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

[dragickingdom]

I would love the Lakers to miss it. They don't even have their pick this year.

[Indy]

Real chance Lakers don’t even make play-in

The Spurs schedule isn't much easier.

@ New Orleans Pelicans
@ Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
@ Denver Nuggets
@ Minnesota Timberwolves
Golden State Warriors
@ Dallas Mavericks

Only good thing for them is that there is only 1 back to back--and it isn't the one you would think. It is the 2 to end the season.

[Split T]

Those two Portland games are nice though. They are tanking as bad as anyone ever has

[Split T]

Suns only team that has a positive net rating over every 10 game sample

[Superbone]

The suns even get a mention!

Behind a paywall. Who's the rising Sun?

[BigLewy]

The suns even get a mention!

Behind a paywall. Who's the rising Sun?

Here ya go.

6. Mikal Bridges, doing more

Chris Paul's absence allowed other Suns to stretch themselves -- a healthy development for a group that's starting to give off "team of destiny" whiffs. This has been most obvious with Deandre Ayton, reigniting his jumper and playing with more force.

Bridges' improvement is the sort you miss if you glance at stats or watch a few Phoenix games. It happens on the margins -- in the flow of Phoenix's half-court offense, and in transition, where Bridges is among the league's best marauding finishers. His volume of pick-and-rolls and isolations has actually fallen slightly from last season.

But watch those chances, and you see someone growing more comfortable creating offense:

That is a smooth, pogo-stick isolation over a good and even-sized defender in Harrison Barnes. A year ago, 22% of Bridges' shot attempts came from the midrange. That's up to 36% this season, with the bulk of the increase coming in that tricky territory between the foul line and the restricted area, per Cleaning The Glass. Bridges has hit 58% of those shots.

He's more confident running pick-and-roll, and reading defenses from a step ahead:

The typical pass there is to Jae Crowder in the right corner. Bridges is primed for that, but knows the defense might overreact that way -- unlocking a dish to Booker. Bridges' pick-and-roll volume has doubled since Paul's injury, to great results, per Second Spectrum.

For the season, the Suns have scored 1.22 points per possession when Bridges shoots out of a drive or dishes to a teammate who fires -- fourth among 255 players who have recorded at least 100 drives, per Second Spectrum. He has even feasted on his sparse post-up chances, most of which come via early seals in transition.

He has one of the lowest turnover rates in that sample. An underrated ingredient in elite low-usage role players -- and Bridges is still that, despite these strides -- is caring for the ball when you get your chances. Bridges has always checked that box. He is among only 13 players this season to log 1,000 minutes and post a sub-6.5% turnover rate.

Cameron Johnson has developed into a more well-rounded scorer. Booker improves every season. This is what the "Were the Suns a fluke?" analysis missed: outside of Paul and Crowder, their core players are young and rising.

[bajanguy008]

Have Spurs been trying tho ??
Thought I saw Dejounte and Poeltl getting "maintenance" days

[Split T]

Have Spurs been trying tho ??
Thought I saw Dejounte and Poeltl getting "maintenance" days

Not sure tbh…I still expect LA to get it, but them going like 1-8 to close is certainly in the cards

[bajanguy008]

Now this is funny
Because of fantasy league, I realized this guy's steals numbers been pretty good but I don't watch the games.
I remember him trying this against us also

Probably needs to be on the scouting report

[Superbone]

Has Book been watching Jose Alvarado? Book had a couple of those last night.

[Indy]

Book has been doing that for a couple seasons, too. He isn't usually successful but he does try quite a bit.

[Split T]

[Flagrant Fowl]

I was just about to post that I turned on the Wolves/Mavs game right now and was completely unsurprised at both teams yapping at each other and falling all over the place.

[bajanguy008]

Well after the Jimmy and Spoelstra drama
For an encore Heat decided to blow a 17pt fourth quarter lead at home to the Knicks lead by IQ, McBride ? and Grimes ?
Heat locker room must have been fun afterwards

[bajanguy008]

[Split T]

Miami seems to be falling apart a bit…they lost to the Knicks without Randle, the Sixers without Embiid and Harden, and the warriors without Curry, Klay, and Draymond. Starting with their loss to us, they are 3-5 in their last 8 with their wins against OKC, Detroit, and Cleveland…or maybe they are trying to get out of the 1-2 seed to avoid Brooklyn. Looks like they’ll drop to the 4/5 game at this point. Honestly the 3 and 4 seeds are probably the 1st round games you want vs Chicago and Cleveland.

[Split T]

This is interesting…so it all depends on if the voters are coordinated and pick one to be C and one to be F…most likely one is getting put 2nd Team, so 1st team Forwards are probably Giannis and either KD or LeBron I’d guess. Then the other plus Tatum on 2nd Team. Probably gets Siakam on the 3rd team. My best guess for what happens:

Ja, Luka, LeBron, Giannis, Jokic

Curry, Booker, Tatum, KD, Embiid

CP3, Mitchell, Derozan, Siakam, Towns

I think Embiid gets mvp but Giannis and Jokic get 1st Team. I want Booker on 1st team, but I’d guess he ends up 2nd.

[bajanguy008]

[bajanguy008]

[Split T]

Celtics are gonna end up with the 1 seed I think. They went from looking like a play-in to the 1 seed over the 2nd half of the season.