Maple Leafs

Don't forget about the other summer blockbuster.
You can't go online without the Rudy Gobert trade being flamed. It's hard not to question that move considering how clunky things have looked for the Timberwolves on both ends, a recent winning streak when Gobert was out of the lineup, and a slide coinciding with Gobert's return &mdash; featuring closing minutes with Naz Reid instead of Gobert.
You know who else has looked clunky on both ends of the floor? The Atlanta Hawks, fresh off a loss to LeBirthday and the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
The Hawks are currently sitting two games under .500 (17-19), with a bottom-10 net rating (-1.7, 24th) and more rumors swirling than a high-school hallway. The latter portion &mdash; the outside noise &mdash; is really what sucks about this Hawks season.
It's understandable enough that there would be growing pains when implenting former Spurs All-Star Dejounte Murray into the mix. I was ultimately <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-offseason-trade-news-dejounte-murray-fit-atlanta-hawks-trae-young-bogdan-bogdanovic-deandre-hunter-san-antonio-spurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high on the move</a>, but the Young-Murray fit hasn't been clean. The Hawks are <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612737&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=1629027,1627749" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barely winning the minutes</a> &mdash; plus-1.8 in 695 minutes &mdash; with them sharing the floor.&nbsp;
It's even tougher considering the injury woes the Hawks have dealt with. Clint Capela has missed nine games; John Collins and De'Andre Hunter have missed eight. Bogdan Bogdanovic, an important spacer and secondary creator, made his season debut on December 2.&nbsp;
In a perfect world, this is just a matter of on-court chemistry building. But alas, it doesn't appear to be just that. The cloud surrounding the relationship between Young and head coach Nate McMillan is hard to ignore at this point.
Before the season, Young and McMillan each referenced their need to improve communication with each other. McMillan took steps over the offseason <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34656193/atlanta-hawks-look-improve-communication-trae-young-coach-nate-mcmillan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with an in-house visit</a>, for a quick example. Naturally, Young missed a home game against the Denver Nuggets earlier this month due to [checks notes] <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/trae-young-reportedly-sat-out-fridays-game-vs-nuggets-after-feud-with-coach-nate-mc-millan-232604712.html#:~:text=The%20team%20said%20at%20the,to%20be%20any%20further%20discipline." target="_blank" rel="noopener">morning shootaround etiquette.</a>
(As the story goes, Young wanted to bypass morning shootaround to receive extra treatment for a troublesome shoulder. McMillan gave Young a choice: either come off the bench [for missing a normally-mandatory shootaround], or stay home. Young opted for the latter.)
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That's a petty story at best, another notch on the "what-the-heck's-going-on-with-those-two?" belt at worst. It didn't look good for Young, who simply could've played if he wanted to. It didn't look good for McMillan, who wouldn't have lost sleep over letting Young slide considering the circumstances &mdash; and his importance to the team, but you know.
Fast forward to Friday, before the Lakers loss, and we get a report from The Athletic's Shams Charania that McMillan has <a href="https://theathletic.com/4046211/2022/12/30/nate-mcmillan-hawks-considers-resigning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered resigning from the job</a>. When asked about the report, McMillan didn't necessarily <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/hawks-coach-nate-mcmillan-responds-to-report-suggesting-he-may-resign-well-move-on-past-that/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shut things down</a>:
"I read that article briefly, I've never spoke to that reporter before,"&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Pat_Benson_Jr/status/1608958610905903105?s=20&amp;t=p8pumdwNvGb35E1h4W7reQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McMillan said</a>. "I think the last two weeks, he's written a couple articles with some sources in our organization that are making some comments about me, and some things that I'm saying and doing. Look, at the end of the year, I'll do as I've always done, at the end of the season I talk with my family and see if I still have that flame, that fire to continue next season. That's the end of the season. All of us think about retiring, but that's at the end of the season. So we'll move on past that."
What makes this dynamic &mdash; and the Hawks in general &mdash; so difficult to parse through is the chicken-or-egg nature of it.&nbsp;
For the "star &gt; coach" crowd, there are arguments to make.
There is a level of rigidity with McMillan from a scheme perspective. That isn't inherently bad; he provides structure, and that appeal is what helped land him the job after the Hawks fired Lloyd Pierce in the first place. But it's part of why teams have been willing to move on from McMillan after a spell, looking for a new voice or a boost in creativity. The Hawks very well could use that.&nbsp;
On the flip side, how much more can be done with this personnel? That's worth asking before factoring in the injury woes.&nbsp;
Daryl Morey would throw up at the Hawks' shot profile: 37.5% of their shots come from the mid-range area (1st), while they lag way behind in rim (32%, 20th) and three-point rate (30.5%, 29th). But when your shooting talent underperforms (Collins, Hunter, Justin Holiday), is mostly unavailable (Bogdanovic) or trying to learn the ropes in year one (AJ Griffin), what should the expectation be?
McMillan, like virtually every coach in existence, has had his rotations questioned during his tenure. But with the revolving door of talent he's had at his disposal this season, what should the expectation be?
And then there's Young himself.&nbsp;
He's underperformed by his lofty standards. Averages of 27.4 points and 9.9 assists are dope; averaging career-lows from just about everywhere &mdash; 31% on 7.2 threes, 47% on 13.8 two-pointers &mdash; is admittedly not dope.
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He hasn't been able to can the pull-up threes that make him such a lethal pick-and-roll threat. His floater, one of the NBA's best weapons, has largely failed him this season. (Ja Morant's dealing with a similar floater issue, hence his career-low in two-point percentage.)
Young missing shots wouldn't be as tough if his play-style didn't exacerbate things. He dictates a ton of the action &mdash; and rightfully so, with his blend of playmaking and scoring chops. After <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/touches?Season=2021-22&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=AVG_DRIB_PER_TOUCH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading the NBA</a> in seconds per touch and dribbles per touch last season, Young ranks... second and first respectively <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/touches?CF=GP*GE*20&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=AVG_DRIB_PER_TOUCH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this season</a>.
After an encouraging start to the year, the off-ball juice just hasn't been there for Young. We're back to pass-and-stand with the ball out of his hands. He's taken just 23 relocation threes this season, per Second Spectrum; that's on pace to smash last season's number (26), but still well below the threshold you'd like to see from Young.&nbsp;
The primary reason that people questioned the Young-Murray fit was because of the off-ball woes. Murray was a fine-not-threatening catch-and-shoot threat, while Young just wasn't particularly engaged in that area. Sadly, it's been mostly a "my turn, your turn" ordeal between the two.
It's fair to question if McMillan can bring this team to the next level, and if he can connect with Young enough to make that possibility a reality. It's also fair to question how much of a limiter Young's style is to building the sort of multi-faceted attack that can take the Hawks to the next level.&nbsp;
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That question, in addition to the weird relationship with McMillan, is why <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10059477-sources-trae-young-could-be-next-nba-superstar-to-request-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executives have started chirping</a> about the possibility of Young eventually asking out.
This is where I pause and state the obvious: executives saying "hey, he might be the next star to ask out" is not a report. It's notable conversation, and fun to think about. It's not an actual trade request.
Even with that context, it's interesting to think about what a Young trade would even look like. The Hawks pushing that button would signify, "We can't do this," "We don't want to deal with this," or a combination of the two. How would that message be received league-wide?
Young is an offense unto himself; that's incredibly valuable and, oddly enough, part of the problem with building around him. Add in the defensive concerns &mdash; he's a small dude whose attention span wanes off the ball too often &mdash; and a Young trade sweepstakes won't be as simple as "this dude's good so we should sell the farm for him."
Go down the line of fake trade destinations, and you'll come across some roadblocks.
That Young-for-KAT swap seems plausible until you think about Young, Anthony Edwards and Gobert in the same locker room. Gobert was frustrated enough being blamed for Utah's defensive miscues; cleaning up for Young and&nbsp;Edwards' off-ball lapses feels like trouble waiting to happen.&nbsp;
The New York Knicks should be happy with the All-Star caliber play that Jalen Brunson has provided this season. Brunson isn't a Young-level talent, nor is he a Young-level star. I'd be shocked if they didn't at least consider constructing a package for Young.
In light of Chris Paul's decline, I'm sure the Phoenix Suns would sniff around. The prospect of pairing Young and Devin Booker together would be interesting, though building out an offer would induce headaches.&nbsp;
(I don't know if anyone wants to hear this, but there's probably a conversation to be had between Atlanta and Philadelphia depending on what James Harden wants to do with his player option.)
For a player as talented as Young, that's not a long list of suitors. And again, you could poke holes in all of those. Ideally, this doesn't become a real talking point to begin with. The Hawks want Young to be the face of the franchise, and he's already shown he's talented enough to lead them on a deep playoff run.
What needs to change for the Hawks to turn things around? The anwer is a little bit of everything.&nbsp;
More malleability from McMillan would be nice. A healthier roster &mdash; and better shooting talent &mdash; would give McMillan more room to experiment. Obviously there's no "shoot-the-ball-better" button to press, but Young can control his own engagement level off the ball &mdash; on both ends of the floor.&nbsp;

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The New York Knicks have had ample opportunities to develop young players in the recent past. Yet, somehow, they&rsquo;ve fumbled that opportunity over and over again, and Mitchell Robinson&rsquo;s story doesn&rsquo;t stray too far from that reality.
Robinson entered the pros with a lot of question marks. After ranking as 24/7 Sports&rsquo; best center and the ninth-best player in the 2017 high-school class, Robinson decommitted from Western Kentucky University after a suspension for a violation of team rules and chose to prepare for the NBA instead.
Despite the limited tape on him, Robinson&rsquo;s raw talent was undeniable, and the Knicks selected him with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Robinson&rsquo;s career began with a good amount of success. In his rookie season, Robinson averaged 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game. In per-36-minute terms, that translated to 12.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and an eye-popping 4.3 blocks, which was obviously promising.
There were some noticeable flaws though. Robinson was fairly injury prone early in his career, and he clearly needed to bulk up, as he was regularly pushed out of position by bigger opponents. In addition, Robinson regularly found himself in foul trouble. In fact, despite his limited playing time, Robinson averaged 3.3 fouls per game in his rookie season, fouling out of eight games. As a sophomore, it was more of the same.
Prior to the 2021-22 campaign, Robinson answered the bell by adding some muscle, which helped him avoid those foul troubles. (Robinson averaged just 2.7 fouls in 25.7 minutes per game this season.)
Robinson&rsquo;s improved frame may have also helped with those aforementioned durability issues. After a rough 2020-21 season in which he played just 31 games, Robinson appeared in 72 games this season and started in all but 10 of them. But teams need more from a starting center than relative durability, and having covered Robinson in New York since he was a rookie, it's obvious that he badly wants to be a starter.
However, one drawback of Robinson bulking up was losing some of his explosiveness. After being regarded as one of the best shot blockers in basketball in his first two years, he has taken a slight step back over the last couple campaigns. After averaging 2.4 and 2.0 blocks per contest in his first two seasons, respectively, he averaged only 1.5 rejections in his third year and 1.8 in his fourth despite playing more minutes.
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There are holes in Robinson&rsquo;s game that must be addressed. Specifically, Robinson has absolutely no jump shot to speak of, and he lacks the ability to stretch the floor, hoisting up zero three-point attempts in his entire four-year career. In fact, this past season alone, Robinson did not attempt a single shot farther away than 10 feet from the basket. Though it doesn't need to be a primary part of his skill set, that can be prohibitive to his team&rsquo;s offensive spacing and continuity.
Robinson enters this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Ultimately, his future will boil down to which team offers the most money and opportunity. Considering that Robinson has not yet cashed in with a big deal, that&rsquo;s the right way to approach free agency.
But where will he end up?
Unfortunately for Robinson, there are few teams below the salary cap. In total, only five teams &mdash; Detroit, Indiana, Orlando, Portland and San Antonio &mdash; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-teams-have-the-most-cap-space-entering-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will have significant cap space</a>. Further, there are other attractive centers who will hit free agency, including <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-deandre-ayton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deandre Ayton</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-mo-bamba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mo Bamba</a> (and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rudy Gobert</a> could be available on the trade block).
Despite differences in play style, Robinson will probably attract many of the same suitors as Bamba. Compared to Bamba, Robinson is already more established, but Bamba has more upside and he has won over scouts with his shooting ability.&nbsp;
Ultimately, the extension that Robert Williams III signed last summer is probably a good starting point for negotiations. Williams signed a four-year extension worth $54 million. That could seem a tad pricey, but it&rsquo;s probably right around where a deal will land.
One additional note: the Dallas-Houston trade that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-christian-wood-trade-provides-optionality-for-dallas-mavericks-luka-doncic-houston-rockets-kristaps-porzingis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landed Christian Wood in Dallas</a> resulted in one less suitor. The Mavericks were rumored to be interested in Robinson, but the acquisition of Wood fills their hole in the middle.
With that said, let's review the likeliest teams to court Robinson when free agency arrives.
NEW YORK KNICKS 
Robinson has spent all four of his professional seasons with the Knicks, and he&rsquo;s seen all the dysfunction up close. He&rsquo;s played for four different head coaches and, at just 24 years of age, he&rsquo;s somehow the longest-tenured Knick. Still, there&rsquo;s comfort in familiarity.
He&rsquo;s played for Tom Thibodeau for the past two seasons, which means he at least knows and understands what&rsquo;s expected of him. And he finally solidified the starting job in 2021-22, starting 62 of 72 games in which he appeared.
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The Knicks have the inside track on re-signing Robinson, who is clearly their best option at center right now. They can still sign him to a four-year, $48 million deal before June 30. If they don&rsquo;t, they&rsquo;ll be able to exceed that amount.
But exactly how much will New York be comfortable paying considering how far they are from contention?
CHICAGO BULLS 
The Ringer&rsquo;s Kevin O&rsquo;Connor <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/6/6/23156358/donovan-mitchell-rumors-jazz-nba-finals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently cited</a> the Bulls' interest in adding either Gobert or Robinson. The thinking here is probably simple: Adding an above-average defensive center will help balance out the team, as Nikola Vucevic was a defensive liability in 2021-22. Of all players who played at least 2,000 minutes in 2021-22, Vucevic recorded the sixth-worth Defensive Rating, according to <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/nba-defensive-rating-leaders-this-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">StatMuse</a>.
Robinson could replace Vucevic in the starting lineup, but it's more likely that he would either split big-man duties with Vucevic or that the Bulls would look to move Vucevic. The two could technically play alongside one another in a twin-tower-style lineup, but neither is nimble enough to defend some of the more mobile power forwards.
If Robinson and the Knicks do not reach an agreement before June 30, he&rsquo;ll probably command a deal in the $12-to-$15 million range annually, which is far less money than the five-year, $205 million extension Gobert signed in December 2020. While Gobert is clearly the better player of the two, Robinson would help the Bulls defensively in his own right. If Chicago can offer him a starting job and&nbsp;convince him to go slightly lower at $10.3 million per year with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, it could probably be more attractive than toughing it out in the Big Apple, while the Knicks try to break out of their seemingly endless rebuild.
DETROIT PISTONS 
The Pistons are another team rumored to be interested in Robinson. Joining Detroit could be alluring given the presence of Cade Cunningham, and the team should take another step forward after Thursday&rsquo;s NBA Draft, as the Pistons currently own the fifth overall pick. Most importantly, Robinson would probably cruise into the starting lineup, as the team lacks any valid 7-foot options at the position.
The Pistons are also one of a select few teams with cap space, meaning they could actually sign him without making any other moves. Given the cap space and presumed role he could take on, Detroit might be Robinson&rsquo;s preferred destination.
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PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 
Like Detroit, Portland has a good deal of cap space. There could also be a vacancy in the Trail Blazers&rsquo; front line given that Jusuf Nurkic will hit free agency, though the reported expectation is that Portland re-signs Nurkic. But if Portland is primed for bigger changes and has second thoughts, it's a move the franchise could make, as the Blazers appear ready to make another run behind star point guard Damian Lillard.
Robinson isn&rsquo;t capable of catapulting a team into contention, but he is more than capable of being the anchor for a team in need of defensive help. In 2021-22, Portland gave up the fourth-most points per game, grabbed the fourth-fewest rebounds per games and blocked the 10th-fewest shots per game.
ORLANDO MAGIC 
Considering the Bamba comparison above, it would be mildly ironic if Robinson lands in Orlando as his replacement, but it could happen. Why? Orlando could opt to not match an offer for Bamba, and/or the organization might just see Robinson as a better player. But remember, the Magic have the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, meaning they could onboard Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero &mdash; any of whom can be seen as the team&rsquo;s long-term answer in its positionless roster setup.
Robinson is capable of making an impact and finding a long-term home, but he needs to play for a demanding coach who will push him to be the best version of himself.
If he can maximize his talent, he can become one of the better defensive centers in the league. If he doesn&rsquo;t, he&rsquo;ll bounce around the league for the next few seasons.
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Mitchell Robinson exhibited durability and strength in 2021-22. Drew Maresca looks at possible landing spots for the young center.

Examining potential destinations for Mitchell Robinson

OG Anunoby has been flying under the radar among common NBA fans for years now, but everyone around the league knows how valuable his player archetype is nowadays. With the ability to play elite defense, fit into multiple positions, create his own scoring chances and hit catch-and-shoot opportunities, Anunoby is the ideal modern wing teams are looking for to upgrade their roster.
It's no wonder why Anunoby recently popped up in trade rumors, because his skill set would attract a robust market canvassing the entire league. The question is, would Toronto actually entertain moving Anunoby? According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-og-anunoby-may-want-out-of-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">situation is worth monitoring</a> this offseason.
Two years remain on Anunoby&rsquo;s deal with a player option attached as well, so an extension is soon on the horizon for the former Indiana Hoosier. With the quick emergence of Scottie Barnes, which culminated in a Rookie of the Year campaign, the wing rotation is a little more crowded for the Raptors.
However, for a team like the Raptors, it&rsquo;s in their identity to fit and develop players like Anunoby and Barnes. All-Star Pascal Siakam is the shiniest example of how transformative the franchise&rsquo;s player-development program truly is.
What&rsquo;s interesting about this situation is the fact that the Raptors have been poking around on some of the top prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft. Remember, the earliest Toronto picks in this year&rsquo;s draft is No. 33 overall atop the second round.
Arizona&rsquo;s Bennedict Mathurin, a likely top-10 selection, met with Toronto at the NBA Draft Combine. G League Ignite standout Dyson Daniels, currently slotted No. 6 overall to the Indiana Pacers in BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest mock draft</a>, also has been in contact with the Raptors&rsquo; front office.
Where there&rsquo;s smoke, there's usually fire. If the Raptors are seriously considering an aggressive move up the draft board, moving Anunoby would easily get them there. Even outside of the draft, Anunoby could be the key piece in a superstar-type trade for Toronto &mdash; this offseason or beyond.
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Let&rsquo;s go ahead and further explore Anunoby&rsquo;s potential destinations if the Raptors decide to shop him.
Portland Trail Blazers
Raptors receive: Josh Hart, Nassir Little, No. 7 pick, No. 36
Trail Blazers receive: OG Anunoby
Portland continues to be involved in countless trade rumors leading up to the draft, mainly because the urgency surrounding their timeline with superstar point guard Damian Lillard. The time to win is right now for the Blazers, and Lillard has already shown on multiple occasions that he&rsquo;s frustrated by the lack of postseason progression.
If the Blazers want to swing for the fences this summer to appease Lillard, it&rsquo;s actually possible with two big moves. They have the cap space to make a trade for OG Anunoby and then sign Zach LaVine in free agency. Portland could put themselves back into the playoff picture by adding LaVine and Anunoby, and they'd be able to keep Anfernee Simons (who is a restricted free agent) and Keon Johnson.&nbsp;
Jerami Grant has been the main name focused around Portland-related trade discussions, but Anunoby is actually a better overall fit next to Lillard. Thanks to his versatility and still untapped scoring potential, Anunoby could truly flourish in his next stop.
Utah Jazz
Raptors receive: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gay
Jazz receive: OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Malachi Flynn, No. 33 pick, 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), 2026 first-round pick (lottery-protected)
Huge changes are on the horizon in Utah, especially after two bombshells dropped on Sunday revolving around Quin Snyder and Donovan Michell. First, Snyder resigned as the Jazz&rsquo;s head coach after eight seasons. Only a few hours later, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mitchell is &ldquo;unnerved&rdquo; with Utah&rsquo;s direction now.
For multiple years now, there&rsquo;s been smoke percolating around the discontent between Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. It feels destined one or both is off Utah&rsquo;s roster this offseason. And honestly, Toronto is a strong trading partner for either Mitchell or Gobert. In this scenario, we&rsquo;re rolling with Mitchell thanks to Sunday&rsquo;s latest news.
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Toronto officially moves all-in around a championship core consisting of Mitchell, Siakam, Fred VanVleet and 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. The Raptors would have a fearsome lineup with a lot of potential, vaulting themselves into the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s elite tier.
The Jazz still end up with a solid haul, which includes two immediate starters in Anunoby and Trent. Who knows, Anunoby and Trent could both thrive in a new system like Utah&rsquo;s &mdash; especially if Gobert is still around.
Phoenix Suns
Raptors receive: Deandre Ayton, Torrey Craig
Suns receive: OG Anunoby, Malachi Flynn
Trail Blazers receive: Khem Birch, future second-round picks via Toronto and Phoenix
Base-year compensation is the new buzz word being thrown around in Phoenix. How the Suns <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/positional-value-leans-suns-would-be-wise-to-not-pay-deandre-ayton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handle Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s upcoming restricted free agency</a> will tell us how exactly they plan to fix or dissolve their relationship. After an ugly ending in the postseason, will Phoenix feel inclined to run it back with Ayton while also handing over a max contract in the process?
Serious questions loom around Ayton&rsquo;s long-term future in Phoenix, and the Raptors&rsquo; need for a center seems to be obvious. Would a Suns-Raptors trade involving Ayton turn into a win-win scenario? Personally, I think so because of how both teams would look after an Ayton-Anunoby swap. For salary purposes, Toronto sends Birch to Portland, who receives two future second-round picks for playing its part in the deal.
Anunoby in the Suns&rsquo; system is such an intriguing thought. He would slide right into Jae Crowder's starting power forward spot and be an upgrade. Mikal Bridges alongside Anunoby is an incredible defensive combination to envision for Phoenix too.
If the Suns and Ayton are indeed heading for a divorce, Toronto could become the ideal trade partner.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Raptors receive: Darius Bazley, No. 12 pick, No. 30 pick, 2023 first-round pick via Denver, 2024 first-round pick (top-five protected)
Thunder receive: OG Anunoby
At some point, the Thunder need to consolidate their endless amounts of future first-round picks. Projected to have three first-round picks each year from 2022-2026, the rebuild attempt ongoing in Oklahoma City is bordering on historic. Thunder general manager Sam Presti has taken an incredibly forward-thinking approach with this core, and the progress is beginning to show along the way.
Adding a piece like Anunoby into the Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild would be an excellent transaction, especially when you consider his fit alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. Able to play any role in the Thunder&rsquo;s frontcourt, Anunoby could be utilized as a two-way chess piece.
It&rsquo;s going to take a lot for the Raptors to trade Anunoby, and that's if they are even interested at this early stage of their offseason. The Thunder are one of the rare teams who could provide Toronto with ample amounts of return on an Anunoby deal. Sending out four (!!) first-round picks in this deal, it still doesn&rsquo;t impact Oklahoma City&rsquo;s war chests of assets that much.
For the Raptors, they would now be projected to have multiple first-round picks over the next three years. Instantly, Toronto becomes a top team to watch out trading for a disgruntled superstar down the line, potenially with Utah for Mitchell or Gobert. Giving away a player like Anunoby would be tough, but OKC at least offers significant draft capital in return for the underrated two-way wing.
Who knows if the Raptors actually decide to pull the trigger on trading him, but expect to see plenty of teams calling over the next few months to inquire.
Whether it be using Anunoby to bring back future flexibility and draft capital or a star-level player, the possibilities become endless for a splashy trade involving Toronto.
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If the Raptors decide to trade OG Anunoby, expect a robust market to form for the versatile two-way wing quickly. Evan Sidery explores.

Examining potential trade destinations for OG Anunoby

The Utah Jazz&rsquo;s 2021-22 season is officially over. The Jazz believed they were a championship contender, but this marks another season ending in disappointment and heartbreak. Now, looking ahead at what&rsquo;s to come in Salt Lake City, massive changes seem to be on the horizon. Whether it be Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert on the move, something&rsquo;s gotta give. Other veterans such as Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic could be on the move too.
While our Bryan Fonseca recently broke down <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible trade destinations for Mitchell</a>, it's seems likely that the Jazz will try to appease their young star shooting guard. Gordon Hayward already broke Utah&rsquo;s heart a few years ago when he left in free agency. If Mitchell requested a trade, it would send shockwaves throughout Utah. Unlike Hayward, Mitchell has star power that transcends Utah and he could potentially lead the team to heights they haven&rsquo;t reached since the 1990s with John Stockton and Karl Malone.
If the Jazz have to move their homegrown three-time Defensive Player of the Year in order to keep Mitchell, I'm almost certain it would happen. It&rsquo;s an unfortunate twist of fate for Gobert, but leaving the Jazz&rsquo;s system might be the best thing for him so he can truly blossom into a true two-way presence.
As seen throughout Utah's first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, Gobert was ignored or simply used as a decoy more often than not. If Gobert is used on a more consistent basis in a different environment, who knows what he could accomplish as one of the NBA&rsquo;s premier lob threats?
Gobert hitting the trade market would result in a feeding frenzy around the Association. Whether it be title contenders or rebuilding teams who feel close to a massive leap, Gobert could be viewed as the missing piece to the puzzle.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into five realistic destinations for a Gobert blockbuster deal this offseason.
Chicago Bulls
Chicago knows they&rsquo;re in desperate need of a defensive jolt. Adding Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in the backcourt already brought a new identity to the Bulls, who were seemingly allergic to defense before their arrival. Myles Turner has been mentioned as a possible target for Chicago, but the Indiana Pacers are <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/despite-trade-talks-the-pacers-want-to-keep-myles-turner-longterm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expected to keep him long-term. Why not swing for the fences with Gobert? Acquiring the 29-year-old would be a crown-jewel moment for the organization.&nbsp;
Imagine the possibilities for Chicago with Gobert patrolling the paint with Ball and Caruso hawking the perimeter. It&rsquo;s the perfect complement to offensive dynamos Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago&rsquo;s new starting lineup of Ball, Caruso, LaVine, DeRozan and Gobert would seemingly have no holes in it from a two-way perspective.
I absolutely love this idea for Chicago, and they should be blowing up the Jazz&rsquo;s phone this summer if it seems plausible.
Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Coby White, draft compensation
Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert
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New York Knicks
The Knicks are bound to blow it up one way or another soon enough. Julius Randle feels like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most obvious trade candidates</a> to potentially hit the market this offseason. If the Knicks are done with Randle, could they parlay him and other young pieces to acquire Gobert? While <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York would love to land Mitchell</a>, the Knicks should seriously explore a Gobert trade since the organization needs some sort of game-changing move.
The 2022-23 season feels like a make-or-break year for the current Knicks regime. Head coach Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s seat is red-hot, plus the Knicks&rsquo; front office has to be itching to make some sort of move to change course from a stale build.
Gobert&rsquo;s arrival would signal New York is ready to finally ascend the Eastern Conference standings. Sure, Gobert isn&rsquo;t a true &ldquo;superstar,&rdquo; but he&rsquo;s far and away the most impactful player the Knicks could realistically reel in this offseason. Gobert being the adult in the room for an accelerated rebuild in the Big Apple is a fun scenario, especially as it provides a high-floor outcome immediately.
New York&rsquo;s current roster has ample flexibility to turn it all over again by 2023. If the Knicks clear out all of their contracts with team options and expiring deals, sans the young core, they will have a max slot open for the loaded 2023 free-agent class. Would Gobert and RJ Barrett be able to sell a star on New York? If Barrett takes the leap forward that many expect, that&rsquo;s a fun big/wing duo to build around long-term.
Utah will likely want at least another young asset or two in return as part of this projected blockbuster, but the framework is strong enough to build off it.
Jazz receive: Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Quentin Grimes, draft compensation
Knicks receive: Rudy Gobert
Atlanta Hawks
Want to find the perfect fit for Gobert outside of Utah? The Hawks are the ideal destination for Gobert, who would be able to shine outside of the Jazz&rsquo;s system. Trae Young pick-and-rolls with Gobert would simply be unfair to try to guard, and it would help insulate their star point guard in a better situation.
Atlanta also has the right amount of assets to make this compelling for Utah to pull the trigger. Whether it be John Collins or Bogdan Bogdanovic, either one could be the centerpiece to a Gobert deal. Also, Atlanta has an upcoming expiring salary in Danilo Gallinari with only $5 million guaranteed on his contract. If you throw together Collins, Gallinari and future draft compensation, it could be enough for the Jazz to take negotiations more seriously. Clint Capela could also be re-routed to another team to free up further cap flexibility as well.
For Atlanta, they are ready to win right now with Young leading the way. With Young, Kevin Huerter, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, they have a young core that's ready to take the next step. Gobert brings a star piece to an organization that has the urgency to compete right now in the East, and they'll want to bounce back after how they crashed and burned to end their 2021-22 season. Also, the Hawks had the NBA's 26th-ranked defense this season (allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions), so adding a three-time Defensive Player of the Year could be just what they need.
It wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise to see a player of Young&rsquo;s caliber push for Gobert to join him in Atlanta too. With all the trade rumors swirling around Collins since he signed a five-year extension, this deal makes a lot of sense for both sides to explore further.
Jazz receive: John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, future draft compensation
Hawks receive: Rudy Gobert
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Golden State Warriors
Smoke is already forming around this possibility, if the Jazz indeed decide to blow it up in a few months. For the Warriors, it&rsquo;s an all-in move to create another dynasty in the final prime years of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. With so much young talent climbing the ladder in the reloaded Western Conference, the time is now for the Warriors to make a splashy move to keep themselves atop the standings.
This will be the last time the Warriors can explore potential deals revolving around Andrew Wiggins&rsquo; bloated salary as well. Next season, Wiggins will be on an expiring contract making $33.6 million. With Wiggins, Golden State can immediately enter the conversation for Gobert while also having some intriguing young pieces that could appeal to Utah.
Jonathan Kuminga is likely off limits from the Warriors&rsquo; perspective, flashing real two-way potential throughout this season. However, what about a combination of Moses Moody and James Wiseman? Instantly, Utah can replenish their young core with two immediate contributors to place alongside Mitchell long-term. Throw in some future draft picks and the Jazz might be the ones who are ready to press &ldquo;accept&rdquo; on this hypothetical trade.
Golden State&rsquo;s new-age lineup of dominance would simply be unfair. Take a look at the Warriors&rsquo; projected lineup with Gobert: Curry, Jordan Poole, Thompson, Green and Gobert. With all of the versatility on display here, it could vault Golden State into a different stratosphere entirely.
Jazz receive: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Moses Moody, future draft compensation
Warriors receive: Rudy Gobert, Rudy Gay
Detroit Pistons
Here&rsquo;s a surprise team that could become very aggressive in the Gobert sweepstakes if the chips fall their way this offseason. No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham flashed superstar potential for the Pistons during his rookie campaign, especially after the All-Star break.
If the Pistons get lottery luck once more with a top pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, could they decide to push some chips into the middle of the table for Gobert? Imagine if the Pistons had a trio of Cunningham, Gobert and a top prospect (Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero?) to build around for the next five-plus years.
For the Pistons, acquiring stars via the draft or trades is the only realistic route to obtaining a game-changing talent. We already saw it on display with their former regime when they traded for Blake Griffin, which led to little progress long-term. Unlike Griffin, Gobert actually fits into the organization's long-term calculus.
From the Jazz&rsquo;s perspective, they would be asking for a heavy return from a team like Detroit. We&rsquo;re talking two key pieces to their core as well as veteran wing Jerami Grant. Would the Pistons feel comfortable moving Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart for Gobert? That may be Utah's asking price.
Jazz receive: Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk, future draft compensation
Pistons receive: Rudy Gobert, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
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Entering a pivotal offseason, will the Utah Jazz blow it up? If so, which teams make sense as a landing spot for Rudy Gobert?

Examining potential trade destinations for Rudy Gobert

In spite of Luka Dončić only playing half of the series, the Utah Jazz have been eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, which can only mean it&rsquo;s time to blow them up!
Okay, not really... but maybe? Virtually everyone is expecting organizational changes given the team's recent underachievement in the playoffs stemming from successful regular seasons. This incarnation of the Jazz was established in 2017-18, behind then-rookie Donovan Mitchell&rsquo;s quick rise to stardom and Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s emergence as an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
That season, Mitchell &mdash; filling the void left by Gordon Hayward &mdash; finished his first season as a 20-point-per-game scorer despite being picked No. 13 overall and averaging just over 14 points per game in his first 19 appearances. Gobert, even having played only 56 games, was awarded his first of now three DPOY awards.
In these five years, there have been as many playoff trips &mdash; three as the No. 5 seed (including this season), one as the No. 6 in the Orlando Bubble, and another as the top overall seed in the Western Conference last year.
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In 2017-18, the Jazz overachieved, taking down the Russell Westbrook-Paul George-Carmelo Anthony-led Oklahoma City Thunder in six games before losing to the No. 1 seed Houston Rockets in five contests.
In 2018-19, Utah lost to the Rockets again in five, this time in the first round, and Houston even led 3-0 with a +55 scoring margin before dropping Game 4.
In 2019-20, the Jazz squandered a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets, losing Game 7 in the final seconds of the opening round.
Last season &mdash; despite the Los Angeles Clippers losing Kawhi Leonard to a torn ACL (that he&rsquo;s still not back from) &mdash; the Jazz <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2yBy-EqnU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost in six games to the Clippers</a> in the West semifinals, and Gobert was dunked on by both Terance Mann and social media in the ending.
And finally, this postseason &mdash; in a series with Dončić missing the first three games with a calf injury, in which Utah still trailed 2-1 upon his return &mdash; Utah lost on yet another last-second heartbreaker.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
THE PLAYOFF DROUGHT IS OVER. THE DALLAS MAVERICKS ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND SINCE 2011!<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> | 📺 BSSW | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dALLasIN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dALLasIN</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/VcWGAdSOL4">pic.twitter.com/VcWGAdSOL4</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1519896562079518727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Given <a href="https://twitter.com/tribjazz/status/1482077811019902980">the sniping back-and-forth between Mitchell and Gobert</a>, the Jazz's inability to break through and how far behind they appear from the top teams in the West, this seems like the summer where sizeable moves will be coming.
Personally speaking, it feels like we&rsquo;re heading toward Mitchell requesting a trade and moving on, but either way, one of Mitchell or Gobert &mdash; perhaps both &mdash; may be on the move in the coming months. Our Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently looked at five trade ideas involving Gobert</a>.
Today, let's look at where Mitchell could end up, <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">using this trade machine</a>.
Mitchell is due $30.3 million next year, $32.6 million in 2023-24, $34.9 million in 2024-25, and has a player option for $37 million in 2025-26. Keep that in mind as we embark on this journey together. (Why did I sound like Professor Oak there?)
New York Knicks
Mitchell&rsquo;s father, Donovan Sr., works with the New York Mets organization. The 25-year-old Mitchell himself is a native of Elmsford, New York. Naturally, with the New York Knicks, there will be Mitchell smoke until a deal (or something else) actually happens. Because Tommy Beer already <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/expect-the-knicks-to-make-a-real-run-at-donovan-mitchell-this-summer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down the possibility of a Mitchell-to-New-York trade</a>, we won&rsquo;t stay here too long.
Regarding the Knicks&rsquo; actual proposal, the first look would be to RJ Barrett, who is extension eligible this summer, entering year four and making $10.9 million next year. The idea, for New York, should be to team Barrett and Mitchell together. If that&rsquo;s not possible, and the Mitchell deal were to have to get done, Barrett is your chief trade chip, along with first-round draft picks. The Knicks have all their own first-rounders as of this writing.
Usable salaries for the Knicks next year include Evan Fournier, who&rsquo;ll be at $18 million, Derrick Rose at $14.5 million, Alec Burks at $10 million, Nerlens Noel at $9.2 million and Kemba Walker at over $9.1 million. Rose, Burks and Noel all have team options for 2023-24, so they have ostensibly expiring deals. Walker&rsquo;s next season is his last under contract, and Fournier is signed through 2025, but that also includes a team option. Cam Reddish and Taj Gibson also enter the last year of their respective deals, at about $6 million and $5.1 million each, respectively.
The contract elephant in the room is Julius Randle&rsquo;s, which is a four-year, $117 million extension that begins next season at $26.1 million. It&rsquo;ll gradually increase until his player option for $32.4 million kicks in for 2025-26. The Knicks might try to move Randle instead, but what sense does that make for Utah? And if Utah isn&rsquo;t getting Barrett, would they want a package of the aforementioned veterans (say, Fournier and Burks), along with one or two of Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, or Miles McBride (who make between $1.6 and $2.3 million next year) and picks?
It&rsquo;ll be hard to do without Barrett, and maybe Randle gets involved in a three-team deal, but the Knicks have the picks, salaries and prospects to make it work, if that&rsquo;s the route the Jazz want to go.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons seem like a team that could be a version of this past season&rsquo;s Cleveland Cavaliers &mdash; not in terms of play style or once being a top-four team in the Eastern Conference standings necessarily, but from the standpoint of being competitive a year sooner than we think and playing meaningful games down the stretch (like one or two in the Play-In Tournament).
Given that 20 of 30 NBA teams will have games beyond the regular season, the Pistons may (should) attempt to get one of those spots.
Last year&rsquo;s No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham is <a href="https://youtu.be/I9OLPXxgYWk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">someone you can build with</a>. Saddiq Bey should be a more efficient scorer with more experience and better teammates. Most of the rest is to be determined, but Detroit can start by using Jerami Grant&rsquo;s near $21 million expiring deal next summer.
What comes next depends on what stage the Jazz want to be closer to. If this is a rebuild, you can ask for a combination of Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo (both of whom make over $5 million next year), for example, and Hayes has a $7.4 million team option for 2023-24. If not, Kelly Olynyk has $12.8 million coming to him next year that&rsquo;s usable. Utah can in throw in, hypothetically, Royce O&rsquo;Neale&rsquo;s $9.3 million deal next year and get Olynyk anyway.
So the player framework can look something like:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell and Royce O&rsquo;Neale for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes, Hamidou Diallo and Kelly Olynyk plus a sh*t ton of draft picks. The Pistons would be moving something like three first-rounders in the deal, and potentially multiple first-round pick swaps.</li>
</ul>
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Miami Heat
I brought this up during <a href="https://youtu.be/XBQwn0pOAa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA Trade Deadline stream</a>.&nbsp;
The Heat didn&rsquo;t do it then, but it might still be on the table depending on how these playoffs go. The Heat might not offer the best return package because of their draft picks, but they did unlock additional firsts by moving KZ Okpala to Oklahoma City in February. And, for Miami, we&rsquo;re mainly talking about one package. But again, it depends on the results of this postseason.&nbsp;
Currently, the Heat are getting ready to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, a matchup they&rsquo;re favored to win (albeit narrowly). If they lose this particular series, or if they win and Tyler Herro continues to struggle in the playoffs, or even if Miami makes a deep run and Herro elevates from a slow start, he&rsquo;d be the primary chip in a Mitchell deal. Furthermore, the <a href="https://twitter.com/GregSylvander/status/1482101290964504580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heat are on Mitchell&rsquo;s shortlist</a>, according to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports.
The deal, as I mentioned on our stream, would include Herro &mdash; who is still on a rookie-scale contract ($5.7 million next year), but is extension-eligible this summer and wouldn&rsquo;t kick-in until 2023. Then comes Duncan Robinson, who&rsquo;ll enter the second year of a five-year, $90 million deal next season, which bookends with a near $20 million player option and rises to $16.9 million next season.
According to the trade machine, Omer Yurtseven&rsquo;s $1.7 million next season makes the math work, and would give Utah a Gobert backup who&rsquo;ll, if nothing else, get you 10 rebounds in 15 minutes on occasion. Would the Heat have to throw in at least one of Gabe Vincent, Max Strus or Haywood Highsmith (all of whom make between $1.7 and $1.8 million next year)? Perhaps. And from there, Miami has tradeable first-rounders in 2022, 2024 and 2026. So, in summation, it could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Omer Yurtseven, one of Gabe Vincent/Max Strus/Haywood Highsmith, draft capital</li>
</ul>
But if Herro has a big playoff run moving forward, the Heat may instead opt to move Robinson in a separate, smaller deal for a worthy big man in their rotation, and mostly run it back otherwise.
Atlanta Hawks
Alright, now you saw what the Heat did to Trae Young in the first round. The Hawks clearly are not only poised to get Young some help, but make a 3-for-1-ish deal to consolidate some depth into a higher-end starter &mdash; or in the case of Mitchell, a fellow offensive starter. His teammate, Gobert, is probably the better fit, but one, I&rsquo;m not writing about Gobert (our Evan Sidery will handle that) and two, if Gobert is frustrated with Mitchell&rsquo;s defense...
But anyway, you gotta start somewhere. And for Atlanta, part of why the Heat neutralized Young is their malleability defensively, but also, the Hawks don&rsquo;t have another true star to account for on the perimeter. Mitchell would give Young a viable tag team partner offensively to spread the defensive focus. To do so, the Hawks could play this a few different ways.
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The obvious trade chip is John Collins, and there could be questions about his fit next to Gobert, but it&rsquo;s not a bad place to start if you&rsquo;re moving someone of Mitchell&rsquo;s caliber. Collins will make $23.5 million next year, and between $25.3 and $26.6 million through 2025-26. Collins has had rumored friction with Young, though they&rsquo;ve downplayed it over the years. From there, if you use Collins in a possible deal, it gets interesting.&nbsp;
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter &mdash; who makes $9.8 million next year in the last season of a rookie deal and is extension-eligible this summer &mdash; seems logical for both the Jazz to want and the Hawks to keep. Hunter was Atlanta's best player against the Heat, and has been a quality two-way wing when healthy. Is a framework of Collins and Hunter for Mitchell straight up enough of a deal for both sides? Sheeeeeiiiiit, ask them, but it sounds good to me!
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for John Collins and De'Andre Hunter</li>
</ul>
No Collins? Okay. You&rsquo;re not moving Clint Capela&rsquo;s long-term deal for Utah in a Mitchell move, so that&rsquo;s out of the picture. Kevin Huerter would absolutely have to be part of this, and no, that&rsquo;s not a white Utah joke. Hu-why would you think that?&nbsp;
Huerter begins his $65 million extension next year, the first of four, banking $14.5 million in 2022-23. Hunter probably stays in the deal because Utah has to get something really good, and the Hawks simply can&rsquo;t extend everyone. Again, Atlanta should want to keep Hunter, but this is the price of doing business. But if you&rsquo;re throwing in Huerter instead of Collins (which does work on the trade machine since different rules apply in the offseason than in-season), you&rsquo;ll need multiple first round picks &mdash; of which the Hawks have all their own &mdash; so that could get done.
Could Utah also want Onyeka Okongwu? Sure, but he seems like Atlanta's 5-man of the future, and a separate deal moving off Capela might be more likely. So the second proposal could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, draft capital</li>
</ul>
Now, the Hawks would still need to figure some things out defensively, seeing as how they&rsquo;d be led by two 6-foot-1 scorers in the backcourt. They could just became the new Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to some extent, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-salute-to-the-defiance-of-damian-lillard-and-cj-mccollum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Portland Trail Blazers are as much to blame for that &ldquo;not working,&rdquo;</a> and the Hawks can learn from those team-building mistakes.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca takes a look at four logical landing spots for Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell.

