Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year. It’s a time to spend with family and eat good food. But more than anything it’s a time to reflect and appreciate everything you’re thankful for. Now sure, Thanksgiving is a football-reserved holiday but that doesn’t stop basketball fans from expressing their gratitude to their squads this year. Let’s take a look at one thing every NBA team is thankful for so far this season.

Atlanta Hawks: Thankful for Jalen Johnson’s third-year leap

Through the first leg of the season the Hawks are teetering on the brink of the play-in. Trae Young isn’t playing his most efficient basketball and their defense is the fifth-worst in basketball. But one bright spot has been the emergence of Jalen Johnson.

This offseason the Hawks cleared a starting role for Johnson by trading John Collins and he’s more than delivered. The third-year forward is averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game on nearly 60% from the field, all career highs.

Boston Celtics: Thankful for Jayson Tatum

The Celtics are an NBA team that’s thankful for a lot. They have the best record in basketball. They’re a top ten offense and a top three defense. But more than anything, Jayson Tatum is looking the best he’s ever been.

The counting stats have taken a small dip, which is expected when you add two all-stars. But this is his first season shooting above 50% from the field, and he’s excelling on both sides of the basketball.

There’s definitely multiple suitors for the MVP thus far, but Tatum’s name is undisputedly in that hat.

Brooklyn Nets: Thankful for Mikal Bridges’ health

The Nets just can’t seem to escape the injury bug. Cam Thomas, Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, and Cam Johnson have all missed time. But professional workhorse Mikal Bridges has stepped up to the occasion.

He got off to a cold start, but he’s now eclipsed 20 points per game and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

Charlotte Hornets: Thankful for LaMelo Ball’s incredible month

The Hornets aren’t exactly in the best shape. They’re 13th in the East and don’t have the consistent talent available to string together a winning streak. But LaMelo Ball is here. And he’s been something any NBA team would be thankful for.

In the month of November, he’s averaging 28.6 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game on 48% from the field and 43% from three. He’s been an absolute flamethrower and could be ready for that breakthrough into the upper echelon of NBA talent.

Chicago Bulls: Thankful for Alex Caruso’s trade value

Everything seems like it’s going wrong for Chicago. Even with Zach LaVine all but publicly demanding a trade, it seems like he’s not drawing many potential suitors.

But one name that’s been hot on the trade market is Alex Caruso. As a defensive vet with championship experience, many contenders are interested in his services. And the Bulls might just get a high-value return for him.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Thankful for Donovan Mitchell

By the number, Donovan Mitchell is having his best season to date, and it’s going relatively unnoticed. Any NBA team would be thankful for a 30 point per game scorer after all. The Cavs started slow but they’re now sitting at the eighth seed and Mitchell’s production is a huge reason why.

Dallas Mavericks: Thankful for Luka Doncic’s dominance

Luka Doncic has been a superstar since his second year in the league. And with every day that passes, he gets even better. This season might just be his best. The numbers are impressive. 30.6 points, 8.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game, shooting a career high 50% from the field and 42% from three.

But the most impressive number? Four. The current seed that the Mavs hold in the West. A far cry from missing the play-in last year.

Denver Nuggets: Thankful for Nikola Jokic’s quest for his third MVP

The defending champions took a tough blow to their early season momentum with Jamal Murray’s injury. But the product that has resulted looks eerily similar to the 2022 season. A Murray-less Nuggets is the Nikola Jokic show. And there’s no way to ignore it.

The reigning Finals MVP is averaging 27.4 points per game and leads the league in rebounds. Sure they aren’t the dominant top seed in the conference, but it’s impossible to downplay Jokic’s MVP-type run thus far.

Detroit Pistons: Thankful for The Forgotten Rookie

So far all of the Rookie of the Year talks have been between Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama. But in Detroit, Ausar Thompson has gone under the radar and been an exciting player to watch.

Thompson has been a scrappy defender and rebounder and is the only non-big to average double-digit rebounds. It’s hard to teach effort, and that’s one thing any NBA team would be thankful for on the court. Certainly a bright spot for a struggling team.

Golden State Warriors: Thankful that Stephen Curry is still Stephen Curry

It’s been a tumultuous season for the Warriors so far. They find themselves at the 10 seed with an inconsistent Klay Thompson and a suspended Draymond Green. But Stephen Curry is the unchanging variable.

