Taking A Look Around The NBA

As we celebrate the start of Black History Month, we also get to celebrate the completion of the first full month of the 2020-21 NBA season. Despite all the Covid-postponed games and early season injuries, the season thus far has been much more exciting than one could have anticipated. Especially when you take into consideration all of the health protocols and the lack of fans in the stadiums. 

Nonetheless, we have had some great games, some surprising teams rising up the standings and the formation possibly the most talented trio since LeBron James and Chris Bosh teamed up with Dwayne Wadeback in 2010. So far, the first 20-22 games have been nothing short of spectacular and the league has so many interesting storylines across both conferences. 

Here are just some of the biggest storylines and standout players worth keeping an eye on based on their performances through the first fourth of the season.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Western Conference

The LA Clippers Are Thriving Under the Radar

While everybody is infatuated with LeBron James and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, the LA Clippers have quietly ascended to the top spot in the Western Conference. 

With a record of 15-4, the Clippers have won nine of their last ten games with their only loss coming against the Atlanta Hawks in which both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George did not play. Speaking of the superstar duo, Leonard and George are posting a combined  stat line of 49.5 points, 10.8 assists and 11.6 rebounds along with three blocks per game. 

But what I find even more impressive is how efficiently they are shooting from the field. Leonard is shooting 50.8% from the floor and 41% from three on just over 18 shot attempts a game. George is right behind him in terms of shooting from the floor at 50.2%, but he is shooting significantly better from behind the arc at 45.4% which is 7^th best in the league right now. 

Not only are the Clippers’ two leading scorers shooting well, but as you look down the shot chart, their great shooting actually seems to be contagious. The Clippers this season have eight guys shooting 40% or higher from beyond the arc on at least three attempts per game. This team is firing on all cylinders playing at an elite level on both sides of the floor. They are Top-10 in points per game (7^th), opponents points per game (4^th) and offensive rating (2^nd). 

We all obviously know that it is hard to truly judge this team until the playoffs based on how they flamed out last year, but I think it is safe to say that this team is definitely on the right track so far in their pursuit of redemption.

Utah Jazz Switch Gears & Get Buckets

Coming into this season, most assumed that the results of the Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets series would lead to the ascension of Jamal Murray and the Nuggets while the Jazz would be forced to wait their turn. 

Instead, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz went back to the drawing board and have come back this season with a new wrinkle in their game. Last season Utah as a team was 18^th in points per game, 9^th in opponents points per game, 10^th in offensive rating and 13^th in defensive rating. This season they have skyrocketed up to 9^th in points per game, 3^rd in opponents points per game, 5^th in offensive rating and 6^th in defensive rating. The one big factor that is the catalyst for this ascension: Continuity. 

For those who do not remember, Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic were both number one options on their previous teams and essentially were thrown together alongside another high-volume scorer in Mitchell after being acquired last offseason. When you really look at the makeup of this Jazz team, they arguably have one of the most talented starting-5s in the NBA along with Jordan Clarkson who has been huge for them off the bench. 

Utah has truly turned up the offense and with such a deep lineup they can beat you in so many ways. One night they can beat the Nuggets with Bogdanovic being the leading scorer with 29 points. Another night Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley can go for a combined 37 points along with 20 points from Royce O’Neale to beat the New York Knicks without Donovan Mitchell. No matter where you look this team has players that can put up points in a hurry and then go on the other end and lock you up defensively. 

The Utah Jazz are second in the Western Conference standings and they might be the quietest top-seeded team in the NBA since the Atlanta Hawks won 60 games back in 2014-15 with Al Horford as their best player. Great team chemistry on display with this team and if they can stay healthy, they may have a chance to upset the applecart in the West and lock up a spot in the Western Conference Finals. 

Underwhelming Start for the New Orleans Pelicans 

For most NBA media, this was supposed to be the first official run at a playoff spot for the New Orleans Pelicans. Brandon Ingram was selected to the NBA All Star game, voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season and signed a 5-year max deal for $158 million. Zion Williamson came third in the Rookie of the Year voting despite playing only 24 games. David Griffin and Pelicans front office acquired some wily veterans in Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams to provide depth at the guard and center position. 

Coming out of the offseason, the Pelicans looked primed for a run at a Top-8 speed in the Western Conference with a chance to shock some teams in the playoffs. Instead, they have been anything but a playoff team through 18 games as they sit at 14^th in the West with the 7^th worst record in the NBA thus far. Even with Ingram and Williamson and Ingram both averaging nearly 24 points a game, New Orleans has the 19^th scoring offense and is 18^th in offensive rating. And to make matters worse, they are in the bottom eight of the league in opponents points per game and defensive rating. 

