-four, top-six, top-eight team, if you&rsquo;re at the level where you have a legitimate chance to compete &mdash; get to your Conference Finals and maybe win a championship &mdash; then I think you go in the tax, you pay and you do what you gotta do."
Sarver knows that the Suns&rsquo; championship window is in the here and now. Barring a change of heart, it seems that he's willing to spend to keep this core together.
&ldquo;You just can&rsquo;t take success for grant,&rdquo; Sarver said. &ldquo;It can come and go.&rdquo;
Also, keep an eye on the Suns trying to add a pick in Thursday's draft. While they have no picks at the moment, Phoenix is making calls and trying to buy a second-round selection, according to 98.7 FM&rsquo;s John Gambadoro. Gambadoro said that the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors are teams who are open to trading their second-rounders.
Dyson Daniels rising up draft boards?
Dyson Daniels has one of the biggest risers during the NBA pre-draft process. On BasketballNews' latest mock draft, Babcock has Daniels being selected No. 8 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans.
&ldquo;After being at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, Dyson Daniels had a terrific season for the G League Ignite," Babcock said of Daniels. "The 6-foot-7 positionless Swiss army knife, Daniels excels at getting downhill and attacking the basket, relying on his athleticism and body control for finishing while occasionally employing a floater. Daniels&rsquo; outside shooting is still a work in progress, but he is a disruptive defender with quick feet and instincts. Daniels&rsquo; progression as a playmaker was also notable during the G League season. He seems to have a bright future ahead of him.&rdquo;
According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3372868/2022/06/20/indiana-pacers-nba-draft/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Bob Kravitz</a>, Daniels blew away the Indiana Pacers&rsquo; front office in his recent workout in Indianapolis.
&ldquo;I was told Dyson Daniels had one of the greatest workouts a lot of people in the Indiana organization have ever seen,&rdquo; Kravitz said on ESPN 107.5 FM on Tuesday.
With the Pacers selecting at No. 6 overall, their hope is that somehow one of Jaden Ivey or Keegan Murray slips. If not, Kravitz said the Pacers will be deciding between Daniels and Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin.
Stay tuned to BasketballNews.com for all the latest NBA news and rumors during what could be a crazy offseason. Also, check out our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft page</a> for all of our in-depth draft coverage.
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On the eve of the 2022 NBA Draft, rumors are surfacing left and right. Evan Sidery compiles the latest rumblings around the NBA.

NBA Rumors Notebook: Malcolm Brogdon, John Collins, Gordon Hayward, more

Nekias Duncan dissects every detail of the moves that went down at Thursday's NBA trade deadline and gives them grades.

Grading every move from the 2021 NBA trade deadline

Nekias Duncan looks ahead to how the five teams in the Southwest Division will fare in the upcoming NBA season.

2020-21 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

Nekias Duncan previews the Central Division's five teams (the Bulls, Cavs, Pistons, Pacers and Bucks) ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season.

2020-21 NBA Season Preview: Central Division

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Denver Nuggets' offense and what the Los Angeles Lakers must do defensively to beat them.

Scouting Report: How the Lakers can stop the Nuggets

For this 2020 mock draft, rather than projecting what each team will do, I will put myself in the shoes of each team&rsquo;s decision-maker and make my owns. In a draft without any clear-cut franchise player and a lot of parity toward the top, I will avoid simply selecting &ldquo;the best player available.&rdquo; Talent is not the only ingredient in the recipe for success. Oftentimes, selecting the most talented player is the right move, but sometimes finding a player who can fit seamlessly and complement the existing talent is more valuable to a franchise. With that said, I will prioritize players who, I think, will help each team take a step in the right direction toward long-term success.&nbsp;
The Minnesota Timberwolves were the big winners at the 2020 NBA draft lottery, obtaining the No. 1 overall pick. The Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls round out the top-four. There will undoubtedly be plenty of rumors circulating in the coming weeks as to what these teams are looking to do, and many of these will be smokescreens leaked by the teams. Here's what I would do if I were calling the shots for each front office that secured a top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft:
1. Minnesota Timberwolves&nbsp;
Decision-maker: Gersson Rosas
After making a few moves during my first year as president of basketball operations, we have a promising young core that's centered around big man Karl-Anthony Towns, lead guard D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and young wings Malik Beasley and Jarrett Culver. We just won the lottery and now have the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. What do we do now?
Most people will suggest that we select shooting guard Anthony Edwards from the University of Georgia, as he has the most upside in this year&rsquo;s draft. Despite Edwards possessing an incredible amount of potential, I have some concerns with the maturity of his game. In addition to those concerns, we recently acquired Beasley prior to the trade deadline. In 14 games with us, he averaged 20.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 33.1 minutes, while shooting 42 percent from three-point range. I have high hopes for the 24-year-old and I do not want to let him go. If we draft Edwards, I fear that Beasley will be as good as gone. We are able to give Malik a qualifying offer this offseason, making him a restricted free agent. I think we should pass on Edwards, lock Beasley up on a long-term deal and pencil him in as our starting shooting guard for the next handful of years or longer.
Edwards is out because of Beasley, James Wiseman doesn&rsquo;t make sense because we have Towns, and I don&rsquo;t think LaMelo Ball would co-exist well with Russell.&nbsp;
How about Obi Toppin from Dayton or Deni Avdija from Maccabi Tel Aviv?&nbsp;
Yes.
Toppin, this year's National College Player of the Year, is an exciting, high-flying power forward who can also stretch the floor. Paired with Towns, Toppin would give Russell two great options of guys that can roll, pop, trail or finish at the rim (and way above it). He doesn&rsquo;t answer our defensive woes, but offensively we would be such a dynamic team. He would be able to step in and contribute right away and my confidence level that he&rsquo;s at least going to be a good, if not great, player is extremely high.
Avdija, the Israeli point forward, would also be a great fit for us. He could play the three or four and give us a lot of lineup flexibility. He has contributed at a high level at such a young age, so I think he could help us right away while also possessing some long-term upside. I don&rsquo;t like him quite as much as Toppin, but he should be in consideration for sure.
Is the No. 1 pick too high to take either of these two players?
Maybe.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s do this: Let&rsquo;s put the pick on the trade market and simultaneously tell the world that if we keep the pick, we will use it on the most talented player: Anthony Edwards. Hopefully, that tactic will drive up our pick&rsquo;s trade value for a team looking to trade up to get Edwards, and perhaps we can move back to select Toppin or Avdija, while also receiving additional assets. However, if we fail to secure a decent offer, let&rsquo;s not fall into the hype; let&rsquo;s take the guy who fits and allows us to continue what we&rsquo;re already building.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s take Obi Toppin.
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2. Golden State Warriors
Decision-maker: Bob Myers
We have made five NBA-Finals appearances in six years and have won it all three times. This season was an off year due to injuries, but Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green should be good to go for the 2020-21 season. Although we&rsquo;ll likely be among the top teams in the league next year, we were able to secure the No. 2 pick in the draft and now we have an interesting decision to make.
With Toppin off the board, that leaves the top-rated guards Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, as well as top big man James Wiseman, still available. We need to add someone who can be a building block for the long-term, but also someone who can mesh well with the players we have right now so that they can help us compete for another championship. Many are suggesting that we select either Ball or Edwards, but I&rsquo;m not so sure that&rsquo;s the right move. Let me explain...
Our trio of Steph, Klay and Draymond have been among the most successful in NBA history. Each of them are comfortable and settled into their roles and because of that, I&rsquo;m very hesitant to do anything that could potentially throw a wrench into our well-oiled machine. If we were to bring in a ball-dominant guard like Ball or Edwards, it could really affect our current guys&rsquo; roles. It would certainly decrease Draymond&rsquo;s value within our offense because it would take the ball out of his hands, limiting his playmaking ability. It would also force us to play Klay at the three a lot, which I would like to avoid. 
On top of the concerns on the offensive end, it could also be a recipe for disaster on the defensive end. Edwards has all the physical tools to be a good defender, but he has not shown a commitment on that side of the ball yet. LaMelo has not shown much interest on the defensive end either; even if he did, his physical limitations will be an issue on the defensive end. I&rsquo;d be very concerned about pairing Curry with either of those players. The thought of those backcourts trying to defend Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers, or James Harden and Russell Westbrook of the Houston Rockets makes me feel uneasy. I don&rsquo;t think adding Edwards or Ball would be the right moves for us.
Wiseman from Memphis is a 7-foot-1 center who is incredibly agile for a player his size and has an underrated skill level. He could step in and serve as our defensive anchor right off the bat, using his size and athleticism to provide us with some much-needed rim protection. He could fulfill a relatively simple but valuable role on the offensive end, as we could utilize him as a rim runner, pick-and-roll target and lob finisher. He&rsquo;s also capable of hitting an open shot, which could help with spacing. Long-term, I even think he could be a guy who could stretch the floor out to NBA three-point range. We could gradually increase Wiseman&rsquo;s offensive role over time as he develops and our stars age. 
He&rsquo;ll never be the toughest guy on the floor, but he&rsquo;s big, talented and smart. In fact, he graduated high school with a 4.3 GPA and speaks Mandarin Chinese. Of course, Wiseman&rsquo;s talent is what is most appealing, but I also like that his low-key personality would allow him to fit in on our team without ruffling feathers. Also, with his high-level intelligence, he should be able to pick up some of the more complicated schemes in the NBA without a problem.&nbsp;
James Wiseman is our guy.
3. Charlotte Hornets&nbsp;
Decision-maker: Mitch Kupchak
I&rsquo;m aware that there are many LaMelo Ball supporters who have him as the highest-rated player in this year&rsquo;s draft and assume that he is a sure-fire star. I am certainly intrigued by Ball&rsquo;s talent and I do think he has star potential, but Anthony Edwards takes the prize of being the highest-upside player in this year&rsquo;s draft, in my opinion. He had an inconsistent freshman year, but I saw him put on a show at the Maui Invitational in November, having scored 33 points in a half against Michigan State -- a display that showed his unparalleled talent. 
At 6-foot-5, Edwards possesses a strong and athletic frame with the ability to create and knock down shots from all over the floor. He needs to learn to play and become more disciplined, which is what is holding him back from being labeled as the clear-cut top player in this draft class, but if we&rsquo;re able to get him at No. 3, it&rsquo;s a no brainer.&nbsp;
With the emergence of Devonte&rsquo; Graham last season, we were forced to pair him with Terry Rozier, giving us a very small backcourt since both are listed at 6-foot-1. Adding Edwards would allow us to put Rozier in a more appropriate role of a high-energy, assertive, scoring combo guard who we could bring off of the bench. Our young core would begin to take real shape with Edwards and Graham starting in the backcourt alongside our young forwards, P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges, who have shown promise. We will need to continue to develop and add some additional pieces, but I&rsquo;d be happy with the direction we&rsquo;re heading in if we select Edwards with the third pick.&nbsp;
Anthony Edwards is my pick.
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4. Chicago Bulls
Decision-maker: Arturas Karnisovas
I was just hired recently after working as Tim Connelly&rsquo;s right-hand man for years with the Denver Nuggets. There, we were able to build a good team primarily through the draft. I will try to replicate some of the things that we did in Denver that led us to success, but luckily for me, I have inherited a team in Chicago that already has good young talent in place. Zach LaVine has developed into a legitimate scoring wing, as he averaged 25.5 points per game this season and he&rsquo;s only 25 years old. We have quality young bigs in Wendell Carter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, who are only 21 and 23 years old, respectively. We also have 20-year-old Coby White, who had a terrific rookie year (as he averaged 13.1 points per game). In addition to the talent we already have, we were fortunate enough to get the No. 4 pick in this draft. Which prospect would help our group get to the next level?
I&rsquo;m intrigued by Israeli point forward Deni Avdija and he&rsquo;d fit with our team, but I think the best pick here for us is LaMelo Ball. A natural playmaker at 6-foot-7, we could put the ball in LaMelo&rsquo;s hands and let him work his magic. With his uncanny playmaking ability, our young talent should flourish around him. LaVine could continue to have the green-light as a scorer and we could have White in as a scoring guard rather than trying to convert him into a traditional point guard. Ball could have a real nice two-man game with Markkanen, who at 7-feet is an effective pick-and-pop option. Markkanen&rsquo;s ability to shoot the ball from outside would also assist in giving Ball the necessary freedom to make plays for himself and his teammates. I think this would be a perfect fit.
Our pick is LaMelo Ball.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/MattBabcock11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Babcock</a>&nbsp;is an NBA Draft analyst and the founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.babcockhoops.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Babcock Hoops</a>, which features in-depth coverage of the 2020 NBA Draft including player breakdowns, interviews and more. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mock-draft-rumors-2020-lamelo-ball-obi-toppin-james-wiseman-anthony-edwards-minnesota-timberwolves-chicago-bulls-predictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out Matt's full 2020 NBA Mock Draft here.</a>
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Former NBA agent and current draft analyst Matt Babcock examines who he'd select with the top-four picks in the 2020 NBA Draft.

2020 NBA Draft: What the top-4 teams should do

Dort and Toppin, once labeled &ldquo;cannot shoot&rdquo; coming into their NBA careers, both made big impacts in their first-ever Finals game, draining 5 threes each
In the NBA, the brightest lights often reveal the clearest truths.
For Lu Dort and Obi Toppin, the opening game of the 2025 NBA Finals was more than just their debut on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage &ndash; it was a triumphant vindication. Two players once written off as flawed prospects because of their shooting, each drained five three-pointers in Game 1, helping their teams swing momentum and silence long-standing doubts about their offensive ceilings.
It was a performance steeped in symbolism. Dort, the undrafted defensive ace turned perimeter weapon, and Toppin, the high-flying former lottery pick once typecast as an energy dunker, had just reshaped the narrative &ndash; not just for the game, but for their careers.
Five threes. That&rsquo;s what both Dort and Toppin registered by the final buzzer in their Finals debuts. For any role player, that&rsquo;s an outstanding night. But for these two in particular, it was poetic justice.
Lu Dort wasn&rsquo;t supposed to be here. He wasn&rsquo;t drafted in 2019, and scouts questioned whether he had the offensive tools to stick in the league. He carved a role for himself with smothering defense, becoming one of the league&rsquo;s fiercest perimeter defenders. But that label &ndash; defensive stopper who can&rsquo;t shoot &ndash; stuck.
For years, Dort was left open. Defenses dared him to shoot. And too often, they were right to. His mechanics were rigid and his decision-making was erratic. But he didn&rsquo;t let that define him.
Dort has been one of the hardest workers on this OKC Thunder squad, shooting hundreds of reps every day during the&nbsp; offseason and the regular season even during losing streaks or back-to-backs.
That dedication culminated in Game 1, where Dort&rsquo;s five triples not only stretched the defense but gave Oklahoma City a vital offensive release valve in a high-stakes contest. Each make felt like the culmination of countless unseen hours.
Across the court, Obi Toppin was having a moment of his own.
Drafted eighth overall in 2020 by the New York Knicks, Toppin entered the league with highlight-reel athleticism and a college resume built on jaw-dropping dunks and vertical explosion. But quickly, he was pigeonholed and relegated just to that specific role alone.
The knock on Toppin was that he couldn&rsquo;t space the floor. That he was a dunker, not a basketball player. That once the athleticism declined, so would his value.
That narrative followed him out of New York and into Indiana, where a fresh start and head coach Rick Carlisle who believed in his development gave Toppin the runway to evolve. Over the past two seasons, Toppin&rsquo;s shooting steadily improved as his release quickened and his confidence grew. And in Game 1 of the Finals, it all came together.
Five made threes. All in rhythm and all fearless, with shots coming in from the crucial third and fourth quarters that helped Indiana to come back from a 15-point deficit.
Toppin didn&rsquo;t just space the floor &ndash; he bent it. He turned OKC&rsquo;s defense into a scramble, forcing rotations, opening lanes, and punishing closeouts. He played like someone who knew what this moment meant, not just for the game, but for the version of himself that people doubted for years.
Superstars dominate headlines in the NBA Finals, and rightfully so. But Dort and Toppin reminded the world that role players can swing games &ndash; and championships too. Their impact wasn&rsquo;t just about the box score; it was about the confidence they gave their teammates and the pressure they took off their stars.
Dort&rsquo;s three-point makes gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the spacing he needed to operate. Toppin&rsquo;s shooting allowed Tyrese Haliburton to orchestrate with a wider canvas. And in a game of inches, those extra feet of space mattered.
This wasn&rsquo;t some hot-shooting fluke. It was the product of years of sweat equity.
Dort entered the Finals shooting a career-high percentage from three this season. He rebuilt his jumper from the ground up and transformed his shot selection. Toppin, meanwhile, has quietly become a legitimate stretch four, hitting a good amount of his threes this season on increased volume.
What we saw in Game 1 wasn&rsquo;t a one-night miracle &ndash; it was a crescendo after years of being overlooked in that department.
It&rsquo;s easy to forget that both players were, at one point, afterthoughts in their respective teams' long-term plans.
Dort fought for a two-way contract, eventually earning his place in OKC&rsquo;s young core through defense, hustle, and improvement. Toppin was traded for spare parts. His exit from New York barely registered as a headline. But in Indiana, he found a system that let him grow.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals was their statement.
For Dort, it was a validation of years spent being the first one in the gym and the last one out. For Toppin, it was confirmation that the dunk contest was just a footnote in his journey, not the highlight.
They didn&rsquo;t just hit five threes. They rewrote the scouting reports. They proved the doubters wrong in basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
There&rsquo;s something beautiful about seeing players redefine themselves. Not through viral highlights or big contracts, but through unglamorous, tireless work.
Dort and Toppin didn&rsquo;t become shooters overnight. They didn&rsquo;t stumble into Finals glory. They earned it through thousands of lonely reps, film sessions, tweaks, failures, and restarts.
That&rsquo;s why their Game 1 explosion hit differently.
It wasn&rsquo;t just a surprise &ndash; it was a celebration. A reminder that even in a league dominated by superstars, there&rsquo;s still room for the grinders. For the ones who refuse to be boxed in by labels. For the players who keep showing up, keep improving, and &ndash; when the moment finally comes &ndash; rise to meet it.
Lu Dort and Obi Toppin weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this. But they believed they could be. And now, with the whole basketball world watching, they are.

Lu Dort and Obi Toppin stunned in their 2025 NBA Finals debut, each making five three-pointers and defying critics.

Lu Dort, Obi Toppin rewrite their narratives in NBA Finals debut

It's January 6, and Damian Lillard sits in the corner of the visitor's locker room.
He's absorbing the questions that are being tossed his way concerning another tough loss, toeing the line between urgency and understanding; it's not a lack of effort, he says, but maybe too much&nbsp;effort and desire leading to pressing at the wrong times.&nbsp;
The result is the result: A 108-99 loss to the Indiana Pacers headlined by poor shooting. Lillard wasn't himself, dropping just 19 points on 7-for-24 shooting (6-for-16 from two, 1-for-8 from three). As a whole, the Portland Trail Blazers scored a paltry 17 points in the fourth quarter. They missed their last 13 field goal attempts in the game.
"You're not gonna win if you can't make a field goal," Lillard says, matter-of-factly.
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It would appear that statement, and that game, represented something. It'd be too strong, too narrative-y, to consider it a turning point. But Lillard hasn't fallen under 20 points since then. To be frank, he's been absurd in the 21 games since.&nbsp;
We're in the midst of the most impressive stretch of Lillard's career. Not only is he scoring at a high clip (38.7 points per game), but he's also doing so on otherworldly efficiency.&nbsp;
The three-point shooting immediately stands out with Lillard. The basic numbers &mdash; 40.1% on 12.0 attempts a night during this stretch &mdash; are ridiculous on their own. He's one of five players taking at least eight threes and hitting them at a 40% clip, joining Klay Thompson (44.7% on 11.6 attempts), Buddy Hield (41.7% on 9.0), the currently-injured Steph Curry (41.2% on 10.9) and Michael Porter Jr. (40.4% on 8.1).
But the way Lillard is going about it is what makes this run special.
He's been <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203081/shots-dash?DateFrom=01%2F07%2F2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">torching the nets on spot-ups</a> (44.6% on 3.1 attempts), getting busy off movement &mdash; an absurd 16-for-22 (72.7%) on threes off screens, per InStat tracking &mdash; and doing a ton of damage off the bounce (38.6% on 8.8 attempts).
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No player has taken (35) or made (16) more threes from 30 or more feet than Lillard during this stretch. His 45.7% clip on those bombs leads the NBA among the 23 players who have attempted at least five (5!) of those shots.
Think about that. The only players aside from Lillard to make at least 40% of those attempts are Desmond Bane and Talen Horton-Tucker &mdash; and they're a combined 4-for-10.
It's insane.&nbsp;
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What has continued to go somewhat under the radar is the work Lillard has done inside. He's converting 64.3% of his two-pointers &mdash; the third-best mark among the 50 players averaging <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shots-general?CF=FG2A*GE*10&amp;DateFrom=01/07/2023&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=FG2_PCT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 10 attempts inside the arc</a>. The two players ahead of him are centers &mdash; the somehow-underrated Jarrett Allen (70.8% on 10.1 attempts) and MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic (70% on 12.2 attempts).
Lillard's been the best driver in the league over the past month. He's fifth in volume (376) and, again, has made good things happen when attacking. On trips featuring a Lillard drive at any point of the possession, the Blazers are generating a blistering 1.29 points per possession (PPP) per Second Spectrum.
That's the best mark in the NBA among 114 players with at least 100 drives under their belt. Beyond that, the difference between Lillard and second-place James Harden (1.222 PPP) is larger than the gap between Harden and 13th-ranked Tyler Herro (1.158 PPP). He isn't just leading &mdash; he's kinda lapping the field right now.
If you limit the parameters to direct plays &mdash; meaning Lillard finishes the possession, or passes it to someone who immediately finishes the possession &mdash; that number rises to 1.39 PPP. That, again, leads the NBA by a wide margin.&nbsp;
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There's no real way to defend Lillard. Give him too much space, and he's proven comfortable to pull from quite literally anywhere. Press up too much, and he's fine gaining inside leverage and finishing through contact, around contact or absorbing enough to get to the free throw line. Oh, right: He's averaging 11.4 free throw attempts during this run, too.&nbsp;
That duality has made Lillard the most dangerous scorer in the league as of late.
He's fresh off a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-has-71-points-and-13-threes-blazers-beat-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">71-point performance</a> against whatever the Houston Rockets are. He converted 9 of his 16 shots inside the arc, drilled a career-high 13 triples and made all 14 of his free throw attempts. The 80.4% True Shooting mark made his outburst the most efficient 70-plus-point game in NBA history.
And this is roughly a month removed from Lillard dropping 60 points on the Jazz on 89.8% TS. This may shock you, but that happens to be the most efficient 60-plus-point game in NBA history.
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Lillard has been cooking <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-damian-lillard-is-flying-off-the-ball-and-under-the-radar-portland-trail-blazers-all-star-voting-anfernee-simons-jerami-grant-josh-hart-steph-curry-marcus-smart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for most of the season</a>, but this 21-game stretch is something else entirely. Through Jan. 6, Lillard ranked 14th in the league in scoring (27.1). Because of this run, he now ranks third (32.3) with a realistic chance at passing Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic (33.1) for the top spot.&nbsp;
Lillard (+8.4) has also shot past Jokic (+7.9) for the lead in Offensive Estimated Plus-Minus (OEPM). He may not be the playmaker Jokic is &mdash; and that distinction is probably what gives the edge to Jokic as an overall offensive force when you zoom out &mdash; but Lillard deserves his flowers in that regard too.&nbsp;
To have a 35.4% assist rate and a turnover rate under 10 (9.8) while carrying this sort of usage (36.3%) is almost unheard of. In fact, only two players &mdash; Michael Jordan and Tracy McGrady &mdash; have recorded seasons with an assist and usage rate over 30%, and a turnover rate below 10.
Lillard isn't just efficient as a scorer; he's just doing efficient work with the ball in his hands.

Nekias Duncan puts Damian Lillard's month-and-a-half-long scoring binge and the most dominant stretch of his career into perspective.

Damian Lillard making claim as NBA's most dangerous offensive player

The first returns for NBA All-Star voting were <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/lebron-james-kevin-durant-lead-early-in-2023-nba-all-star-starter-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released on Thursday afternoon</a>. For those who have been following the season somewhat closely, there weren't many surprises among the top of the list.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant are the top vote-getters, slated to be captains for their respective conferences. Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic will likely start in the backcourt for the Western Conference; Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-breaking-news-donovan-mitchell-scores-nbaseasonhigh-cavs-franchisebest-71-in-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mr. 71 himself</a>, headline the guards in the Eastern Conference.
We have four-men-for-three-spot races in the frontcourt for each conference. After LeBron in the West, there's Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis, with Zion Williamson nipping at the heels of Davis. In the East, there's Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, with Jayson Tatum nipping at the heels of Embiid.
There are some weird ones &mdash; like Kevon Looney and Austin Reaves being top-10 vote-getters in their position groups over Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox respectively. The lack of love shown for Bam Adebayo, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson is odd, to say the least.&nbsp;
Quietly trucking along, ranking seventh in guard votes in the West, is Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
It's been easy to push Lillard on the back-burner because he hasn't been MVP-good like Doncic (or a healthy Curry) and he hasn't had the "wow" factor like Ja Morant (third in West guard votes) or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On top of that, Dame's missed 12 games and the Blazers are No. 7 in their conference. Those two things might&nbsp;be related; Portland is 5-7 in the games Lillard hasn't played.
But I think it's past time to show some appreciation for the season Lillard is having. Not only has he been really good when healthy, there's also been a stark contrast to his usual approach and usage this season.
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We can start with the base numbers though: 27.4 points (.533/.371/.888 shooting splits), 7.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. That's good stuff, and it puts him in the room with Doncic and Morant <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?CF=PTS*GE*27:AST*GE*7:REB*GE*4&amp;TeamID=0&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=NBA_FANTASY_PTS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as the only players</a> averaging 27-4-7 this season. A simple efficiency baseline &mdash; let's say a True Shooting percentage of 60% &mdash; knocks Morant off the hill, leaving just Doncic and Lillard.
I'd like to make a claim on this Lillard season: This is the most efficiently he's been used in his career.
It's slightly different than saying this is the most efficient he's been &mdash; his 61.5% TS is the third-highest mark of his career. But it's refreshing watching Lillard thrive as a scorer without having to work as hard, or against as many set defenses, as he's had to in the past.
The catalyst to this has been the Blazers' intention on getting Lillard off the ball. He's flying off 17 off-ball screens per game (23.7 per 100 possessions), per Second Spectrum. That isn't just a drastic shift from last season (10.2, 13.7 per 100); it's a diet we haven't seen from him in half a decade.
2016-17 season: 19.0 off-ball screens per game (26.1 per 100 possessions)
2017-18 season: 16.5 (22.2)
2018-19 season: 12.9 (17.2)
2019-20 season: 11.0 (14.1)
2020-21 season: 9.3 (12.4)
2021-22 season: 10.2 (13.7 &mdash; career-low 29 games played)
2022-23 season: 17.0 (23.7)
Lillard's ability to shoot off movement has long been underrated. His shot prep is superb, able to quickly balance himself on the catch if opponents botch a coverage against him. If Lillard's defender is trailing an off-ball action, the next guy in the chain &mdash; a big or another wing player &mdash; better be prepared to take away airspace. If not, Lillard can fire before you can blink.
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And because Lillard draws that much attention, the offense opens up for others. There are possessions the Blazers kick off with a Lillard off-ball action for the sole purpose of taking attention away from what they really want to get to.
Watch the eyes of Lu Dort (No. 5) and Mike Muscala (No. 31) on this possession. Because they're keyed in on Lillard coming off the Jerami Grant screen &mdash; and expecting a pick-and-roll from there &mdash; they wind up wholly unprepared for the flare screen being set for Anfernee Simons.
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But even with Dort and Muscala getting lost in the sauce, they weren't paying attention to Lillard for no reason. Some of the off-ball usage for Lillard has been with the intent of flowing into a ball-screen directly after. Making the defense move before the ball-screen is generally better than a static, everybody-stand-still setup. When you aren't keyed in, Lillard can burn you there too.
Take this possession against the Charlotte Hornets, for example. Lillard coming off an early cross-screen creates so much chaos. (You can get a more detailed breakdown <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1611412932331540480?s=20&amp;t=TU-g0Koki-9uSQdF7THlLg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
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It's also worth noting that Lillard's off-ball value isn't limited to coming off screens himself. He's setting over six off-ball screens per 100 possessions, nearly double the rate he had last season (3.7) and the year before (3.0).
You won't confuse him with Steph (11.4 per 100) in terms of volume, but the effect has been similar. The Blazers have generated 1.13 PPP on trips featuring an off-ball screen from&nbsp;Lillard; that ranks ninth in the league &mdash; and second among guards (Marcus Smart, 1.25 PPP, first overall) &mdash; among players that have set at least 100 off-ball screens this year.
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The addition of perimeter talent like Grant and Josh Hart have played a part in Lillard's shift in usage. The continued rise of Simons, a versatile offensive weapon in his own right, also limits the need&nbsp;for Lillard to initiate everything.
To that point, we've seen a massive decrease in pick-and-roll volume. After receiving nearly 57 on-ball picks per 100 possessions during his last healthy campaign (2020-21), Lillard is down to roughly 42 this season.
The Blazers still blitz teams on those possessions, with any trip featuring a Lillard pick-and-roll generating 1.08 PPP. That number ranks sixth among 56 players to receive at least 500 picks. Lillard remains a firecracker, able to pull up from 30 feet, boogie against big or weak defenders if they switch out and split traps and hedges when they come.
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Zoom out, and we come to a common conclusion: The Blazers are a tough team to defend. They're eighth in offensive rating (115.7) and 12th in half-court offense per Cleaning The Glass. Those are high marks considering Lillard has been absent for 12 of those games.&nbsp;
With Lillard on the floor, the Blazers' ORTG rises to 121.4 &mdash; a number that would easily&nbsp;make the Blazers the best offense in basketball. In the half-court, the Blazers are generating 1.03 PPP with Lillard on the floor. Again, that would be the best mark in the NBA.
It may look a little different this year, but Lillard is still torching teams when he's on the floor.

Nekias Duncan digs into Damian Lillard's season, how he's been used off the ball and how the Blazers have greatly benefited.

Damian Lillard is flying off the ball and under the radar with Blazers

Nekias Duncan takes an early look at this year's NBA award races with an in-depth look at who leads the pack through mid-December.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award front-runners: MVP, DPOY, ROY, more

I don't think Bam Adebayo is having the surge he's having right now without that Milwaukee Bucks series.
Not&nbsp;that&nbsp;Bucks series that resulted in a second-round Miami Heat upset over the Milwaukee Bucks during the Orlando Bubble. (A series where Adebayo more than held his own against Giannis Antetokounmpo &mdash; in addition to The Wall &mdash; while Jimmy Butler continued his Clutch Tour on the other end of the floor.)
I mean the ugly one. The rematch in 2021. It was a nasty 4-0 sweep in favor of the Bucks, a result achieved <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?LastNGames=0&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=OREB_PCT&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;OpponentTeamID=1610612748" target="_blank" rel="noopener">behind a stout defense</a> that made the Heat uncomfortable in the half-court.
Butler (rightfully) got most of the attention. After leading the team to the NBA Finals the year before, he averaged 14.5 points while converting 30.6% of his twos and 26.7% of his threes. The Bucks famously placed Giannis on Butler to neutralize his drives, and Butler infamously averaged fewer points than Bryn Forbes in the series.
But Adebayo wasn't much better, averaging 15.5 points while only making 45.6% of his twos. Two things stand out to me from that series. At the top of the list was how uncomfortable Adebayo was against Brook Lopez. Lopez hung back in a drop, and essentially dared Adebayo to beat him in the intermediate area.&nbsp;
Only 28% of Adebayo's shots came at the rim in the series, a wild departure from where he was in the regular season (35.3%). And while Butler struggled to generate clean looks, Adebayo looked tentative with the looks he was given. Heat fans can probably still recount specific possessions where Adebayo either pump-faked ghosts or passed out of scoring windows altogether.
The quiet part &mdash; he hit the shots at a solid clip when he did&nbsp;take them. Per Second Spectrum, Adebayo drained nearly 46% of his shots between 6-12 feet. Push shots, floaters, short pull-ups and leaning fades were all part of the Adebayo package, even if it felt like he could've doubled his volume in the series.
It was instructive, though, because it once again highlighted how Adebayo would have to win to take the next step as a scorer.
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Adebayo is an active driver with a high free-throw rate to boot, a lurking threat as an offensive rebounder and a high-flying lob threat when those pathways are available. As a full-time 5, he's also at a size disadvantage most of the time. Against top-tier matchups &mdash; Boston (Al Horford, Robert Williams III), Milwaukee (Giannis, Lopez), healthy Philly (Joel Embiid) &mdash; he's going to have to win against size.&nbsp;
Adebayo's counter of choice has been to live in that aforementioned 6-12 feet area, becoming more comfortable, more deadly. It's the meat and potatoes behind a career-year scoring season (21.2 points), and it's certainly the main course behind his most recent run of play.
Since Thanksgiving (seven games), Adebayo is averaging 27-and-9 while converting an absurd 59% of his twos. Of his 125 two-point attempts, 66 of them (52.8%) have been shots between 6-12 feet &mdash; easily the highest mark in the NBA. In fact, I'll pause so you can laugh at the leaderboard.
<ul>
<li>Bam Adebayo: 66 attempts (50.0% FG)</li>
<li>Jalen Brunson: 41 attempts (34.2% FG)</li>
<li>Luka Doncic: 33 attempts (51.5% FG)</li>
<li>Keldon Johnson: 32 attempts (31.5% FG)</li>
<li>Devin Booker: 30 attempts (56.7% FG)</li>
<li>Kevin Durant: 29 attempts (58.6% FG)</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic: 26 attempts (69.2% FG)</li>
</ul>
Nobody has come close to the volume Adebayo has showcased. A 50% clip is wild considering the volume, and the fact that the league average on shots in that range is roughly 42% this season, per Second Spectrum.
From there, it's worth parsing out how real this is. Here are his numbers on shots between 6-12 feet since becoming a full-time starter.
<ul>
<li>2019-20: 32.2% FG on 274 attempts (101 games, 2.7 per game)</li>
<li>2020-21: 42.8% FG on 243 attempts (68 games, 3.6 per game)</li>
<li>2021-22: 41.2% FG on 294 attempts (74 games, 4.0 per game)</li>
<li>2022-23: 43.9% FG on 139 attempts (24 games, 5.8 per game)
<ul>
<li>Before Thanksgiving: 38.4% FG on 73 attempts (17 games, 4.3 per game)</li>
<li>Since Thanksgiving: 50% FG on 66 attempts (7 games, 9.4 per game)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
The pre-Thanksgiving number is low, but you may be able to shoot some bail based on Adebayo's offensive context and some poor luck. Per Second Spectrum, Adebayo underperformed&nbsp;his expected efficiency in that range by nearly six percentage points (expected 44.1%) before the holiday. He may not be a 50% guy either, but it looks like we're witnessing some positive regression right now.
More important than the numbers is how Adebayo is being treated. He's still largely getting single coverage right now. The degree of difficulty with some of his shots are firmly in tip-your-cap territory for defenses.
It is worth noting that defenses have started sending a little more help towards him when he works toward that area of the floor. Subtle digs, some late contests, more pre-rotating when he gets an elbow catch. Here are some Adebayo possessions (makes and&nbsp;misses) during this stretch:
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That added attention matters, as subtle as it may appear right now. It's also worth noting he's seen seven full-blown double teams on post-ups or isolations since Thanksgiving after only having three beforehand, per Second Spectrum. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was <a href="https://twitter.com/BradyHawk305/status/1601065087749406720?s=20&amp;t=ydcxpctmytSWZvvJy-DAUQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently asked about it</a> by wunderkind <a href="https://twitter.com/BradyHawk305" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brady Hawk</a> of Five Reasons Sports.
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"When he's operated in the middle of the paint for so many games, and has been so efficient &mdash; with his shooting, attacking, getting to the free-throw line in his sweet spots &mdash;&nbsp;of course&nbsp;teams are going to bring a second defender," Spoelstra said.&nbsp;
"That'll be part of his evolution now. He's already a great passer, so that should help us once he starts to get comfortable. Right now, what we're seeing is [help coming] after he makes the move. That's when the second defender is coming. It's not initially on the catch; it's when he goes into his move. That's when he can expect another defender, and now he can go back to his playmaking mode without taking a step back in terms of his assertiveness and aggressiveness."
Spoelstra considers it a compliment that Adebayo is getting this sort of attention. It should also serve as a much-needed complement to the star power of Butler, provided they get an extended run of games together now.
Zooming out, this is what a lot of people were clamoring for with Adebayo &mdash; being more aggressive, putting his imprint on the game. It isn't a three-ball, nor are they analytically-fruitful shots at the rim. There's still room for him to generate more efficient offense for himself and others.
Slowly but surely, though, he's looking for his own more often. And that volume is starting to make defenses think more. That's the first step to opening up a new world for him.

