NBA Analysis: Warriors Among Early-Season Questions That Need to Be Answered

There shouldn't be so many surprises this early in the NBA season.

Golden State wasn't supposed to look more legit than Miami.

The Clippers weren't supposed to remain...well, the Clippers.

The Lakers' company among the undefeated surely wasn't supposed to include the Hornets.

What questions need to be asked to find out why things are the way they are? Read on to find out.

Should We Take the Golden State Warriors Seriously?

Until the Jazz game, I would have said the jury is still out

But after winning a game featuring a final of 85-78 over a more-than-solid Utah squad, how can you not tag the Warriors as legit?

The worked-up drama between Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry is over, which has made for a harmoniously combined 48 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds per game.

That's not including double-double man David Lee (14 points, 11 boards per game) or Miami castoff Dorrell Wright (16.4 ppg).

With Phoenix slipping and Houston looking lost, don't be shocked if the currently 6-2 Warriors end up in the slug-fest for a postseason slot.

Did We Anoint the Heat Too Soon?

I'm not talking about anointing them as championship winners.

Was even labeling them "contenders" too premature?

Other than the shellacking they handed Orlando, Miami has lost every game against teams that will likely make the playoffs this year (Utah, New Orleans and Boston).

Its other wins came against Minnesota, Philadelphia and New Jersey (twice).

You have to wonder if LeBron, Wade and Bosh can get their roles straightened out in a way that brings the best out of all of them on a nightly basis.

So far, they haven't been able to do so (see the 1:51 mark of the video).

What Made New Orleans Dangerous Again?

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NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 05: Chris Paul #3 of the New Orleans Hornets in action during the game against the Miami Heat at the New Orleans Arena on November 5, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by do

Chris Paul being healthy certainly helps.

But the Hornets' freefall from their tantalizing 2007-08 season started before Paul's injuries from last year. Thank both New Orleans' general manager, as well as their medical staff, for stabilizing things in the Bayou.

Trevor Ariza and Marco Belinelli give Paul younger, more athletic wings to work with than Morris Peterson and Peja Stojakavic. Emeka Okafor has also developed better chemistry with Paul, evolving into a dependable pick-and-roll partner that Paul surely missed when Tyson Chandler left town.

Also credit new head coach Monty Williams for the team's positive attitude and possession of an identity—something the Hornets sorely lacked last season.

The early results are far more encouraging than anyone could have hoped for after a summer of turmoil regarding Paul's unhappiness with the direction of the franchise.

It's fairly certain CP3 is OK with how things stand now.

Wasn't Cleveland Supposed to Wither and Die After LeBron Left?

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CLEVELAND - OCTOBER 27: Fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers hold up signs expressing their thoughts about LeBron James while playing the Boston Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena on October 27, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

That's what everyone thought—except the Cavs, apparently.

Since starting the season by beating Boston a night after LeBron's Heat were unable to do so, the Cavs have refused to let the past weigh down their present.

At the center of their collective resistance is last year's trade bait, J.J. Hickson. The third-year forward now has the full green light from coach Byron Scott, and he is using it to the tune of 16.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

More familiar guys, Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams, are also helping keep the Cavs relevant in the post-Decision era, to the point that their 4-4 record is only one game worse than that of the vaunted Heat.

Doubt remains that this can continue, especially given their cushy schedule thus far.

But what a story it would make if it does.

What Has the Lakers Seeming So Invincible?

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SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 03: Steve Blake #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action against the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena on November 3, 2010 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or u

You mean other than Pau Gasol's ungodly 24 points, 11 rebounds and five assists per game?

Three-point shooting.

Last year the Lakers converted a paltry 34 percent from deep.

This year? Over 43 percent.

The sources are nearly as unlikely as the turnaround itself. Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom have proven (early, anyway) to be lethal from the outside. Combine their unexpected contributions in that department with those from Derek Fisher and Steve Blake and suddenly sending a second defender to Pau or Kobe doesn't seem as enticing anymore.

Assuming that they keep hitting from deep, it looks like the Lakers will have an answer for anything.