With the NBA’s All-Star Weekend over, the final stretch of the season is here. We are about two thirds of the way through the year for most teams, meaning it’s time to gear up for the playoffs. The rest of the season seems pretty predictable with the Golden State Warriors dominating the league thus far. If the Warriors are unable to win the title, it would be a massive and shocking upset.
Despite the perceived predictability of the season, there are several major storylines to keep an eye on for the remainder of the season. Title winners notwithstanding, there are other major questions and events that could happen, keeping the season interesting.
5. Kevin Durant’s Free Agency
This is technically not a storyline for this season, but it has ties to it nonetheless. Kevin Durant will be a free agent this summer and he will be the most coveted player by everyone in the league. Durant’s decision will likely hinge on the Thunder’s success for the rest of the season.
Durant is probably unlikely to leave Oklahoma City, but should the team wilt down the stretch and be upset in the first round of the playoffs, the likelihood of a move would rise to uncomfortably high levels. Durant should not have extremely high expectations this season with the immense success of both the Warriors and Spurs in the West. If the Thunder are able to stay competitive against either of those teams (likely the Spurs) in the second round of the playoffs, there would be enough evidence to suggest that Durant is in the best situation he can be in.
There is also the possibility that Durant signs a one year deal with an added player option (the LeBron James special) in order to give himself the flexibility of entering free agency again next year (along with Russell Westbrook) and make a decision then.
4. Can Anyone in the East Beat the Cavs?
The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the more interesting teams in the league. On the surface, they are great. The team has accumulated a 38-14 record and still holds a roster including LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. There is talent and success on this team.
Still, questions remain about just how good the Cavs are. The front office may have felt that the team has disappointed thus far, firing head coach David Blatt despite the great record. More importantly, there are other strong teams in the East. The lower reaches of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference features stronger teams – not ones that are good enough to upset the Cavs, but ones that are good enough to give them a fight.
At the end of the eastern playoff bracket could sit a surprisingly strong Toronto Raptors. At the moment, the Raptors are only three games behind the Cavs, sitting in second place with a 35-17 record. The team has continuity in its favor, with additions like DeMarre Carroll, when healthy, and Bismack Biyombo doing enough to add consistency to a good but not great team from last season.
The Raptors have disappointed in the playoffs two seasons in a row. However, this is the strongest team they have had since the Vince Carter days. There is a real opportunity for them to make a run and if things break their way, they can certainly at least give Cleveland a run for their money.
3. Kobe Bryant’s Farewell Tour
Los Angeles Lakers’ legend Kobe Bryant will be retiring at the end of the season. That means that we have only 27 more games to watch one of the greatest players of all time play basketball. Bryant has played poorly this season and the Lakers are one of the worst teams in the league, yet the closing moments of his Hall of Fame career have put intrigue around the team and the league in general.
Bryant has seen numerous tribute videos and gifts as he plays his final games in different arenas around the country. As the season comes to an end, we will be witnessing more of these moments, as was the case at his final All-Star game. As a life-long fan of Kobe, this is especially bittersweet for me as I witness the ending of the career of my favorite athlete of all time but see the admiration and respect for him across the league.
One specific date to keep in mind: April 13th when barring injury, Bryant will play his final game. This will occur against the Utah Jazz (the team against whom a young Bryant once airballed four shots in a playoff game) in front of the Lakers’ home crowd. It should be a fitting farewell for one of the all-time greats. Plus, the Jazz could be fighting for a playoff spot, so Utah might not be all hugs and love going into the contest.
2. Will the Spurs be the Best Non-Championship-Winning Team Ever?
The San Antonio Spurs are a pretty darn great team. Hidden behind a dominant Warriors team, the Spurs are holding a phenomenal 45-8 record. That puts them on pace to win 70 games, a number that would be the biggest storyline in nearly any other season in NBA history.
The Spurs are also a quietly dominant defensive team. Their 97.3 defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) not only puts them at the top of the league this season, but it also places them firmly in the top 25 teams in league history. In fact, the Spurs’ defensive rating is the best since the 2003-04 season.
Alas, all of this might be for naught. The Warriors are clearly the team to beat and in the one meeting between the two teams, they proved that it would take a lot more to beat them. The Warriors destroyed the Spurs in that meeting. Even though San Antonio was without Tim Duncan, that should still be a telling sign of what might be to come in the playoffs. The Spurs are on pace to become the best team ever to not make it to the NBA Finals.
1. Will the Warriors Surpass 72 Wins?
This is by far the most interesting storyline for the rest of the season. The Warriors have won 48 times through 52 games, putting them on pace to win 76 games. That is a remarkable number and although it may be unlikely that it happens, it at least gives the Warriors three extra buffer games that they may lose due to injury, rest, or something else. Golden State still has several games left against the Spurs, Thunder, and Cavaliers, so there is a chance they drop more games than they did in the first part of the season. Then again, the Warriors have played all three of those teams and handled them each quite easily. Regardless, they still have the opportunity to beat the Chicago Bulls record, perhaps by a comfortable margin.
It is surreal to think about but at this point we should expect Golden State to beat the 1996 Bulls’ record of 72 wins in a season. After all, Michael Jordan seems to have given them his blessing.
