Power Rankings: How all 30 teams measure up

Preseason record: 2-3

OffRtg: 110.0 (16) DefRtg: 104.4 (4) NetRtg: +5.6 (9)

It’s fair to say that the Spurs should have won the championship four months ago. They led all five games of the Finals by at least 12 points, and made a couple of brutal mistakes in the closing seconds of Games 2 and 4. With Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper just 22, 21 and 20 years old, respectively, there should be many more opportunities ahead, and the next chapter starts now.

Preseason takeaways

• Castle, Harper and De’Aaron Fox played just 73 total minutes (regular season, NBA Cup final and playoffs combined) together last season, and the Spurs were outscored by 26.1 points per 100 possessions (scoring an anemic 84.6 per 100) in those minutes. But that’s the way they’re going to start the season, with Wembanyama and Devin Vassell rounding out the starting lineup. The three guards played in the final two preseason games together, and the Spurs outscored the Suns and Kings by 27 points (scoring 68 on 54 offensive possessions) in a little less than 23 minutes with all three on the floor.

• Wembanyama shot just 1-for-12 from 3-point range, but 26 (60%) of his 43 shots came in the paint. That was up from 50% last season and 57% in the playoffs.

Something to watch in Week 1: The possession game. When you play the Thunder, you have to take care of the ball. When you play the Rockets, you have to protect the defensive glass. The Spurs won the possession game in eight of their 16 games against Oklahoma City and Houston last season, and they’ll host them both this week.

The Spurs will play their first 11 games within the Western Conference and six of their first eight at home. After Tuesday, they won’t see the Thunder again until February.

Week 1: vs. OKC, vs. HOU, @ DAL

Preseason record: 1-4

OffRtg: 103.4 (26) DefRtg: 110.2 (16) NetRtg: -6.8 (25)

Over the last two seasons, the Thunder have had two of the top seven defenses of the last 30 years. They’ve lost some depth, but Jalen Williams is back to give the offense a boost.

Preseason takeaways

• Aday Mara would seemingly be the fourth big in the Thunder rotation, but Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams played a total of 32 minutes (all from Hartenstein), and the rookie took advantage. He shot 26-for-33 (79%) and averaged 20.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per 36 minutes. A block-transition sequence against the Pelicans was particularly eye-opening.

• The Thunder were one of four teams that played more than 10 possessions of zone, according to Synergy tracking. It was a 2-3, with Mara as the anchor in the paint. (They played the 14th most zone last season.)

Something to watch in Week 1: Chet Holmgren. The 24-year old missed the entire preseason with a quad injury, so his status for Tuesday in San Antonio is unknown. If he plays, he immediately gets to face the team against which he struggled in May, averaging just 10.7 points in the conference finals, including a four-point performance in Game 7.

Overall, the Thunder scored just 95.8 points per 100 possessions over their four playoff losses to the Spurs, so their offense will be under the microscope on Tuesday. They’re playing seven of their first eight games against teams that had winning records last season, and the three-game homestand that begins with a visit from the Nuggets on Thursday is their longest until after Christmas.

Week 1: @ SAS, vs. DEN, vs. LAC

Preseason record: 1-4

OffRtg: 103.5 (25) DefRtg: 120.6 (30) NetRtg: -17.1 (30)

The Knicks’ championship felt a little like that of the Mavs in 2011, except that this core is a much younger group. So, despite the departure of Mitchell Robinson, they remain the favorites in the East. The question is if they can again hit the level of basketball that they hit in the 2026 playoffs.

Preseason takeaways

• The Knicks struggled to put the ball in the hoop, with seven guys who shot below 33% on at least 10 3-point attempts. A little more concerning is that the defense wasn’t quite in playoff form, allowing more than 125 points per 100 possessions in 79 minutes with at least three of their five starters on the floor.

• Karl-Anthony Towns played exclusively at the five (no minutes alongside Andre Drummond) after playing 11% of his minutes with Robinson last season. Towns averaged 7.7 assists per 36 minutes, with the ball in his hands for 18% of the time the Knicks were on offense (with him on the floor), up from 14% last season.

Something to watch in Week 1: Bench defense. What was the league’s third-ranked bench last season isn’t the same without Robinson. Drummond will grab some offensive boards, but it remains to be seen how well the Knicks will defend when some of their starters are off the floor.

The Knicks will face three big tests – the Sixers, Celtics and Pistons – in the first eight days of the season. They’ve won 11 of their last 13 games against Philly, going back to the 2024 playoffs.

