SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #12 Dallas Mavericks

SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #12 Dallas Mavericks

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by | Jul 18, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

After looking at the middle of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, today we shift to look at the middle of the Western conference to the 7th place Dallas Mavericks. A team headlined by the superstars of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis has a chance to really make some noise in the bubble. The middle of the Western Conference that includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Houston Rockets, at the 5 and 6 seeds also have reached 40 wins this year. The Mavericks at 40-27 are 3 games behind the 5/6 seed and have a legitimate chance at competing for that 5 seed if they show that they are the best of those three teams when the season resumes in a mere 12 days. The Mavs will need to step up and finish out the rest of the regular season getting considerably more production from their guys off the bench and by their best players acting accordingly. For Dallas to be competitive going into the playoffs they will have to finish the regular season as at least over .500 in the last 8 games and show more proof that they can be a real contender in the western conference playoff picture.

 

Dallas’ Season In Review (40-27, 7th In West)

 

It’s no secret this team will go as far as their 20-year-old European star will take them. Luka is averaging 28.7 points, 8.8 assists, and 9.5 rebounds a game this year. His stats suggest he is one of the leagues best point guards and that he’s not only capable of putting up big numbers scoring every night but, also in setting the table for his teammates. The dynamic young stud was coming off some really impressive scoring performances before the season was suspended. Luka had 36, 38, 38, and 28 points in the team’s last 4 games before the seasons halt. He can really fill it up but the most impressive part of his game isn’t just his ability to score or how easily he makes it seem to get a triple-double. With Doncic at the point, the Dallas Mavericks have posted the best offensive efficiency in NBA history this year. Yes even better than the 73-9 Warriors or the ’96-97 Bulls, this team has had a swagger on the offensive end of the ball this year that is unmatched. The Mav’s offensive weapons complement each other well and it helps that they have the swiss army knife that is Doncic, which can help in whatever way the team needs.

 

 

Porzingis has been solid this season averaging 19.2 points per game and 9.5 rebounds. He’s established his presence for his squad this season but, has yet to establish some type of dominance. He’s a 7-footer that has not been outshining opponents with his back to the basket this year. Now, this might be because the Mavs have found other ways to be the most efficient offense in the NBA but, now they will be without some of those pieces. PF/C Dwight Powell who was averaging a helpful 10.6 points and 6.5 rebounds a game this year for the Mavs suffered a season-ending Achilles injury that will keep him from the Orlando restart but he is with the team. Willey Cauley Stien, another one of the frontcourt pieces will also be out due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus (completely understandable). Cauley Stien although averaging only 7.2 points and 6 rebounds per game, is one of those players you know they didn’t sign for the regular season. Willie “Trill” was going to have more of an impact come playoffs defending the bigger lineups in the Western Conference but unfortunately, yet understandably, this will not be the case for the Mavs.

 

 

Dallas was getting some of the best production from G Tim Hardaway Jr. this year. The very capable scorer was averaging 21.5 points per game in the team’s last 10 games and my man was shooting an impressive 41%  from 3. If he can keep up his high volume yet efficient shooting to go along with the Sharpshooting that both Doncic and Seth Curry have been exhibiting this year the team might be able to still succeed without some of their key pieces. Dorian Finney-Smith is another wing that the Mavs will also look to increase production. One of the most notable parts of Finney-Smiths game is the fact that my man shoots 43.4 % on corner 3’s this year which is 5% higher than the rest of the league.

(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

For much of the season, this team has found a way to get it done offensively with a variety of different lineups. They have a lot of selfless guys and willing passers, so regardless of who they put out there they have a chance to light up opponents with their sharpshooting and you know if Luka decides he’s going for 50. But, the challenge for Coach Rick Carlisle’s squad is not offensively really but on defensively. Even if the Mavs are able to pick up right where they left off offensively and score the ball like crazy they are going to have to find a way to stop opposing bigs with a limited frontcourt and in transition.

