I love basketball as much as any fan, and I've been following the league actively since the first day of preseason basketball. This is an exciting season of basketball, and we've already witnessed quite a few great moments so far.

Most notable is the fact that some teams have been playing well above expectations, while others have definitely fallen short. It's time to take a look at some of these scenarios.

The Phoenix Suns have been one of the best in the NBA so far, returning to their form of a few seasons ago. This is a really talented team that may very well be one of the better teams in the Western Conference all season.

They haven't made any significant roster additions, but Nash, Richardson, Stoudemire, Hill, Barbosa, and the rest of the team have plenty of talent to go around. Could the Suns be a better team without the big Diesel?

Many laughed at the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, as they had one of the worst records in basketball. Few people noticed that this team gradually improved through the course of the year.

The Thunder have improved some more since last season, and the beginning of their year took many fans by surprise. With wins over the Kings and the Pistons (this one was on the road), they got off to a 2-0 start. Nearly beating the Lakers after this was perhaps the team's best achievement.

We've looked at two pleasant surprises so far, and there are naturally those that fall on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Cavs are one of these teams. With nothing short of a championship in their minds, they've sputtered so far, to say the least.

What's the problem in Cleveland and why does this team look off? The Phoenix Suns have lost Shaq, and they've gotten better. Cleveland has Shaq, and they struggle. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?