Category: General NBA insight

General NBA insight

2021-22 NBA All-Defensive Teams announced

Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics and Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns lead the 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive First Team, the NBA announced today.

Smart and Bridges comprise the two guards on the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Smart, the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, received 198 points (99 First Team votes) to earn his third selection to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Bridges, who finished in second place for the Defensive Player of the Year Award in his third NBA season, received 193 points (95 First Team votes). This is Bridges’ first selection to the NBA All-Defensive Team (First Team and Second Team).

Joining Smart and Bridges on the 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive First Team are Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (171 points; 76 First Team votes), Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (156 points; 63 First Team votes) and Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (153 points; 55 First Team votes).

Gobert, a three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, has been voted to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the sixth consecutive season. Antetokounmpo, the 2019-20 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, is an NBA All-Defensive First Team honoree for the fourth straight season. Jackson, a four-year NBA veteran and the 2021-22 season leader in blocks per game (2.27), is making his debut on the NBA All-Defensive Team.

The 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (152 points), Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (89 points), Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle (87 points), Celtics center Robert Williams III (70 points) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (34 points).

This is the third NBA All-Defensive Team selection for Adebayo, the fourth for Holiday and the second for Thybulle. Williams joins Bridges and Jackson as a first-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. Green, the 2016-17 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, has earned his seventh selection to the NBA All-Defensive Team.

The 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team was selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were awarded two points for each vote to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and one point for each vote to the Second Team. Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.

Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Kleiman wins 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year award

Memphis Grizzlies EVP of Basketball Operations and General Manager Zachary Z. Kleiman has been selected as the winner of the 2021-22 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year, the NBA announced today.

“This is an organizational honor,” said Kleiman. “I wouldn’t be in this position without Robert (Pera)’s vision and support, and I’m grateful to be pursuing NBA championships in Memphis with such a driven and competitive group of players and staff. Thank you to my peers for this recognition.”

Kleiman received 16 of the 29 first-place votes and 85 total points from a voting panel of team executives across the NBA. Executives were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. Kleiman, 33, is the youngest recipient of the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award, which has been presented annually since the 1972-73 season. He also becomes the second person to earn the honor with the Grizzlies, joining Jerry West (2003-04).

In Kleiman’s third season leading the team’s Basketball Operations, Memphis recorded the second-best record in the NBA (56-26) and tied the 2012-13 franchise record for winning percentage (.683). The Grizzlies earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs (a franchise record) and captured the Southwest Division championship, the first division title in franchise history.

Under Kleiman, the Grizzlies assembled a roster that set a franchise record for scoring average with 115.6 points per game (second in the NBA) as the second-youngest team in the NBA. All 9,480 of the Grizzlies’ points this season were scored by players under the age of 30. Memphis led the league in rebounds (49.2), offensive rebounds (14.1), steals (9.8), blocks (6.5), points in the paint (57.6), second chance points (18.7) and fast break points (17.7), setting single-season franchise records in every category except blocks (which ranked second in club history). The Grizzlies became the first team to lead the NBA in rebounds, steals and blocks since steals and blocks became official statistics in 1973-74.

This is the first NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award for Kleiman, who has served seven seasons with the Grizzlies and three in his current role.

Tyler Herro wins 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro has been named the 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year for his contributions in a reserve role, the NBA announced today. This is the first Sixth Man honor for Herro, who becomes the first player to win the annual award with the Heat.

Herro received 488 total points (96 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love finished in second place with 214 points (three first-place votes). Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson finished in third place with 128 points (one first-place vote).

Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. To be eligible for the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, a player had to have come off the bench in more games than he started.

In his third NBA season, Herro averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.6 minutes in 66 games (10 starts). His scoring average of 20.8 points as a reserve was the highest in the NBA. He became the fifth player to average at least 20.0 points off the bench (minimum 50 games as a reserve) since starts began being tracked in the 1970-71 season, joining Thurl Bailey (1987-88), Eddie Johnson (1988-89), Ricky Pierce (1989-90, 1990-91) and Lou Williams (2017-18, 2018-19).

Herro’s eight 30-point games off the bench were tied for the third most since the 1970-71 season and his 20 25-point games were tied for the fourth most. He ranked 20th in the NBA in free throw percentage (86.8), 21st in points per game, 26th in three-point field goal percentage (39.9) and 32nd in three-pointers made (175).

