Southwest Division roundtable

Pelicans.com

To preview the upcoming season around the Southwest, Pelicans.com gathered together our familiar panel. On Monday in part 1, the panel examined the primary issues specific to their own teams.

In part 2, it’s time to take a look around the other squads and point out what fans should watch for in 2021-22. All five Southwest teams tip off the season Wednesday or Thursday:

2021-22 NBA SOUTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS
  Not including your team, which Southwest Division clubs are you most looking forward to watching play this season?

New Orleans… so much change over the last few seasons on the court and on the sidelines. My guess is Zion wants some stability before committing long term to the Pelicans.

The Rockets have solid young talent. The Spurs are always intriguing. And the Pelicans are always on the verge of something. But the spotlight will be on the Mavericks this year, and how far Luka will be able to take him with Jason Kidd directing the show. Luka has been on the cusp of the MVP discussion, and this might be the year that pushes him over the hump.

For the last two seasons, I’ve tried to watch Memphis as much as possible. I don’t see that changing at all this winter. The Grizzlies seem to come at teams in waves with a large group of talented young players, spearheaded by Ja Morant. His Game 2 performance at Utah (47 points) in the first round of the playoffs was epic. Prior to that, the Memphis-Golden State play-in overtime thriller was one of the most fun NBA games I’ve seen in a while.

The Pelicans should almost unanimously take this one, as they’ve got one of the league’s most dynamic young players in Zion Williamson, who is expected to miss the early part of the season. How do all the pieces acquired in the offseason fit around Williamson? Is this the year the Pels return to the postseason? Dallas is definitely another team to keep your eyes on with the Luka Doncic-Kristaps Porzingis dynamic, not to mention new coach Jason Kidd. The Mavs are probably a little underrated going into the season. The Grizzlies and Ja Morant are also must-watch TV.

2021-22 NBA Southwest Division Predictions
  Also not including your team, which Southwest Division rookies are you most looking forward to watching play this season?

Josh Primo in San Antonio. Like the Rockets rookies, he is so young. Will Popovich give him an early opportunity to be in the rotation? Primo making 3’s will be great for the Spurs but my guess is he gets time if he is able to defend some of the NBA’s top guards consistently.

I think Jalen Green has the chance to be special, if he locks in on being the best player he can be and avoids the distractions that come with trying to be a brand or a personality. Plus, the Rockets will play a system that allows those young athletes to fly up and down the court, and create plenty of highlights as a result. He will be fun to watch, win or lose. Watch out for Josh Primo in San Antonio, too.

I’m going to simultaneously break my own rule and deliver a hot-take prediction by saying these other upstanding gentlemen are going to look back and realize they should’ve been looking forward to watching Pels forward Trey Murphy III. From other teams in the division, though, Houston’s summer league squad was fun to watch due to the energy and boundless confidence of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Josh Christopher.

Jalen Green and Josh Primo. Green was one of the more fun players to watch during Las Vegas Summer League, and he’s carried his exciting style of play into the preseason. The kid is electric, and relentless. He just needs to shoot the ball better. Primo, meanwhile, was the youngest pick of the NBA Draft. He’ll likely spend some time in the NBA G League this season, but Primo – who was widely considered a reach by the Spurs at No. 12 – has turned heads in the preseason with his confidence, feel for the game and shooting prowess.

2021-22 NBA Western Conference Predictions
  Among the other 10 teams in the Western Conference, which clubs are you most looking forward to watching play this season?

Can the Lakers with all their marquee players play nice all season? Most important, the Russell Westbrook/LeBron James combination is something everyone will be keeping an eye on during the season. Also what will Golden State be like when all healthy? Lastly, were the Suns a fluke last season or are they set for a long-term run as a Western Conference contender?

The Lakers, because I’d like to see how they use lineups that maximize the impact LeBron and Russell can have on the game. I think the Jazz made some sneaky good moves this offseason to bolster their depth in the frontcourt. And the Warriors insist they’ll be back as Klay Thompson reemerges from two seasons of injuries. The west will indeed be the Wild, Wild West again.

Many of the West’s returning playoff teams will be compelling to watch, but for the most part, you know exactly what you’re getting from them. For me – and I’m guessing some Pelicans fans feel the same way – a close eye will be kept on a few clubs that did not make the eight-team bracket, including Golden State, San Antonio, Sacramento and Minnesota. How those teams fare could have a big impact on New Orleans’ record and where the Pelicans land in the conference pecking order.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be that guy if he takes full advantage of what’s expected to be a more significant role this season. But for me, it’s Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. that’s poised for a major breakthrough. For most of last season, Jackson was sidelined with that torn meniscus. So, he didn’t get a chance to follow up on what he did in 2019-20, just his second season in the NBA (17.4 points per game, 1.6 blocks). I like the idea of Jackson playing alongside Steven Adams in the frontcourt, too. The Jackson-Morant combo should be fun to watch this season.

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NBA Southwest Division roundtable: 2021-22 season preview, part 2

One of the NBA’s most competitive divisions since its inception in 2004-05, the Southwest is currently undergoing a bit of a transformation. Dallas and New Orleans brought in new head coaches this summer, while Houston and San Antonio have bid farewell to many of the veteran players who made them perennial playoff teams. As young as the Rockets and Spurs have become roster-wise, Memphis is another Southwest squad now relying heavily on a group of players still early in their pro careers.
To preview the upcoming season around the Southwest, Pelicans.com gathered together our familiar panel, including Dallas TV play-by-play broadcaster Mark Followill, Houston radio play-by-play broadcaster Matt Thomas, Memphis website writer Michael Wallace, New Orleans website writer Jim Eichenhofer and NBA.com writer Michael Wright (covering San Antonio for us here):

2021-22 NBA SOUTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS
  In terms of the team you cover, what is the biggest story to watch this season?

It’s hard to answer what the biggest story is for the Mavs. The organization underwent major changes, the likes of which have not been seen around here for over a decade, with Rick Carlisle out after 13 years and Donnie Nelson after 21 seasons as GM. So it goes without saying a lot of eyes will be on Jason Kidd as head coach, returning to the team he won an NBA championship with in 2011. Also, the organization is certainly excited to have longtime Nike executive and fantastic relationship builder Nico Harrison as GM. But it’s hard to sort of measure what a GM is doing when you watch things on a game-to-game basis, that is a longer-term, bigger-picture evaluation. On the floor, Kristaps Porzingis looks healthy and energized and ready to return to the form of February and March 2020 (when he was a 25/10 type of player) and a lot of eyeballs will be on his play this season too.

How will all these young players mesh together as this team starts from scratch? There is lots of talent on this team but growing pains are a given. There are a lot of guys that want to live up to the hype. This backcourt of Porter and Green could combine for 40 points and 10 assists a night. But can they back it up on the defensive end of the floor? Meanwhile Christian Wood will want his looks too as he’d like to be a double-double guy every night. If he can stay healthy, that is certainly a good possibility.

The biggest story for the Grizzlies is the re-integration of Jaren Jackson Jr. into the lineup as a focal point alongside franchise catalyst Ja Morant. The tandem has been together for two years, but have limited experience together because of Jackson’s injury history. If Jackson can blossom into the All-NBA type talent he’s projected to be, look out for these young Grizzlies.

