Even since last week’s Part 1 of our end-of-season grades, there have been rumblings that a second bubble will take place (in Chicago) for the NBA’s worst eight teams. With details yet to emerge, it only seems appropriate to continue reviewing the performance of those franchises. Sure, not even receiving an invite to Orlando…
Tagged Trae Young
Cam Reddish’s Rookie Year Was Better Than You Think
Eight NBA teams will not be joining their counterparts in “The Disney Bubble” as the league reboots. Their offseason has already begun. As these franchises go forward, attention shifts to wholistic changes, themes and building blocks. Young players with the ability to become a foundation are the most pivotal to develop, and the marriage between…
NBA Players, Teams Stepping Up During Coronavirus Pandemic
COVID-19 unexpectedly forced the NBA season to a screeching halt. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive, and the league and other sports leagues immediately shut down to protect players, coaches, employees and their fans’ health. The coronavirus’ specter continues its spread nationally and abroad, stressing hospitals, economies and communities to the brink. Without basketball,…
BbA: Are Little Point Guards Endangered Today?; Meet Dan O’Brien
In this fifth episode of the Basketball by Association podcast, Arky Shea and Joel C. Cordes are joined by TBW’s Dan O’Brien to discuss their favorite “short” point guards from the past and present. Framed around Dan’s entertaining article “The NBA I Grew Up Watching: The Undersized Underdogs”, the guys reminisce about luminaries like Kevin…
The NBA I Grew Up Watching: The Undersized Underdogs
We’re used to basketball withdrawals in August or September, not mid-March. But here we are, feeling a weird emptiness without the NBA after the league rightfully and smartly shut things down on March 11. It didn’t take long for us to realize how much we love hoops and how much more we’ll cherish it once…
NBA’s Top 25-and-Under Floor-Stretchers
One of the most amazing things about today’s NBA is how many talented shooters there are. We’ve never seen so many prolific long-range threats in the league at one time. Most young gunslingers coming into the NBA have been practicing the three-ball their entire lives, and it shows. And those who haven’t been working on…
BbA: Sorting West Seeds 6-8; Luka, Trae or Zion?; The Clickbait Addiction in Sports Media
In this second episode of TBW’s Basketball by Association podcast, Joel C. Cordes and Arky Shea figure out the 6-team race for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. Though the Memphis Grizzlies currently hold the seed, they’re being chased by the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.…
NBA’s Top 25-and-Under Offensive Weapons
NBA All-Star weekend is a great time to step back and take stock of the league, its stars and who’s making the biggest impact. The league is loaded with as many young studs as ever. In this two-part series, I’m examining which 25-and-under stars are the absolute best on offense and on defense. This week,…
Atlanta Hawks Must Trust Their Rebuilding Process
Having lost 18 of their past 20 games, the Atlanta Hawks appear to be nearing rock bottom. “Frustration in the locker room has been building for some time as teammates have complained to each other about selfishness, not putting in the necessary work to turn things around and players not being held accountable,” Chris Haynes…
Take a Luka Me Now: Doncic’s Career Arc is Off to an All-Time Start
Luka Doncic was impressive in Europe, impressive enough that some people thought he was worthy of the No. 1 overall pick. Not everyone agreed, of course, and we know at least two teams who weren’t convinced enough to draft him. There’s a good chance they’d rethink that decision today if offered the opportunity. The Dallas…