Despite recent injuries and the absence of the lineup, the Suns are still moving forward.
When we enter the 9th week of the NBA schedule, there are only 12 days before Christmas (and its five games on ABC and ESPN), which means there are only two days in the trading season.
On December 15, most of the players who signed new contracts last summer were eligible to be traded. This does not mean that something will happen on Wednesday, but it is certainly not impossible. As the team has a good understanding of their progress during the season, it is of course time to make a change.
Of course, all players qualified for the trade opened up possibilities for the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons. Obviously, Simmons will not play for the 76ers this season, so between now and the February 10 trade deadline, they must buy something for him and maximize their fight for the championship with Joel Embiid. chance.
It will be fascinating to see what they end up getting for him, when the deal happened, and how many teams the 76ers need in order for him to serve all parties.
On the court, the 76ers achieved the biggest victory of the season on Saturday, preventing Stephen Curry from making history on the court and pulling the Warriors from the number one position.
Positive and negative players this week
Pace: Number of possessions per 48 minutes (league ranking) OffRtg: Points per 100 possessions (league ranking) DefRtg: Allowable points per 100 possessions (league ranking) NetRtg: Score difference per 100 possessions (League ranking)
This season the league averaged 98.7 offenses per 48 minutes (per team), and 108.4 points per 100 offenses.
The NBA.com strength rankings released every Monday this season represent only personal opinions. If you have questions about rankings, or questions or comments about John Schuhmann, please email him or contact him via Twitter.
Record: 21-4 Speed: 100.9 (4) OffRtg: 110.3 (8) DefRtg: 103.6 (2) NetRtg: +6.6 (3)
Although the Suns have a 21-4 record and have a starting lineup that entered the Finals five months ago, the starting lineup this season is not particularly good. It only beats its opponents by 0.9 points per 100 rounds (only 3 points higher in 292 minutes), and ranks 22nd among 37 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. The last regular season was not completely dominant (plus 4.7 per 100).
But the Suns led 3-1 without Devin Booker (4-1 if you count his victory over the Warriors in the first half with his hamstring injury), and they were on Friday Defeated the Celtics (Boston's worst offensive performance since Week 1) without Booker and Deandre Ayton. Although the Suns’ starting lineup scored 110.5 points per 100 possessions, all other Suns’ lineups only scored 101.4 points. JaVale McGee came off the bench on Friday and scored 21 points (his highest score in 2 1/2 years), 15 rebounds and two blocks in just over 26 minutes. Among 37 players who have defended at least 100 times on the rim, he ranks third in rim protection points (behind Rudy Gobert and Giannis Antetokounmpo), and the Suns are in his presence. In this case, less than one point is scored for each possession.
The Suns have only played 7 games with the 14 teams that currently have a winning record (the other teams have played at least 9 games). Six of their next eight games are in the group, with the only exception being their visit to Portland on Tuesday, when they will be at a rest disadvantage.
Week 9: @LAC, @POR, and WAS, and CHA
Record: 21-5 Speed: 100.1 (7) OffRtg: 111.9 (4) DefRtg: 99.9 (1) NetRtg: +12.0 (1)
Stephen Curry seems to be human. He was not someone who hadn't been in the spotlight before, but as the hype surrounding him chasing the historical three-pointer record culminated last week, Curry's three-pointer percentage was only 9 of 31 (29%) against the Trail Blazers. The arc of the team and the 76ers. So he has 6 three-pointers from tying Ray Allen and 7 from keeping his record. Next stop: Indiana, only the Wizards (34%) allow opponents to make three-pointers lower than the Pacers (35%). The only player who made seven three-pointers in the game against Indiana this season was Ramello Ball on the opening night, but defending Curry is obviously different from anything the Pacers must do this season.
The Warriors led by 13 points in the third quarter on Saturday, but their defeat in Philadelphia was their first loss of less than 5 points in the final 5 minutes. In the past 15 days, they only ranked 22nd on the offensive end (107.8 points per 100 possessions), and their field goal percentage in the penalty area (24%, lower than the previous 30%) dropped significantly. The three-pointer record is the main topic, but the Warriors are now second in the Western Conference.
They have four more games on this trip to the East (two back-to-back), and the Pacers actually played better than the other three opponents.
Week 9: @IND, @NYK, @BOS, @TOR
Record: 19-7 Speed: 98.1 (20) OffRtg: 117.5 (1) DefRtg: 106.2 (6) NetRtg: +11.3 (2)
The Jazz seem to be part of their schedule, they are just destroying everything in front of them. They have won seven consecutive games, and five of the seven victories have scored more than 22 points. The Jazz are the only team to score more than 130 points per 100 possessions this season, and all three games have occurred in the past two weeks. Two of the three teams—Boston and Minnesota—defensively ranked fifth and eighth before meeting with the Jazz.
In the process of consecutive wins, the Jazz scored a staggering 136.4 points per 100 possessions after halftime (66% from two-pointers and 48% from three-pointers). In general, they have scored 4.5 points per 100 possessions more than any other team this season. They continued to shoot three pointers to their opponents, but as pointed out on Thursday, the real improvement came in the paint. Their shooting percentage was 61.1% (the best in the league), up from 56.8% last season (14th). . Rudy Gobert made 80% of his field goal attempts in the penalty area, and 4 of the Jazz’s 33 players made at least 50 non-block shots in the penalty area with a 45% or higher field goal percentage.
The Jazz have two six home stands games this season. The first of the two games starts on Wednesday (after a three-day break). From now until the meeting with the Warriors on January 1, the toughest defense they will face is the fourth-ranked Clippers.
