Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast to your list! This week Steve shares his thoughts after NBA Week 21. The Wolves, Wizards and Timberwolves are trending up – The Kings need a big – The Pistons are back and more NBA Random Thoughts!
NBA Week 21 – The Finals Contenders
- The top three teams in the league coming down the stretch are the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland
Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. They have separated themselves from the rest of the league. This is not
to say another team couldn’t upset any of them in the playoffs. Right now if they met l’d make OKC the
favorite. I believe their defense makes them elite. lf they played the Cavs it would be tough but I think
they would win in seven. Boston would be six. lf the Celtics meet the Cavs in the Eastern Conference
Finals I believe the Cavs would win a tough seven game series.
NBA Week 21 – Western Conference
- Austin Reaves is a very good offensive player. Last nights thirty-seven points against Denver in a game
both LeBron James and Luka Doncic sat out displayed his talent. Also Dalton Knecht, the steal of the
draft, is good offensively as evidenced by his 32 points last night. The problem is with James and
Doncic Reaves and Knecht don’t see the ball enough. Does this mean somebody gets dealt for the big
the Lakers need. - For all they have been through you have to admire the fight of the Dallas Mavericks players and coaching staff. Currently they are a game and a half ahead of Phoenix for the last play-in spot. This season they
have seen a trade of a generational talent, a devastating injury to another star and the player they
received for Luka has only pIayed half a game for them. Somehow they are still hanging on. - Don’t look now but the Minnesota Timberwolves have won seven straight.They currently are seventh in the West. When Julius Randle is in the lineup the Wolves have won twelve straight. lt took a while but the Wolves are now getting some dividends from the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
- The Sacramento Kings are a team that keeps trying to patch themselves with players that may help them in the short term but they won’t help them win a title, the latest acquisition was Zach LaVine. You have to wonder if they are content just making the playoffs. The one thing they haven’t done is gone out and tried to acquire a center that can protect the rim. lf they got a center they could move Domantas Sabonis to the four in what seems like his natural position.
NBA Week 21 – Eastern Conference
- We all know the Detroit Pistons are a great story this year. Coming back from the disaster that was last
year they presently sit comfortably in sixth in the Eastern Conference. This is a great turn around but
what you don’t realize is they are only one game behind the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks for
fourth place. Fourth place means home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. This was a
team that won only fourteen games last season. - The Washington Wizards have gone five and five in their last ten games. They have improved on both
ends of the court. ln the future teams that are building from the bottom should take note. Acquiring
veteran players that have played on good teams can help their young players in their development.
Things improved for the Wizards after they traded for Marcus Smart and Khris Middleton.
