With roughly 1 / 4 of the NBA season over, the “haves” (Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks) have separated from the “have-nots” (Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons). Listed below are three of the league’s greatest disappointments: ( Stats and data are by means of Dec. 6.)
Detroit Pistons are shockingly unhealthy
No group is extra disappointing relative to the expertise on the roster than the Pistons. Detroit has the worst document within the league (2-19) and is on an 18-game dropping streak. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Pistons are twenty ninth in offense, twenty fourth in protection and twenty ninth in level differential.
The Pistons have additionally struggled to discover a second possibility for former No. 1 general choose Cade Cunningham. Second-year guard Jaden Ivey that participant final season when the Purdue star averaged 16.3 factors and 5.2 assists in 31.1 minutes, however underneath new head coach Monty Williams, Ivey’s minutes have dropped to 23.1 per recreation.
Ivey is averaging solely 11.4 factors and a pair of.9 assists and has seen his beginning job go to Killian Hayes, who has had his personal struggles this season, averaging 9.7 factors on 42.5 % taking pictures from the sphere. That is below the league average of 44.5 % for level guards.
“Once you lose this many video games, you bought to make adjustments,” Williams mentioned on the roster changes, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “We’re not going to go away any stone unturned.”
With 10 of their subsequent 14 video games towards groups with profitable data, the Pistons may sink even deeper within the convention. Maybe they will problem the Philadelphia 76ers’ league document for many consecutive losses (28, spanning two seasons).
Scoot Henderson teetering on bust?
The No. 3 general choose is struggling, averaging 9.2 factors, 4.2 assists and a pair of.6 rebounds and taking pictures miserably (35.1% field-goal proportion) for the Portland Path Blazers.
Questions in regards to the 19-year-old’s taking pictures capacity popped up earlier than the NBA Draft. The pondering, nevertheless, was the 6-foot-3, 202-pound guard may use his otherworldly athleticism to constantly assault the basket. Henderson, nevertheless, is averaging simply 1.9 free-throw makes an attempt per recreation.
The previous G League Ignite star began the primary 5 video games of the season earlier than struggling an ankle injury that pressured him to overlook the following 9 video games. Upon returning on Nov. 22, Henderson was moved to the second unit, which is lower than supreme for a No. 3 general choose who was heralded as the brand new face of the franchise following the Damian Lillard commerce.
There may be loads of time left within the season for Henderson to show issues round, however given how hyped he was, his efficiency to date is disappointing.
‘Massive 4’ is floundering for Los Angeles Clippers
On paper, pairing Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook with among the finest playmakers within the league in James Harden is a match made in basketball heaven.
Nevertheless, this “Massive 4” has but to search out constant success. Since buying Harden in a blockbuster trade on Oct. 31, the Clippers are 7-8 and 18th in offense, per Cleaning the Glass, a significant disappointment for a group with 4 elite offensive skills.
Leonard, George, Westbrook and Harden want the ball of their arms to be the best, and regardless of efforts to create extra ball motion, the Clippers steadily regress to “your flip, my flip” isolation basketball.
“There’s not sufficient basketballs on the planet for this group, actually,” Clippers veteran ahead P.J. Tucker mentioned, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
Individually, Leonard, George, Harden and Westbrook are among the many most fun gamers to observe within the NBA, however they need to discover success as a unit.
Issues are trending in the proper course for the Clippers, who’re 7-3 since Westbrook volunteered to come off the bench, however at 10-10, the group has an extended technique to go to develop into a playoff contender.