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Following a thrilling offseason full of blockbuster moves, the first month of the highly anticipated 2019-20 NBA season has lived up to the hype. The likes of the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, and Boston Celtics have all impressed over the first four weeks, and the race to be crowned NBA champions will be among the most competitive in recent memory.
While there are plenty of storylines emerging from all 30 teams around the league, a few specific narratives have dominated the opening weeks of the season, and here we will take a look at the five most interesting storylines of the season so far.
#5 Portland's awful start
The Portland Trail Blazers have been a regular fixture in the playoffs since 2014, although first-round eliminations in both 2017 and 2018 cast doubt on whether the Blazers could win with their excellent backcourt pairing of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. However, Portland eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets to reach the 2019 Western Conference Finals, and all signs pointed towards the Blazers being among the best teams in the NBA this season.
Yet, despite Damian Lillard's incredible form, the Blazers have lost eight of their first twelve games, and are currently hovering dangerously close to the bottom of the West. This is surprising considering Portland's consistency over the past five seasons, and if things don't turn around soon, the Blazers will find themself in danger of falling out of an ultra-competitive race for the playoffs.
Carmelo Anthony was signed earlier this week in the hope of adding a third scoring option, so it will be interesting to see if his much-anticipated return can help the Blazers reach their goal of contending for a title.
#4 Andrew Wiggins' incredible turnaround
After being selected first in the 2014 NBA draft, Andrew Wiggins went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award - and the Toronto native continued to improve over the next two seasons. However, Wiggins' career has been on a downward slide since he signed a five-year, $148 million contract extension back in 2017, with many experts criticizing his effort and lack of interest.
After finishing the 2018-19 season with a 36-46 record, the Timberwolves reportedly explored trading Wiggins, although the 24-year-old has responded by making an incredible start to the season. Through 11 appearances, Wiggins is averaging career highs in points (25.6), rebounds (5.1), assists (3.6) and field goal percentage (47) - and his performances have helped the Timberwolves to a much better than expected 7-5 record.
After a series of highly questionable performances over the past two seasons, Wiggins' chance at superstardom no longer seems to have passed him by.
#3 Sophomore superstars
Luka Doncic looked like a star during his first season in the league as he took home the Rookie of the Year award, although the 20-year-old's performances have taken a further leap so far this season. Through 11 games, Doncic is averaging 28.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game - and while the season is still young, the Slovenian is firmly in the MVP discussion.
Meanwhile, Trae Young has opened his second year averaging 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists, and earlier this week became the youngest player in NBA history to record 30 points and 10 assists in three consecutive games. Young and Doncic look like certainties to make the 2020 All-Star Game and the young duo are well on their way to establishing themselves as the NBA's next superstars.
#2 LeBron James' MVP form
This season is LeBron James' 17th year in the NBA and many experts spent the offseason arguing that the superstar's best days were behind him. However, after an underwhelming season debut against the Clippers, James has put in a series of increasingly impressive performances, with his defense being singled out for particular praise.
James has also guided his Lakers team to a 10-2 start to the season, and he is currently on track to lead the NBA in assists for the first time in his career. The 34-year-old is also averaging 24.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, and despite tales of an inevitable decline, James is well in contention to be named MVP for the first time since 2013.
#1 The instant decline of the Golden State Warriors
For the past five years, the Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA, reaching the last five NBA Finals while picking up three titles along the way. Additionally, they have won at least 57 regular-season games over the past five seasons, and the Warriors were confident of staying in the playoff race despite losing Kevin Durant in free agency.
Nevertheless, Golden State started the campaign with a thumping loss to the LA Clippers and already looked doomed by the time Steph Curry was ruled out for three months. Fast forward three weeks and the Warriors now possess a 2-11 record, and Kerr's once-formidable team is on course to record the worst drop in winning percentage in NBA history.
Draymond Green has looked lost without his usual backcourt pairing, and with Klay Thompson expected to be out for the rest of the season, things could get even worse over the coming months. Ultimately, it is unprecedented for a team to decline so quickly, and the Warriors face a major task to return to contention next season.
