It’s time buy or sell these NBA contenders. Plus, we need a new rule change

The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic’s daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. I’ve always believed I’d dominate on “Supermarket Sweep,” most “Price is Right” games, and that event on “American Gladiators” where they shoot tennis balls at you. We’re about one month into the 2024-25 season, and so much has happened already. The actual basketball has been phenomenal, even though the injuries have not. We’ve had super compelling stories, both good and bad. So, what should you believe in and what should you dismiss after one month? It’s time to play: Buy or Sell? The Cavs are title contenders vs. just contenders: Sell. I’m right on the border with this one. I love what the Cavs (16-1) are doing so far, and we might be devoid of contending options in the East to challenge Boston (12-3). I love what Cleveland did against Boston in the second half Tuesday night. Kenny Atkinson’s offense is intricate and smart. I just need to see more before I believe fully. The Bucks are salvageable: Buy. Mostly because I don’t understand why Milwaukee (6-9) has struggled so much despite Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard being really good this season. Khris Middleton will hopefully be back soon, and then maybe Doc Rivers will be out of excuses. Dalton Knecht is the best rookie so far: Sell. He’s been hot against two bad teams, but we really haven’t seen him do much against the good opponents. Still, the 17th pick out of Tennessee can really shoot that thing for his squad (10-4). Sixers guard Jared McCain has probably been the best rookie so far. It’s a weird class. The 76ers messed up this summer: Sell. They did what they needed to do with the options available. And perhaps one day it will work out for them during this new era of hoops for the Sixers (league-worst 2-12). However, scroll down to see the latest. Spoiler alert: It’s not great. The Pelicans are in trouble: Buy. I was so high on them coming into the season, and they can’t get even close to healthy. We’re not talking about a couple of injuries. The Pelicans are missing five or six rotation guys most nights. They’re down to 4-12 and 14th in the West. They need health, and they need to get on a big roll to compete for a Play-In spot. The Warriors are contenders: Buy. Even with some frustrating injury news, I love the makeup of this Warriors team (11-3). There are so many similarities to what we saw from them in 2022 when they won it all. They would be my pick to come out of the West right now. The injuries are out of control: Buy. According to injury guru Jeff Stotts, the NBA passed 1,000 missed games due to injury or illness after Tuesday night. That happened on Nov. 28 last season. It’s already ruining so many players’ seasons. The Lakers are contenders: Sell. I want to buy into them, and I’m not even saying they can’t get past Denver like the last two seasons. The Lakers’ offense has been stellar after being mediocre last year. However, their defense and rebounding are pretty bad. Can’t contend like that. Khris Middleton should be back soon! 🛞💰 Damon Sayles dominated. Our own Damon Sayles, senior editor for culture/NBA, went on “Wheel of Fortune” last night and destroyed everybody. Get buckets, Damon! 👏 Big congrats to UConn’s Geno Auriemma on becoming the all-time winningest coach in college basketball. 🏀 The Bucks might be whole soon. Khris Middleton is ramping up to getting back on the court to make his season debut. Eric Nehm has the exchange with Doc Rivers. 🏀 Warriors lose a guard. After spraining his ACL, De’Anthony Melton will have season-ending surgery on the ligament. How do the Warriors adjust? 📖 Nikola Jokić debuts at No. 28 on “The Basketball 100.” Pre-order the book here. 📺 Don’t miss this game tonight. Magic (9-7) at Lakers (10-4), 10:30 p.m. ET on League Pass. Great defense against elite offense. A team is down three, has the ball and is advancing it up the court. Time is ticking away at the end of the fourth quarter, and you are wondering if this team can find a way to tie up the game and get it to overtime. Free basketball on the horizon to settle a close, probably great game! Then, before the star of the team can get into their shooting motion to let it fly, they get intentionally fouled. Why? They’re in the bonus, and you’d rather give up two free-throw attempts than give up a game-tying attempt. It’s smart basketball and a good strategy. It’s the right play to make as the team in the lead. It also sucks and ruins the entertainment