SR – NBA 2020-21 Division Preview: The Pacific

by Marcus Van Diver | Dec 17, 2020 | Featured, NBA

A new NBA season is upon us, now a full six-going-on-five days away from next Tuesday’s tip-off. And to commemorate the ringing-in of the new year, we’re doing things a little different than previous years in giving you, the reader, full and extensive team breakdowns. In a succinct manner, we’ll take a look at where each team in each division will fare in the coming 6-8 days leading up to the adjusted NBA season. We’ll let you know what records each team in all six divisions will finish with, their playoff positioning (or lack thereof) as well as what’s to be admired as a strength, or what’s to be monitored as a weakness heading into the 2020-21 campaign.

Today’s division: the Pacific.

This might be the most unpredictable division in all of basketball this year. In a shortened season, it’s a matter of who gets hot and who stays on until May when the playoffs begin. 72 games for five of the most dominant teams in the West only means a dogfight will ensue, and as it pertains to the likes of the reigning champ Los Angeles Lakers, the fight to keep the rest of the division below them became that harder in one offseason.

Aside from LeBron and Anthony Davis, this Lakers team improved marginally, but significantly, landing Montrezl Harrell in free agency and Dennis Schroeder in trade talks. Harrell, the former Clipper and 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year will now be dressing in Purple and Gold for a franchise fresh off of their 17th title. There aren’t many weaknesses to attribute to this championship team, and as they danced in team-colored confetti in the Orlando bubble after vanquishing the rival Miami Heat in six games in the NBA Finals back in October, the champs transformed, shedding contracts belonging to Danny Green, JaVale McGee, and Rajon Rondo and got better – not exactly something championship-winning teams do in their subsequent offseason.

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1. Los Angeles Lakers (Finished Last Season 52-19, 1st Seed in Western Conference)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Dennis Schroder, PG (trade)
Montrezl Harrell, PF (free agency)
Marc Gasol, C (free agency)
Wesley Matthews, SG (free agency)

Key Losses:

Dwight Howard, C (free agency)
Rajon Rondo, PG (free agency)
Avery Bradley, PG (free agency)
JaVale McGee, C (free agency)
Danny Green, SG (trade with Oklahoma City)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Dennis Schroder, Alex Caruso, LeBron James
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Wesley Matthews
SF: LeBron James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Alfonzo McKinnie
PF: Markieff Morris, Montrezl Harrell, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma
C: Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell, Markieff Morris

Strengths:

Year two of the LBJ – AD Dynamic Duo. As if this even needed to be added here. Davis proved that he wasn’t just some stat-padding All-Star selectee whose numbers were inflated in a small market, but a big-time player who could handle his own in much more populated and media-saturated Tinseltown next to quite arguably the greatest player to ever lace up a pair of basketball shoes. And 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks in just the regular season is pretty good, I’ll say. King James claimed the “Washed King” moniker but looked anything but last season, accumulating the second-highest amount of Trip-dubs behind Luka Doncic and the title of assist leader in an MVP-competing season at age 35. Year 18 for the now four-time NBA Champion and four-time Finals MVP, as well as the Brow in his second year in Laker purple and gold, should entail more of the same.

Rob Pelinka’s addressing of outside shooting in the offseason. Again, it’s rather a rarity for championship teams to flex their title-wielding muscle in the face of 29 other teams in one offseason, but that’s just what GM Rob Pelinka did. he treated this offseason of resting on Laker laurels as if his team was one in flux, concisely and deliberately approaching the offseason to address the most fervent of needs that could make an already-contending powerhouse into an untouchable shoo-in. Getting Montrezl Harrell as an energetic spark-plug off the bench was a positive, sure, as the big has an intangible skillset of muscle and dancer-like footwork on the block. But it’s the upgrade at the second unit guard spot from tempo controlling but inconsistent scorer Rajon Rondo (7.1 points off 42 percent shooting) to Dennis Schroder, a quick, creative guard who does both managing and scoring (18.9 points off 46 percent shooting) as if they were second nature. Additionally, the addition of ex-Buck Wesley Mathews, a prominent 3-and-D wing, is the perfect replacement for the departed Danny Green, who at times during the postseason, was wildly inefficient from downtown.

Weaknesses:

With Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee gone, where will the interior presence come from? The Lakers swooped in at the last minute to grab Marc Gasol from the Raptors, who many people speculated was going to take his talents back home in Barcelona, Spain to retire internationally. And while the pickup adds some floor-stretching with Gasol being an adept scorer from the mid-range and beyond the three-point line as an equally-gifted facilitator at the five, he’s getting up there in age and could struggle in the up-tempo pace Frank Vogel wants his guys to push the rock or get back in transition. Consider this slight nitpicking, with LeBron and AD already being a nightmare to get shots up from around two-five feet in the halfcourt, but still, the Lakers let two solid defenders in JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard go in the offseason, so it could be something to look out for.

Kyle Kuzma, A Liability? Kyle Kuzma’s regression is probably a cause of limited touches with LeBron and AD coming to town, but it’s become more than something to monitor. As one of the longer-tenured Lakers, it’s safe to say the undrafted Utah Ute has vastly underperformed as the third most-trusted man to lead in Frank Vogel’s rotation. Another season of Kuzma being on the floor means consistently below-average scoring from downtown, iffy perimeter defense, and lost minutes if 2019 G-League standout Talen Horton-Tucker steals the show as the next man up.

Record Prediction: 54-18.

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2. Los Angeles Clippers (Finished Last Season 49-23, 2nd Seed in Western Conference)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Serge Ibaka, PF/C (free agency)
Luke Kennard, SG/SF (trade)
Nicolas Batum, G/F (free agency)
Doc Rivers, HC
Ky Bowman, PG (free agency)

Key Losses:

Montrezl Harrell, PF (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Ky Bowman
SG: Paul George, Luke Kennard, Lou Williams
SF: Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum, Luke Kennard
PF: Marcus Morris Sr., Patrick Patterson, Mfiondu Kabengele
C: Serge Ibaka, Ivica Zubac, Patrick Patterson

Strengths:

