Can we just quit it with all the injuries? Two weeks into the 2026-27 NBA season, we have already seen too many All-Star-level talents go down with serious injuries that are directly affecting the league's championship hierarchy and the latest power rankings. Just look at what has happened to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Entering the new season, the Thunder looked like the team to beat. Now, they are a shell of the championship contenders we expected to see, as Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are likely out for the year with a fractured leg and torn labrum, respectively, and now Chet Holmgren is out until either late December or early January after undergoing a biological treatment in his injured knee.
That is three starters down indefinitely for the Thunder in a matter of just a few games, leaving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out there by himself to figure things out quickly.
Anthony Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Duren, Paolo Banchero, Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are more stars who are currently dealing with injuries and have or will miss chunks of time moving forward.
Every year, injuries influence and shape what happens in the NBA, but we've never seen them fly in at the start of the year at such a high rate like this. While unfortunate, it is part of the game, and you need a little bit of luck to go on a run and become the team everyone is hunting.
While many teams are sorting through injuries and looking for answers, others are seizing opportunities and climbing the latest NBA power rankings.
Over in the Western Conference, Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets have looked like a juggernaut on offense with their team back at full strength. Will this success continue? Then in the Eastern Conference, a pair of contenders are emerging: the Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers.
Cade Cunningham has been leading his team to new heights without Duren on the court, and the All-Star lineup of the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James, has only been taken down once all year. Are the 76ers proving that they are the best team in the NBA with the most firepower?
These three teams have moved up into the top-three spots in the latest NBA power rankings, but only one of them can truly be No. 1:
Previous 2026-27 NBA Power Rankings: Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason
1. Houston Rockets (+4)
2026-27 Record: 6-1 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. ATL (W10), at MIL (W32), at DAL (L5), vs. OKC (W21)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. BOS (11/2), vs. MIN (11/4), at PHX (11/7)
You could make the case for several different teams to take over the No. 1 spot in the NBA power rankings after two weeks, but a lot stands out about this Rockets team. Aside from Durant doing his thing at a high level in Year 20, the Rockets as a whole have taken a major step forward offensively.
Last season, this team looked lost at times on offense and couldn't initiate offense outside of Durant. Along with Fred VanVleet being on the court to solve a lot of Houston's problems as a lead guard, Reed Sheppard has taken a noticeable step forward, and there is definitely more confidence being shown by Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.
After ranking 21st in assists and 18th in scoring all of last season, the Rockets rank fifth in assists and fourth in scoring through the first seven games of the 2026-27 season. This past week, Houston's three wins came by a combined 63 points, making their +12.4 average scoring differential the second highest in the NBA behind only the undefeated Memphis Grizzlies.
2. Detroit Pistons (+1)
2026-27 Record: 5-1 | Last Week's Schedule: at NYK (L14), vs. CHA (W8), at BKN (W16)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at CHA (11/2), vs. PHI (11/4), vs. LAL (11/8)
Another team definitely deserving of possibly being No. 1 in the power rankings but finding themselves ranked No. 2 is the Detroit Pistons. The only blemish on this team's resume so far was a loss on the road against the defending champion New York Knicks, who picked up their first win of the season in the process and desperately needed that game.
Other than that, Cade Cunningham's group has been dominating teams in three areas: 3-point shooting, rebounding, and defensive intensity.
The Pistons are shooting 36.3 percent from 3-point range this season, the ninth-best rating in the league, with Duncan Robinson ranking fifth in the league with 22 made threes. This team ranks eighth in rebounding despite Jalen Duren missing the last four games with a hamstring injury, and the Pistons rank first in defensive rating and opponent's average scoring.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (+1)
2026-27 Record: 6-1 | Last Week's Schedule: at IND (W5), vs. NYK (W5), at CHA (W5)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (11/2), at DET (11/4), at CLE (11/6), at CHI (11/8)
Are you ready to buy stock in the Philadelphia 76ers and their star-studded lineup yet? There were so many questions about what this group would look like entering the 2026-27 season, and the Sixers have answered all of the concerns surrounding them.
