Seven NBA Observations on Ben Simmons, Early Surprises, and More
Ben Simmons is struggling to get back into a rhythm after a long break from basketball. He's played well for the Sixers but not for Nets. His defense is poor and he's not improving his jumper or free throws. The Nets take on a different personality when he plays. When he is on the bench, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant start the offense more often. When Irving, Durant and Patty Mills are playing together, the team is better. They outscored teams when they are not playing with two non-shooters. It's no surprise an offense with one or even zero nonshooter is more effective than a lineup plagued by two.
Donovan Mitchell is playing well with Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Kevin Love. Darius Garland is injured and will be back on Friday. Mitchell's on a heater as a scorer (33.3 points per game) and he's getting better with his new teammates. He's playing with one of the league's better shot creators. He will find out if his best is yet to come. The Cavaliers lost to the Raptors on the night Garland got hurt, but they beat the Bulls and Wizards after.
The Portland Trail Blazers are undefeated and have a top-10 defensive rating. The team has improved its defensive scheme since coach Chauncey Billups changed the defensive strategy for Jusuf Nurkic. The Blazers have used this type of defense on 25.8 percent of pick-and-rolls this season, up from the 15.3 percent it averaged last season. When the team plays small, they can switch on all screens and blitz with greater frequency.
Utah Jazz are 3-1 after a surprising start to the season. Utah lost Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic this summer. Lauri Markkanen is playing better than ever and both the team’s veterans and youngsters are excelling in the roles designed by rookie head coach Will Hardy. Victor Wembanyama is considered by some executives and scouts to be the greatest prospect in NBA history. Scoot Henderson is projected to go second in this year's draft.
The Jazz are winning games but losing odds of landing a franchise talent in the draft. Trades usually don't start happening until mid-December, but the Jazz have a number of veterans contributing to their early success. The Jazz already have 14 future first-round picks, their most valuable asset is their own pick in 2023. The Lakers can leapfrog teams that want to lose, whereas the Utah Jazz would be competing with other teams racing to the bottom.
Julius Randle's game cratered after he signed a contract extension. The Knicks added Jalen Brunson to their team. Brunon's presence has taken the ball out of Randles' hands. Randel has been a key beneficiary of Brun's addition. Knicks lost to the Grizzlies in overtime in their opener, but beat the Pistons and Magic.
Atlanta's acquisition of Dejounte Murray will help spread Trae Young's usage on and off the ball. Young has used an off-ball screen 12.3 times per game this season, compared to 13.5 in the previous four seasons. It's incredibly difficult to win a championship with one source of shot creation.
Gregg Popovich is 73 years old and the oldest coach in the NBA. His team plays a youthful style at a fast pace with a lot of 3s and maximum energy at all times.
Keldon Johnson is a championship-quality player. He's a torpedo on drives to the basket with an improving jumper.
Jeremy Sochan, 19, is a two-way player with great potential. He has a good shot but a shaky jumper.
Devin Vassell is a lanky go-to scorer who can hit contested jumpers with a hand in his face. He can do so much more than just score, and with long arms, he gets stops on defense.
Tre Jones, 22, is an advanced playmaker with telepathic chemistry with Jakob Poeltl. Tre Jones has improved as a scorer since Dejounte Murray left the team.
Jakob Poeltl, 27, is an enforcer around the rim and one of the best rebounders in the league. Popovich's team is playing well early on and he has a roster with intelligent, gritty players.
