EASTERN CONFERENCE (written by Ryan Macdonald)

Boston Celtics  
Record: 42-17 (1st in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Jayson Tatum
Most Surprising Player: Jaylen Brown
Most Disappointing Player: Robert Williams III

Jaylen Brown is probably going to get some MVP votes at year’s end. Let that sink in. I knew that Jaylen Brown was a tremendous basketball player, but I never expected him to elevate his level of play to this high of a level. Between him and Tatum, the Celtics have two guys who can win you a game single handedly. But that is far from all this team boasts.

The Celtics are the best team in the league because they are the deepest team in the league. Malcolm Brogdon is the current betting favorite to take home the 6th man of the year award. Smart, White, Horford, and Grant Williams all play their roles to perfection and add in enough scoring to help out their two superstars. Even guys like Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, and Payton Pritchard have made a meaningful impact when called upon.

They’ve done all this despite Robert Williams III playing in just 23 of the team’s 59 games. Williams is a critical part of what they do, especially on the defensive end, where he is one of the best shot blockers this league has to offer. Getting Williams fully healthy for the playoffs is a must for the Celtics.

Joe Mazzulla has done a phenomenal job after stepping in for the disgraced Ime Udoka. My one worry with this team is the minutes that Mazzulla is putting on Tatum. Tatum is second in the league in minutes played per game at 37.3. Only Pascal Siakam plays more minutes per night. Tatum played 35.9 minutes per game a season ago and appeared to be gassed when the NBA Finals rolled around. In the 6-game series loss to the Warriors, Tatum shot just 37% from the floor. Mazzulla needs to trust his depth and not put so much burden on his two guys down the stretch. Save them for the playoffs.

Grade: A+

Milwaukee Bucks 
Record: 41-17 (2nd in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Most Surprising Player: Jevon Carter
Most Disappointing Player: Khris Middleton

Let’s keep it short and sweet, because it’s pretty simple when things come to this Milwaukee Bucks squad. Giannis is having another MVP level season. Jrue Holiday is probably the best two-way guard in the NBA yet is somehow still underrated. Brook Lopez getting healthy again this season and returning to form is massive. Jae Crowder is a solid pickup at the trade deadline. Bobby Portis has been phenomenal off the bench. Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen, Jevon Carter, and Joe Ingles are great role players. But none of that matters if Khris Middleton doesn’t get healthy and back into the mix in Milwaukee. This team is my pick to win the Finals IF Middleton is healthy. If he’s not, they won’t beat Boston in the ECF. It’s that simple in my eyes.

Grade: A

Philadelphia 76ers 
Record: 38-19 (3rd in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Joel Embiid
Most Surprising Player: De’Anthony Melton
Most Disappointing Player: Montrezl Harrell

This team is very good. Joel Embiid is unstoppable in the post and James Harden leads the world in assists. De’Anthony Melton has been a revelation, but the starting experiment HAS to end. I LOVE Melton, but it’s absolutely crazy to be starting him over Maxey. All that it is doing is hurting the development of Maxey. Maxey needs to be out there alongside Harden. It benefits the both of them.

The addition of Jalen McDaniels is a much better pickup than most realize. Jalen McDaniels should close games for them. In my opinion, the best lineup that the Sixers can trot out onto the court is Harden, Maxey, Harris, McDaniels, and Embiid. I’m a big Tucker fan, but McDaniels gives you so much more offensively and can more than hold his own on the defensive end. Will Doc run out that lineup in closing time? Probably not. He’s just not a very good coach. This team is very talented, but they aren’t beating either the Celtics or Bucks in a series.

Grade: A

Cleveland Cavaliers 
Record: 38-23 (4th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Donovan Mitchell
Most Surprising Player: THEY ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE.
Most Disappointing Player: Kevin Love

The Cavaliers went all in when they traded for Donovan Mitchell this offseason. Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three unprotected first round picks and two additional pick swaps was the final prize. This is the definition of a win-win trade for both teams. The Jazz got a fantastic package, and the Cavs got a young superstar who immediately upgraded their level of play and fits their timeline beautifully. With Mitchell, Garland, Allen, and Mobley all being 26 years of age or younger and all being under team control for at least 2 additional seasons beyond this year, the Cavaliers could not possibly be in a better spot for the future. The Cavs will win a playoff series this year, but they won’t win two. These young guys are going to continue to develop together and will bring a championship back to The Land within the next 3-4 years. The future is so bright, the rest of the league needs shades.

With all that being said, Kevin Love falling out of the rotation and eventually being bought out was a very disappointing (and shocking) end to the Cleveland chapter of his incredible career.

