We are now two weeks into the NBA season and it has been very eventful to say the least. At this stage of the season, every team is still figuring out their best rotations and strategies, so as fans we should not read too much into how well or badly certain teams or players are playing. Having said that, there have been certain things that I have noticed in the opening weeks, which I think are worth mentioning. Here are eight things that are worth keeping track of as the season progresses.
The Denver Nuggets are still the best team in basketball
The Nuggets are still the team to beat. Their dominance is evident. Led by the Serbian savant that is Nikola Jokic, the mile high club currently possess the best record in the NBA at 8-1. Their average point differential is at +10 and they are yet to lose on home soil. It is clear that everyone on their team understands their role; coach Malone has them playing beautiful basketball. Their spacing is great, their ball movement is second to none and their scoring prowess seems unstoppable at times, especially when they break well on the transition. The starting five of Murray, Kcp, Mpj, Gordon and Jokic compliment each other so well. Point guard Jamal Murray is due to be out for the rest of the month with a hamstring strain which is definitely a blow for the team. Though, with Jokic currently averaging 29.1 points, 12.9 rebounds and 8 assists, his absence might be negligible. Jokic put on another dominant display last night Vs the Warriors, finishing with 35 points and 13 rebounds to go along with 3 steals and a block in a nail biting match. His touch around the basket at his size really sets him apart from other bigs in the league. The current Finals MVP looks set to propel his team to another deep Playoff run.
Steph Curry is sensational
Speaking of the Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry is sensational. I know that this is already public knowledge, but it is worth stating again. Steph is really amazing and basketball fans are truly lucky to watch him perform night in and night out. To start the season, the 35 year old is scoring 30 points a game on 51% shooting from the field and a striking 47% from three. 47%! This is just ridiculous, even more so when you take into account the difficulty of the three point shots he takes. Step back, between the legs, hesitation dribble. BANG! Everything seems to just go in for the former unanimous MVP. He has benefited greatly from the acquisition of Chris Paul. CP3 has started the season well, providing the dubs with roughly 7 assists per game. With either Paul or Draymond Green on the floor at all times it negates the need for Steph to play as a traditional Point guard. He can focus on scoring while the playmakers focus on finding the open man. This allows Steph to do what he does best: Run around screens, find space and shoot! I expect his hot form to continue for the entire year. A 50, 40 and 90 season is certainly on the cards for the greatest shooter of all time.
The 76ers have improved
Going into the season, with all the negative news circulating around James Harden, not to mention their capitulation in last seasons Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Basketball fans were undecided about the 76ers and their future. But, they have had a phenomenal start to the campaign. Nick Nurse has revitalized this 6ers team who appeared slightly docile in past season under Doc Rivers. All of their starters have started ferociously, attacking dribble hand-offs and close outs well. Kelly Oubre has started the season very well and I can see him being a fan favourite in the City of brotherly love. Furthermore, the Harden trade now means their bench is much deeper. The likes of Batum, Covington and KJ Martin are all versatile wings, with the ability to shoot and defend. The 6ers team are 5th in the league for points scored as well as rebounds, so I'd be very happy about the start Philadelphia have made if I was a 6ers fan. However, Philadelphia's overall success ultimately comes down to Embiid's willingness to take on the burden of being an all world player game in and game out. He had a great game last time out in a narrow victory against the Celtics finishing with 27 and 10, but he is going to need to be consistent if Phili are going to procure success this season and in the near future.
This rookie class is amazing
This rookie class already had the potential to be memorable with Chet (who missed last year due to injury) and Wemby, but there are a number of rookies who are already making positive contributions to their respective teams. The Thompson twins look very comfortable already. Auser Thompson especially is looking like a stud for the Pistons. He is top 5 in every major statistical category amongst rookies and is already proving to be a force on the defensive end. Derek Lively, Jordan Hawkins and Anthony Black have also made positive starts to their NBA careers. But make no mistake about it Chet and Wemby are still the best rookies in this class and are still the clear favourites for the ROTY award. Their fluidity and ball-handling ability at 7ft+ is truly unprecedented and they are contributing greatly to their teams success. Chet and Wemby already make this rookie class salient but I can see other names in this draft class becoming popular in the near future.
