A Dime a Dozen!

Marshall Trudo IV
7 min readNov 15, 2021

10 Quick Takes 12 Games Into the NBA Season

#1) Steph should have been the 2021 MVP- I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, STEPH SHOULD HAVE BEEN LAST YEAR’S MVP! The start to this season only further exacerbates that claim. He’s picked up right where he left off, on fire! He’s second in the league in scoring, shooting 40% from three on a career high, 13.3 attempts per game. He’s also shooting a scorching 95% from the free throw line. I expect that to come down, but not by much. All of his efforts have pushed his team into the league’s number one spot and placed him at the top of my MVP ladder. Don’t get me wrong, Nikola Jokic was great last year, he’s off to another great season this year and he’s been a monster on the boards all season long. However, since we used team success against Steph last year, that has to work in his favor this year.

#2) Fear the Deer! Once they’re healthy of course- The Milwaukee Bucks have lost quite a few games many fans would expect them to win. But, if you’ve been watching, then you’ll see a lot of similarities between this team and last year’s championship team. Coach Bud is still experimenting with lineups and schemes quite a bit, particularly on the offensive end. They run a lot of plays now that end with a mid-range jump shot, a Giannis jump shot, or a Giannis assist. He’s currently averaging a career-high 6 assist per game! The Bucks are clearly asking him to do too much and it makes the offense predictable at times. So, I guess I understand why Bud tries to switch it up. It’s also important to note that the Bucks have had four of their starters in and out of the line up and are still missing three at the moment. They’ll be fine once they get their entire group back. Plus, this experience and having this much responsibility should prove useful for the new and younger players come playoff time.

#3) Lebron’s injury shouldn’t be the Los Angeles Lakers only concern- The Lakers were heavy pre-season favorites to make it to the finals, and they currently sit at 7th in the Western Conference. Injuries have obviously derailed their season, but I would argue that getting everyone back healthy won’t fix all of the Lakers’ problems. Sure, they’re missing the King, but they are 28th in opponents’ points allowed per game. They simply can’t stop anybody. Anthony Davis is their best defender and having him on the court has not stopped the bleeding. Westbrooks numbers have gone up dramatically in Lebron’s absence, but I worry how he fits alongside Lebron still. He’s shoot less than 33% from three and less than 43% from the field overall, all while averaging a career high 5.4 turnovers per game. Sometimes he literally just gives the ball away. The Lakers are also 10th in assist, which I believe can be misleading. Seeing that you may think that they share the ball well, but it’s quite the opposite. They do a lot of ball watching and isolation. They average 24 total assist per game as a team but you see what I mean once you break it down. Of that 24, 8 come from Westbrook, 7 come from Lebron, 5 from Rondo and 3 from AD. Those four account for the entirety of the Lakers assist. They are the system. Vogel has some thing to figure out because he can’t continue to play Rondo and Westbrook in the backcourt together.

#4) The Philadelphia 76ers should move on from Ben Simmons- The 76ers are just fine without Ben Simmons. They are currently 9th in points per game and 11th in opponents points per game. Being top ten in both is usually the recipe for success and they are right there. They were the number one team in the east before Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and two other players missed time due to health and safety protocols. Seth Curry is looking like a complete player, Tyrese Maxey is emerging, Tobias Harris is still pretty consistent, and Andre Drummond has been a godsend. If they can leverage Ben Simmons into assets that actually reinforce their roster, they could be knocking on the door to a championship in no time.

#5) Is it just me, or does Jaylen Brown look better than Jayson Tatum? (Called it!)- In a previous article, I boldly claimed Jaylen Brown would eventually become a better player than Jayson Tatum. Though I said it would take some time, it seems to have happened prematurely. The Celtics have been disappointing so far to say the least. They’re 10th in the east at 6–7. They seem like they’re struggling to score the ball, or only certain players are allowed to shoot. They’ve also had reports of chemistry issues and rifts between teammates already not even quarter into the season. You know what could fix all of that? Winning. How you do it is simple. Play more through Jaylen Brown! There seem to be times in the game where Brown is looking dominant, then he goes into the corner for three possessions in a row like he’s on time out. Meanwhile, Tatum shoots twenty-five shots just to finish with 25 points routinely. As is currently stands JB is averaging 25.6 PPG on 49% FG, 39% 3PT, and 78% FT. JT is at 23.5 PPG on 38% FG, 32% 3PT, and 74% FT. Pretty obvious to me who the better player is, somehow the Celtics have yet to figure it out.

#6) Paul George looks even better than Indiana Pacers Paul George, and that’s scary- PG13 is reaching that ‘unguard-able’ status this year. His ball handling is on another level for a player his size, and he’s learning more and more about getting his teammates involved. His range is unlimited and his stroke is pure from anywhere on the court. He’s back to relying on his patented mid-range game which gives him a steady diet of easy buckets and keeps defenders guessing at all times. You never know when he’s going to step back and drain a three in your face or use those shifty moves to get past you and slam the ball on top of your head. This is the PG that took Miami Lebron to game 7. I can’t help but imagine what this team will look like fully healthy and the thought is fearful.

#7) Speaking of Miami, are the Heat for real? — In case you haven’t heard, the Miami Heat have been balling. They are sitting at 8–5 and they’ve already beat most of the best teams in the east. Jimmy Butler is looking like a star, Kyle Lowery looks like a great leader, Bam Adebayo is still their anchor and Tyler Herro has returned to his all-star trajectory. We all know Coach Spo’s track record. They could really make some noise this year. But are they the best team, or the most cohesive team with the best health? Time will tell.

#8) Is the new Wilson brand ball really a problem for shooters around the league? — James Harden, Damion Lillard, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young and so many more are having horrible seasons as far as proficiency. These are some of the best in the business, known for their prolific and efficient scoring. So, what gives? Some say the new rule changes and the emphasis on less free throws and more physicality has affected some players. That’s fair and may even be the case. But did you know this is the first year of the NBA’s new deal with Wilson? Is it possible the new basketball feels a little different and it’s throwing the players off? As a self-proclaimed hooper, I call bs. I feel like I can ball with rock. It is an interesting coincidence and it’s worth raising the question though.

#9) What’s up with the Atlanta Hawks? — What is happening in Atlanta. They put the entire world on notice last playoffs and I had expected them to carry that momentum into the season. I did half expect the new rules to affect Trae Young, but not to this extent. And they have had a few players miss time due to injury, but it still doesn’t add up to a 5–9 record. Something else is going on there. Luckily the season is 82 games long and they have plenty of time to figure it out. Otherwise, I can see some trades incoming, maybe even a coaching change. Again.

#10) The Minnesota Timberwolves confuse me- How is this team so bad? They have young players, veteran players, star players, role players, specialist you name it. Some of them have been on this team for years and they all genuinely seem to like each other. They have a big three that shows up and delivers every night. It doesn’t seem like they should be sitting at 4–8. They have a legit floor general, multiple ballhandlers, a dominant big, a young, budding star, decent coaching, and defensive-minded role players. So, again, why exactly are they so bad? It simply doesn’t make sense to me. I watch them and I see a team that is talented and invested in what they are doing. They play with such joy and passion that you just assume they were blowing a team out. Then you check the score and they’re down six. This team is missing something, I’m just not quite sure what.

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