Duke is No. 1 on my NBA League Pass rankings

In the most intriguing NBA game on Tuesday night, the Duke Blue Devils absolutely laid out the Kentucky Wildcats behind three superstar rookies. Zion Williamson showed a striking skill level after years of critiques as a dunk machine only. R.J. Barrett proved he’s probably the best teenaged basketball player in North America. Kentucky showed it is completely overmatched by Duke’s talent level and fit.

What’s that? Duke’s not an NBA team? Could have fooled me.

Here’s the thing: this year, Duke might as well be an NBA team. The Devils have the top three NBA Draft prospects in Barrett, Williamson, and Cam Reddish on their roster. If you included them in those ubiquitous League Pass Rankings, most fans would have them in the top five. This goes treble for fans of lackluster teams who dream of drafting one of the troika of talent. This is an efficient way to watch high-end prospects and it’s a striking team to watch given its apparent dominion over rival college teams.

If there was any doubt that Mike Krzyzewski eventually conquered John Calipari to figure out how to make the one-and-done era work for his program, let this season by the final proof. Calipari built another good (perhaps very good) college squad. Coach K built himself a little NBA team, one that’s here to save college basketball.

But is Duke cool? Some disagree. I, personally, don’t care. If it’s them or the damned Wizards? I’m watching Duke.

Hawks 102, Hornets 113
Wizards 100, Mavericks 119
Nets 104, Suns 82
Bucks 103, Blazers 118

On National TV:
Sixers at Pacers, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Timberwolves at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Best League Pass Options:
Spurs at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Nuggets at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET
Raptors at Kings, 10 p.m. ET

Full schedule here.

Another episode of Spencer Hall’s true sports crime podcast It Seemed Smart is out. This one focuses on the rise and hilarious fall of daily fantasy sports.

Paul Flannery looks at five under-the-radar offseason moves already making a huge impact on the season.

Brilliant piece by Jimmy Chen on the evolution of the basketball mixtape, from AND1 to Zion Williamson. I’m telling you, and I know I’ve mentioned this before, circa 2009 there was a long Ricky Rubio in Spain reel on YouTube set to “Freebird” that was like a religious experience to me.

Zach Lowe makes the case for a John Wall trade, if anyone will take him at a supermax that hasn’t even kicked in. The Wizards could actually collude with DeMarcus Cousins’ camp to turn them into a package deal this summer -- trade for Wall and Cousins will sign a max with your team.

Matt Ellentuck breaks down the absurd debate over Jamal Murray shooting for 51 as the buzzer sounded at the end of Monday’s Celtics-Nuggets. Kyrie Irving tossing the game ball into the crowd to prevent Murray from keeping it is the real scandal. Just more proof drama makes the world go ‘round ...

Kyrie showed off a move that includes dribbling off of his knee, though. Wow.

Danilo Gallinari has quietly been a huge plus on both ends for the frisky Clippers.

Steph Curry is playing like he did in 2016 ... when he won the NBA’s first unanimous MVP award ... which is something worth talking about.

Glad to see Jeff Bzdelik prepared to return to the Rockets, whatever the reason for his brief retirement.

Jonathan Tjarks wonders if Marvin Bagley III fits into the Kings’ blueprint. I think the Kings have a decent chance of losing Willie Cauley-Stein in restricted free agency in the 2019 offseason (he’s having a strong contract year so far, which is a little suspect), and Bagley would slot it quite well.

Right on queue, Alfonzo McKinnie gets the Scott Cacciola treatment.

The Celtics could break Gordon Hayward out of his funk by highlighting his playmaking ability.

Good news, everyone: LaMelo Ball is back in U.S. high school basketball. I guess that whole “inventing a league from scratch and taking over a Lithuanian franchise” wasn’t quite the success LaVar Ball hoped. Worth a shot, though. The question is what LaMelo does next year since it’s unlikely he’ll be NCAA eligible. Will he be the first guy on the G League select contract? Is this why they came back, so that LaMelo would be eligible?

Let’s briefly step outside of basketball to ask this self-centered donk what he’s doing interrupting his love’s first marathon -- the NEW YORK CITY MARATHON, mind you -- to propose at Mile 16?

Be excellent to each other.