The Lakers are not good
Lakers fans normally enter the NBA season wide eyed and hopeful for success. This is what happens when you are the most storied franchised in NBA history. But to put it bluntly, they have started the season horribly. I thought that Rob Pelinka had sorted out the shooting and defensive woes that crippled the Lakers last season in the Offseason just gone. But these same issues still persist for the Purple and Gold. They are bottom 10 in the league for points scored per game and 29th in 3 pointers made. Their defense is also poor. Who would have thought that having the oldest man in the NBA being your only source of scoring, would lead to a lack of intensity, bad rebounding and lazy transition defense? Lucky for the Lakeshow, it is still early days so I fancy them to rectify their problems. They need to do this sooner rather than later however, as the Western Conference is only getting more ruthless. If I was Mr. Pelinka, I'd be looking to trade D'Angelo Russell for a sharp shooting guard ASAP.
The Bucks are struggling
It was likely that the Bucks were going to suffer growing pains while Dame assimilated himself into the team. And although their 5-2 record suggests they aren't doing too badly, they have still been unconvincing to start the season. This is supported by their -2.3 average point differential. The wins they have gotten have been due to will power and desire, as opposed to the skill and dominance they have displayed in previous seasons. They started the season with Brook Lopez relatively high when defending pick and rolls and it did not work. They have now resorted to him playing more drop coverage, which worked well for them last year. He is their defensive anchor and he needs to be astute for the Bucks if they want to make it out of the East. Furthermore, Damian Lillard has had an awful start to his Bucks career. No question about it. He is averaging an unexciting (by his standards) 24.3 points per game on 40% shooting from the field and 29% from three. Dame is one of the best shooters of his generation so I don't necessarily think this will continue. But with that being said, his poor shooting display has been surprising. He is a strong character however, so I expect him to end this rut soon. NBA standings are unforgiving though so he needs to start playing better expeditiously, starting with the Indiana Pacers tonight.
The Timberwolves are the sleeper team in the West
Since the Wolves acquired Conley midway through last season. I've always thought they could be a force in the West. In this small sample size, they are definitely making strides to becoming a great team. They are 5-2, sitting third in the West. Last game against the Pelicans, they were very dominant. All of their starters had double digit scoring numbers and their bench also combined for 34 points. Their spacing looked good with Towns essentially now being a full time perimeter scorer and Gobert patrolling solely inside. They look like a well orchestrated team. Anthony Edwards is on a tare right now, scoring a minimum of 25 points in his last three games. His footwork is good, his instincts are great and he plays on both ends of the floor. They have managed to overcome both the Celtics and the Nuggets already this season. With the teams overall size, length and skill, I like how they match up against the more formidable teams in the league. Do not be surprised if they go far in this years Playoffs.
Ja Morant is greatly missed
The Memphis Grizzlies are the worst team in basketball. At least that's what the standings currently say. At 1-7 they sit bottom in the West. This is largely to do with their offense which looks very static to start the season. As good as Smart and Bane are individually, neither of them are traditional pass-first Point guards, so easy looks have been hard to come by for the Grizzlies. They are 27th in the league for points scored and 19th in assists per game. O how they miss Ja Morant. The electric Point guard would quickly solve his teams offensive issues. The absence of Steven Adams who is Ja's pick and roll partner and the teams defensive anchor is also hurting the Grizzlies. Tyus Jones departing in the Summer was a loss not covered by many NBA analysts. The savvy guard averaged 5.2 assists off the bench last year and was a key cog in their regular season success. Overall, it is not looking good for the Grizzlies and at this rate, I doubt they make the Playoffs. Morant's return is certainly coveted in the city of Tennessee.