BY DAVID THORPE

Eleven games into the NBA season the Warriors don’t have Klay Thompson or James Wiseman back, but nevertheless they have the NBA’s best record, at 10-1. That’s the first surprise—and one that is most often credited to superstar offensive player Stephen Curry. Which brings up the second surprise: Without an elite rim protector, the Warriors have the NBA’s best defense. Which brings up the third surprise: The Warriors are winning—disproportionately, strangely, convincingly—with third-quarter defense. 

What’s that about?