4 Thoughts: NBA Week in Review - Magic's Rise, Knicks' Patience, and Clippers Streak

1. Orlando’s campfire needs kindling 

Last season, the Orlando Magic started their 2022-2023 campaign 5-20. As of December 20th, the Magic stands 4th in the Eastern Conference with a 16-9 record. This jolt of improvement can be primarily credited to player progressions and Jahmal Mosely’s (a former CU Buff!!) defensive coaching style. The Magic rank third in opponent points per game, allowing just under 109 points a game - a significant rise from last season’s average at best defense. Paolo Banchero, Cole Anthony, and Franz Wagner are top 25 in defensive rating with a minimum of 2000 minutes and that’s leaving out Jalen Suggs (3rd steals with 1.8 per game), Goga Bitzae (averaging 1.8 blocks per game filling in for an injured Wendell Carter Jr), and Jonathan Issac (second in defensive box plus-minus). 

Okay, that was a long sentence. Let’s take a deep breath and slowly dissect it. Both of Orlando’s cornerstone forwards, Banchero and Wagner, are fantastic defenders (I don’t want to use elite in respect to Herb Jones, Jaren Jackson Jr, and….Peyton Watson) while scoring 35% of Orlando’s points. Having two forwards under 23 who’ve been consistent offensive and defensive threats is a team-building dimension that the rest of the NBA envies (helllllooo Chicago). It’s almost like being born tall and athletic - you have two incredible genetic traits but everyone’s waiting to see if you’re handsome. In addition to Banchero and Wagner, the Magic have an abundance of defensive-minded role players. Suggs, who was the third banana in Orlando’s backcourt last year, has developed a special defensive niche (almost like a Caruso type) this season. Jonathan Issac, who has played less than 40% of possible career games since being drafted in 2017, is a 6’11 forward with a 7-foot wingspan. Issac’s length (when he’s on the floor) helps clog passing lanes and protect the rim (averaging 2.1 STOCKS in 13.4 minutes a game). 

Despite Orlando’s dominant force on the defensive end of the floor, the Magic are a poor three-point shooting team. Signing Joe Ingles in the offseason was a good start to help improve Orlando’s floor spacing, but if the Magic want to legitimately compete in a playoff series they need more. Trading for Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic could secure Orlando a 4-5 seed in this upcoming postseason. With the roster overloaded with defensive talent, it would make sense to exchange a player like Jonathan Isaac (and second-rounders) for Bogdanovic. Yes, I know, why would Detroit want to bring in another unreliable 7-footer - especially when there will probably be stronger offers out on the table? But, hey, it’s just food for thought. 

2. The Knicks (and their fans) need to STAY PATIENT

There’s a lot to be happy about in New York. Jalen Brunson is a top 25ish player in the league, R.J Barrett keeps making little strides, and the front office has drafted well. 2020 first-round pick Immanuel Quickley has been a reliable sixth man (patiently waiting for a starting position somewhere…..hey! San Antonio would be really fun!). Quentin Grimes, who averaged 11 points per game last season, is looking to bounce back from a sluggish start to the season and Jericho Sims (I love Texas bigs) is bound to finally get some playing time with Mitchell Robinson injured. 

While the Knicks roster is fun and cute, they shouldn’t be taken seriously as Finals contenders. The elephant in the room couldn’t be bigger - New York is missing a true superstar to pair alongside Jalen Brunson to make the Knicks a legitimate threat to raise the Larry O’Brien trophy. Unfortunately for New York, there are no superstars available on the trade market. Sure, stars like Lauri Markkanen, Pascal Siakam, and Zach Lavine are open for the taking but none are truly the first options for a finals contender. Prior to the season, I mentioned Luka Doncic and Joel Embiid as possible trade targets for the Knicks if Dallas or Philadelphia seemed to underperform. Nearly a quarter into the season, the Mavericks and Sixers are both well over .500 and a mid-season blockbuster for Doncic or Embiid seems far-fetched. 

