The 2025-26 NBA season is officially underway, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable campaigns in recent memory. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have wasted no time reminding everyone why they’re the team to beat, storming out to a perfect 4-0 start behind a young, balanced roster with a bright future, relentless effort on both ends of the floor, and a pair of close wins followed by a pair of strong road victories. Following the Pacers’ stunning run that almost earned them their first championship the East, the Cavaliers and Knicks have now entered as co-favorites to claim the conference crown, each boasting more depth, plenty of star power, and unfinished business after last year’s playoff heartbreaks. Meanwhile, several dark horses like the Nuggets, Warriors, Pistons, Lakers, and even the surging Spurs with the incredible Victor Wembanyama are making early noise, suggesting that the title race might be more crowded than expected. Beyond the contenders, a new wave of previously overlooked teams is starting to rise, eager to shed the “bottom-feeder” label and prove they’re ready to compete in their respective divisions. With all of that in mind, here is my first official set of power rankings after a week of action:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0)

Last Week’s Record: 4-0

Wins: vs. Rockets, @ Pacers, @ Hawks, @ Mavericks

Losses: None

This Week: vs. Kings (10/28), vs. Wizards (10/30), vs. Pelicans (11/2)

2. San Antonio Spurs (4-0)

Last Week’s Record: 4-0

Wins: @ Mavericks, @ Pelicans, vs. Nets, vs. Raptors

Losses: None

This Week: vs. Heat (10/30), @ Suns (11/2)

3. New York Knicks (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Cavaliers, vs. Celtics

Losses: @ Heat

This Week: @ Bucks (10/28), @ Bulls (10/31), vs. Bulls (11/2), vs. Wizards (11/3)

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-1)

Last Week’s Record: 3-1

Wins: @ Nets, vs. Bucks, @ Pistons

Losses: @ Knicks

This Week: @ Celtics (10/29), vs. Raptors (10/31), vs. Hawks (11/2)

5. Denver Nuggets (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Suns, @ Timberwolves

Losses: @ Warriors

This Week: vs. Pelicans (10/29), @ Trail Blazers (10/31), vs. Kings (11/3)

6. Golden State Warriors (3-1)

Last Week’s Record: 3-1

Wins: @ Lakers, vs. Nuggets, vs. Grizzlies

Losses: @ Trail Blazers

This Week: vs. Clippers (10/28), @ Bucks (10/30), @ Pacers (11/1)

7. Detroit Pistons (2-2)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2

Wins: @ Rockets, vs. Celtics

Losses: @ Bulls, vs. Cavaliers

This Week: vs. Magic (10/29), vs. Mavericks (11/1, in Mexico City, MEX), @ Grizzlies (11/3)

8. Houston Rockets (1-2)

Last Week’s Record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Nets

Losses: @ Thunder, vs. Pistons

This Week: @ Raptors (10/29), @ Celtics (11/1), vs. Mavericks (11/3)

9. Los Angeles Clippers (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Suns, vs. Trail Blazers

Losses: @ Jazz

This Week: @ Warriors (10/28), vs. Pelicans (10/31), vs. Heat (11/3)

10. Los Angeles Lakers (2-2)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2

Wins: vs. Timberwolves, @ Kings

Losses: vs. Warriors, vs. Trail Blazers

This Week: @ Timberwolves (10/29), @ Grizzlies (10/31), vs. Heat (11/2), @ Trail Blazers (11/3)

11. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2

Wins: @ Trail Blazers, vs. Pacers

Losses: @ Lakers, vs. Nuggets

This Week: vs. Lakers (10/29), @ Hornets (11/1), @ Nets (11/3)

12. Philadelphia 76ers (3-0)

Last Week’s Record: 3-0

Wins: @ Celtics, vs. Hornets, vs. Magic

Losses: None

This Week: @ Wizards (10/28), vs. Celtics (10/31), @ Nets (11/3)

13. Chicago Bulls (3-0)

Last Week’s Record: 3-0

Wins: vs. Pistons, @ Magic, vs. Hawks

Losses: None

This Week: vs. Kings (10/29), vs. Knicks (10/31), @ Knicks (11/2)