Nekias Duncan breaks down Bam Adebayo's recent scoring explosion with the Heat.

Man In The Middle: Exploring Bam Adebayo's recent scoring surge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points, and the Charlotte Hornets stopped Minnesota's five-game win streak with a 110-108 victory over Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves on Friday night.
Terry Rozier had 22 points and eight assists, helping the Hornets (6-14) win back-to-back games for the first time this season. P.J. Washington scored 16 points, and reserve Theo Maledon finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
&ldquo;It's a great mood booster for sure," Oubre said of getting two wins in three nights. &ldquo;We have to continue to learn from our losses and mistakes and learn how to win. The more you win the more you can do the same things you did in the game before.&rdquo;
Edwards scored 25 points for the Timberwolves (10-9), who shot 22% from 3-point range. D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had 20 points and 10 assists, and Rudy Gobert finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds.
The Timberwolves bolted to a 62-52 halftime lead as Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 30 points.
But Charlotte battled back to take a 91-83 lead after outscoring the Timberwolves 39-21 in the third quarter behind 11 points from Oubre and 10 from Rozier.
&ldquo;We just came out with not much energy or focus and not a lot of purpose," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said of his team's effort in the third. "We haven&rsquo;t done that for a long time. It was kind of our habit at the beginning of the season. Tonight, we just didn&rsquo;t have it in the third quarter for whatever reason.&rdquo;
Charlotte carried that momentum into the fourth. Nick Richards rejected Gobert at the rim, setting up a high-flying dunk by Kai Jones off a feed from Rozier that brought the crowd to its feet and helped push the lead to 14.
The Timberwolves had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds after Rozier missed a floater, but they were unable to corral the rebound. That forced them to foul Washington, who made one of two throws with 4.7 seconds left to help close it out.
After the free throw, Washington smiled and gave a nod to his bench.
&ldquo;We are figuring out how to play,&rdquo; Washington said. &ldquo;The game we played tonight and the one before (a 107-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night) are two that we can grow from. If we play to our strengths it is going to be hard for teams to beat us."
JONES STEPS UP
Jones, a lanky, athletic 6-foot-11 2021 first-round draft pick out of Texas, was the first player off the Hornets bench as Charlotte looked to combat Minnesota&rsquo;s height. The gamble paid off as the seldom-used Jones finished with nine points and 12 rebounds &mdash; both career bests.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see that he&rsquo;s doing anything that he can&rsquo;t do every night," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s playing to his real strengths. He&rsquo;s tough, he&rsquo;s a terrific athlete, he&rsquo;s got a good nose for the ball, and he&rsquo;s playing very smart.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Towns was 0 for 8 from 3-point range in the second half. ... Jaden McDaniels opened the game matched up against his older brother Jalen McDaniels.
Hornets: Played without PG LaMelo Ball (ankle), F Gordon Hayward (shoulder), PG Dennis Smith Jr. (ankle) and Cody Martin (knee).
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Host Golden State on Sunday.
Hornets: Visit Boston on Monday night.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points, and the Hornets snapped the Wolves' five-game win streak with a 110-108 victory on Friday night.

Oubre scores 28, Hornets snap T-Wolves' 5-game win streak

I'll be the first to admit I'm a numbers guy.
I mean, I write the Stats Notebook at Basketball News. The NBA Stats site is a top page in my browser, and PBP Stats, BBall Index and the like can become rabbit holes if I have too much free time. Statistics are a chronology of moments, making the past tangible and the future ever-so-slightly more predictable.
Stats also never tell the whole story. Ayo Dosunmu might be this year's case in point.
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The second-year Chicago Bulls guard has been one of my favorite individual players to watch in this early 2022-23 season. Dosunmu is averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and has seen his production rise in accordance with a slight minutes bump.
However, his 59.2% True Shooting percentage is a hair down from last year (still quite good by the way!), his assist and turnover rates have also dropped a bit, and he's recorded a -42 plus-minus on the season despite the 6-6 Bulls losing just one game by double digits.
People probably look at those surface numbers and shrug their shoulders. But watch Dosunmu and witness his versatility, creativity and electricity jump out of the screen.
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Watch only Ayo Dosunmu throughout this defensive play. This is the stuff you don't catch if you're only watching the ball, GREAT off-ball defense that blew up this possession. <a href="https://t.co/9LzLrUeZJv">pic.twitter.com/9LzLrUeZJv</a>
&mdash; Steph Noh (@StephNoh) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1588694321427279873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
Dosunmu completes three significant actions here, and only one (the assist to Zach LaVine) lands in the box score. He slinks through the off-ball screens to cover Jaylen Brown and nullify a primary piece of Boston's set. Then, with Brown in a minimally-advantageous spot in the corner, Dosunmu helps out on Jayson Tatum's drive, effectively contesting the shot that ultimately gets blocked by Patrick Williams. Dosunmu then grabs the loose ball, immediately looks up and hits LaVine in transition.&nbsp;
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Defensive processing by Ayo Dosunmu. DeRozan guarding Tatum in the corner. LaVine leaves his man to help. Ayo slides down to cover both his and LaVine&rsquo;s man. Brown cuts to the basket so Ayo covers him. Tatum beats DeRozan so Ayo helps by sliding down to protect the rim. <a href="https://t.co/m1DItCVSmm">pic.twitter.com/m1DItCVSmm</a>
&mdash; Hoop Informatics 🏀📊🎥 (@HoopInformatics) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoopInformatics/status/1588696454750957568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Hoops Informatics highlights another possession from the same game. Dosunmu starts this clip by covering two players on the weak side. When he sees LaVine slide back toward his corner and catches Brown cutting into the paint, Dosunmu shuts off the option. He stays engaged with the ball, though, and then helps again on Tatum's baseline drive.
Here's one more moment &mdash; this time from Chicago's first game against Boston, a 123-119 win:
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Meanwhile first play for Boston: - Smart needs to pass the ball earlier than he did - Tatum actually does this well but at this point its to a worse above-the-break shooter - Bulls are helping aggressively and Boston isn't making them pay - Look at Ayo Dosunmu just flying around <a href="https://t.co/WDt5HQkKcD">pic.twitter.com/WDt5HQkKcD</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1584981009279246336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The multiple defensive efforts in myriad forms are remarkable, and they take a combination of schematic understanding, processing speed and, simply, quick legs. Dosunmu's internall throttle is always to the floor &mdash; even if it leads to the <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1588983680164589569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">occasional over-revving</a>.
"Ayo was, basically all last year, just playing off the feel," teammate Alex Caruso <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-alex-caruso-nailing-down-details-chicago-bulls-defense-lonzo-ball-ayo-dosunmu-golf-nutrition-tea-cooper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Basketball News over the offseason</a>. "Your first year in the league, you don't understand concepts really. You don't understand coverages. You're seeing guys play, and you're playing against guys for the first time. You're seeing their best moves for the first time; they're probably going to beat you most of the time. So for him to be able to compete the way he did last year on defense is a great sign for a guy in his first year."
Dosunmu's knowledge base is catching up in Year 2.&nbsp;
He molds his same spark to a different context on offense. He's been a second-side driving weapon since joining Chicago as a 2021 second-round draft pick, and has continued to flourish by <a href="&lt;blockquote%20class=&quot;twitter-tweet&quot;%20data-theme=&quot;dark&quot;&gt;&lt;p%20lang=&quot;en&quot;%20dir=&quot;ltr&quot;&gt;Ayo%20Dosunmu%20threw%20a%20perfect%20pass%20here%20right%20through%20the%20teeth%20of%20a%20Celtics%20defense%20that%20was%20aggressively%20trying%20to%20pin%20him%20on%20the%20baseline.%20Also%20another%20well-timed%20cut%20from%20Goran%20Dragic%20who%20has%20been%20great%20&lt;a%20href=&quot;https:/t.co/B63UMOTgFK&quot;&gt;pic.twitter.com/B63UMOTgFK&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash;%20Ethan%20Fuller%20(@ethman43)%20&lt;a%20href=&quot;https:/twitter.com/ethman43/status/1584974536985874433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&quot;&gt;October%2025,%202022&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;%20&lt;script%20async%20src=&quot;https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js&quot;%20charset=&quot;utf-8&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacking off the catch</a>. Dosunmu's overall rim frequency is down a tad from last year, but don't let that fool you; he's still a force getting to the basket.
According to PBP Stats, 56 players have attempted over 40 self-created shots (when holding the ball for two or more seconds) from within 10 feet of the hoop so far. Dosunmu is hitting on 55.8% of those attempts, ranking 17th. Over 47% of his shots have been self-created compared to just 39.4% as a rookie. So while the efficiency has regressed slightly in this small sample, Dosunmu still shows plenty of promise.
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He's adept along the baseline, and defenders that force him there are only giving him space to attack and windows to hit teammates. Dosunmu almost always receives 1-on-1 matchups; how can a defense justify leaving LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or Nikola Vucevic?
The problem for those defenders, however, is that Dosunmu can beat individuals with an isolation drive. He's got a shifty handle, sneaky change-of-pace chops, length and touch.&nbsp;
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The 22-year-old can also break out a solid floater. He doesn't often &mdash; only 10% of his shots are in the short-mid-range area, per Cleaning the Glass &mdash; but against the Charlotte Hornets, Dosunmu used it with success.&nbsp;
Dosunmu guarantees spectators at least a handful of "Man, this guy is flying!" plays every game, whether it be via a transition push-ahead, a half-court drive or a defensive rotation.
Plus-minuses and box scores can shove it &mdash; this guy is undoubtedly a winning contributor.

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Ayo Dosunmu has been a steadying two-way force with his effort and pace in the Bulls' 6-6 start to the season. Ethan Fuller writes.

Don't overlook Ayo Dosunmu's brilliance with the Bulls

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) &mdash; Victor Wembanyama blocked a shot Thursday afternoon, ran to the other end of the court, went airborne from just inside the foul line, corralled an alley-oop pass with one hand and slammed home a dunk.
The entire sequence lasted eight seconds.
It may have been the signature moment &mdash; and there were a lot of candidates &mdash; from Wembanyama&rsquo;s two-game trip to the U.S., which ended Thursday with the French phenom&rsquo;s Metropolitans 92 team rallying from 16 points down to top the G League Ignite 112-106. He led the way, of course, with 36 points and 11 rebounds.
&ldquo;As a first impression of the American game, that was really great," Wembanyama said.
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Victor Wembanyama followed up his 37-point game on Tuesday with an equally impressive 36-point double-double in a win! 🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/vicw_32?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vicw_32</a>: 36 PTS | 11 REB | 4 AST | 4 BLK <a href="https://t.co/M5dy1WpUPT">pic.twitter.com/M5dy1WpUPT</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1578143067370127362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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So was he.
His final numbers from two exhibitions: 73 points on 22-for-44 shooting, nine 3-pointers, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots. He flies back to France on Saturday, and the next time he plays in the U.S. there likely will be an NBA logo on his jersey, presumably after he becomes the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
&ldquo;It's very, very special for France," Metropolitans 92 coach Vincent Collet said. &ldquo;Not only for France. He has huge potential. He's a huge talent."
The reviews are in from this two-game Vegas residency for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-basketball-las-vegas-6f4ac3d44f624ef36ddb00e314cf0401">Wembanyama, who stands 7-foot-3</a> in bare feet, and they were of the raving variety. The best of the bunch may have come from Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who suggested that calling Wembanyama a unicorn might not fully indicate how unique he is.
Instead, James went with an out-of-this-world comparison.
&ldquo;Everybody&rsquo;s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he&rsquo;s more like an alien,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor ... He&rsquo;s, for sure, a generational talent.&rdquo;
Added Golden State guard Stephen Curry: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s like the (NBA) 2K create-a-player, every point guard that wants to be 7-foot. Cheat-code type vibes, man. He&rsquo;s a solid talent. It's great to watch.&rdquo;
Sure enough, when Wembanyama&rsquo;s around, a viral moment can happen at any time. It might be a dunk. It might be a block. It might be a fadeaway 3-pointer from the corner while his momentum has him drifting toward the baseline. It might be a 28-foot 3-pointer from the wing. It might be him kicking a ball into a monitor and narrowly missing fellow French center Rudy Gobert.
Yes, all those things happened.
The scene: Gobert and fellow Minnesota Timberwolves standout D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, in town to play the Lakers in a preseason game later Thursday, decided to postpone their afternoon nap &mdash; a staple of the NBA gameday routine &mdash; and make the 20-minute ride from Las Vegas to watch the game, arriving at halftime.
Gobert made a quick appearance on the game&rsquo;s televised broadcast. Wembanyama, standing nearby, stuck one of his massive feet into the path of a pass by Ignite center Eric Mika. The ball ricocheted into the monitor near Gobert&rsquo;s seat, knocking it over.
Gobert laughed. Wembanyama raised his hand to apologize.
&ldquo;Hey, he played soccer too,&rdquo; Gobert said.
Gobert raves about Wembanyama, who almost certainly will be the first top-five draft pick from France. And he doesn&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s any real comparison: Gobert said Wembanyama&rsquo;s defensive instincts remind him of himself, while his ballhandling and shooting remind him of Kevin Durant.
&ldquo;What strikes me the most about him is his maturity," Gobert said. &ldquo;Obviously, he's a very unique talent and he has a very unique physique. But his maturity and his confidence ... he's very unique."
Thursday&rsquo;s game had a bit of a scare, and the other top NBA draft headliner in this showcase got the worst of that moment.
Scoot Henderson, the guard whose 28 points led the Ignite to a 122-115 victory on Tuesday night in the exhibition opener, left Thursday&rsquo;s game after less than five minutes. The reason: He banged knees with Wembanyama.
Henderson switched onto Wembanyama, who was dribbling on the wing. Wembanyama made a move, collided into Henderson and tumbled to the court, looking initially like he got the worst of that exchange. But Henderson, who was called for a foul on the play, wound up limping off for evaluation and the Ignite quickly said he wouldn&rsquo;t be returning.
&ldquo;Scoot's fine," G League coach Jason Hart said. &ldquo;It was precautionary."
There are 31 games left on Metropolitans&rsquo; 34-game schedule in the French league, and the plan &mdash; as of now &mdash; is for Wembanyama to finish his season, which is slated to go through mid-May. The NBA Draft is June 22.
Bouna Ndiaye, one of Wembanyama&rsquo;s agents, said some NBA teams might not understand why he&rsquo;s playing. The reason, he says, is because nobody can get Wembanyama out of the gym.
&ldquo;He wants to live on the court,&rdquo; Ndiaye said.
What these two games showed, in many ways, was just that the tapes of Wembanyama that have been coming out of Europe over the last few years weren't lying. He needs to get stronger. There&rsquo;s much he can still polish. He is, by all accounts, exceptional already.
&ldquo;Just before we came in last Saturday, we had a meeting with our doctor and we are going to prepare to plan the next two months to increase what he is doing, besides the court, to strengthen the body,&rdquo; Collet said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re always careful also with how much time he is practicing, not to go too far. ... We plan so that we limit the risk.&rdquo;
When Thursday was over, when the comeback was complete, Wembanyama briefly lifted his arms skyward in celebration, then shook a lot of hands, partook in a lot of hugs and posed for a lot of pictures.
With that, the draft hype continued on.
&ldquo;I'm still excited and so happy about it," Wembanyama said. &ldquo;I know I'm so lucky to have this chance."
___
AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed.

Wembanyama's final numbers from two exhibitions: 73 points on 22-for-44 shooting, 9 three-pointers, 15 rebounds and 9 blocked shots.

Victor Wembanyama's 2-game Las Vegas exhibition stay ends with win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not a high-flying leaper like Ja Morant, a ball-handling wizard like Stephen Curry or a court-mapping surgeon like Luka Doncic. Instead, one of the NBA's premier driving threats is somewhere in the middle of his peers.
According to NBA tracking data provided by Second Spectrum, Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with 23.9 drives per game last season. It's the highest per-game driving rate in the NBA's player tracking history dating back to 2013-14. If Gilgeous-Alexander met the minimum games played qualifier in 2020-21, he would have led the league again with a whopping 25.2 drives per game.
The 24-year-old does it with an understated blend of sharp angles, long arms, crafty contortion and aerial acrobatics, stymying defenders by creating openings where they don't seem to exist. (Our Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/taking-a-drive-with-shai-gilgeousalexander" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down his unorthodox driving game</a> in further detail earlier this spring.)
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Gilgeous-Alexander is the lone member of the youth-movement Oklahoma City Thunder to truly arrive at stardom. He put up a career-high 24.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game last season, and popped off after the All-Star break to the tune of 30.4 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds (with a 63.4% True Shooting clip) across 13 games. SGA dropped those numbers while shouldering some of the heaviest creation burdens in the entire league.&nbsp;
PBP Stats lists "self-created" shots as an attempt that takes two or more seconds to generate. Gilgeous-Alexander generated a stunning 90.3% of his field goal attempts via self-creation in 2021-22, just behind Trae Young (90.6%). SGA also cleared 90% in 2020-21 (91.5%), and holds 2 of the 4 seasons in NBA tracking history with a self-creation frequency over 90%.
In short, Gilgeous-Alexander is responsible for generating a ridiculous amount of offense in Oklahoma City. The Thunder had the second-worst Offensive Rating in the league last season, though they wielded a defense that looked promising at times. OKC's 43.5% Effective Field Goal percentage on "assisted" shots (taking less than two seconds to shoot) was dead last, per PBP Stats.
There's also this stat:
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The bottom-five in teammate FG% on potential assists (passes leading to a shot attempt) among 132 NBA players with at least 300 potential assists: 1. RJ Hampton - 40.7% 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 45.6% 3. Caris LeVert - 46.3% 4. Cory Joseph - 46.4% 5. Anfernee Simons - 46.7%
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1557733094232576000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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SGA has one of the lowest potential-assist conversion rates across the NBA. Theoretically, this could stem from several causes. Maybe Gilgeous-Alexander is throwing tons of bad passes, or his pass selection involves more difficult shot locations, or his teammates are poor collective shooters, or, it's simply bad luck. I lean toward the latter two given OKC's team-wide struggles.&nbsp;
At age 24, Gilgeous-Alexander is still in the growth phase of his pro career, but also notably older, more experienced and more proven than most of his teammates. The Thunder (most likely) aren't flipping the switch to "win now" quite yet, and should be content to let the young guys ride through mistakes as the draft picks continue to flow in.
But what does that mean for Gilgeous-Alexander and his development? We just saw the San Antonio Spurs trade Dejounte Murray, another talented breakout star guard leading a prospect-laden squad, to the Atlanta Hawks. Is Gilgeous-Alexander destined for a similar exit?
I don't think so. However, both the player and the team must strike a balance to foster everyone's growth.&nbsp;
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Gilgeous-Alexander is a phenomenal catch-and-shoot player, having cleared 41% on catch-and-shoot threes each year in Oklahoma City. Yet, his volume &mdash; already pretty low &mdash; dipped to under one attempt per game last season.&nbsp;
For SGA to feel some creation relief, OKC needs additional players &mdash; namely Josh Giddey and Tre Mann &mdash; to take serious steps forward.
We never got to see Giddey hit a spring stride; he missed every game after Feb. 24 due to a hip injury. Giddey landed on the All-Rookie Second Team last season, but still took the classic rookie point guard lumps.
Giddey ranked 10th among all players with 1.6 bad-pass turnovers per game (per PBP Stats), and his 17.3% overall turnover rate was third among all players who logged at least 800 minutes (per Cleaning the Glass). He also shot 44.1% on drives to the basket, the fourth-lowest among 61 players who averaged eight or more drives per game.
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The Aussie point guard relies on his court vision, size and semi-natural touch to find driving lanes and make shots. He doesn't have a quick first step, upper-body strength or contortion ability to make many off-balance shots at this stage. When Giddey doesn't get that initial blow-by, he struggles at times to create another lane for himself with a defender in front of him. That should change in due time, and, before his injury, Giddey did show some increased aggression and a willingness to play through contact.&nbsp;
Giddey also functioned well driving off the catch, where he should continue to play frequently as Gilgeous-Alexander dominates the ball. The 19-year-old's off-ball awareness lines up with his on-ball vision, and he also attacks quickly and can keep defenders from regaining their footing after a closeout.
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If SGA can use his gravity to open up these types of changes for Giddey, the latter will find easier chances for himself and, thus, pull some of the focus away from SGA. Of course, I glossed entirely over Giddey's passing as well, which will keep defenses on their toes as long as he's playing basketball.
Jackson Frank brilliantly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tre-mann-and-the-importance-of-looking-past-the-box-score" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dissected Tre Mann's game</a> towards the end of last season. His piece covers the necessary growth steps for Mann to become a consistent pull-up scorer and passer. I'll let Jackson's piece speak for itself, but here's an observation he made that applies in this context:
<blockquote>
For many scoring-inclined prospects or young guys, a hurdle that often exists is the inability to create open or comfortable looks when transitioning from their pre-NBA context to the league. Whether it&rsquo;s athletic shortcomings, atypical shooting mechanics or something else, the capacity to consistently find clean shots prevents them from burgeoning into high-level scorers.
With Mann, that&rsquo;s not a problem because he&rsquo;s routinely producing open, replicable shots for himself. He&rsquo;s not hitting a ton of them thus far, but the process is encouraging. Shot-making is a staple of developmental curves, even if it&rsquo;s usually just implied rather than stated analysis. He views offensive decision-making through a lens of distinguished creativity."
</blockquote>
Mann might be the only player like this currently on the Thunder roster &mdash; aside from maybe SGA himself. I'm excited to watch Tre's development next season.
Luguentz Dort and rookie lottery pick Jalen Williams should get in on some of the self-creation action next season, and maybe we'll see a bit from Aleksej Pokusevski, Chet Holmgren and Ousmane Dieng. However, Giddey and Mann are the primary drivers (literally and metaphorically) behind Gilgeous-Alexander and will lead the support.
Gilgeous-Alexander will still carry a sky-high usage rate though. To maximize his effectiveness as a playmaker, others need to step up and hit shots they simply did not make last season.&nbsp;
According to the NBA's tracking data, nearly 52% of SGA's passes last season went to four players: Giddey, Dort, Darius Bazley and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Bazley was the only one of the four to shoot over 37% from the field on those passes. None of them cleared 30% from beyond the arc.
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As a team, Oklahoma City converted a paltry 32.6% of its catch-and-shoot threes, by far the worst mark in the NBA. The Thunder attempted the most "wide open" threes (no defender within 6 feet) of any NBA team last season and shot the second-worst clip in the league at 35.1%. And on top of that, they were also dead last in efficiency within 5 feet from the basket (58.3%). Yuck.
Giddey and Dort quite simply must improve as off-ball shooters. For Giddey, adding a viable catch-and-shoot three-ball will only make things easier for him when he attacks a closeout; right now, defenses can relax when he's spacing the floor. Dort, meanwhile, launched 7.7 triples per game last season, but converted only 33.2% of them.
Robinson-Earl is an interesting case. Barely a stretch forward at Villanova, he took 47.0% of his shots from behind the arc as a second-round rookie. Robinson-Earl made 35.2% of his threes, which is pretty solid at this stage and a very positive launch pad for his future.
Bazley has not arrived as a consistent shot-maker since going No. 23 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He brings value on the defensive end, but has poor shooting splits no matter the context. About 44% of Bazley's shots came at the rim (83rd percentile, per Cleaning the Glass), but he made them at just a 58% rate (20th percentile).
And now, in addition to that quartet, OKC has three new lottery picks to add to the mix. Holmgren and Williams, in particular, could help space the floor right away.&nbsp;
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Holmgren balled out at his two Summer League showcases in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. We saw a bit of him in pick-and-pop-type actions, and he seemed undeterred in freeing himself from the screen defender and setting himself quickly to shoot. Holmgren has been an elite perimeter shooter and rim-finisher since high school; expect that to translate very quickly to the NBA. Imagine defenses having to constantly monitor Holmgren's space on the court when he's also in an action with Gilgeous-Alexander.
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Williams has been billed for his versatility as a playmaking option, and he also spaced the floor well at Santa Clara. The 6-foot-6 wing made 20 of 41 catch-and-shoot looks as a junior, per InStat Scouting. He knows how to subtly shift into passing lanes and confidently rise up with consistency. Even before discussing Williams' on-ball skills, he at least has a stable floor as a relocating wing who can be another outlet for SGA, Giddey, Mann and others.
Of course, Williams and Holmgren are still only rookies, and they won't be surefire successes in just one year. This circles back to the broader challenge for OKC: How do you continue the youth movement (not using the T-word yet) with a scoring guard capable of putting up an All-Star season in 2022-23?
This is where Gilgeous-Alexander must simply trust the process. He assuredly has room to improve on the defensive end, and his pull-up efficiency dropped off last season after stellar numbers in 2020-21. SGA is talented enough to take over possessions and get his own buckets, but that isn't always in the best interest of the team's development. He'll have to be patient and continue being a supportive teammate as the others catch up.
The 2022-23 Thunder season will ultimately be a trust exercise between one star and one organization. Oklahoma City is putting the pieces around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that he needs to ultimately thrive. We'll see how much time it takes for the rotation to finally coalesce.

Ethan Fuller details how both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder can get what they want next season.

How can the Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander balance their needs?

If you have a minute and change to spare &mdash; and I'd assume so since you've opened this piece &mdash; I want you to watch this video. It's an assist compilation of Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray from Tuesday night's win over the Atlanta Dream. It includes 5 of her game-high 9 assists.
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The assists, in order:
<ul>
<li>A pick-and-roll with A'ja Wilson (MVP, by the way) in which Gray freezes Cheyenne Parker (Wilson's defender) with a hesi, forces a rotation from Naz HIllmon (#00) with her drive and waits out the secondary rotation from Rhyne Howard (#10, Rookie of the Year front-runner) before firing to Jackie Young</li>
<li>A full-court lead pass to Young after a singular dribble</li>
<li>An instantaneous feed to Wilson through a pair of defenders after a loose-ball scramble</li>
<li>A 20-plus-feet behind-the-back bounce pass (?????) to a cutting Kelsey Plum</li>
<li>A no-look feed to Young after a drive in transition</li>
</ul>
Highlight films are typically dangerous for narrative-driven minds. With just a few clips, you can present a chapter as a full-blown story. But I assure you that this isn't a doctored snippet; this is who Chelsea Gray, The W's #PointGawd, really is.
The numbers don't do her justice, though it's worth noting that she's averaging a career-high in assists this season (6.2 per game). Only three players &mdash; Courtney Vandersloot, Natasha Cloud and Sue Bird &mdash; are assisting more than Gray on a <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/players/traditional/?sort=AST&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2022&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;PerMode=PerPossession&amp;CF=GP*GE*15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per-possession basis</a>.
But to appreciate Gray's playmaking ability, you have to watch. Her cadence is different. The angles she spots for passes are almost unheard of for mere mortals; the angles she can create&nbsp;are more rare. There isn't a pass in the book she can't make; more importantly, there isn't a pass that she won't try.
If those descriptors sound familiar, it's because they've been used &mdash; reserved, even &mdash; for legends. Magic Johnson was and is the standard for that sort of creativity on the NBA side. Ticha Penicheiro &mdash; the league's all-time assist leader until Bird passed her in 2017 &mdash; certainly fits the bill for The W. You can see their inspiration shine through Gray's game.
"With Magic, it was everything he could do as a bigger point guard," Gray told Basketball News in a Zoom interview. "It was how he incorporated flashiness too. Being able to balance effectiveness with a little flash."
While Magic helped with broad strokes, you can thank Penicheiro's influence for Gray's affinity for no-look passes.
"With Ticha, her ability to <a href="https://youtu.be/REAzNuZM9Yw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">look at a completely different person</a> but pass it somewhere else always intrigued me," Gray said. "I used to look to the side and try to hit a pole [to practice]."
A throughline with Magic, Penicheiro and Gray is the ability to see plays develop before they happen. It's an obvious gift; it's easier to beat a defense if you're ahead of them conceptually. But there is an obvious drawback: It's a gift because only a few players can see the game that way.
What is genius if it isn't understood? It's likely a turnover in basketball.
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Like many great playmakers before her, Gray has to walk a tightrope between doing her thing and coloring inside the lines. It's also the responsibility of the coach to help find that balance. She certainly felt that during the early portion of her Los Angeles Sparks tenure.
"It's like, if [the passes] go through, they're good. If they didn't, it'd be so terrible; 'I don't know what she saw; I don't know what that was (laughs),'" Gray said. "But as my game progressed and I got a little smarter about when to make certain passes, there was more of a balance.
"There's always a balance of not taking away the player and their effectiveness, but reeling them in so they're within what you're trying to accomplish."
When watching a Gray pick-and-roll, or a no-look, or a transition touchdown, it's hard not to wonder how she makes decisions. Luckily, Gray was kind enough to not only answer that question broadly, but also talk through some of her assists from this season for further insight with Basketball News.
(This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.) 
When you're making fancier reads, are any of those predetermined? What goes into your process?
Chelsea Gray: "It's a mixture of what the defense is doing, and my head.
"Sometimes I feel like the most 'complicated' way to get it there is the easiest way for me to get it there, or the quickest or most efficient. I was just having a conversation about a simple thing like a pick-and-pop. Me doing a bounce pass behind the back is the easiest, most efficient way to get it there, so my teammate has a wide-open shot rather than spinning in a circle to throw the pass.
"Sometimes, maybe I could do that, but [the behind-the-back bounce pass] is the most efficient way for me to do that to make sure my teammate has an easier read when they catch the ball."
With great playmakers, I'm always curious about their process, and what or who they're reading on the floor. When you're running a ball-screen, what are the kind of things you're looking for?
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Gray:&nbsp;"My initial read is seeing how my defender is guarding me. If they're playing off, that changes my angle going into the pick-and-roll. From there, I'm looking at my post player or whoever's setting the screen to see how their defender is guarding them &mdash; are they (the screener's defender) going to jump out?
"Some pick-and-rolls are defended differently based on who's setting the screen. Defenses might play it one way when Kiah Stokes is involved, but a different way if it's Dearica Hamby or A'ja Wilson. My teammates also do different things. Kiah, most of the time, is going to roll while the others may mix in pick-and-pops.
"All of that is going into my head when heading into a ball-screen. Then, it's like, 'If this happens, then this&nbsp;happens.' That's the repetitive nature of running so many pick-and-rolls throughout my career. When a defender does something, they're giving up something else. From there, it's about how to make the right decision as quickly as possible."
You mentioned how defensive coverages may differ based on who's screening for you. Who's the best screener on the Aces?
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Gray:&nbsp;"That's so hard. Honestly, it does depend on the coverage they're getting. Against Dallas (on Aug. 4), Teaira McCowan was hitting A'ja and wasn't letting her screen. But because of that, I was able to hit her on the roll off the back side. Kiah tries to head-hunt&nbsp;every single time (laughs), so the angle is different.
"It's hard to say who the best pick-and-roll player is. Like, Dearica Hamby will hit and just go, super quickly. So it'll look like, 'Whoa, what a great screen,' but really, there was a lot of indecision on the defensive end. She's able to get us both open because she creates some thought in their head like, 'Oh snap, I'm hit; what are we doing on our coverage?' It really depends."
With this pick-and-roll (video below), this ends up being a pass to Iliana Rupert. It looks like you're flowing out of HORNS. When you get the first screen, are you gauging what the big (NaLyssa Smith) is doing first?
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Gray:&nbsp;"Yeah, I'm seeing what this big is doing here. I see Emily Engstler sink in for the help because Destanni Henderson is hit with the screen. I know Iliana Rupert is going to be open on the pop; it's a simple HORNS action."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_28_26.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
I have two transition clips to share now. In the first one, you find Kelsey Plum trailing the play. She makes a move and gets the bucket; you get the assist on this one. In the second one, you hit a streaking Jackie Young. When you're making these full-court hit-aheads, which defender are you reading? What determines where you go with the ball?
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Gray:&nbsp;"As we cross half court, our angles have to be clear and concise. As we're running, we know one big will run down the floor while the other will trail the play. As the trailer, Dearica Hamby will either come set a drag screen, or I'll pass to her and she'll flow to the next side."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_17_40.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"So if you pause it when Kelsey catches the ball, I'm reading to see if A'ja's defender picked her up, and if Dearica's defender picked her up. Indiana is pretty much matched up; they did a solid job in transition defense.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_20_31.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"Personally, I don't know if I would've counted this as an assist. I just get it there for her to be able to make a move. After the initial catch, she has to make a good and solid move to get into the paint and finish.
"This second one, on the other hand, people are just flying down the court. Kiah Stokes actually gets Jackie open by the way she runs the floor. Kayla Thornton feels like, 'Oh shoot, [Kiah's] going; Teaira McCowan, help!' Meanwhile, Jackie is streaking down the court.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_00_52_35.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"I see all of that unfolding, and that's on top of them being concerned about A'ja filling in. Jackie's able to knock the shot down, right in the flow."
We have to talk about the falling pass to Kelsey Plum! You get a screen from Kiah Stokes. We have good defense from Brittney Sykes. When did you decide you're going to find the angle for the pass that way?
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Gray:&nbsp;"Really, I decided in the moment. I saw it afterwards and was like, 'I know I fell, but I had&nbsp;to fall to get it there.' I felt that it would've been a turnover or Brittney Sykes would've gotten her hand on it. The way&nbsp;I fell was a bit of a dramatic fall, but it was necessary.
"It took all of my power in order to get it there. The angle and the rate in which [Kelsey Plum] was cutting was all going into my thought process. So I was like, 'Alright, I have to fall or else it's not going to get there.' If I threw a straight bounce pass, the defender would've gotten it."
Alright, last one for the fancy passes. A&nbsp;behind-the-back pass&nbsp;on a baseline inbound?!
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Gray:&nbsp;"To me, it was simple. In the moment, I realized what I did, but I got excited because the play that we called &mdash; we hadn't scored on it yet.&nbsp;
"If you pause it here, Tiffany Mitchell is already beat:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_36_44.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"But I can't make a bounce pass there with Lexie Hull right there. There's no possible way. So the only way I feel that I can get it there is by going behind the back.
"If you keep going... right there:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_08_11_01_39_40.png" alt="" width="578" height="325" />
"I would have to angle my body to be able to throw a chest pass. Hull might be able to get a hand on it, or Jackie [Young] won't be able to finish it. So if I look one way, it just takes half a step for Hull to come over, and I'm able to get the angle for Jackie.&nbsp;
"Honestly, a lot of times when I do the behind-the-back or a fancy pass, it's the quickest, most efficient way I feel it can get there. It's not like, 'Let me do this pass because it'll be on a highlight reel.' Sometimes I want to add a little no-look flair to it, and I probably could've gotten it there by looking at her. But the fanciness of the curve, or behind-the-back, or behind-the head &mdash; that's the quickest way for me to get it there without a turnover. Maybe that's just ridiculous (laughs)."
No, I don't think so at all! On the no-look front: When you're watching others, does it bother you when players fake it? Sometimes, it's obvious that a player will stare their teammate down before looking off and making it seem like a real no-look.
Gray: (Laughs) "Maybe that's their version of the way they want to do a no-look! I don't know, it doesn't bother me. As long as they get the assist, they should be fine with the way they're doing it."

