Congratulations Pistons fans! I’m happy for you. The first pick is really big for a team whose franchise player was Andre Drummond for most of the decade.
All signs point to Cade Cunningham being the number one selection. Although I’m not really a big college basketball guy, I know Cade’s really good. As long as Detroit doesn’t screw up his development, he’s gonna be special.
The roster beyond Cade, however, is the main reason I wanted to write this article. Detroit has quietly built a really solid young core.
Jerami Grant is obviously the guy in Detroit right now. He’s got the offense and the defense. Can he be the best player on a championship team? Absolutely not. Could he be the best player on a playoff team? Potentially, because I think the Pistons could make it next year. All in all, Jerami is a really good NBA player. (It’s cool to see him on the Olympics roster.)
I like Saddiq Bey a lot. He deserved his All-Rookie first team selection, no question about it. He’s a great shooter. I think he could be an All-Star one day. Look out for serious growth from him next season.
Isaiah Stewart also looked good this year. He brought it in the paint on both ends of the floor. He even shot 33% from three, which is super impressive for a rookie big who didn’t really shoot in college.
Killian Hayes showed flashes, especially as a playmaker. He wasn’t an efficient scorer, but that will come along. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do in a fully healthy season.
Hami Diallo showed me this season that he’s more than just a dunker. He brings great energy. He’ll develop even further in coming seasons.
Josh Jackson breathed some life into his career this season. He wasn’t very efficient this year, as he was towards the bottom of the league in stats like true shooting % and PER. His shot selection was iffy, but considering he had total freedom in Detroit that’s not surprising. In order to really see how good he is, he’s gonna have to play in a more controlled environment. Playoff contention in 2022 for the Pistons would shorten that leash.
Frank Jackson is another player I like. For one reason or another, I decided to mention him in my preseason award prediction article as a dude who could make some solid improvement this year. That was pretty random at the time, but believe it or not, I was right. Frank was a really solid player off the bench for the Pistons this season. His efficiency jumped significantly this year (I’m linking you to his Basketball Reference page because I don’t feel like typing out all of his percentage increases). Dwayne Casey called him a keeper in an interview, and I agree. He seems to have found a home in Detroit.
Despite only playing 30 minutes together, a lineup of Killian, Frank, Josh, Saddiq, and Isaiah outscored opponents by 32.9 points per 100 possessions, which was far and away the best out of any Pistons lineup. That’s a really small sample size, but it’s still a positive sign for Detroit’s young core.
All in all, I like Detroit’s roster a lot. After a super mediocre 2010’s, things are looking bright for the Detroit Pistons. I’m here for it.
The first trade of the NBA offseason went down today, and it involves some biggish names. Kemba Walker is headed to OKC. Al Horford is returning to Boston. Some draft picks are involved. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the full deal.
Boston Celtics get: Al Horford, Moses Brown, 2023 2nd round pick
In my “what’s next for the Boston Celtics” article, I said that Kemba was still worth a decent young player or a protected first round pick. Moses Brown is that young player. I think he fits great with Boston’s timeline as a young guy to grow alongside Tatum and JB, and he’s also a good player who can help Boston win now.
The problem is that now Boston has four rotational centers on their roster. They already had Robert Williams and Tristan Thompson, and they just added Moses and Horford.
Tristan Thompson should get traded. He’s the odd man out in my opinion. Al Horford can run the four because he can stretch the floor.
All in all, this was a decent return for Kemba. They cleared up some cap space, which is huge. The only problem is that they had to give up the 16th pick. Moses Brown is probably worth that, though, so it’s ok.
Celtics grade: B+
As for OKC, this was a solid trade. The main asset is that 16th overall pick. Sam Presti can use that pick to add to his stockpile of young players.
Giving up Moses Brown is unfortunate, but he can be replaced. Evan Mobley should be available when OKC drafts in the top five.
As for Kemba Walker, he probably shouldn’t stick around. The Thunder don’t need him. OKC on the selling end of a Kemba deal opens up a ton of possibilities, because they don’t need a super valuable asset in return. All they need is a couple draft picks.
Some teams that might be looking for Kemba include the Clippers, Dallas, New York, and Chicago.
I think this was a good trade for OKC. They got rid of Al Horford, and got a more valuable player in return. They got another first round pick. Good work from Sam Presti.
Grade: A- (Would be an A if Moses Brown wasn’t involved)
So, those are my thoughts about the first trade of the 2021 offseason! What do you think about this trade? Let me know! Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
Hey, this is the bench mob blog. I’ve gotta show love to the bench guy!
Game 5 between the Bucks and Nets was crazy. One of the best games of the playoffs so far.
It made me incredibly mad. I tweeted a lot during that game, so if you want a simple summary of my thoughts, just visit my Twitter.
Anyways, I have a lot of different things to touch on in this article.
First off, Kevin Durant is top three right now. I haven’t decided for sure right now, and I won’t until after the playoffs when I release my top 100 list. But he’s obviously insanely good. His performance in game 5 was a masterpiece. I’m impressed with the fact that he played the entire game more than the points he scored, the rebounds he grabbed, or the assists he gathered. Definitely an all-time performance.
