Haven’t any worry, dearest readers. After the mess that was NBA All-Star Weekend — which weirdly did not characteristic the game that it is based mostly round as a lot as you would possibly suppose — actual NBA basketball is lastly again on the menu tonight. Whereas it does depend, please ignore the Los Angeles Lakers’ and Charlotte Hornets’ make-up recreation that they performed on Wednesday night.
(They have been, fairly actually, the one groups taking part in!)
Greater than the rest, the NBA’s return from its All-Star break is a symbolic signifier of the place we stand within the season. Not solely are we about to look at squads attempt to solidify their place within the standings over the following few weeks, however we’re additionally solely roughly two months away from the beginning of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
Oh, gah. The place does the time go? How is that this NBA common season already nearly over?
With the NBA postseason lastly sitting someplace within the entrance view mirror, let’s take inventory of probably the most important superstars to look at over the following two months. I may very well be fallacious, however I really feel assured that these males will outline the league and be probably the most worthwhile to look at within the run-up to the playoffs.
1. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
On paper, the Cleveland Cavaliers have one of many NBA’s finest rosters from high to backside. In follow, they’re most likely even higher — Cleveland is an astonishing 44-10 popping out of the All-Star break, main the defending champion Boston Celtics within the Jap Convention standings by 5.5 video games. Statistically, the Cavaliers have the NBA’s top-ranked offense and the eighth-ranked protection. That is powerful to beat.
Suffice it to say, these Cavaliers have reputable championship aspirations.
Nonetheless, the one one that can genuinely get Cleveland again to the NBA’s summit is Donovan Mitchell. With all due respect to Mitchell’s All-Star teammates like defensive stalwart Evan Mobley and backcourt operating mate Darius Garland, it’s Mitchell who stirs the drink for the Cavaliers firstly. On nights when Mitchell’s outstanding shot-making is on, Cleveland is commonly cruising by double digits. When he is off and out of rhythm, the Cavs are often taking a uncommon defeat on the chin.
Retaining Mitchell engaged, dynamic, and wholesome by means of this stretch run will decide simply how far Cleveland can journey within the playoffs.
2. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
Provided that Doncic solely performed two video games for the Lakers earlier than the All-Star break, we’re nonetheless processing the aftermath of the Commerce Heard ‘Spherical The World. And the Lakers’ subsequent 30 video games are gonna inform us loads about Doncic’s match and the way severe this franchise is perhaps as one of many league’s faces will get acclimated to his new environment with a marquee group.
Can Doncic successfully play level ahead to LeBron James, who would possibly characteristic far more off-ball than ever earlier than? How will the Lakers survive with out reputable choices at middle within the wake of the failed Mark Williams commerce? Is Los Angeles’ mission towards turning into a higher-octane offensive powerhouse a extra viable path to rivalry than the one the James-Anthony Davis Lakers as soon as took?
We’re probably about to get all of the solutions to those urgent questions. That makes Doncic simply one of the intriguing stars to look at over the following couple of months.
3. Karl-Anthony Cities, New York Knicks
I’ve to think about the Minnesota Timberwolves kick themselves each time they’ve seen Cities dominate for the Knicks this 12 months. That is as a result of, with this stellar model of Cities, Minnesota would most likely nonetheless be sitting close to the highest of the Western Convention standings as an alternative of watching Anthony Edwards attempt to hold its fledgling offense afloat. That is simply how distinctive Cities has been.
In his first season within the Huge Apple, Cities is having fun with a profession 12 months whereas setting the desk for a Knicks squad that must be considering championship. In the meanwhile, Cities is averaging a career-high in factors, rebounds, and 3-point share. He is additionally floating across the highest true taking pictures share he is ever had (64.4). Cities’ presence has allowed the Knicks’ second-ranked offense to flourish whereas giving more room to his operating mates, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges. It is given the Knicks a dimension they have not had in many years.
Now, New York has had points defensively, particularly within the paint. That is the place middle Mitchell Robinson’s return is available in. He mustn’t solely afford the Knicks extra lineup flexibility and rim safety but additionally hold the workload down for Cities, who hasn’t performed this many minutes per recreation in a season since 2017-2018. (Not by coincidence, Tom Thibodeau was additionally his coach then.) Something that lets Cities flip down the jets and get extra relaxation earlier than the postseason must be the highest precedence for these Knickerbockers.
4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
As he lastly turns 30, it is absurd to consider all the pieces Jokic has already achieved. The All-NBA choices. The All-Star picks. The MVP honors. The laundry listing of environment friendly triple-doubles because the league’s premier offensive engine. We thought this might need been the 12 months when Jokic did not maybe essentially play worse, however his counting stats would, for the primary time, roughly keep static.
That has not been the case. In any respect.