Nekias Duncan talks to Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray to gain insight into her passing prowess.

Through Her Eyes: How Chelsea Gray sees what you can't

For the first time in his soon-to-be-six-year professional basketball career, Derrick Walton Jr. will not be suiting up for an NBA team come training camp. Instead, in three weeks, he will pack his bags and head to Australia, where he&rsquo;ll begin to get acclimated with the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League.
&ldquo;It is new. I kinda came to grips with it probably about two weeks ago,&rdquo; Walton told Basketball News in a phone interview. &ldquo;This is different. I'm usually not really geared all the way up back until September or so. But it's a good setup, I have no complaints. Whatever the situation [or] the schedule is, just know I'mma go in with a wide smile and be ready to go for real.
&ldquo;Overall, just the good things I've heard [from] a lot of people that have already experienced it and just the love that they showed me, I couldn't not acknowledge it. It was very prevalent, and [the Kings] put it on display. So [what I&rsquo;m looking forward to] for the most part, just obviously the style of play, the lifestyle I've been told about and then just people that value me. And we've got a complete, good understanding, so [the decision] was kind of easy for me to be honest.&rdquo;
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Walton officially inked a one-year deal with the NBL&rsquo;s reigning champions on July 4 after hearing nothing but good things about the Aussie league from people he&rsquo;s close with and trusts.&nbsp;
R.J. Hunter, a former NBA first-round pick in 2015 by the Boston Celtics who played for Sydney last season, direct-messaged him a while ago about it. Friends from the Detroit area such as Brandon Jenkins and Walton&rsquo;s longtime trainer, Jermaine Jackson, have also given the stamp of approval, while Louisville hero Peyton Siva has done the same.&nbsp;
Walton&rsquo;s motivation to make the move across the world is simple, and not about boosting his stock just to get back to the NBA. He wants to be wanted.
&ldquo;I think, being transparent, I feel like obviously I know I'm an NBA player. I feel like I would be a really good backup point guard. But at this point, I just want to go somewhere where I'm valued,&rdquo; Walton said. &ldquo;And if that comes back full circle, then I would take it. But as far as now, I want to just make sure I'm enjoying the game as much as possible, being in the best situation every single chance I get a chance to be and then overall, I let stuff take care of itself.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I would be lying if I said that's not in my wheelhouse, that I wouldn't be drawn to that, but honestly when I go to Australia, that's my main priority. I don't really want to put my mind anywhere else."
This offseason has been all about staying in the gym to become &ldquo;as dynamic as possible&rdquo; for Walton, who has spent the majority of his career setting up others primarily first and foremost.
&ldquo;Being a floor general is cool, but I think I'mma try to just be a little more diligent and trying to display how I can score the ball,&rdquo; Walton said. &ldquo;I've been working on that a lot more, just trying to be more aggressive for the most part."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Still 🖤 <a href="https://t.co/BuHsqmjKxY">pic.twitter.com/BuHsqmjKxY</a>
&mdash; Derrick Walton (@DerrickWalton10) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerrickWalton10/status/1529290265877520384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

"There's a time in some people's careers that they just go play. I mean, just go play. And I think being in Australia is going to give him that opportunity to just go run a team, 'cause he's as good as there is at running a team," Pistons senior player development advisor and former Michigan head coach John Beilein told Basketball News. "And he can analytically build up some stats that may make him very appealing as he comes back because he's still young. He did it in the G League and he really proved himself while in the G League.&nbsp;
"Roster spots are so rare. And so, he's gonna go over there [to Australia] and make the most of this opportunity. And who knows where it'll lead. It may lead to 10 more years overseas, or it may put him right back to the NBA in a stronger position."
Though forward-looking, Walton appreciates his time in the NBA. For him, being blessed enough to live out a dream he set out for himself as a child is something he is grateful for. Having had stints with the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons in different capacities, he appeared in 45 regular-season games and drew four starts. (He also averaged 15.9 points, 8.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 59 career games in the G League.)
"Everything comes with growing. The older I got and each time I dealt with a different situation, I handled it with a little more maturity,&rdquo; Walton said. &ldquo;Probably earlier in my career, I was a little more 'reactive,' but overall I just think I'm a very even-keeled guy for everything I've been through. So it's not too much that's gonna throw me off or knock me off my square now...
"...Be where your feet are and then just try to have as much fun with it. I know me, I'm a completely different player when I feel like the outside factors outside of the court [are] handled. So as much as I just get to focus on what I do on a day-to-day basis, I think my performance only rises. So that's what I pretty much learned for myself."
Three of those NBA starts came with his hometown Pistons last season between Dec. 26 and New Year's Day, when Walton amassed a total of 19 points, 21 assists and 7 blocks on a 10-day contract.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It was dope,&rdquo; Walton said of playing for his city. &ldquo;My family, we all went to my mother's house to eat afterwards. That's a dope feeling. It more so was really dope for me to see my family get to experience it more so than myself, to be honest... As a Detroiter, we're just prideful of our city. I can say I'm prideful to be from here.&nbsp;
"It kinda made me who I am. They show me ridiculous love. And then, it's home. People love me here. It gave me love, so I show love back."
Having a familiar face around the franchise also helped with Beilein being in Detroit. Together, the pair won the Big Ten Tournament twice &mdash; Walton was the 2017 B1G Tourney MVP &mdash; and took home regular-season honors once too.&nbsp;
&ldquo;[Michigan] pretty much allowed me to be a professional before I was,&rdquo; Walton said. &ldquo;Just how to carry myself, the edicate and overall just the ins and outs of being a pro every single day.&nbsp;&ldquo;[John]&rsquo;s a guy that knows my game in and out, so if he'd watch the game or anything, just the nuances or like little, small stuff... It was always good to just get back to home and just know a guy that had seen me at the very purity of the game with being collegiate, just knowing he got my best interest at heart was always dope. And then, we got a good relationship. We won a championship together, so it's always good to see somebody that you raised the banner with."
"There are so many moments with him," Beilein said. "He was the one, of all those guys (former Michigan point guards), I think we had the most fun. But it was also &mdash; we held each other accountable. He wouldn't let me get too programmed. And I wouldn't let him get away with anything but believing in himself and playing with great confidence."
Beilein outlines how amazing Walton played and led the Wolverines during that 2017 conference tourney, particularly after a <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2019/03/07/michigan-basketball-plane-crash/3095406002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frightening plane crash prior to takeoff on the way to Washington D.C</a>.
"That should tell you everything you need to know about Derrick Walton. He's helping others get off the plane before he dove out the window and cut his knee (and got six stitches). And then, to get up the next day and lead us for four days of incredible basketball. [Everybody needs to see] how special he was for those four days," Beilein said.
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"So there's times when leadership is taken for granted. That one was not what it was &mdash; like, so needed, and he knew it. And he stepped up. He was the best guard in the country for those four days without question. He did the same thing to Louisville, to Donovan Mitchell and people like this. We're playing [against] Louisville; [Walton] commanded that whole game, Oklahoma State, same thing. And then, we lost with real adversity at the buzzer with Oregon in the Sweet 16, so he put on a show there. That was incredible. And he's capable of doing that. He's so unselfish that he'll pass up shots that he can make. But everybody loves coaching him. I know Coach [Dwane] Casey loved coaching him. We won a game or two with him as our point guard last year."
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Now, Walton is poised to hang another in Sydney with a squad looking for back-to-back NBL titles. Despite the new challenge, Walton is not worried about transitioning into a new league. He feels at this point of his career that he can get along with anybody when he makes the move to the Land Down Under.
&ldquo;It's all about me just sitting and getting around the guys for probably days at a time. I'm an easy-going guy, man,&rdquo; Walton said. &ldquo;I'm a point guard first, I'm good with people. I'm not really too nervous about adjusting. It's just more so just trying to get down everyday life quick. It's not really a huge adjustment, just a different scenery for me I would just say."
(That change of environment also includes Australia&rsquo;s large habitat of snakes, to which Walton will have to reluctantly get used to: &ldquo;Wait what? They need to keep that away from me! Don&rsquo;t put me near no snakes! Hell nah!&rdquo;)
With so many players going to and from the NBL, Walton is eager to be the next transfer that makes a big impact.
&ldquo;I'm a winner man. I put winning before all,&rdquo; Walton said. &ldquo;I want to win. I want to be a part of winning. I want to be a pivotal part of winning. And I feel like everything else will take care of itself. Individual goals fall in line with winning for me honestly...
&ldquo;... Some situations like this one (that) presents itself, you just can't turn down. So it's like, everybody's situation is different and then, the basketball (competition level) being what it is always makes it better. But I think it's a good combination of both for me."

Spencer Davies speaks with Derrick Walton about the motivation behind his decision to head overseas to the NBL and more.

Wanting to be valued, Derrick Walton Jr. makes no-brainer move to NBL

Depending on your mood, the 2022-23 campaign might feel like another ho-hum year for the Washington Wizards.
Last season, Washington faded to a 35-47 record after starting 10-3, and finished under .500 for the fourth season in a row. The Wizards have ultimately returned to a state of mediocrity, which defines a franchise that has surpassed 45 wins just twice since 1978-79.
So far, the team has not made a serious move to launch itself out of the Eastern Conference's bottom rungs. In the 2022 NBA Draft, the Wizards selected Wisconsin's Johnny Davis at No. 10 overall to provide a long-term solution in the backcourt. They also made one minor trade <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-reaction-4-player-denver-nuggets-washington-wizards-swap-monte-morris-kentavious-caldwell-pope-will-barton-ish-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I liked</a> that added Monte Morris and Will Barton to the mix, and they're reportedly in on the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes at some level according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Unless a Mitchell trade materializes, though, we've likely seen the major moves from Washington already. This means the franchise is relying on second-year head coach Wes Unseld Jr. and a young core to keep pace in the constantly improving East.
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Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija didn't light the world on fire in 2021-22. That said, the former No. 9 draft picks are two of the leaders in Washington's prospect group, and, despite rocky seasons, they showcased the small jumps that fans should be hoping for.
Hachimura played just 42 games last season and didn't make his season debut until Jan. 9 after a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/01/14/rui-hachimura-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mysterious off-court absence</a>. While we can piece together that it was due to personal reasons, Hachimura never detailed the issues and the Wizards respected his privacy. Ultimately, the fact that he felt comfortable enough to return to play is a victory for Hachimura, and we can hope he's in a better, happier place in his life.
That absence places Hachimura's abbreviated season into some context. He logged a career-low 22.5 minutes per game and started just 13 contests, with Washington going 16-26 in his appearances. As winter turned to spring (and the Wizards fell out of contention), his playing time increased to 30.5 minutes per game in six April matchups.
In his short season, Hachimura gave us a revelation in the form of a scorching 44.7% clip from three-point range &mdash; nearly a 12% leap from 2020-21.
Those shots, quite frankly, were not difficult. Hachimura was often left alone in transition to spot up, and rarely faced hard closeouts from defenders. They dared him to make threes, and Hachimura did. Nearly all of his long-range came from a standstill; 117 of his 123 attempts did not require a dribble. But Hachimura also looked confident shooting it. He didn't need to gather himself or fake a jab step.
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Hachimura was able to knock down some off-balance shots where he had to rush. He was also featured in rare two-man actions with guys like Avdija (see the third clip).
It's absolutely fair to question if Hachimura's efficiency is repeatable. Free-throw percentage can be another indicator of shooting potential, and he shot just 69.7% from the charity stripe in 2021-22. I wouldn't expect another mid-40s year from distance, but if Hachimura is even hovering around the upper 30s, that's significant for his offensive impact.
When he attacks a closeout, Hachimura likes to pull up for the long two-pointer. It's an undesirable shot in general that he didn't perform well with last season (35%, per Cleaning the Glass), and it's a poor way to use his power as a driver.
Hachimura finished 75% of his at-rim attempts last season, in the 98th percentile among forwards. A solid chunk of those makes was off of cuts and transition finishes, but approximately 46% were unassisted.
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Hachimura isn't a speedster or leaper; he makes up for it with a stoic frame and impressive balance. Hachimura can accelerate to the rim and simply shrug off opposing defenders, and has even shown the ability to finish high, as exemplified in the above drive against Christian Wood. He can beat the slow-footed switching or drop bigs of the league and bully the smaller mismatches.&nbsp;
This should be the roadmap for Hachimura right now. If he can reach a consistent, threatening perimeter presence and pair that with an imposing driving game, he'll be a weapon as a complementary scorer who can bend defenses. Hachimura offers little as a passer, but, fortunately, he has a prospect partner who can make up the gap.
Avdija played all 82 games in his second season, and though he only started eight times, he had more of an entrenched role in the Wizards' rotation. His fit is almost a polar opposite from his fellow ninth pick in Hachimura.
Avdija's box score numbers and assist rates don't jump off the page, but he graded out extremely well in BBall Index's Passing Versatility (99th percentile) and Passing Creation Quality (92nd percentile) metrics. I'd like to focus on the first one, which aims to diagnose NBA players who have different levels of passes in their arsenal.
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Here's a highlight clip chock-full of Avdija's different passing reads this season. He's perusing in the pick-and-roll, whipping passes to the weak side, curling around screens and kicking out, or driving and dumping off. The vision, creativity and dexterity are apparent. Avdija sometimes gets too ambitious, leading to turnovers, but for a young player, that's not a problem as he continues to acclimate to the league.
And the playmaking potential isn't even the signature skill with Avdija right now. As Stephen Cagan (a.k.a. NBA University) says, Avdija is a K.B.I.F. king:
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Watching 21yo Deni Avdija&hellip;he is absolute clamps. In these clips he locks down KD, Harden, Giannis, and Ja. Incredible versatility, physicality (fouls too much), and anticipatory lateral movement. He&rsquo;s a K.B.I.F.&mdash;keep ball in front&mdash;king! Interested to see his upward trajectory. <a href="https://t.co/ww9OtkM7xd">pic.twitter.com/ww9OtkM7xd</a>
&mdash; NBA University (@NBA_University) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA_University/status/1550118209272946689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Avdija is 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds with a strong base and quick feet and hips. He spent over 20% of the time guarding players in BBall Index's top tier of usage. Avdija graded out in the 88th percentile for the database's Matchup Difficulty metric, 98th percentile in Positional Versatility and 94th percentile in Role Versatility. Washington placed a ton of responsibility on the shoulders of a second-year forward, and for the most part, Avdija lived up to the task. He's also one of the better defensive rebounders in the league at his position.
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It's easy to look at Avdija and Hachimura and wonder how they fit long-term in a wing/forward group that includes Kyle Kuzma, Will Barton and 2021 No. 15 pick Corey Kispert. The two young guns still need to turn the flashes into substantive production. Avdija has to find a niche as a scorer, and Hachimura needs to exhibit some connective passing and defensive chops.&nbsp;
But both players seem to be flying under the radar in the general discourse around prospects. Hachimura is further along in the timeline at age-24, but gets somewhat of a fresh start after his challenging third season. Avdija will still be just 21 years old on opening night.&nbsp;
These two young forwards are worthy pieces to build with in their unique ways, and should make the Wizards one of the underrated fun teams to watch next season.&nbsp;

Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija both took steps forward as key pieces to the Wizards' young core.

Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija are quietly giving the Wizards hope

Those who follow NBA Summer League embrace it for two reasons. Number one, it's a chance to revel in the next generation of basketball talent and establish a baseline for players as they develop. Secondly, it's just a wacky event.
We got sudden-death double overtime in Saturday's matchup between the Sacramento Kings and Orlando Magic, complete with a timeout call to run a set, an extended replay review and a chaotic final basket. The Thomas &amp; Mack Center turned into a playoff environment for a result roughly 2% of the attendees will remember a year from now.&nbsp;
But hey, le's enjoy the weird! Here are some of my standout picks from Day 3 action, including three players from the aformentioned Magic-Kings battle.
STUDS
Isaiah Joe, Philadelphia 76ers
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Isaiah Joe just went on a 9-0 run by himself. 🔥 (🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a>)<a href="https://t.co/e9UZJ8PAh4">pic.twitter.com/e9UZJ8PAh4</a>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1545874009996288000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 24 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 8/14 FG, 7/9 3PT
Joe unleashed an electric shot-making performance. He was constantly moving with and without the ball, flying around screens for three-pointers and slashing to the bucket as a cutter. But Joe also dazzled as a lead playmaker. He took Ron Harper Jr. off the dribble on one play and stopped on a dime for a pull-up from the left elbow.
We knew Joe was a scorer though. He further wowed me with how he defended, even forcing a jump ball when Toronto Raptors rookie center Christian Koloko tried to back him down on the low block. Joe entered the league at 165 pounds, and there's absolutely no way he's close to that now. The 2020 second-round pick looks and plays stronger than he did two years ago, and that might help him crack the 76ers' rotation.
Dalano Banton, Toronto Raptors
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Delano Banton beats the buzzer from 3 🎯 Watch Live on <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBATV</a> <a href="https://t.co/q77xfegBFc">pic.twitter.com/q77xfegBFc</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1545875403176296450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 6/11 FG, 2/3 3PT, 7/9 FT
Armoni Brooks led the Raptors in scoring and surged late in the game, but Banton impressed me most Saturday. Banton scored 14 points in the third quarter alone, as Toronto pulled away in a great game against the 76ers. The 6-foot-9 point guard had a couple of impressive takes to the basket and appeared more comfortable shooting beyond the arc after making just 25.5% of his threes in the regular season.
Banton also impressed me with his passing, and consistently applied pressure as the lead guard. On one possession, he drove into the paint, stopped, pivoted and hit Koloko on a wraparound bounce pass for an easy layup. He did have 7 turnovers, but Banton committed a few just because he was a bit too ambitious with his reads, which doesn't have to be a bad thing at Summer League.
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
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My favorite play from Paolo Banchero today. Cross court laser beam right on target <a href="https://t.co/cUkYpWUtX0">pic.twitter.com/cUkYpWUtX0</a>
&mdash; Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinOConnorNBA/status/1545901796719075328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 6/15 FG
The No. 1 overall pick continues to turn heads. Banchero's passes, including the above video, were off the charts against the Kings. He kicked the ball out to the corners, made weak-side reads and threw a no-look dime to a backdoor-cutting Devin Cannady.&nbsp;
Banchero was also notably active defensively for a player with question-marks on that end during the pre-draft process. He picked up two monster help-defense blocks, one of which saved Orlando from a Kings dunk to end sudden-death overtime. It feels like Banchero gives Magic fans an element to get excited about every game.
Neemias Queta, Sacramento Kings
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Neemias Queta quick rotation to provide help and blocks the shot! <a href="https://t.co/LbP6NFWPR1">pic.twitter.com/LbP6NFWPR1</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1545865098476109831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 8/12 FG, 1/1 3PT
The No. 39 pick from the 2021 NBA Draft made his case for a full contract after playing on a two-way deal as a rookie. At 7 feet tall and 245 pounds, Queta feasted against the smaller Magic frontcourt. He found success as a roll man and lob threat, and threw in a couple of putbacks. Queta attempted two threes all last season across the NBA and G League, so I understand the surprise when he canned a huge shot as part of Sacramento's miraculous comeback.&nbsp;
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
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Mark Jones calling a Keegan Murray game-tying 3 like it&rsquo;s Game 7 of the finals: <a href="https://t.co/SajPPrL4OO">pic.twitter.com/SajPPrL4OO</a>
&mdash; Eli Hershkovich (@EliHershkovich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliHershkovich/status/1545894844756856837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/11 FG, 4/8 3PT
Murray is&nbsp;here as a shooter. His perimeter game looks so effortless, and he hit shots from a standstill and off movement over the contests of players like Banchero. Murray can square up to the basket so easily as he turns into a jump shot, and everything about his release is clean and consistent.
His other make came when he attacked a closeout and hit a pull-up from the free-throw line. I'd like to see if Murray can get to the rim more, but the Kings have used him mostly as a movement weapon, so he hasn't received many on-ball opportunities. Hopefully he gets some more reps as Summer League continues. Murray also had a pretty tough individual matchup against a bigger, stronger Banchero.
Tari Eason, Houston Rockets
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From defense to offense, Jabari rips the ball from Chet which leads to a Tari Eason dunk 😮&zwj;💨 [F] <a href="https://t.co/xZo05Fnpsp">pic.twitter.com/xZo05Fnpsp</a>
&mdash; Courtside Fracas (@courtsidefracas) <a href="https://twitter.com/courtsidefracas/status/1545951348012769280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 5/10 FG, 1/3 3PT
You could pick several Rockets players to highlight, including Josh Christopher and Daishen Nix. I want to spotlight Eason because he's been relentless on the glass, with double-digit boards in his last two games. The two steals and one block also understate how special of a defender he has been so far, both on the ball and in help.&nbsp;
On offense, we saw Eason thrive as a cutter and roller. He also knocked down a three-pointer, which is a major swing skill for his overall offensive impact. If Eason can hit threes at a manageable clip, he'll become an even more dangerous off-ball weapon.
Other notable performers: Armoni Brooks (Raptors), Jeff Dowtin Jr. (Raptors), Trendon Watford (Trail Blazers), Mychal Mulder (Heat), Marcus Garrett (Heat), Kenny Lofton Jr. (Grizzlies), Josh Christopher (Rockets), Daishen Nix (Rockets), Brandon Boston Jr. (Clippers), Isaiah Livers (Pistons), Jared Butler (Jazz), Jordan Schakel (Wizards), Trey Murphy III (Hornets)
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DUDS
Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
Box score stats: 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2/12 FG, 1/9 3PT
Hauser signed a three-year deal with the Celtics after joining them on a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent last season. This wasn't an inspiring first effort under his new contract, as the second-year forward struggled against a Miami Heat defense that was prepared for his usage. Hauser couldn't consistently generate separation, and battled several strong contests.
I would chalk this up to successful Miami stoppage more than Hauser's own failures, but it's worth monitoring the looks he receives (and how he shoots them) moving forward.
Sharife Cooper, Atlanta Hawks
Box score stats: 3 points, 2 assists, 1/6 FG, 0/4 3PT
Cooper was a game-time decision for Saturday's contest and only played 18 minutes, so it's possible he was dealing with rust from an ailment. The 2021 second-round pick missed all of his three-point attempts. He showed improvement with a 35.9% clip in the G League last season, but Cooper isn't out of the woods on that shot being a valid concern.&nbsp;
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The point guard was also a non-threat at the rim, missing one shot badly and barely getting into the paint against a tough Utah Jazz defense. If there's an positive takeaway, Cooper put together some stronger defensive moments himself. But it was an underwhelming day for a young player with a real shot at claiming backup guard minutes this season.
Johnny Davis, Washington Wizards
Box score stats: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1/11 FG, 0/2 3PT
The No. 10 overall pick made his first shot, a tough fadeaway jumper through contact, and proceeded to miss his next 10. Most of them were just difficult, low-quality looks. Davis wasn't really a threat to pass, and settled for tough fadeaway jumpers, contested pull-ups and far-fetched rim attempts. I admired the physicality, but he just couldn't create anything easy for himself against a Detroit Pistons defense that guarded him tightly.&nbsp;
Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies
Box score stats: 4 points, 8 rebounds, 2/7 FG, 0/2 3PT
Memphis summer head coach David McClure had this to say about Aldama's performance on Saturday:
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David McClure on Santi Aldama: &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s in his head a little bit right now. He&rsquo;s at his best when he&rsquo;s just playing basketball. Maybe he&rsquo;s putting too much pressure on doing one thing or another. When he lets the game come to himself, that&rsquo;s when he&rsquo;s at his best.&rdquo;
&mdash; Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) <a href="https://twitter.com/DamichaelC/status/1545983746158891008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Aldama just looks like he's trying to fit too many roles on offense. His perimeter jumper was kind of a mess against the Los Angeles Clippers. Aldama seems best right now when he can cut and work as a connective passer instead of spacing the floor or running actions. It's just very difficult to envision what that role looks like with him, or how he can get those kinds of extended opportunities with Memphis. I'm still a believer in Aldama, but it's been a rocky road for one of the 2021 draft's most polarizing picks.&nbsp;

Isaiah Joe and Paolo Banchero highlighted the third day of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

10 studs and duds from Day 3 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

We have fireworks, folks!
Our first star trade of the offseason cycle is here, with All-Star guard Dejounte Murray joining fellow stud Trae Young in Atlanta. The Hawks will be sending Danilo Gallinari in the deal but, with all due respect, that isn't the important portion for the San Antonio Spurs. They wanted pick equity and got it. The Hawks are sending three first-round picks &mdash; a protected 2023 pick via the Charlotte Hornets and their own unprotected first-rounders in 2025 and 2027 &mdash; as well as swapping firsts in 2026.
The Spurs' thinking is obvious, even if you disagree with their conclusion.
They want to reset, and moving Murray now was convenient for them. It helps them drop their win total next season ahead of a heralded draft class. On the financial side, moving Murray while he's <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/dejounte-murray-20234/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on a bargain deal</a> &mdash; he's owed roughly $34 million total over the next two seasons &mdash; and ahead of extension talks (technically eligible later this summer) allowed them to flip him at peak value.
As ESPN's <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/1542261543252807680?s=20&amp;t=nadQIBXaw9MWWSp90Ajguw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zach Lowe notes</a>, teams are pretty hesitant to flip deep-in-the-future firsts with no protections at all. It was a compromise the Hawks had to make considering Murray's talent, his contract and their desire to keep pieces like John Collins (bless his heart), De'Andre Hunter or even new draftee AJ Griffin out of the deal.
WHAT HE BRINGS
It's hard not to think about what this deal means for the Hawks' defense, first and foremost.
At his best, Murray is one of the NBA's premier options at the point of attack. His quick hands and limitless wingspan allow him to envelop opposing guards. He's even more of a menace off the ball, as his cornerback-like instincts work in tandem with his physical tools to create turnovers. Lazy passes and loose handles aren't safe when Murray's around.
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Last season, Murray wasn't at his best often &mdash; a natural trade-off to the offensive burden he carried &mdash; and he still&nbsp;managed to lead the NBA in steals (2.0, 138 total) and deflections (4.0, 278 total). It's a testament to the kind of havoc he can cause. In theory, we should see a more consistent version of Demon Dejounte with less responsibility on offense (more on that later).
The beauty of the Hawks' maintaining their core roster pieces in the deal is that Murray is truly an additive. Hunter is still on the roster to pick up tough wing assignments. Now, instead of Kevin Huerter taking on the guard assignments &mdash; and he was mostly fine last year for a guy punching above his weight &mdash; Murray can do it.
Offensively, Murray gives Atlanta some much needed juice as a secondary creator. He did a ton&nbsp;for the Spurs last season, posting career-highs in points (21.1, 20th in the NBA), assists (9.2, fourth), usage rate (27.3) and touches per game (87.5, fourth). His 53.3% True Shooting percentage was also the highest of his career, but it was well below league average (56.6). Murray did his best as The Guy, but he isn't quite on that level.
Playing alongside Young means he doesn't have to be. And for Young, he finally has a teammate who can take some of the creation burden off his plate.
The drop-off between Young and the rest of his teammates last season was stark. Young wasn't just the only player on the roster who could create for himself and others at a high level, he was the only guy who could get two feet in the paint on a consistent basis &mdash; or even tried to.&nbsp;
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Consider this: Young led the Hawks, and ranked <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CF=GP*GE*58" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth in the NBA among qualified players</a>, with 17.3 drives per game. Bogdan Bogdanovic was second on the team at 6.5. Young took 300 shots at the rim during the regular season; Hunter (146), Bogdanovic (105) and Huerter (101) took 352 combined.
Murray attacked the basket (17.9 drives) and took more shots at the rim (306) than Young did last season. His ability to do that should make life easier on Young, and allow him to play off the ball.
When I say that, or when anyone says that, don't assume Young will start flying off of staggers or <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">setting screens like he's Stephen Curry</a>. It would be a welcome change, and Young has the skill set to do it, but that shouldn't be the expectation. Think smaller than that.
The Hawks didn't get much as you'd think out of Young being used as a spacer. Part of that is Young not doing the whole relocating thing &mdash; that's on him, and it's something he needs to commit to. But the other part is on the roster context, and that brings us back to the rim pressure issue. Who, among the Hawks' cast, could get into the paint and force rotations and create catch-and-shoot opportunities for Young?
Murray should help with that.
QUESTION MARKS
Murray should help the Hawks on offense, but that doesn't mean the fit will be seamless.&nbsp;
He shouldn't have the ball in his hands all the time, but the off-ball reps could get iffy. Murray has gotten more comfortable firing from deep, but he isn't particularly good at it. He shot just 32.7% from deep last season, including a 34.5% clip on catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Teams will help off of Murray when he doesn't have it. He'll have to prove that he can take advantage of the gaps he'll see, either by cashing home more jumpers or by chewing up that space with drives.
It wasn't pretty last season. Murray generated 0.96 points per possession when facing a closeout, 128th among 142 players to face at least 350 closeouts, per Second Spectrum. Some of that is the shaky jumper, but there's also a level of conservation in his game. It explains his sterling assist-to-turnover ratio for a guy with his usage, but the lack of decisiveness can stall out possessions.
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He can't be a shaky shooter&nbsp;and&nbsp;a hold-and-scan guy, especially alongside Young. Having a true No. 1 option to knock Murray down in the hierarchy should be a good thing, but only if he's able to capitalize on those openings.
Even on the ball, I'd argue there's room for him to turn up the aggression. It's telling that a guy who had that many touches, ran as many ball-screens as he did and racked up as many assists as he did only logged 99 skip passes all year long, per Second Spectrum. That ranked 37th in the league. And of 62 players to throw at least 75 skips, only four players have a shorter average pass distance than Murray.
In less nerdy terms: Stashing Young on the weak side will only have as much juice as Murray allows it to. Dial it up, young man!
Overall, it's hard not to like this for the Hawks. They went into the summer hoping to get a second star alongside Young, and they did it. It's not the perfect fit, but you can't always choose the star you want. Luckily, time is on their side. Young and Murray will be 24 and 26 respectively when the season starts. There's room for them to grow into one of the most dynamic pairings in the league.
I'd argue they're starting from a good place already.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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After Wednesday's trade, Nekias Duncan examines Dejounte Murray's fit on the Hawks.

NBA trade reaction: Analyzing Dejounte Murray's fit with the Hawks

What happens is the crux of any conversation. Results spur on ideology and conjecture. Wins, losses, box scores and stat lines invite slander and celebration.
Why?&nbsp;
Results are important for measuring goals, gauging success and resetting priorities or strategies. Why those results occur is what I find fascinating.&nbsp;
The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics have been difficult to parse through, akin to a redux of the 2004 series between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. Only four of the players who played 10 minutes per game or more in that series shot 40% or better from the floor.&nbsp;
A series defined by restrained offense and amplified defense is rooted in the why. Yes, both the Heat and Celtics have exchanged slogging moments. Turnovers have been in abundance. There have been many free throws, as the physicality is ratcheted up to the 10th degree.
The Heat&rsquo;s offense is predicated on movement, screening, handoffs and maximizing their pressure points through shooting gravity to open up looks with their collective passing and intuitive play. Miami was 14th in the league in three-point attempts per game, but first in three-point percentage (37.9%). What made them more impressive was how those shots got off.&nbsp;
The Heat are chock-full of movement shooters with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry all capable of hitting shots off of a variety of movements and even self-created with their handles to varying degrees. Miami shot 42.9% from deep in Game 6, a far cry from the 29.2% (52/178) over the previous five games. Jimmy Butler hit four shots from distance after only hitting two all series. Tough shots fell in volume.&nbsp;
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To equate Miami&rsquo;s victory and invigorated offense strictly to shot variance would be unfair. Miami has thrived on those tough threes off movement or pull-ups all season, but they haven&rsquo;t hit the same. It&rsquo;s difficult to project another game like last night for Miami&rsquo;s shot-making, although one game throws sample size to the wind. Again, the why is so crucial here.&nbsp;
Miami&rsquo;s offense has been stuck in the mud much of the series as our own Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-heat-have-a-bigbig-problem-on-their-hands">recently wrote</a>. Boston&rsquo;s bigs have stifled the Heat in the paint and through their ability to toggle between the paint and perimeter. Stopping shots at the second and third level has been a large reason for Boston&rsquo;s defensive success. Miami,&nbsp; 27th in rim frequency during the regular season per Cleaning the Glass, is dependent on their ability to attack the gaps created by their shooting gravity.&nbsp;
They&rsquo;ve been constricted by their own shot profile at times this series, but mainly due to how Boston has been able shut off the release valves. Most of Miami&rsquo;s aforementioned premier spacing core, particularly the shooters off screens, has struggled throughout the series. We know the shots haven&rsquo;t fallen, but it&rsquo;s not simply a collective slump. Boston&rsquo;s defense as a whole has been swarming, but why have Miami&rsquo;s movement shooters struggled the most?
Through the lens of the Eastern Conference Finals and the league at large, few players epitomize the why quite like Derrick White. The results haven&rsquo;t always been there for White during the playoffs, although the post-baby bump has been real (congrats again to Derrick and his family).&nbsp;
Yet, so often when watching White, whether with the Spurs or Celtics, the why is consistently there. The consistency in process matters so much more than the consistency in production. That sounds counterintuitive, but it&rsquo;s strikingly true in basketball. There&rsquo;s a line in the sand that wavers among the grains, and White often has crossed the line in spite of his production simply due to his persistent process.
White has routinely neutralized Miami&rsquo;s release valves and shut off the water entirely for stretches. It&rsquo;s been like watching a naturally-rich land dry up after a dam is built up stream. That dam is Derrick White, and the Heat have employed any number and variety of players to try to take White out of the picture to free up shooters.
This play from Game 5 stood out.
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Notice the quick flip and pushoff from P.J. Tucker in a screening action that was masked with Oladipo setting up as a second screener. White immediately takes Oladipo, and Horford takes Tucker after Jaylen Brown switches onto Duncan Robinson. Brown navigates the screen well enough for the action to die out, and would you look at that... Derrick White still makes a play on the back side.
Already four games and roughly 10 minutes into the series, the Heat are throwing the kitchen sink at an off-ball chaser to free up their shooters. Whatever it takes to force switches, including some semi-illegal&nbsp; screens. Again, why?
Well, White immediately made his presence felt on Max Strus.
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He always shifts his body, scans the floor constantly, and his slight movements are impeccable. So often, chasers get beat off the ball because of too big a stride or a wrong step. White rarely crosses his feet up, and he can appear choppy at times, but it's because he's always on his toes, minimizing space given and maximizing his margins for error. Even with the majority of hard screens, White is making his recovery plays and finding his way back into the picture.
If he does get beat when running a shooter off the line, he's one of the best in the league with backtaps and strips.
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Press up that hard on a shooter, and the opposing team will try to use that against you as a pressure point. Lo and behold, Erik Spoelstra dialed up just that, using Duncan Robinson as a screener with White stapled to him, hoping to cause an error on the perimeter.
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White shoots that gap absurdly well. Not just well, like Julius Peppers is smiling somewhere watching that. White dips his shoulder back around Bam Adebayo's screen and is back in front of Herro by the free throw line. It's a ridiculous possession.
To say Max Strus hasn't had a fun series would be an understatement. Watch the way White starts to angle himself, immediately prepping to lock and trail as soon as he knew the movement was en route.
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White seemingly always has at least one hand on the man he's trailing, making it that much harder to gain separation.&nbsp;
This play is a pinnacle "What else am I supposed to do?" moment. Strus hits White with a swim move, sends him careening into the Tucker screen, and Tucker thuds White. So clearly, Strus should be open, right? Right?
Once again, White comes flying around the screen and reattaches to Strus' hip without being overly physical or fouling, funneling him into the looming Horford.
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That consistency has been unreal. While White isn&rsquo;t necessarily the player finishing possessions defensively (although he still forces his fair share of turnovers), the quietness is what stands out.&nbsp;
White&rsquo;s giving his best Darrelle Revis impression, shutting off options, isolated against the best deep threats in the game. You see Jimmy Butler struggling to find an opening, wading in the mid-range, but the why? Max Strus can&rsquo;t get separation. White&rsquo;s been glued to Duncan Robinson. Gabe Vincent is always seeing a rear contest on pull-up twos. Nothing is coming easy for Miami.&nbsp;
Derrick White has put on a masterclass of screen shedding and route mirroring. His off-ball defense and ability to make things difficult always&nbsp;is a large reason for why Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and I had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/defensive-awards-and-a-celebration-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White making an All-Defense team</a>. It's not hyperbole to say that White is among the most consistent defensive players in basketball, something that tends to go underappreciated. Regardless of whether or not the Celtics win Game 7 tomorrow and make their first NBA Finals since 2010, Derrick White's consistent ability to make things difficult deserves shine.