Can New Orleans improve defensively and reach the Western Conference playoffs under new head coach Willie Green? Zion Williamson is now sidelined by a foot injury to open the regular season, but New Orleans made key veteran additions (Jonas Valanciunas, Devonte’ Graham) that could put it in better position than last season to compete while the 2021 All-Star is unable to play. The Pelicans also believe they’ve upgraded their perimeter shooting and can greatly improve their performance in clutch time (17-22 record in 2020-21, via NBA.com). A few excruciating late-game losses last season dealt a severe blow to the Pels’ pursuit of a play-in berth.

How the young Spurs handle more significant roles. Over the past couple of seasons, San Antonio played through DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, which in a small way, probably stunted the growth of some of the youngsters. Those vets are gone. So, San Antonio will lean on players like Keldon Johnson, Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, Derrick White and Devin Vassell; perhaps even rookie Josh Primo, who will be 18 years old when the season opens. Gregg Popovich is energized by the youth infusion, and you can expect a more up-tempo style to go with the mistakes that come with youth.

2021-22 NBA Southwest Division Predictions
  What are the biggest reasons to be optimistic about your team’s chances this season?

The biggest reason for optimism will be an easy one to answer for years to come and that is Luka Doncic. When you have a 22-year-old who already has two first-team All-NBA selections and the biggest rookie contract extension in league history and will be in the MVP conversation at the start of every season, then that always fuels optimism. Luka had a tremendous run in the Olympics, then took a couple of weeks off but returned to camp in good physical condition and ready to take the next step in his career. He’s the first to say that next step is team success in the playoffs and not MVP chatter, so that’s his laser-like focus this season.

Kevin Porter Jr could be a 20-point-a-night scorer. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun want to be Rookie of the Year candidates. Christian Wood can make baskets from any spot on the floor. The Rockets have designed a clear path to a future success. Go with youth. Daniel Theis was a sneaky good acquisition during the offseason and should be a lead-by-example type guy. This team is full of athletes who won’t be afraid to try to run opponents out of the gym.

The Grizzlies carried the league’s youngest playing rotation into the playoffs last season, and are looking to build on their first postseason appearance in four years. Taylor Jenkins enters Year 3 as coach with his system in place and his roster molded to fit his system almost perfectly. And Ja Morant is determined to run the show, with sights set on an All-Star nod.

New Orleans boasts one of the most talented and productive starting forward combinations in basketball in Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who’ve made one All-Star appearance apiece over the last two seasons. There is a ton of young talent on this roster, including five first-round picks since 2019 (Williamson, Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis Jr., Trey Murphy III). The No. 17 pick in this year’s draft, Murphy has been beyond impressive in summer league and preseason. It will be fascinating to see which Pelicans among the team’s large stable of young prospects makes a big second- and third-year leap.

It’s been mentioned before, but for the Spurs it’s their youth, which will translate into a faster, more intense style of play, not to mention all the youthful mistakes that are likely to come with it. Luckily, Gregg Popovich is the guy running the show. Popovich’s leadership and coaching acumen should soften the learning curve for all the young players, while helping the squad steal a few wins that nobody will be expecting.

2021-22 NBA Southwest Division Predictions
  What is the biggest concern for your team entering the season?

I guess for any team you are always concerned about things outside of your control like health. Fortunately, this year’s schedule won’t be flooded with back-to-backs like last season so it should allow for more key players to be available for the Mavs. Second, and I’m not sure this is a concern as much as it is an unknown, but the Mavs are really talking improvement on the defensive end of the floor under Jason Kidd. They’ve been 18th and 21st the last two seasons in defensive rating. So, can they make the jump on defense to couple with their potent offense, and create the recipe for a team that can advance out of the first round for the first time since winning the league’s championship in 2011? I’m excited to see if they can do it, as it is very much the focus organizationally.

This team is so young. Most of them are accustomed to winning. Can these guys grow and begin building chemistry even if the team doesn’t have a lot of wins this season to show for it? Also, Theis and Sengun are the team’s only true centers (Wood can play both 4 and 5)… Will larger teams try to own the paint and/or try to get Rockets big men in foul trouble?

Staying healthy is the biggest concern for every team. But that’s especially the case, given the Grizzlies’ recent history. We think Jaren Jackson Jr. can be a star in this league. But through three seasons, he’s yet to get through an entire year relatively healthy. His health and availability unlocks the upside hovering slightly above this squad, but definitely within reach.

New Orleans has continually placed in the bottom 10 of defensive efficiency statistics over the past decade, one reason why the Pelicans have not been a consistent playoff team, despite having at least one All-Star every season since 2013-14. Generating offense has rarely been the problem in the Crescent City; if Green can transform New Orleans into a stingier defensive squad, the Pelicans will be able to take further advantage of Williamson and Ingram in transition and potentially jump ahead of some of the West teams they’re expected to vie with in the standings.

Now, this is getting repetitive. But again, it’s San Antonio’s youth. Yes, the Spurs used the offseason to add established vets such as Dough McDermott, Thaddeus Young, Zach Collins, Bryn Forbes and Al-Farouq Aminu. But just two players (Farouq and Young) on the roster are in their 30s, while 13 are age 25 or younger. The Popovich factor should help, but ultimately, this is the youngest team he’s coached.

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NBA Southwest Division roundtable: 2021-22 season preview, part 1

Jim Eichenhofer

In part 1 of Pelicans.com’s Southwest Division update at the halfway point of 2020-21, our panel covered some of the most pleasant surprises, disappointments and underrated contributors so far. In part 2, we look ahead to each team’s second half and address a couple division-wide questions:

What is your team’s primary objective in the second half of the regular season?

The Mavs need to be more consistent defensively. The first 10 games they had the second-best defensive rating in the league and they had the best in the last six games before the break. In between they have been bad on that end. Also, keep putting together stretches like the 10 of 13 they won before the All-Star break. It gives them a chance to climb out of the 7-10 play-in tournament where anything can happen, good or bad. I think it’s going to be a wild race in the Western Conference to be the 5 and 6 seeds and avoid that pressure cooker 7-10 tournament for the last two spots.

Play with the same starting lineup two games in a row. John Wall and Victor Oladipo don’t usually play in both ends of back-to-backs, so that makes things tricky. Getting Christian Wood back on the floor will bring back some much-needed optimism. How many parts of the roster will be moved at the trade deadline will keeps things interesting around here. Lastly, Kevin Porter is crushing it in the G League right now. Is he able to make a successful return to the NBA with another team?

Incorporate the final missing piece to this puzzle – Jaren Jackson Jr., who has been sidelined since the Orlando bubble after rehabbing from knee surgery. The Grizzlies have been encouraging throughout the first half of the schedule as they’ve endured just about every challenge imaginable. Now, they get a chance to get complete, barring any other unforeseen issues (which is hardly a guarantee). Working Jaren back in alongside Ja Morant, Justise Winslow, Jonas Valanciunas and Dillon Brooks is the priority. It will require patience, but will be a thrill to finally see come together.

Short term, improving defensively is a primary goal and needs to happen very soon in order for New Orleans to remain in the race for a play-in spot. Staying in the hunt would benefit the team’s youngsters, who have not experienced many pressure situations as pros. David Griffin has said often that he wants the Pelicans to have the opportunity to play in meaningful games. Long term, continue developing the stable of promising talent, putting recent first-round picks Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis Jr. in position to make more strides this summer and heading into 2021-22.

