In the first couple of months of the 2025-26 NBA season, we've already been given a huge number of storylines, a lot of freshness, and a level of change compared to last season that probably exceeded most expectations.
A lot of teams have surprised people around the world with the steps they've taken compared to last year.
Very few would have predicted that Detroit would be the best team in the Eastern Conference, that San Antonio would consistently beat Oklahoma City, and look like a team capable of competing for a title.
Or that the Phoenix Suns would be this competitive, sitting at 19–14 and well above .500?
And that the Boston Celtics, after everything they went through over the summer because of the second apron, and even before that, Jayson Tatum's injury and all the damage-control moves they had to make, would recently be playing at such a high level and remaining highly competitive.
Who would have expected Philadelphia to bounce back this quickly and find a new duo in the form of VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey?
These are all developments that, I believe, surprised even the most optimistic fans of some of these teams.
That's why I'm going to focus on three teams that, in my view, have been the biggest surprises of the season — so far.
Detroit Pistons
Pistons
Pistons
Credit AP/Scanpix nuotr.
They're sitting at 25–9 overall, with a 12–3 home record, and they've been dominant. Right now, Detroit has the second-best defense in the NBA, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is a massive achievement by any standard.
What stands out most is that they've built a very clear identity, a tough, fighter-type team that fits perfectly with the city, the franchise's history, and everything associated with the "Bad Boys" legacy.
They've fully embraced that identity. They have the right kind of players, they're playing that style of basketball, and when a team has a clear identity, one that fans can connect with and players fully buy into, results usually follow.
Add a young roster full of energy and enthusiasm, and it becomes much easier to understand why they're winning.
From an advanced-stat perspective, Detroit's profile is impressive on both ends of the floor. They currently post a defensive rating of 111.7, which places them among the elite.
What's equally important is that their offense has kept pace. They rank as the league's eighth-best offensive team, with an offensive rating of 117.6.
When a team is near the top of the league both offensively and defensively, it's a clear indicator of high-level basketball.
For those who followed the Pistons closely, this breakout isn't entirely shocking. Even though they lost some important players compared to last season, notably Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley, who were significant pieces as shooters and floor spacers, Detroit didn't lose its direction.
Hardaway
Hardaway
Credit Gregory Shamus/GettyImages
Both players helped relieve pressure on Cade Cunningham offensively, but their departures didn't derail the team.
If anything, Detroit's identity became even more defined afterward. Players like Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and Javonte Green form a core of strong, defense-oriented, physical players.
They set the tone, and playing against this group is simply not easy. That defensive backbone, combined with their physicality, gives Detroit a foundation that travels well and holds up night after night.
On top of that, you have Cade Cunningham, who has clearly established himself as a true leader.
He's shown the ability to run and carry, the best team in the conference. Cunningham is currently averaging 26.5 points, 9.6 assists, and 6.3 rebounds, while shooting 46% from the field.
Those are borderline MVP-level numbers. When you consider that he's doing this while leading the Eastern Conference standings, his case becomes even stronger, even in a league featuring historic seasons from Nikola Jokic and elite efficiency from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
But perhaps the biggest individual surprise on this roster has been Jalen Duren's development.
Last season, Duren averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds, including 3.6 offensive rebounds, while shooting an outstanding 69% from the field.
He was already a very good young center. This season, however, the offensive leap he's made is striking. He's added new dimensions to his game, become more aggressive, and significantly increased his scoring output.
So far this year, Duren is averaging 18.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, with 4.3 offensive rebounds, while still shooting a very efficient 63% from the field. His scoring volume has gone up dramatically.
Duren
Duren
Credit AP – Scanpix
This adds an entirely new dimension to Detroit compared to last season, because it gives them a real inside–outside balance.
With Duren taking a jump offensively, the Pistons can now build around a more dynamic guard–center partnership with Cade Cunningham.
They can lean much harder into pick-and-roll as a staple, and they can also increase Duren's usage in post-up situations because he's more aggressive and more efficient.
That creates a much cleaner blend between what Detroit can generate on the perimeter and what it can punish inside.
And when you combine that with Cunningham's leadership, it makes the overall structure of the team even more cohesive: you have a primary creator who can control the game, surrounded by players who defend at a high level, play fast when they have to, execute in an organized way in the half-court, and, most importantly, understand their roles.
