In the spirit of Halloween, it’s time to play trick-or-treat with each NBA team’s most noticeable early season trend in 2017-18 to determine which are flukes and which will last.
Normally on Halloween, all NBA fans have to work with is the first game of the season. But with the regular season moving up a few weeks to mid-October, the 2017-18 campaign has given us two full weeks of sample size to work with.
In the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve, it only feels right to take a look at some early season trends and try to determine which are flukes or October overreactions, and which are actually sustainable throughout the 82-game season.
From the Cleveland Cavaliers’ early struggles to fast starts for the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies, this game is called trick-or-treat. As we go through the main early season trend for each team, we’ll be deciding whether that storyline is a trick (not sustainable or indicative of what will happen over the course of the season) or treat (worth buying into for the rest of the year).
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the most noticeable observations for all 30 NBA teams and play some trick-or-treat.
Atlanta Hawks
Marco Belinelli is the No. 2 scoring option: Trick
Coming off a breakout 2016-17 campaign, Dennis Schroder is quite clearly the new No. 1 for an Atlanta Hawks team that lost Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard over the summer. The question is, who will step up as the team’s No. 2 option on a roster lacking established talent?
There are several candidates, but so far the answer has been Marco Belinelli. Through the first seven games of the season, the 10-year veteran is averaging 14.6 points per game on an explosive 55 percent shooting from 3-point range, providing a steady scoring punch off the bench.
However, as much as having that veteran presence helps the younger core, at some point this season, Belinelli’s red-hot shooting will cool — even in a Mike Budenholzer system — and someone like Taurean Prince or John Collins will step up as the new No. 2.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics being a top Eastern team without Gordon Hayward: Treat
Maybe we’re getting swept up with recency bias, but even before the Boston Celtics‘ four-game win streak turned into a five-game win streak Monday night, it was pretty clear something special is happening in Beantown — and yes, that’s even with Gordon Hayward done for the season.
While that horrifying opening night injury eliminates them from the contender category, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are stepping up on the wings, Kyrie Irving continues to bedazzle us with his patented bag of tricks and the defense is ranked second in the association.
The Cavaliers won’t be in Struggle City forever and the Wizards, Bucks and Raptors are all threats out East, but even without Hayward, Brad Stevens’ squad seems prepared to push for a top-four seed.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets will be a playoff team: Trick
The Brooklyn Nets started their season 3-2, they boast a top 10 offense playing at the fastest pace in the NBA and they have a leading candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year in D’Angelo Russell, who is averaging 19.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Unfortunately, two straight losses dropped Kenny Atkinson’s squad below .500, Jeremy Lin is done for the season and the defense still needs major work.
In normal circumstances, we might feel ballsy enough to predict Brooklyn’s early energy and 3-point shooting will translate to a playoff spot, but with the Magic, Pacers and Pistons off to similar eye-opening starts, it’s hard to see it all coming together for the Nets.
Charlotte Hornets
Dwight Howard’s resurgence: Treat
This call looks bad after Dwight Howard put up a two-point, seven-rebound, 1-for-9 stinker Monday night, but before that game, he was averaging 15.7 points, a league-leading 16.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in his first six appearances with the Charlotte Hornets.
This matters after one trendy preseason prediction revolved around Cody Zeller eventually replacing D-12 in the starting lineup. After all, the Hornets were 33-29 with him on the floor last year, compared to an appalling 3-17 without him.
However, people forget that Steve Clifford worked with Howard as an assistant in Orlando and L.A., so if anyone knows how to properly use the big man, it’s him. The early returns look good, so we’re buying into the unlikely scenario where Howard experiences a career resurgence at age 31.
Chicago Bulls
Lauri Markkanen‘s hot start: Treat
The Chicago Bulls are 1-4, and the most surprising part of that record is the “1.” However, as haphazard as this team’s youth movement appeared following the Jimmy Butler trade, Bulls fans have one thing to appreciate so far: Lauri Markkanen.
When he was selected, Markkanen’s defense overshadowed everything else. But here’s the good thing about playing for a Bulls team that’s tanking for a top pick: Who the hell cares about defense as long as he’s capable of producing on the other end?
