As January begins, many NBA clubs look inconsistent to start the year. Teams will learn a lot about themselves this month.
Team basketball has Philly, Orlando & Indiana on top of East: These three teams all consist of players who make the right passes & have high basketball IQ’s. Playing the right way is resulting in wins.
Tatum & Brown playing sensational for Celtics, bench looks composed: Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown are scoring the ball at will. Boston’s bench hopes to improve, as rookie Payton Pritchard is playing lights out.
Knicks turning it around after 0-2 start, Julius Randle’s versatility has been impressive: New York’s Tom Thibodeau is proving he’s still a very good coach. Julius Randle is averaging 22.1 PPG/11.4 RPG/7.4 APG and still only 26-years-old.
Cavs dealing with injuries after solid start: Kevin Love, Darius Garland, & Isaac Okoro have been out. Cleveland is hoping to get them back as they start to fall in the East.
Bucks are #1 team in the NBA in PPG: New starters Jrue Holiday & Donte DiVincenzo are playing efficiently for Milwaukee. The offense is clearly there, bench defense can be a problem at times.
Heat & Hawks are up and down, need to be more consistent: Miami & Atlanta are trying to find a rhythm early on. Some good wins to go along with some ugly losses so far.
Nets are facing challenges after 2-0 start, Dinwiddie & Durant out: The Nets came out of the gates on fire, but now need other guys to step up. Spencer Dinwiddie is out for the year & KD is dealing with COVID-19 exposure.
Billy Donovan still figuring it out in Chicago, Otto Porter looks back to his old self: Coach Billy Donovan is still settling into his new team. Otto Porter is finally looking healthy after only playing in 14 games last season.
Charlotte loses 3 in a row, LaMelo looks ready to start when called on: Starting point guard Devonte Graham is shooting just 27% from the field. At this point, it’s pretty obvious LaMelo Ball brings more to the floor as a starter for Charlotte’s future.
Wizards win 2 straight after winless start, Hachimura back in lineup after eye infection: The Wizards were missing a valuable piece to begin the season in Rui Hachimura. They’ve played well since he’s been back, but team defense is still a major problem.
Raptors continue to lose, Chris Boucher needs starter minutes: Aron Baynes is Toronto’s starting center, but is now 34 and looks more suited for a bench role. Chris Boucher brings way too much to the floor to not play consistent minutes, needs close to 30 MPG.
Pistons trying different lineups every game, Jerami Grant a bright spot despite being 1-6: Detroit’s season is already over. They have a nice piece in Jerami Grant for the future, as he’s averaging 23 PPG.
Clippers know they can win regular-season games with Kawhi & PG, have a lot to prove this playoffs: The Clippers know they have to stay focused this regular season. All eyes will be on them in the playoffs after a disaster finish in 2020.
Vets playing polished for Lakers & Suns, solid coaching: New veterans Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Dennis Schroder, & Montrezl Harrell are playing great for their new teams. Both coaches have been in many big games throughout their careers.
Mike Conley playing a lot better in his second season for Jazz, Bogdanovic finds rhythm in win vs Spurs: Mike Conley only shot 40.9% from the field last year, compared to 48.3 % this season. Bojan Bogdanovic recently had his best game so far, scoring 28 points vs San Antonio.
Pelicans will continue to grind for playoff spot, Van Gundy letting guys play their games: New veterans Eric Bledsoe & Steven Adams are bringing great leadership. Head coach Stan Van Gundy is letting players be themselves early on.
Curry scores 62 vs Portland, Golden State playing better after awful start: Stephen Curry looks like an MVP candidate already. Golden State is starting to pick it up after two blowouts in their first few games.
Expect more shootouts in Trail Blazers games, letting up close to 120 PPG: Portland needs to understand they won’t get anywhere without putting defense first. Using all that energy just to stay in games on offense won’t result in playoff wins.
Mavs holding on without Porzingis, role players are playing hard: Kristaps Porzingis could return soon, as he’s practicing again. Josh Richardson, Jalen Brunson, & Tim Hardaway Jr are playing very well in the big man’s absence.
Marvin Bagley’s dad tweets out that Sacramento should trade his son, big man is off to an inconsistent start: Marvin Bagley’s father doesn’t seem to be happy with his son’s fit in Sacramento. The 21-year-old is off to a slow start, only shooting 35.8% from the field & 58.3% from the free-throw line.
Questions still remain for Rockets & Nuggets, need to figure it out fast: Both of these teams can score the ball at a high pace but are letting up a lot of points. Houston hasn’t played with a full roster enough yet and Denver is noticeably missing Grant, Plumlee, and Craig on defense.
Future looking bright for San Antonio’s young players despite losing, going through the learning process: The Spurs have lost 4 in a row, but played some tough teams. Keldon Johnson, Dejounte Murray, & Lonnie Walker are all under 25 with room to keep growing.
OKC, Minnesota, & Memphis continue to lose, many blowouts so far: Ja Morant & Jaren Jackson Jr will give Memphis a chance to win games when back in the lineup. As for OKC & Minnesota, they’re both young teams trying to figure it out for the future.
