Five things to watch in the NBA over the weekend

The NBA play is taking shape, with immoderate teams disconnected to blistery starts and others dealing with wounded issues.

Here are 5 things to ticker implicit the weekend.

Are Giannis and Luka coming for the crown?

For the past 2 seasons, Nikola Jokic has been the undisputed king of the NBA regular season. He's won each of the past 2 NBA MVPs and has led the phantasy hoops scenery successful some points and class leagues. Last season, helium averaged a whopping 61.4 phantasy points per crippled (FP/G), much than 5 FP/G wide of 2nd spot Giannis Antetokounmpo.

But, done the archetypal week of this season, determination look to beryllium 2 large challenges for the throne. Giannis exploded for 43 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists connected Wednesday against the Nets and was starring the NBA with 67.0 FP/G, conscionable up of Luka Doncic 2nd successful 2nd astatine 64.7 FP/G entering Thursday. But, Luka upped the ante by dropping a 41-point, 14-assist, 11-rebound triple-double connected Thursday nighttime that should vault him into the rod position. Both Giannis and Luka are a afloat 10 FP/G up of Jokic close now.

This weekend, Giannis leads his undefeated Bucks into a Friday-Saturday back-to-back against the Knicks and the Hawks, who by the mode are a combined 6-2, and are allowing their opponents to people 113.5 and 111.0 PPG...a combo that suggests Giannis should person the accidental to enactment immoderate points connected the committee successful offense-heavy matchups. Luka gets a Saturday-Sunday back-to-back against the Thunder and Paolo Banchero's Magic.

Will the apical of this rookie people ever people successful azygous digits?

Speaking of Banchero, the fig 1 wide prime successful this year's NBA Draft, has anyone other noticed that this rookie people has travel successful wrecking shop? Banchero seems to deed a milestone each clip helium plays, starting his vocation with 5 consecutive games of 20 oregon much points to evoke the names of each elite rookie successful NBA history. Just today, I retweeted a enactment that Banchero is the archetypal player to full 120+ points, 35+ rebounds and 15+assists successful their archetypal 5 NBA games since Dominique Wilkins successful 1982-83. Oh, and the past Magic crippled I watched, Banchero spent important periods playing full-on constituent guard, bringing it up and mounting the discourtesy with a portion that didn't see immoderate different non-swingman guards. So, there's that.

But, this isn't conscionable the Banchero show. Number 3 prime Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 14.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.6 3PG and 1.4 BPG frankincense far. Number 4 prime Keegan Murray scored 20-plus points successful each crippled helium played during the Las Vegas Summer League, and has begun his NBA vocation averaging 17.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.3 3PG done 3 games. Number 5 prime Jaden Ivey is astatine 16.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG and 1.5 3PG done four, portion fig six prime Bennedict Mathurin is astatine 20.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.4 APG and 2.4 3PG done five.

None of the top-six picks successful the rookie people person scored successful single-digits successful immoderate crippled frankincense far. Will they support wielding the corporate occurrence thrower this weekend? Banchero's Magic look the Hornets connected Friday and are successful Dallas connected Sunday. Smith's Rockets spell into Portland connected Friday and Phoenix connected Sunday. Murray's Kings played the Grizzlies pugnacious connected Thursday, and lone person 1 play crippled against the Heat connected Saturday. Ivey faces 2 elite backcourts this weekend, archetypal against Trae Young, Dejounte Murray and the Hawks connected Friday, past against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Warriors connected Sunday. And Mathurin's Pacers are successful the Nation's Capital to look the Wizards connected Friday, past successful Brooklyn to spot the Nets connected Saturday. I person my popcorn ready, and volition beryllium watching arsenic overmuch of each crippled arsenic I perchance can. This rookie people is fun!

Will Shaedon Sharpe get the ball?

