One week into the 2017-18 season, NBA viewers have already seen several unexpected developments. Try as we might, not everything can be predicted. A handful of games can offer immediate lessons about the league.
Rather than express disappointment in the changes, we’re embracing the surprises — no matter if something was likely a one-game aberration or an indication of a trend.
Phoenix fired its coach
In normal-life terms, this is like getting invited to a party and told to leave after enjoying a single bite of an appetizer. Things looked fine, then suddenly it’s time to head out. Such is life for Earl Watson, who coached a grand total of three games this season. Phoenix also dismissed three assistant coaches — Nate Bjorkgren, Jason Fraser and Mehmet Okur. The Suns have an extremely young roster and weren’t expected to compete this season, so this decision isn’t going to affect the team’s ceiling. But why didn’t this happen earlier? Phoenix only had six months between games. Or, did it really need to happen now?
Eric Bledsoe is publicly unhappy already
In addition to the coaching chance, the Suns biggest star — who didn’t want to be shut down last season — is subtweeting the team. Eric Bledsoe shared a simple “Ha!” to being listed as questionable due to a right ankle sprain. He also said, simply, “I Dont wanna be here.” Bledsoe is an All-Star-caliber player, so he certainly has a trade market. Although Phoenix has ceded some leverage as a result of Bledsoe publicly expressing his unhappiness, the probability of the 26-year-old getting traded has moved from foreseeable to likely.
The Knicks aren’t playing Willy Hernangomez
Last season, Willy Hernangomez earned first-team All-Rookie honors. It logically follows that he should be benched this year, right? Chalk this up as yet another bullet point explaining why the Knicks are a dreadful organization right now. The promising center logged four minutes — four! — during New York’s first two games of the year. Kristaps Porzingis felt compelled to say Hernangomez deserves more time, per Barbara Barker of Newsday. When a team’s star player has to point out something so painfully obvious, it’s clear there’s a problem.
Blake Griffin looks committed to shooting threes
An underappreciated part about Blake Griffin’s career is that he’s added a new skill to his arsenal each season. In 2017-18, it appears the power forward is trying to establish himself as a true stretch 4. Although he attempted a career-high 1.9 triples per game last year, Griffin is now shooting with volume from the outside. During a pair of Los Angeles victories, he knocked down a trio of three-pointers in both games. Yes, absolutely, this is a small sample size, but Griffin looks comfortable behind the arc. Long-range shooting looks like his next weapon.
Orlando hammered the Cavs in Cleveland
The only way we would’ve thought Orlando could beat Cleveland by 21 points is if LeBron James, Kevin Love and other key players were resting. Nevertheless, the Magic pulled off the improbable and ended the franchise’s 17-game losing streak against the Cavaliers. Orlando never trailed, held a 36-18 lead after the first quarter and later ripped off a 14-0 run when Cleveland closed within seven points. The Magic’s largest advantage was 37 points. One game isn’t indicative of major problems, but the Cavs certainly put up a stinker.
Kevin Durant is suddenly a shot-blocking machine
Given that Kevin Durant stands about 7’0″, his stature alone causes problems for shooters. Yet during his first 10 seasons, the not-so-small forward swatted 738 shots in 703 regular-season appearances for an average just over one per game. But through three showings in 2017-18, he’s already turned aside 14 attempts (including two in one sequence while wearing just one shoe). That 4.7 clip is completely absurd. Golden State has the most lethal small-ball group in the league, and Durant emerging as a rim protector only makes the Death Lineup more dangerous.
Indiana is actually playing fast
When the Pacers tried shifting Paul George to the 4, the intent was to push the tempo. However, that didn’t quite stick for Indiana. Last season, the team ranked 18th with a pace of 98.2, per NBA.com. So far, though, the Pacers are eighth in the league at 106.1. Led by Victor Oladipo at 22.3 points, seven players are averaging double figures. Additionally, Darren Collison has dished out 7.7 assists per game. Defense will remain a problem for the Pacers, but they’ll be entertaining to watch while pushing the ball faster than ever.
