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SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt and AJ Neuharth-Keusch discuss a pair of surprising teams, but for different reasons. USA TODAY Sports

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Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt described Kyrie Irving's offseason trade request as "brave" in an interview with The Boston Herald last week. 

"The first thing that hit me about it was that Kyrie made a very profound statement about himself when he requested a trade," Blatt told the newspaper. "It’s a situation that hasn’t been easily interpreted by everyone. It was brave, and it’s one of those things that makes him a special kid."

Blatt coached Irving and the Cavaliers for less than two seasons before being fired in Jan. 2016 and returning to Europe, where he has spent most of his professional coaching career. He is currently the head coach of Darussafaka Dogus in Turkey.

Irving, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2011, requested a trade in mid-July and was later dealt to the Celtics as part of a massive deal that also included point guard Isaiah Thomas and forward Jae Crowder, among other pieces. The 25-year-old has since dodged questions about his reasoning for the request, though there has been speculation that he wanted to leave the shadow of LeBron James.

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Blatt declined to comment on the relationshp between James and Irving to The Boston Herald but said he wasn't surprised by the move. Though he said he hasn't spoken with Irving since the trade, Blatt believes Irving needed to make the change "to fulfill his inner self."

"Ky is the top dog, top of the totem pole, and he’s reveling in that," Blatt told the newspaper. "Also incredible is the fact that he’s playing in a winning program. It’s up to him to do whatever it takes from here.

"This is where his potential is really going to come out, with the responsibilities of the team."

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.

