Setters

In an NBA era defined by star-chasing, supermax contracts, and eye-watering luxury tax bills, the Indiana Pacers have defied every expectation &ndash; and the associated financial precedent. This isn't just a Cinderella story &ndash; it is a testament to the franchise&rsquo;s strategic planning, belief, and organizational cohesion. The Pacers didn&rsquo;t just sneak into the NBA Finals. They earned their way there, brick by brick, all while keeping their books clean and their identity intact.
When the final buzzer sounded in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it wasn&rsquo;t just a win for Indiana &ndash; it was a triumph for every small-market franchise searching for hope. In a league that often favors the big spenders, Indiana made it through without ever crossing into luxury tax territory. It&rsquo;s a feat that&rsquo;s not just impressive &ndash; it&rsquo;s unprecedented in today&rsquo;s NBA landscape.
This Finals appearance isn&rsquo;t an overnight success. What they lacked in payroll, they made up for in vision, development, coaching, and complete buy-in from the front office, to the coaching staff, and the players themselves &ndash; making this a culmination of the belief that you can build a winner through cohesion and culture &ndash; and not just cost.
<h4>A vision realized for Indiana</h4>
The foundation of Indiana&rsquo;s Finals run traces back to February 2022. The Pacers shipped All-Star Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento and received a then-rising guard in Tyrese Haliburton.&nbsp;
At the time, the move was seen as a gamble. Few teams part ways with a current All-Star for a young guard still developing. At the time, the move was seen as a gamble. Few teams part ways with a current All-Star for a young guard still developing. Many questioned the move and a few understood the vision.
However, Indiana did. They saw a lead playmaker who could evolve into the face of their franchise. Three years later, Haliburton has done exactly that &ndash; growing into an All-NBA-caliber PG, powering the league&rsquo;s fastest-paced offense and leading the Pacers with maturity beyond his years.
Haliburton was also someone who could not only run their offense but also carry the culture. The result was a floor general with a team-first mentality and elite passing instincts, now one of the NBA's most dynamic point guards, but at the same time has one of the energetic personalities and star vibe in the league. Haliburton&rsquo;s development into a full-fledged star wasn&rsquo;t accidental. It was intentional &ndash; nurtured by head coach Rick Carlisle, empowered by the front office, and amplified by the supporting cast that embraced his leadership.
The vision was clear from the start: make Haliburton the center of everything. Build around his IQ, his unselfishness, and his drive. That clarity allowed the front office to pursue players who complemented his skill set, not cluttered it.
One of those pieces came midseason in the form of Pascal Siakam, acquired from Toronto. Siakam brought championship pedigree, defensive versatility, and a scoring punch that balanced out Indiana&rsquo;s offense. While most teams searched for flash, Indiana sought fit. Siakam wasn&rsquo;t just a name &ndash; he was a need, and he filled it perfectly with all his traits that the team needed.
Pairing Haliburton&rsquo;s creativity with Siakam&rsquo;s downhill force turned Indiana into an offensive juggernaut. They didn&rsquo;t just outscore opponents, they overwhelmed them with pace, precision, and purpose.
<h4>Finding value in &ldquo;rejects and cast-offs&rdquo;</h4>
Indiana&rsquo;s roster isn&rsquo;t built on big names &ndash; it is built on belief.&nbsp;
Obi Toppin, once a lottery pick in New York, never got the role or runway he needed. In Indiana, he found freedom. In Carlisle&rsquo;s system, his athleticism became a weapon, not an afterthought.
Aaron Nesmith was viewed as a spare part in Boston, part of the return in the Malcolm Brogdon deal. Now? He&rsquo;s a defensive stopper, reliable shooter, and starter for a Finals-bound team.
Both were labeled as afterthoughts elsewhere but in Indiana, they were seen as untapped potential, and they have been vital pieces in this run to the Finals. These weren&rsquo;t lottery tickets. These were strategic buys; low-risk, high-reward acquisitions that paid off because the Pacers provided the right ecosystem for growth.
In a system that values spacing, ball movement, and grit, players like Toppin and Nesmith flourished. Their emergence wasn&rsquo;t just a bonus &ndash; it was necessary. The Pacers&rsquo; depth became one of their biggest advantages, and it was built on players most teams had given up on.
<h4>Myles Turner: The loyal soul that stayed after being through it all</h4>
If there&rsquo;s a symbol of Indiana&rsquo;s perseverance, it&rsquo;s Myles Turner. For years, he was in every trade rumor imaginable. Yet he never asked out, never wavered, and just kept working.
Now, the longest-tenured Pacer is finally on the biggest stage. Turner&rsquo;s elite shot-blocking, stretch/spacing ability, and leadership have anchored this team in every sense.&nbsp;
Turner is the defensive anchor and emotional pillar of Indiana&rsquo;s run, and on a team full of new faces, his presence provided continuity which he has embodied from day one.
His loyalty was rewarded and his patience paid off. And in a poetic twist, he&rsquo;ll play for a title in the only uniform he&rsquo;s ever known.
<h4>The right draft picks, the right roles, and the culture setters</h4>
The Pacers didn&rsquo;t just win the draft &ndash; they won the development battle. Andrew Nembhard, taken 31st overall in 2022, has become one of the best value picks in recent years. His poise, defensive tenacity, and timely playmaking have been invaluable throughout the playoffs next to Haliburton.
Then there&rsquo;s Bennedict Mathurin &ndash; flashy, fearless, and unafraid of the moment. He&rsquo;s not a volume scorer yet, but his playoff contributions &ndash; attacking off the bench, hitting momentum-swinging shots &ndash; have added another dimension to Indiana&rsquo;s attack.
Together, they reflect the front office&rsquo;s shrewdness. Indiana didn&rsquo;t just draft talent &ndash; they drafted competitors that can be brought to war.
On the other hand, people like TJ McConnell &ndash; veterans who show up, do the work, and demand accountability &ndash; have helped shape the culture in Indiana. McConnell may not stuff the stat sheet, but he sets the tone. Every loose ball, every second-unit possession, every moment of urgency, he&rsquo;s there &ndash; diving, scrapping, leading.
In the playoffs, when the margin of error shrinks, players like McConnell make the difference. His presence alone changes games &ndash; and reflects the kind of winning culture Indiana has quietly cultivated for years and it has absolutely paid off with this Finals run.
<h4>Brilliant coaching by veteran champion coach Rick Carlisle</h4>
However, none of this happens without Rick Carlisle. Over a decade removed from his legendary 2011 title run with Dallas, Carlisle has once again proven his genius. He reinvented Indiana&rsquo;s offense around Haliburton&rsquo;s strengths, managed egos without sacrificing cohesion, and made the right adjustments at every critical postseason juncture.
His calm demeanor, sharp tactical mind, and belief in player empowerment have given this group the freedom to grow &ndash; and the structure to succeed. He wanted to build something sustainable and something real. He didn&rsquo;t just install a playbook &ndash; he constructed a belief system. One that emphasized player development, ball movement, and defensive grit.
Carlisle has masterfully blended youth with experience, adapting his game plan series after series. He&rsquo;s out-coached more expensive benches and out-thought veteran counterparts. He&rsquo;s now one of the few head coaches to lead multiple franchises to the NBA Finals, and he did it again without a superteam &ndash; but by doing it with one of the most balanced rosters in the NBA.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
What makes Indiana&rsquo;s improbable NBA Finals run remarkable is the backdrop: a financial arms race across the league. Many are saddled with bloated payrolls and limited flexibility and have spent well into the luxury tax just to chase a title.
Through careful planning, smart contracts, and prudent investments, the Pacers have remained competitive without ever compromising their cap structure.
This is a reminder to the league that culture matters. That coaching still counts. That not every superstar needs to be acquired through chaos.
In many ways, Indiana has done the impossible: they&rsquo;ve built a Finals team without mortgaging their future or blowing up their balance sheet. They&rsquo;ve set a new standard &ndash;&nbsp; a proof that a franchise can win through culture, clarity, and consistency, not just cash.
The Pacers built something lasting. Something meaningful. And in doing so, they&rsquo;ve earned the respect of the basketball world. This is more than just a basketball success story. The Indiana Pacers didn&rsquo;t just get here. They earned it &ndash; methodically, intelligently, and without ever compromising who they are.
And now, the Pacers are four wins away from finishing the story on the sport&rsquo;s biggest stage.

The Pacers reached the NBA Finals without luxury tax, proving a sustainable, cap-smart approach can still build a title contender.

Sustainable Greatness: Indiana’s cap-savvy journey to the NBA Finals

The second domino in Utah has finally fallen.
After trading All-World center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a league-shifting pick package, the Jazz followed suit by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-instant-reaction-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers-utah-jazz-collin-sexton-lauri-markkanen-ochai-agbaji-darius-garland-evan-mobley-jb-bickerstaff-koby-altman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trading star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers</a>. Three unprotected first-round picks, two unprotected pick swaps and a multi-player package headlined by Collin Sexton was enough for the team to officially set off its rebuild.
The stars are gone, but there are vets still on the roster. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Jazz aren't opposed to moving them if they're given more picks, young players or (ideally) both.
Chief among those vets is point guard Mike Conley.&nbsp;
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Conley is coming off one of his healthier campaigns, appearing in 70 games (72) for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Conley was steady, averaging 13.7 points and 5.3 assists (1.7 turnovers) while posting a 57.2% True Shooting percentage. He oscillated between diagnosing defenses as a pick-and-roll threat and spreading the floor for Mitchell to attack.
Coinciding with Mitchell's ascension, he's become more of a spacer than a focal point over the past two seasons. Conley's three-point rate &mdash; the percentage of shot attempts that come from deep &mdash; has hit career-high levels over the past two seasons (52.3). He's drained 41% of his threes on 6.1 attempts per game during that stretch; only three other players &mdash; Anfernee Simons, Zach LaVine and some Steph Curry guy &mdash; have hit 40% of their threes on 6 or more attempts on average (min. 100 games).
Don't let the off-ball focus fool you: Conley's blend of pull-up shooting, court vision and ambidexterity still makes him a valuable playmaker. Over the past two seasons, possessions featuring a Conley-led ball screen has generated 1.03 points per possession (PPP), a mark sandwiched between Damian Lillard (1.032 PPP) and James Harden (1.023 PPP).
Even at this stage, playing drop coverage against Conley is a mistake.
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Because Conley doesn't have the same burst anymore, he doesn't get two feet in the paint very often. His rim rate &mdash; the percentage of shot attempts coming inside of 3 feet &mdash; has dropped in each of the past five seasons. Only 7.5% of his attempts came at the rim last year, easily a career low.
He's been able to counter that by sprinkling in short pull-ups and floaters with either hand, but the threshold for bending defenses with those shots is pretty high.
Conley remains sound defensively. He's dutiful when navigating screens and still does a good job of reconnecting with ball-handlers. This might be my favorite stat find of the summer: Per Second Spectrum, among 165 players that defended at least 300 drives last season, only one player &mdash; Chicago Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu (13.97%) &mdash; was "blown by" at a lower rate than Conley (14.18%).
There's context to be added, like who Conley was directly matched up with, but that's a "he's typically in the right spot" stat if I've seen one.
Of course, Conley isn't perfect. There's only so much he can do as a shot-contester, even against his position, because of his size. While he's still a good screen navigator, his recovery speed isn't what it once was. If a screen nails him, you could be in some trouble.
Overall, Conley is still a good starting point guard with a game that can complement a high-usage star. If the Jazz are truly open to moving him, teams should come calling.
With a vet like Conley, finding a contending team for him is the likely priority. That makes trade talks tough since so many of the top teams either have (All-) star point guards already (Golden State, Phoenix, Milwaukee, etc.), younger players they're already invested in (Philadelphia, Denver), or vets they're okay with (Miami, Boston).
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The Dallas Mavericks may be the most realistic suitor within this lens. Conley could certainly slot into the Jalen Brunson-sized void that was opened this summer. Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract ($19.6 million in 2022-23) is enough to start the conversation, but you'd have to wonder if a middleground could be found from there.
The Mavericks owe a first round pick to the Knicks (top-10 protected through 2025) that you'd assume would convey this year, but that's off the table. Would the Mavericks be willing to throw in a later first-round pick instead? If not, is there a young piece on the roster (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/josh-green-impact-basketball-dallas-mavericks-playoffs-joe-abunassar-offseason-training-diet-nutrition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hello, Josh Green</a>) that they'd be willing to sweeten the pot with in lieu of the pick? It's hard to gauge.
I'd be intrigued by a trade centered around a Conley-D'Angelo Russell swap if the Minnesota Timberwolves were game.
(I don't think I'd be game if I were them. It'd have to be Conley and another player or two &mdash; Rudy Gay and Nickeil Alexander-Walker would get you there &mdash; since the Jazz are hard-capped. Beyond that, I'm sure they would've worked to include a Russell-Conley swap into the Gobert trade if there was real interest in that regard.)
There's been smoke, then fire, then smoke, then fog, then&nbsp;more&nbsp;smoke around Conley being featured in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for Russell Westbrook. Conley would certainly vibe alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis; I just don't know how likely it is that Westbrook is traded at this point, even if it might be best for everyone involved.
If it's not contender-or-bust for Conley, there are a couple of lottery teams I'd like to see throw their hats in the ring for him.&nbsp;
Depending on how you feel about the Kevin Porter Jr. point guard experiment, something I had my eye on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heading into last season</a>, there could be room for a half-season of Conley stability in the starting backcourt. Having a consistently-good decision-maker alongside Jalen Green could foster easier development for him.
There are things Green (or Porter, for that matter) could learn from Conley. My mind immediately goes to how patient Conley is against drop, and how good he is at snaking ball-screens and bending defenses. Green showed growth as his rookie campaign went on, but there's still room for improvement.
There's even a number for it. Per Second Spectrum, the Rockets generated a little over 0.67 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a ball-screen that Green snaked.
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Considering Eric Gordon's salary would likely be needed to make this work, a third team would make some sense here. An interesting framework would be sending Conley to Houston, Eric Gordon to New Orleans (I know, I know) and a combination of KJ Martin (if he <a href="https://theathletic.com/3373516/2022/06/20/houston-rockets-nba-draft-roster/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still wants a trade</a> from Houston), Kira Lewis and more salary filler to Utah.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>If Bradley Beal wants an even more dependable guard next to him than Monte Morris, Conley would make some sense in Washington. At minimum, the Wizards certainly have enough pieces to consolidate. I still don't know what to make of their forward room.</li>
<li>In light of the Lonzo Ball injury news, I can definitely see the use for a table-setter in Chicago. The Bulls may be content with Goran Dragic filling that void; beyond that, I'm not sure they could make the money work without getting ride of a core piece.</li>
<li>The Clippers would've been a fun team in here before <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-offseason-news-rumors-examining-john-wall-fit-with-los-angeles-clippers-houston-rockets-buyout-paul-george-kawhi-leonard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the John Wall signing</a>. I guess they could still be a dark horse if things don't work out, but I wouldn't bet on it.</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan analyzes the trade market for Jazz guard Mike Conley and which teams the veteran point guard could fit with.

Examining potential destinations for Mike Conley

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

We have reached the final installment of this season's NBA Sour Rankings and it's been a wild ride.
Of the 30 NBA teams, 28 appeared on the list at some points in the season. I inversed each ranking and turned it into a point value to tally up the most prominent members. The Los Angeles Lakers (134 points), Sacramento Kings (117), New York Knicks (113) and Portland Trail Blazers (99) were the highest point-getters, and continuously peppered the rankings since they each disappointed at consistent levels throughout the year.
Who never touched the Sour Rankings? The San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic. I bet you didn't expect them. Those squads had the combination of extremely low expectations and frequent flashes from young talent. Despite those franchises never being on top of the NBA sphere, I never felt frustrated by by either team because there was always a silver lining after every game.
So we arrive at the final ranking with several playoff contenders sputtering to the finish.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that are so common throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they are updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The Dallas Mavericks have climbed up to fourth in the Western Conference standings and flipped to home-court advantage against the Utah Jazz, who they'll likely play in the postseason. The Chicago Bulls have somewhat righted the ship and maintain a hold on fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks may be out of the playoff picture, but they've suddenly been hit with a wave of developmental flashes from the young core. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-immanuel-quickleys-unusual-shot-diet-can-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immanuel Quickley leads the way</a>.&nbsp;
10. Boston Celtics (47-28)
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ESPN Sources: Celtics C Robert Williams has suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will minimally miss several weeks. Further evaluation today will help provide a timetable. Boston moved into first-place Sunday, and Williams has been immense part of NBA&rsquo;s best defense.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1508469824195899398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Man... <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-celtics-center-robert-williams-feared-to-have-torn-meniscus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that is pain</a>. What else is there to say?
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Brooklyn Nets (39-36)
Brooklyn boasts the league's fourth-ranked offense over the past two weeks, and that was before the New York City vaccination policies changed, allowing Kyrie Irving to play in home games. The Nets can end their season with some positive momentum, as they face just three more teams at .500 or better.
One of those teams is the Atlanta Hawks, who Brooklyn is currently slotted to play in the Play-In bracket. The race for the eighth seed is dead even between the Nets and Charlotte Hornets, and that's a battle within a battle to get at least two extra shots at a playoff spot. Should the Nets lose, do they want to face a dominant Trae Young with their not-so-dominant defense?
(Last week: 8)
8. Golden State Warriors (48-27)
The Warriors have lost 5 of their last 6 games and just took a 123-115 defeat against the Wizards. They are 6-10 since the All-Star break, and while those losses have come with a mix of injured absences involving Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, it's concerning that the rest of the cast can't keep things together &mdash; even against bad teams. Golden State is currently two games up on the Mavericks for the third seed, but only four games separate the team from the sixth-place Denver Nuggets. This is a sneaky-close middle tier with the Warriors holding little momentum.
(Last week: 10)
7. Atlanta Hawks (37-37)
As mentioned, the Hawks face a potential playoff preview with the Nets. But they'll likely have to meet both Brooklyn and Charlotte in some order in the postseason. Atlanta went 2-2 against the Hornets in the regular season, and is 0-2 vs. the Nets prior to this coming Saturday's matchup. That doesn't inspire much confidence that the Hawks, as the No. 10 seed, can storm through both to the playoffs.
(Last week: 7)
6. Utah Jazz (45-30)
Utah received a quality playoff test this past week with games against the Nets, Celtics, Hornets and Mavericks. The Jazz lost all four games, though they missed Gobert. Their perennially stalwart defense is down to 20th over the past two weeks, and against the Celtics in particular, they couldn't seem to contain anyone. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 26.4 points per game since the All-Star break, but even that isn't mattering when the defense doesn't show up beyond Gobert.
(Last week: Unranked)
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5. Miami Heat (47-28)
Bryan Fonseca wrote a great piece this past week about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-miami-heats-blow-up-was-necessary-but-now-the-rest-is-up-to-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that Heat meltdown on Wednesday</a> against the Warriors. His message was that these types of altercations don't have to define the rest of the season. But the dust-up certainly is right now, as the Heat have lost their grip on the East's top spot. They followed up the defeat with two more bad losses to the Knicks and Nets.
Miami still has conference powers in Boston, Chicago and Toronto left on the schedule. With the top four seeds separate by half a game, the Heat could easily plummet to the bottom of the tier.
(Last week: Unranked)
4. Washington Wizards (32-42)
Let's talk about Corey Kispert! The No. 15 pick flailed, as most rookies do, to open his NBA career. But Kispert has meaningfully caught fire in recent weeks. The 23-year-old sharpshooter is drilling 42.4% of his three-pointers in March. He just hit six triples on his way to a career-high 25 points in the team's aforementioned win over the Warriors. Washington hasn't had too much to get excited about in these last two weeks, so at least Kispert is helping send the young core into the summer on a high note.
(Last week: 2)
3. Portland Trail Blazers (27-47)
According to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James L. Edwards III of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>, the Trail Blazers are still the front-runner to trade for Jerami Grant this offseason. "I think a lottery pick would be the kind of sweetener that would [get a deal done]," Edwards told HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
I just don't understand how a team so badly in need of a reset can cash in what will likely be its highest draft pick in a decade to go make a last-ditch attempt at keeping the current group relevant. Portland does not have a playoff-caliber roster regardless of Damian Lillard's health. Trading away several key future pieces for Jerami Grant will not change this. I'm simply against this move for the franchise's future.
(Last week: 4)
2. Los Angeles Lakers (31-43)
Here we go!
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WHAT A COMEBACK 😱 The Pelicans rally from a 23-point deficit to take down the Lakers in NoLa! <a href="https://t.co/MmFRQr8n2l">pic.twitter.com/MmFRQr8n2l</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1508254421804716033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Lakers are on a two-game skid and the Spurs are on a three-game win streak. Los Angeles has eight games to try and hold off San Antonio and at least survive to reach the postseason. Over the past two weeks, in which the Lakers have gone 2-5, they have the league's ninth-ranked offense and 27th-ranked defense. Their last eight games include the Mavericks, Jazz, Pelicans, Suns, Warriors, Thunder and Nuggets (twice).
Whew, this is not going to be easy!
(Last week: 1)
1. Sacramento Kings (27-48)
The Kings shut down Richaun Holmes for the season due to "personal reasons" and did not specify why. Robin Epley of the <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article259668860.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacramento Bee found out</a>: Holmes is facing serious domestic violence allegations amid an ongoing custody battle.
Obviously this is an ongoing process with no conclusion yet. But Epley makes the point painfully clear in her article.
"I&rsquo;m not convicting Richaun Holmes ahead of his court date. It does, however, appear that the Kings were focused on covering up a serious situation involving allegations of domestic violence by one of their players. When I contacted the team this week, they refused to comment on the serious charges facing their player, or say anything beyond the cryptic announcement of Holmes&rsquo; departure," she writes.
Epley goes more into some important statistics surrounding domestic violence cases in the U.S. and in the NBA. I seriously implore you to read them if you haven't yet. But the point is: This is yet again another case being swept under the rug by the league and its franchises.
(Last week: 3)
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Ethan Fuller ranks the most frustrating NBA teams in the last Sour Rankings of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: The final countdown

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-making-buddy-hield-richaun-holmes-harrison-barnes-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seeing the report late last week</a>&nbsp;of the Sacramento Kings making Richaun Holmes available for trade, there should&rsquo;ve been several NBA teams channeling a 1980 Muhammad Ali saying, &ldquo;I want Holmes! I want Holmes!&rdquo;&nbsp;
(Couldn&rsquo;t find the clip, but I remember watching it long ago.)
Of course, Ali was talking about former World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes, whom he lost to later that year &mdash; 42 years later, we&rsquo;re talking about an underrated Kings center, but the point stands. Nothing, not even 50-year-old <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFK9zh2yHO4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johnny Knoxville being in this week&rsquo;s Royal Rumble</a>, is less surprising than the Kings looking to revamp their roster in some form. That basketball team in Sacramento rebuilds more often than Griselda releases music.&nbsp;
But, again,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/sacramento-kings/richaun-holmes-17865/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less than five months after signing a four-year, $46 million extension</a>, including a $12.9 million player option for 2024-25, Holmes is possibly available. At just $10.3 million this season, he&rsquo;s very affordable by NBA standards. Having turned 28 years old in October and playing in year seven, he&rsquo;s in the prime of his career. Given where he currently is, he might indeed be better off elsewhere.&nbsp;
Holmes has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/kings/richaun-holmes-commits-goggles-recounts-scary-eye-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battled an eye injury</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article256988807.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID</a> this season, but has been productive despite a drop in playing time, logging 25.8 minutes through his 32 games (all starts) compared to last year, where he was at 29.2 minutes. He&rsquo;s posting 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game this season while shooting a career-best 70% from the floor. Per 36-minutes, he&rsquo;s at 17.1 points, 1.5 blocks and a career-best 11.3 boards. Holmes is a distant first in win shares per 48 minutes at .179 (second is .111). He&rsquo;s also second in team box plus-minus (1.3) behind Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s 2.5 and ahead of Harrison Barnes&rsquo; 0.5; everyone else is in the negative. (Yes, that means De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, for whatever that&rsquo;s worth.)&nbsp;
Ideally, if you&rsquo;re the team making this move, you&rsquo;d look to solidify your center position while prepping for your playoff push. The good news is that all of the following teams are in the playoff hunt &mdash; so don't worry, my fellow rec spec-wearing friend, let's get you outta there.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are (quietly?) 27-22 as of this writing, and are seventh in the Eastern Conference. At least they're quiet for a team run by a rising star in LaMelo Ball, his underappreciated backcourt mate Terry Rozier, Most Improved Player candidate Miles Bridges and steady swingman Gordon Hayward&nbsp; That&rsquo;s four-fifths of their starting five, with the center spot being occupied by Mason Plumlee. Kelly Oubre Jr. and PJ Washington play significant minutes off the bench, meaning the Hornets &mdash; who are 21st in rebounding and allow the third-most rebounds per game &mdash; are often playing small.&nbsp;
PJ Washington, in particular, is a&nbsp;<a href="https://hoopshype.com/storyline/pj-washington-trade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade piece that&rsquo;s been rumored to be available</a> and likely has to be included in the deal, since his minutes and production have declined since last season, where he was an everyday starter. It should be added that, entering the last of his rookie-scale contract next season, it&rsquo;s likely the Hornets won&rsquo;t extend him by 2023.&nbsp;
The trade logistically couldn&rsquo;t be PJ for Holmes straight up since Washington only makes $4.2 million this season. The Kings also are rumored to be shopping others on their team, so there&rsquo;s a potential for this to extend beyond Holmes arriving from Sacramento by himself in this hypothetical &mdash; your simplest route is to pair Washington with Plumlee&rsquo;s $8.1 million, which mathematically makes this work straight up. Plumlee has a partially guaranteed $8.5 million coming to him next season, and the Kings should also receive a couple of second-rounders or a first coming back to them, both of which the Hornets <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Hornets.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have enough to entice with</a>.&nbsp;
A Ball-Rozier-Hayward-Bridges-Holmes lineup sounds fun as hell.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Richaun Holmes is dunking all over the Lakers 😤 <a href="https://t.co/y9fO2OprSI">pic.twitter.com/y9fO2OprSI</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1465891771489996805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Dallas Mavericks
Between Dwight Powell, Moses Brown, Maxi Kleber, Willie Cauley-Stein, Marquese Chriss and Boban Marjanović, the Dallas Mavericks have had what&rsquo;s felt like a 💩 ton of bigs this season. Even so, as our Nekias Duncan wrote last week, without a true anchor, the Mavs have recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-do-the-mavericks-have-an-elite-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become one of the league&rsquo;s best defenses</a>.&nbsp;
Still, on the roster, there isn&rsquo;t a clear long-term answer there as you continue to build this around the already extended Luka Dončić and, for now, the seemingly bought-in Kristaps Porziņģis. Enter Holmes, who is signed through at least the 2023-24 season. Powell and Kleber, who generally eat the lion&rsquo;s share of minutes next to KP, are both signed through 2022-23 before they&rsquo;d each become unrestricted free agents. Though Kleber makes $8.9 million this season and Powell is at $11 million, both work for Holmes mathematically straight up. Obviously, Dallas would attach at least one or two second-round draft picks, if not a protected first, to either guy (Powell more likely) and make it nearly a straight-up trade.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s room to open this up further. Buddy Hield makes $22.5 million this season, and his contract descends to $20 and $18 million until it expires in the summer of 2024. Tim Hardaway Jr., who Dallas extended this past summer and <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33148625/dallas-mavericks-tim-hardaway-jr-ruled-game-left-foot-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is now out with a fractured left foot</a>, makes $21 million this year but is also on a descending deal that drops to $19.6, $17.9, and $16.1 million through the 2024-25 season. Both struggling shooting guards probably aren&rsquo;t long for their organizations, even as they were both recently extended. Hardaway Jr. was also moved to the bench for Jalen Brunson, who&rsquo;s facing a contract situation of his own given his pending free agency (keep him, Dallas).&nbsp;
So there&rsquo;s a path to this becoming a Powell and Hardaway plus draft picks for Holmes and Hield exchange. Holmes is the type of hustling, dirty-work, efficient and quality center that the Mavericks could use. Unlike in 2K, you can trade injured players in real life &mdash; sorry Tim. Just imagine the push shots off Luka feeds.&nbsp;
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death, taxes, and richaun holmes hitting 62.5% of his push shots (20-of-32) <a href="https://t.co/iGH0xuA7Gn">pic.twitter.com/iGH0xuA7Gn</a>
&mdash; Dan Favale (@danfavale) <a href="https://twitter.com/danfavale/status/1465715242952900614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Toronto Raptors
I mean, could you think of a more Raptor-ass center than Holmes? Who better be run with Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr.?&nbsp;
Now, how do you make this happen? First, with that being the Raptors&rsquo; starting five, where does Holmes fit? Well, it&rsquo;s really their starting five out of necessity because Precious Achiuwa hasn&rsquo;t had the second NBA season they&rsquo;d been hoping for. Ideally, you&rsquo;d still want an actual center in that mix as one of your top six minutes getters so that you have a bit more reliable size. The Raptors don&rsquo;t currently have a true center you could trust for extended periods, and Holmes fills that void.&nbsp;
Now, regarding trade pieces, Chris Boucher is on a $7 million expiring contract, and Khem Birch is on the first of a three-year, $19 million contract, which lands him at $6.3 million this season. Combining those two does work, and it would obviously have to come with considerable draft capital, but even the Kings would probably ask wtf are they going to do with that and have a point.&nbsp;
Remove Birch and insert Achiuwa? That works &ndash; would the Raptors already want to move off the centerpiece of their Kyle Lowry trade, who is just due $2.8 million next year with a $4.3 million team option the season after? I mean, maybe? It would certainly help preserve some draft capital in a hypothetical Holmes trade and, you figure, if you&rsquo;re acquiring a center Achiuwa would have a tougher time seeing minutes anyway. But that&rsquo;s generally what you&rsquo;d be looking at moving if you&rsquo;re Toronto: Boucher and Birch, Boucher and Achuiwa; Boucher, Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn, along with some combination of picks or a first-rounder, for Holmes.&nbsp;
And if I&rsquo;m Holmes, I&rsquo;m down for whatever, as long as I could leave Sacramento.&nbsp;
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Bonus: Golden State Warriors
Okay &hellip; here we go.
There&rsquo;s really only one way to do this, and it&rsquo;s using James Wiseman&rsquo;s $9.1 million salary this season straight up. Y&rsquo;all could determine what picks may or may not go where, but these are the two names because the Golden State Warriors don&rsquo;t have much middle-class salary to use, nor do they probably want to shake up their roster a ton, including even this. But if they determine that Wiseman, who hasn&rsquo;t played since Apr. 10 of last year due to a torn meniscus that <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/warriors-james-wiseman-needed-additional-knee-surgery-in-december-sources/DyEHJgzTblrO/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">required additional arthroscopic surgery in December</a>, isn&rsquo;t worth waiting for, then there you have it.&nbsp;
Wiseman showed flashes, but struggled defensively as a rookie while only logging 39 games (though he posted 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 52% percent shooting in 21.4 minutes per contest). He&rsquo;ll turn 21 in March, and because of NCAA nonsense, we were only able to see him three times in college. Wiseman&rsquo;s due $9.6 million next year and will likely bank another $12.1 million, assuming his option gets accepted.
I&rsquo;m still a Wiseman stockholder, but I&rsquo;m also pro going for a championship now in this seemingly wide-open NBA season &mdash; an immediate upgrade at center might be what Golden State sees as a necessary step. It makes something like a possible Holmes deal reasonable to think twice about. Just sayin&rsquo;.
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Bryan Fonseca ponders a handful of teams who could be a good fit for Kings big man Richaun Holmes.

