Dante Exum came up clutch to make two crucial free throws and a pair of 3-pointers to help the Dallas Mavericks to a 113-107 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday afternoon.
Exum, who missed 22 games across January and February with a plantar fascia sprain in his right foot and then right knee bursitis, has been solid since making his return off the bench for Dallas.
The Australian had been given a starting role before suffering the injury, rewarded for a stellar stretch in December which saw Exum average 15.3 points and 4.5 assists.
But even if Exum didn’t start on Wednesday the Mavericks coaching staff clearly trusted him, keeping the versatile guard on the floor down the stretch and he repaid the faith.
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Exum’s eight points in the fourth quarter brought his total to 16 to go with a pair of assists and a rebound while the 28-year-old also finished with a game-high plus-minus of +16.
“Exum down the stretch was huge, hit big threes,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said post-game.
Those clutch shots from Exum were particularly important as superstar teammate Luka Doncic had a rough shooting night, going 6-for-27 from the field on the way to 18 points.
Still, Doncic had a triple-double after also recording 10 rebounds and 16 assists in the win.
“… Luka had a lot of great looks tonight, it just didn’t fall for him but being able to find his teammates and trust them down the stretch is what a leader does and he did that tonight,” Kidd said.
Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, started the game 7-for-7 from the field and finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Exum’s production though was particularly important as too often the Mavs have been overly reliant on their superstar duo of Irving and Doncic to lead the way on the offensive end.
That is particularly true as Dallas prepares for a possible postseason run in a stacked Western Conference that is headlined by deep Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Clippers rosters.
“Exum has missed some time this year… but he’s not afraid of taking big shots,” former NBA point guard Derek Harper said in commentary for Bally Sports Southwest.
“A lot of people make a big deal out of starting. He doesn’t start anymore but who finishes the game? The staff obviously has a lot of confidence in Exum. He’s a special, special player.
“The coaches certainly trust the guy that can make plays but more importantly make shots. That’s what he’s done here in the fourth quarter.
“He’s a quiet type of a personality but when he’s on the floor he’s just comfortable and I think he gives his coach a sense of comfort when he’s out there. He’s kind of like a coach out on the floor.”
NBA Wrap: Wild double buzzer beater! | 01:20
“Super high IQ player, unquestionably,” added fellow commentator Mark Followill.
Exum’s 16 points on Wednesday marked his highest effort off the bench according to Mavericks PR, while Dallas improved to 7-1 this season when he has scored over 15 points.
The Australian has also now shot 50 per cent from deep this season, easily a career-high mark given Exum’s previous top mark stood at 35.1 per cent in his 2019-20 campaign at Cleveland.
He was averaging 1.5 attempts per game then compared to 1.9 this season too, which makes the transformation of Exum’s outside shooting even more incredible.
“It’s tough playing on the road but we stick together as a team and a unit and that’s what we’re going to need going forward, so I’m proud of everyone tonight,” Exum told Bally Sports Southwest post-game.
“… It’s just basketball. I’m just a competitor and want to win. So no, not nervous at all [down the stretch].
“It’s a team game. Luka is going to do what he does. When he gets doubled he’s going to pass it and facilitate and that’s what he did.”
The NBA playoffs are just over a month away and while the Boston Celtics are clear frontrunners in the East, there is a three-way tussle for supremacy over in the West.
Here foxsports.com.au breaks down where every NBA team finds itself ahead of the run home, placing them into five tiers — contenders, dark horses, teams making up the numbers, those planning for next year and teams who should also turn their attention towards 2025.
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There is one exception though, which brings us to the first team in the Eastern Conference.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
1. Boston Celtics (48-12)
In the Western Conference the top teams are separated into a tier of contenders. But in the East that doesn’t apply. The Celtics are just in a tier of their own, most recently destroying the much-improved Warriors by 52 points in yet another reminder of their championship credentials. “I think the entire league needs to be watching what the Boston Celtics are doing and understanding that they are the team to beat,” Richard Jefferson said on ABC during that game. “I understand that the Denver Nuggets are the defending champions but to me there is no greater threat to them really going on a run and winning a couple than what the Boston Celtics are presenting this season.”
The Celtics are on another level. Brian Fluharty/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
The challenge when it comes to Boston is just how talented and deep this roster is, to the extent that you can’t send help to double Jayson Tatum, for example, because whoever you leave open is going to make you pay. Just as the Warriors learned after intentionally sagging off Jaylen Brown near the perimeter in the opening quarter. The result? He had 19 points in seven minutes. Boston ranks first in the league in offensive rating and second in defensive rating. It is hard to see the Celtics not making the NBA Finals considering how good they have been, although performing in the playoffs hasn’t always been a guarantee from Boston in recent seasons.
CONTENDERS
2. Milwaukee Bucks (41-21)
When the Bucks sacked first-year coach Adrian Griffin it came as a bit of a surprise, at least on the surface, since the team ranked second in the Eastern Conference standings with a 30-13 record. But there was a prevailing thought that Milwaukee was achieving those results in spite of Griffin, particularly given the lack of improvement on the defensive end under him. So, understanding they needed to capitalise on their current championship window, the Bucks made a ruthless call to sack Griffin and hire Doc Rivers. For all the talk about Rivers’ inability to take accountability, the results on defence speak for themselves so far.
The Bucks have gone from recording the 22nd best defensive rating in January to the third-best under coach Rivers while the transition defence in particular has improved from 20th to second-best in the NBA. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard leading the way the Bucks shouldn’t have too many dramas scoring points either, especially in the fourth quarter. It may still take some time to gel but the defence is no longer a major area of concern.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-21)
Given what happened last year, where the Cavaliers finished fourth in the East only to be easily handled 4-1 in a first-round series defeat to the Knicks, we can’t get too ahead of ourselves here. But then again, this is a different Cleveland team to the one that didn’t make any noise in the 2022-23 playoffs. This Cavaliers team is stacked with 3-point shooting options off the bench with Sam Merrill shooting 44.1 per cent from downtown while Isaac Okoro is even going at a 40 per cent clip. Max Strus hasn’t been the most consistent outside shooter, averaging 34.0 per cent from deep, but is capable of big games like the one when he went 7-for-10 on 3-pointers against the Mavericks. Elsewhere, Dean Wade is healthy and offering solid production while Craig Porter is a handy depth option too at guard. Of course, then you add in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt and backcourt duo Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs have been one of the hottest teams in basketball, winning 20 of their 26 games since the new year.
The Cavaliers are a contender. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
4. New York Knicks (36-25)
Under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks have become a hard-edged, gritty, defensive-minded team that scraps for every win. And they’re certainly scrapping for every result at the moment, with All-Star guard Jalen Brunson the latest Knicks starter to go down. Brunson was diagnosed with a left knee contusion after landing awkwardly on his leg in New York’s win over Cleveland earlier this week. Already without starters Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks have had their depth tested recently, losing eight or their last 15 games. The door is open for the Knicks to book an Eastern Conference Finals berth against the Celtics. They just need to stay healthy.
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Brunson limps off moments after tip-off | 00:43
5. Philadaelphia 76ers (35-25)
It all hinges on Joel Embiid’s health. Without him, the Sixers belong in the tier below. Embiid spoke to media earlier this week and said he plans to return at some point before the end of the regular season, regardless of what the team’s record looks like. The reigning MVP has been sidelined since late January after undergoing a procedure to “address an injury to the lateral meniscus in his left knee”. The Sixers have been able to stay afloat without Embiid, winning six of 14 games to sit in fifth position in the Eastern Conference, although the seventh-placed Heat are just one game back from Philadelphia facing the prospect of having to fight its way through the play-in tournament. The Sixers rank 20th in offensive rating and second-last in defensive rating in their 14 games without Embiid. They can’t afford to rush him back though given they still have the ammunition to go after a big name over the summer and put all their focus into the 2024-25 season.
7. Miami Heat (34-26).
If we learned anything from last season, it is that you can never count out Jimmy Butler, Erik Spoelstra and the Heat. Of course, Miami’s magical run to the NBA Finals had as much to do with Max Strus and Gabe Vincent as it did the team’s superstar forward, who averaged 21.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists in the month of February. The Heat have won eight of their last 10 to sit 0.5 games short of the sixth-placed Orlando Magic and just 1.5 games behind the fourth-placed Knicks, who are now vulnerable with their recent run of injuries. Miami has ranked eighth and third in offensive and defensive rating during that period. Miami’s backcourt depth has been tested with injuries to Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, although the additions of Terry Rozier via trade and Delon Wright have helped bolster its guard stocks. The Heat even added Patty Mills in a low-risk move ahead of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Duncan Robinson has improved into a more well-rounded player to go from out of the rotation to pushing for a starting spot. And then there is rookie Jaime Jacquez Jr., who has been an immediate contributor averaging 12.7 points.
Knicks lose Brunson, but still beat Cavs | 00:55
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS
6. Orlando Magic (35-26)
This young Magic team made a statement before the season proper even started, showing early signs they could become the best isolation defence teams in the league. Those pre-season performances didn’t end up being a fluke either, with Orlando’s top-tier one-on-one defenders helping the Magic to the fifth-best defensive rating this season and, at the moment, sixth spot in the East. It is hard to see Orlando going deep in the playoffs given this is still an inexperienced team but like Oklahoma City in the West, it doesn’t matter all too much. The Magic are quickly building one of the most exciting, young rosters in the league and will only continue to get better with emerging and already emerged talent in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr. and Anthony Black.
Paolo Banchero is one of Orlando’s rising stars. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
8. Indiana Pacers (34-28)
The numbers tell quite a simple story. This is one of the most dynamic scoring teams in the league but their best chance of doing anything in the playoffs involves outgunning their opponent because they aren’t going to win on the back of their defence. The Pacers currently have the second-best offensive rating and fifth-worst defensive rating in the league. After the All-Star break though Indiana’s offensive rating has dropped to eighth-best in the NBA while the defence has improved, but only slightly, to sixth-worst. That coincides with Tyrese Haliburton slowing down after a stunning start to the season which saw him average 28.6 points and 11.7 assists per game in November. Haliburton admitted on J.J. Redick’s podcast last month that he had rushed back from his hamstring injury because of the 65-game threshold he needed to reach to be eligible for the All-NBA team and a potential $41 million bonus. Whether Haliburton is still feel the ill-effects on that or taking on too heavy a workload in his return is something only the All-Star guard himself can answer.
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SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
9. Chicago Bulls (29-32)
DeMar DeRozan said last summer that the Bulls were too “inconsistent” in the 2022-23 season. Well, guess what? Inconsistency has again been Chicago’s biggest issue and it makes it incredibly hard to get a read on the Bulls ahead of the playoffs. Are they capable of winning one playoffs series? Sure. But a lot of things would have to go right and that is definitely true if Chicago is somehow going to make a deep run. The Bulls looked to be building something when they beat the Timberwolves and Grizzlies earlier this month but went on to drop four of their next six games, including a 10-point loss to the lowly Pistons. They then backed that defeat up with an overtime win over the Cavs before a 16-point loss to the Bucks. Consistently inconsistent is what the Bulls have been all season long. Just not good enough to take the leap, which makes their inactivity at the trade deadline all the more puzzling. At least the improvement of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu gives Bulls fans something to look forward to.
Coby White has had a big year. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
10. Atlanta Hawks (26-34)
The Hawks were always going to be a frisky play-in tournament team with a chance of pulling off an upset in the first round of the playoffs and nothing more. An injury to star guard Trae Young, however, has Atlanta in danger of falling out of the play-in tournament entirely with the 25-year-old undergoing surgery on a torn radial collateral ligament in the fifth finger of his left hand. Young is going to be re-evaluated in four weeks and while the Hawks won their first two games without him they have since dropped two straight against the Nets. Regardless, Atlanta has the second-worst defensive rating in the league so it was hard to see the Hawks going deep in the playoffs even with Young healthy.
11. Brooklyn Nets (24-37)
They are technically still in the hunt but things really took a turn for the worse before the Nets sacked Jacque Vaughn, with Kevin Ollie taking over as interim coach. The results since have been mixed, with Brooklyn winning three of its last five games. But the Nets have also been blown out by the Raptors, Timberwolves and Magic since Ollie’s appointment. This is a team still trying to figure out its identity and injuries to emerging guard Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons only makes things harder, especially given the Australian was such a central part of Brooklyn’s plans on offence — especially in transition. Mikal Bridges continues to prove why he was such an in-demand target at the trade deadline while Dennis Schroder is proving a handy pick-up, averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 assists since joining the Nets.
Struss sinks ABSURD halfcourt winner! | 01:04
12. Toronto Raptors (23-38)
Another team that at this point is better using the remaining games of the season to develop its on-court chemistry after the departures of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby before the trade deadline. The injury to Scottie Barnes, which was later revealed to be a fracture to his third metacarpal bone in his left hand, will only make things harder for the Raptors given he is unlikely to return before the end of the regular season. One shining light to emerge in the second half of the season is the form of RJ Barrett, who has impressed with a career-high 20.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists since making the move from New York via trade. Meanwhile, fellow former Knicks teammate Immanuel Quickley is growing in confidence as a playmaker and in particular when operating in the pick-and-roll with big-man Jakob Poeltl.
ALREADY PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
13. Charlotte Hornets (15-46)
Can we just have one season with a healthy LaMelo Ball? The 22-year-old guard has been sidelined since late January with an ankle injury after managing just 36 games in the 2022-23 season. Ball is the biggest name missing but Seth Curry, Cody Martin, Nick Richards and Mark Williams are all also battling injuries while the Hornets have now dropped five of their last six games after a promising stretch of results earlier in February.
14. Detroit Pistons (9-51)
After a disastrous start to the season the Pistons have picked up a few wins and are now level with the Wizards on nine wins. There is still plenty of potential in this young team, with Cade Cunningham the most likely player to emerge into a genuine top-tier star in the NBA. Although there are still question marks over what his ceiling looks like and obviously injury setbacks since his rookie season haven’t helped. Elsewhere, there are concerns over Ausar Thompson’s shooting while Jalen Duren’s defence remains a work in progress. More than anything, patience is needed if this is the young core Detroit wants to build around.
Pistons coach FIRES UP after Knicks loss | 02:27
15. Washington Wizards (9-52)
Watch out Pistons, the Wizards are coming for you. Washington has dropped 15 games in a row and if its losing ways continue, coincidentally Detroit would have the opportunity to inflict a 28th defeat in a row on the Wizards, tying its record losing skid. Unlike the Pistons and Hornets, the Wizards are right at the start of a full-scale rebuild after trading away Bradley Beal so it may be a long time before Washington is relevant again. Of course, usually being the worst team in the NBA isn’t such a bad thing when it involves the potential of a high draft pick but this year’s class lacks top-tier talent — at least the kind of talent that can turn around this franchise’s fortunes right away.
PLAYOFFS SERIES IF SEASON ENDED TODAY:
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Bucks vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) Cavaliers vs. (6) Magic
(4) Knicks vs. (5) 76ers
Play-in tournament
(7) Heat vs. (8) Pacers
(9) Bulls vs. (10) Hawks
WESTERN CONFERENCE
THE CONTENDERS
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (43-19)
While the Clippers may have the bigger names, this is the team that has already caused real problems for the defending champion Nuggets this season. Minnesota and Denver play each other three more times before the playoffs but it was a comprehensive 110-89 win for the T’Wolves in their one meeting earlier this season as Nikola Jokic was held to just three assists. The Timberwolves settled to letting Jokic score in exchange for taking away his playmaking, effectively using Karl-Anthony Towns as an on-ball defender while having Rudy Gobert roam the paint. It proved the right strategy on that occasion and when you add in the rising superstar that is Anthony Edwards, a 3-and-D wing in Jaden McDaniels and the experience of Mike Conley, this is a team that could go deep and potentially all the way to the Finals considering the match-up problems they could present the Nuggets.
