After taking back home court advantage from the Dallas Mavericks in an instant classic Game 4, the Clippers are back in Los Angeles for Game 5, hoping to take a 3-2 advantage in the series.

Game Information

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570

Tickets: For great deals on Clippers tickets, check out Barry’s Tickets!

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Terance Mann – Paul George – Amir Coffey  – Ivica Zubac

Mavericks: Kyrie Irving – Luka Doncic – Derrick Jones Jr. – PJ Washington – Dereck Lively II

Injuries

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee)

Mavericks: Luka Doncic Probable (Knee), Tim Hardaway Jr. Out (Ankle), Daniel Gafford Questionable (Back), Olivier Maxence-Prosper Out (Ankle)

Notes

Kawhi’s Health: Before Game 4, when Lawrence Frank noted that Kawhi was out for the game, he said that the team wouldn’t put a timetable on Kawhi’s return and that the Clippers’ star wouldn’t be back until “he can make all the movements that he needs to make.” So there’s a good chance that Kawhi is not coming back during this series. And even if he does try to will himself back, is that actually the best thing for the team? The Clippers have found success without Kawhi on the court, thanks to the heroics of James Harden and Paul George. For any real championship run, the Clippers will need a healthy Kawhi Leonard. And so getting past the first round without him, giving him that time to heal, is probably their only realistic path.

The Mavs’ Next Chess Move: What cards do the Mavericks have up their sleeve? Our instincts tell us that surely a Luka master-class is coming, but if his knee continues to be an issue, maybe it’s not such a guarantee. And we’ve already seen one Kyrie explosion in game 4. But what else can Jason Kidd get out of this Dallas roster? The Mavs had been best going small, but in Game 4 James Harden repeatedly carved up the smaller lineup with short floaters that he’s been practicing, a shot which Jason Kidd appears comfortable to let him continue to take. So do they go big again? It hasn’t been working when they have, largely because neither Gafford nor Lively can pull Zubac away from the paint, and both have been doormats for Big Zu in the post. Right now the pressure is all on Dallas to adjust because they can’t just assume Kyrie will be able to produce another Steph Curry impression, and Luka is already doing all he can.

Luka’s Knee: Luka’s listed as probable for Game 5, which isn’t surprising, but his sprained knee clearly isn’t 100%. He’s been a step slow offensively, and he’s got limited lift on his usually terrifying step-back three ball, shooting just 26.5% from three in the series (and 17.4% in Games 3 and 4). That said, “struggling” Luka is still averaging 29-10-9 and is still incredibly dangerous inside 15 feet. The Clippers can’t let his health disarm them, but they’d also be fools to ignore it. The game plan should continue to be to attack him at the point-of-attack with playmakers who will keep him working hard on both ends.

Following Up Game 4: Game 4 was probably the most entertaining game of these 2024 playoffs. The shot-making was off the charts, the System was in full effect, and everyone had their turns shining. In the final minutes Kyrie Irving and Paul George each took the lead from one another with two of the most insanely difficult shots of the year. But despite coughing up the 31-point lead, the Clippers still have plenty of momentum after holding on to Game 4. And we know Paul George loves his Game 5’s, so we can expect a similar level of swagger. If he can be as decisive as he was in the first half of Game 4, if Harden can continue to pick his defenders wisely, and if the Clippers can stay the course with their mostly-effective Luka strategy, they have a good shot.

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Clippers vs. Mavs Game 5 Preview: Protecting Home Court
Erik Olsgaard

There’s been a bit of a discussion about toxic fandom on NBA Twitter lately, sparked by Terance Mann saying that “NBA Twitter and social media sucks”.

Toxic NBA Social Media Fandom

After another disappointing season ended thanks to untimely injuries last year, Clippers Twitter was a pretty dark place. But more than that, NBA Twitter was just a hate-filled, spiteful place where everyone’s goal seemed to be to bring down other teams’ fanbases (or sometimes even their own team’s fanbase).  I was pretty sick of it and felt ready to call it quits.

Then, as fate would have it, a few months ago I made a vulgar joke reacting to a trade proposal made by Lucas—a trade proposal so disturbing, so damaging to the psyche, that to this day I physically cannot will my brain to remember the details—and POOF, my Twitter account was banned.

I took that opportunity to significantly cut back on my social media usage. And so after living under a rock this whole time, I just now learned that Marcus Morris Sr. had called the Clippers fanbase bums on Threads, by way of his apology at training camp.

But here’s the thing: I don’t think he’s actually the one at fault here.

Who’s to blame?

Sure, he probably shouldn’t have posted that.  It was bad for his image and bad for his relationship with the fans.  But what about all of the negative things the Clippers fanbase posted on social media that caused his outburst?

Is it fair that fans can feel free to say awful things about the players, but players can’t ever react without everyone clutching their pearls? Hell, it’s not just that fans just feel free to talk shit, they will actively fight with you if you try to make them feel even slightly bad about it.  “Don’t tell me how to feel.  If you don’t like it, don’t read my tweets.”

The fanbase can, and should, feel how they feel, right?  Of course they can.  If we started censoring any negative opinion on the internet, it would get pretty dystopian real fast.  And it’s true, not logging in and not reading those tweets is a perfectly good option; one that I’ve taken advantage of lately. 

The problem with social media

So if the answer isn’t to force fans to stop feeling things, then how do we solve the problem? Because there’s definitely still a problem here. 

Terance Mann just said NBA Twitter and social media sucks; that it’s shit. Terance Mann said that. He’s one of the Clippers fanbase’s most beloved players.  If Terance is disturbed by what he sees on Twitter, imagine how Marcus feels.

Here’s the thing about social media: Negativity is viral.  These apps’ algorithms all target things that piss people off, because people aggressively share posts that make them angry, and that produces ad revenue. But algorithms aside, the loudest people on Twitter are always the haters.  For every one person that wakes up and tweets, “I can’t believe how good Terance Mann has gotten” there are 10 people tweeting shit like “I can’t believe the stupid Flippers are holding out on the Harden trade over lame ass Terance Mann.”  People just feel compelled to type out exactly why they’re so mad. It’s cathartic!

So it’s no wonder Terance, and probably most of the players in the league, can’t stand NBA Twitter. These guys with tons of fans who adore them and a tiny fraction that hate them will log into the app and at best they’ll see a 50-50 split of fans and haters.

The problem is social media itself. Social media and human nature.

