Roundball Roundtable: Clippers, Pacers poised for big 2nd half
With the schedule at the halfway point, theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league.
Which team is set for a big second half?
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers are firmly in the mix for a top-six seed despite not having Kawhi Leonard for most of the season. Head coach Ty Lue has leaned on his defense to compensate for a lack of firepower: Los Angeles ranks third in steals (9.7 per contest), third in points off turnovers (20), fourth in defensive rating (108.9 points per 100 possessions), and fifth in opponent 3-point percentage (34.6%). Leonard's return gives the defense another weapon and provides some much-needed help to the club's mediocre half-court offense, which has primarily depended upon James Harden and Norman Powell. Assuming Leonard stays healthy, the Clippers have an opportunity to make up some ground. - Chicco Nacion
Indiana Pacers: Winners of 12 of their last 15 contests, the Pacers are rounding back into their Eastern Conference finals form. Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, and Myles Turner are averaging 15 or more points per game, and Indiana is getting double-digit scoring from seven players. The Pacers' offense has improved over this hot stretch, ranking third in offensive rating (117.8), assists per game (30.3) and true shooting percentage (59.4). Haliburton is playing at his All-Star level, averaging 18.1 points and nearly 10 assists per game while shooting 40.5% from deep during the turnaround. Even with their early-season struggles, the Pacers are just one win from passing the Orlando Magic for fifth in the East. - Donald Higney
Sacramento Kings: Firing Mike Brown on Dec. 27 seems to have given the Kings the shot in the arm they desperately needed. Since parting ways with Brown, Sacramento is an impressive 7-1 and has the league's fifth-best defensive rating (109.7). Interim head coach Doug Christie has leaned into Keon Ellis' perimeter defense since taking charge of the team - the Alabama product has played 33 minutes or more in three of the eight outings with Christie behind the bench, all of which were wins. Ellis surpassed 33 minutes in a game just once in his 29 contests under Brown. - Thomas Tittley
Which role player having a great season is flying under the radar?
Malik Beasley: The 28-year-old has bounced around the league over the last four years, but it seems he found a home with the Detroit Pistons. Beasley is averaging 16.3 points - five more than last season and his highest total since the 2020-21 campaign. On top of that, he's averaging 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists, all on 42.3% shooting. He appeared in just 37 out of 82 games that year, and he's already surpassed that total this season. The Florida State product is also making a career-high 3.7 3-pointers per contest while maintaining a 39.6% shooting average from beyond the arc. And Beasley's 23.1% usage rate represents the second-highest of his career. - Joseph Luca Casciaro
Scotty Pippen Jr.: When the Grizzlies signed Pippen to a two-way contract last January, it didn't attract much attention. He spent most of his first two pro campaigns in the G League and played only 32 minutes in six appearances for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, Pippen got extended playing time down the stretch in 2023-24 with Memphis' roster decimated by injuries, and his strong play earned him a standard four-year contract. The 24-year-old has held a key role in Taylor Jenkins' rotation this season, averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 boards, and 1.2 steals across 39 appearances. The Vanderbilt product has provided playmaking, floor-spacing, and defensive intensity, and his steady play at the point has been especially important with Ja Morant sidelined. - Nacion
Josh Hart: Hart is quietly having a career year for the New York Knicks. The versatile wing's average of 14.4 points represents his highest total since the 2021-22 campaign, and he's posting career-high averages in rebounds (9.3), assists (5.5), and steals (1.5). His 361 total rebounds on the season rank higher than players like Victor Wembanyama, Evan Mobley, and LeBron James. With his consistent stat-stuffing performances, Hart is tied for fifth with Giannis Antetokounmpo in triple-doubles with four - two of which came in back-to-back wins over the Wizards and Jazz. The 29-year-old has proven integral to New York's success courtesy of high-energy play and versatility on both ends of the court. - Higney
Who will be the next coach to get fired?
Willie Green: In Green's fourth year in New Orleans, the Pelicans sit last in the West with an 8-32 record, All-Defensive wing Herb Jones is out for the season, and Zion Williamson - who has only appeared in eight games due to injury - was recently suspended for being late for a flight and multiple team practices. Putting all the organization's eggs in Williamson's basket hasn't worked to this point, and trading for Dejounte Murray hasn't panned out. It seems likely that David Griffin and his front office might axe the 43-year-old head coach in a last-ditch attempt to save their jobs. - Tittley
Steve Kerr: Kerr began his Warriors tenure by leading the team to four rings in his first 10 campaigns, but the success has waned as the core ages. The team missed the playoffs last season and currently sits at .500, going 7-16 in its last 23 outings after beginning the season 12-3. Golden State lacks an offensive punch beyond 36-year-old Stephen Curry - no other player averages over 20 points. Kerr has also struggled to develop Jonathan Kuminga, bouncing him in and out of the starting five multiple times this campaign. With the win-now window rapidly closing as Curry's influence diminishes, the Warriors need a spark - and they're running out of time to find one. - Casciaro
Chauncey Billups: Portland's virtually in the same place as it was when the team hired Billups four years ago. The Trail Blazers won no more than 31 games with Damian Lillard on the roster and have consistently been among the NBA's worst defensive teams under Billups' watch. First-round draft picks Scoot Henderson and Kris Murray haven't developed as much as desired. What's more, the team's had its share of lackluster efforts this season, including a pair of 40-point losses at home. That's unacceptable, even for a rebuilding club. Billups had more than enough time to turn things around. It'd be in the franchise's best interest to move on. - Nacion
How can the league improve declining ratings?
Shorten the season: Considered a more radical idea, cutting down the NBA's 82-game slate could increase the league's viewership. The hope would be that fewer contests would limit back-to-backs and extended runs of games, keeping stars in the lineup for home and road fans, as well as maintaining marquee matchups full of top-level talent. Reducing the number of games would increase the importance of every regular-season showing; there would be less time for teams to treat it as a ramp-up period for the playoffs. Despite problems like decreased stadium revenue, shortening the season would ensure elite players stay in games, increasing visibility. - Higney
End the 3-point shooting debate: A large, vocal portion of social media users - and some mainstream critics - have erroneously claimed that there's no variety in the league and that teams just jack 3-pointers. Are 3-pointers up? Yes. Do all teams play the same way? Absolutely not. Shotmaking, ball-handling, and passing are at all-time highs. If you're repeatedly being told from every angle that something is bad, you're going to give up on it. Go back 10 years and try to watch a random NBA game. The quality of play today is way more entertaining. - Tittley
Stop relying on old stars: The players of tomorrow are not the same as the ones of yesterday. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry, to name a few, are all nearing retirement. In their place, young players need to be properly showcased to keep fans intrigued. One way to do that would be to feature teams loaded with young talent like the Thunder, Magic, and Pistons on marquee days in favorable time slots and on national broadcasts. Victor Wembanyama can't be the only young superstar carrying the league into the next era. - Casciaro