Questions for Eastern Conference contenders
Tomorrow, the final stretch of the season kicks off. Toilet bowl teams like Detroit, Orlando, and Houston are vying for draft position. Middling teams like New Orleans and Sacramento are racing for the Play-In tournament. And this year, 10 of the 30 teams have a real argument for contender status.
Let’s run through each of the ten teams and try to answer the biggest questions surrounding their situation. First, the East!
Brooklyn Nets
Will Ben Simmons become a 40% three point shooter on high volume when he inevitably switches to his right hand?
Everyone knows that Simmons was purposefully avoiding shooting from the perimeter in a grand scheme to undermine the Sixers. He is 5-34 from deep in his career, but ten of those attempts have been heaves. Simmons clearly had no intention to become the perimeter threat the Sixers needed him to be — why would he, when he was constantly bullied by Joel Embiid — and he exacerbated the problem by shooting with the wrong hand.
Before his Ringer fame, Kevin O’Connor took a deep dive into Ben Simmons’ right hand dominance at SB Nation. What he discovered was fascinating: left-handed jump shooter Ben Simmons used his right hand over 81% of the time on non-jump shots.
The writing is on the wall: Brooklyn fleeced the Sixers with a promise from Simmons that he’ll become the right-handed shooter he was always destined to be, giving the Nets a 6’10 point guard who can score from anywhere on the court and guard anyone in the league.
Milwaukee Bucks
Is Giannis the most unstoppable playoff player ever (in theory)?
The Bucks made it to the Finals after demolishing the Heat, barely surviving the Nets, working through the Hawks, and letting Giannis carry them to victory over the Suns.
In recent years, stories surfaced of Giannis’ determination to become a better free throw shooter — even a rumor that involved a drill in which the mother of his child ran sprints when he missed free throws. But in last year’s playoffs fans counted the seconds it took Giannis to get through his routine. A career 71% free throw shooter, Giannis went 11-18, 12-17, and 17-19 in the Finals — making nine per game.
This year, Giannis is the same beast he has been for the past three years, but with an improved touch on his jumper and around the rim. Something tells me we’ll get to the playoffs, and Giannis will destroy everything in his path once again.
Cleveland Cavaliers
What will Jarrett Allen wear to playoff games?
The internet roasted Jarrett Allen for his outfit on Friday night:
I don’t think Allen looks great, but it’s a simple outfit — much better than whatever the hell James Harden wore when he rung the bell last week.
Does this put public pressure on Allen to become a fashionista? I sure hope so. Allen looks like Stretch from the NBA Street series, but he dresses like my friend Riley. He makes $20 million a year — give me some colorful pants, at least!
Chicago Bulls
Is DeMar DeRozan the best shooting guard in Bulls history?
I didn’t get a chance to watch the NBA’s 75th Anniversary ceremony, so I’m not sure who any of the greatest players in NBA history are — but I do know that there’s no way in hell there’s ever been a Bulls shooting guard anywhere close to the level of 2022 DeMar DeRozan.
I don’t know who Wilt Chamberlain is, but he must have been pretty good, too.
Boston Celtics
Was Brad Stevens the smartest GM at the deadline by re-acquiring Daniel Theis?
I present to you, the Theis Sealâ„¢:
Jayson Tatum used to get six points a game off of Daniel Theis acting like he’s posting up in the middle of his driving lane — now, he’s back to do it again.
The Celtics have been the NBA’s best defensive team over the last 15 games. They’ve smashed bad teams. With Theis giving his guards easy points again, who’s to say they can’t become the best offensive team for the rest of the regular season?
Miami Heat
Why don’t we think of Jimmy Butler among the funniest players in the NBA?
This clip took me by surprise. As a self-proclaimed NBA meme connoisseur, how did I not know Jimmy was this funny?
Young guys like Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are hilarious. Klay Thompson’s awkward humor might make him the NBA’s comedy champ, but Jimmy Butler is quickly rising up the ranks for me.
Bonus question: Did you know Miami is tied for the no. 1 seed in the East?
Philadelphia 76ers
Can the Sixers overcome Doc Rivers?
The Harden-Simmons swap was a massive win for the Sixers. Two big-bodied playmakers destroying everything in their path, with Tyrese Maxey as a third option and Tobias Harris doing his thing. The Sixers are lacking some depth, so there’s no reason why Doc Rivers shouldn’t stagger the minutes so one of Embiid or Harden is on the floor at all times.
But this is Doc Rivers we’re talking about — the only coach to blow three 3-1 leads in the playoffs, the coach that couldn’t corral numerous iterations of the Clippers and allowed his team to fold against the Hawks last season. It came as a surprise to us all when Rivers was named one of the 15 greatest coaches of all time. Let’s see if Harden is good enough to help the Sixers beat their opponents, the refs, and their own coach.