NBA Power Rankings: How all 30 teams stack up after one week

It has been a little over a week since the start of the 2026-27 NBA regular season, and we'vealreadyhad a jam-packed couple of days filled with surprise starts, star returns and a few disappointing debuts.

LeBron James kicked off his 24th season with the new-look Philadelphia 76ers by defeating the defending champs -- the New York Knicks--after their ring ceremony at Madison Square Garden and displaying early positive returns following a busy offseason.

On the flip side, the San Antonio Spurs, after a Finals appearance in June, are struggling behind young superstar Victor Wembanyama. However, their cross-state rivals, the Houston Rockets, are one of four undefeated teams left in the Western Conference, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder(the 2024-25 champions), theMemphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers.

In our first iteration of Power Rankings since the campaign started, our NBA insiders break down their biggest observations from opening week, including the most surprising statistic or trend for every team, and what to expect as teams try to find their footing or build on their momentum.

Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Jamal Collier, Michael C. Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Vincent Goodwill, Zach Kram, Ben Golliver, Kris Rhim and Anthony Slater) think teams belong.

Previous rankings:Preseason

Jump to a team:

ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE

DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND

LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN

NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX

POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Most surprising stat or trend: Third-year guard Ajay Mitchell'selevated role. In the wake of the serious injuries suffered by Jalen Williams (fibula/ankle) and Cason Wallace (shoulder), Mitchell should see an increased role on the floor. He has repeatedly shown that he can thrive as the No. 2 offensive option alongside two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Mitchell averaged 22.5 points and 6.0 assists in the Thunder's sweep of the Lakers in last season's Western Conference semifinals, when Williams was sidelined. Mitchell had a career-high 30 points and five assists in Monday's win over the Suns, his first start of the season. -- Tim MacMahon

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

Most surprising stat or trend:120.8 offensive rating.Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball's instant chemistry was marvelous: Minnesota's new-look starting lineup outscored opponents by 31 points in 56 minutes through four games. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves posted a 120.8 offensive rating when their dynamic guard duo shared the court -- an exceptional mark that would have ranked second in the NBA last season. However, that could all come to a halt as Edwards will be sidelinedup to two months, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday, after he undergoes an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.-- Ben Golliver

3. Detroit Pistons

Most surprising stat or trend:42%. That's what the previously anemic Pistons have shot from 3 in the first three games this season. Duncan Robinson leads the league in makes per game (5.0) and is shooting a blistering 54% from distance, while newcomer John Collins is taking nearly five a night at a 50% clip. Last season, this team was barely near the league average and struggled at creating and making shots in the playoffs, leading to their second-round loss to Cleveland. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Robinson is more comfortable looking for shots and taking contested ones, which also means some regression to the mean will occur. But being more aggressive is a positive sign of sorts.-- Vincent Goodwill

4. Houston Rockets

Most surprising stat or trend:4-0 start. For the first time since 2014-15, Houston is off to a 4-0 start and finally playing the way it was expected to last season when it first acquired Kevin Durant. The return of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet, who missed last season with a torn ACL, has played a role in Durant starting off the season with four straight 20-point games for the 10th time in his career. Meanwhile, big man Alperen Sengun is feasting off the order VanVleet has restored to the offense, becoming just the third Rocket to put together multiple 25-5-5 games within the first four games of the season.-- Michael C. Wright

5. Philadelphia 76ers

Most surprising stat or trend:8.8. The Sixers averaged 8.8 offensive rebounds per game. As the Sixers struggled to rebound in the preseason, coach Nick Nurse wasn't concerned. "We're going to be a good rebounding team," he said then. The Sixers still aren't, ranking 29th in the NBA in offensive rebounding per game and 26th in total rebounds per game. The struggles make some sense as the Sixers' front court has been decimated with injury, but it remains concerning and something Nurse is hoping they fix quickly. "I think that our guys understand that we got to do a better job," he said.-- Kris Rhim

6. Los Angeles Lakers

Most surprising stat or trend:60/60/90. Austin Reaves got off to an unbelievably hot start through the Lakers' 3-0 showing out of the gates, averaging a career-best 26.7 points on 63.9% from the field, 61.5% from 3 and 89.7% from the free throw line entering Tuesday's game. He and Luka Doncic (34.3 points per game) are the only pair of teammates in the top 10 in scoring in the league. They would be even more effective if they took care of the ball better. They also both rank in the top 10 in turnovers per game through three games, with 7.0 for Doncic and 4.3 for Reaves.-- Dave McMenamin

