NBA preseason takeaways: Debut of Lakers' new star duo; Zion as advertised; Ben Simmons finally hits a 3

The 2019-20 NBA season is right around the corner, and teams have spent the past few weeks preparing for the 82-game grind with training camp and preseason games. It's always important to remember that preseason action is a far cry from the speed and intensity that teams will be playing with once the games count for real, but even so it's worthwhile to check in on what's been happening. The outcomes don't matter, but it's still interesting to get a glimpse of what we have to look forward to when they do.  

With that in mind, here's a look at 10 key takeaways from the preseason action we've seen so far, including LeBron James and Anthony Davis' successful debut, Ben Simmons finally hitting a 3 pointer and Zion Williamson looking as good as advertised. 

1. LeBron and A.D. look great in debut

For the second straight summer, the Los Angeles Lakers made the biggest splash. A year after signing LeBron James, they finally found their second star, swinging a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis just a few days after last season ended.  

The hype train started immediately, and their preseason debut certainly did nothing to slow it down. "Consider this a warning, NBA," the Lakers tweeted after their 123-101 victory over the Warriors earlier this month. 

Davis and LeBron combined for 37 points on 14-of-26 shooting, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in just 18 minutes a piece. Yes, yes, the preseason caveat applies, but still. That was exactly why everyone was so excited. 
But then ...