We’ve reached the halfway point of the 2022-23 season and entered a new year. The season has gone by quickly and after his week of basketball in 2023, we have a few things to talk about.
commendable team
Sacramento Kings
So far, the Sacramento Kings have never flown under the radar or been caught off guard. They have gone from being one of the bottom teams in the league to a surprisingly good team over the past few years, starting this season and now leading the Pacific Division. But not only was Sacramento’s rapid rise and swift dispel from the skepticism and pessimistic tone of others, but the Kings showed some really interesting basketball in the process.
I’m a West Coast guy, so I’ve watched Sacramento play all sorts of opponents all night long this season. And for lack of a better word, it was a funny blast.
The Kings have already played 23 games, including ‘clutch time’ minutes. 16 of those games ended with 2 possessions or less (8-8), and 10 games (5-5) were by one point. Ultimately, winning or losing matters most, but the aggression that Sacramento exhibits in these situations is worth mentioning.His 130.3 offensive rating for the Kings in the clutch ranks among the top in the NBA and they can thank De’Aaron Fox5.0 points per game is the second-highest number among players who have been in clutch game situations at least five times this season.
The Kings could be a formidable playoff opponent if Mike Brown can get his team to bolster their bottom-five clutch defense (defensive rating of 121.2).
Shine the beam.
The Pacific Division is very tight with a first-come-first-served and final-game split over three games, and the Kings are less beloved in the future odds.
chicago bulls
Give credit where credit is due. three weeks ago, Chicago vibe was not where it needed to beThe Bulls were 11-18 and were on a four-game losing streak. Today they have won 8 of his 12 games and are back near .500, including his recent 4-game winning streak.
Change point Crime is happening. demar derozanHis contributions have been consistent (he left the team with a quadriceps injury during the third quarter of Monday’s loss), but after a shaky start to the season, other players is taking shape. Zach Lavigne Looking like the Zach LaVine of old as he moves away from offseason knee surgery.
LaVine’s scoring, efficiency and attacking influence have skyrocketed. In November he averaged only 20.5 points in 39.9/31.8/82.0 splits, but in December he was up to 24.5 points in 52.1/42.9/82.8 splits. Still early in the month, but efficient he shoots 50.5 / 49.0.3 / 92.3 He has 28.6 points per game in the split. version is back. And if the Bulls are going to get over this thing, they’re going to need that version of him to hang around with all season long.
The Bulls lost a close game celtics It’s a Monday night but it’s no shame. So shout out to them to turn it around a little. Let’s see where we go from here.
The LA Clippers put all their eggs in the championship basket when they got them many years ago. Paul George Via trade and signature Kawai Leonard as a free agent. Unlike the Clippers, the Houston Rockets almost two years before him shied away from the championship pursuit. James Harden to Brooklyn as part of a three-team trade that would return a total of four first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps.Finally, San Antonio bid DeRozan goodbye and traded off during 2021 free agency Dejounte Murray I went to Atlanta the following offseason to signal a rebuild.
So what do one and two championship-challenging teams have in common? NBAThe three youngest teams in the ? athleticThe Clippers, Spurs and Rockets are the only teams in the Western Conference that haven’t yet won three or more games in a row.
The Lakers will go on to win their fourth straight game tonight after nightlifeing the Hawks, leaving the Clippers, Rockets and Spurs the only West teams without a four-game winning streak so far this season.
— Law Murray 🥳 (@LawMurrayTheNU) January 7, 2023
How important that statistic is in the grand scheme may vary depending on who you ask, but it’s definitely not something LA should be proud of. It tells you how bad things could have been in a situation that should have been of season for them. They’re still battling the injury bug and have an aging, unbalanced roster that hasn’t clicked yet this season, and as a result, they’ve put him up for a disappointing 21-21 record and a play-in. I was on the verge of falling to the seed.
Here are some questions for the Clippers that need answers: Will the trade deadline bring anything to this roster? Will their stars be able to stay on the court together for the long haul? Can the Clippers fix this issue before it’s too late?
stay tuned.
Defending Champion on December 14th Indiana Pacers, pessimism about the Warriors making a legitimate playoff seemed justified.Preseason locker room stuff was a distraction, the bench wasn’t cutting it, and usually like a reliable contributor Klay Thompson When jordan pool I was struggling outside the gate. After Stephen Curry suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for weeks, the optimistic minority hopes that Golden State was holding out for getting back in shape that night in Indianapolis certainly waned.
Already under .500 and occupying the 10th spot in the West, two heavy losses in New York soon followed, dropping the Dubs to 11th in the conference. But the statement memphis grizzlies Christmas may have changed the course of their season.
The Warriors weathering the storm to go 6-5 without Curry could be a turning point in the season they look back on later in the year. We can give them all the credit for improving their positioning in the standings. Or you could argue that part of their destiny may come from the fact that most of the Western Conference is mediocre and inseparable from each other. , was not dead and buried as many thought might have followed the injury of the best player. Instead, they’re trending up as Curry, who is listed as likely, could return to action in Tuesday night’s game. phoenixshould scare the rest of the West.
(Photo by De’Aaron Fox: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
