The start of the NBA regular season is rapidly approaching. If you’re an NBA fan, this is the most exciting time of the year — when an offseason full of questions, transactions and rumors turns into definable things we can see with our own eyes.
Media day has come and gone, delivering a fresh dose of optimism, hope and good vibes. Training camps have offered the first glimpses of what’s to come (and those glorious, post-practice catch-and-shoot drills). What’s next?
That’s right, preseason basketball.
Some may say the games do not count, but I am a firm believer that there is value in the preseason, which begins Thursday. Now, I will say, you should take what you see in the preseason with a grain of salt. This is not the time to let the box score guide you.
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My No. 1 rule is to explore concepts and ideas. You will not see the totality of what a team is looking to do in the regular season, but if you keep your eyes open you can understand the philosophy that’s being set. By the end of the preseason, you can get a sense of which teams are closer to the drawing board than they want to be and which teams feel better about their vision.
Here are a few ideas on what to look for to enjoy the preseason.
New faces in new places
From Kevin Durant in Houston to Cooper Flagg in Dallas, we finally get to see what it looks like on the court. From an individual standpoint, a big key for me is usage. Not the amount of shots a player is taking, but more how teams want to use these players.
It’s time to see what KD looks like in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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Are they initiating offense? Are they more involved in second side actions once the defense has moved? How much are they off-ball? Where are they spaced? Who are they running the two-man game with? What does that open up for the team? Who are they asked to guard, and are they switching or roaming on defense?
Asking and answering those types of questions will help you get a better understanding for what is to come in the regular season.
Player development from returning players
While everyone loves a good offseason workout video, few things match real reps with in-game action. Preseason is a good way to see how players have grown and how that can help their teams.
How comfortable do they look in pick-and-roll? Are they hunting more pull-up jump shots? Are they being trusted with more on-ball reps? Are they reading the defense instead of predetermining plays? Are they more confident taking open shots? Are they driving closeouts to keep an advantage? Are they more active on the defensive end, on- and off-ball?
Points of emphasis from coaches
It could be increasing pace, getting into their offense quicker, having more tempo and flow in the half court. It could be focusing on throwing the ball ahead to a ball-handler and trying to attack that way. It could be adding full-court or 3/4-court pressure defensively to try and slow down offenses. It could be trying different pick-and-roll schemes on defense with different lineups.
If there is a new coach, you get to see the building blocks of a new system. For a returning coach, you get to see what they felt they needed to improve on to take the next step. While you won’t see all of it because of the shorter timing with training camp, you can see the attempt early and track it as the preseason goes on.
Opportunities for players further down the depth chart
Stars minutes are usually monitored in the preseason, especially early on. Pay attention to who plays with whom, when they come in and out, and how that develops as the preseason goes on. An early spark in the preseason can lead to a “surprising” start to those who didn’t see it coming.
It’s also a good opportunity for teams to experiment with different lineup combinations, and you can see the highs and lows of what those bring to the table. Does a team want to go double big? Do they want to play smaller? Is there different spacing and sets depending on who is on the court?
7 teams I’m looking forward to watching this preseason
New York Knicks: With the hiring of coach Mike Brown, I’m very intrigued to see how the Knicks look on the offensive end. There has been a lot of training camp talk about improved pace and ball movement. What does that open up for New York? Can the team consistently move the ball and make quick decisions to avoid being stagnant? Will that shift open up more for Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby? Can Karl-Anthony Towns be used as a handoff hub to facilitate that movement?
Houston Rockets: The sudden loss of Fred VanVleet looms large. This is an opportunity to see how the Rockets try to fill that gap offensively. All signs point to Amen Thompson getting a larger runway to operate and initiate. What will his athleticism and rim pressure open up for Houston? Will he have improved confidence in his outside shot? I imagine the Rockets will look to play through Alperen Şengün more and also use Durant in different ways on and off ball.
Los Angeles Lakers: The question for me; Where do the Lakers want to land on the defensive end? For the most part under coach JJ Redick, they have tried to avoid putting two on the ball as much as possible. Last year saw a lot of switching, activity and rotation. What do they try to mix in around the switching, or do they try to find more nuance with when and how they help?
Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets really looked to address their bench, depth and versatility over the offseason. My eyes will look to the lineup combinations they try to go with, what they put in offensively when Nikola Jokić is not on the court, and how much activity they show on the defensive end.
Toronto Raptors: With Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, I’m interested to see how they want to play offensively in the half court. Coach Darko Rajaković has emphasized movement, and I’m intrigued to see how that talent can blend from side to side. Keep an eye on the defense and depth.
Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers were fourth in the NBA in defensive rating post All-Star break and have added Jrue Holiday to the fold. Will that stretch hold up and help make the Blazers more competitive in the Western Conference?
Dallas Mavericks: Anthony Davis has bulked up and Cooper Flagg has arrived, but the loss of Kyrie Irving has me wondering how the Mavericks evolve on the offensive end. The lineup has a level of versatility, and D’Angelo Russell can handle a portion of the playmaking duties, but it’s clear that without Irving the Mavs cannot rely on the pick-and-roll as heavily as they have before. Who initiates, how do they flow, where do they create advantages, and what kind of movement can they create around their size to keep pressure on defenses?
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