20 Second Timeout

LeBron James is the First Player to Participate in 23 NBA Seasons

LeBron James is entering uncharted territory by participating in his 23rd NBA season, breaking the record of 22 seasons set by Vince Carter. Last season, James played at an unprecedented level considering his age (40 years old) and experience (22 NBA seasons), averaging 24.4 ppg, 8.2 apg (sixth in the league), and 7.8 rpg. He made the All-NBA Second Team, and he finished sixth in regular season MVP voting. James' L.A. Lakers finished third in the Western Conference regular season standings before being upset 4-1 by the sixth seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

James missed the first 14 games of the 2025-26 season because of sciatica, and he has now played two games, both versus the woeful Utah Jazz. 

In his first game of the season, James scored 11 points on 4-7 field goal shooting while passing for a game-high 12 assists and grabbing three rebounds as the L.A. Lakers defeated the 5-9 Jazz, 140-126. He had a +1 plus/minus number while every other Lakers' starter had a plus/minus number of at least +10. Luka Doncic scored a game-high 37 points on 11-22 field goal shooting while dishing 10 assists with a +10 plus/minus number in 34 minutes. Austin Reaves had 26 points on 7-11 field goal shooting, one assist, and a +10 plus/minus number in 33 minutes. 

In his second game of the season, James had 17 points on 8-17 field goal shooting, eight rebounds, and six assists as the Lakers defeated the 5-11 Utah Jazz, 108-106. James had a team-worst -14 plus/minus number in 34 minutes. Doncic scored a game-high 33 points, grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, and passed for a game-high tying eight assists in 40 minutes while sporting a gaudy game-high + 33 plus/minus number. Reaves had 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and a -1 plus/minus number.

This is clearly a small sample size of games from which no definitive conclusions should be drawn. It is worth noting that in his last game prior to this season, James had a team-worst -14 plus/minus number as the Timberwolves eliminated the Lakers, 103-96. James had five points on 2-7 field goal shooting in the fourth quarter of that game. 

For most of his career, James has been the focal point for his team and he has dominated the ball while other players--even future Hall of Famers--sublimated their games and accepted having reduced touches. That formula is not in the best interest of the 2025-26 Lakers, because Doncic is a future Hall of Famer who is just entering his prime. Doncic is in the best shape of his life, and he has been shattering records with his quick start to this season. Doncic should be the Lakers' primary scorer and primary ballhandler/decision maker. Reaves is well-suited to being a secondary scorer/secondary playmaker. 

Where does that leave James? Based on James' age, health, and current skill set level, he should be the third option. Reducing James' offensive load not only diversifies the Lakers' attack by enabling Doncic and Reaves to shine, but it also gives James the opportunity to be more impactful defensively. Offense is not a problem for the Lakers, but they need to play better defense, and if James wants too add to his championship ring collection then he will focus on elevating the Lakers' defense both by example and by mentoring the team's younger players. Older players tend to be injury-prone, and tend to not be as engaged or effective defensively. The Lakers need for James to be healthy and to be a net positive defensively; reducing his offensive workload is the best way to keep James healthy and to help him have enough energy to be effective defensively. James has carefully crafted a reputation for being unselfish while having a high basketball IQ; the unselfish, smart way for him to play now is let Doncic and Reaves cook offensively while shoring up the Lakers' defense.

Labels: Austin Reaves, L.A. Lakers, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 3:09 AM

6 comments

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2025-26 is on Sale Now

When Lindy's Pro Basketball appears in stores you know that the NBA season will soon begin. The 2025-26 edition of Lindy's Pro Basketball has 30 team previews, plus nine feature stories: "Scopin' the NBA" (David Friedman and Roland Lazenby recap major off-season stories), "Flagg Sidesteps Comparisons" (D.J. Siddiqi discusses the 2025 number one overall draft pick), "The NBA Gets Defensive" (Michael Bradley dissects Oklahoma City's championship-winning defense), "J-Drip" (Roland Lazenby profiles Jalen Williams), "Keeping the Faith" (Lyn Scarborough recounts the faith journey of A.J. Griffin), "NBA Report Card" (Roland Lazenby grades each team's off-season moves), "A Look Ahead" (Carl Berman scouts the 2026 NBA Draft), "NBA Fantasy Guide" (Mike Ashley provides advice for fantasy basketball enthusiasts), and "A Look Back" (Lazenby recalls the 1995-96 season when the Chicago Bulls went 72-10 en route to winning the first championship of their second "three-peat").

In addition to contributing to "Scopin' the NBA" for the first time--I submitted the pieces about the Player Participation Policy, Junior Bridgeman's legacy, Oklahoma City's pressure defense, and Gregg Popovich's retirement from coaching--I wrote eight team previews and sidebar articles this year: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz. My sidebar articles discuss, respectively, the Mavericks' historic tendency to make risky player moves, the Jimmy Butler enigma, Saddiq Bey's comeback attempt, Alex Caruso's defense, Toumani Camara and the Dayton connection to the NBA, the Kings' poor record since 2006, Gregg Popovich's legacy/Mitch Johnson's burden, and Utah's front office keeps it all in the Ainge family.

This is the 17th year that I have contributed to Lindy's Pro Basketball dating back to 2005 (with interruptions for the 2011 lockout, my law school attendance in 2014-15, and 2020 because Lindy's Pro Basketball was not published in the wake of COVID-19). As always, I am grateful to Roland Lazenby for providing the opportunity to contribute to Lindy's Pro Basketball, and I am proud to be associated with the finished product.

If you do not see the magazine in any stores in your area, you can order a copy online. 

Selected Previous Articles About Lindy's Pro Basketball:

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2024-25 is on Sale Now  

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2023-24 is on Sale Now  

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2022-23 is on Sale Now 

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2021-2022 is in Stores Now 

"Forever Mamba" Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant 

Look for Lindy's Pro Basketball 2019-20 in Stores Now 

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2018-19 Is Available Now 

Lindy's Pro Basketball 2017-18 is on Sale Now

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Lindy's Pro Basketball, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Roland Lazenby, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 11:37 PM

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Frank Layden Coached With a Smile and Left the Fans Smiling

Frank Layden, who passed away on July 9, 2025 at the age of 93, was the second Utah coach in Jazz history after the franchise spent its first five seasons based in New Orleans. The Jazz did not post a winning record or make a playoff appearance in New Orleans, nor did they do so in their first four Utah seasons--but they went 45-37 and reached the second round in their fifth Utah season (1983-84), which was Layden's second full season on the Jazz bench. That year, Layden won the Coach of the Year award, the Executive of the Year award, and the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award--a trifecta that is unlikely to ever be matched, as only a handful of other people have won even two out of those three awards, much less won two of them in the same year. 

After his great success in 1984, Layden led the Jazz to four more playoff appearances in the next four seasons before suddenly retiring with an 11-6 record in the 1988-89 season. When he retired from coaching, Layden said, "I think America takes all sports too seriously. Sometimes in the NBA, you feel like a dog. You age seven years in one. The pressure in the NBA is intense. It's time to have my time." Two-time NBA scoring champion (1981, 1984) Adrian Dantley was Utah's best player during most of Layden's time with the Jazz, with John Stockton arriving in 1984-85 (but not becoming a full-time starter until 1987-88) and Karl Malone arriving in 1985-86 (but not becoming an All-Star until 1988). Layden returned to the bench in 1998 for a brief stint as the coach of the WNBA's Utah Starzz before retiring from coaching for good, citing his desire to "enjoy life."

Layden posted a 277-294 record as an NBA head coach, which is not bad considering the condition of the Jazz franchise when he took over. Layden had a strong basketball pedigree dating back to his time as a player at Niagara, where he was a teammate/roommate of the legendary Hubie Brown. Layden served as an assistant coach for Brown with the Atlanta Hawks before joining the Jazz. 

However, Layden will be remembered for more than his basketball acumen or his won/loss record. He had a jovial personality, and he would banter good-naturedly with fans, one time asking a heckler if he paid for his seats. Layden explained that he could accept barbs from paying customers but not from the "freebies."  Layden co-hosted two NBA blooper tapes with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marv Albert.

It seems like a lot of the characters and quirky personalities of the game like Frank Layden have been replaced by "quants" (I call them "stat gurus") who are long on spreadsheets and short on one-liners. There is a place in basketball for analytics and data (properly utilized), but there is also a place for subjectivity and just good old fashioned fun--and Layden understood that.

Labels: Adrian Dantley, Frank Layden, Hubie Brown, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Niagara, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 2:02 AM

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Warriors Hope to See "Playoff Jimmy" Instead of Disinterested Jimmy

Jimmy Butler won his power struggle with the Miami Heat, forcing his way out and receiving a two year, $112 million contract extension from the Golden State Warriors that more than covers the roughly $6 million of salary that he lost after being suspended three times this season by the Heat. The Heat sent Butler, two second round draft picks, and cash considerations to the Warriors in exchange for Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and a first round draft pick. Several other teams participated in the deal as well.  The Toronto Raptors received P.J. Tucker from the Utah Jazz, plus a second round draft pick and cash considerations from the Heat. The Detroit Pistons received Dennis Schroder from the Jazz via the Warriors, and they also received Lindy Waters III and a 2031 second round pick via the Warriors. The Jazz received K.J. Martin from the Pistons via the Philadelphia 76ers, Josh Richardson via the Heat, two second round draft picks, and cash considerations from the Heat.

