{"id":811306,"date":"2024-12-09T20:59:30","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T02:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/09\/6-nba-overreactions-after-1-game-of-the-2024-2025-season\/"},"modified":"2024-12-09T20:59:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T02:59:30","slug":"6-nba-overreactions-after-1-game-of-the-2024-2025-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/09\/6-nba-overreactions-after-1-game-of-the-2024-2025-season\/","title":{"rendered":"6 NBA overreactions after 1 game of the 2024-2025 season"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Overreacting after the first game of a new season is a right of passage for sports fans. Patience is a virtue, but it\u2019s hard to come by after a long summer without the NBA.<\/p>\n

Most of the time, fans\u2019 earliest overreactions only serve to confirm their own agendas. You can do it for almost every team: the Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to run away with the West<\/a>, the Washington Wizards<\/a> might lose 70 games<\/a>, the Denver Nuggets have a real Jamal Murray problem<\/a>, the Chicago Bulls\u2019 trade for Josh Giddey was a disaster<\/a>, and Cam Thomas really might lead the league in scoring. All of those agendas are thriving after the first game, as long as you believed them enough in the first place.<\/p>\n

Now that every team in the league has played at least one game, it\u2019s time for our biggest overreactions for the 2024-2025 NBA season thus far.<\/p>\n

The Celtics will coast to another championship<\/h3>\n

The Boston Celtics<\/a> were never really challenged on their way to an NBA championship last season. Boston finished the year 80-21 overall counting the regular season and playoffs, but their road to the title was so easy that not everyone was convinced of their greatness. It should have only taken one game this season to change that.<\/p>\n

The Celtics blasted the New York Knicks in their season opener<\/a> on Tuesday night, routing the team that was supposed to be their biggest challenger in the East. Boston launched threes on 64 percent of their field goal attempts, and tied an NBA record by making 29 of them. The Celtics create open shots so easily with four incredibly skilled ball handlers and shooters in the starting lineup, and they also have one of the best defenses in the league. At this point, it\u2019s time to recognize Joe Mazzulla as one of the NBA\u2019s very best coaches.<\/p>\n

The dreaded second apron in the new CBA was supposed to break apart teams as loaded as the Celtics, but ownership decided to re-sign everyone and promptly put the team up for sale. This Celtics roster will be too expensive to keep together forever, but at least for this year, they\u2019re the class of the league once again.<\/p>\n

The Victor Wembanyama takeover has to wait another year<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s only a matter of time before Victor Wembanyama is going to be the best basketball player in the world. As he enters his second season, the 20-year-old Spurs star is on the brink of full-fledged superstardom, but he\u2019s still years away from reaching his ultimate ceiling. <\/p>\n

Wembanyama struggled in his season debut in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> on Thursday night, in the process showing all the ways he can still optimize his game. Wembanyama should be a dominant interior scorer at 7\u20195 with an 8-foot wingspan, but he\u2019s still far too satisfied to shoot jumpers on the perimeter. That may be a good strategy one day, but not yet. Wemby started the game 0-for-7 from three-point range, and finished 1-for-8.<\/p>\n

The Spurs just didn\u2019t do enough in the offseason to make a meaningful leap up the standings. It sure seems like they not-so-secretly want to get in the Cooper Flagg derby this year. That should disappoint Wembanyama, who has always said the right things about his commitment to winning. San Antonio will win big soon, but it\u2019s not gonna happen this season.<\/p>\n

The Hornets are this year\u2019s surprise team<\/h3>\n

A bad or mediocre team takes a big leap up in the NBA standings every year. Just last season, the Rockets jumped from 22 wins to 41, the Magic jumped from 34 wins to 47, and the Thunder jumped from 40 wins to 57. The Charlotte Hornets are my pick for a similar leap this season,<\/a> and their season-opening comeback win over Houston was a perfect example of why they\u2019re so enticing.<\/p>\n

LaMelo Ball has only played 58 games combined the last two years, but don\u2019t forget he was named an NBA All-Star in his age-20 season a few years ago. Ball can be one of the league\u2019s best point guards with breathtaking ball handling and passing ability, a vastly improved jump shot, and the size to see over any guard defender. Ball erupted for 34-11-8 in the win<\/a>, and looks like the type of jumbo initiator every team craves. His supporting cast looks better, too.<\/p>\n

Tre Mann looked like Gen-Z Allen Iverson by splashing deep pull-ups off the bench on his way to 24 points. New coach Charles Lee had the team taking more three-pointers despite playing lineups that were more defensively slanted. Ball\u2019s co-star Brandon Miller exited early with a hip injury, but he\u2019s going to have a big season, too. Charlotte is making the playoffs in the East. You heard it here first.<\/p>\n

Paolo Banchero has an All-NBA season loading<\/h3>\n

Paolo Banchero has always had superstar potential since being drafted by the Orlando Magic with the No. 1 overall pick out of Duke in 2022. Banchero was Rookie of the Year in his first pro season, and was named an All-Star in his second season. What\u2019s in store for year three? After watching his dominant season opener against the Heat, I\u2019m convinced Banchero will be an All-NBA selection, and the Magic might be a real Eastern Conference contender.<\/p>\n

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