For the Spurs, it’s all about consistency, especially on the defensive end, where they entered March ranked No. 10 in defensive rating (110.3). Of course, the Spurs need to improve some offensively, too, having gone into the month ranked No. 22 in offensive rating (110.0). Like Stan Van Gundy, Popovich believes good offense starts on the defensive end. So, that will always be the focus in San Antonio. Maintaining focus there ensure the Spurs a legitimate shot at returning to the playoffs.

Turning to division-wide questions, who’s been the Southwest Division’s MVP so far (not including the team you cover)?

It has to be DeMar DeRozan of the Spurs. I don’t know anyone who expected them to be fifth in the West and DeRozan is big part of that as a 20-point-a-night scorer and has elevated his playmaking ability in these last couple of years in San Antonio. Twenty points, five rebounds and seven assists a game is especially impressive considering he is a reluctant 3-point shooter. He still gets to the line a lot and remains a very efficient player from the dreaded mid-range. And he’s done all of that dealing with the off-court pain of the recent loss of his father.

Luka Doncic remains the division’s must-watch player. He does everything well and is destined for future MVP awards. It is surprising, however, that Dallas is just hanging around .500.

Luka Doncic should be the clear favorite for this distinction, simply because he’s the most productive and prolific player in the division – and that’s no knock on any of the other bright young stars throughout the Southwest Division. But the true most valuable person, bar none, this season has been Gregg Popovich. The Spurs coach has guided San Antonio back to the top of the division standings with a roster that’s clearly in transition mode. His experience, impact, ability to make the best of, and squeeze the most out of, whatever he has to work with, is inspiring.

Not sure how long it’s been since this division only had two All-Stars (Doncic, Zion Williamson), but James Harden has moved to the East and the Spurs no longer have perennial All-Star locks. Doncic is the no-brainer pick here.

I’d be shocked if anybody in here says a name other than Luka Doncic. The guy is just phenomenal, and although he struggled some early in the season, he’s rounding back into MVP form. The Mavericks came into March with Doncic on a tear, as he averaged 31.1 points over his last 10 games going into the month, including three of the best regular-season scoring nights of his career with 46, 44 and 42 points.

Most improved player or the player who has been the most pleasant surprise (again, not including your team)?

My vote for most pleasant surprise is Kyle Anderson of the Grizzlies. The man has never averaged more than eight points per game in a season. He is averaging between 13 and 14 a game this year. He made 82 3s in his first six seasons combined and is on pace for over 100 made 3s this year and is shooting an outstanding 39 percent. He leads the team in win shares as well, and has started all but two of Memphis’ first 31 games. Year 7 is more than just lucky for Anderson, who has really blossomed into a well-rounded and versatile player for the Grizz and he is having a career year in every way imaginable.

I thought Lonzo Ball was going to have his issues shooting the 3 ball coming out of college.  He struggled in L.A., but has gotten better every season in New Orleans.  He, Zion and Ingram have become a really nice trio in New Orleans. Lonzo has great court awareness and there is tremendous confidence that he can shoot from the perimeter.

I’ll let John Wall and Christian Wood battle over this one. Either way, I won’t let Houston’s recent tumble overshadow the work that Wall put in these past two years to emerge from a devastating Achilles surgery and regain most of his game. Seeing John Wall explode coast-to-coast and blow by defenders to get to the rim these days is something I don’t take for granted. And Wood was my clear frontrunner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player before his ankle injury forced him out of action for much of the past month. So just have Wall and Wood split the honor!

If you told me before the season that Ja Morant would miss two weeks of the first half due to injury, Jaren Jackson Jr. wouldn’t play at all and Memphis would deal with a virus outbreak, I would’ve told you the Grizzlies had almost zero chance to compete for a playoff spot against the West’s brutal competition. Instead, they’re at .500. Impressive.

I don’t know if this is about improvement as much as it is opportunities, but Zion Williamson falls into that category for me. A field goal percentage of 61.5 is just sick, and that’s what we’re seeing from Williamson, who just rag dolls defenders at will. You’re not stopping that man from getting to the rim, and even though he’s 20, Williamson is grown-man strong. His ability as a creator and facilitator is just astounding.

southwest-division-roundtable-midseason-review-part-2

Southwest Division roundtable: Midseason review, part 2

It’s the halfway point of what’s been a very unpredictable season around the NBA and the Southwest Division, where San Antonio leads the current standings, while Dallas and Memphis are in play-in position, eighth and 10th in the Western Conference. All three of those teams were impacted greatly by the pandemic recently, but still managed to take a winning record into the All-Star break. In the first of a two-part update with our division-wide panel, it’s time to weigh in on first-half surprises, disappointments, team MVPs and unsung heroes:

What’s been the most pleasant surprise of 2020-21 so far for the team you cover?

It has to be Jalen Brunson. The third-year guard is second on the team in fourth quarter points scored and heading into the final game before the break he was shooting 57 percent in the fourth quarter. He has given the Mavs a reliable bench scorer averaging over 12 points a game. Also he’s effective as the bench unit’s point guard and can be a secondary playmaking threat with Luka in the fourth quarter. He does all of this while being a high IQ player who has steadily improved from two-time college national champion to a very solid pro who is still getting better.

Clearly the free agent acquisition of Christian Wood. When he was playing before the ankle injury, he was very close to an automatic 20-10 a night player. He is a great pick-and-roll finisher and able to hit a 3 like a stretch 5 is supposed to do. He really became the main go-to threat after the James Harden trade and changed the style of the how the Rockets’ offense operated. He was having an All-Star-worthy campaign and was on track to a Most Improved Player award.

The most pleasant surprise is that the Grizzlies are still on solid ground at right around .500 and within playoff/play-in position, despite having players miss nearly 150 total combined games to injuries through the first half of the schedule. Justise Winslow just got healthy before the break, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has yet to make his season debut. Yet, Taylor Jenkins’ system and the squad’s depth have produced 11 different leading scorers this season in games.

Other than Zion Williamson showing aspects of his game he wasn’t necessarily able to fully display as a rookie, it might be the play of backup center Willy Hernangomez. A DNP early in the season, the native of Spain has emerged as a dependable reserve for a bench unit that needed help. He rebounds and makes simple plays on offense, giving the Pelicans a veteran reserve option beyond Josh Hart and JJ Redick. Additionally, Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a 37-point game in January and lottery pick Kira Lewis Jr. has shown lightning quickness and promise in spurts of playing time.

San Antonio’s record-tying run of 22 consecutive postseason appearances came to a close last season after an admirable fight. So, the fact the Spurs are even in the mix for a return to the playoffs is certainly a surprise, considering nobody expected San Antonio to even be in this position. He won’t win it, but the job Gregg Popovich has done in switching up the team’s style – not to mention his ability to get the players to buy in -- certainly deserves mention in the Coach of the Year discussion.

What’s been the biggest disappointment?

Rather than put that millstone on one individual, I would argue getting hit by a COVID outbreak for about three weeks is the biggest disappointment. Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Maxi Kleber are starters who missed 2.5 to 3 weeks. Backup big man Dwight Powell missed the same amount of time and the aforementioned Brunson was also out a week. In all, 41 man games were lost to health and safety protocols, most of them in a 2-9 stretch from Jan 15 through Feb. 1. The Mavs are 16-7 in games outside of that stretch.