Grade: A+

Brooklyn Nets 
Record: 34-24 (5th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Mikal Bridges
Most Surprising Player: Nic Claxton
Most Disappointing Player: Ben Simmons

Kevin Durant is the real MVP of the 2022-23 season for the Brooklyn Nets, but he has now moved to the desert. HELLO MIKAL BRIDGES. I just want it on record that I have been ECSTATIC about the Nets return since the moment they made the trade. I have receipts. Mikal Bridges is a two-way STAR who has done nothing but constantly improve since the second he stepped into the league. Thrust into more of a scoring role in Brookyln, what does he do? Just drops 45 on 24 shots in his 3rd game with the team. No big deal. I hope you all are ready. Mikal Bridges is about to vault himself into superstardom with the Brooklyn Nets.

On top of Bridges, the Nets got Cameron Johnson, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Dorian Finney-Smith to form a fresh starting five alongside Nic Claxton, one of the most improved players in the entire NBA. Claxton has literally improved in every facet of the game. His scoring is up, he is shooting 72% from the floor, he is rebounding at a higher rate, and he would be running away with DPOY if it wasn’t for the absurd marks that Jaren Jackson Jr. is putting up on a nightly basis.

With these trades and the emergence of Cam Thomas, Ben Simmons has been all but forgotten about. He’s only playing about 15 minutes per game now, and there isn’t really any reason for his minutes to increase. It’s so hard for coaches to play guys who can’t score. The worst part about it is that Simmons CAN score. Watch his Philly highlights. The dude is tough to stop when he gets a head of steam and goes to the hoop. He was also a pretty talented finisher. His confidence is just completely shot, and his work ethic is nonexistent. It’s so sad to see a guy waste that much freaking talent. Simmons could have been Magic Johnson. He was THAT good.

This team has enough talent and depth to hang on to a top-6 spot and avoid the play-in. I really think they will do just that, but they aren’t winning a playoff series.

Grade: B+

New York Knicks 
Record: 33-27 (6th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Jalen Brunson
Most Surprising Player: Julius Randle
Most Disappointing Player: RJ Barrett

The Knicks have been one of the surprises of the NBA for me this season. I really didn’t expect much out of this team. In our NBA preview blog, which you can read here, we picked the Knicks to finish 11th in the East. Through 36 games, the Knicks were 18-18 and probably the most mediocre team this league has seen in a long time. They were just so average at everything. Since that point, they have went 15-9 including winning 5 of 6 entering the All-Star break.

The biggest reason for the success of the Knicks? The brilliant play of Jalen Brunson, who should’ve been an All-Star over Julius Randle. Julius Randle has rebounded nicely this season after a pretty abysmal 2021-22 season, and Jalen Brunson deserves all the credit for that. Julius’ job has been so much easier this season playing alongside Brunson. In the 10 games leading up to the break, Brunson averaged 31.5 points per game on tremendous shooting splits. He isn’t going to keep up that level of scoring and efficiency, but Brunson may very well keep the Knicks out of the play-in.

Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, and Jericho Sims have steadily improved this season and give the Knicks a reason to be optimistic about the future. The addition of Josh Hart makes elevates this team, but not to a point where they are winning a playoff series. The regression of RJ Barrett has been the only downside to this otherwise great season in the Big Apple.

Grade: A-

Miami Heat  
Record: 32-27 (7th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Bam Adebayo
Most Surprising Player: Bam Adebayo
Most Disappointing Player: Kyle Lowry

Bam Adebayo has once again (somewhat surprisingly) increased his scoring numbers for a 5th consecutive season. There isn’t a super high ceiling for his offensive game in theory, but yet, he continues to improve and develop each and every year. He’s not a physical post-up guy like Embiid. He’s not a floor stretcher like KAT. He has his own unique offensive game that relies on the mid-range, something not too common in today’s NBA. He is also one of the better all-around defenders in the NBA. It was no surprise that the two-way star found himself back in the All-Star Game this season.

Outside of Bam’s continued progression, there isn’t a whole lot to write home about for the Heat. Jimmy has been in and out of the lineup. Tyler Herro hasn’t gotten any better. Duncan Robinson stinks. Kyle Lowry has left the team.

AND YET, somehow, here they are, right in the thick of things in the East. They won’t win a playoff series, but they are not a team that the top seeds are dying to play in the first round. Eric Spoelstra is as good a coach as there is in this league.

Grade: C+

Atlanta Hawks 
Record: 29-30 (8th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Dejounte Murray
Most Surprising Player: Onyeka Okongwu
Most Disappointing Player: John Collins

Trae Young may put up gawdy offensive numbers, but please don’t be fooled by it. Trae Young is not all that great, and he will never win anything. He’s an inefficient scorer who turns the ball over a ton and is the biggest liability on the defensive end in the NBA. Despite having three high quality defenders in Dejounte Murray, DeAndre Hunter, and Clint Capela, the Hawks still rank in the bottom third in just about every single defensive category and metric. The Trae Young effect!

Dejounte Murray was brought in to make this team better. Almost a year into the experiment, the Hawks sit in basically an identical spot to where they sat a year ago. Dejounte Murray can be a superstar in this league, but he needs the ball in his hands. Trae Young will never be anything more than a guy who puts up eye-popping offensive numbers. It’s time for the Hawks to move on from Young and hand the keys to Dejounte Murray.

The regression of John Collins is also baffling. This is a guy who averaged 22/10 and nearly 2 blocks while shooting 40% from three just three years ago. He has steadily regressed each year since. This season, he is averaging just 13 points and 7 boards and is shooting just 25% from three. He looked like a guy who was on his way to a very good, 15 to 20 year NBA career. At this rate, he may not even be a starter in this league much longer.

Grade: D-

Washington Wizards
Record: 28-30 (9th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Kristaps Porzingis
Most Surprising Player: Corey Kispert
Most Disappointing Player: Will Barton

In our NBA Preview blog, I had the following to say about the Wizards: “This is a play-in team through and through.” My thoughts have not changed one bit. This is one of the most mediocre teams I have ever seen. They are talented enough to make the play-in, but they have no chance of winning a series and they have no chance at a top-6 finish to avoid the play-in. This team is stuck in mediocrity, and a full-on tank job rebuild is the only way out of it.

Grade: C

Toronto Raptors 
Record: 28-31 (10th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Pascal Siakam
Most Surprising Player: Pascal Siakam
Most Disappointing Player: Otto Porter Jr.

Let me put it simply. There is absolutely zero excuse for the Raptors to be this bad. Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam is one of the most skilled starting fives in the NBA. I don’t care what is coming off the bench, a starting five with 5 players of that caliber should never be below .500. The biggest issue with this team has been the lack of a true big. Pascal Siakam has been brilliant and has vaulted his game to another level this season, but he can’t be your 5.

I expected the Raptors to trade away Anunoby at the deadline, but instead they traded for Jakob Poeltl, and I can’t blame them for not wanting to blow this up. Poeltl will slide in as the starting five, which will allow Trent Jr. to return to the bench and serve as the 6th man. The Raptors are probably in too big of a hole to avoid the play-in, but this team will advance out of the play-in and have the talent to make the Bucks or Celtics sweat a bit in round 1. A starting 5 of VanVleet, Barnes, Anunoby, Siakam, and Poeltl with Trent Jr. and Precious Achiuwa as the first two off the bench is a very solid lineup. They just need to put it all together, something they haven’t been able to do this season.

Grade: D+

Chicago Bulls 
Record: 26-33 (11th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: DeMar DeRozan
Most Surprising Player: Patrick Williams
Most Disappointing Player: Alex Caruso

The Bulls are not a good basketball team, and they have zero future. Their “big 3” of DeRozan, LaVine, and Vucevic are 32, 27, and 33 years old, respectively, and honestly, not even good enough to contend even if all were in their prime. Patrick Williams, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White are the young guys on the team, but none of them really do anything that give you optimism for the future. Williams will be the best of the bunch, but his ceiling isn’t all that high.

The fact that the Bulls front office sat on their hands at the deadline and did absolutely nothing is baffling. It was time to blow it up. This team is bad and going nowhere. LaVine is unhappy. There is little young talent. It was so clear that now was the time to enter into a full-on rebuild, but for whatever reason, the Bulls front office won’t do it. Their refusal to do it should get them fired.

To make matters even worse, Lonzo Ball is now confirmed to be out for the remainder of the season, and it’s very possible that is career has come to an end. It’s a very unfortunate situation for a kid who worked his tail off to become an elite 3&D point guard in this league. Life can be so cruel.

Grade: F

Indiana Pacers 
Record: 26-34 (12th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Tyrese Haliburton
Most Surprising Player: Myles Turner
Most Disappointing Player: Chris Duarte

I know what you are thinking right about now. How in God’s green earth is Myles Turner the most surprising player over Bennedict Mathurin? Well, let me explain. The answer is quite simple:

1. Myles Turner has significantly increased his scoring and rebounding (without an increase in minutes), while shooting the ball more efficiently and remaining one of the top rim protectors this league has to offer.
2. The MVP Blog’s Ben Pawlak told you all how good Bennedict Mathurin was in our NBA Mock Draft that you can read here. He had this to say about Mathurin: “Bennedict Mathurin is the safest pick outside of the top 3 of this year’s draft class (Smith, Holmgren, Banchero). He has the ideal frame and skill set for a wing in today’s NBA. He has great footwork and mechanics as a scorer at all 3 levels. He’s a great three-point shooter even at a high volume, and he’s also a good free throw shooter while getting to the line at a decent rate. He’s got a quick first step and ample explosiveness, and he uses his athleticism on both ends of the floor.” The stellar play of the rookie swingman isn’t a surprise to The MVP Blog.
3. Myles Turner signed a 2-year contract extension worth $60 million despite the Pacers trying to trade him for what has seemed like 3 years. He’s a very talented big who protects the rim and spaces the floor, but the Pacers had shown no want to keep him around, and then out of nowhere, he signs a 2-year deal. WHAT?!?!? That was a shocker.

