NBA Click & Roll: Joel Embiid can't stop trolling and ... could LeBron land in Houston?
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.
QUICK DISH: THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
By now you should know better than to take Joel Embiid seriously. He trolled ex-76ers teammate Jahlil Okafor after he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He trolled the whole league, proclaiming the 76ers "will be ready" for the Warriors in this year's Finals. He even squashed any beef with the ultimate troll himself, Mr. LaVar Ball.
Don't expect the Balls to stray far from the news. One player familiar with the Lithuanian team the younger Balls signed with is predicting "disaster." That sounds about right. Somehow, (maybe it's LaVar's homeschooling?), LiAngelo thinks he can still make it to the Lakers. We're predicting an international incident in about two weeks.
Moving on ...
- Steve Kerr seemed particularly pleased with Tuesday night's Alabama Senate election. #RollTide
- Noted political pundit Sir Charles Barkley was thrilled as well.
- Kawhi Leonard, now that you're back, please be safe with those massive hands. No more karate for you.
- Or punching any teammates, like Bulls forward Bobby Portis did to teammate Nikola Mirotic. A "1-2 punch"? Really? That's the TV graphic you chose?
- We know Ben Simmons can't shoot from outside, but this is absolutely pathetic defense from the Pelicans.
- LeBron knows pathetic. He cheers for the winless-Browns.
- If you find yourself sitting in the stands, and wonder whether it's a good idea to heckle LeBron, think again.
- Oh, how we wish Craig Sager was around to ask James about the interaction. Sager passed a year ago, but his wife recounted some sage advice that helped make him so special.
- Chalk one up for grandpa. Thirty-seven year old David West's monster dunk sent the Warriors' bench into a frenzy.
- That was nothing compared to this Warriors superfan, who lost his mind when Kevin Durant handed him a pair of signed shoes. Well done, KD. Maybe you're not such a villain after all.
LeBron to Houston? Here's why it's not crazy
As Sam Amick wrote this week, the free-wheeling, three-point happy Houston Rockets are legitimate title contenders. James Harden and Chris Paul have meshed seamlessly together in the most devastating backcourt combination in the NBA. What's more, their success, coupled with Paul's well-known friendship with LeBron James, has given the Rockets a real shot at landing LeBron this summer in free agency.
Jumping to Conclusions
Ben Simmons is the favorite, but ...
As part of our weekly feature, Paste BN Sports' NBA insiders will offer exclusive opinions right here.
Conclusion: The Rookie of the Year race isn't over.
Yes, Simmons started hot and has continued to play well. But we’re just two months into the season with four left. It’s a long season, especially for rookies. Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell are playing well enough to ensure that Simmons doesn’t lock up the award by February.
Simmons leads rookies in points (18 points per game), rebounds (9.1 per game), assists (7.7 per game) and steals (2.1 per game) and is shooting 50.7% from the field. Tatum is sixth among rookies in points (13.8) and rebounds (5.7) and seventh in steals (one per game) and is shooting 50.2% from the field, including 50% on three-pointers, which is best in the league for all players, not just rookies. He is a two-way player, too, and the Celtics allow just 99 points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor. It helps his case that the Celtics are among the best teams in the league.
Mitchell scored a season-high for rookies with 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans and dropped 31 on the Oklahoma City two games later. In the past month, Mitchell is averaging 20.8 points and shooting 45.3% from the field and 41% on three-pointers. For the season, he is right behind Simmons in rookie scoring at 17.3 points per game. - Jeff Zillgitt
This week's other conclusions? Despite their struggles, the Thunder won't be trading Paul George or firing coach Billy Donovan, and maybe, just maybe, the Bulls can co-exist.
This week's full Jumping to Conclusions.
Power Rankings
The Pacers, just in time to welcome Paul George back to Indianapolis, have surged up the rankings and cracked our top 10. The Thunder on the other hand? They're having trouble staying above .500. Tell us again. Who won that trade?
Check out our full NBA power rankings here.
MVP RACE
Durant is making his MVP case with Steph Curry sidelined, but from this vantage point, it looks like a three-man race between The Beard, The Freak and The King, which, coincidentally, sounds like our new favorite band.
Anyway ...
Check out our full MVP rankings here.
ROOKIE POWER RANKINGS
It probably won't last, but Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum is leading the NBA in three-point shooting at 50%. He checks in at No. 2 in our Rookie Power Rankings.
Best of the rest
LeBron is the one who started the chatter for Dwyane Wade's Sixth Man of the Year candidacy, and as Wade explained to Jeff Zillgitt, it all began as soon as he checked his ego at the door.
The NBA and the G League are staying ahead of the curve and doing everything they can to reach new audiences. Their latest attempt is a brand new partnership with Twitch.
One player who's as hungry as ever is Victor Oladipo, the centerpiece of the Paul George trade and an emerging star. He knows the Pacers aren't "sexy," and he doesn't care.
Too much reading? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stopped by the A to Z podcast to talk about NBA players finding their voices on social issues.
Check back next week for all the latest throughout the Association.