Grizzlies
Ty Jerome has been getting plenty of attention in Memphis, and understandably so. But Cam Boozer is putting together the kind of introduction that gets your name mentioned alongside some fairly famous big men.
Boozer totaled 48 points and 35 rebounds through his first three NBA games, becoming the first player to reach both marks that quickly since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93, according to NBA Stats.
His averages of 16.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists through those games also put him in company with Elgin Baylor, as Andrew Wright of Yardbarker details.
Nobody is handing out Hall of Fame jackets after three games. Still, that’s a pretty good list to find yourself on.
The No. 3 overall pick’s biggest performance in that stretch came against the Warriors, when he finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. At 19, he became the third-youngest player to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, behind Cooper Flagg and LeBron James, per the NBA.
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For a franchise moving forward after trading Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Boozer’s ability to contribute beyond scoring is especially encouraging. Memphis won all three of those games, with its rookie giving the Grizzlies plenty of reasons to feel good about what comes next.
Hornets
The Hornets changed a lot over the summer. Through their first three games, some of the newcomers looked quite comfortable with the arrangement.
Naz Reid averaged 20.0 points and 8.7 rebounds during Charlotte’s 2-1 start, while Grayson Allen scored at least 20 points twice and shot 50% from three. Dennis Schroder added 16.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, as Wright writes for Yardbarker.
That’s meaningful production for a team adjusting to life after LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.
It’s also come with Coby White, Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams sidelined. Their eventual returns would give coach Charles Lee more options and reduce the burden on the players currently carrying the offense.
There’s plenty to clean up, as that 47-point loss to the Hawks made abundantly clear. But beating the Nets and Heat around it gave Charlotte something more useful than another discussion about patience.
The Hornets don’t need to start making playoff promises. Getting dependable contributions from several offseason additions is enough to make the early going interesting.
Spurs
The Spurs may have a little competition developing behind Victor Wembanyama. Rookie Tarris Reed Jr. has at least given coach Mitch Johnson a reason to consider his options.
Johnson used Reed to open the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over the Mavericks, and the rookie supplied energy defensively and on the boards. That performance followed an encouraging preseason, as Kyle Pring of Yardbarker notes.
Luke Kornet remains the experienced option at backup center. One productive stretch from Reed doesn’t automatically change that, but it does give San Antonio another player to consider when the second unit needs a lift.
Those minutes matter for a team that depends so heavily on Wembanyama. Keeping opponents from taking over while he rests is part of the job, whether the answer is a veteran or a rookie.
Reed hasn’t won a permanent rotation spot. He has given Johnson a reason to call his name again.
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