If you’re anything like us here at The Dunkyard you’ve spent the last 3 weeks submersed in basketball self-pleasure with the beginning of the NBA season. Now that we have all had a chance to calm down after the initial basketballgasm it’s a perfect time to take a look at each team’s surprise players – those playing above expectations as well as those who are struggling to make an impact. We begin with the Atlantic Division*:

Boston (10-2)

Champs: After the worst possible start to their season Boston have suddenly won 10 straight in large part to their two All-Stars. Kyrie Irving (22.0-3.3-5.7-2.1, 22.4 PER) and Al Horford (14.6-9.5-4.7, 20.3 PER, 47.4% 3FG) have led this team to the best record in the league.

The rest of the team has followed the lead with the Celtics getting solid contributions from a number of their role players. Second year Jaylen Brown (14.8-6.8, 13.5 PER) and rookie Jayson Tatum (13.5-6.0, 17.7 PER) are impressing on both ends while Aron Baynes (7.1-5.8, 19.3mpg, 15.5 PER) and Terry Rozier (9.4-5.2-2.3, 24.2mpg, 14.1 PER) are enjoying their increased court time.

Brad Stevens also deserves a lot of credit for how he has his team playing at the moment. Nobody would have been surprised if the Hayward injury had derailed Boston’s season, however Stevens hasn’t let that happen and is the early leader for Coach of the Year honours.

Chumps: It’s hard to find too many disappointments on a team that’s started 10-2 but Marcus Smart continues to be a concern. While he’s a beast on the defensive end he hasn’t improved in 4 years, is shooting 30.7% from the field, is a career 29.3% from deep despite shooting four per game and has a below league-average 11.8 PER while playing 29.7mpg. If Stevens can get him coming off the bench with a “Tony Allen” mindset instead of his current “Jamal Crawford” mindset he can be a real asset to this team.

Toronto (6-4)

Champs: It’s been a slower than expected start for  a team that has hopes of challenging for the Eastern Conference title but that’s not the fault of DeMar DeRozan. DeMar is doing DeMar just fine (23.9-3.7-3.8-1.4, 20.9 PER) and while there was off-season talk of extensive work on his 3-point shot it’s still regular ol’ DeMar with almost 60% of his shots mid or long range 2-pointers.

The main reason Toronto still has a winning record is the efficient play they are getting from a trio of bench bigs. Pascal Siakam (8.6-4.1, 56.7% FG, 19.8 PER), Jakob Poeltl (6.8-6.1, 66.0% FG, 20.8 PER) and Lucas Nogueira (6.3-4.1, 1.7bpg, 65.5% FG, 20.6 PER) are looking like real NBA players and helping to cover the cracks that are appearing.

Chumps: Toronto’s recent success has hinged on the play of their two All-Stars. Unfortunately, Kyle Lowry is far from All-Star level right now. In fact his current production (12.4-5.1-6.5, 39.5% FG, 32.2% 3FG, 14.7 PER) is barely league average and well down on last seasons career peak (22.4-4.8-7.0, 46.4% FG, 41.2% 3FG, 22.9 PER). At age 31 it remains to be seen if this is merely a form slump or the beginning of the end.

Coach Dwane Casey belongs on any list of chumps and his continual refusal to play Jonas Valanciunus gets him on this one. Jonas is currently getting only 20.5mpg despite his efficient production (11.5-7.5, 63.4% FG, 22.8 PER). The Dunkyard has been a long time campaigner to ‘Free Jonas’ but it continues to fall on deaf ears.

Philadelphia (6-4)

Champs: Philly finds themselves in the midst of their first 5-game winning streak since 2012 and I don’t know any NBA fans who aren’t excited. Trusting the process is finally starting to bear fruit with the play of budding superstars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Embiid (20.5-10.1-3.6-1.4-1.4, 52.1% FG, 23.1 PER) is showing his rookie season was no flash in the pan performance while rookie Simmons (17.8-10.1-8.0-1.7, 19.7 PER) is everything we hoped for and more. If Simmons can develop his long range shot and Embiid can control his desire to shoot his (24.0% 3FG) we may have a Sam Hinkie statue in Philadelphia after all.