Examining potential trade destinations for Donovan Mitchell

According to Yahoo Sports&rsquo; Chris Haynes, Sacramento Kings point guard De&rsquo;Aaron Fox is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-receiving-interest-in-deaaron-fox-ahead-of-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the biggest names that could be available</a> before next month&rsquo;s trade deadline. Haynes mentioned that the Kings are receiving heavy interest in Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, but the plan internally is to build long-term around this backcourt combination.
Haynes spoke with Fox recently about his future in Sacramento among other topics.
&ldquo;You definitely think about potentially being traded because we are struggling,&rdquo; Fox <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/deaaron-fox-addresses-kings-trade-rumors-his-ideal-role-in-the-nba-173928242.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Haynes</a>. &ldquo;If you do have a change of scenery, it changes everything. I&rsquo;ve been here for five years. I&rsquo;ve built a life here, a family here. But once I&rsquo;m on the court, all that is out the window. You&rsquo;re not thinking about anything else than can happen outside of your control.&rdquo;
Although Fox just signed a five-year rookie-scale max extension during the 2020 offseason, his fit alongside Haliburton has brought up serious questions about who Sacramento should actually build around in their backcourt.
As I wrote last month, Haliburton has a big enough sample size now to show he blossoms when he&rsquo;s not next to a high-usage backcourt partner in Fox. When Fox was in NBA health and safety protocols, Haliburton showed a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-haliburton-providing-hope-potentially-forcing-kings-hand-on-backcourt-decisions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dazzling display of what his ceiling could potentially become</a> as Sacramento&rsquo;s No. 1 option.
In 42 games this season, Fox has averaged 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals on a pedestrian 53.1% True Shooting percentage. Simply put, Fox hasn&rsquo;t taken the developmental jumps the Kings&rsquo; front office hoped for when he inked a big-money extension. Fox is still a blur in transition, being a massive weapon in that area, but he still struggles to keep teammates involved consistently and put in complete effort on the defensive end.
Still only 24 years old, Fox has immense upside as a top scoring option in Sacramento or elsewhere. Could he be Devin Booker-like when it comes to defensive effort, once the Kings get a true contender around him? That&rsquo;s the big question for both player and team, because Sacramento is once again going nowhere for another season.
At this point, it might be best for the Kings to trade Fox at his peak value while resetting a little bit around Haliburton in their backcourt.
If Fox actually isn't untouchable &mdash; something that has been <a href="https://theathletic.com/3052221/2022/01/05/nba-trade-talk-russell-westbrooks-awkward-lakers-fit-the-hurting-hawks-and-more-sam-amicks-nba-notebook/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned by The Athletic&rsquo;s Sam Amick</a> &mdash; which teams make sense for him? Let&rsquo;s dive into some potential landing spots for the score-first point guard.
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Philadelphia 76ers
This destination has been mentioned before as a potential blockbuster revolving around Fox and Ben Simmons, who continues to sit out games for the Sixers. So, why don&rsquo;t we explore that possibility a little bit further?
Honestly, I love the idea of Fox in Philadelphia creating a lethal one-two combination with Joel Embiid. Also, I believe Fox and Tyrese Maxey can coexist in the same backcourt for Philadelphia.
Instantly, Fox would come aboard and bring a scoring jolt that&rsquo;s desperately needed to take pressure off Embiid. On the other side, I&rsquo;ve long been a fan of the idea where Simmons lands in a situation where he becomes the No. 1 scoring option.
How fun would a pick-and-roll combination of Haliburton and Simmons be in Sacramento? All around, this feels like a major win-win. We&rsquo;ll see if Philadelphia and Sacramento are actually open to the idea, but this swap feels right for both parties.
Kings receive: Ben Simmons
Sixers receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
Indiana Pacers
When looking through the NBA standings, Indiana continues to stand out like a sore thumb when it comes to a team in desperate need of a reset. Rumors are <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-mavs-blazers-wolves-knicks-lakers-hornets-targeting-myles-turner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">picking up steam revolving around Myles Turner</a> and Caris LeVert. Domantas Sabonis has also been mentioned around the league in potential trade talks.
Sacramento and Indiana could find common ground on a potential Fox deal, which could make a lot of sense for two teams who need a shake up.
Kings receive: Domantas Sabonis, T.J. Warren, draft compensation
Pacers receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
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Yes, the Kings have Richaun Holmes, who is an average starting center in the Association. However, could you imagine the on-court synergy Haliburton and Sabonis could develop as a lethal inside-out combination? As we&rsquo;ve seen in Indiana as well, there&rsquo;s some spot minutes where Holmes and Sabonis could share the floor as well (though I honestly wouldn&rsquo;t be a fan of that).
Fox would arrive in Indiana and be their star for years to come. He would be in a perfect situation to have a team built competently around him. Malcolm Brogdon would be an intriguing backcourt partner in this scenario too.
I&rsquo;m very intrigued by this potential landing spot for Fox, so keep an eye out on the Pacers here.
New York Knicks
Fox in the Big Apple? I love the sound of that. The question is: What would it cost for the Knicks to acquire him?
Honestly, unless the Knicks are willing to give up former No. 3 overall pick RJ Barrett, it likely won&rsquo;t happen. I&rsquo;m not a fan of Julius Randle in Sacramento, at least from the Kings&rsquo; perspective.
Kings receive: R.J. Barrett, Miles McBride, Kemba Walker, Taj Gibson
Knicks receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
Fox and Randle would bring a potent pick-and-roll duo to New York. Meanwhile, Sacramento would acquire a young building block in Barrett who fits perfectly next to Haliburton. McBride has also shown unique upside, bringing aboard another backcourt piece who could play spot minutes with Haliburton down the road.
New York is in a tough spot after betting on running it back following a surprise playoff run last season. After stagnating, this could be the perfect move for the Knicks to make to expedite their win-now mindset with head coach Tom Thibodeau.
If the Knicks are open to trading Barrett for Fox, a big question mark currently, this could leapfrog right to the top of potential trade packages.
Boston Celtics
Boston is another team who seems poised for a major shake up within the next calendar year. Not taking a serious step forward this season, many questions are bubbling around <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-case-against-and-for-separating-jayson-tatum-and-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whether the Celtics&rsquo; dynamic wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can coexist long-term</a>.
If Celtics president Brad Stevens decides to pull the plug down the line and find peak value, Brown seems to be the more obvious choice. Tatum is locked in as the Celtics&rsquo; face of the franchise, so who could they find to be an ideal compliment with him?
Enter Fox, who brings backcourt competency for a team in desperate need of it like Boston.
Kings receive: Jaylen Brown
Celtics receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, draft compensation
Some might be asking why Sacramento is giving up draft compensation to Boston here, but, quite frankly, Brown has more value right now compared to Fox. And honestly, it would be a major win-win in the end for both teams.
Tatum and Fox would be a fun duo to build around in Boston, allowing more well-balanced roster construction. In Sacramento, Brown would enter as the go-to scorer with a great point guard to set him up in Haliburton.
This scenario might be more of a 2022 offseason scenario compared to the trade deadline, but crazier things have happened since both teams are stuck in neutral.
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New Orleans Pelicans
The pressure is on in the Bayou. Zion Williamson&rsquo;s injury concerns continue to put a cloud over the Pelicans&rsquo; future. New Orleans EVP David Griffin is on the hot seat, so what can he do to save his job?
Why not push the chips all-in on a franchise building block in Fox? In head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s system, acquiring Fox would be a brilliant move to make in the short and long-term. With Williamson out, Fox and Brandon Ingram would make a lethal scoring combination. And hopefully once Williamson eventually returns, the Pelicans would have their new Big Three set for years to come.
The Pelicans are loaded with future draft capital thanks to the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. They own so many picks from the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, plus their own, which makes them a potential suitor in any star-level trade.
What would it take for Fox to land in New Orleans, though?
Kings receive: Devonte&rsquo; Graham, Josh Hart, Kira Lewis, draft compensation
Pelicans receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
This trade doesn&rsquo;t look too enticing on the surface for Sacramento, but if they receive a boatload of future draft capital from the Pelicans, it makes this scenario very appealing.
Resetting around Haliburton with ample draft picks for the future would be an ideal solution to hitting the reset button in Sacramento.
Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic needs help in Dallas, so where can the Mavericks find a player who can take pressure off of him? Enter Fox, who could really push the Mavericks&rsquo; ceiling to a completely new level.
Fox and Doncic would create instant fireworks in Dallas, playing on and off-ball with no issue. The offensive ceiling of this duo would be one of the best in the Western Conference.
The question is, do the Mavericks have enough to make a Fox blockbuster happen?
Kings receive: Jalen Brunson, Tim Hardaway Jr., draft compensation
Mavericks receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
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This trade is very interesting for a multitude of reasons. I considered a trade of Porzingis to the Kings, but would they actually want his contract? I doubt it.
That led me back to giving up a prized asset in Brunson, who is going to cash out as a restricted free agent this offseason. Why not get something now for Brunson instead of potentially letting him walk with a big offer sheet elsewhere?
Fox not only would be an upgrade over Brunson, but also form a Big Three that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been lusting after for years in Dallas. It&rsquo;s a big bet to make locking in a core of Doncic, Fox and Porzingis together, but, if it works out, the ceiling is astronomical.
Sacramento would land future draft compensation to go along with an intriguing backcourt piece in Brunson. Also, Hardaway could be flipped elsewhere or kept around if the Kings decided to move Buddy Hield as well in a different deal.
Charlotte Hornets
This one was suggested to me by our own <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/nekias-duncan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a>, which had me thinking about some potential scenarios. Fox and LaMelo Ball would be box-office levels of entertainment in Charlotte, so I totally get the idea.
However, what would the Hornets need to give up for Fox? Here&rsquo;s where I eventually landed on that idea, which led to our biggest blockbuster yet.
Kings receive: Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, James Bouknight, P.J. Washington, draft compensation
Hornets receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Tristan Thompson, Jahmi&rsquo;us Ramsey
Yeah, that&rsquo;s a lot to take in. This could have been a lot easier if I believed the Hornets would trade away Miles Bridges in this scenario, but I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s realistic. So, let&rsquo;s chew on this eight-player deal for a moment.
Charlotte swaps out Rozier for Fox, an instant upgrade who elevates Charlotte&rsquo;s playoff hopes for this season and beyond. It takes a midseason flier on Bagley, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. And Bagley could be a big-time beneficiary of being spoon-fed easy looks from Ball.
Sacramento lands two win-now veterans in Hayward and Rozier. Whether the Kings decide to keep him long-term or not is to be determined. The prize of this deal is the young players/prospects. Bouknight and Washington are former lottery picks who just haven&rsquo;t found a consistent role in Charlotte. With the Kings, that would definitely change.
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If the Kings indeed decide to shop Fox openly before the trade deadline, a league-wide bidding war will ensue. Yet to hit his prime, Fox has a lot of great basketball left in him. Wherever he would potentially land, Fox could change the immediate calculus for win-now possibilities.

De'Aaron Fox could be the top name available at this year's trade deadline. Which teams make the most sense for the Kings' star?

Examining potential trade destinations for De'Aaron Fox

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

NBA Power Rankings: New Year's Resolutions for each team

Blake Griffin&rsquo;s recent buyout from the Detroit Pistons was an arrangement everyone saw coming from a mile away. And that is, by no means, due to any inadequacies of Griffin. The star power forward had one of his best seasons in the NBA as a Piston 2018-2019, averaging nearly 25 points, five assists and eight rebounds per contest.
Considering the circumstances that brought Griffin to Detroit -- a trade he did not want nor saw coming -- he did an admirable job of making the most of the situation. Griffin not only gave his all through ill-timed injuries and uninspired roster constructions, he wholly transformed his game. Over the course of his tenure in Detroit, Griffin's 3-point attempts per game skyrocketed from 1.9 to 5.6, an astronomical increase.
Even though we did see the buyout coming, we certainly did not see the bouncy Griffin -- who is also an impressive passer -- becoming a legitimate perimeter shooter and creator.
Now, here come the Brooklyn Nets.
After learning of the buyout, rumors quickly became reality, as Griffin signed with Brooklyn. However, his addition has raised some valid questions about his fit on the offensively inclined yet defensively deficient Nets. With Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving at the helm, this team&rsquo;s offensive mastery has afforded them some well-earned leeway in the defense department, but they rank just 26th out of the league&rsquo;s 30 teams in defensive rating, yielding 113.5 points per 100 possessions. They also allow 50.4 points in the paint per game, which is fourth-most in the NBA.
The poor rankings are unsurprising when one takes into account the clear defensive weaknesses present in the Nets&rsquo; frontcourt. With a center rotation consisting of DeAndre Jordan (known for his slower strides and less than stellar pick-and-roll defensive versatility), Nicolas Claxton and Reggie Perry (aged 21 years old and 20 years old, respectively), it&rsquo;s crystal clear that the front office has not yet honed in on the weaknesses that are guaranteed to be exploited as the postseason approaches.
Truth is, Blake Griffin is a frontcourt acquisition that does nothing to fill the Nets' defensive leaks.
There is no argument against his impressive malleability on offense. And while Griffin's numbers have dropped across the board in Detroit, that can be explained by the uncertainty of his future with the club and it impacting his effort and engagement over the course of the first half of the season.
The issue of fit and rotation still exists in Brooklyn, though. Starting alongside Durant, Irving and Harden, what is Griffin&rsquo;s role on the Nets? His touches will certainly be limited by the high-usage stars he&rsquo;ll be playing alongside, so the assumption is that he&rsquo;ll find himself frequently playing off the ball, stretching the floor and screening-and-rolling with the superstar backcourt.
Considering Griffin is over a year removed from his early 2020 knee surgery, Pistons fans have mentioned a considerable dip in his athleticism, particularly after an NBA.com article noted that it's been a couple of years since <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/pistons-to-sit-blake-griffin-as-team-begins-process-of-moving-him">we've seen Griffin dunk</a>.
&ldquo;[K]nown for his athletic dunking prowess in his heyday, Griffin has <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/pistons-to-sit-blake-griffin-as-team-begins-process-of-moving-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not recorded a dunk in an NBA game since Dec. 12, 2019</a> &mdash; a span in which more than 440 other NBA players have gotten at least one dunk,&rdquo; the piece pointed out.
His reduced bounce has been evident on the defensive end of the court, too. Over the course of the last four seasons, Griffin has seen a steady increase in his defensive rating, which is 111.6 this season. That has contributed to a career-worst net rating this season.
Still, Griffin clearly has more to give, but his fit with the Nets is questionable, to say the least.
Don&rsquo;t be shocked by a reduction in minutes or head coach Steve Nash deploying lineups that omit the talented forward. Griffin, though, certainly knows what he signed up for.
Despite the fact that the Nets have not addressed their need for an additional, energetic defensive frontcourt option to combat the many large, athletic scoring wings in this league, they present Griffin with the opportunity to do something he has likely been longing for&mdash;play winning basketball.&nbsp;

Sure, Blake Griffin is a talented player, but does he help address the Nets' deficiencies? Yasmin Duale breaks it down.

Why Blake Griffin acquisition fails to address Nets’ biggest need

Ethan Fuller evaluates the NBA landscape at the quarter mark of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Back to the rumor mill

Ethan Fuller breaks down the NBA hierarchy and analyzes some way-to-early Cade Cunningham fits.

NBA Sour Rankings: Introducing the Cade-O-Meter

Ethan Fuller breaks down the general direction of all 30 NBA teams in his weekly Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: New Year, New Problems

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

NBA Sour Rankings: Preseason Overreactions

Typically, the NBA Finals are the "finale" following a yearlong crescendo of trends we&rsquo;ve witnessed all season. The most successful teams we see at the very end possess a balance of innovative play and star power, but the last matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat was anything but typical. The ongoings of the Finals often spill over to influence the style of play we subsequently see in the following season -- with teams mimicking some of the methods practiced by the squads duking it out on the league&rsquo;s biggest stage.
For some perspective, take the Golden State Warriors. Their wildly successful devotion to motion offense, small lineups and trailing threes went on to define the play-style of an era. On a smaller scale, the champion-year Toronto Raptors&rsquo; usage of Marc Gasol as an additional wrinkle to their offense still has teams scrambling to turn their big men into playmaking powerhouses in order to serve as a release valve for their point guards and forwards.&nbsp;
Here are a couple of major offensive trends that I feel we can anticipate for next season:
A Reduction in Team Threes
There are a few truths that have emerged in the last several years within the Warriors' reign, the most prevalent of which has been the importance of floor spacing, as well as the emphasis on frequent, high-efficiency three-point shooting -- two staples of any top ranked team&rsquo;s offensive system today. For the past couple of years, we&rsquo;ve seen teams like the Houston Rockets and last season&rsquo;s Dallas Mavericks adopt these systemic pillars as a means to thrust themselves into modernity and challenge the league&rsquo;s cream of the crop.&nbsp;
The question is: Why was this season different? Both the Lakers and Heat were not particularly praised for their team-wide, lights-out shooting. The Heat left both fans of the sport and writers alike skeptical of their ability to make it far into the postseason considering their two best players -- Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler -- are not recognized as floor spacers, the latter of which is an incredibly reluctant long-range shooter, but a masterful foul-drawer and mid-range specialist. 
Miami ended the regular season ninth in three-pointers attempted (35.4) and 10th in the postseason (35.5), with the Lakers at 23rd and 11th, respectfully. Interestingly (and to a lesser extent), L.A.'s two best players are also not necessarily sure things from beyond the arc. As we know, LeBron James is not someone whom defenses cheat off of; he has the ability to shoot over 40 percent from three in any given playoff series with significant attempts. But LeBron has historically been surrounded by knockdown threats along the perimeter, which allows him to do what he does best: draw help defenders and whip passes about accordingly. So instead, his superstar partner Anthony Davis was the second-most reliable long-range threat. 
The similarities between these teams don&rsquo;t end there. Both rosters placed an emphasis on finishing at the rim -- a product of utilizing the most effective skill their most talented players possess, or one of mere desperation, who knows? But what we do know is that we may see such a formula of few, high-efficient threes, coupled with relentless finishing, spill over into the regiments of next year&rsquo;s NBA offenses. If not, we&rsquo;ll at the very least see teams play to their strengths more unapologetically, rather than relying on mimicking the strengths of a past dynasty.
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No Starting Point Guard? No Problem.
It wasn&rsquo;t until pitching this piece that I began to realize how deceptively symmetrical the Finals matchup actually was. The fact that the Heat weren&rsquo;t the unanimous No. 1 choice to emerge out of the Eastern Conference may have clouded our critical thinking goggles when Game 1 had finally arrived.
Neither team actually had an undisputed, starting-caliber point guard to run the offense. Sure, some may argue that the Lakers had LeBron secured at point, but I&rsquo;d entertain that argument had it not been for the cyclical rumors of the franchise tirelessly fiending to trade for one. The closest Miami had was Goran Dragic, a starting-caliber guard on many teams, but he was sadly sidelined due to injury. What we saw, in turn, was both teams adopting a &ldquo;point-guard-by-committee&rdquo; system, handing the leash to a number of players to periodically initiate the offense. It's no secret that all championship-caliber teams boast a plethora of high-IQ decision-makers willing to make the correct pass or initiate the correct play in order to keep the ball humming-- and this matchup contained ample amounts of both. 
What I anticipate is more teams reducing the burden of responsibility and ball-handling duties placed on the point guard. Miami and L.A. distributed these responsibilities to a number of players; LeBron, Davis, Rajon Rondo, etc. for the Lakers and Butler, Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, etc. for the Heat. Once again, something born out of sheer necessity ended up injecting vibrancy and variation into these offenses, making both teams increasingly more difficult to guard, seeing as how there wasn't a single head to the snake.
When an NBA season officially ends, the impact of the last playoff round sends undeniable ripples into the next season. Like most industries, trends live out a life cycle over the course of a season or two. The bubble may have muddied the actual life span of said trends, but in today&rsquo;s league of parity and uncertainty, it's safe to assume teams will be looking at tried and true formulas to embrace.&nbsp;

Stemming from what we saw in the NBA Finals, Yasmin Duale points out some strategies that teams could use more in 2020-21.

Major offensive trends to watch for this NBA season

There is something pretty disorienting about the NBA's bubble-basketball stage.&nbsp;&nbsp;
You'll notice this if you watch highlights of the 2019-20 NBA season prior to the pandemic and compare it to the on-court product in the bubble. The floorspace is wider without the courtside seats (allowing for deeper inbound passes), the silences are awkward (allowing for audible taunts from seated players) and with the absence of fans in the stands, the emphasis has been on team benches (and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/los-angeles-clippers-dj-andrew-kinzel-nba-restart-orlando-bubble" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bubble DJs</a>) to replicate the mouth-foaming energy and intensity of a packed playoff atmosphere. How has this strange arrangement impacted the actual play? I&rsquo;ve been pondering that quite a bit. 
The first thought that bounced around during the seeding games by players and fans alike was that the lack of peripheral distractions may benefit shooters most (as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-scoring-up-bubble-offenses-vinny-del-negro-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our Vinny Del Negro wrote about</a>), the assumption being that specialists would replicate their reps in empty gyms. Now that the playoffs have progressed to the Conference Finals, one can&rsquo;t really say whether this has been the case considering cold streaks (and team-wide poor shooting nights versus the best defenses) have been a normal occurrence for all four of the remaining teams. This is not at all to say that series and games have been predictable at all; they&rsquo;re anything but, to say the least. 
The main development that has emerged from this unorthodox postseason is that the lockdown break did nothing to quell existing issues for a certain few franchises. In fact, months apart seems to have exacerbated these problems, causing them to bubble up and spill over during the most inconvenient moments and, in some cases, in monumentally embarrassing fashion.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The first two instances of viewers falling into an alternate reality where up is down were with the collapses of the Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks. Neither franchise is new to the experience of falling short, but there was something especially strange about their postseason demise this year. 
The Rockets raised eyebrows midseason due to the implementation of a full-time small-ball system. Rather than experimenting with this futuristic style of play, they overdosed on it after the acquisition of Robert Covington. A Game 1 win against the Los Angeles Lakers had audiences believing that the Rockets may have been ushering in the inevitable sooner than one would think. With a few simple adjustments of their own, the Lakers presented their own bigger, quicker and more athletic small-ball unit, benching their bigs for the duration of the series and exposing the Rockets&rsquo; dents. These imperfections were largely hidden during the latter part of the regular season by Houston's &lsquo;shiny-new-toy&rsquo; fa&ccedil;ade, but now they became hard to miss.&nbsp;
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As for Milwaukee, a dominant and imposing regular season for the ball club wasn&rsquo;t without skepticism. With the departure of Malcolm Brogdon, questions regarding the subpar guard rotation arose but were quickly shut down by the team's believers. Last postseason, the Bucks lost four-straight games to the Toronto Raptors and everyone treated it like an isolated incident since they ran into a red-hot Kawhi Leonard, a destroyer of worlds. Well, guess what happened in the second round of these playoffs versus the seemingly inferior Miami Heat? The Bucks were eliminated in five games, as Donte DiVincenzo and Wes Matthews failed to fill the secondary offensive-creator role that was once effortlessly occupied by Brogdon. Miami exposed this deficiency, as we had a front-row view of Giannis Antetokounmpo repeatedly forcing the issue right into the same wall he met last postseason.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It would appear to be the luck of the matchup for Miami, but we have witnessed them capture lightning in a bottle once again, commanding 3-1 lead against the third-seeded Boston Celtics (who boast a top-four offense and top-four defense). What was considered a fringe issue with roles and offensive hierarchy (as noted continuously by fans) with Boston&rsquo;s best-five lineup -- consisting of Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum) -- has reared its ugly head, made obvious with their struggles to close tight games during their current run. Starting multiple 20-point scorers has seemingly cultivated an environment of offensive &lsquo;pride,&rsquo; for lack of a better word, rendering several players with the belief that they are each at the top of the pyramid and deserving of the most important shots down the stretch.&nbsp;&nbsp;
My hypothesis? The months-long break from NBA basketball broke the manufactured continuity, delicately rocking rhythm and band-aid fixes that these teams had established throughout the season to maintain their excellence. Subsequently, whatever sense of surprise these teams possessed as an upper hand dissipated with every day of the hiatus, giving their opponents ample time to process and game-plan for their gimmickry and/or overly processed, curated systems. 
There is no better example of this than the historic and incredibly entertaining seven-game series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets portrayed a stark contrast when placed up against their opponent. There's the Mile-High team that toiled away developing their young superstars, experiencing the formative, coming-of-age necessity of youthful, playoff heartbreak that hardens the soul and deadens the eyes. Denver is poised. Their cutters rotate around Nikola Jokic as if he&rsquo;s moving them himself telekinetically. Jamal Murray is displaying a wholeness and richness to his game that point guards don&rsquo;t typically flaunt until their late 20s.&nbsp;&nbsp;
And then there&rsquo;s the Clippers. The running joke throughout the season was that they sometimes played as though they were random pick-up players put onto the same team, rather than the typical theatrical NBA roster with its scripted roles. At their floor, they looked disjointed on both ends and there were complete breakdowns in communications at times (a la Luka Doncic's <a href="https://youtu.be/Vh9z36rYXXs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">game-winner</a>). After months of shooting down reports about their chemistry issues, the Clippers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-los-angeles-clippers-kawhi-leonard-paul-george-whats-next-salary-cap-free-agency-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finally acknowledged these problems</a>&nbsp;once they were eliminated by Denver.
This year's playoffs come with unique stressors and they have emphasised the importance of clear leadership, versatility and a willingness to adapt. With that in mind, it&rsquo;s somehow no surprise why certain teams (like Miami and Denver) have thrived in the Orlando bubble. They're looking at a pathway to glory, in spite of the noise.

Some NBA teams played their best basketball in the bubble, while others struggled with this arrangement and its unique stressors.

How the NBA bubble exposed some teams, exacerbated issues

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; Jimmy Butler had 27 points and 10 assists, Bam Adebayo finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds and the Miami Heat moved a win away from their third trip to the Eastern Conference finals in the last four years by topping the New York Knicks 109-101 on Monday night.
Max Strus scored 16 points, Kyle Lowry added 15 and Caleb Martin had 10 for the Heat. Miami, the No. 8 seed, leads the East semifinal series 3-1, with Game 5 &mdash; and the first potential clincher &mdash; awaiting in New York on Wednesday night.
Jalen Brunson finished with 32 points and 11 assists for fifth-seeded New York, while RJ Barrett had 24 points and Julius Randle scored 20 for the Knicks before fouling out with about three minutes left.
Miami missed 12 of its first 15 shots of the fourth quarter, but the Knicks didn&rsquo;t take full advantage &mdash; trimming only three points off the Heat lead in that span. It was nine entering the fourth, and a pair of free throws by Brunson with 4:40 left got New York within 99-93.
But a slam by Martin breathed some life into an antsy building, and the roars got a bit louder about a minute later. With the Knicks down seven, Randle went into the lane &mdash; but Strus beat him to the spot, drawing contact that became the New York star&rsquo;s sixth foul with 3:08 left, and the Heat held control the rest of the way.
The Knicks never led in Game 3, then held the lead twice in Game 4.
Barely.
They had a pair of one-point leads in the opening quarter, for a combined 33 seconds, and with Miami erasing the deficits with immediate baskets on its next possession.
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/knicks-heat-2023-nba-playoffs-jimmy-butler-091c884cc52a48035311ad46b1c1c0b2">But unlike Game 3,</a>&nbsp;when Miami&rsquo;s lead was double digits for nearly the entirety of the final three quarters, this one remained in some doubt much of the way. Miami didn&rsquo;t get its first 10-point lead until a 3-pointer by Strus with 3:23 left in the half, and whenever the Heat seemed poised to pull away New York had an answer.
The Knicks cut what was an 11-point deficit down to 67-65 on a 3-pointer by Barrett with 7:07 left in the third, but never got all the way over the hump. An 8-1 spurt over a two-minute stretch late in the third restored the 11-point lead, and Miami&rsquo;s cushion was 90-81 going into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Immanuel Quickley, who sprained his left ankle late in Game 3, was out. His status for Game 5 isn&rsquo;t clear, and he&rsquo;s listed as day-to-day. &hellip; New York changed its starting lineup, with Quentin Grimes &mdash; who was celebrating his 23rd birthday &mdash; in for Josh Hart. &hellip; The Knicks gave up six offensive rebounds in the first three quarters combined, then gave up six more in the fourth alone.
Heat: Adebayo had seven field goals in the first half. Five were dunks, marking the first time in his 473 NBA games that he had that many before halftime. &hellip; The 7-2 start to the postseason matches the fifth-best in Heat history. They were 8-1 in 2005, 2013, 2014 and 2020 &mdash; getting to the NBA Finals in the three most-recent instances. &hellip; Butler was questionable with his right ankle, even though he played in Game 3, and wasn&rsquo;t announced as playing until about an hour before tip-off Monday. ... Miami missed four 3s on one possession early in the fourth quarter.
SPO MARK
The win was the 103rd playoff victory for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. He becomes the third coach with that many playoff wins with one team; Gregg Popovich has 170 with San Antonio, and Phil Jackson had 118 with the Los Angeles Lakers and 111 with Chicago.
Pat Riley &mdash; the Heat president, Spoelstra&rsquo;s boss and his predecessor as Heat coach &mdash; won 102 with the Lakers.
BIG WEDNESDAY
The Heat have a chance to reach the East finals on Wednesday &mdash; and so does South Florida&rsquo;s NHL team. The Florida Panthers lead their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0, with Game 4 of that matchup in Sunrise, Florida on Wednesday night.

The Heat moved a win away from their third trip to the Conference Finals in the last four years by topping the Knicks 109-101.