Year two of the PG-13 – Kawhi Tag Team. Despite their horrendous collapse in the bubble during the Western Conference Semifinals’s game seven in which Paul George shot an abysmal 4 of 16 from the field for 10 points with five turnovers and Leonard, uncharacteristically, scored only 14 points on 6-of-22 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers were out-coached, out-played and out-classed blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets, ultimately falling well short of their championship goals a round before even challenging their cross-hallway rival Lakers in the Conference Finals, year two will be noticeably better for the former teammates in Indiana at one point. A lack of continuity grew as a result of Kawhi and PG’s load management needs, costing former head coach Doc Rivers his job and with the recently implemented rule of teams not being allowed to have extended periods of resting players for load management purposes, chemistry in year two between the two immensely talented scorers will have the chance to finally be constructed the right way during this 72-game season.
Rim Protection and scoring pickups in the offseason. Getting Serge Ibaka to help out a team that was dangerously anemic in bigs was more than a necessity for Michael Winger, Jerry West, and Steve Ballmer this offseason. Only having Ivica Zubac was a big red flag once Montrezl Harrell decided to play for the team across the hallway in Staples Center, so it was common sense they added someone to share minutes with at the center position. Also, the addition of underrated shooter Luke Kennard from Detroit and veteran Nicolas Batum, as well as the vital re-signing of Marcus Morris this offseason, should help the second unit led by Lou Williams produce when Kawhi and Paul George sit.

Weaknesses:

Why didn’t the Clippers go after a creative guard who can make his own shot this offseason? Patrick Beverley is one of the most outspoken talents in the game, and widely galvanizes the locker room around him as their third-best on-ball defender. Problem is, he’s not the best scorer of the basketball (other than him being called upon as a spot-up shooter off the catch) and more surprisingly, the Clippers didn’t upgrade that starting position in the offseason, something required if they wanted to go down the route of taking pressure off of their main scorers in Leonard and George. They had free agents like Rajon Rondo go in their search, and turned up with virtually nothing other than Golden State’s Ky Bowman.

Can PG-13 get the playoff yips out of his system? Perhaps the most infamous of narratives following Paul George throughout his career is his inability to rise up come playoff time, and surely by this point, it’s begun to seep in mentally for the Fresno State export. In a win-now situation as the tandem of George and Leonard will hit free agency situation, it’s yet to be seen what Tyronn Lue and his coaching staff troubleshoot the plague of the George shooting slump in big games; could it be a problem of keeping George in an off-ball role, meaning that they should slide Paul George into more of an on-ball role as a creating point forward, a job he did well enough in Indiana to garner multiple All-Star visits and consistent trips to the Eastern Conference Finals?

Record Prediction: 52-20.

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3. Golden State Warriors (Finished Last Season 15-50, 15th Seed in Western Conference)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Kelly Oubre Jr., G/F (trade)
James Wiseman, C (draft)
Kent Bazemore, SG (free agency)
Brad Wanamaker, G (free agency)

Key Losses:

Klay Thompson (injury)
Ky Bowman (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Stephen Curry, Brad Wanamaker, Jordan Poole
SG: Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, Jordan Poole
SF: Kelly Oubre Jr., Kent Bazemore, Juan Toscano-Anderson
PF: Draymond Green, Eric Paschall, Kelly Oubre Jr.
C: James Wiseman, Marquese Chriss, Kevon Looney

Strengths:

Wardell Stephen Curry Jr. returns to the hardwood. The NBA is twice as fun when Steph Curry is healthy and playing professional basketball. Don’t kind yourself, regardless of the reservations anti-Warriors fans may have of the 6’3,180-lb marksman, games are more enticing when he’s actively making plays for the Warriors whether it be whizzing around screens and launching 40-footers with pinpoint accuracy, or catching opposing defenders lacking with that crisp handle of his. A broken hand at the beginning of last season kept Curry out of the rotation until March, but should he be healthy for all of this season, the Warriors will always be in the postseason loop.
Youth is ready to make a splash right away. James Wiseman was selected with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft and when he’s recovered from his bout with COVID-19, he is more than ready to contribute to a team that’s been apprehensive to pick big men in the draft ever since 2008 when they selected Andrew Bogut first overall. In fact, Golden State hadn’t emphasized the center position during their dynastic 3-ring-winning run, mainly because they never needed one good enough to command such a large role next to Steph and Klay Thompson. Yet on draft night, they took James Wiseman, who was by far the best big man prospect. He’s a dynamic big that isn’t afraid to shoot the ball from deep, but isn’t a center who’s considered franchise-changing, and won’t need to do a whole lot to impact the game for the Warriors. However, returning young talents like Eric Paschall, who posted 14 points and 4.6 rebounds on around 50 percent shooting from the floor his rookie season, will see an increased role in the wake of Klay Thompson’s season-ending Achilles injury.

Weaknesses:

Is Klay Thompson’s absence in the starting five too injurious to GSW’s Playoff hopes? Easy answer – probably not. Obviously, it’s nearly impossible to replace what Klay does for your basketball team on a nightly basis, mainly because he’s the other half of the best backcourt in the history of the game. Not to sound dramatic and say it’s like Jordan being without Pippen during the Bulls’ escapades in the 90s, but it’s around that. However, we know the Warriors will be orbiters around the postseason picture come May, but can the transition for Oubre and the slashing Andrew Wiggins be smooth in not only affirming their comfortability in Steve Kerr’s offensive and defensive gameplan but by filling in for arguably the most consistent 45/41/80 guy in the NBA, all while trying to stay afloat in the Western Conference?

What will Stephen Curry’s minutes look like? Chef Curry’s health is the key for Golden State to even remain close to the playoff picture at year’s end, and they need to hope and pray that another Aron Baynes freak injury doesn’t happen again. Because what the Warriors can’t withstand is for their other pillar in the backcourt to come crumbling down again for another year. By what it sounds like, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr don’t envision this season as a try-it-all-over-next-year thing now that they’ve been thrown for a loop during this Klay Thompson injury saga. To give you an idea of just how handicapped the Dubs are without Curry; even with him coming back in March, the Warriors finished with the worst offensive rating in the league (104.4 points per 100 possession) and a league-low -8.6 net rating in the worst year in Warriors basketball in nearly 15 years. Not having the greatest shooter and off-ball scorer in NBA history is too much of a mountain to climb, and from a minutes standpoint, that’s frightening for a team that can’t score without him and for an agile-but-aging star in Curry who has displayed playing 45+ minutes isn’t great for his health.

Record Prediction: 45-27.

