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This article is part of a two-part series preview for the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs.
With the 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs starting, all eyes will be on all teams competing for the championship as fans and players look on for a taste of postseason action. As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges. In this article, we take a closer look at the biggest question facing each Eastern Conference team heading into the playoffs, from injuries and roster changes to key matchups and strategic decisions.
<h3>Boston Celtics - Who&rsquo;s stopping them?</h3>
The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the regular season as evidenced by their 64-18 record. They have also been one of the most dominant regular season teams of all time, having the third-highest net rating in NBA history (11.8) which would rank just behind the 1996 and 1997 Chicago Bulls. If it were of any significance, those Bulls teams had 72-10 and 69-13 records and won it all in both years.
It&rsquo;s all written on the wall &ndash; the Celtics are in title or bust mode, which even just a conference finals appearance would probably be marked as a disappointment. Considering how dominant they have been throughout the season, a Finals appearance would be the minimum achievement.
This team is built almost as completely as they could ever be &mdash; offense, defense, bench, two stars that lift each other&rsquo;s game up, roster construction of players that complement them, and even the fans that are some of the most passionate in the league. These are things that are all you could ask for in a championship team, and with that being said &ndash; the pressure is on for Boston.
A big possible answer to that question is whether the Celtics would be the only ones who&rsquo;ll stop themselves from achieving and realizing their full potential &ndash; and there&rsquo;s only one way to find out.&nbsp;
The playoffs are a different story and looking at what we&rsquo;ve seen over the years, the Celtics have tendencies to underperform in the playoffs. With a new supporting cast featuring 2021 champ Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, a question lingers on the team: will it be different this time around?
They have had a history of flaming out in the past, and whether or not that continues this season remains to be seen. Time is the ultimate truth teller, and these Celtics hope to exercise their playoff demons when the time comes and their opportunities present themselves.
Will they be able to capitalize on a dominant regular season and take on the task at hand once and for all? They certainly hope with all the pieces they have now, they have enough to close it out and take it all the way and finish the job this time around to end the allegations against them once and for all.
<h3>New York Knicks - How far will they go without Julius Randle?</h3>
As we all know by now, health is the biggest factor in the playoffs. You always want to be complete and your best players to be healthy and ready to go when it matters most.
Unfortunately, this will not be the case for the New York Knicks this season, after losing all-star Julius Randle to a season-ending surgery to his injury.
Randle has been the Knicks&rsquo; best player for the past 3 seasons (before Brunson&rsquo;s ascension to King Knick this year). He brings that size and physicality along with that sneaky speed at the 4. On offense, Randle is a secondary creator and playmaker who can make plays for himself and his teammates. His improving three-point shot is now a weapon for teams not to sag off of him as much which could only help the Knicks in the playoffs.
Simply put, Randle is a matchup problem against traditional power forwards. Without him, the Knicks would not be able to tap on another gear that would only be possible with Randle out there on the floor.
Now, all eyes will be on Jalen Brunson as he tries to carry New York all by himself. It will be expected to see all possible defensive schemes thrown against him to try and contain the all-NBA caliber player in this season that he is.
<h3>Milwaukee Bucks - Can they hold the fort without Giannis?&nbsp;</h3>
The hits just keep on coming for the Bucks. After starting the season 30-13, they fired their head coach Adrian Griffin, and replaced him with Doc Rivers. They&rsquo;ve had their fair share of struggles with Rivers, losing to lottery teams like the Wizards, Grizzlies, and Raptors in one stretch, and they&rsquo;ve finished only a disappointing 19-20 the rest of the way to end the season.&nbsp;
Just recently, they received brutal news that superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss the beginning of their series against the Indiana Pacers after injuring his left calf with three games left in the regular season. The upstart and young Pacers have been 4-1 against them during the year and it will be a tough battle without one of the five best players in the world playing. Will Damian Lillard and Co. step up to the plate?
<h3>Cleveland Cavaliers - Is this the &lsquo;last hurrah&rsquo; for Donovan Mitchell as a Cavalier?</h3>
All eyes are on the Cavaliers&rsquo; playoff run this season to gain ground after a disappointing finish last year. Can they keep soon-to-be free agent Donovan Mitchell happy enough? Or will another disappointing playoff exit lead him to bolt out of town to find another opportunity to win elsewhere?&nbsp;
Much of this will be attributed to the growth of their current core to gauge their improvements from last season. Will Darius Garland have enough juice to handle the scoring load outside of Mitchell as well as holding his own defensively? Will Evan Mobley display or unlock another offensive level in his game to be able to contribute on the offensive end to complement his defensive capabilities? Will Jarett Allen beat the allegations of lights were too bright in the playoffs in his second time around and bounce back from what has been a bad series against the Knicks last year? And is Max Strus the answer for the Cavs to advance into the second round with his spacing and shooting at the wing to give space for Mitchell to attack?
With his impending free agency, Donovan Mitchell has a big decision to make during the offseason. Will he stay and extend with this Cavaliers team who gave up assets for him? The Cavaliers have made some strides from being a young team with potential to a top 4-5 team in the East when they acquired Donovan Mitchell two years ago from the Utah Jazz. Since then, Mitchell has elevated their play and in turn, they got back to their first playoffs without LeBron James on the team.
However, rumors have been swirling that Mitchell wants to achieve postseason success, whether in this team or not. Some of these reportedly said that if the Cavs do not make the Finals this season, he might find another home elsewhere to chase that goal. Throughout his career, Mitchell has been to the first round multiple times but has been in the second round just twice. He has yet to make a conference finals appearance, and this postseason with the Cavs will determine if he falls short of that goal again.
Helping Mitchell this time around are shooters that the Cavs lacked a year ago, with Max Strus, Sam Merill, and Georges Niang now in the fold for the team. Cleveland got exposed by New York in just five games last year and it was basically because of their inability to space the floor around Mitchell and point guard Darius Garland. Now with an improved Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen all having a year to work on their games for this stretch, the Cavs aim to make the conference finals &mdash; before Mitchell&rsquo;s impending big decision in free agency.
<h3>Orlando Magic - How far can their youth and inexperience take them in the playoffs?</h3>
Being the youngest playoff team in the East's playoff field, the Magic come in with no expectations at hand. This young group has overachieved for the season having the fourth-best defense despite them being the 4th youngest team in the league. Making the playoffs has already been a huge accomplishment, but winning a series would not be so bad and would be a welcome sight for the team.&nbsp;
Nobody expected them to be in the hunt for the top seeds in the East, but here they are in their first playoff experience as a group as the fifth seed. This is only year 2 and 3 for young stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and they could only get better as years progress. This is only the beginning for Orlando and they could be a difficult fixture in the East for years to come.
<h3>Indiana Pacers - How big of an impact will Pascal Siakam be in the postseason?</h3>
Right after the trade to bring Siakam to Indiana, fans and basketball analysts alike mentioned how the trade was a win for Indiana and that Siakam&rsquo;s value would be seen through in the playoffs. When the game slows down and teams are more equipped and prepared for their defenses, teams would need solid execution on their half-court offense.
This was where Siakam was supposed to come in, and now that it&rsquo;s here, will he be able to step up and lead the Pacers to a series win? The 2019 champion with the Raptors has played 41 games with Indiana this season after the trade, and he has averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 55/39/70 shooting splits and he has given the Pacers a new dimension on offense. The Pacers who will go up against the Bucks for their first-round playoff series, have gone 4-1 against them &ndash; but it was all without Siakam. The question for them now is, how will they maintain the level of success they had vs the Bucks now that Siakam is in the rotation? Will Siakam end up being the ceiling-raiser for the postseason for them? Or could he end up disrupting the rhythm that the team had in the regular season vs the Bucks?
<h3>Philadelphia - Is this finally the year they advance with Nick Nurse at the helm?</h3>
The Sixers have had a lot of heartbreak over the years, from not being able to make the Conference Finals in Joel Embiid&rsquo;s career to choking multiple times in the playoffs, it's just disaster after disaster when it matters the most in the City of Brotherly Love.
However, they hope the outcome is going to come out differently this year due to one factor: Nick Nurse.
The 2019 champion coach has given the Sixers a lot to hope for with a breath of fresh air surrounding the team on offensive and defensive execution. This year, with Embiid being better than ever (being even better than last year&rsquo;s MVP campaign) and with the help of Nurse&rsquo;s diverse offensive sets, the Sixers&rsquo; title chances have increased significantly. Coach Nurse having the ability to make adjustments on the fly and push the right buttons will be a major weapon for the Sixers for their upcoming playoff run.
When healthy this year, Embiid has had one of the most dominant regular seasons in NBA history, averaging 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. The Sixers have a 31-8 record when he plays, which would equal the best win-pace mark in the league. He now has a dynamic sidekick in Tyrese Maxey who has been named an all-star this year, and general manager Daryl Morey has surrounded them with capable role players to complement their skill sets. Will Nurse be the final piece that puts all of the Sixers together?
<h3>Miami Heat - Can they rediscover their old magic against the Celtics, but this time without Jimmy Butler?</h3>
At this point, people got to understand and realize that playoff Jimmy is a real thing. The dude just turns it up when it matters the most and the lights are at their brightest, and has carried Miami every time in the postseason.
However, this year figures out to be an entirely different scenario with Butler being out with an injury. According to reports, Butler could be sidelined for multiple weeks due to an MCL sprain &mdash; devastating news for Miami ahead of their upcoming playoff matchup vs Boston.&nbsp;
The Heat have faced the Celtics three times over the past four seasons, and they have beaten them twice. All those games and series featured a lot of Butler carrying them to wins.
Without Butler though, things have changed dramatically fast. Now, the question stands: will they have enough to defeat their old nemesis (who&rsquo;s become the most dominant team in the league) sans their best player?

As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges.

2024 Eastern Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question heading into the playoffs

With the Eastern Conference All-Star starters set, let&rsquo;s look at the players who deserve a reserve slot for the East All-Star team this season. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/picking-the-nbas-western-conference-allstar-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our Western Conference All-Star reserve picks here</a>.
Guard: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
This pick is a no-brainer. Brunson is the head of the snake for a New York Knicks team that&rsquo;s been the best in the NBA since the turn of the calendar, going an NBA-best 14-2 in January. If not for falling short in fan voting (ranking just fifth), he would have been an All-Star starter. The 6-foot-2 guard ranked third and second in player and media voting, respectively, earning the respect of his peers and the media alike due to his ongoing stellar season. He&rsquo;s currently averaging 27 points, 6.5 assists and 4 rebounds per game for the third-place Knicks. Brunson is surefire and deserving All-Star.
Guard: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Equally as deserving as Brunson, Mitchell is the second player (and guard) I'd select as an East reserve. He&rsquo;s averaging 27.7 points, 6.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds per outing and is leading one of the hottest teams in the NBA, as the Cavs recently went on an eight-game winning streak. What makes this recent stretch even more impressive is that Mitchell did this without All-Star backcourt mate Darius Garland and forward Evan Mobley, who have been out with injuries. Despite surfacing in some trade rumors early in the season, Mitchell put his head down and went to work, earning himself an All-Star spot this season.
Forward: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has certainly picked up right where he left off last season after recently signing his lucrative $300 million extension. Brown has been the second-best player on the best team in the NBA, averaging 22.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game. He provides ample support for Celtics teammate and All-Star starter Jayson Tatum and at times carries the offensive load when Tatum is not on the floor. Boston would not be the juggernaut they are without the 6-foot-6 Brown&rsquo;s perimeter defense, dynamic three-level scoring and improved pick-and-roll decision-making.
Forward: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Blossoming into a true alpha for the Magic this season, Banchero has turned heads with his play. The 2022 No. 1 overall pick is averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and he has yet to miss a game (47 games played). Banchero is one of only three players with the same numbers this season while shooting 38% from three, with the other two being All-Star starters LeBron James and Luka Doncic. The Magic are in the thick of a tight Eastern Conference playoff race, and Banchero has been a big reason why. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward has produced in clutch moments and had a number of dominant performances despite being just a sophomore in this league. Without him, Orlando would be a totally different team.
Center: Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat&nbsp;
Although the Miami Heat have been in a slump as of late, Bam Adebayo has shown up night in and night out while producing the same type of efficiency and numbers he's known for. Adebayo is averaging 20.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and a steal while serving as a two-way anchor for the Heat. A lot of Miami's offensive possessions have been initiated by Adebayo, whether it be dribble handoffs, screening actions or him going to work from the free-throw line. He is having a career-year in terms of scoring while still playing at a high level on defense. For a Heat team that's been missing key players all season long, Adebayo has been rock-solid and that will likely earn him another All-Star nod.&nbsp;
Wildcard: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
A Most Improved Player candidate, Maxey has taken his game to new heights this season. He&rsquo;s bumped up his scoring average from 20.3 to 25.7 points a game, and transitioned into a full-time point guard after James Harden&rsquo;s departure. Maxey has learned to balance his scoring and facilitating, emerging as a perfect No. 2 option alongside reigning MVP Joel Embiid. Their partnership has been lethal, averaging the most combined points by a duo this season. Maxey&rsquo;s ascension to a legit second option this season didn't go unnoticed, as he earned the respect of his fellow players and media, ranking second and fourth, respectively, in their voting ballots. This all adds up to the first All-Star berth for the 6-foot-3 guard.
Wildcard: Trae Young, Philadelphia 76ers
Even though the Atlanta Hawks have been underperforming, it's hard not to notice Young&rsquo;s exploits this season. He is the only player in the league averaging 26 points and 10 assists, and he has the most 30-point, 10-assist games (13). Although Young finished second in fan voting among East guards, he'll likely need to earn a wildcard spot in order to make the East team. Sure, one can argue Young&rsquo;s stats do not impact winning and somone like Boston&rsquo;s Derrick White deserves the nod over him because his team is atop of the standings. But I believe Young's sheer excellence this season has earned him a spot. 
Snubs: Julius Randle (Forward, New York Knicks); Derrick White (Guard, Boston Celtics); Kristaps Porzingis (Center, Boston Celtics); Jimmy Butler (Forward, Miami Heat)&nbsp;
Probably the toughest cut was Julius Randle, who was having a good season with the now third-place Knicks before dislocating his shoulder. He might still be named an All-Star and then a replacement would be named in his place, which would allow Randle and his replacement to be recognized. White&rsquo;s impact on winning for the top-ranked Celtics stands out and should warrant an All-Star spot if the East didn't have several star guards who are putting up ridiculous stats. Porzingis and Butler, on the other hand, have missed a considerable amount of games, which weakens their case.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/picking-the-nbas-western-conference-allstar-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our Western Conference All-Star reserve picks here.</a>

With the Eastern Conference All-Star starters set, let’s look at the East players who deserve a reserve slot this season.

Picking the NBA's Eastern Conference All-Star reserves

After months of scrolling through countless Damian Lillard trade rumors, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bucks-shock-nba-world-by-acquiring-damian-lillard-in-blockbuster-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news finally broke</a> on Wednesday afternoon that the Portland Trail Blazers' long-time franchise cornerstone was headed to the Milwaukee Bucks. In one of the more surprising blockbuster trades in recent memory, the seven-time All-Star guard will pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo to form one of the best duos in the league.&nbsp;
Now, the new big fish in the trade market is none other than the player Lillard was dealt for: Jrue Holiday. The Blazers' return featured Holiday, former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns second-rounder Toumani Camara, an unprotected Bucks 2029 first-rounder, and 2028 and 2030 first-round pick swaps from Milwaukee. The circumstances of Lillard&rsquo;s trade request and his desire to be dealt specifically to the Miami Heat dampened his trade value, but the Blazers were able to come away with a &ldquo;palatable&rdquo; return.
 However, Holiday is unlikely to stay in Portland for long as he does not fit their rebuilding timeline around core players Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1707100851880259810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Bobby Marks</a> graded Portland&rsquo;s trade return as &ldquo;incomplete&rdquo; pending the potential assets the team receives for Holiday when they flip him.
Many contending teams are reportedly rushing to the phones to make moves in reaction to the Lillard blockbuster, with several expressing serious interest in Holiday. These possible suitors include the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Heat. Teams must factor in Holiday's potential free agency next summer and the possibility of signing him to a long-term extension, which he becomes eligible for on Feb. 22. Perhaps the Blazers will have some urgency to deal Holiday prior to Media Day on Oct. 2 in order to avoid questions and logistics about bringing him in for training camp.&nbsp;
For any team over the luxury-tax apron ($171,294,000) to trade for Holiday, they need to trade away at least $33,175,536 (90% of Holiday&rsquo;s 2023-24 salary) in salaries in order to legally execute a trade. The rest of the league will only need to send out $27,646,280 (75% of Holiday&rsquo;s 2023-24 salary) in order to make a deal.&nbsp;
Another important CBA note with any Holiday trade is that his $36,861,707 salary cannot be aggregated with other contracts for two months. While Holiday is still eligible to be immediately rerouted elsewhere, he cannot be traded with other players. For example, just a few months back, Chris Paul was traded to the Washington Wizards and then quickly rerouted in a separate deal to Golden State. Because Paul was the only salary going back to the Warriors, he was legally allowed to be traded. This must be taken into consideration when proposing potential trade ideas.
With Holiday potentially on the move in the coming days, let&rsquo;s take a look at some potential deals for the 33-year-old.
Realistic Trade Destinations
BOSTON CELTICS
Celtics receive: Jrue Holiday
Trail Blazers receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Al Horford, Dalano Banton (salary guarantee increased to $1,009,853 to satisfy trade rules), 2024 GSW top-4 protected first-round pick, 2025 BOS first-round pick, 2026 BOS first-round pick swap, 2024 CHI/DAL/NO (most favorable) second-round pick, 2026 MIN/NO/NYK/POR (most favorable) second-round pick
By trading away Marcus Smart this summer, the Celtics lost the key cog to their juggernaut defense. Despite not having a Defensive Player of the Year award, Holiday would probably serve as an upgrade to Smart on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, helping the Celtics compete against the new-look Bucks in the East. If they wish to enter the Holiday sweepstakes, they would need to trade Malcolm Brogdon ($22,500,000), whom they were close to dealing to the Clippers in July. Along with Brogdon, they would have to sacrifice either Al Horford ($10,000,000) or Robert Williams III ($11,571,429) to make the salaries work. They have all of their own draft picks to trade as well as the Golden State Warriors' pick in 2024, which they got from the Smart trade.
MIAMI HEAT
Heat receive: Jrue Holiday
Trail Blazers receive: Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, 2027 MIA first-round pick, 2029 MIA top-14 protected first-round pick, 2028 MIA first-round pick swap, 2024 MIA top-50 protected second-round pick, 2026 LAL second-round pick, 2027 HOU/IND/MIA/OKC/SA (least favorable) second-round pick
Missing out once again in their pursuit of a star third option to pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Miami could use an upgrade like Holiday to their seemingly incomplete roster. Holiday would provide a must-needed scoring punch and would fit seamlessly in Miami&rsquo;s hard-working culture. While their Lillard trade package was highlighted by Tyler Herro, they likely wouldn&rsquo;t use him in any trade for Holiday. Their salary going out in a deal would come from Kyle Lowry&rsquo;s expiring salary ($29,682,540) and some combination of younger players like Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($3,510,533), Nikola Jovic ($2,352,000) and Haywood Highsmith ($1,902,137). While they are somewhat restricted in terms of draft assets, they can offer up to three first-round picks if they amend their 2025 first-round pick they owe the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have three second-rounders to offer as well.&nbsp;
NEW YORK KNICKS
Knicks receive: Jrue Holiday
Trail Blazers receive: RJ Barrett, Reggie Bullock, Khem Birch, 2024 DAL top-10 protected first-round pick, 2024 DET top-18 protected first-round pick, 2024 WAS top-12 protected first-round pick
Spurs receive: Evan Fournier, 2026 MEM top-42 protected second-round pick, 2027 NO/POR (less favorable) second-round pick
The Knicks may be holding out for when the next superstar &ndash; i.e. Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell or Giannis Antetokounmpo (although maybe not anymore?) &ndash; asks for a trade. While New York may be focused on further down the line, acquiring a player like Holiday could allow them to boost their roster right now without giving up enough capital to harm their future superstar pursuits. A Knicks trade that would not harm their trove of draft assets would have to send out RJ Barrett ($23,883,929), who potentially fits Portland&rsquo;s rebuilding timeline. Jrue could line up as the team&rsquo;s starting shooting guard alongside Jalen Brunson, while Josh Hart would play more minutes at small forward to mitigate the loss of Barrett. Evan Fournier&rsquo;s large salary ($18,857,143) would also have to be in any deal for the Knicks to take in Holiday. Portland wouldn&rsquo;t want to acquire both Fournier and Barrett as that would push them over the luxury tax, therefore they would likely route Fournier to another team (like San Antonio).
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Clippers receive: Jrue Holiday
Trail Blazers receive: Marcus Morris Sr., Robert Covington, Amir Coffey, Jason Preston (salary fully guaranteed), 2028 LAC first-round pick, 2030 LAC first-round pick, 2029 LAC first-round pick swap
The Clippers may have been given an olive branch with a player like Jrue Holiday becoming available, as he's an impact player at a price they can afford. It also provides an alternative for the Clippers to land a third star while avoiding the potential drama/issues that could come with acquiring a player like James Harden. The Clippers have a lot of high-salary veterans they could use to get to Holiday&rsquo;s number like Norman Powell ($18,000,000), Marcus Morris Sr. ($17,116,279), Nicolas Batum ($11,710,818) and Robert Covington ($11,692,308). They would probably like to keep Terance Mann, who they seem to not want to include in a potential Harden trade, although his $10,576,923 could be useful. Portland could view their unprotected picks in 2028 and 2030 as some of the best draft assets they could receive due to their aging stars and lack of postseason success.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
76ers receive: Jrue Holiday
Clippers receive: James Harden, 2024 NYK second-round pick, 2029 PHI second-round pick, 2030 PHI second-round pick
Trail Blazers receive: Marcus Morris Sr., Robert Covington, Amir Coffey, Jason Preston (salary fully guaranteed to satisfy trade rules), 2028 LAC first-round pick, 2029 PHI first-round pick, 2029 LAC first-round pick swap
Amidst the James Harden debacle, Daryl Morey has remained steadfast in getting a formidable return if they choose to trade the disgruntled All-Star. A reunion with Jrue Holiday, who played in Philadelphia from 2009 to 2013, certainly should get Morey and the Sixers' attention. Holiday would certainly upgrade their defense while being a good support and influence on Tyrese Maxey. The Trail Blazers would have little interest in taking a direct package from Philadelphia, which would almost certainly be headlined by Harden ($35,640,000). Harden's desired destination, the Clippers, should still be interested in acquiring him, but may be more interested in trading for Holiday directly. Portland would likely get a similar package to what they would receive if they traded directly with the Clippers, potentially leaving Philadelphia out to dry. The Sixers would have to incentivize the Clippers by trading some draft capital to take Harden instead of Holiday.
Honorable Mentions
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
The Warriors are a logical Holiday destination in terms of fit and trade assets. A trade package would have to send the newly acquired Chris Paul back to Portland or a third team along with a young player like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski, plus a draft pick. Given that coach Steve Kerr has talked all summer about bringing Paul into the fold, it would be pretty surprising if the team pivoted from the future Hall-of-Famer just before training camp. If the Warriors do choose to jump in the Holiday waters, they could quickly move to the front of the line.&nbsp;
TORONTO RAPTORS
Toronto was considered the favorite to acquire Lillard at one point, with a package that was likely headlined by OG Anunoby and draft assets. In order to acquire Holiday, they would need to use a similar package, albeit with less draft capital involved. It seems as though the Raptors were being coy about potentially dealing Anunoby for Lillard, according to <a href="https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors/options-for-raptors-with-damian-lillard-trade-dream-done" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun</a>. If Masai Ujiri was unwilling to include Anunoby in trade discussions before, it&rsquo;s unlikely he will do so for a player like Holiday.&nbsp;
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Holiday would be a near perfect fit alongside Anthony Edwards in the Wolves' backcourt and would greatly improve their defense. However, Minnesota simply doesn&rsquo;t have the right salaries or draft assets to realistically get to Holiday&rsquo;s number unless they are willing to part ways with Karl-Anthony Towns. Even if Tim Connelly was willing to deal Towns for Holiday, the trade may not be what Portland is looking for with the 2015 No. 1 overall pick&rsquo;s five-year supermax extension beginning next season. The idea of paying supermax money to Towns will likely be a turn off for Blazers GM Joe Cronin.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Orlando is probably the most fun dark-horse destination for Jrue. While Markelle Fultz has been a suitable lead guard when healthy, Holiday would bring a championship-level veteran presence that could be useful for Orlando&rsquo;s young squad. The question with the Magic is whether they would actually pursue a deal that would accelerate their timeline with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, as well as whether they would part with draft capital that they could potentially use down the line in future trades.