Setting a single-season franchise record with 1,162 points off the bench, Herro helped the Heat finish with a 53-29 record and earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. Miami is currently facing the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with Game 2 to be played on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Herro, 22, the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 175 games over three seasons with the Heat. In the 2019-20 season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team and set a Miami single-game playoff rookie scoring record with 37 points against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

NBA names Joe Dumars as Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations

The NBA announced today that Joe Dumars, a Hall of Fame player, distinguished team executive and NBA champion with more than 30 years of experience in the league, has been appointed Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Dumars will begin with the league office on May 9 and report to Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

In his new role, Dumars will oversee all Basketball Operations matters for the NBA, including the development of playing rules and interpretations, conduct and discipline, and policies and procedures relating to the operation of games. He will engage with players, coaches, team executives, officials and other key stakeholders to sustain the highest level of play and competition. Dumars will also lead the overall talent strategy for Basketball Operations and reinforce a culture of inclusivity and innovation.

“Joe’s extensive track record of accomplishment as an NBA player and team executive and the leadership and expertise that he has demonstrated in various roles make him a natural fit to drive efforts to further enhance the game,” said Spruell. “As a respected longtime member of the NBA family, Joe has developed strong relationships across the league that will set the foundation for success in his new position.”

“My life has centered on the NBA for nearly 40 years, which makes the opportunity to serve the entire league incredibly exciting and rewarding,” said Dumars. “I’m looking forward to using my skills and experience to collaborate with all 30 teams on ways to shape the future direction of the league and help the game continue to evolve.”

The NBA Sportsmanship Award is named for Dumars, with the Joe Dumars Trophy presented annually to the NBA player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Dumars was the inaugural winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award (1995-96 season). As a player, he also received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his outstanding service and dedication to the community.

Dumars joins the league office after working three seasons with the Sacramento Kings, the last two as Chief Strategy Officer.

Prior to Sacramento, Dumars served 15 seasons as a basketball executive with the Detroit Pistons (1999-2000 – 2013-14), including the final 14 as President of Basketball Operations. With Dumars overseeing player personnel decisions, the Pistons won an NBA championship (2003-04 season), made six consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals (2002-03 – 2007-08) and recorded at least 50 victories in seven straight seasons (2001-02 – 2007-08). He was named the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year for the 2002-03 season.

Dumars joined the Pistons’ front office after a decorated 14-year playing career in the NBA, all with Detroit, which selected him in the first round (18th overall pick) of the 1985 NBA Draft. A six-time NBA All-Star selection and three-time All-NBA Team honoree, Dumars helped the Pistons win back-to-back NBA championships in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1989 NBA Finals. He is the franchise leader in games played.

One of the top all-around guards of his era, Dumars averaged at least 20 points per game three times and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team five times. In international competition, Dumars won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the 1994 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

In addition to his success as an NBA player and executive, Dumars served as President of Basketball Division for Independent Sports & Entertainment (ISE), an integrated sports, media, entertainment and management company, from 2017-19. He also founded the automotive supply company Detroit Technologies Inc. and Joe Dumars Fieldhouse, an indoor sports and entertainment complex with two locations in the Detroit area.

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Dumars holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from McNeese State University, where he had a legendary basketball career as a four-time selection to the All-Southland Conference First Team. Recognized as the Southland Conference’s 1980s Player of the Decade, Dumars is a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

On D’Angelo Russell and the Timberwolves

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Minnesota Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell:

D’Angelo Russell, the man known for having “ice in his veins” — an ode to his clutch shot making — spent the most important minutes of the Timberwolves’ season on the bench.

Russell sat in favor of Jordan McLaughlin for the final five minutes of Minnesota’s Game 6 loss on Saturday at Target Center. That certainly wasn’t Russell’s preference. He noted Saturday that everyone wants to be in a position to do their job.

“Of course I want to be out there,” he said.

But he didn’t earn that opportunity. Not with his play Saturday, not with his play throughout the first-round series, and frankly not with his play over the past couple of months. Over his final 14 appearances of the regular season, Russell averaged just 13.4 points a game, shooting 37 percent from the floor and 29 percent from deep. Over the back portion of the season, Russell had the Timberwolves’ worst defensive rating and net rating.

Then came a dynamic play-in performance against the Los Angeles Clippers that helped Minnesota punch its playoff ticket. But that turned out to be a blip on the radar and not a precursor to playoff success. Russell averaged 12 points and nearly three turnovers per game in the first-round loss, shooting 33 percent from the field.

