Josh Okogie #20 and Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves

3 surprising stats from the opening games in the 2021-22 NBA season

Modified Nov 08, 2022 11:44 GMT

The 2021-22 NBA season is underway, and we've been treated to some amazing performances. There have been upsets, teams that you least expect going on winning streaks, and the most surprising being the two title favorites struggling in their first five games.

While things will gradually start to have a "normal" outlook as the 2021-22 NBA season progresses, we can't help but identify record-breaking performances or what might be seen by many as anomalies.

2021-22 NBA season: Surprising stats from the opening games

It is way too early in the season to hold on to any of these stats as there will be a lot of changes as the season progresses. However, it goes a long way in showing how players and teams have approached the new season.

The New York Knicks have taken to three-point shooting as if their lives depended on it. They finished the 2020-21 NBA season as the third-worst team in three-point attempts but are currently ranked No. 1 after four games this season.

The Chicago Bulls have also gone on a 4-0 run early in the season, a milestone they last reached in the 1996-97 NBA season.

That said, here are three incredible stats from the opening games of the 2021-22 NBA season.

#1 The Memphis Grizzlies have the best offensive rating and the worst defensive rating

The Memphis Grizzlies look on

You rarely see a team perform exceptionally well on offense but flat out fall apart defensively, but the Memphis Grizzlies have managed to do both. They lead the NBA in offensive rating (117.3) and at the same time have the worst defensive rating (118.8) so far this season.

Ja Morant has been a complete terror to opposition defense. The 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year has easily been the most explosive player thus far in the season, averaging 30.5 points per game and shooting 45.8% from beyond the arc on six attempts per game.

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Jaren Jackson Jr.'s return has also been a boost for the Memphis Grizzlies. He missed almost the entire 2020-21 NBA season due to a meniscus tear during the Orlando bubble but has returned looking sharp. The 22-year-old big man is averaging 13.3 points, 1.5 assists, and five rebounds in four games while shooting 34.6% from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Dillion Brooks, who is their defensive anchor, has been unavailable due to a hand injury he suffered in an offseason practice session. While Steven Adams is a decent rim protector, his efforts are lacking. Even the Brooklyn Nets of the 2020-21 NBA did not have it this bad in terms of the contrast between their offensive efficiency and defensive woes.

#2 Mitchell Robinson sets new field goal percentage record

Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks

Mitchell Robinson set the record for the highest field goal percentage in a single NBA season with 74.2% in the 2019-20 season but has outdone himself in the four games he's played for the New York Knicks.

Jarrett Allen was the leader with 83.8% before shooting 2-of-7 in his last outing against the LA Clippers, which dropped his average to 75%.

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As things stand, Robinson is the epitome of efficiency in the NBA with his 83.3% field goal percentage. He has converted 15-of-18 attempts from the field. Given how close the rim he operates, the majority of his attempts are high percentage shots, but it does not take away from how effective he is scoring the ball.

#3 The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the best-ranked teams in forced opposition turnovers

Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are actually trying to play defense and doing an incredible job at it. For a team that ranked 28th last season in defensive rating, currently placing 5th in the 2021-22 NBA season is an astonishing achievement.

Of course, it is too early to state categorically that they are a better defensive unit, but the effort and willingness to protect their basket is commendable.

Prior to their 113-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks last night (October 27), they led the NBA in forced turnovers, averaging 23 forced turnovers in three games.

But the Bucks did an exceptional job protecting the ball, giving away only eight turnovers. They were also the NBA's best thieves, averaging 13.7 steals per game before registering only five steals against the Bucks, the first time they finished a game recording single-digit steals in a game this season.