Examining potential trade destinations for Richaun Holmes

The NBA offseason is packed with entertaining events. In a matter of three or so months, the league undergoes free agency and trade season &ndash; and that&rsquo;s almost immediately after the Finals and the draft. And while everyone gets to experience all that is great about the NBA in a relatively short amount of time, it makes for a busy and pressure-filled time for NBA front offices &ndash; that can result in miscalculations.
The 2021 offseason had some abnormalities to contend with. The uncertain financial impact of COVID-19 and the free agent signings in the months leading up to free agency resulted in an underwhelming offseason.
Still, free agent signings and trades happened, even if it was on a smaller scale than normal. And what must surely result from NBA transactions? Regrettable transactions.
After seeing more than 40% of the season we can realistically judge the offseason&rsquo;s transactions with a modicum of accuracy. Sure, multi-year deals can&rsquo;t be graded in their entirety after less than half of a season, but slumps rarely persist for almost half a season, too. That leaves us in a gray area of sorts. Still, the impact of adding a player to a team&rsquo;s present and near-future salary cap is very real. So, after observing approximately half of a season, let&rsquo;s identify the worst deals of the 2021 offseason.
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Evan Fournier Sign-and-Trade to the New York Knicks
Entering this season, Fournier was widely seen as an above-average scorer and playmaker. He represented a relatively big upgrade from Reggie Bullock for the Knicks, providing much needed offensive versatility. So, while the pairing felt a bit off (given the Knicks defensive-mindedness), the four-year, $73 million contract seemed like only a minor overpayment.
Fournier kicked off his time as a Knick with a bang, scoring 32 points in an opening night win against the Boston Celtics &ndash; but the honeymoon was short-lived. Through 38 games, Fournier is averaging just 13.5 points with an Effective Field Goal percentage (eFG%) of 52.5%. Comparatively, he averaged 17.1 points in 2020-21 and 18.5 in 2019-19 with eFG% of 56 and 56.5 respectively. He&rsquo;s also shooting a near-career worst 38.1% on threes attempts.
The fact that the Knicks are in such hot water indicates a degree of buyer&rsquo;s remorse. So, while their future is still quite bright thanks to their younger players, their salary cap optimism has probably been muted. The fact that Bullock was lured away by the Dallas Mavericks for a three-year, $30.5 million contract only adds to the team's frustrations. And while that&rsquo;s a hefty contract, too, considering it&rsquo;s netted just 6.0 points per game on 28.7% shooting from deep, it&rsquo;s quite a bit less than the Knicks are paying Fournier. But Bullock aside, the Knicks might wish they could get a redo on this one (although maybe not quite as much, after Thursday night's career-high scoring effort from Fournier).&nbsp;
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Russell Westbrook trade to the Los Angeles Lakers 
Did anyone outside the Lakers&rsquo; front office really think this was a good idea? Westbrook is a dynamic, albeit polarizing, player who&rsquo;s produced some of the most amazing individual seasons we&rsquo;ve ever witnessed. But he was never a fit for the Lakers &ndash; and, namely, not a good fit alongside LeBron James.
On a positive note, Westbrook's contract is up after next season. So, the long-term impact is limited, even if he is still owed more than $90 million between this season and 2022-23.
But there is significant downside, too. Let's start with Westbook's play &ndash; it's not great. Westbrook's scoring (19.5 points per game), assists (8.1) and rebounds (8.1) are all down. So is his PER (15.9), which is the second-worst of his career. His turnovers (4.6) are still up and he's still struggling on threes (30%).&nbsp;
There's also the fact that the Washington Wizards are in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, and their depth has a lot to do with that. Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell are averaging at least 25.4 minutes per game. Harrell is actually posting a career-best 25.1 PER. The Lakers could use that depth. Just look at their top minute getters: James (36.9 per game), Westbrook (35.8) and Anthony Davis (35.4) lead the way. After the Big Three, it gets messy thanks in part to COVID. Talen Horton-Tucker gets 28.2 per game, Carmelo Anthony receives 27.1 and Stanley Johnson &ndash; who was just signed last week &ndash; is averaging 25.2. Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington and Austin Reaves are all averaging more than 20 minutes per game, too. Now imagine if they had a more talented rotation of role players&hellip;
Next, there are the rumors that the Lakers were in advanced talks with the Sacramento Kings about swapping Kuzma for Kings sharpshooter Buddy Hield instead. Hield-to-Los Angeles makes so much more sense. He&rsquo;s the type of player who does well in a catch-and-shoot role. Hield is shooting better than 40% on threes across his 424 game career. Plus, the Lakers would have kept Harrell and Pope, meaning that the 15th best long-range shooting team could have added a top shooter (while subtracting a seriously subpar shooter in Westbrook ). Not to mention, they could have hung on to two quality role players.
And finally, there&rsquo;s the reality of James&rsquo; age and career trajectory. James is still playing insanely well, especially for a 37-year-old. But let&rsquo;s be honest, it won&rsquo;t be that way forever. In all likelihood, he will show more signs of aging over the next season or so. Unfortunately, Westbrook being signed through the end of 2022-23 eliminates cap flexibility, meaning that additional help will be hard to find until 2023-24, at which point James will turn 39. That's not a great outcome for a team hoping to win at least one more championship with their current core.
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Duncan Robinson re-signs with the Miami Heat
As the NBA season approaches its midway point, the Heat are pretty much exactly where we thought they would be. They&rsquo;re currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, boasting the seventh-best defensive and offensive ratings. And Kyle Lowry has fit perfectly with Miami&rsquo;s culture. But one thing isn&rsquo;t working, Robinson &ndash; and it&rsquo;s surpassingly due to a lack marksmanship.
Robinson signed his first big deal this past offseason to the tune of five-years and $90 million. And while that&rsquo;s a lot of money, Robison&rsquo;s shooting touch nearly warranted it. He shot 40.8 percent on 8.5 long-range attempts last season and 44.6% on 8.3 attempts per game in 2019-20.
But Robinson has struggled to replicate such performances. He&rsquo;s shooting just 34.6% on threes this season, and he hasn&rsquo;t made up for his slump elsewhere. He's down to 79.3% on free throws after shooting 82.7% last season and 93.1% in 2019-20. And he&rsquo;s connecting on just 52.2% of two-point attempts, after shooting 61.4% last season and 66.7% in 2019-20.
Ultimately, the bounce back performance of Tyler Herro is overshadowing Robinson&rsquo;s poor play, and the law of large numbers will probably win out with Robinson bouncing back at some point. In fact, there is a glimmer of hope in that he shot 37.6% on threes in December, which is less than ideal but better than he did in October and November.
A five-year, $90 million contract sounds like a lot, but to be fair Joe Harris signed a four-year, $75 million deal in late 2020, and Davis Bertans signed for five years and $80 million. Ironically, both players have been mentioned as being available this season, but Robinson signed at the going rate for a great knock-down shooter. If Robinson can get his shot back, this deal becomes infinitely more bearable.
The fact that players are assets is an unfortunate truth of professional sports. Love them or hate them, if players underperform for long enough it will inevitably draw the ire of their teams. What happens from there varies from team to team, but the business of basketball wins out more than not.

Drew Maresca takes a look trades and signings from the 2021 offseason that some teams might rather take back.

2021 Offseason redos: Decisions teams wish they could take back

Arguably the best day on the calendar has officially arrived. Welcome to NBA free-agency, everybody. Today should be a huge news day, with a flurry of big-time moves occurring over the next 24 hours to open the moratorium period. There are already <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/heat-frontrunners-to-land-kyle-lowry-with-dragic-achiuwa-signandtrade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat is pretty much a done deal via sign-and-trade.
Outside of Lowry, one of the biggest names available on the open market who figures to be with a new team soon is DeMar DeRozan.
After being shipped from the Toronto Raptors to the San Antonio Spurs in the Kawhi Leonard trade, DeRozan has reinvented his game to become one of the better tertiary wing playmakers. Averaging only 3.1 assists over nine seasons in Toronto, DeRozan doubled that to 6.2 assists during his three-year stint with the Spurs.
DeRozan is also one of the best mid-range artists in the Association, able to get buckets at will from his hot spots.
Add those two factors together and DeRozan is a player who is well-deserving of a huge payday. Recently, DeRozan was linked to his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, but now <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/demar-derozan-isnt-expected-to-join-lakers-on-a-discount-contract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that appears unlikely</a> since he (understandably) wants more than the mid-level exception. Wherever he lands, he could be the missing piece for a team looking to take a leap forward in 2021-22. Let's go ahead and dive into the possible destinations for DeRozan as free agency kicks off.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
After pivoting away from the Lowry sweepstakes, how will Dallas spend their $30-plus million in cap space? Mark Cuban would be wise to splurge on DeRozan, who fits very well alongside the Mavs&rsquo; inside-out duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.
In order to make this happen, the Mavericks would need to renounce Tim Hardaway Jr.'s cap hold. Although Hardaway Jr. had a resurgent 2020-21 campaign, DeRozan takes much-needed pressure off Doncic as a ball-handler. During the Mavericks' first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Doncic's usage rate was above 40. That can't happen long-term if Dallas wants to make deep playoff runs throughout Doncic's career.
Paying DeRozan $20-$30 million annually over the next three or four years is a gamble, but the disastrous Porzingis max contract has put the Mavericks in a tough spot to make significant splashes. DeRozan is probably their best shot in the near future.
NEW YORK KNICKS
The Knicks have been trying for years to woo superstars to the Big Apple, but every time, they've been left at the altar. With $50 million in cap space, will the Knicks go star hunting once again, or fill out the roster with a lot of win-now role players?
One underlying factor that should play into the Knicks' free-agency decisions is the future of Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard. So much smoke has billowed out of the Pacific Northwest already about Lillard being unhappy and the 2021-22 season potentially being GM Neil Olshey's last chance to build a title contender around the All-NBA point guard.
Right away, the Knicks were mentioned as a team that Lillard could be interested in joining in the near future. If things fall apart for Lillard and the Trail Blazers, New York is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-knicks-should-prepare-to-go-allin-for-damian-lillard-new-york-trade-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set up to make a compelling offer</a> using some pieces from their young core (which includes R.J. Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Kevin Knox and Quentin Grimes among others).
With DeRozan on the roster, perhaps the Knicks become even more attractive to disgruntled stars since they would likely be closer to contention. Right away, DeRozan helps improve the Knicks' standing in the Eastern Conference, becoming a go-to scorer alongside Julius Randle. And we all know head coach Tom Thibodeau would love him as well.
Even if the Lillard sweepstakes never materializes in the near future, DeRozan gives New York a much-needed boost and helps them stay in the top half of the East over the next couple of seasons.
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NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
The pressure is already on the Pelicans to improve drastically. Time is ticking with their young superstar Zion Williamson. There are already <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-patience-of-zion-williamsons-family-with-pelicans-wearing-thin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rumors</a> that some of Williamson&rsquo;s family members want him to change teams, and it&rsquo;s possible that Zion could look to leave if New Orleans continues to stagnate.
New Orleans needs shooting, and lots of it. DeRozan doesn't help them improve in that facet, but he's a win-now fringe star who can help push the Pelicans to the playoffs. A trio of Williamson, Brandon Ingram and DeRozan could be appealing and help Zion make his postseason debut.
If GM David Griffin is able to fill out the roster around Williamson, Ingram and DeRozan with sharpshooters, this has the makings of a playoff team in 2021-22 and beyond. The question is, does DeRozan want to roll the dice on a younger team like New Orleans?
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
DeRozan in Charlotte would be really, really fun. Imagine DeRozan in an up-tempo offense led by LaMelo Ball and surrounded by appealing prospects (such as Miles Bridges, James Bouknight, PJ Washington and Kai Jones). Add in Gordon Hayward and this is a team that&rsquo;s locked into a playoff spot for the next few years.
In order for the Hornets to fit DeRozan into their cap space, they would need to dump Terry Rozier's $17.9 million expiring elsewhere. And with all the guard-needy teams out there, Charlotte could surely find a suitor for Rozier quickly.
The Hornets are still three years away from Ball's big second contract filling up their books. Why not make a run for DeRozan on a three-year deal reaching upwards of $25 million per season? Like the surprising Hayward move last offseason, this is only the way top-tier free agents will consider signing with Charlotte.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
The Grizzlies are another team with an intriguing young core that would have to jump through some hoops to make the money work in order to pursue DeRozan. Memphis received their first taste of the playoffs in the Ja Morant era, and they might be hungry for more now with their young star ready to continue his ascent.
DeRozan would fit perfectly into the Grizzlies&rsquo; starting lineup. Memphis needs an aggressive, score-first wing who can also take pressure off Morant. Enter DeRozan, who checks all of those boxes.
However, after Memphis&rsquo; pre-draft trade with the Pelicans that brought in Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams and the No. 10 pick, they&rsquo;d need to pull off some salary-cap magic to make this work. The Grizzlies would likely need to trade Bledsoe and Kyle Anderson's $9.9 million expiring contract. If those moves happened, Memphis would be at $29 million in available cap space.
DeRozan has mentioned he wants to win championships, so will he be interested in Memphis or any of the other young teams listed here that are still a few years away? That's the big question, but, as we all know, money talks.
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MIAMI HEAT
This is where things get really interesting. Pat Riley can recruit with the best of them, and Miami's win-now core has a multi-year championship window. Lowry is on his way to join Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in South Beach. Why not have Lowry's best friend DeRozan join them as well?
This is a lineup that completely ignores the modern importance of spacing. However, as we saw in the playoffs, having copious amounts of bucket-getters on the court simultaneously matters.
Miami has limited flexibility to make this idea happen, but it's certainly possible. In a sign-and-trade with San Antonio, Miami would send Duncan Robinson (whom San Antonio has reportedly shown interest in) and KZ Okpala. If the Spurs signed Robinson to a restricted deal around $20 million per year, this fairytale idea could grow some legs. According to <a href="https://twitter.com/5ReasonsSports/status/1421918275500453890" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports</a>, Miami has tossed around the idea of Lowry and DeRozan as their big-fish acquisitions.&nbsp;
Never count out Pat Riley. We'll see if this type of situation bubbles to the surface here soon.
INDIANA PACERS
The Pacers are in an interesting spot. Do they run it back or blow it all up in the near future? Right now, Indiana seems <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-rick-carlisle-make-a-domantas-sabonis-myles-turner-pairing-work-for-the-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stuck in the middle</a>, and that's not a good place to be. Hiring Rick Carlisle as their new head coach after the disastrous Nate Bjorkgren tenure, the Pacers might feel they can stand pat and see how this season goes before making big changes.
However, the Pacers would be wise to explore all options with their core players, sans Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren and Domantas Sabonis. Pacers owner Herb Simon is about to be 87 years old, so he likely wants Indiana to be competitive again.
If DeRozan intrigues Indiana, perhaps the Pacers can send the salaries of Myles Turner and Jeremy Lamb to San Antonio in a sign-and-trade scenario. Turner, who has been in trade rumors for years now, is also a player whom the Spurs could covet as a long-term piece.
Indiana has avoided paying the luxury tax during Simon&rsquo;s tenure as owner, and acquiring DeRozan doesn't change that. The Pacers would be able to bring aboard DeRozan, while also re-signing backup point guard T.J. McConnell on a long-term deal.
A win-now core for Indiana featuring DeRozan, LeVert, Sabonis and Warren is very intriguing. However, would DeRozan sign off on playing in Indianapolis for the next few years?
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Now we're starting to get crazy, but, again, it's possible. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard most of next season due to a partially torn ACL. Why not package together Luke Kennard and Patrick Beverley and scour the sign-and-trade market? Those two together equal out to $27 million. What about Kennard, Beverley and some second-round picks for DeRozan? Would that interest San Antonio?
Los Angeles would still be able to bring back Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum on team-friendly deals in this scenario as well, if Leonard waits to re-sign a big contract.&nbsp;
Imagine a starting lineup of Jackson, DeRozan, Paul George, Leonard and Ivica Zubac. That's a true threat to win multiple championships in the near future.
DeRozan has already expressed his desire to return home. With the Lakers making the Russell Westbrook trade, their assets and cap flexibility are limited. Enter the Clippers, who could make another shocking splash in free-agency.
Free-agency is here, so stay locked into BasketballNews.com for all the latest news and rumors.

DeMar DeRozan is one of the biggest free agents available. Where will he land? Evan Sidery examines all of the possible destinations.

Examining possible free-agency destinations for DeMar DeRozan

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

Grading every move from the 2021 NBA trade deadline

The NBA All-Star break couldn&rsquo;t have come at a worse time for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following a brutal 10-game losing streak, J.B. Bickerstaff&rsquo;s young bunch had just won four out of five contests, finally finding a rhythm and a consistency the team had been searching for. For the first time all season, the starting lineup was the same for five consecutive games.
Returning from the one-week hiatus, that changed quickly. On the bright side, the Cavs got a vocal leader and top defender back in Larry Nance Jr. after he missed 12 games with a fractured wrist. Kevin Love, who hadn&rsquo;t appeared since the team&rsquo;s second game of the season, returned on a limited basis. Losing bodies is difficult, but adding them back into the mix is a battle in and of itself. So for Cleveland, that acted more as a stopper of continuity.
The Cavs dropped three straight out of the break. Two 82-point efforts and a 98-point night in a loss at Miami meant the offense was having issues, similar to the lengthy slumps we&rsquo;ve seen before in stretches. As has been the case throughout the season, Collin Sexton was relied on as the primary scorer. While his numbers weren&rsquo;t pedestrian by any means, there wasn&rsquo;t nearly enough shot-making outside of his for Cleveland to succeed, as evidenced by a ghastly 39.2% field goal rate and 28.9% collective clip from deep. Once again, there was a lack of practice time and no shootaround while the team was on the road -- the very same issue that plagued them on the West Coast.
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On top of that, over two minute-restricted games, it took only 11 minutes and 42 seconds combined for Love to find himself back on the shelf with an injured calf. He has not played since he felt discomfort in Atlanta. The team was as cautious with the 32-year-old&rsquo;s original recovery process as it could be. Due to his progression and a week-long All-Star break, it seemed to be the right time to reimplement him into the fold. However, with just one practice under his belt before hitting the floor, we soon found out he wasn&rsquo;t past it.
According to a Cavs team source, Love&rsquo;s calf still "has to get back to 100%." With the number of games left on the schedule, Cleveland is committed to ensuring he gets to that point before sending him out on the court again. As for when that will be, we don&rsquo;t have an answer yet.
"It's hard to tell,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;There's days when he feels great, there's workouts when he feels phenomenal, then there'll be soreness the next day and it's like, it sucks. We've gotta keep moving forward...He'll get to have some really meaningful minutes in.
&ldquo;Obviously, we'd love to have him back and see what it's gonna look like with him on the floor and spacing. It's gonna be great for Jarrett Allen, it's gonna be great for our guards (Sexton and Darius Garland); he&rsquo;s gonna give some pressure relief. That's another thing -- those two guards have to create everything for us, and Kevin is pressure relief. You throw the ball into him, and he can create a lot of gravity. It's something we want to see happen, but we realize, let's let this injury take its course...then, we'll see what that looks like.&rdquo;
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Of course, when it rains, it pours. The day after Love exited early in the loss against the Hawks, Twitter detectives noticed that Sexton <a href="https://www.complex.com/sports/collin-sexton-liked-tweet-kevin-love-contract-heist-of-the-century?utm_campaign=sportstw&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">liked a tweet</a> that said the veteran big man &ldquo;stole $120 million&rdquo; from the Cavs, a reference to his contract. Setting the platform abuzz, it spread like wildfire. According to the team source, Sexton doesn&rsquo;t use social media and only has his account managers utilize it for sponsorships or promotions. He didn&rsquo;t know it happened in the first place, and once he was informed, Sexton had his social team unlike the tweet and addressed Love about the situation right away.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That's just not Collin. It's an absolute non-story, but it did happen,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;He said, 'Look, this is a lesson. I'm gonna be way more secure with my stuff and my passwords.&rsquo; That's actually a good lesson for who has access to your stuff, who's checking your stuff. A lot of times, it's very innocent -- business associates' friends, who knows? He'll get better in that space, but it certainly wasn't something that he meant to do or be out there.&rdquo;
But a slip of somebody&rsquo;s finger and another lengthy losing streak didn&rsquo;t stop the Cavs from staying at it. In a four-game homestand, they went 2-2 with wins over the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, and suffered defeats at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings. (It should be noted that the Western Conference is the culprit of the majority of the shortcomings this season; Cleveland is 4-15 against those teams). To say that there have been ebbs and flows in this campaign would be selling it short.
Is that not to be expected, though? Take a step back for a moment: the Cavs are starting four players on rookie-scale contracts: Sexton, Garland, Isaac Okoro and Jarrett Allen. Each of those players are 22 years old or younger, and every one of them are considered a crucial piece of Cleveland&rsquo;s established core from this moment on. They&rsquo;ve played 24 games -- 422 minutes of floor time -- together to this point. The core four have spent more moments on the floor in real-time NBA games than they have in practice.&nbsp;
Individually, they have shown their own strides.&nbsp;
Garland is really finding his niche as a primary initiator. Despite Tuesday&rsquo;s outlier, the second-year point guard is averaging 17.4 points and 6.3 assists per game over the last month, and shooting 41.3% from the perimeter in that span. Garland&rsquo;s success has been driven by his ability to change speeds off the dribble and his knack for finding the open man. If a teammate has position in the paint, he&rsquo;ll fire a bullet with an underhand shovel pass. If he draws two with the threat of a floater, he&rsquo;ll toss it up for somebody to throw it down.
Sexton is the most consistent player the Cavs have when it comes to the scoring department. He is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional/?sort=PTS&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=GP*GE*35:PTS*GE*24:FG_PCT*GE*47&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of 15 players in the NBA</a> who boasts averages of at least 24 points per game on 47% from the field or better. We know he can put the ball in the bucket; it&rsquo;s the secondary playmaking reads he&rsquo;s making that have stood out particularly this month. Knowing he commands the attention of multiple defenders now, he&rsquo;s been looking to spray out or, like Garland, get the ball to his bigs for easier looks inside. Understandably, it&rsquo;s been taxing on him, and that shows on off nights where Cleveland struggles.
Okoro is easily one of the top perimeter defenders that the team has. He&rsquo;s been tasked with guarding the opposition&rsquo;s best players, often All-Star caliber talents, and they&rsquo;ve introduced him to what life is like in the best basketball league in the world. In spite of the ups and downs offensively, he&rsquo;s shown a more aggressive side as of late, unafraid to put it on the floor and making his presence felt as an outlet in transition. Keep in mind that he hit the ground running from the moment he was drafted -- no summer league, a fast-tracked preseason and games coming quickly in a condensed year.
Allen is the newest cornerstone and injection of talent that the Cavs were able to pry away from the Brooklyn Nets. He is a modern big that surprisingly fell into their lap who is able to see things before they happen on both ends of the floor. He&rsquo;s a lob threat, a relentless rebounder, solid screen-setter and a defensive deterrent at the rim. He knows what he does well and sticks to it, although he has teased his jump shot from time to time. Even being the &ldquo;oldest&rdquo; of the core four, Allen is younger than New York Knicks rookie Obi Toppin, and is in his fourth year in the Association.
&ldquo;We're asking a lot of them, but we're also trying to put them in those adverse situations so they can grow because eventually, they have to learn how to win games,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;Certainly that last stretch before the All-Star break, those young guys were winning. They weren't propped up by any vets -- Larry wasn't there, Kevin wasn't there, JaVale McGee helped a little bit -- but it was like, them. Those are the situations we're trying to put them in. You're gonna get a lot of roller-coaster games, and weeks, that way."
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/ewwxddoxiai2lko-1_lg.jpg" alt="" />(Photo courtesy of the Cleveland Cavaliers)
Evaluating these four players, and the team as a whole, is not an easy job when there&rsquo;s been so many moving pieces and parts -- be it through injuries or transactions. You can look at the positives of the moment: those four establishing a relationship, Nance being the glue guy that he is, Dean Wade, Dylan Windler and Lamar Stevens making legitimate cases to be nightly rotational pieces.&nbsp;
The negatives are apparent. Cedi Osman has been struggling mightily and is reportedly available. Taurean Prince hasn't been able to stay on the floor. Damyean Dotson's minutes have been inconsistent. There&rsquo;s only a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-rumors-houston-rockets-orlando-magic-victor-oladipo-aaron-gordon-evan-fournier-andre-drummond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">day left to find a trade partner (or two) for Andre Drummond</a>. Love&rsquo;s injuries seem to be lingering. The 16-27 record itself isn&rsquo;t pleasing to the naked eye, neither are the offensive ruts, and a lot of that has to do with the defensive adjustments opponents are making.
&ldquo;People are starting to guard us a little different,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;Collin's getting all sorts of different respect, from even back at the Indiana game with the box-and-one. They're jumping the ball and putting two on the ball, so we're trying to figure out how to play that way. I think a lot of the teams are trying to take him out and say, 'Beat me with other guys.' So it's a great challenge, that means they respect him, but we've gotta figure out different ways to score."
We&rsquo;d be remiss to ignore that Cleveland won just 19 games a season ago; they&rsquo;re three away from that mark with plenty of games left to go. According to the team source, the franchise is pleased with how Coach Bickerstaff has developed the young pieces and handled the bad breaks that the Cavs have dealt with.
This team is still in the process of building a team culture and environment. Cleveland&rsquo;s front office is always assessing its players and coaches as the organization, and the organization will continue to assemble parts to add to the foundation in place. Sexton, Garland and Okoro were picked in the last three drafts. They were selected eighth, fifth and fifth, respectively. By now, general manager Koby Altman probably gets the memo that he and the franchise can&rsquo;t bank on lottery luck to turn things around at the drop of a hat.
To this point, with where they&rsquo;ve picked and the players they&rsquo;ve picked, the grade is incomplete. You can easily argue that Sexton has outperformed where he was taken, and Garland is finding his stride. Okoro has 38 professional games under his belt. We won&rsquo;t know what it truly looks like with this small of a sample size, especially considering the fact they&rsquo;re all going to represent the Cavs -- now and in the future.&nbsp;
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Cleveland will keep adding, always looking for more size and athleticism. This upcoming 2021 NBA Draft class is stacked with talent, from G League Ignite standouts such as Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga, to college phenoms like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Suggs. It&rsquo;s wishful thinking that the Cavs could land one of these prospects or another young talent to bolster their ever-growing roster, but you can&rsquo;t depend on ping pong balls. Just look at the last three years as an example.
So as the games keep coming -- 29 in 53 days -- the goal is the same as it was when the season started: positive momentum and taking a step forward. And no, it&rsquo;s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows.
&ldquo;We're gonna have some unbelievable runs, and then we're also gonna have some low moments where it's like, we're still very young and figuring it out,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;There'll be peaks and valleys where it's like, 'Wait a second guys, you might not wanna win too much more' vs. 'Damn, they look terrible there in those four games.' It's a delicate balance, but we&rsquo;re pretty happy with where we are in terms of our young talent.&rdquo;
When LeBron James left for Los Angeles, the cupboard was empty. Assets were non-existent, contracts were heavy and youth was at a premium. The one prize Cleveland had was the Nets pick, and that turned into Sexton. From that moment on, over the last two-and-a-half years, the Cavs have refilled that cupboard with young players and draft picks, and they&rsquo;ve still got a ways to go. It&rsquo;s been a methodical, prolonged approach, but the team source says the organization is happy with where it is and the direction it is heading in.
&ldquo;All we can keep doing is keep moving forward at our pace,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no shortcuts.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies spoke with a Cavs team source to discuss where the team is at, Kevin Love's injury, Collin Sexton's Twitter mix-up and more.

Cavs riding Core Four into the future, through the good and bad

Nekias Duncan previews the Southeast Division (the Hawks, Hornets, Heat, Magic and Wizards) ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season.

2020-21 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

The Los Angeles Lakers are your 2019-20 NBA champions.
They made a gamble, flipping virtually all of their young assets and picks for Anthony Davis, and it paid off with a mostly dominant playoff run. Davis was as good as advertised -- probably a little more than advertised considering his jump-shooting hot streak. LeBron James proved once again that he&rsquo;s the NBA&rsquo;s most dangerous playoff weapon. Role players continuously stepped up, even if it became a bit of a revolving door.
Now, the fun part begins.
The Lakers&rsquo; goal will shift to repeating, which means they&rsquo;ll need to improve around the margins to maintain their place at the top. They won&rsquo;t have cap space; they&rsquo;ll have to do a bit of a tax-avoidance dance, if anything. The always-informative Keith Smith has a more thorough breakdown of their cap situation, which you can find <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers-salary-cap-space-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. 
Let&rsquo;s take a look at some guys they&rsquo;ll look to bring back, as well as some targets that could help them come back stronger than ever.
Key In-House Decisions
Rajon Rondo (Player Option): Bring Him Back
Playoff Rondo may very well be a thing. Teams kept daring him to shoot, and he kept making them pay to the tune of a 40 percent clip on a playoff career-high three attempts. That, combined with his playmaking and suddenly-fine-again defense, made him one of the Lakers&rsquo; more valuable role players during the title run. It shouldn&rsquo;t cost too much to bring him back. BasketballNews.com's Chris Sheridan reported that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-rajon-rondo-opt-out-player-option-contract-los-angeles-lakers-free-agency-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rondo is expected to turn down his $2.7 million player option</a> to cash in during the offseason to look for a pay day. 
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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Player Option): Bring Him Back
After re-signing Davis, Caldwell-Pope should be the Lakers&rsquo; top priority. He provided solid on-ball defense across three positions and posted a career-high percentage in three-point shooting (38.5 percent). His three-point volume rose to nearly six attempts per contest in the playoffs, while maintaining his efficiency (37.8 percent). A strong argument could be made that he was the Lakers' third-best player throughout the postseason. Utilize those Bird Rights and bring him back. According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/2140002/2020/10/15/nba-free-agency-news-and-rumors-anthony-davis-and-lakers-decisions-heat-contracts-and-more-goran-dragic-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>, Caldwell-Pope is expected to turn down his $8.5 million player option for a new deal. 
Markieff Morris: Bring Him Back
Morris got off to a rough start after joining the Lakers, shooting a little over 33 percent from deep during 14 regular season appearances. He would eventually settle in, drilling 42 percent of his triples during the postseason while seeing his role grow as the Lakers went smaller against the Rockets and Heat, respectively.
Morris in theory has always been a little better than Morris in practice; he isn&rsquo;t quite as versatile defensively as his tools would indicate, and offensive flow can sputter when Morris is on the court. With that said, there&rsquo;s a solid-enough fit next to Davis or as a bench spark in general to warrant his return.
Dwight Howard: Bring Him Back
Howard was a Comeback Player of the Year candidate if there ever was one. For the first time since, well, ever, Howard settled into a role that almost completely excised post-ups. He finally committed to being a clean-up artist: set hard screens or slip them hard, catch lobs and eat off the glass if a shot is missed.&nbsp;
He came off the bench and produced, averaging 7.5 points on a career-high 72.9 percent from the field, while also grabbing 7.3 boards per game in a shade under 19 minutes. It&rsquo;s easy to pinpoint where the boost in efficiency came from: only 11.4 percent of his offensive possessions came from post-ups, via Synergy; during his last full-season stint two years ago with the Charlotte Hornets, that figure was 36.4 percent -- his most frequent playtype by a wide margin. 
Howard has clear value as a vertical spacer and offensive rebounder, while also providing impact as an interior defender. He fouls way too much (6.1 fouls per 36 minutes last season), but still has the pop to alter shots at the rim and the brute strength to bang with post scorers. The Lakers would be smart to bring him back on the low.
JaVale McGee (Player Option): Circle Back Later
McGee remains one of the best lob threats in the NBA and can swat shots with little effort thanks to his length and leaping ability. Foul issues remain, and decision-making away from the rim makes him a postseason target for enemy offenses. It should come as no surprise that Howard eventually usurped him in the starting lineup last postseason. It&rsquo;s hard to imagine him getting much more than a minimum deal if he doesn't exercise his $4.2 million player option. Howard should be higher on the totem pole, and there are better centers in the free agent pool that could command similar money. 
Free Agent Guards
Mid-Tier: Jordan Clarkson&nbsp;
Clarkson is coming off of, by far, the most efficient season of his career. He gave the Utah Jazz a much-needed scoring punch once he arrived, averaging 15.6 points with a 56.9 True Shooting percentage during the regular season. Both of those marks increased (16.7, 57.7) during Utah&rsquo;s first-round showdown with the Denver Nuggets.&nbsp;
Clarkson trading out some of his pull-up long twos for threes went a long way to making him a more efficient option. The Lakers are still lacking in the guard creation department; Clarkson could definitely help.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_14160104-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Bargains: Austin Rivers, D.J. Augustin
Rivers brings a particular brand of energy offensively. He&rsquo;s one of the NBA&rsquo;s underrated drivers, utilizing a quick first step and channeled aggression to generate looks at the rim. He isn&rsquo;t much more than a rudimentary playmaker, but his north-south style would be a welcome addition to the Lakers' bench. He&rsquo;s also a reliable spot-up threat, drilling nearly 38 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes over the past three seasons, according to a source with access to Second Spectrum tracking data.
In the event that Rondo goes elsewhere, Augustin would be a nice consolation prize. He&rsquo;s a traditional table setter that provides more off-ball value than Rondo. Augustin is a career 37.9 percent three-point shooter, and he would likely see a boost in shot quality with a lighter load than the one he had to carry in Orlando.
Free Agent Wings
Mid-Tier: Wesley Matthews
There&rsquo;s a case to be made that Matthews could accept another minimum deal from a contender, either remaining with the Milwaukee Bucks or going elsewhere. There&rsquo;s an even stronger case to be made that he&rsquo;s earned himself a pay day.
Matthews routinely took on the most demanding perimeter defensive assignments throughout the regular season, while knocking down over 36 percent of his threes on decent volume. He then upped the ante in the postseason, most notably putting the clamps on Jimmy Butler during Milwaukee&rsquo;s second-round series against the Miami Heat. The Bucks would lose in five, but it wasn&rsquo;t because Matthews didn't hold up his end of the bargain.
Bargains: Kent Bazemore, Garrett Temple*
Bazemore has been a Laker before and has played off of stars before. It&rsquo;s easy to slot him in as a 3-and-D option with a smidge of secondary creation ability coming off the bench.
 The asterisk is present on Temple's name because the Nets hold a $5 million team option on him, though it&rsquo;d come as no surprise if they let Temple walk to free up tax room to bring back Joe Harris. Temple would give the Lakers a plus, multi-positional defender with a solid three-point stroke (35.3 percent over the past five seasons).
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_14664538-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Free Agent Forwards
Mid-Tier: Danilo Gallinari
Gallinari is one of the most underrated scorers in the league, a true three-level threat that can get busy in a multitude of areas. Normally, he&rsquo;d be one of the few players commanding a near-max pay day in a weak-at-the-top free agency class. However, Gallinari has hinted at <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/danilo-gallinari-says-competing-for-a-championship-is-more-important-than-his-contract-in-free-agency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prioritizing a winning situation</a> over a paycheck.&nbsp;
Now, players say that and fold when presented with offers, so it&rsquo;s fair to take that sentiment with a grain of salt. Remember, we aren&rsquo;t that far removed from Gallinari-to-Miami talks breaking down in (large) part to Gallinari wanting more financial security.&nbsp;
If his desires have shifted, though, this could be an opportunity for the Lakers to strike and add to their offense. Half-court creation was a non-strength at best, weakness at worst last season. Having a guy that can shoot off the bounce and get to the free-throw line almost at will could be devastating, especially when you consider he&rsquo;d likely be feasting on a team&rsquo;s second or third-best defender.
Bargains: Carmelo Anthony
I don&rsquo;t have to spend much time on Melo-to-LA. He loves LeBron, LeBron loves him. Melo doesn&rsquo;t have a ring. He isn&rsquo;t quite as washed as critics (hi, hello!) made him out to be, though it&rsquo;s important not to lose sight of the context that was necessary for him to perform the way that he did.
Anyway, with Melo hitting free agency, this possibility isn&rsquo;t going to die unless he re-signs with the Portland Trail Blazers or goes elsewhere.
Free Agent Bigs
Mid-Tier: Tristan Thompson, Aron Baynes, Hassan Whiteside
Thompson may prove to be out of the Lakers' price range, but he&rsquo;s worth mentioning as a former LeBron teammate and fellow "Klutchian." The early bet is that the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-cleveland-cavaliers-team-workouts-jb-bickerstaff-collin-sexton-darius-garland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers lock him up for one last deal</a>, but if Thompson wants to go title-hunting, taking the full mid-level exception may appeal to him. If so, it&rsquo;s hard to think of a better landing spot for him than in Los Angeles.
Factoring in money, it&rsquo;s hard to argue against Baynes being one of the most valuable centers in basketball last season. He did the usual grunt work: setting bone-crushing screens as a roller or handoff partner, protected the rim with superb positioning and boxed out well enough to help end possessions or grab the board himself. The new, somewhat surprising twist is that he became a legitimate three-point option (35.1 percent on 4 attempts per game). Stretch-ish fives are hard to find; the fit next to Davis is pretty darn seamless.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_14739406-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Whiteside is the real wildcard. His base numbers and on-court impact have never really matched, which makes guesstimating his free agent value a chore. He certainly isn&rsquo;t worth the max deal he signed in 2016; there are far too many holes in his game -- passing, defending in space, processing speed as a whole -- to warrant that price tag.
Yet, despite how frustrating Whiteside can be to watch on both ends, someone with his intersection of rim protection, rebounding and decent-enough touch is worth more than a minimum deal. There&rsquo;s certainly &ldquo;prove it deal&rdquo; potential here. The Lakers have proven they&rsquo;re comfortable running a more traditional drop scheme; Whiteside can thrive around the rim with Davis and LeBron roaming as extra helpers.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Bargains: Nerlens Noel, Harry Giles
Noel is your classic toolsy big whose reputation precedes him a bit. He is talented, of course; he&rsquo;s able to sky for lobs, can knock down the occasional jumper (though you don&rsquo;t want him taking many of them), has wing-like mobility in space and can send shots into orbit. The issue with Noel, aside from help, has been his propensity to go for the home-run on defense, which often leaves him out of position when those gambles fail.&nbsp;
He was a bit more under control in Oklahoma City last season; shockingly, he had his most efficient year to date. There&rsquo;s room for him to command a portion of some team&rsquo;s mid-level exception, but it wouldn&rsquo;t shock me to see him take another prove-it type deal for a contender to set himself up for a pay day in 2021.
Giles also has a bit of an injury history, dating back to his high school days. Multiple lower body injuries have sapped some of his athleticism, and he&rsquo;s still a fluid, jumpy big that can feast in transition. The intrigue lies in his on-ball skill; he&rsquo;s quietly one of the better passing big men in the league already. There&rsquo;s some serious &ldquo;throw it to him in the high post and let him do stuff&rdquo; potential waiting to be untapped. Giles would be a smart buy-low candidate to look into.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Lakers' salary cap situation heading into the offseason and what moves the team should make.

