Around the League: Week 23 (3/21 to 3/27)

[ShelC]

Nationally Televised Games
Tuesday, Mar. 22
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. on TNT

Wednesday, Mar. 23
Brooklyn Nets vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Philadephia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. on ESPN

League News
Play-In Picture: If the Play-In Tournament started today
https://www.nba.com/2022-play-in-picture

Warriors’ Stephen Curry expects to return by start of playoffs
https://www.nba.com/news/warriors-steph ... f-playoffs

ESPN Power Rankings
NBA Power Rankings, Week 23: LeBron James adds another milestone as the Lakers continue to falter
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/335 ... nue-falter

1. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 58-14
Previous ranking: 1

Suns coach Monty Williams had high praise for Mikal Bridges on Sunday night, comparing him to former NBA Defensive Player of the Year winners Michael Cooper and Ron Artest for his ability to guard top players on the perimeter and down low.

"He should be Defensive Player of the Year, No. 1," Williams said. "He doesn't duck a matchup. He plays every night. He guards everyone. He plays 50 minutes. He still produces on offense. I don't get into the iron man thing, but he loves to play, he loves to work and he's a winner." -- Lopez

DraftKings Power Rankings
NBA Power Rankings: Suns surge back into top spot, Warriors suffer injury setback
https://dknation.draftkings.com/nba/202 ... ff-seeding

The Phoenix Suns are back in the driver’s seat. After taking a slight dip in the power rankings due to some shaky play, the top seed in the West is back at No. 1 and has a playoff spot wrapped up. The Suns have found a formula with Chris Paul sidelined, and it’s working. Phoenix has won five straight games, including an overtime win over the Kings Sunday. Devin Booker is a true superstar, while Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges have shown they are capable supporting cast members. There’s been no Finals hangover in the desert.

NBA Power Rankings, Week 23: Playoff races heating up with 3 weeks left
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2021-22-week-23

Last Week: 1 -Phoenix Suns Record: 58-14

Pace: 100.1 (9) OffRtg: 114.5 (2) DefRtg: 106.1 (2) NetRtg: +8.4 (1)

The Suns are close to clinching the league’s best record (see below), but they aren’t slowing down. They’ve won their last five games, and it’s been their best five-game stretch in regard to both points scored (129.1) and point differential (plus-19.0) per 100 possessions. The opponents haven’t been great (the Bulls were the only one with a winning record), but there’s obviously value in taking care of business. They needed overtime in Sacramento on Sunday, but finished off the Kings without Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker, who both fouled out. Landry Shamet’s go-ahead jumper off a clever baseline out-of-bounds play (it looked like Mikal Bridges was the one coming to the ball) was his first clutch 3 of the season. The Suns no longer have the best clutch record of the last 26 years (they have the third best), but they still have the league’s most efficient clutch offense (128.7 per 100).

And with this hot stretch of offense, they now rank second in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Seven different Suns have averaged double-figures over the winning streak, lead by Booker (30.4 points per game), Mikal Bridges (20.4) and Ayton (19.2), who’ve combined to shoot 57% from the field, 52% from 3-point range and 92% from the line. The Suns have been doing this without Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson, who was the league’s best post-break 3-point shooter prior to his quad injury. Jae Crowder missed two games last week and his replacement in the starting lineup (Torrey Craig) shot 13-for-13.

The maximum number of wins that any other team can finish with is 59, so the Suns need just two more victories to clinch the league’s best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. But the toughest five-game stretch of their entire schedule begins Wednesday. It’s a home game against the Sixers, sandwiched by visits to Minnesota, Denver, Golden State and Memphis. The first two of those road games are back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday.

Week 23: @ MIN, @ DEN, vs. PHI

[bajanguy008]

Clearly this is a Westbrook tweet
Oh or maybe Melo

Because it surely can't be.....

[bajanguy008]

[bajanguy008]

[bajanguy008]

[Split T]

I’ve been a little hesitant on the Bridges for DPOY talk, but one thing I looked at last night:

Top 10 guys in DPOY odds ranked by minutes played:

1. Mikal Bridges - 2544(1st in the entire nba)
2. Evan Mobley - 2163
3. Marcus Smart - 2026
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo - 1940
5. Jaren Jackson Jr. - 1940
6. Joel Embiid - 1939
7. Rudy Gobert - 1787
8. Robert Williams - 1756
9. Bam Adebayo - 1508
10. Draymond Green - 1079


So bridges has played almost 400 minutes more than 2nd place. He’s 600 minutes ahead of the first guy with better odds(Giannis). He’s almost 800 minutes ahead of 2nd and 4th in odds(Rudy and Robert Williams), and he’s played over 1000 more minutes than the odds on favorite(Bam). In fact combining the minutes of Bam and Draymond(6th in odds), they’ve only played 43 minutes more than Mikal by himself.

