NBA
Five Takeaways from the beginning of the NBA
Clippers are who we thought they would be?
Though the Los Angeles Clippers defensive prowess has not been on full display, their offensive prowess has. During the summer many thought the Clippers would be a defensive powerhouse. They added Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and already had Patrick Beverly and Montrezl Harrell. But, George is out as he recovers from shoulder surgery and the Clippers have given up over 100 points their first three games.
On the other hand, the Clippers offense is top tier. Kawhi is showing why he is a top player in the league averaging 26 points per game. Lou Williams is showing why he has been awarded the sixth man of the year three times averaging 22 points per game. And the Clippers are first in offensive rating at 124.6, averaging 125 points per game (2nd), and are efficient in the scoring as they are shooting 53 percent as a team from the floor.
The Clippers are currently 2-1.
0-3 record does not define Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans rebuild is off to a rough start. Their number one draft pick Zion Williamson is out six to eight weeks after he had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Their undefeated preseason does not matter and the Pelicans are 0-3 after Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets (126-123).
However, the pieces they acquired from the blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers should be keeping the New Orleans brass and faithful head held high.
Brandon Ingram is the team-leading scorer and is eighth in the league averaging 27.3 points per game, Lonzo Ball ranks in the top 20 in assists averaging 6.7 per game, and Josh Hart is the team second-leading scorer (18 points per game) and rebounder (7.3 per game).
The Pelicans have only lost by 18 points combined. They were defeated by the Toronto Raptors 122-130, the Dallas Mavericks 123-116 and the Houston Rockets 123-126.
Raptors not missing Kawhi
The Toronto Raptors failed to retain Kawhi Leonard in the offseason after he brought the franchise their first NBA championship.
After, a breakout 2018-2019 season where Pascal Siakam averaged 16.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds the Raptors decided to offer him a four year $130 million contract which he signed.
So far, Siakam is off to a hot start as he is the team leading scorer (28.7; seventh in NBA) and rebounder (10.7; T-14th in NBA).
Fred VanVleet is off to a hot start as well. VanVleet is the team’s third-leading scorer (19.3) and Lowry, at the moment, is averaging his best stats since the 2016-2017 season.
The Raptors also are first in rebounding (54 per game), and seventh in defensive rating (98.5). They are currently 2-1. Most Improved Player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs Trae Young
SGA and Trae Young, though way too early, are currently competing to be the 2019-2020 most improved player.
After being traded to Oklahoma City as part of the trade to send Paul George to the Clippers, SGA, so far, has had no sophomore year slump.
SGA is the team leading scorer (27.5; ninth in the NBA) and is outplaying recently acquired Chris Paul. He is currently the diamond in the rough of the Oklahoma City Thunder poor start (0-2).
Trae Young is continuing his dominance from the latter half of the 2018-2019 season that had many think he would win rookie of the year.
To begin the season Trae Young is first in points per game (38.5) and sixth in assists (9.0). He is also the team’s second-leading rebounder (7; ninth among guards in NBA). Young is also among the top leaders in three-pointers made (11; T-3rd in NBA).
The Hawks currently sit at the top of the Eastern Conference at 2-0 while the Thunder sits at the bottom of the Western Conference at 0-2.
Duke University and UNC Rookies are showing out
RJ Barrett is making New York Knicks fan happy as he is embracing the challenge of being a star at Madison Square Garden.
Since before the NBA draft, Barrett made it clear he wanted to be a part of the Knicks organization.
The Knicks are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference again (0-3), but Barrett is at the top of rookie points per game (21; T-first in NBA).
Coby White has also solidified himself as the Chicago Bulls top point guard. White is the Bulls third-leading scorer (16.7; fourth in NBA)
White is more so a score-first guard than a pass-first and is proving he can score at will and efficiently (44 percent field goal percentage).
P.J. Washington has given the Charlotte Hornets a reason to cheer after Kemba Walker signed with Boston Celtics during the offseason.
Washington, the 12th pick of the NBA draft, is the Hornets second-leading scorer (18.5; third in the NBA) and rebounder (7; second among rookies).
Washington will have a chance to continuously grow as a player and become the Hornets go-to guy as the Hornet enter a rebuilding stage (if they weren’t already in one).
Written by Joshua Sampson
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Photo credit to LAClippers via Twitter
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