Basketball Intelligence For 3/7/23

Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis

Basketball Intelligence

Mar 7, 2023

TEAM-SPECIFIC STORIES

BKN: Nets may have found a star to build around with Mikal Bridges
Ian Levy, The Step Back

BKN: How Nic Claxton is fixing the weakness that once held him back: free throws
Alex Schiffer, The Athletic

BKN: Mikal Bridges reveals key behind mid-range brilliance in opening weeks with Nets
Erik Slater, Clutch Points

BOS: 10 Takeaways from Celtics-Cavaliers
Keith Smith, Celtics Blog

BOS: Celtics need to ‘figure it out’ after overtime loss to Cavaliers
Jay King, The Athletic

CLE: Lamar Stevens stays ready, continues to personify team’s core values -- even with a fluctuating role
Chris Fedor, cleveland.com

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CLE: 4 lessons the Cavs can take from their comeback win over the Celtics
Ryan Lewis, Beacon Journal

CLE: Cavs rally late to stun short-handed Celtics in overtime
Chris Fedor, cleveland.com

CLE: How the Cavs, and Lamar Stevens, willed their way to an OT win vs. the Celtics
Kelsey Russo, The Athletic

DEN: Michael Porter Jr.’s “maturation” is the best story of this Nuggets’ season
Harrison Wind, The DNVR

DEN: Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray lead Denver’s comeback win
Michael Singer, Denver Post

DEN: With Jamal Murray returning to form, Nuggets look ready to make up for lost time
Michael Grange, Sportsnet

DEN: Jokic’s defense: What he lacks in traditional athleticism he makes up for in positioning, awareness, and intelligence
Michael Singer, Denver Post

“He’s a smart defender,” Murray said. “He knows tendencies. He has great hands, and he forces (opponents) to make a contested shot. He’s gonna get beat sometimes, obviously, like everybody does in this league, but for the most part, he plays the angles well and knows how to play cat-and-mouse in the paint. I think he’s underrated, with his hands, the deflections, tips and rebounds. … I don’t think he gets enough credit for that.”
Asked whether he found it funny that Jokic’s defense was a consistent talking point when critiquing the reigning two-time MVP, Murray was dismissive of the premise.
“They’re just going off visuals,” Murray said. “They don’t really know basketball”

GSW: Warriors need some road wins
Duby Dub Dubs, Dub Nation HQ

GSW: Sit out a game? Kevon Looney sees no time for time off
Scott Ostler, SF Chronicle

GSW: Iguodala didn’t score in his return, but Warriors felt his impact
Shayna Rubin, Mercury News

IND: Pacers continue to hang with the best NBA teams; here's why it matters
Dustin Dopirak, Indy Star

IND: Four observations as Sixers beat Pacers
Dustin Dopirak, Indy Star

LAC: What’s up with the Clippers? No one knows!
Mirjam Swanson, OC Register

MEM: The Grizzlies aren’t dead yet
Joe Mullinax, SBNation

MEM: The Grizzlies need to fix their late-game offense
Parker Fleming, Bluff City Media

MEM: Filling the void for Brandon Clarke
Parker Fleming, Bluff City Media

MIA: Zeller making strong case to stick as Heat backup center
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald

MIA: Adebayo's game is expanding for the Heat in all but one way
Nekias Duncan, Basketball News

MIA: Jimmy, Dipo & Caleb strong performances help secure back to back wins against Hawks
Daniel Riccio, Hot Hot Hoops

MIA: Takeaways from Heat’s win over Hawks behind most efficient offensive performance of season
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald

MIL: Bucks begin to sacrifice with title in mind
Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel

Grayson Allen has started 58 games thus far, but he knows certain playoff matchups might affect his playing time, too – which doesn’t bother him.
Allen looked around the lockers surrounding his in Capital One Arena.
“There’s a great culture here just from winning a championship a few years ago. Then, coach (Mike Budenholzer), ownership, Jon, have filled the locker room with good guys, too. The culture and the personal (feeling) kind of goes in the same direction and that’s really helpful. Whatever the average is for me, it’s like 25 minutes, and in a matchup it goes to 15 and that’s what we needed and Jae takes my minutes for a stretch, like I’m not going to worry about that. And no one else is going to worry about it if it happens to them.
“We all have one goal in mind and as long as we’re heading towards that I don’t think anyone’s going to complain.”

NOP: How badly do the Pelicans want to make the postseason?
William Guillory, The Athletic

NOP: Pelicans stifled by zone defense, fall to Kings
Oleh Kosel, The Bird Writes

NYK: Quickley ranks first in defensive on/off differential
Jonathan Macri, Knicks Film School

NYK: Quickley’s long-term Knicks future is getting more complicated
Zach Braziller, NY Post

OKC: Jalen Williams is becoming the jewel of this NBA rookie class
DJ Dunson, Deadspin

OKC: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is Speeding Up OKC’s Rebuild
Chris Mannix, Sports Illustrated

PHI: Sixers Defeat Pacers In Defense-Optional Shootout
Matt Gregan, Sports Talk Philly

PHO: Durant, Booker Dominate in Dallas + Cluch Ish and the Shot that will Drive the Suns
Stephen Pridgeon-Garner, Bright Side Of The Sun

SAC: Davion, Kings bench fill Fox void in win vs. Pelicans
Tristi Rodriguez, NBC Sports

SAC: Huerter leads Kings to win over Pelicans
Tristi Rodriguez, NBC Sports

SAC: Kings switch things up with 2-3 zone defense in win over Pelicans
Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee

SAC: Kings blow by Pelicans despite the absence of De’Aaron Fox
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee