10 NBA truths revealed from the primary 10 video games of recent season

How a lot can you actually study from the beginning of an NBA season? Fairly a bit, truly. Efficiency on either side of the ball tends to stabilize in about six weeks, and total workforce efficiency can look sustainable even earlier, based on studies.

The beginning of the 2023-2024 season has filled with surprises. The Philadelphia 76ers had been alleged to be in serious trouble after buying and selling James Harden; seems, they’re higher than ever. The Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves had been alleged to be preventing for a low-end playoff spot; as a substitute they seem like convention finals contenders. In the meantime, the Clippers look horrible in their first few games with Harden, however we’ll select to provide them a bit of extra time earlier than completely panning them.

Now that almost all groups have performed about 10 video games to date this season, we thought it will be a great time to test in on what seems actual. Listed below are our 10 greatest takeaways from the early portion of the 2023-2024 NBA season.

The Bucks employed the mistaken coach

Mike Budenholzer was among the finest head coaches within the NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks weren’t mistaken to fireside him, not after one of the biggest playoff collapses in league history final season, however doing so additionally got here with inherent danger. Bud’s Bucks got here with a components that labored spectacularly in the course of the common season, and their 2021 championship run was proof of idea that it may work within the postseason underneath the suitable situations. There was all the time an opportunity the Bucks may do method, method worse than Coach Bud, and that seems to be the case with the hiring of Adrian Griffin after an uneven begin to the season.

Heading into Tuesday’s video games, the Bucks have the No. 9 offense, No. 25 protection, and are No. 19 in net-rating. Griffin has already needed to ditch his extra aggressive coverages in favor of Brook Lopez’s trusty rim safety in drop, however the perimeter protection stays a serious work in progress. Damian Lillard is among the many worst defensive gamers within the NBA, and he’s compromising the workforce construction each time he dies on a display screen. With Khris Middleton nonetheless on a minutes restriction and Jrue Vacation’s locked point-of-attack skill out the door within the Dame commerce, Milwaukee has new personnel and a brand new scheme that also wants time to work itself out.

The Bucks hoped the offense can be unstoppable because the protection took successful, they usually’ve began sluggish on that finish, too. Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo aren’t running as much pick-and-roll as you would think. Middleton’s restricted availability has sapped Milwaukee of the third scorer it wants, and the shooters have been a bit chilly to start out the 12 months.

May Griffin determine issues out nonetheless? In fact. However the early returns are discouraging. It certain doesn’t really feel like Griffin — employed largely because he was Giannis’ preferred coaching candidate — is the improve over Bud this workforce wanted.

Ime Udoka has turned across the Rockets

The Rockets have been one of many worst groups within the NBA since buying and selling James Harden firstly of the 2020-2021 season, averaging underneath 20 wins per season during the last three years. Past simply being dangerous, the Rockets had been additionally one thing of a circus, with younger gamers failing to face penalties for poor play and erratic decision-making underneath former head coach Stephen Silas.

Ime Udoka was introduced in to be the brand new sheriff on the town, and the outcomes are hanging to date. Coming into Monday, the Rockets are …

• No. 11 in offense
• No. 5 in protection
• No. 6 in net-rating

Simply having a reliable coach as a substitute of Silas is a big enchancment, and Udoka is way more than merely competent. Teaching isn’t the one motive this workforce has improved, although. Alperen Sengun has made a star leap, and asserted himself as the most effective participant on the workforce. He ought to be an All-Star this season. Dillon Brooks is capturing the lights out and taking part in powerful wing protection. Fred VanVleet has added a gradual hand to the backcourt whilst he’s struggled to attain contained in the arc. Jabari Smith Jr. is getting a bit of higher, and Jalen Inexperienced has improved his three-point shot whereas lastly beginning to play inside himself.

The Rockets most likely gained’t preserve successful at this charge, partially as a result of Brooks isn’t going to shoot 55 % from three all season. However the progress right here is actual. The Rockets have promise for the primary time post-Harden.

Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star lock, and perhaps even All-NBA

The breakout star of the brand new season is Tyrese Maxey. When the Philadelphia 76ers lastly relented to James Harden’s commerce request, it was alleged to set off an organizational downfall and perhaps even one other commerce request from Joel Embiid. As an alternative, the Sixers are higher than ever, proudly owning the league’s high report coming into the week, they usually owe most of it to Maxey’s unbelievable leap in manufacturing.

