Former Duke basketball star Jared McCain dropped a career-high 27 points during the Philadelphia 76ers’ second win of the season on Sunday.
Former Duke basketball star [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] took the spotlight on Sunday night as he balled out in a winning effort for the Philadelphia Sixers against the Charlotte Hornets.
The 16th overall pick from this summer’s NBA dropped 27 points, setting a career-high, as the Sixers defeated the Hornets in overtime, 107-105. McCain tallied 23 of his points after halftime, shooting 10/18 from the floor and making three of his eight 3-point attempts.
Despite only playing 31 minutes off the bench, McCain led a Philadelphia team that included nine-time All-Star Paul George in scoring.
McCain hasn’t been able to crack the team’s starting five during his rookie season, but he clearly plays a crucial role off the bench. McCain dropped 18 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, and his previous career high came on November 2 when he dropped 19 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s averaging 10.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in his debut NBA season.
The Sixers improved to 2-7 on the season with the victory with another game against the New York Knicks on Monday night.
We need to keep standing up for each other like this.
We are all in a tough spot right now with the coronavirus pandemic as we spend a lot of our days worrying about our health, or our employment status or about anything else that can keep you from sleeping at night.
Wins right now seem like a tough thing to come by, which you know if you’re spending all day trying to get your work done while also trying to teach your kids some stuff and while also trying not to stress eat 5,000 calories for lunch.
It’s just hard right now.
Well, Twitter got a win on Tuesday and it was so fun to see.
It all started with a report that Sixers owner Josh Harris was seeking to make all team employees who are making over $50,000 a year take 20-percent pay cuts while the NBA season remains suspended.
You know how much Harris is worth financially? $3.7 billion dollars. You know how much the Sixers are worth? $2 billion dollars.
Think Harris really needs to ask employees to take salary cuts?
And it worked! A few hours later the team labeled the move a “wrong decision” and backed away from it. Which is so freaking awesome.
Right now we gotta stick up for each other. (We also need to keep our distance from each other.) Hopefully all the other NBA teams saw how that PR went for the Sixers on Tuesday and back away from any plans to do their own pay cuts.
Twitter is usually an awful place, but what happened to Harris and the Sixers wasn’t awful at all. It was beautiful. More rich people are going to try to keep money from people who deserve it and if we can stand up and make a difference we should.
We gotta have each others’ backs now more than ever. Let’s tell the NHL what we think of their crappy decision. Let’s shout at any teams that try to do the same.
Twitter can be a great place where we can change peoples’ lives for the better by speaking out for them.
Let’s keep doing that.
Every change we get.
The 43 best movies to stream on Netflix right now.
You starting to plow through all the shows you wanted to get caught up on or watch again? Yeah, I know how you feel. Thankfully my boss, who’s a swell fella, broke down his 43 favorite movies that are available right stinking now on Netflix. I’m gonna dive into this list while diving back into my familiar spot on the couch.
Quick hits: Joe Buck’s calls have started… Chargers show off new logo… WWE PPVs to watch… And more!
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
– Joe Buck is starting to tweet his best play-by-play calls of fan-submitted videos and they’re pretty great.
Damion Lee dropped 24-points to lead the depleted Warriors to victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
While the game was lacking star power, the Golden State Warriors tilt against the Philadelphia 76ers lived up to its Saturday night primetime billing. Although Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid we’re all ruled out due to injury – the game turned into a nail biter late.
The Sixers held an eight-point lead going into the final period, but it wasn’t enough against the comeback Warriors. Golden State roared back into the game behind clutch shooting from Damion Lee and Mychal Mulder.
Mulder drilled an open 3-pointer with two minutes remaining in the game to give Golden State a two-point lead. Timely free throw shooting and a pair of defensive stops sealed the Warriors comeback win over Philadelphia, 118-114.
The Warriors win snapped a season-long 10-game home losing streak. Golden State will now get two days off before hosting Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center.
Final 📊
Damion – 24p/6r/3a Eric – 23p/6a/3r Mychal – 18p/3a/1r Marquese – 13p/10r/8a/1s/1b Jordan – 1pp/2a/1r/1s Andrew – 10r/4r/4a/1s/1b Dragan – 10p/3r/1a Juan – 6p/6r/2a Chasson – 3p/1r/1a/1s pic.twitter.com/0WWwx3xgF9
After missing a pair of free throws and an open 3-pointer late against the Toronto Raptors, Lee bounced back with an impressive performance with the Sixers in town.