By way of 55 video games, the Nuggets’ celebrity huge man is a few small decimal factors away from averaging a 30-point triple-double on the season. He is third in factors scored, fourth in rebounds, second in assists, fourth in steals, fourth in 3-point share (on excessive quantity!). Most significantly, he is having fun with the second-highest efficient discipline aim share (.629) of his already illustrious profession.
Even by his excessive requirements, Jokic has been an unusual buzzsaw. He is been so unbelievable from wire to wire that he actually would possibly win his fourth regular-season MVP in 5 years amid lively discussions of voter fatigue. So, it must be no shock that his otherworldly play has coincided with the Nuggets’ resurgence as a bona fide championship contender. Since a mediocre 11-10 begin, Denver has gone 25-9. It owns the NBA’s third-best web score in that span. This, whereas navigating half of a possible playoff rotation affected by promising however inexperienced younger gamers and the helpful (however chaotic) Russell Westbrook.
The Nuggets stay one of many NBA’s most dominant groups when Jokic is on the ground. They have to now strike the fragile stability of securing a top-three seed within the Western Convention playoffs whereas guaranteeing Jokic would not burn himself out too early so he has loads of gasoline left within the tank to guide a second NBA title pursuit in three seasons.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder
In some ways, Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2024-2025 marketing campaign to this stage ought to converse for itself.
He is the league’s best perimeter scorer. He basically will get to his spots and will get no matter shot he needs at will. No guard or wing is simpler at navigating their method by means of a protection whereas additionally manipulating a defender’s momentum and physique towards them. The person might as nicely be averaging 30 factors in his sleep. For all intents and functions, we have not seen play or numbers like this from a celebrity taking pictures guard because the heyday of Michael Jordan.
There is a logical cause Gilegous-Alexander is among the two main MVP candidates.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s play has translated to the Thunder being tied for the NBA’s high report. Extra impressively, with Gilgeous-Alexander setting the desk for Oklahoma Metropolis’s offense, these Thunder presently personal the second-best web score (13.0) in historical past. Sure, for now, solely the legendary 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls have the next all-time historic web score in a person 12 months (13.5). That speaks volumes.
The place the Thunder typically run into bother is how they adapt if Gilgeous-Alexander has to do all of the work, however he is not firing on all cylinders. For a staff with 44 wins on the All-Star break, the Thunder are simply sixth in whole offense and are solely twelfth in efficient discipline aim share (54.7). The previous stat continues to be good. The latter is truthfully form of alarming for an in any other case deep title-contending staff with no different obtrusive flaws. The Thunder are so nice as one of many present title favorites that their struggles creating constant offense outdoors of Gilgeous-Alexander would possibly by no means rear their ugly head.
But when they do, they’re gonna want their talisman to start out fixing this downside and discovering one other solution to win. And quick.
6. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
No dialog like that is full with out mentioning the perfect participant on the present reigning champ. After the Celtics endured a distressing midseason malaise — not less than for a staff well-known for its perpetual professionalism and focus — they’ve stabilized as a heavyweight. Boston entered the All-Star break by profitable eight of its final 10 video games to firmly reestablish itself because the East’s No. 2 playoff seed. The Celtics now resemble a staff with justifiable ambitions of a repeat once more.
Welcome to the exhaustive, emotional curler coaster referred to as an 82-game NBA season.
Whether or not the Celtics get there can be depending on how Tatum performs the remainder of the way in which. The ahead stays an uber-efficient two-way demon who typically finds a path to creating a court-tilting influence each single evening. However these Celtics are within the enterprise of making an attempt to stack Larry O’Brien Trophies. They ought to be above the common season at this stage of their title window cycle.
How Tatum paces himself earlier than the beginning of the playoffs and the way he reveals as much as mentioned postseason will decide whether or not Boston can accomplish its lofty mission.
7. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Earlier than this season started, accidents and a suspension robbed us of having fun with Morant’s incandescence as a lot as we have hoped in recent times. And fairly frankly? We nonetheless most likely have not seen Morant again at full capability. Morant has already missed over 20 video games this 12 months resulting from accidents and is averaging the bottom numbers of his profession because the 2020-2021 marketing campaign. His teasing a Dunk Contest efficiency apart, Morant can also be consciously dunking lower than ever. In the long term, that is most likely a very good growth for his profession, but it surely does take away one of many extra helpful and notable facets of his recreation.
Nonetheless, Morant’s Grizzlies have returned to relative prominence. They’re a sleeper title contender and are seemingly deadlocked in a heated battle with the Nuggets for the West’s No. 2 seed. Morant has been good however not nice to this point this 12 months. Whether or not he can attain the as soon as transcendent stage of play we used to see from him on a regular basis will give us the tell-all about what this Memphis staff is actually able to.
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This text initially appeared on For The Win: The 7 NBA stars who will outline the second half of 2025, from Karl-Anthony Cities to the two MVP leaders