Most of these moves will be remembered as bookkeeping maneuvers facilitating Butler's departure from Miami in exchange for three players plus a first round draft pick. In my analysis of the shocking Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, I wrote, "The tried and true template for evaluating an NBA trade is to look at which team received the best player, while understanding that size matters in the NBA and that age also matters." Butler has earned six All-Star selections, five All-NBA Team selections, and five All-Defensive Team selections while also winning the 2023 Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP; he has more accolades, accomplishments, and honors than all of the other players in this deal combined. Butler is 35 years old, but he has been reasonably productive this season (17.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.8 apg, a career-high .540 FG%). Wiggins, the only other player in the deal who made the All-Star team (2022), is almost 30 years old. He was a vital contributor to Golden State's 2022 championship team, but he has been inconsistent (and often unavailable) since 2022. 

The Warriors are the clear winners of this trade based on the best player criterion. Size is not a factor in this trade, as none of the players are taller than 6-9 or power players in the paint, but age is a factor worth considering. Butler is five years older than Wiggins, and four years older than Anderson, Schroder and Richardson. Other than the 39 year old Tucker, there is a good chance that every rotation player included in this trade has more years left in the league than Butler does. Age matters little to the win-or-bust Warriors, but the Heat did the best that they could to obtain players who can be in their rotation for the next several years (or who are viable enough to be packaged for other rotation players or draft picks)--and they did well to obtain anything of value for an aging, disgruntled player who wears out his welcome everywhere he goes.

After the trade, Butler delivered a brief video message to Warriors' fans, concluding with these bold words: "Championship coming soon." Talk is cheap, but  $112 million is not cheap for a 35 year old who has never been durable, has never made the All-NBA First Team, and has never finished higher than 10th in regular season MVP voting.

The "Playoff Jimmy" nickname is primarily based on three extended Miami playoff runs (2020 NBA Finals, 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, 2023 Eastern Conference Finals), but Butler averaged just 14.5 ppg on .297 field goal shooting when the Bucks swept the Heat in the first round in 2021, and he shot .451 from the field or worse in his six playoff appearances with Chicago, Minnesota, and Philadelphia. Butler missed the 2024 playoffs due to injury, and his comment after the playoffs that the Heat would have beaten Boston if he had played earned a stern rebuke from Heat President Pat Riley, who bluntly stated that players who don't participate should not talk. That may not have been the end of Butler's positive relationship with the Heat, but it seems like it was the beginning of the end, because Riley's public censure of Butler reflected Riley's position that Butler is not available enough to be worth a max contract extension.

It is possible that Butler will play with renewed energy and vigor for the Warriors after receiving the contract extension that the Heat refused to give him, but it is also possible that now that he got paid he will be satisfied and unmotivated. He built a mythology about himself that he is all about the team and about winning, but the way that he forced Miami to trade him demonstrated that he is all about flexing his power for personal gain. Butler has not played in more than 65 games in a season since 2016-17, when he was 27; it is unlikely that he will suddenly become more durable or more reliable, so the Warriors should expect to get--at best--130 regular season games or less from Butler out of a possible 164 in the next two seasons. 

Published reports indicate that the Warriors preferred to bring back Kevin Durant for a second tour of duty instead of acquiring Butler, but Durant balked. It is no secret that Durant left the Warriors to get away from the volatile Draymond Green, and it is reasonable to assume that his refusal to return to the Bay Area is primarily--if not exclusively--based on his disinclination to team up again with Mr. "Triple Single." The Athletic recently ranked Green as the 100th greatest NBA player of all-time, which is high--and undeserved--praise for a player sporting career averages of 8.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, and 5.6 apg with shooting splits of .450/.322/.707 (The Athletic ranked Butler 99th all-time, which seems a bit too high, though I agree with ranking Butler ahead of Green). There is no doubt that Green contributed playmaking and defense to the Warriors' four most recent championship teams, but he was fortunate to play alongside three legitimate Hall of Famers: Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson. When Green took the court for the 2019-20 Warriors without those three great players, the whole world saw what Green is all about as he averaged 8.0 ppg on .389 field goal shooting along with 6.2 rpg and 6.2 apg for a 15-50 team. Green is a high level role player, not an all-time great player; separate him from great players, and he has little impact on winning (which does not change the fact that he has some impact on winning when he is surrounded by great players).

When people talk about Green's role on championship teams they should also talk about his role on costing the Warriors opportunities to win other championships as a result of his out of control behavior leading to suspensions and leading to Durant's departure/refusal to return. It will be interesting to see how history judges the Warriors' decision to hold onto Green while losing Durant, Thompson, and other players. Perhaps there is no market for Green's services outside of Golden State, but if there is any market then the Warriors should have gotten rid of Green and kept (or at least brought back) Durant.

Prior to Butler's arrival, the Warriors were fighting to stay above .500 and earn a spot in the Play-In Tournament. If all goes well, Butler could help the Warriors sneak into the playoffs, but it is difficult to picture this team winning a playoff series against any of the Western Conference's top four teams. It will be interesting to observe the Butler-Green chemistry, particularly if the Warriors continue to hover around .500. Neither player is shy about expressing his opinions.

Butler seemed poised to win the unofficial prize for self-centered inflation of his importance/worth after quitting on his team and pouting about losing his "joy" because of merely being paid close to $50 million per year to dribble a basketball, but then Schroder opened his mouth and claimed the prize all for himself. Schroder, a minor figure in the multi-team deal, will make $13 million this season. He is scoring 14.4 ppg on .418 field goal shooting this season, numbers that are in line with his career averages, and he is very dissatisfied with his lot in life, whining that the way that NBA teams trade players is equivalent to "modern slavery."  Declaring that NBA players are slaves is so wildly delusional that it almost defies description. There are millions of people in the world who are struggling to obtain enough food to eat and who are deprived of basic human rights; those people are suffering modern slavery, and they would gladly trade places with Schroder. What Schroder fails to acknowledge is that--unlike a slave--he has the freedom to choose a different job, to choose where he lives, and even to make idiotic public statements without fear of repercussions from the government or his employer.

Labels: Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Anderson, Miami Heat, P.J. Tucker, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 10:05 AM

2 comments

Reverbations From Doncic-Davis Trade Will be Felt for the Next 10 Years

"Blockbuster," "Shocker," and "Stunner" are three overused adjectives to describe NBA trades, but they all are apt regarding the three team deal headlined by Dallas' Luka Doncic going to the L.A. Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Dallas also sent Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers, and the Lakers sent Max Christie and a 2029 first round draft pick to the Mavericks. The Utah Jazz received Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers plus two second round draft picks (one that originally belonged to the L.A. Clippers, and one that belonged to the Mavericks). Per Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first trade featuring two players who both made the All-NBA Team in the previous season. 

LeBron James' public relations team (i.e., ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst) claim that James did not push for this trade and had no prior knowledge that it would take place. It is difficult to believe that James--the Lakers' de facto general manager--had no input regarding a franchise-defining trade, and it is worth noting that James' public relations team pointed out that James highly respects Doncic and has long expressed a desire to play alongside Doncic; in other words, his public relations team is making sure that if this works out then James will get credit for wanting to team up with Doncic, but if this does not work out then James has plausible deniability. It seems more likely that the Lakers did this either because James explicitly asked for this or because the Lakers knew that James wanted to swap Davis for Doncic than that the Lakers did this with no input from James; however, considering that James is 40 years old and has led the Lakers past the first round just twice in his six seasons in L.A., it is possible that the Lakers have turned the page on the James era and are focusing on building around Doncic for the next 10 years or so.

It is interesting that regardless of James' input, this deal was initiated by the Mavericks, not the Lakers. The Mavericks decided that they preferred to trade Doncic than to pay him the "supermax" $345 million contract for which he would soon be eligible. Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison said, "I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future." Alluding to the other big men already on Dallas’ roster, Harrison added, "I think if you look at the Cleveland Cavaliers, that's what you're going to see. Anthony's probably going to finish games at the 5, but you're going to see those guys play together. And when the Lakers won, he played the 4." The Cavaliers have stunned the league this season not only with their league-best 40-9 record, but with their lineup featuring big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in an era during which many teams are going small and jacking up three pointers. It is interesting that despite the Cavaliers' frontcourt size they rank just 15th in rebounding and 26th in blocked shots while ranking first in three point field goal percentage and second in three point field goals made; they seem to have produced an effective blend of old school basketball and new school basketball. 

