The 82-game marathon known as the NBA season has just begun. There will be basketball everyday until June, and the league’s 80th season is set to have a lot of big storylines.
The end goal is obviously playing springtime postseason ball, but in order to get there, getting off on the right foot is imperative. Here are three things to watch out for early on in the season.
3. Orlando’s new-look offense
The Magic have not had a top 15 offense since the Obama administration. Last season, they were dead last or near it in almost every major offensive category. It was a struggle to create quality looks for Orlando, leading to a lot of heavy lifting being done by Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
The Magic addressed that problem in a big way this summer by acquiring Desmond Bane. Bane is one of three players to make 800 threes on 40 percent or better since 2021. He is one of the best shooters in basketball, and has grown as a scorer over the last few seasons.
Orlando also brought in Tyus Jones, giving them a true point guard off the bench. Jones has been one of the more reliable reserve floor generals since he came into the league, and his vision should set up easy looks for everyone on the floor.
Orlando already has one of the league’s more elite defenses, and now they have two major additions to fix their offense. With leaps likely inbound from Wagner and Banchero and a weak Eastern Conference, the Magic have all they need to put it together.
2. Teams without their stars: Boston and Indiana
Just this past spring, the Celtics and Pacers looked like they were going to be the class of the East for years to come. That was until their respective stars, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton tore Achilles tendons.
Both organizations have signaled that they will look to be competitive this season, and rightfully so. Both teams shined because of their depth. Indiana has players like Andrew Nembhard, Benedict Mathurin, and Aaron Nesmith who are ready for bigger roles behind Pascal Siakam.
Boston has a finals MVP in Jaylen Brown, an all-defensive guard in Derrick White, and a sixth man of the year in Payton Pritchard. Both teams have talent, and are in a weak East.
However, it cannot be ignored that both teams own their first round pick. If they get off to a slow start, and find themselves at sub -.500, with injuries continuing to mount, don’t be surprised if both organizations punt on the year. Keep an eye out on how the Celtics and Pacers start the year.
1) The Lakers being without LeBron James
James is set to be out until around Thanksgiving due to sciatica, leaving LA very shorthanded. Their depth was already questionable to begin with around Luka Doncic, so things could go from bad to worse quickly.
The Lakers are projected to be a weak defensive team, and outside of DeAndre Ayton, they don’t have any real size on the roster. This is where they would need their superstar duo of Doncic and James to cover those deficiencies.
James is reportedly going to monitor how the Lakers perform in his absence. He has stated that he has a desire to compete for a championship as he enters the twilight of his career. If LA starts slow, and couple that with the fact that James does not have a contract extension, then this situation could go south very quickly.