Derrick White has put on a defensive masterclass during the Conference Finals, shutting down Miami's shooters.

Derrick White: Eliminating release valves and shutting off the water

Mikal Bridges flying under the radar isn't a new development.&nbsp;
He's typically the fourth name you think about when it comes to these Suns. His defensive prowess may still be undersold; it remains baffling that he's on track to make his first&nbsp;All-Defensive team this season. We gotta watch more games, folks.
His Game 4 showing, however, was one of the rare times that his quiet nature was objectively a bad thing. With Chris Paul being pressed into oblivion, more was needed from the perimeter options. It would've been nice to see Bridges step up in the moment, especially since his defense &mdash; primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum &mdash; was well below his usual level. You can't have the off night defensively and&nbsp;score 8 points in the same outing.
To Bridges' credit, he completely flipped the script in Game 5. His defense was otherworldly: insane screen navigation, timely help, strong contests and 5 stocks (4 blocks and a steal) to boot. NBA.com's tracking data had Ingram and McCollum shooting a combined 2 of 15 &mdash; 2 of freakin' 15! &mdash; when defended by Bridges.&nbsp;
But then, there was the offense. A playoff career-high 31 points while knocking down all four of his threes, and converting 8 of 13 (61.5%) shots inside the arc.
That kind of two-way dominance is impressive enough, but doing so while playing all but [checks notes] one minute and six seconds is phenomenal stuff. There are players with the "iron man" tag, and then there's Mikal Bridges. Dude doesn't miss games &mdash; no, he literally hasn't missed one in his career &mdash; and can scale up the minutes when necessary.
Baller.&nbsp;
The scoring from Bridges was fun to track because the Pelicans clearly couldn't track him. There were on-ball reps sprinkled in from Bridges, and you'll see some clips of them, but Tuesday night's showing was a masterclass in staying light on your feet &mdash; reading the floor, moving with your teammates and sliding into spaces that defenders have either vacated or simply can't get to.
He was a moving target.
Take Bridges' second bucket for example.&nbsp;
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Bridges has been doing that all year &mdash; listen to <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Jones Jr.</a>, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listen to The Dunker Spot</a>, folks.
After forcing a miss, the ball finds Aaron Holiday, who pushes down the right side of the floor and is tasked with attacking or setting up an early offense look. Bridges steps up for a screen, then slips that sucker. McCollum does his best to rotate down from the opposite corner, but there's only so much he can do with the size difference.
In the half-court, Bridges is one of the NBA's deadliest players from the corner. He's a darn good shooter &mdash; he's converted roughly 42% of his corner threes over the past three seasons &mdash; but he's also an instinctual mover. 
He knows when to slide down into the corner to stress a help defender, like here:
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Herb Jones is one of the best defenders in the sport already. The Pelicans trust him with tough on-ball assignments, but he's also a menace off the ball. His combination of length and awareness allows him to be two places at once sometimes. Bridges burns him here, though, sliding deeper into the corner at the same time that Jones provides help on the drive.
Bridges can also backdoor you if your attention is elsewhere. Ingram found that out the hard way.
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And then, there are the lifts from the corner. It's a weapon to complement a pick-and-roll when Bridges is isolated on a side. In theory, that puts his defender in a pick-your-poison situation: Do I tag the roller and leave Bridges open for a shot, or do I stay home and allow the big man to rumble into an open lane?
It's a tough choice, and Bridges compounds that with his growing ability to create off the bounce. You're not guaranteed to shut him down if you take away a three-point opportunity anymore.&nbsp;
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Bridges is isolated on the right side, putting Ingram in that pick-your-poison spot. But with Paul snaking the screen, Bridges stays home. Jones does a great job of sticking with Paul and forcing the retreat, but there's Bridges running into a handoff and flowing right into an elbow middy.
If that isn't annoying enough to account for, Bridges can also lift to the wing&nbsp;then&nbsp;backdoor you when necessary.&nbsp;
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That's a fun cat-and-mouse game between Paul, Jose Alvarado, and Larry Nance Jr. to kick things off. But look at the strain Bridges puts on Ingram.
Bridges lifts to the right wing around the same time that Deandre Ayton slips to the free throw area. Then, he begins his cut as soon as Ayton catches the ball.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_04_27_19_46_57_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
Ingram thinks Bridges is still at the wing, so he jumps towards that area when Ayton begins to survey the floor. Bridges is... not in that area anymore.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_04_27_19_48_22_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
I'm cracking up, man.
There may not be 31 points for Bridges every night, but it also doesn't have to be that way. His level of activity and aggression was a much-needed boost to the Suns' offense. They'll need it in Game 6 and beyond.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the career night of Mikal Bridges for the Suns in Game 5.

Mikal Bridges is the Suns' moving target

A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
&ldquo;I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,&rdquo; Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>.
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis&rsquo; playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed.
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team.
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m focused on us,&rdquo; the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It&rsquo;s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.&rdquo;
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket.
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV.
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his &ldquo;elite level&rdquo; ballhandling skills.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need at this level,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I&rsquo;m trying to follow him at times to see what&rsquo;s coming next but when he does something I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Here we go!&rsquo; This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that&rsquo;s going to definitely surprise me.&rdquo;
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ.
&ldquo;His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he&rsquo;s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,&rdquo; Mosley said. "He&rsquo;s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.&rdquo;
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside.
&ldquo;He does a fantastic job going to his left,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s either, if he&rsquo;s on the right side, he&rsquo;s going to snake it or if he&rsquo;s on the left side, he&rsquo;s going downhill and doing what he does.&rdquo;
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so quick,&rdquo; McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He&rsquo;s a great player, and we&rsquo;ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we&rsquo;re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we&rsquo;re great.&rdquo;
___
AP Freelance Writer Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.

Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota. Not that the opponent matters to Ja Morant.

Healthy Ja Morant has Grizzlies thinking deep postseason run

The 2021-22 season is entering the homestretch, with roughly 20 games to go per team and the playoffs slated to start in less than two months (What?!).
Maybe it's just from the extended break, but the last few weeks have felt particularly rife with frustration and criticism from all parties in the league. It's important, for instance, to be critical, think in-depth and discuss the ins and outs of award voting. That's part of the media job and part of talking about the NBA! However, I've felt routinely bogged down by some of the discussions lately.
When it comes down to it, I just want to enjoy the league, get myself down into the minutiae, bask in the fleeting moments of this season and appreciate some of the things that have consistently brought a smile to my face or warmth to my heart this season.
So, without further ado, here are some things I've really enjoyed throughout the season that I want to give some shine!
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Isaac Okoro's quiet assertion
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the darlings of the NBA this season, stunning the majority of analysts and league personnel with their stellar play. Evan Mobley is going to be a star. Jarrett Allen rightfully earned an All-Star nod after some massive improvements across the board. Darius Garland stirs the drank like few in the league. Kevin Love has a claim to Sixth Man of the Year!
This team just jibes in so many ways. They've kept their heads above water through rough stretches with injury and difficult patches in their schedule. A good team!
Isaac Okoro, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft, does not grab the headlines. His box score is roughly the same as last season.
Yet he is central to what the Cavs do. He papers over so much for Cleveland in a way that isn't always palpable, but when he's not on court, it's just kind of like "ohhh ok, I get it now."
Okoro isn't treated like a shooter, and rightfully so &mdash; he's shooting 30.2% from deep in his young career. Earlier in the season, he tried to gun his way through it at times, hoisting up open threes. At other times, he'd immediately drive an open look from the perimeter towards the rim. The balance never felt right. However, in 2022, he seems to have found that groove &mdash; becoming more comfortable toggling between driving and keeping defenses guessing. He's hitting 33% of his threes in 2022, on slightly over two per game. For where he's at right now, it's good enough.
To supplement that, he's been incredibly assertive as an off-ball player, timing cuts well when the defense helps off of him.
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He's a menace floating baseline, either off 45 cuts when the nail defender ball-watches, or flying in from the key to snag offensive rebounds.
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Isaac Okoro is so good at just being in the right place at the right time. He's really found his place in Cleveland's offense in spite of some limitations he has rn Quick screens, floating baseline, connective passing, a better balance in taking shots <a href="https://t.co/73ppW8SDoS">pic.twitter.com/73ppW8SDoS</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1497303529022763014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Okoro has such a great nose for the ball. He never seems to pause once the ball goes into action, and uses that advantageous extra split-second against the defense.
He's pushed the issue more in transition off of defensive rebounds to bring a different dynamic to the Cavs' offense (21st in transition frequency per Cleaning the Glass) and self-create easier baskets.
He's found ways to meaningfully impact winning as a second-year player in a way that most upper lottery picks aren't asked to do so early. I don't know what to think about his trajectory (a future article!), but it's clear that right now he's a vital cog in Cleveland's present and future. The playoffs will be a huge test for him and the Cavaliers, but I see it going well for him, as a guy who just makes it work.
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Dallas' rotation players
I really didn't enjoy watching the Dallas Mavericks play early in the season. I found their offense pretty drab, the defense was blah, and execution all-around felt off.
I was way too unfair and overly critical. Jason Kidd has really impressed me this season &mdash; the Mavs are a top notch defensive unit, and Luka continues to be one of the brightest stars in basketball. Jalen Brunson has taken another step and remains an absolute joy with his footwork and craft.
Often, it seems as though that's where the conversation ends (especially with Kristaps Porzingis now gone), and that's a shame!
Dallas does lack a true second star, but man, they have some incredibly effective and endearing role players &mdash; Dorian Finney-Smith is having a fantastic season! He's a very solid defender, both on and off the ball, but I've been more impressed with his offensive growth this season.
When he came out of Florida, he was a relatively shaky shooter and didn't shoot around league average until his fourth NBA season (38.1% on around 5 per game over the last three seasons). He started to put together more drives last season, attacking off the catch. Possessions could occasionally die if he was closed out on and then forced to put the ball on the deck.
Not the case anymore!&nbsp;
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He can hit the corner if the tagger comes, or find the dunker spot if the defender steps up. He's not going to ignite the offense, but he can keep it circulating.
Meanwhile, Maxi Kleber is always a delight as a defensive player &mdash; probably the best individual defender on the Mavs and a fringe All-Defense candidate.
He just defends everyone,&nbsp;and he does it with conviction. Per Basketball Index, he rates in the top 5% of their defensive role versatility metric and top 7% in positional versatility, a testament to his utility.
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He possesses great lateral quickness for his size, but his timing stands out even more. Kleber is adept at contesting shots, disrupting windows with gumption. He's solid on rotations and as a help side shot-blocker.
Jason Kidd has utilized Josh Green as a screener and more of a turnkey in the team's offense, letting him thrive on the margins rather than forcing him into a smaller role as a theoretical spacer just for the sake of theoretical spacing. He's brought a vertical element the team really lacks and his rugby background pops with his physicality. Small screeners can still screen effectively, and Green is living proof!
He has good court vision and ability to get off passes on the short-roll. He has decent touch on floaters, and while his jumpshot is mostly a pipe dream at the moment, I see the vision. Buy Green stock!
Dwight Powell has found some of the lift he lost and has been more serviceable in Dallas' revamped defensive system.&nbsp;
Reggie Bullock is such a quality defender and, after one of the worst shooting slumps I've witnessed in some time, he's shot 43% from deep in 2022.
The Mavs are certainly built around Luka Doncic, but the players around him are more than they tend to get credit for.
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Oshae Brissett: Off-ball savant
There are few players in the league I enjoy watching operate more than Oshae Brissett of the Indiana Pacers.
This one play may be the best 14 second summarization you'll ever find of a player.
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Brissett is a tremendous opportunistic scorer, always opening himself up to easy looks and as an outlet for teammates (The Haliburton-Brissett combo is ENTICING).&nbsp;
He times the cut as soon as help is committed, but Patrick Beverley makes a late rotation and recovers to tip the ball.
But wait, there's more!
Brissett tosses himself out of bounds to secure the ball and throw a mid-air pass back to Buddy Hield, who's wide open in the corner. Many a player makes this play and then floats under the rim, but Oshae immediately relocates to the corner.
The ball keeps moving around the perimeter. Swing-swing, and Oshae hits a wide-open three on a possession that wouldn't have already been over if he hadn't made an extra effort.
Keep him in mind when thinking about Indiana's future.
An appreciation of facial wear
Lu Dort is already one of the most revered point of attack defenders in basketball. Add on the mask and I'd like to think he gets a +4 to all defensive attributes, like when you put on new armor in a Bethesda game.
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Dort can never take the mask off ever again man, this is freakin sick <a href="https://t.co/08zAiZA3IA">pic.twitter.com/08zAiZA3IA</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1491090347380060160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Wendell Carter Jr. donned the goggles and hasn't looked back, ascending like the hybrid combo big that was promised.
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&ldquo;I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING! The shadows betray you, because they belong to me!&rdquo; Wendell is now the chief member of goggle gang. <a href="https://t.co/YEVXzmOUYt">pic.twitter.com/YEVXzmOUYt</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1460616373558812676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Reggie Jackson: Starting point guard
I don't care what his true-shooting percentage is, he has literally never missed a jumper when he has glasses on.
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Pretty sure Reggie Jackson knew he wasn't gonna miss the game-winner 🚨 Clippers foil the Lakers comeback with a 1-point WIN 💯<a href="https://t.co/9NhHrvHBaK">pic.twitter.com/9NhHrvHBaK</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1489471751767560193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a></blockquote>

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I'm all in on eyewear, and players who feel the same have profited heavily this year!
Jeff Green, still dunking
Jeff Green is in the midst of his 14th NBA season, which is an absolute trip to type. Fun fact: he has never played less than 20 minutes per game in a season, and that doesn't look like it'll change this year. He's started the majority of the season with the Nuggets, and has continued to be a pretty darn solid pro.
His defense has ... uhh ... been lacking, but he continues to do what made me fall in love with his game as a kid: ripping the rim with dunks.
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He's second on the Nuggets this season in dunks with 48, his highest total mark since the 2017-18 season with the Cavs. His career dunk reel is insanely underrated if you have 10 minutes to kill.
Green has thrived in Denver's offense, playing off of Nikola Jokic as a cutter and roller.
The bounce he still has, the consistency with which he exhibits it, and some of the contact finishes he continues to put on tape are just absurd at this point. I've really enjoyed his season and the stability he's found as a role player later in his career.&nbsp;
Quentin Grimes sliding
I really liked Quentin Grimes at Houston and thought he had a real place in the NBA. That being said, I am routinely taken aback by his on-court impact in this, his rookie year.
On a team that's struggled to meet expectations, he's surpassed all of mine. The shot from deep has been money. He's intrigued attacking off the catch with some interesting flashes of live-dribble passing. 
The defense, oh man the defense.
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Obligatory tweet about Quentin Grimes' footwork and quickness <a href="https://t.co/31qIx3Fbqa">pic.twitter.com/31qIx3Fbqa</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1490035885089374216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

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There just are not many players in the world who can move their feet the way Quentin Grimes does when he's sliding at the point of attack.&nbsp;
He sheds screens like mad, seemingly refusing to let the ball leave his area of effect. The way his feet move is rhythmic, a controlled-yet-maniacal pace that I find mesmerizing.
One of my favorite things to do at night is take a few minutes to tune into a Knicks game just to watch Grimes muck it up on the perimeter.&nbsp;
Fun and awesome things are happening all around us in the NBA. Sometimes, I really need to take a step back and go "hey, it's pretty cool the way Ziaire Williams just sprints to the corner," acknowledge the absurdity that is DeMar DeRozan's season without taking stock of his MVP odds, and appreciate the other great things that may have become commonplace. Basketball is a special sport. Reminding myself why I love it everyday makes me appreciate it even more.
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The regular season can be as log, and countless things big and small can get lost in the mix - so Mark highlights the little things.

Enjoying the NBA's little things so far this season

I've never fully understood how to weight rebounding proficiency in the general sphere of NBA skills.
Rebounding is logically coveted by teams. Boards extend possessions on offense and flip possessions on defense. At the most fundamental level possible, a rebound equals another opportunity to score.
Yet, individual rebounding doesn't seem to be a base skill for stardom. Hassan Whiteside led the NBA with 14.8 rebounds per game five years ago, yet has bordered on the fringe of rotations in recent seasons. Andre Drummond paced the league in rebounding for three straight years, but was ultimately bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020-21.&nbsp;
What does it mean to be "good" at rebounding, and how much does individual rebounding ultimately matter? I don't know the final answer, but I dug into some stats to try and highlight how proficient glass-cleaners could be identified.
The NBA uses Second Spectrum tracking data to identify <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/help/glossary/#fifteen_top_key" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebound chances</a>, which occur when a player is "the closest player to the ball at any point in time between when the ball has crossed below the rim to when it is fully rebounded." With this, you can then find the rate players grab rebounds from those chances, and even remove the results when a chance is deferred to a teammate &mdash; ultimately arriving at a state called Adjusted Rebound Chance percentage. Here are the NBA leaders to date on a decent volume of chances (min. 30 games played, 10.0 chances per game):
<ol>
<li> Luka Doncic - 72.1% (13.7 chances per game)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum - 70.8% (12.7 chances per game)</li>
<li>Andre Drummond - 70.0% (13.3 chances per game)</li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo - 69.5% (17.4 chances per game)</li>
<li>Marvin Bagley III - 69.4% (10.8 chances per game)</li>
</ol>
These numbers can also be separated by offensive and defensive rebounds. We actually posted some leaders earlier this week, and I found the names incredibly interesting:
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These guys are crashing the glass hard 💪 any surprises? <a href="https://t.co/ht3w7ZaHzD">pic.twitter.com/ht3w7ZaHzD</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1496147145094844429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Going back to the first set of leaders &mdash; was it surprising to find Doncic and Tatum atop the list? Both grab over 8 boards per game, but neither are considered among the game's greatest glass-cleaners. They've done a great job with their chances this season; however, their chances appear to be much easier.&nbsp;
Contested rebounds happen where the nearest opponent is within 3.5 feet of the rebounder. Less than 25% of Doncic and Tatum's rebounds are contested. That's far less than some of the top interior paint presences; Mitchell Robinson, for example, has a whopping 61.7% of his rebounds listed as contested.
On an offhand search through the data, a 40% contested-rebound rate seems to be a fair baseline for a challenging workload. These are the Adjusted Rebound Chance percentage leaders with that additional filter applied.
<ol>
<li>Andre Drummond - 70.0% (13.3 chances per game)</li>
<li>Marvin Bagley III - 69.4% (10.8 chances per game)</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic - 69.3% (21.2 chances per game)</li>
<li>Nikola Vucevic - 68.2% (18.4 chances per game)</li>
<li>Kevin Love - 67.6% (11.8 chances per game)</li>
</ol>
There's one more stat in the NBA database worth exploring: box-outs. The league actually tracks this itself (unclear on the accuracy here) and describes it as such:
"A player made physical contact with an opponent who was actively pursuing a rebound, showed visible progress or strong effort in disadvantaging the opponent, and successfully prevented that opponent from securing the rebound."
Box-outs imply that more effort went into maneuvering in front of an opponent and sealing them off to get a rebound versus flying in for one. Most rebounds don't come via a textbook box-out as the site tracks. But some of the league's top board-getters are the best at boxing out for rebounds. Five players corrall over 2 rebounds per game via an NBA-tracked box out:
<ol>
<li>Jonas Valanciunas - 2.4 rebounds (3.9 box outs)</li>
<li>Rudy Gobert - 2.3 rebounds (3.4 box outs)</li>
<li>(tie) Nikola Jokic - 2.1 rebounds (3.3 box outs)</li>
<li>(tie) Steven Adams - 2.1 rebounds (3.8 box outs)</li>
<li>Mitchell Robinson - 2.0 rebounds (3.7 box outs)</li>
</ol>
Boxing out and getting individual rebounds ultimately doesn't correlate to overall team success. But it's assuredly a good tool to have. Some squads &mdash; like the Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz &mdash; thrive on second-chance points. Others &mdash; like the Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers &mdash; don't need them to be playoff contenders. Like most of the NBA, it comes down to fit and approach.
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I'd like to highlight two players who appeared briefly on these leaderboard snapshots, but post some exciting numbers. Robert Williams III pulls down 67.3% of his adjusted-rebound chances, ranking near the top, while his contested-rebound percentage is also a considerably difficult 52.0%. The Boston Celtics have long searched for a player who can rebound while defending at a high level, and the young centers seems to have finally plugged the hole.
Brooklyn Nets rookie Day'Ron Sharpe has also shown rebound promise in limited action. Keeping a small sample size (373 minutes) in mind, Sharpe is averaging 4.8 box outs per 36 minutes, which puts him in the upper tier of the leaders. Over 61% of his boards are contested and he's averaging 5.1 rebounds in just 12.4 minutes per game this season. With Sharpe on the rise and Drummond in the fold, Brooklyn has players who can clean up on the glass.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>I highly recommend you read <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-most-volatile-scorers-in-basketball-right-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this exploration from Mat Issa</a>, who attempted to pin down the most volatile scorers in the league this season.</li>
<li>Mikal Bridges is averaging 19.4 points per game on a 70.6% True Shooting percentage while doubling his free-throw rate over the past 11 games. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mikal-bridges-leap-offensively-is-vital-for-the-phoenix-suns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackson Frank has more</a> on his offensive surge.</li>
<li>Tom Bassine made a super interesting thread charting how teams succeed in different playtype clusters. Definitely take a look at his full work on Twitter here:</li>
</ul>
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Here is how these clusters look when you stack the offenses from best to worst. Lots of PnR heavy attacks at the top! <a href="https://t.co/louLqNHpDT">https://t.co/louLqNHpDT</a> <a href="https://t.co/VsZmJC2M6v">pic.twitter.com/VsZmJC2M6v</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1495887838323552256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ethan Fuller looks at NBA tracking data to discern how the league's best rebounders pull down their boards.

Stats Notebook: What can data tell us about the NBA's best rebounders?

Picture this. You&rsquo;re in your early 20&rsquo;s, fresh out of college, living in the big city. It&rsquo;s the first time out on your own, so trivial tasks feel as insurmountable as Hunger Game trials &mdash; meal-prepping in lieu of busy days, keeping up with the bills (ugh, so many bills!) and, wait&hellip; how often do people typically do their laundry?
New York itself can be a daunting place. Smooth travel is but a game of misguided faith; subway lines go down at a moment&rsquo;s notice, there&rsquo;s almost always traffic if rideshare is your transit of choice, and you better learn how to use that Maps app... it&rsquo;ll be your closest ally in a hectic time crunch. Silence &mdash; heck, even just a solitary second to gather one&rsquo;s thoughts amidst the kinetic busyness on the avenues and boulevards &mdash; is fleeting in a city that&rsquo;s ritualistic about pulling all-nighters, its citizens moving in cohesion at the pace of the Road Runner on a 24 oz. Monster Energy drink.&nbsp;
For most of us who migrated into the five boroughs from outside lands, the first six months are a rude awakening. Take it from me, now four years into living in NYC &mdash; all of this can be a lot to deal with initially.
Now, imagine balancing everything I just mentioned while acclimating to the unforgiving rigors of the NBA&rsquo;s travel schedule (and lordy has it been relentless yet again), and all the while getting thrown out to the famished wolves on a contender with a Prospect Park-sized target on its back.&nbsp;
Oh, and let&rsquo;s just add in the outlandish challenge of guarding the likes of MVP-candidate DeMar DeRozan in your ninth NBA game, no biggie. That is what the Nets&rsquo; rookie 3-and-D forward Kessler Edwards &mdash; now six months into his Brooklyn tenure &mdash; was staring at with a mere 128 professional minutes under his belt.
He didn&rsquo;t balk.
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That&rsquo;s been a trend for Edwards, who is no stranger to feeling like the odds against him are stacked like Jenga towers, with one false move causing a swift collapse. Ranked as just a 3-star prospect in high school by 24/7 Sports, he committed to Pepperdine University and spent three full seasons expanding his skill set. Still, Edwards didn&rsquo;t hear his name called until the middle of the 2021 NBA Draft's second round last June; he was taken at No. 44 due to concerns about his creation prospects. His role was anything but a given on a Nets team that&rsquo;s never been more "title or bust."
COVID-19 protocols forced Brooklyn&rsquo;s hand to play the kiddos, and after some impressive play in the middle of December, Edwards was eventually given his shot with the full squad on Jan. 10. There, he earned a start alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden against the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls, and his assignment was to thwart the Bulls' incendiary wing tandem. Stuck inside what most would consider a pressure cooker, Edwards emerged from the steam and mist to serve up a truly scrumptious feast for fans to sink their teeth into.
Brooklyn&rsquo;s rookie stopper held DeMar DeRozan to just <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1630556/head-to-head/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1-of-3 shooting</a> that night. Three days later, he bothered Brandon Ingram into an uncharacteristic 2-of-8 showing. Then, it was Evan Mobley, who mustered a mere 3-of-7 outing while defended by the Glendale, California native.&nbsp;
So what has allowed the rookie to hang ten with such a vastly different cast of opponents?&nbsp;
Well, for one, his 6-foot-8 stature and 8-foot-10 standing reach provide him with the requisite length to ace the standardized test of becoming a wing-stopper. He&rsquo;s proficient at flipping his hips and moving backward to track drivers as they bob and weave to the rim, his calves, quads and hamstrings laced with a not-too-shabby 37-inch vertical to wipe away airspace on his contests. Moreover, Edwards has noticeably bulked up since being drafted by the Nets, allowing him to absorb and rebuke opponents&rsquo; jabs in the post with Tempurpedic sponginess. Altogether, he&rsquo;s blocking 1.5% of his enemies&rsquo; shot attempts, good for the <a href="https://www.cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4907#tab-defense_rebounding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">81st percentile</a> at his position.
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Yet, in spite of adding all that weight, Edwards is still able to navigate screens with the malleability of a 6-2 slender guard. Seriously, it&rsquo;s highly unusual to see a player of his build tactically evade screens, especially at such a young age. But Kess doesn&rsquo;t just figure skate over and under picks like a seasoned vet; he&rsquo;s also well-versed with his routes of recovery to <a href="https://www.polygon.com/mario-kart-8-deluxe-guide/2017/4/28/15458834/tips-drifting-ultra-mini-turbo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turbo-drift</a> to the front of his assignment and contest.
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Kess isn&rsquo;t without his flaws as a defender. He&rsquo;s prone to biting hard on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJOtKVfjkh4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ball fakes and pump fakes</a>. He&rsquo;ll get a little too eager when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MurV0ZwFmIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digging down on post threats</a>, opening up space for his man to tiptoe out of the picture. He&rsquo;s also gotten his wires crossed on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Uot7PhcBU&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pick-and-pops</a>, unsure if he&rsquo;s supposed to switch or stay glued to the trigger-happy screener. His <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRjsVhgx_Qc&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">closeouts will vary in diligence</a>, and frenetic fly-bys tend to crop up against threatening long-range detonators. Wholistically, he needs to trust his length more &mdash; it&rsquo;ll help him avoid crowding his assignments and should reduce shooting fouls.
None of these areas for improvement are anything out of the ordinary. The precision of NBA offense is an exhaustingly-daunting learning curve for many young players. If he applies himself, there&rsquo;s All-Defense potential sitting in there somewhere.
Oh, but it gets more enticing.
We&rsquo;ve thoroughly covered the &ldquo;D&rdquo; part of his 3-and-D billing, it&rsquo;s time we take a look at what the 21-year-old can do behind the arc. Edwards entered the draft as a 39.5% specialist from the college three-point line, though his shooting portfolio wasn&rsquo;t without its faults. He had this strange habit of splaying his legs on his release &mdash; his feet basically perpendicular upon landing like he was hitting yoga poses. It was unclear if this mechanical quirk would affect Edwards&rsquo; capacity to relocate and shoot on the move.&nbsp;
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After some time with Brooklyn&rsquo;s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, Kessler&rsquo;s idiosyncratic landing mechanics appear to have been wiped clean. Now, his feet travel in unison throughout the entirety of his jump shot. His release point is high, and he shoots on the way up. The elevation on his jumper is majestic; he seemingly hovers for a second with hawk-like composure as the ball leaves his hands. There&rsquo;s a sense of solidarity in Edwards&rsquo; energy transfer, a common goal of producing highly-efficient marks.
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&ldquo;It feels like he&rsquo;s refined his mechanics,&rdquo; Nets head coach Steve Nash told me and fellow Brooklyn reporters. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what my eye says. It had quite a pronounced motion to it ]before], and now, he seems to have really streamlined the motion and taken a lot of that out. Most importantly, he looks confident.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Confident&rdquo; is definitely one way to describe it. Edwards has nailed 43.2% of his big-league threes, good for the <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4907#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">96th percentile at his position</a>. Leaving him alone on the perimeter is basically a death wish &mdash; he&rsquo;s 12 of 23 on uncontested long balls. Canning <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HQ3PM3GRuM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transition threes</a> after a full sprint is certainly within Kess&rsquo; wheelhouse.&nbsp;
Brooklyn&rsquo;s confidence in the 21-year-old&rsquo;s shooting acumen appears to be growing by the game. Against the Pelicans, the Nets ran a set play in the second quarter to have Edwards scamper from the left corner to the left slot by means of a stagger screen. The rookie passed his first pro-level relocation test with flying colors, catching, turning and squaring up to the rim for an all-twine connection.&nbsp;
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Edwards is also one of the few only wing-sized players not named Kevin Durant who can proficiently execute a pick-and-pop. Kess and Irving have showcased early chemistry, in particular. Thanks to his refined mechanics, he&rsquo;s far more apt at shooting while moving to his left. (Popping to his right is obviously a more natural motion). Again, it&rsquo;s early, but he&rsquo;s graded out as <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/roll-man/?CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*edwards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">88th percentile roll man</a> without really, well, ever rolling to the rim. I guess that&rsquo;s what happens when you average 1.5 points per pick-and-pop possession (according to Synergy).
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Kessler&rsquo;s true ceiling will be dictated by how much he can ascend beyond that 3-and-D label. Self-creation remains a point of emphasis for the 21-year-old, though he&rsquo;s shown some competence when run off the line. He&rsquo;ll rise up for two-dribble pull-ups after aggressive closeouts (which he warrants!), and he&rsquo;s yet to miss from outside 14 feet. He&rsquo;s also flashed a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpvR1o5IpMc">rather nifty runner</a> at 42% accuracy, placing him in the 65th percentile at his position from the short mid-range. Just 12 games in, Edwards appears ready-made with a pair of built-in counters for when defenses force him to put it on the floor.
Things get a little harrier when he&rsquo;s forced to make decisions in the restricted area; like, Chewbacca or Cousin Itt hairy. Edwards&rsquo; handle is rigid... no, better yet, it can appear almost arthritic. He&rsquo;s prone to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5QnsVyUWiw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swipe-down</a> steals due to his high dribble, and he&rsquo;s mostly a straight-line driver. When he does attempt moves that are even slightly complex, the results... erm, you&rsquo;ll see for yourself.
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Kess doesn&rsquo;t have to transform into The Professor overnight to be clear, but some ball control must be cultivated in order to transcend into the Mikal Bridges <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4447#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">realm of operations</a>. For now, Edwards is a big wing-sized player shooting just <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4907#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">45% at the rim</a>, a paltry fifth-percentile ranking. Sheesh.
It&rsquo;d help if he could produce literally any force at the basket. As such an explosive two-foot leaper on his closeouts, it&rsquo;s strange to see him hop off one leg with such frailty on his drives. Springing off two would generate actual power, allow him to play through contact and increase his body control. He&rsquo;d have more ease changing directions to evade shot-blockers and a higher likelihood of successfully stretching out for finishes. Most of all, it&rsquo;d slow him down. For now, he works at 2.75-times the usual player's speed on his layups, his brain outpacing his body&rsquo;s ability to function.
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To say that Edwards has had some nice moments for the Nets would be quite the understatement, like calling He-Man a &ldquo;pretty strong dude with decent hair.&rdquo; Kess can already shoot the dang ball at an elite rate while guarding opposing stars at an NBA level, and he&rsquo;s got plus-size at his position. He&rsquo;s basically the exact type of player the Nets have long been searching for, dating all the way back to the D&rsquo;Angelo Russell days.&nbsp;
Expectations have never been higher in Brooklyn. There are <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-james-harden-open-to-relocating-this-summer-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">murmurs of Harden wanting out</a>, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/nets-star-irving-steadfast-on-vaccine-despite-durant-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Irving&rsquo;s vaccination status remains a dark, ominous cloud</a> that hangs over Brooklyn&rsquo;s season, ready to rain on the championship parade. The Nets' rotation feels diverse, yet still unfinished. Far too often do Nash&rsquo;s amalgamations of players feature the spacing of a mall parking lot on Black Friday.&nbsp;
Kessler Edwards offers something different than his contemporaries. On one end, he&rsquo;ll fill the corners while Harden runs the pick-and-roll; on the other, he&rsquo;ll screech around screens like Tokyo Drift to bother brash scorers that dare try him.
Altogether, the Nets have stumbled upon a very special player. They&rsquo;d be foolish to not put him to the test in the playoff crucible.
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Matt Brooks details how Nets rookie Kessler Edwards has been a bright spot for the team and the ways he's impacted the game.

