We’re a couple of day into the NBA season, and time the shock worm has bitten just about each group in a technique or any other, there are alternative worries which can be use … smartly, being worried about.
The Athletic requested its NBA team of workers for every group’s greatest worry at this level. The responses lined the entire spectrum, from free-throw capturing and broke intensity to leading names now not but generating on the ranges we’ve come to be expecting in recent times. (Stats and information are thru Wednesday’s video games.)
Atlantic Section
Boston Celtics
Rim coverage: This can be a unused worry. It could be a non permanent one because the Celtics ranked related the league leaders in rim coverage final season and must quickly welcome again 7-foot-2 shot blocker Kristaps Porziņģis. However Boston has been gashed for layups and dunks lately, particularly in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks and an all-too-close win towards the Toronto Raptors. Joe Mazzulla mentioned his group must make stronger its particular person protection and rebounding. The Celtics may simply be struggling signs of a gentle championship hangover. — Jay King
Brooklyn Nets
Nic Claxton’s again factor: The Nets were given off to an incredibly cast get started, whilst Claxton slowly labored his method into the rotation later a preseason hamstring shock. However now he’s out once more with a lingering again pressure. The group needs to assemble an identification time the entrance workplace preferably needs to get the govern select within the draft. They’re reaching each on the life, and there’s a dozen to be desirous about if Cam Thomas is creating a jump. However Claxton is without doubt one of the Nets’ cornerstones, and so they want him to stick wholesome and retain making improvements to if this rebuild goes anyplace i’m sick the street. — Jared Weiss
Unutilized York Knicks
Inadequency of unfastened throws: I may proceed with the protection right here, however I believe that’ll make stronger with extra year and the eventual go back of Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks rank twenty ninth within the NBA in free-throw makes an attempt consistent with duel (19.1). For a group that shoots a dozen of 2-pointers — successfully, I must upload — and has a head trainer who emphasizes capturing 3s, attending to the rim and free-throw makes an attempt, it’s slightly relating to Unutilized York doesn’t discuss with the treasure stripe extra. Mikal Bridges has simplest taken 11 unfastened throws this season, regardless of the vast majority of his shot makes an attempt coming from throughout the arc. — James L. Edwards III
Philadelphia 76ers
Can they get wholesome and at the similar web page?: The Sixers are caught in a spiral that turns out inescapable on the life. Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey shared the ground in combination for the primary year Wednesday, a duel that George left early as a result of an shock to the similar knee he harm within the preseason. Their simplest two wins got here in extra time, so they’re a couple of bounces clear of being utterly winless. They’re already on the group assembly level of the season. The supporting solid has struggled to blast and rebound. There merely has now not been the spark to triumph over misery that defines a season. — Jared Weiss
GO DEEPER
‘Seems like negativity assists in keeping following me’: Joel Embiid on Sixers’ group assembly, criticisms
Toronto Raptors
Refuse anticipation to assemble chemistry: RJ Barrett had an AC joint shock. Pelvic and elbow accidents have stored Immanuel Quickley to 2 and a part video games. Scottie Barnes suffered an orbital bone break early in the second one while of the season. The Raptors time table was once at all times moving to be tricky to start out the 12 months. Then again, the presumptive inauguration lineup, which additionally options Jakob Poeltl and rising sophomore Gradey Dick, has performed 0 mins. Despite the fact that you might be rebuilding, you wish to have your core items to get obese mins towards excellent groups. The Raptors are lacking out on that chance. — Eric Koreen
Central Section
Chicago Bulls
Workforce protection: Nearest buying and selling Alex Caruso this offseason, the Bulls knew their protection would undergo, however Chicago is at the cusp of score a few of the bottom-three groups in protection. With out a unmarried elite defender, and absent suitable measurement, Chicago’s fortunes will probably be tough to switch. The Bulls are making an attempt to triumph over their defensive boundaries via taking part in sooner and launching extra 3-pointers. However they’ve compounded their problems with giveover and chilly capturing nights. — Darnell Mayberry
