The Detroit Pistons are 8-2 in their last 10 games and now boast a 34-11 record - six games ahead of the 29-18 New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, the conference's respective Nos. 2 and 3 seeds. They're running away with the Eastern Conference, despite one big weakness: shooting. That's where Chicago Bulls combo guard Coby White could come in. Evan Sidery of Forbes reports that the Pistons, who currently have a $14.3 million trade exception, are contemplating a potential deal for White.
Keaton Wagler scored a career-high 46 points, making nine 3-pointers, as No. 11 Illinois defeated No. 4 Purdue 88-82 on Saturday. Wagler, a freshman guard, shot 13 for 17 overall, 9 of 11 from 3-point range and 11 of 13 on free throws. David Mirkovic added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Illini (17-3, 8-1 Big Ten). Braden Smith led the Boilermakers (17-3, 7-2) with 27 points and 12 assists.
Dëmin finished with 17 points and five assists on 6-of-10 shooting, drilling 5-of-9 from 3-point range and posting an outrageous 85% true shooting for the night. Standing at 6-9, Dëmin surveys the court with the vision of a quarterback and is already shooting with the poise of a seasoned NBA veteran, a far cry from his pre-draft evaluation. That rare blend is precisely why Sean Marks was willing to take the gamble on him.
When he's been on the floor this season, the Heat have been better. In games that Larsson has suited up for the Heat, Miami is 18-10. When he doesn't play, the Heat are just 2-6. Sure, that doesn't all fall on Larsson's shoulders, but there is clear evidence that he's been better than just a positive player for the Heat. When he's on the floor, he injects the Heat's lineup with energy, effort, and efficient production.
Not only did George flash the potential to be an immediately serviceable role player throughout a rookie season, but he proved almost immediately to start his sophomore campaign that there was more potential than what originally met the eye. Averaging 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists, while shooting 46.7% from the field and 40.8% from beyond the arc, George has looked every bit like a core piece for the Wizards moving forward.
It's difficult to ring any type of alarm for a team that became only the third in history to open the regular season 23-1. The Thunder's league-best 104.1 defensive rating is more than six points per 100 possessions better than the Rockets' (110.7) in the second slot. That gap is equivalent to the canyon between second and 23rd. So there's nothing to complain about on the defensive end.
PHILADELPHIA Pat Spencer took a rather circuitous route to the Warriors' bench after burying a 3-pointer that put the team up 98-94 with 1:12 left in the game. He banged his chest several times before unleashing some un-family friendly trash talk upon the stunned Philadelphia crowd while he made his way back to the Warriors' huddle. Who could blame him for such a show of emotion?
Not that it mattered to Butler, who recognized and appreciated all of the less flashy things Horford has still brought to the game. "As great of screens as he sets for me, and protecting everybody at the rim and making all the right plays, whenever he's open, he gets the ball for sure," Butler said. Horford rewarded Butler's faith repeatedly. Each of the 39-year-old center's four 3-point makes came off Butler assists.
And, remember, this three-year stretch featured three playoff berths and three series wins, because Erik Spoelstra is a mastermind, and Playoff Jimmy was him. Even without Jimmy Butler now, Miami could conceivably capitalize on a wide-open East by fielding even an average offense. But how is that supposed to happen? Shot-creation was already a question mark before Tyler Herro had surgery on his left foot in September.
Brandon Ingram got to display his above-the-break 3-point shooting very early as the beneficiary of a Mogbo short roll pass, and then a baseline-corner-atb sequence for two separate makes. It was immediately different from game 1 of the preseason, as the Raptors were succeeding in the halfcourt, and not necessarily reliant on getting out and running. A different bring up ball handler nearly every time and playing in space.