Tyrese Haliburton is really freaking good. Bennedict Mathurin is really freaking good. But outside of these two, the Pacers young guys haven’t done a whole lot to get you too excited. Nesmith and Nembhard are nothing more than role players in this league and Chris Duarte has taken a huge step backwards. The Pacers were a feel-good story early on, but the Haliburton injury has taken them out of the playoff mix. The Pacers must put more talent around their superstar point guard.

Grade: B-

Orlando Magic
Record: 24-35 (13th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Paolo Banchero
Most Surprising Player: Bol Bol
Most Disappointing Player: Jalen Suggs

The Orlando Magic began the season with just 5 wins in their first 25 games. They then won 8 of 9, but it wasn’t just the wins that were impressive, it was who they were beating. Those 8 wins included the Clippers, the Raptors twice, the Hawks, and the Celtics twice. It was a glimpse into the bright future of this talented, youthful Magic squad. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are the two best players, but the supporting cast of Wendell Carter, Markelle Fultz, Bol Bol, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs isn’t too shabby either. Although Suggs and Anthony have struggled this season, both have had their moments and the talent is evident. Jonathan Isaac figures to be a part of the future as well. This team is probably still 2-3 years away from being a playoff threat, but it’s impossible to ignore the Magic’s immense potential.

Grade: B

Charlotte Hornets 
Record: 17-43 (14th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: LaMelo Ball
Most Surprising Player: Jalen McDaniels
Most Disappointing Player: The Front Office

Without LaMelo Ball for 27 games, the Hornets got off to a brutal start. Through 30 games, the team had only registered 7 wins. Since Ball’s return, things haven’t gotten any better. In fact, they may have gotten worse. The Hornets need to rebuild around Ball. Everyone and their mother can see it. They traded Mason Plumlee at the deadline to open up playing time for promising rookie center Mark Williams. That was a good move. Hanging on to Gordon Hayward was a bad move. Giving away Jalen McDaniels, a 25-year-old versatile wing who was having a breakout campaign, was an atrocious move. The Hornets front office is having a terrible season. The team stinks. The roster offers little to no optimism for the future, and they refused to go all in on the rebuild. Winning the lottery and the rights to draft Victor Wembanyama would be the only saving grace for this pathetic franchise.

Grade: F

Detroit Pistons 
Record: 15-44 (15th in the Eastern Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Bojan Bogdanovic
Most Surprising Player: Killian Hayes
Most Disappointing Player: Cade Cunningham

This team was going absolutely nowhere in 2022-23. Once Cade went down just a few weeks into the season, that became even more of a reality. Although it stinks, Cade’s injury may not have been the worst thing for the Pistons. It has allowed rookie combo guard Jaden Ivey to have a more ball dominant role and develop quickly in this league. The rookie is averaging 15/4/5 in a solid first season. It has also allowed Killian Hayes to take on a bigger role, one in which the playmaking Frenchman has shown signs of what the Pistons thought they were getting when they drafted the international sensation. When Cade comes back, the Pistons have 3 very solid young NBA guards at their disposal. They also have Jalen Duren, and the rookie big man out of Memphis has been brilliant since he earned a starting spot. Since he took over as the starting 5 in early December, Duren is averaging 10.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1 block. He’s had a few stellar games which really highlight his tremendous potential, including a 30 point, 17 rebound, 4 block performance against the Spurs.

Simply put, the Pistons have plenty of young talent and are in prime position to land Victor Wembanyama. Even if they don’t get the #1 pick, Scoot Henderson isn’t a bad consolation prize at #2.

Grade: C-

WESTERN CONFERENCE (written by Ben Pawlak)

Denver Nuggets 
Record: 41-18 (1st in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Nikola Jokic
Most Surprising Player: Aaron Gordon
Most Disappointing Player: Bones Hyland

Top 5 in adjusted offensive rating. Top 5 in adjusted defensive rating. Second best record in the NBA. Jokic having a season for the ages en route to his third straight MVP award. Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Bruce Brown finding their grove as indispensable two-way role players. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthier, more energized, and more efficient than ever before.

This HAS to be the year for the Denver Nuggets to finally win the West.

Grade: A+

Memphis Grizzlies 
Record: 35-22 (2nd in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Ja Morant
Most Surprising Player: Steven Adams
Most Disappointing Player: Ziaire Williams

“We’re fine in the West.” – Ja Morant.

With the same supporting cast, a worse bench, and a more competitive Western Conference following a wild trade deadline, I wouldn’t be so confident, Ja.

The Morant-led Memphis Grizzlies have gone from one of the league’s most universally loved teams to one of it’s most hated within a year, due to their level of arrogance in spite of how little they’ve accomplished as a team. Many NBA fans, including myself, believe that Morant’s words will come back to haunt him come playoff time.

Get to the Finals and prove everybody wrong, Memphis. If you don’t, get ready to open wide and swallow a delicious serving of humble pie.

