DOG BAG (11/30)

A few, current storylines in the Association…

DET off to 14-6 start -- Is Detroit the biggest, early season surprise? Stan Van Gundy's group  keeps racking up Ws - their latest: a 131-107 demolition of PHX. In the rout, DET led by as many as 36, had 6 players reach double figures:

• Reggie Jackson: 23 & 5 dimes
• Tobias Harris: 20 & 7 boards 
• Avery Bradley: 20 pts
• Ish Smith: 14, 6 & 3 boards (off bench)
• Andre Drummond: 13, 7 & 7 dimes!
• Luke Kennard: 12 & 6 dimes!

Is. Detroit. For. Real!? 

14-6 w/ an 8-2 record @ home. They're quickly approaching contender status 

ORL Snaps Losing Streak, Loses Terrence Ross -- The Magic finally snapped the skid! After an 8-4 start to '17-'18, ORL dropped 9 in a row, fell as far as 13th in the East.

Aaron Gordon took it right @ OKC early & often: finished w/ 40 & 15 boards. ORL is hoping tis game can serve as a springboard - Elfird Payton played well (19, 6 dimes, 5 boards, 4 steals), the team shot well (59%) & stayed efficient offensively (28 dimes v. 13 TOs).

It's early, so plenty of time for the Magic to bounce back.

Injury Note: T. Ross (knee) out indefinitely

TOR, HOU, SAS Keep Rolling Along -- TOR (13-7), SAS (14-7) & HOU (17-4) keep winning games. It's elementary but these three, veteran teams have gone about business quietly, yet extremely effectively.

• HOU: atop the Western Conference at 17-4, is unbeaten w/ Chris Paul in the lineup (5-0), features the leading candidate for MVP (James Harden) & already has 9 road victories

• TOR: 4th in the East, boasts one of the deepest rosters from Dwane Casey's tenure - last night, Kyle Lowry + DeMar Derozan scored 66 of TOR's 126 pts while the reserves chipped in 40 (balance!)

• SAS: 3rd in the West, LaMarcus Aldridge is unstoppable (41! last night v. MEM), Tony Parker is back & Kawhi Leonard is right behind him

If The Season Ended Today...

• New Orleans (7th place • 11-10) is a playoff team, OKC (10th place • 8-12) isn't
• TOR (4) would face PHI (5) in the first round
• CHI (3-16) would have the highest odds at the 1st pick

Notes

• L. Aldridge led the pack w/ 41 pts
• DET led the pack w/ 131 pts
• Brandon Ingram (LAL) scored a career-high 32 points in an OT loss v. GSW (11/29)
• Knicks (11-10) beat HEAT (10-11) by 29 pts
• DET, ORL, PHI, NYK, TOR, HOU, MIN, BKN, SAS, GSW