Rumor: Tom Thibodeau expected to trade young Timberwolves player for established veteran

Some NBA statistics make sense.  The two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year is such a smart player that he's making a positive impact on the San Antonio Spurs' team defense by jumping passing lanes and rotating perfectly. But he's having individual trouble for the first time. Before the season began, The Crossover ran a roundtable asking five Sports Illustrated NBA experts for their Finals prognostications. Three predicted the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers would meet for their third consecutive battle. Andrew Sharp had the Warriors beating the Boston Celtics, and Lee Jenkins was the odd man out.  The Los Angeles Lakers struggled for the last few years, trying desperately to overcome a lack of talent and their commitment to a lesser version of Kobe Bryant. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs continued performing like a juggernaut, seamlessly blending in new stars to account for the declines of long-time stalwarts. Quarters should be largely irrelevant. Rotations change between periods, but the teams are playing the same sport against the same opponent during each of the four 12-minute segments.  "We could all be digging ditches," Rick Carlisle said about how to keep the Dallas Mavericks' morale up, per Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Through his first 14 appearances, Dwyane Wade has taken 3.5 triples per game and connected at a 38.8 percent clip. That means he's hit more three-pointers during his average outing than he did during 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16...combined.  Let's stick with the Bulls for one more shocking statistic.  Heading into this season, just four different qualified players had recorded at least 10 assists per game while providing dimes on no fewer than 50 percent of the shots made by their teammates while they were on the floor: Normally, the men leading the pack in true shooting percentage are either dominant interior presences who can hold their own at the free-throw line or tremendous all-around shooters in the mold of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. That's who fills up the majority of the top 20, but the contributor on top is a different animal.  Last season, not a single player faced at least four shots per game at the rim and suited up in half of his team's games, per NBA.com's SportVU data. Those closest were the names you might expect—Rudy Gobert, John Henson, Jeff Withey, Festus Ezeli, Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo and Andrew Bogut led the field. 

Please don't be surprised DeMarcus Cousins is near the top of the leaderboard for technical fouls. 

But other stats are...strange. 

Those are the ones we're interested in here as we play around with small samples. You couldn't possibly have seen these 10 coming. 

According to NBA.com, that hasn't been the case so far this season, which stands in stark contrast to his recent defensive history: 

Season	Typical FG% of Defensive Assignments	Defended FG%	Difference
2013-14	45.1	39.9	Minus-5.2
2014-15	44.6	44.2	Minus-0.4
2015-16	44.8	39.2	Minus-5.6
2016-17	44.2	47.0	2.8

It's not that Leonard is suddenly taking on tougher individual assignments; if anything, he's facing the worst opposition of his career, based on the typical field-goal percentages of his matchups. But for the first time in the last four years, he's not having any success slowing them down. 

Maybe this is just an early-season fluke. Perhaps it's a sign Leonard's offensive role has grown unwieldy and is holding him back elsewhere. 

Either way, it's strange. And based on his reputation and skill set, it shouldn't last too much longer. 

    

Will This Change?

Yes, we should still expect Leonard to finish the year with a difference in the negatives (a good thing here). 

Even the bet on the Clippers was, in part, a bet against the Warriors. After all, both Golden State and Cleveland entered the year as such overwhelming favorites that it bordered on insane to think the Clippers would look like the NBA's best team. 

And they haven't just done that.

Led by a crazily accurate, Lasik-inspired Chris Paul and a fully healthy Blake Griffin, the Clippers have played so well that NBA Math's Team Rating has them on pace to be the best team in NBA history. It shows them stacking up against historical giants as such, based on how their offensive and defensive ratings compare to the league average:

1. 2016-17 Los Angeles Clippers, 106.67 Team Rating
2. 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, 106.38
3. 1996-97 Chicago Bulls, 105.71
4. 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks, 105.65
5. 2007-08 Boston Celtics, 105.61

The Warriors (104.84) and Cavaliers (103.4) have been the next best this year, but the Clippers are running away with the top mark. 

    

Will This Change? 

Yes, both because the Warriors defense should improve and the Clippers should eventually run into bench inconsistencies. 

Sure, the Spurs remain the better team. With an 11-3 record, they're right up near the top of the Western Conference. 

But the Lakers continue to surprise the world with their success under new head coach Luke Walton, and they've been particularly deadly at home. Whereas San Antonio has been outscored by 0.5 points per 100 possessions within the friendly confines of the AT&T Center, Los Angeles has protected the Staples Center with a 2.1 net rating, per NBA.com.  

The last time the Lakers had the superior home net rating was 2008-09, and they would go on to win the first of their back-to-back titles. 

Are we saying the Lakers are due for a championship? Of course not. But they're finally clawing their way back to respectability and doing so in impressive fashion while performing for their own fans. 

    

Will This Change? 

Yes, because it's impossible to bet against the Spurs while they're playing so well. Their struggles at home feel more like a schedule fluke than a consistent trend. 

Quarter	1	2	3	4
Net Rating	16.6	25.3	Minus-30.9	Minus-6.4

It defies logic. And now, it's bleeding over into the final period after the Wolves allowed the Boston Celtics to embark upon a 31-12 fourth quarter that included the game's last 17 points on Monday.

The preponderance of youth on the roster is more susceptible to swings in confidence, and the team is now engaging in a self-fulfilling prophecy. Minnesota has heard so much about the third-quarter woes that it believes they're real and plays as such. 

To be fair, how could it not? No other team has had this big a discrepancy between its best and worst quarters: 

Team	Net Rating, Best Quarter	Net Rating, Worst Quarter	Difference
Minnesota Timberwolves	25.3 (Second)	Minus-30.9 (Third)	56.2
Charlotte Hornets	30.4 (Third)	Minus-8.2 (Second)	38.6
Indiana Pacers	12 (First)	Minus-20.9 (Second)	32.9
Brooklyn Nets	6.3 (Fourth)	Minus-25.1 (Third)	31.4

    

Will This Change? 

Yes, because this dichotomy between quarters is entirely unsustainable. Just look at the above table to realize how much of an aberration Minnesota has been. 

It flies in the face of everything we know about Carlisle. 

For years, he's been the coach capable of taking a bunch of role players and washed-up veterans to the playoffs. A master of in-game adjustments and out-of-timeout plays, he squeezes every iota of talent from his troops and maximizes their effectiveness on both ends. 

