3 takeaways from Week 1 of the NBA season
The opening week of the NBA is in the books. Several interesting stories have already emerged for basketball fans to follow.
There was the disappointing starts for traditional powerhouses, like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. Conversely, there was the pleasant surprises of the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers. There are plenty of things to discuss when it comes to the best league in the world.
That said, here are 3 observations from Week 1 of the new NBA season:
#1 - Traditional powerhouses struggle early on
Several teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences entered the season with high expectations, aiming to enter the playoff race and maintain a Top-4 push.
However, there are a few traditional powerhouses that have struggled early on and remain in the bottom half of the standings.
These teams are the Brooklyn Nets (1-3), Philadelphia 76ers (1-4), Los Angeles Lakers (0-4) and Miami Heat (2-3).
All four of them have played poor basketball either offensively or defensively and are still working on solving their on-court issues.
For example, the Heat need to bring back their refuse-to-lose mentality. In doing so, maybe their easy road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers (119-98) on Wednesday could be the beginning of a winning streak for the franchise.
The LA Lakers are dealing with shooting woes. If they don't find a solution, it is very likely they will face a second-straight elimination from the playoffs.
The Brooklyn Nets seek defensive stability to maintain a contender's status. Meanwhile, the Sixers should get more players involved on offense. They shouldn't rely that much on the iso basketball of James Harden and Joel Embiid.
#2 - Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers have defied the odds so far
The Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers have been the NBA's pleasant surprises after Week 1 of the season.
Both teams set the bar low early on because of their offseason moves and changes. The Jazz went into a full rebuild after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, creating a young and talented team, thanks to the players they got in return.
Through team basketball and with many players in great condition, the Jazz are off to a great start, being on top of the Western Conference with a 4-1 record.
Similarly, the Blazers have also made an impressive start and are on top of the standings with an identical record to the Jazz (4-1).
Damian Lillard is leading the way, and Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simmons are his supporting cast. Portland is playing decent basketball on both ends as they want to return to the postseason after a disappointing 2021-22 NBA campaign.
The blowout defeat to Miami was a setback for the squad, which is hopeful Damian Lillard will not miss time with a right calf strain.
#3 - Giannis Antetokounmpo plays at an MVP level and has his sights set on the NBA championship
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been unstoppable in the early part of the season. In the first three games, he has dominated his opponents on both ends and has helped the Milwaukee Bucks climb to the top of the NBA, becoming the only undefeated team in the league (3-0).
Through his first three games, Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 36 points, 13 rebounds and 5.3 assists, on 67.7% shooting and 40% from beyond the arc.
Against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, he had just nine points in the first half (3/10 shooting). He then hit 13 of his 15 attempts over the final 24 minutes.
He scored 34 points, more than half of Milwaukee’s total over the final two quarters, finishing with a game-high 43.
''I've been working a lot over these few years and this summer and just so anxious to prove to myself that I can do what I've been working on, and sometimes I think I play not (to) my strength as much,'' Antetokounmpo said afterwards, via NBA.com.
''I kind of scratched that, and in the second half, I was just, `OK, I'm going to be myself and be OK with it' and just tried to drive as much as I can and find my teammates and get in the paint.''
With Khris Middleton's return still pending (wrist injury), Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level and has already sent a message to the rest of the NBA that he has his sights set on reaching the Finals and fighting for the championship.
The Milwaukee Bucks will host the New York Knicks on Friday night, seeking to extend their winning streak to four games and stay unbeaten.