The Mavericks have a 26-24 record, but they rank eighth in field goal percentage and eighth in defensive field goal percentage. They already have a good big man rotation featuring Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, so it would seem that they were poised to make another deep playoff run once Doncic--who has been out of action for over a month with a calf injury--returned to the lineup, but there's the rub: it appears that the Mavericks became disenchanted with Doncic's conditioning, which they believe has caused him to be injury-prone. Is that a sufficient reason to give up on one of the NBA's five best players just as he enters his prime years? 

Doncic won the 2019 Rookie of the Year award, and then he made the All-NBA First Team in each of the next five seasons. He is averaging 28.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 7.8 apg this season, but is not eligible for 2024-25 postseason awards because he has already missed 28 regular season games and thus will not play in at least 65 regular season games this season. In his six seasons with Dallas, Doncic has twice led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals (2022, 2024), and he led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals.

Davis is a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team who has made the All-NBA First Team four times (2015, 2017-18, 2020) and the All-NBA Second Team once (2024) in addition to earning five All-Defensive Team selections. He led the league in blocked shots three times (2014-15, 2018). Davis played an essential role for the Lakers' 2020 "bubble" championship team, but the Lakers have advanced past the first round just twice in his five full seasons with the team. Prior to joining the Lakers, Davis' New Orleans Pelicans advanced past the first round once in seven seasons. This season, Davis is averaging 25.7 ppg (15th in the league), 11.9 rpg (sixth), and 2.1 bpg (fourth) in 42 games.

The tried and true template for evaluating an NBA trade is to look at which team received the best player, while understanding that size matters in the NBA and that age also matters. There is little doubt that Doncic is a better player now than Davis, and Doncic is just shy of his 26th birthday, while Davis will soon turn 32. Davis is much taller than Doncic, and Davis has a major impact at both ends of the court while Doncic is an elite offensive player who struggles defensively, though he is Dallas' leader in defensive rebounds per game so far this season.

Thus, the Lakers are receiving the best player in the deal, and the best player is also six years younger than the second best player. It is not surprising that some commentators are giving the Lakers an "A" and giving the Mavericks an "F," but the injury history of both players and the roster composition of both teams should be considered as well. Doncic played at least 70 games in a season just twice in his first six seasons, and he will not get close to that number this season, while Davis played at least 70 games in a season just three times in his first 12 seasons. Davis may be in better shape than Doncic, but that has not translated into Davis being consistently available to play. Without Davis, the Lakers--who rank 19th in defensive field goal percentage and 27th in rebounding--have no rim protection and no paint presence. Even if Doncic and James both average 30 ppg the rest of the way, the Lakers may not be able to score enough points, get enough rebounds, and get enough stops to win consistently; they desperately need to add at least one competent defensive big man before the trade deadline to have any hope of getting past the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Mavericks now have great size and paint presence, but they are dependent on Kyrie Irving--who played at least 70 games in a season just three times in his first 13 seasons and is unlikely to play at least 70 games this season--not only for scoring but also for shot creation.

The positives for Davis--his size and his two-way impact--do not outweigh the reality that he has not been an All-NBA First Team player since 2020 and is not likely to be one again. Without Doncic and with Davis, the Mavericks' offense is likely to decline more than their defense is likely to improve, and they could be awful at both ends of the court if Davis and Irving both get injured at the same time. 

More than any other NBA franchise, the Lakers are defined by consistently having one of the league's top five players on their roster, and the list of such players includes George Mikan, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. Doncic is poised to fill that slot for the next 5-10 years.

My short term assessment of this trade is that both the Lakers and the Mavericks are worse than they were before and both teams need to make at least one more move to balance out their rosters. The Lakers' long term prospects depend on their ability to build around Doncic after James retires or finishes his career with a different team. The Mavericks' long term prospects are murky, because within five years or less they will have to rebuild their team after Davis and Irving decline or retire. It is stunning that the Mavericks decided to trade potentially 10 years of All-NBA First Team Doncic for possibly five years of All-NBA Second Team (or worse) Anthony Davis.

Labels: Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks, Jalen Hood-Schifino, L.A. Lakers, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Markieff Morris, Maxi Kleber, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 12:31 AM

12 comments

Lakers Trade Future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook Without Improving Their Playoff Chances

The L.A. Lakers need to find a new scapegoat. As part of a three team deal, the Lakers parted ways with Russell Westbrook and acquired Malik Beasley, former Laker D'Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt. The Minnesota Timberwolves received Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and three second round draft picks, while the Utah Jazz received Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, Westbrook, and a first round draft pick. The Jazz are expected to reach a buyout agreement with Westbrook, who will then have his choice of potential contenders who would be happy to sign the 2017 regular season MVP for the stretch run. While many media members mindlessly bash Westbrook, I agree with Hubie Brown, who praised Westbrook last season: "You can knock him, you can say you don't like him, but he plays hard and he earns his money every night."

The Jazz are tanking, while the Timberwolves have been disappointing and are not likely to improve dramatically as a result of this deal (though Conley could help stabilize the backcourt), so this article will focus on the Lakers and on how Westbrook has been demonized.

Westbrook did everything that the Lakers asked him to do, including accepting a demotion to a bench role that many lesser players have rejected. If the Lakers were not so awful this season, Westbrook would be a serious Sixth Man of the Year candidate. He is averaging 15.9 ppg, 7.5 apg (eighth in the league), and 6.2 rpg. His minutes have been slashed from 34.3 mpg last season to 28.7 mpg this season, but on a per minute basis he is exceeding his career norms for assists and rebounding while still demonstrating enough scoring punch to be a 20-plus ppg scorer given sufficient minutes and opportunities. Despite his limited role, he has posted four triple doubles this season. In short, he can still play an all-around game at a high level. He can make a significant contribution for a contending team that utilizes him properly and appreciates the many things that he does well as opposed to focusing on the few things at which he does not excel.

Don't be surprised if Westbrook and his next team make a deeper playoff run this season than the "new and improved" Lakers.

The way that LeBron James' media sycophants are now relentlessly bashing and trashing Westbrook with alleged quotes from an anonymous source is pathetic and shameful. Here is some good life advice for the anonymous source: if you have something to say to someone, say it to that person's face, or at least put your name to your words, and say it before that person has been shipped out of town. If the anonymous source exists, then that person is a coward. Here is some professional advice for people who purport to be journalists: if one person tells you something under cloak of anonymity that is is not credible and not supported by any evidence, the ethical thing to do is either find evidence or not repeat the comment. Alternatively, if your goal is to do public relations work for LeBron James and protect his reputation as his team flounders at the bottom of the standings, then just resign from your journalism job and become a p.r. flack.

If you have followed the NBA at all during Westbrook's career, you know that Westbrook has been a great and beloved teammate, and that players often have their career-best seasons playing alongside him. It is fascinating that the Lakers' habitual underachievement over the past several seasons is being blamed primarily on Westbrook, while the player crowned as supposedly the greatest of all-time is absolved of any responsibility. It is also fascinating that, after setting the NBA's regular season scoring mark on Tuesday, LeBron James literally checked out at winning time as his team lost and that James will not even play tonight. The "pass first" player who purports to be focused on winning championships has made it very clear that his main focus this season was surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the career scoring list; doing so is without question a great accomplishment, but let's not pretend that winning games--let alone winning titles--is James' goal at this stage of his career.

I never went to propaganda school--I mean, journalism school--and I don't have a proprietary "advanced basketball statistic" that I am trying to monetize, but the narratives about the Lakers are puzzling. We are told that the Lakers' biggest need is outside shooting. This season the Lakers rank 26th in three point field goal percentage, so it is true that they do not shoot well beyond the arc--but during their 2020 championship season they ranked 21st in three point shooting. Are we supposed to believe that if they move up to 21st in that category this season they will vault from 13th place in the Western Conference to championship contention? We are told that Westbrook's poor three point shooting has been killing the Lakers. It is true that Westbrook is not a great three point shooter--but the Lakers average 31 three point field goal attempts per game, and their leader in three point field goal attempts (at more than seven per game) is shooting just .315 from three point range, well below the league average (.360) and dragging down the team's percentage to .338. You probably can guess who that misfiring long range gunner is. Somehow, I doubt that anyone is going to tell General Manager/Coach LeBron James that the team might be better off if he attempted fewer three pointers--and I am positive that Mike Wilbon, Dave McMenamin, and Brian Windhorst would slap themselves in the face if they even dreamed of saying or writing something that might result in them losing access to James. Wilbon was on TV today bragging about how "blessed" he has been to have so many one on one interviews with James over the past 20 years.

The 2020 Lakers ranked fourth in points allowed and eighth in defensive field goal percentage. LeBron James was still an energetic defensive player at that time, and Anthony Davis protected the paint as if he were saving his family from a rabid pack of wolves. This season's Lakers rank 28th in points allowed and 17th in defensive field goal percentage--and those critical numbers will not improve unless (1) James cares about defense again for more than just a highlight play or two, (2) Davis remains healthy and plays with any passion, and (3) the trio acquired for Westbrook become defensive stoppers. I'm not sure if the Lakers' three point field goal percentage will improve without Westbrook, but I am confident that unless the defense improves the Lakers will remain a bottom-feeding team.

