![]() ![]() He's also finished in the top six in both points and assists in each of the past three campaigns.ĭoncic and the Mavs finally had their playoff breakthrough last season, dismantling the league-leading Suns on the road in Game 7 to reach the West finals. The ex-Real Madrid star has amassed 46 triple-doubles during that span, which ranks 10th on the NBA's all-time list. It's pretty safe to say he has lived up to the hype.ĭoncic has earned three All-Star selections, three All-NBA first-team nods, and Rookie of the Year honors in just four seasons. Luka Doncic, Mavsĭoncic was a heralded phenom before playing a single minute in the NBA. The eight-time All-Star is just a year removed from a scoring title and should be in the thick of the MVP race if his shooting percentages return to career norms. While Curry cooled off a bit in the second half of the regular season, his strong playoff performance should ease worries about a decline. Curry posted 31.2 points, six boards, and five assists per contest in the championship series, becoming the fourth player in league history to average a 30-5-5 stat line in multiple Finals, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The club is fresh off its fourth title in eight seasons and the sharpshooting guard earned his first Finals MVP award. Stephen Curry, Warriors Lampson Yip - Clicks Images / Getty Images Sport / GettyĬurry and the Golden State Warriors aren't done yet. Health is probably the biggest obstacle for Morant: He hasn't made more than 67 appearances in one regular season. Morant kept raising the bar in the playoffs, joining James and Kobe Bryant as the only players with multiple 45-point games in the postseason before the age of 23, per ESPN Stats & Info. He also earned Most Improved Player honors and his first All-Star and All-NBA selections. That will likely rise even higher this season with Jaren Jackson potentially out until the new year and the departure of a few key depth pieces.ĭuring the previous campaign, Morant set personal bests in multiple categories, including scoring (27.4 per contest), field-goal percentage (49.3%), and steals (1.2). The Memphis Grizzlies guard owned the fifth-highest usage rate (33.7%) in 2021-22. Morant could quickly establish himself as an MVP contender. Tatum needs to begin the year on the right foot - especially with Robert Williams III already sidelined - if he wants to have a realistic shot at the award. His and Boston's slow start contributed to his sixth-place finish in last season's MVP voting. Tatum usually doesn't come out of the gate hot he's registered 18.7 points on 42.1% shooting across his 84 career appearances in October and November. The three-time All-Star averaged a team-high 6.2 dimes - including 13 assists in Game 1, a record for a player's Finals debut - during Boston's playoff run. His passing improved significantly despite only a slight increase in assists from the year prior. His 230 triples were the second-best single-campaign mark in Celtics history. The 24-year-old established new career highs in scoring (26.9 per game), 2-point percentage (52.4%), and rebounds (8.0) over 76 appearances last season. Tatum's continued rise helped the Boston Celtics come within two wins of the franchise's 18th NBA championship. Jayson Tatum, Celtics Brian Babineau / National Basketball Association / Getty The former lottery pick will garner serious MVP consideration if the Suns remain among the West's elite. With backcourt mate Chris Paul another year older, expect Booker to take on a similar workload and possibly more playmaking responsibilities. He earned his first All-NBA selection and finished fourth in the MVP race. The Kentucky product posted 26.8 points, five boards, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest with the league's ninth-highest usage rate (31.3%). The Phoenix Suns guard should have no shortage of motivation, especially after a pair of subpar performances against the Dallas Mavericks in Games 6 and 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.īooker was the lead horse on a 64-win Suns squad last season. Devin Booker, Sunsīooker seems to already be operating with a chip on his shoulder. His relationship with head coach Steve Nash is also a question mark after the two-time NBA champ reportedly asked for Nash to be fired this past summer. However, injuries have limited him to 90 out of a possible 154 regular-season games in two seasons with the Nets. There's no question Durant can still light up the scoreboard with the best of them. He ranked fourth in the Association in isolation points (5.7 per game) and fifth in clutch scoring (3.9). The 12-time All-Star remains a lethal scoring threat, averaging just under 30 points on 51.8% shooting - including 38.3% from deep - across 55 contests last season. Kevin Durant, Nets Sarah Stier / Getty Images Sport / Gettyĭurant is back with the Brooklyn Nets after an offseason full of drama and uncertainty. ![]()
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