10 NBA small sample size overreactions to lose your mind over

3. Russell Westbrook makes James Harden superfluous 

The Los Angeles Clippers have been linked to James Harden from the moment he demanded a trade, but he still remains a 76er. Maybe the Clippers know something we don’t, and maybe it’s that Russell Westbrook still has the goods. 

It was one game against a bad Trail Blazers team, but Westbrook looked absolutely brilliant. His shot selection was pristine, his efficiency crumbled the West-brick narrative, and his passing was godly. He won’t reach it every night, but 13 assists is exactly what the Clippers need from their point guard next to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

While James Harden can provide 13 assists in his sleep, he’ll also cost a pretty penny. If Westbrook is going to be a high-volume passer and picky shooter, then he’s a fantastic fit for the Clippers. There’s the saying, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good,” and Westbrook looks great. The Clippers don’t need to change a thing. 

2. The Wizards will have a top-15 offense

A top-15 offense doesn’t sound impressive, and it really isn’t, but the Washington Wizards are widely pegged as the team that will lose the most games in the league. The worst team in the league doesn’t usually have a top-half offense because if they did, they’d win enough games to not be the worst team in the league. 

The Wizards scored 120 points with a 108.5 offensive rating (20th) against the Pacers, but underneath the hood, there are some encouraging signs. They took 47.9 percent of their shots zero to three feet from the rim, the most in the league by 14.3 percent, but only converted 56.5 percent of them, third worst. 

Over time, these numbers will normalize, and the Wizards should have a pretty efficient offense. Throw in solid 3-point shooting, turnover rate, and free-throw generation, and the Wizards’ offense will be about as average as they come. It’s not like the Wizards have no offensive talent either; Tyus Jones, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, Corey Kispert, and Danilo Gallinari can all fill it up.