Since the start of this season's NBA regular season, the biggest difference from previous seasons is that after almost all teams have played 25 rounds in the regular season, there is no clear structure for the East and West landscape. The key reason for this is that the dark horse teams that emerged at the beginning of the season are still extremely competitive. Especially in the West, the Timberwolves' roster depth this season and the league's No. 1 defensive efficiency have allowed the team to have enough backup capacity to win games even when the core Edwards is not playing well. The Timberwolves have a 19-5 record so far this season, and are at the top of the league with the Celtics.
The Timberwolves have been able to play this record this season is absolutely unexpected, and they have shown little playoff potential over the past few seasons. Even after entering the playoffs last season with the 8th place in the West, the first-round elimination not only did not let fans see the progress of the Timberwolves, but also made Gobert's "premium" contract even more questionable. And this season, after a season of run-in, the Timberwolves' strength has been proven after winning games between the Nuggets and the Celtics. Edwards is averaging 24.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season while shooting 39.4 percent from three-point range. The Thunder are also not to be underestimated, and after reaching the first round in '19, the Thunder have not made the playoffs since.
However, with Holmgren's comeback this season, Alexander finally has a qualified interior partner. With Holmgren sharing the pressure on both ends of the floor, Alexander has taken a leap forward across the board this season, averaging 31 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, while averaging 2.7 steals per game on the defensive end. However, just like last season, Alexander's flaw is a lack of outside shooting, and his 33.3 percent three-point shooting rate is really out of step with what guards are required of this era. However, the Thunder's 16-8 record this season ranks second in the West, and has shown that bringing together a group of players with complementary functions tends to play better. Rather than blindly stacking star players, the Suns and Warriors, as well as the Lakers, have not been competitive enough this season.
There is also a team in the East that is also made up of a group of young and talented players who have just come out of a losing run in the Big Three last season. 45 points + 41 points! From the second to the boss! but become the NBA's No. 1 empty slashing king, the whole league underestimates you! Then formed a set of stardom, but there is no lack of talent, that is, the Nets. The Nets' starting lineup this season has had to change due to various injuries, and the team's performance is also mixed. After Claxton's return, the Nets' ability to protect the basket has been greatly improved, and the team averages 47.5 rebounds per game, which is the first in the league. But strangely, due to the leakage of the backline, the team's overall defensive efficiency has been greatly reduced, and the efficiency value is only 115, ranking 11th from the bottom in the league.
For the changes to the lineup, the biggest change for the Nets is the adjustment of the substitute and starting position of the young player Thomas. Since last season, Thomas has played explosive offensive performances, and in the end he has become the Nets' second point of attack. When Thomas returned from an ankle injury this season, he started 25 minutes and scored 26 points, but the team lost to the bottom-placed Hornets. After that, the Nets quickly made a change and promoted Thomas to the starting lineup, and Thomas is definitely a rising star. It's unreasonable to put a player who averages 23.9 points per game on the bench, but at the same time, Thomas' efficiency this season isn't as good as his stats.
The brutal truth is that as a defender, Thomas has been very ineffective this season, averaging a whopping 31.3 minutes per game in his third season, an average of 15 minutes more than in the last two seasons. But he's averaging just 2.3 assists per game, which is on par with the Nuggets' point-up shooter Porter Jr. But the league really underestimated him, and even so, Thomas is still an indispensable part of the current Nets team. In the win over the Suns, Thomas scored 24 points and scored eight straight points in key moments to help the team win. Thomas is averaging a team-high 23.9 points per game this season, and he's already the Nets' all-time scorer ahead of Bridges and Dinwiddie.
But Thomas is also one of the representatives of the league's air slash king, and against the Bucks, Thomas shot 45 points with a 51.5% shooting rate, but the team couldn't win in the end. In the game against the Warriors, Thomas scored 41 points with a 62.5% shooting rate, and the result was also a loss. The Nets have a 13-12 record so far and sit in ninth place in the East. The problem with the Nets is that they have a bunch of very good players, but none of them are star calibre. Bridges has made it to the Finals for the Suns, but he has yet to make it to the All-Star. And Simmons, Claxton, Dinwiddie, etc. are just competent role players. Therefore, it is likely that the Nets will choose to bring in a superstar once the trade opens, and Thomas could also be traded as a bargaining chip.