We’re coming into the eighth week of the 2024-25 season, and the NBA Cup is coming into its single-elimination portion. With a visit to Las Vegas on the road this week, let’s count on issues to get actually good. As for the remainder of the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers and their immense struggles have discovered unprecedented depths. They merely can’t be an excellent group with LeBron James on the ground, which we’ve by no means seen from a basketball group earlier than (we’re not counting the 2004 Workforce USA struggles right here). And, in fact, we nonetheless have our NBA Inventory Report, with the Denver Nuggets having their very own issues and Ja Morant giving us the ole misdirection.
Right here’s your newest NBA Rewind!
Inventory Report prolonged
It’s time to take a look at what’s trending within the hoops world with our NBA Inventory Report. That is what we do each Monday in The Bounce e-newsletter, however we develop it with deeper ideas on this NBA Rewind format. We’ve seen massive turnarounds from Minnesota, an embarrassing second by Denver, Atlanta doing what none of us anticipated, extra unhealthy information for Orlando, Dallas flying excessive, San Antonio dipping low and Morant flying even greater. The Lakers didn’t make the inventory report as a result of their stretch is so unhealthy it was given its personal part (scroll down). Let’s see the place groups and gamers are trending!
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📈 Minnesota Timberwolves (12-11): Keep in mind almost two weeks in the past, when the Wolves dropping to the Sacramento Kings prompted Anthony Edwards to name his group tender? He was speaking about their incapacity to speak with one another, and never following the sport plan of coach Chris Finch. That semi-risky little bit of publicly vocal management by Edwards did the job. It has sparked a Wolves turnaround, as their protection has been harking back to what we noticed a season in the past, and Minnesota put up 4 straight wins earlier than dropping to Golden State Sunday evening. The Wolves stored their opponents below 95 factors in 4 straight video games for the primary time since 2012 throughout that streak. They nonetheless have loads of floor to make up, however issues are evening and day since Edwards’ feedback.
📉 Denver Nuggets (12-10): Nikola Jokić dropped 56 factors on Saturday. It was probably the most factors he’s scored in an NBA sport. It was towards the Washington Wizards, who hadn’t gained a sport in over a month. They had been in the midst of a 16-game dropping streak, and had solely overwhelmed the Atlanta Hawks this season. The Nuggets misplaced this sport. And, sure, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon each missed it. You realize who didn’t miss this sport? The Wizards. They performed in it. They usually gained by 9. Denver might have gained 50 straight video games earlier than this, and dropping to the Wizards would have landed them right here. This might have solely been justified by Jokić not taking part in on this sport. And even then …
📈 Atlanta Hawks (13-12): That’s proper! Again-to-back weeks with the Hawks trending up within the NBA Inventory Report. The Hawks merely don’t undergo sustained highs like this, virtually ever, however we now have to acknowledge what’s lastly taking place with this group. Trae Younger had 31 factors and 20 assists in an extra time win over the Lakers this weekend. And the Hawks went 3-1 final week and have gained six of their final seven. That features two wins over Cleveland, a win over Milwaukee and the Lakers. Atlanta is definitely taking part in protection too. May this be the beginning of a brand new period?
📉 Orlando Magic well being (17-9): We’ve been marveling on the Magic’s capability to face up to the absence of Paolo Banchero as he heals from his indirect tear. After dropping the primary 4 video games with out Banchero, the Magic went on an excellent run fueled by the brand new and improved Franz Wagner. That they had gained 13 of 15 till Friday evening, when extra unhealthy information occurred. In a loss to Philadelphia, the Magic misplaced Wagner to a torn indirect. He’s out indefinitely, however we will in all probability count on him to overlook about as a lot time as Banchero has thus far. Banchero was projected to overlook four-to-six weeks on Oct. 31, and we’re coming into the sixth week of his absence. Hopefully he’ll be again quickly, however now they should tread water with out Wagner too.
📈 Dallas Mavericks (16-8): The Mavs are the most popular group in basketball proper now, with seven straight victories and wins in 11 of their final 12 video games. They ended the win streak of a scorching Memphis Grizzlies group, and we’re seeing what Nico Harrison was raving about this summer season after bringing in Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie to a group that made the NBA Finals. Throughout this 12-game stretch, Luka Dončić has solely performed in six video games. Kyrie Irving has been glorious. They usually’re nonetheless ready for Klay’s jumper to yield higher outcomes. They’ve been the league’s second-best offense, eighth-best protection and most dominant group since Nov. 15.
📉 San Antonio Spurs (12-12): The Spurs had been scorching earlier than they cooled off a bit. They’ve misplaced 4 out of their final six video games, with losses to the Lakers, Suns, Bulls and Kings. We had been simply praising them final week, after which, they misplaced by double digits in three straight video games. On Friday, the Kings lit them up for 140 factors in a 27-point loss by San Antonio. Both the Spurs’ effort goes towards a clicking protection or a clicking offense on this stretch; they haven’t had a lot stability. They’ve an 11-game stretch with 9 video games on the highway beginning proper earlier than Christmas, so San Antonio wants to tug it collectively right here.
