Giannis Antetokounmpo was unassailable in the public realm, but he ultimately is more like other stars than previously imagined, and less the exception to their characteristic profile than assumed. Read more »

In order for the Bucks to win a title this season, Doc Rivers will have to fix the defense, systematize the offense and maximize the role players. Read more »

This season the Bucks have been reckless, questionable, and stressful, which also describes Giannis. This squad is now more like him than any Bucks assemblage before it. Read more »

The Heat felt like they deserved Damian Lillard; the Bucks acted like they needed him. Is there really any harm in borrowing against your future when the alternative is having no future? Read more »

In terms of raw court dynamics, we haven't seen such a complementary rim-plus-arc pairing such as Dame and Giannis since the days of Shaq and Kobe, of T-Mac and Yao. Read more »

We've ranked every team's wing corps from 1 to 30 based on the top three wings' production, upside and versatility. Read more »

The Celtics finished first in Net Rating ahead of the Cavaliers, who jumped up from 13th last season and 28th as recently as 2021. Read more »

The Bucks are now the NBA's version of Floyd Mayweather or Pete Sampras, excising any surplus artistry in favor of ruthless proficiency. They're annihilating the rest of the league by resisting its prevailing trends. Read more »

To believe that any of 2023's neo-contenders can become bonafide champs over the next few months is to believe that a once-in-a-quarter-century occurrence is about to transpire. The reality is there are only four real contenders. Read more »

Teams like the Bucks and Sixers have become boring to NBA fans who thirst for interpersonal conflict and player movement, but it won't be when the playoffs hit. Read more »

Is Chicago willing to give up some of what it does well, and any of the people who currently define them, to beef up where they're sallow to compete with the jumbo teams in Milwaukee and Boston? Read more »

The Suns jumped from 30th in the NBA in Net Rating in 17-18 to 29th to 18th in 19-20 to third last season and first in 21-22. Read more »

One of the perks of coming out a champ is that you are no longer in dialogue with any arguments against you, extant or nascent or merely hinted at. You've settled things completely. Whatever we've asked of Khris Middleton, whatever he's asked of himself, the answer is yes. Read more »

Giannis Antetokounmpo blends retro ideas of post dominance with conceptions of space and movement that could be revolutionary if only there was anyone else able to follow in his footsteps. Read more »

One team wins it all and they are the happiest group of guys who ever lived, they are invincible and immortal and beautiful and exhausted. They vacation, extravagantly. And then we reset and go again. Read more »

When it comes to yeoman vernacular, though, the culture is simply lost when they try to put words to Giannis. Too often, they are loudly and proudly wrong. Read more »

In the NBA, there is no story beyond the narrative. But these Finals are different. The teams and players have oscillated wildly between extremes from game to game, at once confirming and refuting any prior notions. Read more »