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The pursuit is on!
The first week of nan NBA play is successful nan books, and for immoderate of us, that’s breathtaking because it intends we’re person to nan extremity of nan season. Closer to nan draft. Closer to landing that 1 subordinate who mightiness yet alteration nan fortunes of our atrocious team. Closer to Cooper Flagg.
For those unfamiliar pinch Flagg (you shouldn’t be), here’s what you request to know. He’s a 6-9 guardant from Newport, Maine, pinch unthinkable magnitude and athleticism, awesome protect instincts and a bully violative crippled that continues to improve. He’s a freshman astatine Duke this year, but arsenic nan champion imaginable since Victor Wembanyama, he’ll beryllium nan No. 1 prime of nan 2025 NBA Draft. At conscionable 17 years old, Flagg was a personnel of nan 2024 USA Select Team that trained pinch nan nationalist squad up of nan Paris Olympics. And he much than held his own!
Any squad not successful position to earnestly contend for a title successful nan adjacent early should beryllium doing immoderate it takes to springiness itself a chance to draught Flagg. That intends suffer … a lot. And astir won’t person to effort very hard, which makes these vessel wars each nan much compelling.
As a hopeless yet hopeful Washington Wizards fan, I took it upon myself to way nan biggest losers this season. You tin travel present for each things Flagg, including a ranking of nan champion tankers and updates connected really Flagg is doing astatine Duke. Here’s wherever things guidelines aft week one.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
1. Detroit Pistons (0-3)
Recent games: L vs Pacers, L astatine Cavs, L vs Celtics
The Pistons climb from No. 4 successful my unpublished preseason rankings to No. 1 acknowledgment to a cleanable 0-3 opening week. However, they’ve been comparatively competitive, pinch an eight-point mean separator against teams that each made nan playoffs a twelvemonth agone — including some Eastern Conference finalists. So, they whitethorn descent erstwhile nan schedule eases. We should each dream they do. Detroit has had No. 1 draught lottery likelihood successful 4 consecutive years. They can’t support getting distant pinch this.
2. Washington Wizards (0-2)
Recent games: L vs Celtics, L vs Cavs
The Wizards took attraction of business, getting clapped by nan Celtics and Cavaliers by an almost 20-point mean margin.
3. Brooklyn Nets (1-2)
Recent games: L astatine Hawks, L astatine Magic, W vs Bucks
I started these rankings pinch nan Nets arsenic my No. 1 squad aft an 0-2 start. Then, they inexplicably decided to triumph their location opener complete nan Bucks connected Sunday. Brooklyn was nan preseason leader to onshore nan No. 1 pick, but they can’t support winning games for illustration that.
4. Portland Trail Blazers (1-2)
Recent games: L vs Warriors, L vs Pelicans, W vs Pelicans
Like Brooklyn, nan Trail Blazers started 0-2 earlier winning large Sunday against a squad they had nary business beating, nan Pelicans. But astatine slightest Portland has nan excuse of playing New Orleans 2 games successful a row.
5. Utah Jazz (0-2)
Recent games: L vs Grizzlies, L vs Warriors
The Jazz make a astonishment quality successful these first rankings aft dropping a adjacent crippled to nan Grizzlies and falling by 41 to nan Warriors, leaving them arsenic 1 of 5 remaining winless teams.
It’s ne'er a awesome motion erstwhile a squad shows much conflict against fans than nan squad they’re playing against — unless of people losing games is nan point! In that case, nan Nets are doing conscionable fine.
Dennis Schroder had Ben Simmons’ backmost aft a Magic instrumentality trash-talked him successful nan hallway pursuing Friday’s nonaccomplishment to Orlando.
Warning: Video contains NSFW language
Good for Schroder. Even amended for nan vibe-less Nets
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
A speedy glimpse astatine a squad not tanking difficult enough.
I deliberation we tin each work together nan Chicago Bulls person nary business beating nan Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately for Flagg hopefuls successful Chicago, nan Bulls did not get that memo.
Chicago not only covered arsenic 9.5-point roadworthy dogs, they hit nan Bucks by 11 points down a 35-point detonation from Coby White. Considering nan Bulls’ first-rounder goes to San Antonio if it falls extracurricular nan top-10, they mightiness want to get it together.
Then again, if nan Bucks support this up, they mightiness beryllium joining nan vessel list.
Here’s what Cooper Flagg has been up to.
Duke had an accumulation against Arizona State connected Sunday night, and a blowout doesn’t statesman to picture nan butt-kicking nan Blue Devils gave nan Sun Devils.
With that said, Flagg’s services were only needed for 20 minutes. He vanished 3-of-9 from nan section for 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
This was a beardown decorativeness for nan and-1.
And this was a dunk connected a accelerated break to get nan crowd fired up.
Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Duke’s accumulation schedule is over, truthful we won’t spot Flagg again until Duke’s opener connected Nov. 4. In nan meantime, there’s plentifulness of NBA action to support america occupied arsenic nan league’s worst teams proceed jockeying for position.
Games of note
Oct. 28: Wizards astatine Hawks
Oct. 30: Raptors astatine Hornets
Oct. 30: Hawks astatine Wizards
Oct. 31: Spurs astatine Jazz
Nov. 1: Bulls astatine Nets
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