The Biggest SURPRISE About Every NBA Team So Far

We're still very early in the new NBA season, but about 10 games have been played by each group, so the sample size we've seen is starting to become more detailed and less fluky With every new season, there are always to become more detailed and less fluky. a ton of surprising things that come about, and this year has been no different which brings us to today's video. Today we will be going through all 30 NBA teams, discussing the most surprising thing about each of their starts to the season. These can of course be pleasant surprises or bad surprises depending on what was expected of them before the season began. Before we start though, it would be greatly appreciated if you could all utilize YouTube's new hype feature and hype this video up, Along with liking the video and subscribing to the channel as it actually does help quite a bit Now, with that being said, let's begin. Starting in the Eastern Conference, then going through the West, first up is the Atlanta Hawks, and the most surprising thing about their start so far is that Jalen Johnson has been somewhat holding them back performance-wise. Last season, the Hawks handed the keys of the franchise over to Jalen Johnson by trading Trae Young away, and he emerged as one of the most productive forwards in the game, leading them to the playoffs. But while he is still stuffing the stat sheet this season, he hasn't been as impactful. The Hawks as a whole have been They've been playing pretty well, but Johnson's minutes have actually been He's only been a negative so far according to the numbers, with the team performing 13.8 points worse per 100 possessions with him on the court vs when he's on the bench. He's also been less efficient with his jumper going ice cold, and he's not as locked in on defense as he's been in the past, so despite the box score numbers still looking good, he has a lot of room for improvement. Next is the Boston Celtics, and the most surprising part of their start is how good of a facilitator Jason Tatum has become. Post-injury, Tatum has done a great job overall finding his groove again as a scorer, as he is also averaging about 27 points per game, but what's most impressive to me is that he has become a hub of creation as well. For most of his career, he's been a dangerous score-first guy who can heat up and punish you, but now more than ever, he is seeking out and finding his teammates, generating easy looks for those around him, Him averaging about eight assists per game which ranks in the top ten of the NBA in assists at the moment Speaking of the Boston Celtics, we can head over to Calshi and see that they are given a 69% chance to win their next game against the Toronto Raptors. Personally, I think this might end up being a trap game for them, so I'll be taking the Raptors, and at that price, a $25 trade pays $74 if you're right. The Celtics did just get a big-time road win against the Philadelphia 76ers last night, but this is now the second night of a back-to-back, so they're going to be a bit more tired. They're also playing a Raptors team that's more fresh. Plus, they might be a bit mentally drained after a big win like that, which was a bit emotional as well. If you're interested in Calshi, then sign up using my code HOOPS25 to get $55 added to your account instantly once you trade $25. Next is the Brooklyn Nets, and the most surprising thing about their start is that Nolan Traore is the best point guard on their roster. The Nets have felt like a group that has been throwing ---- at the wall hoping something will stick early in this rebuild process they're in, and the way they handled their 2025 draft class was somewhat head-scratching where they drafted three point guards in the first round, While Zaccharie Risacher was the most hyped up of the bunch, Nolan Traore is playing the best of the bunch by a mile. He's taken over the starting point guard job and is averaging about 13 points per game, shooting a red-hot 52% from the field and 46% from three, and on top of the numbers improving, he just looks way more confident on the ball right now. Next is the Charlotte Hornets, and the biggest surprise about their start is that they have the worst offense in the entire NBA. No exaggeration, they are the 30th ranked offensive unit out of the gate this season, and it has looked equally as ugly as that rating suggests. I made my thoughts on the LaMelo Ball trade pretty well known in videos throughout this offseason, and definitely did expect a drop off without his playmaking there, but not even I could have expected this this big of a disaster to follow. It doesn't help that Kon Knueppel also hasn't But, expecting him to single-handedly save this group's offensive efficiency is not realistic, and their lack of true playmakers is worrying. Next is the Chicago Bulls, and the biggest surprise is that they cannot guard anybody. The Bulls just had an offseason where they seemingly wanted to try to be competitive this season, but instead, they've been left behind already and are 1-8 to start the season and have the worst ranked defense in the entire NBA. Even with Caleb Wilson having a ton of defensive upside, Matas Buzelis being a very versatile player at his size and length, Jalen Smith individually playing good defense, and a lot of their rotation featuring size and length, something is