The Nets may have stumbled on something with Kessler Edwards

If you haven&rsquo;t heard by now, you will soon: the Cleveland Cavaliers are coming for you.
Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the wine-and-golders have gone from lovable underdogs to unforgiving bullies. Through 30 games, over one-third of the way into the 2021-22 campaign, the Cavs boast an 18-12 record &mdash; probably the most misleading in the NBA, an absolute undersell &mdash; with one of the top average margins of victory in the league.
Using cliches and &ldquo;broken-record coach speak&rdquo; as J.B. Bickerstaff lightheartedly says before answering our repetitive comments of praise, you can&rsquo;t single out anyone as the sole reason for such a dramatic turnaround. Everyone has collectively bought in &mdash; from the returning players who &ldquo;took a lot of ass whoopings&rdquo; to the new ones who came in looking to advance a process.
Pun definitely intended, these Cavs will let you know, and fast. Jumping out to double-digit leads quickly. Punching you square in the mouth to close first halves. Putting you on the wrong end of the highlight reel. Not only do they feel like they belong, they expect to win.&nbsp;
No matter who they&rsquo;re up against. No matter who&rsquo;s on the floor for them. No matter the situation.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s giving us confidence just knowing we can beat some of the best teams in this league. I think we&rsquo;re one of &lsquo;em, to be honest with you,&rdquo; Darius Garland said after a win over the Chicago Bulls last week. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to bring that confidence, bring that intensity every game. Just stay with it, just keep being us. Bring the scrap every night, listen to the coaching staff and keep playing Cavaliers basketball.&rdquo;
There were times in the past few years when Cleveland looked like it began to put things together... in stretches. But an injury here, a setback there, an interruption, a roster change &mdash; it never sustained. At this point, we&rsquo;ve gotten a two-month sample size of this version of the team. It fights with the same vigor, the same self-belief and the same grit on a nightly basis.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about those guys in the locker room,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;From day one &mdash; go back to September, they showed up the day after Labor Day &mdash; they were in the gym and working, and were committed to one another. And then their personalities, they genuinely all get along, they genuinely all like each other. They fight for each other. They support each other.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I go home and I watch the games over, and I spend so much time just watching our bench. There&rsquo;s body after body after body that&rsquo;s up celebrating, cheering, [and] guys that don&rsquo;t even sit down during the game. That&rsquo;s what does it, and it&rsquo;s that chemistry the guys have formed. They love to compete. These games, even games we&rsquo;ve lost, they&rsquo;ve laid it out there. We&rsquo;ve had leads versus really good teams because of the spirit that those guys have played with... Guys being committed to what you're trying to do, and committed to one another is the most important thing that you can have. And I think that's where we've seen the biggest leap.&rdquo;
Combine that consistent effort with otherworldly versatility, skill and attitude, and you&rsquo;ve got the recipe for a unique, killer concoction.&nbsp;
As muttered recently on a radio hit in Cleveland, it&rsquo;s nearly impossible to cover everything top to bottom in regards to what&rsquo;s going right for this team. But we&rsquo;ll give it a try.
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Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley (and Lauri Markkanen)
Coming into the season, everybody wondered how the duo of Allen and Mobley would coexist on the floor. The thought of Markkanen sharing the floor with both never crossed anybody&rsquo;s mind. And yet, here we are, talking about Tall Ball as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-the-nba-length-matters-unedited" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the league's newest craze</a> that&rsquo;s thrown nearly every opponent for a loop.
Bickerstaff decided at the beginning of the season that he had to find a way to put his best players on the floor all at once, and for his team, that was through size and skill. We&rsquo;re seeing Cleveland reap the benefits of that on a nightly basis. It all starts on the defensive end.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;re seeing Allen and Mobley deny those bold enough to enter their territory. Allen is the anchor in the middle, timing his head-on challenges to near perfection, while Mobley is the weak-side insurance policy waiting to reject all comers who&rsquo;d initially believed there was a path to an easy bucket. The rookie covers some insane ground, by the way, with his long strides allowing for quick recovery if he ever overcommits or has to be the last line of defense at a certain spot. He&rsquo;s also insanely intelligent, keeping the ball in play whenever he blocks shots (or just blatantly ripping it out of somebody&rsquo;s hands).
The funny part is that the teams strategizing to get Allen and Mobley on perimeter switches don&rsquo;t fully comprehend that those two are hoping for such a plan. They are not going to be left in the dust in space, and no matter which one is tasked with defending a quicker guard, the other will have his back down low. The rotations are just incredibly crisp. Of the duos in the NBA that have played at least 500 minutes, the Allen-Mobley pairing is allowing just 95.9 points per 100 possessions. That is the top Defensive Rating in the entire league, if you&rsquo;re keeping count.
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Also, their defensive prowess allows the Cavs&rsquo; perimeter defenders to put more pressure on the ball and gamble more due to the protection behind them. Which brings us to the third leg of the triumvirate&hellip;
Let&rsquo;s give credit to the unheralded contributions from Markkanen on this end of the floor too. Stride for stride, the Finnish 7-footer has been able to shuffle his feet laterally to contain his assignments rather successfully. He&rsquo;s not fouling, he&rsquo;s contesting the third-most shots on the team on average (8.3) and he&rsquo;s utilizing his length to make his man either give up the ball or force a shot attempt over a trio of towers. By no means is he the primary guy to highlight individually; however, considering past questions of how Markkanen would handle playing the 3 on the defensive side of the ball, the returns have been more than acceptable, particularly with how he&rsquo;s positioned himself. He&rsquo;s an integral part of this Cavs' frontcourt.
DG the PG
Where do you even start with Darius Garland?&nbsp;
Is it the way he picks his spots? How quickly he&rsquo;s processing his reads? His trickery with lobs? The fact that he's firing up shots without hesitation?
No matter which area of his game pops out to you, it&rsquo;s plain and obvious that Garland is making that all-too-familiar third-year jump from good to great. He&rsquo;s in complete control of the game with the ball in his hands, becoming the conductor of the (not-so) soothing Cavs symphony.&nbsp;
The 21-year-old is so agile and shifty that he has his defenders constantly asking for help, and what happens after that is up to him. He has shown a tendency to disguise the floater he used so often last year, which allows the aforementioned Allen and Mobley to capitalize with thunderous throwdowns. They are Garland&rsquo;s top two targets on the offensive end by and large, and Allen has a 62.8% field-goal percentage off those connections.
With his dribble penetration drawing more and more attention, opportunities are opening up for others. Garland puts a lot of heat on his pocket passes and quick shovel feeds, but his teammates are beginning to understand when and where to expect the ball, which has allowed for this Cleveland offense to thrive.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Asked Steph Curry about Darius Garland, and he gave his props to the third-year <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> guard: "He's taking another step in that right direction." <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/071djCaBWJ">pic.twitter.com/071djCaBWJ</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1461716450301947906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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He&rsquo;ll also get his own shot going when he sees an opportunity, and those attempts are coming at all three levels of the floor. Not many point guards around the league can match his production. According to Basketball-Reference, Garland&rsquo;s shooting percentages across the board are as follows: 63.2% from 0-to-3 feet, 46.3% from 3-to-10 feet, 49.2% from 10-to-16 feet, 52.6% from 16 feet to the three-point line and 38.9% from beyond the arc.
Garland has been able to play off the ball as well, with Ricky Rubio as a ball-handler. He&rsquo;s been able to catch the opposition sleeping on a number of cuts, and is making them pay as a catch-shooter on the outside to boot. He&rsquo;s got synergy with the bigs coming off dribble handoffs. It&rsquo;s just all clicking for him right now. (Spoiler Alert: Our own Nekias Duncan will have more on Garland in the future.)
Veterans Matter
Without Rubio, who knows if Garland reaches this level of success? The Spanish guard has been a mentor and a maestro in his own right for this young team. As adamantly stated by several Cavs, he is a starting point guard in the NBA, yet he is propelling a uniquely productive bench alongside Kevin Love.&nbsp;
Both are buying what Cleveland is selling, and have become a crucial part of not only the development of this inexperienced bunch, but also the contributions toward its winning ways. The inherent unselfishness has permeated throughout, which is allowing for the production we&rsquo;ve seen.
Rubio has been the Cavs&rsquo; iron man, having played all 30 games and making an impact in whatever way is working that night &mdash; turning the corner, shooting the basketball at a 34% perimeter clip, pushing the offense in transition. In addition to all of this, he recently surpassed the 5,000-assist mark, backing up the importance of moving the ball. It was the team's No. 1 goal coming into the campaign, and thanks to Rubio&rsquo;s IQ, there&rsquo;s been a domino effect.
Love has rediscovered the fun of &ldquo;the chase&rdquo; with Cleveland, and it&rsquo;s shown with his performances. As a super-sub this season playing a tad under 20 minutes per night, the former All-Star is averaging 12.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest, while nailing 41.2% of his triple tries. Albeit on a low amount of attempts, Love is leading the NBA at 96.4% from the free-throw line.
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"You don't get this often." No lip service when Kevin Love talks about *these* <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a>. He's saying this team has something "bigger than ourselves" and "truly celebrate each other." <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/MJIf43fdLW">pic.twitter.com/MJIf43fdLW</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1470597707341479941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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These two deserve a boatload of credit for the sacrifices they&rsquo;ve made knowing where they&rsquo;re at in their respective careers, and the fact that they&rsquo;ve embraced the roles fully demonstrates their professionalism.
Those are the vets who see consistent playing time. There&rsquo;s another who doesn&rsquo;t receive quite as much love because his impact is not as obvious, and that&rsquo;s Ed Davis. Bickerstaff went to bat for the seasoned big man to occupy Cleveland&rsquo;s final roster spot for locker-room and mentorship purposes, and thus far, it&rsquo;s been a home run. Davis knows why he&rsquo;s here, and he&rsquo;s more than willing to hold up his end of the bargain. And in cases where Allen and/or Mobley aren&rsquo;t available, he&rsquo;s able to slot in and do his job.&nbsp;
The &ldquo;others&rdquo; that really aren&rsquo;t the others
It&rsquo;s unfortunate that Isaac Okoro just got placed into the NBA&rsquo;s health-and-safety protocols, because he is the backbone of the Cavs&rsquo; perimeter defense. He&rsquo;s constantly taking on the opponents&rsquo; toughest offensive players, chasing guys all around the half-court to deny them the ball, defeating screens to stick on them when the ball is in their hands and forcing them into awkward positions.
Offensively, Okoro is beginning to find his footing from the corner. It&rsquo;s not just the three-point shot &mdash; where 61.6% of his perimeter tries have come from &mdash; it&rsquo;s the way he&rsquo;s making defenses pay when they close-out too hard. He&rsquo;s putting the ball on the floor, going into contact and, in some cases (as seen against Houston), bruising the rim. Okoro&rsquo;s got a hell of a layup package too, and in transition, he&rsquo;s a load to handle.
Cedi Osman&rsquo;s hot start to the season has tailed off a bit; however, with a defined role as a part of the second unit, you can see how relaxed he&rsquo;s playing. Defensively, he&rsquo;s been swiping away steal after steal, and in the open floor, he&rsquo;s been in attack mode. He&rsquo;s also hoisting threes on the move and standstill like we&rsquo;ve never witnessed before. There is no lack of confidence there.
Maybe the most underappreciated player the Cavs have is Dean Wade, who, whether in the starting lineup playing 30 minutes or with the reserves in garbage time, constantly brings the same effort on both ends no matter the circumstance. He&rsquo;s able to stretch the floor as a long-range sniper, and he is Bickerstaff&rsquo;s sneakiest contingency plan on the defensive end.&nbsp;
Speaking of which, Lamar Stevens is the man Cleveland goes to when it needs a shot in the arm. He&rsquo;s got a bulky frame and matches up well 1-through-4. There have been numerous occasions when the team has gone to him and found the energy it needed from only his presence on the floor. He won&rsquo;t take many shots, but he&rsquo;ll prevent quite a few.
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The core of what makes the Cavs such a dangerous team is their box-score balance. Every night, you&rsquo;ll see six or seven players in double figures, assist figures in the mid-to-high 20s and 30s and modest (or poor) opponent field-goal percentages.
In every sense of the word, Cleveland is playing team ball. The NBA challenged the organization with eight out of 11 on the road to begin the season &mdash; including a grueling West Coast trip &mdash; and the wine-and-gold passed that test with flying colors. (They&rsquo;re one of the best away teams in the league at 9-5.) Now, whenever the Cavs are playing a team that isn&rsquo;t a playoff contender, they&rsquo;re demoralizing them and steamrolling them. The tough love has paid off in a major way.
No, they&rsquo;re not a finished product. They're even missing their leading scorer from a season ago (here's to hoping for a speedy recovery for Collin Sexton). They&rsquo;re not close. There haven't been nearly enough 48-minute games, and the hunt for a &ldquo;signature win&rdquo; is still on.
With that said, the Cavs have consistently brought it every single night, and teams that haven&rsquo;t taken notice are in for a hard, painful lesson once that ball tips off.
The warning sign is right in front of them: Beware of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiC_7ut0-v0AhWHkIkEHe4rAFUQFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleveland.com%2Fcavs%2F2021%2F11%2Fcleveland-cavaliers-have-adopted-underdog-mentality-complete-with-new-barking-celebration.html&amp;usg=AOvVaw1bAEDy2vYzH4odGmLpFcU0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Junkyard Dogs</a>.

Spencer Davies breaks down the Cavaliers' unexpected start to the season and why they're having so much success.

From lovable underdog to unforgiving bully: How the Cavs got here

Josh Giddey has court vision on par with Ricky Rubio, yet he&rsquo;s four inches taller. He brings the ball up the floor and acts as the initiator in pick-and-rolls, yet he&rsquo;s the team&rsquo;s leading rebounder. He&rsquo;s only 22 games into his promising young career, yet he may already be the best 19-year-old passer the league has ever seen.
Yeah, you heard me. Maybe the best 19-year-old passer in NBA history. This season, Giddey has recorded a <a href="https://backpicks.com/2018/07/15/nba-passer-ratings-since-1978/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passer rating</a> of 8 with an <a href="https://backpicks.com/2017/10/16/offensive-load-and-adjusted-tov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offensive load</a> of 33.8, per Backpicks. Only one other player since 1955 has ever posted a passer rating of 8+ with an offensive load of 30+ in their age-19 season: LaMelo Ball. While the sample size may be small (since 19-year-olds usually aren&rsquo;t ready to compete with the best athletes in the world), it&rsquo;s still rarified air.
And this isn&rsquo;t just some cherry-picked stat that illustrates his prowess: Just watch and bear witness to his distributing virtuosity.
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Despite his prodigious passing, he still leaves a lot to be desired. He&rsquo;s shooting just 27.6% from three-point range; he struggles consistently getting to and finishing around the rim; and an awkward frame and slow feet limit his ability to face-up on defense.
This enigmatic set of skills begs an interesting question: What is the ceiling for a player as peculiar as Josh Giddey? Can he be an integral piece of a Presti-led dynasty, or will he end up as collateral damage in a rebuild gone wrong?
As we did with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anthony Edwards</a>, let&rsquo;s try to answer these questions by looking at five possible developmental outcomes for Giddey. We&rsquo;ll analyze what would have to take place in order for him to reach each tier and predict which outcome seems most likely.
Also, for each player comparison, I&rsquo;ve included that player&rsquo;s peak season in terms of Box Plus/Minus (using the <a href="https://backpicks.com/page/2/#RS%20BPM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backpicks</a> version of the stat).
Tier 1: Pessimist Floor - Marko Jaric (Rotation Player)
Peak BPM (2004-05): 1.8 (T-65th that season)
A true deep cut whom only the most diehard of NBA fans will recognize. In all seriousness though, if Giddey doesn&rsquo;t improve, there&rsquo;s a chance he could end up as a flash in the pan like this former passing aficionado.
During his prime, Jaric was the rare wing-sized player who could handle the ball, operate the pick-and-roll and make slick finds like in this clip here:
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Passes like that were not uncommon for Jaric, who was one of the great facilitators of the mid-2000s, finishing second in the league in passer rating (8.5) in 2004-05.
However, Jaric was out of the league by age-30 because of his poor shooting efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jaricma01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rTS -4.1%</a>), which was primarily caused by his inability to finish at the rim. From 2003 to 2009, except for one outlier season, Jaric never placed above the 24th percentile for his position in finishing accuracy around the rim, per Cleaning the Glass.
Giddey currently ranks in the 21st percentile in that category this season, which is a big reason why he&rsquo;s shooting <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/giddejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9.1% below the league average in efficiency</a> to start his career.
The one saving grace for Giddey here is that Jaric never really developed a short mid-range game, shooting 33.7% from that area from 2003-2009. In contrast, Giddey is knocking down 46% of those looks this season, which places him in the 74th percentile for his position and gives him the consistent halfcourt scoring device Jaric never had.
Tier 2: Optimist Floor - Kyle Anderson (Starter)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 3.1 (T-28th that season)
For Giddey to become an impactful starter, the Thunder need to stop putting him in situations that expose his weaknesses as a defender.
Too many times this season, he&rsquo;s been put in positions where he&rsquo;s had to try and dance with faster players on the perimeter...
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...or serve as the last line of defense around the rim because of his size:
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&nbsp;
Players whose effectiveness comes from their mental attributes rather than their physical attributes are best utilized on defense in an off-ball, free-safety capacity, where they can channel their cerebral instincts to create havoc from the weak side of the floor.&nbsp;
A perfect example of this is Kyle Anderson. The two best BPM finishes of his career came in 2017-18 (2.2) and 2020-21 (3.1); in those seasons, his teams finished third and sixth in the league in defensive efficiency, respectively. Both years, Anderson was surrounded by feisty point-of-attack defenders (like Danny Green, Dejounte Murray and Dillion Brooks) and sturdy rim-protectors (like Jonas Valanciunas and LaMarcus Aldridge), who could shield him from his deficiencies and allow him to focus on his strengths.
During those seasons, Anderson ranked in the 96th and 85th percentile in steal percentage, per Cleaning the Glass, Giddey is only in the 69th percentile this season, but he has the length and awareness necessary to kick it up a notch and be an impactful defender if the Thunder use their treasure chest of draft picks to acquire personnel that enables him to do so.
Tier 3: Median Outcome - Joe Ingles (Sub All-Star)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 4.0 (T-17th that season)
This comparison is low-hanging fruit if I&rsquo;ve ever seen it. Both players are Australian, incredible passers, unconventionally athletic and (hopefully) contributors to winning basketball. The only real difference (other than the hair) is that one is currently a far superior shooter.
Joe Ingles tore through several threads of nylon with his shooting last season, and a big reason for this level of efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/inglejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">+11% rTS</a>) was his proficiency as a catch-and-shoot and pull-up three-point shooter.
Last season, he shot 48.9% on 3.3 catch-and-shoot attempts and 41.2% on 2.7 pull-up three-pointers. Conversely, Giddey is knocking down just 26.7% and 35.7% of those types of shots. He&rsquo;s also shooting poorly from the free-throw line (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/giddejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">67.9% on 1.3 attempts</a>), which is a strong indicator of future shooting success. But that&rsquo;s where the good news comes in: Ingles was also a subpar free throw shooter early in his career. In 2009-10, his age-23 season, Ingles shot only 69.4% from the line on 3.2 attempts for CB Granada.
Of course, Ingles has since transformed himself into a great shooter by developing a consistent and fluid shooting motion:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DvGRAYQd5y4" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Giddey&rsquo;s current shooting mechanics are <a href="https://rollcallsportsnet.com/josh-giddey-nba-draft-scouting-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funky</a>, but Ingles&rsquo; case study shows us there&rsquo;s opportunity for improvement. Such growth is necessary if Giddey wants to become an efficient scorer and top-50 player in the league.
Tier 4: Reasonable Ceiling - Toni Kukoc (All-Star Caliber)
Peak BPM (1996-97): 4.7 (10th that season)
Giddey has already shown the ability to make high-level reads in the pick-and-roll, going downhill on dribble hand-off, or while galloping down the floor in transition (see his passing montage above). But very rarely does he receive the ball on the elbow and operate down there like a passing hub.
That&rsquo;s where Toni Kukoc comes in.&nbsp;
Kukoc&rsquo;s ability to make decisions in the mid/high-post was an essential ingredient to the Bulls&rsquo; triangle offense during their second three-peat. He could receive the ball and either draw a double-team and find the cutter going toward the basket, or face up his defender, collapse the defense by penetrating towards the rim and kick it to the open man:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0uYC99YUqY" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Kukoc may have a couple of inches on him, but in today&rsquo;s small-ball world, Giddey and the Thunder can definitely hunt matchups that allow Giddey to use his size to see over the top of defenders and pinpoint weaknesses in the opposition from that position on the floor.
Kukoc was also a part of <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1994.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-straight top-six defenses</a> in Chicago from 1993-98, and while he lacked lateral quickness and vertical leaping ability, he made up for it by using his strength to bang with bigger guys in the post:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G8B8gNoQZ_A" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Meanwhile, we&rsquo;ve already seen stronger forwards like Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate bully Giddey down low:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qWY55KRc2xg" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Giddey would do well in his quest to become an All-Star to schedule some extra weight-room sessions &mdash; especially considering he doesn&rsquo;t have to worry about added muscle taking away from his speed. If he can do that while also occasionally moonlighting as a passing hub, he will be able to scale alongside high-usage ball-handlers and perimeter defenders, like Kukoc did during the second half of the Bulls&rsquo; dynasty.
Tier 5: Best-Case-Scenario Ceiling - Manu Ginobili (Solid All-NBA)
Peak BPM (2004-05): 5.5 (3rd that season)
J. Kyle Mann recently described Giddey&rsquo;s style as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSvieH2lfnw&amp;t=457s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;chaotic but purposeful</a>," so who better to compare Giddey to than the master of tamed mayhem himself, Manu Ginobili.
At his best, arguably no one straddled the fine line between chaos and order the way Ginobili did in his prime. There was a certain &ldquo;calculated recklessness&rdquo; to his game that made him unlike any player who came before him, and when you look at some of his offensive numbers in an All-NBA season, you see that Giddey has a ways to go to reach Ginobili&rsquo;s level.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">PLAYER</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">YEAR</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">POINTS PER 75</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">FTA PER 75</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">rTS%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">Manu Ginobili</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">2007-08</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">25.4</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">7.8</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">+7.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">Josh Giddey</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">13.1</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">1.6</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">-9.1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
At a glance, the gap between peak-Ginobili and current-day Giddey seems too wide to be closed. Yet the key to Giddey unlocking this tier rests on his ability to emulate one key facet of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LTgStJw9ao" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Scientist&rsquo;s</a> game: finishing at the rim.
As it stands, Giddey lacks the ability to soar over defenders or sprint past them, so when he meets larger defenders in the paint, he either gets his shot erased or avoids challenging them entirely:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wlUszUldXGk" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Ginobili was also slow-footed and definitely wasn&rsquo;t winning any dunk contests in his prime, so to compensate, he crafted a sophisticated (yet replicable) drive game. One thing he liked to do was take a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dr08ffRS10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">negative step</a> with his non-pivot foot to give him some added explosiveness on his bull rushes to the rim:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aZfDSiNI2F8" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
He would also try to throw his defender&rsquo;s timing off by deploying a bevy of hesitation moves at his disposal:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/93x5qt85S50" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
And he maximized his movement by using his length to elongate his strides. This allowed him to pick up his dribble early and gain control of his body and the basketball to brace himself for contact around the hoop:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4utcERL-hl8" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
His drive game and outside shooting (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career 37% shooter on 3.8 attempts</a>) also augmented his playmaking. From 2007 to 2014, Ginobili created between 8.0 and 9.0 open shots for his teammates per 100 possessions, per Backpicks. He would draw the defense&rsquo;s attention with his scoring and this was especially noticeable in pick-and-roll situations; the defending big would regularly try hedging Ginobili, which temporarily put the Spurs in 4-on-3 situations and led to open shots like this play right here:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cm5cMXq8BPY" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Combining Ginobili&rsquo;s finishing package with the shooting improvements previously discussed would elevate Giddey into a constant advantage creator capable of forcing the defense into rotation and dissecting openings on the floor. That type of player is an All-NBA performer and, more importantly, a heavyweight offensive force on a championship contender.
The Verdict: Tier 5
And that is exactly what I think Josh Giddey will become. I know it&rsquo;s poor practice to believe a best-case scenario is also the most likely outcome, but Giddey is such an outlier among outliers that an unlikely result only makes sense.
There&rsquo;s a real argument to be made that at 19 years old, Giddey may already be a better passer (not creator) than Ginobili. And while his drive game needs work, he&rsquo;s shown flashes of being able to change speeds and lull defenders to sleep, just like Argentina&rsquo;s Flying Man:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u2lwCgrSLnM" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Unicorn players like Ginobili don&rsquo;t come around often; that&rsquo;s what makes them special. But when you see a kid like Giddey who surveys the floor with an eagle eye and controls the tempo like a nightclub DJ, it's hard to ignore the fact that he's of a rare breed.
His idiosyncrasies make you believe that he'll overcome the shooting woes; that he'll put on some weight and become a better defender; that he'll harness his full powers as a finisher; and that with the right personnel, he will be the fulcrum of a contender someday in Oklahoma City.

Josh Giddey has shown flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but what is the 19-year-old's ceiling? Mat Issa explores his range of outcomes.

Did the Thunder find lightning in a bottle with Josh Giddey?

Russell Westbrook found his way back home to Los Angeles to fight for a title with the Lakers, and the Brooklyn Nets figure to have its say when Giannis Antetokounmpo sets his sights on a repeat.
Will Nikola Jokic?
Of all teams, one would perhaps make the case that the Denver Nuggets are the NBA's dark horse flying under the radar. And it makes sense considering the fact that they&rsquo;ve taken the fairly unorthodox route of relying on internal progression to help them get to the next level. 
In all likelihood, the squad will only go as far as Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. can carry them... at least until Murray eventually finds his way back into the lineup.&nbsp;
Unfortunately for the club, the young Canadian is expected to miss a significant portion of the regular season as he continues to recover from an ACL tear. Denver has been fairly mum on his progress, but the league&rsquo;s reigning MVP isn&rsquo;t ready to sell any stock in his team just yet.
Jokic met with reporters on Sept. 22 as a part of Nuggets media week to address a number of topics, including whether Denver enters the season believing themselves to be a contender knowing Murray will be on the shelf.
Obviously, he exhibits confidence in that; however, Jokic acknowledges that he and his teammates have a long journey ahead before they begin thinking about a grueling playoff run.
&ldquo;Yes, of course,&rdquo; he said when asked if he feels his club should be in the NBA title conversation, even without Murray. &ldquo;If everybody buys in and everybody plays the right way, there is a chance, of course.&rdquo;
That said, the league&rsquo;s reigning MVP &mdash; at least in part &mdash; got to where he is by focusing on one task and one game at a time, and that seemed to be his message on Wednesday.
&ldquo;Do we have enough talent? I don&rsquo;t know," Jokic said. "Are we the best team in the NBA? I don&rsquo;t know, so we will see. The season is going to show us everything.&rdquo;&nbsp;
For Denver, in many ways, 2021-22 will be illuminating.
Porter, in a recent interview <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-porter-jr-drops-truth-bomb-on-jamal-murray-injury-new-role-in-2021-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with Clutch Points</a>, was vocal about his desire to become an All-Star and to build upon his successful campaign last season. During the 2019 postseason, Porter came under fire for publicly making comments perceived as critiques against Nuggets head coach Michael Malone&rsquo;s staff. He subtly demanded more touches on the offensive side. He then <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-michael-porter-jr-became-a-star-after-career-ending-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">answered the call last season</a> when Murray went down on April 12.
With the additional responsibility and repetitions, Porter increased his scoring average to 23.5 points from the 17.3 points per game he averaged before Murray went down. What was more impressive, however, was the fact that Porter took more shots a night and converted at a higher clip. He made 53.4% of his 12.5 field goal attempts prior to Murray&rsquo;s injury, and 56% of 15.8 tries after.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Last season was definitely a big step for me,&rdquo; <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nuggets-news-michael-porter-jr-drops-truth-bomb-on-jamal-murray-injury-new-role-in-2021-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Porter told Clutch Points</a>. &ldquo;[I] played pretty well. Took leaps on a lot of areas. I&rsquo;m looking to make a similar leap this year.&rdquo;
After being acquired from the Orlando Magic, Aaron Gordon signed a four-year, $92 million extension this past summer, while fifth-year man Monte Morris has let it be known that he&rsquo;s aiming for the starting point guard spot in Murray&rsquo;s stead.
All around, in Denver, there are hungry players who have something to prove and quite a bit to play for.
But Jokic knows that slow and steady is what wins the race.
&ldquo;The goal for the season...? Of course, everybody is saying a championship, that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ve been saying for the [last] seven years,&rdquo; he said on Wednesday.&nbsp;
&ldquo;So I&rsquo;m not going to say championship... Of course we want to [win] the championship, but there are a lot of boxes you have to check to make that [a reality].&rdquo;
If there&rsquo;s one thing to be taken away from Malone&rsquo;s tenure with the club thus far, though, it&rsquo;s this: they&rsquo;ll certainly be working to that end.
For Denver, the upcoming campaign will be about redemption and proving themselves to be a team that has truly arrived as a contender for the conference&rsquo;s crown. With all the Lakers have done and Klay Thompson&rsquo;s return to the Golden State Warriors, the Nuggets haven&rsquo;t really done anything worthy of grabbing any headlines this offseason.&nbsp;
Considering the rather humbling sweep they suffered at the hands of the Phoenix Suns last season, though, if they&rsquo;re blessed with health this season, things could be different.
At the end of the day, the reigning MVP knows that it all lands at his feet.
&ldquo;Of course, we&rsquo;re gonna miss Jamal, he&rsquo;s a big part of this team,&rdquo; Jokic said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;But everybody is getting back, we&rsquo;re gonna have pretty much the same team, the same core... If everybody does their job, the house is gonna be calm. I&rsquo;m just trying to be ready for the next season, that&rsquo;s my job.&rdquo;
Humbly, he&rsquo;ll continue on, performing his work. And when the dust settles, with the right ingredients, Denver hopes to be one of the final few standing with an opportunity to call itself a champion.
Yes, the path to the NBA Finals may go through Brooklyn out East and Los Angeles on the west coast, but with a toiling squad led by a reigning MVP, Denver hopes to carve its own path, even if it means going through a great metropolis &mdash; just like Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s Bucks did last year.
In Denver, the upstart club looks ahead to the 2021-22 campaign behind its MVP. The journey awaits.

Are the Nuggets a dark horse contender out West? If health is on their side, they certainly are, writes Moke Hamilton.

Even without Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic expects Nuggets to contend

No baseline roaming today, folks, but I did want to take a page from that particular book. I recently wrote a piece on my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/opening-weekend-thoughts-on-nba-2k22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initial thoughts on NBA 2K22</a>. It was a mostly positive experience at the time, and I'm proud to announce that I still feel that way after more time with the game.
This is the most fun I've had with a 2K since probably 2K19. There's a lot of depth to this year's edition, and the gameplay tweaks to defense have appealed to my nerdy side. We're on the up-and-up.
While I'm having fun and generally believe the game to be good, that doesn't mean there aren't flaws to poke at. In what feels like a yearly tradition on my end, I must dig into the ratings.
This is a "duh" thing to say, but the most important part of a basketball game are, well, the basketball players. The appeal of 2K is supposed to be it's realism at the end of the day: from the player models, to their signature moves and styles, and ultimately, how closely they perform to their real-life counterparts.
The good folks at 2K nail most of this stuff. You can honestly get lost in the amount of animations available to make players shoot, dribble, and even dunk like they do in the real world. The actual player models are tremendous. As much as the "added sweat" meme is a thing, you have to tip your cap at how realistic the players look.
(Well, the NBA players at least. I'd love to see more done on the WNBA side. Seriously, <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1436189173522878464?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">look at Atlanta Dream guard Chennedy Carter</a>. I get the Dream want to pretend like she doesn't exist, but she does, and that should be apparent in the game.)
Where the game falls a bit short for me is how the players are rated. I don't necessarily mean the overall ratings; that's arbitrary enough to where it genuinely doesn't mean much. It's a yearly tradition to get upset about the early rating releases before the game officially dropped.
Here's a thought exercise, though: give a detailed explanation of the difference between an 87 overall and an 88 overall. I'll give you some time.
Go on.
Uh huh.&nbsp;
I rest my case.
When I say player ratings in this context, I mean the nitty gritty stuff. The individual stuff like "perimeter defense." Not the just badge layout, but the badge level given -- or not given. I mean player tendencies most of all. Having the James Harden (double) stepback in the game means nothing if he actually doesn't do it when you face him, for example.
I found myself getting so frustrated with botched tendencies and higher-than-it-should-be ratings that I started making my own rosters. I'm in the midst of doing so now, but I wanted to peel the curtain back into some of the things that have to be altered. I starteed a <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1440043942427299840?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter thread</a> detailing some of the mishaps, but here are a few more that have stood out as I've begun the roster editing process.
KINGS CENTER RICHAUN HOLMES: NO "TEAR DROPPER" BADGE
I'll start here because this is the one I can be swayed to leniency on. Holmes does have a 95 "Close Shot" rating, with the stat being defined as the "ability to shoot when standing still out to 10 feet from the basket."&nbsp;
Within that context, I could see why they went that route versus giving him the badge. How exactly do you define Holmes' push shot in the game? Is that just a close shot animation, or is it an actual floater that gamers should be looking to trigger?&nbsp;
Considering you can't choose specific floaters like you could in past games -- why can't you do this anymore, by the way? -- it would appear 2K played it safe. It's just a bit odd that a guy who, per Synergy, converted over 61% of his runners on the fifth-highest volume in the league (184 attempts) doesn't have a badge to show for it.
PISTONS GUARD CADE CUNNINGHAM: "DISH TO OPEN MAN" TENDENCY IS A 35
Cade Cunningham has yet to play in an official NBA game to this point, but he's one of the most heralded prospects in recent memory. Arguably his most prolific trait as a player is his passing ability. At 6-foot-7, he has the luxury of seeing over the top of defenses and flinging darts across the lot. There isn't a pass that he doesn't have in his bag, so it's a bit baffling that the 2K read on him is that he just ... won't hit open guys.
This feels like a case of inputing his assist numbers from his lone year at Oklahoma State without even a hint of context.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there aren't ten Pistons more willing to hit open teammates than Cade.
LAKERS GUARD RUSSELL WESTBROOK: HIGH LEVEL DEFENDER
I feel like we do this every 2K with Russell Westbrook. I honestly feel for the ratings guys because it's not an easy needle to thread.
On the right night, or even in the right quarter, Westbrook can be an absolute menace on the defensive end. He moves incredibly well laterally, has quick hands, is strong, and can flat-out bully opposing guards.&nbsp;
In that same game, he can die on a screen and flat-out give up on it. He can offer weak contests. Teams can exploit him off the ball due to his tendency to ball-watch.
The "best" solution here would be to give him a solid on-ball rating, a relatively low one in the "help defense IQ" one, and a middling rating in "defensive consistency" since the possession-by-possession variance is pretty high with him.
Instead, Westbrook has an 83, an 80, and an 80 in the three ratings, respectively. I can't say I get that. The 83 in perimeter defense is even wilder when you consider he outpaces guys like Mikal Bridges (82), De'Anthony Melton (81), TJ McConnell (82), and Pascal Siakam (79); he also shares that 83 with Lu Dort, Draymond Green, and Fred VanVleet.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Jimmy Butler had the worst shooting season of his career and was rewarded with an 84 mid-range rating and a 75 3-ball. Sure.</li>
<li>On top of Bridges' defensive rating being too low, having that while giving his teammate Chris Paul a 90 is ... I'll be respectful, but come on. We know what we watched.</li>
<li>Karl-Anthony Towns having a 60 in pass accuracy, which puts him 11th on his own team, is pretty freaking wild.</li>
<li>Based on his tendencies, Trae Young is more likely to receive an alley-oop (25) than he is to throw one (10). I don't think I need to say more than that.</li>
<li>Bouncing off the Cade point, 2K cover boy Luka Doncic (60) is not the most willing passer on his own team. That honor belongs to Tyrell Terry (65). Sure.</li>
<li>Keldon Johnson's "attack strong on drive" tendency being a 50 seems woefully low based on the way he plays. He only passed on 21.2% of his drives last season, per <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612759&amp;sort=DRIVE_PASSES_PCT&amp;dir=-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Second Spectrum tracking data</a>.</li>
<li>I am amused by Dwight Howard not having the highest "hard foul" tendency (41). With a 76, that honor belongs to [checks notes] Wolves rookie Leandro Bolmaro???</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan gives his thoughts on some controversial ratings in NBA 2K22.