Week 1: vs. PHI, @ BOS, vs. ORL

Preseason record: 1-3

OffRtg: 102.9 (27) DefRtg: 108.8 (12) NetRtg: -5.9 (24)

The stars have aligned in Philadelphia, and the Sixers are the most fascinating team in the league. In addition to the questions about health and durability, we all want to see how it all works on both ends of the floor.

Preseason takeaways

• The Sixers’ full starting lineup played just one game (in Brooklyn) together, scoring an efficient 30 points on 23 offensive possessions. Overall, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey all had usage rates over 25%, but the Sixers saw the league’s biggest jump in assist rate from last season, recording assists on 76% of their field goals.

• They also saw the second biggest jump in pace and the third biggest jump in 3-point rate. They were a jump-shooting team, taking only 41% of their shots (the league’s second lowest rate) in the paint. That rate was the same (41%) for the five starters combined, with Joel Embiid taking only four (22%) of his 18 shots in the paint.

Something to watch in Week 1: James’ and Embiid’s availability. The Sixers are the only team with four games this week (five teams have only two), with their first of 13 back-to-backs (home games against the Bucks and Pistons) coming Saturday and Sunday. So we’ll find out right away how they plan on managing their starting frontline.

The Sixers will play their first 17 games within the Eastern Conference and, based on last season’s stats, location and rest, they have the league’s toughest first 10. They’ll have two games each against the Knicks, Cavs and Pistons (against whom they were 2-14 last season) within those first 10 games.

Week 1: @ NYK, vs. CLE, vs. MIL, vs. DET

Preseason record: 4-0

OffRtg: 116.3 (9) DefRtg: 98.6 (1) NetRtg: +17.7 (1)

With Jaylen Brown in Philadelphia, the Celtics enter a new era. But the structure of a team that’s ranked in the top five on both ends of the floor in each of the last four seasons is still here, and Mitchell Robinson should help them inside.

Preseason takeaways

• The Celtics still aren’t getting to the basket or to the line. They were one of two teams (the Rockets were the other) that ranked in the bottom six in both the percentage of their shots that came in the paint and in free throw rate. Only 11 (31%) of Jayson Tatum’s 36 field goal attempts came in the paint and he had just a single free throw attempt in 56 minutes.

• They did rank second in offensive rebounding percentage (after ranking fifth last season), though Luka Garza (not Robinson) was their top offensive rebounder.

Something to watch in Week 1: Derrick White’s shooting. It’s kind of amazing that the Celtics had the league’s second-ranked offense last season, even though their player with the most 3-point attempts (White) shot just 32.7% from beyond the arc, down from 38.7% over the previous three years. He was just 2-for-7 from 3-point range in the preseason, but if he can turn things back around this year, the Celtics are even more potent.

The Celtics started 0-3 last season, including losses to the Pistons and Knicks. They finished 2-6 against the other two teams that finished in the top three in the East, struggling to get stops against both. They’ll be in Detroit on Tuesday afternoon and then begin a four-game homestand against the Knicks on Friday night.

Week 1: @ DET, vs. NYK

Preseason record: 2-1

OffRtg: 117.7 (3) DefRtg: 108.3 (9) NetRtg: +9.4 (2)

The Rockets had the West’s third best point differential (that of a 56-win team) last season, and they now have Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart to address their biggest issues on offense. Steven Adams is also back and the Rockets could be the best candidate (if there is one) to keep the Spurs or Thunder from getting back to the Western Conference finals.

Preseason takeaways

• Last season, there were an average of 18.8 seconds left on the shot clock when the Rockets crossed the mid-court line, the lowest mark for any team in the 13 years of tracking data. This preseason, they were in the middle of the pack in that regard, and they saw the league’s third biggest jump in pace. They also saw it biggest jump in 3-point rate.

• VanVleet took 21 of his 25 shots from beyond the arc, and he connected on just six (29%) of those 21 3-point attempts. But he had 15 assists (10.1 per 36 minutes) and just one turnover. The Rockets ranked ninth in turnover rate (they were 27th last season), and their rate was lower with VanVleet on the floor.

Something to watch in Week 1: Clutch offense. Two seasons ago, the Rockets’ often went to VanVleet-Alperen Sengun pick-and-rolls on high-leverage possessions. Last season, it was Durant-Sengun. Now, they have all three guys, along with Amen Thompson’s improved playmaking. So it will be fascinating to see how well they execute down the stretch, having ranked in the bottom half of the league in clutch offense each of the last two years.

