Woodson’s Hawks aren’t the only NBA surprises

The Hawks’ 6-0 start was only their third such dash out of the gate in franchise history.

But they aren’t the only surprise team in the NBA this season.

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AP

Mike Woodson and the Hawks have been one the biggest surprises of the early NBA season.

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They have some company, some good and some not so well.

Five other surprise teams so far, and keep in mind that the season is all of three weeks old:

SAN ANTONIO

A 2-5 start is totally uncharacteristic of the mighty Spurs, who have won championships in odd years four times in the past decade. However, if their early struggles are any indication, don’t count on it happening this season. Injuries to Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker certainly have contributed to their struggles. But there are some who believe the Spurs’ run as the league’s most dominant team might be coming to an end simply because they’ve grown old and perhaps a bit tired, but anyone who thinks Tim Duncan and his crew are finished should give them time to get healthy before writing their obituary. You don’t win as much as the Spurs have with Duncan as the ringleader and Gregg Popovich on the bench and go down without a fight.

PHILADELPHIA

For a team that spent about $160 million this summer on Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala, a 3-5 start isn’t exactly what folks had in mind. The 76ers were considered one of the NBA’s hottest young teams after an impressive playoff showing last spring against Detroit. But after focusing on Hawks forward Josh Smith early in free agency, the Sixers instead chose Brand, who was coming off an Achilles injury that forced him to miss all but eight games last season. While Brand has struggled a bit to regain his All-Star form, the Sixers have sputtered, too. Brand has to play at a consistently high level for this team to come anywhere near the expectations placed on them — which include some suggestions that they could vault past Detroit, Cleveland and Orlando in the Eastern Conference pecking order.

DALLAS

Avery Johnson was jettisoned for Rick Carlisle after the Mavericks crashed and burned in the playoffs for the second straight year. The bigger issue for the Mavericks (2-5), however, is their mismatched personnel. Jason Kidd came over in a trade last season that didn’t pay immediate dividends. And Josh Howard’s summer of discontent cast the team in a negative light. But the real eye opener has been Dirk Nowitzki’s inability to dominate the way he’s used to. Nowitzki clearly is not the same player he was when he was the league MVP two years ago. With so much player movement around him, perhaps Nowitzki is simply struggling to find his niche with a new supporting cast. Either way, no one expects team owner Mark Cuban to allow his franchise to drift into mediocrity in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

LA CLIPPERS

As summer that began with promise deteriorated into a typical LA summer for Hollywood’s B-Team. Baron Davis was acquired in free agency, but Elton Brand bolted for Philadelphia and then Corey Maggette left, leaving the Clippers with only a third of the Big Three they planned to ride to the postseason. Davis didn’t last the first week before he went down with an injury, and there already is reported friction between him and coach Mike Dunleavy. Toss in swirling trade rumors involving center Chris Kaman, and it’s no wonder the Clippers started the season 1-7. If they are interested in shedding their doormat label and returning to the form they showed as they challenged for a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2006, something has to be done to bolster their roster.

MIAMI

The first signs that the Heat might be in for a return to glory came this summer, when Dwyane Wade tore through the Olympics on his way to a gold medal. Still, there was a high-profile rookie, Michael Beasley, to integrate into the operation. And don’t forget the transition from Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley to his handpicked successor, Erik Spoelstra. A team playing .500 basketball (4-4) through the first eight games isn’t exactly cause for a parade. But when you consider where most people expected the Heat to be after a putrid finish last season, it’s a victory for Riley and his crew. And as Wade stays healthy (a huge gamble considering his struggles the past two years), the Heat should tread water until they can find the necessary resources to replenish the roster.