2024 - 2025 NBA Shocks and Surprises thus far

Written by Liam Bekavac and Noah Kang, 11/25/2024

As the 5th week of the NBA season wraps up there are numerous teams and players who have defied expectations for better or for worse. This week we highlight these surprises and discuss what to expect going forward entering the next quarter of the season.

Golden State warriors 

After losing long time veteran Klay Thompson in the offseason and breaking up the legendary “Splash brothers” duo. The warriors were expected to follow up a disappointing 23-24 campaign with an even worse season. However the addition of Buddy Hield through sign and trade over the offseason proved to be the missing piece to bring the Warriors back to being a team others are scared to match up with. The Warriors are 12-4 so far over, tying the Oklahoma city Thunder for the best ranked team in the western conference. This reminds us that Golden State is not done with being competitive quite yet for as long as Steph remains with the team. 

Below expectations: Philadelphia 76ers 

After adding All Star Paul George to the team on a max contract over the offseason, the sixers put themselves in “championship or bust” mode and so far it's been nothing but bust. So far the 76ers are 3-12 and their “Big 3” consisting of former MVP Joel Embiid, And all stars Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have only hit the court together for one game which resulted in a loss. A question many asked when Paul George and Embiid became teammates was “would the 2 injury prone players finally be healthy enough to reach the mountaintop” and to this question the clear answer is NO. Embiid has only played 3 games on the season where he looks nothing like his former MVP self and his running mate Paul George has suffered 2 knee hyperextensions. The failure thus far in the season may be the final nail in the coffin for the “Trust the Process” Joel Embiid era of the Sixers, leaving the future of the team and all players on it in question. 

Exceeding expectations: Cleveland cavaliers 

If there is one team that has gone astronomically beyond their pre-season expectations it’s the Cleveland cavaliers. Going into the season analysts had them as low as a 7th seeded team in a weak eastern conference. Now the cavs are 16-1 after opening the season with a 15-0 win streak, Setting a tie for the second best start to a season ever, A record only beaten by the 2015-16 golden state warriors who opened their season 24-0. Cleveland has proven that its decision to make no changes to the roster over the offseason was the right choice. Many were skeptical if the backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donnavon Mitchell could pair together but now that both stars are fully healthy they've proven that they are capable of leading a contending team. 

Below expectations: Indiana Pacers:

The Pacers came off a season with high expectations. Siakam had been acquired mid season, and quickly impacted the pacer’s winning. The pacers had young pieces that looked promising: Benedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith. And most significantly, Tyrese Haliburton was a clear All-NBA level player, averaging a double double with assists on great splits. They ended the season sixth in the west, and made an unexpected push to the conference finals. Now, they are a sub .500 team, and Haliburton has looked like a shell of his former self. His shot confidence has been low, and moreover he’s shooting less than 40% from the field. Siakam has looked less impactful, and the team's saving grace has been Mathurin, who, to his credit, has been looking like an All-Star. However, for a team coming off a conference finals berth, the team has been nothing except disappointing. The team looks directionless, and in need of a shake-up, and while it is still early in the season the team is not looking playoff bound.

The 3x Reigning MVP has had an astronomical start to his 2024-25 season putting up stats unseen since Wilt Chamberlain in the 60’s. In the season so far “The Joker” has averaged 30 points, 11 assists and 14 rebounds across 12 games. By any standard these stats are incredible but to contextualize the absurdity lets compare his metrics to other former MVPs. Jokic’s 30 points a game is more than Lebron has averaged in any of his 4 MVP seasons, 14 rebounds a game is more than tim duncan average in either of his 2 MVP seasons and 11 assists is more than Steve Nash averaged on either of his 2 MVP Seasons. On Top of these remarkable counting stats Jokic has been wildly efficient  averaging 57% from the field and 56% from 3, more efficient than the “3 point king” Steph Curry has ever been. This remarkable season Jokic is having so far has made him the clear frontrunner for the 2024-25 MVP award with the only argument against his case being the so far mediocre record of the Denver Nuggets as they are only 6th in their conference as it stands thus far.