The notion that D'Angelo Russell is some kind of savior in either the short term or the long term is laughable. Russell epitomizes what Kenny Smith often calls a "looter in a riot," a player who puts up big scoring numbers without impacting winning. Assuming that the Lakers make the playoffs, Russell's playoff career field goal percentage of .349 will obviously be very helpful!

Beasley and Vanderbilt are solid rotation players, but it is bizarre to state with a straight face that trading away a future Hall of Famer who always plays hard for a gunner and two solid rotation players represents a significant upgrade.

There may be many Laker fans who are rejoicing now, but they should take a good look at recent history: none of the teams that Westbrook left improved after his departure--not Oklahoma City, not Houston, and not Washington. It is very unlikely that the Lakers will break that trend. So, congratulations Laker Nation: the front office traded away the scapegoat, and the upside potential for this team if everything breaks right is the sixth seed, while the most likely scenario is limping into the Play-In Tournament and being eliminated before the playoffs begin.

Labels: D'Angelo Russell, Damian Jones, Jarred Vanderbilt, Juan Toscano-Anderson, L.A. Lakers, Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Russell Westbrook, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 8:58 PM

9 comments

Mitchell Trade Signals That Cavaliers Are In "Win Now" Mode

After weeks of "insider" speculation about where Donovan Mitchell would be traded, he ended up with a team that it is doubtful that any "insider" mentioned: the Cleveland Cavaliers. I don't publish "breaking news," but I do enjoy analyzing news after it is officially confirmed. To acquire Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, the Cavaliers gave up Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, and three future unprotected first round picks (2025, 2027, 2029), plus pick swaps in 2026 and 2028. 

The general guiding rule when evaluating an NBA trade is that the team that received the best player "won" the trade, barring unusual extenuating circumstances. This trade involves several draft picks, so it is hypothetically possible that Utah will "win" at some future time by drafting a player who is better than any player involved in this trade, but--based on what we know for sure now--Cleveland received the best player: Donovan Mitchell has already established himself as a consistent NBA All-Star.

Last season, Mitchell averaged 25.9 ppg, a career-high 5.3 apg, and 4.2 rpg with shooting splits of .448/.355/.853, numbers that are very similar to his career averages. In 39 playoff games, he has averaged 28.3 ppg, 4.7 apg, and 4.9 rpg with shooting splits of .431/.369/.865. He ranks seventh in ABA/NBA career playoff scoring average, trailing only Michael Jordan, Luka Doncic, Allen Iverson, Kevin Durant, Jerry West, and LeBron James. Mitchell has made the All-Star team in each of the past three seasons, and he received All-NBA Team votes in each of his five professional seasons, though he has yet to be selected to the All-NBA Team. Mitchell has been criticized for his shot selection, his decision making in general (someone took the time to track how often Mitchell passed to specific teammates), and his defense, but there is no denying that he is a significant weapon as both a scorer and a playmaker.

In contrast, the second best player in the trade--Sexton--has yet to make the All-Star team, and his seasonal games played numbers have declined from 82 as a rookie to 65, 60, and then just 11 last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Sexton has been productive when he played, but he has not been as productive as Mitchell, he is not even close to being as durable, and he has not played in a single playoff game. 

Markannen is a good player to plug into an eight man rotation, but he is not a star and it is unlikely that he will become a star: the five year veteran posted his best numbers in season two, and he averaged 14.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg last season, a bit below his career norms in both categories.

Agbaji led Kansas to the 2022 NCAA title, and he was selected as the 2022 Final Four Most Outstanding Player. The consensus First Team All-American might turn into a great NBA player, a good NBA player, or a bust. That is the reality: until a college player plays against NBA competition, it is difficult to determine for sure how good he is.

I applaud the Cavaliers for trying to build the best team that they can build right now, regardless of whether or not their efforts will result in a championship. This is much better for the sport, the league, and the fans than the tanking epidemic that is plaguing the sport while making a mockery of the notion of authentic competition. Contrary to the proclamation of a book title that should have been fact-checked, the Philadelphia 76ers are not "Tanking to the Top," because no one has ever tanked to the top and it is unlikely that a team ever will tank to the top. The evidence demonstrates that tanking does not work, but that evidence has not been enough to persuade NBA teams to avoid tanking, and during the 2022-23 season NBA fans face the sorry prospect of watching several teams either actively trying to lose or, at best, making a half-hearted effort to win. 

Barring injuries and/or significant trades, the Milwaukee Bucks should be the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, followed closely by the Boston Celtics. The Brooklyn Nets have a lot of top line talent, but there are serious questions about team chemistry and depth--not to mention the availability of their "Big Three" players (particularly Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons). The Cavaliers could be a top four team "with a bullet"--a squad on the rise that could be dangerous this season before peaking in a year or two.

Mitchell is a prolific scorer who also is a capable passer and rebounder. He is just the sixth player in NBA history to amass at least 8000 points, at least 1500 assists, and at least 1400 rebounds through the first 345 games of his career, joining Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Pete Maravich, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. Mitchell provides dynamic scoring and shot creation that the Cavaliers did not previously have. Just as importantly, the Cavaliers have the necessary personnel to mask Mitchell's only skill set weakness: defense. Last season, the Cavaliers ranked fifth in points allowed and eighth in defensive field goal percentage. The Cavaliers, unlike many young teams, have bought into the concept that defense is important. Ideally, Mitchell will buy into that concept as well--something he has yet to do during his young career--but even if Mitchell never becomes a great defender the Cavaliers can protect him enough at that end of the court and then reap the benefits that he provides offensively. 

The Cavaliers have a bright future both short term and long term; they will, at the very least, be a solid playoff team this season, and they have the potential to develop into a championship contender. 

On the other hand, the Utah Jazz have a much cloudier future. This summer, the Jazz traded away their two best players--Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert--mainly for draft picks. I hope--for the sake of the league and the sake of the sport--that the Jazz attempt to be competitive this season and do not go into full tank mode to improve their draft positioning, but it looks like Utah, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, and several other teams are in a furious race to the bottom that is bad for everyone: the league, the fans, the television networks, and anyone who believes the notion that sports are about competition and not about (mis)using so-called "analytics" as a shortcut to effective team-building. 

Barring a miracle--or a total collapse by multiple teams--the Jazz will not make the playoffs this season, and the only question is whether or not they will even try to be competitive on a game to game basis. It is worth spending a moment to discuss--and debunk--two widely held beliefs that are used to justify tanking. 

One is that draft picks are absolute gold, and they are more valuable than actual NBA players, because an NBA player's ability can be exactly measured (and is thus a fixed quantity) while a draft pick's potential is (theoretically) unlimited. The flaws in this way of thinking should be obvious, but for those who have not analyzed this in depth please note the following:

1) Most NBA draft picks wash out of the league sooner rather than later. This is a matter of simple arithmetic: there are 30 teams with 15 roster spots, and there are 60 draft picks per year. Each year, a few Lottery picks become good to great players, and a few lower draft choices become better than anyone (including the teams that drafted them) had reason to suspect they would become--but most draft picks just are not good enough to stick around for very long (there are also a small number of undrafted players who carve out successful NBA careers, which further illustrates that hoarding NBA draft picks is far from a guaranteed path to success). 

2) A player who has lasted a few years in the NBA has already "told" the world who he is as a player, for better or worse; at a minimum, he has proven that he has the necessary mentality, emotional stability, and physical skills to survive. A player who has not yet played in the NBA has not proven any of those three things.

3) Consequently, while it is obviously true that a small number of players who are not yet in the NBA will prove to be great, there is not a reliable method for consistently identifying those players. Each year, everyone knows who the top 10 or so picks will be--but no one knows which of those picks will pan out and which of those picks will wash out, and it is even less clear which players who are not top 10 prospects on paper will in fact turn out to be All-Stars.

Therefore, it is important to draft well, but it is fool's gold to just stockpile draft picks while gutting your roster of proven NBA players.

The second widely held but flawed belief that is relevant to this discussion is that the 1980s Boston Celtics provide a cautionary tale about what can go wrong if a team is kept together too long as opposed to being broken up in exchange for draft picks. The problems that the Celtics encountered in the 1990s did not happen because the Celtics kept Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish for too long; the problems happened because two of the Celtics' most promising young players died: Reggie Lewis established himself as an All-Star before passing away, and Len Bias was expected to be a great player before dying without ever playing in an NBA game. The Celtics obtained the draft rights to those players without tanking, and if those players had lived then Lewis certainly would have made a difference, and Bias may have made a difference as well. If the Celtics had gotten rid of their Hall of Fame frontcourt to tank and hoard draft picks it is doubtful that they would have ended up any better than they did. 

It is true that Bill Walsh, one of the greatest NFL coaches of all-time, firmly believed in getting rid of a player one year too soon as opposed to one year too late--but the brutal nature of pro football means that a football player can lose "it" much more suddenly than an NBA player; an NFL player, particularly one who relies on speed or on being able to absorb hits, can be very good one season and then almost useless the next season, but that kind of dramatic and swift decline is rare in the NBA (and is often caused by serious injury, drug abuse, and/or not taking care of one's body). An NBA player who avoids trouble off of the court, takes care of his body, and does not suffer a serious injury can be highly productive for 10-15 years or more, so getting rid of a proven player while rolling the dice that you can draft a better player is just that: a reckless roll of the dice, not an analytical decision supported by data.