Week 9: With LAC, SAS, and WAS
Record: 18-10 Speed: 99.8 (10) OffRtg: 110.5 (6) DefRtg: 106.3 (7) NetRtg: +4.2 (4)
If you have followed the Bucks in the past few years, you will know that when they lose, it is usually because their opponents made a lot of three-pointers. This is not the case this season-they actually allowed more three-pointers per game (14.6) than their losses (13.1)-but they lost for the first time and they have three of the best players in the Heat. He made 22 of 47 shots from beyond the three-point line, including 9 of 15 shots from the bottom corner. Compared with the Bucks (45.6%), only the Heat themselves (48.0%) allowed their opponents to make a higher percentage of three-pointers.
Since Chris Middleton returned to the lineup, the Bucks still maintain the league's second-best record (12 wins and 2 losses), ranking in the top five in both offensive and defensive scoring. (They are not far from the overall top five on both ends.) Last weekend the Rockets and the Knicks made a total of 36 three-pointers against them, but the Bucks scored 118-85 in the penalty area. Over two teams. Area (80-64) and free throws (38-21).
Victory in Houston and New York was the beginning of a period. The Bucks played 13 of 14 games against teams whose current odds are equal to or less than 0.500, with the only exception being Saturday's game against the Cavaliers. The Bucks had a rest advantage when they won a close game last week, but the Cavaliers (Thursday and Friday rest) will have it this time. The Bucks were in New Orleans the night before.
Week 9: @BOS, and IND, @NOP, and CLE
Record: 19-8 Speed: 99.9 (9) OffRtg: 109.5 (13) DefRtg: 106.0 (5) NetRtg: +3.5 (7)
Entering the important game between the Nets and the Warriors about a month ago, Kevin Durant’s true shooting percentage was 68.2%, which would be the best result of a player averaging at least 25 points per game in NBA history (more than Stephen Curry’s Achievements) 67.5% in 2017-18). Durant's efficiency has been almost ineffective since then (57.7%), but he continues to lead the Nets offensively. Surprisingly, he led the league in scoring without a 40-point game...Until Sunday, he lost 51 points in Detroit. (Prior to this, other players had 19 games with 40 points.)
Durant is also making an impact on another level. When the Nets lost in Houston without him on Wednesday, it was their worst defensive performance since opening night (114 points in 93 possessions). In three victories last week, they controlled the Mavericks, Hawks and Pistons to 40 points in 70 offenses in the fourth quarter (57.1 per 100 offenses), and Durant blocked Treyang. It is a defensive highlight. Nick Clarkston had almost no first-half playing time in these three games, but only 38 seconds of the three seasons in the fourth quarter were on the court. After the conversion, he made a key stop for Young and Luka Doncic. .
The Nets and Warriors are still the only teams that have not lost two consecutive games. The Nets have a five-game home court before heading to the West for Christmas, and they will have a rest advantage in each of the next three games (the opponent had played the night before). So far, they have a 2-1 record in rest-advantage games, although both victories (October 31 and November 5) were against Detroit.
🔥 @KDTrey5 scored 51 points... his highest scoring match against @BrooklynNets!
The barrel on the barrel. pic.twitter.com/PdYBjvEOUr
Week 9: Compare TOR, compare PHI, compare ORL, compare DEN
Record: 16-12 Speed: 98.1 (19) OffRtg: 108.2 (19) DefRtg: 104.1 (3) NetRtg: +4.1 (5)
The Cavaliers look more and more like one of the best teams in the NBA. They have won 7 of the last 9 games and lost two of them (9 points total) to the Jazz (7 consecutive victories) and the Bucks (12 of the last 14 games). Overall, the Cavaliers have the second toughest schedule to date in the league, having 16 of their 28 games against 13 other teams that currently have a winning record. In these 16 games, their record is only 5-11, but three of the five victories, including the destruction of the Bulls on Wednesday, were achieved in a 7-2 game.
The Cavaliers’ scoring per 100 rounds is 4.1 points higher than the league’s second-hardest schedule, fifth in the league, and 12.4 points per 100 rounds higher than last season. In the past 25 years, only the Celtics (+14.3) of the 2007-08 season and the Spurs (+13.2) of the 1997-98 season topped the list. Both teams have added to their starting lineups. Two members of the Hall of Fame. So Lauri Markkanen is David Robinson (it seems they will serve in the military together) and Evan Mobley is basically Tim Duncan.
This team knows how they want to play, no matter how you want to defend, it seems to have the answer, and their starting lineup on the offensive end (116.2 points per 100 possessions) is almost as good as on the defensive end (96.9 points), even though It essentially has only one person who can handle the ball. Darius Garland performed well in the pick and roll, Isaac Okoro's finishing ability at the basket improved (as Karl-Anthony Towns witnessed up close), and the big men did more than just catch the ball. (Sometimes, they throw high balls at each other.)
Four of the Cavaliers' five most efficient games this season occurred in December. This includes their December 1st victory in Miami, where they scored 111 points in just 93 offenses. They will play against the Heat on Monday at home, and on Saturday they will start a large three-game (traveling through Milwaukee, Atlanta and Boston).
Week 9: vs. MIA, vs. HOU, @MIL, @ATL
Record: 16-11 Speed: 96.6 (26) OffRtg: 110.4 (7) DefRtg: 106.9 (9) NetRtg: +3.5 (6)
Jimmy Butler returned after missing four games on Monday, but suffered a severe contusion of his tailbone in the first half against Memphis, which once again exacerbated his injury. For the fifth time in a row, the Heat have been the victims of the Grizzlies' lead and never give up. They committed a season-high 23 turnovers and made a season-low 6 three-pointers. Butler failed to complete the game, missed the next two games, and the Heat started four games in Cleveland on Monday, and he was not on the team.
But last week the Heat won their two more important games, controlling the Bucks and Bulls to 102 points per 100 possessions on Wednesday and Saturday. The victory over Milwaukee was the first loss for a champion team, including Jrue Holiday, Chris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bulls were clearly understaffed, but with three healthy starters in Chicago on the court, the Heat increased their scoring by 13 points in less than 27 minutes. Miami made 41 three-pointers in two victories and recorded assists with 80% shooting.
Without Butler or Bam Adebayor, within 314 minutes of Kyle Lowry's presence, the Heat outscored their opponents (two points). Caleb Martin had a great game (career-high 28 points) before losing to the health and safety agreement, and Duncan Robinson may have found his shooting opportunity. This season he is still below the league average (34.8%), but in the past five games he has made 16 of 35 three-pointers (46%), and now (with Bojan Bogdanovic) Tied for the league lead with 293 seconds of corner kicks.
In the game between Cleveland and Philadelphia, the Heat continued to play important games in the Eastern Conference. They were defeated by the Cavaliers earlier this month and have yet to face the 76ers.
Week 9: @CLE, @PHI, @ORL, @DET
Record: 17-10 Speed: 98.9 (14) OffRtg: 109.6 (12) DefRtg: 106.8 (8) NetRtg: +2.8 (8)
A week ago, the Bulls had a big win in Brooklyn, only half a game behind the first place. Now, they are in the COVID outbreak period, and 9 players (including a player who just joined the team) have participated in the health and safety agreement. On Monday, they managed to win a victory against Denver (after a major Zach LaVine game), but then lost two games in Cleveland and Miami for a total of 49 points. After that, they lost LaVine.
Coby White (entered the agreement on December 1) has been released from quarantine, and Javonte Green (December 3) may be discharged soon. However, as we have seen elsewhere in the league, coming back from the quarantine zone does not mean being ready for the game.
The (thin) silver lining is that the Bulls have a long schedule. They played only three games in 10 days from December 9th to 18th. (They have three consecutive five games in seven days this season, and the next game starts on December 26.) Their visit from the Pistons on Tuesday also kicked off the Lakers (they will play at home on Sunday). Game) is currently the only opponent with more than 0.500. Therefore, if they can keep others healthy, then they have a chance to tread water.
Week 9: vs. DET, @TOR, vs. LAL
Record: 15-12 Speed: 95.9 (30) OffRtg: 110.0 (9) DefRtg: 109.0 (18) NetRtg: +1.0 (12)
Last week, the 76ers narrowly beat Charlotte with two wins. They did not show much urgency on the defensive end, and the underhanded Hornets scored 100 points in the penalty area in two games. When they returned home, they could not complete the defense against the Jazz, allowing the league's No. 1 offense to grab 16 offensive rebounds and score 91 points (only 72 offenses) in the last 36 minutes.
But everyone was paying attention to Philadelphia on Saturday, and the 76ers became the second (and first since October) team to control the Warriors to less than 1 point per round. They insisted on chasing Stephen Curry of history and closed the opportunities he created for others. In the 52 minutes before Saturday, Matisse Thybulle replaced Danny Green as the head coach of the starting lineup, scoring more than 30 points per 100 possessions, but this change It worked. No one defended Curry this season with more shots than Thybulle, and the favorite of the Kia MVP is that these shots are 5 of 20 from the field (including 2 of 15 three-pointers).
The 76ers have two more games in seven consecutive games against the top seven offensive teams. When this period ended, they got an interview from the guy who scored 51 points on Sunday.
Week 9: @MEM, with MIA, @BKN, with NOP
Record: 16-11 Speed: 99.0 (12) OffRtg: 110.5 (5) DefRtg: 110.3 (23) NetRtg: +0.2 (13)
The Grizzlies' Jamorant-free streak ended with a 21-7 score for the Mavericks on Wednesday. The Grizzlies ranked 26th in free throw percentage (although three rotation players made more than 90% of their field goals), and in a loss of 8 games, they made 15 of 25 free throws. In the two games against the Mavericks this month, they barely scored a point per round. (Only the Thunder's offense is worse than Dallas' 15th-ranked defense.)
But the Grizzlies closed the Lakers 24 hours later and rebounded. Some of the Lakers’ offensive problems (such as some of their 22 turnovers) were self-inflicted, but the Grizzlies’ rotation and blocking was the sixth time since they lost Morant that their opponents were below one point per possession. . Their victory over the Rockets on Saturday was more efficient on both ends of the offense and defense, but the Grizzlies still have the league's best defense in this 7-1 game.
It is not clear when we will get the answer "Can they defend Morant well?" Problem, because the point guard is now in a health and safety protocol. But his absence clearly provides an opportunity for others to shine on the offensive end. Desmond Bain (average 21.2 points per game in the past five games) caused such severe damage to the Lakers on Thursday that when he played against Carmelo Anthony early in the fourth quarter, they Double-teamed him.
The Grizzlies ended their four home games against the 76ers on Monday, but they may not have Steven Adams, who sprained his left ankle in the game against the Rockets. In the past two seasons, Joel Embiid has only made 15 of 39 shots (38%, only 6 free throws) while being defended by Adams.
Week 9: With PHI, @POR, @SAC, and POR
Record: 15-12 Speed: 99.4 (11) OffRtg: 106.1 (25) DefRtg: 104.9 (4) NetRtg: +1.2 (11)
The Clippers' bench lineup has been excellent throughout the season, ranking fifth in the league. However, there is a big difference between winning a game when your star is not on the court and winning a game when the star is not on the court at all. The Clippers lost to the Kings in the first game of the season without Paul George, but last week they defeated the Celtics and Magic without Paul George in two games. Six people averaged double figures per game.