With all the defensive attention the opposition needs to give Philly’s stars it’s creating open shots for the rest of the team and J.J. Redick (15.6ppg, 43.4% 3FG) and Robert Covington (15.3ppg, 50.0% 3FG) are cashing in. Do we smell a playoff berth?

Chumps: No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz has been the highest profile disappointment so far. In the 4 games he’s appeared in (6.0-2.3-1.8, 33.3% FG, 19mpg, 3.9 PER) he’s looked a shadow of the college star from last season. The continued gossip regarding the existence and extent of any injuries he may be suffering is not helping – hopefully he’s back on the court healthy soon, we don’t want another Anthony Bennett.

The other issue that threatens to ruin the Sixers is the continuing Jahlil Okafor saga. Having appeared in only 2 games so far he’s clearly not in the organisation’s long term plans. The sooner Philly can orchestrate a trade the better for all involved. Hey, if Greg Monroe can be traded then there has to be one out there for poor old Jahlil.

New York (6-5)

Champs: Carmelo who? With the departure of the NBA’s most one-dimensional “Superstar” Kristaps Porzingis has made the jump to full blown unicorn with his early assault on the NBA. While it’s still early days his production (30.0-7.5, 2.3bpg, 51.2% FG, 38.0% 3FG, 29.1 PER) and ability to carry his team in crunch time is MVP quality.

Porzingis is being well supported by two complementary big men who like to get their hands dirty. Enes Kanter (13.3-10.4, 25.0mpg, 64.4% FG, 24.0 PER) and Kyle O’Quinn (7.1-6.0-2.2, 1.3bpg, 16.9mpg, 56.6% FG, 20.9 PER) handle the dirty work allowing Porzingis to dominate offensively.

Chumps: While on the surface (17.4-3.9-2.6-1.1) Tim Hardaway Jr. seems to be playing well, further digging shows another side to the story (33.9mpg, 41.1% FG, 31.0% 3FG [on 8 attempts per game!], 14.1 PER). He uses too many possessions, 23.1% when on court, for mediocre return. If he can realise he’s not close to the best player on the team…if he can realise he’s not even the best player to have been named Tim Hardaway, then Knicks fans may be treated to playoff basketball this season.

Brooklyn (4-7)

Champs: Firstly, GM Sean Marks needs to be credited with how he’s beginning to turn things around from the Mikhail Prokhorov-inspired disaster he inherited. He is picking up young talent and draft picks for his willingness to take on contracts no other teams want and is a big reason Brooklyn are competitive this season despite the loss of their two best players from last season in Brook Lopez (traded) and Jeremy Lin (injured).

New addition D’Angelo Russell (20.4-4.6-5.6-1.2, 18.7 PER) is enjoying a fresh start away from the bright lights of LA and the 21yr old may well develop into a star yet. Third year forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (14.5-4.9, 19.2 PER) is starting to find the skills to match his athleticism, while DeMarre Carroll (13.2-6.8-1.5-1.5, 35.6% 3FG, 16.1 PER) seems to be returning to his peak Atlanta form after two disappointing Toronto seasons. Throw in the possibility of Spencer Dinwiddie (9.8-2.9-5.1, 22.0mpg, 45.9% 3FG, 17.8 PER) becoming a real NBA player and things are looking a little less bleak in Brooklyn.

Chumps: Second year player Caris LeVert (10.2-3.6-2.8-1.4, 27.4mpg, 35.3% FG, 22.2% 3FG, 8.0 PER) continues to struggle to make a meaningful contribution to the team despite playing heavy minutes. Meanwhile Sean Kilpatrick, who played heavy minutes last season (13.1-4.0-2.2, 25.1mpg, 13.1 PER), has seen his role diminish dramatically (4.5-2.3-1.3, 10.0mpg, 6.1 PER) and looks to be surplus to requirements this season.

*All statistics current as at games played November 9.