With the Blazers looking to flip Jrue Holiday, Blake Stern breaks down several teams that make sense as a trade suitor.

NBA trade rumors: Examining potential destinations for Jrue Holiday

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Jakob Poeltl scored 30 points, Pascal Siakam had 26 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 123-113 on Tuesday night for their fifth win in six games.
Scottie Barnes scored 17 points, Fred VanVleet had 10 points and a season-high 15 assists, and Precious Achiuwa had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot a season-best 60.2%.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 26 points, Jalen Suggs had 24 off the bench and Markelle Fultz scored 19 points for the Magic.
Orlando came in having won three straight road games but couldn&rsquo;t follow Monday&rsquo;s win at Chicago with another victory. The Magic are 1-10 in the second game of back-to-backs.
A former Raptor who was reacquired from San Antonio last week, Poeltl shot 15 for 17 and added nine rebounds and six blocks.
&ldquo;You see what he did tonight,&rdquo; Magic coach Jamahl Mosely said. &ldquo;He was a game changer.&rdquo;
The 30 points were the most Poeltl has scored as a Raptors player. His career high is 31, set with San Antonio last Nov. 15 at Portland.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just about reacting to the defense,&rdquo; Poeltl said. &ldquo;They decided to trap Freddie a bunch of times. I&rsquo;m comfortable catching the ball there at the top of the key and trying to make plays.&rdquo;
Suggs said Poeltl hurt Orlando with his bruising, physical style.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a force in the paint,&rdquo; Suggs said. &ldquo;Trying to box him out, you can&rsquo;t out-jump him. He&rsquo;s really strong and physical in there. He fits what they want to do. He&rsquo;s a physical big who&rsquo;s going to hit you in your mouth and have no remorse about it.&rdquo;
One game after setting a season best by allowing just five points off turnovers, the Raptors made a season-worst 20 miscues against the Magic, leading to 26 points. The Magic weren&rsquo;t much better, making 19 turnovers that led to 29 points for Toronto.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t turn the basketball over and give up offensive rebounds and give yourself a chance,&rdquo; Mosley said.
The Raptors outrebounded the Magic 40-29 and had a 13-9 edge on the offensive glass.
As the All Star break arrives, Orlando has gone 19-15 since a 5-20 start.
&ldquo;I feel like we did a solid job from the beginning of the year to now of kind of changing the script of who the Orlando Magic are,&rdquo; Carter said.
Orlando led 70-65 at halftime but Poeltl scored eight points in the third as Toronto took a 94-89 edge to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Magic: Paolo Banchero scored 13 points. &hellip; F Jonathan Isaac (left knee) sat as Orlando played the second game of a back-to-back. &hellip; G Cole Anthony (sore right wrist) missed his second straight game.
Raptors: Toronto is 13-0 all-time when shooting 60 percent or better. &hellip; Coach Nick Nurse returned after missing Sunday&rsquo;s win over Detroit for personal reasons. &hellip; F Thad Young injured his left knee early in the second quarter and did not return. .. G Gary Trent Jr. (sore left calf) missed his second game while F O.G. Anunoby (sprained left wrist) missed his ninth straight. &hellip; Toronto had 13 assists on 16 made baskets in the first quarter, including seven assists from VanVleet.
MILESTONE MAN
Barnes reached 2,000 career points. At 21 years and 197 days, he&rsquo;s the third-youngest player in Raptors history to reach the milestone, behind Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh.
<div class="Component-dfp-0-2-62 apnews_article_midarticle_3" data-card-id="sovrn-article-midarticle">
ROAD WORK AHEAD
After hosting the Pelicans in their first game following the All-Star break, Toronto plays seven of eight on the road, a testing stretch that includes games at Cleveland, Denver, and both Los Angeles teams.
OUT ON VALENTINE&rsquo;S DAY
Toronto Mayor John Tory attended the game. Tory said last Friday that he would step down as mayor of Canada&rsquo;s largest city after acknowledging an affair with a former staffer.
</div>

Jakob Poeltl scored 30 points, Pascal Siakam had 26 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 123-113.

Poeltl scores 30, Siakam has 26, Raptors beat Magic 123-113

For basketball fans, the NBA trade deadline is one of the most exciting days of the year. It&rsquo;s fun to track the rumors, react to trades and root for your favorite team to make moves.
However, for the players involved in these trades, it can be very stressful and emotional.
Most players spend deadline day looking over their shoulder, and there&rsquo;s a lot of anxiety and nerves around this time of year. There aren&rsquo;t many professions where your employer can ship you across the country without any notice, but that comes with being a professional athlete.
To get a sense of what it&rsquo;s like to be traded, Basketball News spoke to several former NBA players who opened up about getting dealt and what the process entailed.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtyqvPS02_Y&amp;t=2886s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RAY ALLEN</a>: &ldquo;When I got to Seattle, [here&rsquo;s] the way the trade went down. I was in Milwaukee playing for the Bucks and we flew to Seattle, and we had a practice that day. It was coming up on the trade deadline, and everyone was talking about Tim Thomas being traded. So we were on the Key Arena floor in Seattle and the media came rushing in. I'm sitting on the floor stretching and I'm looking around and as I turn [toward the media], all of these lights come on. And I'm like, 'What's happening? We're about to have practice.' And then I turn around and I'm like, 'What's going on?' And they're all looking and pointing at me. I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Me?!&rsquo; [The media members] are like, 'Yeah! You!' So we're stretching on one end and the other team is stretching on the other end, and [Bucks head coach] George Karl is down there on the other end. I kind of look around and I&rsquo;m looking up [at Coach Karl], and he takes off. So, I walk over to the media and said, &lsquo;What&rsquo;s going on?&rsquo; They were like, &lsquo;There was a trade.&rsquo; I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Who got traded?&rsquo; They were like, &lsquo;You.&rsquo; I go into the locker room and check my phone and it's blowing up. I got traded for Gary Payton. It was crazy to be traded to Seattle in the middle of the season. I go back [to Milwaukee], get my stuff, take my physical and fly back in. And my first game [as a Sonic] is against the Detroit Pistons.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I remember going out to lunch with Brent Barry, who was so great the whole time. He was such a jokester on the sly; he always had his little sarcasm that he'd add to any situation. He goes, 'Ray, just so you know, people aren't coming to the game to see you. They're coming to see the Barry brothers match-up.' Because Jon [Barry] was on Detroit. That was always Brett, with his dry humor. (Laughs) So, I'm watching the [Sonics'] film and Gary was &lsquo;The Glove&rsquo; &mdash; everybody knew how ferocious he was on defense. In Milwaukee, we had schemes, and I was used to that. But watching [the Sonics&rsquo;] film, Gary would come from one side of the floor and just start guarding a guy. And I was like, &lsquo;What scheme is that?&rsquo; And they were like, &lsquo;No, that&rsquo;s Gary&rsquo;s scheme.&rsquo; I noticed how the team was built around him, because a lot of the young players, they had kinda just waited on Gary to do whatever Gary did. So when I got there, Rashard [Lewis] was young and impressionable. We had Ansu Sesay, Reggie Evans, Jerome James and all of these young guys, and they all kinda just went as Gary went. So when I got there, I was like, 'Yo, get your shots up! I need you!' I was passing them the ball; I was flirting with triple-doubles like every other game. But I was like, 'You guys gotta [do something]!' They would just sit around, and I could tell the hole that Gary left &mdash; these guys were used to playing a certain way and kinda expecting him to do everything.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Rashard emerged because he started watching me come to the gym early every day and he would always say, 'Man, I want to make the money that you make and have the success that you've had. I really gotta start focusing in and taking this seriously&hellip;&rsquo; So, Rashard started getting to the gym early. He saw the work that I put in, and he saw that it was something that he could do and something he wanted for himself. I like to think that some of that money that he got from Orlando, he could have passed some of it [to me] on the side, but that didn&rsquo;t happen. (Laughs) But he was a great partner to have because he did get significantly better &mdash; so much better &mdash; from the time I got there to when we parted ways with him going to Orlando and me going to Boston. [I never talked to Coach Karl about him running away] and since then, George has always taken shots at me through the media or in writing his books. It's just the strangest thing because I always thought that we had a strong relationship as a player-coach.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-etan-thomas-wpfw-dc-roundtable-drew-gooden-tony-massenburg-dave-zirin-john-wall-russell-westbrook-trade-washington-wizards-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ETAN THOMAS</a>: &ldquo;I have a story from when I was with the Wizards. I was in [general manager] Ernie Grunfeld&rsquo;s office. We&rsquo;re talking about me going to big-man camp because they used to send a big man down to Florida to IMG Academy to work out with Robert Parish and Clifford Ray. So I&rsquo;m in there in the summer, and I&rsquo;m talking to him about big-man camp. And I&rsquo;ve heard a little bit of trade rumors, I&rsquo;ve heard whispers and stuff like that, but nothing major. So he&rsquo;s telling me, 'Yeah, you&rsquo;re coming back from your injury, we&rsquo;re looking forward to next year. We want to send you down to big-man camp and you&rsquo;re doing all this stuff, and Robert Parish is great to work with and Clifford Ray is this, and we&rsquo;re looking forward to everything with you and we&rsquo;ll see how you and Brendan [Haywood] can work together,' and all this different stuff. It was this whole long speech, right?
"Now I&rsquo;m driving from the Verizon Center home to PG County. I&rsquo;m not even off Route 50 yet, and I get a call from my agent who says, 'You just got traded.' I was like, 'Are you serious?' I was like, 'No, that has to be a mistake! I was just in Ernie Grunfeld&rsquo;s office like 10-15 minutes ago!' So, I had to do a U-turn, go back to the Verizon Center, clear out all my stuff, and then he shook my hand and said, 'Thank you for everything,' like the whole conversation 15 minutes ago never happened."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/pos2.jpg" alt="" width="689" height="466" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/heres-the-story-on-the-time-the-nuggets-traded-me-and-didnt-tell-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JAMES POSEY</a>: &ldquo;I was in my fourth season with the Denver Nuggets, and things hadn&rsquo;t really gotten off to the best start, to say the least. We were 6-18 and knew we were gonna have our hands full that night. Our opponent? The Dallas Mavericks. With Mike Finley, Steve Nash, Raef LaFrentz and Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas was no joke. They began the season 21-3, so in our morning shootaround, we were definitely engaged. Afterward, I showered and changed, went back home, took my pregame nap and was on my way back to the arena. I&rsquo;m driving and going over the gameplan in my head when I get a call from my agent. He said he was calling to 'check on me.' He asked me how I was doing and where I was. I thought the questions were a little strange, but didn&rsquo;t really think much of it. 'I&rsquo;m going to the arena, we got a game,' I said. 'You&rsquo;re going where?!' And that&rsquo;s how I found out I&rsquo;d been traded. We were both shocked, and for the same reason.
"Nobody communicated with me. I was literally a couple miles from the arena. Getting traded is a part of life as a professional athlete. And fortunately for me, I was young and, outside of the team, hadn&rsquo;t really had any family roots or ties to Denver. But that didn&rsquo;t completely remove the sting. I just considered myself lucky to not be in a situation where I also had to move a wife and three kids in the middle of the school year. Not every player is that fortunate. One minute, you&rsquo;re driving on the highway. The next minute, at a moment&rsquo;s notice, you have to start packing and prepare to make a new life in a new city. It&rsquo;s the hardest part of the job, and it&rsquo;s one that we all accept. But damn. When I got the news &mdash; again, I was literally five minutes from the arena and had done shootaround that morning with my teammates and coaches &mdash; I had mixed emotions. My initial reaction was just genuine shock, and even though resentment might be too strong of a word, I definitely felt some kind of way. 'They couldn't even tell me?'
"I can&rsquo;t speak for everybody, but I can definitely understand how being traded and not being told could make a player feel really disposable. Sometimes, people forget that players are people too. As far as I know, there&rsquo;s no specific rule about when you are no longer able to communicate with the coaching staff or the front office of a team that trades you, but in most instances, there would at least be a phone call or a text message from your old coach or GM or whoever. Just a, 'Thank you for your service, we wish you the best of luck,' something like that. From Denver, I got nothing. All those thoughts and feelings raced through my mind in the 30 seconds it took me to process everything and turn my car around. Then, naturally, I asked my agent the question everyone in my situation would ask. 'Where did I get traded to?' When he told me Houston, I perked up and immediately pressed the gas... I actually moved in with Nick Van Exel after the trade. He had a crib in Houston, so I stayed with him. When I found out about the trade, I just packed up as much of my clothes as I could and went to Nick&rsquo;s house. I stayed there until the end of the season, then I got my own spot. But yeah, if my agent hadn&rsquo;t called, I would've showed up at the arena and they probably wouldn't have even let me in.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-etan-thomas-wpfw-dc-roundtable-drew-gooden-tony-massenburg-dave-zirin-john-wall-russell-westbrook-trade-washington-wizards-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DREW GOODEN</a>: &ldquo;I got drafted as the No. 4 pick in Memphis. Jerry West, it was his first year being the president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, and I was his pick at No. 4, and I would say three or four months into that season, we were stockpiled at my position. We had Stromile Swift (who was drafted as the No. 2 pick two years prior to me), Pau Gasol (who was the No. 3 pick the year before my draft) and Shane Battier (who was the No. 6 or No. 7 pick that same year) and then the following year, they picked me at No. 4. So we had a lot of young talent, but we just could not put the pieces together to make something right. I heard the trade rumors. Rumors are rumors until they actually happen. It&rsquo;s funny, this story, because when I was hearing the rumors about me being traded, me and my agent had the discussion with Jerry West.
"Jerry West said, 'Drew, this is ridiculous, we have no intentions of trading you. Don&rsquo;t read the papers, you&rsquo;re going to be here a long time. So plan on wearing a Memphis jersey for a long time.' So I was like, 'Alright, that&rsquo;s cool; Jerry West gave me a straight-up answer, man! We&rsquo;ve got nothing to worry about! Let&rsquo;s just see what happens, man, let&rsquo;s ride this season out.' A day later,&nbsp;less than 24 hours later, I get a call from Dick Versace, who was an assistant general manager at the time saying, 'Drew, we&rsquo;ve got some news.' He said, 'You&rsquo;re on your way to the Orlando Magic; we just traded you for Mike Miller, the reigning Rookie of the Year.' And I was like, 'Wowww.' I was happy, don&rsquo;t get it wrong, I was happy that I was traded, but I was like, 'Wowww, Jerry West just told me that I was not going to get traded less than 24 hours ago, and then he has somebody else call me to tell me I was traded?!'"
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-tj-ford-james-posey-interview-qa-milwaukee-bucks-toronto-raptors-indiana-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T.J. FORD</a>: "The way I got traded, I felt it was just cold-blooded. Getting traded for the first time is just a unique experience. I got traded in the summer, I think after Hurricane Katrina and all that; it was when the Essence Festival was in Houston for the first time. Somebody bought my house and I was supposed to move out a week later, but they told me they wanted me out on Friday. Now, I've got an appearance in Milwaukee on Saturday that I'm supposed to fly to on Friday&hellip; So I get to Milwaukee and I speak at Michael Redd's camp, but he wasn't there. It was just a strange day. Who comes to somebody's campand then they ain't there? That just didn't make sense to me. [I&rsquo;m thinking], &lsquo;Gosh, something ain't right.&rsquo;
"I ended up having dinner plans with Skip [Robinson], the public relations guy. He helped me do a lot of great things in Milwaukee. We go to dinner and I didn't really have no power at my house, so at the restaurant I&rsquo;ve got my phone and my charger, but they&rsquo;re not next to me. Skip answered his phone and he's sitting directly across from me and I just hear him go, 'No! No! You've got to be kidding me.' Then, he's like, 'Here, the GM wants to talk to you.' So, I'm like, 'What's going on?' The GM's like, 'How do you feel about going to Toronto?' I'm like, 'What are you talking about? Stop playing with me. Stop fuckin' with me. Seriously, what's going on?' He's like, 'No, for real. We just traded you for Charlie Villanueva and it hasn't hit the news yet and it probably won't tonight.' I'm like, 'Yo, Skip, he just told me he f*ckin' traded me. He must be joking with me.' So, I handed him the phone. I get my phone and I've got a bunch of missed calls from my mom.
"So I called my mom and she's like, 'Your agent has been trying to call you! He's been saying something about a trade?' I was like, 'I know! The GM just told me that he traded me, so it must be a joke or something. I don't know. I'll call you right back.' I called my agent right away. But before I was able to do that, they got a TV at the bar in the restaurant. And, remember, the GM just told me that nobody knew about it. But it had just hit the news. Not ESPN, I'm talking about the local news at 10. I'm like, 'Ah man!' It was the worst day, man. Worst day. I was hurt. That was a tough one&hellip; I was fortunate to always get traded in the summertime. I probably would've been really shocked if I had to move midseason. I felt like I was pretty blessed to get traded in the summertime, when you can really process it."

