Overreacting To The NBA Preseason (Part 2)
You get the gist of this, right? The NBA preseason continues to roll on as we continue to creep closer and closer to October 19th, the day that basketball is officially back. Even though the preseason games are meaningless, it’s only right that we get one last overreaction done before the season starts.
I promise this will be the last one for a long time.
Rookie Watch
I think the best thing about the NBA preseason is watching the new batch of rookies enter the NBA. After scouting them, watching them dominate a diluted summer league, and after hearing good things about them from training camp, this is where we finally get to see them play somewhat meaningful games.
Some rookies will stumble to start their season, while others will blossom from the get-go. Let’s go over some of the rookies I have been watching closely so far.
Jalen Green
Jalen Green is one of those rookies who you just expect to come into the NBA and immediately play well. Green is a natural scorer and he’s shown flashes he should be really good right out of the gates. While other aspects of his game need work, Green is a pure bucket getter.
Green has shown flashes during the preseason, but it’s clear the #2 overall pick is still figuring things out thus far.
First Game
Green’s first game was against the Washington Wizards and it was ok. Green shot just 4/14 from the field and 0/6 from the 3-PT line. His good moments in the game were few and far between, unfortunately.
He had a couple of really nice attacks to the basket and he worked well in the pick and roll. I do think Green shooting 0/6 from 3-PT range is misleading. All of them were semi-open looks and most of them were catch-and-shoot looks. He just failed to convert them, something that won’t happen too often, if I had to guess.
I will say that Green missed a lot of his outside shots short. All of his three-pointers, whether it be off the catch or off the dribble, were short. He also missed one of his pull-up mid-range shots short. That is a little weird considering that Green played in the G-League last season, where they have the same three-point line length as the NBA.
If I were to grade this game, it’d probably be a C. Green had some good moments, but he was nothing special. There are worse ways to start an NBA career.
Second Game
The second game of Jalen Green’s career, a game in Toronto, was a step back in most aspects. He was again inefficient, but the main problem was his 7 turnovers. Yikes. This was by far Green’s worst game of the preseason.
Offensively, he was just 2/6 from the field and 1/5 from 3. He made a few nice moves, including an explosive blow by right to the rim, but Green is still adjusting to those NBA-level defenders who are a lot better than the G-League/Summer League defenders that he is used to.
If you’re a Houston fan, cover your eyes for the next few sentences.
Green’s jump shots just weren’t falling. His four misses from 3-PT land were good looks, he just failed to convert them. But what stood out in this game was the turnovers, 7 of them in this game for Green alone.
A few of them were just Green being out of control. A few were him just forcing stupid passes into traffic. If you watch all 7 turnovers, I can only blame him for 5 of them, which still isn’t good by any means. Green will have to learn to take what the defense gives you instead of forcing passes.
This was a bad 2nd game for Green. Still missing those open shots, but some of those turnovers were just awful. Probably going to have to give him a D- for this game, teetering on the edge of failing.
Third Game
Green’s third preseason game, against the Miami Heat, was probably his best game in the NBA to date. Green finally got some outside shots to go down with consistency and he played a much better all-around game.
Offensively, this was Green’s best game in the preseason by a wide margin. He was 4/9 from the 3-PT line, 6/15 from the field overall, and finished with 20 points and 5 rebounds.
Green again got some good looks from outside and converted them well for the first time all preseason. He made a few deep threes off the catch and got a four-point play. He still missed a few open ones, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Green’s lack of strength showed in this game, however. Green has a slight frame and he struggled to finish at the rim with Bam Adebayo breathing down his neck. That lack of strength will hinder Green’s ability this season. So unless he’s wide open, he will likely get more of his scoring from the perimeter.
Green, who isn’t known for his defense, also had 3 steals in this game. Not too bad.
I would probably give Jalen Green a B- for this game. Hit some outside shots, showed his range, cut down his turnovers, and played some defense. Easily his best overall game from the preseason thus far, something to build on for the start of the regular season.
