This week, we highlight the West playoff teams chasing greatness and a healthy Bucks team still searching for its next level.
In this week's eight things I liked and disliked, we look at why the Western Conference race looks nothing like last season, the return of a healthyFor at least this week, the old lions of the West rose up -- clinging to whatever is left of their championship equity within a conference shifting beneath their feet.looked as decisive in Golden State's win in Orlando on Wednesday as he has in any game since the 2022 title run.
Irving is a master at drifting into open pockets when the defense focuses on Doncic; Doncic knows where to find him: The Wolves are 7-3 since Towns' knee injury. Their defense, No. 1 all season, hums along -- huge and mean, with the league's apex rim protector inThe Thunder are unrelenting, with a poise and solidity way beyond their experience level.in the middle. Only an early upset of Denver -- the clear favorite -- would qualify as a huge surprise.
If anything, the Bucks overdid it against the Lakers. Antetokounmpo didn't get enough touches in scoring positions late in the game. Milwaukee settled for too many pull-up jumpers. That's healthy. It's part of the learning curve. But the actualized version of the Bucks has the firepower and resourcefulness to overcome those impediments four times in seven games against anyone.The Pelicans are legit -- top 10 on both ends, looking down at the play-in fray. They don't fear the starry Clippers, their likely first-round opponent, boasting a host of legends and one of the greatest postseason performers ever inThe Pelicans have scored only 112.
They have to sustain it. Their March schedule has leaned toward below-average scoring teams. Their opponents have hit just 34.7% on 3s since March 5 -- fifth lowest. Hartenstein has always been a good passer and voracious offensive rebounder; he is second in offensive rebounding rate, behind only. But in a larger role for an injury-riddled team, Hartenstein has shown glimpses of a broader skill set -- including the ability to create offense in a pinch:
Since Feb. 1, Avdija is averaging 18.7 points on 52.4% shooting -- including 41% on 3s. Avdija is shooting more 3s too -- not enough considering he's approaching 40% accuracy, but he at least seems to have overcome the yippy hesitation that has infected his game off and on.
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