So, they cannot really score, and they struggle to defend anybody. Sounds like a recipe for an underwhelming season to me. If I have to point my finger to any one thing that is really hurting this team it would have to be pace of play. Last season they were the second fastest team in the NBA, and it led to them being the 5^thbest offense in the league. This season they are 16^th in pace, and they cannot buy a bucket some nights. 

Now rumors are swirling around that Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick are on the trade block as the team looks desperate to make a move that could turn things around. Thankfully for them they have some time before the trade deadline and 45 games or so to flip the switch and get this season on the right track.

Eastern Conference

Joel Embiid, 76ers Are on A Roll

It is funny how one offseason can help a team improve so much. In just one offseason they were able to hire Doc Rivers to be the head coach, steal Daryl Morey from the Houston Rockets and flip Al Horford and Josh Richardson into Danny Green and Seth Curry. Not to mention they got freshman phenom Tyrese Maxey from Kentucky in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft. If that is not an A+ offseason, I do not know what is. And now all their hard work is coming to fruition.

The Sixers currently sit atop the Eastern Conference at 15-6 record with big wins over the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers. But bigger than any offseason acquisition, Philly fans should be most excited to watch this Philly offense with Joel Embiid, who looks like a legit MVP candidate this season despite only playing 16 games. 

Leading the charge with 28.3 points per game, Embiid is the headline of the 8^th best scoring offense in the league with Tobias Harris right behind him with 20.3 points per game. Then of course there is Ben Simmons. Even though he continues to avoid the three-point line at all costs, he has still had a significant impact on the floor averaging 13.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.9 assists along with nearly two steals a game. 

Doc Rivers definitely seems to be getting the best out of his star players in ways that former head coach Brett Brown never could, and it is showing up on a nightly basis. We all may have been sleeping on the 76ers at the start of the season, but they should have us all wide awake now. You have our attention Philly.

Brooklyn Nets Are Still A Piece Away

After making the blockbuster trade of the year to acquire former MVP James Harden, NBA Twitter was set ablaze as the photoshopped images of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Harden took over the internet. 

But we cannot pretend like there were not a few concerns worth worrying about once the trade was finalized. When was Kyrie Irving coming back to court? How will Irving and Harden mesh in the backcourt? Are the Nets going to regret giving up their depth by trading away Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen? All legitimate questions that needed some legitimate answers if this team had any aspirations of making the NBA Finals in their first official go-around as a trio. 

Well since that trade took place, Irving is back on the court, the Nets have moved up to second in the Eastern Conference and they currently have the best scoring offense in the NBA averaging 122.2 points per game. So why are there rumors going around that Brooklyn is looking to potentially acquire Andre Drummond, Javele McGee or Aaron Gordon via trade or the buyout market? 

Because they are soft in the middle. If you cannot tell, Deandre Jordan is not the spring chicken he used to be as he currently is in his 13^th season. With no Jarrett Allen to spell minutes for him and to make plays defensively, the Nets are forced to rely on a less-athletic version of Jordan and even have experimented with Durant at center in some lineups. Hence why they are ranked in the bottom five of the entire league in most defensive statistics. 

Brooklyn may look pretty impressive offensively trotting out three of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen, but they need to get some real defense on this roster soon if they want any shot at being a legitimate title contender. We all know how the saying goes: “Points win games, but defense wins champions.” 

#FreeBradleyBeal

Poor Bradley Beal. The man is averaging nearly 35 points, 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 47.9% percent from the floor. And what do the Washington Wizards have to show for it so far? The worst record in the NBA at 4-12 with worst ranked defense in the entire NBA. 

Now of course you can partially blame Covid protocols causing the team to sit players and postpone games. You can even point the finger at Russell Westbrook’s inability to stay on the court as he has only played 11 games this season as he was nursing a quad injury. But regardless of the circumstances, the man’s prime is being wasted by the organization’s lack of direction and the team being devoid of any real talent outside of Westbrook and maybe Davis Bertans. 

Other than that, Washington is relying on guys like former lottery picks Deni Avdija and Rui Hachimura to grow up and develop fast. They were also looking forward to the ascension of Thomas Bryant who unfortunately went down with a torn ACL that will keep him out for the rest of the season. 

Basically, anything that can go wrong has gone wrong for the Wizards so far this season. If you are a Wizards fan like me, it is tough to say this but if you love something, sometimes you have to let it go. For Beal’s sake, general manager Tommy Sheppard needs to get on the phone with the Miami Heat, or the Denver Nuggets and get the best trade package he can get. It looks like it about time that this team makes some wholesale changes with this roster. Beal is the first domino that needs to fall.