Overview
Overall, if I’m being honest, Jalen Green was a little underwhelming. I was not incredibly high on him coming out of the draft, but he did seem like the draft pick that was going to produce the most as a rookie. He was excellent in the summer league, but when the competition stepped up in the preseason?
Green shot just 34% from the field and 25% from 3 in his first three preseason games. Not the same production we saw in Las Vegas earlier this summer.
Green did have his moments, however, I wasn’t impressed like I thought I would be when watching his preseason games back.
Davion Mitchell
A lot of people gave the Kings crap for taking Mitchell 9th overall in the draft this past year. The Kings already had so many guards and now they were adding another one? But even with that weird fit, I think Davion Mitchell is a stud. He is a great all-around player and just what the Kings need.
So far in the preseason? Mitchell has displayed why the Kings took him so highly and he’s already made a strong impression on me and my expectations for him in 2022.
First Game
Mitchell’s first game came against the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns. Mitchell played 24 minutes and had an ok debut game at home.
He was 3/8 from the field and finished with just 7 points. But he still made an impact, as shown with his +/- rating of +20. Mitchell hit a few perimeter shots off the dribble. He had a nice pass to Tyrese Haliburton to beat the first-quarter buzzer.
Mitchell also played solid defense as he finished the night with 2 steals and a block. The defensive side of the ball will be Mitchell’s reason to demand playing time, as we all know that the Kings desperately need his defense to try and make ground in the Western Conference.
Davion’s first game was nothing special, but it’s clear that he’s a difference-maker. His box score doesn’t exactly wow you, but he does the little things right. I would give him a solid C+ for this game. Nothing bad, nothing. Something right in the middle.
Second Game
Mitchell’s 2nd game against the Clippers featured some more offense plus that same continued defensive excellence. Mitchell again played 26 minutes off the bench, as it’s clear that the Kings know that Mitchell has to be on the floor for him to make an impact.
Mitchell went 5/9 from the field, 3/3 from the 3-PT line, and finished with 13 points and 4 assists in all. This is the game that I think points to what Mitchell can do on a nightly basis. He hit his outside shots off the dribble – two of them were pull-ups and one of them was a sweet stepback that he made look way too easy.
Mitchell had a few good passes in this game as well. He hit Harrison Barnes in transition, gave Marvin Bagley an easy dunk, and then had a great swing pass to the corner for an open 3 from the opposite side. He’s a really smart player who is unselfish and makes the guys around him better.
Mitchell’s explosive athleticism showed itself a few times in this game. He had a sweet reverse layup from the baseline and another time, he just blew by the whole defense for an easy layup. Mitchell did it all in this game.
Oh, wait. I’m forgetting the defense. He had a great strip on fellow rookie Brandon Boston Jr. and did a pretty good job guarding 7x All-Star Paul George. Not like George is one of the craftiest scorers in the NBA or anything like that.
This game shows why the Kings drafted Mitchell. He can score off the dribble, is a great athlete, a smart player, and his defense helps them greatly. I would give this game an A++ grade. It’s one of the best rookie performances I’ve seen this preseason and this is a good introduction to what Davion Mitchell brings to the table.
Third Game
Mitchell’s third game happened to be against my Blazers. My Blazers were resting all of our important players, but Mitchell still picked us apart with ease.
Mitchell, now in the starting lineup, played a career-high 32 minutes. It’s safe to say that he was productive in those minutes. Mitchell was 7/12 from the field, 6/9 from outside, and finished with 20 points. I’m telling you, this kid is legit.
Mitchell hit his shots with great variety. He continues to hit those pull-up threes with consistency. He hit a few threes off the catch. He had yet another smooth stepback 3-pointer. His jump shot has looked really good in the preseason, something that the Kings are hoping that translates during the season.
Another game with 4 assists for Davion. Had a good skip pass to Mo Harkless in the opposite corner and then found Damian Jones wide open down low for an easy dunk. Mitchell should be able to create for the 2nd unit when he comes in games, similar to Tyrese Haliburton last year.
