NBA Game Notes: Tight finishes around the NBA

Notes from: Rockets-Grizzlies, Suns-Hawks, Mavericks-Trail Blazers and Cavaliers-Raptors

While we didn’t have the titanic clash that Cavaliers-Thunder was, Thursday had some really good matchups. Rockets-Grizzlies was a big one in the Western Conference. The Cavs survived a test from the Raptors. And the Suns found themselves (for at least a night!) against the Hawks.

Here’s what I saw on Thursday!

Houston Rockets - 119 at Memphis Grizzlies - 115

• Amen Thompson is a special defensive player. He’s got the size, athleticism and skills to be disruptive. Most important? Thompson wants you to have a bad night when you play against him. One this one possession, Thompson is working against two different players with a significant size advantage. First, he deflects the ball away from Jaren Jackson Jr. Then, Thompson goes up to swat away Santi Aldama’s shot:

• We’ve said it before, but the Rockets offense works best when Alperen Sengun is the primary playmaking hub. When Houston gets too perimeter-based (think Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks using most of the possession), things get wonky.

  The perimeter guys need to, and will, get their shots. But their looks are better when they come off setups from Sengun. Here’s a couple of examples of Sengun helping shake VanVleet loose for open jumpers:

• These two clips are dual purpose ones. It’s a couple more looks at Alperen Sengun setting up good looks for a teammate. The second, but just as important reason for pulling these is to show Jae’Sean Tate knocking down open jumpers. Tate is playing because other guys are out of the lineup. But if he can consistently hit shots, while defending and hustling, Tate will stick in Ime Udoka’s lineup.

• There’s going to be a little bit of adjustment/rebalancing time needed for the Grizzlies on offense. But they’ll take that over having guys out of the lineup! The key is to make sure Jaren Jackson Jr. still gets his reps as the lead playmaker. Memphis can’t relegate him to standing and watching on too many possessions.

• Speaking Jaren Jackson Jr…He’s an All-Star this year, probably All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year too. What a year he’s having!

• Really liked the touch on this floater from Brandon Clarke. He’s not just a dunk/layup guy anymore.

• Back to the rebalancing for the Memphis offense…they need to make sure Desmond Bane sees 15-20 shots per night. He’s too good to go long stretches without seeing a shot. Part of that is Bane needs to be more aggressive too. He defers too often to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. when he could be on the attack.

  Bane didn’t make his first shot until the second half rolled around. By the time Memphis started playing through him regularly, it was midway through the fourth quarter. But it came with pretty good success, as Bane went to work against Alperen Sengun in pick-and-roll actions:

Atlanta Hawks - 115 at Phoenix Suns - 123

• Devin Booker couldn’t find the range, which has been an issue this season. Booker is shooting just 42.9% from the field, including a career-worst 32.5% on three-pointers.

  The good news? Booker is capable of shifting into playmaker mode with ease. Loved the crispness and speed on this possession for Phoenix:

• It’s been a minute so… (clears throat) OSO!!!

  Defense has been Oso Ighodaro’s calling card thus far. In this one, he got the backup center minutes with Jusuf Nurkic drawing a DNP-CD. Ighodaro came through. First, he swats away a shot on a late switch. Then a nice steal and breakout for the layup. Last clip is an improvement with Ighodaro’s finishing. He’s mostly been using his floater in this spot. Here, he powers it through and doesn’t give the help defender a prayer of stopping the dunk.

• Bradley Beal played a solid game off the bench. That’s two-of-three good ones for Beal in his new role. Let’s see if that continues.

• Mason Plumlee did exactly what the Suns want him to do: Screened, kept the ball moving, rebounded and defended. That’s all Phoenix needs from Plumlee and why he’s a good fit in the starting lineup.

• Zaccharie Risacher has steadily become more and more of a role-player for the Hawks. That’s not bad, but it’s not good either. For long stretches of games over the last month or so, Risacher is just sort of out there. Maybe he’s hit a wall or something, but Atlanta needs more, especially with Jalen Johnson injured.

• Onyeka Okongwu gives the Hawks a playmaking dimension that they don’t get with Clint Capela. Okongwu is also working in a jumper or two each game. His game is really rounding out nicely now.

• The Hawks really need Jalen Johnson back in the lineup. They miss his ability to put the ball on the floor and make plays. They rely on Trae Young to do too much when Johnson is out. Others try to pick up the slack, but they simply aren’t as good as Johnson, who has made an All-Star level leap this season.