2 days Ago By USA TODAY Sports
The calendar has turned, it’s a new year, and NBA action is starting to heat up. The balance of power is starting to come into focus as the season hits its third month, though it’s clear that some teams are legitimate contenders: the , , and . That means that there’s a gem of a matchup Friday night, as the teams with the two longest winning streaks in the NBA, the Knicks (nine games) and Thunder (12 games) square off in what could potentially be a Finals preview.
That’s not the only intriguing matchup of the weekend, as the Celtics face the Thursday in Minnesota, and the Cavs head to Dallas Friday to battle the . Here are some takeaways from the ninth week of the NBA regular season. For one, the team’s bench hasn’t been nearly as productive as it was during the start of the season.
Through the first 14 games of the season – when the Warriors put up an 11-3 record – Golden State’s reserves were averaging 55 points per game. Now, 32 games into their campaign, the Dubs are getting 8.3 points per game fewer.
That’s not the only reason Golden State (16-16) has won only four of its last 17 games. , who has struggled to finish at the rim, is averaging just 22 points per game, which would be his lowest mark in a full season since 2011-12, his third year in the league. It’s no surprise, then, that Golden State’s production from 3 has fallen off.
Last season, the Warriors ranked seventh in the NBA in 3-point percentage (38%). This year, they’re 17th (35.9%).
Their 20th-ranked offensive rating (110.7) is the worst since they also ranked 20th in 2020-21, with a rating of 110.5.
The roster looks old and needs scoring help. The trading deadline becomes essential, or this season could slip away. New York (24-10) owns the longest winning streak in the Eastern Conference at nine games, but the quality of opponent over that stretch has been on the weaker side.
The combined winning percentage of the teams the Knicks have faced over that span is .357. New York has seen the (6-25) twice, the (7-25), (8-26) and (5-29), and its best wins have been against the (20-15), though Orlando is missing its two best players.
Nonetheless, the Knicks continue to be a force, and one that could potentially catch up to the Celtics (24-9) in the Eastern Conference, as Boston has hit something of a rough patch over the last two weeks. Total minutes each Eastern Conference team's starting 5 has spent on the floor together this season: 1. Knicks: 561 minutes 2.
Hawks: 271 mins 3. Pistons: 249 4. Pacers: 241 5.
Celtics: 198 6. Raptors: 167 7. Bucks: 159 8.
Bulls: 154 9. Magic: 152 10. Cavs: 148 — Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) The Knicks rank fourth in net rating (8.
4) and have found exceptional chemistry in their starting five. They play complementary ball, and the addition of has eased massive pressure off of to be the driving force on offense. Don’t let the recent easy schedule fool you.
The Knicks are efficient on offense, share and protect the ball, solid on defense and elite in rebounding – all things that help teams go on runs. The season is so long, and it’s still so early, but the work Thunder (27-5) guard has done over the past month has Oklahoma City looking like a potential championship contender. SGA has been on fire, averaging 33.
4 points per game over OKC’s last 12 games – all of them wins. In fact, he’s averaging 33.6 per game over the Thunder’s last 22 games – all of which have been without .
This is precisely why Gilgeous-Alexander’s play has been so remarkable: he’s doing all this without a key weapon and with more defensive attention drawn his way. This bucket from SGA 🔥 Shai had DiVincenzo on skates 😱 — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Gilgeous-Alexander is smooth and gets to his spots almost effortlessly, appearing to glide down the court. He’s efficient and gets to the line, and he’s also a demon on defense, tied for third in the NBA in steals (two per game).
He leads the NBA in plus-minus at 12.1. It wasn’t just flinging guard down to the court, inciting a small scuffle, it was also coach Ime Udoka getting tossed and not leaving the floor promptly.
But, even before then, it was veteran guard getting ejected – in what was then a close game – after he argued a five-second violation and made contact with an official. The (22-11) have all the talent and athleticism to emerge as a breakout team in the West, currently in third place. But they also have moments when they lose their focus, discipline and composure, which in turn affects their decision making and shot selection.
the rockets bench is watching the replay of the altercation and LOVING it — Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) Against the Heat, when VanVleet got ejected, it was a four-point game with 47.1 seconds left to play. After the Heat made three free throws from all the technical fouls, the lead ballooned to seven.
The bench, meanwhile, celebrated the fight, rather than locking in for a tight finish. The Rockets rank 29th in 3-point percentage (44.3%), but 19th in attempts (36.
2 per game). Increased efficiency would help them take the next step. Composure would go a long way, too.
In the last two weeks, the (15-19) have defeated the defending champion Celtics and the NBA Cup champion . And then on Wednesday, they lost to the worst team in the Eastern Conference, a Wizards team that entered the night with five victories. The loss was emblematic of Chicago’s issues this season.
The Bulls lack presence in the paint, and when they shoot inefficiently – especially from 3 – they have almost no chance of winning. The Bulls rank 17th this season in points in the paint (47.6 per game).
They’re tied for 21st in blocks per game (4.7), with the leader in the statistic, rookie , averaging just 13.1 minutes per game.
The Bulls are weirdly caught in that middle space between contending and a rebuild; they’re currently the 10th seed in the East, at the bottom of play-in contention, but they don’t have the consistency or scoring proficiency of a team that can make a run. Another oddity from this Bulls season: the team is just 5-11 at home this season, which has only heightened the angst fans feel toward this team. And, perhaps making matters worse, seven of the next eight are coming at the United Center.
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