For NBA Teams Looking To Finish Strong, it's Go-Time!
With the All-Star Game and the trade deadline over with, the NBA season is coming to a close with several players (DeMar DeRozan, pictured) trying to position their team for a strong finish.
The NBA season can sometimes feel like a marathon with the playoffs serving as the first sight of the finish line.
With the NBA trade deadline and the All-Star game in the past now, it’s all about building towards the playoffs for most of the NBA.
Some teams made splashy moves at the trade deadline, like the blockbuster trade between Philadelphia and Brooklyn in which Ben Simmons is now a Brooklyn Net while James Harden is reunited with Daryl Morey, Philly’s President of Basketball Operations who held a similar post with Houston when Harden was the Rockets’ centerpiece.
Neither has played a single game for their new teams, so it remains to be seen who will win that trade. at
There were other teams that made subtle deals that thus far, have quickly paid off.
Boston traded Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford to San Antonio for Derrick White. Despite the quick change, White has fit in surprisingly well with the Celtics as a key reserve or someone who can fill in as a starter, if needed.
Celtics assistant coach Will Hardy, a former Spurs assistant who worked closely with White in San Antonio, spoke with fullcourtpress.bulletin.com about what the Celtics were getting with the veteran wing.
There were other teams that made deals to bolster their roster in both the short and long-term while others such as Indiana and Sacramento, were clear in their efforts to start rebuilding right now.
But this time of year, we acknowledge teams that are focusing on the future but our attention is squarely on those who are living their best basketball lives, in this moment.
These are the teams that are playing some of the best basketball in the NBA right now, the kind of play that will go far in determining who is left standing at the finish line holding the Larry O’Brien championship trophy.
1. Phoenix (49-10)
The Suns have been a “next man up” squad all season, but replacing Chris Paul (right hand) who will be out for the rest of the season?
2. Chicago (39-21)
DeMar DeRozan continues to play at an MVP level, delivering one big bucket after another in the clutch.
3. Golden State (43-17)
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are getting into a nice groove, but the return of Draymond Green (back) will be what catapults this team to being a tough, tough out come playoff time.
4. Cleveland (35-24)
Regardless of how things play out in the postseason with Cleveland, Koby Altman should be this year’s Executive of the Year.
5. Memphis (41-20)
Say what you want about their youth, but they have played well against the top-tier in the West. Memphis has a winning record (3-2) against Western Conference powers Phoenix (1-1) and Golden State (2-1).
6. Boston (35-26)
They have the lowest winning percentage among teams in the grouping, but they are playing the best basketball in the NBA, boasting a top-ranked defense and an offense that’s trending towards top-10 status.
7. Philadelphia (35-23)
It’s not just Philly fans with the “M-V-P’ chants for Joel Embiid. But how will his dominance mesh with the new edition to the Sixers family, James Harden., On paper, it should work but you never know how things will play out when you add Harden to the mix.