The Rockets have lost their season opener in each of the last eight years, a streak they’ll try to end when they host the Mavs on Wednesday. Then they’re off to San Antonio, where they allowed 145 points on 102 possessions (their worst defensive performance of last season) the last time they met the Spurs.

Week 1: vs. DAL, @ SAS, @ ATL

Preseason record: 1-2

OffRtg: 111.5 (14) DefRtg: 115.3 (27) NetRtg: -3.8 (21)

The Cavs sacrificed some depth to add Peyton Watson, who gives them some much-needed length on the wing. They’re also getting a full year with James Harden after acquiring him with just 30 games left last season. The offense should remain potent, but the defense needs to be better.

Preseason takeaways

• The Cavs have changed their rotation stagger from what they used last season, so that Harden played more minutes with Evan Mobley, while Donovan Mitchell played more with Jarrett Allen. Harden got to the line in his two preseason games, but the Cavs scored less than a point per possession in his 53 minutes.

• They saw the fourth biggest drop in assist rate (AST/FGM) from last season, the starting lineup recorded assists on less than half of its buckets, and Harden and Mitchell were assisted on just four of their 24 total field goals.

Something to watch in Week 1: One-big lineups. Mario Hezonja was solid in the preseason, when the Cavs were at their best with him on the floor. If he can competently play the back-up four, Watson can get a little more rest and the Cavs can avoid four-guard lineups where they’re seriously out-sized.

The Cavs were the first team to be done with the preseason, and they’ll be one of the last teams to start the regular season, with a full week off before they play in Philadelphia on Thursday. They swept the Sixers last season, scoring an efficient 124 points per 100 possessions over the four games.

Week 1: @ PHI, vs. BKN

Preseason record: 2-3

OffRtg: 117.2 (5) DefRtg: 112.1 (21) NetRtg: +5.1 (10)

The Raptors already looked like a team on the rise, and then they traded for Kawhi Leonard, who (when healthy) gives them exactly what they need on offense. If they can climb into the top 10 on that end of the floor, they could be one of the two or three best teams in the East.

Preseason takeaways

• The Raptors outscored the Knicks by 36 points in Leonard’s 39 preseason minutes, though most of that advantage (plus-28 in 16:40) came in the game (Tuesday) in which the New York starters didn’t play. He ranked just fifth on the team in usage rate and isolated just twice in those 39 minutes, according to tracking data.

• Jakob Poeltl remains the starting center and still has issues defending in space. Over those two games against the Knicks, Poeltl played 17 minutes alongside both Leonard and Barnes, while Collin Murray-Boyles played 12. The Raptors allowed just 19 points on 25 defensive possessions (76 per 100) with the Leonard-Barnes-CMB trio on the floor, and that includes just seven points on 13 possessions in the game (Thursday) in which the Knicks did play their starters.

Something to watch in Week 1: Leonard’s minutes and Ja’Kobe Walter’s shooting. The Raptors don’t have a back-to-back until November, so we could see Leonard in all three games this week. But he’s obviously not going to play a ton of minutes and Walter will be needed to provide some production off the bench. He was one of just 14 players who shot 42% or better on at least 250 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts last season and he’ll get plenty more this year.

The Raptors were 19-3 against the bottom six teams in the East last season, and they’ll open the new year with games against the Bulls (3-0) and Wizards (2-1).

Week 1: vs. CHI, @ WAS, @ MIN

Preseason record: 3-2

OffRtg: 116.5 (8) DefRtg: 114.9 (26) NetRtg: +1.6 (17)

The Nuggets lost two more critical rotation pieces with the departures of Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. But they still have Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, and a healthier Aaron Gordon could more than make up for the departures.

Preseason takeaways

• After playing in only 39 of a possible 88 games last season, Gordon was healthy and efficient. He shot 63% (including 7-for-13 from 3-point range) and averaged 35.6 points per 36 minutes, second most among 324 players that played at least 50 minutes total.

• The Nuggets are trying to apply more pressure to opposing ball-handlers. According to tracking data, they saw the league’s biggest jump in average pick-up distance from last season (when they ranked last) to the preseason (10th). They still ranked 29th in opponent turnover rate, but their opponents were taking longer to get the ball into the frontcourt.