Trying not to be a jackass

So can this problem of toxic social media sports fandom be fixed?  Certainly not by preachy posts like this one.  It would take a widespread shift in mindset.  Fortunately for me, I think I’ve just had one.

There is indeed a key difference between me tweeting “get off the court” and being that one loud jackass at the game screaming “GET OFF THE COURT” for the entire 48 minutes—my tweet can be ignored. But that means the only difference between me and that jackass screaming into the stands is that I’m screaming into the void.

I think I’m going to chill this season.

Toxic NBA Social Media Fandom
Erik Olsgaard

Now that I’ve completed all my division previews and given brief thoughts on every team’s offseason and 2024 outlook, it’s time for a bit of an overview on what that will look like at the conference level. I will note as I did in the division previews that I don’t do the math to make sure that these projections are mathematically possible – they are simple guesses based on needing to play 82 games. I’ll also share some very, very early predictions on how I think the NBA playoffs might go.

Predicted Eastern Conference Standings

1. Milwaukee 52-30

2. Cleveland 52-30

3. Boston 52-30

4. Philadelphia 49-33

5. New York 47-37

6. Miami 46-36

7. Atlanta 46-36

8. Orlando 41-41

9. Indiana 41-41

10. Chicago 38-44

11. Toronto 37-45

12. Brooklyn 34-48

13. Washington 29-53

14. Detroit 28-54

15. Charlotte 27-55

Thoughts

Obviously, it’s unlikely that three teams end with 52 wins, two at 46, and two more at 41, but again, these are rough. This is also pending the Harden and Lillard trades, which could bump or lower the Heat or Sixers depending on the packages. Overall, I think Milwaukee, Boston, and Cleveland are the highest floor regular season teams, but Miami and Philadelphia probably have more “championship equity” than Cleveland barring a star leap from Evan Mobley. New York should be very good in the regular season as well, but they don’t have a Tier I or even Tier II star, so it’s tough to see them winning more than a round or maybe two in the playoffs. I feel similarly about the Hawks, who have very good players but shaky depth and a star in Trae Young who is maybe the worst defender in the NBA.

The rest of the conference can be lumped into three tiers, in my opinion. The next tier up are the Pacers and Magic, two younger teams who played at an around .500 level when their point guards (Tyrese Haliburton and Markelle Fultz) were healthy. Both teams can count on natural progression from their younger players, while the Pacers also made some nice free agency adds with Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin. Both teams could be a bit worse and fall into the lower tier, but also have upside for hitting the Hawks/Knicks tier as well. Then come the Bulls, Raptors, and Nets, all more veteran-heavy teams with fairly limited upside and potential for blow-ups if things go south. I think the Nets have the most upside, but also probably the lowest floor. Finally, we have the Wizards, Pistons, and Hornets, who are all very young and will probably be very bad, though each of them should be pretty fun to watch.

Predicted Western Conference Standings

1. Denver 54-28

2. Phoenix 53-29

3. Memphis 50-32

4. Sacramento 48-34

5. Los Angeles Lakers 47-35

6. Dallas 46-36

7. Los Angeles Clippers 46-36

8. Golden State 45-37

9. Minnesota 45-37

10. New Orleans 44-38

11. Oklahoma City 43-39

12. Utah 33-49

13. Houston 28-54

14. Portland 27-55

15. San Antonio 26-56

Thoughts

I have projected an incredible 11 teams in the Western Conference to win at least 43 games, but only two winning more than 50. That speaks to the parity we saw in the West last year as well as the fact that so many teams are really going for it this season. At least one of those 11 won’t even make the play-in, and if you told fans of any of those teams now that their team would miss the postseason entirely they probably wouldn’t believe you.

The other tough part is that some of the teams in the West with the lowest floors – Warriors due to age and some roster uncertainty, Clippers and Lakers with age and injury concerns, and Pelicans with Zion’s whole situation – also have the highest ceilings. On the other hand, Sacramento, Dallas, and Minnesota all have more stability (Dallas missed the postseason last year but it was a bit of a worst case scenario and Luka looks very healthy) but lower ceilings. It’s a complete mess, and you could tell me almost any of those 11 teams won the conference and I wouldn’t be *that* surprised.

At the bottom of the conference are four teams, the Jazz, Rockets, Blazers, and Spurs. The Jazz were competent last year but traded away a lot of their veterans and have no urgency to win. The Rockets signed a bunch of veterans and should be a lot more competent this year, but I didn’t love most of their signings outside of Fred VanVleet and their core roster is still very young. The Blazers should lean into the tank once they trade Dame, though depending on their return they could be decent. And finally, while the Spurs do have Wemby, their roster is extremely young and will need time before they’re playoff ready.

Playoff Predictions

If the Heat do make the Lillard trade, it’s hard for me to not put them back in the NBA Finals. Erik Spoelstra is always able to magic up depth from the fringes of rosters, and a troika of Dame-Jimmy-Bam is an awesome group in both overall talent and fit. The Bucks continue to age, though I do think a major mid-season move could be on the horizon for them. The Sixers are pending the Harden trade, and I hated the Smart trade for the Celtics. If the Lillard deal doesn’t happen I would still lean Celtics for Eastern Conference champs but not feel good about it. My dark horse is the Cavs, who were awful in the first round last year but have much better depth this year and one more year of experience for their young guys.

The West is even tougher. I will say the Nuggets as of right now: the loss of Bruce Brown will hurt them a lot, and it seems unlikely they’ll be as healthy again as they were in 2023, but Jokic is the best player in the NBA and the Nuggets’ awesome starting lineup is still intact. The Suns are probably the closest challenger with their star scoring trio and decent enough depth, though injuries and Durant’s age are a huge worry with them. Even though I have the Thunder 11^th, they’re also maybe my dark horse candidate to far exceed expectations if some of their myriad young guys take steps forward. The Lakers, Clippers, and Warriors all have the upside to win the West, but have major injury and age concerns that prevent me from marking any of them.

Overall NBA 2024 Season Predictions
Robert Flom

My preview of the 2024 NBA season concludes with a look at the Clippers’ home, the Pacific Division.

