Basketball Intelligence for 2/1/24
Lowe's All-Star picks, Lillard's return, Porzingis, Houston's accelerated rebuild, and more
LEAGUEWIDE STORIES
NBA All-Star ballot - Zach Lowe makes his 2024 picks
Zach Lowe, ESPN+
With Lillard in, the last spot went (barely) to Banchero over Siakam, Young, Barnes, White and a few others. Banchero's raw numbers -- 23 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assist -- are right in line with that group. He's a little behind in advanced stats, though not too far from Brown, Adebayo, and Randle -- and neck-and-neck with Brown by some metrics. His shooting numbers are so-so: 45% overall, 35% on 3s after a mini-slump. He takes a ton of tough jumpers and does not make enough to justify the volume.
But the Magic are winning, and Banchero went several games starting alongside Caleb Houstan, Goga Bitadze and Chuma Okeke. No one in this group has had to carry a heavier load. Even at full health, the Magic are short in shot creation among their guards.
Hollinger: My 2024 NBA All-Star reserves, featuring Derrick White (and no Stephen Curry)
John Hollinger, The Athletic
The 10 Most Interesting Teams at the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline
Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report
NBA Draft expanding to 2 nights this year: Why the change was needed
Staff, The Athletic
The NBA Draft has five minutes between picks in the first round and just two minutes in the second, all so it can try to cram 60 picks in between 8 p.m. and midnight (ET) in one evening. In particular, the second round becomes an afterthought: NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokić was famously drafted during a Taco Bell commercial.
This isn’t just a marketing issue; it’s also a time issue for the teams involved. During the second round, it can be difficult to complete trades involving picks in the allotted time frame of just two minutes.
Kram Session: The Knicks’ New Ceiling, a Fake Thunder Trade, and More
Zach Kram, The Ringer
'Unintended consequences:' NBA exec Joe Dumars discusses the 65-game threshold and its possible effect on certain stars
Vincent Goodwill, Yahoo Sports
Is the NBA’s 65-Game Awards Threshold Unreasonable?
The most improved defenders in the NBA
Joe Wolfond, theScore
Seth's Nerd Nosh: Does Winning Time Equate To Playoff Wins?
Seth Partnow, Dunc’d On
TEAM STORIES
ATL: Quin Snyder and Trae Young are Thrilled to Have De'Andre Hunter Back
Jackson Caudell, All Hawks
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