NBA Wrap: Slow burn Lakers silence OKC | 01:33
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-19)
The Thunder are ahead of schedule so there is the temptation to not entirely buy into their contender status because it just seems to all be happening so fast, as if this young group needs a bit more time and a bit more playoff experience before making a deep run. But keeping OKC out of this tier would be a disservice to just what this team has achieved in the regular season under Mark Daigneault, led by star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Of course, playoff basketball is another beast entirely but the Thunder have built their success off doing things differently, putting together a roster stacked with playmaking, positional size and high basketball IQ that makes them uniquely well-positioned to make things uncomfortable for rival teams in the post-season despite their inexperience.
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What will the Thunder do with Josh Giddey’s minutes in the playoffs? (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The big question mark is what role Josh Giddey plays given the way opposition defences have already treated him in the post-season, often leaving the Australian wide-open until his outside shooting in particular improves. The acquisition of Gordon Hayward at the trade deadline offers OKC an experienced option with similar skills to lean on more heavily should Giddey continue to struggle and be more heavily targeted on defence. It is not necessarily that Giddey won’t play but that his minutes will be staggered to better surround him with shooting and have the Australian play on the ball more. The only complicating factor is that Jalen Williams has done particularly well running OKC’s second unit so it is hard to go away from what works.
3. Denver Nuggets (42-19)
Based on their recent stretch of form since the All-Star break, the defending champions look to be building towards another run at the title. The Nuggets dropped three games in a row early last month, including heavy defeats to the Kings and Bucks, but have since won six straight despite a few lingering injury concerns. Jamal Murray has been playing through shin splints while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was dealing with a hamstring injury before the break. Murray had been really heating up before suffering an ankle injury against the Heat, scoring 59 points in wins over the Warriors and Kings. Fortunately he returned for the Nuggets’ victory over the Lakers, putting up 24 points and 11 assists. Of course, Nikola Jokic remains a walking triple-double while Michael Porter Jr. has been lights out recently. Add in the two-way impact of Aaron Gordon and the presence of the always ready Justin Holiday off the bench and the Nuggets looked primed to give the West another shake. Denver is in a good position to take top seed in the conference with the 11th easiest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.
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4. Los Angeles Clippers (39-21)
Health was always going to be the key for the Clippers and fortunately for them Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have been able to stay on the court more often than not this season. A fractured hand for Russell Westbrook won’t help given the success Los Angeles had after the guard reportedly volunteered to come off the bench after the Clippers suffered six straight losses. Although Westbrook had been in a rough shooting stretch lately anyway. Westbrook though isn’t the only one who has put the team first this season, with James Harden also embracing his role as the third option in this Clippers offence since making the move from Philadelphia. In fact, Harden’s usage percentage is the lowest since his second NBA season with the Thunder, which in some ways will be a relief in the post-season where there won’t be as much pressure on the 34-year-old with Leonard and George running the show. Speaking of which, if Jokic didn’t exist Leonard may well be a leading contender in the MVP race. Leonard is averaging 24.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists and provided he stays healthy, the Clippers could be poised to make the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history (53 years).
Kawhi Leonard is fit and firing. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
THE DARK HORSES
5. New Orleans Pelicans (36-25)
Like the Clippers, this one is all about health. Losing Australian Dyson Daniels, who underwent a successful meniscectomy on his left knee in mid-February, doesn’t help. For his shortcomings on the offensive end, Daniels is one of the most disruptive perimeter defenders in the league and formed a fearsome tandom with teammate Herb Jones, helping create fast-break opportunities. Otherwise, New Orleans has a clean bill of health — a stark contrast to where New Orleans found itself last season after injuries spoiled a strong start to the year. If anything, finding ways for Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to continue playing off each other into the post-season will be central to determining just far the Pelicans can go. On a personal level, both Williamson and Ingram have been able to stay on the court and in the case of the former, he is looking explosive again finishing at the rim. And when Williamson isn’t doing that he’s running the offence, with New Orleans quickly realising it is at its best with ‘Point Zion’.
6. Phoenix Suns (35-26)
There is little doubting the Suns have the offensive firepower to challenge for a title. But what about the defence? Phoenix currently ranks 13th in the league for defensive rating (114.3), which isn’t too bad. But this just doesn’t look like a team that is complete enough to challenge the likes of Boston and Denver. It is similar to Dallas. Phoenix could absolutely upset a higher seed in the first round of the playoffs, especially when you have Devin Booker and Kevin Durant averaging 27.5 and 27.8 points per game respectively. But the Suns just haven’t been able to build the kind of chemistry needed to make a deep playoffs run, especially when you consider Bradley Beal’s injury woes. Now Booker is dealing with an ankle injury. Phoenix currently sit in sixth position but is at risk of dropping into the play-in tournament with Sacramento, Dallas, Golden State and Los Angeles lurking.
Cavs shock Mavs with crazy buzzer-beater | 01:08
Working against the Suns is the fact they have the hardest schedule remaining according to Tankathon, having to play the Celtics, Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Clippers twice before the end of the season. ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on ‘NBA Today’ that it would be a “potential disaster scenario” for the Suns to fall into the play-in tournament. “They went all-in for this team and just haven’t seen it together. When they’ve been together they’ve been really good but once you’re in the play-in you are super vulnerable to not even getting into the playoffs or getting a match-up where it is super hard to win even two or three rounds,” Lowe added.
8. Dallas Mavericks (34-27)
Honestly, the temptation was there to put Dallas in just making up the numbers given its inconsistent recent form. Last month the Mavericks beat up on the Thunder and scored wins over the Knicks and Suns but also went down to the undermanned Sixers, were thumped by the Celtics and Pacers and pipped by a Max Strus prayer shot. It is just hard to see Dallas playing at the consistently high level that is needed to make the NBA Finals, let alone go deep in the competitive Western Conference. The additions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford though give the Mavericks something they haven’t always had in previous years — high-calibre depth. It means the burden shouldn’t always be on Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving to produce the kind of big games that Dallas previously needed to even stand a chance in the post-season. Whether it is enough to compete with well-drilled teams that seem to have a better understanding of their identity remains to be seen.
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS
7. Sacramento Kings (34-26)
The Kings were one of the big surprise packets last season and currently sit seventh in the Western Conference. In a lot of ways, not a whole lot has changed for Sacramento, who entered the All-Star break with a 31-23 record, which was identical to where the franchise stood at the same point last season. The biggest difference? The West is much more competitive this season and so while the Kings again look like a solid playoff team, it is hard to see them making the jump to genuine contender status this year. Another first-round series defeat or even a play-in tournament exit looks the likeliest option.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (34-29)
The Lakers will go as far as LeBron James and Anthony Davis can take them. Although a repeat of last year’s charge to the Western Conference Finals may be tough to come by if Los Angeles is again forced to win its way through the play-in tournament. That may be the reality for LeBron and co. though as they face the fifth toughest remaining schedule according to Tankathon, having to play the Timberwolves and Bucks twice in the run home. A resounding win over the Thunder though, even if it just one game, proves the Lakers could be a problem in the playoffs with the right match-up. But it is hard to buy them sustaining that level of play to get all the way to the Finals. Of course, James’ potential impending free agency status looms large but even if the Lakers aren’t able to replicate last season’s post-season run their main selling point will be the trade assets they have up their sleeve this summer. That will somewhat soften the blow if the Lakers make an early exit.
All hail the King! LeBron reaches 40k! | 00:37
10. Golden State Warriors (32-28)
Playing against the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics is one way to get a sense for just how close — or far away — you are from contending for a championship this season. And in the case of the Warriors, it was a timely wake-up call as Golden State was blown out by 52 points. This was a Warriors team that had won 13 of their past 16 games to potentially emerge as a championship dark horse that may have been better placed with the above three teams. From Draymond Green’s welcomed return and the associated re-emergence of Andrew Wiggins to Klay Thompson embracing his new role after moving to the bench, these Warriors looked to be building something. They still could be. The Celtics are just that good that sometimes you’re going to have losses like the one Golden State had on Monday. But it was a reminder of just how far ahead the better teams in the league are this season, including the Nuggets who overcame a slow start to finish well on top of the Warriors last week. Golden State currently sits in 10th in the West, meaning they would be facing the Lakers in a do-or-die play-in tournament game if the season stopped right now.
SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
11. Utah Jazz (28-34)
It has been a rough recent stretch for the Jazz, who have dropped eight of their last nine games to fall to 11th in the West and it is hard to see them making up enough ground to challenge either the Lakers or Warriors for a spot in the play-in tournament. The Jazz have the worst defensive rating (123.3) in the league over the last 15 games, punished in size mismatches while Lauri Markkanen hasn’t been able to keep up the kind of production that had Utah moving up the standings earlier in the season.
12. Houston Rockets (26-34)
Like the Jazz, the Rockets just haven’t been consistent enough to anticipate the kind of run they need to make in the next month to qualify for the play-in tournament. Although the fact Houston is even on the playoff bubble has to be a positive given expectations were relatively low for the rebuilding Rockets this season. The focus in the summer though will be working out how Houston approaches the next stage of its rebuild, whether it is continuing to patiently develop its young core or package some of its assets for a star player via trade.
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ALREADY PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR
13. Memphis Grizzlies (21-41)
The Grizzlies were already up against it before the season tipped off, with superstar guard Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games. Memphis looked to be building something when Morant returned but it was short-lived as the 24-year-old was later ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder. The injury list keeps growing too, with Ziaire Williams And Derrick Rose the latest names set for time on the sidelines. Bring on next year.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (17-43)
Another team that was expected to be sitting down the bottom of the Western Conference after trading Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Although the Blazers didn’t enter full-scale rebuilding mode, holding onto players like Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon, Matisse Thybulle and Robert Williams at the trade deadline. Where they fit in the team’s long-term plans remains to be seen but Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are still key building blocks for the future.
15. San Antonio Spurs (13-48)
This season was all about the Victor Wembanyama experience, with the No.1 overall pick firmly in Rookie of the Year calculations. Wembanyama has averaged 20.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.3 steals in his rookie season. Finding a starting point guard still remains the likely next move for the Spurs, who have leaned on Tre Jones to fill the void left by Dejounte Murray for the time being.
Firing head coach Jacque Vaughn may well be part of the solution at Brooklyn but it clearly won’t magically solve all of the Nets’ problems after a 121-93 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Interim coach Kevin Ollie was given a first-hand look into just how much needs to change at Brooklyn as the sharpshooting Raptors extended the Nets’ losing skid to six of their last seven games.
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The Nets have looked to create early scoring chances in transition all season but on Friday it was the Raptors who were getting out in the fastbreak and piling on the points, outscoring Brooklyn 46-10.
The 46 fast break points marked the most the Nets had given up to an opponent in a single game all season.
Of course, so much of the Nets wanting to get out in transition in the first place comes back to the fact it is the best chance Brooklyn has to get the most out of Ben Simmons on offence.
Unfortunately for the Nets when that is not happening the offence continues to struggle in the halfcourt, especially when Simmons is joined on the court by either Nic Claxton or Day’Ron Sharpe, neither of which are genuine outside shooting threats.
Both have shot 25.0 per cent from downtown this season and Brooklyn’s spacing suffered as a result when either was sharing the court with Simmons.
Speaking before Friday’s game, Ollie was asked about what his plans were to get the most out of Simmons with his rotations.
“Looking at the rotations seeing who fits with him, being around him this whole season, understanding what he needs to do, how he needs space,” Ollie said.
“But then it’s also on Ben taking it to the rim, also looking at his gaps and being very aggressive. We’ve told him that and I think he’s going to do that today.”
Ollie was pressed on that point and sent a clear message, telling reporters the team is “trying to push” Simmons to be more assertive on the offensive end.
“I think he’s able to do it and that’s what we’re going to continue to allow him to do with the correct spacing but most of it’s with pace though,” the interim coach added.
“We know with pace with Ben before he got hurt he was rebounding very, very well… and pushing the ball up the court and then when we get in halfcourt situations have him play with pace and the right spacing around him is going to be crucial for him but when he sees that gap he’s got to take it to the rim and I think he’s going to do that.”
Ben Simmons has a mixed outing. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Simmons did just that on the opening possession of the game, driving right to the rim after the opening tip-off only to be blocked by Scottie Barnes who got the finish on the other end.
It was not the result Simmons was after but the lack of hesitation from the three-time All-Star would have been promising to see for the new Nets coach, especially as he then cut to the rim off the ball on the next possession.
A Simmons turnover, which directly led to an Immanuel Quickley 3-pointer, prompted Ollie to call a timeout with the Nets trailing 15-8 after four minutes.
At that point the Raptors were beating the Nets at their own game, outscoring Brooklyn 5-0 in fast break points while shooting 4-for-6 (66.7 per cent) early from downtown.
Meanwhile, without opportunities in transition the Nets offence struggled to generate open looks in the halfcourt, especially with Simmons and Claxton in the starting line-up.
Insert Cam Johnson, who is usually more of a shooting option than anything to help space the floor, but on Friday made an immediate impact on the defensive end off the bench.
Johnson forced a turnover from RJ Barrett, stealing the ball and quickly moving up the court in transition as he found Dennis Schroder who linked with Mikal Bridges for the easy finish.
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That saw the Raptors take a timeout, leading 24-16 with 3:31 left in the opening quarter, eventually finishing the period on top 31-20 after scoring 11 fast break points to Brooklyn’s two.
The Nets had been passing and trying to look for each other more in Friday’s game with mixed results and while at times it was a bit too much it helped Brooklyn close the gap to 34-30 early in the second quarter.
Improved outside shooting from Brooklyn helped keep the score close late in the second, with Bridges making a pair of 3-pointers while Schroder and Lonnie Walker IV also made a few big buckets.
But a 15-7 run to end the quarter saw the Raptors take a 59-48 lead into halftime, with three starting players (Scottie Barnes – 14 points, Gary Trent Jr. – 13 and Quickley – 10) already on double figures.
Bridges, meanwhile, led the way for Brooklyn with 15 points — more than all of its other four starters combined. Walker IV had eight points off the bench.
Simmons had two rebounds, an assist and a turnover in a scoreless opening half as the Australian was given just 10 minutes.
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Simmons was more heavily involved early in the third as he recorded two quick assists, with the second coming in transition as he handed the ball off to Thomas and set a screen to allow the Nets guard to drive towards the rim and make the layup.
Simmons’ playmaking is one of his biggest strengths, although it can also open up the floor for the Australian to showcase other aspects of his game as was the case when he drove past Barnes to get the finish and foul
Handling the ball, Simmons had both Barnes and Jakob Poeltl looking away anticipating the pass and he took full advantage, aggressively committing to the drive as he attacked the basket.
Thomas then made his second bucket of the game to force the Raptors into a timeout but it did little to slow him down, with penetration from Simmons opening up space for the guard to drain a deep 3-pointer and close the deficit to 61-60.
Just as Toronto’s lead looked in jeopardy the Raptors went on a 10-0 run to jump ahead 71-60 and did not look back from that point, running out 121-93 winners.
Quickley and Trent Jr. scored 24 and 25 points respectively while Scottie Barnes had 18 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in the win.
Simmoms, meanwhile, finished with two points, four rebounds and four assists.
The Celtics held off a fast-finishing Brooklyn Nets team 118-110 on the back of 41 points from Jayson Tatum as Boston limited Ben Simmons’ impact.
While Simmons had a few classy touches early Boston did well to take away opportunities for Brooklyn to operate its offence in transition, forcing the Australian to play in the halfcourt where he struggled, going 1-for-5 from the field for five points.
Simmons did have eight assists and six rebounds though but the Nets as a whole were only able to score eight fast break points.
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn later confirmed post-game that Simmons (injury management) would not play against the Celtics on Thursday in Boston on the second day of the back-to-back.
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Simmons was effective running the offence early on Tuesday, finding Mikal Bridges for a 3-pointer within six seconds of the opening tip-off.