I hope that the Jazz don't tank, but if they do tank then I wish the same thing for them that I wish for every team that tanks: that they stink for a long time. 

I credit the Cavaliers for not standing pat with a good young team, but instead making a move to improve the team's talent level, and I hope that the Cavaliers reach a level of success that contrasts with the Jazz and the "tankers" to such an extent that even the most ardent, delusional believers in tanking will be forced to admit the error of their ways.

Labels: Cleveland Cavaliers, Collin Sexton, Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 3:47 AM

2 comments

Utah, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Golden State Win on First Day of 2022 NBA Playoffs

It is obvious that the most important playoff games are games in which at least one team faces elimination, but game one is more significant than many casual fans may realize, because game one winners prevail in an NBA playoff series with the seven game format nearly 80% of the time; I first researched this topic for NBCSports.com in 2007, and that percentage has held steady over the years, with the most recent number, per the NBA's 2022 Playoff Guide, being 75.6%. The reason for this is that, barring injuries or other major changes during the series, the matchup advantages that are decisive in the first game tend to be decisive the rest of the way.

Here are thoughts and observations about each game from the first quadrupleheader of the 2022 NBA playoffs.

Utah 99, Dallas 93

As Jeff Van Gundy quipped, "Dallas has home court advantage but Utah has 'health court' advantage"; the left calf injury that Dallas' All-Star guard Luka Doncic sustained in the final game of the regular season forced him to miss game one of this series, and his status for game two is undetermined.

Dallas led 23-20 at the end of the first quarter. The Jazz shot 0-5 from three point range, while Jalen Brunson paced the Mavericks with eight points on 4-9 field goal shooting, and five rebounds.

In the second quarter, the Jazz finally made a three point shot, and they led 45-43 at halftime. Bojan Bogdanovic paced the Jazz with 20 first half points on 8-11 field goal shooting, but Donovan Mitchell scored just two points on 1-9 field goal shooting. Rudy Gobert only scored five points, but he was a force in the paint with 10 rebounds, one blocked shot, and several shots altered. Brunson topped the Mavericks with 12 points, but he shot just 1-6 in the second quarter to finish 5-15 in the first half.

Mitchell erupted for 19 third quarter points on 7-13 field goal shooting as the Jazz took over, and the Jazz led 73-65 entering the fourth quarter.

The Jazz never relinquished their lead in the second half, but their fans undoubtedly became concerned when Maxi Kleber's three pointer pulled the Mavericks to within one point, 92-91, with 2:12 remaining in the game; the Jazz' tendency to squander leads is well-known. This time, though, the Jazz remained steady, got enough defensive stops down the stretch, and closed out the game with Donovan Mitchell making four straight free throws to finish the scoring.

Mitchell scored a game-high 32 points, but he shot just 10-29 from the field. He added six rebounds and six assists, but the star of the game was Bogdanovic, who scored 26 points on 11-20 field goal shooting while contributing five rebounds and four assists. Statistics can often paint a misleading picture, so there is no substitute for watching games with an informed eye: the Jazz' offense worked best when Bogdanovic initiated play in the post or on the wing, because he then either scored over a smaller defender or else drew a double team that opened up opportunities for his teammates. Yes, Bogdanovic "only" had four assists, but his intelligent passing out of the double team created high percentage shots even on plays during which he neither scored nor assisted.

Gobert scored five points and did not make a field goal, but he dominated with a game-high 17 rebounds, a game-high three blocked shots, numerous altered shots, and solid screen-setting. The Jazz would not have won without his contributions.

Brunson led Dallas in both scoring (24 points) and rebounds (seven), but he shot just 9-24 from the field. The Mavericks shot 29-76 (.382) from the field overall, but kept the score close by drawing enough fouls to attempt 34 free throws; Spencer Dinwiddie led the charity stripe parade with 16 free throw attempts, making 10, and he scored 22 points despite shooting just 6-15 from the field. Dinwiddie also had a game-high eight assists.

Minnesota 130, Memphis 117

Minnesota jumped out to a 9-2 lead, extended that margin to 30-17, and remained on top, 41-33, at the end of the first quarter with Anthony Edwards (13 points on 5-7 field goal shooting) and Karl-Anthony Towns (12 points on 5-8 field goal shooting) setting the pace. Ja Morant (15 points on 5-5 field goal shooting) kept the Grizzlies within striking distance.

The Timberwolves' main problem is that they squander too many possessions with turnovers or low percentage shots; after Minnesota wasted several second quarter possessions, Memphis led 49-47 at the 6:52 mark. Minnesota built an eight point lead, but then Memphis trimmed the margin to three, 65-62, by halftime. Morant scored 19 first half points on 6-10 field goal shooting, and he also had five assists. Edwards had 19 points on 7-13 field goal shooting, and Towns had 15 points on 6-9 field goal shooting, but the Timberwolves committed 13 turnovers while the Grizzlies only had six turnovers. Lost possessions early in the game matter just as much as the "clutch" or "late and close" possessions that "stat gurus" emphasize--but if a team shoots a high enough percentage on the "non-squandered" possessions then the turnovers can be overcome, and that proved to be the story in this game as the Timberwolves shot .500 from the field overall, including .390 from three point range. The Timberwolves also took much better care of the ball in the second half, committing just four turnovers.

By the end of the third quarter, Edwards already had 31 points on 11-19 field goal shooting to become the fourth youngest player to score 30 points in his NBA playoff debut.

The Grizzlies only trailed by five (97-92) entering the fourth quarter, but they gave up 33 points in the final stanza and never managed to get closer than three points the rest of the way. The Timberwolves outscored the Grizzlies 13-6 in the final 2:25. The Timberwolves set franchise playoff records for first quarter points and points in a game.

Philadelphia 131, Toronto 111

Golden State 123, Denver 107

The quadrupleheader's nightcap proved to be anticlimactic, as the Nuggets sans Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. just do not have enough firepower to deal with the nearly full strength Warriors. Stephen Curry returned to action after missing a month because of a sprained left foot, and he scored 16 points on 5-13 field goal shooting during 22 minutes off of the bench (he is operating under a minutes restriction, and Coach Steve Kerr decided to not put him back in the starting lineup). Klay Thompson scored 19 points in his first playoff game since blowing out his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, but the biggest story for the Warriors was the team-high 30 points scored by Jordan Poole. Poole shot 9-13 from the field overall, including 5-7 from three point range.

The Warriors not only won the three point shooting battle (16-35, compared to 11-35 for the Nuggets), but they outrebounded the Nuggets 41-35. Reigning regular season MVP Nikola Jokic did everything that he could for the Nuggets, amassing 25 points on 12-25 field goal shooting while grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds and dishing for a team-high six assists, but the Nuggets just could not keep pace with the deeper Warriors.

The Nuggets led 27-26 after the first quarter, but were then outscored 64-43 in the next two quarters, and in the final 12 minutes they never seriously threatened to get back in the game. The Warriors figure to only get better as Curry becomes healthier and Thompson's comeback continues to progress, so the outlook for the Nuggets is not good.

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 2:38 AM

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Notes About the 2021 Christmas Day Quintupleheader

Last year, the NBA's annual Christmas Day quintupleheader was not only the unofficial start to the season, but it happened not long after the actual start of the season due to the schedule being thrown out of whack ever since the league shut down temporarily in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is still casting a very large shadow over the world, and the NBA in particular had to scramble to keep its biggest single-day revenue bonanza intact because many teams have multiple players who are unavailable due to the health and safety protocols.

Game One: New York Knicks 101, Atlanta Hawks 87 

1) It has been fascinating to read and hear many "experts" declare that everyone in the NBA supposedly knew that Kemba Walker is damaged goods who simply cannot be productive, and then watch Walker score 29, 21, and 44 points in three consecutive games after not playing for 10 straight games from November 27 through December 16. It would be difficult for any player to average 31.3 ppg in a three game stretch after such a protracted period of inactivity, and it defies credulity that a player who is damaged goods could accomplish this.

Is Walker a great defensive player? No. Is Walker a pure point guard? No. Is Walker undersized? Yes.

Guess what? The Knicks knew all three of those things when they signed him; they did not sign him with any reasonable expectation that he would be an elite defender, that he would be an elite playmaker, or that he would grow. The Knicks signed him to be an explosive scorer, and it is evident that Walker is still capable of filling that role. Will he average over 30 ppg for the rest of the season? Almost certainly not, but if he is provided with playing time then he can be a productive offensive player. It is puzzling that Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau did not merely reduce Walker's minutes but instead completely took him out of the rotation for nearly three weeks--and the "experts" have yet to offer a satisfactory explanation for what Thibodeau did.

