Second Half NBA Preview

By Peyton Schultze

Few teams have been more of a surprise this season than the Cavs as led by Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley (via Fear the Sword).

It has been a strange regular season in the NBA so far, especially with early title favorites falling apart at the seams and with potential lottery teams surging toward playoff berths. After all, who could have expected the Lakers and Nets to be fighting for a playoff spot, but the Cavaliers and Bulls asserting themselves as potential contenders this season?

This 75th anniversary season has been anything except expected so far, which could make for a very good second half as football season has passed and all attention is turned toward NBA basketball. With that said, many questions still remain. Will the Lakers push through their immense troubles and reach the playoffs? Will James Harden and Joel Embiid click in Philly? Are the Suns or Warriors the heavyweight that will come out of the West? Can the Bulls or Heat soar past early favorites such as the Nets in the East? And can the Bucks make it back-to-back titles to seal their legacy as a dynasty?

We try to answer some of those questions and more in our official second half preview of the NBA season, featuring an increased emphasis on the Lakers and our predictions for the rest of the year.

Lakers’ Second Half Outlook

If the Lakers want to eventually reach their distant playoff hopes, they’ll need all hands on deck for the second half of the season (via Los Angeles Times).

It has obviously been nothing more than a disaster so far this season for the 27-31 Los Angeles Lakers, but hope still remains for a playoff berth with the play-in format returning for another season. 24 games remain in the regular season, and if the Lakers want any chance of not only surging to the #7 or #8 spot in the West but also being able to have enough confidence to survive the play-in format, they’ll probably need to go 14-10 in their last stretch of games to get back to .500 as the season comes to an end.

Yet the Lakers will likely be without power forward Anthony Davis for most of the remaining games in the regular season, forcing a ton of pressure back onto the shoulders of Russell Westbrook and LeBron James. The King will likely continue to run up the box score each and every night as long as he stays healthy, but all eyes will be on Westbrook to see if he can turn things around in his Purple and Gold tenure. One of the Lakers’ biggest focuses for this second half will be to get out in transition and cater to Westbrook’s greatest strength: pushing the basketball down the court. Running up and down the court could not only help the former UCLA guard gain some of his lost confidence back, but also help Frank Vogel turn toward a younger and more athletic lineup to counter the loss of Davis’ size inside.

With AD out, the Lakers can expect more minutes from players such as Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Stanley Johnson, and Austin Reaves. Monk has been one of the few bright spots of the season for the Lakers, but THT, Johnson, and Reaves will be forced into unexpected roles that will have them as major centerpieces in the rotation. However, these three help compliment that fast pace-of-play alluded to with Westbrook, and could actually help the Lakers find some confidence on offense in the short-term. Veterans Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony will also continue to see their fair share of minutes in the second half, and do not be surprised if Vogel turns toward Trevor Ariza and Wayne Ellington for extended minutes for stretches in the next few weeks.

However, even if the Lakers surge on the offensive end as led by a dominant James and a much-improved Westbrook, defense will be their key to success in the second half of the year. Long gone are the days of long and athletic size in the Los Angeles interior, which may force Vogel’s hand toward turning to a smaller lineup with Johnson and James taking over at the 5 for minutes at a time. This lineup has been met with mixed reviews over the course of the season, but with Davis’ athleticism now off-the-court and leaving a hole in the middle of the Lakers’ defense, the Lakers may have to get creative in their defensive attack. Yet if the Lakers don’t adapt and continue to get punished on the glass and on the perimeter on defense, this Laker team will surely be an early exit in the play-in games, or worse.

The Lakers’ immediate short-term future could be determined by these final two months. Will Westbrook save the day and inspire the Lakers’ front office to keep him around for another year? Can the Lakers get some major production from some unexpected role players? Will Vogel do enough to keep his job for next season? Or will Los Angeles crumble and eventually shut down James to keep his body healthy, essentially waving the white flag on the season and looking toward a murky offseason with some unsettling answers? These next few weeks appear very uncertain on the horizon, and it will be very interesting to see how the Purple and Gold respond to the overwhelming adversity on their plate.

Has the Time Come for a Potential James Trade?

LeBron’s Laker stint has been a roller coaster, but a championship that has been signed, sealed, and delivered might make their transition away from him a much-easier process (via AS.com English).