James Harden shouldn’t have played. He’s clearly not healthy. He couldn’t make a shot, and was playing lazy defense. I’m just glad he didn’t reinjure himself. It was really funny that he couldn’t hit a shot, but he could complain to the refs about everything and flop constantly. I like Harden but I’m tired of the flopping.
Jeff Green deserves a ton of credit. He could not miss. KD is obviously the main reason for the win, but without Jeff Green the Nets probably would have lost.
Blake Griffin has overtaken Joel Embiid for my least favorite player in the NBA. He’s just a total jerk. I respect every single player in the NBA except for him. The main reason is he didn’t try and played bad just to get out of Detroit (That’s just so stupid. Why would somebody purposely play bad. Blake is not a Hall of Famer just because of that). Also, I’m tired of watching him clearly foul somebody and then still complain. He’s simply a clown.
Giannis needs to get better. Crazy to say about a 2-time MVP, but it’s true. I am sick of watching him drive in a straight line to the hoop and pick up an offensive foul every time. I’m tired of watching him iso (it’s not his game to dribble a ton). I’m tired of watching him take mid range fade-aways. He had injured Harden guarding him on a crucial possession, and took a freaking fade-away. I love Giannis, but he makes me angry more than any other Buck.
Middleton and Holiday need to play well in the same game. Jrue had a good game last night, but Middleton didn’t. Middleton played great a few games ago, but Jrue couldn’t make a shot. If they both play well, the Bucks will be a lot harder to beat.
STOP ISOING SO MUCH, PLEASE! Especially with Giannis, it doesn’t work! You can’t win a game by isoing every possession.
Fire Bud unless we win a championship. It’s time to switch it up. It’s not all his fault. But, sagging off of shooters and all of the iso is his fault, and those are two major problems. The Bucks just struggle with spacing and playing good offense in general, and that’s something a different coach could change. (I don’t really have a preference on who the Bucks hire. Rick Carlisle is apparently keeping an eye on the Bucks, but if he doesn’t come, maybe Becky Hammon would be a good option.)
Bryn Forbes should be taking more than one three when he plays. If he’s not getting open looks, it’s because the Bucks can’t play offense.
I love Pat Connaughton and his energy.
Bobby Portis should have played last night.
So there’s my jumble of thoughts from the most angering game all year. Do you have any other thoughts? Tweet me and let me know! See you next time!
The Denver Nuggets season is over, and it didn’t end in an ideal way. After beating Portland in 6 games, they got swept by the Phoenix Suns. Of course, Jamal Murray being injured is a large part of that. Anytime your second option goes down, you’re gonna be worse, so the Nuggets shouldn’t be too disappointed with the loss.
Nikola Jokic was somewhat disappointing in the Phoenix series. His averages don’t look too bad (25 PPG, 13 RPG, 6 APG), but his 48/28/68 shooting splits aren’t good. Deandre Ayton plays great defense (His playoff defensive rating is 102, which is awesome. Rudy Gobert’s regular season DRTG was 100, for comparison), but if you’re the MVP, you’ve gotta do better. He’s good enough to carry a team to a win, and that should have happened at least once this series. Game 4 could have been that game until he embarrassed himself. Unlike most people on NBA Twitter, I think Jokic deserved to be ejected. There is no excuse to take a swing at a man while playing a basketball game. It was super out of character for him. I was in awe when it happened. I found myself yelling at my TV while they were reviewing it, saying “get him the heck out of here.” They were playing well last night, and he screwed them over. That will probably frustrate him for a while.
Michael Porter Jr. also kind of struggled in the Phoenix series, but I expected that. He’s never faced defensive attention like he did this playoffs. Plus, when your whole game is catching and shooting, it’s hard to play against intense defense. I don’t blame him for the loss, he’s not ready to be a top option yet.
Will Barton is probably my favorite Nugget. I don’t really know why, but I just like his game. He does a bit of everything. He’s a defender, a shooter, and a playmaker. I could tell he really wanted to win last night. He brought tons of energy for Denver in the 3rd quarter. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do it on his own.
Facundo Campazzo also really wanted the win last night. He also brought great energy. I think he’s an All-Rookie player this year.
I like Denver’s roster. I think they’re close to a championship. Although another All-Star would help, I’m not even sure if they need it. A fully healthy Nuggets team can make a Finals run next year. Their roster just works. Therefore, I’m not sure if they need to make many changes this offseason. Definitely not anything significant. Everybody important is locked up for at least next season.
They should resign PJ Dozier, Austin Rivers, and Shaquille Harrison. Dozier was part of Denver’s best lineup (net-rating wise), and he’s a solid player. Austin Rivers is a good scorer and a solid defender, and he’s a good piece off the bench for Denver. Shaq Harrison is a great defender, capable of guarding guys like Damian Lillard. I think he should have got more playing time in the playoffs, but he can earn that time next year if Denver brings him back.
I’d say they should sign a backup center (like Robin Lopez, maybe), but I think they have one on their bench. Please, Michael Malone, PLAY BOL BOL! He’s a special player in terms of his build and skill set, and he could be really good with some development. The best way to develop a player is to put him in the game.
