NBA Week 2 Takeaways

Magic heartbreak, Cavs dominance and more

Heartbreaking news for Banchero, Magic fans, NBA fans

Frighteningly, we are entering a time where basketball-related injuries are extremely common - by Week 2 players and teams are mentally back into the rhythm of basketball, however this does not always correlate to physical readiness. In fact, it can often be more damaging than beneficial. So far this season we are yet to see Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry has missed three games with an ankle injury, Giannis’ knee troubles are back, Scottie Barnes is out for 3 weeks, and now, brutally, Paolo Banchero is out indefinitely with a torn oblique, with his next evaluation in 4-6 weeks. This is a tragic outcome not just for Magic fans, but for NBA fans. Banchero is a fantastic young player and the most exciting piece of a team that is easy to root for. This injury removes the Magic from any immediate relevancy and, unless someone steps up majorly, Paolo will have a lot of work to do upon return if the Magic want to see the playoffs.

A wild Eastern Conference shake-up

Two weeks into NBA action and the standings table is significantly different to what most fans would’ve expected. The East in particular has seen sudden change, with the Cavaliers - last year's 4 seed - off to a perfect 8-0 start, meanwhile 4 of the 10 teams in last season’s playoff/play-in are currently out of the picture. The season is still incredibly young, and these teams are only separated by one or two games, but for some - the Bulls, the Hornets and the Nets in particular - this is an extremely promising start. These teams have established a solid rhythm and are in a good position to continue executing at a high level in the hopes of securing an unexpected playoff position.

Nikola heading for his 4th MVP?

In the first two weeks of the season we have seen a number of stellar performances, some from household names such as SGA, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and some from more unexpected players such as Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jarrett Allen. However, one name once again stands out from the others: Nikola Jokic. The 41st overall pick in the 2014 draft has not shown any signs of regression; despite the Nuggets below-average start, he has averaged 29.8/12/9.8 - a near triple-double through the first two weeks. Jokic is only behind Shai Gilgeous Alexander in MVP points and I expect to see Jokic’s consistency and perhaps improvement as the season progresses to lead to his 4th MVP in 5 years.

Have we seen enough to believe in the Cavaliers?

The Cavaliers are off to a pleasantly surprising start for Cleveland fans, 7-0 through two weeks of action including impressive wins over the Lakers and Knicks. The most interesting piece of this win-streak, however, is the resurgence of Darius Garland, averaging 19PPG and 5.7APG, including a 34-point performance against New York, and a 39/8 performance against the Bucks, shooting 7/11 from deep. Garland is vital to the Cavs' playoff hopes; there was only one man who could do it all himself in Cleveland, and it’s not Donovan Mitchell. 

The Warriors are back

Since winning the championship in 2022, the Golden State Warriors have been a disaster, exiting the playoffs in the second round of 2023 against the Lakers, and then missing the playoffs entirely in 2024. This, coupled with Klay’s continual regression, Draymond Green’s on-court antics, Jordan Poole’s departure, the sad situation with Andrew Wiggins, the disappointment of Chris Paul, and the inevitable aging of Stephen Curry seemed to be the twisting of the knife into the once unstoppable dynasty. However, starting their season 6-1, with Buddy Hield, Trayce Jackson Davis and Jonathan Kuminga all performing exceptionally in the absence of Stephen Curry makes me wonder if the Warriors are better off without Klay Thompson. 

Last year Klay Thompson was bad, hurt, unhappy, and regressing as a player. With his contract on the verge of expiration, there were questions not only as to his time with the Warriors, but his time in the league. Despite this obvious turmoil, the Warriors trusted their process and continued to give him plenty of volume and control over the offense. After his departure, there was a thought that the Warriors would collapse this season, not only losing one of their most tenured players, but the crippling effect that this was expected to have on team morale.

During the preseason, the Warriors released NBA All-Access footage of their training camp, and the only thing I and many other fans could think was: are the Warriors back? They look passionate, disciplined, and most importantly, happy. This is quite a shift from Stephen Curry crying on the court towards the back end of last season against the Orlando Magic. I believe the Warriors are a team to watch this season, after all, we may be nearing do-or-die territory as Curry and Green enter the back ends of their careers.