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The NBA season rolls on and the new lottery rules, which disincentive purposeful tanking, haven't prevented a vast gulf from forming between the championship contenders and the teams in danger of landing in the so-called "relegation zone."
Only three weeks in, these power rankings remain fluid. It feels like every night brings about a new revelation. There is much left to learn about all 30 teams, but for now, here's how the competitive landscape shapes up:
The Spurs have won nine straight, with Victor Wembanyama fully entering the MVP race. His 52-point, 24-rebound, eight-block performance against Dallas on Wednesday is the stuff of legend — and great fodder for the eventual MVP highlight reel. The Spurs are top-five in both offensive and defensive efficiency, even as the three-guard lineup works through a few bugs.
The Thunder lost two straight by 20-plus points after the heartbreaking Jalen Williams injury, but it should not surprise us how quickly OKC course-corrected. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing his best two-time MVP impression, while the Thunder's neverending rolodex of competent depth pieces — plus the under-praised brilliance of Mark Daigneault — has kept the team on a steady course.
Houston's offense hit a skid with back-to-back losses to Minnesota and Phoenix, but the Rockets also beat the doors off a very good Celtics team last Monday. The offense has never looked smoother with Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant and surprise breakout candidate Jabari Smith Jr. all groovin'.
The Boston regular season buzzsaw continues largely undeterred. Paul George has fit like a glove and Jayson Tatum is mounting his own MVP case. Of note, however: the Celtics don't really have a signature win. Their two losses came against Detroit and Houston, with their only "quality" win coming against the Knicks two games into the season, when New York was still in cryosleep.
The Lakers are built precariously upon the superhuman shoulders of Luka Doncic, who's the clear MVP frontrunner after three weeks (this famously means very little in the long run). Los Angeles has blitzed opponents offensively, but the Lakers too often bleed points on the other end. If JJ Redick can't cobble together a workable defense from L.A.'s patchwork supporting cast, their bright flame will eventually wane.
Philadelphia experienced its first fall-on-face embarrassment in Cleveland on Friday, but the Sixers have wins over the Knicks (twice), Cavs and Pistons to fall back on. Their defense remains a huge source of confidence and should allow Philly's talent to continue swaying outcomes in the fourth quarter. That said, the halfcourt offense is painfully flat. Nick Nurse has to find a way to generate easy offense, which isn't exactly his strong suit.
Detroit's defense remains far ahead of its offense, but there's such a strong and sustainable formula here. Hiccups against the Sixers and the Luka-less Lakers are notable, but Detroit will continue to out-work their opponents the majority of the time, with Cade Cunningham providing that critical centripetal force. It helps that Duncan Robinson is on a heater, while Jalen Duren's eventual return will work wonders, too.
Minnesota has stabilized after the initial shock of losing Anthony Edwards. Here's the thing: LaMelo Ball makes life so much easier on his teammates. Everybody plays better in his orbit. Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu are off to fiery starts. Minnesota also throws punches on the defensive end. If the Wolves can not only survive, but thrive in Ant's absence, that bodes well for their championship aspirations.
The Knicks have won three straight after their NBA Cup loss in Philadelphia, finally jumping above .500 on the campaign. The Mikal Bridges situation remains extremely tough, and Andre Drummond cannot hope to replicate Mitchell Robinson as the backup five. Even so, the Knicks are too talented, too connected and too established to stay down for long.
Tough losses to very good L.A. and San Antonio teams put a damper on Portland's electric start, but the Blazers are on track for a top-five offense. Damian Lillard still has another gear to reach, while Deni Avdija continues to affirm his status as a perennial All-Star and potential top-20 player. Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan are plugging enough holes on defense for this to work, especially if Portland claws through the extended Ja Morant absence.
How about seven straight wins for the Warriors, whom I pronounced dead after three straight losses to begin the season? Nobody can hit every shot, myself included. Stephen Curry is timeless, and Yaxel Lendeborg is timely. He's the best rookie in a loaded rookie class so far, playing like a legitimate second fiddle to a two-time MVP while Jimmy Butler nurses his wounds.
Denver, much like the Knicks, started the season in a deep slumber. Unfortunately, the Nuggets are not the reigning champs, and their glassy eyes and foggy determination feel more endemic at times. The Nuggets have perked up, at least. Nikola Jokic dropped a 32-point triple double against the swarming Raptors defense and Jamal Murray is torching the nylon yet again.
Memphis came out of the gate with six straight wins, a strong early statement. Three straight losses mark a predictable fall back to earth. Ty Jerome deserves a ton of credit for his evolution into a legitimate No. 1 scorer, but the Grizzlies are hamstrung by Zach Edey's minutes restriction and Cam Boozer needs to figure out his scoring before Memphis can truly compete with the big boys.
Atlanta has stacked four straight wins; replacing CJ McCollum with rookie Kingston Flemings in the starting lineup has paid dividends so far. This team is trending toward the middle of the pack still, but the Hawks' ball movement — which starts with Jalen Johnson — and break-neck pace is a winning formula, especially against less talented teams.
The Cavs avenged their 29-point blown lead from opening night in Philadelphia, but otherwise Cleveland has felt concerningly fickle. The alarm bells are beginning to sound on James Harden, who's slow and stiff on every drive to the cup. The Peyton Watson trade also looks ill-fated, although it's much too early in the season to draw conclusions.
