At the beginning of an NBA season, it is difficult not to make way too early overreactions. After all, the small sample size that is the first week of the season also happens to be the entire sample. So while I would normally suggest holding your overreactions for at least a few more weeks, forget it. This year we’re going to ignore logical thinking and overreact away. LeBron James missed a layup, is he washed? Damion Lee made a game-winning three, is he the next Steph Curry? Let’s take a look at some week one early overreactions.
Way Too Early Overreactions
Are the Golden State Warriors bad? Again?
The NBA did the Golden State Warriors absolutely no favors. The Warriors got to play probably the two best teams in the east, on the road, to start their new season. Naturally, they got blown out. When you are a mediocre team like the Warriors, you’re bound to look bad against the elite teams. However, the Chicago Bulls game is what should deeply concern fans in the Bay Area. The Bulls have looked like the worst team in basketball through one week and it took a game-winning three to beat them? The Warriors should have been a team on the level of the Pheonix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, or Memphis Grizzlies and instead, look to be a team on the level of the New York Knicks. Yikes
The Cleveland Cavaliers are Elite
Three games in and the Cleveland Cavaliers are at the top of the east. Just like everyone expected. Their young backcourt of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton (affectionately dubbed, Sexland) has been phenomenal. All-star level, even. Garland has averaged 19 points, 8.3 assists and already has more win shares through three games than he did all of last season. Sexton has been even better, scoring at an absurd rate with a 27 point per game average while shooting a scorching 59 percent from the field. Through one week, this has been the best backcourt in the league.
Christian Wood is a Superstar
While some of the other way too early overreactions are based on as many as three games, Houston Rockets center Christian Wood has played just one. Against a poor defensive team at that. But so what? Wood scored 31 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and shot a blistering 64 percent from the field. James Harden has never had a teammate like Wood. A legit big man who can shoot, score off the dribble, and catch alley-oops in the paint. He’s an offensive stud who will put up huge numbers as long as Harden stays in Houston to feed him the ball.
Domantas Sabonis is the Best Big in the East
Pacers big man, Domantas Sabonis has been nothing short of spectacular this season. He has led the Indiana Pacers to an undefeated record, including a win against Boston in which Sabonis hit the game-clinching layup. He has averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. If that holds for the whole season he will become just the third player to ever do so, joining Hall-of-Famers Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain in that exclusive club.
Yes, there’s a good chance every one of these way too early overreactions flames out as soon as the all-star break, but if any hold true then maybe we will start looking at overreactions a little bit differently from now on.
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