UPSYDE SPORTS PRESENTS:

WINNERS AND LOSERS OF OPENING NIGHT:

WINNERS:

LEBRON JAMES - His performance overall was a let down, but that ring was bonkers! Coming off another Finals MVP, he more than deserved the most expensive championship ring of all time. He continues to look like one of the premier players in the league and will likely continue to look MVP-caliber for the foreseeable future.

DENNIS SCHRODER - Many were expecting him to return to his normal role off the bench, but Frank Vogel made it clear that he wanted Schroder to start and play alongside LeBron in the first unit. His rebounding was somewhat a surprise, but he contributed across the board and will be looking to secure his first ring alongside two top-5 players in the league.

KEVIN DURANT - He looked very good. Contributing on both offense and defense, he looked like he could've played 35 minutes had the game not been so lop-sided. There will be some things to iron out in his game as tries to get back into a rhythm, yet if you didn't see he just had a catastrophic injury, you would've never known. Very excited to see him not just back on the court, but playing at a high level.

LOSERS:

WARRIORS FANS - Wiggins and Oubre are not prolific outside shooters, so they were bricking all night. This led to Brooklyn making Steph's night very difficult. Steph was still productive, but went 2-10 from beyond the arc, the entire team turned the ball over a lot, and outside of Wiseman producing right away, there was not a lot of positives to take back from this performance. Hopefully Draymond's return to the line-up with help things, but they look broken right now. After watching the game in its entirety, this makes a James Harden addition very possible.

BROOKLYN CENTERS - DeAndre started, but Allen got some bonus minutes in garbage time. Both starting-caliber centers handicap each other and neither really made a strong case one way or the other. Barring a trade, Allen appears to be their center of the future, but with two more years on DeAndre's contract, who knows when his time will come. With Kyrie and Durant both 30+ point per game type players, offense is not really needed, yet with them both playing the same style, it's almost redundant to have them both.

TALEN HORTON-TUCKER - THT joins Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Josh Selby, Troy Williams, and many others that looked fantastic in games that didn't matter that really couldn't break away in games that do. This year's preseason sort of acted as the Summer League as players fight for a roster spot, but the 20-year old wing appears to have a longer hill to climb now that Kuzma got extended, Caruso remains a critical piece in their rotation, and Wes Matthews stays healthy. He was a popular fantasy add in hopes he'd get at least 18-22 productive minutes, but he got about half that. THT will be a solid player a some point, but this Lakers team is likely too deep for him to shine.

- Adam Safianow - NBA Analyst - Upsyde Sports [Copyright 2020]


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DALLAS SUMMER LEAGUE

UPSYDE SPORTS PRESENTS: DALLAS SUMMER LEAGUE PROSPECTS: Derrick Alston Jr - SF/PF - A solid G-League prospect that averaged close to 20 PPG and some potential as a stretch shooter from the 4-spot. He is an above average passer and a good free throw shooter. From the eye test he does not appear to be an explosive athlete but he's a hard finisher and is often relied on to defend multiple positions. He could be useful down the line, but I don't see him being able to get minutes on a competing team. Grade: C- Marcus Bingham Jr - C/PF - Outside of Hardy, he might be the crowned jewel of this group. He's a true 7-footer, came from a solid college program, and showed improvement every year at Michigan State. His defense is much further along than his offense, but his efficiency has improved over time and he's added a 3-ball to his game. Foul trouble will be a major concern, but I think he could be a bench big within a year or two. His block rate is outstanding and I think if h...
Read more
UPSYDE SPORTS PRESENTS: CAN THE PELICANS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS? This article comes in the midst of the Pelicans being on a 4-game win streak. The Kings which got hot, finally ended their streak. Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Rockets seems to be in a slump. I wouldn't say the door is open for them, but there's at least a window. What has propelled this team? A lot. Let's start with the obvious. Zion and Ingram have played very well. During the win streak, Zion has scored 23.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, and 1.3 BPG. Ingram has averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, and 1.8 BPG. While these numbers don't jump off the page, what's interesting from both players is the increased amount of passing. Everyone on these team seems to be getting involved in the offense, nobody on this team is selfish, and it's just a group effort in every facet of the game. The next player that has done phenomenal has been Lonzo Ball. He's almost the forgotten Ball brother since his younger brother, La...
Read more
UPYSDE SPORTS PRESENTS: Addressing the Viability of a Kristaps Trade: I myself, have been very critical of Kristaps. Ranging from his health, finding him overrated as a shooter, not assertive enough on offense, and feeling that his defensive stats are empty. Obviously, I can see his upside, it's the name of my blog, but I feel like he plays out of position, is too thin, and his biggest strength (his size), is also likely going to be what limits his potential. Now, I gave him time. When the trade happened originally, I was pretty excited. He was coming off an injury, but had a really nice All-Star season in New York. Most Mavs fans, myself included, had somewhat soured on Dennis Smith Jr, and we saw what Luka is - a superstar. Wanting to get some wins in his rookie contract, I was receptive of the trade. Tank for the rest of the season and then the following year we get the two Euro sensations. Didn't quite work out that way. He did play very well in the bubble - helping us get ...
Read more