NBA: 5 teams that have changed their pre-season narratives

Taking a closer look at five NBA teams that have managed to change their pre-season narratives at the midway point of the year

At the midway point of the NBA season, there have been some pre-season storylines that have held true. The Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, and Denver Nuggets are good. The New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, and Chicago Bulls are bad.

But what about some of the biggest surprises that we did not see coming before the season?

Let’s take a look at five teams that have changed their pre-season narratives, for better or worse, at the midway point of the 2019-20 NBA season.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat is off to a spectacular start, great coaching, great defense, and one great star who has come in and molded all the young assets who have followed suit. Let’s be honest, we knew the Heat were going to be good, we just didn’t know they were going to be this good.

Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, and Kendrick Nunn have all played significant roles in helping this team set a clear path towards the top of the Eastern Conference, and if this continues don’t be surprised if the Godfather himself makes one more bold move.

Toronto Raptors

The current NBA champions lost their star player during the offseason in Kawhi Leonard, but they did not lose their champion pedigree. Kyle Lowry has kept this team rolling with the assistance of Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Fleet, Marc Gasol, Norman Powell, and Serge Ibaka. Teamwork makes the dream work and this easily can be the Raptors motto.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Let’s put this into perspective, we all know that in a heavily talented Western Conference you’d need to bring you’re A-game every night, but the Timberwolves seem to have forgotten about that on a nightly basis.

With a roster that includes Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Robert Covington, and Gorgui Dieng you’d assume the Timberwolves would be better than their record indicates through the halfway mark, but there have been rumors already floating about dumping Towns for picks or young prospects to a contending team, to restart the process.

Oklahoma CityThunder

When the Thunder unloaded traded their franchise cornerstone Russell Westbrook and budding sidekick star Paul George, everyone stamped this franchise into tank mode. Fast Forward 6 months after and the Thunder are in the thick of things in the Western Conference and climbing.

The asset they got in return Chris Paul isn’t just a leader on the court, he has been a leader in the locker-room and has this team believing they can do some damage. Plugin rising sensation Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and whoever potentially plays this team in the playoffs better watch out.

Portland Trail Blazers

When the Trail Blazers traded for Hassan Whiteside during the offseason, it was to help ease the hole of missing Jusuf Nurkic, but many who follow the NBA religiously would say, it may have not necessarily been the best or needed move.

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum find themselves in a very unique situation now, what to do with an average team that has multiple personalities. They do have a whole other half to figure it out, but this team cannot wait to get Jusuf Nurkic back on the floor.