Biggest Things We Learned from Every NBA Team's First Game

The NBA is back, and better than ever. Well, at least in the case of some teams.

Each NBA team has played at least one game thus far, and while nothing is yet written in stone, we can not discount the importance of their opening displays.

After an extended offseason, the first stretch of the regular season is about re-establishing team chemistry and playing through the rust that has developed since last year.

The hot-and-cold starts of various organizations do not warrant a full-fledged playoff picture, but there is plenty to be taken away from what has transpired thus far.

Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson May Become a Liability

Despite being under an incredibly lucrative contract, Joe Johnson apparently feels no pressure to perform, something he made abundantly clear in the Atlanta Hawks' season-opening win over the New Jersey Nets.

Johnson scored only 11 points, shooting 4-for-11 from the field. He also grabbed only two rebounds. His dismal performance continued an underperforming trend he started in the preseason.

Moving forward, Johnson's struggles, and apparent lack of motivation, will become a problem for this Hawks team that won't be facing a battered Nets team on a daily basis. 

Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce Is the Team's MVP

Paul Pierce has been absent for the Boston Celtics' first two games in the season, and the team has gotten off to an 0-2 start, which is no coincidence.

Boston lost a close game to the New York Knicks on Christmas day, before suffering a beatdown at the hands of the Miami Heat. While the team has shown they are still a capable squad, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo need help on the offensive end.

In the game against the Knicks, Pierce could have single-handedly changed the outcome. He has torched the Knicks in the final seconds of a game countless times; he gives Boston a go-to guy in crunch time, something it lacked against New York.

In terms of the Heat game, Pierce's presence would have provided an extra spark that would have at least kept the game within more of a reasonable reach.

Make no mistake, this Celtics team can still make a strong postseason run. That being said, this is only possible if Pierce is on the floor.

Charlotte Bobcats: Kemba Walker and D.J. Augustin Can Coexist

Potential chemistry between guards D.J. Augustin and Kemba Walker has been a major concern for the Charlotte Bobcats, but if the team's first game was any indication, there is nothing to worry about.

Charlotte defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 96-95 in their first game of the season, erasing a 14-point deficit on the backs of Augustin and Walker. Augustin dropped 19 points while Walker chipped in with 13, including two crucial free throws in the final 10 seconds of the game.

The guards spent a considerable amount of effective time on the floor together in the victory, giving the Bobcats reason to believe that such a backcourt pairing will ultimately work.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose and Company Are Not Immune from Lockout Effect

The Chicago Bulls' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers wasn't pretty. Only the closing minutes were easy to watch, and their recent loss to the Warriors was more difficult to stomach.

Last season, the Bulls were the poster child for consistency. However, even a deep team like Chicago cannot escape the negative effects an extended offseason has.

The Bulls pulled out a win against the Lakers, but keep in mind they narrowly escaped losing to a battered Los Angeles team that the Sacramento Kings defeated rather easily. Chicago came out flat, especially to open the second-half, scoring only 12 points in the third quarter. 

In the loss to the Warriors, the Bulls were outscored in every quarter except for the fourth, and trailed by double digits for a large portion of the game.

Are Chicago's shortcomings reason to panic? No, but they are reason to expect that the Bulls will not run away with the Eastern Conference. At least not right now. 

Cleveland Cavaliers: Patience Is a Virtue

The Cleveland Cavaliers placed a lot of stock in Kyrie Irving becoming the team's savior, and while that is still possible, it has become clear the organization and its fans must remain patient.

Irving's NBA regular-season debut could have gone better, but it was not an atrocious display of basketball either. Irving had six points, three rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 26 minutes of action.

Cleveland must realize the point guard is not LeBron James, nor will he ever be. Irving did not explode on the stat lines, but he did exhibit a profound ability to create opportunities for his teammates and was aggressive on the boards for his position.

Patience is a virtue, and as the Cavaliers' first game indicated, it is one the team can ill-afford to lack.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki Hasn't Found His Groove Yet

The defending champion Dallas Mavericks are off to an 0-2 start, and it is clear the team needs some more time to establish some continuity, especially their star forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki has put up points in the season's opening games, but his rebounding, or lackthereof, is of major concern.  He is averaging only 4.5 rebounds after two contests, and is visibly less aggressive than he has ever been on the glass.