Things That Make You Go 'Hmmm': 2K Edition

In the latest BasketballNews.com roundtable, we asked our writers the following question:
Which player from a previous era would be a perfect fit in today&rsquo;s NBA?
Alex Kennedy: Rather than selecting a legend like Larry Bird who would obviously be incredible in today&rsquo;s NBA, I chose a player who was solid in his era but whose career would&rsquo;ve played out very differently if he was drafted today: <a href="https://youtu.be/faK8ElMK2B4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamal Mashburn</a>. In his prime, Mashburn averaged 21.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.5 threes and 1.0 steal while shooting 38.9% from three. He was 6-foot-8 and roughly 250 lbs. (the same size as Julius Randle). Here's how a 1993 pre-draft scouting report described him: &ldquo;Mashburn is a jack of all trades. He can play either inside or outside. Inside, he has a variety of moves, a la Kevin McHale, with all sorts of head fakes and turnaround moves. He can be virtually unstoppable in the low post. If that isn't enough, he can take his game outside, where he can easily stroke the three-pointer. He is an excellent ball-handler, and he can score from a set shot, posting up, and off the dribble.&rdquo; In today&rsquo;s NBA, Mashburn would play multiple positions; he would be a terrific stretch-four and small-ball five. But back in the day, he played 84% of his 16,217 NBA minutes at small forward. These days, he&rsquo;d also attempt more than just 3.6 threes per game. A team could run their offense through Mashburn since he could create his own shot and get his teammates involved. Today, he&rsquo;d be highly coveted due to his versatility, athleticism, shooting, touch around the rim and playmaking. He was incredibly talented (and underrated), and it&rsquo;s unfortunate that he wasn&rsquo;t born a few decades later.
Spencer Davies: It's not as if Rashard Lewis had a poor career -- especially judging by his contributions over a decade with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic, where he averaged 18 points and nearly six rebounds per game on 39.4% from long distance -- but it is so easy to picture him in the modern NBA stretching the floor and jacking up 8-to-10 threes and nailing 40-plus percent of them. Later down the line, he was a bigger body with more strength, however, in the mid-2000s, he just had the length that would bother you defensively. Lewis would probably be able to easily average 20-plus points these days. He was quite adaptable despite being a 3/4 tweener, but in June 2021, he would be exactly what these teams are frothing at the mouth for: length, athleticism and most importantly, shooting.
Moke Hamilton: Definitely an interesting question. Vlade Divac and Arvydas Sabonis are two that immediately come to mind for me, with Sabonis being particularly interesting. For those of you who are younger than me, Sabonis &mdash; the father of NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis &mdash; is a great &ldquo;what if?&rdquo; in NBA history. Without taking a long stroll down memory lane, Sabonis was a truly gifted big man whose NBA career never became what it should have been. He was able to make plays from the interior, had magnificent court vision and shot 32% of his career looks from more than 10 feet from the basket. He shot over 100 three-pointers in each of his first three seasons in Portland and connected on about 34% of them. But when Mike Dunleavy took over head-coaching duties prior to Sabonis&rsquo; fourth year, things changed, to say the least. Seriously, go Google Arvydas and check out his personal story. It&rsquo;s incredible&hellip; And he would&rsquo;ve fit right in with today&rsquo;s NBA&hellip; Just like his son.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;ll go off the cuff: I would&rsquo;ve loved to see how scalable Detlef Schrempf&rsquo;s game would&rsquo;ve been today. A 6-foot-10 forward who could shoot (criminally low three-point volume), and play-make the way he could would&rsquo;ve been incredibly valuable.
Jannelle Moore: Scottie Pippen is the quintessential choice for a player from a previous era who would be great today. Why? Because Scottie would kill on defense -- a versatile wing who could guard all positions. Furthermore, he can facilitate. And Pippen in transition with today&rsquo;s space and tempo would be scary.
Ethan Fuller: I beg younger basketball fans to go watch highlights of Dana Barros in the 1990s. Barros was a simply unreal shooter caught in an era where three-point shooting took a back seat. He shot at least 39% from three in 10 of his 13 full seasons while flying around off screens and off the dribble. At his peak with the 76ers in 1994-95, Barros averaged 20.6 points, 7.5 assists and 1.8 points per game while hitting 50 points in one contest. But Barros only attempted at least 5.0 threes per game in one season. If he played today, he'd be a premier shot-making point guard and absolutely lethal with the emphasis on floor spacing. Think peak Isaiah Thomas with even more shooting upside.

Which player from a previous era would be perfect fit in today's NBA? BasketballNews.com writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which former player would fit perfectly in today’s NBA?

PJ Dozier loves a good nap.
Who could blame him? Dozier has played for six teams in the NBA and G League across his first three seasons, all while on two-way contracts. During those years, he bounced between the two leagues at a moment's notice. For Dozier, rest is not only a way to take care of his body, but also an important part of his developing routine with the Denver Nuggets.
"Routines are great," Dozier told BasketballNews.com in May. "I feel like the best players have really good routines, whether that's on off days [or] game days. Being a two-way player, it's hard to have a routine because you don't know where you're going to be the next day, or the day before or the day after. It's hard to stick to that same routine night in and night out."
Dozier is the only player in NBA history to have entered three different seasons on a two-way contract with three different franchises. But now the 24-year-old guard is signed to a multi-year deal with the Nuggets, and before an untimely adductor strain ended his season in May, Dozier had emerged as one of the team's most versatile defenders. He wouldn't change a thing about his journey.&nbsp;
"God put me there for a reason," he said. "It was much-needed -- to take those steps, to be ready for the opportunity I have now."
"Every time he's given an opportunity to play and extend his role, he's taken it and run with it," Nuggets coach Mike Malone said before Denver faced the Los Angeles Lakers on May 3. "Nothing's been handed to him. He's earned everything he's done."
Dozier inked his first two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017 after going undrafted as a rookie from South Carolina. A season later, he signed another with the Boston Celtics. Then came a third two-way opportunity with the Nuggets for 2019-20. Each game, Dozier battled for his squad, no matter the league or opponent.&nbsp;
"That was the biggest thing for me: to try to stay ready, so I won't have to get ready," Dozier said. "And also, just to be where my feet are. If I was in the G League, that's where my focus was at. I wasn't worried about anything else other than taking care of business there. And then when I get the call, now my focus shifts to whatever they need me to do on the other ball club."
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Getting the call meant wildly different commutes depending on the team. In OKC, Chesapeake Energy Arena is right down the street from the G League arena where the Blue play. Boston's TD Garden is nearly a two-hour drive from the Red Claws (now Maine Celtics) in Portland, ME. The Nuggets didn't have a G League affiliate last season, so Dozier moved between Denver and the Windy City Bulls in Illinois.&nbsp;
Dozier says the coaches and management did their best to give him notice of a call-up or assignment a day in advance. But sometimes, a game-time decision meant getting the call last-minute and immediately driving (or flying) to the arena to suit up for the team that night.
"My bag was never really unpacked," Dozier said. "I was living out of my suitcase."
G League squads often try to have a similar on-court style as their parent program. But every team is nuanced, and Dozier said it was still an adjustment learning six different systems in three seasons.
The uncertainty didn't faze him. Dozier averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game across those three seasons while earning All-G-League-Third-Team honors with the Red Claws. However, it did test his confidence.&nbsp;
"The first year was kind of tough, just not really being with the team but kind of being with the team -- it's like, am I really on the team?" Dozier said, since he played just two games with the Thunder that season. "[But] just staying the course, staying focused. Following the first year, [I signed] the next two-way and seeing the progress that I made... that was big. I was able to see my growth as a player and understand that."
0n June 30, 2020, before the Nuggets left for the NBA Bubble, they converted his two-way deal into a full multi-year NBA contract.
"For me it was like, 'About time I get a full contract!' But it's a blessing, especially to land in a great organization like the Denver Nuggets," Dozier said. "Landing here in this organization, and having the coaching staff, teammates [and] front office have confidence in me that I was going to be ready when my number was called, that was big."
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This is, frankly, incredible positional defense by PJ Dozier. <a href="https://t.co/ADRkfV8Arz">pic.twitter.com/ADRkfV8Arz</a>
&mdash; Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBABlackburn/status/1380996080985202691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Dozier is part of a trend in Denver of talented players with unheralded draft status who have developed into impactful players on a contending team. That's led by former second-round-selection-turned-MVP-winner Nikola Jokic, but it includes most of the roster. Aside from Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and rookie Zeke Nnaji are the only first-round picks who have been drafted by the team.&nbsp;
"I don't look at guys based on your status [or] what round you're drafted in," Malone said. "[Dozier] was playing for us while he was a two-way player and helping us win games... You love the fact that he's as big and strong as he is, [and] the versatility he has offensively."
"We have a lot of guys that went under the radar that this organization took a chance on, ultimately, and had confidence that these players were good enough to compete against other players that were lottery picks and were drafted very high," Dozier said. "It speaks highly on the organization [and] the way that they sculpt their talent, and go after guys that may not be the prettiest on the board or have all the accolades and things like that, but they know that they're getting guys that want to win."
The 6-foot-6 guard made a serious impression on Malone back in the Bubble, when he defended the likes of Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson in Denver's series win against the Utah Jazz. Dozier has seen increased minutes per game in every calendar month through April (aside from a one-game February due to injuries), and was on pace for a career-high 27.8 minutes per game in May before his season was cut short.
Part of the uptick was by necessity -- Murray, Monte Morris and Will Barton had been battling injuries. But Dozier also earned the trust of the coaching staff. Malone even gave him <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF_8LMv4CuQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an unprompted shout out</a> after a Dozier-led defensive effort held Paul George to 5-of-21 shooting in Denver's 110-104 win over the L.A. Clippers.
"Paul George is an All-League-type player," Malone said after the game. "Not one player guards a guy like that by himself. But to hold Paul George tonight to 5-of-21 from the field -- I thought PJ's defense, being locked in, being disciplined, was a big part of that."
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A week earlier, Dozier made his first career start in front of his mom, Theresa, and the home crowd. It was the culmination of a lifetime of work and three years of patience on the fringes of NBA rosters. Dozier scored 23 points in his debut as a starter, and averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists across the six games in the starting lineup before going down with the injury.
"Definitely a dream come true," he said. "I always want to stay focused on the little milestones and achievements, and continue to grow and make higher goals to reach. But that was definitely one that I've always dreamed about: being able to start at this level."
It's easy to look at Denver's second-round exit and see where Dozier could have helped against the Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker and Chris Paul each averaged over 25 points per game for the Suns in their four-game sweep.
In 10 total playoff games, the Nuggets gave up the fifth-most points per game (120.3) while allowing opponents to shoot 49.1% from the field (third-highest) and 41.7% from long range (second-highest). The young guard may not have dramatically turned the tables, but he could have made a difference on defense.
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During the 10 games between Jamal Murray's season-ending ACL injury and PJ Dozier's groin injury on Monday, the Nuggets were +16.9 points per 100 possessions with Dozier on the floor and -6.4 with him off.
&mdash; Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewDBailey/status/1389606756834103297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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In Denver, and in Dozier, there's a current of respect for the quiet hustlers in the Association. Dozier still has active group chats with players from every NBA and G League team he was on. He considers it a gift to have met so many unique people in his young career.
"Everyone has their own journey; everyone kind of had their own story, and no one's was really the same," he said. "You had guys that were in the NBA that were trying to get back there. You had guys that had never touched the NBA ever, and so that was still always their goal."
Dozier's story of game-day flights, hastily-packed suitcases and power naps is among them. But he plans on writing quite a few more chapters.&nbsp;
"I got a long way to go and I'm still trucking at it," Dozier said. "I love this -- count my blessings -- but I know that I have a lot in store [and] a long way to go."

Dozier is the only NBA player who has entered three different seasons on a two-way contract with three different franchises.

Two-way threat: PJ Dozier reflects on whirlwind path to Nuggets

It wasn't long ago that Ja Morant was the talk of the town, and rightfully so. The Memphis Grizzlies guard commanded the basketball world&rsquo;s attention in his playoff debut with his jaw-dropping athleticism, indellible fearlessness and flawless float game, as well as an affinity for the bright lights in crunch time.
On the other hand, that same Grizzlies team also features Jaren Jackson Jr., a highly-talented, versatile gunner and lengthy defensive threat who just couldn&rsquo;t seem to get his feet wet in his first postseason series. Now, it&rsquo;s important to note that Jackson missed all but 11 games in the regular season; still, he never truly regained his form in the first-round series against the Utah Jazz. He couldn't find much of a rhythm on either end, making just 28.6% of his threes and recording at least four fouls in every contest. In fact, Jackson committed five fouls in seven of his last 17 games.
So in the short time he spent on the court in 2021, there seemed to be a regression for Jackson as a shooter and defender. However, we have to remember that this is a 21-year-old with plenty of potential and swagger who can absolutely bounce back in the future, especially with a normal offseason ahead.&nbsp;
But isn&rsquo;t it interesting that Morant snatched the eyes of everybody watching, while Jackson, who has an additional year of experience under his belt, floundered throughout the first round? Such an incredible contrast between these two young players within the walls of the same franchise begs a question in a broader respect: Do guards and wings develop quicker than bigs?
The rising talents who have burst onto the scene in the playoffs are Morant, Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. Glance at the top picks in those drafts from the last four years and pick out the power forwards and centers who are even remotely close to their level. It&rsquo;s tough to do, isn&rsquo;t it?&nbsp;
That doesn&rsquo;t mean that the big men can&rsquo;t get to that point. Hell, look at what Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are doing in their fifth and sixth years. It just took them a little longer to get there -- particularly Jokic, the 2021 NBA MVP. And if we&rsquo;re going to talk about Jokic, we&rsquo;ve got to bring up Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s impact on the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; playoff run to this point, and the job he&rsquo;s done in stifling the Serbian jack-of-all-trades in their series thus far.
Ayton was the No. 1 pick in 2018, constantly compared to Doncic because of where he was selected, and he always will be due to the magnetism of Luka&rsquo;s presence and the incredible skill set that comes with it. Yet as Ayton carries this burden throughout his career, it is his team that's left standing among seven others, and it is his progression in Year 3 that has been the perfect ingredient to add to the Suns&rsquo; impeccable mixture.
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Cody Toppert, who's currently on Penny Hardaway's coaching staff with the Memphis Tigers, was previously the director of player development and an assistant coach with the Suns. Toppert worked hands-on with Ayton during his rookie season, and he was instrumental in the growth of Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges.
As Ayton continues to thrive in his role to the tune of over 16 points and 10 rebounds per game on 75.3% shooting from the field, Toppert shared his thoughts on the Bahamian big man&rsquo;s maturation.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think a couple things that we're seeing with Deandre is him understanding that defense is consecutive effort and offense is consecutive action,&rdquo; Toppert told BasketballNews.com in a phone interview. &ldquo;He's doing a great job of getting much more aware of the go-straight-to-the-ball-screen, go-straight-to-the-ball-screen. Whereas maybe his rookie year, Book would have to wait on him to get in the action and kinda direct him. He's now naturally flowing towards the action.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And then on the defensive side of the ball, it's multiple efforts. What you're seeing is him understand when he's a weakside defender, he's rotating to protect the rim; but on a secondary kick-out, he's getting there also for a secondary rim-protection opportunity and closing with a defensive rebound. Or [when] he's in pick-and-roll coverage and then on a kick-out, he's rotating to protect the rim with verticality and then cleaning up with the defensive rebound. So that consecutive-effort mentality on defense is something that can be a separator.&rdquo;
On offense, Toppert sees Ayton gearing towards the rim after screens, showing great concentration on the catch off the roll with two hands and finishing with either dunks or a soft touch. He refers to Game 1 of the series vs. Denver, when Ayton hustled for two offensive rebounds on the same possession and got a hook shot to go down in a game that the Suns trailed by five with less than two minutes until halftime.
In that same game, Toppert observed two more things from Ayton. The first was him staying out of foul trouble, which is instrumental to the 22-year-old keeping a rhythm. The second was his ability to match Denver&rsquo;s physicality without being emotionally or physically reactionary (i.e. committing a frustration foul).
"To me, the talent has always been there,&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;Deandre's always been a sponge, he's always been a great kid and he's always wanted to do right and do well. And so now what he's seeing is a little bit of success, and his confidence is just soaring... The sky's the limit."
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&ldquo;He's getting better every year. He's a very talented player,&rdquo; Jazz center and 2020-21 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert told BasketballNews.com when asked about Ayton. &ldquo;He has a very good mid-range [game] and he's a very good finisher around the rim, so you have to try to be as physical as you can and make him earn it. That&rsquo;s the best thing to do -- make him earn it and try to make him take the toughest shot possible. But he&rsquo;s having a really good year, and he&rsquo;s gotten better every single year. He&rsquo;s definitely exciting to watch.&rdquo;
Perhaps another example of &ldquo;it takes time&rdquo; is Golden State Warriors center and the NBA&rsquo;s most recent No. 2 overall pick, James Wiseman. The rookie big man had an injury-plagued season, appearing in just 39 games in which his playing time fluctuated, as did his role on the floor.&nbsp;
As he did with Ayton in the pros, Toppert spent a lot of time with Wiseman at Memphis prior to the NCAA&rsquo;s questionable ruling of the young man&rsquo;s ineligibility. Toppert says this offseason will be big for Wiseman because he hasn&rsquo;t had the amount of reps necessary to consistently succeed yet.
&ldquo;There's a reason why -- and this goes for all players -- people tend to say, 'The best part about a rookie is he becomes a second-year player or third-year player.' You [use] that term, 'The game slows down for them,&rsquo;&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;But we know that the game isn't slowing down; what's happening is they're becoming familiar with the million scenarios that they're gonna see... A lot of times it's being successful, or being unsuccessful in those moments. It's actually what helps in development.&rdquo;
What decision has to be made? Is it a pop or a roll? Is it switching the angle of a screen? Is it the right time to make a dribble handoff? Is the defender going under the pick? Is there any opportunity to dive to the rim or catch in the short roll? Is the weak side open for a kick-out? Those answers come with time and experience.
In order to illustrate the importance of game repetition, he referred to seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.
&ldquo;He's so precise,&rdquo; Toppert said of Brady. &ldquo;He's seen all of the scenarios so many times that, despite maybe losing a step, he's still able to compete because he can make the right reads. And in the game of basketball, it's all about reading the situation, and then making the right decision.
&ldquo;A player who's been involved in 500 pick-and-rolls is probably not gonna be as good as a player who's been involved in 5,000... The more you do these things, the better you get at 'em... So, [James] will be able to get up to speed, but unfortunately that [rookie year] is kind of a little bit of a speed bump, just a little hurdle that he's gonna have to overcome."
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It&rsquo;s fitting that Toppert brought up Brady because he likens developing bigs in basketball to quarterbacks in football.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The big guys are the trigger guys; they've gotta trigger the action. So they're really like the playmaking initiators,&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;The best big men in the drag screens, they're not waiting for the guard to call for the ball screen; they're just going to the ball screen. They're initiating that action...
&ldquo;The majority of NBA big men are designated screeners, or they're like delayed playmakers. Those are really like the two big-man roles. So either they're playmaking through the trail, where you hit 'em in the trail and they're gonna go dribble-handoff to the weak side, or they're screener, roller, divers, lob catchers, etc.&rdquo;
Utilizing Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela as primary examples, Toppert looks at how screens and screen assists lead to offensive results stemming from their execution; Gobert leads the NBA in both categories in total thus far in the playoffs. Whatever amount of screens they set is the number of plays they are involved in, whereas a guard or main ball-handler might not even use all of those.
&ldquo;What you see at the college level is the guards dribble the ball, and you see them having to wave for the big guys, 'Come up! Come set this! Come get me!' In the NBA, it's like the opposite. In college, you've gotta call [the bigs] up; in the NBA, you've gotta send 'em away like, 'Oh, we got the switch we want, don't screen now.'&rdquo;
There is an inherent advantage if you&rsquo;re a guard transitioning to the pros versus being a big early in your career. Guards always have the ball in their hands, and a smaller guard such as Trae Young, for instance, has relied on his skills to beat taller, longer, faster defenders his whole life. Some backcourt players actually see their role even simplified; you could have high usage in college and be the go-to guy who&rsquo;s making all the plays for your team, then get to the NBA and have your main responsibility trimmed down to being a slasher, a spot-up guy in a corner and/or guarding your position.&nbsp;
On the opposite end of the spectrum, big men are used to their size and stature doing the work in their early years and through college. Taller and stronger than most, their body does the work almost effortlessly at the amateur stages; if they make a mistake at that level, they can recover because of their power and force on both ends... until they meet their physical-profile equals in the pros.
&ldquo;They can almost impose their will on the game, as opposed to reading the game -- two entirely separate schools of thought,&rdquo; Toppert said. &ldquo;And so essentially, the bottom line is when you get to a level where you can no longer do those things, now you're gonna be forced to actually learn the game...
"James is pretty well built. Deandre was pretty well-built. But the game is so much more physical at the NBA level, and legal physicality, especially big man on big man, you can get away with a lot more in the NBA than you can in college without getting called for a foul. Getting used to that everyday physicality, pounding, beating, is not easy.&rdquo;
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Picking up nuances of the game takes time for most players making the NBA leap. Even the ball-dominant first-, second- and third-year guards have shown their fair share of lumps and bruises along the way because of that physical discrepancy, not because of their skill sets. For bigs, it&rsquo;s almost like both are working against them.
&ldquo;I think everyone's journey is different. Obviously, the physical aspect of the game is really important and when you're a big man, you need to be able to box guys out and [so on],&rdquo; Gobert said. &ldquo;And then you have some guys who are stretch-5s -- everyone&rsquo;s game is different.&nbsp;
&ldquo;For me, in my first year when I first got here, I remember being in practice against Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, and I knew I was going to have to get stronger because those guys were pushing me around. I was fighting back because I had some heart, but I needed more than that! (laughs) I really spent a lot of extra time in the weight room every single year, and my body became an emphasis; every year, I tried to get stronger. And it not only helped me increase my impact on the court, but also to stay healthy. The stronger you are -- if you work the right way -- you're able to lower the chances of getting hurt.&rdquo;
It goes back, again, to the grassroots level. These types of players are getting fed in the post and on the block against clear mismatches, and coming out of possessions with a bucket every time down the floor, so why wouldn&rsquo;t they stick to what they know?&nbsp;
According to an anonymous NCAA head coach, bigs aren&rsquo;t properly being developed in college, including at the highly regarded schools. The majority of offenses, per the coach, are motion-based and teaching patterns in lieu of read-based actions. They&rsquo;re not playing in pro-style offenses in college. They don&rsquo;t learn how to set screens at different angles, how to react to different coverages as a roller, how to make plays on dribble-handoffs, how to find baseline cutters with the ball in their hands, etc. It&rsquo;s learning a pattern over reading and reacting.
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Development in general takes patience to see through. The big man, more versatile and less strung in the post, is slowly coming back in basketball. Jokic and Embiid being the top-two candidates for MVP this season is indicative of that trend.&nbsp;
Looking at the lottery-pick bigs from the 2017 class and on, there&rsquo;s plenty of potential lying within.&nbsp;
Despite the Miami Heat&rsquo;s disappointing first-round playoff exit, Bam Adebayo is a Swiss Army knife-type who is one of the best dribble-handoff big men in the league. Marvin Bagley III showed an improved stroke from distance and an ability to put the ball on the floor. We still don&rsquo;t know what Wendell Carter Jr. is, and he&rsquo;s going to be on his fifth head coach in four seasons in Orlando next season. Mo Bamba looked as good as he ever has in the second half of the season. Jaxson Hayes looked like a completely different player in the month of May than he did prior. Onyeka Okongwu was a reserve for most of the season, but when he got more playing time late in the year, he made a solid impact as a modern big.&nbsp;
"People have to understand how to develop big men. Or, I usually say, people have to understand how to develop a basketball player -- I don't care what their size is," Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach and development guru Phil Handy told BasketballNews.com. "Can you teach footwork? Can you teach balance? Can you teach the elements of the game for players to get better? &nbsp;Forget about big or small, I always try to challenge coaches into developing basketball players. Period.
"To me, the game has kind of gone to this area of everything is based around the three-point line and bigs don't post up anymore. Most teams just wants to guys to set pick-and-rolls and set screens and roll. They don't really want to teach 'em how to play on the block or give them any footwork, so it's one of those things where the game has moved away from bigs being able to post up and take advantage of their size to everybody needs to be able to shoot threes now. So that's a whole area of the game where bigs kind of lose out on getting a chance to be developed because not all seven-footers can dribble [and shoot]. Not everybody is like Kevin Durant where they can handle the ball [or like] Porzingis where they're a seven-footer who can really stretch the floor. You gotta remember that the game is played in all areas of the court -- not just at the three-point line and not just at the rim. So, having the ability to post up and having bigs who understand what their game should look like is something that we have to continue to do. We have to continue developing basketball players; that's important to me."
The aforementioned Jackson and Wiseman will figure it out. They have too much talent not to. Even though their playing styles might not compare, maybe Ayton can be their model for success. There&rsquo;s no shortcutting a process like this; it takes time, determination, persistence and adaptation.
And until basketball addresses the lack of modern development at their particular position, that will continue to be the case for big men.

Spencer Davies digs into why centers and power forwards typically take longer to adjust to the NBA than guards and wings.

Why NBA bigs take more time to develop: 'They're used to imposing their will'

What do you do with Kristaps Porzingis?
It's a simple, if not reoccuring question that was asked as the Dallas Mavericks controlled, then faltered, then ultimately lost their seven-game first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Porzingis was a mixed bag at best, a massive disappointment at worst during the battle. His per-game averages -- 13.1 points (57.8% from two, 29.6% from three, 84.2% from the line), 5.4 rebounds -- were well below what the Mavericks needed from him. In a broader sense, they were well below what you'd expect from someone in his tax bracket.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that Porzingis <a href="https://zoom.us/j/96393273001?pwd=a2FhZDJCaWFxNEtkcVlRQkFZRms3QT09" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was frustrated</a> with his role. And as MacMahon noted in his piece, this isn't the first time that there have been rumblings about Porzingis' usage, or his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/luka-doncic-and-kristaps-porzingis-dont-need-to-be-friends" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on-court relationship</a> with superstar Luka Doncic.
There seems to be a chasm in regards to the way Porzingis performed this postsesaon. He did not produce at a high level. He also was not very involved in the offense; as noted by many, especially my podcast co-host <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Jones Jr</a>., Porzingis spent quite a bit of his time <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1401944044658466817?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chilling in the corner</a> while the action flowed elsewhere.
The immediate counter to that, though, is that Porzingis' skill set -- and the things the Clippers did defensively -- only left so much on the table. The counter to&nbsp;that&nbsp;counter is that there didn't seem to be much effort put forth into figuring out alternatives.
I'm already exhausted.
The Mavericks are now entering a pivotal offseason. They'll have well north of $30 million to play with in free agency, though that comes with caveats. Tim Hardaway Jr. is up for a new deal, and his play from this season warrants a bump in pay. Between Hardaway's impending raise and Doncic being extension-eligible, this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/for-dallas-building-around-luka-doncic-is-only-going-to-get-harder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may be the last offseason</a> in the foreseeable future that the Mavericks can make major splash in this way.
That, of course, begs the question again: what do you do with Kristaps Porzingis?
To understand where the Mavericks could go from here, we must first examine the context of Porzingis -- what he is, what he isn't, and how that shapes his usage.
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WHAT HE IS
At his core, Porzingis is the largest stretch-5 the NBA has ever seen.&nbsp;
It's one thing to be able to shoot at that size. It's predictably difficult to bother Porzingis' release. Not only is the launching point absurdly high, his trigger is a quick one. Asking a defender to stunt off of Porzingis to muck up a drive, then recover back to contest is a tall task.
Yes, the pun was intended. No, I'm not sorry.&nbsp;
But seriously, what the heck are you supposed to do with this?
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Helping off the strong-side corner is typically #not #a #good #idea. Even with that caveat, this is a pretty clear example of the issue of helping off Porzingis. Nicolas Batum did a solid job of recovering, and did virtually nothing to affect the shot. Too high, too quick.&nbsp;
Porzingis doesn't just spot up. What makes him unique is his ability to fire shots off movement. He's able to pick-and-pop, pick-and-slip, operate as a ghost-screener, or fly off screens himself. If you lose touch of him, he'll fling before you can blink.
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All Porzingis needs is a pocket of space. He'll find it. He'll flow into it. Those pockets of space come naturally in drop coverage, which is why most of his best work this season -- and in this series -- came with him at the 5. Not many teams want to switch their bigs onto ball handlers; they surely don't want to do that against Doncic.
WHAT HE ISN'T
Where things get murky for Porzingis is when there aren't large pockets of space to flow into. They're apparent in drop or ICE coverage. It's easy to slip into space against aggressive hedges or all-out traps. Switching doesn't present the same opportunities.
The Clippers were intentional about limiting the amount of possessions that Porzingis could get the Ivica Zubac matchup, which meant no drop coverage looks. It mirrored the regular-season series in which one of the forwards -- mostly Kawhi Leonard, but Paul George, Marcus Morris, and Batum also got reps -- would get the Porzingis assignment so that they could switch any Doncic-Porzingis actions.
Not only did the Clippers switch, they were physical with their switches. They made the tight windows even tighter by bodying Porzingis as he tried to slip.
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The last clip in that compilation is key. There's obviously no shame in not being able to beat Kawhi off the bounce, but there are inherent issues with Porzingis as a self-creator.
He doesn't have much wiggle, a reasonable limitation for a 7-foot-3 man. On the season, Porzingis shot 35.7% from the field when taking <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/204001/shots-dash/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;PerMode=Totals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-or-more dribbles</a>. Attacking a hard close-out with a one- or two-dribble pull-up was well within the Porzingis wheelhouse. Clearing a side for him and letting him get his And-1 on... not so much.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screen-shot-2021-06-08-at-10-44-04-am.png" alt="courtesy of NBA.com" width="1294" height="257" />
Porinzigis&nbsp;also doesn't have much core strength, a massive issue that permeates the rest of his game. We'll stick to offense, though.
Porzingis struggles to knock players off-balance. It's why, despite his size, he's been an underwhelming post player for the majority of his career. Porzingis also knows he isn't that strong, which shapes his shot selection.
Here's a fun stat for you, courtesy of Second Spectrum tracking data: The average start distance of a Porzingis post-up this season was 12.5 feet. The average ending distance was... 10.8 feet. Less than two feet of difference.
Among 78 players to log at least 50 post possessions this season, only five players had a lower differential than Porzingis (+1.7): Kevin Durant (+1.5), Draymond Green (+0.8), James Wiseman (+1.4), Deandre Ayton (0, which is hilarious), and Isaiah Stewart (0).
Think about that group of players. Green is primarily used as passing hub on the block. Stewart roams around the basket area as is, and doesn't get things ran for him (35 post-up shot attempts, per Synergy). Wiseman, Ayton, and Durant are the closest stylistic analogs, but, like, one is Kevin freakin' Durant. Ayton and Wiseman are both face-up heavy, though Ayton can&nbsp;move dudes when he wants to. The jury is out on Wiseman, who, to this point, has played about two weeks worth of basketball in the past two years.
(Also, if we're comparing rookie-year, wet-behind-the-ears, growing-into-his-body Wiseman to an on-his-second-contract version of Porzingis...)
The post-up film on Porzingis is littered with turnarounds. They make sense within the context of his strength limitations and his frame -- hello, high-release point! -- but those aren't the kind of shots that force defenses to rotate.
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There are makes and misses in the video above. What should stand out, however, is the lack of help given on thost post-ups. 6-foot-7 Kawhi, 6-foot-8 George, 6-foot-8 Morris, and 6-foot-5 Terance Mann are the defenders in those clips. And the Clippers were more than okay living with single coverage.
This is why Rick Carlisle was ultimately okay with stashing Porzingis in the corner. The Clippers were not going to drop coverage, nor were they going to send two to the ball with Porzingis in action.&nbsp;
That, uh, was not the case with Boban Marjanovic as the screener. His vertical presence and, most importantly, his scoring gravity on the block forced the Clippers to scramble a bit. That led to things like this.
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There are multiple things working here.
1) Porzingis is at his best against a particular scheme (drop, ICE).
2) Because of his physical and some skill limitations, he can be schemed out a bit with switches.&nbsp;
3) There are still exploits within switching, particularly with ghost/brush screens or slips.
4) From a personnel standpoint, the Clippers are uniquely equipped to&nbsp;switch effectively&nbsp;against Porzingis and take away those opportunities.
Squint hard enough, and there's an "82-game player vs. 16-game player" discussion to be had. It's fair to argue that Porzingis is more of the former than the latter. The question then becomes: how large is the gap between the two, and how much faith do you have in it closing?
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
What's clear, taking a 10,000-foot view of this thing, is that the Mavericks need a third guy. That third doesn't necessarily have to be better&nbsp;than Porzingis overall (though that'd be great for obvious reasons), but there is a pressure-the-rim, make-the-defense-bend gap that needs to be bridged.&nbsp;
It can't all be on Doncic to do the defense-bending. The Mavericks may not also face a Clippers-level of switchable defenders to neutralize Porzingis the way that he was in this series, but the blueprint is out there. And if the Mavericks plan to get into -- and ultimately beat -- the upper echelon in the West, they'll need to solve that issue.
That help could come this summer. For as much smoke as there was about Kyle Lowry being moved to Miami or Philadelphia (or I guess Los Angeles), Dallas would be a tremendous fit for him if he wanted to go that route. That level of pull-up shooting, driving equity, playmaking, and off-ball randomness could be enough to bring out the best in Doncic and&nbsp;Porzingis.&nbsp;
It could just be internal improvement. Jalen Brunson was a borderline Sixth Man of the Year candidate for a reason. He's pretty freaking good, in my opinion. For what it's worth, the Mavericks had a 118.2 offensive rating with the Brunson-Doncic-Porzingis trio on the floor this season, per PBP Stats.
If you're of the mindset that Porzingis in Dallas just can't work, it's worth exploring some landing spots for him.&nbsp;
Miami is intriguing. The spacing that Porzingis provides would be a natural complement to Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt. Having Adebayo's versatility and Jimmy Butler's off-ball prowess could help shield some of Porzingis' defensive shortcomings in a way that isn't possible with the Mavericks' personnel.&nbsp;
The Heat can get there pretty easily from a financial standpoint by exercising the team options on Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala. The question becomes what assets are they willing to give up on top of that.
They're pretty short on pick capital, and could be outbid by others if a market develops. I find it hard to believe that Precious Achiuwa would intrigue the Mavericks enough, and Tyler Herro seems to be in "move-him-for-a-(super)star-only" territory.
(Debate amongst yourselves if that status is warranted, but that seems to be the status at least.)
My guy <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keith Smith</a> (jokingly?) floated out a Porzingis-for-Kemba Walker swap. It's one that would probably take a little more from... somebody's side, probably Boston's considering the age gap and "small-guard-with-a-knee-history" concern that comes with Walker. But as Keith noted, this is a deal both fanbases <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1401663952967319555?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would probably hate</a>. I'm contractually obligated to root for it just for the laughs.
Some other fits that could intrigue: the Warriors (the money is tough, though), the Pelicans (please give Zion Williamson some space to work with), and maybe the Thunder as a wildcard.
From my view, it'll be easier to add a piece to complement Porzingis than it would be to trade him for the type of talent you need. That's probably okay. Even with the flaws, Porzingis is coming off a season in which he averaged north of 20 points with a True Shooting percentage eclipsing 58.
And even that came following an offseason of injury recovery from the bubble. A full offseason could do wonders for the 25-year-old. There's something to work with here. Adding a piece or two in free agency could alleviate a good deal of his shortcomings.&nbsp;
Let's revisit this in a year.

Nekias Duncan examines the strengths and weaknesses of Kristaps Porzingis, and how the Mavericks should proceed with him moving forward.