Maxey has shined because the workforce’s level guard, averaging 28.6 factors per sport on 50 % capturing from the ground, 43.1 % capturing from three, and 93 % capturing from the foul line. He’s doubled his assists from final 12 months (as much as 7.2 per sport) by growing a key rapport with Embiid. He might need essentially the most lethal floater within the NBA, and his three-point capturing enchancment since his school days at Kentucky is nothing in need of exceptional. He’s additionally one of many quickest gamers alive, a blur within the open courtroom and a lightning bolt towards a set protection, offering the Sixers with a much-needed infusion of pace that serves because the anthesis of Harden’s methodical playmaking.

There are multiple all-in-one stats which have Maxey as a top-five participant in all the league to date. Maxey is pure pleasure on the courtroom, and the Sixers are once more a pressure within the East with out Harden dragging them down.

The Timberwolves are a real Western Convention contender

One of the best level differential within the Western Convention belongs to … the Minnesota Timberwolves? It’s true, and it doesn’t look like a fluke, both.

The Timberwolves have a ton going for them. They personal the league’s No. 1 protection, with Rudy Gobert trying pretty much as good as ever defending the rim within the center. With 7-footer Karl-Anthony Cities on the 4 and the 6’10 Jaden McDaniels on the three, the Wolves have extra measurement than any workforce. Minnesota additionally has an emergent offensive famous person in Anthony Edwards, who’s averaging 28.4 factors per sport on 59 % true capturing coming into the week. The depth items are stable, too, with Kyle Anderson and Naz Reid offering much more measurement off the bench.

Edwards goes to be the headliner right here as a result of he appears primed to grow to be an MVP candidate within the close to future, however the Wolves’ measurement and protection is simply as a lot of a motive for why they’re successful proper now. It doesn’t really feel like a stretch to imagine this may very well be the second finest workforce within the West this season after the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

The Mavs lastly put the suitable items round Luka Doncic

The Mavericks entered the season with a variety of outcomes in a stacked Western Convention. Not less than for now, the most effective case state of affairs seems to be taking part in out.

At 8-2, Dallas enters the week tied for the league’s second-best report. The offense ranks No. 2 within the NBA with Luka Doncic on the controls, and the 24-year-old famous person is taking part in at an MVP degree to start the 12 months. Doncic is a real magician with the ball in his palms, and the Mavs have once more put some good items round him after a down 12 months a season in the past following the departure of Jalen Brunson. It begins with Kyrie Irving, who a minimum of to date is torching the nets as a scorer and staying out of hassle off the courtroom. Grant Williams has offered some powerful protection and knockdown capturing, making him a seamless match subsequent to Luka and Kyrie. Rookie massive man Dereck Full of life II is already giving the Mavs good minutes as an excellent lengthy massive man who slams house lobs from Doncic and covers his warts defensively.

The Mavs lead the NBA in three-point makes, three-point makes an attempt, and three-point share by means of 10 video games. That’s a successful components when you’ve Doncic creating nice alternatives off the bounce on each possession. The protection is once more a query mark (at the moment No. 23), however there’s a minimum of some expertise in place on that finish with Williams and Full of life. Doncic feels just like the league’s second most unstoppable playoff efficiency after Nikola Jokic. The Mavs have to love their probabilities with a greater supporting solid round him.

The Bulls have to blow it up

If it felt a tad early when individuals began calling for the Bulls to explode their roster a 12 months in the past, at this level there’s no denying Chicago has a workforce with a low ceiling and a doomed future. The Bulls simply haven’t been any good since Lonzo Ball’s horribly sad injury. With a protected 2025 choose nonetheless owed to the San Antonio Spurs, a full cap sheet, and DeMar DeRozan on an expiring deal, the Bulls don’t have any alternative however to face the truth that this workforce isn’t going to achieve success and get a leap on constructing the subsequent iteration of the roster.

It will be protected to imagine a workforce led by Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and DeRozan can be a great if not nice offensive workforce. That hasn’t been the case: the three gamers have never had a positive net-rating in sharing the floor together for three years, and the workforce offense is beneath common once more to start out this 12 months after ending No. 24 final season. Younger gamers like Patrick Williams, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Dalen Terry haven’t developed sufficient to type the inspiration of Chicago’s subsequent good workforce. This group has principally been held collectively by Alex Caruso’s brilliance, and he’s the first player they should trade as a result of he’s certain to start out a bidding struggle as soon as put in the marketplace.

There’s simply not a number of hope for the Bulls proper now. Given how poorly high govt Arturas Karnisovas has carried out within the draft since being employed, it’s onerous for Bulls followers to have a lot religion he’d nail a rebuild. Chicago should just change front offices again and let another person attempt to construct up this as soon as proud franchise.

