NBA Week in Review: Who’s Rising, Falling Fast And Notes From Week 1
Teams on the Up and Up:
Golden State Warriors: Had you asked analysts of the game prior to the start of the season, a majority of them (myself included) would have told you that there was no way that the Golden State Warriors would be able to produce the same way they did last season. I know the team is only four games into the regular season, but boy what a four-game stretch this has been. As dominantly as ever, the Warriors have gone undefeated in the first week of NBA action.
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They’ve reclaimed their place a top the NBA in offensive rating, and trail only the Utah Jazz in defensive rating (per Basketball Reference). They picked up right where they left off, and they look like the real deal yet again. In a Western Conference that seemingly got so much stronger at the top, the Warriors, who made no major moves in the offseason (besides sending David Lee to Boston), still appear to be leaps and bounds ahead of their competition.
Detroit Pistons: Here’s another team who I wrote off prior to the season. Heading into the year, I had my money on the Pistons being one of the worst in the NBA because of their lack of depth and overall talent. Instead however, the Pistons jumped out to an astounding 3-1 record in the first week of the season. They dominated the Hawks in the season opener, downed a Jazz team which has been really clicking on the defensive end, and on Friday they won a battle against the Bulls.
It’s still very early on, and with the way the grind of a full 82-game NBA season works, we could see the bottom fall out on this Detroit squad. For now however, I am pleased to admit that the Pistons are playing some exciting basketball to prove me wrong.
Los Angeles Clippers: Finally…a team I projected to be somewhere, actually being there. I love the look of this year’s Clippers roster, and even more than that I love the urgency that they seem to be playing with. They’re playing like a team who needs to win now or risk not getting another shot at this, and quite frankly that’s the truth about this LA franchise.
The Clippers have been heavy favorites for a number of years on the shoulders of their big three. This season not only do they have all three of those guys on the court, they also sured up their previously thin bench and the results have been phenomenal. They’re tied with the Dubs for the most wins thus far this season, and they’re looking to build on that with most of the season still ahead of them.
Next: Teams Falling Fast