NBA All-Breakout Team: Which Players Have Been Overachieving This Season?

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A month has already passed since the delayed start of the 2011-12 NBA season. It feels as if the season merely started yesterday, but at this point, the lockout is just a distant, horrible memory.

Many players have exceeded expectations with their play this season. It may still be a little too early to determine whether those players are experiencing a breakout season or a fluky start, but the fact remains that they have played well.

If a starting five were to be built out of the overachievers, who would deserve to be on it? Some positions have many deserving candidates, while others, not so many. All of them, however, have earned their way on to this list with inspired play,

Let me introduce you to the team.

PG: Kyle Lowry (Honorable Mentions: Ricky Rubio, Ty Lawson)

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When Aaron Brooks was unable to reclaim his starting job after returning from an injury last season, many people were scratching their heads. Sure, Kyle Lowry had been a very good backup for Brooks, but the reigning Most Improved Player was definitely the better player, right?

Wrong. Lowry started the remainder of the season, and Brooks was eventually shipped to Phoenix.

This season, Lowry has taken his game to a completely new level. He may be playing better right now than Brooks at any point in his career. Lowry flirts with triple-doubles constantly, and is one of the first players to come to mind when you consider candidates for the Most Improved Player award this season.

Lowry is currently averaging 16.5 points, 8.7 assists, 2.1 steals and an incredible 6.9 rebounds per game. Those averages are all well above his career averages, and have him fifth in the league for assists and steals and tops in rebounding among guards.

No player has broken out quite like Lowry has. He was generally viewed as a reliable and consistent point guard capable of above-average production, but nobody was expecting him to become the All-Star talent he has been this season. 

Lowry has definitely established himself as a top-10 point guard in the NBA.

Meanwhile, both Ricky Rubio and Ty Lawson have had solid seasons as well. The Spanish rookie has proven all the doubters wrong with stellar play, and is right at the center of the Timberwolves future along with Kevin Love.

Lawson has also played well, taking advantage of the clear-cut starting role he has been given for the first time in his career and responding with career highs in all major statistical categories.

SG: MarShon Brooks (Honorable Mentions: Paul George, James Harden)

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MarShon Brooks was selected 25th overall by the Boston Celtics and then traded to the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets on draft night. The scorer out of Providence was met with modest expectations in the Nets' somewhat-deep wing rotation.

Safe to say, he has surpassed those expectations with flying colours.

Brooks has overtaken Anthony Morrow as the starter at shooting guard, and has lit it up for the Nets. With Brook Lopez out to begin the season, Brooks has taken on some of the scoring load for New Jersey, averaging 15.4 points per game thus far.

When Lopez returns, the Nets will have a one-two punch in Brook and Brooks. Brooklyn, you better watch out. (Wait, could this be some sort of conspiracy...?)

Paul George and James Harden are both shooting guards that have shown some improvement in their games as well. George has expanded his range to the three-point line, and has shown confidence in himself as well.

Harden continues to improve his scoring numbers and earn more court time from Scott Brooks, almost averaging 30 minutes a game now.

SF: Danilo Gallinari (Honorable Mention: James Johnson)

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Since coming over in the Carmelo trade last season (or the Gallinari trade, as it's beginning to become known as now), Danilo Gallinari has done nothing but shine for the Denver Nuggets.

Gallinari has made the transformation to a reliable go-to scorer this season and has established himself as the number one option on offense for the Nuggets. His play has been nothing short of spectacular, and he has powered the Nuggets to a 13-5 record (good for second in the tough Western Conference) nobody saw coming.

As Gallinari continues to develop (and the rest of the Nuggets around him), expect championship hopes to be pinned on this team. Gallo has what it takes to lead the Nuggets to a championship one day.

It's not even completely impossible this season, given their excellent play so far.

Other than Gallinari, very few small forwards have shown notable improvement in their game. James Johnson of Toronto has been able to find some success, showing some of the upside that got him drafted a mere two picks outside the lottery by the Chicago Bulls in 2009. He has shown an intriguing combination of athleticism and versatility that screams untapped potential.

PF: Ryan Anderson (Honorable Mentions: Greg Monroe, Chris Bosh)

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It's been a long time since anybody has called Ryan Anderson the throw-in in the Vince Carter trade, and even though the season is still young, it's unlikely anyone ever will again after Anderson's performances this year.

Anderson is having a career season this year, averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting an incredible .422 from beyond the three-point arc. Since coming to Orlando, Anderson has played very well as a stretch 4, but this season has easily been his best to date. Head coach Stan Van Gundy is starting Anderson over key offseason acquisition Glen "Big Baby" Davis due to Anderson's inspired play.

Anderson's success (and future success) in Orlando is inexplicably tied to Dwight Howard's future. Since he's all but a lock to be traded at the trade deadline or otherwise leave through free agency, Anderson's future doesn't look as nice as the present. A dominating presence in the paint like Howard frees Anderson up and gets him plenty of open looks from downtown during a game.

Those shots won't come as easy or often without Howard around.

With that said, if Howard stays, Anderson will in all likelihood continue playing like this. Even if Howard leaves, Anderson has put the league on notice and should receive plenty of offers when he becomes a (restricted) free agent this offseason.

Meanwhile, Greg Monroe and Chris Bosh have both had very nice seasons, too. Monroe has solidified himself as the center of the Pistons future, and is producing well across the stat sheet.

Bosh's success may be attributed to Dwyane Wade's injury, but there's no denying that he is scoring very well with Wade out. He's playing the paint with new-found aggression and determination on both ends of the court, and is doing everything he can to shed the soft label he's earned during his career.

C: Andrew Bynum (Honorable Mentions: Marc Gasol, Marcin Gortat, Andrea Bargnani)

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The center position this season has been the most improved one. Many players have risen their level of play, and it was hard for me to decide the honorable mentions.

However, there was no doubt in my mind who the most improved center has been this season. Though his debut was held off for a few games due to suspension, no big man in the league has had a breakout season like Andrew Bynum.

Ever since his suspension ended, Bynum has been playing with renewed energy. The former 10th overall pick seems to have finally put it together for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He is averaging 15.9 points, 13.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Those numbers are much better than his career averages of 10.7, 7.4 and 1.6.

Outside of the numbers, Bynum has looked much more dominant beneath the basket than he has ever looked in his career. Comparisons have been drawn between him and Dwight Howard, and in the minds of many (myself included), Bynum now trails only Howard for the title of best center in the NBA.

With the Lakers struggling this season and trending downwards for the future, Bynum will be one of their franchise players going forward.

Apart from Bynum, many centers have taken a huge step forward. Marc Gasol has stepped up his game for the Memphis Grizzlies and filled the gap in the paint with key big men Zach Randolph and Darrell Arthur both dealing with long-term injuries.

Marcin Gortat has ramped up his play and is just 0.1 rebounds per game short of averaging a double-double for the first time in his career.

Andrea Bargnani, though he has dealt with nagging injuries, has also improved well and has seemed to have found that scorer's mentality needed to take advantage of his swingman-like skills.

There's also multiple other centers worth a mention, like DeAndre Jordan, JaVale McGee and DeMarcus Cousins. They have all seen their stats rise with improved play and have become important players for their respective teams.