The NBA’s second Golden Age is here

Nielsen reports that ratings on the NBA’s ESPN and TNT broadcasts this season are up 32 percent over last year, and has hit the highest level since 2010-11 (the beginning of the famed LeBron/Heat villain story arc). This is not a huge surprise to anyone paying attention: A couple of games this season have hit huge numbers and the league is really compelling from top to bottom.

This is worth keeping in mind as the NBA considers certain reforms. That doesn’t mean that the NBA shouldn’t change anything — that’s a sure way to fall off your perch eventually. The league must continue innovating. But big, sweeping reform ideas — including expansion, draft rule changes, and season length reduction — deserve heavy scrutiny.

The NBA has worked to make the game flow better in recent years despite adding (and often expanding) video replay. The timeout reduction is a great example of this. It’s hard to say how much of an impact the NBA’s various competitive balance efforts have contributed to the wide distribution of superstars: We still have one major superteam in Golden State, and a bunch of would-be superteams in other places.

I’ll throw out something you won’t hear get too much credit for the current NBA boom but that clearly deserves investigation into its positive role for the sport: the AAU circuit. This remains the primary development path for the best players in the league (including even some international prospects). Something’s going right there.

PHX 113, TOR 126
UTA 94, OKC 100
WAS 106, POR 92

Holy smokes, Bradley Beal dropped 51 on the Blazers!

Another ugly injury, this one hitting Devin Booker. Meanwhile, Steph Curry appears to be out a couple of weeks with his sprained ankle.

Paul Flannery lists out the 15 current MVP candidates, led by James Harden and LeBron James. Meanwhile, The Washington Post’s straw poll of media members has Harden in a clear lead as well.

Jayson Tatum is shooting threes better than any rookie ever.

Derrick Rose is back with the Cavaliers. I suppose that winning streak is getting a little stale ...

An arrest has been made in the murder of Lorenzen Wright.

This is really cool. JaVale McGee’s old high school teammate and current NBA agent Mike Silverman is color-blind. JaVale partnered with Enchroma, who makes special glasses to help the color-blind see vivid color, to bring Silverman out for an episode of McGee’s YouTube show and help him see true color for the first time. Technology!

Nathaniel Friedman on the evolutionary nature of the Harden-Chris Paul pairing.

Breaking: Joel Embiid is tall.

Serge Ibaka gives a finger wag. Dikembe Mutombo approves.

The Bulls correctly labeled Chance The Rapper this time.

I bet LiAngelo Ball’s signature sneaker from Big Baller Brand is going to be a steal.

Up next: We have 10 games scheduled for Wednesday, including an ESPN doubleheader featuring Warriors-Hornets at 8 p.m. ET and Wolves-Clippers at 10:30. There are rumors Kawhi Leonard might make his season debut any day now ... the Spurs play the Heat at 8:30. Full schedule here.

And finally: Santa Russ!

Be excellent to each other.