Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson TatumComposite: Getty Images
Is the regular season in crisis?
Absolutely not. Could it stand to be a little shorter? Sure. Do the referees need to be more judicious with when they intervene? I’d argue they do. But the real problem the NBA faces is, in my opinion, a PR one. Its loudest voices should spend less time pearl-clutching and more time celebrating. Claire de Lune
Star players sit, games blur together and offense is unchecked. I don’t know if I’d call it a crisis, but put it this way: Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video did not pay $76bn for this product. They’re betting that it will be fixed. The answer might be structural: tweak the rules to restore physicality. If defense matters again, maybe the games will too. Bryan Armen Graham
Advertisement
Well, if you count rights-holding networks badmouthing the product, the league blacking out local games and underselling on-court storylines as a crisis – then yes. If you count the in-season tournament, load management player protocols and the endless GOAT debates as a crisis – then also yes. I’m not suggesting fewer games (82 always felt right); I’m suggesting everyone take them more seriously. Talking to you, Adam Silver. Andrew Lawrence
Can I be in a crisis when my organization commands $76bn in broadcast rights fees? That sad, a few tweaks might help. Spice up the in-season tournament by working point spreads into real-life results – eg the Celtics need to cover v the Hornets to move on – and awarding a conditional first-round draft pick known as “The Emirate” to the winner. Bring international play into the All-Star Weekend format and if you must, trim three or four games off the schedule. Oh, and please, please, lower ticket prices. Thank you! David Lengel
There are multiple issues with the NBA such as an overindulgence of three-pointers, the forgettable All-Star game and perpetual foul-hunting. However, the notion of a crisis is a bit overblown. The Western Conference remained highly competitive until the final day of the season, the playoffs feature a mix of All-NBA veterans and rising young stars, and the NBA’s primetime viewership is up double digits from last season. There is space for improvement, but the league is far from being in crisis. AR Shaw
Team that will be most missed from the playoffs
It’s a shame that Kevin Durant, one of the most skilled scorers this game has ever seen, isn’t going to make so much as a play-in-tournament appearance this year. To say the Phoenix Suns have been a disappointment is a woeful understatement, but it’s less the team I’ll be missing and more the inimitable presence of the Slim Reaper. CDL
Advertisement
The Suns. Say what you will about their flaws, but they had three of the NBA’s best shot-makers in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal and still couldn’t make it work. A brutal cap sheet and murky future means this might have been their last real shot. BAG
Can I be selfish and say the Chicago Bulls? For the first time since their ethereal first-half campaign to the 2021-22 season, the Bulls have been genuinely fun to watch – and the life of the party has been Josh Giddey, the triple-double threat who harks to the days when a healthy Lonzo Ball was leading the break. He showed enough to earn a long-term extension and another running mate to help get Chicago into the play-in stage. AL
The team or the players? I’m already missing KD and his band of grumpy, really upset Suns, and of course, we’re all praying to the god of your choice that Victor Wembanyama will be back next season. Overall, the Philadelphia 76ers mess is always a good follow, and I think we’ll all miss the day-to-day drama Joel Embiid and friends bring to the first round of the playoffs. DL
The San Antonio Spurs. The debut of “Playoff Wemby” appeared to be a possibility after the Spurs acquired De’Aaron Fox before the trade deadline. But season-ending injuries to Wembanyama and Fox spoiled San Antonio’s playoff hopes. The combination of Wembanyama, Fox, the savvy veteran Chris Paul and rookie sensation Stephon Castle would have created havoc in the postseason. With better health, we can expect the Spurs to do damage in next year’s playoffs. ARS
High seed at risk of going out early
Vegas doesn’t have a lot of faith in second seeded-Houston in the playoffs, and neither do I. It’s commendable (hat tip to head coach Ime Udoka) that a super-young Rockets team were able to go from missing the play-in tournament last year to ending this year as the No 2 seed, but an unproven, youth-heavy, offensively challenged roster will likely get exposed in their first postseason outing. CDL
Advertisement
The Cleveland Cavaliers have depth, structure and a sparkling record, but playoff basketball is a different beast. Darius Garland has shrunk from the moment before, Evan Mobley remains a work in progress on offense and Donovan Mitchell can’t carry the load alone. If the tempo dips and the shots stop falling, this slick machine could unravel fast – especially against a battle-tested opponent. BAG
The New York Knicks, who blew a…
