The NBA season is formally underway, and whereas it’s nonetheless very early, some squads have stumbled out of the gate. Although a few wins can rapidly change the narrative, these squads have raised some eyebrows with their underwhelming performances within the opening week.
Listed below are three groups whose inventory has dropped after the primary week of the season.
Milwaukee Bucks
After 4 video games, the Bucks discover themselves at a regarding 1-3, marked by troubling losses to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. Similar to final season, their perimeter protection stays lackluster and disjointed. Beginning guards Damian Lillard and Gary Trent Jr. have struggled to include opposing scorers. The Bulls’ Coby White and Zach LaVine mixed for 60 factors, whereas Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder put up 61 for the Nets, adopted by the Celtics’ Payton Pritchard draining 8-of-12 three-pointers en route to twenty-eight factors.
The Bucks presently sit at twenty sixth within the NBA in Defensive Score, permitting 119.0 factors per recreation — a worrisome statistic with no fast repair in sight for head coach Doc Rivers. Lillard and Trent Jr. have traditionally struggled with protection, and though Khris Middleton’s eventual return might present some assist, he’s now 33 years outdated and recovering from two offseason ankle surgical procedures, making him a much less reliable choice.
With the Bulls and Hawks trying notably improved this yr, Milwaukee’s porous protection leaves them at actual threat of falling out of the Jap Convention’s high six, forcing it to take care of a play-in spot.
Denver Nuggets
After the Lakers claimed the 2019-20 championship, they stumbled to an early playoff exit the next season, prompting staff president Rob Pelinka to commerce Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — together with Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and a first-round decide — for Russell Westbrook, a transfer supported by LeBron James. The Lakers endured one-and-a-half seasons of turmoil earlier than ultimately offloading Westbrook to the Utah Jazz.
Quick ahead to the Nuggets, who received the 2022-23 title solely to face the same destiny: an early postseason exit the next yr. This offseason, Denver let Caldwell-Pope stroll, and identical to James, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic advocated for the staff to herald Westbrook as his substitute.
Nobody’s suggesting the Nuggets will miss the playoffs just like the Lakers did after their title run — although something is feasible within the extremely deep Western Convention. Nonetheless, Denver has appeared out of sync within the season’s first week. It was dismantled, 102-87, on opening night time at residence by the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, adopted by a 109-104 loss to the L.A. Clippers. In its third recreation, it discovered themselves down by 9 with simply three minutes left towards the rebuilding Toronto Raptors earlier than scraping out an time beyond regulation victory.
Heading into their fourth contest towards the Nets, the Nuggets’ bench ranks twenty ninth within the league, averaging solely 17.0 factors per recreation. Westbrook has struggled mightily, taking pictures 20.0% from the sector, and Denver has been a staggering 27.8 factors per 100 possessions worse with him on the ground.
Jamal Murray, nonetheless showing a step gradual after a difficult Olympic stint, has had problem creating separation, hitting simply 36.2% from the sector. In the meantime, Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun have additionally faltered, with Porter connecting on solely 20.0% from deep and Braun taking pictures 25.0% from past the arc.
Whereas Denver’s taking pictures woes are seemingly momentary, its bench stays a severe concern. Except there’s a big enchancment of their reserves’ efficiency, the Nuggets’ starters will likely be compelled to hold a heavy burden all through the season, which could show unsustainable.
Indiana Pacers
After an Jap Convention Finals look, the Pacers aimed to construct on final season’s success however have stumbled to a 1-3 begin. Two-time All-Star, Tyrese Haliburton, has struggled to seek out his rhythm, averaging simply 14.0 factors on 33.9% taking pictures from the sector and solely 5.3 assists per recreation — effectively under his typical output.
Oddly, a staff recognized for its breakneck pace (second in tempo final season at 101.7) now appears uncharacteristically sluggish, rating twenty seventh in tempo and failing to run opponents into the bottom as they did final yr.
The Pacers’ protection has been equally shaky, permitting 117.3 factors per recreation — twenty second within the league — whereas displaying minimal resistance on the rim and conceding an alarming 13.5 offensive rebounds per recreation. Though Indiana wasn’t anticipated to be a defensive powerhouse, their present rating of twenty third in Defensive Score highlights simply how far they’re from even satisfactory protection.
Wanting forward, issues received’t get any simpler for Indiana, with robust matchups towards the Celtics, Pelicans, Mavericks and Magic on the horizon. If it will possibly’t resolve their points on each ends of the ground, it is at severe threat of beginning the season with a 1-7 file.
