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Just two days after its new season, the NBA is already in shape in the middle of the season.
The Brooklyn Nets looked better than they announced in their opening night win against the Golden State Warriors, it’s clear that the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers will continue to tempt basketball fans into thinking an eventual playoff showdown is looming, and Jayson Tatum signed up. a picturesque three to lead the Boston Celtics to victory in their first home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on a night the late Tommy Heinsohn was honored.
The highlights were not missing. Ja Morant lost 44 points, remarkable considering he took just one triple, in the Memphis Grizzlies’ loss to the San Antonio Spurs, and the Sacramento Kings won memorably against the Denver Nuggets courtesy of overtime. Buddy Hield snuggled into the rim.
Reggie Miller and Chris Webber, two of basketball’s leading analysts and each an integral member of TNT’s broadcast team, are delighted that basketball is back on track. And there is no shortage of stories surrounding the game, led by James Harden and the Houston Rockets.
Houston’s season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday was postponed after the Rockets were unable to submit an eight-man roster following a possible spread of the coronavirus. There’s also an endless amount of Harden-centric drama, with the latest controversy centering on violating the league’s health and safety protocol.
News of the league policy violation came after Miller and Webber spoke about Harden, but both agreed that now is the time for a mutual separation in Houston.
“The system that Mike D’Antoni built around him is gone, Daryl Morey’s small ball philosophy is gone,” Miller said. “Out of respect for a generational type player like James Harden, it’s time to move on. He’s not 100% invested with the Houston Rockets right now.
“I don’t think I will ever get the same value for James Harden. I think Houston has to go the same way as the Oklahoma City Thunder, rack up as many draft picks as possible and revamp the system. Can they succeed if James Harden stays? I’m sure, but the West is loaded. I think you need to get as many draft picks as possible and start changing your franchise that way. “
Unlike Miller, who played for the Indiana Pacers throughout his Hall of Fame career, Webber was part of some successful trades. He also sees a new destiny in Harden’s future that would allow the Rockets to commit to a rebuild.
“You should not give away your best value, you need to get the maximum value for that player, [but] I don’t know if you’ll ever get the same value for a great player like Harden, ”Webber said. “But their head coach who built this system left, their general manager left. It is best to move on as soon as possible. It’s almost as if they’ve been through everything but Harden. If you’re going to rebuild, you should officially do it. “
One of Harden’s rumored business destinations has been the Nets, who are built around two superstars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Rookie head coach Steve Nash has already received comparisons to Warriors coach Steve Kerr, but Webber noted there are downsides to these instant championship expectations in Brooklyn.
“Nash has the toughest coaching job [in the league]”Webber said. “People will falsely think that you didn’t do a great job if you don’t win a championship, which is not fair. It will take time. He’s being compared to Kerr, but the Warriors had been together for a while before Kerr. This situation in Brooklyn is totally new. What will happen after they lose three in a row? How will you hide your team’s weaknesses and empower others?
“I think he is ready, but there are problems in that dressing room that affect a new coach. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Toronto did too. The East is very open. “
Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports
Despite the presence of talents from all leagues like Durant and Irving, there are also big questions surrounding his bench. What shot and rebound blocking factor will DeAndre Jordan play for the Nets? Will you be able to create floor space by finishing off the pick-and-roll? And how will Caris Levert, Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie fit into the offensive system? Miller added that players on the court other than Durant or Irving will make or break the Nets’ season.
“The question for Brooklyn is not about Kyrie and Durant playing together,” Miller said. “That’s what they’ve always wanted to do, so I’m not worried about two future Hall of Famers. You could both average close to 30 per game, but 60 points won’t win many games. The questions are about Levert and Dinwiddie. Can those guys get involved? What about Harris? If the Nets want to win the East and fight for a championship, you need the role players to play at a high level and contribute. “
Even with the explosive capabilities of the Nets, there is still no clear favorite in the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo threw a free throw to the front edge that would have sent the Bucks into overtime on opening night in Boston, and despite Milwaukee’s regular-season success of the past two seasons, the East is open ground looking be claimed.
