Around the Association: Wild Comebacks, Luka Beats the Buzzer + Top Rookies To Date

This article is part of our NBA Daily Recap series.

Welcome to Around the Association!  Five days per week (Monday through Friday), this article will serve as a comprehensive recap of the previous night's NBA action, taking you through all of the biggest performances, notable box scores, injury updates and any other fantasy-relevant headlines from around the league.

It was another exciting weekend in the NBA. Here is all you need to know:

Weekend Notables

Nets roll through weekend

• Brooklyn came into the weekend sitting at just 5-3, but the Nets have come out of the weekend at a much more comfortable 7-3 with wins over the Pistons and Raptors. Kevin Durant was simply incredible over their two outings, averaging 30.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game during the span. Durant ranks as the No. 6 overall nine-category fantasy player on a per-game basis to start the year.
  • The two-time champion came up clutch during a surprisingly close contest against Detroit with this drive to the hoop:

• James Harden did his thing as well. The shot-creator averaged 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game over the Nets' two contests. Harden particularly came up clutch in the fourth quarter during Brooklyn's 116-103 victory over the Raptors on Sunday, scoring 16 of his 28 points in the final period.

Luka does it again

• The Celtics traveled to Dallas for their first matchup of the season and it was a thriller. The Mavericks got out to an early first-half lead, building a near-20-point lead at halftime. However, the Celtics were able to make the game close for most of the game as it ended in a dramatic fashion. Luka Doncic drilled a step-back three at the buzzer to win the game 107-104. The young superstar was amazing in the victory, finishing with 33 points (12-21 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds, five assists, one block and six turnovers in 35 minutes
  • Kristaps Porzingis (back) made his return to the lineup after missing five straight games for Dallas and made his impact felt during the win. The Latvian big man finished with a season-high 21 points (7-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 7-8 FT) while recording seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 27 minutes of play. If Porzingis can find some more consistency this season, Dallas is in a position to make some noise in the West.

Trae and Booker put on a show

• The Atlanta Hawks came into Phoenix to take on the Suns on Saturday night in what turned out to be one of the best games of the season. The game was close throughout before the Hawks took a double-digit lead halfway through the four quarter. However, Booker and the Suns stormed back en route to a 121-117 victory at home. The Kentucky product was sensational, finishing with 38 points (14-21 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 5-7 FT), six rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block and four turnovers in 34 minutes. Booker put on a shot-creating show in the win.
  • Chris Paul continues to make it look easy in the playmaking department in year No. 17. The veteran point guard finished with 16 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT) and 13 assists in the victory. CP3 is averaging what would be a career-high 12.1 assists per game this season.
  • Despite the losing effort, Trae Young was also special in the showing. The All-Star point guard recorded 31 points (10-23 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 7-8 FT), 13 assists, two rebounds and six turnovers over 39 minutes. Young's four threes marked a new season high, while he produced his fifth double-double of the season.

Heat outlast Jazz in thriller

• One of the best matchups of the weekend came out of Miami during a contest between the Heat and the Jazz. The game ended 118-115 in favor of Miami behind strong performances between Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler.
  • Lowry recorded his first triple-double as a member of the Heat, finishing with 20 points (8-11 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and one turnover in 36 minutes. Butler had an efficient game himself, finishing with 27 points (11-15 FG, 5-6 FT), six assists and three turnovers in 35 minutes. Butler ranks as the sixth0best nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis. The two veterans are a big reason why the Heat sit at 7-2 and rank second in the league in both offensive and defensive rating.
    • I also cannot leave out Tyler Herro as he continues to drop buckets for the Heat off the bench. The Kentucky product poured in 29 points (11-18 FG, 6-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT) to go with three assists, two rebounds and three turnovers in 34 minutes. Herro was talking a big game before the season started, but the young wing and his 21.7 points per game off of the bench are helping back up his claims,
  • Despite falling short in the contest, Donovan Mitchell was on a mission for Utah. The Louisville product recorded 37 points (14-28 FG, 4-15 3Pt, 5-6 FT), seven assists, two steals and two turnovers across 37 minutes of action. The scoring outburst marked a new season high.