Markelle Fultz has no confidence
Yes, Markelle Fultz has exhibited issues at the free-throw line. Due to a shoulder injury, Fultz has overhauled his shooting form. It needed some tweaking anyway, but certainly not like this. Unless he’s totally overwhelmed by NBA competition — and that’s entirely unlikely — Fultz is shook. The guard simply has no confidence in his shot. After hoisting 5.0 threes per game at Washington and converting at a 41.3 percent rate, he hasn’t attempted a trifecta in three NBA appearances and is passing up open opportunities. It’s worth wondering if Fultz should be rehabbing his shoulder instead of playing.
Brooklyn leads the NBA in points per game
Last season, the Nets needed 71 games to record back-to-back wins. Consider that for a moment. Brooklyn started the 2016-17 campaign 13-56 before it recorded consecutive victories. This year, however, the Nets have already started a streak. After scoring 131 points in a loss to Indiana, they clipped Orlando and the Atlanta Hawks. Brooklyn has tallied 116-plus points in each game. Even excluding Jeremy Lin, who is out for the season, the Nets have six players averaging at least 12.3 points. Brooklyn’s defense surrendering 121.7 points per game is a problem, but we’re enjoying the unexpected fun while it lasts.
Bobby Portis punched a teammate
Shortly before Chicago took the court, its anticipated poor season became even tougher. Bobby Portis took issue with Nikola Mirotic for some reason, and a cheap shot sent his teammate to the hospital. The punch broke two bones in Mirotic’s face and resulted in a concussion. He’s expected to be out for 4-6 weeks, and the Bulls suspended Portis for eight games. This is a classic case of “bad to worse” for an organization embarking on a challenging new path without an All-Star on the roster. In the meantime, Chicago has dropped its first two contests.
Grizzlies fans are booing Chandler Parsons
Look, we understand Chandler Parsons hasn’t lived up to his $94 million contract. A knee injury sidelined him for a majority of the 2016-17 season, and he only contributed 6.2 points per game on 33.8 percent shooting in 34 starts last year. But should the home crowd really be raining down boos on the small forward already? Star teammate Mike Conley doesn’t think so. Parsons added he think it’s tasteless, per Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal. “I’ll treat home games like road games if that’s the way it’s going to be.” That’s not what you want to hear from somebody who could help Memphis claw its way into the playoffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is obliterating box scores
Most NBA followers know Giannis Anteokounmpo is really good. We thought he was an MVP challenger this season. But are you kidding me? How is this level of production even possible? Through three games, Antetokounmpo has averaged 38.3 points on 67.2 percent shooting with 9.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 block per outing. No, this isn’t sustainable. However, Antetokounmpo’s floor may be considerably higher than the league expected. The 22-year-old is a special player who looks destined for multiple MVPs in his career.
Stanley Johnson went 0-of-13 and was still valuable
During the Pistons’ first game of the year, Stanley Johnson set a forgettable record. According to ESPN Stats & Info, his 0-of-13 finish was the worst opening-night shooting performance since the NBA instituted a shot clock in 1954-55. However, he still played 40 minutes. Either Detroit has zero depth, or he steadily contributed in other ways. In this case, it was the latter. Johnson provided superb defense and snatched four steals, also grabbing four rebounds. The Pistons still finished a plus-six with him on the floor. That’s about as weird as it gets.
Golden State is tanking for Luka Doncic
After dropping two of the season’s first three games, it’s clear Golden State has no interest in winning games this season. No, the Warriors want to win the lottery, draft Luka Doncic and ensure their superpower status for the next decade. Jokes aside, the reigning champions fell to Houston on opening night and also lost at Memphis. We’re not at all concerned about Golden State — which might begin a 15-game winning streak with a victory over Dallas, because that’s the way these things work — but it’s reasonable to say NBA followers didn’t expect a sluggish start from the Dubs.
Celtics lost Gordon Hayward for season
Gordon Hayward’s debut wasn’t supposed to go like this. In the first quarter of his first game with Boston, Hayward landed awkwardly and exited due to a horrific injury. The official word is a fractured left ankle and fractured left tibia, and the injuries will sideline Hayward for the entire 2017-18 season. While he recovers from surgery, the Celtics will rely on Kyrie Irving to carry the revamped roster. And NBA fans must wait at least one more year to see a full-strength Boston challenge the Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference crown.