The Grizzlies are rubbish with out Ja Morant and Steven Adams

It’s already shaping as much as be a misplaced season for the Grizzlies. At 2-8, Memphis has the worst report within the Western Convention by means of 10 video games. The Grizzlies can’t rating in any respect — they’re No. 29 in offensive effectivity. Memphis has taken the second-most two-pointers within the league to date, they usually’re second-to-last in two-point area aim share. That’s not nice!

Memphis knew it was going to be missing Ja Morant for 25 games to start the year because of his suspension for foolish social media habits. One other enormous blow got here simply earlier than the season when Steven Adams was dominated out for the 12 months with a knee damage. Consider Brandon Clarke’s continued restoration from an Achilles tear, and Memphis is simply too banged as much as be good proper now.

If there’s a silver lining for the Grizzlies, it’s Desmond Bane’s growth as a possible All-Star. There’s a world the place Memphis will get everybody again wholesome subsequent season, provides a high choose within the 2024 NBA Draft, and regains its footing as one of many NBA’s most promising franchises. It’s simply not going to occur this 12 months.

The Pacers offense seems all-time good

The best offense in NBA historical past belongs to … the 2022-2023 Sacramento Kings, who scored 118.6 factors per 100 possessions, the very best mark the league has ever seen. By 10 video games to date this season, the Indiana Pacers are scoring 122 factors per 100 possessions. Even with the league’s No. 27 protection, Indiana’s 6-4 begin at the moment has them positioned because the No. 3 seed within the East.

There’s nothing flukey concerning the Pacers’ offensive success. Level guard Tyrese Haliburton is an rising famous person, main the NBA in assists by a mile (12.2 per sport) whereas additionally capturing 41 % from three-point vary. Indiana takes and makes a ton of threes round Haliburton’s playmaking: the workforce is making an attempt over 40 triples per evening, and knocking them down at a 39 % clip. Myles Turner stays one of many league’s finest stretch fives, free agent signing Bruce Brown has match like a glove, and even Aaron Nesmith is beginning to show he generally is a key bench piece.

With Haliburton on the controls, the Pacers are going to be one of the enjoyable groups to look at the remainder of this season. Be sure you subscribe to old friend Caitlin Cooper’s Patreon for the most effective Pacers protection round.

Chet Holmgren is a famous person within the making

Chet Holmgren has been definitely worth the watch for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. The No. 2 total choose within the 2022 NBA Draft missed all of final season after injuring his foot defending LeBron James at Jamal Crawford’s summer pro-am game, however his return to the courtroom this 12 months has been every thing OKC may have hoped for thus far.

Holmgren is large at 7’1 with a 7’6 wingspan, and extremely well-rounded by way of his talent set. He’s already one of many league’s finest rim protectors, blocking 2.3 photographs per sport (No. 4 within the NBA) by exhibiting nice anticipation and hand-eye coordination on his his contests. He can shoot everywhere in the flooring — 50 % from three-point vary and 90 % from the foul line to date. Holmgren additionally hardly ever forces the problems offensively and simply appears have have a present for figuring out find out how to make the suitable play.

The Thunder already had a stud in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander main them within the backcourt. Holmgren is a perfect entrance courtroom accomplice and long-term constructing block subsequent to him. The Thunder are the longer term, and their current is already engaging.

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Picture by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photos

Scottie Barnes is leveling up

Only a few gamers within the NBA can stuff a field rating like Scottie Barnes. The 22-year-old ahead is top-10 within the NBA in blocks and steals per sport, top-20 in rebounds, and top-25 in assists. Did we point out he’s scoring 20 factors per sport, too?

Barnes seems like a greater participant on each ends of the ground in his third 12 months. With a powerful base and a 7’3 wingspan, Barnes can present stout secondary rim safety inside whereas nonetheless being fast sufficient to carry his personal on the perimeter on a swap. The Raptors have put him in additional advantageous positions to maximise his versatility on that finish this 12 months, and it’s helped carry the unit to No. 4 within the NBA to date. Offensively, Barnes has made actual strides as a three-point shooter, upping each his quantity (from 2.9 makes an attempt per sport and 5.3 makes an attempt per sport) and accuracy (from 28 % to 34 %) from deep.

The Raptors nonetheless have some massive choices looming with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby heading to free company, however a minimum of Toronto is aware of it has its franchise participant in Barnes.