Another great week of action in the NBA comes to a close with some shakeups around the league.
We went from four undefeated teams to just one remaining, and of course it’s the defending NBA champs: the Oklahoma City Thunder.
On the opposite end of that coin, there are just two teams who have yet to win a game this season: the New Orleans Pelicans and the Brooklyn Nets.
Our other local teams, the Knicks and 76ers, have each fared very differently this week. The Knicks had a rough road trip but have remained dominant in Madison Square Garden. Philly, however, suffered its first loss of the season but remains one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
In this week’s roundup, let’s look at each team’s underperforming players who need to step up to right the ship.
Brooklyn Nets: 0-7
Results this week: 117-112 loss vs. Atlanta, 129-105 loss vs. Philadelphia, 125-109 loss vs. Minnesota.
Who needs to improve: Cam Thomas.
To be fair, everyone needs to improve on the Nets roster. To single out one player is like replacing a tire on a car when all the wheels have holes.
Thomas can score; that’s not the problem. This week alone, Thomas averaged 24.3 points per game and led the team in scoring in its losses to the 76ers and Timberwolves.
In the three losses this week, however, Thomas has totaled seven assists.
He simply needs to move the ball around more rather than taking the contested shot. Having players like Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr. and especially Nic Claxton around you who can score help lift that burden of being the primary source of offense for Brooklyn.
New York Knicks: 4-3
Results this week: 121-111 loss at Milwaukee, 135-125 loss at Miami, 128-166 win vs. Miami, 119-102 win vs. Washington.
Who needs to improve: Karl-Anthony Towns.
KAT has been a big topic of discussion for Knicks fans since New York landed him in a trade last season.
He’s a tremendous player and solidified the center position that the Knicks have been looking for in the season prior to that trade.
The position itself comes with the added difficulty of minutes played and foul trouble. It’s a balancing act that Towns has struggled with at some of the more important points of the season last year. That issue is showing up again in the early parts of the season.
This past week alone, Towns has barely played for over 30 minutes twice.
It’s getting called on fouls that should not have happened and being an effective part of the offense. This is pretty evident from the loss to Milwaukee and the win against Washington. It’s the two different kinds of performances you get from Towns, and you want more like in the win against the Wizards.
Philadelphia 76ers: 7-1
Results this week: 139-134 win at Washington, 109-108 loss vs. Boston, 129-105 win at Brooklyn.
Who needs to improve: Joel Embiid.
It’s not like Embiid has been a detriment to the 76ers so far this season. He’s played in most of the games so far which is obviously better than last season.
The issue with Embiid is there are so many talented players on the 76ers roster that it’s a tough choice to play him. Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. have all excelled with more playing time. Even some of the bench players like Quentin Grimes and Trendon Watford have all played extremely well throughout the first two weeks of the season.
Embiid has not been the player he once was. His shooting has been down along with his defense. His time on the court, while it has been good so far in four games played, is almost a hindrance for others to shine on the floor.
It’s awkward to suggest playing less, but the goal for Embiid would be to compete and play at a level where the 76ers don’t regret starting him over younger talent.
