NBA

NBA News and Notes: The Worry Scale One Month In

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With Thanksgiving on the horizon, the 2021-22 NBA season is in full gear. Five weeks in, most teams have played between 16 and 18 games. There have been many surprises this season. Eastern Conference teams like the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets have gone from being in the bottom tier of the conference to being serious playoff contenders. In the West, the Golden State Warriors have looked like the dynasty they were only a few seasons ago, and right behind them are the Phoenix Suns, who have won 14 games in a row. While there have been many surprises so far this season, there have been many shocks so far. Several teams have been underperforming, with there being a question of how worried one should be about the team. 

 

Atlanta Hawks 

As of this writing, the Atlanta Hawks have played 19 games, currently above .500 with a 10-9 record. The team has won their last six games, with a 20-point win over the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks being a highlight of their win streak. Trae Young has looked like an all-star this season, averaging splits of 25.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 9.0 APG. Alongside Young, John Collins has put up a dependable 16.7 PPG and 8.1 RPG. Right now, Atlanta is missing two young players in Onyeka Okongwu and De’Andre Hunter. There is currently no timetable set for Okongwu’s return while Hunter is expected to be out until early next year. So far this season, Atlanta has faced many tough opponents, with the team going on a six-game losing streak against several Western Conference teams and the Brooklyn Nets. The Hawks finish the month with games against Memphis and New York. Looking to next month, the team has several games against some of the East’s best, including a Christmas Day game against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. 

 

How worried should the Hawks be? 

3/10: The Hawks are on a solid winning streak right now with a somewhat easy schedule for the rest of the year. The biggest concern for the team moving forward will be staying in playoff contention. Currently the 9th seed (tied with the 76ers and Celtics), the team is in contention for the play-in tournament and could shock a team in an NBA playoff game. 

 

Los Angeles Lakers 

The Los Angeles Lakers have won two of their last six games, currently holding a 10-10 record. Three of those games have been without LeBron James. In their last four losses, Los Angeles lost by 18 to the Chicago Bulls and by 22 against the Celtics in LeBron’s return. The Lakers played without James on Tuesday night as he served his one-game suspension following his actions while playing the Detroit Pistons Sunday night. Chemistry has been an issue this season, as all except a couple of players are new this season. While this is a reason to be concerned, this is something typical of most LeBron James led teams. Right now, the team is currently missing a few role players in Austin Reaves, Kendrick Nunn, and Trevor Ariza. While Reaves is not expected to be out for long, Nunn does not have a timetable for his return from his knee injury, while Ariza is expected to be out for another couple of weeks following ankle surgery. While these absences may not make much of a difference for the team overall, the chemistry issue looms over the team. Looking at the rest of this month, L.A. has Sacramento, and Detroit waiting, with Detroit being a game for fans to keep their eyes on following last Sunday’s game. In the month of December, the Lakers will face a good mix of playoff and bottom-tier teams. The Lakers will look to win a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, even the season series against the Bulls, and win a tough NBA matchup against the Nets on Christmas Day. 

 

How worried should the Lakers be? 

4/10: Currently in the 7th seed and at .500, the Lakers are in an interesting spot. Right now, the Portland Trail Blazers sit in front of the Lakers 10-9 record. Next month will be a pivotal month for the Lakers, as more losses could see the players be moved with the team focusing more on the playoffs. The team was bounced in the first round last season against the Phoenix Suns, a fate the Lakers could suffer again this season if they clinch a playoff spot or squeeze into the NBA playoff tournament.

 

Denver Nuggets

Things are not going well for the Nuggets right now. The team currently has five players on the injured list. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and guard Bones Hyland missed Tuesday’s game against Portland, while P.J. Dozier exited the game with a left knee injury that did not look good. In addition, Jamal Murray is still out as he recovers from his ACL injury suffered back in April. One of the biggest issues for the Nuggets is Michael Porter Jr. He signed a max contract prior to the season and could now miss significant time due to a nerve issue in his back, something that has affected him going back to his short college career. While players have stepped up in Murray’s and Porter’s absence, it has been hard to fill the void left by those two players. Will Barton has been one of Denver’s more reliable players this season, averaging the second-most points on the team with 16.6 PPG. Aaron Gordon has shown flashes after being resigned this off-season but is only averaging around 13.5 PPG. Currently sitting on the edge of the NBA playoffs, it will be a tough challenge for them to climb any higher with the way their current roster is playing. 

 

How worried should the Nuggets be?

7/10: The Nuggets are in a bad spot right now. The Nuggets have now lost five in a row and have some stiff competition coming up. Before the end of the month, Denver will face Milwaukee and Miami. While Jokic is expected to return against the Bucks on Friday, that has not been confirmed yet. Looking towards December, Denver has games against Chicago, Washington, Brooklyn, and Golden State. With the standings looking very similar to last season, it will be very difficult for Denver to climb in the standings. With the current roster, as well as no return timetables for Murray and Porter, Jokic will have to carry the team on his back, something that dampened his overall play in the playoffs.

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