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One. Week. Away. Are you ready?!?

Today’s Lineup

Preseason Notes 📝

• Good (and bad) news out of Philly led the way on Monday. During the Sixers’ preseason win over the Hawks, Paul George hyperextended his knee and it had us a little worried for a sec… luckily, further imaging on Tuesday showed that PG13 had no structural damage and will be reevaluated ahead of their season debut against the Bucks next week. 🙏

• If there’s one thing we love to Enjoy, it’s a healthy and hooping Ben Simmons. Ben 10 looked close to his old self in the Nets’ preseason win over the Wizards, attacking the rim and making smart reads on his way to 11 points and two dimes in just 12 minutes.

• If you somehow needed more evidence that Zach Edey will be just fine at the NBA level, here you go. The Grizzlies’ rookie big man has been the most efficient post player in the preseason, and he rode Marcus Smart’s advice to 23 points and nine boards in just 18 minutes. ROTY vibes? 🤔

• Year two of the Dame and Giannis era in Milwaukee is looking scary. Not only did the two stars look super comfortable in handoff and PnR sets, but they displayed the type of tough shotmaking you need to make it far in the playoffs, dropping 20+ points apiece as the Bucks outpaced Chicago.

• Wanna know who the Heats leader in three-point makes this preseason is? You guessed it! It’s…. Bam Adebayo? Miamis defensive anchor is shooting 40% from deep over the past three games, including a smooth 2-for-3 showing from beyond the arc in last night’s win for the Spurs. 🔥

• The Raptors beating the Celtics? It’s not as strange as you might think. Going against the defending champs at (nearly) full strength, Torontos starters put on an absolute clinic in the 1st quarter, particularly Scottie Barnes, who not only finished one board away from a 26-point triple-double but also looked like an absolute menace on defense. All-NBA incoming?

• Tyler Kolek continues to be the man over in the Big Apple. The Knicks 2024 2nd-round pick has looked more than capable of running an NBA offense right out of the gates, dropping nine assists in just 24 minutes during New York’s win over Charlotte last night. As an added bonus, he’s developing some pretty sweet chemistry with fellow rookie Pacome Dadiet. 🗽

Early Risers ☀️

We know preseason hoops aren’t exactly the best measure of how a player’s season will go, but hey! First impressions have to count for something, right? Let’s take a look at three guys who’ve added some sauce to their game ahead of opening night.

Toumani Camara

From being the 53rd pick and a “throw-in” in the Damian Lillard trade to becoming one of the brightest young defenders in the league, Toumani Camara is putting everyone on notice. Last season, his full-court pressure and defensive tenacity made him a perfect fit in Portland. But a big question remained: could he contribute on offense?

Well, early returns are looking pretty sweet. Camara has led all Blazers in scoring this preseason while not losing an inch on defense, even holding new Kings addition DeMar DeRozan to just eight points. Alongside new signing Deni Avdija, could Camara help turn the Blazers’ rebuild around and make them a top-half defense? 🚧 👀

Ryan Dunn

If you thought Camara’s offensive leap was impressive, Ryan Dunn’s improvement has been nothing short of miraculous. 🙌 

Dunn was a defense beast at Virginia last season, leading the ACC in blocks as a 6’6” sophomore. But shooting? That wasn’t his thing. Dunn hit just 10 threes throughout his entire college career and was a Shaq-esque 53.2% from the FT line, numbers that aren’t exactly glowing with potential when it comes to offensive impact in the NBA.

Despite his shortcomings with the rock in his hands, the Suns still saw enough on D to take Dunn with the 24th pick this year. And in just four preseason games, Dunn has hit more threes (12) than during his entire 65-game run at Virginia. If his improvements as a floor-spacer are real, the Suns might have just gotten the steal of the draft and a perfect defensive anchor to combine with their dynamic offensive trio.

Yuki Kawamura

When the Grizzlies signed 5’8” Yuki Kawamura to an Exhibit-10 contract, most people thought it was just a fun Olympic storyline. But anyone who’d been paying attention knew that he was a serious threat to make the roster out in Memphis.

Kawamura has broken a lot of “youngest” records during his rise through Japanese basketball—the youngest player to score in B.League history (18), the youngest MVP (22), and the youngest assists leader (23), Kawamura’s ascent to the top of Japan’s hoops scene was incredible. And despite being tied for the shortest player in the NBA, Yuki has so far proven that his world-class playmaking can absolutely translate to the good old US of A.

Kawamura has averaged over ten assists per 36 minutes during the preseason and he’s done it in style, throwing an array of no-look passes, crisp lobs, and tight-angled dimes to his teammates at any given opportunity. With a lack of playmaking behind Ja Morant in the Grizzlies lineup, don’t be surprised if the young Japanese star gets some run this season.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

With the season about to tip off, it’s the perfect time to remember that basketball is all about the love of the game. Keep the energy positive, enjoy the highs and lows, and let’s keep the conversations around hoops fun this season! Here’s to a year full of excitement, growth, and plenty of iconic moments. 💙🏀

Talk soon,

-Spencer Poole