Amid reported tension between general manager Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ front office, and the camp backed by LeBron James, the rumor mill has once again swirled up ideas for a potential mega-trade in the coming offseason. With the Lakers’ championship window all but closed now that Anthony Davis has continued to deal with injury after injury and the Russell Westbrook experience has been nothing short of a failure so far, Los Angeles may feel like they have to change things up in a big way before it’s too late.

Of course, trading one of the game’s greatest players seems unlikely at best, especially considering the weight that the “LeBron James” name carries within Los Angeles to go along with a no-trade clause still in place. In addition, despite departing Cleveland twice and Miami once, LeBron has actually played out each of his invested contracts over the course of his career. But in the twilight of his polished career with time creeping up on his worn-down frame, urgency may be created for LeBron to move toward a potential destination that gives him another chance to win a final championship to officially seal his basketball journey. The potential destinations are very limited considering market size, team success, the package that the Lakers could receive in return, and the fact that the trade deadline has passed, but several teams stand out and present a unique opportunity that would benefit both James and the Laker organization:

Golden State Warriors: James’ longtime rival during his second stint in Cleveland, Golden State offers LeBron the best chance to win another title. The potential pairing of James-Curry-Thompson-Green would instantly make the Warriors the top team in basketball once again, while the Lakers may be able to receive a very exciting and young package centered around a sign-and-trade involving Jordan Poole and James Wiseman. This could be a real possibility considering the rumors surrounding Curry and James in recent years, but still may be just a little too good to be true right now considering the Warriors’ successful run in the current season.

Atlanta Hawks: Flashing an ability to make a deep playoff run last season, the Hawks give James a chance to return back to Eastern Conference dominance in a potential pairing with Trae Young. In addition, with John Collins and Kevin Huerter trade rumors once again swirling around the deadline this season, the Hawks are certainly willing to wheel and deal when they’re finally given the right opportunity. A dark horse team, James would immediately make the Hawks the odds-on favorites in the East next season if this situation were to develop.

Los Angeles Clippers: Would the Lakers dare move LeBron to their cross-town rival? It is very unlikely, but if LeBron is adamant about staying in Los Angeles and the Lakers want to receive a potential star in return, the Clippers may be the best option on the market. Paul George has long been rumored as a potential suitor for the Lakers, and while his Clipper tenure has been rather successful considering his excellent playoff run last season, the Clippers would jump at a chance to pair James with a returning Kawhi Leonard.

New York Knicks: It has always been the Knicks’ greatest dream to have James play inside of Madison Square Garden for a season, and this offseason may give them the best chance they’ve ever had. The Knicks have some major roster concerns of their own and will not be in title contention with or without James on the floor alone, but an aging LeBron would instantly make the Knicks the talk of New York City and bring a new type of energy to the Garden for the first time in years. The Lakers would need an impressive three-team deal to make this happen, but don’t be shocked if this develops into a rumor within the next few months.

Miami Heat: The Cavaliers may be the rumored former team getting the attention for sentimental reasons, but they are unlikely to trade away any of their emerging, young stars for a third stint with The King. Instead, the Heat are the destination LeBron could return to that would give him another chance at a fifth ring, especially with a win-now roster featuring talents such as Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and Bam Adebayo. On top of that, with young players such as Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson likely available at the right cost, the Heat have a package in place to offer to Los Angeles. Any trade for James seems to have a shadow of denial hanging over it right now, but the Heat might have enough in place to make the Lakers finally bite in the offseason.

Western Conference Second Half Predictions

Point guard supremacy could be a major factor in the second half of the season in the West, especially with top players like Steph Curry and Ja Morant continuing to lead their teams to immense success (via Bleacher Report).

Western Conference Playoff Picture

#1 Phoenix Suns (63-19)

#2 Golden State Warriors (57-25)

#3 Memphis Grizzlies (55-27)

#4 Denver Nuggets (52-30)

#5 Dallas Mavericks (50-32)

#6 Utah Jazz (49-33)

#7 Minnesota Timberwolves (44-38)

#8 Los Angeles Clippers (43-39)

#9 Los Angeles Lakers (41-41)

#10 San Antonio Spurs (37-45)

Play-In Games

#8 Los Angeles C. over #7 Minnesota

#9 Los Angeles L. over #10 San Antonio

#9 Los Angeles L. over #7 Minnesota

First Round

#1 Phoenix over #9 Los Angeles L. (4 Games)

#2 Golden State over #8 Los Angeles C. (6 Games)

#3 Memphis over #6 Utah (7 Games)

#4 Denver over #5 Dallas (7 Games)

Second Round

#1 Phoenix over #4 Denver (7 Games)

#2 Golden State over #3 Memphis (5 Games)

Western Conference Finals

#2 Golden State over #1 Phoenix (7 Games)

Eastern Conference Second Half Predictions

Even in a wide-open Eastern Conference, Giannis and the Bucks remain title favorites again over teams such as the Nets, Bulls, and Heat (via Brew Hoop).

