Each and every NBA season can be relied upon for its smorgasbord of unpredictability.

While last season saw the Toronto Raptors take the NBA Championship outside the United States for the first time in history, it was also a season which saw a huge amount of teams supersede their initial expectations.

Prior to last season, the Brooklyn Nets were expected to continue their downtrodden ways with a 32 win total attached to their name. They, of course, won 42 games, broke a three-season playoff drought and landed both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency.

It a was a similar story with the Milwaukee Bucks, who outperformed their preseason win total by 12, helping themselves to 60 wins in the regular season, and if not for the sublime brilliance of Kawhi Leonard, would have broken through to the NBA Finals.

READ: The 2019-20 NBA Championship Contenders

This season will throw up a host of similar surprises, while today we’ll take a look at five teams who are more than capable of surpassing their pre-season expectations in season 2019/20.

Dallas Mavericks

Win NBA Championship Probability: 1%

TAB Win Total O/U: 39.5 wins

Not only have the Dallas Mavericks failed to qualify for the last three post-seasons, but they’ve also failed to surpass the last three season win totals they’ve been assigned.

However, what those Mavs teams haven’t had is their now mouth-watering Luka Doncic-Kristaps Porzingis combination, which has the potential to be one of the most lethal partnerships in the league.

RELATED: Five Reasons To Be Excited About the NBA Season

The Donic-Porzingis tandem, coupled with Tim Hardaway Jr in a contract year, along with the under-the-radar free agency addition of point guard Delon Wright, suggests the Mavs are ready to start regularly winning games again.

While the Dallas team is deep across the board and able to bring the likes of Jalen Brunson, Seth Curry and Maxi Kleber off the bench, it’s a team that remains a little vulnerable defensively, especially in the frontcourt.

Once again, Dallas is expected to start Dwight Powell at centre, however, the former Stanford star is undersized for the position, and is a key reason why Mavs’ opponents shot 69.3% at the rim last season which was the fifth-worst mark in the league.

If the Mavs can remedy their rim protection, they not only have a path to the playoffs but should be able to smash through their 39.5 win total.

Memphis Grizzlies

Win NBA Championship Probability: 0.3%

TAB Win Total O/U: 26.5

The ‘grit and grind’ Memphis Grizzlies of yesteryear are but a distant memory with seven straight seasons of playoff basketball replaced with two completely forgettable seasons with win total returns of just 22 and 33.

Not only did the bottom fall out of one the league’s most respected teams, but their franchise cornerstones Marc Gasol and Mike Conley finally flew the coop, joining the Raptors and Utah respectively, with Gasol already winning a championship north of the border.

However what all that losing over the last two seasons accomplished was a slew of premium first-round draft picks which has led them to the likes of Jaren Jackson Jr, and most recently, Ja Morant, who may well change the entire tenor of professional basketball in Tennessee.

Memphis’ 26.5 win total is quite small and usually ascribed to teams in full 'tank mode' and ones devoid of on-court leadership. Neither is the case with Memphis, and while the likes of Gasol and Conley are gone, they have bought in 3-time NBA Champion Andre Iguadola, while league veterans Jae Crowder and Jonas Valanciunas will provide plenty of muscle and defence.

Ultimately, surpassing this win total will all be about how genuinely special Morant can be early in his career, which has already been demonstrated in the pre-season where he led the entire league in assist per 36 minutes with 11.9.

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Chicago Bulls

Win NBA Championship Probability: 0.3%

TAB Win Total O/U: 32.5

The Chicago Bulls limped to just 22 wins last year, effectively tanking through the second half of the season with the franchise dreaming about winning the Zion Williamson sweepstakes.

And, while Chicago missed out on Williamson, they did surprisingly well to move on from that disappointment to assemble a squad, which on paper at least, could be sneakily good this season.

The 32.5 win total is quite low considering the high-end talent on this roster.

In a perfect world, Lauri Markkanen flirts win becoming an All-Star while Zach LaVine graduates to a 25ppg player, with fellow first-round pick Wendell Carter Jr developing into a defensive anchor.

This ‘perfect world’ scenario would then extend to the Bulls’ most recent first-round pick, Coby White, who averaged 19.2 ppg in the pre-season and a scenario in which Kris Dunn’s immense talent finally comes to fruition.

There is a path for Chicago to be a playoff contender, however this is not a squad which has much of a margin for error. Last season their bench was outscored by 3.4 points per 100 possessions which was a testament to how shallow the roster is, and which ranked second-worst in the league.

Thankfully, we’ll have an excellent early-season gauge into just how far the Bulls have progressed in season 2019/20 with eight of their first 11 games against teams who didn’t make the playoffs last season. A good start could provide a solid platform for a positive season in the Windy City.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Win NBA Championship Probability: 0.2%

TAB Win Total O/U: 23.5

Unlike in previous seasons, when, say a certain LeBron James decided to return to Cleveland amid much hysteria, Cleveland’s biggest acquisition this off-season comes in the form of a 66-year old with absolutely zero NBA experience.

In hiring John Beilein as head coach, the Cleveland Cavaliers should be applauded for the inspired appointment of a coach with an incredible track record of having his teams significantly over-achieve at college level, all the while building exceptional programs characterised by their highly-nuanced offensive schemes.  

And the Cavs are going to need every ounce of Beilien’s brilliance, particularly in season one, owing to a roster very much lacking in talent and experience.

The Cavs have gone under their projected season win total in eight of their last ten seasons however this extremely low number is achievable, simply because a Beilein coached team should under no circumstances be underestimated.

Boston Celtics

Win NBA Championship Probability: 0.3%

TAB Win Total O/U: 48.5

Unlike the four previously mentioned teams, the Boston Celtics harbour legitimate NBA Championship hopes this season, while their 48.5 win total is eminently achievable.

This time last season, the Celtics were considered a flip of the coin proposition about winning the Eastern Conference with a massive 59 win total attached to their season projection.

What followed was a well-documented face-plant where the Celtics limped to just 49 wins and a swift, second-round playoff exit at the hands of Giannis and his Milwaukee Bucks.

What plagued the Celtics’ season in 2018/19 was the continual soap opera which surrounded their star point guard Kyrie Irving who ultimately decided to join forces with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn in the off-season.

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While the loss of Irving can’t be understated, his replacement, 3-time All-Star Kemba Walker, has been one of the league’s very best point guards in recent years, averaging 23.7 points over the last three seasons, while hitting the three-shot at a 37.8% clip.

Potential franchise superstars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are also expected to take a significant leap this season, while first-round rookie Carsen Edwards led the team in pre-season scoring with 15.2 ppg. 

Speaking of pre-seasons, the Celtics were one of four teams to go undefeated, while their +23.8 point differential was quite easily the league’s best mark.

The Celtics have averaged 49 wins over the last five seasons with young, inexperienced teams and with all of the drama which surrounded the Irving experience.

The Celtics are now settled and maturing, and, coached by one of the sports sharpest minds in Brad Stevens, seem ready to not only surpass 49 wins, but make a very deep run in the Eastern Conference.

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