Bam Adebayo has been outstanding this season, and a big reason why Miami is still in playoffs contention. Photo: Getty Images.
The NBA season is at its halfway point so let’s hand out some mid-season grades!
These grades are doled out relative to a team’s expectations, so whilst the Magic have a far inferior record than the Bucks, the former’s grade is better.
Today we’re looking at the other half of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
*All win-loss records are as they were at the time of writing
Miami Heat (25-22 win-loss): B
The Heat have been decimated by injuries so far this season. Their opening night starting five (Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo) have played just 15 very effective games together.
Adebayo has been utterly brilliant as he’s battled to keep his team afloat, finally taking control of the offence and finally topping the 20-point average mark whilst providing his usual numbers across the board on top of stellar defence.
Herro, who started the season on fire before being curtailed by injury, has started to look himself again while Butler – when he plays – is still the NBA’s most underappreciated superstar.
They’re trending in the right direction, winning eight of their past 13 games and if they can maintain some modicum of health – a big if – expect the Heat to push back into a top-four seed in the East.
Milwaukee Bucks (29-17): B
The Bucks are just about playing to their limits to maintain their top-two seeding in the East.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing out of his skin at both ends most nights to carry his hamstrung team while Brook Lopez’s early-season form saw him as a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year, but it’s no coincidence that as his form has fallen away, the Bucks’ defence has too.
Bobby Portis is the only reserve player that can be relied upon to create anything offensively.
Of course, all of what ails the Bucks could be solved by a touch of improved health to Giannis’ key lieutenants in Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton.
Holiday’s season has gone in fits and starts, the guard missing 15 games in five separate blocks, and Middleton has played just the 171 minutes so far this season; in other words, 80 per cent of a Lord of the Rings movie.
Getting those two back on board would help the Bucks exponentially, but they have to hope it happens in time for the rest of their core to have something left in the tank for a deep playoff run.
New York Knicks (25-22): B+
Yes, he was pretty expensive, but Jalen Brunson has given the Knicks everything they could have wanted.
As a point guard should, he’s given the team a structure and offensive focus that they haven’t had in previous seasons and it’s reasonable to assume that Brunson’s presence has played a large part in Julius Randle’s resurgence, too.
Randle’s shooting numbers are not quite at the outlier level of his All-NBA season, but his counting stats are excellent; 24.4 points and 10.7 boards both representing career highs.
Most encouragingly, the famously inflexible Tom Thibodeau has shown an adaptability that belies his reputation.
The Knicks coach has been able to move Evan Fournier to the edge of the rotation whilst cutting the cord with his long-time golden child Derrick Rose, the former MVP not having seen a second of court time since the turn of the year.
The emergence of Quentin Grimes has given the Knicks a genuine two-way wing, something they haven’t had for the longest time.
The Knicks are not elite, but they’re a genuine playoff team that looks to have a sustainable future. That represents genuine progress for them.
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Orlando Magic (17-29): A-
This grading is all about perspective. The Magic are sitting well outside a play-in spot, let alone the top six, yet the feeling around the team couldn’t be more positive.
Since their 5-20 start, the Magic are humming along with a 12-9 record and an above-league-average offence despite getting next to nothing from their backcourt at that end of the floor.
The young trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr could be Orlando’s starting frontcourt for the next decade.
They’re a +10.7 when sharing the floor and are ably backed up by the delightful Bol Bol and Franz’s older brother Moritz.
Jonathan Isaac is set to return after an age away from the floor, too, and if he can provide anything, it’s a bonus.
As poor as their backcourt has been, there is intriguing talent on the roster.
Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs could all turn themselves into legitimate starters on a good team – at worst, they’re rotation pieces.
Not ideal, but with the Magic due to get another bite at the lottery apple at the end of this season, they could still find a future starting guard to complement that fantastic front line.
Philadelphia 76ers (30-16): B+
The Sixers didn’t get off to a flyer this season but they’ve righted the ship after that poor start despite the fact that Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden – only the team’s best three players – have all missed chunks of the season.
General manager Daryl Morey has created a team with serious depth and versatility.
Harden has settled into his role as a master distributor, Maxey is an electric secondary scorer, the oft-maligned Tobias Harris is playing career-best defence alongside outstanding offensive efficiency and De’Anthony Melton has been one of the best acquisitions of the off-season.
Of course, none of that matters without Embiid, yet again, playing at an MVP level. ‘JoJo’ is averaging a career-high 33.7 points per game but it’s how he’s doing it that is so encouraging.
With shooters stationed all around him, Embiid is taking less threes and is instead setting up at the elbow or nail, using the threat of mashing his defender to open up his mid-range game. He’s also playmaking superbly when given the chance.
The Sixers, suddenly drama-free, just need good health to maintain their status as a legitimate threat in the East.
Toronto Raptors (20-27): C-
This is not what the Raptors powerbrokers expected.
The team isn’t able to stop opponents from scoring and whilst it does create a truckload of turnovers, its formidable fast-break offence can’t cover for its awful halfcourt attack.
It will be interesting to see if general manager Masai Ujiri decides to stick or twist with this group through the trade deadline and the off-season.
As an aside, keep an eye out for a new video series coming from Vendetta Sports where I cover various NBA topics. The first item on the agenda is these very Raptors and I’ll go into more detail on the Raptors’ issues, there.
Washington Wizards (20-26): D+
The good vibes of the Wizards’ early-season form are a distant memory as the team has reverted to type.
The high-profile trio of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma are very good, posting a +3.5 net rating, but the issue is that Beal has yet again proven an unreliable presence, missing 20 games so far this campaign.
Porzingis, by contrast, is enjoying his longest run of good health in years (cue limbs just randomly falling off the giant Latvian).
It’s not coincidental that he’s playing his best basketball since his ACL injury as a New York Knick. Assuming he can maintain his health, Porzingis will remain a borderline All-Star.
Kuzma presents a very ‘Wizardsy’ problem. He’s playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 21.7 points per game as well as four assists (both career highs) but he holds a player option for $13 million next season and he’s a mortal lock to decline it.
Do the Wizards want to extend him on a much larger figure? If they don’t, they really should look to trade him. Wouldn’t it be so Wizards, though, to retain him long-term and lock themselves into – at best – mediocrity?
Outside of those three, there really isn’t much to speak of.
Recent lottery picks Corey Kispert, Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdjia are rotation pieces but not starting quality players. Monte Morris is a fine reserve but nothing more.
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