Grade: B-

Sacramento Kings 
Record: 32-25 (3rd in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Domantas Sabonis
Most Surprising Player: Kevin Huerter
Most Disappointing Player: Davion Mitchell

Kings fans deserve this team. They deserve De’Aaron Fox’s career year, his league-topping scoring numbers in the clutch, his immaculate pick and roll partnership with the meticulously crafty, ever-underrated Domantas Sabonis. They deserve Kevin Huerter and rookie standout Keegan Murray shooting the lights out from beyond the arc every night. They deserve to enjoy the high flying daredevils coming off of their bench in Malik Monk and Terence Davis. They deserve the endless supply of good vibes and winning basketball brought on by head coach Mike Brown.

Sacramento’s playoff-less streak will finally be broken after 16 long years of waiting, and I can’t wait to hear what Golden 1 Center sounds like in a critical series this spring. Light the damn beam.

Grade: A+

Los Angeles Clippers 
Record: 33-28 (4th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Paul George
Most Surprising Player: Norman Powell
Most Disappointing Player: John Wall

Out with the old, in with the new is the mantra for the Los Angeles Clippers this season.

First, the old:

• Goodbye John Wall and Reggie Jackson, as the veteran point guards were traded at the deadline and then bought out by their respective new teams.
• Goodbye prime Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as both players are clearly slowing down. As the stars enter their 30’s, it’s clear that they’re trying to leave as much gas in the tank as humanly possible for the playoffs. They’ve both been missing games and taking a more team-centric approach to their play, and it hasn’t been a bad thing overall, as the Clippers still have a decent record and have performed well with both on the court.

Now, the new:

• Norman Powell is no longer in the Clippers’ starting lineup, but his role as sixth man has been a match made in heaven. The spark plug scoring specialist is averaging 17 points per game on 48.6% from the field and 41.7% from three, a season which might just be good enough for him to take home the 6MOY award at season’s end.
• In a recent development, Terance Mann is the team’s starting point guard, and he’s already solidified his place in that role by playing the best basketball of his entire career. He’s averaging 12/4/3 on 54/43/75 shooting splits despite the fact he has been a defense-first wing player for his entire career up to this point.
• At the trade deadline/All Star break, the Clippers acquired four new players. Bones Hyland (trade via Denver) and Russell Westbrook (acquired via free agency) will be duking it out for the rights to become the backup lead guard for the Clips. Mason Plumlee travels coast to coast, arriving from Charlotte via trade to provide valuable backup minutes at center. Eric Gordon finally gets his wish and is traded out of Houston, reuniting with his former team to become a spot minutes 3&D specialist.

Will Westbrook rock the boat, or will the Clippers (assuming full health) finally get over the hump and win the West? Both outcomes seem equally likely at this juncture, but either way, this is probably the best chance that Kawhi and PG13 will get to win a ring in LA together.

Grade: B-

Phoenix Suns
Record: 32-28 (5th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Devin Booker
Most Surprising Player: Josh Okogie
Most Disappointing Player: Chris Paul

So. The Suns traded for Kevin Durant.

Head coach Monty Williams is going to need a fire extinguisher to put out all of the fiery drama that will arise in a locker room with CP3, DBook, KD, and the ever-frustrated Deandre Ayton.

With those four star players being locked into starting roles, the one other player in the starting lineup will likely be tasked with all of the following duties:

• Guarding the opposition’s best player
• Crashing the glass on both ends to maximize the amount of possessions the Suns get on offense
• Setting screens for on-ball teammates and acting as a “connector” (passer/off-ball screener) in Monty’s sets
• Giving up as many shot attempts as possible to enable the other four starters to score at will

Good luck, Torrey Craig. The entire city of Phoenix is counting on you.

Grade: C+

Dallas Mavericks
Record: 31-29 (6th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic
Most Surprising Player: Josh Green
Most Disappointing Player: Tim Hardaway Jr.

After the Kyrie trade, the Mavericks are a completely different team with a completely different outlook, both for this season and beyond. As we all know, Kyrie Irving is on an expiring contract and is seeking a max deal in the coming offseason. ESPN won’t shut up about it due to their insatiable lust for a Kyrie/LeBron reunion in LA, but depending on the way the season plays out, Dallas might pony up and pay him to stick around long term as Luka’s backcourt buddy and first ever co-star. Christian Wood is also on an expiring deal, and his performances have tailed off in recent weeks as he’s done double time, battling both a hand fracture and Jason Kidd’s nonsensical rotations which criminally underutilize the stretch big’s immense talents.

Josh Green has finally translated his insane athleticism and speed into competent basketball ability as the Mavs’ do-it-all swingman. Meanwhile, off the bench, score-first guard Jaden Hardy will be asked to play above his rookie label come playoff time. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, so he may be up to the challenge, but the rest of the Mavs’ thin, poorly constructed bench unit won’t be of any assistance to him. The team has suffered greatly from shoddy defense (24th in adjusted defensive rating), so the sooner switchable defensive ace Maxi Kleber can return to the court from his hamstring injury, the better.