“The two teams I’m looking forward to in the East are the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards,” Webber said. “Washington is going to commit to playing hard every night thanks to Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. I think those teams are going to be fun and they are going to be the surprise teams this year in the East, but no matter how you look at it, there are no favorites.
Miller emphasized that the Miami Heat also belongs on a crowded list of contenders in the East, although it’s hard to gauge where until they have sustained success outside the bubble.
“I’m not going to sleep with the Heat,” Miller said. “They weren’t surprised to be there in the Finals, they expected to be there. Jimmy Butler gets a lot of credit, but it was a collective team effort. And if Goran Dragic is healthy and Bam Adebayo is healthy, who knows? That’s not the Lakers’ fault, you play whoever is in front of you, but no one should sleep in the Heat. They are also pioneers.
“But the bubble was a very unique situation. No trips, same sand. Tyler Herro was great, but he didn’t have to go to anyone else’s arena and shoot. Duncan Robinson was great, but he didn’t have to go on tour and do that. Now add back-to-back travel and games, and can the Heat’s role players continue to play the way they did in Orlando? “
Webber also questioned whether moving away from the confines of the bubble will hurt Miami.
“Unless you were a family member, you didn’t expect Herro to do what he did in the playoffs,” Webber said. And don’t get me wrong, he did. He earned it. So how will the game change in real stadiums and travel this season? Nobody is going to work harder than Miami, but there are teams with more stars. But isn’t that what Jimmy Butler is based on? I think that’s what the Heat is based on. “
Another team in the East with equal potential and question marks is the Philadelphia 76ers.
Led by newly hired coach Doc Rivers, the Sixers will seek to form a distinct identity in the East. Time will tell if that means coming in with Joel Embiid and becoming a more defensive team, or building the offense around Ben Simmons and having a team intent on running.
Rivers is known for his ability to form a strong identity with his players, which he did as well as any coach in league history during his 2008 championship season in Boston. But he comes to Philadelphia with a blemish after leaving the Clippers, who collapsed in the Western Conference semifinals against the Nuggets. Things got even worse when the Clippers ‘Paul George noted that Rivers’ lack of adjustments caused the team to squander a dominant 3-1 series lead. Although coaches are always the first to go, Miller was asked if Rivers was unfairly maligned during his departure from the Clippers.
“I think it was a little unfair to blame Doc Rivers for that collapse,” Miller said. “I thought it was unfair for Paul George to come out and talk about not making adjustments to the game, just putting him on Doc Rivers. I thought it was a bit selfish that none of Clipper’s other teammates came out and said, ‘No, that wasn’t the case. We screwed it up. When Paul George said that, other Clippers should have come out and said, ‘We all went.’
The Clippers, who defeated the Lakers on opening night, are now led by Tyronn Lue, who led the Cavs to their title in 2016.
“Ty Lue is a championship coach,” Miller said. “But like Doc said, if they’re talking about gameplay adjustments and they’re not making any, Ty Lue was right there.”
Now that the league has moved away from the bubble, the capital of the NBA is once again LA. With just two months left before the NBA Finals, the Lakers are poised to defend their championship, becoming a featured story with every win and loss, as LeBron James and Anthony Davis seek to prove that the bubble championship was no fluke.
“At the end of this 72-game regular season, the Lakers will be the team to beat,” Miller said. “They will start slow. They’re integrating a lot of new pieces, Dennis Schroder, Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell, and I want to see if Schroder and Harrell can have chemistry like Harrell did with Lou Williams. That was a lethal one-two hit off the bench for the Clippers, it was nightmares for second units. All bets are off if that happens. “
The Lakers will face the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles on Christmas night and all eyes will be on James.
“We are always focused on LeBron, and this season will be no different,” Miller said. “Health is going to be of the utmost importance. This is a quick change for LeBron. I don’t think I expected to start on December 22nd. I think they will start a little slow, but don’t be surprised by that. “
Justin Barrasso can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Justinbarrasso.
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