Lee led the Warriors in scoring with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting. The former two-way contract guard added six rebounds and three assists against Philadelphia.
The Drexel product has scored over 23 points in his past two games while knocking down eight 3-pointers in that span.
Marquese Chriss punched his third double-double in the past four games with 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Sixers. Although the former lottery pick racked up numbers on offense, his defense was key in Golden State’s win.
With a one-point Warriors lead and under 30 seconds remaining, Chriss swiped a crucial block against Philadelphia’s Mike Scott. The former Washington Husky’s improbable block set up Mulder to knock down two free throws to extend Golden State’s late lead.
Mulder got the starting nod in the final day of his 10-day contract and continued his impressive play. The Kentucky shooter recorded a career-high 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting with 3-of-7 shots coming from beyond the arc.
Golden State is 3-3 since signing Mulder, with wins over the playoff-bound Sixers and Denver Nuggets. The Canadian guard has scored 14 or more points in four of the six games through his 10-day deal.
It’s safe to say Mulder is proving he belongs in the NBA longer than 10 days.
Any competitive advantage in an NBA season is important whether it is home cooking or the comfort and familiarity of your own locker room.
Any competitive advantage in an NBA season is important whether it is home cooking or the comfort and familiarity of your own locker room.
For this study, we subtracted the difference from the team winning percentage on the road from their winning percentage at home. This illustrates, in part, the impact of playing in their own city has had on franchises around the league. We looked at all games played since the Basketball Association of America merged with the NBA in 1946-47.
Note that all numbers included below for teams are based on their records when playing in their current cities. That means that Golden State Warriors accounts for San Francisco both now and in the 1960s (not Oakland) while the Nets are in Brooklyn (not New Jersey), the Grizzlies are in Memphis (not Vancouver), the Jazz are in Salt Lake City (not New Orleans), etc.
Overall, this research helps show how much better a team has historically played depending on the location of the game.
Perhaps the most obvious takeaway is that the two NBA cities with the highest elevations (Denver and Utah) both rank in the Top 3. In fact, the Nuggets have won nearly twice as many games when they have played at home compared to their road appearances.
Back in 2013, Neil Payne contextualized the geographical advantages for these games (via ESPN):
“One explanation for this phenomenon is that Denver and Salt Lake City are, at 5,883 feet and 4,227 feet, respectively, the two highest-altitude cities in the entire NBA by far. (Ranking third in elevation is Phoenix at a paltry 1,132 feet.) Certainly, this is a major factor – the relatively thin air at such high elevations causes the players’ bodies to have less oxygen available for circulation to their muscles, resulting in quicker fatigue. Denver and Utah players seem to acclimate to this, offering them a presumed advantage.”
The aforementioned advantage is so distinct that in 2015, the league made an effort to schedule the Nuggets as the first stop on a trip from the east or put a day of rest in between games for teams coming from the west.
Another interesting takeaway is that cities that are known for a more vibrant nightlife (Miami, Los Angeles and New York) all fall fairly low on this list. It is common to hear “Los Angeles nightlife is undefeated” or the “South Beach Flu” after the Heat or the Lakers win a game at home. But the win-loss totals indicate that visiting teams may not be as impacted as many thought.
For further proof, Sports Insights NBA expert Carl Sack told The Action Network’s Matt Moore in 2018 that his data also indicated a regression to the mean rather than anything particularly noteworthy about party cities.
One final note is that the teams that have played the fewest total games at home (Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors) fared the worst for these rankings.
These three teams rank in the Bottom 4 for home games based on sheer volume and newness in their home arenas. Whether it’s based on earning loyalty from the fans or something deeper, it was particularly interesting to see some kind of correlation even if there is no causation.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Paul Milsap, Jeff Teague
The Atlanta Hawks were defined by their depth under former head coach Mike Budenholzer. It is what helped their entire starting lineup earn Eastern Conference Co-Players of the Month back in January 2015. But the best player during this era was Al Horford. The big man averaged 15.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game from the 2010-11 season until he left the team during the 2016 offseason.
Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas
Even though he won the 2008 NBA championship and the Finals MVP in 2008, Paul Pierce went on to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team three more times this decade. Before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, he was averaging 18.9 points and 5.6 rebounds with 4.1 assists this decade. Pierce even had a chance to officially retire with the organization on a one-day contract in July 2017.
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson
Before they were the franchise that managed to sign both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the same offseason, the Nets were long led by Brook Lopez. He was a member of the team both in New Jersey and in their move to the new home in Brooklyn back in 2012, which was his first and only career All-Star appearance. During his tenure with the team this decade, the big man put up 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds as well as 1.7 blocks per game.
Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Marvin Williams, Nicolas Batum
During a tough decade for the Hornets, the one thing that kept them alive and interesting was star point guard Kemba Walker. He was a part of the team as a member of the Bobcats and then when they rebranded as the Hornets. Walker was a two-time All-Star as well as a two-time recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. The guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the team during the decade before he joined the Celtics.
Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler
(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah
When former No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose won MVP in 2011 at 22 years old, fans in Chicago fairly assumed they would have a new defining talent for their city. Unfortunately, serious injuries made the point guard become a less impactful player than projected. However, the blow was softened a bit with the sudden emergence of a late first-round pick in Jimmy Butler. The wing won the league’s Most Improved Player in 2015. He was a difference-maker on both sides of the ball, averaging 15.6 points and 1.5 steals per game with the Bulls.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love
Considering that Cleveland’s hometown hero LeBron James notably left the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2010, few would have expected him to still be the Player of the Decade for this franchise. After such an ugly exit memorialized forever with a public shaming by team owner Dan Gilbert, though, James is a player who more than made up for the first early goodbye when he actually returned in 2014. All that he had to do was win the city’s first championship in any sport since 1948. In the process, he averaged an absurd 26.1 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cavs in the 2010s.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Shawn Marion, Luka Doncic
Even though he was drafted in 1998, the undisputed most important in the career of Dirk Nowitzki happened in 2011 when he won a title and NBA Finals MVP. While his best playing days may have been before this decade, he still managed to be a perennial All-Star. The face of the franchise, he also won the league’s award for Teammate of the Year in 2017. His presence was felt, too, during his final season in the league as he helped ease the transition into the new era led by fellow European star Luka Doncic.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Faried, Ty Lawson
The Denver Nuggets may have hit the lottery when they selected Serbian big man Nikola Jokic with the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Jokic is a talent like no other in the league and has become one of the more versatile players in recent memory. He has averaged 16.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Nuggets and the most exciting part is that he may still plenty of room to improve. At just 24 years old, the center could also be the best player of the decade in the 2020s for the Nuggets as well.
Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Greg Monroe, Blake Griffin
Despite not coming into the league until 2013, Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond has the second-most rebounds in the NBA since 2010-11. He has led the NBA in rebounds three times, twice earning All-Star considerations. Drummond has been consistent in his role and despite the team not being much of a contender, he has made his presence felt day in and day out.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant
The things that Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was able to accomplish during the 2010s were almost laughable. He was a back-to-back NBA MVP who won the championship three times. Curry led the Warriors to an unbelievable 73-9 regular season while topping the league in scoring and in steals in 2016 as well. He also connected on 3.8 three-pointers per game, which is 0.9 more than the next-best player during the decade. Curry has clearly redefined the way the game is played and is a generational talent unlike any we have ever seen step foot on a basketball court.
Houston Rockets: James Harden
(Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Clint Capela
There has been no trade recently that changed the league quite like the one that sent the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year winner James Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. He has been an All-Star every year for Houston and led the league in assists 2017. The guard then led the league in scoring in 2018 as the NBA MVP and then again in 2019. Harden has put up an absurd 29.6 points with 6.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists for the Rockets. In an age of analytics, he has been the darling for general manager Daryl Morey.
Indiana Pacers: Paul George
(Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: David West, George Hill
Former Indiana Pacers wing Paul George was a four-time All-Star with the franchise, winning NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2013. The two-way star also received All-Defensive team honors three times while with the team. He averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game for Indiana during his team with the Pacers. One of the other best factors about George is that his trade allowed Indiana’s front office to acquire two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo and potential first-time All-Star big man Domantis Sabonis.
