NBA Game Notes: Contenders Make Statements

Notes from: Thunder-Wolves, Cavs-Grizzlies, Pistons-Hawks, Bucks-Heat

Pretty good weekend of hoops! There were a few fun college games and the NBA games really delivered. If you’re a believer in the 40-20 rule (Phil Jackson believed that to be a title contender, you had to win 40 games before losing 20. There’s something to the theory, as 46 of the last 50 champions hit the 40-20 rule, or the prorated version of it in shortened seasons.), the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder are our only 40-20 teams this season. The Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies were all knocked out over the weekend.

It’s probably no real surprises that the three 40-20 teams made statements on Sunday. Boston blew out New York, the shorthanded Cavs survived the Grizzlies, and the Thunder won on the road in Minnesota. We won’t cover the Celtics blowout, but we’ll hit on the other two.

Here’s what I saw on Sunday!

Oklahoma City Thunder - 130 at Minnesota Timberwolves - 123

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is continuing his MVP push. Sometimes his great games get lost because they come in yet another Thunder runaway, but this was a great game when Oklahoma City needed it. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 of his 37 points in the second half. He scored 16 in the third quarter, when OKC re-took control of the game.

  In the fourth quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander focused more on playmaking than scoring. I really liked this play, because it showed how patient Gilgeous-Alexander can be. The Wolves are zoning. After looking like he’s going to Lu Dort on the left wing, Gilgeous-Alexander got just enough middle to set up Jalen Williams for the three:

• Chet Holmgren has been back for a few weeks now, but this one felt like the first time he was really back. He did a little bit of everything that makes him so special as a versatile, 7-foot matchup nightmare.

  First, Holmgren uses a screen from Isaiah Hartenstein to get free for a triple. Only Boston also uses big-big screen actions like this to set up a 7-footer. Then, Holmgren scores easily at the rim on a late duck-in. Then he had a strong tip-in in some traffic. Lastly, a big spot-up three when OKC really needed it. Special player doing special things!

• Aaron Wiggins has remained hot for the Thunder. He’s at a ridiculous 49.2% from three in February, which has brought him up to just under 40% on the season. It feels like every look is a clean one too. This one was created by Lu Dort making the transition sprint to the rim to draw the defender, which opened up Wiggins:

• Jalen Williams more than holds his own as a small-ball four, but he’s best as a wing. With Holmgren back in the lineup, the Thunder are huge, and Williams is overpowering for a lot of other wings and guards. Look for more stuff to get Williams working in the paint against smaller defenders.

• The Wolves hung in this game because they went to the offensive boards with abandon. Jaden McDaniels isn’t usually someone who does a lot of work on the offensive glass, but he grabbed a bunch to get Minnesota second chances.

• It was a bummer that Jaylen Clark got hurt, because he’s been really good for the Wolves over the last month. Clark is starting to look like a really solid 3&D wing option, and that allow Minnesota to let Nickeil Alexander-Walker leave this summer in a cost-saving move.

  The first shot is the one Clark needs to make most to stick in the rotation. The second one, off driving a closeout, will come as opponents respect the first shot more.

• Minnesota is starting to develop some nice younger (read: cost-controlled) options behind their big guys. Clark is one, but rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. have also had moments lately. That’s huge for balancing out their roster long-term.

Memphis Grizzlies - 123 at Cleveland Cavaliers - 129

• With Darius Garland out, someone had to step up and Ty Jerome was ready. Jerome’s emergence as a consistent scorer off Cleveland’s bench has been a key to their emergence as a great team this season. That Jerome is holding up defensively is helpful too, as it allows his role to grow beyond bench playmaker.

  Jerome excels at attacking before the defense is fully set. He often does it by using a screen to get himself open. From there, he’ll pull up for the jumper, or he often goes to this floater:

• The box score isn’t going to show much, but having Dean Wade back is huge for the Cavs. He’s taking on the role Georges Niang played in the revamped rotation, as the third big. Wade gives Kenny Atkinson another solid defender on the floor, and he’s usually a pretty solid shooter too.

• Evan Mobley is closing in on that first-career triple-double. He’s making some outstanding reads a passer now. Those doubles and traps don’t phase him nearly as much anymore. Keeping it simple works for Mobley. Here, he draws the second defender and then just drops it off for Jarrett Allen.

• It wasn’t a monster game for De’Andre Hunter, but he’s doing a nice job taking on the role Caris LeVert had, combined with some of the third-big stuff Georges Niang was doing. I really liked this hesitation dribble to attack Zach Edey for the transition floater:

• Memphis is really good, but they are just behind the true contenders. There’s a moment in every big game for the Grizzlies where it just kind of doesn’t happen for them and the win slips away. It’s important to remember this team is still growing into their contender status, after last year’s interrupted season.

• This was one of those “old” Jaren Jackson Jr. games where he picked up a couple of bad fouls and had to sit for a while. He’s too important to Memphis on both ends of the floor to have that happen. Thankfully, that is very much a “once in a while” thing now, as opposed to being a regular occurrence.

• Zach Edey had eight offensive rebounds. That’s great, but it would be nice to see him convert some of those into buckets more often. He’s pretty good at tracking the driver and cleaning up the miss when his man goes over to help. It’s the ones in traffic where Edey needs to finish better. It’ll come.

• It’s good to see Vince Williams Jr. back. He adds something different to the Memphis offense, which is too basic too often. This is a nice, simple cut for the easy floater here: