🏀NBA Roundtable: Most disappointing teams, 1st-time All-Star candidates👀
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With approximately one-third of the 2022-23 campaign all but in the books, theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league.
Which slow-starting team has shown the most promise to turn things around?
Things were teetering on the edge of disaster for the Brooklyn Nets after a 9-11 opening stretch that included a Kyrie Irving suspension, Ben Simmons' awful start, and the sudden departure of head coach Steve Nash. However, the Nets have rattled off seven wins in eight games since a double-digit road loss against the Indiana Pacers, with the sole defeat in that span coming against the league-leading Boston Celtics. Kevin Durant is quietly having one of the best seasons of his career, Simmons has turned things around, and the team is now one of the league's most efficient offensive squads. - Matthew Winick
It has to be the Los Angeles Lakers, right? Everyone remembers them starting the year 2-10, but they've gone 9-5 since and look like a vastly different squad. A lot of that has been due to Anthony Davis hitting another gear. He put up 35.3 points, 15.6 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, and 1.2 steals in nine games leading up to his early exit last week against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to flu-like symptoms. His performances have seemed to invigorate the Lakers, who could be catching fire at a good time. - Jonathan Soveta
The Golden State Warriors will figure things out eventually. Just last campaign, the club went through a midseason slump, going 7-16 between Feb. 9 and March 30. A few months later, the Warriors were crowned champions for the fourth time in eight seasons. Golden State has too much talent and continuity for its early woes to persist. Stephen Curry is having one of his best shooting seasons, Klay Thompson is finding his rhythm, and Draymond Green remains an effective distributor. Steve Kerr's team ranks seventh in defensive efficiency over its last 15 games after an uncharacteristically poor start. - Chicco Nacion
Who's most likely to be named a first-time All-Star?
Justin Ford / Getty Images Sport / Getty
You can't spell "ASG" without "SGA." It's unfathomable to think Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won't be at his first All-Star Game come February. The electric Oklahoma City Thunder guard is showing out in his fifth campaign in a way few expected. His 30.8 points per game place him among this season's elite echelon of scorers; in 23 games played, he's eclipsed 30 points in all but seven. The only unanswered question is which team he'll represent. The trade deadline is 10 days before the midseason exhibition, and Sam Presti might consider trading his franchise star while his value is sky high. - Soveta
Five of the last six Most Improved Player winners made their first All-Star appearance in that same season. Considering Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is a front-runner for the award, he'll likely make the All-Star Game. The former Sacramento King is averaging an NBA-leading 11 assists per contest to go along with a career-high 20.2 points and 4.3 rebounds. His efficiency has been a huge reason for the Pacers' surprising 14-13 start, too. He's currently the only player in league history to average at least 10 assists and 2.5 3-pointers per game while coughing up less than three turnovers a night. - Winick
While Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton may be the most likely candidates, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is making a compelling case. Markkanen has accomplshed the rare feat of increasing both his volume and efficiency, scoring a career-high 22.2 points and collecting 8.5 rebounds while shooting a career-best 52.8% from the field and 41.3% from beyond the arc. As a No. 1 option for the league's fourth-ranked offense, the Finnish forward's stellar play has helped the 15-14 Jazz significantly overachieve. - Lior Kozai
Which team has been the most disappointing?