Cleveland Cavaliers
How about … none?: Critically, they deserve this life. Only some groups have performed what the Cavs did — win their first 15 video games — and traditionally talking, the ones groups wound up within the NBA Finals. It’s OK to mention this group has incorrect evident considerations. Speed a bow. Should you insist, there are some problems to retain an sight on, like wing intensity (the Cavs have a number of them, however will they reserve up within the playoffs?), defensive rebounding and serviceable bigs off the bench. We simply can’t, with a immediately face, name any of this stuff considerations presently. — Joe Vardon
Detroit Pistons
Submits: The Pistons entered Thursday fix with the Bulls for Twentieth within the NBA in giveover consistent with duel. Cade Cunningham is Detroit’s number one ballhandler and fourth within the league in assists consistent with duel, however he leads the NBA in overall giveover. Submits are to be anticipated with a group this younger, however Cunningham is the top of the snake. As soon as he and the Pistons price the basketball on every ownership, there must be fewer shut video games that retain Detroit fanatics at the edge in their seats. — Hunter Patterson
Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton: My man can’t blast presently. Haliburton is making simply 37.5 % of his pictures total and is chucking it at an abysmal 28.4 % from 3-point fluctuate. Those are each, simply, profession lows, and for what it’s use, his 82 % capturing on the foul layout is also a profession worst. The Pacers have higher gamers and extra intensity, and Haliburton’s skill to push the speed and in finding the distinguishable guy are nonetheless paramount (his assists are i’m sick too). However for the Pacers to be excellent, he has to play games at his regular All-Megastar stage. — Joe Vardon
Tyrese Haliburton has struggled capturing within the first day of the season. (Trevor Ruszkowski / Imagn Photographs)
Milwaukee Dollars
Khris Middleton’s fitness: Throughout coaching camp, Middleton informed The Athletic that he had to play games in a minimum of 70 video games to imagine this a a hit season for himself. The Dollars are 15 video games thru their time table, and he has nonetheless now not felt assured plenty to get at the ground for five-on-five actions. The Dollars have rebounded smartly from their 2-8 get started via successful 4 in their day 5 video games, however it is going to be tough to compete for a championship and not using a wholesome Middleton. — Eric Nehm
Southeast Section
Atlanta Hawks
Trae Younger: You’ll be able to nitpick about Atlanta’s protection or the capturing at the wings or the additional level safe status, however none of that issues if Younger isn’t taking part in at an All-Megastar stage. And time he’s important the league in assists, he’s additionally struggled mightily to attain, capturing simply 38 % at the season and failing to get off a shot in two other last-shot statuses that led to Hawks losses. Future Younger traditionally has been a gradual starter, his Achilles tendinitis to start the season provides to the worry stage this year round. — John Hollinger
Charlotte Hornets
When will Mark Williams play games once more?: The Hornets are achieving an yearly they don’t need: Dec. 8 will mark a 12 months since Williams final performed in a duel. The fifteenth select within the 2022 draft has performed in simply 62 video games in his profession. He neglected maximum of final season with a again shock. This 12 months, it’s been a left bedrock factor. Williams has been fruitful when he has performed and generally is a key piece for Charlotte in its rebuild, however the Hornets wish to see him again at the ground to grasp that. — Mike Vorkunov
Miami Warmth
Terry Rozier’s get started: Nearest their failed pursuit of Damian Lillard in the summertime of 2023, Miami’s obese exit to strengthen its backcourt was once buying and selling Kyle Lowry and a lottery-protected 2027 first-round select to Charlotte for Terry Rozier. The 30-year-old were given off to a valuable get started later his arrival in South Seashore, however he neglected the 2024 playoffs because of a neck shock, and he’s gotten off to a coarse get started this season because the Warmth have stumbled to a 6-7 mark. Rozier’s averaging 12.9 issues and three.7 assists on 38 % capturing. Miami must be extra explosive on offense to compete with groups like Boston and Cleveland on the govern of the Japanese Convention. Rozier has to play games a key function within the offense taking any other step. — Will Guillory
