Not many outside of the state of Illinois could have seen this coming.

The Chicago Bulls have barged out of the gates with a 5-0 record and are the last remaining undefeated team in the Eastern Conference. What’s even more surprising is that Chicago’s schedule has not been easy. Among the five teams that they have beaten, all of them outside the Sacramento Kings were projected to be playoff contenders heading into the new season.

The most encouraging statistic from the Bulls’ strong start is their assist ratio–a measure of a team’s assists per 100 possessions–as they lead the league in this statistic through their first five games. This unselfish approach stems from 23-year-old guard Josh Giddey who has quickly emerged as the team’s best player.

Giddey has taken a major leap in his fifth season, putting up averages of 22 points, 8.8 rebounds, and eight assists per game. These are all notably higher than his existing career-high numbers from last season and he should only get better as the season progresses.

The team’s other starting guard, Tre Jones, has been just as crucial in running this team’s pass-heavy offense. Jones is averaging 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, providing Giddey with all the support that he needs to keep this offense flowing.

Chicago’s per game scoring numbers reflect the fantastic job that Giddey and Jones have done in involving the entire team as they have six players averaging at least 10 points per game so far this season. Aside from Giddey and Jones, the four others are veteran Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, Matas Buzelis, and Kevin Huerter. 

Their collective efforts have helped the Bulls thrive amidst the absence of Coby White who was the team’s leading scorer last year after Zach LaVine was traded away midseason.

Though Chicago is unlikely to be this good throughout the entirety of the season, this 5-0 start is an encouraging sign that they are heading in the right direction. They have viable players worth building around for the future, particularly Giddey and the high-flying Buzelis who could eventually turn into one of, if not the most, highlight-reel worthy duo in the NBA.

The Bulls’ climb back to respectability since the end of the Derrick Rose era a decade ago has been long and arduous—but it finally feels like the worst of it is over. The Bulls have something special brewing, and while a leap to contention this season is still a  stretch, the basketball world will be watching to see how far this strong start of theirs can carry them.