Heat take 3-1 lead, hold off Knicks 109-101 for Game 4 win

Heading into the weekend, I figured I'd followed the same script as the other two award pieces. Fill out and&nbsp; complete my (fake) ballot, sprinkle in some extra details or stray thoughts to account for questions that may pop up, then go about my business.
I dropped my "final rough draft" on Friday's episode of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a>, though I gave myself a weekend's worth of wiggle room to make any last-second changes. In typical fashion, I watched, researched and ultimately thought myself into a headache. The result of that is this piece: A separate article detailing where and how I landed on the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player, with a follow-up article coming to reveal the rest of my (fake) ballot.
Throughout MVP discourse, many people &mdash; voters or people like me who wish they could vote &mdash; have made it a point to mention how tough it is. To highlight how the top three &mdash; Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo &mdash; are all worthy candidates to win, and that we shouldn't be all that upset by who wins. There's truth to that.
(You, savvy reader and/or listener, can also tell when someone is genuinely perplexed vs. when they're throwing in that platitude in an effort to avoid smoke for his/her opinion. We can be real here.)
I landed in the former camp. To refresh your memory, this is where I landed at the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-award-picks-mvp-dpoy-rookie-sixth-man-most-improved-all-league-defensive-teams-volume-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beginning of March</a>:
Previous order (through Mar.1): 
<ol>
<li>Nikola Jokic (Previously No. 3)</li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo (Previously No. 2)</li>
<li>Joel Embiid (Previously Honorable Mention, Record)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum (Previously No. 1)</li>
<li>Luka Doncic (Previously No. 5)</li>
</ol>
This is where I am right now on April 11 with the regular season over:
<ol>
<li>Joel Embiid (Previously No. 3) </li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo (Previously No. 2)</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic (Previously No. 1)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum (Previously No. 4)</li>
<li>Domantas Sabonis (Previously Honorable Mention, Not As Good As Luka Doncic)</li>
</ol>
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With all due respect to Tatum and Sabonis, there isn't much to discuss with their placements.
Tatum was a two-way ironman for a team that flirted with the best record in the NBA. At full tilt, the Boston Celtics may very well be the best team in the league. Tatum became the first Celtic to average over 30 points per game for a season &mdash; a mind-blowing stat considering their history. Career-high averages in rebounds (8.8) and assists (4.6) are also nice. If you'd like to use Tatum's availability (and overall malleability) to argue for him to be higher, you can; it just wouldn't be my&nbsp;case.&nbsp;
Sabonis was the best player on the Western Conference's most (surprisingly) consistent team, acting as the hub of the NBA's most dangerous offense. He became just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 19 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in a season; add in his 61.5% clip from the field (63.9% on twos, 37.3% on a low volume of threes), and the list shrinks to him and Wilt Chamberlain.&nbsp;
The battle for MVP ultimately became a three-man race in 2023 &mdash; if you recall, Tatum was my MVP <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-early-season-award-picks-mvp-dpoy-rookie-sixth-man-most-improved-all-league-defensive-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in my first check-in</a> from mid-December &mdash; between Embiid, Giannis and Jokic.
There's more to discuss with Jokic, who nearly became the first center in NBA history to average a triple-double. Even that sells his season short; Jokic just logged the most efficient season in NBA history among players to average at least 20 points.
If Jokic and the Denver Nuggets hadn't, by their standards, sputtered to the finish line, he likely would've maintained the lead he had in my second check-in and gotten my fictitious vote. That he was already having a (much) worse defensive season than Embiid and Giannis and managed to go backwards over this recent stretch &mdash; particularly the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-concerned-should-we-be-about-the-denver-nuggets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">middle portion of March</a> &mdash; made it tough for me in a race this close.
There was even a quieter dip in Jokic's production offensively, though he was still absurd overall.
<ul>
<li>Dec. 14 through Feb. 28 (32 games): 25.2 points on 71.2% True Shooting, 10.7 assists (3.7 turnovers)</li>
<li>From March 1 onward (14 games): 24.0 points on 69.6% True Shooting, 9.1 assists (3.6 turnovers)</li>
</ul>
That being said, it was a ridiculous season from Jokic. He was still the best offensive player in the league for me. The Nuggets showcased, on multiple occasions, that they didn't quite know how to function without him. Even with the recent "slippage," he paced the league in many advanced metrics. A worthy choice, just ultimately not my choice.
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From here, let's talk about Embiid vs Giannis for a bit. Here are a handful of Embiid's stat lines since the beginning of March:
<ul>
<li>52-13-6 (plus 2 blocks) in a win vs. the Celtics</li>
<li>46-9-8-2-1 in a loss vs. the Warriors</li>
<li>36-18 (plus 4 blocks) in a win vs. the Cavaliers</li>
<li>31-6-10 in a win vs. the Bucks</li>
<li>39-7-4-1-3 in a win vs. the Timberwolves</li>
</ul>
This ignores the 37 and 16 against Chicago; the 42-on-16-shots affair against the Pacers; the 38-14-5 he slapped up against the Hornets. Of the 18 games Embiid played during this stretch, he scored 30 or more 12 times and the Philadelphia 76ers went 12-6 in those contests. He fell below 20 points once &mdash; 12-7-7 in 16 first-half minutes against the Bulls before sitting the second half of that blowout for precautionary reasons. There's a rule about assuming, but it'd be fair to project him putting up a nutty stat line in that game had he played the second half.
There just hasn't been a consistent answer for this guy all year. Crowding the paint only does so much when he's willing to shoot over you &mdash; and do so at a high clip. Doubling can only do so much when he's grown as a passer &mdash; the Sixers scored at an elite rate on possessions that Embiid passed out of a post-double team (1.17 PPP) or isolation double (1.14 PPP), per Second Spectrum &mdash; and can <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/3/31/23664110/joel-embiid-76ers-mvp-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brow-beat them</a> when necessary.&nbsp;
He's taken over half of his shots from mid-range this season and drilled them at a 49% clip. He drew 104 fouls in the mid-range area, per Cleaning The Glass; do you know how hard it is to have Embiid's shot profile and manage to get fouled as often as he does? It's insane stuff and speaks to the guard-like ability he has in this range.&nbsp;
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The defense has waxed and waned over the closing stretch, but the Sixers ended the year with a 94.5 half-court defensive rating with Embiid on the floor, per Cleaning The Glass; that's equivalent to the second-best half-court D in the NBA, and is a mark that shouldn't be that high considering Philly's overall roster construction.
Even "Lax Embiid" can goad opponents into pull-ups &mdash; though that's something worth keeping an eye on as the postseason hits. Engaged Embiid &mdash; the guy that can blow stuff up at the level of the screen and still strut back to challenge shots at the rim &mdash; is, and has been, a world-ender.
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The TLDR summary: Embiid had a heavy load to carry on both ends of the floor, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-feature-philadelphia-76ers-sixers-joel-embiid-mvp-race-james-harden-tyrese-maxey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dominated offensively and anchored a high-level defense while flashing an even higher level when fully locked in</a>. Having a 65% win rate in his games helped; the advanced metrics also paint him in a favorable light.
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Of course, we can't lose sight of the work Giannis did in a less-than-ideal context at the beginning of the year. He was without his best pick-and-roll partner in Khris Middleton and didn't always have Jrue Holiday by his side. It's not a coincidence that, once those two were in the lineup with Giannis more consistently, the Milwaukee Bucks (and Giannis) took off.
Giannis remained a battering ram at the rim, drawing shooting fouls on a career-best 24.6% of his shot attempts this year, per Cleaning The Glass. His mark of 12.3 free throw attempts per game led the NBA. Giannis' downhill passing also remained a legitimate weapon; his rate of kick-out passes rose to career-high levels (17.1 per 100 possessions), while his turnover rate on total passes (1.57%) was his lowest in three seasons, per Second Spectrum.
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There was an obvious gap between Embiid and Giannis in points (33.1 vs. 31.1) and a larger one in efficiency (Embiid's 65.5% TS vs. Giannis' 60.7% TS). Again, it's hard to overstate the difference in shooting ability that the two displayed. Embiid was a monster from mid-range compared to Giannis' clip (31.8%), knocked down a higher percentage of threes (33.0% vs. 27.5%) and shot much better from the line (85.7% vs. 64.5%).
Milwaukee faithful would likely point to the context for the two, particularly what Giannis dealt with at the beginning of the year sans Middleton &mdash; and at times, with no Holiday. There's some credence to that.&nbsp;
How's this for a did-you-know: The Sixers logged a paltry 111.4 offensive rating in 333 minutes with Embiid on the floor without James Harden and Tyrese Maxey; the Bucks were slightly better &mdash; a 113.8 offensive rating in nearly double the sample (643 minutes) &mdash; with Giannis on the floor without Holiday and Middleton.
The scoring breakdown in those minutes:
<ul>
<li>Giannis: 608 points (34.0 points per 36 minutes), 57.7% on twos, 26.2% on threes, 60.3% TS</li>
<li>Embiid: 302 points (32.6 per 36), 51.4% on twos, 22.2% on threes, 58.4% TS</li>
</ul>
The playmaking still leans towards Giannis:
<ul>
<li>Giannis: 145 assists (8.1 per 36), 94 turnovers (5.3 per 36)</li>
<li>Embiid: 63 assists (6.8 per 36), 44 turnovers (4.8 per 36)</li>
</ul>
If you only filter for the minutes the two played with and without their primary ball-handler &mdash; <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612755&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203954,201935" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harden for Embiid</a>, <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612749&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203507,201950" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Holiday for Giannis</a> &mdash; some fun stuff is revealed, namely:
<ul>
<li>The Bucks' offense burned a little brighter with Giannis and Holiday (123.9 ORTG) compared to the Sixers pairing (123.2 ORTG).</li>
<li>The Sixers still operated at a top-10 rate when Embiid played without Harden (117.8, would rank No. 7); the same could not be said for Giannis without Holiday (113.0, would rank No. 26).</li>
</ul>
Zooming out, the defense is where things got tight for me.
Full disclosure: On Friday's pod, I listed Embiid as my choice. By Sunday morning, I was ready to flip to Giannis. And that was before Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1645111264623095808?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped his exclusive sit-down interview</a> with the 2021 NBA champion, surprisingly (and honestly, refreshingly) dipping into his, "Let's not get carried away, I still do this" bag. The Sixers tailing off defensively over the past couple of weeks really opened the door.
Giannis has been elite this year, an omnipresent deterrent lurking around the weak side. When challenged at the rim, opponents haven't had much success; they converted just 55.4% of their shots at the rim against Giannis, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-impact?CF=GP*GE*49:DEF_RIM_FGA*GE*4&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=DEF_RIM_FG_PCT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which ranks 10th among 51 players</a> to defend at least four shots per contest.
But of that 51-player group, Giannis ranked 40th in shots defended per game. Embiid was third and Jokic was fourth; that obviously speaks to how willing teams were to attack the latter, but the discrepancy is at least kinda funny when considering the scheme differences between the two.&nbsp;
Embiid ranked 12th in contested shots per game (10.3). Giannis ranked 44th (6.6); his teammate, Brook Lopez, was first (17.5) by a comically large margin.
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That led me down the Giannis-at-the-5 rabbit hole, which revealed that the Bucks were a middling defense (114.2 DRTG, would rank 13th) with Giannis on the floor without Lopez, per Cleaning The Glass. When you also&nbsp;remove Bobby Portis from the equation, however, that drops to a would-be-league-leading 104.5 DRTG in nearly 850 possessions.
There were other searches I did that I won't bore you with, such as Giannis without Holiday and Lopez (116.7 DRTG in 1,034 possessions) compared to Embiid without De'Anthony Melton and PJ Tucker (111.8 DRTG in 561 possessions).
(It's worth noting that such a query left the Jevon Carter minutes on the table for Giannis, as it did the pre-trade Matisse Thybulle minutes for Embiid.)
Ultimately, the fundamental question became this: Do you value Giannis being better in a secondary rim-protecting role than Embiid with his primary responsibilities, or do you give Embiid the edge for having to carry more responsibility on that end?
You're more than welcome to disagree, but I landed on the responsibility angle.
Embiid getting this&nbsp;team to a top-10 finish defensively was impressive. Having the offensive year he had, on the shot diet he lived on, was also wildly impressive. Only Stephen Curry and 22 games of 1982-83 Adrian Dantley have posted more efficient 30-point seasons than Embiid, and the Sixers big man averaged more points than both of them.
I geniunely don't think you could go wrong with any of these three. Jokic's team performed better with him on the floor than Giannis or Embiid; Giannis paced both guys in wins and win percentage in addition to his excellence.
The combination of production, efficiency, winning and responsibility gave Embiid the narrow win for me.

Nekias Duncan narrows down his final candidates for the 2022-23 NBA MVP and picks the league's most valuable player.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award selections: Who wins MVP?

<div>
It's almost play-in and playoff time, folks!
This season has felt more jumbled than ever, which has led to more teams in some sort of contention. Naturally, most conversations around the league will focus on the contenders and the various seeding battles still happening.
It's easy for the teams at the bottom to get lost in the shuffle. They generally reach a point where lottery odds take precedence; in some instances, important young pieces are getting shut down like veterans.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/views-from-the-bottom-young-players-to-keep-an-eye-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Much like last year</a>, I wanted to take a moment to highlight some players who are likely flying under the radar. You have to take post-All-Star break stretches with at least two grains of salt, but this is a time for unheralded players to stretch themselves. In a best-case scenario, they wind up showing you something that transfers to the next season.
</div>
<div>
Here are a few players &mdash; just a few! &mdash; who have caught my eye recently.
All stats are updated through games played on April 4.
JALEN GREEN, HOUSTON ROCKETS
The Stats: 23.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists (2.2 turnovers) since the All-Star break&nbsp;
The Skill: Foul-Drawing Craft
For the second year in a row, Jalen Green is popping off the screen after the All-Star break.&nbsp;
He represents a rare blend of athleticism &mdash; slippery and explosive &mdash; and skill. Watching him try to harness that has been equal parts fun and frustrating, depending on how invested you are in his growth.&nbsp;
Drives from Green have been an adventure since he set foot in the league. He's blessed with a handle that can get him most places, a first step that only a handful of guys can slide with and vertical pop that nobody can really deal with if he has a launching pad.&nbsp;
Green hasn't had much issue accessing the paint in his career. How he's gotten there, and what he does once there, has been the work in progress.
Quietly, he's become a little more selective with the turbo button when putting his head down. He's taking advantage of defenders scrambling to stay attached to him. He's feeling out the defender more in a literal sense; if he senses a defender out of position or leaning towards him, he's going right into their shoulder or chest, absorbing the blow and getting a shot up.&nbsp;
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Green is living at the line these days. He's averaging nearly seven free throw attempts per game since the break. Per Cleaning The Glass, Green is drawing fouls on 14.5% of his shot attempts during this stretch, a mark that ranks in the 97th percentile among his position group.
Filter specifically for drives, and Green is still drawing shooting fouls on 14.5% of them &mdash; 10th among 100 players with at least 100 drives, per Second Spectrum.
There's still growth to be had inside the arc. There's a little Anthony Edwards there, where he feels like he can defeat anyone &mdash; or any amount of bodies &mdash; at the rim when easier kicks are available. There's more comfort to be developed as an inside-out passer versus the interior feeds he likes.&nbsp;
But, man, being able to generate freebies at this rate is a welcomed sight. We're not that far away from teams not having a real answer for him as a scorer.
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SVI MYKHAILIUK, CHARLOTTE HORNETS
The Stats: 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists (1.5 turnovers), 1.3 steals over last six games&nbsp;
The Skill: Avoiding Danger
Mykhailiuk is in the midst of one of his most productive stretches. He's provided a healthy dose of shooting, converting 44.4% of his threes (6.0 attempts) over his last six games. Due to the injuries around him, he's gotten to do more with the ball in his hands. Nothing particularly wild on the playmaking front, but he's proven compentent as a second-side creator.&nbsp;
None of the offensive productivity surprises me. The fact that we're even getting to see it to this degree speaks to his work on the other end. I am not here to argue that Mykhailiuk is an elite defender; in fact, most of the numbers I'd use to highlight defensive growth don't paint him in a favorable light. As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-film-breakdown-charlotte-hornets-defense-steve-clifford-dennis-smith-jr-theo-maledon-gordon-hayward-jt-thor-mark-williams-nick-richards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I wrote recently</a>, the Hornets aren't afraid to switch-and-double against matchups they deem unfavorable to them; they've done so with Mykhailiuk.
I'd just like to say that man is&nbsp;working&nbsp;defensively. He's had to take up defensive assignments well above his pay grade as of late: Zach LaVine, Scottie Barnes, some Luka Doncic possessions during their two-game series and it hasn't been a disaster.
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The shift from "obvious weak link" to "best option to attack available" is a subtle, yet important mark of growth. It feels like he's starting to land in the latter camp. All the Hornets, or any team moving forward, needs from him is for him to hold his own. If he can do that, he'll have more opportunities for the shooting and ball skills to pop.&nbsp;
SANDRO MAMUKELASHVILI, SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The Stats: 13.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists (1.9 turnovers), 2.8 steals over last eight games&nbsp;
The Skill: Passing Chops
I am an absolute sucker for tall players with passing ability. I gravitate towards playmaking wings, and I especially enjoy watching actual big men dice up defenses with nifty feeds.&nbsp;
Insert Mamu, whom the Spurs have thankfully given room to do stuff with the ball in his hands.
That simply wasn't going to happen in Milwaukee, who needed Mamu to either space or defend &mdash; preferably both, of course &mdash; at a certain level in order to garner consistent playing time. He isn't there yet on either end, and the rest of the roster was too good to justify letting him run things with the second unit.
Because that isn't the case with the Spurs, we've gotten to see stuff like this:
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For those keeping track at home, that was:
<ul>
<li>a transition push after a board, then a kick to a three-point shooter on the move</li>
<li>a slip against a switch, followed by a no-look pass to the corner in an attempt to manipulate Steph Curry's weakside responsibilities</li>
<li>a leaping lay-down pass to Zach Collins</li>
<li>a quick feed to Collins versus a fronting defender, conveniently timed as Talen Horton-Tucker is leaning the wrong way</li>
<li>A pass fake into a skip to Tre Jones for a three</li>
<li>A pump-and-drive, followed by a Haliburton-esque jump-pass for a dunk</li>
<li>A baseline drive against&nbsp;Brook Lopez,&nbsp;puncutated by a kick to the corner</li>
</ul>
There's still plenty of work to be done, particularly on the non-glamour end of the floor. The Spurs, or whoever commits to him moving forward, has to find a coverage for him, have a strong defensive infrastructure around him or both.&nbsp;
If nothing else, though, there's some Hartenstein-lite potential here as a second-unit hub. The passing pops. The screens are good. Being able to credibly drive as a 5 is valuable stuff. More Mamu, please!
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MARKELLE FULTZ, ORLANDO MAGIC
The Stats: 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists (2.4 turnovers), 1.5 steals since the All-Star break&nbsp;
The Skill: Big Man Things
It's been a joy watching Markelle Fultz graduate from the "really good redemption story" arc to the basic reality that he's good at basketball. Period. Full stop.
A smooth operator in ball screens; a crafty finisher at the rim; he's quietly reliable as a pull-up option inside the arc &mdash; did you know he's canned <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1628365/shots-dash?Season=2022-23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">45.1% of his pull-up 2s</a> this season? He remains a dogged point-of-attack defender.
&nbsp;What's popped for me in a few matchups &mdash; against the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, in particular &mdash; is his willingness to do the little things. Or rather, the "big" things. Both teams stashed their centers on Fultz &mdash; the Jazz with Walker Kessler, the Wizards with Kristaps Porzingis &mdash; in a way to keep them near the basket.
Fultz countered by setting screen, after screen, after screen, creating opportunities for his teammates and himself.&nbsp;
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Fultz has set 131 on-ball screens this season, after setting 77 over his first five seasons combined, per Second Spectrum.&nbsp;
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Though the Jazz are techincally still in the play-in hunt, It's worth noting the heater that Talen Horton-Tucker has been on since becoming a starter after the All-Star break. He's averaging 31-5-7 over his past four games, shooting 36% from deep on a heavy diet of pull-ups and getting to the line nearly nine times per contest. It's still hard to have faith in the jumper, and he remains a little tunnel vision-y for my sensibilities, but this has been a nice stretch for him. </li>
<li>Corey Kispert has slotted in nicely as a starter. I've enjoyed his usage under Wes Unseld Jr., running him <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1638566356005146626?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">through staggers</a> or, when spaced, often being the <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1638567273832095747?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only player on his side of the floor</a> to stress out help defenders. It helps that Kispert's been shooting the leather off the ball too: 21.3 points while converting 49.1% of his threes (9.2 attempts) over his last six games is nothing to sneeze at.&nbsp; </li>
<li>Hawks legend Skylar Mays is averaging 17 points and 7.3 assists across three starts with the Blazers. Not quite sure what it means, but I've enjoyed his pacing inside the arc. I also don't think I've seen him miss a floater or a pull-up middy, so that's fun.</li>
</ul>
</div>

Before focusing on the NBA playoffs, Nekias Duncan breaks down young players on lottery teams who have caught his eye lately.

Views from the bottom: 5 young NBA players to keep an eye on

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored 22 points and the Toronto Raptors rallied from four 9-point first quarter deficits to roll past the Charlotte Hornets 120-100 on Tuesday night.
Toronto has won five of its last six games, improving to 40-39 and solidifying their position for the NBA play-in tournament.
The Raptors scored 19 straight points during a stretch late in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter after Charlotte had gotten within 80-75 with 3:49 left in the third quarter.
Siakam also had 14 rebounds and was joined in double digits by Chris Boucher (21 points), Will Barton (20), O.G. Anunoby (17), Fred VanVleet (16), Precious Achiuwa (12) and Jakob Poeltl (10).
The Hornets were led by Bryce McGowens&rsquo; career-high 20 points. Nick Richards added 18 points and 11 rebounds and Svi Mykhailiuk had 17 points, JT Thor 13 and Theo Maledon 13.
The Hornets (26-54) are without eight players due to injury: LaMelo Ball (right ankle surgery), Gordon Hayward (left thumb sprain), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left shoulder sprain), Terry Rozier (right foot injury), Dennis Smith Jr. (right toe sprain), P.J. Washington (right foot sprain) and Mark Williams (left ankle sprain).
Toronto&rsquo;s 36-20 second quarter was sparked by reserves Boucher and Barton, who combined for nine 3-pointers.
&ldquo;We weren&rsquo;t that sluggish,&rdquo; Toronto coach Nick Nurse said of the early Charlotte leads. &ldquo;They were just really fast and we weren&rsquo;t as fast as they were. I just kept saying, &lsquo;They&rsquo;re really moving&rsquo; so we had to pick it up a half-notch. We switched to zone and got a bunch of stops in a row and obviously got the ... 3-ball going. Fifteen out of 33 is a really good night on 3-pointers.&rdquo;
Boucher said Barton, who converted six of his nine 3-pointers, really helped the Raptors spread the floor in its victory.
&ldquo;We need that off the bench,&rdquo; Boucher said of Barton&rsquo;s production. &ldquo;The more guys we have that can do things will help. They got Will here for a reason. They know what he can do and today was just a peek at what he can do.&rdquo;
Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said Toronto&rsquo;s defense that created 22 points off 18 turnovers was a huge difference-maker.
&ldquo;Ball pressure and passing lane pressure led to live-ball turnovers,&rdquo; Clifford said. &ldquo;It was 22-10 in points off turnovers.&rdquo;
BOUCHER&rsquo;S BIG WEEK
Boucher&rsquo;s big effort came one day after he announced a scholarship program to help his community and young people growing up like he did.
According to Monday&rsquo;s Toronto Star, Boucher grew up in abject poverty, was once homeless, dropped out of school and washed dishes at restaurants.
Now a key to the Raptors&rsquo; second unit who has a three-year, $35 million contract, the Star says he is using &ldquo;an undisclosed amount of money disbursed through his SlimmDuck Foundation&rdquo; to launch a scholarship program that will offer financial support to five students of Caribbean descent. For each of the next five years, a scholarship will be offered to a student with financial struggles who wants to pursue a university degree.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s something I wanted to do for a long time,&rdquo; Boucher said after Tuesday&rsquo;s game. &ldquo;It was just finding the opportunity. I want to help the people that struggle when they move to Canada.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Raptors: Barton is one of the more veteran players on the Raptors&rsquo; roster with 11 years of NBA experience, which includes 29 postseason games with nine starts. But he&rsquo;s played in 12 games with Toronto since being signed as free agent on Feb. 28 and he had missed the previous three games with a left ankle sprain. &ldquo;I guess we&rsquo;re going to have to figure that out in the next four games that we have left,&rdquo; Toronto coach Nick Nurse said of Barton&rsquo;s role.
Hornets: Clifford started his 26th different starting lineup Tuesday. It&rsquo;s the third-most lineups in franchise, behind the 2005-06 and 2006-07 Charlotte Bobcats, which used 28 different starters.
UP NEXT
Raptors: At Boston on Wednesday.
Hornets: Host Houston on Friday.

Toronto has won five of its last six games, improving to 40-39 and solidifying its position for the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Pascal Siakam scores 22, leads Raptors over Hornets 120-100

It's December 14, and Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford has already had enough.&nbsp;
Normally a willing interviewee and giving orator, Clifford sets the stage early.&nbsp;
"You don't have to ask questions," he says, before laying down the law for nearly two full minutes.&nbsp;
The heart of the message: The Hornets won't win games &mdash; and certainly nothing of consequence &mdash; if they don't nail the little things. And they'll have no shot if they don't nail the big thing: Defense.
"We are playing no defense, not one guy. There's no bright spot," Clifford says.&nbsp;
"We don't run back on defense. We don't guard the ball. Our pick-and-roll stuff &mdash; all stuff that was good. I think we were as high as 12th or 13th in defense about 10 games ago, and we're right back where we started: Ground Zero, where all we want to be is, "Let's try to outscore the other team." It doesn't work that way. "
Quotes don't really do it justice &mdash; you can watch the whole thing <a href="https://youtu.be/DnWSEJypz5A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> &mdash; but Clifford was right on all accounts. Well, mostly all accounts.&nbsp;
Through Dec. 14, the Hornets ranked 26th in half-court defense per Cleaning The Glass. Opponents generated 1.083 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a drive against the Hornets, the worst mark in the NBA. Only five teams allowed more points on a per-possession basis than the Hornets when defending pick-and-rolls.
The lone bright spot&nbsp;was&nbsp;the transition defense, ranking fifth in PPP allowed (1.165) and second in transition frequency allowed (13.7% of possessions). Honestly, it made sense for Clifford to be paranoid overseeing any slippage in that area, considering how woeful everything else had been.&nbsp;
Fast forward a few months, and we're singing a different tune.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The Hornets have a 110.6 defensive rating since the All-Star break, making them, statistically, the stingiest defense in the league right now. And it's not like their numbers are juiced by feasting on awful offenses. Nearly half of their games have come against top-10 offenses.
Here are their splits, per Cleaning The Glass:
<ul>
<li>Against top-10 offenses (7 games): 115.3 DRTG (3.6 lower than league average), 8th in the NBA</li>
<li>Against middle-10 offenses (4 games): 107.6 DRTG (-9.3), 1st</li>
<li>Against bottom-10 offenses (5 games): 106.7 DRTG (-6.5), 5th</li>
</ul>
It's important to emphasize the "statistically" part. A large portion of what's driving Charlotte's success is opponent three-point shooting. Teams have shot just 31.6% from deep against them since the All-Star break, nearly two percentage points lower than the second-ranked Denver Nuggets (33.1%).
Per Second Spectrum's Quantified Shot Quality (qSQ) metric, teams have&nbsp;underperformed&nbsp;their expected field goal percentage from deep against the Hornets by nearly six percentage points (-5.87) &mdash; the largest gap in the league.&nbsp;
That's not to say the Hornets have&nbsp;only&nbsp;gotten lucky. They've been pretty intentional about limiting fruitful three-point attempts; between their off-ball switching, an uptick in space-limiting ball-screen coverages (more on that shortly) and more aggressive closeouts, teams are struggling to win the math battle in a way they weren't earlier this season.&nbsp;
You can see that reflected in the actual shot profile. Before the All-Star break, 36% of the opposition's shots were coming from deep against the Hornets, a mark that ranked No. 21 in the league. Since the break, that's fallen to 32.9% (No. 7).
But even when fruitful threes are given up &mdash; their corner three rate allowed has remain unchanged (9.6%) &mdash; they're at least making those tougher. Their contest rate on corner threes has improved throughout the year, ranking 12th before the break and sixth after it, per Second Spectrum.
The Hornets have asked their bigs &mdash; rookie Mark Williams when available, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-nick-richards-charlotte-hornets-bench-mason-plumlee-steve-clifford-jamaica-basketball-dennis-smith-jr-kelly-oubre-lamelo-ball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quietly-solid reserve Nick Richards</a> &mdash; to play closer to the level against ball-screens. When trending smaller with PJ Washington or Kai Jones (he's been fun!) at the 5, they're more inclined to (late) switch.
If opponents attempt to target a weaker defender in ball-screens or with a clear out, or are able to force an unfavorable switch, the Hornets are willing to send doubles to get their guys out of perceived trouble.&nbsp;
Either gambit puts two on the ball, creating openings on the back end. But this is where you tip your cap to the length, athleticism and overall ground coverage this group has.&nbsp;
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Only two players in the Hornets' rotation are shorter than 6-foot-7 &mdash; Terry Rozier (6-1) and Dennis Smith Jr. (6-2). Rozier has missed the last two games, and has been replaced by Theo Maledon; Maledon keeps the quota at two, while also offering more size (6-4) than Rozier.&nbsp;
Smith has been one of the best guard defenders in the NBA on a per-minute basis. He's physical at the point of attack and combines that ruggedness with some real feistiness at the rim. He isn't afraid to challenge shots. He's currently <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-impact?CF=BLK*GE*25&amp;Height=LT%206-4&amp;PerMode=Totals&amp;TeamID=0&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=MIN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of 10 players</a> listed at 6-4 or shorter with 25 blocks to his name; everyone on the list has appeared in more action than Smith.
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On a team that's willing to send a bunch of help, it's a breath of fresh air to have someone like Smith who doesn't need&nbsp;it all that often.&nbsp;
To that point: 47 players have defended at least 200 on-ball picks at the point of attack since the All-Star break. At 0.78 PPP, no player has "allowed" a lower clip than Smith. On the year, Smith ranks second in Dunks And Three's Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (dEPM) metric (+3.6), narrowly edging out OG Anunoby (+3.4) and trailing only Alex Caruso (+4.5).&nbsp;
Beyond him, I've been impressed with the wings. JT Thor and Gordon Hayward have taken turns picking up top-tier elite wing assignments, and have mostly held their own. Hayward's been surprisingly spry chasing dudes around off-ball screens. I enjoyed the work he put in against Luka Doncic over the weekend, even if he got dotted a couple of times.
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Thor has used his rare blend of size and mobility to stick with different types of assignments on the ball. He's also provided us with some fun rim-protection flashes; you always have to be aware of where he is.&nbsp;
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As for the bigs, many will point to rookie Williams' insertion into the starting lineup as a real turning point. There's some credence to that; the Hornets rank third in defensive rating since Feb. 10th, the date marking the rookie's first start.
His size is valuable, particularly on the glass. He's had nice flashes of rim protection during this stretch, averaging 1.1 blocks while contesting <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/hustle?CF=G*GE*10&amp;DateFrom=02/10/2023&amp;Height=&amp;PerMode=Per36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13.1 shots per 36 minutes</a>, a number in the range of guys like Jakob Poeltl (13.4), Kristaps Porzingis (13.0) and Rudy Gobert (12.6).
I'd argue they've gotten more juice out of Richards, whose growing comfort on the perimeter has really popped. He isn't the mountain to dribble around or pass over that Williams is, but the gap in mobility and understanding of angles make him a more effective at-the-level defender. He's gotten better at contesting shots vertically, which gives him a chance to alter shots in light of his limitations as a leaper.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v1511d" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Neither big is ready to be a true defensive achor right now, but that's okay. Williams is still trying to navigate space at the NBA level, period. Having to defend multiple actions within a possession can get dicey for the young man.
Richards' attempts at being a late leaper &mdash; waiting for the offensive player to leave his feet before challenging the shot, in hopes of avoiding fouls &mdash; can end with the ball going in the basket as Richards' hand is slapping the backboard.
On the positive side, Williams has shown enough to be encouraged by his potential to get there. Richards will likely never be an anchor, but he's made enough strides from last season to feel comfortable with him executing multiple coverages. In 24 or fewer minutes &mdash; and I'd guess he'd be in the 18-ish range on a better team &mdash; that's all that's needed for him to be a valuable role player.&nbsp;
Are the Hornets&nbsp;actually&nbsp;the best defensive team in the NBA? No, they are not. It is, however, worth celebrating the strides they've made as the season has gone on. With the collective size and mobility this roster has, it's also worth getting excited about the foundation that could be built.&nbsp;
(And hey, with enough lottery luck, they could be set in the paint for years to come.)

Nekias Duncan explores what's happening with the Hornets' suddenly-elite defense.

What's the buzz with the Charlotte Hornets' defense?

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic recorded his 100th career triple-double and Jamal Murray had 32 points as the Denver Nuggets coasted to a 133-112 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Jokic had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading 24th triple-double this season and his 15th in the last 20 games. The Nuggets have won each game in which he&rsquo;s had a triple-double this season and 28 straight dating back to last season.
Jokic needed just three quarters to become the sixth player in league history with 100 triple-doubles, with the big man sitting out the entire fourth with the game out of hand.
The hapless Rockets were done in by a balanced scoring attack by the Nuggets, a game after allowing Damian Lillard to score a career-high 71 points in a loss to the Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Michael Porter Jr. added 17 points and Bruce Brown had 15 off the bench to help the Nuggets to their second consecutive victory and sixth in the last seven games.
Jalen Green had 17 points in his return after missing two games with a strained left groin and rookie Tari Eason also scored 17 as the Rockets dropped their 10th in a row.
Denver, which leads the Western Conference, never trailed and dominated Houston for most of the night. The Nuggets led by as many as 26 and were up 106-84 entering the fourth quarter.
Denver was up by 20 with about nine minutes left when coach Michael Malone took the rest of his starters out and cleared the bench.
The Nuggets were up by 20 at halftime and had stretched the lead to 86-60 with about 8 &frac12; minutes left in the third quarter after a 6-0 run, with the last four points from Porter. The Rockets then went on an 11-5 run, powered by seven points from Green, to get within 91-71 midway through the quarter.
Denver got going again after that, using an 8-2 spurt to make it 99-73 a couple of minutes later.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 14 points and six assists. ...Aaron Gordon scored 11 with five assists and seven rebounds. ...Denver made 16 3-pointers.
Rockets: Coach Stephen Silas said Kevin Porter Jr. is expected to return Wednesday night after missing 20 games with a bruised toe. &hellip; Boban Marjanovic delighted the home crowd when he came in late in the fourth quarter and scored eight points. ...Eason led the team with 12 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host Memphis Friday night.
Rockets: Host Memphis Wednesday night.&nbsp;

Nikola Jokic recorded his 100th career triple-double as the Nuggets coasted to a 133-112 victory over the Rockets on Tuesday.

Nikola Jokic has 100th triple-double; Nuggets down Rockets 133-112

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points and recent signee Kris Dunn added 15 as the Utah Jazz rallied from a 14-point deficit and beat the struggling San Antonio Spurs 118-102 on Saturday night.
Markkanen sealed the game with 14 points in the fourth quarter, and Walker Kessler recorded four of his five blocks in the final minutes.
&ldquo;We finally had our spacing right and got good looks after that,&rdquo; Markkanen said. &ldquo;But it was defense that was the difference maker, just getting out in transition and running to get into a good rhythm.&rdquo;
Kessler, who added 12 rebounds and nine points, was off the court when the Jazz made their first game-changing run and wanted to establish himself to help his team finish strong.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what I do. I don&rsquo;t like people scoring in my paint,&rdquo; Kessler said.
Dunn, playing his second game on a 10-day contract with the Jazz, was signed for his defense. He ended up being a playmaker and late-game scorer when the rest of his teammates were struggling.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m an energy player. I was trying to direct the team on the offensive end and try and push the pace and get my guys easy looks,&rdquo; Dunn said.
Jeremy Sochan scored 22 points, Keldon Johnson had 18 and Zach Collins added 15 for the Spurs, who lost their 16th straight game.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re obviously not a 48-minute team,&rdquo; San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;Just not mature enough to understand you got to keep it up. It&rsquo;s a game of consistency and execution, keeping your competitiveness up.&rdquo;
In 23 minutes, Dunn went 7 for 13 from the field and had game-high eight assists and seven rebounds, all along with strong defensive play.
&ldquo;The guys don&rsquo;t really know me. I&rsquo;ve only been here for a couple days, so playing hard and being vocal out there make it look like I know what I&rsquo;m doing,&rdquo; Dunn said.
Dunn hadn&rsquo;t scored 15 points since Jan. 20, 2020, against Milwaukee, when he was playing with Chicago. But, he now has 26 points in two games with the Jazz, who have won three of their last four.
Utah is back at .500 (31-31) and among a logjam of teams in Western Conference playoff contention.
After a hapless first half for the Jazz, the third quarter was pivotal as Utah outscored San Antonio 30-14. The 14 points was season low for the Spurs and the lowest point total allowed by the Jazz in the quarter.
The Jazz used a 19-4 run in the third quarter to grab their first lead of the game. Jordan Clarkson made a layup with 3:30 left in the period to cap the surge and make it 78-75 in favor of Utah.
Simone Fontecchio hit a 3-pointer just before the horn and the Jazz led 85-79 entering the final period. That was bad news for the Spurs, who are 0-42 when trailing after three quarters.
The Spurs led by 14 points in the first half, at 46-32, when Johnson hit a pair of acrobatic shots around the basket.
KIND WORDS FROM THE MASTER
Utah coach Will Hardy learned the coaching profession in the Spurs organization from 2010-2019.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s ridiculously intelligent and he&rsquo;s a hard worker. He started out at the bottom in the film room and it was pretty apparent very quickly that he understood everything that we coaches wanted,&rdquo; Popovich said.
So, the mentor is not the least surprised at Hardy&rsquo;s early success with the the Jazz, who were widely predicted to be one of the league&rsquo;s worst teams this year.
TIP-INS
Spurs: The Spurs were missing a host of injured players, including Devin Vassell (knee) and Tre Jones (foot).
Jazz: Utah averages more than 14 3-pointers per game, but didn&rsquo;t record their first 3 until Dunn made one with 4:16 left until halftime.
UP NEXT
Spurs and Jazz: The teams meet again in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.

Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points as the Jazz rallied from a 14-point deficit and beat the struggling Spurs 118-102 on Saturday night.

Jazz rally late, send reeling Spurs to 16th straight loss

It has happened. LeBron James finally has passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring record, the torch getting passed from one member of the Los Angeles Lakers to another.
The record-breaker came Tuesday, when James scored 38 points to push his career total to 38,390 &mdash; three more than Abdul-Jabbar.
Here&rsquo;s the significance of James passing Abdul-Jabbar:
WILL THIS RECORD BE BROKEN AGAIN?
Perhaps, but no time soon.
James is on pace to eclipse the 40,000-point mark next season and is under contract for one more season after that as well. And even then there&rsquo;s no guarantee that he won&rsquo;t continue playing; he has said many times he would like to stay in the NBA long enough for his son, LeBron James Jr. &mdash; he goes by &ldquo;Bronny&rdquo; &mdash; to get to the league, something that won&rsquo;t happen until 2024-25 at the earliest.
The closest player currently in the NBA to James on the all-time list is Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kevin Durant, who has 26,684 points. Durant would probably have to play at least another six or seven seasons just to catch Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s mark &mdash; and who knows how far James will raise the bar by then.
Philadelphia&rsquo;s James Harden and the Lakers&rsquo; Russell Westbrook are just over 24,000 points apiece. Both of them are all-time greats, but they&rsquo;re not going to catch James.
Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic is averaging 27.4 points per game so far in his career. But for as great as Doncic is, he&rsquo;ll need to average that many points for another 14 seasons or so before he gets to the 38,000-point mark.
So unless the NBA adds a 10-point shot, the record won&rsquo;t be broken for a very, very, very long time.
HOW DID JAMES GET TO THIS POINT?
James entered the NBA straight out of high school; Abdul-Jabbar had a college career before he was eligible to join the league. James was 18 when he scored his first NBA points; Abdul-Jabbar was 22.
It took Abdul-Jabbar 20 seasons to get to 38,387. James caught him in his 20th season.
James has been durable, especially over the first three-quarters of his career. He missed only 71 games in his first 15 seasons. Since joining the Lakers 4-1/2 seasons ago, he has missed nearly 100 games. But he has always avoided major injury; part of that is just good luck, but much of it is because he reportedly invests more than $1 million annually on his body.
For almost the entirety of James&rsquo; career, keeping The King fit has fallen on the shoulders of Mike Mancias, one of the most-trusted members of James&rsquo; inner circle. Mancias never wants any credit for his work; he shuns limelight the way James blows past defenders. But in 2019, when James was revealed as The Associated Press&rsquo; male athlete of the decade for the 2010&prime;s, Mancias shed a tiny bit of light on James&rsquo; work ethic.
&ldquo;He does whatever it takes when it comes to fulfilling his commitments to everything,&rdquo; Mancias said, &ldquo;especially his game and his craft.&rdquo;
DIDN&rsquo;T JAMES BREAK THE RECORD LAST YEAR?
Official NBA records are based solely on regular season games. Playoff games are in their own category. That&rsquo;s why the record, for almost 39 years now, was Abdul-Jabbar with 38,387 points. But when adding postseason games to that total, Abdul-Jabbar actually retired with 44,149 points.
And that&rsquo;s the figure James &mdash; again, when adding in his playoff points &mdash; eclipsed on Feb. 12, 2022, in a Lakers loss against the Golden State Warriors. So while that is &ldquo;a&rdquo; record, it&rsquo;s not &ldquo;the&rdquo; record.
DOES THIS SETTLE THE &lsquo;GOAT&rsquo; DEBATE?
For those unfamiliar with the acronym, &lsquo;GOAT&rsquo; is shorthand for Greatest Of All Time.
James may very well be the GOAT, based on his longevity, his accomplishments, how no one in NBA history has been so hard to stop for 20 years and counting. Abdul-Jabbar should be in the conversation as well; his sky hook &mdash; a one-handed shot released high over his head, impossible for any defender to stop without the use of a stepladder &mdash; is one of the most dominant weapons basketball has ever seen.
Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls on his way to becoming a global icon and might have been the greatest competitor in the sport&rsquo;s history. Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry is the most prolific 3-point shooter the game has ever seen and still going strong. The Lakers&rsquo; Magic Johnson and Boston&rsquo;s Larry Bird had a rivalry that brought them both multiple championships and might have saved the NBA in the 1980&prime;s. San Antonio&rsquo;s Tim Duncan spent nearly two decades in the league and was maybe the most fundamentally solid player ever.
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game and once averaged 50 for an entire season. Kobe Bryant had an 81-point game, finished with five championships and spent years being simply unstoppable. And Bill Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics.
This record doesn&rsquo;t even settle the debate on greatest scorer ever. James is passing Abdul-Jabbar for the most points &mdash; but Jordan still averaged the most, his 30.12 per game pace over the entirety of his career ranking just ahead of Chamberlain&rsquo;s 30.07. James averages around 27 per game; Abdul-Jabbar averaged around 25.
The answer to the GOAT debate is there isn&rsquo;t one. There are many. Personal preference prevails.

The AP's Tim Reynolds outlines the significance of LeBron's record-breaking night in Los Angeles.