Orlando Charm
3-point capturing: Orlando has performed an stunning task overcoming the a lack of injured celebrity Paolo Banchero. However the group nonetheless struggles to attain within the part lawn and struggles to accident long-range pictures. The Charm rank final in 3-point capturing proportion, making simplest 30.5 % in their makes an attempt. They continue to be aggressive as a result of their remarkable protection, training, cohesiveness and home-court benefit. They’ve a dozen of positives going for them. However as their capturing woes in final 12 months’s playoffs demonstrated, their lack of ability to transform from past the arc is an Achilles heel. — Josh Robbins
Washington Wizards
Can they retain gamers i’m busy?: Nonetheless early of their rebuild, the Wizards wish to end at or related the backside of the NBA standings to beef up their 2025 draft lottery possibilities. It sounds ghoulish to mention, however they’re on course with a 2-11 document. That mentioned, for any group, shedding a dozen of video games (and via extensive margins too) could cause collateral harm, particularly to veteran gamers who develop impatient with shedding and probably with younger gamers who may fall into wicked behavior. Can trainer Brian Keefe and the group leaders retain Washington’s used gamers certain and the younger gamers at the proper developmental observe? — Josh Robbins
Northwest Section
Denver Nuggets
Same song: The Nuggets are moving to win 50 video games and be related come playoff year. However can they recover from the hump this season? Do they have got the trait intensity to continue to exist when all-everything Nikola Jokić isn’t at the ground? That’s what terminated their playoff run final season. Can or not it’s other this year round? — Tony Jones
GO DEEPER
With out Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets have regarded alarmingly helpless
Minnesota Timberwolves
Protection: The Timberwolves had the most productive protection within the NBA via a rustic mile final season, using it all of the strategy to the Western Convention finals. Rudy Gobert was once Defensive Participant of the Era and flanked via a trio of the most productive perimeter defenders within the league in Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Anthony Edwards. Of the ones 4 gamers, simplest Alexander-Walker has resembled what he was once final season. Gobert has mentioned he isn’t taking part in as much as his requirements on the rim, McDaniels hasn’t been anyplace shut to the disrupter at the perimeter, and Edwards has steadily regarded inattentive and unfocused on that finish. If the Wolves are going to triumph over a slow get started, the ones 3 guys must get their defensive enamel again. — Jon Krawczynski
Oklahoma Town Thunder
Alex Caruso’s capturing: Caruso scored a season-high 17 issues all through the new win over the Path Blazers. The Thunder are hoping that pattern continues. For all of the communicate of the Caruso-for-Josh Giddey switch in Oklahoma Town, neither facet is visible dividends but. Giddey has struggled important the Bulls offense, and Caruso can’t in finding the online from past the 3-point arc, capturing simply 21 % from deep. And worse, defenders are straying all of the method off him when he traces the fringe. Caruso made greater than 40 % of his 3s in Chicago a season in the past. If he continues to leave out at this price, he may grow to be ill-fitting on a roster with capturing all over the place. But when he starts to seem like himself once more, at a naked minimal hitting distinguishable jumpers, the Thunder are in a greater playground. — Fred Katz
Alex Caruso places up a jumper towards the Hawks final day. (Joshua Gateley / Getty Photographs)
Portland Path Blazers
Deni Avdija’s shot: The Blazers obese offseason acquisition is off to a flat capturing get started, which performed a component in his shedding his inauguration task 10 video games into the season. Nearest creating a career-best 37.4 % of his 3-pointers final season in Washington, Avdija has made simplest 13 of fifty in Portland (26 %). With Shaedon Sharpe flourishing now that he’s again from shock, Avdija’s mins even have dipped somewhat. He has supplied price along with his smarts, protection and passing, but if the Blazers gave up two first-round alternatives, two second-round alternatives and Malcolm Brogdon, they concept they have been additionally getting a shooter at the stand. And perhaps this is coming: Avdija within the final 4 video games has made just about part (7 of 15) of his 3-pointers. — Jason Fast