2020 Free Agency Preview: Los Angeles Lakers

In a postseason filled with emotion, grit, and resolve, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has stood at the center of it all &ndash; he&rsquo;s calm, composed, and unrelenting. Now, two games into his first NBA Finals appearance, the Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s All-NBA superstar is putting the finishing touches on a masterpiece of a season, one that could go down as one of the greatest individual campaigns in league history.
With 34 points in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, following up a 38-point performance in the series opener, Gilgeous-Alexander has the Thunder in a great position to win a title, and he has cemented his place in rarified air. His 72 combined points are the most ever in a player&rsquo;s first two NBA Finals games, eclipsing a mark previously associated with some of the game&rsquo;s all-time greats.
And he&rsquo;s not done just yet.
<h3>Elite company, historic pace</h3>
In the postseason, every possession carries weight, and every moment is magnified. But for Gilgeous-Alexander, these moments don&rsquo;t appear to faze him. He&rsquo;s not just rising to the occasion &ndash; he&rsquo;s controlling it.
Game 2's 34-point outing marked his ninth consecutive home playoff game with 30 points or more, joining only Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history to accomplish that feat. In doing so, he also notched his 11th playoff game with at least 30 points and five assists, a stat line that only LeBron James and Michael Jordan have reached in multiple postseason runs.
LeBron did it in three separate years. MJ did it in two. Shai&rsquo;s doing it this year.
His consistent brilliance has propelled him to the top of the 2025 playoff scoring leaderboard. With 516 total points, he recently passed Jalen Brunson (514) for the most points scored in this year&rsquo;s postseason. He&rsquo;s doing it efficiently, artistically &ndash; and with the kind of poise that makes it clear: this is his moment.
<h3>The MVP is carrying like an MVP</h3>
The Thunder have been one of the NBA&rsquo;s most compelling stories all year &ndash; a young, unselfish team loaded with talent, built through the draft, and molded into a contender. But in the crucible of the playoffs, every great team needs that singular force &ndash; that player who can tilt the court, break a defense, and change the game&rsquo;s emotional temperature.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is that force for Oklahoma City.
After leading the league in scoring during the regular season and earning All-NBA First Team honors, he was named the 2025 NBA MVP &mdash; a recognition of his two-way dominance and night-to-night consistency. And now, as the lights burn brighter, he&rsquo;s gone from award-winner to tone-setter.
He&rsquo;s playing with a purpose that goes beyond personal accolades. He&rsquo;s the heartbeat of a team chasing history, and he&rsquo;s doing it in the most demanding stage of all.
What&rsquo;s perhaps most impressive is how SGA has handled each phase of the journey with equal parts humility and hunger. His playoff run has been defined not just by numbers, but by moments &ndash; dagger shots, crafty finishes, fourth-quarter takeovers, and calm in chaos. He hasn't just been great &ndash; he's been inevitable.
<h3>A season for the ages</h3>
Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s latest performance gave him over 3,000 total points on the season &ndash; combining regular-season and playoff scoring &ndash; another milestone in a campaign already overflowing with them.
To put this into perspective: he could complete the kind of six-for-six checklist that only a handful of players in NBA history have even dreamed of &ndash; league scoring champion, regular-season MVP, All-NBA First Team, Western Conference Finals MVP, NBA champion, and Finals MVP &ndash; all in a single season.
Each of those achievements alone is significant. Together, they form a portrait of a transcendent season &ndash; the kind of year that defines legacies and reshapes the league&rsquo;s power structure.
The Thunder&rsquo;s rise from rebuilding team to Finals frontrunner has been sudden to some, but internally, it&rsquo;s been calculated and patient. Still, without Gilgeous-Alexander, their timeline likely looks different. He&rsquo;s the player who made their future arrive early &ndash; and now, he might be the one who delivers their first title since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City.
<h3>Beyond the numbers</h3>
What sets Gilgeous-Alexander apart, especially in this Finals run, is not just what he&rsquo;s doing &ndash; it&rsquo;s how he&rsquo;s doing it.
His game is quiet but surgical. He doesn&rsquo;t overpower defenders with brute strength or dazzle with deep threes. Instead, he picks his spots, manipulates angles, and imposes his rhythm. There&rsquo;s a jazz-like quality to his game &ndash; unpredictable, fluid, yet meticulously controlled.
In clutch time, he&rsquo;s been near automatic. Whether it&rsquo;s using his footwork to dance into mid-range jumpers or drawing contact for crucial free throws, SGA has been the ultimate closer for a Thunder team that continues to rise to every challenge.
It&rsquo;s that unselfishness, combined with his relentless work ethic and stoic demeanor, that has endeared him to teammates and fans alike. There&rsquo;s an old soul quality to SGA&rsquo;s approach &ndash; a maturity that belies his age and a leadership style rooted in accountability, not noise.
<h3>The final step</h3>
Now just three wins away from basketball immortality, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder find themselves on the brink of a championship. But the job&rsquo;s not finished.
The NBA Finals will shift to the opposing city for Games 3 and 4, where the pressure will mount, the crowd will roar louder, and the resistance will tighten. The margins will be razor-thin. But if this postseason has shown anything, it&rsquo;s that Gilgeous-Alexander has the heart, the game, and the will to push through.
This run has already carved his name into the record books. What comes next could define the start of SGA and the Thunder&rsquo;s era.
And for a Thunder team guided by youth and galvanized by Shai&rsquo;s leadership, the future isn&rsquo;t just bright &mdash; it&rsquo;s arriving right now.

SGA is delivering one of the greatest playoff runs in NBA history, leading the Thunder while making MVP-level history along the way.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivers MVP-level heroics in first NBA Finals trip

The NBA has officially unveiled its All-Defensive First and Second Teams for the 2024&ndash;25 season, highlighting both seasoned defenders and emerging talents who made significant impacts on the court.
All-Defensive First Team
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers): The 2024&ndash;25 Defensive Player of the Year led all vote-getters, securing 99 out of 100 first-team votes. This marks his second consecutive First Team selection, underscoring his role as a defensive cornerstone for the Cavaliers.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors): Earning his fifth First Team nod and ninth overall All-Defensive selection, the 35-year-old veteran continues to anchor the Warriors' defense with his versatility and leadership.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks): In his breakout season, Daniels secured his first All-Defensive First Team honor, reflecting his emergence as a premier perimeter defender.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Luguentz Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder): Known for his tenacious on-ball defense, Dort's first First Team selection highlights his pivotal role in the Thunder's league-leading defense.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets): In just his second NBA season, Thompson joins an elite group by earning First Team honors, showcasing his exceptional defensive versatility and impact.</li>
</ul>
All-Defensive Second Team
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Toumani Camara (Portland Trail Blazers): Making his debut on the All-Defensive Team, Camara's defensive prowess has been a bright spot for the Trail Blazers.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves): With his eighth All-Defensive selection, Gobert continues to be a dominant force in the paint, anchoring the Timberwolves' defense.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies): Securing his third All-Defensive honor, Jackson's shot-blocking and rim protection remain integral to the Grizzlies' defensive schemes.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder): Earning his first All-Defensive selection, Williams' versatility and defensive acumen have been key to the Thunder's success.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers): Zubac's interior defense and rebounding have earned him his inaugural All-Defensive Team recognition, highlighting his growth as a defensive anchor.</li>
</ul>
These selections underscore the blend of veteran leadership and emerging talent shaping the NBA's defensive landscape, reflecting the league's emphasis on defensive excellence.
&nbsp;

The NBA has officially unveiled its All-Defensive First and Second Teams for the 2024–25 season.

NBA Announces 2024–25 All-Defensive Teams

The NBA is back.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual &lsquo;Day&rsquo; 1 getting underway, all 30 teams have resumed their daily basketball activities. Starting from the Media Day to each of their training camps, players are slowly ramping up as they work to get back in game shape.
For some of these familiar faces, however, a new season awaits them as they&rsquo;re looking for a fresh start in new environments and places. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these players and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook rocks new threads with Denver&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook starts a new season with the 2023 champions after his stint with the Clippers. Westbrook aims to bring the energy to a Nuggets squad losing another championship piece in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He slots in immediately as Denver&rsquo;s backup PG with the loss of Reggie Jackson, and the team could also use him to play with the starters and let Jamal Murray slide into the 2 spot. Westbrook will also be teaming up with fellow triple-double savant Nikola Jokic and it will be interesting to see two high-IQ players together on the court.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New beginnings for <a href="https://twitter.com/russwest44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russwest44</a> 😈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wew6JRNNXm">pic.twitter.com/Wew6JRNNXm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1839352986826387752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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PG13 creates a big three with Embiid and Maxey
Perhaps the biggest signing in the offseason, George immediately slides in with the Sixers to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. At 34 years old, PG probably has a good 3 years left in his prime, but he could be in a perfect situation with Embiid and Maxey at their absolute peaks. George is in a position where he&rsquo;s not asked to shoulder much of the offensive load like he did most of the time in his career, and he can play to his strengths &mdash; a two-play wing player with some playmaking chops and be a secondary creator and scorer to Maxey and Embiid. George is also a very good three-point shooter on spot-up and catch-and-shoot attempts and should bode well for both Sixers superstars by spacing the floor for them. Overall an A+ signing by Sixers GM Daryl Morey, and now it all hinges on health as Philly tries to pull it up all together to finally make a Conference Finals in the Embiid era.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PG in Philly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmSInGKf5L">pic.twitter.com/jmSInGKf5L</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840916610644582775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A new Philadelphia trio... 🔥 Maxey. Embiid. George.<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjlclZdnhx">pic.twitter.com/wjlclZdnhx</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840803293473230955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CP3 in San Antonio as Wemby&rsquo;s PG; Harrison Barnes being a veteran piece in a young Spurs team
Victor Wembanyama finally gets his premier PG in Chris Paul. After playing most of last year not having a legitimate table setter, Wemby, and the Spurs add one of the greatest to ever do it at the position. Even approaching 40 years old, Paul should have a lot left in his tank to try and develop as much as possible the young yet hungry Spurs. On the other hand, Barnes adds another veteran piece as San Antonio looks to improve and at least make the play-in this season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WEMBY x CP3 🔥 BIG smiles in San Antonio at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 😇 <a href="https://t.co/PbV71PCH0c">pic.twitter.com/PbV71PCH0c</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840815076485259469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Wemby &amp; CP3 enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rSdwmMIx1m">pic.twitter.com/rSdwmMIx1m</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840801831577895224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Caruso, Hartenstein add more defensive toughness to an already elite OKC squad
Imagine having to add two role players that star in their role to a team that just finished atop the conference a season ago, all without losing someone significant from that core. That&rsquo;s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder did by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein into their fold. The move stamped their status even further atop the West with rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting better over the year and still having MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just starting his prime. Caruso adds yet another defensive bull on the perimeter that already features fellow All-Defensive player Lu Dort, while Hartenstein brings versatility in the frontcourt to possibly play together with Holmgren. The Thunder are poised yet again to make a deep playoff run and it all starts with their offseason acquisitions and their fit into the team.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Alex Caruso very complimentary of his new backcourt mate, SGA! 🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rdxt7r5dQu">pic.twitter.com/Rdxt7r5dQu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840867849797022103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay splashing and spacing the floor for Luka, Mavs
The other Splash brother brings his act to Dallas after spending his first 13 years with the franchise. Thompson immediately fills a need in Dallas to help space the floor and be a decoy for Luka Doncic as he makes plays on the court. At his age, Thompson won&rsquo;t be asked too much like he did in Golden State and this could be a rejuvenation for his career as he finds a new environment with the Mavericks.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No. 31 from the Dallas Mavericks... Klay Thompson 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/e4M8lNtvQL">pic.twitter.com/e4M8lNtvQL</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840858008794120481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Klay Thompson... NEW BEGINNINGS 🫵<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/YX9CX1preR">pic.twitter.com/YX9CX1preR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840806814956265762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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DeMar DeRozan as the final piece to Sacramento&rsquo;s playoff success
DeRozan comes into the Kings&rsquo; lair as one of the most clutch players in the league, and he will play alongside a player of the same caliber in DeAaron Fox. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan&rsquo;s playstyle fits into the Kings&rsquo; offense with their motion offense built on three-point shooting with Domantas Sabonis as the hub, and it will be a good problem how coach Mike Brown integrates him to play a certain kind of way. The Kings are one of the up-and-coming teams in the West and adding a player like DeRozan gives them a different dimension to their offense.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DeMar DeRozan looking good in his new threads 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/uPYTeKvUBE">pic.twitter.com/uPYTeKvUBE</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841107569399480506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New trio in Sacramento 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfnZMmz317">pic.twitter.com/HfnZMmz317</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841108008769630523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dejounte Murray, Tyus Jones to solve PG issues in NOLA, PHX
Two teams that have had PG issues last season have finally addressed it by signing two of the quality PGs in the league today: Murray to the Pelicans and Jones to the Suns. Murray slots in as the Pelicans&rsquo; main shot creator, playmaker, and closer. This has been a significant hole for the Pelicans last season, especially in the playoffs when no one other than CJ McCollum (who&rsquo;s getting old) and Brandon Ingram create shots and make plays. Murray immediately comes in and fills this gap and with a returning Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are coming into the season very optimistic about their playoff chances.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fresh start heading into Year 8 🤲<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/j3W5D0GFoM">pic.twitter.com/j3W5D0GFoM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840852492168675766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New threads for <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> new PG 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgIxpGqxkG">pic.twitter.com/kgIxpGqxkG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840807569150837091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jones on the other hand also fills the immediate need of a PG, someone who can make plays for others without turning the ball over. Jones has been one of the best if not the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league, and with how Phoenix&rsquo;s roster is constructed, this allows their super scoring big three Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to do their thing and focus on what they do best. Jones comes in to settle these guys down and put them in the best positions to succeed.&nbsp;
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson bring veteran savvy and immediate positional needs to Golden State
Some key veteran additions to the Warriors are Hield and Anderson as they continue to beef up their roster around superstar Stephen Curry. Hield will try to replace the production of Klay Thompson after his departure with his deadeye shooting and spacing the floor for Curry. Hield has also been a good off-ball mover and that should bode well for Golden State&rsquo;s offense. Anderson meanwhile, brings his big forward, almost a center playing style to the Warriors and should fit instantly like a Draymond Green clone. Anderson has the playmaking chops and the basketball IQ to seamlessly play in Kerr&rsquo;s system and is a player who seems to understand how to play with and off of the skillset of a player like Curry.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Welcome to The Bay, Buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruEDkg7ayU">pic.twitter.com/ruEDkg7ayU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840924339090100682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Prince-Trent-Wright trio come to Milwaukee to win
Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright have all signed up for a little under than what they were supposed to make and signed with the Bucks for a chance to contribute to a championship contender. All three are exactly what the Bucks need in their scheme of things as they&rsquo;re expected to bring shooting, spacing, and tough perimeter defenders. It&rsquo;s expected that Milwaukee&rsquo;s offense will revolve around superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard so there will be little expectations on these guys to do more and they can just focus on what they do best as role players in the league.

A new season awaits familiar faces in new places. Let’s take a look at them and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.

Familiar faces in new places: NBA players’ new home to start the season

Today, the NBA announced the starters for the 2024 All-Star Game in Indianapolis. The players were selected via three voting categories: 50% fan vote, 25% player vote and 25% media vote.
Leading the Eastern Conference All-Stars is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. Drafted as the No. 15 pick in 2013 out of Greece,&nbsp;Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.3 PPG, 11.7 RPG and 6.2 APG this season, and he will make his eighth All-Star appearance this year.
Joining Antetokounmpo in the East frontcourt are Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Boston Celtics wing Jayson Tatum. Embiid, the league&rsquo;s reigning MVP, will make his seventh All-Star appearance while averaging 36.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG and 5.9 APG for the 76ers this season. Tatum, drafted as the No. 3 pick in 2017 out of Duke, is averaging 27.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 4.4 APG for the league-best Celtics in his fifth All-Star selection.
In the East backcourt, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton will start in front of his home crowd in just his second All-Star appearance (and first time starting). Drafted as the No. 12 pick in 2020 out of Iowa State, Haliburton is averaging 23.6 PPG, 12.6 APG and 4.1 RPG for the Pacers, who are in the thick of the East&rsquo;s playoff race.&nbsp;
Partnering up with Haliburton in the backcourt is Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard, appearing in his eighth All-Star game and his first as a starter. The Bucks&rsquo; prized acquisition gets his chance to start in the East despite a relatively down year by his standards. Lillard is currently averaging 25.3 PPG, 6.8 APG and 4.3 RPG, making the Bucks the only team in the NBA to have two All-Star starters.&nbsp;
Over in the Western Conference, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is once again at the helm. Set to make his record-breaking 20th All-Star appearance, James has been an starter for all of them &ndash; a streak that began in 2005 in just his sophomore season. He is currently averaging 24.8 PPG, 7.4 APG and 7.2 RPG for the struggling Lakers this season.
Joining James in the West frontcourt are Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns and Nikola Jokic of the defending-champion Denver Nuggets. Durant, who&rsquo;s making his 14th All-Star selection, will now be one of 11 players in league history to be an All-Star 14 or more times. He&rsquo;s currently averaging 29.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 5.7 APG for the resurgent Suns this season. Jokic, a two-time NBA MVP, will make his sixth All-Star appearance while averaging 26.2 PPG, 12.0 RPG and 9.1 APG for the Nuggets this season.
In the West backcourt are Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Doncic is set to appear in his fifth All-Star game, and he is averaging 33.6 PPG, 9.3 APG and 8.5 RPG for the Mavericks this season. Gilgeous-Alexander, in just his second All-Star selection and first as a starter, is averaging 31.1 PPG, 6.4 APG and 5.6 RPG. He has been the main cog for a young Thunder team that has exceeded expectations and sit atop the Western Conference standings.&nbsp;
The All-Star reserves are set to be announced on Feb. 1 and they will be chosen by the NBA coaches in their respective conferences. They will vote two guards, three frontcourt players and two wildcards (any position). If a selected player is unable to participate due to injury or another reason, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will do the honors of selecting his replacement (from the same conference).
This year&rsquo;s All-Star Game is also notably changing back to the traditional East-West format, moving away from the captain-draft system. The previous six iterations of the midseason festivities featured the leading vote-getters from each conference serving as captains who got to draft their teams, with a certain "target score" format that featured an untimed fourth quarter in the last four All-Star Games.

Today, the NBA announced the starters for the 2024 All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

NBA announces 2024 All-Star starters: Giannis, LeBron named captains

For decades, the United States dominated on the hardwood. Now, that&rsquo;s changing.
Today, the U.S. still produces some of the best players in the world and certainly has the deepest talent pool, but other countries have closed the gap considerably. International superstars have taken the league by storm.
With the success of players like Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Joel Embiid (Cameroon), Luka Dončić (Slovenia) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), it's no surprise that people are high on international players. 
Antetokounmpo, Jokic and Embiid have combined for the last five Most Valuable Player awards, and four of the last six Defensive Player of the Year awards have gone to foreign players (Giannis and Rudy Gobert). Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 NBA championship, and now Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are the reigning champs.&nbsp;
Whether it&rsquo;s the FIBA Basketball World Cup or in the NBA, international players are often beating their United States counterparts.&nbsp;
Americans have been outshined as of late, but the U.S. continues to produce some of the very best players in the world. Veteran superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Kyrie Irving continue to excel, while younger studs like Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Ja Morant, Donovan Mitchell, Zion Williamson, LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, are still realizing their full potential and could challenge the influx of international competition. However, Victor Wembanyama (France) enters the 2023-24 season as the most highly anticipated rookie since LeBron James.
Now, let's take a look at the numbers. A year ago, Basketball News&rsquo; Alex Kennedy <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/an-inside-look-at-how-international-players-are-taking-over-the-nba">talked with Troy Justice,</a> the NBA&rsquo;s vice president, head of international basketball development about the international takeover on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stages.
&ldquo;Thirty years ago, there were only 23 international players. Now, we have 121. And to be real honest, I think we're only scratching the surface in terms of not only talent identification but just the development of the game globally,&rdquo; Justice said. &ldquo;So, it's amazing.&rdquo;
Of the 537 active NBA players, 128 are from outside the United States (just under 25%). International players received 88% of the votes in the 2022-23 MVP race, with Embiid, Jokic and Antetokounmpo garnering 84% combined. Of the top-eight vote-getters, only Tatum and Mitchell were American.
And that&rsquo;s not just a one-off. You have to go back to the 2020-21 NBA season to find an American player in the top-three of MVP voting, which was Curry at third (closely followed by Giannis). The last American player to win the MVP award was James Harden in 2017-18. Interestingly, there were no international players in the top-five of MVP voting that year, although Antetokounmpo barely missed out.
Also, following that season, the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy has been very much up for grabs. Previously, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors were the perennial NBA Finals matchup and no other teams really came close. LeBron and Steph were the NBA&rsquo;s poster boys, competing for a ring every year. We hadn&rsquo;t seen an international superstar lead his team to a title since Dirk Nowitzki defeated LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in 2011.
There are many reasons for this championship diversity &ndash; with five different winners in the past five years &ndash; but a big factor is the emergence of these international juggernauts like Jokic and Antetokounmpo. However, it&rsquo;s worth noting that teams with American superstars won three-out-of-five of these championships, led by Kawhi, LeBron and Steph, respectively.
The NBA landscape is volatile and this season will be telling. Will an international player win the MVP award for a sixth-straight time? Which team will be standing after the smoke clears at the end? Can Jokic and the Nuggets repeat? Will Giannis and Dame bring another title to Milwaukee? Or will one of the other contenders win it all?
American players are no doubt still some of the best in the sport and are well ahead in terms of numbers. But, particularly at the top, international players have fully closed the gap and have begun building their own disparity.&nbsp;
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

While the U.S. still produces some of the best NBA players in the world, other countries have closed the gap considerably.

USA vs. international basketball: Is the gap closing or opening up?

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has been named the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, the WNBA announced today.&nbsp;
This is the second Kia WNBA Most Valuable Award for Stewart and the first for a member of the Liberty. Stewart previously earned the honor in 2018 with the Seattle Storm.
Stewart becomes the eighth player in WNBA history to win the award multiple times, joining three-time winners Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes and two-time winners Cynthia Cooper, Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker and A&rsquo;ja Wilson.
Stewart received 20 first-place votes, 23 second-place votes and 17 third-place votes from a national panel of 60 sportswriters and broadcasters, earning 446 total points. Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas finished in second place with 439 points (23 first-place votes, 12 second-place votes and 25 third-place votes). Las Vegas Aces center A&rsquo;ja Wilson, the 2020 and 2022 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, was third with 433 points (17 first-place votes, 25 second-place votes, 17 third-place votes and one fourth-place vote).
Players were awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for a third-place vote, three points for a fourth-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote.&nbsp;
With Stewart and Thomas separated by seven points, this marks the second-smallest margin between the first- and second-place finishers in the history of the award; the closest finish was a two-point difference between MVP Swoopes (327 points) and runner-up Jackson (325) in 2005. The 13 points separating Stewart and Wilson represent the smallest margin between first- and third-place vote-getters for MVP in WNBA history, surpassing the 45-point difference between MVP Parker (234) and third-place finisher Delle Donne (189) in 2013.
In addition, this is the second time in WNBA history that the MVP runner-up received more first-place votes than the award recipient. In 2005, Jackson received 20 first-place votes and Swoopes received 16.
In her seventh WNBA season and first with the Liberty, Stewart&nbsp;averaged 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.57 blocked shots and 1.45 steals in 34.1 minutes in 40 games. She ranked second in the WNBA in scoring, third in rebounding, 16th&nbsp;in assists, fourth in blocks and minutes and eighth in steals.&nbsp;The four-time All-WNBA First Team selection also finished second in efficiency (27.6) and third in double-doubles (20).
Behind Stewart, New York (32-8) recorded the second-most wins in a season in league history, posted its largest average margin of victory (13.16) in a season and earned the No. 2 seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google. The Liberty will continue the pursuit of its first WNBA championship when it hosts the Sun in Game 2 of the Semifinals tonight (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Connecticut leads the series 1-0.&nbsp;
The 6-4 Stewart was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for three of the four possible months of the 2023 WNBA season, May, July and August, when New York posted a combined 21-4 record. In addition, she was honored as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week six times.
For the second consecutive year, Stewart was the No. 2 vote-getter in fan voting for the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, where she captained Team Stewart to a 143-127 victory over Team Wilson. She also helped New York win the third annual WNBA Commissioner&rsquo;s Cup presented by Coinbase, with the Liberty defeating the Aces 82-63 on the road in the championship game on Aug. 15.
Additional highlights of Stewart&rsquo;s 2023 season include:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Posted her first four regular-season games of 40 or more points, setting a WNBA single-season record and matching Diana Taurasi for the most in a career.</li>
<li>Scored a career-high and franchise-record 45 points in 30 minutes in a 90-73 win over the Indiana Fever on May 21, the most points ever by a WNBA player in 30 minutes or fewer.</li>
<li>Registered 43 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a 99-95 victory against the Phoenix Mercury on July 5, marking the second game of at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in WNBA history.</li>
<li>Became the first player in WNBA history to have at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a half, doing so in the first half of a 95-84 win over the Atlanta Dream on July 27.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Set single-season franchise records for total points (919) and rebounds (371) and finished with the second-most points in a season by a WNBA player.</li>
<li>Became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 4,000 points (196 games).</li>
</ul>
Stewart, a native of North Syracuse, N.Y, and a four-time NCAA champion at the University of Connecticut, was selected by the Storm with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm. She signed with the Liberty as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2023 season. Stewart holds career averages of 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.50 blocks and 1.36 steals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
In honor of being named the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, Stewart will receive $15,450 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany &amp; Co.
Below are the voting results for the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player Award:
&nbsp;

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has been named the 2023 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, the WNBA announced today.

New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart wins 2023 WNBA MVP award

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Tobias Harris had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-88 on Saturday, completing a sweep that made them the first team to reach the second round of the playoffs.
James Harden added 17 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the third-seeded 76ers, who will wait for the winner of the series between the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. The defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics have a 2-1 lead.
The 76ers hope Embiid will be recover from his sprained right knee in time for the start of the next series; the MVP finalist and two-time NBA scoring champion was ruled out Friday night and the 76ers struggled to score without him.
So they turned to their defense, and ended up outscoring the Nets 21-4 during a stretch of more than eight minutes in the third quarter.
Tyrese Maxey finished a strong series with 16 points and Paul Reed added 10 points and 15 rebounds after replacing Embiid in the starting lineup.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points and Nic Claxton had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who were swept for the second straight year and have lost 10 straight postseason games. They went 0-8 this season against the 76ers.
Embiid went to the locker room early in Game 3 and was limping a couple times later in the game, but had a blocked shot to preserve a two-point lead with 8.8 seconds left and said afterward he was OK. But coach Doc Rivers said Embiid was complaining of soreness behind his knee and already had swelling shortly after the game. An MRI exam revealed the sprain.
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3-pointer two minutes into the third quarter made it 53-42, matching the Nets&rsquo; largest lead of the game. But Harden and P.J. Tucker hit consecutive 3s to get the Sixers started on what became a 14-0 run that made it 56-53 on Reed&rsquo;s basket.
Maxey&rsquo;s 3-pointer extended it to 63-57 with 1:49 remaining in the period, capping the Nets&rsquo; lengthy drought that would have seemed unimaginable when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were in Brooklyn.
They were both dealt at midseason, and this team went down just as quickly as the one they led last season, when Brooklyn was also the first team eliminated after getting swept by Boston.
Embiid averaged only 20 points in the series, 13 below his NBA-leading average of 33.1, as the Nets heavily double-teamed him.
But those double-teams were leaving open looks for their guards that weren&rsquo;t available Saturday, and the Sixers were just 2 for 11 from 3-point range in the first half as the Nets led 48-40.
But the 76ers limited them to 40 points in the second half and eventually pulled away to a 14-point lead as the cheers of the Sixers fans in the building grew louder.
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia&rsquo;s eight-game winning streak against Brooklyn in the playoffs is its second-longest ever against an opponent. The 76ers beat the New York Knicks 10 straight times in the early 1980s.
Nets: The Nets fell to 0-7 all-time at home against the 76ers in the postseason. ... Patty Mills played for the first time in the series, going scoreless in five minutes. ... Brooklyn&rsquo;s last playoff win remains Game 5 against Milwaukee in the 2021 East semifinals.
DREADED LETTERS
Rivers said he doesn&rsquo;t worry when he sees Embiid appear to be hurting, as he was at times during Game 3. His concerns begin when he is told the medical staff wants to do an MRI exam.
&ldquo;As a coach I hate that word, I hate those three letters. I mean, because it never comes out well,&rdquo; Rivers said. &ldquo;It just feels like that whenever they tell a coach, &lsquo;Hey, we&rsquo;re going to get an MRI,&rsquo; it doesn&rsquo;t turn out well most of the time and this one did not.&rdquo;

The 76ers beat the Nets 96-88 on Saturday, completing a sweep that made them the first team to reach the second round of the playoffs.