The balancing act of Kristaps Porzingis

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK KEEPS ON FLYIN'
There's always a "but..." with Russell Westbrook.
He can get to the rim whenever he wants! But the free throws...
He can make any pass in the book! But the turnovers...
He can hound dudes as an on-ball defender! But when he's off-ball...
Even the triple-doubles -- his teams have won roughly 75% of their games in which they occur -- draw some casternation. How contested were those rebounds? How friendly was the scorekeeper for those assists? How many shots did he take?
As someone who has been on both sides of the fence -- I appreciate his rim pressure and passing chops, not so much a fan of the decision-making and defense on a per-possession basis -- even I find the discourse around him exhausting.
My favorite part of the Westbrook Experience may be the rebounding, but on the offensive end. He's technically tied with Bruce Brown atop the guard list for offensive rebounds (1.7) this season, though calling Brown a guard may be a stretch due to his role.
At any rate, Westbrook's penchant for timely clean-ups are uniquely him. Beating the odds may be underselling the ridiculousness of his adventures.&nbsp;
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That's Westbrook high-pointing a ball with two Pacers in the vicinity, then flinging a dart to Alex Len before touching the floor. That, uh, is not an easy play to make! And somehow, that wasn't even the most impressive board Westbrook snagged.
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Following a Bradley Beal pull-up jumper, there are three Pacers -- all taller than Westbrook -- who have better rebound positioning. Westbrook is able to slither inside of Kelan Martin, dislodge the ball from Martin and Domantas Sabonis, then beat Doug McDermott to the ball. He then caps off that feat by dishing the rock to a cutting Rui Hachimura for an open flush.
Westbrook finished with four offensive rebounds (19 total) in that game, the seventh instance of Westbrook having at least four offensive rebounds in a game this season.&nbsp;
Regardless of how you feel about the man, these things remain true:
1) Westbrook is one of the best guards in NBA history, and will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
2) That man brings it. Every single night. Even when the result isn't great, it's hard not to respect the process.
3) He is the primary reason that the Wizards would be incredibly annoying to play against during the play-in and playoffs.
IS ANDREW WIGGINS... UNDERRATED?
Let's start with a wonky stat query, shall we?
Wiggins is averaging 18.6 points while shooting 37.7% from deep (5.2 attempts), and also blocking a shot (1.0) per night. The only two players <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional/?sort=FG3_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=FG3A*GE*5:PTS*GE*18:BLK*GE*1&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">matching or besting those marks</a> are Kevin Durant and Karl-Anthony Towns.
That means next-to-nothing from a big picture perspective -- Wiggins is no KD or KAT. It's only to point out that it isn't easy to find that combination of scoring, three-point shooting proficiency, and event creation defensively.&nbsp;
But dig into Wiggins' season a bit, and you should come away... mildly impressed. He isn't just flying down the court and operating as a play-finisher alongside Steph Curry. He grades out well in self-created actions, per Synergy: post-ups (51st percentile), pick-and-rolls (71st percentile), and isolation (83rd percentile).
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After an outlier bad start as a finisher, Wiggins is converting a career-high 70.7% of his shots <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wiggian01.html#shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inside of three feet</a>. It's a shame that's coming with a career-low free throw rate (.226), but hey. Baby steps.
More surprisingly, Wiggins has seemingly graduated from the good-when-he-cares class on defense. The Warriors have trusted him with a variety of tough assignments thorughout the season. Not only has he held his own, he's flat-out shut the water off sometimes.
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Who the heck had this on the Bingo! card before the year?
A fun stat to round things out: the Curry-Wiggins-Draymond Green trio without Kelly Oubre on the floor has a <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612744&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203952,1626162,201939,203110" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plus-11.9 net rating</a> in 631 minutes.&nbsp;
WES MATTHEWS, FILLING IN THE GAPS
It's no secret that the Lakers have been injury-ravaged this season, with notable absences from their two superstars. It feels like we've had a microsope on their role players -- sometimes unfairly -- because of how their level of importance has fluctuated. Talen Horton-Tucker shouldn't be the only credible ball-handler the Lakers have available. Heck, I just wrote about Marc Gasol's playing time <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/marc-gasol-should-get-more-minutes-los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a week ago</a>.
If we're tossing out hat-tips for recent play, I'd like to nominate Wes Matthews. His per-game numbers won't pop for you -- 7.3 points in 25.3 minutes over the last four games -- but he's doing what's needed.&nbsp;
He's knocking down threes at a high clip; the Lakers will take 37% on five attempts from him. Defensively, he's taken on an assortment of tough matchups recently: CJ McCollum, Chris Paul, and RJ Barrett (boy was he <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1392349962785153028?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put in a tough spot</a> at the end of that game) are just a few.&nbsp;
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The Lakers have been [checks notes] over 17 points per 100 possessions better with Matthews on the floor over the past four games. That number 1) isn't entirely on him and 2) seems unsustainable, but it's at least a testament to Matthews providing plus-value on both ends.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>All-NBA is tough. There are a lot of great players in the league. Injuries/COVID will make those discussions even tougher. But, like, where is the Trae Young buzz for an All-NBA team? He's 15th in scoring (25.6) and second in assists (9.5). He's the&nbsp;creator for a team with home-court advantage, and the Hawks have been 8.5 points per 100 possessions better <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612737&amp;VsPlayerID=1629027&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with Young on the floor</a>. I encourage you to look at the same stat for <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612742&amp;VsPlayerID=1629029&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a guy in Dallas</a>, just for funsies.</li>
<li>Keep an eye on Evan Fournier, now that Jaylen Brown is done for the season with a wrist injury. He's averaging 21.3 points (59/59/75 shooting split) in the four games since Brown went out.</li>
<li>Uhhhh, Kelly Olynyk is #not #slowing #down. He's putting up 18.9 points (56/38/85 shooting split), 8.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists since the All-Star break. Pick-and-pops, herky-jerky post-ups, fake handoffs. I keep waiting for his usual regression and it... just hasn't happened. His free agency should be fun.</li>
<li>Jaxson Hayes' last three games: 19 and 8 with 3 blocks, 18 and 8 with 6 blocks, and then 13 points against Memphis on Monday... and he went 3-of-3 from deep. #2KWasRight.</li>
<li>Speaking of former lottery bigs we don't quite know what to think of: Marvin Bagley is averaging 17 and 8 in May. The pathway to being a high-level play finisher, on the interior anyway, is still there.</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
The Butler Did It
It's always a good time when the Heat 1) run some screening action for Duncan Robinson or 2) clear a corner. It's especially fun when they do both.
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An Iverson cut brings Robinson from one side of the floor to another. But from there, the Heat pivot.&nbsp;
Jimmy Butler darts from the left corner to the right block, giving off the illusion of a post-up clear-out. With Marcus Smart top-locking him (a heavy theme from this game), Butler uses Smart's positioning against him, back-cutting him and getting a lob from Goran Dragic in the process.
One might say it was a Smart play from Butler.
Masterful Misdirection
This is freaking hilarious.
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The play initially caught my eye because I was like, "Hmmm, is this a 'Floppy' look? Teams are still doing that?" I like the set up regardless; Kevin Huerter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and John Collins form this weird triangle and it immediately throws the Wizards for a loop.
Westbrook calls out a switch early; clearly some wires get crossed because of it. Bogdanovic flies through the escape hatch beofre relocating to the left wing. Hachimura starts chasing Bogdanovic for... some... reason. That leaves Westbrook caught between Huerter and Collins, and they win that 2-on-1 pretty easily.
Fun stuff. Confusing stuff. Creative stuff. Effective stuff.
Bringing Down the House
Seems a bit mundane, but I wanted to give a quick shout to the budding chemistry between Tyrese Maxey and Dwight Howard off the bench.
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We get a variation of HORNS Flare to kick things off; Anthony Tolliver (still alive!) ghosts a screen for Maxey before relocating to the right wing. The action then flows into a pick-and-roll between Maxey and Howard.
With George Hill stashed in the left corner -- he's shooting 46% from there over the past three seasons, per InStat -- TJ McConnell can't tag Howard on the roll in good conscious. Maxey does a phenomenal job of driving deep enough to engage Goga Bitadze, then flips a lob over his head for the easy slam.
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ariivory">Arielle Chambers</a> on the <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1391860599555039235?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25 greatest moments</a> in WNBA history.
<a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry">Dorothy Gentry</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1392119386585042946?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fantastic feature</a> on WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper.
<a href="https://twitter.com/mellentuck">Matt Ellentuck</a> gives you a guide to help <a href="https://twitter.com/mellentuck/status/1392146591436390402?s=20">pick your favorite WNBA team</a> (if you don't have one already.)
<a href="https://twitter.com/juscarts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Carter</a> gave his <a href="https://twitter.com/juscarts/status/1392493429108744194?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WNBA preseason power rankings</a>. It would appear the Sky is the limit.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader">Mirin Fader</a> came through with the goods on <a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader/status/1392476775356108800?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WNBA superstar Breanna Stewart</a>.&nbsp;

In Nekias Duncan's weekly notebook, he shares things that have caught his eye. He breaks down players, teams, plays and stats.

Roaming the Baseline: Russell Westbrook, Andrew Wiggins, Wes Matthews

It's been hard to make sense of the Miami Heat this season.
The offense hasn't been as machine-like as it was last year. There's been a dip team-wide in shooting efficiency. Rim pressure has been inconsistent; the lack of availability has only accentuated that issue.
The defense is scrambling more by design. There's an added emphasis on pressure -- traps, full-court presses, aggressive fronting in the post -- though the high-risk nature of their scheme puts a strain on everyone.&nbsp;
This isn't the team that lit up the bubble. Between COVID, injuries, midseason transactions and opposing teams updating their scouting reports, the Heat have <a href="https://twitter.com/CoupNBA/status/1390758512591056899?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">constantly been in flux</a>.
It's fair to say the Heat have struggled to walk those tightropes consistently. That dynamic has kept them out of the East's upper echelon; yet, the can-they-get-it-together nature of their outlook also makes them an unappealing matchup option for teams in that upper echelon.
They may be starting to find that groove. They've won nine of their last 12 games dating back to April 18. The offense is humming at a top-three rate <a href="https://go.nba.com/l77z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during this stretch</a>; the defense has slipped, though an elite clip during third quarters (103.8, top-four) is a nice sigh of relief for the fan base.
It should come as no surprise that Jimmy Butler is balling during Miami's hottest stretch of the season. Frankly, he's been part of everything good for Miami. They're 31-19 (.620 win percentage) in games Butler has appeared in, and 6-12 in the games he's missed.
An MVP case may be a bit much -- we shouldn't overthink the Nikola Jokic thing -- but it's important not to lose sight of how good Butler has been, and how well the Heat have played with him.
DRIVING THE BUS
On a team featuring movement shooters (Duncan Robinson, Max Strus), pull-up artists (Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic) and more traditional spacers (Trevor Ariza, Nemanja Bjelica), it's Butler that provides the downhill juice to free them.
He ranks just outside the top-10 in <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1&amp;CF=DRIVES*GE*10&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drives per game</a> (15.9), and possesses one of the highest foul-drawn rates among volume drivers. His 8.1 average free throw attempts per game ranks No. 5 in the NBA; only five players <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/totals/nba/player?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draw more fouls on two-pointers</a> than Butler.&nbsp;
Butler does a tremendous job of getting his defenders off balance. While he doesn't possess some ankle-breaking dribbling package, he's able to shift the feet of his man from the triple-threat position. Ball fakes, jabs, and rip-throughs all aid Butler in his quest for paint touches.&nbsp;
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Once he gets downhill, Butler consistently dislodges defenders with elbows and shoulder nudges; his ability to gain inside leverage with his body, then power through defenders is a skill rivaled by few players in the league.
That consistent rim pressure opens the floor for everyone else. He's able to spray it out to corner shooters with simple kicks or jump-passes.
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Watch how Butler attacks the ICE coverage deployed by the Celtics here. The pacing is what matters; Butler probes a bit with the first dribble, then snakes inside of Jayson Tatum on the second. He's reading Kemba Walker on the weak side, waiting on him to tag Bam Adebayo on the roll. Once Walker makes contact with Adebayo, Butler flings a dart to Ariza.
When Butler engages rim protectors directly, he's able to slip in lay-down passes with ease.
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Butler goes to his should-be-patented shimmy-and-go to get Tatum off balance. Peep how low he gets on his second dribble to get under Tatum's chest and create an advantage for himself. Not only does Butler get to his spot with a favorable angle, he also compounds the advantage with an up-fake to get Luke Kornet in the air. From there, he's able to hit Dewayne Dedmon in the dunker spot for a lay-up.
It's amazing that Butler has been able to put up this sort of production -- 21.6 points (career-high 60.6 TS%) and a career-high 7.2 assists -- without a threatening three-point shot. A bounce-back season from mid-range covers some of the gap; his <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shooting/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DistanceRange=By%20Zone&amp;TeamID=1610612748&amp;sort=Mid-Range%20FGA&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">41.7% clip on middies</a> isn't an elite mark, but it's 10 percentage points higher than it was last season.
With the type of production Butler provides as a driver -- both as a finisher and passer -- he doesn't&nbsp;have&nbsp;to be an elite pull-up guy. All he needs to be is timely and competent. He's been that this season. When he's firing on all cylinders -- as he has been during this recent stretch -- there really isn't much you can do with him if you're an opposing defense.
PROVIDING HELP
I have a take.
At a minimum, Jimmy Butler is the best "nail" defender in the NBA. You could also make the argument that he's the best off-ball defender in the league, full stop.&nbsp;
Allow him to hover around the free-throw line, and he'll junk up everything you want to do. Timely digs on drives; playing between two when there's a trap elsewhere; calculated gambles against unsuspecting post-up threats. Nobody's safe when Butler is around.
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The dynamic with Butler and Adebayo is an interesting one. They wreck worlds together, with the Heat defending at a <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612748&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=202710,1628389&amp;OnlyCommonGames=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-five rate</a> when they share the floor. Running actions against those two are rarely fruitful endeavors.
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Adebayo rightfully is praised for his defensive versatility. Having a 5 that can not only hold his own against perimeter players, but can legitimately force stops against them is insanely valuable. What gets a little overlooked is the strain that places on the smaller players on the court.
If a big (Adebayo) is on a small, logic dictates that a small is on a big somewhere. Butler's able to hold his own against centers. He's a strong dude, but he's also a smart dude; he consistently positions himself in a way that: 1) Makes entry passes tough to make and 2) It's difficult for larger players to get comfortable.
Butler isn't a shot-blocker, but his combination of strength, positioning and hand speed makes big-on-small post-ups less automatic than they should be.&nbsp;
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Of course, Butler remains a strong perimeter defender. We're treated to less of the bleep-it-he's-mine-for-40-minutes assignments by virtue of Miami's switching principles. That doesn't mean he&nbsp;can't&nbsp;fight over screens and make life difficult for top-tier initiators.&nbsp;
The priorities have shifted, not just for Butler in Miami, but for what it means to be an elite defender. The fact that Butler is able to toggle between being a free safety, punching up on the block and funneling elite scorers into a swarm of arms is why he's one of the most impactful defenders in the sport.
To that point: the Heat's defense is roughly five points stingier with Butler on the floor, <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612748&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=202710&amp;OnlyCommonGames=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per PBP Stats</a>.&nbsp;
When you think of who the Heat are, or what they've struggled to consistently be this season, what comes to mind?
A grind-it-out group with a focus on meticulous decision-making. Aggressiveness, versatility, toughness.&nbsp;
They're Jimmy Butler, essentially.
The team is shaped in his image, down to the culture-filled comments in the postgame presser. It should come as no surprise that, as Butler has been more available, the team is looking more like who they want to be.
And that team isn't just one that nobody wants to play; that's a team that could beat just about anyone four times.

Nekias Duncan breaks down what makes Jimmy Butler dangerous, and how that impacts the Heat's playoff hopes.

Jimmy Butler is taking over at the right time

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
STEPHEN CURRY IS UNCONSCIOUS
40.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists.
56-of-90 (62.2%) from two, 72-of-143 (50.3%) from three, 80-of-88 (90.9%) from the free throw line.
43-of-83 (51.8%) on threes off the dribble, per Synergy. 124 points on 75 shots out of pick-and-roll, per Synergy.
This is Stephen Curry's April, and it. is. glorious.
It is easy to get lost in the flamethrowing, the inevitible nature of his deep shotmaking. But to watch Curry in action is witness not just outlier skill on display, but a level of detail -- footwork, body positioning, body reading -- that is nearly unrivaled in NBA history.
It's not enough to say Curry only needs a sliver of space. The fun is in watching Curry create that sliver.
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Blink, and you'll miss the goodness. Curry runs Marcus Smart (elite defender, by the way) off the screen from Kevon Looney. He then begins to dart inside with Smart trailing him, before abruptly (and subtly) branching off from Smart to fly outside&nbsp;of another screen from Andrew Wiggins. In a vacuum, Smart puts together a B+ possession; you need "A+" and a little luck to bother Curry, much less force a miss.
The win column dictates that we stop short of calling this the best version of Curry we've seen. 73 wins and a unanimous MVP in 2015-16; more flamethrowing and a title during his 2017-18 campaign. I get it.
It's hogwash, though.
This man isn't riding a heater; he&nbsp;is&nbsp;a heater. The three-point shot has never been hotter; beyond that, he's leveraging it to score at an efficient clip in the other two levels of the floor. He's doing this with, well, let's say "suboptimal" circumstances around him. He has managed to be an offense unto himself without being anywhere near a liability on defense, which is something we can't say for... other guards.
Curry may be the purest definition of MVP, even if he won't win the award. And Curry agrees.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
On "The Rex Chapman Show," <a href="https://twitter.com/RexChapman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RexChapman</a> asked <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StephenCurry30</a> if he's this year's MVP. "I gotta be," Curry said. Watch the full exclusive interview with Steph Curry tomorrow on YouTube. Subscribe: <a href="https://t.co/3SiHwo86MB">https://t.co/3SiHwo86MB</a> <a href="https://t.co/t75b6kf7A1">pic.twitter.com/t75b6kf7A1</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1384961091390824450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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REGULAR SEASON RAJON RONDO
Well, hey, I might've been wrong about this one.
As the student marshall of Rondo's Bad, Man, University (RBMU), I was baffled when the Clippers gave up Lou Williams, second-round pick capital, and&nbsp;cash to bring Rondo into the fray.&nbsp;
Why would a team that needs rim pressure trade away a (historically) high free throw rate guy for a guard that teams don't defend as a scorer?
Why would you give up a better player and assets for this guy?&nbsp;
Why are we still making lemon pepper wing jokes?
I can't answer the third question, but the first two can be (and have been) answered by plays like this.
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Rondo may not be bringing the funk as a scorer, but he's boosting the Clippers' rim volume by virtue of his passing ability. It introduces a level of randomness that the Clippers just didn't have. Instead of designed plays or gentle nudging to get their jumper-centric (super)stars downhill, players can simply cut into space. Tight-window throws that risk-averse humans wouldn't make are pretty routine to Rondo.
To drive the point home (heh): the Clippers are plus-85 in Rondo's 167 minutes while winning eight of their nine games with him. Seems good!
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TREVOR ARIZA HAS SOME JUICE
Stop me if you've heard this one before: the Heat have been searching for a Jae Crowder repla-
Ah, good!
The acquisition of Trevor Ariza was made to do just that: give the Heat a 4 man to knock down threes and defend up a position if needed. The unexpected development is that Ariza hasn't looked out of place. guarding down&nbsp;a position.&nbsp;
He's spent plenty of time switching onto bigs -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Deandre Ayton and others are on the list. He's defended both forward spots. Him getting point-of-attack reps -- like, "your assignment is Kyrie Irving" reps -- wasn't something I expected. The results have been promising, though.
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Ariza has allowed the Heat to go multiple. His switchability allows the Heat to keep actions in front. His length helps him bother bigs, or puts pressure on ball-handlers when they opt to blitz pick-and-rolls. Add in the 37% clip Ariza is firing from deep, and you have yourself a much needed two-way contributor.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>The games have been spread out due to injury, but Lu Dort has drilled 41% of his threes on nearly seven attempts over his last 15 games. He already has some "oomph" as a driver, using a surprisingly effective crossover to get where he wants to go. If he makes enough threes to where teams defend him tighter, there will be more close-outs to attack. Fun dude to watch.</li>
<li>Josh Jackson. He makes me go "hmmmm." He drives like he's fleeing the defense instead of attacking it, attempts passes that are way above his pay grade, and the Pistons are ... plus-40 in his minutes this month, while he's averaging nearly 17 points (47/47/77) per contest. I don't know, man.</li>
<li>RJ Barrett is still doing it, y'all. And by doing it, I mean he's shooting 44% from deep on 4.6 attempts since the All-Star break. He isn't that&nbsp;as a shooter, but becoming a good one should be enough to unlock more passing reads and driving lanes for him. How open those lanes will be due to his supporting cast is another question entirely.</li>
<li>We were all wondering where Denver's guard play would come from once Jamal Murray was injured. One player who has stepped up: PJ Dozier, quietly averaging 12-4-4 over the past three games. He's feasting from the corner, either shooting threes, cutting for twos, or flying in to crash the offensive glass.</li>
<li>The Wizards are doing that thing where they're winning a bunch of games. They're 7-1 in their last eight, with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-first-player-in-nba-history-with-multiple-triple-doubles-vs-every-team-bradley-beal-james-harden-assists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a bunch of triple-doubles from Russell Westbrook</a>. Bradley Beal still can't be guarded; Davis Bertans is firing again, and, as off-the-cuff as it is, I am really enjoying the violence that Daniel Gafford is playing with on both ends. Keep an eye on 'em.</li>
</ul>
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PLAYS I LIKED
Phoenix Goes to Spain
If you've followed my work for any amount of time, you know my affinity for Spain (or Stack) pick-and-rolls. High-ball screen to start, back-pick on the screener's man with a flare following. It's a pretty common action throughout the league, though there are teams -- Phoenix, Charlotte, Utah -- that run it more than others.
I love the way the Suns stretched this one out against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. Chris Paul receiving the screen at darn-near half-court allows for more room to operate. Devin Booker gets an easy one here.
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And a quick shoutout to <a href="https://twitter.com/protectedpick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Vigil</a> (very good Suns follow, if you're into that sort of thing) for posting this one from the Suns-Kings game last Friday. Instead of the back-pick, Jevon Carter "ghosts" the screen and gets an open triple out of it.
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Fun stuff.
The Upside Down
Inverted pick-and-rolls -- wings or bigs running pick-and-rolls with small guards as the screener -- have been a staple of the Point Zion experience. The premise is simple enough: force an unfavorable switch, or draw two to the ball to create a numbers game. Sprucing up that dynamic with an empty corner is flat-out cruel.
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The clear-out allows Zion and Kira Lewis to work in tandem without a third defender shading down. Lewis using Kyrie's face-guard against him to take Blake Griffin out of the play is some vet stuff. And of course, all Zion needs is a step to get to the rim.
What are you supposed to do about that as a defense?
Spurs Go Empty
Keeping with the empty-corner theme, peep the Spurs flowing out of Double Drag.
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Well, it's a Double-Drag alignment, but it's pretty fake. No real screen from Lonnie Walker as he pops out, and Drew Eubanks doesn't dive just yet. Instead, Devin Vassell clears the right corner before Derrick White and Eubanks start their two-man dance. There's no help available on the roll, leading to the open window for the lob.
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THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week (since April 14) that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/TylerRickyTynes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyler Tynes</a> talked to Ben Simmons about ... <a href="https://twitter.com/TylerRickyTynes/status/1383096814371532800?s=20">a little bit of everything</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/britnidlc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britni de la Cretaz</a> with important work on the <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1383043429534470144?s=20">plight of nonbinary athletes</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf">Jackson Frank</a> with a dope feature on <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1382419187981639682?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shake Milton and his development</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee">Michael Lee</a> profiled a few athletes, including New York Liberty guard Asia Durr, on the <a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/1384127686138732548" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lingering effects of COVID</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/abovethebreak3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PD Web</a> on the concept of <a href="https://twitter.com/abovethebreak3/status/1384666910613250053?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pre-drafting players</a>.

In Nekias Duncan's weekly notebook, he shares things that have caught his eye. He breaks down players, teams, plays, stats, etc.

Roaming the Baseline: Stephen Curry, Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza, more

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren't very good.&nbsp;
They were blown out by the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, extending an absolutely dreadful stretch of losses for them as of late. Their past six games have gone as such:
<ul>
<li>111-94 loss to the Boston Celtics</li>
<li>127-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li>113-103 win over the Toronto Raptors (I'm just as shocked as you are)</li>
<li>140-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns</li>
<li>113-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers</li>
<li>132-108 loss to the Pistons</li>
</ul>
For the mathematically challenged, that's five losses by a total of 114 points -- a 22.8 point average. Even with the win over the Raptors sprinkled in, the Thunder have a minus-22.9 net rating over their <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/advanced/?sort=NET_RATING&amp;dir=1&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;LastNGames=6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last six games</a>. They have the NBA's worst net rating (minus-7.9) overall this season.&nbsp;
Things probably won't get much better in terms of wins and losses. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, their All-Star caliber guard, is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shai-gilgeousalexander-to-be-out-for-extended-time-with-plantar-fascilitis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out indefinitely</a> with right foot plantar fasciitis. Al Horford is essentially getting "DNP-Old" designations. The team is bad, and will continue to be bad.
Bad doesn't have to be boring, though. I would argue that despite the wacky deficits, this is a pretty fun group to keep track of from a development standpoint. The Thunder have intentionally shifted to go even younger to close the season, and we've been treated to some interesting flashes from their prospects because of it. Let's take a look at a few.
THEO MALEDON LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS
Maledon is hard-wired to make the right play. If he sees a help defender creep in, or a big man play a pick-and-roll a bit too high, he'll seek out the extra pass. He's more than willing to make the "one more" pass in a swing-swing situation. Keeping the chain moving is more important than seeking out individual glory for him. Maledon is a point guard's point guard in that respect.
That passivity has also gotten him into trouble at times this season.
There's nothing inherently wrong with making those corner skips or extra passes. In fact, the vision and precision needed to fulfill those responsibilities are necessary to thrive as an initiator. It becomes a bit of an issue when teams&nbsp;know&nbsp;you want to pass more often than not. The offense can and will bog down if you always pass up good shots in search of a great one.
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It's likely due to the absence of SGA, but Maledon is finally starting to take charge more often. He's taken 10 or more shot attempts in 11 straight games dating back to March 16. Before that date, Maledon had only taken 10-plus shots in three games total.&nbsp;
He's converting a shade under 36% of his looks from three in this 11-game stretch. More importantly, he's doing it with volume (5.8 attempts per game). The efficiency with pull-up jumpers hasn't been there as of late, but his willingness to pull against "under" coverage is an encouraging sign.
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It's less about Maledon needing to turn himself into a high-volume shot-creator, and more about making defenders respect the threat of his scoring so he'll be able to pass the way he wants to.
ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI FINDING THE NET
Someone who isn't gun-shy is Aleksej Pokusevski.
The results have been less than good, to be kind. 222 players have <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional/?sort=FG_PCT&amp;dir=1&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;PerMode=Totals&amp;CF=FGA*GE*250" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken at least 250 shots</a> this season; Pokusevski ranks 222nd in field goal percentage (32.3%).
It's been better as of late, though the easy caveat is that the bar couldn't get much lower. He still struggles to finish through contact; being listed at 7-feet tall and 190 pounds on Basketball-Reference, it's easy to see why he'd struggle in the paint.
The jumper has run a little hotter. During this recent three-game skid, Pokusevski has drilled 44% of his triples on six attempts per contest. They aren't just the spot-up variety like your typical stretch big. The lanky fella can knock down shots off the bounce, or get busy flying off of screens.
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There are a handful of WTF plays from Pokusevski every game, but those should diminish as he gains experience and grows into his body. Even in the midst of bad games, there are plenty of skill flashes on display. Not losing confidence, while operating as the least efficient player in the sport, is important for his progression moving forward (and oddly endearing).
MOSES BROWN IS CLEANING UP
Let's start here: Moses Brown is a massive human being.
Listed at 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Brown towers over just about everyone he plays with; he's still trying to figure out how to use that size. It's a bit wild how often he's dislodged on layup attempts (41.1 percent, via SportRadar tracking), and he doesn't bring the "oomph" that you'd think as a pick-and-roll threat (54th percentile, per Synergy). But what he lacks as a downhill threat right now, he more than makes up for as a menace on the offensive glass.
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Brown is averaging 3.1 offensive rebounds on the season in under 20 minutes per game. Over his last six games, that number has risen to 4.5 in 27.5 minutes per contest. Nearly 82 percent of Brown's offensive rebounds are of the "contested" variety, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/offensive-rebounding/?sort=OREB_CONTEST_PCT&amp;dir=1&amp;CF=OREB*GE*2&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per NBA.com's tracking data</a>. That's the highest clip among the 43 players averaging at least two offensive boards per game.
He isn't just getting a bunch of boards; he's getting a bunch of tough boards. The Thunder have benefited from having a 7-foot-2 vacuum in their frontcourt; when Brown <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612760&amp;VsPlayerID=1629650">goes to the bench</a>, their offensive rebound rate drops over 10 percentage points, and their overall rebound rate drops four percentage points 
There's more to work out on Brown's behalf. Aside from the finishing, he's still learning the nuances of pick-and-roll defense. His size helps at the rim, but navigating the gap in drop defense has been an adventure. By adventure, I mean there are a significant amount of possessions where he doesn't venture past the elbow and allows ball-handlers to walk into pull-up threes or fruitful pull-up twos.
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He opts to spread his arms wide in order to...well, I guess he wants to take away the pocket pass. But he drops so far back, ball-handlers never really have to push the issue in that way. I'd love to see him play a step or two higher; he has the length to bother a ball-handler's space, and it's not like he doesn't move well.
Use your limbs, big fella!

Nekias Duncan breaks down film of the Thunder's most intriguing prospects, highlighting the fun parts of their games despite the losing efforts.

Young and still learning: The hidden joys of the Oklahoma City Thunder

Spencer Davies goes one-on-one with Elam Ending inventor Nick Elam to discuss the idea and how it's grown in popularity.

Elam Ending Q&A: Meet the inventor of the end-game craze

There are 18 days until the NBA All-Star break, which was supposed to be a break with no All-Star festivities. But then that plan changed, much to the dismay of many of the league&rsquo;s top superstars.&nbsp;
The Utah Jazz look unstoppable, sort of like the Milwaukee Bucks did at this time a year ago, and there is not a whole lot of defense being played as teams slog their way through the mid-winter schedule and make adjustments on the fly (whether because of coronavirus issues or injuries or slumps).
Every night brings major surprises, some of them positive &ndash; as fans of the Detroit Pistons could tell you. Until recently, they were the worst team in the East; now, they are making us NBA hardcores take notice of the likes of Saddiq Bey and Mason Plumlee.
The week begins with news that Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis will both be back on the shelf; Durant with a hamstring issue and Davis with an Achilles. Neither injury is particularly serious, and let&rsquo;s all remember that what happens in February often has very little impact in May and June when things ramp up.
So with 18 days remaining until the All-Star break, here are 18 observations (aside from the ones listed above) that will be at the forefront of NBA conversations between now and the All-Star break.
1. What on earth is wrong with the Boston Celtics? They got toasted by the Washington Wizards, the worst team in the East, on Sunday afternoon to make it four losses in their past five games. Prior to that, they lost to the Detroit Pistons and they are now 13-13. It looks like they miss Gordon Hayward more than we anticipated, and there is no underestimating how important Marcus Smart is to that team. Payton Pritchard has earned Brad Stevens&rsquo; trust, but what about rookie Aaron Nesmith, the No. 14 overall pick in the draft? He did log 29 minutes of garbage time on Sunday, which is a step in the right direction... or he was being showcased.
2. Why are so many superstars speaking out about having to play in an All-Star game? Well, they were told at the outset of the season that they were going to have a one-week break, and then that promise was broken. NBA contracts include language that obligates players to participate in All-Star activities if invited, so three Saturdays from now a bunch of players will be flying into Atlanta, locking themselves in their hotel rooms and getting ready for the annual Sunday night show. Let&rsquo;s just hope the fourth quarter is competitive, like it normally is.
3. When can we expect the Utah Jazz to lose a game? On Thursday, we were wondering whether it would come in a span of the next eight days, because the schedule was getting tough for them. But they beat the Milwaukee Bucks by 14 and the Miami Heat by 18. Tonight, it is Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers trying to end the Jazz&rsquo;s hot streak, and then Utah plays back-to-back games against the Clippers at the Staples Center on Wednesday and Friday. If Paul George (right foot) and Kawhi Leonard (left leg contusion) are both healthy by then, we will have a litmus test.
4. Will the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets trade for a big man? Brooklyn has had a donut problem (a hole in the middle) since Jarrett Allen was traded in the James Harden deal, and Noah Vonleh and Norvel Pelle do not look like long-term solutions. The Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting Andre Drummond until they can find a trade partner, and JaVale McGee is expendable as well. The same goes for Hassan Whiteside in Sacramento. The Nets may not have the assets to trade for any of them unless they surrender Joe Harris, so they&rsquo;ll likely wait to see who is bought out. Meanwhile, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that he is OK with moving Julius Randle over to center while Mitchell Robinson recovers from a broken hand (and they also have Nerlens Noel). The Knicks have won four of their last six games, but will have to contend with Clint Capela and Nikola Vucevic in their next two games, after which Leon Rose, Thibs and Worldwide Wes may need to come up with a plan to find a new center.
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5. What is wrong with the Milwaukee Bucks? They lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night and have been surrendering more than 123 points a night in their current three-game losing streak. A year ago, on Feb. 15, they were 46-8 and Giannis Antetokounmpo had pretty much wrapped up the MVP award. But this season, they have been running hot and cold like a leaky faucet (the three recent losses were preceded by five-straight wins, which followed consecutive losses, which followed consecutive wins). They&rsquo;ll need better, more consistent production from Brook Lopez, who scored 6 points last night against Al Horford. His scoring has dropped from 12.0 points per game to 10.8, and his assists are down from 1.5 to 0.6. His next double-figure rebounding game will be just his third of the season. It is worth noting that Milwaukee is trying to get their new pieces acclimated, which hasn&rsquo;t helped.
6. Which teams figure to be active at the trade deadline? I would say the New Orleans Pelicans are the team to watch. If the supporting cast around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram continue to underperform, they will look for hungrier players along with extra draft picks to add to the ones they got from Milwaukee in the Jrue Holiday-Eric Bledsoe deal. New Orleans has lost its last three games -- not playing a lick of defense against Chicago, Dallas and Detroit -- and 11-15 is not where they wanted to be, especially with Zion shooting an unfathomable 65.5 percent from the field this month (he was 14-for-15 against the Mavs on Friday). Boston, New York and Brooklyn have already been mentioned, and major underachievers (Miami, Dallas, Toronto) are always looking to tinker in order to bolster their roster for a playoff push.
7. What makes this season very different from last year&rsquo;s campaign? Aside from the coronavirus disruptions, the rule change that will allow for 20 of the 30 teams to qualify for the playoffs (including the play-in tournament) has disincentivized players from competing at their highest level during the regular season. One Eastern Conference coach (who spoke on the condition of anonymity) said it has been one of the worst rules changes ever enacted. We&rsquo;ll see if he feels the same way if his team finishes ninth or 10th and has a chance to play meaningful postseason games rather than beginning preparations for the draft extra early.
8. Why are the Phoenix Suns sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference? The addition of Chris Paul is the biggest reason, and they are 6-0 thus far on a seven-game homestand that ends Tuesday night against a Brooklyn team that will be without Kevin Durant. They&rsquo;ve won nine of 10, and at a certain point, Mikal Bridges <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mikal-bridges-phoenix-suns-breakout-season-three-point-shooting-pick-and-roll-defense-deandre-ayton-turnover-percentage-monty-williams-chris-paul-villanova-jay-wright-ashley-howard">has to enter the Most Improved Player conversation</a> (<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/103?category=awards&amp;subcategory=most-improved-player">he is 100-1 at DraftKingsSportsbook</a>, where <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/103?category=awards&amp;subcategory=mvp">Chris Paul is 500-1 to be MVP</a>).
9. Who is the Coach of the Year? One would assume that Quin Snyder (Jazz) and Doc Rivers (Sixers) would be the frontrunners, but get this: None of the major sportsbooks operating in the legalized U.S. sports gambling market have Coach of the Year odds listed. This award typically goes to the coach whose team has overachieved the most, and everyone expected the Sixers and Jazz to be good. So Monty Williams in Phoenix, Thibodeau in New York, Terry Stotts in Portland (he lost C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic) and James Borrego in Charlotte may be in the mix.
10. Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft? Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State is the flavor of the moment, followed by Jalen Green of the G-League Ignite, a team that just began playing bubbleball last week. Scouts are being hampered by their inability to get inside gyms, watch prospects closely and observe things such as body language, pre-game habits, interactions with teammates, etc. Because of that, this summer&rsquo;s draft is going to be more of a crapshoot than usual, and the team with the most first-round picks is Oklahoma City with three. Houston and New York have two apiece.
11. What is the best game to watch over the remainder of the first half of the season? Many teams are starting to allow fans back into the arenas, but we will probably not see a full house until next season, which removes the crowd factor for the most part (shout out to Courtside Karen), which would normally make certain matchups more enticing. If Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis are back by Thursday, Nets-Lakers on TNT is a candidate. We have Jazz-Clippers on Wednesday and Friday, followed by a Heat-Lakers NBA Finals rematch on Saturday (ABC) and Nets-Clippers the following night. Fans will be allowed at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 23 when Steph Curry faces the Knicks, but the winner in this category is Lakers at Jazz on Friday, Feb. 24.
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12. Who will win the Rasheed Wallace Award (a.k.a. Hothead of the Year)? Dwight Howard of the Sixers and Russell Westbrook of the Wizards are tied for the league lead in technical fouls with eight apiece. Among coaches, Nick Nurse of Toronto leads with five.
13. What record might fall? Jose Calderon holds the record for the highest free-throw percentage (98.1 percent in 2008-09 for Toronto). Entering Monday&rsquo;s games, Suns guard Chris Paul is 68-for-70 (97.1 percent) and Nets guard Kyrie Irving is 77-for-81 (95.1 percent). If either has a few games of perfection from 15 feet away, perhaps Calderon&rsquo;s record will be in jeopardy.
14. Anzejs Pasecniks of the Washington Wizards was released a month ago after appearing in one game. In five minutes of playing time, he committed six turnovers to go along with two personal fouls, one assist and one offensive rebound. Ish Smith converted the bucket off the Latvian kid&rsquo;s assist. That&rsquo;s a rough outing.
15. Monte Morris of the Denver Nuggets leads the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 5.5 (among qualified players) and Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks is at 5.7. Among players who log major minutes, DeMar DeRozan of San Antonio is at 4.20. In the steals-to-turnover ratio category, Matisse Thybulle is head and shoulders above everyone at 5.0. Among players who log major minutes, the league leader in steals is Jrue Holiday of Milwaukee with 1.91 per game.
16. In the &ldquo;hustle stats&rdquo; categories, Ben Simmons leads the NBA with 4.1 deflections per game, Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the league in loose balls recovered (38), Domantas Sabonis leads the league in screen assists (6.7), and Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Lowry are tied for the league lead in charges drawn (12).
17. The league&rsquo;s oldest player, Udonis Haslem of Miami, wears uniform No. 40&hellip; matching his age. The youngest player, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Aleksej Pokusevski, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 draft, is 19 years old and has 19 blocked shots.
18. What&rsquo;s the season-low for offensive rebounds in a game? One. The Philadelphia 76ers were the team to grab a single offensive rebound against Washington on Jan. 6, when the Sixers scored 141 points. Danny Green grabbed the lone offensive board.

