After 130 and some days of no live basketball, fans were finally treated with the gift of a lifetime: a bunch of scrimmages that mean absolutely nothing to the NBA’s record books. As happy as the world was to see some of their favorite players back in action though, there were in fact many signs to remind us that these players may need a few shifts to get back into the playing mindset. I think if you were to compare the number of travels and lack-of-communication turnovers between a normal full length season and the first day of bubble scrimmages, those numbers would be surprisingly close in value. But that’s what these exhibition games are for. Teams want some time to prepare and get the kinks out before their fans actually have a reason to throw hate at them on Twitter. With that hate also comes a lot of hope for fans as, since teams are tending to not play star players as much, young talents are getting a big opportunity to impress their respective organizations. With that being said, here are some of the top storylines from the first day of the NBA’s return…
The Return of Playoff P…?
One thing many teams were not complaining about during the long hiatus was the amount of time players had to rest up and heal lingering injuries. Los Angeles Clippers’ star forward, Paul George, had been dealing with constant shoulder pain since putting up an MVP-caliber season for the Oklahoma City Thunder a season ago.
This season, George hasn’t looked quite the same, but he was very fluid and mobile in the scrimmage versus the Orlando Magic. He scored 18 points in 19 minutes while shooting four of eight from three. Obviously, it was one game, we’ve been fooled by Paul George playing well before. Especially in the postseason. But look past the numbers. Watch the game. He was moving well and that should excite every fan that’s not a Clipper hater.
Terrence Ross Brings Up A Good Point…
A common idea running around the NBA media world was that it may take some sharpshooters a few games to get used to not having fans, especially during big shot moments or further down the line in the playoffs when games really matter. After playing in his first scrimmage in the bubble though, Orlando Magic guard Terrence Ross had an interesting take on the situation. A redditor that goes by the username of “themariokarters” brought up how Ross commented on a highlight video from the bubble, claiming that “depth perception” is perfect due to the fact that the background behind the basket is a dark, solid color. That, compared to the usual mob of fans screaming and waving their arms, actually may make the job easier for the NBA’s best snipers.
The Arrival of Bol Bol…
After falling in the draft and nursing a foot injury that kept him from debuting anytime sooner, Bol Bol finally gave fans a taste of what to expect in the future. The Denver Nuggets only had eight players play meaning that there were plenty of minutes to give to the 20-year-old. And he did a good amount in those minutes. Bol had 16 points 10 rebounds and six blocks while showing great flashes of ball handling and shot taking. Defensively, the Nuggets played mostly zone, meaning that Bol was able to hide more and focus simply on being a rim protector which is a big strength in his game. I don’t want to put too much analysis into one game though. He will definitely be a player to continue to watch during the rest of the scrimmages and the pre-playoff games. Anyone who can do this is a special talent…
Point Jokic…?
As mentioned prior, the Nuggets only had eight players active for their first scrimmage. A lot of the players who sat out were guards, forcing head coach Mike Malone to get creative with his lineups. This included his starting lineup which had three centers, a forward, and a wing player.
One of those centers was Bol Bol, who plays like a wing, while one of the other centers was the Nuggets’ star player, Nikola Jokić, who was labeled as the team’s starting point guard. Jokić has always been known for his terrific passing vision and ability to create open shots for his teammates but the seven-footer usually does this from the high or low post. It remains unknown if this new role as the play initiator is something the Nuggets will continue to do with Jokić, but in a league where small ball has reigned supreme over previous years, it is most certainly interesting for a team to try out such a large lineup.
Pelicans Young Core Dominates…
Although they were without their young star, Zion Williamson, the New Orleans Pelicans did not mess around in their first action back. Were they up against a Brooklyn Nets team that is without a majority of their usual lineups? Yes. Does a 30-point dominating win still get me very excited for what they may do throughout their playoff push this year and for years to come? Absolutely. Other than that, all we have to do is wait for Zion to get back in the bubble. In the meantime, enjoy Lonzo Ball bricking a wide open layup…
Duncan Robinson Catches Fire…
The Miami Heat are a popular underdog pick to perform well in the playoffs this season, especially given the circumstances. They’re a team with some of the best chemistry in the league and a lot of young players with talent being led by great veterans like Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragić. The Heat will be able to go as far as they please if they continue to get production from their young sharpshooters. Tyler Herro got off to a slow start while Duncan Robinson did quite the opposite. He hit four threes within the first five minutes of the game, trying to prove that his production from earlier this season was not a fluke, rather an introduction for more production to come.
Obviously, all of these reactions are based on very minimal game footage. I’m just excited to have live basketball back like most people. These games are going to start ramping up in intensity quickly over the next few weeks so check back in for more opinions and conversations.
-Noah Kokkinos
thesplitcutwrites.water.blog 
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