7. Toronto Raptors

Most surprising stat or trend:0-12. The Raptors' only loss this season came with Kawhi Leonard sidelined, but Toronto will be without Leonard for a period of weeks as he manages left knee soreness. The concerning part about life without Leonard is that in the Raptors' first look without him, Scottie Barnes had one of the worst outings of his career, finishing 0-12 with three turnovers and a team-worst minus-27 in the 117-94 loss. --Rhim

8. Boston Celtics

Most surprising stat or trend:Jordan Walsh is in the starting lineup. Starting Walsh, a rotational player who started 25 games last season, came as a bit of a surprise with veterans such asSam Hauser and Payton Pritchard on the roster. But so far, Walsh's defense has buoyed the Celtics early in the season, slowing down guards including the Knicks' Jalen Brunson (2-for-7, five points against Walsh) and the Pistons' Cade Cunningham (1-for-3, three points against Walsh), according to NBA.com. -- Rhim

9. San Antonio Spurs

Most surprising stat or trend:1-2 start. The Spurs ran into the combustible mixture of growing pains in trying to evolve their offense with a new starting five while facing two of the West's toughest teams -- Oklahoma City and Houston -- to start the season. So, the early struggles weren't unexpected, and the Spurs are comfortable with taking their lumps early. But in the process of trying to raise its ceiling, San Antonio lowered its floor, a disturbing early trend. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, "We've got to just keep getting back to the standard we know we are capable of. Our floor right now is way too low."-- Wright

10. Portland Trail Blazers

Most surprising stat or trend:21-0 start. The Blazers enjoyed the perfect start to the intriguingDamian Lillard and Ja Morant partnership thanks to a blowout win over the Suns in their season opener. Portland raced out to a 21-0 lead in front of a raucous Moda Center crowd that eagerly welcomed Lillard back from an Achilles injury. Though Morant opened the season as a starter, he has had to make great sacrifices to fit into Portland's crowded backcourt rotation. The two-time All-Star is tracking toward career lows in minutes, points, shots and usage rate. -- Golliver

11. Indiana Pacers

Most surprising stat or trend:21.8. The number of points Tyrese Haliburton is averaging through his first four games back from injury. He has scored at least 20 in three of the first four games of a season for only the second time in his career, played in a back-to-back this week and he's averaging 9.5 assists. Any worries about him needing to ease back into action have been unfounded. Haliburton looks like his old self after missing 16 months, but the Pacers are going to need to get healthier around him (Ivica Zubac has a sprained left ankle, T.J. McConnell has yet to play in a game in either preseason or regular season and Ben Sheppard tore his meniscus).-- Jamal Collier

12. Denver Nuggets

Most surprising stat or trend:The Nuggets' 119.3 defensive rating is fifth worst in the league. It's been a strange first homestand for the Nuggets. They fell 23 points to the Pelicans and even received some boos, but then stormed back for an overtime win with help from rookie Trevon Brazile, who made a handful of spectacular plays and looks like a second-round steal at a time Denver desperately needs depth. After the game, Nikola Jokic called out the jeering fans, saying they weren't welcome back, and doubled down a couple nights later after they were blown out at home by the previously winless Warriors. -- Anthony Slater

13. Cleveland Cavaliers

Most surprising stat or trend:Keep an eye on the wing trio of Peyton Watson, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson and how they complement Cleveland's core four throughout the season. That trio has made just 19.5% of their combined 3-pointers so far -- but it's still very early, so there's plenty of time for those role players to turn it around and start making more shots in support of the stars.-- Zach Kram

14. Memphis Grizzlies

Most surprising stat or trend:Ty Jerome's hot start and the Grizzlies 4-0 start. Memphis' 4-0 start ranks as the second best in franchise history behind the 2014-15 campaign in which the Grizzlies won their first six games. Perhaps the most eye-popping early trend comes from the way this young team has performed in clutch time. Three of Memphis' first four outings turned out to be clutch time games, with the Grizzlies winning all of them to tie the 76ers for the most clutch wins so far this season. Jerome ranks third in the league in scoring (29.8 points per game) after a career-high 45-point season opener, which he then followed with 31 points against the Kings.-- Wright