Something to watch in Week 1: Bench minutes. With Julian Strawther out with a knee injury, the Nuggets are down another reserve. Marvin Bagley III is Jokić’s new back-up and DeMar DeRozan is there to get some buckets. As always, they need to find a way to stay afloat when the three-time MVP is on the bench.

For the second straight year, the Nuggets will be the last team to tip off their season, not playing until they visit the Thunder in the second game of ESPN’s double-header on Thursday. They’ve lost five straight in Oklahoma City going back to the 2025 playoffs.

Week 1: @ OKC, vs. NOP

Preseason record: 3-1

OffRtg: 112.3 (13) DefRtg: 105.9 (5) NetRtg: +6.5 (6)

Jalen Duren is back and the Pistons have the opportunity to build off a 60-win season, their best year on both ends of the floor in the last 18 years. But the East is stronger and questions remain about their offense.

Preseason takeaways

• Duren missed the first two preseason games, but then scored 38 points in just 35 minutes over the last two, with only Luka Dončić having a higher preseason usage rate. Duren was even the ball-handler on a few ball screens.

• As was the case last season, the Pistons had both the league’s highest opponent turnover rate and its highest opponent free throw rate (by a huge margin). Ausar Thompson averaged 3.9 steals and 6.8 fouls per 36 minutes.

Something to watch in Week 1: The results. The Pistons might have the most important first eight days of the season, facing the Celtics, Heat, Sixers and Knicks. They were 18-7 (easily the best record) in games played between Eastern Conference playoff teams last season.

Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid played a grand total of three minutes against the Pistons last season, and it will be interesting to see if Embiid plays on Sunday (when the Pistons will have a rest advantage), with the Sixers playing Milwaukee the previous night.

Week 1: vs. BOS, @ MIA, @ PHI

Preseason record: 3-3

OffRtg: 113.9 (12) DefRtg: 115.7 (28) NetRtg: -1.8 (20)

The Wolves have changed direction once again, essentially swapping two big forwards (Julius Randle and Naz Reid) for a point guard. LaMelo Ball is here to make Anthony Edwards’ job easier, but we’ll see if he makes the Wolves a better team.

Preseason takeaways

• The Wolves will stagger the minutes of Ball and Edwards somewhat, but a full stagger (where at least one is on the floor for all 48 minutes) would minimize their time together. Head coach Chris Finch said that they want to “lean into” playing them together to “get Ant easy shots off the ball” and “get a shooter next to Ant when guys are loading up” on him. So there will be minutes when both are on the bench and it will be up to Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu to keep the offense afloat.

• Jaden McDaniels should also benefit from the additional playmaking and he looked aggressive as he shot 61% (including 10-for-14 from 3-point range) and averaged 25.7 points per 36 minutes.

Something to watch in Week 1: Defense. Will this be a fifth straight season in the top 10 defensively, or did the Wolves take a step backward on that end of the floor with the Ball trade? There are still some great defenders in the rotation, but the preseason numbers were not good.

The Wolves are playing their first four games against the Eastern Conference. They lost their two games against the Magic last season by a total of 39 points and will be in Orlando on Friday night.

Week 1: @ MIA, @ ORL, vs. TOR

Preseason record: 2-3

OffRtg: 103.7 (24) DefRtg: 108.3 (9) NetRtg: -4.6 (22)

LeBron James is in Philadelphia and Luka Dončić is the focal point in L.A. The Lakers have restructured their roster around the 27-year old, taking a big swing on Walker Kessler, who played just five games last season.

Preseason takeaways

• Dončić had a usage rate of 42.3%, the highest rate by a wide margin among players who played at least 50 minutes and the highest preseason rate for any player (minimum 50 minutes) in the last nine years. Usage takes turnovers into account and he had almost twice as many turnovers (15) as assists (eight).

• The Lakers were defending ball-screens differently, seeing the league’s biggest drop (from last season) in the percentage that they switched and its third biggest jump in the percentage on which they used drop coverage. Kessler is obviously a drop big, but Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili were also switching a lot less than Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes did. That could have them defending the rim better than they did last season, when they ranked 29th in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area.

Something to watch in Week 1: Perimeter defense. Kessler is here to protect the rim, but he can’t chase Stephen Curry or stay attached to Darius Garland and Keyonte George. Those jobs will belong to Matisse Thybulle (who started the preseason finale) and/or Quentin Grimes (started the other four games), though Dončić and Austin Reaves will also need to hold their own when they’re targeted.