76ers grind one out in Chicago 

• The 76ers had already beaten the Bulls earlier in the week, but the two teams faced off again Saturday night. An injury-riddled Philadelphia team was able to escape with the road win by a margin of 114-105 behind a strong performance by Joel Embiid. The All-Star center tied a season-high with 30 points (11-19 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 4-7 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and six turnovers across 34 minutes. It has not been the greatest start for Embiid, as he ranks as just the 45th best nine-category fantasy asset on a per-game basis, but the dominant center is starting to pick his game up as the season progresses.
  • ... That was until he entered the NBA's health and safety protocols Monday morning. It's unclear exactly how many games he'll miss, but Embiid could be looking at a multi-week absence:

• Furkan Korkmaz was on a different level in this game. The sharpshooting wing dropped in a season-high 25 points (9-13 FG, 7-9 3Pt), six rebounds, one assist and two turnovers in 32 minutes off of the bench. Korkmaz was able to knock down some clutch triples for Philly.
• With Danny Green (hamstring), Tobias Harris (COVID) and Matisse Thybulle (COVID) all out for the 76ers, Paul Reed started and put up 10 points (5-6 FG), five rebounds, one block, one steal and one turnover in a season-high 21 minutes of action. The DePaul product looked good out there for Philadelphia and is someone who could creep up the 76ers' depth chart this season.
• Even though they left the game without a victory, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan continue to ball out for the Bulls. LaVine finished with a team-high 32 points (12-26 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 5-8 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and four turnovers in 38 minutes. DeRozan mustered 25 points of his own (7-15 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 10-12 FT) to go with four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 35 minutes of play. The two wings have been playing like All-Stars this season for Chicago.

Roller coaster weekend for Lillard

• The Portland Trail Blazers had a great weekend, winning against both the Pacers and Lakers at home to improve their record to 5-5. Despite the victories, It was quite an up and down weekend for Lillard. The star point guard scored just four points (2-13 FG, 0-6 3Pt) to go with four rebounds and 11 assists in 37 minutes during Friday's 110-106 win over Indiana. Lillard bounced back during Saturday's 105-90 victory over the Lakers. The Weber State product dropped in 25 points (9-19 FG, 6-14 3Pt, 1-2 FT) and six assists during the win. Hopefully, Saturday's showing is a sign of better things to come for the perennial All-Star.
  • CJ McCollum and his 23.8 points per game have been great for Portland, but the two players who have really caught my eye early on are Norman Powell and Anfernee Simons. Powell has been getting buckets as of late, dropping in 20 or more points in three out of his last four contests. Simons has also been on a heater of his own as his 14.0 points per game are nearly six more points than last year's figure.

Knicks storm back against Bucks

• The Bucks held a 38-19 lead against the Knicks after the first quarter but ended up losing the contest 113-98 in favor of New York. The Knicks were led by their dynamic duo of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett during the comeback effort. Randle scored a team-high 32 points (11-22 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 7-10 FT), 12 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and three turnovers in 33 minutes. Barrett dropped in 20 of his own points (8-21 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT) to go with seven rebounds as well. The Duke product has now scored 20 or more points in five straight contests as his breakout season continues
  • It would be impossible not to mention Derrick Rose's play off the bench in this game. The veteran point guard finished with 23 points (10-18 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-1 FT), eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in 30 minutes of action. Rose was one of the key players who sparked New York's comeback.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo did his usual damage with 25 points (7-17 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 9-11 FT) and seven rebounds, but Grayson Allen was who really impressed me during the loss to the Knicks. The first-year-Buck scored a season-high 22 points (8-12 FG, 6-9 3Pt) to go with five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 31 minutes. Allen is averaging 14.0 points per game on the year.

Rubio explodes in NYC, Cavs keep rolling

• The Cleveland Cavaliers are turning into the surprise team of the year as they defeated the Raptors and Knicks over the weekend to improve their record to 7-4. Cleveland was able to squeak out a close one in Toronto, winning 102-101 behind game-winning free throws from Darius Garland. The Vanderbilt product has started to heat up, shooting 11-for-14 from long range over his last three contests.
  • However, the highlight of Cleveland's weekend was Ricky Rubio's career night during the team's 126-109 against the Knicks. The veteran point guard scored a career-best 37 points (13-19 FG, 8-9 3Pt, 3-3 FT) to go with 10 assists, three rebounds, one steal and four turnovers in 31 minutes. Rubio started the game 8-for-8 from deep and was hitting everything he put up. He has been one of the most underrated free-agent signings of the year.
    • The only true negative of Cleveland's weekend was Collin Sexton leaving Sunday's game early due to a knee injury. The exact severity is still unknown and the scoring specialist is expected to undergo further testing Monday.

