While every NBA team will have played far more than 41 games
the week of Valentine's Day, the league's February trade deadline is an
unofficial halfway point of the campaign, since some franchises hit figurative
reset buttons following transactions. The 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers are an
ideal example. Cleveland dramatically changed the team's roster to give LeBron
James the best possible opportunity to win a title, and those moves coupled
with James' greatness propelled the franchise back to the NBA Finals.
The first half of the 2018-19 NBA campaign is well in our
rearview mirrors, and both James and the Cavs are, somewhat ironically, among
the league's disappointments even though they're no longer married after the
three-time champion took his talents out west to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, Houston Rockets superstar James Harden continues to surprise with
his scoring and by besting his MVP season from a year ago. Harden is running
away with that award as springtime approaches. Will he and his teammates hoist
a different trophy in June?
SURPRISE: LUKA DONCIC
The Dallas Mavericks acquiring the draft rights to Luka
Doncic last June currently looks like one of the smartest trades in recent NBA
history, as the 19-year-old has exceeded even the highest expectations that
fans and outside observers had for him. Per ESPN, Doncic became the first teenager to post a 30-point
triple-double and to tally multiple triple-doubles in NBA history, and he is
also the only teen to ever score over 1,100 points before an
All-Star break. As Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report wrote, Doncic recently
claimed scoring in the NBA is easier for him than it was in Europe. That's a
scary thought for opposing defenses.
DISAPPOINTMENT: CARMELO ANTHONY
Back in September, multiple writers and outlets suggested Carmelo Anthony could win Sixth Man of
the Year featuring for the Houston Rockets. Anthony's tenure with the club
lasted 10 games, and he's currently a free agent after the Chicago Bulls waived
him in January following a trade with Houston. While the 34-year-old is
routinely linked with the Los Angeles Lakers due to his relationship with
LeBron James, he's unsigned as of Feb. 13.
SURPRISE: DERRICK ROSE
As Berry Tramel of NewsOK.com pointed out in early February,
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Derrick Rose is a candidate to win both Comeback
Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. The one-time MVP hasn't
completely turned the clock back to 2011, but he's on pace to have his best
scoring season since the 2011-12 campaign. Over his first 40 appearances, Rose
tallied 13 starts and averaged 18.4 PPG, 4.8 APG and 28.7 MIN.
DISAPPOINTMENT: THE CAVS
According to comeback in October, the Cleveland
Cavaliers absolutely were planning on chasing a playoff berth despite LeBron
James signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer. That's downright
comical this winter, as the team is responsible for one of the worst records in
the league. Losing Kevin Love to a toe injury for half the campaign certainly
didn't help, but the current state of the Cavs offers yet another reminder
James probably should've won MVP last year and just about every season this decade.
SURPRISE: MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Ahead of the fall, plenty within the basketball community
understood Milwaukee Bucks unicorn Giannis Antetokounmpo would
eventually compete for an MVP award. That "eventually" is occurring
before our eyes on a nightly basis, as the Bucks are enjoying what Dan Shafer of the Milwaukee Record referred to as
"their best season in decades." As of Feb. 12, Milwaukee was holding
the league's best record, and Antetokounmpo is averaging career bests in PPG
(27.1), RPG (12.6) and APG (5.9).
DISAPPOINTMENT: TV RATINGS
Clearly, the NBA isn't hurting for cash or for attention
from broadcasters and other outlets. With that said, LeBron James playing home
games out west apparently has affected the league's overall ratings. In
January, Bobby Burack of The Big Lead asked why the NBA's ratings
woes weren't a bigger story. As Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports pointed out, the Alliance of
American Football debut outdrew a game between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma
City Thunder on Feb. 9.
