WS Chronicle

This has been one of the more unpredictable NBA seasons in recent memory. Teams performing well above where expected prior to the season, injuries to star players, and trades that have and haven’t worked are just a few of the storylines that have made this season as interesting as it has.

Let’s start with the Eastern Conference. The standings are not what I thought they would be at this point in the season. At the time this article was written, the top team in the conference is the Miami Heat at 42-22. I thought the Heat would be good, but didn’t think they would be the top team in the conference after the All-Star break with all of the quality teams in the conference.

Yes, the Heat was just in the NBA Finals two years ago in The Bubble; however, I didn’t think the addition of Kyle Lowery would impact the team as much as he has. With the way they play defense and their good mix of veterans and young talent, the Heat has a shot to make some noise in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The saga of the 76ers has finally played out and even though it’s early, it looks like it has played out in their favor. They finally traded disgruntled star Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden. Simmons has yet to play a game for the Nets, but the pairing of Harden with superstar center Joel Embiid has been magical. The two of them together are playing like the best frontcourt/backcourt duo in the league. It will be great to see how they gel heading into the playoffs.

Prior to the arrival of Harden, Embiid was already playing like an MVP and now he has elevated his game even more. Having another player on the floor that commands just as much respect offensively has to be a blessing for Embiid because now teams cannot just single in on him. 

Chicago as a team is performing as well as I thought they would as a unit. The combination of Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan has panned out well for Chicago. What has worked even better has been the play of DeRozan so far this year. The veteran wing player has catapulted himself into the MVP conversation with his play. He’s averaging 28.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Chicago is going to be a scary team to play in a seven-game series.

The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks are 3.5 games out of first place in the conference and have had their ups and downs this year. Some games they look like the defending champions of the NBA, while other games they don’t play as well. For me, they get the benefit of the doubt until someone beats them in the playoffs. 

I think the Bucks are still a threat in the conference because they have the championship pedigree now. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still playing on an MVP level and if the Bucks can stay healthy, they will have a great chance of getting back to the NBA Finals.

The Nets have dealt with a lot of uncertainty this season. Injuries to star players, trade request by Harden, and Kyrie Irving not being able to play home games due to not being vaccinated, turned this dream team into a nightmare. Now with Harden gone and Simmons in the fold, the Nets will try to build some chemistry before the playoffs start.

Simmons has not played all season and only he and the team know what kind of shape he is in mentally and physically. Also, New York City may lift their pandemic restrictions, allowing Irving to possibly play in home games as well as away games. With a healthy Durant, Irving playing every game, and Simmons being the lockdown defender and facilitator, the Nets could be dangerous.

The Western Conference is just as perplexing as the Eastern Conference except for who’s on top. The Phoenix Suns have the best record in all of basketball at 50-12. They look even better than they did during their playoff run last year. The only concern I have is the injury to Chris Paul. I hope it’s nothing that lingers and affects him.

The Suns have been the best team in the league from day one and if healthy, I am not sure any team can beat them in a seven-game series. 

The Warriors are in second place in the Western Conference right now. The return of Klay Thompson has made the Warriors bona fide title contenders once again. Some feel the injury to Draymond Green has hurt the Warriors, so we will see how they fare when he returns.

Memphis is the surprise team of the NBA, in my opinion. They currently sit in the third spot in the West. I don’t think anyone saw the young guns in Memphis perform so well this late in the season. Ja Morant is leading in the MVP race for a lot of people. The Grizzlies may be a year away from contending, though.

I hate what has happened to the Denver Nuggets this season. Reigning MPV Nikola Jokić has had to carry the load all alone this year. Point guard Jamal Murry is still recovering from his torn ACL and young stud Michael Porter Jr. is also recovering from his back injury. At full strength, the Nuggets are a scary team, but with only the Joker out there, it will be hard for them to get out of the first round.

Both teams in Los Angeles have had disappointing seasons. The Clippers have battled all season long, but with the absence of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George due to injury, their title hopes are down the drain for yet another season. It just seems the Clippers will never get it together at the right time to push for a title.

When it comes to the Lakers, that’s a complicated tale. The Lakers have been snakebitten all season. Injuries and bad chemistry have led to a below .500 record. The Russell Westbrook experiment has not worked, and the Lakers did not make any moves at the trade deadline, either. They will be lucky to make the play in games.

Anthony Davis is injured yet again and LeBron James has stated he won’t be 100% healthy for the rest of the year. The Lakers are just old and oft-injured and that is a bad mix. James doesn’t have too many good years left, so the Lakers better find an answer quick, fast, and in a hurry.

The remainder of the NBA season should be very good because there are so many teams that have a shot at winning the championship. Also, we don’t have a clear-cut leader for MVP, either. This last quarter of the season could answer both of those questions. 

Let’s wait and see and enjoy.