It has been roughly 2 weeks of the new NBA season and we are already being spoiled with some unexpected storylines and both great team and personal performances. We’ve come to present you with 8 NBA players who started this campaign on a high note.
Dillon Brooks
After last season’s disappointing playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies told the 27-year-old that they wouldn’t resign him under any circumstances! That’s pretty harsh for one of the best players on your roster and the heart of the locker room who scored over 14 points per game. As an unrestricted free agent, Dillon signed with the Houston Rockets on a lucrative 4-year / $86 million deal. Many criticized that signing and called it overpaid but this NBA season Brooks is proving his worth and is having a breakout season in terms of his efficiency, scoring 17.8 PPG on 60/60/93% splits, while still being a great defender, racking up 1.6 steals per game.
Tyrese Maxey
Only 5 games into the NBA season were enough for the 76ers to pull the trigger on the James Harden trade. The reason? Maxey’s exceptional game. 26.2 points per game on 49/47/93% splits, 6.6 assists per game, and a great deal of intensity on the court. That’s all you need! It appears that last season the young point guard was simply held back by the ball-dominant Harden and now is his time to shine.
Grant Williams
Saying goodbye to the Boston Celtics surely hasn’t been easy for him as he spent the first 4 years of his NBA career there, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals 3 times, but with the forward no longer fitting into the new gameplan after massive roster changes, the Celtics decided to engage in a 3-team-trade with the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs.
Since his move to Dallas, Williams’ numbers have almost doubled compared to last season. He’s averaging 15.5 points per game on 55.5% from the field and 56% from three helping Mavs to a great 5-1 start after failing to qualify for the play-in tournament 6 months ago.
Tyrese Haliburton
The Indiana Pacers are off to a solid start, and Haliburton is leading the charge. People expected good things from him, but he’s smashing those expectations. He’s scoring 24 points per game on almost 50% from the field, 40% from three-point land, and 93% at the free-throw line. Those numbers alone look great but even more impressive are the 12.4 assists per game that he’s averaging. That’s pure leadership and the Pacers are thrilling to watch, with Haliburton’s mix of sharp shooting and slick passing as a big reason why. He’s the heart of a team that’s ready to make a statement in the NBA.
Scottie Barnes
After a fantastic rookie season and not-so-good last season, the young power forward is ready to make some noise. With the departure of Fred van Fleet during the offseason, the 22-year-old picked up some of his playmaking assignments and is coping well with them averaging 6 assists per game after the first 7 games of the season. Apart from that he also improved as a scorer massively since last season. Right now Scottie Barnes is rounding up 22.5 PPG on 51/42/76% shooting splits and is grabbing 10 rebounds a night to add to that. By putting this all together we believe we are to witness a breakout season from the young star.
Paul George
During the off-season, on his podcast, PG stated that he is very dedicated to performing at his best this NBA season, and we can already see the products of his hard work. The LA Clippers star is haunting his opponents on offense as well as on the defensive side of the floor. As of right now, George is putting up career highs in points per game (29), efficiency (56/51/93%), and steals (2.4). Could it be the year the Clippers finally reach their potential with Paul George playing like that and their freshest addition of James Harden?
Tyler Herro
It must have been quite a nervous summer for Herro as his name was in all kinds of trade talks with the main ones revolving around Damian Lillard. The 2021-22 Six Man of the Year has been a fan-favorite in Miami since his rookie season when he displayed his skills and character during the Heat‘s run to the NBA Finals. The 23-year-old guard has spent his time off in the gym and is now emerging as a serious candidate for the All-Star selection. He’s leading his team in scoring by far (26PPG), and surprisingly in assists (5APG) as he has never been known for his playmaking.
Jalen Duren
We close the list with a center who last season was the youngest player in the NBA. Duren has had some dominant performances to start this NBA season. On the season opener for the Detroit Pistons and their first game of a back-to-back against Charlotte and then Chicago Bulls he had respectively a 14 points / 17 rebounds game and a 23 points / 15 rebounds game. Both are fantastic displays of his skill and maturity despite his age.
Final words
With so many guys starting the new campaign hot, we think this could be one of the best seasons yet. The amount of talent on each of the 30 NBA teams is through the roof and new players are proving every night that now is their time.