SURPRISE: BLAKE GRIFFIN
The Detroit Pistons probably won't do much come April, but
that shouldn't prevent Blake Griffin from receiving praise for his career
season. After 53 games, Griffin was averaging 26.2 PPG, a personal high for his
NBA tenure, while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. He's getting to the
line more often than we've seen from him since the 2013-14 campaign, and he's
proving to be more than simply somebody capable of using his tremendous
athleticism to bully his way to points. Maybe the Pistons would have been
better off cashing in on trading Griffin this winter.
DISAPPOINTMENT: NEW YORK KNICKS
The New York Knicks were always going to be a dumpster fire
without Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup, but it's particularly sad times at
Madison Square Garden these days. After dropping a road game to the Cleveland
Cavaliers — the Cavs! — on Feb. 11, the Knicks set a single-season franchise
record by losing for the 17th consecutive time. Don't worry, though, New York
fans: During the 2000s, this organization banking on signing the most coveted
free agent of the summer has never ended poorly.
SURPRISE: THE JIMMY BUTLER SAGA
Perhaps nobody should have been too surprised or
disappointed by the way Jimmy Butler's time with the Minnesota Timberwolves
came to an end last fall. After all, Tom Thibodeau knew what he was getting in
the outspoken superstar. Butler electing to sign elsewhere and play in a larger
market was always a possibility heading into next offseason, but his tantrum
that preceded his forced exit to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he quickly
complained about his role in that offense, sent Minnesota into a tailspin from
which the club hasn't yet recovered.
DISAPPOINTMENT: PORZINGIS LEAVES THE BIG APPLE
Apparently somebody forgot to tell Kristaps Porzingis that
the New York Knicks (allegedly) aren't interested in winning this season
without him on the floor. Porzingis orchestrating a trade to the Dallas
Mavericks was an unfortunate conclusion to his stint with a team tanking ahead
of this coming summer, as we never saw him feature with the likes of Kevin
Durant and Kyrie Irving, assuming those two are on the team's radar, while
playing home games at MSG.
SURPRISE: SACRAMENTO KINGS
OK, so the Sacramento Kings are probably going to regret not
drafting Luka Doncic, but don't let that overshadow that a club that won 27
games a season ago possessed the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs
on the morning of Feb. 12. The speedy De'Aaron Fox will win Most Improved
Player if people actually vote for a sophomore (they probably won't), and
teammate Buddy Hield, who is averaging over 20 points a night, could take that
honor home, and he may be the league's most underrated player.
DISAPPOINTMENT: ALL-STAR SNUBS
There are only so many All-Star slots to go around, but it's
hardly a controversial notion to suggest Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert, the
reigning Defensive Player of the Year who's posting a career-high 15.2 PPG,
belonged among those selected. Luka Doncic is enjoying a historic rookie
campaign and deserved to be featured on a massive and international stage.
Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam should be representing the East's
second-best club at the All-Star Game
SURPRISE: INDIANA PACERS
As of the morning of the second Tuesday in February, only
the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors had more wins
than the Indiana Pacers, the club that could quietly go and take the entire
Eastern Conference Playoffs. Defense wins championships, or so the saying goes,
and Indiana surrenders fewer points per game than any other side.
Unfortunately, one can't help but wonder if shutting down Victor Oladipo for
longer than 11 games after he suffered an initial knee injury earlier in the
season would've been wise. Oladipo ruptured a quad tendon in that same knee in
January, and he's out for the remainder of the campaign.
DISAPPOINTMENT: ANDREW WIGGINS
We're near the point where Minnesota Timberwolves forward
Andrew Wiggins is no longer a disappointment because of lowered expectations.
In January, Michael Shapiro of Sports Illustrated/The Crossover wondered
if Wiggins will ever become what the Timberwolves hoped when the club traded
for him in 2014. While he's just turning 23 years old, his All-Star-worthy
performances are more one-offs than signs he's taking any leaps, and his
propensity for scoring empty points could result in Minnesota looking to sell
him to a high bidder before February 2020.
