NBA - 15.8% Midseason - 5 Thoughts

 

Good evening!

It's been far too long since the NBA season has begun without word from the Rhythm of the Sword Blog - but here we are, come to the rescue and not a moment too soon! Action around the league is heating up, from the surging Timberwolves to the (gasp!) struggling Clippers. Here are 5 thoughts at the 15.8% point of this NBA season, as measured by the Cavs' number of completed games out of the 82 on the regular season schedule:

#1 - The Cleveland Cavaliers have not figured it out... yet

There have been encouraging flashes here and there, like the Cavs' most recent win against the defending champion Denver Nuggets, without the services of Donovan Mitchell no less. But the Cavs are only sitting at 7-6, just as hot and cold as last year and not separating themselves in any meaningful way from conference rivals. What will it take for Bickerstaff and the Cavs to accomplish a shift in team culture this season? The clock is ticking.

#2 - The Lakers are shooting themselves in the foot

LeBron has played at least 35 minutes in over half of the Lakers' games so far this year (7/13). The 38-year-old is somehow still expected to to be the main man in Los Angeles, even with the likes of Anthony Davis (age 30) healthy and playing alongside him. No one else on the roster seems to have taken the initiative to play a leadership role for the Lakers. The result is going to be another regular season of overuse for LeBron, leading to injury and an early playoff exit at best. The 4-time champ is not getting his fifth title if his teammates can't give him a chance to be fresh for the playoffs.

#3 - The Western Conference has two new serious contenders

At this moment in time, the Timberwolves and Thunder are sitting at Numbers 1 and 2 in the West. These young teams are finally beginning to really blossom after some rebuilding years, led by the emergence of two new superstars in Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Edwards in particular is getting a lot of hype, and his explosive play, 26 ppg  /  38.8 3P% stats, and low-maintenance injury history are making that hype look very much warranted. He should probably get his own article soon.

#4 - An MVP in the Making?

The internet tells me that Tyrese Haliburton has transformed the Pacers into a fast, free-flowing, competitive team. Currently leading the league in assists (12.5 apg), Haliburton has brought a new style of play to Indiana, a team that is near and dear to my heart as a former citizen of that great state. If the man could stay healthy, I could see Haliburton taking the Pacers on a deep playoff run as early as the '25-'26 season. You heard it here first. I want to watch some of his highlights, but alas for Zero Entertainment. Haliburton is also currently 4th in Player Efficiency Rating in the league at 29.71. All the stats are from Basketball-Reference.com by the way.

#5 - Still Championship Favorites?

The Damian Lillard era in Milwaukee has had mixed results so far. While the addition of Oregon's finest point guard has certainly lit up the Bucks' offensive capabilities, it has come at the price of defense. And while you can argue about whether or not defense wins championships, it certain does help. And the Bucks don't have it. I think Antetokounmpo and Lillard are players of such quality that they will find a way to overcome this shortcoming to find their way to rings and a banner, but the road will be neither easy nor linear. After a 9-4 start including losses to the Magic, Raptors, and Hawks, Milwaukee has plenty of work to do.