MEMPHIS – As the NBA season ramps up for the stretch run, there’s no better time than now to take inventory of arguably the league’s most talent-rich division when it comes to young stars.
Our Southwest Roundtable series resumes with the first of a two-part look at the division’s midseason MVPs, unsung heroes, biggest surprising developments and more with the Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans.
Joining me on our panel of Southwest Division insiders are TV broadcaster Mark Followill (Dallas), radio broadcaster/PA announcer Matt Thomas (Houston), writer Jim Eichenhofer (New Orleans) and writer Michael C. Wright (NBA.com, covering San Antonio).
What’s been the most pleasant surprise of the season so far for the team you cover?
Jalen Brunson. The third-year guard is second on the team in fourth quarter points scored and was shooting 57 percent in the frame. He’s effective as the bench unit’s point guard and can be a secondary playmaking threat with Luka Doncic in fourth quarters. He’s 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 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 combined games to injuries through the first half. Justise Winslow just got healthy, and Jaren Jackson Jr. has yet to make his season debut. Yet, Taylor Jenkins’ system and depth have produced 11 different leading scorers this season in games.
Other than Zion Williamson showing (growth in his game), it’s the play of backup center Willy Hernangomez, who’s emerged as a dependable reserve for a unit that needed help. He’s giving the Pelicans a veteran reserve 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.
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 in the mix for a return to the playoffs is a surprise, considering nobody expected San Antonio to be in this position. He won’t win it, but the job Gregg Popovich has done switching up the team’s style deserves mention in Coach of the Year discussion.
What’s been the biggest disappointment?
Getting hit by a COVID outbreak for three weeks is the biggest disappointment. Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Maxi Kleber are starters who missed weeks. Backup big man Dwight Powell missed time and Brunson was also out a week. In all, 41 combined games were lost to health and safety protocols, most of them in a 2-9 stretch from Jan. 15-Feb. 1. The Mavs are 16-7 outside 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. Every team is battling that syndrome due to multiple factors from COVID-19 issues to injuries to chemistry challenges. But the Grizzlies have played to the extremes. One night, they’re blowing out the Rockets and Clippers; the next set of nights, they’re drastically underperforming against the Pelicans or Raptors. Perhaps the Grizz resolve this identity crisis in the season’s stretch run.
New Orleans hasn’t been able to improve defensively. Jrue Holiday’s trade departure left 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.
A seven-time All-Star, LaMarcus Aldridge is playing the fewest minutes (26.5) since his rookie season and he’s been hampered by various injuries after returning 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 up-tempo playing style. He’s played in just 20 games.
Who’s been your team’s first-half MVP?
Obviously, Luka Doncic. His stats, highlights, performances and star power speak for itself. He averaged a triple-double in January and over 30 points per game in February. Last year, Luka was the NBA’s only player in the top 20 in points, rebounds and assists. 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.
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. Although his outside shooting has been a major challenge this season, Morant’s leadership, defensive competitiveness and ability to control tempo 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 so far, 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. He’s improved in several areas since the mere 24 games he played as a rookie, making Pels fans wonder what else he’s going to add to his skill set the next few months and beyond.
No question, DeMar DeRozan has put together an All-Star caliber season in the face of difficult circumstances, as his father recently passed away after a long 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 a vastly underrated playmaker and leader for this young team, and he’s done everything asked of him.
Who’s been the biggest unsung hero?
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 has really held his own defensively in those situations. Before an off night in the last game before the break, Kleber 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).
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. I could go on and on with this team full of unsung heroes. Kyle tops that list, because he’s completely transformed his game from 3-point range, where he’s arguably the NBA’s most improved shooter. He’s shooting nearly 40 percent from deep and has made 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. Over the course of the entire schedule, I’d go with Josh Hart, who provides hard-nosed rebounding, energy and hustle. 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.
Dejounte Murray has developed into a two-way nightmare for opponents. Just 24, Murray has already been named once to the NBA All-Defensive Team. He’s rounding into a more complete player with much more confidence on offense, averaging career-highs in minutes (30.7), scoring (15.7), rebounds (7.2) and assists (5.1). If Murray can improve his jumper, the Spurs will have one of the NBA’s elite two-way point guards.
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