We know what all of these All-Stars are capable of doing on offense, but what has stood out so far about Philadelphia is their defense. Nick Nurse's group has allowed 100 points or fewer to three different teams so far, and this team is allowing an average of just 104.9 points per game, the second fewest in the league behind only Detroit.
The 76ers have taken down the defending champions twice in the span of two weeks to begin the new season, and the catalyst behind the team's success has been Tyrese Maxey. He has been the No. 1 option with LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown alongside him, leading the Sixers in scoring in six of their seven games.
Also, it seems like five is the 76ers' favorite number, as they won each of their three games this past week by exactly five points each night. Will that streak continue on Monday against Chicago?
4. San Antonio Spurs (+3)
2026-27 Record: 4-2 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. SAC (W27), at UTA (W6/OT), vs. MIN (W10)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. UTA (11/2), vs. DAL (11/4), at SAC (11/6), at POR (11/7)
Victor Wembanyama was not about to let the San Antonio Spurs be below .500 for too long. Following a 0-2 start to the season, the Spurs have rattled off four straight wins and look like the team they were several months ago en route to the 2025 NBA Finals.
Over their last four games, the Spurs have averaged 122.5 points per game, led by Wembanyama, who has averaged 32.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game during this win streak. Wemby says he is aiming for the MVP award, and these are definitely MVP-like numbers.
One of the more underappreciated players on this roster has been Julian Champagnie, who has shot 16-of-31, or 51.6 percent, from 3-point range in this span. He is shooting 47.6 percent from 3-point range on the season and proving to be one of the most impactful forwards off the bench in the entire NBA.
5. Boston Celtics (+6)
2026-27 Record: 5-1 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (W35), vs. BKN (W1/OT), vs. CHI (W14), at ORL (W11)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at HOU (11/2), vs. MIL (11/4), at CHA (11/6), at MIL (11/8)
Two matchups against a lost Chicago Bulls team, a game against the Brooklyn Nets, and a game against an injury-riddled Orlando Magic team led to a perfect 4-0 week for the Boston Celtics. However, Jayson Tatum and Co. barely got past the Nets in TD Garden, as they needed an extra five minutes to escape with the win.
The Celtics are once again analytic darlings this year, as they join the Grizzlies as the only teams to rank inside the top six in both offensive and defensive rating so far. However, their competition hasn't been all that great so far, as the teams they've beaten have a combined six wins, with three of them, including the Knicks, ranking in the bottom five of the East right now, standings-wise.
Tatum has put this team on his back lately, averaging 31.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game during Boston's five-game win streak. On the road in Houston this upcoming week will be the first big test for the Celtics this year.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (+11)
2026-27 Record: 6-0 | Last Week's Schedule: at UTA (W5), at POR (W21), vs. SAC (W31)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. NOP (11/2), vs. IND (11/4), vs. OKC (11/6)
If you hate the Memphis Grizzlies this year and can't stand them being 6-0, then you hate basketball. This team has been absolutely awesome, and they are must-see on NBA League Pass. A 6-0 record to begin the 2026-27 NBA season is tied for the Grizzlies' best start in franchise history, which is why this team is flying up the power rankings.
Ty Jerome looks like an All-Star. Cam Boozer is right at the top of the rookie rankings. Cedric Coward is emerging as one of the best perimeter shooters in the NBA. And the list goes on and on for what we all thought was going to be a rebuilding team this year.
Maybe that will still be true, and the Grizzlies will come back down to earth since they've enjoyed a not-so-challenging schedule to this point, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that they've been the best two-way team so far through two weeks. Not to mention, the way the Grizzlies picked up two road wins over Golden State and Portland was impressive.
This team has plenty of depth, they have a clear leader at 19 years old in Boozer, and they're only going to improve as the season goes along. As crazy as it sounds, the toughest team on Memphis' schedule this week is New Orleans, and if this team gets past them, the Grizzlies could actually begin the year with a 9-0 record.
7. New York Knicks (+1)
2026-27 Record: 2-4 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. DET (W14), at CHI (W6), at PHI (L5)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. BKN (11/2), vs. CHI (11/4), at CLE (11/7)
At some point, the defending champions were going to turn things around. Jalen Brunson and his group definitely took a step in the right direction this past week by claiming their first win of the season at home over the Pistons, followed by a tough, hard-fought road battle against the Chicago Bulls.