So, what’s next for the Denver Nuggets? Running it back.
Do you agree, or not? Tweet me and let me know! Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
Another first round exit for the Portland Trail Blazers. That’s unfortunate. Losing to a Denver Nuggets roster missing their second best player is not the way that Portland wanted to go out. Damian Lillard definitely didn’t want to lose. Over the six games, he averaged 34 points and 10 assists while shooting 45% from three. His 12 3PM performance in Game 5 was insane (I’m still mad that the game wasn’t on national TV), and I can’t believe his teammates lost the game for him.
So now it’s time for the Blazers to make some serious changes. Parting ways with Terry Stotts is a good start, but the roster also needs some changes.
To start, Portland needs multiple good 3&D forwards. They struggle a lot on defense. They need guys that can guard the LeBrons and the KDs of the league. Robert Covington is good, but his inconsistency on offense makes him replaceable.
The dream pickup is Jerami Grant. Not only is Jerami another scorer who can take pressure off Dame and CJ, he’s also a good defender. As a borderline All-Star player who can still improve, he has decently high trade value, but I think Portland could pull off a deal. The trade would probably look something like this:
Portland gets: Jerami Grant
Detroit gets: Robert Covington, Zach Collins, 2023 1st Round Pick unprotected, 2025 1st Round Pick lottery protected
The big piece here is Zach Collins. He’s a former lottery pick who can stretch the floor and rebound the basketball. He’ll struggle to grow if he stays in Portland, but in Detroit he could move in as the starting four. Robert Covington is just to match salaries.
I don’t really know what Detroit would want for Jerami Grant, but I feel like that’s a solid trade.
If Jerami Grant wasn’t available, two other players I think would be great for the Blazers are Kelly Oubre and Harrison Barnes. A trade for either of those guys would involve Derrick Jones and a pick of some kind.
Another thing Portland could use is a rim protecting center. Myles Turner is the dream pickup, but I’m not sure if Indiana would be interested in Jusuf Nurkic.
The main thing Portland has to consider is trading C.J. McCollum. I don’t think it’s necessary, but he has some good trade value and Portland could get a really good player for him. I just don’t know who that player would be.
C.J. also might need to go if Portland wants to re-sign Norman Powell. Norman is really good, and if Portland plans to have him come off the bench he might decide to sign elsewhere.
In the end, Portland needs to go all in on winning as long as Damian Lillard is on the roster. If they can’t become contenders, Dame might leave. Portland fans don’t want to see that, and neither do I. So please, Neil Olshey and the Blazers organization, do a good job this offseason.
So, this was a messy article, but so is the situation Portland is in. Do you agree that they should go all in on winning, or do you think they should trade Dame and rebuild? Let me know on the new Bench Mob Blog Twitter! Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
After an overachieving 2021 season, the New York Knicks are finally done. They kinda got crushed by the Hawks, but that doesn’t matter. The Knicks had the most successful 2021 NBA season.
The big reason why is, of course, their overachievement record wise. Nobody (besides maybe some die hard Knicks fan) had them finishing anywhere near the playoffs this year. I had them at 29th in my preseason power rankings, and here’s what I had to say:
“The Knicks suck. They young guys they have never pan out because they can’t develop players. My example is how New York killed Dennis Smith Jr.’s career. They will be awful again this year. Obi Toppin will probably be a bright spot. I don’t have much else to say.”
Yikes. That’s embarrassing.
The Knicks obviously didn’t suck this year. The most impressive part was that they actually had young guys pan out. R.J. Barrett showed why he was the third overall pick in 2019. Immanuel Quickley was a top steal in the 2020 draft (he was picked 25th overall). Obi Toppin wasn’t some crazy bright spot like I predicted, but he was still solid (he stepped up in the playoffs, which you love to see from a rookie). Unfortunately Kevin Knox didn’t get any better, but that’s all good.
The biggest welcome surprise was of course the 2021 Most Improved Player, Julius Deion Randle. This guy deserves only respect from every NBA fan. His regular season was All-NBA worthy. He did everything on the court. His improvement is truly amazing.
He may have struggled in the playoffs, but I’m going to cut him a little bit of slack. He led a truly awful team and organization back to NBA relevance. Plus, to be the number one option in your first ever playoffs must have unbelievable pressure.
Tom Thibodeau, my 2021 Coach of the Year, also deserves lots of respect. He made the Knicks a top defensive team. Also, Julius Randle credited a lot of his improvement to coach Thibs, which tells me a lot about Thibs as a coach.
The Knicks veterans were awesome this year as well. Derrick Rose never fails to impress me with his high level of play despite all of the injuries he’s faced. Alec Burks is a pure scorer, and will be sought after by contenders for the rest of his career. Nerlens Noel should be in All-Defense conversations this year. Reggie Bullock, to me, is a truly underrated player. Not underappreciated, but underrated. He was great as the Knicks starting shooting guard, because he shot the ball well and played solid defense.
