Do you remember what happened before the NBA All-Star Break? The Dallas Mavericks exchanged Luka Doncic. The Golden State Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ran Nikola Jokic for the MVP race. These are just a few of the fascinating storylines that the competition has to offer in the unofficial second half of the season.
We already know what the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers bring to the table in the regular season. Their biggest questions will be in the play -offs.
For now these are the biggest storylines and questions that must be answered in the last two months of the regular season.
Warriors’ Last Ride “
Handy speaking on his own podcast, “The Drayond Green Show with Baron Davis,” Green revealed something that Stephen Curry told him after the Butler -Acquisition.
“This is it, this is the last ride,” shared Green of what Curry said, in which the two believed that trade will give the Warriors exactly what is needed to elevate themselves in the championship interview.
Until now, Golden State has been 3-1 in a limited sample size since Butler De Vouw entered. The former Miami Heat Wing looks like a great addition to Curry, based on a contrasting playing style.
Are the expectations a bit at elevated? Probably. Golden State is currently in 10th place in the west and a single match up .500. Oklahoma City, the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets would all be very difficult enemies in the first round, so there is work to be done in the rankings.
However, what cannot be denied is that a rejuvenated curry is a gift for all basketball fans. We could have a treat about this last part.
Steph Curry on Jimmy Butler: ‘He is exactly the opposite player of mine. I took 16 3s and he shot one. He came a lot to the free throw line, the paint dominated. I dominate the circumference. It has the potential to be really fun. ” pic.twitter.com/cuzxtnflw
– Anthony Slater (@anthonyvlater) February 9, 2025
Sixers’ lottery Ball Pivot?
The Philadelphia 76ers are 11th in the east with a record of 20-34, Joel Embiid has only played 17 games and Paul George looks a shadow of his former All-NBA himself.
The question that arises about the Sixers organization is whether it is time to let go of Playoff ambitions and to concentrate on the trekking lottery. Unless it lands in the top six, Philadelphia loses his first round Pick to Oklahoma City. If the season ended today, the Sixers would have the seventh best chances for the number 1 pick and are records with the Brooklyn Nets.
Given the lack of financial freedom that the Sixers have, this would not be the worst idea to prioritize retaining their choice. Embiid and George are clearly sick, so there is probably no realistic path to a title this season. Let them concentrate on healing and recovery, reset for next season and also have a substantial talent of the design in the battle.
Get the flagg
That brings us to the next topic that is worth paying attention to the play: fishing teams to maximize their chances of drawing up Cooper Flagg.
The Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets seem to have locked the four best chances in some order. The Toronto Raptors are the next in the row, with both Brooklyn and Philadelphia just behind. The Chicago Bulls are only 1.5 games for the Sixers, but slide after trading Zach Lavine.
Let’s not forget, while Flagg is the consensus top choice, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey have a great potential in themselves. VJ Edgecombe is also increasingly lifting eyebrows.
All these teams are ready to drop the anchor during the last few months of the season and anticipate a worthy reward.
COOPER. Flagg. 🗣️
The first ACC player with 500 points, 100 assists and 30 blocks in the regular season in the last 25 years 😈 @Dukembb pic.twitter.com/3lbske5iwo
– ACC Network (@accnetwork) February 18, 2025
The statement of Nuggets
During the first third of the season, the Denver Nuggets saw a shell of their championship just two years ago. Despite one bewildering version after the other by Nikola Jokic, injuries to Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon Jokic left good with help. The banking depth did not look promising either. On 16-13 there were plenty of rumors that swallow about what could be done to change the team’s prospects.
Since then, Denver has gone 20-6 and he seemed pretty impressive. Russell Westbrook who enters the starting line-up is a game changer because of the chemistry he shares with Jokic. Christian Braun also played enormously in the past month.
However, there is nobody who waves the chances of the nuggets, such as Murray. If there is a sign of his health, it is that he played 17 games in January, the most played in one month during his entire NBA career. He followed that with six great matches in February, including a 55-point special against the Portland Trail Blazers just before the break.
