Welcome back to 7 Days of NBA! This week we saw trade rumors start to swirl, an injury to a big name superstar, and teams starting to find their identities. Let's hop into this week's major takeaways.
Major Takeaways
1. This Year's Rookie Class is Deeper than Most
One thing that has really stood out to me this season is the great play by the rookies. LaMelo Ball has had a great start to the season and would be my pick for Rookie of the Year, averaging 14.6 points per game, along with 6.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He has really shown that beyond all the hype, he can be a legit cornerstone for the future of the Hornets. Anthony Edwards, despite shooting 39% from the field and 32% from 3, is averaging 14.8 points per game and currently leads rookies in scoring. If Edwards can play more efficient, I can see him living up to the #1 overall pick hype and giving the Timberwolves another player to build around with Karl-Anthony Towns. James Wiseman (when healthy) looks like a great big man for the Warriors scheme and Patrick Williams looks like another player to add to the mix for the Bulls. One big part about the rookies I have noticed is the depth of the class, with several players who weren't drafted early in the lottery producing well. Saddiq Bey from the Pistons won Eastern Conference Player of the Week last week and looks to be a great 3&D player that could be a legit option on a contender (if the Pistons ever complete the rebuild). Tyrese Haliburton from the Kings has been one of the most efficient 4th quarter players this season and has quieted all doubters about his shot, as he is shooting 44% from 3 this season. Immanuel Quickley has been fantastic for the Knicks and has been a bright spot on a team that is rising up the rankings. Payton Pritchard has been great as the backup PG for the Celtics. Desmond Bane for the Grizzlies is shooting 48% (!!) from 3 this season. There's many bright spots in the rookie class and a lot of teams have great players to help build their team into championship contenders, whenever that may be.
2. Mid-Season Additions Look to be a Big Storyline
There have been rumors swirling this past week about some big names moving around near the trade deadline, whether that's with a trade or a buyout. Andre Drummond has been benched by the Cavaliers until they decide what they will do and I can see him being a great addition for a contender. He has led the league in rebounding 4 times and teams like the Nets, Lakers and Celtics are missing a great low post guy who can grab the boards and swat shots. Drummond has yet to be on a contender in his career, and I feel that if he got his chance on a solid team, he could very well quiet any of the doubters of his old-school style game. Blake Griffin and the Pistons also agreed on benching him until they decide whether to buy him out or trade him. Blake is not the same as he was, and the injuries have piled up in the last few years. However, I do think he can provide some depth for a team in the front court that may be lacking. Again, I see the Nets and Lakers, as well as the Blazers and Warriors being options for him. The problem for the Cavs and Pistons is that Drummond and Griffin both have big contracts which would be hard to trade, so unfortunately I feel like a buyout is the best realistic choice. I could see some players joining the market for a buyout as we get near the trade deadline, including LaMarcus Aldridge, Nemanja Bjelica, and Trevor Ariza. If your team is a contender, I would pay attention to the buyout market and what players could be joining your squad for an end-of-the-season push.
3. Injuries and Fatigue will be a Major Factor
Valentine's Day showed no love to the Lakers, as they lost big to the Nuggets, but more importantly lost Anthony Davis to a calf strain until after the All-Star break. Davis had just returned from an Achilles injury and unfortunately tweaked the same lower leg. Non-contact injuries are always concerning, and seeing Davis land and grab his leg gave concern to every Laker fan. We saw Ja Morant land awkwardly earlier in the season and luckily return fast, but it really brings into perspective how one play can alter a team's season. D'Angelo Russell just had surgery and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks, Marcus Smart took a bad fall a couple weeks ago and is still out for Boston for the next 2-3 weeks, and CJ McCollum is out at least 2 more weeks with a lingering foot problem. Other key players who are struggling with injuries include Kevin Durant, James Wiseman, Christian Wood, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, Paul George, Jaren Jackson Jr., Goran Dragic, Mitchell Robinson, Aaron Gordon, Jusuf Nurkic, and LaMarcus Aldridge. I know that is a long list, but that just proves my point that the injuries this season are changing the landscape of the league. I believe that a factor in the number of injuries, especially for the teams that went to the bubble, is the short time that was given between the playoffs and the start of this season. I understand why they did it, but the injuries and the fatigue from such a short offseason are taking a toll.
MVP (February 11th-February 17th): Damian Lillard
Some people may argue that Luka should be here, but the fact that he only played two games and one of them was a loss to Lillard and Portland (plus the great week from Dame) leans me to pick Damian Lillard for the MVP of the Week. This past week, Lillard has averaged 28.8 points, 9.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. The Trail Blazers are currently on a 5 game winning streak, with 4 of the wins coming this past week. The four wins were against the 76ers, Cavs, Mavericks, and Thunder. Without CJ, Dame has stepped up to fill the void and has led the team to solid wins while filling his stat sheet. Once CJ returns, I can see this team being a real problem in the playoffs and if Dame Time is activated, who knows what will happen.
Team of the Week (February 11th-February 17th): Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz continue to surprise everyone with their outstanding play. I know I put them as the Team of the Season in my first blog, but it was hard to overlook putting them here again. The Jazz continue to prove that they should be taken as a real threat in the West. Last week, they defeated the Bucks, Heat and 76ers all by double-digits. Donovan Mitchell is playing on a different level, Gobert is still holding it down in the paint, but the big thing that continues to stand out to me is the chemistry and team basketball that they play. Coming together and playing efficient has helped them make the leap from a middle-of-the-pack team in the West to a team that nobody wants to match up with.
Standings:
East:
1. 76ers
2. Nets
3. Bucks
4. Celtics
5. Pacers
6. Knicks
7. Raptors
8. Hornets
9. Bulls
10. Heat
11. Hawks
12. Magic
13. Cavaliers
14. Wizards
15. Pistons
West:
1. Jazz
2. Lakers
3. Clippers
4. Trail Blazers
5. Suns
6. Spurs
7. Nuggets
8. Warriors
9. Grizzlies
10. Mavericks
11. Pelicans
12. Kings
13. Rockets
14. Thunder
15. Timberwolves
Hope you enjoyed, and I will be back once again next week!
The Utah Jazz continue to surprise everyone with their outstanding play. I know I put them as the Team of the Season in my first blog, but it was hard to overlook putting them here again. The Jazz continue to prove that they should be taken as a real threat in the West. Last week, they defeated the Bucks, Heat and 76ers all by double-digits. Donovan Mitchell is playing on a different level, Gobert is still holding it down in the paint, but the big thing that continues to stand out to me is the chemistry and team basketball that they play. Coming together and playing efficient has helped them make the leap from a middle-of-the-pack team in the West to a team that nobody wants to match up with.
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