At the end of game five last night, when Trae Young was dribbling the clock out (before he shot and made a final “eff you New York” triple), New York fans gave a standing ovation for their team. I’m very happy for those fans. They’ve endured so much pain the last few years that they deserve what the Knicks gave them this year.
All NBA fans should be happy for what the New York Knicks accomplished this year. It’s truly awesome. I might just start wearing the Knicks hat I picked up when I went to New York sometimes.
(First of two notes: You’re welcome for the back-to-back-to-back articles. This obviously won’t be a consistent thing, but since I’m wrapping up school, I’ll have more time to write.)
(Second of two notes: The Bench Mob Blog now has a Twitter! I’ll tweet when I publish a new article, and whenever I feel the need to make a random comment on the NBA. Feel free to tweet me some thoughts on my articles.)
The Boston Celtics just lost in five games to Brooklyn. This outcome wasn’t unexpected, as even if Jaylen Brown was playing the Celtics just wouldn’t have been able to match the offensive output of the Nets. It’s still disappointing though, of course.
After this loss, Danny Ainge stepped down from his GM/President of basketball operations position, which Brad Stevens is taking over. This change in front office should mean change for the Celtics roster.
So, just like I did in my what’s next for the Miami Heat article, I’m going to talk about some things I would do this offseason to put Boston in the right direction.
Explore Kemba Walker trades
I don’t think Kemba should be traded for nothing. It would be hard to do so because of his large contract, but trading him for something means not just some expiring contracts. I think Kemba’s still good enough to get at least one young player or a protected first round draft pick.
The problem with exploring Kemba trades is I have no idea what teams would be interested in him. Most teams have a point guard that shouldn’t be replaced, or just straight up have no use for Kemba.
One potential destination for Kemba is Dallas. The trade would be centered around a Kemba and Porzingis swap.
Boston gets the younger player, which fits better with the timeline of their two cornerstones. Also, Porzingis could start alongside Robert Williams, allowing him to slide into his natural stretch four role.
Dallas gets a guard who can take some scoring/ball handling pressure off of Luka, which would be a big help for him. They can replace Porzingis with a big who doesn’t need to shoot as much. Maybe Kelly Olynyk if they want a stretch, or Andre Drummond for traditional paint play (although he would have to be willing to be a role player for another season).
Both stars are injury-prone and somewhat inconsistent, but could benefit from a change of scenery. Both teams could also benefit from a change like this, because right now both are good, not great.
If there’s no market for Kemba this offseason, I would legitimately consider a buyout. Kemba’s contract only gets longer over time, and his play could deteriorate over that time if he continues to get injured. A buyout should be the last option though. I’d take a G-League player and a second round pick before I released Kemba, because at least I’m getting something in return.
Look to make the roster younger
I’m not saying tank. I’m saying that Boston should try to get as many young players who are already rotational pieces as possible. That means moving on from Tristan Thompson, so Robert Williams can become the full time starter (possible free agent replacements include Isaiah Hartenstein or Tony Bradley). That means giving more prominent roles to guys like Romeo Langford (who was pretty good in the playoffs), Aaron Nesmith, Payton Pritchard, and Grant Williams next year. That means try and sign some solid guys in free agency.
Bruce Brown would be a great pickup. He’s a restricted free agent, so it would be tough to pry him away from Brooklyn, but Boston should definitely give him an offer.
Don’t rush to resign Evan Fournier
Evan Fournier is a great player. Although he struggled for a little bit after he had COVID, he returned to his usual self closer to the end of the season. If Boston can resign him, that would be awesome. He and Marcus Smart complement each other nicely as a shooting guard tandem.
However, if Fournier wants more money than Boston can afford to pay him, then it’s not a big deal. All they gave up for him was two second round picks, which is hardly anything.
So, in conclusion, I think that Boston’s goal should be to try and stay competitive while becoming younger. Jayson and Jaylen are young, and are in Boston for the long haul. If Boston could develop (rather than buy) a core around them, then that would be awesome. A young team means more money to spare, and a star player would definitely show interest in going to the Celtics in the future.
Do you agree or disagree with my plan? Let me know! Look forward to more articles like this as teams get eliminated, and see you next time!
(P.S. I’ve been on the Jayson Tatum train. I said he’d be the eleventh best player in the league this year. That’s too high, but he’s top 15-17. He was a true superstar in the first round this year.)
The Miami Heat, after making a Finals run in the 2020 playoffs, just got demolished by the Bucks. They got swept 4-0, and only one game was close (and that was the one Bucks struggle game. The Heat didn’t play well all series). That’s super disappointing.
So, because of this disappointing loss, we now know that the Heat need to make changes. They aren’t capable of winning a championship in their current state. So, I’m gonna talk about a few things I think they should do to return to contender status next season.
First things first: Make a decision on Tyler Herro
We know Tyler Herro is pretty good. He definitely has potential. The problem is, he was inconsistent this year. That’s a bad sign (I talked a lot about him in this article, so I won’t say too much else here). Therefore, the Heat need to make a decision: do we trade Herro while we know for sure he has value, or do we keep him and hope he returns to his bubble state?
I think he should get traded. Why? That leads to my next thing.
