NBA 2020 ?

NBA Season Suspended...

This break in the action has already impacted the season. What about seedings? The Playoffs? I feel for the teams that had legitimate shots at winning the title. Meaningless questions really, when there's so much more to worry about. I hope everyone is as precautious as possible. We should all do our best to be safe. I realize sports is just one of many entities undergoing drastic measures to promote well being. With so much on our minds, sometimes a little escapism is okay. The NBA season is suspended yet my mind still gravitates toward hoops. Now the rest of the story.

East: * Bucks, * Raptors , * Celtics, Heat, Pacers, Sixers, (Nets, Magic)
West: * Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Jazz, Thunder, Rockets, Mavericks, (Grizzlies)
* clinched playoff spot | (losing record) | Standings when the season was suspended

Milwaukee was first in the east, but Giannis did suffer a minor knee sprain in the loss to the Lakers? Additional time away would obviously assist his recovery. Any extended break, especially one set to last at least thirty days, or longer, will surely disrupt team flow and continuity. Not just for the Bucks, but for all teams that were vying for the playoffs.

Toronto was second in the east. They, along with the Celtics and Heat, looked primed to challenge for eastern supremacy. Do the Sixers still matter? Sadly, injuries are again derailing success in Philly. Maybe this break will help them heal too. But will any of this even matter? Will the season be restored?

The west was still best. The top seven teams all had at least 40 wins. Two through seven would've been jockeying for position down the stretch. Only four games separated the six teams behind the Lakers in the win column. The six and seven seeds would be Houston and Dallas. Who wants to play either of them in the first round? No one, that's who. That Texas two-step could easily kickstart the playoffs with an upset. Some franchises will be extremely disappointed with first round exits. If there is a first round?

LA looked legit, especially when locked in. They're so physical and long. LeBron's orchestration of the offense bordered near unstoppable, while Davis anchored the defense. Their economy of movement has been fully weaponized. The Lakers had won 13 of their past 17 games. During that stretch they beat Denver, Boston, New Orleans twice, Philly, Milwaukee and Los Angeles. AD exploded for 97 points to go along with 29 rebound in consecutive wins over the Sixers, Bucks and Clippers. LeBron put up 87 and dropped 31 dimes in those same victories, outplaying both Giannis and Kawhi.

Davis and James were gathering some serious steam. Damn. Hopefully this break doesn't break up more than the action. I'm truly bummed for this team considering all that they've endured. They'd proven themselves to be true favorites for the title. How many more years does LeBron have to be the linchpin in pursuing a championship? The Lakers may have been robbed of this season mored than anyone else. As LeBron battles opponents and father time, I believe he has fuel to feed his flames.

LeBron also has a knack for racking up wins against other number one picks. He added two more this year when facing Zion. This generation should savor cutting their teeth against the crown. James is the planetary force of the NBA, the rest are whirring in his orbit. Zion could be next, he's definitely been impressive. But let me be clear, Ja Morant is the Rookie of the Year. He's been an energetic force, fearless and competitive, over a longer stretch of time. He even swiped a win from LeBron. If you come at the king, you best not miss.

Here's to hoping that the king and his men, and all the king's opponents, get their chance on the court. It would be a considerable disappointment if the season were lost entirely. Current circumstances may force us all into missing out on something special. As large social gatherings become forbidden and social distancing is expected, I'm not sure what to expect. But one thing's for sure, I miss basketball.

Be safe,
80choices

NBA | FANtastic ALL-STAR Break

All-Star weekend is a reminder of the immense talent the NBA possesses. The break allows us to assess the Association. The events and game itself showcased how basketball is both fun and exciting, perhaps like no other major sport in America. I thought the ELAM ending was good. I also liked how each quarter felt like a mini game, bringing more of a competitive edge. Third quarter intensity ramped up near the horn as teams jockeyed for point totals leading into the fourth. Big ups to both squads for bringing more to the All Star game.

Los Angeles 

I'll begin in the City of Angels due to the star power of both Staples Center teams, and an unfathomable tragedy (I'll briefly address this at the end). The center of the NBA universe seems to be LA. The Lakers stood pat while the Clippers made a move at the deadline. I thought it was okay, and in some way spiritual right, that the Lakers didn't make a move. They were probably doing their due diligence behind the scenes, and yet it may have felt inappropriate to overhaul the roster. Whether or not they should have is for the talking heads to debate. 

The Forum Blue and Gold destroys teams they're suppose to, and although they have a winning record against plus .500 teams, they don't always look as great against superior competition. The primary teams to be concerned with in this regard are Milwaukee, Toronto, and the Clippers. 

