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Memphis streaking
The week began with the Memphis Grizzlies capturing their 11th straight win after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-108.
The win over Minnesota gave Memphis a 30-14 overall record, good for third in the Western Conference.
Guard Desmond Bane led the way with 21 points. In fact, he led the team in scoring three separate times during the win streak.
Bane recently made headlines after a small dust-up with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.
Guard Ja Morant is emerging as an MVP candidate averaging 24.4 points per game along with 6.7 assists per game.
These numbers come in only 33 games played for the former Murray State Racer.
It has become less of a conversation about whether or not Morant will play in his first All-Star Game next month but more of if he’ll be starting.
Forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who played in 11 games last season, is making the most of year No. 4 in the league.
Jackson Jr. is averaging 16.1 points per game and has played in 45 of a possible 46 games for the Grizzlies.
The team’s win streak did come to an end Friday, Jan. 14 against the Dallas Mavericks, 112-85.
Memphis is hoping to start another streak Wednesday, Jan. 19 after beating the Chicago Bulls, 119-106, Monday, Jan. 17.
Durant’s injury could doom Nets
An MRI recently revealed a sprained MCL in the left knee of Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant.
Head coach Steve Nash said, in part, “We can’t cry about it.”
He’s right, partly because Brooklyn knew this was a possibility.
Durant is averaging 29.3 points per game in 36.5 minutes per game, both his personal highest since 2013-14.
That year, Durant won the MVP award while in Oklahoma City.
Durant is currently two seasons removed from tearing his Achilles tendon.
Present day, Brooklyn is trying to keep pace with Chicago and Miami atop the Eastern Conference.
The team is already playing with all-star guard Kyrie Irving part-time, due to him being an unvaccinated player.
In that same regard, all-star teammate James Harden has a pending player option for next year.
Trade season officially open
NBA trade season is now officially open.
Center Bol Bol was traded away from Denver, sent back and traded away for good all in a week’s time.
Bol was traded to Detroit for forward Rodney McGruder and a second round pick (Brooklyn’s pick) at the start of the week.
However, the deal was called off after Bol failed a physical.
It was believed that Bol had steered clear of obvious injury since a foot injury at Oregon.
According to the team, the Nuggets were “taken aback” by the news.
Bol underwent foot surgery Tuesday and is expected to miss three months.
Even with the news, Denver opted to retool and attempt to trade Bol again.
This time it worked.
Bol was traded from Denver to the Boston Celtics along with forward P.J. Dozier, who is expected to miss the season with a torn ACL.
The deal was a three-team trade that included the San Antonio Spurs as well.
The Spurs sent guard Bryn Forbes to Denver while taking in forward Juancho Hernangomez from Boston.