The Lakers will play five of their first six games against teams – the Warriors (x 2), Clippers (x 2) and Jazz – that finished in the bottom seven in the West last season, when they were 22-5 against that group.

Week 1: vs. GSW, vs. LAC, @ UTA

Preseason record: 3-2

OffRtg: 117.6 (4) DefRtg: 113.5 (25) NetRtg: +4.1 (12)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is here to get the Heat back into the top six in the Eastern Conference after four straight seasons of competing in the Play-In. It would be an upset if they’re not in the top 10 defensively for the 23rd time in the last 31 years, but do they have enough firepower in the backcourt to score efficiently?

Preseason takeaways

• With Bam Adebayo dealing with a groin injury last week, the Heat’s two stars played just 23 minutes together. But Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 14.9 rebounds, 12.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per 36, shooting 16-for-19 (84%) in the paint. He collapses defenses, and 14 of his 20 total assists were on 3-pointers, with four of the six 2-point assists coming in transition.

• The Heat had plenty of carryover from last season, leading the preseason in the percentage of their possessions (27%) that were in transition and setting just 28.4 ball-screens per 100 possessions (fewest by a wide margin). They ranked No. 1 in pace, and the pace was highest (114 possessions per 48 minutes) with Antetokounmpo on the floor.

Something to watch in Week 1: Perimeter shooting. The Heat’s first three opponents all ranked in the top 10 in opponent field goal percentage in the paint, and if those teams can keep Antetokounmpo from getting to the rim at will, other guys (including Adebayo) will need to make shots.

Last season, the Heat had the league’s biggest differential between their record at home (26-15) and their record on the road (17-24). They’ll play four of their first six games at the Kaseya Center.

Week 1: vs. MIN, vs. DET, @ CHA

Preseason record: 1-3

OffRtg: 109.4 (18) DefRtg: 107.3 (8) NetRtg: +2.1 (15)

Tyrese Haliburton is back and the Pacers are the GM’s favorite to be the most improved team in the league. They’ve got nowhere to go but up, but can they rise back to the level of title contender?

Preseason takeaways

• Haliburton looked sharp in his 54 minutes, shooting 8-for-15 from 3-point range and averaging 31.8 points and 9.9 assists per 36. The Pacers scored more than 121 points per 100 possessions with their point guard on the floor.

• The Pacers ranked third in rebounding percentage, with Ivica Zubac ranking fifth among 323 players who averaged at least 15 minutes in two games or more. Reminder: They ranked 28th in rebounding percentage two seasons ago.

Something to watch in Week 1: Haliburton’s minutes on the bench. Last season was Exhibit A on how important he is to this team, and T.J. McConnell missed the entire preseason. The Pacers can stagger minutes so that Andrew Nembhard is the back-up point guard, but there’s not much backcourt depth and offense could be a real struggle when Haliburton sits.

The Pacers would seemingly need some time to find their groove, and they lost four of their first six games two years ago before eventually reaching the Finals. But they’re one of two teams – the Grizzlies are the other – that are playing their first four against teams that had losing records last season.

Week 1: @ NOP, vs. DAL, @ BKN

Preseason record: 3-1

OffRtg: 118.1 (2) DefRtg: 112.5 (23) NetRtg: +5.6 (8)

The Magic are giving it another go with the same core, hoping for better health and that new head coach Sean Sweeney can make an impact. They’re one of a handful of Eastern Conference teams that could potentially finish in the top four or slide down to the 9-10 range.

Preseason takeaways

• If Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner aren’t going to shoot (or make) a lot of 3s, Tristan da Silva is here to pick up the slack. The third-year forward attempted 15.4 3-pointers per 36 minutes, second among players that played at least 25 preseason minutes and almost triple his career rate (5.7 per 36).

• Last season’s offensive improvement came as the Magic moved from the bottom five to the middle of the pack in ball movement. There was more of that in the preseason, when they had the league’s third highest assist rate. Alas, Banchero still ranked second (among players with at least 10 total isolations) with 15.6 isolations per 100 possessions, and the Magic scored just 0.44 points per chance when one of those isolations led directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line.

Something to watch in Week 1: Defense. The Magic don’t need a top-10 offense to get back into the top five in the East. But they do need to get back to the level of defense that they played at two and three seasons ago. That should be Sweeney’s primary task.

The Magic’s first six games, all against teams that had winning records last season, could be their toughest stretch of ’26-27. They open the season with a visit from the Hawks, against whom they went 0-4 last year.