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4. Phoenix Suns (Finished Last Season 34-39, 10th Seed in Western Conference)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Chris Paul, PG (trade)
Jae Crowder, PF (free agency)
Jalen Smith, C (draft)
Langston Galloway, G (free agency)
E’Twaun Moore, G (free agency)
Abdel Nader, F (trade)

Key Losses:

Aron Baynes, C (free agency)
Kelly Oubre Jr., G/F (trade)
Ricky Rubio, PG (trade)
Frank Kaminsky, C (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Chris Paul, Cameron Payne, Langston Galloway
SG: Devin Booker, E’Twaun Moore, Jevon Carter
SF: Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Abdel Nader
PF: Jae Crowder, Dario Saric, Cameron Johnson
C: Deandre Ayton, Jalen Smith, Damian Jones

Strengths:

Hello, Chris Paul. CP3 is officially one of the #ValleyBoyz and is, reasonably so, the most experienced and tenured NBA pro in that locker room. Paul, a ten-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA mainstay is joining another young and developing roster filled to the brim with potential, and a team that’s growing in talent can learn a thing or ten-thousand over his expertise of the game and what’s to come in the process of being an NBA superstar. The 35-year-old showed he has plenty in the tank to impact the game in a positive way in the same fashion during his days of running an entire team as a Hornet, Clipper, Rocket, and Thunder(er?). He’s dubbed a top-3 point guard ever by a wide majority, and his intelligence and ability to raise the ceiling of any young player he’s playing and mentoring are second-to-none, which only means great things for folk like DeAndre Ayton, the former first-overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft who’s sorely needed a separation-creating guard who runs PnR with ease. Oh yeah, and that Devin Booker kid has a 20/10 guy with him in the cockpit to take the offensive and defensive pressure off of him – something he hasn’t had in his NBA career.
Mikal Bridges might take a huge step in 2020-21. The once-a-time-ago darling at Villanova dazzled fans and opponents as part of the “Bubble Suns”, a Phoenix team that went undefeated in the Orlando bubble during the restart season and nearly became the first Suns team since 2010 to reach the playoffs, and led by D. Book who played out of his mind (31 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game!) showed Suns fans no longer what “could be” for the Suns, but what is to come in the not-too-distant future. As the starting small forward of that bubble team that’ll likely live in Sun lore, Bridges showcased that 7’1 wingspan as a prototypical 3-and-D wing that every team wants to have. Equally annoying in the passing lanes as well as on the perimeter, he’s a smothering defender and he’s quickly putting it all together as a viable piece the Suns will need if they’re to make the playoffs this year. Bridges is entering his third season in the NBA with the chance to break out. But, the Suns are littered with talent, and while Bridges may not get to shine as much offensively, he’ll be considered a definite 4th option behind CP3, Booker and Ayton. And just like the rest of Monty Williams’ useful pieces, if Bridges gets more 3-point opportunities, he could flourish playing with Paul.

Weaknesses:

Losing Kelly Oubre isn’t the end of the world, but it’s still a rather significant loss. From a scoring standpoint, that’s an entire 18 points by your versatile stretch wing that won’t be on the board. and from a coaching perspective, you lose in Oubre what was the most reliable slashing and above-rim finishing forward on your team. Oubre was a casualty of the Chris Paul trade, and in the broad scale of things, it seems as though that could possibly be overcome with the tandem of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, but you’re talking an entire dynamic of the offense circling around Oubre and his floor-stretching presence and replacing that is easier said than done.

Phoenix might have a backup guard dilemma. Losing Ricky Rubio during trade season won’t be the easiest thing to adjust to, regardless if he was sent to Phoenix for a year to be a transitional facilitatator and not a second scoring option. CP3 is a definite improvement at guard, but after him comes Cameron Payne and JeVon Carter, who are both competing for the rights to the sixth man role. Neither of those names stand out, but both are decent at scoring the ball and are well-versed in scoring the rock. It’s more of a “to be determined” thing as to who assumes the position of manning the second unit.

Record Prediction: 40-32.

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5. Sacramento Kings (Finished Last Season 31-41, 12th Seed in Western Conference)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Hassan Whiteside, C (free agency)
Tyrese Haliburton, G (draft)
Frank Kaminsky, C (free agency)

Key Losses:

Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Cory Joseph
SG: Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton, Jahmi’us Ramsey
SF: Harrison Barnes, Glenn Robinson III, Buddy Hield
PF: Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, Harrison Barnes
C: Hassan Whiteside, Richaun Holmes, Frank Kaminsky

Strengths:

The Kings bolstered their guard department. The Kings are sticking to what’s already worked for them in the past, especially evident in their 2020 draft class. Building and developing guards is their m.o; take De’Aaron Fox’s massive extension for five years that’s worth $163 Million. Sac-Town is in the business of finding their third option to compliment the just-as-lucratively signed Buddy Hield who reconstructed a deal in the offseason of 2019. Those were the two biggest areas of need to make sure there was a foundation to start from, and during the 2020 draft in November, they were pleasantly surprised to select multifaceted combo guard Tyrese Haliburton out of Iowa State with the eighth-overall selection. Fox, the 2017 first-round selection, is coming off a career year averaging 21.1 points, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 48% from the field. Hield, on the other hand, got some coaching issues settled with Head coach Luke Walton and will look for a more prominent role in the offense now that new GM Monte McNair decided to not match the Atlanta Hawks’ offer for budding talent Bogdan Bogdanovic, letting him sign with the Hawks in free agency.
Front line depth is there for cheap. Another positive outcome of this offseason: the Kings got some depth in their frontcourt for an affordable price. One of the bigger errors made during former GM Vlade Divac’s tenure was selecting Marvin Bagley II while Luka Doncic was still on the board, and as history would foretell, Doncic was selected one pick later in that 2018 class. Bagley’s only suited up for a combined 13 games over two seasons. Possibly a wasted pick, but there was a temporary workaround that McNair found before the preseason began. Acquiring leading shot-blocker Hassan Whiteside (again for his second stint, was selected in the second round by Sacramento in 2010) and improving stretch big Frank Kaminsky Jr. went under the radar as two of the smarter pickups this offseason for a team that’s not only in the business of acquiring more notable names in the league, but more next men up in case Bagley’s injury history arises again this season.

Weaknesses:

The organization is still going through a massive period of both growth and misfortune. While it’s fine and all that the Kings are secure in their process of building homegrown talent in their backcourt, they’re very much an organization banking on good luck in regards to 1.) the Marvin Bagley pick not being a miss if he stays healthy and develops into what he was at Duke, 2.) Harrison Barnes not losing his luster as a solid small forward and not regressing to the point of Sacramento having to eat that bad contract while they find trade partners for the 28-year-old playing on his third team, and 3.) Hield not wanting to play elsewhere as he’s withstood the turbulent times with this organization. Only one of those 3 scenarios could work out in the end for Sac-Town, or possibly none of them at all.

