2 biggest overreactions to Week 1 of the NBA season

Overreactions in the first week of the young NBA season seem pointless. We need a larger sample size to draw meaningful conclusions. But sometimes, the signs were always there, and we are witnessing the passing of the torch.

Trae Young didn't begin to be brilliant this year, even though ESPN ranked him 37th coming into the season. Year after year, Young displays deep-range prowess rivaled by none, 99th percentile passing, and the ability to carry whatever is around him on his shoulders. Young is off to a blistering start and has the chance to do something historic.

Overreaction No. 1: Trae Young leads the league in points and assists

Through three games, Young is averaging 30 points and 10 assists. Russell Westbrook was the last player to accomplish this feat during his revenge-tour 2017 MVP season. While Russ captured his second scoring title that year, Harden would wind up leading the league in assists at 11.2 (he was my MVP). There hasn't been a player to lead the league in points and assists per game since Nate Archibald in 1973. Young will break that drought this year.

Young has flirted with this feat in his career. He's always been one of the assists leaders but hasn't cracked 29 points per game since his sophomore season. With Dejounte Murray's departure from Atlanta this off-season, Trae Ball is in full effect. Last year, Trae split the lead ball-handler duties with Murray. Trae averaged 85.5 to Murray's 81.3 touches per game. That's dead even. Trae is at his best when he's the solo decision-maker, and that's what the Hawks have again in 2024-25. Trae averages 102.7 touches over three games, which may lead to his highest career scoring.

His offense is driven by deep-range 3s. Steph Curry is the greatest shooter ever and ushered in the era of 30-foot bombs, but no one does it as frequently as Trae. The gravitational pull of Trae's jumper causes teams to play up on him, opening up lanes for drives and Trae's laser-accurate passing chops.

Some passes Trae puts on wax are absurdities requiring new adjectives. He's a threat to throw a lob to racing Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu any time he's on the floor — it doesn't matter if Trae is on the move or stopped like a red light; he can put the ball in places only his bigs can get them.

We've seen Trae average over ten assists in each of the last two seasons. With his increased volume and usage, there's no doubt he will be in the running for both titles. Hell, he's already led the league in total points and assists in 2022. The per-game basis is next.

It's been a while since the Los Angeles Lakers were a flat-out good team. Not a good team playing catchup, just a good team playing good ball from the start. JJ Redick has implanted movement into the Lakers' offense. Stagnant possessions are a thing of the past for the purple and gold. And Anthony Davis is the driving force.

Overreaction No. 2: Anthony Davis leads Lakers to 55+ wins and wins MVP

When Davis joined LeBron James in Hollywood, it was a matter of when, not if, AD would become the team's focal point. That time has arrived. James is still James, but Davis has turned it up a dozen notches to kick off the season.

Redick is allowing AD to operate as a hub. Davis is making decisions with the ball at the free-throw line and dominating inside. Not only is AD dropping over 30 a game, but he's also leaving opponents with bruises nighly. He's averaging a lead-leading 19.3 points in the paint, Hulking his way to the rim. AD is balling, and the Lakers are winning (3-0). The Lakers have beaten three talented Western Conference teams; you can't use the argument that they haven't beaten anybody. Winning plus the stats is a recipe for MVP.

It's no secret how much attention the Lakers get. As a legendary premiere sports franchise and employing arguably the GOAT, LeBron James, there's a reason why the Lakers have 39 national TV games. Eyeballs will be on LA; we know this.

All those beautiful eyes will continue to see AD as a man among the boys. You might have come for LeBron, but you leave these Lakers games thinking AD was the whole show. Davis has been a defensive firetruck throughout his NBA career — he has been named to the All-Defense first team three times. Even that's a little low, and the fact that he doesn't have a Defensive Player of the Year award doesn't reflect the best defenders of this era.

With his dominance to start the season on both ends, he could make a serious case for DPOY and MVP. The Lakers are winning, he's producing, and the eyes are watching. The eyes are an important piece because they decide which narrative to push, which, more often than not, decides these major awards.