Simmons then later threaded the needle with a brilliant bounce pass for Dorian Finney-Smith, marking his third assist in just two minutes after also connecting with Cam Thomas for a floating jump shot on the previous possession.
At that point of the game the Nets had a 7-6 lead but it was short-lived as Boston went on a 9-3 run, consistently targeting Cam Thomas in defence and posting him up early with success.
Meanwhile, the Celtics were also making a concerted effort to play off of Simmons and Nic Claxton as Brooklyn’s spacing suffered with the pair sharing the court.
Simmons checked out midway through the first quarter after back-to-back air balls, with the Nets trailing 16-11 at that point.
A solid stretch from Brooklyn’s bench, including two 3-pointers in the space of 30 seconds from new addition Dennis Schroder, helped keep the Nets in touch with the Celtics.
Boston took a 36-30 lead into the second quarter on the back of 16 points from Jayson Tatum, who at one point made three-straight triples and also had a pair of assists and rebounds.
Tatum didn’t slow down in the second quarter, adding another 15 points as both he and Jaylen Brown largely got whatever they wanted targeting Brooklyn’s under-sized guards.
Simmons, meanwhile, once he re-entered the game started to be intentionally fouled by Boston late in the quarter and had mixed success from the free throw line, making two of his four shots.
The Celtics immediately went after Claxton when Simmons headed to the bench after picking up a few cheap fouls of his own.
Boston dominated down the stretch to go on an 11-0 run at one point, setting up a 72-57 halftime lead on the back of 31 points from Tatum.
The Celtics led by as many as 23 points in the third quarter and looked set to cruise to a comfortable win but the Nets refused to go away, eventually getting it to 99-93 with 7:55 on the clock in the fourth.
Boston quickly responded with a Derrick White 3-pointer and the Celtics were able to close out the game, albeit not in as dominant fashion as they may have hoped, winning 118-110.
Having been targeted early on the defensive end Thomas responded well for the Nets to finish with 26 points while Bridges topped the Nets with 27.
GIDDEY SOLID AS STAR DUO POWER THUNDER TO VICTORY
Elsewhere, Josh Giddey rebounded with a solid display against the Orlando Magic as the Oklahoma City Thunder improved to 37-17 with a 127-113 win.
Giddey had a few nice moments on the offensive end early in Tuesday’s game, finishing in the paint for four points to go with two rebounds and an assist.
That then became six points as Giddey, who was again given plenty of time and space to think beyond the arc by the Magic defence, drained a long two-pointer.
The Magic led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter with Jalen Suggs going 3-for-3 from deep early but the bench helped keep the Thunder in it, outscoring Orlando 9-0 in the opening quarter.
It meant OKC went in the second only trailing 32-31 after a solid opening from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had four points, three assists, a steal and a block.
Giddey picked up where he left off when the Australian re-entered the game with seven minutes left in the second quarter, adding another quick four points to help Oklahoma City open up a 49-41 lead.
Josh Giddey had a solid game. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The 21-year-old was finishing well at the rim, including a transition floater, in a reminder of what he is capable of with a 6-foot-8 frame even if the outside shooting remains a weakness.
It was particularly important given Orlando did a good job to contain Gilgeous-Alexander as a scorer in the first half, limiting him to just eight points and one trip to the free throw line.
Chet Holmgren, meanwhile, had two points with Jalen Williams leading the Thunder on 14 points while Giddey had 10 points, three rebounds and two assists at the half.
Still, despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s quiet opening half the Thunder were able to take a 60-52 lead into halftime.
Giddey went scoreless in the third quarter but that was more a product of Gilgeous-Alexander starting to catch fire, putting up 15 points in the period as OKC took a 92-82 lead into the fourth.
In the fourth quarter it was Williams’ turn to take over, scoring the Thunder’s first 10 points of the quarter as the visitors extended their buffer out to 102-86.
Giddey, meanwhile, then recorded back-to-back assists — including a beautiful, behind-the-back pass to an open Cason Wallace, as two straight 3-pointers made it a 21-point game.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams simply couldn’t be stopped from that point, finishing with 32 and 33 points respectively.
It made it back-to-back consecutive 30-point games for the pair, who scored 38 and 32 respectively in the 127-113 win over the Kings earlier in the week.
Giddey, meanwhile, finished on 10 points to go with five rebounds and just as many assists in a handy performance from the Australian.
Lonnie Walker IV pounced on a misdirected inbounds pass from Kris Dunn and immediately handed the ball off to Simmons, who showed no hesitation as he pushed the pace and found Royce O’Neal for a quick 3-pointer.
Simmons raised his right arm in the air and did the same less than a minute later when he swatted a rebound back to Cam Thomas, who also immediately drained another deep bucket.
Simmons was feeling it and so were his teammates. This was a confident Ben Simmons, like the one who in the pre-season told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he was ready to “dominate people” again.
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“I would definitely say that his confidence and just the entire aura surrounding him [is different],” Erik Slater, a reporter for Clutch Points and host of Bleav in Nets podcast, told foxsports.com.au ahead of this season.
And there was a different aura to the way Simmons played on Tuesday, starting from the moment he entered the game in the first place.
“I told them as soon as we checked in. Like, they know what time it is,” Simmons said in his post-game press conference, where the Australian was also asked about that O’Neal 3-pointer.
Although the reporter didn’t even get the chance to finish his question, mentioning the fast-break opportunity Simmons had created in the space of four seconds to which the three-time All-Star interjected.
Ben Simmons was at his confident best. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“It’s always a fastbreak when I have the ball,” Simmons said, laughing.
Former NBA player Chandler Parsons took exception to both of those quotes, describing them as “ridiculous” and “arrogant”.
“He played very good last night… but when you come back and say things like this, what are you doing?” Parsons said on FanDuel TV’s ‘Run It Back’.
“You’re one game back, your team won, let’s not give us anything bad to talk about. You looked good, you almost had a triple-double. But the quotes are ridiculous, they’re arrogant.”
But are they that ridiculous?
A look at Simmons’ performance against the Jazz on Tuesday, where he flirted with a triple-double after putting up 10 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists in just 18 minutes, suggests there may be more truth to what he said than some people may be giving him credit for.
Starting with the fact that it is a fastbreak opportunity nearly every time Simmons touches the ball.
Don’t believe him? The numbers, as reported by Slater, speak for themselves.
The Nets ranked 26th in fastbreak points (12.0 per game) during their 5-17 stretch over the past 22 games. With Simmons back on Tuesday, the Nets surpassed that with 13 fastbreak points in the first quarter alone.
Even looking at Brooklyn’s offence before Simmons’ injury, again they were averaging a league-leading 22.8 fastbreak points.
That took a tumble when Simmons was sidelined for 38 games with what was later revealed to be a nerve impingement on the lower left side of his back.
It forced the Nets to operate more in the halfcourt, something which they improved on as the season progressed but the offence was still very much a work in progress.
“It’s two different teams,” coach Jacque Vaughn said earlier in the season.
“We were top six in transition with Ben, bottom five without Ben. Better executing in the half-court without Ben, not with Ben. So it’s two different teams.”
With Simmons, the points came much easier and the Nets had a clear offensive identity, scoring 147 points against the Jazz as seven other players hit double figures.
“I think it’s all the little things he does, especially on offence pushing the ball, getting guys in position, finding us and knocking down shots for him,” O’Neale told reporters post-game.
“And then defensively he’s guarding multiple positions, rebounding and then being one of the directors on our team.
“He’s a natural at what he does. He reads the game and he tells us look for the passes because we know he’s going to pass the ball and find us when we’re open.”
Ben Simmons made his teammates better. (Photo by Sarah Stier / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
That is a point that coach Vaughn reiterated too after Tuesday’s win. The fact that Simmons is going to find a teammate — any teammate — if they are open.
And that helps keep even all of Brooklyn’s players in some kind of a rhythm on the offensive end, always alert and ready to get the ball with Simmons pushing the pace.
“You see how he just impacts other people. He makes other dudes better, and he likes doing that,” Vaughn said.
“… When you’re able to touch the basketball — and Ben allows everyone to have an openness about the possession. There’s a chance you might get the basketball on every single possession when he’s dribbling.
“He’s just looking for the open guy. He has the ability to play with pace and if you have the correct spacing and are willing to shoot, he’ll get you a shot.”
In fact, six of Simmons’ 11 assists on Tuesday were for 3-pointers and Lonnie Walker IV said the combination of the Australian’s court vision and Brooklyn’s outside shooting is “dangerous”.
“Shoutout to Ben 10,” Walker IV said.
“From the beginning of the game I think he was just locked in. He really brought the energy for us, really changed the game as far as pushing the rock in transition. When you have a whole bunch of shooters around who are ready to shoot and running with him it becomes a really dangerous game.
“He knows where everyone is. He’s finding everyone, making sure everyone looks better and he makes his teammates, everyone around him better.
“So I think that’s something that really helps us elevate, especially throughout the game, keeping everyone within the rhythm in the flow of the game… it was a pleasure to watch him. Just happy to have him back.”
All of this goes back to that other quote from Simmons, where he told his teammates on entering the game that “they know what time it is”.
To some people like Parsons it may sound “ridiculous” or “arrogant” but to Simmons it was just a way of telling his teammates that the pace would pick up with him facilitating the offence and that in turn would open up looks for them.
They just needed to be ready to shoot and they were all night long.
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“I think certain guys know what it’s like to play with me and where their shot’s going to come from,” added Simmons.
“So for us, it’s easy. It’s just about sharing the ball and playing the right way.”
Plus, if you were to brand those comments from Simmons as “arrogant”, what about the ones he made when asked if he would deem his comeback from injury against the Jazz a success?
“We got the win, so yes. That’s the main objective for me and that’s all I care about,” he said.
While Simmons wasn’t going to talk himself up ahead of the team on that occasion Slater, the Brooklyn beat reporter for Clutch Points and host of Bleav in Nets podcast, was willing to do so.
He said the way Simmons was able to have such an immediate impact in his return was “pretty incredible” considering it was his first game since early November.
“We’re going to need to see it for a more extended period,” Slater said on his podcast.
“But this was quite the showing after such an extended layoff and as we all knew Simmons’ presence was going to bring back one of the offensive weapons that the Nets had been missing for the last two months, which has played a huge role in their struggles, and that is obviously the transition game, which is obviously the number one skill that Simmons brings to the table.
“This is a Nets team that isn’t good in the half court. Their offence stalls in the half court and that’s extremely glaring down the stretch of fourth quarters. Simmons being back and being a healthy allows them to have the transition game that they showed earlier this season.”
Ben Simmons came up big in his return. (Photo by Sarah Stier / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
In fact, to only illustrate this point further, Slater pointed towards the contrast between Simmons and teammate Cam Thomas, the score-first guard who has averaged 21.1 points this season for Brooklyn.
Thomas has taken 17.1 shots per game this year compared to just 5.9 for Simmons and has a team-high usage rate of 29.9 per cent.
Simmons though leads the team with 38.9 per cent of their assists and while the sample size is still small, it seems like the Nets have a perfect balance with the pair sharing the court.
“Thomas doesn’t want to pass unless he absolutely has to and Simmons doesn’t want to shoot unless he absolutely has to. It’s just funny seeing that juxtaposition on the floor,” Slater said.
“But it’s also ironic because it’s exactly what those two guys need alongside one another. I’ve said that Thomas needs a guy next to him who can do two things, that’s handle the ball and defend at the point of attack.
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“… So you get a guy like Simmons, who can defend at the point of the attack, who can handle the ball and facilitate, get out in transition, take some of the pressure off Thomas as a facilitator, which obviously isn’t the main strength of his game, and it’s going to look a lot better.
“Same for Mikal Bridges in the sense that he lets him slide back to an off-ball role. It allows him to run the floor and pick his spots to create in a half court, not forcing him to do that at a rate that he never really has throughout his career and not having to handle the ball all the time is going to allow himself to have more energy to expend on the defensive end of the floor.
“There’s just a trickle-down effect from Simmons and I think we saw all of that in this game last night from the jump. This was the vision for Brooklyn, Simmons pushing the pace and creating transition looks to keep the Nets out of the half court.”
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As Slater went on to point out, Tuesday’s game didn’t answer every question about Simmons, starting with whether he can actually stay on the court long enough.
“And to this point in his Nets’ career he hasn’t even come close to doing that and that’s just a fact,” Slater said.
Simmons’ contract situation only makes it even more important that he is able to stay healthy, with the Australian signed through to the 2024-25 season and owed $78.2 million over the next two seasons.
Even if he ended up getting traded, staying on the court is Brooklyn’s best chance of getting the most value in return for Simmons.
Then, there is also the question of what sort of role Simmons will play in the clutch minutes, having been left on the bench late in the team’s season-opener against Cleveland.
“You’ve got to ask coach, I don’t know,” Simmons said when pressed on why he sat the final five minutes of Brooklyn’s defeat and given Tuesday’s win was a blowout that also remains an area of concern.
But even if Simmons isn’t ‘back’ or the complete player some people want him to be, there is little doubting this was a step in the right direction.
And with a gauntlet of games on the upcoming schedule (including Phoenix, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Boston twice) the Nets will definitely need this version of Simmons more consistently if they are to make a late push towards a playoff berth.
We’ve just about hit the midway point of the marathon 82-game NBA season.
And so we’ve ran through all the 30 teams and graded them based on their performance in the first half of the campaign. Read on to see foxsports.com.au’s report card for every NBA side so far in the 2023/24 campaign.
*All stats accurate at time of writing on the 17th of January
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ATLANTA HAWKS (16-23) – D
Atlanta is seven games below .500 to sit outside the play-in in a season getting away from the franchise despite Jalen Johnson taking a big leap in year three. Dejounte Murray is reportedly on the trade block with several teams interested, and a move feels likely. Murray’s back-court pairing with Trae Young simply hasn’t worked – despite Atlanta giving up multiple first-round picks to land Murray – amid the team’s woes – particularly defensively despite scoring a bunch at the other end under the Young-led offence. It’ll be intriguing what avenue the Hawks take if Murray is traded given they’re currently built to contend for playoffs. And can we free Patty Mills, please?
BOSTON CELTICS (31-9) – A+
It couldn’t be going more according to script for Boston right now after its big off-season splash. The Celtics hold the best record in the NBA, are ranked top three in both offensive and defensive rating as the clear championship favourites and could have as many as four All-Stars. No matter what moves other teams make by the trade deadline, the Porzingis-Tatum-Brown-White-Holiday starting five is clearly the premier opening unit in the league. Perhaps the only concern is the fact that, given the Celtics are the clear No. 1 side, opposition sides have a whole season to pick them apart and try and decipher a way to beat them in the playoffs. Though it’s hard to see them losing a seven-game series to anyone as things stand.
The Celtics will look to go one better this season. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
BROOKLYN NETS (16-23) – D+
After a promising start to the season where the Nets navigated a host of injures to stay around .500, the wheels are starting to come off – having dropped eight of their last nine games. Ben Simmons remains sidelined with a lower back injury that’s kept him off the court since early November in yet another tough setback for the Aussie and big blow for Brooklyn. You can’t help but ponder the impact an up-and-running Simmons would provide at both ends of the floor – particularly for the Nets’ 21st ranked defence. It feels like a team still searching for its identity after blowing up the Irving-Harden-Durant big three, while it has a host of role players that could appeal to teams ahead of the deadline.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS (8-29) – F
Any hope the Hornets had of making a run for the play-in this season vanished when LaMelo Ball suffered yet another ankle setback in late November in another grim season for the franchise. Ball returned from his 20-game absence last week, and while there’s still a whole half of the campaign to go, even the star guard mightn’t be able to help this sinking ship. Charlotte has just one win from its last 17 games, and is ranked bottom four in offensive and defensive rating. As big a void as Ball leaves, the Hornets are a legitimate lottery team without him, which doesn’t bode well for their overall prospects. Sitting seven games outside the play-in, the team with the longest playoff drought dating back to 2016 looks set for that drought to continue.