Mitchell (of course) also had a great defensive play. He shifted down to the corner and intercepted a pass from Larry Nance Jr, who didn’t even see him coming down. Veteran-level instincts from a player who hasn’t officially debuted in the NBA yet. Get ready for more of this in 2022.
Another A game from Mitchell. Efficient on offense with great passes and great shooting. The solid defense continues to be there, but more than anything, it’s clear that the Kings want to play him, which is great. Mitchell is a very impactful player and is somebody who needs 15-20 minutes per game to show his real value.
Overview
Davion Mitchell had one of the best preseasons out of this incoming rookie class. He was efficient, unselfish, and showed off why he deserved to be selected as high as he was in the draft. He played well and should carve out a solid role for himself with the Kings.
Honorable Mentions
Other rookies like Josh Giddey, Joshua Primo, and Bones Hyland have caught my eye, but these are the two main guys I wanted to talk about. But don’t worry, these guys and all other rookies that I haven’t talked about yet will get some attention during the season. I promise.
Interesting Teams
After watching some preseason action, these are some of the teams that I have been paying attention to. Some of them for good reason and others for, not so good reasons. Again, take all of this with a grain of salt. I’m sure most of these will be wrong once the season is underway. I said most, not all, some of these will (unfortunately) become reality for some teams.
The Portland Trail Blazers Continue To Disappoint Me
{Sigh} I know it’s the preseason, but I’m still not optimistic about how my Blazers are looking. I was incredibly disappointed with how our first game against the Warriors went and we had two more games over the past couple of days. I am still not impressed.
Second Game (vs Sacramento Kings)
Now, I’m not going to take a lot away from this game. Portland didn’t play/rest eight of their best players. Dame, CJ, Norman Powell, and Robert Covington all didn’t play in this game. It was mostly the bench guys and some guys who likely aren’t going to play a whole lot during the season. I don’t care that we lost, it’s more about the quality of play that I saw.
Dennis Smith Jr. looks like he’ll be getting some minutes this season. Smith Jr. looked to be a key player for Dallas just a few years ago, but Luka kind of pushed him out and we haven’t heard much of him since. But he played pretty well in the first preseason game and he did similar things in this game.
18 points – 7 assists – 7/9 FG
We need bench depth and as much as I like Anfernee Simons, he’s a pretty one-dimensional player. I think that DSJ can give us some solid minutes off the bench. Speaking of Ant, he was terrible in this game. Was pretty inefficient (1/9 3-PT) against a Kings defense that isn’t good…at defense.
Jusuf Nurkic played 17 minutes in this game. He didn’t do much offensively, mainly because instead of catching pocket passes from Damian Lillard, they were coming from Keljin Blevins. I’m glad that Larry Nance Jr. got to play more minutes in this game. He started alongside Jusuf Nurkic and that was interesting, to say the least.
I want to see him play some minutes when Nurkic isn’t on the floor. I am very intrigued with the idea of him playing center, so I’m hoping that Chauncey Billups does that at some point.
I’m not going to criticize much from this game. We didn’t play anybody, so it’s not worth anything to start roasting a team who was playing, for all intents and purposes, nobodies.
27 turnovers though? Really? There’s no excuse for turnovers, no matter who is playing. I can live with missed shots, but turnovers? That has to stop if we want to win games.
Third Game (against Phoenix Suns)
Yeah…let’s ignore that score, shall we?
Portland Trail Blazers: 74
Phoenix Suns: 119
I think I need to bleach my computer, my eyes, everything after this embarrassment. We played our key guys more and things did go well against the defending Western Conference champions.
The offense was awful, plain and simple. 29% shooting from the field? 6/39 from 3-PT range? 21 MORE turnovers? I get that the defense is supposed to be bad, but if we don’t play good offense, we’re kind of screwed.
Dame was of course the only guy who looked halfway good, but I am starting to get concerned. This is likely our last year to prove to Dame that we deserve his services for the rest of his career? We’re not contenders and does Dame want to deal with this for much longer?
As of right now, I’m leaning towards no. We have one last preseason game on Friday, so I’m hoping for results from that game.