76ers finish sweep of Nets without Embiid in 96-88 win

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic is a finalist to win a third straight NBA MVP award, with Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo the players who can stop him.
The three leading vote-getters for the league&rsquo;s individual awards were announced Friday and the marquee category featured familiar names.
Jokic repeated as MVP last year, with Embiid the runner-up and Antetokounmpo third. The Denver Nuggets center could now become the first player to win three straight MVP awards since Hall of Famer Larry Bird from 1984-86.
Antetokounmpo has also won consecutive MVP awards, in 2019 and 2020, along with an NBA Finals MVP when the Milwaukee Bucks captured the 2021 title. Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers center who won his second straight scoring title, has never won.
The winners will be announced beginning next week.
The finalists for the other categories:
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Brown, Sacramento; Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City; Joe Mazzulla, Boston.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Paolo Banchero, Orlando; Walker Kessler, Utah; Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Jalen Brunson, New York; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City; Lauri Markkanen, Utah.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis; Brook Lopez, Milwaukee; Evan Mobley, Cleveland.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Malcolm Brogdon, Boston; Bobby Portis, Milwaukee; Immanuel Quickley, New York.
CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jimmy Butler, Miami; DeMar DeRozan, Chicago; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Sacramento.

Nikola Jokic is a finalist to win a third straight MVP award, with Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo the players who can stop him.

NBA award finalists: Jokic, Embiid, Antetokounmpo competing for MVP

Professional basketball players are in a constant state of data collection. Al Horford's been logging tricks of his trade for 16 years, and it's helped him reinvent his game to suit a team in the title hunt.
Horford, age 36, will be the fourth-oldest starter and fifth-oldest rotation player in the 2023 NBA playoffs, behind only LeBron James, Chris Paul, PJ Tucker and Kyle Lowry. He has dramatically transformed his game to suit the era and needs of today's league, and the Celtics have taken note.
After a March 1 win against the Cavaliers, coach Joe Mazzulla alluded to Horford's evolution, heightened by his experience and attention to detail.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s massive,&rdquo; Mazzulla said postgame. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s done a great job this year in recognizing coverage and screening. ...And he recognized the coverage [the Cavaliers] were in and popped and shot it. The second time they tried to switch him, he created an advantage. He&rsquo;s constantly trying to find small ways to reinvent his game.&rdquo;
Horford is averaging his highest minutes per game (30.6) of the last five seasons, but his on-ball role has diminished to career-lows according to practically every go-to metric (usage rate, touches, touch time, etc.). He's played five total seasons with the Celtics across two stints; comparing his usage across those years is fascinating. Here's some touch data from PBP Stats highlighting three such years: his All-Star season in 2017-18, his first season back in Boston in 2021-22, and this current one.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 110px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 44px;">
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 44px;">Year</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 44px;">Touches/game</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 44px;">Frontcourt touches/game</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 44px;">Elbow touches/game</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 44px;">Post touches/game</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 44px;">Seconds per touch</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">2017-18</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">63.5</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">40.0</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">3.1</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">5.2</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">2.20</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">49.2</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">29.4</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">2.2</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">1.9</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">1.73</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">2022-23</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">45.7</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">25.4</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">1.1</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">0.9</td>
<td style="width: 14.84579%; height: 22px;">1.53</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
It makes sense that Horford would take a back seat in his return to the Celtics given that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had risen to stardom. But the elbow and post touch volume in particular is stunning &mdash; Horford is getting the ball in those spots not even half as much as last year, and fractionally compared to his last All-Star appearance. His days of facilitating and scoring out of the post are over.
We all know Horford has laid down a transcendant shooting year, but the scale of his shift to the arc cannot be overstated. Per Cleaning the Glass, a whopping 67% of Horford's total shot attempts have come from distance. That is a mind-boggling 23% increase from last year; to put that in context, Horford had never increased his three-point frequency by more than 12% year-over-year since he first started shooting them often in 2015-16.&nbsp;
To make this type of leap &mdash; and match it with a career-high 44.6% clip (an 11% jump from last year) &mdash; is one of the more astounding developments I've seen from a veteran in some time.&nbsp;
Boston needs Horford at this level for the playoffs. Last year, the Warriors gunked up the Celtics offense in the NBA Finals by shutting off driving lanes for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen. They were unafraid to let Horford and Grant Williams bomb away above the break, even as both shot the ball well, if it meant Tatum and Brown could not penetrate the defense.&nbsp;
But this year could be different. Horford can punish as a reliable outlet on his own or force opponents to stay home on him. He's also more than doubled his shot frequency in the corners and added an area defenses have to track.
Horford's evolving role means we see less of him as the facilitating big that has helped define his game in the past. But he's still a very good passer and the numbers (and tape) back this up.
The NBA Underground has a set of <a href="https://thenbaunderground.com/analytics/better-passing-stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statistics that help us understand passing impact</a> beyond basic assists per game. One interesting number: passing turnover to potential assist ratio, which basically says that for every 100 potential assists (pass leading to a shot attempt), a player is logging X amount of passing turnovers.
Horford is averaging 3.9 passing turnovers per 100 potential assists, putting him seventh-best among 364 players. It's not a perfect assessment of passing, but it shows he's making quality decisions when he does have the ball. Just under 10% of his total passes this year turned into assists or free throws, a mark that ranks ninth among bigs this year, per Second Spectrum.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/nphota" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Plays like this are meaningful because Boston should want to get Tatum cutting and running without the ball. It keeps him from being the sole defensive focus and allows him to get up to speed more easily. Horford and Robert Williams III are both capable high-low passers, and while this isn't a jaw-dropping dime, it shows how either big can be leveraged effectively.
Horford isn't put in this position as often anymore, but he still gets plenty of assists by swinging the ball around at the arc and dishing short passes to Celtics guards and wings who use screens off the ball. There's schematic creativity on display around Horford and he's tasked with making the advantage pay off.
We could say the same for his defense. Derrick White has been Boston's best defender this season. Robert Williams is the team's most dynamic shot-blocker and Marcus Smart is the intense tone-setter. But I truly don't think this is a top-5 unit without Horford holding down his role as an individual stopper.
The Celtics typically task Horford with handling the opponent's best scoring forwards or bigs. Among the 20 players he matched up against for 20 or more possessions per game this season (per NBA Stats): Bam Adebayo, Deandre Ayton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Paolo Banchero, Nikola Vucevic, Myles Turner.
Many of these players are also heavily involved in pick-and-rolls, where the Celtics usually ask Horford to play some form of shallow drop coverage while the guard goes over the screen. The shallow drop big man is one of the toughest responsibilities in today's NBA; they have to contain the drive from a guard while keeping the roll man in front to remove a lob threat.
And that's not all he's doing &mdash; Boston switches a lot away from the ball, so Horford then has to slide onto wings and occasionally guards. He actually spoke about this a couple weeks ago with JJ Redick on The Old Man and the Three (start at 31:30).&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ew-O7RRHqq4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Horford's impact shows up in several of the defensive stats I've come to trust. BBall Index has created estimates for defensive positional versatility and role versatility based on what positions and usage rates players are guarding. Horford ranks in the 92nd and 85th percentiles at his position, respectively.&nbsp;
Also from BBall Index: Horford is contesting 38.1% of opponents' shots at the rim while he is on the court (89th percentile) and holding opponents to an at-rim efficiency 6.2% lower than expected (91st percentile). Those are particularly impressive numbers considering Horford is 36 and not a volume shot-blocker.
It will certainly help to have Rob Williams by his side. The two bigs have only played 330 minutes together this season, but the Celtics are outscoring opponents by 15.1 points per 100 possessions when they share the floor.
Still, Horford is going to take the primary frontcourt assignments before Williams. And this postseason run could be a gauntlet. The Celtics start by facing the Hawks' trio of John Collins, Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu. Win that series, and there's a good chance they meet Embiid in the second round. An Eastern Conference Finals trip could see Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, or Mobley and Allen. Then, should Boston make a return Finals run, they might run into any of Jokic, Domantas Sabonis, Jaren Jackson Jr., Deandre Ayton, or others at the big positions.&nbsp;
That's a monster workload for a 36-year-old trying to play into June for the second consecutive year.&nbsp;And&nbsp;he carries pivotal pressure as a spacer and ball-mover.&nbsp;
Horford's evolution has been commendable and his value to the Celtics far outweighs his spotlight. If Boston wants to win a championship, he can't let up on either end.

Horford will hold down key two-way roles for however far the Celtics advance in the postseason.

NBA Stats Notebook: Why Al Horford is the Celtics' playoff X Factor

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Zach LaVine scored 39 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 against his former team and the Chicago Bulls overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 109-105 in a play-in tournament game Wednesday night.
Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed 66-47 in the third quarter before LaVine carried them back. He scored 17 points in the third as Chicago cut the gap to nine, then added 13 more in the fourth to help the Bulls advance.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan said LaVine was &ldquo;phenomenal&rdquo; against the Raptors.
&ldquo;His performance was extraordinary,&rdquo; Donovan said. &ldquo;It gave us life and it gave us hope.&rdquo;
The Bulls will visit the Miami Heat on Friday night for the chance to earn the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, and a first-round playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Chicago went 3-0 against the Heat this season. The Bulls won in Miami twice, including on opening night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The Bulls were down 19 POINTS and came back to eliminate the Raptors 😳 Zach LaVine: 39 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST DeMar DeRozan: 23 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST <a href="https://t.co/ys7wUVThcs">pic.twitter.com/ys7wUVThcs</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1646329837567582211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

&ldquo;They&rsquo;re going to make adjustments. We are, too,&rdquo; LaVine said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be whoever wants it more. I think it comes down to that.&rdquo;
The Bulls shot 3 for 19 from 3-point range through the first three quarters but LaVine connected twice as Chicago made four of seven from distance in the fourth.
Fred VanVleet had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Pascal Siakam scored 32 points, but Toronto&rsquo;s season ended in disappointment as the Raptors &mdash; with DeRozan&rsquo;s nine-year-old daughter, Diar,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shout-it-out-derozans-daughter-goes-viral-in-playin-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">screaming when they shot</a>&nbsp;&mdash; went a dismal 18 for 36 at the free throw line. Toronto missed six attempts from the line in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;I thought we played well enough to win tonight but it just didn&rsquo;t go our way,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.
Scottie Barnes had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, and O.G. Anunoby scored 13 points. Toronto didn&rsquo;t win three straight until January and never won more than four in a row in a season that struggled to generate any momentum.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to have to be better,&rdquo; Siakam said. &ldquo;Not consistent enough and that&rsquo;s got to change.&rdquo;
Chicago&rsquo;s Alex Caruso connected from the corner to tie the score at 91-all with 7:08 left in the fourth quarter and Patrick Beverley&rsquo;s 3 with 5:07 remaining gave the Bulls a 96-93 lead. It was Beverley&rsquo;s first basket of the game.
VanVleet&rsquo;s 3 with 3:11 to go knotted it again at 100-all, but LaVine and DeRozan replied with baskets for the Bulls.
Barnes and Siakam each made one of two at the line inside the final two minutes, and VanVleet missed a 3 that would have tied the game.
Siakam&rsquo;s driving dunk with 19 seconds left cut it to 105-104. After a timeout, LaVine pushed the lead to three with a pair of free throws. Caruso fouled Siakam on a 3 but the Raptors star missed his second and third attempts.
The Raptors led 28-23 after one and 58-47 at the break after VanVleet connected on a halfcourt heave at the halftime buzzer.
VanVleet&rsquo;s 3 with 9:09 left in the third gave Toronto a 19-point edge, but LaVine and the Bulls trailed 81-72 heading to the fourth.
SHOWING HIS COLORS
Former NBA All-Star Charles Oakley, who played for both the Bulls and Raptors, sat in a courtside seat. Oakley wore a black hoodie with Toronto Raptors printed in gold letters on the back.
TIP-INS
Bulls: LaVine shot 13 for 15 at the free throw line. The Bulls went 18 for 22. &hellip; Patrick Williams scored 10 points.
Raptors: VanVleet had eight assists. &hellip; Siakam had nine rebounds.

Zach LaVine scored 39 points, and the Bulls overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Raptors 109-105 in a play-in game on Wednesday.

Zach LaVine scores 39, Bulls beat Raptors 109-105 in Play-In Game

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme&nbsp;of Gonzaga is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as the men&rsquo;s college basketball player of the year.
He&rsquo;s joined by Zach Edey of Purdue, Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana, Houston&rsquo;s Marcus Sasser <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-auburn-houston-71fdd7fe1b3336cec5b544bf12d30e83">Marcus Sasser</a>&nbsp;and Jalen Wilson of Kansas.
Timme took his team farthest in the upset-riddled NCAA Tournament with Gonzaga losing in the Elite Eight. Sasser helped Houston reach the Sweet 16. Purdue lost in the first round, while Indiana and Kansas were beaten in the second round.
The winner will be announced April 4 on ESPN. All five players have been invited to Los Angeles for the 47th annual presentation on April 7.
Also among the top 10 vote getters were: Jaime Jaquez Jr. of UCLA, Brandon Miller of Alabama, Penn State&rsquo;s Jalen Pickett, Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky and Arizona&rsquo;s Azuolas Tubelis.
Voting took place from March 13-20.
South Carolina&rsquo;s Dawn Staley will receive the Legends of Coaching Award during the ceremony at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Drew Timme of Gonzaga is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as the men’s college basketball player of the year.

Gonzaga’s Drew Timme among 5 finalists for men’s Wooden Award

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; The video banner above the entrance to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday read: &ldquo;Welcome Rick Pitino.&rdquo;
More like welcome back for the&nbsp;new St. John&rsquo;s coach.
Back to The Garden, where he once coached the Knicks.
Back to the Big East, the conference that launched his stardom and where he won his last NCAA championship.
Back to big-time college basketball after a series of scandals made it seem as if that part of his career was over.
&ldquo;So, when I went to Iona, I said that Iona was going to be my last job,&rdquo; Pitino said at his introductory news conference at MSG. &ldquo;And the reason I said that is who&rsquo;s going to hire a 70-year-old ? No matter how much I think I&rsquo;m Peter Pan, who&rsquo;s going hire a 70-year-old?&rdquo;
St. John&rsquo;s gave the Hall of Famer a six-year contract to turn back the clock on a program that once stole New York City tabloid headlines away from the Knicks in the 1980s under coach Lou Carnesecca but has been mired in mediocrity for more than two decades.
The Red Storm once played most of their biggest home games at The Garden. Pitino said the goal is to have all their Big East games played there going forward.
&ldquo;Lou built a legendary program. Legendary,&rdquo; Pitino said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m all in with everything that St. John stands for. I&rsquo;m excited about it. I can&rsquo;t wait to get started.
&ldquo;And it&rsquo;s going to start with a culture of work.&rdquo;
Pitino, who was born in New York City and grew up on Long Island, has won 832 games in 34 full seasons as a college head coach, including NCAA championships at Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013.
The title at Louisville was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-in-state-wire-basketball-college-sports-sports-c2c67d13ef72450894095dc3369ee185" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vacated for NCAA violations,</a>&nbsp;and another NCAA case related to the FBI&rsquo;s investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting led to Pitino being fired by Louisville in 2017.
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-basketball-mens-college-louisville-c33326925a9e27a742e05f0abc668f80" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The final ruling</a>&nbsp;from the NCAA&rsquo;s outside enforcement arm on the FBI case came down in November and exonerated Pitino.
There was also a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="http://archive.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2010/08/06/pitino_accuser_is_found_guilty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">criminal extortion case</a>&nbsp;in which Pitino was the victim during his time at Louisville that revealed personal indiscretions.
&ldquo;Well, it doesn&rsquo;t matter what you believe, what you don&rsquo;t believe,&rdquo; Pitino said. &ldquo;The one thing all my players have said, because they all wrote letters for me: I&rsquo;ve never cheated the game. I never gave a player anything that he didn&rsquo;t deserve in life.&rdquo;
St. John&rsquo;s president, the Rev. Brian Shanley, said the decision to hire Pitino was his call.
&ldquo;Yeah, sure, there&rsquo;s some reputational risk because of things that have happened before, but I think Rick is at a point in his life where he&rsquo;s learned from things that have happened in the past,&rdquo; Shanley told The Associated Press. &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;d be the first one to tell you he&rsquo;s done things that he regrets. Who doesn&rsquo;t when you get to be that age? I know I have. I&rsquo;m a believer in forgiveness and new beginnings as a priest, and I think Rick&rsquo;s going to do a great job for St. John&rsquo;s.&rdquo;
Carnesecca, 98 and getting around with the help of a walker these days, sat in the front row of Pitino&rsquo;s news conference.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s a home run with the bases loaded,&rdquo; Carnesecca said.
Carnesecca was one of the Big East&rsquo;s brightest coaching stars, along with Georgetown&rsquo;s John Thompson and Villanova&rsquo;s Rollie Massimino, when Pitino became Providence head coach in 1985 at the age of 32.
Thirty-eight years later, Pitino&rsquo;s Providence ties helped him land at St. John&rsquo;s after three seasons at Iona, a small Catholic school in New Rochelle, just north of New York City.
Shanley previously was the president of Providence. He helped turn around a lagging men&rsquo;s basketball program by hiring coach Ed Cooley and investing in facilities upgrades.
&ldquo;If I wasn&rsquo;t a Providence Friar, he would have never even considered it,&rdquo; Pitino said.
Shanley attempted to lure Pitino away from Louisville and back to Providence years ago, but he didn&rsquo;t know much about the coach personally back then. He said he talked to a lot of people about Pitino this time around.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;d say my behind-the-scenes wisdom person was Mike Tranghese, the former commissioner of the Big East,&rdquo; Shanley said. &ldquo;He got me Ed Cooley last time, and I think we came out pretty well this time, too.&rdquo;
Cooley was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/georgetown-basketball-ed-cooley-patrick-ewing-42e2d586ee18c9ec94b490aadc489b29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hired by Georgetown</a>&nbsp;on Monday.
Pitino said he&rsquo;s bringing his entire staff with him from Iona, which announced the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-iona-fdu-anderson-pitino-dae6ca2272dddfbbd8e39dce02d3ae96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hiring of Fairleigh Dickinson coach Tobin Anderson to replace Pitino</a>&nbsp;earlier in the day.
Pitino will try to become the first coach to take six different schools to the NCAA Tournament as he gets one more shot on the big stage.
&ldquo;I deserve it,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;because I&rsquo;ve earned it.&rdquo;

Rick Pitino addressed the media after becoming the new head coach at St. John's.

Rick Pitino returns to big stage at St. John’s: ‘I’ve earned it’

They are the five letters no No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed ever wants to see: Upset.
Thursday marks the five-year anniversary of University of Maryland-Baltimore County &mdash; the tiny school few fans had ever heard of, let alone picked in their bracket &mdash; pulling off the biggest upset in college basketball history by beating the tournament&rsquo;s top seed in Virginia.
UMBC&rsquo;s lasting legacy became this: If you don&rsquo;t watch out, No. 1 can mean one-and-done.
While there were some close calls before 2018, No. 1 seeds had gone 135-0 before UMBC routed Virginia 75-54 at Charlotte&rsquo;s Spectrum Center. Now they are 1-147. Like the men, the women&rsquo;s side of March Madness has seen only one 16 knock off a 1: Harvard over Stanford in 1998.
On Thursday, three more No. 1 seeds &mdash; Alabama, Kansas and Houston &mdash; take the court looking to avoid what the Cavaliers endured five years ago, while their respective opponents Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi, Howard and Northern Kentucky look to capture that &ldquo;One Shining Moment&rdquo; and etch their name in history alongside the Retrievers.
Ryan Odom, the Retrievers coach that season, said after the game &ldquo;these are the moments that you dream of.&rdquo; while his players celebrated in a cramped locker room after shocking the world. Diminutive 5-foot-8, 140-pound guard KJ, Maura and his teammates joked about there being &ldquo;no more perfect brackets&rdquo; and possibly becoming the focal point of a future ESPN &ldquo;30 for 30&rdquo; episode.
Some players struggled to process the enormity of the moment, hugging each other long and hard.
&ldquo;It felt like my soul left my body, man,&rdquo; UMBC guard Jourdan Grant said that day.
Odom, now the head coach at Utah State, a No. 10 seed in this year&rsquo;s tourney, said Wednesday it was &ldquo;a memory that will last a lifetime.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Will a 16 ever beat a 1 again? I have no idea,&rdquo; Odom said. &ldquo;It takes a special group. It takes a lot of luck in order to have a chance to win any game in the NCAA Tournament.&rdquo;
Former UMBC guard Joe Sherburne said it remains the single greatest day of his life.
&ldquo;You can measure my life by this: before that day, and after that day,&rdquo; Sherburne said Wednesday. When friends introduce him to people, the first thing they say is &ldquo;Joe played for UMBC.&rdquo;
Sherburne, who works as a financial adviser, remembers the day well.
As UMBC&rsquo;s lead over Virginia grew to double digits in the second half he sensed something special, something miraculous was happening. He struggled to concentrate on the next play call while sitting on the bench during TV timeouts: &ldquo;I felt like I was in shock.&rdquo;
Could this really be happening? Could a 20 1/2-point underdog really beat the No. 1 team in the nation in the NCAA Tournament?
But it happened &mdash; and everyone suddenly wanted to know their story.
Sherburne stayed at the arena until 1 a.m. doing interviews before returning to the team hotel where he was greeted by overwhelmed fans, friends and family members. He and his teammates watched &ldquo;Sports Center&rdquo; on repeat and ate pizza, basking in the moment.
&ldquo;We were all still running on adrenaline,&rdquo; Sherburne said. &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t eat or drink. I can usually eat a whole Domino&rsquo;s pizza by myself, but I couldn&rsquo;t that night. I might have had two or three slices.&rdquo;
Sherburne still wishes the celebration had gone on for days longer, but UMBC lost a close second round loss to Kansas State two days later.
Still, there will always be the satisfaction of accomplishing something that had never been done before. Sherburne is hoping it stays that way for awhile.
After the final 16 seed lost in last year&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament, he toasted UMBC&rsquo;s legacy with a shot of whiskey.
Two years ago, he attended Game 6 the 2016 NBA Finals where he watched former Virginia big man Mamadi Diakite win a championship ring. Diakite was one of six Virginia players from that team to play in the NBA; UMBC had none.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sitting in the arena that night, in the second row from the top, thinking to myself, &rsquo;You know, just a couple of years ago I was making this guy and his teammates cry,&rsquo;&rdquo; Sherburne said.
UMBC players haven&rsquo;t had an in-person reunion, but Sherburne said players remain in touch on group texts.
Last week, Odom opened one of those texts to find players and assistant coaches reminiscing about star guard Jairus Lyles&rsquo; buzzer-beater to beat Vermont in the 2018 America East Conference Tournament championship game &mdash; a dramatic win that earned the Retrievers an automatic bid to the Big Dance.
Odom&rsquo;s eyes swelled up with tears as he scrolled through the comments and pictures.
&ldquo;Each team that we&rsquo;re fortunate enough to coach has one life to live,&rdquo; Odom said. &ldquo;That particular team lived a great life. The joy that that team experienced was unlike any other. Certainly the memories that we&rsquo;ll all take from that particular season will last a lifetime. This is what all coaches and players want: they want to be a part of March Madness and the upset.&rdquo;.

Thursday marks five years since the University of Maryland-Baltimore County had the biggest upset in college basketball history.

UMBC’s legacy: No. 1 can mean one-and-done in March Madness

Syracuse University will honor the 2003 championship team this weekend. It is the 20th anniversary of the title and many of the championship team&rsquo;s players will make their way to upstate New York to celebrate. The guest list includes Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick, Gerry McNamara, Kueth Duany and more.&nbsp;
I caught up with Warrick, who will also be honored with his jersey officially being retired alongside his teammate McNamara. The jersey retirements will take place on Saturday, March 4, when Syracuse hosts Wake Forest at the Carrier Dome. Warrick&rsquo;s jersey will be hoisted into the rafters, joining Syracuse legends such as Dave Bing (22), Roosevelt Bouie (50), Louis Orr (55), Derrick Coleman (44), Sherman Douglas (20), Dennis DuVal (22), Billy Gabor (17), Vic Hanson (8), Lawrence Moten (21), Billy Owens (30), Rony Seikaly (4), Carmelo Anthony (15), Wilmer Sidat-Singh (19), Pearl Washington (31) and John Wallace (44).
Needless to say, he is in some very good company.&nbsp;
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Etan Thomas: Syracuse is going to honor you on Saturday night, a member of Syracuse's only championship team. They&rsquo;re going to retire your jersey and G-Mac&rsquo;s jersey. There will be a lot of guys from your team going back for this special occasion. How does it feel?&nbsp;
Hakim Warrick: "It feels great. It&rsquo;s definitely an honor. Like you said, this is going to really be a special night. To have my name up there with some of the Syracuse greats, it&rsquo;s definitely an honor."
Etan: Let's talk about how special that 2003 team was. Y&rsquo;all were such a deep team. Y&rsquo;all had so many different weapons coming off the bench.&nbsp;
Hakim: "It was a really special team. I think one of the things that made us so tough to beat was that everyone knew their roles and played them to the best of their ability. We also had a situation where everyone knew that at some point, it was going to be their night, and we were so selfless that we would just feed the hot man. It didn&rsquo;t matter who it was. We went like nine or 10 deep. And you know, that&rsquo;s not regular for Syracuse (laughing). Coach Boeheim has been notorious for cutting that rotation real short, but we had a lot of guys who could really play."
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Etan: Of course, Carmelo got a lot of the attention, but y&rsquo;all were definitely not a one-man show. Y&rsquo;all had a lot of different pieces.&nbsp;
Hakim: "Sure, we knew Melo was the focal point and we knew that a lot of teams were going to be keyed in on him. We had guys like Gerry, who kept everyone honest in spacing the floor. He could knock down the three from anywhere. Kueth was our senior leader who provided guidance and picked us up when we were down and motivated us and played with passion. We had bigs in Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil, who both brought a different element to the center position. Craig was more of a passing big, screen-setter [whereas] Jeremy could block shots like you and was athletic and strong, so they complemented each other really well. We had guys like Josh Pace and Billy Edelin, who would run the team and keep the offense moving and put people in their spots. They really were both floor generals. We just always played as a team and some nights it would be Melo&rsquo;s night, some nights it would be my night, some nights it would be G-Mac&rsquo;s night, and we just piggy-backed off each other."
Etan: Can you talk about how competitive your practices were? I&rsquo;ve heard people talk about that quite often because you guys were so deep and every position had a lot of competition, so you guys really pushed each other and made each other better.
Hakim: "Yeah, we definitely went at each other, but it started in the offseason when everyone first got up to school that year and there was so much hype around this freshman from Baltimore (Carmelo). And I remember looking at him the first day like, 'Who is this little chubby dude that everyone is hyped about?' (laughing) But I knew from those first pick-up games that we were going to be a special team."
Etan: You know, I&rsquo;ve heard people talk about those early pick-up games, so what was it specifically about those runs that made you feel that this was going to be a special team?&nbsp;
Hakim: "I mean, I&rsquo;m not saying I knew we was gonna be a championship team, I&rsquo;m not saying all that. I mean, at that time, we weren&rsquo;t even ranked nationally. People from the outside looking in didn&rsquo;t have high expectations for us. But there was something about when we were working out, the chemistry and how competitive we were, I knew we were gonna surprise a lot of people, and that&rsquo;s exactly what we did."
Etan: Now, during the season, you all took a few bumps. There were a few spots where things weren&rsquo;t going well, like all teams have throughout the course of the season. But how did you all bounce back from those bumps? Because what happens with a lot of teams, especially young teams, is that they crumble. They don&rsquo;t get over those humps, but that didn&rsquo;t happen with you guys.
Hakim: "We just believed. I think the fact that we were all young and naive probably helped us as well. We didn&rsquo;t listen to any outside noise and we believed in each other no matter what happened. Like you said, we had some bumps, but our confidence and our swag never stumbled. Also, having someone like Kueth as our leader, he had been through the ringer. He was the wise old veteran, and he did a great job of making sure nobody ever got down &mdash; even when things weren&rsquo;t going well. We just learned from every experience, whether good or bad, and as the season went on, we just kept gaining even more and more confidence in each other and in ourselves. We had a lot of comeback victories that year, and we never thought that we was out of a game &mdash; no matter how much we got down. It&rsquo;s like we just knew we would be able to come back, and a lot of times we did just that."
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Etan: Okay, so I gotta ask you about &ldquo;The Block&rdquo; against Kansas in the championship game. Every Syracuse fan knows of this block, and many fans have the poster of this amazing play that you made. That really was a game-winning play because I think that three from the corner was gonna go in if you didn&rsquo;t block it. Walk me through that play.&nbsp;
Hakim: "So right before that, I missed the free throw, so I&rsquo;m already like, 'Man, I could&rsquo;ve ended the game right there with the free throw, but I missed it,' so I knew I had to do something to make up for that. We were not going to lose this championship because of me. I just remember them swinging the ball, and I remember Kueth closing out way past the three-point line, but he had to because they had shooters. And I knew that as far stretched out as he was, there was no way that he was going to be able to get all the way down to cover the corner three. I just sniffed out the play before it happened and pre-rotated out there, but I was all the way under the rim, so I didn&rsquo;t really think I would be able to get all the way out there to actually block it. I wanted to at least contest it and make it a tough shot for him.
"But as I jumped and was in the air, I thought, 'Man, I may be able to block this!' So I stretched out my arms as long as I could and turned my body so I didn&rsquo;t get the foul after I got the block, and I was able to get a piece of the ball and there was only a couple tenths of a second left, and we won the game. I really couldn&rsquo;t believe it. All of the hard work, all of the hours of practice and ups-and-downs of the season finally came into fruition. Absolutely amazing feeling."
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Etan: Well, it was a play that will always be etched in stone in Syracuse history. Not just for Syracuse, but also in March Madness and Final Four history. So last question: there are so many guys coming back to Syracuse from that '03 championship team this weekend. How much are you looking forward to seeing all of your teammates again, being in the Dome and feeling the love from the crowd?
Hakim: "I&rsquo;m really looking forward to it. There are a lot of guys that I haven&rsquo;t seen in years. This will, in fact, be my first game back at the Dome since my senior night, so I&rsquo;m really looking forward to that. I&rsquo;ve seen the team, I was there when they went to the Final Four; in fact, I saw you there. I caught them down in DC a couple of times. But I haven&rsquo;t had the chance to actually be back at the Dome, so I&rsquo;m super excited to feel the love and that magical atmosphere and be able to share all of that with my teammates. I&rsquo;m really looking forward to it. It&rsquo;s going to be a special weekend."
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Etan Thomas catches up with fellow Syracuse legend Hakim Warrick to discuss his jersey retirement, the 2003 championship team, more.