That's the element that stands out to me the most. Everyone in Detroit looks like they know exactly what they're doing on the floor.
Players are aware of what they do well, and they're also mindful of what they don't do well, and they don't force it.
A big part of winning at this level is having the discipline to recognize your weaknesses and avoid turning them into possessions.
A lot of Detroit's role players have that discipline. They know their limitations and their strengths, and they consistently maximize what they're good at. That kind of clarity and collective buy-in is essential to their success.
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs
Spurs
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
Next up are the San Antonio Spurs, and in some ways, you could argue they've been an even bigger surprise than Detroit.
With Detroit, if you watched them last season, the foundation was already there. They pushed the Knicks in the first round, and even though it ended in a first-round exit, the series was far more competitive than that label suggests; many of those games were decided by a single possession.
San Antonio, though, is a different story.
What they're doing right now is impressive on multiple levels. It's not a secret that they've had talent for years; it always felt like a matter of when it would come together.
But the scale and the speed of the jump are what make it stand out.
Last season (2024–25), the Spurs finished 34–48, 13th in the conference. This season, they're 24–9, and the underlying numbers show real growth.
Offensively, they've climbed to the 6th-best offense in the league, posting a 119.7 offensive rating, after being around the middle of the pack last season (114.4, 19th).
There was always offensive potential here, with Wembanyama and a guard group like Vassell, Castle, Fox, and now rookie Dylan Harper — even if they were inconsistent last year and often lacked shooting. The bigger story, for me, is the defense.
Castle
Castle
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
That's where the Spurs have made their most dramatic leap. Last season, they were near the bottom defensively, sitting around 25th with a 117.2 defensive rating.
This season, they've risen into the elite tier, 6th-best defense in the league, and that's the part that genuinely changes what they can be as a team.
And their games against Oklahoma City have been the clearest example of that growth. The way they've matched up with the defending champions, the pressure they apply, the aggression on the perimeter, and how much they've been able to take away from OKC's usual comfort, speaks to how far they've come as a group. A major reason for that is the development of Stephon Castle.
He's started to profile as one of the league's better two-way guards: consistently playing at a high intensity, looking more decisive, and improving his overall decision-making.
It's not perfect, he's still turning it over a lot (3.8 turnovers per game), but his role has grown, his usage has increased, and that's part of the process.
Right now, he's at 18.6 points and 7.0 assists, shooting 50% from the field. The three-point shot is still clearly a work in progress, about 1.2 made threes on 4.2 attempts, but the overall impact has been stronger and more consistent, especially defensively.
His presence gives the Spurs a new dimension. De'Aaron Fox has also fit in much better this season.
Fox
Fox
Credit AP photo/ Mike Stewart
Last year, after arriving midseason, it took time for everything to settle into place. This year, he looks like someone who brings real experience to a young team, a late-game option who can create and finish, and whose explosiveness and offensive talent give the Spurs another layer when possessions tighten up.
And when you zoom out, it's not just one or two guys. You have Castle taking a step. You have Fox adding a veteran engine.
Devin Vassell has been strong, someone you can run a lot of offensive sets, as he is a great shooter, and can give you another dimension as an off-ball threat, coming off the screens, especially.
And then there's Dylan Harper, who's already making an impact as a rookie: aggressive defensively, composed, and efficient in his decision-making.
What's interesting is that the Spurs' young guards, especially Castle and Harper, aren't even shooting well from three, and yet the team is still producing at a high level. Harper, for example, is at 12 points and 4.2 assists, with only 1.6 turnovers, shooting 46% from the field.
From three, the volume is low, about 2.5 attempts and 0.6 makes, but it hasn't felt like a fatal flaw, because the Spurs compensate with defensive intensity and defined roles.
That structure deserves credit, including to coach Mitch Johnson. San Antonio has been very good at maximizing what players do well and covering weaknesses within the roster.
They're also getting meaningful contributions from role players. Keldon Johnson has been playing the best basketball of his career. Even if he's still inconsistent, he can swing games.
Luke Kornet is doing a similar "x-factor" job that he's shown before. And as the team gets better and roles tighten, it's normal that someone like Jeremy Sochan ends up losing part of his role — that's what happens when a rebuild turns into real winning.
