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So long to the NBA's tanking teams. We ranked them last week, as lottery odds are their only salvation. Let us turn now to the league's title contenders, perfectly ranking them from least to most likely to win.
Also, check out the latest NBA Playoff Picture with less than a week to go in the regular season.
Tyus Jones, getting to the heart of it: “We can't afford to lose any games moving forward … but we've been saying that for a couple of weeks now. Something has got to change. We've got to play better ball on both ends of the floor. The level we're playing at right now just isn't cutting it.”
“Our margin is not that great,” conceded coach Quin Snyder, whose Hawks’ fast-paced, 19th-rated offense (113.4 points per 100 possessions) cannot carry their 19th-rated defense (115.1). “We’re able to get stops and run, and that’s the key for us. But it starts with the defensive end.”
“The intensity, the effort and the enthusiasm has to be at a higher level,” pleaded coach Doug Christie, who may be losing his interim grip on this Kings locker room. “This is how we play, and I have not been able to stamp that the way I want to stamp it because that’s what I’m about.”
Anthony Davis, desperately trying to reframe a harrowing new reality in Dallas: “We won’t actually know because we’re missing [Kyrie Irving]; so we’ll never know how good we really can be. But with the guys we have, we have enough to definitely make some noise this postseason."
A scout, via the Miami Herald, “They’ve got an All-Star level player in [Tyler] Herro, a former All-Star in [Bam] Adebayo. They have veteran guys who are solid complementary players, solid role players and a Hall of Fame coach. That shouldn’t equal 10 under .500. They’re mediocre.”
“It’s the right time to get hot,” said Josh Giddey, whose Bulls are 12-4 since March 6. “We’re starting to get wins by committee. It’s not really a one-man show on this roster. It’s a special group to be a part of, it’s a fun group to be a part of. When we’re winning, we do it together.”
“We’re still an elite team,” insisted Cole Anthony, whose Magic have not been elite since they started 15-7, though a soft schedule has breathed life into an inconsistent team. “We have the elite personnel. … We just have to put it all together and get everyone firing at the same time."
(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Gary Trent Jr.: "Every single night when we step into it we're focused on Bucks basketball and if we go play Bucks basketball we should be successful." Except Bucks basketball has been fairly average all season (13th in net rating) and now Milwaukee is without Damian Lillard (blood clot).
J.B. Bickerstaff on playoffs in Detroit: “It’s a big deal for the group. I'll be honest with you. We typically don’t take time to reflect on where we are, but this is an opportunity for this group to reflect on where it is, where it’s come from and what they’ve been able to accomplish together."
Ja Morant, playing the victim: “I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing — If somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. Yeah, I don’t care anymore.” Probably not what you want to hear from your superstar before the playoffs begin.
"We gotta continue to work and we've gotta peak at the right time," said Pascal Siakam, whose Pacers have been the Eastern Conference’s second-best team over the last 15 games. "This is the time to play our best basketball.” Are we overlooking the defending conference finalists?
Ivica Zubac on the crowded West, in a playoff atmosphere for weeks now: “Everyone is trying to stay out of the play-in. You don’t want to depend on one game or two games for your seed, for your chances to get into the playoffs. You want to get out of it. You want to make that top six.”
A reality check, via JJ Redick: “I don’t think the expectation, at least internally, was we’re going to be the 2017 Warriors or this year’s Thunder. We didn’t expect that. So the disjointedness of an in-season trade is there. … It’s a work in progress. We all knew that was gonna be the case.”
Jalen Green knows what’s good in Houston, as long as the offense can hold its own: “When we’re on point, we’re paying attention to the details and playing hard, we’re one of the best teams in the NBA. If we do this consistently and play hard, hit shots, it’s pretty hard to guard.”
“When you head down the stretch,” said coach Tom Thibodeau, “you want to check off the boxes. You want a winning record at home (27-12). You want a winning record on the road (23-16). Fifty wins is good (50-28). And you want to get the highest seed possible (No. 3).”
“We play hard,” said Mike Conley, diagnosing what limits the Wolves, “but when we got too many guys’ minds in different spots, frustrated with themselves or the way the game is going for them, you see our team just splinter a little bit as far as the connectivity we need to play with.”
A poor defense could doom the Nuggets, according to coach Michael Malone: “That’s been the most disappointing part of this year. The huge drop-off. We didn’t go from [No. 8] to 12. We didn’t go from eight to 15. We’ve gone from eight to — I don’t even know what it is now.” It's 20.
Jimmy Butler, letting us know: “Whatever squad that I’m on, we always have a chance. I know whatever squad 30 [Stephen Curry] is on, whatever squad 23 [Draymond Green] is on, always got a chance. So I’d only like to think that all three of us together have a really good chance.”
A crack in Cleveland, via Kenny Atkinson: “I didn’t think our energy level was as high as I thought it would be, considering the first seed is at stake. (The Kings') energy and intensity level was higher. I think we did pick it up a little bit, but I was a little surprised we weren’t more on point.”
Jaylen Brown, whose knee is a concern in Boston: “As we continue to move forward, I’m hoping to feel better and better. But there’s no guarantee that rest or anything like that is going to make this thing better, so kind of figuring it out and going through it and getting ready for the playoffs.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s approach is a sound one: “Nothing in life is promised. … This group that we have today could be the best group of players I ever play with. You think, ‘Oh, we’re all 25 or under, so we have a whole runway in front of us.’ But you never know what happens.”
Continue reading...
Also, check out the latest NBA Playoff Picture with less than a week to go in the regular season.
Dishonorable mention: Phoenix Suns (35-43)
Tyus Jones, getting to the heart of it: “We can't afford to lose any games moving forward … but we've been saying that for a couple of weeks now. Something has got to change. We've got to play better ball on both ends of the floor. The level we're playing at right now just isn't cutting it.”
