The NBA returned to action on October 18th after an offseason filled with drama. There have been plenty of surprising teams this season so far, and some disappointments. This month has provided an exciting start to the long NBA season
All NBA teams have played between 5 and 7 games to this point. We’ve seen excellent performances from potential MVP candidates thus far. In this article I will be addressing New York’s start to the season, as well as providing my (way too early) pick for MVP.
The Brooklyn Nets have finally gotten significant playing time out of Ben Simmons, who they traded for last season. He is playing well, but not to his all-star potential. Simmons has gotten into foul trouble, keeping him out of games. This affects him statistically as he’s been unable to score 10 or more points in a game through the first 6 games this season.
Simmons has been successful as a playmaker, grabbing plenty of rebounds and providing assists. Pairing this with Kevin Durant’s scoring should be a recipe for success. But they’ve been terrible as a team. They’ve played in six contests, with their only win coming against the Toronto Raptors during the first week of play.
The Brooklyn Nets have a lot of growing room as a team. It’s certainly too early to rule them out as contenders. But if they play how they have been playing in May, when the Playoffs start, there will be disappointment in Brooklyn.
Surprisingly, the New York Knicks have started the season well. They’re 3-3 through their first six games. They added Jalen Brunson to the roster in the offseason, hoping to boost their offense. Currently three Knicks players are averaging over 17 points per game, a clear improvement from last season.
Despite the small sample size, Knicks fans should be excited for this team. Statistically they are far more impressive than any recent Knicks team. And they are certainly fun to watch, when Brunson is running the point the Knicks are a different organization. Let’s hope it stays that way.
Each week of the season, the NBA gives a “Player of the Week” award to a standout player from each conference. During the first week of the season we saw explosive play from Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Tatum is a young star as NBA fans may know. He was recognized as the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week in the NBA. He averaged 34.7 PPG on 58.7% shooting, also adding over 8 rebounds per game. His stellar play helped propel the Celtics into starting the season undefeated, 3-0 on the week.
Damian Lillard is a household name in the NBA. Fans are used to hearing about how great he is. Well, he also led his team to a 3-0 start this season. Averaging 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, Lillard was named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week. Be on the lookout for the Celtics and the Trail Blazers this season.
My pick for MVP this season is Luka Doncic. The NBA has awarded the MVP to a player of international origin in four straight seasons. I don’t see that streak breaking this year. Doncic grew up in Slovenia, and has been playing basketball professionally since he was a teenager. This is evident in his play, as he seems to be a step ahead of everyone on the court. Through 6 games, Doncic is averaging 36.7 points(!), 9.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. All while shooting over 50% from the floor. His team is only 3-3, but he’s been undoubtedly the best player in the NBA this season.
As the season continues on it will be interesting to see how the players and their teams seasons pan out.