Most of the 30 NBA teams have completed at least ten games since the season kicked off nearly three weeks ago. It is still too early to say any team is a championship contender based on playing 12% of the season, but it is a large enough sample size to say a team is trending in the right direction. Winning is a habit, and the teams discussed in this article have outperformed their expectation based on last season. It doesn’t mean that injury or a downturn in performance may not come, but it is an honest assessment of their current position.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves- the Timberwolves were the 8th seed last season and lost in the first round to the Denver Nuggets. There were questions about the team’s chemistry when Rudy Gobert punched Kyle Anderson and Jaden McDaniels broke his hand by punching a wall in frustration during the regular season finale. However, Minnesota has started this season with an 8-2 record and is the hottest team in the Association on a 7-game winning streak. The team is poised to continue its success because they have the best defensive rating of 101.9 in the league, and it is 4 points less than the Orlando Magic in second. The team has elevated its play through rising superstar Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 27.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. The Timberwolves also have high-quality wins against the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics while sweeping a two-game trip at Golden State. I think the Timberwolves are surprise championship contenders because defense wins championships.
2. Dallas Mavericks- The Dallas Mavericks were a disappointment last season after finishing 11th in the West after a blockbuster trade to acquire Kyrie Irving. The tandem of Irving and Luka Doncic struggled to galvanize the team to a postseason push, and in the end, the team was fined for openly tanking to get a higher draft pick. However, the Mavericks are surging with an 8-3 record after the first 11 games. The team is still struggling on the defensive end ranking 21st in defensive rating. However, the team has elevated their play offensively behind the dynamic duo of Doncic and Irving. The team is second with an offensive rating of 120.7, ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers in third place. The key for the Mavericks to have a sustained path to contending is for their role players to lock in defensively since it is the weakness of their superstars. I think they will make the playoffs, but a key player must be acquired at the trade deadline for them to be a championship contender.
3. Houston Rockets- the Rockets were in the cellar of the Western Conference standings with a 22-60 record. After another dreadful season, the management decided to part ways with Stephen Silas and make a controversial hire by picking Ime Udoka. Udoka was the star young Head Coach who led the Boston Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals but was placed on a season-long suspension for violating the team’s conduct policy. However, Udoka appears to be the right coach for a team that needed a new voice. The team made savvy moves by signing Fred VanVleet, veteran Jeff Green, and the much-maligned Dillon Brooks. The team started the season on a three-game losing streak and turned it around by reeling off six straight wins to sit 4th in the West with a 6-3 record. Udoka has brought the defensive mindset to Houston, with them climbing from near the bottom of the league last season to 6th in defensive rating. They are also showcasing their offensive prowess based on a top 10 ranking in the offensive charts. I find it hard to pencil in the Rockets into the playoffs in a loaded Western Conference, but they have the least pressure to win and are overachieving at this point of the season.
4. Indiana Pacers- the Sacramento Kings ended their 17-year playoff drought last season when they were the 3rd seed in the Western Conference. However, the team will look across the country and wonder whether they made the right decision on February 9, 2022, when they decided to trade Tyrese Haliburton in a package to acquire Damontis Sabonis. Sabonis has been the stabilizing big-man presence that led to last season’s success, but Haliburton has the higher ceiling as a rising star in this league. This season Haliburton has elevated his play averaging 24.7 points, 12.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. Impressively, the Pacers are 7-4 in the Eastern Conference and have the best offense in the league with a 122.2 rating. Rick Carlisle has the team humming in his offensive system, but like the Mavericks have struggled to slow down teams which leads to shoot-out victories. I think it’s a hard formula to sustain throughout the season, but it is fun to watch. I have the team ultimately making the playoffs through the play-in tournament which is a step in the right direction compared to last season.