NBA Power Rankings Week 8: The Phoenix Suns are rising

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 31: Mike Conley #10 of the Utah Jazz drives into Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns during a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 31, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

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Detroit Pistons. 26. team. 64. . 7-19. Previous: 30th

Last Week: Beat Brooklyn Nets 122-111, Lost to Indiana Pacers 111-95, Beat Boston Celtics 108-102

This Week: 2/14 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 2/16 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 2/17 at Dallas Mavericks, 2/19 at Memphis Grizzlies

The Detroit Pistons won not one, but two games this week. They remain, as Nicholas Henkel so eloquently put it on ESPN, the best worst team of all time. While Detroit will not win many games this season, they seem destined to challenge people night in and night out and knock off title contenders along the way.

For Detroit, the youth movement took another step this week. Derrick Rose was shipped out last week and Dennis Smith Jr. joined the Pistons. Isaiah Stewart started the first two games of his career and made the first 3-pointer of his career.

Saddiq Bey ended up being the best of them all by week’s end. Bey had started off the year strong but after something of a lull he is back in full force. His line on Friday night against the Boston Celtics jumps off the page and into the history books: 30 points and 12 rebounds while shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from 3-point range, a rookie record.

With only one center in the lineup against the Celtics on the second night of a back-to-back, the young guys (and Delon Wright) came up huge. Those types of efforts are not necessarily sustainable, but for a team destined to lose a significant number of games, it is fun while it lasts.