Magic steal one from Jazz

• The 6-3 Jazz came into Orlando as heavy favorites as the road team, but the Magic ended up winning their third game of the season during a 107-100 victory. Utah fell behind early before taking a lead in the fourth quarter, only to have that lead surrendered back to the Magic. It was a spirited effort by Cole Anthony as he dropped a career-high 33 points (13-20 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT) to go with three rebounds, three steals, two assists, two blocks and two turnovers in 32 minutes. The second-year-pro is really starting to turn heads in Orlando and has two outings scoring 30 or more points out of his last four appearances.
  • Wendell Carter impressed, posting 22 points (9-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt), 15 rebounds, six assists, one block and one turnover in 29 minutes.
  • R.J. Hampton came up clutch in the end with a game-clinching three while also playing solid defense as well. The 6-foot-6 guard scored eight points (3-4 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT) while recording two rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and three turnovers in 19 minutes.

Wizards keep their magic alive

• It has really been a special start to the season for the Washington Wizards. The team sits at 7-3 and finished the weekend 2-0 after defeating both the Grizzlies and the Bucks. It was a great team effort during Washington's 115-87 win over Memphis. Every starter reached double-figures for the team and seven total players were able to score over 10 points.
• The Wizards had one of their biggest tests of the season when Milwaukee came to town Sunday, but Bradley Beal was able to lead Washington to a 101-94 victory. The scoring machine dropped in 30 points (14-22 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 0-1 FT), eight assists, five rebounds, one block and six turnovers in 37 minutes of action. Beal is starting to find his groove, scoring at least 24 points in five out of his last six showings.

Best and Worst of the Weekend

• Stud of the Weekend: Kevin Durant -- 30.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists per game in 36.7 minutes of action
• Dud of the Weekend: Christian Wood -- 8.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game in 30.3 minutes of action
• Rookie of the Weekend: Chris Duarte -- 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game in 28.8 minutes of action.

Rookie Ladder 

Each team has played around 10 games this season and some rookies are starting to stand out among the rest. For this weekend's Around the Association, I will be diving into my top 10 rookies of the season so far (min. five games played):

1. Scottie Barnes: 16.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 52.4% FG, 70.8% FT, 20.0% 3Pt

• The good: The FSU product has been simply awesome to start the season. Barnes just plays with a certain type of motor and grit that you can't teach. The forward's strength and length have been evident early on as he continuously pounds the glass when he is on the floor. Barnes' 8.9 rebounds per game leads all rookies. His ability to finish near the rim is impressive, and that is how he does most of his damage on the scoring end. Defensively, he's been an absolute monster. You can tell Barnes genuinely enjoys playing defense and causing havoc on the court.

• The bad: The shooting was the biggest question mark about Barnes' game heading into the draft and the rookie has not quite impressed in that category. The 6-foot-9 forward is shooting just 20.0 percent from deep and 70.8 percent from the charity stripe. If Barnes can improve those numbers, the sky is the limit for the kid. I also think it will be very interesting to see how the return of Pascal Siakam affects Barnes' play. In Siakam's first game back, Barnes saw 30 minutes of action, which is still a good amount but is the lowest he had seen out of his past six contests.
• Fantasy Status: Startable. Barnes ranks as the 82nd overall player on a per-game basis

2. Evan Mobley: 14.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, 52.0% FG, 80.0% FT, 23.5% 3Pt

• The good: Mobley could have easily been No. 1 on this list and I did spend some time mulling over who to put there. The USC product has been a legit two-way force to start his career. His defense and interior presence is legit and one of the reasons why Cleveland is off to a hot start this year. Mobley is a very unique finisher down low and is able to make shots that look nearly impossible due to his impressive length. The big also has a silky smooth midrange shot. The No. 3 pick in the draft already has four double-doubles under his name during his rookie season and is shooting an efficient 52.0 percent from the field.
• The bad: Mobley is not getting off to a great start shooting from beyond the arc as he is shooting at just 23.5 percent from deep. Other than that it really is hard to find many holes in Mobley's game. The big looks like one of the most promising young players out of his draft class.
• Fantasy Status: Very startable. Mobley ranks as the 56th overall player on a per-game basis