15. Atlanta Hawks

Most surprising stat or trend:Can Quin Snyder continue to rely heavily on his rotation? One storyline entering the season was whether the Hawks' frontcourt could succeed against quality opponents. The loss at Houston proved they have a long way to go. In the ten-point loss, Atlanta was outrebounded 40-22 on the offensive glass (52-35 overall) and were minus-11 in free-throw attempts. The lone frontcourt player with a positive plus-minus was Onyeka Okongwu. Through the first four games, nine players have averaged more than 18 MPG, with only starter Jalen Johnson averaging more than 30 MPG. -- Bobby Marks

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16. New York Knicks

Most surprising stat or trend: 30th. That's what the Knicks ranked at in both offensive efficiency and raw scoring entering Tuesday's game. It's a small sample size, but the Knicks have barely shown more than flashes of that potent offense. "We get a little comfortable," Jalen Brunson said after Sunday's loss to Orlando, in which New York gave up 40 fourth-quarter points to the Magic. Before Tuesday, Mikal Bridges registered donuts at the foul line and 3-point line. One is expected, the other is not.-- Goodwill

17. Charlotte Hornets

Most surprising stat or trend:36.3 PPG. New Hornets Grayson Allen and Naz Reid came to Charlotte in trades for Miles Bridges and Ball, respectively, and both sharpshooters are excelling in their new digs. Allen and Reid have combined to average 36.3 points per game while making 44% of their 3-pointers, and both players rank in the top 10 in the NBA in made 3s.-- Kram

18. Washington Wizards

Most surprising stat or trend:8.8 PPG. After averaging 16.3 points per game with a 26% usage rate in a promising sophomore season, Alex Sarr is down to 8.8 PPG with a 14% usage rate this year. That decline epitomizes the difficult balancing act for the Wizards as they try to win games with veteran stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis, while also providing opportunities for their many prospects to develop on the court.-- Kram

19. Phoenix Suns

Most surprising stat or trend:40. Devin Booker recorded the 40th 40-point game of his career with 43 points on 17-for-25 shooting in the Suns' 131-122 win over the Warriors opening week. It's the most in franchise history, with Amare Stoudemire trailing significantly behind at No. 2 with 15 of them. Phoenix is off to a slow start, however, with Booker combining for just 26 points on 8-for-20 shooting in the Suns' other two losses.-- McMenamin

20. Orlando Magic

Most surprising stat or trend:3. Injuries are forcing Orlando to utilize its third starting lineup in four games when it plays Toronto on Wednesday. Former All-Star Paolo Banchero is out indefinitely with an ankle injury, while Jalen Suggs will miss at least two weeks due to a bone bruise in his right knee. Injuries have impacted them in the last two seasons, with Banchero and Franz Wagnerplaying only 64 games together in that span.-- Marks

21. Utah Jazz

Most surprising stat or trend:Ace Bailey stepping up during early Jazz injuries. Utah's frontcourt has been ravaged by injuries, as Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Lauri Markkanen (wrist) and Jusuf Nurkic (toe) are all sidelined. Second-year forward Bailey's performance has been a silver lining during the Jazz's rough start. Bailey, the No. 5 pick in last year's draft, has back-to-back double-doubles, averaging 17 points, 11 rebounds, 3.5 assists and two blocks in the two games. -- MacMahon

22. Dallas Mavericks

Most surprising stat or trend:Cooper Flagg's disruptive abilities. Flagg's disruptive defensive tendencies were as much of a factor as his offensive potential in scouts and executives considering him one of the best draft prospects in a generation and those skills have been on display early this season. Flagg leads the league with 3.7 steals per game and ranks in the top 20 in blocks (1.7). He had five steals and three blocks during his 29-point, 11-assist masterpiece in Monday's win in Miami. The only other teens to ever record at least five steals and three blocks in a game: Kevin Garnett and Wembanyama, both of whom went on to win a Defensive Player of the Year award. -- MacMahon

