As the calendar flips to 2023, most of the NBA title favorites such as the Bucks, Celtics, and Nuggets have been making their case during the season's first quarter. However, there is always a new team that enters the mix and this year, it's the New Orleans Pelicans. After sneaking into last year's playoffs, they've taken a significant step forward thanks to the return of Zion Williamson. There are obviously a lot more games left but this team is seriously good enough to win a round or two.
After a strong showing against the 64-win Suns in last year's playoffs, New Orleans has stormed out the gate to begin the season. They are currently sitting in third place of the Western Conference with a 21-12 record. A big reason why they've been so successful is that they have one of the league's most well-balanced rosters. Young players such as Williamson and Brandon Ingram and veteran acquisitions like C.J. McCollum have all been making significant contributions because they all know their roles. Zion Williamson has unquestionably been the most important player of the Pelicans. Viewed as a franchise-altering pick, Williamson has dealt with numerous injuries, and even though he's played well when he was healthy, the team often lost. But now Williamson is playing like an MVP candidate, and the Pelicans are winning, which is the combination fans have waited to witness since the day he was drafted. Williamson is currently averaging 25 points and seven rebounds, while seemingly defying gravity in some way every game. It would not be a surprise to see him make the All-NBA first team at the end of the regular season. https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA/status/1601425390098006016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1601425390098006016%7Ctwgr%5E0f25b198868a192d946b87414c6859b0db54026d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fnba%2Fnews%2Fzion-williamsons-thunderous-360-windmill-dunk-as-time-expires-irritates-suns-in-pelicans-win%2F In addition, Williamson's supporting cast is arguably one of the best in the league. On offense, Ingram and CJ McCollum are two crafty players who can score in various ways, and hit big shots down the stretch. Their defensive standouts consist of two sophomore players in Herb Jones and un-drafted guard Jose Alvarado. Jones is a tough wing defender thanks to his freakishly long wingspan, while Alvarado makes his mark with his IQ and tenacious hustle. https://twitter.com/JohnRad450/status/1509523155005624334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1509523155005624334%7Ctwgr%5E4014c87c4322e4159ee80653babe9ea21e04b790%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fftw.usatoday.com%2Flists%2Fpelicans-jose-alvarado-sneaky-steal-trick-impressive If there's any concern, it could be the lack of a true point guard. McCollum may be productive at the position in the regular season, but he has usually played shooting guard his whole career and opposing defenses could affect his decision making. Other than that, they have all the tools to make a deep run. Their roster as a whole consists of many players who have at least one year of playoff experience. Even though Williamson has yet to appear in a playoff game, he is used to the spotlight and will certainly thrive. When they go into the playoffs as one of the best in the west, don't be surprised. It is not even three full years into this decade, but if there's any recurring trend, it's that plenty of teams were finally able to overcome years of mediocrity and make the playoffs. Whether it has been adjusting to COVID, a major acquisition, or a well timed winning streak, teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Phoenix Suns finally managed to break long standing playoff droughts. The Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies also recently added their names to the list.
