The NBA season has entered the stretch run and while one constant remains unchanged—Golden State is still a prohibitive favorite to win its third straight title—there are plenty of other storylines to keep an eye on. Here are the top five on The Crossover’s list.
Already, the buyout market has had an impact—the Rockets dug into the bargain bin for a rejuvenated Kenneth Faried and Austin Rivers, two players who helped keep Houston afloat during an injury ravaged stretch—and a handful more could tilt the playoff scales. Wesley Matthews signed on to fill the gaping hole Victor Oladipo left in Indiana and Portland won a bidding war for Enes Kanter, who adds some punch to a second unit that ranks in the bottom half of the NBA in points scored?