What in the name of Naismith is going on in the NBA this season?

The Hawks have joined the chase for the top spot in the Southeast division, while 2006 NBA champion Miami is dead last in the standings.

Portland won 10 straight without prized top draft pick Greg Oden, who is out for the season recovering from microfracture surgery, and the Blazers are challenging Denver and Utah for the top spot in the Northwest division.

Indiana, fresh off a coaching change and still dealing with a litany of off-the-court issues, is snipping at Detroit's heels for the top spot in the Central Division.

Those are just three of the surprise teams around the league this year; three teams that probably don't want to see the calendar year end now that they're playing like playoff contenders.

A closer look at the five best Christmas stories in the NBA:

Hawks

• Record: 14-12

• The road to respectability: A 7-3 surge this month lifted the Hawks out of a messy start that was brewing in November. With All-Star and captain Joe Johnson struggling with his shot and the team chemistry fading, a players- only team meeting the first Saturday of the month helped clear the air and turn the season around. Now Johnson is back to his All-Star ways, Anthony Johnson has saved them at point guard and the rest of the Hawks' young corps is playing to its immense potential. Not even the Hawks' usual spate of injuries — anywhere from four to six players are in suits on any given night with various ailments — has slowed them down.

Pacers

• Record: 14-13

• The road to respectability: The turning point for the Pacers came in the offseason, when they replaced Rick Carlisle with Jim O'Brien. A true believer in the up-tempo offensive style (seven Pacers average double figures in scoring), O'Brien has given the Pacers, beaten down by years of off the court and locker room turmoil, new life. The freedom he's given point guard Jamaal Tinsley to control the game has not only allowed Tinsley (14.8 points and 8.7 assists) to flourish, but also empowered others like Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger, the Pacers' two leading scorers, to step up in ways few people imagined.

Trail Blazers

• Record: 15-12

• The road to respectability: This is perhaps the most surprising outfit in the league, what with the Blazers being the youngest team in the league and Oden being on the shelf for the season. Coach Nate McMillan, one of the league's most underrated floor bosses, has pushed all the right buttons with his young squad. Brandon Roy is playing like an All-Star. LaMarcus Aldridge has filled the void for Oden, leading the team in rebounds and ranking second to Roy in points. And players who previously played bit roles — guys like Travis Outlaw, Joel Przybilla, James Jones and Martell Webster - are showing signs of being a legitimate supporting cast.

Lakers

• Record: 16-10

• The road to respectability: When the Lakers' brass ignored Kobe Bryant's repeated calls for a trade, they saved their season as well as Bryant's legacy in L.A. And while Bryant might have been fair in questioning the front office's commitment to winning now, while he's in his prime, he didn't factor in the natural growth and maturity that would inevitably take place in some of his younger teammates. Andrew Bynum, the target of much of Bryant's summertime criticism, is averaging a double-double (11.1 points and 10 rebounds) and more than two blocks. Derek Fisher's return no doubt helped solidify things for both Bryant and the Lakers.

Hornets

• Record: 16-10

• The road to respectability: The day Chris Paul fell into the Hornets' lap on draft night three years ago was the day this franchise was revitalized. He should get to play in his first All-Star game in his own city this year, too. Because now that Paul has David West riding shotgun on his playoff train, with Tyson Chandler protecting their backs and the rim every night, things are looking up for NBA fans in the Crescent City. The offseason addition of veteran shooter Morris Peterson didn't make a blip on national radar, but it has turned out to be one the best moves any team made.