Roundball Roundtable: Warriors, Cavs raise eyebrows

The 2024-25 NBA campaign isn't yet a month old, but it's never too early to assess what we've seen so far. Here, theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league.

Which team has been the biggest disappointment?

Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks have looked miserable despite having most of their rotation available, outside of Khris Middleton. The 33-year-old won't remedy all that plagues the team once he returns, but he can help alleviate one pressing concern: the Bucks' porous defense around star Damian Lillard. The Bucks allow 117.4 points per 100 possessions with the eight-time All-Star on the court but boast a much stingier 107.3 rating when he sits. That's illustrative of a lineup failing to cover for his defensive shortcomings in exchange for his indisputable value on offense. Some of that comes down to effort - which Giannis Antetokounmpo already called out this month - and some of it's coaching. Either way, it doesn't look good for Doc Rivers, who's now 21-28 with Milwaukee. - Jonathan Soveta

Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers finally seemed primed to contend for a championship after winning the Paul George sweepstakes in free agency - building an enviable Big Three with George, former MVP Joel Embiid, and reigning Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey. Instead, the Sixers are in the basement of the East from the jump due to predictable injury concerns dogging Embiid and George. But now Maxey is in the midst of a multi-week hamstring injury, pushing the trio's debut together back further into November. Availability is the most important factor for success in the playoffs, and Philadelphia is on track to miss out entirely if its stars can't consistently stay on the court. - Donald Higney

Minnesota Timberwolves: The new-look T-Wolves' record is unacceptable based on their strength of schedule. Only the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, and Sacramento Kings have gotten an easier ride through the first few weeks of the season, according to ESPN's Strength of Schedule Index. They got back on track against a Kings squad missing DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk, but the process doesn't look right. How is a team with Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards 24th in shot attempts at the rim? Even more troubling, the club is 15th in shooting percentage near the basket. Spacing is an issue that has resulted in a reliance on outside shooting. Chris Finch might not have the answers to solve this riddle. - Thomas Tittley

Which team has been the biggest surprise?

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors came into this season with low expectations after losing Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, and Dario Saric in free agency. The team replaced them with Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson in an effort to stay competitive. The Dubs struck gold with Hield, who's having the best shooting season of his career with averages of 46.9% from three and 49.4% from the field to resemble the perfect "Splash Buddy" for Stephen Curry. Meanwhile, Curry is still putting up great numbers at 36 years old, averaging 22.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. The Warriors sit fourth in offensive rating (118.4) and hold impressive victories over the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder. - Joseph Luca Casciaro

Cleveland Cavaliers: No one expected this kind of start from Cleveland. Now 15-0, the Cavaliers are one of just two teams - the other being the Warriors - that sit in the top six of both offensive and defensive rating through the first three weeks and change. Kenny Atkinson has transformed Cleveland into a juggernaut that dissects opponents in open play. The Cavs have the lowest percentage of points scored through free throws, with only 13.4% of their offensive output coming from the line. Yet they boast a healthy 48.9-37.7 scoring split coming from twos and threes, respectively, and lead the league in points off opponents' turnovers with 22.3 per game. Whether it's sustainable is worth questioning, as no team has ever shot 50% from the field with a minimum 40% clip from deep for an entire season. - Soveta

Houston Rockets: Based on early returns, Ime Udoka's squad looks primed to return to the playoffs for the first time since the Disney bubble. Coming out the gates with a 10-4 start, the Rockets have built an offense with multiple contributors and a defensive identity predicated on physicality and eliminating transition opportunities. Despite some shooting struggles from the backcourt of Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet, seven players are averaging double-digit scoring. On the other end of the court, the Rockets have the third-best defensive rating per 100 possessions (105.4) and are one of three teams to limit opposing squads to less than 110 points per game - joining the Thunder and Orlando Magic. Houston, we don't have a problem. - Higney

Who's been the best offseason acquisition?

Dyson Daniels: The Atlanta Hawks stole Daniels from the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason, giving up Dejounte Murray, who broke his hand in the first game of the campaign, while also acquiring Larry Nance Jr. and two future first-round picks. Daniels has been nothing short of spectacular, averaging a career-best 15 points - up from his previous high of just 5.8 - and 3.3 assists. Daniels has impressed on offense, but he's become a favorite to nab a spot on an All-Defensive squad. The young Australian has been a menace on the perimeter, recording a league-high 44 steals in 12 games - no other player has more than 28 steals. Unsurprisingly, Daniels also leads the NBA in deflections per contest (7.5). - Tittley

Zach Edey: The Grizzlies seem to have found their center of the future in Edey. The 7-foot-4, 305-pound Canadian has fit perfectly into the Grizzlies' system, allowing former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to shift to power forward. The two-time Naismith Player of the Year sits fourth in rookie scoring with 11.1 points per game and 6.9 rebounds on 65.8% true shooting. He also recorded the third-highest scoring outburst from a rookie this season when he dropped 25 points and 12 boards against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 4. - Casciaro

Buddy Hield: Hield has slotted in almost perfectly for a Warriors franchise that desperately needed another dependable floor-spacer next to Stephen Curry once Klay Thompson's departure was all but finalized. The Bahamian guard's red-hot long-range shooting has resembled Thompson's during the former Splash Brother's 3-point peak. Hield's 46.9% clip from three is tied for the NBA's second-best mark among all players with at least eight such attempts per game. It's also a significant reason why a much different Golden State squad is keeping pace with the Thunder at the top of the West. The Warriors' only losses this season were the two games in which Hield failed to hit multiple threes. - Soveta

Which player has taken the biggest leap?

LaMelo Ball: Ranking fifth in the Association in points per game, Ball has begun the season on a scorching scoring streak. The Hornets guard has recorded 30 points in eight of 13 outings, including matching a career high with 38 points against the 76ers. Ball is making a career-best 4.6 triples per game and is second in the league in total threes made (60). His total efficiency is elevated; he's posting a career-high 53.3% effective field-goal percentage. Charlotte relies on Ball's creation, giving him the 12th-highest usage rate ever in a single season thus far. The 23-year-old has been known as a scorer throughout his young career but has now increased his output and efficiency in the early stages of the campaign. - Higney

Nikola Jokic: It might sound crazy to include the three-time MVP among the most improved players, but the 29-year-old has been nothing short of spectacular to start the season. Jokic dragged the Nuggets to a respectable 7-5 record despite dropping their first two games. The bronze medalist from the Paris Olympics is averaging career bests in points (29.7), assists (11.7), rebounds (13.7), steals (1.7), blocks (1.0), 3-point attempts (3.9), 3-point percentage (56.4%), and free-throw attempts (7.0). This insane output is the only reason Denver's record is above .500. To truly grasp how much the Serbian is impacting winning, let's look at Denver's on-off statistics: Not a single bench player on the Nuggets has a positive plus-minus per 100 possessions, while Jokic has the league's second-best plus-minus at plus-36.8 per 100 possessions. - Tittley

Norman Powell: Powell has spent the bulk of his time with the Clippers coming off the bench, but he's stepped into the starting five with Kawhi Leonard missing the beginning of the season. He's started all 14 games this campaign after starting only 11 contests over the last two years combined. Powell is averaging a career-high 23.3 points in 34 minutes per game. He's also adding 2.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while shooting 48.3% from the field and 46.9% from three. Powell has already scored 30-plus points three times this season, a feat he didn't achieve once last year. Less than a month in, the Clippers wing is an early favorite for MIP. - Casciaro