NBA Power Rankings: Blake Griffin trade shakes things up

The Pacers rolled to an easy win over the Suns, winning their first game of the week with a score of 116-101, but the game was never as close the final score might indicate. Victor Oladipo celebrated his All-Star berth with 21 points and nine assists, taking advantage of a Suns defense that couldn’t keep their eyes off Oladipo and forgetting to guard his teammates. The Pacers had some time to prepare for their game against LeBron James and the Cavaliers, but their division rival picked up their first win in four games this season, with James putting up a triple-double in the 115-108 Pacers loss. James had 11 turnovers, but the Pacers couldn’t overcome one of J.R. Smith’s best games of the seasons, with the shooting guard pouring in 23 points and seven 3-pointers. The Pacers missed Myles Turner, who was unable to play due to an elbow injury, and the Cavs had 42 points in the paint against Domantas Sabonis and Al Jefferson.

The Pacers gritted out a road win to close out the week with a 114-112 victory over the Orlando Magic, with Lance Stephenson helping with 21 points, six assists and five rebounds as they outworked the Magic down the stretch. Slow starts have been a staple for the Pacers all season, and while it’s nice for Nate McMillan to see them overcome those starts, I’m sure he’d much rather see them start strong so they don’t have to close strong, especially against bad teams like Orlando.