Around the NBA: Week 7 (12/1 - 12/7)

[Superbone]

Nationally televised games this week
Source: https://www.nba.com/schedule
All times MT

Mon 12/1
5:30 pm Bull vs Magic, Peacock
8:00 pm Suns vs Lakers, Peacock

Tue 12/2
6:00 pm Knicks vs Celtics, Peacock
9:00 pm Thunder vs Warriors, NBC, Peacock

Wed 12/3
6:30 pm Heat vs Mavs, NBA TV

Thu 12/4
5:00 pm Warriors vs 76ers, NBA TV

Fri 12/5
5:00 pm Lakers vs Celtics, Prime Video
7:30 pm Mavs vs Thunder, Prime Video

Sat 12/6
5:30 pm Warriors vs Cavs, NBA TV

NBA News

Mavs' Flagg torches Clips, leaps LeBron as youngest to score 35
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/471 ... t-score-35

Giannis Antetokounmpo chasing LeBron James: Bucks star wants to break NBA scoring record before he retires (good luck with that)
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/gian ... ng-record/

Kia MVP Ladder: Steady, impressive Nikola Jokić continues to lead the pack
https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-nov-28-2025

Power Rankings

The Athletic
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/685211 ... ts-lakers/

14. Phoenix Suns (12-9)

Last ranking: 8
In the last week: L vs HOU, W at SAC, L at OKC, L vs DEN
Offensive rating: 115.8 (12th place)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (14th place)

New face: SF Dillon Brooks

Jalen Green was the headline acquisition in the Kevin Durant trade, but the Suns’ issues of keeping Devin Booker’s backcourt partner on the floor have extended to a third straight season. Fortunately, Brooks is here to happily take shots and be an all-around irritant to opponents. It’s been a very Dillon Brooks season, featuring more points than ever, more free-throw attempts than ever, more field goal attempts than ever, more steals than ever and his most fouls in six seasons. The Suns aren’t necessarily at their best with Brooks on the floor, and this was a bad week for Phoenix against stiff competition. But Brooks’ overall presence has certainly been notable.

NBA.com
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2025-26-week-7

#7 PHOENIX SUNS

Last Week:7
Record: 12-9

OffRtg: 115.8 (12) DefRtg: 113.5 (14) NetRtg: +2.3 (14) Pace: 100.1 (24)

The Suns took care of business in Sacramento on Wednesday, but their schedule has gotten tougher. They went 0-3 against the Rockets, Thunder and Nuggets last week, sliding out of the top six in the West.

Three takeaways

The Suns still rank as the league’s most improved defensive team, having allowed 4.2 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. But they’ve allowed 125.6 per 100 over their four games against the Nuggets (0-2), Rockets and Thunder. Oklahoma City’s 10 turnovers on Friday were the fewest the Suns have forced all season, and Denver’s effective field goal percentage of 72.4% the following night (the end of the Suns’ first stretch of five games in seven days) was the fourth-highest mark for any team.

Ryan Dunn has missed the last five games and Mark Williams has sat out the second game of the Suns’ back-to-backs. Phoenix has allowed just 101.8 points per 100 possessions when both have been on the floor, but, at 176 minutes, they’re the team’s 22nd most-used two-man combination.

Grayson Allen returned from a seven-game absence on Saturday, bumping Collin Gillespie back to the bench. Allen was just 2-for-7 from beyond the arc in the loss to the Nuggets, but, as things stand, he is the only player who’s shot 42% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts in each of the last three seasons.

Coming up: The Suns have just two or three home games in December, but their visit to the Lakers on Monday (their first meeting of the season) will be their first rest-advantage game. (The Nets are the only other team that hasn’t had one.) After that, they’ll play just seven games (eight if they reach the NBA cup final) over the next 24 days.

Week 7: @ LAL, @ HOU

NBC Sports
https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/nba- ... -top-three

13. Phoenix Suns

(12-9, last week No. 9)
Devin Booker is in a shooting slump, averaging 21.2 points a game on 36.4% shooting overall (25% from 3-point range) in his last 10 games. (For comparison, in his first 10 games this season, Booker averaged 29.3 points on 50% shooting and 41% from beyond the arc.) It was bad timing that this slump continued as Phoenix’s schedule grew tougher last week, and they lost to Houston, Oklahoma City and Denver. Things do not get easier this week as the Suns go on the road to face the Lakers — part of Peacock NBA Monday — then the Rockets, Timberwolves, and Thunder again.

