There are less than 50 days left for the regular season to conclude in the National Basketball Association next April 9. A little over six weeks that become a frantic race for each franchise on their way to save the objectives of the course.
Little more than twenty parties and the goals very marked. The 30 teams in the league have between 21 and 25 games ahead and the objectives are varied. From the ring, to getting a more affordable cross, from trying to play postseason to positioning yourself better to be able to acquire Victor Wembanyama the next course. Until March 1st there will be time to see new names reinforcing candidate teams from free agency. Some of the players have not yet been released but it seems a matter of days that veterans like Goran Dragic y Derrick Roseamong others, are free to choose their next destination.
The Wild West of the NBA
The arrivals of Kyrie Irving a Dallas Mavericks y Kevin Durant a Phoenix Suns they changed the scene West. A conference so far dominated by Denver Nuggets y Memphis Grizzlies It became a matter of at least four teams. However, in the Mavs the numbers following the arrival of Irving they can’t be worse. The former player of Brooklyn Nets coincided in three meetings with Luca Doncic and they all lost. The team scores more and more easily, but there is a defensive handicap that they must solve if they want to have a real chance of going far.
They seem more reliable Sunsan already consolidated project, with identified leaders and which caressed the ring in 2021. The arrival of Durant it puts them right in the title race once he’s playable, probably in two weeks. On the other hand, the work you are doing Sacramento Kings it’s excellent. It seems too early to think of the Californians as title candidates, but they should compete in the postseason. Along with them, some Clippers who lead a huge group of pursuers, since between the third and the twelfth of the West there are only four wins away.
The Lakers, last-minute students in the NBA
Rob Pelinka He was late for his homework. In the middle of the ‘deadline’ of the market, he decided to change the squad, releasing many players and compensating for rotation. Some say that this is the most complete roster of Lakers since they were champions in Orlando. Even with a negative record, this team has twenty-three games in front of it to show whether or not they are a team of Playoffs. The commitment of LeBron James for playing them all says a lot, plus the immediate incorporation of D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley y Jarred Vanderbilt to turnover that leads one to think that the improvement can be rapid.
Of the remaining 23 games, sixteen are once morest direct rivals for postseason spots. Yeah Darwin Ham and yours want to go directly to the Playoffs, they are bound to make almost a full win. While to reach the Play-In it might be enough for them to win half of their commitments.
Reigning champions play on the edge with NBA Play-In qualification
Since 2018 no team has repeated a ring in the North American league, and it seems that Golden State Warriors is doomed to suffer the same fate. The Californians are not having a regular season and are in ninth position in the standings in the Westwith the same number of wins and two losses less than Utah Jazzwhich for the moment remains out of the Play-In by placing eleventh with two more games than the Warriors.
Last sprint for the MVP
In the individual part, the NBA faces an exciting sprint to see who gets the MVP most fought in recent years. A quarter of the season seems enough to add weight merits by the five clear candidates: Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo y Luka Doncic. The Serbian is currently the clear favorite to revalidate the award for the third consecutive year. He has 21 triple-doubles so far this year and his performance, as usual, has been from less to more, having his Nuggets as the best team western conference.
Jayson Tatum y Giannis Antetokounmpo They follow him in favouritism, with the same impact on their teams as Jokic: Both lead the other two best franchises in the league. The Greek can play once morest the absences due to injury, while the one from the Celtics He leaves very supported by having obtained the MVP in it All-Star Game. the options of Luka Doncic It seems that they will decrease with the arrival of Kyrie Irving a Dallas. He will continue to have a lot of prominence, but he will share responsibilities with his new partner. Finally, Joel Embiidbeing the undisputed leader of the Sixersloses out in any statistical comparison with Jokic. Although he scores more, his rebound and assist numbers are far off.
Victor Wembanyama, the target of the underdogs in the NBA
Regarding this, there are four completely evicted teams in competitive terms and who aspire to take over the French giant: Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets y san antonio spurs. The more losses, the better to increase the odds of being the number one pick in the Lottery Draft next May 16.