What LeBron passing Kareem means to NBA, greatest debate

It&rsquo;s about to happen. LeBron James is finally on the brink of passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring record, the torch getting passed from one member of the Los Angeles Lakers to another.
James is 35 points away from Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s total of 38,387. The record-breaker could come as early as Tuesday when the Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder or Thursday in Los Angeles against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Here&rsquo;s the significance of James passing Abdul-Jabbar:
WILL THIS RECORD BE BROKEN AGAIN?
Perhaps, but no time soon.
James is on pace to eclipse the 40,000-point mark next season and is under contract for one more season after that as well. And even then there&rsquo;s no guarantee that he won&rsquo;t continue playing; he has said many times he would like to stay in the NBA long enough for his son, LeBron James Jr. &mdash; he goes by &ldquo;Bronny&rdquo; &mdash; to get to the league, something that won&rsquo;t happen until 2024-25 at the earliest.
The closest player currently in the NBA to James on the all-time list is Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kevin Durant, who has 26,684 points. Durant would probably have to play at least another six or seven seasons just to catch Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s mark &mdash; and who knows how far James will raise the bar by then.
Philadelphia&rsquo;s James Harden and the Lakers&rsquo; Russell Westbrook are just over 24,000 points apiece. Both of them are all-time greats, but they&rsquo;re not going to catch James.
Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic is averaging 27.4 points per game so far in his career. But for as great as Doncic is, he&rsquo;ll need to average that many points for another 14 seasons or so before he gets to the 38,000-point mark.
So unless the NBA adds a 10-point shot, the record won&rsquo;t be broken for a very, very, very long time.
HOW DID JAMES GET TO THIS POINT?
James entered the NBA straight out of high school; Abdul-Jabbar had a college career before he was eligible to join the league. James was 18 when he scored his first NBA points; Abdul-Jabbar was 22.
It took Abdul-Jabbar 20 seasons to get to 38,387. James will catch him in his 20th season.
James has been durable, especially over the first three-quarters of his career. He missed only 71 games in his first 15 seasons. Since joining the Lakers 4-1/2 seasons ago, he has missed nearly 100 games. But he has always avoided major injury; part of that is just good luck, but much of it is because he reportedly invests more than $1 million annually on his body.
For almost the entirety of James&rsquo; career, keeping The King fit has fallen on the shoulders of Mike Mancias, one of the most-trusted members of James&rsquo; inner circle. Mancias never wants any credit for his work; he shuns limelight the way James blows past defenders.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/f3d63c582f51d8b7096a4c68fe8dc478">But in 2019, when James was revealed as The Associated Press&rsquo; male athlete of the decade</a>&nbsp;for the 2010&prime;s, Mancias shed a tiny bit of light on James&rsquo; work ethic.
&ldquo;He does whatever it takes when it comes to fulfilling his commitments to everything,&rdquo; Mancias said, &ldquo;especially his game and his craft.&rdquo;
DIDN&rsquo;T JAMES BREAK THE RECORD LAST YEAR?
Official NBA records are based solely on regular season games. Playoff games are in their own category. That&rsquo;s why the record, for almost 39 years now, has been Abdul-Jabbar with 38,387 points. But when adding postseason games to that total, Abdul-Jabbar actually retired with 44,149 points.
And that&rsquo;s the figure James &mdash; again, when adding in his playoff points &mdash; eclipsed on Feb. 12, 2022, in a Lakers loss against the Golden State Warriors. So while that is &ldquo;a&rdquo; record, it&rsquo;s not &ldquo;the&rdquo; record.
DOES THIS SETTLE THE &lsquo;GOAT&rsquo; DEBATE?
For those unfamiliar with the acronym, &lsquo;GOAT&rsquo; is shorthand for Greatest Of All Time.
James may very well be the GOAT, based on his longevity, his accomplishments, how no one in NBA history has been so hard to stop for 20 years and counting. Abdul-Jabbar should be in the conversation as well; his sky hook &mdash; a one-handed shot released high over his head, impossible for any defender to stop without the use of a stepladder &mdash; is one of the most dominant weapons basketball has ever seen.
Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls on his way to becoming a global icon and might have been the greatest competitor in the sport&rsquo;s history. Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry is the most prolific 3-point shooter the game has ever seen and still going strong. The Lakers&rsquo; Magic Johnson and Boston&rsquo;s Larry Bird had a rivalry that brought them both multiple championships and might have saved the NBA in the 1980&prime;s. San Antonio&rsquo;s Tim Duncan spent nearly two decades in the league and was maybe the most fundamentally solid player ever.
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game and once averaged 50 for an entire season. Kobe Bryant had an 81-point game, finished with five championships and spent years being simply unstoppable. And Bill Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics.
This record doesn&rsquo;t even settle the debate on greatest scorer ever. James is passing Abdul-Jabbar for the most points &mdash; but Jordan still averaged the most, his 30.12 per game pace over the entirety of his career ranking just ahead of Chamberlain&rsquo;s 30.07. James averages around 27 per game; Abdul-Jabbar averaged around 25.
The answer to the GOAT debate is there isn&rsquo;t one. There are many. Personal preference prevails.

LeBron James is on the brink of passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s career scoring record. Here's why that's significant.

What LeBron passing Kareem means for NBA, GOAT debate

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) &mdash; When freshman point guard Talana Lepolo went down in the first quarter with an ankle injury, Stanford had to adjust in a hurry against a top conference opponent.
Indya Nivar, another reliable freshman, took over running the offense and the Cardinal&rsquo;s veteran post players did the rest.
Cameron Brink had 25 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots, Haley Jones added 25 points, 12 boards and a pair of blocks, and No. 4 Stanford bounced back from a loss at USC by beating eighth-ranked Utah 74-62 on Friday night.
&ldquo;Every disappointment is a blessing,&rdquo; Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer said of seeing Nivar steady the team.
Hannah Jump made her first five shots and scored 13 points. Nivar had four points and three assists in 27 minutes.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always hard seeing a teammate go down,&rdquo; Nivar said. &ldquo;For me this whole season (it&rsquo;s) just staying ready.&rdquo;
Stanford (18-2, 6-1 Pac-12) earned its 18th straight home win against conference opponents. The Cardinal dropped two spots in this week&rsquo;s AP Top 25 poll after a 55-46 loss at USC on Sunday that snapped a 12-game winning streak, a 39-game unbeaten run against conference foes and a 51-game winning stretch facing unranked teams.
&ldquo;I think our team had something to prove to ourselves and what better opportunity than against a team like Utah,&rdquo; VanDerveer said. &ldquo;We have a lot of teams in the Pac-12 that are tournament teams and they&rsquo;re a tournament team.&rdquo;
Alissa Pili scored 25 points and Gianna Kneepkens had 19 for Utah (15-2, 5-2), which had previously lost at Colorado on Jan. 6. Utah shot 3 for 13 from deep in the first half to fall behind 41-32.
Former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, the No. 1 draft pick in 2005 out of Utah, was at Maples Pavilion cheering on the Utes.
The Utes have never beaten a top-five opponent and had been scoring 86.8 points per game &mdash; among the best in the nation &mdash; but managed just 10 in the second quarter and 12 over the final 10 minutes.
Stanford hasn&rsquo;t allowed more than 77 points in a game since the end of the 2019-20 season, with its only other loss so far this season a 76-71 overtime defeat to No. 1 South Carolina on Nov. 20.
&ldquo;Until people knock off Stanford they&rsquo;re still at the top and we&rsquo;re all chasing them,&rdquo; Utah coach Lynne Roberts said.
The Utes jumped ahead 10-2 and 12-5 before Stanford&rsquo;s 7-0 run over a 1:15 spurt.
Stanford&rsquo;s players wore No. 3 emblems on their &ldquo;Human Athlete&rdquo; warmup shirts in support of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is recovering after he went into cardiac arrest on the field in a game at Cincinnati on Jan. 2.
&ldquo;It was something that was really special to our team that I think is important just to cross all athletes worldwide just to show that somebody like Damar Hamlin at this instant it&rsquo;s more than playing your sport &mdash; it&rsquo;s your health, it&rsquo;s your mental well-being, it&rsquo;s everything,&rdquo; Jones said.
LEPOLO HURT
Lepolo fell midway through the first quarter and was able to walk off the court on her own but didn&rsquo;t play again. She returned to the bench late in the period without a shoe on her left foot and a big ice bag on the ankle, then was in a walking boot after halftime.
BIG PICTURE
Utah: The Utes moved up two spots in this week&rsquo;s poll to match the highest ranking in program history and their 10 straight weeks in the poll are their most ever. Utah had been 2-0 against ranked opponents, the team&rsquo;s first time beating multiple ranked teams in the same season since 2005-06. ... The Utes have scored 64 or fewer points in all but two meetings with Stanford since 2007. ... They shot 5 of 26 on 3s.
Stanford: Junior G Agnes Emma-Nnopu moved into the starting lineup in place of Kiki Iriafen. ... Brink reached 66 blocks for the season and she has swatted at least one shot in every game. She had 88 as a freshman and 91 last season. ... Stanford leads the all-time series vs. Utah 31-1 including the last eight in the series all by double digits. The Cardinal have scored at least 68 points in every matchup since 2016. ... Stanford is 11-1 at home.
UP NEXT
Utah: At California on Sunday night.
Stanford: Hosts Colorado on Sunday to continue a four-game homestand.

Cameron Brink had 25 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots, and  Haley Jones added 25 points, 12 boards and a pair of blocks.

Brink, Jones lead No. 4 Stanford women past No. 8 Utah 74-62

One day before Thanksgiving &mdash; immediately after the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the San Antonio Spurs &mdash; Zion Williamson was asked an innocent question: What is your favorite dish?
&ldquo;You're trying to set me up,&rdquo; Williamson replied. &ldquo;No matter what answer I give, social media is going to clown me. So, no comment."
Williamson was smiling and many people thought the exchange was funny. However, upon reflection, it&rsquo;s a bit sad. Over the years, Williamson has dealt with so many weight-related jokes and barbs that he doesn&rsquo;t even feel comfortable broaching the topic of food.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;You tryna set me up&hellip;.no matter what I answer I give, social media gonna clown me. So no comment.&rdquo; Zion Williamson refused to say what his favorite Thanksgiving dish is 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/wiOVx0QCOG">pic.twitter.com/wiOVx0QCOG</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1595777133523017728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Unfortunately, what Zion said is probably true. Had he answered this question, his mentions likely would&rsquo;ve been full of rude memes and jokes about his weight.&nbsp;
Not only has Williamson&rsquo;s weight been the butt of many jokes online, but media members have also discussed his body a ton. It can&rsquo;t be easy to have so much attention focused on your weight at 22 years old, especially when your earnings are directly tied to your body.
Williamson&rsquo;s contract with the Pelicans features periodic weigh-ins and &ldquo;the sum of his weight and body fat percentage must be below 295,&rdquo; according to <a href="https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/article_85296674-00a5-11ed-97cb-ef28af9a5590.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Clark of NOLA.com</a>. If this number is above 295, the team can reduce his guaranteed money. Williamson has hired a private chef and personal trainer to meet his contractual requirements. And it&rsquo;s worth noting that he&rsquo;s not the only NBA player with a weight-related clause in his contract.
Though the Pelicans would argue that they are just trying to keep Zion healthy and protect their superstar asset, there&rsquo;s no question that these weigh-ins (plus the barrage of jokes and negativity) could take a toll on a person and potentially affect their relationship with food.&nbsp;
While there&rsquo;s no evidence that Williamson has dealt with an eating disorder (and I&rsquo;m not suggesting that he has), there are many athletes who do struggle with disordered eating.
Approximately 10 million men in the United States will suffer from an eating disorder during their lifetime, and elite athletes are nearly three times more likely to have an eating disorder, according to a study by the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education.
For example, many boxers develop eating disorders &mdash; such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating &mdash; since they are expected to cut weight and heavily restrict what they eat prior to fights.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
&ldquo;There is a misconception that eating disorders are disorders for females. The reality is that men struggle with eating disorders just like women do,&rdquo; <a href="https://globalsportmatters.com/health/2019/08/28/hidden-figures-male-athlete-eating-disorders-often-overlooked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Erin Rubenking, the associate director and clinical care coordinator for the University of Colorado Athletic Department&rsquo;s Psychological Health and Performance program. &ldquo;It often takes men a much longer time to get help because of that.&rdquo;
Several years ago, former New York Knicks center Michael Sweetney <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2017/06/12/after-battling-depression-and-surviving-a-suicide-attempt-mike-sweetney-is-spreading-positivity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opened up to me</a> about the harassment he faced about his weight and how it affected his mental health.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When I go talk to kids, I use my life as an example. I tell them, &lsquo;Google my name. All you&rsquo;re going to see is a bunch of fat jokes and bad stuff about me. You won&rsquo;t find anything positive,&rsquo;&rdquo; Sweetney said. &ldquo;A lot of these kids get cyberbullied, so I try to use myself as an example to help them get through it. I tell them what I went through, show them [negative] articles that were written about me and make it clear that everything is going to be okay &mdash; even if they don&rsquo;t understand or believe that right now. And one thing I&rsquo;ve realized is that a lot of the people who cyberbully others are going through something themselves, and are unhappy with themselves, so they pick on other people.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll never mention the person&rsquo;s name, but about a year ago, a writer reached out to me. He wrote a really bad article about me a while back &mdash; it was just terrible, going in on me and mocking my weight &ndash; and he found out that I&rsquo;d suffered from depression. He called me to apologize and said that he was suffering from depression too and he felt that picking on other people would make him feel better. I didn&rsquo;t hold any of it against him; in fact, we still keep in contact and we&rsquo;re good friends now. People go through things. But that&rsquo;s where, again, I can point to my own story and tell kids, &lsquo;It&rsquo;s not you. It&rsquo;s more likely that the other person has some issues they&rsquo;re working out.&rsquo; Fortunately, I think my talks have been helping people.&rdquo;
After Sweetney&rsquo;s father died in 2003, his depression got so bad that he attempted suicide during his stint with the Knicks.
&ldquo;I remember the night,&rdquo; Sweetney told me. &ldquo;We were in Cleveland one night and I just took a bunch of pain pills, hoping it would take me out. But I woke up the next morning thinking, &lsquo;Well, it didn&rsquo;t work.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s how bad it was. I didn&rsquo;t like basketball and I just didn&rsquo;t like life at the time... Even after I tried to commit suicide, nobody really knew. I was suffering really bad. I was in New York, battling this while the media was writing [negative] articles about me, and I felt like I had nowhere to go. I just kept digging myself into a deeper hole of depression&hellip;
&ldquo;[I] tell kids my story. You know, &lsquo;Hey, I was the ninth pick in the NBA draft &mdash; the same class as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade &mdash; and people looked at me as being a potential All-Star and whatnot. I didn&rsquo;t live up to that, and a big part of that was because of my depression. I kept digging my hole deeper.&rsquo; I try to tell these kids, &lsquo;At the first sign of depression, get help. Go talk to someone. Don&rsquo;t hold it in.&rsquo; For me, it got to the point where I was holding it in and I gained so much weight that I lost my NBA career.&rdquo;
Pointing to a more recent example, DJ Carton &mdash; who currently plays for the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League &mdash; has been open about his struggles with disordered eating. While playing at Ohio State, he lost a significant amount of weight while battling an eating disorder and ultimately took a leave of absence, citing mental health issues. After the season, he transferred to Marquette and was able to resume his career.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Most people don&rsquo;t realize that eating disorders can be deadly. Every 52 minutes, at least one person dies from issues related to an eating disorder, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. Each year, 10,200 deaths are the direct result of eating disorders, as they can cause complications such as heart failure, kidney failure, pancreatitis, peptic ulcers, type-II diabetes, gallbladder disease and heart disease. Also, roughly 26% of people who are struggling with disordered eating will attempt suicide at some point.&nbsp;
Fans may think jokes or insults about an athlete&rsquo;s weight are harmless, but these barbs can have serious consequences and take a toll on someone&rsquo;s mental health.

Mocking an athlete's weight can have serious consequences. Alex Kennedy explores the prevalence of eating disorders in pro sports.

Reflecting on weight-related jokes in sports and the harm they cause

Nikola Jokic is about to start his chase toward something that hasn&rsquo;t been done in nearly 40 years.
A player winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards is rare, something that&rsquo;s happened only 13 times in league history. And having done that last season, Jokic &mdash; the cornerstone of the Denver Nuggets &mdash; is now trying for something even more unusual: winning it three years in a row.
The only players who have pulled off that feat are Bill Russell (1961, 1962, 1963), Wilt Chamberlain (1966, 1967, 1968) and Larry Bird (1984, 1985, 1986).
The Nuggets aren't keeping that fact a secret from Jokic.
&ldquo;No, I challenged him,&rdquo; said Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who flew to Serbia last summer to surprise Jokic with his second straight award.
Jokic is obviously among the favorites. Until this past season, there had never been a stretch of four consecutive international MVPs in the NBA. Jokic changed that, winning each of the last two awards after Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) won in 2019 and 2020.
And right now, it would seem almost likely that the MVP streak for non-U.S.-born players goes to five in a row, with Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and Philadelphia's Joel Embiid among the favorites. Embiid was born in Cameroon and holds French and now U.S. citizenship.
<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba?tab=player-awards">FanDuel Sportsbook</a> says Doncic is the favorite, just ahead of Embiid and Antetokounmpo. Jokic is fourth in terms of lowest odds, tied with Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kevin Durant and just ahead of Memphis&rsquo; Ja Morant, Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum and Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry.
POP STUFF
San Antonio&rsquo;s Gregg Popovich has faced 163 different coaches so far in his legendary career. That list should reach at least 166 this season, with him slated to oppose Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham, interim Boston coach Joe Mazzulla and former Spurs assistant Will Hardy &mdash; now the coach in Utah &mdash; all for the first time.
There have been 322 coaches in NBA history, not including Popovich, who have coached at least 10 games. Popovich, the NBA&rsquo;s all-time wins leader, has faced more than half of them &mdash; 50.3%, or 162.
Popovich turns 74 on Jan. 28, and he's the oldest active head coach in the NBA.
It's no secret that Popovich enjoys talking about and, of course, sipping fine wine. But six of the players on San Antonio's season-opening roster probably won't have much to say about that topic; Jordan Hall is 20 and the Spurs have five other players &mdash; Joshua Primo, Blake Wesley, Dominick Barlow, Malaki Branham and Jeremy Sochan &mdash; who are still 19 as this season begins.
The Spurs' group of 19-year-olds, incidentally, are five of the NBA's 17 youngest players who made rosters or got two-way deals to start the season.
SPO WATCH
Miami&rsquo;s Erik Spoelstra &mdash; whose tenure with the Heat is the second-longest of any current coach in his current job, behind only San Antonio&rsquo;s Gregg Popovich &mdash; should move into the top 20 on the NBA&rsquo;s all-time wins list this season.
Spoelstra starts the season with 660 wins, behind No. 22 Mike Fratello (667), No. 21 Mike D&rsquo;Antoni (672) and No. 20 Red Holzman (696). No. 19 John MacLeod (707) is within legitimate reach for Spoelstra this season as well.
Philadelphia&rsquo;s Doc Rivers enters the year No. 9 on the list with 1,043 wins, which is 55 behind No. 8 Larry Brown. Indiana&rsquo;s Rick Carlisle has 861 wins, three back of No. 14 Jack Ramsay.
FIT TO BE TIED
For only the second time in the last 23 seasons, the Western Conference didn&rsquo;t win the season-long series against teams from the Eastern Conference.
In the regular season, the East went 226-224 against the West &mdash; bolstered by a 3-0 record on the final day with Chicago topping Minnesota, Boston rolling past Memphis and Atlanta defeating Houston.
Throw in Golden State&rsquo;s 4-2 mark against Boston in the NBA Finals, and the final games-won tally for the full season was West 228, East 228.
The only other time since 1998-99 that the East won the regular season series vs. the West was 2008-09, going 231-219. In the other 21 regular seasons over that span, before last year, the West had gone 5,149-3,910 vs. the East &mdash; a .568 winning percentage.
AGE GAME
The youngest player in the league entering this season is Detroit&rsquo;s Jalen Duren, who was born Nov. 18, 2003.
Yes, that means he wasn&rsquo;t born yet when some current players were already in the league. LeBron James and Udonis Haslem both played their 11th career games on the day Duren was born.
That isn&rsquo;t the only age quirk this season.
The 42-year-old Haslem is older than five current head coaches &mdash; New Orleans&rsquo; Willie Green, Memphis&rsquo; Taylor Jenkins, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Mark Daigneault, Utah&rsquo;s Will Hardy and Boston interim coach Joe Mazzulla. Golden State&rsquo;s Andre Iguodala is older than than the last four names on that list; James is older than the last three.
There are 19 players currently on rosters who are older than Hardy (including Jazz players Rudy Gay and Mike Conley) and 23 players older than Mazzulla (including Boston forward Al Horford).
ODDS ARE
Oklahoma City has been favored in five games over the last two seasons. That&rsquo;s the fewest games in a two-year span by any team over the last decade; Philadelphia was favored in a combined six games over the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
That said, the Thunder were a great bet last season. They covered in 63% of their games, just behind Memphis (64%) for the best such rate in the NBA. The worst was Portland, which covered 38% of the time.
This much is certain: The team that was favored in more games than anyone else last season won&rsquo;t have that same distinction this year.
Last year, the Utah Jazz were favored in 73 of the 82 regular-season games, ahead of Phoenix (70), Milwaukee (66), Golden State (62), Boston (61) and Miami (59). With Donovan Mitchell now in Cleveland and Rudy Gobert now in Minnesota, the Jazz won&rsquo;t be favored anywhere near that often this season.
LEBRON CLIMBING
LeBron James isn&rsquo;t just on target to become the NBA&rsquo;s all-time scoring leader this season; he&rsquo;s 1,325 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and at his average career scoring pace would need about 49 games to move into the No. 1 spot.
He&rsquo;s also set to keep moving up a bunch of other lists, including:
&mdash; Assists: James is seventh right now with 10,045, behind No. 6 Magic Johnson (10,141), No. 5 Mark Jackson (10,334) and No. 4 Steve Nash (10,335). That would put him behind only John Stockton (15,806), Jason Kidd (12,091) and Chris Paul (10,977 entering this season).
&mdash; Games: James has been in 1,366, currently 14th-most all-time. He needs to appear in 27 games to pass Tim Duncan (1,392) for 10th on the NBA career list, and could potentially catch Kevin Willis (1,424) for eighth.
&mdash; 3-pointers: James is 11th in NBA history with 2,140, three behind Portland&rsquo;s Damian Lillard and the retired Paul Pierce, who enter this year tied for ninth.
&mdash; Seasons: James is entering Year 20. He&rsquo;ll be the ninth player to appear in 20 seasons.
SPEAKING OF 20
Miami&rsquo;s Udonis Haslem will be the 10th player to appear in 20 seasons, assuming that LeBron James gets into a game before Haslem does.
Haslem is one of only three players to spend 20 years with one team, joining Dallas&rsquo; Dirk Nowitzki (21) and the Lakers&rsquo; Kobe Bryant (20).
If Carmelo Anthony, who is unsigned, gets into a game this season, that'll mark Year 20 for the former Syracuse great as well.
REMEMBERING RUSSELL
All players will wear Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell's No. 6 on the right shoulder of their jerseys this season, commemorating the life of the 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and civil rights activist who died this summer.
Also, all courts in the NBA will have a &ldquo;6" on the sideline near the scorer's table. And no player who isn't already wearing No. 6 will be allowed to wear it ever again; Russell is the first to have his number retired across the entire league.
Among those still wearing the No. 6 jersey because they were wearing them previously: LeBron James, Washington's Kristaps Porzingis and Chicago's Alex Caruso &mdash; who wanted to change numbers as a tribute to Russell this season, but said he had his request denied.
POINTS MARK
The NBA is 26,324 points away from reaching 14 million all-time.
A record 291,912 points were scored last season, including playoffs. There have been years where more points were scored on average per game &mdash; 16 of them, actually. NBA games saw an average of 220.6 points last season, 16 points per game less than the record of 236.6 set in 1961-62.
At last year's pace, the 14 millionth point would be scored roughly 120 games into this season. or sometime in early November.

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NEW YORK &ndash; The NBA announced that Toronto Raptors Governor Larry Tanenbaum has been unanimously re-elected Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors.
Tanenbaum, the longtime Chairman of Maple Leaf Sports &amp; Entertainment (MLSE), has served as NBA Board Chairman since 2017, when he became the first Canadian to ever be named to the role. &nbsp;Under his leadership, the Raptors captured the franchise&rsquo;s first NBA championship in 2019.
&ldquo;I am delighted that Larry will continue serving the league as our Chairman of the Board,&rdquo; said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. &nbsp;&ldquo;His leadership, guidance and support are greatly appreciated by me and my colleagues as well as the other team governors.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I am honoured to continue serving as Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors to help play a role in leading this great league,&rdquo; said Tanenbaum. &ldquo;I am grateful to my fellow governors for their valued support and I look forward to working with each of them, and Commissioner Silver along with the League Office staff, as we continue to grow the NBA&rsquo;s impact on the game of basketball and in our communities.&rdquo;
A Toronto native, Tanenbaum served on numerous NBA committees before becoming Chairman, including the Advisory/Finance Committee from 2008-17 and the Planning Committee from 2000-14.
Tanenbaum, one of North America&rsquo;s most influential sports figures, has been Governor of the Raptors since 1998 and holds the same title with the National Hockey League&rsquo;s Toronto Maple Leafs and Major League Soccer&rsquo;s Toronto FC. &nbsp;As Chairman of MLSE, he has been widely recognized for his leadership helping sports leagues, professional teams and the Canadian market successfully navigate through the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In recognition of his contributions in the areas of philanthropy, business and volunteerism, Mr. Tanenbaum was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada on October 25, 2007. &nbsp;The Order of Canada is the centre piece of Canada&rsquo;s honors system and represents its highest civilian award.

Tanenbaum: “I am honoured to continue serving as Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors to help play a role in leading this great league."

Raptors’ Larry Tanenbaum re-elected chairman of NBA Board of Governors

In the NBA, getting ahead of the trend when it comes to teams on the rise is a tricky process. However, sometimes it&rsquo;s easy to spot the obvious candidates who have oodles of potential for a massive jump. Recently, we&rsquo;ve seen teams like the Phoenix Suns go from perennial lottery team to instant Finals gratification. The Memphis Grizzlies are another strong example where a talented nucleus formed together, ultimately leading to an expedited rebuild process.
Here at Basketball News, I will unveil a few teams leading into the season who stand out from the rest. First is the upstart New Orleans Pelicans, who appear finally ready to break through the glass ceiling as a legitimate threat in the Western Conference.
When the Pelicans pushed the Suns in the first round of the postseason, it certainly opened a lot of eyes, myself included, for what could be coming down the Bayou. All of this occurred without their most important piece to the puzzle: Zion Williamson. With Williamson now expected to be fully healthy at the start of next season, New Orleans&rsquo; rotation doesn&rsquo;t have many holes on paper.
Starting Lineup: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
Second Unit: Jose Alvarado, Dyson Daniels, Trey Murphy III, Larry Nance Jr., Jaxson Hayes
The ideal blend of win-now veterans and enticing youth weave together for head coach Willie Green, who helped steer the ship when it mattered most in New Orleans&rsquo; improbable run to the playoffs without their young superstar. Now, in his second season at the helm, Green and the Pelicans top the list for organizations ready to truly ascend forward.
One of the biggest pivot points for the Pelicans was their acquisition of McCollum, who looks at ease running the show offensively. Playing more as a combo guard compared to exclusively off-ball in Portland, McCollum thrived. He amassed a career-high 24.3 points and 5.8 assists per game. In 386 regular season minutes, the two-man lineup of McCollum and Ingram averaged a blistering 116.9 points per 100 possessions. Not only should that number take potentially another step forward in 2022-23, but Williamson's presence can also make this entire roster better overnight.
Before Williamson&rsquo;s offseason foot surgery caused a season-long setback &mdash; one that Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin said would originally have him back soon after the 82-game schedule began &mdash; the former Duke Blue Devil was beginning to truly dominate as an offensive engine.
Williamson acted as Pelicans&rsquo; lead playmaker bringing the ball up the court, running sets for himself and others under former head coach Stan Van Gundy while also being a one-man wrecking crew, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest.
There have been no indications that Williamson&rsquo;s foot remains an issue in New Orleans, so throwing him back into the mix alongside McCollum and Ingram will certainly become a scary sight for opposing teams. Allowing McCollum to fall into the third option for the Pelicans&rsquo; new-look attack should greatly benefit all parties.
Speaking of Ingram &mdash;remember how he seized the moment during his first postseason appearance, almost willing the No. 8 seed Pelicans over Phoenix? Before falling in six games, Ingram put the Association on notice for what should be the next step of his own blossoming career. The lanky wing averaged 27.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists on an impressive 58.2% True Shooting percentage.
We&rsquo;ve already witnessed Ingram&rsquo;s first All-Star berth, but could a potential Pelicans&rsquo; rise finally lead to some All-NBA consideration? Honestly, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a shock once April 2023 rolls around.
The three-headed monster of Williamson, Ingram and McCollum speaks for why New Orleans qualifies as a top candidate for a serious leap forward. The ancillary pieces on this roster fit smoothly into the mix as well.
Herb Jones quickly turned into one of the NBA&rsquo;s most versatile defenders as a rookie. Jose Alvarado, an undrafted rookie, also showcased a never-say-die attitude that quickly won him valuable rotation minutes, which should only increase during his second go-around.
Trey Murphy III is another intriguing long-term piece for New Orleans, because wings who can shoot from distance at an above-average clip are among the most coveted archetypes in the modern NBA. Murphy recently dove into his growth last season <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/trey-murphy-iii-wants-to-announce-presence-new-orleans-pelicans-zion-williamson-brandon-ingram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with our own Ethan Fuller</a> and laid out what should be another important developmental year in 2022-23.
The over/under win total projection in Las Vegas for the Pelicans sits at 44.5, which feels like an easy wager to lay. Williamson&rsquo;s health will obviously be a huge question looming for New Orleans now and in the future, but last season showed this team is on the cusp even without their most important piece. Ingram is a bonafide All-Star-caliber player who will only continue to grow entering (incredibly) his age-25 season. McCollum continues the next phase of his career in arguably his best spot yet, deferring to the young stars and finding his spots at the most efficient parts of the floor.
And how could we not talk about the plethora of assets the Pelicans sit on following the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades? Ingram is a centerpiece to their vision from the Lakers, but they remain in an advantageous position whenever the next disgruntled superstar wants out.
All of the following picks from Los Angeles and Milwaukee are still heading their way, which still provides ample ammunition for the next few years: 2023 first-round swap rights (via Lakers), 2024 unprotected first-round pick with defer rights to 2025 (via Lakers), 2024 swap rights (via Bucks), 2025 unprotected first-round pick (via Bucks), 2026 swap rights (via Bucks), 2027 unprotected first-round pick (via Bucks). Who wouldn&rsquo;t at least consider playing in New Orleans with this core, especially if Williamson bounces back into premier form?
Everything on the table right now in New Orleans is simmering like a tasty shrimp gumbo. Now, all that needs to happen is internal improvement and health cooperating along the way. Similarly to the Suns and Grizzlies from years prior, the Pelicans are an odds-on favorite to surprise everyone in just a few months.

Zion Williamson's return should add a serious boost to a Pelicans team that turned heads last season.

With a deep roster, the New Orleans Pelicans can surprise everyone

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver was likely spared even stronger sanctioning by the NBA for his racist, misogynistic and hostile words and actions because of one key conclusion by investigators, Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday.
The law firm that spent nearly a year digging into the situation determined Sarver's use of slurs &ldquo;was not motivated by racial animus."
Had that not been the case, Silver indicated, Sarver's punishment <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-nba-sports-basketball-mercury-10452a9e19873c53422d07502053f798">&mdash; a one-year suspension and $10 million fine &mdash;</a> would have been far more severe.
&ldquo;It was relevant," Silver said after the league's Board of Governors meetings concluded. &ldquo;I think if they had made findings that, in fact, his conduct was motivated by racial animus, absolutely that would have had an impact on on the ultimate outcome here. But that&rsquo;s not what they found."
And that, to Silver, is one of the key distinctions between the Sarver case and the one surrounding then-Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in 2014, when he was banned for life and fined $2.5 million for racist comments.
Some players, Silver said, have reached out to him to voice concerns. Silver said he would keep the details of those conversations private.
But LeBron James &mdash; obviously, one of the league's most prominent player voices ever &mdash; took his concerns public Wednesday night, tweeting that the NBA did not go far enough with Sarver.
&ldquo;I gotta be honest&hellip;Our league definitely got this wrong," <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1570184134827573248?s=20&amp;t=WgehmbfoznbRtEH1w-V32w">James tweeted to his 52 million followers.</a> &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t need to explain why. Y&rsquo;all read the stories and decide for yourself. I said it before and I&rsquo;m gonna say it again, there is no place in this league for that kind of behavior.
&ldquo;I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn&rsquo;t right. There is no place for misogyny, sexism, and racism in any work place. Don&rsquo;t matter if you own the team or play for the team. We hold our league up as an example of our values and this aint it," he wrote.
Suns point guard Chris Paul echoed James' sentiment later Wednesday.
&ldquo;Like many others, I reviewed the report,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/CP3/status/1570220418191228928">Paul wrote on social media</a>. &ldquo;I was and am horrified and disappointed by what I read. This conduct especially towards women is unacceptable and must never be repeated. ... I am of the view that the sanctions fell short in truly addressing what we can all agree was atrocious behavior. My heart goes out to all of the people that were affected.&rdquo;
The NBA had the option of giving Sarver a longer ban than the one-year suspension. The $10 million fine was the maximum allowable, as was the case with Sterling's $2.5 million fine eight years ago; NBA rules on maximum fines were changed in 2019.
Another reason Silver, who was the ultimate decider of the penalty in this case, stopped short of suspending Sarver for longer or even banning him: He said he took into account a number of anonymous details that could not be revealed in the investigative report that was published Tuesday, along with other elements of Sarver's actions in his 18 years owning the Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
&ldquo;There were these terrible things," Silver said. &ldquo;There are also many, many people with very positive things to say about him through this process. And ultimately, I took all of that into account in making the decision that the one-year suspension plus the fine was appropriate."
A 10-month investigation into Sarver's behavior confirmed he had used racist language, made sexually inappropriate comments, left some employees &mdash; male and female &mdash; feeling uncomfortable with his words and actions, and took part in what would be considered workplace bullying.
&ldquo;Indefensible is not strong enough,&rdquo; Silver said.
But the league did not have discussions about removing Sarver as owner during the Board of Governors meetings. Silver permanently banned Sterling after tapes of him making racist comments were leaked to TMZ in a move that started the process of Sterling being forced to sell the franchise.
&ldquo;This case is very different," Silver said. &ldquo;It's not that one was captured on tape and the other isn't. ... Mr. Sarver ultimately acknowledged his behavior."
Sarver did, and issued an apology Tuesday, though noted he did not agree with all of the report's findings.
Silver was asked about how most employees of any company would likely face firings if they were to use racial slurs or partake in lewd actions or comments in the way that the investigation showed that Sarver did.
&ldquo;It's hard to make those comparisons to somebody who commits an inappropriate act in the workplace in somewhat of an anonymous fashion versus what is a huge public issue now around this person," Silver said. &ldquo;There's no neat answer here, other than the rights that come with owning an NBA team, how that is set up within our Constitution. What it would take to remove that team from his control is a very involved process, and it&rsquo;s different than holding a job. It just is. When you actually own a team, it&rsquo;s just a very different proposition."
A difference between the Sterling and Sarver cases is this: Sarver cooperated with the league&rsquo;s investigation and Sterling, in many ways, did not. Sterling wound up suing the NBA for $1 billion in federal court after his lifetime ban was announced, saying his constitutional rights were violated.
The report said Sarver &ldquo;repeated or purported to repeat the N-word on at least five occasions spanning his tenure with the Suns."
&ldquo;However, the investigation does not find that Sarver&rsquo;s conduct in any of these instances was motivated by racial animus,&rdquo; the report read, adding that investigators made &ldquo;no finding that Sarver used this racially insensitive language with the intent to demean or denigrate.&rdquo;
The Sterling investigation &mdash; from when the audio tapes of him making racist remarks to a girlfriend were released, to Silver&rsquo;s announcement of the lifetime ban &mdash; took three days. The Sarver probe took 100 times longer, involved more than 320 interviews and the review of more than 80,000 documents and other materials.
Both investigations were handled by the same New York-based firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz. Attorney David Anders led both probes.
Sarver will be welcomed back in 2023, though Silver made clear that his words and actions going forward will be highly scrutinized.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have the right to take away his team," Silver said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to rest on that legal point because of course there could be a process to take away someone&rsquo;s team in this league. It&rsquo;s very involved, and I ultimately made the decision that it didn&rsquo;t rise to that level. But to me, the consequences are severe here on Mr. Sarver."
Sarver&rsquo;s punishment is also similar to others levied in past high-profile examples of wrongdoing, either words, actions or both.
In 1993, then-Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott was fined $25,000 and suspended one year for making &ldquo;racially and ethnically offensive remarks.&rdquo; And last year, the NFL fined the Washington Commanders $10 million, plus investigative fees, after a probe found the team&rsquo;s workplace environment for women was, in the words of Commissioner Roger Goodell, &ldquo;highly unprofessional" &mdash; but stopped short of suspending owner Daniel Snyder.

One key conclusion by investigators may have spared Robert Sarver for his racist, misogynistic and hostile words and actions.

