Team of the week
Since 2008, the Detroit Pistons have not won a playoff series and have only made four postseason appearances. After a chaotic effort to contend around the Blake Griffin - Andre Drummond duo in the late 2010s, they began rebuilding centered on the 2021 draft’s top pick, Cade Cunningham.
This project required patience to show results. However, last season, Detroit returned to the playoffs and gave the Knicks a serious challenge. Expectations were high for the Michigan team to advance further this season, and it seems to be happening: the Pistons have just secured six consecutive wins and lead the Eastern Conference.
Their point guard, now an All-Star, plays a major role in their success, and his partnership with Jalen Duren forms one of the NBA’s most formidable duos. The conference’s relative weakness certainly helps, but the team’s momentum is strong, and the schedule is favorable — this could be an excellent opportunity to extend their lead.
Underperformers of the week
Last Monday night, Kawhi Leonard missed a game-winning attempt against the Miami Heat. This foreshadowed what was to come for the Los Angeles Clippers. While a loss to the Thunder isn’t disgraceful, consecutive defeats to the Suns are worrying.
Their star players are absent at crucial moments — a troubling sign. The roster is aging, with most players making one final run for a championship, and now Kawhi is expected to miss several more games. It’s unlikely the Clippers won’t at least reach the play-in tournament, but at present, they don’t look like the contenders they are expected to be...
Player of the week
Joel Embiid is playing injured, and Paul George hasn’t appeared on the court this season. The young core of the Philadelphia 76ers shows promise, with rookie VJ Edgecombe and Jared McCain, but for now, the season is defined by one player: Tyrese Maxey.
He is currently the NBA’s second-highest scorer, averaging 33.2 points per game. Add 8.2 assists, impressive shooting percentages (44.1% from beyond the arc), and several highlight plays, and you have a genuine team leader, a potential Top 10 MVP candidate who is keeping the 76ers among the East’s top six. While waiting for the stars to return, he carries the team as their new leader.
Play of the week
What a season it has been so far for Aaron Gordon. Early on, he scored 50 points for the first time in a game against the Warriors. He faced them again this weekend, and although he scored only 18 this time, he thrilled the Ball Arena crowd with an incredible poster dunk.
Story of the week
Farewell to a legend. Not the most famous, perhaps, but the third-winningest coach in NBA history, behind only Don Nelson and Gregg Popovich.
Lenny Wilkens passed away yesterday at 88 years old. It’s easy to overlook, but before becoming a great coach, he was also an outstanding player.
He played no less than 15 seasons in the NBA, appeared in nine All-Star Games, and was named MVP in 1971. He even finished second in MVP voting in 1968, just behind the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.
A brilliant playmaker and natural leader,he is a three-time Hall of Famer: inducted as a player, as a coach, and as part of the original Dream Team, where he was assistant coach to Chuck Daly.
Four years later, he served as head coach when Team USA won gold at the Atlanta Olympics. One of the greatest moments in an extraordinary career...
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