Last summer, perpetual underachiever Jeff Green signed an immediately criticized 4 year 36 million dollar deal with the Boston Celtics.  Green, a forward who couldn’t rebound and a scorer who couldn’t score had struggled to fulfill the potential the Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins for a year prior.  Before Rondo’s injury, the Celtics were outscored by 2.6 points per 100 possessions with Green on the court.  Green, splitting time at backup small forward and power forward, only rebounded 8.2% of available rebounds, a horrendous rate for either position, and shot a below average 50.8 true shooting percentage (accounts for free throws and increased value of 3’s).  Green, the 5^th pick in the 2007 draft, appeared mired in yet another underwhelming season.  However, since Rondo’s injury, Green has quickly shifted from an underwhelming backup to one of the best scorers in the league.  In 32 games since January 12^th, Green has a 59.9 % true shooting percentage, and a net rating of 4.3 pp100p.  Green, often criticized for not being aggressive, has done a much better job attacking the rim, and is finishing and drawing fouls at a much higher rate when he gets there.  Prior to Rondo’s injury, Green made 54.1% of his shots attempted less than five feet from the basket.  After the injury, he has finished 66.2% of those attempts.   Green has been noticeably more controlled in his forays to the rim in recent months, knowing when to pass to cutters and kick to the perimeter and when to attack out of position defenders. Highlighted by his 44 point eruption in a dramatic loss to the Miami Heat, Jeff Green has been a very efficient scorer the Celtics since Rondo’s injury, and though 9 million dollars per year still seems excessive, especially given that the Celtics appeared not to be bidding against anyone, Green is developing from a contractual catastrophe to minor inconvenience.

Cavaliers’ Future:  The Cleveland Cavaliers picked Syracuse guard Dion Waiters 4^th overall in this year’s draft, a year after picking Canadian power forward Tristan Thompson in the same slot.  The Cavaliers clearly struck gold with top pick Kyrie Irving, however were criticized for the Thompson and Waiters picks.  His first season in the league, Thompson struggled to finish over NBA level defenders, had little skill away from the basket, and, though he was a very good rebounder, struggled defensively.  A year later, when many expected them to select Harrison Barnes, the Cavaliers drafted Dion Waiters, an inefficient shooting guard who came off the bench in college but had athletic potential.  Through the first few months of the season, Thompson appeared improved, but not sufficiently to justify his draft spot.  Meanwhile, Waiters was struggling, basically manifesting every criticism of his game coming out of college.  He was taking far too many midrange jumpers, many contested, and had a generally poor shot selection.  In 8 games in December, Waiters shot an incredibly poor 38.8% true shooting percentage.  However, since the early season struggles, both Waiters and Thompson have given Cleveland reason for renewed hope.  After Anderson Varajao’s season ending injury, Thompson has exploded.  His rebounding percentage rose from above average in the early season into the mid-20’s post-Varajao injury, and, with increased post up and pick and roll opportunities, he has increased his scoring production and efficiency.  Once criticized as a potential bust, Thompson has pushed himself into contention for 2^nd best player in the 2011 draft, and the Cavaliers already have the 1^st.  Waiters, meanwhile, has seemingly adapted to the NBA.  As this fearthesword.com article outlines, Waiters has continued to get to the rim with ease, but is now finishing once he gets there.  Though he has still struggled to convert on three’s Waiters may slowly be becoming the dynamic source of scoring and ball-handling relief for Kyrie Irving that the Cavs envisioned.

Warriors’ Playoff Matchups:  Likely inspired by a couple impressive regular season wins by the Warriors over the Clippers, many are suggesting that the Warriors should hope to match up with Los Angeles in the first round.  The Clippers have faltered recently, often looking closer to average than elite.  However, it seems that a large part of what keeps the Clippers slightly below the level of the “elite” teams (though those who remember past the last two months would likely include the clippers) is the desire to limit Chris Paul and, oddly, Blake Griffin’s minutes during the regular season.  With both Griffin and Paul on the court, the Clippers outscore opponents by 8 points per 100 possessions (nba.com).  Though the Warriors guarded Blake Griffin decently in the regular season games, David Lee is not mobile enough to recover to Griffin after “downing” Paul-Griffin pick and rolls, the staple of the Clippers offense, and Steph Curry is not strong enough to effectively deny Paul the screen.  The Warriors defense has fallen apart recently, and would likely collapse under the constant threat of the Clippers pick and roll and transition attacks.  As a Warriors fan, I would prefer they play the Denver Nuggets to any other likely first round opponent.  While the Nuggets are better than the Warriors, I believe the Warriors will at least be able to challenge the Nuggets if they can limit turnovers (which they probably can’t) and hope Andre Miller decides to blow a game or two.

