So, we’re down to nine days on the countdown until NBA basketball blesses our eyesight.
Meaning that, yes, the NBA hiatus will have accumulated an extensive waiting period of 141 official days.
It’s been far too long since we’ve gotten to actually see an orange ball sliver through a nylon basketball net (unless, of course, you’re in a state whose parks have opened, you’ve personally got some shots up, you own a hoop, played hours of NBA 2k20 or if you’ve passed the time watching a plethora of antiquated highlights) so seeing our favorite professional athletes on the hardwood should serve as a massive heaping of good fortune to come as the resumed season tips off on July 30, 2020.
But if you’ve been remissive of memories of the league’s most prominent storylines, or if you’ve been unable to keep up with our own 22-team countdown we’ve been updating daily in the past two weeks, then do we have the treat for you, fellow reader.
As the NBA’s selected teams continue to prepare for the abridged season, (safely) practicing within the Orlando bubble, some of the world’s best will attempt to guide their teams to one of the hardest, if not the most difficult, title ever won in the sport’s history. Injury, infection from COVID-19, or the added pressure of failing to perform under such tight conditions without the benefit of a home-court advantage. But for the names to be mentioned on this list, it’ll be just another day in the office, considering the things they’ve accomplished up until the hiatus confirmed on the evening of March 11.
Keep in mind: this list is completely subjective and everyone has their own opinion of a top 10. This is ours. And that’s that.
So sit back, find a refreshing beverage to enjoy because it’s hot and sticky outside, and read up on the ten best players in the bubble trying to bring home an NBA championship for their teams.
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10. Devin Booker (26.1 ppg., 4.2 rpg., 6.6 apg., Shooting Guard For #13 Phoenix Suns)
It’s going to take a lot of extra effort besides the usual contributions from Phoenix’s coveted talent for the Suns to even get the chance to sniff the eighth and final seed. But if we know anything about D. Book, we know he’s adept at getting open, usually finishing plays with a silky-smooth stroke that makes water look dry, regardless if he’s always been deterred by a short wingspan.
The lightning-fast 6’6 Kentucky product ethers an advanced scoring skill set similar to the late Kobe Bryant with the way he’s able to make his shot against almost all defensive coverages he’ll see and though his Suns may not win a lot of games, it’s always hard for fans of his expertise to say no when he’s on their television sets.
If the superstar scoring two-guard has anything up his sleeves to get the Suns over the hump, it’ll likely be around an average 30+ point game he’ll have to put up every game, considering the number of shots he’s required to put up if his Suns are to have a shot. Being without a true No. 2 will be the main perpetrator behind that.
Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is a no-go for Orlando due to the newly extended Sun opting out due to concerns of COVID-19 infection, and that’s worrisome for the Suns since he’s having a career year averaging 18.7 points per contest. Floor spacing won’t come easy for Phoenix but with the help of lead assisting man Ricky Rubio and big man DeAndre Ayton, it’ll hopefully allow Booker to display his talents onto the national stage in their eight games in Orlando.
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9. Jayson Tatum (23.6 ppg., 7.1 rpg., 2.9 apg., Power Forward For #3 Boston Celtics)
We’ve begun to experience the birth of a superstar when witnessing the growth of Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, albeit when NBA fans weren’t quite expecting to see such a meteoric rise in offensive productivity and leadership skills when his Cs just acquired Kemba Walker in the offseason of 2019. But now you can say the 2017 NBA Draft worked out quite well for a team sorting through the scouting folders to find its next big thing. Surely, they’ve found it in Tatum.
The penultimate No. 1 guy in Beantown that’ll chariot the Celtics into the title picture, Tatum’s ability to utilize an endless array of dribbles, spins, drives, and sidestep threes puts him in an elite class above a lot of premier NBA superstars. Frankly, you could make the case that he is a top 10 player in the league right now, and we’re not just saying that because of his placement on this list.
When Boston decided to trade down two slots to get Tatum three years ago, they saw him as the perfect complement to a high-scoring backcourt – a lengthy Paul George/Paul Pierce/Tobias Harris hybrid stretch forward that is proficient at knocking down the deep ball and creating separation off the dribble with the help of those long arms that additionally help out on the perimeter when locking up multiple positions.
But since then, his ceiling has rocketed up a few floors since those predictions were printed on paper.
