The MOST IMPORTANT THINGS in the NBA β For All 30 Teams
Substack writers on what to know right now, and what to anticipate, as the Eastern Conference playoff races heat up [Part 1 of 2]
Western Conference [Part 2 of 2] coming on Thursday.
What are the most important things β short-term and long-term β for each team in the Eastern Conference?
We asked 15 NBA Substack writers for their answers.
Check out their team-by-team responses and subscribe!
|
Short-term: The Hawks rank pretty high on this seasonβs list of Most Disappointing Teams and now injuries seriously threaten their ability to hang onto No. 10 in the East and the chance to try to salvage something via the Play-In. Trae Young is out for a month. Onyeka Okongwu is out indefinitely. Can Atlanta cling to No. 10 without them?
Long-term: Remember how the Raptors, both last January and this January, were a source of major curiosity throughout the league about which cornerstone players they would finally trade? That's the Hawks now. Do they put Dejounte Murray back on the block at season's end? Do they keep Murray and field offers for Trae? An entire NBA wants to know.Β
Short-term: With such an ever-growing lead for the best record in the NBA, Boston's biggest concern is making sure players continue to play with an edge heading into the postseason.Β
Long-term: With their top-heavy roster, the Celtics will need to be creative over the next few seasons in their efforts to add talent within the salary-cap constraints they will surely be dealing with for years to come.Β
Short-term: The Nets will say that qualifying for the play-in tournament is priority No. 1 now. Too bad, for this is an appropriate time to lean into the development of their young players β Cam Thomas, Jalen Wilson, Noah Clowney, et al.
Long-term: This offseason, Brooklynβs rebuild should prioritize (a) the hiring a qualified head coach β one whoβs had prior success β and (b) acquiring a lead guard who can take over at crunch time, all while staying under the luxury tax.Β
Short-term: The Charlotte Hornets are experiencing a renaissance post-trade deadline after replacing their entire bench unit with NBA-ready veterans. Their defense and ball movement have improved dramatically despite the fact that LaMelo Ball remains out.
Long-term: Who will the Hornets build around? Rookie Brandon Miller is learning the NBA game quickly and showing flashes of becoming a perennial All-Star super-wing with leadership to boot. LaMelo Ball has All-NBA playmaking skills and a max contract, but his ankle health is a major concern.
Short-term: Any reasonable person would use the more accurate term βshortsightedβ β the professed goal is to maintain competitiveness in every game. Doesnβt matter who plays, or how they play, just that there arenβt embarrassing, lopsided losses (especially in front of paying customers).
Long-term: New management is needed. Unambitious and backward family ownership endures, but even under their financial and philosophical constraints they can hire executives less cowardly and braindead than the current group has proven to be. Unfortunately, Bulls history suggests front-office regime change will likely require something unusually drastic to catalyze.Β
Short-term: Darius Garland hasnβt been his All-Star self all season. If the point guard can play his way into a rhythm over Clevelandβs 17-game March, he can raise the Wine and Goldβs already lofty ceiling even higher.
Long-term: Do the Cavs have too many good players? They might. Playing everyone who deserves minutes has looked counterproductive. So the questions loom: How will coach J. B. Bickerstaff tighten his rotations into the postseason, and can he keep everyone happy when he does?
Short-term: Detroit needs to establish an offensive identity and get Jalen Duren to commit to defense β consistently β for the rest of this season. The Pistons should play Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey together more to figure out what an offense led by both looks like.
Long-term: The Pistons should sign or trade for 3-point specialists to surround Cade, Ivey, Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Isaiah Stewart. Focus on shoring up the interior defense with Durenβs development and getting a Dale Davis-type vet to push him. Collect as many picks as you can to build out the roster.
Short-term: The Pacers are seventh in the East as they wrap up February and face a daunting March schedule, with 10 of 15 games on the road. Given their focus on reaching the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 bubble β and the first time since Tyrese Haliburton arrived β every game counts.
