The 2026–27 NBA season is one week old, which means it’s time to overreact.

The first week of games always spits out some unexpected and wonky results. This season is no exception. There are all sorts of fun trends that have emerged. Some could go on to define the season ... and others could be looked back upon with laughter as a bizarre aberration once the sample size grows larger.

Right now, we have absolutely no clue which is which. So let’s wildly overreact to everything in front of us! We could be right, or we could be so wrong the readers will never let us forget it. Such is the fun of the early NBA season.

Here are a few of our earliest overreactions, plus a few from our readers.

Ty Jerome is going to make an All-NBA team

If you predicted Ty Jerome would rank third in the NBA in points per game (29.8) through the opening week, please send me the winning Powerball numbers at your earliest convenience. The Grizzlies guard has been on an absurd heater to kick off the season, dropping 45 points on opening night and cooking everybody in front of him (until he finally cooled off Monday with 15 points against the Jazz). We’ve seen many players enjoy a hot start to the season—but Jerome was as close to an unknown to the casual NBA fan as possible and is taking no prisoners. The eighth-year veteran missed all but 15 games last season, and his previous career-high in PPG came in 2024–25, when he scored 12.3 points a night off the bench for the Cavs. We’ve never seen this guy.

Even if Memphis winds up conforming to preseason expectations and losses come more often than wins, Jerome’s net scorching is utterly remarkable to watch. And if the guy continues to score points at or near a league-leading pace, he must be rewarded. All-NBA Ty Jerome, here we come! —Liam McKeone

It’s panic time for the Miami Heat

Shockingly, this doesn’t feel like an overreaction four games into Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo era. The Heat are now 0–4 with a brutal loss to the Mavericks on Monday night and things are officially, uh, not great. Giannis has done Giannis things as he finished the loss to Dallas with a 29-point, 15-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. Bam Adebayo has struggled out of the gate, however, as he contributed just eight points on a rough 3-for-10 night.

Davion Mitchell has been great, but the rest of the roster has to pick it up. Klay Thompson hasn’t shot the ball well, Andrew Wiggins has struggled and Miami has yet to get anything from Tim Hardaway Jr. Home losses to the Timberwolves and the Pistons could be overlooked when you consider how good both of those teams are. When you see that the Heat gave up 259 points combined in those two games, though, not so much.

Even worse were the following losses, which came to the Hornets and the most recent defeat to the Mavs. Miami had a chance to win on Monday, but a three-point attempt from Wiggins that would’ve brought the Heat in front with 30 seconds left fell way short. Cooper Flagg may have gotten a piece of it, and then he cashed a dagger layup on the other end to seal the win. Even if the Mavs are frisky, Miami has to beat teams like them. The issues feel beyond growing pains and more like a flawed roster. —Blake Silverman

The Knicks are the worst defending champions of the modern era

The Knicks put up one of the great postseason runs in recent NBA history to win their first title in 53 years last June. They are now 0–3 to start the new season, which makes them the first defending champs since the 2011–12 Mavericks to go winless through the opening three games of the year.

There are a few reasons why. Mikal Bridges, one-fifth of New York’s heralded starting lineup, started the season in the midst of one of his patented cold stretches; he is averaging 3.3 points per game despite suiting up for 30 minutes per night. As a team, the Knicks have been pretty cold from deep while their opponents have been hot—the orange and blue rank 18th in three-point percentage (32.4%) to start the year while their three-point defense ranks 22nd (36.4%). There’s also some rotation pains to figure out as coach Mike Brown tries to find a new backup center balance after the departure of Mitchell Robinson in free agency.

Between all that and a tough opening slate featuring three playoff teams (with a fourth coming to town on Tuesday in the Pistons), New York has racked up the losses. If the team fails to pick up their first win against Detroit, they’ll be the first team ever to drop the opening four games after winning a title. Talk about a championship hangover. —L.M.

Yaxel Lendeborg will win Rookie of the Year

As the 11th pick in the draft, Lendeborg was Golden State’s biggest addition of the offseason after the Warriors struck out on stars like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo in free agency and the trade market. Lendeborg may have made headlines in his debut for his choice words directed at Luka Dončić, but the Michigan product has been darn good.

The Warriors need some juice, especially amid Kristaps Porziņģis’s continued absence, and Lendeborg has provided it. Due to his age and occasional outlandish comments, there were some concerns entering the draft. Nothing has impacted his ability to immediately contribute on a team that desperately needs help, however. Lendeborg has brought scoring, rebounding and menacing defense as a player who’s not afraid of any assignment, even if Dončić gave him his welcome-to-the-league moment.

Caleb Wilson has been really good and Cameron Boozer has had his moments. Plus, we’ve yet to see top pick AJ Dybantsa make his debut. Lendeborg has been the most impactful rookie early on, though. If he helps the Warriors turn it around, he should be the ROY front-runner. —B.S.

And a few early overreactions from SI’s readers ...

We made a call to the audience for their takes and overreactions from the first week of NBA action. Here are a handful of those, plus whether we see each one as an overreaction, underreaction or right on the money. Reach out with your own overreactions on Twitter.

“The Heat will be a lottery team.” —Joe B. (on Instagram)

Right on the money. We’re right there with you, Joe. The Heat’s start has gone as poorly as possible. The question with this team was always whether Giannis had enough support to withstand a loaded Eastern Conference. That concern has been validated and then some just four games into the year.

“Naz Reid will win Most Improved Player.” —Neesha M. (on Instagram)

Underreaction. It’s too early to make a conclusion on MIP after one week, but you’re right, Neesha, Reid is the clear front-runner already. To go a step beyond that, he could even be an All-Star! The longtime Wolves fan-favorite has had an unbelievable start as a member of the Hornets, averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Charlotte is 3–1 and Reid has taken a ton of pressure off Brandon Miller. If he continues at this rate, it would rival what Nickeil Alexander-Walker did when he arrived in Atlanta last season on his way to MIP honors.

"Jayson Tatum will be considered the best Celtic of all time when it's all said and done." —Mike K. (on Instagram)

Overreaction. I’m sorry, Mike, but putting Tatum with the likes of Russell, Bird and Havlicek is too rich for my blood. Tatum was great in Boston’s win over the Knicks, but Detroit’s Ausar Thompson locked him down in the opener. At least Paul George had a pretty good debut. Realistically, though, if Tatum wants to be in that category, he has a lot of championships to win.

“Nuggets will blow it up.” —Alex B. (on Instagram)

Overreaction. Alex, the Nuggets are limited with moves they can make due to operating above the second apron. Beyond the financial constraints, any team with Nikola Jokić has a shot. You have a point here as Denver possesses a number of bad contracts it would love to move off of. I just can’t get there with Jokić still involved, though. The Nuggets’ window remains cracked as long as Joker is in the fold.

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