NBA overreactions: Week 1

The NBA is back in action, and the first week of games has already revealed plenty about the season ahead. Although we're only a few games in, certain trends and performances have started to become apparent.

While some insights may seem more obvious than others, here are our overreactions from week one.

Alex’s Overreaction: The Pacers have taken a step back

After an improbable journey to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, the Indiana Pacers have struggled to find their footing at the start of the new season.

With a 1-2 record after the first week, their lone win came against the Detroit Pistons, a team in a rebuilding state that has yet to secure a victory this season. Notably, the Pacers needed a comeback to clinch that win, highlighting their current challenges.

Since that victory, Indiana has suffered two consecutive losses: a blowout defeat against the New York Knicks and a narrow overtime loss to the undermanned Philadelphia 76ers.

The primary concern has been the lackluster performance of their star players. Tyrese Haliburton has struggled, scoring 15 points against Detroit, going scoreless against New York, and adding 22 against Philadelphia.

Despite being a pass-first guard, he has only recorded 11 assists over the first three games.

Pascal Siakam, who recently signed a four-year, $189.5 million extension, has also disappointed, failing to score 20 points in any game so far.

While the Pacers exceeded expectations last season, they haven't shown the same promise early this year.

With key Eastern Conference stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Jimmy Butler looking to be healthy this season, the Pacers will face stiffer competition in their quest for a playoff spot.

The Knicks were short-sighted in their offseason blockbuster trade.

This October, the Knicks and Timberwolves swung a huge deal, as the Knicks sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo packing in exchange for some help at the five in the form of Karl-Anthony Towns.

The results of this trade have been mixed for the Knicks. KAT followed up his quiet 12-point debut with a 21-point showing in his first home game at the Garden. The Knicks were blown out in that first game by the Celtics and won the second game against the Pacers, 123-98.

One glaring issue has already emerged: The Knicks don’t have much to work with in terms of the three-pointer.

The team has averaged 28.5 attempts in their two games, good for 28th in the league. The Celtics, who won the Championship last year, attempted 61 against the Knicks in that game. They are representative of how teams can achieve success in today’s NBA.

In Randle and DiVincenzo, the Knicks lost two of their top deep-range options. The All-Star averaged 24 points. He took a step back from behind the arc comparatively from years prior but still landed threes at a 31% clip. In his first games with Minnesota, he’s averaged 2.3 triples.

DiVincenzo, in his only year with the Knicks, set the team’s three-point record for a season with 283. He played a key role in the Knicks’ playoff run last year.

The Knicks have multiple players who can knock down a three-pointer but lost volume scoring in their big trade. Hopefully, they can turn it up to a higher level sooner rather than later to make this argument mute.

Alec’s Overreaction: Lakers are championship contenders

In their first three games of the season, the Lakers have come out strong with a trio of wins against some of the Western Conference’s top teams. Though they made few offseason moves, the Lakers introduced a new coaching regime, bringing in J.J. Redick for his first-ever coaching role.

Redick’s system has players fully bought in, with Anthony Davis leading the league in scoring and playing at an MVP level. LeBron James, fresh off a 30-point triple-double, continues to defy age, showing no signs of slowing down as he approaches his 40th birthday in December.

Meanwhile, Jaxon Hayes has been effective in the center role when Davis is off the floor, making his presence known in the paint and displaying a growing chemistry with point guard D’Angelo Russell.

With the Lakers’ early momentum, a deep playoff run is well within reach, especially as some of last season’s top Western Conference teams are struggling. The Denver Nuggets have faced challenges with Aaron Gordon’s shooting inconsistencies and Christian Braun adjusting to a starting role.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, lacking Karl-Anthony Towns and an aging Mike Conley, seem to be slipping, while the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks recently fell by double digits to the Phoenix Suns despite a 40-point, 10-rebound effort from Luka Doncic.

With a unified team, strong bench depth, and Redick’s strategic leadership, the Lakers are positioned for a legitimate push toward the NBA Finals.

Alex Harkins is a second-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email arh6278@psu.edu.

Dominick Pizzelanti is a second-year dual majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact him, email dqp5565@psu.edu.

Alec Brown is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email aeb6680@psu.edu.