Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Ben Simmons wants to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award

 

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Oversized Sixers point guard Ben Simmons has a respectable personal goal.

Here’s NBC Sports Philly reporting:

When asked about his goals for this season at media day, Ben Simmons would only reveal one.

He wanted to be the Defensive Player of the Year.

Saturday night against the Pacers, he acted like one, recording three steals in the final 13.9 seconds of the Sixers’ 119-116 win over the Pacers (see observations). Amid all the concern about Simmons’ offense and the question of whether he’ll ever be a willing and able jump shooter, he’s racked up some gaudy defensive numbers.

His 42 steals in 18 games are most in the NBA, while his 72 deflections and 41 loose balls recovered are second. Opponents have shot just 40.9 percent when guarded by Simmons this year.

The Sixers are 14-6 this season, placing them just 5th in the Eastern conference, but barely behind the second-place 14-4 Toronto Raptors.

Defensively, the Sixers are tied right now with the Jazz for the 5th most efficient defense in the league.

Some thoughts on the Charlotte Hornets

 

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The Hornets are 8-13 this season, their first in many years without Kemba Walker. They’re actually winning more games than many expected.

Here’s the Charlotte Observer with some opinions:

The word that sums up this Hornets roster is “fragile.” There is some talent, and certainly potential. But their poor defense, their unreliable rebounding and their tendency to commit turnovers (though that has improved lately), leaves them with a tiny margin for error.

I think they have slightly overachieved by winning eight of their first 21 games, and that’s been mostly about maximizing end-of-game opportunities against other bad teams. The bottom third of the NBA is weaker than usual, so there will be final-minute opportunities like the back-to-back victories over the Detroit Pistons last week.

But it’s telling that they haven’t beaten a good team except the Pacers when Indiana was missing its top two big men. The Hornets need someone to protect the paint and more physical complementary players.

A big bright spot for the Hornets has been the play of second-year guard Devonte’ Graham, drafted second round by the Hawks in 2019 and then traded to the Hornets, who is averaging 18.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 21 games played so far this season.

James Harden scores 60 points in 31 minutes vs Hawks

 

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James Harden had himself a game on Saturday.

Well, three quarters of a game.

Playing 30 minutes and 41 seconds and then sitting out the fourth quarter, the superstar Rockets guard shot 16 of 24, including 8 of 14 from three-point range, and hit 20 of 23 free throws for 60 points, eight assists and three steals.

The Rockets beat the Hawks easily, 158-111.

In the loss, Hawks guard Trae Young put up 37 points and seven assists.

According to ESPN.com, “it was Harden’s fourth career 60-point game, tying him with Michael Jordan for third most in NBA history, trailing only Kobe Bryant (six) and Wilt Chamberlain (32). Harden is the only active player who has scored 60 points more than once.”

The Rockets are now 13-6 for the season.

Kevin Knox riding the bench for Knicks

Young Knicks forward Kevin Knox played 28.8 minutes per game as a rookie last season, starting in 57 of 75 games.

This year, he has come off the bench for 17 of 18 games, playing nine fewer minutes per outing than as a rookie.

The New York Post reports the following: “Sometimes they’ve got to go through some tough love to find themselves and watch the game from 25,000 feet, see it, and see the things that I’m emphasizing,” Knicks coach David Fizdale said when asked about Knox after practice Saturday in Tarrytown. “I was tough on Frank last year and I just feel like Frank has come back with a whole different mindset about how he’s going to go about this season.”

It’ll be interesting to see how Knox progresses this season. If he’s able to raise his shooting percentage and overall game, it would make future Knicks roster decision-making a lot easier.

Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant will miss time due to back spasms

 

 

 

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant’s excellent rookie season has hit a road block, in the form of back spasms.

The team on Saturday announced that Morant in yesterday’s game against the Jazz aggravated back spasms that started earlier in the week.

The Grizzlies are 5-13 this season, and have lost six games in a row. Their next game is tomorrow afternoon on the road against the Timberwolves.

Morant has been an outstanding rookie and is a clear building block for Memphis. In 17 games, the young phenom is averaging 18.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 28.7 minutes per outing.

With Morant out, Tyus Jones and shooting guard Dillon Brooks, and perhaps also De’Anthony Melton and Grayson Allen, will have increased responsibility.

Morant is listed at 6-foot-3, 174 pounds. He’s 20 years old, played college basketball at Murray State, and was drafted No. 2 overall this past June.

Bucks now on 10-game winning streak

The Milwaukee Bucks on Friday beat the Cavaliers in Cleveland 119-10 to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

As usual, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks, shooting 14 of 26 for 33 points and 12 rebounds, plus two steals and two blocks. George Hill added 18 points and four assists in 22 minutes off the bench.

Khris Middleton, who recently returned from injury, again came off the bench for Milwaukee. It’s likely he will eventually return to the starting lineup.

The Bucks this season are top five in the NBA in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

Bulls guard/forward Chandler Hutchison shoulder injury update

 

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An MRi performed yesterday confirms that Chicago Bulls guard/forward Chandler Hutchison has a right shoulder contusion.

The injury occurred this past Tuesday in the team’s road game against the Warriors.

The team says Hutchison will be re-evaluated next week, after their current road trip is completed.

Through yesterday’s games, the Bulls are 6-13 this season, which places them 12th in the Eastern conference. They’re being led in scoring this season by Zach LaVine at 21.8 PPG. But no other Bulls players are scoring as much as 14.0 PPG.

Hutchison is averaging 7.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game.

Struggling Suns close to getting Aron Baynes back in action

The Suns were an early-season surprise, but have racked up more losses than wins lately and are now 8-9 for the season.

But there’s reason to think they could change direction soon.

Per the Arizona Republic, “Suns center Aron Baynes is listed as probable for Friday’s game against the Mavericks after missing five games with a hip injury. The Suns are 1-4 without Baynes, who had been starting for Ayton, plays great position defense, makes defensive calls is averaging career highs in points (14.5), rebounds (5.6), assists (3.1) and 3-point shooting (44.2%).”

A note on Suns center Deandre Ayton

 

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After a strong start to the new NBA season, the Phoenix Suns have a modest record of 8-8. They’ve been playing without second-year center Deandre Ayton, who has been serving a 25-game suspension for testing positive on a drug test.

Arizona Spots has an update: “General manager James Jones joined 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Burns & Gambo Tuesday and provided some clarity as to Ayton’s situation 15 games into his suspension. “We’ve been focused on a transition for him since the initial suspension,” he said. “So every day, there’s a plan to keep his conditioning level up, his skill level up. And as we get closer to the games, coach will start to reintegrate him in our pregame routine, our practice routine, our practice plan, so it’ll work itself out.””

It’ll be interesting to see how the Suns rotation changes when Ayton returns. Center Aron Baynes, who in his NBA career has been a supporting cast role player more than a star, has played quite well in Ayton’s absence. But Ayton is considered a long-term building block. A potential franchise foundation. It will be an interesting minutes distribution test for head coach Monty Williams.