At 7'0", Nowitzki is a career 8.4 rebounds per game athlete, and he needs to at least broach that mark in order to create further opportunities for the rest of his team in transition.

Is Nowitzki the sole reason the Mavericks have gone winless in their first two games? Not at all; the whole team has been visibly flat. That being said, resolution begins and ends with the team leader. 

Denver Nuggets: This Group Can Play

After dealing Carmelo Anthony last February, the Denver Nuggets shocked the basketball world by playing their way to the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, and it seems the team still has a few tricks up their sleeve.

After losing multiple players to the CBA, many counted Denver out of not just the playoff picture, but relevance in general. The Nuggets' blowout of the reigning champion Mavericks says otherwise though.

It doesn't matter that Dallas has looked flat since the season opened, all that matters is it seems this Denver team has found the perfect balance between youth and experience.

Nene Hilario, Andre Miller and Al Harrington are guaranteed production, and Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari have finally arrived. 

It's only been one game, but that is more than enough to surmise that the Nuggets are a team we shouldn't sleep on.

Detroit Pistons: Jonas Jerebko Is About to Breakout

There are plenty of bad sentiments to take away from the Detroit Pistons' loss to the Indiana Pacers, but the biggest thing we learned is that Jonas Jerebko is here to stay.

After being selected as the ninth overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, Jerebko has impressed with his hard work ethic and willingness to adjust. He had 17 points, five rebounds, one steal and one block in Detroit's opener on his way to making a significant two-way impact.

If we look at the big picture, the PIstons' frontline is thin. Both Greg Monroe and Jerebko are inexperienced, and Tayshaun Prince's talents are dwindling.

That being said, Jerebko's development gives Detroit at least one aspect of the game to look forward this season. 

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry's Ankle Is of Major Concern

After only two games it seems that Stephen Curry only has one ankle left to stand on.

Curry has aggravated his surgically repaired right ankle in each of the team's first two games. The good news is that when he is on the court, and playing at a high level, the Golden State Warriors are a team to be feared.

The Warriors' loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on opening night was blown out of proportion. Monta Ellis' grandmother had just passed away, and people neglected to think that this may have affected him. And then there was Curry's ankle to consider.

In the team's second game, Curry facilitated the offense effectively and helped himself, Ellis and David Lee to mountains of points. The result? A victory of the ever-impressive Chicago Bulls.

Clearly, at full strength, Golden State is a team to be feared, but they are only at full strength if Curry is healthy. His ankle will be a lingering question mark moving forward.

Houston Rockets: Dalembert Is Not Enough

Give credit to Samuel Dalembert for blocking three shots in only 20 minutes of action to open the season, but it is clear the Houston Rockets need another defensive specialist if they are to compete in the West.

Kevin Martin had a ghastly night, but Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, Courtney Lee and Terrence Williams picked up the slack. Offensive depth is clearly not the problem, but defensive depth is.

Houston's defense caved in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic. They had kept themselves within striking distance all game, but let it get away from them in crunch time. That cannot happen.

Outside of Dalembert and Scola, the Rockets' low post is thin and inexperienced. This is going to be an obstacle that hinders the team's performance all season long.

Indiana Pacers: No Longer Just the Danny Granger Show

The Indiana Pacers' victory over the Pistons cannot be summed up any better than the way that Jared Wade of ESPN's TrueHoop Network put it: "Pacers are officially a team once again. Not the Danny Granger and 4 others squad."

Yes, it was only the Pistons, but Indiana had a solid all-around performance, consisting of contributions from many, not just a few. Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert led the team in scoring with 16 points apiece, and Darren Collison, Paul George, David West and Tyler Hansbrough all found ways to get involved.

Cohesive basketball hasn't been a strong suit of the Pacers for quite some time, but if their first win was any indication, better days aren't just around the corner, but here now. 