Unless the team’s role players – such as Tim Hardaway Jr., Reggie Bullock, and Dwight Powell – can shake off their inconsistent form and play out of their skin for the rest of the season, it’s tough to envision the Mavs returning to the Western Conference Finals. That is, unless Luka goes full Hercules in the playoffs again.

The Mavs are the biggest boom-or-bust team in the Western Conference playoff race. For this season, next season, and every season with Luka Doncic leading the charge, it’s all or nothing for the Dallas Mavericks.

Grade: C+

Minnesota Timberwolves 
Record: 31-30 (Tied 7th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Anthony Edwards
Most Surprising Player: Jaden McDaniels
Most Disappointing Player: Karl-Anthony Towns

Three words. Let. Ant. Cook.

Anthony Edwards doesn’t just have that dog in him, the dog is named Anthony Edwards Jr. and he has his own Twitter page. That dog is on full display every damn night, since Ant – who is vocal about his disdain for stars who miss games due to “load management” – hasn’t missed a single game all season. At just 21 years old, in his 3rd NBA season, Edwards is averaging 25/6/5 on respectable shooting splits, earning him the nod for his first All-Star appearance.

In a weird twist of events, while the newly-acquired Rudy Gobert got a lot of hate early on in the season as the Wolves struggled to win games, the Wolves have been winning a lot lately without the guy who many believed to be their best player before this season, Karl-Anthony Towns. Rudy and KAT just don’t fit in the same frontcourt, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team trade their star big man in the coming offseason to fully commit to building a team around Edwards, Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels. At 22 years old, McDaniels is emerging as one of the NBA’s best all-around defenders, and he’s good for 10ppg on efficient shooting splits from all over the court as well. He plays winning basketball, and the more minutes he gets next to Gobert, the better off Minnesota will be, both now and in the future.

It’s late in the season, and the Timberwolves still have a ton of ground to make up in the Western Conference playoff race, but things seem to be trending in the right direction for them. If everything clicks down this home stretch, the Wolves could still avoid the play-in and even potentially win a playoff series.

Grade: B-

New Orleans Pelicans 
Record: 30-29 (Tied 7th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: CJ McCollum
Most Surprising Player: Trey Murphy
Most Disappointing Player: Brandon Ingram

It’s still tough to assess the New Orleans Pelicans this season. When fully healthy, this team is as dangerous as anybody in the West. The problem is the Pels are never fully healthy.

• Zion Williamson has missed more games than he’s played this season (30 games missed vs 29 games played)
• Brandon Ingram has missed more games than he’s played this season (35 games missed vs 24 games played)
• Rookie standout and defensive anchor Dyson Daniels has missed 20 games already this season

This team is still very young and very deep, so there’s no pressure to contend right now, but it’s still disappointing to watch a team once debated as potential contenders early on in the season to fizzle out into relative obscurity due to injury.

Grade: C

Golden State Warriors 
Record: 29-29 (9th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Stephen Curry
Most Surprising Player: Donte DiVincenzo
Most Disappointing Player: Jonathan Kuminga

We’re over 70% done with the season, and the defending NBA Champions are sitting at .500. Steph Curry is still injured, and if recent reports are to be believed, he will be out at least another week or two. Without Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are still capable of breathtaking moments of team-oriented basketball, but the chemistry and the results just aren’t the same with Jordan Poole trying to fill Steph’s enormous shoes in the backcourt. The Warriors have worked their typical magic to turn Donte DiVincenzo and Ty Jerome into quality role players off the bench, but other players, particularly Jonathan Kuminga, have taken steps back in their performances compared to last season.

Normally, it’s never wise to count the Dubs out, but there’s not enough time left in the season for Steve Kerr’s Warriors to overcome the enormous odds in front of them to reach the promised land again.

Grade: D+

Oklahoma City Thunder 
Record: 28-29 (10th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Most Surprising Player: Isaiah Joe
Most Disappointing Player: Aleksej Pokusevski

24-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made yet another leap, cementing his status as the efficient engine of the Thunder’s offense with his superstar scoring talent (31ppg on 62.4% true shooting). While the rest of the team isn’t quite ready to contend, the future is still incredibly bright in Oklahoma City. 23-year-old Lu Dort is still an incredible defender, taking on the toughest man-to-man matchups head on every night. 20-year-old Josh Giddey may be inconsistent and inefficient, but he is still showing flashes of his star potential, with his playmaking prowess and unorthodox style of play turning heads. Rookie swingman Jalen Williams is the real deal, and with his off-ball scoring instincts, massive wingspan, wiry-strong frame, and nose for the ball on defense, he already looks like the perfect role player to serve as a longtime member of the Thunder’s starting lineup. Isaiah Joe may not have been invited to the Three-Point Contest in Utah for All Star Weekend, but he should have been, as he’s leading the NBA with 45.2% accuracy on nearly five attempts per game from beyond the arc.