The Los Angeles Lakers Are Off To A…Weird Start
Now, this is a team that I want to roast. Lakers fans have been telling us all that their team is all that but their preseason has been awful. This has caused me to shed tears of joy. Let’s get into this factory of sadness.
Second Game (against Phoenix Suns)
After getting smacked by the Nets (who didn’t even play any of their best players), the Lakers took on the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns. Things also didn’t go that well for the purple and gold.
Lebron and Russell Westbrook didn’t play in this game, so it was mostly a chance for us to see how the Lakers’ new additions would fare. It did not go to plan.
Anthony Davis played 25 minutes but didn’t do much. I know it’s the preseason, but the Lakers need AD to not only be healthy, but assertive. AD shooting 5/14 from the field doesn’t exactly give me a whole lot of confidence that he can be relied upon again.
The role players, other than Malik Monk, were less than ideal;
Talen Horton-Tucker: 3/7 FG
Carmelo Anthony: 4/10 FG
Kendrick Nunn: 5/12 FG
Those three guys shot a combined 12/29 from the field (41%). But like I said, Malik Monk shouldn’t be grouped in with these guys. That’s because he’s really, really good.
Monk shot 7/11 from the field and finished with 18 points off the bench in just 21 minutes. He’s a flamethrower and if I had to guess, he’s probably going to be the Lakers’ best performer off the bench this season.
But, this game wasn’t that impressive. The Suns didn’t have Devin Booker in this game and they still scored at will. The Suns had 7 players in double-figures and shot 44% from the field overall. My biggest takeaways from this game are pretty simple;
- Anthony Davis needs to soft being soft
- The role players have to be better
With that in mind, let’s see how the Lakers did in their third preseason game.
Third Game (against Golden State)
In the Lakers’ 3rd preseason game, the Lebron James and Russell Westbrook duo made their first appearance in the purple and gold. Things weren’t exactly ideal.
Lebron went 4/12 from the field and finished with just 9 points. Unlike most things with the Lakers, I am not worried about Lebron. When healthy, he’ll be ready for the playoffs. But the rest of the team? They need to step things up.
I’m looking at you, Russell Westbrook. In Westbrook’s first game as a Laker, he was pretty abysmal;
2 points – 1/7 FG – 6 TO – 17 minutes
I guess he’s productive? But it’s productive in the worst possible way. Westbrook made some poor decisions, to say the least, and I can’t say I’m surprised. His fit with the rest of the Lakers is terrible and he’s not a winning basketball player. This kind of performance is normal for Westbrook, given his track record.
Other than Horton-Tucker off the bench, the role players couldn’t hit shots. Guys like Bazemore, Carmelo, and Kendrick Nunn continued to struggle from outside and when they aren’t scoring, they don’t contribute much else.
The defense again struggled to contain a Western Conference foe. The duo of Steph Curry + Jordan Poole combined for 58 points, reigning in nine three-pointers down in the process. Again, I am aware that it is the preseason. But, I haven’t been impressed with their defense thus far.
Although to be fair, the Lakers’ defense is always good. I haven’t been impressed with the defense but I would have to lean towards them having an elite defense again.
With this loss, the Lakers moved to 0-3 in the preseason. Certainly, things can’t get worse, right? Just wait for it.
Fourth Game (against Phoenix Suns)
Since the Lakers had already played the Suns, you would expect better results from them. Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis were in the lineup, so I mean, it wasn’t as if nobody was playing. This is a game the Lakers should have won.
Instead, they played awful on both sides of the ball and got destroyed by another balanced Suns attack.
Anthony Davis struggled to shoot again, just 5/12 from the field in 27 minutes. Again, AD is not exactly giving me the vibes that he’s out for blood this season. Instead, it seems he’s just out for papercuts.
Russell Westbrook was again (unsurprisingly) awful. 3/12 from the field and he finished with more turnovers (9) than points (8). Amazingly, people thought that Westbrook would fit well with the Lakers. Those people are very wrong, as Westbrook continues to look out of place.