Producing is exactly what the Markksman (you heard it here first) is doing through his first five games. The rookie is averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game on 41.7 percent shooting from downtown, he became the first rookie in NBA history to drain 10 3-pointers in his first three games and in normal years, he’d be a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. With Nikola Mirotic likely wanting out and Bobby Portis serving a suspension, the starting job should be his moving forward.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs will be fine with a healthy Isaiah Thomas: Trick
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 3-4. They’ve lost by double-digits to the Magic, Knicks and Pelicans, and dropped another home game to the Nets. But as long as they have a healthy LeBron James, they should be fine in the East, right?
Well, that depends on what your definition of “fine” is. Because as much as the offense will benefit from the return of a healthy Isaiah Thomas, he (and Derrick Rose) will do nothing to help the NBA’s 27th-ranked defense. This was an issue last year, and it’s not going to get any better with heavy minutes going to IT, Rose and Dwyane Wade.
It’s only October, and it seems like every year we panic about the Cavs’ coasting before King James steamrolls his way through the East to yet another Finals. But if the goal is to actually win a title and overcome that Bay Area juggernaut, Cleveland’s abhorrent defense is a major concern — and it’s one that Thomas’ return might make even worse.
Dallas Mavericks
Dirk Nowitzki going out like Kobe Bryant: Treat
Father Time comes for us all, and though it’s no treat to see it happen, Dirk Nowitzki is well past his prime. This might not be his last year in the league, but Dirk Diggler looks like he’s going to go out a lot like Kobe Bryant did in his final season — and no, we’re not talking about the 60-point game.
At age 39, it’s no surprise to see Nowitzki wearing down. The 20-year pro is averaging just 11.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 40.5 percent from the field so far this year. Though he’s canned an impressive 44.8 percent of his 3s, that’s mostly because of 3-for-5 and 4-for-5 shooting nights in his last two games.
As the regular season wears on, that 3-point shooting will come back down to earth, what little athleticism remains will continue to wane and as the losses pile on for the Dallas Mavericks, the Kobe comparisons — ungrounded as they may be, given Dirk’s repeated financial sacrifices — will become all too common.
Denver Nuggets
Denver’s high-powered offense needs help: Trick
After Nikola Jokic was inserted into the starting lineup last year, the Denver Nuggets were the NBA’s top-ranked offense, posting 113.3 points per 100 possessions. That high-powered unit hasn’t carried over into 2017-18, with the Nuggets posting an offensive rating of just 103.7 — ranked 16th in the league.
Whether the problem has been adjusting to Paul Millsap in the starting five, Nikola Jokic getting off to a slow start or Jamal Murray getting used to life as a full-time starter with no Jameer Nelson to provide stability, Denver’s offense looks completely out of sorts early on.
Would an Eric Bledsoe trade help? Probably, but the Nuggets’ early struggles aren’t anything to be overly concerned with. Every loss hurts their playoff chase, but there’s too much talent and shooting here for this to continue. This young team will figure out how to incorporate Millsap and get everyone clicking again soon enough.
Detroit Pistons
Tobias Harris ready for a career year: Treat
After ripping off road wins against the Clippers and Warriors, the Detroit Pistons look like they’re seriously in business again. Avery Bradley has brought positive change at the 2, Andre Drummond looks motivated again and Reggie Jackson is shaking off the rust that plagued him last year.
However, Tobias Harris’ career year has served as the early catalyst, with the seventh-year swingman averaging a career-high 20.9 points per game on red hot .496/463/.846 shooting splits. His late buckets helped sink the Dubs at Oracle, he’s topped 30 points twice in seven games and suddenly, the Pistons sit atop the conference standings.
The 3-point shooting will taper off, but Harris has stepped up as his team’s designated scorer after going completely under the radar among the many Pistons storylines this summer. People forget he’s still only 25, so we’re buying into the early hype of this being Harris’ coming-out party.
Golden State Warriors
A lackluster start for the defending champs: Trick
The Golden State Warriors didn’t lose their third game until December last year, lost five games at home all season and were the NBA’s second-ranked defense. Through the first eight games of the year, the Dubs have already lost three times, have dropped two games at home and are ranked 25th in defensive rating. Suffice it to say it’s been a lackluster start for the defending champs.
However, there’s no reason to panic. It’s a long 82-game season, and more than any other team in the league, the Warriors can afford to coast through the regular season as long as everyone stays healthy and starts peaking at the right time. Even playing at a B-level, Golden State has enough talent to repeat as NBA champions.
