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Detroit Pistons: 150-1
Blake Griffin is doing his part as the superstar the Pistons need him to be. He’s one of just three players averaging at least 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists. LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the others.
But the rest of this roster doesn’t look ready to follow his lead. That’s especially problematic when the clock is already working against Detroit. While he’s locked up through at least 2020-21 (player option for 2021-22), he won’t be the easiest piece to build around as a 30-something with a shaky injury history and a $34 million-plus salary.
Miami Heat: 150-1
Justise Winslow as starting point guard is an outside-the-box strategy we can get behind. So, too, is a heavier reliance on zone defense that’s allowing Miami to muck up some games and play more Erik Spoelstra-style basketball.
But stars win big, and the Heat still don’t have one. A reset feels unavoidable, though it’s tough to imagine that Pat Riley and Co. would pull the plug during Dwyane Wade‘s last dance.
Memphis Grizzlies: 110-1
The Grizzlies are borderline great on defense and borderline defective on offense. The wing rotation is mostly underwhelming. Chandler Parsons is doing little beyond straining the budget with one of the NBA’s worst contracts.
Sounds like business as usual on Beale Street, right? It’s a bit different this time as rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. emerges as a potential draft steal—even as this summer’s No. 4 pick. But Memphis’ typical flaws are threatening to close whatever window the Griz have left to make something of the Mike Conley-Marc Gasol tandem.
Minnesota Timberwolves: 100-1
The Timberwolves might have the top individual talent mentioned so far in Karl-Anthony Towns, who remains one of the game’s most dominant offensive big men. While it would take a hot shooting stretch to get him there, the 23-year-old is within striking distance of a 50/40/90 shooting slash. If he hits those marks, he could become the league’s first 20-point, 10-rebound 50/40/90 member.
But Jimmy Butler was this team’s best player last season, and when he forced his way out of town, Minnesota didn’t bring in a replacement star. Now, Towns is forced to try to make this work with a rejuvenated Derrick Rose, the least productive version of Andrew Wiggins to date and a 38 percent-shooting Jeff Teague.
New Orleans Pelicans: 90-1
You could copy and paste the Towns/Timberwolves section here only with exaggerations on both the individual strength and the underwhelming supporting cast.
Anthony Davis is crashing the “best player on the planet” discussions with, among other things, 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.6 blocks and a league-leading 30.1 player efficiency rating. Only seven players—including a younger Brow—have posted a 30-plus PER in the 2000s. The only player to ever average a 28/13/4/2 stat line was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“If he’s not the MVP, he’s going to be right there,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. “… The guy is a breathtaking talent. He’s a great, great player.”
Davis, though, is once again lacking proper support from the other Pelicans. Jrue Holiday is solid, but he’s not a star-level sidekick. Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic complement Davis in different ways, but it’s tricky playing all three together. The small forward spot perpetually disappoints, and the non-Randle reserves are unreliable.
from A Viral Update http://bit.ly/2R2fQNT
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