 

Looking Into the Bubble:

When you look at the Mavericks projected starting 5 of Luka Doncic, Seth Curry, Tim Hardaway Jr, Dorian Finney Smith, and Kristaps Porzingas, the first question is who is going to guard opposing power forwards? But, when you look in-depth guys on their roster Like Dorian Finney-Smith, Justin Jackson and Delon Wright have actually made it tough for bigger guards and forwards when called upon to guard them this season. Finney Smith has actually held opposing power forwards to shooting about 30% from three this year (which ranks best of the players on this roster capable of guarding the 4). It’s also important to note that this team does have the support of Boban Bagdonavic off the bench when this team does face true centers in the west so Porzigas can go back to guarding the power forward which he’s guarded more this season.

Although this team will definitely have to step it up on defense I don’t believe that they will ever be able to rely on their defense to win games. This team is explosive on the offensive end, they score in bunches the way they win games is by capitalizing off the droughts of their opponents and exploiting mismatches and hot hands. This will be more of the same in the bubble where they will have to set the tone offensively so that they can cover up for their voids on defense. Unlike most of the teams in the league, the Mavs want to get into high scoring games with opponents because they have many guys capable of putting up big numbers or getting hot on offense, they will have to rely heavily upon that in Orlando.

 

 

The Dallas Mavericks take on the Houston Rockets on July 31st and although it will be the first game of the restart this game carries more weight than advertised to me because this game is between two teams witch the same amount of wins fighting for essentially the 5th seed in the West. Both teams will be playing relatively small and adjusted lineups but I believe the winner of this game will have a major momentum boost to finish out the remainder of the regular season. This momentum boost could mean a lot depending on how the western conference does pan out for the playoffs so if the mavericks can get clicking offensively before the Rockets or Thunder, watch out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jul 18, 2020 No Comments
SR-NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #13 Indiana Pacers

SR-NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #13 Indiana Pacers

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by | Jul 18, 2020 | Featured, NBA, uncategorised

 

Today we look at a fascinating Indiana Pacers squad that has one of the most unique situation as play returns. A team that had players have to step up this year has put themself in a decent playoff spot. The status of G Victor Oladipo is a situation that could have a huge impact on the Pacers, especially in the playoffs. Oladipo initially reported he would not be playing in the NBA’s return due to concerns over the quadricep tendon he ruptured a season ago. Oladipo only has played in the past 13 games of the Pacers season before the season’s suspension. The Pacers currently are in a tie for 5th place in the Eastern Conference with the Philadephia 76ers. With only 8 games left the Indiana Pacers will need to look to do a lot of things they have done all year long, just at an accelerated rate. Indiana will look to their major rotation guys to produce more and their deep bench to continue to find a way to ultimately just help this team win as many games as possible.

Indiana’s Season In Review (39-26, 5th In East)

 

The Starters for Indiana have been good but will really need to step up for this team to not only in their fight to hold the 5th seed in the East but come the first round of the playoffs. The Backcourt of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis has been one of the few places this roster has found a constant this year. Sabonis is a walking double averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds a game and Turner pitches in an additional 13 points and 7 rebounds per game. They are leaders in the backcourt by G Malcolm Brogdon who was averaging 16.2 points 7 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game this season. He has been supported by the play of both TJ Warren who was averaging 20.5 points per contest as well as Jeremy Lamb who contributed 14.4.

The Pacers were a team that was only going to get better as this season went on. Largely due to the absence of Victor Oladipo and that he would only return after the midway point of this season due to his season-ending injury from a year ago. The Pacers competed at a high-level none the less, this year even without him. Winning 26 games, only a game shy of the 27 they won in 2019 when they had Oladipo the year before, the Pacers got production from their deep into their bench. Of the 9 players in this team’s rotation, they combine for 38 missed games in just the first half of the season. The Pacers have had some refreshing players step up in the wake of the injury problems they have had this year. Players such as JaKarr Sampson and Edmond Sumner have been just a few of the guys that have been able to help step up for the Pacer second unit. Sampson has been a pleasant surprise for this team, averging a team-high in field goal percentage and providing strong interior defense in 13 games played. Goga Bitadze, T.J. Leaf, and Naz Mitrou-Long are among some of the others that have also definitely helped this Indiana second unit reach as many wins as they have.