SURPRISE: TOBIAS HARRIS
Raise your hands if you predicted last summer that Tobias
Harris would be the key figure in the biggest trade that shook the foundation
of the playoff race in February. Now lower your hands, because you're all
liars. Harris was in the middle of a career season before the Los Angeles
Clippers traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers, and ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote that deal gives Philly the
conference's best starting five. Along with shooting over 43 percent from
beyond the arc with the Clippers, Harris averaged a career-high 20.9 PPG in 55
games for Los Angeles.
DISAPPOINTMENT: CHICAGO BULLS
Last season's Chicago Bulls won 27 games. This year's
version of the team may struggle to reach that mark. Granted, bad luck has haunted
the Bulls since Lauri Markkanen suffered an elbow injury in September that
sidelined him through the end of November. Still, this franchise needs to
embrace two things: the tank and the #FireGarPax hashtag.
SURPRISE: JAVALE MCGEE
As Erik Garcia Gundersen of USA Today explained, LeBron James
named teammate JaVale McGee as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate last
fall. The former star of "Shaqtin' a Fool" segments probably won't
win that award, but he's produced some stellar defensive outings while
averaging over 11 PPG for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign. In
January, Berry Tramel of NewsOK.com mentioned McGee as a candidate
to win Most Improved Player.
DISAPPOINTMENT: WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Throughout the first half of a disappointing season, many believed
the Washington Wizards needed to unload John Wall and just about anything else
not nailed down and begin anew. No such fire sale occurred, and Wall, who will
be 29 years old next September, then ruptured his Achilles tendon in February,
which just about sums up the state of the team this winter. Let the rebuild
begin.
SURPRISE: NIKOLA VUCEVIC
Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic picked a rather
financially rewarding time to earn a first All-Star Game trip. The 28-year-old
set to enter unrestricted free agency in July is posting career highs in PPG
(20.5), RPG (12.0) APG (3.8) and BLK (1.2). Per SportsDayDFW.com, the Dallas Mavericks could target Vucevic in
the summer to bolster what could be one of the league's most entertaining
lineups next October.
DISAPPOINTMENT: TRAE YOUNG
Many will say this is unfair because Trae Young, who is only
20 years old, is actually in the middle of quite a hot streak as of the middle
of February and he isn't the person responsible for the Atlanta Hawks trading
the rights to Luka Doncic for his rights. The two-time winner of Eastern
Conference Rookie of the Month who led the East in numerous categories in
January, per NBA.com, recently spoke of his belief that he'll be better
than Doncic one day. He'll need to be that to not be viewed as a disappointment
for the Hawks.
SURPRISE: SIXERS GO ALL IN
There's no more Process. The Philadelphia 76ers shoved all
their chips to the middle of the table by going out and getting Jimmy Butler
and Tobias Harris, and the Sixers should evolve into favorites to win the East
as their new lineup builds chemistry and earns victories. Realistically,
Philadelphia could keep this unit together for more than one run at a title;
although there's also something to be said for renting Butler and then letting
him roam free to be somebody else's problem.
DISAPPOINTMENT: PHOENIX SUNS
When basketball writers mention a team becoming infected by
a losing culture, they probably have the current Phoenix Suns in mind. Rookie
center Deandre Ayton is averaging a double-double, but Phoenix drafting him and
not Luka Doncic first overall is an unforgivable sin this winter. The tradition
of people saying ahead of an offseason there's only one direction for the Suns
to travel will continue for another summer. Devin Booker suggesting the Suns
are "comfortable" with losing, as Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic wrote, should set
off all kinds of alarms within the organization.
DISAPPOINTMENT: PHOENIX SUNS
When basketball writers mention a team becoming infected by
a losing culture, they probably have the current Phoenix Suns in mind. Rookie
center Deandre Ayton is averaging a double-double, but Phoenix drafting him and
not Luka Doncic first overall is an unforgivable sin this winter. The tradition
of people saying ahead of an offseason there's only one direction for the Suns
to travel will continue for another summer. Devin Booker suggesting the Suns
are "comfortable" with losing, as Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic wrote, should set
off all kinds of alarms within the organization.