Hakim Warrick Q&A: 2003 Syracuse championship and jersey retirement

After months of wondering and waiting if the Los Angeles Lakers would make a deal, the team finally took initiative and struck before the NBA trade deadline &mdash; but they didn&rsquo;t just make one move.
The Lakers made four separate trades between Jan. 23 and Feb. 9, switching out nearly half of their roster after underperforming for the majority of the year. So far, the results have been quite promising.
Since acquiring D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Mo Bamba and Davon Reed, the Lakers are 4-1; most recently, it includes a massive 27-point comeback win against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. LA now sits at No. 12 in the Western Conference, but is just one game back of the New Orleans Pelicans for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament.&nbsp;
When you look at this retooled version of the Lakers roster, it looks like a competent, balanced mix that makes sense together. Despite having two of the best players in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, it&rsquo;s been a while since this team could say that.
You have to go back three seasons &mdash; all the way to the 2019-20 campaign &mdash; to find the last time that happened; ironically, LA won a championship that year. However, since then, vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office have tried to reshape the roster over and over to try to find the magic again. Those attempts led to disastrous results; the Russell Westbrook experiment was perhaps the poorest decision, as LA gave up its best shooters and significant depth to acquire him.
It appears that, this time around, the Lakers finally learned their lesson, as Pelinka and Co. executed a full reversal. The franchise dealt Westbrook for three pieces in Russell, Beasley and Vanderbilt as part of its revamped "2.0" roster, and it&rsquo;s just what the team needed as it makes a push toward the playoffs.
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Russell &mdash; who is nursing an ankle injury but should be back in the lineup soon &mdash; has shown to have good chemistry with LeBron and AD so far in what has been a small sample size. He won&rsquo;t wow anyone with his numbers, but he&rsquo;s playing a smart, controlled game by picking his spots. Russell has a solid feel for when to look for his own shot and is limiting his turnovers, which are down to just 1.5 per game so far in his second stint with the Lakers.&nbsp;
Beasley is the &ldquo;laser&rdquo; that LeBron has been openly hoping for to help solve the Lakers' shooting problems from three-point range. Even when he isn&rsquo;t hitting his shots, teams have to account for him and his 38% career clip from deep.&nbsp;
Vanderbilt is infectious with his energy and effort, especially on the defensive end of the floor. He was the tone-setter Sunday with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 4 steals to spearhead LA's rallying victory against the Mavericks. (Vando looks to be the steal of the trade deadline.)
Hachimura hasn&rsquo;t blown the doors off since putting on the purple and gold, but he has added size and another shooting presence that teams have to deal with, providing more balance and space for the Lakers' offense.&nbsp;
That quartet of players has breathed a new life into the Lakers as a whole &mdash; particularly with experience.
&ldquo;Adding those pieces, I think it brings more balance,&rdquo; Lakers head coach Darvin Ham recently said. &ldquo;We have guys in that second unit that have been in the starting lineup and played starters' minutes and closed games for us, and had big moments in big games. So we have confidence in the entire roster. But that&rsquo;s a great shot in the arm that we were able to pick up at the trade deadline.&rdquo;
(Bamba debuted with three blocks for LA and registered a double-double in his second game with the team as well.)
Maybe most importantly, this Lakers team looks like it&rsquo;s having fun. There are smiles and high-fives galore with players rooting for one another. You can feel the energy shifting following those roster moves.
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Never get discouraged &mdash; compete harder. <a href="https://t.co/ojRZCVcd9M">pic.twitter.com/ojRZCVcd9M</a>
&mdash; Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1630002602443153410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></blockquote>

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There&rsquo;s still plenty of work to be done. The Lakers have two more games on an all-so-important road trip. Tuesday night, they'll play the Memphis Grizzlies and then, they'll take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in a back-to-back. (Plus, LA won't have LeBron for an extended period of time due to a foot injury, which obviously is a huge blow.)
There is no margin for error at this point. The last thing that LeBron, AD and the new-look Lakers want to do is miss the playoffs yet again. With that said, all signs are pointing up.
These guys believe in one another. They believe they can win. And, so far, they&rsquo;re showing it on the court.
Maybe, just maybe, they finally have the right pieces.
"I've always been confident in any club that I've been on [that] once we got into the playoffs, that we can compete with anyone, and I feel no different now," LeBron said. "With the roster, the way we're shaped up right now, if we can finish off this regular season on the right foot, then we can compete versus anyone in the Western Conference, if not the whole league...
"If we can punch our ticket, we can compete versus anyone."

Brian Fritz checks in on the new-look Lakers and how their new additions have given the team a jolt.

Lakers may have found the right formula following trade deadline moves

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James had 21 points in his first game since becoming the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring leader, and Anthony Davis had 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the new-look Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; 120-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had 21 points and seven assists during his warm welcome home to the Lakers, who won for just the second time in six games. Los Angeles&rsquo; five new players all made their home debuts after last week&rsquo;s busy trade deadline, and the Lakers never trailed in one of this up-and-down team&rsquo;s most impressive performances of the season.
&ldquo;There was a huge emphasis on getting this win,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;Guys came out and played with a lot of energy and urgency. ... It was only our first game together, but it looked good.&rdquo;
James only had to play a season-low 29 minutes after taking the previous three games off to rest his sore left ankle and foot immediately after he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s record Feb. 7.
&ldquo;I feel really good about what we&rsquo;ve got brewing, but we need to lock in,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the first time we&rsquo;ve all been on the floor together, so we wanted to see what it looks like, and the first 40 minutes looked pretty good.&rdquo;
Russell&rsquo;s debut was actually a homecoming, because he played his first two NBA seasons for Los Angeles before getting traded four times and eventually returning last week. Russell was clearly thrilled to be back in Hollywood, putting on an impressive playmaking performance while also repeatedly exhorting the crowd to standing ovations for the Lakers.
After he hit a 3-pointer in the second half, Russell celebrated by pointing at the letters on his chest and screaming to the fans: &ldquo;Like I never left!&rdquo;
&ldquo;I love those moments,&rdquo; Russell said. &ldquo;We had Bron tonight, and we seemed a little more fluid. Everybody pitched in. Everybody played a major part in keeping the lead, maintaining it, getting stops. I like what we showcased tonight.&rdquo;
The Lakers hit the All-Star break in 13th place in the 15-team Western Conference at 27-32 &mdash; but the season isn&rsquo;t over yet, and they&rsquo;ve got promising reinforcements.
Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley joined James and Davis in the Lakers&rsquo; 30th starting lineup of the season, while Mo Bamba fouled out in 16 minutes as the backup center in his Lakers debut.
&ldquo;It was just hot,&rdquo; said Beasley, who scored eight poitns. &ldquo;We wanted to make a statement and do what we do.&rdquo;
Brandon Ingram scored 25 points and C.J. McCollum had 22 points and nine assists in his return from a one-game absence with a sprained right ankle for the Pelicans, who lost for only the second time in six games.
&ldquo;We just didn&rsquo;t play with a sense of urgency, and those were my end-of-game comments to our team,&rdquo; coach Willie Green said. &ldquo;We have to play with more force and have a sense of urgency that we just didn&rsquo;t have tonight. Not a great effort on our part.&rdquo;
New Orleans&rsquo; Josh Richardson was ejected for arguing a no-call with 10:52 to play.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Zion Williamson attended the game and greeted James during a timeout. He has missed 22 straight games with a strained hamstring, and he is expected to be out for several weeks after the break. ... Former Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. sat out with left groin soreness.
Lakers: Davon Reed played the final 3 1/2 minutes and hit a 3-pointer. ... Bamba had four points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.

LeBron James had 21 points, Anthony Davis had 28 in the new-look Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

LeBron, Anthony Davis get new-look Lakers past Pelicans

In an absolute stunner to kick off NBA trade deadline day, the Phoenix Suns have reportedly acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029) and a 2028 pick swap. TJ Warren is also heading back to the Suns with Durant.
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The Suns are sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks, a 2028 pick swap for Durant and TJ Warren, sources tell ESPN. Durant wanted move and new owner Mat Ishbia pushed to get deal done tonight. <a href="https://t.co/fqFUMIDllo">https://t.co/fqFUMIDllo</a>
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1623564676066934785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The news was initially reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1623564019037614082?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the framework</a> by The Athletic's Shams Charania.
It has been a whirlwind first 48 hours of Suns new owner Mat Ishbia taking charge, and he has absolutely made a splash in his debut with general manager James Jones helping pull this off. Phoenix had been deeply interested in Durant over the summer, but failed to meet the Nets' demands in return.
With Kyrie Irving traded to Dallas earlier this week, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai have pivoted to retooling their franchise, leading to the Suns pouncing on the 13-time All-Star forward's availability.
Durant is lighting up the scoreboard once again this season, averaging 29.7 points on a sizzling 55.9% from the field, including career-best clips from 3-to-10 feet (60.8%) and 10-to-16 feet (60.3%). He should fit in like a glove next to a prolific scorer in Devin Booker and a dynamite table-setter in Chris Paul.

In an absolute stunner to kick off NBA trade deadline day, the Suns have reportedly acquired Kevin Durant from the Nets.

Suns acquire Kevin Durant in shocking blockbuster with Nets

Only 18 times in NBA history has a player averaged 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and 5-plus rebounds per game across an entire season. James Harden and Nikola Jokic are on pace to join the list this year.
Three NBA players &mdash; Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas &mdash; have put up at least 20 points and 10 assists per game over four or more separate seasons in their career. Harden is on pace to be the fourth.
Harden missing out on his 11th NBA All-Star appearance is simply a travesty. Maybe it's because the scoring volume is down, or because he's no longer the top bucket-getting option on his team. Whatever the case may be, he deserves applause for the way he has adapted with age and in a new role to help Philadelphia reinvent its path to contention.&nbsp;
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6 threes for <a href="https://twitter.com/JHarden13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JHarden13</a> and call it a SZN HIGH! <a href="https://t.co/OZF4WCWR1i">pic.twitter.com/OZF4WCWR1i</a>
&mdash; Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1620969675780935684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a>
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Harden is currently posting 21.0 points, 10.9 assists and 6.4 rebounds per contest. His mark of 14.9 field goal attempts per game is the lowest since his days on the Oklahoma City Thunder, but his overall efficiency is on par with his prime years in Houston &mdash; albeit in different forms. And with a dominant scorer in Joel Embiid by his side, Harden has reached new heights as a table-setter.
At 33 years old, Harden doesn't attack the basket with the same ferocity as his peak years. Only 24% of his shot attempts are coming at the rim (career-low), per Cleaning the Glass, and he's driving the basketball 13.3 times per game (lowest since 2013-14), according to Second Spectrum. They're still high numbers for most NBA players, but low by Harden's standards. His straight-line speed, probably still underrated in his heyday, has been sapped a great deal.
That's okay. Harden has been&nbsp;relatively&nbsp;confined to the perimeter, and he's made it work with a 38.8% three-point clip, his best since 2011-12. One key reason for the jump: Harden is canning a red-hot 47.7% of his attempts off the catch, which make up over one-eighth (12.7%) of his total shot diet, according to PBP Stats. That's the largest share of catch-and-shoot treys he's logged since 2016-17 and almost double last year's frequency.&nbsp;
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James Harden&rsquo;s reaction to making three catch-and-shoot 3s was pretty funny. And then, more serious: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working on it, so that&rsquo;s pretty exciting. You don&rsquo;t do too much, just catch-and-shoot it. You put the work in, I work on it every day.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/bH9p2iGTNX">pic.twitter.com/bH9p2iGTNX</a>
&mdash; Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann/status/1620982628995448832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a>
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This isn't to say Harden has completely disavowed his iso-ball ways. According to Synergy, he takes the third-most isolation possessions per game (6.2) in the NBA. But those possessions are less taxing because he has a co-superstar beside him; Embiid actually logs a slightly higher isolation volume (6.3). And Harden doesn't have to will himself to the basket at his age &mdash; Embiid is also collapsing defenses.
The Harden-to-Embiid assist combination is the most popular connection in the league this season. The Beard has hit up The Process 150 times, per PBP Stats, including 71 Embiid buckets at the rim. Their 40-assist lead on the second-most prominent combo of Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield (110) is as large as that duo's edge between it and the 31st-ranked coupling (a tie between Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett, Killian Hayes and Bojan Bogdanovic, and Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton).&nbsp;
Meanwhile, though much less often, Embiid is the most frequent passer when Harden picks up an assisted bucket. They've teamed up 19 times this season, including 11 Harden makes from beyond the arc.
The Embiid-Harden pick-and-roll has boosted their ascension to perhaps the most dynamic two-man action tandem in the league. But Harden's comfort in Philly is also boosting the supporting cast &mdash; most exemplified in Tobias Harris.&nbsp;
Harris, now 30 years old, has quietly settled into an efficient complementary role while Harden, Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton initiate most offensive possessions. He's shooting a career-best 58% from two-point range. Harris' at-rim frequency (34%), field goal percentage (69%) and assisted-make rate (62%) are all the highest of his four-plus seasons with the Sixers, according to Cleaning the Glass.
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Less than a minute into the second half, James Harden records his 71st career triple-double with this dime to Tobias Harris 🔥<a href="https://t.co/uC4MpbmmYv">pic.twitter.com/uC4MpbmmYv</a> <a href="https://t.co/VEgsAzQYG2">https://t.co/VEgsAzQYG2</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1612200618436730880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The scoring opportunities get easier with Harden on the floor. The former MVP sends 18.1% of his passes to Harris, who in turn makes 59.2% of his ensuing twos and 37.7% of his threes. Harris has typically averaged 8-10 drives per game over the course of his prime years vs. his 6.7 drives this season. The creation burden has been lessened and the efficiency has increased.
It helps that the Sixers added De'Anthony Melton to space the floor and act as a secondary ball-handler, and Maxey certainly gives them another sharp driving punch. But Harden has made everyone, including Harris and Embiid, better since finding his comfort level on the team.
Harden's average of 92.7 touches per game ranks third in the NBA and is still on par with his typical touch rate throughout his career. He's still the ignition for Philly's ninth-ranked offense and a matchup nightmare when he's on the floor, even if the picture looks a little different.&nbsp;
Whether it's the lack of All-Star recognition or the general lack of buzz, Harden's superstardom has taken a back seat in the national consciousness. Don't make that same mistake.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>A cool blocked shot locations graphic from Edoardo Vergani. Look at Bol Bol!</li>
</ul>
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NBA: Blocked shot location of the 12 players with most blocks during this season! What pops out? Let me know! <a href="https://t.co/shFXLWFonW">pic.twitter.com/shFXLWFonW</a>
&mdash; Edoardo Vergani (@ed_vergani) <a href="https://twitter.com/ed_vergani/status/1621863738931400705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>Brandon Miller is such a fascinating NBA Draft prospect:</li>
</ul>
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Brandon Miller is putting up unprecedented versatility and efficiency in his jumpshot diet for a college big wing. Here's how he compares to some other 6'7+ shooters - Jabari Smith, Keegan Murray, Saddiq Bey, Brandon Ingram, and Khris Middleton. <a href="https://t.co/DUNsKNXfb4">pic.twitter.com/DUNsKNXfb4</a>
&mdash; Mark (@MarkC_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkC_NBA/status/1621229412091039744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>The Pacers are an absolutely chaotic basketball team, as shown in this table from Tom Bassine:</li>
</ul>
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Net rating in each quarter. Best by Q: 1 - Nuggets 2 - Pacers 3 - Thunder 4 - Cavs <a href="https://t.co/0dKf9ChDbI">pic.twitter.com/0dKf9ChDbI</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1622230703017525249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>

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James Harden is on pace to be the third player to average 20 points and 10 assists in five seasons. Ethan Fuller praises his play.

NBA Stats Notebook: Giving James Harden the flowers he deserves

Pat Riley remembers just about every detail surrounding the events of Dec. 29, 1961. It was a cold night in Schenectady, New York. A little snowy, the roads a little icy. And when the bus carrying the opposing team from New York City arrived, all of Riley&rsquo;s Linton High teammates peered out the window.
They saw a giant.
Long before Riley and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were winning NBA championships together as coach and player with the Showtime-era Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, they were opponents. Riley and Linton beat Power Memorial and Lew Alcindor &mdash; Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s name before converting to Islam &mdash; 74-68 that night.
Abdul-Jabbar, then a 6-foot-10 freshman, was held to eight points because he spent virtually the entire game in foul trouble. He has told Riley several times over the years that Linton won because Riley&rsquo;s father &mdash; a lifelong baseball man &mdash; had his umpiring friends refereeing the game.
&ldquo;Which we did,&rdquo; Riley acknowledges.
Riley knew it then and came to appreciate it even more years later &mdash; there were only a few ways to stop the player who would eventually spend nearly four decades as the most prolific scorer in NBA history. Abdul-Jabbar is on the verge of being passed by the Lakers&rsquo; LeBron James, the 38-year-old who was nearly nine months from being born when the unforgettable center made one of his signature sky hooks on April 5, 1984 to overtake Wilt Chamberlain and become the league&rsquo;s scoring leader.
&ldquo;Kareem was a guy that never had any potential. He just had greatness,&rdquo; said Riley, now the president of the Miami Heat and one of the few who has worked with both Abdul-Jabbar and James. &ldquo;You could see that. When you can bypass potential and you move right to greatness as a high school player, and then college and then the pros ... there are very few like him. There&rsquo;s a handful. Two handfuls, at the most.&rdquo;
James is one of them, going from high school straight to the NBA, and now in his 20th season, he is now just 63 points away from passing Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s record. The Lakers play Saturday at New Orleans.
The most realistic target for the record-breaker is Tuesday in Los Angeles against Oklahoma City or &mdash; perhaps symbolically &mdash; next Thursday in L.A. when the Lakers play host to the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that Abdul-Jabbar started his NBA career with.
This past October, Abdul-Jabbar &mdash; on his Substack page where he discusses and offers opinion on a variety of topics, often nothing to do with sports &mdash; wrote that when James passed Kobe Bryant for No. 3 on the all-time scoring list in 2020, he &ldquo;knew it was just a matter of time before he passed me too.&rdquo;
Abdul-Jabbar added that every time a record is broken, all people are elevated.
&ldquo;When I broke Wilt Chamberlain&rsquo;s scoring record in 1984 &mdash; the year LeBron was born &mdash; it bothered Wilt, who&rsquo;d had a bit of a one-sided rivalry with me since I&rsquo;d started doing so well in the NBA,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t feel that way toward LeBron. Not only will I celebrate his accomplishment, I will sing his praises unequivocally.&rdquo;
The relationship between Abdul-Jabbar and James seems complicated. Abdul-Jabbar was outside of the Cleveland locker room during the 2016 Eastern Conference finals as James was jogging by; the two embraced and shared a few kind words, prompting James to discuss the respect he has for Abdul-Jabbar and others who paved the way in his postgame remarks.
Abdul-Jabbar also has lauded James &ldquo;as a community leader and athlete.&rdquo; But he criticized James for not doing more with his platform to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. And earlier this season, James said he has &ldquo;no relationship&rdquo; with Abdul-Jabbar.
There are ties that bind them, though. Both are champions. Both have worked to promote social justice and spoken out against racial inequality. Abdul-Jabbar played 20 years in the NBA; James is in Year 20. Abdul-Jabbar set the record while playing for the Lakers; James will do the same.
And If nothing else, James&rsquo; pursuit of the record may have exposed a generation or two that never saw Abdul-Jabbar play to how great he was.
&ldquo;We have to always acknowledge those who come before us, those who&rsquo;ve paved the way,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;You think of all those points Kareem scored and he had, what, one 3-pointer? You think about all of that, and these kids get to learn about a different era. It&rsquo;s high, high-level education in the game of basketball, particularly NBA basketball.&rdquo;
When Abdul-Jabbar broke the record, Riley said Magic Johnson &mdash; then the Lakers&rsquo; point guard &mdash; made sure he was the one who got the assist on the play. Johnson nearly put himself back into the game against Utah in Las Vegas that night when Abdul-Jabbar was two points away.
Years later, when the Lakers from those championship teams of that era gathered in Hawaii last summer for a reunion, Abdul-Jabbar was a day late because of personal matters. The Lakers in 2022 celebrated his arrival the same way they did the record-setter in 1984.
&ldquo;He felt special because he was special, because he is special,&rdquo; Riley said of the man who once stood shoulder-to-shoulder alongside an embattled Muhammad Ali during the boxing champ&rsquo;s legal troubles in the late 1960s, and counted Bill Russell &mdash; another basketball giant and social-change champion &mdash; as a mentor. &ldquo;He was treated as the patriarch by all the players. It was a great week for him. He was engaged, came to everything we did, gave some spontaneous talks. And he&rsquo;s a shy guy, but he felt very comfortable in his group.&rdquo;
Riley coached Abdul-Jabbar in Los Angeles and later lured James to Miami for a four-year run starting in 2010. He sees in James much of what he saw in Alcindor when that bus pulled into Schenectady in 1961.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s all about LeBron right now, and it should be, with his unique career and unique opportunity to do this,&rdquo; Riley said. &ldquo;Training, travel, personal chefs, personal trainers, all that stuff has come into play since Kareem. I hope people realize Kareem&rsquo;s story as well and how different it was. He went to college for four years; LeBron came out of high school. But they both dominated from Day 1. They both turned potential into greatness from Day 1.&rdquo;

After LeBron passed Kobe in all-time scoring, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar "knew it was just a matter of time before [LeBron] passed me too.”

Pat Riley: Kareem never had potential, ‘only greatness’

It&rsquo;s reasonable to think Chet Holmgren will be an NBA All-Star one day. He was a highly recruited high school player whose one year at Gonzaga was stellar enough for Oklahoma City to make him the No. 2 pick in last year&rsquo;s draft. He&rsquo;s an obvious talent, an enormous talent.
And it&rsquo;s terrible that Holmgren got hurt last summer and will miss the entirety of this season.
But evidently, his rehab has been going extremely well &mdash; since four NBA players say he should start next month&rsquo;s All-Star Game.
That&rsquo;s right. When NBA players were asked in recent weeks who should start their All-Star Game in Salt Lake City on Feb. 19, four of them said that Holmgren should, even though he has yet to make his NBA debut.
So, congratulations to everyone involved. It&rsquo;s a new record: 330 different NBA players got a vote &mdash; either from themselves or their peers &mdash; saying they should be an All-Star starter. That&rsquo;s 20 more than the number of players who got votes in 2021.
Keep in mind only 10 people will start the All-Star Game. There might be, at the most, 20 legitimate candidates for those starting nods. OK, let&rsquo;s say it&rsquo;s 30 players, even. That&rsquo;s 300 less than the number of people who received votes.
That means a ton of votes were wasted, unserious, a joke.
This all started seven years ago, after almost 800,000 people stuffed the ballot boxes and nearly made Zaza Pachulia an All-Star starter. So the NBA changed the rules, going to a weighted formula &mdash; 50% is determined by fan votes, 25% by media votes, 25% by player votes.
The fans pretty much got who they wanted, as should always be the case. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum were the top seven fan vote-getters; they all were announced as starters when the list was revealed Thursday night. So did No. 9 Kyrie Irving, No. 10 Donovan Mitchell and No. 12 Zion Williamson.
No. 7 Joel Embiid didn&rsquo;t make the cut, nor did No. 11 Anthony Davis.
Player votes were a big reason why Davis wasn&rsquo;t a starter. Only 30 players voted for Davis among Western Conference frontcourt players, while 80 voted for Williamson. That made the difference.
But many of the 375 ballots returned by players were puzzling.
Chicago&rsquo;s Lonzo Ball got four votes. Miami&rsquo;s Omer Yurtseven got three votes. Jae Crowder, who is still a member of the Phoenix Suns in name only, got two votes. Denver&rsquo;s Collin Gillespie and Portland&rsquo;s Ibou Badji each got one vote.
Here&rsquo;s what they all have in common: Like Holmgren, none has played this season.
There were other interesting &mdash; a polite way of saying odd, in this case &mdash; trends within the data. Only Jokic (58.7%), Antetokounmpo (58.7%) and James (51.5%) appeared on more than half of the All-Star ballots cast by NBA players this year.
The Phoenix Suns were hoping that guard Devin Booker would get consideration as a starter. He wasn&rsquo;t close, probably in large part because he&rsquo;s missed some time this season with injury.
&ldquo;We know and the league knows and the players know,&rdquo; Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best (shooting) guard in the game and one of the best players in the game.&rdquo;
Perhaps the players don&rsquo;t know: Only 8.5% said Booker should be a starter.
Milwaukee&rsquo;s Grayson Allen got four votes, which is one more than reigning NBA defensive player of the year Marcus Smart of Boston received. Yes, Allen has been a contributor to what the Bucks have done so far this year. He&rsquo;s had his moments. He&rsquo;s hit big shots. But it&rsquo;s not a fine line between solid player and All-Star starter &mdash; it&rsquo;s more like a crater.
There certainly could be a year where the irresponsible voting really costs somebody a spot. It won&rsquo;t be this year. Certainly, arguments could be made for other players &mdash; Embiid, Domantas Sabonis, Ja Morant, Lauri Markkanen, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander &mdash; as candidates to start.
They&rsquo;ll all probably be All-Stars anyway.
The coaches will now decide the reserves; the votes for the starters no longer count for anything. Only the coaches&rsquo; ballots count toward the last seven All-Stars selected from each conference. And if someone has to bow out of the game because of injury, Commissioner Adam Silver chooses a replacement.
But hopefully, there will soon come a time when the players take the voting more seriously. If not, maybe the NBA needs to consider taking their vote away.
___
Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at treynolds(at)ap.org

Despite not playing one minute this year, four NBA players say Chet Holmgren should start next month’s All-Star Game.

Analysis: It may be time to re-think NBA All-Star voting

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland scored 26 points and Evan Mobley added 21 as the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the short-handed Houston Rockets 113-95 Thursday night despite missing Donovan Mitchell.
Garland, the fifth overall pick in the 2019 draft who turned 23 on Thursday, also had nine assists and four rebounds for the Cavs.
&ldquo;Darius has continued to grow,&rdquo; Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;This is a place where we&rsquo;ve seen him grow the most is understanding the moment, understanding each game and how it&rsquo;s different and what it takes from him to be a tone-setter.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers led by 26 at halftime after scoring 74 points in the first two periods. The Rockets cut it to 22 on a basket by rookie Jabari Smith Jr. with 9&frac12; minutes left in the third. But Cleveland scored the next 10 points, with 3s by Garland and Dean Wade, to extend the lead to 89-57 midway through the quarter.
&ldquo;Everything has been that hunt for consistency,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had leads before and we get a little lax and loose with the ball and things like that. But I thought they had the right approach for the majority of the game tonight.&rdquo;
The Rockets ended the quarter with an 11-3 run, with five points from rookie TyTy Washington, but they still trailed 97-74 entering the fourth.
Tari Eason opened the fourth with a tip-in shot for the Rockets before Garland and Cedi Osman made consecutive 3-pointers to push Cleveland&rsquo;s advantage to 103-76.
The Cavaliers scored five straight points, capped by a 3 from Wade, to make it 111-89 with about 3 1/2 minutes left, and Cleveland&rsquo;s starters sat down after that.
Mitchell sat out for the fourth time in five games with a groin strain. He returned Tuesday night after missing three games, but aggravated it near the end of that game to keep him out Thursday. Mitchell, who ranks ninth in the NBA by averaging 28.3 points a game, was named a starter for the Eastern Conference in next month&rsquo;s NBA All-Star Game.
Eason had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Houston. The Rockets were without Eric Gordon, Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate and Kevin Porter Jr. as they lost their second straight since snapping a 13-game skid Monday night.
The Rockets, who have the NBA&rsquo;s worst record at 11-38, committed 22 turnovers and made just five of 21 3-pointers. Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, was 2 of 9 for six points after scoring a career-high 42 points in Houston&rsquo;s win over Minnesota on Monday.
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&ldquo;They&rsquo;re one of the best defensive teams in the league, so the fact that they forced 22 turnovers wasn&rsquo;t super surprising since going in knowing we didn&rsquo;t have three of our main guys who handle the basketball,&rdquo; Silas said.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Kevin Love sat out with back spasms. &hellip; Wade scored 15 off the bench. ... Jarrett Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Rockets: Gordon missed the game with right knee soreness. &hellip; Tate was out as part of injury management after returning from an ankle sprain. &hellip; Porter missed his eighth straight game with a bruised left foot.
ALL-STAR MITCHELL
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In the wake of Mitchell&rsquo;s selection as an All-Star game starter, Bickerstaff raved about how he&rsquo;s approached his job in his first season in Cleveland after an off-season trade from Utah.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s the respect piece and just a compliment to the job that he&rsquo;s done,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;To be able to come into a completely new environment and quite possibly have the best year so far in his career says a lot about him.&rdquo;
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Darius Garland scored 26 points and Evan Mobley added 21 as the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Houston Rockets 113-95.

Garland scores 26 as Cavaliers race past Rockets 113-95

The NBA All-Star Game is Feb. 19. And nobody will know the All-Star rosters until that night.
Not even the players themselves.
The team captains &mdash; probably LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and either Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kevin Durant &mdash; will make their picks in a live, televised pregame segment shortly before the game begins in Salt Lake City.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced the format change on Tuesday night.
This will be the sixth time that the league has used the format where captains choose their teams, but in each of the first five instances the rosters were selected several days before the game.
The captains and starters will be announced on Thursday.
James has been a captain in each of the first five years and, based on the results of voting released by the league late last week, is virtually certain to be one again this year. The leading vote-getter from both the Eastern and Western Conference earns the right to be a captain.
Durant was the early leader among East players, then fell slightly behind Antetokounmpo in the most recent balloting. He&rsquo;s still expected to be selected as a starter, and it won&rsquo;t be known until Thursday if he reclaimed the East voting lead in the final days.
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Ballots to decide the starters were due Saturday.
&ldquo;I want to play,&rdquo; Durant told reporters in New York on Tuesday. &ldquo;I want to be a part of all these events.&rdquo;
James&rsquo; teams are 5-0 in All-Star games when he is a captain.
Durant has been a captain as the East&rsquo;s voting leader in each of the past two years. Antetokounmpo was in the previous two years, 2019 and 2020.
The top three frontcourt players and top two guards in each conference will be chosen as starters, with the leading overall vote-getters from each conference serving as captains and choosing their teams.
Fan voting counts for 50% of the starters balloting, a media ballot counts for 25% and the ballots turned in by NBA players count for the other 25%.
Reserves &mdash; chosen by NBA coaches, seven players from each conference &mdash; will be revealed Feb. 2.
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</div>

The NBA All-Star captains will make their picks in a live, televised pregame segment shortly before the game begins in Salt Lake City.

NBA All-Star rosters won’t be picked until game night

PARIS (AP) — Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has passed Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant for the All-Star Game voting lead among Eastern Conference players, now putting him on track to be a captain for the Feb. 19 game in Salt Lake City.
Antetokounmpo had 5,970,196 votes entering Thursday, the NBA said in the third update of the All-Star balloting. Durant is 132,014 votes behind, with 5,838,182.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers remains the overall voting leader, with 6,506,682 votes. James has been a captain in all five of the NBA’s previous uses of the format where the leading vote-getters from the Eastern and Western conferences get to pick their rosters from the other selections.
James' teams are 5-0 in All-Star games when he is a captain.
Durant — who was the voting leader from the East at each of the first two balloting updates this year, but has been sidelined of late with a sprained knee ligament — has been the captain as the East’s voting leader in each of the past two years. Antetokounmpo was in the previous two years, 2019 and 2020.
The top three frontcourt players and top two guards in each conference will be chosen as starters, with the leading overall vote-getters from each conference serving as captains and choosing their teams.
James tops the list of West frontcourt players. Denver’s Nikola Jokic remained in second (4,718,218) and the Lakers’ Anthony Davis remained third (3,838,171).
Antetokounmpo leapfrogged Durant among East frontcourt balloting, and Boston’s Jayson Tatum stretched his lead over Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid for the third spot in the voting among those players. Tatum had 4,521,414 votes, while Embiid had 4,318,035. The margin a week ago had Tatum leading Embiid by just over 32,000 votes in the race for the No. 3 spot.
Golden State’s Stephen Curry still leads all guards in the balloting, now with 5,151,822 votes. Dallas’ Luka Doncic remained No. 2 behind Curry among West guards with 4,905,655 votes.
The top two vote-getters among East guards was also unchanged. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving still leads with 3,968,041 votes, and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell is second with 3,851,233 votes.
Fan voting counts for 50% of the starters balloting, a media ballot counts for 25% and the ballots turned in by NBA players count for the other 25%.
Voting by fans continues through Saturday. The captains and the starters will be announced Jan. 26. Reserves — chosen by NBA coaches — will be revealed Feb. 2. The All-Star captains will then draft their teams, probably in the second week of February.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has passed Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant for the All-Star Game voting lead in the NBA's East.

Antetokounmpo passes Durant for East All-Star voting lead

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is well on his way to catching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on more than the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-lakers-sports-lebron-james-nba-basketball-milwaukee-52dc2842a3ddd4e15e7df398fa5e5fb2">NBA&rsquo;s career scoring list</a>.
James is on pace to be an All-Star for the 19th time, after the NBA said Thursday he remains the overall leading vote-getter for the Feb. 19 game in Salt Lake City.
Abdul-Jabbar is the only 19-time All-Star in NBA history. James and Kobe Bryant are 18-time selections, and James entered Thursday 423 points away from passing Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA&rsquo;s all-time scoring leader.
James had 4,825,229 votes entering Thursday. That puts him in position to be a captain for the sixth consecutive year &mdash; and possibly opposing Kevin Durant for the third straight time.
Durant, the Brooklyn Nets star who is expected to miss about a month after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-kevin-durant-basketball-2c4cf74f85fc29dd6271c445e3b92ece">spraining a knee ligament</a> earlier this week, is the top vote-getter in the Eastern Conference, with 4,509,238 entering Thursday.
The top three frontcourt players and top two guards in each conference will be chosen as starters, with the leading overall vote-getters from each conference serving as captains and choosing their teams.
James tops the list of Western Conference frontcourt players. Denver&rsquo;s Nikola Jokic remained in second (3,441,893) and the Lakers&rsquo; Anthony Davis remained third (2,950,563).
Durant leads East frontcourt players, just ahead of Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo (4,467,306). But Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum moved ahead of Philadelphia&rsquo;s Joel Embiid this week for the third spot; Tatum had 3,281,124 votes, while Embiid had 3,248,733.
Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry leads all guards in the balloting with 3,901,808 votes. Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic remained No. 2 behind Curry among West guards with 3,649,647 votes.
The top two vote-getters among East guards was also unchanged: Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kyrie Irving leads with 3,024,833 votes, and Cleveland&rsquo;s Donovan Mitchell is second with 2,725,558.
Fan voting counts for 50% of the starters balloting, a media ballot counts for 25% and the ballots turned in by NBA players count for the other 25%.
James has been a captain in all five previous uses of that process, going 5-0 in All-Star Games. His team beat a Durant-picked team in 2021 and 2022, beat teams picked by Antetokounmpo in 2019 and 2020, and beat a team picked by Curry in 2018.
Durant did not play in either of those games in 2021 or 2022 because of injury.
Voting continues through Jan. 21. The captains and the starters will be announced Jan. 26. Reserves &mdash; chosen by NBA coaches &mdash; will be revealed Feb. 2. The All-Star captains will then draft their teams, probably in the second week of February.