just not clicking and the effort is pretty bad most nights overall too. Next is the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the biggest surprise for them is how hard James Harden has begun to fall off. At Harden's age a regression was to be expected, but just last year he was still playing some great basketball and at minimum you would expect him to still be a high-end passing talent even when his body can't score the ball like it used to, but even Harden's assist numbers are down significantly. He's averaging a little less than 16 points and 6 assists per game right now, shooting just 36% from the field, and his defense has been worse than usual too, so with the Cavs Because having just traded for him, it's a disaster that he couldn't even give them Next, the Detroit Pistons, and their biggest surprise is that they haven't missed a beat without Jalen Duren. The entirety of the Pistons' offseason was dominated by the Jalen Duren saga where he demanded a $200 million contract and eventually got his wish. It felt like giving him a contract like that could prove to be a huge mistake after his postseason struggles last year, and now we're seeing in real time that They just didn't need to waste that much of cap space on someone like him with how replaceable he seems to be. Durant has played in just two games this year, missing time due to injury, and still, the group is 6-3 with the number two ranked defense in the NBA. Next is the Indiana Pacers, and their biggest surprise is that they still can't function without Tyrese Halliburton. Less than two years ago, this was a group putting up one hell of a fight in the NBA Finals, and now they've been crashing and burning ever since. After how last season went, the expectation was that this would be their bounce-back year, and they'd get back in the mix with the best in the Eastern Conference, but Tyrese Halliburton didn't even last four full games before re-injuring himself, and the team is 1-5 without him. They've had ample time to figure something out, and still come off as a bottom feeder propelled by one man. Next is the Miami Heat, and their biggest surprise is that they have zero defensive chemistry. When this iteration of the Miami Heat were formed this summer, the consensus seemed to agree on the fact that the offense may take time to gel, but their defense was expected to be dominant with forces like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Davion Mitchell all being dominant players on that end in the lineup individually. And yet, the Heat have been a bottom five ranked defense in the league to start this this season, and there is just no co- There's no cohesiveness with the group on that end at all. If they can't even play well in the areas that are supposed to be strengths, then their chances of contending feel even more slim. Next is the Milwaukee Bucks, and their biggest surprise is that Ryan Rollins has already been benched. Last year, Rollins was one of the top contenders for the Most Improved Player of the Year award, and he performed like a legit high-end starting point guard with impressive aggression as a creator and playmaker and very reliable efficiency as a scorer. This year, Rollins unfortunately looks like a completely different player, with his confidence seemingly being shot and his production taking a nosedive as this new-look Bucks group tries to fit in so many new faces into the rotation. The Bucks realistically should be prioritizing their young guys, but it seems to the expense of one of their more pleasant surprises from a year ago. Next is the New York Knicks, and the biggest surprise is that they don't look ready to defend their title. Ultimately, I'm not worried about them in the grand scheme of things because championship hangovers are very real and they have earned the right to ease into the year, but it is still surprising nonetheless that they have looked so regular out of the gate. They've mostly beaten bad teams and lost to the good teams that they've faced, not playing spectacular, but not really playing poorly either. They're capable of much more across the board. That's why we're seeing them like this, which just hasn't felt right. Next is the Orlando Magic, and the biggest surprise for them is that their defense has fallen off a cliff. Over the last few years, Orlando have been a playoff team whose success has entirely stemmed from the fact that they built a dominant defensive identity. The offensive side of the ball has always been a problem, but they could force opponents into fistfight type of low scoring affairs in the past. This season, not even their defense has been any good, with the group ranking at 25th on defense right now, and they are 2-7 overall out of the gate near the bottom of the standings. Next is the Philadelphia 76ers, and the biggest surprise for them out of the gate is that they are actually a dominant defense. Defense has been a recurring theme in this video, but while others are surprisingly disappointing in that regard, the Sixers are way better than anybody anticipated. Before the year, every fan, analyst, and national media outlet insinuated that their defense could be their downfall, but they're a top-five ranked defense at the moment, with Joel Embiid providing stout rim protection, VJ Edgecombe becoming a lockdown perimeter defender, Jalen Brown being fully bought in, and even