Top Rookies Off To Sizzling Starts

Plus, the Jazz might actually be good, and the EB Community shares their favorite early performances

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The Kids Are (More Than) Alright: Banchero, Ivey, Mathurin, and more waste no time getting acclimated to the NBA game.What Has Impressed The EB Community?: What has stood out to our readers in a great first week of basketball?

Okay, everyone, take a deep breath. The whirlwind first few days of the NBA season are now behind us. They were pretty dang fun though, huh? It seems like every single team has at least one interesting storyline surrounding it. While some of those stories are of the horror genre, fans of the league at large have no shortage of excitement on any given night. Let's talk about it all!

Rookies Putting On A Show Early

Paolo Banchero, Ben Mathurin, and Jaden Ivey were all top-ten draft picks this season, so they're all supposed to be cornerstones for their respective franchises. But as we know, the NBA Gods don't care what's "supposed" to happen, and even top draft picks often take time acclimating to the size, speed, and strength of the NBA, sometimes never being able to fully adapt to the talent of the league. Well, that's not the case with these three rookies. Right off the bat, they've shown a level of maturity on the court well beyond their years.

In just three games, Banchero has showcased everything that made him the rightful No. 1 pick in June's NBA Draft. Self-creation ability, awe-inspiring fluidity at 6'10, and a strength/burst combination that seems to surprise defenders on every drive.

For the Pacers' Ben Mathurin, it looks as if he expected to enter the NBA and immediately become an elite scorer. He moves with such confidence on the floor, and at the moment, it's warranted; the Arizona product is averaging 24 points per game in his first three outings.

Jaden Ivey is simply electric. A basketball court really isn't that big, and Ivey still somehow manages to make other players look like they're stuck in mud. The Pistons still might not win a lot of games this season, but there is plenty to look forward to in Motor City.

EB Roundtable

Welcome to the Enjoy Basketball Roundtable! We love this community, and we think it's only right to feature your voices because you're the reason this newsletter exists! Keep an eye on our Twitter for future roundtables. This week, we wanted to know who or what has impressed you early on this season:

And you delivered! Let's check out some of your responses.

Ja just keeps leveling up. If you're thinking this season may be an MVP-caliber campaign for Morant ... we can't blame you. Averaging 34.3 PPG through three games, including a 49-point, 8-assist masterclass against Houston, the Grizzlies PG looks poised to establish himself as a top 10 player in the NBA before year's end.

If this was an NBA storyline you predicted going into the season, congratulations on developing a time machine and using it to go watch NBA games a few weeks in the future. That's exactly how we would use it too, honestly. DSJ has given the Hornets an extremely unexpected boost in these first three games, capped off by an 18-point, 6-assist, and 3-steal performance in his first start with the Buzz Boys. It's impossible to not be happy for him.

There was an awful lot of noise surrounding Damian Lillard during the offseason, as many folks wondered if he was past his prime after missing a majority of last season and looking a little less electric than fans are used to when he did play. Well, after back-to-back 41-point games (both wins for Portland), all of that noise has shifted to chatter about just how good this Blazers team can be with Lillard at the helm.

Sunday's NBA Action

Blazers 106, Lakers 104: If you're yet to tune in to a Blazers game this season, we highly recommend doing so. They seem to genuinely enjoy playing together, and Damian Lillard is still Damian Lillard. For the Lakers, well ... it's looking a little bleak. Lebron is inching towards Kareem's all-time scoring record, though!

Hornets 126, Hawks 109: Why were Hornets fans panicking so much this offseason, when they already have two young superstars in LaMelo Ball and ... Nick Richards? Okay, that might be a stretch, but Richards posted his first-ever 20/10 game in the win.

Cavaliers 117, Wizards 107 (OT): Well, Donovan Mitchell seems to have acclimated to his new home quite nicely. (Do you think he's been to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?) Spida put up his third straight 30-piece in this win, leading the Cavs to victory, even without his running mate Darius Garland.

Jazz 122, Pelicans 121 (OT): THE UTAH JAZZ ARE NEVER GOING TO LOSE A BASKETBALL GAME AGAIN. A few months ago, there were legitimate discussions about this Utah squad potentially being one of the worst NBA teams we've seen in years. Well, apparently, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, and the rest of the Jazz team took those discussions personally. The Jazz improve to an (impressive) 3-0.

Warriors 130, Kings 125: The Warriors scored 89 points in this game, so apparently, their offense wasn't really in sync tonig-- wait a minute. The Warriors scored 89 points in the first half of this game? That's just silly. De'Aaron Fox had another great game (26 points & 10 assists), but the Kings are still searching for their first win.

Timberwolves 116, Thunder 106: Anthony Edwards posted his second 30-point performance in a row, and the bench trio of Jaylen Nowell, Naz Reid, and Taurean Prince pitched in 39 as the Wolves bested the Thunder.

Suns 112, Clippers 95: Devin Booker is good at scoring the basketball. Award-winning journalism, once again. He scored 35 on Sunday, and while the vibes on the Suns still feel a little funky, the team is playing mostly high-level basketball. Will they recoup the magic of their Finals run two years ago, or implode? Who knows!

Good Reads

NBA Stats Notebook: DeMar DeRozan is much more than a bucket - Ethan Fuller (Basketball News)

A world to walk in and out of - Katie Heindl (BASKETBALL FEELINGS)

Has Denver Found The Right Balance To Make A Finals Run? - Seerat Sohi (The Ringer)

Signing Off

Enjoy these days, folks. The days we can turn on an NBA game every night and be treated to the highest level of basketball the world has ever seen. They won't last forever! Have a great week. Give yourself a present. Talk soon!

-Quinn Everts

Trivia Answer: The biggest opening night blowout ever? It happened just five years ago when the Blazers beat the Suns 124 to 76!

Trivia Question: Who has the most double-doubles in their rookie season in NBA history with 68?