If Murray is back at its best, the ceiling is again the roof for Denver.
Are the slides of the magic and rockets real?
The All-Star Break could not have come at a better time for both the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets.
Orlando had actually done well to hold the fort in the absence of Paolo Bancero and Franz Wagner. On 23-18 when Bancero returned, it seemed as if the magic was well positioned to rise the rankings back.
Instead, Orlando 4-11 went back with Wagner for the last 15 games before the last 15 games for the last 11 and seventh at 27-29. Jalen Suggs has only played one game since January 3 and the hope is that he can be the catalyst to win consistently again.
Houston was once nice like the number 2 seed in the powerful Western Conference, but losing seven of their last nine games before the break brought them to fourth place. The Los Angeles Lakers are only half a game at the back of the fifth, so the moments when the attack grinds one half will now be all the more striking.
Power Forward Jabari Smith Jr. Is about a return that will stimulate the depth of Houston, although it will be interesting to see if he will be sent to the bank. Amen Thompson has been excellent as a starter since he replaced him, probably no other logical choice left behind than keeping Thompson in the starting unit.
Doncic vs. ADVERTISEMENT
This is understandably, the storyline fans will pay the most attention. It is the determining trade of the deadline of 2024-25, the season and possibly the next decade.
Dallas conducted a trade from the Front Office and the property was convinced that they made better in the present. Now Anthony Davis is out for a longer period, with the mavs in the eighth and the Lakers four games in the fifth.
The withdrawn Mark Williams trade will certainly remove part of the air from the Ballon of Los Angeles, but it will still be fascinating to see what Doncic and LeBron James can achieve together.
The new Luka Doncic and Kobe Bryant Mural in La 👀
On 8251 Melrose Ave by Arcoon_art pic.twitter.com/meg16kjpa1
– Kobe & Gianna Bryant Murals (@kobemurals) February 17, 2025
Celtics ready to peak at the right time?
After a start of 19-4, the Boston Celtics very much seemed to prove the part of a title defender with much.
What followed was a mediocre 13-11 stretch screaming: “Wake me up in the second half of the season.” There were also double -digit losses for the Raptors, Lakers and Sacramento Kings. Kristaps Porzingis acknowledged that the team was in a funk, but also believed that it was a matter of time before Boston broke out.
The Celtics have now achieved seven victories in eight games, including explanation victories at the CAVS in Cleveland and the Knicks in New York.
Now, with the All-Star break behind them and the play-offs in a few months, the Celtics expects to acquire intensity about their last 27 games.
Sunbathing in sunset
The Phoenix Suns looks like a team that has already read and marches his last rites. The Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal experiment were not sorted out as they had hoped. It even led the Suns to explore the trade durant. With the important tax implications that this team start, many insiders and managers expect that Durant is now being traded in the summer.
The 26-28 Suns are currently two games below .500 and looking for a place in the play-in tournament. They are 13th in the attack and 27th in defense. No team was more attached to the rumors of the butler than Phoenix and to get empty in that respect is a big blow. Nick Richards does not change his ceiling.
They need something special to invest themselves again and to reverse this season.
SGA vs. Jokic for NBA MVP
The best player in the best team versus the best player in the world. That has been the debate for four months now. Early in the season, Jokic seemed to have the upper hand, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took the lead in the latest ESPN survey. That is often a fairly good predictor of who will come out at the end of the season.
Who should come to the top? The Serbian is on average a Monster Triple-Double on 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.8 steals. He also shoots a career-high 45 percent of three on a career-high 4.5 attempts per game. The Nuggets are vaulted with 20 victories in their last 26 games.
Gilgous-Alexander prevents 32.5 points, 4.8 rebounds. 5.0 assists and 1.9 steals. He shoots 52.3 percent out of the field, an elite number for a guard.
The Thunder is bound for the best record of the competition on 44-10 and firmly on top of the Western Conference.
Who deserves the lake? This debate will rage the last few months.