Los Angeles Clippers: Chemistry Achieved Quickly

While the Los Angeles Clippers were expected to defeat the Warriors, who could have expected they would do so in such an easy fashion?

The Clippers underwent a major overhaul less than three weeks ago, and yet the team is playing as if they have been together for years. Chris Paul and his resident big men in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan seem to be on the same page, and the warm weather has rendered Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups unstoppable.

Four out of Los Angeles' five starters hit double-digit point totals in their Christmas romping of Golden State. The one that didn't was Jordan, who blocked eight shots instead.

Perhaps someone should remind the Clippers that chemistry isn't supposed to develop this quickly.

Los Angeles Lakers: Andrew Bynum Is Sorely Missed

After three games, the Los Angeles Lakers are 1-2 and have visibly struggled without Andrew Bynum's size in the lineup.

The Lakers thrashed the lowly Utah Jazz, but could not close out their first game against the Chicago Bulls or keep pace with a young Sacramento Kings team. Bynum's presence in the low post is key to Los Angeles' success, especially without the likes of Lamar Odom to pitch in.

Bynum may be volatile and inconsistent, but his presence alone is enough to help propel Los Angeles to victory. Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant have stepped up, but Bynum is the missing link.

Look for the Lakers' performance to drastically improve once Bynum returns to the hardwood. 

Memphis Grizzlies: Ball Protection Is an Issue

If the Memphis Grizzlies are looking to take away something positive from their loss against the San Antonio Spurs, then they should take solace in knowing Rudy Gay seems ready to play. That being said Memphis should be concerned with his, as well as the rest of the team's ball protection.

Gay's presence disrupted the Grizzlies' flow somewhat, but the offense seemed to find their stride heading into the fourth quarter. However that came after an abysmal fourth quarter in which they were outscored 29-14.

San Antonio's third quarter thrashing of Memphis was largely due to the Grizzlies' inability to protect the ball. For the game, Memphis turned the ball over 24 times, resulting in 28 points for the Spurs. Yes, it was the first game of the season, but even the longest of breaks doesn't justify 24 turnovers. 

If the Grizzlies are serious about keeping pace with the Western Conference's elite, then they must be weary of their ball protection moving forward.

Miami Heat: Defense Is Still Top Priority

The Miami Heat have wowed us with their offensive accolades over the first two games of the season, but at the core, this is still a defensive-minded team.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will continue to put up staggering point totals, but they, and the rest of the team, are blocking more shots, grabbing more steals and forcing more turnovers than ever before.

Miami has won its first two games against legitimate contenders rather easily, and expect this trend to continue, as the Heat ride their defense deep into the postseason and perhaps beyond.

Milwaukee Bucks: Too Many Threes Are Being Taken

After their first two games of the season, the Milwaukee Bucks have made it clear they intend to spread the ball on offense, yet they have also made it clear they are going to take an abundance of three-pointers.

In the Bucks' first game, a loss to the Bobcats, the team took 23 shots from beyond the arc, connecting on only eight. While this is nearly 35 percent shooting, Milwaukee wound up losing by one, so a pass into the low post or aggressive drive to the basket could have been the difference.

In their second game of the season, the Bucks hoisted up 16 threes, hitting only two. They were able to fend off a struggling Minnesota Timberwolves team, but kept the game within reach thanks to their poor long-range display.

If the Bucks want to fight for a playoff spot in the East, they need to become a high-percentage shot-selecting team, and not a three-happy one.

Minnesota Timberwolves: This Group Has Some Promise

The Minnesota Timberwolves were not expected to do much this season, and while they have started the campaign 0-2, they have remained competitive in each of their games.

Kevin Love continues to be a beast on both ends of the floor, and Michael Beasley's shot selection has improved dramatically. Luke Ridnour has been solid, and Derrick Williams has show flashes of what he will become.

Are the Timberwolves headed in the right direction?

Yes, for the first time since Kevin Garnett, the team has showed some promise, although they may still be a little too forward-latent. At the very least, this team should come up with a number of impressive winds moving forward.

New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez Needs to Return

Deron Williams had an impressive opening game against the Washington Wizards, but the New Jersey Nets struggled to defeat a team that handed them the game. Their display against the Atlanta Hawks was even worse.