It's no secret that the Lakers offense looks pedestrian when LeBron is off the court. Do Davis and James have to do more? Perhaps in the playoffs, which they are capable of. The ball is almost always in LeBron's hands, but when he does turn it over, I want him to hustle back. On botched possessions he rarely crosses half court before the opponents trigger a shot. I'm not expecting game seven of the Finals, chase-down LeBron, but more effort to invigorate his teammates wouldn't hurt. His "free safety" role on defense sometimes confuses his help-side defenders who are trying to rotate and recover. I want him to be more engaged on defense. Also, too often he settles for that mid-post fade away. He should attack the rim to score or facilitate. Ultimately I'm just nitpicking my favorite player because I want his squad to shine. Maybe he's angling for the playoffs.  

Davis could use a jolt of assertiveness. I'm wondering if he'll play as though this team is his. It's no secret he's a beast on both sides of the ball, the best two-way Laker. Davis leads the team in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks. His PER is more than 3 points higher than LeBron's and he hits free throws. AD's a machine sent to earth to wreak havoc on basketball opposition, and LeBron's his running mate. So why doesn't he consistently get touches when it's crunch time? Again, I'm nitpicking an all-time talent. I just want him to excel.

The Clippers traded for a ball-stopping Morris twin. They appear to be the ultimate Dr. Jeckyll Mr. Hyde, lacking consistency and chemistry. PG and especially Kawhi have powers to summon once postseason begins. Regardless of the talent, chemistry and health play major roles in the march toward a Finals. Will the Clippers have enough court time together to build cohesion?

Dame Time ? !!!

How severely did he strain his groin? Why did he even attend All Star weekend, especially if he had to move around in skinny jeans? There were more than enough rappers in Chicago to fill in, however none as slick as Dame. Can he and the Blazers catch the Grizzlies? They can if he plays in most of the 26 games that remain.

Gary Trent Jr. is making the leap. GT's play has been a revelation. He plays with confidence and physicality. If he continues to shine his value to the team will only grow moving forward. He's earned his increased minutes, especially in the fourth quarter. Trent's proven he has the onions to take shots and make them. He's an NBA scorer. Good on him for continuing to work hard.

Ariza's been a helpful surprise. His veteran smarts, long limbs, and ability to shoot the deep ball has increased the Blazers ceiling. Swanigan may be a bull in a china shop, but he plays hard and brings a bit of nasty onto the court. Simons needs to recapture his swagger and that ability to be lightening in a bottle on offense. He showed flashes of it just before the all star break. Little is getting little to no run, yet the new guys acquired from Sacramento are, what gives? If Dame misses prolonged time, McCollum better pick it up. CJ where have you gone?

Minnesota or Golden State?
Who won the trade? Which key player is better? Who's contract is more of an albatross? Will Russell help the Wolves out of dysfunction, or just lighten the load for Towns? Can Wiggins excel as the Warriors fourth best player? Which guy lasts longer on their new team? The answers to these questions won't be known until next year. Only one team will continue to stink; hint, it's not the one from the Bay area.  

Houston Skill Ball

Unleash the beast...Westbrook that is. I'm all for a front office and coaching staff that go for it. Why not play your best guys? Size be damned. If this version of the Rockets fully gels heading into the playoffs, Harden and Westbrook will not be fun to defend. In the meantime it sure is fun to watch.

Milwaukee Finals bound?

A scenario does exist that could prove to be worrisome. If Milwaukee has to play Miami in the second round and Toronto in the conference finals I'm not sure they advance. Each team stands in their way with 28 games remaining. Giannis is beyond superlatives, but the rosters and coaches for Miami and Toronto are decidedly better in my opinion. I for one want those matchups to unfold. If the Bucks only have to play one of either the Heat or Raptors, they'll gallop into the Finals. Oh, and if you're wondering about Philly, they stink.

2 * 8 * 24

Considering the heavy hearts that are obvious in all of us, this year will be remembered for a deeply sad reason. A note of positivity I have taken from this tragedy is to make each day count. A super hero-like star taught me to honor that which you love and to always try your hardest to do your best. 

Rest in Peace

NBA 2020 (Visions)

A) Memphis has the best young core in the NBA. Give me Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and duck duck Brooks, over any other youth-filled roster. Their front office is not only drafting talented players, but assembling a roster that works in orchestra together. If given the opportunity, this is the team with the most long-term upside. Hell, they're a playoff contending team  right now, albeit in a weaker than expected battle for the West's final playoff spot. Still, the Grizzlies play a Western Conference schedule.

