Biggest Takeaways from the First Month of NBA Basketball
The NBA is finally back! With a few games of the new season out of the way, we wanted to share a list of five surprises and five disappointments in a month of play.
Surprises
Coming off of their second postseason collapse, the Cavs had to deal with an offseason filled with tension and uncertainty. Rumors that Donovan Mitchell wouldn’t re-sign with the team, compounded by more talk that Darius Garland would leave if Mitchell did return, made it feel like the Cavs were in an impossible bind. However, they made it to the new season, escaping much of the summer turmoil and it has repaid them with one of the best starts to a season in league history. They won 15 straight games before their first loss, dominating over good and bad teams alike. Donovan Mitchell has been stellar as usual, but their bigs have risen to the occasion as well. Evan Mobley has played elite defense so far and has looked like one of the premier defenders in the league. Maybe the biggest surprise however, is the resurgence of Garland. He’s provided elite playmaking and shot making, putting up 21 points and 6.6 assists on 53% shooting. With the team firing on all cylinders, it will be exciting to see if they can continue their momentum throughout the season.
The Grizzlies were struck with abysmal luck in the 2023-24 season. Starting off with Ja Morant's suspension, the team underwent a chaotic year plagued by injuries. These setbacks led many people to forget about the team that looked like the heir apparent to the Golden State Warriors dynasty a few years ago. This year, the Grizzlies have come out steadily. While having to manage both Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s minutes while also losing their star shooting guard Desmond Bane for a couple games, the Grizzlies are still playing solid basketball. In the games that Morant has played in, he’s quickly reminded the league just how great of a player he is, averaging 20.6 points and 9.1 assists per game. With the inconsistent minutes from their stars, the Grizzlies’ ancillary pieces have picked up the slack. Players such as Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff have provided unexpected sparks for the team’s second unit with efficient playmaking and three-point shooting. Their rookies, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, have also given the Grizzlies valuable production and have quieted some of their draft doubters. While their record is only 8-6 through 14 games, the Grizzlies look to be a very formidable team once the pieces all come together.
After a late season push that saw Houston win 14 out of 16 games and narrowly missing the in-season tournament, the Rockets have picked up where they left off, coming away with huge wins to start the year. Their offense has been somewhat inconsistent, held together by Jalen Green's early heroics and Alperen Sengun's playmaking. But their defense is what has been their calling card. The starters have held the line well, playing disciplined defense under coach Ime Udoka. The bench, especially the tandem of Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, are crucial parts of some of the best defensive lineups in the league. Currently sitting at 10-5 with statement wins over the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks, the Rockets have a path to make the playoffs for the first time since James Harden's departure.
Initially playing like a team that may struggle to even make the playoffs, the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets have surged back to life. Suffering the loss of key contributors to their championship run, the Nuggets looked like a flawed team that lacked consistent shooting and defense. After a few ugly games to start the year, the Nuggets appeared more comfortable as the games rolled on. They have the highest scoring starting lineup in the league at 69 points per game. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson have stepped up and improved as shooters and Michael Porter Jr. has shaken off an early slump. All these factors are crucial in the Nuggets’ return to form; however, the elephant in the room is Nikola Jokic. Averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists while shooting 56.3% from the field and 56.4% from three, Jokic looks like the best player in the league by a wide margin. Unfortunately, their bench continues to be a cause for concern. In the minutes that Jokic isn’t on the court, the offense stagnates more than it should. Still, the team has kept afloat, avoiding the doom that felt inevitable during the offseason.
After the loss of one of the pillars of the Warriors’ dynasty, many wondered how the team would fare. They had a disappointing season a year ago, narrowly making the play-in tournament and losing in the first set of games. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green getting a year older, as well as missing out on multiple potential stars in the offseason, the Warriors looked to be in a dire situation. The start to the season has been a pleasant surprise to Warriors fans. Even with Curry missing a few games due to an ankle strain, the Warriors held the ship steady and have won against other playoff-bound teams. Their defense has been otherworldly to start the year, with great rotations and communication, which has rewarded them with the fourth best defensive rating. The offseason acquisition of Buddy Hield has proved to be a positive move, as he’s shot the ball well and increased his scoring averages as the team's primary scoring option off the bench. On the other end of the court, Green has played all-NBA levels of defense to start the year. He’s provided elite weak side help, blowing up plays and communicating well with his teammates. In only a small sample size, the Warriors may have regained their status as a powerhouse in the western conference.
