The All Star Break has come and gone we now turn our attention to the final
The 75th season has been filled with high quality basketball all around the league. With the new playoff rules finding their stride in their second year, every seed matters down the stretch. Playoff position has always been important but avoiding the play-in has been an added incentive to play hard every night, an added aspect of the league I enjoy. With additional teams actually engaged and hopeful for the post season, games are tighter. Across the league games have featured less blowouts and for teams that are a few games below the eight seed their playoff hopes are still alive until the end. Placing seeds six through ten under the microscope for the remainder of the season and into the post-season is guaranteed to produce more spirited basketball. Playoff level intensity down the stretch seems inevitable and it will be interesting to see how both conferences shake out in the last two months.
Temperature Check
Miami Heat–Hot
The Miami Heat have blazed (yes that was on purpose) their way to the top of the Eastern Conference this season. The team full of veterans is playing that type of hard nosed, defensive focused and efficient offense that the Miami Heat have become known for. There are so many different names we can attribute to the teams run this year, the grizzly Jimmy Butler, the hot shooting Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. The championship pedigree of PJ Tucker as well as Kyle Lowry. And Bam just came back. Keep an eye on this squad. They are hungry and ready to win.
Charlotte Hornets–Cold
You all probably assumed the Brooklyn Nets deserved this spot. They have been on a rough streak as of late, but with a little known/talked about trade that shifted this teams (and possibly the rest of the league’s) trajectory. In addition to that, they have dealt with injuries to many of their star players over this stretch. But no, this unfortunate distinction goes to the Charlotte Hornets as much as it pains me to say. Lamelo Ball has been killing for me in fantasy. The Hornets are currently 1-9 in their last ten and are losing ground in a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference. They are sputtering after coming out in commanding fashion early in the season, a trait you see in a lot of young teams. Now sitting at 29-31 and the nine seed, we’ll see if they can escape the play-in game trap they found themselves in last season.
Where we Stand
The Wild West:
The Western Conference playoff race has pretty much maintained the same pace as our 20 games in Temperature Check. The Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors have both proven they are here to stay among the top teams, with 48-10 and 42-17 records respectively.
Starting with the Suns, this year has truly been a coming out party for Devin Booker. Many NBA fans have been reluctant in the past to give him his flowers for his work. He gained the label of an “empty stats” kind of player, and last season Chris Paul was seen as the driving force of the teams success. This year, in my eyes at least Booker has truly established himself as a top level MVP caliber player. Averaging a 25.5 PPG, 4.5 APG and 5.2 boards along with 36% from behind the arc on high attempts, Book has come up big for this team again and again this season. He’s in an interest predicament at the moment with superstar guard Chris Paul out for 6-8 weeks with a thumb injury, Booker will have to show he can continue to lead the way and step into that role, which I think he is ready for. Going into the break the team has been on a 7 game win streak. With 8 players on the roster averaging at lease 9 PPG, I think the coaching of Monty Williams along with the progressive emergence of Booker will keep this ship steady. Expect a lot of buckets and for Booker to show off his passing game a little more as the Suns cruise into a top 3 seed as the season winds down.
The Golden State Warriors have held onto the second seed in the conference, despite some recent shooting struggles from Stephen Curry. Steve Kerr once again proved the doubters wrong in terms of his coaching ability by making the most of his pieces. Before the return of Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and first time all star (starter) Andrew Wiggins held the Warriors down and displayed the versatility this team has. The chemistry looks like it’s back, the ball is moving, guys are stepping up and the core of the group remains one of the best in the league. It will be interesting to see how the Warriors fare, barring any injury, for the first time as a serious contender since getting Kevin Durant. The league has changed but Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green creating winning basketball hasn’t. This is a team to beat and would be a difficult matchup for anyone over 7 games.
The most exciting surprise thus far this season has been the young Memphis Grizzlies. Ja Morant is a revelation, and is putting on one of the most exciting seasons from a point guard since Russel Westbrook in 2017. Looking back even further I’d say Derrick Rose in 2011 but I may get some backlash for that one. Morant is putting up a ridiculous 26.8 PPG along with 6.9 APG and 5.8 RPG. His play along with his impressive 49.5 FG% from the field (remember this is a 6’2 on a good day guard who’s maybe 185 pounds?) have him at the forefront of MVP races this season. Currently sitting at 41-19 this team is within striking distance of overtaking the number 2 seed from the Golden State Warriors. Morant and the young talent on this team, such as 3 point contest participant Desmond Bane, or the sharp shooting shot protecting Jaren Jackson have emerged as the new stars out in Memphis. Remember, their lockdown 3&D wing Dillon Brooks has been injured for most of the season. Who knows how this season ends for the Grizzlies, lets just enjoy the rise and emergence of Ja.
Beasts of The East:
The Eastern Conference in my opinion has been the conference to check for all year. Call me biased as a Jersey Native, I’m loving what I’m seeing from these teams this year. As I mentioned earlier the Miami Heat are off to a great pace as we get later in the season. Very few fans coming into this year had them sitting at the 1 seed with a 38-21 record, especially in a season where they missed significant time from Bam Adebayo. Coach Spoelstra has kept the ship straight, and the Heat are poised to make a run at ANY team in the conference. Yes, any.
Another exciting development in this years East has been the consistency from the Chicago Bulls. You talk about a team that has been dealing with injury, Chicago has had to overcome injuries all around to continue succeeding. Zach Lavine, Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams, Coby White, Derrick Jones Jr., the list goes on. The Bulls have been lead by another MVP candidate this season, the surging Demar Derozan. The best mid range shooter in this league, Derozan is having a career year averaging 28/5/5 in 35 mpg. He’s been a nightmare for defenses all year, and has multiple game winning shots, 30 and 40 point games and has really come into his own as a leader. With the Bulls maintaining the second seed right now, Derozan must be in the conversation to win the prestigious award. Let’s see how far they take this thing if healthy.
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers occupy the 3rd and 4th spot, both holding a 35-23 record. For the Sixers, Joel Embiid has absolutely been looking like the best player in basketball. The stats don’t do it justice, honestly the man came into the league as a pure back to the basket style post player and now he is taking Kobe turnarounds in the mid range. Scoring with floaters, creating shots off the dribble despite being 7 feet and at least 260. The Sixers also have one of the most exciting developments, they will be gaining the services of one James Harden over the next few weeks. When you talk about a dark horse team, this team embodies that. They have all the pieces and the talent, maybe there are questions about depth in the aftermath of the trade (losing Seth Curry and Andre Drummond has to hurt). But if the Sixers stay in their rhythm down the stretch which isn’t always common for this squad, they can go all the way. The Cleveland Cavaliers are another example of youth movement gone right. This team has 9 players, not including the injured Collin Sexton currently averaging at least 9 ppg. Well-oiled machine is the best way to characterize this club, and with 2 first time all stars along with a ROY candidate, Cleveland still has a lot of room to grow.
MVP
The MVP race has been an extremely tight one this season, and despite the fact that we have a bunch of Philly sports homers on the team here, from an unbiased perspective at this point I have to give it to Joel Embiid. He has been on another planet this season, leading the NBA in scoring averaging 29.6 PPG along with 11.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Ben Simmons or not he has been the guiding light for the Sixers, and keeping them at that top three seed with room to improve down the stretch Gives him the honor. Nikola Jokic, Ja Morant, Devin Booker and Derozan should round out the top five. Giannis is another honorable mention.
Study the legends & you may become one… @JoelEmbiid pic.twitter.com/yO8fMjweDS
— Drew Hanlen (@DrewHanlen) January 18, 2022