20. Atlanta Hawks (37-41)
“Our margin is not that great,” conceded coach Quin Snyder, whose Hawks’ fast-paced, 19th-rated offense (113.4 points per 100 possessions) cannot carry their 19th-rated defense (115.1). “We’re able to get stops and run, and that’s the key for us. But it starts with the defensive end.”
19. Sacramento Kings (38-40)
“The intensity, the effort and the enthusiasm has to be at a higher level,” pleaded coach Doug Christie, who may be losing his interim grip on this Kings locker room. “This is how we play, and I have not been able to stamp that the way I want to stamp it because that’s what I’m about.”
18. Dallas Mavericks (38-41)
Anthony Davis, desperately trying to reframe a harrowing new reality in Dallas: “We won’t actually know because we’re missing [Kyrie Irving]; so we’ll never know how good we really can be. But with the guys we have, we have enough to definitely make some noise this postseason."
17. Miami Heat (35-43)
A scout, via the Miami Herald, “They’ve got an All-Star level player in [Tyler] Herro, a former All-Star in [Bam] Adebayo. They have veteran guys who are solid complementary players, solid role players and a Hall of Fame coach. That shouldn’t equal 10 under .500. They’re mediocre.”
16. Chicago Bulls (36-42)
“It’s the right time to get hot,” said Josh Giddey, whose Bulls are 12-4 since March 6. “We’re starting to get wins by committee. It’s not really a one-man show on this roster. It’s a special group to be a part of, it’s a fun group to be a part of. When we’re winning, we do it together.”
15. Orlando Magic (38-40)
“We’re still an elite team,” insisted Cole Anthony, whose Magic have not been elite since they started 15-7, though a soft schedule has breathed life into an inconsistent team. “We have the elite personnel. … We just have to put it all together and get everyone firing at the same time."
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(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
14. Milwaukee Bucks (44-34)
Gary Trent Jr.: "Every single night when we step into it we're focused on Bucks basketball and if we go play Bucks basketball we should be successful." Except Bucks basketball has been fairly average all season (13th in net rating) and now Milwaukee is without Damian Lillard (blood clot).
13. Detroit Pistons (43-35)
J.B. Bickerstaff on playoffs in Detroit: “It’s a big deal for the group. I'll be honest with you. We typically don’t take time to reflect on where we are, but this is an opportunity for this group to reflect on where it is, where it’s come from and what they’ve been able to accomplish together."
12. Memphis Grizzlies (46-32)
Ja Morant, playing the victim: “I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing — If somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. Yeah, I don’t care anymore.” Probably not what you want to hear from your superstar before the playoffs begin.
11. Indiana Pacers (47-31)
"We gotta continue to work and we've gotta peak at the right time," said Pascal Siakam, whose Pacers have been the Eastern Conference’s second-best team over the last 15 games. "This is the time to play our best basketball.” Are we overlooking the defending conference finalists?
10. Los Angeles Clippers (46-32)
Ivica Zubac on the crowded West, in a playoff atmosphere for weeks now: “Everyone is trying to stay out of the play-in. You don’t want to depend on one game or two games for your seed, for your chances to get into the playoffs. You want to get out of it. You want to make that top six.”
9. Los Angeles Lakers (48-30)
A reality check, via JJ Redick: “I don’t think the expectation, at least internally, was we’re going to be the 2017 Warriors or this year’s Thunder. We didn’t expect that. So the disjointedness of an in-season trade is there. … It’s a work in progress. We all knew that was gonna be the case.”
8. Houston Rockets (52-27)
Jalen Green knows what’s good in Houston, as long as the offense can hold its own: “When we’re on point, we’re paying attention to the details and playing hard, we’re one of the best teams in the NBA. If we do this consistently and play hard, hit shots, it’s pretty hard to guard.”
7. New York Knicks (50-28)
“When you head down the stretch,” said coach Tom Thibodeau, “you want to check off the boxes. You want a winning record at home (27-12). You want a winning record on the road (23-16). Fifty wins is good (50-28). And you want to get the highest seed possible (No. 3).”
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-32)
“We play hard,” said Mike Conley, diagnosing what limits the Wolves, “but when we got too many guys’ minds in different spots, frustrated with themselves or the way the game is going for them, you see our team just splinter a little bit as far as the connectivity we need to play with.”
5. Denver Nuggets (47-32)
A poor defense could doom the Nuggets, according to coach Michael Malone: “That’s been the most disappointing part of this year. The huge drop-off. We didn’t go from [No. 8] to 12. We didn’t go from eight to 15. We’ve gone from eight to — I don’t even know what it is now.” It's 20.
4. Golden State Warriors (46-32)
Jimmy Butler, letting us know: “Whatever squad that I’m on, we always have a chance. I know whatever squad 30 [Stephen Curry] is on, whatever squad 23 [Draymond Green] is on, always got a chance. So I’d only like to think that all three of us together have a really good chance.”
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (62-16)
A crack in Cleveland, via Kenny Atkinson: “I didn’t think our energy level was as high as I thought it would be, considering the first seed is at stake. (The Kings') energy and intensity level was higher. I think we did pick it up a little bit, but I was a little surprised we weren’t more on point.”
2. Boston Celtics (58-20)
Jaylen Brown, whose knee is a concern in Boston: “As we continue to move forward, I’m hoping to feel better and better. But there’s no guarantee that rest or anything like that is going to make this thing better, so kind of figuring it out and going through it and getting ready for the playoffs.”
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-14)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s approach is a sound one: “Nothing in life is promised. … This group that we have today could be the best group of players I ever play with. You think, ‘Oh, we’re all 25 or under, so we have a whole runway in front of us.’ But you never know what happens.”
Continue reading...