Despite early injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Los Angeles Clippers should be higher in the standings. Tyronn Lue's squad is hovering around .500 with a pair of defeats against the Thunder as well as a loss to the lowly Orlando Magic. Los Angeles ranks 22nd in clutch scoring, 23rd in turnovers, 26th in assists, and dead last in points per contest. Opponents are averaging 19.6 points off turnovers, which is the sixth most in the Association. The Clippers' half-court offense has struggled immensely, posting only 93.2 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. - Nacion
Someone was bound to lose out in a jam-packed Eastern Conference, but the Chicago Bulls have had a really lackluster start. Lonzo Ball's unfortunate and persistent knee concerns aren't helping matters, but the rest of the Bulls' roster should still be able to keep them comfortably within a play-in spot at the very least. Instead, Chicago is a bottom-third team offensively despite veteran, athletic scorers like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, and the Bulls are looking up at squads like the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks in the standings from outside the postseason picture entirely. - Soveta
Even skeptics of the Rudy Gobert trade thought the Minnesota Timberwolves would have a strong regular season. After going 46-36 last year, Minnesota traded a ton for Gobert, whose defense has made him one of the NBA's best floor-raisers. Yet the Timberwolves are just 15th in defensive rating despite playing at a top-two level with Gobert on the court. The offensive fit continues to be a struggle, and it'll be hard to build chemistry now with Karl-Anthony Towns likely sidelined until mid-January. - Kozai
Which breakout player candidate has been the most disappointing?
Mike Stobe / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The New York Knicks made a bold decision when they opted to extend RJ Barrett instead of making him the centerpiece of a potential Donovan Mitchell blockbuster trade. Thus far, the decision hasn't worked out in the club's favor. While most of Barrett's numbers are in line with his career norms, the Knicks need more from a player who's set to earn an average annual value of $26.8 million beginning next season. Barrett is shooting a career-low 28.8% from beyond the arc. His 28% clip on non-corner triples ranks in the 12th percentile among wings, per Cleaning the Glass. - Nacion
Perhaps this is a little harsh considering he missed all of 2021-22 recovering from a torn meniscus, but it felt like James Wiseman would finally play a pivotal role for the Warriors. Instead, it seems like his career has stalled. The former No. 2 selection has settled for mostly garbage time this season and had a temporary stint in the G League. That demotion made the center just the third top-two pick to ever get sent down, joining Anthony Bennett and Hasheem Thabeet. If Warriors fans are hoping he'll turn it around soon, that kind of historical company isn't encouraging. - Soveta
Keldon Johnson seemed poised to deliver on his breakout potential 13 games into his fourth NBA season. He was averaging 23.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 43% from deep for a surprisingly OK San Antonio Spurs team. Since then, everything has fallen apart. In the 12 games since, he's recorded 18.2 points on a putrid 36% from the field and 25% from three. All but two of those contests resulted in a San Antonio loss. With no clear lead scoring option to take over for Dejounte Murray, Johnson sits 19th in the league in usage rate. However, he's clearly not up to the task just yet. - Winick
Who's the most likely coach to get fired next?
Nate McMillan doesn't deserve to be fired. The 58-year-old owns an 84-63 record in parts of three seasons as the Atlanta Hawks' head coach, including a run to the East finals during the 2020-21 campaign. However, tensions between McMillan and star Trae Young came to a head after a reported exchange led to the latter not showing up to the arena for a recent home contest. While both have downplayed the apparent incident, it's certainly not a good sign for McMillan's future. His predecessor, Lloyd Pierce, was reportedly ousted partly because of friction with Young and other key players. - Nacion
This was supposed to be the year for the Detroit Pistons to begin their slow ascent back into Eastern Conference relevancy. Instead, they sit with the league's worst record at 7-22. Cade Cunningham has missed more than half of the season and played poorly when healthy, but some of the blame for the team's struggles has to go to head coach Dwane Casey. The league's sixth-longest-tenured bench boss has never won a playoff game with the Pistons, and a lack of improvement from a young, promising squad may finally do him in. - Winick
The 2020-21 campaign was a massive success for Tom Thibodeau in New York as the Knicks surprisingly earned a playoff spot. Since then, the team has stagnated into mediocrity. In Thibodeau's three seasons, New York's defensive rating has fluctuated from fourth to 11th to 10th. Defense is supposed to be Thibodeau's specialty, but the Knicks aren't even above average. To make matters worse, New York's promising young players - Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley - haven't developed much under their current coach. It feels like only a matter of time before Thibodeau and the Knicks part ways. - Kozai
Sports gambling forum www.thegx.ca/forum copied and pasted this from the web🍻
TheGx sports betting forum copy and paste machines reporting:
With approximately one-third of the 2022-23 campaign all but in the books, theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league.
