Around the NBA: Week 5 (11/18 - 11/24)

[ShelC]

Nationally televised games this week
Tuesday, Nov 19th
Cavaliers @ Celtics at 7:00PM EST on TNT - IST Game
Thunder @ Spurs at 9:30PM EST on TNT - IST Game

Wednesday, Nov 20th
Bulls @ Bucks at 7:30PM EST on ESPN
Knicks @ Suns at 10:00PM EST on ESPN

Friday, Nov 22nd
Warriors @ Pelicans at 7:30PM EST on ESPN - IST Game
Mavs @ Nuggets at 10:00PM EST on ESPN - IST Game

NBA News
'Inside the NBA' to appear on ESPN, ABC next season
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/424 ... ext-season

Lakers to honor ex-coach Pat Riley with statue outside arena
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/424 ... atue-arena

The offseason plan fueling the Cleveland Cavaliers to the top of the NBA
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/424 ... rs-top-nba

Power Rankings

NBA.com
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2024-25-week-5

#12 Phoenix Suns
Last Week:5↓
Record: 9-5

OffRtg: 112.3 (16) DefRtg: 113.4 (14) NetRtg: -1.1 (17) Pace: 98.5 (22)

The Suns are 1-4 without Kevin Durant, with the only win having come against the last-place Jazz.

Three takeaways

The Suns had 40 free throw attempts in Oklahoma City on Friday, but the loss was still their worst offensive performance (83 points on 96 possessions) in the last five seasons. Their effective field goal percentage of 35.3% was the lowest mark for any team in any game this season. Devin Booker was 2-for-10 (0-for-6 in the first half) and his season-long effective field goal percentage of 51.0% would be his lowest mark in the last seven seasons.

Overall, the bigger difference from their games with Durant in uniform has been on defense, where the Suns have allowed 117.9 points per 100 possessions over these last five games. Sandwiching the Oklahoma City loss were games in which the Kings and Wolves combined to shoot 66% inside the arc and 48% from deep.

Bradley Beal has also missed the last three games, and the Suns have now been outscored by 8.9 points per 100 possessions in 174 minutes with Booker on the floor without either Beal or Durant. They started both Mason Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkić on Sunday and were actually a plus-5 in less than 10 minutes with the two bigs on the floor together.

The Suns’ rest-disadvantage game against the Magic on Monday is the end of their first stretch of five games in seven days. But it’s also the start of their longest homestand of the season (six games over 16 days), with a five-day break after their game against the Knicks on Wednesday.

Week 5: vs. ORL, vs. NYK

ClutchPoints
https://clutchpoints.com/nba-power-rank ... ack-clocks

12. Phoenix Suns (-7)

Record: 9-5 | Last Week's Schedule: at UTA (W8), at SAC (L23), at OKC (L16), at MIN (L3)

Upcoming schedule: vs. ORL (11/18), vs. NYK (11/20)

Not having Kevin Durant is beginning to take its toll on Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns. Without Durant, Booker has looked tired and out of sync offensively. A 31-point game against the Jazz and a 44-point game against the Timberwolves this past week is overshadowed by 18-point and 12-point games against the Kings and Thunder, respectively. Although rookie Ryan Dunn and veteran Royce O'Neale have played well on the wing, there is no replacing Durant and what he means to this team. Until the superstar returns from his calf injury, Phoenix will be a very beatable team in the West.

[bajanguy008]

[bajanguy008]

Big showdown with Cavs v Celtics tonight
I have peeped a couple of the Cavs games and look who's a constant off the bench and actually a crowd favorite
Good for him

[Mori Chu]

Wow, great for Ty Jerome! I liked him when he was here, but he didn't show those same skills yet. He's really worked on his game; he looks so confident, so aggressive. His defense is much improved, and he has a great herky-jerky game with hesitation. That was a fun highlight reel to watch.

[ShelC]

I haven't seen the Cavs yet so I'll be watching tonight. I really like Kenny and it's no surprise he has the Cavs playing so well. I still think they have holes in the roster that need to be addressed so they might be a really great regular season team that gets taken out early in the postseason again.

And glad to see Jerome figure it out. Sometimes it just takes guys a few years and a couple different teams to make it click.

[bajanguy008]

Honestly I don't have issues with League Pass
Maybe being outside the US helps with blackouts and that stuff but yeah I usually always skip any posts with Arenas says.....



But know this is a frustration many share

[Gladiator]

Knecht has 37 points for the Lakers on 15 FGA against the Jazz.
9/11 on 3 pointers

[Wally_West]

Yeah, Lakers got a real one with Knecht. *sigh*

[TOO]

Teams drafting dudes because they are 19 with untapped "potential" and not 23 with an SEC POY award will never make sense to me. Most GMs won't see that 19yo flourish anyway. Just sucks balls he landed with LAL, him and Reaves cooking dudes while looking like they shop at Tractor Supply is hilarious.

[Kryptonic]

Teams drafting dudes because they are 19 with untapped "potential" and not 23 with an SEC POY award will never make sense to me. Most GMs won't see that 19yo flourish anyway. Just sucks balls he landed with LAL, him and Reaves cooking dudes while looking like they shop at Tractor Supply is hilarious.

You know who’s really hating this? Utah.

[Wally_West]

No west contending teams. Please let his ass stay the East

[TOO]

No west contending teams. Please let his ass stay the East

Can't wait til the Lakers get him for Max Christie and 7 packs of socks.

[Wally_West]

Call it in to the Commissioner


Lakers: Big Dick Nurk, Thybulle

Blazers: Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Gabe Vincent


Suns: Robert Williams, Cam Reddish

[Superbone]

► Show Spoiler

Call it in to the Commissioner


Lakers: Big Dick Nurk, Thybulle

Blazers: Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Gabe Vincent


Suns: Robert Williams, Cam Reddish

Isn't Robert Williams the guy who is injured all the time?

[Split T]

Yes he is

[Wally_West]

I mean…he’s healthy and playing right now lol

[Superbone]

I mean…he’s healthy and playing right now lol

Cool! Then he'd fit right into our injury rotation. Perfect.

[Mori Chu]

Let's trade Grayson Allen for Cam Johnson.

[Split T]

I would consider that if the money worked. I also am hoping Grayson figures out how to shoot with his newly added bulk.

[TOO]

Grazin' Allen has been quite a drag.