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TEAM-SPECIFIC STORIES
ATL: Quin Snyder & The Atlanta Hawks
Gibson Pyper, Half Court Hoops
BKN: Oof. Nets lose on Trae Young game-winning shot to Hawks, 129-127
Matt Brooks, Nets Daily
BKN: The Nets Are Ready to Move Forward
Michael Pina, The Ringer
BKN: Nets struggle to find defensive identity amid Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving trades
Erik Slater, Clutchpoints
BOS: Eight observations left over from Philadelphia, where the Celtics scored a wild win over the 76ers
Adam Himmelsbach, Boston Globe
They are 20-8 in games that are within 5 points in the final five minutes, and their plus-13.9 net rating in these situations trails only the Nuggets and Nets. Interestingly, the Celtics have thrived in the clutch by easing off the accelerator. They average 95.14 possessions per 48 minutes in these spots, the 28th-slowest clutch pace.
CHI: Bulls own NBA's best defensive rating since Jan. 1
K.C. Johnson, NBC Sports Chicago
CHI: Bulls suffocate Wizards defensively for second-straight victory
Sam Smith, NBA.com
CLE: As Cavs prep for playoffs, Donovan Mitchell answers J.B. Bickerstaff's call: 'I got you'
Ryan Lewis, Akron Beacon Journal
DAL: Mavericks, even after the Kyrie Irving trade, still have the same old demons
Tim Cato, The Athletic
DEN: What the Nuggets need to accomplish over their final 21 games
Harrison Wind, DNVR
DEN: NBA stars on why Nikola Jokic's prior awards shouldn't hurt 3-peat chances: 'He's playing like an MVP'
Dave McMenamin, ESPN
"Do you care about winning the MVP?" a reporter asked.
"Yes," Nikola Jokic answered, with a hint of exasperation in his voice.
Why?
"Because the last seven times, I said no," Jokic shot back. "Now I'm just going to change it up."
GSW: Explain One Play: Elevator Doors and Floppy Plays for Klay Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga
Eric Apricot, Dub Nation HQ
GSW: Elevator Ride: How Klay Thompson used a classic Warriors set to defeat the Timberwolves
Joe Viray, Golden State of Mind
HOU: Damian Lillard the latest to shred Houston's defense
Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle
LAC: After jarring plane lightning strike, comeback Clippers fade in OT loss to Nuggets
Andrew Greif, Los Angeles Times
LAL: Lakers rally from 27 down in Dallas as Anthony Davis closes with force
Kyle Goon, Orange County Register
MIA: Coup's Notebook Vol. 45: Early Returns On Kevin Love, Zeller In The Bam Zone, Butler's Bamboozle And Shooting Thoughts
Couper Moorhead, NBA.com
MIL: Jrue Holiday haunts Devin Booker again as Bucks beat Suns for 14th straight win: Takeaways
Jack Maloney, CBS Sports
MIL: Jrue Holiday locks up yet another Bucks win: ‘Just the best two-way player in the league’
Eric Nehm, The Athletic
MIN: Which Wolves are the real Wolves?
Derek James, By Derek James
MIN: Timberwolves falter late in loss to Golden State
Jace Frederick, Pioneer Press
NYK: A New High
Jonathan Macri, Knicks Film School
NYK: Josh Hart found out quickly that he jibes with Tom Thibodeau: ‘It was a pleasant surprise’
Stefan Bondy, New York Daily News
OKC: The growing importance of Jalen Williams for the Oklahoma City Thunder
J.D. Tailor, Welcome To Loud City
ORL: Jalen Smith takes advantage of backup center minutes in Indiana Pacers win over Orlando Magic
Tony East, All Pacers
PHI: P.J. Tucker emerges as a small-ball center option for the Sixers
Gina Mizell, Philadelphia Inquirer
PHI: 5 major takeaways from Sixers' heartbreaking loss to Celtics
Kyle Neubeck, PhillyVoice
PHI: How Sixers president Daryl Morey’s MIT Sloan conference created a talent pipeline in sports analytics
Gina Mizell, Philadelphia Inquirer
PHO: 5 takeaways from Phoenix's narrow loss to Bucks as Kevin Durant edging closer to making Suns debut
Duane Rankin, Arizona Republic
POR: Damian Lillard's legacy in Portland is bigger than a ring
Baxter Holmes, ESPN+
POR: Damian Lillard’s 71 points sets Blazers record in his latest masterpiece: ‘A piece of art’
Jason Quick, The Athletic
POR: Dame Goes For Career-High 71 Points, 13 Threes in Win Versus Rockets
Casey Holdahl, NBA.com
Lillard’s 71 points are the most any player has scored in regulation this season. He is now one of just eight players in NBA history to score 70 points in a game. He is one of four players to make at least 13 three-pointers in a game. He joins Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant as the only players in league history with five or more games scoring at least 60 points. He’s the only player in NBA history to score at least 60 points and make at least 10 three-pointers.
SAS: Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan is back, and it's like he never left
Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News
TOR: Raptors get an eye-opening drubbing courtesy of Cavaliers
Mike Ganter, Toronto Sun
UTA: Analysis: Kris Dunn makes a big impact in Utah Jazz’s win over Spurs
Joe Coles, Deseret News
WAS: Wizards show plenty of heart early but can’t find an edge late in Chicago
Ava Wallace, The Washington Post
LEAGUE-WIDE STORIES
NBA Game Notes (Feb. 26, 2023)
Justin Kubatko, Statitudes
NBA DRAFT
Finding Balance: The Path To A Meaningful NBA Rotational Role | The Morning Dunk
Nathan Grubel, No Ceilings
Weekend Update: Strong Weekend from First-Round Scorers
Adam Spinella, The Box And One
Kel'el Ware's NBA draft stock plummets amidst struggles
Andy Patton, DucksWire