Here's why this pattern continues: Surprisingly, the first cause has been the effects of the COVID pandemic. Although all teams were challenged with adapting to empty venues, COVID actually might've helped teams who were previously struggling. Some teams who benefited from these unusual circumstances include the Cleveland Browns, who allowed more fans and only played three games in empty stadiums, unlike many of their opponents whose stadiums were empty all season. In another example, the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres. were particularly fortunate to play in a shortened season. While some might see these seasons as fluky, it is fair to say that they benefitted from these unusual circumstances as both teams underachieved the following year. Regardless of COVID, there were other teams who were already well-positioned to break their playoff droughts and were just one player away. In 2019, the Buccaneers boosted a talented roster that was competitive, but missed the playoffs for the 12th straight year. However, their progress was enough to lure Tom Brady in free agency. The rest was history, as Brady won an seventh Super Bowl in a convincing 31-9 triumph. The following season saw them lose in Divisional Round but there's no question Brady has changed the culture in Tampa Bay. The Phoenix Suns, with a young roster led by Devin Booker, went 8-0 in the NBA bubble but narrowly missed out on the play-in tournament. Despite this, they established a foundation and would soon trade for Chris Paul whose greatest ability is elevating his teammates. Since then, the Suns not only broke their 10 year drought, but have won more games than any other team, and made the 2021 Finals. If there's one thing great teams have in common, it is the ability to embark on a winning stretch at the right time. This is also how some teams were finally able to get over the hump to make the playoffs. Just as they would slowly start to fall out of the playoff picture, they heated up at the perfect time. The 2021 New York Knicks are a perfect fit for this category. While they had already showed significant improvement, it looked like their luck was starting to run out with just over a month left. What followed was a nine game winning streak, culminating into 16 wins in their last 20 games: good enough to clinch the fourth seed. Their first playoff series in eight years against the Hawks lasted only five games, but witnessing their game 2 win in person was an incredible experience for me. Unlike the Knicks, this year's Seattle Mariners were looking to take the next step after falling short of the playoffs the previous season. They started slow but found their stride in July: the exact time baseball games become significant. Seattle won an amazing 14 consecutive games, which boosted them into the wild card picture, a position they would not relinquish. Last Friday, they finally put an end to their 21 year drought; the longest out of any American sports team at the time. Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images When you’re going to an event for the first time, there’s probably a ton of thoughts racing through your mind.
Will I enjoy it, what am I going to get out of it, and will I want to go again? For me, those were some of the things I was wondering about before going to Tuesday night's Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) game between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces with the New York Times Sports Storytelling course. As someone who has gone to plenty of Knicks games for the last 10 years, I was curious about what type of experience I would get from watching a WNBA game for the first time. Forty minutes later, I left Barclays Center hoping for another chance to attend a game. Las Vegas emerged victorious last night as they extinguished the Liberty’s burning torch, leading throughout the entire contest. The Aces improved to 16-7 while the Liberty fell to 9-14. In a game that featured a combined six all stars, four of them on Las Vegas, the Aces barely broke a sweat in the first half, leading 53-28 at halftime thanks to a balanced scoring attack led by All Star MVP Kelsey Plum. However, the Liberty fought back valiantly in the second half, scoring a WNBA record 73 points in a single half. With superstar Sabrina Ionescu on the bench, her fellow all-star Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb trimmed the Aces lead to single digits by the end of the third quarter. Ionescu joined the rally in the fourth quarter by scoring 21 of her 27 points, but the Aces hit key shots down the stretch and ultimately emerged victorious. After the game, Liberty coach Sandy Brondello credited the team for their ferocious rally, but stated that if they continue to replicate their first half performance, “We’ll lose against every team.” While watching, I tried to observe more than any other basketball game I’ve previously attended. What I witnessed was tons of off-ball movement with all five players working as one. Yes, there were still one on one baskets whether it was from Ionescu or Plum, but more often than not, each basket involved an off-ball screen, a cut to the basket, and the extra pass. As someone who has seen lots of basketball, I would rather see possessions where everyone plays as one compared to sequences where someone tries to dunk it over everybody. There’s plenty of times in the National Basketball Association where teams have a sequence involving all five players working together, but that tends to come during the first minutes of action or when a coach draws up an out of bounds play. When an NBA game is free flowing, players will try to use their athleticism to outsmart their opponents which can only do so much. In last night’s game, the possessions that saw lots of passing were more frequent. The most impressive part is the fact that they aren’t running a specific play, but rather trying to outsmart the opponent by using their brains. In a question surrounding the play style of teams, third year player Jocelyn Willoughby has missed the majority of the season with a knee injury but still finds the WNBA teams to be “more team oriented” and “fundamentally sound”. If more NBA teams could adapt the playstyle WNBA teams play with, the game as a whole would be more beautiful because everyone would have a significant role on each possession. As a matter of fact, it would open more opportunities for highlight reel plays since players will be in a better position to make those spectacular plays. Everyone, including myself, understandably enjoys watching the entertaining moments of an NBA game but if good ball and player movement can lead to a great play, it’ll be the best of both worlds. In my first time going to a WNBA game between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces, I was curious to see what the atmosphere was going to be like. For 10 years I've been going to Knicks games and even during the highest and lowest points, Madison Square Garden has always provided fan entertainment so there were lots of questions racing through my mind given that this was also my first time going to Barclays Center. By the time the final buzzer sounded, I was very impressed.
