Suns, Heat, Kings surprise teams
It’s a long season.
So this list could change in two weeks, but here are three early surprise teams.
Phoenix Suns (4-2)
After experiencing its second-worst season in franchise history, Phoenix changed coaches – again – traded away Josh Jackson and TJ Warren, added veterans and role players, and is playing way beyond preseason expectations.
Devin Booker is having an All-Star start, the Suns have displayed versatility and depth, and Monty Williams is an early leading candidate for Coach of the Year.
And they’ve done this mostly without Deandre Ayton, who hasn’t played since the opener after violating the NBA/NBPA anti-drug program that resulted in a 25-game suspension.
Phoenix begins a six-game homestand Monday against Philadelphia (5-0), the NBA’s last unbeaten team.
The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid as Monday will be the second of his twogame suspension following that tussle he had with Karl-Anthony Towns.
This would’ve been a winnable game for Phoenix if Philadelphia had the AllStar big.
Without Embiid?
The Suns could be undefeated, too, as their two losses are each by a point on the game’s final play at Denver and against Utah.
Miami Heat (5-1)
Who is Kendrick Nunn? Miami knows – and the rest of the league is finding out.
The undrafted rookie averaged 22.4 points on 51.8% shooting through the Heat’s first five games, shooting 48.4% from 3s.
That leads to another question. How did this guy go undrafted in 2018?
Nunn was dismissed from Illinois after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic battery. He finished his college career at Oakland (Mich) University after three years with the Fighting Illini.
Sure, that had something to do with him going undrafted.
Golden State had him last year, but cut the Chicago native. The Warriors could sure use him now. Miami picked him this summer and so far, so very good.
The Heat destroyed Houston by 29 points Sunday as they scored 46 in the first quarter. They're looking strong early and could be even stronger once Jimmy Butler gets it going.
Sacramento Kings (2-5)
As the late, great Vince Lombardi would scream and yell, "What the hell is going on" out there in Sac-town?
The Kings fired Dave Joerger, replaced him with Luke Walton and put together a team that looked like a playoff contender on paper.
Then they started the season losing by 29 to Phoenix – and the losses continued.
The Kings started 0-5, but they began November with a good win over
Utah and a win at New York to begin a three-game road trip.
Maybe Sacramento is starting to find its way. Not having Marvin Bagley III (fractured right thumb) has hurt, but no one expected the Kings to stumble out of the gate that badly.
Bad to worse
Golden State already went into the season with its best player going to Brooklyn in Kevin Durant and pure shooter Klay Thompson out with a knee injury.
Then they started the season with an embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center in San Francisco. Not the way to open a brand new arena.
Then two-time MVP Stephen Curry broke his left hand against Phoenix in a game they trailed by as many as 34 points. The injury will keep him out at least three months.
Since then, Draymond Green injured his finger and will be out a few games.
D’Angelo Russell tweaked his ankle against San Antonio and missed Saturday’s game against Charlotte.
And oh yeah, the Warriors are 1-5 after five straight trips to the Finals with three ending with parades and ring/ banner ceremonies.
Can this season get any worse? Yes. Yes it can, and probably will.
'Lost the beauty'
Pau Gasol is an NBA champion, one of the most skilled big men to play the game – and he’s not happy with what he thinks the league has become. In an interview with Marca, a Spanish sports publication, Gasol took issue with today’s modern NBA.
“It has changed a lot. For me, the big change is the game itself. There are very fast shots, very short possessions, few passes in each attack. There are many hasty shots. When I was younger, some of the shots that are attempted today would have seen the coach send you to the bench as a punishment. Now it is encouraged
to shoot in the first eight seconds of possession. It has lost the beauty of the game, the purity it had, the fact of moving the ball from one side to the other, the ball inside-outside, which was to play with two in the post. Now there are times when there are teams that play with five small guys.”
Gasol, 39, is a big man who believes players at this position are fading out.
Other would call guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Towns an evolution of a big who can handle the ball, post up and now shoots 3s.
Call it old school vs. new school, but Gasol, who is out with an injury with the Portland Trail Blazers, perfectly described today's game – but there’s a beauty in it, too.
This week's must-see matchups
Monday: Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors. Just curious to see what kind of lineup Steve Kerr throws out there with no Curry or Green and possibly no Russell.
Tuesday: Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets. Michael Malone said his Nuggets are a “great talk team” after their “embarrassing” loss at previously winless New Orleans.
Wednesday: Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Clippers. First game between Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard since last year’s Eastern Conference finals.
Thursday: Boston Celtics at Charlotte Hornets. First game for Kemba Walker and Terry Rozier against their former teams.
Friday: Brooklyn Nets at Portland
Trail Blazers. Kyrie Irving vs. Damian Lillard.
Saturday: Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Luka Doncic, going up against one of the favorites to win this year’s honor, Ja Morant.
Sunday: Toronto Raptors at Los Angeles Lakers. Defending NBA champions facing the one of the teams favored to win it all this season.