NBA Coast-to-Coast: Team-by-team musings following All-Star Weekend

Now that NBA All-Star Weekend has passed, here are my thoughts on every team in the league, in geographic order.

Another NBA All-Star weekend is in the books! There were bright moments like the All-Star Game and not-so-great moments like the Dunk Contest. Overall, however, it was a solid weekend that paid tribute to the great players of the past, present, and future.

Now, we have a few more days to unwind before the 2021-22 regular season tips off again. I wanted to take this time to straighten my mind out and give my basic thoughts on all 30 teams. For kicks, I decided to talk about each team in order from East to West. Otherwise, this is a pretty straightforward post.

What do you think about any or all of the teams in the league at this point in the season? Do you agree or disagree with any of my takes? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@CrucialBaskets)!

Boston Celtics (34-26, 6th in the East)

The Celtics have had a roller-coaster season but are trending up, coming off a nine-game winning streak that was just broken in the final game before the break. Consistency is going to be key down the stretch. With the team moving on from Dennis Schroder, I’m hoping Derrick White’s two-way ability can help with that.

New York Knicks (25-34, 12th in the East)

The Knicks seem listless. I guess we’re at the part of the Thibodeau Cycle where the team has tuned him out and he’s too stubborn to change. If the Knicks don’t have that second-half surge like they did last year, it might be in the Knicks’ best interest to let him go at the end of the season.

Brooklyn Nets (31-28, 8th in the East)

Trade acquisitions Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, and Seth Curry, as well as buyout pickup Goran Dragic are solid upgrades for the Nets’ rotation. However, it’s still hard to tell how far this team can go. Kevin Durant will be perfectly fine whenever he returns from his knee injury, but will Kyrie Irving be able to play home games by the time the playoffs come around? Despite the additions, do they have enough fire power off the bench to overpower teams? What type of Ben Simmons is this team getting? Is he the exact same player he was in Philly, flaws and all, or will he fit into a new, lesser role? As has been the case all year: the talent is there, but there is still too much up in the air for the Brooklyn Nets.

Philadelphia 76ers (35-23, 3rd in the East)

James Harden is a top-tier player, but I wonder how he and Embiid will mesh. These two are most elite when they have the ball. While this trade solved the spacing issue Embiid had with Simmons, can Harden accept that he is the second guy on this team? Also, how much offense was lost in the trade by giving up Seth Curry?

Toronto Raptors (32-25, 7th in the East)

This scrappy team is putting it together as of late, having gone 18-8 since New Year’s Eve. Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, and Gary Trent Jr. lead a likable bunch that compete on both ends of the floor. I’m glad to see them back in playoff contention.

Cleveland Cavaliers (35-23, 4th in the East)

What a shock this crew has been! Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are an impossible problem to solve in the frontcourt. Meanwhile, guard Darius Garland is certainly a heavy favorite for Most Improved Player. They have even staved off numerous injury issues with the losses of Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio. They simply plugged in Caris LeVert via trade and even he jumps in and produces right away. Such an impressive squad.

Detroit Pistons (13-45, 14th in the East)

This year is all about development. The trade deadline showed that Jerami Grant is fine with his presence as a steady veteran on a rebuilding team, and I love that for him. I can’t help but be excited to witness the growth of Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, and the other young players.

Milwaukee Bucks (36-24, 5th in the East)

I’m a little surprised that the Bucks aren’t a more dominant team in the Eastern Conference, especially with Giannis playing at such a high level. But apparently the difference-maker is that the bench is bad. Big bad. They average the third-fewest points on the worst field goal percentage of any bench in the league. That’s a huge stumbling block that they’ll need to overcome somehow if they want to repeat as champions.

Chicago Bulls (38-21, 2nd in the East)

I was confident that DeMar DeRozan would be a strong addition to the team. I did not expect him to be in the MVP conversation. This is beautifully ridiculous! Thankfully, Zach LaVine has avoided wilting under the pressure of finally playing on a contending team. Ayo Dosunmu has been the absolute draft steal I knew he’d be. The frontcourt is a little concerning, though. Nikola Vucevic has been a solid stretch five that competes on defense despite his lack of proficiency in that facet. Backup big Tony Bradley is smart and a good rim protector, but he struggles on offense. Hopefully Tristan Thompson will be a positive addition.