Utah Jazz
Will Hardy: The Jazz trainer is so excellent at his task that, by hook or by crook, he nonetheless has a zombie roster aggressive plenty to just have the fourth-worst document within the league. It bodes smartly for when the Jazz have plenty skill to win that Hardy will maximize that skill. He’s a gorgeous trainer. However presently, the Utah entrance workplace wishes about 3 extra losses than the Jazz recently have. — Tony Jones
Southwest Section
Dallas Mavericks
Crunchtime conundrum: Who knew having too many closers may well be this clunky? Future the Luka Dončić–Kyrie Irving–Klay Thompson trio has most commonly labored smartly, it’s nonetheless moderately unexpected to peer those Mavs let fall such a lot of shut video games with most of these elite shot-makers at the payroll. Six in their seven losses were via seven issues or fewer, together with a stretch of 4 in a row (towards Phoenix, Denver, Blonde Order and Utah) wherein they misplaced via a mixed 8 issues. Future that’s counterintuitive, to make sure, it’s additionally a reminder there’s just one ball and their late-game chemistry must come over year. That procedure will probably be slowed slightly with Dončić sidelined for a minimum of a while because of a wrist shock. The numbers, alternatively, point out Dallas has been higher than its document. — Sam Amick
Houston Rockets
Murky offensive identification: There aren’t many considerations with an 11-5 Rockets group inside placing distance of first playground within the West, however Houston’s rarity of an offensive hierarchy is puzzling. The Rockets need to keep watch over the glass, run the ground in transition and barricade aggressively with out fouling, however the a lack of a real pecking series rears its head on the unsuitable occasions, particularly in crunchtime. 4 in their 5 losses have come within the grab when their speed and ball motion grinds to a halt. It’s crisp to be a pace-and-space unit while you’re fifteenth in speed and twenty seventh in 3s made consistent with duel, and the ones problems may well be mounted with a defined construction. — Kelly Iko
Memphis Grizzlies
Condition: The Grizzlies’ intensity has massively stepped forward from a 12 months in the past, enabling Memphis to continue to exist — or even thrive now and then — and not using a complete supplement of gamers. That mentioned, the core trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. has performed precisely one duel in combination, with Morant’s most up-to-date hip shock once more elevating the query of simply how steadily the Grizzlies can unite their 3 stars. Morant simplest performed 9 video games a 12 months in the past and simply 8 thus far this 12 months, time Bane has performed 58 and 42 the day two campaigns and simplest seven thus far this season. — John Hollinger
Unutilized Orleans Pelicans
Is it too past due to manufacture noise?: The Pelicans are going thru an remarkable stretch of wicked shock success that’s left the roster decimated the day few weeks. Nearest inauguration the season 2-0, Unutilized Orleans simplest has two wins in its final 14 video games. There will probably be a couple of key items getting again at the lawn within the then two weeks. There’s a excellent anticipation CJ McCollum, Jordan Hawkins and Herb Jones will all be again within the lineup prior to the tip of November. The Pelicans would possibly get started turning issues round very quickly. However the West is so extremely deep that it could now not topic. That is the unsuitable season to be taking part in catch-up. — Will Guillory
GO DEEPER
Pelicans trainer Willie Inexperienced faces crossroads as injured stars related their go back
San Antonio Spurs
Inadequency of ball penetration: Just about part of Victor Wembanyama’s pictures are coming from the fringe, up from simply 30 % as a rookie. The Spurs hoist the ninth-most 3s within the league, however to make stronger on their Twentieth-ranked offense, they’ll wish to diversify their way. A few of it’s circumstantial: Rookie Stephon Fortress, a bodily downhill blackmail, continues to be studying; Tre Jones and Devin Vassell, San Antonio’s maximum prevalent drivers final season, have simplest lately returned from shock; and Jeremy Sochan, who was once fourth, has been sidelined since early November. Possibly retain Keldon Johnson, who leads the way in which with 6.6 drives consistent with duel, will get extra mins, but it surely begins and ends with Wembanyama. The Frenchman must all set the sound. — Kelly Iko
