This roster is full of talented players. At the helm of the ship is our All-NBA 1st team MVP Candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has continued to prove himself to be a lethal scorer even with the drop off in free throw attempts.
With a top 5 spot in this year’s first MVP ladder, Shai doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The other players on the team have been stepping into their roles perfectly.
JDub looks like he could be a second Shai. Last night’s 31 point performance put a lot of eyes on him, especially after combining with Shai for 65 in a statement win against the Phoenix Suns.
Josh Giddey has had a slow start. 10 games in and he’s averaging worse stats than his rookie year. He’s playing slightly less minutes but that also could be as a result of his lower shooting percentages. 12, 5, and 5 isn’t necessarily bad but it certainly isn’t 17, 6, and 8 like last year.
Lu Dort is averaging around the same number of points on way higher efficiency. He’s shooting a staggering 50% from the field and 48% from 3. He’s also averaging a career high 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He has been the perfect role model for Cason Wallace, who has shown himself to be one of the best rookies in the class thus far.
Cason is averaging around 8 points per game on 64/53/100 shooting splits. He has also been a defensive monster. Presti has done it again.
It’s impossible to discuss the players on the team without mentioning Chet Holmgren. He puts up around 17 points and 2 blocks a night. 7.6 rebounds isn’t bad but for someone of his height, one might expect more output on that end. Rebounding has been a struggle area for the whole team, though.
I could go on and on about this roster. This has been the most fun season I’ve watched in years. Shoutout to tank captain Theo Maledon for bringing us to the promised land. The growth this team has shown in the last two years is unprecedented and I’m sure they’ll only improve as time goes on. Let me know your thoughts on the team so far!
Chet is the right answer here, with none of us knowing what to expect from him. But Cason not “playing like a rookie” is right up there for me. No fear, and doesn’t make a ton of mistakes. He’s got range, and doesn’t shy from the moment. The fact that Mark is playing him a ton speaks volumes to me.