CHICAGO BULLS (19-23) – C
Recovering from a slow start to the season, when they looked destined to blow up their roster, the Bulls are officially back in business. Along with a much-improved defence, Coby White has led the revival and given the team more flexibility with what direction is takes after the emerging guard stepped up in a big way when Zach LaVine was sidelined. Even with LaVine back in the mix, Chicago has won four of its last six games to sit a game and a half inside the play-in. Heck, the Bulls are now just three games behind Orlando in a wild turn in fortunes for both sides.
Will the Bulls be sellers at the deadline? (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (23-15) – A-
Sometimes, less is more. The Cavaliers have charged back into the season without both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Not that Cleveland was ever going that bad, but the team has suddenly won 10 of its past 12 games to climb into the fourth seed in the East. With the full frontcourt to himself, Jarrett Allen has gotten back to some of his absolute best form and been central to the Cavs’ sixth-ranked defence, while Donovan Mitchell continues to do Donovan Mitchell things. If they can seamlessly reintegrate Garland and Mobley without disrupting he current chemistry and keep up this level of play, look out.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (24-17) – B-
Any team with Luka Doncic running the show is going to be an offensive powerhouse, and that’s again been the case, however the Mavs have again struggled at the other end of the floor. Under the lead of Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs got off to a particularly hot start before sliding down the West standings in recent times while the pair have battled injuries, going 6-5 in their last 11 games. Doncic is putting together another MVP calibre season, but Dallas just hasn’t been good enough to make him a legit contender against the likes of Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum. Another fun story has been the revival of Aussie Dante Exum’s career, now playing alongside fellow countryman Josh Green as key pieces fir the Boomers moving forward.
DENVER NUGGETS (28-14) – A
The Nuggets are basically in ‘we won the title and are just cruising until late April’ mode while keeping the wins ticking over. Nikola Jokic has been a juggernaut yet again to sit firmly in contention for his third MVP, leading a starting five that can hang with any other in the NBA. Jamal Murray will however probably miss out on that elusive All-Star honour, for now at least, given the sheer amount of superstar guards in the league. The only concern around the Nuggets is their bench and depth as a whole – despite Peyton Watson showing promising signs in year two, specially in recent weeks – but any team that wins a championship tends to lose key role players, like Denver lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, and suffer as a result.
The Nuggets are contenders again. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
DETROIT PISTONS (4-36) – F
Fair to say it’s going to be a long season in Detroit. Owning the worst record in the NBA and having suffered a 28-game losing streak – the longest ever losing streak in a single season – there’s been problems everywhere. It includes the Pistons being a mess at both ends of the floor amid a lack of cohesion and chemistry, injuries, players struggling to fill certain roles and Monty Williams constantly juggling the rotation. The team will now just hope to take something away in the second half of the season, perhaps most importantly, establishing their rotation and the guys who are going to lead this team into the future. It’s also not a good season to be bad, with a draft class that isn’t believed to have a consensus top prospect like Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero of recent years.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (18-22) – D-
It’s been a turbulent season in Golden State – largely due to Draymond Green and the franchise’s overall decline – as it stares down the potential end of its golden era. A loss to a Grizzlies side missing Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart was a new low. There’s only so much Steph Curry can do, with his fellow veteran stars struggling to impact the way they have in recent years to see Golden State’s next wave of talent take on bigger roles. Four games below .500 and currently sitting outside the play-in, the Warriors have had major issues on the defensive end of the floor and loom as one of the big teams to watch ahead of the trade deadline to retool their roster and make one last run while Curry is in his prime.
The Warriors will likely make changes before the trade deadline. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOUSTON ROCKETS (19-20) – B+
One of the big improvers have proven themselves as a legitimate playoff threat. Behind the Rockets’ group of exciting youngsters including a true breakout season from Alperen Sengun, the lead of new head coach Ime Udoaka’s as well as valuable off-season additions Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, the Rockets have established a tougher identity and emerged as a serious basketball team. Though Houston has had issues offensively and is just 4-14 on the road – where it simply must improve – the Rockets have been one of the better defensive teams this season to show Udoka is really making his mark. Most importantly, the future is bright (though we’d like to see more Jock Landale right now please).
INDIANA PACERS (23-17) – A-
It’s been some sort of fun season in Indiana as one of the most watchable teams in the league. That’s correlated to wins too, with the Pacers sitting sixth in the East and of course making the In-Season Tournament Final. Tyrese Haliburton has evolved into a superstar before our eyes, leading Indiana’s powerhouse offence that’s ranked No. 1 in the NBA in shades of the Steve Nash-Phoenix Suns era. For this team to become more legit, it does need to tighten up defensively – where it’s ranked bottom five – while it also be curious to see if the Pacers make any moves by the deadline – and if they’re buyers or sellers.
LA CLIPPERS (26-14) – A-
The turnaround from a mockery to a legit contender in the James Harden era has been one of the most remarkable stories of the season. Yes, if you’re not on the Clippers bandwagon yet, it’s time to start believing. LA’s recent 18-3 run saw it climb into the fourth seed in the West, it’s ranked top six in offensive rating and has shown signs it can be a strong defensive unit. Following concerns that their stars would all need the ball to be effective, Russell Westbrook has selflessly embraced a move to the bench, while Harden has flourished as a facilitator and made Tyron Lue’s squad more polished and organised. It’s helped Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the rest of the team be the best version of themselves – a team that’s deep and loaded with veterans. Leonard signing a reduced three-year extension mid-season tells you everything you need to know.
The Clippers have turned things around. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LA LAKERS (20-21) – C-
It hasn’t been nearly as rosy in the other LA camp in a season fast going south after the Lakers’ In-Season Tournament triumph. Sure, they’ve battled injuries and thus have struggled with continuity of rotations. But both Anthony Davis, who’s been at the peak of his powers, and the evergreen LeBron James, who’s still dominant at age 39, have been healthy for virtually the entire season, and still, LA is alarmingly outside the play-in amid a grim 4-7 stretch. It’s the offensive end of the floor where the Lakers have really struggled, and you sense they’ll address that at the trade deadline in some shape or form. We’ve seen this story before, with the Lakers starting slow out of the gates last season before going on an epic run all the way to the conference finals in the second half of the campaign. They’ll need to get a move on though as pressure builds on Darvin Ham.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (15-25) – D-
Who walked under a bunch of ladders? It’s been a genuine season from hell for the Grizzlies ruined by injury. If Ja Morant missing the first 25 games of the season wasn’t bad enough, the superstar guard, after playing just nine games, underwent campaign-ending shoulder surgery. Then Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane were ruled out for at least six weeks with their own injury setbacks … yikes. At this point, Memphis just has to accept it’s going to be a wasted season. But in a silver lining, it should end up with a high draft pick to add to the rest of the returning cast next year – a squad that’s shown it can be a legit contender. For now though, the Griz face a long 42 games ahead – where they could be seller’s at the trade deadline – as Jaren Jackson Jr. and a bunch of role players and youngsters attempt to steer the ship in the right direction. We’re sparing them a fail given how brutal their injury luck has been.
MIAMI HEAT (24-16) – A-
There might be better teams in the NBA, but there’s arguably none with a better culture and overall professionalism than the Heat. Despite battling injuries to each of their big three superstars, Miami somehow still sits fifth in the East and is again well placed to make deep playoff run. Erik Spoelstra, who was recently rewarded with a lucrative eight-year extension, has again done a sensational job of getting the best out of his team, which is ranked top 10 in the NBA defensively, while rookie Jaime Jaques Jr. has made an instant impact as a key member of the rotation already in a great story. No one would want to come up against the Heat in the playoffs.
Can Jimmy Butler and the Heat do it again? Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
MILWAUKEE BUCKS (28-12) – A
Despite criticism around whether the Bucks are good enough defensively to win the championship, they’d be more than content with where things sit overall. Still figuring things out with a new rotation including the addition of Damian Lillard, the Bucks’ juggernaut offence led by the superstar guard and Giannis Antetokounmpo has carried it to the second seed in the East with the third-best record in the NBA. It includes a statement mauling over the Celtics last week, where you saw how dominant this Bucks side can be at its best. Antetokounmpo’s MVP-calibre season has in many ways gone under the radar, while Khris Middleton is back up and running and looking like the Middleton of old again after off-season surgery. If Milwaukee can sharpen up defensively, it’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (28-11) – A+
The No. 1 seed in the West, yet somehow still something of a dark horse in the title race. The Rudy Gobert-Karl-Anthony Towns twin tower frontcourt is finally living up its immense defensive potential, with Minnesota having claim to the best defensive rating in the league. Anthony Edwards continues to get better as one of the most exciting rising superstars in the league, even if at times the Wolves’ offence relies too heavily on the forward. It’s the defensive end of the floor Chris Finch’s side can consistently hang its hat on that should take it far in the playoffs, particularly if Minnesota finishes top three in the West.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (24-17) – B
There’s a lot to like about what the Pelicans are doing in an overall promising season for a team on the rise. So much hinges on Zion Williamson, with the former No. 1 pick still struggling to consistently produce at a superstar level he’s capable of every game. Until Williamson fulfils his enormous potential, the Pelicans just aren’t in the same echelon as the West’s best teams – even if co-stars Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum are turning in big seasons and New Orleans has arguably the deepest team in the NBA. That includes exciting Aussie young gun Dyson Daniels, whose role continues to grow in Willie Green’s rotation.
NEW YORK KNICKS (23-17) – A-
Has the OG Anunoby trade turned the Knicks into a legit contender to come out of the East? While it might be too early to say, New York has certainly taken a big leap forward since the defensive stud’s arrival in the Big Apple – and it appears to be closer to the likes of Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Tom Thibodeau’s side is 6-2 since acquiring Anunoby – a stretch it’s been ranked first in the NBA defensively – including taking the scalps of the Timberwolves and 76ers. The trade has also helped simplify the Knicks’ offence around Jalen Brunson, the engine of this team, and Julius Randle, who deserves credit for turning around his season after a slow start.
OG Anunoby has made an immediate impact. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (27-1) –A+
Many predicted the Thunder would make a leap this season, but not many saw them becoming a genuine contender to win the whole thing. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing at an insanely high level as a legit MVP contender, Chet Holmgren has provided more than the Thunder could’ve dreamt of in his first year, and basically the rest of the supporting cast has gotten better including a big second-year leap from Jalen Williams. Josh Giddey still hasn’t quite hit his straps despite an uptick in form in recent weeks, but there’s plenty of time for the 21-year old to turn things around in what looms as an important second half of season for the Aussie. Sitting second in the West with the fourth-best record in the league and the second-best net rating, Mark Daigneault is a worthwhile Coach of the Year candidate.
ORLANDO MAGIC (22-18) – B+
Starting the season in such strong form including occupying the second seed in the East for a key stretch, the Magic, hampered by injuries, have lost their way in recent times. Orlando has dropped six of its last nine games to slide down to a play-in spot, currently sitting eighth in the East. Both Markelle Fultz and Joe Ingles recently returned from injury in a welcome boost, but Franz Wagner’s ongoing absence continues to hurt them. Producing an All-Star calibre season, Paolo Banchero needs more help, making the Magic an interesting team to keep an eye on as potential buyers at the trade deadline. Still, they have a top-three ranked defence and are one of the big improvers.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (26-13) – A
The Sixers are again one of the premier teams in the Eastern Conference, with Joel Embiid arguably the most dominant player in the league. Should Embiid play enough games, the superstar centre will be firmly in the mix to claim a second-straight MVP, having led the team at both ends of the floor – where it’s ranked top five both offensively and defensively. Running partner Tyrese Maxey has also been superb as the frontrunner for Most Improved Player of the Year, and the collection of players Philly got in the James Harden trade has helped round its roster with considerable depth. The big question is whether Darryl Morey thinks the current roster has enough to contend for the title, or if he looks to make another big move by the deadline. For as constructed, the Sixers would have space for another max contract in the off-season.
Joel Embiid is an MVP candidate again. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
PHOENIX SUNS (22-18) – C-
While we don’t have a proper gauge on how good the Suns could be with their Durant-Booker-Beal big three on the court together amid constant injury setbacks, that’s becoming a concern at the midway point of the season for one of the most hyped teams going into the campaign – and rightfully so. This is a team too talented to only be sitting in the play-in right now. In saying that, Phoenix has looked much better recently, going 7-3 over its last 10 games, while the team is ranked 11th in offensive rating and 16th in defensive rating in areas of their game with clear upside with more continuity. Again, everything is predicated around their stars staying healthy, which has proven hard to trust. No matter, it’s a team you wouldn’t want to face in the post-season. Need to see more.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (10-29) – D
The youth movement is in full effect at Portland, and at least you can see the vision, with Scoot Henderson recently getting greater opportunities as the starting point guard alongside Anferne Simons in the back-court. You sense that trend will only continue in the second half of the season, even when the Blazers get all their players back from injury, as the franchise commits to prioritising the development of their young guns and getting more high-end draft picks. Deandre Ayton’s absence has opened the door for Dup Reath to draw several starts at centre, with the 26-year old Aussie making the most of his opportunities in an impressive stretch.
SACRAMENTO KINGS (23-17) – B+
Another team that always seems to put on a show every game it plays, with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis leading the way again for the Kings. Their high-octane offence has dipped slightly from last season – dropping from first to 14th – though it’s more a by-product of the rest of the league scoring more. Keegan Murray has meanwhile produced the best stretch of his career in recent weeks as a legit third option, and he should only get better and better from here on in. Sitting seventh in the West, you get the impression the Kings are a move away from being legit contenders in the stacked conference.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (7-32) – D-
Outside of Victor Wembanyama, there hasn’t been a whole lot to get excited about for the Spurs, who sit dead last in the West in what’s been a dismal season for the once powerhouse franchise. It included San Antonio suffering a franchise record 17-game losing streak earlier this season, where it was clear how inexperienced and far behind this young team is. Gregg Popovich has officially given up on the Jeremy Sochan point guard experiment, with Tre Jones recently being reinstalled in the role. The only thing saving them from a fail has been the aforementioned Wembanyama, with the prodigal No. 1 draft pick as good as advertised, if not better, locked in a battle with Chet Holmgren for the Rookie of the Year award.
Victor Wembanyama has enormous potential. Alex Slitz/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
TORONTO RAPTORS (15-25) – D
A team that has the tools to be competitive has very much underwhelmed – a whole 10 games below .500 in the East’s 12th seed. And so the franchise has continued to retool its roster by sending OG Anunoby to the Knicks in exchange for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in a move that gives the Raptors two exciting young pieces to move forward with. Maybe Barrett can reach his potential, or at least become the best version of himself, in his home country, while Quickley shapes as the team’s long-time point guard. There’s still a potential Pascal Siakam trade to come at the trade deadline, with Toronto on blow it up watch.
UTAH JAZZ (22-20) – B
Here they come! The Jazz’s dire start to the season is now a distant memory, having won six games in a row including 12 of their last 14 to get above .500 and climb into the ninth seed in the West, currently sitting above Houston. Over its last 15 games, Utah ranks top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating and has the league’s fifth-best rating. Lauri Markkanen probably isn’t getting enough respect for backing up his epic All-Star season, while Colin Sexton has been outstanding since getting moved into the starting line-up. It wouldn’t be a shock if the Jazz sold one of their veterans, like Jordan Clarkson or Kelly Olynyk, to a contender at the deadline in the perfect sell-high moment to get Utah more long-term assets.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (7-32) – F
The only bigger disappointment in the Eastern Conference than the Pistons has been the Wizards. While not many thought Washington would do much this season, it was hard to foresee it being this bad. For a team in tanking/rebuild mode, there hasn’t been many positives by the way of exciting young players, with Pick 7 Bilal Coulibaly having some bright moments but being held back at times. Heck, the Wizards would’ve probably been better off keeping Chris Paul and his expiring deal instead of effectively flipping him for Jordan Poole, who suddenly has one of the worst contracts in the NBA.
