The NBA regular season is set to tip-off within the next month. Teams are ramping up their training camps and play their preseason games to get into game shape. In what could transpire as the new era of the NBA where anyone can win it all, the 2019 NBA preseason has been anything but boring so far.
Early Takeaways from the 2019 NBA Preseason
A Big Decision by the Houston Rockets
In the wake of the comments of Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey and owner Tilman Fertitta in regards to the China-Hong Kong conflict, the team and the NBA will need to collectively make a big decision. There are a lot of moving parts in the issue: China encompassing a big chunk of the NBA’s revenue, political backlash against the Rockets, and the first major problem Adam Silver needs to address in his tenure as commissioner. Not all parties will be happy with the end result in this but the whole issue is unnecessary drama for a team who has recently acquired Russell Westbrook with championship aspirations.
Indiana Pacers: Sleepers No More
Many have said to not put too much value on the results in the pre-season. The Indiana Pacers, however, look revitalized as a team with new pieces fitting in. They have started the pre-season with back-to-back wins over the Sacramento Kings in India. Malcolm Brogdon looks to be their combo guard and the glue guy for the starters. Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis may have finally found a way to play well together. Lastly, T.J. Warren has been a surprise acquisition for the team posting 30 points and 5 rebounds once. Victor Oladipo will look to put the team over the hump when they need him the most—the Playoffs. They have shown thus far that they can survive without him; the question is for how long?
Portland Trailblazers Against Load Management
C.J. McCollum recently commented on load management in an interview.
“The race in the Western Conference is extremely tight. I don’t know if we can afford to ‘Kawhi Leonard‘ it, so to speak. You’ll Kawhi your way out of the playoffs,” McCollum said.
Terry Stotts has been known for playing his stars for as long as they can play while managing their minutes well. Damian Lillard has been known as well to be one of the healthiest stars in the league playing 95 percent of his games and only sitting out two games last year before the playoffs started. The Portland Trail Blazers will certainly need every edge they can get in a Western Conference where a game will either mean a third or seventh seed. This is music to the ears of fantasy managers who own Blazers players as they can trust them to be fielded as much as possible.
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