NBA Weekly Recap: ‘Opening Night’
The NBA has been back for a week, but that hasn’t led to any shortage in newsworthy games. As much as I would love going over every single game in buzzer-to-buzzer detail, I will not be doing that here, otherwise we would be here forever because there is just so much to talk about. That being said, if you would like more content from me on the NBA, stick around for a special announcement at the end of this post. I might have a solution for those of you craving a larger fix. With that said, let’s go over some of the biggest stories to come out of the first seven nights of the NBA regular season.
The NBA’s Newest Giant Makes His Colossal Debut
The day of fate finally arrived.
Ever since the basketball world first heard the name of Victor Wembanyama, everyone has been awaiting his arrival with baited breath. Current superstars gushed about the French Phenom, including Giannis who prophesied that Wembanyama would be a “big problem” for the rest of the league once he arrived. As the draft came and went, anticipation for Victor’s first game built to a fever pitch. Would he be as good as advertised? Would he dominate immediately or take some time to get comfortable in the league?
These questions were answered on October 25th when Wembanyama took to the floor in a game versus the Dallas Mavericks. In his first outing, Wembie scored 15 points, along with a cluster of rebounds, defensive stops, and…fouls? In truth, Wembanyama’s first game felt average. He showcased a great deal of potential, while at the same time showing he did have some things to learn. While I didn’t hear anyone being overly critical of Victor’s first game, there certainly was a sense that it wasn’t what we had expected.
Fast forward to Wembanyama’s game 2 on October 27th though, and the giant took a massive leap.
In his second game, Victor racked up a double double with 21 points and 12 assists, along with a trio of steals and blocks. Immediately he looked much more comfortable in his role on the floor as he lead the Spurs to their first win of the season. Aided by Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson who made key contributions, the Spurs’ future looks incredibly bright if everything goes to plan. Now granted, the Spurs are only three games into the regular season. It is far too early to make any big claims. But if these three games are anything to go by, it would be wise to keep your eyes on the Spurs.
For the First Time in Forever (if ‘forever’ lasted five years)…
December 25th, 2018. Christmas Day.
Prior to October 26th, this was the last time two titans of the NBA would square off in the regular season. Back then, LeBron had just gotten to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier that year, whereas Kevin Durant was still on the Goldenstate Warriors. On that fateful night, LeBron would lead the Lakers in a blowout win over arguably the greatest team the NBA has ever seen. You would think that after five years of separation, there might be a feeling out period between the two stars. A reintroduction of sorts.
Five years later, and both legends picked up right where they left off, not having missed a single beat. It’s absurd. But for two otherworldy superstars who will both one day find a place amongst the greatest players of all time, ‘absurd’ is just a synonym for ‘common.’
In their clash, LeBron would put up 21 points and nearly record a triple double with assists and rebounds, whereas Durant would drop 39 points and grab 11 boards. While Durant had the better individual showing, it was the help LeBron found in Anthony Davis and other players on the Lakers that brought L.A the five point win.
Some will point to the absence of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal as the primary reason for the loss, claiming that if Phoenix’s ‘big 3’ was firing on all cylinders this wouldn’t have even been close. On the other side, supporters of the Purple-and-Gold will assert that the dynamic duo of James and Davis is still the most devastating 1–2 punch in the entire league. Ultimately though, the majority of the NBA world is happy. Getting to see two greats go at it is always a treat, especially when they haven’t done so in five years. I could go on and analyze this potential playoffs matchup, but I won’t. That can be done another day. For now, I’m going to enjoy the gift that is the present, and this matchup.
Return of a Titan
Remember when Zion was the biggest thing in basketball? Remember when people said he was the most hyped prospect since LeBron? Remember when we were speculating about which team would win the ‘Zion Sweepstakes?’
Time flies.
Four years after his debut, and it feels like all but a few have forgotten about the man earmarked to take the mantle of the next ‘face of the league.’ Repeated injuries severely damaged the excitement of fans wanting to see him play, and off-court issues have made for conversations around Zion to be focused less around his play and talent, and more about unsavoury headlines. I hadn’t even realized that Williamson had played in both of the Pelicans’ first two games, both of which they won.
The sad reality is that the NBA stops for no one. Games are played, championships are won, and when one highly touted prospect can’t deliver, the spotlight will be turned to the next ‘golden boy’ waiting in the wings. The limelight is a fickle mistress, as is the attention of the public. You can be on the tip of everyone’s tongue one day, only to be a distant memory the next. Don’t get me wrong, Zion Williamson is far from finished, at least based on the eye-test. The Pelicans have promise, and barring anything unforeseen should be able to make a solid push this year. I hope they do. Parity and equal competition makes the game much more exciting and enjoyable to watch. And the more stars in the league, the better. Here’s hoping that Zion can continue to dazzle us on the court.