NBA considered suspending Robert Sarver for more than 1 year

We need a bit of context to truly grasp the remarkable nature of RJ Barrett's development in the NBA.
Barrett just wrapped up his third professional season and turned 22 years old in June. He is younger than several incoming rookies, including No. 14 overall pick Ochai Agbaji and No. 31 pick Andrew Nembhard. He recently signed a four-year contract extension worth $120 million &mdash; a lot of money for sure, but nowhere near the rookie maximum.
Yet, despite these indicators that Barrett is still a very young basketball player with ample room to grow, he is already taking on some of the heaviest two-way physical demands we've seen from someone his age.
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The third overall pick from 2019 averaged 13.7 adjusted drives per 75 possessions in 2021-22. Barrett attacked relentlessly, and far more than his New York Knicks teammates. Driving with the basketball is one of the most taxing moves a player can make on offense. It requires the wherewithal to handle the ball and assess the court's shifting spaces, the lower-body strength to explode by defenders and the core and upper-body strength to fend off contact and, then, shoot or pass. These bursts of energy, physicality and processing are not easy to successfully replicate over and over.
And that's just one side of the game. Barrett also graded out as a defender who faced some of the toughest opponents. The BBall Index has created a <a href="https://www.bball-index.com/glossary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matchup Difficulty metric</a> to try and quantify this. Barrett earned a plus-1.66 score, meaning his defensive assignments were more challenging than 95% of the NBA &mdash; requiring an elite combination of physical tools, focus and understanding of concepts to be successful.
With a few charts (sourced from BBall Index), we can place Barrett's responsibilities in the wider frame of the league. Here's a plot of every NBA player who logged at least 1,000 minutes and their numbers in those two categories. I additionally colorized the dots with BBall Index's Defensive Role estimator to add some clarity about what might be changing on defense.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/scatterplot-4.png" alt="" width="675" height="390" />
Several of the league's most frequent drivers &mdash; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, for example &mdash; had very low matchup difficulty scores on defense, and their roles were even estimated as "Low Activity." Then, you have the elite defensive stoppers in the top-left corner who barely drive the ball. Barrett, who is labeled in yellow, kind of balances in the middle.
Zooming in gives more of an appreciation for his company. The below chart cuts off at 8.0 drives per 75 possessions; it's an arbitrary choice, but a fair one, I think, that encompasses just under 100 players. It also begins vertically at a matchup difficulty rating of zero. I won't break out the ol' AP Stats textbook, but these scores are based on Z-Scores that relate to each other, meaning a "zero" is average among the NBA. With these boundaries, we get down to 55 players:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/scatterplot-5.png" alt="" width="675" height="390" />
Barrett stands out more clearly here as a player who drives frequently before turning around and staring down tough defensive assignments. He's in the company of household names like Jrue Holiday, Jimmy Butler and Fred VanVleet, and he's one of 10 players in this chart who was under 22 years old last season. This isn't to say he matches the impact, of course, but Barrett has a general reputation as a quality defender for his experience level.
This could be restricted even further to players who only take on very difficult matchups. If we cut the chart at 1.0 (about the 84th percentile for Matchup Difficulty), Barrett would be one of only 15 players to stay on the board &mdash; and one of only three players 21 or younger, along with Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Suggs.
This type of two-way role is exceptionally unusual for someone of Barrett's age and position. Take a look at the 21-and-under players sinced 2014 who have averaged at least 8 drives per 75 possessions with a Matchup Difficulty score over 1.0:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/scatterplot-3.png" alt="" width="675" height="390" />
Sixteen seasons make the cut. Fourteen of those seasons were from young point guards, who often got thrown into the fire with bad teams. Second-year Andrew Wiggins is the only other wing, and he barely cleared the thresholds (and wasn't nearly as good a player).&nbsp;
Barrett is one of the youngest two-way catalysts in the NBA, and he's taken on the responsibility with relative success. Oh yeah &mdash; and he's playing on the biggest stage in the country.
Obviously, though, he can be better, as he referenced on Monday's live stream interview discussing his new contract.
<iframe title="An Evening with RJ Barrett" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b-5GMPFFHd4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
"I'm always working on my finishing, and just being able to shoot [and] shoot off the dribble," Barrett told Monica McNutt. "Many things. Free throws &mdash; holy, we've been shooting a lot of free throws, things of that nature."
Barrett averaged 16.2 drives per game after Jan. 1, which ranked eighth across the entire league, per Second Spectrum. But he made just 41.1% of his shots off of drives, ranking third-worst among 64 players who drove to the basket at least 8 times per game. His overall at-rim clip of 55% ranked in the 15th percentile among wings, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The finishing, despite Barrett's superb and improving aggression, remains perhaps the biggest target for critics. It's an area several leading basketball minds have dissected, and a place that can turn him from a volume-based scorer into a dominant, efficient spark.&nbsp;
<a href="https://theathletic.com/3548723/2022/08/31/rj-barrett-knicks-polarizing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Vecenie of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>&nbsp;noted how important it is for Barrett to develop a right-hand finish. To piggyback, according to InStat Scouting, Barrett made just 36% of his at-rim attempts with his right hand vs. a still-rough-but-better 40% (on over 280 more attempts) with his left.
<a href="Mark%20Schindler%20de" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler detailed for UPROXX</a> how improving pull-up and foul-grifting games could help Barrett keep defenders on their toes against his drives. Barrett is drawing more fouls; per Cleaning the Glass, 14.7% of his shots came with a whistle, placing in the 92nd percentile among wings.
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As Schindler wrote, Barrett has enticing potential as someone who can capitalize on second-side swings and kick-outs by continuing to apply pressure as a driver. He's strong and fast with a much-improved handle and court vision that is approaching refinement. But New York rarely surrounded its rising star with the right blend of spacing and complementary aggression.
This year, those pieces might come together, starting with new acquisition Jalen Brunson.
"Jalen's great. He's really smart. He's a hard worker; he works on his game a lot," Barrett said. "He has natural leadership ability too. Just being around him, guys gravitate towards him as well, so I think him and I will work together very well &mdash; especially us being lefties, that'll be very good."
Brunson is one of the elite driving threats in the NBA. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-jalen-brunson-is-in-the-drivers-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I wrote about this specifically</a> back when he was popping off for the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs. Brunson has proven himself as both a secondary pressure-cooker and a lead initiator, and it's easy to see how he can ease some of the load on Barrett.
The Knicks also have Immanuel Quickley, who continues to be one of my favorite young players to watch in the league &mdash; full stop. Quickley has picked up his pace as an attacker; he averaged 6.6 drives per game before the All-Star break and 10.3 afterwards. Like Brunson, he's another point guard who doubles as a quality catch-and-shoot option, and deserves to start next season.&nbsp;
Julius Randle can hit the gas pedal, and he's due for a happy medium between his 2020-21 breakout and last season's struggles. Obi Toppin and Jericho Sims keep defensive help in check as lob threats. Evan Fournier can still shoot it (and is still only 29?). New York has enough support for Barrett to find those extra spaces to dribble, shoot or pass when he puts the ball on the floor.
Driving and guarding tough matchups is not the only example of a demanding two-way role. But it certainly is a big one. Barrett ran the ninth-most miles (2.63) per NBA game last season, and his average speed (4.30 mph) ranked 21st of 124 players who averaged two-plus miles per game. He played 70 games after completing a full 72-game season in 2020-21; the durability in his role is impressive.
Barrett is gaining more experience, and succeeding more frequently, in a context few players receive at his age. Yes, he can markedly improve in several areas. But the man has tons of time and is surrounded by teammates who can help him be successful.
The growing pains of a 22-year-old franchise centerpiece should not overshadow the unique trajectory of his stardom.

RJ Barrett is a rare young NBA player who takes on major offensive and defensive responsibilities.

Understanding RJ Barrett's uniquely heavy burden with the Knicks

NEW YORK &ndash; The NBA today issued the following statement:
Following the publication of a November 4, 2021, ESPN.com article regarding statements and conduct of Robert Sarver, Managing Partner of the Phoenix Suns and the WNBA&rsquo;s Phoenix Mercury, and issues relating to the teams&rsquo; workplace, the NBA commissioned an independent investigation by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen &amp; Katz. &nbsp;David Anders and Sarah Eddy, partners at the firm, led the investigation.
The report of the independent investigation, which was issued publicly today, was based on information gathered from interviews with 320 individuals, including current and former employees who worked for the teams during Mr. Sarver&rsquo;s 18-year tenure as Managing Partner, Mr. Sarver, and other relevant individuals; and from the evaluation of more than 80,000 documents and other materials, including emails, text messages and videos. &nbsp;Mr. Sarver and the Suns/Mercury organization cooperated fully with the investigative process.
As stated in the report, the independent investigation found that Mr. Sarver &ldquo;engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards, as reflected in team and League rules and policies. &nbsp;This conduct included the use of racially insensitive language; unequal treatment of female employees; sex-related statements and conduct; and harsh treatment of employees that on occasion constituted bullying.&rdquo;
Among the key findings:
<ul>
<li>Mr. Sarver, on at least five occasions during his tenure with the Suns/Mercury organization, repeated the N-word when recounting the statements of others.</li>
<li>Mr. Sarver engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.</li>
<li>Mr. Sarver engaged in demeaning and harsh treatment of employees, including by yelling and cursing at them.</li>
</ul>
As reflected in the report, Mr. Sarver informed the investigators of his personal and professional efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, including hiring practices at the Suns/Mercury organization and contributions to social and racial justice causes. &nbsp;The investigation made no finding that Mr. Sarver&rsquo;s workplace misconduct was motivated by racial or gender-based animus.
The independent investigation also substantiated instances of workplace misconduct engaged in by Suns employees that were not directly related to Mr. Sarver and a lack of proper organizational policies and controls. &nbsp;Among other things, the investigation found instances of racial insensitivity, mistreatment of female employees, inappropriate commentary related to sex or sexual orientation, and disrespectful communications. &nbsp;The investigation also concluded that the Suns&rsquo; Human Resources function was historically ineffective and not a trusted resource for employees who were subjected to acts of improper workplace conduct.
As noted in the report, most of the Suns employees who engaged in these acts of misconduct over the 18-year period of investigation are no longer employed by the organization. &nbsp;In addition, in July 2021, the organization hired a new head of Human Resources who, along with other executives, has since implemented a series of positive workplace changes. &nbsp;These include an updated respect in the workplace policy, the creation of a confidential hotline for reports of misconduct, an investigation response team for conducting internal investigations, additional workplace training on key policies, and a new parental leave policy.
Based on the findings of the independent investigation, including those related to Mr. Sarver&rsquo;s workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies, the NBA today has taken the following actions:
<ul>
<li>Mr. Sarver is suspended from the Suns/Mercury organization for a period of one year, during which time he will not:</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Be present at any NBA or WNBA team facility, including any office, arena, or practice facility.</li>
<li>Attend or participate in any NBA or WNBA event or activity, including games, practices, or business partner activity.</li>
<li>Represent the Suns or Mercury in any public or private capacity.</li>
<li>Have any involvement with the business or basketball operations of the Suns or Mercury.</li>
<li>Have any involvement in the business, governance, or activities of either the NBA or WNBA, including attending or participating in meetings of either league&rsquo;s Board (and their associated Board committees).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Mr. Sarver must, during his suspension, complete a training program focused on respect and appropriate conduct in the workplace.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Mr. Sarver is fined $10 million, the maximum permitted by the NBA Constitution &amp; By-Laws.&nbsp; The NBA will donate these funds to organizations that are committed to addressing race and gender-based issues in and outside the workplace.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Additionally, the Suns/Mercury organization must fulfill a series of requirements for workplace improvements set forth and monitored by the NBA.&nbsp; These requirements, among other things, include:</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Retaining an outside firm to evaluate and make recommendations with respect to workplace training programs, policies and procedures, and hiring and compensation practices &mdash; with a focus on fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace.</li>
<li>Conducting regular and anonymous workplace culture surveys and responding to survey results with specific action plans.</li>
<li>Immediately reporting to the league any instances or allegations of significant misconduct by any employee.</li>
<li>For a period of three years, providing the league with regular reports related to steps taken by the organization to address these requirements.</li>
<li>Following league direction for remediation/improvement of workplace issues if/as they arise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
&ldquo;The statements and conduct described in the findings of the independent investigation are troubling and disappointing,&rdquo; said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. &nbsp;&ldquo;We believe the outcome is the right one, taking into account all the facts, circumstances and context brought to light by the comprehensive investigation of this 18-year period and our commitment to upholding proper standards in NBA workplaces.
&ldquo;I am hopeful that the NBA community will use this opportunity to reflect on what this great game means to people everywhere and the values of equality, respect and inclusion that it strives to represent. &nbsp;Regardless of position, power or intent, we all need to recognize the corrosive and hurtful impact of racially insensitive and demeaning language and behavior. &nbsp;On behalf of the entire NBA, I apologize to all of those impacted by the misconduct outlined in the investigators&rsquo; report. &nbsp;We must do better.&rdquo;
The report of the independent investigation is available here: <a href="https://www.wlrk.com/phoenix-suns-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.wlrk.com/phoenix-suns-report/</a>.

The NBA has suspended Phoenix owner Robert Sarver for a year after an investigation into his unacceptable sexist/racist behavior.

NBA suspends Robert Sarver one year from Suns after investigation

Andrew Wiggins was once touted as the next in line behind LeBron James. The Canadian teenager nicknamed &ldquo;Maple Jordan&rdquo; would become a phenom because of his jaw-dropping highlights that showcased his breathtaking athleticism. Once Wiggins arrived at the University of Kansas, the hype didn&rsquo;t die down as NBA fan bases were hoping to &ldquo;tank for Wiggins&rdquo; in order to save their franchise.
Wiggins&rsquo; NBA career began with a bang, as the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him No. 1 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft before proceeding to trade him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love after James decided to sign with the Cavs.
Unfortunately for Wiggins, he was never able to consistently play at a star-caliber level while in Minnesota. He showed flashes, but the pressure and expectations seemed to overwhelm him.
The Timberwolves still decided to sign Wiggins to a rookie-scale max extension, which shocked some executives around the Association. Soon after, the inefficient Wiggins had a contract that was viewed as an unmovable albatross in trade talks. It eventually became Minnesota&rsquo;s top priority to shed Wiggins&rsquo; salary, which led to another trade for the 24-year-old. Wiggins was dealt to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, and the Timberwolves even had to include a lightly protected future first-round pick in the deal due to his contract.
Now, on the biggest stage of his career, Wiggins is proving the naysayers wrong. The former No. 1 pick is shining within his simplified role, making his presence felt on both ends of the court during the Warriors&rsquo; NBA Finals run.
With Golden State, Wiggins&rsquo; job is to be a pest on defense and knock down open shots. He&rsquo;s done exactly that, especially throughout the 2021-22 campaign, hitting 39.8% of his catch-and-shoot threes. In the postseason, Wiggins is averaging 16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals on 54.8% True Shooting. Aside from Stephen Curry, Wiggins has arguably been the Warriors&rsquo; most impactful and consistent rotation piece throughout the postseason. What Wiggins is accomplishing right now isn&rsquo;t lost on head coach Steve Kerr, who has helped the 27-year-old get the most out of his tantalizing talent.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a very mild-mannered guy, but he&rsquo;s taken a leap in these playoffs in terms of his impact on the game defensively,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;The biggest thing is he&rsquo;s a two-way player.&rdquo;
In the Warriors&rsquo; Game 4 victory over the Boston Celtics, Wiggins was instrumental, putting together an incredible effort on both ends of the court. Curry stole the show with 43 points, but Wiggins tallied 17 points and 16 rebounds while also hounding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as an on-ball defender. Incredibly, the Warriors were +20 with Wiggins on the court, and -10 in the five minutes he sat on Friday.
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Against the Celtics, Wiggins is averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steal on a 54.8% True Shooting. Wiggins is shining most on the defensive end, holding Tatum to 33.3% (13-of-39) shooting from the field when the two are matched up. Brown has also had trouble against Wiggins in a lighter sample size, shooting just 25% (2-of-8) from the field.
Wiggins continuing to improve and realize his potential has been one of the best storylines to follow throughout this postseason. While his stats are similar, Wiggins is proving his worth in the games that truly matter most. Two-way wings are the most valuable player archetype in the modern NBA. Wiggins is not the superstar that fans hoped he'd be when he entered the Association, but he stars within his role as a secondary option. Wiggins' maturation is happening in real time, and he helped flipped the series momentum back to Golden State with a title on the line.
&ldquo;Wiggs was fantastic,&rdquo; Kerr said after Game 4. &ldquo;To go against Boston, you've got to deal with Tatum and Brown, and they are just powerful, skilled players [with] great size. They are coming downhill at you constantly, so we had to have Wiggs out there. I thought he was great defensively.&rdquo;
Proving that he can thrive in the postseason bodes well for the next chapter of Wiggins&rsquo; rollercoaster career. It finally feels like he&rsquo;s found solid footing, especially now that he's playing within a perfect system to maximize his strengths. He has bought in completely as a third or fourth option, yet he can also step up and deliver big performances when his team needs him most.
&ldquo;I want to win,&rdquo; Wiggins said about his career-high 16 rebounds after Game 4. &ldquo;I know rebounding is a big part of that. I just want to win and I feel like sometimes we play small. So, I just decided to go out there and rebound, help the team out.&rdquo;
Throughout Golden State&rsquo;s triumphant return to the Finals, Wiggins leads the Warriors in adjusted net rating (+9.0 NetRtg on-court; -6.8 NetRtg off-court). Wiggins is extremely valuable and he fits seamlessly alongside Golden State's three future Hall-of-Famers in Curry, Thompson and Green. And who knows, he could be the veteran who leads the next era of Warriors basketball along with Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman.
At 27 years old, Wiggins&rsquo; prime is on the horizon. If this postseason run is any indication, Wiggins may have one of the most incredible career arcs of any player in recent memory. Wiggins has become a key cog to the Warriors&rsquo; machine and it wouldn&rsquo;t be functioning right now without him.
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Andrew Wiggins was once viewed as a bust. Now, the 27-year-old has become one of the most valuable pieces in the modern NBA.

How Andrew Wiggins changed his career trajectory with the Warriors

With just one minute and 15 seconds remaining in Game 4, James Harden stared at holes in the Miami Heat's defense, preparing to make his move.
Danny Green crept up to Victor Oladipo's right side to create a driving lane for Harden's preferred left, and so Tyler Herro hedged the pick-and-roll to stop Harden in his tracks. Then, with just five seconds to improvise, Harden whipped out a slew of crossovers, stepped back to his right while gathering across his body, nearly dropped the ball and proceeded to nail the game-sealing three.
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Harden's 16 fourth-quarter points were the most he's scored in the final frame of an NBA playoff game since way back in 2015. Moreover, Sunday was just the second time since the turn of the new year that Harden broke 30 points in a game, regular season or the playoffs. It was only fitting that the shot that had failed him most in his down year signed, sealed and delivered his keystone performance of the season.
It's true. Harden's step-back three, a weapon that once sent shivers of fear up and down defenders' spines, fell off a statistical cliff during the 2021-22 season. The Beard connected on just 33.3% of his 199 step-back treys this season; yet, in his previous four seasons, that percentage sat at 38.9% on 1,431 shots. Quite the tailspin, indeed.
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It's tough to decipher what has fueled that decline. One could make the case that his lift has failed him; now, he's unable to generate the same level of space when moving front-to-back on his signature shot. Maybe it's his free-falling first step, as James is no longer able to keep defenders on their toes in lieu of the threat of his drive, making those step-backs all the easier to contain. More than likely it's a combination of both, a consequence of multiple hamstring strains in the previous season and an offseason set back by slow, plodding rehabilitation.
But that was the beauty of Sunday. Those arguments about the former MVP's decline, for the first time in a while, were best saved for another day. In Game 4, he was sublime &mdash; nah man, let's be real &mdash; he looked like Prime Harden in certain stretches, knocking down 4 of his 7 step-backs en route to 31 points on 69.2% True Shooting. Heck, the dude was feeling it so much he even took (and made!) a catch-and-shoot three.
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But Harden's barrage of step-backs wasn't his only divine moment. 
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This drive in the second quarter was one of Harden's best rim attacks of the entire 2021-22 season after getting the switch against Herro. An hour(-ish) later, he did similar things against Bam Adebayo, first getting a half-step on the Defensive Player of the Year finalist, and then whipping out a nasty&nbsp;hesitation dribble to clear his way to the rim for the uncontested lay-up.
Of course, Harden wasn't without his flaws. On numerous occasions, the 32-year-old was stonewalled on drives to the rim, a trend that has reared its ugly head throughout the entirety of the season; his 59.8% shooting within 3 feet of the basket was his worst regular-season mark since his rookie year. It didn't really matter who was in front of him &mdash; PJ Tucker, Jimmy Butler, Victor Oladipo... shoot, even Herro &mdash; if Harden couldn't generate any space with his dribbling forrays, his drives were as good as done-zo, swallowed up or just flat-out swatted into nothingness by a defense eager to pounce. Overall, the Beard shot just 1 of 7 on his drives to the rim.
I've long worked under the hypothesis that Harden's decline in zippiness, and especially his first step, has dramatically affected his once-touted decelaration game. Why? Well, because his top speed has been dampered, Harden now has nothing to contrast with when he drags his feet to slow down. What I'm saying is: He's effectively working at one speed for the entirety of his drives, and it makes him all too predictable as a downhill-heavy player.
The first clip in the video below is a great example. Harden does a nice job getting a shoulder into Butler's body after a series of crossovers, but because his first three steps are so sluggish, Butler is able to stay an arm's reach away. Then, when Harden decelerates in the cadence that once made him so tough to tango with, his change-of-pace game actually works against him and gives Butler ample room to recover for the block.&nbsp;
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One thing that has remained a constant this year has been Harden's passing, which, whew. He tossed out some beauties versus Miami. 
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Harden was just about the only Sixer who could capably feed Joel Embiid entry passes against the relentlessly fronting Miami Heat defense, powering a 15-point first quarter for the MVP front-runner. His second-quarter lay-down pass to a cutting Tobias Harris after faking it to Tyrese Maxey in the strong-side corner was just vintage stuff from one of the best passers in the Association.
Sunday marked Harden's sixth game of tossing out 9 dimes or more, which ties Ja Morant for the most&nbsp; playoff games with 9+ assists this current postseason.
Game 4 was more than just another extraordinary performance etched into a storied legacy; it was the physical representation of a player breaking out of the shackles of his least efficient season since just 20 years of age.
Is it sustainable? Can Harden continue to supercharge and lead a playoff offense? And, maybe more importantly, can The Beard helm the Sixers into winning the minutes (by +3) with its superstar in Embiid off the floor?
That much is to be determined... and is maybe the biggest swing factor of the 2022 postseason. Sure, Harden had himself a monstrous showing with his team's season on the line, but 6 of his 8 makes came from the three-point line; otherwise, he went just 2 of 8 from two-point range on the night &mdash; a troubling trend for a player that's so rim-dependent.
It's crazy, but suddenly, one of the league's most prestigious scorers &mdash; a walking 50-point bucket just two seasons ago and a former MVP &mdash; is one of the NBA's biggest X-factors in the postseason.&nbsp;
The success of his Philadelphia 76ers rides on his ability to take a step back, step-back and reclaim his greatness on the shot that brought him to the forefront of the NBA landscape.
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Matt Brooks details James Harden's extraordinary performance in Game 4 for the 76ers and why he is a huge X-factor for Philadelphia.

Taking a step-back: How James Harden found his groove in Game 4

After frittering away a double-digit-point fourth-quarter lead twice in this series, the Minnesota Timberwolves could have already defeated the Memphis Grizzlies by now and be preparing for the second round.
The Timberwolves will try to stave off elimination by the Grizzlies in Game 6 on Friday night instead, aiming to show the league, their fans &mdash; and perhaps themselves &mdash; that they have an ample supply of the late-game resolve needed to be a factor in the NBA playoffs.
What they don't necessarily need, though, is one of their stars to take over.
One of the main reasons why the Wolves have been unproductive in the final stretches of games is a stagnant offense and forced shots from one of the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards or D'Angelo Russell.
&ldquo;Everybody wants to be the hero, and that&rsquo;s not how you&rsquo;re going to win these games,&rdquo; coach Chris Finch said after practice Thursday.
Edwards tied Game 5 with 3.7 seconds left on a fadeaway corner 3-pointer. The second-year guard has quickly established himself as a true clutch player, so having the ball in his hands with the clock winding down is not at all a negative for Minnesota. The problems can arise, though, when there's little passing to or from him to set up the best looks at the basket.
&ldquo;It was me. I was a lot of that, what Coach talked about,&rdquo; Edwards said, reflecting on his Game 5 decision-making. He had 22 points but took 20 shots to get there.
Russell has had some ill-advised attempts, too, including a 10-foot pull-up in traffic with 12.3 seconds left in Game 5 that missed badly.
Entering the series, guard Patrick Beverley was the only player on the Wolves with any postseason experience of significance.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re young,&rdquo; Edwards said. &ldquo;I think we all know that, and we&rsquo;re learning as we going.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies are just as inexperienced on this stage, but they've been the better team in the last half of the fourth quarter, even if the other 90% of the game has mostly gone the way of the Wolves. Ja Morant belied his age by quite a bit in Game 5 by scoring his team's final 13 points, including the last-second layup that lifted Memphis to victory.
The rally in Game 5 came after Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out, prompting coach Taylor Jenkins to go to a super-small lineup with Morant next to Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke. Brooks and Clarke helped defend Towns, and Clarke dominated in the fourth quarter with seven of his 10 rebounds on the offensive end. Memphis had a 12-0 scoring edge in second-chance points in the final period, and Clarke finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds off the bench.
The Grizzlies last advanced to the second round in 2015, when none of their current players were around, nor the coaching staff.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just focused on how we&rsquo;re going to play our best basketball still. So hopefully come out with that physical edge, that mental edge you&rsquo;re going to need,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;You just need to take it up a notch for sure on the road against a really tough team.&rdquo;
Taking a early lead at Target Center could go a long way toward sending the Grizzlies to a Game 1 on Sunday at Golden State.
&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t want to give a team like that any life,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;When you have a chance to close out an opponent in a playoff series, you've got to try to take advantage of it. We obviously don&rsquo;t want this to go to a seventh game.&rdquo;
GRIZZLIES at TIMBERWOLVES
Memphis leads 3-2. Game 6, 9 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
&mdash;NEED TO KNOW: The Grizzlies with an average of 31.6 points are outscoring the Wolves by 8.8 points in the fourth quarter in the series, by far the largest disparity in this postseason.
&mdash;KEEP AN EYE ON: Bane. He averaged 30 points and shot 15 of 27 outside the arc in Games 3 and 4, the first two games in Minnesota. Bane joined Klay Thompson (three straight) and Stephen Curry (two) as only the third player in NBA history to make at least seven 3-pointers in back-to-back playoff games. He is shooting 48.3% from 3-point range on the road this season for both the regular season and playoffs.
&mdash;INJURY WATCH: Grizzlies center Steven Adams entered the COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will not play in Game 6. Backup forward Ziaire Williams (right knee soreness) was listed as doubtful for the game. Morant and Edwards have both played through minor leg injuries, but they have not been limited in any way.
&mdash;PRESSURE IS ON: Brooks. He was 3 of 18 shooting in Game 5, including 1 of 10 from 3-point range, and finished with eight points.
___
AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker contributed to this report.

The Timberwolves will try to stave off elimination by the Grizzlies in Game 6 on Friday night.

Timberwolves try to avoid 'hero' ball, stay alive vs. Grizzlies

The NBA Playoffs can initially seem like a statistical nightmare littered with small sample sizes, outlier performances and a lack of context. Those challenges also make the postseason one of the most exciting sandboxes for analysis &mdash; a place to marvel at a player's career-defining games and wonder: Is this replicable?
That's what I thought as I watched Jalen Brunson's dynamic 41-point explosion unfold in Monday's 110-104 win over the Jazz in Game 2. Brunson was simply unstoppable, stepping up in the absence of Luka Doncic to turn a series that felt like a lost cause into a very winnable matchup. He's currently tied for the second-highest scoring outing in the 2022 playoffs with DeMar DeRozan.
More interesting to me, though, are Brunson's two games in attack mode. His mark of 24 drives to the basket per game leads all postseason players, and his average of 13.5 field goal attempts per game via drives ranks second behind Donovan Mitchell. Brunson toasted a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/utah-blues-whose-fault-is-it-anyway-jazz-fourth-quarter-game-2-mavericks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disjointed Utah defense</a> in Game 2, blowing by opponents 1-on-1 and dissecting them with his shifty ball-handling.
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So to my question: Is this sustainable enough to propel the Mavericks to the next round, with or without Doncic? Though 40-point games might be a tall ask, Brunson has already proven himself to be one of the premier driving threats in the entire NBA.
Let's travel back to the regular season. According to Second Spectrum, Brunson drove toward the basket 13.6 times per game, good for 17th in the NBA but well under his current playoff pace. However, Brunson was not the lead ball-handler or driving catalyst for most of the season. Those responsibilities belonged to Doncic, who was second at a whopping 22.2 drives per game.
That being said, Brunson's 13.6 drives were the second-most in the league among secondary options, behind only Caris LeVert, who split time with the Pacers and Cavaliers. So he did attack with high frequency relative to his role, and when Brunson did, he was extremely effective.
The 25-year-old drilled 56.7% of his driving field goal attempts, eighth among 112 players averaging at least 5 drives per game. His 4.5% turnover rate was the seventh-lowest in that group.&nbsp;
What makes Brunson so successful? Though he doesn't get all the way to the rim very often (40th percentile at his position), he is simply an elite finisher around the basket. This regular season, the 6-foot-3-inch combo guard finished 68% of his attempts within 4 feet of the cup, per Cleaning the Glass &mdash; fourth among all guards.
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Brunson's acceleration and deceleration skills are eye-catching. He can use a quick crossover or between-the-legs dribble to instantly get up to speed and blow past defenders. Then, he gets the ball high early on his layup attempts, and has the strength to deal with contact from contesting opponents. There's nifty footwork in the above clips too, reinforcing that Brunson is not just a straight-line player.
While Brunson is strong at the rim, he is&nbsp;lethal&nbsp;just beyond it. A whopping 36% of his field goal attempts came in the "short mid-range" area between 4 and 14 feet from the basket. He knocked down 51% of those attempts, which is fifth among guards with at least 800 minutes played, per Cleaning the Glass.
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Here, you see the same on/off-speed changes, plus a methodical probing of the defense to find floaters and mid-range pull-ups.&nbsp;
These are some of the plays that stood out to me from the first two playoff games. Not all of the shots go in, but they demonstrate the confidence Brunson has in his ability to generate open looks. Brunson can turn the corner on opponents who switch or show aggressively on ball-screens, and pin defenders on his back and rock into a floater. He also has flashed a liking to attacking Rudy Gobert in deep drop coverage, getting the center on his heels and pulling back out for a mid-range jumper.&nbsp;
Utah can't really counter. Gobert is going to be a drop defender for the rest of the playoffs, and defenders like Mitchell, Jordan Clarkson, Royce O'Neale and Bojan Bogdanovic just don't seem to have the strength or lateral quickness to keep Brunson in front. That's especially devastating in pick-and-roll actions, where Brunson was frankly dominant in the regular season. Take a look at his numbers among the 99 players who logged at least 150 possessions as a pick-and-roll ball-handler:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 12.03%;">P&amp;R Stats</td>
<td style="width: 6.61578%;">Playtype Freq.</td>
<td style="width: 11.1552%;">Points Per Poss. </td>
<td style="width: 7.49058%;">eFG%</td>
<td style="width: 10.8284%;">TOV%</td>
<td style="width: 11.4959%;">FT Rate</td>
<td style="width: 14.9672%;">Score Freq.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 12.03%;">Number</td>
<td style="width: 6.61578%;">32.4%</td>
<td style="width: 11.1552%;">1.06</td>
<td style="width: 7.49058%;">54.3%</td>
<td style="width: 10.8284%;">9.2%</td>
<td style="width: 11.4959%;">9.2%</td>
<td style="width: 14.9672%;">51.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 12.03%;">NBA Rank</td>
<td style="width: 6.61578%;">39th</td>
<td style="width: 11.1552%;">T-1st</td>
<td style="width: 7.49058%;">7th</td>
<td style="width: 10.8284%;">6th (Best)</td>
<td style="width: 11.4959%;">39th</td>
<td style="width: 14.9672%;">3rd</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Mobile users scroll right to view full table
*Data via Synergy
Brunson is a poster child for reliability and soundly moves the ball, boasting an assist rate of 23.8% (75th percentile at his position) and an overall turnover rate of 9.4% (77th percentile). But that often overshadows his untapped upside as a scoring engine, which we saw in Game 2. Brunson did knock down 6 of his 10 pull-up attempts from long range in the victory. That likely won't sustain; he shot just 31.0% on pull-up threes on low volume in the regular season.
If Doncic returns soon, Brunson's life as a driver should become easier with the defense's focus shifted towards the Mavericks' superstar. Until then, Brunson has shown he's more than capable of holding down the fort as the top scoring option. Hopefully, offseason spenders recognize Brunson's malleability and pay the upcoming free agent accordingly.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>I'm going to throw some more super-small-sample early playoff stats at you that are nonetheless interesting. First: Pascal Siakam is leading the postseason in passes per game (69.3) and is second in touches per game (95.0).</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum (5.0) and Jaylen Brown (4.5) both rank in the top-five in deflections per game so far. Tatum in particular stood out to me as an individual and team defender in Boston's Game 2 victory.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-no-devin-booker-the-phoenix-suns-will-need-a-lift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As our Nekias Duncan wrote</a>, the Phoenix Suns generated 1.5 points per possession on plays with Chris Paul utilizing a ball screen in Tuesday's loss to the Pelicans. CP3's pick-and-roll mastery will be a focal point for the Suns offense without Devin Booker.</li>
</ul>
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Jalen Brunson's 41-point game Monday highlighted his prowess as a driver and pick-and-roll playmaker.

NBA Stats Notebook: Jalen Brunson is in the driver's seat

Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;
But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;
By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.
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What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.
One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;
Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.
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Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;
Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.
Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.
For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.
Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.
The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;
The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qy704i" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.
Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.
If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.
Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;
If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.
Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.
He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Jackson Frank breaks down Boston's brilliant defensive strategy to fend off Kevin Durant and defeat Brooklyn in Game 1.

The Celtics' defense on Kevin Durant showcased greatness in Game 1

NBA shot charts are a bit like handprints.
Each player's shot chart has its own quirks, but for many examples, if you know the player, you can generally guess the outline of the chart when you look it up. Luka Doncic's heatmap will have a heavy dose of above-the-break threes and paint shots. Kevin Durant has two arcs around the three-point line and the elbows. P.J. Tucker is confined almost entirely to the corners, and Robert Williams III sticks to the restricted area.&nbsp;
Shot charts can also make you wonder. That happened for me this week when I checked in on Immanuel Quickley, who has surged in recent weeks even as the New York Knicks continue their bumpy season. Quickley is posting 14.4 points per game since the All-Star break and shooting 41.7% from long range with an eye-popping 64.2% True Shooting percentage. Here's how he's doing it (via Cleaning the Glass):
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/img_7134_lg.jpg" alt="" width="475" height="434" />
Rim pressure has been a question mark for Quickley dating back to his college days at Kentucky. He maneuvers into the paint with relative comfort &mdash; but look at the gap at the rim. The second-year guard rarely gets all the way to the hoop despite his length and apparent positioning. He has attempted just 56 shots within 4 feet of the basket this season, but has tried 137 shots in CTG's "short mid-range" zone (between 4 feet and the free-throw line).&nbsp;
This puts Quickley in very interesting company. He one of eight NBA players (min. 800 minutes) to attempt less than 15% of his shots at the rim, but more than 20% of his shots in the short mid-range, according to Cleaning the Glass (scroll right on mobile to view full table):
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Player</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">% of FGA at rim</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">% of FGA at short-mid</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">FG% at rim</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">FG% at short-mid</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Chris Paul</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">5%&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">33%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">64%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">53%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Marcus Morris</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">9%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">28%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">56%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">48%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Immanuel Quickley</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">12%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">25%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">57%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">42%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Mike Conley</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">14%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">33%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">52%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">43%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Kevin Durant</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">14%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">35%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">75%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">52%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Tyus Jones</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">14%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">42%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">62%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">48%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Khris Middleton</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">15%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">25%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">65%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">44%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 18.1409%;">Devin Booker</td>
<td style="width: 17.0729%;">15%</td>
<td style="width: 22.5467%;">28%</td>
<td style="width: 14.4026%;">66%</td>
<td style="width: 18.5414%;">43%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
From a pure math perspective, it feels like these shot diets are inefficient. All eight see their shooting clips decrease with this slight movement away from the basket, and they post much better at-rim rates even while they're not elite finishers (except Durant). And unlike the whole mid-range vs. three-point discourse, there's no change in point value at stake.
Yet, Durant, Booker and Middleton are some of the best bucket-getters in the NBA. Paul and Conley have carved up opposing defenses for over a decade. Underwhelming rim pressure is clearly not a death sentence for scorers as long as they can maximize their chances. Quickley is starting to do that.
Since the All-Star break, the 22-year-old is hitting on 62% of his attempts at the rim and 49% of his short-mid-range shots without major changes in frequency. He's shooting 54.3% on drives to the basket, a respectable 15th out of 72 players with at least three driving shot attempts per game.
What's helping him is the almighty Immanuel Quickley Floater that he has practically trademarked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
More pistol action, here we see that RJ/IQ chemistry. When RJ is the primary initiator IQ is able to revert to his more natural role; secondary creator/spacer. Look at the attention RJ draws. IQ pumps his way past a Danny Green close-out to set up his floater. Scope the Obi cut. <a href="https://t.co/V3c0ImA0h6">pic.twitter.com/V3c0ImA0h6</a>
&mdash; The Strickland (@TheStrickland) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheStrickland/status/1499437563785920517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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An effective floater is simply a deadly weapon in today's pick-and-roll-heavy game. If guards beat a switch or aggressive screen coverage, they have the floater at their disposal before help can arrive. The threat of a running shot can freeze roll-man defenders and open up lobs.&nbsp;
Quickley is knocking down 45.8% of his 131 floaters this season, according to NBA Stats, and is up to 57.6% post-All-Star break. Compare that to Trae Young (46.0% of 335 attempts in 2021-22), perhaps the most devastating floater assassin in the league. This shot helps Quickley compensate for a lack of downhill speed and strength.&nbsp;
The floater also points toward another high-IQ (heyo!) trait: foul-drawing. Quickley has become elite with this, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-defense-of-fouldrawing-a-gift-not-a-grift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as Nekias Duncan detailed</a>, that's a good thing. He's been hacked on a whopping 19.9% of his shots coming out of the break per Cleaning the Glass &mdash; more than any other combo guard in the NBA. About half of those drawn fouls have come in the short-mid-range zones.
On the season, his 10.3% drawn-shooting-foul rate is in the 85th percentile at his position. It pays off; Quickley is canning 90.6% of his free throws.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Immanuel Quickley has been studying film on Trae Young, Steph Curry, and Chris Paul to help strategically get calls: "I'm not consciously trying, but if I see someone out of position, I try to get 'em" <a href="https://t.co/8NdSYpM2sO">pic.twitter.com/8NdSYpM2sO</a>
&mdash; Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/sny_knicks/status/1505026547434020867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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(Darth Sidious cackle)
Floaters and fouls don't mean Quickley is becoming the next Trae. He still has to improve his reads when he's in the paint, and attack instead of leaning on the floater as a crutch. But there's a blueprint here, and his blistering perimeter shooting only crescendos the excitement.
Much of the positivity surrounding Quickley's offensive fit was dampened earlier this season by his long-range slump. He shoulders a heavy load of pull-up attempts; over 30.7% of his total shots are pull-up threes. After some time off, Quickley has returned to a heat wave (scroll right to view full table):
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Season Segment</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Pull-up 3P Freq.</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Pull-up FG%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Above-the-break Freq.</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Above-the-break 3P%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Catch-Shoot 3PT Freq.&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 12.4388%;">Catch-Shoot 3P%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Pre-All-Star</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">36.6%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">31.9%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">51.0%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">32.5%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">21.4%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4388%;">33.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">Post-All-Star</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">30.7%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">43.6%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">44.1%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">41.1%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4305%;">16.5%</td>
<td style="width: 12.4388%;">38.1%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Quickley is clearly locked in from beyond the arc, and those slight decreases in three-point frequency correspond to an approximate 10% rise in shot frequency within 10 feet of the basket. It's still not all the way at the rim, but it is more IQ Floater territory. Quickley has a history of shooting proficiency through various levels of his basketball career. Though I won't bank on him being one of the best pull-up threats in the game, I do think this is a sign of growth versus a flash in the pan.
Before we wrap this up, I'd like to highlight a great thread from Ben Ritholtz at Knicks Film School:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🎞🏀Knicks Film Thread🏀🎞 Featuring analysis by <a href="https://twitter.com/BenRitholtzNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BenRitholtzNBA</a>. Todays Lesson: Quick in the Paint Tracking IQs progress through the lens of his last 6 games. Roll the Tape! 1/12) The IQ from last year had one way to access the paint: PNR ➡️ get defender on back ➡️ floater. <a href="https://t.co/MEOAzTDRMO">pic.twitter.com/MEOAzTDRMO</a>
&mdash; Knicks Film School (@KnickFilmSkool) <a href="https://twitter.com/KnickFilmSkool/status/1506141343172767744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

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I recommend you watch all of the clips, but to summarize, Ritholtz is pointing out how Quickley is slowly improving his overall paint presence and outgrowing the reliance on the floater. It may be Quickley's go-to, but it can't be the standalone in his bag. Quickley has seriously fleshed out his handle, and can change direction at better speeds to get to his shot, catch a defender for a foul or create a lane. And I'm not even touching on the facilitation chops, which have flashed serious promise as Quickley continues to assume more on-ball responsibilities.
Quickley will regress at least slightly from his current scorching three-point rates. Would it be nice if he had a more forceful presence at the rim and a consistent mid-range jumper? Definitely. The point is his current shot diet &mdash; floaters, free throws and far-away threes &mdash; can be the foundation for a high-level scorer. As Quickley develops, those pillars should open up new ways for him to impact the Knicks' offense.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>How are the league's best offenses maximizing efficiency? Daniel Bratulic mapped out the top eight teams' playtype data. Transition and spot-up points seem to be popular:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
In the latest episode of <a href="https://twitter.com/AthleticNBAShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AthleticNBAShow</a>'s Nerder She Wrote, folks mentioned that the top teams are playing in a very diverse way. I tried to capture that through some radar charts displaying their preferences based on the play type. <a href="https://t.co/4SsJ6vZgRr">pic.twitter.com/4SsJ6vZgRr</a>
&mdash; Daniel Bratulić (@daniel_bratulic) <a href="https://twitter.com/daniel_bratulic/status/1506006295354171393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>SIS Hoops is back at it with another great informational table. Kevin Durant and DeMar DeRozan are taking full advantage of their green lights:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Some of the most confident players in the league, here&rsquo;s who has the greenest lights when it comes to getting shots off despite heavy defense early in the shot-clock: <a href="https://t.co/5U44nidVAJ">pic.twitter.com/5U44nidVAJ</a>
&mdash; SIS Hoops (@SIS_Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIS_Hoops/status/1506683542905962502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

<ul>
<li>Going back to the leaders in driving FG% since the All-Star break &mdash; how about this top three: Jordan Poole (68.0%), Kevin Durant (67.3%) and Josh Hart (63.0%).&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Immanuel Quickley is averaging 14.4 points per game with a 64.2% True Shooting clip since the All-Star break.