Full Article

On the future of the Utah Jazz beyond the 2022 playoffs

A factor to consider after these playoffs is the team’s age. If the Jazz weren’t on the older end of the age spectrum, management might be more patient. The team’s leader, Donovan Mitchell, is only 25, while Bojan Bogdanovic is 33 and Mike Conley is 34, making them two of four players over 30. Conley has been in the professional game for 15 years, one longer than Bogdanovic.

According to Sporting News, the Jazz were tied for second among the NBA’s oldest teams entering this season. The Lakers (30.0) were the only team that was older. At 28.1, the Jazz and Nets came in second and third, respectively.

The Celtics (25.9), Grizzlies (24.2), Timberwolves (24.3), Pelicans (25.0), Raptors (25.2), and 76ers (25.8) are all rising young teams. The Jazz are in the Western Conference with a lot of the league’s best young teams.

Via the Deseret News

Ja Morant wins 2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Award

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is the recipient of the 2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Award, the NBA announced today.

The first player in franchise history to receive the NBA Most Improved Player Award, Morant received 221 points (38 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray finished in second place with 183 points (20 first-place votes). Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland finished in third place with 178 points (11 first-place votes). Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

Morant averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.16 steals in 33.1 minutes in 57 appearances (all starts) this season and helped guide the Grizzlies to a 56-26 record, the second-best in the NBA during the regular season. Memphis tied its 2012-13 franchise record for wins and captured the Southwest Division championship, the first division title in franchise history.

In his third NBA season, Morant set career highs for scoring average, rebounds per game, steals per game, field goal percentage (.493) and 3-point percentage (.344). Compared to the 2020-21 season, he raised his field goal percentage by 4.4%, while increasing his shot attempts by 5.4 per game, and upped his 3-point percentage by 4.1% on an additional 0.7 attempts per game.

The 22-year-old was selected as a starter for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, becoming the second All-Star starter in franchise history and the youngest Grizzlies player to participate in the event.

Morant led all NBA players in points in the paint per game (16.6), becoming the first guard to do so in 25 seasons since data was first tracked, and ranked second in fast break points per game (4.4), helping the Grizzlies lead the NBA in both categories. He set a single-game franchise record with 52 points on Feb. 28 vs. San Antonio, the first 50-point performance in Grizzlies history.

In addition, Morant became the sixth player in NBA history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in his age-22 season, joining Oscar Robertson (1960-61), Kobe Bryant (2000-01), Tracy McGrady (2001-02), LeBron James (2016-17) and Luka Dončić (2021-22).

Morant has started all of his 187 regular season appearances and has averaged 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 32.2 minutes through his first three NBA seasons. He was named the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year after being second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft following his sophomore year at Murray State University.

Raptors’ Scottie Barnes wins 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year award

The Toronto Raptors announced on Saturday that swingman Scottie Barnes has been named NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2021-22 season. Barnes joins Vince Carter (1998-99) and Damon Stoudamire as the third player in franchise history to earn the honor.

Barnes was selected fourth overall by the Raptors in the 2021 NBA Draft (1995-96).

“We are incredibly proud of Scottie, and are thrilled and grateful that his hard work has been recognized with this honour,” Toronto Raptors Vice-Chairman and President Masai Ujiri said. “What you see on the court is exactly who Scottie is: enthusiastic. Joyful. Athletic. Skilled, and a winner. We – and our fans – loved seeing his development through this season, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings.”

Barnes received 378 points (48 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Cleveland Cavaliers forward-center Evan Mobley finished in second place with 363 points (43 first-place votes). The 15-point difference between the first- and second-place finishers marks the smallest margin in NBA Rookie of the Year balloting under the current voting format, which began with the 2002-03 season.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham finished in third place with 153 points (nine first-place votes). Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.08 steals, 0.74 blocks, and 35.4 minutes per game (first among all rookies) in 74 games (all starts) this season, and was the only rookie to rank in the top five in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He scored 20 points or more 17 times and had 13 double-doubles while shooting.492 (459-932). In ten games, Barnes led the club in scoring, rebounds 21 times, and assists 15 times.

Barnes, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, was voted Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month twice (in February and March/April) and competed in the NBA All-Star Rising Stars and Taco Bell Skills Challenge. He became the first Raptors rookie – and the only rookie in the NBA this season – to score 1000 points, 500 rebounds, and dish out 250 assists in their rookie season. Barnes was also the first rookie to average 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists since Luka Doncic (2018-19).

Barnes’ year was highlighted by season highs of 31 points (14-21 FG, 1-4 3PT, 2-2 FT) and 17 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers on Mar. 18. In a road win against Denver on Mar. 12, he scored 25 points and had a season-high 10 assists. Barnes equaled a season high with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and five thefts against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 28, becoming the only rookie since Shaquille O’Neal (1993) to score at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and five steals in the same game.