The atmosphere at Barclays was very exciting from start to finish. There were over 5,000 fans at Barclays which might not seem like a lot, but, given the nosebleed sections are usually covered up, that’s a very respectable number of fans. They also did a very good job keeping the fans engaged during breaks, and having been to a Lakers home game, the entertainment the Liberty provided was way better in my opinion. My favorite source of entertainment was when they did a Liberty chant in a style replicating the J-E-T-S chant. However, they were most engaged in the early stages of the Liberty’s rally where Sami Whitcomb had a three point barrage to conclude the third quarter. When asked about the fans, Vice President of Communications Alesia Howard said, “People have been very receptive. If you know anything about New Yorkers, you know that they love basketball and they’ve been very supportive of the women.” She also gave credit to Ionescu for improving the team’s marketing, noting that “It’s great when you have the talent, performance, and skill to back it up because that’s what people want to see.” For anyone that has yet to see her play in person, I definitely recommend it. Especially after she practically couldn’t miss in the fourth quarter. As for the long term outlook of the WNBA, there is still plenty of growth. They have already made significant progress as they are the longest standing professional league for women. Given the lack of coverage it receives however, going to a game seems to be the only way to get a true glimpse of the action in a WNBA game. Meanwhile in the NBA, you have a variety of ways to watch whether it’s your team’s channel, ESPN/ABC, or TNT. If I hadn’t gone to last night’s game, I wouldn’t have truly known how talented some of these players are. During warmups, I got to ask Jocelyn Willoughby if she thinks NBA players have done enough to help improve the WNBA’s recognition. She replied, “I think there’s been growth in that area but more can be done. I don’t think it’s just NBA players. I think it’s valuing women more…NBA players’ engagement in the WNBA is definitely an important step.” For the WNBA, the support from NBA players is one of many important steps toward the league’s quest to become more popular. When you're watching the NBA Finals, something should stand out about each roster. Not the stars on both sides, but rather the way these rosters were constructed. When you look at talent for both teams, you may notice that almost every important player is playing for the team that drafted them. This year's Finals were no different, as the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics both built their rosters through the draft.
Throughout NBA history, the majority of championship teams have constructed their roster from the ground up by using the draft as the key to success. Whether it's Magic Johnson's Lakers, Michael Jordan's Bulls, or Tim Duncan's Spurs, almost every championship roster was driven by homegrown talent. The same can be said for the Warriors, whose longtime success in the draft propelled them to their fourth championship in the last eight years. Sure, there are some exceptions, such as the 2019 Raptors and 2020 Lakers, whose top two players were acquired by free agency or trade. However, both teams used previous draft selections to acquire a big time star who proved to be the missing piece, whether it was Kawhi Leonard for the Raptors or Anthony Davis for the Lakers. Despite this, there are still teams who set out build championship caliber rosters to pursue marquee players who are either free agents or on the trade block. This year's Nets and Lakers are primary examples. The Nets went into the season hoping that their big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden would lead them to a championship. Instead, Kyrie's refusal to take the Covid vaccine, Durant's knee injury, and Harden's desire to seek a trade culminated in the trio playing only two games this season. Even when Kyrie returned full time, the Nets got swept in the first round and with Kyrie's future uncertain, Durant might be the only one left by the time next season starts. Out west, the Los Angeles Lakers believed they needed a third star, and would acquire Russell Westbrook on draft night. With a big three of LeBron James, Westbrook, and Davis, the Lakers looked set up to be on a collision course with the Nets. However, Los Angeles wouldn't even make the play-in tournament, as their supposed big three only played 21 games together. While their 11-10 record suggests the Lakers could've made the playoffs had all three been healthy, they would've been an early exit as they were never more than three games above .500. As of now, it's hard to imagine that the Lakers could be successful next season without parting ways with one of the three players. On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors returned to the NBA's pinnacle after two non-playoff seasons thanks to the talent they've developed over the years. Besides Andrew Wiggins, their whole core is made up of players who they took a chance on in the draft. The first three guys that typically come to mind are Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. They set the foundation for Golden State's' long time success and each of them have been on the team for every single one of their championships during this dynasty. Additionally, Golden State's 2019 draft pick Jordan Poole developed into a reliable scorer, averaging 17 points off the bench in the playoffs. The most impressive part about Golden State's success in the draft is the fact that Curry was the highest selection at number seven, with Thompson being the only other lottery pick at 11. As for the Boston Celtics, their success in the draft started in 2013 when they traded franchise cornerstones Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets for a ransom of long term picks. Fast forward to 2022 and Boston's top three players - Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart - are all prized possessions of the trade. Tatum is clearly the alpha dog of the three, but Brown has developed his game beyond dunking, while Marcus Smart became the first point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in 1996. Boston has also seen Robert Williams and Grant Williams take significant steps this season. Robert Williams in particular has a really bright future and could win a DPOY. Although Boston lost in six games, they are still very much contenders after some had written them off earlier in the season. Any team will gain more attention from the media if they manage to acquire a star or two. They will be on national TV plenty of times and tickets will go up significantly. However, this isn't always the right formula toward building a championship team, as most of these moves don't yield the long term results many would expect. When watching the NBA Finals, general managers should realize that both teams have a least one major contributor who they previously drafted. This year was just another addition to the long list of Finals matchups where both teams had gotten to this point through the draft. This year has seen so many young players in the NBA take huge steps in their careers. Whether it was Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum, or Luka Dončić, the NBA is certainly in good hands for the future. With all the young talents in the league, here are my top 25 players under 25.
1. Luka Dončić He will not win MVP as I predicted before the season but his incredible sense on the court, clutch shot making, and career averages of 28 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists will eventually earn him one. His averages are even better in the playoffs as he's turning the Dallas Mavericks into a playoff contender, as he will play in his first career Conference Finals following a 35 point masterpiece in game 7. Whether Dallas wins or not, it's only a matter of time until he will have accomplished everything an NBA player could dream of. 2. Jayson Tatum In his first year as the established number one option, Tatum propelled the Boston Celtics to the second seed after an 18-21 start. Though he was always a big time scorer - just look at game 6 - he established himself as one of the league's best two-way players with his lockdown defense on Kevin Durant in the first round and clutch shooting against the Bucks. Add in the playoff experience he already has at age 24 and Boston could soon be hanging up banner 18. 3. Ja Morant The high flying dunker of the Memphis Grizzlies took a massive leap in his third year, winning the league's Most Improved Player. Morant's incredible athleticism has made him one of the league's most exciting players. His impact on the team can't be understated as Memphis finished second in the West and won their first playoff series since 2015. Fans will now be hoping that he can make a full recovery as his amazing postseason was cut short after a knee injury. 4. Trae Young Young's disappointing postseason makes it difficult to put him in the top three, but he still gets the nod at four. His ball handling and shooting has made him one of the league's most entertaining point guards since his rookie season. He's also became one of the league's best finishers with a bunch of clutch shots in big games such as last year against the Knicks and then the Cavaliers in this year's play-in. 5. Zion Williamson Despite missing all of this season, Williamson still cracks the top five. When he is healthy, Williamson is one of the more dominant players on the court. He will back down anyone that stands in his way despite his small size for a power forward. On defense, he's a brick wall who refuses to let opponents have their way against him. 6. LaMelo Ball LaMelo Ball is an impressive playmaker who has made the Hornets one of the league's most entertaining teams. While everyone loved his passing, they were skeptical about his shot. However, he has transformed his shot into a strength which is why he's dangerous on the offensive end. Although Ball hasn't appeared in a postseason yet, that will likely change. 