3. Chris Duarte: 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 44.7% FG, 86.7% FT, 42.2% 3Pt

• The good: The 24-year-old was advertised as a 3-and-D guard who has the experience to slide into an NBA lineup right away. Well, Duarte has been exactly that and then some to start his NBA career. The Oregon product's 16.1 points ranks second out of all rookies while his 42.4 shooting percentage from beyond the arc ranks first among rookies who have attempted over 10 threes.
• The bad: A lot of Duarte's game revolves around coming off screens and his teammates finding him for an open three. I would like to see more shot-creating ability in the half-court. I think that is the next step for him. I also think there is plenty of room for Duarte to grow as a playmaker. I am curious on how the return of Caris LeVert will also affect Duarte's play. Before LeVert's return, Duarte was averaging 17.7 points per game, but in the four games since he has been back. Duarte is down to 13.0 points per game in that span.
• Fantasy Status: Startable. Duarte ranks as the 82nd overall player on a per-game basis

4. Franz Wagner: 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 46.9% FG, 71.4% FT, 38.9% 3Pt

• The good: Wagner has been a great surprise to many this season. The rookie out of Michigan 13.7 points per game rank fourth amongst all first-year players. Wagner has impressed as a three-point shooter with his 38.9 percent shooting clip from deep. The wing is also very efficient when driving to the hoop and has serious slashing skills. Defensively, Wagner has been awesome.
• The bad: Similar to Duarte, there has not been too much offensive creation for Wagner in the half-court setting. A lot of his points come from his teammates finding him as an open shooter. Wagner has shown signs of being a good playmaker as well, but for him to do it on a consistent basis would also improve his game greatly
• Fantasy status: Startable. Wagner ranks as the 92nd overall player on a per-game basis

5. Josh Giddey: 10.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 40.4% FG, 61.5% FT, 25.9% 3Pt)

• The good: The playmaking is special. I do not think it is too crazy to call Giddey a top-10 passer in the league already. He is constantly impressing me with all sorts of different passes, whether it be smooth dimes off the pick-and-roll or zip passes to an open shooter in the corner. Giddey stands at 6-foot-8 which really gives him unique height as a playmaker and also gives him the ability to haul in rebounds as well. The Australian rookie's 6.1 rebounds per game rank third out of all first-year players.
• The bad: I still do have a little bit of concern about Giddey's ability as a scorer in the league. In over half of his appearances, Giddey has gone for fewer than 10 points and he has not topped 20 points in a game yet. The shooting splits are even more concerning as he is shooting just 25.9 percent from deep and 61.5 percent from the free-throw line. If Giddey wants to be able to take the next step in the league, he needs to become a better scorer.
• Fantasy Status: Startable in deeper leagues or if you are hunting for assists. Giddey ranks as the 124th overall player on a per-game basis

6. Jalen Green: 13.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 35.3% FG, 73.3% FT, 28.6% 3Pt)

• The good: Green has shown flashes of scoring brilliance to start his career. The No. 2 overall pick of the draft has such a deep bag and has made some defenders look absolutely silly on his step-back threes. The athleticism is also extremely evident. The kid can fly out of the gym and if I had the ability to place a future on him to win this year's dunk contest, I would do it in a heartbeat. Green's scoring ability combined with his unique physical traits, give him all the potential in the world
• The bad: So, for all of the insane step-back threes that you see on the highlight reels, there have been way more misses than makes on those. Green is shooting just 35.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from deep to start his career. The turnovers are not great either as he has recorded at least two giveaways in nine out of his 10 appearances this season. He simply just looks incredibly raw out there. You do have to remember, this is a player who took the route of forgoing college basketball and playing in the G League. Green has shown plenty of flashes of becoming an elite player some time down the road, but right now there is just too much inconsistency in his game
• Fantasy Status: Keep him on the bench for now. Green ranks as the 224th overall player on a per-game basis

