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Tag: seven-game winning streak

  • Clear No.1 plus shock riser nobody saw coming as contender falls from grace: NBA Power Rankings

    Clear No.1 plus shock riser nobody saw coming as contender falls from grace: NBA Power Rankings

    We’re six weeks into the NBA season in one of the most even title races in recent history… barring one clear standout.

    It’s come amid a host of big improvers in an exciting new era of stars, while several other sides have disappointed.

    Read on for the latest NBA Power Rankings. All records/numbers accurate as of Thursday night AEDT.

    Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >

    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.

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  • Preview of NBL23 Championship Series and the match-up that could decide title

    Preview of NBL23 Championship Series and the match-up that could decide title

    It has been 12 days since they qualified for the NBL Championship Series and now on Friday night (7.30pm AEDT) the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers begin what looms as a fascinating best-of-five battle for the NBL23 title.

    The near two-week break from the end of the semi-final series to the Championship Series was a little unfortunate albeit unavoidable thanks to the last FIBA window ahead of this year’s World Cup but now the wait is over, and it’s set to be a tremendous contest.

    Watch the NBL23 Championship Series between Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers LIVE and FREE on ESPN on Kayo Freebies. Series begins March 3. Join now and start streaming instantly >

    Kings and Breakers to decide NBL champs | 02:08

    The Kings and Breakers have been the best two teams all season in the NBL, they finished the regular season in first and second place, and then booked in their spots for the Championship Series by winning their respective semi-final Game 3’s on their home floors two Sundays ago.

    It is now all set up to be quite the tantalising Championship Series match up with Game 1 on Friday night at Qudos Bank Arena. Game 2 is already sold out on Sunday at Auckland’s Spark Arena.

    Game 3 will be in Sydney next Friday, Game 4 in Auckland the following Sunday and if required, the deciding Game 5 will be in Sydney on Wednesday March 15.

    WHO THE TEAMS ARE

    The Sydney Kings are the reigning NBL champions and they backed it up by claiming the regular season championship this season to come into the Championship Series as the favourites to make it back-to-back titles.

    While the Kings are the reigning champions, they had significant turnover from last season and it all started with the departure of their three imports. That included reigning MVP Jaylen Adams along with NBL and NBA champion Ian Clark, and standout big man Jarrell Martin.

    Coming in and the Kings must be commended for finding a new point guard in Derrick Walton Jr who was named to the All-First Team. Justin Simon has been the standout NBL defender this season and a bundle of energy at both ends with Tim Soares holding his own in the centre position.

    You then have Kings captain Xavier Cooks who has gone to another level this season to be named the league’s MVP while they are the deepest team in the competition with DJ Vasiljevic, Jordan Hunter, Jaylin Galloway, Kouat Noi, Shaun Bruce and Angus Glover all key contributors.

    The Kings are coached by American Chase Buford who is attempting to win a second championship in his two seasons coaching in the NBL while the Kings are looking for a fifth title overall to go with their triumphs in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2022.

    It’s been quite the ride for the New Zealand Breakers since they were the benchmark franchise of the competition between 2011 and 2016. In that period they not only won four of the five NBL championships but were also highly successful off the court.

    However, since then they have had a change in ownership and management, and that hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Throw in the last two years where they were ravaged and homeless thanks to COVID, and it was very much a start again process coming into NBL23.

    That began with a new coach with assistant Mody Maor taking over from Dan Shamir and it was almost a complete overhaul of the playing roster with only Tom Abercrombie, Will McDowell-White and Rob Loe back.

    The Breakers have got all their decisions right and that begins with coach Maor who ended up being runner-up in Coach of the Year voting.

    Nailing their import signings has been crucial for the Breakers with Dererk Pardon making the All-Second Team as the centre, Jarrell Brantley a standout power forward and Barry Brown Jr as the leading scorer across the two teams in the Championship Series.

    It’s been all about building a team defensively minded and putting culture first, which is where bringing back Kiwis Tom Vodanovich and Izayah Le’afa was important along with adding veteran Cam Gliddon and then topping it off with exciting 18-year-old French Next Star Rayan Rupert.

    With Will McDowell-White running the ship and turning himself into the standout point guard he’s always promised to be, and it’s quite the impressive Breakers outfit who are now in their first Championship Series since 2016, and attempting to win a first title since 2015, and fifth overall.

    HOW THEY GOT HERE

    The Sydney Kings wrapped up the regular season championship a couple of weeks out from the end of the season itself and proved themselves the standout team in the competition on the back of winning last season’s championship.