But that hasn't been the case this year. In fact, only three players on the roster have positive offensive box plus/minuses: A.J. Hammons (played just 15 minutes), J.J. Barea (out for weeks with a calf tear) and Jonathan Gibson (67 minutes over the course of three games). 

Harrison Barnes has put up gaudy per-game numbers, but his inefficiency from beyond the arc and lack of passing chops have betrayed him. Dirk Nowitzki has been uncharacteristically inaccurate during the three games for which he's been healthy. Wesley Matthews can't shoot. The guards are incapable of creating much offense. 

Dallas in general has been disastrous. 

    

Will This Change? 

Yes, and not just because of Carlisle's pedigree. When this team gets healthy and learns how to use all of its new pieces, it should at least become somewhat competent on offense. Finishing dead last in offensive rating would be a monumental surprise. 

As he told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, this is something he's always been able to do. He just hasn't needed to: 

He needs to this year for a Chicago Bulls squad that requires more floor-spacers. 

And it's worked. 

    

Will This Change? 

No. Wade is a supremely talented offensive player who's getting shots in rhythm. Given his abilities and the Bulls' needs, there's no reason to expect him to stop firing away or hitting at an above-average rate. 

This isn't normal.

Over the last five years, offensive rating has been extremely correlated with both measures of shooting ability, as you can see here and here. In fact, we can use a best-fit linear regression to predict offensive rating based on either effective field-goal percentage or true shooting percentage, and my calculations show just how much of an aberration Chicago has become. 

If we use their true shooting percentage as the predictive factor, we should expect the Bulls' offensive rating to stand at 105.2, which would rank No. 19 in the current NBA. If we rely on true shooting percentage, the team's expected offensive rating would be 104.0 and rank No. 22. 

Either way, it's shocking that the Bulls offense has verged on elite, especially in a modern NBA that leans so heavily on shooting prowess. 

    

Will This Change? 

Yes, because numbers don't lie. Over the last five seasons, no team has finished with a top-six offensive rating while ranking worse than No. 11 in true shooting percentage or No. 14 in effective field-goal percentage. The Bulls are well outside those bounds. 

• Chris Paul (twice)
• John Stockton (seven time)
• Steve Nash (four times)
• Rajon Rondo

Russell Westbrook and James Harden are both on pace to join them while leading their respective one-man shows, but the bearded guard—note: he's no longer the bearded 2-guard—can actually join an even more exclusive club.

He's set to match Stockton as one of only two men to average 12 assists with an assist percentage north of 55. In fact, no qualified player has ever logged an assist percentage higher than Harden's current mark of 57.6, though it's worth noting Westbrook's score of 59 is even better. 

Still, we're focusing on the Houston superstar here because it was so hard to see this coming. We knew he was going to throw up dominant individual numbers, but no one could have predicted he'd be this good while making the transition to point guard. 

During his previous seven NBA seasons, he'd never spent more than 2 percent of his minutes at the 1. This year, 98 percent are coming at the position, and he hasn't even needed a transition period. 

He's simply become the league's most important point guard, responsible for an insane amount of his team's offensive production. 

    

Will This Change? 

No, because Harden is in the perfect spot to thrive. The Houston Rockets depend on him for everything, and head coach Mike D'Antoni's offensive schemes fit his talents in ideal fashion. He's going to set more than a few records. 

He's shooting nothing like he has in previous seasons:

Season	FG%	3P%	FT%	TS%
2014-15	36.5	32.2	85.9	49.2
2015-16	38.5	32.6	77.1	51.7
2016-17	53.8	46.0	82.6	69.2

As Stauskas told the Philadelphia Daily News' Bob Cooney, he's finally playing with confidence: 

He's been at his best, and then some. 

    

Will This Change? 

Yes, because Stauskas didn't even shoot this well in college. During his last year at Michigan, he slashed 47.0/44.2/82.4—worse numbers across the board than what he's currently posting. 

Hassan Whiteside and Meyers Leonard aren't shocking, considering their size and skill set. But LaMarcus Aldridge and Mike Muscala's presences both defy logic when you look at their history in this metric, which dates back to 2013-14: 

Season	FG% At Rim Allowed by Muscala	FG% At Rim Allowed by Aldridge
2013-14	55.7	49.1
2014-15	43.3	45.2
2015-16	53.5	48.4
2016-17	39.5	36.1

How is this happening?

Honestly, we have no clue. Your guess is as good as ours.

    

Will This Change? 

Yes. Yes, it will. 

    

Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @fromal09.

Unless otherwise indicated, all stats are from Basketball-Reference.com, NBA.com or NBA Math and are current heading into games on Nov. 23.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Dante Cunningham suffered a nondisplaced right proximal fibula fracture and will miss an extended period of time, the team announced on Thursday. 

---

Latest on Cunningham's Status

Thursday, Nov. 24

The Pelicans added that Cunningham is expected to miss four to six weeks, which would create a possible return date around New Year's. 

For a player who once looked destined to spend his career as a journeyman after stints with four different teams in five years, Cunningham looks to have found his place in New Orleans. 

The 29-year-old is in his third season with the Pelicans, where he's become a rotation player within the frontcourt. 

Through 15 games this season, he's averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, which isn't far off from his career averages of 6.0 and 3.7. 

As a rotational player, those are decent stats to have, but he is one of a myriad of players who have failed to provide much support for star big man Anthony Davis on a 6-10 Pelicans team. 

With Cunningham now sidelined, Solomon Hill will likely have the starting 3 role all to himself, while Anthony Brown could also be called into action. 

For a team that's already without Quincy Pondexter, who is recovering from knee surgery, Cunningham's absence is a tough blow for New Orleans' depth in the frontcourt. 

                    

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.  

Kevin Durant is no stranger to Twitter scraps.

— Bulto (@brandizz3l) November 24, 2016

KD was quick to fire back:

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 24, 2016

Another fan chimed in after Durant praised Pittsburgh Steelers stud running back Le'Veon Bell. Again, he countered:

— Dom (@_Lordswaggy1) November 25, 2016

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 25, 2016

The Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

[Twitter]

Veteran guard Kevin Martin has retired after 12 NBA seasons. 

Martin last appeared in an NBA game on May 12 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. He grabbed two rebounds in just under six minutes. 

