As we method the midway level of the common season, three NBA groups are rising as true contenders. That does not imply all three will find yourself within the convention finals, or that one other staff will not enter the image. However proper now, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be a minimize above everybody else.
The Thunder and Cavs confronted off on Wednesday night time, with the 2 combining to win 25 straight video games (15 in a row for the Thunder, 10 for the Cavs) and the Cavs took care of enterpriseextending their profitable streak with a 129-122 victory.
These are matchups that would additionally drop essential breadcrumbs as to who will face off in June. On Sunday night time, the Thunder took down the Celtics – fairly convincingly – offering a scrumptious subplot for this marquee matchup.
Listed here are some key takeaways from Wednesday night time’s sport that would show necessary down the road:
SGA understands its accountability
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of many league’s greatest gamers and MVP candidate, as soon as once more demonstrated the mix of his 6-foot-6 body, affected person offense and elegant court docket imaginative and prescient to continuously probe the Cleveland protection. He completed with 31 factors on 13-of-27 taking pictures.
The 26-year-old is without doubt one of the strongest and easy two-way stars within the league and virtually appears certain to common over 30 factors over the subsequent few years by being essentially sound and taking pictures within the move of the offensive.
That stated, when the Thunder are going by means of an offensive drought, Gilgeous-Alexander will often come out on offense and name his personal quantity on consecutive possessions, which is the function of a famous person in spite of everything. In opposition to the Cavs, whereas the lead was continuously altering arms, the All-NBA guard determined to take issues into his personal arms.
Cavities utilizing depth
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has diminished his starters’ minutes, with solely Donovan Mitchell scoring 31 per sport. Atkinson depends on depth, as Caris LeVert, Max Strus, Georges Niang and Ty Jerome play substantial minutes off the bench, whereas additionally being thought-about reliable offensive contributors who house the court docket.
Strus was a constant outdoors presence all through the sport, hitting 5 triples, scoring 17 factors and as soon as once more proving the significance of his return to Cleveland’s possibilities within the Finals. Strus missed the primary 28 video games of the season and is now again within the lineup, the place his taking pictures typically serves because the glue between the Cavs’ 4 stars.
OKC may actually use Chet Holmgren
The Thunder miss Chet Holmgren, interval. Whereas Isaiah Hartenstein did an admirable job – which can also be anticipated for somebody making $30 million this season – Holmgren’s presence would have drastically modified the dynamic of Oklahoma Metropolis’s inside sport as they confronted Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
That is to not say Hartenstein did not play effectively. He did so, ending with 18 factors, 11 rebounds and eight assists, clogging up the paint effectively defensively and swinging the ball effectively. His lithe 7-foot body and shifty athleticism stay the Thunder’s largest defensive belongings inside. Evidently, he isn’t the identical caliber of spacer as Holmgren, which implies there is a wrinkle within the matchup between these two groups that we did not get to see.
The 2 groups will play once more on January 16, and even when Holmgren steps up his bodily exercise, it stays to be seen if he will likely be obtainable that day. Even when he’s, he would most probably be taking part in in a restricted capability.
Evan Mobley breeding
Evan Mobley stays the X issue for Cleveland. When he is lively across the rim, in search of rebounds and second-chance factors, he places a ton of strain on his opponents. When he tries to create an excessive amount of on the perimeter and dribble an excessive amount of, these are possessions that do not undergo the arms of Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Mobley, who scored 21 factors, grabbed 10 rebounds and had seven assists, is having a profession season, however his offense will certainly take one other leap ahead within the years to return. He presently shares the offensive load with heavy hitters, however there are pictures he can chase down in the course of the course of a sport which can be there for him if he needs them. As a 7-footer with sturdy ball-handling expertise, the sky is really the restrict for him. However he has to search for it.
Star Jalen Williams?
Jalen Williams is the perfect participant within the league that nobody outdoors of the Thunder actually talks about. The 6-5 Swiss military knife performs as much as 4 positions, averages 20.6 factors on the season and serves as a secondary creator, who typically goes unnoticed.