NBA Stats Notebook: Immanuel Quickley's unusual shot diet can work

The Bruce Brown puzzle starts with trying to pin down his position.&nbsp;
Basketball Reference lists Brown as a point guard, shooting guard and small forward. The BBall Index labels him as a small forward on offense, a point guard on defense, and a big for his advanced position. The NBA plays it safe by calling him a guard-forward. Cleaning the Glass has described him as a forward, wing and combo guard. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Nash has been quoted</a> considering Brown possibly as a center.
While the merits of position labels are a separate conversation, the point is: If you want to find a truly "positionless" NBA player, you won't do much better than Brown.
The 25-year-old shifts fluidly between roles on a Brooklyn Nets team that has struggled dealing with change this season. Now, as the squad appears to be heating up, Brown is clicking as the textbook glue guy that any playoff contender would love to have. Since the All-Star break, he's averaging 14.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game, shooting 40.7% from three-point range with a 58.3% overall True Shooting percentage.
Brown is breaking out the full bag as an initiator and connective passer, a multi-faceted off-ball player and a primary defender. But a peek at the numbers also opens up more questions.&nbsp;
For example: Brown's at-rim scoring pressure is among the best from any non-big in the entire league. Over 45% of his shots have come within four feet of the basket in each of his four seasons and he's generally a solid finisher. His 65% clip at the rim this season is average among forwards.&nbsp;
So when I mosied on over to the Synergy playtype stats on the NBA's site, I was stunned to find that Brown has been by far one of the least efficient cutting scorers in the league this year. He's hit just 40.6% of his shot attempts off of halfcourt cuts; that's the worst among 105 players with at least 50 cutting possessions logged, and the closest player to him is Andre Drummond at 55.6%.&nbsp;
This does not mean Brown is a bad cutter.&nbsp;
I would argue after some cursory film study that he's generally excellent at timing his 45-cuts and weaving his way into space. Brown likes this right-hand jump floater but he doesn't always have the natural touch. According to InStat, he's made just 36.0% of his 114 floater attempts this season. Here's a reel with four great cuts and mixed floater results, plus two bonus cuts at the end:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/o3ze4z" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Synergy playtype data is generally considered to be some of the more accurate out there, but it's still vulnerable to subjectivity and tracking noise. More importantly, the possessions included here (from my understanding) are only plays that end in a shot, turnover or foul. That removes some of Brown's best work as a connector.&nbsp;
Since the All-Star break, Brown has a 15.0% assist rate (80th percentile among forwards) and 6.6% turnover rate (81st percentile). He returned to the starting lineup on Feb. 12 and has committed multiple turnovers in a game just once during that span. Brown's combination of decisiveness and patience means defenders don't have a moment to spare when he gets the ball.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/thdq12" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
If help comes to ward off a drive, Brown knows who gets open. He's also capable of making the right reads and applying just enough pressure with the ball in his hands. Brown stays patient on these baseline drives and makes two great reads:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v6km3o" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Brown is averaging 1.43 points per possession in transition and finishing 74% of his transition shot attempts, both among the best marks in the league. It's easier for him to get all the way to the rim in this context. Splitting hairs creates an interesting contrast: Brown is shooting 64.4% in the restricted area (not bad!) but 37.3% in the NBA's "In the Paint-Non-RA" zone (very bad!). Unsurprisingly, that's also the zone where he takes a lot of those hook-floater-type shots.
Being a 6-foot-5, 200-pound jack-of-all-trades means Brown can make the quick bursts we like to see and play with strength against smaller matchups. It also means he's going to have a tougher time finishing short touch shots associated with bigs because he's not a blow-by driver and, well, not exactly big.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
However, the offensive impact drastically rises when Brown has the three-point shot going. His 40.7% clip since the break comes at triple the pre-All-Star volume. It's still on a relatively small 2.5 attempts per game, but this could signal some increased confidence, and Brown is generally solid from the charity stripe.
Defenses do not respect the shot. They don't usually close out hard on his shots (see the below film) and are generally unafraid to help off of him when he's in the corners. For Brown, it's simply about making the defenses pay by hitting these catch-and-shoot looks. He made just 32.5% of his catch-and-shoot threes before the All-Star break but is up to 41.7% since then.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1n2rie" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
A sweet-shooting Brown means more easy perimeter points for Brooklyn, more space to weaponize him as a driver and passer, and perhaps some extra freedom for the Nets' superior scorers to move around off the ball.
Brown will always be a necessary rotation piece for the Nets due to his defensive value. He's not going to reach the All-Defensive stratosphere, but he's a darn good defender on a team that simply needs darn good defenders. Brooklyn dumps a ton of responsibilities on their malleable stopper.
BBall Index has developed <a href="Visit%20Glossary%20Here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">metrics</a> for defensive-matchup difficulty, positional versatility and role versatility. Brown places in the top 15% for all three. His deflections (3.5) and steals (1.7) per 75 possessions both rank in the top 10%.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/t9ftka" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Brown can read passing lanes, navigate screens and use active hands to muck up plays. He doesn't get into a whole ton of foul trouble (2.4 per game) and it's worth the payoff for his energy.&nbsp;
On the most recent episode of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a>, Steve Jones Jr. asked Nekias Duncan if Brown is currently the third-best player on the Brooklyn Nets. Right now, with most aspects of Brown's game clicking, I'm inclined to say yes. He's nowhere near the overall impact of a Draymond Green, but Brown boosts Brooklyn in ways akin to the Warriors star.&nbsp;
His shot ultimately determines his ceiling level of importance to the Nets in the postseason. If Brown can hit threes at even a middle ground between his pre and post-All-Star extremes, he threatens defenses and opens up the rest of his offensive game. If he can figure out that floater, he becomes lethal in space and off of cuts.
Brown possesses so many unique traits that defy most NBA-player archetypes. Now he just has to sync them all up in time for the playoffs.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>Marcus Smart has transformed his rim pressure this season and it's been fantastic:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Marcus Smart has made such a massive, necessary improvement in at-rim finishing this season. 2019-20: 47% at rim (11th %ile) 2020-21: 49% at rim (15th %ile) 2021-22: 64% at rim (73rd %ile!!) 24% of his shots are coming at the rim, his highest frequency since 2016-17
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1504301738026745859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Here's a great graphic from Mark Cheung from last week about Wendell Carter Jr.'s shifting shot selection:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Wendell Carter Jr. has been averaging 17/11/3 since the new year - and is doing so on a brand new shot diet of 3s and Drives. He's always flashed impressive shooting touch and ball skills for a big, now he's finally put it all together. <a href="https://t.co/0SXZrCa2EF">pic.twitter.com/0SXZrCa2EF</a>
&mdash; Mark (@MarkC_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkC_NBA/status/1502015316146077705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>A whopping 25 players are averaging at least 25 points per game in March. Eight are putting up 30 per game: Kyrie Irving (37.8), Jayson Tatum (35.1), Brandon Ingram (33.3), LeBron James (32.6), Giannis Antetokounmpo (32.5), Luka Doncic (32.1), De'Aaron Fox (30.9) and Joel Embiid (30.6). The league is going off!</li>
</ul>
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Ethan Fuller highlights the unique, wide-reaching impact of Bruce Brown for the Brooklyn Nets.

NBA Stats Notebook: Bruce Brown is Brooklyn's game-changing enigma

We live in a star-horny society.
You could look to a number of things to prove this. Watch an ad for an upcoming NBA game that&rsquo;ll air on ESPN or ABC. They&rsquo;ve been repurposing the same song all year, and apparently have assigned Fat Joe to rhyme the names of the stars from said game.
&ldquo;Kyrie Irving, James Harden coming through in the clutch.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Steph Curry hittin' Klay in the cut.&rdquo;
The formula is always the same: highlight the stars, not the teams. Make it &ldquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/SmittyBeatz_/status/1467871495657504773" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Curry vs. Embiid</a>,&rdquo; then at the very end, change it to Warriors vs. 76ers. Or, in this case, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZUo0M4pst9/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyrie vs. Curry</a>, and Harden vs. Klay, before making it Nets vs. Warriors.
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Now, look to the Most Improved Player Award. CJ McCollum is the only Most Improved Player of the last 10 years to not become an All-Star, and he probably should&rsquo;ve been selected at least once.
Early on, what you&rsquo;d often see were players winning the MIP award because of increased counting stats, even when the counting stats only improved because their minutes did &mdash; and the players&rsquo; per-36 stats remained eerily similar. Apologies to Don MacLean and the 24-win Washington Bullets of 1994.
Other times, the award would just go to top draft picks who developed as many already expected they would, regardless of how their team performed. Looking at you, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Pervis Ellison, respectfully. Though, sometimes, they absolutely nailed it, like with Dale Ellis in 1987, Tracy McGrady in 2001, Jermaine O&rsquo;Neal in 2002 and Hedo T&uuml;rkoğlu in 2007.
In recent years, the award has become more of a star-crowning achievement that cements your arrival, no longer potentially rewarding a 30-year-old journeyman like Darrell Armstrong for finally putting it all together on <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1999.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league&rsquo;s best regular-season teams</a> of 1999. Or an out-of-nowhere revelation like Isaac Austin, who had left the NBA for Europe before coming back and winning the award in 1997.
This year, we&rsquo;re probably going to follow a similar star-making template. Ja Morant is expected to win the award despite being the No. 2 overall pick in 2019. Expect to see 2019 No. 5 overall pick Darius Garland right behind him.
Why is the award going to high draft picks who just develop as top selections are expected to, like Brandon Ingram two seasons ago? Players should be considered if they've made huge leaps and filled important roles on respectable teams. Right now, it feels like we're only rewarding players who make the jump from above-average starter to star.
So here, I&rsquo;ll highlight guys closer to that Austin, Armstrong, archetype, who really should get Most-Improved-Player consideration (even though they won't) instead of only the rising stars who dominate the category. Guys who proved they belong &mdash; they matter, too.
Caleb Martin, Miami Heat
Caleb Martin and his twin Cody had been teammates with the Charlotte Hornets over the last two seasons, and because they play the same position, one of them had to go. Out went Caleb.
Apparently, <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article258506473.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thanks to J. Cole</a>, Caleb got a shot with the Miami Heat, and if you&rsquo;re an agent representing a fringe NBA player, that is where you&rsquo;d probably want your client to go.
Caleb&rsquo;s jumped from 5.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.7 steals in 15.4 minutes per game in his last Charlotte season to 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 23.1 minutes per game in Miami.
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Per-36 minutes, the scoring has improved from 11.6 to 14.9 points. The offensive rating has skyrocketed from 99 to 122. The defensive rating is down from 112 to 107. The previously non-existent shooting has gone from 38/25/64 splits to 52/40/76 from the field, three and free-throw line, with a true-shooting percentage at 61.8, up more than 15 percentage points from last season. He&rsquo;s also top-five on the Heat in both win shares (3.9) and win shares per 48 (.158).
In Miami, he&rsquo;s guarded some of the opposition&rsquo;s toughest assignments &mdash; yes, even with multiple Defensive-Player-of-the-Year candidates on his own team in Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler &mdash; and went from a two-way contract player to a rotation guy who simply has to get playoff minutes in order for the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s No. 1 team to be at their best from 1-through-9 this spring. He&rsquo;s had a massive impact, and a largely unforeseen one.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Do me a favor and watch these late defensive possessions from Miami Take a look at one guy shifting the game through defensive impact His name is Caleb Martin <a href="https://t.co/NFRmelYcux">pic.twitter.com/NFRmelYcux</a>
&mdash; Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) <a href="https://twitter.com/BradyHawk305/status/1500323996201590788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Javonte Green, Chicago Bulls
This list was made for someone like Javonte Green.
This dude, at 28, is the only Radford alum to play in the NBA for more than five career games, and they were the only school to offer him out of high school. After going undrafted, he played overseas, including at LEB Plata (Spain&rsquo;s third division after Liga ACB and LEB Oro) and Serie A2 Basket (Italy&rsquo;s second league after Lega Basket Serie A). After four seasons in Europe, he finally got to the NBA in 2019, and until this year, he had averaged just over 10 minutes through 89 games with the Boston Celtics and the Bulls, who acquired him just under a year ago.
This season, Green&rsquo;s up to 24.5 minutes per contest, with 36 starts in 48 games for the playoff-bound Bulls who currently sit at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference. His averages are up from 3.6 points and 1.7 rebounds to 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, with about a steal and half a block too. His shooting&rsquo;s up from 52/33/75 to 54/35/83, and although his per-36 stats are roughly the same, his offensive rating is way up from 118 to 131 (team-high), and his True Shooting percentage is a career-high .637. His .139 win shares per 48 minutes are second to only DeMar DeRozan in Chicago too.
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<a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/bulls-javonte-green-making-name-self-regardless-role" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shout out to K.C. Johnson for the timely feature on Green</a> that went up Tuesday, in which I&rsquo;ll grab the following quote to support this agenda:
&ldquo;I know what I&rsquo;m on the team for and what I bring to the team," Green said. "I&rsquo;m going to continue to do that whether that&rsquo;s coming off the bench or starting. I&rsquo;m just here to do my job, be here for my teammates. Whatever they need me to do, I&rsquo;m going to do it regardless if I&rsquo;m starting or coming off the bench. It&rsquo;s not like I&rsquo;m mad about it or anything.&rdquo;
Green&rsquo;s the kind of guy that goes on your squad and instantly becomes a fan favorite, unless you only care about "hoooooperzzzzz."
Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors
Gary Payton II&rsquo;s been in the league in some capacity since 2016, but has typically been a fringe, perimeter defensive specialist who didn&rsquo;t catch on anywhere aside from the Washington Wizards of 2019-20, with whom he started 17 of his 29 appearances. He was with Golden State last year, but only for 10 games; most of his season was spent in the G League, where he won Defensive Player of the Year.
His averages in those 10 Warrior games last season? 4.0 minutes, 2.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.6 steals. This year? 17.1 minutes, 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He&rsquo;s also shooting 61% from the field and 36% from three on nearly two attempts per game &mdash; his jumper&rsquo;s been a factor on him spinning his wheels prior to now.
He&rsquo;s one of the best defenders on the planet, which is something we got a whiff of in Washington, but it&rsquo;s really amplified thanks to his increased role in Golden State. A 102 defensive rating, for a guard in this era, is a rarity &mdash; it&rsquo;s first in the NBA among qualified backcourt players by three points.
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On the ball, he&rsquo;s one of the absolute best in the league to watch defensively, and should get All-Defensive consideration even in his limited role. Word to Triple H. He&rsquo;s. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzgtubZmjng">That. Damn. Good</a>.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Minnesota Timberwolves 
The only one of these guys to have actually been drafted, Jarred Vanderbilt is the rare developmental success story out of Minnesota. Selected No. 41 overall in 2018, Vanderbilt was originally in the Denver Nuggets&rsquo; system before he was included in a four-team deal two February&rsquo;s ago, landing him here.
From 2018 through 2020, Vanderbilt logged 4.1 minutes per game in just 28 NBA appearances. Last season, he became a rotation piece, though it was still on a typical Timberwolve team &mdash; one that finished 23-49 and 13th&nbsp;in the Western Conference.
He averaged 5.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks on 17.8 minutes per contest on 61% shooting. This season, he&rsquo;s up to 7.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 0.7 blocks in 25.9 minutes per game on 59% shooting. His win shares are up from 3.1 to 5.4, and has been second on the T-Wolves (after Karl-Anthony Towns) for each of the last two seasons in win shares per 48 among players who&rsquo;ve logged 300 or more total minutes, improving to .164 from .132. This year, he has a 106 defensive rating too. Like GPII, that is primarily why he&rsquo;s here.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jarred Vanderbilt singlehandedly outrebounded the Lakers entire big man rotation, while teaming with KAT and Jaden to turn LeBron and Melo into potatoes The Wolves got up 20 (TWENTY) more shot attempts than LA while holding them to 38% shooting Vando. 1st. Team. All. Defense. <a href="https://t.co/oVjKFmu4hf">pic.twitter.com/oVjKFmu4hf</a>
&mdash; Key Sang (@Phantele_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Phantele_/status/1472191041575034880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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He&rsquo;s clearly been a large part of why the Timberwolves have played respectable defense, even as their top-three guys have been largely known for&hellip; well, not that. Patrick Beverley has come in to help, as well, and the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/we-should-give-dangelo-russell-more-credit">T-Wolves are 37-29 and seventh&nbsp;out West</a>.
Vanderbilt might flirt with an All-Defensive Team selection this season, which wasn&rsquo;t something you could say last year.
Honorable Mentions 
Amir Coffey, Los Angeles Clippers
Grant Williams, Boston Celtics
Gabe Vincent, Miami Heat 
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Bryan Fonseca highlights four NBA players who deserve praise for improving, even though they won't receive any hardware.

Analyzing long-shot Most Improved Player candidates who deserve love

In case you&rsquo;ve been overly consumed by the NBA, college basketball, or the WNBA off-season, now would be a great time to remind y&rsquo;all that the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers are going on.
And in case you didn&rsquo;t know, the host countries for the 2023 World Cup are Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines &mdash; more on that later.
The last World Cup was right before the 2019-20 season, but feels so long ago because this whole COVID thing hadn&rsquo;t yet clapped us up. If you remember, the 2020 Olympics took place in 2021 &mdash; as in, last year. Yeah, I know, the international stuff can get confusing, but I&rsquo;m here to help you. Trust me.
Now, perhaps quietly to some, international play quickly resumed this past November with the first window of 2023 World Cup qualifying, which we&rsquo;ll recap shortly.
You have four sets of qualifying regions: Africa, Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Europe. There are six windows played over a 15-month span (starting from this past November), where the competing squads normally would participate in two games per window. COVID had other ideas &mdash; more on that later.
Currently, each region has groups of four, and the top three in each group will advance to round two following the June/July window. This current round of qualifying is between Nov. 20-30, Feb. 21-March 1, and June 27-July 5, after which we&rsquo;ll enter round two. Round two also occurs over three windows: August 22-30, Nov. 7-15, and Feb. 20-28, then those who will have qualified will enter group drawing next March, and we&rsquo;ll see them compete between August 25-September 10 &mdash; the World Cup.
Now, let&rsquo;s lay out all the things you should probably know and, if you see a number in parenthesis next to a team that&rsquo;s listed, that&rsquo;s their current world ranking, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/rankingmen">according to FIBA</a>. So if you feel like your people are being misrepresented, leave me alone and take that up with them. (Unless &hellip; unless you mean, you know, actual greater good/societal misrepresentation, then &hellip; let&rsquo;s talk, because me, too.)
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African Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Angola, Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia
As they did in 2019, Africa will get five of the final 32 World Cup spots. Though they&rsquo;re hoping for a better result, because none of them advanced past&nbsp;group play. The Groups are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Nigeria (22), Mali (72), Cape Verde (74), Uganda (78),</li>
<li>Group B: Tunisia (28), Cameroon (64), South Sudan (82), Rwanda (84)</li>
<li>Group C: Angola (31), Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire (40), Central African Rep. (75), Guinea (99)</li>
<li>Group D: Senegal (34), Egypt (59), Congo DR (81), Kenya (103)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Africa has a slightly different format. Groups A and C each played three games from Nov. 26-28, the biggest perhaps being Cape Verde&rsquo;s 79-71 upset over Nigeria, which helped move their ranking from No. 100 to No. 74 in the world. Thus, Groups A and C will return in the summer window. Nigeria and Mali are 2-1 and lead Group A, and Cote d&rsquo;Ivoire went 3-0 in November, sitting atop Group C. Groups B and D begin qualifying on Feb. 25 at Dakar Arena in Senegal, which will be three straight days of games through the 27th.
Tunisia&rsquo;s To Lose?: Tunisia went 10-2 in their World Cup qualifying for the 2019 tournament, and is expected to have similar production in group play here. Tunisia won the 2021 AfroBasket this past September, led by tournament MVP Makrem Romdhane, and All-Tournament guard Omar Abada. There&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/african-qualifiers/news/the-african-champions-are-ready-to-soar-in-dakar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also a chance star center Salah Mejri suits up for Tunisia</a>. The 7-foot-2 former Dallas Maverick <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/teams/tunisia/2019.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">led Tunisia with 16.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game</a> in their second ever World Cup appearance three years ago.
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The Biggest What If: Tunisia plays Cameroon on Feb. 25. Cameroon is one of the many wild cards worth keeping tabs on. They still haven&rsquo;t been able to piece together the dream frontcourt of Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who hasn&rsquo;t played since the NBA bubble. <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/2/7/14539418/joel-embiid-named-cameroon-preliminary-roster-fiba-afrobasket-2017-luc-mbah-a-moute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embiid came close in 2017</a>, but ultimately didn&rsquo;t play. Obviously, NBA players rarely can compete in these qualifying windows because of, well, them being in the NBA. But if Cameroon could do well enough and qualify, who knows if that&rsquo;ll be enough to lure Embiid and Siakam into international play.
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American Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Argentina (silver medalist), Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USA, and Venezuela.
The Americas will, again, send seven to the World Cup late next year. The Americas have the standard format across the board, so this window will mark two games for each club. The groups are:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Argentina (7), Venezuela (17), Panama (50), Paraguay (77)</li>
<li>Group B: Brazil (15), Uruguay (41), Colombia (67), Chile (68)</li>
<li>Group C: Canada (18), Dominican Republic (20), U.S. Virgin Islands (54), Bahamas (62)</li>
<li>Group D: U.S.A. (1), Puerto Rico (19), Mexico (24), Cuba (65)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Uruguay, Canada, Dominican Republic and Mexico are all 2-0. U.S.A. and Puerto Rico are the only 1-1 teams in the Americas, and will play each other on Tuesday in Washington D.C. Notably, for Team U.S.A., Jim Boylen coached the club in the November window, in which they held off Cuba 95-90, then lost to Mexico in Chihuahua City, 97-88. Although Cuba is 0-2, their star, Jaisel Rivero, is good enough to steal them a game. Rivero put 34 (13-18 shooting) with 9 rebounds and 3 threes on Team USA in their narrow loss. Rivero currently competes with Liga ACB and EuroCup&rsquo;s Valencia Basket in Spain, where he averages 11.1 points (second on team) and 4.9 rebounds (third on team) across all competitions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
21 points for <a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isaiahthomas</a> last night, including 4 made threes, none bigger than this dagger. 👀 Team USA defeated Cuba 95-90 to start 2023 World Cup Qualifiers. They face Mexico tonight. 📹: <a href="https://t.co/nNQDfvcF82">https://t.co/nNQDfvcF82</a> (via FIBA) <a href="https://t.co/dhAUAUVHLy">pic.twitter.com/dhAUAUVHLy</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1465437069073858560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a>
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Uncle Iso Joe: Among <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/game/0407/Mexico-USA#|tab=boxscore">the notables who suited up for Team USA in November</a> were Isaiah Thomas, Luke Kornet, Chasson Randle, Haywood Highsmith and Shaquille Harrison, among many other current and former NBA players. Seven-time All-Star and 40-year-old Joe Johnson, who famously was a Boston Celtic briefly earlier this season, is <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/news/nba-experience-leads-revamped-united-states-roster-for-second-window-of-2023-fiba-world-cup-americas-qualifiers">confirmed to be suiting up with Team USA</a> in this February window. Brian Bowen II is the only player returning from the November window. Other Team U.S.A. members include current G Leaguers Jordan Bell, David Stockton, Langston Galloway and Justin Wright-Foreman, among others.
La Nueva Era de Baloncesto: Both Mexico and Puerto Rico announced new head coaches shortly before the November window. Mexico&rsquo;s led by long-time NBA assistant Kaleb Caneles, while Puerto Rico hired Nelson Colon, who is a three-time champion and Coach of the Year in Baloncesto Superior Nacional, Puerto Rico&rsquo;s top pro basketball league. Former long-time NBA guard Carlos Arroyo was also appointed the <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/news/puerto-rico-appoints-carlos-arroyo-as-its-male-national-team-general-manager#:~:text=Americas-,Puerto%20Rico%20appoints%20Carlos%20Arroyo%20as%20its%20male%20National%20Team,of%20the%20men's%20national%20team.">Puerto Rican National Team&rsquo;s General Manager last June</a>.
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Both Puerto Rico and Mexico starting this cycle with new coaches, too: <a href="https://t.co/PCDaPmNumy">https://t.co/PCDaPmNumy</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1465151054278967302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Asia-Oceania Region
2019 WC qualifiers: Australia (finished fourth), China, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, South Korea and the Philippines.
The hosts &ndash; Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia &ndash; typically automatically qualify for the World Cup. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171213161459/http:/www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2017/12/13/1767946/learning-2019-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indonesia&rsquo;s qualification is more provisional</a> due to their lack of international success. Japan and the Philippines are automatically in, but they&rsquo;re all scheduled to participate in World Cup qualifiers anyway.
In the 2019 World Cup, Asia/Oceania sent eight teams over, which they&rsquo;ll do again in 2023. Here are the groups:
<ul>
<li>Group A: New Zealand (27), South Korea (30), Philippines (33), India (80)</li>
<li>Group B: Australia (3), China (29), Japan (37), Chinese Taipei (66)</li>
<li>Group C: Jordan (39), Lebanon (55), Indonesia (91), Saudi Arabia (79)</li>
<li>Group D: Iran (23),&nbsp;Kazakhstan (70), Syria (85), Bahrain (104)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Due to travel restrictions (COVID), <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/asian-qualifiers/news/update-to-the-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-asian-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several games had to be canceled</a>, so while the format was originally the same as the Americas, it came with some modifications. No one in Group A has played yet, so they&rsquo;ll each play four games to compensate, all of which will take place between Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. In Group B, only China and Japan were able to play, and China smacked them twice, 79-63, and 106-73. Australia and Chinese Taipei are each scheduled to play three times between Feb. 25 and Feb. 28. Japan will play twice in this window, once against each of them, and China will return for four games in the third window to end round one.
Medal Momentum: This will mark the first we see of Australia since finally winning their first medal at the 2020 Olympics (that were played in 2021). Australia had lost the bronze medal game in the 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2016 Olympics before finally medaling in their fifth attempt. In their history, they&rsquo;ve never had a better World Cup finish than in 2019, where they lost in &hellip; another bronze medal game. Perhaps Australia is really turning a corner now. &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🥉 HISTORY MADE 🥉 The Boomers have done it- Australia have secured their first ever men&rsquo;s basketball Olympic medal! The bronze is coming home! 💚💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/ngxiYRwHdk">pic.twitter.com/ngxiYRwHdk</a>
&mdash; Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballAus/status/1423988352987013120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a>
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European Region&nbsp;
2019 WC qualifiers: Czech Republic, France (bronze medalist), Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Spain (gold medalist), Turkey.
Europe is the largest region of basketball playing powers here, so their rules are slightly different. Instead of four groups, there are eight. As a result, they&rsquo;ll get 12 World Cup bids.
Here are the groups:
<ul>
<li>Group A: Serbia (6), Latvia (26), Belgium (36), Slovakia (63)</li>
<li>Group B: Greece (10), Turkey (16), Great Britain (44), Belarus (48)</li>
<li>Group C: Slovenia (4), Croatia (21), Finland (35), Sweden (51)</li>
<li>Group D: Germany (11), Poland (13), Israel (42), Estonia (49)</li>
<li>Group E: France (5), Montenegro (25), Hungary (43), Portugal (58)</li>
<li>Group F: Lithuania (8), Czech Republic (12), Bosnia (45), Bulgaria (53)</li>
<li>Group G: Spain (2), Ukraine (32), Georgia (38), North Macedonia (52)</li>
<li>Group H: Italy (9), Russia (14), Netherlands (47), Iceland (46)</li>
</ul>
First Window Summary: Everyone here was able to play two games in November. Your 2-0 teams are as follows: Belgium, Slovenia, Israel, France, Lithuania, Bosnia, Spain and Russia. Your 0-2 teams are Netherlands, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Portugal, Poland, Croatia and Slovakia. Czech Republic was a story from the 2019 World Cup. They shockingly punched above their weight and reached the quarterfinals. Czech Republic, led by Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky, finished sixth, one spot above Team U.S.A. But, so far, they haven&rsquo;t won a game in 2023 qualifying. Czech Republic lost to Bosnia 97-90 and Lithuania 74-66. They should have a breakthrough against Bulgaria on the 24th, but it&rsquo;ll be difficult to set themselves up for a repeat of 2019, which was their first World Cup bid.
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The State of Spain: After winning the 2019 World Cup with an incredibly stacked team, including tournament MVP Ricky Rubio, captain Rudy Fern&aacute;ndez, Marc Gasol and Willy Hernang&oacute;mez, Spain was knocked out of the Olympic quarterfinals by the United States. Their Olympic team featured many of their same heavy-hitters, including even Pau Gasol, who retired in October and is now a member of the International Olympic Committee. Like the United States, many of the players you&rsquo;d expect to see on their World Cup roster <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/team/Spain#|tab=roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely won&rsquo;t participate much until then</a>. Even so, expect them to continue reigning as one of the top teams in the world. We could talk about the age factor around this time next year, perhaps.
The Sleeping Giant: Slovenia famously jumped 12 spots after their debut Olympic performance, largely led by Luka Dončić, accompanied by standout pro teammates Mike Tobey, Zoran (Goran&rsquo;s brother) Dragić,&nbsp;and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlatko_%C4%8Can%C4%8Dar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vlatko Čančar</a>. Slovenia finished fourth, losing to Australia in the bronze medal game. They didn&rsquo;t qualify for the 2019 World Cup, but did win the 2017 EuroBasket, in which Goran won MVP and Luka, at 18 years old, was named to the All-Tournament team. (Anthony Randolph played for the Slovenian team, then. Who knew?!?) Dragić and Tobey are <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/team/Slovenia#|tab=roster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed on the roster for this window</a>. Look for them to continue raising hell in qualifiers, and if Dončić suits up, in the World Cup, too.
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For even more World Cup info and complete schedules, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go here</a>.
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Bryan Fonseca gives an overview of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Things to monitor as FIBA World Cup’s next qualifying window arrives

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-bucks-back-into-top-tier-mavs-move-up-into-top10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Phoenix Suns continue to cruise, while the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics have been grinding their way into the NBA's upper-echelon as of late.
1. Phoenix Suns (46-10) &harr;️&nbsp; Last Week: 1
The Suns have been, by far, the best and most consistent team in the NBA this season. They proved it once again last week by beating up on three of the Eastern Conference's best teams (the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks) in succession.
2. Memphis Grizzlies (40-18) ⬆️ Last Week: 3
The Grizz are currently riding another five-game winning streak and have won 21 of their last 25 contests. Memphis will look to make it seven in a row heading into the All-Star break by beating the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers this week.&nbsp;
3. Golden State Warriors (42-16) ⬇️ Last Week: 2
The Warriors have dropped 3 of their last 4 games, including an embarrassing home loss to the New York Knicks last Thursday and a 15-point shellacking by the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. Golden State is now five games behind the Suns for the top spot in the Western Conference. "Our defense has just been bad for six, seven games now. It's hard to win in this league when you're looking like we are defensively, with so many holes," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after Monday's loss.&nbsp;
4. Miami Heat (37-20) ⬆️ Last Week: 5
The Heat welcomed Kyle Lowry back earlier this month, and have won each of the five games they've played with their point guard in the lineup.&nbsp;
5. Chicago Bulls (37-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 6
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40 POINTS for <a href="https://twitter.com/DeMar_DeRozan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeMar_DeRozan</a>. 4 straight wins for <a href="https://twitter.com/chicagobulls?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chicagobulls</a>. <a href="https://t.co/zj9U5zwzYG">pic.twitter.com/zj9U5zwzYG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1493464239973011459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Shockingly, DeMar DeRozan has pushed his name into the fringes of the MVP conversation of late due to his awe-inspiring play over the past few weeks. He has scored at least 30 points in seven consecutive contests, making him the first Bull with such a streak since Michael Jordan during the 1996-97 season. During this seven-game stretch, DeRozan is averaging 37.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists, while shooting 58% from the floor.&nbsp;
6. Utah Jazz (36-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 10
On Monday night, the Jazz wrapped up a perfect 6-0 homestand with an easy victory over the Houston Rockets. They also welcomed back Rudy Gobert in that contest, who had missed nine games due to a left calf strain. It was the first time Utah had its entire starting five on the floor together since Jan. 13.&nbsp;
7. Philadelphia 76ers (34-22) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
James Harden spoke with the media on Tuesday for the first time since his arrival in Philadelphia and said the Sixers were a "perfect fit" and his first choice. "Obviously, you got the best big man in the league in Joel [Embiid] and then obviously the coaching. Just from top to bottom, it made sense," Harden said. The Beard also seemed to take a swipe at a former teammate, stating, "I needed to be around guys that I know want to win and are willing to do whatever it takes to win."
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
The NBA announced Monday that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jarrett-allen-named-nba-allstar-replacement-for-injured-james-harden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jarrett Allen would replace James Harden</a> (hamstring) in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Allen is averaging career highs in points (16.2), rebounds (11.1), assists (1.8), steals (0.76) and minutes (32.6) this season.
9. Milwaukee Bucks (35-23) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The Bucks' loss to the Suns in Phoenix last Thursday was understandable, if not acceptable &mdash; but Monday's defeat to the Blazers was demoralizing. Milwaukee's defense has been horrendous as of late. The team ranks 27th in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency dating back to late January.
10. Boston Celtics (33-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 13
The Celtics are riding the league's longest winning streak, having notched eight straight victories. They have been the best defensive team in the NBA in 2022, and added Derrick White prior to the trade deadline, who should help them on both ends of the floor.&nbsp;
11. Dallas Mavericks (33-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 9
On Monday, Luka Doncic was named the Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging a whopping 43.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists over Dallas' past three games. In the two games he played against the Los Angeles Clippers late last week, Doncic tallied 96 points, 24 rebounds, 14 assists and 13 made three-pointers. According to Basketball-Reference, he is the first player in NBA history with at least 96/24/14 and 13 treys over a two-game span.
12. Denver Nuggets (32-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 11
The Nuggets didn't make a major move at the deadline, but Denver fans are hoping two key contributors return before the playoffs arrive. Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said last week that he believes Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will be physically cleared to return "hopefully in the not too distant future."
13. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-27) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
Anthony Edwards tallied 37 points with 7 threes, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in Sunday's victory over the Indiana Pacers. However, it was his very first bucket of the game that made history, as it was the 2,500th point of his career. At 20 years, 192 days old, Ant-Man is the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to reach that total. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are the only players to reach that milestone at a younger age.&nbsp;
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14. Toronto Raptors (31-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Raps had won eight straight games before losing to Denver over the weekend, and then shockingly, Toronto was pummeled by the Pelicans on Monday night, 120-90.&nbsp;
15. Brooklyn Nets (30-27) &harr;️ Last Week: 15
Although Ben Simmons has yet to suit up, the other players the Nets got in the Harden deal provided a much-needed spark Monday night, and helped snap Brooklyn's 11-game losing streak. Seth Curry racked up 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in 32 minutes in his Nets debut, while Andre Drummond chipped in 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block in 24 minutes.
16. Los Angeles Clippers (29-30)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 20
The Clippers have registered two impressive victories in a row. They held off the Mavericks in Dallas on Saturday, despite a 45-point explosion from Luka Doncic. Then, on Monday, L.A. beat the Warriors, 119-104.&nbsp;
17. Charlotte Hornets (29-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
The Hornets have lost 7 of their last 8 games, and their only victory during this stretch has been over the hapless Detroit Pistons. Charlotte hasn't beaten a team with a winning record since defeating the Celtics back on Jan. 19.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-31) &harr;️ Last Week: 18
As BasketballNews.com <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-lakers-landed-here-a-stepbystep-look-at-how-la-managed-to-turn-a-championship-roster-into-a-sub500-mess" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed earlier this week</a>, the Lakers have somehow managed to turn a championship-level roster into a team that finds itself six games below .500 with an outside chance of finishing the season on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.&nbsp;
19. Atlanta Hawks (26-30) ⬇️ Last Week: 17
Not only have the Hawks lost 4 of their last 5 games, but the team also learned over the weekend that forward John Collins &mdash; who injured his foot in Friday's loss to the San Antonio Spurs &mdash; has been diagnosed with a right foot strain and will be sidelined through the All-Star break.
20. Washington Wizards (26-30) ⬆️ Last Week: 21
Washington head coach Wes Unseld Jr. told reporters Monday that there is a chance that the newly-acquired Kristaps Porzingis &mdash; who has been dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee &mdash; may be medically cleared to play this week. "He's doing a little bit more every day on the floor," Unseld said. "That's a positive sign, but we still have to be cautious with it. When the time's right, he's ready."
21. Portland Trail Blazers (24-34) ⬆️ Last Week: 25
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/AnferneeSimons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnferneeSimons</a> drops 31 PTS on the road to give the <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trailblazers</a> their 3rd straight W! 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA75?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA75</a> <a href="https://t.co/AlS3oTWN8Q">pic.twitter.com/AlS3oTWN8Q</a>
&mdash; NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA_Philippines/status/1493473746228711424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Break up the Blazers! After Portland busted up its core at the deadline, most pundits assumed the team would sink to the bottom of the standings. However, the Blazers are 3-0 since trading away CJ McCollum and Co., with shocking wins over the Lakers, Knicks and Bucks. During this three-game stretch, Anfernee Simons is averaging 30.0 points, 6.3 assists and 6.0 made treys, while slashing .486/.462/.800.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (23-34) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
On Monday, the Pels ended a brief two-game losing streak with an impressive blowout victory over the Raptors. CJ McCollum &mdash; who tallied 36 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists on Saturday &mdash; scored 23 points on an efficient 9 of 13 shooting in Monday's 120-90 win over Toronto.&nbsp;
23. New York Knicks (25-33) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
The Knicks have lost 9 of their last 12 games, and things don't get any easier over the next few weeks. After hosting the Nets on Wednesday, New York will play Miami and Philadelphia right after the All-Star Break before embarking on a brutal seven-game road trip (its longest of the season).&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (22-37) &harr;️ Last Week: 24
De'Aaron Fox has scored more than 25 points in each of the four games he's played since returning from an ankle injury after the trade deadline. Fox is averaging 27.0 points (on 49.4% shooting), 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 made three-pointers during this four-game stretch. &nbsp;
25. San Antonio Spurs (22-36) ⬇️ Last Week: 23
With their loss to the Bulls in Chicago on Monday, the Spurs are just 1-12 this season in the 13 games they've played against teams that are currently over .500.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (18-39) ⬆️ Last Week: 27
After tallying 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a loss to the Bulls on Saturday, Josh Giddey exploded for a career-high 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in OKC's victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Giddey is the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double in back-to-back games.
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27. Indiana Pacers (19-39)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 26
The Pacers' moves before the deadline have given Oshae Brissett a chance to step in, and the 23-year-old out of Syracuse has stepped up. Over Indiana's past three games, Brissett is averaging 18.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 2.3 made triples (on 43.8% shooting from downtown) in 34.7 minutes per contest.
28. Houston Rockets (15-41) &harr;️ Last Week: 28
The Rockets have lost 9 of their last 10 games, and have to travel to Phoenix to take on the league-leading Suns on Wednesday night.
29. Orlando Magic (13-46) &harr;️ Last Week: 29
In a season with few other bright spots for Orlando, Franz Wagner continues to impress. The rookie sensation stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in Monday's loss to the Nuggets.
30. Detroit Pistons (12-45) &harr;️ Last Week: 30
Marvin Bagley III, who the Pistons acquired from the Kings at last week's deadline, finished with 10 points and 8 rebounds in 21 minutes in his Pistons debut on Monday. Bagley will compete for minutes with Isaiah Stewart and Kelly Olynyk over the second half of the season.
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NBA Power Rankings: Celtics break into top-10, Jazz heating up

