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The 2020-2021 NBA season finally commenced after a short two-month break following the recently-concluded 2020 NBA Playoffs. Entering another season, many new faces have already entered the league while several teams also reshuffled their players in the past few months. Amid the new dynamics all throughout the league, the NBA didn't disappoint per usual as basketball fans were treated to surprising outcomes in just the very first week of an exciting 72-game campaign.
Here are the five hottest takes after one week of the 2020-2021 NBA season:
5. Dub Nation isn't the same team that it used to be in recent years.
After a 15-50 record and landing the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors are projected by many to bounce back from a dismal campaign last season. With the return of lead guard Stephen Curry, Dub Nation garnered heightened expectations that they will barge into the NBA playoffs once again.
However, their season immediately went downhill right before it even started. After a long road to recovery following his torn ACL injury, Klay Thompson tore his Achilles tendon that would sideline him for the entirety of the 2020-2021 season.
Indeed, the production of the five-time All-Star proved to be too hard to replace even with capable swingmen in Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. now on their corner. The Warriors headed to their season opener against the Brooklyn Nets who now have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They simply couldn't answer back to the new duo and ultimately suffered a 125-99 beating.
It was the same story for the Warriors in their following game against the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks where they succumbed to a 138-99 defeat.
However, the tides turned in their game against the Chicago Bulls when Curry finally came to life with 36 points, and Wiggins providing a lift with 19 points and nine rebounds of his own. A clutch three-pointer by Damion Lee powered the Warriors to their first win of the season on a 129-128 victory.
Despite the win, their first few games have shown the ugly reality that they are nowhere near the title contenders that they once were. Their previous championship squads wouldn't be too happy seeing them celebrate after being victorious over a winless Bulls squad thanks to a mere go-ahead bucket.
At the end of the day, Steph Curry will be needing more help from his supporting cast if the Warriors want to have a chance to be relevant this season. Otherwise, the team will just have to wait for the return of Klay Thompson and hope for the best as they journey through a long season moving forward.
4. The Cleveland Cavaliers will surprise many teams along the way.
Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman didn't get to acquire a marquee talent and also failed to make much noise during the offseason. Instead, he steered the team in a different direction and kept his young core intact while banking on their budding chemistry heading to the new season.
Cleveland was already sending feelers to the rest of the league after winning their first two preseason games against the Indiana Pacers but was sent crashing back to earth after two consecutive losses to the New York Knicks.
They eventually showed that the promise they showed wasn't a fluke as they grabbed a 121-114 opening game victory against the revamped Charlotte Hornets. Collin Sexton then led his team to their second-straight win this time against the Detroit Pistons with his 32-point scoring outburst.
Even after losing Kevin Love to an injury early in their encounter against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cavaliers still stepped on the gas pedal and ran away with a 118-94 victory.
The backcourt duo of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland is finally seeing a synergy after speculations regarding their chemistry while playing together haunted them last season. A surefire NBA playoff spot still isn't promised for the young Cavaliers squad but their good showing in the early stages of the season certainly serves as a step in the right direction for the team.
3. James Harden may end up playing for the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the season.
Houston Rockets star James Harden previously found himself often in the headlines following a turmoil that emerged within the team during the offseason. He reportedly requested a trade after being disappointed with the team and added the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Portland Trail Blazers as his preferred destinations.
However, it has already been a week into the season and Harden remains a Rocket as of late. Despite missing John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins who are both sitting out due to COVID-19 concerns, the Rockets still looked like a capable team even amid the whole Harden controversy.
After reporting late to training camps and not being in the best of shape, the 2018 NBA MVP still balled out in his season debut after lighting it up with 44 points and 17 assists, which tied his career-high tally. The Rockets were hanging around until Blazers guard C.J. McCollum launched a last-gasp three-pointer that lifted his team to a 128-126 victory.
Harden had another great performance against the Denver Nuggets where he scored 34 points along with six rebounds and eight assists. However, his team ran out of luck as they lost on a 124-111 defeat.
Despite not getting his wishes, James Harden has no choice but to play out the remainder of the season with the Rockets in the event that no suitors are willing to take a chance on him. You never know, it might end up working out after all.
2. The tandem of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving is a deadly combination.
The league finally saw the capabilities of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving when they are paired up as the two stars finally took the floor together for the first time this season. In his first game back after a long lay-off, Durant looked like he didn't skip a beat and still effortlessly maneuvered his way around the court while draining bucket after bucket.
On the other hand, Kyrie Irving also dazzled with his deep bag of tricks to provide a lift for the new-look Nets squad. Durant finished with 22 points, five rebounds, and three assists while Irving added 26 points, four rebounds, and four assists to score a 125-99 opening game win against the depleted Warriors.
The two All-Star talents balled out once again this time against the Boston Celtics whom they easily dispatched on a 123-95 outcome. The Nets were led by Irving's 37 points, six rebounds, and eight assists while Durant came out with 29 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the lopsided victory.
Both of them saw a real challenge in the resurging Hornets squad as Gordon Hayward stepped up to hand the Nets their first loss of the season with a 106-104 decision. Head coach Steve Nash played it safe and sat both Durant and Irving against the Memphis Grizzlies on a back-to-back game as the Nets lost on a 116-111 defeat without their two stars.
The Nets aren't only good because of the combined scoring prowess of Durant and Irving but also the pieces around them namely Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen, among others. Even as Spencer Dinwiddie recently went down with an injury, the Nets are still looking like a dangerous team and they will indeed go as far as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can take them.
1. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will need more time to gel but will eventually form their chemistry as the season progresses.
The reigning world champions aren't having the best of starts as they commenced their title defense campaign in the 2020-2021 season. The Lakers lost against the Los Angeles Clippers on a 116-109 outcome led by Paul George's 33 points.
LeBron James and the team managed to come out with a 138-115 rout against the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day followed by a 127-91 demolition job dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves minus Karl-Anthony Towns. After two commanding victories, the Lakers found themselves on the losing end once again after succumbing to the Portland Trail Blazers on a 115-107 defeat.
With new faces on the roster in Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell, the Lakers still don't have sufficient chemistry given the limited number of practices that they are having due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, just like any other LeBron James-led squads, they are still expected to peak at the right time at some point in the future and rightfully contend for their second-consecutive NBA title.