The NBA’s February 9 trade deadline (all times AEDT) isn’t too far away.
And there’s suddenly a big enough sample size for NBA teams to have a good idea on where they sit in the pecking order – and potential moves that make sense with their direction.
Plus with players who signed new contracts in the off-season now eligible to be traded, the rumour mill is heating up ahead of another silly season of wheeling and dealing.
Below, Foxsports.com.au runs through all the key things to watch and narratives at large ahead of the trade deadline.
See how the NBA trade deadline is shaping up.Source: FOX SPORTS
Do the Bulls blow it up?
The Bulls are probably the most intriguing team to watch given they’re considered most likely to make a move as sellers – or at least do something.
Frankly, it’s time to rip off the band-aid. For despite a recent resurgence, the 10-17 Bulls have again underwhelmed and are a ways off contending despite being in win-now mode.
Both DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have been linked to exits, and though neither player’s value would be particularly high, they’d still be sought after by contending teams, with the Lakers and Kings considered the prime suitors for LaVine.
The Bulls have in fact turned around their season since LaVine, who’s in the second year of a five-year, $215 million deal, has been sidelined through injury, going 6-3 without the star guard. It’s crucially allowed the team’s younger players, most notably Coby White, to flourish with extra opportunities and touches.
DeRozan is meanwhile on a $28 million expiring salary, so not only could the forward help a contender, he could also help open up salary cap space for a rival team next off-season.
You sense at least one of LaVine or DeRozan will be in another jersey by the deadline in exchange for long-term assets, while Alex Caruso has also drawn interest and would command a nice package as one of the league’s premier defenders.
Warriors getting creative to extend golden era
It’s been a disappointing season for the once almighty Warriors, mainly due to the Draymond Green drama. Could this be the last straw and the veteran forward is off-loaded?
Green problems aside, Golden State has just been mediocre on court, with Steph Curry’s brilliance at times masking over their issues. And so it seems a shake-up could be coming and the end of an era – or potentially in an attempt to extend the current one – even though Steve Kerr has already changed up his rotation over the past week by moving Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga into his starting line-up.
The Warriors simply can’t afford to waste Curry’s still elite production at age 35. If Golden State makes a move – and it’s not Green who’s traded – you’d think the likes of Kuminga, Wiggins, Moses Moody and Chris Paul (who’s basically on an expiring $30 million contract) would be the candidates to be moved. Could they make a play for Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby?
Klay Thompson too faces an uncertain future in Golden State, with the sharpshooting champ eligible for free agency next year. But you’d think the Warriors would ride it out with Thompson instead of dealing such a loved player and four-time champion.
Memphis and Morant sink Pelicans | 01:42
Fascinating sharpshooter
Just like seemingly every other year, Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield is again one of the most fascinating players to watch ahead of the deadline after extension talks with Indiana have stalled.
Starting the season on the bench and seemingly being out of favour, Hield has in recent weeks moved into the starting line-up and picked up his production. Though Hield is clearly Indiana’s next best three-point shooter after Tyrese Haliburton and provides elite floor spacing, the Pacers do have similar players in Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin.
Hield is probably the most impactful of the trio, but if he’s not helping the team win games in a meaningful way, it could be the ideal to trade his modest $19 million contract for long-term assets, unless of course he agrees to an extension (which would mean he can’t be traded for six months), or it was an extend-and-trade deal. You sense contenders would be willing to pay up for Hield, too.
Big man on the move?
Another player that feels likely to be on the move by the deadline is Hawks centre Clint Capela.
Capela has been starting for Atlanta over Onyeka Okongwu through the first quarter of this season, but things have gone south quickly for Quin Snyder’s team over the past few weeks including a recent five-game skid. It feels inevitable that Atlanta at some stage hands the centre keys to Okongwu, but it’d only make sense if a Capela trade happens first.
If not, Capela’s trade value, just like the Hawks’ season, would quickly plummet, plus he’s still a high-level contributor that could help sides wanting to bolster their frontcourt.
Doncic dominates in loss to Nuggets | 01:41
LeBron getting more help
Does the Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka have anything up his sleeve this year to further bolster LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ supporting cast?
Pelinka pulled off some of the craftiest moves ahead of last deadline, bringing in the likes of D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura despite having limited trade capital and sending away Russell Westbrook.
If LA does anything meaningful this year, Russell and Hachimura are two names that have been linked to potential moves, with the pair not eligible to be traded until January 15, which is interestingly when Zach LaVine is slated to return from injury.
LaVine is the one who could raise the ceiling of this Lakers team on the offensive end. But there’s an injury risk with him, not to mention the likely big cost it’d take to acquire the star guard – so it could be argued the Lakers are better served standing still with the current roster, which seems capable of making a deep playoff run.
Just a team to watch at this stage, whereas last year it had much bigger issues to navigate.
Do Raptors tear it down?
Another team that feels like a ticking time bomb in terms of entering full-blown tear it down mode. The two most obvious names that would net the Raptors a nice return are Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, who can both become free agents at the end of the season.
Given the duo’s impending status and the team’s indifferent form, it could be the perfect time to trade at least one of them, particularly Siakam. For Anunoby is still only 26 and would still be a desired player if they move into rebuild, even if he’d yield the Raptors multiple picks/assets in a trade.
You have to think at least one of the two is moved though, particularly given Fred VanVleet left for nothing via free agency.
The other Raptor who could be dealt is Gary Trent Jr, who’s on an $18 million contract, has had his minutes cut back and has previously been linked to teams searching for outside shooting.
Warriors clinch win over Trail Blazers | 01:01
Jazz selling their parts
A team that was somewhat hard to get a gauge on after last season was a tale of two halves. Well, it’s proven to be the team that struggled down the stretch of that campaign and now looks like a potential seller ahead of the deadline. The question is, how aggressive do they get in off-loading their parts?
Utah has a host of veterans, like Jordan Clarkson, Colin Sexton and Kelly Olynyk, that could help playoff teams and would net the franchise’s draft picks to help with its rebuild. Then there’s the recently acquired John Collins, who’s reportedly on the trade block, or the nuclear option — trading star forward Lauri Markkanen.
Reports have suggested Markkanen could be available, but that the Jazz have put a big price tag on the All-Star. The 26-year old is in the third season of a now bargain four-year, $67.5 million deal, but would a team really be willing to pay up for a potential one and a half season rental? And do the Jazz instead see him as part of their long-term plans?
Wizards unloading more pieces
Washington already hit the reset button in the off-season, trading away Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis for a collection of young players and draft picks as the franchise moved into all-out tank mode.
And they mightn’t be done wheeling and dealing key pieces yet. Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones, who only just arrived at the Wizards in the off-season, have been linked to trade rumours and could well land at their third NBA stop in a matter of months.
Both players have had indifferent starts to their Washington tenures and have curiously had their minutes monitored at times as Wes Unseld Jr hasn’t opted to lean heavily into his big guns in favour of a balanced approach. You get the impression that perhaps outside Pick 7 draftee Bilal Coulibaly, everyone and anyone would be up for grabs for the 4-22 Wizards.
Bucks blast Pistons in Milwaukee | 01:48
Pistons navigating their disaster
It’s been some sort of horror run for the Pistons amid their franchise worst 24-game losing streak. It’s felt like nothing has gone right for the struggling side as it ponders what levers to pull in bid to turn its woeful season around – or at least in a better direction.
That includes potential front office moves given the current mix clearly isn’t working, plus the franchise has just about already guaranteed itself another high-end draft pick regardless of possible changes. It also at times feels like Monty Williams has too many options in his inconsistent rotation and may need management to come over the top and force him to play a group of eight to nine guys.
Jaden Ivey has struggled and been underutilized at times, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was moved for a fresh start elsewhere.
Bojan Bogdanovic is the one who could yield Detroit a nice haul, but he provides invaluable leadership, stability where there otherwise isn’t much and has been one of their few consistent producers this season. Plus he just re-signed on a two-year deal in a great showing Detroit is where he wants to be. All the while, the Pistons will be praying Cade Cunningham stays patient with the franchise through the current mess.
Do the Knicks take their big swing?
Is this finally the year the Knicks make their big move? It’s probably more a question of whether or not there’s a move to make given there isn’t a really big fish on the market (or so we think?), while those that are either don’t make much sense – like a Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan – or they’re on an expiring deal – like a Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby.
What we know though is that the Knicks are in the market superstar and have a host of draft picks they’ve accumulated in recent years, so there’s probably no team better placed to land a big name. The Knicks’ current big three of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are also similar-ish types of players, particularly the latter two, so they could use a different skill or genuine upgrade to take the team to the next level.
New York should be thinking big though — like Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns or Donovan Mitchell big – and bide their time until a star of that quality becomes available.
Brunson Burner drops 50 on Suns! | 01:30
Curious case of Cleveland
Speaking of Mitchell, the superstar guard’s Cavs have a bit to ponder and are another team that could look to shake things up. They haven’t had the same spark as last season, stalling in the middle ranks of the Eastern Conference standings. And it’s frankly hard to pinpoint why.
But there’s suddenly question marks over whether the Mitchell-Darius Garland backcourt makes sense, plus if the Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley froncourt is viable long-term. After a hot start to Mobley’s career where he looked to have superstar traits the big man hasn’t quite come on in his second or third seasons. The Cavs also added Max Strus over the off-season to bolster their wing shooting, but other problems have now arisen.
If any major piece is moving by the deadline – and it’s not Mitchell (more on that in a moment) – Allen might be the odd one out to change up the dynamic. One thing seems clear though, the Cavs, as constructed, don’t seem capable of competing with the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
… so do the Cavs jump off the Mitchell train?
Cleveland’s most important decision is what it does with Donovan Mitchell. In the third season of a five-year, $163 million deal – a deal he can opt out of at the end of next season – the Cavs will be pondering whether or not they’re confident the superstar guard is going to re-sign with them. If not, they risk losing him for nothing instead of getting a lucrative package right now. If the team’s lacklustre form continues, they’d surely have their doubts.
This is of course a player the franchise only last year dished up a huge haul for including Lauri Markkanen, three first-round picks and two pick swaps – assets Cleveland would’ve effectively given away for nothing if Mitchell does eventually walk. Multiple teams are queuing up for Mitchell’s services including the Knicks, who are probably the biggest threat, Nets and Heat. But can the Cavs convince him to stick around long-term?
Wemby double double lifts Spurs | 01:06
Does Morey go all in?
To pull the trigger or not? The Sixers have a strong draft hand after James Harden’s trade to the Clippers where they racked up a host of draft picks.
Philly general manager Daryl Morey would now be pondering whether he goes all in with the current roster by trying to land another star with that draft capital – if there’s indeed a move to make. Or whether he sticks the course with the current team, which is currently third in the East with a 18-8 record, and sees how far it can go under the lead of new coach Nick Nurse and superstar duo Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
As already mentioned, there just might not be the right player available on the market, plus Maxey’s breakout season means a potential addition would likely have to slot in as the third star. Zach LaVine? DeMar DeRozan? Lauri Markkanen? Pascal Siakam? OG Anunoby? Klay Thompson? These are the sort of names Philly would surely be looking at.
How about Presti?
There might never have been a team better placed than the OKC Thunder right now. Not only do they sit second in the West with the fifth-best record in the entire NBA – and one of the youngest rosters in the league – they’re also sitting on an unprecedented mountain of draft picks. It’s a collection that could dwarf any other side in terms making mega offers.
There’s perhaps now greater urgency for highly regarded general manager Sam Presti to use those draft picks given the team this season has arrived ahead of its time, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among the MVP contenders and Chet Holmgren adding a new dimension to this team as the big its lacked in recent years.
So does Presti swing for the fences? Given the amount of draft stock he has, he could yet pry a name we haven’t yet even heard about potentially being on the market. Maybe the most obvious move would be to put another quality big in the frontcourt next to Holmgren. There’s also been some calls for the team to entertain a Josh Giddey trade, but given the Aussie’s current off-court drama, it’s hard to see that happening.
Kerr endorses Green’s indefinite ban | 00:59
Is Zion happy?
A Zion Williamson trade hasn’t necessarily generated any buzz, and while a move feels unlikely, stranger things have happened. We saw frustrations start to surface from the former Pick 1 earlier this year during the team’s struggles, while there’s also been questions of his commitment to staying in peak physical condition and overall professionalism, having been cruelled by injuries early in his career.
It comes amid a weird season from both Williamson and the Pelicans. At times New Orleans, now 16-12, has looked like a force and Williamson a potential All-Star. But at other times, they’ve underwhelmed and felt dysfunctional. It just feels like a situation that could blow up at any moment, even if Williamson, 23, has so far shown commitment to the franchise including signing a five-year, $197 million deal with the team – a deal he’s in the first season of.
Other potential buyers … one particularly interesting
Let’s call this the teams that have looked good, but are probably lacking another strong piece for them to compete with the best teams in the NBA. We’re mainly looking at the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic, all of which have been linked to rival stars at different stages.
The Heat are probably the most interesting and coming off an NBA Finals appearance, so they’re clearly not far off. They were of course seen as the only suitor for Damian Lillard in the off-season. But when they weren’t able to meet Portland’s demands in a trade, the Bucks swooped in. Would Miami be ruing a potential missed opportunity? The Heat were also linked to Bradley Beal at one point, and more recently, Donovan Mitchell, so it certainly seems they’re canvassing the market.
The other aforementioned teams have all enjoyed strong starts to the season, but aren’t yet quite seen as on the same level as the upper echelon sides. Who can the Mavs find to help Doncic compete with the top teams in the West? Same goes for Indiana and Haliburton. Can the Kings upgrade somewhere? Could Orlando consolidate/cash in with its spread of exciting pieces for another star? Even if it’s not a massive slam dunk play, these sides could look to make changes in some form.
As we reach the quarter-way mark of the NBA season, it’s the perfect time to hit the pause button and reflect on how all 30 teams have fared.
It’s been a campaign filled with epic match-ups, big breakouts, incredible superstar performances, drama and entertainment including the league’s inaugural In-Season Tournament, while a host of shock contenders have emerged and others have endured a tumultuous start.
Taking into account the expectations for every team, their front office decision-making and generally what each franchise is hoping to achieve this season, here’s how we’ve graded the entire league through the first quarter.
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Grades for all 30 teams at the quarter-way mark of the season.Source: FOX SPORTS
ATLANTA HAWKS (9-13) — C-
Contending for a Play-In spot and hovering around .500, the Hawks are pretty well on pace to what most expected, if not slightly underwhelming. One thing’s clear — Quin Snyder’s team is just a middle of the road team and not a contender to come out of the East as constructed. Atlanta will at least score a ton, however is ranked among the worst teams defensively. And what’s the splash move they can make without breaking up Trae Young and Dejounte Murray? Jalen Johnson was enjoying a breakout season prior to getting struck down with injury in an untimely setback for both the third-year forward and Hawks at large.
BOSTON CELTICS (16-5) — A+
The clear frontrunner in the title race. It’s been a hot start to the season for a Celtics powerhouse that has gotten even stronger after the additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis — even if their true worth will be determined at the business end of the season – to boast the clear best starting five in the NBA. The early signs couldn’t be much better, with Porzingis in particular helping take Joe Mazulla’s team to another level at both ends of the floor as a rim protecting shot blocker and floor stretching five. Boston has the best record in the league, No. 4 defensive rating and No. 7 offensive rating. Full marks.
BROOKLYN NETS (12-10) – C+
Despite arguably battling the worst injury toll of any side in the league, the Nets sit just a game behind the sixth-seeded Cavaliers, and when healthy, have shown they can be a real handful. It’s largely been built around Brooklyn’s high-octane offence – ranked eighth in the league – as Cam Thomas has shined in a bigger role and Mikal Bridges has flourished as the true leader of the team. Ben Simmons’ ongoing back issue is however getting alarming. The Aussie could help the Nets improve offensively to give them a more well-rounded game. But when, or if, Simmons returns remains very much up in the air.
