Nov 06, 2019Two of the league's most surprising teams meet when the Phoenix Suns host the Miami Heat on Thursday.Each team is 5-2, each is ranked in the top four in net rating (which measures a team's point differential per 100 possessions), and each has received a boost from new components -- forward Jimmy Butler and rookie guard Kendrick Nunn in Miami and coach Monty Williams and big man Aron Baynes in Phoenix.Their paths have been remarkably similar.The Heat have routed Houston and beaten 2019 NBA finalist Milwaukee on the road as part of an impressive start. They poured in a franchise-record 46 points in the first quarter of a 129-100 victory over the Rockets on Sunday, and their plus-32 point differential after one quarter also was a record.The Suns beat the Clippers and Golden State before handing Philadelphia its first loss of the season in its most recent outing, a 114-109 victory on Monday. Phoenix scored 43 points and had a franchise-record plus-29 point differential after the first quarter of the 121-110 victory at the Warriors.The Suns have outshot their opponents in all seven games and is third in the league with a 54.4 effective field-goal percentage. Miami (53.9) is sixth.A good time is being had by all."How can it not be fun?" said offseason acquisition Baynes, who is on a career-best run while starting at center in place of Deandre Ayton, who was suspended 25 games by the NBA after testing positive for a diuretic.Baynes has scored at least 15 points in a career-long three straight games and has scored in double figures in a career-long six straight. He has made multiple 3-pointers in four straight games after having only five such games in his previous seven seasons,"It is fun for everyone here involved," Baynes added. "One of the good feelings we have right now is we understand that when we're playing within the system and the ball is moving, everyone's getting a shot, taking the best shot for the team." Devin Booker was serenaded by "MVP" chants when had 40 points against the 76ers, the first player in the league to make at 15 field goals and three 3-pointers while shooting at least 75 percent from both areas this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson had the only such games last year."The fans are getting what they want, hard-working team coming to push the issue every night," said Booker, tied with LeBron James for 10th in the league with a 26.1 scoring average entering Wednesday.The Heat is getting more than it could have expected from Nunn, who played in the G League last season after being undrafted out of Oakland. Nunn is averaging 18.3 points a game, one of seven Heat in double figures including reserve Goran Dragic (15.1) and Butler (15.0).Nunn broke former Suns forward Connie Hawkins' league record for most points by an undrafted player in his first five games with 112. He is 6 of 24 in his last two games, including a 109-89 loss at Denver on Tuesday."It's part of the league," Butler told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "You can't make shots every single night, but you can do other things to help your team win." --Field Level Media
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