DISAPPOINTMENT: GORDON HAYWARD
Thanks to the benefit of hindsight, we now realize all
should have been more realistic about Gordon Hayward's return to the Boston
Celtics following the horrific and potentially career-altering leg injury he
suffered in October 2017. At the end of January, Thomas Lott of The Sporting News wrote that it's taking
Hayward "a long time to get back to normal," which is putting it
nicely, as the 28-year-old is averaging fewer PPG (10.8) than at any point
since his rookie year season back in 2010-11. Boston's advertised dynasty may
crumble before it's actually built.
SURPRISE: BROOKLYN NETS
The Brooklyn Nets continuing to defy odds and punch above
their weight regardless of setbacks put in front of them has been both fun to
watch and one of the most positive stories of the season. Losing Caris LeVert
to a nasty injury for months right as the guard was becoming a revelation for
the club and Spencer Dinwiddie going down to a bad thumb couldn't sink what is
the city's second-best sports franchise, behind the New York Islanders, at the
moment. Brooklyn isn't just eyeing a playoff spot. This team believes it can
make a run in the tournament.
DISAPPOINTMENT: RUSSELL WESTBROOK'S SHOOTING
As SB Nation's Tom Ziller recently wrote, Oklahoma City
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook registered 10 straight triple-doubles from Jan.
22 through Feb. 11, and Westbrook's shooting percentage over that time provided
some hope his woes from the first half of the season may be behind him. The
Thunder need Westbrook to remain more efficient heading into the playoffs, as
the club won nine of 10 contests during his hot streak. Paul George is the OKC
MVP for the season, but Russ remains the heartbeat of the team's postseason
dreams.
SURPRISE: DENVER NUGGETS
As Jahmal Corner of Reuters wrote in the second week of
February, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic seems to understand most casual
fans wouldn't pick his team to give the Golden State Warriors much of a fight
in a playoff series. Bet against what is currently the second-best side in the
Western Conference at your own peril. Both Jokic and Jamal Murray are posting
career-best stats — Murray doing so while battling through multiple injuries —
and the Nuggets aren't even whole yet, as the team is waiting for Gary Harris
to return from a groin problem and for Isaiah Thomas to take the floor for the
first time since March 2018. If only the All-Star break could last two weeks
for the Nuggets.
DISAPPOINTMENT: MARKELLE FULTZ
Blame the yips or a mysterious shoulder injury or the stars
lining up against Markelle Fultz. It's clear the Philadelphia 76ers believed
the 20-year-old guard couldn't be salvaged, as the organization shipped him to
the Orlando Magic in February. Any hopes Fultz would repair his broken jumper
last offseason have evaporated. It's now unclear if he'll play again before
next October.
SURPRISE: JAMES HARDEN KEEPS GETTING BETTER
It's not every season when the reigning MVP puts his
previous campaign to shame, but that's exactly what James Harden is doing this
winter. Truth be told, one could dedicate an entire piece to the Houston
Rockets guard running away with the scoring title and averaging over 36 points
per contest. His most recent noteworthy achievement was extending his streak of
scoring no fewer than 30 points to 30 games on Feb. 11. You can go ahead and
hand him the MVP award before spring.
DISAPPOINTMENT: THE LAKERS
Cleveland fans got used to witnessing LeBron James and those
playing alongside him seemingly taking unannounced winter vacations (#January Cavs
became a popular hashtag during seasons), and we're sure a healthy and motivated
King will do enough to carry the Lakers to the postseason. Perhaps the biggest
disappointment is that James, er, we mean president of basketball operations
Magic Johnson, didn't orchestrate a deal for a superstar such as Anthony Davis.
Looks like we'll have to wait until next summer for James to assemble his
chosen lineup.
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