“He’s FAT”: Stephen A. SLAMS Zion | 02:30
CHARLOTTE HORNETS (7-14) – D+
Yes, the Hornets sit third-last in the East, but there’s a few things to factor in, largely their injury situation. Charlotte was without Miles Bridges for the first 10 games due to his suspension, while Terry Rozier also missed a key stretch. Since the aforementioned duo returned, LaMelo Ball suffered a nasty ankle injury, so we haven’t gotten a proper look at this Hornets team as constructed at full strength — a core that had the potential to contend for a Play-In spot. In saying all this, the Hornets have been a mess on the defensive end and have the fifth-worst net rating in the league, so they have a ways to improve, and injuries can’t be solely to blame for a team with the longest active playoff drought in the league dating back to 2016.
CHICAGO BULLS (9-15) – D
Are the Bulls … better without Zach LaVine? After a really grim start to the season, Chicago has curiously improved to 4-1 since LaVine was struck down with injury … time for a trade? You’d think Chicago has to pull the trigger on a move for either (or a collection of) LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or Nikola Vucevic at some stage to bring in long-term assets and continue to expose the likes of Coby White and Patrick Williams to bigger roles, as they have in recent times. Because what they have right now is the profile of a near enough lottery team despite being built to win now, so it desperately needs a reboot as the franchise arguably in the worst position of any. A big few months ahead for the front office.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-10) – C+
The Cavaliers have been simply solid this season. But for whatever reason, something has been off, while they haven’t had the same spark as last campaign and continue to struggle offensively. As good as Donovan Mitchell has been, just about every other Cleveland player bar Max Strus has struggled to take a step forward … plus is the Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley froncourt viable long term? A team that was considered to be on the rise with a ton of potential has underwhelmed, even if its 13-10 record is far from disappointing. It comes in a particular crucial period with the franchise hoping to convince Mitchell to re-sign.
Aussie Exum POPS OFF for 7 x threes | 01:40
DALLAS MAVERICKS (14-8) – B
Another team that has probably surpassed expectations, sitting fourth in the West as an offensive powerhouse, even if the Mavs have struggled defensively. Luka Doncic has done Luka Doncic things, but beyond the Slovenian superstar and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs lack consistent production from the rest of their squad and have really struggled on the defensive end — even with exciting rookie Derek Lively providing a real presence as a centre. And how much do we trust Irving to stay healthy and/or to not act up? It’s been an overall positive season, but until they fix their defensive issues, Jason Kidd’s side can’t be considered a true contender to come out of the West.
DENVER NUGGETS (15-9) – A-
The defending champs are in cruise control, though Nikoka Jokic has somehow gotten better to really cement himself as the consensus best player in the league/world. With Jokic running the show in the Mile High City, it’ll always be a dominant force, but they’ve at times been too reliant on him, particularly when Jamal Murray was sidelined despite Reggie Jackson stepping up in a starting role. Of course, prioritising health and peaking come May and June is the prime concern for Mike Malone’s squad as opposed to regular season wins and finishing as high as possible, with things ticking along just fine despite a recent three-game skid and some question marks about their bench and depth as a whole following the departures of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green.
Shades of the King – Bronny makes debut | 01:15
DETROIT PISTONS (2-21) – F
A season from hell. Things can’t get much worse than what they are right now for the Pistons … can they? They’ve dropped a franchise record 20 games on the trot and have a league-worst 2-21 record. Monty Williams is constantly changing the line-up in hopes of finding a spark – but that in itself has been a problem as nothing has felt settled or stable. The sporadicness of Jaden Ivey – both the guard’s form and how he’s being used by Williams – has personified the team’s struggles. And while Bojan Bogdanovic recently returned to give them some veteran leadership, it’ll take more than that to turn things around.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (10-12) – D+
Is the dynasty Warriors era finally over? It certainly appears to be amid a rough stretch with just four wins from their last 14 outings. Steph Curry is doing everything he possibly can right now, but where’s the help? And what would happen if he got injured? Veterans Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have underperformed and Chris Paul already suffered his first injury setback, while Andrew Wiggins looks a shadow of the star that helped guide the team to the 2022 championship. Meanwhile Jonathan Kuminga has struggled to evolve into the player the team would’ve hoped for, and their other youngsters don’t appear capable to take on bigger roles – or at least Steve Kerr hasn’t been willing to give it to them – so there’s more issues than answers right now. A shake-up could be coming, either to the rotation or via trade.
HOUSTON ROCKETS (11-9) – B+
There’s been some hiccups along the way, but it’s been an overall promising season for the West’s seven seed. Ime Udoka has brought an intensity, defensive focus (ranked second in the NBA) and professionalism to the team we haven’t seen in years — boosted by the additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks as well as Alperen Sengun taking his game to another level. Some cracks started to appear over the last month or so and it felt like things could fall apart, but the Rockets have since steadied the ship in signs of genuine maturation. Houston does need to replicate its home form on the road, with just one away win so far (over reigning champ Denver), but there’s so much to like overall at the moment.
Davis dominates in mid season title win | 02:31
INDIANA PACERS (13-8) – A
That In-Season tournament run felt massive including taking down Eastern Conference powerhouses Boston and Milwaukee en route to the championship game. Even if they didn’t raise the trophy, the Pacers would’ve gained a ton of confidence and respect. Plus, not only did it give Indiana playoff-like atmosphere experience against some of the best teams in the league, it was the coming out of a superstar in Tyrese Haliburton under the bright lights. Can we finally admit the Pacers won the Sabonis trade? There’s simply a ton of excitement surrounding Indiana right now as one of the most fun teams to watch and best stories of the first quarter of the season that current sits fifth in the East. It’s largely been because of the Pacers’ potent No. 1 rated offence, though they’ve leaked points on the other end.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (12-1o) – B-
Should the league be officially on notice? The Clippers are two games above .500 after winning nine of their last 12. The slow start in the James Harden era is a thing of the past as Tyrone Lu’s side is figuring things out and looking a genuine threat with a new starting line-up after Russell Westbrook’s move to the bench. We’re also seeing all of their big three, Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, playing well in the same games more consistently, while the Clippers have the NBA’s No. 8 defensive rating and No. 8 net rating. It comes in a crucial season for the franchise, having gone all-in with this roster ahead of the opening of its new stadium next year. You still can’t help but think, as quickly as things have come together, they could again fall apart, with the health of their injury-prone stars key.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (14-9) – A-
They have to get extra marks for winning the In-Season Tournament, even if it ultimately counts for nothing from a bigger picture perspective. It’s otherwise been a similar-looking Lakers to last season — a robust defence but lacklustre offence and need for more consistent scoring alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, with Austin Reaves struggling to step up in a bigger role and having more success as a sixth man. Through it all, LA is still 14-9 and getting close to full strength, with the likes of Jared Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent missing key time, while Cam Reddish has been a solid addition. The evergreen and soon-to-be 39-year old James is ageing like a fine wine and doing straight up freakish things at his age. Between James and Davis, who’s having one of his best defensive seasons, this team will always be a threat, plus you sense this Lakers team has room to grow with more continuity and could go on a run at some stage like last season.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (6-16) – D-
Operation keep their head above water until Ja Morant returns next week has been a fail for the Grizzlies, who’s also been without Marcus Smart and lost Steven Adams on the eve of the season to leave a bunch of key voids. Tyus Jones’ departure also can’t be understated as a guy who knew their system so well and how to run it whenever Morant was out. With that in mind, you can’t be too harsh on Taylor Jenkins’ crew. Morant will clearly provide a much-needed boost on the offensive end, but they also can’t expect him to return and magically solve all their problems. Not many lesser Memphis players have otherwise really stepped up with extra responsibilities, while Jackson Jr. hasn’t looked like the same defender without Adams there. The Griz have at least showed better signs in recent times to creep closer to having a somewhat respectful record and look capable of turning around its season with Morant and Smart back in the fold.
MIAMI HEAT (13-10) – B
You can be glass half full or half empty on the Heat depending on what your expectations are. But never sleep on Erik Spoelstra and company — and this season has proven no different despite Miami being without Tyler Herro for a key chunk of the season (though it’s becoming increasingly hard to trust the team to ever be consistently healthy). Miami just finds useful pieces to surround Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo with including draftee Jaime Jaquez Jr., while Duncan Robinson has enjoyed a bounce back season and the returning Josh Richardson has been a useful addition. There’s still a few question marks, with the Heat rated average on both ends of the floor amid a stretch of five losses from their last eight, but they’re in a good spot when Herro and now Adebayo return from injury all things considered.
Silver breaks silence on Giddey drama | 00:43
MILWAUKEE BUCKS (16-7) – A-
It’s all kind of just going according to script for any team that lands a superstar in the off-season. Sure, the Bucks still have to improve significantly to just become an OK defensive team as they adjust to life with Damian Lillard. But through what’s felt like a slow start to the season under new coach Adrian Griffin, Milwaukee sits equal second in Eastern Conference and just a game behind Boston with the equal-third best record in the entire league. Not only are the Bucks figuring out how to best integrate Lillard with the rest of the team — most importantly, alongside star teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo — as well as other new pieces, but Khris Middleton is still (very slowly) being ramped up to full minutes. Reports of locker room drama involving Bobby Portis and Griffin is also a worry so early in the campaign. In some ways, all the apparent concerns make their .696 winning percentage even more impressive, but it’s very much is championship or bust season in Milwaukee, so expectations are rightfully high.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (17-5) – A+
Ticks all around for the team with the fourth-best net rating in the league. Seemingly the most improved team in the NBA this season, or at least, the team that’s made the jump from a playoff side to a true contender. Indeed, what the Timberwolves are doing feels real, built around the league’s No. 1 ranked defence led by Rudy Gobert getting back to some of his best form at that end of the floor. Minnesota has elite size otherwise that’s really worried opposition teams, while Karl-Anthony Towns is playing at a high level to function effectively alongside Gobert in the frontcourt, while Anthony Edwards just keeps getting better and better. And all of this despite Jaden McDaniels only appearing in roughly half their games due to injury.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (13-11) – B-
Are they good or not? The opinion on this team seems to flip-flop quicker than any either — and the Pelicans are an enigma of sorts. But when they’ve been at full strength, there’s an argument the Pelicans can compete with anyone in the Western Conference. The Pels have in recent times shown what they can do with all their pieces on the court together including winning seven of their last 11 games. Willie Green’s side has weapons at both ends of the floor and is deep, while Zion Williamson has looked fantastic at times despite some queries around his overall professionalism and commitment to his craft. Though a blowout loss at the hands of the red-hot Lakers in the In-Season Tournament semis was a misstep, there’s reason to be bullish about how far New Orleans could go this season if things click.
NEW YORK KNICKS (13-9) – B
It’s been a solid, but unspectacular start to the season for the Knicks, who have struggled against the best teams but are rated top 10 in all three of offensive, defensive and net rating. Despite this, New York still appears to be a move away from being a true contender that’s capable of hanging with the likes of Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia out East. Mitch Robinson being ruled out for at least the next two months after ankle surgery is clearly a big blow, while the wing/guard rotation feels crowded after New York brought in Donte DiVincenzo. Quintin Grimes even expressed frustration over his role given so much of the team’s offence is predicated around Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. How far can a team go that leans so heavily on those three on the offensive end?
Curry tops Wemby in battle of the stars | 01:11
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (15-7) – A+
The rebuild couldn’t be going much better. In fact, could the Thunder be sneaky contenders in the West? They’ve exceeded expectations this season to surge ahead of their time as the third-youngest team in the NBA. OKC is the only team in the NBA with a top six offensive and defensive rating, while it’s third in net rating. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a legit MVP contender, Chet Holmgren has been Rookie of the Year good to provide another dimension to Mark Daigneault’s squad and Jalen Williams has taken a leap forward in his second season. Plus, whoever Daigneault puts on the court, which can at times be fluid, always competes hard and buys in on the defensive end. All of this with a mountain of draft picks at their disposal to further upgrade their roster, there’s perhaps no team better positioned overall. The only real negative has been Josh Giddey’s underwhelming form on the court — not helped by the off-court investigation — as the Aussie struggles to find his role in an altered system.
ORLANDO MAGIC (16-7) – A+
The unexpected dark horse in the Eastern Conference behind it’s No. 2 rated defence and budding young guns. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are blossoming into stars, leading a team with killer instinct that’s taken several big scalps including the Nuggets and Celtics – arguably the best two teams in the NBA. It’s been all the more impressive considering Marklette Fultz has been limited to only five games due to an ongoing knee injury, though the guard’s absence has at least opened up more opportunities for the likes of Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony to really take their games to the next level. Meanwhile Joe Ingles has added an invaluable veteran presence off the bench.
Embiid passes Barkley in stellar fashion | 01:23
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (15-7) – A
You’ve got to respect the way the Sixers consistently remain in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, particularly after overcoming the James Harden drama that was. With Joel Embiid leading the charge in another MVP-calibre season and Tyrese Maxey emerging as a superstar, anything feels possible with these Nick Nurse-led Sixers. A faster-paced offence (ranked second in the NBA) and still rock solid defence (ranked ninth) under Nurse’s system has so far equated to the best net rating in the league. Veterans Nicholas Batum and Robert Covington have meanwhile been valuable additions on the wing from the Harden trade and provided better depth — plus Philly has a bounty of draft picks it can use to further bolster its roster. Should again be one of the key contenders to come out of the East, if not go a step further.
PHOENIX SUNS (12-10) – B-
It’s hard to get a proper read on Frank Vogel’s Suns given their new big three is still yet to share the court together this season. That was set to change this week with Bradley Beal’s imminent return, but now Kevin Durant is out, so the trio staying healthy will always be a concern. But Beal’s absence doesn’t completely let Phoenix off for a near .500 start given the franchise has gone all-in on a title with this roster, particularly given the defensive concerns have so far been validated. While it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, the Suns have still managed to stay in touch with the top teams in the Western Conference and shown they can compete with anyone. Though Durant has wound back the clock, this team will go as far as Devin Booker takes it in a new point guard role, while their role players have stepped up to fill voids.
Celtics reign top of the East | 00:59
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (6-16) – D+
To no great surprise, it’s been tough goings for the new-look Blazers this season as they move into rebuild mode after trading away Damian Lillard – but still have a blend of veterans in key roles. That slow start has been exasperated by Anferne Simons being sidelined for most of the season to date due to injury, while a host of other key names have also missed time. Portland has actually been solid on the defensive end, however is ranked second-last offensively in an area Simons will improve it. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before Scoot Henderson is handed the keys as the starting point guard role, with the Pick 3 draftee, Simons and Shaedon Sharpe the future of this franchise.
SACRAMENTO KINGS (13-8) – B+
After a slow start to the season, the still heavily offensive-focused Kings have gotten a roll in recent times with five wins from their last seven to make a charge in the Western Conference standings. De’Aaron Fox just keeps getting better and better, in the best form of his career and playing at an MVP level with a much-improved three-point stroke, while Malik Monk might be the most underrated player in the NBA as a sneaky Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The issues on the defensive end remain a problem though and have halted Sacramento from making the jump from being a fun – but potent – team last season to a legit West contender to be taken more seriously.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (3-19) – D-
Expectations recalibrated. A team some thought was capable of making a run for the Play-In with the addition of Victor Wembanyama has been a mile off and is in contention for having the worst record in the league. They’ve dropped a franchise record 17 straight games and … well, look like a young team still figuring things out and their identity as a whole. The Spurs have been a mess at both ends of the floor – rankled dead last offensively and sixth-last defensively for the league’s worst overall net rating. The Jeremy Sochan point guard experiment has been abandoned, and right now, outside of Wembanyama, there’s not a heap to be bullish about on the roster for the future (though Wembanyama might be more than enough). But again, this is a team that was always going to suffer from some type of growing pains and can at least say they planned for such pain by committing to a rebuild — even if they weren’t expected to be this bad. Hard to give a team a fail that just landed a generational talent, who’s looked as a good as advertised.
