We’ve just hit the six-week mark of the season and it’s time to again take a look at which players are trending up and down on each of the NBA’s 30 teams (if you missed one of our previous editions, you can find them here).
Atlanta Hawks
- Up: Clint Capela is on quite a tear. Out of the lineup among being traded to the Hawks last season, Capela is back and averaging over 13.8 ppg and over 14 rpg per game, with 2.4 blocks. There was talk that Capela’s numbers would be way down, given all of Atlanta’s off-season roster moves. Not happening. Capela is solid and the Hawks are wise to keep him on the court as much as possible. The Hawks were 28th in points allowed per possession last season. This season, they’re in the top 10. The Hawks are third in the league in allowing effective field goal percentage, and if that statement is difficult to parse, what it means is, the Hawks are much better on D. Capela is not totally responsible for the change but he is a big part of it. This is the first time in his career he’s had more blocks per game than fouls (1.9).
- Down: John Collins should be a 20-10 guy but he’s not. His scoring is down nearly five points a game from last season, at 16.7 in two and a half minutes less per game. What’s wrong? Is it the number of scoring options on the team? Is it the lack of a long-term contract? The competition for playing time?
Boston Celtics
- Up: Jayson Tatum has established himself as an All-Star player. He’s averaging 26.8 ppg, the Jaylen Brown is now at that level, averaging just over 27 ppg. This puts both of them in the top 10 scoring seasons all-time for the Boston Celtics, surrounded by Paul Pierce, John Havlicek, Larry Bird and Isaiah Thomas. Tatum and Brown will keep Boston contending for years to come.
- Down: Whither Tristan Thompson? We expected better for the 29-year-old forward but Thompson has moved to a bench role after starting all season. Daniel Thies replaces Thompson in the starting five. Boston has a $28.5 million trade exception and the question is, how can they use it to fix their front court? When you have Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, with Kemba Walker at the point, you are almost all the way toward contending for a title. A solid big man is the one piece lacking.
Brooklyn Nets
- Up: James Harden was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. His stats are as ridiculous as ever and Harden has obviously acclimated well to Brooklyn. More than that, the Nets are figuring out how to get plentiful shots for Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant.
- Down: Deandre Jordan was never up and was not expected to be, so is this fair? The Nets are in need of a big man and there may be several on the market immediately. Just as with Boston, the Nets should get a big man soon.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Up: Seems like a good opportunity to mention one of my favorite players, Lu Dort. Dort’s numbers may not jump off the screen, with 12.7 ppg, but his play on offense and defense is very solid. Keep in mind Dort went undrafted out of Arizona State. Quite a find for the Thunder.
- Down: Darius Bazley has every opportunity to develop into a solid starter though his shooting is wildly inconsistent. He’s averaging 40.3% from the field and getting 10 shots a night. Bazley’s getting the time and now he needs to make more shots.
Charlotte Hornets
- Up: Gordon Hayward is averaging over 23 ppg. With his recent injury history and then his preseason injury, it looked as though the Hornets may have way overspent in free agency. That was a few weeks ago, but now, Hayward is playing the role that Charlotte anticipated (and no one else did).
- Down: Malik Monk was the 11th pick in the draft and has not seen the court much this season. I know, I know, he had a big night last night. Still.
Chicago Bulls
- Up: Zach LaVine always gets questions about whether he’s going to be traded, is he enough of a team player – but let’s appreciate Zach for Zach. Since joining the Bulls four seasons ago, LaVine has improved his scoring every year, starting at 16.7 ppg and now at 26.7 ppg. This year, LaVine is averaging a career-high 5.2 assists per game. Put Zach down for the All-Star team.
- Down: Wendell Carter Jr. was on the downside a couple of weeks ago and now he’s out for a month. I’m going to venture to say that the Bulls cannot count on Carter Jr. as a centerpiece going forward.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Up: Collin Sexton is averaging over 24 ppg. Remember, just a few months ago there were questions about Sexton’s fit in the NBA. The Cavs are onto something with the Darius Garland-Sexton backcourt. Cleveland is near .500 and that is much better than expected this season.