Up until the hiatus, Tatum’s March wasn’t as fiery as his February, where he reached uncharted territory by becoming the first Celtic since Larry Bird to average 30+ points per game in a month. Now, with the sights of championship aspirations and a relatively easy schedule, the Duke man is chomping at the bit to show he’s ready to prove himself as a max-deal caliber player, and his Cs a worthy championship contender.
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8. Damian Lillard (28.9 ppg., 4.3 apg., 7.8 apg., Point Guard For #9 Portland Trail Blazers)
These Portland Trail Blazers are going to be the watch of the bubble, if what they have coming back on paper can absolve their transgressions of repeated losing streaks, leading to them landing at ninth in the West with a last-minute invite to the Orlando bubble. But the simple reason they aren’t lower in the seeding than what they could have been all season: the extravagant, otherworldly carrying of an undermanned roster by Damian Lillard.
Other than going on an absolute tirade in the days and weeks leading up to the All-Star break, Dame Dolla’s season has been something for the books with the way he’s found simplicity to drop 50 whenever he pleases, showing his resolve to get his Blazers to puncture the playoff picture, as they experienced the franchise’s second-highest level of success a season ago making it to the Western Conference Finals a season ago.
The electric guard has an affinity for accentuating himself from the pack of average guards by being a top-tier playmaker who not only reads and reacts to defenses superbly but is quick and explosive enough to create mismatches and space nearly everywhere on the court. And when it’s Dame Time, there’s no one else who wants the ball in his hands. It truly is a thing of beauty seeing Lillard stepback and send missiles from the logo, only to see the ball coat the back of the iron with neither rim nor net move.
His supporting cast is rightfully going to be bolstered come first tip-off as Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins return from injuries that have kept them for the duration of the season (Nurkic hasn’t played since March of 2019 and Collins only played 3 games) which should lower Lillard’s numbers, but that won’t quite matter if he can get his Blazers into playoff seeding.
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7. Pascal Siakam (23.6 ppg., 7.5 rpg., 2.3 apg., Power Forward For #2 Toronto Raptors)
Last year’s Most Improved Player had A LOT to be replaced around him as his Raps were supposed to undergo a transitional period of getting a couple down seasons under their belt in order to gather enough bargaining chips to land another All-Star caliber player alongside the 7-foot Cameroonian.
Turns out, fate had other plans. Instead of going through one of those periods, that team from the 6ix is right back into the thick of things, engineering a gameplan to potentially re-assert themselves into the NBA Finals picture as defending champions from last year’s win in six over Golden State. Led by their best player in Spicy P himself, Siakam’s progression from G-League prospect with Raptors 905 to NBA All-Star has been nothing but fulfilling to witness.
It goes to show that championship infrastructure is not altogether upheld by its most integral pieces, but the parts surrounding it. That was the case last year as the team helped Kawhi Leonard fit like a spoke on the ever-turning wheel that was the 2018-19 World Champion Toronto Raptors and quite evidently, history is repeating itself.
Siakam is one of two All-Stars on a championship-defending team. He alone is an uncommonly quick big man who energetically runs the floor and is prone to putting on aerial shows with his putbacks and towering slams while also displaying a keen IQ and proficiency for shooting the long ball.
As a teammate, however, Siakam’s multifaceted approach to the offensive side of the ball is met with his versatility as a defender, and along with other parts like Kyle Lowry, Fred Van Vleet and the rest of Nick Nurse’s deep rotation gives Toronto a better-than-average shot at repeating as NBA champions.
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6. Paul George (21 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 3.9 apg., Forward for #2 Los Angeles Clippers)
Paul George is pretty fond of this time of year, the time where the regular season winds down and his play ramps up. Though his numbers may take a bit of a hit as he is still working out the kinks in the path of finding the ultimate chemistry with new teammate Kawhi Leonard, PG-13 is still capable of transforming into Playoff P when necessary.
And what is George’s X-Factor that he has brought to a Clippers team that’s ascended the ranks to title contention, exactly? Well, take your pick.
Your selections range from his averaged 22 points over the last five postseasons with both Oklahoma City and Indiana, elite footwork and ball-handling skills you wouldn’t expect a forward of his stature to have, pesky on-ball defense with the amenity of hawk-esque wingspan, 40 percent three-ball shooting, or dexterity and court vision when asked to handle guard responsibilities.
