In the second round of the Warriors' defeat last season, the Lakers only went to the Western Conference finals, and the Mavericks Doncic and Irving failed to enter the playoffs; the 76ers' combination of Harden and Embiid was directly disbanded, and the Bucks and Celtics were eliminated by the Heat. This season, the NBA's powerhouses have made unprecedented star reinforcement trades, and the Celtics have brought in Porzingis and Holiday on the basis of reaching a contract extension with Brown, which can be described as a breakthrough to devote themselves to the championship race. And so far this season, the Celtics' performance has also lived up to expectations, after easily winning the Spurs, the Celtics have achieved the longest six consecutive wins in the league at this stage, and continue to maintain the league's No. 1 record.
The Celtics have Porzingis on the inside, veteran Horford and Knight and Keita, so the team has a lot of resources inside. So far this season, the Celtics have averaged 47.3 rebounds per game, ranking first in the league. In addition, the Celtics are ranked 3rd in the league on both offensive and defensive ends. It's not just the Celtics who have tasted the sweetness of the star huddle, the Bucks' Lillard and Antetokounmpo, and Middleton's Big Three are equally strong. With Middleton recovering from his injury and having his playing time limit lifted, the Bucks quickly got back on track. Of course, this is also inseparable from Lillard's rebound, which is averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game this season.
The Bucks were extremely dominant on the offensive end when Lillard was playing consistently. But as long as Lillard has ups and downs, he can't win even if he hits a super triple-double. And in addition to this star triumvirate combination, the Western Conference also has a triumvirate team that was expected at the beginning of the season. 25 points!21 points!12-for-3 trades, you're the best fit for Durant!The Suns' most talked about in the first 30 rounds was that Beal's trade went against expectations. As Durant swore before the regular season, as long as the Big Three are on the floor, the opponent's defense can't take care of everyone, so the player with open opportunities can still score through weak defense.
However, Beal's back-to-back injuries delayed the Big Three's time to play together, and after returning from a back injury, Durant, Booker, and Beal played together in the game against the Nets. But in that game, with Durant scoring 27 points, Booker scoring 34 points, and Beal scoring 14 points, the Suns' defense was exploited by the Nets and ended in a loss. Immediately after the next game, Beal suffered an ankle sprain, and Beal, who missed five games, returned in the game against the Hornets. As it was his first game back, Beal was still familiar with the offensive rhythm of the Big Three and the team's tactical system. And after that, Bill was fully in shape.
Against the Magic, which ranks among the top 5 in the league in defense, Beal scored 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting, shooting 77 percent from the field, and contributed one steal and one block on the defensive end. With the addition of a strong offensive point, Durant and Booker also faced much less defensive pressure, scoring 31 and 21 points respectively. Then facing the Trail Blazers, in Durant's absence, Beal scored 21 points on 50% shooting, playing a game-high plus/minus of +22. And Booker only made 4 of 16 shots in that game, which shows how outstanding Beal's personal ability is without injury. Beal's outstanding performance has also won praise from head coach Vogel.
Vogel said bluntly that the team saw that Beal was very confident on the court, Beal's one-on-one defense was very efficient, and he continued to attack the interior on the offensive end, and he also actively grabbed some rebounds that showed his athleticism. For Beal, he still has a long time to grow into what the Suns want him to be, and now the Suns have a win percentage back above 0.5 and are in 8th place in the West. In fact, Beal's passing ability on the offensive end is grossly underrated, and once the Suns can spot and actively exploit it, it will be a key factor in unlocking the true potential of this Suns team. After Beal's return, the Suns ranked 15th in the league with 26.1 assists per game, while playing a 10th assist rate of 63.9% in the league.
Especially when Booker and Beal are staggered, Beal's playmaking ability is especially important, even though Beal has never been a traditional playmaker. But when he's leading the team with the Wizards, Beal always naturally launches offense and can pinpoint teammates in open positions. And this time he was standing next to Durant, a "luxury" that Beal had never experienced before. Durant is averaging 29.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6 assists per game this season, shooting 47.7% from three-point range, which ranks first in the league. Beal isn't a pure scorer, and when he is surrounded by offensive masters like Booker and Durant, Beal becomes more willing to pass the ball. From now on, the Suns' 12-for-3 trade with the Wizards with Paul, Shamet, six second-round picks and four first-round swaps is really successful.