With the trade deadline and “All-Star Weekend starring Kevin Hart” now in the rearview mirror, the NBA picture has come more into focus.
The haves and the have-not-enoughs are clear.
One league exec was on the line Tuesday to note his early call was still valid.
“There’s no way you can look at the league now and say that Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City aren’t on a different level. I told you that almost two months ago,” he said. “The only way anything changes by the end of the season is injuries, but you’ve got to be looking at three of the four conference finals teams here. Those guys have separated themselves.”
NBA Next-Tier Teams: Close, But …
So, for different reasons, have those beneath them on the NBA food chain.
The Knicks‘ Achilles’ heel was thought to be depth, and that’s still a problem — one exacerbated by the fact Tom Thibodeau has always leaned too hard on his starters anyway.
New York is hoping the return of Mitchell Robinson helps, but can he be enough to dramatically impact the Knicks’ biggest area of concern: defense? In particular, transition defense.
“KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) isn’t in the kind of shape he needs to be to deal with Cleveland and Boston,” one league scout told Heavy Sports. “But this isn’t all on him. New York just doesn’t have enough good defenders. You know where you see it? (Jalen) Brunson’s out there working his ass off even though he’s got the size problem, and then you see other guys just getting beating up the floor and off the dribble.
“They can play with teams if they can make it a slow-down halfcourt game, but, the other day, whenever the Celtics pushed the ball, they got a great shot just about every time.”
Bucks’ Top Issue Remains
Defense became a concern for Milwaukee on September 27, 2023 when it traded Jrue Holiday in the three-team deal that returned Damian Lillard. (Things got worse — much worse — for the Bucks four days later when Portland turned around and sent Holiday to Boston.)
“They thought they needed more firepower around Giannis, but the other end of the floor is what’s going to kill them,” said one coach.
As for the other club with Eastern Conference contender dreams at the start of the season, perhaps the less said about the 76ers the better.
“What a mess,” said a front office source. “It all starts with (Joel) Embiid and what’s going on with him physically and otherwise, but take a step back and look at all the guys they’ve run through there in the last few years hoping something sticks. Harden, Jimmy Butler, now PG (Paul George)… that contract they gave Tobias Harris?
“Teams around the league are looking at their roster now, wondering who they might be able to pick off around the edges, because it looks like they’re headed for some bigger changes.”
Westward, Ho
Bigger changes have already happened out West, with the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis traded shaking the ground in Dallas and LA.
“If AD can get back in the next few weeks, Dallas has time to get its (stuff) together,” said a scout. “If their other guys are healthy, too, and Davis stays good, him and Kyrie could make them better than they were last year.
“Everyone’s looking at the Lakers now and what Luka and LeBron are doing, but the Mavs have the better team when they’re whole.”
Asked about Denver’s the veteran scout replied, “Tell me what Jamal Murray you’re going to get. He wasn’t good last year after the injury, so they got knocked out. He’s had some much better moments lately, but they need him to be consistently good. (Nikola) Jokic is always going to be incredible, and when he’s got Murray going, too, you see how all their other guys — (Aaron) Gordon, (Michael) Porter and the rest of them — are free to make big plays.
“That’s a team that could give OKC a series, but Murray has to be right. I don’t think Memphis is ready yet, and there are a lot of ifs with health for Dallas.”
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