We entered the 2024-25 season with two clear-cut contenders for the NBA title: the defending champion Boston Celtics and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. By 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 web ranking 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 web ranking and the greatest defensive ranking 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 begin a season 13-0, are amid one of many biggest begins in league historical past. Cleveland is annihilating opponents with a plus-11.7 web ranking and what could be the second-best offensive ranking in NBA historical past in the event that they continued scoring at this price (121.7 factors per 100 possessions).
New head coach Kenny Atkinson has figured a approach to distribute touches among the many Cavs’ 4 greatest 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 doling 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 seems to be far more like the purpose guard we thought he’d grow to be 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 greatest 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 crew is for actual.
Phoenix Suns
This one appeared a heck of quite a bit higher earlier than Kevin Durant’s most up-to-date calf damage (he’ll be reevaluated later this month).
By 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 video games during which he has performed. Assuming Durant can keep some semblance of fine well being, there’s no cause to consider he’ll be slowing anytime quickly.
Whereas the Suns are overleveraged greater than any crew 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 celebrity 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 celebrity 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 crew enjoying onerous and sensible.
Golden State Warriors
It’s beginning to really feel quite a bit 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 report. They completed 2021-22 with the top-rated protection and the fifth-best web ranking per 100 possessions. This season, the Warriors have the fifth-best defensive ranking, second-best offensive ranking and third-best web ranking, outscoring opponents by plus-11 per 100 possessions by means of 11 video games.
Curry is enjoying his customary top-notch basketball, routinely giving opponents his “night time, night time” ending celebration in huge 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 doling out 5.2 assists per sport. Plus, Buddy Hield is doing his greatest 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 approach to be efficient two-way forwards.
Look out, NBA. The Cavaliers, Suns and Warriors are within the race for the title, too.