The West is too stacked. The Sacramento Kings haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006 when Doug Christie, the last player for the organization to be named an All-Star, got the Kings to 44 wins. The Western Conference looked drastically different than it does today, when the Spurs stomped out everyone on their path to facing the Detroit Pistons in that year’s NBA Finals. The West is an absolute bloodbath and, being as nice as I possibly can here, the Kings’ chances of making it to the postseason while simultaneously surviving in this division are very slim.

Record Prediction: 29-43.

Photo cred: WorldInSport.com/ronnybasketball

Dec 17, 2020 No Comments

Harden & Wall Experiment Was A Success In Their Debut As HOU Beat SA (112-98)

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by Travis Singleton | Dec 16, 2020 | Featured, NBA

James Harden had his first practice yesterday and followed it up with his first game tonight. Harden looked like he didn’t miss a step on the court at all. People wanted to see how he would mesh with Wall and Cousins all offseason. Well, tonight we got the chance to see that as James Harden was able to play off the ball a lot but still was able to make an impact in the passing game. Harden didn’t really look for his shot tonight as much even though he finished the game with 12 points on 3/10 shooting. James Harden came right in and did everything that you expected a true professional would do. He was very vocal with his teammates and he was also able to cook people with the ISO/Stepback jumpers. The leadership was there for James Harden and he showed that if this squad is healthy while being committed this team can be scary. Harden played like he was in midseason form tonight against the Spurs as they had no answer for him inside or out. Overall for James Harden, this was a great outing and it showed that he still is locked in no matter the situation and he will adjust to his surroundings. The John Wall to James Harden connection looked really good especially on a couple of plays where Wall was able to suck the defense in so James would be wide open. This could be a special connection if both lock-in and continue to push each other.

Speaking of John Wall he was able to put on another show tonight but this time in front of the Houston media. Wall was able to put up 15 points with 3 assists on the night. The stats are cool and all but the one thing that stood out was the quickness. John Wall looks like he never lost his first step or his ability to actually get to the rim with ease. John Wall looks very good out there and he’s improved on his jumper as well over the offseason. It looks like Wall is locked in and he’s ready to prove to people that he still has what it takes to be the best point guard in the NBA. Tonight the Spurs were trying to stop John Wall and it didn’t go as planned. The Spurs had Murray on him and also Mills which definitely didn’t slow Wall down. It looks like he’s back and the only thing that can stop him is himself with his health because he’s got that fire back.

John Wall’s running mate from college DeMarcus Cousins had his best rebounding game as a Rocket as he finished with 11 rebounds on the night. It was good to see Cousins, Wall, and Harden on the floor together as Cousins was able to flourish in his role. We saw a little bit of everything from Boogie from a full-court steal and dish all the way to hitting 3 pointers. Cousins was able to create more space for Harden and Wall because the bigs had to get out to the 3 point line to respect his jumper. It was great to see Cousins playing at a high level as he was in there banging bodies with LaMarcus Aldridge. This Rockets team will be a great sight to see all season and if everyone is committed it will be epic. The Rockets might have taken a hit as Chris Clemons was hurt on a non-contact play and we will be hoping/praying for the best.

The San Antonio Spurs were playing like it was the preseason as the game went on tonight. The game was tight until the 2nd half as the Spurs were able to sit their starters for the remainder of the game. One of the bright spots for the Spurs tonight was Lonnie Walker IV as he was able to score 17 points in 26 minutes against the Rockets. Walker has shown a lot of promise and he’s trying to make a big jump this season. The other bright star that everyone in SA should be excited about is Dejounte Murray as he was able to finish with 13 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. This Spurs team will always be a near contender because of the coaching of Pop and with the veterans DeRozan and Aldridge. The Rockets will be playing the Spurs again on Thursday so we will see if the starters for the Spurs play a lot more minutes.

Dec 16, 2020 No Comments

Giannis & Bucks Agree To Super Max Contract Keeping Him In Milwaukee Through 2025

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by Jordan Scurry | Dec 15, 2020 | Featured, NBA

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 01 (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Sources early this afternoon broke the story that Giannis Antetokuonmpo will be signing a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. The 26-year-old will sign a 5 year, $228.2 million supermax with the franchise. Giannis’s deal now becomes the largest deal in NBA history. The back-to-back NBA MVP, and reigning NBA defensive player of the year is now committed to staying in Milwaukee long term. The deal does have the option of an opt-out after the 4th year.

Giannis took to Twitter to confirm the news of his contract extension showing praise and loyalty to the organization stating,

“This is my home, this is my city,” Antetokounmpo posted on Twitter. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”

This is my home, this is my city.. I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it. 🤎🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/895tCBE9RK
— Giannis Ugo Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) December 15, 2020

The record deal is well deserved and makes sense given how NBA salaries have increased over the past few years. The two-time MVP is coming off the best year of his career after averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds to go with 5.6 assists per game. All were career highs for the Greek Freek and to add to it he also posted the highest efficiency rating of any player in NBA History. He was both the MVP and Defensive Player of the year in the same season which has only been done by two other players in NBA History – Michael Jordan & Hakeem Olajuwon.

He has led Milwaukee to the best record in the league last two seasons while also securing MVP. This is impressive especially with the talent all around today but it’s even more impressive when you consider how he has done it. Giannis has improved every year and it doesn’t seem like he’s done. Not only do the numbers suggest that he’s not done improving but just observing how his handle, jumper, and defensive ability have all improved every season is why the Bucks didn’t hesitate to offer Giannis this extension.

The long-term deal implies that both parties are committed long-term because they see a championship happening within the next 5 years. Giannis isn’t untradeable or anything like but the fact that he signed long term says a lot. He could have signed a 3-year max or something shorter so that if the Bucks couldn’t secure a championship in the next few years he would have his choice to part ways with the organization. The deal shows that Giannis and the Bucks are mutually committed to each other and have a mutual understanding that the goal is a championship.

Improve every day! pic.twitter.com/pv8qqP23g7
— Giannis Ugo Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) December 10, 2020

Antetokounmpo, who turned 26 on Dec. 6, joined Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James this season as the only players to win multiple NBA MVP awards by age 25. He’s had a history of expressing his interest in staying in Milwaukee under the right circumstances.

