When the NBA starts its regular season, fans and lovers of the sports usually expects known and established acts like LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden and the like to be the highlight of a very long season spamming 82 games; well those names aforementioned have not let fans down by bringing their A-game as they have always done.
Well as every living person know by now how corona virus struck and affected a lot things including our beloved league – NBA – and caused a lot changes, initially making the league to suspend all activities but thankfully it’s back and better (if I may say so).
Not to brag but I know I’m among the large percentage of people who did not expect a more-than-average performance from the players that will be listed below because during a regular NBA season, they do not usually wow us (and I don’t say so to spite them) but that’s facts and if at all they do, they probably have just one or two games where they get to play basketball like an animé character causing us to wonder where they got all that skills from but since the restart of the league on July 31, well they have been more-than-exceptional to say the least and if I’m speaking for all NBA fans out there, I’d say we would like to see them continue on this impressive run they’ve put on in the NBA Bubble. Now let’s begin!
1. T J Warren:
T J Warren of the Indiana Pacers must have watched and taken every lesson learnable form Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” to heart when most of us where just watching it . . . Well just literally watching; because that can be the only explanation for his superhuman blossom in the NBA Bubble. This man has more than multiplied all aspects of his game because how can you explain a 36.6 PPG, 6.3 RBG with a shooting percentage of 53.4% from the fields and 47.9 from 3-point range? Well only T J can answer that. Anthony “T J” Warren has more than helped the Pacers cement a Playoffs spot but is easily one of the MVPs in the bubble.
Bad news for the Pacers right now is that he’s currently injured but hopefully will be back soon for the postseason where we hope to see him continue his impressive run.
2. Michael Porter Jr:
The injury afflicted Michael “MPJ” Porter Jr has experienced a reborn in the Orlando located NBA bubble since the restart and hopefully it continues like this for him (free from injury). MPJ has more than helped the Denver Nuggets claim the 3rd position in the Western Conference with his scoring, assist and rebounding ability more than improving in bubble. MPJ average for the bubble includes a 22 PPG, 11.6 RBG and 8.6 APG with a 53.1% from 3-point range and 78.6% from the free-throw to add to a more than impressive stat sheet in the bubble. If you want to know how much this man has improved just know he was came to the bubble averaging 9.3 PPG and 4.7 RBG before the bubble.
MPJ must be experiencing heaven right now and if this is what heaven feels, players need to ask Michael Porter Jr where the pearly gates is so they can get their own divine intervention in their careers.
3. Ivica Zubac:
Before the NBA season restarted, only a handful people could boast of knowing who Ivica Zubac was but since the restart, the Los Angeles Clippers Centre has bursted our bubble by becoming one of the centerpiece for Clippers in maintaining their 2nd spot.
He’s averaging a career high in points and rebounds with 11.3 and 11.4 respectively. He even went on a rampage scoring 21 points with 15 rebounds and zero turnovers, the first of its kind in NBA history when a player has scored 20+ points with 10+ rebounds, this just goes to show how impressive and improved ivica Zubac has been in the bubble.
4. Kyle Kuzma:
For so long fans and lovers of basketball and NBA have been expecting a consistent run of impressive play from Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers and at last I think we are beginning to experience the beginning of such expectations.
His impressive run has spammed throughout the games played in the bubble including scoring a game winning 3-pointer against to secure the victory for the Lakers and establish a comfortable first place finish for the team.
Pre-bubble Kuz averaged 12.8 PPG which has improved to a bubble 15.4 PPG and one aspect of his game which has flourished this past couple of weeks is his 3-point shooting which was at season high 35.7% pre-bubble and now at 44.3% in the bubble after seven games. Kuzma is finally showing why the Lakers choose to keep him after off-loading all their prospective youngsters to the New Orleans Pelicans at the beginning of the season.
5. Ben McLemore:
When the Houston Rockets chose to restructure their team and go for a small ball format of play, people laughed and ridiculed that strategy, well like the saying goes: “he who laughs last, laughs best” we know who’s side is enjoying the most laughter right now. Have you ever seen a 6’6” Small Forward before? Guess not long for Ben McLemore is the answer.
Ben McLemore who moved to Houston Rockets as a Shooting Guard, clearly has not forgotten his core as he has caught hot-hands shooting 42% from 3-point and averaging an impressive 13.3 PPG in the bubble. One of the reasons the Rockets keep shooting a high percentage and making 3-pointer per game is Ben McLemore as he along with acts like Danuel House, Robert Covington joined forces with James Harden and P J Tucker in making sure Houston Rockets improve their standings in the Western Conference as they have successfully moved from the 6th to the 3rd spot in a matyer of two weeks.
If Ben McLemore continues to rain down 3-pointers every game, then opponents should expect hell when the playoffs begin.
Other impressive acts in the bubble deserving of mentions include: Trent Arnold Jr of the Portland Trailblazers, Dion Waiters of the Los Angeles Lakers, Troy Brown Jr and Ish Smith of the Washington Wizards, Danuel House of the Houston Rockets to name a few.
The NBA Bubble has been a call to action for these players to say the least because they improved in every aspect of their game and as fans we can only hope they continue on this path.