The NBA’s standings feel like a bizarro world right now.
You’ve got the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors at the bottom of the Western Conference jockeying for play-in position. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder look like two of the best teams in the league.
Along with that, the Denver Nuggets have dipped quite a bit in recent days and the Bucks are just starting to catch their stride. Meanwhile, the Celtics just keep winning games at the top of the East.
Our latest edition of NBA Power Rankings is here. It’s still early, but a ton of what we’re seeing now feels very real.
Especially the Thunder.
RELATED: The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t a fluke and these numbers prove it
1
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the NBA so far. It’s still early, but this team’s ability to dig in and win games while not playing its best basketball bodes extremely well for its future. It doesn’t need a big night from Jayson Tatum to win and that’s not necessarily something that’s always been the case.
2
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are not a fluke. This team is winning tough games early in the season on the road against some stiff competition. So far, OKC has beaten the Warriors, Suns and Cavaliers this season. Plus, OKC put one of the worst beatings of the season that you’ll see on the Spurs. Shai Gilgeious-Alexander looks like an MVP, Chet Holmgren is the real deal and Jalen Williams is a stud. This team feels very Western Conference Finals-ish so far to me.
3
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves being this high this early in the season isn’t surprising. This team has always shown that it can hang with some of the best in the league. It’s been all about consistency and Minnesota is showing it so far this season. Anthony Edwards has been incredible so far this year.
4
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks struggled heavily to start the season but are now starting to find themselves a bit. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are starting to click. The defense that started the year as one of the worst in the league is beginning to look a lot better. The Bucks are getting scarier and scarier by the day. Fear the deer.
5
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are tied with the Thunder for the second-most wins in the league so far. Tyrese Maxey’s ascent is a large part of why, but Philly’s defense is also elite, too. And Nick Nurse has unlocked a new level of passing with Embiid in his offense. This team is humming right now.
6
Sacramento Kings
With or without De’Aaron Fox, the Sacramento Kings have been a well-oiled machine so far this season. The team is currently on a six-game winning streak and Fox is back in the lineup after recovering from an ankle injury. If you’re still calling this team a fluke, you should stop it now.
7
Denver Nuggets
I won’t lie to you all — I’m not comfortable with where I’ve placed the Nuggets here. But I had to be fair to the teams above them. Denver has lost three of its last four games including two to Western Conference opponents. Nikola Jokic is still the best player in the NBA, but the Nuggets are missing a bit of kick to their offense with Jamal Murray out.
8
New York Knicks
The Knicks are actually looking like one of the best teams in the NBA. Jalen Brunson has been an absolute star for New York this season, shooting 47 percent from 3-point range while averaging a shade under 25 points per game. If the Knicks could get Julius Randle to cooperate on offense, New York would be elite.
9
Orlando Magic
The Magic have been quite the pleasant surprise so far this season. This team boasts the NBA’s best defense and the combination of Paolo Banchero along with Franz Wagner has been just enough to get them by. All that length is going to be a problem for teams defensively. It does feel like the offense will catch up at some point. Orlando is a trade or two away from being a serious threat for the playoffs.
10
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have struggled a bit in the last four games with losses to Milwaukee, New Orleans and Sacramento. But still, there’s a lot to look forward to with this team. Luka Doncic looks like an MVP candidate again, Dereck Lively II is the perfect big man to pair with him and Kyrie Irving is starting to shoot it better. This team hasn’t scratched its surface yet.
11
Miami Heat
I would call the Miami Heat surprising, but this team went to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Nothing surprises me about Miami anymore. Bam Adebayo looks like the Heat’s best player for the first time this season and Miami has ridden his wave to an 8-5 record so far.
12
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have been the most fun show in basketball and it’s all because of Tyrese Haliburton, who has emerged as maybe the NBA’s best point guard. The defense is a huge question for Indy — it’s why the Pacers couldn’t hang in a 128-116 loss to Orlando. But this team will always put up enough points to give themselves a chance.
13
Los Angeles Lakers
Somehow, at 39 years old, LeBron James still looks like an MVP candidate. He’s very clearly the Lakers’ best player still and the main reason why the team is off to an 8-6 start so far this season. It’s worth asking whether LA can keep this pace and remain healthy, but the bottom line is the Lakers are doing it right now and deserve all the credit for it.
