Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer
It’s Christmas Day, that very special time of the year when the NBA is front and center on our televisions.
So, what better time to discuss the league’s biggest storylines?
As we head into a jam-packed day filled with the league’s premier talent, including Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James making his NBA-record 19th Christmas Day appearance, and San Antonio Spurs phenomenon Victor Wembanyama making his holiday debut, let’s take stock of what’s going on around the league.
Here are the five biggest story lines.
1. What’s going on with LeBron James and the Lakers?
The face of the league turns 40 next week. And there are two big questions surrounding him. How much longer will he play? And before he hangs up his jersey, will the Lakers be competitive enough to compete for another championship? James recently said he’s not sure whether he’s going to play one or two more seasons, but he’s sure of one thing: “I’m not going to play until the wheels fall off.”
So far, he has had an up and down season, for his standards. He’s still capable of being the best basketball player on the court on any given night, and is coming off of his eighth triple-double of the season in a loss to Detroit on Monday in which he had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. But the player who has notched the most minutes in NBA history has also struggled at times, including last month going through a stretch in which he missed 20 straight 3-pointers over five games.
The good news is that Anthony Davis has been playing MVP-caliber basketball, which he recently opened up about in an exclusive interview with FOX Sports. Not to mention, the Lakers have also made big strides on the defensive end as of late, which led to them winning four of their last five games before falling to the Pistons. But with the trade deadline fast approaching, the Lakers’ brass has to be wondering whether this team is good enough to go all the way, or whether they should take a big swing to acquire another superstar to play alongside James and Davis. After all, the sand is quickly slipping through the hourglass on how long James has left.
2. Will Boston repeat as champions?
After making very smart drafting decisions (Jaylen Brown at No. 3 in 2016, Jayson Tatum at No. 3 in 2017) and trusting in their roster for years, the Celtics’ patience finally paid off last season in the form of a championship. Brown and Tatum proved that they could thrive on the biggest of stages, something they had been hungry to show after reaching the Finals in 2022, but then falling to Golden State. Now that they’ve had a taste of success in its highest form, the question is whether they can repeat it.
The Celtics pretty much kept their roster intact, but much of the rest of the league made adjustments to try and knock off the reigning champs. The Celtics are currently ranked No. 3 in offense and No. 8 in defense, which is impressive. But considering they finished last season No. 1 in offense and No. 2 in defense, it’s fair to wonder whether their competition has caught up to them a bit.
When the 76ers acquired Paul George during the offseason to play alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, they were instantly considered title contenders. Instead, they’ve devolved into the soap opera of the NBA.
They’ve been plagued by injuries (George has played 16 games, and Embiid has only played seven). There has been drama (Embiid pushed a reporter after he wrote about his dead brother and son in a way that Embiid felt was out of bounds). And there has even been intra-squad squabbling (Maxey called out Embiid for always being late in a team meeting). The 76ers are in 12th place with a record of 10-17, far from being competitive. But they’re clearly talented and have shown signs of digging themselves out of their very deep hole, winning seven of their last 10 games. Can they turn things around after their woeful start?
4. Can up-and-coming teams such as Oklahoma City and Cleveland actually go far in the playoffs?
If you glance at the standings, the teams to watch are Oklahoma City (No. 1 in the West) and Cleveland (No.1 in the East). They’re seemingly rolling over their competition. But winning in the regular season is a very different beast than winning in the playoffs. Do either of these teams have what it takes to really be a contender?
Let’s start with the Thunder. They’re the youngest team in the league, with an average age of 24.14 years old. Last postseason, they became the youngest team to win a playoff series, sweeping the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round before falling to the Dallas Mavericks, who reached the Finals. The Thunder have a very talented core in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. And they addressed issues around playoff experience and size by acquiring Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein during the offseason. This team has a high ceiling, but do they have what it takes to get past teams that really know how to win?
Then there are the Cavaliers, who have surpassed expectations this season. They’re No. 1 in offense, with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley each averaging more than 18 points a game. They bolstered their roster over the offseason and then opened with a stunning 15-0 start. They’ve shown that they have great chemistry, sharp ball movement and a selfless roster. They’re soaring, but can they keep it up when the competition heats up?
5. Aside from the Thunder, who is the team to watch in the West?
As per usual, the West is overloaded with talent, with 11 teams that are .500 or above. Let’s take a look at a few of the storylines in the ultra-competitive conference.
Anthony Edwards became the darling of the playoffs last season en route to leading his Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals. But after the Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns, they’ve struggled. Edwards has called out his team in no uncertain words whenever they’ve slipped, most recently pointing out their offensive woes. Can he light a fire under them?
The Golden State Warriors are the league’s modern day dynasty, winning four championships in eight years. After they missed the playoffs last season and Klay Thompson left for Dallas over the summer, questions arose over whether the dynasty had come to an end. But Steph Curry opened the season Steph Curry-ing and Draymond Green is playing with a renewed sense of joy after struggling to be himself amid drama the past few years. This team looked good at the top of the season. But they’ve lost 10 of their last 13 games. Can they stop the free fall and be atop the league again?
What about the Memphis Grizzlies, who are shining after Ja Morant played only nine games last season amid a 25-game suspension followed by a season-ending shoulder injury. He’s back and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins recently praised him for his increased leadership abilities. Will he be able to guide this team far?
The Rockets are playing top-notch basketball. Kevin Durant wants to prove he can win a championship without Curry and Green – can he take the Phoenix Suns all the way? Can Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving and Thompson take the Mavericks, who reached the Finals last season, over the hump?
In the very crowded West, who you got?
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
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