Miami Heat
Observation: Miami’s defense is LEGIT
The Miami Heat has always been one of the better defensive teams in the league under head coach Erik Spoelstra, but this year’s team has a chance to be historically good. Not only did they return almost all of their key talents from last year’s team, but the Heat added two of the best on-ball defenders in the league in P.J. Tucker and All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry.
With Bam Adebayo continuing to evolve as an all-around menace at the center position, Jimmy Butler still being one of the best wing defenders in the league, and Tyler Herro emerging as a possible Most Improved Player this season, everything is trending in the right direction for this Miami team that annihilated the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks 137-95 in their home opener Thursday night.
Granted the Bucks were without several key players, including the likes of Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday, they still got overrun by a much more prepared Heat team that did not let their opponents get in any sort of groove offensively.
As soon as the Bucks looked to pass, the Heat was swarming to the ball and playing such suffocating defense. If they can do this throughout the course of the regular season and not just in big games, the Heat absolutely have a chance to avenge their first-round sweep last season and possibly make it back to the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons.
Milwaukee Bucks
Observation: Milwaukee needs Jrue Holiday on the floor and healthy to be successful
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the entire league and Khris Middleton has emerged as one of the best scoring wings in the league, but Jrue Holiday may be the most important player on this Bucks roster because of everything he does. Not only does Holiday take on the responsibility of being the primary facilitator for Milwaukee, but he is their best wing defender.
The Bucks winning a title last season in the first year Jrue Holiday was there definitely was not a coincidence and while the main reason they won was because of Giannis’ video-game-like numbers in the NBA Finals, Holiday was the glue to their defense.
Dealing with several injuries, it was expected that Milwaukee was going to drop their second game of the season to Miami, but just look at what they did in their first game against the Brooklyn Nets!
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They hammered the Nets on the offensive end of the floor and after shooting 38.9% from three-point range as a team last season, which was 5th best in the league, they may be an even better three-point shooting team this year.
Grayson Allen, Jordan Nwora, George Hill, and Pat Connaughton are all potentially 40% three-point shooters this team could have to work with off-the-bench, which is why the Milwaukee Bucks are still the “team to beat” in the Eastern Conference.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Observation: If they stay healthy, Minnesota will be competitive in the Western Conference
They are still missing some pieces on their roster to be a solidified playoff contender, but the Minnesota Timberwolves definitely have a chance to be special this year.
Having just one winning season and one playoff appearance since the start of the 2005-06 season is not too reassuring for what has been one of the “bottom-feeders” of the league over the years, but this year’s Timberwolves team has the talent to be competitive in the Western Conference.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell are all high-level offensive talents that make up this team’s “Big 3” and they got much better defensively in the offseason with the additions and progression of Patrick Beverley, Taurean Prince, and Jaden McDaniels.
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They beat the Houston Rockets in their only game so far this season, which is not as impressive as this would have sounded two or three seasons ago, but keep an eye on the T-Wolves this year because they may actually be able to fight for a playoff spot via the play-in tournament.
New Orleans Pelicans
Observation: Nickeil Alexander-Walker is in for a big season in NOLA
They may have lost by 20 on their home court in their season opener, but the New Orleans Pelicans are going to be a really good basketball team this year. The additions of Devonte’ Graham and Jonas Valanciunas will help them on the offensive end of the floor, Zion Williamson returning in a few weeks will boost their offense more and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is going to have a breakout season.
Starting on the wing, Alexander-Walker finished with 23 points on 9-16 shooting against the Philadelphia 76ers and was his team’s second-leading sorcerer behind All-Star Brandon Ingram, who scored 25 points. Nickeil Alexander-Walker took the second-most shots on the Pelicans on opening night for them and his performance should not be surprising.
The young combo-guard finished last season averaging 17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and shot 35.4% from three-point range in his final eight games and he was once again a scoring machine in the preseason for New Orleans.
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We know what to expect from scorers like Ingram, Williamson, and Graham on this Pelicans’ roster, but in order for them to be a playoff team, Alexander-Walker is going to have to continue to transcend into one of their better scoring weapons on the wing.
New York Knicks
Observation: Madison Square Garden is the best home court advantage in the NBA in big games
The Celtics-Knicks double-overtime game had a playoff-like atmosphere to it because of how great the crowd in Madison Square Garden was. No matter the score, Knicks fans were always on their feet, and in the fourth quarter, the arena was as loud as it could possibly be. The New York Knicks are back and this is a great thing for the NBA because of the environment this creates in MSG.
The Utah Jazz may have had the best home record in the league over the years and have their own home-court advantage, but there is no better place to play in the NBA than in Madison Square Garden and when the Knicks are playing well, this place is electric! Coming away with the season-opening win for the Knicks is a big deal, especially because of all the time they spent investing in key offensive additions to this team.
Kemba Walker was decent for New York against his former team, but it was Evan Fournier who stole the show, scoring 32 points for the game, 17 of which came in the fourth quarter or overtime. All-Star Julius Randle was also huge for this team, putting up a near triple-double with 35 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.
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This Knicks team is just as good defensively as they were a season ago and they are better offensively, which is why they are a sneaky contender in the Eastern Conference, especially if every home game is going to feel like a playoff game!
