Connect with us

The Rundown w/T-Money

The Rundown v12.04.22 – The First Quarter Comes to a Close

This week’s snapshot is a couple days overdue … but there’s logic behind that.

I wanted to make sure every team got past the quarter point of the season. And, we’re nearing that point (December 15th) where players can begin to be traded and it’s time to look at the NBA will begin re-shaping rosters.

And whether head coaches who were here on October 1st will be here on January 1, 2023.

No team went undefeated in the last 10 days, but the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets went 5-1, lining my Atlantic Division projections out perfectly. The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat are swapped from my original forecast for the Southeast Division. And the Indiana Pacers have been the big surprise in the Central Division, closing in on my projected 30 wins faster than expected, and on pace to win 48 at their current clip.

In the Western Conference, no one could have predicted the inconsistencies of the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in their respective starts; the same could be said for the impressive sprints by the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trailblazers, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz. The Warriors also went 5-1 over the last 10 days and seem to be themselves again.

To their credit, the Lakers have had themselves a damn nice week this week (4-1) given their horrific start – yet they are still not a .500 team just yet.

The Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs were winless in the last 10 days.

John Collins is one of the biggest names on the potential trade rumor list, with the Phoenix Suns having a covetous eye on his talent; which would make the name Deandre Ayton in play – which I said over the summer on our site’s podcast and have written since that I think Ayton in Atlanta makes more sense than Collins. The Hawks have big dreams, but I seriously doubt the Utah Jazz part with Lauri Markkanen. (Doesn’t it seem strange that KD is more likely to the Hawks than Markkanen?)

Other names like Kevin Durant (Bulls, Hawks) and Russell Westbrook (Miami) are still being floated so that writers can grab headlines, but we’re more likely to see the more-underperforming Kendrick Nunn and Patrick Beverley moved out of L.A. and Jae Crowder still needs to find a new home (Miami).

(Graphic courtesy of Fadeaway World)

ATLANTIC 1st Quarter
Celtics 

(56-26)

Celtics 

(18-5)

The Celtics’ only loss this week came against the Miami Heat. They featured five straight wins before that over the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Miami Heat (before the loss). Jayson Tatum seemingly waved off the chance to go for 50 against the Heat; he scored 49.
Nets 

(54-28)

Nets
(13-11)
Brooklyn was the only other team to hit their stride at 5-1 this past 10 days, winning on the road versus the Toronto Raptors, losing to the Indiana Pacers in Indy, before going on a four-game home stand tear through the Portland Trailblazers, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, and the Raptors again. The Nets are reportedly talking to the Atlanta Hawks about acquiring John Collins and are allegedly dangling Kevin Durant in those talks. Stay tuned. TJ Warren is expected to debut with the Nets this week. Ben Simmons is out for three games with his latest malady-of-the-month-club issue.
76ers 

(54-28)

Sixers
(12-11)
Injuries have kept the Sixers barely afloat with their noses just above .500 the first quarter of this season. After losing to the Charlotte Hornets the day before Thanksgiving, the Sixers feasted on the Orlando Magic twice and took down the Atlanta Hawks at home, before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies to end the week.
Raptors 

(44-38)

Raptors
(12-11)
Not only do the Raptors have an identical mark as the Philadelphia 76ers, they also went 3-3 over the last 10 days. Two losses to the Brooklyn Nets along with getting swooped by the New Orleans Pelicans offset wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic.
Knicks 

(42-40)

Knicks

(10-13)

After a 1-4 week – where the only victory came against the hapless Detroit Pistons – the Knicks are right where we expected them to be; struggling to remain viable in a last place spot. The Tom Thibodeaux watch has begun.

SOUTHEAST 1st Quarter
Heat 

(56-26)

Hawks

(13-10)

Despite a 3-3 week, the Hawks are off to a fairly strong start, considering they are still assimilating Dejounte Murray (21.4 pts, 5.7 reb. 6.7 ast) into the fabric of the team. They won over the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets. Their three losses came at the hands of the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers on a three-game skid. 
Hawks 

(51-31)

Heat
(11-12)
The Heat put together a nice 4-1 week, only to get to within one game of being a .500 team. They beat the Washington Wizards twice, and the Atlanta Hawks once, before splitting a pair in Beantown with the Boston Celtics.
Wizards 

(47-35)

Wizards
(11-12)
The Wizards finally tumbled from their ivory tower, winning one game – a 15 point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves – but losing five this past week. The Miami Heat took advantage of Washington twice in Miami, and the Wizards fell on the road to the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and Charlotte Hornets. They are now a sub-.500 team, tied with the Heat.
Hornets 

(46-36)

Hornets

(7-16)

The Hive was nice to the Hornets, where they earned three wins – versus the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Washington Wizards, finishing the week at 3-2. The two losses were to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden and to the Milwaukee Bucks at the Spectrum Center. LaMelo Ball has played but three games this season, but collected $2,734,414 of his $8.6 million due this season.
Magic 

(38-44)

Magic

(5-19)

The Magic got pasted by the injury-riddled Philadelphia 76ers twice at home, and also fell to the Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Toronto Raptors. They are currently on an eight-game losing streak. Can you say Paolo Banchero and Victor Wembanyana?

