Around the League: Week 4 11/16-11/22

[carey]

Week 3 is fin. What happens first, a Warriors loss or a 76ers win?

ESPN's week 4 power rankings: LINK (Suns are 18th up 5 spots from 23.)

Only the Wiz are playing at a faster pace than the Suns, which obviously suits Eric Bledsoe. Phoenix's $70 million man seems to relish the extra responsibility, given that he's sporting a PER of nearly 26 these days. Yet Bledsoe & Co. are advised to take care their next two home games if they can, with nine of 11 on the road to follow.

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: None.
Tuesday: Milwaukee @ Washington 7:00PM EST NBATv, Toronto @ Golden State 10:30PM EST NBATv
Wednesday: New Orleans @ OKC 8:00PM EST ESPN, Chicago @ Phoenix 10:30PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Milwaukee @ Cleveland 8:00PM EST TNT, Golden State @ Los Angeles Clippers 10:30PM EST TNT
Friday: San Antonio @ New Orleans 8:00PM EST ESPN, Chicago @ Golden State 10:30PM ESPN
Saturday: Milwaukee @ Indiana 7:00PM EST NBATv
Sunday: Nada

NBA News

The Hawks are no fluke: LINK
Why does the Pelicans' defense suck: LINK
Odom may face felony charges: LINK

[Mori Chu]

I think 18th is still far too low for us. Just based on record and overall stats, we have to be top-15, maybe top-12 or so.

[Sunsfan4life]

Wonder if Aldridge is content in SA so far?

They're winning, and that really is prob all that matters to a guy like David West, but Aldridge seems to be struggling to adjust. It's pretty obvious that when Duncan moves on it will become Kawahi's team. LA just posted 6 & 6 line and I heard some quotes form him bout a week ago saying something to the effect that "it's definitely different I'm not complaining but it's different" whenever a guy says he's "not complaining" he's usually complaining.

[Cap]

I think 18th is still far too low for us. Just based on record and overall stats, we have to be top-15, maybe top-12 or so.

Maybe we look like a top-12 team, but if we're being honest here, we've managed to put up good stats by playing at a fast pace and beating up on weak and injured opponents. Let's wait to see how we look against the Spurs and Warriors next week before we start complaining that we're underappreciated by the pundits.

[Sunsfan4life]

I think 18th is still far too low for us. Just based on record and overall stats, we have to be top-15, maybe top-12 or so.

Suns really don't have a quality win yet. I'm happy with the way they're playing the last week or so, but they have beaten absolutely nobody abd have 1 loss that will look bad at years end at home to a Pistons team that expectedly has already come back to earth. You have to beat who's infront of you, I get that and they are hammering these teams which is good, but the only gm they won this yr that I didn't expect them to was at Portland. They weren't competitive in 2 of the 4 losses as well. So the 15-18 range seems appropriate.

[Ring_Wanted]

Wonder if Aldridge is content in SA so far?

They're winning, and that really is prob all that matters to a guy like David West, but Aldridge seems to be struggling to adjust. It's pretty obvious that when Duncan moves on it will become Kawahi's team. LA just posted 6 & 6 line and I heard some quotes form him bout a week ago saying something to the effect that "it's definitely different I'm not complaining but it's different" whenever a guy says he's "not complaining" he's usually complaining.

He chose to play on a system instead of being the system.

It's different for sure. Less playing time but above all he is taking a whooping seven fewer FGs per game. The season is long anyway, and what matters is making deep playoff runs.

[Ring_Wanted]

...they have beaten absolutely nobody abd have 1 loss that will look bad at years end at home to a Pistons team that expectedly has already come back to earth.

The stinker against Dallas on opening night was not pretty either. Fucking Carlisle, so far they still look like playoff material.

[Mori Chu]

I agree that we don't have a great win yet this year, but losing to the Pistons and Mavs is not the most embarrassing thing in the world. Both of those teams have been very solid so far.

[Sunsfan4life]

I disagree about the Pistons loss. They have lost to both the Lakers and Kings after our game. They have absolutely no depth. That's a team we should beat at home.