Rookie Brandon Boston scored 27 points in the game against Boston, broke through Marcus Smart, pulled up an early three-pointer, and fell behind in the transition. Luke Kennard made 11 of 17 shots from beyond the three-point line in two wins and is now second (45.1%) among 115 players who have made at least 100 three-pointers. Reggie Jackson performed well in Saturday's game, scoring or creating the Clippers' final 13 points, and ending it all with a winning jumper. George (11 of 21 shots) and Jackson (13 of 25 shots) are two of the eight players who have made at least 20 key field goals this season.
The Clippers are now 10-4 in games where they are five points behind in the final five minutes, and 5-8 otherwise. (Only five teams have fewer non-critical victories.) After hosting the Suns on Monday, they will play 19 of the 28 games at home. As they visit Utah on Wednesday, the schedule will start to become onerous.
"Reggie Jackson, are you ready for a close-up?"
Reggie won @LAClippers. pic.twitter.com/XGmZK24raV
Week 9: vs. PHX, @UTA, @OKC
Record: 15-13 Speed: 101.2 (2) OffRtg: 112.9 (2) DefRtg: 113.1 (30) NetRtg: -0.1 (17)
Cody Martin committed one of the biggest psychological mistakes we have seen for a long time. He deliberately fouled De Aaron Fox in the backcourt. The Hornets led by one goal, the Kings got extra points, and Friday's game also 2.4 seconds left. But Fox released him on bail and missed two free throws. The Hornets won the fifth consecutive game within the last three-pointer of the fourth quarter. Someone asked Eric Collins to drink some hot tea for those vocal cords.
In addition to stupid fouls, Martin (the official league’s highest three-point shooting percentage, 48.3%) has been the Hornets’ starting point guard with five players (including Ramello Ball, Terry Rozier and Ish Smith) performed well in health and safety protocols. The absence did not harm Charlotte's offense. In four games without Ball and Rozier, they scored 122 points per 100 possessions. The opponent's defensive rankings are not high, but the Hornets even scored effectively within 73 minutes of Joel Embiid's presence (115.4 minutes per 100 minutes) because they lost two evenly matched games to the 76ers last week. Kelly Oubre Jr. (66.0%) and Miles Bridges (62.3%) ranked eighth and 16th in effective field goal percentage among 121 players with at least 50 field goal percentages in December.
The Hornets and Celtics are the only two teams that have played without a break this season (several teams have six games), and they will both have their first game on Monday. The Hornets are the first game of the season's longest road trip — 6 games in the Western Conference in 11 days — so far, their record in the Western Conference is only 1-5.
Week 9: @DAL, @SAS, @POR, @PHX
Record: 13-13 Speed: 98.4 (18) OffRtg: 112.7 (3) DefRtg: 110.4 (24) NetRtg: +2.3 (9)
The Eagles continued their seven-game winning streak with a score of 2-4 and couldn't find any consistency on both ends of the court. Defense is obviously the bigger issue this season, but they only scored 14 points in the fourth quarter's 26 offenses in Friday's game against Brooklyn (the number of turnovers is as many as the number of field goal attempts) in the third quarter. Lost a game where they were 11 ahead.
Overall, the Eagles are one of two teams-the other team is Charlotte-and their effective field goal percentage (53.5%, third) from outside the penalty area is higher than theirs in the penalty area. Shooting percentage (53.1%, 24th). But in the fourth quarter, they made 1 of 13 shots from outside the penalty area and continued to struggle offensively in the near field. Last season, the Eagles ranked seventh in key offense (114.2 points per 100 possessions). This season, they ranked 30th and scored only 46 points (76.7/100) in 60 key rounds because they led 3-6 in less than 5 points in the final five minutes. Treyang leads the league in key ball usage (47.9%), but he made 7 of 25 key ball shots, with only 1 assist and 5 turnovers.
After starting 8-1 at home, the Eagles lost four consecutive games in the State Farm Arena. In three of the four losses, the scoring per 100 players was less than 105. They have five games left and they will play 13 of the 18 games at home.
Week 9: vs. HOU, @ORL, vs. DEN, vs. CLE
Record: 15-12 Speed: 97.0 (24) OffRtg: 107.4 (21) DefRtg: 108.9 (17) NetRtg: -1.5 (22)
The Wizards continued to decline, and overtime in Detroit (against a team that lost 12 consecutive games) was their only victory in the past five games. Just a few weeks ago, the top five defenses continued to struggle, and the offense couldn't make up for it.
There are eight lineups that score at least 10 points per 100 rounds in 100 minutes or more. Five of them belong to the Rockets, Pistons, Thunder (x 2) and Spurs, and these teams won no more than 10 games. The other two (along with the Rockets' lineup) have been put on hold (by the Knicks and Mavericks) because they are too ineffective. Seventh place is the Wizards (losing 10.7 points in 223 minutes), scoring only 96.1 points per 100 offenses.
The health and safety agreement has allowed Kyle Kuzma to withdraw from the lineup (just after he hit the winner in Detroit), and the new group (Deni Afdia in Kuzma’s position) is playing against Utah’s Did not hit a three-pointer within 10.6 minutes on Saturday. Bradley Beal's three-pointer percentage (26% this season) continues to be confusing. His field goal percentage is higher this season (57%) (compared to 53% last season), but his 26.3% three-point shooting percentage is the worst among 101 players with at least 75 field goal attempts.
The Wizards' longest home game of the season (6 games over 11 days) started in Utah on Monday. So far, their record in the Western Conference is 2-2.