Basketball News spoke to several former NBA players who opened up about getting dealt and what the trade process entailed.

NBA veterans open up about getting traded: 'It was the worst day'

The 2023 NBA trade deadline is less than 48 hours away, which means talks are heating up around the league.
The New York Knicks always seem to pop up in trade rumors, and this season is no different. However, it remains to be seen whether Leon Rose and Co. will pull off a trade before Thursday.
Following New York's 102-98 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about the deadline and whether the team needs to make a move.
"I love our team," Thibodeau told reporters. "I love our team. Leon's job &mdash; and it's league-wide right now as things heat up &mdash; but that's his job, to listen to people, to talk and to see what's going on around the league. He and his staff are always thinking about [trade] possibilities and can we improve the team. That's his job, he's responsible for that. But we love our team. If something were to happen, it would have to be something that he felt very strongly about that would improve the club.
"But we know that we have a really good roster that we like. We have a lot of good, young players that we know are going to get better as time goes on. I've been around a long time: for every 100 trades they talk about, one gets done. So just keep focused on [the games], don't get distracted. It's just noise. But the good thing is that [trade rumors help] the popularity of our league. It creates a buzz and everyone is looking at it. But you can't lose sight of what's important to us, which is getting ready for the next game."
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was also asked about the upcoming deadline and how he feels about the roster as currently constructed.
"I mean, as professionals, our job is to show up every day and play basketbll and let the front office deal with all of those situations. But I love my teammates," Brunson told reporters. "Getting to know these guys, they've been welcoming &mdash; the guys that were here before me. The relationships that we've made over these past couple of months have been special. I love these guys. That's all I can say."
The Knicks are currently 30-26, which is the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference.
New York has the NBA's ninth-best offense (scoring 113.1 points per 100 possessions) and 14th-best defense (allowing 110.6 points per possessions).

Will the Knicks make a trade? Tom Thibodeau and Jalen Brunson weighed in on the upcoming trade deadline and the Knicks' roster.

Will the Knicks make a trade? Tom Thibodeau, Jalen Brunson weigh in

The Orlando Magic are still on the outside looking in of the Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference, but the franchise is on the rise. The team has already matched its 22-win total from last season and is only getting better behind the young core of Rookie-of-the-Year favorite Paolo Banchero and second-year wing Franz Wagner.
The Magic could be buyers before the Feb. 9 trade deadline and <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/nba-trade-intel-knicks-jazz-nuggets-deadline-rumors?source_caller=api&amp;shortlink=qy6dqcj4&amp;af_sub1=602143514&amp;c=af-newsletter&amp;pid=af-newsletter&amp;deep_link_value=action%3A%2F%2Farticle%3Fid%3D602143514&amp;af_adset=nba-trade-intel-knicks-jazz-nuggets-deadline-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple sources have told Matt Moore of The Action Network</a> that "there&rsquo;s real interest from the Magic in Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet." The 28-year-old veteran would bring some needed experience to the team as it looks to take its next step forward.
VanVleet is in the final year of his contract and has passed on a four-year, $114 million extension, the most Toronto can offer him before the offseason. He recently switched representation and the belief is that he's looking to get a long-term deal that averages between $30 million and $35 million per year.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/nba-trade-intel-knicks-jazz-nuggets-deadline-rumors?source_caller=api&amp;shortlink=qy6dqcj4&amp;af_sub1=602143514&amp;c=af-newsletter&amp;pid=af-newsletter&amp;deep_link_value=action%3A%2F%2Farticle%3Fid%3D602143514&amp;af_adset=nba-trade-intel-knicks-jazz-nuggets-deadline-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moore adds</a> that former No. 3 overall pick Jalen Suggs could be part of a deal along with draft compensation. However, the under-performing Raptors have been very busy leading up to the trade deadline, with teams around the league showing interest in VanVleet along with Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr.
Following a slow start to the season, VanVleet has picked up his play over the past few weeks. He is now averaging 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists while shooting 39.7% from the field and 34.7% on three-pointers.

The Orlando Magic could be buyers before the NBA trade deadline and they have a real interest in Toronto's Fred VanVleet.

Magic have "real interest" in Fred VanVleet before NBA trade deadline

Rui Hachimura had one of his best games of the season in the Washington Wizards' win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday. The 24-year-old finished with 30 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks while shooting an efficient 59.1% from the field and 60.0% from three.
However, it was Hachimura's postgame press conference that turned heads last night.
Several days after The Athletic's Josh Robbins <a href="https://theathletic.com/4103918/2023/01/18/wizards-rui-hachimura-trade-options/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Wizards have talked with multiple teams about a potential Hachimura trade, the fourth-year forward was asked about his uncertain future in Washington.
When asked whether he wants to be traded, Hachimura smiled, raised his eyebrows and said, "I don't know."
Does he think he'll get traded? "I guess," Hachimura responded. "I mean, I don't know."
Finally, when asked if he requested a trade, Hachimura smiled and said, "No comment."
&ldquo;I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player," Hachimura <a href="https://twitter.com/hoop_district/status/1617002959606349824?s=46&amp;t=EiWak6pGE0tExZU35SYlPg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. "I want to be somewhere that likes my game. I just got to play my game. I know what I can do and I can help the team to wins. It's either here or other teams.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Rui Hachimura on if he wants a trade: [Raises eyebrows], &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know,&rdquo; [laughs]. On if he thinks he will be traded: &ldquo;I guess, I mean I don&rsquo;t know.&rdquo; On if he asked for a trade: &ldquo;No comment [smiles].&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/q8PDffLcrv">pic.twitter.com/q8PDffLcrv</a>
&mdash; Hoop District (@Hoop_District) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hoop_District/status/1617004002335416322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

Hachimura is certainly a name to watch as the Feb. 9 trade deadline approaches.
The Wizards have also reportedly had trade conversations centered around Kyle Kuzma (and our Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-examining-destinations-for-kyle-kuzma-washington-wizards-phoenix-suns-los-angeles-clippers-milwaukee-bucks-cavaliers-heat-hawks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently broke down some possible destinations for him</a>).
This season, Hachimura is averaging 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game, while shooting 48.8% from the field, 33.7% from three and 75.9% from the free-throw line. He is set to hit restricted free agency this offseason.
The Wizards are currently 20-26, which is the 11th-best record in the Eastern Conference. Washington has the NBA's 16th-ranked defense (allowing 111.3 points per 100 possessions) and 21st-ranked offense (scoring 110.7 points per 100 possessions).

When asked whether he wants to be traded, Wizards forward Rui Hachimura smiled, raised his eyebrows and said, "I don't know."

Wizards' Rui Hachimura dances around whether he wants trade

The Los Angeles Lakers franchise never seems to have a dull moment, and you can bet the roller coaster will continue in 2023.
With another year gone by and 2022 officially in the rearview mirror, it&rsquo;s time for the purple and gold to look ahead. Similar to the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-7-possible-deals-for-the-los-angeles-lakers-charlotte-hornets-washington-wizards-indiana-pacers-san-antonio-spurs-pistons-magic-knicks-lebron-james-anthony-davis-rob-pelinka" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seven trade scenarios we looked at in last week's article</a>, I've decided to predict five things that could happen with the Lakers in the new year.
Let's take a look.
LeBron James will break the NBA's all-time scoring record sooner than expected
The Lakers season has been underwhelming so far, but LeBron has not been as he continues to play at an ultra-high level even in his 20th season. And now, he&rsquo;s on the verge of making history by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer.
The question wasn&rsquo;t if he would break the record this season, but when. LeBron has stayed healthy for the most part this year (only missing a handful of games so far) and finds himself just 484 points away from Kareem's mark of 38,387.
If James' scoring binge continues &mdash; he&rsquo;s averaging 36.6 points per game since Christmas, and Darvin Ham has said he will continue to ride him until Anthony Davis returns from injury &mdash; LeBron is going to top Kareem BEFORE the All-Star break.
Here are two dates to target, with both games at home:
<ul>
<li>Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 7</li>
<li>Milwaukee Bucks on Feb 9.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
The Lakers finally make a trade... just not the big one
Going back to before the season started, Lakers' fans have been clamoring for Rob Pelinka and the front office to make a deal. And while LA has talked to a lot of teams, the franchise has yet to pull the trigger.
That will change before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, but it won&rsquo;t be that big, potential-game changer that some are hoping for.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The Lakers have been clinging onto their oh-so-precious, tradeable 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, and the team doesn&rsquo;t seem anxious to include either in a deal at this point. Instead, they&rsquo;d rather count on good returns for minimum-contract players like Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant, and the return of Anthony Davis before the end of January.
LA will do something, but it will be around the edges that will involve the expiring contract(s) of Kendrick Nunn ($5.2M) or Patrick Beverley ($13.0M) and some second-rounders. Think of Josh Richardson, Cam Reddish, or Mason Plumlee &mdash; players who can help now, but also are on expiring deals so the team can preserve its cap space and reset the repeater luxury tax (something owner Jeanie Buss loathes to continue paying).
The Lakers will get into the Play-in Tournament
Somehow, someway, this team will get into the postseason. Right now, LA sits at 17-21, but is just one game back of the sliding Utah Jazz &mdash; losers of five straight &mdash; for the 10th spot in the Western Conference.&nbsp;
The schedule is tough, and they'll need LeBron and Davis to stay/get healthy, but this group won&rsquo;t melt down the stretch like last season; they&rsquo;ll find an avenue into the Play-In. Maybe the Lakers could get as high as the No. 9 spot if things break their way, but that&rsquo;s probably their ceiling at this point. From there, they&rsquo;ll cross their fingers and toes that the LBJ-AD combo can do some damage. Good luck.
LeBron will remain with Lakers next season and beyond
Sure, LeBron is a bit frustrated with this season, and he already sounded off on his &ldquo;playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA&rdquo; salvo. And it&rsquo;s not wrong to think that he could get fed up with the situation in La La Land and demand a trade after the season.
(Remember, he cannot be traded during the season because he signed an extension in September and cannot be moved for six months, which is after the trade deadline.)
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lebron james is shooting 72.7% on drives&mdash;and 84.9% at the rim&mdash;since the anthony davis injury <a href="https://t.co/ji0u4Wt2kY">pic.twitter.com/ji0u4Wt2kY</a>
&mdash; Dan Favale (@danfavale) <a href="https://twitter.com/danfavale/status/1611105868736614426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>

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LeBron has every right to be upset. Anyone would be, especially a 38-year-old, still-near-his-prime superstar who is chasing one more ring to tie him with Laker greats Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson.
With that being said, he&rsquo;s not going anywhere. His sons Bronny (18) and Bryce (15) are entrenched at Sierra Canyon High School, his off-the-court businesses have thrived since moving to California and his family really enjoys the west-coast lifestyle.
LeBron doesn&rsquo;t seem interested in moving his family or being away from them during an NBA season. While he&rsquo;ll continue to put pressure on the front office when it comes to the roster, the bet here is that he&rsquo;s not going anywhere. Well, at least not for the next few seasons.
LA goes big-name hunting and lands one
Nothing says &ldquo;Lakers exceptionalism&rdquo; like the team always looking to add another superstar. And unless the organization makes a trade taking on salary for future years (don&rsquo;t hold your breath), LA is set to have around $30 million in cap space this upcoming offseason. That&rsquo;s not enough to get a star on a max deal, but it could be enough to get a distressed one.
I give you Kyrie Irving.
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While Irving has been a big part of the Brooklyn Nets turning their season around &mdash; now in the No. 3 position in the Eastern Conference at 25-13 &mdash; he&rsquo;s a free agent at the end of the season, and the Nets would still have to make a commitment to him. That could come down to how far they go in the playoffs. Even then, Nets governor Joe Tsai and general Sean Marks could decide they&rsquo;ve had enough of the Kyrie experience.
Of course, the Lakers wouldn&rsquo;t shy away from Irving despite the off-court attention that comes with him. LA is desperate for another big name player. He&rsquo;s probably a much better fit that Russell Westbrook. He definitely is a better long-range shooter. But will his actions off the court get him in trouble? That&rsquo;s a big gamble for most teams.
The Lakers aren&rsquo;t one of them. They embrace chaos. LeBron has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYeEyAqkw_c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly already indicated he would welcome playing with Irving again</a>, and the <a href="https://www.nj.com/nets/2023/01/how-has-kyrie-irvings-recent-stellar-play-with-the-streaking-nets-impacted-his-free-agency-situation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feeling seems mutual</a>. Despite his sometimes jaw-dropping offensive talent, most teams will steer clear of him. That would allow the Lakers to offer him a good, but less-than-max deal of around two-years, $62M.
Is that enough for Irving? It might be the best deal he gets offered.

Brian Fritz predicts five scenarios that could happen regarding the Lakers in the new year.

Making 5 predictions for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

The Los Angeles Lakers are a mess.
Employing a roster that's built on guards in an era when most successful NBA teams are loaded with wing players, the team is currently 25th in the league in three-point shooting (33.9%) and ranks <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/clutch-advanced?dir=D&amp;sort=NET_RATING" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dead last</a> in clutch-time performance, finding some creative ways to give games away.
Despite LeBron James continuing to playing at an unbelievable level in his 20th NBA season and soon hitting the age of 38, the Lakers find themselves at No. 13 in the Western Conference standings with a 14-21 record.
(Of course, you can point to the loss of Anthony Davis as a reason why the Lakers have dropped to seven games below .500. He was playing at an MVP-level and carrying this team on both ends of the court before he suffered a stress injury in his right foot on Dec. 16. He won&rsquo;t be back until at least mid-January either.)
Everyone knows that this team desperately needs to make a trade. Even with their struggles, the Lakers need to do something &ndash; anything &ndash; or else they are just wasting another season of LeBron&rsquo;s greatness. And he&rsquo;s starting to voice his frustrations again, saying after their latest loss that his top priority remains winning: "Playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA.&rdquo;
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LEBRON: "I'm a winner &amp; I want to win. I want to still compete for championships &amp; that's been my passion &amp; goal since I entered the league as an 18yo kid out of Akron, Ohio...Playing basketball just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA anymore.&rdquo;<a href="https://t.co/lAB22WNt6K">pic.twitter.com/lAB22WNt6K</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1608437886374023170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Before the season began, Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka <a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/268771/Rob-Pelinka-We-Will-Do-Everything-We-Can-Picks-Included-To-Help-LeBron-Get-To-The-End" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pinky swore</a> that the organization would do &ldquo;everything we can, picks included, to make deals to give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end." It&rsquo;s time for him to make good on the promise and actually &ndash; finally &ndash; make a move that can help the team sneak into the Play-In Tournament and maybe for future seasons as well.&nbsp;
The buzz around the Lakers is that Russell Westbrook and his gigantic $47 million expiring contract won&rsquo;t be traded unless they can get a star in return. The more likely scenario is Los Angeles trading its two other expiring deals in Patrick Beverley ($13 million) and Kendrick Nunn ($5.2 million), and one of either its 2027 or 2029 first-round picks.
With the trade deadline approaching, more teams should be open to making a deal &mdash; especially those diving in the standings. Here are seven options and trade partners who could make sense.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS 
One of these days, Michael Jordan and Co. might be convinced to blow up the Hornets, or at least enough to strip it down and build around LaMelo Ball.
The Lakers have apparently made it clear that <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2022/10/31/23433700/lakers-russell-westbrook-gordon-hayward-terry-rozier-hornets-trade-rumors-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they&rsquo;re not interested in taking on an oft-injured Gordon Hayward</a>, who is on the books for $30 million this season and $31.5 million next season.&nbsp;
The more interesting names would be PJ Washington and Mason Plumlee. Washington would add some size as a forward, and maybe his shooting &mdash; which has been hovering around a career-low near 40% &mdash; can turn around with a change of scenery. Plumlee would be another big body who can rebound and help protect the paint a little, especially with AD missing.
A deal for Beverley&rsquo;s expiring contract alone would work salary-wise for both Washington and Plumlee; the issue is what else LA would have to include. A pair of second-round picks might not get it done, and the Hornets would likely demand at least a protected first-rounder.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS 
Sure, the league would laugh if the Lakers traded back for Kyle Kuzma after including him in the Westbrook deal two summers ago. But in a lot of ways, he&rsquo;s exactly what they need &mdash; a big wing who can switch on defense and rebound while creating his own shot and knocking down threes on the other end.&nbsp;
In his previous LA stint, Kuzma wasn&rsquo;t happy with his role. But now, with AD playing the bulk of his minutes at center, Kuzma would slide in perfectly next to Davis and LeBron. Indications are that the Wizards want to build around Kuzma, Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. However, Kuzma is set to opt-out of his contract and he's poised to get a big pay day in free agency. Odds are that the Wizards wouldn&rsquo;t want to lose him for nothing and would make him available with plenty of teams interested in renting Kuzma for the rest of the season.
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Nothing like getting off the plane and that California breeze hit you 🌴
&mdash; kuz (@kylekuzma) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylekuzma/status/1603467117839273984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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While the Lakers won&rsquo;t give up both of their future first-round picks, a package of Beverley and either the unprotected pick in &rsquo;27 or a protected pick and rookie Max Christie would seem feasible if Washington considered moving on.
INDIANA PACERS 
Just before the start of the season, the Lakers and Pacers had the much-talked about deal for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner in place before LA backed out in hopes they could do it later without giving up both of its available future first-round picks.&nbsp;
That backfired. Indiana has an 18-17 record with Hield shooting a lights-out 41.9% from deep and Turner putting up 16.2 points and 7.8 rebounds a night on 40.5% from distance. Things could be much different for the Lakers if they hadn&rsquo;t gotten cold feet.
Indy probably won&rsquo;t revisit that deal, but Turner could still be available. The big man is set to become a free agent this offseason with a big raise. And while the Pacers are open to an extension, it could be too much for them to swallow.&nbsp;
Turner would be a huge addition to the Lakers' rim protection both now and once Davis returns to the lineup, as the two seemingly would be a great fit on the court together, terrorizing other teams defensively.&nbsp;
The price to land Turner would be high; at least one unprotected first and a second along with Beverley and either Nunn or Thomas Bryant to make the numbers work. (Of course, Indiana has young bigs in Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith already, so that doesn't exactly incentivize an agreement.) If you&rsquo;re Pelinka, you keep your fingers crossed that the Pacers go on a losing streak and could be persuaded to revisit the Turner and Hield deal &mdash; but don&rsquo;t count on it.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS 
It&rsquo;s not exactly the sexiest option, but the Lakers and Spurs have been dancing around each other since before the season. The Spurs are committed to the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes and could lose center Jakob Poeltl in free agency.&nbsp;
The Lakers <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/spurs/news/nba-trade-rumors-los-angeles-la-lakers-interested-san-antonio-spurs-vets-jakob-poeltl-josh-richardson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may have interest in him</a>, along with wings Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott, who would add shooting and some size to match up better against teams.&nbsp;
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San Antonio is looking for a premium package in exchange for Poeltl, whose skill set probably works better some place else.
A deal for Richardson and/or McDermott &ndash; who is shooting 42.3% from deep, but also on the hook for $13.7 million next season &ndash; makes sense if all it takes is a few second-round picks. More matching salaries would additionally have to be included with Beverley and Nunn in a bigger deal.
DETROIT PISTONS 
Our own Nekias Duncan recently detailed why good teams <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-good-teams-should-be-looking-at-bojan-bogdanovic-detroit-pistons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should be looking to trade for Bojan Bogdanovic</a>, and it&rsquo;s already been reported that the Lakers have talked to Detroit about him. The 33-year-old is having a banner year, averaging 20.7 points on 47.7% shooting and a whopping 40.4% from three-point range.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;re not exactly getting a defensive dynamo with him, but he would help balance the roster and his offense would probably be worth it. However, Bogdanovic did sign a two-year, $39 million extension that would bite into LA&rsquo;s available cap space going forward. But it&rsquo;s not like this upcoming year&rsquo;s free-agency class is fantastic, as the best players are likely going to stay put with their current teams.
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Bojan feels the contact and gets the fading and-one in the corner! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pistons?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pistons</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ThinkFordFirst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThinkFordFirst</a> <a href="https://t.co/ELivYW2vmQ">pic.twitter.com/ELivYW2vmQ</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsDET/status/1607542439237099520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Pistons brass has been posturing about keeping Bogdanovic, but with the team going nowhere this season, a Cade Cunningham-less, still-rebuilding Detroit is expected to take calls as the deadline approaches. Would a top-four protected first in 2027 along with Beverley and Nunn&rsquo;s expiring deals be enough?
There are other options in Motown as well. Alec Burks is connecting on 43.2% of his threes in just over 21 minutes per game and Nerlens Noel has been benched in favor of younger players. Both veterans would provide a need for the Lakers and each has a team option for next season, so there isn&rsquo;t a long-term commitment. Plus, Burks and Noel would probably be available for deals involving second-round picks.
ORLANDO MAGIC 
With young stars in rookie Paolo Banchero and second-year player Franz Wagner, the Magic are in a great position in their latest rebuild. In addition, they were smart in the offseason to re-sign Mo Bamba ($10.3 million) and Gary Harris ($13 million) to very movable deals that are non-guaranteed in 2023-24. Plus, the always-in-trade-rumors swingman Terrence Ross is on the final year of his contract.
It's unlikely that LA would sacrifice one of its gold-chip first-round picks in any deal with Orlando, but Bamba-Ross for Beverley-Nunn and some second-rounders could be a worthwhile gamble. It&rsquo;s not a glamorous deal, but it shows a little effort. (Though, the Magic might elect to continually develop Bamba instead.)
NEW YORK KNICKS 
Before last season&rsquo;s deadline, the Knicks and Lakers were almost part of a three-team deal with the Toronto Raptors that could have put Cam Reddish in the purple and gold. And the Lakers are still interested in the 6-foot-8 forward despite his struggles that have kept him outside of New York&rsquo;s rotation.
The two teams talked earlier this season about Evan Fournier, who is owed almost $19 million next season and has fallen out of Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s rotation as well. Even if NY included a future first-rounder to get off Fournier&rsquo;s deal along with Reddish, the deal would be an act of desperation on LA&rsquo;s behalf and not worth it.

