The 10-man rotation, starring the failure to launch that cost Kevin McHale his job
A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: Prada’s Pictures. Mike Prada goes to the videotape to make a compelling argument that a near-total lack of attention and effort up and down the Houston Rockets’ roster sealed the fate of Kevin McHale.
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PF: Posting and Toasting. Joe Flynn on perhaps the hardest element of Kristaps Porzingis’ career night and surprisingly smooth transition to the NBA for New York Knicks fans to get their arms around: “For all Porzingis’s otherworldly talent, there’s something very logical to what he has accomplished so far. And yet these are the Knicks, so this doesn’t feel logical at all.”
SF: The Hook. Tom Ziller on the strong start to the season by Brandon Knight, who’s making the Phoenix Suns look smart for making big, huge, honkin’ bets on him at February’s trade deadline and during July’s free-agency period (gambles I wrote about at some length in our Suns season preview).
SG: Valley of the Suns. Knight hasn’t been alone in his strong start. Scott Chasen digs into the video to see what’s been behind Bledsoe’s efficient and effective offensive play for the 6-4 Suns.
PG: The Oklahoman. Anthony Slater on Kendrick Perkins’ return to Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday for the first time since being traded away from the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team he helped into maturity, even if his play on the court couldn’t always be construed as helpful.
6th: FiveThirtyEight. Kirk Goldsberry on Chris Paul, who — hang on, let me check the math … carry the four … yes, it says here he is good at basketball.
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7th: Charlotte Observer. Late to this, but I enjoyed Rick Bonnell’s look at how the injury-stricken Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has worked to continue helping the Charlotte Hornets while sidelined by becoming “the NBA’s highest-paid, quality-control scout.”
8th: Silver Screen and Roll. The Los Angeles Lakers are really struggling with giving up wide-open looks on pick-and-rolls. Like, really struggling.
9th: SB Nation. The great Britt Robson on Khris Middleton, making the transition from unheralded glue guy to $70 million man expected to take a vocal leadership role on Jason Kidd’s Milwaukee Bucks.
10th: Bleacher Report. Chris Palmer takes a long behind-the-veil look at Russell Westbrook.
More NBA coverage:
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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