The early calendar in the league has been dominated by awful injury news, affecting star players from Anthony Edwards and Kawhi Leonard to a trio of key pieces for the championship-caliber Thunder–Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams. But there has been some resilience from those teams reflected in the NBA Power Rankings.
The Thunder have managed a 5-2 start against a tough schedule. The Timberwolves are 5-3 and looking ahead to an eight-game homestand that starts next Sunday. The Raptors have struggled defensively but sit at 4-3. All is not completely lost.
Still, we have surprises aplenty on the positive side in the NBA, from Luka Doncic’s hot start (league-high 38.3 points for the No. 7 Lakers) to the Warriors’ five-game surge, and the biggest surprise of all, the 7-1 Rockets. Let’s get into it …
NBA Power Rankings Top 10: Rockets Seize Top Spot
Team to watch: Houston Rockets.
Quote that matters: “We won the game. Why are you singling me out?” — Kevin Durant
This Rockets season might well go in whatever direction Durant dictates, and it been so far, so good to this point. Houston’s offensive rating is 121.2, which is second in the NBA, and the defensive rating is 108.4, which is sixth. It’s early, but playing like that is a ticket to the NBA Finals. It should be noted, too, that the Rockets have played the toughest opposing schedule to date, according to ESPN’s ratings, so they’re not filling up on cupcakes here. But the approach of Durant has been notable, as he is clearly taking a back seat, allowing his teammates to carry the offense, and averaging a very efficient 20.8 points on just 12.3 shots, the fewest of his career. When he was asked about taking only six shots in Monday’s win over Boston, Durant shot back with his “We won the game” line, which is always effective.
| 1. | Houston Rockets | 7-1 |
| 2. | Philadelphia 76ers | 7-1 |
| 3. | Detroit Pistons | 6-1 |
| 4. | Memphis Grizzlies | 6-1 |
| 5. | San Antonio Spurs | 5-2 |
| 6. | Oklahoma City Thunder | 5-2 |
| 7. | Los Angeles Lakers | 6-2 |
| 8. | Portland Trail Blazers | 5-1 |
| 9. | Boston Celtics | 5-1 |
| 10. | Minnesota Timberwolves | 5-3 |
NBA Power Rankings: Yaxel Lendeborg & the Warriors Make a Charge
Team to watch: Golden State Warriors
Quote that matters: “We got this one right. I was 100% sold that this was the guy we wanted in the draft. This guy is the real deal. Yeah, it changes our outlook about what we might wanna do.” — Warriors owner Joe Lacob on Yaxel Lendeborg.
For all the criticism Lacob and the Warriors took from the antsy fan base for the very quiet summer this year, pinning their hopes not on a major trade or signing but, instead, on the impact of Lendeborg has proven to be wise, so far. The Warriors have won five straight and the affable Lendeborg has won over skeptics in the Bay Area. He is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists this season, and has changed the math on what the Warriors might do at the NBA trade deadline in February.
| 11. | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-3 |
| 12. | Golden State Warriors | 5-3 |
| 13. | New York Knicks | 3-4 |
| 14. | Toronto Raptors | 4-3 |
| 15. | Dallas Mavericks | 4-3 |
| 16. | Washington Wizards | 4-3 |
| 17. | Atlanta Hawks | 4-4 |
| 18. | Denver Nuggets | 3-3 |
| 19. | Charlotte Hornets | 3-5 |
| 20. | New Orleans Pelicans | 3-4 |
Nos. 21-30: Holding Out Hope for the Miami Heat
Team to watch: Miami Heat
Quote that matters: “I don’t know. I’m just a basketball player. Just came here to compete. Do I think we have the pieces? Yeah. Do I think we have a lot of things to figure out? We have a lot. But I know what the Miami Heat culture is about and the players in this locker room are about”–Giannis Antetokounmpo.
There were much higher expectations this year for teams like the Magic, the Pacers and even the Jazz, but the big surprise in the bottom third of the NBA here is the Heat. After adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, the heat were considered a fringe contender, but they’ve been a mess so far, ranking 27th offensively and 26th defensively. Antetokounmpo is carrying his end–28.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists–but fellow star Bam Adebayo has been frustratingly average. The big-name role players the team added (Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr.) and retained (Andrew Wiggins) have struggled, too, and the result has been that Antetokounmpo’s Heat so far look like as much a one-man show as the Milwaukee Bucks outfit he wanted badly to exit.
| 21. | Miami Heat | 2-5 |
| 22. | Orlando Magic | 2-4 |
| 23. | Indiana Pacers | 1-5 |
| 24. | Phoenix Suns | 1-4 |
| 25. | LA Clippers | 1-5 |
| 26. | Brooklyn Nets | 1-6 |
| 27. | Milwaukee Bucks | 1-6 |
| 28. | Chicago Bulls | 1-6 |
| 29. | Utah Jazz | 1-6 |
| 30. | Sacramento Kings | 1-6 |
NBA Power Rankings: Surprise at No. 1, Warriors Surge, Luka Doncic Scorches