Never mind, the Kings are fine

Good morning. I hope this finds you well. Let’s basketball.

ATLANTA’S NO FLUKE: The Hawks opened the season real strong (despite a couple recent losses). Paul Flannery talked to the team for his Sunday Shootaround, where he rightly argues that they’ve been more impressive than the teams who were supposed to supplant them. Plus, Flanns redrafts 2012 and gives you the quotes of the week and one special Vine.

ABOUT THIS WEEKEND ... In action fully overshadowed by the tragedy in Paris on Friday night, the Cavs won in New York, the Rockets stayed shockingly mediocre and the Grizzlies got back on track. On Saturday the Warriors remained undefeated (barely) and the Cavs dropped a game in double-overtime to the Bucks. Yesterday the Celtics and Jazz picked up big wins and the #KANGZ stayed hot, beating the Raptors while the Pelicans fell to 1-9, worst record in the West.

RUSSELL: What a chase-down block off of a blown rotation from Mr. Westbrook.

NOTED: Jabari Parker has plenty of bounce after a knee injury.

BETTER TO BE SMART THAN BRAVE: Nick Young is not willing to sacrifice his body to try to stop a charging Andre Drummond. I don’t blame him.

INCREDIBLE: Just an absurd crosscourt bounce pass from John Wall here.

TEXTBOOK: Alec Burks’ version of a Eurostep is strange but effective.

ADORABLE: When Karl-Anthony Towns was a ninth grader, he interviewed Kevin Durant. There is video.

BEST SINCE ... 2009? The Limited Upside podcast is back. Prada and Epstein discuss whether this is the most productive draft class in recent memory.

AWESOME: Denver Stiffs and the Nuggets treated a die hard from Australia real good.

GOOD QUESTION: Why does the New Orleans defense stink so bad?

TRUE: Scott Howard-Cooper notes that this hot start must be an immense relief on Luke Walton and those who decided to tab him as the interim head coach.

FUN: Dirk Nowitzki as elder statesman/fun uncle.

THE SOUNDS OF MEMPHIS: Wonderful piece on the history of basketball, music and everything in Memphis, Tennessee from my man Curtis Harris.

INTERESTING: A Redditor had a thought experiment in which the results of each NBA Finals was reversed. What happens next? Charles Barkley becomes the star of Space Jam, of course.

LOVELY: Kevin Seraphin’s hair etching tribute to Paris was wonderful.

UNSPEAKABLE: Thabo Sefolosha grew up in Switzerland and played professionally in Paris for several years. He spoke about the terror attacks on Friday night.

TONIGHT TONIGHT: Three interesting games on League Pass this evening, all at 8 p.m. ET: Pacers-Bulls,Celtics-Rockets and Grizzlies-Thunder. Plus a few more if those don’t entice.

Pour mes amis en France, mon coeur pleure pour vous. Solidarité. Au revoir, et à bientôt.