Around the League: Week 9 2/15-2/21

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: Houston @ Washington 7:00 PM EST NBATv, Miami @ L.A. Clippers 10:00 PM EST NBATv
Tuesday: New Orleans @ Memphis 7:30 PM EST TNT, Brooklyn @ Phoenix 10:00 PM EST TNT
Wednesday: Houston @ Philadelphia 7:30 PM EST ESPN, Miami @ Golden State 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Toronto @ Milwaukee 7:30 PM ESTTNT, Brooklyn @ L.A. Lakers 10:00 PM EST TNT
Friday: Chicago @ Philadelphia 7:30 PM EST ESPN, Utah @ L.A. Clippers 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: San Antonio @ New York 1:00 PM EST NBATv, Miami @ L.A. Lakers 8:30 PM EST ABC
Sunday: Boston @ New Orleans 3:30 PM EST ABC, Brooklyn @ L.A. Clippers PM EST ESPN

NBA News

KOC casts some ALL-Star ballots & the 17-9 Suns only get Paul as a wildcard - https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/15 ... s-reserves

The 2021 NBA Trade-Season Primer - https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/10 ... adley-beal

Jalen Green, from Nowhere, USA, to the top of the NBA draft (ESPN+) - https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/ ... -nba-draft

Sources: Cleveland Cavaliers won't play Andre Drummond, will try to trade star center before deadline - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/309 ... r-deadline

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant to miss at least two games with hamstring strain - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/309 ... ing-strain

Even Dame is tired of the shit officiating -


Don't dunk on Valanciunas -


Power Rankings Roundup

NBA Power Rankings: Utah Jazz top the charts, Kevin Durant wins in the Bay Area - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/308 ... s-bay-area

#5 - Suns The Suns have won nine of their past 10 games and are on a six-game winning streak after Sunday's win over the Magic. The current run is tied for their second-longest such streak in the past 10 seasons, behind only last season's 8-0 bubble performance. Devin Booker has been on fire the past four games, averaging 32.3 points while shooting 56.3% overall. He had three consecutive games of at least 30 points for the first time this season and started Sunday's game outscoring Orlando by himself in the first quarter (17-16) before finishing with 27. -- Lopez

NBA Power Rankings: Red-hot Jazz clear No. 1; Lakers drop after lackluster week; Suns, Blazers making moves - https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba- ... ing-moves/

#3 - Suns The Suns won all four games this week, making it six in a row and eight of their last nine. It's safe to say this team has found its stride, evident in big wins over the Bucks and 76ers. Devin Booker exploded this week, averaging 32.3 points on 48 percent 3-point shooting, while Chris Paul put up 19.3 points and 8.7 assists on 57 percent from deep. Phoenix also added another weapon with the return of Dario Saric, who scored 15 points in 20 minutes and was a plus-18 against his former Sixers.

Power Rankings, Week 9: Jazz jump Lakers for No. 1 spot; Suns enter Top 5 - https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-9

#4 - Suns The Suns have won nine of their last 10 games and picked up a couple of more Ws for the resume last week. They scored 126 points per 100 possessions over their wins over the Bucks and Sixers, perhaps demonstrating that it’s good to be a jump-shooting team against Defensive Player of the Year candidates whose primary concern is protecting the rim. The Suns shot 40-for-70 (57%) from between the restricted area and the 3-point line and 25-for-56 (45%) from 3-point range over the two games. For the season, Chris Paul (52.2%) and Devin Booker (50.8%) are two of the 11 players who have shot better than 50% on at least 100 shots between the restricted area and the 3-point line. (“Analytics” would not tell them to stop shooting from the mid-range.)

The Suns’ defense has suffered a little bit of slippage, but their bench, with Dario Saric returning to face his former team, came up big in the win over Philly. They outscored the Sixers, 47-31, in a little more than 17 minutes with Saric, Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson on the floor together.

The Suns have the third best record (7-4) in games played between the 14 teams that are currently at or above .500. And on Tuesday, they’ll host a team that’s tied for the best record (9-3) in those games.