7. Anthony Edwards Anthony Edwards is probably the first player since LeBron to come into the league possessing an explosiveness that's highlight worthy, despite having the body of a football player. This allows him to get to wherever he wants on the court, whether it's out on the perimeter or in the paint. After being a finalist for Rookie of the Year, Edwards took a jump by leading the Timberwolves to the playoffs where he was easily their top player throughout the series. 8. Bam Adebayo Bam Adebayo's skillset allows the Heat to flourish on both ends of the floor. On offense, he went from someone who could only score above the rim, to a decent midrange shooter with the ability to put the ball on the floor. He might look undersized on defense at 6'9, but his athleticism and agility makes him one of the league's toughest defenders. 9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander For the last two years, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a bright spot for the lowly Thunder. He's always been a good scorer, but he's also starting to become a facilitator. Despite being in the league for four years, Gilgeous-Alexander is only 23 years old. When you consider the fact that he nearly averaged 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists, imagine what he'll be doing four years later. 10. DeAndre Ayton His future is murky as he only played 17 minutes of the Suns game seven debacle, but that shouldn't understate the fact that he's still a solid player. He might not be as flashy as the other big men in the game, but he has always been a guarantee for buckets and rebounds. In every year, he's averaged double figures for points and rebounds. 11. Darius Garland Garland is a crafty offensive player who can excel offensively with or without the ball. Although he was solid in his first two seasons, Garland's play took a massive jump this season. His averages of 21 points and 8 assists earned Garland his first career all star appearance and although the Cavaliers lost both play-in games, Garland gives fans a reason to believe again. 12. Brandon Ingram If it wasn't for Ingram, the Pelicans wouldn't have made the playoffs, let alone the play-in. Ingram has blossomed into a consistent scorer. During the play-in however, Ingram took his game to the next level as he led the Pelicans to two straight wins en route to a playoff birth. In his first playoff series, Ingram averaged 27 points in a losing effort. 13. Jarrett Allen With the Nets, Allen was a decent player but after getting traded to the Cavaliers, he's took on a more significant role. His offense is solid, but his defense is what makes Allen a great fit for a team that surprisingly allowed the fifth fewest points in the NBA. Allen's play resulted in his first all-star selection. 14. Evan Mobley You can't mention Jarrett Allen's impact on the Cavaliers defense without mentioning Evan Mobley. Although he didn't win Rookie of the Year, Mobley is a very talented power forward who looks like the second coming of Anthony Davis. He can wreak havoc at the rim on offense and defense. The only difference, is that he's a better ball-handler and shooter at this point in his career than Davis in his rookie season. 15. Lonzo Ball Had it not been for two seasons where he had to be shut down because of injuries, Ball would be higher on the list. When healthy, Lonzo Ball is a solid playmaker who's defense is extremely underrated. His impact on the Chicago Bulls this year was undeniable as they went 22-13 with Ball, compared to their 25-27 record (including playoffs) without him. 16. De'Aaron Fox For the last five years, De'Aaron Fox has been the only player worth watching on the Sacramento Kings. His quickness makes him one of the more entertaining point guards in the league. Although Fox has yet to make the playoffs, his career averages of 19 points and six assists suggest that he'll make the most of the opportunity when the time comes. 17. Scottie Barnes When Scottie Barnes was drafted back in July, many people thought he went too early in the draft and that the Raptors had reached. Fast forward to now and there's no one who is against that pick. Barnes won Rookie of the Year and helped the Raptors exceed expectations by making the playoffs. Although they lost to the 76ers in six games, Barnes already has a significant role on this team. 18. R.J. Barrett Unlike most people who make these types of lists, I will acknowledge Barrett's gradual improvement throughout his three seasons. He has become a threat from the perimeter, he's probably the team's best on-ball defender, and he delivers under pressure. Last year, he was integral to the Knicks surprising success and this year, he became the youngest Knick to average 20 points a game. 19. MIles Bridges Miles Bridges has always been one of the league's most exciting dunkers, but this year Miles Bridges showed he's more than just a dunker. He has worked on his craft and it was evident this season. He averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and assists. 