No, it’s just not based on the title of a famous movie that was based on the existential dread you feel watching the Clippers get destroyed by an eventual 15-win team. Today’s title describes today’s official state of mind.
We talked about it, they talked about it, everyone talked about it; of Victor Wembanyama Heading into his Year 3 season, could we finally see the peak begin? Again, hot takes are a natural by-product in the early steps of any opening season, but are there any non-Wemby believers?
Of course, even someone as cautious (uh…), unbiased (lol), and nuanced (lmao) as I am, accepts the health concerns, not just from last year’s blood clot issue, but also what the history of the game tells us about this kind of size and frame. I think deep down we all worry about this aspect. But beyond that, the glaring gap Victor had on the field itself seems to be slowly dissolving.
In beating the Mavericks last night, Wemby showed exactly the things we want to see from what could be a top-3 player by the end of the season. He showed physicality, better touch and feel in the paint, and dictated his own pace in and around the rim. It’s hard not to have close touch at that height and reach, but against a team that may not be at full strength but has plenty of size, the entire roster of Mavs bigs couldn’t do anything to stop any of it. His last stat was 40 PTS, 15 REB, 3 BLK, 1 AST, 1 STL with a +27 in 30 minutes.
The Mavs, on the other hand, yes. While the point forward experiments with Cooper Flagg is a worthy one, let’s not forget that rookies are still rookies and will have nights like this. With just 10 points on 4-13, he’s still shooting a double-double with 10 rebounds, but it’s clear the team will have problems until Kyrie Irving comes back or someone else steps up. Just twenty team assists is not a recipe for success.
Anthony Davis went 2-4 from three? That might be something positive? It’s also a small sample size, so that’s why we used two question marks instead of one. Also, PJWashington continues to look like a legitimate above-average starter and it will be interesting to see what the starting five ultimately looks like when Irving returns. Who sits? Personally, I think it should be Klay, but it will take a long time before that decision is made.
Here’s what else I saw on opening day…
A Razzball favorite! Both Kostas and I wondered out loud (on paper) why VJ Edgecombe had less than 40% ownership in fantasy leagues. He’s got that athleticism and the ability to make some noise, and he’s done that at some point. He scored the most points in a Sixers debut since Wilt Chamberlain. Not a terrible colleague to compare with, I would say. 34 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST and 1 STL obviously won’t happen every night, but with Paul George doing his best Paul George impersonation, there’s no reason not to have Edgecombe on the list.
Anthony Edwards quietly scored 41 PTS in a win against the Blazers. And if we stick to the quiet theme, Giannis Antetokounmpo casually dropped 37 points with 14 rebounds and 5 assists in a win against the hapless Wizards.
Want more silence-adjacent performances? What about the aspiring environmentalist (so many references, so little time) Kawhi Leonard with an opening stat of 10 PTS, 4 REB and 2 AST? Does that mean anything to you? What about the entire Clippers roster? Obviously my inherent bias is speaking here, but the Clips have been notoriously slow starters for three seasons in a row now, so I don’t really see any takeaways here.
For what it’s worth, the Clippers seem determined to stay Bradley Beal (5 PTS) starting, but with a minutes limitation. And also already John Collins (14 PTS) comes off the bench, there were still 30 minutes for him, so not a bad sign at all.
And I rarely get around to that reporting news when it happensbut just wanted to note that Chauncey Billups was just arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, including ties to the mafia. That’s impressive, both for the fact that the mafia still exists and because a Portland mafia exists. Do they ride their bikes naked and don’t shower more than once a month?
The fantasy relevant part is that Terry Rozier was arrested as part of the long-running gambling investigation. Not that he was super fantasy relevant, but you know what, he’s definitely going to have a hard time recovering from last year’s season. He may also have difficulty literally bouncing back…
Jay is an ancient Razzball who uses a vast amount of Maker’s Mark as a vehicle to gain wisdom and enhance his natural glow. Living in the DC area, he also enjoys spending time visiting the local parks and feeding lettuce to all the turtles he comes across, including Mitch McConnell.
#Wembypocalypse