Phoenix Suns

Additions: Bradley Beal, Keita Bates-Diop, Eric Gordon, Drew Eubanks, Jordan Goodwin, Yuta Watanabe, Bol Bol, Chimezie Metu, Toumani Camara (52^nd pick of 2023 Draft), Udoka Azubuike (two-way)

Subtractions: Chris Paul, Torrey Craig, Landry Shamet, Cam Payne, Jock Landale, Bismack Biyombo, Terrence Ross, TJ Warren, Duane Washington Jr., Darius Bazley

Other: Re-signed Josh Okogie to a two year $5.7M deal, Re-signed Damion Lee to a two-year $5.3M deal

Outlook: The Suns made the single biggest splash of the offseason in trading Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and picks for Bradley Beal. Beal is not a perfect player, but I actually think he’s become underrated due to his outrageous contract. His combination of shooting, playmaking, and creation makes him a solid fit next to Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, and no team in the NBA can boast that level of sheer firepower. Injuries are a concern, but the Suns did a fantastic job shoring up their depth with minimum deals, focusing on underrated players in their prime rather than washed up big-name vets. The lack of a pure playmaker is a concern, but the real swing piece for the Suns is D’Andre Ayton. If he can return to the form of the 2021 season, especially defensively, the Suns should be extremely good. If he’s soft and doesn’t play hard all the time, the Suns will still be good but probably poor defensively. Still, in the regular season they will win a ton of games even with likely injury issues.

Prediction: 53-29 (Last year predicted 55-27, actually 45-37)

Sacramento Kings

Additions: Sasha Vezenkov, Chris Duarte, Nerlens Noel, Colby Jones (34^th pick of 2023 Draft), Jalen Slawson (two-way)

Subtractions: Chimezie Metu, Terence Davis, Richaun Holmes, Matthew Dellavedova, PJ Dozier

Other: Extended Domantas Sabonis’ deal for 5 years and $217M, Re-signed Harrison Barnes to a 3 year $54M deal, Re-signed Trey Lyles to a 2 year $16M deal, Re-signed Neemias Queta to a 2 year $4.2M deal, Re-signed Alex Len to vet minimum

Outlook: The Kings just had their best season in nearly two decades – they were very good, surprising, and incredibly fun. Thus, they are bringing back all the major players, including locking up star big man Sabonis for the rest of his prime. I’m not sure about paying Harrison Barnes starter level money going forward, but under the new CBA the deal isn’t awful, and he’s a good fit and solid presence. The Kings are banking on continuity and further growth from young players, especially Keegan Murray, as they made few additions. Vezenkov won Euroleague MVP as one of the very best players outside the US, so he should be ready to contribute right away. While they were very healthy last year, even with some injury regression they should still be solid, and if any of their young guys make leaps they could be even better. Barnes is also the only key player on the roster in his 30s, so they should not face any aging concerns. They almost certainly won’t be as fun as last year as the novelty will be gone, but they’ll probably be around as good.

Prediction: 48-34 (Last year predicted 33-49, actually 48-34)

Los Angeles Lakers

Additions: Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, Jalen Hood-Schifino (17^th pick of 2023 Draft), Maxwell Lewis (40^th pick of 2023 Draft), Colin Castleton (two-way), Alex Fudge (two-way), D’Moi Hodge (two-way)

Subtractions: Dennis Schroder, Troy Brown Jr., Wenyen Gabriel, Malik Beasley, Lonnie Walker IV, Mo Bamba, Cole Swider, Scotty Pippen Jr.

Other: Re-signed Austin Reaves to a 4 year, $56M deal, Re-signed D’Angelo Russell to a 2 year $36M deal, Re-signed Rui Hachimura to a 3 year $51M deal

Outlook: The way you view the Lakers’ summer depends in large part on how you view the second half of their 2023 season, where they shot up the standings after the trade deadline. If you think it was legitimate, the Lakers more or less bringing the band back together with a few changes to depth is a very good summer. If you think it was a small sample size or flukey, the Lakers’ summer is a lot less rosy. Regardless, their retaining Austin Reaves on that deal is a massive steal and one of the best deals of the offseason. Everything else, to me, ranges from fine (Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince signings) to blah (fliers on Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish), with Russell and Hachimura getting overpaid but probably not cripplingly so. Overall, the Lakers should be pretty good this year, maybe very good if LeBron James and Anthony Davis stay healthy and don’t see age-related decline. Reaves is the biggest difference maker between them and the Clippers, a younger, healthier, third option who can still improve.

Prediction: 47-35 (Last year predicted 41-41, actually 43-39)

Los Angeles Clippers

Additions: Kenyon Martin Jr., Kobe Brown (30^th pick of 2023 Draft), Jordan Miller (two-way)

Subtractions: Eric Gordon, Xavier Moon

Other: Re-signed Russell Westbrook to a 2 year $7.9M deal, Re-signed Mason Plumlee to a 1 year $5M deal, Re-signed Moussa Diabate to two-way deal

Outlook: Coming off a nightmarish 2023 season, the Clippers… barely changed their roster this summer. The counterpoint, of course, is that their major additions were at the trade deadline, and last year’s team that was so disappointing was already more or less blown up. I see that point, but disagree with it (also, while a bit better and more fun, the Clippers were not great after the deadline either). Compared to last year, Russell Westbrook should be better than the Reggie Jackson/John Wall tandem, Bones Hyland and Kenyon Martin Jr. will add some youth and verve, and Mason Plumlee is an immense upgrade over Moses Brown. Still, the core of the team remains very old and rather slow, and lacks high-level starters after their two injury-prone and aging stars. You can’t rule this team out because of the sheer greatness of Kawhi Leonard, but their summer was less than inspiring after how awful the 2022-2023 season was.

Prediction: 46-36 (Last year predicted 52-30, actually 44-38)

Golden State Warriors

Additions: Chris Paul, Dario Saric, Cory Joseph, Brandin Podziemski (19^th pick of 2023 Draft), Trayce Jackson-Davis (57^th pick of 2023 Draft)

Subtractions: Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, JaMychal Green, Anthony Lamb, Ty Jerome, Andre Iguodala, Pat Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins

Other: Re-signed Draymond Green to a 4 year $100M deal, Re-signed Lester Quinones to a two-way deal

Outlook: The Warriors responded to an extremely disappointing 2023 campaign by turning over the back half of their roster, with the main adjustment being Chris Paul swapping in for Jordan Poole. How the methodical and plodding Point God adjusts to Steve Kerr’s fast and fluid system is anyone’s guess, much less how Paul will respond to a reduced role and possibly coming off the bench. Still, he’s a steadier player than Poole, and might finally help stabilize the Warriors’ non-Steph Curry minutes. Honestly, much of the rest of the Warriors’ core is the same, with a few veterans being cleared out to give more room for youngsters Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody as well as maybe even the Warriors’ rookies (I love both picks). With Curry, Draymond, and Klay all aging and Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney better suited as complements than floor raisers, I think that the Warriors’ floor remains a play-in berth, though their ceiling is still quite high. I feel like I could be very wrong on them one way or another.

