Biggest Surprises of the NBA Season
The NBA has been in full swing for over a month. Although there is a lot of season left to play, some teams have already made headlines. Early on, there have been notable leaps made from rosters and players. Here are the biggest surprises that have exceeded expectations before December.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland has been a perennial playoff team for quite some time now. However, this year the start is different. The Cavaliers are 17-1 with the lone loss coming against the reigning champions in the Boston Celtics. Everything seems to be clicking this year for Cleveland and more importantly, the team is staying healthy. With the backcourt duo in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland playing at an elite level and the massive leap from Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers finally seemed to have raised their potential cruising by the competition early on.
Houston Rockets
This is another team that has playoff aspirations and is expected to put together a good season. Just like the Cavaliers, the Rockets are going above what they were projected to be. Several members have stepped up for Houston to put them in the top three of the West. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have risen to All-Star caliber players, while young talent in Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson have all found their roles. The Rockets look like a complete squad after a month of basketball and look to continue their success to stay above the play-in.
Golden State Warriors
Who would have thought that Steph Curry would have another run at the top of the Western Conference? Well, the Warriors found yet another identity to give Curry a chance at ring number five. Of course, when you have a team with Curry on it, there is always potential to be great, but the Warriors have filled in the roster very nicely to complement him. Buddy Hield has resurfaced as an elite weapon, while young talent keeps the Warriors’ defense prowess strong and energetic.
Detroit Pistons
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and say the Pistons have a chance at finding success late in the season, but it’s finally time to give Detroit some love. The Pistons have sat at the bottom of the NBA for years and years, and look to have finally got out of the gutter. Behind Cade Cunningham, they have seven wins already on the season. Last year, they had just 14 in total. They’re still a long way away from competing in the playoffs, but Detroit has surfaced.
