The Wolves spent the summer focusing on chemistry. It has worked so far. Karl-Anthony Towns is operating on a different plane — he’s a firm top-20 player in the NBA right now. Robert Covington hasn’t peaked yet, and it’s reasonable to expect improvement on his end. Andrew Wiggins has been … good. Crazy times.
The Magic have rebounded from a slow start, sparked in part by Nikola Vucevic‘s strong play at the five. Jonathan Isaac is taking the next step — a potential Defensive Player of the Year-type step. He’s also rounding into form on offense.
On top of Orlando’s impressive size and versatility, Markelle Fultz has performed admirably all season. He’s still a messy 3-point shooter, but his touch on the interior, aggressiveness, and free-throw shooting has all improved drastically.
The Bucks have a regret or two right about now. Malcolm Brogdon looks the part of a legitimate second star — the perfect yin to Victor Oladipo‘s explosive, slippery yang in the Pacers’ backcourt. If Oladipo is up to speed upon his eventual return, the Pacers will make noise.