There aren’t many professionals in this country — young or old — that ever wake up regretting that they took advantage of the rare opportunity to get a good night’s rest.
Despite last night’s Thunder-Warriors game on TNT, I decided to take a night to catch up on some sleep.
And then I woke up to this…
And this…
I guess Andre Iguodala is starting to feel at home.
So let’s just say I spent most of my newly acquired energy Friday morning drafting up a petition to start Thursday night games at an earlier hour.
I digress…
We have a weekend chock-full of basketball — 25 games total — so let’s take a look at a few key things to be on the lookout for before getting to today’s latest news and rumors.
1. Can the Pacers get to 10-0: There have been 13 teams in NBA history to start a season 10-0. With all of the great teams we’ve seen, you’d think there would be more, right? If Indy can take care of business this weekend — home against Milwaukee Friday and at Chicago Saturday — they will join that elite class, including the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls who won an NBA record 72 games. That Bulls team was 42-5 at the All-Star break. Wow. If they even come close to pushing this, or just win pole-position in the Eastern Conference, you’ll be hearing a lot of Paul George-MVP talk. He’s currently averaging 24.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on 48-40-85 shooting. It’s officially safe to say he’s made the leap.
2. Where does Chicago stand in comparison: Derrick Rose has been rusty and banged up, Joakim Noah hasn’t been 100 percent, and the Bulls have been, all-around, blah. That doesn’t mean one signature win at home against the Pacers won’t help turn things around. Chicago dropped to Indy 97-80 two weeks ago, but the final score is not indicative as to how close Chicago was. In fact, it was just a one point game heading into the fourth. This time, the game will be played at the United Center, which should give the struggling Bulls an extra boost. As previously mentioned, Indy could be gunning for 10-0.
3. Are the 76ers for real: Two wins this weekend won’t define their season either way, but at a surprising 5-4, wins in Atlanta and New Orleans would be a nice statement for the young Sixers. They will be without rookie sensation Michael Carter-Williams Friday against the Hawks, who is out with a bruise on his left foot. Look for Evan Turner (averaging 23 points per game) to carry the load.
4. Portland has something to say: Wins in Boston Friday night and Toronto on Sunday would move the Blazers to 8-2 on the season, officially making them the best team nobody is talking about. After a summer filled with LaMarcus Aldridge trade rumors — also known as a big problem — the Blazers are firing on all cylinders. Aldridge, of course, has been a rock, leading the team in points (21.3) and rebounds (8.8). Damian Lillard hasn’t shown any signs of regression, the new acquisitions on the bench — Mo Williams, Robin Lopez, Dorrell Wright and Thomas Robinson — have gotten the job done, and first round pick C.J. McCollum is expected back in December. Things are good out on the Pacific.
5. Who are the Knicks: The Knicks started last season with an identity. A good one. They were going to swing the ball, drive-and-dish, and do it over-and-over until they found a wide-open three-pointer. It worked. They started the season 20-7. And then they got complacent. Things have been going south ever since. After Thursday night’s 109-106 loss to the Rockets on their home floor, the Knicks find themselves at 3-5 and looking to point the finger at anybody but themselves. Owner James Dolan is already guaranteeing wins Carmelo Anthony is frustrated with the officials, and naturally, J.R. Smith is releasing his frustration on Twitter. They have the Hawks tomorrow night at home, and will be looking to discover their mojo again.
Onto more news from around the NBA