It will be interesting to watch the Knicks moving forward, not just because they are defending champions, but simply because they will get every team's best every single night as the defending champions. Every team around the NBA wants to beat the Knicks, which adds a new level of pressure to this team that we have yet to see them really respond to.
To this point, the Knicks' biggest concern has been their offense. Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby are the only players on the team averaging double-digit scoring numbers, as Mikal Bridges continues to shoot just 33.3 percent from the field and below 30 percent from 3-point range. The Knicks as a team are averaging 107.0 points per game, the fourth-worst in the NBA.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (+2)
2026-27 Record: 4-2 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MIN (W2/OT), vs. WAS (W10), at ATL (L3), at MIL (W25)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. OKC (11/2), at OKC (11/4), vs. PHI (11/6), vs. NYK (11/7)
As long as the Cleveland Cavaliers keep playing through their big-man advantage in the paint, they will be tough to stop. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are averaging a combined 35.0 points and 17.4 rebounds per game while shooting 61.2 percent from the floor.
As a result, Cleveland has been able to control the glass and set the tempo of play running in transition.
The key for the Cavs continuing to improve will be finding ways to diversify their offense. We all know what Donovan Mitchell and James Harden can do, but will anyone else step up? Keep an eye on rookie guard Meleek Thomas, who has scored at least 10 points in each of his first three career games.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (-8)
2026-27 Record: 4-2 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. PHX (W11), at DAL (L24), at HOU (L21)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at CLE (11/2), vs. CLE (11/4), at MEM (11/6), vs. WAS (11/7)
This season has been a disaster for the Thunder. Williams broke his leg, Wallace tore his shoulder, Holmgren's knee is a mess, and Alex Caruso is still sidelined with an ankle injury.
Although Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Isaiah Hartenstein are all very capable of playing their roles next to Gilgeous-Alexander, this team's depth has taken a massive hit, and the Thunder simply lack overall offensive production outside of their two-time MVP.
In their back-to-back losses to Dallas and Houston, the Thunder scored 96 and 98 points, respectively, shooting a combined 73-of-172 from the floor, 42.4 percent. With the way teams are scoring nowadays, the Thunder won't be able to rely on a slow pace and low-scoring games.
Something will need to change quickly for this group. Otherwise, they will sink in the power rankings and no longer be NBA Finals contenders. Honestly, that ship may have already sailed once Williams and Wallace got hurt.
10. Denver Nuggets (-1)
2026-27 Record: 3-2 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. GSW (L20), at NOP (W13), at PHX (W7)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. POR (11/2), vs. TOR (11/4), vs. IND (11/7)*
*Game being played in Mexico City.
This has been a very lackluster start to the season for the Denver Nuggets. None of their wins are very impressive, and if it weren't for narrowly escaping the New Orleans Pelicans in overtime during the first week of the season, this team would be 2-3 and below .500 right now.
While the Nuggets have won two straight games for the first time this season, a 20-point loss at home to a Golden State Warriors team that had not won a game to that point was a major slap in the face to this team. The only bright spot for the Nuggets, besides Nikola Jokic's continued dominance, is rookie Trevon Brazile.
Denver may have found something in this second-round pick, as he is averaging 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from 3-point range. With Spencer Jones and Cam Johnson out due to injury, Brazile has stepped up to make the most of his opportunities.
11. Portland Trail Blazers (+5)
2026-27 Record: 4-1 | Last Week's Schedule: at LAL (W7), vs. MEM (L21), at UTA (W22)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at DEN (11/2), at PHX (11/4), at LAL (11/6), vs. SAS (11/7)
The only loss the Portland Trail Blazers have so far is to the undefeated Memphis Grizzlies. Other than that game, Portland has dominated every matchup on both ends of the floor. Not only are the Blazers attacking the paint and getting to the free-throw line at a high rate, but they're spreading the ball around and also making the most of their opportunities from the perimeter.
Whether it's Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, or someone else with the ball, the Blazers have answered the question of how they will spread the wealth and get everyone involved. We will truly get to see what this team is made of this upcoming week with matchups against Denver, Los Angeles, and San Antonio.