of the current product on the floor. This seems to be a universal belief among friends of mine — whether they are from the basketball world or just fans of the NBA. It’s the only time you won’t see players look incredulous for a call going against them. Now, instead of all of us watching this shot sail through the air like we’re Carlton Banks, we’re wondering if they know how to intentionally miss the second free throw to hope for a tip-in to tie it. That’s if they make the first one. That isn’t entertainment, and it’s not good basketball. The NBA wants to improve the product, right? They’ve added the take foul in transition situations, but these are take fouls with the game in the balance. The NBA should adopt the intentional foul to remove these situations from the game. We want to see heroic moments. Not the equivalent of extreme couponing with basketball strategy. Defenders should have to make a real play on the ball there, or risk giving up free throws while the losing team retains possession. It’s not hurting the leading team unfairly to make them play a little defense. And it will help the dramatic situations actually get a chance to become legit moments, rather than be an exhibition of accounting on the court. This 76ers isn’t getting any better Finally! The 76ers were going to start Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid together. After a rough 2-11 start, the light at the end of the tunnel was no longer starting to look like an oncoming train. And then they played in Memphis last night. The 76ers were down by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter before a bit of a comeback to make the 117-111 loss look more respectable. After 17 minutes on the court, Paul George hyperextended his left knee. Again. You might remember he did that about a month ago and missed some time. Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds, and the Sixers were plus-seven with him on the floor. It was the first good game he’s had this season, and he had some things to say afterward. But the Sixers still can’t figure out how to play good basketball for extended stretches on the court. They couldn’t slow down Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Jaylen Wells. No Ja Morant? No problem. Memphis has Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff. Philadelphia is 15th in the East and a half-game behind the Washington Wizards. The 76ers do owe their pick to the OKC Thunder (like everybody else), but at least it’s top-six protected. Bucks 122 (6-9), Bulls 106 (6-10): Giannis Antetokounmpo decided he’d had enough. He had 25 of his 41 points in the third quarter and enjoyed 16-of-20 shooting … in the paint! He had 32 points in the paint by himself. The Bulls had 34 points in the paint as a team. Antetokounmpo made 17 of 24 overall and had nine rebounds and eight assists to survive a strong push by Chicago. Zach LaVine looked good with 27 points. Cavs 128 (16-1), Pelicans 100 (4-12): Time to start a new streak! After the Cavs lost their win streak Tuesday, they beat up on an injured Pelicans squad to get back on track. Ty Jerome got the start in place of Darius Garland and led the team with 29 points. And yes, that box score is correct: Elfrid Payton started for the Pels. He hadn’t played since 2022. Rockets 130 (11-5), Pacers 113 (6-9): These are not the Pacers you expect. They had 23 turnovers and just shot 5 of 22 from 3-point range. The reason? Houston does that to you. The Rockets won again to remain fourth in the West behind 31 points and 12 rebounds by Alperen Şengün. Jabari Smith Jr. added 23, while Tyrese Haliburton had another bad one. Four points on 1-of-7 shooting with eight assists. Thunder 109 (12-4), Blazers 99 (6-9): Isaiah Hartenstein made his OKC debut, and it was a good one. It was also much needed. Hartenstein had 13 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks to help hold off a scrappy Portland squad. Shaedon Sharpe had 21, but it wasn’t enough to overcome 30 from Jalen Williams and 28 from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Knicks 138 (9-6), Suns 122 (9-7): The Suns dropped their fifth straight and badly need Kevin Durant back. Warriors 120 (11-3), Hawks 97 (7-9): This was another dominant defensive effort by the Warriors. They held the Hawks to 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 26.1 percent from deep. Andrew Wiggins led them with 27 points. Clippers 104 (9-7), Magic 93 (9-7): The Clippers, sans Norman Powell, dominated the Magic to snap Orlando’s six-game win streak. James Harden picked up the scoring slack with 24 points.