Acquire a scorer
I’m talking about a consistent 18-20 PPG guy that can score at all levels. That’s what Miami really needed in the playoffs, because everybody was struggling shooting the ball. Jimmy usually isn’t that. Bam isn’t that. Tyler could become one, but he isn’t that yet.
The Heat have cap space. If they want to use that on a scorer, I think Norman Powell or Evan Fournier are the ideal targets. I like Norman Powell in Miami, because he’s a better defender than Fournier, but both would be good.
A trade involving Tyler Herro is the other way for Miami to acquire a scorer. The obvious target is Bradley Beal. I just don’t think that’s realistic. Maybe last summer, when Tyler’s value was at its highest, but not anymore. Therefore, I have another potential target:
Collin Sexton.
I know, not the perfect player. He’s not necessarily a willing passer, and he’s also a young player who is still developing. He’s not a great defender, which doesn’t fit Miami’s culture. But I think he’d be better than Tyler on the Heat, and it’s been rumored that Cleveland could listen to offers for Sexton.
I think that Sexton would be able to have the ball in his hands in Miami, but he could also learn to play off the ball so Jimmy can facilitate. I think Sexton as an off ball would be great. I also think that Sexton would be an awesome sixth man if Coach Spoelstra opted to start the veteran Dragic. I think a Tyler for Sexton swap would work out well for both teams. I do think the Heat would have to throw in a few picks to get it done, but it would be worth it if they’re really all in on winning now.
Tyler would be great for a young Cleveland roster. He has the All-Star potential. He has the ability to play on and off the ball, which is great because Darius Garland could slide in as the full time point guard. He could grow nicely on a team with no pressure and less media attention, which would benefit him immensely.
Don’t pay Victor Oladipo, please
I don’t care how much he wants to be in Miami, I don’t want to see Oladipo in a Heat jersey next year. Not because he’s a bad player. He’s definitely not as good as he used to be, but he’s still a good player that fits nicely on the Heat. It’s just that he’s going to want a lot of money. If he won’t accept anything below $15 million, the Heat should not bring him back. He’s just not worth that much money.
(Plus, Miami hardly gave up anything to get Oladipo, so letting him go is no biggie. If Duncan Robinson would have been involved like Houston wanted, this would be a different story.)
Do pay Duncan Robinson, please
Not more than $20 million though. He’s obviously a top shooter in the league, but he’s not worth All-Star money. He should get around $15 million, tops. The Heat need to keep Duncan for now, he’s too valuable to let go.
Resign Kendrick Nunn
He could be used in a sign-and-trade. If Miami decides they really want to go all in on Bradley Beal, Kendrick would have to be involved in the deal. He’s probably worth $10 million a year tops if Miami wants to keep him, but if he was involved in a sign-and-trade for a star player then he could get $15 million to make the money match.
Bring back Nemanja Bjelica and Dewayne Dedmon
Both are solid role players that did their jobs in the Bucks series. I think Miami should bring them back for a full season.
In the end, Miami’s offseason comes down to two main points:
Acquire a scorer, it’s necessary
Don’t screw up your cap space
I definitely trust Miami’s front office to do their job well, but that’s what I would do if I was the Heat’s general manager (hey, this is almost like a “I become the GM of” article).
Do you agree with my plan? What would you change? Are you angry because of this article’s title? Let me know! See you next time!
What a start to the playoffs! I watched basketball all weekend. My whole life is watching basketball during the playoffs. The first games did not waste my time.
I’ve got some takeaways from these games. A few involve the play-in, the rest relate to the first playoff games played this weekend. Here we go!
(Before we start, I’ll mention the rebranding this blog went through. Finn’s Basketball Blog wasn’t an awful name, but the Bench Mob Blog is a lot better. Shoutout to my dad for designing the logo. I chose the Bench Mob because I have a strange obsession with lots of random bench guys in the NBA. Mike James, Tim Frazier, and Mamadi Diakite are a few of my favorites.)
KASH MONEY!!!
Middleton for the win! You love to see it. In the 2018 playoffs, Middleton made one of the five best shots I’ve seen/watched live. He made another clutch shot this year. It put the cap on a game that was kind of a struggle for a lot of players. Giannis was inefficient (10-27 from the field, 6-13 from the free throw line), Jimmy was extremely inefficient (4-22 from the field), Bam was inefficient (4-15), Tyler Herro was very inefficient (2-10), Divincenzo struggled (1-5), and a few others guys struggled as well. That’s kind of how I expected this series to go. It’s definitely a defensive battle type of matchup. I’m excited for the rest of the series (although if the Bucks lose, I’m going to lose it). This is definitely a top three (maybe top one) first round matchup in terms of viewing enjoyment and competitiveness.
Luka has help, but not from who you would expect
Luka, as usual, was amazing in the first game against the Clippers. In a double-digit win, he put up 30 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 blocks. Of course, in order to win in the playoffs, the supporting cast needs to play well. That’s what happened on Saturday. Tim Hardaway Jr. put up 21 points (that man’s been hooping lately), Dorian Finney-Smith had 18, and Jalen Brunson added 15.
