It’s another edition of our NBA League Pass rankings. Let’s put a little disclaimer on this one since it's just days after the trade deadline. It would be easy to tune in to the Philadelphia 76ers who now have James Harden. In the same breath, who wouldn’t want to watch Ben Simmons with the Brooklyn Nets? But they’re not included in this list. Instead, let’s check out the teams who are making their strides right before the All-Star break and those who added some interesting pieces that can help them in the near future.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have gone through so many transformations ever since they started the season guns blazing. From that red-hot start to season-ending injuries suffered by Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, still winning despite the lack of depth in the guard position, and their latest phase with the addition of Caris LeVert.
This seems to be the Cavaliers' final form heading into the home stretch of the season. They have length, versatility, athleticism, as well as a tight combination of youth and veteran presence. They have an All-Star (Darius Garland) a former All-Star (Kevin Love) and a budding All-Star (Jarett Allen) all rolled into one team. They’ve added a new dimension with LeVert bringing his shot-making ability. In the playoffs, you need guys who can create those shots on their own. If Garland is being defended or having an off-night, you need somebody like LeVert to run the show. The Cavaliers remain a must-watch League Pass team.
4. Toronto Raptors
If you want to talk about versatility, then the Raptors should be in the conversation. They have their own otherworldly starting lineup with Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and Fred VanVleet. The Raptors have struck gold with this unit who are all simultaneously playing high-level basketball.
Trent has proven to be more than just a streaky scorer, Anunoby and Siakam are as elite as anybody on the wings and the paint, while rookie Barnes has exploded into the scene. Then of course there’s the elevated play of recently named All-Star, VanVleet. Maybe it’s because FVV is a Raptor, but you can’t help thinking that he has that Kyle Lowry vibe in terms of leadership and shot-making.
The Raptors were on their way to winning their ninth consecutive game before getting blocked by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Despite that recent loss, they are on pace to make it into the top six of the Eastern Conference.
3. Boston Celtics
Right on the heels of the Raptors in the standings are the Celtics. Toronto has surrendered its streak but Boston’s is still alive, winning its last seven games.
The Celtics retooled their roster by adding Derrick White in exchange for Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford. They also dealt Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando, and Enes Freedom to get Daniel Theis from the Rockets.
The most eye-catching part of Boston’s busy trade deadline is White. Celtics coach Ime Udoka and president of basketball operations (and former head coach) Brad Stevens opted to revamp their guard situation by acquiring White, who averaged 14.4 points and 5.6 assists per game for the Spurs.
Will White be the perfect complementary guard to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum? White can score, and more importantly, he’s a more willing passer than he gets credit for. Maybe he’s the key to igniting and diversifying the offense for Boston’s dynamic duo.
2. Los Angeles Clippers
Kawhi Leonard has yet to play this season while Paul George has been out of the lineup for quite some time. But the Clippers have found a way to not only stay competitive; they are also in the mix for a playoff spot, or at the very least, a slot in the Play-In Tournament. And with their recent additions in Norman Powell and Robert Covington, they’ve garnered some significant attention.
Powell and Covington are veteran wing players who have been on winning teams. The two can get to the basket, shoot from the outside, and play stingy defense. Once PG (maybe Kawhi too?) comes back, Clippers coach Ty Lue will have to do a little tinkering to figure out which lineups and which wing players work best together. They’re short on guards after trading Eric Bledsoe but they seem to be all-in with having long and agile players across the board.
The Clippers don’t jump out of the page as one of the most exciting teams in the league. However, you gotta say they are pretty intriguing right now.
1. Miami Heat
After battling through injuries and virus outbreaks, are we finally seeing the Heat at their best? Miami is the No. 1 team in the East with a 37-20 record. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff have weathered the injury storm and all the lineup changes to maintain their winning ways.
After Sunday’s games, the Heat are seventh in offensive rating (112.2) and sixth in defensive rating (107.4), putting them in the top four in net rating. They’ve had a menacing reputation on defense for the last couple of years. Now with Kyle Lowry at the point, PJ Tucker knocking down corner triples, and Tyler Herro having renewed confidence, they’ve become lethal on the offensive end as well. Not to mention, they still have the star power of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Can they take on the new-look Sixers? Will Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks still beat them in the playoffs just like last year? Do they have enough to withstand the Warriors or the Suns from the West? The Heat are good, but how good can they really be? Let’s watch and find out.
