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Sky Sports’ NBA 2022/23 Christmas review: Five key takeaways from the action so far | NBA news

Five key takeaways from the action so far and what you can expect from the end of the 2022/23 NBA season…

Anything can happen

The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are vying for pole position in the Eastern Conference.

While the Celts may have dominated for a long time, the recent string of defeats against the Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, proves that there are weaknesses in what is arguably the best team in the league.

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Highlights Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics week 9 NBA season

Perhaps teams have become more savvy about how to remove the Jayson-Tatum-led offense. Perhaps Tatum’s absence on Sunday as he celebrates his son’s birthday is all it takes to allow Paolo Banchero to work his magic.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers lurking as the third seed, and in fine form as they finally work with a prolific and healthy Donovan Mitchell, there’s every chance of a surprise coup, if the Celtics don’t take this recent blunder seriously. worthy.

Teams are just as interesting

The Brooklyn Nets also provided the same level of clarity in their own starts as things calmed down after their early-season controversy.

Head coach Steve Nash was dismissed on November 1 at the end of a tumultuous reign that has seen Kyrie Irving’s injuries and Covid vaccine ineligibility issues make him and Kevin Durant have only made 64 appearances together, while the pair and James Harden have only made 16 appearances. several times together as a trio were said to have succeeded in the Championship.

Brooklyn’s season was marred by Durant’s commercial demands and the accompanying ultimatum to both Nash and general manager Sean Marks’ firing, before Irving was recently suspended for several games without pay after initially declined to offer an apology for posting a link to an anti-Semitic on his Twitter feed.

Indeed, under new head coach Jacque Vaughn, The Nets have won their last five games, with nine of their previous 10 games ending in wins. Combine that with Kevin Durant in MVP form and you have a team set to maintain their spot in the play-ins.

Both the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks will look to do the same in the post-Christmas period. In the past, Joel Embiid has been in monstrous form, dominating the action on the belt and transcendent in the transitions. His team has now won four games in a row and they’re adept at dividing points. In recent games, De’Anthony Melton, Georges Niang and Shake Milton hit double figures.

Meanwhile, at the Western Conference, the Sacramento Kings could be on their way to their first playoffs since 2006, possibly involving the Portland Trail Blazers, if they can find consistency in style. his level.

How are the tables rotating?

The defending champions are in a difficult position.

Without Stephen Curry for over a month. Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are recovering from injuries. All the blame falls on the unreliable pairing of Jordan Poole and James Wiseman. A torrential record on the road.

Perhaps we are too early with our worries. But the fact of the matter is, the Dubs do not inspire hope that they will make it to the play-ins. Without significant beginnings, they barely impress Sunday’s 126-110 win over the Toronto Raptorsrare win without Curry’s presence.

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Highlights of the Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors in week 9 of the NBA season

They have one of the worst defensive records in the league, conceding more than 100 points per game and often unable to set up a real defense.

Time is running out. And not just for the Warriors, but the Los Angeles Lakers as well. And the Dallas Mavericks. Each of these teams boasts of the best players in the league, fighting in the MVP chat, but failing to save their team from surrender. If that’s not interesting, then we don’t know what is.

The tankathon went well and really

There are six teams competing for the basement spot in the NBA Conference rankings. Some are there by choice, others not so much.

The San Antonio Spurs seem to fall into both categories. For starters, they didn’t go to war much as their star player DeMar DeRozan left for verdant grasslands, trading him instead for four future picks. Although head coach Gregg Popovich swears they’re in to fight, it’s easy to see the award – Victor Wembanyama – and get excited.

The Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets are both teams that are being rebuilt. The same can be said about Banchero’s Magic.

Oklahoma is the team that has boasted a superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. A group of Wemby and the SGA would be absolutely dangerous. But that’s just one more reason to keep watching.

MVP conversations in full state

MVP chats are in full swingand there is no shortage of competitive talents.

Led by Boston’s Tatum and the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, both players have broken points records this season on their way to the newly named Michael Jordan trophy.

Add Ja Morant, Kevin Durant, Curry, Zion Williamson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, who won the big double on Sunday night, and you’ve got yourself a race.

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Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic becomes third player in NBA history to score at least 40 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists in a game

Notable injuries have spoiled our predictions in the past. Indeed, no MVP winner has missed more than 11 games a season and still won it. Curry was on that path, and perhaps Morant too. Anthony Davis was another man who was in the best shape of his life before his leg injury.

In that case, keep our predictions and MVP picks up to date, and we’ll make sure every turn and turning point is held accountable.



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