The Philadelphia Eagles are the champions of the football world after destroying the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX. Like most sports fans, the NFL captures our singular focus from September to February. Basketball season begins in late October but becomes the focal point after the Super Bowl in mid-February. It begins this weekend when the best in the sport descends upon San Francisco for the All-Star Gane festivities. In this article, we will get you caught up on three things we have learned from the season at this important juncture.
1. Three Front-runners- the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers are tied for the best record in the league and lead the Western and Eastern conferences. The Thunder surprised as the top-seeded team and improved in the off-season by signing Isaiah Hartenstein and trading for Alex Caruso. The Thunder have built an 8-game lead in the conference because of their dominant defense by leading in steals and a 104.9 rating, the lowest in the league. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have elevated their style of play under new Head Coach Kenny Atkison by being proficient at the offense end. Cleveland is ranked number one in scoring with a 121.9 offensive rating and 39.3% three-point percentage, the highest in the league.
The trio of front-runners is complete with the reigning defending Champions, the Boston Celtics. Boston standards have slipped from last season due to their 17-10 record at home compared to the absurd 22-6 on the road. The Celtics are poised for a better finish to the season when the team is healthy and still are fourth and fifth in offensive and defensive rating. Boston continues to make life difficult for teams with the high volume of three-point makes, with 976 this season, which is 100 more than the Cavaliers in 2nd place.
2. Two Suprises-the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons are my surprise teams this season. Houston was 41-41 last season and missed the play-in game, but they showed signs that this young team can challenge for years to come. The Rockets have built on the momentum through a talent core including Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, and the emerging Amen Thompson. The Rockets are now 34-21 and fourth in the Western standings. Ime Udoka has built a tough team that leads the league in Rebounds Per Game, fourth in defensive rating, and third in fastbreaks. The Pistons, on the other hand, were 14-68 and lost a record 28 straight games last season. This season, Detroit has a 29-26 record and sixth place in the standings. Cade Cunningham has elevated his play to the All-Star level with 25.4 pts, 9.4 assists, and 6.3 rebounds. Cunningham will feature this weekend thanks to new Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was unfairly removed from the Cavaliers’ sidelines after their exit from the playoffs.
3. Two Disappointments- the biggest disappointments have been the Philadelphia Sixers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Sixers had seemingly revamped their team to challenge the Boston Celtics by signing Paul George to pair with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. However, the Sixers are 20-34 this season and the 11th seed outside of the play-in tournament. Embiid took the wrong gamble in jeopardizing his health by playing in the Olympics and is struggling to stay on the court. He recently admitted that he will likely need another procedure to improve his knees. It means that the Sixers will have to continue to trust the process into next season, but at least Philadelphia can bask in the glory of the Eagles.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, were 49-33 last season and made the playoffs last season through the play-in tournament. Fans felt this team could take a step forward after trading for Dejante Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. A squad comprising Zion Willamson, Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum, and Dejounte Murray was expected to be a contender. Instead, the team has struggled because of health issues, with almost every player injured at some point in the season. Murray tore his Achilles and is out for the season. The team is so bad that they were forced to trade Brandon Ingram in exchange for guard Bruce Brown and center Kelly Olynyk. The Pelicans are in last place in the Western Conference with a 13-42 record.