NBA Week 4 Takeaways

Cavs-Celtics recap, 76ers' dilemna

Boston Vs Cleveland Reaction

Boston wins 120-117. 

This was an incredible game, and it solidified the Cavs position as a legitimate contender. It looked as though the Celtics would run away with it as they developed a 20-point lead in the 2nd quarter, but the Cavs refused to go away quietly. Donovan Mitchell (35/8) and Jayson Tatum (33/12/7) fought a beautiful chess match but in the end, the value of the Celtics role players was too much for the Cavs. 

By no means should the Cavaliers be disappointed with this game. It ended their historic win streak but has sent a message to those who questioned the toughness of their 15-game stretch.

Meanwhile, for the Celtics, this win reminded the rest of the league that they will have to go through Boston if they want to win it all.

Magic roleplayers step up in Banchero’s absence

Following the devastating news of Paolo Banchero’s torn oblique, the Magic have maintained a strong level of play. They sit in 4th place in the east with a 9-7 record, picking up impressive wins over the 76ers, Suns, and Pacers to complete a 6-game win streak and proving to the rest of the NBA that they remain contenders even without their superstar. Franz Wagner has been fantastic in the past two weeks, averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.8 over his last 10 games.

The East is once again extremely weak this year, with only the top 4 teams currently holding a winning record. The Magic are without Paolo until Christmas, and with the way they have been playing lately, the league could be in for a shock upon Paolo’s return.

Decision time for Philadelphia

The 76ers are the NBA’s newest big 3, former MVP Joel Embiid, all star Tyrese Maxey, and future hall of famer Paul George, with Jared McCain quickly making a push for the big 4. However, within this team are some deeply engrained cultural issues which, alongside the acquisition of another major ego, have been wreaking havoc on the 2-12 team. Between injuries, terrible performances, and locker room assaults, the 76ers have been awful to start the season and will need to undergo serious change to maintain any relevance this season.

At the start of the season, I don’t think anyone predicted the 76ers to have the worst record in the entire NBA, but I’m not simply interested in the losses, often enough they can be excused by the injuries the team has suffered. What interests me more is the scoring issues; five times this season the 76ers have scored under 100 points, and twice they have scored below 90, both of these games were with a healthy Embiid and Paul George. This week we saw the official debut of the big 3, but their campaign is off to a rocky start, dropping a game to the Grizzlies who were without Ja Morant. 

Meanwhile, the 76ers are in a 4 year, $211 million dollar hole with an aging veteran and an imminent need to pay Tyrese Maxey what he deserves. The trade deadline could be a very interesting time for the 76ers, and while I don't think the team will be blown up this season, it will be exciting to see whether the front office decides to salvage or yield the 24-25 season.

Rockets ready for the bright lights

At the start of this season I predicted the Houston Rockets as a playoff sleeper team, and now, four weeks into the season, they are looking like one of the toughest opponents in the league. Jalen Green began to show promise towards the end of last season, and he has picked up right where he left off.

Their blowout win against the Pacers, alongside comfortable wins over the Clippers, Mavericks, Spurs and Knicks has them sitting at 11-5 and 3rd place in a stacked Western Conference. This team is the definition of “play to your strengths” - an extremely athletic young star in Jalen Green, an all-court presence in Alperen Şengün, with Jabari Smith Jr, Dillon Brooks, and Fred Van Vleet serving as valuable scorers. The Rockets' lethal team chemistry has undoubtedly put the rest of the league on high alert.