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16:30

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17:00

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20:00

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19:30

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NBA Notes: Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Hawks, Jalen Johnson, Cavs

AP Bucks This season has slid sideways fast in Milwaukee, and the backdrop is impossible to ignore, ESPN writes in its midseason report card. Giannis Antetokounmpo questions are back, whether the organization likes it or not. Yes, Giannis missed 14 games. Yes, the Bucks went 3-11 without him. That matters. But what matters more is that even with Antetokounmpo on the floor, Milwaukee has still been outscored. That is the bigger red flag. The rotation has been thin, inconsistent, and too reliant on players who simply are not producing at a playoff level. There is no obvious trade deadline fix that suddenly turns this into a contender. At this point, the Bucks are fighting just to stay in the play-in picture, not talking about winning a series. For a team built around a generational star, that is a tough place to be. Hawks Atlanta is hoping this grade (D-minus) looks harsh only because the timing was awkward. The Trae Young era ended with a thud. The Hawks went 2-7 in the nine games Young played before being dealt, then immediately looked more stable without him. That alone says plenty. It is too early to judge the long-term impact of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, but one thing is clear: Jalen Johnson is ready. He has stepped into the lead offensive role and produced across the board when Young has been out. The record still lags behind expectations, but at least the Hawks now have clarity. That is something they did not have before. Cavaliers This one is jarring. Only Oklahoma City entered the season with a higher projected win total than Cleveland, and here the Cavs are, scrambling to stay in the top half of the East. Injuries explain some of it. Darius Garland missed time early and has not quite looked right since returning from toe surgery. Max Strus was sidelined for a long stretch. Even so, the Cavs have had very little continuity. They have played just 11 games with their preferred starters available, excluding Strus, and while 7-4 is respectable, it is not dominant. The Cavs should be better in the second half. But after finishing first in the East a year ago, the reality is they are now battling just to secure home court in round one. That is a significant step back. The post NBA Notes: Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Hawks, Jalen Johnson, Cavs appeared first on Hoops Wire.

11 minutes ago

NBA Notes: Rockets, Kevin Durant, Blazers, Deni Avdija, Sixers

Getty Rockets Houston is almost exactly where the projections said they would be, and that is part of the reason the grade lands here. That would be a B-plus, according to ESPN’s latest midseason rankings. Expectations were noisy after Fred VanVleet went down with an ACL tear in September, leaving the Rockets without a proven point guard on paper. Instead, they adapted. Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard stabilized the position, with Sheppard taking a real leap in Year Two. And Kevin Durant has been exactly what Houston hoped for, anchoring a top-five offense even through a recent dip. The other piece here is luck. Or lack of it. Houston sits at 25-15 but has struggled mightily in clutch games, going 9-12 in tight finishes. They are near the bottom of the league in clutch defensive rating, which feels fluky given the personnel. If that normalizes, the ceiling rises. Trail Blazers Portland has arguably overachieved given the circumstances. No Scoot Henderson yet. Nearly two months without Jrue Holiday. Reserve guards Matisse Thybulle and Blake Wesley sidelined at the same time. Into that vacuum stepped Deni Avdija, who has looked like an All-Star-level creator while handling primary ball duties. The numbers back it up. Big scoring. Big usage. Real responsibility. All of that happened while the Blazers were dealing with off-court chaos following Chauncey Billups being arrested as part of an FBI gambling investigation. Tiago Splitter slid into the interim role seamlessly. The one caution flag is the point differential. It lags behind the record. Still, given everything, Portland has earned the grade. 76ers The Sixers have quietly stayed afloat despite barely seeing Joel Embiid and Paul George together. Just 15 games. Yet Philadelphia is still hanging around the top four in the East. That starts with Tyrese Maxey, who has played at an All-NBA level, and rookie VJ Edgecombe, who looks comfortable far earlier than expected. Dominick Barlow has also carved out a role as a starting power forward on a two-way deal, which says a lot about both him and the Sixers’ adaptability. The post NBA Notes: Rockets, Kevin Durant, Blazers, Deni Avdija, Sixers appeared first on Hoops Wire.

22 minutes ago