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 15.
NBA Week 15 – Eastern Conference
- Everyone has thoughts on what’s wrong with the Boston Celtics because they are struggling losing close games, so I’ll offer mine. When you watch a team go through a year like Boston did last year where everything seemed to go right, think Jaylen Brown‘s last second shot against Indiana that tied the game when Indiana should have fouled him in game one of the playoffs. This year things haven’t gone well in those situations. What I’ve seen over the years more often than not is that teams don’t do as well when the breaks go against you and in Boston’s case they don’t repeat.
- The Atlanta Hawks have been hit hard by the injury bug. Recently Jalen Johnson, their second best player, is getting surgery and is out for the season. Along with that Bogdan Bogdanovic has missed twenty-four games, De’Andre Hunter fourteen and most of their other key players at least seven. They have assembled a pretty good team but the most important ability is availability and they haven’t had that.
- It’s really interesting to follow the Orlando Magic. They finally get their two stars back, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero after missing a combined fifty-six games. Since Banchero and later Wagner returned the Magic have gone 2-8. Prior to their return the Magic were 22-17.
NBA Week 15 – Western Conference
- De Aaron Fox is on the trade market not by his desire to be traded but by the Kings being proactive because Fox has said he will not re-sign with the Sacramento Kings. Fox still has a year and a half left on his contract. It’s said if traded he would like to go to San Antonio. He would be a perfect fit there with Victor Wembanyama. If I’m the Spurs I trade anyone on my roster with the exception of Stephon Castle and Wemby.
- Let me be the latest to jump on the Amen Thompson band wagon. He’s probably the most athletic player in the league. Right now the biggest problem he has is his 25% shooting from three. Keep in mind he is only 22 years old. If he becomes a more proficient shooter look out.
NBA Week 15 – Random NBA Thoughts
- As I wonder why players miss more games today than years ago I stumbled on an interesting statistic. The stat was NBA star players missing games by decade since the 80’s. In the 80’s star players missed 10.4 games, 90’s 10.6, 00″s 13.9, 10’s 17.5 and 20’s 23.9. This even though players today have it much better than years ago, some of those benefits today are charter flights, team nutritionists, team medical staff, sleep doctors and overall better technology in dealing with injuries. So why is this happening. The only answers I can think of are two. One is the much heavier involvement of agents telling their players not to play when slightly injured. The players understand that the more years I play the more money I can make. The second reason is the young players play all year round today with AAU. By the time they get to the NBA their bodies begin to break down causing them to miss games.
- The trade deadline is in a few days. It is an interesting time in both conferences. Preseason favorite Boston has shown they are vulnerable so Milwaukee, Cleveland and the Knicks are trying to make upgrades. In the West Oklahoma City is the favorite but because they are young and only went to the second round last year, the question is how they will hold up under pressure. This has led Denver, the Lakers, Memphis, Phoenix and others trying to make a deal. Even the Warriors presently 24-23 are looking for the right deal.
