The Association breaks down the top contenders in the Western Conference.
The NBA Mailbag is open with NBA legend and NBC analyst Jamal Crawford here to answer your questions before Sunday Night Basketball matchups on NBC/Peacock. This week, Luka Dončić, LeBron James and the Lakers visit Dallas to face Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks. (7:30 ET, NBC/Peacock).
Have a question for Jamal? Submit it here.
What are the final weeks like for a team in the playoff race? Do you watch the standings? – from Travis in Chicago, IL
It’s intense because you’re focused on the games in front of you, but you’re also watching the standings and different scenarios.
I remember in 2015, we were all at dinner watching the final night of games. If San Antonio lost, we would play them in the first round. The Spurs had just won the championship and no one wanted to face them. I remember I saw Zach Randolph near the end of the season and asked him, “Who do you guys want to play?” All he said was, “Not San Antonio.” I think the Spurs had won 21 out of the last 25. Thankfully, we were able to get past them in seven games.
So yeah, teams definitely keep an eye on the standings during these final weeks.
What 5 teams do you think have the greatest chance of winning it all this season? – from Ryan in New Jersey
I’ll go with the Spurs, Celtics, Nuggets, Thunder and Knicks. The Pistons are dangerous, but they will need Cade Cunningham healthy to make a championship run. Hopefully, he’ll be back soon.
Which playoff team do you think is the biggest wild card? – from Meron in Sweden
The Nuggets, because nobody’s really talking about them, and it feels rare for them to be fully healthy. But I think when they’re healthy, they can make things interesting against any team.
What are your thoughts on the MVP race? – from Lincoln in Atlanta, GA
It’s crazy. Any one of these guys could easily be MVP in any other year. They’re all putting up historic numbers and leading title contenders. But only one player can win. So, for the players who don’t win it, it doesn’t mean they didn’t have an MVP-caliber season. They just had to compete against all-time great MVP candidates.
Which Play-In team would be the toughest first-round matchup? – from Michael in Ann Arbor, MI
In the West, I’ll go with the Warriors and Suns. No team wants to see Steph or Devin Booker in the first round.
In the East, Orlando and Charlotte. I think the Magic, and especially Paolo Banchero, will play with a different rhythm when the game slows down in the playoffs. And the Hornets are so connected, and they play the right way for a young team. That’s a combination you don’t want to face.
Who is the most underrated player in the NBA right now? – from Jack in Denver, CO
I’ll go with Stephon Castle. I think people are underestimating how much he’s developed this season.
How far do you think the Lakers will go with a healthy squad? – from Joe in New Zealand
The Lakers are built for the playoffs, so they’re interesting. There are no back-to-backs to worry about, which will help LeBron a lot. And they have different guys who can be playmakers and the leading scorers when needed. They can go on an impressive run. I’m just not sure they have enough to get past OKC, San Antonio, or Denver.
The Pistons are the talk of the East, but history says youth struggles in May. Is their ‘hoop chemistry’ enough to overcome the veteran ‘IQ’ of the Celtics in a 7-game series? – from Snow in San Francisco, CA
The last champion, OKC, had youth on its side. Sometimes it’s good to not know what you don’t know. You just go out there and play with a certain freedom.
So I would never rule a team out just for being young. But the Celtics have a great understanding of who they are and how to handle playoff situations, which can be tough for a young team to overcome … especially if Cade remains sidelined.
Which team is the best first-round matchup for the Nuggets? – from David in the Bahamas
As long as they’re healthy, the Nuggets don’t care who they play.
I actually asked their coach the other day, “Are you guys comfortable playing anybody? Like, does it matter?” Without hesitation, he said, “No, I don’t care who we play.”
What do you think the ceiling is for the Hawks this postseason, and what is their potential ceiling for the next two years? – from Adam in Harvard, MA
Maybe they can go on a run like the 2007-08 Hawks did when they pushed the Celtics to seven games in the first round before Boston went on to win the championship. This Hawks team could bring more of that excitement to Atlanta.
What’s your take on the Mavs next year? – from Evan in Kissimmee, FL
They can be really good with Cooper, Kyrie, Lively and the rest of the young pieces. They could definitely be a surprise team next season. I think they’ll be a playoff team.
Who has a better handle: you or Kyrie? – from Parker in Lexington, KY
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked that ….
I’m always going to take myself, but if I couldn’t pick myself, it would be Kyrie. He has all-time great handles.
Any players out there who need their flowers for having an underappreciated handle? – from Blake in Tampa, FL
I’ll go with Steph. He shoots so well, we forget the way he handles. And it’s so connected to his shot. It’s not just him catching and shooting.
