A guide to the NBA’s second half for dummies or Celtics fans who haven’t taken their eyes off of the Cs

NBA All-Star weekend has come and gone, which implies it’s time for followers to buckle up and prepare for the “second half” of the season. It’s all the time fairly humorous when it’s referred to that method, since most groups, together with the Boston Celtics, have lower than 30 video games remaining earlier than the playoffs begin in April.

We’re nearly there, individuals.

Now, for those who’ve been solely centered on the reigning champs or maybe you simply had to deal with dwelling by means of the primary Sunday with out your treasured “soccer,” it’s possible you’ll be curious as to what’s been happening round the remainder of the Affiliation.

I suppose it is sensible to shortly talk about our heroes in inexperienced.

Regardless of enjoying two months of inconsistent, usually mindboggling basketball, the Celtics are on an analogous observe to the one they had been on final yr en path to Banner 18. They’ve been in direction of the highest of the NBA on either side of the ball and have just lately regarded far more like themselves, profitable eight of 9 earlier than the break.

Turmoil on the high

Chances are you’ll be trying on the above graphic and considering to your self, “Wow, they’ve bought a greater web score than final yr and one way or the other are third greatest?”

That’s proper.

Our first stops across the league might be within the small markets — extra particularly, Cleveland and Oklahoma Metropolis. The Cavaliers and Thunder are the 2 the explanation why Boston’s web score isn’t on the high once more. Each groups have gotten off to an unimaginable begin this season, every holding a conference-best file of 44-10.

Heading into the yr, many individuals would’ve been assured in OKC’s probabilities, after they completed first within the West in 2024. Their younger core bought some playoff expertise and had a whole offseason to sharpen their recreation, to not point out that they strengthened their supporting solid by including Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. The Thunder have succeeded although every of these new additions has missed a good period of time.

Oh, yeah, and so they’re simply now getting Chet Holmgren again.

Cleveland… Cleveland is a distinct story.

9 months in the past, I (a famous NBA skilled, btw) would’ve instructed you that the Cavs had been useless. They fired JB Bickerstaff after shedding to the Cs within the second spherical, after which reviews of a rift between Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland started to floor.

I couldn’t have been extra improper.

The Cavs have been wonderful beneath new head coach Kenny Atkinson, Mitchell has been enjoying out of his thoughts, and the remainder of the solid has adopted go well with.

Whereas each of those squads have been steamrolling many of the league, the Thunder really feel just like the extra lifelike title contender. Their depth and star energy separate them from a few of the convention’s different nice groups, who seemingly solely have one or the opposite.

As for Cleveland, I’m undecided they function a menace to Boston, who’s crushed them two out of thrice this season.

Each groups might be at TD Backyard within the subsequent few weeks, with the Cavs on the town on Feb. 28 and OKC right here on March 12.

“Rivals”

Any time there’s a franchise just like the Celtics with an incredible historical past, status, and top-end expertise, there are going to be groups who need to be the foil to such greatness. Enter the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers.

Let’s begin within the Large Apple. Simply because the Celtics had been heading again to the States after a pair of preseason video games in Abu Dhabi, the Knicks swung a blockbuster commerce to land then Minnesota Timberwolves huge man Karl-Anthony Cities. It was a transfer that turned the quantity up on a few of the whispers that New York could also be for actual.

Bringing in Cities and touchdown Mikal Bridges earlier in the summertime led many to consider that the Knicks could possibly be a critical menace to the Celtics.

They’ve been good, simply not towards Boston.

Now, I hate to carry down everybody’s favourite “the league is healthier after they’re good” staff as a lot as the subsequent man. However, there’s no getting round the truth that Boston has made a mockery of New York in each of their matchups to this point. They made an instance of them on Opening Evening, profitable by 23 factors (it was actually extra), after watching Banner 18 be raised to the rafters. Then, simply final weekend, the Cs lit Madison Sq. Backyard on fireplace with a 27-point W (once more, it wasn’t this shut).

I sit up for a 3rd straight humiliation on Sunday (Feb. 23) afternoon.

Talking of three straight humiliations, the Bucks went 0-3 towards the Cs this yr. The losses weren’t fairly as dangerous as what occurred to the Knicks, however there was actually some disappointment in there.

