The All-Quietly Doing Well Team: Atlantic Division Edition is quite a mouthful, so let’s simplify it.
Articles are written every night about top performers and the teams that did well. Some deserve the attention (i.e. LeBron James passing Wilt Chamberlain for fifth all-time in scoring in NBA history). However, most of the time, players that helped the team get a win that night are glossed over. It could be because they have a quiet personality, they’re humble, or they don’t drop 25 a night.
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t players around the league that are producing.
We’ll go division by division, starting with the Atlantic Division and more specifically – the current top seed in the East – the Toronto Raptors.
Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas
It’s hard to find a player that isn’t getting noticed on the 12-4 Toronto Raptors. Kawhi Leonard is gunning for his first regular season MVP award, Kyle Lowry is leading the league in assists (both in total and per game), Danny Green is shooting 44.4% from distance (on 5.4 attempts per game), and Pascal Siakam is finally getting the recognition he deserves.
So, who gets the nod? The Lithuanian.
Coming off a season where he appeared and started in 77 games, Valanciunas has been relegated to bench duties after the aforementioned Siakam supplanted him in the starting five. It may just prolong his career.
It’s not that Valanciunas is old (he’s 26), nor is he a bad player. Career averages of 11.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on .557/.385/.787 shooting lines are nothing to sniff at. He’s always been a capable scoring big, he’s just not very defensive-minded (see his career 1.0 blocks per game average, including three seasons averaging under a block per game as a 7′ center for reference).
So, what has the move to the bench done for Valanciunas? Wonders.
Valanciunas is currently averaging a career-low in minutes (19.4 per game) but is averaging career-highs in points PPG (12.9), FT% (83.3%), APG (1.1) and FGA (9.1).
He may have the occasional scoring outburst here and there, but for now, he’ll anchor Toronto’s second unit.
Next up, Boston.
Boston Celtics: Marcus Morris
Celtics fans are well aware of Morris’ strong play since coming to Boston, but this season he’s slowly evolving into one of the game’s best bench scorers.
Morris’ 48.5% from beyond the arc currently ranks seventh among all NBA players. His 14.6 PPG ranks 11th among all power forwards.
On top of that, Morris is Boston’s third-leading scorer and their leading three-point shooter. He’s also second in FG% among all Celtics players and (statistically speaking) is the Celtics’ fifth-best free-throw shooter.
Morris may not have a case for Most Improved Player or Sixth Man of the Year, but he’s been exactly what the Celtics have needed amidst their slow start.
Next up, Philly.
Philadelphia 76ers: Mike Muscala
The headliner in the Carmelo to Atlanta deal, Muscala has been a solid acquisition for the team that picked up some guy named Jimmy Butler.
Jokes aside, Muscala may have been lost in the three-team trade that “sent” Melo to Houston; or it’s more likely you’ve never heard of him.
Either way, here’s a quick lesson.
Prior to this season, Muscala worked his way up from the G-League into the Hawks’ rotation as a stretch-5, even making a few spot-starts here and there. He was a career 37.5% shooter from deep in Atlanta, and not much has changed since moving to the City of Brotherly Love.
Muscala is currently averaging career highs in points (7.8), rebounds (career-high – 4.3), and free throw attempts per game (2.0). None of these are eye-popping, but despite his career low 35.4% from three, he’s still top-10 in 3PT% among power forwards and is the Sixers’ eighth-leading scorer; sixth if you remove Saric and Covington’s averages.
Not too shabby for a player who’s shifted down a position this season and is playing with all new teammates.
Speaking of new teammates…
Brooklyn Nets: Joe Harris
Joe Harris doesn’t quite meet the requirements for journeyman status, but he’s certainly made some pit stops.
Originally drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Harris spent most of his time with the Cavs’ (then) D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge. After not being able to secure a spot at the King’s table, Harris was traded and waived by the Magic in January 2016. He bided his time and was able to secure a contract with the Nets in the 2016 offseason.
Harris has been on the Nets since guys like Luis Scola, Andrew Nicholson, Randy Foye, Justin Hamilton, Greivis Vasquez, and K.J. McDaniels were on the roster. He’s gone from averaging a modest 8.2 PPG and 38.5% 3P% off the bench in his first season in Brooklyn to a full-time starter.
Despite Basketball Reference listing that 54% of his minutes are played as a shooting guard and ESPN listing Joe Harris as a small forward, Harris is tied for second league-wide in 3PT% on a career-high 5.1 3PTA; shooting an even 50% from beyond the arc.
Currently, he’s averaging career highs in points (13.1), rebounds (3.5), assists (2.1), FG% (51.7), 3PT% (50.0), FGM (4.9) and FGA (9.4).
That’s pretty good for a second round pick that was out of the league for almost six months.
Speaking of castaways…
New York Knicks: Noah Vonleh
Last season, when Kristaps Porzingis’ season ended due to an ACL tear, Knicks fans were crushed. They were finally starting to piece things together. Then reports came out that Porzingis could miss the entire 2018-19 season. It remains to be seen whether or not Porzingod will make an appearance in the Big Apple this season, but his injury opened up opportunities for the Knicks to take chances on castoffs.
Enter Noah Vonleh.
It’s crazy to think that Vonleh was selected ninth overall by the Charlotte Hornets only four years ago in the 2014 NBA Draft, but Vonleh is currently on his fourth team. To Vonleh’s credit, he was only given one season in Charlotte before being traded to Portland. He lasted three seasons in Portland but was involved in a salary-dump trade to Chicago before signing a one-year contract with the Knicks this past offseason.
So far, so good.
Despite only playing 22.5 minutes per game, Vonleh is averaging 7.3 points and 7.9 rebounds (both career highs); including 2.1 offensive boards per game (good for t-15th among power forwards). Vonleh’s per game rebounding average is also second-best on the Knicks.
He’s also averaging a career-high in FT% (76.2) and in free throws made and attempted (2.0 and 2.6, respectively).
Vonleh likely isn’t going to be a part of the frontcourt of the future for the Knicks. That belongs to Porzingis and Mitchell Robinson. However, he’s on his way to being a rotation mainstay for a contender; possibly the Knicks in a few years.
What do you guys think? Would you like to see this made into a series for all teams in the NBA? Let me know in the comments below.