Prediction: 45-37 (Last year predicted 56-26, actually 44-38)

2024 NBA Season Preview: Pacific Division
Robert Flom

The Southwest Division was a mess last year, with the Rockets and Spurs both being awful, the Pelicans mired in injury issues, the Grizzlies dealing with controversy on and off the court, and the Mavericks disappointing in epic fashion. Will the Southwest Division be any better in the 2024 NBA season?

Memphis Grizzlies

Additions: Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose, Josh Christopher, Isaiah Todd

Subtractions: Tyus Jones, Dillon Brooks, Vince Williams Jr.

Other: Signed Desmond Bane to a 5 year $207M extension, Ja Morant will miss the first 25 games due to suspension

Outlook: While the Grizzlies did not make many moves this offseason, the ones they did make – trading Tyus Jones and picks for Marcus Smart and then letting Dillon Brooks walk in free agency – were big ones. Jones was a rock for the Grizzlies, the best backup point guard in the NBA and a capable fill-in when Ja Morant was out. Dillon Brooks, despite his flaws and issues, was a strong wing defender and someone who imbued their team with some spirit. However, the Grizzlies clearly decided they needed a shake-up on the court and in the locker room, and enter Marcus Smart, a player who combines Jones’ playmaking with Brooks’ defense – and adds locker room leadership in spades. Morant missing the first 25 games is going to hurt the Grizzlies, as will Brandon Clarke’s absence as he continues to recover from his torn Achilles, but Smart, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. should be enough to keep the Griz afloat in the meantime. I continue to really like this roster, though the depth has eroded significantly from a couple years ago unless some of their younger players pop. If the Griz can mature and stay healthy, they should be very good.

Prediction: 50-32 (Last year predicted 49-33, actually 51-31)

Dallas Mavericks

Additions: Grant Williams, Richaun Holmes, Dereck Lively II (12^th pick in 2023 Draft), Seth Curry, Dante Exum, Olivier Maxence-Prosper (24^th pick in 2023 Draft), Mike Miles Jr. (Two-way)

Subtractions: Christian Wood, Reggie Bullock, Davis Bertans, Frank Ntilikina, Theo Pinson, McKinley Wright IV, Justin Holiday, Markieff Morris

Other: Re-signed Kyrie Irving to a 3 year $126M deal, Re-signed Dwight Powell to 3 year $12M deal

Outlook: The Mavs had one of the most clearly positive offseasons of any team in the NBA. No, I would not feel great marrying my team to Kyrie Irving, but that’s a decision the Mavs made last trade deadline, and they had to bring him back – and they got a good deal for him under the new CBA. The rest of the roster is upgraded well, with the Mavs strengthening their role players and adding a couple rookies who should be able to contribute fairly quickly. The Mavs still don’t have a third star or even really any other clear starting level talents – their next best players after Luka and Kyrie are probably Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr – but they should have enough depth and star talent to be in the playoff mix.

Prediction: 46-36 (Last year predicted 48-34, actually 38-44)

New Orleans Pelicans

Additions: Jordan Hawkins (14^th pick of 2023 Draft), Cody Zeller

Subtractions: Josh Richardson, Garrett Temple, Jaxson Hayes

Other: Re-signed Herb Jones to 4 year $54M deal, Re-signed E.J. Liddell to 3 year $6.3M deal

Outlook: The Pelicans are running back nearly the same team as last year, with the main adjustments being swapping out Hayes for Zeller as backup big men and adding Hawkins in the draft as a ready-made shooter. The Pelicans, therefore, face the same conundrum they’ve faced throughout the Zion era – when he’s healthy, they’re very, very good. When he’s not, they’re just ok. That’s true of most teams and their stars, but few players have had as severe a time as Zion in staying health, especially so early in their careers. If Zion can’t get or stay healthy this year, it seems like the whole team might be blown up next summer. If Zion can stay healthy, the Pelicans have a decent shot at homecourt in the playoffs. That’s how dominant the big man has been when he’s actually played. More upside can be gleaned from Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and even guys like Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall, but everything rests on Zion’s broad shoulders.

Prediction: 44-38 (Last year predicted 45-37, actually 42-40)

Houston Rockets

Additions: Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson (4^th pick in 2023 Draft), Cam Whitmore (20^th pick in 2023 Draft), Jock Landale, Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday, Jermaine Samuels (Two-way)

Subtractions: Kenyon Martin Jr., Usman Garuba, Josh Christopher, Daishen Nix, TyTy Washington, Boban Marjanovic, Frank Kaminsky

Other: Brought Ime Udoka in as head coach to replace Stephen Silas

Outlook: The Rockets have not just been bad for years but have been a mess on the court. To remedy this, owner Tilman Fertitta and GM Rafael Stoen decided to bring in Ime Udoka as head coach and a series of veterans, with the bulk of the money going to VanVleet and Brooks. Those guys will definitely bring cohesion to the Rockets on offense and defense respectively, which is important for young guys to thrive. Will the Rockets actually be good though? It seems unlikely unless some of their prospects make the leap from promising youngsters to positive impact NBA players. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are certainly talented players on offense, and I love Amen Thompson, but they still seem like a year or two away.

Prediction: 28-54 (Last year predicted 23-59, actually 22-60)

San Antonio Spurs

Additions: Victor Wembanyama (1^st Pick in 2023 Draft), Sidy Cissoko (44^th pick in 2023 Draft), Reggie Bullock, Cedi Osman, Cameron Payne, Sir’Jabari Rice (Two-way)

Subtractions: Keita Bates-Diop, Romeo Langford, Isaiah Roby, Gorgui Dieng, Stanley Johnson

Other: Re-signed Tre Jones to a 2 year $19M contract

Outlook: The Spurs, unlike the Rockets, are slow playing their rebuild – though they are much earlier in their youth movement. However, they made what should be a franchise-altering pick with Victor Wembanyama, the 19-year-old, 7’5 French phenom who some regard as the best prospect since LeBron. While I wouldn’t go that far, Victor should be an immediate help at least on the defensive end, and can provide rim rolling and offensive rebounding as well. Outside of Wemby, the Spurs mostly just made some changes on the margins, though they did add a few vets who could help them win some games. Still, their roster is young, they aren’t going to rush things with Wemby, and Devin Vassell is probably their closest thing to a win-now player unless Wemby really, really pops right away. They’ll be bad, but they should be very entertaining.

