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6 most surprising NBA storylines after a wild opening week

By Jacob Ellerbee

Oct 20, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) is defended by LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers defeated the Lakers 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) is defended by LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers defeated the Lakers 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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A wild first week of NBA action is in the books and steaming from that action, are some very interesting storylines that have developed that are worth keeping an eye on as the 2022-23 season moves forward.

We saw some great NBA debuts in week one, including Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy going 3-0 in his first three games as a head coach. And, No. 1 overall draft pick Paolo Banchero looks like an absolute stud after his historic start to his NBA career. Don’t forget about Damian Lillard who dropped 41 points in his season debut and followed it up with another 41-piece against the Lakers. He’s got his Portland Trail Blazers off to a perfect 4-0 start to the 2022-23 NBA season.

But let’s dive a little deeper and look at some of the bigger-picture storylines that are permeating NBA circles after each team has played a few games. Trends are developing, albeit with small sample sizes, giving us an idea of how things might play out for various teams this season.

First up, are a pair of NBA teams who are not living up to their preseason expectations. One is a team that is off to a disastrous start to the season, despite being lauded as a popular pick to make the 2023 NBA Finals. The other is a team everyone thought would be tanking, but instead are undefeated to start the season.