The NBA season is still young, but a couple of surprise teams are sitting near the top of their respective conferences: the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Pacers have jumped out to a 3-0 record under former Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers head coach Jim O'Brien. O'Brien has brought in both a new three-point shooting-oriented offense and new personnel in assistant coach Dick Harter, one of the best defensive minds in the game. The Pacers have beaten three playoff-caliber teams in the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies and have responded well to their new coach after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 1997.
A number of players are thriving in O'Brien's wide open offense, and the Pacers have been getting it done without big numbers from their best player, big man Jermaine O'Neal. Third-year forward Danny Granger, who is an early candidate for the league's Most Improved Player award, has averaged 22.7 points a game to lead Indiana. The former New Mexico Lobos star has shown flashes of the potential that had many believing the Pacers got the steal of the 2005 draft with the 17th pick, but must prove he can consistently find ways to score.
Even more impressive than Granger has been the play of two of the acquisitions from last season's blockbuster trade with the Golden State Warriors that sent Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington to the Bay Area. Mike Dunleavy Jr., a former third overall pick in the draft, has gotten off to a hot start this season. The forward is averaging 22.3 points per game and propelled his team to its win over the Grizzlies with 27 points Saturday. Even more impressive, he averages nine rebounds a game.
The Pacers can still rely on a few of their old standbys as well. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley has played particularly well in these first few games, falling one rebound and two assists shy of a triple-double on opening night and pouring in 14 points to go along with seven assists against Memphis.
If Indiana gets offensive production from its streaky floor general, it might be able to maintain its hot start and stay afloat in the fight for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
In the West, the Clippers have surprised with a 3-0 start of their own. After perennial 20-10 man Elton Brand ruptured his left Achilles tendon in August, L.A. was left for dead in a Pacific Division with title contenders like the Phoenix Suns and 2007 playoff teams Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers.
But a victory Tuesday night over the Chicago Bulls kept the Clippers' record perfect despite playing without their top player, as well as point guard Shaun Livingston who is still rehabbing from a catastrophic knee injury suffered last season.
The Clippers have been getting it done with strong play from some veteran swingmen in addition to improved inside scoring from their big men. Corey Maggette and Cuttino Mobley have stepped up to carry the scoring load in Brand's absence. The duo has combined to average over 40 points a game so far, and will need to continue to provide offense from the outside for LA.
After a much maligned 2006-07 season, Chris Kaman has anchored the inside game. His 26 points and 18 rebounds made the difference in the Clippers' season-opening win over the Warriors. Kaman is helping on offense, averaging over 17 points a game, but his presence is mostly felt on the glass for the Clippers, as the center has averaged almost 15 rebounds a game so far. Combining with Mobley and Maggette, this trio has been carrying the Clippers.
For two teams that most felt would be near the bottom of the league, these early wins give hope that each might be able to get to the playoffs in their respective conferences. If the Clippers can stay in contention for the first half of the season, there is reason for optimism for L.A.'s "other" franchise. Brand might be able to return from his injury in the second half of the season to aid the Clippers' stretch run. For the Pacers, the team must commit to O'Brien's offense as well as find a way to get O'Neal more involved.
Although it is too early to anoint them as "Cinderella" clubs, the Pacers and Clippers have certainly been two of the NBA's pleasant surprises in the first week of the season.
