We entered the 2024-25 season with two clear-cut contenders for the NBA title: the defending champion Boston Celtics and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. Via the early a part of the season, each groups have lived as much as the hype.
The Celtics are 10-3, have a plus-10.8 net rating per 100 possessions and lead the NBA in three-point makes an attempt and three-point makes. The Thunder are 10-2, have a plus-12.5 net rating and the best defensive rating within the NBA by far.
However three different groups have joined the Celtics and Thunder as bonafide contenders — and it’s not essentially the groups most anticipated when the season began. Let’s welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers (13-0!), Phoenix Suns (9-3) and Golden State Warriors (9-2) to the contenders’ get together.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers, one among six NBA groups to start out a season 13-0, are amid one of many best begins in league historical past. Cleveland is annihilating opponents with a plus-11.7 net rating and what can be the second-best offensive rating in NBA history in the event that they continued scoring at this fee (121.7 factors per 100 possessions).
New head coach Kenny Atkinson has figured a strategy to distribute touches among the many Cavs’ 4 finest gamers (Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen).
Mitchell is placing up an environment friendly 23.6 factors per sport with 47-41-85 taking pictures splits and shelling out 4.1 assists per sport. Mobley is enjoying extra just like the elite two-way drive he projected to be in his first two seasons, averaging 17.8 factors, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
Garland appears to be like way more like the purpose guard we thought he’d turn into earlier than the Mitchell commerce. He is averaging 20.5 factors and 6.5 assists with 53-45-89 taking pictures splits. In the meantime, Allen is doing his finest Tyson Chandler impression, averaging 13.3 factors, 10.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks and taking pictures 63.9 p.c from the ground.
This staff is for actual.
Phoenix Suns
This one seemed a heck of lots higher earlier than Kevin Durant’s most up-to-date calf damage (he’ll be reevaluated later this month).
Via 9 video games, the 36-year-old was enjoying MVP-level basketball, averaging 27.6 factors, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocks with hyper-efficient 55-43-84 taking pictures splits. He has additionally hit loads of big photographs and is the primary cause the Suns are 7-0 in Clutch games through which he has performed. Assuming Durant can keep some semblance of excellent well being, there’s no cause to imagine he’ll be slowing anytime quickly.
Whereas the Suns are overleveraged greater than any staff within the league, the byproduct of that’s that their roster is fairly loaded with expertise. Devin Booker is without doubt one of the extra well-rounded famous person guards within the NBA and is placing up 23.3 factors and 6.8 assists per sport — these numbers ought to improve throughout Durant’s absence.
Whereas not the All Star-level participant he was in Washington, Bradley Beal continues to be a succesful generator of offense who can decide up the slack if one among his famous person teammates is out or struggling. And Mike Budenholzer, who has received 60.6 p.c of his video games as a head coach, has the remainder of the staff enjoying arduous and good.
Golden State Warriors
It’s beginning to really feel lots like 2021-2022 for the Warriors.
In that season, which culminated within the fourth title of the Stephen Curry period, Golden State stormed to an 18-2 file. They completed 2021-22 with the top-rated defense and the fifth-best web score per 100 possessions. This season, the Warriors have the fifth-best defensive score, second-best offensive score and third-best web score, outscoring opponents by plus-11 per 100 possessions by 11 video games.
Curry is enjoying his customary top-notch basketball, routinely giving opponents his “night time, night time” ending celebration in large moments and averaging 23.9 factors, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds and placing up a 48-42-94 taking pictures break up.
In the meantime, Draymond Inexperienced is anchoring the protection and shelling out 5.2 assists per sport. Plus, Buddy Hield is doing his finest prime Klay Thompson impersonation, averaging 17.6 factors with 50-47-86 taking pictures splits, and Jonathan Kuminga (14.7 PPG) and Andrew Wiggins (14.7 PPG) have figured a strategy to be efficient two-way forwards.
Look out, NBA. The Cavaliers, Suns and Warriors are within the race for the title, too.