More than likely, this has just been a lazy start for a group whose greatest adversary is boredom. The offense is still firing on all cylinders, so once the defense shapes up, this team’s improved depth and continuity with its core is going to roll over the rest of the league again.
Houston Rockets
Houston’s poor 3-point shooting: Trick
Despite breaking NBA records for 3-point makes and attempts in a single season last year, the Houston Rockets relied more on volume than efficiency to do so, ranking just 15th in 3-point percentage at 35.7 percent.
Though they’ve jacked up their number of attempts from 40.3 per game last year to 44.0 per game this year, their conversion rate has plummeted to 30.7 percent — ranked 28th in the association. This is not the offense Mike D’Antoni envisioned, even in the worst-case scenario where P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute couldn’t make any of their open looks.
Ryan Anderson leads the team at 38.8 percent, P.J. Tucker is knocking down 36.1 percent of his looks and James Harden sits at 34.6 percent, but everyone else is shooting 30 percent or worse. Eric Gordon, Mbah a Moute and Trevor Ariza won’t shoot this poorly forever, and a healthy Chris Paul should help in this regard. Houston won’t be the league’s most precise group of long range bombers, but they should wind up causing a lot more damage than this.
Indiana Pacers
Victor Oladipo making the leap: Treat
Victor Oladipo entered the 2017-18 season with a ton of pressure on him and yet, fairly low expectations from the outside world. As a former No. 2 overall pick, his failure to establish himself as a franchise cornerstone with the Magic, and then his failure to be a difference-maker alongside Russell Westbrook in OKC, had pretty much everyone ready to give up on his star potential.
A healthy Myles Turner is still the main act for the Indiana Pacers, but Oladipo has wasted no time proving he’s ready to finally make the leap at age 25. He’s averaging a career-high 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game, he’s shooting 50 percent from the floor and 46.9 percent from 3-point range, and he’s led the Pacers to a respectable 3-3 record.
That includes wins over the Timberwolves and Spurs, the latter of which was capped off by Oladipo’s go-ahead step-back 3-pointer late in the fourth. Turner’s return might impact his numbers a bit and the 3-point accuracy is unsustainable, but this is the best we’ve ever seen from Oladipo.
Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin as a legitimate MVP candidate: Trick
Trust me, no one is more excited to see the rest of the world remember how fun a healthy Blake Griffin is. The Flyin’ Lion looks as explosive as he has in years, he’s knocking down 42.4 percent of his 5.5 3-point attempts a night and through the first two weeks of the season, he’s one of the league’s leading MVP candidates.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to expect this to last, and not just because of his injury history. Griffin is averaging an impressive 23.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the floor, but to warrant MVP consideration, the Los Angeles Clippers would likely have to secure a top-three seed in their conference.
That’s quite a hefty challenge in the West, especially after watching the struggling Warriors demolish Lob City and its top-ranked defense Monday night. Griffin and the Clippers are a ton of fun, but it’s still hard to take them too seriously as legitimate contenders.
Los Angeles Lakers
Brandon Ingram poised to break out: Trick
If there’s one word to describe what’s been anointed as Brandon Ingram’s breakout year, it’s been “forced.” For a 20-year-old coming off such a disappointing rookie campaign, you’d think expectations for 2017-18 would be tempered. Instead, the talk has revolved around the Most Improved Player of the Year Award and how Ingram would be the designated scorer after a solid — albeit brief — Summer League stint.
This whole situation feels strained. Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers and even Ingram himself may be ready for him to prove why he was the team’s “untouchable,” but his game is not. So far, Ingram is averaging 14.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, but he’s shooting just 42.9 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from downtown.
Shooting was supposed to be the most natural part of his game, but it’s not happening yet. His strength is still an issue on his forays into the lane and on a team with so much raw talent, thrusting Ingram into this role of go-to scorer before he’s ready is like jamming a round peg into a square hole. He’s got plenty of time to get more comfortable and there have been flashes of brilliance, but his future status as franchise savior — if he ever gets there at all — isn’t materializing over the next few months.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzles as an elite Western team: Trick
Before Monday’s loss to the Hornets, the Memphis Grizzlies owned the best record in the NBA and boasted wins over the Warriors, Rockets (twice) and Pelicans. It seemed as though David Fizdale’s squad was doing its own Spurs-lite thing where everyone counts them down and out until Marc Gasol and Mike Conley remind those people how good they still are.