Memphis has a nice pace to their offense, while also fitting it to their talent. The youngsters also go hard at opposition. Coach Taylor Jenkins is both taking advantage of his own opportunity, and installing a competent brand of philosophies on both sides of the ball. Utilizing young player's gifts and skills is no easy task. They've assembled a roster that fits, while also creating units that showcase versatility on defense. The new Grizz have begun sharpening their claws. (Side note: Outlets backed by Disney or HBO may have beat me to this, but I swear this has been in my draft folder for over a week. I know, bad on me. I am but one man. A man who loves hoops.) 

B) For as good as OKC and Indiana are, both owners of winning records, I don't see either pushing their way into The Finals. Billy Donovan's a good coach who's finally able to showcase his ideas. The Thunder play smart, especially down the stretch of games in large part due to Chris Paul. OKC plays hard, team-first basketball, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is legit.

McMillan's another coach putting in work. Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis have really grown this year as players, both are performing at all star levels. These two teams play the right way. Maybe they do have a shot. Which leads me to this, are we sure we know who will make The Finals?

Most eyes are on LA. Milwaukee's path is still easier. What about Denver? Can Houston pull a rocket out of their ass? What if Utah's the dark horse we thought they were coming into the season? Can't Dallas represent the West with a top five player? Is Boston a David in plain sight? Why can't Toronto once fully healthy return to The Finals? Is Philly really this bad, or can the Sixers flip the switch? Why not Miami? That's what 82 games and three playoff rounds are for.

C) Is Erik Spoelstra the best coach in the NBA and the most underrated? Sure he has Pat Riley in the background pulling strings and dropping rings. But the two of them seem to work in concert with one another. They draft properly (Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro), spot diamonds in the rough (Kendrick Nunn), and target the correct high-end talent (Jimmy Butler). All players who mesh well within the culture of working hard and doing it the Heat way. Miami holds multi-million dollar athletes accountable. They also sometimes fleece teams. Getting rid of Whiteside and bringing in Meyers Leonard, another hard working, team-first player, helped to facilitate the acquisition of Butler. From the front office down to the bench, this team knows who they are.

The Heat do many things well; they play team ball, they buy-in on offense and defense, and more importantly, they play hard while playing to their strengths. Miami has guys who will go to war on the basketball court, guys with fire in their bellies—with the exception of Dion Waiters, who's a total imbecile. I'm intrigued to see how far this group can go in the playoffs.

D) Will there be any major trades made? Does a contender make a splash or wait for the buyout market? Does a team like Portland, who had extremely high expectations go all in, or just play out the season? What about the three-way battle between the Blazers, Spurs, and Grizzlies for the eighth spot? Memphis still has Iguodala to use as bait. Which really bad team, if any, will sell its parts? I'm looking at you Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, NY, Minnesota, Phoenix, Sacramento, and possibly Orlando. Whether or not trades will be made, they certainly spice things up. Only in the NBA!

80choices

NBA | LA Confidential

LA Confident-ly Over?

I hate to say it, but LeBron's not making the playoffs. Barring major health concerns to the teams he's chasing, the Kings, Clippers and Spurs; the listless Lakers are not making the postseason based on another terrible showing against Memphis. They continue to lose the games they have to win in order to gain ground in the standings. There was no cohesion and not enough fight shown in their 110-105 loss. LeBron looks good sometimes, but can a triple double that wasn't hunted for be ugly? Ingram and Kuzma cannot continue to be an either or, they both need to produce consistently on offensive and become constant threats. Especially if James is going to be just good.

LeBron's body language is not looking fun. The Lakers are on a one way trip to nowheresville. It doesn't help that their offense is basic and stale. Possibly the result of James, or maybe because everyone is miserable? The same can be said about their nonchalant defense. Being miserable can be tolerated if winning. It's a pair of cement Nikes pulling you down if you're two games below five hundred and four games back in the loss column. The Lakers are now tied with Minnesota for tenth, yikes. As a team they have a negative point differential(-1.4) and are a net negative in fourth quarters this season. Those stats do not reflect a team hungry for the playoffs. With 22 games LA is on the outside looking in. 

In losing to the Grizzlies, LeBron became the first player to be in the top ten of assists and points all time. He's fifth in scoring and now tenth in assists, an amazing accomplishment. He would have rather remembered it with a win. Unfortunately for him they lost again, his team mates look disinterested, his front office might be horrible and the easiest part of their schedule after the all star game just went up in flames. I think they're done now. Space Jam can start scheduling if LA loses twice to New Orleans in a span of five days. I just don't think anyone thought it would begin in the spring. Neither did I. Somebody tell Bugs Bunny. 

