5 most impressive stat lines of the 2021-22 NBA season so far
After plenty of drama and conversation around certain NBA franchises, the 2021-22 NBA season has finally begun. The initial few days of the season are usually like the first round of modern boxing, with several games not causing too much excitement. However, the new season has still given us some great performances.
NBA players are the most talented and spectacular players on the planet, although some might not be the most polished in terms of basketball fundamentals. In only one or two games, we can notice that NBA players are a different breed of athletes to players from some other leagues.
In this article, we will give you a recount of the five most impressive stat lines of the incipient 2021-22 NBA season. Whether it comes from stars or role players does not matter, but the shock factor is big in this one.
5 Impressive individual performances of the 2021-22 NBA season so far
We saw the reigning NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks come out of the gates with tremendous confidence and chemistry on Opening Night. They beat a Brooklyn Nets squad that looked ready, despite the Kyrie Irving saga.
The Golden State Warriors, still without Klay Thompson, also defeated the LA Lakers on Opening Night. The Warriors' victory came despite Stephen Curry not enjoying his best scoring night.
Later, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics played a great double-OT game that was edge-of-seat material, and New York pulled off the win with big-time plays. The Philadelphia 76ers, involved in the Ben Simmons' issue, played well in their season-opening game against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road (without Zion Williamson) and took a victory.
Now, let's take a look at the five most impressive individual performances from the first set of NBA 2021-22 matches.
#5 Patty Mills - Brooklyn Nets
Although the Milwaukee Bucks handled the Brooklyn Nets well on opening night, the Nets' offense found a certain groove on stretches during the game. Kevin Durant scored 32 points on 13/25 field goals and Patty Mills, the team's best addition of the offseason, also looked electric.
Mills came off the bench and scored 21 points in 29 minutes of action. Despite his performance, the Brooklyn Nets' bench only scored 25 points. Mills night was spectacular and was probably proof of what is yet to come.
He converted seven attempts from the three-point line, went 7/11 from the field and filled the stat sheet with two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block on the night.
#4 Nemanja Bjelica - Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors pulled off a solid road win against the favored LA Lakers at Staples Center on Opening Night. While the stat sheet might suggest differently, given LeBron James and Anthony Davis' performances (both scored over 30 points) and Stephen Curry's struggles, Golden State took the win and started the season on a positive note.
Curry put up a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but he converted just five of his 21 shots (2/8) from the three-point line. He was the Warriors' top scorer, but they had many contributors with five other players scoring over 10 points.
Among those players, Nemanja Bjelica led the bench with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. In a match many expected to be dominated by names like LeBron, Davis, Curry and more, Bjelica produced a standout performance to help the Warriors win.
It is also worth noting that Bjelica, who played for the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat in the 2020-21 NBA season, scored 15 points or more just three times in 37 appearances. He also did not register double-digit rebounds in a game even once.