Unfortunately, even before falling to 5-2, this kind of success felt unsustainable. Gasol and Conley’s injury histories notwithstanding, the Grizz simply don’t have the talent to remain among the Western Conference elite all season long.
That’s not to say the Grizzlies are a lottery team by any means; they still may very well make the playoffs comfortably thanks to Fizdale’s offense adapting to the modern NBA game. But expecting them to keep this torrid pace up is unreasonable.
Miami Heat
Miami heading for another poor start: Trick
By now, you’ve probably heard about how the Miami Heat started their 2016-17 season 11-30 before completely turning things around with a 30-11 finish to nearly make the postseason. Their 2-4 start to the new campaign doesn’t inspire much hope they learned their lesson from last year.
However, as much as the Heat have disappointed early on, Hassan Whiteside missing all but one game is clearly a factor there. Their own high expectations are a good sign too, since they held a team meeting following the home loss to Boston in order to try and get everyone on the same page.
The Heat lost their next game in OT, but Erik Spoelstra is too good of a head coach to not figure out how to get all these complementary talents clicking again. With one more home game before a tough six-game road trek, perhaps this is the kick in the butt this team needs to rediscover its chemistry.
Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MVP: Treat
Two weeks into the new season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the clear frontrunner for the 2017-18 MVP Award, and it’s not particularly close.
Averaging a league-leading 34.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game on 63.1 percent shooting, the Greek Freak is ready to establish his reign of terror on the league at just 22 years old. The terrifying thing is he’s doing this without a 3-point shot. Opponents know he’s going to the rim where he’s taking 65.3 percent of his shots, and they still can’t stop him, as he’s converting 76.5 percent of his looks there.
Defenses will adjust, but if the Milwaukee Bucks win enough games and finish with a top-four record in the Eastern Conference, M-V-Greek could become reality in just a few short months.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves’ non-existent defense: Treat
The Minnesota Timberwolves are 4-3. They’re 4-1 with Jimmy Butler on the court, and they’ve won four out of five games that were within five points in the final five minutes. Yet somehow, it’s hard to feel good about a team that currently ranks dead last in defensive rating, surrendering 113.3 points per 100 possessions.
This isn’t some fluky early season trend either, since the Wolves ranked 26th in D-rating last season, giving up 109.1 points per 100 possessions. The additions of Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson were supposed to help in this regard, but the truth is nothing will change until Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins take it upon themselves to give a damn about that end of the floor.
So far, that effort just isn’t there. Minnesota has given up at least 100 points in every game but one, they got walloped for 130 by the Pacers, gave up 122 to the Pistons and even surrendered 113, 116 and 122 points in three of their four wins. Minny’s record could be so much worse than it is, and it doesn’t seem like the defensive focus is going to materialize anytime soon.
New Orleans Pelicans
Boogie and the Brow enough for the playoffs: Trick
When you have Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins on the same roster, it’s impossible to not be included in the playoff picture. With Boogie (41-23-6) and the Brow (39-10-3-2) putting up the kind of absurd stat lines they’re capable of, the New Orleans Pelicans have enough to compete on any given night.
Unfortunately, even with those two superstars putting up gaudy numbers on a nightly basis, they’re still losing games and they still might not have enough to reach the playoffs thanks to poor past decisions in free agency, Solomon Hill‘s absence and Jrue Holiday playing like anything but a $126 million point guard.
Unless Holiday can start looking like the third member of Big Three, or E’Twaun Moore becomes a consistent contributor, or Rajon Rondo makes a major impact when he’s healthy (or all of the above), even Boogie and Brow putting up absurd numbers on a nightly basis might amount to a Sisyphean kind of season.
New York Knicks
Kristaps Porzingis for MIP: Treat
There are going to be quite a few candidates for Most Improved Player of the Year in 2017-18, but through the first two weeks of the season, Kristaps Porzingis’ shadow looms as large over the rest of the field as you’d expect from a 7’3″ unicorn.
Through six games, KP is averaging 29.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from 3-point range…and this is with the likes of Ramon Sessions and Jarrett Jack setting him up.
The Unicorn is the New York Knicks‘ best player on both ends of the floor, and even if this emerging win streak doesn’t last, Porzingis looks ready to make the leap in Year 3 and should be the heavy favorite to win MIP.
Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC’s elite defense: Treat
With two stars — Paul George and Carmelo Anthony — and two key role players — Patrick Patterson and Raymond Felton — joining the Oklahoma City Thunder, most people figured it’d take a while for the new pieces to click with Russell Westbrook, especially as the Big Three learned to mesh their ball-dominant tendencies on the offensive end.
However, as much as the offense is still undergoing this trial and error process, the Thunder have made their living on the defensive end, much like they did last year. With Melo joining the starting lineup, this was the key issue for OKC, but so far, PG-13, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams have helped anchor what is currently the NBA’s third-ranked defense.
The Thunder certainly have the personnel to be a formidable offense, but the balance between the O (Russ, George, Melo) and the D (Roberson, George, Adams, Patterson) is the key to rising to contender status. It’s a great sign that the defense is already clamping down on opponents while the Thunder try to build chemistry over time on the other end.
Orlando Magic
The Magic are an offensive powerhouse: Trick
Take a look at the league rankings and you’ll see the Orlando Magic proudly and unexpectedly sitting at first in 3-point percentage (44.1 percent), second in points per game (116.9) and second in offensive rating (110.9 points per 100 possessions).
Simply put, they’re the league’s biggest pleasant surprise. Nikola Vucevic has been outstanding, Evan Fournier provides the consistent scoring punch, Jonathon Simmons has been a God-send off the bench and Aaron Gordon is putting together a career year.
The problem is that 3-point shooting feels 100 percent unsustainable. Gordon, a career 30 percent shooter from downtown, has made a staggering 59.1 percent of his triples. Fournier is just behind him at 55.6 percent. Simmons and Elfrid Payton are both at 50 percent, while Marreese Speights, Vucci Mane, D.J. Augustin and Shelvin Mack are ALL at 37 percent or better. At 5-2, the Magic look like a legitimate playoff team, but it’s hard to believe this offensive powerhouse — playing under a defensive-minded coach — can possibly sustain this kind of long range onslaught.
Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons has Rookie of the Year on lock: Treat
Barring injury, what we’ve seen through the first two weeks of the season provides more than enough evidence that the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year race is going to be a runaway contest. There’s not much the rest of the field can do to compete with what Ben Simmons already brings to the table for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Averaging 18.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the field, Simmons has been sensational. He’s not shying away from contact in the lane, his lack of a jump shot hasn’t hurt the offense and he recently became the first rookie since Hambone Jones to record a triple-double within his first four games in the league.
Hell, with Joel Embiid having a bit of an up-and-down start, you could argue Simmons has been the Sixers’ best player so far. Even in such a loaded rookie class, this point forward is miles ahead of his closest competition for ROY.
Phoenix Suns
An improved Suns team under Jay Triano: Treat
Under Earl Watson, the Phoenix Suns lost two of their first three games by 42+ points with an 0-3 record. It’s amazing what consistent rotations, steady roles and an actual focus on basketball can do for a young team, since the Suns are 2-1 so far under interim head coach Jay Triano.
Those wins came at home against the Kings and a Jazz team on the second night of back-to-back, but going into Portland and only losing by seven against a team that beat them by 48 at home was just one of dozens of indicators this young talent was simply being harvested incorrectly under Watson.
Are the Suns a playoff team, or even a good team now? No. But they’ll be more competitive, and what was just brutal basketball will actually have the signs of hope mixed in with the defeats, as any youth movement should. From Dragan Bender getting ample minutes to Marquese Chriss‘ confidence returning to Josh Jackson wreaking havoc off the bench to Devin Booker actually trying on defense, the Suns could go back to being fun sooner than anyone realizes.
Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard‘s early shooting struggles: Trick
We promise this still read “Trick” before Monday night’s performance saw Damian Lillard put up 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting. Before that game, Dame was averaging 22.6 points per game and making 37.5 percent of his 3-pointers, but he was still shooting an abysmal 37 percent from the field overall.
Keep in mind that Lillard has never been particularly efficient inside the 3-point arc. He’s a career 42.9 percent shooter overall, with his career-high field goal percentage being 44.4 percent last year. For his career, Dame has only made 47 percent of his 2-pointers.
The Portland Trail Blazers‘ last game bumped his field goal percentage up to 39.7 percent, but with a seven-game sample size, we’re fairly confident these early shooting woes will dissipate as the season wears on.