Williams needs Brook Lopez back more than most could have realized. His offensive presence has long been understated, and now that he will be out for an extended period of time, perhaps his value will be fully realized.

Williams cannot carry this team deep into the playoffs on his own. Against the Hawks, it became abundantly clear that he was trying to do too much, and as a result he had one of his worst games as a member of the Nets.

For the Nets to make some serious noise this season, they are going to need more than Williams, Anthony Morrow and Kris Humphries. They are going to need a healthy Lopez.

New Orleans Hornets: Team Needs a True Point Guard

Yes, the New Orleans Hornets beat the Phoenix Suns, and yes, Eric Gordon impressed with 20 points and a game-winner, but that doesn't hide the fact this team needs a true point guard.

The notion seems obvious after the departure of Chris Paul, but there are many who would argue Gordon can handle directing the offense. Well, he certainly isn't the worst, but his strong suit is creating for himself, not others.

New Orleans, as a team, only had 10 assists in their first game. The ball movement wasn't there and it showed, as they struggled to defeat one of the weaker teams in the Western Conference.

Gordon is a future superstar, so a perennial All-Star at the point is not necessary. The Hornets just need a capable floor general to get the ball rolling.

New York Knicks: The Defensive Culture Is Beginning to Change

The New York Knicks gave up 104 points in their thrilling victory over the Celtics, but the effort on defense was visible, which is a major step in the right direction.

Tyson Chandler quickly emerged as the leader on that end of the ball, even helping Amar'e Stoudemire look good in his defensive sets. Toney Douglas and—before he left injured—Iman Shumpert looked good as well.

The most notable defensive performance came from Carmelo Anthony though.

He hounded Marquis Daniels and prevented him from getting anything going. Sure, Daniels is no Paul Pierce or LeBron James, but Anthony has always played stellar defense against the league's stars; it is the role players he allows to walk all over him.

Despite it still being so early in the season, it is anything but premature to say defense is officially a priority in New York.

Oklahoma City Thunder: A Fourth Offensive Weapon Is Needed

After the Oklahoma City Thunder's 97-89 win over the Orlando Magic, it became apparent that Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook need some more help on the offensive end. This became even more apparent after their near loss to the Timberwolves.

Durant is perhaps the most dangerous scorer in the game, Westbrook isn't far behind, and Harden is instant offense. However, outside of them, there is no one else to pick up the slack. In each of their first two games, no one outside of their big offensive three hit double-digit point totals.

When two of your primary offensive weapons put up 30 or more points on any given night, additional scorers are not a major issue. Even if this is the case though, we saw the dangers of having a limited number of weapons in the offensive arsenal against Minnesota.

Oklahoma City is an extremely talented team, but at least one other play needs to prove his mettle on the offensive end.

Orlando Magic: Offensive Inconsistency Will Be a Problem

Offensive variety is important, but so is continuity, which the Orlando Magic have lacked since they opened the season.

In their first game of the season against the Thunder, Ryan Anderson and Jameer Nelson led the charge with 25 and 18 points, respectively. That same game, Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu only pitched in 11 and eight points.

The following game against the Rockets, Howard and Turkoglu combined for 44 points, while Nelson and Anderson totaled only 10 between the two of them. Also noteworthy is Jason Richardson only scoring a combined 12 points in those two contests.

Despite going 1-1 to open the season, Orlando's inconsistent offensive play is going to seriously hurt it moving forward. Howard is the clear leader on the other side of the ball, but someone needs to step up to lead the offense, even if it isn't Howard.

Philadelphia 76ers: Lou Williams Is Going to Be Featured More

While it is still very early in the season, it has become clear that Lou Williams has been given a green light on the offensive end.

In the Philadelphia 76ers' loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, he dropped 25 points and shot 9-for-17 from the field. He only averaged about 10 shots per game last season, so such a display was a dramatic increase.

Williams has always been counted on the defensive end, but this season, Philadelphia seems poised to increase his offensive role.