NBA Power Rankings Week 9: Clippers climb, plus trade targets for every team - https://theathletic.com/2375626/2021/02 ... ba-trades/

#4 - Suns Trade target idea: Mason Plumlee

I know the Phoenix Suns don’t really need to have a traditional big man behind Deandre Ayton most nights, but this team needs to start making sure it has an answer for every team in the postseason. Rolling out there with Frank Kaminsky as the other center isn’t going to cut it. With Plumlee, the Suns would have an athletic big man behind Ayton, and one who can give them quite a bit defensively. Against teams like the Lakers and Denver, that is extremely necessary. Plumlee isn’t an easy contract for the Suns to match without giving up their young guys they want to keep. So you’re probably looking at something like Kaminsky, E’Twaun Moore and Langston Galloway to make the contracts work. But there might need to be a second-round pick involved too.

Why are they ranked here? Two easy wins and two great wins for the Suns this week. Most impressively? That game against Philly. Ben Simmons made life hell for Devin Booker for like a quarter, then Booker cooked one of the best defenders in the league.

[In2ition]

Power Rankings Roundup

NBA Power Rankings: Utah Jazz top the charts, Kevin Durant wins in the Bay Area - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/308 ... s-bay-area

#5 - Suns The Suns have won nine of their past 10 games and are on a six-game winning streak after Sunday's win over the Magic. The current run is tied for their second-longest such streak in the past 10 seasons, behind only last season's 8-0 bubble performance. Devin Booker has been on fire the past four games, averaging 32.3 points while shooting 56.3% overall. He had three consecutive games of at least 30 points for the first time this season and started Sunday's game outscoring Orlando by himself in the first quarter (17-16) before finishing with 27. -- Lopez

NBA Power Rankings: Red-hot Jazz clear No. 1; Lakers drop after lackluster week; Suns, Blazers making moves - https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba- ... ing-moves/

#3 - Suns The Suns won all four games this week, making it six in a row and eight of their last nine. It's safe to say this team has found its stride, evident in big wins over the Bucks and 76ers. Devin Booker exploded this week, averaging 32.3 points on 48 percent 3-point shooting, while Chris Paul put up 19.3 points and 8.7 assists on 57 percent from deep. Phoenix also added another weapon with the return of Dario Saric, who scored 15 points in 20 minutes and was a plus-18 against his former Sixers.

Power Rankings, Week 9: Jazz jump Lakers for No. 1 spot; Suns enter Top 5 - https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-9

#4 - Suns The Suns have won nine of their last 10 games and picked up a couple of more Ws for the resume last week. They scored 126 points per 100 possessions over their wins over the Bucks and Sixers, perhaps demonstrating that it’s good to be a jump-shooting team against Defensive Player of the Year candidates whose primary concern is protecting the rim. The Suns shot 40-for-70 (57%) from between the restricted area and the 3-point line and 25-for-56 (45%) from 3-point range over the two games. For the season, Chris Paul (52.2%) and Devin Booker (50.8%) are two of the 11 players who have shot better than 50% on at least 100 shots between the restricted area and the 3-point line. (“Analytics” would not tell them to stop shooting from the mid-range.)

The Suns’ defense has suffered a little bit of slippage, but their bench, with Dario Saric returning to face his former team, came up big in the win over Philly. They outscored the Sixers, 47-31, in a little more than 17 minutes with Saric, Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson on the floor together.

The Suns have the third best record (7-4) in games played between the 14 teams that are currently at or above .500. And on Tuesday, they’ll host a team that’s tied for the best record (9-3) in those games.

NBA Power Rankings Week 9: Clippers climb, plus trade targets for every team - https://theathletic.com/2375626/2021/02 ... ba-trades/

#4 - Suns Trade target idea: Mason Plumlee

I know the Phoenix Suns don’t really need to have a traditional big man behind Deandre Ayton most nights, but this team needs to start making sure it has an answer for every team in the postseason. Rolling out there with Frank Kaminsky as the other center isn’t going to cut it. With Plumlee, the Suns would have an athletic big man behind Ayton, and one who can give them quite a bit defensively. Against teams like the Lakers and Denver, that is extremely necessary. Plumlee isn’t an easy contract for the Suns to match without giving up their young guys they want to keep. So you’re probably looking at something like Kaminsky, E’Twaun Moore and Langston Galloway to make the contracts work. But there might need to be a second-round pick involved too.

