The NBA season has officially been underway for three weeks now, and it is off to a great start. There have already been numerous surprises and exciting moments, and it has not even been a month yet. Lebron James has not even played a game so far this season. Several teams have played way better than anyone expected them to, and there are several teams that have been in the dumps that should have played better than they are currently.
Chicago Bulls rising back to stardom
The Chicago Bulls finished the season last year with a record of 39-43 and 10th in the Eastern Conference in the Play-In spot. The Bulls started the season undefeated for their first 5 games and showed that this team is different from last year. However, they have cooled off and are now 6-4, due to recent loses with tough matchups.
Bulls guard, Josh Giddey has played well in his second season with Chicago with averages of 21.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG and 9.3 APG. I for one, did not see Giddey, of all players, almost averaging a triple-double. Another impressive feat is that Giddey became only the second player in Bulls history to put up consecutive triple doubles. The only other Bulls player to do so was the legendary Michael Jordan. If he continues to keep up the way he has played, he could be considered an All-Star.
Indiana Pacers off to a rough start
The 2024-2025 Pacers playoff run will be remembered for a long time as they forced the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 7, in which Tyrese Haliburton infamously tore his achilles in the first quarter. The Thunder went on to win the NBA finals, and end the Pacers underdog story.
The Pacers currently sit at the second worst in the Eastern Conference with a record of 1-9. With Haliburton out for the season, and veteran guard TJ McConnell also being sidelined, the Pacers have suffered. Forward Pascal Siakam has been forced to take a lead role and has played well overall with 24.3 points per game. The Pacers will need a lot more than that, however, to turn things around.
Dallas Mavericks in a sticky situation
Sandro Mamukelashvili. (Stacy Revere-Getty Images-AFP)
There is a lot to be said about the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs have struggled as they hold the position of second worst team in the Western Conference at 3-8. The Mavs secured the No.1 overall pick in the draft last year, with prodigy forward, Cooper Flagg. Combined with superstars like forward Anthony Davis, guards Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, this was a team that people expected to make the finals. However, if this play continues, they will be lucky to make the play-in.
So, what has gone wrong with this team? For starters, former “Splash Brother,” 4x NBA Champion and 5x NBA all-star, Klay Thompson has had an awful start to the season. He averages only 7.4 PPG, 2 RPG and two APG. Irving is still recovering from an ACL injury. Davis has played well, with averages of 20.8 PPG and 10.2 RPG. The issue with him, however, is his proneness to injury. He has not played a game since October 29, 2025, as he suffered a calf strain.
Flagg has had an ok rookie season with an average of 15 points per game, but that is not exactly the electric start everyone excepted from the forward. He is a rookie; however, he just needs to be given time.
In recent news, general manager for the Mavs, Nico Harrison, has been fired. His role in last year’s blockbuster trade that sent guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis has not paid off. Dončić currently is in the MVP consideration, with averages of 37.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 9.1 APG. The move to fire Harrison is something that Mavs fans have waited for since the trade.
San Antonio Spurs off to “Alien” level start
Victor Wembanyama has played like a man possessed. The “Alien” has averaged 25.7 PPG and 12.8 RPG so far this season. It is just his third year in the league and the man is ready to prove that he is worthy of an MVP award.
The San Antonio Spurs are currently second in the powerful Western Conference, with a record of 8-2. This is a team that did not make the playoffs last year, that could very well be a finals contender if they can make it past the dominant, super-team, Thunder.
This NBA season is going to be one for the ages.