Week 1: vs. ATL, vs. MIN, @ NYK

Preseason record: 4-1

OffRtg: 116.5 (7) DefRtg: 111.8 (18) NetRtg: +4.7 (11)

The Hawks have added depth to a group that went 20-6 after the All-Star break last season and won more playoff games against the Knicks (two) than the Sixers, Cavs and Spurs combined. Some key players on this roster are still pretty young, with the potential for continued improvement.

Preseason takeaways

• The preseason finale on Friday was the only game for which the entire top half of the Hawks’ roster was available, and they went with last season’s starting lineup, bringing Lu Dort off the bench. That lineup had tremendous success in the regular season, but struggled (minus-14.4 points per 100 possessions) against the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.

• Dyson Daniels continues to be left wide open, and he shot just 2-for-12 (17%) from 3-point range. The offense was solid overall with him on the floor, though the Hawks scored less than a point per possession in his 20 minutes alongside Dort (who shot 3-for-10 from deep).

Something to watch in Week 1: Bench play. Even as they went on a tear after the All-Star break, the Hawks’ bench ranked in the middle of the pack. And in the playoffs, their reserves combined to shoot 17-for-75 (23%) from 3-point range. The starting lineup isn’t going to be as good as it was last season, but if the additions of Dort, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kingston Flemings and Aaron Wiggins can shore up the bench, the Hawks will be in good shape.

The Hawks are one of two teams – the Magic are the other – that are playing their first six games against teams that had winning records last season. After visiting Orlando on Wednesday, they’ll begin their only (and the league’s first) stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 1: @ ORL, @ CHA, vs. HOU

Preseason record: 1-4

OffRtg: 105.8 (21) DefRtg: 111.7 (17) NetRtg: -5.9 (23)

The Suns were one of the league’s biggest surprises last season, but repeating that success (winning record and a playoff berth) will be more difficult now that the league knows how they play.

Preseason takeaways

• The Suns continue to aggressively win the possession game. They ranked first in offensive rebounding percentage and fifth in opponent turnover rate in the preseason. Dillon Brooks committed 6.7 fouls per 36 minutes.

• Jalen Green was in the starting lineup, with Collin Gillespie coming off the bench. Green averaged 23.3 drives per 100 possessions (what would be the highest rate of his career) and the Suns scored efficiently with him on the floor.

Something to watch in Week 1: Khaman Maluach. After being selected with the 10th pick in the 2025 Draft, Maluach played just 411 total minutes (46th among rookies) last season. But with Mark Williams (shoulder surgery) out, Maluach should have a regular role in the Suns’ rotation, and they’ll need him to be worthy of those minutes.

The Suns have the league’s most home-heavy early schedule, with nine of their first 12 games coming at the Mortgage Matchup Center. But only two of those 12 games (both against the Warriors) are against teams that had losing records last season.

Week 1: @ POR, vs. GSW

Preseason record: 3-1

OffRtg: 111.3 (15) DefRtg: 108.4 (11) NetRtg: +2.9 (13)

After four straight seasons in the bottom four in the conference, it’s time for the Jazz to flip the switch. Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson are just getting started, but Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George are getting paid to win games, and the door is open for a move up several spots in the West.

Preseason takeaways

• While Jusuf Nurkić’s toe injury is seemingly an opportunity for the Jazz to put Bailey back in the starting lineup, they’ve been starting Jaxson Hayes alongside Markkanen and Jackson, bringing Bailey off the bench. But they went to the Bailey-instead-of-Hayes lineup in each of their last two games, and Jackson played about 33% of his minutes at the five.

• There’s a concern that there’s not enough passing in the top half of the roster, and the Jazz ranked 29th in assist rate, seeing the league’s biggest drop from last season by a wide margin. Nurkić played just 11 preseason minutes and still had more assists (four) than either Markkanen or Jackson, who played 56 and 72 minutes, respectively.

Something to watch in Week 1: Transition defense. The Jazz have ranked last in transition points allowed per game in each of the last three seasons. Getting stops starts with getting back, and not allowing almost 30 points per game in transition would be a simple first step toward the middle of the standings.

The Jazz are playing 21 of their first 23 games within the Western Conference, so we should have a good idea of where they stand by early December. They were 6-9 within the bottom five in the West last season and will play three of their first four games against the Grizzlies and Pelicans. The game against New Orleans on Friday is the start of a five-game homestand, their second longest of the season.