My point is, the Knicks should stay patient for a true superstar to pop up on the market. Besides the Oklahoma City Thunder (who can outbid any team with their colossal amount of first-round picks), New York has the best trade package in the NBA. Let’s use Phoenix’s package for Kevin Durant as an example. At the deadline last season, the Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, and 4 first-round picks for Durant. Those are some valuable assets! New York can construct an awfully similar package with RJ Barrett (acting as the lead player similar to Bridges), Quickley/Grimes (acting as supporting players similar to Johnson), and a handful of first-round picks (New York has 10 until 2029). Now that is a legitimate offer for a Doncic or Embiid if one becomes available this offseason (Quickley would need to be involved in a sign and trade for this transaction to become official). If Dallas gets bumped in the first round or if Philadelphia doesn’t make the Eastern Conference Finals…watch out. 

3. The Clippers are the hottest team in the league. Does it even matter?

Quietly over the last few weeks, the Clippers have been the NBA’s hottest team and currently own a 9-game winning streak. There are a lot of high-fives and credit to be passed around as Ty Lue has turned this ship (no pun intended because a Clipper is a ship) around! For starters,

James Harden is back to playing his trademark incredible regular season basketball (20 PPG, 10 APG, 51.7% FG, 49% 3FG). More surprisingly, he has yet to direct a soap opera or request a trade - L'Chaim simply for that! Paul George is putting up consistent numbers and shooting the ball really well (44.2% from 3 on 7.4 attempts is nothing to ignore). But most importantly, Kawhi Leonard is finally (FINALLY) back to making opposing teams his bitch. Would you believe me if I said Kawhi Leonard has played in all of the Clippers’ 26 games this season? (He has). Would you believe me if I said Kawhi Leonard is averaging 29.3 PPG in December? (He is). Not only is Kawhi back to getting buckets, but he’s also doing it with absurd efficiency. In the month of December, Leonard is leading the league in true shooting percentage when attempting 12+ field goals a game at 75%. That is batshit crazy! 

But does it really matter? Imagining James Harden in the Finals (let alone the Los Angeles Clippers franchise) is like imagining myself going on a date with Sydney Sweeny - it just ain’t happening. What evidence is there over the past few years that this Clippers team (with James Harden) can make a run for the Larry O’Brien? Harden is a ticking time bomb of Twitter fingers (or X fingers I guess) and distractions that are simply not built for playoff basketball. Remember when Harden posted on Instagram last postseason, “I be wanting to go to the Met Gala, but I’m always in the playoffs this time of year”. Why should an NBA star be focused on anything other than the competition at hand when an NBA championship is potentially on the line? True, Harden has made the playoffs every season of his career but has only made the Finals once 14 postseason appearances (riding the bench for OKC in 2012). It’s not just Harden either, the 2020’s Clippers have even touched the postseason expectations given when George and Leonard joined the franchise in 2019. In four postseasons, the Clippers have only made the Western Conference Finals once (during a wacky 2020-2021 COVID season). Bottom line is, I need to see the Clippers keep up their form for more than two weeks to treat them as legitimate Finals contenders. 

4. Where do the Phoenix Suns go from here?

The Suns are currently 14-13 and are sitting 10th in a competitive western conference. Where did things go wrong? Sure, you can point the finger at Bradley Beal’s health (who has played 6 total games, making $46.74 million this season). It’s fair to say that Bradley Beal, one of the league’s best scorers, would make this team better. However, Phoenix’s problems run much deeper than Beal’s absence. 

Phoenix’s defense is underwhelming (17th in defensive rating, 20th in interior defense) while their offense has been mediocre (15h in PPG, 17th in FG%). With a severe lack of young talent and draft picks, the Suns are essentially stuck with their roster. My hand is hovering over the panic button but I’m unsure if it needs to be pressed. After all, Phoenix still has two of the best ten players in the association with Kevin Durant (31 PPG) and Devin Booker (28 PPG). There is never a reason to panic when both Durant and Booker are healthy and playing at a high level. I’m sure Phoenix will go on a run later in the season and the national narrative will go “Don’t count out the Suns! They are a problem! Stop sleeping!” (-270 odds for this happening, place your bets). 

This doesn’t mean Phoenix is in a content situation - there is still plenty to fix. If the Suns can exploit mismatches (which they haven’t done all year), be less predictable on offense, and bench Josh Okogie - all will be fine in Arizona. 

Rising Stock 📈

Coby White 

Falling Stock 📉

Santi Aldama