Boop-Oop-a-Hoop
By Peyton Schultze
Despite constant trade rumors and a new head coach in Nate McMillan, the Atlanta Hawks have been rolling and soared all the way to fourth place in the Eastern Conference (via AP News).
The 2021 NCAA Tournament may be the headliner in the hoops world right now, but the climate in the NBA has certainly shifted over the past week. With some major stories around the Association and the push toward the playoffs heating up even more, the focus toward some competitive basketball will soon be at the forefront of the sports landscape. With that said, we look at some of the biggest topics around the NBA right now as we get closer and closer to April.
Don’t Worry About Brooklyn
The Nets have rarely played games with all three superstars in the lineup, but their consistent clip of winning has been a truly remarkable feat (via USA Today).
Although they have barely played together to this point in the season, the trio of Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant has the Brooklyn Nets in position to be the clear favorite to make the NBA Finals in the Eastern Conference. Having won eight of the last ten on the coattails of Harden’s incredible playmaking and Irving’s unreal scoring, the Nets are rolling right now and should only take a step forward once Durant returns to the starting lineup from an injured hamstring.
In addition, the Nets have been able to acquire the veteran presence of forward Blake Griffin to add to an already-deep roster. Blake has been a quiet player over the past several seasons during his time with the Detroit Pistons, and adding him to a role player mix of Joe Harris, Jeff Green, and DeAndre Jordan gives the Nets an outstanding cast of characters to help out their terrific trio in the starting lineup.
Many people may doubt how well the Nets will work together when all three stars return to play together, but it appears that their group has some established roles that could take them all the way to the promised land. Nevertheless, if there is one player that appears to the key to the Nets’ title hopes this season, it has to be James Harden. The game’s best shooting guard has almost transformed his game as the team’s de facto point guard of sorts, and if he continues to rack up the assists for KD and Kyrie to get some open looks in one on one scenarios, there are very few defenses in basketball that can match up with the talents of Brooklyn’s offense.
However, although the Nets could easily be considered title favorites right now with the Lakers so injured over in the Western Conference, they do not have an easy path toward The Finals by any means. The 76ers are an elite defense team when fully healthy, and just like how it is nearly impossible to stop Durant, it is equally impossible to stop a physically imposing Joel Embiid. Philadelphia also poses real problems on the perimeter with the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year in Ben Simmons, and it is not far-fetched to think that this team could give the Nets some real concerns. On top of that, although they have struggled in past postseasons, do not rule out the Milwaukee Bucks just yet. Just like the 76ers, the Bucks match up reasonably well with the Nets and have one of the most unguardable inside presences in NBA history in the form of Giannis Antetokounmpo, while also boasting a pesky perimeter defense that will make life tough for Irving and Harden. Don’t worry about Brooklyn’s title chances right now, but pay attention to how the other teams at the top of the East challenge the Nets for the top seed from now until the end of the regular season.
Charlotte: Off the Ball?
Ball, the likely favorite for Rookie of the Year, could be forced to miss the rest of the season with a fractured wrist (via At the Hive).
This season has already been brutal regarding injuries to star players, but it was terrible news when the Hornets revealed that LaMelo Ball will likely miss the rest of the regular season with a fractured wrist. Ball, the favorite for Rookie of the Year up to this point, was already turning into a true star for Charlotte, averaging 15.9 points per game and 6.1 assists per game. Ball also became a regular on SportsCenter with one or two insane highlights per game, and with a lack of big-time rookies stepping up this season outside of Ball and Timberwolves’ wing Anthony Edwards, the league will certainly take a step backward with Ball’s temporary loss.
Yet this hurts Hornets’ fans just as much as anybody. Charlotte has put together an impressive season in the first year of Ball’s career, finding themselves in the middle of an Eastern Conference playoff race that has produced some very exciting basketball. With LaMelo now sidelined for the rest of the season (although a playoff return has not been ruled out yet), good players such as Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, Devonte’ Graham, and Miles Bridges will likely have to carry the load on both ends to propel this team into the playoffs.
More than anything, Ball’s injury shows how fragile this current NBA season has become. At any given moment, with COVID-19 protocols in the air and with so many injuries to star players, there could be some upsetting news for fans of the league via a Woj bomb or a Shams report. It has still been a fun season with so many teams looming around title contention, but it appears that the side effects of a shortened offseason with limited practice schedules and a lack of communication relating to training routines seem to be catching up with some of the marquee players in the sport.
Magic Kingdom Mining
With one of the best all-around skillsets for a center in the NBA, Nikola Vučević could gain some serious interest on the trade market in the coming weeks (via NESN).