2) Walker did not shoot well versus Atlanta, but he played an excellent floor game while notching just the seventh triple double in Christmas Day history, and the first such triple double posted by a Knick. Walker finished with 10 points on 3-12 field goal shooting, 10 rebounds, and a game-high 12 assists. He had a +19 plus/minus number. Julius Randle led the Knicks in scoring (25 points) and rebounds (12). Atlanta's high scorers were John Collins and Delon Wright (20 points each).

3) Atlanta's Trae Young missed the game after being placed in health and safety protocols, but the disappointing Hawks have not been great this season even when he has played, posting a 14-15 record with Young in the lineup.

Game Two: Milwaukee Bucks 117, Boston Celtics 113

1) Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the previous five games due to being placed in health and safety protocols. He looked rusty in the first half, scoring just seven points on 3-8 field goal shooting, and the Celtics led 62-47 at halftime despite missing nine players who are currently placed in health and safety protocols--but Antetokounmpo quickly shook off the rust and he dominated in the second half, finishing with 36 points on 13-23 field goal shooting, plus a team-high 12 rebounds. The Bucks scored a season-high 43 points in the third quarter to cut Boston's lead to 94-90 entering the fourth quarter.

The Bucks were clinging to a 116-113 lead with 8.0 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when Antetokounmpo met Robert Williams III above the rim and blocked his dunk attempt. The blocked shot bounced out of bounds off of the Celtics, so the Bucks obtained possession. How many players in Antetokounmpo's position on that play would have just "made a business decision" (I hate that phrase and would like for it to be banned from basketball commentary) to avoid being posterized? One player going for the dunk in that situation against a shot blocker who is not afraid to be posterized is a classic example of what Julius Erving calls daring to be great. There is no shame in being dunked on, nor is there shame in having your dunk blocked--the only shame is being afraid to challenge yourself to dare to be great.

Antetokounmpo received solid support from Khris Middleton (17 points), Jrue Holiday (17 points), and Bobby Portis (16 points, 10 rebounds). Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 25 points each.

2) It is always a treat to watch Hubie Brown provide color commentary. I love hearing Brown's words of wisdom, and I enjoy listening to him tell stories about his coaching career, including his time as an assistant coach with the Bucks when the team advanced to the 1974 NBA Finals before losing to the Celtics in seven games. 

Fun fact: Brown was Bernard King's coach when the Knicks' forward set the Christmas Day scoring record: 60 points versus the Nets in 1984 (not so fun fact for Brown and King: the Nets won the game despite King's heroics). 

3) Has there ever been a defending champion flying further underneath the radar than the Milwaukee Bucks? We hear so much about various teams, but who is going to slow down--let alone stop--Antetokounmpo in a seven game series? Why should the Bucks not be on a very short list of legit championship contenders? Assuming that the Bucks are reasonably healthy at playoff time, it will be very difficult to beat them four times in a seven game series.

Game Three: Golden State Warriors 116, Phoenix Suns 107

1) Golden State won a tightly contested game that may turn out to be a Western Conference Finals preview. Phoenix led 62-58 at halftime thanks to strong performances by Chris Paul (16 points on 5-7 field goal shooting, four assists, +14 plus/minus number) and Deandre Ayton (14 points on 6-7 field goal shooting). The Suns shot .512 from the field. Stephen Curry had 17 points and four assists in the first half, but he shot just 5-15 from the field.

2) Much like the Bucks-Celtics game, this game was a tale of two halves: the Warriors outscored the Suns 58-45 in the second half. Curry only shot marginally better from the field in the second half (5-12) than he did in the first half, but he shot frequently enough to amass a game-high 33 points. Surprisingly, this is Curry's first 20 point game in nine Christmas Day appearances.

Naturally, the commentators could not stop gushing about his "gravity"--Curry may soon be officially classified as our solar system's ninth planet due to his tremendous gravitational pull. Does Curry attract extra defensive attention that creates open shot opportunities for his teammates? Absolutely. Does he possess or create some kind of unique basketball gravity that has never been seen before? No. Do you remember whose "gravity" pulled two championships into Golden State's orbit? Kevin Durant is the answer, in case you forgot. Curry was a wonderful second option behind Durant, after previously being the first option--but not Finals MVP--for a very talented ensemble cast that won one championship.

The story of this game is not Curry's "gravity," but rather that Golden State played much better defensively in the second half than they did in the first half. Also, Otto Porter Jr. added 19 points on 8-13 field goal shooting, including 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Paul faded into oblivion in the second half, scoring just five points on 2-7 field goal shooting to finish with 21 points on 7-14 field goal shooting--a great example of how numbers can be misleading: Paul played so well in the first half that his second act disappearing act is not apparent to anyone who just looks at his game totals. Any "stat guru" can give you a proprietary number purporting to measure Paul's "impact" or "efficiency" or how many "wins" he produced, but only someone who watched the game with an intelligent eye understands that Paul played very well to help Phoenix build an early lead but that he was ineffective in the second half after the Warriors played better defensively.

Ayton also disappeared in the second half (four points on 2-3 field goal shooting), ending up with 18 points on 8-10 field goal shooting. Devin Booker struggled throughout the game, and he had just 13 points on 5-19 field goal shooting. Mikal Bridges tried to pick up the slack with 17 points.

3) I will not judge a team based on one half. Overall, the Suns have played very well this season, and if they stay healthy--which has been a bigger challenge than usual for every team during the past two years--then they will be a serious championship contender.

The Warriors are better than I expected. Klay Thompson will reportedly return to action soon, and his contributions not only as a shooter but also as a defender could be significant, assuming that he has completely recovered from his two serious injuries.

Game Four: Brooklyn Nets 122, L.A. Lakers 115

1) The Lakers' main highlight/bright spot from this game is that LeBron James broke the Christmas Day career scoring record, previously held by Kobe Bryant. James scored 22 first half points on 7-11 field goal shooting en route to posting a game-high and season-high 39 points on 14-25 field goal shooting. He also had nine rebounds and seven assists. James' career has already been remarkable, but his ability to consistently play at an MVP caliber level as a 19 year veteran who will turn 37 on December 31 is only matched by the post-35 year old success of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan. 

James Harden had 23 first half points on 8-15 field goal shooting, plus six rebounds and six assists. Patty Mills, apparently not listed on the Lakers' pregame scouting report considering how often their players lost track of his whereabouts, scored 19 first half points on 6-9 field goal shooting as the Nets led 66-62 at intermission. Mills finished with 34 points on 11-17 field goal shooting (including 8-13 from three point range).

2) The Lakers overcame early first half struggles to cut the margin to four by halftime, and they even briefly took the lead early in the second half, but then the Nets pulled away to lead 102-82 by the end of the third quarter. The Lakers' decision to go small in the third quarter backfired in a big way, as the Lakers had no paint presence defensively. 

It looked like the Nets would cruise to victory, but at the 8:44 mark of the fourth quarter, Harden committed an offensive foul by striking Talen Horton-Tucker in the groin. Upon review, the officials upgraded Harden's foul to a flagrant foul 1, but the way that the league classifies such plays is very subjective, and it is reasonable to suggest that if a player who is not considered a superstar and/or has a "bad" reputation did the exact same thing that Harden did then that player would have been assessed a flagrant foul 2, resulting in automatic ejection. 

Tucker made both free throws, part of a 17-0 Lakers' run that cut the Nets' lead to 107-101. Mills ended the run by nailing a three pointer at the 5:20 mark to put the Nets up, 110-101. The Lakers played hard, if not very efficiently, down the stretch, and pulled within 112-110 with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. Mills nailed another three pointer, but James countered by hitting from long distance to keep the margin at two points, and after Harden missed a long step back jumper James hit a cutting Malik Monk for a layup that tied the score at 115. Nic Claxton posterized James off of a feed from Harden. James fouled Claxton while contesting the dunk--full credit to both players for daring to be great--and Claxton's free throw put the Nets up, 118-115. Russell Westbrook drove to the hoop for a left handed dunk, but he came up short as his attempt bounced off of the rim. Harden closed out the scoring by connecting on four straight free throws.

Westbrook posted a triple double (13 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists), but he shot just 4-20 from the field. Westbrook is a polarizing player who media members and fans either love or hate, with a very sparsely inhabited middle ground. Prior to this game, his season averages were 19.8 ppg, 8.0 apg (seventh in the league), and 7.8 apg with shooting splits of .460/.311/.650. Westbrook is posting the second highest field goal percentage of his career, a stat that I have yet to hear a single critic mention, but I have read and heard plenty of commentary suggesting that Westbrook shoots too much, shoots too inefficiently, turns over the ball too frequently, blah, blah, blah. Westbrook is still a great passer and a great rebounder. He is still able to score prolifically, but he has willingly reduced his shot attempts (third lowest per game average of his career) so that the Lakers can feature James and Anthony Davis. Westbrook is not the Lakers' main problem, but you can bet that he will be the main scapegoat for any of the Lakers' real or perceived failures.

