Around The Association: Wemby and Chet Making An Immediate Impact, Luka’s Unreal Performance, The Celtics Look Great Yet Again
After a busy slate with 11 games being played, there are plenty of intriguing storylines coming out of Friday night. In this installment of Around The Association, I will be highlighting the performances that caught my eye the most.
The Thunder and Cavaliers had a down-to-the-wire game where Oklahoma City was able to scrape by with a 108–105 victory. Chet Holmgren has immediately made his impact felt, transforming OKC’s interior defense and providing elite floor spacing. Highlighted by his outstanding 7 blocks, Chet is proving why he was such a highly touted prospect on that end of the floor, as he seems poised to be a perennial DPOY candidate almost immediately. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped another efficient 30 points, and if this continues, there is no reason why he should not be in the running for MVP. For the Cavs, Evan Mobley continues to be underwhelming offensively, putting up 14 points on 5–12 shooting, but as long as they can stay healthy, there is no reason for Cleveland not to be a firm playoff team in the East.
The Mavericks got a thrilling victory over the Nets on the back of Luka Doncic’s 49 points, capped off by an improbable one-handed shot for the win. Luka ups his averages to a near 40-point triple-double, and as long as the Mavs can secure a spot atop the Western Conference, he may finally be able to win the MVP trophy that has felt inevitable for years. What is especially exciting for Dallas is that they are now 2–0 without Kyrie performing nearly up to his usual standards. The offseason moves for the Mavericks seem to have paid off in a big way, and it looks as if they will bounce back in a major way from the disaster that was last season. Cameron Thomas continues to perform well for Brooklyn as he notched a second consecutive 30-point game. This Nets roster has a very clear ceiling until they can acquire a true franchise cornerstone, but until then, they will be a fun, scrappy roster that can compete on any given night, reminiscent of the D’Angelo Russell-led roster in 2019.
We got a great game between two of the younger rosters in the league as the Spurs outdueled the Rockets in overtime, winning 126–122. Victor Wembanyama may have shot poorly, but we were able to witness what makes him a truly once-in-a-lifetime prospect, with some jaw-dropping dunks and blocks. What is really so scary about Wemby, though, is the fact that he has not been fully unleashed to the maximum of his abilities. Once the Spurs can get a true playmaking lead guard and when Wemby can transform into a full-time center, all I can say is, “watch out.” Devin Vassell continues to play very well and is proving to be an essential piece for San Antonio going forward. For the Rockets, while I am eager to see Amen Thompson get more playing time, it was very inspiring to see a much more organized product than in previous seasons. With Ime Udoka at the helm, much less “AAU” ball is being played, and that is perfectly displayed in the well-rounded shot distribution from the starting five. The Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun pick-and-roll is already a very reliable source of offense for the Rockets and was a go-to option down the stretch. Sengun has looked excellent thus far and is showing he can be a Nikola Jokic-esque offensive hub as a center at times.
Boston was able to secure a satisfying victory over their rival, the Miami Heat. This Celtics team is so well-rounded, as it is very reasonable to say they have 5 top 50 players on their roster. Derrick White was the standout in this game with 28 points, but on any given night, it can be someone else. Holiday and White form such a deadly defensive backcourt, and there is no reason not to expect them to continue to give their opposition a hard time every night. The main concern about this roster continues to be the depth, as the amount of minutes the starters are already playing is a bit alarming, but other than that, the Celtics have looked phenomenal. Miami looks to be a low-tier playoff team yet again, but I find it hard to see another magical run with the losses they had this offseason. You can never truly count the Heat out, but the talent on this year’s roster simply does not stack up to the top teams in the East.
