Want to keep up with the latest in tech?
The Most Talked About Moments from the 2017-2018 NBA Season Week 2
Standout players, drama on the court and the power rankings you need to know about
Setting the tone for the rest of the season, Week 2 of the NBA featured stellar plays left, right and center, frenzied moments on the court and the Spurs capping off the week undefeated. At this point, the 66 players who switched teams are all settled in; closely watched rookies like the Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen, the Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks and the 76ers’ Ben Simmons are already making headlines; yet in several cases, right when fans think it’s safe to make a prediction, the games take an unexpected turn.
RELATED: NBA Season 2017-2018 Opening: Fast Facts
Things are only beginning to heat up in the world of basketball and Week 3 at the NBA will be another exciting leg of the season for sure. But first, the roundup below. Keep scrolling for the six most talked about moments from Week 2!
Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson gets sacked.
Following their loss against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Watson said: “I think that we have to become close as a team. We have to be real about it. We knew with a young team there was going to be adversity but the part that’s most disappointing is the lack of unity.’’ Little did he know this would be his last interview as head coach.
The Suns’ current 0-3 standing in the NBA—on top of Watson’s long-running history of clashing with General Manager Ryan McDonough—prompted the termination.
Record-breaking moments are well underway.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is well on his way to passing Phil Jackson for 6th place on the “NBA’s All-Time Coaching Wins” list with 1,155 wins in his career as a basketball coach.
Meanwhile, LeBron James is 75 points away from becoming the 7th player in NBA history to reach a major milestone: the 29,000-point mark.
Fellow Cavalier Kyle Korver is also about the make history, inching his way towards 2,100 3-point field goals.
LeBron James, Ben Simmons and Westbrook garner triple-double’s early on in the season.
In Russell Westbrook’s case, that’s two triple-doubles in the season. No matter how mind-blowing the play, sports correspondents are quick to point out the humility Westbrook never fails to factor in: “Westbrook posted one of his trademark triple-doubles (an absurd 16 assists and 10 rebounds) without having to flagrantly disrespect his teammates,” shares Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated. “Anthony could score without hijacking the offense from the elbow. And George looks ready to settle into a role in which he doesn’t have to carry the entire scoring burden, which also means more energy for his stifling defense.”
Stephen Curry is ejected from the Golden State Warriors game against the Grizzlies for throwing his mouthpiece “in the direction” of a referee.
Did Curry throw the mouthpiece “in the direction” of the referee or at the referee?
Charged with a 50,000-dollar fine, Steph Curry reacts: "It's an expensive mouthpiece toss. At the end of the day, it's not about the money, it's about me not doing stupid stuff and losing my cool like that. It's obviously a tough blow, but it's more so about me recognizing how to handle myself on the court."
More from Curry (and Kevin Durant who was also sent out during the game) here:
LeBron James praises Ben Simmons, solidifying the rookie’s “one to watch” status.
The point forward for the Philadelphia 76ers and trailblazing rookie Ben Simmons outdid himself in the game against the Detroit Pistons last Tuesday scoring 21 points and finishing the game with 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Legend LeBron James is impressed: “It’s the first of many for him. He’s a triple threat, ability to score in transition, rebound and pass the ball,” James told Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “His passing is his best quality and high basketball IQ. So, it’s the first of many triple-doubles for the young guy.”
Check out Simmons’ post-game interview below:
RELATED: Our Early Bets For NBA 2017-2018 Rookie Of The Year
The Houston Rockets beat the buzzer.
Eric “Splash” Gordon “drains the three-point buzzer beater to defeat the 76ers” with a final score of 105-104.
As of October 23, the San Antonio Spurs have moved their way up the ranks while the Golden State Warriors fell one spot down the list. The Minnesota Timberwolves, on the other hand, made a leap from the previous week’s #9 spot to #4 proving that it’s anyone’s game at this point…but it is looking like a serious fight among very strong contenders
early on in the season. The Clippers and the Spurs remain undefeated thus far.
Now, Week 3 is another story. Stay tuned for more updates on the 2017-2018 season of the NBA!