There is still a lot of raw talent on this roster, to the point where the lineup can feel crowded with all of OKC’s young guys battling for spot minutes. Guys like Aleksej Pokusevski, Jaylin Williams, Darius Bazley, Ousmane Dieng, and Aaron Wiggins could benefit in the early stages of their pro basketball development from a longer leash. However, as of right now, it’s hard to argue with the results of GM Sam Presti’s rebuild of the Westbrook/KD and Westbrook/PG13 Thunder squads which accomplished nothing in the playoffs. I certainly didn’t expect them to be a .500 ballclub this season, but it speaks volumes about how far along this team (particularly SGA) has come.

Grade: A

Utah Jazz 
Record: 29-31 (Tied 11th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Lauri Markannan
Most Surprising Player: Lauri Markannan
Most Disappointing Player: Talen Horton-Tucker

The Utah Jazz have more first round draft picks than almost any other team in the NBA over the next 5 years, and yet they were still able to get phenomenal players for the present out of the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades. Danny Ainge’s newest rebuild project is off to a flying start. Lauri Markkanen – acquired in the Mitchell deal – has locked up the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award this season, averaging 25 points and 9 rebounds per game on absurd 51/41/88 shooting splits. The Finnisher’s dramatic spike in both raw offensive production and shooting efficiency is absolutely remarkable. Meanwhile, Walker “Baby Gobert” Kessler – acquired in the Gobert deal – may just be a rookie, but he’s already one of the NBA’s most dominant rim-running big men. Let’s break it down to see just how good Kessler really is:

• Kessler ranks in the NBA’s 92nd percentile for estimated +/- (EPM) on defense.
• Kessler ranks in the NBA’s 87th percentile for overall EPM.
• Kessler ranks in the NBA’s 82nd percentile for estimated wins added (4.0).
• Kessler ranks in the NBA’s 97th percentile for true shooting percentage (70%) and the 98th percentile for effective field goal percentage (71%).
• Kessler ranks in the NBA’s 98th percentile for offensive rebound percentage (15%) and the 88th percentile for defensive rebound percentage (23%).
• Kessler ranks in the NBA’s 98th percentile for block percentage (7.8%) and ranks 5th in the NBA in blocks per game (2.1).
• Kessler plays just 21.3 minutes per game and is just 21 years old.

Through the trades Ainge made with the Cavs and Timberwolves, he unearthed not one but TWO franchise cornerstones who have made an immediate impact in Utah. With the rest of the team looking extremely solid, Ainge sold off some talent to wannabe contenders at the trade deadline. The Jazz didn’t get an incredible return in that trade, but at this point in the season, losing more games to obtain a higher draft pick is probably the best course of action anyway.

The Jazz boast an interesting blend of unsung veteran talent (Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk) and intriguing young players playing limited minutes (the aforementioned Kessler, Collin Sexton, and Ochai Agbaji). The vibes are good, and they’re only going to get better when the team utilizes its war chest of draft assets, its litany of team-friendly contracts, and its surplus of cap space in the years to come.

The future is bright in Utah.

Grade: A+

Portland Trail Blazers 
Record: 28-30 (Tied 11th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Damian Lillard
Most Surprising Player: Anfernee Simons
Most Disappointing Player: Gary Payton II

Despite being one of the best scorers in the NBA for nearly a decade now, Damian Lillard remains heavily underrated. The star guard is averaging 31 points and 7 assists per game with good shooting splits to back it up. Dame forms a dynamic backcourt with Anfernee Simons, who has translated – and elevated – his production from last season after swapping his explosive 6th man role for a spot in the starting 5. Jerami Grant, who the Blazers acquired via an offseason trade with the Detroit Pistons, has been a silent killer all year, going largely unheralded despite putting up 21 points per game on monstrous efficiency, including a career best mark from downtown (40.6%) on nearly 6 three-point attempts per game. Grant does all of this on top of being Portland’s best defender.

Outside of Grant, the Blazers are quite short on defensive talent. Josh Hart was traded away at the deadline in a puzzling move, and Jusuf Nurkic has never been a defensive ace down low. There are some decent role players operating admirably in limited minutes such as Drew Eubanks and Nassir Little. However, other role players on the Blazers have struggled to find their footing, particularly Justise Winslow, rookie swingman Shaedon Sharpe, and Gary Payton II. Payton was signed to a 3-year, $24 million contract this past offseason, but due to an assortment of injuries, he only appeared in 15 games for the Blazers before being traded back to the team he left in the summer, the Golden State Warriors.

Portland’s issue is very clear: the team is up to 5th in adjusted offensive rating, yet down to a miserable 27th in adjusted defensive rating. That discrepancy between offense and defense is making its presence felt in the team’s win/loss record at this point in the season, and it’s safe to say that this will go down as another wasted season for the Blazers.