Unfortunately, they will be without Morant for these games, as he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will miss several weeks.
12. Los Angeles Lakers (-6)
2026-27 Record: 5-2 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. POR (L7), at LAC (W16), at GSW (L17), vs. TOR (W6)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. MIA (11/2), at SAC (11/4), vs. POR (11/6), at DET (11/8)
Luka Doncic looks like a one-man team right now. This past week, Doncic averaged 41.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in the three games he played, recording 45 points and 15 rebounds in a 131-125 win over the Raptors on Sunday.
As good as Luka has been, the Lakers have been a tale of two teams.
In the first half of games, the Lakers are averaging 64.6 points while shooting 53.5 percent from the floor, both of which rank first in the league. However, in the second half of games, this team averages just 55.7 points while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. Los Angeles goes from first in scoring during the first half to 19th in scoring during the second half of games, which has directly led to their two losses.
Right now, this team's identity is solely based around Doncic and how far he's able to carry them.
13. Dallas Mavericks (+5)
2026-27 Record: 4-2 | Last Week's Schedule: at MIA (W4), vs. OKC (W24), vs. HOU (W5)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. SAC (11/2), at SAS (11/4), vs. UTA (11/6), vs. BKN (11/8)
All three of the Dallas Mavericks' wins this past week were notable for different reasons. This group showed resilience in a tight battle with Miami, they controlled all 48 minutes against the depleted Thunder, and the Mavs were able to close things out in the fourth quarter against Houston.
Cooper Flagg has been awesome for the Mavs and is well on his way to his first All-Star appearance this season as long as he stays healthy. The reigning Rookie of the Year is averaging 26.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the floor through five games.
Dallas is a very balanced team on both ends of the court, but what stands out is how efficient they have been on offense. Through six games, the Mavs rank third in field goal percentage (49.5 percent) and have been pushing the pace, ranking fifth in fast break points.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (-12)
2026-27 Record: 4-3 | Last Week's Schedule: at CLE (L2/OT), vs. GSW (L5), vs. LAC (W26), at SAS (L10)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. MIL (11/2), at HOU (11/4), at NOP (11/6), vs. UTA (11/8)
Without Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves may be in trouble. Outside of a 26-point win over an LA Clippers team that simply isn't good, the Wolves have struggled closing out games and finding consistent production on offense.
Ayo Dosunmu is the best bet in Minnesota to replace Edwards' scoring production, but the problem is others need to step up as well next to Jaden McDaniels and LaMelo Ball. Jonathan Kuminga isn't reliable, Rudy Gobert has been abysmal on offense, and the Timberwolves' bench as a whole is severely lacking firepower now that Dosunmu is starting.
The Timberwolves are paying Gobert $36.5 million this season, and he has 42 total points as a 7'1″ center through six games. Although he is not known for scoring, Gobert has to be better, especially with Edwards out for at least two months.
15. Toronto Raptors (-3)
2026-27 Record: 3-3 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. ORL (W30), vs. ORL (L7), at LAL (L6)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at LAC (11/2), at DEN (11/4), at MIL (11/6)
While the Toronto Raptors have dropped two straight games with Kawhi Leonard sidelined, there isn't as much concern about this team moving forward compared to the likes of the Timberwolves without Edwards. The main reason for this is that the Raptors still have Scottie Barnes, they still have RJ Barrett, and this is a defensive-minded team that simply struggled the last two games.
Before losing to Orlando and Los Angeles, the Raptors were only giving up an average of 102.5 points per game. Two of Toronto's next three games are against bottom-tier teams in the NBA power rankings, with a game against a struggling Denver team mixed in between.
Expect the Raptors to respond in a big way and continue forging their identity on offense without Kawhi through Barnes and Barrett.
16. Miami Heat (+4)
2026-27 Record: 2-4 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. DAL (L4), at ATL (W12), vs. IND (W20)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at LAL (11/2), at LAC (11/4), at GSW (11/5), at SAC (11/8)
Just because the Heat have claimed their first two wins of the season following their 0-4 start to the season doesn't mean it's time to fully believe in this team again. Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, finding consistent offensive production has been a struggle for the Heat. Not to mention, their two wins came from anomalies.
