3 Most impressive teams of the 2021-22 NBA season so far
It seems like the 2021-22 NBA season started way before the actual Opening Night. With several storylines happening on big teams, such as the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving's situation or Ben Simmons' unhappiness with the Philadelphia 76ers, the current NBA campaign seems to be longer than it has been in reality.
Despite some of those dramas, many teams that entered the season prepared to battle and have come out of the gates fast and reliable on the court. Some young teams have been surprisingly good, and some established squads, like the reigning NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks, have struggled with injuries and have a losing record at the moment.
Top three most impressive teams in the 2021-22 NBA campaign so far
Obviously, it is still too early to even think about some teams' playoff hopes and teams that could make a surprising presence among championship-contention units. However, the 2021-22 NBA season has certainly given us teams that have been as good as we expected them to be after the 2021 NBA offseason.
In this article, we will look at the three most impressive teams of the 2021-22 NBA season so far. The early stages of the current NBA season have given us exciting games and storylines, but these three teams have been making the most noise so far. More than we expected.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#3 Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors have been impressively good in the 2021-22 NBA season. Of course, many expected them to have a strong squad in the Western Conference, but not to have a big start without superstar Klay Thompson.
All those betting on the Warriors to fight against the West's elite expect them to do so with Thompson back. The team has been good in the early stages of the NBA season without the two-time All-NBA guard.
Stephen Curry has led the team to a 5-1 record and has controlled the offense nicely. While Curry hasn't had an amazing shooting effort throughout the season so far (he has a 42/39/97 shooting split so far) by his standards, the offense of the Warriors ranks 13th in the NBA, which is an improvement from last year's 19th place.
On defense, the Golden State Warriors have been solid so far, allowing 99.6 points per 100 possessions so far (fourth-best in the league). Despite having a decent offense, the Warriors are fifth in Net Rating in the 2021-22 NBA season due to their Draymond Green-led defense.
Despite not having a big offense at the moment, the Golden State Warriors' style of play has been consistent and the team leads the league in assists per game and assists per 100 possessions.
#2 Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets were an exciting team during the 2020-21 NBA season, and they were arguably looking at a Top-6 finish and direct entry to the NBA Playoffs last year before injuries hindered their campaign.
James Borrego's team is now at full strength, and with the addition and good performances of Kelly Oubre Jr., things are looking good for the young Charlotte squad.
Of course, LaMelo Ball has been brilliant in his sophomore season so far, and the team is currently 5-2, sitting towards the top of the NBA's Eastern Conference. The team is led by Ball, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward and Oubre Jr. offensively, and its 115.6 points scored per 100 possessions rank first in the entire NBA.
Charlotte also ranks first in points scored per game, at 118.6, but the defensive unit needs to improve, as it ranks 28th out of the 30 NBA teams, giving Charlotte the 12th spot on Net Rating, despite having the league's best offense so far.
#1 Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have been the most impressive team in the 2021-22 NBA season so far. Although they have been surprising indeed, many expected the Bulls to have a strong season. They added DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in the offseason. The Bulls also have Nikola Vucevic preparing for a season in Chicago instead of arriving in the middle of the year.
The Bulls are currently 5-1 and tied for the top spot in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
Zach LaVine, the Chicago Bulls' best player, is holding his end of the bargain and leading the Bulls in scoring at 25.5 points per game so far. DeRozan is currently averaging 23.7 points and Vucevic follows with 15.8 points and 11 rebounds per night, although he hasn't shot the ball well so far (38.9% from the field).
The Bulls are one of only three teams so far to rank in the Top 10 in Offensive and Defensive Rating, with Billy Donovan's squad being 10th in ORtg and fifth in DRtg at the moment.
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