Why are they ranked here? Two easy wins and two great wins for the Suns this week. Most impressively? That game against Philly. Ben Simmons made life hell for Devin Booker for like a quarter, then Booker cooked one of the best defenders in the league.

Should add Bleacher Report's Power Rankings in this. It has the Suns at #2.

[carey]

Should add Bleacher Report's Power Rankings in this. It has the Suns at #2.

Ok, sorry. Feel free to post any other power rankings that I miss.

[In2ition]

Should add Bleacher Report's Power Rankings in this. It has the Suns at #2.

Ok, sorry. Feel free to post any other power rankings that I miss.

No worries. Btw, I like your new avatar.

[Indy]

Blake asked out of Detroit.

[jonh]

Blake asked out of Detroit.

I know its petty, but I would love it if the Suns made it seem like we were interested to dry out the market for Griffin, and then back out at the last minute before the trade deadline and pursue a different player.

[Split T]

I’m not sure Blake is all that useful anymore...is there a team we’d be worried about acquiring him? Who needs an oft injured backup 4, who doesn’t really rebound or defend? He can still be good on offense, but not sure where he fits on a good team.

[Mori Chu]

Blake asked out of Detroit.

I know its petty, but I would love it if the Suns made it seem like we were interested to dry out the market for Griffin, and then back out at the last minute before the trade deadline and pursue a different player.

Yeah, then let's trade with BKN for DeAndre Jordan. Reunite the old Clips! Limp City, baby!

[MightyMoog]

I don't think this team should be making any trades. The way the salaries are, we'd have to trade Saric and/or Crowder. I don't think there is anyone out there I'd rather have than those two right now. I'd love to see us just sign another veteran big off the buyout market though.

[bajanguy008]

Been a while since this happened but here we go

[jonh]

Blake asked out of Detroit.

I know its petty, but I would love it if the Suns made it seem like we were interested to dry out the market for Griffin, and then back out at the last minute before the trade deadline and pursue a different player.

Yeah, then let's trade with BKN for DeAndre Jordan. Reunite the old Clips! Limp City, baby!

Could open up Viagra as a sponsor for the team.

[Superbone]

Don't dunk on Valanciunas -

How about don't straddle him?

[In2ition]

Don't dunk on Valanciunas -

How about don't straddle him?

Exactly. You want to do that to embarrass him, expect to get bucked off.

[Cap]

Am I the only one who thinks V was in the wrong? It was dangerous and unnecessary.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin on the same team again would be one of the strangest things of the season. Not a chance in hell it happens.

[In2ition]

Am I the only one who thinks V was in the wrong? It was dangerous and unnecessary.

If he would have continued to hold his legs after he let go of the rim and went head first to the ground, I would have to agree with you.

[Mori Chu]

Am I the only one who thinks V was in the wrong? It was dangerous and unnecessary.

I agree. The dunk and teabagging were frustrating, I'm sure. And the dunker seemed to linger a bit too long while attached to Valanciunas. But there's no excuse for taking a guy 5-6 feet in the air and pile driving him into the floor. This isn't WWE here. He could have seriously injured the guy. Feels like it merits a suspension to me. If you want to give the other guy a flagrant for the teabagging, fine, but you don't escalate like that.

[Indy]

I think it can be wrong of V to do per the rules, and also the absolute right thing to do as a player. You don't let a player show boat like that without having a consequence. It isn't like he just wagged a finger or something. He hung there and then threw his nuts in your face.

[Nodack]

It didn’t seem like he needed to wrap his legs around V. It seemed like he was just being a dick. V escalated the situation and could have injured him. I hope they both learned a lesson.

That reminds me of when Danny Bonaduce flipped Jonny Fairplay.

[ShelC]

I'd put JV up there with Steve Adams as a guy you probably shouldn't antagonize or start some beef with.

That's just me tho.