7 Things We Didn't See Coming Ahead of 2023-24 NBA Season
The NBA season is only a month old, but a few unexpected storylines have already emerged.
There have been some young breakout stars, plus one making an MVP case. Two teams have surprised the league with how good they have been, and there are also the old guys playing like young guys. We've even got a team thriving after losing a "superstar."
The NBA season is long, but these surprising stories have a chance to be long-lasting, and there are others that fans should keep an eye on.
Offensive Pacers
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At the start of the season, there was a belief that the Indiana Pacers would be fun this year.
But nobody expected them to be the most explosive offense in the NBA.
This season, the Pacers have scored over 111 points in all but three games. They've scored over 150 points twice in regulation. And they have the best offensive rating at 122.5, over two points better than the next team.
As a group, Indiana has three players shooting over 40 percent from three with a minimum of two attempts per game. The Pacers are first in points in the paint per game, putting up 58 points a night. They're also third in fast break points at 17.3. They score at an unbelievable rate, and it's shocking when a team holds them to 110 points, as the Portland Trail Blazers did recently.
The main driving force has been Tyrese Haliburton, who is averaging a career-high 25.9 points while sitting in the 50/40/90 club. He is handing out a league-leading 11.9 assists a game to go with his scoring for another career high.
On top of diming everyone up, the 23-year-old is not turning the ball over. His assist-to-turnover ratio is 4.71 to 1. If he can sustain this level of play all season, he'll be an All-NBA team member.
As impressive as their offense has been, the Pacers' defense has been the exact opposite.
But that's a story for another time.
James Who?
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The Philadelphia 76ers are rolling.
There was a concern that the James Harden trade might make them worse, but that has not been the case. They were good before the trade and even better after moving the 10-time All-Star to the Clippers.
Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP, has picked up where he left off with an added touch: He has tapped into his passing gene. He is third in assists among centers, averaging 6.6 dimes per night, a career high for him, and second on the Sixers. And he is still the leading scorer in the NBA with 32 points average.
On top of Embiid's steady play, Tyrese Maxey has exploded with the ball in his hands and not having to share with Harden. The 23-year-old is the second-leading scorer on the team at 26.6 points, leading Philly in assists and only turning the ball over 1.6 times after being given the team's reins.
Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. (pre-injury) have also played fantastic ball. Nicolas Batum, who came to Philly in the Harden trade, has been massive for the team. Hat-tip to president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who has put together a strong team.
Philadelphia is second in net rating at 8.6 this season, sitting at 12-5. It has looked every bit a contender, and it has wins over Boston, Oklahoma City and the Lakers.
Simply put: The Sixers looked to be in a bad place to start the season, but they have risen above the drama of the Harden trade and now have the best vibes they've ever had while trusting the process.
The Magical Magic
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One of the best stories to start the season has been the Orlando Magic.
They have started the season 13-5 and are on an eight-game win streak. Jamahl Mosley deserves to be recognized as a Coach of the Year candidate. The Magic have the third-best defensive rating at 107.6, over a six-point turnaround from last season's 113.7.
The franchise has two cornerstones: Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, who play well off each other. Both are averaging 19 points per game. Of Banchero's 4.6 assists, 1.7 of them were to Wagner. Defenses have struggled to contain the pair.
Orlando is deep and has survived injuries to Wendell Carter Jr. and Markelle Fultz.
Jalen Suggs has shown why he was drafted so high after a rough rookie year. The 22-year-old is making several hustle plays and working as a glue guy.
Cole Anthony provides a spark off the bench, while Goga Bitadze has stepped up in Carter's absence. As a rookie, Anthony Black has filled in for the injured Fultz and kept the offense moving.
There is magic going on in Orlando.
The team already has wins over the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks this season. These are marquee victories and could be the starting point of something special.
Despite having several guards on the roster, the Magic are a legitimate point guard away from being extremely dangerous in the Eastern Conference.