Lakers star LeBron James and Kevin Durant of the Nets continue to lead voting for the upcoming NBA All-Star game.

NBA updates All-Star vote numbers; LeBron, Durant still lead

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

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

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

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets might be headed toward yet another NBA All-Star Game rematch.
James is the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/2023-all-star-voting-first-returns">overall leader so far in All-Star balloting,</a> and Durant leads all Eastern Conference players in early voting returns &mdash; putting them on track to be All-Star captains for the third consecutive year.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LeBron James and Kevin Durant lead their respective conferences in the first fan returns of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar</a> Voting presented by AT&amp;T. Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each. The next fan update is Jan. 12. <a href="https://t.co/osVeUGI8H4">pic.twitter.com/osVeUGI8H4</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1611059965523001345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

James had 3,168,694 votes entering Thursday, topping the list of Western Conference frontcourt players. Denver&rsquo;s Nikola Jokic is second (2,237,768) and the Lakers&rsquo; Anthony Davis is third (2,063,325).
Durant leads Eastern Conference frontcourt players with 3,118,545 votes. That&rsquo;s just ahead of Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo (2,998,327) and Philadelphia&rsquo;s Joel Embiid (2,226,712).
Golden State&rsquo;s Stephen Curry leads all guards in the balloting with 2,715,520 votes. Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic has the No. 2 spot among West guards with 2,388,502 votes.
Among East guards, Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kyrie Irving leads with 2,071,715 votes, and Cleveland&rsquo;s Donovan Mitchell is second with 1,637,374.
The top three frontcourt players and top two guards in each conference will be chosen as starters, with the leading overall vote-getters from each conference serving as captains and choosing their teams.
Fan voting counts for 50% of the starters balloting, a media ballot counts for 25% and the ballots turned in by NBA players count for the other 25%.
James has been a captain in all five previous uses of that process, going 5-0 in All-Star Games. His team beat a Durant-picked team in 2020 and 2021, beat teams picked by Antetokounmpo in 2018 and 2019, and beat a team picked by Curry in 2017.
Voting continues through Jan. 21. The captains and the starters will be announced Jan. 26. Reserves &mdash; chosen by NBA coaches &mdash; will be revealed Feb. 2, and the game is Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are already on track to be All-Star captains for the third consecutive year.

LeBron James, Kevin Durant lead early in NBA All-Star starter voting

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Dirk Nowitzki stood with his son Max, both ready to push the lever that would unveil the statue of the retired Dallas Mavericks star outside the team's arena.
It already had been revealed that the statue depicted Nowitzki's signature one-legged fadeaway jumper. Not that there ever was any question.
&ldquo;That jump shot, just going up to the sky, creating all type of rain,&rdquo; said Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham, whose team was playing the Mavericks in the Christmas Day game that followed the Nowitzki ceremony Sunday.
Nowitzki has a street named after him not far from American Airlines Center, where his jersey is in the rafters. And now a nearly 24-foot statue on the plaza south of the arena, unveiled on a chilly but sunny morning.
&ldquo;It was emotional,&rdquo; said Nowitzki, the only NBA player to spend all 21 seasons with the same franchise. &ldquo;When the thing went up, felt like the sun was just perfect today, just shining right on it."
The biggest of those multiple moments honoring Nowitzki's career came on the 11th anniversary of the only other Christmas home game for the Mavericks.
Nowitzki was the face of the franchise then, opening defense of the club's only NBA title in the lockout-delayed 2011-12 season.
The new face, 23-year-old star guard Luka Doncic, watched the ceremony from just behind Nowitzki with several teammates and coach Jason Kidd.
Nowitzki's point guard on the 2011 title team had to throw in at least one joke about his former teammate, deciding to poke fun at the defense of the NBA's highest-scoring foreign-born player.
&ldquo;They picked the right move,&rdquo; Kidd told reporters later. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think they were going to use the swipe (on defense) or him passing the ball. You see his stats on passing? He was a ball hog.&rdquo;
Sculptor Omri Amrany has created statues of other retired NBA stars in Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal. He worked mostly with Nowitzki mentor Holder Geschwindner, who shaped the 7-foot German's one-legged fadeaway.
Nowitzki's family came from Germany along with Gershwindner, and the 44-year-old couldn't say enough times what it meant to have his mom and dad witness the ceremony.
It came four days after Nowitzki was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-candidates-for-class-of-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nominated for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame</a> alongside Gregg Popovich, coach of Texas rival San Antonio, retired Spurs guard Tony Parker and Dwyane Wade, who beat Nowitzki in the 2006 NBA Finals with Miami before losing to him with LeBron James in 2011.
Nowitzki's title came the year James and Chris Bosh joined Wade and the Heat, who went on to win the next two multiple championships. Nowitzki stayed through some lean final years in Dallas, mostly because he had what he wanted most.
&ldquo;I'm so happy I didn't have to do that and it worked out this way,&rdquo; Nowitzki said. &ldquo;Once we won the championship, I knew I wanted to be here and finish my career here.&rdquo;
Nowitzki is sixth on the career scoring list with 31,560 points and the leader in every other significant offensive category for the Mavericks. He is a consultant for owner Mark Cuban and spends most of his time in Dallas with his wife, Jessica, and three children.
As the three-year statue project dragged on, Nowitzki pondered the theme that would accompany the base. When it came time to decide, he said he got lucky in picking something with 21 letters, matching his 21 seasons with the Mavericks.
&ldquo;Loyalty never fades away.&rdquo;

In addition to having a street named after him and his jersey in the rafters, Dirk Nowitzki now has a 24-foot statue on the arena's plaza.

Mavs unveil Dirk Nowitzki statue before Christmas game vs. Lakers

Offenses have never been more lethal than they are in this era. With primary ball-handlers becoming larger, the collective shooting range expanding and teams leaning further into the importance of spacing, it&rsquo;s becoming even more difficult to keep the ball out of the basket.
With the game expanding, screening has become even more important. A well-placed off-ball pick can free a movement shooter for a triple or a catch-and-drive. On-ball screens can make shifty ball-handlers even harder to deal with in pick-and-roll and open the door for dump-offs, lobs and fruitful catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Screeners come in all sizes these days, ranging from the burly centers to mismatch-causing smalls. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I can&rsquo;t overstate how important guard-screening has become</a>, especially late in games.
This season, I want to keep tabs on who is &mdash; and isn&rsquo;t &mdash; getting the job done as screeners. Every week, I&rsquo;ll be highlighting a handful of the most powerful (and shameful) screen-setters in the league.
Let&rsquo;s get into volume three.
*All stats are through games played between November 19 and November 25, unless noted otherwise.*
BIG OF THE WEEK: JUSUF NURKIC
It can be easy to pick at some of the holes in Jusuf Nurkic's game &mdash; ask me how I know &mdash; but sometimes you have to get back to the obvious. There is value in being an incredibly large and strong human being.
The backcourt of Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons can win games with their filthy pull-ups. Josh Hart can puncture defenses with drives. Shaedon Sharpe is becoming an artist curling from the corner and flowing into pull-ups or taking an extra dribble to float towards the rim. All of that is made easier when Nurkic is the guy springing them free.
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Nurkic had "Brick Wall" on Gold this week, connecting on nearly 78% of his on-ball screens and 68% of his off-ball ones, per Second Spectrum. In both contexts, the Blazers generated well over 1.0 points per possession (PPP). The connection between Simons and Nurkic was particularly fruitful.&nbsp;
Keep an eye on them moving foward.&nbsp;
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SMALL OF THE WEEK: JOSH GREEN
Prying star players open is an important, but often thankless job. Being the mismatch-hunter guy is especially tedious; you know you're in the action because the opponent has put their weakest defender on you, and your star teammate wants to attack.
This phenomenon is even more prevalent for the Fightin' Lukas, where their games consist of countless ball screens and isolations aimed at weak links. No team has faced more switches against their pick-and-rolls than the Mavericks (534 total, 32.9 per 100 possessions) this season. Shockingly, Luka leads the NBA on the individual level (304, 25.9 per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
It would be easy to go through the motions &mdash;&nbsp;let me just get in the way so Luka can get his matchup &mdash;&nbsp;but I'd like to applaud the buy-in from Josh Green. He's still screening with juice, regardless of if he gets the ball or not. It warms my heart when he does&nbsp;get rewarded with a touch. I really enjoyed his work against Denver earlier this week.
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It's been a quietly-successful third-year campaign for Green, who looks more comfortable and confident on both ends of the floor. The (lack of) coverage he saw during the Mavs' first round series with the Utah Jazz must've weighed on him.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE: KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS
It's still hard to get a feel for who these Wolves are. They wax between harmony, confusion, indifference, and dominance. That leads to sentences like "Huh, they're on a five-game winning streak" and "Wait, they lost to those&nbsp;Hornets???"
If there's one thing clear, this isn't a team that can afford to skirt past the little things. That includes screening, which brings me to Karl-Anthony Towns. For someone with his blend of shooting, driving power and overall footwork (offensively), I frankly never know what to expect when he trots up to D'Angelo Russell or Anthony Edwards.
Sometimes it's a well-placed screen. It could be a slip. It could be an illegal screen because he leaned in, or because his base was too wide. And then there are the possessions like this:
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Towns seems unsure if Austin Rivers is even going to use his pick, seems late to set one, and ultimately doesn't do any real damage. The action swings to the other side and Edwards jets downhill before Towns can really lay the lumber. Towns ends up with the ball and scores, but how do you grade the process?
Statistically, I don't even know if you can call it a bad week. The Wolves generated a solid 1.02 PPP on trips featuring an on-ball screen from Towns. He connected on a shade under 54% of his on-ball screens, a low mark (29th percentile), but one that makes sense considering his slip or flare usage when paired with Rudy Gobert. Like this:&nbsp;
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But even on those possessions, there's room for Towns to make contact before flaring out. Like most things Wolves-related right now, I just wish there was more consistency.&nbsp;
WE SEE YOU TOO: JEREMY SOCHAN
Not too much on the young buck, who the Spurs are allowing to do a little bit of everything to start the season. I do think there's some low-hanging fruit for him to grab when he's off the ball.
Sochan already maps the floor well for a guy his age. He buzzes off the ball and often makes himself available for cuts. He'll either get hit for easy shot attempts, or his well-timed cut will open an opportunity for another teammate. It's genuinely good stuff.
He also seems to recognize when flare screens or pin-in screens are appropriate to set. It would help if he ... actually&nbsp;set them&nbsp;more consistently. He had some notable whiffs or cancel-outs on film this week.
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Too many "get behind me" points, not enough contact being made. If a bozo like me can point this out, I'm sure it's been mentioned elsewhere. He should be fine.
Screen Time will be back next Saturday! <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/screen-time-vol4-highlighting-the-nbas-best-and-worst-screeners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out last week's edition of Screen Time here</a>.

Nekias Duncan highlights Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Green, among others, for their screening successes this week.

Screen Time Vol. 5: Highlighting the NBA's best and worst screeners

Offenses have never been more lethal than they are in this era. With primary ball-handlers becoming larger, the collective shooting range expanding and teams leaning further into the importance of spacing, it&rsquo;s becoming even more difficult to keep the ball out of the basket.
With the game expanding, screening has become even more important. A well-placed off-ball pick can free a movement shooter for a triple or a catch-and-drive. On-ball screens can make shifty ball-handlers even harder to deal with in pick-and-roll and open the door for dump-offs, lobs and fruitful catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Screeners come in all sizes these days, ranging from the burly centers to mismatch-causing smalls. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I can&rsquo;t overstate how important guard-screening has become</a>, especially late in games.
This season, I want to keep tabs on who is &mdash; and isn&rsquo;t &mdash; getting the job done as screeners. Every week, I&rsquo;ll be highlighting a handful of the most powerful (and shameful) screen-setters in the league.
Let&rsquo;s get into volume three.
*All stats are through games played between November 12 and November 18, unless noted otherwise.*
BIG OF THE WEEK: ROBIN LOPEZ
It hasn't been the best time for the Cleveland Cavaliers. After jumping out to an 8-1 start, they've lost five of their last six games &mdash; the win coming in double overtime against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.&nbsp;
However, we're not here to talk about the Cavs at large, or their defense falling off a&nbsp;cliff over the last week and a half.&nbsp;
We're here to talk about Robin Lopez absolutely mauling dudes.&nbsp;
For all the joy derived from the sweeping hooks over either shoulder, the foundation of Lopez's offensive value is his ability to clear runways. With Jarrett Allen missing two of the three games the Cavs played this past week, Lopez filled in and made life easier for the guards, particularly Darius Garland.&nbsp;
Watching Lopez spring Garland free was a hidden treasure of an otherwise wonky stretch of basketball. The Garland-Lopez ball screen was good for an absurd 1.33 points per play (PPP), per Second Spectrum.
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Lopez was the most effective on-ball screener in the league this week. He generated contact on 86.7% of screens, the highest clip among 63 players to set at least 40 screens. Second Spectrum also tracks "die-on" percentage, essentially the rate in which the player screened gets wiped out by a pick. Lopez's 8.9% clip also lapped the field.
Quality work from the Other Lopez.
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POINT GUARD WHO'S ACTUALLY A FORWARD TURNED BACKUP CENTER OF THE WEEK: BEN SIMMONS
Confusing and otherwise outdated positional designations aside, I found myself optimistic on the play of Ben Simmons this week. He isn't close to being the All-NBA player he was at his healthiest, but it feels like the aggression is coming back, one game at a time.&nbsp;
By virtue of his team and (shifting) role, screening has become a more important piece to Simmons' game. After setting roughly nine on-ball picks per 100 possessions in the 2020-21 season, Simmons has more than doubled that volume this season (21.5 per 100). He's connecting on 72.5% of his screen this season, and had some fun reps this past week.
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The next step for Simmons, and something we saw inklings of this week, will be rolling harder after the screen. He has serious short-roll passing chops, but he has to make himself available for them.&nbsp;
SMALL OF THE WEEK: MONTE MORRIS
Prying star players open is an important, but often thankless job. Prying other role players open is very much a thankless job. Leave it to Monte Morris, Professional Point Guard, to make no bones about it.
His job is to make his teammates better, whether that's orchestrating a ball screen, lifting up the arc when Bradley Beal or someone else runs a ball screen, making timely cuts or being a lead blocker as part of Washington's continuity-based offense.&nbsp;
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Did you know the Wizards generated 1.5 PPP on possessions featuring an off-ball screen from Morris this week? Now you do!
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FACILITIES FOR THIS, BIG MAN: DEANDRE JORDAN
Aye man, you just have to be better than this.
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There are more clips, but we can leave it there.
DeAndre Jordan is on the roster to make life easier for folks &mdash; particularly on the floor. His screen-setting and vertical presence is supposed to be a change-of-pace from what Nikola Jokic (or Jeff Green or Zeke Nnaji) provides at the 5 spot.
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Frankly, Jordan hasn't done enough. Among the aforementioned 63-man group that set at least 40 on-ball screens this week, nobody did a worse job at connecting on them than Jordan did (35.4% contact rate). To shoot him some bail, the guards were feeling reject-heavy this week, particularly when defenses tried to ICE them &mdash; meaning the on-ball defender forced the ball-handler down the sideline.
Of course, we also got this rep he slipped out of.
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Even in the high/middle ball screens, it was more likely that Jordan turned and ran early or screened with his arm (yes, singular) than anything else. Considering some of the issues that have popped up for him defensively, he can't afford to miss on the little things like this.&nbsp;
WE SEE YOU TOO: BOL BOL
As the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-celebrating-bol-bol-start-to-the-season-orlando-magic-jamahl-mosley-anthony-davis-giannis-antetokounmpo-oregon-ducks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resident Bol Bol fan</a>, I'm practically begging him to at least pretend to seek out contact sometimes. There's only so much impact he can have with his frame, but finding a defender's hip more frequently would do a world of good for him.
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At the very least, if he's going to slip as often as he does, use the eight feet of arms and make himself a target. To slip and still have his arms by his side doesn't do anyone any good.&nbsp;
Screen Time will be back next Saturday! <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/screen-time-vol-3-highlighting-the-nbas-best-and-worst-screeners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out last week's edition of Screen Time here</a>.

Nekias Duncan breaks down film of the best and worst screeners in the NBA over the last week.

Screen Time Vol. 4: Highlighting the NBA's best and worst screeners

Offenses have never been more lethal than they are in this era. With primary ball-handlers becoming larger, the collective shooting range expanding and teams leaning further into the importance of spacing, it&rsquo;s becoming even more difficult to keep the ball out of the basket.
With the game expanding, screening has become even more important. A well-placed off-ball pick can free a movement shooter for a triple or a catch-and-drive. On-ball screens can make shifty ball-handlers even harder to deal with in pick-and-roll and open the door for dump-offs, lobs and fruitful catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Screeners come in all sizes these days, ranging from the burly centers to mismatch-causing smalls. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I can&rsquo;t overstate how important guard-screening has become</a>, especially late in games.
This season, I want to keep tabs on who is &mdash; and isn&rsquo;t &mdash; getting the job done as screeners. Every week, I&rsquo;ll be highlighting a handful of the most powerful or shameful screen-setters in the league.
Let&rsquo;s get into volume three.
*All stats are through games played between November 5 and November 11, unless noted otherwise.*
BIG OF THE WEEK: GRANT WILLIAMS
This man's getting paid.
Grant Williams is in the midst of a career-year, averaging highs in virtually every category. His on-court overview consists of ridiculous efficiency from deep (50% on 3.1 attempts), added juice and craft as a driver, some short-roll playmaking, and stout defense across multiple positions.&nbsp;
What I've really enjoyed as of late are his cinderblock screens. He's valuable off the ball, as part of sets &mdash; think of the Celtics' pindown kink &mdash; or more improv looks. Not many players in the league point harder than he does when he's setting up a flare or a pin-in screen.
On the ball, you really get an idea of his value. He's sturdy enough to move players, dutiful enough to hold and force mismatches for his stars, and timely enough to create the aforementioned short-roll situations by getting out of his screen early. He just gets&nbsp;it.
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Possessions featuring a Williams on-ball screen generated a ridiculous 1.38 points per possession (PPP) this week, per Second Spectrum. The off-ball screen possessions weren't at&nbsp;that&nbsp;level, but they were plenty fruitful (1.15 PPP).&nbsp;
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SMALL OF THE WEEK: REGGIE JACKSON
When you think of Reggie Jackson, you typically think of bucket-getting &mdash; or baseball, or tossing a hat up in the air while dancing. Ignore that last one.
Something that's popped this week has been his screening, particuarly his partnership with Paul George. Normally, Terrance Mann soaks up the guard-screening reps; he leads all non-frontcourt Clippers in on-ball picks (51) this season, 15 more than Jackson (36).
But Jackson has gotten more into the mix as of late. He set 18 this week, with 16 of those being for George. It hasn't just been the hug-and-hold variety to force a mismatch either; Jackson's getting busy, and his 77.8% contact rate this week proves it!
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If you're getting this kind of buy-in, the positives are easy to see. Jackson doesn't have to create from a standstill, and he gets to make easier reads against scrambling defenses.
The Clippers blazed the nets (1.27 PPP) on trips featuring a George-Jackson ball screen this week. We've seen 29 hookups between the two this season, which puts them on pace to obliterate their volume from last year (59). I'm here for the sample growing.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FACILITIES FOR THIS, BIG MAN: ISAIAH STEWART
Parsing through the season Isaiah Stewart is having would take an entire article. That can extend to the Pistons at large, honestly.
One thing that has annoyed me a bit has been Stewart's screening chops. Watching him when the Pistons want to run Veer action &mdash; a big setting an on-ball screen before swinging to the corner to set a pindown &mdash; has been infuriating in a basketball sense. The timing is weird; his&nbsp;timing and angles have been weird.
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Aside from the actual screening, it doesn't feel like his roll angles have been great &mdash; at least not recently. He's flipping and rolling in a straight line without really stressing the big or giving his ball-handler &mdash; often Cade Cunningham &mdash; much of a pocket to fit a pass into.&nbsp;
Stewart made contact at a decent rate this week (62.2% contact rate), but he's down a good bit from last year's overall mark (69%). There seem to be a combination of little things holding him back from being an effective screening partner right now. Hopefully, corrections are made soon.
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WE SEE YOU TOO: JULIUS RANDLE
If you're not a fan of the New York Knicks, Julius Randle is honestly pretty funny to watch off the ball. That man simply isn't interested if he's not directly involved in an action. Of course, that's not exclusive to him; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/screen-time-vol-2-highlighting-the-nbas-best-and-worst-screeners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I just wrote something similar</a> about Giannis Antetokounmpo last week. But like the Giannis point, all I'm asking is for him to sell it a little bit.
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It doesn't have to be a chore, man.
Screen Time will be back next Saturday! <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/screen-time-vol-2-highlighting-the-nbas-best-and-worst-screeners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out last week's edition of Screen Time here</a>.

Nekias Duncan takes a look at some of the best — and worst — screeners in the NBA this week.

Screen Time Vol. 3: Highlighting the NBA's best and worst screeners

Offenses have never been more lethal than they are in this era. With primary ball-handlers becoming larger, the collective shooting range expanding and teams leaning further into the importance of spacing, it&rsquo;s becoming even more difficult to keep the ball out of the basket.
With the game expanding, screening has become even more important. A well-placed off-ball pick can free a movement shooter for a triple or a catch-and-drive. On-ball screens can make shifty ball-handlers even harder to deal with in pick-and-roll and open the door for dump-offs, lobs and fruitful catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Screeners come in all sizes these days, ranging from the burly centers to mismatch-causing smalls. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I can&rsquo;t overstate how important guard-screening has become</a>, especially late in games.
This season, I want to keep tabs on who is &mdash; and isn&rsquo;t &mdash; getting the job done as screeners. Every week, I&rsquo;ll be highlighting a handful of the most powerful or shameful screen-setters in the league.
Let&rsquo;s get into volume two.
*All stats are through games played between October 30 and November 4, unless noted otherwise.*
BIG OF THE WEEK: DWIGHT POWELL
Dwight Powell, or "DP" (we're still consulting with the judges), is once again flying under the radar. Part of it is his visibility; he logged just seven minutes in the Mavericks' first four games, including three DNPs. That's gone up as of late, with him playing a season-high 26 minutes during Friday night's win over the Toronto Raptors.
The most substantial part of his (lack of) status is what he's tasked with doing. Screen hard, roll hard and stay solid within whatever the defensive scheme calls for him to do. He isn't fed post touches, doesn't offer much as a stretch option and doesn't even have the "hey, he's a post hub sometimes!" tag going for him.
And yet, the Mavs have won his minutes in every game he's appeared in. Spencer Dinwiddie gave Powell all of the flowers following a three-point win over the Utah Jazz.
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Dinwiddie talks about Powell's work ethic and character. He digs into the value of Powell's rolls, and how his consistency in that area forces the big and weak side defenders into tough positions, creating opportunities for himself and Luka Doncic.
I'd like to add that, in addition to the forcefulness of Powell's rolls, he does his homework early by setting effective screens. He angles his body in a way to consistently hit a defender's hip; that puts them behind the play &mdash; and on the hip of Doncic or Dinwiddie &mdash; which further stresses out the defense. If you're allowing Doncic or Dinwiddie to lead the dance, you're in trouble.
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To that point: the Mavs generated 1.36 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Powell on-ball screen, the fourth-best mark in the NBA this week among 73 players to set at least 25 picks, per Second Spectrum. Powell created contact on nearly 82% of those picks, a rate trailing only Bulls forward Patrick Williams (92.86) in the same span.
Keep up the good work.
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CAUGHT YOU SLIPPIN': MIKAL BRIDGES
We're adding a category, because this is my thing and I do what I want.&nbsp;
In all seriousness, it felt weid to consider Bridges for "Small of the Week" considering he isn't a guard, but he obviously isn't a big either. This is a healthy middle ground for the two-way wing. I've really enjoyed his work as a screener thus far.
Dating back to last season, Bridges was used as a drag-screen partner for Chris Paul in transition or early-offense situations. Teams weren't equipped for the push-and-pivot from Bridges, often leading to fruitful opportunities for him or breakdowns elsewhere.&nbsp;
The Suns haven't just rolled that over; they've started to involve him more in half-court situations.
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After setting 6.4 on-ball screens per 100 possessions last year, that number has risen to 9.6 this season. Possessions featuring a Bridges screen were fruitful this week, with the Suns generating an absurd 1.56 PPP. They should keep going to the well.
SMALL OF THE WEEK: ALEX CARUSO
There isn't anything Alex Caruso won't do if you ask him.
Run the offense? Sure. Roam the dunker spot for dump offs? Cool! Act as a spacer? Doesn't mind. Hound guards defensively? You got it. Need him to defend Giannis? He ain't scared.
That kind of gap-filling from a guard is valuable, especially in a league that's becoming less position-bound in terms of roles. Caruso happens to be a gnarly screener on top of everything else, with a strong understanding of angles and timing &mdash; how long to hold a screen (78.3 contact rate this week), and where to release.&nbsp;
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Off the ball, I crack up at how much joy he takes in setting cross screens for Nikola Vucevic. Just look at this lead blocking!
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He might be happier setting the pick than Vucevic is getting a play called for him.&nbsp;
The Bulls generated good offense with Caruso as an on-ball screener (1.00 PPP), and his off-ball work has been even better (1.13 PPP).
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YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FACILITIES FOR THIS, BIG MAN: RICHAUN HOLMES
It's a bit weird in Sacramento.
Holmes proved himself as a capable starter, evidenced by a three-year stretch (2020-22) where he averaged 12.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in roughly 27 minutes a night. Holmes' minute load has never been lower (13.7) due to Domantas Sabonis being much better, and their skill-sets not being complementary enough to play together.
It will take an injury or roster change to dramatically shift things, but Holmes could stand to help himself by setting better screens. There's a line to walk between setting a screen to help your guard and setting one to get yourself open. Doing the former will likely cover both bases; doing the latter can lead to some ugly reps.
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The numbers back it up; the Kings performed poorly on possessions featuring an off-ball (0.5 PPP) or on-ball (0.67 PPP) screen from Holmes this week. He connected on less than half of his on-ball screens (46.8 contact rate).
He simply has to be better than that.&nbsp;
WE SEE YOU TOO: GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Not too much on the MVP frontrunner right now, who's been excellent in just about every non-shooting category you can think of. With his workload and the physicality he plays with as a scorer, it's understandable that he isn't on 10 literally all of the time.
But dawg, for an offense that could use a little juice in the half-court, it would be a little helpful if Giannis didn't make it blatantly obvious that an off-ball action was a preamble for something else.
Friday night's game against the Wolves was pretty glaring when I went back through it.&nbsp;
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On the week, the Bucks generated just 0.89 PPP on trips featuring an off-ball screen from Giannis;&nbsp;
He doesn't have to be Steven Adams (hope he's alright) when prying guards open around the elbow (clips 1 and 4), nor does he have to be Draymond Green when guards are flying off baseline screens (clips 2, 3 and 5). Just ... get in the way. It'll help sell some of the action, make defenses work a little harder and thus open up cleaner scoring opportunities.
Screen Time will be back next Saturday!

Screen Time Vol. 2: Highlighting the NBA's best and worst screeners

Offenses have never been more lethal than they are in this era. With primary ball-handlers becoming larger, the collective shooting range expanding and teams leaning further into the importance of spacing, it&rsquo;s becoming even more difficult to keep the ball out of the basket.
With the game expanding, screening has become even more important. A well-placed off-ball pick can free a movement shooter for a triple or a catch-and-drive. On-ball screens can make shifty ball-handlers even harder to deal with in pick-and-roll and open the door for dump-offs, lobs and fruitful catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Screeners come in all sizes these days, ranging from the burly centers to mismatch-causing smalls. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I can&rsquo;t overstate how important guard-screening has become</a>, especially late in games.
This season, I want to keep tabs on who is &mdash; and isn&rsquo;t &mdash; getting the job done as screeners. Every week, I&rsquo;ll be highlighting a handful of the most powerful or shameful screen-setters in the league.
Let&rsquo;s get into it.
*All stats are through games played on October 29.*
BIG OF THE WEEK: STEVEN ADAMS
Assuming you&rsquo;re not a student of the James Harden School of Internet Consumption (JHSIC), you&rsquo;re likely aware of Ja Morant&rsquo;s MVP-level tear to begin the season.&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s once again living in the paint, making up finishing moves in midair. If that wasn&rsquo;t enough, he now has the audacity to bomb away from three with blistering efficiency (56.5% on 4.6 attempts).&nbsp;
Morant is nearly impossible to deal with in his own right; his blend of speed, ball-handling, leaping ability and body control is frankly unfair. With an oak tree like Steven Adams clearing a runway, there really isn&rsquo;t much you can do with him.
Among bigs who have set at least 75 on-ball picks, nobody has done a better job of laying down the law than Adams, connecting on 83.8% of his screens, per Second Spectrum. The Grizzlies have generated 1.04 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Morant-Adams ball screen, one of the better marks in the league among high-volume pairings.
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That value extends off the ball, with his partnership with Desmond Bane being especially fruitful (1.24 PPP). Oh, he&rsquo;s generated contact on 75% of those screens too.
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Adams may not get many buckets off his rolls, but he makes the Grizzlies better. Keep it up, big fella.
WE SEE YOU: AL HORFORD
We won't talk about the defense right now, but the Celtics have generally been fun offensively. They rank first by a decent margin in half-court offense (107.5 ORTG), according to the good folks at Cleaning The Glass.
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The off-ball movement of this group has hit differently since the turn of the calendar. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both comfortable attacking off screens, the Celtics often opt to have one &mdash; or somtimes both of them at the same time &mdash; coming off pindowns from the corner.
If you're watching a Celtic game and see that setup developing, keep an eye on the side with Al Horford on it. He gets wide and sturdy, consistently prying guys open for shots or drives.
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SMALL OF THE WEEK: FRED VANVLEET
If the Raptors need a half-court bucket &mdash; which is pretty often, considering they rank 26th in half-court offense right now &mdash; you can expect them to turn to Pascal Siakam. And if they need want to torture defenses in the process, they'll have Fred VanVleet set a screen for Siakam.
The benefits are obvious. You generally don't want to switch your point guards onto a mid-post bully like Siakam. If you're caught trying to stay attached, you run the risk of opening a driving window for Siakam, a three-point window for VanVleet or an open shot for someone else while you try to recover.&nbsp;
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A quick stat: the Raptors are generating a blistering 1.28 PPP on trips featuring a Siakam-VanVleet ball screen. There really isn't much you can do against it.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FACILITIES FOR THIS, BIG MAN: ANTHONY DAVIS
There's an argument to be made that grace should be afforded here. Anthony Davis has once again been dealing with body ailments, and it isn't like there's a ton of space to roll into within the Lakers' half-court offense.
But, man, some of the whiffs or lapses in effort are pretty loud, even with that context.
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I only went with three clips. You can find <a href="https://twitter.com/_JasonLT/status/1583529558115876864?s=20&amp;t=ymXCTvnbZWFno1opCuSZ5Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">others elsewhere</a>. He's connected on less than half of his on-ball picks (47.7%) to this point of the season. He needs help going off in this context, but he has to help himself at a certain point. Commit to getting guys downhill and see what may open up.
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WE SEE YOU, TOO: ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI, MYLES TURNER
Poku, brother, I beg. We understand you're a slight guy, but at least pretend to set an angle and give your guards something to work with. Getting in the pocket doesn't mean as much if the ball-handler's defender doesn't have to think about you at all.
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Among 53 players to set at least 70 on-ball picks, Pokusevski ranks 52nd in the percentage of screens he generates contact on (41.7%). It simply won't do, especially if the Thunder actually want to sprinkle in some Poku-at-5 minutes.&nbsp;
Who's 53rd on that list, you ask? Well, that honor would belong to Myles Turner (33.8%).
I'm giving a little grace because he's has only played two games this season. I emphasize "little" here, because this is a multi-year trend with him. There's a thin line between slipping a screen to keep the defense off balance or honest, and slipping because you want the back &mdash; and leaving your ball-handler out to dry in the process.
It's only been a couple of games, but these aren't the reps you want to see to kick off the year.
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Screen Time will be back next Saturday!

Nekias Duncan takes a look at some of the best — and worst — screeners in the early portion of the 2022-23 NBA season.

