From the bottom of my heart: Did anyone see these top 3 preseason basketball trends coming up?

The three-ball has become a staple of scoring in the NBA — so we thought we’d take some shots from downtown, too. Here, fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus will break down three things fantasy managers need to know. Or, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​quarters of the world is open to you.

Today, I will discuss three teams that are doing three unexpected things in the first week and a half of the NBA season.

The Chicago Bulls lead the race in rushing

The Bulls have been running the NBA’s fastest offense through four games, a significant development under HC Billy Donovan.

Completely impossible.

Last year, the Bulls ranked 28th in the league (96.7) in Pace and were mostly mediocre during Donovan’s tenure.

So what has changed?

Not having a starting offense in DeMar DeRozan is the first thing that comes to mind. The Bulls are getting more possessions through quick decision-making and ball movement, as their passing yards per game have increased from 286.7 per game last season to 314.6 per game. each so far this season, according to NBA Advanced Stats. While DeRozan’s removal would usually result in more volume for Zach LaVine, Coby White and Nikola Vučević, their shooting volume is consistent with last season. The difference is that LaVine, White and company are trying more 3s – a consistent theme we’ve seen this season across the NBA. The Bulls are averaging 44 3-point attempts per game, which ranks third in the league.

From a fantasy perspective, Vučević and LaVine’s numbers are improving from last year, while White is a 19-4-4 player. Josh Giddey’s playmaking and assists work well, as he continues to have his dream season. He currently sits at 122nd in per game value across the league.

The question is, will this quick, 3-point strategy last? We will see!

The Charlotte Hornets are a top 10 offense?!

It’s easy to attribute Charlotte’s early season success to the effect of LaMelo Ball; The Hornets are a completely different team with Ball on the line. The last time LaMelo Ball played in more than 50 games was the 2021-2022 season, and the Hornets finished eighth in offensive rating that year. However, when reviewing this season, there are a few areas that stand out besides Ball’s incredible play — the Hornets’ new-found commitment to offensive opportunities and secondary opportunities.

Looking back at last season, the Knicks had an uncanny ability to clean the glass despite being in the bottom-10 in true shooting percentage in the NBA. Those increased opportunities on offense helped the Knicks finish the year in seventh place offensively.

With the revamped offensive tools getting a big boost in the game from veteran running backs Tre Mann and Nick Richards, we have yet to see what this offense could look like when it’s healthy. Brandon Miller is nursing a hip injury, Miles Bridges isn’t playing well, and there’s no word on Mark Williams’ return from a leg injury.

However, this team ranks in the top 10 in offensive scoring.

Nick Richards is essentially becoming the Isaiah Hartenstein of last season, pulling down 4.8 offensive rebounds per game. Interestingly, Richards and Mann average the second-highest pass percentage in the league, at 6.0 and 5.8, respectively.

If the Hornets continue to work on the offensive glass and get their top guys healthy, Charlotte could be one of the most unlikely fantasy teams this season.

Orlando Magic’s alter ego as a 3-point threat

If you can’t beat them, join them. Two weeks into the season, Orlando appears to have transformed its offensive identity from a team that didn’t attempt 3s to one of the league’s best. Last season, the Magic ranked 29th in the NBA in 3-point attempts and dead last in scoring per game. Not surprisingly, their 3-point percentage was also a league-low 10th. The lack of 3-point shooting was a glaring weakness in their offense.

Heading into this season, the Magic are sixth in 3s attempted (42.6) and tied for seventh in 3s made (14.8) per game. Orlando brought in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to help with their perimeter and 3-point shooting, but he’s still going strong, hitting just 11% of his four 3-point attempts per game. The most obvious improvements came from Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

In the third, they are attempting 3 more per game and hitting them at a higher rate than last season. Orlando’s defense is still their calling card but this increase in 3-point shooting will also boost the fantasy value of Suggs, Banchero and Wagner (assuming they continue to knock them down ).

On the other hand, seven players in the NBA are attempting more than 10 3-pointers per game this season. According to Stathead, the three is the most we’ve seen for the entire season today.