We are also, however, in the midst of the holiday season, so let’s try to be positive. For this edition of the NBA Power Rankings, we’re looking at the big surprises (OK, some of those surprises are depressing) around the league.
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Here it goes…
- Raptors
Big surprise: Much has gone right in Toronto, but the blossoming of third-year forward Pascal Siakam (14.3 points on 66.0 effective field-goal percentage) has been key to the Raptors’ start.
- Bucks
Big surprise: The team is taking 40.8 3-point attempts a game, second in the NBA. That’s been one of the biggest surprises across the league — the Bucks took just 24.7 per game last season.
- Clippers
Big surprise: With his fourth team in eight seasons, Tobias Harris (21.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 52.5 percent shooting) has a great case for an All-Star spot.
- Nuggets
Big surprise: Paul Millsap’s return to health has been much-needed, but he has been shooting the 3-pointer (38.3 percent) better than he has in his career.
- Warriors
Big surprise: Even without Stephen Curry, who is nursing a groin injury, the Warriors are typically slump-proof. But in their last seven games, Golden State is shooting 31.4 percent from the 3-point line.
- Thunder
Big surprise: Two OKC gambles are exceeding expectations. The first has been Dennis Schroeder, who is averaging 17.4 points and performing well when starting alongside Russell Westbrook. The other has been Jerami Grant, who is thriving as a starter. The Thunder dropped their first three games of the season before moving Grant into the starting five, and have gone 12-4 since.
- Sixers
Big surprise: While draft bust (so far) Markelle Fultz has gotten ample attention and 2018 lottery pick Zhaire Smith has yet to play, the Sixers have gotten a key contribution from rookie Landry Shamet (8.2 points, 39.0 percent 3-point shooting), the 26th pick this year.
- Pacers
Big surprise: Domantas Sabonis was very good last season, but few would have expected him to be a leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, with 14.7 points and 10.0 rebounds off the bench.
- Pistons
Big surprise: Blake Griffin has not only been healthy for 18 games, but he has been better than ever. He has career highs in minutes (36.3 per game), points (25.1), and 3-pointers (2.2), and has been a surefire All-Star.
- Celtics
Big surprise: In general, the Celtics have been the league’s biggest bummer, and hints of in-fighting are not helping. But the inability of Gordon Hayward to find his footing (10.1 points on 40.0 percent shooting) remains the standout among a few surprising problems.
- Timberwolves
Big surprise: The Wolves are 6-2 in eight games since trading Jimmy Butler, and they’ve done it with defense. Minnesota is ranked fourth in defensive efficiency since the trade (101.0 points per 100 possessions).
- Lakers
Big surprise: The Lakers’ much-maligned defense (108.0 points per 100 possessions, 12th in the league) has been as efficient as the team’s offense (108.0 points per 100 possessions, 17th in the league).
- Trail Blazers
Big surprise: It appears that big man Meyers Leonard, who was a non-entity last year, might yet have some basketball left in him. He has been back in the team’s rotation, and he had nine points and 16 rebounds off the bench Sunday.
- Mavericks
Big surprise: Rookie Luka Doncic has easily matched his pre-draft hype, but the real story here has been the Dallas defense. In the last three weeks, the Mavs have allowed 100.9 points per 100 possessions, which ranks second.
- Grizzlies
Big surprise: Of all the precautions we heard about Jaren Jackson Jr. heading into last year’s draft, his rawness was at the head of the list. But he’s been among the most polished rookies in the league this year, averaging 12.7 points and shooting 34.9 percent from the 3-point line. He’s also averaging 2.1 blocks in just 25.0 minutes per game.
- Hornets
Big surprise: Tony Parker has found new life as a reserve in Charlotte. His numbers are solid (9.7 points and 4.3 assists in 18.8 minutes), and he is leading a bench that ranks fifth in points (45.6 per game).
- Spurs
Big surprise: It should be no surprise that the Spurs have developed another undrafted backcourt player, but 2016 signee Bryn Forbes’ numbers (13.0 points, 45.6 percent from the 3-point line) have stood out.
- Magic
Big surprise: It’s been a well-timed career year for big man Nikola Vucevic, who is a free agent next summer. Vucevic is averaging 20.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists, making 39.0 percent of his 3-pointers.
- Kings
Big surprise: The Kings rank seventh in the league in scoring (114.2 points per game). In Dave Joerger’s two previous seasons, they ranked 24th and 30th.
- Wizards
Big surprise: They can’t seem to win on the road. Over the last three years, the Wizards have been inconsistent at home, but won 19, 19 and 20 games on the road. This year, they’re 2-7 on the road and facing a stretch of 11 of 15 away from home.
- Jazz
Big surprise: The mediocre team defense is an obvious culprit for Utah’s slow start, but the collapse of the offense has been the real disappointment. The Jazz have an offensive rating of 104.8, fourth-worst in the league ahead of only cellar teams Chicago, Atlanta and Phoenix. They’re shooting 31.9 percent from the 3-point line (29th) and rank 27th in turnover percentage, a bad combination.
- Rockets
Big surprise: How about that 96.91 pace factor? The Rockets rank 29th in pace, down from 14th last year and third the previous season. They are just a sliver away from overtaking the Grizzlies as the league’s slowest, most grinding team.
- Pelicans
Big surprise: Despite having Nikola Mirotic back and adding Julius Randle, the Pels are as reliant on Anthony Davis as ever. He’s scored 25-plus points 12 times, and New Orleans is 9-3 in those games. They’re 1-8 in games he has missed with injury or scored fewer than 25.
- Heat
Big surprise: Miami ultimately did not ship off Josh Richardson in a deal for Jimmy Butler, and he has responded by averaging 20.5 points and making 42.2 percent of his 3s, while playing some of the best perimeter defense in the league.
- Nets
Big surprise: Led by Ed Davis and Jarrett Allen, they’re sixth in the league in offensive rebounding (12.2 per game). That’s surprising given that they have not finished higher than 14th in the last six years.
- Knicks
Big surprise: Emmanuel Mudiay has made shots. In what has been a yawnfest of a season at MSG, Mudiay discovering the joys of jumpers has been a revelation. He’s shooting 40.0 percent from 10-16 feet and 66.7 percent on 2-pointers beyond 16 feet. Now he just needs to conquer the 3-point line, and he may yet have an NBA career.
- Suns
Big surprise: There’s a new coach, a productive No. 1 pick and veteran additions like Jamal Crawford and Trevor Ariza. Yet the Suns are on pace to win 16 games, five games worse than last season.
- Cavaliers
Big surprise: The Cavs were the second-worst defensive team in the league last season, even as they wound up in the Finals. It’s gotten worse this year, as the Cavs are dead last in defense, allowing 113.6 points per 100 possessions.
- Hawks
Big surprise: The string ended on Sunday, but the stretch of six games in which Trae Young made just one of 25 3-pointers clobbered his 3-point percentage, which is now at 24.8.
- Bulls
Big surprise: He’s struggled with efficiency, but Zach LaVine has established himself as a premier scorer in the league, averaging 25.7 points and backing up the four-year, $78 million contract Chicago gave him in the offseason.