Screen Time Vol. 1: Highlighting the NBA's best and worst screeners

On Wednesday night, Bennedict Mathurin treated NBA fans to another highlight-reel performance by an inbound rookie.
The sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft dropped 27 points, shot 61% from the field and threw down this monster dunk for the Indiana Pacers in their preseason contest against the New York Knicks:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Bennedict Mathurin is making everyone who had him Top 5 look very smart in this preseason&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/MgcKLeA05g">pic.twitter.com/MgcKLeA05g</a>
&mdash; Draft Deeper (@DraftDeeper) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftDeeper/status/1580373117926805505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Mathurin is averaging 20.3 points in just over 22 minutes per game this preseason, ranking second in scoring among all rookies who have played multiple games. He's been a leading hype-getter over the past month, along with others like Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-tari-easons-preseason-play-forecasting-a-breakout-rookie-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who I wrote about on Monday</a>), Sacramento Kings swingman Keegan Murray and Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey. As always, though, there's the asterisk that comes with a stellar showing in a contest that doesn't count.&nbsp;
So how well does preseason rookie stardom forecast the first year of production? Obviously, countless variables can change the environment for a player between the preseason and regular season. But past trends are always worth a peek and offer a historical look at a portion of the NBA calendar that always gets forgotten.
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Per-game scoring has some of the highest weight in the All-Rookie race. Last year, the top five per-game scorers made up the All-Rookie First Team. In 2020-21, the first-team members included five of the top six scorers. Points shouldn't be the crux of the voting process (see Herb Jones getting snubbed from the First Team!!), but they are.
Here's a look at preseason historical rookie scoring leaders over the last 10 seasons, and how they ended up faring in Year 1. This data is courtesy of RealGM (minimum 2 preseason games played and 50 regular season games played).
(Note: Exceptions were made for Zion Williamson and Joel Embiid, who landed on All-Rookie First Team despite playing well below 50 games. They are included in applicable categories.)
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 76.50130548302872%; height: 242px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">Year</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">No. of top-10 preseason scorers who were also top-10 in reg. season</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">No. of top-10 preseason scorers who made All-Rookie teams</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">No. of top-10 reg. season scorers who made All-Rookie teams</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2020-21</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2019-20</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">7</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2018-19</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2017-18</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">7</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2016-17</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2015-16</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2014-15</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2013-14</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">6</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2012-13</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right to view full table) 
This table eschews some of the context that comes with the ups and downs of different rookie classes. For example, just four rookies averaged more than 9 points per game, and Steven Adams averaged 3.3 points and managed to land on the All-Rookie Second Team... yeesh. Cade Cunningham probably would have been a preseason top scorer if he wasn't hurt, and the same could be said for Jabari Parker's 2014-15 regular season had he not torn his ACL.
Still, the general theme appears to be that preseason bucket-getters can signal regular-season success, but it's not an automatic transition. And this makes sense &mdash; playing time is obviously different in the preseason, and roles that appear to be solid might dissolve. Jared Butler, Trey Murphy III and James Bouknight were all top-five preseason rookie scorers last year who scarcely played in the regular season (though Murphy caught on late).&nbsp;
The last 10 years of preseason scoring leaders, in reverse chronological order, are Jared Butler (18.0 PPG), Theo Maledon (15.5), Zion Williamson (23.3), Deandre Ayton (18.2), Kyle Kuzma (17.3), Troy Williams (13.2), Emmanuel Mudiay (15.0), Jabari Parker (15.1), Victor Oladipo (13.9) and Damian Lillard (16.2). Seven of those guys landed on an All-Rookie team, but only Lillard earned Rookie of the Year.&nbsp;
That being said, it's significant that Eason and Mathurin have thrived at their current level. They're both putting up over 30 points per 36 minutes, which is ridiculous given their sizeable preseason roles. Williamson is the only other qualifying rookie in the last 10 years to clear such a threshold while averaging more than 20 minutes per game. Let me go find the wide-eyed emoji.
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Playing time, ultimately, is perhaps the trickiest puzzle to solve with preseason. Eason and Mathurin should have room to play through mistakes on teams in rebuilding situations. But what about some of the less emphatic rookie standouts?
This year's 10 leading scorers are Eason (20.7 PPG), Mathurin (20.3), Murray (16.0), Ivey (13.7), Jaden Hardy (13.5), Paolo Banchero (13.3), Jalen Williams (12.8), Shaedon Sharpe (11.8), Ousmane Dieng (11.0) and Jamal Cain (10.0). I'd consider Hardy, Sharpe and Cain the toughest All-Rookie bets of the group, just because they'll have to overcome deeper rosters and show they can impact winning for playoff hopefuls.
It's a boring takeaway, but here's my final thought: Remember that it's the preseason, and the jump to games that matter gets bumpy fast. But be cautiously excited about your favorite rookie. It's healthy to enjoy fun basketball. As interesting as it is to look back at history, every young player faces their own unique set of obstacles on the pathway to success.
Meanwhile, Rockets and Pacers fans &mdash; go wild. Even if the team scores are meaningless, Tari Eason and Bennedict Mathurin sure are awesome.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>Happy belated birthday to our Nekias Duncan! He dropped a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-pacific-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacific Division season preview</a> and mentioned the Golden State Warriors' we-won't-call-it-a-Death Lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green outscored opponents by 42 points in 105 playoff minutes last year. That's a group to watch out for.</li>
<li>Let's not forget how huge Jerami Grant's addition could be for the Blazers defense (via this graphic from SIS Hoops):&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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In Jerami Grant, Portland adds a versatile defensive chess piece, adept at limiting advantages on the ball and cleaning up as a help rim protector: <a href="https://t.co/un8bilBhI5">pic.twitter.com/un8bilBhI5</a>
&mdash; SIS Hoops (@SIS_Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIS_Hoops/status/1580221934603640838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>Todd Whitehead has put together some neat visualizations of how players have changed roles over the course of their careers. I thought this one with Pascal Siakam was particularly interesting:</li>
</ul>
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Who might follow this career path next? Pascal Siakam was super efficient as a slashing wing a few seasons ago but then he took on a more central role in Toronto's offense and his PPP hasn't fully recovered. Perhaps this is the year. <a href="https://t.co/A4WlUBAmj5">pic.twitter.com/A4WlUBAmj5</a>
&mdash; Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1580345468344623105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ethan Fuller looks at past trends to see if this year's preseason rookie stars can keep the momentum going into the regular season.

NBA Stats Notebook: Does preseason stardom translate to rookie success?

Over Alex Caruso's six seasons as a professional basketball player, he has navigated through a shifting landscape of teams, roles and expectations.
His career began as an undrafted rookie with the Oklahoma City Blue. Then, he burst into the Hollywood spotlight with the Los Angeles Lakers and played a significant role while winning his first NBA championship. And after earning a lucrative contract from the Chicago Bulls, Caruso has now taken on the responsibility of major minutes on a retooled playoff contender in the Windy City.&nbsp;
Injuries, plus the physical and mental toll of playing in the league, can jostle a player out of a rhythm. When Caruso needs to recalibrate, he often hones in on a different type of shot.
"Golf is the great analogy for anything in life to be honest," Caruso told Basketball News. "[Because of] how much stress there is on that and how much mental fortitude you have to have &mdash; patience, [and] the ability to take in a bunch of information and create or formulate a game plan and try and act on it. But the thing for golf, for me, is just really to get away. It's kind of one of my only hobbies."
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Caruso's second sport is well-documented. He's&nbsp;<a href="https://uproxx.com/dimemag/alex-caruso-bulls-interview-fashion-style-golf/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">played with his father at Pebble Beach</a>, and he competed in the American Century Championship this summer. Caruso says that, like developing a swing in golf, basketball is all about muscle memory and disciplined repetition. When your shot is off &mdash; just like in golf &mdash; sometimes you just have to lean on what works for you.
"Something that I realized, through golf swings sometimes, is if I'm poking the ball or I'm slicing it too much, getting back to the basics and just having more of a feel sometimes [works]. I apply that to my basketball games," Caruso said. "If I feel like I'm forcing something too much or things aren't going my way, I just try to get back to the basics [and] get back to what feels right. My natural abilities got me to a really good spot in life and with this game, so that's something I always kind of fall back on."
Like with his golf game, Caruso believes the Bulls have to rediscover what "feels right."
Chicago is running back a largely similar roster from their first season of an overhaul in 2021-22. Given their late-year fade, sixth-place finish in the Eastern Conference and quiet first-round exit from the playoffs, the Bulls may appear to be sitting on their hands on the surface. However, Caruso emphasized that when Chicago was healthy and locked in, as they were in the first stages of last season, the roster had palpable success.
The Bulls were on top of the East standings for 47 days, second only to the Miami Heat, and held the first seed as late as Feb. 25. They had the NBA's 10th-ranked defense through the end of the 2021 calendar year; that fell to 22nd by the end of the regular season. To Caruso, a return to the top means reemphasizing the details of what had the Bulls clicking last winter.
"Obviously, we had a little bit of bad luck with injuries last year. That doesn't help," Caruso said. "I think in the beginning of the year, we were first in the East, we had a great Defensive Rating [and the] offense was doing everything they needed to do as far as moving the ball, creating open shots. And then, through a little bit of adversity in the year, we dropped a little bit of discipline in certain areas of the game.
"I think that's something that, if you're trying to win &mdash; and win in the postseason &mdash; those are things that you got to be consistent at."
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Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. are back, Patrick Williams has a full summer after an injury-riddled second season, and Andre Drummond is joining the fold to back up Nikola Vucevic. Caruso says those guys all make a defensive difference, and even leading scorers DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine represent an athletic presence. But when everyone's healthy, the first line of defense comes from two ex-Laker teammates in Caruso and Lonzo Ball.&nbsp;
Caruso averaged a career-high 1.7 steals per game in his first year as a Bull. Had he played enough games, he likely would have warranted All-Defensive consideration. He deflected the ball 3.4 times per game in 2021-22, tied for fourth-most among all NBA players. Chicago was 8.5 points stingier per 100 defensive possessions with Caruso on the floor too &mdash; a differential in the 96th percentile of all players, per Cleaning the Glass.
The now-veteran guard has this remarkable, innate ability to visualize a tree of outcomes on any defensive possession. He describes his defense like he's accounting for a multiverse, then whittling down the possibilities until he reaches the branch he wants. The <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/bulls-alex-caruso-details-how-defense-fuels-his-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pacing of the shot clock</a>, the rhythm of an opponent's dribble and the locations of his teammates (as he alluded to in the below video) all help Caruso wade through uncertainty.
<iframe title="Alex Caruso Breaks Down How to Guard The NBA&rsquo;s Best Scorers" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RyA_wTOzza4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
"[In the] professional game, the more information you can have and understand before a play takes place, the better chance you have of a successful stop, or offensive possession, whatever it is," Caruso explained. "The court is so big and the three-point line's so far away. And, nowadays, everybody's playing pace-and-space offense where they're trying to spread everybody out and take advantage of 1-on-1 matchups.
"For me, it's just about creating advantages for myself. These guys are already so good; if I try to play them 1-on-1, just head-up, I could play the best defense of my life and they still might score. So for me, it's just trying to create advantages as much as I can. The best advantage you have on defense is your teammates, so I try to use them as much as possible, whether they're even aware of it or not."
Pesky screen navigation had become a tool for defenses to gunk up today's pick-and-roll-happy attacks. Caruso excels as a screen irritant, using patience and precision to read a ball-handler's choices. He revels in the finer points of defending screens and, after six seasons as a pro, has built up an encyclopedia of tricks and tendencies.
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"[It takes] a little bit of anticipation [and] being able to control the ball-handler," Caruso said. "If he has a chance to reject you, and you try to get skinny and get over the top of the screen, then it's just going to increase that 2-on-1 advantage that they're trying to get with the pick-and-roll. It's just about anticipating, but then, trying to be like a defensive back in the NFL. I'm trying to mirror what they're doing. I'm not trying to necessarily beat them to the spot. I just want to make sure that I'm in their hip pocket, moving as they're moving.
"Then, once we get to the point of the screen, I just connect to their body &mdash; hip-to-hip, chest-to-chest &mdash; and just try to get skinny and get through the screen. So, it comes with a lot of practice too. For years, I've been fighting over ball-screens trying to get better at it, and it's been useful for me."
Of course, the second challenge is literally getting through that screen, set by some of the league's most imposing physical obstacles. Caruso quickly lists Steven Adams and Jonas Valanciunas, two notorious bruisers, among the league's toughest screen-setters.
His third choice &mdash; after some thought &mdash; is Draymond Green.
"Just because he sets illegal screens and they let him get away with it," said a smirking Caruso, who concedes that he, too, tries to push referees' tolerance.
"On defense, I probably foul a little more than I should, but the refs can't call a foul every single time," Caruso added. "So it's like &mdash; Draymond's gonna get Steph [Curry] open eventually. He's gonna run into you and the refs aren't going to call it. So just his ability to be physical and get guys open is pretty good."
Caruso reunited with Ball last season, and the two immediately clicked. Ball was similarly effective when healthy and placed just behind Caruso with 3.2 deflections per game. In the 460 minutes the duo played together, it outscored opponents by 9.5 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;
Ball is currently recovering from a torn meniscus and his return date <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bulls-optimistic-on-lonzo-balls-injured-knee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is still up in the air.</a>&nbsp;But Caruso can't wait to have him back on the floor, saying that they "see a lot of the same stuff on the court." After two years apart, Caruso believes Ball has rediscovered his own strengths and seems more comfortable as a pro.
"I think he started playing his game a little more, and I think he might have tried to fit into a role a little bit in L.A . &mdash; and you kind of have to when you have superstar players around you for that last year like he did," Caruso said. "I think he got the chance in New Orleans to play his game the same way he's played from high school, to college, to get into the pros.
"There's a reason he was the No. 2 overall pick and got to where he was. He's an elite player at the stuff that he does, and I think he's doing things that he does best. He's able to do those with us and the Bulls. I'm excited for him to come back and have a good year."
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While Caruso and Ball battled injuries, Ayo Dosunmu stepped into the fray as a rookie second-round pick and flashed defensive promise. The Bulls hope to further bolster the backcourt stoppage with Dalen Terry, their No. 18 overall selection from this year's draft. Caruso recognizes that learning defense in a trial-by-fire environment can be challenging, and he was impressed with how Dosunmu handled the burden.
"Ayo was, basically all last year, just playing off the feel," Caruso said of his young teammate. "Your first year in the league, you don't understand concepts really. You don't understand coverages. You're seeing guys play, and you're playing against guys for the first time. You're seeing their best moves for the first time; they're probably going to beat you most of the time. So for him to be able to compete the way he did last year on defense is a great sign for a guy in his first year."
That's the lesson Caruso is learning, and teaching, as he grapples with the pro lifestyle. There's no textbook answer to playing defense in the NBA, winning at the highest level or even maintaining a consistent golf game. Sometimes it all comes down to building a knowledge base and feeling out the right path.
Learning what "feels right" can also be an experimental process. Caruso's mastery of the on-court intricacies has already set him apart as a defender. Those nitty-gritty details are also helping him learn how to evolve his nutrition habits and stay best attuned to the wear-and-tear of the NBA schedule.
Caruso is currently teaming up with ZENB, a plant-based food brand centered in Chicago, and is competing in a cooking competition against former LA Sparks guard Te'a Cooper. The pair will make four dishes out of plant-based alternative foods, and Caruso has been taking careful notes from chef Monti Carlo.
"It's just a fun experience to learn from Chef Monti, who's been in cooking shows herself and has experience, and to just learn some, tricks and trades and figure out some stuff to help myself to be a better cook in the future," Caruso said.&nbsp;
The 28-year-old averaged 28.0 minutes per game last season, by far a career-high. Caruso's hard-nosed aggression is a signature strength; he's also in the thick of action that can (and did) result in injuries. In 2021-22, he fractured his wrist and missed six weeks, and also missed games due to a foot sprain, concussion and minor hamstring and back issues.
Caruso says he currently feels fine physically, and has gotten in some productive workouts this offseason. But his minute uptick has also forced him to reflect on his habits &mdash; be it an increased focus on recovery with massages, cold tubs and lift sessions or altering his diet. Caruso has looked at shifting toward more plant-based foods with inspiration from ZENB. He's also staying regimented with his four meals per day, and, over time, has learned to carefully monitor his hydration.
"Hydration, I think, is one of the things that I overlooked a lot as a young professional," Caruso said. "It's something now that I've realized, when I get the right sugars and salts back into my body through sports drinks [and] electrolyte packets, as well as water, I just have better sleep, [and] I have better workouts the next day... I'm already a slim guy as it is, so for me to be able to maintain weight through an 82-game-plus season, it's something that I've really tried to hone in on and perfect for myself."
In the grand scheme of the NBA, these minute details might seem insignificant. But they've helped Caruso blossom from an undrafted rookie into a defensive fulcrum, and they'll help him and Chicago reach the next tier of contention.
"It's just little things... that I've had to tweak," Caruso said. "Experience is the best teacher, so it's stuff that I've learned from and can hopefully take and put into my regimen moving forward."

Ethan Fuller chats with Alex Caruso about his strategy behind defending NBA players, his thoughts on the Bulls, nutrition and more.

Alex Caruso is nailing down the details with the Chicago Bulls

Patrick McCaw has three NBA championship rings from the start of his career with Golden State and Toronto. Norris Cole was part of two title-winning teams in Miami.
And right now, both have the same plan: Take the USA&rsquo;s call, while awaiting the NBA&rsquo;s call.
McCaw and Cole are on USA Basketball&rsquo;s roster for the FIBA AmeriCup tournament that starts Friday in Recife, Brazil. The tournament runs through Sept. 11, or about two weeks before NBA training camps begin, and both McCaw and Cole are hoping that these games lead to two things &mdash; a gold medal, and a springboard back to the league.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s more about representing the USA for me right now,&rdquo; McCaw said. &ldquo;I want to make it back to the NBA. I know that&rsquo;s a process. And I know one day, whenever, next week, next month, next year, when it&rsquo;s supposed to happen, it&rsquo;ll happen. But right now, I&rsquo;m just focusing on this USA, wearing these three letters, giving my all to this team and representing the United States of America.&rdquo;
McCaw has appeared in only five NBA games in the last 2 1/2 years, his career largely derailed by a series of injuries that he says are no longer concerns. Cole last played in an NBA game in April 2017 and has spent the last five seasons overseas &mdash; with Israel, China, Montenegro, Italy, France and Puerto Rico among some of the places where his passport has been stamped.
&ldquo;I still have the ability,&rdquo; Cole said. &ldquo;God has still blessed me with the ability. I still have the fire, the hunger and I still feel like I have something to prove, things that I would like to accomplish as a player. That feeling of winning a championship, the mission, the goal, the work to try to get to that point again, that&rsquo;s what drives me as a competitor. And I want that feeling again.&rdquo;
They are at different points in their careers. McCaw, a 6-foot-7 wing, turns 27 on Oct. 25. Cole, a speedy 6-foot-2 point guard, turns 34 on Oct. 13.
But they have plenty of similarities. Golden State raved about McCaw when he broke into the NBA there and was part of championship teams in 2017 and 2018 with the Warriors; McCaw then was part of the Toronto title the following season, when the Raptors beat Golden State. Cole also won championships in his first two NBA years, during the LeBron James years in Miami.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been around winning,&rdquo; Cole said. &ldquo;Patrick has that working for him. He knows what winning looks like and anytime you&rsquo;re around winning it rubs off on you. He has that, he has a fun personality, and I think he definitely deserves another shot. I definitely believe that he deserves to be on an NBA roster.&rdquo;
AmeriCup is the championship for the teams in the FIBA Americas region. There were 12 nations that made it through qualifying; those 12 are split into three groups of four. The top two finishers in each group, plus the best two third-place teams, make it to the quarterfinals.
McCaw, Cole and Jodie Meeks &mdash; also part of that 2019 Raptors team &mdash; all bring NBA titles to this roster. The other nine players selected: Zylan Cheatham, Gary Clark Jr., Will Davis II, Anthony Lamb, Frank Mason III, Jeremy Pargo, Elijah Pemberton, Craig Sword and Stephen Zimmerman.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good mixture of guys,&rdquo; said U.S. AmeriCup coach Alex Jensen of the Utah Jazz. &ldquo;You get the balance. And a big thing is, this sounds simple, but getting guys who enjoy the chance to play. They enjoy playing. So, they come here and it means more to them. And that should help bring us together.&rdquo;
In training camp at Las Vegas, Cole won just about every sprint he was in and was clearly the on-court quarterback at point guard. And McCaw&rsquo;s talent was obvious, even in a gym alongside plenty of other highly skilled players. Spine and knee issues, he insists, are behind him, and that means his confidence is returning &mdash; which will only help his quest to get back to the NBA.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been off the radar,&rdquo; McCaw said. &ldquo;I think this is a huge step because people are going to be able to watch these games and see where I&rsquo;m at now. That&rsquo;ll help, for sure. It was injuries that set me back. It wasn&rsquo;t anything else in the way, or life, or me changing the type of person I am. It was injuries. And it was tough dealing with them. But this trip to Brazil, I definitely think it'll open up some doors again."
Cole hopes for the same opportunity.
&ldquo;Just a chance, that's all I ask," Cole said. &ldquo;I have a lot I can bring to a team. I want to continue to show that."

Right now, both Patrick McCaw and Norris Cole have the same plan: Take the USA’s call, while awaiting the NBA’s call.

For McCaw, Cole, AmeriCup may provide a road back to NBA

With a 5-27 record on the season, we won't be seeing much more of the Indiana Fever. They're currently the only team in the WNBA officially eliminated from playoff contention, and have been for a while now.&nbsp;
It's understandable to an extent; this is clearly a rebuilding roster, with 4 of the top 7 minute-getters on the roster being rookies. The future is bright. NaLyssa Smith, Queen Egbo, Destanni Henderson and Emily Engstler have all showcased fun flashes this season, but it's just that &mdash; the future. We're likely a couple of years away from serious playoff contention with this group, assuming it stays in tact.&nbsp;
Not only will we not be seeing much more of the Fever as the season winds down, we specifically won't be seeing guard Kelsey Mitchell for the remainder of this campaign. The Fever announced on Saturday that she will miss the rest of the season with a partial plantar fascia tear in her left foot.
It's an unfortunate end to a tremendous individual season that has frankly flown too far under the radar.&nbsp;
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Mitchell finishes the year with averages of 18.4 points (seventh in The W, fourth among guards) and 4.2 assists per game &mdash; both career-highs. Her jumper was the primary weapon of choice. Not only did she drain a career-best 40.9% of her 5.7 triples, but she is also <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/players/traditional/?sort=FG3_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2022&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CF=FG3A*GE*5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of three players</a> to shoot north of 40% from deep on more than 5 attempts per contest. New York Liberty guard Marine Johannes (40% on 5.3 attempts) and Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum (42.7% on a ridiculous 7.3 attempts) were the other two.
(It's also worth noting that Phoenix Mercury <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/sophie-cunningham-giving-phoenix-a-lift-at-the-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small-ball 4</a> Sophie Cunningham &mdash; at 39.8% on 6.0 attempts &mdash; is knocking on the door.)
Mitchell's intersection of usage, production and efficiency is nearly unmatched. She's currently one of five players to post a usage rate over 20% (23.6%), an assist rate over 20% (23.5%) and a True Shooting percentage above 55% (56.8%; <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/years/2022.html#advanced-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">league average is 53.9%</a>). Plum, Diana Taurasi, Courtney Vandersloot and Candace Parker are the other four players, and I think it's fair to say that they benefit from an easier context than Mitchell has to deal with. Add the fact that Mitchell has the lowest turnover rate (10.5% of possessions) of the group, and her season becomes even more impressive.
Enough numbers though. The way that Mitchell racks them up is captivating on its own.&nbsp;
There are quicker guards than Mitchell. Stronger guards. Bigger guards.
But I don't know if there's one in The W that's harder to keep track of than Mitchell. 
The Fever frequently run her through a maze of screens, exhausting even the stickiest of defenders after a while. Mitchell's battery never seems to deplete.
Los Angeles Sparks guard (and elite defender) Brittney Sykes described Mitchell as an "Energizer bunny" on an <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brittney-sykes-game-2-thoughts/id1547857052?i=1000565497045" target="_blank" rel="noopener">episode of The Dunker Spot</a>: "She does not&nbsp;stop moving. It is&nbsp;ridiculous. She's just a motor... she's a really great player. Her skill set allows her to move freely and keep defenses on their heels. It's like 'Dang it, Kelsey, stop moving!'
"She's one of those players where you're like 'I need to get you in foul trouble immediately so you'll slow down."
Per InStat tracking data, no player in The W has made more shots after utilizing an off-ball screen than Mitchell has.
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I appreciate her pacing off the ball. Sometimes, it's a dead sprint into a screen, either lifting up the wing or going baseline to baseline. Other times, it's a light trot to get a defender in a certain position before jetting away. Defenders never have a sense of when she's going, where she's going or how quickly she wants to get there.
That same pacing allows Mitchell to throw defenders off-balance when she has the ball in her hands. She's a smooth pick-and-roll operator with an ability to flow into pull-ups or stepbacks on a whim. When dealing with an overzealous defender, she's able to counter with hard drives to the basket. While she may not be the&nbsp;strongest guard in The W, she's certainly up there. Contact doesn't really bother her that much.
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Mitchell is a scorer at heart, but she's done a better job of leveraging her scoring gravity to create looks for her teammates. You don't have to manipulate weak-side defenders like Vandersloot or Chelsea Gray when the pure threat of your ratchet can bend a defense.
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Mitchell missed out on All-Star honors this season. Considering the Fever's record, it's fair to assume she'll end up on the outskirts of All-WNBA discussions as well.
(As a brief aside, an All-WNBA Third Team would be nice at some point. Just saying.)
But Mitchell is one of the best guards in The W. She's one of the best players in The W. She was the brightest spot of the season for a Fever team without a ton of them, and I'll miss watching her ball out.&nbsp;
Get well soon, Kelsey.

Nekias Duncan sings the praises of Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, whose 2022 season has come to an end.

An ode to Kelsey Mitchell, the WNBA's forgotten star

As the Cleveland Cavaliers prepare to make their NBA Summer League debut in Las Vegas, all eyes in Northeast Ohio will be squarely on Ochai Agbaji, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, who ultimately became a bonus selection when the wine and gold fell just one victory short of making the playoffs.
Starting Friday afternoon, Agbaji will get the lion&rsquo;s share of shots, have the ball in his hands and go a little out of his comfort zone by being utilized as a playmaker &mdash; similar to what Cleveland asked of Isaac Okoro at this time last year. Knowing Agbaji&rsquo;s strengths after a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/cleveland-cavaliers-prepared-to-throw-ochai-agbaji-in-the-fire-with-presentday-focus-jb-bickerstaff-koby-altman-darius-garland-isaac-okoro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">year-by-year ascension at Kansas</a>, the organization is set on developing other areas of his game at Summer League and entering training camp.
In fact, a Cavaliers team source told Basketball News that the plan is to bring Agbaji along slowly at the beginning of the season. And with the guard room filled to the brim, it&rsquo;ll be difficult for the rookie swingman to crack the rotation right away.
&ldquo;There's really no expectations on him," the Cavs source said. "He doesn't have to play or have to contribute right away."
There will be some real battles for minutes come training camp, especially in the backcourt. Not only does Cleveland have Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Okoro and Agbaji, the Cavs also added Raul Neto and brought back Ricky Rubio.
To top things off, the team source is quite confident that Collin Sexton will be back with Cleveland since free-agency money is drying up. Either the two sides will reach an agreement or "at worst," Sexton will sign for the qualifying offer (worth $7.2 million).
If you&rsquo;re keeping count, that&rsquo;s seven players who will be duking it out for floor time between two positions, most notably at the 2. The team source suggested that J.B. Bickerstaff could regularly play 10 guys this season. On a team that&rsquo;s still seemingly missing a &ldquo;true&rdquo; small forward who can score on both ends of the floor, it seems like overkill. Yet, as the Cavs found out the hard way last season, depth is absolutely necessary to stay above water.
Despite their success with him sidelined, Sexton&rsquo;s absence was painfully felt as the season progressed. The obvious way was as a scorer who &ldquo;can get 15-to-20 in his sleep.&rdquo; From another perspective, it was about how he got those points &mdash; getting into the paint, breaking down the defense and knocking down those 9-1-1 types of shots &mdash; that really could&rsquo;ve saved an offense that ran out of gas.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;Collin's built for big moments. He's not afraid at all, and I just think he would've made some kind of impact,&rdquo; the Cavs source said. &ldquo;I think he would've helped us more than hurt us. Everyone wants to say the success was because he's not here, which I think is completely false. Say what he can't do, but what can he do?
&ldquo;I just think it was a tough year for him because all he cares about is hoop. That's literally 24/7, 365. I think it was really, really hard for him. But he's even more motivated because he was out and he saw the success. He's rippin' and roarin'. I've seen some of the videos of him working out and stuff; I think he's gonna be back and be better than ever this season.&rdquo;
While Sexton&rsquo;s knee injury was the first blow, Rubio tearing his ACL in New Orleans before the turn of the new year rattled everybody in the franchise.
&ldquo;It just really hurt Cedi [Osman] and really hurt Kevin [Love] 'cause that second unit was rollin',&rdquo; the team source said. "And Kevin and Cedi, Ricky just put them in spots. They didn't have to do anything. They just had to finish. But Ricky set 'em up perfectly. That was the beginning of it. It was a big blow. I just think if we have Ricky healthy all year, we're probably a four or five seed.&rdquo;
(Subsequently, the team source said that Jarrett Allen&rsquo;s broken thumb &ldquo;just killed us.&rdquo;)
Even with Rubio returning, the team source told Basketball News that his recovery timeline for the 2022-23 campaign is &ldquo;unknown,&rdquo; so the experienced Neto should be able to fill that void until Rubio is cleared for action. And considering that Cleveland&rsquo;s options last season were two-way guard Brandon Goodwin and first-year-NBAer Kevin Pangos before attempting to patch up the roster wound with Rajon Rondo and LeVert, Neto should be able to get the job done.
Because they had such a good thing going in the short- and long-term last season, the Cavs did not want to mess with team chemistry too much. The organization viewed last year's LeVert trade as a pure addition that wouldn't affect the building&rsquo;s energy. He&rsquo;d take on some of the playmaking duties and the scoring responsibility with no Rubio (who was hurt and sent to Indiana as part of the deal) or Sexton (who was still rehabbing).
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Off the floor, it worked out just fine, as LeVert fit right in with Cleveland&rsquo;s culture.&nbsp;
On the floor, it was a mixed bag.
&ldquo;He comes, he plays what, four games? He has that huge game in Indiana, then we go on the break and then he's out for a month. And then he comes back and he wasn't himself,&rdquo; said the team source.
LeVert even told the organization that he couldn&rsquo;t get his legs under him after initially spraining his foot. LeVert also admitted to bringing some of his bad habits from Indiana to Cleveland.
&ldquo;Obviously we saw the kid, the character, the work ethic, but he just wasn't on the floor, especially with most of our main guys. We were trying to figure him out, he was trying to figure us out. There just wasn't enough time,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;Maybe if he's healthy that whole second half, I think it would've been better, but it was just hard for everyone involved just because he was learning on the fly. I think we had, like, two real practices after we traded for him. So, there was no time to really jell with the guys. He just kinda had to do it on the fly in games.&rdquo;
When asked to evaluate LeVert&rsquo;s half-season stretch with Cleveland, the team source described it as &ldquo;incomplete.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I think he's gonna have a good year because he'll have had a whole summer, he's been with our guys, he's been back and forth here,&rdquo; the Cavs source said. &ldquo;We're gonna have a full training camp, and I know Coach [Bickerstaff] is saying we've learned a lot about him and where we can put him in different spots.&rdquo;
The sole reason the Cavs stacked the guard room was to take just a semblance of the burden off Garland. Carrying the playmaking load &mdash; putting the team on his shoulders from January and on &mdash; resulted in him hurting his back. But unlike his first two injury-riddled NBA seasons, Garland showcased his durability and fought through the nagging pain to will Cleveland to a spot in the Play-In Tournament.&nbsp;
For the first time in his career, Garland was an All-Star, finished as a top-20 scorer and ranked sixth in assists among his NBA peers. Last Saturday, the Cavs rewarded Garland with a five-year, $191 million rookie-maximum extension that could reach up to $231 million in earnings.
&ldquo;What he did this year was pretty incredible, the growth he's made, and I think he's still only gonna get better and hopefully take a couple more steps,&rdquo; the team source said of Garland. &ldquo;We've been looking for kind of an All-Star, a franchise pillar since LeBron left. He wants to be here. Everyone loves playing with him. He embraces the city. There's just too many boxes to check there. I think he's only gonna get better and trying to get healthy, and just get better players around him so he doesn't have to do so much. He's still only 22 years old. I think the future's bright with him, and we're excited to have him.&rdquo;
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Continuing to get stronger will be a priority for Garland, as will the team&rsquo;s desire to &ldquo;unleash him off the ball.&rdquo; We saw glimpses of that with the Rubio-Garland duo prior to the veteran&rsquo;s untimely setback. After that, Garland was the table-setter, had the ball in his hands and served as the primary scorer. By having even a possession off here or there, Cleveland could preserve Garland&rsquo;s wind, allowing him to run off screens to shoot or simply stand in the corner to spot up for a triple.
Finding ways to employ Garland&rsquo;s off-ball skills will be one piece to the puzzle. Another is figuring out how to make Evan Mobley more selfish on the offensive end, per the team source. He&rsquo;s always going to make the right play because of his natural instincts, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean he shouldn&rsquo;t be aggressive.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think it's just in between his ears,&rdquo; the Cavs source said. &ldquo;It's just a mentality. &lsquo;I know I can score 25.&rsquo; Getting him more aggressive, his mentality changing. When he catches it, [we want him thinking], &lsquo;Hey, I can get 25 tonight and no one can stop me.' I'm excited for him. I think he's gonna have a&nbsp;big jump 'cause he was playing that whole rookie year in quicksand. He's so smart and he's so skilled and he works. I'm really, really excited to see what he's gonna look like come October.&rdquo;
Mobley can put the ball in the basket, as we&rsquo;ve already seen. Fine-tuning his jump shot will be a point of emphasis, as will sharpening his handle and adding some muscle to withstand the physical element of the NBA game. In addition, the Cavs want Mobley to shoot more threes to ultimately help space the floor since that's been an issue when Allen and Okoro are on the floor with him.
That spacing agenda goes for everybody. Lauri Markkanen was able to shoot it at a decent clip when he was healthy, as was Love and the recently re-signed Dean Wade. Okoro had his moments, but then he experienced a shooting slump as soon as April hit. Lamar Stevens got better at the three-ball, but it&rsquo;s not nearly enough to make defenses close-out.&nbsp;
Osman got off to a terrific start in that department, but tailed off. Sparingly used Dylan Windler wasn&rsquo;t able to establish any sort of jumper in his 50 games. With those two specifically, it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see who Cleveland parts with if/when Sexton re-enters the fold, because the roster will be one man over the limit.&nbsp;
It sounds like Windler&rsquo;s chances to stay afloat are worse than Osman&rsquo;s due to his lack of shot-making, and Cedi having his share of high moments. As for how Cleveland&rsquo;s front office will execute the crunch, there could be opportunities to consolidate via a trade later this offseason.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have a whole summer to figure it out,&rdquo; the team source said.
(Had the Cavs found someone they wanted to use their mid-level exception on, the front office would&rsquo;ve considered moving Osman or Windler to Indiana in a sign-and-trade for Rubio. However, the talent pool dried up quickly and Cleveland just decided to sign the veteran point guard outright.)
With Summer League action off and running, the Cavs are set to open their schedule in Las Vegas on Friday. It&rsquo;s the first of many steps toward not only getting back to where they were, but surpassing that and becoming a consistent playoff presence.
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&ldquo;I think the big thing for our group is we were so close. I think we're motivated, we're hungry,&rdquo; the team source said. &ldquo;But when people come into Cleveland, it's not, 'Alright, we got the same old Cavs. We can kinda just dilly dally for three-and-a-half quarters and then we'll just win at the end.' No. We're gonna have a target on our back, and how do these guys respond? How are they gonna react when teams are coming in here giving their best effort where that wasn't the case the last three, four years?&rdquo;
The Eastern Conference is improving and Cleveland won&rsquo;t be sneaking up on anybody anymore, so it&rsquo;ll be on this young group to withstand the storm headed its way and come out with more passion and fire than ever before.

