The Kings have all the pieces to make a playoff run: an All-NBA big man, a stretch 4, a ball-dominant wing, a PG who can control tempo and run the offense and two wings who can be serviceable as 3-and-D players. Read more »

What really separates this San Antonio defense is just how effective the team is when it comes to two relatively simple concepts: ignoring non-shooters and using denials to throw off opposing offenses. Read more »

When Alvin Gentry has gone to the end of his bench this season, he has been forced to play NBA retreads while the Warriors have received meaningful minutes from Ian Clark. Read more »

This is the perfect time for the Suns to play Alex Len, Devin Booker and T.J. Warren as much as possible in roles that emphasize their strengths in order to figure out exactly what they have. Read more »

There's no draft and there's no point in tanking to get better - if an NCAA program ever decided to start punting away games, they can go on a tailspin that can take years (or even decades) to get out of. Read more »

The Lakers won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010; something Kobe Bryant doesn't think would have happened had it not been for the pain inflicted by the Celtics. Read more »

The only considerations are talent, age, cap flexibility and future draft picks with the goal being to eventually compete for and win the NBA Finals. Read more »

The Magic turned around their season when they began starting Channing Frye instead of Victor Oladipo, improving dramatically on offense and winning at the rate of a top-8 team in the NBA. Read more »

Wide-bodied and slow-footed big men who can score at a high level with their back to the basket but can't shoot 3's and can't move their feet on defense have suddenly become far less effective than they would have been in a previous era. Read more »

What the Raptors' lack in ball-movement they make up for with getting to the free-throw line and not turning the ball over and it all begins with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. Read more »

In order to match up with a team that can play with five shooters spread out around the perimeter, a two-post team needs six different things on their roster as the Spurs possess. Read more »

It's more of a mind game now for Eric Bledsoe, with pick-and-roll ingenuity, crafty passing and smart reactions to the defense's scheme. By almost any measure, he's been a top-5 point guard. Read more »

A.J. Hammons has a chance to be a special player at the next level and he could go down as one of the biggest draft steals in a long time if his stock doesn't shoot up over the next few months. Read more »

The real testament to Mike D'Antoni's influence can be seen in how teams around the league implement not just his overarching style, but his actual plays. Read more »

Memphis hasn't been able to walk the tightrope when it comes to contending and reloading at the same time like San Antonio. Maybe that changes with minutes for Jarell Martin and Jordan Adams. Read more »

The Cavs beat the Thunder 104-100 on Thursday in a game that was full of fascinating subplots. Read more »

Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis are both seven-foot-plus, who can play inside and out on both sides of the ball, both are long and athletic enough to play above the rim and guard on the perimeter and they are both capable of shooting 3's, putting the ball on the floor and making plays for others. Read more »

The Blazers' best star isn't a specific player. Instead, it may be a vision for an entire roster meshed with a system perfectly designed for today's NBA. Read more »

At full strength, the Cavaliers are far-and-away the class of the East. Any chance their competition had to steal home court in the postseason has passed. Read more »

DraftKings is offering RealGM readers free access to a fantasy basketball contest on Wednesday night with $500,000 in prizes and a $100,000 first place prize. Read more »