The 35-year-old is still top five in points per game and leads the league in three pointers made. As long as he’s still playing like a top three player in the world, the Warriors will always have a fighting chance.

Houston Rockets: Thankful for Ime Udoka

The Rockets only won 22 games all of last season. Just 13 games in, they’ve already won seven of them. Alperen Sengun is having an absolute breakout season. Dillon Brooks is shooting 50% from three. And it all comes back to the proven track record of Ime Udoka.

The Rockets are in a position where all of the money they spent in the offseason won’t go to waste as they’re in the playoff hunt. And I’d be shocked if Udoka doesn’t see some Coach of the Year nods due to this sudden success.

Indiana Pacers: Thankful for Tyrese Haliburton’s ascension to elite status

Tyrese Haliburton has had more games this season with over 15 assists than games with under 10. Indiana has the highest offensive rating in NBA history and that’s largely in part to the outstanding point guard play from their star. Surely any NBA team would be thankful for that.

Averaging a double-double is one thing, but a 25 and 12 statline with 50/40/90 splits is otherworldly.

Los Angeles Clippers: Thankful for Russell Westbrook’s selflessness

The start of the James Harden experiment in Los Angeles hasn’t quite been the “perfect fit” that it was advertised to be. The Clippers went 0-5 with Harden to start, until Russell Westbrook agreed to come off the bench and lead the second unit.

The Clippers haven’t lost since the switch and Harden is now excelling as the primary ball handler for the starters.

Los Angeles Lakers: Thankful for the absence of Father Time

It is hard to believe that LeBron James is in his 21st season of basketball and looks this dominant on the court. He is shattering every record for players in Year 21. And any NBA fan, regardless of team, is thankful for that.

The King is averaging 25.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 59% from the field and a career high 41% from three. The Lakers also hold the best record in the in-season tournament so far thanks to James’ efforts.

Memphis Grizzlies: Thankful that we’re halfway to Ja’s return

To say the Grizzlies season has been a disappointment would be an understatement. They can’t seem to escape injuries, and the remaining players just can’t seem to string together wins.

Memphis sits as the second-worst team in the West, but they’re only nine games away from Ja Morant’s return from suspension.

Miami Heat: Thankful for Bam Adebayo’s consistency

The Heat started out on a skid, and my first-week overreaction was that they weren’t going to be that same dangerous team from last year’s playoffs. I guess they took that personally. Miami is now third in the East, boasting a 10-5 record. And a major key to this turnaround has been Bam Adebayo.

Adebayo is known for his stifling defense and versatility, but he’s been extremely consistent offensively for this team as well. He’s averaging a career-high 22.8 points per game and has stepped up to a level that will keep Miami dangerous.

Milwaukee Bucks: Thankful for return of the Greek Freak

The Bucks took a little bit to warm up and get used to the new superstar duo. But Giannis Antetokounmpo has thawed out and lit the rest of the league on fire. He’s scored 35 or more in six of his last nine games.

The franchise player is doing his job, now he’s just hoping it trickles down to the rest of the team.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Thankful that the Core is Finally Clicking

The Minnesota Timberwolves are the best team in the West. Let that sink in. Many expected this team to take a huge leap last year once they traded for Rudy Gobert. But it looks like they’re now officially clicking.

Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns are spearheading the offense perfectly, and if they keep it up we might even have to start talking about the Timberwolves as contenders.

New Orleans Pelicans: Thankful for Jordan Hawkins minutes

CJ McCollum was only able to play through the first six games before announcing he’d be missing time with a collapsed lung. That injury bug that had been following the star trio in New Orleans seemed to be biting once more. Insert Jordan Hawkins.

The 14th pick stepped up to fill in the role, although he is struggling shooting the ball a bit. This is an incredible development opportunity for the lottery pick.

New York Knicks: Thankful for Mitchell Robinson’s Offensive Rebounding

Mitchell Robinson has grabbed 162 rebounds so far this season, good enough for fourth in the NBA. 85 of those have been offensive rebounds. Robinson is collecting offensive boards at a clip unseen in the 21st century, averaging 6.1 per game.