You didn't want to be the first team to lose to Sacramento this season. Unfortunately, the Mavs are that team. Dusty May has put Dallas' wealth of size and physicality to good use on the defensive end, but there are still warts to iron out around Cooper Flagg offensively. Thankfully, Kyrie Irving looks every bit himself, and the chemistry with Flagg was instant.
Kawhi Leonard was brought in to elevate the Raptors from good to great. With Leonard hurt, the Raptors are very reminiscent of last year's group. There are stints where Toronto's defense chews up and spits out opponents, but the offense can get clunky against top-shelf opponents, with Scottie Barnes stuck doing too much of the heavy lifting.
By sheer force of will, Giannis Antetokounmpo will at least keep Miami in the Play-In mix this season. Whether the Heat can rise beyond that, however, depends on Bam Adebayo radically reshaping his offensive approach — and whether or not the front office can find actual, competent role players on the cheap. Miami is dependent on far too many one-way players right now.
Jahmal Mosley has the Pelicans playing hard on defense, and Zion Williamson has the offense cooking just enough for New Orleans to profile as a genuine middleweight in the Western Conference. Is any of this sustainable, health-wise or otherwise? That remains to be seen, but the Pelicans have two early Sixth Man of the Year candidates in Saddiq Bey and Derik Queen, with Dejounte Murray emerging just enough so that the Pelicans might actually find a taker before the trade deadline.
For all the talent of Washington's roster — Trae Young's playmaking, AJ Dybantsa's scoring, the star flashes from Kyshawn George — the Wizards' offense has been offputtingly staid. Anthony Davis is banged up (again), too, which is not the most ideal omen. Washington has essentially played the middle this season, beating up on bad teams and getting swamped by better teams. That could become a theme.
Another Tyrese Haliburton injury took the wind out of Indiana's sails, but Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard are doing their best to keep the Pacers on course. The defense has settled in after a brutal first handful of games, which means there's hope for Indiana to weather the storm in Haliburton's absence. Rick Carlisle is the coach you trust when the deck is stacked against you.
Phoenix finished their week with two straight wins, over Orlando and Houston. The defense was especially impressive in both outings, with Khaman Maluach and Ryan Dunn earning their flowers off the bench. Devin Booker continues to do his best at the centerpiece of the Suns offense, but it's unclear how much longer their starting lineup can accommodate both Miles Bridges and (especially) Jalen Green.
Orlando has the 23rd-ranked offense, which is almost to be expected with Paolo Banchero hurt. Their 25th-ranked defense, however, leaves a deep feeling of unease. Orlando can't space the floor and generate easy looks off of Franz Wagner's slashing, nor can the Magic's wealth of length and versatility apparently add up to much resistance on the other end. Sean Sweeney was hired as a defensive coach. The Magic are on a very dark path.
The Clippers are playing better teams tough, which is all you can ask of Ty Lue's group under the circumstances. Kris Dunn will be a popular name in trade rumors over the next few months. Keaton Wagler is still playing limited minutes off the bench, but he looks equal parts fearless and composed, which is a positive sign.
This is not the start Jazz fans (nor their front office) imagined. Injuries to Jusuf Nurkic and Jaren Jackson Jr. have left a gaping void in the frontcourt, in the shape of Walker Kessler. Lauri Markkanen is either overtaxed or over the hill. Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson continue to have their moments, but almost never in concert with each other. Utah is lost on both ends. It's past time for panic.
Six straight losses leave Charlotte on the ropes. The post-LaMelo Ball era is off to a frustrating start, and Kon Knueppel's latest injury diagnosis — a re-aggravated hamstring, which carries a four-week absence — means the Hornets' postseason dreams may be dead already. Brandon Miller looks woefully ill-prepared for the spotlight as their new No.1. Charlotte has some fun pieces, but their league-worst offense is a huge drag.
Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle continue to stuff the stat sheet with little to show for it. There are some positive notes on the developmental front — Nolan Traore is teasing a massive year-two leap — but the Nets simply lack the depth of talent necessary to earnestly compete in a stacked Eastern Conference.
Jalen Smith is going to fetch the Bulls a nice little haul at the trade deadline. Caleb Wilson has carried the primary burden remarkably well for a rookie. Even Matas Buzelis has found a spark after his abysmal start to the campaign. Despite all that, the Bulls are almost entirely reliant on pace and athleticism. The defense is Swiss cheese and the halfcourt offense is a roller coaster on every possession.
This is all par for the course for Milwaukee as the long post-Giannis rebuild begins. Tyler Herro seems to enjoy his homecoming as the impromptu No. 1 option, but the Bucks' defense is a sieve; Myles Turner looks well and truly cooked. The component parts of the Giannis return package have all performed reasonably well, but Milwaukee is operating at a perpetual talent disadvantage. It will only get worse as contenders pick off the high achievers ahead of the trade deadline.
Darius Acuff Jr. continues to ball out, acting like he owns the place (he does). Beyond their standout rookie, who's basically putting on a one-man show every night, the positives are sparse for Sacramento. The Nique Clifford trade on Sunday was an embarrassment. This roster has zero depth, and Domantas Sabonis — arguably their best player still — is openly discontent in his role.
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