Week 8 NBA power rankings
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Flip through the gallery to see power rankings for Week 8 of the 2017-18 NBA season, as voted by reporters from across the USA TODAY Network.  Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports
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30. Chicago Bulls (5-20) | Last week: 30 - Kris Dunn
30. Chicago Bulls (5-20) | Last week: 30 - Kris Dunn has given a glimmer of hope to a franchise with very little as of late, averaging 17 points on 50% shooting, 7.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals in his past seven games.  Mike Dinovo, USA TODAY Sports
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29. Memphis Grizzlies (8-18) | Last week: 25 - Just
29. Memphis Grizzlies (8-18) | Last week: 25 - Just how valuable is Mike Conley? He's been sidelined for 14 games this season. The Grizzlies have won one of those.  Justin Ford, USA TODAY Sports
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28. Atlanta Hawks (6-20) | Last week: 29 - Dennis Schroder,
28. Atlanta Hawks (6-20) | Last week: 29 - Dennis Schroder, who has unequivocally been Atlanta's best player this season, was benched for the majority of the fourth quarter in Sunday's loss to New York — a move he wasn't too fond of.  Jeremy Brevard, USA TODAY Sports
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27. Sacramento Kings (8-18) | Last week: 28 - The Kings
27. Sacramento Kings (8-18) | Last week: 28 - The Kings are on pace for 25 wins, which would be the franchise's worst finish since the 2010-11 season.  Sergio Estrada, USA TODAY Sports
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26. Phoenix Suns (9-19) | Last week: 27 - The future
26. Phoenix Suns (9-19) | Last week: 27 - The future flashed before the eyes of the Suns' faithful when Devin Booker went down with a non-contact injury Tuesday vs. Toronto, but the budding star — who suffered a left adductor strain and is expected to miss 2-3 weeks — says he's "progressing every day" and is on the "right path" to recovery.  Tim Fuller, USA TODAY Sports
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25. Dallas Mavericks (7-20) | Last week: 26 - The Mavericks
25. Dallas Mavericks (7-20) | Last week: 26 - The Mavericks are destined for the lottery, but don't let the NBA's third-worst record fool you: they're competing.  Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports
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24. Orlando Magic (11-17) | Last week: 21 - The Magic
24. Orlando Magic (11-17) | Last week: 21 - The Magic have lost 13 of 16 games since their 8-4 start, the second-worst mark in the league during that span.  Jeremy Brevard, USA TODAY Sports
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23. Charlotte Hornets (9-16) | Last week: 20 - Look
23. Charlotte Hornets (9-16) | Last week: 20 - Look at the bright side: No team other than the Hornets has the luxury of meeting with the greatest basketball player of all time to discuss the state of the franchise. The Charlotte players did as much on Saturday, sitting down with Michael Jordan for what was a "very constructive, very appreciate and very much needed" conversation, as forward Marvin Williams told The Charlotte Observer.  Jeremy Brevard, USA TODAY Sports
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22. Los Angeles Clippers (9-15) | Last week: 22 - Things
22. Los Angeles Clippers (9-15) | Last week: 22 - Things are looking up, albeit ever so slightly, for the Clippers, who have Danilo Gallinari back in the lineup and expect Milos Teodosic to return soon as well.  Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports
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21. Brooklyn Nets (10-15) | Last week: 24 - Questions
21. Brooklyn Nets (10-15) | Last week: 24 - Questions remain about newly-acquired Jahlil Okafor's fit with the team, of course, but the Nets now roster two of the top three picks from the 2015 draft in Okafor and D'Angelo Russell — a positive no matter how you look at it.  Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports
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20. Los Angeles Lakers (10-15) | Last week: 23 - After
20. Los Angeles Lakers (10-15) | Last week: 23 - After Tuesday's trip to New York to take on the Knicks, the Lakers face Cleveland, followed by Golden State, then Houston, then Golden State again. Yikes.  Sam Sharpe, USA TODAY Sports
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19. Miami Heat (12-13) | Last week: 19 - Sixth man
19. Miami Heat (12-13) | Last week: 19 - Sixth man Tyler Johnson has led the Heat in scoring over the past five games, averaging 16.6 points on 60.8% shooting. The fourth-year guard has recorded 17 20-plus point games off the bench in his career, already good for second on the franchise's all-time leaderboard, according to the Heat.  Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports
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18. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-13) | Last week: 15 -
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-13) | Last week: 15 - The bad? The Thunder would be on the outside looking in if the playoffs started today. The good? The playoffs don't start today. The Thunder, who have won four of their last five games, have played well below expectations, but are still just ½ game out of fifth place in the West.  Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports
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17. New York Knicks (13-13) | Last week: 18- On today's
17. New York Knicks (13-13) | Last week: 18- On today's episode of Reasons Why We Love Enes Kanter: He showed up to the Garden on crutches for Sunday's game against Atlanta after taking a knee to the hip the night before. He played 18 minutes in the game, which the Knicks won, and gave the following explanation: "I think I just feel like you cannot be selfish like that if you want to make the playoffs. I didn’t think about the injuries. I didn’t think about if I’m in pain or not – just go out and play."  Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports
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16. Utah Jazz (13-14) | Last week: 13 - Donovan Mitchell
16. Utah Jazz (13-14) | Last week: 13 - Donovan Mitchell has been arguably the league's most impressive rookie as of late, averaging 26.2 points on 46.9% shooting in his last five games — a stretch highlighted by his 41-point outing against New Orleans on Dec. 1.  Russell Isabella, USA TODAY Sports
