Around the League: Week 10 2/22-2/28

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: **
Tuesday: Boston @ Dallas 8:30 PM EST TNT, Portland @ Denver 10:00 PM EST TNT
Wednesday: Golden State @ Indiana 7:30 PM EST ESPN, L.A. Lakers @ Utah 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Dallas @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM ESTTNT, NOLA @ Milwaukee 9:30 PM EST TNT
Friday: Indiana @ Boston 7:30 PM EST ESPN, Portland @ L.A. Lakers 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: NOLA @ S.A. 8:00 PM EST NBATv, Dallas @ Brooklyn 8:30 PM EST ABC
Sunday: L.A. Clippers @ Milwaukee 3:30 PM EST ABC, Golden State @ L.A. Lakers 8:00 PM EST ESPN

NBA News

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden headlines Eastern Conference's All-Star reserves, while Utah Jazz send two to Western Conference roster - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/309 ... nce-roster

Houston Rockets waive DeMarcus Cousins - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/309 ... us-cousins

The 2021 NBA All-Snub team (Headlined by you-know-who.) - https://theundefeated.com/features/2021 ... snub-team/


Power Rankings Roundup

NBA Power Rankings: Why the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets are making noise ahead of Week 10 - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/309 ... ad-week-10

#5 Suns
While the Jazz have taken the Western Conference by storm, the Suns are on quite a roll, as well. After falling to 8-8 on Jan. 27 after dropping games following a weeklong postponement of play, the Suns have won 11 of 13. In its past two games, Phoenix has scorched the nets from deep. Against the Pelicans on Friday, Phoenix tied a franchise record with 22 3-pointers. The following night against Memphis, the Suns passed that mark with 24 triples against the Grizzlies. -- Lopez

NBA Power Rankings: Nets Emerging as Clear Favorites in East - https://www.si.com/nba/2021/02/23/nba-p ... provements

#6 Suns
Is it time to consider Phoenix as a contender for the Western Conference crown? The Suns have defeated the Celtics, 76ers and Blazers in February, blowing Portland out of the gym on Monday night. Chris Paul continues to be a true maestro, and the cast of young talent flanking Paul and Devin Booker continues to impress. Both Los Angeles squads and Utah are still better bets to win the West at the moment. But none of the aforementioned trio is a lock to advance past the Suns in a series. Phoenix’s resurgence after a dormant decade marks one of the best stories of the season.

Power Rankings, Week 10: Jazz stay at No. 1, but Nets closing in fast - https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-10

#4 Suns
Coach Monty Williams has made some changes with his lineup, moving Frank Kaminsky in, out, and back in again. The Suns’ three most-used lineups (more than 100 minutes played) include their four permanent starters with three different guys at the four. The Kaminsky version has been the best thus far (+13.1 points per 100 possessions), though Cam Johnson was on the floor for most of the Suns’ 41-14 fourth quarter in New Orleans on Friday in which Chris Paul eviscerated the Pelicans’ pick-and-roll defense.

Speaking of pick-and-roll defense… According to Second Spectrum tracking, only three players have been the screener’s defender on more ball-screens than Deandre Ayton this season. According to Synergy tracking, Ayton has defended 21 more isolations (78) than any other player in the league. And as the Nets were completing a comeback from 24 points down on Tuesday, Landry Shamet, Jeff Green and James Harden (once, twice, thrice) all took turns blowing by Ayton for key layups (or a drive-and-kick assist in the first Harden example). The Suns rank sixth defensively, but there will be a lot more moments this season where Ayton’s ability to defend in space will be under the microscope.

Monday, when the Suns face Damian Lillard and the Blazers for the first time, could bring more of those moments.

NBA Power Rankings: Nets on Jazz's heels for top spot; Lakers keep dropping; surging Raptors make big jump - https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba- ... -big-jump/

#4 Suns
Blowing a 24-point lead against the Nets without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving was a tough way to start the week for the Suns, but they turned around to pull off a fourth-quarter comeback of their own against the Pelicans before destroying an undermanned Grizzlies squad on Saturday. Chris Paul has been a madman of late, averaging 20 points and 10.7 assists for the week on scorching 61 percent 3-point shooting to go along with Devin Booker's 22.7 points per game, which helped the Suns to an absurd 131.5 offensive rating.

[Flagrant Fowl]

The NBA announced the second half schedule. Some of my notes on the Suns..

Opening with a homestand of 5 games in 9 nights against Indy, Memphis, MinnyX2 and the Lakers. Could be a pretty tough stretch to start depending on which players are out for those teams.

Three "national" TV games during the East Coast trip in late April followed by an ESPN game against the Clippers at home. Three TV games in a row in the last week of April will be nice.

