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Jrue Holiday's breakout performance in the Pelicans' series against the Trail Blazers earns him a spot on the All-Breakout Team for the opening round of the playoffs.

Scott Rafferty

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Jrue Holiday's breakout performance in the Pelicans' series against the Trail Blazers earns him a spot on the All-Breakout Team for the opening round of the playoffs.

Scott Rafferty

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Based on how many 3-pointers they attempted and James Harden's efficiency in isolation, the Rockets are on the right track to postseason success.

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The shots James Harden's Rockets feast on are the ones the Jazz’s defense is designed to stop.

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Delon Wright says he has a quote waiting for Kelly Oubre Jr. "after we win."

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LeBron James has now made more go-ahead shots in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime in his postseason career than Michael Jordan.

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Having outplayed Russell Westbrook and Paul George to this point of the series, it’s as clear as ever that Donovan Mitchell is on the path to superstardom.

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The Rockets have limited the All-Star center to a total of 13 points in the opening two games of their first-round series against the Timberwolves.

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To understand how the Pelicans have slowed down Damian Lillard, you have to understand the All-Star point guard's tendencies.

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While Ben Simmons had another strong individual performance in Game 2, a pair of adjustments helped the Heat slow him (and the 76ers) down just enough in the first half to tie the series up.

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Let’s take a look at six questions that will likely determine the outcome of this year’s playoffs, starting with the team that has the most to lose in the opening round.

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With a focus on ball movement, pace and floor spacing — three pillars of success in today’s NBA — the Raptors have gone from being a team built to compete in the early 2000s to one built to compete now.

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Lauri Markkanen gives the Bulls a legitimate building block to work with and a potential All-Star depending on how his game develops on both ends of the floor.

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De'Aaron Fox isn’t a great player right now — as is the case with most rookies — but there’s a clear path to him becoming a star in the NBA. SN's Scott Rafferty explains in his latest Film Session.

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There is a clear front-runner for the Most Improved Player award this season, but there are a number of players deserving of attention.

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OG Anunoby’s numbers don’t jump off the page in the same way Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum’s do, but he’s been one of the most impactful rookies in the league this season.

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Rockets star James Harden is firmly ahead of the other candidates for this year's MVP award, but he'll have to keep his foot on the gas pedal as the regular season quickly comes to a close.

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It’s easy to see why players around the league have praised Lonzo Ball for being “someone that you want to play with.” He does, however, have some glaring weaknesses in his game.

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The Cavs entered the trade deadline with glaring problems on their roster and exited with a completely new team. How will all of the pieces fit together?

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The Pistons made a win-now move by acquiring five-time All-Star Blake Griffin, who is two months removed from celebrating his 29th birthday. Will it pay off?

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The Thunder's stars know if they miss a shot there's a good chance Steven Adams is coming down with the ball. What makes Adams such an effective offensive rebounder?

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Kemba Walker has been the lifeblood of the Hornets over the last two-and-a-half seasons, and he can absolutely help a team looking to make a playoff push in the second half of this season.

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Although Bam Adebayo doesn’t have the upside of fellow rookies Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum or Donovan Mitchell, there’s no doubt he has a future in the NBA as a starting center.

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How has the 13th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft become one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year? Let's take a closer look at what has made Donovan Mitchell so dominant in his first NBA season.

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The headliner is a rematch of the last three NBA Finals between the Cavaliers and Warriors, but there’s a good balance of teams looking to compete this season and teams looking to compete in the future.

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James Harden and Chris Paul have always been dominant scorers and facilitators out of the pick-and-roll, and they’re now both getting an opportunity to spread their wings in a system that plays perfectly to their strengths.

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The Cavaliers have been feasting on layups and 3-pointers in crunch time this season, and it all begins with LeBron James turning himself into the biggest bully in the NBA.

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A second-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has worked his way into the rotation of the best team in the NBA. How has Jordan Bell done it?

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Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has emerged as a meaningful contributor on one of the best teams in the NBA at age 19.

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After missing all of last season with a broken foot, Sixers forward Ben Simmons has emerged as the frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year.

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The Bucks are getting a dynamic point guard in Eric Bledsoe, one who is coming off a career season with averages of 21.1 points and 6.3 assists per game.

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It's only been three games, but Blake Griffin looks like a completely different player this season.

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Andre Drummond looked like the future of the center position two years ago, but he finds himself in a weird place in today's NBA.

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As long as he makes slight adjustments to his playing style, new Celtics guard Kyrie Irving should thrive in Brad Stevens' offensive system.

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Putting Kevin Love at center might be what the Cavaliers need to dominate the East until Isaiah Thomas is healthy enough to take over as the starting point guard.

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Although Paul George was the bigger get for the Thunder this offseason, the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony shouldn’t be overlooked.

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Let’s take a look at six NBA players who will have to take on new roles next season, starting with James Harden and ending with LeBron James.

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How can ESPN and Sports Illustrated rank three-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan so low on their annual lists of the top 100 players in the NBA?

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Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas are incredibly similar players when it comes to the way they generate their points, which bodes well for Irving’s fit in Boston.

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Derrick Rose and Rudy Gay are among this offseason's free agents who may find life difficult on their new teams.

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The Warriors, Rockets and Celtics acquired players who will have an opportunity to make a difference this season. Who else made a great addition in free agency?

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The Clippers obviously won't be the same team without Chris Paul, but Blake Griffin can replace a lot of his production as a full-time point forward.

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Any decision the Nuggets make from this point forward has to be with Nikola Jokic in mind. That's why the Paul Millsap signing this offseason makes so much sense.

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It might look like an overpay for J.J. Redick, but he'll fit in perfectly alongside Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz as one of the best shooters in the NBA.

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Nick Young was one of the best spot-up shooters in the NBA last season, and he proved to be a capable defender. That could make him a scary bench player for the Warriors.

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There are some risks involved in the deal, but Paul George and Russell Westbrook can make the Thunder a Western Conference powerhouse again.

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Gordon Hayward alone might not turn the Celtics into true title contenders, but he fits in perfectly with their system.

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Carmelo Anthony would make an already historic Cavaliers offense more difficult defend, but he won't help them defeat the Warriors unless they trade Kevin Love for Paul George.

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Chris Paul's transition to the Rockets won't be as seamless as Kevin Durant's to the Warriors, but he could turn them into a Western Conference powerhouse with James Harden.

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Kyrie Irving in isolation is as efficient as a 7-footer like Hassan Whiteside rolling to the basket in the pick-and-roll. Here's how he does it.

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People will do anything for money.

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