 

 

 

Pacer’s head Coach Nate McMillan has done a great job of playing different rotations all year long for this team to be in a position to win games. He’s found success with whoamever was available but when Oladipo returned it seemed hopeful he would finally be able to find some stability with the roster this year.

Now they are faced with the same type of problems with the teams rotation they have faced all year long with Oladipos status still up in the air. In recent days it has seemed more probable that Oladipo will return in Orlando but the rest of the roster has to improve regardless if they hope to win their first-round playoff series.

 

Looking into the Bubble:

Hopefully, even with Victor Oladipo, the guys on this roster that will really need to step up are in the backcourt with Brogdon and Lamb. We’ve seen that TJ Warren can successfully create his own shot and get a bucket this year but come playoffs some of these guys are going to have to be able to do the same. It looked hopeful that Oladip was going to come back to fill that void. He was averaging 15 points per game in his 13 games back from injury. He was feeling better physically and it showed statistically as he scored a season-high 27 in the game right before the season was suspended. Brogdon and Lamb specifically need t step up because they are guard who finally possesses the ability they just have not consistently demonstrated it in terms of really scoring the ball this year. If they can find more consistency scoring from this part of the lineup to help the team along with some solid shooting from Doug Mcdermott, and Just and Aaron Holiday off the bench then the team will have the offensive weapons to compete with a first-round playoff series.

 

 

The Pacers have the 4th easiest schedule coming back to play but that doesn’t mean too much. They are still technically tied with the 76ers who have underperformed this year and are getting a healthy Ben Simmons after having time to heal a back injury. Pacers have a chance to be competitive in the playoffs depending where they do finish out in the eastern conference standings they will need a favorable matchup, lots of their roster to step up and a little bit of luck to get beyond the first round of the playoff this year.

Jul 18, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #14 Memphis Grizzlies

SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #14 Memphis Grizzlies

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by | Jul 17, 2020 | Featured, NBA, uncategorised

 

Another day closer to the return to the NBA means yet another team on our NBA Bubble Breakdown. The return of the NBA is now exactly two weeks away. As the #14 team on our breakdown the Memphis Grizzlies have control of the valued 8th seed in the Western Conference.

Memphis has had quite the season, with the year being centered around the young and talented Ja Morant and getting him comfortable playing in the NBA and seeing how he and teammate Jaren Jackson mesh as the future core of this Memphis team. Few would have predicted that this team would be in control of the 8th seed in the Western Conference over a more veteran team in the Portland Trailblazers and arguably deeper roster in the New Orleans Pelicans. Both Blazers and Pelicans are 3 and 4 games behind the Grizzlies, respectfully. However, with a more limited number of games to finish off the regular season in the Orlando bubble the Grizzlies have a much better shot just keeping that 8 seed and looking to a first-round playoff match with the LA Lakers.

 

 

Memphis Season in Review (32-33, 8th in the west)

Memphis has come a long way since the Grit and Grind era. With a phenom in Ja Morant and lots of young talent around them, I’m not sure anyone expected this team to be this good this quickly. It’s no doubt Ja Morant has had an exceptional transition to the NBA. Morant, who in his rookie season is averaging 17.6 points per game and about 7 assists per contest, has led his team with tons of highlight plays this year yet he’s also leading with such solid and efficient play. At the beginning of the 2019-2020 NBA season, it was a bit far-fetched to think that the Grizzlies would hold a playoff spot over the Portland Trailblazers who reached the western conference finals just last year. This is credited to guys like Dillon Brooks who quietly averages a very effective 15.7 points per game and is shooting 37% from beyond the arc. It’s important to also consider the consistency this team has been able to get out of their center Jonas Valanciunas who also in contributing a solid 15 points per game but more importantly has been very effective in ball screen citations with Ja Morant. Another player on this roster who has had an impact this year off the bench for the Grizzlies is Brandon Clarke. Clarke who averages 12 points and about 6 rebounds in his 21 minutes a game off the bench has been a very important piece for them. He can defend at every position for the most part which must make it easy for coach Taylor Jenkins to keep him in games late down the stretch. He’s just a very high motor guy and you can see the level of intensity he brings on defense for this squad as well as another level of offensive tenacity fighting for rebounds and catching lobs.

