Wemby is redefining NBA paint defense, while Los Angeles and Denver are facing different issues around their superstars.
With the second NBA Cup in the books, the thrilling five-game Christmas Day slate behind us and the 2025 calendar just days away, it's a perfect time to reflect on the most notable trends that have taken hold throughout the first third of the season.have been extremely pleasant surprises, with each vying to be seen not only as good regular-season stories, but true title contenders.
The bottom line is this: The 17-13 Lakers have been 8.7 points worse per 100 possessions with James on the court than they've been with him off. That huge net-rating gap is equivalent to the one between the 14-14 Wolves and the 7-22 Still, the Lakers face an uphill battle to become a contender in the West. A huge factor will be whether James and the Lakers defend better in his minutes on the court.The progression of the 20-year-old's game is on display nightly in nearly every regard; particularly on defense, where he has looked dominant, even compared to his impressive rookie season.
It has been a familiar story all season for the Nuggets, who have lost second quarters, when their second string generally gets its most playing time, by an average of 9.1 points per 100 possessions. Only the Wizards , Hornets and theplaying well, the Nuggets' bench has been among the weaker units in the league, even when the team's second- or third-best player is sharing the court with the reserves.is playing with the other four starters on the bench, Denver is being outscored by 5.
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