Colin Ward-Henniger | NBA Writer

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Minimum order $10. Additional terms apply. It's just, you just learn to deal with it. You know what I mean? 21, 22 games left for these teams. So just a few weeks remaining in the regular season. And man, it is tight. There is not much breathing room.

Whether we're talking about the top of the east or whether we're talking about the midsection of the west, there really isn't much margin for error. It's really good to see teams and maybe a little pep in their step, a little more health coming out of the all-star break, and then Joelle Embiid and the Sixers up to their old tricks. Sixers have the ball. P.J. Tucker, 45 seconds to go. He throws it to Embiid, and Embiid's able to save it. But Javert is in pursuit. Here's Tobias for three.

It's good. And the Sixers take the lead. Tobias Harris, right corner.

Got it. 106-105. Moran in the lane, leaner, short, tap out, rebound loose. Diving, Harden gets it.

He falls. He goes to Embiid. Embiid for the jam.

Oh, yeah. Joelle Embiid dunks it. What a play.

And the crowd is going bonkers and filling. Joelle Embiid with a slam with 23 seconds to go. The Sixers have gone up by three.

It was lippy. It was chippy in the end with the Memphis Grizzlies. Ultimately, Joelle Embiid had a very strong finish. He was actually one for eight in the first quarter. So unlike him, two for 14 in the first half. But his final stat line, you would never know.

27 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, and six blocked shots in the victory for Doc Rivers. Joelle is a two-way player. And if you take away what someone does best, what else can they do to help the team?

Tonight, it was Joelle. If you took away his offense, what else did he do? Well, he had six blocks. He had 19 rebounds. He had six assists. And that tells you just how great the guy is. So Doc Rivers and the Sixers are off and running with a win as we hit the post all-star break games. And it just feels a little more tense, a little greater sense of urgency now. We're excited to welcome Colin Ward Henniger to the show.

He covers the NBA for CBS Sports. And Colin, as we think about the Sixers and the fact that it is largely the same team that we saw last year in the playoffs, they keep running into a glass ceiling in the postseason. What indicates to you that this team might have what it takes to break through, maybe make more noise in the postseason this year?

Yeah, that's a really great question, Amy. And I know that people of Philadelphia are wondering the same thing. It kind of feels like it's the same story over and over with this group, right? They have all the potential in the world and they just can't seem to get it done come playoff time. The reasons for optimism are that James Harden is having an incredible bounce back season. Look, you don't want to take him for granted, but you kind of know what Joel Embiid gives you on both ends of the floor. He's one of the best players in the league, a perennial MVP candidate. He's been relatively healthy all year. One of the bigger question marks was what kind of James Harden were we going to get?

Is the hamstring healthy? Does he have the burst? Is he able to finish around the rim? And he's proven this year that he is obviously not Houston James Harden, but they don't need Houston James Harden. They need a distributor. They need someone who's going to shoot a career high in three-point percentage, which he's basically doing this season. And they need someone who's going to show up when the team needs him the most.

That part is what remains to be seen. But as we saw in that game against the Grizzlies, he made some huge plays down the stretch, knocked down a big step back corner three. That's the kind of clutch performance. That's the kind of offense that they need from him. You mix in the additions that they brought in the offseason with PJ Tucker and Daniel House and they added Jalen McDaniel at the All-Star break. It looks like this is a deeper Philadelphia 76ers team, a more confident group. And if James Harden can stay healthy and be the number two that they need him to be. Philadelphia can expect to not only compete in the playoffs, but potentially make a run to the NBA Finals. Five wins in a row for the Sixers if you wrap back to before the All-Star break.

Of course, the Bucks, who didn't play tonight but will get back on the court on Friday, they've got 12 wins in a row. And then the Celtics are sitting on top of this conference. When you think about that group that's just now got its starting five back together, what is the Celtics' weakness?

Maybe their fatal flaw? Yeah, for whatever reason this season, the Celtics starting five last year was pretty much unbeatable. This year they haven't been great as a unit together. They have so much depth that they've been able to kind of fill in in certain spots and mix up the rotations. Jalen Brown playing more with the second unit, things like that. So overall, they've been really good. But the reason for concern is that maybe this double big with Robert Williams and Al Horford starting together isn't quite working. Defensively, that unit has been great. Offensively, they've struggled a little bit.