And, the adjacent rookie up mightiness conscionable beryllium Shaedon Sharpe. Sharpe, the seventh wide prime successful the 2022 NBA Draft, was considered by immoderate to beryllium the astir talented subordinate successful the class. But, helium had the slightest experience, having reclassified his graduating people truthful that helium could beryllium eligible for the 2022 Draft without having played a twelvemonth successful assemblage oregon non-NBA pro. Sharpe got injured conscionable minutes into his archetypal crippled successful the Las Vegas Summer League, and frankincense entered this regular play astir wholly raw. He scored 12 points successful 16 minutes successful his archetypal game, but went scoreless successful his second. From there, though, helium built backmost up from 0 points successful 12 minutes, to 4 points successful 16, to 11 minutes successful 16, to yet 15 points and 8 rebounds successful 21 minutes successful his past outing. In that outing, Trail Blazers superstar Damain Lillard strained his calf and is expected to miss the adjacent week oregon two.

The Trail Blazers are, shockingly, atop the Western Conference close present with a 4-1 record. In Lillard's absence, Anfernee Simons volition determination into the pb defender and superior slot that Lillard typically occupies. But, who replaces Simons successful the off-guard slot? Some judge it mightiness beryllium Sharpe. Whether helium starts oregon not, it would look helium should get extended minutes during this adjacent stretch. What volition helium bash with those minutes, with this opportunity? We'll commencement to find retired connected Friday, erstwhile the Trail Blazers play astatine location against different highly youthful team, the Houston Rockets.

Will either Los Angeles Team ever triumph again, Part 1?

The Lakers and Clippers, betwixt them, diagnostic six erstwhile All NBA players. And, betwixt them, they've mislaid 7 consecutive games. The Lakers person yet to triumph a crippled astatine all, and the nationalist outcry to their authorities of affairs tin beryllium heard from oversea to shining sea. What's the likelihood that either LA squad gets successful the triumph file this weekend?

Coming into the season, we each knew the Lakers didn't person capable long-distance shooting. But, bully grief...the carnage of rim harm erstwhile they sprout threes has reached historic, epic proportions. And it didn't each of a abrupt get amended erstwhile Russell Westbrook (hamstring) sat retired a game; the Lakers inactive changeable 8-for-30 from downtown (26.7%) against the Nuggets connected Wednesday adjacent without the antheral that has go the poster kid for their woes successful the lineup.

This weekend, the Lakers play successful Minnesota connected Friday earlier getting a rematch with the Nuggets connected Sunday. Will Westbrook play? If so, tin helium amended connected his averages of 10.3 PPG and 4.3 APG that would each correspond mode vocation lows? More importantly to the Lakers' (and phantasy hoops managers') fortunes, volition Anthony Davis (back) beryllium capable to play? And if so, volition helium beryllium capable to play similar himself? Davis was successful the midst of an fantabulous commencement to the play earlier the melodramatic autumn that wounded his backmost against the Clippers, and watching him effort to play astatine half-speed done the wounded has been achy to watch.

Will either Los Angeles Team ever triumph again, Part 2?

The Clippers' three-game losing streak tin beryllium loosely tied to their squad health, with Paul George missing 1 of the games and Kawhi Leonard missing two...and inactive connected his minutes regularisation successful the 1 crippled helium did play. Leonard's presumption is the astir concerning, arsenic helium returns from missing past play with a torn ACL. He's played successful lone 2 of the archetypal 5 games, and lone 21 minutes successful each of those games. He started experiencing stiffness successful his surgically repaired genu aft those 2 games, has sat retired the past 2 and is up successful the aerial arsenic to whether he'll beryllium capable to instrumentality connected Sunday.

George sat retired Tuesday's crippled with an illness, and adjacent though helium played connected Thursday helium wasn't himself, managing lone 10 points connected 4-of-12 shooting from the tract successful an eight-point nonaccomplishment to the Thunder. It is expected that helium volition look much similar the PG13 we've travel to cognize and emotion connected Sunday, against the Pelicans.

Bonus: Zion Watch successful the Big Easy

The Pelicans were without Zion Williamson (hip), Brandon Ingram (concussion) and Herbert Jones (knee) connected Wednesday night. Ingram is expected to miss the play games, but some Zion and Jones are listed arsenic questionable for Friday night. The Pelicans person 2 large games this weekend, connected Friday successful Phoenix and against the Clippers connected Sunday. All eyes volition beryllium watching to spot if Zion, successful particular, tin instrumentality and possibly enactment up bigger numbers than accustomed with Ingram sidelined.