“I’ve been encouraged my whole career in Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo said after winning his second MVP. “I know that we’ve gotten better each year and I know that Milwaukee has great people that view every year the same I do every year, which is to play well, improve and win it all.”

Dec 15, 2020 No Comments

SR – NBA 2020-21 Division Preview: The Southwest

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by Marcus Van Diver | Dec 15, 2020 | Featured, NBA

A new NBA season is upon us, now a full seven days away from next Tuesday’s tip-off. And to commemorate the ringing-in of the new year, we’re doing things a little different than previous years in giving you, the reader, full and extensive team breakdowns. In a succinct manner, we’ll take a look at where each team in each division will fare in the coming 6-8 days leading up to the adjusted NBA season. We’ll let you know what records each team in all six divisions will finish with, their playoff positioning (or lack thereof) as well as what’s to be admired as a strength, or what’s to be monitored as a weakness heading into the 2020-21 campaign.

Today’s division: the Southwest.

Houston is fresh off of a Western Conference Semifinal visit, thanks to the contributions of James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s patented play style titled “small-ball”, even if it was short-lived. Houston looks drastically different as an organization, currently seeking trade suitors to accompany the needs of disgruntled star James Harden and subsequently shipping Russell Westbrook away to the Washington Wizards.

Their GM and creator of the analytical-favoring small-ball, Daryl Morey let Rockets officials he wanted off the ship and is calling shots in Philly as the head of basketball operations. And in return, received John Wall, a protected second-round pick for next year, and DeMarcus Cousins in free agency. Additionally, a new Head coach was hired in the spring cleaning done by owner Tillman Fertitta, as Stephen Silas came over from his previous assistant coaching gig in Dallas to man the stations in H-Town. This division is very much so in the air, with Dallas as the sportsbook favorites to win the division for the first time since 2011. However, New Orleans, Memphis, and San Antonio will have something to say about that.

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1. Dallas Mavericks (Finished Last Season 43-32, 7th Seed in Western Playoffs)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Josh Richardson, SG/SF (trade with Philadelphia)
Josh Green, SF (draft)
Tyrell Terry, PG (draft)
Tyler Bey, PG (draft)
James Johnson, SF (free agency)

Key Losses

Seth Curry, SG (traded to Philadelphia)
Delon Wright SG (traded to Detroit)
Justin Jackson, SG (traded to OKC)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson, Tyrell Terry, Tyler Bey
SG: Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Richardson, Tyrell Terry
SF: Josh Richardson, Josh Green, Dorian Finney-Smith, James Johnson
PF: Maxi Kleiber, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kristaps Porzingis
C: Kristaps Porzingis, Dwight Powell, Willie Cauley-Stein

Strengths:

Luka Doncic. Pretty self-explanatory. The third-year Slovenian Superstar is on the shortlist of MVP favorites this season, and if last year’s statistical accolades proved anything, it’s only a matter of time until Doncic reels in his first Most Valuable Player award and title as league’s most dynamic player. It’s rather routine to check on Doncic when he gets the start on a regular basis, considering he’s usually on triple-double watch for those marveling at his skill to fill up a stat sheet. His eye-popping numbers of 28.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 8.8 apg from last year should see a rise with new offseason acquisition Josh Richardson taking on a majority of Doncic’s defensive assignments.

Mavs’ Defense. Good luck trying to score on this team late down the stretch. Today’s modern emphasis of the prototypical two-way player at just about every position has to do with wingspan and lateral quickness, and Dallas made it a priority to have those exact qualities in their offseason dealings, sacrificing outside shooting and some cap space for versatile defenders who are adept at taking on switches up top on the perimeter and down low on the block. Richardson may not sound like the attractive pickup on the defensive end, but he’ll be essential for a team that finished 18th in defensive rating last season (111.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). Keep in mind, Richardson helped engineer the eighth-best defensive scheme in the league last season in his first and only year in Philadelphia.

Weaknesses:

Clutch Rating. The Mavericks posted the most efficient offense in league history, but the question remains: Does Dallas improve off rookie mistakes with more experience under their belt and finish off games when they need to be put away? Getting rid of reliable PnR ballhandler and catch-and-shoot rhythm scorer Seth Curry could come at a detriment to a Mavericks team that posed the league’s second-worst offensive rating in the clutch last season (93.9 points scored per 100 possessions) and while his replacement in J-Rich shot the ball at a respectable 36.7 percent from downtown last year, the floor spacing for Doncic and crew to operate in crunch time may shrink. The losses by five points or more always pile up, and their sub-.500 record of 3-4 in OT last year says there is work cut out for a team that needs to emphasize finishing games when they have the opportunity to do so this year.

Kristaps Porzingis’ Health. Head coach Rick Carlisle exclaimed to reporters that star center and fan-professed “Unicorn” Kristaps Porzingis won’t be setting foot on the hardwood until at least January. And in a shortened season that’s playoffs begin in May, it’ll be challenging to replicate Porzingis’ 20.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, and 2.0 bpg. with Maxi Kleiber, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dwight Powell filling in for the 7-foot sharpshooter and adequate rim protector. Though not for an extended period of time, Luka will have to do without his fellow all-star compadre’ that will help him stretch the floor and garner favorable mismatches for the first couple weeks of the season, which could harm Dallas’ chances of winning the division, if not slightly.

Record Prediction: 44-28.

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2. Houston Rockets (Finished Last Season 44-28, 4th in West)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

John Wall, PG (trade with Washington)
Christian Wood, PF (free agency)
DeMarcus Cousins, C (free agency)
Sterling Brown, SG (free agency)
Kenyon Martin Jr. PG (draft)
Stephen Silas, HC

Key Losses:

Russell Westbrook, PG (trade)
Robert Covington, SF/PF (trade)
Austin Rivers, PG/SG (free agency)
Jeff Green, PF/C (free agency)
HC Mike D’Antoni

Roster and Depth Chart

PG: John Wall, James Harden, Chris Clemons, Kenyon Martin Jr.
SG: James Harden, Ben McLemore, Sterling Brown
SF: Eric Gordon, Sterling Brown, Ben McLemore
PF: Christian Wood, P.J. Tucker, Kenyon Martin Jr.
C: P.J. Tucker, DeMarcus Cousins, Christian Wood

Strengths:

The Wall-Boogie PnR is going to be NUTS. Essentially replacing a former all-star guard with seismic athletic capabilities at the guard spot with another former all-star guard with seismic athletic capabilities at the guard spot works out on a usual occasion, right? Expect that to happen here. After two preseason games, it seems that John Wall’s twitch fibers respond well to the commands of force they’re asked to complete, and his Achilles, whom we as NBA fans were all concerned about since he hadn’t played a minute of NBA basketball in over two years because of its accidental tear, seems to be intact and stable. A small sample size? Yes, but an encouraging one at that. He was routinely blazing past Bulls guards without the frequent need for set picks and finishing with dexterity and confidence as if his injury never happened. DeMarcus Cousins also hadn’t suited up for anyone since he tore his ACL last offseason and he looks as spry as ever. The pick and roll and pick and pop sets Stephen Silas is planning to unleash on the Western Conference is quite dangerous as any duo that comes to mind, if both former All-NBA talents can stay healthy.