So maybe you think about mixing up that unit or something like that. But we're really picking knits when it comes to the bust in Celtics. They have been the clear favorite team, third in offense, fourth in defense, first in net rating. All the metrics that you're looking for, the Celtics check those boxes. And then you mix in the intangibles that they made it to the finals last year, had a disappointing showing. Jason Tatum did not play well. All that is being used is motivation this year. And I think what we saw with Tatum coming out in the All-Star Game, setting the all-time record, even though nobody was playing defense, whatever. Nobody plays defense in any All-Star Game. But it was clear that Jason Tatum was trying to get that record.

I think he played like 35 minutes or something crazy like that. So I think all of the motivation for the Celtics is that they want to prove that they are not just on the cusp of winning a title, but that they're ready to do it this season. And all the indicators have been that they are a quality team that's capable of doing that. And under Joe Missoula, too. The whole thing about Ime Udonka, who is now no longer a part of the Celtics organization, it's almost as though that never happened.

Because it's not affected them really at all. I gotta tell you, Marc is smart with his green hair and his toughness. He brings an edge and an intensity to the Celtics. But Jalen Brown is going to scare people in that mask. Oh my gosh, it's not a clear mask. It's a black mask.

He looks like a bandit. He's scary in that thing. I remember, Joel Embiid had one of those a couple years ago, and it really is something from a superhero movie. There has to be some sort of NBA Marvel tie-in that's going on here. Colin Ward-Henniger is joining us from California, covers the NBA for CBS Sports. And the Celtics have a game lead over the Bucs atop the East, but they're tied in the loss column.

So that's going to be a good race. Who's another team in the East that you would consider a dark horse, Colin? Yeah, I think people may be sleeping on the Cleveland Cavaliers. And I know they're in fourth.

Being in the top three might be a little out of reach at this point, given how well those teams have played. But if you look at the statistics, the numbers, Cleveland is second in the league in net rating. It's not the Nuggets. It's not the Bucs.

It's not the 76ers. And part of that is because of their incredible defense. They were number one in the league in defense at the break.

I don't know if that's changed after the recent games. But with Jared Allen in the middle, with Evan Mobley, that defense, they're almost impossible to score on in the paint. And then offensively, you've got Donovan Mitchell who's capable for going for 70 in a game or 50 in a playoff game. And Darius Garland, who has just been absolutely kind of an unsung hero for them. But the way that he has accepted Donovan Mitchell into their team, being willing to play second fiddle sometimes, and then take over as the number one kind of playmaker and scorer when Donovan Mitchell is on the bench or injured. I think Cleveland, they're missing some pieces on the wing, which probably put them a level below those other teams in the East. But if you're looking at what succeeds in the playoffs, a really good defense, an elite defense, which is what the Cavs have, and perimeter scorers and playmakers who can take over games. And I think they have both of those things. So are they going to win a title?

I don't know. They're probably a little young. All those guys are still a couple of years away from their prime. But I think if you told me they went seven games with the Celtics or the Bucs in the second round of the playoffs, I wouldn't say that you're crazy. They've been giving the Nuggets a fight on this night. Last year didn't have a healthy Jared Allen, so that could make a difference. I suppose by that metric, then, we always have to account for the Miami Heat because they also fit that formula. They seem to have a tailor-made defense for the postseason. Yeah, and the Heat are one of those teams that's just never healthy.

So it's hard to get a gauge on them. You could probably say that they've overperformed this year based on what they've had to put on the court on certain nights with just scraping together enough guys. Bam Adebayo has taken the leap forward. You know what you're going to get every year from Jimmy Butler. Kyle Lowry has been a question mark, but Tyler Herro has really stepped up.

So yeah, I totally agree with you. If they can get up into that, maybe take over that five seed as the Nets kind of fall down, the Heat are definitely going to be a team that you have to look out for in the Eastern Conference. All right, Colin, let's talk about the West. And the Nuggets, the knock on them has been their little soft on defense. They certainly need to improve their road record or at least their road acumen. But how much more battle-tested do they appear to you now that they have not just a Jokic who is still in MVP form, but a healthy Jamal Murray as well as a Michael Porter who's got some experience under his belt? Yeah, absolutely. This is just a confident group.