Only in the NBA.

eightychoices.

NBA | What 2 Watch 4

The NBA's regular season is nearly half over or close enough for most teams to assess the action fairly. The western 9 and 10 seeds would be 6th and 7th in the east. There are 12 teams out west with a plus point differential, only seven eastern squads can claim that. However, the east's top five teams do possess high end talent. As the year progresses I'll try to keep hitting on some hot topics. In the meantime, here's what to watch for in the NBA.

LeBron & The Lakers

All things in the NBA seem to begin or end with LeBron and even if they don't, they somehow do. His injury has zapped the buzz in LA, they're 2-5 in his absence. The Lakers played the Maverick's last night and a big second half helped them to take down Luka (more on him later). A couple of quick takes on the Lakers. Their defensive metrics are good and yet I'd like to see them utilize their youth, speed and length even more. Rebounding on defense is an aspect of concern with or without LeBron. KCP is their best catch and shoot guy for better or worse. They look good when they can get out and run. In the half court they should look to penetrate and kick more, it helps to set up the hockey assist swing pass if the initial catch and shoot option isn't there. Lastly, they're a poor free throw shooting team, hopefully that remedies itself. 

With all those topics and swirling trade rumors the Lakers were fourth in the west at 20-14 when LeBron had his Christmas day setback. Not too shabby when James is leading the way as the Lakers have had to also deal with injuries before his own. I'm left to believe this roster is not the one we will see after the trade deadline or once the buyout market rounds into form. One thing's for certain, LeBron and the Lakers will dominate the headlines no matter who's on the floor. Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker and AD are great stars to stir the drink with.

Atlantic Division (TOR, PHI, BOS)

With all due respect to Brooklyn and New York this is a three team division. Make no mistake the eastern finals could easily showcase an all Atlantic battle. I'm not totally sold on the fit in Philadelphia. Butler needs to get over himself which would probably help everyone. The other easy observation is the lack of team shooting, exacerbated by Simmons own inability to shoot. He is not the ideal fit for The Process and let's not kid ourselves, Embiid is the guy in The City of Brotherly Love. Markelle Fultz anyone? We'll have to wait and see what happens with the 76ers.

Which leads to Boston, what's wrong with the Celtics? I can't bring myself to fully throw Brad Stevens under the bus, but is some of this his fault? Could a couple of guys be playing better? Maybe Tatum shouldn't have worked out with Kobe to refine the long two (aka the worst shot in basketball). Maybe Jaylen Brown does feel isolated as a chess playing intellectual who always hears his name in trade rumors. Perhaps Kyrie will go James Harden or maybe he won't. What if he can't? Ah Boston, the team that had the post-LeBron puzzle solved. Perhaps it's them who needs the solving.

North of the wall has never looked so good. Kawhi may be a rental or he may take the Raptors to The Finals. Whichever story unfolds Toronto did what was best for the team. Kyle Lowry's injury is definitely a concern but the Dino's have looked good for the most part regardless of the lineup. They have depth, they know there systems on both sides of the ball and they have a potential MVP candidate. And yet our judgement of them, as well as their fate, will only come into focus once the playoffs have commenced.

GIANNIS

Antetokounmpo is otherworldly in his talents and intensity—he is both the high tech updated version and the old school. Can't shoot, who cares? He pretty much goes wherever he wants. When he is thwarted it just creates an even nastier highlight of him dunking on someone who tried. There's a tenacity to his game that makes me believe he will do anything to win when the chips are truly down. With the Bucks ascending hopefully his team will make a deep run in the playoffs so we can see him perform under heavy pressure. Milwaukee is currently atop the standings in the east. Giannis is obviously responsible for their success, but Coach Bud's new schemes have accelerated their play as well. Welcome to Giannis' world, it's party time, excellent.

AD in NOP ?

New Orleans slump to kick off another year with AD has been a surprise. I just figured they had figured something out at the end of last season and would further morph toward that type of team we saw against Portland in the playoffs. They have not been able to win enough games or stay healthy, a voodoo curse perhaps. There are few paths to fully righting this ship. One is if Davis can replicate his performance from the end of last year times two to the second power. Another could be the emergence, or more likely the arrival of, a third star to fill the scoring void if Holiday under performs or Davis simply plays human. The West is brutal 1 through 14 and unfortunately for the Pelicans they're on the outside looking in. Which leads all conversations to, "will he stay or will he go?" 

LUKA !!!

One question pretty much sums up how spectacular this young basketball Jedi has been:
WHO WOULD YOU TRADE LUKA FOR?

Only in the NBA,
eightychoices.