Power rankings system devised and compiled weekly by Stemshul. “Expert” analysis by paradroid.
Week 13 is here and the top 2 remain well clear of the field, although Memphis is making a run after winning eleven in a row. That ended with a loss to #13 Dallas, but among the victims of the streak were #1 Phoenix, #2 Golden State, #7 Brooklyn, and #8 Cleveland, so it wasn’t like they just demolished of a bunch of cupcakes. They’re beginning to look like real contenders. They also put to rest the weird theory that maybe the Grizzlies were better without Morant, which popped up mostly thanks to their 11-2 record while Morant was out injured. Since his return, they’ve gone 11-3, so I don’t think Ja Morant is really holding them back, especially with plays like this. Or this. And if you want one more, this.
On the other hand, Boston (#16) is mired in a mediocre season. Twin stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are in the prime of their careers, but something isn’t quite working. It seems like the two are playing in parallel rather than making each other better. They’re very similar players; wings who need the ball and are best at creating their own shot. There’s no synergy to their partnership, just two very good players taking turns getting their shots up. All the good decisions Danny Ainge made during their rebuild after winning the title with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen generated a ton of draft picks and good assets, and former head coach (and current GM) Brad Stevens had them playing great basketball. Well ahead of schedule by all accounts. They were the envy of the rest of the NBA, with a great coach, a cadre of young stars, and a couple of playoff runs under their belt. But the Kyrie Irving era ended early and acrimoniously (big surprise), and Tatum and Brown, while putting up great numbers, haven’t become a great team. Will Stevens be brave enough to trade one of his coveted young stars? It seems unlikely. It’s not easy to draft and develop players that good. But every week that passes without Boston moving above .500 makes it a little more likely.
Detroit was actually 2-1 last week and has won 4 of 7. It just doesn’t feel like it because their losses were by 29 (gulp!), 30 (double gulp!), and 46 (triple gulp!). But they also beat Milwaukee (#9) and Utah (#5), so they are capable of beating good teams when they play well. Hamidou Diallo has continued to perform well in the absence of Jerami Grant. As a starter, he’s averaging 14.8 PPG, 6.2 PPG, and 1.8 APG, not to mention 2.0 SPG. He’s also managed a 51.7% field goal percentage. I think he can be a key part of the future, not only as a secondary scoring option and a fast break threat, but also as a defensive menace. Pair him with Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes and you’ve got a tough, long-armed set of back-court defenders. He’s shown he can handle a larger role on offense and offers a spark of athleticism on a team that doesn’t have a plethora of physical outliers. Savvy and basketball I.Q. are essential, but basketball is an extremely athletic game, so you want a balance of both. There are some rumors about some potential offers for Grant, and I think the Pistons need to listen carefully to each one. He’s a very good player, but the silver lining of his injury (and the Covid outbreak among the Pistons players a few weeks back) is that it thrust Diallo and Bey into the forefront and the results were pretty darn good. I think getting some assets back in return for Grant will have the additional effect of letting the young guys develop even more. We’ll have to see if Troy Weaver is willing to move his first great signing halfway through the three year contract.
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