They know who they are, which is great. They play through Jokic. There was a little, you know, concern from the outside at least of, okay, when Jamal Murray comes back and he starts to get the full strength. How is he going to fit in with Jokic is because the Jokic has kind of been the man there with since Murray's been injured. That hasn't been an issue. We all know Jokic is unselfish enough that he has no problem going entire quarters and entire halves without even shooting the basketball.

But yeah, top to bottom. This team has just been been built perfectly. They added Contavious Caldwell-Pope, which has been an amazing addition for that, for that unit getting rid of Will Barton who just wasn't the right type of player for them. And Aaron Gordon has taken a huge step forward. He got a little bit of all-star consideration.

I'm sure he feels he should have been an all-star. He's been playing perfectly, knocking down three-pointers, being their best perimeter defender. And you talk about that defense, which is their big question mark, given, you know, Michael Porter Jr. is not a great defender. Jamal Murray has his shortcomings. Jokic, the numbers say he's a really good defender, but when you put him in pick-and-rolls over and over and over in a playoff scenario, that might lead to some issues. So Aaron Gordon and Contavious Caldwell-Pope have really been the ones stepping up on that side of the ball. And that is going to be the key for them moving forward in the Western Conference because, as I'm sure we'll talk about at some point, they're probably going to have to run into the Phoenix Suns, who have just a couple of scorers on their team.

Yes. Before we move on, though, I have to say, I know we don't hand out MVPs in February, and so we're not there yet, but we've only got three guys, all Hall of Famers, who have ever won three NBA MVP awards in three consecutive seasons. At this point, who is the top competition for Jokic? Yeah, that, I mean, if you would have told me before the season started that Jokic would actually have a chance to win a third straight MVP, I would have said no way.

I mean, like you said, absolutely rarefied air. Jokic was already kind of a contentious MVP choice around certain circles, saying he's more of a numbers guy, and it doesn't translate to the playoffs, and eventually that narrative starts to catch up with you, and we say, okay, are we really going to let this guy join Larry Bird and Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain? But he's going to do it. I mean, barring something crazy this last portion of the season, he's almost averaging a triple-double, and when you look at, deep into the numbers, the Nuggets are a plus 25 in net rating when he's on the floor. That means they're 25 points better for 100 possessions when he's on the floor compared to when he's on the bench. It's absolutely an open and shut case, but as for competition, Joel Embiid is always there. I think he kind of gave up on the idea of winning the MVP after last season, and for me, Jason Tatum is a guy who doesn't get enough MVP consideration, at least not in the things that I'm listening to. He's putting up career numbers, again, the Celtics plus 11 in net rating when he's on the floor, so not quite Jokic numbers, but without him, they basically turn into an average offense. When he's on the floor, they become one of the best offenses in the league, so I think Jokic is the leader in the clubhouse right now.

I would give Tatum a little bit more consideration if the Celtics can kind of pull away from the Nuggets in terms of the record, but since their records are very similar, I think it's got to be Jokic. I know that we had already talked about the Celtics, but as you're mentioning Tatum and then the All-Star weekend, this is what he had to say about his performance. He had 31 points for the Celtics tonight, but he swears it wasn't a great game, and Colin, here's why.

It was either I left home, I was shooting in Utah, still drunk from vacation. That's how I played tonight. But, man, a good stat line, but really not a really good game, but just for one, glad we won, and just try to find ways to make plays on both ends just so we can win and everybody feel better about their stuff. He also mentioned something about downing Gatorade to try to get himself moving forward again. So, yeah, I guess the man's honest. He really enjoyed his All-Star break. Yeah, you don't hear that kind of honesty too often.

Maybe he should keep that to himself. Celtics fans would appreciate it. Colin Ward-Henniger is with us here on CBS Sports Radio. So, Colin, we know KD is getting closer to making his Suns debut. Considering some of the new-look rosters out there, the Suns with KD, the Mavericks we've seen now with Kyrie a few times, including tonight, the Lakers have retooled their roster. Excuse me, which one or two, I suppose, if you need two, which of these rosters do you feel like really has the potential to make a jump in what is a very crowded Western Conference? Yeah, I mean, the Suns are the team. In terms of making a jump, it's actually, you know, they could probably get to the two-seed if the Grizzlies continue to slip, but really the jump we're talking about is going to be in the playoffs with the Phoenix Suns.

