3 NBA Players On The Hot Seat & 3 NBA Stars Not Done Yet!

To be clear, this explosive shooting guard is talented and the Rockets are a good team heading to the playoffs. Green’s inconsistent play, however, frustrates fans who pull for him. His future is secure, having signed a three-year, 106 million dollar extension on the eve of the season, but it’s becoming clear center Alperen Sengun is the team’s best player.

Green has scored 10 and nine points in Houston’s last two games, and played 23 minutes in Tuesday’s overtime win over Minnesota. His lack of consistency from the outside is preventing him from playing at an all-star level, after averaging 27.6 ppg in October games. Green is shooting 85 percent from the free throw line, but only 25 percent from 3-point range in the month of November and 30.7 percent for the season.    

Some were touting this prospect as one to seriously consider taking over Victor Wembenyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 Draft. Perhaps it was the hype when he joined the now-defunct G League Ignite after leaving high school early. Even when he got on the court with Wemby for the first time in October of 2022 and even though he had 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists in that game we evaluated live, there was nothing that made us think anything close to generational prospect.

He was very good, but we’ve seen plenty of high school aged guards who were better prospects, including Derrick Rose and John Wall, among a few others. Scoot is a good athlete, but not an elite one, and after starting his NBA career 1-of-18 from 3-point range, defenses still don’t respect his outside shooting enough to make him nothing more than a complimentary piece.

On the season, Scoot is shooting 28 percent from 3-point range while playing 26 minutes per game and he and ball-dominant guard Anfernee Simons are not a great fit together. He still has time to figure it out, but will never live up to the early hype.    

Last season he played well enough to earn a spot on the 2024 Olympic team, after leading the NBA in assists (10.9) and was the catalyst for the Pacers’ run to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Pacers are not playing up to par and as we said in our preseason previews, perhaps the team was fortunate to run into playoff foes that were injured or run down before getting a dose of reality against the Boston Celtics. Haliburton’s scoring is down (20.1 to 16.8), his assists are down (10.9 to 8.8) and he’s shooting career lows from the field and 3-point range.

Perhaps he’ll hit a hot streak, but Haliburton may also not be fully healthy with regards to his hamstring and back and that will be something to monitor as the 8-10 Pacers access where they are around Christmas time in terms of their ability to secure a high seed in the post-season. 

The Bucks were on the hot seat entering this season, and after a 2-8 start some fans and media types were panicking about the status of coach Doc Rivers and the chemistry between Lillard and former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Don’t look now, but Dollar Dame and company are 7-3 in their last 10 games and are now 9-9 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Lillard had 37 points in Tuesday’s NBA Cup group play win over Miami and is currently averaging 25.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 7.4 apg. With Khris Middleton set to return sometime after Thanksgiving, this team will be formidable as long as its trio of standouts stay healthy. Dame and company are too talented to stay down for long.

The Spurs really didn’t try to play a point guard two years ago when they tanked for Victor Wembenyama, but last season they didn’t really improve much in the win column despite adding a generational talent and the eventual NBA Rookie of the Year.

It was because they didn’t have a point guard, so the franchise brought in the future hall of famer with hopes of mentoring the young club and offering some tutelage to first round pick Stephon Castle. Paul is doing more than mentoring and is by far their best option at the point despite his advanced age.

Paul has started all 17 games for a team that is 7-3 in its last 10 games and is averaging 10.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 8.5 apg, while shooting nearly 39 percent from 3-point range.

It just didn’t work out for this former NBA MVP in his hometown L.A. Clippers, but Westbrook’s production and trademark intensity are definitely needed on a Denver team that lacks depth and he’s responded.

The veteran gives the Nuggets a shot in the arm off the bench and he’s currently averaging 12.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 6.0 apg but most importantly has re-gained his stroke from the perimeter. Westbrook, who had a 27-point performance in Monday’s loss to the Knicks, is shooting 38.3 percent from 3-point range.