With the Milwaukee Bucks crowned NBA Cup champions and the holiday season in full swing, the midway point of the NBA schedule is quickly approaching. While some teams have struggled to find their rhythm, a few are showing signs of a potential surge.
We’ll highlight three organizations that are ready to climb the standings in the coming weeks.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers’ start to the season hasn’t been catastrophic, but it’s far from ideal. Sitting at 14-12, they hold the 10th spot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. However, they’re just one game behind the fifth-place Nuggets and only 3.5 games back from the second-place Grizzlies. While the national media has been quick to criticize the Lakers’ roster, calling it ill-equipped to compete at a high level, much of that narrative feels overstated.
D’Angelo Russell’s performance has been a key factor in L.A.’s success. Since his arrival at the 2023 trade deadline, the team boasts a 26-10 record when he scores 20 or more points.
Russell has struggled mightily this season, but we’ve seen this act many times throughout his career. Just last year, he endured a sluggish start, highlighted by a dreadful December in which he averaged just 10.2 points per game on 32.7% shooting from the field. However, he rebounded in January, averaging 22.7 points per game while connecting on 45.9% of his attempts from deep.
As one of the streakiest players in the league, Russell tends to rally strongly from rough stretches. Currently shooting his lowest field goal percentage since his second year in the NBA, he seems primed for another significant bounce-back as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, the Lakers defense, ranked 24th overall, has shown signs of life recently. Over their last 10 games, they sit at 13th in defensive rating (111.7), thanks to improved fundamentals and energy. Team rebounding, limiting second-chance points, fighting through screens and closing out on shooters have all been key to this progress, laying the foundation for a stronger second half.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks recently claimed the 2024 NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. After stumbling to a 2-8 start to the season, Milwaukee has flipped the script and now boasts the league’s best record over their last 15 games at 12-3.
A major catalyst for the Bucks’ resurgence has been head coach Doc Rivers’ decision to insert Andre Jackson Jr. into the starting lineup for Gary Trent Jr. in early November. Since that move, Milwaukee has transformed into a top-10 defensive team, with Jackson Jr. emerging as a game-changer on the perimeter, holding stars like Cade Cunningham, Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, Tyler Herro, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Tyrese Haliburton to under 43% shooting as their primary defender.
The Bucks take on the Cavaliers Friday night, followed by one of the most favorable schedules in the league. Over their next 10 games, they’ll face the Bulls twice, the Nets twice, as well as the Wizards, Raptors and Trail Blazers — all teams out of the playoff picture. Given this soft slate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Milwaukee go 9-1 during this stretch.
Denver Nuggets
After a disappointing loss to the Wizards on Dec. 7 dropped their record to 11-10, the Nuggets have looked like a completely different team. They’ve since rattled off three straight wins against solid opponents in the Hawks, Clippers and Kings.
A big reason for this turnaround has been the resurgence of Jamal Murray, who is beginning to recapture the explosiveness that had been missing for much of the season. Over his last five games, Murray has averaged 22.3 points per contest while shooting an impressive 43.8% from beyond the arc. His strong play has reignited the dynamic two-man game with Nikola Jokic — a combination that has been the cornerstone of Denver’s success in recent years.
The Nuggets also sorely missed Aaron Gordon, one of the league’s premier defenders, who was sidelined for 11 games with a strained calf. Now back in the lineup, Gordon has teamed up with Christian Braun to form a formidable defensive duo. Their impact has helped elevate Denver’s defense to a respectable 15th in the league (112.9 DEFRTG), complementing their top-10 offense and making the Nuggets a tough team to handle.
Like the Bucks, Denver faces a favorable schedule in the coming weeks, with winnable back-to-back sets against the Suns and Spurs and matchups against the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Pistons and Jazz. Denver is well-positioned to climb out of play-in territory and push toward securing a top-six seed in the Western Conference.
