XAfter a 112-94 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday, the Utah Jazz are 22-5. They have won 18 of their past 19 games, lead the NBA in winning percentage and  and are in the top five in both offense and defense.Still, a national spotlight remains elusive. When Utah comes up on podcasts or in articles that cover the league at large, it generally doesn't get much more than some variation of "I'm not convinced."As the Jazz work through some of the Eastern Conference's bigger names, it's probably time to put that sentiment to bed.At the moment, Utah is the best team in the NBA.After...…XAfter a 112-94 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday, the Utah Jazz are 22-5. They have won 18 of their past 19 games, lead the NBA in winning percentage and  and are in the top five in both offense and defense.Still, a national spotlight remains elusive. When Utah comes up on podcasts or in articles that cover the league at large, it generally doesn't get much more than some variation of "I'm not convinced."As the Jazz work through some of the Eastern Conference's bigger names, it's probably time to put that sentiment to bed.At the moment, Utah is the best team in the NBA.After...WW…

0 of 30The 2020 offseason was another whirlwind of player movement in the . Last year, it was the stars who played musical chairs. This year, with the exception of a few big names who are off to new teams, it was mostly role players who were reshuffled.Whether it's a new role player, a holdover from last season or an incoming rookie, every team has at least one player to get excited about this season. And for many organizations, there is more than one who fits that description.Here, we'll look at both the obvious choices for each team and what may be an under-the-radar selection.1 of 30The...…0 of 30The 2020 offseason was another whirlwind of player movement in the . Last year, it was the stars who played musical chairs. This year, with the exception of a few big names who are off to new teams, it was mostly role players who were reshuffled.Whether it's a new role player, a holdover from last season or an incoming rookie, every team has at least one player to get excited about this season. And for many organizations, there is more than one who fits that description.Here, we'll look at both the obvious choices for each team and what may be an under-the-radar selection.1 of 30The...WW…

✕Within a couple weeks of the 2019-20 winning the championship, rumors have already surfaced about ways to make the team even better.That's understandable. Good teams are almost always trying to get better in the offseason. And the Lakers may have a bit more reason to push than other defending champions.Through no fault of its own, L.A. avoided the five opponents with the highest 2019-20 (a measure that combines point differential and strength of schedule) in the postseason, including the two teams that had a higher rating than it did.  The playoff path is almost certain to be...…✕Within a couple weeks of the 2019-20 winning the championship, rumors have already surfaced about ways to make the team even better.That's understandable. Good teams are almost always trying to get better in the offseason. And the Lakers may have a bit more reason to push than other defending champions.Through no fault of its own, L.A. avoided the five opponents with the highest 2019-20 (a measure that combines point differential and strength of schedule) in the postseason, including the two teams that had a higher rating than it did.  The playoff path is almost certain to be...WW…

0 of 5The are one win away from the 2020 championship following a 102-96 win over the on Tuesday.If they can prevent Miami from winning three straight games (the Heat now have a 14 percent chance to win the series, according to 's projection), this might go down as one of the most dominant title runs in Lakers lore.After Game 4, these Lakers are in franchise history in postseason plus-minus and tied for in playoff winning percentage.Numbers struggle to capture caveats, though. When basketball historians look back on this season, some might point out the novelty of the bubble, the fortune of...…0 of 5The are one win away from the 2020 championship following a 102-96 win over the on Tuesday.If they can prevent Miami from winning three straight games (the Heat now have a 14 percent chance to win the series, according to 's projection), this might go down as one of the most dominant title runs in Lakers lore.After Game 4, these Lakers are in franchise history in postseason plus-minus and tied for in playoff winning percentage.Numbers struggle to capture caveats, though. When basketball historians look back on this season, some might point out the novelty of the bubble, the fortune of...WW…

0 of 6Sometimes, it feels like he'll play forever, but we may well be nearing the twilight of LeBron James' career.There's little need to worry about a dearth of talent when he leaves, however, as the NBA is loaded with players who've exhibited superstar potential in the first couple of years of their careers.The rising generation is so intriguing that you can lower the maximum age for a list like this all the way to 21 and still come up with 10 names with relative ease.The top 10 at 21 and under features point guards putting up unprecedented numbers for their age, a physical marvel whose...…0 of 6Sometimes, it feels like he'll play forever, but we may well be nearing the twilight of LeBron James' career.There's little need to worry about a dearth of talent when he leaves, however, as the NBA is loaded with players who've exhibited superstar potential in the first couple of years of their careers.The rising generation is so intriguing that you can lower the maximum age for a list like this all the way to 21 and still come up with 10 names with relative ease.The top 10 at 21 and under features point guards putting up unprecedented numbers for their age, a physical marvel whose...WW…

