It may feel like the 2022-23 NBA season has only just begun, but we’re already roughly a fourth of the way through the year. We’ve seen incredible performances from NBA players, such as Joel Embiid dropping in a career-high 59 points against the Jazz in early November.

While Embiid nearly getting a quadruple-double is impressive, that was just one game. Several other players have given it their all, putting their bodies on the line as they carry their team through the early stretch of the season.

Down below, we highlight five NBA players who have done just that. Without these five, we’re not sure where their teams would be at this point.

NBA

Jaylen Brown is becoming a superstar, and it's time we stop thinking of him as the Celtics' second fiddle

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander keeping OKC Thunder relevant

While the Oklahoma City Thunder still aren’t quite in a position to compete, they’re not far off from climbing into the NBA play-in tournament. After collecting lottery pick after lottery pick, we’re finally seeing some of their young talent blossom.

But none more so than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who general manager Sam Presti actually acquired via trade from the Clippers. A season ago, the Thunder had a win percentage of just 29.2%. While it’s early, they’ve boosted that rate to 38% in 2022.

SGA is a big reason why. He’s taking more shots than ever, but Gilgeous-Alexander’s also become a much more efficient scorer.

It’s a small sample size, playing in just 20 games, but SGA is making a strong case to win NBA’s Most Improved Player Award, which was won by Ja Morant a season ago. The growth we’ve already seen from Gilgeous-Alexander is impressive, but being that he’s still just 24, it’s possible this is only the tip of the iceberg.

 

Stephen Curry isn’t slowing down any time soon

While everyone expected the Golden State Warriors to return to being one of the Western Conference’s best contenders this season, no one could have guessed they would struggle so much out of the gates with all of their starters being relatively healthy.

Yet, after going 3-7 in their first ten games, the Warriors have gone 8-3 in their past 11. They’re heating up, and Curry is a big reason why. He’s scored 40 or more in three of his past 10 games and ranks second in the NBA in scoring.

While Curry has plenty of complementary pieces who come through, after all, it’s the same core who won the NBA Finals back in June, he’s clearly carrying the pack.

Consider that the Warriors have two other All-Stars who are most known for their scoring prowess, yet both Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins are below their career scoring averages, but Curry?

His 31.4 points per game are seven points higher than his career average. He currently has the highest eFG% of his career at a ridiculous 64.8% and, even at 34, is showing no signs of slowing down.