Spencer Davies speaks with a Cleveland Cavaliers source about their offseason moves and what's next for the young team.

After exceeding expectations, Cavaliers expect a target on their back

NBA defenses are generally tough to crack. There are numerous principles baked into a single possession: screen coverages, help assignments, rotations behind that help, on-ball shading (which direction the defender wants to force the ball-handler to drive) and other minute factors you're likely to miss in real time.&nbsp;
In addition to this being the longest, quickest and rangiest era of defenders, guys are also prideful. There's always an answer to what an offense wants to accomplish, the thinking goes. At the very least, there's always a way to make life more difficult. It's almost sacrilegious to suggest otherwise.
I'm pretty close to suggesting otherwise.
The Phoenix Suns ran through the NBA, healthy or not, during the 2021-22 regular season. A league-leading 64 wins. A top-five <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/advanced/?sort=DEF_RATING&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offense&nbsp;and&nbsp;defense</a>, making them the only team to rank that highly on both sides of the ball. Remove transition opportunities, and they ranked third in half-court efficiency on both ends &mdash; still the only team to do so.
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Honing in on the offense, it's tough not to be impressed with their method of attack. The Suns find cracks in your defense and hammer them. They live on shots that every calculator tells you they shouldn't be able to. It's either impressive to watch or humbling to succumb to, depending on which side you're on.
The bedrock of their offensive system &mdash; the jump-starter to the bulk of their possessions &mdash; is the Chris Paul-Deandre Ayton pairing. The two couldn't be more different. Paul's an aging guard whose height falls under the lie-on-your-Tinder-profile line, while Ayton is a behemoth whose athleticism and fluidity has drawn <a href="https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/kendrick-perkins-deandre-ayton-david-robinson-01fa35f5s2h4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comparison to David Robinson</a>.
That's also why it works. The massive difference in size forces a defense into uncomfortable matchup and scheme questions. It's easier to switch against like-sized players; not so much when one is a full foot taller than the other.
Once you start baking in the skill level of both, you realize there's no schematic answer for them.&nbsp;
You can't feed Paul drop coverage. He's one of the greatest shooters of his era, particularly when filtering for mid-range jumpers. The purpose of drop coverage is to wall-off the paint and concede longer-twos; Paul has made over 53% of his two-point jumpers from 15 feet or further <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/shot_finder.cgi?request=1&amp;match=career&amp;order_by_asc=0&amp;order_by=date_game&amp;player_id_hint=Chris+Paul&amp;player_id_select=Chris+Paul&amp;player_id=paulch01&amp;year_min=2018&amp;year_max=2022&amp;is_playoffs=N&amp;shot_type=JUMP_SHOT&amp;shot_distance_min=15&amp;minutes_max=12&amp;seconds_max=0&amp;minutes_min=0&amp;seconds_min=0&amp;shot_pts=2&amp;game_num_min=0&amp;game_num_max=99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over the past five seasons</a>.
If you concede help from the perimeter, Paul doubles as one of the best passers the NBA has ever seen. If the big man decides to commit to Paul and take away airspace, Paul will simply hit his big on the roll... or knock down a contested jumper anyway.&nbsp;
Ayton provides a similar issue against drop. First and foremost, he is a&nbsp;tremendous screen setter. He oscillates between laying the wood, getting a piece of the on-ball defender, and flipping his screening angle to pry his guy open at the last second or slipping into space if that defender tries to jump into the ball-handler's dribble.
From there, Ayton is nimble enough to glide behind your big if he can't backpedal quickly enough. He can also slow his roll and match his stride with Paul, allowing him to hang in the pocket and sprinkle home middies in his own right. Ayton converted 55.5% of his shots between 10-to-16 feet this season, and that number has gone up to 59.3% in the postseason.
Put the two together, and you have a duo that torches drop coverage.
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During the regular season, defenses surrendered a shade under 1.22 points per possession (PPP) to them on direct plays. That isn't just the best mark in the NBA among high-volume pairings (min. 300 picks); they're over 5 points per 100 possessions better than second place (Atlanta's Trae Young-Clint Capela, 1.16 PPP). That Paul-Ayton number has gone up during the postseason (1.24 PPP), a remarkable feat considering they've run 48 more&nbsp;picks against drop than any other duo.&nbsp;
Putting two on the ball isn't wise either.
Even with Paul at a size disadvantage, he processes the floor too quickly for it. He's able to get rid of the ball ahead of the trap, or he's wily enough to string it out to fully stress the defense.
Ayton is a good enough handler to take a couple of dribbles in space before going into his move. He can sprinkle in more jumpers, or get deeper into the paint for hooks or more physical finishes.
His passing and processing speed used to make short-roll opportunities a "tip your cap if he executes" play. He's improved to the point where that situation is poison for a defense. It's why the Suns generated nearly 1.2 PPP when teams attempted to blitz or hedge against the Paul-Ayton duo. That's skyrocketed to 1.57 PPP in limited doses during the postseason.
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And if you decide that switching is your play &mdash; surely taking away easy gaps is a good thing! &mdash; you're in a tough spot there.
Paul is not the rim threat he once was. He's not nearly as bursty as he used to be. What he can do, however, is use his handle to shift a bigger defender's weight. From there, he has a front foot to attack. And from&nbsp;there, he can get into his array of jumpers.&nbsp;
The real kicker is Ayton, whose combination of size, physicality and shooting touch makes him nearly impossible for smaller defenders to deal with. Ayton's motor has consistently revved high for the last season-and-a-half. He does his homework early more often now, pinning a smaller defender on his hip and establishing deep positioning before the catch.
To that point: Ayton has absolutely abused size mismatches, generating 1.5 PPP after Paul's defender switches onto him.
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This is why so many possessions kick off, or end with, Paul-Ayton pick-and-rolls.
No combination ran more ball-screens per game during the regular season (23.9). And among high volume pairings, no duo came close to matching their efficiency (1.18 PPP) on direct plays.
The same story is ringing true in the postseason. They're lapping the field in terms of pick-and-roll volume (32.3 per game, 226 total), and their efficiency (1.32 PPP) is out of this world.&nbsp;
Godspeed to everyone trying to solve this equation.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the difficulty in defending the deadly Chris Paul-Deandre Ayton combo.

There are no good answers for the Chris Paul-Deandre Ayton duo

Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;
They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;
Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;
Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;
CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;
This is his opportunity to be the veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;
McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on ~62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.
After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;
When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring 6 of New Orleans&rsquo; next 8 points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;
Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;
If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;
When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, 5 boards, 3 dimes, 2 steals and 2 blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;
The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.
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With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.
As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;
When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;
The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.
Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;
They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxie and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;
Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;
Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;
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The New Orleans Pelicans did not start the season looking like a playoff team, which is why their success is something to celebrate.

Wednesday was a celebration of how far the Pelicans have come

After looking at how to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/betting-the-west-why-the-suns-being-heavy-favorites-makes-sense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bet the Western Conference</a> in the forthcoming NBA Playoffs, we now turn our attention to the Eastern Conference. Parity is of the essence atop the East, which includes five teams with a legitimate argument to win the conference and make a run to the NBA Finals. From a betting perspective, sportsbooks are all over the place when it comes to forecasting what&rsquo;s next in the East. How should the conference be divvied up before the postseason? Let&rsquo;s dive into the odds.
Tier 1: Milwaukee Bucks +270, Brooklyn Nets +330
I have this weird feeling building we&rsquo;re going to get Suns vs. Bucks Part II in a few months with another championship on the line. As of late, Milwaukee is finding a groove and rounding into form for their title defense. Giannis Antetokounmpo can break any defense apart, so another dominant run could cement his overall legacy. Considering the Bucks have such a strong rotation, the safest bet right now is to repeat last year&rsquo;s Finals matchup.
The one X-factor in the East has to be Brooklyn. Although James Harden is no longer there, Brooklyn still has two stars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving who can push an elite team like Milwaukee to the brink. As we&rsquo;ve seen this season, the Nets are nearly impossible to stop when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both going off offensively.
Last season saw Durant nearly beat the Bucks by himself in the Eastern Conference Finals. If Irving stays healthy, the main theme of top teams repeating could circle back around for an epic early-round clash.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Highlights from last night's OT WIN vs. Nets. ⚡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/we_energies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@we_energies</a> ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/A8gHaMibWs">pic.twitter.com/A8gHaMibWs</a>
&mdash; Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1509923795028615197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Tier 2: Miami Heat +425, Boston Celtics +430, Philadelphia 76ers +500
Kudos to BasketballNews&rsquo; own Spencer Davies, because he called it on the first &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; podcast episode previewing the 2021-22 season. He said that Miami was going to surprise some people and was right on the money. Miami has the two-way versatility to compete with the East&rsquo;s elite. The leaps from Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have taken pressure off of Jimmy Butler, and it always helps to have a soothing veteran point guard presence in Kyle Lowry.
Miami has shown lockdown potential on both ends of the court, so if they have a hot shooting series, they can go toe-to-toe with anybody.
Losing Robert Williams due to injury is going to hurt Boston in the short-term, but this team has been scary good since the All-Star break. Jayson Tatum is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and Jaylen Brown is finding his spots within the flow of the offense. Any concerns related to Tatum and Brown&rsquo;s on-court fit have fizzled out. Boston has the star power to win big, but they also have some veterans who can be key in postseason pushes.
If I wanted to throw a dart at any of the odds presented on the board, Philadelphia gets my attention. The odds at +500 are simply too good to pass up. Betting on a historic postseason from Joel Embiid and James Harden, who continue to build chemistry together, has an extremely high ceiling. Tyrese Maxey has also begun to blossom, helping form a fun long-term trio in Philadelphia. I wouldn&rsquo;t be stunned if we saw the Sixers make the Finals, and I still feel there&rsquo;s a real shot there.
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Tier 3: Chicago Bulls +2700, Toronto Raptors +3000, Cleveland Cavaliers +5500
Unlike the Western Conference&rsquo;s top Tier 3 team, the Utah Jazz (+950), Chicago kicks it off at +2700 odds. It&rsquo;s been disappointing to watch the Bulls lose steam over the last few months because the early potential was off the charts. DeMar DeRozan is a perfect fit within the Bulls&rsquo; system alongside Zach LaVine, but losing Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso for the majority of the regular season were massive blows. Maybe the Bulls can surprise in the first round, but betters shouldn't expect much beyond that, especially now that Ball is officially out for the season.
Second to Philadelphia on my favorite odds out East, Toronto at +3000 is very tempting to hammer. The Raptors have caught lightning in a bottle for a while now, and their blend of win-now veterans and exciting young players is fun to watch. Pascal Siakam deserves an All-NBA spot, and the trio of Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby provide ideal two-way balance. Versatility is off the charts in Toronto, and there&rsquo;s a reality where they could be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. Don&rsquo;t sleep on the Raptors because they&rsquo;ve been quietly impressive since February.
In the opposite direction of Toronto, Cleveland checks in with long +5500 odds. The Cavaliers were rolling behind their dynamic young trio of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. When Allen, their two-way All-Star anchor, went down it knocked the wind out of Cleveland&rsquo;s surging sails. Garland taking the leap could help Cleveland become a frisky opponent out early in the postseason. I&rsquo;m excited to see what happens this offseason for a team ready to take another huge leap forward in 2022-23.
Tier 4: Atlanta Hawks +10000, Charlotte Hornets +18000
In Tier 4, the odds are bordering on impossible for an NBA Finals run. Atlanta has been one of the NBA&rsquo;s most disappointing teams this season after their surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. Trae Young is doing his best to carry a consistently short-handed Hawks squad, which is leading to some absurd individual numbers along the way. Maybe Young can help Atlanta push a team in the first round, but betting against another surprise run shouldn&rsquo;t be off the table.
Charlotte is one of my favorite teams to watch this season when they get humming offensively. LaMelo Ball running the show is so entertaining, plus they have a plethora of high-volume three-point shooters. Miles Bridges&rsquo; leap in a contract year makes him a pillar piece to Ball in Charlotte. It would be fun to have the Hornets in the postseason, but it may be a very quick exit for them. If Charlotte can add one more game-changing piece in the offseason (Myles Turner, perhaps?), they could take a huge leap in 2023.
Analyzing the betting odds in the Eastern Conference, the possibilities are endless. Five teams sit within the first two tiers of Finals probabilities, and it wouldn&rsquo;t be surprising to see a team with longer odds (Raptors, Hawks, etc.) make a surprise push further.
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With the NBA postseason drawing near, which teams have the best odds to come out of the Eastern Conference?

Betting the East: Possibilities are endless for NBA Finals contenders

Trae Young is in the midst of a historic season.
It's flown under the radar due to the other powerhouses (and storylines) in the conference, as well as the underwhelming nature of the Atlanta Hawks' season. And to be fair, Young's less-frequent-but-still-problematic apathy on defense has contributed to the Hawks' issues this year.
But as of this writing, Young leads the NBA in total points (1915) and assists (649). If it holds, he'll become the first player since Nate "Tiny" Archibald in 1972-73 to lead the league in both categories.
The bedrock of Young's success is the pick-and-roll. Nobody in the league blends volume and efficiency quite like he does. Consider these tidbits, courtesy of Second Spectrum tracking:
<ul>
<li>He's received 317 more on-ball picks (3288 total) than second-place Luka Doncic this season</li>
<li>Among 51 players to receive at least 1000 picks, only three players &mdash; Seth Curry (1.15), Chris Paul (1.11) and Stephen Curry (1.08) &mdash; have generated more points per possession (PPP) than Young (1.07)</li>
<li>He's received 805 more picks than Paul (2483), and has more than the Curry brothers combined (2572)</li>
</ul>
You can keep going down the rabbit hole and find fun stuff, like him being the only player to receive 10,000 picks over the past three seasons, but you get the gist. He's the system &mdash; more importantly, he's good enough to be&nbsp;the system.
There isn't a great answer for Young. Play drop against him, and he's able to pull-up from deep (36% on pull-up 3s out of ball screens, per InStat tracking) or get downhill for floaters, lobs, or kick-outs.&nbsp;Switch against him, and he'll boogie against less talented defenders.
Your best bet may be to force the ball out of his hands, but that can pose its own issues. One, Young is shifty enough to flat-out split your trap and put the rest of your defense in a bind. On a more basic level, sending two players to Young means tasking your defense to defend four players with three. It's not an easy thing to do for long stretches of time.&nbsp;
The Warriors found that out the hard way on the opening possession of Friday night's game.
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Opening sets are always fun. Tone-setters, if you will.&nbsp;
The set kicks off with Danilo Gallinari setting a decoy ghost screen for Young. He then receives a pass before flowing into a handoff with Kevin Huerter. As Huerter receives the handoff, Clint Capela lifts higher on the floor. The Hawks are getting ready to set up a variation of Blind Pig action &mdash; Young sprinting into an exchange.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_26_18_49_47_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
The beauty of Blind Pig action is the suddenness of it. If done correctly, the ball handler's defender gets demolished by the pick, thus creating a 2-on-1 advantage.
The Warriors have their two best defenders (Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green) involved in the action,&nbsp;and&nbsp;they attempt to counter this action by blitzing Young. But if you have two to the ball, somebody has to zone up behind it. Due to the spacing on the possession, that responsibility falls to Klay Thompson.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_26_18_53_09_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
Young doesn't panic when the pressure arrives, and simply flips the ball ahead to De'Andre Hunter in the strong side corner. With Thompson dropping down to cut off Capela's roll, and Jordan Poole accounting for Gallinari in the weakside corner, Huerter is left wide-the-heck open.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screen-shot-2022-03-26-at-12-07-50-pm_lg.png" alt="" width="575" height="325" />
The "Blitz Young" strategy is one we've seen work on occasion, most recently (and egregiously) against the Charlotte Hornets last Wednesday (March 16). But it's an occasional remedy for a reason. Letting an NBA team play 4-on-3, 3-on-2, or 2-on-1 consistently is still a risky bet.
The Warriors didn't have much success on Friday, giving up an ungodly 1.7 PPP on possessions where they sent two to the ball against Young. On the year, the Hawks are generating 1.02 PPP on possessions featuring a trap against Young, a top-ten mark among high-volume ball handlers per Second Spectrum.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the difficulties of slowing down Trae Young.

Explain one play: It takes two with Trae Young

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

March Madness indicates many things. Upsets, the overuse of the term bracketology, the start of spring, the beginning of pickup basketball games you promised yourself you'd get in shape for.
But for NBA fans, it&rsquo;s also a friendly reminder that the playoffs are only a stone's throw away. So, here at BasketballNews.com, we figured it was time to start preparing you for the game&rsquo;s second season.&nbsp;
And to do my part, I have decided to spend the next month studying some of the NBA's biggest stars and (hopefully) prescribing some tips for how teams can try to slow them down this postseason.&nbsp;
But remember, these suggestions are only for slowing them down &mdash; because you can never truly stop the best of the best.
Now, without further ado: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Almost three years ago, the Toronto Raptors infamously built a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-EPx-v1XIY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wall</a> in front of Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s path to the rim. The following season, the Miami Heat <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwVkriJPZ3Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reinforced</a> this structure on their way to a 4-1 gentleman&rsquo;s sweep.&nbsp;
Last season, however, Antetokounmpo was able to overcome his postseason demons on route to an NBA championship and Finals MVP award, prompting some to wonder whether past defensive tactics were growing outdated.
To answer this, let&rsquo;s think about why this barrier was concocted in the first place. Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s preferred scoring avenues &mdash; cutting, rolling, isolating and running in transition &mdash; all enable him to gain one thing: momentum. Once he has this kinetic energy, he becomes a nearly unstoppable locomotive.
The key here is the word &ldquo;nearly&rdquo; because, as a certain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">smart person</a> once said, &ldquo;An object in motion stays in motion&hellip; unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Enter, The Wall.
Looking back at last postseason, while they ultimately fell short (or long), the Brooklyn Nets did a great job of deploying this defensive stratagem against The Greek Freak:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zh7pqo" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
This season, teams like the Heat, Celtics, Suns and Knicks have also experienced some success packing the paint in this manner and forcing him to settle for low-percentage shots:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/r5cxds" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
The key here is you need need NEED the right personnel to make this work. Big, strong, physical guys who evaporate space and can&rsquo;t be moved by Giannis&rsquo; overwhelming force.&nbsp;
If you look at some of the guys who have given him the most fits over the last two seasons (keep in mind matchup data can be finicky), you notice a trend in body structure:
Giannis Antetokounmpo Matchup Statistics from 2020-22:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 56.7472%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.1489%;">
Player
</td>
<td style="width: 14.3568%;">
FG Attempts*
</td>
<td style="width: 17.5691%;">
Field Goal %*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.1489%;">
Steven Adams
</td>
<td style="width: 14.3568%;">
39
</td>
<td style="width: 17.5691%;">
38.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.1489%;">
Bam Adebayo
</td>
<td style="width: 14.3568%;">
38
</td>
<td style="width: 17.5691%;">
42.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.1489%;">
Deandre Ayton
</td>
<td style="width: 14.3568%;">
39
</td>
<td style="width: 17.5691%;">
41.0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.1489%;">
Blake Griffin
</td>
<td style="width: 14.3568%;">
46
</td>
<td style="width: 17.5691%;">
45.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 21.1489%;">
Julius Randle
</td>
<td style="width: 14.3568%;">
32
</td>
<td style="width: 17.5691%;">
37.5%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
See what I mean? These are probably the five guys in the NBA (other than Antetokounmpo) that I'd least want to upset. Having a player who fits this physical archetype gives you a great foundation for that unbalanced force Newton was talking about.
Of course, this gameplan is far less bulletproof than it once was. Giannis has added some graceful counters to his drive game (the one I hyperlinked <a href="https://streamable.com/tujkbl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> would make Baryshnikov proud). And the kickout has become a much more viable option for him these days &mdash; thanks to the improved outside shooting the team has surrounded him with. The Bucks are currently <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/team/17/team#tab-shooting_offense_accuracy">sixth</a> in the league in three-point shooting for the second-straight season after being 16th and 20th overall in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Even with these changes, I&rsquo;d still say The Wall is the weapon of choice for attempting to slow down Antetokounmpo. Despite being a great playmaker for his size, and adding in flying saucers like <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20/status/1486830638980284420?s=20&amp;t=w80AuxWhJVt2p9WEuhlz8g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this</a> to his game, his decision-making is still a bit inconsistent when he&rsquo;s navigating through traffic.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/3sgiga" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Playmaking/decision-making can be a difficult thing to quantify because of all the immeasurable variables that go into the practice, but from the metrics we do have available, Antetokounmpo doesn&rsquo;t look like a significantly different facilitator than he was in 2019 when the Raptors were able to capitalize on some of his lapses in judgment.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 97.1279%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.9661%;">
Year
</td>
<td style="width: 19.0601%;">
Passer Rating*
</td>
<td style="width: 18.0157%;">
Box Creation*
</td>
<td style="width: 23.2376%;">
Potential Assists
</td>
<td style="width: 25.9791%;">
Assist Points Created
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.9661%;">
2018-19
</td>
<td style="width: 19.0601%;">
5.8
</td>
<td style="width: 18.0157%;">
11
</td>
<td style="width: 23.2376%;">
11.5
</td>
<td style="width: 25.9791%;">
15.4
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.9661%;">
2019-20
</td>
<td style="width: 19.0601%;">
5.9
</td>
<td style="width: 18.0157%;">
12.1
</td>
<td style="width: 23.2376%;">
11.5
</td>
<td style="width: 25.9791%;">
15
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.9661%;">
2020-21
</td>
<td style="width: 19.0601%;">
6
</td>
<td style="width: 18.0157%;">
11.7
</td>
<td style="width: 23.2376%;">
11.4
</td>
<td style="width: 25.9791%;">
15.6
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.9661%;">
2021-22
</td>
<td style="width: 19.0601%;">
6.2
</td>
<td style="width: 18.0157%;">
12.1
</td>
<td style="width: 23.2376%;">
11.2
</td>
<td style="width: 25.9791%;">
15.9
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right for full table on mobile)
It&rsquo;s also worth mentioning here that, while Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s turnover rates are the lowest they have been since 2018 (a sign of improved control when navigating through the trees), his totals balloon back up to resemble his 2019-20 outputs when his co-star <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/julius-randle-and-the-george-costanza-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jrue Holiday</a> leaves the floor, per PBP Stats.
As I said, numbers can never fully explain the subtle intricacies of the art. But his stagnation in these stats at the very least suggests that the practice of packing the paint and forcing him to make correct reads should not be eradicated just yet.
Speaking of Holiday, opposing teams would do well to make Antetokounmpo forget how much of a revelation his go-to table-setter has been. When Antetokounmpo is playing off Holiday, it&rsquo;s way harder to load up your defense on him. When Antetokounmpo is initiating the offense, whether it be via post-ups or pick-and-rolls, it becomes easier to calibrate stunts, which can sometimes lead to The Freak picking up his dribble a step early or forfeiting the ball altogether.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v6xuab" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Timing is so important when you are unleashing that second defender on him. If the defender digs too early, Antetokounmpo can calmly survey his options and locate the open man. If help comes too late, he&rsquo;ll have already barrelled his way through the seam. He&rsquo;s that damn good.
Even if your group is moving and communicating perfectly, you still need great personnel. His four lowest <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetgi01/gamelog/2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Score</a> outputs this season came against three of the top-four defensive units in the league.
And guess what? Even then, he has counters of his own. He&rsquo;ll switch to full-on play-finisher mode. He&rsquo;ll freelance for putbacks. He&rsquo;ll <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/04/06/evaluating-nba-perimeter-defense-establishing-and-using-a-rubric/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">create events</a> on defense to ignite the fastbreak. He&rsquo;s the ultimate scavenger of low-hanging fruit.&nbsp;
Such conditions project a bleak outlook for teams attempting to contain Antetokounmpo. But play your cards right, and you might shave a few points off his impact. And in a game dedicated by singular possessions, that might make all the difference.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Mat Issa breaks down Giannis Antetokounmpo's game and whether building a wall is still the best strategy to slow him down.

How to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo: Is The Wall still the way?

Nekias Duncan dives deep into the rise of guard-screening in the NBA through the lens of NBA players, coaches and more.

Changing of the guard: The future of screening is here

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; Stephen Curry got another 3-point record. LeBron James got another All-Star win.
Not a bad night in Ohio for the two All-Stars from Akron.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s right on the nose of how it should go,&rdquo; Curry said.
Curry turned boos to oohs and aahs with the greatest long-distance shooting performance in All-Star Game history, then James made a turnaround jumper that gave Team LeBron a 163-160 victory over Team Durant on Sunday night.
Curry made 16 3-pointers and scored 50 points, two off Anthony Davis' record. He was clearly hunting it, asking on the sideline during a sizzling third quarter how many points it would take.
On a night both players were among the greats of the game who were honored during a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kobe-bryant-nba-sports-charles-barkley-cleveland-6b1a25c5a3eff9905c01c09e438ad601">halftime ceremony celebrating the NBA's 75th anniversary team</a>, Curry and James showed why they continue to stand out among today's best.
Curry, who earlier this season became the NBA's career leader in 3-pointers, missed his final attempt beyond the arc that would have allowed him to surpass Davis. But with James' team needing a basket to reach the target score of 163 points, they couldn't afford to keep feeding Curry.
So James pulled up from deep on the right side for the winning bucket, making him 5-0 in the format where the leading vote-getters in each conference draft teams.
The All-Star Game&rsquo;s return to Cleveland was expected to be James&rsquo; night. He is the Cavaliers franchise&rsquo;s greatest player, having led them to their only NBA championship in 2016.
Instead, he fittingly co-starred with Curry, who was born in the same Akron hospital three years later.
&ldquo;Obviously I got the MVP; I played well the whole night. He hit the game-winner," Curry said. "All the history of our series and the Akron ties, and all that kind of going into how the night went, so it was pretty &mdash; can&rsquo;t really draw it up any other way.&rdquo;
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, increasing what was a 28.8 average that was already best in All-Star Game history. James finished with 24 in his old home. Joel Embiid led Team Durant with 36 points.
Curry finished 16 of 27 beyond the arc &mdash; sometimes well, well behind it. He launched a few from the All-Star 2022 logo near midcourt, running backward without even waiting to watch one go in.
The 3-point arc is slightly more than 23 feet away. Curry had made shots listed from 37, 33 and 34 feet during one stretch of the third quarter,
&ldquo;This guy is from a different planet. He literally has an automatic sniper connected to his arm, and when he lets it go, not only himself, but everybody on the floor, in the stands, on TV, on their phones, whatever you are watching on, you think it&rsquo;s going in every time,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;Nine times out of 10 and sometimes 10 times out of 10, it does go in.
"To be out there and watch that kid from Akron as well shoot the ball the way he shot it, it was unbelievable,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;It was pretty cool.&rdquo;
Curry had been booed all weekend, smiling through the sounds during pregame introductions as Cleveland fans made clear they hadn't forgiven him for helping Golden State beat the Cavaliers three times in the NBA Finals from 2015-18.
But the fans were enjoying his show too much to keep going as the game went on, though the boos returned when he was presented the MVP award that in 2020 was renamed in honor of Kobe Bryant, who won a record-tying four of them.
The Kobe Bryant Trophy was redesigned this year and given to Curry in front of a crowd that included Bryant's wife, Vanessa.
Curry received 11 of the 12 votes for the award, with James earning the other through a fan vote.
Michael Jordan was the last player introduced for the halftime ceremony and James said his winning shot was inspired by the turnaround fadeaway that Jordan perfected during his Hall of Fame career. It earned $450,000 for the Kent State I Promise Scholars Program, the charity James' team was playing for.
&ldquo;He wanted the ball. We all knew that he was going to shoot it,&rdquo; Cleveland's Darius Garland said. &ldquo;Fadeaway, you know? He wanted to win for the school. That&rsquo;s why he was going so hard in the fourth. That&rsquo;s why everybody was going hard in the fourth. Just seeing that go in, just seeing the crowd erupt in his hometown, it was cool to see.&rdquo;
It was a thrilling finish to an All-Star Game played again before a packed house after the 2021 game was contested in a mostly empty State Farm Arena in Atlanta, moved there because of the coronavirus pandemic after it was originally scheduled for Indianapolis.
The pregame introductions wrapped up with a thunderous roar for James, who responded with one of his own. His home fans cheered again when he did his signature pregame powder toss and he came out aggressively with nine points to help Team LeBron win the first quarter 47-45.
Then it became the Curry show.
He made six 3s for 18 points in the second quarter, though Team Durant won the period. He made seven more 3s and scored 21 in the third, when the teams played to a 45-all tie.
James defeated Curry when they were captains in 2018, the first year after the NBA did away with the traditional East against West format. Then James beat Antetokounmpo in the next two years.
This time, he drafted both of the two-time NBA MVPs, along with Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP. His team won for the second straight year against the club captained by Kevin Durant, who couldn't play because of a sprained left knee ligament.
Chris Paul did play &mdash; briefly &mdash; despite a right thumb injury that TNT reported would keep him out at least six weeks. Paul played with a wrap covering his thumb during his two-minute stint.
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The Cavaliers' two All-Stars did well, with Garland scoring 13 points and Jarrett Allen blocking Embiid's shot when the game was tied at 155. The duo played with James, Curry and Antetokounmpo during a pivotal fourth-quarter stretch.
Devin Booker scored 20 points, LaMelo Ball had 18 and Dejounte Murray 17 for Team Durant.

Curry had the best 3-point performance in All-Star Game history, and LeBron made a jumper that gave his team the win over Team Durant.

Pace Setters