Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast to your list! Steve and Jose elaborate on these articles, discuss former greats and interview NBA champions and a current NBA referee! This week Steve shares his thoughts after NBA Week 12 including an official title contender, Coaches in trouble and teams struggling.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers became a title contender with their win at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night. They have now beaten Boston and Oklahoma City. Both of those wins were in Cleveland so detractors may believe they need to beat them on the road. Of this I’ll offer that they have the best record in the league as they do presently they will have home court advantage so if they continue to win at home things will be fine. The only negative I can see is how will they hold up in the pressure filled playoffs.
NBA Week 12: Coaches in Trouble
- Willie Green of the New Orleans Pelicans. Green would be the last person you could blame for the Pelicans 7-31 record. The Pels eight best players have missed over 150 games thus far this year. This includes 51 games by their two best players, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. There will be changes made in New Orleans, players will be traded. With a different roster the Pels may make a clean sweep making Green vulnerable.
- Chauncey Billups of the Portland Trailblazers. Billups, a Hall of Fame player, has struggled as a coach. In three and a half years as a coach the Trailblazers are 94-189. To be fair the Blazers have been in a rebuild over the last year and a half since trading Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Portland has not improved as much as hoped.
- Darko Rajakovic of the Toronto Raptors. Darko is in his second year as Toronto’s head coach. His record is 33-87. Toronto is also in a rebuild and they have been riddled with injuries. This year they are 8-30, on pace to win 17 or 18 games. This is a team with some talent, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl are decent building blocks. Gradey Dick a good shooter has also progressed in his second season in the NBA. A measuring stick for the Raptors to use in evaluating Rajakovic is are they competing like they did last night against Cleveland or just showing up.
NBA Week 12: Teams struggling
- Golden State Warriors: The Warriors got off to a 12-3 start and have since gone 7-15. When they got off to that start everyone believed they were back as a title contender. In the NBA it seems you need more than one star to be considered a contender. The Warriors have one star, Stephen Curry and he is 36 years old. Needless to say they need another star and they also could use some size. Did someone say Jimmy Butler could help.
- Phoenix Suns: The Suns got off to a great start going 8-1. Since then they have gone 8-18. With older stars they are going to miss games, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal have both missed nine games. Devin Booker, a young star is averaging 24.4 points per game. This is his lowest average since the 16-17 season. Could this be a hangover from the Olympics. The Suns would love to trade for Jimmy Butler. They would like to deal Bradley Beal for him, the problem is Beal has a no trade contract and Pat Riley wants no part of that.
- Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers are 15-20 and if the season ended today they wouldn’t make the play-in game. Their problems are simple. Joel Embid has missed 22 games. Paul George is averaging just 16.2 points per game and hasn’t played up to his massive contract. Up until this season George has averaged over 20 points per game over the last nine years. The only player in their big three holding up his end is Tyrese Maxey, averaging over 25 points per game. The Sixers could be dangerous and a team nobody wants to face however first they need to make the playoffs.