Christian Wood has his own spotlight. Talk about stepping up when your number is called. Wood, a perennial 20-10 all-around stretch big impressed scouts, media experts, and fans across the league as he stepped up to the role of starting center in the wake of Andre Drummond’s departure. It’s apparent he’s going to be Houston’s third-best player behind Wall and Cousins as another screening and rolling/popping/fading/slipping option John Wall or Eric Gordon can play off of, so expect Stephen Silas to create a lot of switches both at the top of the key and under the basket. Think of Wood as a discounted Anthony Davis at the four; a confident handler of the rock who has a low-post game and quick pullup jumper at every level in the halfcourt. In the last 12 games of his season before the league’s COVID-19 suspension, he averaged 22 points and 10.2 rebounds per game on 54 percent shooting from the field and 37.3 percent shooting from three-point range. It’s uncertain just how good he can be, but the ceiling is there for him to reach in a spacious system under Silas, one of the architects who crafted the NBA’s most efficient offense ever in the 2019-20 Mavericks.

Weaknesses:

PG depth. Who is the reliable backup at the point guard spot when Wall sits? Rookie Kenyon Martin Jr.? Undrafted tryout-er Jae’Sean Tate? Chris Clemons? David Nwaba? Eric Gordon? Those all don’t sound very appealing. One of the biggest negatives against Houston during their offseason was their failure to get a veteran point guard to run the offense and keep momentum up as the leader of the second unit. Letting Austin Rivers walk is still a headscratcher as well. There are a variety of skilled off-ball scorers that Houston can utilize like Ben McLemore and good role players like Sterling Brown to help move the rock, but no one that stands out as a dangerous sixth man you have to respect that can galvanize the team on both ends of the floor.

The elephant in the room. Well, I mean…duh. You weren’t not expecting to hear the James Harden fluidity situation in this, were you? The six-time All-Star has expressed with a vehemence that he has no intent or desire to play alongside John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins and fellow teammate P.J. Tucker has aired similar grievances about an organization that’s grown sour internally. He missed the first two days of training camp and posted pictures to social media of various parties he was attending, while the rest of the Rockets were reporting to training camp and fielding questions from the media about the absence of the team’s star player. Harden then reported to practice a few days later on Dec. 8 and is “scheduled” to play on Tuesday’s home preseason game against San Antonio. Mistrust and vested interest on different sides has eroded this franchise, and their star wants out. Where he’ll go is unknown, but what is a known variable is that John Wall and James Harden are unlikely to stay together the full length of the season, no matter how much Stephen Silas wants to play mediator. Not having Harden critically threatens your chances of not just winning the division, but *making it* to the playoffs too.

Record prediction: 41-31.

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3. New Orleans Pelicans (Finished Last Season 30-42, 13th in West)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Steven Adams, C (trade)
Eric Bledsoe, PG (trade)
George Hill, G (trade)
Kira Lewis Jr., PG (draft)
Wenyen Gabriel, F (free agency)

Key Losses

Jrue Holiday, PG (trade)
Derrick Favors, C (free agency)
Kenrich Williams, G (trade)
E’Twaun Moore, G (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Lonzo Ball, Kira Lewis Jr., Eric Bledsoe, George Hill
SG: Eric Bledsoe, JJ Redick, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SF: Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, JJ Redick
PF: Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Wenyen Gabriel
C: Steven Adams, Jaxson Hayes, Willy Hernangomez

Strengths:

Zion, Raw, and Uncut. It feels like it’s been forever since we saw Zion Williamson gear up and play a professional basketball game since he and his Pelicans went 2-6 inside the Lake Buena Vista bubble at Disney Springs in Orlando. From taking whoever was guarding him baseline or in the low post, Zion inflicting his grown manchild-like will on unsuspecting and less domineering defenders is always a joy to witness. The offseason was a little bit shorter to the former No. 1 overall pick, but his conditioning program seems to be paying off, per Twitter clips and pictures of the 22-year-old’s vascularity and slimmer figure on display. He’s maturing and taking the workload of an All-NBA staple seriously, as the skillset the Duke product already possesses conjoins with acumen and intelligence of Stan Van Gundy, a familiar face in the NBA coaching carousel who has found another home in the Big Easy and has “prior experience” ascending a big man into superstardom; check the history between him and Dwight Howard in Orlando for reference. The 2020-21 season means that the training wheels will be off, and no minutes restriction for the explosive power forward says it’ll be time to tune in when he takes the court.

Guards, guards, I do adore. While they couldn’t come to an agreement for Jrue Holiday to stay in NOLA, the first conclusion that can be made when scanning this roster is ‘man they got worse at guard without Jrue Holiday’ and that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’d be a problem if they didn’t get a fraction of what Holiday was worth in return, but looking at the bigger picture, they got what Holiday gave to the Pelicans, but in shards. I’ll make a little more sense of that: you get your stingy, restrictive length on the perimeter still with Lonzo Ball as your starter and Eric Bledsoe in the second unit against opposing guards and scoring from new pickups George Hill and first-rounder Kira Lewis Jr. And in SVG’s small lineups, decision-making will come from the shared minutes between Josh Hart and JJ Redick. That might do the trick in the West, where exceptional guard play is a prerequisite for success.

Weaknesses:

No true offseason to calibrate their attack. More of a “woe is me, adapt or get left behind” kind of hurdle to leap over, but it’s an issue nonetheless. Stan Van Gundy coming to New Orleans is a great thing, but it’s hard to get everyone on the same page when you have a little over 60-something days to scramble and get everyone – and everything – in planning to get New Orleans back into the postseason picture for the first time in three years. And not to mention, the Pels are in a clear-as-day rebuild. As the new head coach, where you don’t have strong relationships with your very young personnel as you do with your older-but-still-coachable two-guard JJ Redick in your huddle, the job is going to be on-the-fly as it gets for SVG, who returns to head coaching responsibilities for the first time since 2016.

