As the NBA breaks for a few days, The Post’s basketball minds answer 10 key questions. Here’s a look.
1. The MVP right now should go to…
STEFAN BONDY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But it’s close enough with Nikola Jokic that this could easily flip if the Nuggets center reaches the 65-game threshold.
BRIAN LEWIS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s the game’s best two-way player and the favorite, despite his oblique and Jokic’s return.
JARED SCHWARTZ: Nikola Jokic. Gilgeous-Alexander looked like a lock for awhile, but his injury opened the door for the field, and Jokic’s return to health put him back in the conversation. He is again averaging a triple-double, leading the league in rebounds and assists while scoring 28.7 points per game.
MIKE VACCARO: Cade Cunningham. Going with a relative long shot here, but the Pistons are beyond legit, and Cunningham is the primary reason why. As he goes, so goes Detroit.
Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons reacts against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on February 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images
2. The team to watch out for in the second half is the…
BONDY: Cavaliers. They replaced a regular DNP (Darius Garland) with a durable scorer (James Harden), plus they’re better than their record. I still don’t buy their success in the playoffs, however.
LEWIS: Celtics. Boston not only survived but thrived without Jayson Tatum, and he’s back practicing. Look out.
SCHWARTZ: Hornets. After starting the season 16-28, they won 10 of their last 11 games before the break to launch themselves into the playoff picture.
VACCARO: Hornets. It’s as fun as it is rare to see a team flip a switch like the Hornets have done, and it says here they will make the regular draw. Which means it would be helpful to not finish third in the East. That would be a nightmare.
3. The team that will drop off in the second half is the…
BONDY: 76ers. Joel Embiid is missing games again with knee soreness and more DNPs will follow.
LEWIS: Bulls. With Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu gone, and no bigs, the Bulls go from play-in to tanking.
SCHWARTZ: 76ers. Paul George is suspended, Joel Embiid’s knee has begun barking again, and VJ Edgecombe is hitting some rookie season fatigue.
VACCARO: 76ers. They have had a nice run, but we saw the other night what their reality is like if Joel Embiid suffers another setback.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shields the ball from Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half of an NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
4. The Knicks’ chances of making the NBA Finals come down to…
BONDY: Karl-Anthony Towns finding his way. Jalen Brunson needs help.
LEWIS: Other teams’ playoff form. It’s less about them and more about whether Boston’s Tatum is fit and Cleveland’s James Harden finally shows up in the postseason.
SCHWARTZ: What is Karl-Anthony Towns? We have a good sense of what Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges will provide. Is Towns a bona fide No. 2 option or a complete wild card, like he’s been most of this year?
VACCARO: Good health. I remain convinced that if they can keep the band together, they’re the best team in the conference, 1 through 10.
5. The rest of the Nets’ season is about…
BONDY: Tanking, but it should be about having some pride. The organization has spat on its fanbase this season (and last season).
LEWIS: Their five rookies. The lottery is in May and no stars are available until June, but right now it’s developing the kids.
SCHWARTZ: Rookie development. Draft position is this season’s end goal, but this process of tanking only works if this group of rookies blossoms into a tangible core.
VACCARO: Losing as often as possible. The only way anything about this season is justifiable is if they wind up with one of the top three picks, all projected gems. They have to make their lottery odds as good as possible.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shields the ball from Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half of an NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
6. A player who isn’t an All-Star this season but who will be next season is…
BONDY: Dillon Brooks. The league will realize its new format didn’t compel enough competitiveness and it needs more fiery spirit. Hello Brooks.
LEWIS: Kon Knueppel. Michael Porter Jr.’s usage could go down as the Nets improve, but Knueppel is sure to still be a go-to guy for the Hornets.
SCHWARTZ: Franz Wagner. An ankle injury derailed the first half of his season, but he’s the best scorer on a Magic squad that should be a playoff regular in the near future, even if they’ve underachieved so far this year.
VACCARO: Kon Knueppel, for next year and a decade to come. How did Duke not win the natty last year again?
7. The NBA Finals result will be…
BONDY: Thunder over the Pistons. Yes, I know, not going out on a limb here, with the best records in the NBA.
LEWIS: Thunder over the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell leads the Cavs out of the East, but the Thunder roll to a repeat.
SCHWARTZ: Spurs over the Knicks. The Knicks have been punked by the Pistons twice, but their series win over the Celtics last year shows how much regular season matchups matter. The Celtics, if they get Jayson Tatum back, will be formidable, but this current Knicks team seems to have a formula to beat them. The Thunder-Spurs Western Conference finals will represent the NBA’s two best teams, though, as Victor Wembanyama takes another step toward becoming the face of the league.
VACCARO: Thunder over the Knicks in seven.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) pleads his case to referee Che Flores (91) in the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
8. After this season ends, LeBron James will…
BONDY: Play somewhere other than the Lakers or the Knicks (and honestly, I don’t really care anymore). He won’t retire without a farewell tour.
LEWIS: Be back for more, but not in L.A. King James earns his fifth ring in his third reign in Cleveland.
SCHWARTZ: Be back with the Cavaliers. I have a hard time believing he won’t want a full-season farewell tour, and it seems like his Lakers marriage is on its last legs. Where better to close out his career than with Cleveland?
VACCARO: Take a victory lap next year as a member of the Cavaliers.
9. This summer, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be…
BONDY: Not on the Bucks, probably on the Heat. Maybe he doesn’t want to be the bad guy and demand a trade, but he’s Milwaukee’s only real asset to start a much-needed rebuild.
LEWIS: Traded, finally putting an end to years and years of this will-he, won’t-he melodrama.
SCHWARTZ: With the Bucks. How many times do we have to do this song and dance? He loves Milwaukee, and even if he likes flirting with a move, isn’t going to demand out.
VACCARO: Traded to the Warriors so they can make one last stand in the Steph Curry Era.
10. Besides Giannis and LeBron, the NBA’s biggest offseason storyline will be…
BONDY: Expansion. Welcome back Seattle and hello (hopefully not) Las Vegas.
LEWIS: Overshadowed by James and Giannis. Unless a Cavaliers flameout prompts a Donovan Mitchell exit, the lottery and possible expansion clarity will be the next biggest storylines.
SCHWARTZ: Expansion. Before the NBA Cup final in December, commissioner Adam Silver said that a determination about potential expansion will be made sometime in 2026.
VACCARO: Figuring out the long-term viability of the schedule. Every year we get mounting evidence that 82 games is ruinous to the athletes. This needs to be addressed.