What better day to reflect on an exciting first half to this NBA season than the day after Groundhog Day?
This season has seen the debut of a team in its new city (OKC), the Knicks in playoff contention, and one of the tightest three-team races in recent history.
We've seen young players arrive and take the league by storm, as well as big trades sending big names to other destinations.
We've seen the defending champions escape title hangover, and some teams survive bad injuries and have come back stronger than ever.
Regardless, this season has provided so many great stories. Not all of them can be encapsulated in just one article.
But just as exciting this season has been the tremendous surprises throughout the league, as well as players and teams that have left some fans scratching their heads in disbelief.
Looking at the biggest surprises and disappointments of 2008-2009, the common trend of most (not all) of these storylines involves players from Team USA.
Top Surprises of 2008-2009:
Miami Heat - New coach + misplaced superstar + second pick in 2008 draft = playoffs? Strange equation but the Heat has risen from the ashes of a dreadful season to return to respectability in the Eastern Conference. As of now, the Heat are 5 games over .500 and currently 5th in the East.
Led by Team USA superstar guard Dwyane Wade and former Phoenix Sun Shawn Marion, Miami has had a complete turnaround under first-year coach Erik Spoelstra. Time will tell if this young nucleus will stay resilient come playoff time.
But their current position gives fans in South Beach hope for the future, that they can win another title.
Atlanta Hawks - Arguably the biggest surprise in the 2008 Playoffs, the Hawks are on a mission to prove that their seven-game loss to the eventual champion Celtics was not a fluke. So far, so good.
Josh Smith and Joe Johnson are clearly the men in charge of this young group that resides in the fourth spot of the East, right behind the three-team juggernauts of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando.
An 18-5 home record suddenly makes the Philips Arena a hostile environment and a difficult assignment for any team.
Are they a fluke? Not right now they're not. And right now, the Hawks and Heat would provide an entertaining playoff series if the season ended today.
Eastern Conference PGs - Two years ago, the Eastern Conference was called a JV league. Nowadays, the tide has turned as three of the four best teams in the NBA reside in the East. Common denominator: tremendous point guard play.
Boston's Rajon Rondo has improved incredibly, although consistency and an outside shot still appear to be major weaknesses.
Orlando's Jameer Nelson has quickly become the Magic's best backcourt player, and a great No. 2 to Team USA center Dwight Howard.
Cleveland has Mo Williams, acquired on August 13 in a three-team trade, and he has not disappointed anyone. With low expectations, Mo has broken out and become the Robin to LeBron's Batman
It's no coincidence that the top three teams in the East are led by confident, young floor generals that show tremendous potential.
Portland Trailblazers - The youngest team in the NBA, Portland has served youth upon the Western Conference.
Jumping ahead of teams such as New Orleans and Dallas, the Blazers have arrived maybe a year ahead of schedule. Credit Nate McMillan for putting these youngsters on a path to success, but also GM Kevin Pritchard, who probably has set records for the most draft-day trades.
Landing 2007's top pick in C Greg Oden combined with young star Brandon Roy and a great complement of young Europeans, the Blazers are flying high, and have tremendous depth to boot.
The Blazers are the closest thing in the NBA to Fort Knox with the amount of potential this group possesses for the future. Don't be surprised to see this team near the top for years to come.
Biggest Surprise:
Denver Nuggets - What a rabbit the Nuggets pulled out of their hat: Iverson for Billups. And the standings do not lie, Denver is third in the West, after barely making the playoffs a year ago.
Billups provides tremendous leadership plus a defensive mentality that has improved the quality of play from a Denver team not necessarily known for its D.
He has teamed up with Team USA F Carmelo Anthony, who continues to improve every year, and things look brighter than ever in the Mile High City for this bunch.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Denver Nuggets articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
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