NBA Power Rankings: Which newcomers are already making an early impact?

The 2024-25 NBA season is off to an exciting start, with the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder leading their respective conferences. Several newcomers, including Baylor Scheierman for the Celtics and Alex Caruso for the Thunder, have made an impact early on. Klay Thompson’s sharpshooting in Dallas and Ty Jerome’s resurgence in Cleveland are also notable storylines. JJ Redick’s coaching debut with the Los Angeles Lakers has been promising, while Tyus Jones has been a solid addition for the Phoenix Suns. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these teams and players continue to perform. The New York Knicks are relying on the impact of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges to make a run to the conference finals. The Memphis Grizzlies are seeing success with center Jay Huff stepping up in the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr. The Orlando Magic are benefiting from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s defensive contributions, while the Golden State Warriors are getting a scoring boost from Buddy Hield. Andre Drummond is stepping up for the Philadelphia 76ers in Joel Embiid’s absence, and Russell Westbrook is finding his groove with the Denver Nuggets. The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to bounce back after a slow start, and the New Orleans Pelicans are dealing with injuries to key players. The LA Clippers’ defense has been strong early in the season with the help of new acquisitions like Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn. The Indiana Pacers faced pressure in their debut game, and it did not go well for them. James Wiseman, who had a promising preseason, suffered an Achilles injury after scoring only six points in five minutes. The Miami Heat welcomed center Kel’el Ware, who has shown potential alongside Bam Adebayo. DeMar DeRozan has brought leadership to the Sacramento Kings, while Dyson Daniels is making an impact for the Atlanta Hawks. Tari Eason is standing out for the Houston Rockets, and the Chicago Bulls are playing faster with Josh Giddey leading the way. The San Antonio Spurs are impressed with rookie Stephon Castle, and the Charlotte Hornets are focusing on defense under new coach Charles Lee. Jonathan Mogbo is shining for the Toronto Raptors, and the Brooklyn Nets celebrated coach Jordi Fernandez’s first NBA win. The article discusses the performance of various NBA teams and their rookie players at the start of the season. It highlights the importance of building good habits and being competitive for teams like the Brooklyn Nets, even though it might be more beneficial for them to lose to secure a high draft pick. Players like Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers and Bub Carrington of the Washington Wizards are showing promise despite their teams’ struggles. Overall, the article emphasizes the potential and impact of rookie players in the NBA.