3) Right now, the Lakers are not a very good basketball team. That is obvious and indisputable. James, Davis, and Westbrook have been on the court together this season for less than 300 minutes, and the Lakers only have two different three player combinations that have played together for at least 300 minutes. In contrast, the Phoenix Suns have 10 different three player combinations that have logged at least 300 minutes; nine of those 10 have a point differential of at least 5.0, and four of those have a point differential of at least 10.0. The Lakers' "Big Three" has a point differential of 2.6; the problem is not that they have not meshed well together--contrary to the narrative stuffed down our throats 24 hours per day by "experts"--but rather that they have not played together enough, mostly due to injuries suffered by James and Davis. Seven of the eight Lakers' three man lineups that have a positive point differential feature Westbrook; James is featured in four of those eight lineups. The Lakers' eight five man lineups that have a point differential of at least 10.0 have one name in common: Westbrook (James is featured in two of those lineups).

It is interesting that the people who most strenuously insist that they view the game analytically are often very selective in which numbers they cite, because I have yet to read, see, or hear anyone mention the numbers cited above that do not support the widely accepted anti-Westbrook narrative.

Is Westbrook having a flawless season? Of course not. Is Westbrook playing the best basketball of his career? No. Is Westbrook the reason that the Lakers have a sub-.500 record? No. The Lakers' main problems are health in general, and the health of James and Davis in particular. If the Lakers ever get healthy enough for their "Big Three" to log significant playing time together then their size, talent, and skill will be hard to match. That being said, it is a fair question to wonder if the Lakers--considering James' age and Davis' injury history--will ever be healthy enough to maximize their potential.

4) This game did not change my opinion about Harden not being able to win a championship as the number one option, but there is no doubt that he played very well (36 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, though he shot 10-25 from the field and had the worst plus/minus number of the team's five starters). He is very comfortable having the ball in his hands a lot in regular season games against struggling teams, but that has nothing to do with being productive and efficient in high pressure playoff series versus elite teams; Harden has an extensive--and poor--resume in high pressure playoff series versus elite teams.

5) Brooklyn's Kevin Durant missed the game after being placed in health and safety protocols. The Lakers' Anthony Davis missed this game and is expected to be out for at least four weeks because of a knee injury.

Game Five: Utah Jazz 120, Dallas Mavericks 116

1) Entering Christmas Day, the Jazz had the same record (22-9) as the East-leading Nets, and the Jazz were securely nestled in third place in the West trailing only the Warriors and Suns. The Jazz ranked first in scoring (115.8 ppg), first in rebounding (47.4 rpg), first in field goal percentage (.478), tied for first in point differential (10.4 ppg, matching the Warriors), eighth in defensive field goal percentage (.442), and eighth in points allowed (105.4 ppg). The Jazz led the league in three pointers made and three pointers attempted last season, and they lead the league in both categories this season as well--and the Jazz ranked fourth in three point field goal percentage both last season and thus far this season, so they are not just randomly jacking up long range shots.

The Jazz have made the playoffs for five straight seasons, but they have lost in the first round twice and the second round three times; that lack of elite level postseason success may explain why there is not much national buzz about the Jazz, but this team is deep and well-balanced. The Jazz have yet to face either the Warriors or the Suns this season, and those games will be very interesting to watch.

2) The Mavericks are a slow-paced and inefficient offensive team that ranked 27th in scoring and 23rd in field goal percentage entering Christmas Day. They ranked fifth in points allowed, but that number is deceptive because they play so slowly; the Mavericks ranked just 23rd in defensive field goal percentage, which indicates that their opponents score very efficiently against them. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have each missed about a third of the team's games, and that is obviously not a prescription for sustained success. The Mavericks will struggle to win more than half of their games unless/until their stars can stay healthy so that the team can be more efficient offensively and (hopefully) become more connected defensively.

3) The Jazz started this game very sluggishly, trailing by as many as 16 points in the first quarter before cutting the margin to 34-25 at the end of the initial stanza. Not surprisingly, the Mavericks could not maintain that scoring pace or that lead, and Utah enjoyed a 65-63 edge heading into halftime. Dallas led by as many as nine points in the third quarter, but heading into the fourth quarter the score was tied, 90-90. After Rudy Gobert's dunk gave Utah a 107-97 lead with 5:05 remaining, it seemed as if the Mavericks might collapse, but a quick 7-2 Dallas run cut Utah's advantage to 109-107. The Mavericks kept battling the rest of the way, but the Jazz hung on for a four point win.

4) Donovan Mitchell led Utah's attack with a game-high 33 points on 11-26 field goal shooting. Bojan Bogdanovic added 25 points on 9-14 field goal shooting, including 4-8 from three point range, and Mike Conley contributed 22 points plus five assists. 

Doncic did not play for Dallas. He is nursing an ankle injury, and he has also been placed in health and safety protocols. Porzingis and Jalen Brunson each scored 27 points. 

Analysis of Previous Christmas Day Quintupleheaders:

Notes About the 2020 Christmas Day Quintupleheader (2020)

Notes About the 2019 Christmas Day Quintupleheader (2019)

Several Stars Shine During Christmas Day Quintupleheader (2018)

Christmas Day Quintupleheader Recap (2012)

Comments and Notes About the Christmas Day Quintupleheader (2011)

Thoughts and Observations About the Christmas Day Quintupleheader (2010)

Labels: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 1:39 AM

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2021-2022 Western Conference Preview

If the L.A. Lakers stay healthy then they will be the best team in the Western Conference. The addition of Russell Westbrook is a major positive, regardless of the ridiculous anti-Westbrook narratives conjured up by various media members.

The Phoenix Suns were the surprise team in an unusual season during which several top contenders suffered devastating injuries. The Suns look real in terms of being a contender, but a return trip to the NBA Finals is not likely barring a repeat of all of the misfortunes that struck down deeper, more talented teams.  

The Utah Jazz will be saddled with the label that they are built for the regular season and not the postseason unless/until they at least advance to the NBA Finals. The Denver Nuggets have had more playoff success than the Jazz in recent years (including a trip to the 2020 Western Conference Finals sandwiched around a pair of second round losses), but a similar label dogs the Nuggets as well.

If/when Kawhi Leonard will return this season is the obvious main question pertaining to the L.A. Clippers. The secondary question if Leonard returns and is able to play at a high level revolves around Paul George's ability to be an effective second option alongside Leonard. Paradoxically, George often plays better when Leonard is out of the lineup, yet George has already demonstrated that he cannot be the top option on a championship team; George is best suited to being the number two option, yet he is not always comfortable in that role.

This preview has the same format as my Eastern Conference Preview; the following eight teams are ranked based on their likelihood of making it to the NBA Finals:

1) L.A. Lakers: Injuries derailed the 2020 NBA champions, so the Lakers reloaded their roster and added a lot of talent and depth, including 2017 regular season MVP Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, and Carmelo Anthony. If the Lakers could enter a time machine and go back about four or five years then they would be poised to be one of the most dominant teams ever. As things stand now, James is more injury-prone than he was when he was younger, but when he is healthy he is still an MVP-caliber player, and Anthony Davis--who has always been injury-prone--is likewise an MVP-caliber player when he is healthy. Westbrook played at an MVP-caliber level in the latter portion of last season after overcoming COVID-19 and injuries. If James, Davis, and Westbrook are healthy during the playoffs then this team will be very difficult to beat. Concerns about chemistry and on-court fit will be proven to be baseless if the Big Three players are healthy.

Rondo, Howard, Ariza, and Anthony do not have to be anywhere close to as good as they were in their primes. Rondo is the team's third best playmaker behind James and Westbrook. Howard has proven that he can still be an effective paint presence for short spurts. Ariza has been a solid contributor throughout his career, including his first stint with the Lakers when Kobe Bryant led the team to the 2009 championship. Anthony is a one dimensional player who does not score as productively or efficiently as he did during his prime, but if he can accept being a 15-20 mpg player whose minutes could fluctuate due to matchups then at this stage of his career he can be the sixth or seventh best player on a championship-caliber team.

If the Lakers are healthy, they will win the West, and it would be fascinating to see prime Giannis Antetokounmpo versus elder statesman LeBron James in the NBA Finals.

2) Utah Jazz: The Jazz had the best record in the Western Conference but they have not reached the NBA Finals since the glory days of Karl Malone and John Stockton. On paper, this team has everything needed to win a championship: great defense, versatile and efficient offense, star players, role players who accept their roles. Yet, something is missing. The L.A. Clippers sans Kawhi Leonard eliminated the Jazz in six games in the second round. Utah's defense fell apart as the Clippers scored 131 points in game six and the Clippers scored at least 118 points in each of the final four games of that series as they stormed back from a 2-0 deficit. 

Maybe I am overrating the Jazz, but the positive qualities that they displayed on both ends of the court over a 72 game season should mean something, and perhaps this painful playoff defeat will provide motivation to take the next step. Many people wrote off the Milwaukee Bucks after they lost in the playoffs as a number one seed, and the Bucks bounced back to win the championship.