0 of 62At long last, the moment (we hope) you've been waiting for has finally arrived: Our officially official ranking of the top 100 NBA players for the 2019-20 season is officially here. Officially.Before you journey down this rabbit hole with us, be sure to check out the position-by-position installments of our top-100 series if you haven't already:Players are being evaluated relative to their performance for this season only. Benefit of the doubt is awarded to stars with limited appearances, but only if they've delivered at a high level during their time on the floor or seem likely to...…0 of 62At long last, the moment (we hope) you've been waiting for has finally arrived: Our officially official ranking of the top 100 NBA players for the 2019-20 season is officially here. Officially.Before you journey down this rabbit hole with us, be sure to check out the position-by-position installments of our top-100 series if you haven't already:Players are being evaluated relative to their performance for this season only. Benefit of the doubt is awarded to stars with limited appearances, but only if they've delivered at a high level during their time on the floor or seem likely to...WW…

0 of 11Who ordered the ranking of the 's best small forwards with a side of extra-saucy takes?Before we open up the opinion factory, though, be sure to peruse the other installments of our NBA 100 series if you haven't already:Anyone who hasn't logged at least 500 minutes this season is not eligible for inclusion. Sample size isn't everything, but we're evaluating players based on what they've done prior to the league's shutdown. Playing time has to matter. So please, pretty please, do not bombard the comments with "No ?!? You must be related to Draymond Green!" barbs. KD will get his...…0 of 11Who ordered the ranking of the 's best small forwards with a side of extra-saucy takes?Before we open up the opinion factory, though, be sure to peruse the other installments of our NBA 100 series if you haven't already:Anyone who hasn't logged at least 500 minutes this season is not eligible for inclusion. Sample size isn't everything, but we're evaluating players based on what they've done prior to the league's shutdown. Playing time has to matter. So please, pretty please, do not bombard the comments with "No ?!? You must be related to Draymond Green!" barbs. KD will get his...WW…

0 of 11Shoutout to the 's best shooting guards this season. Your figurative, social distancing-friendly hugs are en route.But first, if you haven't binge-read the other installments of our NBA 100 series, be sure to check out or bookmark them now:Players who haven't logged at least 500 minutes this season are not eligible for inclusion. Sample size isn't everything, but we're evaluating players based on what's happened in 2019-20 alone, prior to the Disney World bubble. Victor Oladipo and Klay Thompson will have to wait until the 2020-21 preseason to receive their NBA 100 gold...…0 of 11Shoutout to the 's best shooting guards this season. Your figurative, social distancing-friendly hugs are en route.But first, if you haven't binge-read the other installments of our NBA 100 series, be sure to check out or bookmark them now:Players who haven't logged at least 500 minutes this season are not eligible for inclusion. Sample size isn't everything, but we're evaluating players based on what's happened in 2019-20 alone, prior to the Disney World bubble. Victor Oladipo and Klay Thompson will have to wait until the 2020-21 preseason to receive their NBA 100 gold...WW…

XThe state of California has been richly blessed with professional basketball talent.Just think of the all-timers who spent prime years playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State (or San Francisco) Warriors.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, , , , and Rick Barry are just a handful who come to mind. Wilt Chamberlain played for both the Warriors and Lakers. And there are arguments to make that list even longer.So, in an unprecedented era in which live sports have been almost entirely shut down, it's natural to wonder how those two California powerhouses, led by...…XThe state of California has been richly blessed with professional basketball talent.Just think of the all-timers who spent prime years playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State (or San Francisco) Warriors.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, , , , and Rick Barry are just a handful who come to mind. Wilt Chamberlain played for both the Warriors and Lakers. And there are arguments to make that list even longer.So, in an unprecedented era in which live sports have been almost entirely shut down, it's natural to wonder how those two California powerhouses, led by...WW…

XHelp may be on the way to Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. And if it comes in the form of Bradley Beal, Brooklyn will have one of the game's most talented Big Threes."Immersed in their championship window, the Brooklyn Nets are in the market for a third star and have internally discussed avenues of acquiring Wizards guard Bradley Beal," wrote for the Daily News. "It's unclear whether Beal will become available, though his circumstances have prompted speculation. The two-way guard is among the league's highest-paid players and on a Wizards team with a low ceiling."If...…XHelp may be on the way to Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. And if it comes in the form of Bradley Beal, Brooklyn will have one of the game's most talented Big Threes."Immersed in their championship window, the Brooklyn Nets are in the market for a third star and have internally discussed avenues of acquiring Wizards guard Bradley Beal," wrote for the Daily News. "It's unclear whether Beal will become available, though his circumstances have prompted speculation. The two-way guard is among the league's highest-paid players and on a Wizards team with a low ceiling."If...WW…