[bajanguy008]

And our lil Suns team "not at full strength" gave them all they could handle

[Furlanfufi]

That's wild!

[Furlanfufi]

Holy shit, they played the it's not you it's me card!

Their season is over, why don't let CP3 do the farewell tour there?

[pickle]

This is some really strange shit.

[BKinSJC]

Holy shit, they played the it's not you it's me card!

Their season is over, why don't let CP3 do the farewell tour there?

[Kryptonic]

Holy shit, they played the it's not you it's me card!

Their season is over, why don't let CP3 do the farewell tour there?

Hard pass and don’t want to mess with what we’re doing…. We have our dog in Dillon the villain. Unless you're talking about as an assistant coach or advisor like Nash, then sure

[ShelC]

No need for CP here at the moment. Not a good look for the Clips tho unless there was something going on behind the scenes or he requested it which doesn't seem to be the case. You don't bring a guy in for a farewell tour and then release him 20 games in.

[pickle]

Holy shit, they played the it's not you it's me card!

Their season is over, why don't let CP3 do the farewell tour there?

Hard pass and don’t want to mess with what we’re doing…. We have our dog in Dillon the villain. Unless you're talking about as an assistant coach or advisor like Nash, then sure

I don’t think he’s advocating for us to get CP3, he’s saying the clippers’ season is already over and they should treat him with respect. Which I don’t disagree with.

[Furlanfufi]

Yes, that's what I meant!

[Superbone]

I'd like to hear an explanation. Is he sleeping with the GM's wife or something? I'm being facetious (I hope) but come on, give us a why.

[Mori Chu]

It seems like there must be more to that story. Did they have a spat behind the scenes? Was Paul upset at not getting more minutes or more of a role? I know he's looked very washed up this season when he has played...

[Superbone]

It seems like there must be more to that story. Did they have a spat behind the scenes? Was Paul upset at not getting more minutes or more of a role? I know he's looked very washed up this season when he has played...

I don't know that. I've only watched him play against us and I thought he looked solid. But I think it was only the first game and then he didn't play in the next. But we do know he is very vocal and maybe they didn't want to get his opinion any more on how they should play.

[Superbone]

In any event, that's not how you treat a first ballot hall of famer at the end of his career.

[pickle]

In any event, that's not how you treat a first ballot hall of famer at the end of his career.

Who actually legitimized this franchise after soooooo many years of abject failure.

[O_Gardino]

I bet CP called out Kawhi for something. I don't have any proof, but I do have confidence.

[ShelC]

Chris Paul aside, I don't know how any NBA pundits could realistically think the Clippers would be any good in their preseason rankings. People still had faith that Kawhi would somehow return to form despite being 34 years old and then they thought aging up the roster with guys like Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul would actually make a difference.

[Kryptonic]

Holy shit, they played the it's not you it's me card!

Their season is over, why don't let CP3 do the farewell tour there?

Hard pass and don’t want to mess with what we’re doing…. We have our dog in Dillon the villain. Unless you're talking about as an assistant coach or advisor like Nash, then sure

I don’t think he’s advocating for us to get CP3, he’s saying the clippers’ season is already over and they should treat him with respect. Which I don’t disagree with.

my bad... hooked on phonics didn't work for me.

[Wally_West]

I’m absolutely fine signing Chris Paul.It wasn’t like he was team cancer or some shit. The complete opposite of that. The Paul trade might’ve been the best trade in franchise history.

To me, he deserves to be in our ring of honor. His choice was to retire here but we told him no essentially, I dont think he would expect any rotation minutes, I think he knows what his role would be here, mentor the young guys. Him leading garbage time minutes with the rookies would actually be fun imo.

I feel like our player reputation took a hit the last couple years, this would be nice gesture to do right for an all time great, who also is a franchise legend.

This my speculation, but I genuinely think he was the most happiest playing here, which is why specifically wanted to finish his career here.


I understand basketball wise and financially, why we would want to keep our options open, but personally, I’d be happy for him to retire a sun.

[O_Gardino]

Chris Paul aside, I don't know how any NBA pundits could realistically think the Clippers would be any good in their preseason rankings. People still had faith that Kawhi would somehow return to form despite being 34 years old and then they thought aging up the roster with guys like Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul would actually make a difference.

That would be an all-star lineup 6 years ago, but would it have worked even then?

Paul, Harden, Beal, Bogdanovic, Batum, Leonard, Lopez

There's still only 1 ball, and some of those guys are not known for their professionalism.