5 biggest surprises of the 2018-19 NBA season

TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 29: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors reacts to a play during the game against the Golden State Warriors on November 29, 2018 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 28: LaMarcus Aldridge #12 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photos by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. The Spurs success continues, but not due to their defense

There are not many true inevitabilities in life, but it’s really starting to feel like the San Antonio Spurs making the postseason is one of them. Entering the season, things did not look promising for them as teams that had missed the playoffs the previous year looked ready to fight their way in, and it appeared that the Spurs may be one of the teams getting displaced. They also lost starting point guard Dejounte Murray to an ACL tear before the season even began. Yet Gregg Popovich has again shown why he is perhaps the greatest coach in NBA history, helping lead the Spurs, who on paper looked like a bit of a disjointed mess, to a 22nd consecutive playoff berth.

That on its own is moderately surprising, but what is truly shocking is that they have done this behind the strength of their offense rather than their defense, which is among the worst in the league. For essentially Popovich’s entire career, he has had a defense anchored by such defensive greats as Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, and Kawhi Leonard, and with Murray’s injury, the Spurs lost the best defensive player on their roster. This season, for the first time since 1997, the Spurs have a defensive rating higher than the league average yet are still succeeding by retooling around the scoring abilities of DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Spurs succeeding is not news at this point, but the way they’ve done it this year was unexpected, showing Popovich’s adaptability and ability to make the best of the hand dealt him no matter what.

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