    The Kings finished a game clear in first place on the back of a 19-9 record which saw them winning 10 of 14 matches at Qudos Bank Arena, and winning nine of the 14 on the road including a seven-game winning streak before losing four of the last six matches of the regular season.

    That earned the Kings the right to sit back to wait to find out who they would meet in the semi finals which eventually was the Cairns Taipans. Sydney prevailed in Game 1 at home 95-87 but it was a different story in Game 2 in Cairns with the Taipans winning 93-82.

    Kings coach Chase Buford was ejected, centre Tim Soares ended up fined for a late shoulder charge and MVP Xavier Cooks hurt his ankle. However, Sydney bounced back in Game 3 with their depth and freshness shining in the 79-64 home win to book in their Championship Series berth.

    The New Zealand Breakers hadn’t take part in an NBL finals series since 2018 but it quickly emerged they would be a force to be reckoned with in NBL23. They ended up locking away second position on the back of winning the last five matches of the regular season.

    Interestingly, New Zealand won just seven of the 14 matches at home throughout the season but were superb throughout Australia winning 11 of 14 road games.

    That meant the Breakers were waiting to take on the Tasmania JackJumpers in the semi finals after they defeated the Cairns Taipans to get there.

    New Zealand dominated Game 1 at Spark Arena 88-68 to put the pressure back on the JackJumpers, but Tasmania was terrific at MyState Bank Arena winning 89-78 to force a Game 3.

    The Breakers proved too strong in that decider on their home floor to win 92-77 with Barry Brown Jr the star putting up his highest score of the season with 32 points.

    Coach ejected after dodgy flop call | 01:45

    WHAT THE KEY MATCH-UPS ARE

    Tim Soares v Dererk Pardon – Both import centres are new to the league this season and have had a considerable impact. Soares has been a solid performer for the Kings teaming up with Xavier Cooks up front and being a sound defender, solid rebounder and a good offensive threat with a nice outside shot. Then you have Pardon at the Breakers and he deserves to be called the best genuine centre in the NBL. He does the things of a traditional centre by rebounding at both ends, finishing around the rim, setting heavy screens and being a shot blocking presence. He offers plenty more than that too and his ability to set the tone physically will be key to this series and what impact Soares can have to quell his influence will be pivotal.

    Xavier Cooks v Jarrell Brantley – This power forward match up above all others could very well determine the NBL championship. Cooks is the MVP of the league on the back of captaining Sydney to last season’s championship and being Grand Final MVP. Brantley is in his first season at the Breakers but has been superb. He can play with physicality, with athleticism and is a terrific defensive presence and a great all-round offensive threat with moves around the basket and shooting ability. They are similar physical presences too so it’s going to be a truly fascinating match up and the numbers back that up. Cooks averages 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 58.9 per cent field goal shooting with Brantley putting up 16.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 46.8 per cent shooting.

    Justin Simon v Tom Abercrombie – Neither man is going to jump off the page and score a lot of points or put up huge numbers that grab the headlines, and nor will they match up on one another too much. But that doesn’t mean their role isn’t going to be pivotal on who ends up winning the series. Both can contribute offensively, but it’s at the defensive end where their true importance lies and who they get sent to for the majority of time is going to be equally curious. Simon is a previous Best Defensive Player and perhaps should have been this season. He delivered the best individual defensive performance of the season in Game 3 against Cairns on DJ Hogg and now it looks likely his coach Chase Buford will send him to try and quell the influence of New Zealand’s hot scorer Barry Brown Jr. Abercrombie is the Breakers captain and already an all-time great leading his franchise in most categories including games played and points scored. He remains a standout defender and he likely will be set to try and make life difficult for Kings point guard Derrick Walton Jr. Who is most successful in their defensive job will be critical in who ends up getting a ring.

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    DJ Vasiljevic v Barry Brown Jr – Again these two might not spend too much time on one another with the Kings likely to use Justin Simon on Brown Jr and Rayan Rupert could spend significant time on Vasiljevic. But either way they are the go-to shooters and scorers for their respective team. When the Kings need a big time basket and someone to dig them out of a hole, it’s the outside shooting of Vasiljevic they look to. And he’s a proven big time performer. Then there’s Brown and this Breakers team is built for their defence but it’s him who is their true offensive weapon highlighted by 32 points in Game 3 against Tasmania. Vasiljevic has had an up and down season but is averaging 14.0 points on 41.2 per cent shooting and 36.9 from downtown, but he did have 42 points and 10 threes against the Phoenix. Brown is averaging 19.7 points on shooting 46.8 per cent overall and 35.7 from three-point range. Who can get hot throughout the series will have a big say in the final result.