3) Phoenix Suns: Chris Paul deserves credit for having an impact on this team, but the Suns were already rising before he arrived. The Suns went 8-0 in the 2020 "bubble" to just miss the playoffs, and they have a stable of young stars, including Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. The Suns' journey to the 2021 NBA Finals was not a fluke, but the Suns did benefit from misfortunes suffered by rival teams, and Paul is a small, aging guard. The Suns will stay near the top of the West this season, but I would be surprised if they return to the NBA Finals. 

4) Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry had a great season in 2020-21 after missing all but five games in 2019-20 due to injury, but even his remarkable sharpshooting was not enough to lift the Warriors to the eighth seed. That puts into context how incredible it is that Kobe Bryant carried the Lakers to the playoffs in 2006 and 2007 with a much weaker roster than the Warriors had last season. 

Klay Thompson will return to action this season, but it is uncertain when he is coming back, and when a player has been out as long as he has there is always a concern about whether he can regain his previous form.

If Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green are healthy at playoff time, this team is obviously dangerous. The young players must continue to develop, and the status of Andrew Wiggins (who remains unvaccinated and thus is currrently ineligible to play in all of the Warriors' home games, and possibly other games as well) must be clarified before we know for sure how far this team can go, but it is doubtful that sans Kevin Durant this core group will return to the NBA Finals. Without Durant, the Warriors won one championship against an injury-riddled Cleveland team in 2015, and then lost in the Finals to a healthier version of that team in 2016. Durant was the driving force behind the back to back championships in 2017-18, and there is no way to replace his contributions.

5) Denver Nuggets: If Jamal Murray returns in time and in form then the Nuggets could be very dangerous in the playoffs, but if the Nuggets do not get off to a quick start then they may not have home court advantage in any playoff series, which is a tough way to try to win a title. Nikola Jokic is an elite scorer, rebounder, and passer who deserved the 2021 regular season MVP, but he needs more help to lift this team to elite status.

6) Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic looks like he will be an MVP candidate for the foreseeable future. Can Kristaps Porzingis be the second option on a championship contender? Can/will the Dallas Mavericks improve defensively? Jason Kidd replaces Rick Carlisle on the bench, and perhaps a new voice will squeeze something extra out of this roster, but the Mavericks do not look like a top four seed.

7) L.A. Clippers: Kawhi Leonard has led two different franchises to a championship, but he has yet to take the Clippers even close to the basketball Promised Land; they lost in the second round in 2020, and then advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season even after he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in game five of the second round. Don't be fooled by the Clippers finishing off Utah without Leonard before bowing to the Suns in the Western Conference Finals; if Leonard misses a significant portion of the season, this is not a top four team in the West.

8) Portland Trail Blazers: Rookie Coach Chauncey Billups has his hands full with a team that has unreasonably high expectations both internally and from the fan base. The team's fluky run to the 2019 Western Conference Finals has been followed by back to back first round losses. The resumption of Carmelo Anthony's career in Portland was much hyped by the media, but contributed nothing to the team's development; his departure to the Lakers may help the Lakers, but will not hurt Portland very much. This team relies on offense, yet is not very efficient offensively, ranking just 23rd in field goal percentage last season. Portland was even worse defensively, ranking 25th in defensive field goal percentage. When a team does not score efficiently and cannot stop the opposition from scoring efficiently it is not realistic to expect much more than a low playoff seed and a first round exit.

The remaining Western Conference teams have glaring weaknesses. 

Without Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard, Coach Gregg Popovich has not exactly set the basketball world on fire in San Antonio. The Spurs missed the playoffs in 2020, and finished 10th in the West last season before losing a Play-In Tournament game to Memphis. The Spurs have slipped defensively in recent years, and until Popovich reverses that trend this team is going nowhere fast.

The Memphis Grizzlies qualified for the Play-In Tournament and then knocked out the Golden State Warriors, defying the laws of basketball physics that supposedly demand that Stephen Curry's "gravity" controls the basketball universe. However, their offseason moves did not strengthen the team's talent or depth, and the best case scenario is sneaking into the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament.

As long as the New Orleans Pelicans have Zion Williamson, they will always be the darlings of the major television networks, but there is a big difference between being hyped up and featured on television versus being a team that is committed to winning. Williamson is a very efficient scorer but he is a below average rebounder for his size/skill set/position, and he is a subpar defensive player. His deficiencies in those two key areas set the tone for the team, and the results are not surprising.

The Sacramento Kings are good enough to hang around the fringes of the Play-In Tournament.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are developing their young players and stockpiling draft picks, and they appear to be at least one season away from fighting for the final playoff spot.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are plagued by organizational chaos, resulting in a mismatched roster that has some individual talent but little clue how to translate that talent into group success. 

After James Harden wrecked the franchise by coming into camp out of shape and pouting his way out of town, the Houston Rockets sank to the bottom of the Western Conference. The best that the Rockets can realistically hope for is to avoid landing in the basement again.

**********

Note:

I correctly picked six of the eight 2021 Western Conference playoff teams. Here are my statistics for previous seasons:

2020: 6/8
2019: 7/8
2018: 6/8
2017: 7/8
2016: 6/8
2015: 7/8
2014: 6/8
2013: 6/8
2012: 7/8
2011: 5/8
2010: 7/8
2009: 7/8
2008: 7/8
2007: 6/8
2006: 6/8

2006-2021 Total: 102/128 (.797)

Labels: Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 10:25 PM

2 comments

L.A. Clippers Versus Phoenix Preview

Western Conference Finals

#4 L.A. Clippers (47-25) vs. #2 Phoenix (51-31) 

Season series: L.A. Clippers, 2-1

Phoenix can win if…Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul continue to score so efficiently. Their marksmanship enabled the Suns to eliminate the 2020 NBA Champion Lakers in the first round, and then sweep last year's other Western Conference Finalist, the Denver Nuggets, in the second round.

However, Paul's status for the series is uncertain after the NBA placed him in COVID-19 quarantine. It appears that Paul will miss at least game one, although neither the Suns nor the NBA have definitely ruled him out for Sunday's contest. Paul suffered a shoulder injury during the first round that limited his effectiveness versus the Lakers, but the Suns survived because of their depth, and because the Lakers had their own injury woes that took Anthony Davis out of the lineup and that seemed to limit LeBron James' ability to take over. It will be interesting to see how the Suns respond if Paul is not available for at least part of the Western Conference Finals.

L.A. will win because…the Clippers have demonstrated that they should never be counted out. In the first round versus Dallas they lost the first two games at home before winning the series in seven games. In the second round, they lost the first two games on the road versus the number one seeded Utah Jazz before winning the next four games, including the last two without the services of injured two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers have provided no indication of how long Leonard will be out of action, simply listing him as inactive prior to each of the last two games. 

It was reasonable to assume that the Clippers would fall apart without Leonard, but instead they beat Utah in Utah in game five as Paul George authored perhaps the best playoff performance of his career with 37 points and 16 rebounds. George cooled off a bit in game six, but still produced 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The improbable game six hero was Terance Mann, whose 39 points were more than he had ever scored in a single game in the NBA or college. Mann shot 15-21 from the field, including 7-10 from three point range. The Jazz repeatedly chose to leave him open in order to protect the paint, and Mann made them pay as the Clippers shredded a Jazz defense anchored by Rudy Gobert, a three-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award (2018, 2019, 2021). The Clippers overcame a 25 point deficit by draining 14 second half three pointers—setting a franchise record for three pointers made in one half—and scoring 81 second half points en route to pulling off the biggest comeback in a series clinching win in the past 25 years. 

The Clippers' second half three point shooting is not sustainable, but the Clippers pose matchup problems for the Suns at both ends of the court.

Other things to consider: I did not predict that Paul would play as well as he played against Denver because he has never played at that level before. I will go out on a limb and predict that he does not play at that level in this series.

It is interesting to observe the media coverage of certain players and coaches. Clippers' Coach Tyronn Lue has already won a championship (Cleveland, 2016) but his rotations and general decision making are often criticized by self-proclaimed experts. While it may be fair to ask why his team has twice fallen behind 2-0 in the playoffs this year, it is undeniable that a poorly coached team would not have bounced back to win those series. Lue defeated Rick Carlisle—a highly respected championship-winning coach—in the first round, and then he defeated Quin Snyder—a highly respected coach of the team with the league's best record in 2021—in the second round. Any other coach who accomplished this would be highly praised, but for some reason the media acts like Lue's teams win despite his coaching instead of because of his coaching.

Can the Clippers reach the NBA Finals without Leonard? In 1999, a lockout-shortened 50 game season, the New York Knicks went 27-23 and then lost the services of leading scorer Patrick Ewing to a season-ending injury during game two of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks won that series versus the Indiana Pacers before succumbing to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. Considering Paul George's inconsistent playoff resume and the Clippers' history of postseason disappointments, one would not have expected the Clippers to have a chance against Utah without Leonard, but this team has proven to be quite resilient, and this year's playoffs have provided many unexpected plot twists.

Labels: Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Paul George, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz

posted by David Friedman @ 1:41 AM

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