The 33-year-old Martin played for five teams during his NBA career. The Sacramento Kings originally selected him 26th overall in 2004, and he spent five-and-a-half years with the franchise before it traded him to the Houston Rockets in 2010. 

In three seasons with the Rockets, Martin had the most successful stretch of his career, averaging 21.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Following his stint in Houston, he also spent time with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the Spurs in March. 

Prior to debuting in the Association, Martin emerged as a dynamic talent during his college career at Western Carolina. During his junior season in 2003-04, he averaged 24.9 points per game and notched 44 against Georgia. 

Martin never emerged as a superstar in the NBA, but he was a valuable role player who carved out a terrific career for more than a decade because of his ability to score. He's hanging up his basketball shoes without much fanfare but has a lot to look back on fondly. 

Atlanta Hawks big man Tiago Splitter will be sidelined for an extended period of time due to a calf injury. 

---

Latest on Splitter's Diagnosis

Friday, Nov. 25

Per Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Splitter is expected to miss six more weeks recovering from a strained right calf. 

Splitter has been hounded by injuries over the past few seasons, so news of his latest ailment comes as a disappointment. He has yet to appear in a game this season after only playing in 36 contests during the 2015-16 season. 

Splitter was supposed to serve as a backup behind starting center Dwight Howard, though Mike Muscala has filled that role so far this season. 

Muscala has been an effective backup through 15 games, posting 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

The Hawks are off to a hot start, owning the Eastern Conference's second-best record at 10-5. Given the lengthy injury history for Splitter, the team was well-prepared for his absence coming into the season and will continue to make do without him at least until the new year begins. 

Chicago Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams has not played since he suffered a bone bruise in his left knee against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 31. He is also battling a bone chip and sprain in his wrist, which he sustained at an undisclosed time. It is unclear exactly when he will return.

---

Latest on Carter-Williams' Timeline to Return

Friday, Nov. 25

The Bulls announced Carter-Williams is out at least four-to-six more weeks with a bone chip and significant wrist sprain, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.

---

Carter-Williams Continues Up-and-Down Tenure with Bucks

In his fourth NBA season, Carter-Williams is coming off the worst season of his career. He averaged 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2015-16, losing his starting job on multiple occasions.

The Bucks shipped the former Rookie of the Year to Chicago during the preseason in exchange for forward Tony Snell. 

“I think the biggest thing for me is I’ve done some pretty good things in this league,” Carter-Williams said, per Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago. “I’ve shown what I can do in this league. I’ve had some unlucky bumps in the road, traded after winning rookie of the year, going to Milwaukee, which wasn’t the best situation for me.”

Carter-Williams was averaging 20 minutes a night through Chicago's first two games. The Bulls have a glut of guards on their roster, so they shouldn't really miss him much. Isaiah Canaan should see the biggest boost in playing time with Carter-Williams out.

Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns can both still have shares of the NBA's future, but the present clearly belongs to just one.

Taking a 21-2 first-quarter scoring edge over Towns and never looking back, Davis finished with 45 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 17-of-27 shooting. It was the fourth time AD pumped in at least that many points in a game, and he's now the proud owner of three of the season's six highest-scoring outputs.

He had it all working, according to Justin Verrier of ESPN.com:

— Justin Verrier (@JustinVerrier) November 24, 2016

And it was almost as though Davis was trying to send a message—or perhaps respond to one delivered by the league's general managers before the season began:

— David Fisher (@DavidFisherTBW) November 24, 2016

Towns managed nine points and 11 rebounds, and his night wasn't without its highlights:

— A Wolf Among Wolves (@AWAWBlog) November 24, 2016

Plays like that made it a little strange to hear Towns, interviewed on the ESPN broadcast, saying he wished he had "the ability to play a little faster as (Davis) does...He's a little more athletic than I am, and I wish I was as athletic as he was."

And though Davis soundly outplayed Towns, encouraging signs remain that the Timberwolves young star will one day equal or surpass the Pelicans' stud. For example, a quick scan of Basketball-Reference.com's shot tendencies for both players shows Davis relying increasingly on those tricky in-between looks, getting a larger and larger portion of his field-goal attempts from outside the restricted area and inside the arc.

Towns, meanwhile, is condensing his attempts to everyone's favorite high-percentage zones: point-blank and three-point range.

Those are trends that'll warrant monitoring in the future. More immediately, Towns' Timberwolves must deal with their predictable collapses.

New Orleans roared to a 36-18 third-quarter advantage that swung this game, and the post-halftime implosion was all too familiar to the Wolves, as this graphic from NBA on ESPN illustrates:

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 24, 2016

Minnesota has been outscored in 12 of the 14 third quarters it's played this season.

Flaws and all, you'd still take Towns' surrounding cast over Davis' because nobody on New Orleans' support staff has the promise of Andrew Wiggins or Zach LaVine, and nobody is out there doing things like this:

But oddly, you can tie some of Minnesota's failures to its glut of talented kids. Part of the Wolves' problems in dealing with adversity (and third-quarter slumps) is that in addition to lapses in focus and commitment, these young players who rightfully believe they'll be stars someday try to fix everything on their own, as NBA analyst Britt Robson pointed out with respect to Wiggins:

— brittrobson (@brittrobson) November 24, 2016

What's more, the coexistence of a handful of potential alphas—even if Towns is clearly the real top dog—complicates things for Towns in a way Davis has never seen. AD has it tougher, sure, but he's been forged by his circumstances, forced to develop into his team's be-all, end-all precisely because the Pelicans have never had anyone else to challenge him for the role.

Or get in his way.

So while Towns has to develop in concert with others, Davis, by necessity, turned into the godly force he is today:

— ☕netw3rk (@netw3rk) November 24, 2016

The idea of adversity spurring development isn't a new one.

Ultimately, anyone in their right mind should still buy as much stock in Davis and Towns as possible. Both are going nowhere but up.

If Wednesday taught us anything, though, Davis' stock is already booming, while Towns' remains more of a speculative play.

   

The Sixers Have Some Learning to Do

The Memphis Grizzlies outlasted the feisty Philadelphia 76ers in double overtime, prevailing 104-99 behind Mike Conley's 25 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Memphis earned its sixth consecutive win, though it's worth wondering what would have happened if Joel Embiid's minutes limit hadn't sidelined him for the second overtime period.

