5 NBA teams that have exceeded expectations so far in the 2019-20 season

#2 Oklahoma City Thunder - Record: 28-19

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made an immediate impact with the Oklahoma City Thunder

After trading away Russell Westbrook and Paul George during the 2019 offseason, few experts believed that the Oklahoma City Thunder would compete for a playoff spot in the West. However, Chris Paul's presence has lifted an increasingly young roster, and the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dennis Schroder, and Nerlens Noel have been excellent.

Danilo Gallinari has finally added much-needed 3-point shooting to Billy Donovan's team, and it appears increasingly unlikely that key players such as Steven Adams will be traded ahead of the trade deadline. Unless they suffer a late-season collapse, the Thunder will make the postseason, and while they won't be a threat for the title, their ongoing rebuild is well ahead of schedule.

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#1 Miami Heat - Record: 31-14

Jimmy Butler has lifted the Miami Heat back into contention

When the Miami Heat pulled off a surprise sign-and-trade for Jimmy Butler last summer, the general consensus was that they still needed to add a second star to compete with the best in the East. However, Butler has been excellent, and his relentless drive and effort has had a hugely positive impact on players such as Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic.

Meanwhile, the Heat have two of the NBA's most promising rookies in Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn, and Erik Spoelstra's team have lost just twice at home so far this season. With a 31-14 record, the Heat are well on course to secure homecourt advantage, and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals is a real possibility.