He single handedly keeps the Knicks in positions to win with the extra shot opportunities he creates. This coupled with his rim protection makes him a very valuable asset for New York. Any NBA team would be thankful for a Mitchell Robinson.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Thankful for a new Solidified Superstar

When the season began, some people were confused as to why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a consensus top ten player across every popular media outlet. A lot of those concerns were over the Thunder’s mediocre finish last season. Well this season is a different story.

The Thunder now have the second-best record in the West and Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting the best he’s ever shot across the board while averaging nearly 30 points per game. I firmly believe that Gilgeous-Alexander has officially become the superstar that Oklahoma City hasn’t seen since Russell Westbrook.

Orlando Magic: Thankful for Depth

I don’t know what’s crazier. The fact that the Orlando Magic are fourth in the East, or the fact that they don’t have a single scorer averaging more than 20 points per game. The Magic are a well-oiled machine from top-to-bottom with any player capable of giving you a big night.

They already have championship-caliber depth, and if they’re able to keep these guys while Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner develop into stars, the league could be in big trouble.

Philadelphia 76ers: Thankful for Nick Nurse

Doc Rivers’ legacy in Philadelphia was one that saw him come up short time and time again. Rivers wasn’t able to fully unlock the potential of secondary and tertiary stars. Nick Nurse has done quite the opposite.

Now in a post-Harden era, Nurse’s system still has Joel Embiid putting up more than 30 a night, while Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris are still putting up 27 and 20 respectively. The East is close but the 76ers will be a juggernaut whether they’re first or sixth.

Phoenix Suns: Thankful for Kevin Durant’s health

The Suns have played 15 games so far this season and their Big 3 have shared the court for zero minutes. Devin Booker has only played seven games, and Bradley Beal has only played in three. But Year 15 Kevin Durant has played in all of them.

Somehow at 35, Durant is still putting up 31.4 points per game and is shooting 51% from three, which “is odee shooting hang pulls” according to Chet Holmgren.

Portland Trail Blazers: Thankful for the prospects on the G-League Ignite

There’s really not much to cheer for in Portland. Scoot Henderson’s rough start to the year has gotten even rougher. DeAndre Ayton hasn’t exactly shown growth in a larger role.

But this year wasn’t meant to be a contending one for the Blazers. They’re in year one of a rebuild and they get to watch seven draft-eligible players suit up for the G-League Ignite this season.

Sacramento Kings: Thankful for De’Aaron Fox’s superstar ascension

The inaugural clutch player of the year has always had a chip on his shoulder. De’Aaron Fox is a gifted scorer, and a savvy defender. And now, he’s a superstar.

Fox is averaging a career-high 29.6 points per game and keeping the Kings in playoff contention much like last year. Safe to say the Beam is lit.

San Antonio Spurs: Thankful for Popovich’s rotations

Victor Wembanyama is the future of this franchise. That is an indisputable fact. The Spurs are also not going to be in playoff contention. That is also an indisputable fact.

So the fact that Coach Popovich is keeping the Frenchman under 30 minutes per game is something that Spurs fans should be thankful for. A man that size is always a health concern and keeping him from playing unnecessary minutes is a good way to practice maintenance.

Toronto Raptors: Thankful that Siakam’s trade value is up

The Raptors are officially in no-mans-land until they actually decide to commit to a proper rebuild. Scottie Barnes has been up and down, Gradey Dick is unfortunately not off to a great start. But Pascal Siakam is still very much an impact player.

He’s not quite matching his all-star production from a year ago, but Siakam’s consistency should likely make him a name that gets called on often as the season progresses.

Utah Jazz: Thankful for Jordan Clarkson’s incredible run

The Jazz are now in year two of their rebuild, but losing far more games this season than they were at this point last season. And for a team that sold heavily at last year’s deadline, that might not be a bad thing. One bright spot has been veteran Jordan Clarkson.

In a five-game stretch this month, Clarkson put up 29.6 points per game on 51% from the field. With that capability as a spark plug, the Jazz could flip him for assets later down the line.

Washington Wizards: Thankful that Kuzma-Poole duo is entertaining even in their losses

The Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league. However it’s hard to say they haven’t provided some all-time high and lowlights. And honestly, Kyle Kuzma is playing some of his best basketball individually.

Kuzma is averaging a career high 23.4 points per game on a career high 48% from the field. Maybe this experiment isn’t so bad after all.

Report: Jordan Poole May Not Be Part of Wizards Future Plans

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No matter how you spend your Holiday, you always have something to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!

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