Kornet
Kornet
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
The bigger point is that this doesn't feel like a team that's only built for the regular season.
With the way they defend, the way they define roles, and the way their intensity holds up against the best teams, especially in those games against Oklahoma City, the Spurs look like they're trending toward serious playoff basketball.
And on top of it, the bigger picture is obvious: Wembanyama is clearly pulling this team toward a much higher level of competitive basketball much faster than most people expected, and that matters not just for San Antonio, but for where the league is headed over the next few years.
Boston Celtics
Celtics
Celtics
Credit Imagn Images – Scanpix
When it comes to the Boston Celtics, it's genuinely surprising how well they've played this season given the circumstances.
They lost Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, and on top of that, Jayson Tatum's injury shaped the entire outlook of their year.
At one point, it genuinely felt like this could be a season where results would be sacrificed, maybe aiming for a better draft pick, focusing on player development, and accepting a step back in the standings.
Instead, the Celtics have managed to do both: develop players within their system and remain highly competitive. At this point, it's very realistic to expect them to be in the top-four conversation in the East by the end of the season.
Right now, they sit third in the conference at 21–12, which is even more impressive considering how poorly the season started.
Early on, Boston looked rough. They lost a lot of games, their level of play was inconsistent, and even players like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White struggled to find rhythm. For a while, it looked exactly like the season many people predicted based on the summer context.
During training camp and early in the season, there was talk about Boston pushing the pace more.
That idea made sense on paper, but it also ran against their recent identity. Over the last two or three seasons, Boston has consistently played at one of the slowest paces in the league.
Their offense has been built around spacing, shooting a high volume of threes, but doing it primarily through half-court execution, drive-and-kick, ball movement, and finding the best possible shot rather than forcing early offense.
They experimented briefly with a faster style early this season, partly because of roster limitations, but it never really fit. Eventually, they went back to what they know best. And once they did, the results followed.
Looking at the pace now, Boston is once again the NBA's slowest team, the only team averaging under 100 possessions per game.
That style clearly suits their leaders, Jaylen Brown, Pritchard, and Derrick White, and the attempt to change identity ultimately proved unnecessary. It ended up feeling like a short-lived experiment rather than a real transformation.
Credit Image – Scanpix
The biggest question entering the season was whether Jaylen Brown could truly lead a team in this kind of role.
He's answered that decisively.
With Tatum out, Brown's responsibility increased dramatically, and he's responded at a very high level. This season, he's posting a career-high usage rate of 36.7%, which is the highest among players at his position in the entire league.
For context, the next closest wing is Kawhi Leonard at 30.8%, a massive gap. That tells you just how much of Boston's offense runs through Brown right now.
Statistically, he's having the best season of his career: 29.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, shooting 50.6% from the field and 37% from three. His Player Efficiency Rating is 23.9, and he's taking 5.6 threes per game, making 2.1 of them.
With that level of responsibility and efficiency, it's clear he's embraced the leadership role.
But what's truly surprised me about this Celtics team isn't just Brown; it's how much certain players around him have stepped up.
Jordan Walsh is the clearest example. He's quietly become one of the more impactful defensive players in the league.
Last season, he averaged just 7.8 minutes per game. This year, that number has jumped to 20.5 minutes, nearly triple, and he's fully justified that increase.
His lateral movement, anticipation, and defensive intensity have been hugely valuable for Boston, and he's quickly established himself as a legitimate role player.
Credit ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix
Walsh is only 21 years old, and if he continues developing his shooting, his ceiling becomes very interesting.
He's currently shooting 45% from three, albeit on a small sample — about 1.8 attempts per game. If he can raise that volume to 3–4 attempts per game while maintaining solid efficiency and pairing it with his defensive impact, he has the tools to become a high-level 3-and-D player.
Alongside Walsh, Neemias Queta has also taken a major step forward. He's been excellent this season and has legitimately emerged as a starting-caliber center for a team competing near the top of the conference.
Given the expectations coming into the year, that kind of internal development has been a major reason why Boston has remained a contender in the East.
Vukašin Nedeljković
Vukašin played basketball competitively in his youth, and now contributes to Synergy Sports Technology and Sportradar regarding basketball analysis. He also has experience working as a journalist in Serbia and is passionate about writing basketball articles mainly focused on basketball X's and O's.
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