NBA 2018-19: 3 teams that are exceeding expectations this season
More than a quarter of the games from the NBA 2018-19 season have been played already.
The defending champions Golden State Warriors have lost nine games very early in the season, although six of those were when Steph Curry was injured. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are off to a 15-9 start, and it looks like they will make the playoffs for the first time in five years. Kawhi Leonard, meanwhile, has shown at Toronto that he is a superstar and a front-runner for the MVP award.
So far, there have been some teams that are playing as expected from them, and some that have not performed as per the expectations. But there are also some teams that are playing better than anyone expected.
Let's have a look at three such teams:
#3 Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. But in the off season, they made a big move by signing Paul George, their second superstar, to a four-year deal. And that is starting to show dividends.
After having a 0-4 start to the season, the Thunder have roared back to win 16 of the next 19 games. They are currently lying in the second place in the loaded Western Conference standings.
The Thunder are the second ranked rebounding team, and have been one of the best defensive sides in the NBA this season. They have been expertly led by Russell Westbrook, who is again averaging a triple double for the season.
Paul George has also been superb, and currently leads the team in PPG. Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder are also having great seasons.
The Thunder have become one of the teams to watch out for after the early part of the season.