Prediction: 26-56 (Last year predicted 26-56, actually 22-60)

2024 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division
Robert Flom

The first Western Conference division for the 2024 NBA season preview is the Northwest Division, home to the NBA Champion Denver Nuggets.

Denver Nuggets

Additions: Justin Holiday, Julian Strawther (29^th pick of 2023 Draft), Jalen Pickett (32^nd pick of 2023 Draft), Hunter Tyson (37^th pick of 2023 Draft), Jay Huff (two-way), Braxton Key (two-way)

Subtractions: Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Ish Smith, Thomas Bryant, Jack White

Other: Vlatko Cancar out for the year with a torn ACL, Re-signed Reggie Jackson to 2 year $10M deal, Re-signed De’Andre Jordan to vet minimum

Outlook: The 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets had a quiet offseason, with most of their activity coming in the draft. The biggest move was the one they weren’t able to make, which was bringing back 6^th man and core piece Bruce Brown. Brown’s defense, playmaking, and versatility were key to the Nuggets’ run, and they’ll miss him. Outside of that, they have largely the same roster, though depth is further weakened by the departure of Jeff Green and Vlatko Cancar (injury). The Nuggets will be relying a lot more on their young guys like Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and Zeke Nnaji, which has a wide range of outcomes. All that said, the Nuggets’ starting lineup, the best big-minute unit of last season, is back, and every player on it is healthy and in their prime. Even more than that, the Nuggets still have Nikola Jokic, who has claimed the “best player in the world title”. They’ll be just fine.

Prediction: 54-28 (Last year predicted 55-27, actually 53-29)

Minnesota Timberwolves

Additions: Troy Brown Jr., Shake Milton, Leonard Miller (33^rd pick of 2023 Draft), Jaylen Clark (Two-way)

Subtractions: Taurean Prince, Austin Rivers, Jaylen Nowell, Nathan Knight, Matt Ryan

Other: Signed Anthony Edwards to a 5 year, $260M extension

Outlook: On one hand, the Wolves were a massive disappointment last year after trading their entire future (and several solid role players) for Rudy Gobert last summer. On the other hand, despite Karl Anthony-Towns missing most of the season, Gobert struggling for the first half of the year, and the now-departed D’Angelo Russell stinking up the joint, the Wolves still won 42 games. While I’m not as high on Anthony Edwards as some (I worry about playmaking and decision-making), his stardom, Mike Conley’s steadiness, and hopefully better health from Towns should make the Wolves a better regular season team next year. I also like the Troy Brown and Shake Milton additions and loved the Leonard Miller pick. It’s possible the Wolves are very good in the regular season, but I’m a bit skeptical after last year – and I still have no faith in the Towns-Gobert pairing in the postseason. We will see.

Prediction: 45-37 (Last year predicted 51-31, actually 42-40)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Additions: Cason Wallace (10^th pick of 2023 Draft), Vasilije Micic, Victor Oladipo, Davis Bertans, Usman Garuba, TyTy Washington, Jack White, Keyontae Johnson (Two-way)

Subtractions: Lindy Waters III, Dario Saric, Olivier Sarr, Jared Butler

Other: Got Chet Holmgren (2^nd pick of 2022 Draft) back after he missed the 2023 season

Outlook: Judging by the players added above, it would seem the Thunder had a busy offseason. That’s not really the case. They currently have 20 players on their roster with some kind of NBA deal, which is allowed in summer but will need to be trimmed in camp, so it’s very likely at least three of those additions are cut in October. The Thunder are remaining patient in their rebuild, not trying to add too many (or any, really) win-now, expensive player. Instead, they’re keeping and adding to their core, and while they already have several guards, Cason Wallace seems like an ideal fit as an eventual 6^th man or off-guard next to superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Also, it will be great to see Chet Holmgren back in action after he missed all of last season with injury. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Thunder stagnate or take a step back, but with Holmgren’s addition and another year of seasoning for their young guys, I think they’ll continue to progress in the right direction.

Prediction: 43-39 (Last year predicted 28-54, actually 40-42)

Utah Jazz

Additions: John Collins, Taylor Hendricks (9^th pick in 2023 Draft), Keyonte George (16^th pick of 2023 Draft), Brice Sensabaugh (28^th pick of 2023 Draft), Omer Yurtseven, Joey Hauser (Two-way)

Subtractions: Rudy Gay, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Udoka Azubuike, Micah Potter

Other:

Outlook: Outside of adding John Collins for virtually nothing in a steal of a move, the Jazz continued to turn over veterans for young players. Collins alongside standout second-year player Walker Kessler and All-Star Lauri Markkanen is an intriguing frontcourt, but it’s hard to see this team being good enough on the playmaking front with a backcourt led by Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton. Keyonte George was awesome in Summer League, Sensabaugh is a lights-out shooter (if he can stay healthy), and Hendricks is a ready-now kind of forward. The Jazz should still be competent, especially with excellent young coach Will Hardy at the helm, but they’re still firmly in a rebuild and might continue to sell veterans as the season continues.

Prediction: 33-49 (Last year predicted 31-51, actually 37-45)

Portland Trailblazers

Additions: Scoot Henderson (3^rd pick in 2023 Draft), Kris Murray (23^rd pick in 2023 Draft), Rayan Rupert (43^rd pick in 2023 Draft), Ibou Badji (Two-way)

Subtractions: Drew Eubanks, Trendon Watford, Justise Winslow, Cam Reddish, Greg Brown III

Other: Damian Lillard’s trade request is still out there, Re-signed Jerami Grant to 5 year, $150M deal, Re-signed Matisse Thybulle to 3 year, $32M deal

Outlook: Damian Lillard’s trade request remains unfulfilled, but one of the three best players in franchise history is still determined to exit. That’s brutal, and colors this entire Blazers’ roster and era at large. It’s hard to really grade the Blazers’ summer with the trade still loomig, but I love Scoot Henderson and thought the rest of their draft was good too. Jerami Grant’s contract is a little much, but the Blazers should still be able to move it if they want to. Ultimately, it’s impossible to predict the Blazers’ record, since many of their veterans could be gone at the deadline. Even with a Lillard trade, his return plus Grant, Anfernee Simons, and the rest of their talent is enough the Blazers shouldn’t be horrible. They will still probably be bad though, and will tank hard down the stretch.