‘Not who we are!’ Pop BURNS home crowd | 00:30
TORONTO RAPTORS (9-14) – C-
A contender for most confusing team in the NBA in terms of what it’s trying to accomplish, currently sitting outside the Play-In qualification. The Raptors have dropped four in a row amid struggles at both ends of the floor under new coach Darko Rajaković. If they can’t get things together soon, a trade involving Pascal Siakam and/or OG Anunoby by the deadline seems likely given both can become free agents at the end of the season. It very much feels like Scottie Barnes’ team now in a brilliant third season from the forward as the franchise cornerstone they should build around, while every other Raptor feels expandable.
UTAH JAZZ (7-16) – D
How long until the Jazz commit to all-out rebuild mode? Despite having a surplus of draft picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades, Utah has attempted to regenerate its roster on the run and stay competitive in the always loaded West — evident by its off-season move for John Collins. However the team has really struggled this season compared to last. While the absence of Lauri Markannen in recent times hasn’t helped and Walker Kessler has also missed a key chunk of the season, the Jazz have dropped five of their last six games and are plummeting quickly in the West standings in campaign getting away from it. Given Utah owes OKC a top-10 protected pick, don’t be surprised if Will Hardy shakes things up soon and puts his younger players into bigger roles, while the Jazz could also be sellers ahead of the trade deadline to ensure the franchise takes something away from this season.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-19) – F
It’s been bad. The Wizards have just one win from their last 15 games to remain anchored in a bottom two seed with Detroit in the East. While it’s been by design after Washington off-loaded Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis in the off-season for long-term assets, there hasn’t been much get excited about by the way of young players impressing. And so there’s not many positive takeaways for this season outside of the Wizards potentially ending up with a top draft pick. This year’s Pick 7 Bilal Coulibaly figures to move into a bigger role as the season goes on, while Washington’s other high-end draftees look like misses that haven’t warranted increased opportunities. Jordan Poole has been a big disappointment, while the ex-Warrior and/or Tyus Jones could find themselves in another jersey by the deadline.
What are the Power Rankings? This is our attempt to rank every NBA team from best to worst. We take wins and losses into account, but also the quality of opposition faced and whether teams are likely to get healthier or improve going forward. It’s a little bit ‘who’s hot and who’s not’; part predictive, part analysis of what’s happened. If Team A is above Team B, we’d probably tip A to beat B at a neutral venue.
Every NBA team analysed in our Power Rankings.Source: FOX SPORTS
1. BOSTON CELTICS (14-4)
Who else but? Continuing on from last campaign’s dominant regular season, the Celtics appear to have gotten even stronger with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Integrating such key pieces to a rotation can take time for teams to adjust, but not Boston, having posted a top eight offensive rating and top three defensive rating. Still undefeated at home, the Celtics’ +9.6 point differential is the best in the league. Not only do they have top-line stars, most notably Jayson Tatum, who’s having another MVP-calibre season, but Joe Mazulla’s rotation is arguably the deepest and most talented in the NBA. It’ll help them mitigate injuries (provided they don’t come at the business end of the season). Can anyone stop them? The clear best team in the league right now.
2. DENVER NUGGETS (13-6)
The reigning champs have been in cruise control in the early parts of the season, while Jamal Murray has been limited to eight games due to a hamstring injury … yet they still sit second in the West standings at 13-6 and have a top 10 offensive and defensive rating. It included a particularly strong start to the season before the Nuggets hit a lean patch, dropping four of five games as their less experience and depth compared to last season showed. But a road win over the Clippers on the second half of a back-to-back without Murray, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon displayed championship DNA at its finest and would build huge belief in the second unit and team as a whole. Jokic remains out-of-this-world good as the current frontrunner for the MVP in what’d be his third overall. Oh and they’re also the only other team still unbeaten at home.
‘Wait a minute!’ Smith blasts ‘idiots’ | 02:01
3. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (13-4)
One of the big surprise packages so far, Minnesota is emerging as a legitimate contender before our eyes. In fact, it’s the Wolves we thought we were getting last season after three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert joined the team, as his twin tower frontcourt pairing with Karl Anthony-Towns is starting to flourish. Sitting first in the West with the best defensive rating in the entire NBA – built around Gobert, and great size and flexibility that’s really troubled opposition – the Wolves have taken the leap into the top tier of teams. Then there’s the Anthony Edwards piece, with the star guard evolving into a MVP-level superstar that plays both ends of the floor and has a certain dog and killer instinct about him that reminds you of some of the game’s all-time greats.
4. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (13-5)
The new-look Bucks are starting to figure things out – and that’s a scary prospect for the rest of the NBA. After a slow start, Milwaukee has won eight of its last nine games and is beginning to live up to the hype after recruiting Damian Lillard to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo and create one of the most dominant one-two offensive punches in the NBA. Though the Bucks have the fourth-best offence in the league, there’s still issues at the other end of the floor, with a bottom 10 defensive rating. Brook Lopez is starting to rediscover his dominant defensive form from last season, but misses having Jrue Holiday out on the perimeter, while Khris Middleton is still ramping up to full health after off-season knee surgery. If they can make improvements on the defensive end to at least be middle of the road, the Nuggets showed last season you don’t necessarily need to have an elite defence to win it all. Could they simply score their way to a title?
5. PHILADLEPHIA 76ERS (12-6)
Couldn’t have navigated the James Harden trade saga much better. It was addition by subtraction for the Sixers, with Harden’s departure paving the way for Tyrese Maxey to evolve into a superstar – even if he’s cooled off from his epic early-season heights – while Joel Embiid continues to do Joel Embiid things. The star centre has also improved as a facilitator, averaging a career-best 6.6 assists per game. Philly also added a host of handy role players in the Harden trade plus assets it could use to recruit another star by the trade deadline. They sit top four in the East and have the second-best points differential (+8.7) in the NBA, having shown a ruthlessness to really crush teams. Nick Nurse’s team has the second-best offence – playing with more movement and freedom than last season – to go with a top 10 defence. A team with all the tools to make another deep playoff run.
6. ORLANDO MAGIC (13-5)
The other shock riser – and this one has been even more unexpected – including riding a current seven-game winning streak. Orlando was seen as a fun, budding team on the rise, but not many could’ve predicted Jamahl Mosley’s side would be this good, this fast. The Magic have the third-best record in the East and their improvement has largely come behind a more robust defence – currently the second-best in the league. They simply have guys who compete hard every game like Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, while Paolo Banchero has taken his game to new heights alongside co-star Franz Wagner, an elite running partner who’s still somehow underrated. Joe Ingles has also provide invaluable leadership and stability off the bench. The Magic, who’ve taken down arguably the best two teams in the NBA in Boston and Denver, have done all of this with Markelle Fultz missing most of the season with a knee injury!
Booker torches the Garden with dagger 3 | 00:37
7. PHOENIX SUNS (11-6)
The Suns are coming. Despite Bradley Beal being restricted to three games due to a back issue and Devin Booker also battling injury, they’re still sitting in the upper echelon of the always competitive West. Kevin Durant has wound the clock back to look like… well, prime Kevin Durant, while Booker too has had some monster performances top really ascend his status to the top-line superstars. What’s also been encouraging is how recruits Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen have stepped up with more opportunities and Jusuf Nurkic might have found his perfect landing spot. It’s the defensive end of the floor where there’s still some issues, but sitting 11-6 despite their new big three having never played together yet and there’s huge reason for optimism in the Valley of the Sun.
Giddey starts for OKC amid investigation | 00:50
8. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (11-6)
Another big improver and team that looks genuinely ready to contend, perhaps slightly ahead of its time. OKC is ranked top seven both offensively and defensively and doesn’t seem to fear anyone. The impact of former Pick 2 Chet Holmgren has been significant, with the gun big man emerging as the unlikely frontrunner for Rookie of the Year over Victor Wembanyama, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be crazy good to back up his breakout 2022/23 season. Mark Daigneault is generally getting better production across the board from the likes of Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe, allowing him to be more flexible with his line-ups. The hovering allegations about Josh Giddey have been the only real downside amid an indifferent start to the season for the Aussie, but there’s so much to like about what the Thunder are doing. And all of this with a mountain of draft picks at their disposal to upgrade the roster when they see fit. Look out.
9. DALLAS MAVERICKS (11-6)
The forgotten contender in the arms race following last season’s big disappointment, even after they acquired Kyrie Irving. But Luka Doncic looks like a man on a mission – with a better roster around him including a barrage of three-point shooters. It’s the offensive end of the floor where Dallas has really excelled – boasting the No.3 offensive rating – while they do have a ways to improve defensively to be taken more seriously as a legit contender. But the Doncic-Irving duo has proven to be a real handful, plus in Dereck Lively II the Mavericks have a promising big man for the first time in several years. It’d be nice to see more consistency from Josh Green, though the Aussie remains an important member of the rotation and has had some bright moments.
Kings topple Warriors for Group C throne | 00:57
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS (10-7)
The beam is starting to come alight. After a 2-4 start to the campaign where the Kings looked like a big regression contender, they’ve rediscovered their spark, going 8-2 over their last 10 games including 4-2 over a recent road trip. The offence from last season is starting to come back too, led by De’Aaron Fox amid a spectacular start to the season from the star guard, who’s averaged a career-best 3.1 three-pointers per game. And Mike Brown’s team has improved at the other end of the floor to become middle-of-the-road defensively. Keegan Murray hasn’t quite taken the second-year leap in what could really propel the Kings to another level, which might be more likely to come in the forward’s third season.
11. LA LAKERS (11-8)
It’s been an up and down start to the season for the Lakers — and perhaps they’re ultimately not the contenders we thought they were amid a host of other Western Conference sides improving. While it’s still early days, LA has had issues at both ends of the floor — mainly the offensive end (ranked bottom three in three-point shooting) — as Darvin Ham works through finding his best line-ups after a few off-season changes to the roster. They’ve also been affected by injury and have struggled on the road (3-6). Beyond Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who’s still freakishly good at near age 39, there’s a lack of other consistent production, even if D’Angelo Russell has bounced back from a disappointing playoff series, while Austin Reaves hasn’t had the breakout season come expected in year three and has been moved to the bench.
LeBron suffers WORST loss in NBA career | 00:51
12. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (10-8)
The Cavs have overcome a slow start to the season to get on a roll in recent times, having won six of their last eight games. We frankly haven’t seen Cleveland at full strength enough yet this season to get a real grasp of where this team is at – a team that finished top four in the East last season. The core remains as talented as some of the top sides and the addition of Max Strus has been a big win to add much-needed three-point shooting on the wing. The Caves don’t really want for anything, though there’s question marks of whether the Even Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt is viable long-term given the spacing issues. It comes in an important juncture and season at large for the franchise as it’ll be hoping to convince Donovan Mitchell to stick around long-term, in one of the potential trade narratives to keep an eye on.
13. NEW YORK KNICKS (10-7)
When it’s all clicking for the Knicks, they’re a strong unit. Jalen Brunson proved last season was no aberration, backing up his breakout campaign to again lead this team, while Julius Randle and RJ Barrett haven’t been quite as consistent even though the latter has shown an improved three-point stroke. New York does have a top-five ranked defence and the 11th-best offence, but Tom Thibodeau’s squad has struggled against the best teams in the league. From that perspective, how far can a Brunson-Randle-Barrett trio go — even with an improved roster around them? Might be one big move away from seriously contending.
Knicks stun Heat with comeback in NY | 01:16
14. INDIANA PACERS (9-7)
With Tyrese Haliburton in this kind of form, anything might be possible. Haliburton is putting together an All-NBA level season, averaging stupidly good numbers across the board (25.9 points on 51 per cent shooting, 3.8 triples and 11.9 assists per game). It’s been key to the team’s promising 9-7 start to the season, with claim to the league’s No.1 offensive rating while averaging 127 points per game. It’s completely opened the Pacers up defensively though …and where’s Haliburton’s help coming from? Myles Turner’s minutes are down, while Rick Carlisle seemingly can’t decide if he wants to develop Benedict Mathurin as a starter or just play veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield heavy minutes, with the latter more of a win-now move. Bruce Brown has been a handy addition, but he’s more a role player than anything. Another team to watch ahead of the trade deadline.
15. MIAMI HEAT (10-8)
Another team that’s hard to figure out, albeit hampered by injuries, As if coming off an NBA Finals appearance as the eighth seed didn’t already make it tricky enough! The Heat have at least navigated the majority of the opening weeks without star guard Tyler Herro, who looked set for a huge breakout season as Miami’s leading scorer, and they’ve clearly missed his offence. The good has been good — including a seven-game winning streak and Bam Adebayo rolling in a career-best season to take on the mantle as Miami’s alpha. But the bad has been bad — opening the campaign 1-4 and currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak, while there’s question marks of the team’s depth.
16. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (10-9)
One of the biggest enigmas in the NBA … are still an enigma? There’s been some good and some bad — including a five-game losing streak — and they’ve all-round just been an average side. It’s a somewhat disappointing return for a franchise that spent parts of last season as the No.1 seed in the West and could be so much more with Zion Williamson. But the former No.1 pick hasn’t yet lived up to expectations and has appeared frustrated at times with how the team is going and his role. Frankly, we haven’t seen Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum on the court together enough to get a proper gauge of how good they can be. McCollum’s lung injury did open the door for Dyson Daniels to play more minutes though and show a glimpse of the Aussie young gun’s promising future.
17. LA CLIPPERS (8-9)
Still adjusting to life with James Harden, the Clippers might’ve worked things out. After starting the Harden era 0-5, Tyronn Lue’s side has since won five of its last seven games as it starts to move up the West standings. There were always to be growing pains with Harden and a need to fine-tune rotations, which has ultimately seen Russell Westbrook move to the bench. Well, over their last six games, the Clippers have the best defensive rating in the league, while Harden is coming off his best game yet as a Clipper with a season-high 26 points, five triples and five steals. Paul George’s hot start to the season hasn’t been talked about enough too amid the team’s struggles.
18. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (8-10)
It’s hard to know what to make of Golden State at times and how much we judge Steve Kerr’s team on reputation. Some predicted the addition of Chris Paul would take the Warriors to the next level, but right now they’re sitting just inside the Play-In qualification. It’s been the same story as last season — they rely too much on Steph Curry, Klay Thompson has been inconsistent and unreliable, Draymond Green has been engulfed in drama and the young players haven’t stepped up (but haven’t necessarily had opportunities to). Andrew Wiggins has meanwhile fallen off a cliff to leave a big scoring void, but Kerr doesn’t quite seem prepared yet to pass the baton to the next crop. They’ve gone 2-8 in their last 10 games and Paul has already suffered his first injury setback of the season.
Curry tops Wemby in battle of the stars | 01:11
19. HOUSTON ROCKETS (8-8)
Ime Uodka has done some sort of job in his first 16 games as Rockets coach. A team considered a potential improver looks like a genuine playoff team. It’s been a bit of a seesaw — with revolving winning and losing streaks — but this team is highly disciplined defensively, helped by the addition of Dillon Brooks, is deep and has beaten reigning champion Denver twice. Having an established point guard in Fred VanVleet has provided more overall structure and Alpereen Sengun looks like a mini Jokic in a brilliant breakout season from the 21-year old centre. And to think the Rockets tried — and failed — to land Brook Lopez in the off-season in what would’ve almost certainly prevented Sengun from doing what he’s doing now. A really impressive start in H-Town in a big tick overall. Now just to replicate their home form (8-1) on the road (0-7) — and more Jock Landale too please!
