Monday: New York @ Brooklyn 8:00 PM EST ESPN, L.A. Lakers @ Golden State 10:30 PM EST ESPN
Tuesday: Utah @ Boston 7:30 PM EST TNT, New Orleans @ Portland 10:00 PM EST TNT
Wednesday: Milwaukee @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM EST ESPN, L.A. Clippers @ Dallas 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Utah @ Washington 7:00 PM EST NBATv, Charlotte @ L.A. Lakers 10:30 NBATv
Friday: Dallas @ Portland 8:00 PM EST NBATv
Saturday: Golden State @ Memphis 8:00 PM EST NBATv
Sunday: Washington @ Brooklyn 7:00 PM EST NBATv, L.A. Lakers @ Phoenix 10:00 PM EST NBATv
NBA News
Shocking! NBA probe finds no proof of bigoted remark by Utah Jazz exec Dennis Lindsey toward Elijah Millsap - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/310 ... ah-millsap
Kawhi Leonard says LA Clippers' inconsistency 'very concerning' after rout by New Orleans Pelicans - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/310 ... s-pelicans
James Harden passes Larry Bird on NBA's all-time scoring list, posts a triple-double in Brookyn Nets' win - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/310 ... n-nets-win
Power Rankings Roundup
I don't really understand how a single loss drops us 3 to 4 spots in some of these rankings considering how long it took us to climb in the things.
NBA Power Rankings: The Brooklyn Nets aren't slowing down; the Charlotte Hornets are making a push - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/310 ... aking-push
NBA Power Rankings: Nets take top spot from Jazz; 76ers rise despite Joel Embiid injury; Heat keep winning - https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba- ... p-winning/#3 Suns - One of the keys that has helped vault Phoenix to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference standings has been the Suns' ability to win away from home. As of Sunday night, the Suns are tied with the Lakers with a league-best .722 winning percentage in road games. In their first game back after the All-Star break, the Suns carried those winning ways into Portland, as Devin Booker dropped 35 in his return from a knee injury that kept him out of the All-Star Game. -- Lopez
Power Rankings, Week 13: Nets, Sixers and Lakers hold Top 5 spots despite key injuries - https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-13#5 Suns - The Suns beat the Blazers in their first game after the break, then saw their five-game winning streak get snapped in a home loss to the Pacers. Devin Booker scored 35 points and dished out eight assists in the win over Portland, while Dario Saric continued his impressive play off the bench, averaging 14 points and five rebounds on 61 percent shooting in 25 minutes per game.
Nets, Bucks and Sixers top NBA Power Rankings: Plus each team’s season goal and trade deadline duty - https://theathletic.com/2434473/2021/03 ... line-duty/#3 Suns - The Suns aren’t used to playing from far behind. But they faced double-digit deficits in each of their first two games out of the break. Their bench did its thing (winning its minutes) in Portland on Thursday, sparking a 35-14 stretch that turned an 11-point deficit (late in the third quarter) into a 10-point lead and a six-point win. Over the last couple of weeks, Dario Saric has added some consistent offensive production (15.0 points per game on 57% shooting over the last five) to his plus-minus magic. And on a pair of occasions (one, two) late in that win on Thursday, he was able to take advantage of mismatches when the Blazers blitzed Devin Booker pick-and-rolls.
There was another run to start the fourth quarter on Saturday, but the Suns had buried themselves in too big of a hole (20 points) against the Pacers. Their 111 points on 105 possessions was their worst offensive performance since late January.
Thanks to that bench, the Suns have the best point differential (+2.2 points per game) in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. And the 111 minutes that they’ve trailed by double-digits is still the league’s lowest total. Their five-game homestand continues this week and concludes with one of their most important games – Sunday against the Lakers – of the second-half schedule.
#6 Suns - Weekly slate: Win at Blazers, Loss to Pacers
What’s the realistic goal? Make the second round of the playoffs.
The tricky part of this with the Phoenix Suns is the goal maybe should be loftier after this latest turn in the season. The Suns are charging toward the one seed. They’re above both Los Angeles teams in the standings. Whatever reasons and context get attached to that, it will naturally change what the goal or the expectation is for them — both externally and internally. For realistic goals? Getting out of the first round of the playoffs will undoubtedly be the new bar for them, even though the Suns haven’t been to the postseason since 2010. Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Monty Williams have this team surging, and it changes goals.
Do they need an acquisition to accomplish that? I think they could use another veteran but don’t need one. Last season’s Aron Baynes on this current version of the Suns would be a great addition. I just want someone better in the big man rotation than Frank Kaminsky, who has been fine but could be better.