NBA Standings 2021-22 Preseason: What They Reveal About the Upcoming Season

As I sit down to analyze the 2021-22 NBA preseason standings, I can't help but draw parallels to what we're seeing in international basketball tournaments. Just last Monday, La Salle secured another championship round victory, positioning themselves for what could be a historic repeat championship in the Japan invitational tournament's three-year history. This kind of preseason momentum matters—whether we're talking about collegiate international tournaments or the NBA. The preseason standings, while often dismissed as meaningless exhibition games, actually reveal fascinating patterns about team chemistry, coaching strategies, and potential breakout players.

Looking at the Western Conference preseason matchups, I noticed something intriguing about the Golden State Warriors. They finished their preseason schedule with a 4-1 record, and what stood out to me wasn't just the wins but how they achieved them. Stephen Curry only played about 22 minutes per game, yet Jordan Poole averaged 23.4 points—that's a significant development that tells me their bench depth might be stronger than anticipated. Meanwhile, the Lakers stumbled to a 0-6 preseason record, and while many will argue these games don't count, I've been around long enough to know that persistent defensive issues and poor three-point shooting (they shot just 25.4% from beyond the arc) can't simply be flipped off like a switch when the regular season begins.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls caught my attention with their perfect 4-0 preseason run. Now, I've always been somewhat skeptical about teams that make big offseason moves—it takes time for chemistry to develop—but the immediate connection between DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine felt special. They combined for 48.6 points per game during those preseason contests, and their offensive flow reminded me of those beautifully executed plays we saw from La Salle in their Japan tournament run. Sometimes, you just see a team that's found their rhythm earlier than expected, and the Bulls gave me that vibe.

The preseason also revealed some concerning trends for certain franchises. The Milwaukee Bucks, despite being defending champions, looked surprisingly vulnerable with a 1-4 record. I know Giannis Antetokounmpo only played limited minutes, but their defensive rating of 114.3 during those games would rank near the bottom of the league if carried into the regular season. Having covered the NBA for over a decade, I've learned that championship hangovers are real, and Milwaukee's preseason performance suggests they might struggle early while finding their motivation again.

What fascinates me most about analyzing preseason standings is identifying which trends are meaningful and which are statistical noise. For instance, the Phoenix Suns went 3-1 while resting most of their starters extensively—that's the sign of a deep, well-coached team. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets' 2-2 record doesn't concern me because we know what Kevin Durant can do when it matters. But the Sacramento Kings' 1-4 preseason? That worries me because they've shown the same defensive lapses that have plagued them for years, allowing 116.8 points per game despite this being a "new era" for the franchise.

The connection to La Salle's potential repeat championship in Japan is more relevant than it might initially appear. International tournaments, much like the NBA preseason, test team cohesion under new circumstances. La Salle's consecutive victories demonstrate how established systems and continuity create advantages—similar to what we see with teams like Utah Jazz, who maintained their core and went 3-1 in the preseason while implementing minimal strategic changes. Sometimes, not overhauling your approach pays dividends, whether in a three-year-old international tournament or the grueling NBA season.

As we transition from preseason to regular season, I'm keeping a close eye on several teams that defied expectations. The Charlotte Hornets, for example, looked electrifying with a 4-1 preseason record, and LaMelo Ball's improved shooting form (he hit 42% of his three-point attempts) suggests he might make the All-Star leap many predicted. On the other hand, the Boston Celtics' 2-3 preseason has me questioning whether their offseason turmoil might have lingering effects—they ranked near the bottom in assists per game at 19.4, indicating the ball movement issues that plagued them last season haven't been resolved.

In my years covering basketball, I've developed what I call the "preseason intuition"—the ability to separate meaningful signals from the noise. The 2021-22 preseason has given us plenty of both. Teams like Golden State and Chicago have given us legitimate reasons for optimism, while others like the Lakers and Kings have reinforced existing concerns. The beauty of basketball—whether in the NBA or tournaments like the Japan invitational where La Salle seeks repeat glory—is that these early indicators create narratives that either solidify or shatter as the season progresses. Personally, I'm most excited to see how the Warriors' depth and the Bulls' chemistry translate when the games actually matter, while remaining skeptical about teams that relied heavily on their starters during preseason yet still struggled. The standings might reset to 0-0 soon enough, but the stories emerging from these exhibition games will undoubtedly shape the early part of what promises to be another thrilling NBA season.