Top 10 Most Surprising NBA Teams of the 2025 Season That Defied Expectations and Shocked the League

[{"selector":"#anim-aade1073-5dc0-4c29-af3d-96898c843cfa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1426315b-74c8-4ba4-9fd7-2491b6e5e14c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7779c1d-48da-4aeb-8f08-69d3ae47d4b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 10. Indiana Pacers With Haliburton's playmaking (10.5 APG), they achieved a 50-win season and a top-five in offensive rating.

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[{"selector":"#anim-e4847258-02c2-4832-9776-01bea1f71b45 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f078b800-9c73-40cb-8406-214da495ea68","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c5290ec-18e6-402f-a34f-c3e7e32a5ef4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 7. Houston Rockets Their talented young players improved exponentially to a top-10 offense (114.3 PPG) and into the playoffs.

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[{"selector":"#anim-28c504c2-cb3c-44bc-9448-63558e166547 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aaea90dc-0877-4ed9-8db9-2cac15b8f1a8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3e5a932-3ce1-4efd-b614-7a317362a58a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 4. Utah Jazz Although they were meant to fight for a place in the playoffs before the start of the season, they went ahead to become top 10 in offensive rating (113.3) at the end of the season.

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[{"selector":"#anim-2e57e99b-4f91-4840-8d45-9464fc08db86 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5edd928-5a25-44cd-be37-fa26ff231ef9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6172ea16-4589-4413-9c58-d06e72b64d52","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 1. Los Angeles Lakers The Magic jumped surprisingly to the second position in rating in defense (109.6). This high leap made the team part of the surprise playoff run.