What hasn’t been? Christian Wood’s prolonged ankle injury. Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon have been in and out of the lineup because of injuries. Twenty different starting lineups. The longest losing streak in decades for the franchise. The final days of James Harden in a Rockets uniform. The DeMarcus Cousins experiment didn’t really work out.

The drastic inconsistency. In a way, every team in the league is battling that syndrome due to multiple factors – from COVID-19 issues to injuries to chemistry and continuity challenges. But the Grizzlies have played to the extremes on a nightly basis. One night, they’re blowing out the Rockets and Clippers; and the next set of nights, they’re drastically underperforming against the Pelicans or the Raptors. Perhaps the Grizzlies resolve this identity crisis in the second half.

That New Orleans hasn’t been able to improve defensively. Jrue Holiday’s trade departure left some big shoes to fill, but Eric Bledsoe is a two-time NBA All-Defense selection and came in the trade from Milwaukee. There were reasons to believe the Pelicans could be as good or better on defense, partly due to young players gaining more NBA experience last season, but instead they have regressed. New Orleans has given up three-pointers in bunches, especially on the road.

A seven-time All-Star, LaMarcus Aldridge is playing the fewest minutes (26.5) since his rookie season as he’s been hampered by various injuries after returning back from season-ending shoulder surgery. Aldridge’s scoring average (14.3) is also the lowest since his rookie season, and at this point it’s unclear exactly how the forward fits with San Antonio’s new more uptempo playing style. He’s played in just 20 games this season, and he came off the bench for the team’s last two games of February.

Who’s been your team’s first-half MVP?

It’s obviously Luka Doncic. His stats, highlights, performances and overall star power speaks for itself. He averaged a triple-double in January and over 30 PPG in February. Last year Luka was the only player in the league to be in the top 20 in points, rebounds and assists per game and as of the All-Star break he’s doing it again, along with Nikola Jokic. And he continues to play with a joy and flair that is infectious to teammates and fans alike.

Christian Wood and it’s not even close. The team went from winning six of seven with him to a 13-game losing streak.

Ja Morant. That’s the easy one, there. Although his outside shooting has been a major challenge so far this season, Morant’s leadership, defensive competitiveness and ability to control tempo and set teammates up have all given the Grizzlies the boost to stay afloat. Morant’s overall numbers don’t jump off the page in Year 2 after winning Rookie of the Year last season. But his presence and command of Jenkins’ system make him the MVP by far.

Zion Williamson is a first-time All-Star and has played so well that there was very little pushback on him being the youngest player selected for that honor since the mid-2000s, even though the West is loaded with top-tier talent, per usual. He’s improved in several areas compared to the mere 24 games he played as a rookie, making Pelicans fans wonder what else he’s going to add to his skill set over the next few months and beyond.

No question, it’s been DeMar DeRozan, who has put together an All-Star caliber season in the face of difficult circumstances, as his father recently passed away after a long battle with illness. DeRozan is averaging career-highs in assists (7.0) and free-throw percentage (89.0) with an effective field goal percentage of 51.7. He’s been a vastly underrated playmaker and leader for this young team, and he’s done everything asked of him with Popovich drastically changing San Antonio’s style of play.

I’ll take Maxi Kleber. He gives them the perfect last piece to round out the starting lineup. He’s a stretch 4 who can switch onto smaller players and in the past has really held his own defensively in those situations. He had the worst bout with COVID of any of the Mavs’ players and I think as that is farther in the rearview mirror, his plus defensive ability will be more apparent in the second half of the season. He still is solid defensively and of course has the other half of the sought after 3-and-D combination. Before an off night in the last game before the break, Kleber had reached fourth in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 46.8. If you’re from Wurzburg, Germany then you can shoot. (That’s Dirk and Maxi’s hometown for those who don’t know).

Jae’Sean Tate is technically a rookie because he spent time playing in Australia. But the Ohio State product has brought it every single night. He’s the only Rocket to play in every single game. Gritty young man who gives it his all even when on most nights he’s undersized on the defensive end of the floor. I think he’ll have a nice career in the Rockets rotation.

Kyle Anderson. Jonas Valanciunas. Dillon Brooks. De’Anthony Melton. The Rookie class. I could go on and on and on, and still feel like I’m leaving someone out from this Grizzlies team full of unsung heroes who contribute night in and night out. Kyle tops that list, because he’s completely transformed his game from the three-point line, where he is arguably the NBA’s most improved shooter this season. He’s shooting nearly 40 percent from deep and has knocked down as many treys this season than he has the previous three years combined.

In recent weeks it would have to be Lonzo Ball, who was one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters during an extended stretch that began Feb. 1. Over the course of the entire schedule, I’d go with Josh Hart, who provides hard-nosed rebounding, energy and hustle plays. He’s been a glue guy over his two seasons in the Crescent City. Meanwhile, Steven Adams has helped make the Pelicans one of the NBA’s best rebounding teams.

It’s a tossup between Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray, but the latter has developed into a straight-up dog; a two-way nightmare for opponents. Just 24 years old, Murray has already been named once to the NBA All-Defensive Team. He’s now rounding out into a more complete player with much more confidence on the offensive end. Murray is averaging career-highs in minutes (30.7), scoring (15.7 points per game), rebounds (7.2) and assists (5.1). If Murray can improve his jumper, the Spurs will have one of the league’s elite two-way point guards, similar to what the Pelicans had in Jrue Holiday.

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Southwest Division roundtable: Midseason review, part 1

On Tuesday, our Southwest Division panel examined some of the biggest stories surrounding their teams entering 2020-21. Hours before the Southwest’s five teams tip off the campaign Wednesday evening, it’s time for Part 2, featuring a look around the division and Western Conference, focusing on some of the reasons to be intrigued as the 72-game schedule commences:

Not including your team, which Southwest Division clubs are you most looking forward to watching play this season?

Who doesn’t want to see New Orleans with a full season of Zion and the league’s most improved player in Brandon Ingram? A close second is Memphis with rookie of the year Ja Morant looking for an even bigger and better second season. Some of the most exciting young players and intriguing young teams are right here in the Southwest Division so it should make for some entertaining nights this season and moving forward.

Dallas really came out last season as a team on the rise as Luka Doncic took his game to a new level. I’ll be curious if they take that next step to become a top-four team in the West. Also will the Pelicans get a full season out of Zion? What will the chemistry be like with his new coach?

One of the first times I watched Memphis last season was a Jazz-Grizzlies matchup in which Ja Morant made me jump out of my chair more than once with a what-in-the-world-was-that highlight. Like many, I thoroughly enjoy watching Dallas’ elite offense and Luka Doncic, but Memphis is at or near the top of my list for League Pass teams, due to Morant and the Grizz’s talented young core.

Houston for the obvious drama as we watch the James Harden situation unfold. But I’m most looking forward to watching the Pelicans with a new head coach in Stan Van Gundy as they look to build a tough-minded culture in New Orleans. Hopefully, we get to see Zion Williamson with no restrictions while Brandon Ingram looks to take the next step in his development. I’m expecting a big year from Lonzo Ball paired with Eric Bledsoe.