We knew that once he was paired with Kawhi Leonard as part of that three-team blockbuster deal that sent Kawhi Leonard from the Raptors and PG13 from the Thunder to Los Angeles in exchange for a bag full of picks for the Thunder and Clippers, LAC’s title window burst open faster than a shaken Cola can. Now, as the teams second (or third, depending on your perspective) choice to take over games, George’s presence almost imminently doubles the Clips’ chances of winning it all in Orlando.
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5. Anthony Davis (26.7 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 3.1 apg., Forward/Center for #1 Los Angeles Lakers)
To put it shortly and neatly: few men can do what Anthony Davis can do on a basketball court. A shoe-in for a First-Team All-Defense slot and nomination for this year’s Defensive Player of the Year waiting for him, Davis’ first season as a Klutch Sports client and Los Angeles Laker has been one of the most profiled and historic seasons to date.
Davis, both dominant in the post on offense and defense, really flashed his athleticism and agility in a Lakers uniform the same way he marveled and dazzled New Orleans fans during his first eight seasons as a pro. Davis is known for not only being a well-rounded shooter that can set defenses ablaze from mid-range and deep off pick-and-pop sets as a roll man, but the Kentucky man is just as aggressive when isolating against opposing wings and centers, opting to take them off the dribble to pull up for a jumper, or show off that gazelle-like footwork around the rim.
And when it comes to swatting shots away, Davis is a savant. He’s rejecting around 2.4 shots per contest, and further contributes to the Lakers average win margin, which is only second to Milwaukee’s.
Other than Dwyane Wade, Davis might be the best teammate LeBron James has ever had, and for the Lakers to overcome the likes of the Rockets, Nuggets, and Clippers in the West, as well as whoever comes out of the slugfest in the East, they’ll need the NBA 2k20 cover athlete to be the MVP candidate he’s played like all year in the isolated, quiet bubble.
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4. James Harden (34.4 ppg., 6.4 rpg., 7.4 apg., Shooting Guard For #6 Rockets)
The league’s leader in scoring is looking to add some championship hardware to his already decorated mantle back home in Houston. James Harden is far and away the most unguardable player in all of basketball, and as a defender, you have a better chance of rolling three dice and having them all land on six.
Harden’s rare proclivity to make some wild off-angle shots with the slightest of stepback (egregious travels at times, if you will) is the stuff of legend, and to be honest, we haven’t a pure shot-maker from all around the floor like him since MJ. In addition, being 6’5 while weighing 220 pounds makes him an efficient rebounder and dangerous slasher if defenders try to hand-check him and force him to his right.
Other than his teammate Russell Westbrook, there really isn’t another guard like him that can draw contact on just about every play, constantly putting the pressure on bigs who get in foul trouble and coaches to consistently change the look of their frontcourt and defensive coverages altogether.
He gets a lot of flack for it but makes up for it at the line shooting around 86 percent from the charity stripe, a considerable contribution to his scoring numbers which could rival or even top Wilt Chamberlain’s single-season record for 40+ averaged points per game in a season.
With an abridged season that has a lengthy layout, expect Harden to take home his third scoring title and if all goes well for the Small-Ball Rockets coached by Mike D’Antoni, a shot at the franchise’s third NBA title could appear in their not-too-distant future.
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3. Kawhi Leonard (26.9 ppg., 7.3 rpg., 5 apg., Forward For #2 Los Angeles Clippers)
Another MVP candidate and favorite due to the way he’s been playing, Leonard is progressing at a historic pace, and if his balanced Clippers team can execute in the bubble, we’re talking about possibly the two most dominant years by an individual player since LeBron’s 2012-2013 run by Leonard as he goes into Orlando with the intention of claiming his second Finals MVP in a row, and third Finals MVP award for his career.
And while the Lakers present he and his Clips with the greatest challenge now a position under them for second in the division, there isn’t much for LAC to be worried about when it comes to comparing starting lineups.
And for one player that’s masterful at preparing his body with Load Management, now you factor in the added resting period of a full offseason and more due to the season being placed on hiatus. That can only signify one thing: a healthy, hungry Kawhi Leonard who is looking to build off his playoff averages of 30.1 points of 49 percent shooting from a year ago being primed and ready to go, with an even better cast than he had in Toronto. That’s frightening.