LA Clippers: Chris Paul
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan
Before there was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers, there was Lob City. None of the success happening for the franchise now would be possible if it weren’t for Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The tide was turning when Griffin was drafted in 2009 and won Rookie of the Year in 2011. But it was solidified when they traded for CP3 in December 2011. Paul averaged an impressive 18.8 points and 9.8 assists with 2.2 steals per game when he was a member of the Clippers. He made the All-Star team five times in Los Angeles and twice led the NBA in assists during that time.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant
(Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Pau Gasol, LeBron James
Unlike with Nowitzki, the peak accomplishments for Kobe Bryant occurred before 2010. But even during this decade, he added another NBA title to his arsenal and an All-Star appearance each year before retiring in 2016. Bryant averaged 24.2 points per game for the Lakers starting in 2010-11, which was above average for someone who was his age. Of course, there was little more memorable than Bryant scoring 60 points in his final professional game.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: MARC GASOL
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Mike Conley, Zach Randolph
Former Memphis Grizzlies big man Marc Gasol averaged 15.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists during his time with the Grizzlies this decade. He made three All-Star appearances while a member of the franchise, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. The center was a fixture for Memphis, making the playoffs six times with the Grizzlies. Gasol, a World Cup winner with Spain, eventually won his first NBA title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors after a midseason trade.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: LeBron James, Chris Bosh
While it was obvious that James was the best player on the team, none of The Big 3 era Miami Heat would have been possible if it were not for Dwyane Wade. He was the instrumental player recruiting both James and Chris Bosh to Miami and even gave up more money in the process to allow it to happen. Wade also sacrificed his role as the key star to make room for more touches to both James and Bosh. This led to two more NBA Finals wins for Wade and All-Star appearances between 2010 and 2016. He was also able to come back to the Heat and retire with the franchise.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the most dominant basketball players in recent memory. He has averaged 19.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game since entering the league. After winning the NBA MVP in 2019, he has followed up with an equally impressive season so far this year. His play has been so sharp that one of the league’s most pressing questions, even now a year and a half away from his eligibility, is what will he decide to do as an upcoming free agent.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns
(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins
After trading away Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014 offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to bounce back in some ways by grabbing No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns. He has played the part of one of the elite big men in the NBA, averaging 22.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game since entering the pros. Towns has also made 39.6 percent of his three-point attempts, showing his versatility as an offensive force.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson
His exit may have left a sour taste in the mouth of the New Orleans Pelicans, but Anthony Davis was absolutely stellar during his time with the team. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and also led the league in blocks three times. Davis was a six-time All-Star for the Pelicans and while he now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, his return will leave New Orleans in a fine place for the upcoming decade. Not only did the front office get an unreal surplus of draft picks in the deal but Brandon Ingram is playing like a potential superstar.
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony
(Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images)
It was a relatively underwhelming decade for the New York Knicks under team owner James Dolan. The front office mortgaged quite a bit of their future to secure Carmelo Anthony via trade in 2011 despite knowing that the star would become a free agent that offseason. As such, the team was a bit of a one-man show under his leadership. He averaged 24.7 points as well as 7.0 rebounds per game on the Knicks, eventually leaving in 2017.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant
(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka
The Oklahoma City Thunder somehow drafted three MVP winners who all hit their primes during the 2010s. While none of them is still with the team, the one who made the biggest splash was Kevin Durant. The former No. 2 overall pick put up 28.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while also shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range. Even though point guard Russell Westbrook was the player who had the longest tenure with the team, it was obvious that Oklahoma City was the most successful version of itself with Durant on the roster.
Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic
(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Evan Fournier
Orlando Magic big man Nikola Vucevic might be the most underrated NBA player of the decade. He made just one All-Star appearance, finally earning the love last season. While he originally started his career in Philadelphia, he has found a niche in Orlando. The former No. 16 overall pick has averaged 16.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Magic.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Ben Simmons, Thaddeus Young
His career may have started off defined by injury but since he has become a healthier player, there have been few with a higher ceiling than Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. The big man has scored 24.2 points and pulled down 11.6 rebounds per game. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team his first year in the league back in 2017. He has made the All-Star team, All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team in both years since.