If they can stay around four or five, that'll be fine for them. With Kevin Durant coming onto the team, this is just an absolute game changer. There's no other way to put it. One of the all-time great players still playing at an absolutely elite level, going to a team that already had the pieces to be, you know, a contender with DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Now you throw in Kevin Durant, and this is a guy who can join any offense and make it better. It doesn't matter what position you want him to play. We don't want to play outside.

You want to play inside, alongside stars by himself commanding the second unit. He can do absolutely anything you want. I'm out here in the Bay Area, and I asked Steve Kerr what it was like to try to incorporate Kevin Durant into a team that already had, you know, established leadership, established culture, a winning team. And he just looked at me and he said, it wasn't that hard.

And he moved on to the next question. So that's what it's like when you get Kevin Durant. I mean, the guy's an all-time great, and he fits into any offense. He turns the Suns into the Western Conference favorites. I know the Nuggets and the Nuggets fans are not going to be happy to hear that, but it just is what it is when you have an absolute killer like Devin Booker. And then you add another one in Kevin Durant, not to mention Chris Paul, even though he's aging, you know what he's capable of in playoff settings. So that's the team I'm looking at.

Dallas, I think it's intriguing. I just don't think they have enough pieces around Kyrie and Luca right now to be a true contender. And then the Lakers, they might make the biggest jump, getting back to your question, just because they could go from 13th up to, you know, 7th or 8th if things fall the right way.

I like all the pieces that they've added. I still don't think it makes them a title contender, but they certainly have a much better team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis with guys like D'Angelo, Russell, Malik Beasley, Jared Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba. I think they made some really good additions that are going to make them a lot better, but probably still not a championship contender. Let's talk about the Mavericks for a second. I want your opinion on this, Colin, because they gave up a lot to get Kyrie. And when I spoke with Mark Followell in Dallas last night on the show, I actually asked him were there any rumblings, any concerns about Kyrie joining the team based on his past. And what he said to me is the only thing he's heard is the concern that Kyrie will not stick because he'll be a free agent at the end of this season and that obviously he had his eyes on L.A. before he landed in Dallas. So let's say for the sake of argument the Mavericks don't get back to the West Finals, or maybe they do but they don't get to the NBA Finals and then Kyrie leaves. In your opinion, would it have been worth what they gave up for him?

It's a really tough question. So the only reason, in short, no. It will not be worth it because you'll be less kind of at ground zero with Luka Doncic. But when you add in the other factors, so there were reports that Luka was kind of putting a little bit of pressure on the front office to make some changes.

So you want to keep that guy happy at all costs. And if that means trading a couple of guys who are good players but not necessarily part of the future, even though Dorian Finney-Smith was a really good player or is a really good player, I think that you have to do it for Luka just to say, hey, man, we're doing what we can to keep you happy. We're trying to work with you. If Kyrie ends up leaving, you know, I think they're kind of back to square one. But I think they came to the realization that the team as constructed was not a title contender. So let's try to do something that makes us a title contender. If it doesn't work, we're just back to being not a title contender like we were before. And we can start over. Well, that's depressing.

You know, Josh Green has been playing really well. Does that not make sense? No, it totally does. I was just saying that's kind of depressing. You took the scenic route and you end up right back.

It's kind of binary, but it is kind of how you have to think. When you have an all-time great player on your team, you say, are we capable of winning the title or are we not? All these moves around the edges, they might look nice or they might make you a little bit better in the wins and losses. But if they're not winning a title, what is really the point? So I think that's why they take a big swing by going with a guy like Kyrie Irving saying, hey, you know, being the fourth team to say, hey, look, we're the ones who are going to take care of them and make sure that he's focused.

We'll see if that happens. But, you know, hey, so far, so good. They look good out there. That's true.

And he's smiling, which is always a positive. Hasn't gone AWOL yet. I know. I know. Exactly. Thank you. There's always that danger.

All right. So good stuff. We've got about five to six weeks left. It's about to get hot and heavy on the NBA hard court. So follow Colin on Twitter at Colin CBS Sports. Colin Ward Henniger joining us from California covers the league for covers the association for CBS. Good to have you. I'm sure we'll catch up with you again. Thanks, Colin. Appreciate it.

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