Bynum Injury:  Before the season, the Philadelphia 76ers traded Andre Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, and a future first round pick for Laker’s center Andrew Bynum as part of a 4-team trade.  Bynum had struggled with knee issues throughout his career, and was scheduled for surgery in the offseason.   Unfortunately, Bynum suffered several setbacks throughout his recovery, and recently it was reported that Bynum needed another surgery, meaning he would miss the entire year.  Bynum will not play for the Sixers this year, and may never, as he is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.  As it became clear Bynum would not play this season, many criticized the Sixers for the trade, and though in hindsight the trade may end up as regrettable, it was the right move.  Prior to the Bynum trade, the 76ers were a capped-out perennial 1^st, maybe 2^nd round exit whose only hope to advance farther in the playoffs was a drastic Evan Turner improvement (which did not come this season).  The Bynum trade gave the Sixers the 2011-2012 2^nd team all-NBA center that ranked 16^th in win shares per 48 minutes (greater than 20 mpg), and the potential for an elite inside out combo with Jrue Holiday that could vault the Sixers into a higher level of contention.  Though Turner has not improved much, trading Iguodala freed an offensive role for the young wing.  The Sixers real failure this past offseason came in amnestying Elton Brand, the underrated defensive anchor, and using the freed cap space to sign Nick Young, Kwame Brown, and Dorell Wright.

            On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama was reelected as President of the United States.  Obama returned to Washington under the slogan, “Forward,” a direction the local Wizards certainly did not appear to be moving.  Before the season, the Wizards, presumably adding veteran players in an attempt to reach the playoffs, dealt Rashard Lewis and a 2^nd round draft pick for Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor.  Despite this salary intensive attempt to make the playoffs, through January 11^th, the Wizards were a depressing 5-28 and, just to make the experience even more enjoyable for their fans, scored at a league-worst 93.1 points per 100 possessions (per nba.com).  Despite the record, the Wizard’s most disheartening situation was the state of their young backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal.  Prior to the season, Wall developed a stress fracture in his knee, and was scheduled to miss much of the beginning of the season.  Though Wall had flashed promise in his first two seasons in the league, popular opinion (expressed in this Yahoo! Ball Don’t Lie article http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/john-wall-returns-practice-impresses-011655092–nba.html) was that Wall needed to take a drastic step forward in the 2012-2013 season to establish himself as the franchise block the Wizards thought they had drafted.  Instead of coming into the new season showing off an improved jumper, or better ball control, Wall was not even able to practice, let alone play. While will was stuck off the court, Beal was struggling on it.  In 32 games played prior without John Wall, Beal shot 32.3 percent from 3, 38.9% on 2 point field goal attempts, and had a true shooting percentage of only 46.8% (per nbawowy.com).   Though he was promoted in college as an aggressive guard with an incredible shooting stroke, Beal struggled to get to the rim, attempting only 17.95 of his shots from 0-3 feet and 25.0% from 10-15 feet, and converted on a less than impressive 32.3% on the three point attempts that accounted for 34.1% of his field goal attempts, and though the Wizards struggled regardless of whether Beal was playing or not, they were outscored by 1.1 more points per 100 possessions with Beal on the court compared to off.  Beal, like Wall before him, had shown potential, but struggled to consistently convert the promise into production.

            In a January 12^th contests against the Atlanta Hawks, John Wall, once the lord and savior of the eternally damned Wizards (in this case original sin is drafting Jan Vesely) began his 3^rd season, ready to rise again.  And while the Wizards have not yet ascended to the heavenly height of above average, they have managed a promising level of decency since Wall’s return.  Spurred by an impressive defense and slightly improved but still bad offense, Washington has won 12 of its 20 games since Wall’s return, good for a .600 winning percentage that would place them 4^th in the Eastern Conference if sustained for a full season.  However, in this lost season it  is the improved performance by Wall and Beal that bring hope for a better future in Washington.  Though Wall, only shooting a 48.3% true shooting percentage, still has yet to approach his potential as scorer, he has developed an ability to create offensive opportunities for his teammates.  Wall has assisted on a career high 44.3% of his teammates field goals while he is on the court, up 7.4 percent from last year, and his team scores 4.3 points per 100 possessions more while he is on the court than off.  Though the Wizards 101.3 offensive rating with Wall on the court would place them at a mere 26^th in the league per basketball-reference.com, many of the lineups Wall is most featured in are much better offensively, including the oft-used starting lineup of Wall – Beal – Webster – Okafor –Nene which scores 105.5 points per 100 possessions and allows an impressively low 82.2.

            Wall’s emergence as an effective, though often frustrated, floor general has best reflected itself in Bradley Beal’s performance over the last 2 months.  Since Wall’s return, Bradley Beal’s true shooting percentage has jumped to 57.4, prompted by Beal’s incredible 3-point shooting efficiency.  Over the last 20 games, Beal has made 46.9% of his 3-point attempts, including 12 of 18 from the left corner 3, and 9 of 18 from the right.  John Wall’s ability to force defenses to help by beating primary defenders off isolation in the pick and role have opened up many opportunities for Beal, who has not failed to take advantage.  Though Beal never receives the ball on this possession, this play displays how Wall creates space and opportunity for Beal.

            As Wall drives right off the pick and roll, Jan Vesely’s man steps across the lane to contain the penetration, leaving Beal’s man forced to guard two people on the left side of the court.  Wall beats the hedging big man and misses the semi contested layup over the help defender.  As this happened, Beal’s man committed to Vesely at the rim, leaving Beal open in the left corner, from which he has been nearly automatic since Wall returned.  Though he did not do it on this possession, Wall has displayed the ability to consistently convert the pass to the corner 3, which would allow Beal to shoot, or attack the close out by the defender who began the possession guarding him.

            This synergy between the talents of the Wizard’s dynamic young guards has led to many wins over the last two months, and brings hope that, with a few even-slightly prudent decisions by Wizard’s management, these wins are just the beginning.