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker
(Photo by Barry Gossage NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Goran Dragic, PJ Tucker
The Phoenix Suns have not had a decade many fans will want to look back on with fond memories. But the one takeaway is that there is at least some hope for the future due to the scoring punch of Devin Booker. He has been able to put up 21.7 points and 4.5 assists per game since he entered the NBA just two days before his 19th birthday. Booker put up 70 points back in March 2017 and at just 20 years old, he was the youngest player to put up 60 points in an NBA game. Back in March 2019, Booker had three games in a row where he scored at least 48 points.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum
There are few players in NBA history who have embraced their team’s city quite like Trail Blazers star has welcomed Portland into his life. After he was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012, he has turned his the Blazers into one of the most consistent contenders in the league. Lillard, who won Rookie of the Year his first season in the pros, is a four-time All-Star. He was honored with All-NBA 1st Team consideration in 2018 and led Portland to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. He has averaged 23.7 points and 6.4 assists per game for the Trail Blazers during his professional career thus far.
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay
While the Sacramento Kings had a disappointing decade in many ways, their most feared player during the 2010s was undeniably DeMarcus Cousins. He was a force to be reckoned with on the Kings, averaging 21.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2011 and he then took home All-NBA 2nd Team in 2015 and 2016. The big man was also disciplined and suspended a bit too often for comfort during his time on the Kings, eventually leading to an inevitable divorce of the two parties.
San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard
SAN ANTONIO, TX – (Photo byJoe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker
When he won NBA Finals MVP in 2014, it was clear that former No. 15 overall pick Kawhi Leonard was a special player in this league. But he was able to take his game to the next level during his time with the San Antonio Spurs, also winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards for his efforts in 2015 and 2016. Leonard, who led the league in steals in 2015, also came into his own on the offensive side of the floor while before his time in San Antonio came to a surprisingly ugly close that kept him sidelined for the majority of 2017-18.
Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard
While it was Leonard who was the undisputed best player of the team that won the Toronto Raptors their first NBA championship, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry was the heart and soul of the squad. After the team traded away his longtime teammate DeMar DeRozan during the 2018 offseason, the year was inevitably going to be an emotional rollercoaster for Lowry. But for him to respond by helping Toronto finally carry the Larry O’Brien trophy was an effort that solidified his place as the Player of the Decade for the Raptors.
Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert
(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors
If general fans valued defense the same way they value offense, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert would be considered one of the Top 10 players in the NBA. After he led the league in blocks back in 2017, the French big went on to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and in 2019. Gobert has actually averaged 2.2 blocks per game since entering the league in 2013. He has also pulled down 10.8 rebounds per game and has connected on 63.4 percent of his total field goal attempts.
Washington Wizards: John Wall
(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat
Before his recent injury trouble, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall was an electrifying player. He has averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 assists for the Wizards since going No. 1 overall in the 2010 NBA draft. He made the All-Star team from 2014 until 2018, also grabbing All-Defensive 2nd Team honors in 2015 and All-NBA 3rd Team in 2017. Wall has averaged 1.7 steals per game, too, showing he can be a defensive stopper. Now he is on a tough contract, though he initially earned it with his previously fantastic play.
After over a month of the college basketball season, we are starting to get a better picture of what the 2020 NBA Draft will look like.
After over a month of the college basketball season, we are starting to get a better picture of what the 2020 NBA draft will look like.
For example, Georgia Bulldogs freshman Anthony Edwards is beginning to separate himself as a near-consensus No. 1 overall pick. On the other side of the coin, though, several of the projected top selections (LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, Cole Anthony and RJ Hampton) will miss extended time due to either injury or suspension.
In order to get a better read of the bigger picture, we collected opinions from the top experts and analysts that cover the draft. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic as well as USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.
Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry, Xavier Tillman in top-45 of The Athletic's NBA Draft Big Board https://t.co/LFrVsMcvZD
One of the most interesting takeaways is that the Michigan State Spartans have three players (Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry and Xavier Tillman) all trending up.
After making the Final Four in last year’s March Madness, the program was expected to take another leap forward for their 2019-20 campaign.
Despite three losses in their first 10 games, the Spartans still rank No. 15 overall this season. This can be attributed to the fact Michigan State currently has the third-best offense in college basketball, per KenPom.com.
They also have three of the most improved players since our last aggregate mock draft. The full list, and more on each of the MSU players moving up draft boards, is included below.
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 17 spots in our rankings.
Despite already being 21 years old, the 6-foot-1 guard currently has a first-round grade from ESPN as well as Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports.
