Week 1: Grading the NBA’s Eastern Conference teams

The NBA is back in full swing, and many twists and turns and storylines are already starting to take shape in the campaign's infancy. Here is how each team did in the opening week!

The Atlanta Hawks have made a solid start this season, winning two of their opening three games against Charlotte and Boston. The Hawks have developed the 7th-best offense (116.3 PPG) but the 27th-worst defence (121 OPPG). Despite relatively weak opposition, Trae Young has been on fire, averaging 30.7 points per game.

Reigning champions Boston Celtic have got off to the perfect start, winning all three games by a considerable margin and scoring the second most points in the NBA. Star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have started like they mean business, with Tatum scoring 37 points twice and Brown averaging 25 points.

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Despite two tough losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic, some Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder magic helped the Nets beat a strong Milwaukee Bucks. Team offense still is an issue for the Nets, but Cam Thomas has been lights out, averaging 30.7 points. When Ben Simmons is backfiring, expect a few more W's in the win column.

It's hard to judge this extremely young Charlotte Hornets team with one win in three, but there are some promising signs for the season ahead. The Hornets have been in every game this season, and LaMelo Ball looks spectacular, averaging 31.7 points and 7.3 assists. Charlotte is missing three starters due to injury, so it's unfair to judge them yet.

No one expected the Cleveland Cavaliers to start as they have, winning all three games and Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland forming a formidable back-court duo. Garland leads the team in assists (5.7), and Mitchell in scoring (23.3). Big man Evan Mobley is on Most Improved watch, averaging 18 and 9 rebounds.

The Chicago Bulls had an incredible road victory against the Bucks, sandwiched between two poor losses to the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bulls rank 25th (119.7) in points allowed and 13th in points scored (113). With stats like that, it could be another mediocre season in the Windy City.

The Detroit Pistons had a terrible year last season, and it seems to have continued this season. They have lost three straight and are not ranked above 15th in any major team statistics. The Pistons have faced the Celtics and Cavs already this year, and the starts of Cade Cunningham (27.3 PPG) and Jaden Ivy (21.7 PPG) offer little promise for the season ahead.

After reaching the Conference Finals last season, the Indiana Pacers, especially Tyrese Haliburton, have struggled to get their fast-paced offense to work. They have one in their first three, with Haliburton averaging 12.3 points and 3.7 assists. He's a long way off his All-NBA season last year.

The Miami Heat has only played two games this season, losing to the Orlando Magic and beating the Charlotte Hornets. The first two games haven't been much to go off, but there are some early signs of Tyler Hierro and Terry Rozier being a scary partnership. Both have averaged over 18 points to start the year.

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So much is expected of this Milwaukee Bucks team, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (28.3 PPG) and Damian Lillard (26.3 PPG) at the forefront. However, the team hasn't been able to get going this season, losing two of their first three to Brooklyn and Chicago. This is primarily due to their poor defense, which is the 24th worst in the league.

After a tough opening loss to Boston on opening night, the New York Knicks showed why they are a playoff team in the making after blowing out the Pacers 98-123 at home. Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony Towns, and Mikel Bridges scored over 20 points. Could it be a sign of things to come?

The Orlando Magic have so much promise this season and have started with two wins from three. The young core, led by Paolo Banchero, has so much energy and has impressed with excellent defense, having the fourth-best in the league. German Franz Wagner could be on for a record year, averaging 25 points to start the season.

With Paul George and Joel Embiid absent to start the season, the Philadelphia 76ers will face an uphill battle. Still, they have shown a willingness to fight in each game, winning overtime against the Indiana Pacers last time. Guard Tyrese Maxey has shown his All-Star talent, averaging 31.3 points and carrying the team on his back.

Despite starting the season with a 1-2 record, the lack of offense and poor defense is alarming for the Toronto Raptors. They have the 27th-ranked offense (107.3PPG) and 23rd-ranked defense (118.3 OPPG). Second-year player Gradey Dick has started with lots of promise, and Scottie Barnes is still leading the way in points and assists. RJ Barrett is still unfit, so things will change drastically when he's back in the lineup.

The Washington Wizards had a terrible year last campaign, and the team led by Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma could be in for a similar road. The Wizards have conceded the most points in the NBA (128.5 OPPG) while having no offensive standouts. Will it be the same story for the Wizards?

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