Kyle Kuzma wins 🚨 pic.twitter.com/oTqlHrdYrm
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 9, 2021
Week 9: @ DEN, @ SAC, @ PHX, @ UTA
Record: 15-13 Speed: 101.1 (3) OffRtg: 107.2 (23) DefRtg: 107.6 (11) NetRtg: -0.4 (19)
The Lakers have won five of the past seven games and have risen to sixth place in the Western Conference, which of course has reasons to downplay. Teams below them in the standings have major problems with absence, stability, or just lack of talent. And these five victories were against the Pistons, Kings, Celtics, Thunder and Magic. The Lakers were defeated by the Grizzlies in the second half of Thursday, and in more than a month (against Miami on November 10) did not beat any of the 17 teams currently 0.500 or higher.
But their double-digit wins in the past 13 days (4) are twice as many as before (2). If you want to beat a bad team, it is better to beat them easily. In four games last week, they only scored 101.3 points per 100 offenses, and in the game against two good/good teams (Boston and Memphis), they played against Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis scored a plus 21 on the floor with a total playing time of 41 minutes.
This is the first real sign of progress, even though two consecutive games without Davis (left knee soreness) have put important things on hold. The Lakers do have a two-day holiday before starting three games in Dallas on Wednesday. This is an important game in the standings (and the continued development of Los Angeles), although it is not clear whether Davis or Luka Doncic can play.
Record: 13-14 Speed: 98.1 (21) OffRtg: 107.4 (20) DefRtg: 107.2 (10) NetRtg: +0.2 (14)
The Celtics' five games are one of the most efficient performances in the past 25 years (they scored 145 points in Portland's 97 offenses), but it was their five worst defense this season. They lost four in five games, scoring more than 119 points per 100 possessions, and their opponents shot 34% from the penalty area, higher than the 23% before the trip. The Lakers' 64 points in the penalty area on Tuesday was the second-highest score of any team this season (the Lakers scored 66 points against Houston on November 2).
The Celtics didn't have Jaylen Brown during the entire journey. This season, Brown has lost 11.2 points per 100 possessions (98.8) when he is on the court than when he is not (110.0). This is the ninth biggest switch difference between 283 players who played at least 300 minutes on Sunday.
With five games on record (their longest one of the season), the Celtics have played 17 of their 27 away games. They have now played 15 of the next 20 home games and have five home games from Monday (their longest one of the season). It includes visits from the two best teams in the league, and three key games-against the Knicks, 76ers and Cavaliers-in terms of the Eastern Conference standings.
Week 9: vs. MIL, vs. GSW, vs. NYK
Record: 13-13 Speed: 96.3 (28) OffRtg: 109.0 (15) DefRtg: 109.3 (19) NetRtg: -0.3 (18)
The Nuggets led 4-3 in their seven-game road trip, alternating between winning and losing. The difference between success and failure lies mainly in their offense. Nikola Jokic (the second consecutive triple-double in his career) has shot at least 62% in four victories and at least 43% in three losses.
Of course, in two of the three losses, the Nuggets still surpassed their opponents with Jokic on the court. In these seven games, they have him in the game (+14.8) better than on the bench (minus 22.1) by nearly 37 points/100 rounds. JaMychal Green is usually at the other end of this *switching difference. The 360 minutes he played with the Kia MVP was only 12 minutes (3%) (down from 42% last season). But Green did win energy from both ends (offensive rebounds, volleys, big blocks) in Denver's overtime game in New Orleans on Wednesday.
* This season, scoring 29.1 points per 100 rounds is the highest score among 283 players with a total playing time of at least 300 minutes.
The Nuggets' longest road trip this season is over, but they only played two games before returning to the East. After a record of 21-9 last season, their record against the Eastern Conference is 5-6 so far.
Week 9: With WAS, with MIN, @ATL, @BKN
Record: 13-13 Speed: 96.4 (27) OffRtg: 107.3 (22) DefRtg: 108.2 (15) NetRtg: -0.9 (20)
If you figured out the Mavericks after 26 games, please let the rest of us know what happened. Perhaps, to figure out the Mavericks is to understand that no one can figure them out. They are the only team to beat the Grizzlies in the past 16 days. Despite 6 turnovers during this period, they scored 28 points in the fourth quarter on Wednesday (excellent defense against the late game). But they lost that victory in Indiana State, shooting 4 of 29 three-pointers.
The Mavericks had the highest effective field goal percentage in NBA history at the beginning of December (79.5%) and failed to reach 50% in five of the six games since (the league average is 52.1%). Remember the two seasons Does this former team (most of the players are the same) have the most efficient offense in NBA history?
Luka Doncic continues to falter with an ankle injury, which may be a factor in the Mavericks' recent struggles. On Sunday, they did get their first victory of the season without their star, allowing the Thunder to score only 84 points in 95 offenses. Now, when Doncic is not on the court, their score per 100 possessions (100.8) is 11.4 points less than when he is on the court (112.2), even though Tim Hardaway Jr.'s up and down gap is even worse ( 13.0/100).
The seventh-ranked Mavericks have three days of rest in such a weak situation, but it is likely to be on Monday (when they scored for the first time in the Hornets’ 30th-ranked defense) and Wednesday (when they played in three games) Doncic again missed the first game) against the sixth-ranked Lakers).
Week 9: vs. CHA, vs. LAL, @ MIN
Record: 12-14 Speed: 96.1 (29) OffRtg: 108.7 (16) DefRtg: 108.8 (16) NetRtg: -0.1 (16)
On a macro level, the Raptors have won three of the past four games and only scored 101.3 points per 100 possessions in the past five games to protect the basket (23.6 points per game in the penalty area are allowed) The one that is much better than before (32.4). Their defense is trending towards better than average defenses. They won a victory on Friday, and their own scoring less than one point per round (this is their first victory since October). Appropriately, after two offensive rebounds, the overtake ball (Gary Trent No. 3) came.