Winston has been one of the best distributors since he began at MSU. 67.1 percent of all field goals for the Spartans have been assisted, which is the sixth-most among all teams so far this season. His career assist rate (44.1 percent) ranks No. 1 overall among all college players who have played at least 50 games since 2009-10, via Sports-Reference.
With 7 assists today vs Rutgers, Cassius Winston now has the 2nd-most career assists (770) in Big Ten History, passing Illinois’ Bruce Douglas.
Winston is now just 46 assists behind Mateen Cleaves for the conference career record (816). pic.twitter.com/BLzMQGjpzx
During his freshman season, he had the second-best assist rate (46.7 percent) in the NCAA. Then as a sophomore, his assist rate (43.5 percent) trailed only Trae Young for the best in college basketball. Last season, his assist mark (44.8 percent) ranked third-best and behind only Ja Morant among all who played for teams that made the tournament.
But he has also shown strength as one of the more accurate shooters in the NCAA.
Winston was 75-for-151 (49.7 percent) from beyond the arc in 2017-18. That helped him join the exclusive 50-40-90 club for field-goal percentage, three-point percentage and free-throw percentage. Even as a sophomore then, the guard was one of the few to have a membership with at least two three-point attempts per game.
There is some enough NBA readiness to show he can contribute right away for a winning team.
Aaron Henry, Wing
AMD Rank: 33
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 26 spots in our rankings.
Henry was of the players who helped himself the most during the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Then a freshman, he put up 20 points with 6 rebounds and 6 assists during a victory over LSU.
While he has not yet taken the leap some expected as a sophomore, draft experts still have confidence in him as a prospect. His highest ranking right now comes from Jonathan Wasserman, who has him at No. 28 overall (via Bleacher Report):
“The eye test on Henry looks more convincing than the numbers. He isn’t a high-level creator, which limits him in Michigan State’s offense. But the 6’6″ guard is hitting open shots, capitalizing on driving lanes and making impact defensive plays. This late, teams will overlook Henry’s production for his fit.”
Perhaps the best news for the wing is that there is room for improvement. However, there have also been moments that show what Henry is capable of accomplishing at the next level.
This season, for example, the sophomore has been one of the most effective shooters off the catch. He is averaging 1.78 points per possession on catch-and-shoot attempts in a set offense, per Synergy Sports, which ranks in the 98th percentile.
Henry is also shooting 72.7 percent at the rim, which is an especially solid rate for a wing. Overall, he looks like someone capable of being a 3-and-D player in an NBA rotation.
Xavier Tillman, Big
AMD Rank: 50
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Since our last AMD, this has moved up 13 spots in our rankings.
Michigan State has always been a team that plays better with Tillman on the court. Last season, for example, the big actually had the third-best box plus-minus in the NCAA — trailing only Zion Williamson and Brandon Clarke.
Jeremy Woo recently helped contextualize what professional teams may like about the 6-foot-8 junior (via SI.com):
“Tillman specializes in doing the dirty work and has been a largely unheralded yet invaluable piece of the Spartans’ success dating back to last season. He’s not particularly tall for a center but has a chance to be a quality rotational big in the pros with what he adds defensively and on the glass. Tillman has worked on extending his shooting range, and if he ends up being able to shoot the three, he’ll have a fairly strong window of opportunity as a role player. A lot of the things he does as a screener and defender don’t show up in the box score, and while he’ll never be more than a fourth or fifth offensive option, he might be able to thrive in that capacity.”
His best trait so far this season has been his ability to cut to the basket. He is shooting 15-for-17 (88.2 percent) on these attempts, per Synergy.
But he has also added value on the offensive glass and as a rim protector for Michigan State. His willingness and ability to make the most of time on the floor makes him a draftable professional prospect.
The Golden State Warriors were easily the most dominant NBA team in the 2010s decade. What teams followed them? Our full rankings included.
The end of the decade is upon us, which a good time to look at the teams that thrived and those that took a nosedive over the 2010s.
For clarity, the period examined begins with the 2010-11 NBA season and ends Dec. 12, 2019, rather than bridging games that were played in the second half of 2009-10. Remember, the 2011-12 season was limited to 66 games due to a players’ strike.
30. Sacramento Kings
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The Kings have been consistent … as in consistently under .500. The last time the franchise had a winning season was 2005-06. It will be interesting to see if they can get over the .500 mark this go-round. The Kings are currently flirting with .500 but still under.
