Around the League: Week 8 12/12-12/18

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: Washington @ Miami 7:30PM EST NBATv, Portland @ L.A. Clippers 10:30PM ESTNBATv
Tuesday: Minnesota @ Chicago 8:00PM EST ESPN, OKC @ Portland 10:30PM EST ESPN
Wednesday: Indiana @ Miami 7:00PM EST ESPN, Boston @ San Antonio 9:30PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Chicago @ Milwaukee 8:00PM EST TNT, New York @ Golden State 10:30PM EST TNT
Friday: L.A. Lakers @ Philadelphia 8:00PM EST ESPN,Dallas @ Utah 10:30PM EST ESPN
Saturday: No televised games.
Sunday: Sacramento @ Dallas 7:00PM EST NBATv

NBA News

Westbrook's triple-double streak ends at 7: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1826 ... on-celtics

Flannery, "Welcome to the Raptors' Golden Age" - http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/12/11/ ... hootaround

Melo is skeptical that the new CBA will be done before Thursday's deadline: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/12/11/ ... lo-anthony

Learning to live with the inevitable in the NBA: https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/l ... -in-review

Season hasn't turned out as expected but Wizards showing signs: http://www.nba.com/article/2016/12/12/m ... sf46222845

Editor's note: Does anyone else listen to the Bill Simmons Podcast and refer to them as the Washington Wiz-Ards all the time now?

[Mori Chu]

Thanks, carey! A few thoughts on the standings today:

- Wow, the Knicks are tied for 3rd in the East. Pretty shocked by that. Porzingis is the real deal.

- It sure looks like the Bucks are going to find a way into the East's top 8, too.

- Memphis is playing better than they have any right to be. They just beat the Warriors and sit nicely in the 4-5 range with a 17-8 record. Great coaching and savvy veterans with a bona fide star/leader in Marc Gasol.

- Russell Westbrook had 7 triple-doubles in a row. That's ... impressive.

- The West's top 8 already looks fairly set. The Lakers and Nuggets are starting to fall far behind the 7-8 teams' records.

- Our Suns sit as the 3rd worst team in the West, and most would predict the Wolves will pass us soon. That leaves us better than only the decrepit Mavericks. Ugh.

[Cap]

Speaking of the decrepit Mavs, poor Dirk has the worst per-game +/- in the league at -14.8. He has only played 5 games, though.

[carey]

Updated with D.A.'s column on the Washington Wizards and more.

[Superbone]

- Memphis is playing better than they have any right to be. They just beat the Warriors and sit nicely in the 4-5 range with a 17-8 record. Great coaching and savvy veterans with a bona fide star/leader in Marc Gasol.

I guess everybody panning that coaching change was wrong.

[carey]

- Memphis is playing better than they have any right to be. They just beat the Warriors and sit nicely in the 4-5 range with a 17-8 record. Great coaching and savvy veterans with a bona fide star/leader in Marc Gasol.

I guess everybody panning that coaching change was wrong.

The Grizzdales (or Fizzlies, whichever you prefer) are over performing more than any team in the league. I'm impressed. No $30M man. No Mr. Microfracture. Fizdale is doing a hell of a job.

[O_Gardino]

And Deyonta Davis is playing pretty well for them in limited minutes.

[Split T]

Troy Williams is giving them quality minutes as well. We should have signed him off our summer league team.

[UglyTruth]

- Memphis is playing better than they have any right to be. They just beat the Warriors and sit nicely in the 4-5 range with a 17-8 record. Great coaching and savvy veterans with a bona fide star/leader in Marc Gasol.

I guess everybody panning that coaching change was wrong.

Fizdale was an experienced assistant coach who was very well respected throughout the NBA. He wasn't an unknown/ZERO coaching experience guy like Earl Watson who just got handed the HC keys one day.

[Danimal]

Troy Williams is giving them quality minutes as well. We should have signed him off our summer league team.

he really has. Its sad that a vet team like the grizz can give him time and see him produce, but a supposedly rebuilding team like ours feels its best to invest in Tucker. We've got our priorities so very wrong

[Superbone]

Dragic with 34 tonight in a win over the Wizards. Pretty efficient too on 14/23 shooting.