With the NBA All-Star break approaching, Chris Sheridan shares his thoughts on the season thus far.

Sheridan: 18 observations with 18 days until NBA All-Star break

I&rsquo;ve never had basketball taken away from me.
I was eating well, playing good, feeling confident and having fun again.
Things were going really well. I remember Coach Ryan Schmidt signaling to either Jermel Kennedy or somebody to run a play to get the ball in my hands because I had just scored, and we wanted to run a specific play for me, so they handed the ball off to me and I went to accelerate and advance the dribble like I do every day.&nbsp;
And I fell.&nbsp;
My initial thought was that I slipped on a sticker. On the court they have those decals and sometimes they get slippery if they get wet or aren&rsquo;t put on properly. I had slipped on one four or five plays earlier, so I thought I had just slipped again.
Usually when I turn the ball over, I go after it. But my body couldn't even move to go after the ball this time. That&rsquo;s when I knew something was wrong. My teammate, Briante Weber told me that he heard a pop. Coach Ryan was turning away like he didn&rsquo;t even want to look. I looked at my teammates&rsquo; faces and they were all looking back in disgust. I thought, &ldquo;Oh no, is it something gruesome like what happened to my friend, Tyler Ennis?&rdquo; But it wasn&rsquo;t that, thankfully.&nbsp;
It didn&rsquo;t even hurt, because when you tear your Achilles, all of the nerve endings are just kind of&hellip;finished.&nbsp;
But inside, I knew something was wrong. I couldn&rsquo;t get up, and I just started crying on the court.&nbsp;
I thought about how hard I had worked to stay in shape throughout the pandemic, and about having the opportunity to play basketball again in the Canadian Elite Basketball League after a situation with the 905 where I wasn&rsquo;t playing a lot. We had just got Coach Ryan his first win as a head coach and we were on our way to securing a playoff spot, but I couldn&rsquo;t even finish the game. It was like I had let my teammates down.&nbsp;
How could I get hurt? It&rsquo;s not even a contact injury. I was in better shape than I was with the 905! This all went through my mind while I was lying on the court and my foot was just kind of&hellip;dangling there.&nbsp;
I was home in Canada, but none of this was familiar. I had to go to the hospital alone, talk to doctors alone, and tread all of these new waters alone while trying not to drown.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m fortunate that I was playing under my long-term mentor, and, for lack of a better word, rock, in Jermaine Anderson (the general manager of my CEBL team). He was able to get everything together for my insurance, get me second opinions, and get me the best treatment and doctors possible, because that almost wasn&rsquo;t the case.&nbsp;
Initially, I was in St. Catharines General Hospital and I was going to go do surgery the next day with someone there. But the doctor at St. Catharines was making jokes and making me really uncomfortable, saying stuff like, &ldquo;Is Kevin Durant your favorite player? I guess you guys have more in common now!&rdquo; I don&rsquo;t know if that was just his method, to use humor during a tough time, but like, my guy, this is not the time. It was only a day after, I hadn&rsquo;t even gotten through all of my text messages and phone calls from people. I was still in mental survival mode, thinking, &ldquo;This can&rsquo;t be real.&rdquo; The doctor came back in and told me, &ldquo;We can do the surgery, but tonight I have a gallbladder surgery to do, then another surgery to do, and then I&rsquo;ll do yours.&rdquo; I called Jermaine, and we were both like, &ldquo;Nah, we can&rsquo;t do the surgery here.&rdquo;
Jermaine came through, like he always does, and hooked me up with Dr. Desai, and he&rsquo;s a huge basketball fanatic. He actually saw Kevin Durant when KD tore his Achilles against the Raptors. It made me feel more comfortable to see somebody who actually specializes in orthopaedic procedures, and who works with basketball players on a regular basis.&nbsp;
But again, I was alone.
This was at the height of COVID, and it killed my mom and the rest of my family to not be able to be in the waiting room or anywhere close to the hospital. They had to wait outside, and I had to go in for surgery by myself. I was by myself when I woke up after the surgery and saw my foot in a cast for the first time. I was by myself when I had to face the reality that I was going to have to rebuild my body and pause my career.&nbsp;
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My mom, my brother and I live by this family mantra, &lsquo;the 72-hour rule.&rdquo; When something negative happens, you can sulk about it for two-to-three days, but then after that third day, you have to snap out of it. So I took notes. I wrote down all of the things I was going to do, and then aligned it with the protocols that the doctor gave me and just made sure I kept my mind out of a negative space. I want to stay positive when it comes to attacking this rehab process.
And it&rsquo;s been a good process.
I&rsquo;m in Canada, so my surgery and post-op care was free, but they don&rsquo;t cover the cost of my lengthy rehab. But I have insurance through Team Canada, which covers some of my expenses (with the rest paid out-of-pocket).&nbsp;
I work with the Team Canada guys and their physical therapist Jason Meehan, who I see once a week. Four-to-five times a week, I do weights and stuff with Dr. Thomas Lam, who is someone I&rsquo;ve worked with since I was 13 years old. Dr. Lam works with my Team Canada teammate, Dwight Powell, who also tore his Achilles in January with the Dallas Mavericks. This is a strange coincidence, but it&rsquo;s one that I needed, to have somebody that is going through the exact same process that can coach me and be like, &ldquo;Hey, this is what you&rsquo;re going to experience. You&rsquo;re going to have good days and bad days...&rdquo; That was good for me. That made me really optimistic.&nbsp;
Dwight is a great person and he is a hard worker. That&rsquo;s something no injury can ever take away from him. He also plays for Mark Cuban, so he has access to all of the best resources. Even in the NBA bubble, there was talk that he looked so good that he could probably play, but the team just wanted to be cautious.
I was playing in the G League, living check to check. It&rsquo;s already hard to stay committed in the G League, where our per diem is $100 for a two-day road trip and our salaries are $30,000 before taxes. I thought about Dwight&rsquo;s injury, and I thought about my injury, and how if I just had a little bit more money (or an NBA organization footing the bill), I could have access to better resources too.&nbsp;
Fortunately, I did have a lot from a support standpoint.
The team I was playing for, the Hamilton Honey Badgers, features a number of people who I got to know during my time with the Raptors 905. Jermaine Anderson went from a player-development coach on the 905 to GM of the Honey Badgers. Coach Ryan was one of the main assistant coaches that I was really close with throughout my tenure with the 905.&nbsp;
Many people from the 905 reached out including their GM Chad Sanders, the new president Courtney Charles and the former president John Wiggins. Jama Mahlalela (who used to be the 905&rsquo;s head coach) hit me up as well. They offered words of support and told me that they were keeping me in their prayers. One of the 905&rsquo;s therapists, Graeme Campbell, was already there in the CEBL bubble because he was working with Coach Charles Kissi and the Guelph Nighthawks.&nbsp;
Everyone offered me so much. Rayhan Malik, our athletic trainer with the 905, was like, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see what the insurance is like, but if you want to work with me and work with Graeme, we can definitely help take care of you.&rdquo;
I couldn&rsquo;t work with the Raptors&rsquo; people because they were still in the bubble, so they were trying to figure that out and it wouldn&rsquo;t have been an option for me. John, Chad and Jama all brought up the idea of the 905 signing me as a practice player for the upcoming season. You don&rsquo;t get paid for that, and I would have had to travel to the arena by myself and they wouldn&rsquo;t provide housing, but the goal would have been to give me the opportunity to be around basketball, to be around the team, maybe even help coach some of the new guys, and at least get access to working out with Arsalan Jamil and Ryan Schmidt, and then get treatment there around the clock. But because of COVID-19 and what they&rsquo;re going to do with the G League season, and then with the Raptors moving to Tampa and the 905 possibly moving too, it wouldn&rsquo;t make sense for them to have to fly me out and house me if I&rsquo;m not going to get the opportunity to play with them.
And then they had a coaching change.&nbsp;
I haven&rsquo;t heard from the 905 since they hired Coach Patrick Mutombo and Brittni Donaldson, and Jama is on Nick Nurse&rsquo;s staff now, so he has other things to worry about. I don&rsquo;t know where I stand with them in terms of being a practice player or not. But regardless, I&rsquo;m still thankful that they reached out, thankful that they wanted to help out, and thankful for the two years that I spent there.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;ve been carrying it well, doing everything I can to get back out there, but this stuff is still heavy, man.
Even Employment Insurance is a grey area, because my job as a G League player doesn&rsquo;t really exist right now, and I can&rsquo;t find other work because I&rsquo;m still injured.&nbsp;
These are the kind of things that NBA guys, NBA fans, and just basketball fans in general don&rsquo;t really understand, or even think about.&nbsp;
And I can&rsquo;t blame them for that. I can&rsquo;t blame anybody for this situation since it was entirely out of anyone&rsquo;s control.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m blessed, so blessed, to be in an organization that has offered all they could in terms of support. But at the end of the day, I&rsquo;m not in a situation where I&rsquo;m making millions of dollars or receiving all of the same perks as an NBA player.&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t get me wrong. I love my job. I get to play the game I love, and I get paid to do it. Not many people can say that.&nbsp;
And it&rsquo;s not all about money.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s just life, when I think about it.&nbsp;
The richer people always have access to better healthcare than the people who don&rsquo;t.
Growing up, people always talk about managing your money properly and getting your degree because you could get hurt. You hear those things and you take it in, but you don&rsquo;t really process it. Then, it happened to me. I&rsquo;m glad I got my degree. What if I had left school early and never went to the NBA? Then I&rsquo;m overseas and this happened to me. At least I have my degree to fall back on.
The window for undrafted players and G League players is so small. You can do everything right and still have your dream disappear before it even begins.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m lucky to have so many people in the basketball community that care about me and want to see me get back on my feet.
It&rsquo;s been a hard road, but I&rsquo;m luckier than most.&nbsp;

Former Raptors 905 guard Duane Notice details his recovery from a torn Achilles without having NBA resources at his disposal.

The expensive difference between rehab in the NBA and G League

During BasketballNews.com's recent <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/w/1nAKEALdYZAKL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virtual Watch Party</a> for the NBA Finals, our staff was joined by a number of former NBA and WNBA players for a wide-ranging three-hour conversation.
At one point, the former players talked about the moment that they realized it was time to retire (as well as their transition to retirement). Here is a transcript of that discussion:
Etan Thomas, 11-year NBA veteran: "For me, it was just realizing that I can't do what I used to do. It's just different. So where before I would turn and face, two dribbles hard to the middle, spin back, come up and dunk, now I would turn, do my same spin back and then I just wouldn't lift like I used to, you know what I mean? There was no explosion. I was like, 'Wait, that's supposed to be a dunk...' When you wake up and your body's hurting all the time, and then you start having kids, I'm like, 'Alright, maybe it's time for me to just transition and bow out gracefully. I think my time has passed.' I don't want to be up there trying to run around and hurting everything. And you're seeing young cats -- like young cats, 19 years old -- coming in just flying past you. Sometimes you've just gotta be real with yourself."
Chamique Holdsclaw, 11-year WNBA veteran: "For me, I was playing for the San Antonio Stars and I was guarding Candace Parker, my fellow University of Tennessee alumni. She had an iso and she was posting up. And she did some type of move and scored on me. It was so fast, and I was just stuck there (laughs). I remember jogging back down the court and I was like, 'Damn, the game has changed.' Like, I'm done."
David West, 15-year NBA veteran: "Well, I always sorta looked toward the end [of my career]. Even when I was young, I always kind looked toward the end. But for me, it was after those [playoff] runs in Indy. I just couldn't recover fast enough. You play into basically June, and then it's like you've got to spend a month-and-a-half just getting healthy, calming the body down. I had a crazy back injury in New Orleans where they were recommending back surgery, but I got away from it; I found a really good spinal manipulator, if you will, that really saved me. [When I was considering retirement], I was thinking about my back, thinking about having the health to run around with my son and my kids.&nbsp;So, I made the decision. I was like, 'Look man, I've got a throttled back.'
"My year in San Antonio was really a year where I was able to get my legs and my body back under me and adjust and lose some weight. But then, my last couple years in Golden State, a lot like Etan and Chamique said, you feel the difference. One night we were playing in Philly and it was cold, and Steve [Kerr] was like, 'Yo, you've gotta guard [Joel] Embiid tonight, big dawg.' I'm 37. I'm like, 'Oooooh... okay.' I get out there -- and you know, when you're young, you've gotta feel guys, you've got to bump them. [Trying to do that at 37], I'm like, 'Oh no. Nah, nah.' Even during that game, I'm like, 'If I get tangled up with this dude the wrong way, this dude could rip my whole back outta whack...'
"So there was that game, and then there was another game my last year [where I felt that way]. We played the Lakers and it was cold. When you're over 6-foot-6 and in cold weather, getting warm is just a struggle. I couldn't get warm the whole day -- shootaround, massage after shootaround, my body wouldn't loosen up. During the game, I tried to post up Josh Hart a couple times because he got me early. He jumped right up under me, he got up under me early and I couldn't post him up. Literally during the game, I'm like [telling myself], 'Yo, if you can't move this cat, you gotta go. It took all day just trying to get your body [warm] and it wouldn't do it. It's time.'&nbsp; So there were instances like that. We went in and played against Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and I'm like, 'Yo, you have no business being out here [with Giannis]. It's time, D-West. It's time.' That was really it for me."
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James Posey, 12-year NBA veteran: "For me, shit, it was the year of the [2011] lockout. I was in Indy just working out and everything. And so, when they started back, they wanted to bring me on some 10-day [contract] stuff. I'm like, 'Listen, y'all already know what you're gonna get outta me at this point right now. You ain't about to bring me in there on a 10-day and then cut me on the 10th day.' So I was like, 'You got me all the way messed up.' At that point, I realized I ain't about to play this game with them, and I was happy with everything, [with my career]. So, I was like, 'I'm cool.' That's when I just said you know what, I'mma chill out for a year. I got my little party in before I went to coach in the D-League, and I was cool after that. So that's what it was for me, I wasn't about to play that 10-day game with nobody."
Rushia Brown, 17-year veteran: "For me, and I guess my journey is a little bit different because I played overseas as well. So I played in the WNBA for seven years and played overseas for 10, and it was year-round. So my last few years, I tore my plantar fascia in my right foot, came back, then tore it in my left foot. Then I was like, 'Man, forget this... I quit.' Like, it was just too much. I couldn't get my body to get right again, and my whole career was about athleticism, quickness, jumping. And then, I didn't have none of that, so I was like, 'Yep, I'm gonna go sit down over here somewhere. Let me find somebody's front office and figure out what else I'm gonna do.' My body wasn't doing it anymore." [Editor's Note: Rushia is now part of the Los Angeles Sparks' organization].
What was your first year of retirement - your first year away from basketball - like?
Etan Thomas: "I mean, you've gotta have something else that you're passionate about. If you don't have something else that you're passionate about or nothing else going on, then I'm sure it's torture. But if you can reinvent yourself and have something that you're just as passionate about, then you're usually fine. You see some guys retire and transition relatively smoothly, and then you see other guys who are like, 'What the hell am I gonna do now? I have nothing,' and they're unhappy, they don't like being home and so on. It's just different. So once you find something that you're passionate about, it's an easy transition."
Ryan Hollins, 10-year NBA veteran: "I'll say for me, the timing was tough because I had to reinvent myself and really get on my grind because I was never supposed to be the dude to play in the NBA at all, let alone play 10 years. I thought broadcasting jobs were just gonna be there when I finished playing, but they weren't, so I had to get on my grizzy and I had to be good and earn my keep. Nobody wants to hear from a 10-year role player/bench player, so I had to really learn my craft to be able to do this. I would say that the toughest thing for me was reinventing myself. I wasn't the guy where there was any type of job or opportunities when I finished. It was like, 'Yo, you're two feet in or two feet out of basketball.'
"[After my last NBA season], I played a year overseas. I was like, 'Dawg, this overseas ain't for me. I better learn how to do this broadcasting.' But I really, really had to grind because talking on TV, doing radio, doing games, none of that was natural for me. I played 10 years as a company man. [They tell you], 'Don't say nothing that's gonna get you in the media or get you in trouble.' Then, you refocus all those efforts on the way you talk and go to ESPN or FOX or whatever, so this whole deal is completely brand new to me."
Cody Toppert, former player and current coach: "Man, Ryan, you broke my heart when I was the head coach of the Northern Arizona Suns in the G League. I remember I talked to you on the phone and I was like, 'Come back [out of retirement], we're gonna get you back to the league!' (laughs)"
Ryan Hollins: "Ay man, that was like, 'How am I gonna explain to my wife I'm about to be playing for $1,000 a month?' (laughs) And I had [been making] $30,000 overseas!"
You all had long, successful careers in the pros. What was the key to that longevity?&nbsp;
David West: "I would say just wanting to do it. You've gotta want to do it. The guys and the ladies [on this call] who played, they know you've gotta want to do this. You've gotta commit to it. Every day, you've gotta give up other stuff -- give up family, give up other things that might divert your attention -- and you've really gotta lock in and do this. You know what I'm saying? And that's how you can make it through -- not just get there [to the NBA], but keep it going... Man, take care of your body and commit. You've gotta commit to it. [I took up boxing] because I didn't like to run, so I had to find other ways to condition. I hated running in the offseason, so that was another way to really condition."

Former NBA/WNBA players (like David West, James Posey and Chamique Holdsclaw) share the moment they realized it was time to retire.

Former NBA players discuss how they knew it was time to retire

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Los Angeles Lakers' offense and what the Denver Nuggets must do defensively to beat them.

Scouting Report: How the Nuggets can stop the Lakers

Nekias Duncan breaks down what the Miami Heat must do defensively to beat the Boston Celtics in the Conference Finals.

Scouting Report: How the Heat can stop the Celtics

LeBron James had 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, Anthony Davis added 34 points and 10 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers evened the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Houston Rockets 117-109 on Sunday night.
Markieff Morris scored 16 points for the Lakers. They opened a 21-point lead in the first half, gave up 41 points in the third quarter to fall behind, and then regrouped behind some high-flying plays by James to pull away again.
James took only 15 shots in Game 1 and was scoreless in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' 112-97 loss, but he was dominant on both ends in the final period of this one. He had eight points in the quarter and a powerful blocked shot on Russell Westbrook that flew far out of bounds.
James Harden scored 27 points and Eric Gordon made six 3-pointers and added 24 for the Rockets, who made 22 3-pointers. P.J. Tucker had 18 points and Robert Covington 17, but Westbrook finished only 4 for 15 while scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Game 3 is Tuesday.
The Lakers also dropped their opener against Portland in the first round but won Game 2 comfortably on their way to four straight victories.
This one appeared it would be easy, then appeared it might not come at all.
But James had a dunk to open the fourth and tie the game and another dunk on a lob during an 8-0 run that gave them the lead for good. They put it away later in the period with a 9-0 burst, featuring two baskets from Davis, to make it 113-101.
The Rockets missed 12 of their first 15 shots and looked like they might get run off the floor by the No. 1 seed.
Morris sparked a big finish to the first quarter. He had a 3-pointer with 1:11 left, then connected again at 52 seconds and a third time with 31 seconds left, pushing the lead to 33-17. Rajon Rondo made one more at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 36-20 cushion.
James scored six quick points in the second to make it 42-21. Houston had a good stretch to cut it to nine with just under 5 minutes remaining in the half, but the Lakers quickly ran off 10 straight to push the lead back to 61-42, and it was 67-51 at the break.
Gordon made two straight 3s and Tucker hit one to open the third, forcing the Lakers to call a quick timeout and take center JaVale McGee out so they would match up better. But that didn&rsquo;t slow the Rockets at all, with Gordon getting a layup and Harden another 3 for a 14-0 start that made it 67-65.
Houston then reeled off 10 in a row later in the period, with Covington converting a four-point play followed by a 3-pointer to start it and give the Rockets the lead. They were up 92-90 going to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Rockets: Houston is 7-1 in series under Mike D&rsquo;Antoni when it won Game 1. The lone loss was to San Antonio in the 2017 Western Conference semifinals. ... Danuel House Jr. scored 13 points.
Lakers: Morris had made only three 3-pointers in the postseason before making four in Game 2. .. James moved past Ray Allen (385) for second on the career postseason list for 3-pointers. Stephen Curry is the leader with 470.
NOT THAT UNUSUAL
Despite the focus on the Rockets&rsquo; style, D&rsquo;Antoni said the Rockets aren&rsquo;t that different than other NBA teams. &ldquo;I just watched Miami for example. (Bam) Adebayo&rsquo;s the only guy they got bigger than us and I don&rsquo;t know, what two inches bigger? He&rsquo;s about 6-8 or 6-9, I don&rsquo;t think 7-feet or 7-2,&rdquo; D&rsquo;Antoni said. &ldquo;So it&rsquo;s like, I&rsquo;m watching, I go, &lsquo;Why don&rsquo;t they say that&rsquo;s small ball?&rsquo; Because that&rsquo;s what it is.&rdquo;
DOC IN THE HOUSE
Clippers coach Doc Rivers was sitting in the seats to watch family and potentially foe. His son, Austin, plays for the Rockets. The Clippers would play the winner of this series if they beat Denver in the other West semifinal.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis lifted the Lakers to victory over the Rockets, evening the series.

James, Davis lead Lakers to win vs. Rockets

With 10:10 left in the first quarter of their first playoff berth since 2016, the Dallas Mavericks call timeout. They face a 10-0 deficit, mostly because their superstar sophomore Luka Doncic is being bum-rushed.&nbsp;
Eight possessions, five turnovers. Doncic is the culprit of four of them. The Los Angeles Clippers are throwing the kitchen sink at Doncic, much like they did during the regular season.&nbsp;
The up-and-down affair will continue for Doncic en route to a 118-110 defeat. He&rsquo;ll turn the ball over seven more times, giving him 11 in his debut. He&rsquo;ll also finish with 42 points, a playoff-debut record, along with nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals.&nbsp;
The comfort level throughout the contest is evident; he&rsquo;s figuring out what coverages the Clippers are using, who the personnel is and where the help will come from. It&rsquo;s a defeat on the scoreboard, but a necessary processing game for Doncic.
You don&rsquo;t get the next three games, a meticulous dismantling of an elite unit, without that early struggle.
Doncic is 21 years old, barely old enough to buy alcohol in this country, and he&rsquo;s now torching the league's fifth-best defense in his first NBA-playoff appearance.
His Game 4 performance, in particular, was legendary. To put up 43 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists is absurd in its own right. The list of accolades to come with it was so long, the Mavericks&rsquo; PR account couldn&rsquo;t fit them all in one tweet.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A recap of <a href="https://twitter.com/luka7doncic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@luka7doncic</a>&rsquo;s day: &raquo; joined Wilt as only players ever with 43+ pts, 17+ rebs and 13+ ast in a game &raquo; youngest to hit a playoff buzzer-beater &raquo; joined MJ as only players to put up 40+ and hit a GW buzzer-beater while trailing &raquo; youngest with 40pt playoff triple-double <a href="https://t.co/2ZwqojruO6">pic.twitter.com/2ZwqojruO6</a>
&mdash; Mavs PR (@MavsPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/MavsPR/status/1297896509695037441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&raquo; 3rd player ever with 40-15-10 in the playoffs (Oscar, Barkley) &raquo; joined LeBron as only 21yo&rsquo;s to record a 30pt triple-double in playoffs &raquo; only player with more than 1 triple-double in playoffs this year &raquo; 2nd-longest postseason GW buzzer-beater (28ft), only behind Dame (37ft) <a href="https://t.co/NVXQC8hOMk">pic.twitter.com/NVXQC8hOMk</a>
&mdash; Mavs PR (@MavsPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/MavsPR/status/1297896639361961985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
Doncic is now averaging 29.6 points, 10.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists in the series, a nice bump from his regular-season production. His numbers were even better through four games -- 31.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 9.8 assists -- but a lackluster Game 5 (22-8-4) brought him down to (his version of) earth.&nbsp;
A strong argument could be made that Doncic has been the most impactful player on the floor, though the pendulum has likely swung toward Kawhi Leonard -- averaging 33-9-5 in the series -- after his Game 5 performance (32-7-4).
Let&rsquo;s take a look at how Doncic rebounded from Game 1, then go into what changed in Game 5.&nbsp;
<h3>Stressing The Bigs</h3>
To understand how Doncic has shredded the Clippers, you first must understand how L.A. wants to play.&nbsp;
The allure of the Clippers is their versatility. Leonard and Paul George are two of the best defenders in the league, full stop. Marcus Morris isn&rsquo;t an elite defender, but he has the size, strength and mobility to hang with three positions in a pinch. Patrick Beverley, currently out with a calf strain, can pester point guards or punch -- or scratch, or claw -- above his weight against bigger players.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the Clippers are a relatively switch-heavy team. According to a source with access to Second Spectrum tracking data, only two teams -- the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics -- switched more pick-and-rolls during the regular season than the Clippers did.
At full strength, the Clippers like to switch 1-through-4. Their big man, Ivica Zubac, is one of the NBA&rsquo;s most underrated rim protectors. They drop him most of the time, which puts strain on whoever is guarding the ball to fight over screens and stay attached.
The kryptonite of a dropping big is a stretch big; pick-and-pops naturally concede open shots from the perimeter since the defensive big is hanging around the free throw line (or lower).&nbsp;
The Mavericks just happen to have two bigs -- Kristaps Porzingis and Maxi Kleber -- who are comfortable popping out to the perimeter. Doncic has made it a point to hunt out those matchups when Zubac is in.
Porzingis has long been one of the league&rsquo;s most dangerous pop threats. At 7-foot-3, and equipped with the Hall-of-Fame &ldquo;Range Extender&rdquo; badge, you really can&rsquo;t afford to let him fling from deep without some sort of resistance.&nbsp;
Below, the Clippers attempt to ICE this pick-and-roll. Watch how quickly Zubac calls for a rotation when he recognizes Porzingis is popping above the break.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/KP%20pop.gif" alt="" width="512" height="AUTO" />
Kleber doesn&rsquo;t possess the same gravity that Porzingis does from the outside, but he can pose a similar pick-your-poison threat. Check out this twist on a Spain pick-and-roll.
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Normally in a Spain set, the second screener (Tim Hardaway Jr.) would set a pick on the big (Zubac). Here, Hardaway Jr. screens his own man (Lou Williams) to generate space for Kleber. With Zubac hanging in the paint, Williams fights through the screen to contest a potential shot. Kleber smartly makes the swing to an open Hardaway Jr, who drills a triple over the late contest from Zubac.
Pulling Zubac away from the rim has been a priority when he&rsquo;s in the game. Once he&rsquo;s pulled above the free-throw line, his relative lack of mobility is exposed. This sudden cross from Doncic leaves Zubac in the dust:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/luka%20vs%20zubac%201.gif" alt="" width="502" height="AUTO" />
And if Zubac isn&rsquo;t at the rim, that means there are paint openings for others to exploit:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/zubac%20out%20of%20paint.gif" alt="" width="501" height="AUTO" />
<h3>Manipulating Matchups&nbsp;</h3>
When Zubac isn&rsquo;t in, the Clippers are even more likely to switch. It makes sense considering Montrezl Harrell is a lot more capable of moving his feet outside. In these instances, the Clippers are prioritizing containment over rim protection. Keep the ball in front at all costs.
The issue is that not only does Doncic know the Clippers want to switch, he knows there will be virtually no resistance from the Clippers to prevent unfavorable switches. That&rsquo;s the downside of keeping things in front at all costs, and that is where and how Doncic has really taken over the series.
Doncic generated an ungodly 1.28 points per possession on switches out of pick-and-roll through Games 2-4, per the Second Spectrum source. This is the cause of Doncic dictating matchups for the benefit of everyone, not just himself.
Below, the Mavericks go into an early 1-5 pick-and-roll with Doncic and Boban Marjanovic, Once the switch comes, Doncic immediately feeds Marjanovic inside for the easy post hook.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/boban%20after%20switch%20.gif" alt="" width="505" height="AUTO" />
Most notably though, Doncic absolutely destroyed Reggie Jackson.
According to NBA.com&rsquo;s <a href="https://stats.nba.com/player/202704/head-to-head/?sort=PLAYER_PTS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">matchup tracking data</a>, Jackson has spent roughly 19 possessions defending Doncic. The Mavericks have scored 34 points on those possessions, with Doncic shooting nearly 67 percent from the field in the process.
There&rsquo;s an obvious size mismatch between the two. Jackson is listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, much too small and much too light to handle Doncic (who's listed at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds). You tell me what Jackson is supposed to do about this post-up, especially with no help coming over:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/luka%20switch%20vs%20reggie.gif" alt="" width="506" height="AUTO" />
Even when a dig does come, Doncic is able to spin away from it for a mostly unbothered shot at the rim:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/luka%20vs%20reggie%202.gif" alt="" width="504" height="AUTO" />
What you&rsquo;ll notice in both of those plays is that Leonard is the initial defender. He&rsquo;s done a mostly fine job on Doncic when he&rsquo;s been able to defend him; Doncic has done a better job of making sure those opportunities are limited.
From the outside looking in, it&rsquo;s a bit absurd that Morris has spent more time defending Doncic than either Leonard or George has in this series. What&rsquo;s the point of having two elite wing defenders if they aren&rsquo;t splitting time against an elite wing initiator?
To an extent, some of the onus should fall on them. The national audience has been treated to Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Luguentz Dort hounding James Harden <a href="https://twitter.com/SethPartnow/status/1298279020430331908?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all over the court</a>, consistently fighting through the same type of inverted pick-and-rolls used to force unfavorable switches. If Dort can do it, why can&rsquo;t Leonard or George?
If anyone should get blame on that front, it&rsquo;s head coach Doc Rivers. Schematic decisions ultimately fall at his feet, as do decisions with the rotation.&nbsp;
<h3>Turning Up The Heat</h3>
The Clippers hadn&rsquo;t been willing to bring more pressure on Doncic in the early portions of the series. It&rsquo;s a questionable decision from a statistical standpoint: Doncic had been much less effective -- generating a smidge over 0.7 points per possession through the first four games, via the Second Spectrum source -- against traps and hedges.&nbsp;
Sending two to the ball is generally a death sentence against Doncic. With his combination of size, processing speed and passing ability, there&rsquo;s reason to fear Doncic threading the needle on passes like these with regularity:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/luka%20vs%20hedge%201.gif" alt="" width="501" height="AUTO" />
In Game 5, Rivers and the Clippers decided that getting the ball out of Doncic&rsquo;s hands was the way to go. It was evident early on that the Clippers were going to be more aggressive in pick-and-roll, playing their bigs higher and &ldquo;showing&rdquo; their smaller guards if Doncic tried to hunt them out. Below, Landry Shamet does a good job of stunting at Doncic, then getting a hand up to prevent Doncic from hitting Trey Burke coming off the flare screen. Peep the hard hedge from Zubac to prevent Doncic from turning the corner.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/luka%20vs%20hedge%20%281%29.gif" alt="" width="501" height="AUTO" />
Dorian Finney-Smith makes that triple, but it&rsquo;s a sequence the Clippers were okay with. The bet was that Finney-Smith or any of "The Others&rdquo; wouldn&rsquo;t burn them enough for it to matter.&nbsp;
Here, we just get a hardcore double team at half-court to disrupt Dallas&rsquo; flow. Doncic tries to fit a pass in to Marjanovic, but the ball sails on him. 
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/luka%20vs%20trap%20TO.gif" alt="" width="501" height="AUTO" />
The strategy worked, though it may not seem like it on the surface. There were 17 instances of a &ldquo;show&rdquo; or &ldquo;blitz&rdquo; against a Doncic ball screen in Game 5 and the Mavericks scored 23 points in those situations, per the Second Spectrum source. Wildly efficient, right?
Of those 17 ball screens, Doncic passed out of 12 of them. Of the 23 total points generated, 17 of them came via a Doncic pass. It was the classic &ldquo;anyone but Player X&rdquo; strategy at play. "The Others" didn&rsquo;t come through, nor was Doncic able to pull more magic out of his hat -- or ankle.
Ultimately, the Clippers are presented with no good options against Doncic. Playing &ldquo;drop&rdquo; coverage allows Doncic to get downhill, or to feed his popping big men for threes. Switching keeps the ball in front, but it allows Doncic to manipulate matchups in a way that leaves the Clippers vulnerable all over the floor. Trapping has &ldquo;worked&rdquo; in the sense that Doncic hasn&rsquo;t specifically burned them, but it&rsquo;s still a concession of open shots elsewhere.
The mark of a true superstar is the ability to dictate the terms of engagement. Doncic has done just that, taking full control of this series despite last year&rsquo;s Finals MVP being on the other side.&nbsp;
And he&rsquo;s doing it one pick-and-roll at a time.

Nekias Duncan analyzes how Luka Doncic is dominating the Clippers in his NBA-playoff debut.

Erskine Flying Fleet