Brian Fritz breaks down seven different trade routes the Lakers could try to go to bolster their roster this season.

Examining 7 possible trade options for the Los Angeles Lakers

Despite the recent injury to Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers remain active on the trade front, looking to add some pieces around LeBron James in hopes of putting themselves in playoff contention.
The latest rumors surrounding LA comes from <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/surprising-magic-could-emerge-as-possible-factor-in-trade-market-free-agency-004820046.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports</a> who reports that the team is interested in both Terrence Ross and Mo Bamba of the Orlando Magic.
While the Magic are just 11-21 on the season, the team has won 6 of its last 7 and has a good foundation of young players to build around in rookie Paolo Banchero and second-year singman Franz Wagner. The team could be looking for future draft assets and both Ross and Bamba could be available.
Fischer states that Ross "has long garnered interest" from the Lakers. Orlando has turned down offers in previous years for the 31-year-old swingman below a first-round pick but "it&rsquo;s difficult to foresee a playoff contender sacrificing more than a single second-round selection for Ross&rsquo; services." Ross is in the final year of his deal that pays him $11.5 million this season.
The Lakers are also in need of another big man and have show interest in Bamba who signed a two-year, $20.6 million deal before the season with the second year non-guaranteed.
"League executives expect Orlando to hold out for a protected first-round selection or a late first-round pick to part with the 24-year-old rim presence," <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/surprising-magic-could-emerge-as-possible-factor-in-trade-market-free-agency-004820046.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Fischer</a>. "There are teams like the Lakers and Clippers, as well as Toronto, Sacramento and Brooklyn, that front-office personnel expect to sniff around the big-man market ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline and may be willing to cough up a pair of second-round choices for Bamba."
&nbsp;

New trade rumors have the LA Lakers interested in adding Orlando Magic players Terrence Ross and Mo Bamba.

Lakers interested in Magic players Ross, Bamba

This isn't how things were supposed to go in Detroit.&nbsp;
It was hard not to be excited for the Pistons heading into the year. Strong draft class, headlined by Jaden Ivey and the traded-for Jalen Duren. A Jerami Grant trade not only netted them a future first-rounder and other draft capital, it was a move made in part to clear some of the runway for Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey, the latter of which was expected to fill more of Grant's time at forward.
The shooting woes that hampered Detroit last season were somewhat accounted for; adding Alec Burks into the mix was supposed to help, and an offseason trade for sniper Bojan Bogdanovic was expected to be a big add to their offense.
Fast forward to now, and the Pistons are without Cunningham for the year, dealing with an uneven campaign from Bey, and ultimately find themselves percentage points away from the worst record in the NBA.
So much for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-central-division-chicago-bulls-cleveland-cavaliers-detroit-pistons-indiana-pacers-milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">play-in ceiling</a>.&nbsp;
There have been bright spots though. Ivey and Duren have been as advertised; Ivey's going to make the All-Rookie first team, and Duren could make a push for it by the end of the season. Loyal listeners of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a> know how pleased I've been with Killian Hayes' growth this season.
On the veteran side, Bogdanovic has somehow been better than expected.&nbsp;
The initial plan was to spread the floor at a high level, and act as a security blanket so Cunningham (and Bey) wouldn't have to work as hard as creators. Instead, Bogdanovic has become the defacto top option.
Since November 11, kicking off the stretch without Cunningham for good, Bogdanovic is averaging a team-high in front-court touches (33.8), points (22.3), shot attempts (14.8), three-point attempts (5.6) and free throw attempts (5.8).&nbsp;
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The efficiency has been off the charts, with Bogdanovic converting a ridiculous 56.6% of his twos and nearly 41% of his threes.&nbsp;
League-wide, Bogdanovic is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shots-general?CF=FG3A*GE*5:FG3_PCT*GE*40:FG2_PCT*GE*55&amp;TeamID=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of five* players</a> converting at least 55% of their twos and 40% of their threes with high volume during this month-plus stretch, joining Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins and Lauri Markkanen. (*Wendell Carter Jr. is also on this list, but only has three games under his belt during this stretch. Please come back soon, Wendell. We miss you, and the Magic surely do.)
What makes Bogdanovic fun is the myriad ways he can be used. He's running nearly 15 ball screens per 100 possessions since November 11, and the Pistons are scoring roughly 1.04 points per possession (PPP) on those trips &mdash; a mark that ranks in the 72nd percentile, per Second Spectrum.
He's shooting most of the time (50.8%), with his scoring prowess popping against drop coverage or switches (1.08 PPP). Bogdanovic slow-probes his way to his spots, whether that's keeping his defender at bay when faced with drop, or picking out a matchup agains a (late) switch and posting up.
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There are still limitations. Mainly, Bogdanovic's handle isn't tight enough to access&nbsp;every&nbsp;area of the court on a whim. When faced with more aggressive coverages &mdash; hedges or flat-out traps &mdash; he's prone to retreating without taking full advantage of the numbers game ahead of him. Even when he isn't, navigating close quarters can be an adventure. He's up to 27 "lost ball" turnovers in 30 games this season (0.9), after racking up 48 of them in 69 games last season (0.7).
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Even with that uptick, it's hard to ignore the overall efficiency here. And it's especially impressive considering he's carrying a much larger offensive load than originally expected.
This isn't the first time Bogdanovic has had to scale up. He saw his shot volume increase by nearly three attempts between his first and second year in Indiana. In year two (2018-19), Bogdanovic averaged 18 points with shooting splits similar to what he's doing now &mdash; 53.8% on twos, 42.5% from three. That was a year where Victor Oladipo appeared in just 36 games.
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But this is different. Bogdanovic's 64.9% True Shooting clip is easily the higheest of his career, and a whopping 7.4 points above league average. It would behoove other teams to take notice.
The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3992371/2022/12/12/bojan-bogdanovic-jae-crowder-shams-charania-inside-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>. The Phoenix Suns were linked to Bogdanovic before he was dealt to the Pistons, and could probably use another shot creator in light of Chris Paul's decline in that area.
There are others, like the Atlanta Hawks, that could use the forward's blend of creation and outside shooting. Is there a conversation to be had around a package headlined by John Collins? It's certainly worth asking. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-lakers-knicks-john-collins-bojan-bogdanovic-free-agency-stock-watch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Scotto of HoopsHype</a> reported that the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks have also expressed interest.
That would track. The Mavs desperately need more creation to take pressure off of Luka Doncic. The Heat need more shooting &mdash; they rank 21st in three-point percentage despite ranking seventh in three-point rate &mdash; and could stand to upgrade at the 4, though Caleb Martin has played pretty well this season.
Of course, the Pistons don't have to cooperate. They recently extended Bogdanovic, and per James Edwards of The Athletic, the Pistons <a href="https://theathletic.com/3995150/2022/12/13/pistons-trade-scenariors-noel-bogdanovic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aren't eager to move him</a>. It would (rightfully) take a big offer to pry him out of there. But with the way he's playing, it's probably worth the swing.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the recent offensive explosion of Bojan Bogdanovic.

Good teams should be looking to trade for Bojan Bogdanovic

While the NBA trade deadline isn't until Feb. 9, trade talks are starting to heat up.
Dec. 15 is known as the start of NBA trade season because any player who signed a contract last offseason can now be traded by their respective team, making it much easier for teams to negotiate deals and match salaries.
As of now, it seems that there are a lot of buyers and only a few sellers. The main sellers seem to be the San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets, according to <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/emerging-spurs-big-man-jakob-poeltl-could-be-a-key-player-in-this-seasons-trade-market-005938316.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports</a>. NBA executives are waiting for more sellers to emerge, but since there's so much parity this season, many teams are looking to buy or stand pat.
So far, the most active teams on the trade market have been the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Rockets, according to <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/emerging-spurs-big-man-jakob-poeltl-could-be-a-key-player-in-this-seasons-trade-market-005938316.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer</a>. Let's take a look at each team and the moves they're considering.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Over the offseason, it seemed like a Russell Westbrook trade was inevitable. However, <a href="https://theathletic.com/4004360/2022/12/15/lakers-russell-westbrook-celtics-clippers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Amick of The Athletic</a> reports that "Westbrook&rsquo;s play this past month has made it increasingly unlikely that he will be traded before the league&rsquo;s Feb. 9 deadline."&nbsp;Since becoming a sixth man on Oct. 28, the 34-year-old has averaged 15.2 points, 7.9 assists, 5.8 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game.
If Westbrook isn't expected to get dealt, why are the Lakers considered one of the most active teams?
Well, they are reportedly looking to pull off a smaller trade involving Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and potentially a protected first-round pick. Jovan Buha of The Athletic <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-looking-at-possible-patrick-beverley-kendrick-nunn-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke about this</a> two weeks ago, and Fischer <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/emerging-spurs-big-man-jakob-poeltl-could-be-a-key-player-in-this-seasons-trade-market-005938316.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that L.A. has offered this package to various teams (including to the Pistons for Bojan Bogdanovic). It remains to be seen whether the Lakers will be able to flip this package for a significant contributor prior to the trade deadline. As always, they're also a team to watch once buyouts begin.
The Lakers are currently 11-16, which is the 12th-best record in the Western Conference. They have the NBA's 15th-ranked defense (allowing 110.1 points per 100 possessions) and 21st-ranked offense (scoring 108.8 points per 100 possessions).
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NEW YORK KNICKS
Big changes may be coming in the Big Apple.
The Knicks have "made plenty of its roster available for discussion, particularly Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish and Immanuel Quickley," according to <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/emerging-spurs-big-man-jakob-poeltl-could-be-a-key-player-in-this-seasons-trade-market-005938316.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer</a>.
One year after acquiring Reddish in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks are working with Reddish's camp to find him a new home. Fischer mentions that the Knicks and Lakers have talked about a deal involving Fournier and Reddish.
At one point earlier this season, the Knicks expressed interest in Rockets veteran Eric Gordon, but the two sides weren't able to reach an agreement.
New York is currently 15-13, which is the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks boast the NBA's 10th-best defense (allowing 109.1 points per 100 possessions) and 14th-best offense (scoring 110.2 points per 100 possessions).
HOUSTON ROCKETS
As previously mentioned, Houston has emerged as an early seller. 
The Rockets have the second-youngest team in the NBA, with an average age of 23.58 years old &mdash; trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder (23.14). They are focused on rebuilding and developing their young core, but they could also be open to moving certain players for the right price. 
Eric Gordon's name has surfaced in trade rumors over the last two years, but the Rockets have insisted that they won't move Gordon unless they receive a first-round pick. There are "roughly a half dozen teams" that have had preliminary talks about Gordon, according to <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/rockets/article/Houston-Rockets-trade-options-17651050.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle</a>. Feigen mentions that Gordon is a top target for contenders (including the Phoenix Suns).
KJ Martin is another name to keep an eye on. The 21-year-old requested a trade over the offseason and "multiple sources believe he still wants out," according to <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10058513-latest-nba-intel-on-trade-season-storylines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report</a>. Pincus notes that the Suns have tried to acquire a package of Gordon and Martin.

The Lakers, Knicks and Rockets are reportedly the most active teams in trade talks. Alex Kennedy breaks down the latest rumors.

Lakers, Knicks, Rockets are most active NBA teams in trade talks

Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins is expected to miss at least two weeks due to a sprained left ankle, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1598468835350564864" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>. 
Collins suffered the sprain on Wednesday night when the Hawks defeated the Orlando Magic, 125-108.
This season, Collins is averaging 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 48.4% from the field, 21.9% from three-point range and 84.5% from the free-throw line.
Collins' name has surfaced in trade rumors over the last year, and the Hawks recently "opened preliminary trade discussions" involving him, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3910489/2022/11/18/hawks-suns-john-collins-jae-crowder-trade-talk-shams-inside-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charania</a>. 
The Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest in the 25-year-old. (Our Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-report-utah-jazz-have-interest-in-atlanta-hawks-forward-john-collins-lauri-markkanen-kelly-olynyk-mike-conley-malik-beasley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down the Jazz rumors</a> and how Collins would potentially fit in Utah).
Atlanta is 12-10, which is tied for the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks currently have the NBA's 10th-ranked defense and 19th-ranked offense.
&nbsp;

Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins is expected to miss at least two weeks due to his left ankle sprain.

Hawks' John Collins to miss at least 2 weeks with sprained ankle

I'll open with a bit of transparency: I don't know if I'll have more fun writing a piece than I will with this one.
It's easy to get lost in Xs and Os talk, rotation suggestions, or transaction rumors. It can be easy to be bogged down by off-court nonsense &mdash; looking at you, Josh Primo, and the Brooklyn Nets, as a concept. But there are certain teams, certain players and certain stories that bring me back to the ground floor.&nbsp;
At its core, basketball is a beautiful game. It is art; it is music. It's poetry. It's freakin'&nbsp;fun,&nbsp;man. Watching players make the impossible look mundane is what drew me to the sport. I wouldn't care about the intricacies of Spain pick-and-rolls without having "whew, what a fun/easy bucket" as my foundation.&nbsp;
There isn't a player in the league that breaks my "whew" scale &mdash; or makes me laugh uncontrollably &mdash;&nbsp; quite like the Orlando Magic's Bol Bol does.&nbsp;
He's broken my brain virtually; you're not having fun in an online 2K league without having him on your roster. The flashes he showed at Oregon broke my brain in real life. A guy that tall isn't supposed to have the shooting touch and handle capabilities that he does.&nbsp;
There were always valid concerns. The frame was an issue, as were the injuries he's had to work through because of it. There were questions about the motor, among other things. He slid to the second round of the 2019 draft due to a combination of those questions.
But my word, the Bol Experiment may be working in Year 4.
Through eight games, Bol is averaging career highs in points (11.1), rebounds (7.4), and blocks (2.6, 4th in the NBA) in a shade under 22 minutes a night. This has been more than the occasional flash that I freak out about on Twitter; he legitimately looks like a productive rotation player.
Injury and opportunity have thrusted Bol into the Magic's starting lineup over the last three games. He's responded strongly, averaging 13.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in 29.1 minutes per contest.
HOW IT'S WORKING
Honestly, "opportunistic" may be the best way to describe Bol's play to kick off the year. He's averaging nearly 2 offensive rebounds a game. Overall, 48.5% of his two-point attempts &mdash; that he's converting at an absurd 71.7% clip by the way &mdash; have been unassisted. You can think a combination of putbacks and grab-and-go sequences for that.
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The grab-and-go possessions really stand out. One, it's just wild to see someone like him bringing the ball up. Beyond that, the drives have actually been fruitful. The sample isn't large; the good folks at Second Spectrum have him pegged for 17 drives on the season. But the Magic have generated over 1.3 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Bol drive.&nbsp;
The real fun is that the drives have featured some kick-outs. If he shifts from one-track minded to 1.3-track minded, you consider that a win if you're the Magic. These aren't Luka-like reads, but this is growth worth keeping an eye on.
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Defensively, I find myself in awe of Bol's length and range.&nbsp;
You will often see Bol in an off-ball role, either defending a weaker opponent or defending an area as part of Orlando's zone. If he isn't directly involved in the action, he's able to sink down to disrupt drives and spray back out to bother (or dissuade) catch-and-shoot opportunities. Even when he isn't in great position (more on that shortly), his massive wingspan allows him to alter or block shots anyway.
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Among 77 players that have defended at least 75 shot attempts, Bol's contest rate (92.59) ranks 12th on the list, per Second Spectrum. That puts him right behind players like Anthony Davis (93.59) and slightly ahead of guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo (92.51).
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Aside from the grab-and-go potential, the shooting was the primary calling card for Bol offensively entering his draft year. He hasn't knocked down triples at a high clip (33.3%) or with much volume (1.1 attempts).
To the volume portion, a lot of that is because of Bol's limitations. Because of his struggles to deal with physicality, opponents are comfortable stashing perimeter players on him. What would be pick-and-pop situations are typically switches, negating much of the benefits for Bol.
There's a ton of room to grow as a screener. Again, the frame limits him from being a Steven Adams-esque bully, but it still doesn't feel like he has a firm handle on timing or angles to pry guys loose. I've been on a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-screen-time-vol-1-steven-adams-best-worst-screeners-anthony-davis-fred-vanvleet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">screening kick lately</a>, and it should come as no surprise that Bol grades poorly in terms of contact rate &mdash; meaning how often he generates contact on his screens.
It's not a situation like Brandon Clarke, where he's good at screening but ranks low in generating contact because he's so good&nbsp;at slipping; Bol just has to get better at screening as a concept.
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If he's able to do that, more scoring opportunities should rise. Pick-and-pops will open up. The Magic could further explore his usage as a handoff hub if he generates contact better; he already has enough of a handle to fool opponents with fake handoffs. But before that can be a present threat, he has to be able to pry his handoff partner open and force rotations.&nbsp;
On the other end, Bol's spatial awareness still needs work. While his length can help cover his mistakes, it's still worth noting some of the mistakes he makes, particularly when he's tasked with tracking multiple actions at once.
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Bol is often stashed on weaker perimeter players, and that weakness speaks to that player's scoring prowess&nbsp;and&nbsp;literal strength. Bol simply doesn't have the strength to deal with 5s. Even some guards have been successful in getting into his chest on drives and pushing him backwards.
He still struggles sliding laterally, and has bigger issues flipping his hips and changing direction. That's led to some pretty ugly "contain" sequences from him. It's telling that he's among the league leaders in blocks, but opponents have converted nearly 67% of their shots at the rim against Bol to this point of the season.
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But for now, the positives are outweighing the problem areas for the first time in his career. The Magic have a plus-4.6 net rating in Bol's 173 minutes, and have been dusted (minus-13.8) in their 211 minutes without him. The split looks even better if <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612753&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=1629626&amp;Leverage=VeryHigh,High,Medium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">you remove garbage time</a>.
Cheers to Bol for producing, and an even bigger hat tip to him for being fun while doing it.