Disappointments
The Bucks have been the most disappointing team by far in the association. With an elite tandem of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks would expect to have a better record than 5-9. They eked out a win against the 76ers in their first game, only to follow it up with embarrassing losses to teams like the Bulls and Nets. The duo of Lillard and Giannis has been underwhelming, and the team’s lack of defense and effort is a glaring issue. The Bucks tried to patch the problem, adding Delon Wright, Taurean Prince and Gary Trent Jr. to provide some perimeter defense, but it hasn’t worked. The effort, intensity and will to win is just lacking throughout the entire organization. With the Bucks continuing to trend in the wrong direction, people are starting to speculate that Giannis will force his way out of Milwaukee soon.
Just 6 months ago, the Mavericks made a miraculous run through the daunting western conference, culminating in a finals appearance for the first time in over a decade. They stumbled upon some gems in Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and P.J. Washington to supplement the production from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Coming off of that run, and adding another sharpshooter in Klay Thompson, the Mavericks were expected to start off strong as clear contenders in the west. Through the first month of play, the team has looked shaky. Doncic has not played up to his usual standards, most noticeably with dips in his shooting percentages, and the loss of Lively due to injury forced them to play Dwight Powell as their backup center, which is a clear drop in quality. Irving has held the team together through these rough patches, averaging 25.2 points while shooting over 50% from the field and from three, but it won’t be enough if Luka’s slump continues.
The Pacers start to the year has been concerning at best, with fans calling for in-season changes to the roster. The flashy, high-scoring offense led by Tyrese Haliburton seems to have been figured out by opposing teams while their defense continues to be inadequate. Currently harboring the 14th best offense in the league, clearly something is amiss in the organization. Haliburton has seen a dip in his offensive production, averaging 16 points and 8.5 assists on 40% shooting from the field. Conversely, Pascal Siakam has been serviceable, averaging over 20 points a game on great efficiency. Despite his efforts, the Pacers haven’t been able to find their groove, looking like a pale shade of the team that made the conference finals in the most recent postseason.
In true 76ers fashion, the team has been decimated with injury in this young season. Paul George suffered a leg hyperextension in the preseason, Joel Embiid is managing a previous left knee injury and Tyrese Maxey went down with a hamstring strain in the first few games of the season. Even when Maxey was in the lineup, it was painfully evident that the 76ers still rely heavily on Embiid, and his consistent unavailability is going to continue to haunt this franchise. While their role players like recent pick up Guerschon Yabusele and rookie Jared McCain have provided solid production, the team brought together three stars in the league to make real disruptions in the eastern conference. That can’t happen if those stars aren’t able to make it onto the court.
Playing in the alleged “Mecca of basketball,” the New York Knicks electrified the city last season. With a mindset of hard work and grit, the Knicks went on to make the conference semifinals, losing in game seven after being hit with a slew of injuries. Their star point guard Jalen Brunson won over the fans alongside his teammates Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo as basketball felt alive again throughout the city. In the offseason, the Knicks wanted to take another step forward, making moves for Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. These additions, along with the re-signing of OG Anunoby led many to believe that the Knicks could be at the top of the eastern conference. Unfortunately, through a month of play, they haven’t truly worked out. The losses of Hartenstein and Divincenzo in the offseason hurt some of the team’s continuity. Towns’ defense has been less than impressive and Bridges has not played up to the standard he has set for himself. Currently sitting at 8-6, they haven’t lived up to their potential so far.
With only a few weeks worth of games played, things can change for any of these teams. Trades, injuries and hot streaks can shape the season in dramatic ways that can’t be predicted. That gives confidence to the teams starting out hot, and hope for the ones underperforming through this first month of basketball.