For the first time in NBA history, we will have an in-season tournament, which provides an opportunity for all 30 teams to compete for cash and another piece of silverware besides the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Think of it as their version of the Champions League in football, where they are divided into groups and the top teams will compete in the knockout stages, except that the accumulated wins, losses, and stats will also count toward the ongoing regular season.
The Pacers, Bucks, Heat, Nets, Warriors, Nuggets, and Blazers have gotten off to a good start, as they’ve won their first-ever in-season tournament matches, and there will be more games to come this week.
In case you missed it, worry not, as we are here to review some of the biggest takeaways lately in the Association.
Curry ageing like fine wine
As of this writing, the four-time NBA champion is putting up impressive norms of 30.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 55-per cent shooting from the field.
After becoming the all-time three-pointers made king last season, the 35-year-old achieved yet another huge milestone that further solidified his GOAT shooter status.
In their victory against the Pelicans on Wednesday, Curry became the first player in NBA history to make a three-pointer in 250 straight regular season games.
Curry continued his rampage on Friday, where he guided the Warriors to a pulsating 141-139 win against the Thunder in his in-season tournament debut.
He recorded 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and made five three-pointers, but his most important highlight was his game-winning floater with two tenths of a second remaining.
Curry’s final layup was initially ruled no good because of offencive goaltending call against Draymond Green, but the call was overturned in the Warriors’ favour.
With Curry leading the way, the Warriors have improved to a 5-1 record, which is the best mark in the Western Conference right now.
Lillard looking more his usual self
The Bucks made a huge bet on themselves when they essentially traded Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard to give Giannis Antetokounmpo the running mate that he needs.
With the former Blazer in tow, the Bucks have a mixed bag of NBA 2023 results. In their two losses, their once-vaunted defence was seemingly nonexistent (a consequence of the Lillard acquisition) because they conceded an average of 128.5 points per game against the Raptors and the Hawks.
And what made it worse is that, during their up-and-down stretch, Lillard has been inefficient from the field. After his 39-point explosion in his Bucks debut against the Sixers, the 33-year-old sharpshooter shot a combined 13-for-35 from the field for a total of 46 points.
So, when Lillard led Milwaukee to a 110-105 win against New York to kick off their in-season tournament campaign, all seemed right in the world again. Lillard recorded 30 points on a respectable 46-per cent shooting from the field, and he also had four rebounds and four assists.
He went toe-to-toe with Jalen Brunson, who had 45 points, and made big shots down the stretch, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:03 left, to outlast their Eastern Conference rivals at home.
The hope for the fans in Milwaukee is that the Bucks will find their consistency as the season goes along.
Even Lillard himself admitted that there will be growing pains, but that doesn’t discount the fact that they are one of the top title contenders this year, based on the NBA 2023 odds.
Grizzlies still searching for first win
In their in-season tournament debut, the Grizzlies almost ended their losing streak when they had a 10-point lead with 3:21 left in regulation.
However, the young Blazers chipped away, and Shaedon Sharpe knocked down a pair of free throws and blocked Luke Kennard’s game-winning triple to send the game to overtime.
Sharpe made a step-back three to give the Blazers the lead for good with 1:17 left in overtime, and Jerami Grant’s three-point shot with 39.1 seconds left dealt Memphis their sixth consecutive loss.
Here at SBOTOP, we asked whether not having Ja Morant, who is suspended, in the lineup is sustainable for Memphis in the long run, and the answer is a resounding no.
Injuries to their key players and Tyus Jones’ departure have played a role in their struggles, and summer acquisition Marcus Smart hasn’t been able to match the offencive output of Morant thus far.
It’s hard to believe that the Grizzlies are technically the worst team in the NBA right now, especially after they had a deep playoff run last season.
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