NBA Power Rankings week 8 – OKC Thunder cling to middle, trade market opens up

Offense: (104.4) 26th
Defense: (113.6) 27th
Net: (minus -9.2) 27th

Games Week 8: ( 0-4) Lost to Heat, Bulls, Pacers, Lakers
Games Week 9 (3 games): Tues. at Knicks | Thurs. vs. Jazz | Sat. at Nets

Another brutal week for the Hawks who went winless again although they did face three elite clubs and one on the rise given the Bulls recent uptick in production.

Trae Young needs John Collins back and fortunately for him, that day is coming soon with his suspension ending December 23rd.

A perfect example of the fluctuations of the team was echoed in De’Andre Hunter and his up and down week:

• Heat: 28 points, four rebounds, three assists shot 50 percent from behind the arc
• Bulls: 6 points, two rebounds, an assist, shot 40 percent from behind the arc
• Pacers: 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals 0-4 from deep
• Lakers: 8 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal, block and 33.3 percent from deep

Young has done his best to keep the Hawks in the mix but perhaps he went a little too far by telling the Heat crowd ‘it’s over’ when his team looked poised for the win. The fact the Heat came back to win that game in overtime made the point guard look silly and it seemingly stuck with the Hawks star who hasn’t played well since.

In the three games after the Heat match versus the Bulls, Pacers, and Lakers Young shot 33.3 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from the perimeter. He still managed to snare 5.0 rebounds and dish 9.3 dimes but he’s in desperate need of some help which hopefully Collins will provide.