Williams, who completed with 25 factors and 9 assists, obtained off to a robust begin, scoring seven factors and grabbing three rebounds within the first 5 minutes as he tried to set the tone. His massive bodily body absorbs contact, permitting him to complete performs in visitors, offering the Thunder with a notable slashing presence to alleviate Gilgeous-Alexander.
With the Thunder nearly as good as they’re, it is exhausting to argue towards Williams as a real All-Star candidate this season. Some guys would possibly publish extra eye-popping numbers, however when it comes to affect, Williams has a robust case.
Donovan Mitchell takes it straightforward
Donovan Mitchell is clearly saving himself for the playoffs. His common of 23.3 factors is modest for his stage, however that’s apparently intentional. Mitchell spent years scoring at ridiculously excessive charges in Utah, in addition to throughout his first two seasons in Cleveland, solely to return and rely extra on the abundance of expertise on the roster.
That is to not say Mitchell is not nonetheless as highly effective as earlier than. The Thunder clearly circled him of their sport plan, rotating Gilgeous-Alexander and second-year man Cason Wallace on him. He began horribly, going 0 of 6 till getting his first factors with 1:53 left within the first half. He completed 3 of 16 from the sector for 11 factors and can little question search for a greater begin when these two groups face off once more.
Darius Garland is again
Garland performed an beautiful sport regardless of posting a modest 18 factors and 7 assists, persevering with to bounce again after a down 12 months final season. The 6-2 level guard is without doubt one of the most effective guards within the NBA, however what’s notable is how the sport has slowed down for him. Previously, he typically tried to pressure the problem, taking ill-advised pictures and making questionable selections with the ball. However this season beneath Atkinson, Garland has performed level guard magnificently, whereas taking full benefit of Cleveland’s fast-paced offense.
It appears more and more probably that Garland’s optimized function shifting ahead ought to nonetheless be suited to a fast-paced offense wherein he can set the tone, dictate the tempo and shoot off the dribble shortly, whether or not from three or to achieve the cup. . Garland is just taking part in half-hour per sport this season, which permits the previous All-Star to offer his all within the minutes he’s on the court docket. For a man who was in commerce rumors final June, this was an amazing turning level in his story. Garland discovering a brand new life in Cleveland, beneath a brand new head coach, is an enormous a part of what has allowed the Cavs to be as dominant as they’ve been this season.
SGA seems quite a bit like MJ?
Throughout final 12 months’s NBA playoffs, many media retailers have been busy evaluating Minnesota taking pictures guard Anthony Edwards to Michael Jordan, however are we positive Gilgeous-Alexander is not essentially the most appropriate participant to go together with this comparability?
The sheer quantity of strikes and countermoves in Gilgeous-Alexander’s arsenal are likely to carry us again to Jordan’s superior footwork and the way he operated within the center publish. The reversal fadeaways, mid-range pull-ups, ups and downs, and relentlessness in attacking the rim, all whereas contorting his physique in varied methods, appear to spotlight Gilgeous-Alexander as a probably higher instance to do compared to Jordan.
Jarrett Allen rises to the event
Allen stays criminally underrated. The 7-foot heart is commonly touted as a rim runner, nevertheless it’s his general presence on the place that stands out. His in-depth understanding of timing, when to roll, when to chop again, and when to drive to the dunk level is a serious offensive aspect for Cleveland. The previous All-Star had 15 factors, six rebounds and 4 assists at halftime, ending the sport with 25 factors, 12 rebounds and 6 assists and eternally reminding these tuning in that he’s the ‘among the best in each instructions. NBA facilities.
Allen is changing practically 70 % from the sector this season, and that is as a result of 91.9 % of his pictures come from inside 10 toes of the basket, giving the Cavs an elite play-finishing aspect that enables Mobley to maneuver freely offensively. .
What do the Thunder want?
The Thunder may discover extra pictures on the commerce deadline. The Cavs have had some success stepping into the zone, forcing the Thunder to face actuality: Whereas they’ve stable shooters, they do not have main zone gamers who can persistently house the ground. That does not imply they want a chucker, but when they discovered a man continuously prepared to tug the plug, with no conscience, it would not be the worst factor on this planet.
