The 2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) season has seen several teams dominate the first couple of weeks. The Western Conference is loaded with strong competitors, as 11 teams sit at or above the .500 record mark. In the Eastern Conference, two teams are dominating, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. The Cavaliers currently sit atop the league with an undefeated record.With so many teams having strong starts to their seasons, some shocking stories have been presented and some teams are already beginning their journey for the number one pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
The Cavaliers start has been one for the ages. Their 11-0 record is one of the best winning streaks to begin a season since 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who began their 73-9 campaign with a 24 game win streak. Efficiency has been key for the Cavs this season. Guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are carrying the load, each averaging over 20 points a contest and shooting over 40% from the three-point line. Bigs Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been a strong defensive supporting cast, while also scoring the ball well at 55% and 65%, respectively. With guards Caris LeVert and Ty Jerome coming off the bench shooting an outlandish 57% and 61%, the Cavs are a runaway train that is impossible to stop.
On the flip side, the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers are two teams occupying the bottom of the East. While much of the Sixers struggles can be attributed to injuries, the Bucks are in a scramble to find a rhythm.
In Philadelphia, superstar center Joel Embiid has been the center of attention. The 30-year-old has been plagued by injuries practically his whole career, and this season he missed the first nine games of the season. After an early season knee injury and a three game suspension due to an altercation with a reporter, he finally debuted against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. This debut resulted in a loss and Embiid struggled from the field, making just two of 11 shots. As the team heals up, this should hopefully spell an end to this slow start, as Sixers fans have high hopes for the 2024 season.
In Milwaukee, they can’t blame injuries. Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is up to his usual antics, dominating the paint every night. Sharpshooting point guard Damian Lillard is putting up another superb season, but the depth hasn’t been there. Combine this with the Bucks’ defensive woes, and Milwaukee has found themselves in a deep hole. Ever since firing head coach Adrian Griffin and hiring Glen Anton “Doc” Rivers back in January, the team that was once seen as a legitimate championship threat has been on a downward spiral. The chants to fire Rivers are only getting louder, as fans hope to find an answer to their team’s troubles.
For some teams, their early season struggles have fans eyeing the top prospects in next year’s NBA Draft. While the Bucks and 76ers are included in this struggling group and neither are expected to be in the running for the top pick by season’s end, fans and analysts are already clamoring about the sweepstakes for Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg. The number one recruit is off to an impressive start to his collegiate career, averaging 19 points per game and corralling 10 boards. This hasn’t been met without first-year jitters in big moments, but the expectations are already through the roof for Flagg and he’s expected to be the next savior for an NBA franchise. While we’re just a few games into the men’s college basketball season, teams like the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, among others could quickly shift their focus from the playoff race to the NBA draft.
Of course, a lot can change from this point on. Two weeks of a season never tells the full story for any sport. While these opening weeks offer a glimpse at who could be the league’s best, there’s still plenty of time left for some middle of the pack teams to break through and make a run for the top spots.