However, the man getting paid $30 million to be Luka’s sidekick, Kristaps Porzingis, had a bad game. His problem is inconsistency (and injury). I don’t like his shot selection. He’s a seven-foot tall player that fades away when a small guard is switched on to him. I think the Mavericks (unless they have a crazy playoff run) should look to move on from KP this offseason. I’m not sure what they could get in return, but I don’t think he’s good as a second option.
Poor Jokic…
Jokic needs Jamal Murray. He was able to keep the Nuggets afloat after Jamal’s injury in the regular season, but he just lost by 20 to the Blazers in game one (and C.J. McCollum and Norman Powell weren’t efficient). Michael Porter Jr. (who I will admit is better this year than last. He’s pretty good. I do think R.J. Barrett deserved the nomination for MIP over MPJ though) shot 1-10 from three. This may be a five game exit for Denver. That’s an unfortunate way to end an MVP season for Nikola Jokic.
Ice Trae is in full force, and Danilo Gallinari’s hair sucks
Chants of “Eff Trae Young” turned into silence after Trae’s game winner against the Knicks. What a way to start his playoff career. Stop the Trae Young hate.
It really helped Atlanta that the Knicks were struggling. Julius Randle shot an ugly 6-23, R.J. Barrett shot 6-15 and Reggie Bullock was 0-5 from three. I’m sure they’ll turn it around. When they do, this will be an even more competitive series.
(Shoutout to Alec Burks. He’s a bucket.)
Tobias Harris deserves his money
Tobias had an All-Star level regular season. He also had a superstar first game against the Wizards. He put up 37 points. Tobias is the perfect third option for a contender. He’s great, and his contract isn’t looking so bad anymore.
Joel Embiid added 30 points with 12 free throws. Ben Simmons had a Draymond performance (3-9 from the field, 0-6 from the free throw line, 15 rebounds, 15 assists). The 76ers looked really good on Sunday.
Start Daniel Gafford please
In a game for Washington where every starter had a negative plus/minus, Daniel Gafford had +14. He’s an interior defender and a rim protector. Alex Len is solid, and Robin Lopez has an elite post hook (not kidding, he led the league in hook percentage this year. He makes them like everytime), but Daniel Gafford should be Washington’s starting center.
Anthony Davis needs to get off the struggle bus or LA is screwed
The Lakers aren’t scary at all when AD isn’t playing well. Game one against the Suns is a great example of that. That’s because the supporting cast is a bit iffy at times. Dennis Schroder is an inconsistent scorer, Andre Drummond is a bad decision maker, KCP can be quite streaky (he was chucking up bricks on Sunday), and Kyle Kuzma’s inconsistent. Alex Caruso has been a bright spot recently, having solid offensive performances against Golden State and Phoenix, and he also plays solid defense.
If AD doesn’t turn it around, then the Lakers could legitimately lose in five. LeBron can carry a team, but he still needs his supporting cast to make shots.
The Phoenix Suns are serious contenders
Although picking him to win MIP this year didn’t work out, Deandre Ayton just had a great first game against the Lakers. Maybe he’ll win it in 2022.
Devin Booker had an excellent playoff debut. He’s still not better than Donovan Mitchell, but he is still a top five shooting guard.
Chris Paul is a trooper. He left the game twice due to a shoulder injury, and still played 36 minutes. He’s the ultimate true point guard, and he’s such a great fit in Phoenix.
Mikal Bridges is such a good 3&D wing. I don’t know if he’ll ever be an All-Star, but he’ll definitely become a top role player on a championship team. His skillset is so valuable.
Phoenix also has a solid supporting cast. Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, Cameron Payne, Dario Saric, and Torrey Craig all play specific roles and play them well.
I think Phoenix has a great chance of making the Finals. Potentially the best in the West.
Them boys in Memphis are HOOPING
Wow, the Grizzlies have been playing great lately. They surprisingly made it out of the play-in, and then had a great win over Utah on Sunday. All of their guys are playing excellent basketball.
Jonas Valanciunas is a top six or seven center. He led the league in 20-20 games this season. He sets great screens, and grabs every single offensive rebound.
Ja Morant is doing usual Ja Morant things, but he’s shot the ball well from downtown in the last couple games and that’s making him even harder to guard. He made five triples against Golden State.
Kyle Anderson may be very slow, but he has a big impact for Memphis. This has truly been a breakout year for him. He’s a good defender, and his shot has improved this year.
Desmond Bane is a sniper, and so is Grayson Allen. I thought it was wild that Grayson closed the game against Golden State with back-to-back triples.
Finally, Dillon Brooks has been playoff MVP so far. He’s played truly excellent defense (especially on DeMar), and he’s also been great on offense, especially when getting to the rim. He’s only 25. Could he maybe be an All-Star one day? We’ll see.
So, those are some random takeaways and thoughts I have after watching the first 2021 playoff games. Do you agree with anything I said, or do you disagree? Do you have any other thoughts? Let me know! See you next time!
The NBA regular season has wrapped up. For me, it was a great season. I enjoyed watching games this year. The one bad thing for me was all the injuries. So many stars missed time this year. Hopefully next year everybody stays healthy.