20. John Collins Like Bam Adebayo, John Collins has also become more than just a guy who can excel above the rim. While he doesn't have the physicality Adebayo has, Collins is probably a better three point shooter. He can also put the ball on the floor and he remains a favorite for Trae Young to throw alley-oops to. 21. Jaren Jackson Jr. In the first season that Jaren Jackson was fully healthy, he put up strong numbers all across the board. Offensively, Jackson can score from anywhere as he averaged 16 points and six rebounds. He was also a big reason why Memphis was one of the best teams at protecting the rim, blocking two shots a game. 22. Tyler Herro After a stellar rookie season which saw the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals, Tyler Herro took a step back. However, he has rebounded this year, averaging career highs in points and assists while shooting about 40%. Herro's scoring off the bench has helped fuel the Heat's offense and as a result, he won Sixth Man of the Year. 23. Desmond Bane After a decent rookie season, Desmond Bane has taken a significant step in his sophomore season. He doubled his scoring average from nine points to 18 points. Most of his offensive production comes from three, where's he's shot 43% in each of his first two seasons. In the playoffs, his three point % hovers around 50. 24. Tyrese Maxey Before the Philadelphia 76ers traded their malcontent Ben Simmons for James Harden, Tyrese Maxey really stepped up as the no. 2 option behind Joel Embiid. Even after Harden's arrival, Maxey continued to flourish with his craftiness on offense. As a matter of fact, Maxey performed better in the postseason than Harden, averaging 20 points compared to Harden's 18 while displaying a lot more effort. Just search up his hustle in game three against the Heat. 25. Jordan Poole When the Golden State Warriors selected Jordan Poole late in the first round, not many thought much about the selection. However, Poole now has a significant role with the team, establishing himself as the newest "Splash Brother" alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The only difference between them is that Poole is 10 years younger than both Curry and Thompson. Eastern Conference: Western Conference: #1 Heat 4 #1 Suns 4 #8 Hawks 2 #8 Pelicans 0 #1 Heat 3 #1 Suns 4 #4 76ers 4 #4 Mavericks 2 #4 76ers 4 #4 Mavericks 4 #5 Raptors 2 #5 Jazz 2 #3 Bucks 4 #1 Suns 4 #1 Suns 4 #3 76ers 0 #3 Bucks 3 #2 Grizzilies 1 #3 Bucks 4 #3 Warriors 2 #6 Bulls 0 #6 Nuggets 4 #2 Celtics 2 #2 Grizzlies 4 #3 Bucks 4 #6 Nuggets 1 #2 Celtics 4 #2 Grizzlies 4 #7 Nets 2 #7 Timberwolves 1 One thing that has drastically changed throughout the NBA's 75 year history is the value of point guards. They've evolved from being solely valued as passed-first guys, to score-first players who must have a solid three point game. While this year's MVP candidates such as Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are not point guards, the position is still more valuable than ever.
When you look at most of the contenders, they all have stellar point guard play. For example, the Phoenix Suns have the last version of a pure point guard in Chris Paul, otherwise known as the Point God. Paul might be averaging a career low 14.7 points, but he still has the ability to bring out the best in his teammates, which is a big reason why Phoenix has won a franchise record 64 games. Other teams who will have home court advantage in the West can thank their point guards, who have elevated their teams sooner than anyone could've expected. In Memphis, Ja Morant has enjoyed a breakout season, As a result, Memphis has tied their franchise record for single season wins. Even when he hasn't been on the court, Memphis is 20-4, which says a lot about his impact on the team. Luka Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks has enjoyed his winningest season in his young career, helping the team earn home court advantage for the first time in his three years in the playoffs. As a matter of fact, Dallas has two other reliable point guards in Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie. The three of them have all contributed to the Mavericks' second half success this season. The Milwaukee Bucks have Jrue Holiday who has always been a scrappy defender and a dependable scorer. He will conclude this season shooting a career high 41% from three which is going to make him tough to defend considering his ability to create while driving to the basket. He can also set up Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton rather than one of them bringing the ball up. Stephen Curry has been the only consistent player for the Golden State Warriors this season. In a campaign that has seen them win 12 games after being 41-13, Curry is the reason why they haven't fallen further in the standings even with a streaky supporting cast. In general, having a competent point guard is beneficial when a team is neck and neck in a close game. According to NBA.com's clutch stats - based on whether a game is within five points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or any overtime period - four of the five teams I mentioned are in the top ten: Milwaukee, Dallas, Phoenix, and Memphis. All teams have the luxury of a point guard who can successfully calm everyone down. As for some of the teams I didn't mentioned, their regular season success might not be sustainable in the playoffs because of their suspect performance at the point guard position. For example, the