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

#1 Miami Heat (55-27)

#2 Milwaukee Bucks (53-29)

#3 Chicago Bulls (52-30)

#4 Philadelphia 76ers (50-32)

#5 Cleveland Cavaliers (49-33)

#6 Boston Celtics (47-35)

#7 Brooklyn Nets (45-37)

#8 Toronto Raptors (43-39)

#9 Atlanta Hawks (42-40)

#10 Charlotte Hornets (40-42)

Play-In Games

#7 Brooklyn over #8 Toronto

#9 Atlanta over #10 Charlotte

#9 Atlanta over #8 Toronto

First Round

#1 Miami over #9 Atlanta (4 Games)

#2 Milwaukee over #7 Brooklyn (6 Games)

#3 Chicago over #6 Boston (6 Games)

#4 Philadelphia over #5 Cleveland (5 Games)

Second Round

#4 Philadelphia over #1 Miami (7 Games)

#2 Milwaukee over #3 Chicago (6 Games)

Eastern Conference Finals

#2 Milwaukee over #4 Philadelphia (6 Games)

NBA Finals

#2 Milwaukee over #2 Golden State (6 Games)

MVP Thoughts

With dominant play at the center position, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are turning heads at the top of the MVP race (via USA Today).

It has certainly been a strange NBA season with so few teams really impressing along the way, but several players have taken their game to the next level with some truly impressive play. Although many players are deserving of the recognition, we look at the top 5 MVP candidates as the regular season comes to an end:

1. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

29.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.4 BPG

This year’s centerpiece of the big-man revolution comes from Philadelphia, as Joel Embiid has been able to stay healthy and lead the league in scoring with 29.6 points per game. Hustling on both sides of the floor and providing nightly double-doubles, Embiid has taken his game to the next level as the 76ers will enter this year’s postseason with hopes of a long-awaited title. And throw in this fact: Embiid’s numbers might be even better with shooting guard James Harden on board for the second half of the season. It’s been a spectacular year for the dominant center, and one that may end with him finally being awarded with his first MVP trophy.

2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

26.0 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 7.9 APG, 1.4 SPG

A true unicorn of the modern NBA, Jokic has followed up last year’s MVP campaign with another insane season. Denver has been without their #2 and #3 options for nearly the entire season, applying pressure on the versatile big man to carry the Nuggets each and every night in basically every statistical category to stay afloat in the West. Many doubted if Jokic was really capable of being regarded as a top-five player despite his MVP award last season; this year has proved that he’s a generational player that thrives with his back against the wall and when his team needs him most each and every night.

3. DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls

28.1 PPG, 5.1 APG, 5.2 RPG, 51.7 FG%

The shocker of the 2021-2022 season, DeMar DeRozan has led a basketball resurgence in Chicago after one of the most underrated signings of the offseason. Pairing the mid-range killing shooting guard next to Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls have taken a gigantic leap forward in the Eastern Conference this season and belong right next to fellow title favorites such as Miami and Milwaukee. But none of their success would be without the insane play from DeRozan, who has some signature moments this season to build upon his MVP campaign. It would be a rise to the top for the ages from DeRozan, who has brought hope to Bulls’ fans once again as they look to make a charge back toward playoff success.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

29.4 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 BPG, 54.7 FG%

Nothing more than award fatigue will keep the Greek Freak out of the MVP conversation this season, especially after taking home the award in two of the past three years and then leading the Bucks to a championship last season. Giannis also may officially have taken over the award as the game’s top overall player over names such as Kevin Durant and LeBron James, leading the Bucks to another championship caliber run in this wacky regular season. He’s a player unlike any other, and his name belongs among the league’s all-time greats right now.

5. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

26.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, 5.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG

The breakout star of the 2021-2022 regular season, Morant has blossomed into one of the game’s top human highlight reels. With dribbles and dunks galore, the third-year superstar point guard has transformed Memphis into a title contender and kept them near the top of the Western Conference with mainstays such as Golden State and Phoenix. The Grizzlies would probably have to rise to the top of the West for Ja to walk home with the award, but there is no doubt that one of the NBA’s most exciting players has officially arrived.