Most Surprising NBA Player Leaps With Tim Legler, Plus NFL Holiday Picks With Joe House

What It Covers

Bill Simmons and Tim Legler analyze NBA contenders, surprising player improvements, and team dynamics heading into the trade deadline. They debate Most Improved Player candidates, discuss Houston's crunch-time struggles, and evaluate which teams have legitimate championship potential this season.

Key Questions Answered

• •Contender Count: Seven legitimate NBA contenders exist currently: Oklahoma City, Denver, Houston, Minnesota, Detroit, New York, and potentially Boston despite Tatum's absence. OKC remains the clear favorite, with other teams competing to be the last standing opponent in their respective conferences for a finals matchup.
• •Jalen Johnson's Leap: Atlanta's Jalen Johnson averages 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists with effortless execution that makes him untouchable in trade discussions. His smoothness resembles Tracy McGrady's style, and he's producing numbers typically reserved for top-tier alphas like Jokic or Luka, making him too valuable to include in any Giannis trade.
• •Houston's Offensive Problem: The Rockets struggle with end-game execution as teams blitz Kevin Durant at half court, forcing him to give up the ball. Their lack of motion after entry passes creates standing and watching, with insufficient three-point volume (30 attempts per game, league's lowest) limiting their ability to punish aggressive defensive schemes.
• •Jaylen Brown's Evolution: Brown averages 29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists on 50 percent shooting with career-high 7.6 free throw attempts per game. He's developed sophisticated one-on-one moves, improved left-hand dribbling, and demonstrates zero deference without Tatum, fixing every flaw critics identified over the past two years through dedicated offseason work.
• •Most Improved Criteria Debate: The award creates confusion between opportunity-based improvement versus skill development. Players like AJ Mitchell and Reed Shepherd went from minimal minutes to significant roles, while Jalen Duran maintained identical minutes but elevated his game to a different tier, raising questions about what truly constitutes improvement versus expanded opportunity.