Dec 19, 2020 Eddie Sefko
Every year, there are questions about the NBA’s Western Conference, m
ainly about who plays where because there inevitably are new addresses for a lot of players.
After a rapid-fire, condensed offseason, the player movement has been harder than ever to keep track of.
But we’re here to help. In this infostory, we’ll take a quick look at the comings and goings of the offseason and what they might mean to the 15 teams in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
And by the way, one thing that there is no question about is just how tough life will be in the West. The rule that if you stand still, you’ll get stampeded by teams passing you has never been truer.
4 key things to hope for in the 2020-21 season
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Jalen Brunson becomes more of an outside threat
Last season, Brunson shot 35.8 percent on 2 three-point attempts per game last season. That’s not a terrible percentage, however there were multiple occasions where he would get wide open looks and was unable to convert.
This season, he should have an increased role with the exit of both Seth Curry and JJ Barea. and seems to be the lead guard first off the bench. Dallas brought back Trey Burke but Brunson is the one that may have the largest role out of all of the guards in reserve.
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It s funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as Mr.Irrelevant . That s not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of Mr.Irrelevant could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn t reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in down years get super creative to field a team on a budget. With the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can be an immediate breakout. A virtually unknown four-year graduate from a mid-major program could find himself with volume minutes in the Knicks lineup on Day One (We ve seen them do
3 things as the Dallas Mavericks lose in overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 129-127
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Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their final pre-season game, losing 129-127 in overtime. While the additional period gave some extra playing time to the rookies, it was Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. who led in scoring with 20 and 18 points respectively. Karl Anthony Towns led his team with 20 himself, though he sat for much of the second half with foul trouble.
The starters quickly raced to an 11-3 start, thanks to a couple Hardaway Jr. three’s. Minnesota took the lead with three minutes left in the quarter, though, as the Mavericks went a little cold and Karl Anthony Towns and rookie Anthony Edwards found their rhythm. The starters came off the floor at the two minute mark, and trailed 37-33 to end the first.