Betting on the NBA is a great way to invest yourself into the action, literally. Around 35% of the way through the 2021-22 NBA regular season, I thought it would be an interesting time during the holidays to check in on how teams are faring against the spread.
For those wondering, what exactly is a spread? Well, it&rsquo;s how much sportsbooks predict a team to win in that game. For example, the Utah Jazz were favored to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves by at least 11 points on Thursday night with the spread at -10.5. (Since the Jazz won that game by 12, they covered.)
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Here on BasketballNews.com, yours truly runs a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/nothing-but-bets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">daily NBA betting podcast</a> called &ldquo;Nothing But Bets.&rdquo; If you haven&rsquo;t already, make sure you check it out as I provide you the betting edge before tip-off with picks against the spread, plus over/under player props via PrizePicks.
When putting the whole league under a betting-related microscope, there are a few eye-opening takeaways. Here are teams' records against the spread as of Dec. 24, 2021:
Cleveland Cavaliers: 24-8
Oklahoma City Thunder: 20-11
Golden State Warriors: 20-11-1
Charlotte Hornets: 20-13-1
Chicago Bulls: 19-11
Miami Heat: 19-14
Memphis Grizzlies: 19-15
Sna Antonio Spurs: 18-13
Boston Celtics: 18-14
Phoenix Suns: 17-14
Utah Jazz: 16-15
Indiana Pacers: 16-16-1
Minnesota Timberwolves: 16-16
Houston Rockets: 16-16-1
Detroit Pistons: 15-16
Dallas Mavericks: 15-17
New Orleans Pelicans: 15-18
Milwaukee Bucks: 15-20
Toronto Raptors: 14-15
Washington Wizards: 14-17-1
Philadelphia 76ers: 14-18
Los Angeles Clippers: 14-18
Orlando Magic: 14-19
Sacramento Kings: 14-19
Brooklyn Nets: 13-17
Atlanta Hawks: 13-18
Denver Nuggets: 13-18
New York Knicks: 13-19
Portland Trail Blazers: 12-20
Los Angeles Lakers: 11-21-1
First off, hello Cleveland. The Cavaliers are well ahead of the pack as it relates to their record against the spread at a dominant 24-8 mark. They have a full four-game lead on second place, which says a lot not only about Cleveland&rsquo;s eye-opening improvements this season, but also how often betting prognosticators continue to doubt the team's legitimacy.
Incredibly enough, the Oklahoma City Thunder are right behind Cleveland at No. 2 in the ATS standings. Before losing in Phoenix last night, OKC was 6-point underdogs at home against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday evening. The Thunder not only covered the spread, but won outright in blowout fashion. This says a lot about the progress they&rsquo;re making in their rebuild attempt. Somehow, someway, the Thunder are 27-36 overall when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has started for them over the last two seasons.
On the other hand, at the bottom of the list, it's no surprise who ranks last. There were NBA Finals hopes for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, but they continue to get in their own way constantly. What were high hopes in terms of adding Russell Westbrook and ample floor-spacing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis have now turned disastrous. Not only has the Westbrook fit been clunky at best &mdash; which was a worry once the blockbuster trade happened during the 2021 NBA Draft &mdash; but the lack of depth is also startling compared to actual contenders within the league. Checking in with a 11-21-1 record against the spread, Los Angeles continues to lose cash for those who bet on the purple-and-gold at a rapid rate.
A good indicator of this list, as hinted at above, is how these teams rank in record are really based off preseason expectations. Alongside the Lakers at the bottom are the Trail Blazers, Knicks, Hawks and Nuggets, four teams who also got off to very slow starts. Atlanta and Denver are finally climbing out of their ruts, but Portland&rsquo;s lack of aggressiveness to make a true contender around Damian Lillard continues to be a major problem. Meanwhile, New York&rsquo;s magic from last season is wearing off, as Tom Thibodeau's crew seems stuck in the lower portion of the reloaded Eastern Conference.
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At the top, Cleveland is going to stay at No. 1 for awhile unless it completely nosedives before the All-Star break. Next to the Cavs are the aforementioned Thunder, Warriors, Hornets and Bulls. Chicago and Golden State were expected to improve during the 2021-22 campaign, but not many thought they would reach these levels already; both teams seem settled into the top tiers of their respective conferences. I was high on the Hornets&rsquo; potential entering this season thanks to LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s expected sophomore leap, but the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-embarrassing-defense-sinking-their-enticing-potential" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defense has collapsed</a> to the point where it&rsquo;s hard to even trust them to stop opposing teams from scoring 125 points on a nightly basis. (Last night's 115-107 win in Denver was a step in the right direction at least.)
The rest of the standings within the middle are jumbled up together, which should come as no surprise with the unpredictability of the NBA from a betting perspective. However, that&rsquo;s what makes it so fun. Current betting trends like this not only showcase the winners and losers to stake wagers on, but also&nbsp; paint a clearer picture of how teams are valued in a different manner.
Stay tuned for more NBA betting content on BasketballNews.com throughout the season, and make sure to subscribe to &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on our own podcast network featuring 12 excellent shows.

Looking at the NBA from a different viewpoint, how do teams stack up against the spread so far this season?

How NBA teams are stacking up against the spread this season

The Indiana Pacers might press the big red button.
Fresh off a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-must-accept-new-reality-and-become-sellers-at-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plea from our own Evan Sidery</a>, The Athletic's Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz reported that the Pacers may be ready to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-moving-to-substantial-rebuild-listening-to-trade-calls-on-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shift into a rebuild</a>. 
"In need of a new direction amid a 10-16 start to the season, the Indiana Pacers are moving toward a substantial rebuild and are expected to open up trade conversations around some of their veteran stalwarts, sources tell The Athletic."
The report lists Caris LeVert as a name that's garnered interest from teams around the league. BasketballNews.com wrote about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-caris-levert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five teams that could make sense for the 27-year-old swingman</a> on Tuesday.
Myles Turner also intrigues the masses; with his blend of shooting and elite rim protection, why wouldn't he?
And then there's Domantas Sabonis, the two-time All-Star bruiser who the Pacers are willing to take calls on.
There's been plenty of smoke over the past few seasons about the Sabonis-Turner pairing, and how tenable it is long-term. If there was a split, Turner seemed to be the odd man out. But if Sabonis is actually available, the calculus on that changes.&nbsp;
WHAT SABONIS BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Don't tell Rick Carlisle, but Sabonis is a high-level post hub.
Dump it to him at the elbow, and he'll give you options. He can flow into handoffs with guards, prying his partner open for shots or rolling into open space. He can take matters into his own hands, facing up or bumping and grinding his way into paint touches. Or, he can set up shop and pick out cutters in stationary sets.
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Sabonis is most effective at the elbow, but because of his mix of ball skills and brute strength, he can be moved around the chessboard a bit.
He's a willing participant in Delay sets &mdash; the cue would be a big handling the ball above the break &mdash; which allows him to pry guards open higher on the floor. Pull-up twos turn into three-point opportunities; and for Sabonis, he has even more space to roll into when operating that high.
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And then, there's the traditional low-post usage for him. He's a bully in every sense of the word. Having tremendous footwork is a bonus (I avoided the pun, you're welcome), but the physicality really stands out with him.
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The scoring is the impressive (and important) part, but I've always marveled at how Sabonis nails the little things. He makes himself available, as simple as that sounds. High hands. Constant movement. He always jockeys for position, creating post looks out of nowhere. He's not just a hub; he's a security blanket of sorts.
LIMITATIONS
What Sabonis is not, however, is a shooter. The "stretch big" experiment in OKC lasted one (1) season &mdash; his rookie campaign &mdash; and even that was a 32.1% clip on 2.0 attempts. He's gotten back to slinging them on occasion over the past two seasons, but his numbers (30.9% on 2.6 attempts) underwhelm.
Sabonis is also a limited defender. A lack of length (6-foot-10.5 wingspan) and vertical pop prevent him from being a real rim deterrent. His lateral mobility isn't at a level where you'd be comfortable switching him.
But this is where we have to be careful with Sabonis. He has clear limitations, but he isn't&nbsp;useless.&nbsp;The Pacers have experimented with showing at the level of the screen, or outright blitzing them.&nbsp;
He's not equipped to do that full-time, but he&nbsp;does&nbsp;have active hands and a solid enough understanding of positioning to pull the coverage off.&nbsp;
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Funny enough, the Pacers' ball-screen defense featuring Sabonis has fared better in more aggressive coverages. Per Second Spectrum, opponents are generating 1.07 points per possession when Sabonis is in drop (or "soft") coverage; that number drops to 1.0 when Sabonis shows and recovers, or outright blitzes the screen.
Neither mark is great &mdash; again, Sabonis has his limitations &mdash; but he can work as a cog if you have the personnel around him. Elite point-of-attack defenders are needed if you want him to work in drop; active backline helpers are needed if you want him to play aggressively.
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POTENTIAL LANDING SPOTS
Not knowing precisely what the Pacers are going after makes this a tough exercise. High level prospects and/or picks likely top the list, assuming they aren't able to snag a young All-Star for an outright swap.
Beyond that, a suitor for Sabonis has to need what he provides &mdash; frontcourt passing and rim pressure via post-ups &mdash; while covering for what he doesn't.&nbsp;
That narrows the list down to a few teams for me.
The Golden State Warriors top the list. They've been the league's best team this season, though there's room to shore up some things. Specifically on the offensive end, they currently lack a high-level secondary creator beyond Stephen Curry.
Jordan Poole can do it. Andrew Wiggins can do it. Saying either of them fill that role consistently is a bridge too far for me at the moment. The jury is out on Klay Thompson right now for rather obvious reasons.
Sabonis would certainly aid in the rim pressure department with his post-up and roll-man chops. The Warriors run enough post split action as-is; running it through Sabonis with the added element of post-up scoring if the cuts don't work? Whew, buddy.&nbsp;
Defensively is where the questions come in, but Sabonis should be rather insulated. Assuming he's flanked by Draymond Green, the Warriors could afford to have Sabonis hedge or blitz ball-screens while Green works his usual magic on the backline.&nbsp;
And if you're looking for a trade package, the Warriors conveniently have three recent lottery-pick talents (James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody) that nearly match Sabonis' salary on the nose.&nbsp;
I'd guess the Pacers would want all three youngins; I'd also guess the Warriors would be fine with parting with Wiseman and one of Kuminga or Moody, and finding the salary to make it work elsewhere on the depth chart, and likely throw in some pick consideration to even the scales.&nbsp;
There's a malleable framework if both teams are down to deal.
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The Boston Celtics also intrigue me as a fit. Sabonis' skillset would be a nice complement to the perimeter exploits of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and the Celtics already run similar high-post actions through Al Horford and Robert Williams (when healthy). The scheme fit wouldn't be troublesome.
Threading the needle on a package is where it gets tricky. The Pacers would rightfully ask for Brown first, aiming for the fabled "young All-Star for young All-Star" swap that was mentioned earlier. The Celtics would scoff at that.
They have enough mid-tier salaries to make a deal &mdash; I'd guess Marcus Smart and Williams (extension kicks in next season) &mdash; but the pick capital and rookie-scale prospects (do we feel good about Romeo Langford as the blue-chipper in an All-Star trade?) leave a bit to be desired.
The Dallas Mavericks are on the "good on-court fit, 'meh' assets to get it done" list, as are the Portland Trail Blazers (who may need to reset soon anyway) and Phoenix Suns (they aren't giving up Ayton... at least they better not).
The Memphis Grizzlies intrigue me &mdash; imagine Ja Morant as a pick-and-roll partner, and Jaren Jackson Jr. sniping around the perimeter &mdash; though I'm not sure they'd be willing to give up what it may take to satisfy Indiana.
Who knows whether Sabonis is dealt or not, but at the very least, Indiana is listening intently to offers around the trio of Sabonis, Turner and LeVert.

Nekias Duncan takes a look at possible landing spots for Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis if they decide to move him.

Examining potential trade destinations for Domantas Sabonis

It was Deandre Ayton's turn on Tuesday night.&nbsp;
The big fella led the Phoenix Suns with 24 points, while also grabbing 11 boards (6 offensive) and swatting a couple of shots away. While the Suns beat the Warriors by eight points, they outscored the Golden Crew by 16 points in Ayton's 34 minutes.
It would be convenient to frame Ayton's big night as a "he stepped up without Devin Booker" performance, though that wouldn't be entirely fair. Yes, Ayton's contributions on the interior helped after Booker sustained a hamstring injury in the second quarter, but Ayton didn't just fill the gaps.
He set the tone.
With Andrew Wiggins getting the Booker assignment, and Draymond Green taking on Chris Paul for switch-the-1-5-pick-and-roll purposes, it was up to Ayton to make that plan a bad one.&nbsp;
He won early by doing the little things. Hard screens and even harder rolls to the basket. Quick (and deep) seals against smaller opponents. Timely offensive boards. Nine of his 24 points, and 4 of his 11 rebounds came in the first quarter.
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Zoom out, though, and you see the beauty &mdash; and deadliness &mdash; of this Suns team. You have to worry about the three-level scoring prowess of Booker. There's Paul's playmaking ability and otherworldly mid-range shooting. And if you focus on taking those things away, you still have to deal with Ayton.
Tuesday night was a snapshot &mdash; a loud one, considering the opponent &mdash; of what the Suns have been during their 17-game win streak. Relentless. Calculated. Suffocating. Versatile. They often get a lot from a few, but they consistently get a little bit from everyone.&nbsp;
That's how <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-win-over-warriors-another-crescendo-moment-for-their-incredible-rebuild" target="_blank" rel="noopener">you win 17 straight</a>. It's how you build a top-five half-court offense and&nbsp;defense, per Cleaning The Glass.
THE BALLING BACKCOURT
It starts with the duo of Paul and Booker, who seem to have struck a nice balance between lead duties. And by balance, I really mean that Paul is really commandeering this thing.
Paul has taken even more ownership of the offense; he once again leads the team in touches, and his overall time of possession has increased from last season. Booker has seen a decrease in both, an odd phenomenon on the surface considering Booker is ascending while Paul is, well, 37 years old.
Here's where we are this season, with last season's mark in parentheses.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 66px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.7351%; height: 22px;">Player</td>
<td style="width: 16.1356%; height: 22px;">Touches</td>
<td style="width: 19.607%; height: 22px;">Time of possession</td>
<td style="width: 20.0074%; height: 22px;">Avg. seconds per touch</td>
<td style="width: 19.2064%; height: 22px;">Avg. dribbles per touch</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.7351%; height: 22px;">Chris Paul</td>
<td style="width: 16.1356%; height: 22px;">75.7 (77.4)</td>
<td style="width: 19.607%; height: 22px;">7.5 (7.2)</td>
<td style="width: 20.0074%; height: 22px;">5.95 (5.56)</td>
<td style="width: 19.2064%; height: 22px;">5.29 (4.84)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.7351%; height: 22px;">Devin Booker</td>
<td style="width: 16.1356%; height: 22px;">51.5 (56.2)</td>
<td style="width: 19.607%; height: 22px;">3.6 (4.0)</td>
<td style="width: 20.0074%; height: 22px;">4.14 (4.32)</td>
<td style="width: 19.2064%; height: 22px;">3.39 (3.52)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The shift has worked for both parties. Paul is one of the best decision-makers of all time; he leads the NBA in assists (10.1) while only turning the ball over 2.3 times per contest. It's probably a good idea to let a guy like that direct the half-court attack, especially one with the diverse pick-and-roll attack Phoenix has.
Paul has continued to be the NBA's premier drop coverage beater. Play him too tightly, and he's slipping a pass to his big. Give too much grace to the big, and he's firing from mid-range; by the way, Paul is knocking down an absurd 52.1% of his pull-up twos this year. Send a third defender into the action, and Paul will slice you apart with skips to the corner.
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For Booker, the off-ball benefit has been two-fold. He doesn't have to carry a ridiculously heavy creation burden, and as a result, he also gets to take easier shots.
Booker's a madman when curling off of screens. Between the lifts from the baseline and flares above the break, Booker is often attacking with a head start. He doesn't have to spam dribble moves to free himself; he's generally within his wheelhouse with a dribble or two.
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With Booker operating more off the ball, he's also gotten to take more (and easier) catch-and-shoot looks. Not only is Booker draining a career-high 44.4% of his catch-and-shoot threes, this is the first time since 2016-17 that he's averaging more catch-and-shoot attempts (3.0) than pull-ups (2.8).
Coincidentally, Booker's overall three-point clip (40.3%, also a career-high) seems more in line with his actual shooting ability.
It's almost like shot diet matters when considering a player's efficiency.
NO BURNING BRIDGES
There's much to be said about Mikal Bridges' defense. Frankly, he should already have an All-Defensive team selection under his belt. He's certainly on pace to achieve the feat this season.
Only a handful of players have a tougher matchup difficulty &mdash; percentage of possessions defending high usage players &mdash; than Bridges does. He takes the toughest on-ball assignment virtually every night.
Among the players he's defended for at least 30 possessions, per NBA.com's tracking data: Damian Lillard, Trae Young, Stephen Curry, James Harden, LeBron James and Michael Porter Jr.
Big, small, bulky, lanky. Pull-up artists, pick-and-roll maestros. Silky jump shooters. Isolation masters. Mid-post powerhouses. You name it, Bridges has held his own against it at the very least.
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The real intrigue lies with how Bridges is being used offensively. His scoring is down a point this season, which coincides with a slight dip in three-point accuracy (39.1%, down from 42.5%). Volume is the real story; Bridges' three-point rate has dropped over 12 percentage points from last season.
He's seen a bump in both at-the-rim and mid-range (10-to-16 feet, per Basketball-Reference) frequency. As pointed out by tremendous Suns follow (and recent <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-valley/id1547857052?i=1000542454702" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guest of The Dunker Spot</a>) <a href="https://twitter.com/theIVpointplay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Kevin</a>, the Suns are using Bridges in place of Booker in some of their intricate pick-and-roll sets.
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With Booker set to miss the next few games with his hamstring issue, it wouldn't be a shock to see an(other) uptick in usage from Bridges.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
And then, there's Ayton &mdash; figuratively and literally at the center of it all.&nbsp;
His physicality gives the Suns a much-needed boost in rim pressure, whether that comes with rim-running in transition, or rolling hard (and sealing) after ball screens. Ayton is converting a career-best 84% of his shots inside of 3 feet.
Ayton has been just as impressive defensively. While Bridges (rightfully) gets the love for his defensive aptitude, Ayton's combination of size and mobility allows the Suns to shapeshift when necessary.
The Suns don't run a strict drop system with Ayton. They play him way back in ball screens &mdash; this is a large human being, of course &mdash; to wall off the rim, then late/peel switch to keep the action in front. The block numbers aren't there (career-low 0.7) because of it, but neither are the fouls (career-low 3.1 per 36 minutes).
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Teamwide, the system works as designed. Only seven teams give up a lower share of rim shots than the Suns. Conversely, only four teams allow a higher share of mid-range shots.
It's not like teams have much success if they happen to get to the rim. Opponents are shooting just 50% at the rim when defended by Ayton, serving as the stingiest number of his career, and the 10th best mark in the NBA among players defending at least <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-impact/?sort=DEF_RIM_FG_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CF=DEF_RIM_FGA*GE*4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four shots per game</a>.
It's hard to overstate how impressive the synergy is between the Suns' top four guys.
Paul's playmaking (further) unlocks Booker as a scorer; Booker's scoring chops tilts the defense in a way that makes like easier for Bridges. The combination of playmaking and shooting from those three gives Ayton ample room to roll into.
Defensively, Bridges and Ayton hold down the exterior and interior respectively. Paul is able to fill gaps as a helper and communicator; Booker is able to take the lesser of wing options when he wants, though it's worth noting his on-ball defense has graduated well beyond the "liability" range at this juncture.
And with those four gelling the way they do, life becomes even easier for The Others.&nbsp;
Cameron Johnson (39% on 4.8 attempts) and Landry Shamet (37.8% on 4.5 attempts) are able to bomb away from deep; Crowder fills that role as the fifth starter, and has rebounded nicely from a slow start (37.1% on 5.6 attempts in November). JaVale McGee has thrived alongside Paul in pick-and-roll. Cam Payne has been able to shake loose when sharing the floor with Booker in hybrid second units.
The Suns took the NBA world by storm last season, riding their momentum all the way to a Finals berth. You can quibble about some of the injury "luck" they faced among the way (as long as you do it for literally every other Finals team in league history), but their proficiency on both ends was hiding in plain sight.
They seem to be even better this year. With reasonable health, there may only be one team with a chance of stopping them from returning to the Finals &mdash; and they just beat them.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Suns' two-way dominance and the reasons why they're rolling during their 17-game winning streak.

Stop sleeping on the Phoenix Suns

The beauty is in the misses, sometimes.&nbsp;
It's a mantra you have to take when evaluating young teams. The results won't be there right away; heck, they aren't supposed to be there. Great ideas will fall to almost-but-not-quite execution, lost forever in the "missed shot" or "turnover" section of the box score if you aren't watching closely enough.&nbsp;
This was true of last year's Oklahoma City Thunder team, a squad that finished 22-50 and ranked dead last in net rating (-10.6). It was especially true after late March, when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Al Horford were shut down for tanking maintenance purposes.&nbsp;
With no SGA or Horford to hold down playmaking responsibilities, the mantle was increasingly passed to Lu Dort. The bag was mixed, to say the least. From April onward, Dort averaged 19.5 points while shooting 39.3% from three on north of seven attempts per contest. He also converted 38.5% of his twos &mdash; including a paltry 37.1% <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DateFrom=04%2F01%2F2021&amp;TeamID=1610612760&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conversion rate on drives</a> &mdash; and barely racked up more assists (24) than turnovers (21) with his increased workload.
It was dope to watch Dort knock down jumpers, though a lot of those were of the "sure, I'll take this if you're going to duck&nbsp;this&nbsp;far under a screen" variety. Important, of course, but not a ridiculous degree of difficulty.&nbsp;
The downhill reps were more intriguing. Dort was still trying to figure out who he was as a driver and, from there, what opportunities would arise based upon his relentless rim pressure. Winning with strength would always be there; doing so with craft was something he was learning on the fly.
It's why reps like this, while ending poorly, were important.
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The Thunder go to a variation of "Pistol" action &mdash; the cue here is the guard/guard exchange between Theo Maledon and Dort in the corner &mdash; to get Dort downhill. Mikal Bridges, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mikal-bridges-making-early-case-as-darkhorse-dpoy-candidate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an all-world wing defender</a>, jumps out to switch the exchange, and is simultaneously in position to ICE the ensuing ball screen.
But Dort counters with a quick spin, slows up a bit to put Bridges on his hip, then snakes the screen to force the late switch with Deandre Ayton. Dort proceeds to misfire on the kick-out &mdash; my guess is he didn't expect Aleksej Pokusevski (Poku!) to lift as quickly as he did &mdash; but you can see the processing on display.
Here's another "good process, bad result" rep from last season.
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You see the theme: Dort coming off the screen patiently, putting a defender (Steph Curry this time) on his hip as he snakes the action. This time he explodes off one foot and glides, and simply misses the shot. A 37.1% clip on shot attempts after drives is U-G-L-Y, but you see the glimmer of hope as you dig through the film.
Now we fast forward to this season, where Dort is in the midst of a career-year. It's not just the 17.3 points &mdash; a 3.3 point increase from last season &mdash; but the boost in efficiency as well. He's converting a career-high 55.5% of his twos on 6.6 attempts; that's way up from last year's mark (43.2% on 6.0 attempts).&nbsp;
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You can attribute the jump to his finishing. After converting 56.4% of his shots inside of three feet last season, Dort is up to 70.6% this season, per Basketball-Reference. Some of that is due to playing off of SGA and benefitting from some wild passing from rookster Josh Giddey; Dort has been assisted on 47% of his twos so far, up from 45.5% last year.
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But a lot of it is Dort just looking more comfortable. Strength has always been his ideal weapon, but he's doing an even better job of dislodging guys on the drive this year. More importantly, he's finding different angles to finish if he does opt to decelerate and proble. After getting blocked on 7.5% of his shots last season, that number is down to 5.2% this year.
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We're also starting to see some hints of playmaking shining through. It's not true manipulation or anything advanced, but that's perfectly fine. What Dort is doing is making the right read more often. More importantly, he's making the right read quicker than he did last year.&nbsp;
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As a result, his passes have been more fruitful despite the actual volume not changing much.
<ul>
<li>2020-21 season: 23.5 passes per game, 3.5 potential assists</li>
<li>2021-22 season: 23.7 passes per game, 4.6 potential assists</li>
</ul>
The final frontier for Dort will be his jumper. His 32% clip from three (on 7.3 attempts) underwhelms, though his willingness to fire is a positive. As mentioned earlier, he's comfortable setting up shop behind screens as defenders go under. Oddly enough, Dort is hitting half of his pull-up threes on the highest volume of his short career (1.6 attempts).
After knocking down roughly 37% of his catch-and-shoot triples last year, Dort is down to 27.5% on 5.7 attempts this season. Here's some profound analysis for ya: that number has to come up in order to pose more of a threat to the defense.&nbsp;
The Thunder are banking on Dort being their version of Marcus Smart for now; that his willingness to shoot when open, despite his percentages, are enough to force closeouts. Give an NBA player enough shots in rhythm and they'll eventually find one. To that point, Dort is shooting 40.3% from deep (8.4 attempts) in his last eight games.
If the jumper proves to be reliable &mdash; not even a 40% ratchet, maybe 36ish &mdash; we're talking about an entirely different player. The defense alone makes Dort a valuable player. Becoming a threat off the catch &mdash; as a shooter, driver, and keep-the-chains-moving passer &mdash; would place Dort into a different tier.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the offensive growth of Oklahoma City's Lu Dort.

Lu Dort is spreading his wings

If you haven't noticed by now, there are many superstars with dramatically lower free-throw attempt numbers. Since the NBA implemented rule changes to discourage disingenious foul-drawing on the offensive end, there have been both complaints and words of support in regards to the new policy from players and media alike.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
What are your thoughts on the NBA's rule changes and how they've impacted the on-court product?
Alex Kennedy: I love the changes. The NBA recognized that unnatural foul-baiting had gotten out of hand, so they closed some of the loopholes that many of today&rsquo;s stars had learned to exploit. This season, teams are attempting just 20.0 free throws per game &mdash; the fewest in NBA history. I like that there are fewer breaks in the action and games go by quicker too. Also, since players no longer have to worry that every little thing will result in a foul call, defenders are suddenly being more physical and aggressive (which has been fun to watch). This must be so frustrating for stars like James Harden and Trae Young since they are being forced to adjust on the fly and change their entire offensive approach, but I think this had to be done.
Nekias Duncan: I'm mostly fine with the rule changes. I think weeding out some of the non-basketball foul-drawing was a step in the right direction. Allowing a little more physicality defensively has been fun for me. I do think the foul/physicality emphasis may be too far on the other side right now. Instead of just eliminating the tricky stuff, it seems like refs are allowing guys to get mauled in the paint. There's a balance to be found, and hopefully they find it soon.
Spencer Davies: Well, I loved seeing the box score in the high 90s and low-to-mid 100s in the opening weeks. That seems to have changed a little already though. Offense is extremely fun, but there&rsquo;s a happy medium to be found. (We&rsquo;re even seeing some hand-checking allowance?) Taking away the obvious &ldquo;looking for a foul-call because I can&rsquo;t figure out the defense&rdquo; hacks has been appropriate. You know whether or not one is genuine. What I don&rsquo;t like seeing is officials forgetting that defenders leaving their feet to contest a shot is illegal and should be called a foul. In addition, contact on a drive is still contact. Not everybody is trying to trick you. That said, deciphering between the two must be difficult full-speed. It&rsquo;s a vast improvement, though, I think.
Ethan Fuller: I'm in agreement with most people that the game has given defenders a more level playing field and forced teams to get more inventive on offense. It's good for basketball to reward creativity and keep the ball in play as much as possible. I would add that I think people are unreasonably connecting the changes to an increase in physicality. Unless the officials were told to just keep a tighter whistle in general, I don't know how the rule changes would change the game on that great a scale.
Moke Hamilton: I love it. On the decisive miss in the Timberwolves-Suns games on Nov. 15, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell got Devin Booker in the air, but would&rsquo;ve had to launch himself into Booker to draw contact on the game-tying three-pointer. Russell avoided the contact, obviously realizing that he might not get the call. He missed the shot, and the Wolves lost the game by three. But I&rsquo;m all about games being decided like that. It also encourages defenders to play harder and contest those important shots. I&rsquo;m happy.
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Evan Sidery: It&rsquo;s been a little hit and miss for me. I love how they&rsquo;ve taken away the blatant foul-baiting. However, they are also missing some obvious calls now as well. I imagine it will all get figured out as the season goes on, but it&rsquo;s something to monitor moving forward.
Blake Hairston: I've liked the rule changes, particularly considering the viewing experience because it's maintained the flow of the game instead of having way too many stoppages throughout it. While some of these changes have been frustrating for scorers like James Harden and Trae Young, I also look forward to watching the adjustments they'll make to continue to be highly effective players.
Alexander Cohen: I think, in general, the rules to limit fouling and increase the pace of play are terrific. Those are genuine criticisms held by many that prevent casual fans from watching (or even diehard fans from watching full games). However, I think the NBA needs to adapt the NFL's challenge policy if the league is going to eliminate reviews in the last two minutes. Pace of play is important, but fairness is too, and coaches should at least be awarded an extra challenge if they correctly overturn a call with the first.
Drew Maresca: Love it. I <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-nba-is-trying-to-eliminate-unnatural-foulbaiting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote about this rule change before the season began</a>, and it&rsquo;s played out even better than I thought it would. Last season, we reached a real inflection point. Offensive players had been getting calls when they were initiating contact, but last year saw more of those calls than usual when the offensive player was in a completely unnatural shooting motion (e.g., jumping backwards). This season, unnatural-shooting-motion fouls have been mostly eliminated, which represents a major upgrade. Games are smoother, and there are less breaks in the action. One downside is that refs may have went too far the other way, leading to situations like Damian Lillard is currently facing; Lillard is attempting a career-low 4.7 free throws per game, down from 7.2 last season. Still, I believe this will work itself out, and the game will be better for it.
Jesse Blancarte: This may not be a popular opinion, but I like the changes. Scoring may be down across the league, but I have grown tired of watching players jump sideways into defenders and hooking opponents while driving to the rim. It still happens and the top players will still get calls, but there seems to be less gamesmanship in years past, and I, for one, am happy about it.

What are your thoughts on the NBA's rule changes? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: What are your thoughts on the NBA's rule changes?

The <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/rockets-rookie-jalen-green-is-ready-for-a-more-mature-role/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The deeper we get into the season, the more we get an idea of who is a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate. At this point, the usual suspects are populating the various MVP ladders: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokić and Paul George. Over the last several seasons, with the exception of PG and omittance of Giannis Antetokounmpo, these names have routinely popped up in the discussion for the league's top honor.
JJ Redick, a sharpshooter-turned-podcaster, has become one of the well-known voices in basketball media in recent years. Redick isn&rsquo;t afraid to throw out a take, but unlike many former players who are hot take-ish, he is more in the &ldquo;common sense&rdquo; camp, and feels like one guy is a no-brainer MVP candidate.
"In the first 14 or 15 games, let&rsquo;s acknowledge that DeMar DeRozan is worthy of a top-five MVP discussion," Redick <a href="https://youtu.be/fe4j2Ir5URY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Old Man and The Three podcast</a>.
(Redick also said something similar on ESPN last week.)
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"If you were to have an MVP power rankings as of today, I'd put DeMar DeRozan third after Steph and KD." 👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/jj_redick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jj_redick</a> <a href="https://t.co/r85AAcjh9Y">pic.twitter.com/r85AAcjh9Y</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1460716877043441664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This isn&rsquo;t some hot take from Redick, as more and more analysts have begun to notice that DeRozan should be in the MVP conversation. A lot of it has to do with the Chicago Bulls&rsquo; 12-6 record, which has the team tied for second place in the Eastern Conference.
When the Bulls added DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso to the fold with two All-Stars in Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, fans expected an exciting up-and-coming team. So far, so good, but this new collection of talent needs ample time to mesh and develop. As such, the outside expectation for the Bulls was for them to at least make a playoff appearance as a mid-tier squad.
Thus far, the Bulls have exceeded expectations, overpowering bottom-feeder teams like the Detroit Pistons and the New Orleans Pelicans while standing their ground against playoff teams like the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets. Coming into the season, everyone expected them to do well, but nobody expected them to be this good.
DeRozan himself is aware of the MVP whispers around him. It has become impossible to ignore since this is the first time his name has been included in these talks in quite some time. This hasn&rsquo;t changed his demeanor one bit, though. Like any other competitor playing a team sport, what matters is that the team is doing well. Everything else &mdash; even an MVP trophy &mdash; is nothing but extraneous matters.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to be honest with you, I never once think about [MVP talk]," DeRozan <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2021/11/23/22798849/bulls-demar-derozan-focus-winning-than-mvp-chatter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said via the Chicago Sun-Times</a>. "Winning takes care of everything, and as long as we do what we&rsquo;re supposed to on the court, winning, everything you desire will come with it and you take it as it comes.&rdquo;
It remains to be seen if DeRozan can make the unthinkable happen and etch his name in history. But from the looks of it, DeRozan would rather raise the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy than any other trophy in the world.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

On The Old Man and The Three, JJ Redick vouched for DeMar DeRozan's MVP candidacy with his terrific start to the season.