Because the regular season is over, I can now give you my picks for the regular season awards. I’ll give my three finalists, and then my official pick. Let’s get into it.
Coach of the Year
Finalist: Tom Thibodeau
The Knicks had their best season in a long time. They’re the four seed, and have a legitimate chance to beat the Hawks in round one. Coach Thibodeau has got to get some credit for that. Since 2015, the Knicks have had five different coaches (Thibs is the sixth). Coach Tibodeau will probably stay for a while. His biggest impact on this team was on the defensive end, where the Knicks were really good this year.
Finalist: Gregg Popovich
I have to give Pop this nomination. The Spurs had zero expectations before this year, and everybody thought they would be bad. Now they’re in the play-in, where I think they have a real chance of winning at least the game against Memphis. Coach Pop led a team with one former All-Star (DeMar), some veterans, and a bunch of young players to that play-in spot. Earlier in the season, San Antonio had a top ten record in the league. He is one of the greatest coaches ever.
Finalist: Quin Snyder
Best record in the NBA. Some of the best ball movement I’ve watched this year. Obviously great defense. The Jazz had a great regular season, led by Quin Snyder. He’s probably a lot of people’s favorite for this award.
2020-21 NBA Coach of the Year: Tom Thibodeau
Sixth Man of the Year
Finalist: Enes Kanter
To be eligible for the 6MOY award, you need to have come off the bench in more games than you started. Enes Kanter started 35 games and came off the bench in 37, so he’s technically eligible. Kanter was just a double-double monster this year. He averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds, including an insane 4 offensive rebounds per game. Kanter had a big impact off the bench in his return to Portland.
Finalist: Jordan Clarkson
This is a pretty obvious one. He’s the favorite for a lot of people. Although he was somewhat inefficient (35% from three, but considering he shot 8 a game that percentage isn’t as bad), he was still a key player for the Jazz. He has the numbers and he has the team success. Everybody should have Jordan in their top three for this award.
Finalist: Derrick Rose
In my preseason award prediction article, I had Derrick Rose in 5th for this award. But I said if he got traded to a team better than the Pistons, he could finish top three. That’s exactly what happened. Derrick Rose got traded to the New York Knicks, where he made a big impact. He shot the ball efficiently (41% from three in 35 games with the Knicks, 39% overall this year). He was the perfect veteran addition for the Knicks this year.
2020-21 NBA Sixth Man of the Year: Jordan Clarkson
Most Improved Player
(I need to give some honorable mentions: Christian Wood, Kyle Anderson, Darius Garland, Jerami Grant, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.)
Finalist: Chris Boucher
A few of the other players I had in consideration for this award are better than Chris Boucher. But the name of the award is Most Improved Player, and Chris improved a ton. He improved in almost every statistical category. He’s a great shot blocker and can stretch the floor. He’s become a legitimate starting-caliber 3-and-D center this year.
Finalist: R.J. Barrett
Not enough people are talking about R.J. Barrett in the MIP race. He had an inconsistent (and inefficient) rookie season that resulted in him missing out on an All-Rookie nod. This year, he’s the second best player on a playoff team. He’s gotten a lot more efficient (40% to 44% from the field, 32% to 40% from three, 61% to 75% from the free throw line). He’s become a solid defender. R.J. definitely has All-Star potential, and he took a large jump towards that this year.
Finalist: Julius Randle
I’m gonna be honest. There are a lot of players who deserve to be in contention for this award, but there’s basically only one choice for the winner. And that’s this man, Julius Randle. He was a ball-stopping forward who could average 20 and have no impact for his whole career. This year, he’s an All-NBA caliber player who led a team to the playoffs. He went from a bad shooter to a great one. He’s become a playmaker, making him a guy who can grab a triple double any night. If it’s not clear, Julius Randle is the Most Improved Player this year.
2020-21 Most Improved Player: Julius Randle
Defensive Player of the Year
Finalist: Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert’s advanced numbers are always gonna be elite. He’s set all-time records for plenty of stats. Rudy Gobert is always going to have an argument for DPOY, and this year is no different. He’s actually statistically better on defense this year than his two DPOY seasons. He is the premiere rim protector in the league.
Finalist: Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons guards 1-5. He’s incredibly versatile on defense. He steals the ball at a high level. He’s guarded (and clamped) some of the league’s best this year, including Giannis Antetokunmpo, James Harden, Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, and LeBron James. Rudy Gobert could never guard some of the league’s best guards. Ben Simmons could never defend the rim like Rudy Gobert can. Ben and Rudy represent two kinds of defense in the NBA, which makes this a hard decision.
Finalist: Bam Adebayo
Bam is another versatile defender. He’s a great rim protector. He’s not a perimeter lockdown like Ben, but he is a very switchable player. Steph Curry shot 20% when guarded by Bam this year. LeBron shot 25%. Kyrie Irving shot 29%. Bam will probably when DPOY at least once in his career.
2020-21 NBA Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Simmons
(I’m really a fan of Ben’s versatility. There’s never been anybody like Benny. He’s a true unicorn.)