14
Phoenix Suns
There’s an elite team somewhere in there for the Suns. Phoenix just hasn’t been able to stay healthy enough to find it. Between Bradley Beal missing games because of his back injury and Devin Booker missing some time, too, we haven’t gotten the complete picture here. Phoenix is still holding steady behind Kevin Durant’s incredible play.
15
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked to be in trouble early on in the season but things have turned around. Darius Garland is starting to find his stride again shooting the ball and the Cavaliers’ offense has gotten back on track in the last few games. Cleveland won three of five games in a pretty tough stretch. That’s all you can ask for.
16
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are definitely the surprise team of the season so far. There’s no way I expected this team to be this competitive at 6-5 this early. The shooting has cooled down a bit for Houston and the Rockets have lost a couple games in a row, but this is still a very good and competitive team.
17
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors’ season went from bliss to nightmare fuel. Not only has this team lost six straight games — including two losses a piece to both the Timberwolves and Thunder — but it’s also lost its best defensive player in Draymond Green because of his silly antics. Meanwhile, Steph Curry is still in his prime at 35 years old. The Dubs have some prioritizing to do.
18
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks have lost two straight against the 76ers and Knicks. It’s hard to believe in Atlanta as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference with the team not being able to beat top competition so far. But Trae Young hasn’t quite found his shooting stroke just yet, so there’s still hope.
19
New Orleans Pelicans
After a steep slide during a five-game losing streak, New Orleans looks good again. In the Pelicans’ last three games, they’ve beaten the Mavericks, the Nuggets and had a close call with the Timberwolves. This team is starting to round into form. The West just keeps getting tougher.
20
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers just got the first win of the James Harden era in L.A. on a spectacular game-winning step-back 3-pointer from The Beard. He looked like himself for once. With a 1-6 record since the Harden trade, it’s hard to rank the Clippers any higher than this. But at least it seems like things may be getting back on track soon.
21
Toronto Raptors
On some nights the Raptors look like a legitimate playoff team. On other nights, it feels like it’s time for the front office to blow things up and completely hand the reigns over to Scottie Barnes, who looks like an All-Star so far this year. That latter option doesn’t seem so bad. Toronto just needs to pick a direction.
22
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are a solid team that’s going to be in that playoff/play-in mix toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference if it’s healthy. The Nets just need to get healthy. Both Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons are out with injuries at the moment. When they return, this team will look much better.
23
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls’ season feels like it’s already over. Rumors are flying around constantly about trading Zach LaVine. If this team can’t turn it around by the turn of the calendar it’s probably time to tear things down to the studs.
24
Utah Jazz
The Jazz might be the most Jekyll and Hyde team in the NBA. One night, Utah will compete hard against the Suns and lose a one-possession game. On other nights, the Jazz will lose by 30 points. It’s a mixed bag with this team.
25
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are still floundering at 3-10 until Ja Morant gets back. Memphis has had some close calls here and there and have generally played better than when the season started, but this just isn’t a very good team.
26
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets team just isn’t very good. LaMelo Ball has been pretty awesome this year, but he hasn’t been able to make up for the deficiencies that cover the rest of the roster. It’ll probably be another lost season in Charlotte.
27
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have been experimenting a ton around Victor Wembanyama. While the rookie has been very good and has figured some things out, it hasn’t necessarily been the greatest of basketball. It’s part of the reason why San Antonio has lost eight straight games.
28
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers season isn’t about wins and losses — it’s about development. The Blazers have seen some great signs from Shaedon Sharpe and found what might be a key piece in Skylar Mays. The team just needs Scoot Henderson healthy again.
29
Washington Wizards
We knew the Wizards didn’t have anything to play for, but sheesh. It feels like every night Washington is either allowing a team to build a 20-point lead or its blowing a 20-point lead like it did against the Raptors.
30
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have to be considered the most disappointing team in the NBA at this point. Detroit has lost 11 straight games since starting the season 2-1. What looked like it could’ve been a promising season seems to be going right back to the top of the lottery.
