For the North American sports fan, mid-February is an awkward time on the sports calendar. We are excited to watch the Superbowl, but after the game, the reality sinks in that we will have to wait nearly six months to see another game on the Gridiron. Then, you come to your senses, and the best way to cope is to switch your attention to the next best sport in the land, and its the NBA. Fortunately, for you football fans, the NBA has been captivating, mesmerizing, and stupendously insane during this regular season. In this article, we will get you caught up as we discuss the top 5 headlines from a wild season.
1. Bucks and Celtics on a collision course-the Bucks and Celtics are two of the best three teams in the league. The Celtics’ season began in turmoil with their coach Ime Udoka suspended for the year for violating the team’s conduct policy. It seemed like the team would struggle in his absence, but interim head coach Joe Mazzulla has steadied the ship in Bean-town. The team has the best record at 42-17 and is playing an exciting brand of sharing and spacing the basketball. The Bucks trail the Celtics with a 41-17 record with the team on a 12-game win streak to tighten the race at the top. The two teams have been led by MVP candidates Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo but are some of the deepest teams in the NBA. Remarkably, these teams continue to churn out wins despite the absence of key players throughout the year. It appears that the two are on a collision course to meet in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2. Dismantling the Nets- I am sure the dysfunction of the Brooklyn Nets will likely be an ESPN documentary soon. The offseason storyline centered on Kevin Durant’s trade request but both parties decided later reconcile heading into the season. The team started the season poorly at 2-5, and the management decided to fire Steve Nash since he was deemed responsible for the struggles. At the same time, the team faced backlash of the off-court scandal involving Kyrie Irving’s promotion of an Anti-Semitic movie. The team weathered the storm with Head Coach Jacque Vaughn at the helm. On January 5, 2023, the team was on a 12-game winning streak and climbed to number two in the eastern conference standings. Then, things took a downward spiral after Durant injured his right MCL, and what broke the dam was the news report that Irving requested a trade from the Nets. Within two days, news emerged that Irving was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks. After witnessing his friend let go, Kevin took matters into his own hand and quickly secured a trade with the Phoenix Suns to trade Miles Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Jaw Crowder. In exchange, the Net received four-round picks and TJ Warren. The Nets are one of the biggest underachieving teams in sports history based on their collective talent. The management, coach, and superstars should all share the blame for the failure to win a championship.
3. Lebron shines despite dysfunction on the Lakers-Lebron James made headlines worldwide on February 7, 2023, when he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points all-time for an NBA career. James is averaging 30pts, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists which is remarkable statline at age 38. However, Lebron’s achievement is a little sunshine in a dark season. The Lakers entered the season with hopes returning to the playoffs but started with a 2-10 record in their first 12 games. At the time, it left them tied for the worst start in franchise history. The team did seem to turn it around after winning 9 of 11 in November to December and 5 in a row to go into the new year. However, the team has faced a combination of injuries to Lebron and Anthony Davis and a lack of chemistry. The team had to do a shakeup, and the front office did its best by acquiring notable players like Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Mo Bamba. The team decided they had to trade their controversial players including Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverly. The moves were made to give the them new life, but the team is still 27-32 and fighting to climb into the play-in tournament.
4. Warriors rollercoaster season-one of the hardest thing to do in sports is to repeat as champions. The Warriors won their 4th title in less than a decade, and there were expectations that they could win back-to-back because of the blend of veteran players and buddying young talent. However, things started to unravel in training camp when Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole during a scrimmage. The regular season has been a rollercoaster with Steph Curry in and out of the lineup with injuries and the young players failing to deliver and improve on their promising talent. It led the team to push through a trade prior to the deadline to acquire Gary Payton Jr in a four-team deal and send out former first-round pick James Wiseman. At 29-29 and currently a 9th seed in the West, there is uncertainty whether the team can make a surge when Curry returns, or it will be “night-night” for their season.
5. Kings and Knicks give their fans hope- the Sacramento and New York basketball franchises have made their fans suffer over the years. The Kings have gone 16 years without making the playoffs which is the all-time record for a drought in NBA history. The team looks to be in a position to end the drought because they currently have a 32-25 record and sit third in the Western Conference standings. The duo of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are playing great basketball and creating a nice buzz to energize the fans in Sac-town. In New York, Brooklyn was considered the best team in the city but losing Durant and Irving makes the Knicks look like the better roster. Although the Nets lead the Knicks by 2 games, the Knickerbockers recently beat the new-look Brooklyn franchise, and Jalen Bruson looks like one of the best signings from the free agency period. Yes, the Kings and Knicks have been big surprises from the wild season and appear to be on the path to making the playoffs.