Week 1: @ MEM, vs. NOP, vs. LAL

Preseason record: 2-1

OffRtg: 114.0 (11) DefRtg: 112.1 (19) NetRtg: +1.9 (16)

Damian Lillard and Ja Morant in the same backcourt is a thing that is happening in Portland. But it will be a serious challenge for new head coach Micah Nori (and the guards themselves) to make it work.

Preseason takeaways

• Morant came off the bench in Sacramento last Tuesday, but he and Lillard started together in two of the three games that both were available, including the preseason finale at Golden State. The Blazers were outscored by three points in their 42 total minutes together, but were a plus-24 in Lillard’s 26 minutes on the floor without Morant.

• The Blazers’ preseason leader in usage rate wasn’t Lillard, Morant or Deni Avdija. It was Scoot Henderson (30.6%), who took more than half of his shots from 3-point range and shot with confidence, connecting on eight (40%) of his 20 attempts from deep. Portland scored 77 points on 55 offensive possessions (140 per 100) with Henderson and Lillard on the floor together, and there was even a few minutes when Morant was on the floor with them.

Something to watch in Week 1: Rim protection. The Blazers have a pair of defensive anchors in Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III, and (even when you discount their game vs. the London Lions) they led the preseason in opponent field goal percentage in the paint, with their NBA opponents shooting just 47% inside. They can make up for the perimeter issues that come with the Lillard-Morant pairing if they can defend like that at the basket in the regular season.

Six months ago, the Blazers came back from a double-digit, fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Suns in the Western Conference Play-In and earn the 7 seed. They’ll face Phoenix twice in the first 15 days of the season and, after their home opener on Wednesday, they’ll play six of their next seven games on the road.

Week 1: vs. PHX, @ SAC

Preseason record: 1-3

OffRtg: 108.8 (20) DefRtg: 116.5 (29) NetRtg: -7.7 (26)

Cooper Flagg enters Year 2 with a new coach (Dusty May) and Kyrie Irving back from his knee injury. The Mavs should be improved enough to compete for a Play-In spot in the West.

Preseason takeaways

• While Dereck Lively II (foot surgery in December) remains out, Irving played in two of the Mavs’ four games. He shot well (7-for-13) from 3-point range and had no turnovers in his 47 minutes, but the Mavs allowed more than 130 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. That involved some hot 3-point shooting from their opponents, but they also got destroyed on the defensive glass.

• May is seemingly looking to play with more ball movement and more 3s. The Mavs saw both the league’s second biggest jump in 3-point rate and its second biggest jump in the percentage of their field goals that were assisted from last season.

Something to watch in Week 1: Defense. The preseason numbers on that end of the floor were not pretty, and the Mavs will face some really good offenses this week. There’s a lot of pressure on Max Christie and Daniel Gafford to keep the starting lineup competitive defensively.

Rebounding will also be under the microscope when the Mavs visit the Rockets on Wednesday. Both teams grabbed a ton of offensive boards in their two preseason games in Macau.

Week 1: @ HOU, @ IND, vs. SAS

Preseason record: 2-2

OffRtg: 105.1 (22) DefRtg: 106.1 (6) NetRtg: -1.0 (19)

The Wizards are one of the most fascinating teams in the league, set to integrate Trae Young and Anthony Davis with a young core that now includes No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa. The new vets will raise the floor, but the returning youth will determine the ceiling.

Preseason takeaways

• Young shot just 7-for-27 (26%) and committed 7.5 turnovers per 36 minutes. The Wizards scored just 90 points on 110 offensive possessions (82 per 100) in his 46 minutes on the floor with Davis.

• Kyshawn George had an efficient preseason, registering a true shooting percentage of 84.6%, the best mark among players with at least 25 field goal attempts. He also handled some of the Wizards’ toughest defensive assignments and was one of 13 players that played at least 50 minutes and averaged at least 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per 36.

Something to watch in Week 1: Dybantsa inside and out. Before exiting the preseason finale with an ankle sprain, the rookie shot 12-for-14 (86%) in the restricted area and 6-for-27 (22%) outside it. He doesn’t need to be a great shooter right away, but the Wizards will be better if he’s getting to the basket, a more difficult task if he’s playing alongside two bigs.

The Wizards are an amazing 2-42 in the second games of back-to-backs over the last three seasons. Their first back-to-back of ’26-27 is Friday and Saturday, with the second game (in Chicago) being the start of a three-game trip.

