AROUND the NBA:

[RGP1981]

The Clippers re-routed Filip Petrusev to the Kings, and paid the Kings cash too? It could have been nice for the Mavs FO to waive Morris and get Petrusev. He might have been useful in non-Luka minutes, like...

Kyrie, THJ, DJJ/G-Will, Petrusev, Lively
Kyrie, Green, DJJ/G-Will, Kleber, Petrusev

[The Jom]

Watching 6ers/Raptors. Siakam looking very average. Schroder looking like he’s tamed his ego and learned to play team ball.

[IamDougieFresh]

Watching 6ers/Raptors. Siakam looking very average. Schroder looking like he’s tamed his ego and learned to play team ball.

They could have extracted like 10 FRPs for these dudes and tanked for Wemby…

[Jym]

So glad the Suns didn't keep Ayton

[DanSchwartzgan]

Spurs up 20 at the half at Phoenix.

Wemby with 20 points and yes, Booker is back.

[dirkfansince1998]

Spurs up 20 at the half at Phoenix.

Wemby with 20 points and yes, Booker is back.

Is there a single plus defender on the Suns roster? Okogie isn't looking good. KD and Nurkic have lost a step. And the few young guys like Bol or Azubuike cannot even get on the floor.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Wemby had his 1st signature game with 38 pts, 10 rebs, and 3 blks. They're 2-0 vs Phx with a 132-121 win. He's just 5 games in too.

[Halfnir]

Wemby had his 1st signature game with 38 pts, 10 rebs, and 3 blks. They're 2-0 vs Phx with a 132-121 win. He's just 5 games in too.

Wemby's gonna be a problem ...

He will also be a bit of a problem for the Spurs as he's too good too early, effectively ending their tank. Although they have a nice stack of picks collected (other than the Mavs when they got Luka), they'll have to work with what they got now.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Wemby's gonna be a problem ...

He will also be a bit of a problem for the Spurs as he's too good too early, effectively ending their tank. Although they have a nice stack of picks collected (other than the Mavs when they got Luka), they'll have to work with what they got now.

They've got a young roster with some talent. Once they get acclimated to playing with each other, they'll be okay. Having one of the best coaches in the biz, can only help them.

[Chicagojk]

It is a long season. I expect if the Suns are healthy they are going to score a ton and I would probably have them in the top 4 at the end of the season..if they are healthy.

But I am just not sure I can consider them a tier 1 contender if that is the center unit they are running out there. I thought Jurkic looked good in game 1, but last night he looked two steps slow. I am just not sure how they are going to stop anyone from going to the basket. A lot to ask of KD to not only score 30, be the best wing defender and also provide some paint protection.

Wemby is just a freak. He makes KD look like a midget. That kid doesn't back down either.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

It is a long season.  I expect if the Suns are healthy they are going to score a ton and I would probably have them in the top 4 at the end of the season..if they are healthy.

But I am just not sure I can consider them a tier 1 contender if that is the center unit they are running out there.  I thought Jurkic looked good in game 1, but last night he looked two steps slow.  I am just not sure how they are going to stop anyone from going to the basket.  A lot to ask of KD to not only score 30, be the best wing defender and also provide some paint protection. 

Wemby is just a freak.  He makes KD look like a midget.  That kid doesn't back down either.

I know that the Suns came back by playing Eubanks but boy did they look awful on defense down the stretch with that lineup.  Switch on Wemby was a pretty awful strategy but they probably wouldn't have been able to come back play Nurkic and using him in drop coverage either.

After watching last night I'm left wondering what Wemby would look like if he was drafted by Detroit and got to play with a PG like Cade...he feels like a cheat code in the pick and roll and last night was the first night the Spurs figured out how to use it.

[MaxiThreeba]

They've got a young roster with some talent. Once they get acclimated to playing with each other, they'll be okay. Having one of the best coaches in the biz, can only help them.

And if they don't click, Wemby will just get hurt David Robinson style and they will somehow win the lottery.

[dirkfansince1998]

Some crazy stats (small sample size):

Defensive on/off: -26.8 (105.6 on /6th in the league, 132.4 off /30th in the league)
DFG%: 23.3% (-24.5%), 38.5% in the paint (-24.2%)

Even with a slight regression to the mean (hard to tell without a prior) this is unprecetended territory. In the data/tracking era we haven't seen anything like this. There has never been a rookie DPOY. This might be the season.

[mvossman]

Some crazy stats (small sample size):

Defensive on/off: -26.8 (105.6 on /6th in the league, 132.4 off /30th in the league)
DFG%: 23.3% (-24.5%), 38.5% in the paint (-24.2%)

Even with a slight regression to the mean (hard to tell without a prior) this is unprecetended territory. In the data/tracking era we haven't seen anything like this. There has never been a rookie DPOY. This might be the season.

Wembly or Lively?

[dirkfansince1998]

Wembly or Lively?

Wemby.

[dirkfansince1998]

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1720422377002262670

Top prize for the championship head coach will be the same as his players: $500,000, sources said. Assistants will share a pool too. The prizes will descend based on advancing to become the tournament runner-up ($200K), a semi-finalist ($100K) and a quarterfinalist ($50K).

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

https://streamable.com/tmy9j7

[DanSchwartzgan]

DFS the leading scorer for Brooklyn in a win over Chicago with 21 points.  Didn’t see that coming.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Brunson 45 pts in a loss vs the Bucks. Picking up where he left off last season.

[SleepingHero]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
Mitchell Robinson’s trainer on Mitchell Robinson