He’ll give you the hesitation. Or he’ll quickly look up to make you think he’s shooting, and then blow by you for a floater or something. His handles are a major reason why he’s so unstoppable.
At what age did you realize your handles were some of the best ever? Was there a specific moment or game that made you realize it? – from Shri in Charlotte, NC
I would say when I was 16. I was playing, and it just felt like – and I’m saying this so humbly – I could do anything on the court with a ball. It was like I could tell the ball what to do and it would do it. It was like in “Like Mike” when he put on the shoes and he became a great player. That’s how my handles became at 16.
I always dribbled a ball throughout childhood. But at 16, that’s when I owned it. That’s when things really changed.
And it was weird because I was criticized for the way I was playing. They were like, “That And-1 stuff’s not going to get you to college.” Well, I guess it got me further than that.
If you were an undersized guard, what would your handle look like, and how would you protect the ball? – from Ryan in Florida
I think my handle would be the same, actually. And that’s why it’s unique.
At times, I can dribble like I’m 5’10, but I’m 6’5. So it probably wouldn’t look the same, but I think it would feel the same for me. In ninth grade, I grew from 5’9 to 6’2 over the summer. And then I grew an inch each year after that. So my handle was initially developed as a smaller guard.
When you’re doing a crossover, what part of your body do you exaggerate the most in the attempt to move the defender? – from Sean in Edmond, OK
It’s a mix. I can use my feet, hands, shoulders or eyes. It’s not simultaneous, but it’s all connected. Two movements might occur together, and then the other two come right afterwards, which freezes them for a second. And then I can read where their top leg is after that.
For example, I could use my feet to do a baby cross, but they don’t move. So then I may do something with my hands to get them to lift up because they think I’m going to shoot. That gets them off balance, and I read them from there.
If you had a chance to go 1-on-1 or play a game of HORSE with any current NBA player, who would it be and why? – from Jake on Facebook
LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards.
Who is/was your favorite player in this year’s March Madness? – from Chris in Munich, Germany
Sarah Strong at UConn. She can do everything on the court, and she’s always so calm, which allows her to think more clearly than most players out there.
Who was harder to guard and why: prime Harden or prime D-Wade? – from Harry in Florida
Wow, both for different reasons.
D-Wade could get to the basket whenever he felt like it. He was splitting double teams with the push dribble, like a running back, and then dunking off a sidestep on defenders.
And Harden had so many moves he could set you up with and put you in a trick bag.
They were both ridiculously hard to guard. And I obviously didn’t do a good job guarding either one of them.
What do you look at when you announce a game? – from Tony in Vacaville, CA
I watch all the little things during the flow of the game, like how a player is warming up. I try to put myself where they’re at mentally and pay attention to how they’re interacting with their teammates.
These moments help me validate what I see on the court.
Like, for example, there was a game in the playoffs two seasons ago during the Lakers-Nuggets series. AD and LeBron were the first players on the court at halftime, and they were working on a certain pick-and-roll. Like just the pocket pass, the timing of it, and where he was going to shoot from. When the 2nd half started, that was the first play they ran. And then they did it again the next time down.
So I’m always trying to find small details like that, which might not be seen by fans watching at home.
What’s the most exciting game you analyzed this season? – from Jerry in Glendale, CA
I’ll say the first one. I was so nervous during the open because I grew up watching NBC. So the fact that it was back on NBC, and that I had the chance to be on the call with the legends Reggie Miller and Mike Tirico, was a lot to take in. I knew the whole world was watching.
So, yeah, I was nervous in the opening, but I settled in as the game continued.
You built a career on creativity in a league that increasingly values efficiency and analytics. But was there ever a move or style you stopped using because the numbers said it wasn’t ‘optimal,’ even if it felt unstoppable in the moment? – from Rupert in Singapore
No, I was always my true self, and I take great pride in that. I know we have a lot of numbers out there, but when I was growing up, I wasn’t watching Jordan’s efficiency or Iverson’s field goal percentage, to be honest with you.
I remember more about how they made me feel when I watched them play. And to me, that’s more important than any number you could ever put up. So that’s what I tried to give people when I was playing.
Also, shoutout to Singapore. I’ve never been there, so the fact that you’re asking a question from there is the coolest thing.
What’s your estimate on how many ankles you’ve broken in your career? – from Lucy in New Mexico
Millions!
When did you get a non-BlackBerry cell phone? – from Jackson in Atlanta, GA
Oh my gosh, when I went over to TNT in 2022. I had to start posting videos and doing stuff in that space, so I needed the right equipment to do it. I still miss my keyboard, though.