Prediction: 27-55 (Last year predicted 47-35, actually 33-49)

2024 NBA Season Preview: Northwest Division
Robert Flom

We are still in the dog days of the NBA offseason, so division previews of the 2024 NBA season continue with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics

Additions: Kristaps Porzingis, Oshae Brissett, Dalano Banton, Jordan Walsh (38^th pick 2023 Draft), Jay Scrubb (Two-way)

Subtractions: Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Blake Griffin, Noah Vonleh, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari

Other: Signed Jaylen Brown to a 5 year, $304M supermax extension

Outlook: I did not like the Celtics’ summer. Trading Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis, a first, and moving 10 spots up in the draft is good raw value, but in practice I don’t like it for the Celtics’ on-court presence or their locker room. Porzingis was legitimately excellent last year, but his injury issues are persistent and quite a bit of his shooting stats from last season seem fluky. The Celtics could use that shooting and floor-spacing from the big man spot to clean up their offense, but a middling passing team losing their best playmaker (by far) seems bad. That’s not even going into the loss of versatility defensively with Smart and Grant Williams gone, or the deficit in leadership. The Celtics should still be extremely good, but their floor is lower than last season, and their depth gets shaky in a hurry.

Prediction: 52-30 (Last year 58-24, predicted 61-21)

Philadelphia 76ers

Additions: Pat Beverley, Mo Bamba, Filip Petrusev, Terquavion Smith (Two-way), Ricky Council IV (Two-way), Azuolas Tubelis (Two-way)

Subtractions: Georges Niang, Jalen McDaniels, Shake Milton, Dewayne Dedmon, Mac McLung, Louis King

Other: James Harden has demanded a trade request, Re-signed Paul Reed to 3 year, $18M deal, Re-signed Montrezl Harrell to vet min but he tore his ACL

Outlook: It’s hard to predict the Sixers’ 2024 season with the Harden situation still up in the air. If the Sixers can convince him to fully comeback they should once again be extremely good. If Daryl Morey is able to weasel his way into a really good return for Harden, the Sixers should remain quite good. If they can’t move him and he tanks with his fat suit or they have to trade him for peanuts, they’ll probably just be regular good. Joel Embiid is the reigning MVP, and while that looked silly to some after Jokic’s playoff run, Embiid is an absolute monster who nearly guarantees the Sixers will be at least decent. Add in burgeoning star Tyrese Maxey and competent veterans (though the Sixers depth took a hit), and you have a solid foundation. They just need to really get the Harden thing right.

Prediction: 49-33 (Last year 54-28, predicted 56-26)

New York Knicks

Additions: Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Roby, Dylan Windler (Two-way), Nathan Knight (Two-way), Jaylen Martin (Two-way)

Subtractions: Obi Toppin, Derrick Rose, Ryan Arcidiacono, Trevor Keels

Other: Signed Josh Hart to a 4 year, $81M contract extension

Outlook: The Knicks were one of the teams that surprised me most last season, moving beyond mediocrity into being actually good through a breakout star-turning campaign by Jalen Brunson, a bounceback season from Julius Randle, and growth from young players such as Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Mitchell Robinson. The gang is mostly back this year, along with tradeline acquisition Josh Hart, who was tremendous for the Knicks down the stretch and in their playoff run. The roster is largely unchanged outside of some shifts around the margins – I like the DiVincenzo add, and the Hart extension is good. It’s possible that the Knicks are better than last year, but they were insanely healthy last season (five key players appeared in 71+ games, and seven of the top eight appeared in 67+), so with slightly worse luck injury-wise I think they’ll be right around last season.

Prediction: 47-35 (Last year 47-35, predicted 39-43)

Toronto Raptors

Additions: Dennis Schroder, Jalen McDaniels, Gradey Dick (13^th pick 2023 Draft), Garrett Temple, Markquis Nowell (Two-way), Javon Freeman-Liberty (Two-way)

Subtractions: Fred VanVleet, Juancho Hernangomez, Dalano Banton, Khem Birch, Will Barton

Other: Re-signed Jakob Poeltl to a 4 year, $80M deal, Replaced Nick Nurse as head coach with Darko Rajakovic

Outlook: The Raptors have had a confusing (read: bad) past year or two, with Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster seemingly doubling down on a thoroughly mediocre team that lost in the first round in 2022 and lost in the play-in last year. Trading a future 1^st at the 2023 deadline for Jakob Poeltl was bad, signing him to a 4 year, $80M was blah, and then losing Fred VanVleet in free agency for nothing for a team supposedly trying to win was the capper. The Raptors still lack shooting, and their starting point guard is either Schroder (a backup at this stage) or Scottie Barnes, who has immense weaknesses at that spot. Really, their hopes for being better than a play-in team rely entirely on a star leap from Barnes, and while I still like him a lot, the lack of shooting seems like it will take longer to work out. One of the most “meh” teams in the NBA.

Prediction: 37-45 (Last year 41-41, predicted 49-33)

Brooklyn Nets

Additions: Dennis Smith Jr., Dariq Whitehead (20^th pick 2023 Draft), Noah Clowney (21^st pick 2023 Draft), Lonnie Walker IV, Darius Bazley, Trendon Watford, Jalen Wilson (Two-way)

Subtractions: Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Patty Mills, Edmond Sumner, Yuta Watanabe, David Duke Jr.

Other: Re-signed Cam Johnson to a 4 year, $94.M deal

Outlook: The Net’s roster didn’t change a ton over the summer, but it’s almost completely different than last season’s opening roster, with the only primary holdover being Nic Claxton. With the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era finally, mercifully over, the Nets have a new direction. Sort of? They’re too good to fully tank, and their own picks are out the door for years anyway, so there’s not much a point in tanking. At the same time, their roster is also mostly in its prime and not nearly good enough for contention. Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Royce O’Neale are good veteran players, but that’s not a playoff team, probably. Still, the Nets did get younger with multiple freshman 1^st round picks and signing some young-ish fliers while moving on from declining vets, so I liked their summer. The biggest unknown: what on earth to expect, if anything, from Ben Simmons.

Prediction: 34-48 (Last year 45-37, predicted 51-31)

2024 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division
Robert Flom

The 2023 offseason is mostly over, which means its time for me to do my annual division previews. First up is a preview of the Southeast Division, which contains the 2023 NBA Finals losing Miami Heat as well as a couple candidates for worst teams of the 2024 season.