Dallas is a little more excusable, because they have some substantially good wins this year and it was opening night. The way we lost was horrible, but I never thought the Mavs would be a bottom dweller this yr. Maybe not make the playoffs, but not Lakers type bad.

[Ring_Wanted]

The Pistons just beat the Cavs. They are a legitimate team this season. Of course there are clear flaws like happens to almost everybody else but they know what they are doing under Van Gundy.

Their problem is that this year in the East, a number of recent lotto teams can make the same claim (Indiana, Charlotte, NYK, even Orlando) while only one playoff team has dropped clearly, the Nets.

[carey]

A little late, but DA's Morning Tip from Monday: LINK

Aldridge has us 11th in the power rankings.

11) Phoenix [NR] (2-0): Suns playing fast again so far this season, leading the league in pace and fourth in the league in scoring.

D.A.'s proposed Cousins deal:

• Sacramento trades Cousins to Boston, and sends guard Darren Collison and a future second-round pick to Philadelphia;

• Boston gives the Kings the 2016 first-round pick it got from Dallas in the Rondo deal, along with the Celtics' 2018 first-rounder. The Celtics trade David Lee and his expiring contract, along with forward Kelly Olynyk, their first-round pick in 2014, to Sacramento, and send guard James Young, one of their two first-round picks in 2013, to the 76ers;

• Philadelphia sends power forward Carl Landry, whom it acquired from the Kings in the Nik Stauskas deal, to Boston, along with a future second-round pick, and trades the 2017/18 first it would get from the Kings in the Stauskas deal back to Sacramento.

Any trade for Cousins by Boston that doesn't include the Nets unprotected pick this year is not going to happen and I'm surprised DA is suggesting otherwise. Those are some shitty picks.

[carey]

So, Porzingis had 29 & 11 last night.

But do you know who I am really happy for? Former Miami Heat whipping boy Mario Chalmers. Rio had 29 points the other night against OKC of all teams. I don't know if it was a career high but I looked back over a few seasons and lets just say it's been a long time since he's scored 29 points in the NBA. Maybe this trade was the best thing for him. The Heat seem to be the NBA's best scoring defense since Bumpy Johnson took Rio's minutes this season. It could be the rare trade where everyone wins. (Edit: Were the best defensive team. They gave up 103 to the T-Pups last night and moved to second place behind San Antonio.)

I wonder if Amare regrets not signing back with us? He's played in one game so far this season as the Heat have not been able to keep that knee healthy. Plus there's clearly PF minutes available here although Markieff is coming back and Leuer has looked capable. Would you rather have Amare for 15 minutes a game or Teletovic?

[carey]

Dating back to the start of last year the Warriors are 68-0 when leading by 15 points at any point during a game. Jesus. They moved to 12-0 last night. Four more wins will give them the best start ever.

[ShelC]

The question is, would we want/need Amar'e?

Zinigis is legit but I just have this gut feeling NY is going to screw him up somehow. It'll be interesting to see how things play out with Melo.

[carey]

Woj bomb.

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/666993842311315456

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/666994875406147584

[ShelC]

What happened to Morey and all of his analytics? Their roster is flawed because Lawson and Harden can't play together, Howard is only playing every other game and they're weak at PF. McHale was better with less talent.

[The Bobster]

This certainly isn't on McHale. I would have to agree that it's because of the roster tinkering in the offseason.

[JCSunsfan]

McHale will find his way back to Minny or Boston.

[Sunsfan4life]

Overreaction. Rockets have problems, but the least of which is Mchale. I always thought their expectations were too high going into this year, because despite them making the WCF I think they were probably the 5th best team in the west coming in behind Warriors,Spurs,Thunder,Clippers.

[Sunsfan4life]

McHale will find his way back to Minny or Boston.

Would fit well with the Wolves current team.

Brad Stevens is a rock star, Only way he leaves Boston is if he chooses too. Great Great coach who has that team moving in the right direction