NBA Preseason Update

Finally, the NBA preseason is here. The newest draftees and trades are shining in the eve of the NBA regular season. Buddy Hield, Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo and other standout performancers over the last week are highlighted here. Starting the list is the New Orleans Pelicans versus the Dallas Mavericks. After a disappointing season with the season ending injury to Anthony Davis, the Pelicans missed the playoffs by 4 places than they were in last season. Hopefully their 6th pick in the draft, Buddy Hield, will add positive depth to the injured Pelicans. So far Buddy has risen to the challenge by leading the team in scoring with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in 25 minutes. The Pelicans finished strong in a convincing victory by 14 points. Next up on the list, the Thunder went overseas against the Spanish Basketball League(Liga ACB) champions Real Madrid. After a major transfer window for the Thunder left them missing a superstar and defensive powerhouse, the Thunder have brought in Orlando Magic phenomenon Victor Oladipo. Against Real Madrid, Oladipo exploded on his debut with 34 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals in 33 minutes. This effort proved fruitless after an overtime thriller left the Thunder shocked losing by 5. Enes Kanter added to the Thunder’s offense with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Back in the United States, the Dallas Mavericks played the Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets. The standout performance for this game was the younger brother of last year’s MVP, Seth Curry. Seth had 20 points and 4 rebounds in 22 minutes in a tight 5 point win against the Frank Kaminsky led Hornets. Up next, the Miami Heat visited the Washington Wizards in a closely contested game. A large surge by the Heat gave them the edge for the rest of the game, with Hassan Whiteside in the center of the defense and offense. The Heat center totaled 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 23 minutes as the Heat beats the Wizards 106-95. After a poor season and a necessary coaching change, the Houston Rocket showed out in a spectacular performance against the New York Knicks winning 130-103. James Harden and Ryan Anderson had great games, with Harden having a double-double and Anderson having his debut. Harden finished with 28 points, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes, while Ryan Anderson had 26 points and 7 rebounds in 29 minutes. The most surprising performance this week was the Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Clippers, my favorite team. The newest member of the offensive powerhouse Warriors was former MVP Kevin Durant, who recorded 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in 24 minutes. Klay Thompson added to the slaughter with barrage of 30 points in 21 minutes. The final score was a massacre ending with the Warriors winning 120-75 over the Clippers. At the end of the week, the Phoenix Suns battled the Portland Trailblazers in a back and forth thriller. The sophomore player Devin Booker had a surprising team high 34 points, accompanied by 5 assists and 3 rebounds in 30 minutes. Teams are taking shape in the early NBA preseason, building to the anticipation for one of the best seasons we have seen over the past 5 years.