Will Kawhi's lack of availability affect the Clippers title hopes?
The Los Angeles Clippers came into the season as arguably the biggest threat to the Warriors and a heavy favorite to make it out of the West due to their overall talent and depth. That depth has been tested as Kawhi Leonard has played just five games and has started just three due to various injuries. Leonard has previously missed all of last season due to an ACL injury and doesn't appear to be able to stay healthy this season as well. With the Clippers currently at the 5th seed in the West with a 12-9 and just 2 games out of first place, they are having a solid season despite Leonard being in and out of the lineup. At some point though if Kawhi is not able to get back to 100% or at least consistently play, it could impact how far the Clippers can go in the playoffs. Without a healthy Kawhi, this team obviously cannot reach their full potential and could impact the Clippers chances of winning a title not just this season as their window could be closed entirely.
Next week, the Clippers will most likely be without Kawhi for another slate of games as he continues to nurse an ankle injury. Still, the Clippers will look to move up the Western Conference standings as they take on the Trailblazers, Jazz, and Kings.
Are the Mavericks wasting Luka's prime?
Luka Doncic is currently having an MVP caliber season at just 23 years old as he leads the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game while also leading his team in rebounding, assists, and steals. Despite Luka's brilliant play, the Mavericks sit at just 9-10 in the West having lost four straight games and are just outside the play-in picture as the 11th seed. The obvious problem is the Mavs being overly reliant on Luka simply to win games as they are 0-5 when he scores less than 30 points. What is less clear is the answer to their problem, although they have some solid talent on their roster such as Spencer Dinwiddie and their offseason acquisition Christian Wood. Still, the Mavs don't seem to have a player they can consistently rely upon outside of Luka and are at risk of wasting the early prime years of arguably the most talented player in the league. Though Doncic is just 23 years old and just coming off a Conference Finals appearance last season, the Mavericks don't have a great history of attracting star free agents to their team. This could lead them to continue to struggle surrounding Luka with complimentary talent. On a positive note, they do have the second ranked team defense in the NBA so if they are able to get more potent consistent scoring outside of Luka the Mavericks still have time to turn things around.
Next week, the Mavericks will look to climb back in playoff contention as they take on the Warriors, Pistons, and Knicks.
How far can Bradley Beal lead the Wizards?
In the offseason, the Wizards signed 3x all-star Bradley Beal to one of the largest contracts in NBA history at 5 years, $251 million dollars. Though many outside of the organization expected or hoped he would take his talents elsewhere, he has continued to show his loyalty as he believes he can be a part of a winning situation. So far this season, Beal is once again having an all-star level season averaging 23.1 points and 5.8 assists per game. He also has a solid supporting cast in Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma who are tied as the second leading scorers at 20.3 points per game. Still, the Wizards find themselves at a .500 record at just 10-10 and are currently in the play-in scenario as eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. One of their main issues this season has been team scoring with them lacking scoring depth on their roster. Currently, the Wizards average just 108.3 points per game which is the second worst in the NBA. Unfortunately, for the Wizards one reason for this could be attributed to their lack of success in draft. Though they've had a lottery pick in 2 of the last 3 drafts picking up Deni Avdija in 2020 and rookie Johnny Davis in 2022, they both don't appear to be impactful players so far in their careers. Without major changes via trade it will be hard to expect Beal to lead the Wizards past a play-in or first round appearance.
Next Week, the Wizards will be up against the Timberwolves, Nets, Hornets and Lakers as they try to find a way to break their current three game losing streak.
Game of the week- Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons combine to score 82 points as the Blazers win on the road without Damian Lillard against the Knicks 132-129 in overtime
Source: NBA YouTube Channel
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