Also not including your team, which Southwest Division rookies are you most looking forward to watching play this season?

The Spurs rarely make a mistake on draft night so Devin Vassell out of Florida State is worth a watch. From a local standpoint I liked TCU’s Desmond Bane. He had four really good years in Ft. Worth and I was hoping he would make it to the Mavs for a second-round pick, but Memphis traded and took him with the last pick of the first round. So I’ll be watching for his name in the box scores this season.

I had a chance to see the Spurs’ Devin Vassell in person twice during the preseason. Very athletic, looks like he can score from anywhere on the court and looks like he could be a solid defender. With expectations rather low in San Antonio, it will interesting to see if he eventually becomes a starter.

This is a rare season, in that no rookie from the division seems to be getting much preseason hype, unlike a year ago when Zion Williamson and Morant were picked 1-2. Devin Vassell of San Antonio is the first-year pro I’m most familiar with based on pre-draft videos and analysis, but I’m curious to see how potential sleepers like Desmond Bane (Memphis) and Tyrell Terry (Dallas) perform.

Tough question because the majority of the teams in the division have already established young cores. So, if I can’t pick Devin Vassell out of San Antonio, the next two logical picks for me would be Kira Lewis Jr. in New Orleans and Josh Green of the Dallas Mavericks. Lewis and Vassell are the most likely to play meaningful minutes as rookies. I’m really interested to see how Lewis’ speed translates in the NBA.

Among the other 10 teams in the Western Conference, which clubs are you most looking forward to watching play this season?

Phoenix is certainly an exciting group with tremendous young talents Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton and they’ve added veteran Chris Paul, who led the league in clutch points last year. After going 8-0 in the Orlando bubble, Phoenix with the addition of CP3 seems ready to end a 10-season playoff drought. I always enjoy watching Denver because Jokic is a unique blend of success with an unorthodox style and now add that to Jamal Murray, who was sensational in the playoffs, and they’ll be must watch on many nights this season.

The Clippers with Ty Lue – plenty of talent, plenty of money spent in the offseason. Can they overcome the perceived chemistry issues they had last season especially in the bubble? The Nuggets proved a lot of critics wrong getting to the Western finals last season. I’m curious if they can really challenge the Lakers and Clippers as legitimate conference contenders.

Denver, Portland and Phoenix either finished last season in extremely promising fashion, or added major pieces that could potentially allow them to make a jump to a different tier of the standings. In the Crescent City, we are very familiar with the impact Chris Paul can make on winning.

Golden State is intriguing because you want to see how steep the dropoff is without Klay Thompson in the lineup, and whether the Warriors can get back to where they were. Phoenix is interesting because you’re pairing a Hall of Famer with a couple of young stars in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. Will they build from what they did in the bubble? The Clippers, Nuggets and Jazz are also teams I’ll be watching closely.

In your opinion, who is most likely to be the division’s 2020-21 “breakthrough” player from another team?

Maybe Christian Wood already sort of broke through, but he’s the guy I’m watching. In his final 15 games with Detroit last spring, he averaged 22 points and nine rebounds a game. It looks like he’s poised to put up great numbers in Houston.

If Zion can stay healthy and provide plenty of minutes, he might be the hardest player to defend in the division. I’ll also be interested to see if Luka becomes a legitimate league MVP candidate. Lastly, will Christian Wood become the same type of double double he was in Detroit last season?

I was impressed by what Brandon Clarke did as a solid and efficient rookie in Memphis. It seems like he’s headed for a very good career and could get a larger opportunity this season, particularly early in the season with Jaren Jackson sidelined. San Antonio seemingly has multiple potential candidates, such as Keldon Johnson, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker.

Christian Wood is 25 and on his sixth NBA team, but he’s been given a great opportunity in Houston to build on what he did last season in Detroit. Playing alongside playmakers such as James Harden and John Wall should definitely help, as should the tutelage of veteran DeMarcus Cousins. Wood has shown an ability to score in just about every way imaginable, and you know Stephen Silas will be creative in how he’s used.

If you had to build a starting five and sixth man, taking at least one player from each Southwest Division team, what would your team look like and why?

Of course, I have to take the potential MVP Luka Doncic from my hometown Mavs. I want Zion Williamson from the Pelicans as one of my big men. I still like a big man who can provide some interior offense so my other big is the very underrated Jonas Valanciunas from the Grizzlies. Derrick White of the Spurs has the kind of game that will work as an off-guard next to Luka because he can play with or without the ball. I need some grit and shooting and no one better to tie it all together than the ultimate glue guy PJ Tucker of the Rockets as my small forward. I need shooting and scoring off the bench so give me Brandon Ingram of the Pelicans so I will have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to my sixth man.

James Harden, Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, with Jaren Jackson as the sixth man. It’s a good balance of youth and experience.  This lineup has plenty of guys who could play multiple positions. A real shot-blocking threat coming off the bench who can rebound will spell a lineup who’s not afraid to play plenty of minutes.

I’d go with a leaguewide trend of downsized lineups and use Ja Morant and James Harden in the backcourt, put Luka Doncic at the three and Brandon Ingram at the four, while using LaMarcus Aldridge at center. I’d rotate between Zion Williamson and Kristaps Porzingis at sixth man, depending on what I need. Then sit back and watch this squad score 150 points a night.

In most scenarios, I’d have Luka Doncic as the starting point guard. But if I do that, I don’t get to have Kristaps Porzingis as my center. So, here’s my starting five: Ja Morant, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Zion Williamson and Porzingis with Doncic coming off the bench as my sixth man. Ideally, Brandon Ingram would be my 3. But that means I couldn’t have Williamson at the 4. I like a more conventional lineup.

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Southwest Division roundtable: 2020-21 season preview, part 2

A year after the Southwest Division saw a major talent infusion by selecting twice at the top of the 2019 NBA Draft, the five-team group remains competitive across the board, with every squad in the conversation for a playoff berth or more. In Part 1 of Pelicans.com’s roundtable season preview, writers discuss some of the most noteworthy 2020-21 storylines for their clubs. Each Southwest team will debut in the 2020-21 regular season Wednesday, with Memphis hosting San Antonio in an intradivision matchup; Dallas at Phoenix; Houston hosting Oklahoma City; and New Orleans facing Toronto in Tampa, Fla.

Coming Wednesday: Part 2, a look around the division and Western Conference.

In terms of the team you cover, what is the biggest story to watch this season?

The easy answer is Luka Doncic. He’s at the top of the list to be MVP in a year where he will turn 22 years old and be playing just his third season. That sort of a meteoric rise is unheard of in the league. These are extraordinary times around here to have a player this young and this good and it all has happened in a very short amount of time in NBA terms. I can’t wait to see what sort of show Luka puts on this season.

It is clearly whether or not James Harden is with this team. It’s frankly the biggest story of the NBA season. The chemistry so far with his current teammates has been good, but most people put little stock in anything you see in the preseason. Will Harden be his normal 35-point, eight-rebound, six-assist guy once the season begins? Will his mind be elsewhere? I like the potential deep rotation that Coach Silas would have with the squad as currently constructed but everything is subject to change based on if and when James Harden is traded.