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15. Philadelphia 76ers (13-13) | Last week: 8 - Only
15. Philadelphia 76ers (13-13) | Last week: 8 - Only five players have recorded at least seven point-assist double-doubles this season: James Harden, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Jeff Teague, and Sixers rookie Ben Simmons.  Derick E. Hingle, USA TODAY Sports
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14. New Orleans Pelicans (14-13) | Last week: 17 -
14. New Orleans Pelicans (14-13) | Last week: 17 - DeMarcus Cousins has already recorded two 40-point, 20-rebound games this season, becoming the first player to do so since Patrick Ewing (1989-90). Cousins ranks fourth in the league in total points scored, third in rebounds, fourth in blocks, and — get this — eighth in three-pointers attempted.  Russell Isabella, USA TODAY Sports
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13. Detroit Pistons (14-12) | Last week: 7 - The Pistons
13. Detroit Pistons (14-12) | Last week: 7 - The Pistons have cooled since their hot start, losing six consecutive games and falling to seventh place in the East. So which version of this team is the real one? "They’re not as good as everybody was saying they were and they’re not as bad as people are saying they are now," coach Stan Van Gundy said Sunday.  Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports
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12. Denver Nuggets (14-12) | Last week: 12 - As much
12. Denver Nuggets (14-12) | Last week: 12 - As much as the Nuggets, who have lost three of their last four games, miss Nikola Jokic, they're going to err on the side of caution before getting him back on the floor.  Isaiah J. Downing, USA TODAY Sports
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11. Portland Trail Blazers (13-12) | Last week: 11
11. Portland Trail Blazers (13-12) | Last week: 11 - The Blazers, who have lost four consecutive games, tip off a five-game road trip in Oakland on Monday night, where they'll take on a Warriors team that beat them by an average of 19.5 points in four games last season.  Jaime Valdez, USA TODAY Sports
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10. Washington Wizards (14-12) | Last week: 10 - Bradley
10. Washington Wizards (14-12) | Last week: 10 - Bradley Beal, who has struggled to find his shot at times this season, has begun to play the brand of basketball the Wizards expect him to, especially in John Wall's absence. The 24-year-old has totaled 110 points (second-most in the league) on 42-80 shooting in his past three games, two of which he carried the Wizards to victory.  Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports
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9. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-11) | Last week: 9 -
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-11) | Last week: 9 - Of Minnesota's 16 wins, 13 have come within the Western Conference. When did they hit the lucky number last season, you ask? Feb. 27.  Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports
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8. Indiana Pacers (16-11) | Last week: 16 - Victor
8. Indiana Pacers (16-11) | Last week: 16 - Victor Oladipo dropped a career-high 47 points on Sunday night — yet another testament to his continued growth as a Pacer. The 25-year-old, who's well on his way to his first All-Star selection, is leading all Eastern Conference guards in scoring, averaging 24.5 points per game. The Pacers, meanwhile, have won four in a row, including Friday's win over Cleveland in which they snapped the Cavs' 13-game winning streak.  Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports
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7. Milwaukee Bucks (15-10) | Last week: 14 - All the
7. Milwaukee Bucks (15-10) | Last week: 14 - All the ups and downs considered, this is Milwaukee's best start to a season since 2005-06 (also 15-10).  Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports
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6. Toronto Raptors (17-7) | Last week: 5 - The Raptors
6. Toronto Raptors (17-7) | Last week: 5 - The Raptors own the NBA's best offensive rating during their six-game winning streak, scoring 116.3 points per 100 possessions during that span.  Tom Szczerbowski, USA TODAY Sports
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5. San Antonio Spurs (19-8) | Last week: 6 - The Spurs,
5. San Antonio Spurs (19-8) | Last week: 6 - The Spurs, who have managed to put together the NBA's fifth-best record without Kawhi Leonard, could have their perennial MVP candidate back in the lineup as early as Tuesday.  Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports
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4. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-8) | Last week: 4 - Just
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-8) | Last week: 4 - Just how good has Cleveland's bench — a unit led by Dwyane Wade, Jeff Green and Kyle Korver — been? They boast the second-best offensive rating in the league (110.8 points per 100 possessions) among second units, trailing only Golden State.  Sam Sharpe, USA TODAY Sports
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3. Boston Celtics (23-5) | Last week: 3 - Rookie forward
3. Boston Celtics (23-5) | Last week: 3 - Rookie forward Jayson Tatum has made 46 of his 88 attempts from beyond the arc — the highest percentage (52.3%) in the league of players who attempt at least three three-pointers per game.  Bob DeChiara, USA TODAY Sports
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2. Golden State Warriors (21-6) | Last week: 2 - The
2. Golden State Warriors (21-6) | Last week: 2 - The Warriors swept their six-game road trip (which wrapped up Friday in Detroit), becoming just the 11th team in NBA history to accomplish such a feat, per Elias Sports Bureau. Nine of their 10 remaining games this month will be played in Oracle Arena, including the Christmas Day showdown with Cleveland.  Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports
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1. Houston Rockets (20-4) | Last week: 1 - The Rockets
1. Houston Rockets (20-4) | Last week: 1 - The Rockets are off to the third-best start in franchise history and the best since 1996-97, when they lost in the Western Conference finals.  Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports
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