23. LA Clippers

Most surprising stat or trend:26.3%. That is Rui Hachimura's field goal percentage through his first three games with the Clippers after signing a two-year, $28 million contract to move from Crypto.com Arena to the Intuit Dome in the offseason. The dip in efficiency comes off a season when he shot 51.4% for the Lakers -- the second-best clip of his career -- and raised his level to 54.9% in the playoffs. Hachimura only had 11 games last season out of the 68 he played where he shot under 30% for the game. He's done that in two out of his first three games with the Clippers.-- McMenamin

24. Miami Heat

Most surprising stat or trend:105.3. We won't compare this current iteration of the Heat to Miami's inaugural team in 1988-89, which lost 17 straight games. But like their first team, the current roster is only the second team in franchise history to start the season with four straight losses. The lack of success derives from an offensive rating that ranks 27th (105.3) and a defensive rating that sits at 24th (118.8). One trend to watch is whether Miami can improve from the perimeter. The Heat rank 25th in three-point percentage and have no player besides Portis Jr. and Davion Mitchell shooting greater than 35%. -- Marks

25. Chicago Bulls

Most surprising stat or trend:25.5. That's the number of minutes Josh Giddey is averaging per game in what has been an underwhelming start to the season. On opening night, Giddey revealed he injured his left wrist and will have to manage the injury all season. Both his production -- 7.0 points and 7.3 assists on 33% shooting -- and playing time have dipped as a result, and the Bulls offense has sputtered out of the gates. Entering Tuesday, they had the worst offensive rating in the league through four games.-- Collier

26. New Orleans Pelicans

Most surprising stat or trend:23-point collapse. Jamahl Mosley is still seeking his first win as coach after New Orleans inexplicably blew a 23-point lead to Denver on Saturday. The Pelicans might regret their stumbles out of the gate: The NBA handed them a soft early-season schedule, playing nine of their first 13 games against teams that missed the 2026 playoffs. Mosley has started 2025 lottery pick Jeremiah Fears, but the guard's abysmal shooting -- 29% from the field and 18.2% from deep -- has been a real drag on the Pelicans' offense.-- Golliver

27. Golden State Warriors

Most surprising stat or trend:It couldn't have been a louder opening week to a career for Yaxel Lendeborg. After getting in a public dust-up with Doncic (they face each other again on Friday), the rookie wing went on a statistical binge, becoming the fourth player since 1986 to compile at least 85 points and 35 rebounds in his first four games. Shaquille O'Neal, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson are the other three. It didn't take long for him to earn Steve Kerr's trust. Lendeborg put away the Nuggets on Monday night with Stephen Curry on the bench and Kerr said afterward, "He's going to be a guy who closes games."-- Slater

28. Milwaukee Bucks

Most surprising stat or trend:Zero. That's the number of minutes Gary Trent Jr. has played for the Bucks this season despite signing a four-year, $64 million contract during the offseason. The deal confused several team executives around the league when it was agreed upon, and those questions have only increased as Trent -- the fourth-highest-paid player on the roster -- can't even crack the rotation. At least Milwaukee has avoided having a zero in the win column after a win against Indiana on Monday, dodging what would have been the Bucks' first 0-4 start in 50 years. -- Collier

29. Brooklyn Nets

Most surprising stat or trend:Julius Randle has been efficient, despite the losses.If there was any notion that Randle would be a selfish star coming into a Nets team stuck at the bottom of the standings, it has been anything but. He kept them in their first two games -- which were respectable losses to Charlotte and Cleveland -- and led them to an overtime loss against the Celtics on Tuesday night. He leads the Nets in scoring (22.0), rebounding (7.0) and assists (6.3) while shooting over 50% from the field and 45% from 3. For a team that will struggle to score all season, having Randle aggressive will at least keep this young team in games. -- Goodwill

30. Sacramento Kings

Most surprising stat or trend:As expected, rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. has received the greenest of lights. He attempted 24, 26 and 23 shots in his first three games, surpassing Durant for the most shots three games into a career in the modern era. But the Kings received concerning news regarding their other wing asset, as small forward Keegan Murray will miss at least the next two weeks while dealing with stiffness in his surgically repaired left ankle. It has been bothering Murray throughout training camp and he hasn't been moving well to open the season. He is in the first season of a five-year, $140 million extension.-- Slater

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