Nekias Duncan breaks down, and celebrates, the fun and productivity of Bol Bol with the Orlando Magic.

Magical start: Celebrating Bol Bol's early productivity in Orlando

Nekias Duncan previews the Hawks, Hornets, Heat, Magic and Wizards ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

Recently, the John Wall Foundation hosted an event at The Salvation Army, where John Wall opened up about how difficult the last few years have been for him. The five-time All-Star described the last few years as &ldquo;the darkest place I&rsquo;ve ever been in.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;At one point in time, I thought about committing suicide,&rdquo; Wall admitted. &ldquo;I mean, just tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing, my grandma passing a year later &mdash; all of this in the midst of COVID at the same time&hellip; me going to the chemotherapy and sitting there, seeing my mom take her last breath, wearing the same clothes for three days straight and laying on the couch beside her. My team, the mother of my kids has been great, my two boys, it's my motivation for me. Looking at all that, I'm like, 'If I can get through this, I can get through anything in life.'
"Everybody goes through something, we all went through tough times, nobody's got it easy. But I don't think a lot of people could get through what I went through. To me, to be back on top where I want to be and see that the fans still want me to play, having support from my hometown, their support means a lot in a time where I had to go find a therapist.
"A lot of people think, 'I don't need help, I can get through it,' but you gotta be true to yourself, find out what's best for you, and I did that. I'm just happy to have this opportunity to play basketball again. I think everything I have been through has all been a part of God's plan&hellip; Even though I was in a dark place the last couple of years, I'm super excited... to play the game that I love."
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This admission sent shock waves throughout the entire sports world.&nbsp;
I reached out to former Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat, who played with Wall for five seasons, to have a discussion about his former teammate.
Etan Thomas: What were your thoughts when you heard John Wall&rsquo;s interview detailing everything he has been through?&nbsp;
Marcin Gortat: &ldquo;First of all, I was shocked. I didn&rsquo;t know that he was going through so many different issues. I was a witness a couple years ago while we were teammates and there was this little 6-year-old girl, Miyah Telemaque-Nelson, who <a href="https://twitter.com/johnwall/status/537085825767735296?s=21&amp;t=isslghfV3tQMWGH-SXWKbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he had really connected with</a> who passed away from cancer. He had been raising money for her and doing charity work for her, and I remember the big impact her death had on him. He literally broke down during a postgame interview where he dedicated the game to her.&rdquo;
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Thomas: Yeah, I remember seeing that video. He really took that hard.
Gortat: &ldquo;Even harder than most people know. He was really down for a couple of weeks after that. So when I heard that he lost his mom and then his grandmother, I thought back to how hard he took [it] when little Miyah passed away. After hearing this past interview, I felt bad. Like as a former teammate, I should&rsquo;ve been supporting [him] more. Yeah, I texted with him a couple of times while he was in Houston. I knew he was struggling with the situation as far as the team and them pushing him to the side, so I knew that alone was catastrophic for him because I know how much he loves basketball. But couple that with losing people as close to you as your mother and grandmother [and that] had to have been just devastating.&rdquo;
Thomas: He mentioned that he has a positive outlook now and feels optimistic with his new situation with the Los Angeles Clippers, so that was good to hear.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;Yeah, I&rsquo;m hoping that basketball will be something that can help him since he seems to be in a much better situation with the Clippers so that will occupy his mind and his emotions somewhat, but I really hope he heals and gets all of the support toward his healing.&rdquo;
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Thomas: I definitely agree. One of the things that bothers me is when I hear different fans or people on social media or in the sports media reporting on rumors that are just inaccurate. They cast a negative light on an athlete based on these rumors. Stephen A. Smith <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/clippers/news/stephen-a-smith-apologizes-to-john-wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publicly apologized</a> to John for his role in demonizing him last season in Houston. I was glad to see him do that because the media really went after John Wall and swayed public opinion on him in a very cruel and uninformed way.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;Yeah and that&rsquo;s very unfortunate that that happens a lot in the media nowadays, but this is how it is in this league. A lot of people owe John Wall an apology. I understand the media has to write something or say something on their shows that&rsquo;s controversial and that gets all of the people&rsquo;s attention because that&rsquo;s what they are paid to do. But people who know John know that they were unfairly demonizing him. Not that he&rsquo;s perfect, nobody is perfect. Did he make mistakes? Yes, but everybody makes mistakes. But he is not the person they were making him out to be, and it&rsquo;s terrible how much that happens.&rdquo;
Thomas: I had a debate with David Aldridge and Marc Spears about the power of the media. Marc came out publicly and said that he regretted doing the interview, but I was trying to explain to them the power that the media has to sway public opinion, and how the media should be held accountable when they talk recklessly. And they just weren&rsquo;t willing to accept that the media has that kind of power. But this is a prime example. It&rsquo;s good that Stephen A. publicly apologized, but hopefully that changes the way he and many others in the media target players and demonize them because it happens too often. Just here with the Wizards, I saw it happen with Kwame Brown and with Chris Webber after he got traded (back when they were the Bullets). It really happens way too much.&nbsp;
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Gortat: &ldquo;I definitely agree. So let me say, as someone who played with John Wall for many years: When he is healthy, he is one of the best point guards in the league &mdash; hands down. The guy is a beast. I don&rsquo;t know what Houston was doing with him. That was completely absurd. Here you have a guy of his caliber and you have him sitting at home? Not even on the bench, but at home? I can&rsquo;t imagine how he felt going through that for [an entire] season? And to have these prominent people in the media vilifying him while he is going through all of this, as he&rsquo;s dealing with injury after injury and losing his loved ones?&rdquo;&nbsp;
Thomas: Yeah, I don&rsquo;t care if anyone says there wasn&rsquo;t any cruel or malicious intent behind their reporting &mdash; that doesn&rsquo;t mean that it wasn&rsquo;t still cruel and malicious.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;Exactly! Many people think athletes are like robots &mdash; like video game characters who just perform, and that&rsquo;s not true. We are human beings with emotions and we go through tragedies and hardships in life, but are still expected to push all that to the side and perform at the highest level every night. I remember seven or eight years ago when DeMar DeRozan was in Toronto and he was going through depression and he said that he was going to the games, but he wasn&rsquo;t really thinking about the games because he was dealing with so much personally.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The NBA is getting better at helping players now when they are going through tragedies, but we still have a long way to go. I remember my fourth year and definitely my fifth year playing in Washington &mdash; specifically when things with me and John were not the best &mdash; there was a lot that I was dealing with and I didn&rsquo;t have too much help. But honestly, it wasn&rsquo;t a concern. Many people just wanted me to perform and push my personal life to the side, and sometimes that&rsquo;s hard to do.&rdquo;
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Thomas: &ldquo;I can definitely attest to that. I lost my grandmother, who I was really close with, while I was playing with the Wizards. And I remember our trainer, Eric Waters, trying to rush me back and I was like, &ldquo;Can you give me a minute please?&rdquo; When I came back, that&rsquo;s when I had the first issue with Brendan Haywood. Normally, I would&rsquo;ve ignored him throwing tantrums over not getting enough playing time, but that day just wasn&rsquo;t the day, so I flipped on him. The team actually formed a human barricade and escorted him out of the locker room. Then, everyone &mdash; Ernie Grunfeld, Eric Waters, Coach Eddie Jordan &mdash; was like, &ldquo;What&rsquo;s wrong? Why did you get so upset?&rdquo;&nbsp; And I was like, &ldquo;I told y&rsquo;all I needed a minute!&rdquo;
Gortat: &ldquo;Yeah, and my issues with John kind of formed in a similar way, to be honest &mdash; because I was holding so much in and suppressing what I was going through and reacting to different things on the court like not getting the ball as much as I wanted to or us losing games I felt we should&rsquo;ve won. Interesting, I didn&rsquo;t know that&rsquo;s what started y&rsquo;all&rsquo;s issues.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Let me tell you this quick story. I went to Cleveland and I was on this stupid streak of 250 or 280 or something games [in a row] without missing a game, so I was playing like three seasons straight. And all of a sudden in December, my mom had a stroke. I got the message while I was in Cleveland and I was shocked. I broke down crying. They had found my mom after like a day-and-a-half, laying at home unconscious; my friend found her. So when I came back to the locker room that morning, I was there physically but I wasn&rsquo;t really there. But John and Brad [Beal] were the first people who said, &lsquo;Give him some space, let him go deal with what&rsquo;s going on with his family because that&rsquo;s bigger than basketball and he has our support.&rsquo; So, Coach [Randy] Wittman came down and told me, &lsquo;Go to Poland, don&rsquo;t worry about the team for now.&rsquo;
&ldquo;That meant a lot to me. They knew what I was going through. And when you&rsquo;re so close to a teammate, you feel their pain. And in turn, I know how close John was with his mom. He talked about her all the time. When we finally sat down and squashed our issues, we had a real &lsquo;kumbaya moment.&rsquo; We talked about all of our personal struggles, all that we were dealing with and had been dealing with. We cleared the air and connected on a whole &lsquo;nother level as teammates, and it was exactly what we needed. So, hearing last week that my teammate contemplated suicide was devastating. Yeah, we had our issues in the past, but none of that matters now. I am cheering for John and want him to be successful both on and off the court.&rdquo;
Thomas: I&rsquo;m glad we did this interview, to have us &mdash; two former Wizards &mdash; encourage our brotha. You know, once a Wizard, always a Wizard. I really want to see him do well too. I was already rooting for him to really have a new beginning with the Clippers and shine like the old John Wall, but now I&rsquo;m rooting for him times 1,000.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t agree with you more! I wanna see John demolish every other point guard in the league. Just go on a tear. I remember seeing him battle every game &mdash; Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul &mdash; and people forget how good he was, how fast he was end to end, how explosive he was. John was special, and I want to see him get back to that. But more importantly, I want him to heal because he has literally gone through hell over these last years.&rdquo;

John Wall recently opened up about his struggles. Former Wizards centers Etan Thomas and Marcin Gortat discuss his comments.

Marcin Gortat: 'A lot of people owe John Wall an apology'

Alex Kennedy goes 1-on-1 with Tyrese Haliburton, who opens up about getting traded, the Pacers' future, his offseason training, etc.

Tyrese Haliburton won’t let trade 'resentment' define new Pacers era

The NBA released its full regular-season schedule Wednesday afternoon, and the collective public had absolutely no idea what games were coming!
*Aggressive winking*
The schedule release announcement had more leaks than a pre-Flex Seal screen boat. Now that the full picture is out in the open, we can break down the marquee matchups of the season and piece together a timeline of games to watch should injuries be avoided and fortune fall our way.
Opening night of the 2022-23 regular season is Oct. 18. It features an Eastern Conference showdown between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m. ET, and kicks off a week where several different squads dot the national TV landscape.
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The first week of the season will feature 11 national television games across three networks, including two doubleheaders each on TNT and ESPN and three games on NBA TV. <a href="https://t.co/O9So5il0Cs">pic.twitter.com/O9So5il0Cs</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1559979736125906944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
We already knew about many of these games, though, and we were already aware of <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2022-nba-christmas-day-schedule-lakers-vs-mavericks-warriors-vs-grizzlies-headline-five-game-holiday-slate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the loaded Christmas Day slate from prior reports</a>. I'm going to gloss over those and highlight some of the more recent takeaways from Wednesday's unveiling.
One of the primary areas of interest with schedule releases is the breakdown of nationally-televised games. Brett Siegel of SI Fastbreak tallied up the <a href="https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/news/2022-23-nba-schedule-team-by-team-nationally-televised-games-lakers-warriors-nets-knicks-celtics-nba-schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national schedules for each team</a>, and I went back to <a href="https://uproxx.com/dimemag/lakers-most-national-tv-games-2021-2022-nba-season-schedule-release/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last year's count from UPROXX's Bill DiFillippo</a> to check out the shifts.
The Memphis Grizzlies have skyrocketed up the league market landscape. They're appearing in 28 national TV games, far more than double the 11 they had in 2021-22. Ja Morant's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ja-morant-has-been-playoffs-most-popular-player-across-nbas-socials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social-media impact is well-documented</a>, and it seems the NBA wants to put him and the exciting young Grizzlies in the spotlight.&nbsp;
Memphis saw the largest bump, but the Minnesota Timberwolves were close behind, quadrupling their national broadcast schedule with 16 games compared to four last season. It's understandable; Minnesota has a walking highlight player in Anthony Edwards, and the franchise made the largest addition to date this summer by trading for Rudy Gobert.
Also on the rise are the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their nine national TV games are small in the grand scheme of the league, but Cleveland only had four such appearances on last season's initial schedule drop and zero outside of NBA TV. This season, the Cavs add three showings on ESPN and two on TNT, and Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-jarrett-allen-qa-cleveland-cavaliers-offseason-basketball-without-borders-asia-camp-evan-mobley-darius-garland-robin-lopez-ricky-rubio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jarrett Allen</a> should make for some electric primetime showcases.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cavs</a> have 9 national TV games: - 11/7 at Clippers (NBA TV) - 12/6 vs. Lakers (TNT) - 12/26 vs. Nets (NBA TV) - 2/2/23 vs. Grizzlies (TNT) - 2/10/23 at Pelicans (ESPN) - 3/1/23 at Celtics (ESPN) - 3/10/23 at Heat (NBA TV) - 3/15/23 vs. 76ers (ESPN) - 3/21/23 at Nets (NBA TV) <a href="https://t.co/5bSrq0AqSs">https://t.co/5bSrq0AqSs</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1559982279912558594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Meanwhile, the New Yorks Knicks' national schedule took a nosedive after they failed to back up a 2021 playoff appearance. New York has just 16 such games on the calendar right now vs. 29 of those contests a year ago. But one broadcast matchup has already captured attention &mdash; a Nov. 15 contest against the Utah Jazz on TNT. What's the implication of this scheduling given the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-jazz-knicks-reengage-in-donovan-mitchell-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swirling trade rumors around Donovan Mitchell</a>?
Speaking of the Jazz &mdash; Utah won't be on nearly as many screens around the country. The Jazz went from 28 national TV games in 2021-22 to four this upcoming season. Yeesh.
The Golden State Warriors earned a league-high 42 nationally-televised games, beating out the Lakers (39), Celtics (37), 76ers (34) and Phoenix Suns (34). Every team has at least one game on a national cable station this season after four squads were confined to NBA TV last year.
After another frenetic offseason, seeing stars face their former teams always makes for entertainment. Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves host the Jazz on Oct. 21, and they'll travel to Utah for the first time Dec. 9. New Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray will host the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 11 and visits the Lone Star State on March 19.&nbsp;
Folks are still waiting to see Ben Simmons return to Philadelphia (and an NBA court in general). The 76ers and Brooklyn Nets face off several times as divisional opponents: Nov. 22 (at Philly), Jan. 25 (at Philly), Feb. 11 (at Brooklyn) and April 9 (at Brooklyn). Feb. 11 will also mark James Harden's first game on the road against his former team in the Nets.
In a battle of this year's top-two draft picks facing off, Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic will hit the road to take on Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 1, and that game will be televised on TNT.&nbsp;
Lastly, travel is always a key component of understanding the league schedule. Every squad has between 12 and 15 total back-to-back situations this season, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/nba-schedule-has-less-miles-and-lebron-chasing-more-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teams will travel about 5% fewer miles than in 2021-22</a>. Here's a team-by-team breakdown from Ed K&uuml;pfer:
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NBA 2022-23: Miles to be traveled by each team <a href="https://t.co/WZ7UuNVlz5">pic.twitter.com/WZ7UuNVlz5</a>
&mdash; Ed K&uuml;pfer (@EdKupfer) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdKupfer/status/1560000305135321090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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We still have two months to nitpick these schedules to infinity, but it's a good reminder that the NBA regular season is circling back around at a brisk pace.

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With the NBA releasing its schedule for the upcoming season, Ethan Fuller highlights the most notable matchups and moments.

Takeaways from the NBA's 2022-23 regular-season schedule release

The Orlando Magic have secured a major offseason acquisition, landing sharpshooting guard Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
In a headline-making trade amidst the NBA Finals, the Magic sent Kentavious Caldwell‑Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first‑round picks (including this year&rsquo;s No. 16), and a pick swap to Memphis for the 6-foot-5 guard.
Bane, 26, arrives in Orlando on a five-year contract extension and recently averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 48.4% shooting (39.2% from deep). Known for his two-way impact, Bane provides the much-needed offensive spark and shooting consistency the Magic have lacked, particularly after ranking near the bottom in three-point efficiency last season.
ANALYSIS: However, the cost to acquire a player like Bane was steep. Magic General Manager Jeff Weltman traded significant draft capital &ndash; four first-rounders plus a pick exchange &ndash; alongside veteran wings Caldwell‑Pope and Anthony. Orlando views this as a calculated all‑in move, banking on Bane's elite fit alongside Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs to elevate them from a No. 7 seed into true Eastern Conference contenders.
For Memphis, the returns include veteran depth, a massive haul of draft picks &ndash; including future options and a swap &ndash; and flexibility to reset under new coach Tuomas Iisalo.&nbsp;
Bane adds perimeter shooting, playmaking, and defense, key to a deeper playoff run for the Magic. With the Celtics reeling and other teams in shakeups, Orlando aims to creep toward top-tier contention.

The Magic have secured a major offseason acquisition, landing sharpshooting guard Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies.