How much of a leap will New Orleans make under new head coach Stan Van Gundy? The Pelicans have so much rising talent that for a second year in a row, NBA general managers voted them as the team that has the “most promising young core,” this time garnering 41 percent of ballots. First-time All-Star Brandon Ingram earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award last season; the Pelicans would love to be the league’s most improved team this season. Ranked 21st in efficiency last season, the defense must tighten up for that to happen.

San Antonio’s new uptempo, almost positionless style. We’ve watched Spurs coach Gregg Popovich take his teams through various incarnations from the Twin Towers era of David Robinson and Tim Duncan, all the way through the Beautiful Game style that captured the franchise its last championship. Now, we’ll see something new from the Spurs borne from the NBA bubble experience. San Antonio has a couple of early injuries, namely guard Derrick White, which means it might take a little while for the Spurs to fully implement the new style. Look for power forward LaMarcus Aldridge to shoot a lot more 3’s.

What are the biggest reasons to be optimistic about your team’s chances this season?

They identified a weakness and went out and tried to address it. The weakness was defense, ranking 18th in the league in defensive rating last season. The Mavs traded for good defenders in Josh Richardson and James Johnson and drafted Josh Green in the first round. The return of Dwight Powell and Jalen Brunson after season-ending injuries in January and February respectively should help them on that end of the floor as well. The Mavs understood that the combination of the top-rated offense and the 18th-rated defense while fun is not going to win at the highest level.

The free agent signings of Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins along with the trade of Robert Covington signaled the end of the Rockets’ “small ball.” Wood was a nice free agent pickup and has shown signs that he can a perimeter threat as well as a nice pick-and-roll option. John Wall looks like he’s enjoying the ability to run and compete on a 94-foot court again. A healthy and confident Eric Gordon will be a tremendous third or fourth scoring option (again depending on if James Harden is the first).

After adding proven veterans Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe during the abbreviated offseason – both were members of perennial winning teams in Oklahoma City and Milwaukee, respectively – New Orleans has no holes in its starting lineup. The bench features one of the NBA’s all-time great shooters in JJ Redick, as well as hard-nosed catalyst Josh Hart. Then there are a handful of Pelicans in their early 20s who figure to keep improving as they mature and continue to gain NBA experience, including the ultra-talented forward duo of Ingram, 23, and Zion Williamson, 20.

A postseason berth might be too lofty a goal given the composition of the roster, but that won’t temper expectations locally, as there’s an entire generation of Spurs fans that saw this team miss the playoffs last year for the first time in their entire lives. Popovich automatically gives the team a fighting chance. Fans should be excited and optimistic about the Spurs’ young nucleus of talent, which features White, Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson and rookie Devin Vassell. Couple that with the fact the Spurs will have plenty of cap room headed into next offseason.

What is the biggest concern for your team entering the season?

Two of them for me. One is getting healthy; Kristaps Porzingis won’t play until sometime in January as he recovers from meniscus surgery in October. He averaged 30 points and 10 rebounds a game in the bubble, so the Mavs clearly need a player of that caliber back on the floor sooner rather than later. Also closing out games, the Mavs were 10-19 in games that were within three points at some stage in the last two minutes. If you are going to be a really good team in the NBA, you have to be healthy and win more close games than you lose.

Will James Harden be on this team for some/all/none of the season? The franchise is currently stuck in neutral trying to figure out if James can have a change of heart or whether it is time to move on and really explore trading him? Also, can John Wall be an effective NBA player after not playing in two seasons? Lastly, will Stephen Silas be able to gain the respect of a veteran locker room? It will be interesting to see he runs a team that he thought was going to feature a Harden/Westbrook combo.  One is already gone and one may be on his way out.

The aforementioned defensive end bears watching, starting with Game 1 of the 72-game schedule. New Orleans has shown some encouraging signs in training camp and preseason, but needs to carry that over into real games. Secondly, health was one of the biggest factors last season behind the Pelicans falling shy of their goal of reaching the Western Conference playoffs. Like every team, they’ll need to avoid key injuries and absences. It’s possible some of the team’s youngest players (Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis) will be able to step into larger roles if necessary.

San Antonio’s youth is a concern, as it will take its lumps advancing through growing pains under a demanding coach. That youth paired with older established veterans Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay and Patty Mills could potentially complicate San Antonio’s attempt at playing a much faster free-flowing style. As you all know, Aldridge and DeRozan are masters of the mid-range game, and both will be asked to shoot more 3’s this season. Will they be comfortable with that? Suffocating defense will also be at a premium, and outside of Aldridge, none of the veterans have proven capable of that consistently.

What are some of the biggest plusses and minuses of the 2020-21 schedule format for your team?

A larger percentage of games against the East is always good. Usually, you play 30 of 82 against the East, but this year it will be 30 of 72 against the East, so the Mavs like every other Western Conference team will be looking to capitalize on that. A minus is the same one that everyone is dealing with and that is travel is risky right now. The Mavs have a fantastic medical staff that has been meticulous in everything they have done to have the best chance possible to stay COVID-free, but as we all know there are risks with this.

Biggest plus, very few back-to-backs – tied with others for fewest in the NBA. Biggest minus, it’s a rigorous schedule with games almost every other day. There are few days for the team to practice in between games.

I don’t recall ever seeing so many long homestands in the first half of a Pelicans season. New Orleans has four-, six-, four and three-game stretches in the Smoothie King Center. On the negative side, for some reason it seems like the Pelicans always begin the schedule facing very formidable competition (a factor behind several poor starts in recent years). This time is no different, starting with games at Toronto (in Tampa) and at defending Eastern Conference champion Miami.

This season’s schedule format pretty much provides the best of both worlds. In the past, the Spurs didn’t conduct many practices because the rosters were always full of experienced veterans and the staff wanted to preserve the players. Now, with so much youth on the roster and a new style of play, San Antonio will likely hold more workouts, which will now be easier with the new format. This year’s format also didn’t delete the team’s annual Rodeo Road Trip, and that’s huge because Popovich and the staff believe that trip goes a long way towards developing team bonds.

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Southwest Division roundtable: 2020-21 season preview, part 1

In addition to being the only division in the NBA with 100 percent team participation in the league’s resumption of play, the Southwest Division features a handful of 2020 NBA All-Stars, as well as the two frontrunners for Rookie of the Year. An ultra-competitive group of franchises that already boasted the likes of James Harden and Luka Doncic received another influx of talent last offseason, when Russell Westbrook, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Ja Morant arrived.

To break down some of the most interesting players to follow in Central Florida, Pelicans.com checked in with our five-person panel. As always, the roundtable features TV broadcaster Mark Followill (Dallas), radio broadcaster/PA announcer Matt Thomas (Houston), writer Michael Wallace (Memphis), writer Jim Eichenhofer (New Orleans) and writer Michael C. Wright (NBA.com, covering San Antonio for this reoccurring feature).

From the standpoint of having the most to gain, which players on your team’s roster should be most eager to finish this season?

The obvious answers to me are Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. They’re the cornerstones of the franchise's future and need to get their first taste of the NBA Playoffs even under these never-seen-before conditions.

Eric Gordon has battled injuries and inconsistent shooting all season. He admitted last week that it’s hard to play with explosion when your knees aren’t at 100 percent. He had a breakout 50-point game in a win in Salt Lake City earlier this season but there were a lot of nights when EG’s 3-point shot just wasn’t falling. He’s lost 12 pounds and knows the Rockets want to run even faster than they did before the pandemic. Getting consistent points from him every night I believe will make the Rockets one of the top scoring teams in Orlando.