This season as a complete will be described as that for Milwaukee, to be sincere. Issues aren’t going fairly as poorly as they did after Doc Rivers was employed final season, however 29-24 in all probability isn’t the place they might’ve hoped to be at this level.

However hey, a minimum of they received #TheCup, proper?

Their season has principally been like for those who took the play of the December by means of mid-January Celtics, however simply utilized it to a whole season. Milwaukee’s inconsistencies have been so obtrusive that they determined to maneuver on from famous Celtics killer Khris Middleton on the commerce deadline.

It’s okay, Bucks followers, Kyle Kuzma will save the season!

Sadly (an actual disgrace), down in Philadelphia, there isn’t a saving what’s happening.

As of at the moment, the 76ers have the identical file (20-34) because the Brooklyn Nets. Considered one of these groups was meant to be a championship contender and the opposite was a shoe-in for the “Seize the Flagg” tank-off.

To everybody’s shock, Joel Embiid has struggled to remain on the court docket with a recurring knee difficulty. After hobbling by means of a six-game sequence towards the Knicks in April, the large man determined that it’d be a good suggestion to play for Crew USA within the Olympics, somewhat than rehabbing and dealing to recuperate from the harm.

After capturing the gold, he comically wasn’t prepared to begin the season, lacking the primary 9 video games for Philly. Embiid solely appeared in 4 of the staff’s opening 20 video games and has suited up simply 17 complete occasions to this point.

To make issues worse, the staff’s huge offseason transfer of changing Tobias Harris with Paul George has netted them an older, dearer model of Harris.

The 34-year-old George has been extraordinarily disappointing for the Sixers, after being named to back-to-back All-Star Video games previously two seasons. He’s averaged 16.1 factors per recreation on 42.6% and 36.3% taking pictures splits and has turn into the Metropolis of Brotherly Love’s new favourite scapegoat.

Wait, these groups don’t suck anymore?

We’ve now reached the a part of the piece the place I’m now not going to be imply. There’s no getting round it — the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets have been a pleasure to look at this season. Each franchises have had a tough couple of seasons (greater than a pair for Detroit) and are actually trying like they’ll be heading to the postseason in some capability.

Houston has constructed a defense-first identification beneath former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. The Rockets had been stable final season in his first marketing campaign on the helm, logging a .500 file and ending the yr robust.

They’ve improved upon that and presently sit fourth within the Western Convention with a file of 34-21. Houston’s core of thrilling younger gamers like Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson will make them a enjoyable watch when the playoffs roll round in a number of months.

Up in Detroit, the Pistons are trying like a totally totally different staff than the one which logged a franchise-worst file in 2024. They’re sitting at sixth within the Japanese Convention and are nearer to fifth-place Milwaukee (one recreation again) than seventh-place Orlando (2.5 video games forward).

They, very similar to the aforementioned Thunder, noticed their younger gamers make the most of the offseason and sharpen their expertise. Plus, the entrance workplace introduced in some much-needed taking pictures to assist area issues out for Cade Cunningham, who has been wonderful this season.

The previous 2021 No. 1 choose simply made his first All-Star look and has been doing all of it for Detroit. He’s their main scorer and help man, averaging 25.4 factors and 9.4 assists per recreation.

Additions like Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris (lol), and Tim Hardaway Jr. have all slot in properly subsequent to Cunningham and have made the Pistons one of many extra thrilling groups to tune into on League Cross. It looks like they’re in a dogfight on the finish of regulation nearly each different evening.

The remainder

There haven’t been many different drastic shifts in efficiency relative to expectations across the league. Denver remains to be good, Indiana remains to be a frisky enjoyable staff, and the Wizards are nonetheless fumbling round on the backside. Certain there have been some huge strikes, however you’d must be dwelling beneath a rock to have missed the entire enjoyable within the week main as much as the commerce deadline.

Luka Doncic is a Laker, Jimmy Butler is a Warrior, and PJ Tucker is as soon as once more a Raptor.

These subsequent two months might be very fascinating to look at in relation to playoff seeding and I can solely hope to have set you up with a pleasant basis to take action.