    Derrick Walton Jr v Will McDowell-White – Well what a battle of two high-class point guards we are going to have. Both are terrific playmakers and floor generals for their team, both are tremendous at setting up their team and finding shots for their teammates, and both can score themselves when needed. After all, Walton Jr did put up 45 points against the South East Melbourne Phoenix and McDowell-White has a season-high of 29 against Cairns. Walton has been tremendous replacing MVP Jaylen Adams as Sydney’s point guard. He was named to the All-First Team averaging 16.5 points and 6.3 assists a game on 47.3 per cent field goal shooting and 36.4 per cent from deep. McDowell-White has had the best season of his NBL career reaching the promise he’s always had averaging 10.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds on shooting 40.6 per cent overall and 29.1 per cent from long-range.

    Jordan Hunter/Kouat Noi/Jaylin Galloway/Angus Glover/Shaun Bruce v Rob Loe/Tom Vodanovich/Cam Gliddon/Rayan Rupert/Izayah Le’afa – A big reason why these two teams are in the Championship Series is because of their depth and the fact they don’t lose anything going into their bench, and indeed receive a punch. The Kings have Jordan Hunter to back up Tim Soares while Kouat Noi and Jaylin Galloway are versatile enough to give a chop out in either forward spots and then there’s the experience and quality of Angus Glover an Shaun Bruce in the guard spots. The Breakers bench is strong too and technically Rayan Rupert will be a starter, but Barry Brown Jr will play more minutes in that two spot. Rupert will still be important with his length and impact he can have defensively. Rob Loe will be important backing up Dererk Pardon while Tom Vodanovich and Cam Gliddon offer hardness and experience, and then Izayah Le’afa is another weapon they have as a guard who can score, run the offence and defend.

    FINAL WORDS FROM THE CAPTAINS

    Sydney Kings captain and reigning league MVP and last season’s Grand Final MVP Xavier Cooks might be feeling nervous coming into the Championship Series, but at the same time is confident of getting those three wins.

    “Not many players get the chance to go for a championship so to have the chance to go back-to-back is pretty special, but right now it’s about this team and trying to get over the line,” Cooks said.

    “I feel like we’ve had pressure on us all season long. Since the season started, we’ve had a target on our back being the reigning champs and everyone’s tried to come at us. We’ve stood our ground so far.

    “Personally I am just as nervous compared with last year, but I feel more prepared. I know what it takes to get over the line and I know how much effort it takes to get over the line. Hopefully I can try and convey that for the new guys coming in, but I am kinda nervous.

    “I am very nervous and I throw up before most games and I’m a nervous wreck, but that’s what basketball is about and it all comes down to this. It’s three more wins and you win a championship.”

    Xavier Cooks of the Kings and Tom Abercrombie of the Breakers pose with the NBL Championship trophy.Source: Getty Images

    Breakers captain and four-time NBL champion and 2011 Grand Final MVP Tom Abercrombie never thought he’d be back in this position to compete for another championship, but is excited for the opportunity ahead.

    “It feels like it’s been an eternity waiting these last couple of weeks but we’re pumped to get Game 1 underway and get this series started,” Abercrombie said.

    “Obviously Game 1 is really important and you want to come out and set the tone for the series, and play the right way. We’re under no illusions about the challenge in front of us against the best team all season long, and the defending champs. We’ll have to bring our absolute best to beat them.

    “The time for reflection will come but you do think back a little bit on what we’ve been through the last couple of years and all the adversity.

    “It’s wonderful to be back in this position and to be playing with a team and a group of people who are about the right things, and gone about things the right way. It’s awesome that we’ve been rewarded for our hard work with a chance to go for another championship.

    “Everyone has a little bit of a chip on their shoulder with something to prove and that’s made us a very tough, and resilient group.”

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  • The Pelicans’ $307m problem is ‘not built to play NBA’… and the only man who can save them

    The Pelicans’ $307m problem is ‘not built to play NBA’… and the only man who can save them

    Here we go again.

    It was only two months ago that the entire league was singing the Pelicans’ praises as the hottest team in the Western Conference on their way to occupying the No.1 seed.

    New Orleans had gone 12-3 over a 15-game stretch – including a seven-game winning streak and back-to-back statement wins over the Phoenix Suns – while also being the only team in the NBA to rank in the top six in both offensive (sixth) and defensive (third) rating, to emerge as a shock title contender.

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    A big reason for the Pelicans charge up the NBA pecking order was the MVP-level play of their finally-healthy superstar Zion Williamson, who averaged 30 points on 66% shooting, 9.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists over their seven-game winning streak, to propel the franchise from predicted playoff contender pre-season to a seemingly legitimate championship threat.

