Basketball Intelligence For 1/21/25, PART ONE
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
*FEATURE OF THE DAY*
The Revival of Russell Westbrook
Danny Chau, The Ringer
TEAM-SPECIFIC
BKN: How Nets G League find Tosan Evbuomwan found his way to the NBA from his soccer-mad birthplace
Brian Lewis, NY Post
BKN: Nets relishing chance to finally return home after grueling road trip
Brian Lewis, NY Post
BOS: Celtics blow out Warriors to open road trip
Adam Himmelsbach, Boston Globe
CHA: What’s gotten into LaMelo Ball? Answer could be propelling Hornets’ guard to All-Star nod
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer
CHI: Next step Bulls guard Coby White must take: once he returns to action, Billy Donovan wants him to continue improving movement without the ball.
Joe Cowley, SunTimes
CHI: 5 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls’ 112-99 win
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune
CLE: The Cavaliers moved to 36-6 on Monday against the Phoenix Suns.
Danny Cunningham, The Inside Shot
Defensive Improvement, Necessary Scoring, and Celebrating Depth
CLE: Cavs Display Defense, Depth In Overcoming Injuries, Setting Suns
Sam Amico, Hoops Wire
CLE: Shorthanded Cavs dominate Suns
Ethan Sands, cleveland.com
CLE: The secret behind Tristan Thompson’s standout performance against the Suns? The Breakfast Club
Ethan Sands, cleveland.com
DAL: Career day from Daniel Gafford not enough as Mavericks lose in Charlotte
Mike Curtis, Morning News
DAL: Mavs Game Observations: Game 43
Iztok Franko, Diggin Basketball
DAL: Irving, Gafford Combine for 64 Points, But Mavericks Stumble in Clutch Moments Against Hornets
Grant Afseth, Dallas Hoops Journal
DEN: The Revival of Russell Westbrook
Danny Chau, The Ringer
There is some kind of magic in this nascent connection developing between Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic. It’s emerging, evolving, manifesting in real time. “You’re learning while you’re playing,” Jokic said earlier this month, when asked about the acclimation process of playing alongside Westbrook, one of the most divisive players in basketball history. Quick learner, that guy. For the past month, Westbrook and Jokic have coauthored volumes of telepathic poetry on the court: give-and-gos, inverted screen-and-rolls, synaptic read-and-react motions. It’s hard to believe they’ve only been teammates since July. Their synergy is both improbable and obvious.
DET: Pistons news: Road warriors, Eastern chaos and trick or treat Jalen Duren
Aaron Kellerstrass, Piston Powered
DET: Cade Cunningham blasts off again as Pistons defeat Rockets
Omari Sankofa II, Free Press
DET: Ausar Thompson's commitment to little things helping Pistons thrive
Omari Sankofa II, Free Press
GSW: Draymond Green sidelined as Warriors enter ‘make or break’ stretch of schedule
Anthony Slater, The Athletic
The rest of the Team-Specific stories as well as the Leaguewide and Draft-Realted stories follow for paid subscribers