5 NBA players that have exceeded expectations so far in the 2019-20 season
We are now more than halfway through the 2019-20 NBA season, and with All-Star Weekend quickly approaching, it is the perfect time to reflect on the campaign so far. Last week, ten of the NBA's best players were named as starters for the 2020 All-Star Game and the consensus is that these are the players that have delivered the best performances over the first four months of the season.
However, there have also been several excellent performers up and down the league who have exceeded expectations over the first half of the season and deserve credit for their contributions. So, as we head into the business end of the season, here we will take a look at the five players that have performed better than expected.
#5 Chris Paul - Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Chris Paul in the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets last summer, and the aging point guard appeared to be a poor match for the rebuilding Thunder. After all, Paul was coming off one of the worst seasons of his career during the 2018-19 campaign, and his huge multi-year contract would only slow down OKC’s ongoing reboot.
Nevertheless, Paul has proved to be an excellent addition to an increasingly young OKC locker room, and he has notably taken up a mentor role to the emerging Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. The 34-year-old has also been excellent on the court, averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 31.6 minutes per contest. Despite intense competition in the Western Conference, the Thunder are also well on course to reach the postseason thanks to a 29-20 record, and CP3 will continue to play a significant role if he is not dealt ahead of the trade deadline.