CENTRAL 1st Quarter
Cavaliers 

(55-27)

Bucks

(16-6)

Without having had the services of Khris Middleton, for the Bucks to have gone 15-6 on the shoulders of Giannis Antetokuonmpo and Jrue Holiday is saying something about the grit of this team, which went 0-5 in pre-season with the same group. Khash Money returned last night to sting the Charlotte Hornets with 17 points and seven assists in Milwaukee’s 16th win of the season. Only the Boston Celtics have more wins at 18.
Bucks 

(54-28)

Cavaliers
(15-8)
The Cavaliers put together three nice home wins against the Portland Trailblazers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Orlando Magic and a win at Detroit to finish the week at 4-2. The losses both came on the road to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors.
Pistons 

(43-39)

Pacers 

(12-10)

The Pacers’ impressive start to the season has been so refreshing that a 2-4 record over the last 10 days has been easier to absorb, and keeping Indiana in the thick of things in the Central. The wins came against the Brooklyn Nets at home, and against the Los Angeles Lakers on the road, with Andrew Nembhard hitting the long-distance, buzzer-beating game winner to the consternation of Laker Nation. 
Bulls 

(42-40)

Bulls
(9-13)
Rumors have had both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook landing with the Bulls, though the latter is only because Chicago is missing the playmaking skills of Lonzo Ball. Chicago was able to pull off wins against the Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks, but fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors – all on the road.
Pacers 

(30-52)

Pistons
(6-18)
The work continues in the Motor City, with the Pistons adding two wins – beating the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks sandwiched around a three-game losing skid. The losses were to the Phoenix Suns on the road, and to the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks at home.

NORTHWEST 1st Quarter
Timberwolves 

(56-26)

Nuggets
(14-8)
Having Jamal Murray (17.9 pts, 3,7 reb, 4.9 ast) back in the fold has been nice for the Nuggets, who panned out four wins this week to only one loss, to the Atlanta Hawks Friday night in Atlanta. Before that, the Nuggets went on a four-game streak through the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Houston Rockets twice at Ball Arena.
Nuggets 

(55-27)

Jazz
(14-12)
The Jazz won twice in their seven-game slate – defeating the Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers at home. Losses to the Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and Chicago Bulls were four of a five-game skid that dated back to November 21st. The other loss was to the division rival Portland Trailblazers last night.  
Trailblazers 

(44-38)

Trailblazers
(12-11)
Portland, Minnesota, and Utah all finished with a sub-par 2-4 mark since our last ranking and writing on Thanksgiving Day. Wins over the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks were enough to keep Portland above .500, but a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and a three-game skid versus the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers didn’t help matters. Anfernee Simons’ 45 points in the win over Utah was a career best.
Jazz 

(36-46)

Timberwolves
(11-12)
If any team is underdelivering to the expectations after the summer’s biggest trade was announced, it’s the Timberwolves. A win against the Indiana Pacers is to be expected, but honestly the Pacers are outplaying the Wolves at this point. Beating the Memphis Grizzlies was a bit of a surprise. The losses to the Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, and Oklahoma City Thunder are inexplicable at best. Is it too soon to start calling for Chris Finch’s head? What if you brought Tom Thibodeau back? Finch was ejected in the T’Wolves’ loss to the Thunder.
Thunder 

(36-46)

Thunder
(10-13)
Despite going 3-3 this past 10 days and 10-13 overall, the Oklahoma City Thunder have done a fairly respectable job under Mark Daignault. The Thunder have beaten the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs at home, and the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. The losses were to the Denver Nuggets at home, and to the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans on the road. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has missed a few games due to a left hip contusion; Jalen Williams has been steady in Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence, shooting at a 52.9 percent clip and carried the Thunder to a 20-point comeback and win over San Antonio.

