NBA Notebook: Celtics rally after players-only meeting

Welcome to another edition of our NBA Notebook. Most eyes are on the firestorm brewing in Phoenix, but we’ll bring you up to date on all news from around the Association this week.

DAMNING ESPN REPORT ACCUSES SUNS OWNER OF RACISM, SEXISM

It was revealed last Friday that ESPN was working on a report detailing misconduct by Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. That report by Baxter Holmes was released yesterday morning, and alleged numerous damning instances of racist and sexist misconduct by Sarver, sending shockwaves through the entire NBA.

The NBA announced shortly afterward that they had begun a full formal investigation of the Suns and Sarver, the results of which will help determine the league's response. Whether that response is as significant as forcing Sarver out of the league like former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is another question.

Sterling was caught on tape, and his years of racist and sexist behavior prior to that point had long gone ignored by league officials. And it wasn’t a matter of speculation, as Sterling was subject to the largest fine ever levied under the Fair Housing Act for racial discrimination in his apartment complexes. The NBA did nothing until their hand was forced.

But with more than 70 people coming forward for this story, and given the severity of the allegations, it’s possible that Sarver will ultimately be forced to sell the team.

NEW CITY EDITION JERSEYS UNVEILED

This year's City Edition jerseys were officially unveiled this week, with a number of teams taking the court in their new threads. Overall, this is a very nice-looking set, and I’m particularly fond of the Atlanta Hawks’, Brooklyn Nets’, and New York Knicks’ uniforms.

But most people seem to agree there was one huge miss. The Miami Heat, who have had some of the best City Edition jerseys ever with the Miami Vice jerseys - unveiled a jersey that looks like a combination of a child's drawing and a ransom note.

CELTICS RALLY AFTER PLAYERS-ONLY MEETING

It’s a time-honored tradition in the NBA: as a team begins to unravel, whether due solely to poor play or public infighting (or as in the Boston Celtics’ case, both), a players-only meeting is called. While the details of said meetings are never revealed, it’s seen as a last-ditch effort to get everyone on the same page, air grievances, and move towards productive change.

The Celtics held such a meeting after Marcus Smart essentially accused Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of hogging the ball after their desultory loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Since then the Celtics are 2-0, with a particularly impressive win over the Miami Heat last night. But this is awfully early in the season to be this dysfunctional.

WHAT’S IN A BALL ANYWAY?

The NBA changed the official manufacturer of the game ball from Spalding to Wilson for this season, which hasn’t been a source of much conversation until recently. But now that there has been a rash of slow starts by NBA stars, some of them have brought up their discomfort with the new ball.

Unlike the last time the NBA changed the ball, this one is designed to basically be as similar to the previous ball as possible. The prior attempt to change to a synthetic ball was a source of conversation all throughout the preseason, and they reverted to the old ball almost immediately. 

No such remedy is possible here because the NBA signed a contract with Wilson, nor is it clear one is necessary. While shooting league-wide is down compared to last season, this year's start is in line with historical norms. But professional athletes are creatures of habit, and it may be that this change will take longer for some to get used to than expected.

A RETURN TO STRENGTH IN NUMBERS?

Last season the Golden State Warriors were 11-14 when Steph Curry failed to score 30 or more points in a game. This season? The Warriors are 5-0 in that same scenario, contributing to their 6-1 start to the year. 

Golden State, despite theoretically swapping defense for offense this offseason, has catapulted into the top defensive rating in the NBA. 15th man Gary Payton II was the star of the show against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, but the Warriors are getting contributions from up and down the roster.

And all of this is with Klay Thompson waiting in the wings. The Warriors championship odds were +2500 in the preseason and sit at +800 now, and I’m guessing that trend is only going to continue. With the Lakers looking shaky at +450, now might be the time to consider betting the Dubs to win it all.