- Down: Andre Drummond puts up the numbers. But with Jarrett Allen now on the roster and the backcourt starters in their early 20s as well, the Cavs will be looking at a youth movement and they have the players to build around. Drummond figures not to be one of those – so how will he exit? Will it be a buyout or a trade? And what of Kevin Love, currently and often injured? The Cavs front office has done good work on the draft. Now they need to do good work to supplement Allen, Collin Sexton, and Darius Garland.
Dallas Mavericks
- Up: Kristaps Porzingis is back!
- Down: Kristaps Porzingis is back. The first couple of games, Porzingis looked like Porzingis. Subsquently, he has been as mobile and athletic as Frankenstein. Seriously, what’s up with Porzingis? Dallas is in trouble. Keep in mind that the Knicks have Dallas’s pick in the coming NBA Draft.
Denver Nuggets
- Up: Monte Morris has emerged as a solid backcourt mate to Jamal Murray and in place of Murray when the starting point guard sits. Morris gets four more minutes per game and the Nuggets need it because other veterans have not performed as expected.
- Down: I’m talking about Will Barton, who has become a poor man’s Hamidou Diallo. In 25 minutes, Barton is averaging 11 points in about the same minutes, but he is down five minutes from last season. 41% from the field and 71% from the line are not numbers that one expects from a solid shooter. Gary Harris was once scoring over 17 ppg and now he’s barely over 10. And guess what? Harris is out with an injury. What a shocker.
Detroit Pistons
- Up: This offseason, everyone was talking about Wayne Ellington, right?. OK, no one was talking about Wayne Ellington. Yet, here he is, one of the hottest players in the league. In his last seven outings, Ellington is at 18.9 ppg with 5.3 threes per game. Wow.
- Down: Blake Griffin has not shown his previous athleticism, at all. Maybe he needs time but the Pistons need some of the old Blake magic to show up – so they can deal him.
Orlando Magic
- Up: Terrence Ross has been remarkably consistent during his time in Orlando. He has averaged 15.1 ppg, then 14.7 and now 14.7 again. Ross takes 12-13 shots per game, plays 25-28 minutes per game. Of all the issues Orlando has, and they have many, Ross has been a fine player for the Magic.
- Down: Injuries have taken out 3/5 of the Orlando lineup. Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz are gone for the season and Aaron Gordon may be sidelined six weeks. Orlando was mediocre when everyone was healthy.
Miami Heat
- Up: Jimmy Butler is finally in the lineup and he’s played well but the team has not. Since Butler is the franchise player, it falls on him to get this team back to the win column. As it stands, Miami is on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Criticism of their intensity has been raised; Butler is intense, so perhaps that can rub off on his teammates.
- Down: Tyler Herro is not making three-pointers with great efficiency and that hurts a team that needs knock-down shooting. Duncan Robinson is performing well from outside, but Herro and Kelly Olynyk have been way off last year’s standard.
Houston Rockets
- Up: Victor Oladipo has fit in nicely and he and John Wall form an effective backcourt. The Rockets have a very interesting roster and this is the quintessential team that no one wants to play. DeMarcus Cousins has had good games, Christian Wood has developed into the league’s Most Improved Player, Wall is back to running like the Road Runner and Oladipo has averaged since joining the Rockets. According to the Houston Chronicle, Oladipo even held a funeral for his injured knee.
- Down: James Harden is gone but it is obvious from the Rockets play that they were worse off with Harden on the roster with a desire to be elsewhere. Houston is having fun, locking down teams with solid defense and the Wall comeback is fun to watch.
Indiana Pacers
- Up: Myles Turner’s shot-blocking is at historically high levels at 3.9 per game. If he keeps that up, it will be the highest total to lead the league since Alonzo Mourning blocked 3.91 in 1998-99. Turner also makes 1.5 three-pointers a game. This is a career year for Turner.
- Down: The Pacers miss TJ Warren and Caris LeVert. The team is up almost four points in scoring per game from last season but most of their other offensive numbers are middling. With Warren and LeVert, the Pacers may really take off.