BI and Zion: is there enough outside shooting help for the wing scorers? A legitimate concern to have, but ultimately one that will reveal itself in the coming weeks and months of the regular season. While JJ Redick is excluded from the deficiency and, quite frankly a majority of the team since they finished last season with the seventh-best team three-point percentage in the league, trading Jrue Holiday for Eric Bledsoe could do more harm than good. Holiday shot a little over 35 percent as a primary shot creator and took the pressure off both Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson for the frontcourt tandem to create on the wings. Bledsoe shot around 34 percent and was dually underwhelming in the bubble, shooting 25 percent from deep. Now add Bledsoe or the streaky shooting of Lonzo Ball to that starting lineup, and that team percentage from last season visibly drops.

Record Prediction: 39-33.

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4. Memphis Grizzlies (Finished Last Season 34-39, 9th in West)

2020 Key Acquisitions:

Mario Hezonja, SF (trade with Portland)
Desmond Bane, SF (draft)
Xavier Tillman, PF (draft)
Tyus Jones, PG (draft)

Key Losses:

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Ja Morant, Tyus Jones, De’Anthony Melton
SG: Dillon Brooks, De’Anthony Melton, Grayson Allen, Desmond Bane
SF: Kyle Anderson, Justise Winslow
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr. Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman Sr.
C: Jonas Valanciunas, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke

Strengths:

A true big four reminiscent of the Grit N’ Grind days. A proficiently-scoring, defensively-reliable big at the PF position. An explosive aficionado at the point with a true feel for the game. A tough-nosed, gallant leader of men in the center of the locker room. An efficient lockdown defender and consistent scorer off the catch. History is surely repeating itself in Memphis. Much like the Zach Randolph, Mike Conley Sr., and Tony Allen days, things are really starting to shape themselves in the style of old with subtle modern touch-ups. Ja Morant is the franchise cornerpiece and will be receiving All-NBA honors throughout this year and beyond. But when we last left off the Grizzlies’ saga, it didn’t end ideally for ol’ Grizz, as they were seen leaving the NBA bubble hungry for another taste of the postseason atmosphere created by the play-in game they lost to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Fight and Resolve. The young Grizzlies showed how much they wanted their postseason berth above all, signaled by how hard they fought against Damian Lillard and those Blazers, who were, subsequently, Gentleman’s swept in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Granted, it was a learning experience for Ja (who put on a show while dropping a career-high 35 points) and the crew, but what was solidified in the bubble was something to build their entire organization around. Morant, along with Jaren Jackson Jr. (fresh off meniscus surgery and ready to go), the massively efficient Brandon Clarke, and sixth man DeAnthony Melton are ready to create shockwaves to, again, put the West on notice that these kids are for real.

Weaknesses:

Youthful and undermanned. While it’s a positive that Memphis is filled to the brim with potential, future projections rarely, if ever, translate to a bunch of wins early on for a roster filled with rookie and second-year projects. The idea was to keep up the cohesion and development of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Dillon Brooks rather than to rely on the quick fix of outside talent acquisition to accumulate a couple more wins than what they usually have at year’s end. They re-signed DeAnthony Melton on a four-year, $35 Million deal as he’s a building block for a promising future, and that could be a done deal when the market tells the team to scavenge for a two-way guard. But if we’re talking now, the West is too talented to face off against when you don’t have much other than your big four to compete with.

Injuries to key pieces. Two key players in forwards Jaren Jackson Jr. and Justise Winslow won’t be in the Grizzlies’ lineup come tip-off and the coming weeks after, as the two have been nursing ailments that have sidelined them since last season. As mentioned before, Jackson suffered his torn meniscus back on August 8, while Winslow is still recovering from a hip injury suffered back in July during a practice session in the bubble. Head coach Taylor Jenkins will be challenged out of the gate to formulate a gameplan that compensates for Jackson’s absence – and replicating his adeptness at stopping guards off switches, defending the rim, and shooting the three-ball in an abnormal, shortened season is easier said than done.

Record Prediction: 35-37.

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5. San Antonio Spurs (Finished Last Season 32-39, 11th in West)

2020 Offseason Acquisitions:

Devin Vassell, G/F (draft)
Tre Jones, G (draft)

Key Losses:

Bryn Forbes (free agency)

Roster and Depth Chart:

PG: Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Tre Jones
SG: Derrick White, Patty Mills, Keldon Johnson
SF: DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Devin Vassell
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge, Trey Lyles, Rudy Gay, Quinndary Weatherspoon
C: Jakob Poeltl, LaMarcus Aldridge, Drew Eubanks

Strengths:

A new play style in San Antonio? When we last left off on the Spurs story, Gregg Popovich and his Spurs were facing imminent failure in qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 1997. So, they dabbled in experiment, opting for increased tempo in the offense, early shot-clock operation and a brand of small-ball to fill the void left by the injured Trey Lyles and LaMarcus Aldridge. Seemed like a one time thing, considering how Pop is more often than not the stick-to-what-works kind of coach. But in a surprising turn of events, he stripped SA bare of their typically rigid structure of two bigs and three guards, instead choosing to put on four guards and one prominent big. This resulted in the creation of mismatches aplenty, and now Pop might just have finally opened up to the idea of analytic-favoring small lineups that control the pace of games and put up points on the board.

More three-point shooting in 2020-21 from their stars. A returning LaMarcus Aldridge only spells good things for the Spurs, who are in dire need of their veteran forward’s help as both a shooter and defender. The former All-Star finished his season with a career-high in made 3PT (61 in 2019-20) and attempts (157) from deep, and you can expect to see that new wrinkle in the Spurs’ offense this upcoming season. That should wear off on the rest of the team, considering the importance of spacing the floor and making driving lanes for DeMar DeRozan and the rest of the guards on the roster.

Weaknesses:

A limited flexibility to improve the roster. Largely, this team is just about the same from last year, AKA the roster that became the first team in nearly three decades to miss out on the postseason. San Antonio wasn’t on the lucky end of possessing a bunch of cap space to grab a free agent; save that privilege for future offseasons when they have the opportunity to create a max cap slot. They did the safe thing in taking care of their own free agent by re-signing Drew Eubanks, and bolstered their youth department by selecting 3-and-D prospect Devin Vassell out of Florida State with the 11th pick and floor general Tre Jones out of Duke in the second round. The Spurs generally don’t roll out rookies to start the season, and while they’ll have a chance to crack the rotation, that doesn’t quite spell immediate improvement for a team that was at the bottom of the division last year.

