The 2024-25 NBA season is just a few weeks old, and teams are already proving that preseason projections are just that. The and have six wins as both currently sit outside the Eastern Conference play-in. Meanwhile, the and find themselves in the middle of the wide-open standings and the are off to the hottest start in the NBA since the 2015-16 .
The wins the East is lacking can be found out West as 10 Western Conference teams are at .500 or better. The , and Warriors are all off to notable starts, but injuries threaten to stall some early-season momentum.
Suns star picked up a calf strain that will sideline him for multiple weeks, while Thunder big man that will keep him out eight to 10 weeks at minimum. With injuries mounting and preseason storylines thrown out, let's check in on which teams have underperformed and overperformed so far. Our experts break down the biggest questions regarding slow starts and surprising records, and also examine the reality of teams climbing out of early holes.
Most surprising team exceeding expectations? We knew the Cavaliers were pretty good. But who could have predicted Cleveland claiming the longest undefeated streak to start a season since the 73-win Warriors? C'mon. The Cavs are coming off an Eastern Conference semifinals appearance, but new coach Kenny Atkinson inherited a roster with real questions about whether its best players actually complemented one another.
The "core four" has been good together; Cleveland had a plus-7.9 net ratin.
