4 things we're thankful for this NBA season

With today being Thanksgiving in the United States, the NBA's 30 teams have the day off as families across the country sit down to chow on some turkey, mashed potatoes, and all of the fixings.

More basketball has been played up until this point than any other year with the season starting a week earlier than usual. Storylines have been plentiful, and the action (for the most part) has been quite engaging.

To commemorate the holiday, here are four things we're particularly thankful for in the NBA so far.

A new challenger?

We've seen the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors battle it out in the Finals the last three years, and entering this season, it seemed like a forgone conclusion we'd be grinding through 82 games and three rounds of the playoffs before watching them face each other yet again.

The Boston Celtics winning 16-straight games, paired with Cleveland's inability to defend (30th in NBA, allowing 109.5 points per 100 possessions), at least provides a glimmer of hope that we're simply not delaying the inevitable.

That's not to say a Cavaliers-Warriors Finals wouldn't be welcome. Basketball purists should want to see the best of the best square off for supremacy at the end of a long and arduous campaign.

As early as it is, it's still nice to imagine one or more teams legitimately entering the fray to spice things up.

- Walder

Shining stars

Take a look at some of the top scorers in the game right now and you'll see some new faces alongside the perennial names.

A once unpolished Giannis Antetokounmpo has developed into the Bucks' best-case scenario, with The Greek Freak trailing only James Harden in points per game (29.7 vs. 31.1). Further down the list, Kristaps Porzingis is flexing in the blinding New York spotlight, making the Knicks fun to watch again, and Devin Booker is a rare bright spot in an otherwise dim Suns lineup.

There's no doubt the future of the game will be ready to take over when it's their time.

- Soveta

Joel Embiid

How could anyone not love this guy?

Embiid is slowly proving himself to be this generation's Shaquille O'Neal, which is a perfect combination of both on-court dominance and off-court hilarity.

Of course, The Big Aristotle was one of the most powerful and imposing presences we've ever seen, with a Hall-of-Fame resume including plenty of hardware and championship rings. Embiid - whose already played half as many games as he did all of last season - has a ways to go before reaching that level in today's game, although he's a force of nature in his own right after just 46 appearances for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Embiid's sense of humor is certainly on par with Shaq's, though. Feel free to check out his Twitter account to see the master troll artist at work.

- Walder

All the petty drama

There isn't much that makes the NBA more exciting and fantastic to watch than when it gets personal.

When LeBron James pulled a power move and towered over rookie Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina last week, it made him public enemy No. 1 in New York, and you couldn't help but wait for Enes Kanter's next shot at the king as a result. When former best buds Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook went face-to-face on Wednesday (even if the former's side was down 17 points at the time), it was a defining moment in a feud they pretend doesn't exist.

Now imagine those squabbles being settled at Thanksgiving dinner.

- Soveta