Indiana Pacers (20-40, 13th in the East)

If this team were healthy, they definitely could have made some noise in the playoff race. But they ain’t! Malcolm Brogdon, T.J.’s McConnell and Warren, and Myles Turner have injuries that will keep them seated for extended amounts of time. I don’t blame Kevin Prtichard for calling it a day on this era. He fleeced Sacramento into giving him Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, so hopefully this team can get healthy within the next season or so and can compete for a playoff sport.

Washington Wizards (27-31, 11th in the East)

This team started off 10-3, but I could tell it wasn’t sustainable. They treaded water for most of the season, but Bradley Beal’s season-ending injury likely puts the kibosh on this campaign. This feels like a mismatched roster that has a lot to figure out this summer.

Charlotte Hornets (29-31, 9th in the East)

This team is so much fun to watch, but I’m starting to side-eye head coach James Borrego. Something about his refusal to play James Bouknight, even going with eight-man rotations despite sporting a mostly-healthy roster, isn’t sitting right with me. It’s giving me major Thibs vibes, and I feel like he might be holding the team back with the way he handles things. How the rest of this season unfolds and how hard they compete in the Play-In rounds will really tell the full story.

Atlanta Hawks (28-30, 10th in the East)

It’s wild how wide the chasm is between their offense (2nd in the NBA) and defense (27th[!!]). Last season led be to believe Nate McMillan would be the perfect guy to fix things. Unfortunately, it looks like the honeymoon is over and the team has reverted to Pierce-era laziness. If the Hawks played league-median defense, the resulting 3.75 net rating would be the eighth-best in the league. Instead, they’re smack dab in the middle at 15th with a 0.5 rating, clawing for a spot in the Play-In rounds.

Orlando Magic (13-47, 15th in the East)

This year is all about seeing who has next on this squad. Several players (Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter) are showing strong flashes, but it just isn’t translating into wins.

Miami Heat (38-21, 1st in the East)

The state of Florida hosts the best team and the worst team in the East! Miami keeps on churning, no matter who is on the court. They’ve had their fair share of injury issues, but it’s hard to tell statistically. It’s impressive, and proof that there is come credence to all the #HeatCulture talk. When it comes to the playoffs, however, the offense will need to be more consistent and versatile.

New Orleans Pelicans (23-36, 12th in the West)

The Pelicans are in a bit of a holding pattern as they await Zion Williamson’s return. Still, there are a lot of good pieces on their roster. If Zion can come back and stay healthy, they could have something special in the Big Easy. But it all feels so tenuous right now.

Memphis Grizzlies (41-19, 3rd in the West)

Surprise Team of the Year, West Coast Edition! Ja Morant has become a superstar slightly sooner than expected, and the pieces around him fit just right. These guys are for real. A new era of Grizzlies contention is here.

Houston Rockets (15-43, 15th in the West)

The rebuild continues in Clutch City, and each passing day makes me worry for Stephen Silas’ job security. He’s a very likable guy and a solid, smart coach, but I do wonder how much longer he can maintain the attention on a young, brash team that continues to round up losses. I really hope they don’t tune him out after awhile just out of spite. Hopefully things start trending up in Houston soon.

San Antonio Spurs (23-36, 11th in the West)

A lost season in San Antonio. Just spinning their wheels. They have solid players, they’re being coached by one of the best of all-time, and yet they’re out of the Play-In and had to move on from some of their key players. With Becky Hammon moving on to helm the Las Vegas Aces, who knows what the future holds whenever Pop decides to retire.

Dallas Mavericks (35-24, 5th in the West)

Even with the front office shakeup this past summer, it feels like the org chart is Mark Cuban as owner and Luka Doncic running everything else. While building around the star and consulting with him on some moves is smart, it feels like he really runs a little too much of the roost in Dallas. I worry that’s going to come to a head at some point. For now, though, the team has been solid. It actually seems like Jason Kidd is doing a good job, especially with upholding team morale. Hopefully the harmony continues in North Texas.

Oklahoma City Thunder (18-40, 14th in the West)

Eventual Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been joined by Eventual Superstar Josh Giddey. So the foundation is getting established, but there’s quite a few more L’s to take between here and contender status. That said, the two historic blowouts the team suffered in calendar year 2021 make me side-eye Mark Daigneault just a little bit. This team is definitely a developing crew, but I strongly contend they aren’t that bad to be losing that epically.