But the Raptors' worst defensive game in those five games (and a loss in the past four games) came from the league's 30th-ranked offense. The Thunder made 17 three-pointers on Wednesday, of which 8 of the 17 (you guessed it) came from the bottom corner. Justin Champagnie's game winning cue was after the buzzer and after leaving Mike Muscala alone outside the three-point line when he last held the ball. The Raptors have 31% of their playing time from rookies (20%, third highest) or second-year players (11%, 13th highest), ranking fifth in the league. Inconsistencies and errors are to be expected.
The Raptors ended their seven home games against the Kings on Monday, and their second game in Brooklyn was back-to-back. But so far, they have scored 3-1 (three consecutive victories) from back to back, and their schedule remains at home for the next four weeks.
Week 9: vs. SAC, @BKN, vs. CHI, vs. GSW
Record: 12-16 Speed: 97.3 (23) OffRtg: 109.7 (11) DefRtg: 108.0 (13) NetRtg: +1.7 (10)
For Pacers president Kevin Pritchard, 20 games seem to be enough. With the start of this week's trading season, there are reports that the Pacers are starting to operate on their veteran core. Don't you know, the Pacers have won three consecutive victories in the turmoil (for the first time this season). The Hard Luck team even achieved a "critical" victory in Friday's game against Dallas (they had won 3-12 in the last five minutes of the game), scoring 12 points in six games, and Fewer than five games have a few minutes left.
Overall, the Pacers have scored nearly 120 points per 100 possessions in the past five games, which could easily be their best offensive stage of the season. During this time, all of their five starters averaged at least 14 points per game. Domantas Sabonis (80.6%) and Miles Turner (71.4%) had at least 155 points per game. The effective field goal percentage of players with 40 shots ranked first and fourth in December. Depth is still an issue-they scored more than 24 points per 100 offenses this month without Sabonis-but their starting lineup (along with Chris Duarte) outscored opponents by 19.0 points per 100 times , Ranked fifth among 37 players with a lineup that played at least 100 minutes. One of the substitutes who gave them playing time was Osha Brissett, who was on the court during Friday's game.
The Pacers rank in the top 10 in terms of difference in points per game (+2.0) and per 100 possessions (+1.7). If they can stay in the top 10 after the next two games (against the Warriors and Bucks), maybe we should postpone trade negotiations.
Week 9: vs. GSW, @MIL, vs. DET
Record: 12-15 Speed: 100.3 (5) OffRtg: 106.6 (24) DefRtg: 107.7 (12) NetRtg: -1.1 (21)
After 18 days, the greatest lineup in history reunited on Sunday and beat the Trail Blazers by 5 points in 16.1 minutes. The Timberwolves beat the Trail Blazers by 5 points. GLE - Patrick Beverley, D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jared Vanderbilt and Karl-Anthony Towns - now 106 points higher than their opponents in 108 minutes (50.0 points per 100 rounds).
That should be impossible. The Wolves are 12-15.
The victory in Portland ended the Wolves' five-game losing streak with more than 118 points per 100 possessions. Their pick-and-roll defense was destroyed by the Hawks, Jazz and Cavaliers last week. Atlanta and Utah each made 25 three-pointers. Cleveland scored 52 points in the penalty area. But maybe the Wolves just need Russell to return to the lineup? His score per 100 possessions (98.2) when he is on the court is 17.2 less than when he is not on the court (115.4). This is the best defensive on-off difference (quite healthy gap) among 283 players who have played at least 300 minutes, and it is almost as crazy as GLE's plus or minus 106 in 108 minutes.
The Wolves ranked ninth, and their four games were against the three teams directly ahead of them in the Western Conference standings.
Week 9: @DEN, vs. LAL, vs. DAL
Record: 12-15 Speed: 96.7 (25) OffRtg: 108.3 (17) DefRtg: 110.5 (25) NetRtg: -2.1 (23)
The Knicks did not have Alec Burks (individual) and RJ Barrett or Obitopin (health and safety agreement) in Sunday's game against Milwaukee, but Kemba Walker still won DNP for the seventh consecutive time- CD. When he was removed from the rotation, it logically believed that the inevitable absence of the backcourt would eventually provide Walker with another chance to play. But if Sunday (when Kevin Knox even rotates burns) is not that opportunity, you really have to wonder when it will come. Rookie Quentin Grimes scored 27 points against the Bucks (7 of 13 from three-pointers), but the Knicks have a record of 1-6 because Tom Thibodeau said Walker would not Play.
During that time, they had the 28th best defense in the league (117.9 points per 100 possessions allowed), even though the Bucks were the only top 10 offense they faced in seven games. At the other end of the field, they have barely scored a point per round in the past three games. Walker is not the solution to their problem, but obviously he is not the only problem.
The Knicks will have a rest advantage in all three games this week (the opponent had played the night before). The visit of Stephen Curry and the Warriors will be the most eye-catching, but the most important game of the three is against the tenth-ranked Celtics. They have never faced off since the start of double overtime. Celtics night. So far, the Knicks have a 2-1 record in rest-advantage games, and two victories-in New Orleans on October 30 and in San Antonio last Tuesday-are their two most effective offensive games of the season. .
OBI BETWEEN THE LEGS SLAM 😳 pic.twitter.com/BdYIWTHc42
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 9, 2021
Week 9: vs. GSW, @HOU, @BOS
Record: 10-16 Speed: 99.9 (8) OffRtg: 108.3 (18) DefRtg: 108.2 (14) NetRtg: +0.2 (15)
At the end of the five games, the Spurs had some gasoline left in their tanks and beat the Pelicans 29-15 in the fourth quarter on Sunday. The offense is going well, and the Spurs look very much like a team that ranks in the top six in terms of possession and player movement. According to data tracked by Second Spectrum, among the 283 players who played at least 300 minutes this season, the Spurs’ average offensive speed is 5 out of the top 10 (including the number one Doug McDermott) .