Magic land elite two-way guard Desmond Bane from Grizzlies in blockbuster trade

The Orlando Magic have announced a significant rebranding initiative set to debut in the 2025&ndash;26 NBA season. This comprehensive overhaul includes updated logos, refreshed uniforms, and new marketing campaigns, all designed to honor the franchise's storied past while embracing a modern identity.
Central to the rebrand is the revival of the iconic "streaking ball with stars" logo, a nod to the team's original emblem from 1989 to 2000. The updated design modernizes this classic symbol, aiming to resonate with both longtime fans and new audiences. Complementing the logo is a revamped uniform set that reintroduces the beloved pinstripe motif from the 1989&ndash;1998 era. Notably, the silver star replaces the "A" in the "Magic" wordmark, reinforcing the team's connection to its heritage.
The uniform lineup features:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Icon Uniform: A return to the classic blue base, reminiscent of the team's early years.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Statement Uniform: A black design paying homage to the road warmup gear worn between 1991 and 1997.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">City Edition Uniform: Introduced for the 2024&ndash;25 season, this platinum-colored jersey features a background pattern evoking a suit of armor, symbolizing strength and resilience. The gothic-style "Magic" script and retro star in the wordmark further tie the design to the team's roots.</li>
</ul>
In tandem with the visual rebrand, the Magic have launched the "Make It Magic" marketing campaign. This initiative emphasizes the collective effort of players, staff, and fans in creating memorable experiences both on and off the court.The campaign aims to foster a deeper connection with the community and reinforce the organization's commitment to excellence.
Additionally, recognizing the importance of their diverse fan base, the Magic have introduced the "&iexcl;Dale Magic!" campaign to engage and celebrate their Hispanic supporters. This culturally relevant initiative underscores the team's dedication to inclusivity and community engagement.
The Orlando Magic's rebranding efforts signify a strategic move to blend tradition with innovation. By honoring their rich history while embracing contemporary design and inclusive marketing, the Magic aim to usher in a new era of identity and connection as they approach the 2025&ndash;26 season.

The Orlando Magic have announced a significant rebranding initiative set to debut in the 2025–26 NBA season.

Orlando Magic unveil team rebrand ahead of 2025–26 NBA season

The 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals are set, with the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, and New York Knicks advancing after hard-fought first-round series. Here's a breakdown of how each team secured its spot and what lies ahead.
<h3>Boston Celtics: Depth and Dominance</h3>
The defending champion Boston Celtics showcased their depth and resilience in a commanding 4&ndash;1 series victory over the Orlando Magic. Despite facing challenges, including Jayson Tatum's wrist injury that sidelined him in Game 2, the Celtics maintained their composure and executed effectively.
Jaylen Brown stepped up impressively, averaging 23 points per game and shooting 44.4% from three-point range. His standout performance came in Game 2, where he scored 36 points, leading the team in Tatum's absence. Derrick White also contributed significantly, particularly in Game 1, where he hit seven three-pointers en route to 30 points.
The Celtics' bench proved vital, with Payton Pritchard adding 19 points on 75% shooting in Game 1. Kristaps Porziņģis provided a strong presence inside, recording a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2. Boston's ability to adapt and rely on multiple contributors underscores its championship pedigree.
<h3>Indiana Pacers: Overcoming Adversity</h3>
The Indiana Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 4&ndash;2. The series was marked by the Bucks' injury woes, with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing the entire series and Damian Lillard also sidelined. The Pacers capitalized on this, displaying balanced scoring and solid defense.
Pascal Siakam led the way for the Pacers while Tyrese Haliburton orchestrated the offense efficiently. Myles Turner provided a strong inside presence, and the Pacers&rsquo; numbers just overwhelmed the Bucks&rsquo; shallow rotation.
The Pacers' defense was particularly effective in Game 1, where they held the Bucks to just 98 points, their lowest allowed in the 2025 playoffs. Their ability to exploit the Bucks' weakened lineup and maintain consistent performance highlights their growth and resilience.
<h3>New York Knicks: Clutch Performances Propel Advancement</h3>
The New York Knicks secured their spot in the semifinals with a 4&ndash;2 series win over the Detroit Pistons. Jalen Brunson was instrumental, averaging 31.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. His most notable moment came in Game 6, where he hit a game-winning three-pointer under heavy defense, sealing the series.
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby provided substantial support, each contributing 23 points in Game 1. The Knicks' defense also played a crucial role, with Mikal Bridges' efforts being particularly noteworthy. Coach Tom Thibodeau praised the team's collective resilience and emphasized the importance of their grit and winning mindset.
The Knicks' advancement sets up a highly anticipated matchup against the Boston Celtics, rekindling a rivalry that dates back decades. Their ability to perform under pressure and execute in clutch moments will be vital as they face the defending champions.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
As the Eastern Conference Semifinals commence, the stage is set for intense competition. The Celtics' depth will battle against the Knicks&rsquo; top-heavy lineup, while the Pacers' balanced attack goes head-to-head against the Cavaliers&rsquo; mob in what promises to be a thrilling continuation of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

The 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals are set, with the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, and New York Knicks advancing

Boston, Indiana, New York complete 2025 East semis playoff cast

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs tip off, every team in the Eastern Conference brings with it a burning question. Some are looking to validate their dominance, others are hoping to make noise for the first time, and a few are simply trying to recapture playoff magic from the past. Here&rsquo;s one key question for each East playoff squad heading into this year&rsquo;s postseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers &ndash; Are they for real?
The Cavaliers were expected to take a leap under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, but few predicted it would be this significant. Cleveland posted a 64-18 record, up from 51 wins last season, and ranked eighth in the NBA in defensive rating (111.8) while climbing to the best in the league in offensive rating (121.0). It&rsquo;s a massive leap in two-way consistency, anchored by Evan Mobley&rsquo;s breakout campaign and a more dynamic offense tailored around Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Mobley&rsquo;s development has been a game-changer. The 22-year-old averaged career-highs in points (18.5), rebounds (9.3), and assists (3.2), while maintaining elite rim protection (1.6 blocks per game). Offensively, his confidence as a shot creator and short-roll playmaker opened up space for the rest of the team. The Cavs now run more actions through Mobley, especially from the elbows, and his improved jump shot has made him far more difficult to guard.
But make no mistake &ndash; Mitchell remains the barometer. The All-Star guard battled injuries down the stretch but still averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds on 44.3% shooting. If he can stay healthy and lead confidently on both ends, Cleveland has the pieces to make a legitimate run to the conference finals.
The Cavs have the metrics, the momentum, and the maturity. Now it&rsquo;s about proving they belong with the league&rsquo;s elite when the lights are the brightest.
Boston Celtics &ndash; Can they go back-to-back?
The reigning champions enter the playoffs with a sense of unfinished business &mdash; not because they failed last year, but because they&rsquo;re now chasing greatness. The Celtics finished 61-21 this season for back to back 60-win seasons. They had the league&rsquo;s second best net rating at +9.4, fueled by elite balance: second in offensive rating (119.5) and fourth in defensive rating (110.1).
Jayson Tatum continues to evolve as one of the NBA&rsquo;s most complete stars. His 26.8 points per game came with improved efficiency (58.2% true shooting) and a career-high 8.7 rebounds. Tatum has learned to pick his spots better, moving the ball when doubled and attacking mismatches when given space. Jaylen Brown, fresh off his Finals MVP last season, has become a more consistent creator as well, averaging 22.2 points.
Add in Kristaps Porzingis&rsquo; floor spacing and rim protection, Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s stability on both ends, and Derrick White&rsquo;s ability to do everything in between, and the Celtics are again the most complete team in basketball. But repeating is never easy. No team has done it since the Warriors in 2018, and even small injuries or matchup issues can derail a title defense.
Boston is built for this moment, but with every other East contender gunning for them, the question looms large: can they close the deal twice in a row?
New York Knicks &ndash; Can they stay healthy?
When fully healthy, the Knicks look like a team that can hang with anyone &mdash; and that includes Boston and Cleveland. But that&rsquo;s been the caveat all season. Jalen Brunson missed 17 games, Karl-Anthony Towns sat for 10, and OG Anunoby dealt with multiple absences due to elbow and hamstring issues. New York&rsquo;s starting five of Brunson, Hart, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns had time to play with pace and their own style, and they looked formidable.
Brunson has been the Knicks&rsquo; engine, averaging 26.0 points and 7.3 assists while continuing to elevate in crunch time. His pairing with Towns gave New York a new level of offensive versatility, and Mikal Bridges&rsquo; ability to guard top wings allowed them to scheme freely. But concerns about wear and tear remain &mdash; especially under Tom Thibodeau, whose rotations have leaned heavily on his starters. All five starters have averaged in the top 15 of the most minutes played in the league, and that can likely put a strain on their bodies.
Depth is another concern. The Knicks rely on Precious Achiuwa, Cam Payne, Delon Wright, and Landry Shamet to absorb the bench minutes. A deep run hinges on all starters being available and fresh throughout the postseason. If any one piece breaks down, New York could fall short of its championship aspirations.
This is their most talented team in years &mdash; but availability may be just as important as ability.
Indiana Pacers &ndash; Do they have enough to make a deep run once more?
Last year, the Pacers surprised many by reaching the second round, aided in part by injuries to their first-round opponent. This year, expectations are higher &mdash; and the margin for error is thinner. Indiana finished 50-32 and ranked 9th in offensive rating at 115.4. Their identity remains clear: run fast, shoot threes, and trust in Tyrese Haliburton to control the tempo.
Haliburton posted 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game this season, and despite shooting efficiency dipped slightly as teams began pressuring him more aggressively, he bounced back quite nicely and got back to the high level he was playing at. That&rsquo;s where Pascal Siakam comes in to help him and provide a stabilizing frontcourt presence, while defending opposing bigs.
Depth-wise, the Pacers have the tools. Myles Turner remains one of the league&rsquo;s best shot blockers, Andrew Nembhard has been solid alongside Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin has been a spark off the bench, and Aaron Nesmith&rsquo;s development as a 3-and-D wing adds much-needed versatility. Still, the question remains: can they win when the pace slows and every possession becomes a grind?
Indiana is fun, fast, and fearless. But deep playoff success often requires more grit than style &mdash; and this postseason will test how much of both they truly possess.
Milwaukee Bucks &ndash; How lethal can the Giannis-Dame combo be?
It&rsquo;s been a bumpy road for the Bucks since pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, but they enter the playoffs with renewed hope. Injuries limited their time together but when both were on the floor, Milwaukee looked like a top 4 team in the East. The potential for a dominant inside-out attack remains, even as questions swirl around their chemistry and late-game execution.
Giannis put up another MVP-caliber campaign (30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.5 APG) on 60.1% shooting, while Lillard added 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game, albeit with a slight dip in efficiency (44.8 FG%, 37.6 3P%). Their pick-and-roll tandem has shown flashes of brilliance, especially with spacing provided by their teammates. But Milwaukee&rsquo;s defense remains a glaring concern, particularly at the point-of-attack.
Much of that responsibility falls on new head coach Doc Rivers, who took over midseason and has spent much of his tenure reshaping the defensive schemes. The team has shown better connectivity lately, but consistency is key. If the Bucks can get solid two-way contributions from Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince, and Kyle Kuzma, their ceiling rises considerably.
This postseason is the first true test of the Giannis-Dame partnership after a failed one last year. Can it deliver in crunch time and carry Milwaukee back to the Finals?
Detroit Pistons &ndash; Can they win a playoff series?
One of the most surprising stories of the season, the Detroit Pistons went from dead last in 2024 to securing the No. 6 seed in 2025 with a 44-38 record. It&rsquo;s a dramatic turnaround fueled by internal growth, better health, and the emergence of Cade Cunningham as a legitimate star. Cunningham averaged 26.1 points, 9.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, and improved his shooting splits across the board &mdash; including a respectable 35.6% from three.
Head coach J.B Bickerstaff deserves credit for stabilizing the young roster. Jaden Ivey (despite being out for the year to injury), Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren have all taken steps forward in their roles, and the addition of veterans Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris has added much-needed floor spacing and leadership. The Pistons ranked 10th in defensive rating at 112.5 &mdash; a massive leap from their abysmal finish last season
Still, playoff basketball is a different animal. Detroit lacks experience, and their margin for error will be slim. Can Cunningham carry the offense when defenses trap him? Can their shooters hit timely shots? And can Duren hold his own against seasoned playoff bigs?
Winning a series would be monumental for the franchise &mdash; and a sign that Detroit&rsquo;s rebuild is truly behind them.
Orlando Magic &ndash; Can their offense hold up?
There&rsquo;s no questioning the Magic&rsquo;s defensive pedigree. They finished second in defensive rating (109.1) and boast a switch-heavy scheme built around length, versatility, and discipline. But the big question entering the playoffs: can they score enough? Orlando ranked just 27th in offensive rating (108.9), and the loss of Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner due to injuries further thins their already-limited shot creation.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner carry the bulk of the offense, but both have faced inconsistent stretches. Teams often sag off sub-par shooters like Cory Joseph or Jonathan Isaac, daring Orlando to hit perimeter shots &mdash; something they&rsquo;ve struggled to do all year. Against Boston&rsquo;s elite defense, those issues could be magnified.
Orlando will try to control tempo, force turnovers, and win the possession battle. They&rsquo;ve been excellent in close games, but whether they can consistently generate efficient halfcourt looks remains uncertain.
Defense may win championships, but the Magic need buckets to even stay in the fight.
Miami Heat &ndash; Will they be able to replicate the Heat playoff magic this year?
The Heat have built a reputation as a team you never want to face in the playoffs &mdash; especially as a lower seed. In 2023, they made the Finals as an 8-seed. In 2024, they made the Celtics work despite key injuries. But can they pull off another surprise run this year? The roster remains largely intact, but injuries, aging stars, and inconsistency have clouded their outlook.
Without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo must step up on offense while anchoring the defense. Tyler Herro&rsquo;s scoring punch is much needed, and the role players should contribute as well. But questions linger around depth and chemistry within their lineups after a shaky year.
The Heat finished just 21st in offensive rating (112.4) and 9th in defensive rating (112.0), a sign that the margins are tighter than ever. Still, if any team knows how to punch above its weight class, it&rsquo;s this one. Erik Spoelstra will maximize every mismatch, he always finds a way to manipulate the opposing team.
Don&rsquo;t count them out just yet but don&rsquo;t expect the same magic to happen each and every time as well.

Breaking down the biggest question facing each team in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.

2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question in the playoffs

The 2024&ndash;25 NBA regular season concluded with a dramatic final day, solidifying the playoff picture and setting the stage for an exciting postseason.&nbsp;
The Clippers beat the Warriors in a tough game, with all the stars coming out to play. Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler went toe-to-toe with LA&rsquo;s James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, with the latter coming out on top in overtime. With the Clippers&rsquo; win, they are slotted at the 5th seed and will face 4th-seeded Denver after also winning against Houston.
The Warriors&rsquo; loss will put them in the play-in tournament, which they will host against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Minnesota Timberwolves booked a date with the 3rd-seeded Lakers after their win vs the Utah Jazz.&nbsp;
The Play-In Tournament is scheduled for April 15&ndash;18, followed by the commencement of the playoffs on April 19.​&nbsp;
<h3>Western Conference</h3>
The Oklahoma City Thunder secured the top seed in the West with a franchise-best 68&ndash;14 record, while the Houston Rockets claimed the second seed. Both teams now await their playoff opponents with the results of the play-in tournament.
Play-In Matchups:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">(7) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">(9) Sacramento Kings vs. (10) Dallas Mavericks ​</li>
</ul>
<h3>Eastern Conference</h3>
The Cleveland Cavaliers clinched the top seed in the East with a 64&ndash;18 record, marking their first number 1 seed since 2016. The Boston Celtics secured the second seed, followed by the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.
Play-In Matchups:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">(7) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">(9) Chicago Bulls vs. (10) Miami Heat</li>
</ul>
The Play-In Tournament will determine the final two playoff spots in each conference. The winners of the 7-8 games will earn the seventh seed, while the losers will face the winners of the 9-10 games to compete for the eighth seed.&nbsp;
The playoffs promise intense matchups, with teams like the Thunder and Cavaliers aiming to capitalize on their strong regular-season performances, while other teams like the Lakers, Warriors, Celtics, and Bucks looking to make deep postseason runs.​

The 2024–25 NBA season concluded with a dramatic final day, solidifying the playoff picture and setting the stage for the playoffs.

2025 NBA Playoffs set after thrilling regular season finale

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has officially announced its Class of 2025, with NBA luminaries Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard leading a distinguished group of inductees. The enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for September 5&ndash;6, 2025, at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Carmelo Anthony, a ten-time NBA All-Star, concluded his illustrious career ranked ninth on the NBA's all-time scoring list, amassing over 28,000 points. His journey began with the Denver Nuggets, followed by impactful stints with the New York Knicks and the Portland Trail Blazers. Internationally, Anthony secured three Olympic gold medals and one bronze with Team USA. Reflecting on this honor, Anthony expressed profound gratitude, stating, "This is it. It don't get no better than this."
Dwight Howard, an eight-time NBA All-Star, is celebrated for his dominance as a center, particularly during his tenure with the Orlando Magic, where he led the team to the 2009 NBA Finals. Howard's accolades include three NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and a pivotal role in the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 championship run. His defensive prowess and rebounding excellence have left an indelible mark on the league. ​
2008 U.S. Olympic 'Redeem Team' Recognition
Both Anthony and Howard will also be enshrined as members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team, famously known as the "Redeem Team." This squad, featuring legends like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, reclaimed Olympic gold in Beijing, reinstating USA Basketball's global dominance.
Celebrated Women's Basketball Icons
The Class of 2025 also honors WNBA legends Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Sylvia Fowles. Bird, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, is renowned for her leadership with the Seattle Storm. Moore's exceptional career includes four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx, while Fowles, also a key figure in the Lynx's success, holds the WNBA's all-time rebounding record.
Contributors and Officials
Additional inductees include Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, Miami Heat managing partner Micky Arison, and esteemed NBA referee Danny Crawford, each recognized for their significant contributions to the sport.
The enshrinement festivities will commence with the Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala on September 5, followed by the official ceremony on September 6. Tickets and VIP packages are available through the Hall of Fame's official website.
This year's class epitomizes excellence across playing, coaching, and executive roles, reflecting the diverse and profound impact these individuals have had on basketball.​

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2025, led by Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard.

Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard headline 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees

Many people were pleasantly surprised to hear the news that Michael Jordan opened his fourth free health clinic in his home state of North Carolina. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-this-trump-era-michael-jordans-free-health-clinics-are-very-much-needed-">This new clinic, established in collaboration with Novant Health, focuses on providing care to uninsured and underinsured patients.</a>&nbsp;
This is a stark contrast to the overall perception of Michael Jordan as the athlete who doesn&rsquo;t care about his community or anything outside of himself.&nbsp;
I figured it was a good time to revisit an interview i conducted with Athlete Activist Legend Craig Hodges for <a href="https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/police-brutality-and-white-supremacy-the-fight-against-american-traditions/">my book Police Brutality And White Supremacy &ldquo;The Fight Against American Traditions."</a>
Here is an excerpt of our interview in which Craig Hodges goes back to 1991 when the Rodney King beating happened and he was frustrated that Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson in particular were reluctant to make a public statement during the NBA Finals.&nbsp;
During the interview, I made the correlation to the movie &ldquo;One Night In Miami&rdquo; in which Malcolm X was frustrated with Sam Cooke, but was proud to see the eventual maturation and realization of the power of his voice. This was really a powerful discussion. I condensed the interview for the purposes of this article.
Etan: What were your thoughts after you first saw the Rodney King beating ?&nbsp;
Craig Hodges: The biggest part was just the shock. Seeing four or five policemen pummeling the brother mercilessly with their night sticks. And the manner in which they did it was just left me speechless. It was beyond brutality. I looked at it and said regardless to what the Brotha did, no human being deserves to be beaten like that. You had 4 or 5 cops surrounding him, he was on the ground, there are measures you can take to subdue him without beating him like that. But unfortunately, this has been the mentality of policing in America for generations and nothing has changed but with Rodney King that was one of the first times everyone could see it happening in real time. And the fact that someone was smart enough to tape it brought it to America.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2-etan-thomas-2_690w.jpeg" alt="" width="745" height="477" />
Etan: I remember being in middle school and the first thing I thought was they wouldn&rsquo;t treat a dog like this.
Craig Hodges: Exactly, and this happened right at the beginning of the NBA Finals and some athletes were speaking about it others weren&rsquo;t but I was like, any and everybody should be able to speak to this because this could be your brother this could be your father or your uncle. And it was just too obvious and blatant what was going on as far as the racism and the evil of police brutality right there for all of America to see&nbsp;
Etan: It was really horrifying like traumatizing for me seeing that as a kid.
Craig Hodges: It was traumatizing for me as an adult. Things like this is what made me feel the need to have to be vocal while I was playing in the league. I was an athlete but this goes for everyone no matter what your occupation is, you have to be able to stand on truth and for what is right and to call out what&rsquo;s wrong. We as a society have been collectively letting so much slide and we just can&rsquo;t allow it anymore. And we have left a lot on the table for the next generation to fight for, and they are fighting for now. &nbsp;
Etan: The frustrating part is the bar is set so low. We&rsquo;re starting the discussion just fighting for our humanity.
Craig Hodges: We get caught up so much of our differences whether we&rsquo;re Republican, Democrat, Christian, Muslim, all of these different labels that divides us. Yes we are all humans and that&rsquo;s the basis that we should be unified on. Kwame Ture told us it&rsquo;s all about organization and we have to all bring what we can to the table and we all have different strengths and attributes and we have to use all of them for this fight.
Etan Thomas: It&rsquo;s interesting you say that, there is this movie One night in Miami, fantastic movie, that depicts a night in Miami with Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke. There is a part where Malcolm X and Sam Cooke are having a back and forth and Malcolm X is challenging him, and you&rsquo;re the first person I thought of when I saw this, he&rsquo;s telling Sam Cooke listen, you&rsquo;re the most talented Brotha on earth, your voice can captivate audiences both Black and white, you have all this power, you can play in white venues and be accepted, other musicians can&rsquo;t do that. And then he told him, you&rsquo;re not using the power for good. You&rsquo;re not challenging what is happening to us in society. Malcolm X said to him Black People are dying in the streets and we cannot afford to straddle the fence anymore. We have to pick a side, either you&rsquo;re on the side with us or you&rsquo;re on the side with them. And it was this intense discussion with them. And you know where I&rsquo;m going with this. Did you ever feel that level or frustration in relation to what we&rsquo;re talking about now with Rodney King and everything that was happening to us at that time. And you want to do that recruiting that Kwame Toure was talking about and that unification and strength in numbers but you see some people just not on board with it and thus the frustration.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2-etan-thomas-3_690w.jpeg" alt="" width="732" height="732" />
Craig Hodges: Yes I know exactly where you&rsquo;re going with this and to answer your question yes I did. And trying to get someone to see it is one hurdle, but to get someone to feel it is a whole nother mountain to climb. I feel blessed that i was raised the way I was raised so a lot of things, I didn&rsquo;t have to figure out. We&rsquo;re at that point now where there is enough information out for people to be able to easily educate themselves as to what&rsquo;s going on. There&rsquo;s really no excuse right now. You can&rsquo;t say, I didn&rsquo;t know about this anymore because it&rsquo;s everywhere. During the 90s when Rodney King happened, we had great athletes who were similar to Sam Cooke as far as their leverage in white communities and not nation wide but world wide, and the option was, do I make a stand or do I get paid ? And that&rsquo;s what it boiled down to and people were hesitant because they were afraid that it would hamper their ability to earn. And that has been the common denominator in us coming up short. Those who have been in position to really make a difference don&rsquo;t. And what I saw from a lot of athletes was I&rsquo;ll play my career and then come back after and revisit Black people and Black Issues after. And from my standpoint, during the time where you are making the wealth and you have the bully pulpit to speak from, utilize that. You may not be able to be all out Malcolm X with it, but you can definitely have impact. The Rodney King incident really brought to life what Black People have been facing for centuries and that&rsquo;s something that not just athletes, but everyone should be able to speak on.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2-etan-thomas-4_690w.png" alt="" width="738" height="414" />
Etan Thomas: And one thing that was great about the movie One Night In Miami was at the end it showed Malcolm&rsquo;s impact on Sam Cooke. He was on this program, and was singing the songs that they liked, and then he said he wanted to sing a song that hadn&rsquo;t been released yet and it was A Change Is Gonna Come. And it was passionate and moving and Sam Cooke dropped a tear at the end and they showed Malcolm X looking and he was smiling and it was beautiful to see because even though they were arguing and they were really arguing like almost came to blows arguing, but you saw that he heard Malcolm X. Now, I want to make this correlation to you and Michael Jordan because people still write it now and say Craig Hodges was talking bad about Michael Jordan and no it wasn&rsquo;t that and it wasn&rsquo;t personal but you saw MJ and the impact he could have had the same way Malcolm X saw the impact Sam Cooke could have had in particular after Rodney King happened.
Craig Hodges: When Rodney King happened it was a galvanizing time. Right before the 91 NBA Finals with Michael and Magic and we can have an impact, we have the whole world watching, all eyes are on us.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2-etan-thomas-5_690w.jpeg" alt="" width="729" height="926" />
And to think about how my Mom was organizing in the early 60&rsquo;s, she was having this tremendous impact with no resources, and here we are with all of the resources of the NBA Finals with the two biggest athletes in the game and the impact you can make just from your voice would be amazing. And that&rsquo;s what I was trying to talk to Magic and MJ about especially after Rodney King. And here&rsquo;s the thing, in private, we all were having discussions about what was going on, but then in public, we went quiet and we simply can&rsquo;t be private anymore. And now we&rsquo;re at the point where people outside of our community are feeling our pain. And that&rsquo;s what Malcolm was telling Sam Cooke, hey to talk to them white folks at their clubs and that was my position with MJ on a lot of things. I would say hey, you have the ear of a lot of people that I can&rsquo;t reach. So yea that&rsquo;s a very good comparison.
Etan Thomas: Now I&rsquo;mma make one last correlation, I said how Malcolm X watched Sam Cooke on the program singing A Change Is Gonna Come and he was smiling, did you ever feel that after watching Michael Jordan in the last 10 years or so as MJ has become more vocal, spoken out against police brutality on numerous occasions, he even put together a whole fundraiser for Obama and brought 50 different NBA athletes to join him. That&rsquo;s a long way from &ldquo;Republicans Buy Shoes Too."
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/2-etan-thomas-6_690w.jpeg" alt="" width="730" height="1291" />
Craig Hodges: Oh yes. I love it. People have to understand that everyone grows at different points in their lives and I definitely feel like that (proud) every time I see not only MJ and Magic but all the young athletes like Lebron and this current generation of athletes, it&rsquo;s great to see.

I figured it was a good time to revisit an interview i conducted with Athlete Activist Legend Craig Hodges for my book Police Brutality And White Supremacy “The Fight Against American Traditions."

Craig Hodges discusses the  maturation of Michael Jordan

Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic's first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, was officially inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on Monday, March 24, 2025, becoming the 13th member to receive this honor.&nbsp; The ceremony took place at the Kia Center before the Magic&rsquo;s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, one of Howard&rsquo;s former teams.​
Howard, who played for the Magic from 2004 to 2012, was visibly moved during the induction.&nbsp; He expressed gratitude towards the organization and fans, acknowledging the support he received throughout his tenure.​
During his eight seasons with Orlando, Howard led the team to the NBA Finals in 2009 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2010.&nbsp; He established himself as one of the league's premier centers, earning multiple All-Star selections and Defensive Player of the Year awards.​
Howard's induction places him alongside other Magic legends such as Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal and Tracy McGrady, further solidifying his legacy within the franchise.

Dwight Howard, the Orlando Magic's first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, was officially inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

Dwight Howard gets inducted to Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

As the 2024-2025 NBA regular season draws to a close, several compelling narratives have emerged, captivating fans and analysts alike. From intense playoff races to individual accolades and future prospects, the league is buzzing with anticipation. Here's an in-depth look at the most significant storylines to follow:
<h2>Can Anyone Beat the Top 4 Teams in the East in the First Round?</h2>
The Eastern Conference has been dominated by four powerhouse teams this season: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Milwaukee Bucks. Each team would likely secure a top-four seed, thus establishing themselves as formidable opponents. The Cavaliers, under the leadership of their dynamic young core, have clinched the Central Division title for the first time since the 2017-2018 season. The defending champion Celtics continue their quest for a record 19th title, showcasing depth and resilience. The Knicks, who have secured at least a play-in spot and eventually the third seed, have been reflecting their consistent performance. The Bucks, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and their experienced roster, remain a perennial threat.&nbsp;
Despite the dominance of these teams, the question remains: can lower-seeded teams pull off an upset in the first round? While the top four have displayed consistency, the unpredictability of the playoffs means that matchups, injuries, and momentum can significantly influence outcomes. Teams like the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic have the potential to challenge higher seeds, especially if they capitalize on favorable matchups or exploit any vulnerabilities. However, given the current form and depth of the top four, any first-round upset would require exceptional performances from the challengers.​
<h2>How Far Can the Luka-LeBron Pairing Go in the Playoffs?</h2>
In a blockbuster mid-season trade, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired young superstar Luka Doncic and paired him up with LeBron James. This dynamic duo has generated significant buzz, with fans eager to see how the combination of James' veteran leadership and Doncic&rsquo;s youthful brilliance translates on the court. Early returns have been promising, but James has been down with an injury, and the Lakers are awaiting his return in time for the playoffs.
Despite their offensive firepower, questions linger about the team's depth and defensive capabilities. The Western Conference is stacked with formidable opponents, and the Lakers will need consistent contributions from their supporting cast to advance deep into the playoffs. Additionally, managing LeBron's minutes to preserve his health for the postseason will be a delicate balancing act for head coach JJ Redick. The potential for this pairing is immense, but actualizing it will require strategic adjustments and unwavering focus.​
<h2>The Emergence of the Jimmy Butler Warriors as a Threat in the West</h2>
The Golden State Warriors made a significant splash by acquiring Jimmy Butler, aiming to bolster their roster and return to championship contention. Butler's tenacity on both ends of the floor has seamlessly integrated with the Warriors' established core, creating a formidable lineup. His defensive prowess and clutch scoring have added a new dimension to the team's dynamics, complementing the sharpshooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.​
This revamped Warriors squad has seen a resurgence, climbing the Western Conference standings and positioning themselves as legitimate contenders. The synergy between Butler and the existing roster has revitalized the team's defensive intensity and offensive versatility. As the playoffs approach, the Warriors' blend of experience, star power, and newfound grit makes them a daunting matchup for any opponent. Their trajectory suggests that they are peaking at the right time, poised to make a deep postseason run.​
<h2>What's Next for the Phoenix Suns if They Don't Make the Playoffs?</h2>
The Phoenix Suns, who were Western Conference champions just a few seasons ago, now face the grim reality of potentially missing the playoffs. Currently trailing in the standings with an abysmal record, the team's inconsistent performances have raised concerns among fans and management alike.&nbsp;
Should they fail to secure a postseason berth, the Suns will need to reassess their roster and strategic direction. Key players may find themselves on the trading block as the front office evaluates the team's long-term goals. Additionally, head coach Mike Budenholzer&rsquo;s system and approach may come under scrutiny, prompting another potential change in coaching strategies or personnel. The offseason could usher in a period of significant transformation for the franchise as they strive to return to their winning ways.​
<h2>The Cavs as a Legitimate Threat in the East</h2>
The Cleveland Cavaliers have orchestrated a remarkable improvement this season, evolving from a mid-tier team to a formidable force in the Eastern Conference. Their impressive 15-0 start set the tone for a campaign filled with promise and resilience.&nbsp;
Central to their success is the development of their young core, with players like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley stepping into pivotal roles. The team's defensive tenacity, combined with a balanced offensive attack, has made them a challenging opponent for any contender. As the playoffs loom, the Cavaliers' blend of youthful exuberance and strategic discipline positions them as a dark horse capable of upsetting established powerhouses in the East.​
<h2>Who Finishes 2nd in the West?</h2>
The battle for the second seed in the Western Conference is intensifying as the regular season draws to a close. 6 teams are all in the hunt and are all vying for this coveted spot, each bringing a unique set of strengths to the table. Securing the second seed not only guarantees home-court advantage in the first round but also sets a favorable path through the playoffs.​
The Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokić, have showcased consistent performance throughout the season. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have navigated injuries to key players, to bounce back this season and rely on their depth and coaching adjustments to stay competitive. The Warriors, rejuvenated by the addition of Jimmy Butler, are surging at the right time. The final stretch of games will be decisive, with head-to-head matchups likely determining the final standings. Fans can expect a thrilling race to the finish as these teams vie for playoff positioning.​

As the 2024-2025 NBA regular season draws to a close, several compelling narratives have emerged.

The biggest storylines to monitor as NBA regular season reaches its end

Mac McClung has won three consecutive dunk contest titles after ruling the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Saturday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco for the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend.
The 6-foot-2 Orlando/Osceola Magic guard scored 50 on all of his 4 dunks in the contest, dominating the competition that included San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Milwaukee Bucks forward Andre Jackson Jr., and Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis.
This is McClung&rsquo;s third straight win in the annual event, previously winning the event in 2023 while still with the Philadelphia 76ers and last year in 2024 was his first with the Orlando/Osceola Magic franchise.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just really grateful right now,&rdquo; McClung shared in the post-event interview with TNT&rsquo;s Allie LaForce.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
FULL RECAP OF THE 2025 NBA SLAM DUNK CONTEST
The full scores for the first round were as follows (in order of the dunks taken):
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs 1st dunk (360 windmill) - 47.2 points
Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls 1st dunk (failed attempt) - 40.0 points
Andre Jackson Jr., Milwaukee Bucks 1st dunk (double clutch in mid air, 3rd attempt) - 43.8 points
Mac McClung, G League Osceola Magic 1st dunk (reverse dunk while jumping over a car with a guy holding up the ball on the car&rsquo;s ceiling roof) - 50 points
Second round
Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls 2nd dunk (reverse windmill from the side of the backboard) - 47.4 points
Andre Jackson Jr., Milwaukee Bucks 2nd dunk (one handed windmill, 3rd attempt) - 45 points
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs 2nd dunk (off the backboard pass, reverse windmill) - 47.4 points
Mac McClung, G League Osceola Magic 2nd dunk (reverse 360 windmill jumping over a guy) - 50 points
Final round
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs 1st dunk (under the rim, catching the ball from a made basket to a between the legs reverse) - 49.6 points
Mac McClung, G League Osceola Magic 1st dunk (windmill while jumping over a guy to catching another ball to dunk for a double dunk) - 50 points
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs 2nd dunk (360, behind the back using his off hand) - 50 points
Mac McClung, G League Osceola Magic 2nd dunk (jumping over 7-foot Evan Mobley + 2-3 inches of padding for a double pump dunk; second pump touched the rim first before dunking it) - 50 points

Mac McClung has won three consecutive dunk contest titles after ruling the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Mac McClung rules 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, win first-ever three-peat

The Sacramento Kings have announced the signing of free-agent point guard Markelle Fultz, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
Fultz, the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, was not signed during the offseason and now he joins the Kings to bolster their backcourt depth following the trades of De'Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter.&nbsp;
Fultz spent the previous five seasons with the Orlando Magic, where he averaged 10.8 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. His tenure with the Magic was marred by injuries, including a torn ACL in January 2021, which sidelined him for an extended period. Despite these setbacks, Fultz returned to the court and delivered notable performances, such as a career-high 28 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in March 2023.&nbsp;
Upon signing with the Kings, Fultz expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "I'm excited for this new chapter with the Kings and eager to contribute to the team's success." The Kings anticipate that Fultz's playmaking abilities and defensive prowess will enhance their guard rotation as they aim for a strong finish to the season.
ANALYSIS: The Kings add another point guard to the roster after losing away De&rsquo;Aaron Fox in a trade with the Spurs. They have sought after multiple PG talents to replace Fox, with Malik Monk taking over the lead guard duties for now. With Fultz, the Kings get a big, heady guard that sees the floor and has the ability to facilitate. Fultz also has the uncanny ability to get downhill and this particular skill set will fit perfectly with star center Domantas Sabonis on cuts to the rim.

The Sacramento Kings have announced the signing of free-agent point guard Markelle Fultz.

Kings sign former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz

The Portland Trail Blazers have been on an impressive run, winning six consecutive games and ten of their last eleven. This surge has propelled them into contention for a play-in spot, showcasing their potential against formidable opponents. Their success has been a combination of offensive efficiency, defensive tenacity, and standout performances from key players.
During this hot streak, Portland has secured victories against teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings. According to Kirk Goldsberry&rsquo;s efficiency landscape, the Blazers are #3 in net rating and #1 defensively. Offensively, they have been firing on all cylinders, with Anfernee Simons leading the charge. In a recent win over the Kings, Simons dropped 30 points, proving his ability to stretch the floor and attack the basket. Their defensive efforts have also played a crucial role, exemplified by a dominant 112-89 victory over the Pacers where they held Indiana to just 89 points. This newfound defensive resilience has been a cornerstone of their recent success.
Several players have stepped up during this run, each playing a crucial role in keeping the Blazers competitive. Simons, averaging 18.2 points per game this season, has been a consistent scoring threat, using his quick release and aggressive drives to keep defenses on their heels. Shaedon Sharpe has provided an additional spark, averaging 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, using his athleticism and shot-making ability to keep opponents guessing. Scoot Henderson, despite being the youngest among the three guards, has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in a recent game against the Magic where he recorded 23 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. Deni Avdija has also emerged as a valuable asset, scoring a season-high 30 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a statement win over the Bucks. Though not always in the spotlight, Toumani Camara has been invaluable for his defensive energy and hustle plays, helping to solidify Portland&rsquo;s defensive identity.
Despite their recent success, the Blazers must soon confront significant decisions regarding their future. While they are currently competing for a play-in spot, their long-term direction remains unclear. One of the biggest questions revolves around the roles of Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara, two young forwards who have shown promise. Avdija, at 6-foot-9, has demonstrated versatility on both ends of the floor, excelling as a ball handler, facilitator, and multi-positional defender. His recent offensive outburst against the Bucks highlighted his potential as a future building block for the team. Camara, known for his defensive prowess, brings energy and intensity every time he steps on the floor. His ability to guard multiple positions and contribute on the boards has been crucial in tight games, making him an integral part of Portland&rsquo;s plans.
While Avdija and Camara appear to be key building blocks, the futures of Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant remain uncertain. Ayton, acquired to strengthen the frontcourt, has had standout performances, including a 25-point, 20-rebound game against the Suns. His presence in the paint provides stability, but the Blazers must determine whether he fits into their long-term vision with recently drafted rookie center Donovan Clingan in the lineup. Grant, a reliable two-way forward, brings valuable experience and scoring ability. However, with the emergence of their younger wings Avdija and Camara, the team may consider moving him for assets that better align with their rebuilding efforts. The decision on whether to retain or trade these veterans will significantly shape the franchise&rsquo;s future.
But perhaps the most pressing dilemma Portland faces is the backcourt logjam between Simons, Sharpe, and Henderson. Each player brings a unique skill set, but with limited opportunities to develop three high-usage guards simultaneously, the Blazers may ultimately need to choose two of the three to lead their backcourt into the future. Simons has already proven himself as a dynamic scorer with elite shooting ability, making him a valuable offensive weapon. Sharpe, with his impressive athleticism and scoring instincts, has shown flashes of being a future superstar. Henderson, despite some early growing pains, has displayed promising playmaking and scoring potential, hinting at the possibility of becoming the team&rsquo;s primary floor general.
The Blazers might soon rethink their decisions and pick what&rsquo;s best for the three of them, letting go of one for proven pieces that will fit the team and letting him shine somewhere else, but that remains to be seen at this point. For now, the Blazers are rocking with this group and see what they can do towards the end of the season.
The Blazers&rsquo; recent success is a testament to their young talent and cohesive play, but as they navigate the remainder of the season, these tough decisions loom large. Balancing immediate success with long-term development will be crucial in determining the franchise&rsquo;s trajectory. Whether they fully commit to a rebuild, make strategic trades, or double down on their current core, the choices they make in the coming months will define their future in the NBA.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been on an impressive run, but tough decisions loom large within the franchise.

