The Cavs have been rolling since mid-December behind Donovan Mitchell’s play.
Roughly seven weeks remain in the 2023-24 regular season and the haves are beginning to separate from the have-nots. Soon enough, the playoff picture will go 4K, as will one for the Draft lottery.
Meanwhile, a handful of teams are blasting into the last few months at full speed. These select teams are juiced by Big Mo. Yes, momentum is carrying them to a very likely satisfying finish, assuming, of course, they stay healthy and bring another Big Mo — motivation.
We will see. This season, like the others before it, comes with no guarantees.
That said, for the Denver Nuggets and especially the post-trade-deadline Dallas Mavericks, here are the five most impressive teams as the regular season resumes. Each is hoping the annual mid-season break won’t put the brakes on their momentum.
1. LA Clippers
If you’re bored or have time to kill, go YouTube some of those November TV debate shows discussing the Clippers, just after the James Harden trade.
Just a hunch, but the buzzwords “mistake” and “what are they doing” and “this won’t work out” and “same old Clippers” will revisit your your eardrums. So much faulty crystal-balling, so many rushes to judgments.
As you can see, three months later, it’s kinda working out. After six straight losses and a stumble during their get-to-know-you stretch where roles needed to be defined on the fly, the Clippers are a league-best 28-7 since Dec. 1. Here’s why:
• Harden sacrificed shots to set up teammates.
• Russell Westbrook left his ego in Washington, Houston and OKC and embraced a bench role that certainly required plenty of soul-searching (and a reality check).
• Kawhi Leonard, AKA the player partly responsible for the Player Participation Policy, is healthy and, well, playing. The Clippers’ stars aren’t taking nights off.
• And Ty Lue has figured it out.
Suddenly, the Clippers have punched their ticket for entry into the very exclusive Serious Contenders Club.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
In some ways, maybe the Cavs deserve more flowers than anyone, if only because they’ve had to overcome more issues than most.
Start with:
Darius Garland out for 19 games because of a fractured jaw.
And:
Evan Mobley missed 21 following knee surgery.
And yet, the Cavs dismissed any thoughts of plunging in the East and instead did the exact opposite. They have gone a league-best 23-5 since Dec. 16, which is when Garland’s absence began and Mobley was five games into his. Fueled by Donovan Mitchell while getting raise-your-game production from the cast, the Cavs are defying logic, and pretty much everyone standing in their way.
Since 2024 began, they’ve beaten the Milwaukee Bucks twice, had a double-digit comeback against the Clippers and crushed the Sacramento Kings by 26. All while being shorthanded.
Said Mitchell recently: “We’re going to try to continue to play the way we’ve been playing … the biggest thing is: How do we keep going? Everybody has risen to the occasion when their number has been called.”
With everyone now healthy, the Cavs are officially a problem.
3. Boston Celtics
This team has, for the most part, taken up residence in the attic of the East and double-bolted the door. That level of staying power and consistency means something. The Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers threatened at various times, and lately, the Knicks and Cavs have as well. But Boston seems intent on keeping first place.
And so, four months later, the Celtics remain among the teams surging into the second half, after dominating the first half. They didn’t lose at home until Jan. 19. They lost consecutive games only once, and that was back in early November.
The beauty of the Celtics lies in their balance. They’ve got a Kia MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum, a solid co-star in Jaylen Brown, a big guy in Kristaps Porzingis, an unsung hero in Derrick White and a bench guy in Al Horford.
They’ve also got good health. It’s all going Boston’s way and the signals are saying this is the team to beat.
4. New York Knicks
They would be higher on this list if not for untimely injuries to OG Anunoby and Julius Randle (his ability to shake off a bum shoulder will be crucial).
The Knicks, who’ve taken the Big City by storm since the start of December, are dropping hints that this could be one of the better New York teams since the Patrick Ewing days.
It’s mostly generated by Jalen Brunson, who’s in the running for the most overlooked player of the last five years. The former second-round pick bailed on Luka Doncic and Dallas to get his own team, and, in short time he’s easily become the most impactful Knick since Carmelo Anthony.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has the Knicks playing smart basketball at both ends. And now they add Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, a pair of underrated veterans to replace scoring lost with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley going to Toronto.
The ceiling for this team has been raised.
5. Golden State Warriors
Don’t write them off just yet. Suddenly, the Warriors are erasing themselves from the List Of Disappointments and becoming appointment viewing again. And let’s state the obvious reason for that — Stephen Curry is refusing to allow them to sink.
Instead, a Curry hot streak has Golden State streaking. It also helps that coach Steve Kerr has given more time to and shown more patience with the young talent. Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski are earning their playing time and fourth-quarter presence.
Draymond Green says the Warriors became refocused after his suspension and return. At the very least, he seems reenergized in the right way.
And now the Warriors have a pair of potential bonuses going forward — the return of Chris Paul, and maybe Klay Thompson being more accepting of his role. If those two veterans can cope with change, the Warriors should at the very least make the Play-In Tournament.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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