The Spurs performed poorly in the game earlier this week. After their three losses (losing to Phoenix, New York and Denver), they scored 60 points higher in the second and third quarters (195-135). This season, the Spurs ranked in the top three in the first quarter (plus or minus 9.8 points per 100 possessions) and the fourth quarter (plus or minus 13.6 points), and ranked last in the second quarter (minus 10.5) and third quarter. Three (minus 11.3), which is obviously weird. The gap between defense (15.6/100) is more than twice that of offense (7.0).
Despite losing to the Knicks on Tuesday, the Spurs still maintained their record of victory in the Eastern Conference (5-4). Their five home games ended Wednesday’s visit to the Hornets, and then they headed to the West for four games, including a long stay in Los Angeles.
Week 9: With CHA, @UTA, @SAC
Record: 11-16 Speed: 98.9 (17) OffRtg: 109.4 (14) DefRtg: 112.6 (28) NetRtg: -3.3 (25)
Before they let Damian Lillard back, the Trail Blazers lost CJ McCollum because his lungs had collapsed. As you might imagine, in two games without a starting guard, their offense was terrible (92.5 points per 100 possessions).
But their defense (against the Clippers and Warriors) is solid, and Norman Powell (55 points in two games) kept them at a certain level, and they did not break out in both games. Lillard returned after missing five games on Sunday, and the Trail Blazers replaced Robert Covington with Larry Nance Jr. to further adjust the starting lineup. Alas, Lillard made 5 of 17 shots. The lineup was led by 13 minutes in less than 8 minutes. The Trail Blazers led by seven points and led the Timberwolves in the fourth quarter. In fact, they ended the game without a center in the presence of Covington and Nance, and they scored 11.4 points higher than their opponents per 100 rounds (98 minutes in total).
After losing eight of the past nine games, the Trail Blazers seem to have emerged from the playoffs. But they played the toughest schedule in the league. They were basically tied with the 10th-ranked Kings, and the top two teams in the Western Conference qualifiers—Dallas and Denver—have not taken care of their business. Nevertheless, regardless of the trading situation, if the Trail Blazers want to remain competitive, they need to find their footing as soon as possible. Their schedule is still home for the next four weeks, but 9 of their next 12 games will play against teams that currently exceed 0.500.
Week 9: With PHX, with MEM, with CHA, @MEM
Record: 8-18 Speed: 101.3 (1) OffRtg: 104.2 (27) DefRtg: 110.0 (21) NetRtg: -5.8 (26)
Since the start of the seven-game winning streak, the Rockets have ranked third in the league in offense (117.8 points per 100 possessions), including their seven-game winning streak over Chicago, Charlotte, and Brooklyn. They continued to divide the ball (assist more than 2/3 of the basket) and shoot from the outside. Almost half of their shots (48.6%) came from three-pointers. Removal of Daniel Theis can bring better space, giving players more space to push, roll and cut into the basket. The Rockets lead the league in field goal percentage (39%) in the penalty area (39%). In the past nine games, their field goal percentage in the penalty area is 68.1%, higher than the previous 61.3%.
Their opponents have also achieved some offensive success. The Bucks ended the winning streak with 65 points in 50 rounds in the second half on Friday, and the Grizzlies never gave up their lead after scoring 40 points in 25 rounds in the first quarter of the following day. Fouls are still a problem for the Rockets, whose opponents rank 29th in free throw percentage (25.9 per 100 field goal attempts).
The Rockets entered the third week of the seven-week game. They mainly played in the Eastern Conference (18 of the 24 games). They beat the Bulls, Hornets and Nets at home, and their record in the Eastern Conference is only 0-2. They will face the opposing league in the next eight games, seven of which are on the road.
Week 9: @ATL, @CLE, vs. NYK, @DET
Record: 11-16 Speed: 100.3 (5) OffRtg: 109.7 (10) DefRtg: 112.2 (27) NetRtg: -2.5 (24)
On Wednesday, the Kings played a high-scoring game in the league's 28th-ranked offense, which was the most efficient game for the Magic so far this season. But the Kings did play enough defense (worth a few minutes early in the third quarter) to separate from the 14th-placed team in the East. With Tristan Thompson on the court, the Kings scored 118.9 points per 100 possessions, the highest score among 345 players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game. But even Thompson was involved in defensive action in the third quarter.
This was also the most efficient game for the Kings this season. The offense continued into the first of their three games, when they scored 71 points in Charlotte's 53 offenses. De Aaron-Fox scored a total of 64 points in the two games, but the Kings scored 12 points and led the understaffed Hornets in the second half, while Fox missed the winning free throw. Prior to this, the Kings made 15 of 15 shots and kept the score within 3 points in the last three minutes.
In the past three games, except for 10 minutes, the Kings have not had Richon Holmes. In Cleveland on Saturday, they started with Marvin Bagley III and Alex Ren on the front line...and lost 81 points in the first half. After finishing their trip in Toronto on Monday, they will not have to leave Northern California in nearly three weeks and will play 9 of 10 games at home, with the only away game being at Golden State.
Week 9: @TOR, WAS, MEM, and SAS
Record: 8-18 Speed: 98.9 (16) OffRtg: 99.7 (30) DefRtg: 109.4 (20) NetRtg: -9.7 (28)
In that game, the Thunder lost 73 games. They shot 5 of 23 in the first quarter (22%). Since then, they have not been much better in the first quarter. In this season, they have scored more than 21.0 points per 100 possessions, which is the worst result of any team during the opening period. But they rebounded from a 73-point loss (and the two first quarters in which they scored 73 points in 53 total possessions) to win the next two games and eliminate the double-digit deficits of Detroit and Toronto. And won two games in the second half. The score is 120-85.
