The season's early surprises, from 1-15
It all goes back to expectations. We have a certain idea of how a certain team or player will perform, based on their past performance as well as our own perceptions and biases. Once the games start, those expectations form the headwaters from which surprises (the good kind) and disappointments flow.
Now that most teams have about a dozen games in the books, it's time to start taking a look at which developments have been most at odds with our expectations entering the year -- both for good and bad.
Wilson Chandler Starting Stats
After riding the bench all of last season, Chandler has become an explosive force in the starting lineup for the Knicks.
Resurgent Starter Starting Off Bench
PPG 15.4 13.3
FG Pct 52.2 40.7
3-Pt FG Pct 36.4 15.4
9. Wilson Chandler, Knicks
If Isiah Thomas was smart enough to draft this guy, why'd he keep him glued to the bench all year while Quentin Richardson was having such a stink bomb of a season?
We may never know the answer to that question, but one thing we do know is that Thomas' final first-round pick was an inspired one. Chandler has taken over a starting forward spot in New York in just his second pro season, and at the tender age of 21 is averaging a point every two minutes with solid rebounding numbers for the semiresurgent Knicks.
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