Maybe in addition to the 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks we'd seen to that point, we would have also witnessed another eye-opening sequence like this:

Per Derek Bodner of Philadelphia Magazine, Embiid is as eager as everyone else to get past the kid-gloves stage:

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) November 24, 2016

In addition to Embiid sitting out the decisive final stanza, Nik Stauskas also made sure the Sixers' lottery odds didn't get too slim. He passed up a clean look at a triple, dribbled in and missed a two when Philly was down three in the closing seconds.

If this game taught us nothing else, it was that it takes time to learn how to win. I sure hope some established and universally respected pro takes the time to school Embiid on what it takes.

— Anastasio Ríos (@Tasio93) November 24, 2016

Oh, good.

   

The Spurs Are Not Pathetic

The San Antonio Spurs heard Gregg Popovich's transmission, but the Charlotte Hornets did their best to interfere.

"I thought we showed a lack of humility, a lack of respect for the opponent," Popovich told reporters after the 96-91 win over a Dallas Mavericks team that started four undrafted players. "A very pathetic performance on both ends of the court, in execution and in grunt, in fiber, in desire."

Bouncing back from those negative reviews, the Spurs handed the Charlotte Hornets a 119-114 loss, the third straight defeat for the struggling bugs. Though beaten, Charlotte gave the Spurs all they could handle, as Kemba Walker continued his brilliant season and nearly decided a tight game with 15 points in the fourth quarter.

And while San Antonio may have been galvanized by Pop's well-timed and delightfully expressive curmudgeonry, it probably helped that LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker were back in the lineup after resting against the Mavs.

Having Kawhi Leonard set a career high for made field goals (14) on the way to 30 points didn't hurt, either.

He earned raves from Mike Prada of SB Nation and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News:

— Mike Prada (@MikePradaSBN) November 24, 2016

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) November 24, 2016

Fighting hard on the road against a game Hornets club, the Spurs proved they don't stay pathetic for long.

   

The Blazers Need to Level Up

The Portland Trail Blazers have talked a lot about fixing their defense, along with upping their effort and finding themselves lately.

Jason Quick of CSNNW.com got a representative quote from Damian Lillard:

— Jason Quick (@jwquick) November 23, 2016

What happened Wednesday suggests something more than talk is in order.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and, more specifically, Kevin Love torched the Blazers' beleaguered D, pouring in 137 points, their season high, in a 12-point win.

Kevin Love set an NBA record with 34 first-quarter points, part of the Cavs' 46 in the period.

— NBA (@NBA) November 24, 2016

For Love, the 34 points (he finished with 40) represented a personal best since coming to Cleveland.

Lillard posted 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds on 13-of-21 shooting, so he delivered on his pregame goal.

It was Portland's D, now ranked dead last in the NBA, that wasn't ready to level up with him.

Losers in five of their last six, the Blazers desperately need Al-Farouq Aminu's calf to heal. The defensive collapse isn't entirely due to his absence, but redistributing his minutes to Ed Davis, Evan Turner and Meyers Leonard has played a major role in this slide.

Lillard can only do so much.

   

 

The Hawks Take a Deep Breath, Suffocate Opponents

The Atlanta Hawks badly needed a course correction coming off three straight losses to the Hornets, New York Knicks and Pelicans, and they leaned on their defense to get one against the Indiana Pacers.

Dwight Howard contributed 23 points and 20 rebounds in the Hawks' skid-stopping 96-85 win, helping hold the Pacers to 40.5 percent shooting and leading a dominant 56-37 advantage on the glass. And whenever Atlanta's finicky offense hit a dry spell, its pressure D did enough to keep Indy from getting its own attack going, as John Schuhmann of NBA.com observed:

— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) November 24, 2016

Two weeks ago, the Hawks seemed ready to join the East's true upper class. Now, after stabilizing themselves with the defense that defined them in their best stretches of the young season, they can start working back to that status.

   

The Pistons Rebound...and Rebound

Theory: Knowing Andre Drummond is a human rebound vacuum, the rest of the Detroit Pistons have all decided they don't need to do anything on the glass.

Nobody's saying there's a placard on the wall of Detroit's home locker room that says "Screw it, 'Dre will handle the boards," but nobody's not saying that, either. How else do you explain the Pistons ranking 23rd in rebound percentage?

Out-rebounded in 11 of the first 15 games they played this season, the Pistons got 15 pulls from Drummond and managed to outwork the Miami Heat on the boards by a margin of 49-37 overall. Result: a 107-84 win against a Heat team that, admittedly, couldn't get out of its own way.

If the Heat are ever going to get themselves right, they have to stop letting their woeful offense (they shot 36 percent from the field) drain the life of a generally strong defense, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) November 24, 2016

The Heat have the rest of a likely tank-focused season to sort themselves out. Detroit, a team with playoff aspirations, is just happy to grab a few boards and stop a four-game losing streak.

   

The Man Bun of Doom Destroyed the Nets

Coming off a historically bad defensive stretch that saw them give up at least 120 points in four straight games, the Brooklyn Nets did not need to see Kelly Olynyk's man bun.

Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com explained why that mattered:

— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) November 22, 2016

Somehow, the Nets held Boston to just 111 points in a 19-point loss, and Olynyk only managed 10 points.

So...progress?

The Celtics are getting healthier, Olynyk's going with his optimal hairstyle and Isaiah Thomas keeps finishing games with ruthless scoring. After Brooklyn's surprising start and Boston's stumbles to start the season, these two teams are headed in the directions we expected.

That's doubly good news for the Celtics, who own the Nets' first-round draft-pick rights for (give or take) the next 75 years.

    

DeMar DeRozan Is Efficient in His Own Way

To be clear, DeMar DeRozan still takes way too many shots from the inefficient mid-range area, and he's bound for regression eventually.

But in another way, he flashed some very cost-effective scoring in the Toronto Raptors' 115-102 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday, grabbing 21 of his 24 points in a decisive third quarter. All points count the same, but when you pile them up in bunches, they can demoralize a struggling opponent.

"I’ve never been a person where you could sway me just because everybody is doing something, or something is changing," DeRozan told Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post earlier this week.

With results like he's had so far (DeRozan has scored at least 30 points in 10 of Toronto's 15 games), it's hard to argue with his methods.

   

DeAndre Jordan Is Clairvoyant

Any guesses as to what happened when the team with the league's best record met the one with the worst?