Of the 135 players who have taken at least 200 shots per season in the past two seasons, Shay Gilges-Alexander's effective field goal percentage has fallen the second most (from 57.1% to 46.3%). Compared with last season, his shooting rate and assist rate have also declined. But in these two victories, he had a total of 27 free throws and 22 assists (only 5 turnovers), ending Toronto's victory with a breakthrough and kicking out Mike Muscala's The third victory.
In the weekend's game against the Lakers and Mavericks, the Thunder led 7-6 in the final five minutes with a 5-point lead, and 1-12 otherwise. (Only the Wizards (12-1, 3-11) have a greater difference between their records at critical and non-critical moments.) They have played critical games against the Pelicans (win) and Clippers (loss). , And they will end their four home games against these two teams on Wednesday and Saturday.
Week 9: vs. NOP, vs. LAC
Record: 8-21 Speed: 97.9 (22) OffRtg: 105.8 (26) DefRtg: 111.6 (26) NetRtg: -5.8 (27)
As Zion Williamson's foot rehabilitation was frustrated, we now want to know if he will participate in the game this season. Since they drafted him in 2019, the Pelicans have had a record of 40-45 (.471) in games where Williamson has participated, and a record of 29-59 (.330) in games where he did not participate. The first result is not good, but it may allow you to participate in the Western Conference this season.
The Pelicans beat some good teams 7-9 because they returned Brandon Ingram a month ago. Their two most commonly used lineups-Derwent Graham, Ingram, Herbert Jones and Jonas Valanciunas, the other guard position is Josh Hart or Nickel · Alexander Walker-In a total of 239 minutes, only 101.8 points per 100 attacks. Jones still looks like an influential player at the end of the court.
But the Pelicans had a record of 1-12 before 7-9. They are still at the bottom of the Western Conference rankings, and these defensive statistics have countered some bad offenses. Their game in Oklahoma City on Wednesday will be the end of a period. The Pelicans will play 8 out of 12 games against the team that is currently the bottom 10 offensive team. Therefore, the weekend against the Bucks and 76ers (two top 10 teams) will be a good test.
Week 9: @OKC, and MIL, @PHI
Record: 5-23 Speed: 99.0 (13) OffRtg: 102.5 (28) DefRtg: 112.9 (29) NetRtg: -10.5 (30)
As of Sunday, there are eight teams with at least five games with odds less than 0.500. The Magic defeated the other seven 0-5, allowing the Kings to score 142 points on Wednesday's 101 offenses. Mo Bamba ranks second in the league with 2.2 blocks per game, but when De'Aaron Fox attacks him in the paint (once, twice, three times), his footwork is a more interested man who keeps the ball away from the basket. basket. In the end, he did nothing.
The Magic’s offense has improved, and three of the five most effective games of the season were played in the five games that ended on Sunday. Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner averaged 40.6 points and 8.6 assists in five games. This season, Anthony's emergency stop three-pointer percentage was 37.3%, ranking 11th among 59 players with at least 50 attempts. Wagner's three-point shooting percentage was 41.8%, ranking 22nd among 101 three-pointers with at least 75 attempts.
The Magic will now play 15 of their next 16 games in the Eastern Conference, the only exception (against New Orleans on December 23) is their next game among the bottom eight teams.
Week 9: vs. ATL, vs. MIA, @BKN
Record: 4-22 Pace: 98.9 (15) OffRtg: 100.4 (29) DefRtg: 110.2 (22) NetRtg: -9.8 (29)
The Pistons had multiple chances of victory last week. They faced the Thunder and Pelicans for the first time, played overtime against the struggling Wizards, and took the lead in the fourth quarter against Brooklyn on Sunday. But they haven't played for four nights, and now their losing streak has reached 12 games. To make matters worse, Jeremy Grant has been out for at least six weeks with a sprained right thumb. Before Sunday, the other four Pistons starters played only 10 minutes without Grant. In the game against the Nets, their new lineup (with Hamidou Diallo instead of Grant) was surpassed by 16 points in less than 10 minutes.
The Pistons ranked 29th on the offensive end, but their performance on the other end of the court was even more disappointing in Monday's game against Oklahoma City. The Thunder (the only team with an offensive ranking below the Pistons) led them by 40-20 in the penalty area. The Pistons’ problems began with their inability to control the ball, but they also failed to rotate from the weak side to prevent all of them. Basket and dunk. Cade Cunningham seems to be the culprit of the weak on multiple occasions (one, two, and three). The rookie certainly has some tools at the end of the court (to witness this stunt/theft), but he may prefer to get dirty under the basket.
The timetable provides Detroit with more opportunities this week. The Bulls are understaffed. Two of the Pistons' four victories are against the Pacers (they will visit on Thursday) and the Rockets (they will play at home on Saturday). Both teams played better than when they lost the Pistons, but neither was invincible.
Week 9: @CHI, @IND, vs. HOU, vs. MIA
This week's top 5 remains unchanged, but in our latest breakdown of Kia MVP competitors, changes are bubbling.
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This week's top 5 remains unchanged, but in our latest breakdown of Kia MVP competitors, changes are bubbling.
After the first 7 weeks of the season, break down statistics and movies on key storylines throughout the league.
Stephen Curry also needs 2 three-pointers to break Ray Allen's historical record.
These games and moments are just some of the outstanding achievements the Golden State star has made so far.
Devin Booker is going all out to recover from the injury.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer said the Bucks will wait until Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury.
The Warriors sharpshooter's performance on Monday night was slightly below Ray Allen's record, and he is eager to get another chance at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
Stephen Curry also needs 2 three-pointers to break Ray Allen's historical record.
Here are some of the top matchups of the week, only available on the NBA League Pass.
FantasyPros screened the top available Waiver Wire pickups for week 9 of the NBA season.
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