📈 Ja Morant dunking: The Grizzlies celebrity infuriated and annoyed so many people this previous week when he claimed he was completed dunking. Morant has missed loads of video games due to harm throughout his still-young profession. And, with the reckless abandon he’s proven together with his athleticism, we’ve undoubtedly seen his model of play contribute to these accidents. Morant is without doubt one of the most spectacular athletes we’ve ever seen, and his highlights on the court docket are powerful to rival, which is saying one thing. So, we had been upset at his accountable strategy to our leisure. Then, towards the Celtics, Morant did this.
Ja Morant: “I am not attempting to dunk in any respect”
Additionally Ja Morant: https://t.co/FW5Xfq27oS pic.twitter.com/MaC9rRd98J
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 8, 2024
My lord! That’s shades of Dominique Wilkins and Shawn Kemp on that dunk! Avoiding 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porziņģis on the rim by bringing the ball right down to your quads with each palms is one factor, however nonetheless bringing it again up for the reverse dunk is absurd. I’ll remind you Morant is 6-foot-2. I’m glad he’s sticking with us.
Huge Story: The Lakers’ struggles
This weekend, I used to be internet hosting NBA Radio on SiriusXM after I heard one thing stunning. I used to be establishing this grand preamble to ultimately get to the Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles, as they’ve now misplaced seven of their final 10 video games. I used to be faux-waxing poetically about Nov. 19, when the Lakers had been 10-4 and JJ Redick was being lauded for a way this group was performing. At that second, my cohost, Amin Elhassan, butted in with one thing that had escaped my NBA media and social media consumption. He advised me individuals (each Lakers followers on social media and apparently some media) had been saying the Lakers had discovered their subsequent Pat Riley in Redick.
Since that 10-4 mark and alleged discovery of the subsequent Riles, the Lakers have fallen aside. Their numbers are literally staggering throughout the board. Let’s drop them in right here in bullet type to make it extra dramatic and higher spotlit:
- Offense: 105.9 offensive score (twenty seventh) | 55.6 % true capturing (twenty third) | 32.0 % from 3 (twenty seventh) | 0.222 free-throw price (tied for twenty fifth)
- Protection: 116.9 defensive score (twenty third) | 58.0 % eFG allowed (twenty ninth) | 39.3 % allowed from 3 (twenty ninth) | 0.187 free-throw price (1st)
- Internet score: Minus-11.1 factors per 100 possessions (twenty seventh)
- LeBron James: 22.2 factors, 8.7 assists, 7.8 rebounds, 4.8 turnovers | 46.8/27.8/82.1 capturing splits | minus-18.3 per 100 possessions on-court, plus-3.4 off-court
There’s loads of unhealthy there, however I believe that final quantity is probably the most stunning. Since LeBron signed with the Lakers in 2019, they’ve had a large problem of simply attempting to maintain issues afloat (particularly on offense) when he was off the ground. Throughout this 10-game stretch, the Lakers appear to be the Wizards when LeBron is ON the court docket, and so they’re a optimistic when the 39-year-old is on the bench. I by no means thought I’d see that — and to not that dramatic of a level both. There’s not an opportunity we’ve even come near this type of cut up over any 10-game stretch in LeBron’s basketball taking part in life. And but, that’s the place we stand with the Lakers and LeBron during the last 10.
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The protection has been unhealthy all season, however now the Lakers’ offense isn’t capable of make up for it. They will’t make pictures, and so they’re surprisingly not attending to the free-throw line, which is a energy of theirs. Solely the Blazers (105.8), Pelicans (105.2) and Wizards (100.2) have been worse offensively throughout this span. The Lakers can’t make 3-pointers, which continues to be a difficulty for them. Earlier than the season, Redick talked about maximizing 3-point quantity, which was a criticism about Darvin Ham’s offense throughout the earlier teaching administration.
The Lakers aren’t hitting 3-pointers proper now, and so they actually aren’t capturing many greater than what we noticed from them final season. Their quantity is up, with 38,5 % of their field-goal makes an attempt coming from 3 this season in comparison with 35.8 % final season. Nonetheless, relative to their spot within the NBA, they’ve gone from twenty eighth final season to twenty fifth this season — not precisely shifting mountains right here. And a part of the reason being the final word problem: roster development. Their choice of Dalton Knecht with the seventeenth choose within the 2024 NBA Draft has been celebrated. And he’s been a strong rookie thus far, with nice capturing numbers and an excellent sense of the way to transfer on the court docket with out the ball.
The issue is, the Lakers went via offseason after offseason merely not signing or buying these sorts of men. Six years into the seek for shooters, they bought one. Yay? Congrats? I don’t understand how a lot we’re purported to applaud a entrance workplace that has seemingly gone with established order on the roster during the last couple offseasons. Blaming Frank Vogel … then blaming Ham. Now going to Redick for savior on the sidelines. Redick isn’t an excellent or unhealthy coach but. I believe there are issues to love and issues to query, however the roster is much extra regarding than any choice made.
