Last week: Lost to Lakers 123-115, beat Atlanta 128-112
This week: Monday vs. Boston, Tuesday at Sacramento, Thursday vs. New Orleans, Saturday at Minnesota
The Phoenix Suns had a light week and got a split in their two home games. The Suns are 6-4 since Deandre Ayton was suspended, with Aron Baynes moving into the starting lineup and Frank Kaminsky — plucked off the recycling pile from the Hornets over the summer — is performing well in the backup role.
Last week, Kaminsky scored 35 points in 52 minutes, also posting 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals while hitting 13-of-19 overall (68.4 percent) and draining 5-of-8 from deep (62.5 percent).
Not bad for a guy who could not get any run in Charlotte last season, averaging just 16.1 minutes per game and appearing in just 47 games. Things got so bad as Kaminsky was getting DNP-Coach’s Decisions last season that he pursued a buyout from the Hornets.
Instead, they declined to make a qualifying offer at the end of Kaminsky’s rookie deal, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Last week: Beat Toronto 98-88, lost at Houston 102-93, lost at New Orleans 132-127, beat Atlanta 150-101
This week: Monday vs. Oklahoma City, Wednesday vs. Boston, Friday vs. Houston, Sunday vs. New Orleans
The LA Clippers are a bit banged up right now, with Kawhi Leonard missing the last two games while dealing with a bruised left knee, while Patrick Beverley sat out Saturday with a calf injury and Landry Shamet has missed three games — and counting — with a high ankle sprain.
But at least the Clippers have Lou-Will to count on. Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams topped the 20-point mark in all four games last week, putting up 24.3 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 34.0 minutes per game, even as he shot only 44.3 percent overall and was 4-for-17 (23.5 percent) from long range.
Williams turned 33 late last month and is in his 15th NBA season, but like a fine wine, he’s aging very well. His 23.0 points per game average this season is on pace to be a career-high, just ahead of the 22.6 per game pace he scored at in 2017-18.
The other positive development in a 2-2 week for the Clippers was Paul George’s return from shoulder surgeries (plural). In his first two games back, George has 70 points in just 44 minutes. That’s … not bad.