Pretty tough stretch to end the season. Starting 5/10, @LAL, @GSW, vs POR, then @SASx2.

Ending the season with a back to back in San Antonio seems cruel, but the Suns won't even play the Spurs for the first time until 4/18. So who knows? Maybe we'll have their number.

[Superbone]

The NBA announced the second half schedule. Some of my notes on the Suns..

Opening with a homestand of 5 games in 9 nights against Indy, Memphis, MinnyX2 and the Lakers. Could be a pretty tough stretch to start depending on which players are out for those teams.

Three "national" TV games during the East Coast trip in late April followed by an ESPN game against the Clippers at home. Three TV games in a row in the last week of April will be nice.

Pretty tough stretch to end the season. Starting 5/10, @LAL, @GSW, vs POR, then @SASx2.

Ending the season with a back to back in San Antonio seems cruel, but the Suns won't even play the Spurs for the first time until 4/18. So who knows? Maybe we'll have their number.

We'll be resting everybody those last two for the playoffs.

[Flagrant Fowl]

The NBA announced the second half schedule. Some of my notes on the Suns..

Opening with a homestand of 5 games in 9 nights against Indy, Memphis, MinnyX2 and the Lakers. Could be a pretty tough stretch to start depending on which players are out for those teams.

Three "national" TV games during the East Coast trip in late April followed by an ESPN game against the Clippers at home. Three TV games in a row in the last week of April will be nice.

Pretty tough stretch to end the season. Starting 5/10, @LAL, @GSW, vs POR, then @SASx2.

Ending the season with a back to back in San Antonio seems cruel, but the Suns won't even play the Spurs for the first time until 4/18. So who knows? Maybe we'll have their number.

We'll be resting everybody those last two for the playoffs.

I think that's hard to predict with how tight the West looks to be. I think we'll do whatever necessary to avoid the Lakers in round 2.

[Split T]

Give me the best possible 1st round matchup. I think there’s a shot we can go to the conference finals, but I really want to at least make the 2nd round of the playoffs. I could handle a 2nd round loss to one of the LA teams...But if moving to 3 gets me a matchup against say Portland, SA, or GS in round 1, I’d be all for it. Denver is the team I’d want to avoid.

[bajanguy008]

I saw FF mention the ESPN games but didn't look at the schedule til I saw this tweet.
My initial reaction was guess we don't have any more TNT games. To save everyone the time we only have one more which is the 2nd game on Apr 8th... vs LAC ! Tsk smh

[Charlie Smithy!]

I feel like the Lakers are on national TV a lot of the timelol

[bajanguy008]

I feel like the Lakers are on national TV a lot of the timelol

Oh for sure lol
Guess we had to be playing them to be considered a Marquee Matchup

[carey]

So first place team Utah isn't on TNT at all in the 2nd half?

[Split T]

They had 1 I believe

[Superbone]

I was surprised that darling Doncic only had one game listed on that tweet.

[Split T]

Boston being blow out by Atlanta...what’s going on with them? I know they’re hurt, but they’re falling apart. Tatum with a 13/1/1 on 4/20 shooting 1/8 from 3.

[bajanguy008]

Boston being blow out by Atlanta...what’s going on with them? I know they’re hurt, but they’re falling apart. Tatum with a 13/1/1 on 4/20 shooting 1/8 from 3.

His All Star teammate didn't help either while Trae ironically went off

[bajanguy008]

Just wanted us to handle business so I could put my feet up and watch the Lakers get a predicable loss
Tonight blows

[Wally_West]

Boston being blow out by Atlanta...what’s going on with them? I know they’re hurt, but they’re falling apart. Tatum with a 13/1/1 on 4/20 shooting 1/8 from 3.

What about a trade? Mikal and Ayton for Tatum.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Boston being blow out by Atlanta...what’s going on with them? I know they’re hurt, but they’re falling apart. Tatum with a 13/1/1 on 4/20 shooting 1/8 from 3.

What about a trade? Mikal and Ayton for Tatum.

I wouldn't do it.

[Split T]

Ayton for Daniel Theis is probably more fair...

[Wally_West]

Boston being blow out by Atlanta...what’s going on with them? I know they’re hurt, but they’re falling apart. Tatum with a 13/1/1 on 4/20 shooting 1/8 from 3.

What about a trade? Mikal and Ayton for Tatum.

I wouldn't do it.

Really??



...really????

[Flagrant Fowl]

Yeah man. Ayton just went for 16/10 against Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo. Can't just let him go for Jayson Tatum.

[Wally_West]

Yeah man. Ayton just went for 16/10 against Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo. Can't just let him go for Jayson Tatum.

Lol