Dame Time Begins in Milwaukee
Did you know that red and green are complementary colours? On the colour wheel they are complete opposites, yet when combined they create a perfect contrast.
Maybe that’s part of the reason Damian Lillard looks so good in a Bucks uniform.
Colour theory aside, Damian Lillard seems to be a perfect fit in Milwaukee. In his first game against the 76ers, Damian Lillard was a man on a mission, scoring 39 points along with eight rebounds and four assists. And since we’re on the topic of complementary things, Giannis and Lillard seem like a match made in heaven reminiscent of Shaq and Kobe. Prior to Lillard arriving, it was not uncommon to see Giannis bringing the ball up the court and while people love the idea of bigger ball-handlers like Magic Johnson, this setup seems much more tailor-made to highlight Giannis’ strengths. Instead of having to run the offense, Giannis can instead pick his spots and dominate in the paint. And in the event they set up a wall for him, all he has to do is throw it out to Dame and watch as the point guard shows off his sublime shooting stroke.
I know Damian Lillard had hoped to land in a city with warmer weather when he made his trade request, but I honestly can’t imagine a better destination in terms of pure basketball. For all his time on the Trailblazers, Lillard never really had any serious help on the defensive end to cover up his shortcomings in that department. Nor did he have as much variety in terms of offensive weapons he could use to orchestrate an offense. In Milwaukee he has both of those things and more. Towards the end of his time in Portland, it felt like Lillard had to do it all. Now he gets to enjoy the luxury of not being the only tentpole of the team. And for Milwaukee, they just got one of the most dependable late-game closers in the league, and someone that can allow Giannis to do what he does best: dominate up close.
I’m not going to call them champions just yet. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.
The First OT of the Season
Sometimes 48 minutes isn’t enough.
This is where overtime comes in. This is the equivalent of the ‘championship rounds’ in MMA, in my eyes. It is where true grit and resolve is shown. After battling for nearly an hour, overtime is where a single question is asked, and answered, all in the span of five minutes:
Who is willing to dig deeper?
This question was asked for the first time this season, as the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls clashed in the United Center. Under the watchful eye of ‘His Airness,’ the Chicago bulls rode into overtime and eventually came away with the win. This game was the type of basketball I love the most, where victory is not decided by who has more offensive firepower, but who can hold the line on defense, and who can capitalize on the openings provided by the other team. In the end, when the dust settled in Chicago, it was the hometown Bulls who came away with the win.
The Bulls deserved this win, no question about it. Officiating will always be criticized in close games, where one call can change everything. There were some questionable instances in this one, but I’m not gonna sit here and say the referees won the Bulls the game. That credit goes to Demar DeRozan, who despite missing a few key freethrows in the fourth quarter that could have capped off the game earlier, came in clutch nonetheless in O.T. That credit also goes to Alex Caruso, who swished home a three late in the game that kept Chicago in it. And that credit goes to the entire Bulls team, who held in there longer and managed to go to the well and come up with water just one more time over the Raptors. A well deserved win indeed.
On the other side, this is the sort of game that especially pains me and Raptors fans alike. It feels like the Raptors are still the same team from years prior. The repeated pattern of getting off to hot starts, only to blow leads is immensely frustrating. The way this team seems to make at least two to three unforced errors every game, allowing the other team to remain in the race is eyeroll inducing. The lack of awareness and wisdom to slow the game when momentum starts to shift is still present. The way our team falls madly in love with the three ball even when it is not falling is infuriating. All of these problems have existed for years, and continue to do so. Perhaps the most frustrating thing in a loss like this is the very fact that the Raptors had every chance to win, only to trip over their own feet as they approached the final stretch. This team has the ability to win and be successful, yet it can’t seem to get out of its own way.
Here’s hoping that this is not a repeat issue in the coming weeks of the regular season. Otherwise this is going to be a long year…
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And that concludes the weekly recap for the first week of NBA action. What stories did I miss? Do you have different viewpoints on the ones I did? Share all your thoughts in the comments. If you enjoyed this piece, follow me on Medium and subscribe to my email list so you get notified everytime I post. Also if you would like to support the independent work I do here, consider becoming a patron at https://www.patreon.com/HMShaikh . Thank you, and stay blessed!