Ja Morant, easy. Not only does the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft want to become just the third rookie in league history to guide his team to the playoffs as its leader in scoring and assists, but Ja also wants to prove the Grizzlies deserve to be right where they are in the thick of a Western Conference playoff race. The past four months without basketball were like torture for Morant, the frontrunner for NBA Rookie of the Year. He’s added about 10 pounds of strength and muscle and is eager to be unleashed to finish what he started this season.

This is quite a lengthy list. Zion Williamson dazzled in his pro debut, but he was only able to appear in 19 regular season games before play was halted. Lonzo Ball was playing the best basketball of his three-year NBA career, showing dramatic in-season improvement and shooting 21/36 from three-point range in the team’s final four March games. First-time All-Star Brandon Ingram will get a chance in critical games to demonstrate why he’s reached another level and is a legitimate Most Improved Player candidate. Then there’s 36-year-old guard JJ Redick, who’ll attempt to extend his perfect streak of reaching the NBA playoffs to 14 years. Redick – along with veterans Derrick Favors, Jrue Holiday and E’Twaun Moore – are anomalies on a roster featuring a whopping 10 players who’ve never been to the postseason.

As of right now, DeMar DeRozan hasn’t informed the team as to whether he’ll decline his player option for 2020-21 and hit free agency (given the current climate of uncertainty, that would be pretty risky). But even with that situation, point guard Dejounte Murray would seem to be the player with the most to gain from the NBA’s re-start. Sure, the Spurs signed Murray to a four-year extension back in October, but we haven’t seen enough from him consistently to really justify San Antonio’s investment. That’s not to say Murray isn’t worth it. His $64 million contract could turn out to be a huge bargain given Murray’s immense potential. Remember, Murray is the player that eventually unseated future Hall of Fame point guard Tony Parker. But the very next season (2018-19), Murray tore his right ACL in October, which forced him to miss the entire year.

When Murray returned to start this season, you could tell he still wasn’t all the way back yet from the injury. At one point this season, the brass actually benched Murray. He’s averaged 10.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists -- all career highs -- but Murray possesses the capabilities to be a special two-way threat for the Spurs, which you saw after the All-Star break. My expectation is we’ll see plenty more in Orlando.

Which other players from your team are you the most eager to watch resume his season?

The Mavs have a roster full of players who were having very good seasons and I want to see if they can quickly get back up to speed and replicate the success they were having earlier in the season. Tim Hardaway Jr. moving into the starting lineup was a significant change that produced positive results when he began starting in November. He’s a good fit next to Luka. I hope to see that continue. Seth Curry is second in the league in 3-point percentage so I want to see if he’s back in a hot shooting groove quickly. Certainly a challenge under these circumstances. Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith are players who have taken big jumps forward this season as 3-and-D players and I’m anxious to see those players return to form quickly as well.

PJ Tucker and James Harden are always top seven or eight in minutes played per game in the NBA. Did the time away from the game do them some good? Robert Covington plays the 5 in this small-ball lineup. Has Mike D’Antoni set up some new plays to implement during training camp that they wouldn’t normally have had time to do in a regular season? Lastly, I’ve come to appreciate Russell Westbrook’s 0-to-60 mph attack of the basket every time I watch him play.

Justise Winslow. Justise was on the verge of returning from a back injury and making his Grizzlies debut when the season was suspended back in March. The versatile swingman was the centerpiece of Memphis’ trade deadline deals and is expected to be a core piece of the future alongside Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Jonas Valanciunas and Brandon Clarke. Winslow was limited to just 11 games this season, and his spark had fizzled in Miami after four uneven seasons. The Grizzlies represent a fresh start and a seemingly perfect fit for his talents.

The entire basketball world is eager to see more of what Zion can do in the NBA and enjoy the excitement he brings to every game, but the trip to Orlando also could be invaluable for three other New Orleans rookies. A 29-year-old from Italy, forward Nicolo Melli trailed only Seth Curry in three-point percentage in January and February (minimum 30 successful treys in those months). First-round picks Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker may not log major minutes, but should benefit from this unprecedented “summer league” experience. It will also be interesting to watch Favors anchor a defense he helped improve drastically as ’19-20 progressed. New Orleans was a top-10 team overall based on winning percentage after Christmas.

Pretty much all of San Antonio’s young guards. Murray was mentioned above, but San Antonio also has exciting young talents in Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV and rookie Keldon Johnson. White missed more than a month due to a foot injury, but still filled in as a starter last season when Murray went down, dropping a career-high 36 points in Game 3 of the opening round of the playoffs against Denver. He’s started just 13 games this season, and like Murray, he hasn’t yet been given that coveted green light from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Then, there’s Walker, who is by far the most explosive player on San Antonio’s roster. Walker came off the bench against Houston on Dec. 3, and scored a career-high 28 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter to lead a comeback win. Walker became the youngest player (20) in franchise history to score at least 25 points off the bench. Johnson, meanwhile, has gone back and forth between the active roster and the G League affiliate. He’s played in just nine games, but San Antonio’s brass is pretty excited about Johnson’s future. Without LaMarcus Aldridge (shoulder surgery) in the mix, San Antonio knows its prospects for making a 23rd consecutive postseason appearance are slim. That’s why the brass plans to use the eight seeding games in Orlando as a tool for evaluation and development. So you’ll see plenty of minutes from the young players.

With no fans at these games in Orlando, we might be able to pick up more on-court sound than usual. Who are the most talkative players on your team?

Probably Luka Doncic. He speaks three languages between English, Spanish and Slovenian, so who knows what he’ll be saying. I noted before we had Maxi Kleber mic’d up during a game this year and it was great to hear how well he communicates defensively during the game and he’s a very supportive teammate.

I think Russ is a fun listen. My guess is a few-second delay might be needed on occasion. But the number one thing that will be interesting no matter the game you watch is how much player/referee and coach/referee conversation will be heard. There is spirited back and forth and often times it gets intense. Will the officials allow less criticism because we’ll likely hear more of it than we would during a normal game broadcast?

Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks don’t actually say a lot on the court, but they get their money’s worth when provoked. Who could forget Morant knocking down a game-sealing triple over James Harden and yelling “someone better to tell that (expletive) about me!” And don’t expect Brooks to back down from anyone. These two are full of swagger and far from fake tough guys. They’ll stand up for themselves and teammates at every turn. So if any chirping is to be heard from the Grizzlies, don’t be surprised if Morant and Brooks are in the middle of all the banter.

You should know that Pop doesn’t play that talking stuff with his team. So, don’t expect to hear much from the players. In my experience, DeRozan is about the most vocal Spur on the court. But he doesn’t trash talk other players. You usually hear him jawing with referees about missed calls. The best sound the court mics will pick up in Orlando will definitely come from coach Pop, whether it’s him arguing with officials, screaming at his own players, or just joking with opposing coaches and players. This was a pretty funny moment from Pop that sticks out from back in 2015, when he commented on the new blonde hairdo from former Spur George Hill. And you know Pop’s on-court interviews are pretty legendary. You can expect the players to keep the talk to a minimum in Orlando, but you never know what you’ll get from Pop.