    The former No.1 pick, fresh off signing a five-year rookie max extension worth at least $193 million ($A307m) this past off-season, was finally living up to his potential after appearing to have overcome a slew of injuries that plagued the early parts of his career including missing all of last season with a foot issue.

    Zion Williamson was at the centre of the New Orleans Pelicans terrific start to the season. (Photo by Justin Ford)Source: Getty Images

    But alas, it was short lived as Zion’s injury issues once again came to the fore when the 22-year-old injured his hamstring on a fast-break play against the Philadelphia 76ers back on January 3rd (AEDT).

    The team originally announced that they would shut down the former Duke product for at least three weeks, at which point he was to be re-evaluated.

    A few weeks later New Orleans provided an update on his recovery saying that the two-time NBA All-Star was healing “as expected” and would be re-evaluated in another two weeks.

    Then came yesterday’s devastating news with Pelicans vice president David Griffin revealing that Williamson is expected to miss several more weeks after re-aggravating his hamstring strain, according to a report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

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    In the six weeks since Zion last stepped on the floor, New Orleans have been in a downward spiral, going 7-14 (including today’s crucial 103-100 win over OKC) to dramatically fall from 23-14 – third in the West – to barely hovering above .500 with a 30-28 record that currently has them as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed.

    What’s more their offensive (22nd), defensive (17th), and net rating (25th) across that stretch have been deplorable.

    Perhaps even more concerning for Pelicans fans however is the revelation that the time frame for Zion’s latest injury setback “could be at least another month”, according to the latest update from The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

    ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski went into further detail during an appearance on ‘NBA Today’.

    “The timeline for his return is very open-ended. After the All-Star break when he’s re-evaluated again, they’ll have a better view of just exactly how long it might be but these hamstring injuries are tricky,” Wojnarowski said Tuesday morning (AEDT).

    “I think when you’re doing the ramp-up on your way back there’s always a level of caution of not pushing too hard because you could have a setback. We saw that with Devin Booker (earlier) this season (who) came back played a few minutes on Christmas Day and then was out again.

    “Zion Williamson, he had a first 29 games of the season that was All-Star-worthy. He was voted a starter (in the All-Star game), (shot) 60% from the floor, and of course 26 points a game. The Pelicans were winning, they were 17-12 with him, but they have to be prepared now to go another significant period without him in the lineup… The hope is that they will get him back at some point before the post-season.”

    Zion Williamson was set to make his second All-Star game appearance after previously representing Team Durant back in 2021. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox)Source: Getty Images

    In what is becoming a recurring nightmare for the organisation and it’s fans, the former National College Player of the Year has now missed a whopping 170 games out of a possible 284 games since being taken first overall in the 2019 NBA draft.

    Prior to entering the league Zion Williamson was the hottest NBA prospect since LeBron James, signing the richest annual rookie shoe deal in NBA history – a five year, $75 million ($A107.6m) contract with Nike’s Jordan brand – before he had even played a league game.

    However, to this point of his career, Zion’s NBA journey has been far more reminiscent of former player Greg Oden than it has that of arguably the greatest player of all time in James.

    Like Williamson, Oden was a much-hyped No. 1 draft pick following a decorated high school and college career that included leading Lawrence North High School to three consecutive state championships from 2004-06 and helping the Ohio State Buckeyes to a runner-up finish in the 2007 National Championship game.

    His accomplishments during that span included being named Indiana Mr Basketball and the Gatorade National player of the year in high school while also being named as a member of the 2007 first-team All-Big Ten team, a Consensus second-team All-American, and winning the Pete Newell Big Man Award in his lone season with the Buckeyes.

    Greg Oden barely got on the court during his time with the Portland Trail Blazers. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey)Source: Getty Images

    So highly touted was Oden coming out of college that he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of Kevin Durant in the 2007 NBA draft.

    Unfortunately for both Oden and the Blazers franchise, the 7-foot centre failed to live up to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders during his five seasons in the Northwest, with injuries restricting him to just 82 games across the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons prior to being waived by the team in March 2012.

    After a brief stint playing with LeBron James’ Miami Heat during the 2013-14 season (averaging 9.2 minutes across 23 games), Oden found himself out of the league for good.

    Despite his own availability issues, Zion has certainly already delivered more on the court during his short NBA career than Oden ever did during his disappointing six years in the league – but nevertheless his injury history has to be of great concern to the Pelicans moving forward.

