The name of the game is to put the ball in the basket by any means. Bucket Getters win ball games. In Friday’s onslaught of games, we saw a variety of different offensive outputs that highlight and glorify everything that makes today’s more offensive oriented NBA so special. Double-doubles, triple-doubles, game-winners, and breakout performances. Although typically the big performances come from some of the games’ best players, this week has a handful of new faces bursting onto the season to make their presence felt. The NBA is full of rising talent and that was definitely on display as these guys lit up the scoreboard and put the league on notice!
Bam Adebayo
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 19 | 11 | 2 | 8/12 | 0/0 | 3/4 | 4 | 0 |
With a hobbled Jimmy Butler coming off of injury, Adebayo is being asked to shoulder the lion’s share of the load offensively for the Miami Heat. As a double-double machine, the efficiency is there and Adebayo is showing off some high-level ball handling this season in which he is taking bigs off the dribble and putting guys in the blender. With Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson having a streaky start to the season, Bam is definitely the man steering the ship right now, and for good reason. After getting a huge five-year rookie-scale extension, his “do it all” mentality and the development that we are seeing in his game should show Pat Riley and the Heat organization that Bam is worth every penny he got this offseason.
Luka Doncic
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 27 | 15 | 7 | 9/22 | 3/10 | 6/9 | 0 | 1 |
Luka doing Luka things. Having to carry this Mavericks team on his back without the presence of Kristaps Porzingis, these crazy 2K level numbers should just be expected at this point. In a big 93-83 over the defending Eastern Conference champs, Doncic continues to put on a clinic offensively. The question that comes to mind though is “how long can he hold up?” With the kind of high usage he is facing early in the season, you can already see it affecting his efficiency on a high volume of shots. This was definitely a team effort win though as Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, and Josh Richardson combined for 41 points on the night. Dallas is going to need more group efforts like this if they want any chance of maintaining contention as a playoff team in the Western Conference this season.
Bismack Biyombo
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 16 | 12 | 2 | 7/19 | 0/1 | 2/4 | 0 | 1 |
Bismack gets big boards! If nothing else, you should at least expect anywhere from seven to ten rebounds a night from Biyombo (averaging 7.4 rebounds right now!) for a Charlotte Hornets team still trying to build up its chemistry and develop their young guys. Biyombo is a reliable veteran in the frontcourt who can help steer the ship. Charlotte will never ask him to lead the team in scoring as he did last night, but you can expect him to go out there and do his job which is to protect the paint and get boards.
Lamelo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 15 | 3 | 6 | 6/14 | 2/7 | 1/2 | 2 | 0 |
Continuing to make big strides early in this young season. With Terry Rozier and Devante Graham struggling offensively (9 points combined on the night), the window of opportunity for Ball to shine continues to widen. Although he continues to struggle with things like shot selection and three-point efficiency (the two biggest knocks on him entering the season) he has shown flashes that with more minutes, he could arguably be Charlotte’s best guard. I do not think we have seen that Rookie of the Year defining game just yet, but it is still a young season and with time comes more opportunity. Expect Lamelo to continue to trend in the right direction as he continues to get an increase in playing time throughout the season.
Dillon Brooks
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 3 | 2 | 8/17 | 5/10 | 0/0 | 3 | 1 |
With no Ja Morant, someone was going to have to pick up the slack offensively for the Grizzlies. Dillon Brooks definitely led the charge with his 21 points, but this 108-93 victory over the Hornets came off of pure team play. Six Grizzlies scored in double figures including Kyle Anderson with 18 and Brandon Clarke with 15. This is going to have to be the formula for head coach Taylor Jenkins and Memphis over the next couple of weeks as they patiently wait for the return of their second-year star guard.
Jayson Tatum
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 28 | 6 | 2 | 11/24 | 3/11 | 3/5 | 1 | 1 |
Buckets all over the place. Typically on a night when Jayson Tatum goes for 25+ you would assume that the Boston Celtics would win the game, especially if that game came against the Detroit Pistons. It is clear that with the departures of Gordon Hayward and the injury to Kemba Walker, this team is just trying to figure out their rotations and define a closer for this team. One could only assume that Tatum is that guy, but so far this season it looks as though he and Jaylen Brown are jockeying for position as the “best player on the Celtics” this season. Tatum is an elite talent on both sides of the floor and although this performance was superb, Boston is going to need him to step up even more if they look to remain atop the conference as one of the better teams in the East.
Jaylen Brown
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 9 | 2 | 12/20 | 1/7 | 0/0 | 3 | 2 |
Mr. Do Everything. He scores, rebounds, and makes plays on defense. You name it and Jaylen Brown is doing it for this Celtics team right now. Despite the rough shooting stretch from beyond the arc, Brown continues to add to his Rolodex of big time performances this season as he continues his path to becoming a first-time All-Star. Although most would consider Jayson Tatum to be the Celtics’ best player, Brown is definitely making an argument for himself and showing why he was third overall pick just a few years ago.
