The new season is menacing, the NBA trend has gone, and many dark horse teams have appeared, such as the Timberwolves, the No. 1 team in the West, with a 14-4 record, which depends on more than just luck. Their defensive efficiency is the best in the entire league, which is not a boast, it is supported by real statistics. The Thunder is also a bright existence, sitting in the top three positions in the West, the top seven in the league in offense and defense, and the team's core Alexander, who is averaging 30 per game6 points, 6 rebounds, 61 assist, expected to compete for MVP. In the East, the Magic also performed well defensively, with a 13-5 record second only to the Celtics, completing a gorgeous counterattack.
In this season, some old giants have fallen into a quagmire, and the Lakers have struggled because of the instability of thick eyebrowsThe Suns are out of the game because of Beal's long-term absence, and Durant and Booker are also injured one after another, and the situation is worryingThe Warriors have to see if Klay can play normally, and the Clippers are the worst, and the Big Four can't make up a point that can stabilize the average output of 25 points per game.
As veterans such as James, Durant, and Curry gradually age, the new generation of the league has quickly emerged, and players like Antetokounmpo and Jokic who have led the team to win championships, as well as the combination of Tatum Brown and Doncic's performance, have left a deep impression. In addition to the Thunder, the Rockets also firmly secured the mid-Western Conference position with excellent defensive efficiency.
This summer, the Spurs emerged as the biggest winner, successfully signing Wembanyama, who has been hailed as the most talented champion in NBA history. However, so far in the new season, the Spurs' record is 3-15, and a wave of 13 consecutive defeats is embarrassing, and even Popovich shook his head and sighed.
Wembanyama is known as the strongest champion in history, but what about the strongest?The rookie season averaged 19 points per game and 95 rebounds 25 assists 27 caps, the data seems to be not inferior to Duncan, but it is obviously too much water. With a two-point shooting rate of only 43%+26%, his low-post singles are not very efficient, and his finishing methods are more projection, which is not consistent in comparison.
The Spurs lacked a player who could feed Wembanyama with shells, which became a clear shortcoming in the game. The Pistons were equally desperate, with a stunning start to the first three games, but then a 16-game losing streak put the team back to square one.
All statistics are almost at the bottom, and the offensive efficiency, defensive efficiency, scoring, and turnovers are all worrying. Cunningham has some impressive stats, but his shooting percentage and turnovers are worrying, and he hasn't been as good as the rest of his class.
The last time Popovich started 3-15 with the Spurs was back in the '96-97 season, when David Robinson was injured and Bob Hill was fired and Popovich took over. His first step was to lead the team to a bad swing, and in the summer of '97, the Spurs drafted Duncan with the No. 1 pick, and the rookie had an impressive season, leading the team to a 56-win record and quickly rising to prominence. Wembanyama's performance, while not inferior to Duncan's, is questionable in his ways, inconsistent in his projection and problematic in his defensive Xi, which has led Popovich to praise his talent but never praise his style of play.
The Pistons are even more desperate, despite the likes of Cunningham, but the team's overall performance is worrying, and the team's rebuilding prospects are rather bleak. In addition, the Pistons also spent a lot of money to sign former Suns coach Monty, but they fell into internal contradictions, and the team's state was even worse.
The 30 teams in the NBA are all talented, but the process of realizing talent is extremely complicated. If you want to get good results, the first prerequisite is to have a good defense. Wembanyama may be hailed as the top spot, but his performance will still need time to test. The rise of the two bastard teams, the Spurs and the Pistons, has already ignited the fire of competition for the top pick.
This season's NBA is undoubtedly magnificent, but behind the seemingly chaotic is a contest of talent and strength.