Basketball Intelligence For 2/24/24
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
TEAM-SPECIFIC
ATL: Late rally falls short as Hawks lose to Raptors
Lauren Williams, AJC
ATL: Can the Hawks overcome their historically bad start on defense?
Wesley Morton, Peachtree Hoops
BKN: What Kevin Ollie’s purpose-driven basketball journey says about how he’ll try to transform the Nets
Brian Lewis, NY Post
BOS: Seven on seven: big numbers on Celtics seven-game winning streak
Bill Sy, Celtics Blog
BOS: Bring on the Knicks: The Celtics have a chance to sweep their season series
Adam Taylor.
CHA: Hornets actually have reasons to be optimistic
Tony Jones, The Athletic
CHA: Tre Mann was a forgotten man in OKC. That’s not so with the Hornets
Rod Boone, Charlotte Observer
CHA: Grant Williams is making an impact with the Hornets. And in more ways than one
Rod Boone, Charlotte Observer
CLE: Which Eastern Conference Contenders pose biggest threats to the Cavs’ postseason hopes?
Jimmy Watkins, cleveland.com
CLE: Donovan Mitchell’s MVP case grows in Cavs’ 104-97 loss to Philadelphia 76ers
Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
Donovan Mitchell’s MVP chances improved Friday — a night in which he didn’t play.
Mitchell-less Cleveland lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 104-97, inside a boisterous Wells Fargo Center. It’s the Cavs’ second straight loss coming out of the All-Star break — both coinciding with Mitchell’s absence. They are now 6-5 this season in 11 games without Mitchell, the team’s leading scorer, tone-setter offensive maestro.
“It’s the way defenses have to chase him and guard him and the way he can manipulate the game. When you have a guy who averages almost 30 points per game, teams change their game plan for him,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The threat that he is on the offensive end of the floor and the eyes he attracts and the gravity he carries. We miss Don.
CLE: Cavs need more production from their bench -- and it starts with Caris LeVert
Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
DAL: Luka Dončić, the Mavericks and their seven-game win streak demand our attention
Tim Cato, The Athletic
DEN: ‘Managing’ Jamal Murray’s injury now the game within the game for Nuggets
John Hollinger, The Athletic
DEN: Michael Porter Jr. scores season-high 34 as Nuggets cruise past Trail Blazers
Bennett Durando, Denver Post
Links to stories re GSW thru WAS as well as leaguewide and draft stories follow for paid subscribers