Miami Heat

Additions: Jaime Jaquez (18^th pick of 2023 Draft), Josh Richardson, Thomas Bryant

Subtractions: Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo

Other: Re-signed Kevin Love (2 year vet minimum), re-signed Orlando Robinson (2 year minimum), re-signed Jamaree Bouyea (two-way), re-signed Dru Smith (two-way)

Outlook: It’s hard to really talk much about the Heat with the potential Damian Lillard trade looming over everything. If they acquire Lillard, even if it costs a lot of their depth and young guys, the Dame-Jimmy-Bam troika would immediately be the best trio in the Eastern Conference. They would be my pick to come out of the East, probably, and a solid bet to win it all. Without Dame, the Heat took a step back, losing two key contributors in Strus and Vincent and replacing them with a rookie and a washed Josh Richardson. Maybe the Heat juju can get Richardson back on track, but it seems like a long shot. The Heat would be good, maybe very good, without Dame, but their whole offseason has centered around him. It just seems like a matter of time.

Prediction: 46-36 (Predicted 49-33 last year, actually 44-38)

Atlanta Hawks

Additions: Kobe Bufkin (15^th pick of 2023 Draft), Mohamed Gueye (39^th pick of 2023 Draft), Patty Mills, Seth Lundy (two-way), Miles Norris (two-way)

Subtractions: John Collins, Aaron Holiday, Tyrese Martin, Trent Forrest

Other: Extended Dejounte Murray for 4 years, $120M

Outlook: The Hawks finally traded John Collins, ending a national rumor mill that has been churning for years. Unfortunately for them, they got virtually nothing back for him. Onyeka Okongwu is more than ready to handle all of the backup big man minutes, Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin can step into larger roles, and there are other young guys on the roster. But it still feels like a lot of talent has exited Atlanta in recent years, and the Hawks, despite the offensive brilliance of Trae Young, seem like a team that can’t do much better than the bottom half of the playoff bracket. Their young guys could pop, so there is some upside, yet none feel like stars in the making. Maybe De’Andre Hunter finally puts it all together? I just don’t love the Young-Dejounte Murray pairing, but the Hawks are committed to that now with Murray’s extension. At least they’ll be fun to watch on offense wit Quin Snyder getting a full training camp and preseason at the helm.

Prediction: 46-36 (Predicted 47-35 last year, actually 41-41)

Orlando Magic

Additions: Anthony Black (6^th pick of 2023 Draft), Jett Howard (11^th pick of 2023 Draft), Joe Ingles

Subtractions: Bol Bol, Kevon Harris, Michael Carter-Williams

Other: Re-signed Mo Wagner to 2 year, $16M deal, Re-signed Admiral Schofield (two-way)

Outlook: The Magic mostly sat on their hands in free agency, merely bringing back a couple of their depth pieces and adding a veteran forward presence in Ingles. Still, they had a .500 record last season after Markelle Fultz returned, and nearly every player on their roster should be in line for some kind of improvement. The Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner duo is an amazing start, Anthony Black is a nice addition, Jett Howard will bring shooting, and Wendell Carter Jr. is a stable presence at center. With moderate improvement from young guys, the Magic should be a play-in team. If Banchero, Wagner, or any of their other prospects makes a leap, they could hit the playoffs. I’ll be watching a lot of Magic ball.

Prediction: 41-41 (Predicted 35-47 last year, actually 34-48)

Washington Wizards

Additions: Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, Landry Shamet, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, Bilal Coulibaly (7^th pick in 2023 Draft), Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, Eugene Omoruyi (two-way)

Subtractions: Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Monte Morris, Jordan Goodwin, Taj Gibson, Kendrick Nunn, Vernon Carey Jr., Jay Huff, Isaiah Todd

Other: Re-signed Kyle Kuzma to a 4 year, $100M deal

Outlook: No other team remade the direction of their franchise this summer, who finally bid adieu to the Bradley Beal era and embraced a full rebuild. Not only was Beal moved, but “co-star” Kristaps Porzingis was traded as well, and other veterans were moved or let go. In came a diverse hodgepodge of veterans, youngsters, rookies, and picks. The Wizards actually still have a fair amount of veteran talent, but the question is how long those players – Tyus Jones, Delon Wright, Kyle Kuzma, Danilo Gallinari, and Mike Muscala among others – remain on the roster before they’re traded. If they kept their opening day roster all season I actually think they’d win a few more games than this, but the Wizards seem like a lock to fully lean into the tank by mid-season. Jordan Poole and Kuzma will get up a million shots, and it will probably be entertaining for everyone but Wizards fans.

Prediction: 29-53 (Predicted 38-44 last year, actually 35-47)

Charlotte Hornets

Additions: Brandon Miller (2^nd Pick in 2023 Draft), Nick Smith Jr. (27^th pick in 2023 Draft), Amari Bailey (41^st pick in 2023 Draft), Leaky Black (two-way)

Subtractions: Dennis Smith Jr., Theo Maledon, Svi Mykhailiuk, Kobi Simmons

Other: PJ Washington and Kelly Oubre are still free agents, Miles Bridges re-signed on a one-year qualifying offer

Outlook: I would feel a whole lot better about the Hornets’ long-term future if they’d drafted Scoot Henderson or Amen Thompson instead of Brandon Miller. But even with one of those guys, this Hornets’ roster would be one of the worst in the NBA. It’s a very young roster, with the only veterans of note being Terry Rozier (just fine) and Gordon Hayward (declining and always injured). That’s not counting the re-signed Miles Bridges, who I’d rather not discuss. Unless LaMelo Ball makes a leap to true superstar or some of their other young talent pops in a big way, the Hornets seem like they’ll once again be awful on defense and probably not much better on offense. Keep an eye on second-year big man Mark Williams, who really came on towards the end of his rookie season.

Prediction: 27-55 (Predicted 33-49 last year, actually 27-55)

2024 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division
Robert Flom

Summer League is over, free agency is done outside of some restricted free agents, veteran minimums, and two-way deals, and the superstar trade requests are in a stalemate. Thus, in late July 2023, we are in the truly slow part of the NBA offseason a bit earlier than usual. Here are a few key remaining items to jot down on your calendar to keep an eye on the rest of the way.

Schedule Release

The NBA schedule release would not be a big deal at any other point in the calendar year, but in the dog days of the NBA calendar, it’s something. The NBA schedule was released on August 17 last year, and August 20 the year before, so it can be expected to drop sometime in mid-August. This year will also have the addition of the NBA Midseason Tournament, but the NBA has basically already explained the schedule for that, so it shouldn’t impact the rest of the schedule much.

Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement

This is also not something I usually care too much about (in terms of the actual speeches and whatnot – the actual entrance into the Hall is very important) but is usually good for a few fun and emotional moments. This year’s Hall of Fame class is a big one, with Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Greg Popovich, Becky Hammon, and Tony Parker all getting the nod, along with a handful of more college-centered figures.

