3 early disappointments of the 2021-22 season

The 2021-22 NBA season remains to be pretty younger, with virtually each group taking part in a minimum of 12 video games. Whereas some issues we anticipated are taking place, there are at all times surprises. A few of the positives embrace the Washington Wizards’ 9-3 begin, Paul George’s MVP-caliber play, and the thrill surrounding the Charlotte Hornets. Nonetheless, identical to in each season of the league, the negatives are additionally there. Listed here are three early disappointments within the 2021-22 NBA season.

Early 2021-22 NBA disappointments 

1. New Orleans Pelicans

Whereas nobody severely anticipated the Pelicans to problem for a title, it’s nonetheless very disappointing to see them with simply two wins in 14 video games. Clearly, the Pelicans are removed from competition, as their core remains to be pretty younger. Nonetheless, an effort to succeed in the playoffs, or a minimum of the play-in event, was a practical expectation.

The continued absence of Zion Williamson is clearly an enormous downside. The younger stud is the perceived first choice of the Pelicans going ahead. They used the primary choose on the previous Duke ahead in 2019, and it was extensively anticipated that he would push them to the playoffs. Sadly for the Pelicans, he has had harm points galore. He’s at present out and has not performed but as a result of a foot subject, and he additionally clearly has some weight issues to go with the injury.

It isn’t simply Williamson, although, as Brandon Ingram has additionally missed a while along with his personal harm. However even setting that apart, this New Orleans group has been atrocious defensively, which Zion and Ingram won’t assist that a lot at this level. Shedding Lonzo Ball in free company impacted that finish of the ground severely.

The Pelicans might be higher when wholesome, however it’s nonetheless laborious to see them being all that good. Plus, we do not know when Zion is even coming again.

2. Los Angeles Lakers 

The Lakers are 7-6 on the season and will simply have a worse document. It might be very straightforward to pin all of the blame on Russell Westbrook. Nonetheless, whereas Westbrook has struggled at instances in his debut season with the Lakers, it isn’t solely him. Los Angeles blew two big leads in opposition to the Oklahoma City Thunder and received embarrassed in latest video games in opposition to the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves. You’ll be able to’t blame only one participant for that.

You’ll be able to’t discuss in regards to the Lakers’ struggles with out speaking about accidents. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker, Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn, and Austin Reaves have all missed a number of video games with some form of harm subject. James remains to be out as a result of an stomach muscle pressure, so it’s laborious to evaluate the Lakers when he’s lacking prolonged time. Davis is coping with a thumb subject, and the frontcourt rotation is pretty skinny with out the previous Pelicans star.

By way of pure gameplay, the Lakers have been dangerous offensively and mediocre at greatest on protection. They haven’t been capable of rating straightforward factors and depend on particular person heroics. Their fourth-best scorer is 37-year-old Carmelo Anthony, which is a credit score to his profession revival but in addition an alarm that different gamers should step as much as the plate. Westbrook is taking pictures beneath 30% from 3 and shedding 5.3 possessions per sport, which shouldn’t be acceptable. In the event that they wish to severely contend, the Lakers might want to choose up the tempo and play higher on each ends.

After all, getting LeBron again quickly is vital.

3. Damian Lillard and James Harden

As everybody across the NBA is conscious, there have been some large modifications within the offseason. After repeated calls to curb the free-throw numbers of some gamers, the NBA changed the rules in terms of “overt, abrupt or abnormal non-basketball moves.”

Moreover, the official ball modified from the usual Spalding to the new Wilson ball, which some gamers have complained about as taking pictures has been down to start out the season. No two gamers have been hit by these guidelines like Brooklyn Nets star James Harden and Portland Path Blazers star Damian Lillard.

Beginning with Harden, the Nets star has fallen from 24.6 factors per sport final season to solely 19.8 factors per sport this season. He’s solely taking 5.5 free throws per sport (8.7 per sport for his profession) and hasn’t appeared practically as explosive as previously after a hamstring harm final season. There’s nonetheless loads of season to be performed, although, and Harden did showcase his full expertise in opposition to the Pelicans (39 factors, 12 assists). Nonetheless, it has been a disappointing begin.

Lillard has clearly additionally been affected by each the brand new guidelines and the altering of the ball. A transparent famous person the final couple of seasons, Lillard is at 20.0 factors per sport on abysmal taking pictures splits of 38.0/26.8/84.1. Moreover, he has dropped from 7.2 free-throw makes an attempt per sport to three.4 this 12 months. The Blazers have gotten good contributions from gamers like Anfernee Simons and Norman Powell to considerably cowl for Lillard, however they’re nonetheless combating a 6-7 document. It will likely be fascinating to see if Lillard adjusts over the season to the brand new ball and will increase his numbers, or if he continues with this poor spell.

The Blazers are actually hoping that he’ll bounce again.