NBA News: Week 14 (1/19 - 1/25)

[ShelC]

Nationally televised games this week
Monday, Jan 19th
Bucks @ Hawks at 1:00PM EST on Peacock
Thunder @ Cavs at 2:30PM EST on NBC/Peacock
Mavs @ Knicks at 5:00PM EST on NBC/Peacock
Celtics @ Pistons at 8:00 PM EST on NBC/Peacock

Tuesday, Jan 20th
Spurs @ Rockets at 8:00PM EST on NBC/Peacock
Pistons @ Lakers at 10:00PM EST on NBC/Peacock

Weds, Jan 21st
Cavs @ Hornets at 7:00PM EST on ESPN
Thunder @ Bucks at 9:30PM EST on ESPN

Thursday, January 22nd
Warriors @ Mavs at 7:30PM EST on Amazon Prime
Lakers @ Clippers at 10:00 PM EST on Amazon Prime

Friday, January 23rd
Rockets @ Pistons at 7:00PM EST on Amazon Prime
Nuggets @ Bucks at 9:30 PM EST on Amazon Prime

Saturday, January 24th
Knicks @ Sixers at 3:00PM EST on ABC/ESPN Unlimited
Warriors @ Timberwolves at 5:30PM EST on ABC/ESPN Unlimited
Lakers @ Mavs at 8:30PM EST on ABC/ESPN Unlimited


NBA News
Starting 5: Gearing up for a full MLK Day slate
https://www.nba.com/news/starting-5-jan-19-2026

Celtics relishing their rare status as underdogs this season
https://www.nba.com/news/celtics-relish ... gs-2025-26

Kevin Durant passes Dirk Nowitzki for 6th on the NBA's career scoring list
https://www.nba.com/news/kevin-durant-p ... oints-list

NBA Midseason Grades: Rating all 30 teams at the halfway mark
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/476 ... l-30-teams

Phoenix Suns: A

Preseason projection: 31.5 wins
Current projection: 46.4 wins

Thus far, team owner Mat Ishbia was right and the experts (myself included) were wrong about the Suns' offseason makeover, which saw them say farewell to marquee additions Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant. In their place, Phoenix has built a hard-playing squad in the image of newcomer Dillon Brooks that excels at forcing turnovers and has barely dropped off offensively from last year's star-studded team, going from 13th in offensive rating to 15th. Collin Gillespie's emergence as a capable starting point guard has been one of the season's best stories -- earning him the nickname "Villain Jr." from Brooks -- and new coach Jordan Ott looks like he'll put an end to the revolving door on the Suns' sideline.

NBA Power Rankings
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2025-26-week-14

#5 Phoenix Suns
Last Week:5
Record: 25-17
OffRtg: 114.5 (15) DefRtg: 112.0 (4) NetRtg: +2.4 (11) Pace: 99.6 (20)

The Suns are 1-2 on the first of two six-game road trips, with all three games having come against East teams with winning records and all three having been within five points in the last five minutes.

Three takeaways

- The Suns were without Devin Booker in Detroit on Thursday, when they blew a 16-point lead and lost by three, scoring just 15 points on 25 fourth-quarter possessions. Their offense hasn’t been great (115.8 points scored per 100 possessions) with Booker on the floor, but they’re now 1-3 without him, having scored just 101.3 per 100 over those four games. Of course, all four have been on the road and against teams — Houston, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Detroit — that rank in the top nine defensively.

- Booker returned on Saturday, when the Suns beat the Knicks, who were playing without Jalen Brunson. Mitchell Robinson was there, but the Suns outscored New York (21-17) on second chances. While Phoenix is one of nine teams that have scored fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season, it’s seen the league’s biggest jump in offensive rebounding percentage, from 26.4% (26th) last season to 33.6% (sixth) this season.

- The Suns’ starting lineup didn’t have its best night at Madison Square Garden, but bench minutes were huge as they erased two separate, 10-point deficits. Grayson Allen continues to close games, and the Suns have outscored opponents by 13.4 points per 100 possessions in 486 minutes with both Jordan Goodwin and Oso Ighodaro on the floor, and they have the league’s fifth-ranked bench overall.

Coming up: The second half of the Suns’ six-game trip is easier than the first half, and they’ll have a rest advantage in Brooklyn on Monday. They’re 4-0 (one of four undefeated teams) in rest-advantage games and 15-4 (with eight straight wins) against the 14 teams that are currently at or below .500.