14. Miami Heat (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: @ Grizzlies, vs. Knicks

Losses: @ Magic

This Week: vs. Hornets (10/28), @ Spurs (10/30), @ Lakers (11/2), @ Clippers (11/3)

15. Milwaukee Bucks (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Wizards, @ Raptors

Losses: @ Cavaliers

This Week: vs. Knicks (10/28), vs. Warriors (10/30), vs. Kings (11/1) @ Pacers (11/3)

16. Atlanta Hawks (1-3)

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Wins: @ Magic

Losses: vs. Raptors, vs. Thunder, @ Bulls

This Week: @ Nets (10/29), @ Pacers (10/31), @ Cavaliers (11/2)

17. Orlando Magic (1-3)

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Heat

Losses: vs. Hawks, vs. Bulls, @ 76ers

This Week: @ Pistons (10/29), @ Hornets (10/30), @ Wizards (11/1)

18. Boston Celtics (1-3)

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Wins: @ Pelicans

Losses: vs. 76ers, @ Knicks, @ Pistons

This Week: vs. Cavaliers (10/29), @ 76ers (10/31), vs. Rockets (11/1), vs. Jazz (11/3)

19. Charlotte Hornets (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Nets, @ Wizards

Losses: @ 76ers

This Week: @ Heat (10/28), vs. Magic (10/30), vs. Timberwolves (11/1), vs. Jazz (11/2)

20. Portland Trail Blazers (2-2)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2

Wins: vs. Warriors, @ Lakers

Losses: vs. Timberwolves, @ Clippers

This Week: @ Jazz (10/29), vs. Nuggets (10/31), vs. Lakers (11/3)

21. Memphis Grizzlies (2-2)

Last Week’s Record: 2-2

Wins: vs. Pelicans, vs. Pacers

Losses: vs. Heat, @ Warriors

This Week: @ Suns (10/29), vs. Lakers (10/31), @ Raptors (11/2), vs. Pistons (11/3)

22. Dallas Mavericks (1-3)

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Raptors

Losses: vs. Spurs, vs. Wizards, vs. Thunder

This Week: vs. Pacers (10/29), vs. Pistons (11/1, in Mexico City, MEX), @ Rockets (11/3)

23. Sacramento Kings (1-2)

Last Week’s Record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Jazz

Losses: @ Suns, vs. Lakers

This Week: @ Thunder (10/28), @ Bulls (10/29), @ Bucks (11/1), @ Nuggets (11/3)

24. Utah Jazz (2-1)

Last Week’s Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Clippers, vs. Suns

Losses: @ Kings

This Week: vs. Trail Blazers (10/29), @ Suns (10/31), @ Hornets (11/2), @ Celtics (11/3)

25. Indiana Pacers (0-3)

Last Week’s Record: 0-3

Wins: None

Losses: vs. Thunder, @ Grizzlies, @ Timberwolves

This Week: @ Mavericks (10/29), vs. Hawks (10/31), vs. Warriors (11/1), vs. Bucks (11/3)

26. Toronto Raptors (1-3)

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Wins: @ Hawks

Losses: vs. Bucks, @ Mavericks, @ Spurs

This Week: vs. Rockets (10/29), @ Cavaliers (10/31), vs. Grizzlies (11/2)

27. Washington Wizards (1-2)

Last Week’s Record: 1-2

Wins: @ Mavericks

Losses: @ Bucks, vs. Hornets

This Week: vs. 76ers (10/28), @ Thunder (10/30), vs. Magic (11/1), @ Knicks (11/3)

28. Phoenix Suns (1-3)

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Kings

Losses: @ Clippers, @ Nuggets, @ Jazz

This Week: vs. Grizzlies (10/29), vs. Jazz (10/31), vs. Spurs (11/2)

29. New Orleans Pelicans (0-3)

Last Week’s Record: 0-3

Wins: None

Losses: @ Grizzlies, vs. Spurs, vs. Celtics

This Week: @ Nuggets (10/29), @ Clippers (10/31), @ Thunder (11/2)

30. Brooklyn Nets (0-4)

Last Week’s Record: 0-4

Wins: None

Losses: @ Hornets, vs. Cavaliers, @ Spurs, @ Rockets

This Week: vs. Hawks (10/29), vs. 76ers (11/2), vs. Timberwolves (11/3)