2019-20 NBA Season In Review!
Happy Thanksgiving to everybody, I hope you are enjoying the food and spending time with family, so lets get right into it!
Even though it has been less than a month since the NBA season started, we have seen lots of great performances, record broken, and new teams looking for an NBA Championship. In this blog, we will be focusing on all things so far.
Who has team has performed the best so far?
This would have to be a tie for me. I did not think that the LA Lakers would be this good. They have the best record in basketball; 16-2. Lebron James is averaging 25.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and a career high 11 assists per game. He is shooting 50% from the field, and 35% from 3. Even though many people consider Lebron to be “old,” he is still dominating and getting the job done. His right side man, Anthony Davis has also been playing really well. Davis has averaged 26.1 points, 9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He is shooting 48% from the field, and 33% from 3. The Lakers duo is clicking right now, in most part because Lebron and AD are playing great. But, their supporting cast has also been good. Danny Green is averaging 8.4 points, but he shooting 40% from 3. Kyle Kuzma is averaging 12.3 points while shooting 47% from the field. The Lakers have lots of guys who fit well together. The show is run by AD and Lebron, and the supporting cast fills in the gaps when needed. All in all, the Lakers have become the real front-runners to win the NBA title.
The other team that I think has performed the best so far is the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks were supposed to be better than last year because they added Kristaps Porzingis, Seth Curry and others. But, the Mavericks have established themselves as one of the better teams in the west with a record of 11-6. They have been led by an upcoming MVP candidate in Luka Doncic. Doncic is averaging 30.1 points, 10 rebounds, and 9.5 assists. He is shooting 49% from the field, and 33% from 3. Doncic is just 20 years old and he is just about averaging a triple double. That is insane. Kristaps Porzingis has been helping Doncic while averaging 18.3 points and 9.2 rebounds. He is shooting 41% from the field, and 37% from 3. The Mavericks are a well oiled machine. Doncic runs the show with his great ability to scare, and pass. He throws jumping-cross court passes to open shooters like Seth Curry and Tim Hardaway. He throws lobs to Porzingis, Maxi Kleber, and Boban Marjanovic. Without Luka, this team would struggle and not be as good as they are now. Luka does everything for this team, and it has been working, and Dallas hopes he can lead them to the promise land.
Which Player Is Playing the Best Right Now?
The player that has been playing at the highest level so far has easily been Luka Doncic. After coming off an impressive rookie campaign, Doncic looks miles better than last year. He is stronger and faster, and he just looks like a new player. Doncic is averaging 30.1 points, 10 rebounds, and 9.5 assists, while shooting 49% from the field, and 33% from 3. At 20 years old, Doncic is doing all of this, and leading his team to an 11-6 record, good enough for 5th in the Western Conference. If Doncic continues is good play, he will certainly be a front runner for MVP, and the Mavericks will make the playoffs.
Which Team is under performing the most so far?
After making the Western Conference Finals last year, the Blazers had very high hopes for the 2019-20 season. They did lose many key pieces like defensive minded wings in Mo Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu. They also lost sharpshooter Seth Curry, backup point guard in Evan Turner and big guys like Enes Kanter and Myers Leonard. In return, they got Mario Hezonja, Hassan Whiteside, Kent Bazemore, Nassir Little with the 25th pick in the draft, Pau Gasol, and they resigned Rodney Hood to a 2 year deal. The team was very different, but they still had very high expectations. The Blazers started off the year rough, with losses to the Nuggets on opening day, and games that should have won like @Sacramento, and @ Cleveland. After they struggled early on, they signed Carmelo Anthony, looking for a spark. The Blazers have been recovering nicely and they are 7-12 on the year, 10th in the Western Conference, just a game behind the 8th place Phoenix Suns (8-9). The Blazers started off poorly, but they have been recovering, and it they continue to play well, then they will be a good team, and a tough playoff matchup.
Which Player is having a break out year?
This is another tie for me as I have seen two players really steal the spotlight. First would have to be Luka Doncic for me. He has taken a giant leap this year, and is playing at the highest level possible.
The more obvious choice for me would be Andrew Wiggins. Since joining the NBA in 2014 with the #1 pick by the Cavs (then traded to Minnesota), Wiggins looked like he would be a great player. He steadily increased his scoring every year he was in the league (16.9 in 2014-15, 20.7 in 2015-16, and 23.6 in 2016-17). After signing a big extension, Wiggins seemed to slow down. He averaged just 17.7 in 2017-18, an almost 6 point drop off from the year before. He was an ok foul shooter before signing the extension, and now he shooting in the 60% range. Something was just not right. He averaged just 18.1 points in the 2018-19 season. People were labeling him a bust. Now, 17 points for a #1 overall pick is not a bust by any means. But Wiggins was on a tear in his first 3 seasons, and was on his way to becoming an All-Star, and a great player in the NBA. Then after he got showered by a huge contract, he just seemed to drop off. People wanted him to keep growing, to keep getting better, to become one of the best scorers in the game. But, that did not happen and people were labeling him as a bust. Opening the 2019-20 season, Karl Anthony Towns was dominating once again, and Wiggins was once again put into the shadow. But, he was been silently averaging 25.3 points and 5.4 rebounds. These are career highs in both categories. He is shooting 47% from the field, and 35% from 3. That is a career high in field goal % for Wiggins. If Wiggins can keep up his good play, then people will stop as to labeling him as a bust.
Who Is the Best Player in the League Right Now?
The conversation for best player in the league has been debated since Lebron James has been getting older. The obvious choice would be Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning MVP, and one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA. But, even with Giannis, I have to go with Luka Doncic. He is having one of the greatest seasons by a 20 year old, or any age in general. He is averaging a near triple double, and he is leading the Mavericks to the playoffs. The only reason for me that he beats Giannis is that his offensive game is more complete, specifically with his long range game. Giannis has improved his jumpshot, but he is nowhere near Luka is terms of that. Doncic has not developed his defense yet, but at least is not trying. And if you are talking about MVP, the Most Valuable Player on their team, Doncic is that. But, do not take away what Giannis is doing, and he is the best player in the league in many people’s book.
Which Players will be getting traded this year (Who Deserves It)?
I think that lots of people need to be traded, and that could be seen in Bradley Beal. Since John Wall has been plagued with injuries for the last few years, Beal has been the #1 option, and he has been playing well. But, Beal deserves to be traded to a contender. The Wizards have been really stubborn with both Wall and Beal, but this duo is good when they are on the court, but it has not translated to playoff success. With Wall out, and him having a giant contract, it is impossible to trade him. Bradley Beal is not very injury prone, and he is very good. He is averaging 28.9 points and 7 assists. He is shooting 48% from the field, and 35% from 3. He is still a great player, and he deserves to be traded, instead of the Wizards not accepting that they will never go anywhere with him.
I hope you are enjoying the NBA Season so far, please comment on which questions you disagree on, and what the answers would you put for each question. I hope everybody enjoys their Thanksgiving, and the rest of the NBA Season.