The bench outside of Carmelo Anthony wasn’t very good. Malik Monk was out, Kent Bazemore and Kendrick Nunn didn’t do anything, the shooting all-around (38% FG) wasn’t very good as the Lakers offense has looked very shaky here to start the season. The offense has been weak around the Lebron + AD duo the last two seasons and the same may be true today.
Adding Insult To Injury (literally)
The Lakers lost to the Warriors again a few nights ago, this time with their whole big 3 playing and with the Warriors playing mostly backups. This of course meant that Westbrook played poorly, the reserves were less than ideal, and the Lakers fell to 0-5 in the preseason. Nice.
The Lakers’ offense has looked sloppy, out of sync, and dysfunctional thus far. AD hasn’t looked that great, the shooting remains a problem, and god, Russell Westbrook sucks (more of that later).
And now, to make things better, everybody’s favorite, injuries!
Trevor Ariza is supposed to miss two months with an ankle injury that required surgery. Already lost one of their best wing players. Talen Horton-Tucker, one of their better bench pieces, tears some ligaments in his thumb and will miss at least a month. This team is cursed.
I don’t think the Lakers are that good. They still have so many problems and I find it hard to believe that they can turn things around without major changes. I like the Suns, the healthy Nuggets, and the healthy Clippers more than I do the Lakers. Not to mention teams with upside like Dallas, Utah, and Golden State that help make the Western Conference such a tough conference.
This preseason has been incredibly disappointing for the Lakers, who have just as many problems as when they started their preseason action.
The Best of the Best & The Worst of the Worst™
(Yes, I am trademarking this. What are you going to do about it?)
In this section, I will be talking about individual players that have stood out to me so far this preseason. Some players have come into 2022 guns blazing, while others haven’t gotten off to the best of starts yet.
Again, I’m not saying these players will perform like this during the season. Take all of this praise/criticism with a grain of salt.
OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby had a breakout 2021 season. He remained a great defender but he became a much better shooter and all-around offensive player. With what we’ve seen so far in the preseason, it’s not a stretch to think that OG might have gotten even better.
In 4 preseason games, Anunoby has looked very impressive;
19.2 points – 1.2 steals – 52% FG – 54% 3-PT – 92% FT – 25.1 MPG
Anunoby has been doing it all this preseason. He has been incredibly efficient from distance thus far, shooting a scorching 54% from 3 on six attempts per contest. But the thing I am most excited about is OG’s newfound aggressiveness.
Last season, he shot 102 free throws in 43 games. In 4 preseason games, he’s already shot 13 free throws. If Anunoby played 43 games again, it would mean he would shoot around 138 free throws instead of 102. It’s a good sign that he’s getting more aggressive and getting more comfortable with going off the dribble.
Anunoby should continue to grow in 2022 and have another superb season on both ends. Expect another great all-around season from OG.
Russell Westbrook
But this was just through Westbrick’s first two preseason games. Let’s add in that 3rd game, shall we?
Russell Westbrook In The 2021 NBA Preseason (3 Games);
7/28 shooting (25%)
20 turnovers (6.67 per game)
70 minutes (23.3 MPG)
I don’t need to talk about these numbers anymore. Russell Westbrook has gone beyond the realm of bad adjectives. There isn’t a word to describe how bad he is, so I will not even try to.
Tyler Herro
Tyler Herro was incredibly disappointing in 2021. After shining in the bubble, Herro got the ball more in 2021 and was awful. He was inefficient offensively and he didn’t come through off the bench like the Heat needed him to.
Herro heard all the criticism this offseason and he has come out guns blazing this preseason. He also became a father and we know that always gives players extra motivation. Wherever Herro’s motivation is coming from, it’s working.
So far in the preseason, we have seen Bubble Herro reemerge. A player with all the confidence/swagger in the world and can just score in bunches. In 4 preseason games this season, Tyler Herro has been going off;
Tyler Herro 2021 NBA Preseason (4 games);
20.8 points – 48% FG – 35% 3-PT
Herro’s efficiencies are considerably better than what they were in 2021 and he just looks like a player who has turned the page from last season.