JJ Redick: DeMar DeRozan is 'worthy of a top-5 MVP discussion'

The Golden State Warriors are 12-2 and on top of the basketball world. They're led by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and, you better believe it, Andrew Wiggins.
Wait &mdash;&nbsp;that&nbsp;Andrew Wiggins? The guy consistently pegged as one of the most inefficient volume scorers of his time? The guy earning $31.6 million while being a trade-machine staple?
Nope. This is a different Andrew Wiggins &mdash; a cutting, slashing, precise scorer who is finally clicking into place in the high-octane Golden State offense. The Warriors have used the power of their two healthy stars to make Wiggins' life easier, and the former No. 1 pick has responded by maximizing his new role.
Wiggins' usage rate, according to Cleaning the Glass, is down to just 22.1%, which is the lowest since his rookie year. Meanwhile, he's averaging a career-high 116.2 points per 100 shot attempts, which also ranks in the 76th percentile among all wings. Before this season, Wiggins had never been above the 54th percentile (2015-16).
What's different? Let's take a look.&nbsp;
Per NBA Stats, 70.5% of Wiggins' made field goals are coming off of assists this season. That is an unreal jump for him and by far a career-high. A whopping 96% of his made threes come via an assist. Over half of his field-goal attempts and over 30% of his three-point attempts have required zero dribbles &mdash; both massive career-highs. Wiggins is holding the ball for less than two seconds on 57.8% of his shot attempts, and wouldn't you know, that's another earth-shattering career-high.
Ethan has always maintained that Wiggins is an incredibly underrated passer. But these numbers are objectively positive, even if it means he's being used more as a scoring complement and less as a playmaker. The shot selection reflects that Andrew Wiggins, The Finisher is a step in the right direction.
The 6-foot-8 wing is taking a career-low 29% of his shots from the mid-range area, per Cleaning the Glass. He's also up to a career-high three-point rate (33%) and at-rim frequency (38%, in the 82nd percentile among wings). Wiggins has feasted when attacking the basket this season. He's making 73% of his shots within four feet of the hoop (you bet that's a career-high!). Wiggins is also drawing fouls on 10.6% of his shot attempts; that's actually low compared to past seasons, but this year, it puts him in the 86th percentile among wings.
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I like this play the Warriors are setting up with smaller lineups. Pull the opposing big out, fake the pindown, and Wiggins can beat most guys as a cutter. Draymond Green times this up well <a href="https://t.co/t2qausVqec">pic.twitter.com/t2qausVqec</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1461064611134849028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Zooming in a bit more: Maple Jordan might be one of the better cutters in the league this season? It's a tough claim to make because play-type data is notoriously finnicky. But this is worth noting: per Synergy/NBA Stats, Wiggins is averaging 1.59 points per possessions when he gets the ball off of a cut. That's the best among any wing in the entire NBA with at least 20 such possessions this season, and fifth-best among all players!
This all gets Wiggins to a career-high 58.5% True Shooting percentage. And that's despite him only being around league average (35.2%) from long range. The 26-year-old is playing the fewest minutes per game of his career (29.1) and still contributing heavily as a scorer while improving as a rebounder. He's getting downhill by himself and with help from teammates, and finishing at the rim with stellar efficiency.
"Man, I've just been taking what the defense gives me," Wiggins told BasketballNews.com in Cleveland. "Take the first shot that's there as the easy shot, and at the same time, trying to stay aggressive and keep getting to the rim."
Being teammates with an otherwordly scorer, shooter and all-around player like Curry *kinda* helps too. Golden State's superstar draws two, three or sometimes four defenders out to the perimeter as he slithers around the half-court, and in turn, it opens things up for the Warriors' offense. Admittedly for Wiggins, though, he catches himself gazing at the show.
"You just watch greatness. That's all it is. You're still staying alert, you're still assertive and everything &mdash; it's just some part of you that's watching because all you can do is watch," Wiggins said. "It's entertaining. It's not entertaining for just the fans, it's entertaining for the team too. When we're on the court, we just find ourself watching and just shaking our head 'cause it's like... 'Is that believable?' But he's playing at a different level right now.
"You can just tell on [opposing teams'] faces sometimes with the shots he makes and stuff he does... They just go back [on the other end], and they're just like... 'What can you do?' And it's true &mdash; what can you do when he's making those shots?"
On the opposite end, Wiggins is all the while quietly playing an impact role on defense. The <a href="https://www.bball-index.com/glossary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBall Index has created metrics</a> that track Matchup Difficulty (usage rates and offensive impact of players guarded) and positional versatility (how often a player is guarding different positions). Wiggins is in the 98th percentile for Matchup Difficulty and the 94th percentile for Positional Versatility.
This isn't to say he's an elite defender, but Wiggins is taking on some of the toughest defensive work for the league's best defense. That's meaningful.
"Guarding one of the other team's best players, you gotta be [in a zone], because they're gonna be in attack mode, they're gonna be aggressive the whole night," Wiggins said. "And if you don't [bring that focus], then they're gonna get off. So you've just got to stay on it."
In summation: Wiggins has found his niche with the Warriors by not doing too much on offense and staying aggressive when his teammates find him. He's an asset on both ends of the floor for the best squad in the NBA.&nbsp;
"It's a different job being the No. 1 option to being in support of the No. 1 option, and I think that's the main thing," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said of Wiggins' play. "On our team, he can focus on being a great defender, guarding the opponent's best offensive player night-in and night-out, and then just keep things simple offensively &mdash; attack the rim, get out in transition and run, shoot when he's open.&nbsp;
"Our team was built for Andrew to play this role. We felt that way when we made the trade, that he would be a perfect fit next to Steph and Klay [Thompson] and Draymond [Green]. Obviously he hasn't played with Klay yet, but we're looking forward to getting Klay back. Klay will add to the defensive versatility and length that we have. But Wiggs is right in the middle of all that, and this league is all about defensive versatility and length, so Wiggs has played that role beautifully for us."
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Warriors HC Steve Kerr: "Our team was built for Andrew [Wiggins] to play this role." Teamed up with <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ethman43</a> for his latest Stats Notebook to detail how Wiggins has found a niche as a cutter, as well as an individual defender, with Golden State. STORY: <a href="https://t.co/f9O5ODyexv">https://t.co/f9O5ODyexv</a> <a href="https://t.co/N4sUqQOMvT">pic.twitter.com/N4sUqQOMvT</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1461445066384363528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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For the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, the Warriors have that championship-contender feel again, and it's the first time Wiggins has been a part of that kind of team. This version of the franchise seems to have the vibes that Golden State's original title-winning group had in 2014-15.
"It's good; we're playing for something," Wiggins said. "We've got a good squad, and a good chance to do something special here, which I'm excited to be a part of it."
THE OUTLIERS (AKA other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>The top-five leaders in pull-up eFG% with at least 50 attempts make for a really fun group: Kevin Durant (57.4%), Darius Garland (55.9%), Stephen Curry (55.0%), Tyrese Maxey (54.9%) and Cole Anthony (54.9%).</li>
<li>The New York Knicks are giving up the second-most "wide-open" shot attempts per game with 25.3 (where a defender is no closer than six feet away). The only team that gives up more wide-open attempts is the 1-14 Houston Rockets (26.9 per game).</li>
<li>In contrast, the Washington Wizards are giving up the fewest wide-open shots per game with just 15.9.</li>
<li>Blake Griffin is the first NBA player to cross double-digit drawn charges this season with 11. Kemba Walker and Patrick Beverley (8 apiece) are on his tail.</li>
</ul>

Andrew Wiggins has evolved into a superb off-ball cutter and finisher for the Warriors this season.

Stats Notebook: The glorious reinvention of Andrew Wiggins

Last week, BasketballNews.com dished out its <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-golden-state-warriors-come-in-at-no-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first edition of NBA Power Rankings</a> for the 2021-22 season. Now, nearly one month into the campaign, Tommy Beer is back with his latest version.
The two top-rated teams in this week's ranking's square off against each other Tuesday night in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
1. Golden State Warriors (11-2) &harr;️ Last Week: 1 
The Warriors had their seven-game winning streak snapped Sunday night in Charlotte, and head to Brooklyn on Tuesday evening in a matchup between the two best teams in the league thus far this season. Tuesday's contest also features a showdown between the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/stephen-curry-kevin-durant-named-players-of-the-week-for-nov-8-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reigning Eastern Conference and Western Conference NBA Players of the Week</a>: Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, who averaged 34.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game last week.
2. Brooklyn Nets (10-4) 🔼 Last Week: 6
Just how efficient has the aforementioned Kevin Durant been this season, you ask? Incredibly, KD has scored 415 points on just 263 field goal attempts. To put those numbers in perspective, consider this: Curry has scored 365 points on 265 FGAs. And Boston's Jayson Tatum has scored 109 fewer points (306) than Durant despite having attempted 28 more shots from the floor (291) this season. It's genuinely remarkable how well KD has played since recovering from his torn Achilles.&nbsp;
3. Phoenix Suns (10-3) 🔼 Last Week: 8
On Monday, the Suns welcomed back Deandre Ayton (who had missed five games due to a right lower leg contusion), and the big man racked up 22 points (10-of-14 shooting) and 12 rebounds to help carry Phoenix to its ninth straight win. That's the league's longest current winning streak, and the Suns' longest streak in over a decade (they won 10 in a row from March 14 to April 2, 2010).
4. Chicago Bulls (10-4) &harr;️ Last Week: 4
When the Bulls inked DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball to big contracts over the summer, they envisioned them performing as well as the duo did in Monday's night's pounding of the Lakers. DeRozan converted 15-of-23 attempts and made all six of his free throws en route to a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/demar-derozan-says-he-nearly-joined-lakers-thought-it-was-done-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">season-high 38 points</a>. Lonzo shot 10-of-13 from the field and knocked down seven three-pointers for a season-high 27 points, to go along with 7 rebounds and 8 assists. The Bulls have won four of their last five, with those four wins coming against the Nets and Mavs, plus the Lakers and Clippers on a road back-to-back.&nbsp;
5. Washington Wizards (10-3) 🔼 Last Week: 7
The Wiz outlasted the Pelicans on Monday night to secure their fifth consecutive victory. Washington has won at least 10 of their first 13 games to start a season for the first time in over 40 years (they opened the 1974-75 season with an 11-2 record). Editor's Note: Our Spencer Davies <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kyle-kuzma-montrezl-harrell-have-wizards-adopting-dog-mentality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently spoke with Wes Unseld Jr. and Kyle Kuzma</a> about Washington's developing defensive identity. 
6. Miami Heat (9-5) 🔽 Last Week: 3
Miami was forced to play without Jimmy Butler (sprained right ankle) and Bam Adebayo (bruised left knee) Monday night in Oklahoma City, but Tyler Herro scored 26 points to help propel the Heat past the Thunder. After a relatively disappointing sophomore season, Herro has bounced back in a big way this year. Through Miami's first 14 games, Herro is averaging 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 made triples while posting an Effective Field Goal Percentage of 53.7%.
7. Dallas Mavericks (9-4) 🔼 Last Week: 11
Kristaps Porzingis followed up a 32-point explosion Friday with 29 more points in a 111-101 win over the Nuggets on Monday. However, unfortunately for Dallas, Luka Doncic limped off the court after Austin Rivers fell on his left ankle in the final minute of Monday's victory. The Mavs play the red-hot Suns twice this week.&nbsp;
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Kristaps Porzingis last 3 games: 27.7 PPG 10.0 RPG 55/50/90% Mavs won 5 of the last 6 UNICORN SZN <a href="https://t.co/xzBl1siz0K">pic.twitter.com/xzBl1siz0K</a>
&mdash; MFFL (9-4) (@Mavs_FFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mavs_FFL/status/1460453842022195202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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8. Denver Nuggets (9-5) 🔼 Last Week: 12
After capturing his first MVP award in 2020-21, Nikola Jokic might, somehow, be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/were-having-the-wrong-conversation-about-nikola-jokic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing at an even higher level this season</a>. Not only is The Joker averaging a mind-boggling 26/13/6 stat line to go with 1.7 made treys per contest, but he is also shooting a career-high 59.3% from the floor.
9. Utah Jazz (8-5) 🔽 Last Week: 5
Utah stormed out of the gates this season, winning 7 of its first 8 contests. However, the Jazz's defense has abandoned them of late, as they're allowing over 114 points per 100 possessions during a current five-game stretch. Utah will look to get back on track Tuesday night vs. Philadelphia.&nbsp;
10. Philadelphia 76ers (8-6) 🔽 Last Week: 2
If you were looking for a reminder of just how important Joel Embiid is to the success of the Sixers, last week was Exhibit A. Embiid entered the NBA's health and safety protocols last Monday after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19. Consequently, the big man missed all four games the 76ers played, and Philly lost each contest.&nbsp;
11. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-6) 🔽 Last Week: 9
Rookie sensation Evan Mobley entered Monday's matchup with Boston on a heater, averaging 19.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 triples and 2.0 blocks over Cleveland's five previous contests. However, the kid came crashing back to earth vs. the Celtics, missing all 11 of his field-goal attempts prior to exiting the game with a right elbow sprain. The Cavs then announced Tuesday afternoon that <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1460664697997438982?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mobley would miss 2-to-4 weeks due to the elbow injury</a>.&nbsp;
12. Los Angeles Clippers (8-5) 🔼 Last Week: 17
The Clippers were riding a seven-game winning streak into Sunday's showdown with Chicago before the Bulls handed L.A. its first loss since the Friday before Halloween. Still, Clippers fans got some encouraging news on Sunday from head coach Tyronn Lue. He told reporters that Marcus Morris has made progress in his recovery from a left knee injury, and that it may be possible Morris could travel with the team on its upcoming two-game road trip later this week.
13. Milwaukee Bucks (6-8) 🔼 Last Week: 16
The Bucks spanked the Nets by 23 points on opening night. That was the last time the team had all five of its starters healthy. Fortunately for Milwaukee, Khris Middleton (health and safety protocols) is reportedly expected to return Wednesday against the Lakers after missing eight consecutive contests. In addition, the Bucks begin their longest home stand of the season (five games) starting Wednesday vs. the Lakers.
14. New York Knicks (8-6) 🔽 Last Week: 10
The Knicks got <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/knicks-to-begin-an-important-three-game-home-stand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a much-needed victory</a> on Monday vs. the Pacers. It was their backup backcourt of Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickly that led the way. That combo has been, by far, New York's most effective two-man lineup this season; the Knicks have outscored their opponents by 89 points in the 183 minutes D-Rose and IQ have been on the floor together. In contrast, New York has been outscored by 75 points in the 290 minutes that the starting backcourt of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier have played together. Over the Knicks' last four games, Quickley is averaging 13.3 points and 3.0 made treys while shooting 51.5% from the floor, 60% from downtown and 87.5% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
15. Los Angeles Lakers (8-7) &harr;️ Last Week: 15
The Lakers lost on Monday in blowout fashion to the Bulls, but L.A. fans were once again treated to another impressive performance from Talen Horton-Tucker. THT started and racked up a career-high 28 points to go along with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 37 minutes. And, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, there is "growing optimism" that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/growing-optimism-lebron-james-could-return-friday-vs-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LeBron James (abdominal strain) could return to action</a> on Friday in Boston.&nbsp;
16. Charlotte Hornets (8-7) 🔼 Last Week: 18
The surging Hornets put an end to the Warriors' seven-game win streak on Sunday. It was thanks in large part to another phenomenal all-around effort from LaMelo Ball, who racked up 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals to go with four triples. Despite turning 20 years old just a few months ago, Ball is averaging 19.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.7 made treys per game. Only three players in NBA history have ever finished a season averaging more than 15 points, 7 boards and 7 dimes before turning 21: Magic Johnson in 1979-80, LeBron James in 2004-05 and Luka Doncic in 2019-20. &nbsp;
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where does lamelo get his ideas <a href="https://t.co/IHyFafKDBY">pic.twitter.com/IHyFafKDBY</a>
&mdash; James Herbert (@outsidethenba) <a href="https://twitter.com/outsidethenba/status/1460055631524777996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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17. Boston Celtics (7-7) 🔼 Last Week: 23
In early November, Dennis Schroder was inserted into the starting lineup to replace Jaylen Brown (strained right hamstring), and Schroder has filled in admirably. He is averaging 24.0 points (on 51% shooting), 4.2 rebounds, and 3.8 dimes in his five consecutive starts. However, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said Schroder would return to the bench once Brown is back. "We like our regular starting lineup," Udoka said. "Dennis is a pseudo sixth starter for us, coming off the bench and finishing games."&nbsp;
18. Memphis Grizzlies (7-7) 🔽 Last Week: 14
After losing three straight games, all by double-digits, a matchup with the hapless Rockets was just what the doctor ordered for the Grizzlies. Memphis blew out Houston by 34 points on Monday night, 136-102.
19. Portland Trail Blazers (7-8) 🔼 Last Week: 20
After missing Sunday's game vs. the Nuggets, Damian Lillard (abdomen) was back in action on Monday and led the Blazers to a 118-113 home win over Toronto. Lillard recorded 24 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, a block and cashed-in three treys. Portland 6-1 at home, but just 1-7 on the road.&nbsp;
20. Toronto Raptors (7-8) 🔽 Last Week: 13
The Raps have lost 5 of their last 6 games, and things don't get any easier in the near future. Toronto is just beginning a six-game road trip that will include stops in Utah and Golden State later this week.&nbsp;
21. Atlanta Hawks (6-9) 🔽 Last Week: 19
The Hawks got a much-needed victory over the Magic on Monday, but received awful news over the weekend when they learned <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/hawks-f-deandre-hunter-out-2-months-with-wrist-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">De'Andre Hunter would have to undergo surgery on a tendon in his right wrist</a> that's expected to sideline him for roughly two months. And in Monday's victory, Kevin Huerter was forced to exit the game due to left hamstring tightness.
22. Indiana Pacers (6-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 22
On Monday, the Pacers were held to just 10 points in the fourth quarter in their loss to the Knicks. Remarkably, Indiana didn't convert a single field goal attempt in the final seven minutes of regulation. The Pacers will look to get back in the win column Wednesday vs. the Pistons.&nbsp;
23. Sacramento Kings (6-8) 🔽 Last Week: 21
The Kings snapped a four-game losing streak on Monday vs. the lowly Pistons, but coach Luke Walton is on the hot seat. Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-losing-streak-could-have-luke-walton-on-hot-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walton's job "will likely be in peril"</a> if the Kings don't turn things around soon.&nbsp;
24. San Antonio Spurs (4-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 24
The Spurs have faced a demanding schedule early on, with 9 of their first 15 games on the road. And, despite having a positive point differential on the season (+1), they find themselves five games below .500. San Antonio is expected to welcome back Jakob Poeltl this week once his conditioning improves, as he works his way back from COVID.
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 25
Karl-Anthony Towns poured in a season-high 35 points to go along with 13 rebounds and 2 assists, but also committed a season-high-tying 7 turnovers in Monday's 99-96 loss to the Suns. The Wolves have now lost 8 of their last 9.&nbsp;
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Karl Anthony Towns scored a season-high 35 points as the Wolves battled until the end with Phoenix but fell short 99-96. Full highlights ⤵ <a href="https://t.co/x8gU14LE8R">pic.twitter.com/x8gU14LE8R</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1460454524863361024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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26. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-8) 🔼 Last Week: 27
OKC has lost two in a row, but Luguentz Dort has continued his impressive play. We know what he brings to the table on the defensive end, but over the Thunder's last four games, Dort is averaging 22.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 made treys, while shooting 56.9% from the floor, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the charity stripe.&nbsp;
27. Orlando Magic (3-11) 🔽 Last Week: 26
Jalen Suggs was unable to play Monday in Atlanta due to a right ankle sprain, which he suffered late in Saturday's home loss to the Wizards. However, Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley said the team was "just being cautious," adding that Suggs went through shootaround Monday morning and is considered "day-to-day." Orlando's next game is Wednesday vs. the Knicks.&nbsp;
28. New Orleans Pelicans (2-13) 🔼 Last Week: 30
Brandon Ingram returned to action over the weekend after missing seven straight games due to a hip injury. However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst <a href="https://twitter.com/EliotClough/status/1459240545679822850?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported last Friday</a> that he believes Zion Williamson (right foot surgery) is still "weeks away" from a return and won't be cleared to play until December.
29. Detroit Pistons (3-10) &harr;️ Last Week: 29
Pistons fans haven't had much to cheer about this season, but they did get to enjoy No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham pouring in a career-high 25 points while also tallying 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and five treys on Monday.
30. Houston Rockets (1-13) 🔽 Last Week: 28
The Rockets are riding an embarrassing 12-game losing streak. And it's not as if these contests have been nail-biters. During this 12-game slide, Houston has been outscored by a whopping 169 points.&nbsp;

NBA Power Rankings: Suns shining during winning streak

With the New York Knicks down double-digits late in the third quarter, their reserves entered the game and led a spirited comeback. Stop me if you've heard this one before...
Yes, a familiar script played out once again Friday night in Charlotte. And, once again, the movie ended with the Knicks on the losing side.&nbsp;
After the Hornets surged to a 12-point lead in the third quarter against a hapless Knicks starting unit that has been unable to get on the same page, the bench mob propelled New York back. The team eventually took a two-point lead halfway through the fourth, courtesy of a thunderous windmill dunk from high-flying sophomore Obi Toppin. However, Julius Randle replaced Toppin 90 seconds later, and the Knicks would be outscored 13-3 over the final five minutes of regulation.&nbsp;
The Knicks left Charlotte and limped home to New York having lost five of their last seven games. After jumping out of the gates with a 5-1 record, the 'Bockers now find themselves just a game over .500.
Many of the same problems that have plagued the Knicks during their recent swoon reared their ugly heads on Friday night.&nbsp;
Once again, despite a hot start and a great game from Kemba Walker &mdash; who scored 26 points &mdash; each member of the Knicks starting five posted a negative plus/minus, while the plus/minus of New York's reserves were all positive.&nbsp;
And, again, the Knicks were severely outplayed in the third quarter, as the Hornets poured in 34 points on 14-of-25 (26%) shooting over those 12 minutes.
Remarkably, over the Knicks' past four contests, they have been outscored 123-77 in the third quarter. That's a preposterous 46-point differential. &nbsp;
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Of course, much of the poor production can be directly attributed to the starters' struggles. As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/knicks-starters-sink-new-york-fail-to-protect-home-court-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed earlier this week</a>, Walker, Randle, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson have the worst cumulative plus/minus among all five-man units in the NBA. After another poor showing in Charlotte, this group is being outscored by 16.7 points per 100 possessions, according to <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleaning the Glass</a>. That's the worst of any qualifying lineup in the league.&nbsp;
In sharp contrast, the bench unit of Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, Taj Gibson, Alec Burks and Toppin is outscoring opponents by a prodigious 27.6 points per 100 possessions.
While Rose continues to play at an extremely high level each night and Toppin brings his unique splash of athleticism and energy, IQ's confidence has surged recently (he's made 10 of his last 20 three-point attempts). &nbsp;
Conversely, Barrett is mired in a nasty slump. Over the Knicks past four games, Barrett is averaging 8.0 points while shooting just 26% from the floor, 16% from downtown and 60% from the charity stripe. He also has more turnovers (9) than assists (6). And for a player that talked earlier this season about establishing himself as an All-NBA defender, Barrett has had several lapses on the defensive end, and doesn't seem to be playing with the same tenacity. Offensively, he's been hesitant to attack the tin, having gone to the free-throw line a total of only five times in four games.&nbsp;
This is a concern because Barrett is at his best when he's playing downhill and getting to the line. In the games in which Barrett has attempted more than five free throws this season, he averages 26.0 points on 58% shooting. Conversely, when RJ has attempted fewer than five free throws, he averages 11.2 points on 33% shooting.
Barrett has not been listed on the injury report, but it wouldn't surprise me if we found out that he is currently dealing with a physical ailment. His body language has been off of late.&nbsp;
Randle has also struggled recently. Over the Knicks' last three losses, Randle is averaging 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 turnovers while shooting below 37% from the field, below 30% from behind the arc and below 55% from the FT line.&nbsp;
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HoopIdea?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HoopIdea</a> Knicks spot their opponents 15 points if the other team agrees to play just the 2nd and 4th quarters
&mdash; Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1459343333558468613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Thursday after practice, Evan Fournier was asked about coach Tom Thibodeau's angry comments following the team's loss to Milwaukee.
"I mean, sh**, I would be [angry], too. We don't need Tom to get mad at us," Fournier said. "We know we did not play well last game. We're all veterans. We all know what we're capable of doing, and it doesn't feel good when we don't play well."
On opening night, Fournier poured in 32 points and knocked down six triples. Over New York's last four games combined, Fournier has scored a total of 33 points and made four treys. Surprisingly, he hasn't logged a single minute in the fourth quarter in four of New York's last five contests. This is not what Leon Rose and company had in mind when they inked him to a 4-year, $78 million deal over the summer.&nbsp;
Zooming back out to look at the big picture, it's important to note we are only 11 games into an 82-game marathon. Each team played 72 contests last season; the Knicks still have 71 remaining on the schedule over the next five months. And, during the 2020-21 campaign, New York was three games under .500 (5-8) through the first three weeks of the season.&nbsp;
On the flip side of the coin, the reality is the Eastern Conference is much improved and uber-competitive. Last season's conference finalists, the Bucks and Hawks, are currently a combined 10-16. For this reason, next week takes on added importance for New York.&nbsp;
The Knicks play only three times over the next eight days. Each of the three contests is at home, and all are winnable. New York hosts the Pacers (5-8) at Madison Square Garden on Monday, the Magic (3-9) on Wednesday and the Rockets (1-11) on Saturday.&nbsp;
Thibs will be able to get a few quality practices, and this stretch gives the team a much-needed opportunity to reset and re-establish their identity.
Considering what lies ahead, it's almost imperative that the Knicks take care of business next week. Immediately following this three-game stretch, things could get ugly. Next Sunday, they travel to Chicago to play the up-and-coming Bulls on the second night of a back-to-back. The Knicks then play six games against some of the league's top teams (Lakers, Suns, Hawks, Nets, Bulls and Nuggets), before embarking on a three-game road trip, only to return home to host the Bucks and Warriors in the second week of December.&nbsp;
Knicks Notes:
- Speaking with reporters after the game, Thibodeau said Derrick Rose got "nicked up" in Friday's loss but that Rose was cleared to go back in the game late in the fourth quarter. Thibs didn't provide any specifics as to the nature of the injury, but it appeared Rose tweaked his ankle before checking out of the game in the fourth quarter. It's almost impossible to overstate Rose's importance to the Knicks this season, as he's been arguably the team's most consistent and most valuable player thus far. Remarkably, the Knicks have outscored their opponents by 110 points in the 295 minutes Rose has played this season.&nbsp;
- Robinson exited Friday's game in the first half to have his left ankle taped, but returned to the contest. Mitch Rob is shooting a league-leading 82.9% from the floor this season. Nerlens Noel has missed each of the past two games due to a right knee sprain.&nbsp;
- The Knicks committed 19 turnovers vs. the Hornets on Friday, which led to 17 points for Charlotte. "There's no surprise into why you win or why you lose, to me, it's your defense," Thibodeau said. "Initially, the defense was good and the rebounding was good, then the problem became our turnovers."
- <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/opponent-shots-closest-defender/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CloseDefDistRange=6%2B%20Feet%20-%20Wide%20Open&amp;sort=FG3M&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to NBA tracking data</a>, the Knicks allowed 23 wide-open three-point attempts vs. Charlotte (the Hornets only converted seven). On the season, New York is allowing 22.5 wide-open three-point attempts per game, the most in the NBA.&nbsp;
- Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lamelo-ball-leads-game-in-rebounds-steals-and-assists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out 9 assists and racked 5 five steals Friday night</a>. That's as many assists and steals as the entire Knicks starting five, and more three rebounds than Randle and Robinson combined.

Tommy Beer details the Knicks' recent stretch of struggles with the starting five and the opportunity ahead to right the ship.

Knicks must take advantage of important three-game home stand

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

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

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

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

Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell have Wizards adopting dog mentality

I&rsquo;ve never taken anything in my basketball career for granted. I give thanks for the journey, for the experiences and for the fact that I can call myself a champion.
I also give thanks to Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers and especially my "Big Three" teammates in Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
Earlier this year, those last three guys were each named one of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/there-were-major-snubs-from-nba-75-just-like-we-knew-there-would-be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">75 greatest players in NBA history</a>, and rightfully so. And when I talk about giving thanks for my journey, I look directly at the fact that I was blessed to play with seven guys who made that list.&nbsp;
In Miami, Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal, Dwyane Wade and Gary Payton <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/thanks-to-3-legends-in-miami-i-learned-how-to-become-a-winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed me and taught me how to become a champion</a>. And even though the experience in Boston was a lot different, there, I had the chance to put some of the lessons I learned in Miami to practice.
By the time I got to Miami, Shaq had already been there a year, and he was the only guy who had won a championship. Naturally, he sorta became everyone&rsquo;s big brother, for a few reasons. He was already a legend, he was a champion and we still respected him as our top dog.
That wasn&rsquo;t the case for me in Boston.&nbsp;
Even though I&rsquo;d won and Doc and my teammates respected me, I wasn&rsquo;t the team&rsquo;s best player. So even when Doc pointed out that I was a champion and asked me to share some wisdom, I don&rsquo;t think my words carried the kind of weight in Boston that Shaq&rsquo;s did in Miami.&nbsp;
But that&rsquo;s kinda what made the Boston experience so unique.&nbsp;
KG, P and Ray went out of their way to build a culture where everyone felt so welcomed and invited and just loved. We never really looked at the team as different classes of players. We all felt like superstars and genuinely enjoyed each other&rsquo;s company so much that we all just kinda formed one big clique.&nbsp;
When you have that kind of dynamic on a team, it makes you want to be better at your job because you actually feel invested. And if you&rsquo;re having an off day or you&rsquo;re not really getting the minutes or the shots you want, it&rsquo;s easy to be happy for whoever is having a &ldquo;good&rdquo; day because you genuinely care about your teammates.
I played for seven different teams over the course of my 12-year career in the league, and nowhere else was able to compare to the situation in Boston. I know it might sound corny, but it was truly a family. It felt like we were all superstars.&nbsp;
KG, P and Ray all made sure of that.
When I reflect back on my time as Ray&rsquo;s teammate, all I can look back and say is &ldquo;ultimate professional.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Ray truly treated his game like a job that he was very serious about, but not in a bad way. His work ethic was just insane, he&rsquo;d always go up and get shots up early before anyone else, and you could just tell that he was motivated to always be ready and to keep his skills sharp.
Whenever me or Eddie House or one of my other teammates beat Ray in a three-point shooting contest after practice, we would be on cloud nine. Honestly, we&rsquo;d be more surprised when he missed a decent look than when he made it. We just expected perfection from him, and he mostly delivered.
(Editor's Note: James Posey and Ray Allen chopped it up on "The Posecast" last season. Watch the full episode below.) 
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Maybe because he left for Miami, people got the impression that Ray was some kind of &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; while he was in Boston, but at least during my one year there, he was just another one of the guys. He was loved, and he loved us back. Maybe that&rsquo;s why those guys took him leaving so personally, but that&rsquo;s just a guess.&nbsp;
As far as Ray is concerned, he definitely approached his craft like it was his calling, and that&rsquo;s the reason he&rsquo;s the all-time leader in three-pointers made. That&rsquo;s why he was one of the Top 75 of all-time. No way we win without him. Ultimate respect.
KG? He was just another type of beast, altogether.&nbsp;
As great as Ticket was, when I look back at our team, he didn&rsquo;t seem to only work hard because he wanted to be great. He worked so hard because he wanted to lead by example and push us all to be the best players that we could possibly be.
Most veteran players pass knowledge and wisdom. KG did, too, but he also led by example.
Before I joined the team, I remember having a conversation with Sam Cassell. He told me that I was gonna love playing with KG because of how hard he works and how much he pushes. Sam was KG&rsquo;s teammate in Minnesota, so he knew what was coming, but even those warnings couldn&rsquo;t prepare any of us for what Ticket was.
Let me tell you this: KG never once mailed it in. Some superstar players might get tired of practicing or if you&rsquo;re about to go on a road trip or whatever; sometimes, they might just go through the motions. Truth be told, we all did&hellip; just not when KG was our teammate haha!
Ticket always gave 125% effort. He did everything with intensity and purpose. He played hard defense, he talked trash and he was out there leading the way &mdash; because he realized that he was helping to prepare us for the real competition. It&rsquo;s no coincidence that we won 66 games that year.
KG never took a day off, and as a result, our team eventually realized that every &ldquo;day off&rdquo; is one less day of preparation.
KG went so hard, that some days, Doc had to order him to take the day off. And yeah, some coaches might send a guy home for disciplinary reasons or throw him out of practice to make a point or whatever. But Doc himself would literally ask Ticket to chill for the day and get treatment sometimes because we all wanted to have a more calm practice.&nbsp;
Ticket didn&rsquo;t know how to chill.
&ldquo;If you step on this court, I&rsquo;m gonna fine you!&rdquo; I remember Doc yelling at him a few times.
&ldquo;Come on, Doc? How you gon&rsquo; be like that?&rdquo; KG said back.
Doc would even ask Ticket to just chill and be a coach in practice, and KG would flat out be like &ldquo;Nah, Doc, I ain&rsquo;t no coach. I ain&rsquo;t no coach right here. But maybe I can be a player-coach.&rdquo;
Crazy, man.
At the end of the day, though, practice was fun and competitive every single day. Some days the white team would win, some days the green team would win. We really looked forward to it and really made each other better. I honestly think KG helped Paul build better and more serious practice habits.
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And that brings me to P &mdash; Mr. Celtic himself.
Now, I could be wrong, but from afar &mdash; as much as I respected Paul Pierce, at least early on in his career &mdash; I didn&rsquo;t really think that winning at a high-level was his priority. I wondered if he was one of those players who just wanted to put up numbers, get paid and get respect, but not necessarily win.&nbsp;
Eventually, I think he approached a fork in the road wheree he wanted to prove that he could play the right kind of basketball and actually be a winning player. So when you tie that together with KG being a maniac and Ray&rsquo;s businessman-like example, Paul had some good guys around him that showed him what the work ethic looked like.
He was a great example of a player who, I think, changed his outlook and changed his approach, and was able accomplish the ultimate goal.
By the time we got to the Finals, I knew that we were a better team than the Lakers, but we all knew what we were up against with Kobe. Especially because we were the Celtics and he was looking to prove he could win without Shaq.&nbsp;
But more than anyone else, I think P knew that he came too far to let Kobe get his fourth ring at our expense, and for me, it was a &ldquo;Wow!&rdquo; moment to see him going shot-for-shot with Kobe in the Finals. I knew P was nice already, but for me, his performance during the 2008 Finals put him in a different category altogether.
Same goal, different players, different approaches, different lessons.
It&rsquo;s so crazy that I only spent one year in Boston. I&rsquo;m sad <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-is-big-business-and-players-should-be-allowed-to-act-like-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it didn&rsquo;t last longer</a>, but &mdash; it&rsquo;s obvious since I talk about that team so much &mdash; I loved it there.
From playing cards at Paul&rsquo;s house or getting together with KG and his family and watching games at his house, we were a big family.&nbsp;
We won a championship together, and I know for sure if things worked out a little differently, we would&rsquo;ve gotten at least two.
Regardless, I look back on my time in Boston and cherish the memories. I also, obviously, cherish playing with and learning from three of the greatest to ever do it.

James Posey reflects on what it was like winning a championship as the teammate of three of the Top 75 Players in NBA History.

I’ll always cherish playing with 3 of the greatest ever in Boston

The Philadelphia 76ers might be losing one battle after another, but is it possible that the losses could end up helping the team win the war?
Ben Simmons and his saga persists, Tobias Harris is missing in action and Joel Embiid has COVID-19.&nbsp;
Despite it all, Doc Rivers&rsquo; team has gone out and competed admirably. Even with Tuesday night&rsquo;s 118-109 loss to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, if there&rsquo;s one thing the Sixers have proven in the early going of the 2021-22 season, it&rsquo;s that they will fight.
That says something.
In the NBA, there&rsquo;s no such thing as a participation trophy, and coaches don&rsquo;t typically find any solace in moral victories. But whether it be Tyrese Maxey, Shake Milton, Georges Niang or Furkan Korkmaz, Rivers has seen firsthand that he has a formidable rotation. Along with Seth Curry, the lesser-known Sixers have carried their weight, and then some.
If the team is able to get back to 100% &mdash; and that&rsquo;s still an &ldquo;if&rdquo; at this point &mdash; one can&rsquo;t help but wonder whether it'll be able to provide ample resistance against the Bucks or the Brooklyn Nets come postseason time.
That&rsquo;s especially true if &mdash; as many expect &mdash; the team ends up trading Simmons.
At this point, the franchise appears to be in a staring match with the young point guard. Daryl Morey may not be able to extract a king&rsquo;s ransom from a wannabe-contender in exchange for Simmons; at a certain point, it might be worth it for Morey to simply take what he can get.
In Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving remains a figment of everyone&rsquo;s imagination. In Boston, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum aren&rsquo;t exactly inspiring confidence with their play. And out West? Anyone who&rsquo;s capable of firing up the ESPN Trade Machine could concoct a trade or two with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder or Portland Trail Blazers that could yield Philadelphia a decent return.
And that&rsquo;s exactly the point.
While Morey isn&rsquo;t wrong in wanting to extract all the value he can out of a potential Simmons trade, there will eventually come an impasse, and he owes it to his guys to simply allow them to carry the pieces that want to be there and move forward.&nbsp;
All things considered, the Sixers have been good. How much better could they be if they managed to land another dynamic piece in exchange for a player who isn&rsquo;t playing for them?
Odds are, Rivers would find a way to make it all work. &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
So Tyrese Maxey just taking a whole leap huh. <a href="https://t.co/N2Ib9Bciam">pic.twitter.com/N2Ib9Bciam</a>
&mdash; Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20/status/1458255470339268609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Sixers entered play on Nov. 9 with a 115.3 offensive rating, which &mdash; believe it or not &mdash; ranked first in the NBA.
Interestingly enough, and perhaps because the team primarily plays through Embiid, Philadelphia also entered play on Nov. 9 with the slowest pace in the entire league; it yielded just 102.6 points per game, good for eighth-best in the Association.
In other words, Rivers has seemed to realize that his Sixers are a bit of a throwback in that they can excel as a half-court team playing inside-out, and if they force other teams into a slower pace of play, they&rsquo;ll come out on top more often than not. At least before Embiid went missing from the lineup, through the team&rsquo;s first 10 games, they&rsquo;ve used that recipe to win some games.
Success in the half-court requires a few things, most importantly a player who can command double-teams in the post. Embiid obviously checks that box. Off-ball movement and floor-spreading shooters are imperative, and it&rsquo;s there that Simmons presented an obstacle. It might not be fair to say that removing him from the lineup has been addition by subtraction, but it has at least shown us that the Sixers can function &mdash; and win &mdash; with Embiid as the sole focal point.
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Sixers first team in NBA to 7 wins Seth Curry with 23 Tyrese Maxey with 20 Joel Embiid with 19 Shake Milton with 16 Georges Niang with 14 Sixers have won 5 straight 💥💥 <a href="https://t.co/EKOfXEuTQF">pic.twitter.com/EKOfXEuTQF</a>
&mdash; John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JClarkNBCS/status/1456432547727020035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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If Morey wants to help his team get to the next level, his focus should be on getting auxiliary pieces that can help Embiid challenge the Bucks and Nets for supremacy atop the Eastern Conference &mdash; not on winning the game of chicken the organization currently finds itself engaged in with Simmons and his representatives. Landing Jaylen Brown or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in exchange for Simmons would be great, but it might also be pie in the sky.
At a certain point, you&rsquo;ve simply got to cut bait.
What&rsquo;s true of every generation of basketball fans is this: we have all been reminded that championship windows can close rather abruptly.
When the Boston Celtics landed Kyrie Irving in 2017, the team had an embarrassment of riches that was surely thought to have a Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy in its future. The same was said of Kevin Durant&rsquo;s Oklahoma City Thunder. When Steve Nash arrived in Los Angeles to join forces with Kobe Bryant, many believed the Lakers would flirt with 70 wins.&nbsp;
Obviously, none of that ended up being true.
Way back when, once upon a time, Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal was thought to be a second-rate center. Sure, he could break a backboard, but could Shaq lead a team to a championship? It was a debate for a while, mainly because he took a fair amount of lumps from the likes of David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, the latter of whom handed Shaq a humiliating sweep in the 1995 NBA Finals.
To this point, Embiid&rsquo;s journey in the NBA has been somewhat reminiscent... Except he hasn&rsquo;t even sniffed a Finals appearance.&nbsp;
By this point in his career, Shaq already won a conference finals and left Orlando to pursue the destiny he dreamed of. Embiid, obviously, is still on his first chapter, and truth be told, he&rsquo;s doing a pretty good job of writing a compelling story in Philadelphia.
With a capable supporting cast around him, a championship-caliber head coach and the ability to serve as the franchise&rsquo;s cornerstone, Embiid has an opportunity to accomplish something great for the Sixers.
Tomorrow isn&rsquo;t promised, though. And if there&rsquo;s a lesson to be learned both from the Sixers&rsquo; strong start to the season &mdash; and from dashed championship aspirations of the past &mdash; it&rsquo;s that promise shouldn&rsquo;t be taken for granted.
It&rsquo;s about time that Daryl Morey comes to terms with that fact.

In the early-goings of the season, the Sixers have shown us what their recipe for success without Ben Simmons is.

Goshen College Maple Leafs