Week 14 of the 2024-25 NBA season is done and dusted so we’re looking into the notable moments with three big takeaways from the chaos.
NBA Wrap
The NBA All-Star starters have been named with the list met with the usual response of snubs. However, when those players are being snubbed for LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, it’s easy to think the youngsters can sit behind the legacy stars in the starting lineup for another year or two.
Agree with the 2025 #NBAAllStar Starters? ⭐
Who would be in your starting five for both conferences? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Res6i3UJv3
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 24, 2025
Those that have been “snubbed” – like Victor Wembanyama – will be there on the day when the NBA tries yet another format in a desperate attempt to make the weekend interesting.
The NBA in general is playing out what is often a low key January. The Washington Wizards are so low key right now that they’ve extended their losing streak out to 13 games. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies are the big winners of the week to have won an NBA-high six consecutive games.
the #grizzlies starting lineup of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Zach Edey has a net rating of +43.0. is that good? pic.twitter.com/EE18bwTMDK
— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) January 26, 2025
Ja Morant is healthy, Jaren Jackson is on fire, Zach Edey is finding his feet, and Jaylen Wells is into $3.80 to win Rookie of the Year. With it all coming together, the Grizzlies are into $26 to win the championship and $1.92 to finish the regular season with Over 52.5 wins.
Rookie of the Year Odds: Ware – $3.05, Castle – $3.80, Wells – $3.80, Sarr – $4.15, Missi – $10, Edey – $11
Young players around the NBA hit high marks this week with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up the first 50-point game of his career. It’s added another argument to his case as the current MVP favourite. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards surpassed Karl-Anthony Towns for the most three-pointers in Minnesota Timberwolves history. Minny hasn’t lived up to the hype this season, but they’re getting there as Edwards grows into the superstar role.
3 Takeaways From Week 14
Jump On Jokic
Nikola Jokic is a three-time Most Valuable Player winner but is playing the best basketball of his NBA career right now.
“I think this is the best basketball of my life. I’m feeling good out there, I’m in shape, the ball is going in, I’m feeling good. I think I influence the game on different levels, I think play really good right now.” – Nikola Jokic
What he is doing at the moment is absurd. Just consider his recent run of form…
Nikola Jokic last 9 games:
41 PTS – 18 REB – 9 AST
46 PTS – 9 REB – 10 AST
35 PTS – 12 REB – 15 AST
19 PTS – 18 REB – 9 AST
10 PTS – 14 REB – 10 AST
24 PTS – 12 REB – 10 AST
20 PTS – 14 REB – 10 AST
27 PTS – 13 REB – 10 AST
35 PTS – 22 REB – 17 ASTWe are witnessing greatness. pic.twitter.com/XFvAdOhJF1
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 24, 2025
He’s averaging 29.9 points, 13.1 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game while shooting a career-high 47.9% from beyond the arc. With his massive counting stats, the 29-year-old leads the NBA in win shares, box plus-minus and value over replacement.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the $1.28 favourite to win MVP, Jokic is the best player in the world. His name is starting to pop up in Top 10 all-time conversations and will be an unquestionable addition should he win another ring or two.
Voter fatigue shouldn’t be something NBA voters deal with, but it is. Remarkably, simply giving the best player in the NBA the MVP for that season is difficult for some voters if he’s won a couple before. It’s even more difficult when those players won the last one.
I have heard it said that while Nikola Jokic is clearly the best player in the NBA, you cannot in good conscience just give him the MVP award every year.Yes, you can.
— Mark Deeks (@markdeeks.bsky.social) 2025-01-24T19:45:14.657Z
For Jokic to average a triple-double while the Denver Nuggets are 4th in the Western Conference and be $3(!!) to win MVP is a gift we can’t ignore. Early-season struggles in the win-loss column allowed those suffering from voter fatigue an out on Jokic. Should the Nuggets keep towards the top of the conference while averaging these numbers, they will have no choice but to hand him is fourth Michael Jordan Trophy.
Lakers Lurking
The Los Angeles Lakers just thumped the Boston Celtics 117-96 at Crypto.com Arena to be 24-18 for 5th in the Western Conference. LeBron James is still one of the best players in the league, Anthony Davis can carry the team on any given night, Austin Reaves continues to improve, and the supporting case fits around the stars better than it has done for years.
Still, the Lakers aren’t among the championship contenders at $56. They’re at least a trade away from contention, and they seem to know it.
The Lakers have made multiple trade offers for Walker Kessler but haven’t met the asking price (via Shams)
Kessler is averaging a double double whilst LEADING the NBA in FG%, 2nd in BPG and 7th in RPG 👀 pic.twitter.com/g1qghIdNY8
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) January 26, 2025
Davis making it clear he wants to play the four isn’t anything new, but it’s unlikely to be a coincidence that he’s saying it publicly with the trade deadline approaching.
“I think we need another big. I feel like I’ve always been at my best when I’ve been the 4, having a big out there.” – Anthony Davis
With James having turned 40 in December, the urgency to make something happen this season is obvious.
Trading away D’Angelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith isn’t enough. If anything, it makes another deal more difficult with few trade assets remaining. Davis and James aren’t going anywhere while they’ve also shut down any discussion around Reaves being moved. There isn’t much left to work with if the front office is to strike the sort of deal that will send the Lakers up the Championship odds list.
Walker Kessler has been sounded out as a target. Jerami Grant and Myles Turner have been mentioned, too. While none of those names will instantly put the Lakers among the contenders, they would shorten from their current $56 price.
NBA Championship Odds: Celtics – $3, Thunder – $3.30, Cavaliers – $6.50, Nuggets – $14, Knicks – $14, Mavericks – $21, Bucks – $21, Clippers – $26, Grizzlies – $26, Suns – $31, Timberwolves – $51, Magic – $51, Rockets – $51
Silver Hints At Adjustments
The NBA has a three-point problem at the moment.
While the best teams in the league are taking and making three’s at record levels, the viewership of the league is declining.
Social media and the focus on superstars has made the NBA a highlight-reel league. It’s a winning formula when there are highlights. Teams hoisting 50 shots from beyond the arc doesn’t make for engaging content nor does it drive people to their TV’s or streaming devices to watch games.
“I’m listening to the critics. I don’t want to overreact, but I think there are potentially some adjustments we can make.” – Adam Silver
A focus on three-point shooting and shots at the rim should one not be available from beyond the arc has seen teams average nearly eight more points per 100 possessions than they were throughout the 2014-15 NBA season.
Players and staff will always focus on winning, even if it comes at the expense of entertainment. Their job, as it is ultimately measured, is to win. It’s up to the NBA to ensure it comes in an entertaining form. It remains to be seen what these “adjustments” might be, but it’s positive to hear Silver open to the idea of change.
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