Los Angeles Clippers
- Up: Reggie Jackson is not the player I expected to be here, but he deserves it. Patrick Beverly has been sidelined and Jackson has stepped up.
- Down: We have yet to see vintage Lou Williams. Williams has seen his scoring drop nearly in half this season, from 18.2 to 9.4 ppg. It’s true that the Clippers have a new coach and a couple of players, but Lou has been one of the top sixth men for awhile. We’d like to see old Lou return.
Los Angeles Lakers
- Up: Anthony Davis has seen drops in almost every statistical category from last season, yet Davis has been healthy and an absolute monster. Davis is averaging 22.3 ppg, down from 26.1 last season, but you can expect the points to go up a bit as the season progresses. The Lakers are the favorites to win the title this year and will remain that way if Davis and LeBron James can remain healthy.
- Down: Dennis Schroeder cooled down a bit and is now scoring below 14 ppg. The Lakers are also not thriving when Schroder is in and LeBron is out.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Up: Ja Morant is back and has played as though he never left. The Grizzlies have won four straight, all since Morant returned to the lineup.
- Down: The Grizzlies are one of the hottest teams in the league – yes, the Grizzlies have won seven in a row. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return is not far off.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Up: Khris Middleton gets the nod again because it’s time to recognize that Middleton should be an All-Star this season. Middleton’s numbers are up across almost all categories and what is really notable is that his FT% is at 92.
- Down: Giannis Antetokuonmpo is not getting mention in the MVP conversation and that’s because this is not his best season. Giannis is down a couple of points in scoring and is somehow not hitting even 60% of his foul shots – how can that be?
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Up: Jared Valentine is making a case to start alongside Karl Anthony Towns when Towns returns from his bout with COVID. The Wolves have not been good at power forward in awhile and Valentine will not solve their issues but he has shown a good all-around game.
- Down: D’Angelo Russell needs to take over when Towns is out and that has not happened. Russell’s scoring is at its lowest in several season and his percentages are bad, too. The Wolves need more out of Russell.
New York Knicks
- Up: Immanuel Quickley does three things really well. He draws fouls, he has a top-notch floater and he can hit the three-pointer. It’s a matter of time before Quickley moves into the starting lineup. Let’s go back to that floater for a moment. Have you seen it? It’s become one of the most exciting shots in the game. Can Quickley continue to make that shot – because he doesn’t get to the rim, so he has to hit that floater.
- Down: Frank Ntkilina and Kevin Knox were top 10 draft picks! Ntkilina is back from injury, and by “back,” I mean, back to a spot on the bench. Knox has been good off the bench, hitting the three, but that’s not what the Knicks had in mind when they drafted him out of Kentucky. And Obi Toppin has started very slowly, but no need to panic yet.
New Orleans Pelicans
- Up: Zion Williamson has scored 711 points in 32 games. According to ESPN Stats Info, that’s the fifth most by any player since 1981 and the most since Shaq in 1993.
- Down: We are at the point where three members of the Pelicans backcourt may be dealt at any moment. Eric Bledsoe, JJ Redick, and Lonzo Ball all have a shot at joining new teams Redick has barely been heard from and for a jump shooter that is shooting so poorly, it is time for Redick to find a better fit.
Phoenix Suns
- Up: Chris Paul and Lou Williams are the only players left from the 2005 Draft class. And do you remember when we could not decide the better point guard between Paul and Deron Williams? Paul has shown little signs of slowing down, he’s healthy and Paul had 16 points in the fourth quarter against Dallas two nights ago. Phoenix is in the middle of the Western Conference playoff picture with room to improve.
- Down: DeAndre Ayton needs to pick it up a bit. He’s averaging 12.5 ppg when we all know he can average 20.
Portland TrailBlazers
- Up: Anfernee Simmons is on a hot streak. Injuries have hurt the Trail Blazers but Simmons has stepped up, with 16 ppg and 4 threes per game over the last four.