The bench scored 50 points against Atlanta on Wednesday, and Klay Thompson turned back the clock with 25 points against Indiana on Friday. Don't expect either of these to become reliable trends moving forward.
This is all fantasy. The reality of Miami's situation is that they rank 26th in opponent's scoring (121.5 OPPG), 29th in opponent's 3-point percentage (40.5), and 26th in defensive rating (117.2). Until this team improves defensively, it's hard to view them as a threat.
17. Golden State Warriors (+9)
2026-27 Record: 4-3 | Last Week's Schedule: at DEN (W20), at MIN (W5), vs. LAL (W17), vs. LAC (W12)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. PHX (11/2), vs. MIA (11/5), vs. ORL (11/7)
One week after it seemed like the Golden State Warriors were entering DEFCON 1, this team has suddenly rattled off four straight wins and looks completely different.
That is because rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has become the clear-cut No. 2 option alongside Stephen Curry and is emerging as the favorite in the Rookie of the Year race. Lendeborg is not only averaging 22.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, but his energy and fiery mentality are something that is resonating with everyone around him.
Not to mention, Lendeborg isn't afraid to hold himself accountable or speak his mind about others around the league, *cough* Luka Doncic *cough*.
As long as Lendeborg continues to play at this insanely high level, the Warriors could keep things afloat and be in the playoff picture by the time Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody come back. Maybe… just maybe Lendeborg has single-handedly saved the Warriors' season and immediate future.
18. Atlanta Hawks (-5)
2026-27 Record: 3-4 | Last Week's Schedule: at HOU (L10), vs. MIA (L12), vs. CLE (W3), at NOP (L22)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at IND (11/2), at WAS (11/4), vs. WAS (11/6), vs. BKN (11/7)
As good as the Atlanta Hawks can be on offense at times, the biggest concern for this team is their ability to protect the paint. The Hawks are averaging the second-fewest blocks per game so far this season, in front of only the Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta is allowing an average of 53.7 points per game to their opponents in the paint.
That is the fourth-worst average in the league so far, and it's a main reason why the Hawks have lost four of their last five games. If it weren't for some clutch shots from Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks would find themselves on a four-game losing streak right now because of their defensive lapses.
It will be interesting to see how the Hawks look to solve their big-man problems.
19. Washington Wizards (+2)
2026-27 Record: 3-3 | Last Week's Schedule: at CHA (L7), at CLE (L10), vs. CHA (W16)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at ORL (11/2), vs. ATL (11/4), at ATL (11/6), at OKC (11/7)
AJ Dybantsa made his debut for the Washington Wizards this past week, and he forms a formidable trio alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Although the Wizards are one of the worst shooting teams in the league, ranking 29th in 3-point percentage (29.3), this team has been able to find just enough production from these three to get past some teams.
What makes Washington an interesting team to watch in the East playoff picture as the season goes on is their length and athleticism.
Outside of Young, virtually everyone else on this team is 6'5″ or taller, creating tough tasks for opposing teams to try and constantly move the ball without it being deflected. So far, the Wizards rank 10th in defensive rating and will need to continue forging their identity on this end of the floor.
20. Orlando Magic (-5)
2026-27 Record: 2-4 | Last Week's Schedule: at TOR (L30), at TOR (W7), vs. BOS (L11)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. WAS (11/2), at PHX (11/5), at GSW (11/7)
Different year, different coach, same Orlando Magic. A lot of this has to do with Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs being out due to injury, but that is exactly the reason that the Magic are the same — they simply cannot stay healthy.
Rival teams and executives are watching the Magic closely this season, as many around the NBA believe major changes are on the horizon for this roster. Anthony Black is set to become a restricted free agent, and the Magic are set to pay Banchero, Suggs, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane a combined $161 million during the 2027-28 season.
Outside of looking ahead, the Magic simply aren't a good offensive team without Banchero. Through six games, Orlando ranks 22nd in offensive rating and 26th in scoring.