Victor Wembanyama is capturing just about 34 % from 3 this season. (Daniel Dunn / Imagn Photographs)
Pacific Section
Blonde Order Warriors
Isolated-throw capturing: The final year an NBA group shot underneath 70 % from the layout for a season was once 5 seasons in the past when the Knicks did it. The final year a group with a successful document did it was once 9 seasons in the past, when the Pistons did it. The 11-3 Warriors have made simplest 69.5 % in their unfastened throws. Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Inexperienced, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Brandin Podziemski and Kevon Looney are all suffering from the layout to various levels. They went 9-of-19 jointly in a three-point loss to the Clippers lately. In a convention the place the standings margins are anticipated to be thin, a couple of free-throw homogeneous losses within the center months may well be the too much between a number of seeding slots — the 3rd to the 7th, as an example — come April. — Anthony Slater
LA Clippers
Submits: One of the crucial causes the Clippers are soaring round .500 is as a result of they donate possessions like a crimson kettle is at the ground. Most effective the Path Blazers and Jazz moderate extra giveover consistent with duel. And it’s the unsuitable roughly giveover, as warring parties scouse borrow the ball from the Clippers greater than any alternative group. The Clippers offense can also be higher than league moderate in the event that they shoot higher help of the ball, particularly in fourth quarters. — Legislation Murray
Los Angeles Lakers
Intensity: The Lakers’ intensity was once a priority coming into the season, but it surely’s simplest grown extra problematic since coaching camp. Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Log haven’t begun to go back from offseason surgical procedures. Jaxson Hayes is out with an ankle shock. Anthony Davis is struggling with plantar fasciitis, an shock that has afflicted him since final season. Gabe Vincent and Max Christie have underperformed preseason expectancies. Los Angeles is successful plenty to stick aggressive within the West, but it surely’s in large part been as a result of manufacturing from the starters and D’Angelo Russell. Long term, the Lakers wish to get wholesome and/or make stronger their roster by way of business(s). — Jovan Buha
GO DEEPER
Dalton Knecht is on fireplace — and so are the Lakers
Phoenix Suns
Staying wholesome: Thru 9 video games, Phoenix regarded splendid. Nearest hardship accident. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal suffered calf traces, and a group that opened 8-1, dropped six of 7. Utterly wholesome, this group seemed like a identify contender. Durant performed like an MVP candidate. Beal excelled in his function. A rebuilt bench contributed. Nevertheless it’s now not even Thanksgiving, and the Phoenix shock file has grow to be a chief storyline. The excellent news: The Suns confirmed what was once imaginable. They weren’t absolute best, however that they had one thing cast from which to assemble. The wicked: Because the league’s second-oldest group at 28.26 years, consistent with NBA.com, the fitness issue would possibly not proceed away. — Doug Haller
Sacramento Kings
Megastar workload: De’Aaron Fox is averaging 37.4 mins consistent with duel. Keegan Murray is at 36.7. Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan are each at 36.5. That provides the Kings’ 4 out of the NBA’s govern 14 gamers in mins consistent with duel. That’s a ton to invite over the process an 82-game marathon, particularly with Sabonis (in his 9th season) and DeRozan (in his seventeenth season) already lacking year because of again accidents. However that’s the difficulty for the Kings, who’ve injured bench gamers (Malik Monk, rookie Devin Carter), questionable intensity and a voracious starvation from Mike Brown and the group to strive against away each imaginable regular-season win to steer clear of the Play games-In Event. Fox, Murray, Sabonis and DeRozan have traditionally been very sturdy gamers. That will probably be examined. — Anthony Slater
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(Manage photograph of Paul George and Joel Embiid: Invoice Streicher / Imagn Photographs)