No matter what the Portland Trail Blazers do, they can’t seem to figure out a winning formula around their franchise superstar. I admire his undying loyalty, but Damian Lillard deserves much better than this.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers 
Record: 27-32 (13th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: LeBron James
Most Surprising Player: Austin Reaves
Most Disappointing Player: Anthony Davis

Ah yes, the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA community’s favorite soap opera. First, the highs:

• In the highlight of the season so far, LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader on home court with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar watching on.
• Anthony Davis is averaging 26/12/2blk/1stl per game on 62.8% true shooting.
• Austin Reaves has surpassed his former status as a meme to become a critical role player for the Lakers in a contract year.
• The Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and most critically, Jarred Vanderbilt at the trade deadline. Russell and Beasley are serviceable role players who will help boost the Lakers’ offensive production, but unlike those two guys, Jarred Vanderbilt is on a multi-year, very team-friendly contract and is an absolute ace on both ends of the floor in his unique role as a defensive ace, rebounding specialist, and offensive glue guy.

Now, the lows:

• Anthony Davis has missed 24 games this season.
• LeBron James has missed 14 games this season.
• Most of the team’s role players have been either inconsistent or flat out awful in their support of LBJ and AD.
• The less said about the Westbrook experiment, the better.

Are the Lakers going to make the playoffs? No.

Are the Lakers going to make the play-in tournament? Maybe.

Are the Lakers going to keep being an unnecessarily dramatic, hilariously entertaining basketball team for the rest of the season? Yes.

And for guys like me, that’s all that matters.

D+ grade for the season, A+ grade for entertainment value.

Grade: D+

San Antonio Spurs 
Record: 14-45 (14th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Keldon Johnson
Most Surprising Player: Tre Jones
Most Disappointing Player: Devin Vassell

Dead last in adjusted net rating. Dead last in adjusted defensive rating. Gregg Popovich may be one of the NBA’s all-time greatest coaches, but even he can’t save this poor excuse for a team from the basement of the league. The Spurs are strong contenders in the Wembanyama sweepstakes, and it’s easy to see why. Apart from Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones, who are each having a career year in their young careers, there’s very little to be excited about in San Antonio. 22 year old swingman Devin Vassell has ascended his play to a remarkable level, but unfortunately, he’s played just 29 games this season due to having undergone knee surgery. Rookie forward Jeremy Sochan has made more headlines for his unorthodox free throw routine (almost doubling his free throw percentage after switching to shooting with one hand) than the rest of the Spurs have made for playing good basketball or winning basketball games.

I would pour one out for the bygone days of Coach Pop’s “beautiful game” Spurs teams with Duncan, Manu, Parker, Kawhi, Aldridge, Diaw, Green, Mills, etc., but there’s a bright side to this sad story.

At least the Spurs aren’t the worst team in Texas!

Grade: F

Houston Rockets 
Record: 13-45 (15th in the Western Conference)
Most Valuable Player: Alperen Sengun
Most Surprising Player: Tari Eason
Most Disappointing Player: Jabari Smith

Second to last in adjusted net rating. Dead last in adjusted offensive rating. Worst record in the league. Worst head coach in the league (Stephen Silas). Worst team chemistry in the league, although that could change now that Eric Gordon is finally out of Houston. Hopefully the franchise doesn’t ruin Sengun (20 years old) and Green (21 years old), since both of these players have immense upside, especially offensively. In terms of other young players, 2022’s third overall pick Jabari Smith has struggled immensely and hasn’t shown the star level flashes many (including myself) expected him to show this season. However, Tari Eason, 2022’s 17th overall pick, has been a great bench piece for the Rockets this season, and despite limited minutes, his all-around game has been impressive, particularly his defensive versatility, rebounding prowess, and strong shooting splits/mechanics.

Welcome to hell, Rockets fans. Keep praying for Victor Wembanyama.

Grade: F

NBA AWARDS

Most Valuable Player
Ryan: Nikola Jokic
Ben: Nikola Jokic

Rookie of the Year
Ryan: Paolo Banchero
Ben: Paolo Banchero

6th Man of the Year
Ryan: Norman Powell
Ben: Malcolm Brogdon

Defensive Player of the Year
Ryan: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Ben: Jaren Jackson Jr.

Most Improved Player
Ryan: Lauri Markkanen
Ben: Lauri Markkanen

Coach of the Year
Ryan: Joe Mazzulla
Ben: Mike Brown

Which grades did we get right? Which grades did we get wrong? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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Authors: Ben Pawlak and Ryan Macdonald

Published: 2/23/22 at 5pm EST

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Sources/Works Cited:

Google Images, Google, https://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en.

“NBA.com.” The Official Site of the NBA for the Latest NBA Scores, Stats & News. | NBA.com, https://www.nba.com/.

Sports Reference LLC. Basketball-Reference.com – Basketball Statistics and History. https://www.basketball-reference.com/. 22 February 2023.

StatMuse, https://www.statmuse.com/.