Clippers, Bulls' chemistry lead list of early-season NBA surprises
In many ways, it's been business as usual so far in the NBA.
Golden State is scoring a ton of points, angry Russell Westbrook is putting on a nightly highlight show, Cleveland didn't get discouraged by that disappointing World Series result and Philadelphia is trusting the process as losses and injuries mount.
But there have been some notable surprises and the Bulls will run into one of them on Saturday night at the Staples Center. So here's a complete list of the biggest early-season surprises in the NBA:
The Clippers' defense
With Kevin Durant jumping to the Warriors, no one expected the Clippers to look like the unbeatable team out West. While starting 10-1, the Clips won road games at San Antonio, Portland, Memphis and Oklahoma City.
There weren't any major changes in personnel. The Clippers have the same nucleus of stars, open games with Luc Mbah a Moute at small forward and finish with Jamal Crawford. They did improve their bench slightly by adding ex-Golden State big man Marreese Speights and veteran guard Raymond Felton.
The biggest difference has been defense. Through Thursday's games, the Clippers led the league in opponents' field-goal percentage (.415) and were second in points allowed at 93.8. Last season, they gave up 100.2 points.
So how to explain the surge? Well, Tom Thibodeau did take last season off and probably used some of his free time to counsel former Boston boss Doc Rivers. Or maybe the key Clips just decided they wanted to win this year.
Wednesday's home loss to Memphis already dampened the Clippers' hot start. Maybe they'll revert to the norm, but as of today, they deserve to be rated the NBA's best team.
DeMar DeRozan's scoring:
DeRozan had something of a quiet summer. Once he hit free-agency, he re-signed with Toronto without even listening to other offers. Then he was part of the U.S. Olympic team, but didn't seek the spotlight as much as some other guys.
When the season began, DeRozan ws ready. The eighth-year pro leads the NBA in scoring at 33.3 points per game, up an astounding 10 points from last season.
He's also been efficient, shooting 50.6 percent from the field and averaging 10.5 free-throw attempts. One nickname floating around is the "Lone Mid-Ranger" since DeRozan rarely shoots 3-pointers.
Is DeRozan an MVP candidate? As of today, yes. One downside to his early surge is the Raptors played Cleveland and Golden State three times already and went 0-3.
James Harden's passing prowess:
If a hard-core basketball fan walked out of the woods today after a month with no phone service, how many guesses would it take to name the current NBA assist leader?
Without a hint or two, it would never happen. The answer is Houston's James Harden, who decided to become the most complete offensive player since Nate Archibald.
In addition to averaging his usual 28.5 points, Harden leads the league in assists by a wide margin at 12.8 per game. Second place is Russell Westbrook with 9.8. Harden is also averaging a career-high 8.2 rebounds.
Has Harden improved his notoriously disinterested defense? Well, he's playing for coach Mike D'Antoni this year, so probably not.
The Bulls' chemistry:
The Bulls were ecstatic when Dwyane Wade fell into their laps this summer, but that was mostly from a marketing perspective. Even after missing the playoffs for the first time in eight years, the Bulls managed to create some buzz.
On the court, a fading 34-year-old superstar didn't figure to turn the Bulls into title contenders. But the addition of Wade and Rajon Rondo seemed to give the team a clear sense of locker room hierarchy. The younger players know Wade's advice is worth following and he's been an ideal role model for star-in-training Jimmy Butler.
It's still early and the schedule will get tougher, but an 8-4 start is certainly better than most people expected.
Dwight Howard's value:
Howard had an unfortunate reputation in recent years of bringing teams down. His time in Orlando ended badly, he lasted just one season with the Lakers and was a poor fit in Houston.
Now in Atlanta, his hometown, Howard has finally made a positive impact. At 9-2 through Thursday, the Hawks have barely noticed the loss of Al Horford.
Klay Thompson's inaccuracy:
Something had to give when Golden State added Kevin Durant and so far, it's been Thompson's offense. His scoring average hasn't dipped dramatically, going from 22.1 points per game to 18.5, but he completely lost his shooting touch.
In the first four games of the season, Thompson hit 3 of 28 attempts from 3-point land, a sturdy 10.7 percent. He picked it up during a recent three-game stretch when he hit 12 of 19 shots, but then went 3 of 11 against Toronto on Wednesday to put his 3-point percentage at .313 for the season.
As of Friday morning, Durant and Steph Curry were tied for the team lead at 27.9 ppg, with Curry shooting a solid 46.4 percent from long range. The Warriors are winning, but Thompson's touch is missing.
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Bulls game day
Bulls vs. Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center, 9:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: WGN
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: The Clippers' great start was derailed a bit by Wednesday's home loss to Memphis, but they were still No. 1 in the West with a 10-2 record heading into Friday's game at Sacramento. Defense has helped boost the Clippers so far, they rank No. 1 in opponents' field-goal percentage and No. 2 in points allowed. PF Blake Griffin is the top scorer at 20.6 ppg, followed by PG Chris Paul at 18.3. C DeAndre Jordan is third in the league in rebounds with 12.5 per game. Both Paul and J.J. Redick are shooting better than 45 percent from 3-point range. The Bulls split two games with the Clippers last season, losing by 27 points in Los Angeles.
Next: Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on Sunday, 8:30 p.m.
- Mike McGraw