SOUTHWEST 1st Quarter
Grizzlies 

(60-22)

Pelicans
(14-8)
The Pelicans piled it on this week with a 4-1 mark to keep pace with the Denver Nuggets (14-8) and Utah Jazz (14-12) as the three teams try to catch the rising Suns (15-7) in the Western Conference. The Pelicans have beaten the San Antonio Spurs twice, the Okahoma City Thunder, and Toronto Raptors. They only lost to the Memphis Grizzlies at Memphis the day after Thanksgiving.
Mavericks 

(58-24)

Grizzlies
(13-9)
The Grizzlies’ 3-1 week consisted of victories over the New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers. Their lone loss was to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road.
Pelicans 

(48-34)

Mavericks

(11-11)

A .500 mark 22 games in because Luka Doncic admittedly plays slow. That may or may not have been the reason Dallas lost to the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons since November 23rd. Their two wins were over the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks in what seemed like the Don Nelson Memorial Week in the schedule.
Spurs 

(40-42)

Rockets

(6-17)

The Rockets doubled their season-to-date win output from three to six with wins over Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Phoenix Suns this week, staying the execution of Stephen Silas for the time being. Their three losses – understandably – were to the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets twice, both on the road in Denver where the air is the only thing thinner than the Rockets’ roster.
Rockets 

(39-43)

Spurs

(6-17)

Nothing to boast about here, but the Spurs hold the NBA’s longest current losing streak at 10 games lost. Losing the last five to the New Orleans Pelicans twice didn’t help, but the then-vulnerable Los Angeles Lakers (two losses) and Oklahoma City Thunder (had a 20 point lead erased). Someone’s definitely in the tank.  

PACIFIC 1st Quarter
Warriors 

(64-18)

Suns

(15-7)

The Suns had a solid 4-1 week, taking down the Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bulls amidst four games of a six-game win streak dating back to November 20th. Their only loss came at the hands of the hungrier Houston Rockets in Phoenix on Friday night. Devin Booker scored 51 points in three quarters in the win over the Bulls. Would they be better off with John Collins at the ‘5’?
Suns 

(59-23)

Kings
(12-9)
Sacramento had gotten off to such a nice start that going 2-3 over the past five games still seats them at .571 heading into the second quarter of the 2022-23 season. Wins against the Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers were wrapped around a three-game losing streak which included losses to the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns.
Clippers 

(56-26)

Warriors
(13-11)
The Warriors look to be back to expected form though you wouldn’t expect that and a 13-11 mark to be in the same conversation. Golden State only lost to the Dallas Mavericks this past week, while beating five teams including the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls, and Houston Rockets. Andrew Wiggins’ 36 point performance against the Rockets gave Golden State its 10th straight win at the Chase Center.
Lakers 

(55-27)

Clippers
(13-11)
Only 2.5 games separate the Clippers from their stepbrother Los Angeles Lakers, and with the way both teams are playing of late, that could be erased before December 15th. The Clippers are on a 2-4 run while the Lakers are on a 4-1 run. The Clippers beat the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trailblazers, but lost to the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, and Sacramento Kings in the same week. And I’ve seen Kawhi Leonard in New Balance basketball shoe commercials than I have in NBA action (five games).
Kings 

(41-41)

Lakers
(9-12)
The week that saw Anthony Davis rise to the occasion from a leadership perspective was only overshadowed by the Lakers’ performance this week, because LeBron James was back and Russell Westbrook is playing better, despite being bloodied by San Antonio’s Zach Collins. The Lakers were lucky enough to face the San Antonio Spurs twice for two of their four wins, and also beat the Portland Trailblazers at home and the Milwaukee Bucks on the road. Watch for Patrick Beverley’s and Kendrick Nunn’s names to come up over the next couple of weeks in trade rumors.

********************

Tracy Graven is the Senior NBA Analyst for BackSportsPage.com.
He has written the NBA, done NBA Radio, and appeared as a guest for the last 21+ years for HoopsWorld, Swish Magazine, HoopsHype, the Coach Scott Fields Show, NBARadioShow.com, and is also tackling the NFL, NCAA, and will be pinch-hitting on some Major League Baseball coverage for BackSportsPage.
He’s spent 21 years in locker rooms in Orlando, Boise (CBA, G League), San Antonio, Phoenix, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta.
He also enjoys covering G League and The Basketball League, and provides content for the Owensboro (Ky.) Thoroughbreds.

A corporate trainer by day, he currently resides in SEC Country near Knoxville, Tennessee.
Reach him on Twitter at @RealTMoneyMedia  

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured Articles

Featured Writers

More in The Rundown w/T-Money