21. Charlotte Hornets (-2)
2026-27 Record: 3-4 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. WAS (W7), at DET (L8), at WAS (L16), vs. PHI (L5)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. DET (11/2), at BKN (11/4), vs. BOS (11/6)
Although they find themselves in the bottom 10 of these NBA power rankings, the Charlotte Hornets are not that bad of a team and will be on the rise soon. In fact, the Hornets have been a tough team to face defensively, ranking 12th in defensive rating and allowing just 106.4 points per game to their opponents, the fourth-best average in the league.
Offensively, the Hornets have really struggled outside of Brandon Miller, but that's because Kon Knueppel and Coby White have been out to begin the year with injuries. The good news for Charlotte is that White is making his debut on Monday against Detroit, and there is hope Knueppel could be back near the end of the week.
Things could turn around in Charlotte quickly as a result.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (+3)
2026-27 Record: 2-4 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. DEN (L13), vs. SAC (W12), vs. ATL (W22)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at MEM (11/2), vs. UTA (11/4), vs. MIN (11/6), at LAC (11/8)
On offense, the New Orleans Pelicans have a handful of weapons that they can turn to on any given possession. The problem is that they never know really who to turn to, and it's truly hit-or-miss with a majority of their secondary talents.
Article Continues BelowIt simply seems inevitable that the Pelicans will make a move at some point, especially since it's clear the front office wants to have the ball in the hands of Jeremiah Fears as much as possible.
In the Pelicans' back-to-back wins over Sacramento and Atlanta, Fears combined to average 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 10.0 assists per game while shooting 64.3 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent from 3-point range. His breakout second season makes Dejounte Murray very expendable on the trade market.
23. Indiana Pacers (-9)
2026-27 Record: 2-5 | Last Week's Schedule: at MIL (L8), vs. PHI (L5), at MIA (L20), vs. BKN (L8)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. ATL (11/2), at MEM (11/4), vs. DEN (11/7)*
*Game being played in Mexico City.
When the season started, the Indiana Pacers looked like a real threat in the Eastern Conference. Tyrese Haliburton was doing his thing back at the point guard position, and Ivica Zubac finally gave this team what they've needed in a true center.
Well, Haliburton and Zubac are now injured, and without them, the Pacers have dropped four straight games. As much as we like to talk about the Pacers' depth, they are truly weak at the point guard and center positions, especially in the backcourt with TJ McConnell sidelined.
Until Haliburton and Zubac return from their injuries, it's hard to imagine the Pacers being able to drastically turn things around. They will be a .500 team at best without their two starters.
24. Phoenix Suns (-2)
2026-27 Record: 1-3 | Last Week's Schedule: at OKC (L11), vs. DEN (L7)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at GSW (11/2), vs. POR (11/4), vs. ORL (11/5), vs. HOU (11/7)
One of the most disappointing teams through the first two weeks of the 2026-27 season has been the Phoenix Suns.
Last season, the Suns ranked 10th in defensive rating and made the playoffs because of the improvements they made on that end of the floor. So far this year, Phoenix is giving up an average of 124.5 points per game, the fourth-most in the league, and this team ranks dead last in defensive rating.
Obviously, not having Mark Williams as a rim protector down low hurts, but this is simply an effort thing. The Suns have looked slow and disinterested to begin the year, which is a major concern for what they can be moving forward.
25. LA Clippers (-1)
2026-27 Record: 1-5 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. LAL (L16), at MIN (L26), at GSW (L12)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. TOR (11/2), vs. MIA (11/4), vs. NOP (11/8)
The only good thing that can be said about the LA Clippers so far this season is that Keaton Wagler is showing flashes of what he can bring to the table moving forward.
Through the first two weeks of his career, Wagler has averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. The only problem is that he's shooting 28.1 percent from the floor and 31.3 percent from 3-point range.
As a whole, the Clippers are a team others are circling on their calendar as a free win since they don't have any offensive firepower outside of Darius Garland's occasional 20-plus-point performances. Brandon Ingram and Max Strus were recently assigned to the G League for rehab assignments, so maybe reinforcements will be back sooner rather than later for this struggling team.