Bulls and Nuggets are two teams who have had solid regular seasons, but will be skinny at point guard entering this year's playoffs. Denver lost Jamal Murray to a torn ACL last season, and while they could get him back during the postseason, they need to win more than a few playoff games for that to happen. Especially if they want to match up against teams such as Phoenix after getting swept by them last year. The Bulls on the other hand will suffer in the playoffs without Lonzo Ball who hasn't played since January. Without him, the Bulls have a .511 winning percentage which is far below their .628 winning percentage with a healthy Ball. Of all the playoff teams who lack a real point guard, the Boston Celtics could be hit the hardest. They are a legitimate contender in the East with their suffocating defense, but the lack of a true point guard will come back to bite them at some point. Remember how I listed some teams who were in the top 10 for clutch stats? Well, Boston has the second worst record in that category. Marcus Smart has always had the reputation of laying his body on the line but his ability to run an offense is not exactly superb. Let me also state that one reason why we're not even talking about underachieving teams such as the Knicks and Lakers is because their point guard play was extremely disappointing. So when you're watching playoffs, and wondering who will go the distance, analyze their point guard. Whether he can run an offense or not will determine their fate. With lot of attention surrounding the NBA's 75 Greatest Players, I've decided to play around with the selections by making three All NBA Teams. They will solely be constructed of the players who were honored at halftime of the All Star Game.
All NBA First Team Magic Johnson Michael Jordan LeBron James Larry Bird Kareem Abdul-Jabbar All NBA Second Team Stephen Curry Kobe Bryant Kevin Durant Time Duncan Wilt Chamberlain All NBA Third Team Oscar Robertson Isiah Thomas Charles Barkley Karl Malone Shaquille O'Neal Coach: Pat Riley I know Phil Jackson has six more championships (11) than Riley (5), but Riley won with different teams while using different styles. I'd take him over some Triangle nonsense. The beginning of a new year marks an opportunity for everyone to set new goals for themselves. That's why I'm going to propose some theoretical new year's resolutions to notable sports figures who could use them in 2022.
1. Rob Manfred - Get Your Act Together Even before this year, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was competing with Roger Goodell with the title of "most hated commissioner in all of sports". He has been heavily disliked by both players and fans for actions such as his response to the Houston Astros' cheating scandal. However Manfred reached a new low this year, which was partly due to the two different types of baseballs that were used. One of the baseballs was more pitcher friendly, while another helped hitters be more productive at the plate. Keep in mind that this is ironic considering Manfred's crackdown on foreign substances back in June. As of now, the MLB is on locking out the players while they try to negotiate a new league agreement. While Manfred obviously isn't a player or owner, he deserves a ton of blame for the league's failure with the negotiations. 2. Ben Simmons - Change Your Mindset Since he passed up a dunk late in the fourth quarter of last year's playoffs, Ben Simmons has yet to step on the court this season. He didn't engage with team until October and when he did, Simmons got kicked out of practice for showing a lack of engagement and was later suspended for the season opener. Simmons has also refused counseling from the 76ers to help him get back on the court. To top it off, Simmons has requested a trade but isn't doing any favors to help his cause. While he can create for scoring opportunities for others and defend the opponent's best player, Simmons lacks a solid jump shot and has a massive contract. If Simmons wants a fresh start, he needs to change his entire approach because as of now, he's a bonafide diva. 3. Zion Williamson - Get In Shape Zion Williamson has seemed to enjoy the food in New Orleans a little too much. Williamson was drafted no. 1 by the New Orleans Pelicans and seen by some as the NBA's next prodigy. When Williamson is healthy, he's a force to be reckoned with. His ability to attack the basket, haul in rebounds, and protect the rim, is super impressive at 6'5, 280 plus lbs. It's his availability that has been an issue for Williamson. He didn't take the court in his rookie year until January and has yet to suit up this season. To his defense, the Pelicans haven't done anything please Williamson in his three years with the team. They've had a three different coaches in every season which is a recipe to make your franchise player unhappy. However, Williamson must take better care of his weight. If Charles Barkley is concerned, that tells you something. PreviewPreview2:51Shaq & Chuck Roasting Zion Williamson on Inside the NBA YouTube · House of HighlightsNov 2, 2021 |
Date Published
April 2024
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