- Down: Carmelo Anthony was a positive surprise for the Blazers last season but the good times have ended. ‘Melo is shooting a career-low 36% and under 12 ppg. Portland has had its share of tough injuries and the ‘Melo of last season would be welcome but that may not be in the offing. A long, very good career may be coming to a close.
Philadelphia 76ers
- Up: Shake Milton came out of nowhere last season and perhaps you thought it was a fluke. It was not. Milton has been very effective as a sixth man. And as for the name “Shake”: according to Milton, his Dad’s basketball nickname was “Milkman” because he delivered right to your doorstep. His son, Malik, was then called “Little Milkshake” and that became “Shake.”
- Down: Philadelphia is better than last season but let’s not criticize the former management. However, surrounding Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons with better shooters has worked much better than the plan instituted last season by Bryan Colangelo.
Sacramento Kings
- Up: Tyrese Haliburton is going to make several NBA GMs very mad that they passed on him in the NBA Draft. Look at the 11 players drafted ahead of Haliburton. Can you honestly say any of that group, save for James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, would be taken ahead of Haliburton if we had to do it all over again?
- Down: Buddy Hield may prove to be the odd man out in the Sacramento backcourt. Hield’s scoring is down three points over last season and Haliburton will need as much playing time as the rookie can handle.
San Antonio Spurs
- Up: Keldon Johnson is a prime example of talent meeting the right coach. Greg Popovich, have you heard, is quite a leader. He’s 72, young by the standards of our current President, but the oldest of NBA coaches currently and the oldest ever to be a head coach on opening day. Pop, as his friends and people who’ve never met him call him, is still reaching out successfully to guys just out of their teens. Johnson is averaging 15 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest.
- Down: We wrote about LaMarcus Aldridge in our last correspondence and hoped that would light a fire. Apparently Aldridge has not read “Up and Down”! Aldridge had a couple of good games but he has been, well, very up and down. More than team MVP and vet DeMar DeRozen, it may be time for the Spurs to send Aldridge elsewhere.
Washington Wizards
- Up: Bradley Beal is doing all he can. 34.9 points per game. Not demanding a trade. When you watch the Wizards, you have to feel for Beal.
- Down: Davis Bertans signed a five year, $80m contract in the offseason. When the season commenced, Bertans was recovered from an injury so his minutes ramped up only recently. Bertans is only averaging 10.9 ppg, though he’s playing five minutes less a game than he did last season. If he doesn’t get up to at least 14 ppg, the Wizards will rue the day they signed to him to that big contract.
Toronto Raptors
- Up: Norman Powell has stepped up while a few of the Raptors players have been out. In the last four, Powell is averaging 23 points per game. That came out of nowhere.
- Down: Does it seem as if every NBA team needs a center? Chris Boucher was hot but has faded, with Aron Baynes picking up the majority of the playing time. Boucher has played 18, 14, and 13 minutes in the last three games. While Baynes did nab 16 rebounds in his last game, center is a sore spot for the Raptors.
Utah Jazz
- Up: Jordan Clarkson has been around the league and now appears to have settled down in Salt Lake City. Off the bench, Clarkson is averaging a career-high 17.7 points per game. Clarkson is the current favorite for Sixth Man of the Year.
- Down: Not too many flaws on the hottest team in the league. It feels cheap to mention Bojan Bogdanovic as he was mentioned last time, but Bojan may be the only member of the Jazz to not get it going this season.
Golden State Warriors
- Up: Andrew Wiggins has played his best ball. And on defense – well, if I told you that Wiggins was a potential Defensive Player of the Year, would you be shocked? Get over it. It’s happening. Looking at Wiggins’ numbers since going from Minnesota to Golden State, one massive statistical change stands out. Wiggins is now averaging 1.4 blocks per game with the Warriors as opposed to 0.6 with Minnesota. Wiggins averages more blocks per game than Joel Embiid or Andre Drummond.
- Down: James Wiseman has been on the upside and now he’s on the downside, and that’s probably the way it will go for his rookie campaign. Wiseman was recently moved to the bench. Don’t fret, Wiseman fans. Wiseman’s played well off the bench and it’s only a matter of time before the rookie is a dominant force.