The Los Angeles Clippers rolled, trouncing the Dallas Mavericks by a final of 124-104.

Dallas, at least, got Dirk Nowitzki and Andrew Bogut back in the lineup, which had to feel pretty good after starting four undrafted players against the Spurs earlier this week. But the Mavs got just 10 points from Nowitzki, and Bogut, though he grabbed a dozen boards and dished six assists, got himself into foul trouble that hampered his effectiveness in the second half.

Though the Mavs are getting healthier, it's hard to be confident about their chances of keeping vets on the floor—both because guys like Nowitzki and Bogut don't have the cleanest health records and because this is feeling increasingly like a lost season.

Things have never been worse for Dallas under current ownership, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 24, 2016

Seeing these two teams rocketing toward opposite ends of the NBA hierarchy has to make DeAndre Jordan feel pretty good about his decision to ditch the Mavs two summers ago.

   

Never Ever Beat the Warriors by 20 Points

The Los Angeles Lakers knocked off the Golden State Warriors 117-97 on Nov. 4, and it is now safe to assume the Dubs didn't quickly forget it.

And while there are many, many things we could say to contextualize the Warriors' 149-106 victory—like how Golden State set a franchise record with 47 assists and scored the 10th-most points in a regulation game ever—I think it's best to just use this:

— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) November 24, 2016

Why?

Hard to say, actually. Maybe seeing a team score 149 points makes me a little loopy.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Follow Grant on Twitter and Facebook.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com. Accurate through games played Nov. 23.

It's been a few years since Kentucky produced its last big-name NBA point guard. Everything about De'Aaron Fox's flair and look suggests he's the next one up. 

It was only a matter of time before the John Wall comparisons would start popping up for the exciting playmaker with next-level size, athleticism and speed.

— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) October 26, 2016

"They're reasonable," the scout said, citing "physical tools and skills" as the core similarities.

"I don’t feel like it’s ever bad to be compared to someone like that," Fox told the Courier-Journal's Fletcher Page. "It just gives you really high expectations."

Stylistically, there is an obvious resemblance. The question is whether Fox can follow in the former No. 1 pick's steps and develop into an All-Star-caliber floor general. 

Physically, Wall is significantly longer. A second scout noted Wall's superior strength/explosiveness and commented on Fox being "more about extending around smaller point guards than exploding over them." 

Still, Fox packs a potent punch of size, quickness and bounce. 

                                          

Strengths 

He reminds one of Wall in transition more than any other area. Alarms should sound whenever he grabs a defensive rebound—Fox has made a habit of taking them coast to coast and picking up buckets before defenses can set. 

Fast and shifty, he flies with the ball, showing the ability to turn on the jets and weave between traffic while maintaining the body control to finish the break. He's also become proficient with a Eurostep that's now a regular weapon. 

There's also vision on the move and a willingness to set the table for teammates, an aspect of his game that holds more value in the half court. If Fox were to step on an NBA floor tomorrow, he'd have better success distributing than scoring. 

Out of pick-and-rolls, he creates passing lanes to the roll man by confusing and drawing both defenders with change of speed and inside-out dribbles. He uses his elusiveness to create quality looks for dunkers, divers and shooters, whether it's off ball screens or drive-and-kicks. 

His ability to shake and keep the defense on its heels leads to assists. 

Among the fast breaks, secondary breaks and Fox's first step, he constantly puts pressure on the defense and rim. When attacking, he covers ground and airspace with long strides, precise cuts and springs, which results in frequent finger rolls and layups. 

Fox has also demonstrated the coordination to adjust midair and convert at tough angles. 

As a freshman, bank on the majority of his scoring coming from inside 15 feet, though Fox is a threat to pull up from around the arc if he's run off the three-point line or given space off a ball screen. He's not consistent from deep but is capable when left free. 

One of Fox's biggest selling points is the fact he can impact a game with defense, a rare strength among guards. Extreme foot speed and aggressive, active hands translate to ball pressure and forced turnovers. 

His reactions are equally as effective: He contains dribble penetration with both lateral quickness and instincts. Fox does a great job of anticipating his man's move, when the pick is coming and how to avoid it.  

He makes it difficult for opposing ball-handlers to comfortably operate, turn the corner or get into their sets. And he's made the pickpocket steal at half court a signature play. 

It's difficult to imagine a point guard having a higher defensive ceiling. And it should buy him some time and wiggle room with scouts when it comes to his offensive development.

                                    

Weaknesses  

The dunks and acrobatic layups will be there, but don't be surprised if Fox struggles to consistently finish through rim protection.

He doesn't climb the ladder as well as when given an open runway to lift off. He's had trouble separating from shot-blockers and defenders who are still attached. Fox also doesn't generate much power from his skinny legs, while his thin frame can crumble after contact. 

It's led to some questionable shot selection: He's shown a tendency to either drive hard into traffic instead of tossing up a floater, or he'll prematurely stop short for a low-percentage runner to avoid the trees.  

Though capable of firing off the dribble, he hasn't been a reliable shooter, either. He also doesn't create his own shot well with jab steps or step-backs on the perimeter, making him somewhat predictable to defend. Opponents are bound to sag, go under screens and take away Fox's drive until he starts beating them from outside.

He's also shown limited confidence and comfort playing off the ball; Fox doesn't appear interested in wasting field-goal attempts on spot-up jumpers unless they're in rhythm. Even then, he's had mixed results. 

                                                        

Final Takeaways 

The spotlight tends to gravitate toward Kentucky point guards, but Fox won't need it to draw attention. He'll generate his own buzz with playmaking, athleticism and highlights that continue to remind fans of Wall. 

Fox's challenges include remaining efficient without a dependable jumper or much muscle around the basket. And though a fine facilitator, he can stand to improve his decision-making as lead guard of an offense. 

The eye test, however, indicates Fox's transition game, setup ability and defense are poised to translate from high school to college to the pros. He will blow up if he can make the strides Wall has as a perimeter scorer and orchestrator.

The New York Knicks have strayed from the triangle offense in 2016-17 under head coach Jeff Hornacek, which is a decision that reportedly hasn't sat well with team president Phil Jackson. 

The Knicks are 2-4, and they rank 13th in the NBA in offensive efficiency at 104, per ESPN's Hollinger stats.

Per Marc Berman of the New York Post, Jackson recently sat in on Knicks practice and helped teach some triangle principles, particularly to shooting guard Courtney Lee.