7. Davion Mitchell: 16.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 52.4% FG, 70.8% FT, 20.0% 3Pt)

• The good: If you did not know already, Mitchell's nickname is Off Night and he has been incredibly impressive on the defensive side of things early on. The rookie out of Baylor just plays with an intensity on defense that really shows that he enjoys trying to lock up his opponent. Offensively, Mitchell has shown glimpses of being a strong shot-creator in the league. He has got a good handle and can get by his defender for either a pull-up jumper or tough finish at the hoop.
• The bad: The consistency on the offensive side of things is what Mitchell will need to work on next. The defensive is already incredibly strong, but Mitchell has scored in double-digits in less than half of his appearances this season. The shooting splits are also pretty ugly as he's shooting just 27.9 percent from deep and 63.6 percent from the free-throw line to start his career. If Mitchell can develop more offensive consistency than the No. 9 overall pick will have one bright future ahead of him
• Fantasy status: Not startable. Mitchell ranks as the 198th overall player on a per-game basis

8. Jalen Suggs: 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 30.9% FG, 84.6% FT, 22.0% 3Pt

• The good: It is pretty clear to me that Suggs stands out as a floor general early on for the Magic. He plays very good defense and constantly finds the open man for Orlando. Suggs was a quarterback in high school (an elite one at that) and he is always making plays that remind me of a quarterback as he always has his eyes down the court ready to make a pass. The rookie out of Gonzaga is also an incredibly strong finisher near the hoop. He drives viscously and relentlessly to the rack when he moves with a full head of steam.
• The bad: This is starting to become a growing theme with these rookies, but the shooting has been quite concerning for Suggs. He is shooting just 30.9 percent from the field and 22.0 percent from deep. Suggs has just two games with multiple made threes under his belt despite averaging 5.4 attempts per game. Shooting was one of the bigger concerns about Suggs' game heading out of college and it is not the most encouraging thing to see him struggle from deep out of the gates.
• Fantasy Status: Not startable. Suggs ranks as the 227th overall player on a per-game basis

9. Alperen Sengun: 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 46.8% FG, 66.7% FT, 41.7% 3Pt

• The good: The rookie out of Turkey has been decent to start his career. Sengun's 9.1 points per game ranks 10th out of all rookies while his 4.4 rebounds per game rank sixth. Impressively, Sengun is the only rookie in the top 10 of scoring who is not seeing over 20 minutes of action per game. He has been a really strong finisher thus far and his footwork is also very noticeable. His 42 free-throw attempts lead all rookies. He also is a pretty unique and impressive passer for his size. While his 41.7 percent shooting from deep is quite impressive, I think the biggest surprise has been his ability to rack up steals. Sengun is averaging 1.7 steals per game and leads all rookies in the category.
• The bad: While Sengun has been a cookie monster in the passing lanes this season, there is plenty of room for him to grow as an on-ball defender. I think that will come as he gets stronger and more experienced in the league. He just fouls a bit too much right now and has ended over half of his games with at least four fouls. Sengun is also shooting just 66.7 percent from the free-throw line to start his career, so it would be nice to see that number rise as the season goes on
• Fantasy status: Keep him on the bench for now. Sengun ranks as the 211th overall player on a per-game basis

10. Bones Hyland: 6.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 39.0% FG, 30.8% 3Pt

• The good: Before getting into Hyland here, I struggled with who to put as my last rookie on this list. I think the nine guys ahead of Hyland are definitely above the rest of the pack and there are plenty of rookies who can take this last spot. Hyland has started to creep up the Nuggets' rotation after spending his first few games riding the bench. His 6.7 points per game rank 11th among all rookies and his 1.8 assists per game also rank 11th. He is incredibly shifty with the ball and is not afraid to take any shot. Hyland was playing meaningful minutes for the Nuggets down the stretch this past week so I would be a little bit surprised to see Hyland fall out of Denver's rotation
• The bad: There is plenty of room for Hyland to grow as a playmaker. He is very fast and gets open constantly with the ball, but I would like to see him be a more willing passer. Hyland is also shooting 30.4 percent from deep, which is not awful, but the VCU product was a 39.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc in college so there is room for his shooting to grow at the next level. I also think that Hyland can grow as a finisher. The rookie is yet to attempt a free throw on the season.
• Fantasy status: Not startable. Hyland ranks as the 217th overall player on a per-game basis

Honorable Mentions: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Ayo Dosunmu