Team of the Week: Phoenix Suns
Back in 2021, the Suns lost in the NBA Finals to the Bucks after a fantastic season. The franchise looked set to stay at the top for a while, but things unravelled when the Mavericks handed the Suns a historic humiliation in Game 7 of the conference semi-finals the following season.
Within a few months, Phoenix, led by their bold owner Matt Ishbia, brought in Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, at the cost of a major draft capital sacrifice. In just two years, it turned into one of the most remarkable collapses of its kind, but things are starting to turn around.
Both have moved on, Devin Booker has reclaimed his role as the leader, and he’s proving it - like when he took down OKC in crunch time.
But he’s not alone, and while the roster may not look impressive on paper, it’s well put together and the pieces fit perfectly. Dillon Brooks keeps earning praise for his impact, Grayson Allen is proving invaluable, and Mark Williams, Ryan Dunn, and Collin Gillespie keep raising their game - and that’s without Jalen Green.
The result: three straight wins, sixth place in the West, and great momentum. The Suns are shaping up to be a surprise dark horse for the rest of the season.
Underperformers of the Week: Houston Rockets
This should have been a great week in Texas, especially as Kevin Durant passed Wilt Chamberlain to become the 7th all-time leading scorer in NBA history. But instead, the Rockets just suffered two losses to the Trail Blazers and another to the Kings, which really stings.
Granted, Alperen Sengun is sidelined. But as a team, they’re struggling, often relying on individual heroics just to stay afloat. The problem is, competition in the West is always fierce, and Houston has dropped out of the top six for the first time this season. Is this just a rough patch or a sign of deeper issues? Time will tell…
Player of the Week: Trey Murphy III
It’s clear the Pelicans have already turned the page on this season and are aiming for a strong draft position. Still, they’ve already decided to make several players untouchable as they look to bounce back next year. Unsurprisingly, Trey Murphy III is on that list, and he just set a new career high against the Lakers.
42 points for the Pelicans’ forward, followed by 35 more against the Wizards, helping New Orleans snap a nine-game losing streak. TMIII’s talent is clear - he was in demand before the trade deadline - but while Zion Williamson remains the team’s theoretical leader, you can’t help but wonder what this squad could do if everyone was healthy, with Murphy as the right-hand man - or maybe even more…
Play of the Week: Two buzzer beaters for the price of one
Wednesday night was action-packed and a treat for highlight lovers: two buzzer beaters just minutes apart! The first came from Immanuel Quickley, who drained a lightning-quick catch-and-shoot three to sink the Hornets.
The second was by Paolo Banchero, who hit another three-pointer that at first looked questionable, but the Italian-American hadn’t stepped on the line and used it to crush the Nets.
Story of the Week: Farewell Trae Young
The rumours had been getting louder: Trae Young wanted out of the Atlanta Hawks. With the team seemingly doing just fine without him, the All-Star point guard quickly made his preferred destinations known. Among them were the Washington Wizards, who officially welcomed Ice Trae this week.
We’ve seen breakups end much worse. Since being drafted in 2018, Trae Young has been the face of the Hawks, highlighted by a fantastic playoff run in 2021 that took them to the conference finals. But there’s another side: a reputation as a coach killer, which cost Lloyd Pierce and then Nate McMillan their jobs.
And then there’s his defence, often criticised - and rightly so. Incredibly, even though he regularly averages around 25 points and 10 assists, his value has dropped sharply, which explains the rather disappointing return in the trade.
But in the end, both the franchise and the player got what they wanted. Compared to the Luka Doncic trade, it’s hard to put a price on it…