5 Biggest Storylines 1 Week Into the NBA Season

We are a little over a week into the NBA season and several storylines have already developed. Obviously, at this point in the year no team is out of playoff contention and no team has secured their post season position. But some teams are trending in the right direction while others need to right the ship sooner than later. With that in mind, I am going to rank the top five storylines after a week of games.

1.)   Joel Embiid and Paul George have yet to Play a Game

The Philadelphia 76ers are 1-2 at the time of this writing. Neither Embiid nor George are scheduled to play against the Detroit Pistons at home on Wednesday, 10/30.  While Tyrese Maxey has carried the scoring load and Andre Drummond – one of my favorite FA signings – has cleaned the glass, Philadelphia has come out of the gates slowly. That is not a surprise given the lack of participation from two of their stars.

George is trending to return to his former self once fully recovered from a knee bone bruise suffered during the preseason. I think the bigger concern is that Embiid does not believe he will play in back-to-backs. Not just this year, but for the rest of his career. In terms of what that would mean this season, Embiid would sit 15 games by not participating in the second game of a back-to-back. That would be in addition to at least the first four games of the year.

Yes, he is one of the best five players in the league when healthy. But if Embiid only plays approximately 60 games (this might be generous) every season, how valuable is that? I am sure you can ask LA Clippers fans about how they feel concerning the availability of Kawhi Leonard, and to some extent George. Of course, what matters the most is his health once the playoffs roll around.

That has not been as much of an issue for Embiid. He has played in 26/30 (86.7%) playoff games over the last three years. But Embiid, George, and Maxey will need to be on the floor together enough to create some sort of chemistry as they set their sights on a potential NBA Championship. If this team slips too far down the standings in their absence (not super likely), Maxey gets grinded down trying to carry the load (sort of likely), and injuries persist (most likely) then the 76ers may be exiting in the second round of the playoffs once again.

2.)   Dejounte Murray Fracturing His Left Hand

Murray faces a four-to-six-week recovery timetable post successful surgery earlier this week. That is encouraging for him and for the New Orleans Pelicans. But much like Philadelphia, his absence has a ripple effect for a team that already seems like a glass canon. If health is one of the biggest driving factors behind whether a team reaches their potential or not, then New Orleans fans will be holding their breath for the next several months.

While Zion Williamson’s health seems to always be a question, the good news for Pelicans fans is that it is unlikely to stick with Murray. He has been durable over the course of his career. The issue here is that the Western Conference is a blood bath. New Orleans is going to need to find some type of cohesion on the court over the course of the season. The arrival of Murray, the departure of Jonas Valanciunas, and the shaky health of Williamson dictate that.

Their schedule is very easy to start the year, but they have not capitalized on that through three games. On the plus side, Murray will return when things start to get a little more challenging. On the other hand, who knows what state the Pelicans will be in at that point, and could it potentially be too little too late?

3.)   Are the Boston Celtics Going to Win 70 Games?

Let us move to a more uplifting storyline. Boston is 4-0 and has already vanquished the New York Knicks (132-109) and the Milwaukee Bucks (119-108), two of the teams that are considered challengers to the Celtics spot a top the Eastern Conference. Yes, it is the beginning of the season. But I did not come away from either of those games thinking that those teams can beat Boston in a best of seven series. It is not going to happen, barring an injury to the Celtics.

Jayson Tatum is on a mission after logging DNPs during the Olympics this past summer. Jaylen Brown is feeling slighted because he was not asked to join that team. Derrick White is now a lethal sharpshooter from deep – 39.4% on three-pointers on a whopping 8.3 attempts per game – and Jrue Holiday has retained his spot as one of the best on-ball defenders in the league.

It is certainly worth noting that Boston is off to a hot start without Kristaps Porzingis – recovering from foot surgery – who is due back in December. They have also missed Sam Hauser – a key depth piece – during the last three games as he battles lower back pain. But that has provided more shot opportunities for Payton Pritchard, and it appears that Xavier Tillman is more comfortable in his role as he was able to start the year wearing the Celtics green and white.

Boston is going to lose a game at some point. But their schedule through the end of November looks very favorable. They could always drop one of the away games against the Charlotte Hornets (back-to-back in early November), but this team does not seem like they want to take any nights off. Perhaps the Minnesota Timberwolves will challenge them at the end of November, but it looks like we will be seeing a streak of wins for the Celtics to start the season.

4.)   Are the LA Lakers a Serious Contender?

Yes, the Lakers squandered an 18-point lead on Monday which allowed the Phoenix Suns to hand them their first loss of the year. However, they also were down 15 points to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday and came back to beat them, powered by a triple double by LeBron James. But it is not just James that is contributing.

Anthony Davis looks like a top five player after starting the season inferno hot. Rui Hachimura looks very comfortable in his role and Austin Reaves appears to have taken another step towards becoming a legit third option on a title contending team. Even if James takes a dip (finally) in the scoring department (20ppg through four games), there is a good chance that D’Angelo Russell gets back on track to balance that out.

Of course, the Lakers are going to need a little more from their bench. A lot of that hinges on Jaxson Hayes providing front court depth and Gabe Vincent recapturing the form he had as a member of the Miami Heat. If rookie Dalton Knecht can continue to shoot the ball well from the outside – 38.5% on triples through four games – while also making plays for teammates off a live dribble, that would be a big boon for the team.

I still think the Western Conference runs through the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, likely in that order, but the Lakers look like a team that could disrupt that hierarchy should they remain healthy. Of course, they probably need to avoid the Denver Nuggets. Although, with JJ Redick now at the helm and seemingly far more invested in the X’s and O’s than Darvin Ham ever was, perhaps that is no longer the same hurdle it once was.

5.)   Lonzo Ball Returns to the Court

Is there a more positive story to end on? I think not. After missing nearly three calendar years (last played January 2022) of professional basketball, Ball made his long-anticipated return when the Chicago Bulls opened their season on the road against New Orleans on Wednesday, 10/23. While still shaking off rust through three games, he has contributed 4.7ppg and 3.7apg while averaging just one turnover per game.

Unfortunately, Ball is going to be sidelined for at least 10 days due to a right wrist sprain that he suffered in Chicago’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. That certainly was not what he or the Bulls were hoping for but at least this does not seem to be a long-term issue. Despite missing nearly three years of basketball, Ball just turned 27-years-old on Sunday. There is still a lot of basketball ahead of him.

Chicago is not looking to contend in the Eastern Conference this season. They seem to be building around a core of Coby White, Patrick Williams, and the recently acquired Josh Giddey. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic will be included in a lot of rumors leading up to the trade deadline. Ball may or may not be in the Bull’s long-term plans but the fact he is able to play basketball again is something everyone should appreciate.