The NBA's regular season returns from its week-long hiatus Thursday, and virtually all 30 teams have something to play for over the next seven weeks.
Here are 10 things to watch:
1. Are the Cavaliers for real?
The constant drama surrounding the Cleveland Cavaliers has been the NBA's biggest story this season. But three deals pulled off by first-year General Manager Koby Altman around the Feb. 8 trade deadline — sending out six players and a pick and bring back four solid additions — have completely remade the Cavaliers.
The Cavs return to action Thursday at home against the Washington Wizards having won four straight games going into the break. If that form holds over the next seven weeks, Cleveland will be the overwhelming favorites to make it to the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season.
2. The up-in-the-air East playoff race
The Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics are virtually guaranteed of making the playoffs. Beyond that, it's anybody's guess.
Only five games separate the Wizards in fourth place and the Detroit Pistons in ninth, leaving six teams fighting for five playoff spots between now and mid-April. The status of all six teams — the Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Pistons — will become a daily talking point.
3. The somehow crazier West playoff race
Things are even more insane out west. The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets will be battling for the top spot (more on that in a minute), but all six remaining playoff spots are up for grabs.
Thanks to the current 11-game winning streak for the Utah Jazz, there are 10 Western Conference teams with winning records. There are 4 1/2 games separating the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves — tied for third — with the 10th-place Jazz. There are about 100 different ways this could wind up.
4. Who will be the top seed in the West?
The Warriors have finished with the NBA's best record in each of Coach Steve Kerr's three seasons with the franchise. For the first time, however, that could change. The Rockets come out of the break riding a 10-game winning streak that pushed them to the league's best record, one half-game ahead of Golden State. Houston is 27-1 when James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela all play this season, and the Rockets have won two of three meetings with Golden State this season.
While Houston will push to get home-court advantage, it is unclear whether the Warriors will do the same. Kerr has talked up its importance in the past, but in a season where he's resorted to having the players coach themselves to get them focused, it may be less of a priority.
5. Will James Harden win MVP?
In two of the past three seasons, Harden was the nearly man in the league's most valuable player race. This year, though, he looks like the clear front-runner. Along with Houston boasting the league's best record, Harden is putting together arguably his best season (31.3 points, 9.0 assists, 44.8 percent shooting overall and 38.4 percent from three-point range), while the rest of the field has fallen behind.
Harden was the runaway leader in the latest version of The Washington Post's NBA straw poll, conducted earlier this month. It appears only an injury could derail his hopes of being named MVP.
6. Who will win rookie of the year?
Through the first couple months of the season, 76ers guard Ben Simmons was expected to easily win this award. But that was before Donovan Mitchell's star turn as the Jazz surged back into the playoff picture. Then, Mitchell took things a step further by winning the slam dunk contest Saturday night.
This is a race that will truly come down to the wire. The guess here is Mitchell will likely edge out Simmons for the award if Utah manages to make the playoffs, and Simmons will take it if the Jazz misses. Regardless, this is a race with two right answers.
7. When will injured stars return, and how will they look?
The Wizards have played well since John Wall underwent knee surgery. The idea they are better off without Wall is foolish, but the Wizards need him healthy if they want to make a deep playoff run. Kevin Love, like Wall, should make a complete recovery from hand surgery in time for the playoffs, but his return will mean yet another adjustment for the remade Cavaliers.
Kawhi Leonard has played just nine games because of tendinopathy in his right quad, and Coach Gregg Popovich told reporters Wednesday he'd be "surprised" if Leonard returns this season. The Spurs have to hope Popovich is wrong if they're to have any chance of making noise in the West. Rumors continue to swirl, meanwhile, that Celtics forward Gordon Hayward could return despite suffering what was expected to be a season-ending injury on opening night. It seems unlikely he will, but if he did it could significantly alter the East's landscape.
8. Will Markelle Fultz return this season?
This is perhaps the greatest mystery of this NBA season. Fultz, the consensus top pick in last year's NBA draft, has seen his beautiful jump shot completely fall apart. Video snippets of him shooting awkward jumpers have routinely melted the Internet, and several theories have emerged as to what went awry.
Here's hoping, for Fultz's sake, he's able to return and display the obvious talent he once showed. Right now, though, that day seems far away.
9. How many coaches and general managers will be fired?
There have already been three head coaches fired this season — Earl Watson in Phoenix, David Fizdale in Memphis and Jason Kidd in Milwaukee. Rich Cho was let go as Charlotte's general manager Monday.
Several more coaches could be out of a job. In New York (Jeff Hornacek), Atlanta (Mike Budenholzer), Orlando (Frank Vogel), Charlotte (Steve Clifford) and Los Angeles with the Clippers (Doc Rivers), teams with new or changing front offices could decide to make changes. If the New Orleans Pelicans miss the playoffs, both Coach Alvin Gentry and General Manager Dell Demps could go. Same goes for Coach Mike Malone in Denver. The next several weeks could decide all of their fates and could potentially imperil others.
10. The Great Tank Race of 2018
There are a host of teams battling to have the best chance of landing a top pick in June's NBA draft. Six — the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic — have 18 wins, while the Brooklyn Nets have 19 and the Chicago Bulls have 20. The New York Knicks, meanwhile, have lost eight in a row — and look like they could lose 28 in a row with star Kristaps Porzingis out for the season.
The Bulls announced they would be giving significant playing time to young players Tuesday. Mark Cuban has publicly said, "Losing is our best option," which led to the Mavericks owner being fined $600,000 Wednesday. Expect the other teams in this mix (other than the Nets, who don't have their draft pick) to follow a similar path. The result will be a hilarious race to the bottom.
Read more:
If the Wizards aren't careful, they could slip out of the playoff race
Mark Cuban 'embarrassed' by allegations of 'corrosive' Mavericks workplace culture
Steve Nash, basketball legend, reportedly will join Turner Sports' soccer coverage
Mark Cuban admits that tanking is the 'best option' for his 18-40 Mavericks
0 Response to "Are the Cavs for real, and 9 other things to watch in the NBA's stretch run - Washington Post"
Post a Comment