The NBA’s scrimmage slate gave fans a long-awaited taste of basketball before the league’s regular-season seeding games begin on July 30. It was fun to see teams back on the court, but the relaxed atmosphere and level of play led to some standout performances that may end up just being a tease.
It was beneficial for NBA teams to compete before the season resumed, but the three-game sample size led to some players making statements that may not carry over into the seeding and playoff games. With a trophy on the line, rotations are going to be shortened while fringe players who thrived in the scrimmages will see heightened defenses and may be forced to watch the action from the sidelines.