The Lakers have believed Christian Wooden and Jaxson Hayes are correct massive males to have round LeBron and Anthony Davis. They preserve sticking with D’Angelo Russell as a guard within the rotation, however his curler coaster of an impression on the ground by no means steadies. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura are strong position gamers, however they’re the third- and fourth-best guys on the roster? After which, they’re hoping gamers like Cam Reddish, Max Christie and Gabe Vincent can have optimistic impacts. This stuff might be masked when LeBron is LeBron. He lastly appears like he’s dropping some floor in his battle with Father Time. His protection has been tough for years, however his offense all the time made up for it. As he approaches 40 years previous within the subsequent three weeks, possibly for the primary time ever you’ll be able to’t depend on him as a lot anymore. That’s when the warts of this roster get a highlight shined on them.
The Week Forward: The NBA Cup will get critical!
Do you need to go to Las Vegas within the useless of winter? That’s the place the NBA Cup motion brings groups this week because the single-elimination spherical begins on Tuesday and Wednesday. These are the one video games within the NBA that evening, with the brilliant highlight of the In-Season Event (a.okay.a. the NBA Cup) taking heart stage within the Affiliation. We have now 4 groups from every convention squaring off. The winners of every of those video games will head to Las Vegas this weekend to proceed the match. Listed here are the matchups heading into the single-elimination portion of the NBA Cup:
(All sport occasions within the Jap time zone)
Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. on TNT: The Magic in all probability aren’t sweating December climate at house an excessive amount of, however that doesn’t imply they don’t need to head to Vegas. The Bucks want to get again there for the second straight December. Final 12 months, they misplaced to the Indiana Pacers within the semifinals in Vegas. They’ve a fantastic shot of at the very least getting again to that stage with Wagner’s harm. It’ll be as much as Goga Batidze, Jalen Suggs and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to decelerate and finest Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
BetMGM has the Bucks with the third-best odds (+450) to win the NBA Cup and third-best odds (+150) to make the NBA Cup Remaining. With the newest information, Orlando has the worst odds to win it (+2500) and attain the NBA Cup Remaining (+800). These two groups haven’t performed one another this season.
Dallas Mavericks at OKC Thunder, 9:3o p.m. on TNT: The Mavericks are the most popular group in basketball, and they’ll deliver that seven-game win streak into OKC. Dallas is generally wholesome proper now, and Dončić is again to crushing opponents. The Thunder are 2.5 video games forward of Dallas for first within the West, however they’re nonetheless lacking Chet Holmgren. Each of those groups are prime 10 in each offense and protection. We’ll see how the Mavericks do with their fourth-ranked offense going towards the very best protection in basketball.
BetMGM has the Mavericks with the fourth-best odds (+700) to win the NBA Cup and fourth-best odds (+275) to make the NBA Cup Remaining. OKC is the favourite to win it (+275) however has the second-best odds make the NBA Cup Remaining (+125). The Mavs are 1-0 towards the Thunder this season, beating them 121-119 on Nov. 17 in OKC. Dallas didn’t have Dončić in that sport, and the Thunder had been lacking Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Wednesday
Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks, 7 p.m. on ESPN: Right here we go once more! Trae Younger and the Atlanta Hawks will attempt to wreck the great time of the New York Knicks. We noticed this matchup within the 2021 NBA playoffs, when there was loads of drama of their first-round collection. Since then, Younger has been a villain at Madison Sq. Backyard, however that is additionally the very best Knicks group he’s confronted. New York has the very best offense in basketball, so the Hawks want to essentially deliver it on each ends of the ground.
BetMGM has the Hawks with the second-worst odds (+1800) to win the NBA Cup and second-worst odds (+700) to make the NBA Cup Remaining. New York has the second-best odds to win it (+300) and the very best odds make the NBA Cup Remaining (+105). The Hawks beat the Knicks earlier this season 121-116 in Atlanta behind 33 factors from No. 1 choose Zaccharie Risacher. The Knicks hit 22 3-pointers in that sport and nonetheless misplaced.
Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN: For years, the Warriors stood in the best way of the Rockets competing for an NBA championship. Now, they’re attempting to enter Houston and block the Rockets from competing for the NBA Cup. We’ve seen loads of enjoyable play from each squads thus far. The Rockets and Warriors have two of the very best defenses within the league. Steph Curry towards Dillon Brooks? Draymond Inexperienced towards Alperen Şengün? Seeing who exhibits up between Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Inexperienced? Signal me up.
BetMGM has the Warriors tied with Dallas for the fourth-best odds (+700) to win the NBA Cup, however they’ve the fifth-best odds (+300) to make the NBA Cup Remaining. Houston has the sixth-best odds to win it (+750) and is tied with the Warriors for fifth-best odds to make the NBA Cup Remaining (+300). The Warriors are 2-0 towards Houston this season. They beat the Rockets 127-121 in extra time on Nov. 2 after which once more this previous Thursday, 99-93.
(High picture: Winslow Townson / Getty Photos )