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Southwest Division roundtable: Players to watch in Orlando

All five Southwest Division teams have been invited to the 22-team format in Orlando, but they will enter the competition facing varying circumstances related to their positioning in the Western Conference standings. Houston is a playoff lock; Dallas is extremely close to wrapping up a spot; Memphis has the inside track at the No. 8 seed; New Orleans and San Antonio must perform well to have a chance at earning a berth in the play-in round. To find out more on the specifics for the division’s clubs, we again checked in with our Southwest Division panel.

What was your initial reaction to the impact of the details of the NBA’s return on your team?

I felt the details were very positive for Dallas. I was concerned about the possibility of a play-in tournament involving the seventh seed and given that the Mavs are so far in front of the 8-9-10 etc. teams it would have been disappointing to face a potential one- or two-game playoff and possibly get bumped from a spot. Now the Mavs go into Orlando with a magic number of two to clinch an outright playoff spot and avoid any chance of the 8-9 play-in tournament. Also with the news that winning percentage will obviously be used to determine standings since teams will not have the same number of games, the deficit of three games that the Mavs have in the loss column to Houston and OKC isn’t as formidable. The Mavs could move out of 7 and a potential first-round series with the Clippers by being just two games better than either OKC or Houston in the eight seeding games. So very positive from a basketball standpoint. From a health standpoint, the league has done the best they can so let’s hope things improve in Florida and everything will come off as smoothly as possible.

Needless to say, I miss the NBA. In my current capacity as public address announcer and road radio play-by-play, I get two unique looks at the game I love. When I’m at the scorer’s table, I feel the pulse of the Toyota Center home crowd directly. When I’m on the road, you see what a homecourt advantage can do, especially with teams that may not be as good as you are on paper. The Orlando campus at Walt Disney World intrigues me. For the players, it will be a mentally and physically survival of the fittest. I think this will help veteran teams with players still chasing a title. That’s why I think a lot of people in the NBA believe this type of environment could actually help the Rockets.

All things considered under the circumstances, the NBA got it right. The Grizzlies, based on the return-to-play format, are able to maintain their current spot in the Western Conference standings with an inside track to the playoffs. And, they should benefit from the 3 1/2-games lead they built over the teams bunched up behind them in the battle for that final playoff spot in the West. Now, there’s still work to do. But the Grizzlies are eager to prove through these eight “seeding” games that what they’ve done through the first 65 games of the season was no fluke.

By far the biggest initial response was excitement, to learn that the Pelicans would be able to continue their season, especially after speculation that the NBA might proceed directly to a 16-team playoffs without them. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it was a bit surprising that the play-in format includes only a maximum two-game “series” between eighth and ninth place. With New Orleans trailing current No. 8 Memphis by 3.5 games, the eight seeding games are not a lot of time to make up that ground; even if the Pelicans finish ninth, they’ll have to beat the Grizzlies twice, which is no easy task. New Orleans also was supposed to have the NBA’s easiest remaining schedule on paper, but lost weaker potential opponents when the field in Orlando was cut from 30 teams to 22.

What does your team hope to accomplish during the eight seeding games? Also, what is the overall goal?

I think the goals are pretty simple and clear. Clinch a playoff spot ASAP and try to re-establish rhythm and cohesion under these unusual circumstances before the playoffs start. Stay healthy of course and that means the typical injuries any NBA player faces and obviously COVID-19. Moving up in the standings would be a plus. The Western Conference is so tough (again) but the Lakers and Clippers seem to be a level above the competition. It looks like the Lakers will be 1 and the Clippers have the inside track on 2. Any opponent will be tough and I just want the Mavs back in the playoffs after missing the previous three seasons but ideally you would like to avoid those teams.

The Rockets see these eight seeding games as a chance to potentially move up the standings. If they win and get a little help, they could go from a 6 seed to as high as a 3. Utah with the Bogdanovic injury seems the most vulnerable, as we don’t know how the Mitchell/Gobert relationship will play out in Orlando.

The Grizzlies finally get to integrate Justise Winslow into the system these eight games. Winslow was limited to just 11 games this season because of a back injury that kept him sidelined after he was acquired at the February trade deadline. The versatile forward was on the verge of making his debut March 12 at Portland, but the NBA suspended the season the previous night amid the COVID-19 outbreak. On top of that, fighting to maintain a playoff spot and potentially advancing to the first round will make every game Memphis plays in Orlando feel like something major is at stake.

From Day 1, David Griffin stated that a primary goal for ’19-20 was for a mostly inexperienced New Orleans team to get the chance to play in meaningful games, whether that was in the race for a postseason berth, or actually competing in the playoffs. Given how tight the West 8/9 standings are, these eight contests will be the most pressure-filled NBA games that early-career starters Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson (and reserves like Josh Hart and Nicolo Melli) will have played so far. The most realistic goal team-wise is to earn the No. 9 seed and a spot in the play-in round. Overtaking Memphis at No. 8 also should be on the radar, but only if New Orleans can make some early progress in reducing a 3.5-game deficit. Other than fans of teams like Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio and Phoenix, who wouldn’t want to see a Pelicans-Grizzlies play-in matchup, featuring the NBA’s two most exciting rookies?

What impact, if any, did the extended hiatus have on your team’s health?

The best news is Luka Doncic was really banged up from a heavy workload and nagging thumb and ankle issues. So those are much better now. Unfortunately Dwight Powell (Achilles) and Jalen Brunson (torn labrum) are still out with injuries suffered in January and February, respectively. We learned this week Courtney Lee suffered a bad calf injury during the hiatus and will be out. That is most unfortunate as he had carved out a spot in the rotation in late February and early March providing solid 3-and-D minutes. He's a very well-liked and respected veteran voice in the locker room who will be missed on the floor.

Houston indirectly has benefited from the time away. James Harden and Eric Gordon look leaner in social media posts. PJ Tucker, who’s always in the top 10 in minutes played, is totally refreshed. Russell Westbrook has remained healthy most of the season. Not playing in back-to-back games has had a positive effect on his play since the turn of the calendar year.

Few teams have actually benefited from the hiatus as much as the Grizzlies. At the time the season was suspended in March, Memphis was down four rotation players because of injuries to Winslow (back), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Brandon Clarke (quad) and Grayson Allen (hip). Winslow, Jackson and Clarke overcame varying injuries during the break and were ready to go when players returned to their markets. Allen’s status remains in question. The challenge now is to fit all of the pieces together again. Assuming health, coach Taylor Jenkins could easily go 12-deep in a rotation anchored by Jackson, Morant and Jonas Valancuinas.

New Orleans was actually far healthier by mid-March than it had been early in the season, when two frontcourt starters (Williamson and Derrick Favors) were sidelined for lengthy stretches. Shooting guard JJ Redick and combo forward Kenrich Williams were close to returning to action when the NBA suspended play on March 11, so it was a plus that neither had to miss any additional games. Due to ongoing injury/rehab efforts, Williamson and Williams were granted exemptions to continue working out in the team’s practice facility during the hiatus. A key reserve on the ’18 playoff team, Darius Miller is now 10 months removed from an Achilles injury. By all indications, he’s focused on preparing for ’20-21.

southwest-division-roundtable-return-to-play-overview

Southwest Division roundtable: Return to play overview

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