Around the League: Week 2 11/2-11/8

[carey]

Week 1 is in the books. There are six undefeated teams: the Raptors, Pistons, Warriors, Clippers, Thunder and Timberwolves. There are nine at 0-3: the Nets, Hornets, Pacers, Bucks, Magic, Sixers, Lakers, Pelicans and Rockets.

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: Oklahoma City @ Houston 8:00PM EST NBATv, Memphis @ Golden State 10:30PM EST NBATv
Tuesday: Atlanta @ Miami 7:30PM EST NBATv, Denver @ Los Angeles Lakers 10:30PM EST NBATv
Wednesday: New York @ Cleveland 8:00PM EST ESPN, Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State 10:30PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Oklahoma City @ Chicago 8:00PM EST TNT, Memphis @ Portland 10:30PM EST TNT
Friday: Miami @ Indiana 8:00PM EST ESPN, Houston @ Sacramento 10:30PM ESPN
Saturday: Memphis @ Utah 9:00PM EST NBATv
Sunday: Nada

NBA News

I'm sure the Rockets will be fine, they have talented players. However, they've started the year off worse than any team ever with 3 losses by 20 or more points: LINK
Piece at the Guardian about Australia's basketball factory: LINK
Christmas uniforms this year come complete with socks: LINKS
Jeremy Lamb may be one of the few to sign an extension before tonight's midnight deadline: LINK
The Pelicans lose another player. Big Perk is out indefinitely with a pectoral injury: LINK

[Ring_Wanted]

People raving about those xmas jerseys but I don't dig them. Maybe a bit Cleveland's. Don't like the effect of non circular collar with that 50s font.

Jeremy Lamb better take the money and run.

[JCSunsfan]

Hmm. Marcus Morris is playing better for the Pistons right now than Markieff has EVER played for us. Good grief, he is even playing better that Alderidge.

19.3 ppg, 7.7 rb, 47% fg, 57% from 3. That can't continue, but he is on a mission. Too bad those two were such knuckleheads together.

[ShelC]

If he's given 33-35mpg, he'll settle in at around 16 and 5 on 44%FG and 38% from 3. That's my prediction.

[Ring_Wanted]

If nothing else, the better Marcus plays, the more inclined the Pistons should be to give up value to acquire Markieff.

[carey]

Hmm. Marcus Morris is player better for the Pistons right now than Markieff has EVER played for us.

Not sure I agree with it. His usage is pretty heavy. He played 42 minutes when he scored 26 but also 37 and 35 minutes when he scored 14 and 18.. We'll see if he keeps it up. He shot 40% from 3 for us for most of the season before a cold stretch last year, but the problem with him is he was always an iso player that was a ball stopper. Kind of similar to his brother but he did it on the perimeter. Maybe Stan has reached him and changed his game? I have not watched the Pistons play.

[JCSunsfan]

Hmm. Marcus Morris is player better for the Pistons right now than Markieff has EVER played for us.

Not sure I agree with it. His usage is pretty heavy. He played 42 minutes when he scored 26 but also 37 and 35 minutes when he scored 14 and 18.. We'll see if he keeps it up. He shot 40% from 3 for us for most of the season before a cold stretch last year, but the problem with him is he was always an iso player that was a ball stopper. Kind of similar to his brother but he did it on the perimeter. Maybe Stan has reached him and changed his game? I have not watched the Pistons play.

Van Gundy seems to be able to make use of his iso skills within their offense though. His numbers will fall back. No one shoots over 50% from three for long. He is must motivated and aggressive while Markieff pouts. The Suns were sure in a no win situation with that one.

[JCSunsfan]

If nothing else, the better Marcus plays, the more inclined the Pistons should be to give up value to acquire Markieff.

Not a chance. They know these players are better apart than together. Everyone in the league knows that I am sure. When they were on the court together they could not be fully effective in the offense because they preferred one another. Off the court, well, it was knucklehead city.

The events of the last year have pretty much guaranteed they will never play together again, except maybe in some sentimental capacity at the end of their career.

Marcus' 3 pt shooting is something we will miss though.

[carey]

https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/661212061192626177

[Ring_Wanted]

If nothing else, the better Marcus plays, the more inclined the Pistons should be to give up value to acquire Markieff.

Not a chance. They know these players are better apart than together. Everyone in the league knows that I am sure. When they were on the court together they could not be fully effective in the offense because they preferred one another. Off the court, well, it was knucklehead city.

The events of the last year have pretty much guaranteed they will never play together again, except maybe in some sentimental capacity at the end of their career.

Marcus' 3 pt shooting is something we will miss though.

People also believed nobody could want Marcus. Detroit has always taken pride in toughness. They won't give up Stanley but if they are doing well, I don't think it would take much for them to talk themselves into adding a bargain contract at a position of need.

[Mori Chu]

That Lamb extension is fine. It sounds like a lot of money (3 years, $21m) but apparently that will be like 7% of the cap that year. That is, shockingly, a below-median NBA salary for its duration.

[pickle]

only problem is that as a promising young player with excellent size and length for his position, lamb hasn't figured out anything so far in his career.

[Superbone]

You know the Rockets are struggling when they're starting Marcus Thorton.

[Superbone]

Wow. They just said Harden is shooting 9% from three so far this season. 3 for 34 or something like that.

[Cap]

When you're shooting 9%, you maybe shouldn't be attempting 10+ per game.

[carey]

The Kardashian curse.

[JCSunsfan]

Drummond with 25 and 29 against Indiana in a loss. Wow.

[LazarusLong]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/m ... 67095.html

Hope Gerald Green is OK. He was taken to a hospital after somewhat bizarre incident.

[Mori Chu]

Watching Spurs - Wiz. Close and good game. I really like Washington this year. I see them as the #2 East team behind Cleveland.

[pickle]

i'm not sure what the rules are for these news threads. i think this is an interesting read, and i haven't seen it elsewhere, so here goes...



this is not far off from fantasy basketball i guess, which means i'm ignoring the team names and only reading the draft orders. feels like some of the general managers haven't really fully understood the rules of the game, otherwise it's pretty hard to justify wiggins at #26. and i find it interesting that popovich got drafted in the second round, which represents a 30 spot drop from last year.

i have other comments but don't want to turn this into a long post...