20. ATLANTA HAWKS (8-9)
One thing you can count on with Atlanta — it’s going to score in bunches. The Hawks have the No. 5 offensive rating this season while averaging 122.5 points per game — trailing only Indiana — driven by Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Jalen Johnson’s emergence has offset John Collins’ departure, and so the forward’s injury leaves a big hole in Quin Snyder’s streamlined rotation — that has featured Patty Mills for all of five total minutes this season. After a promising start to the season, the Hawks have gone 2-5 over their last seven games, so they have a few things to figure out ahead of tough upcoming schedule including playing Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Denver in their next five games. Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu remain locked in a minutes split at centre, but you sense it’s only a matter of time before Okongwu is given full rein.
21. BROOKLYN NETS (9-8)
The Nets have managed to keep their head above water despite battling a host of injuries to the likes of Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Cameron Johnson and Cam Thomas. Considering the amount of changes to the line-up, Brooklyn would be happy to currently be sitting ninth in the East including currently riding a three-game winning streak. The team has also had the sixth-toughest schedule in the league, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, while Mikal Bridges hasn’t quite had the breakout season some anticipated yet. With all that in mind, there’s a fair bit of upside when — or if — the Nets get fully healthy.
22. TORONTO RAPTORS (9-10)
Offence has been the main concern for the Raptors — in particular their bottom-five ranked three-point shooting. As good as Scottie Barnes has been in a breakout season from the forward, it’s hard to get a grasp of this team’s identity. One game it’s Barnes leading the charge, the next it’s Pascal Siakam, while OG Anunoby has struggled amongst it all and Jakob Poeltl has been used sparingly despite costing the team a first-round pick and getting a juicy contract extension. Could they be sellers at the deadline? Dennis Schroder has at least enjoyed a strong season as the team’s new point guard to get back to some of his best form of years past.
23. UTAH JAZZ (6-12)
Lauri Markkanen is doing everything he can, but fair to say this season hasn’t started nearly well as last for the young Jazz. You could see it going either way in Utah — but it’s been tough goings for Will Hardy and company. After struggling in the opening games before getting injured, Walker Kessler now finds himself coming off the bench, though that should change soon, while Keyonte George has moved into the starting line-up in Hardy’s bid for more playmaking and movement in that opening five. The Jazz however still have major issues at both ends of the floor, and at some stage, they’ll need to commit to a path of either competing for the playoffs or rebuilding, as right now it feels like they’re trying do both but failing to achieve anything.
24. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (5-11)
Just when the Hornets were starting to turn their season around, the near worst possible thing happened – LaMelo Ball suffered another setback to his troublesome ankle that required surgery earlier this year. At full strength, Charlotte has a solid roster that could contend for the playoffs, but it hasn’t had all its key pieces on the floor together at once, with Ball central to everything. Controversial forward Miles Bridges has taken no time to get up to speed since returning from suspension, and now he and Terry Rozier in particular will need to take on a much bigger load with the Hornets’ franchise superstar sidelined for the next several weeks.
25. CHICAGO BULLS (5-14)
If it wasn’t already clear, it’s time to blow it up. Things are a mess for the Bulls right now — a team built to win now is a ways off and is sitting all the way down as the Eastern Conference 13th seed amid a five-game losing streak — including dropping eight of their last nine. If Chicago’s situation doesn’t improve, which, right now, it’s hard to see how it does, expect one — or both — of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to be wearing a different jersey by the trade deadline. At least then Chicago can start building with a new nucleus, because the current one is stuck in NBA purgatory — where no team wants to be.
26. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (5-12)
Going according to script after the Damian Lillard trade as the Blazers prioritise developing their emerging crop of youngsters including Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, who should eventually take over the starting point guard job. Portland recently snapped an eight-game losing streak, with its offence the key area letting it down. Anfernee Simons having only played one game due to a thumb injury clearly hasn’t helped. Elsewhere, Aussie duo Matisse Thybulle and Duop Reath are getting more opportunities in the rotation to show their worth, with the former’s defensive prowess again proving valuable.
27. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (4-13)
When is Ja Morant free to return again? It’s the question the Grizzlies would be repeatedly asking themselves amid a grim 4-13 start to the season as perhaps the most disappointing team. Because sure, having no Morant for over a quarter of the season is significant, but the Grizzlies have looked like a lottery team without him. It includes the Griz being ranked dead last in three-point shooting with the second-worst rated offence. Unlike Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. has struggled to step up with extra offensive opportunities. And as if it couldn’t get any worse, Marcus Smart is now sidelined for the next several weeks after suffering a nasty ankle injury. They did finally end their 0-8 winless drought at home — the last team to do so — after beating Utah on Thursday.
28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (3-14)
The Spurs are probably lucky they’re not even lower (not that there’s much scope). But it’s been the very definition of growing pains and teething issues for the rebuilding team in welcoming Victor Wembanyama into its young core despite the No.1 pick’s sensational start to his career. San Antonio is in the midst of a 12-game losing streak to sit dead last in the West, while its -12.9 point difference is the worst in the NBA. Maybe expectations were simply set too high amid the hype around ‘Wemby’ — but just because they’re not playing well doesn’t mean their future isn’t bright. The Spurs are simply in experiment and trial and error mode — so even a Play-In appearance feels unlikely right now. Devin Vassell missing five games due to an adductor injury hasn’t helped their cause.
Spurs fall short despite Wemby heroics | 00:51
29. WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-15)
Not that the Wizards were expected to be any good this season, but it’s probably been even worse than imagined, with Kyle Kuzma the sole shining light. It took for Washington to play the Pistons to end a nine-game losing streak and pick up its fifth overall win nearing the quarter-way mark of the season. Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones have underwhelmed, though neither have played big minutes amid some curious rotation decisions from Wes Unseld Jr. Ranked bottom 10 at both ends of the floor, the Wizards are officially in all-out tank mode and could be sellers ahead of the trade deadline.
30. DETROIT PISTONS (2-16)
Perhaps the most alarming thing is that the Pistons started the season 2-1 and looked like a sneaky improver! Well, they’ve since lost 15 on the trot to hold the worst record in the NBA, with the eighth-worst defence and fourth-west offence. This is a team some thought could start climbing the standings after spending years going to the draft. But Detroit is still behind newer rebuilding teams like Portland, San Antonio and Washington, while Monty Williams can barely figure out his rotation and which players will help take this franchise forward. Having Cade Cunningham back has been important and rookie Ausar Thompson and second-year centre Jalen Duren have both impressed, but it looks set to be another long season in the Motor City — even if Bojan Bogdanovic’s imminent return will help.
Dyson Daniels continues to make the most of his opportunity at the Pelicans while veteran Joe Ingles has been an unsung hero for one of the NBA’s early surprise packets.
Read on for the latest wrap of all the Australians playing in the NBA!
Shooting remains a work in progress for Daniels, who had one of his worst games of the year in that regard against the Jazz on Sunday, going 3-of-14 from the floor and missing all six 3-point attempts.
Daniels has been a streaky shooter from downtown at best recently, only making 28.6 per cent of his 3-point attempts in November.
That has never been the strength of Daniels’ game though and fortunately the Australian has found plenty of other ways to make an impact for the Pelicans, most notably with his defence.
In fact, Daniels had a career-high six steals in the 105-100 loss to the Jazz on Sunday and leads the NBA with 64 deflections after 13 in that game.
Daniels also played a crucial role alongside teammate Herb Jones in slowing down Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox in a dominant 129-93 win last week.
Dyson Daniels pushes the ball past Collin Sexton. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fox entered that game averaging almost 32 points per game but was clamped up by the Pelicans duo, scoring just 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting.
When asked what was behind Fox’s inefficient showing Zion Williamson had two names for reporters.
“C’mon man, two names — Herb and Dyson. Stop it, you know the answer to it,” he said.
“That’s a great combo to have and that’s a luxury.”
“They are both really good defenders,” added Pelicans coach Willie Green.
“Both of those guys you can see they’re long, they’re active, they’re strong and physical defenders and both are creating offensive identities.”
It makes it easier for the Pelicans offence too, with the defensive stops allowing someone like Daniels to facilitate in transition and find either Williamson or Brandon Ingram for easy buckets.
Daniels contests a Luka Doncic shot. Sean Gardner/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“It’s our ability to get stops first,” Green said.
“When you can stop teams it’s harder for them to score on you and their percentages are low. Those guys are fast. Herb gets out. Dyson gets out.
“They are looking for kick-aheads to B.I. and Z (Zion) if they can and then we are just playing from there.
“Having both Dyson and Herb out there, they are both big, physical wing defenders. They make it tough on our opponents.”
While the 3-point shooting has not always been consistently there Daniels has also improved at being more decisive and aggressive in attacking the rim, although that too remains something to work on.
As a whole though, Daniels has capitalised on his opportunity with CJ McCollum sidelined and will continue to push for more minutes off the bench when New Orleans is full strength.
JOSH GIDDEY (Oklahoma City Thunder)
For the time being Giddey remains in the Oklahoma City line-up while the NBA investigates allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
“Just with the information that we have at this point, that’s the decision that we’ve made. It’s really not even a decision, to be honest with you,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Daigneault describing it as “not even a decision” raised some eyebrows but a Thunder spokesperson later clarified those comments, confirming the OKC coach simply meant it was now a league matter and out of their hands.
As for Giddey’s role on the court itself, he is averaging 12.5 points per game which is down from 16.6 in his sophomore season.
That, however, says more about rookie Chet Holmgren’s emergence as a key scoring threat and part of the Thunder offence after dominant games against Golden State and Philadelphia.
Like Daniels, the 3-point shooting remains the swing skill that could help take Giddey’s game to the next level, with the Australian guard shooting a career-low 26.3 per cent from deep.
That isn’t much of an issue anyway though with Oklahoma City as a team shooting a league-high 40.5 per cent of 3-pointers.
For Giddey, it is more about staying aggressive and attacking the rim to open up looks or otherwise using his playmaking prowess to find his teammates.
Giddey questioned on social media claims | 00:38
BEN SIMMONS (Brooklyn Nets)
There is no real update on when we could see Simmons back on the court, with the Australian starting light individual court work as he ramps up in his return from a pinched nerve.
The Nets confirmed last Friday that Simmons would be sidelined for another week at minimum after an MRI earlier in the month revealed a nerve impingement in his lower back.
JOSH GREEN (Dallas Mavericks)
Green signed a four-year, $41 million extension with the Mavericks this summer and with that news came higher expectations of the versatile Australian this season.
The 23-year-old had a season-high 15 points in a win against the Lakers last week but backed it up with a scoreless showing against the Clippers.
Admittedly Green only saw nine minutes in that loss but that two-game stretch speaks to the biggest challenge he is facing so far in his young career as he tries to find more consistency in his game, particularly on the offensive end.
Although at times there have also been question marks as to the way Dallas has used Green, who was starting to heat up against the Lakers but saw very limited minutes in the final quarter even as other players started to go cold on the shooting front.
The high energy and hustle plays on defence will always be there though and if Green can maintain that and make a few 3-pointers he will continue to be a solid role player with upside, especially if called on for a greater role when injuries strike.
Josh Green in action. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
DANTE EXUM (Dallas Mavericks)
The same goes for Exum, who was a shining light for Dallas off the bench in the heavy loss to the Clippers as he finished with a team-high plus-minus of +4.
Exum crashed the boards with a team-high eight rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench to go with two assists, two points and a steal.
Hustling for rebounds and deflections, Exum is an all-effort player that could help any NBA team but Dallas in particular needs all the help it can get on the defensive end.
In offence Exum is also proving especially helpful in getting the Mavericks offence going in transition, capable of either slamming it home himself or pushing the pace and finding open teammates.
JOCK LANDALE (Houston Rockets)
Landale was rewarded for his strong form at Phoenix last season with a four-year, $32 million deal but little has gone to plan since then.
While Landale was always going to play back-up to Alperen Sengun he has not seen the kind of playing time he would have been expecting, with the Rockets instead often going small.
It has resulted in Landale failing to see any more than seven minutes in his past six appearances and given Houston has won three of those games it doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
What makes Landale’s lack of playing time even more frustrating for him is the fact that only the first year of his $32 million deal was guaranteed.
Jock Landale drives to the net against Domantas Sabonis. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
JOE INGLES (Orlando Magic)
The Orlando Magic are one of the surprise success stories of the season so far, improving to a 12-5 record which ranks right up there with Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Milwaukee.
Of course, leading the way is an exciting young core headlined by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner while Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony — at just 22 and 23 years old — continue to improve in their third and fourth seasons in the league respectively.
But you also need a calming, veteran presence to bring everyone together. That is where Ingles comes in, or as Anthony put it: “Joe Ingles and his grandchildren”.
“He brings that poise, brings that maturity, he settles things down, he’s willing to make the physical play and make the right pass,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosely said after the Magic’s upset win over defending champions Denver.
“He gets guys in the right position on the floor. He’s coaching on the floor. It’s so great to have him, he settles so many things down for us while we’re out there and he allows that second unit to really be themselves and thrive in the way they are.”
Ingles obviously offers the Magic spacing as a 3-point shooting threat but like Mosely referenced, it is also his ability to make the right play that makes him so valuable.
DUOP REATH (Portland Trail Blazers)
Reath has been getting consistent minutes for the rebuilding Trail Blazers, who need all the size they can get after losing starting big man Robert Williams III for the season to injury.
Portland signed Reath on a two-way contract, meaning he can be sent back to play in the G-League but for the time being the Blazers clearly like what they see from 27-year-old.
“He’s been great,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said after Reath’s career-high 16-point effort in a loss to Cleveland earlier in the month.
“It’s one of the reasons I wanted him on our team so bad is because he is different to our other fives. [He is] able to space the floor.
“Not only that but he’s rebounding, he’s never giving up out there. He’s got a good feel for the game. You can kind of run a few things for him at the elbow.
“He can make different reads and passes. I’m happy to see Duop playing so well but I’m not surprised.”
Duop Reath tries to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Of course, what makes Reath even more valuable is the fact that not only does he have size at 6-foot-11 but he is also an outside shooting threat.
Kevin Durant and the Suns learned that in a 120-107 win last week, where Reath went 2-of-3 from deep on the way to scoring 10 quick points as the Trail Blazers fought back early in the second quarter.
“That run where Duop Reath scored 10 straight points… that changed the whole complexity of the game,” Durant said.
Reath also had a rebound and steal in the period as Portland went from 34-21 down after the first quarter to within one point of the Suns when the Australian headed to the bench.
MATISSE THYBULLE (Portland Trail Blazers)
It was always going to be an adjustment for Thybulle, going from a title contender like Philadelphia to a rebuilding team in the Trail Blazers.
With one eye to the future, Portland has given rookie forward Toumani Camara more minutes and eventually a starting spot ahead of Thybulle.
What makes Thybulle a valuable teammate though is the fact he has taken all of it in his stride, willing to play whatever role he needs to for the team.
It doesn’t necessarily mean Thybulle is seeing fewer minutes. In fact, he has only dipped below 20 minutes in just four of 12 games this season.
Like Daniels, Thybulle has used his length, athleticism and defensive instincts to make an impact for the Trail Blazers even when his shots aren’t falling, with seven steals and three blocks in his last two games.
Thybulle has had a few solid shooting performances recently too, going 3-of-6 and 3-of-4 from downtown in games against Cleveland and Utah.
PATTY MILLS (Atlanta Hawks)
Finally, Mills saw minutes for the first time this season. It was just five and the fact that is noteworthy says a lot about the veteran guard’s sad situation at the Hawks.
With plenty of guards already on the roster there isn’t necessarily a need for Mills to play high minutes.
Instead, Mills and his expiring contract make him an easily moveable trade asset should the Hawks make any moves before the deadline or next summer.
For what it’s worth, having made his only 3-point attempt in the recent blowout win over the Wizards, Mills is now shooting 100 per cent from deep this season.