26. Utah Jazz (-3)
2026-27 Record: 1-5 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MEM (L5), vs. SAS (L6/OT), vs. POR (L22)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at SAS (11/2), at NOP (11/4), at DAL (11/6), at MIN (11/8)
The Utah Jazz are probably kicking themselves for not paying Walker Kessler this offseason. Not only is Utah stuck watching Kessler thrive in Los Angeles, but now the Jazz are dealing with major frontcourt problems since Jusuf Nurkic and Jaren Jackson Jr. are both out indefinitely with injuries.
As a result, the Jazz have no frontcourt presence, and they rank 24th in defensive rating. Teams are also simply having their way attacking Utah's two lead guards in Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson off the dribble. If the Jazz lose on Monday in San Antonio, their 1-6 start would be the worst under head coach Will Hardy.
27. Chicago Bulls (-)
2026-27 Record: 1-5 | Last Week's Schedule: at BOS (L35), vs. NYK (L6), at BOS (L14)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at PHI (11/2), at NYK (11/4), vs. PHI (11/8)
The Chicago Bulls' only win this season came against a Milwaukee Bucks team that is virtually just as bad as they are.
This season, the Bulls are allowing opposing teams to score an average of 129.3 points per game against them, the most in the league. That is an embarrassingly large number of points to allow, and what makes it worse is that the Bulls are surrendering an average of 31.5 free-throw attempts per game.
Close to 20 percent of their opponent's total points this season have come from the free-throw line, which has tied into Chicago's defense being one of the worst in the league. The best way to describe the Bulls' defensive effort is like the swinging doors at an old-fashioned Western saloon.
Sometimes people blow right through the doors with no problem, and other times, the doors swing and hit them. Teams are either going right past the Bulls' defenders or being hit by them constantly while driving down the lane, resulting in easy fouls and free throws.
28. Brooklyn Nets (-)
2026-27 Record: 1-5 | Last Week's Schedule: at BOS (L1/OT), vs. DET (L16), at IND (W8)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at NYK (11/2), vs. CHA (11/4), at ATL (11/7), at DAL (11/8)
To be perfectly honest, the Brooklyn Nets' 1-5 record doesn't accurately reflect how they've started the year.
The Nets couldn't stop the Hornets late in their opening game of the season, and then they gave the Cavs everything they had, coming up just short by four points on the road. This past week, the Nets almost came away with a win on the road in Boston, losing by one point in overtime.
Jordi Fernandez's team is fighting hard and has proven that they are capable of hanging with some of the tougher teams in the league. That is why there is reason to be optimistic about this group as the season progresses.
29. Milwaukee Bucks (+1)
2026-27 Record: 1-5 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. IND (W8), vs. HOU (L32), vs. CLE (L25)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at MIN (11/2), at BOS (11/4), vs. TOR (11/6), vs. BOS (11/8)
Brayden Burries had the best dunk out of any rookie in the NBA this season and definitely an early dunk-of-the-year submission against Cavs two-way player Tristan Enaruna on Halloween.
Other than that, there's been nothing to celebrate in Milwaukee… other than the Brewers winning the World Series and the Packers winning four of their last five games. At least the Bucks got their first win of the season against their rivals this past week.
This will be one of maybe 15 wins this year for the Bucks?
30. Sacramento Kings (-1)
2026-27 Record: 0-6 | Last Week's Schedule: at SAS (L27), at NOP (L12), at MEM (L31)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at DAL (11/2), vs. LAL (11/4), vs. SAS (11/6), vs. MIA (11/8)
What can we really say about the Sacramento Kings at this point? Is anyone actually surprised that they are 0-6 and probably going to be 0-10 by the end of the upcoming week?
This organization simply doesn't have the leadership needed to be taken seriously, and as good of a GM as Scott Perry is, he doesn't have the resources to be able to turn things around quickly in Sacramento. It will take a lot of time and a lot of luck, and the good news is that luck has come in the form of Darius Acuff Jr.
The rookie point guard has taken 144 shot attempts this season, trailing only Tyrese Maxey (148) and Brandon Miller (162) for the most in the league, and he's turned the Kings' season into his show. Acuff is averaging 26.3 points and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor and 32.2 percent from 3-point range.
He is the only reason fans are showing up at Golden 1 Center to watch the Kings play right now.