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NBA Catch-up: What Went Down During Weeks 4 and 5 at the 2017-2018 NBA Regular Season
The hoop scoop, fast facts, milestones and more
The Golden State Warriors, the Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies owned Week 4 but as it goes in the ever-unpredictable NBA, things are shaking up yet again. As of November 13, the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics fortunately maintained their spots at #1, 2 and 3, with the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons taking up the #4 and #5 spots, respectively in the NBA power rankings.
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On to the other major highlights of the last two weeks: Who is gaining momentum on the court? Which teams are in trouble? Scroll through to find out. Here’s to capping off the first month of the NBA season, too!
All data mentioned is as of November 16, 2017.
Lonzo Ball dethrones LeBron James as the youngest player in the NBA with a triple-double.
via USA Today
Ball ended Saturday’s Lakers-Milwaukee game with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, becoming the youngest player in the league to post a triple-double. James, however, has nothing but good words for 20-year-old Ball and his latest accomplishment. “I’ve been on the kid since he was 14 years old, so I know what he’s capable of,” said James, who was 20 years and 20 days old in the 2004-05 season.
"It's motivation," Ball told ESPN. "Personally, LeBron, if he says that it's like an honor. So I'm gonna work and keep trying to get better every day."
RELATED: Why LeBron James Is Still King
It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
via NBA
“Cleveland's biggest problem all season has been transition defense and defending the 3-point line, two items that require maximum effort,” reported sports correspondent Joe Vardon for cleveland.com. “James has been as guilty as any teammate of failing to get back or out to shooters.”
This is just one of the many problems put in the spotlight as of late and there are signs of struggle everywhere. Coach Tyron Lue recently pulled an unlikely stunt just this Tuesday, substituting his five starters in the middle of the third quarter of their game against the New York Knicks. “Um, I pulled them. Why do I have to say something?” said Lue. “When guys came back in, they started playing the right way.” True enough this “reset” brought the Cavs a victory with a final score of 104-101.
via @cavs on Twitter
It’s way too early to tell if each gutsy move to try and compensate for all the adjustments the team had to make will reap good results, but fans remain hopeful.
RELATED: The Most Talked About Moments from the 2017-2018 NBA Season Week 2
The Celtics, meanwhile, are owning the NBA.
via NBA
If there’s a team in the NBA playing their cards right, it’s the Boston Celtics. For head coach Brad Stevens and the team though, it’s about the bigger picture: The wins in weeks 4 and 5 can be attributed to months—even years—of carefully calculated moves made to strengthen the foundations of the team. "The future is hard to predict. And we've gotta stay in the moment to become the best version of ourselves, is the answer that I have,” shared Stevens after Golden State Warriors’ Stever Kerr called the Boston Celtics “the team of the future from the east.” “I really appreciate him saying that. There's nobody that I could respect more. He's an incredible person and coach. But, yeah, we have to stay in the moment and try to be as good as we can be and then we'll see what the future holds.”
Looking ahead, here’s what Brad Stevens has to say:
Need more NBA in your life? Download the official NBA app on your mobile phone via Google Play or the App Store . You can also watch every available game of the 2017-18 regular season with the NBA League Pass .
