Compelling Storylines Abound Entering the NBA's Stretch Run

By Frank W. Gillespie | Posted 2 months ago
Compelling Storylines Abound Entering the NBA's Stretch Run

With the NBA All-Star game and its associated hoopla thankfully in the Rearview Mirror, we can get back to business. The NBA’s stretch run is upon us, and there are several saucy storylines to keep our eyes on. The Boston Celtics continue to be the Beasts of the East, as well as the most dominant force in the entire league. The Wild West has a tight four-team race at the top of the standings, with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder somewhat shockingly in first and second place, respectively. Here’s a look at the most recent power rankings, according to NBA.com: 

Celtics’ Squad Well-Positioned to Win East, Perhaps NBA Title

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have led Boston to five Eastern Conference Finals appearances in seven years, including an NBA Finals berth in 2021-22. The Celtics lost that particular championship series to a veteran Golden State Warriors team in six games, and are no doubt eager for another title shot. The additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have proven to be great, evolutionary moves for Boston, and the Celtics are positioning themselves for another deep playoff run. Boston has a legitimate “Fearsome Foursome” with Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, and Holiday in the starting five, and PG Derrick White is a formidable fifth.

The Celtics own an impressive 26-3 record at home and are 13-1 within their division, both tops in the NBA. If Boston continues its dominance in TD Garden and locks down the No. 1 seed, the Celtics make for a very tough out in the postseason. The three teams which defeated Boston at home all hail from the West: the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Two of the three are serious contenders. 

Other teams to watch in the East are Donovan Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. The Cavaliers play tough defense, are just six games back of the Celtics, and have won nine of their last 10 contests. Cleveland and Boston are ranked second and third, respectively, for team defensive rating, only trailing Minnesota in this category. The Bucks are always a threat, and perhaps even more so now with PG Patrick Beverly and head coach Doc Rivers joining Milwaukee. 

The New York Knicks are another longshot challenger in the East, but their success is largely dependent on Julius Randle’s shoulder. The news on Randle’s recovery of late has been positive, and the Knicks will absolutely need him on the court if they are to make a serious late-season push. Randle’s teammate Jalen Brunson is putting together an MVP-caliber campaign, and the Knicks are a gritty bunch, but New York needs all hands on deck to make any real noise to close out the season.    

Injury to Embiid Opens Up NBA MVP Race, SGA Earns Respect

Philadelphia 76ers’ superstar Joel Embiid injured his left knee on Feb 1 against the Warriors, serving the Sixers a serious setback, while opening up the race for NBA MVP. Embiid and the Denver Nuggets’ two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic were once again charging towards the finish line head-to-head as favorites, but now several other meritorious candidates are making legitimate waves in the discussion.  

While all of these players are enjoying excellent seasons and are worthy of consideration, this ultimately boils down to a three-way battle. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is setting the league on fire, consistently playing at an elite level on both ends of the floor. SGA is clearly the main reason that Oklahoma City has risen up the ranks so quickly, and if the Thunder finish at the top of the West, the award should probably go to him. Gilgeous-Alexander’s approach to the game is unique and refreshing, and he is putting his stamp on the NBA, representing the new breed. 

The other two legit candidates for MVP are Jokic and Antetokounmpo, who have each won the award twice already. Luca Doncic is having one of the most mind-boggling statistical seasons ever, but the Dallas Mavericks are not getting it done in the win column, and that factors in. Kawhi Leonard obviously has MVP talent in him, but it’s not likely he’ll win it this year. Tatum has consistently been in the MVP conversation for the last few years, but now he is surrounded by a squad of playmakers and he probably won’t be able to put up strong enough numbers for serious consideration this season. 

Players like Anthony Edwards, Mitchell, and Brunson are having phenomenal campaigns, but it doesn’t feel like the time is right for them yet. Edwards is perhaps deserving of the most credit of the three, since he is the core energy and the bedrock of the West’s top team right now. Who expected the Timberwolves to be this good, this tough? According to former league MVP and current Phoenix Sun Kevin Durant, Edwards and San Antonio Spurs’ rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama will be the two best players in 10 years. In the here and now, Edwards is leading a hoops revolution in Minnesota, while Wembanyama is the frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year. Well played, KD.

 

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