Around the Association: Suns Hang On, Jazz Top Knicks + Ranking the Rookies

This article is part of our NBA Daily Recap series.

Welcome to Around the Association!  Four days per week (Monday through Thursday), 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 a fun five-game slate. Here is all you need to know:

Suns handle Bulls

• The most anticipated match of the night came out of Chicago where the Suns matched up against the Bulls in a battle of two of the top teams in their respective conferences.
• Zach LaVine returned to Chicago's lineup after missing the team's last two games, however, Phoenix held control for most of the contest. The game ended 127-124 in favor of the Suns, although that is not a very accurate representation of the flow of the game as Devin Booker and company got business handled in Chicago.
  • The All-Star guard ended with 38 points (14-23 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four rebounds, five assists and one steal over 37 minutes. Booker is on a tear as of late, averaging 30.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists over his last 13 appearances. Most of the Suns' MVP talk surrounds Chris Paul, but is Booker deserving of some recognition, as well?
    • Chris Paul: 19 points (7-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, 11 assists and one steal over 33 minutes.
• Despite coming up short, DeMar DeRozan was once again incredible for Chicago. The All-Star starter went off for 38 points (16-27 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 6-8 FT), five rebounds, four assists and two steals over 35 minutes. Over his last 10 showings, DeRozan is averaging an insane 33.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. 
  • Zach LaVine (back) also looked like he hadn't missed a beat in his first game back in action. The electrifying guard ended with 32 points (9-20 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 10-10 FT), six rebounds and eight assists over 37 minutes. This is the third time this season that LaVine and DeRozan both topped 30 points. 

Mitchell rallies Jazz over Knicks

• The Knicks were in control over the Jazz for much of the game, leading by 12 points late in the third quarter, but Donovan Mitchell took over late to help push Salt Lake City to a 113-104 victory. The Louisville product ended with 32 points (13-26 FG, 2-10 3Pt, 4-6 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, one block and four steals in 36 minutes. While he struggled from deep, Mitchell did a little bit of everything to help lead the Jazz late. The All-Star is now averaging 29.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in his two games since returning from his concussion injury. 
  • Bojan Bogdanovic: 20 points (6-14 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 6-6 FT), four rebounds and one assist.
• Julius Randle really impressed me throughout the start of the game, but practically went invisible in the fourth quarter. The forward finished with 30 points (10-20 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 8-12 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal in 38 minutes, yet he only scored two points in the final frame. Randle's future with the team continues to be an emerging storyline popping up as we approach the trade deadline.
  • RJ Barrett continued the scoring groove he has found himself in, ending with 23 points (8-25 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 6-8 FT), seven rebounds and six assists across 43 minutes. While it was not the most efficient performance, Barrett has now scored 23 or more points in six out of his last eight showings.
  • Mitchell Robinson: 19 points (8-11 FG, 3-6 FT), 21 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and two steals in 36 minutes.

Splash Bros getting in rhythm

• The Warriors were able to walk away with a pretty easy 110-98 win over the Thunder behind a pair of solid outings from Golden State's Splash Brothers.
  • Klay Thompson finished with a game-high 21 points (6-15 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 6-6 FT), two rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals in 29 minutes. This marked the sharpshooter's second straight 20 point outing while his 29 minutes also marked a season high. Thompson getting back to his normal self is one scary sight for the rest of the league. Prior to Monday's game, the Warriors announced that Thompson's minutes limit has been raised to 30 minutes.
    • Stephen Curry did not have a game-breaking performance, but he was still solid enough with 18 points (6-12 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds, 10 assists and one steal over 37 minutes. Over his last 10 outings, Curry has averaged 8.1 dimes per game.
    • Jonathan Kuminga: 16 points (6-11 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-7 FT), four rebounds, four assists and his daily highlight dunk over 22 minutes.
• I am starting to think Luguentz Dort may be one of the more underrated players in the league. He gets a pretty solid rep for being a lock-down defender, but he is quickly starting to become much more than that, as he ended with a game-high 26 points (9-21 FG, 3-12 3Pt, 5-7 FT), four rebounds, one assist and three steals in 38 minutes. Over his last five outings, Dort is averaging 24.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
  • Josh Giddey: 16 points (6-16 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 11 rebounds, seven assists and one steal across 30 minutes. The Thunder announced postgame that Giddey will not play more than 30 minutes in any game until the All-Star break.

Quick Hitters

• The Raptors traveled to Charlotte to face the Hornets and eased to a 116-101 win. Pascal Siakam led the way for Toronto, totaling 24 points (10-16 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-5 FT), 11 rebounds, eight assists and one block over 42 minutes. The playmaking forward is averaging 22.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game over his last 13 showings.
  • Gary Trent got back into his rhythm and ended with 24 points (8-16 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-5 FT), three rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block over 30 minutes. 
• Miles Bridges went to work in the losing effort, finishing with 25 points (8-17 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 7-7 FT), six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks over 42 minutes. This was Bridges' first 20-point outing after being held to 15 or less in his previous four games.
  • LaMelo Ball: 15 points (5-19 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds, nine assists and four steals across 44 minutes while also being named an All-Star injury replacement.
• The Heat caught fire in the second half and rolled to a 121-100 win over the Wizards while shooting over 56 percent from deep. Bam Adebayo finished with a game-high 21 points (7-11 FG, 7-8 FT), seven rebounds, four assists and one steal over 24 minutes.
  • Jimmy Butler: 19 points (7-13 FG, 5-6 FT), three rebounds, four assists and one steal over 29 minutes.
  • Corey Kispert surprisingly finished as Washington's leading scorer. The rookie out of Gonzaga totaled 20 points (9-15 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 1-1 FT), six rebounds, one assist and one steal across 26 minutes. This matches a career-high, yet 11 of his points did come in garbage time.   

Best and Worst of the Night

• Best of the Night: Devin Booker - 38 points (14-23 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four rebounds, five assists and one steal over 37 minutes.
• Worst of the Night: Ayo Dosunmu - two points (1-7 FG, 0-4 3Pt) and two rebounds over 32 minutes.
• Rookie of the Night: Josh Giddey - 16 points (6-16 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 11 rebounds, seven assists and one steal across 30 minutes.

Ranking the Rooks 

Yesterday's quiet five-game slate gives us some time to look at how the rookies are shaping up. Enough time has passed to incorporate a weekly rookie ladder. Below I have put together my first rankings of the rookies, based solely on how they've performed this season. This has nothing to do with my thoughts on their future potential:

1. Evan Mobley
2. Cade Cunningham
3. Franz Wagner
4. Scottie Barnes
5. Josh Giddey
6. Jonathan Kuminga
7. Ayo Dosunmu
8. Herbert Jones
9. Chris Duarte 
10. Davion Mitchell

Honorable Mentions:  Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs, Alperen Sengun, Tre Mann, Duane Washington

A Look Ahead to Tuesday Night:

• The red-hot Suns travel to Philadelphia to face MVP favorite Joel Embiid and the 76ers.
• The Nets -- who will not have James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge or Nicolas Claxton, look to avoid their ninth straight loss when the Celtics come into town.
• Ja Morant and Co. look to stay hot when the new-look Clippers travel to Memphis.
• The struggling New York Knicks look to figure it out against The Joker in Denver.
• The Greek Freak takes on King James as the Bucks travel to LA to face the Lakers.