LeBron James still giving them positive output on that end at 41 years old. Next is the Toronto Raptors, and the biggest surprise for them is that they are still winning without any reliable shooting. The Raptors right now have one single player shooting above league average from three in their rotation, and it's Jamison Battle, who is playing just 17 minutes a night. Plus, Kawhi Leonard is out for a while, so you would look at this and rightfully assume that life has been hard for them, and yet, they still have a winning record at the time of me making this video, and that should inspire a ton of confidence for when they do eventually start to return to the mean over time. Next is the Washington Wizards, and their biggest surprise is that Trey Young may actually be a bit washed up. The Wizards took a major gamble when they traded for Trae Young and then handed him a Supermax contract extension this summer despite a down year the previous year and struggling through injuries last season, but the early returns are indicating that may not have been as big of a fluke as many hoped it was. Trae is averaging just 18 points and 8 assists per game, shooting 39% from the field and 28% from three, and the team's offense, statistically, has been worse with him on which is just not excusable. Now, over to the teams in the Western Conference, next up is the Dallas Mavericks, and their biggest surprise is that Cooper Flagg already looks like a superstar at 19 years old. Flagg obviously had otherworldly upside when he was drafted number one overall in the 2025 draft, but with him being so young when he entered the league, it was reasonable to assume he was a few years away from his peak. That still very well may be the case, but in the present, he is already establishing himself as one of the best forwards in the game. Flagg is averaging about 24 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game, and the Mavericks are 6-4, keeping pace with the playoff hopefuls in the West, which says a lot about his growth and development so quickly. Next is the Denver Nuggets, and their biggest surprise is the fact that Trevon Brazil is already a key contributor for them. Typically, second-round picks have much more of an uphill battle to minutes during their rookie seasons, but Brazil is a key piece that has already been trusted to start a game and filling in for injured teammates. Some of the Nuggets' best statistical lineups are the ones that feature him in it, because he embraces doing all of the dirty work that doesn't show up in box scores. He's a 6'10 athletic forward with long arms, Next is the Golden State Warriors, and their biggest surprise is that Yaxel Lindenburg is already their second best player. Yaxel entered the league viewed as a prospect with a lower ceiling than many others in his class but also with a way higher floor. The truth seems to be that his ceiling was also a lot higher than most scouts gave him credit for, because he's averaging about 21 points per game, shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three right now, alleviating Steph Curry's workload and punishing defense that try to get the ball out of Steph's hands. The Warriors are 7-3 right now, and that would not be possible without Yaxel. Next is the Houston Rockets, and their biggest surprise is how dominant their offense has been without Kevin Durant even being at his best. The Rockets flamed out of the playoffs disappointingly last year, but they have bounced back well with new life breathed into them after the return of Fred VanVleet. His playmaking, poise, and threat as a shooter opens things up so much for every other aspect of this offense, and as a group, the Rockets are the number two ranked offense in the whole league right now. Kevin Durant is also scoring the fewest amount of points in his career since his rookie season, so it's even more surprising that they still have another level that they could reach when Which when he gets going. Next is the Los Angeles Clippers, and their biggest surprise is that Brooke Lopez still has a lot of gas left in the tank. I won't lie, last season it seemed like Brooke Lopez was a cooked product, moving slower than ever before with the worst production of his entire career, but this year he seems to have found the fountain of youth because he is looking as spry as ever again. There's not much to be positive about regarding the Clippers right now, but Brooke Lopez is defending well and scoring in bunches, and could be a prime trade target for a contender That's in need of front court depth by the trade deadline. Next is the Los Angeles Lakers, and the biggest surprise for them is the level in which Luka Doncic is making history. I think we all expected a massive season from Doncic after the departure of LeBron James, but nobody could have foreseen him averaging 40 points per game in the first month of the season. He's leading the league in scoring by a wide margin, he's leading the Lakers to being the number one ranked offense in the league as a team by a wide margin, and as a whole, the Lakers are in first place in the Western Conference standings too. Next is the Memphis Grizzlies, and the biggest surprise is that Ty Jerome is one of the top scorers in the whole league. Before the season began, Ty Jerome was actually my pick to win the Most Improved Player award, so I did expect a big year from