According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, Hornacek said after that practice the players are becoming more comfortable with the triangle:

One of the issues with running the triangle has been point guard Derrick Rose's unfamiliarity with the system.

Following New York's season-opening loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rose admitted adjusting to the offense was a struggle, per Steve Popper of USA Today:

The Knicks are allowing 109.8 points per game, which ranks 27th in the league, so their defense looks like an even bigger issue on paper.

While the triangle offense helped Jackson win 11 NBA titles as a head coach with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, the league has gone away from that style and is now focused on individual play and isolation. With alpha dogs such as Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis on the team, it is fair to wonder if the triangle is the best fit for the Knicks.

                   

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

At least some good came out of this election cycle.

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

He understands that far too many Americans are working long hours without earning a livable wage:

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

He also took a stance on education and public service:

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

Don't forget about preserving the fine arts:

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

Perhaps most importantly, he vowed to spare voters the long wait until Westeros' winter arrives:

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

Then there's this:

— Metta World Peace (@MettaWorldPeace) November 8, 2016

This was the best edition of Metta World News ever.

[Metta World Peace]

It does not appear as though the separation between Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade and his former employer, Miami Heat President Pat Riley, is going well. 

Wade spent 13 years with the Heat, the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2003 out of Marquette, and his name is littered throughout the franchise's history books:

After helping the team win a title in 2006 and two more in 2012 and 2013 alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh, Wade signed a two-year deal with his hometown Bulls after his contract demands were not met by Riley and the Heat at the end of last season.

Yet, his departure wasn't a surprising one after knowing Riley for so long, although he did say he's been in contact "with everyone else" in Miami:

After Wednesday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks, Wade and the Bulls will travel to Miami to take on the Heat on Thursday for the first time since his departure from South Beach. 

While he has to contend with a back-to-back schedule upon his arrival, Wade doesn't know what to expect in the city in which he still has roots:

The 34-year-old Wade has averaged 16.9 points in seven games with Chicago this season, which is 4-3 and currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. 

Considering everything he's done for the franchise, Wade should receive nothing short of a warm welcome upon walking into the AmericanAirlines Arena. 

      

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com. 

The NBA fined Washington Wizards point guard John Wall $25,000 for an "inappropriate interaction with an official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner" after he was ejected during the team's 114-106 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday, CSN Philly's Jessica Camerato reported Wednesday.

Although Davis' decision appeared harsh at first glance, he explained the actions that precipitated Wall's ejection after the game. 

"I felt that there was contact and that [Wall] bumped me," he said, per the Washington Post's Candace Buckner. "I wasn't certain of his intent. I told him to watch himself. He looked over his shoulder and used vulgarity and inappropriate language and was ejected on his second technical foul."

The start of the 2016-17 season has been anything but pleasant for the Wizards. They've stumbled out of the starting blocks under new head coach Scott Brooks, and their record dipped to 1-5 with Monday's loss. 

"Nobody is happy," guard Bradley Beal said, according to CSN Mid-Atlantic's J. Michael. "Everyone's emotions are a little high. Everybody is mad. We are 1-5. We did not expect to be like this. We just have to figure it out."

The Wizards may be frustrated, but they'll have to weather the storm and try to make it through the rest of the week without tensions boiling over. 

Washington will play host to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday and Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday before traveling to the Windy City for a showdown with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

Welcome to the NBA's Overreaction City. Population: You. Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com and are accurate leading into Tuesday's games. Salary information via Basketball Insiders.

Focus lies with those who joined new teams over the offseason, because it's easier to spot changes, both good and bad, when players are in new digs. Our scope will be further limited by free agents who negotiated themselves one of this year's top-50 salaries in their new deal.

While this is a tongue-in-cheek exercise, it is not without merit. These exaggerations are rooted in truths and areas of actual concern.

For example (and spoiler alert): When we say the Golden State Warriors made a mistake by letting Harrison Barnes go instead of trading Klay Thompson into the Philadelphia 76ers' cap space, we're merely nodding to the former's onset success with the Dallas Mavericks.

Get it? Good. Let's hyperbolize.

       

Ryan Anderson, Houston Rockets

Contract: Four years, $80 million

First Impression: James Harden deserves another raise.

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni is taking the "Never, ever, ever, ever play him without James Harden" approach to Ryan Anderson's minutes. And it's working...in a manner of speaking:

Anderson is not alone in his dependence on Harden. Houston's net rating plummets by 36.6 points per 100 possessions when the latter steps off the floor. But more of Harden's passes go to Anderson than any other teammate, and he has assisted on three times as many of the power forward's buckets (18) as the rest of the team...combined (six). 

This isn't a problem so long as Anderson keeps shooting 50 percent on Harden's dishes. Or maybe it is. Who the heck knows?

For now, D'Antoni just needs to make sure Anderson is attached at Harden's hip.

       

Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks

Contract: Four years, $94.4 million

First Impression: Golden State almost ruined Harry B's career.

Barnes leads the Mavericks in scoring with 20.8 points per game. His usage rate is six points higher than it ever was with the Warriors. He has hit more three-pointers (eight) than Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala have combined to make (seven). His effective field-goal percentage (52.9) is way better than that from Thompson (45.8).

He has a higher player efficiency rating (17.7) than Patrick McCaw (15.9).

And to think, the Warriors never let Barnes be more than a glorified fourth option during the Steve Kerr era.

Granted, Barnes is putting up numbers, as an offensive minus, for a one-win Mavericks squad that plays two of its starters more than 37 minutes per game. But let's not trifle ourselves with (wholly applicable) counternarratives just yet.

       

Bismack Biyombo, Orlando Magic

Contract: Four years, $68 million

First Impression: This is so not fine.

Most of us spent the offseason wondering whether it was a good idea for the Orlando Magic to make Bismack Biyombo one of their two highest-paid players when Serge Ibaka and Nikola Vucevic were already on the dole.

Fewer than 10 games into the season, we have our answer: Orlando needs to break up its frontcourt logjam.

Biyombo is playing fewer minutes than he did with the Toronto Raptors, and the offense, a general disaster, self-destructs with him in the game. The Magic don't have the requisite shooters to use Biyombo as the rim-runner he needs to be, and that, by default, mitigates the value of his shot-blocking and rebounding.