Hungry Wolves
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At 13-4, the Minnesota Timberwolves are sitting on top of the Western Conference. They are playing the best basketball in the NBA right now.
It has been the strength of the defense that has carried the Wolves, and it's the best defense in the league at the moment.
The combination of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert has provided a defensive backbone for the team.
Edwards and McDaniels are, arguably, the best perimeter defenders Gobert has played with. They are stifling drives and allowing the Frenchman to come in over the top to break up plays. Minnesota's defensive rating is 107 when that trio is on the floor.
The real game-changer for the Wolves, though, has been Edwards taking control of the team and turning into the go-to man. He is averaging a career high in points at 26.2, he's shooting a three-point percentage of 37.7, and his assists are at 5.0.
The 22-year-old took over at the end of the Wolves' win against the Celtics on Nov. 6 to further prove he is the closer. And with Minnesota already having wins over Boston, Denver, Golden State and Oklahoma, it's proving to be a legitimate threat in the Western Conference.
Not Passing the Torch
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In some ways, there is a passing of the torch this season. But the veterans are not yet ready to give up their run as some of the most dominant players in the NBA.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are all still playing at elite levels.
Durant has been outstanding for the Suns. He is second in scoring in the NBA with 31.3 points on 51.8 percent from the field and 49.3 percent from three. On top of scoring, he is second in the team's blocks, rebounds and assists.
Despite being one of their oldest players at 35 years of age, he is doing everything for the Suns, especially when he has been carrying the load with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal both missing a good amount of time.
Curry has also been on fire for the Warriors. He is seventh in scoring, dropping 29.7 points a night on 48.4/44.2/93.8 shooting splits. Despite being the second-oldest player on the roster, the 35-year-old is the entire offense for the team. His presence on the court leads to open shots for others based on his gravity.
Finally, the oldest of old men in the NBA, LeBron James, has been astonishing when you consider he'll turn 39 at the end of December. He is dropping 25.1 points a night, carrying the Lakers offense.
More impressive than anything is his 55.8 field-goal percentage. He is also shooting his best three-point percentage since 2012-13 at 38.8 percent. All of this goes while helping the Lakers in assists, rebounds and steals.
These three old heads have looked so dominant at times that it makes one wonder if they will ever slow down.
Houston, You are a Problem
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The expectations were mixed for the Houston Rockets this season, but one thing is for sure: No one expected Ime Udoka to have the team turning around so quickly.
It has started on the defensive end. Even with the signing of Dillon Brooks, few expected this Rockets team to have such an improved defensive rating in the NBA. But that's not even the biggest surprise with this team.
The biggest surprise comes from the play Houston is getting from Alperen Şengün. He leads the team in scoring with 21.0 points while shooting 56.3 percent from the field. The offense flows so much better when it is run through him. The offense drops 15.4 points when he is off the court.
Brooks, who was brought in for his defense, has also been on fire from three this season, shooting 45 percent from three. The more important thing about that number is that it is on four attempts per game, which is two fewer than last season—proving less is more.
The Rockets' start might be a launching pad for a big season, or they might falter. Either way, this is a good sign for Udoka's first season with the team.
The Unstoppable SGA
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has arrived.
Clippers fans might want to skip this part, because their former player has blossomed into a superstar. He is fifth in scoring, averaging 30.5 points a game to go with 6.1 assists and 6.0 rebounds a night. He has the Thunder at 11-6 to start the season and looks unstoppable.
Defenses are having a hard time containing his drives to the rim. According to Cleaning the Glass, the 25-year-old is shooting 61 percent at the rim and 42 percent at the mid-range. He has dropped three 40-point games twice in the last five games.
He is destroying defenses in the pick-and-roll. According to Synergy Sports Technology, he has a point per possession 1.032 as the pick-and-roll ball handler, including passes.
That is how you follow up a first-team All-NBA spot. This could be the start of an MVP run for Gilgeous-Alexander.