[Ring_Wanted]

Dragic with 34 tonight in a win over the Wizards. Pretty efficient too on 14/23 shooting.

Quietly putting up his second best season, although not unexpected given the lack of talent in Miami. Anyway, I think Riley is not going to let those picks he sent us turn into great tangible assets, and deliberately sucking this year (and ovbiously doing well in this allegedly strong draft) is going to play a major role in that.

[ShelC]

I was at the game and Dragic was on, but he wasn't dominating or taking over until the end it felt like. Wall and Beal had good games as well but don't really play off of each other. It's more like your turn, my turn. The Wizards...there's talent there but no energy or juice. There just kind of out there playing. Wall isn't a leader and for all his talent, just doesn't seem motivated to want to take his team to the next level. The Heat don't have a lot of talent but have guys that play hard and execute. After Dragic, their 2nd option seems to be posting up Whiteside, who isn't a good who should be getting a ton of touches in the post. He's not terrible, but they post him up and throw him the ball like he's TimmyD. He ain't TimmyD.

[JustWinBaby]

- Memphis is playing better than they have any right to be. They just beat the Warriors and sit nicely in the 4-5 range with a 17-8 record. Great coaching and savvy veterans with a bona fide star/leader in Marc Gasol.

I guess everybody panning that coaching change was wrong.

Fizdale was an experienced assistant coach who was very well respected throughout the NBA. He wasn't an unknown/ZERO coaching experience guy like Earl Watson who just got handed the HC keys one day.

Yep, those blood transfusions coach Watson received from John Wooden seem to be wearing off.
He was a loser as a player and is a loser as a head coach. This is exactly what I expected. What is amazing is how most of you guys seem to think he is doing a fine job.
The Suns are unwatchable, again.

I just cannot wait to watch Tucker and Dudley play every night. They are such magnificent role models for the younger players. They have made all the difference in the world. I expect this will be the last stop for both of those guys. Why didn't we go after Boris Diaw? He actually knows how to play the game and makes other guys better.

Robert Sarver - the worst owner in sports history.

[Mori Chu]

The one thing about the Grizz that I don't envy is that Mike Conley contract. Biggest in the NBA, isn't it? Seems a bit off to me.

[Ring_Wanted]

Yep, those blood transfusions coach Watson received from John Wooden seem to be wearing off.
He was a loser as a player and is a loser as a head coach. This is exactly what I expected. What is amazing is how most of you guys seem to think he is doing a fine job.
The Suns are unwatchable, again.

I just cannot wait to watch Tucker and Dudley play every night. They are such magnificent role models for the younger players. They have made all the difference in the world. I expect this will be the last stop for both of those guys. Why didn't we go after Boris Diaw? He actually knows how to play the game and makes other guys better.

Robert Sarver - the worst owner in sports history.

Yo Dudley is far from a problem. Haven't you seem he is one of the very few out there that willingly and aptly shares the ball and is not unselfish? The issue is drafting two PFs basically because you couldn't make a decision on hoops vs skill. I'm not mad, though. Diaw would be awful for this team, as he is a player who lets himself go. My sarcasmometer works well, by the way haha.

[In2ition]

I just cannot wait to watch Tucker and Dudley play every night. They are such magnificent role models for the younger players. They have made all the difference in the world. I expect this will be the last stop for both of those guys. Why didn't we go after Boris Diaw? He actually knows how to play the game and makes other guys better.

Robert Sarver - the worst owner in sports history.

That would have been a good signing. Ball movement...what a concept...It's unprecedented...

[Ring_Wanted]

The one thing about the Grizz that I don't envy is that Mike Conley contract. Biggest in the NBA, isn't it? Seems a bit off to me.

It's indeed huge, but if you look at it from their standpoint, Gasol+Conley+Zbo equals playoffs and around 50 wins. I guess you couldn't fault them for taking comfort in telling to themselves that there are worse ways to spend NBA money.

[Mori Chu]

I think if you're a small-market team, you have to keep homegrown talent that wants to stay and play there, even if it means overpaying them a little. Having Conley and Gasol and the rest means playoffs every year and a longshot chance at a deep playoff run or title. Why not?

[Flagrant Fowl]

LOL. KJ is such a jackass.