5 greatest surprises of NBA 2024-25 season to date

After a good five-game homestandThe Nuggets have been rewarded by the NBA scheduling gods this week with a uncommon stretch of 4 days off between video games.

Their turnaround from an 0-2 begin has been one of the crucial stunning developments within the league to date this season, relying on who you ask. The skepticism surrounding Denver’s 2024-25 roster dates again nicely earlier than Opening Day.

Listed below are 5 different storylines that shocked me after three weeks of basketball.

1. Drained: Cavs > Bucks. Wired: Nets > Bucks?

Milwaukee took plenty of criticism this summer season for being eradicated within the first spherical in back-to-back seasons throughout Giannis Antetokounmpo’s prime. I could not convey myself to fret about his standing as a suitor. Antetokounmpo suffered from poorly timed accidents each years, I believed. The beginning lineup nonetheless managed an extremely spectacular internet score final season amid teaching conflicts and instability. The acquisition of Gary Trent Jr. seemed like a possible diamond within the tough. The Bucks have been effective.

They misplaced eight of their first ten video games.

This departure was an actual shock. Giannis continues to be Giannis. In reality, he leads the league in scoring. Damian Lillard averages 26 factors and 7 assists. However the Bucks cannot guard, Khris Middleton is caught in harm purgatory, Trent has been benched and the state of the franchise appears to be like worse than when Adrian Griffin was fired a 12 months in the past.

It is one factor to see different high Jap Convention groups like Cleveland surpass them, though 13-0 is a bit stunning. However Brooklyn? I had the Nets thought of Cooper Flagg’s favourite. Perhaps in time they are going to, however kudos to the previous Nuggets assistant Jordi Fernández. Not solely did he begin his tenure 5-6; he narrowly missed main upsets towards Cleveland, Boston and Denver.

I’d additionally point out Brooklyn’s win towards Milwaukee, however apparently that is not that spectacular anymore.

2. Jay Huff mania

Below a two-way contract with the Nuggets final season, Huff appeared in 20 NBA video games for a complete of 49 minutes, spending most of his time with the Grand Rapids Gold. And Denver wasn’t the one group he handed by means of anonymously. The 27-year-old heart had a cup of espresso with the Lakers and Wizards. He performed Summer time League ball for the Rockets and Magic.

He instantly turns into a celeb in Memphis.

Huff averaged 10 factors and 1.8 blocks coming off the bench in his first 12 video games with the Grizzlies, a meteoric rise that earned him a typical NBA contract. The previous G League Defensive Participant of the Yr is capturing 3-pointers at a 44% charge. On a group that handled uncertainty in its heart rotation and took Zach Edey ninth total within the draft, Huff grew to become one of many NBA’s feel-good tales of the 12 months in simply quarter-hour per night time.

3. How significantly better is the West than the East?

This may occasionally not come as a shock to most individuals, however I am not afraid to confess it: I had a hunch that the standard expertise hole between the Western and Jap conferences may s show to be exaggerated this season. I believed that, at a minimal, the East would look simply as top-heavy — that Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Cleveland would compete with the West’s high 5 groups.

However heading into the primary slate of NBA Cup video games Tuesday night time, the league standings have been staggering: 10 groups above .500 within the West. Two groups above .500 within the East. At this level within the season, the third-place Pacers would not even be a play-in group within the West.

Probably the most obvious is that the outcomes of confrontations between conferences stay significantly biased. The West: 35. The East: 15.

This might even out, particularly as accidents start to take over the season. Star gamers together with Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, Ja Morant and Zion Williamson (together with the remainder of the Pelicans group) are all going through prolonged absences within the high convention. Then once more, Joel Embiid, Paul George and the 76ers could possibly be investigated an extra 10 instances this season for potential violations of the participant participation coverage.

4. MVP motion: AD up, Luka down

It is most likely no shock that the three-time MVP Nikola Jokic seems to be a favourite to win the award once more. after three weeks. However the sudden drawback to date is its hardest competitors. Contemporary off an NBA Finals run, Luka Doncic has had probably the most momentum early within the season, however the numbers have not been as much as par for him to date.

After the Mavericks misplaced the Klay Thompson reunion sport within the Bay, Doncic averaged 28.5 factors (his lowest in three seasons), 8.1 rebounds (lowest in 4 seasons) and seven.9 assists (lowest in six seasons) for a group under .500. His effectivity was the worst: a career-low 41.9% from the sector and a 32% begin from three. The Mavs proceed to lose shut video games in moments the place Doncic is meant to raise them up. In Denver final weekend, he was overshadowed by Kyrie Irving. Right here once more, everybody besides Jokic was.

In the meantime in Los Angeles, Anthony Davis is in competition for the scoring title with 30.2 factors per sport. The Lakers are taking part in with him offensively, as new coach JJ Redick promised. I see no cause for this to cease. The group ranks fifth in offensive score. (His teammates simply have to rise to his stage defensively now.) Davis hasn’t had a season like this since New Orleans. He is by no means actually had a season like this. If he stays wholesome, he is no fluke as an MVP candidate.