Jayson Tatum and the Celtics are riding strong, even after a tumultuous preparation for training camp.
Each week, NBA.com editors will cover some of the most important topics in the league.
What’s the biggest surprise of the NBA season so far?
STEVE ASCHBURNER: From the mildly surprising to the wildly surprising, from the relative absence of “tankathon” for Victor Wembanyama’s lottery balls to the implosions of the Nets and Lakers, nothing can match what the Boston Celtics endured. The first part was shocking: a finals team banning its successful head coach heading into a new season. The second part of the surprise was the performance of the Celtics with their understudy Joe Mazzulla in the role of Ime Udoka. Several players were legitimately shaken by Udoka’s suspension for violating team policies in an inappropriate sexual relationship, then got agitated again when it looked like he would end up coaching rival Brooklyn with their bosses’ blessing. But their performance – with the best record in the NBA, as an offensive heavyweight, despite some notable injuries (Robert Williams III, Danilo Gallinari) – carried the day, showing their determination to return to the championship round. Despite a hard blow that shook the foundations less than two months ago.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are off to fantastic starts for the Celtics this season.
BRIAN MARTIN: What is most surprising is the staggering offensive production in the first 30 days at the team and individual player level.
Until Wednesday, there is seven players averaging over 30 points per game, led by Dallas’ Luka Doncic (34.4 points per game) after opening the season with a streak of games over 30 points not seen since Wilt Chamberlain. During the first 30 days of last season, person was averaging 30 points per game (Stephen Curry then led the way with 28.7 points per game).
On Wednesday, Curry released the third game over 50 points of the first 30 days of the season, joining Joel Embiid (59) And Garland of Darius (51). Additionally, there have already been 24 games this season where a player has scored 40 or more points. Compared to this time last season, there was A 50 point game (also from Curry) and 13 games of 40+ points.
But it’s not just about individual players putting up big numbers. The team’s offense in 2022-23 is already in mid-season form. Take a look at the league’s month-by-month scoring averages from last season: 107.4 points per game in October, 107.2 points per game in November, 109.3 points per game in December, 110.2 points per game game in January, 112.7 points per game in February, 113.7 points per game in March and 115.7 points per game in April.
Through the first 30 days of the 2022-23 season, the league scoring average is 112.7 points per game (which ties last February’s mark). After 30 days last season, the league scoring average was 106.8 points per game.
Is the offense peaking early this season, or is this the new benchmark and the numbers will continue to increase month to month like we’ve seen in the past?
MEDINA BRAND: Despite winning the NBA title last season, the Golden State Warriors anticipated some growing pains this season. But they did not expect such a mediocre start (6-9), including a winless record on the road (0-8).
Jordan Poole has been inconsistent after signing a contract extension. Klay Thompson remains rusty in his first full season in the NBA after being out for more than two years due to injuries. Third-year center James Wiseman – still learning – was recently sent down to the NBA G League. Sophomore forward Jonathan Kuminga struggled to get consistent minutes. And the Warriors are 25th in defensive rating (113.6).
What’s also troubling about the Warriors’ start is that it happened while Stephen Curry was posting MVP-type numbers. Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney also played regularly…and it still wasn’t enough.
Poole and Thompson have time to produce bounce-back performances. Wiseman and Kuminga have time to develop. The Warriors have time to repair their defense. But if the losing continues, don’t be surprised if the Warriors make deals before the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
SHAUN POWELL: It’s so tempting to call the charred remains of the Brooklyn Nets the biggest surprise of the season, but that’s the point: It’s the biggest surprise, not the biggest disappointment. Is another Kyrie Irving drama really a surprise? Does Steve Nash bail out as a coach after a few weeks really a surprise? (He’s probably relieved.) Is Ben Simmons still trying to figure it out, really a surprise? Not really.
Not as much as the Utah(?) Jazz(!) sitting at or near the top of the West standings since week one — now it’s a surprise. You didn’t see it coming, and neither did Danny Ainge, the team president who pawned off his two All-Stars, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, essentially for future NBA players who are now 12 years old. Apparently we all underestimated the hunger for minutes and status of Lauri Markkanen (averaging a career-high 21.3 points per game) and a group of scrappy, prideful rotation players who love to take the league by… surprise. So yes, it’s Jazz, which place second 3-pointers, playing hard for new coach Will Hardy and catching everyone off guard. For now, anyway. Maybe by January, the Jazz will be exactly who we thought they would be.
JOHN SCHUHMANN: I’m sure others will answer Jazz, and it’s certainly not a bad answer. But to make a difference, I’ll add the 7-6 Indiana Pacers.
After their trade with the Kings last season, the Pacers were 6-21 (worst in the Eastern Conference), with worst defense in the league (122 points allowed per 100 possessions). They already have more wins in 13 games this season than they did in 27 games after the trade last season, after trading away Malcolm Brogdon this summer. Brogdon only played in eight of those 27 post-trade games, but it was still clear the Pacers were taking a step backwards…compared to the team that finished with the franchise’s worst record in 37 seasons. They were supposed to be one of the worst teams in the East, but on Thursday they woke up in sixth placehaving won six of their last eight games.
The defense is still relatively bad and Indiana ranks 25th defensively until Wednesday. But Tyrese Haliburton (20.6 points per game and 10.4 points per game) had led a powerful (seventh) offense that ranks in the top six in both 3 point percentage (38.1%) and 3-point price (44.3% shots coming from outside the arc). Rookie Bennedict Mathurin is a shooter who also gets to the line and Buddy Hield is a shooter who also plays. Myles Turner plays more like a big man, taking more than half the time his photos in painting for the first time in his career.
It’s still early and it might not last. The Pacers played one of the easiest schedules in the league to date (it stays pretty easy for at least another week). Plus, they’re probably still willing to trade Hield and Turner. But a 7-6 record for this group is certainly a big surprise.
MICHAEL C. WRIGHT: Three consecutive defeats brought the Utah Jazz come back down to Earth, but you’re lying if you expected this team to occupy the top half of the Western Conference at this point in the season. Utah’s movements during the summer has caused quite a few misconceptions regarding the franchise’s intentions. In June, the Jazz hired the NBA’s youngest coach in Will Hardy, 34, who happens to be even younger than its starting point guard, Mike Conley (who turned 35 last month). Then, the team traded Rudy Gobert in July to Minnesota before moving Donovan Mitchell in September to Cleveland. For Utah, these player transactions were about acquiring assets, and the club sits more in that department with 14 first-round picks through 2029.
The hiring of Hardy, a protégé of Gregg Popovich, is probably the most important factor in Utah’s success. The former Spurs and Celtics assistant does not hesitate to hold the team accountable. Additionally, he set the tone from the start by emphasizing that his only goal this season was on “Team 49”, the 49th team in Utah franchise history. He wasn’t worried about the 48th team or the 50th, just this one. This struck a chord with the players and accelerated their buy-in which translated into the product on the field. That’s part of why the team had no issues in training camp and also believed in Hardy’s belief that they needed to improve their conditioning to truly utilize Utah’s altitude advantage on his adversaries.
Conley plays like the Memphis Grizzlies version of himself and, in his 16th season, is averaging a career-high 8.1 assists per game. Hardy essentially handed over the keys to the offense, giving the veteran point guard the freedom to make his own decisions and run the show. That works. A key piece in the Mitchell-Cleveland trade, Lauri Markkanen is averaging a career-high 21.3 points per game, playing with more confidence than we’ve seen from him in recent years. And we won’t even get into the fact that while this Jazz team is devoid of top-tier talent, it’s probably one of the most complete teams in the league.