    Greg Oden was apart of the 2014 Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat team which would lose to the eventual champions the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals that season. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann)Source: Getty Images

    When he was entering the NBA the biggest query over Williamson was whether he could stay healthy considering his rare combination of weight, size and freakish athleticism – and so far that concern has proved justified.

    As previously mentioned, when the North Carolina native has stayed healthy and managed to make it on the floor, opposition teams simply haven’t had any answers for the 6-foot-6, 130kg wrecking ball as Zion has silenced his critics.

    The dynamic power forward is in the midst of arguably a career-best season – averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 60.8% from the field, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 71.4% from the free throw line – resembling the once-in-a-generation type monster that New Orleans had hoped to see when they drafted him.

    With 25-year-old star wing Brandon Ingram – their second-best player who’s averaged 20.8 points per game, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season – valuable veterans such as Jonas Valanciunas, CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. as well as talented youngsters such as Herb Jones Jose Alvardao and Aussie Dyson Daniels also on the roster, the Pelicans have a core nucleus capable of challenging for a championship. That doesn’t even take into account the team’s recent trade acquisition in big wing Josh Richardson, who adds valuable playoff experience and depth to an already talented squad.

    Brandon Ingram’s finesse and outside shooting is the perfect complement to Zion’s explosiveness and dominant inside game. (Photo by Matthew Stockman)Source: Getty Images

    However, as evidenced by the stark difference in their record and overall performance with and without him on the floor, the key to any title push in New Orleans is their franchise cornerstone in Zion.

    The Pelicans may currently sit seventh in the West, but they are only four games ahead of the 13th place Lakers – who made a number of roster improving moves ahead of last Friday’s trade deadline – and with Williamson now reportedly out of action until at least mid March, the Pelicans will have a fight on their hands just to stay afloat long enough to hope that Zion can return in time for a run at the playoffs.

    Even if their superstar was able to make it back in time for the playoffs and managed to stay healthy for the rest of the season, he would likely take time to get back to his form pre-injury.

    With other contenders in the West such as the Clippers, Mavericks, Suns and even the Nuggets all making key moves to improve their teams that means it’s going to be an uphill climb for the Pelicans to even make it out of the conference.

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    Zion has shown the type of game-changing talent so far this season that can propel New Orleans to the franchise’s maiden NBA title, but the re-emergence of his health issues have to leave you concerned for his future should he not find a way to overcome his injury curse.

    The Pelicans have invested a significant amount of money ($A307m) into making Williamson the key piece of their plans moving forward but they have also taken a huge risk by putting their faith in a player who so far has failed to play in more than half (59.9%) of his NBA games so far.

    “I don’t think Zion Williamson is going to play 70+ games,” former NBA player Eddie Johnson said last month.

    “I’ve said this even before he got drafted. We’ve never seen a body this big, this explosive play this game. He puts so much torque on his body. His body is not built to play this game. It’s not. But he is very good at this game. And that’s why he plays it. But he’s going to pay a price, man. That was ugly right there, that was ugly, that was non contact… That tells me he has some tightness going on.”

    FS1’s Shannon Sharpe shared a similar sentiment declaring that on a scale of 1-10 the organisation should have zero trust in Zion’s health moving forward.

    “He’s missed half the games in his career. (If I’m the Pelicans) what am I supposed to believe? Am I supposed to believe what I think is going to happen or what I see happen to the kid every single year?,” Sharpe said during a segment on ‘Skip and Shannon: Undisputed’.

    “… It is what it is. They should have zero confidence that Zion Williamson will be healthy at any point of time in his career.

    “It seems to be a reoccuring theme that at some time during the season, he is gonna miss time. I’m not talking about load management time, I’m talking about significant time because a man of his size shouldn’t be able to run and jump like he does. It just doesn’t make sense… He is a formula one car in an 18-wheeler (truck’s) body.”

    With Zion’s rookie max extension set to kick in next season, accounting for roughly 25% of the team’s salary cap moving forward, the Pelicans don’t have the luxury of wasting this season and banking on making a title charge in 2024.

    Zion currently only takes up just over 10% of the Pelicans cap space. (Photo sourced from Sportrac)Source: FOX SPORTS
    Zion is set for a huge payrise next season. (Photo sourced from Sportrac)Source: FOX SPORTS

    If New Orleans fails to capitalise while Williamson is in the final year of his rookie deal and can’t find a way to keep their superstar out of the rehab group then they may soon find themselves questioning whether they are receiving enough of a return on investment.

    But, of course, as a small market they also need his talent to become any sort of realistic title contender.

    He is their problem. And their solution.



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