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NBA: A Look At The 5 Biggest Surprises So Far In 2016-17

By James D. Tillman III

June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) in the second half in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) in the second half in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 13, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe Bryant ended his 20th and final NBA season with a memorable 60-point performance on 22-for-50 shooting from the field. But while Kobe concluded his career with an exclamation point, this moment proved to be one of the few bright spots for the once proud franchise.

The Lakers finished the 2015-16 campaign with a record of 17-65, which represented their worst win-loss total in franchise history. Along with that, they were the worst defensive team in the league, giving up 111.6 points per 100 possessions.

On the heels of a very disappointing season, the front office opted to hire Luke Walton to help usher in a new era of Lakers basketball.

This was a smart move being that Walton was an assistant coach with the two-time conference champion Warriors and guided them to a 39-4 start a year ago.

While the Lakers have a bunch of young, talented players in D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle, there were not expected to move up in the standings all that much due to the talent level of the other teams in the Western Conference.

However, in spite of the fact they came into the season without a lot of fanfare, this baby Lakers squad is right in the thick of the playoff hunt.

They currently hold the fifth spot with a 7-5 record — an accomplishment in itself considering they didn’t win their seventh game until January last season.

With upcoming games against the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, the Warriors (twice) and the Atlanta Hawks, we will have a better feel as to what this team is really made of.

Next: The Top 10 Moments Of Kevin Garnett's Career

For the time being, though, the players believe they are a playoff team. And if they can find a way to build on their surprising start, that sentiment just may come to fruition.