Monday:
Tuesday: L.A. Lakers @ NOLA 7:30 PM EST TNT, Philadelphia @ Golden State 10:00 PM EST TNT
Wednesday: Boston @ Milwaukee 7:30 PM EST ESPN, Brooklyn @ Utah 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Portland @ Miami 7:30 PM EST NBATv, Philadelphia @ L.A. Lakers 10:30 NBATv
Friday: Boston @ Milwaukee 7:30 PM EST ESPN, Atlanta @ Golden State 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: Philadelphia @ L.A. Clippers 10:00 PM EST NBATv
Sunday: Atlanta @ Denver 9:00 PM EST NBATv
NBA News
Los Angeles Lakers star and former LA Clippers exec Elgin Baylor dies at 86 - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/311 ... or-dies-86
2021 NBA trade deadline: What should and will happen this week - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/311 ... appen-week
USC’s Evan Mobley is getting closer to his NBA dream - https://theundefeated.com/features/usc- ... nba-dream/
College players are no longer settling for being on the sports plantation - https://theundefeated.com/features/coll ... planation/
Is John Collins Worth It? - https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/3/22 ... e-deadline
The Latest Intel Heading Into NBA Trade Deadline Week - https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/3/21 ... hn-collins
Power Rankings Roundup
NBA Power Rankings: What LeBron James' injury means for our latest update, plus a new No. 1 rises - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/311 ... no-1-rises
NBA Power Rankings: Lakers tumble after LeBron James injury, Nets stay No. 1 as trade deadline nears - https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba- ... ine-nears/#4 Suns - In Sunday's game against the Lakers, Suns point guard Chris Paul joined an exclusive club. With his ninth assist, Paul became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career assists, joining John Stockton (15,806), Jason Kidd (12,091), Steve Nash (10,335), Mark Jackson (10,334) and Magic Johnson (10,141). At his current average, Paul will pass Johnson later this season. -- Lopez
NBA Power Rankings: Will There Be Any Fireworks Before the Trade Deadline? - https://www.si.com/nba/2021/03/23/nba-p ... ine-rumors#5 Suns - The Suns had a slight blip on the radar when they allowed 42 points to rookie Anthony Edwards in a loss to the Wolves, but won their three other games this week to continue their march toward the top of the Western Conference standings. Devin Booker got loose for 26 points per game this week while the bench made major contributions behind Langston Galloway and Cameron Payne. New addition Torrey Craig got into his first game in Sunday's win over the Lakers, and could carve out a rotation role with his defensive ability.
Power Rankings, Week 14: Bucks climb to No. 2 as trade deadline looms - https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-14#5 Suns - Life has to be pretty good for Cameron Johnson right now. Phoenix’s second year forward is earning significant minutes for a fringe Finals contender after being a late lottery selection in 2019, and he has a pretty plum gig in the context of the Suns’ roster. While Mikal Bridges spends nights chasing opponents’ best wings for significant stretches, Johnson is a simple spacer, getting hidden defensively as he bombs open threes on the other end. Johnson has made the 12th most threes defined as “wide open” per NBA data, hitting those triples at a solid 41.8 percent clip. Playing alongside Chris Paul and Devin Booker certainly has its benefits, especially for a player of Johnson’s skill-set.
NBA Power Rankings: Bucks move into top spot, plus who’s been ballin’ lately for each team? - https://theathletic.com/2450411/2021/03 ... each-team/#4 Suns - There are two teams that rank in the bottom five in both free throw rate and the percentage of their shots that have come in the restricted area. One of the two is the Orlando Magic (27th and 30th), who rank 27th in offensive efficiency. The other is the Suns (30th and 27th), who rank eighth offensively, making up for their lack of layups and free throws by taking care of the ball and shooting well away from the basket.
In their first of two meetings with the Wolves last week, the Suns were outscored, 68-38, on restricted-area buckets and free throws. They shot well from the perimeter, but turned the ball over 22 times and couldn’t make up that 30-point discrepancy. They blew an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead, and when they had a chance to tie in the final minute, Devin Booker lost the ball and Chris Paul missed a three.
The Suns are still 20-5 since late January. And they’re not the only Western Conference playoff team that doesn’t get to the rim or the line a lot. The Nuggets (23rd), Mavs (24th), Blazers (26th), Jazz (27th) and Clippers (29th) all rank in the bottom eight in points per game from restricted-area buckets or free throws. It’s a jump-shooting conference and the Lakers are the exception to the rule.
Their last four losses have come at home. They’ve won their last six road games, with a four-game tip starting Tuesday in Miami.
#7 Suns - Who is ballin’ lately? Mikal Bridges
We know the Phoenix Suns are incredibly deep, and they’re playing some of the best basketball in the NBA. They don’t require these heroic efforts by their stars each night to win games. They just keep having players step up in their roles and contribute what needs to be done. One of those guys is Bridges. We know all about his exploits as a defender. He’ll clamp up the best of them most nights. Great scorers usually try to force switches to get him away from them. But Bridges is also a very good offensive player. His role is reduced a bit more than it would be on most teams, but his shot making in the last 10 games is stellar — 73.9 percent true shooting in his last 10 games! That doesn’t even make sense.
Why are they ranked here? They lose one spot in the rankings, despite a winning week, because they lost to Minnesota. Not a huge deal, but they shouldn’t slip up against them.