Just because they want to shoot more, doesn’t mean they can. Additionally, and more significantly due to free agency negotiations that fell through, San Antonio both lost Bryn Forbes, who signed a two-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and Marco Belinelli, who went back to Italy. San Antonio ranked 28th last season in 3-point attempts (28.5) and fourth in accuracy (37.6%), and losing two of their role players specifically used for bettering that statistic in the free market doesn’t heal that wound.

Age is not on their side. So LMA is back. Cool, but he’s 35. Re-injury is cause for concern as is the uncertainty of his ideal fit in a progressively-transforming offensive system that favors breakneck pace and pushes in transition. Not what the aging Aldridge had in mind when he is to return, since the Texas product is an old-school big man that is either on one spot on the floor or the other as a screener/popper or back-down scorer underneath the basket.

Record Prediction: 30-41.

Photo Cred: OTGBasketball.com/Charles Allen

Dec 15, 2020 No Comments

Houston Rockets Fall To (1-1) Without Harden, Tucker, & Wood In The Preseason

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by Travis Singleton | Dec 14, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Houston Rockets looked to pick up where they left off against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. In tonight’s game, the Bulls came out a lot more aggressive and were able to defend the 3 pointers a lot better. Houston has been playing in the preseason without James Harden, PJ Tucker, and Christian Wood as they should join the game tomorrow. One player that did show up for the Rockets tonight was John Wall who’s been as explosive as you can be coming off an Achilles injury as he did. Wall was able to get to the rack any time he wanted against the Bulls defense. John Wall still has that explosive first step and he also showed some range with his 3 point shot tonight too. Wall might be coming off a serious foot injury but his court vision wasn’t injured as he found his teammates. People forget when Wall was last in the NBA his name was at the top of the assist leader board every year. Tonight against the Bulls he was able to find DeMarcus Cousins in open space and was able to create opportunities for the Rockets. He finished with 21 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds on the night. John Wall still showed some rust but the minutes he was given made the best of it on both ends of the floor. Even though the Rockets dropped this one both Wall and Cousins showed that with a full complement of minutes this team can be special to watch with the full cast.

DeMarcus Cousins had a great night as well in the limited minutes he had tonight finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds. You can see the chemistry between himself and John Wall on full display so far in preseason. One of the bright spots for Cousins has been his 3 points shooting as he’s now 5/8 in two games for 62.5% already. Cousins has adjusted his game towards this Rockets 3 point shooting squad to fit perfectly. When healthy DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best centers in the NBA and he can beat you inside and outside as he will be a great weapon for Stephen Silas to use throughout the season. The Rockets were able to get some help from the bench as well but it wasn’t enough to get the job done tonight. Two of the players that stood out from the bench were Ben Mclemore and David Nwaba who combined for 21 points tonight. Both of them gave the Rockets a huge boost and will be huge to their rotation once Houston gets into the regular season. This Rockets team has a lot of players that can step up on any given night and with the addition of James Harden and the rest of the players they can be scary with the right timing and chemistry to gel together.

The Bulls were able to show a lot of fight tonight in this game as Zach LaVine came out aggressive like it was game 50 in the season. Tonight LaVine finished with 23 points and was able to get his shot anywhere on the floor. The Rockets has Gordon and Nwaba on LaVine but it didn’t matter as the star was able to carve them up easily. LaVine was able to get dunks and showcased his range in this game as his gameplay helped elevate the Bulls’ play as a whole. Alongside LaVine tonight Coby White made the best of his chances and dropped 20 points to prove that he can be able to go toe to toe with someone like John Wall. It was great to see White hitting some jumpers and talking smack as he was able to showcase his talent tonight. This Bulls team came out firing on all cylinders and was able to really clamp down on the Rockets in the 4th quarter. This Bulls team is young but they will be exciting to watch as they fight for that 6,7,8 spot in the Eastern Conference this season. The Bulls have a bright future with players like White, Williams, and Carter on the roster and will be making some noise. Tonight their length got the best of Houston as they had a lot of second-chance points and were able to finish this two-game series with a split.

Dec 14, 2020 No Comments

Top 10 Kicks Worn for 2020 NBA Media Day

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by Brendon Schunck | Dec 13, 2020 | Featured, NBA, Sneakers

Boy that offseason went by pretty quick, didn’t it? If you’re feeling that way it’s because it’s true, the 2020 NBA offseason was the shortest in league history. It’s once again time for the season to start, which means the annual tradition of each team having their respective media days. This 2020 edition of media day won’t look the same as years past, with less and less media crew members having access to team arenas and events due to the still-present COVID-19. Finding pictures of athletes’ media day kicks was much harder than last year, but they were out there in some capacity nonetheless.

Plenty of NBA players switched teams this offseason, as well as either signing with a new brand, or dropping the shoe company they were signed with. Jimmy Butler has officially signed with Li-Ning, after months of speculation about which brand he would end up with. Resident under-the-radar NBA sneakerhead, Langston Galloway, has cut his ties with independent brand, Q4 Sports. Galloway will once again be able to rock the immense amount of heat he has back on the court. Newcomer to the NBA, LaMelo Ball, inked a massive deal with PUMA. Russell Westbrook’s new running mate, Bradley Beal, joins him representing His Airness, by signing a deal with Jordan Brand. Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks is in for the long haul at Adidas as it was just announced that Young will have a signature shoe of his own dropping sometime in 2021.

The 2018-19 NBA season saw the resurgence of the Nike Kobe 4 in Protro form. Last season (2019-20) was definitely the year of the Kobe 5 Protro and this coming season seems to be the year of the Kobe 6 Protro as well. Was the Kobe 4, 5, and 6 the best three-year run in a Nike basketball signature series? 2019-20 also saw a bunch of Lebron 7 retros drop, in addition to the new “Media Day” color scheme which was a huge hit in the sneaker community. 2020-21 appears to be the season of the Lebron 8 retros, with a few already having hit stores overseas. What silhouettes are you most looking forward to this 2020-21 NBA season? Scroll below to see the Top 10 Kicks Worn for the 2020 NBA Media Day.