Every year around the trade deadline, there is at least one team that decides to go all-out and blow it all up. This year’s team appears to be the Orlando Magic, who have some great talent to offer to some of the true contenders found around the NBA. With plenty of resources and an impending rebuild in Central Florida, we look at some of the players that Orlando could move at the deadline.
Nikola Vučević, Center
“Vooch” is one of the best centers in all of basketball, and he might be the hottest commodity on the trade market if he is dealt over the next week. With elite inside scoring and a jumpshot from deep that keeps getting better every season, Vučević has transformed into one of the best players at his position and a centerpiece in the middle. With that said, the team that has to go all out for the Orlando center is Boston. The Celtics lack a playmaking big who can help out Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on offense, and although they have struggled a lot this season, Boston has enough pieces to compete with the best teams in the conference when the playoffs come around. Look for the big man to be on the move, with Boston as the likely landing spot if the Magic actually trade him.
Aaron Gordon, Forward
Is Aaron Gordon really capable of being a great player in the right situation? He has shown some flashes during his time as a member of the Magic, but it is fair to say that his professional career has fallen a bit short of expectations so far. Nevertheless, this notion is exactly what makes his talents so intriguing on the trade market. The Magic should be able to get a decent package for him over the next few weeks, and rebuilding teams in need of a developmental player who still has years left in his youth should be on the phone with Orlando right now. The Rockets, Warriors, and Kings would all make sense now that Gordon has requested a trade, and it will be interesting to see which team takes a chance on the athletic power forward.
Evan Fournier, Guard/Forward
Fournier is a longtime Magic player who is due to find a new home in the league, which could make his sharpshooting skills a very intriguing option for many contenders. The veteran wing is the type of plug-and-play player that could make a huge impact from the moment he is acquired, which should be an interesting development over the next week. So who could be his best fits? The Mavericks, Knicks, Lakers, and Celtics all look like very solid options for the French basketball player, and his price tag should not be too much in a potential trade. Fournier is an underrated talent who could thrive on a contending team where he could find open looks, and his suitors should be desperate for his services.
The Thrice is Right?
With a second-half push and so many injured candidates around him, Giannis Antetokounmpo could be on his way to his third straight MVP trophy of his career (via USA Today).
The MVP race has been a wild conversation in 2021 considering so many injuries to elite talent, as well as some big-time storylines revolving around star players, which should make for a very exciting finish to the season. With that said, following a tough week of major injuries to some of the top players in the NBA, we break down the top five candidates for Most Valuable Player right now:
1. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lillard’s greatness has long been overshadowed by the small market he plays in and by the conference that he shares with Stephen Curry, but there is no doubt he is on pace to become one of the greatest guards to ever play. With that said, this season has not been any different than his past few, casually putting up 30.3 points per game with 7.6 assists for Portland. But the recognition has to be thrown in his favor at least once with his absurd clip of health and production every single year, and he is making a legit case as one of the top three players in the sport right now. Dame is the single best 4th quarter player in basketball, and the fact that he has a good-not-great Trail Blazers team in the middle of a crowded Western Conference speaks to his production every night. If he stays healthy and continues his current pace, he is due to take home his first ever MVP award.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The race to take home the title for Most Valuable Players is obviously a storyline award, which hurts Antetokounmpo’s chances as he tries to take home his third MVP award in a row. But even though he might not be the popular pick this spring, the Greek Freak is playing absurd basketball once again. Giannis once again has the Bucks near the top of the East with a 27-14 record (good for third place right now) on 29.0 points per game and 11.7 rebounds, and although his stats do not appear to show massive improvement, the uber athletic forward has had to carry the often-injured Bucks a lot this season. People tend to nit-pick Giannis for his flaws at any opportunity, but let’s be very clear: this has been one of the top three basketball players in the world for several years now.
3. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Our preseason pick for league MVP, Jokić has once again dominated in 2021 for the Denver Nuggets. Although the team has dealt with some cold stretches in terms of wins and losses this season, the Serbian center has played flawlessly on a nightly basis for one of the true contenders in the Western Conference. Averaging a near triple-double with 27.1 points per game, 8.6 assists per game, and 11.2 rebounds per game, Jokić is the true centerpiece of Denver’s offense and has shown to have the potential to react to how defenses may be playing him with his wide array of offensive weapons. He has also proven to be a consistent shooter from deep (42.5%) and at the line (86.6%), and although he can be a bit passive at times, his vision makes him a rare talent. It would not be a surprise to see Jokić rise even higher on these rankings if the Nuggets can rise in the standings, which speaks to the talent of the best overall big man in basketball.
4. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
He is the best shooter of all-time and one of the most likable players of his generation, so who is to say that Curry couldn’t win his third MVP of his career? It is true that Curry is dealing with a lingering lower body injury that could keep him out of the lineup for a little bit, but if he can return to play and guide a battered Golden State team to the playoffs, he will automatically have his name in the hat of top MVP contenders. The Warriors have had their fair share of issues so far in 2021, but Curry has not been one of them. At 29.0 points per game on 47.5% shooting from the field, the shifty point guard has reminded fans around the league that he is still just as good as he has ever been. Golden State needs Curry back in the lineup as soon as possible, and he has a real chance at some second-half magic that could take him to the top spot in the MVP race.
5. Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
Turning around another organization in a matter of just a few months? That is exactly what has happened with Chris Paul and his new team once again, as the Suns rank second (yes, second) in the loaded Western Conference up to this point in the season. CP3 has done his thing alongside his new running mates in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, and although his stats may not be near his peak during his time with the Clippers and Rockets, he is still averaging 15.9 points per game and 8.8 assists per game. Paul is still one of the premier court generals in all of basketball, and if the Suns were to suddenly rise to first in the West, why wouldn’t he be considered a real threat for the award? Chris Paul defines value to his team, and it is a shock to see him still dominating at such a high level in the latter stages of his career.
Honorable Mentions
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Had LeBron not been forced to sit due to a painful high-ankle sprain, he would have probably sat within the top three of the MVP race. James has been just as good as ever for the Lakers, especially with Anthony Davis forced to miss time, but it appears he won’t be back on the court until at least April. LeBron has bigger goals in mind this season, and the Lakers will surely prioritize health over a case for MVP.
James Harden, Brooklyn Nets
Harden has been a true wizard during his time with the Nets at 24.8 points per game and 10.4 assists per game, but the problem with his MVP case is simple: the messy ending to his Houston career will tarnish his chances at the award. He has produced an excellent season, but off-the-court drama that led him to Brooklyn will linger in the minds of voters.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Before being wiped out with a knee injury, Embiid topped these rankings and looked like the clear favorite. But missing extended time could really cost him time despite the 76ers’ unbelievable pace in the East, and overcoming another pending knee injury could be a tall task for the veteran center when he returns to the court.
Bruised ‘Bron and the Lakers’ Future Outlook
James will be forced to miss an extended period of time after suffering a nasty high-ankle sprain in a Lakers’ home loss to the Atlanta Hawks (via USA Today).
The Lakers’ worst nightmare finally came true this week: LeBron James suffered an ankle injury that will sideline him, and already-injured Anthony Davis, from the court for about a month.
James, as he usually has been over the course of his career, has proven to be the best player in basketball when healthy this season, and although he remains one of the most durable players in sports history, any serious ankle injury is a bit of a concern. However, this instance could be a blessing in disguise for Laker fans.
Just like how Anthony Davis was clearly not himself at the beginning of the season when in the starting lineup for the Lakers and could benefit from the time off to heal his lingering calf injury, some extended time off of the court for LeBron could prove to be key in the playoffs. It does hurt that Laker fans may not be able to see King James capture a MVP trophy this season as a member of the Purple and Gold, but the organization surely has bigger things in mind this season as they hunt for back-to-back world championships.
So what will the Lakers do until their dynamic duo returns to the court? Well, likely nothing. Los Angeles could attempt to go and trade for a third superstar to carry them for the rest of the regular season, but the smarter play appears to be riding with a group that has some playoff experience already under their belts or acquiring a score-first veteran who can give them an offensive punch. The two Lakers who will have the biggest roles in their absence will be Kyle Kuzma (producing a career year in nearly every department outside of scoring) and Dennis Schröder, as they will also be called upon when the playoffs come around to score alongside James and AD. Other than those two, head coach Frank Vogel can get a closer look at who he expects to be in their rotation when the postseason comes around, which puts increased emphasis on players such as Talen Horton-Tucker, Alex Caruso, and Montrezl Harrell.
It seems like it is time to hit the panic button in LA following James’ ankle injury, but patience is the key for Laker fans. This team is as talented as any group in the Western Conference, and even if the Lakers sink a bit in the standings to the point where they have to participate in a play-in game or match up with a top-seeded favorite like the Utah Jazz or Phoenix Suns in the first round, they will be favored in nearly every game as long as their duo is healthy. And for as long as their duo is healthy, maybe a potential eighteenth title in franchise history awaits in the summer.