One of the most gifted and complete players walking the face of the earth, Leonard’s hand size aren’t the only anomaly on the board. Speed-of-light reflexes, instinctive lateral quickness, and gut-checking strength are what set him apart defensively, but on offense, his balance and tenacity to make his shot from all three levels make him one of, if not the world’s, best player. And when things get bleak and the Clippers require his magic, Leonard puts on that signature poker face and gets to work on both ends of the floor, looking like a Michael Jordan re-enactment at the forward spot.
But the fact is it’s all on the shoulders of Leonard as the team’s leader, and he will be the tipping point on the scale of determining whether or not the Clippers take it all the way to a franchise-first title this year.
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2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.6 ppg., 13.7 rpg., 5.8 apg., Forward For #1 Milwaukee Bucks)
Oh, you thought the reigning MVP was going to be left off this list, didn’t you? Of course, you didn’t. As a part of this dominant Bucks team that’s set records in both average scoring margin and total offensive and defensive efficiency in 2019-20, Milwaukee is capable of winning numbers of games without Giannis Antetokounmpo, but those wins are multiplied when the Greek Freak is leading his team to victory.
Milwaukee poses as perhaps the second-most balanced and well-rounded roster set to compete in the Orlando games, and you could either see Giannis as the cherry on top of a league-best sundae, or the entire vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry Neopolitan ice cream base that have given Wisconsin hoops fans the sweet tooth for the past three years.
There’s no wrong answer, considering the goliath-like rise of Antetokounmpo, who has shown time and time again that there’s very little he cannot do on a basketball court. The 7-foot Greek God has a center’s body and wingspan, but the shiftiness and speed of a guard. For the sake of not having a better cliche’ to describe him right now, he’s a freak of nature.
Still, as great as he is and is becoming with his ability to decorate stat sheets every night, his game is still incomplete. Turnovers have been an issue for Antetokounmpo, and he struggles as an outside shooter when halfcourt defenses pack weakside and drive-side. That hasn’t deterred him and his Bucks yet, for they are such a well-oiled machine that is a clear favorite to come out of the East, all thanks to him and more.
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1. LeBron James (25.7 ppg., 7.9 rpg., 10.6 apg., Forward For #1 Los Angeles Lakers)
Daftly explained in a Lakers post-practice press conference yesterday, LeBron James has been asked the same inquiries of ‘How’s it going? How are you enjoying the bubble?’ And James constantly blurts out the same answer:
“I just say it’s 2020. Nothing is normal in 2020.”
And to play his advocate, he has a point.
By any measure, it’s been a good, if not a great year for the King. His Lakers are No. 1 in the West. He’s playing on a Lakers team that will return to the playoffs for the first time in seven years with what Vegas odds are describing as the likeliest champion in Orlando. He’s 35 years old winning the war (for now) against Father Time, both leading his team in scoring and the entire league in assists per game. And he’s paired up with another MVP candidate in Anthony Davis, who can rightfully carry the Lakers to their 17th NBA Championship reign.
And then you throw in the reality of having to be the most prolific and polarizing figure in all of American professional sports, while being looked at to have the most prominent sociopolitical voice that any athlete can have across the world amidst a flurry of prognosticators condemning his play with every step he takes, every move he makes and every word he says in response to the social unrest in this country.
And, though it needs little, if any, mention, James still plays with a heavy heart, for he is playing in his late friend Kobe Bryant’s honor, all while fulfilling the promise to Laker Nation that good times are coming, even if his ride off into the sunset of retirement is but a few years away.
It’s just another day in the life of many people’s GOAT.
Arguably the most well-rounded player the game has ever seen, James’ adept passing ability and vision to see everyone and everything moving on the court shows his prowess and ever-adjusting knowledge as a student of the game. James is still a freight train driving to the rack and is still a clutch shooter in the game’s waning moments.
Three championships, 16 All-Star appearances, two gold medals, three league MVPs, toppled records including being the all-time leader in playoff points while being third all-time in scoring later, he’s in rarified air, still chasing ghosts in his 17th season.
And while he’s still finding ways to put up 25+ points a night, there’s no telling what level he’ll kick up to once the playoffs roll by. “Playoff Bron” is nothing to play with, and if the Lakers get all of what’s promised from the all-time great in the postseason, ring #4 is in the Lakers’ sights.
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