Sacramento Kings
The young guns are ready to take over: Treat
When George Hill and Zach Randolph were signed to lucrative deals in free agency, the Sacramento Kings fanbase did a double-take. Having veterans for the young players was one thing, but was this historically dysfunctional franchise about to screw the pooch again and delay a much-needed youth movement?
The answer so far has been no, to most Kings fans’ delight. Dave Joerger has done a great job feeding those youngsters minutes, even if De’Aaron Fox has mostly come off the bench. Fox is averaging 26.7 minutes per game, barely trailing Hill in playing time. Skal Labissiere is still getting 22.8 minutes a night despite Z-Bo averaging 23.8.
After Hill’s team-leading 28.6 minutes per game, the Kings’ next four players in that category are Willie Cauley-Stein, Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield. Suffice it to say Sacramento hasn’t lost sight of its newfound direction, and as the losses continue to pile up, those minutes will only increase.
San Antonio Spurs
LaMarcus Aldridge‘s resurgence: Treat
When the San Antonio Spurs said they’d work to get an unhappy LaMarcus Aldridge more involved, it felt like saying all the right things before quietly trading him to a new team a few months later. But with Kawhi Leonard sidelined, the floor has completely belonged to the guy who was considered the best power forward in the league just a few seasons ago.
Through seven games, Aldridge is averaging a career-high 23.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49.6 percent — and those numbers looked even better before an 11-point, 5-for-13 outing in Boston Monday night.
The Spurs desperately need Kawhi and Tony Parker back to rejoin the Western elite, but Aldridge is the leader keeping them afloat in the meantime. When San Antonio stars do return, this team may be even more dangerous if LMA continues to go to work like this.
Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry‘s playing style clashes with the new offense: Trick
It feels silly to worry about a player who recorded a triple-double in his fifth game of the season, but Kyle Lowry’s shooting numbers to start 2017-18 are reminiscent of pretty much every postseason he’s ever had.
So far this season, Lowry is averaging just 13.5 points per game on 36.8 percent shooting from the floor and 33.3 percent shooting from 3-point range. With the Toronto Raptors‘ offense devaluing one-on-one isos and mid-range looks in favor of a more modern, 3-point heavy offense, it’s fair to wonder if Lowry’s skill-set clashes with the team’s new priorities.
However, it’s still incredibly early in the year and a new offense takes time to adjust to. Though Lowry’s age (31) could contribute to regression at some point, and his scoring is down by nearly 10 points per game from last year, it’s too early to worry about his fit in the revamped offense. Keep an eye on it, but don’t worry about it just yet.
Utah Jazz
Rodney Hood, leading scorer of the Utah Jazz: Treat
Through the first two weeks of the season, Rodney Hood — as expected — is filling in for the departed Gordon Hayward as the Utah Jazz‘s leading scorer. Hood is averaging a career-high 17.2 points per game, shooting an encouraging 49.2 percent from the floor and a blistering 45.5 percent from deep.
For the NBA’s 26th-ranked offense, Hood being the team’s de facto leading scorer shouldn’t come as a surprise. Ricky Rubio creates looks for others, Rudy Gobert‘s greatest value on that end is as a rim-runner and Joe Ingles, while deadly efficient from downtown, is not a go-to scorer.
With the ability to spot up and create looks for himself and others, Hood is well ahead of the next two closest scorers (Rubio with a surprising 15.7 points per game and Gobert at 13.6 per game). Utah wins games with a slow pace and stifling defense, but don’t be surprised to see Hood emerge as their primary option on offense as the season wears on.
Washington Wizards
Kelly Oubre Jr.’s breakout year: Treat
Forget about the thrown punches in that skirmish with the Warriors; Kelly Oubre Jr. has been a vital part of the Washington Wizards‘ 4-2 start to the season. With Markieff Morris sidelined by surgery for a sports hernia, Oubre has stepped in as a starting small-ball 4 and is getting the job done on both ends of the floor.
After some trepidation about when he’d show signs of being a reliable rotation player, Oubre is averaging 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds while also leading the team in minutes per game and shooting a blistering 44.4 percent from 3-point range.
Next: 2017-18 Week 3 NBA Power Rankings
The 3-point efficiency will come down and Oubre will return to the bench once Keef is back, but based on the improvement we’ve seen from him so far, he’ll bolster the bench unit when that day comes — shoring up Washington’s biggest area of concern in the process.