The Dunkyard continues their early look at each team’s surprise players – those playing above expectations as well as those who are struggling to make an impact. We continue with the Central Division*:

Detroit (10-3)

Champs: The Pistons are the biggest surprise in the East so far this season as it appears Coach Van Gundy has finally started to gel the team together. While the addition of Avery Bradley (17.0-3.2-1.7-1.5, 41.4% 3FG, 14.2 PER) has helped, particularly on the defensive end, it’s the production of a couple of oft-maligned players that is the real difference. Tobias Harris (20.1-5.0-1.7, 50.6% 3FG, 19.8 PER) and Reggie Jackson (16.3-3.6-6.1-1.1, 28.7mpg, 20.7 PER) are both playing career-best basketball. Jackson’s combination with back-up PG Ish Smith (9.7-2.5-4.3, 54.6% FG, 19.3mpg, 19.7 PER) has the Pistons offense humming leaving defensive beast Andre Drummond (13.7-15.7-3.2-1.6-1.2, 22.9 PER, career-high 63.2% FT) to go about his business in the middle.

While it’s still too early to confirm if Detroit is the real deal the early signs are extremely positive.

Chumps: Again, as I mentioned with Boston, while it’s difficult to fault a team that has been so successful early, Coach Van Gundy should look at his use of third year forward Stanley Johnson (8.5-3.2-1.6-1.4, 30.8mpg, 40.3% FG, 33.3% 3FG, 9.2 PER). While moving Johnson to the bench recently has been a good start Van Gundy should look at shuffling his line-ups to get more minutes for SG Langston Galloway (6.8-1.8, 14.7mpg, 52.7% FG, 45.7% 3FG, 16.6 PER).

Milwaukee (6-6)

Champs: Holy crap, fasten your seatbelts because “The Greek Freak” has arrived. Giannis (30.5-10.0-4.5-1.4-1.7, 59.4% FG, 32.7 PER) is officially a superstar of this league….and he doesn’t turn 23 until next month. Unfortunately, the Bucks lack any other top end talent. Sure, Khris Middleton (17.6-5.8-4.9-1.2, 14.1 PER) and Malcom Brogdon (16.7-2.9-4.7-1.4, 48.9% 3FG, 16.5 PER) are nice complimentary pieces but you are not winning anything, or advancing past the first round, with them as your second and third best players. Hopefully the recent trade for Eric Bledsoe and the eventual return of Jabari Parker to full health can inject this team with the talent it desperately needs.

Chumps: As much as it pains me to say it’s Milwaukee’s Australian contingent that is failing. The championship glaze has finally worn off Matthew Dellavedova (5.7-2.3-3.3, 38.1% FG, 7.9 PER) as he returns to the role he should have always filled – a below average backup PG. Meanwhile, our prodigal son Thon Maker’s poor start to the season (4.8-2.8, 37.7% FG, 9.2 PER) has seen him relegated to the bench after starting 41 of his first 69 NBA games.

Cleveland (6-7)

Champs: Blame whoever or whatever you like for the Cavaliers poor start: Coach Ty Lue, a new squad, injuries, depth, defensive effort. Just don’t blame LeBron. Still the best player in the league at age 32 and in his 15th season, current LeBron (28.5-7.5-8.5-1.3-1.2, 59.1% FG, 29.9 PER) is still remarkably close to mid-20’s peak LeBron….amazing.

The only other players that can look LeBron in the eye right now are Kevin Love (18.5-10.8-1.9, 38.1% 3FG, 23.7 PER) and, surprisingly, Jeff Green (10.8-2.3-1.5-1.0, 21.2mpg, 51.0% FG, 17.3 PER).

Chumps: I’ll tell you who you can blame for Cleveland’s slow start – anybody else on the roster. Tristan Thompson (4.4-6.1, 21.6mpg, 9.9 PER) has been largely ineffective and is now expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a calf injury. Derrick Rose (14.3-2.6-1.7, 26.9mpg, 23.1% 3FG, 12.1 PER) has had to play more minutes than he’s useful for. Dwyane Wade (8.5-3.0-3.8, 39.6% FG, 11.9 PER) looks every day of 36 years old. Jae Crowder (8.1-3.8-1.1, 37.5% FG, 29.5% 3FG, 9.0 PER) looks nothing like the player he was in Boston. The less said about J.R. Smith (7.9-2.5-1.8, 29.3mpg, 35.2% FG, 32.4% 3FG, 6.3 PER) the better. Isaiah Thomas can’t return soon enough.

Indiana (6-8)

Champs: The departure of Paul George to Oklahoma City left many, including The Dunkyard, feeling that Indiana would be nothing more than bantha fodder this season. The Pacers however, have remained firmly in the Eastern Conference pack in large part to the players they received back in the George trade. Victor Oladipo (23.4-4.3-3.6-1.4, 44.4% 3FG, 21.1 PER) and Domantas Sabonis (13.3-9.8-2.8, 63.0% FG, 21.2 PER) have escaped the shackles of the Westbrook tyranny with career best basketball. Once Myles Turner returns to full fitness this team should be thinking playoffs.

A quick shout out to 33-year old Al Jefferson (7.2-4.7, 13.9mpg, 54.4% FG, 21.8 PER) who is showing in his limited minutes that a heady array of lumbering post moves can still be effective in todays NBA.

Chumps: If all the chumps got together to elect a ‘Chump President’ it would probably be Lance Stephenson. Despite his woeful production (6.1-3.9-2.2, 20.1mpg, 33.0% FG, 16.7% 3FG, 7.7 PER) President Stephenson still believes he is the best player on the court every night. He is the greatest argument for legalising euthanasia in Indiana.

Chicago (2-9)

Champs: Chicago have shown their hand from the start as they unashamedly attempt to tank the season. Give them credit though, they are doing a stand-up job of things so far. While it’s difficult to identify ‘Champs’ on such a team, we’ll give it a shot.

Bobby Portis has been the headline story so far this season. In addition to punching out an overrated Nikola Mirotic, in his three games since returning from suspension Bobby (19.3-10.0-2.3, 26.3mpg, 50.0% 3FG, 28.3 PER) has played like an All-Star. Rookie Lauri Markkanen (14.5-7.8-1.5, 35.1% 3FG, 16.2 PER) has also shown more than was expected from him so far. Chicago looks to have two frontcourt players for the future.

It’s slim pickings with the rest of the roster. Robin Lopez (14.4-5.8-2.3, 51.8% FG, 16.6 PER) is his usual rock-solid self, while second year players Kris Dunn (10.7-4.3-3.4, 11.0 PER) and Denzel Valentine (9.8-4.4-2.5, 37.7% 3FG, 10.5 PER) are at least showing signs of improvement after disappointing rookie seasons.

Chumps: With the roster they have Chicago are forced to play bad players a lot of minutes. Justin Holiday (14.3-4.9-2.0-1.2, 33.9mpg, 34.4% FG, 11.2 PER), Jerian Grant (8.4-3.5-6.3-1.0, 27.7mpg, 34.9% FG, 17.9% 3FG, 14.2 PER), Paul Zipser (4.2-4.0-1.3, 19.6mpg, 32.1% FG, 26.3% 3FG, 2.7 PER) and Cristiano Felicio (3.5-4.1, 16.2mpg, 7.3 PER) are prime examples along with the minutes being allocated to develop Dunn (25.6mpg) and Valentine (26.4mpg). As long as the Bulls end up with the #1 pick in the 2018 Draft it will have all been worth it.

*All statistics current as at games played November 13.