Marcus Smart wins 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of Year award

The NBA announced today that Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been chosen the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Smart wins his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, becoming the first guard to do it since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Smart is the Celtics’ second player to earn the award, following Kevin Garnett (2007-08).

A global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters gave Smart 257 points (37 first-place votes). Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns came in second with 202 points (22 first-place votes). Rudy Gobert, the Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, finished third with 136 points (12 first-place votes). For each first-place vote, players received five points, three points for each second-place vote, and one point for each third-place vote.

Smart, who started all 71 of his regular-season games in 2021-22, was seventh in the NBA in thefts per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119).

Smart, 28, tied for fourth in the NBA in loose ball recovery (75), and tied for tenth in both deflections (206) and charges drawn (16). In addition, he set a new career high for defensive rebounds per game (3.2).

The Celtics, led by Smart, topped the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5), as well as holding opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.3). (33.9). The Celtics’ excellent defense helped them earn a 51-31 record and the Eastern Conference’s second seed for the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

Smart has twice been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in his eight years in the league (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons). For the 2018-19 season, he also received the NBA Hustle Award. Smart averaged 12.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game this season.

Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic named NBA Players of Week for Week 21

The NBA announced today that Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, March 7, through Sunday, March 13.

The honor is Durant’s third as a Net and the 29th Player of the Week award of his career.

Durant led Brooklyn to a perfect 3-0 week, recording averages of 30.7 points on 52.2 percent shooting from the field, 36.4 percent shooting from 3-point range and 87.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 7.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 38.2 minutes per game. Durant was one of two players in the East to average at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists for the week and finished the week ranked first in the East in plus/minus (+53), sixth in points per game, seventh in minutes per game and eighth in assists per game. Durant opened the week by totaling 14 points, three rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes in Brooklyn’s 132-121 road victory over the Charlotte Hornets on March 8. He followed up that effort by registering 25 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 32 minutes in a 129-100 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 10. Durant finished the week with a brilliant performance in a 110-107 home victory over the New York Knicks yesterday, scoring a Nets season-high 53 points to go along with six rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 43 minutes. The 53 points were the second-most scored in a game in Durant’s career, trailing only a 54-point performance with Oklahoma City versus Golden State on Jan. 17, 2014. The 53 points also represented the third-most points in a game in Nets NBA history, trailing only Deron Williams’ 57 points on March 4, 2012, at Charlotte and Kyrie Irving’s 54 points on Jan. 31, 2020, versus Chicago.

As for Doncic, this marks the second time this season (Feb. 7-13, 2022) and the sixth time in his career he has received the honor (Nov. 18-24, 2019; Jan. 4-10, 2021; March 29-April 4, 2021; April 19-25, 2021). Dirk Nowitzki (16 times) is the only Maverick to win the award more times.

Dončić (6-7, 230) has now been named Western Conference Player of the Week in two of the last three weeks, in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the Month for February. Dončić led the Mavericks to a 3-1 week with averages of 30.5 points (.494 FG), 11.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks in 36.5 minutes.

The 23-year-old began the week by posting game highs of 35 points (12-23 FG, 5-11 3FG, 6-7 FT), 16 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals to go with 1 block in 38 minutes in the Mavericks’ 111-103 victory over Utah on Mar. 7. It marked his first career game recording 35-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, 7-plus assists and 3-plus steals, and he became the first player to hit each of those benchmarks in a game this season.

A game after Dončić posted a game-high 31 points in the Mavericks’ loss to New York on Mar. 9, Dončić posted game highs of 30 points (9-19 FG, 5-11 3FG, 7-10 FT) and 14 rebounds to go along with 6 assists and a game-high-tying 2 blocks in 36 minutes in Dallas’ 113-100 win in Houston on Mar. 11. The performance marked just the second time in his career he reached those numbers in a game (34 points, 20 boards, 12 assists, 2 blocks at SAC on 8/4/20). Dončić also became one of seven players to achieve that stat line in a game this season (joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Karl Anthony-Towns) and the only guard to do it in 2021-22.

Dončić capped the week by helping the Mavericks snap Boston’s 5-game win streak with a game-high 26 points to go with 8 rebounds and a game-high 8 assists in the Mavericks’ 95-92 win on national television. The three-time All-Star helped Dallas erase a 13-point second-half deficit for their league-leading 14th double-digit comeback win to improve to a season-high 16 games above .500 (42-26).