The first week of the 2022-’23 NBA season is in the books with every team having played multiple games, including some fantastic matchups between playoff-caliber teams. While we’re only a few weeks into the NBA schedule, there have been plenty of surprises, overachieving teams and underwhelming starts through the first week.
It’s always important not to overreact to small sample size. Losing streaks and win streaks happen all the time and no team has played more than three games entering action on Monday. Nothing that has happened thus far should dramatically change how any star player or championship contender is viewed, but there are things we can learn from the early games.
Here are five quick takeaways from the first week of the 2023-’23 NBA season.
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New season, same old Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the highly anticipated teams this season. Not because of their championship aspirations but because of how they’ll make their subpar roster work. During the first week of the season, the Lakers played three games and lost each of them.
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The entire squad shot 10-of-40 from deep against the Golden State Warriors. Early on, the Lakers haven’t improved on their shooting woes. Outside shooting was the same problem they had during their previous campaign. It appears the Lakers will have a similar outing as last season if they don’t work on their shooting miseries.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers off to slow start
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season. Experts expect the team to have an outstanding 2022-23 campaign. As one of the teams that made massive roster changes, it’s a wonder how they ended up 0-3 in the first week.
Philadelphia’s first game was against the Boston Celtics. It should’ve had it in the bag, as the Celtics didn’t have Robert Williams. Still, that wasn’t enough, and the 76ers lost their season opener. That carried over to their game against the Milwaukee Bucks, where they lost a close one. Embiid also struggled in the second half, as he struggled to convert anything. Their losing streak continued after their game against the San Antonio Spurs. Many thought the Sixers would get an easy win, but that didn’t happen. Something is going on in Philly.
Over the last three games, Embiid wasn’t as aggressive as the previous season. For a player that’s a heavy favorite to win the MVP award, he’s been underperforming. Hopefully, it won’t take long for the Sixers to start getting wins for this season.
Utah Jazz off to stunning start
Nobody expected the Utah Jazz to start their season as one of the undefeated teams in the league. Experts have the Jazz as one of the teams that would “tank” for Victor Wembanyama. Despite not having a legitimate star, the Jazz has come out strong this year.
One of the players that led the Jazz to victories is Lauri Markkanen. The Finnish forward is averaging 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the first three games. He’s one of the team’s bright spots early in the season. When Danny Ainge decided to blow up the Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert tandem, no one expected the Jazz to come out this strong.
How long will the Jazz be able to maintain their winning streak?
The top rookies have lived up to the hype
The 2022 NBA Draft class is one of the most anticipated groups in recent years. During the first week, they’ve proven they belong in the NBA. Except for Chet Holmgren, who’s currently injured, all the top five picks have played exceedingly well. Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero set a record for being the first teenager to score over 20 points in their first three games.
Jaden Ivey and Keegan Murray, also top picks, have contributed well for their respective teams, the Detroit Pistons, and the Sacramento Kings. The amount of young talent the league has right now is overflowing, and we’re in for an exciting rookie year.
Boston Celtics look better than last season
The Boston Celtics started tremendously well this season. The Celtics have gone undefeated in the first week, and their offseason moves are beginning to pay off. Boston is fresh off a Finals loss against the Golden State Warriors. With that experience, the team is excited about their future, and they’ve fully invested in building a decent supporting cast for their dynamic duo, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
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Compared to their first three games last season, the Celtics are looking to be a better team. Plus, the organization has just gone through an internal issue regarding their suspended head coach, Ime Udoka. It appears the players are buying in on what interim head coach Joe Mazzulla has in store for the squad. The Boston Celtics are one of the major teams to beat this year. It also looks like Tatum is gunning for the MVP award this year based on his early-season performances.