NBA 2018-19: 3 teams that are exceeding expectations this season

More than a quarter of the games from the NBA 2018-19 season have been played already.

The defending champions Golden State Warriors have lost nine games very early in the season, although six of those were when Steph Curry was injured. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are off to a 15-9 start, and it looks like they will make the playoffs for the first time in five years. Kawhi Leonard, meanwhile, has shown at Toronto that he is a superstar and a front-runner for the MVP award.

So far, there have been some teams that are playing as expected from them, and some that have not performed as per the expectations. But there are also some teams that are playing better than anyone expected.

Let's have a look at three such teams:

#3 Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City Thunder are having a great season

The Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. But in the off season, they made a big move by signing Paul George, their second superstar, to a four-year deal. And that is starting to show dividends.

After having a 0-4 start to the season, the Thunder have roared back to win 16 of the next 19 games. They are currently lying in the second place in the loaded Western Conference standings.

The Thunder are the second ranked rebounding team, and have been one of the best defensive sides in the NBA this season. They have been expertly led by Russell Westbrook, who is again averaging a triple double for the season.

Paul George has also been superb, and currently leads the team in PPG. Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder are also having great seasons.

The Thunder have become one of the teams to watch out for after the early part of the season.

#2 Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are having a great season

The Milwaukee Bucks are off to a great start this NBA season. They are led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is having a MVP level season.

The Bucks are currently second in the Eastern Conference with a 16-7 record, and lead the NBA in points scored per game. They also lead the NBA in total rebounds per game, and beat the defending champions Golden State Warriors at the Oracle Arena.

Giannis is the front runner for the MVP award at this point of the season, and he is getting great support from Khris Middleton. Malcolm Brogdon and Eric Bledsoe have also been terrific for the Bucks, while Brook Lopez has added the much needed perimeter threat.

Judging from the early season form, the Bucks are one of the favorites to advance deep in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Some are even tipping them to emerge as the Eastern Conference champions.

#1 Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers are having a dream start to the season

The Los Angeles Clippers are off to a 16-8 start, and are currently lying 3rd in the Western Conference playoff standings. In today's NBA, when superstars want to team up with each other and then compete for the championships, the Clippers are playing elite-level basketball without a single All-Star.

They have got tremendous all-round production, which is greatly helping their cause. Tobias Harris was recently selected as the Western Conference Player of the month, while Danilo Gallinari is shooting 46% from beyond the arc.

But their greatest strength has been the bench play from Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. They are both competing for the Sixth Man of the Year Award this season.

The Clippers play hard and they play as a team. They are fourth in points scored per game so far, and have become one of the paciest teams in the NBA.

It will probably be hard for them to keep up this level of consistency in the deep Western Conference, but they are becoming a great spot for the loaded Free Agents class next season.