Jerami Grant
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 4 | 0 | 9/24 | 2/9 | 4/5 | 1 | 0 |
Grant did exactly what you would expect him to do. With no Blake Griffin in the lineup, it’s Grant’s time to shine as the number one option offensively and he did so with 24 points on considerably inefficient shooting splits. The unexpected part came in the form of a 96-93 win over the Boston Celtics with the help of Saddiq Bey and Derrick Rose, who both had 17 points a piece along with Mason Plumlee who had 17 rebounds on the night. This Pistons may not be extremely talented but they have immense upside.
Trae Young
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 5 | 7 | 7/21 | 3/8 | 4/4 | 1 | 1 |
Somehow this was not even Trae Young’s most impressive performance of the season and he still found a way to look amazing. As a fringe early MVP candidate, Young has this Hawks team rolling to a 4-1 start with expectations of making the playoffs this season. Everyone was expecting his fellow draft classmate Luka Doncic to take the MVP leap in Year 3, but one could argue that Trae Young might be the guy we are talking about later on in the season as the best player from that 2018 draft class.
John Collins
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 20 | 8 | 2 | 9/14 | 2/5 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 |
The perfect pick and roll partner for Trae Young. These guys vibe off each other so well that this duo can go get you 40+ points on any night. Just goes to show you how lethal this year’s Atlanta Hawks team can be offensively.
De’Andre Hunter
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 23 | 6 | 1 | 9/10 | 3/4 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 |
The three-man band. Just when you thought Young and Collins were a handful offensively, here comes Hunter quietly leading the team in scoring on the night. Efficient shooting and defensive presence. That is Hunter’s game, which was on full display in the 114-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Kevin Durant
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 28 | 8 | 4 | 10/21 | 2/7 | 6/6 | 1 | 2 |
Just another day at the office. You can tell that Durant is still trying to shake the rust off because, while the mid-range efficiency has been fine (8-of-14 in this game), the three-point shooting has still been a bit lackluster. But 28 points despite shooting so poorly from three should tell you just how much of a walking bucket KD is.
Kyrie Irving
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 18 | 11 | 4 | 6/21 | 2/11 | 4/4 | 2 | 0 |
Not the best night for Uncle Drew. The unconventional points and rebounds double-double was definitely a nice touch but 2-of-11 from three just is not going to cut it. With Spencer Dinwiddie out for the rest of the season due to injury, the Nets cannot afford to watch Irving have poor shooting nights like these where it looks like he cannot hit the broad side of a barn. Irving and KD are going to need to step up big soon as right now the Brooklyn Nets look like a middle of the pack team in the East which is atypical for a team with two MVP caliber players
Bradley Beal
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 31 | 3 | 7 | 12/20 | 3/5 | 1 | 0 |
No Russ, No problem. Beal was rocking the baby all night long as Russell Westbrook watched his backcourt mate get anything he wanted on the way to Washington’s first victory of the season. After a 40 to 14 outburst in the third quarter, this game was never close as Beal and the Wizards were able to secure the dub.
Thomas Bryant
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 18 | 7 | 2 | 7/7 | 1/1 | 4/5 | 0 | 0 |
Lucky #7! Bryant could not seem to miss and his full offensive arsenal was on display. When healthy Bryant is one of the most intriguing talents at the center position in the NBA and it’s nights like this that make you wonder if he has the upside to become an All-Star in the Eastern Conference sometime down the line.
Malik Beasley
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 3 | 0 | 8/13 | 3/6 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 |
With Karl-Anthony Towns out, this is Beasley’s time to shine by taking advantage of the opportunities opening up offensively. Definitely, empty-calorie stats when you drop 21 points in a 21-point loss, but aye at least he can say he did his part.
Zach Lavine
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 16 | 6 | 2 | 7/16 | 1/4 | 1/1 | 1 | 1 |
The only real bright spot for the Chicago Bulls was Zach Lavine and unfortunately, that does not say much. The next best player on the floor for the bulls was Denzel Valentine with 14 points…You are not going to win many games with Denzel Valentine as your second-best player…
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 29 | 12 | 8 | 9/19 | 1/5 | 10/18 | 2 | 2 |
The Greak Freak shows off his dominance in a 126-96 win, showing every tool in his toolbox.
Bryn Forbes
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | 6/9 | 4/6 | 2/2 | 1 | 0 |
Got a little hot from three there my boy. In a blowout win over the Chicago Bulls, Forbes took the place of Robin to Giannis’s Batman. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday struggled a bit from the floor, combining for 25 points on the night giving Forbes a chance to take advantage and show off his best JJ Redick impression.
LeBron James
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 11 | 10 | 8/22 | 3/7 | 7/7 | 2 | 0 |
Oh, Mr. Triple Double come out and play! When James and Davis combine for 60 points, 22 rebounds, and 15 assists, you might as well hang up your sneakers early cause there is no beating that. Period.
