We did this with the East. Some of it went over.
WARRIORS
Hot: I was completely wrong about Buddy Hield (52/51/86 percentage splits, eight turnovers in 206 minutes), busting his tail defensively as best Buddy can for the NBA’s third-ranked defense. I’ve been more or less spotless with everything else. Pretty amazing run, really, I even called the Winter’s Sad Food Snack of 2024-25 (pierogies).
What: Golden State is fourth in offense, seventh in True Shooting and sixth in Effective Field Goal percentage despite De’Anthony Melton not turning into a thing for them. Despite Kyle Anderson missing 13 of his first 16 three-pointers (before nailing 3-4 in Wednesday’s win in Boston), despite Brandin Podziemski (6-33 from deep) clanging threes and running away from the free throw line (3-6 this season).
Despite Boston fans booing like they just found out the Boston Garden’s old scoreboard is chopped in two and hanging inside some dope’s apartment complex.
CLIPPERS
Hot: Kris Dunn is as good as any sixth man in the NBA right now, the award is down to Kris or Jay Huff or Tari Eason or Obi Toppin or Onyeka Okongwu or Jonathan Kuminga or even the improving Kyle Anderson. Kris Dunn has more defensive rebounds than all of those candidates but Onyeka, who has as many as Dunn.