All the "Give it time, and they'll be fine" caveats don't apply here. There isn't a workable scenario in which the Magic make something of this season, let alone Biyombo, without offloading one of their three primary bigs.

        

Luol Deng, Los Angeles Lakers

Contract: Four years, $72 million

First Impression: W-A-S-H-E-D.

Luol Deng is averaging career lows in minutes, points, overall field-goal percentage and assists. Even this early, that's not a statistical anecdote the Los Angeles Lakers want to hear about for their highest-paid player.

Perhaps the strain of playing roughly one bajillion minutes for Tom Thibodeau in Chicago is catching up with him. Looking back at that part of his career, Deng could easily be 31 going on 49. Or maybe per-game numbers don't tell the story.

Shouldn't it matter that his usage rate has plunged by design, as head coach Luke Walton bestows more responsibilities upon the kiddies? Or that playing fewer minutes because of those young 'uns, namely Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr., will keep Deng fresher for longer?

Or that, according to NBA Math, Deng still profiles as an extremely valuable defender (first column)?

— NBA Math (@NBA_Math) November 7, 2016

Yes, it should matter. It won't unless Deng's numbers improve a tick, but it should.

        

Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors

Contract: Two years, $54.3 million

First Impression: Kevin Durant is the most efficient scorer of all time.

Durant is posting a true shooting percentage—cumulative measurement of two-point, three-point and free-throw accuracy—north of 68 to start the season.

The last player to clear this benchmark while averaging 20 or more points per game? That would be no one.

Seven appearances with the Golden State Warriors is all we need to know that Durant will become the first. That almost makes up for the adverse impact his arrival is thus far having on Golden State's once-stingy defense.

       

Al Horford, Boston Celtics

Contract: Four years, $113.3 million

First Impression: Bring back Evan Turner!

The Al Horford-era Boston Celtics are supposed to be both offensive and defensive powerhouses. But something's amiss here, per Bleacher Report's Michael Pina:

— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) November 7, 2016

The Celtics fielded a top-five defense in 2015-16. Clearly, the Horford addition has come at its expense, and yet he's proved statistically replaceable on offense. What gives?

Injuries.

Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart and Horford, who is currently going through the NBA's concussion protocol, have yet to be healthy at the same time. Kelly Olynyk is still slogging through shoulder issues, too. The death knell cannot be sounded for Boston's defense until this implosion survives the play of all these important pieces.

In the meantime, to get through the nostalgic pangs you feel when thinking about Evan Turner's defense under head coach Brad Stevens, remember that the Celtics are playing like a top-seven squad on both sides of the floor whenever Horford is actually in the game.

       

Dwight Howard, Atlanta Hawks

Contract: Three years, $70.5 million

First Impression: Dwight Howard, reborn.

Howard is once again fronting one of the NBA's two best defenses. All is right with the world. It's good to see he's no longer playing like trash, as he did in Houston.

Except:

Could it be that Howard wasn't actually bad with the Rockets? That he's just more comfortable and healthier with the Hawks? That he's basically the same player with a larger role?

Nah.

Saying that he transitioned from Dwight Howard in Orlando, to a poor man's Hasheem Thabeet in Los Angeles and Houston, then back to Dwight Howard in Atlanta, gets more #clickz.

       

Ian Mahinmi, Washington Wizards

Contract: Four years, $64 million

First Impression: Already Washington's defensive savior.

How is Ian Mahinmi already the Washington Wizards' defensive knight in shining armor when he has yet to play a game while recovering from meniscus surgery? 

Well, you see, the Wizards rank 24th in points allowed per 100 possessions, and Mahinmi placed 10th among all centers in points saved on the less glamorous end last season, according to NBA Math. It doesn't take a pre-teen genius to connect the dots.

The Wizards are a cool fourth in shot attempts allowed inside the restricted area per game. But teams needn't attack the rim to hurt them; the three-point defense is terrible. Besides, opponents are shooting better than 61 percent around the basket. (That's not good.) 

Fortunately for Washington, Mahinmi is more than halfway through a four-to-six-week timetable. Unfortunately for Washington, he won't solve collapses beyond the arc.

       

Timofey Mozgov, Los Angeles Lakers

Contract: Four years, $64 million

First Impression: Wait, four years and $64 million? That was a real contract?

The Lakers are paying Timofey Mozgov a top-50 salary to barely play 20 minutes per game and let opponents shoot better than 55 percent at the rim.

It's still early and all that, but as of now, there is no overreacting to how horrible this deal looks—unless, of course, you thought his contract was a prank in the first place.

      

Joakim Noah, New York Knicks

Contract: Four years, $72.6 million

First Impression: Best point guard on the Knicks roster.

Joakim Noah, not Derrick Rose, has the highest assist percentage among New York Knicks starters.

Noah, not Rose, is a net plus when playing beside Kristaps Porzingis.

More Knicks players are shooting 50 percent off Noah's passes than Rose's dishes.

And it's Noah, not Rose, who owns New York's best offensive rating.

Nevermind that Noah is averaging under 25 minutes per game as the supposed face of the league's worst defense. The Knicks have needed a legitimate floor general for years and finally found one—and he's only costing them double what the Brooklyn Nets are paying Jeremy Lin over the next three seasons.

       

Chandler Parsons, Memphis Grizzlies

Contract: Four years, $94.4 million

First Impression: Are the Grizzlies actually paying him as much as Harrison Barnes?

Chandler Parsons' Memphis Grizzlies tenure isn't off to a good start. He missed the first six games of the season while working his way back from meniscus surgery that prematurely ended 2015-16's campaign. Then, in his Nov. 6 debut against the Portland Trail Blazers, he missed all eight of his shots and was a team-worst minus-11.

Ah, well. At least he said his knee wasn't an issue, per the Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins:

Parsons' shooting and playmaking will come in time. He won't always be the injury liability he became during his time with the Mavericks. He is worth a Barnes-level investment, and Memphis has no reason to worry itself.

Right?

       

Evan Turner, Portland Trail Blazers

Contract: Four years, $70 million

First Impression: His three-point shot is cured!

As it turns out, players really do shoot threes better in Rip City. Take Evan Turner: He was shooting triples at a 30.5 percent clip before signing with Portland; now he's putting down a personal 42.9 percent.

Sure, he's only launched a total of seven three-pointers, but who cares? After all, it's more than six! It doesn't matter that he has the worst net rating on the team, or that he's taking fewer shots without attacking the rim as much.