Rookie of the Year
Finalist: Tyrese Haliburton
Although Tyrese was a lottery pick, I think he’s one of the steals of the 2020 draft. He could have gone as high as 6th overall to the Atlanta Hawks. The Kings picked up a great player who will be able to play alongside De’Aaron Fox in the future. Despite having a very interesting jumper, Tyrese was an efficient shooter in his rookie season. He’s also a solid playmaker. He’s a combo guard with a great future in the NBA.
Finalist: Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards is a national treasure. This man is hilarious. He’s also great on the court. Although his efficiency isn’t good quite yet, that will come around. Ant is a straight up bucket. He had some crazy dunks this year. He’s a decent defender, but he can develop further on that end. Ant had a crazy inefficient start to this season, but that turned around after the All-Star break. He really made this award a tough choice while LaMelo was injured.
Finalist: LaMelo Ball
LaMelo is definitely a great player already in his NBA career. He’s an excellent playmaker (and I mean that. I’m not using excellent just for word diversity purposes). He still needs to become a more consistent scorer, but that will happen soon. He’s even a pretty good defender. Plus, LaMelo’s biggest impact this year isn’t statistical. It’s that he brought a struggling Hornets to the playoffs (the play-in) in his first year there. Don’t get me wrong, Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward were better than him this year. But if Golden State took LaMelo and Charlotte ended up with James Wiseman, they would not be in the playoffs. Picking this award was a tough choice.
2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year: LaMelo Ball
Most Valuable Player
(I need to give honorable mentions again. Shoutout to Giannis, Chris Paul, Luka Doncic, and Mike James.)
Finalist: Joel Embiid
Embiid was definitely the favorite earlier in the season. Philly was really good, and he was playing the best basketball of his career. This was the best season he’s ever had. He’s scored like this before, but never this efficiently. He’s a great mid-range shooter (50% from that range), and a solid three-point shooter as well (37% on three attempts per game). Then, Joel got injured. While he was out, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris were able to keep the team as the one seed (in fact, Simmons missed time too and Tobias was the guy stepping up and keeping them going). The fact that his team was able to keep winning without him hurts his MVP campaign.
Regardless, it was an elite season for Joel, and if he stays healthy next year I think that he can win the award.
Finalist: Stephen Curry
I don’t even have to say much here. He’s the only unanimous MVP ever, and that isn’t even his best season ever. This is the best season of Steph’s NBA career. He faced double teams, and even triple teams, every night and still dropped a career high 32 points per game. He’s the MVP for a lot of people. Look at Curry man, so inspirational. (Shoutout to Flight because he predicted Curry’s 32/5/5 averages in a video prior to the season.)
Finalist: Nikola Jokic
Jokic is just unreal. He’s a slow, chubby 6’11” dude who’s basically a point guard. This year he averaged 26 PPG (6 more than he ever has), and he still put up a career high assists per game. He also scored very efficiently. He shot an insane 53% from the mid-range. Jokic is a unique player, and we’ll never see anybody else like him. The most important part of his MVP campaign is Jamal Murray’s injury. Jokic lost his main sidekick for the rest of the season, and the Nuggets kept winning like nothing happened. Jokic is crazy good.
2020-21 NBA Most Valuable Player: Nikola Jokic
All-NBA Teams
All-NBA Leave-offs due to games played: James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis. That’s three top ten players. It’s kinda weird leaving these guys off. The only reason LeBron is on a team is because the forward position got a little bit shallow. I couldn’t have Zion because of team success. I couldn’t have two Celtics, so Jaylen Brown was a no. DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis don’t have team success either.
All-NBA First Team
G- Stephen Curry
G- Damian Lillard
F- Kawhi Leonard
F- Giannis Antetokounmpo
C- Nikola Jokic
All-NBA Second Team
G- Luka Doncic
G-Kyrie Irving
F- Jimmy Butler
F- Julius Randle
C- Joel Embiid
All-NBA Third Team
G- Bradley Beal
G- Chris Paul
F- LeBron James
F- Jayson Tatum
C- Rudy Gobert
All-Defensive First Team
G- Ben Simmons
G- Jrue Holiday
F- Draymond Green
F- Giannis Antetokounmpo
C- Rudy Gobert
All-Defensive Second Team
G- Matisse Thybulle
G- T.J. McConnell
F- Jimmy Butler
F- Bam Adebayo (he played 30% of his minutes at forward this year.)
C- Joel Embiid
Just a quick little thought here – positions for All-NBA/All-Defensive teams is stupid! I didn’t get to give Myles Turner or Nerlens Noel recognition because there’s only two center spots. I cheated with Bam Adebayo. The NBA needs to make those two teams like the All-Rookie teams, where there isn’t a position requirement.
All-Rookie First Team
Lamelo Ball
Anthony Edwards
Tyrese Haliburton
Saddiq Bey
Immanuel Quickley
All-Rookie Second Team
Jae’Sean Tate
Malachi Flynn
Isaiah Stewart
Desmond Bane
Facundo Campazzo
So, those are all my NBA awards! Do you agree? Let me know! See you next time!
(By the way, when I had Mike James as an MVP honorable mention, that was quite obviously a joke.)
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