One thing I love from Herro this preseason is his aggressiveness. When he catches the ball, he’s looking to attack. He’s added a really good-looking floater from the paint and he has done a great job at just getting by his initial defender. It’s as if the weight of the world has been lifted from his shoulders.
If the Heat use Herro more as a scorer than a ball-handler, he should be in for a big 2022 campaign. He has all the talent in the world and if Miami uses him right, he could bring a great scoring punch off the bench.
Trey Murphy III
Finally, a Pelicans draft pick that pans out. I loved Trey Murphy III coming out of Virginia as a wing who could stretch the floor. He has proved me right thus far with a great preseason. While Murphy isn’t flashy, he provides exactly what the Pelicans so desperately need. Shooting.
Trey Murphy III 2021 NBA Preseason (4 games);
17.5 points – 6.5 rebounds – 53% 3-PT – 29.5 MPG
There are a lot of takeaways from Murphy thus far and I have a few. It’s good to see him getting playing time early on. Willie Green sees the talent and also notices the shooting that Murphy brings to the table. But that shooting? Man oh man can this kid shoot the ball.
Not to mention that he’s shooting better than 50% from 3 on 8 attempts per game, which is elite production on a high volume of shots. He is an elite shooter off the catch, particularly from the corners. His release is quick and compact. He doesn’t offer you much inside the arc, but I don’t think the Pelicans mind.
He was excellent in the preseason and should provide Zion Williamson some elite floor spacing. Expect a really good season for Trey Murphy III.
Franz Wagner
With the 8th pick in the draft, the Magic used their second top-10 pick on Franz Wagner. Wagner is an interesting player. He was one of the younger players in the draft, but he had experience playing overseas and for a powerhouse Michigan team in 2021.
He was a great help defender and passer and he seemed like a versatile tool player who could fill a lot of holes for the Magic, a team that was looking for identity-building players. The preseason has not been a strong showing for Wagner, to say the least.
In 4 games with good playing time in each game, Franz Wagner has not been good;
4.5 points – 26% FG – 29% 3-PT
This is somewhat surprising. Even though Wagner is just 20 years old, he has played overseas before. I definitely expected his jump to the NBA to be a lot smoother because of that and obviously, that hasn’t been true thus far.
But, I do think Wagner has been better than his numbers suggest. In his last two preseason games, he scored 17 points. He had five 4th quarter points to help the Magic comeback against the Celtics. Wagner does a lot of the little things right and it just doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.
Jamahl Mosley, the Magic’s rookie head coach, hasn’t let this kind of stuff go unnoticed;
What Franz does is one of those things that isn’t going to show up on the stat sheets. He is switching onto smaller guards and sitting down and guarding them. I think that there are so many things that he does that his teammates recognize so they know how important he is for them on the floor.
Yes, Wagner’s stat line looks pretty awful. Most people would be calling him a bust right about now, but there is always going to be players who have value regardless of what a box score says. Wagner is a great overhang defender and he’s looked pretty good up to this point. The offense needs work all-around, but I do think in time, Wagner should turn out to be a great player for Orland.
Marcus Smart
This offseason, Marcus Smart and the Celtics agreed to a 4 year / $77 million dollar extension, keeping him in Boston for the next five years in total. Smart’s 2021 campaign didn’t seem to deserve him the money, but the Celtics are hoping they can get a few more All-Defensive seasons from Smart.
With Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier gone, not only will Smart have to step up defensively, but he’ll likely have to be that 3rd scorer in the starting lineup next to Tatum and Brown.
But, albeit in just two games, Smart has not looked the part.
Marcus Smart 2021 NBA Preseason (2 Games);
6.5 points – 31% FG – 20% 3-PT
{Looks at contract extension}
That type of production isn’t exactly $77 million, in case that wasn’t obvious. Now, I’m not going to call the extension bad just yet. Smart is definitely a player who has so much value just by being on the floor. I just think he needs to shoot well, not take away shots from their two All-Stars, and play that hard-nosed defense that he has perfected over the past seasons.
Staying on the floor will be the most impor-
{Looks at contract extension}
What Are Some Of Your Preseason Overreactions? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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