Run it Back! NBA Week in Review - Week #20

[00:00:01] Week 20 of the 2024-25 NBA season is over, which means it's time to run it back. This is Run It Back NBA Week in Review. I'm Jose Salviati, editor at TheBeachBasket.net and this is the show where we recap the week that was in the NBA and then highlight the marquee matchup for the week that comes. We start like we always do with the only objective overall top 10 NBA power rankings anywhere.

[00:00:27] You can read more about how we get to these rankings and see the entire list at TheBeachBasket.net. Let's take a look at the top 10 at the conclusion of week number 20. Dropping out of the top 10 this week are the Indiana Pacers. They were 2-2 in week 20 and moved from number 9 to number 11. The Detroit Pistons are also out after a 1-2 week. They dropped from number 10 to number 12.

[00:00:53] We'll be back in to the top 10 after a perfect 4-0 week are the Minnesota Timberwolves. They move up from number 12 to take the number 10 spot. Number 9 in week 20 belongs to the Golden State Warriors. Like the Pacers, they were a perfect 4-0 in the week and moved up from number 11. Maybe Draymond Green was right about his team's chances this season.

[00:01:19] The Memphis Grizzlies struggled a bit in week 20. They were 1-2 and it cost them in our standings. They dropped one spot to number 8. Number 7 belongs to the resurgent Los Angeles Lakers. They were 3-1 in week number 20 and are looking ready to make some noise in the playoffs. Of course, we're all hoping LeBron is okay after an injury against the Celtics. The New York Knicks dropped one spot and landed number 6. They were 1-3 and it cost them in our standings.

[00:01:49] The Houston Rockets were 2-2, but that was enough to keep them at number 5 in the second week in a row. The Denver Nuggets were 2-1 in week 20, which was enough to leap over the Knicks and the Rockets to take the number 4 spot. I have to shout out the history making Nikola Jokic. Can't talk about the Nuggets. I'm not talking about what he did this week. A 30-20-20 double. First time in NBA history we've seen those kind of stats before.

[00:02:19] It's incredible and he may have just secured his MVP for the season. The top 3, they haven't changed since week number 16. If you combine the losses of all of the teams in the top 3 in week 20, you would get a big bat zero. They were all perfect. The Boston Celtics come in at number 3 after going 4-0.

[00:02:46] The Oklahoma City Thunder matched the Celtics at 4-0 to keep a hold on the number 2 spot. And the number 1 Cleveland Cavaliers were also, you guessed it, 4-0. The top teams are gearing up for the playoffs as you would expect them to do. Steve Priscilla said today on an episode of 13 Rules Random NBA Thoughts that there's a 90% chance the 2024-25 NBA champion is one of these top 3 teams.

[00:03:14] Hard to argue, which is your pick. That's the objective top 10 list for week number 20. If you want to see where all 30 teams land this week, please visit thepeachbasket.net. Now let's shift our focus to the players. These are the best to do at average in week 20 of the 2024-25 NBA season. These are the best by average in shooting, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, points, and game score.

[00:03:42] Jake Eldridge's Alexander led everyone in scoring in week number 20 for the second week in a row. This week he averaged 41 points per game over his three games played. Shea is playoff ready. The top sniper for Jordan Poole and Aaron Gordon. They both made seven three-point shots in their one game play to lead at the NBA. The top field goal maker was Shea, averaging 14 over his three games played. Walker Kessler is really good.

[00:04:11] And he's been really good for the Utah Jazz. The big man averaged 17 rebounds over his two games played to lead the association. He was also the top shot block, sending back 4.5 shots in week number 20. The top offensive rebounder in the week was also Kessler at 8.5. While the top defensive rebounder was Nikola Jokic at 12.7 over his three games played. The top assist man was a guard for a change.

[00:04:39] Favre Salaburton led everyone averaging 13.5 assists over his two games played. And it's that that's been dominated by a center from Denver in the past week. The top thief in week 20 was Jordan Poole. He swiped three possessions in his one game play to lead everyone. And the top game score for week 20 lost to Shea, Kildish Alexander. I'm not sold on the Oklahoma City Thunder yet. I'm not sure if they're ready for a long playoff run as a team.

[00:05:10] But I do feel pretty certain that their leader is ready. His impressive game score of 35.3 led the association. Looking ahead to week number 21, the Boston State State. The Southkicks are once again in the spotlight. In week 21, they will host the best team in the Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder. This is going to be a great test for the Thunder. The lights will be bright. The opponent will be ready. And the pressure will be intense.

[00:05:37] Let's see if the OKC Thunder are playoff ready. In what will no doubt be a playoff type game. Now we end with a segment we call full court press. I asked AI for its thoughts on viral trending NBA news as we had in week 21. And this is what he came up with. LeBron and Lucas Lakers surge. A new dynamic duo heating up the West. The Cavaliers 12 game win streak. It's Cleveland, the East dark horse.

[00:06:08] They're not the dark horse. But anyway, can't argue with an AI. Warriors resurgence with Jimmy Butler. Golden State's new big three. Giannis hits 20K points. The Bucks quite climbed to contention. That's a dark horse in these. And Knicks without Bronson. How New York adjusts to a star's absence. These are all great topics. I'm going to focus on the Lakers. Now I said last week that the Lakers recent great play may be a mirage.

[00:06:38] I called it the team is playing inspired basketball, no doubt. But they may be doing so in part because of excitement around adding a player the caliber of Luka Doncic. Additionally, six of the 10 teams they played up to their recent game against the Celtics were at or below 500. Now you still have to win those games. It's not a given. And the Lakers did that. Except for two against the Jazz and the Hornets.

[00:07:05] But it's undeniable that the schedule was friendly to the Lakers. It's not friendly anymore. The Lakers have 20 games left in the season. The remaining schedule ranks as the sixth most difficult to finish the season. They'll have to play the Thunder twice, the Nuggets twice, and a few other really good Western Conference teams that they might have a better chance against, including the Rockets and the Grizzlies.

[00:07:33] In short, the next 20 games will tell us if the Lakers are playoff ready. Of course, LeBron's availability and health for those games matters a lot. It's likely they finish at or around 10-10, which would have them in the season at 15-32. Not a bad season at all. And that'll put them anywhere between the fourth and the sixth seed in the West, which is great. That avoids the play-in.

[00:08:00] And depending on where they land, they'll have to go through the Grizzlies, the Rockets, the Warriors, and of course, ultimately the Thunder. Escaping the play-in is a win for the Lakers. It was not a foregone conclusion before the trade. They looked like a play-in lock, honestly. They were just floundering. After that though, things are going to have to fall right for the Lakers if they want a long playoff run. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see them get past the first round and make it to the second round.

[00:08:30] Getting any further may be a bit of a stretch. But as I pointed out last week, this trade for Luka was less about this season and more about the future. The Lakers have their next star, assuming Luka resigns. Which he will. Wody? We'll see. That's a big if right now and an important if for the Lakers. That's it. Week number 20 of the 2024-25 NBA season is in the books.

[00:08:59] Join us again next week after week 21 when we once again run it. The Lakers, who did the series of events with the Lakers. That's a big idea. The Lakers, who was the best for the Lakers. The Lakers, who was the most famous group of years ago. When we once again run it up, the Lakers, who was the best for the Lakers to get the Lakers.