him, but what he's been doing far exceeds anything I could have ever imagined. The Grizzlies are 6-3 right now, and Ty Jerome is in the top 10 of the league in scoring, averaging 27 points per game, displaying a level of shot-making from all three levels that just exude confidence like no other. Next is the Minnesota Timberwolves, and their biggest surprise is that they're still dominant, even without Anthony Edwards healthy. Edwards came out of the gate red-hot, averaging 33 points per game, but he suffered an injury in his fourth contest. Still, the Timberwolves are 8-3 at the moment, and the Wolves still rank as the number one ranked defense in the league, locking up. Rudy Gobert hasn't even been playing his best basketball, nor has LaMelo Ball, so it's actually scary how high this group's ceiling can be at full strength when they're firing on all cylinders. Next is the New Orleans Pelicans, and the biggest surprise for them is that Benedict Matherin has been a complete non-factor for them. Matherin was viewed as one of the bigger name free agents available on the market this summer, but after going out of their way to bring him in, the Pelicans already seem to be regretting it. Matherin is playing just 15 minutes per game this season, which ranks 13th on the team. The fit was always a bit strange with so many individualistic scorers already on the roster, but the Pelicans aren't even giving him much Much of a leash at all. Next is the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the biggest surprise for them is that they have still maintained steady dominance despite suffering so many key injuries. Jaylen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Kason Wallace are all going to miss significant time this year, which is not only three of their five starters, but all three of them have been on the All-Defense team, and two of them are All-Stars. A lot of pressure is on Shea Gilgis-Alexander to keep this group afloat, and that's exactly what's being done. The Thunder are still in second place in the West standings, they're still a top three ranked defense, and others like A.J. Mitchell are stepping up in the scoring department in the meantime. Next is the Phoenix Suns, and the biggest surprise for them is that their starting lineup just doesn't work. Last year, the Suns had a stout top ten ranked defense and an edge and toughness to them. This year, with Jalen Green and Miles Bridges inserted into the lineup, they are a bottom Bottom five ranked defense in the league, and together, when those two... Devin Booker and Dellen Brooks share the court. This team has a negative 18.7 net rating, meaning they're getting blown out with that lineup. They tried to add guys that would help their offense, but it sacrificed everything that made them good in the process. And now, they're in 12th place in the Western Conference standings. Next is the Portland Trail Blazers, and the biggest surprise for them is that they already have terrific synergy despite adding so many new faces. Last year, the Blazers snuck into the playoffs, and this year they got Damian Lillard returning from injury and Ja Morant in a trade, so on paper, there was some awkwardness figuring out fit and rotation. In reality, though, it's looked seamless getting these guys on the same page, and now the Blazers are right back in the mix of the Western Conference playoff picture with a top-five-ranked offense. running teams off the court. Next is the Sacramento Kings, and the biggest surprise is that Darius Acuff has already been handed the keys to this team. Darius Acuff had arguably the most offensive upside in the entire draft this year, so for a Kings team in need of a new hope, it makes sense for them to prioritize his growth and development, but we have literally never seen a rookie take complete command of a team like this. To some degree, rookies typically get eased in or they have to earn their stripes, but Acuff is the first player in NBA history to take 20 or more field goal attempts in every game to start his career at this point, and everything is running through him right now. Next is the San Antonio Spurs, and the biggest surprise for them is that their triple guard lineup has become unstoppable. When the team chose to insert Dylan Harper into the starting lineup without removing either De'Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle from it, it felt like maybe the fit would be a bit awkward and would take time to figure out chemistry-wise, but that could not be further from the truth. With Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox, and Stephon The Spurs have a ridiculous 33.1 net rating, aka they have been obliterating opponents with that lineup. And finally, we have the Utah Jazz to round things out, and their biggest surprise is that they have shown zero notable improvement as a team this season. This was supposed to be their coming out party. They traded for Jaren Jackson Jr., they drafted Darren Peterson, and they already had a ton of firepower on offense in theory, but in reality, they are once again in dead last of the Western Conference standings, with a 1-9 record. And with that being said, that's all I have for you today. Make sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and comment down below what surprised you the most so far this season. Thanks for watching and I'll see you all next time.