And it most certainly doesn't matter that he, as Portland's third-highest-paid player, ranks seventh on the team in total minutes.

Because, quite obviously, he's a legitimate three-point sniper now.

       

Dwyane Wade, Chicago Bulls

Contract: Two years, $47 million

First Impression: Chicago (finally) has Kyle Korver's replacement.

The Chicago Bulls haven't deployed a shooting guard who can catch fire from long distance for seasons at a time since they sold—yes, sold—Kyle Korver to the Hawks.

Until now.

Some people questioned spacing with Dwyane Wade. He plays next to three other non-shooters—Taj Gibson, Robin Lopez, Rajon Rondo—in the starting lineup. And entering this season, Stephen Curry hit more threes in 2015-16 (402) than Wade drained for his 13-year career (386).

But the joke's on all those haters, because Wade is shooting a totally sustainable, not-at-all-skewed 43.5 percent from downtown amid near-career volume. And he's doing this for the Association's third-best offensive team. The Bulls are pumping in more points per 100 possessions without him, but that just proves stats are stupid when they don't perfectly align with our arguments.

Korver, the scrub that he's become, is putting down a paltry 43.3 percent of his three-balls. Hopefully he'll consider taking jump-shot lessons from Wade this summer.

      

Russell Westbrook was expected to carry a heavy load this season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but through the first seven games, his burden would make an 18-wheeler struggle.

The highest single-season usage rate in NBA history is 38.7 percent, logged by Kobe Bryant in 2005-06. The second-highest mark belongs to Westbrook at 38.4 percent, from his injury-marred 2014-15 campaign.

Is Westbrook rumbling toward a similar effort?

“I look at it a little bit differently from the perspective of: Russell’s a unique player in that he can affect the game in so many different ways,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I want him to be who he is. If we can generate good shots and he can help generate shots, we’re going to utilize him.”

But what about the physical toll this could take on Westbrook? Besides the 30.4 points and 9.9 assists he produces each night, he’s also grabbing 8.4 rebounds per game.

“On the other side of it, I look more at the minutes for him, in terms of really wearing him down with excessive minutes,” Donovan, who has resisted the urge to bump up Westbrook’s court time from last season, explained. “You’re not going to necessarily change, nor do I want to change, who he is.”

Westbrook doesn’t seem concerned so far, either. “I’m happy that we’re winning, man. To me, all I care about is winning, regardless of what numbers look like,” he said after the Thunder beat the Clippers on Nov. 2. “As long as we win, I’m happy.”

While his early-season numbers have been jaw-dropping, they haven't kept the Thunder from winning games, as they're off to an Oklahoma City-era-best 6-1 start.

But could the team's high dependence on its star stunt its growth if stretched out for a whole season?

“There’s new pieces around [him] that he’s trying to figure out how he can utilize and take advantage of the personnel that’s around him,” Donovan said. “Anytime you have a lot of new pieces coming into a team, that’s going to take some time.”

“But he also understands, too, as intelligent and as bright and as smart as Russell is, that in order for our team to be as effective and successful as it can be, he definitely needs to figure out ways to utilize the people around him.”

Westbrook has a big challenge integrating newcomers Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Joffrey Lauvergne and Jerami Grant. Additionally, he has to adapt to new, larger roles for holdover teammates.

Steven Adams is no longer simply a human pogo stick who can leap for pick-and-roll lobs. He’s developed a well-rounded offensive game on the low blocks and can command double-teams.

Andre Roberson is no longer banished to the corners on offense. He’s shown a keen ability to cut toward the basket and even drive to it with confidence.

Oladipo’s early struggles from the field—32.8 percent during the first four games—exacerbated the matter. Living up to his streaky nature, Oladipo has now hit 61.3 percent of his shots in the last three contests. He’s looked much more comfortable and confident during that stretch.

Last week’s trade of Ersan Ilyasova has forced Lauvergne into a more prominent bench role. Newcomer Grant can leap tall buildings in a single bound but has barely had time to exchange contact info with his new teammates. Sabonis was preparing to start the season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs this time last year, and now he’s a starting power forward in the NBA.

With so much change and offseason evolution, Donovan has preached patience while his players work things out.

“It’s a two-way street. It’s not just all on Russell,” Donovan said. “He’ll figure out where guys are most effective. He’ll figure out passes that he’s looking for. And those kinds of things take time.”

“He’s been in control. He’s taken mostly good shots,” veteran Nick Collison observed. “So much of what we do is going to be pick-and-roll for us, so he’s ultimately going to be the one who’s going to make a lot of those plays.”

The Thunder star isn’t just shooting the basketball to extremes. He also leads the team in a number of passing statistics. He’s second in the league in potential assists at 18.9, which are passes that led to a missed shot attempt by a teammate.

“My job is to kind of read off of those guys, man,” Westbrook explained. “As a point guard, you’ve got to be able to adjust and know what type of personalities you have on the team, trying to find ways to uplift those guys and find ways to be able to play off them as well.”

For his part, Oladipo wouldn’t mind if Westbrook continues to wreak havoc on the league.

“I think we need him every night to be like that,” he said. “That would be nice.” 

             

THUNDER INSIDER’S NOTEBOOK

Westbrook's 'Other Duties as Assigned'

Donovan took a moment to explain just how much weight is on Westbrook’s shoulders.

“Russell’s done an incredible job since training camp, but I don’t know if people really necessarily have a true appreciation for what’s on his plate and what’s on his shoulders as a player,” the coach said.

“Re-signing up [renegotiating and extending his contract], and then having an entire team that’s looking to him for direction and leadership, and then having to go out there and play. And then having to go out there and figure out how to incorporate who likes the ball in certain areas. Who’s good in this spot, getting them the ball … All those things take a lot of time and energy and effort on his part. And I see him every day doing all of those things.”

         

Fun With Numbers

Westbrook had a usage rate of 49.8 percent in the Thunder’s 113-110 overtime victory over Phoenix on Oct. 28. That was the night of his 51-point triple-double (13 rebounds, 10 assists).

A few nights later, in an 85-83 win over the Clippers, his usage rate was even higher at 54.2 percent. He scored 35 points but needed 30 shots and had 10 turnovers.

He was the Thunder's only double-digit scorer of the night. 

        

All stats accurate as of Nov. 8.