Long-term: Indianaβs trade-deadline addition of two-time All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam was huge because a player that skilled has never signed with the Pacers in free agency. Defensive improvement is also critical, and they need consistent output from several younger players, starting with Bennedict Mathurin. Can he become their third pillar?
Short-term: The Heat are in the zone. Since Jan. 29, the Heat have gone zone on 226 possessions β 145 more than any other team. On Friday, Miamiβs zone defeathered the Pelicans and Zion Williamson. Erik Spoelstra is the only likely playoff coach bold enough to lean on zone defense, and he's leaning all the way.
Long-term: Pop quiz β¦ Who sees Miamiβs point differential improve most when heβs on the floor? Itβs Nikola JoviΔ, the Heatβs 20-year-old whom Spo has promoted to the starting lineup. Iβm definitely intrigued by his team-best +11.1 net rating and his scorching 46.4% from downtown as a stretch 4. The 27th-overall pick from 2022 might be Miamiβs latest diamond in the rough.
Short-term: Milwaukee must maximize the partnership of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. For the Bucks to live up to their championship potential, there's no greater issue than the superstar duo finding the spark that's needed to make the others thrive more consistently.
Long-term: This Bucks team is designed to win now. If Milwaukee falls short of contending for a championship this season, it would not be surprising to see more changes on the horizon, especially when they have not preached or practiced patience over the last year.
Short-term: Can this team continue to survive the loss of OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson? New York has withstood the absenceΒ of Mitch, but is just 6-6 without Julius and OG as Jalen Brunson continues to shoulder an incredible burden.Β
Long-term: If this team ever gets fully healthy, will it have enough time to gel before the playoffs, and how good can it be? Bojan BogdanoviΔ and Alec Burks have been hit-and-miss, but the Knicks have to hope both can raise their ceiling with better surrounding talent.
Short-term: The Magic have taken their step forward this season. They've gone from out of the postseason picture to firmly in it, driven by defense and Paolo Banchero. The Magic defend and rebound, while Bancheroβs become an efficient shot-maker vs. a chucker.
Long-term: Orlando has to figure out its backcourt. The current guard group is fine, but none stand out. Jalen Suggs is showing signs of being more, but the rest need work. Maybe itβll come from internal growth, but itβll probably come from outside the current roster.
Short-term: The only things that matter right now for the 76ers are when Joel Embiid is returning and what he looks like when he returns. This is exactly the same response I could have given you each of the last several years.
Long-term: The Sixers have a ton of cap space with a superstar in place, and Tyrese Maxey gets better every year. Whether it's a star free agent, or a trade into their cap space for a player who fits next to Joel and Maxey, itβs a huge offseason.
Short-term: Bring on the pizza party! The Raptors have won three in a row for the first time this season, 85 days after Darko RajakoviΔ promised the team dinner in exchange for a win streak. And the first two games of their upcoming four-game homestand will be against teams on the second night.
Long-term: The Raptors are finally built to play to the strengths of RajakoviΔβs system. Their new-look starting five owns the NBAβs second-best net rating since the deadline. The second unit is averaging 42.7 points in three games since the break, tied for fourth. Fun fact: The Raptors scored 33 points off cuts on Monday against Indy, the most by any team this season.
Short-term: The Jordan Poole debacle is a shiny, broken toy, distracting viewers from the teamβs most pressing short-term issue β Washington must figure out if Deni Avdijaβs recent hot stretch is replicable. Avdijaβs shown new efficiency and aggression in 2024; is that pyrite, or the real thing?
Long-term: In the long term, all that matters for the Wizards is infusing fresh blood into an anemic system. Rookie Bilal Coulibaly intrigues, and two first-rounders in 2024 will help. Even a weak draft class will have some players; now, Washington has to find them.
Great " mini summaries ". Thanks.
i love this. did i miss the Western conference, or is it upcoming? obvs I'm Celtics forever, but the Kings are my second fave team in the league, and i need alllll the info.