In this weeks 13 Rules: Random NBA Thoughts Steve Purciello dives shares more random NBA thoughts. NBA 40-20 Rule, MVP Race Shake-Up, and the League’s Biggest Surprises. Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast the Shot Clock Pod to your list!
NBA 40-20 Rule Explained
For those of you that haven’t heard of the NBA 40-20 rule, I’ll explain it. Years ago, Phil Jackson stated a team must reach 40 wins before losing 20 games to be a legitimate title contender. This year, only three teams have achieved this: the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs. Forty-one of the last forty-five league champions have succeeded as 40-win teams before losing 20 games. The exceptions are the 1994-95 Houston Rockets, 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, 2005-06 Miami Heat, and the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks. This means the 40-20 rule has been correct 91% of the time.
The Clippers’ Midseason Shift
The LA Clippers began the season 6-21; since then, they have gone 21-10. Much of their success was due to the outstanding play of James Harden and a rejuvenated Kawhi Leonard. With Harden gone by trade and the Clippers beginning their rebuild, it doesn’t look like their good stretch will continue.
This week’s player to watch is Collin Gillespie of the Phoenix Suns. This season, Gillespie is averaging 28.2 minutes played per game and scoring 13.5 points per game. These are only fair numbers; however, when you dive deeper, you see that he’s shooting over 42% from three. Gillespie is only making $2.38 million and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. It looks like Gillespie will be getting a nice pay increase.
The Timberwolves’ Ongoing Potential
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an interesting team. It seems every year people are predicting big things for them. This year, they are 37-23 and sit in fifth place. They are always said to be a team with great potential. This reminds me of the old saying, “potential is unfulfilled promise.” The big questions are: when will the Timberwolves break out and get to the Finals, and when will Anthony Edwards reach true superstar status and lead his team there?
Trivia Corner
Quick question: who is the only NBA team above .500 that is giving up more points than they score? Answer: the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Tightening MVP Race
An interesting situation in the MVP race has come about. Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are, at the current time, considered the favorites. However, if Jokić misses two games and Gilgeous-Alexander seven, they will not be eligible because they will not have reached the required sixty-five games. If that were to happen, Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, and Victor Wembanyama enter the conversation, with Wembanyama the favorite. It’s possible that Wembanyama could win Defensive Player of the Year as well. To really complicate the matter, Wembanyama has only played forty-five games and can only miss four more.
Atlanta’s Familiar Struggles
The Atlanta Hawks came into the season as dark horses in the Eastern Conference. Presently, they are 30-31. They have traded Trae Young, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Luke Kennard—players that helped make them dark horses. Jalen Johnson has become their best player, so there has been plenty of change. For the Hawks, in terms of their record, the more things change, the more they stay the same.