(Photo courtesy of Medium)
Jake Messer
Connector Editor
The NBA season is officially in the All-Star break and what a season it has been. From young players cementing themselves as superstars, to surprise teams dominating the league, to a history making trade deadline this season has been full of surprises.
The biggest of all these surprises came just a few days before the trade deadline, when the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded their superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that included forward Anthony Davis.
The trade sent shockwaves through the entire sports world. Many simply cannot believe that the Mavs would trade their first team All-NBA, 25-year-old guard, for an often-injured Davis.
The trade has been further vilified as Davis was injured in his Mavs debut and could potentially be out for over a month. Trading the player who brought you to the NBA Finals for a player, who when on the court is indeed a valuable player, seemingly struggles to stay healthy, is not the best choice in terms of competitiveness and fan enjoyment.
The Lakers walk away with a superstar who will most likely become the number one option when forward, as Lebron James ultimately decides to retire in the coming years. Doncic has proven he can lead a team to success, and it will be up to the Lakers front office to surround him with the proper pieces to succeed.
In other news, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been the biggest surprise this year. This season they are currently sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference, with a 44-10 record. Led by their guard duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, who are cementing themselves as one of the best duos in the NBA.
Last season they had a record of 48-34, finishing the season in fourth place. Entering the break, the Cav’s almost have as many wins as last season, showing the leap the team made in such a brief time span.
Right behind the Cavs are the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, who are both putting in solid campaigns despite struggles sprinkled in throughout. All three of these teams should be seen as title contenders in the Eastern Conference this season.
On the other hand, the Western Conference is a bit more complicated to break down.
The surprise team could go to a few, but the most shocking is the performance of the Houston Rockets, who are playing like a completely different team this season.
They are currently sitting in fourth in the west, with a record of 34-20. A huge improvement from their record last season where they missed the playoffs entirely, finishing .500 at 41-41.
What has changed? Improved offensive efficiency is definitely a factor, but their defense has been the difference maker this time around. The team is currently averaging 9 steals, 5 blocks and holding their opponents to 108 points per game. A young team that is worth keeping an eye on.
The contenders of the West are easy to identify.
The Oklahoma City Thunder put the association on notice. Sitting with the NBA’s best record of 44-9 and look like the favorites to win it all this year. Led by their superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging near 33 points per game.
The Denver Nuggets cannot be forgotten, as they are currently surging into the break. They sit in third place in the Western Conference, with a record of 36-19. They are led by former MVP center Nikola Jokic.
Backing Jokic up has been the guard duo of Russell Westbrook, who is having a career renaissance in Denver, and Jamal Murray, who is playing like a true number two option after a slow start to the season.
The rest of the west is up in the air. It will really come down to the last few weeks of the season, as the standings are so close, the final true contender could arise right before the start of the playoffs.
The best of the best is quite easy to distinguish this season.
The MVP award is a race of two now, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic. Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player on the best team simply put.
However, Jokic cannot be dismissed. Right now, he is currently averaging 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists per game. In other terms, Jokic is currently averaging a triple-double a game, something only accomplished by Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson in the association’s history.
There is still plenty of basketball left to play. Sit back and watch the drama unfold.