 

 

 

Looking into the Bubble:

To finish out the regular season Memphis will take on Portland, San Antonio, New Orleans, Utah, and OKC in their first 5 games. They have the 5th most difficult schedule of any NBA restart. It will be fun to see if they can hold on to the 8 seed or if they will end up in a play in with the rest of the teams competing for the 8 seed since the NBA has the new playoff format for the bubble where there will essentially be a play in for the last playoff spot. If it does end up going to a four-team play in for the 8 seed meaning all the teams finished out the season at least all within a game of each other it is the most experienced team, Portland will be the favorite in that to get the 8 seed. With this being said, if Memphis wins at least 6 of their remaining regular-season games they have a great chance of keeping that 8 seed and taking on the Lakers without any type of play in. The combination of teams fighting for the spot from the Grizzlies is going to be determined so it will be all more important for them to finish out strong so that they leave less of their playoff hopes up to chance.

 

 

The rest will serve the Grizzlies well. Although very young, when the season was suspended earlier this year the grizzlies were 4-6 in their last 10 games and were just banged up. Lots of nagging injuries were starting to catch up to the young roster after playing one of the toughest schedules in the first half of the 2019-2020 season. The rest will help their young core get back to being able to perform at their highest level. They will be very interesting to watch in the bubble because in having so many games in so many days teams with younger rosters are going to have even more value. Memphis just needs to get back in their rhythm as quickly as possible because their chance at the playoffs this year has largely to do with if they will be able to get back to winning quicker than the other 4 teams in the hunt. They seem poised to do so, and so long as they can be solid defensively and get production out of their top offensive guys like Ja and Jaren and hoping teams like the Pelicans or Trailblazers don’t get hotter than them they would have the same control over the 8 seed when playoffs come around.

 

 

Jul 17, 2020 No Comments
Lakers G Rajon Rondo Out 6 – 8 Weeks Fractured Right Thumb

Lakers G Rajon Rondo Out 6 – 8 Weeks Fractured Right Thumb

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by | Jul 14, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

Sunday evening Laker Guard Rajon Rondo suffered a broken right thumb. Rondo is set to have surgery sometime later this week but is expected to be back to return to basketball activities in six to eight weeks.

Rondo has had a history of hand injuries in the past missing time for the Lakeshow back during the 2018-19 season. Rondo underwent separate surgeries to repair a fractured third metacarpal in his right hand and a torn ligament in his right ring finger. 

The absence of Rajon Rondo will have an interesting impact on the Lakers. Rondo’s absence means new additions and other reserves will inevitably get more minutes. Rondo is averaging 7 points per game and 5 assists while playing an average of 20 mins per game this season for the Lakers.  

The Lakers will now be looking more to the reserves of Alex Caruso, Quinn Cook, J.R Smith, and Dion Waiters to bring production to the Laker second unit. All Laker guards are capable of producing on the offensive end but in a different way from what Rondo brings as a playmaker and leader. Offensively the Lakers reserves are still capable of keeping this team at the top of the western conference heading into the playoffs. With new additions such as Dion Waiters and J.R Smith who do not have much experience playing with the current roster, it might benefit them to have more time to get comfortable in the Lakers offense. 

The Lakers who are already in Orlando without their best on-ball perimeter defender in Avery Bradley now will not have Rajon Rondo for six to eight weeks. The Lakers may struggle defensively without Rajon Rondo not only will they be missing another solid on-ball defender but he is also a veteran who they signed to be around come playoff time to help the team down the stretch. Based on the timeline, Rondo should be able to return to action sometime during the playoffs, assuming the Lakers continue to advance.  

  

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

 

Jul 14, 2020 No Comments