10 Early NBA Season Trends to Watch

October 28, 2021 Sports

We’re eight days into the 2021-22 NBA season, where there are far more questions than answers. And since it’s too soon to dig too deeply on any one thing, here are 10 different teams, players, coaching decisions and compelling trends to monitor in the days, weeks and months ahead.

LeBron’s Defense Isn’t Great; Needs to be Great

The Lakers have myriad issues that can, at best, be described as growing pains. At worst, they’re foundational fatal flaws. LeBron James’ defense is neither of those things this early in the season, but Los Angeles is toast if his indifferent approach to getting stops in the opening week carries through the winter.

To be fair, every player in the league has letdowns on that side of the ball, plays where they look disinterested, confused or tired. The season just started and, overall, James has been decent on defense. But thanks to how Rob Pelinka constructed this roster, decent defense from LeBron won’t do.

As L.A’s second-best defender and one of four or five players on the whole team who at least pass for average on D, the Lakers need their 36-year-old king to commit every night. Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope aren’t walking through that door. James can’t bottom out, which is a version of what we’ve already witnessed.