The 2019 NBA All-Star Break is nearly over, and the regular season will resume on Thursday night.
The first half of the NBA season ended with the ridiculous Anthony Davis trade situation, the Lakers spiraling out of control, the Celtics worrying about Kyrie Irving’s future, and James Harden continually torching defenses. The race to the playoffs should be just as exciting, and there are dozens of storylines to follow across the league. We singled out a few must-watch situations to keep in mind over the coming weeks.
1. Can the Bucks hold on to the top spot in the East?
At 43-14, the Bucks have a one-game lead in the Eastern Conference and have the benefit of playing in the relatively weak Central Division instead of the Atlantic, but the Raptors and Sixers
both made moves at the trade deadline to improve their title chances.
2. Can Paul George or Nikola Jokic steal the MVP award?
James Harden might be running away with another MVP award as he continues to put up jaw-dropping offensive numbers, but George and Jokic are far too often overlooked in MVP conversations. Jokic is 2.3 assists away from averaging a triple double as a 7-footer, and has the Nuggets in the hunt for the top seed in the West. George, meanwhile, averaged 38-7-5 in seven games this month, and has been on fire since December.
3. Will LeBron James make the playoffs?
The Lakers are 28-29, missed out on acquiring Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, have lost eight of their last 11, and are three games out of the No. 8 seed. The projections say the Lakers won't make the playoffs, but you can never doubt LeBron James.
4. Will Carmelo Anthony join the Lakers?
Due to Carmelo's defensive deficiencies, the analytics say that he'd be a liability on the court, as he was in Houston and Oklahoma City. That still might not stop the Lakers from adding Carmelo for the rest of the year to appease LeBron and potentially add some scoring.
5. Will Luke Walton finish the season with the Lakers?
Walton, who is backed by owner Jeanie Buss, is reportedly safe for the rest of the season - but if the Lakers continue to struggle and it becomes clear that LA will miss the playoffs, it wouldn't be surprising to see Walton replaced on the sideline.
6. Which three teams will finish with the worst record?
The NBA's new anti-tanking lottery changes will be in effect this year, and instead of the worst team receiving the best odds to land the No. 1 pick, the three teams with the worst record in the league will receive an equal 14% chance to pick No. 1.
7. How far will the Pacers fall without Victor Oladipo?
The Pacers will be without All-Star Victor Oladipo for the rest of the season, and while Indiana's title odds took a massive hit following his injury, this is still a deep and talented team that could pull off an upset in the playoffs. The Pacers are currently third in the East, one game ahead of Boston and Philadelphia.
8. Are the Celtics going to implode?
There were reports just a month into the season that the Celtics had issues in the locker room, and Marcus Morris admitted earlier this month that the team simply wasn't having fun playing basketball together. With Kyrie Irving being coy about his future and trade rumors hanging over Jayson Tatum, the Celtics are completely unpredictable in the postseason.
9. Will the Kings make the playoffs?
A very young Kings team put itself in the race for the No. 8 seed in the West, and the team made a deal at the deadline to acquire Harrison Barnes. The Kings are just a game back of the Clippers - who are now without Tobias Harris.
10. Can Dwyane Wade make one final trip to the playoffs?
Dwyane Wade's final NBA game could be April 10th in Brooklyn against the Nets - unless the Miami Heat emerge as a seven or eight seed in the East. No. 7 Charlotte, No. Detroit, Miami and Orland are separated by a single game in the standings, so it's likely the playoff race will go down to the wire.
11. Will anyone challenge the Warriors?
Since DeMarcus Cousins joined the Warriors' lineup, Golden State has gone 10-2. The Warriors are still in a fight for the top seed in the West thanks to the Nuggets, but they'll enter the playoffs as heavy favorites (again) regardless of their seed.
12. Will the Eastern Conference playoffs be better than the NBA Finals?
If you believe the title is the Warriors' to lose, the most exciting playoff action this summer could be found in the Eastern Conference. If the season ended today, Boston would face Philadelphia in the first round, and you could make a convincing argument for four or five teams to emerge from the East.
13. Does Anthony Davis finish the season playing?
The Pelicans understandably have no interest in keeping Anthony Davis on the floor - as playing him presents an unnecessary injury risk, and also could hurt their lottery standing - but NBA rules state that healthy players must play. We've already seen Davis exit a game with a mysterious shoulder injury before the All-Star break.
14. Can the Nuggets make a deep playoff run?
The Denver Nuggets missed the playoffs a season ago, but Jokic and Co. have been the best home team in the NBA this season (25-4) and are currently second in the West. The big question: Is this just a great regular-season team, or can the Nuggets deliver on the road in a high-stakes situation?
15. Is Kawhi Leonard committed to staying in Toronto?
When Leonard was traded from San Antonio to Toronto, there were initially reports that he had no interest in the Raptors and was expected to move to a team in LA in the summer of 2019. Leonard has regained his top-5 form in Toronto, though, and his Raptors have a legitimate chance to play for an NBA title this season.
16. Who gets Zion?
The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 14th.