Minnesota Timberwolves (31-28, 7th in the West)

Anthony Edwards, Chris Finch, and Patrick Beverley have come along and pushed Minnesota in the right direction. They seem well on their way to making the ‘Offs again and actually making a habit of it.

Denver Nuggets (33-25, 6th in the West)

Jamal Murray and Michael Porter have been out with long-term injuries, yet Nikola Jokic still has the Nuggets in the “No Play-In Required” Zone! It’s truly been next man up in Colorado, and that deserves applause. If the Nuggets can get the whole gang healthy again within the next few years, this team will be dangerous.

Utah Jazz (36-22, 4th in the West)

The Jazz were originally part of West Coast Triad that was head-and-shoulders above the league. Sadly, a 4-11 January knocked them off their podium. Even a 6-1 start to February hasn’t fully repaired the damage. A lot of smart hoops people are concerned that the Jazz’s perimeter defense issues and the strain it puts on paint protector Rudy Gobert has caught up with them. Utah is still a tough out in the West, but they’re going to have to work extra-hard to avoid their clear and present weakness from being exploited in the postseason.

Portland Trail Blazers (25-34, 10th in the West)

The Trail Blazers still aren’t ready to give up on Lillard, but they have finally decided to part ways with CJ McCollum. Frankly, that was a good move. He stagnated as a player long ago and, with Lillard likely out for the season, his play did nothing to keep this team’s floor raised. Might as well let him go and see what more Anfernee Simons has to offer. It’s not lost on me that the team has gone 4-1 since the trade deadline despite dealing away a 20.5 point-per-game scorer.

Sacramento Kings (22-38, 13th in the West)

The Kings are as messy as they’ve always been. Of all the pieces they could have dealt away to improve their roster, they gave up Tyrese Haliburton!? Oof. I mean, Domantas Sabonis is a good addition, but at what cost? This team has plenty of guys that are individually good, but they continuously stress out their interim coach with just how cohesive they aren’t. This franchise remains lost in the sequoia forests east of town.

Golden State Warriors (42-17, 2nd in the West)

To me, the Warriors felt like the frontrunners to win this year’s title for much of the season. However, Draymond Green’s injury and Klay Thompson’s inconsistency is very much thrown some doubt into that take. Still, the pieces are in place. If they can click at the right time, they could still win the ‘chip.

Phoenix Suns (48-10, 1st in the West)

The Suns have run away with the league’s best record. I think the big thing here is that the frontcourt has improved from last year. The additions of JaVale McGee and Bismack Biyombo have bolstered the big man depth and Deandre Ayton has improved a little bit from last year. Unfortunately, floor general Chris Paul will be out likely for the rest of the regular season due to a thumb injury. That means this final stretch will show rather or not Booker & Ayton have matured as players and are capable of holding down the fort until CP3 gets back. If they can keep the momentum, the Suns could definitely win their first NBA title.

Los Angeles Clippers (30-31, 8th in the West)

Kawhi Leonard has been out all year, then Paul George went down in December with an elbow injury. The Clippers then traded for Norman Powell and he promptly suffered a broken foot! The Clippers just can’t catch a break! Yet and still, with Tyronn Lue’s coaching and the team’s overall grit, they have managed to stay afloat. LAC will definitely be a formidable foe in the playoffs. Opponents will definitely have to earn their first round series win against this crew.

Los Angeles Lakers (27-31, 9th in the West)

This team frustrates me. A lot. They bring me very little joy. They are a mess and they’re proving all of their haters right. Anthony Davis has had awful injury luck, but he hasn’t been much of game-changer even when he is on the court. The Lakers are 17-20 in games he has played this season. LeBron’s playing well, but my eye test has shown me a guy who’s just trying to make it to the playoffs healthy. Half-speed. If a game is close enough entering the fourth, maybe he’ll turn on the jets.

Russell Westbrook has been a lightning rod for criticism, and though this isn’t all his fault, he definitely deserves a sizable chunk of the blame. He’s been jump-shot-bricking and half-ass-defending this team out of numerous games. He’s been benched twice for a reason. The role players around this big three are also very disjointed.

The front office painted themselves into a corner with this roster. However, I appreciate that they decided to stay quiet at the trade deadline and basically force this veteran-laden squad to figure the rest of the season out on their own. This is a team of grown men, legends, future hall-of-famers that wanted so badly to play with one another. If they can’t figure out how to be contenders, a large part of that is on them.