Phoenix Suns: Robin Lopez May Shock the Basketball World

In the Phoenix Suns' regular-season debut, Steven Nash proved he was still interesting to watch as he helped the team battle until the final buzzer against the Hornets. Who else kept Phoenix in the game though?

Robin Lopez.

No, you didn't read wrong, Lopez actually had a tremendous game. He scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds off the bench for the Suns—totals that were well above his averages from prior seasons.

Lopez showed a willingness to battle for boards and boasted a nice touch around the basket that we have not seen from him before. Is his performance the start of something big?

Definitely, maybe.

Portland Trail Blazers: Depth Is an Understatement

The Portland Trail Blazers struggled to put the 76ers away in the first game of the season before going on to defeat the Sacramento Kings rather easily.

In each game, both Gerald Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge were the team's top scorers. Outside of them though, different players in the rotation took turns making contributions. Wesley Matthews, Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford put up key points in the first contest, while Nicolas Batum led the second unit in the second.

Portland's road to 2-0 wasn't always pretty, but its exceptional depth helped it find a way to win, no regardless which key players may have been having an off-night. We can expect to see such grittiness from the Blazers all season long.

Sacramento Kings: A Leader Must Emerge

The Sacramento Kings grabbed an impressive win against the Lakers in their first game of the season, but then went on to get blown out by the Blazers in their second.

In each game, it was clear that Sacramento lacked an unquestioned leader. No one player took command of the team's game plan, and there was no one visibly motivating the team to win in either contest.

Arguably, Tyreke Evans needs to assume the leadership role, but the team would welcome DeMarcus Cousins stepping up as well.

The Kings are a young and somewhat promising team, but before they can go any further or make some significant noise in the West, a leader must emerge.

San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan Can Take on a Reduced Role

For more than a decade, the San Antonio Spurs have leaned on Tim Duncan, but at 35, he is no longer built to withstand such dependence. Well, he doesn't have to anymore.

The Spurs got revenge against their postseason killers with a win over the Grizzlies in their first game of the season, and did so with Duncan spending substantial time on the bench in foul trouble.

In Duncan's absence, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili really stepped up their games, carrying the team on both ends of the floor. Richard Jefferson impressed as well.

The general consensus has been that San Antonio's time at the top had ended as Duncan continues his steady decline into retirement, but the other members of the team proved that will not be the case. 

Toronto Raptors: Ball Distribution Is Team's Greatest Asset

Despite pulling out a win against the Cavaliers in their first game of the season, there are not going to be many reasons to watch the Toronto Raptors moving forward. If we must find one though, offensive variety is their most notable attribute.

Seven players scored 10 or more points for Toronto on their opening night, as the offense did not attempt to feature one player significantly more than others. While such a scheme leaves them without a go-to guy, it also creates defensive headaches for opponents.

If for no other reason, the Raptors should be somewhat interesting to watch because they are bound to have a different leading scorer each night.

Utah Jazz: Paul Millsap May Not Be Around Much Longer

Prior to the season, ESPN's Chris Broussard reported that the Paul Millsap was being shopped by the Utah Jazz, and such speculation should only grow stronger after the team's opening loss to the Lakers.

Derrick Favors started in place of Millsap, who came off the bench to score 18 points. It is clear that Favors is the future of the Jazz, but Milllsap is way too talented to come off the bench for such a young team.

With his stellar performance in Utah's first game, he has proved that he can assume any role, which only makes him a hotter commodity. If he isn't of value to the Jazz as a starter, the team will look to deal him in exchange for some younger talent.

Washington Wizards: Andray Blatche Needs to Utilzie Himself Better

Andray Blatche's comments after the Washington Wizards' first game of the season were blown out of proportion, but they remain incorrect.

Blatche said that the team cannot keep having him "pick and pop and shooting jumpshots" because he needs the "ball in the paint" to be effective. While this is true, as Flip Saunders astutely pointed out, just because Blatche gets the ball 15 or 17 feet away from the basket doesn't mean he has to settle for a jumper.

Blatche needs to be assertive and take the ball to the inside if he doesn't get it on the inside, or simply pass it off. Case and point: Blatche needs to utilize himself better.

 
You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter @Dan_Favale.