The NBA season has now been underway for two weeks. Here are some early season observations about the southeast division.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Hawks are Flying High on the Offensive End
The Atlanta Hawks have gotten off to a good start this season. They are currently 4-3 behind the play of their offense. The Hawks are scoring 122 points per game which is third best in the NBA. This is really impressive especially with Trae Young struggling to find his shot to start the year. Young is shooting 33% from the field and 27% from three. He has been able to contribute to the offensive efficiency with his assists. The former Oklahoma Sooner is averaging 10.4 assists per game. Once his shot gets back on track, this offense may be the best in the NBA.
The Young Magic Are Mastering The Illusion of Defense
The Orlando Magic are playing very well to start the season. They are also 4-3 but they are doing it in the opposite fashion of the Hawks. Orlando is ranked third in opponent points per game. The Magic are only giving up 105.4 points per game. This is unusual for such a young team. The only player that is over 30 years old is veteran Joe Ingles. A young team that is bought in on the defensive end is scary especially with the offensive talent they have will be scary going forward.
The Heat Off To A Cold Start
The Miami Heat made a miraculous run to the NBA finals last year after barely surviving the play-in tournament. The issues Miami had in the regular season that led to them being in the play-in tournament have reemerged to start this season. The Heat are struggling to score the ball. They are averaging 107.4 points per game which is fifth worst in the NBA. Last season the Heat won games with their excellent defense. So far this year their defense has been just okay. They have the 14th ranked defense in the league. If they are not able to find the lock down defense they had last year, the Heat will miss the playoffs.
The Hornets Lack Sting
The Charlotte Hornets are 2-4, living up to the low expectations NBA fans had for them coming into the season. They are scoring the ball at an above average rate, averaging 116.3 points per game. The problem is they can’t stop a runny nose on defense. They are giving up 121.7 points per game which is fourth worst in the NBA. Hopefully LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller develop into a true number one and two option to build around for the future.
The Wizardry of Being a Joke
The Washington Wizards are currently 1-5 and on a four game losing streak. They are losing games by an average of 11.5 points. So, not only are they losing games but they are not competitive in these games. My pick for Most Improved Player was Jordan Poole. Poole is averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 43% from the floor and 33% from three. This may be the worst Most Improved Player prediction of all-time. Sorry Wizards fans, this will be a rough season.
