Heading into the All-Star Break, playoff matchups are beginning to take shape. The NBA’s new play-in format has spiced things up a little, especially given that the 7th and 8th seeds will only be determined by the play-in. If the Warriors hold onto a top-2 seed, then one of those teams will be their first matchup.
Read MoreThe All-Star break typically signifies the beginning of the end of the season. When NBA teams have an 82 game schedule, the break is most welcomed by the teams at the top. Remarkably enough, the standings in the Western Conference are fairly set, with the early successors in Phoenix and Utah staying near the top. It takes a lot to win in this league, and because sustained success is hard to come by, there needs to be some recognition for that.
Read MoreJust recently it was announced that James Wiseman was cleared to play 5 on 5 during practice, as he has been out for multiple months with a meniscus injury. This brought up many conversations about what he would look like when he returns, if the Warriors made the right decision in drafting him number two overall, and what his ceiling as an NBA player will look like. When asked about how he stacked up against his draft class, Wiseman gave a veteran response to the question, telling reporters that “Comparison is the killer of all joy.”
Read MoreOn Wednesday morning, news broke per Shams Charania that Johnathan Kuminga would be replacing Chris Duarte in the All-star weekend’s Rising Stars Challenge. Unfortunately for Duarte, he suffered a toe injury Sunday against the Timberwolves and, out of an abundance of caution, has chosen to forgo the Rising Stars contest this weekend in Cleveland. In his first year at the pro level by way of The University of Oregon, Duarte has proven himself to be a viable scoring option for a struggling Pacers team.
Read MoreToronto Raptors guard Goran Dragic, who was a key piece to the Miami Heat’s 2020 Finals run (although he was absent with injury for the Finals itself) was traded at the deadline last week to the San Antonio Spurs. It’s been widely known that Dragic wants to play for a contender, which San Antonio is not, but it looks like they were willing to take on the salary as they’re in a full rebuild, whereas Toronto is pushing for a playoff spot.
Read MoreSteph Curry has inspired a generation of hoopers. While the young guns who mirror his game and see him as an inspiration haven’t all quite made it to the league, his fellow All-Star guard Darius Garland most recently talked about Steph being one of his favorite players. If you watch enough of DG hoop, you can certainly see the inspiration: He moves well off-ball, he’s super shifty and creates separation which gives him higher-percentage looks, and he’s a crafty playmaker.
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