The 2022/23 NBA season reached its midpoint this week, after the league's teams completed 41 games.
As expected, nothing was expected, so it was time to hand out midterm certificates.
Marking the teams that have impressed so far, the ones that did exactly the opposite, but mostly remembering that in a crazy league like this, it doesn't say anything about what will happen next.
Outstanding: Boston Celtics
Although the runner-up lost their head coach at the beginning of the season due to matters unrelated to basketball, and also played without Robert Williams in the first 29 games, they are the best team this season.
Jayson Tatum, who plays like a legitimate MVP candidate, along with the great Jaylen Brown make the Celtics one of the best offensive teams in the league.
Tatum.
Brilliantly leads the best team in the league, photo: USA TODAY Sports
With the return of Williams, who excels in defense, they will be able to regain the defensive dominance that led them to the finals last season.
What's more, this year, the center they were missing so much in the previous playoffs has arrived - and his name is Malcolm Brogdon.
The disappointing one: Golden State
The first half of the season for the team from San Francisco looks like the worst dreams of its general manager in the summer that came after the championship.
Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers gave her a real fight in the battle for the disappointing title, but a champion who has a record of 22:22 after 44 games, definitely deserves it more than all of them.
curry.
His Golden State with too many losses, photo: Reuters
Luckily for her, the West is very weak this year, and with Stephen Kerry's return from injury, a streak of a few more wins may return her to the top of the district, and a good playoff could completely forget the big disappointment in the first half of the season.
The surprising one: Denver Nuggets
The New Orleans Pelicans could also win this title, but the Nuggets, who finish the first half of the season in first place in the West and with a rare record, are more deserving than all of them.
Everything is going according to their plans this season so far, even better than we imagined.
GAME DAY MOOD pic.twitter.com/id8oCXXrlF
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 17, 2023
Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., who have recovered from injuries, are in their prime, Aaron Gordon has never played better in a Denver uniform - or at all in his career, and Nikola Jokic is a leading candidate to win the title of MVP for the third time in a row.
Coach Mike Malone also knows that the defense is still not good enough, but if it improves, as we have seen recently, this is a team that can take a championship.
Who will take the ball to Jokic?, Photo: AP
Fun: Sacramento Kings
16 years in a row the team from California failed to reach the playoffs, the longest drought in the history of the best league in the world.
So this season, not only do the Kings seem to be on the safe way there, they are also the most fun and exciting team today.
After the management has made all the possible mistakes in recent years, the fans finally have some satisfaction.
THE SACRAMENTO KINGS ARE FIVE GAMES ABOVE .500 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2006!!!
pic.twitter.com/IxI5PxfWEx
— J rue (@thatl0calguy) January 14, 2023
Domantas Sabonis is playing like an All-Star, Diaron Fox is great, and Atlanta realizes they made a terrible mistake when they gave up Kevin Harter, who is flourishing under Mike Brown.
The fourth pick in the draft, Keegan Murray, also delivers the goods - and symbolizes more than anyone the positive change of Sacramento.
For those who forgot, this is a team that chose Marvin Bagley in 2018 before someone who has been making names for himself in recent years - Luka Doncic.
The Sacramento Kings home crowd is doing the wave up 29 points.
pic.twitter.com/s9ZDbeXg83
— Cameron Salerno (@cameronsalerno1) January 10, 2023
Relinquished: Houston Rockets
Houston definitely has a problem.
The starting five of the Rockets played more minutes together this season than any other team in the league, and also averaged the fewest points per game.
In the third season of the "rebuilding" process, you can't tell anyone that winning isn't what matters anymore.
Houston is in freefall with 11 straight losses, and with 16 losses in the last 17 games (did someone say tanking?).
NO SIR ❌ @alperennsengun |
#Rockets pic.twitter.com/ZxxYIOCJF6
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 17, 2023
If this terrible season ends with the selection of Victor Wombanayama in the next draft, it can still somehow look okay.
Until then, it looks like the Rockets will continue their run toward the worst record in the league this season—and no one can stop them.
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