The Trail Blazers are rolling, but they should make a choice for their future

In the single most stunning and shocking trade in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers have traded away Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic.
As first broken out by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Lakers are sending away Davis, Max Christie, and their 2029 1st round pick to the Mavericks in exchange for Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris. The Utah Jazz swooped in as a third team in the blockbuster mega deal, securing the Lakers&rsquo; Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 Clippers 2nd round pick, and a 2025 Mavericks 2nd round pick.
ANALYSIS: The move brought shockwaves to the entire NBA world, drawing several reactions from players and media alike.
There has never been a trade of this magnitude, with a generational offensive talent being traded out in his prime. Doncic, who is just 25 years old, has made 5 All-NBA first teams and has been arguably a top 5 player in the league for the past 2 seasons.&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s even more surprising is this came out of the blue without anyone knowing except the Lakers and the Mavericks&rsquo; front offices. There have been reports of the Mavericks&rsquo; concern of Luka&rsquo;s conditioning and his impending supermax extension worth $345 million. Dallas GM Nico Harrison has also stated &ldquo;defense wins championships&rdquo; and that they believe that the 31-year-old Davis who is a defensive caliber player and an all-star will lead them and establish their identity as a defensive team. The Mavericks clearly made this move in a win-now scenario as they believe Davis, star Kyrie Irving along with their role players can help the team win a title despite giving up a superstar of Doncic&rsquo;s caliber.
For the Lakers, this is a move to shore up their future for the impending retirement of LeBron James. The now 40-year-old superstar, despite still playing at a high level, is nearing his retirement, and snagging a superstar like Doncic in his prime was too good to pass up. LA will now have another superstar next in line to carry the torch for the legendary franchise, which saw Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and James to bear the gold and purple threads.

In the single most stunning and shocking trade in NBA history, the Lakers have traded Anthony Davis to the Mavericks for Luka Doncic.

Lakers trade Anthony Davis to Mavericks for Luka Doncic in blockbuster mega deal

Jaden Ivey is expected to miss most of the 2024-25 season after sustaining a broken left fibula in a collision with Cole Anthony, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
The Detroit Pistons guard sustained the injury during the fourth quarter of the team's 105-96 victory over the Orlando Magic. The injury occurred when Ivey collided with Magic guard Cole Anthony while pursuing a loose ball, resulting in an awkward fall that left Ivey in visible pain on the court.&nbsp;
Ivey was immediately attended to by medical personnel and subsequently stretchered off the court. He underwent successful surgery the following day at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.&nbsp;
The Pistons announced Thursday that the promising guard will be reevaluated in four weeks.
Ivey, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft, has been enjoying a career-best season, averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game for the resurgent Pistons.
Though Detroit remains open to Ivey&rsquo;s return depending on their postseason prospects, the team is committed to prioritizing his recovery and long-term health.
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff expressed confidence in Ivey's resilience, stating, "There's no better person or teammate than J.I. and no one cares more about this than he does."&nbsp;
The Pistons, currently holding a 15-18 record, will look to other players to step up in Ivey's absence as they aim to maintain their competitive edge in the Eastern Conference.

Jaden Ivey is expected to miss most of the 2024-25 season after sustaining a broken left fibula.

Pistons' Jaden Ivey undergoes surgery for broken fibula, out indefinitely

The NBA&rsquo;s Christmas Day slate has always been a spectacle. It&rsquo;s the league&rsquo;s chance to showcase its brightest stars on a global stage, and this year, Victor Wembanyama seized the moment. The San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; generational talent delivered a jaw-dropping performance against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, cementing his place as the future of the league.
At just 20 years old, Wembanyama put up a stat line that seemed almost mythical: 42 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks, while shooting an efficient 16-of-31 from the field, including 6-16 from beyond the arc. His ability to dominate every facet of the game&mdash;scoring, defending, and even playmaking&mdash;was on full display. Wembanyama&rsquo;s Christmas Day outing wasn&rsquo;t just a performance; it was a proclamation.
The NBA has been searching for its next generational face to carry the league as legends like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant near the twilight of their careers. While a number of young stars, such as Luka Dončić, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards have emerged as potential heirs, Wembanyama offers something uniquely captivating.
Standing at 7-foot-5 with guard-like skills, Wembanyama is unlike anything basketball has seen before. His ability to shoot threes with ease, attack the rim with fluidity, and block shots with his towering wingspan is redefining what&rsquo;s possible for a player of his size. In many ways, he represents the evolution of basketball&mdash;a unicorn who can do it all.
On Christmas Day, Wembanyama didn&rsquo;t just play basketball; he put on a show. In front of a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd, often referred to as the &ldquo;Mecca of Basketball,&rdquo; Wembanyama delivered a performance reminiscent of the greats. MSG has historically been the stage where superstars announce their arrival, and Wembanyama&rsquo;s dominance in this game felt like his coronation.
There&rsquo;s something magical about performing at Madison Square Garden. From Michael Jordan&rsquo;s double-nickel game to Stephen Curry&rsquo;s unforgettable 54-point eruption, the world&rsquo;s most famous arena has seen countless legendary moments. For Wembanyama, this performance added his name to that storied list.
Playing in New York carries an inherent pressure. The Garden crowd is knowledgeable, passionate, and unforgiving. Yet, Wembanyama embraced the challenge, thriving under the bright lights. His ability to perform at such a high level in this environment speaks volumes about his mental fortitude and his readiness to be the face of the league.
What made Wembanyama&rsquo;s performance so special was its versatility. He showcased every facet of his game, leaving no doubt about his potential to dominate the league for years to come.
At 7-foot-5, Wembanyama&rsquo;s ability to shoot from deep is unparalleled. His 6 three-pointers came in a variety of ways&mdash;catch-and-shoot, off-the-dribble, and even a step-back that left defenders helpless. It&rsquo;s rare to see a player of his size shoot with such confidence. Wembanyama&rsquo;s 4 blocks were a testament to his defensive prowess. His timing and ability to cover ground make him a nightmare for opponents attempting to score in the paint. The Knicks struggled to find answers as Wembanyama swatted shots left and right.
Grabbing 18 rebounds, Wembanyama controlled the glass on both ends of the floor. His length and positioning allowed him to snatch boards with ease, often leading to transition opportunities for the Spurs. Despite his size, Wembanyama&rsquo;s court vision and passing are elite. His 4 assists highlighted his unselfishness and basketball IQ, further solidifying his status as a complete player.
Wembanyama&rsquo;s Christmas Day performance has far-reaching implications for both the Spurs and the NBA. For the Spurs, it&rsquo;s a clear indication that they&rsquo;ve struck gold with the once-in-a-generation prospect like Wembanyama. The French phenom is not just a franchise cornerstone; he&rsquo;s a player who can single-handedly elevate a team to contention for the entire time he&rsquo;s in the league. That&rsquo;s how special he is.
For the league, Wembanyama&rsquo;s emergence as a superstar is a dream come true. The NBA thrives on marketable stars, and Wembanyama&rsquo;s combination of talent, charisma, and global appeal makes him the perfect candidate to carry the mantle. His international roots add another layer of intrigue, expanding the league&rsquo;s reach and solidifying its global footprint.
While it&rsquo;s still early in Wembanyama&rsquo;s career, performances like this suggest that greatness is well within his grasp. The league has been fortunate to witness players like LeBron, Curry, and Durant redefine basketball over the past two decades. Now, Wembanyama is poised to do the same.

Victor Wembanyama dazzled on Christmas Day with a dominant performance at MSG - often regarded as the start of a superstardom.

Victor Wembanyama showing out on Christmas Day is everything the NBA has hoped for

The Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious in the first quarterfinal matchups of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024, showcasing grit and tactical adjustments as they punched their tickets to the semifinals and onto Las Vegas.
Bucks Overcome Undermanned Magic
Milwaukee outlasted a depleted but determined Orlando Magic team, winning 114-109. The Magic, without their top stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, relied on a committee approach and defensive pressure to stay competitive. They even managed to cut the lead to a single possession late in the fourth quarter. However, the Bucks leaned on their dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard to seal the victory.
Antetokounmpo delivered a stellar 37-point performance, dominating in transition and on the boards, while Lillard contributed 28 points, including crucial buckets in crunch time. Milwaukee&rsquo;s ability to execute offensively and maintain composure under pressure underscored why they are the only team from last year&rsquo;s semifinals still in contention. For Orlando, the game highlighted their depth and resolve but also the limitations of competing without their two cornerstone players.
Thunder Exact Revenge on Mavericks
In a rematch of last season&rsquo;s Western Conference semifinals, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 117-108. The game marked a critical test for OKC, particularly after being out-rebounded and outmuscled in prior matchups. The addition of Isaiah Hartenstein, returning from injury, was a game-changer as he anchored the Thunder's efforts inside, helping offset Dallas&rsquo; size advantage.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder offensively, outpacing Luka Dončić with timely scoring and clutch playmaking. OKC also made strategic adjustments without Josh Giddey, whose struggles in last year&rsquo;s series had been a talking point. The Thunder exploited their defensive strengths, forcing turnovers and converting fast-break opportunities to keep Dallas off balance. Luka Dončić&rsquo;s brilliance wasn&rsquo;t enough to carry the Mavericks, who struggled to contain Oklahoma City&rsquo;s fluid ball movement and defensive intensity.
With these wins, both Milwaukee and Oklahoma City advance to the semifinals, showcasing why they remain strong contenders for the NBA Cup title.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious in the first quarterfinal matchups of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Emirates NBA Cup: Bucks and Thunder Advance

The Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals commences today as the Knockout Rounds promises high drama with eight teams battling for a coveted trip to Las Vegas. With a mix of rising stars, proven veterans, and compelling narratives, let&rsquo;s dive into tomorrow&rsquo;s matchups and the key storylines shaping each game.
<h3>Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Can the Magic Shock the Bucks Without Their Stars?</h3>
Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
The Orlando Magic find themselves as massive underdogs against the Milwaukee Bucks. Already without Paolo Banchero due to an oblique injury, the Magic were dealt another blow when Franz Wagner was ruled out for the game for the same type of injury. Without their two best players, Orlando must find a way to compete against one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses.
Milwaukee enters the matchup undefeated in the Cup, powered by the dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, both averaging 29.3 points in tournament play. Adding to their arsenal, Khris Middleton is back in action, making the Bucks even more formidable.
Orlando&rsquo;s defense, which allows the fewest three-point attempts in the league, will need to be at its sharpest to contain Milwaukee&rsquo;s long-range attack, especially on the Bucks&rsquo; home court, where they shoot nearly 40% from deep. The Magic&rsquo;s hopes may hinge on unheralded players stepping up to fill the offensive void. Can their grit and defensive discipline pull off one of the season&rsquo;s biggest upsets?
<h3>Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: A Playoff Rematch with High Stakes</h3>
Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder meet in what feels like a continuation of their Western Conference semifinals battle from last season. The Mavericks got the upper hand then, dominating OKC on the boards and exploiting key weaknesses. This time, the Thunder are better prepared but still face significant challenges.
Oklahoma City has bolstered its frontcourt with the addition of Isaiah Hartenstein, a player who has already made an impact since returning from a hand injury. Hartenstein&rsquo;s presence addresses a glaring issue from last year&rsquo;s series, where Dallas, led by Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, overpowered OKC on the glass.
However, the Thunder will be without Josh Giddey, whose absence alters both the offensive and defensive dynamics. Giddey struggled mightily against Dallas last year, with the Mavericks daring him to shoot and taking advantage of his defensive lapses. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way, OKC will have no void on both ends of the floor as they try to compete with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.
For Dallas, this game is about reasserting their dominance. Luka&rsquo;s return from injury gives the Mavericks a significant boost, while P.J. Washington has proven to be a capable scorer against the Thunder&rsquo;s defense. The question remains: will OKC&rsquo;s defensive adjustments and rebounding improvements be enough to turn the tide? Or does Dallas still have their number?
<h3>Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks: Trae Young Returns to MSG</h3>
Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Trae Young&rsquo;s return to Madison Square Garden adds a layer of intrigue to the Atlanta Hawks&rsquo; quarterfinal matchup against the New York Knicks. Young, once the ultimate MSG villain, famously thrived under the Garden&rsquo;s bright lights during the 2021 playoffs. While the stakes may differ this time, the tension and energy will be electric.
The Knicks boast the league&rsquo;s top-ranked offense, anchored by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Brunson&rsquo;s playmaking and Towns&rsquo; versatility make them a nightmare to defend, especially at home, where the Knicks have outscored opponents by an average of 17.2 points per game. New York&rsquo;s balanced attack also includes contributions from OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, giving them multiple weapons to exploit Atlanta&rsquo;s defense.
The Hawks, meanwhile, lean heavily on their wing depth, with players like Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels emerging as key contributors. Young&rsquo;s scoring numbers may be down, but his league-leading 12 assists per game demonstrate his ability to set the table for Atlanta&rsquo;s offense. The Hawks defeated the Knicks earlier this season in Atlanta, but doing so on the road in a hostile MSG environment is a different challenge altogether.
<h3>Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets: Defense Takes Center Stage</h3>
Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets face off in a rematch that could showcase playoff-level intensity. Just last week, the Warriors edged out the Rockets in a 99-93 defensive slugfest, but circumstances have changed since then.
Golden State leaned on Jonathan Kuminga&rsquo;s career-high 33 points to secure that win while missing key players Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Their availability for this game could significantly alter the dynamic. Despite recent struggles, the Warriors remain one of the league&rsquo;s top defensive teams, forcing opponents into low-percentage shots and limiting their efficiency from beyond the arc.
Houston, under coach Ime Udoka, has emerged as a defensive powerhouse in its own right, ranking second in the league. The Rockets are also formidable at home, boasting a 9-3 record and averaging 11 more points per game at the Toyota Center than on the road. Young stars like Alperen Şeng&uuml;n and Jalen Green have embraced Udoka&rsquo;s system, making Houston one of the most surprising teams of the season.
This matchup could hinge on which team better executes its defensive schemes while finding enough offense to tip the scales. Kuminga&rsquo;s scoring, Curry&rsquo;s return, and Houston&rsquo;s energy at home make this a must-watch game.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;&nbsp;
The Emirates NBA Cup has already delivered plenty of excitement in the group stages and tomorrow&rsquo;s quarterfinals are set to continue the trend. With storylines ranging from underdog narratives to playoff rematches and personal rivalries, who will rise to the occasion and earn their slot in Las Vegas?

The Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals commences today with eight teams battling for a coveted trip to Las Vegas.

NBA Cup Quarterfinals Preview: Storylines to Watch in Each Matchup

Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner has suffered a torn oblique and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
Per Charania, Wagner suffered the injury Friday night against the 76ers and will be reevaluated in four weeks.&nbsp;
This is devastating news for the Magic as Wagner suffers the same injury as his co-star Paolo Banchero, who last played on October 30.
Orlando currently sits at third in the East with a 16-9 record and will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS: This is a tough blow for the Magic, who will now be without both Wagner and Banchero. Wagner is averaging 24.4 PTS, 5.7 AST, and 5.6 REB this season as he has played like an all-star to lead the team in all aspects sans Banchero.

Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner has suffered a torn oblique and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner sustains torn oblique, out indefinitely

Russell Westbrook made NBA history Tuesday night when he became the first player ever to drop 200 triple-doubles.&nbsp;
Westbrook achieved the feat after he recorded 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in the Nuggets&rsquo; 122-110 win over the Grizzlies.&nbsp;
The 6-foot-3 guard adds to his increasing lead of most triple-doubles all-time with NBA legend Oscar Robertson in 2nd place with 181. Westbrook&rsquo;s teammate and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is 4th all-time with 136, only 2 behind Magic Johnson for 3rd place.
The 36-year-old guard has had a fruitful career over the course of 17 NBA seasons, establishing himself as a dominant point guard that can do it all. Westbrook had his most successful run with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he won the MVP. He&rsquo;s also had stints with the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, and now with the Nuggets.&nbsp;

Russell Westbrook made NBA history Tuesday night when he became the first player ever to drop 200 triple-doubles.

Russell Westbrook becomes first NBA player ever to record 200 triple-doubles

The Memphis Grizzlies have seen significant contributions this season from two unexpected sources in guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and center Jay Huff. Once teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; bench and in the G League, Huff and Pippen Jr. have now found a place to thrive in Memphis, proving to be reliable pieces for the Grizzlies off the bench.&nbsp;
Jay Huff, a 7-foot center, first made his mark at the University of Virginia. Known for his shot-blocking abilities and efficient shooting from the outside, Huff helped anchor Virginia&rsquo;s defense, contributing to their reputation as one of the toughest defensive teams in the NCAA. Despite these strengths, he went undrafted in 2021, eventually signing a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Huff spent much of his time with the Lakers&rsquo; G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he continued to develop his rim protection and shooting touch. He also spent some time with the summer league team of the Orlando Magic, where he had a solid outing that led Memphis to pick him up in the offseason.
Scotty Pippen Jr., son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, also found his path through the G League after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. At Vanderbilt, he displayed his playmaking skills, leading his team in scoring and assists. However, like Huff, he wasn&rsquo;t initially picked in the NBA draft and signed with the Lakers on a two-way contract, also playing for the South Bay Lakers.&nbsp;
Both players took full advantage of their time in the G League, honing their skills and awaiting a chance to make a larger impact in the NBA. However, both sides did not pan out and LA chose to release both guys.
Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, both Huff and Pippen Jr. are seizing their opportunities. Huff&rsquo;s defensive presence has been particularly impactful, providing Memphis with a much-needed shot-blocker off the bench. His ability to protect the paint has been a welcome addition, especially with injuries affecting some of Memphis&rsquo;s key frontcourt players. Huff&rsquo;s height and defensive instincts make him a tough matchup in the paint, where he averages close to 2 blocks per game (1.9). 
He&rsquo;s also shown an impressive shooting efficiency, both from the field and beyond the arc, allowing Memphis to space the floor even with a big man on the court. Huff is a scorching hot 48 percent on his threes, as he became one of the best shooting big men in the league this early into the season. One of his standout performances included an 18-point game, underscoring his scoring potential when given the opportunity.
Pippen Jr., meanwhile, is thriving in his role as a playmaker and secondary ball-handler. His passing has helped stabilize Memphis&rsquo;s second unit, and he has displayed the ability to score in bursts when needed. Recently, he logged a double-double, finishing with 11 points and 11 assists&mdash;a testament to his growth as a floor general. Pippen Jr. is averaging career highs across the board with 12.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. His court vision, combined with his knack for finding open teammates, has made him an essential part of Memphis&rsquo;s bench rotation, providing valuable relief minutes and keeping the offense fluid while the starters rest.
Both Huff and Pippen Jr. have found in Memphis what they couldn&rsquo;t quite establish in Los Angeles&mdash;a defined role that plays to their strengths. Huff&rsquo;s defensive skill set and shooting from the 5 position complements Memphis&rsquo;s hard-nosed, physical style on defense and a driving, paint-oriented style on offense as he spaces the floor well, while Pippen Jr.&rsquo;s playmaking and scoring ability off the bench provide depth to the Grizzlies&rsquo; backcourt. This fit speaks to the patience and persistence both players exhibited in the G League and in limited NBA minutes until their breakthrough moments arrived.
Their success also highlights the value of the G League as a development pipeline. Both Huff and Pippen Jr. used their time in the G League to fine-tune their skills and stay prepared for NBA call-ups. Now that they have regular minutes, they are proving that their time in the development league wasn&rsquo;t wasted; it prepared them to thrive when the moment finally came. Huff&rsquo;s ability to anchor the paint and contribute scoring when needed, along with Pippen Jr.&rsquo;s floor leadership, are assets Memphis has needed this season.
Their journeys reflect the resilience and adaptability required to break through in the NBA, going from college standouts to the G League, and now to productive roles in the league. They found themselves fighting for recognition, and have now established themselves as reliable and effective pieces in Memphis&rsquo;s rotation. This is a reminder of how hard work can translate to real NBA success. For the Grizzlies, Huff and Pippen Jr. are proving that sometimes, the best additions come from players who just needed a chance to shine.

Former Lakers Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. are making an impact off the bench for the Grizzlies, excelling in defined roles.