Which slow-starting team has shown the most promise to turn things around?
Things were teetering on the edge of disaster for the Brooklyn Nets after a 9-11 opening stretch that included a Kyrie Irving suspension, Ben Simmons' awful start, and the sudden departure of head coach Steve Nash. However, the Nets have rattled off seven wins in eight games since a double-digit road loss against the Indiana Pacers, with the sole defeat in that span coming against the league-leading Boston Celtics. Kevin Durant is quietly having one of the best seasons of his career, Simmons has turned things around, and the team is now one of the league's most efficient offensive squads. - Matthew Winick
It has to be the Los Angeles Lakers, right? Everyone remembers them starting the year 2-10, but they've gone 9-5 since and look like a vastly different squad. A lot of that has been due to Anthony Davis hitting another gear. He put up 35.3 points, 15.6 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, and 1.2 steals in nine games leading up to his early exit last week against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to flu-like symptoms. His performances have seemed to invigorate the Lakers, who could be catching fire at a good time. - Jonathan Soveta
The Golden State Warriors will figure things out eventually. Just last campaign, the club went through a midseason slump, going 7-16 between Feb. 9 and March 30. A few months later, the Warriors were crowned champions for the fourth time in eight seasons. Golden State has too much talent and continuity for its early woes to persist. Stephen Curry is having one of his best shooting seasons, Klay Thompson is finding his rhythm, and Draymond Green remains an effective distributor. Steve Kerr's team ranks seventh in defensive efficiency over its last 15 games after an uncharacteristically poor start. - Chicco Nacion
Who's most likely to be named a first-time All-Star?
Justin Ford / Getty Images Sport / Getty
You can't spell "ASG" without "SGA." It's unfathomable to think Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won't be at his first All-Star Game come February. The electric Oklahoma City Thunder guard is showing out in his fifth campaign in a way few expected. His 30.8 points per game place him among this season's elite echelon of scorers; in 23 games played, he's eclipsed 30 points in all but seven. The only unanswered question is which team he'll represent. The trade deadline is 10 days before the midseason exhibition, and Sam Presti might consider trading his franchise star while his value is sky high. - Soveta
Five of the last six Most Improved Player winners made their first All-Star appearance in that same season. Considering Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is a front-runner for the award, he'll likely make the All-Star Game. The former Sacramento King is averaging an NBA-leading 11 assists per contest to go along with a career-high 20.2 points and 4.3 rebounds. His efficiency has been a huge reason for the Pacers' surprising 14-13 start, too. He's currently the only player in league history to average at least 10 assists and 2.5 3-pointers per game while coughing up less than three turnovers a night. - Winick
While Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton may be the most likely candidates, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is making a compelling case. Markkanen has accomplshed the rare feat of increasing both his volume and efficiency, scoring a career-high 22.2 points and collecting 8.5 rebounds while shooting a career-best 52.8% from the field and 41.3% from beyond the arc. As a No. 1 option for the league's fourth-ranked offense, the Finnish forward's stellar play has helped the 15-14 Jazz significantly overachieve. - Lior Kozai
Which team has been the most disappointing?
