Teams with 9+ wins so far this season:
I mean, most of these are to be expected, right? Sixers, Celtics, Bucks, Nuggets... These were all favourites coming into the season, and they're all performing more or less as predicted (Sixers are over-performing and Bucks are under-performing based on my own personal expectations but still great overall).
I can even get behind the Wolves. I didn't have them being this good, but the roster was promising. Ant is wreaking havoc on the league, KAT and Gobert are both doing well, and Jaden McDaniels is fine too. Then, they have some pretty good players rounding out the roster, such as Mike Conley, Naz Reid, and Kyle Anderson. They're elite defensively (5th), but only average offensively.
And then... The Thunder? I mean, sure, SGA is still SGA, and we all expected Chet to be good (or at least OK to start). But good enough for 2nd in the West? The same West with Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, De'Aaron Fox...? Not to mention other All NBA level talent and nigh-All Star players, and just other great teams (Cavs, anyone?).
OKC isn't just doing OK, they're not just staying above water either, they're WINNING! Look at this:
They beat the Suns (with KD and Beal), the Warriors (with Curry), and the Cavaliers (with Spida and Garland) twice!
Sure, we can't ignore their losses. The Kings beat them without Fox, NOLA beat them with a relatively inefficient night from both Zion and Hawkins, and the Nuggets blew them out. (The Warriors loss was a close game on the back of some ridiculously efficient shooting).
I mean, they're top 10 in both Offense and Defense right now, with their defense being the worse of the two. That's very impressive, IMO.
Do you believe in this OKC team? Do you think this is a flash in the pan, or the result of an easier early schedule (they haven't played any of the other 9+ win teams, except for Denver, a game in which they got blown out), or maybe something else entirely?
Are they contenders or pretenders?
I hadn't noticed the TS, they've been the most efficient right now of course but that's just crazy. They hold opponents to the lowest efficiency in the league too. The only 2 things they've been bad at are offensive rebounding and field goal attempts actually. Funny that.
I wonder if they can actually become the Spurs... I can see it, but they don't have a veteran presence like The Admiral was for Duncan. Unless Shai is going to be that for Chet or something? Regardless, I'm really excited to see where this team goes.