FIBA World Cup

The FIBA World Cup is the second-biggest global basketball tournament there is outside of the Olympics, and the basketball is usually top notch. While I personally don’t root for Team USA, at the start of the World Cup only Team USA’s games will probably be available to watch, so that’s how the schedule is oriented for US viewers. Team USA has five “friendlies” starting on August 7 against Puerto Rico before taking on Slovenia, Spain, Greece, and Germany – very stiff competition. The tournament itself lasts from August 25 to September 10. Team USA is part of Group C, with Jordan, New Zealand, and Greece being the other teams. Team USA’s roster is not as stacked as it will be for the Olympics, which means while it’s still good enough to win it all, it is not overloaded enough to make games non-competitive. I’m looking forward to this tournament a lot.

The Prelude to the Season

For a couple teams, namely the Timberwolves and Mavericks, training camp will open on September 30, as those teams play their first preseason games in Abu Dhabi on Oct 5 and 7. For the other 28 NBA teams, training camp begins on October 3. Preseason for other teams will start a bit later, and then run all the way until October 20. On October 23, all rosters need to be trimmed down to size (15 full contracts, 3 two-ways), and on October 24, the 2024 NBA season will begin!

That about does it for the rest of the 2023 NBA offseason. Hopefully one of Damian Lillard or James Harden gets traded to create a bunch more news and analysis, but FIBA lasting from early August to early September this year is huge, and will certainly help bridge the gap until training camp.

Mapping Out the Rest of the 2023 NBA Offseason
Robert Flom

We are approaching the 50 game mark of the 2023 NBA season, which means it’s time for another look around to check out some big risers and fallers from the past few weeks.

Risers

Celtics: The Celts have won nine games in a row, placing them 4.5 games ahead of 2^nd place in the Eastern Conference, and cementing themselves as the team to beat this year. They boast top five marks in both offense (3^rd) and defense (5^th), the only team in the NBA to do so. They have an MVP-caliber player in Jayson Tatum, a capable scoring sidekick in Jaylen Brown, and a plethora of high-end role players around them, including the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Smart. The Celtics are in the sweet spot of “young veterans” – guys who have been bloodied in the playoffs but are still in their mid to late 20s. They have flaws, but are a regular season machine and a scary playoff opponent.

Nuggets: The Nuggets, too, had won nine games in a row before losing to the Thunder last night. Unlike the Celtics, the Nuggets are not great through a balanced effort, but because of a league-leading offense. The Nuggets’ defense is ok (17^th), but they are nigh unstoppable on the other end, and it’s almost entirely due to Nikola Jokic, the front-runner for a third consecutive MVP award. Jokic’s brilliance and dominance are almost impossible to overstate, and any team with him in this form is a nightmarish playoff matchup. I still think their bench is blah for the most part, but their top six is rock solid around Jokic, and that’s what will matter most in the playoffs.

Sixers: The Sixers have won five in a row and eight of their last 10 to surge to 2^nd in the Eastern Conference standings. Their early season woes are long, long behind them. Joel Embiid is playing at an MVP-level, James Harden is operating at a comfortable All-Star level with excellent playmaking, and they’ve gotten enough support from role players to climb to 7^th in offense and 4^th in defense. Doc Rivers might be a questionable head coach, and there are some lineup kinks to work out (do they start Maxey and Harden together, is PJ Tucker washed, and who’s their backup center are just a few), but the Sixers are a well-balanced machine that can beat you in multiple ways. They don’t have many assets, but a trade deadline consolidation could really push them to top-tier contender status.

Grizzlies: The Grizzlies had won nine games in a row as well prior to their last two losses, but remain comfortably in 2^nd in the Western Conference with a four game cushion over the Kings. Their depth, too, is a bit shaky, as there are quite a number of young, fairly unproven players in the mix, but it’s the top of their roster that’s improved over last year behind huge leaps from Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. They are cocky and talk a lot of trash, but have won enough in the regular season (and got to a competitive 2^nd round against the Warriors last year) that I don’t care much. They have the 8^th best offense and #1 defense in the NBA, and are clearly legit.

Fallers

Pacers: Three weeks ago, I had the Pacers in the positive column. Well, shortly thereafter, Tyrese Haliburton got injured, and the Pacers have since lost seven games in a row, falling all the way to 9^th in the East and only a single loss up on the 12^th place Wizards. Their long-term future with Hali and Bennedict Mathurin remains very bright – the question is now whether they decide to lean into the tank this year and fall to 12^th and a top lottery pick to pair with those guys, or try to remain in the playoff race. If they do move the other way, Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, and TJ McConnell would make for very interesting trade candidates.

Knicks: The Knicks are holding onto the 7^th spot in the East currently, yet seem as stuck in the middle as they have for years – not a contender, and not a bottom lottery team either. Jalen Brunson has been an excellent addition and Julius Randle is having a bounce-back season, both positives which have driven the Knicks’ shocking 6^th best offense. Their defense is ok and they are clearly a solid enough team, but being the 6^th to 9^th seed with a massive gap separating you from the top four teams is not a wonderful spot to be in, especially with a team which doesn’t have a ton of avenues for upside beyond a breakout from RJ Barrett which seems less and less likely to arrive. Competence is good and will put fans in seats, but the Knicks missing out on Donovan Mitchell seems much worse considering the season he’s put together. The Knicks have lost four in a row and seem unlikely to crack the top 5 barring a major shake-up. Meh.

Blazers: After a hot start, the Blazers are under .500 and out of the play-in – though they’re also technically just three games behind the 5^th placed Mavericks. They are also coming off an absolutely pathetic collapse to the Lakers last night where they lost after holding a 25-point halftime lead. Damian Lillard remains great and Jerami Grant has had an awesome season, but pairing Dame with another score-first guard who is a minus defensively is a movie we’ve seen before, and not one that’s likely to give the Blazers much success. The Blazers are 11^th in offense and 21^st in defense, which is a recipe for mediocrity. And, like the Knicks, the Blazers don’t have much room for internal improvement outside of Shaedon Sharpe, Keon Johnson, and maybe Nassir Little, with most of their key guys in or exiting their primes. Like so many NBA teams, the Blazers could try to pivot towards a deeper playoff run or try to get further assets for a revamp around Dame. Either way, their time to build a contender around Dame is dwindling.

Around the NBA: Coming Up On the 50 Game Mark
Robert Flom