Despite early injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Los Angeles Clippers should be higher in the standings. Tyronn Lue's squad is hovering around .500 with a pair of defeats against the Thunder as well as a loss to the lowly Orlando Magic. Los Angeles ranks 22nd in clutch scoring, 23rd in turnovers, 26th in assists, and dead last in points per contest. Opponents are averaging 19.6 points off turnovers, which is the sixth most in the Association. The Clippers' half-court offense has struggled immensely, posting only 93.2 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. - Nacion
Someone was bound to lose out in a jam-packed Eastern Conference, but the Chicago Bulls have had a really lackluster start. Lonzo Ball's unfortunate and persistent knee concerns aren't helping matters, but the rest of the Bulls' roster should still be able to keep them comfortably within a play-in spot at the very least. Instead, Chicago is a bottom-third team offensively despite veteran, athletic scorers like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, and the Bulls are looking up at squads like the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks in the standings from outside the postseason picture entirely. - Soveta
Even skeptics of the Rudy Gobert trade thought the Minnesota Timberwolves would have a strong regular season. After going 46-36 last year, Minnesota traded a ton for Gobert, whose defense has made him one of the NBA's best floor-raisers. Yet the Timberwolves are just 15th in defensive rating despite playing at a top-two level with Gobert on the court. The offensive fit continues to be a struggle, and it'll be hard to build chemistry now with Karl-Anthony Towns likely sidelined until mid-January. - Kozai
Which breakout player candidate has been the most disappointing?
Mike Stobe / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The New York Knicks made a bold decision when they opted to extend RJ Barrett instead of making him the centerpiece of a potential Donovan Mitchell blockbuster trade. Thus far, the decision hasn't worked out in the club's favor. While most of Barrett's numbers are in line with his career norms, the Knicks need more from a player who's set to earn an average annual value of $26.8 million beginning next season. Barrett is shooting a career-low 28.8% from beyond the arc. His 28% clip on non-corner triples ranks in the 12th percentile among wings, per Cleaning the Glass. - Nacion
Perhaps this is a little harsh considering he missed all of 2021-22 recovering from a torn meniscus, but it felt like James Wiseman would finally play a pivotal role for the Warriors. Instead, it seems like his career has stalled. The former No. 2 selection has settled for mostly garbage time this season and had a temporary stint in the G League. That demotion made the center just the third top-two pick to ever get sent down, joining Anthony Bennett and Hasheem Thabeet. If Warriors fans are hoping he'll turn it around soon, that kind of historical company isn't encouraging. - Soveta
Keldon Johnson seemed poised to deliver on his breakout potential 13 games into his fourth NBA season. He was averaging 23.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 43% from deep for a surprisingly OK San Antonio Spurs team. Since then, everything has fallen apart. In the 12 games since, he's recorded 18.2 points on a putrid 36% from the field and 25% from three. All but two of those contests resulted in a San Antonio loss. With no clear lead scoring option to take over for Dejounte Murray, Johnson sits 19th in the league in usage rate. However, he's clearly not up to the task just yet. - Winick
Who's the most likely coach to get fired next?
Nate McMillan doesn't deserve to be fired. The 58-year-old owns an 84-63 record in parts of three seasons as the Atlanta Hawks' head coach, including a run to the East finals during the 2020-21 campaign. However, tensions between McMillan and star Trae Young came to a head after a reported exchange led to the latter not showing up to the arena for a recent home contest. While both have downplayed the apparent incident, it's certainly not a good sign for McMillan's future. His predecessor, Lloyd Pierce, was reportedly ousted partly because of friction with Young and other key players. - Nacion
This was supposed to be the year for the Detroit Pistons to begin their slow ascent back into Eastern Conference relevancy. Instead, they sit with the league's worst record at 7-22. Cade Cunningham has missed more than half of the season and played poorly when healthy, but some of the blame for the team's struggles has to go to head coach Dwane Casey. The league's sixth-longest-tenured bench boss has never won a playoff game with the Pistons, and a lack of improvement from a young, promising squad may finally do him in. - Winick
The 2020-21 campaign was a massive success for Tom Thibodeau in New York as the Knicks surprisingly earned a playoff spot. Since then, the team has stagnated into mediocrity. In Thibodeau's three seasons, New York's defensive rating has fluctuated from fourth to 11th to 10th. Defense is supposed to be Thibodeau's specialty, but the Knicks aren't even above average. To make matters worse, New York's promising young players - Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley - haven't developed much under their current coach. It feels like only a matter of time before Thibodeau and the Knicks part ways. - Kozai
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