Anthony Davis
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 34 | 11 | 5 | 13/26 | 4/6 | 4/7 | 2 | 0 |
Big Body! This was the definition of an “Anthony Davis Game,” getting absolutely any and everything he wanted on offense.
DeMar DeRozan
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 23 | 9 | 7 | 8/16 | 3/4 | 4/5 | 0 | 1 |
Oh, so you fancy huh? Just when you thought DeRozan was the King of the Midrange and would continue to never take threes, he goes on and hits 3 out of 4 in one game. The question will be, is this a blimp or a trend? Regardless, DeRozan was in his bag despite the close six-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers
Keldon Johnson
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 10 | 1 | 7/11 | 5/9 | 7/8 | 2 | 1 |
The Spurs young core has a glaring bright spot in the form of Keldon Johson. 35 minutes, second-most on the team only behind DeRozan, and Johnson made every second count. With performances like this, he may already be entering himself in the running for the Most Improved Player award.
Kawhi Leonard
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 20 | 16 | 9 | 8/19 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 0 | 3 |
The Clawwwww! 16 big boards and three big-time swats! We all know Leonard can get buckets, but what he is displaying on the defensive end is why people consider him to be one of the best two-way players in the game.
Paul George
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 8 | 4 | 6/22 | 5/13 | 8/8 | 6 | 1 |
Cookies! As if 25 points and eight rebounds were not enough, leave it to Paul George to also be out here robbing pockets. Big six steals along with a block to show he means business on both sides of the floor.
Donovan Mitchell
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 15 | 4 | 5 | 6/14 | 3/10 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 |
Eh…just something slight. With Conley having the hand, Spida sat back and enjoyed the show on the way to a close but much needed 106-100 victory over the LA Clippers
Mike Conley
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 33 | 2 | 7 | 11/20 | 7/14 | 4/4 | 1 | 0 |
Here is the Conley we were looking for! No one can expect him to hit seven threes a night while shooting over 50% from the floor, but Conley’s consistency from the three-point line is something the Utah Jazz have been desperately looking for. Conley is starting to chuck it with confidence and that is going to make the backcourt of him and Donovan Mitchell extremely dangerous throughout the rest of the season.
Devin Booker
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 2 | 2 | 9/17 | 3/7 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 |
Throw your deuces up! Big 2s all across the stat line, Booker did what he does: Get Buckets. Nothing less than a classic Booker Buckets game in the close 106-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets
Chris Paul
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 5 | 6 | 6/12 | 1/2 | 8/8 | 0 | 1 |
This is why you get paid the big bucks. Sealing the deal in the final moments of the game, Paul shows why everyone believed he was the missing piece for Phoenix entering the season. We knew Booker was an offensive juggernaut, but Paul’s ability to get others involved and help in closing games is what is going to make this team deadly as the season progresses.
Deandre Ayton
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 11 | 1 | 10/13 | 0/1 | 2/2 | 0 | 2 |
Buckets and boards! Nothing more, nothing late. Ayton is getting good looks down low, converting at a high clip, and protecting the rim as any good big man should. Last year we got a glimpse of what he could be, but I think in year three we are finally going to get to see the whole shebang!
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 17 | 9 | 11 | 7/13 | 3/5 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
Close but no cigar…Not only did the Nuggets lose by a grand total of only three points to the Phoenix Suns, but Nikola Jokic also fell short of a triple-double, coming just one singular rebound away. Hard to put the loss on the 7-footer as he had a classic Jokic game, displaying every facet of his game and showing off why is one of the best centers in the NBA today.
Jamal Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 31 | 4 | 5 | 12/22 | 4/8 | 3/3 | 2 | 0 |
Sniper Gang! Murray was the Nuggets scoring threat on the night and it was not even close. This is a guy that we have been kind of waiting to see if he can finally get going and have one of those monster nights offensively like what we saw in the Bubble. Despite the loss, last night may be an indication that Murray is getting a bit of his swagger back.
Damian Lillard
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 34 | 4 | 8 | 11/21 | 6/10 | 6/6 | 1 | 0 |
Bombs away! Logo Lillard was in full effect in the 123-98 victory over Golden State on the back of shooting 20-of-43 as a team from beyond the arc. If you tell me that Lillard and McCollum alone will combine for 10-for-21 from three in a game, I would probably tell you they won the game big and that is exactly what the TrailBlazers did.
CJ McCollum
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 28 | 1 | 4 | 11/21 | 4/11 | 2/3 | 3 | 0 |
The perfect Robin to Lillard’s Batman. Matching Lillard with an identical 11-of-21 shooting from the floor and once again displaying why Portland arguably has one of the most talented backcourts in the NBA
Stephen Curry
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 8 | 5 | 9/20 | 4/12 | 4/4 | 0 | 0 |
Despite Draymond Green’s much anticipated season debut coming off of injury, the former All-Star did not show out much, only recording four rebounds, four assists, and no points. Once again another display that this is going to be a long year for the Warriors and Curry is going to be asked to carry them every step of the way
