MINNEAPOLIS — Many NBA fans like to say “it’s just the preseason” when their squad lays a dud in early October before the real action begins.
This is typically an agreeable conclusion; diving too deep into preseason results is often pointless and uninformative. Most teams want to spread their wings and try new things. Coaches across the league are figuring out what they have to work with and how to maximize strengths. They want to test different lineup combinations. They want to know if the rookies and fringe roster players actually have what it takes to succeed in this unforgiving league.