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Preseason box scores do not crown champions, but they do tip you off. In the first tune-ups this month, you could already see coaches handing more of the offense to their tallest players. That is not a novelty. It is a plan. Houston gave you the clearest example. Alperen Sengun threw 13 assists against Utah in a preseason run, plus four steals, and it looked natural. He took catches at the elbow, read the weak side, slipped pocket passes, then circled into handoffs and hit shooters in stride. With Fred VanVleet out and Kevin Durant drawing extra bodies, the Rockets leaned on their center to keep the offense moving. That is the job description now.
Houston’s center from a point guard’s view
Sengun did not play like a finisher waiting on an entry pass. He set the table. That makes Houston tougher to guard because the first read no longer starts at the top of the floor. When the offense flows through a big who can pass, defenders have to help from strange angles and the easy shots show up in odd places. You have seen Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis win that chess match for years. Sengun is speaking the same language, and younger bigs like Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren are picking it up fast. Even Kevin Durant backed up the point after the win, noting in his postgame availability, “We’ve got a five who can make plays… it makes us unpredictable.”
Rookies who did more than fill the box score
Miami rookie Kel’el Ware put up 29 points with 12 boards in a recent preseason outing. Of course, October numbers do not carry the weight of player stats in April, but that production forces a conversation. If he continues to finish and track misses, the Heat can buy more shooting around him and simplify reads for their guards. Utah offered a different hint. Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh combined for 49 while the Jazz knocked down 20 threes and piled up 36 assists. You do not hit those marks by accident. That looks like a style choice. Push it, swing it, let young wings fire, then live with the results. If it sticks, totals and three-point props will move. San Antonio’s note was quieter. Julian Champagnie drained five threes in preseason, which fits exactly what the Spurs want around Wembanyama. Space the corners, punish late help, and make teams pay for collapsing. It is not about a headline; it is about shaping the floor so your star can breathe.
What this mean when you put money on it
If you bet on the NBA, you care less about one box score and more about what it hints at. A big man who runs offense cleans up possessions and lifts shot quality. That can nudge a total, change the pace profile or turn assist props for a center into a real market. You saw books adjust to Jokic. Others will follow as more frontcourt creators show up on the board. If you want a plain-language primer before you dive in, you can get an idea on how to bet on NBA games. The guide lays out moneylines, spreads, totals, player props, futures, and live betting, plus sensible bankroll tips and links to responsible gambling help. It is useful if you are trying to connect what you see in the numbers with the choices you make at the window.
How to read the next wave of box scores
Start simple. Track how often a team lets its center start the action. That shows up in assist chances and secondary assists as much as raw dimes. Keep an eye on three-point attempts created off those touches. If a big is spraying the ball to the corners and wings are letting it fly, that pattern usually survives game to game. Next, check tempo. A team that trusts its five to push off the glass will add two or three early-clock possessions most nights. That sounds small, but it is not. Two extra trips with clean looks can swing a total.
Keep the lab coat on
Preseason is a lab. Rotations are messy, matchups are soft, and coaches are testing ideas they might shelve in November. Do not treat a single line as proof. Treat it as a nudge. If Sengun keeps stacking high-assist nights once the games count, that tells you Houston truly shifted the offense. If Ware’s minutes settle in the teens, pump the brakes. If Utah’s three-point volume stays high against top defenses, upgrade the signal. You do not need to predict exact averages today. You need to be early to the roles that matter. Big men who pass change how a possession starts and where it ends. They bend coverages, create rhythm threes, and lower the tax on guards. The headline from these tune-ups is not a score. It is a trend you can trac,k and if you notice it first, you will price games differently and set smarter prop targets.