NBA Click & Roll: Why the entire NBA should be scared of James Harden and the Houston Rockets
Welcome to Paste BN Sports' NBA Click & Roll newsletter.
Every Wednesday we'll bring you exclusive content from Paste BN's NBA reporters Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt, including updates on all their exploits on the NBA beat. Plus, you'll have all the top NBA moments spoon-fed to your inbox.
Jumping to Conclusions
What's up with the Bucks?
As part of our weekly feature, Paste BN Sports' NBA insiders will offer exclusive opinions right here.
Conclusion: The Bucks aren't playing close to their potential
It’s true that the Bucks have gotten significantly better on defense since adding Eric Bledsoe in early November. They went from second-last in the league (109.5 defensive rating) to seventh-best (102.6) in the month since acquiring him. They’ve also forced the second most turnovers in that span at 18.2 per game. But there are glaring holes that are holding this team back from competing for a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference, as many expected they would. They’re last in rebounding and last in opponent three-point field goal percentage, surprising numbers given the Bucks’ stated emphasis on length.
Right now, the Bucks are an inconsistent, middle-of-the-road team that hasn’t played close to their potential. Their recent three-game winning streak was snapped at Boston after the Celtics shot 59% and had 15 assists on 22 field goals in the first half. The problems, as they have been all season, stem from ill-advised traps, late rotations and effort – bad habits that are tough to iron out.
This week's other conclusions? The Thunder are finally clutch, and maybe the Jimmy Butler deal wasn't so bad for the Bulls.
Check out our full Conclusions.
NBA Power Rankings
It's pick your poison with the Houston Rockets. Since Chris Paul's return from a knee injury, the Rockets are 7-0 and they lead the NBA in both offensive and defensive ratings. The Cavs, Celtics and Warriors are all sizzling, but it's the Rockets who top this week's NBA power rankings.
MUST-SEE MOMENTS
- And you get an ejection and you get an ejection. The NBA is awash with player (and ref) misconduct. Kevin Durant was ejected for the second time in three games after a conversation with DeMarcus Cousins quickly got heated.
- To be honest, they were probably arguing over Cousins’ amazing explanation for what happened in the movie Titanic.
- Durant’s dismissal was better than that of teammate Shaun Livingston, who was tossed after going head-to-head with an official. Livingston was suspended without pay for a game, while ref Courtney Kirkland was also suspended.
- At least Andre Drummond actually fouled out before he was forced to leave Saturday’s loss to the 76ers. We’re sure Drummond’s frustration had nothing to do with Joel Embiid’s pregame comment, “No disrespect, but he can’t shoot.” Definitely, Joel. None taken.
- Can you imagine playing against Embiid in high school? His highlights are ridiculous.
- Dikembe Mutombo made the post-block finger wag famous. Now he's thoroughly enjoying see today's players pull out his trademark move.
- Dirk Nowitzki got into a funny "war of words" with a teammate. Dirk got the last laugh.
- What’s laughable is how little the Phoenix Suns care to play defense in an NBA game. This sequence is incredible.
- Remember LeBron’s tweet at Donald Trump that broke the internet? It was the most shared post from any athlete in 2017.
- We said athlete … not LaVar Ball, who is now knocking his son’s Lakers teammates, making the Lakers enforce a so-called “LaVar rule,” blaming UCLA coaches for his other son’s shoplifting drama, pulling said son out of UCLA, making the rounds on various television shows, and sending the president Big Baller shoes.
- At this point, LaVar isn’t being a sound parent to his kids. He’s exploiting them.
- If any of that makes your head hurt, get tissues because there’s nothing better than Russell Westbrook on a holiday shopping spree with kids.
MVP race
It's James Harden's world, and LeBron and company are just living in it. The Rockets PG averaged almost 35 and 10 throughout November.
Check out our full MVP rankings here.
Rookie Power Rankings
The most fun rookie in the NBA is ... Donovan Mitchell? Yes, it's not Ben Simmons or even Lonzo Ball. It's Mitchell, the Utah Jazz rookie who torched the Pelicans for 41 points to become just the seventh active player in the NBA to log a 40-plus point game as a rookie.
Mitchell checks in at No. 3 in our rookie power rankings.
Best of the rest
The Clippers are at a crossroads, and the prospect of trading DeAndre Jordan is very real. One thing that could possibly influence Jordan's future (he can be a free agent this summer) is that he and Rockets point guard Chris Paul talk "just about every day."
The Lakers' budding core of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma has made Los Angeles an extremely attractive free agent destination. That remains the case even though the start to Ball's career has been extremely rocky.
The Cavaliers won their 12th consecutive game Monday night, and Dwyane Wade has started to generate mild 6th Man of the Year chatter. He's not exactly comfortable with it.
Despite being a Buckeye fan, LeBron, surprisingly, said he thought the Playoff committee did a "great job."
Steph Curry is out at least two weeks after suffering another ankle scare. He'll miss playing in front of his hometown Charlotte fans, as will coach Steve Clifford, who's out with an undisclosed illness.
Check back next week for all the latest throughout the Association.