Week 14: @ BKN, @ PHI, @ ATL, vs. MIA

[Superbone]

One of the most fun teams in NBA basketball to watch and nary a game on national TV. smh.

[Mori Chu]

One of the most fun teams in NBA basketball to watch and nary a game on national TV. smh.

They moved the Knicks game to NBATV at the last minute, right? Hopefully they'll do that for some of our other games.

[Split T]

Ya they set the national tv schedule before the season when everyone thought we were the worst team in the league.

[ShelC]

We got flexed onto Prime on Feb 5th vs the Warrriors

[TOO]

We got flexed onto Prime on Feb 5th vs the Warrriors

It'll be blacked out for me, booooo.

[bajanguy008]

Noticed them in 9th last week but didn't give it much attention
Think they've had some decent wins in this stretch also

[ShelC]

I think Deni has to win MIP this year right? He's made a legit jump in production and his team is winning.

[specialsauce]

And I called him the next Dragan Bender lmao uhhhh wrong on that one

[ShelC]

[Wally_West]

I think book gets in as a reserve. I think Brooks gets in if like there 2-3 injury replacements needed

[ShelC]

I could see one of CG, Grayson, or Royce in the 3pt contest.

[bajanguy008]

Wow
Didn't realize it was already time to be naming Starters lol

I thought there was some chatter about World vs USA

[Mori Chu]

I think book gets in as a reserve. I think Brooks gets in if like there 2-3 injury replacements needed

I think Book may get in. But Brooks? No way. Brooks has had a very nice season overall, but I would have to imagine that he's way, way down any depth chart for potential All-Stars.

[Wally_West]

I think book gets in as a reserve. I think Brooks gets in if like there 2-3 injury replacements needed

I think Book may get in. But Brooks? No way. Brooks has had a very nice season overall, but I would have to imagine that he's way, way down any depth chart for potential All-Stars.

List who would be ahead of him? I’m not saying he’d be on top of most list but if there were multiple injury replacements needed, I think he could get in that way. Also the All-Star game is the silly USA vs world and Dillion is Canadian not American. Could easily be used to fill out the world roster.

I also got to say that Brooks has essentially repaired his image from his grizzlies days and his stock is through the roof right now. Once label a team cancer, not a winning player and dirty player has now become a floor raiser, hard worker, team culture setter, still dirty player. Lol


If we wanted to, we could easily get multiple 1st for him. NOT SAYING WE SHOULD!! Just that we could and a sign of how much his image and stock has improved this year.

[specialsauce]

Idk Ryan Dunn's defense is so good he may get in, his shooting improved by .5% that is a candidate for MIP too

[Wally_West]

Idk Ryan Dunn's defense is so good he may get in, his shooting improved by .5% that is a candidate for MIP too

He’s playing the sophomore game for sure.

[bajanguy008]

There are 2 - 8 in last 10 games
Currently down 23pts in the 3rd quarter @ Home to Mavs

Like others were saying during the game the other night
Yeah we had that other dude at center and wanted to move him but glad we didn't do the move for KAT
Just not a fan of his game at all.....

[Mori Chu]

I think book gets in as a reserve. I think Brooks gets in if like there 2-3 injury replacements needed

I think Book may get in. But Brooks? No way.

List who would be ahead of him?

OK, here's an attempt to list players who would be named All-Stars over Dillon Brooks:

Luka Doncic
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Stephen Curry
Nikola Jokic
Victor Wembanyama
Anthony Edwards
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Devin Booker
Deni Avdija
Kawhi Leonard
Lauri Markkanen
James Harden
Jamal Murray
Austin Reaves
Julius Randle
Shaedon Sharpe
Alperen Sengun
Cooper Flagg
Stephon Castle

That's about 20 guys; I could have maybe named a few more but I stopped looking. I am not saying that I would 100% rather have all of the above guys than Villain, and a few of them are arguable; but I'm just saying that I think there are too many guys ahead of him, and the reserves people will be likely to choose will likely include guys like the above, guys who are considered more of 1st or 2nd options, or guys with bigger names, or guys on teams having more stellar seasons than ours, or guys with a bit gaudier stats.

[pickle]

Maybe a list of international all stars is just as telling. I think 8 make it? And all top 5 MVP candidates are international. Crazy.

Jokic SGA Wemby Giannis Luka
Jamal Lauri Avdjia Sengun Wagner

Here’s an interesting thought, for the all star game (not considering contracts) and for the actual team (counting contracts) would you rather have Dillon or Siakam?