The calendar has turned, it’s a new year, and NBA action is starting to heat up. The balance of power is starting to come into focus as the season hits its third month, though it’s clear that some teams are legitimate contenders: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.
That means that there’s a gem of a matchup Friday night, as the teams with the two longest winning streaks in the NBA, the Knicks (nine games) and Thunder (12 games) square off in what could potentially be a Finals preview.
That’s not the only intriguing matchup of the weekend, as the Celtics face the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday in Minnesota, and the Cavs head to Dallas Friday to battle the Mavericks.
Here are some takeaways from the ninth week of the NBA regular season.
Warriors are in free fall. What has gone wrong?
For one, the team’s bench hasn’t been nearly as productive as it was during the start of the season. Through the first 14 games of the season – when the Warriors put up an 11-3 record – Golden State’s reserves were averaging 55 points per game. Now, 32 games into their campaign, the Dubs are getting 8.3 points per game fewer.
That’s not the only reason Golden State (16-16) has won only four of its last 17 games. Stephen Curry, who has struggled to finish at the rim, is averaging just 22 points per game, which would be his lowest mark in a full season since 2011-12, his third year in the league.
It’s no surprise, then, that Golden State’s production from 3 has fallen off. Last season, the Warriors ranked seventh in the NBA in 3-point percentage (38%). This year, they’re 17th (35.9%). Their 20th-ranked offensive rating (110.7) is the worst since they also ranked 20th in 2020-21, with a rating of 110.5.
The roster looks old and needs scoring help. The trading deadline becomes essential, or this season could slip away.
Knicks continue their surge, but is it a mirage?
New York (24-10) owns the longest winning streak in the Eastern Conference at nine games, but the quality of opponent over that stretch has been on the weaker side. The combined winning percentage of the teams the Knicks have faced over that span is .357.
New York has seen the Washington Wizards (6-25) twice, the Utah Jazz (7-25), Toronto Raptors (8-26) and New Orleans Pelicans (5-29), and its best wins have been against the Orlando Magic (20-15), though Orlando is missing its two best players.
Nonetheless, the Knicks continue to be a force, and one that could potentially catch up to the Celtics (24-9) in the Eastern Conference, as Boston has hit something of a rough patch over the last two weeks.
The Knicks rank fourth in net rating (8.4) and have found exceptional chemistry in their starting five. They play complementary ball, and the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns has eased massive pressure off of Jalen Brunson to be the driving force on offense.
Don’t let the recent easy schedule fool you. The Knicks are efficient on offense, share and protect the ball, solid on defense and elite in rebounding – all things that help teams go on runs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes his case for MVP
The season is so long, and it’s still so early, but the work Thunder (27-5) guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done over the past month has Oklahoma City looking like a potential championship contender.
SGA has been on fire, averaging 33.4 points per game over OKC’s last 12 games – all of them wins. In fact, he’s averaging 33.6 per game over the Thunder’s last 22 games – all of which have been without Chet Holmgren. This is precisely why Gilgeous-Alexander’s play has been so remarkable: he’s doing all this without a key weapon and with more defensive attention drawn his way.
Gilgeous-Alexander is smooth and gets to his spots almost effortlessly, appearing to glide down the court. He’s efficient and gets to the line, and he’s also a demon on defense, tied for third in the NBA in steals (two per game). He leads the NBA in plus-minus at 12.1.
Rockets’ lack of composure shows there’s room to grow
It wasn’t just Amen Thompson flinging Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro down to the court, inciting a small scuffle, it was also coach Ime Udoka getting tossed and not leaving the floor promptly. But, even before then, it was veteran guard Fred VanVleet getting ejected – in what was then a close game – after he argued a five-second violation and made contact with an official.
The Houston Rockets (22-11) have all the talent and athleticism to emerge as a breakout team in the West, currently in third place. But they also have moments when they lose their focus, discipline and composure, which in turn affects their decision making and shot selection.
Against the Heat, when VanVleet got ejected, it was a four-point game with 47.1 seconds left to play. After the Heat made three free throws from all the technical fouls, the lead ballooned to seven. The bench, meanwhile, celebrated the fight, rather than locking in for a tight finish.
The Rockets rank 29th in 3-point percentage (44.3%), but 19th in attempts (36.2 per game). Increased efficiency would help them take the next step. Composure would go a long way, too.
Frustrating Bulls lack identity
In the last two weeks, the Chicago Bulls (15-19) have defeated the defending champion Celtics and the NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks.
And then on Wednesday, they lost to the worst team in the Eastern Conference, a Wizards team that entered the night with five victories. The loss was emblematic of Chicago’s issues this season.
The Bulls lack presence in the paint, and when they shoot inefficiently – especially from 3 – they have almost no chance of winning. The Bulls rank 17th this season in points in the paint (47.6 per game). They’re tied for 21st in blocks per game (4.7), with the leader in the statistic, rookie Matas Buzelis, averaging just 13.1 minutes per game.
The Bulls are weirdly caught in that middle space between contending and a rebuild; they’re currently the 10th seed in the East, at the bottom of play-in contention, but they don’t have the consistency or scoring proficiency of a team that can make a run.
Another oddity from this Bulls season: the team is just 5-11 at home this season, which has only heightened the angst fans feel toward this team. And, perhaps making matters worse, seven of the next eight are coming at the United Center.