Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports As the NBA regular season rapidly approaches, we take a look at some of the highly motivated players that have a lot to prove in the imminent 2022-23 season. Motivation is a powerful angle in the NBA. Redemption is an even more powerful driving force of narrative. Amidst the squeaking of
NBA Season Preview
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports As the 2022-23 NBA season rapidly approaches, we take a look at some of the players who are especially hoping to stay healthy and on the court this year. The old adage “availability is the best ability” holds a lot of truth in the NBA. While helpful and wise words from
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) With so many veterans returning from injury, All-Star rosters should be loaded. But these five players could slip through as first-time All-Stars Thanks to a combination of injuries and age-related decline, the 2022 NBA All-Star Game was missing some familiar faces and featured seven first-time
Entering his third season, how much of his game has New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson unveiled? With a full season officially under New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson’s belt, we got to see the dominance that made him a viral sensation in high school, executed at the NBA level. Playing with a poorly built roster,
Going into his third season, the Ja Morant appears poised to make The Leap. Can he be the player the Grizzlies have never had? On May 14, 2019, I spent the majority of my day thinking about a 6.6 percent chance. The NBA Draft Lottery was that night, and those were the odds that the
Every NBA season is worth being excited about. Here are 50 reasons to celebrate the start of the upcoming season. The last two seasons have not gone the way anyone would have expected or hoped. With the coronavirus pandemic shifting and shortening the league schedule, the rhythms of the season have been interrupted, each wrapping
In 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers extended Kevin Love‘s contract through 2022. Three years later, it’s no longer clear where he fits on the rebuilding team. When the Cavaliers traded for Kevin Love in the summer of 2014, it was clear what the goal was. They wanted him to team up with Kyrie Irving and LeBron
Western Conference teams have posted a winning record against Eastern Conference teams in 12 straight seasons. Will that change in 2021-22? Between the rise of small-ball and the proliferation of 3-point shooting, the NBA has undergone seismic changes over the past decade. Throughout it all, Western Conference teams have consistently dominated their Eastern Conference counterparts
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers. (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports) The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot to prove this season after the most tumultuous offseason in the NBA. They may have the most important questions to answer in basketball. The Philadelphia 76ers spent the entire offseason in the NBA news cycle. They gave content to
Oct 4, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (11) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Drew Eubanks (14) in the first half at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports One of the greatest storylines in the NBA last season was Mike Conley’s All-Star Game appearance. Which player can
Washington Wizards forward Kyle KuzmaMandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports With the 2021-22 NBA season scheduled to begin soon, these five players have the most to prove this season. The NBA off-season is a time filled with hot takes, trade and free agency rumors, player rankings and a lot of criticisms. While media discusses this
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) The Golden State Warriors are a team with a lot of questions surrounding the team. Which ones weigh the most on the team heading into the season? It seems like forever ago that the Golden State Warriors were the quintessential star of
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies to a surprising playoff berth last season, but the odds are stacked against Memphis replicating that feat. The Grit N’ Grind era is over in Memphis, but Ja Morant gives the Grizzlies more star power than ever before. This season might be too soon for Morant to lead his young
The Orlando Magic enter this year hoping internal consistency and growth will help them stay competitive in a suddenly more crowded Eastern Conference. Here are their five biggest questions for 2020-21. 1. An impossible task: Try your best to explain what the Orlando Magic’s goal is for this season. What is a good season for
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a totally new team after myriad changes this past offseason. Here are five big questions facing the Thunder this season. 1. Which is the higher number: Future first-round draft picks owed to the Thunder or the number of OKC wins in 2020-21? According to my count, Oklahoma City has a