After seeing that, I think it has to be Mikal. His argument is he plays high minutes every game, never misses a game, and takes the top perimeter player every time for the #2 rated defense in the entire nba.

[Split T]

Just listened to the Lowe Post where they went through the All-NBA teams and got me thinking…

Lowe went:
1st Team - Luka, Curry, Giannis, Jokic, Embiid
2nd Team - Ja, CP3, LeBron, KD, KAT
3rd Team - Mitchell, Booker, Derozan, Tatum, Gobert

Arnovitz went:
1st Team - Ja, LeBron, Giannis, Jokic, Embiid
2nd Team - Curry, Luka, Tatum, KD, KAT
3rd Team - Paul, Booker, Derozan, Sabonis, Gobert

Though he wanted to push Booker to a forward spot so he could include Mitchell instead of Sabonis. It also seems like Lowe talked him into moving LeBron to 2nd Team forward, with Luka going to 1st team guard, Tatum to 3rd team forward pushing out Sabonis and either Paul or Booker moving to 2nd Team G and Mitchell getting 3rd team G.

I think Lowe has the right 15 guys and think it’s funny Sabonis would potentially be on the list. I think the top of the league is just F/C heavy, but the depth runs out quick. Lots of G that are all pretty interchangeable on 1st-3rd team.

I think I go:

1st Team: Ja, Luka, Giannis, Jokic, Embiid
2nd Team: CP3, Booker, LeBron, KD, KAT
3rd Team: Curry, Mitchell, Derozan, Tatum, Gobert

Luka, Booker, CP3, Curry are all basically even to me…I don’t really think any of them deserve 1st team or 3rd team…I want them all 2nd team, but that’s not really doable. I would consider swapping LeBron and Luka, but I also don’t really want to reward LeBron with a 1st team selection after his team is so bad and he rarely tries defensively.

I’m hoping Booker or CP3 finish the season on enough of a tear that they could snag that 1st team spot. Seems more likely that they’ll be 2nd and or 3rd Team…both seem like locks though.

[The Bobster]

With Miami's lose tonight it's down to two teams.

Suns Magic Number vs. -

PHO [58-14]
MEM [49-23] - 2
GSW [47-24] - 1

[dragickingdom]

With one more win we will lock up "Pacific Davison Champion" it will change the mark from an X to P for a day.
Just food for thought

[Split T]

It still looks like we’ll lock up the 1 seed before any other team in the nba clinches a playoff spot…so that’s cool

[Flagrant Fowl]

It still looks like we’ll lock up the 1 seed before any other team in the nba clinches a playoff spot…so that’s cool

Miami has already clinched the Southeast division and I don't think it's possible to win the division and not make the playoffs.

[Split T]

It still looks like we’ll lock up the 1 seed before any other team in the nba clinches a playoff spot…so that’s cool

Miami has already clinched the Southeast division and I don't think it's possible to win the division and not make the playoffs.

I wondered about that, so I checked and from what I can tell, winning the division doesn’t guarantee a play off spot…just used for tie breakers

[bajanguy008]

Jimmy / Lowry / Bam / Herro all played
Big win for Sixers

[Flagrant Fowl]

A lot can change in the three weeks remaining until the playoffs start, but it feels like the Heat are in some trouble. Tyler Herro is really the only guy I trust to be offensively consistent. Butler is in a deep 3-point shooting slump, and he and Lowry are prone to picking up injuries at this point in their careers. Adebayo is an elite role player who's not going to take over the offensive load for long stretches, and the rest of their rotation is very streaky.

Spoelstra is really the only reason I'm not completely writing them off as contenders to make The Finals which is wild because they're still leading the East by 2.5 games. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost in the first round to Toronto or to Milwaukee/Brooklyn in a tough ECF battle.

[Mori Chu]

What do we think about Boston's recent surge? Fluke, or have they just started to figure things out and now they're a real contender in the East? I tend to lean toward fluke, but I haven't been watching their games, so what do I know?

[Split T]

Defense seems legit and that’s a constant they can rely on. I do worry hope their offense holds up in the playoffs. If teams make things uncomfortable for Tatum, I’m not sure who keeps everyone involved in offense. They don’t have a real pg, though Smart has been playing well. I think they have a shot to win the east.

[In2ition]

[Wally_West]

Thoughts on a Clippers team with George and Kawhi back for the playoffs? Worried, not worried, nervous?

Might be advantageous to play them early rather than later.

[Superbone]

What an idiot!

[bajanguy008]