Week 1: vs. MIL, vs. TOR, @ CHI

Preseason record: 1-3

OffRtg: 97.7 (29) DefRtg: 112.9 (24) NetRtg: -15.2 (29)

The Hornets made the second biggest season-to-season, statistical improvement in the last 30 years … and then changed direction, trading the engine of their top-five offense to Minnesota. They’ll be a very different team without LaMelo Ball, but the continued development of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel offers plenty of hope going forward.

Preseason takeaways

• Knueppel (hamstring) and Coby White (calf) both missed the entire preseason, while Moussa Diabaté (elbow) missed their loss in Memphis on Friday. So the Hornets enter the regular season with injuries to three starters. Whether the others return or not, Miller will need to make plays, and he flashed some skills in that regard, though he averaged just 4.3 assists per 36 minutes.

• The Hornets were the jump-shootingest team in the preseason, taking just 40% of their shots in the paint. Miller (25%) and Naz Reid (36%) had rates lower than that.

Something to watch in Week 1: Turnovers. The Hornets’ turnover rate was much lower with Ball on the floor (14.3 per 100 possessions) than it was with him off the floor (17.0 per 100) last season, and they ranked last in turnover rate (23.5 per 100) in the preseason.

The Hornets are one of two teams – the Bucks are the other – that have won their season opener in each of the last five years. And for the second straight year, they’ll open the season against the Nets, who’ve lost their last five openers.

Week 1: @ BKN, vs. ATL, vs. MIA

Preseason record: 3-1

OffRtg: 115.7 (10) DefRtg: 109.4 (13) NetRtg: +6.3 (7)

It’s not clear what the Grizzlies have here, other than a young frontcourt that could be the envy of a lot of teams if Zach Edey can stay healthy. Cameron Boozer was the favorite in the GM Survey to win Rookie of the Year, and his preseason showed why.

Preseason takeaways

• Boozer had 24 free throw attempts to go along with his 34 shots from the field, the seventh highest rate among 205 players (highest among rookies) with at least 25 field goal attempts in the preseason. He, Ty Jerome and Cedric Coward were the three Grizzlies that started all four games, and the team scored more than 130 points per 100 possessions in their 51 minutes on the floor together.

• Opponents shot just 15-for-32 (47%) in the paint and scored just 88 points per 100 possessions in Edey’s 47 minutes.

Something to watch in Week 1: Edey’s minutes. The third-year center is a huge difference maker on defense, and his presence means more if Isaiah Stewart (ankle sprain) begins the season on the shelf. But he played in just 11 games last season and the Grizzlies obviously need to be careful with him going forward. Limiting his minutes will limit their ability to compete in the West.

The Grizzlies are playing their first four (and six of their first seven) games against teams that had losing records last season. Their first of two four-game road trips (their longest of the season) begins Friday in San Francisco, when we should get a fun matchup between Boozer and Draymond Green.

Week 1: vs. UTA, @ GSW, @ SAC

Preseason record: 4-2

OffRtg: 110.0 (17) DefRtg: 103.1 (2) NetRtg: +6.9 (5)

The Warriors begin Stephen Curry’s 18th season with a rough, short-term outlook. They won just 37 games last year, Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porziņģis are all on the shelf, and Curry has never looked more mortal. But he remains a difference-maker on offense, and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg provides another reason to tune in.

Preseason takeaways

• Three players averaged at least 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per 36 minutes in the preseason. They were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cooper Flagg and Lendeborg, who had the highest assist/turnover ratio (3.33) of the three. He came ready to contribute and he’ll be a starter from Day 1.

• After leading the league in 3-point rate (49.7% of their shots) and outscoring their opponents by 8.3 points per game from beyond the arc last season, the Warriors ranked just 15th (45.0%) in the preseason, having seen the league’s biggest drop-off. But they took more than half of their shots from deep in each of their last two games.

Something to watch in Week 1: Curry’s availability and mobility. It’s encouraging that he played in five of the Warriors’ six preseason games, but Curry had a scare (an ankle turn) in the team’s open practice on Sunday, and they’ll have a back-to-back this coming weekend. They were 24-19 with Curry in the lineup and 13-26 without him last season.

The Warriors are playing nine of their first 10 games against teams that had winning records last season, when they were 18-37 against that group. The only exception is their home opener on Friday, when the Grizzlies are at Chase Center.

Week 1: @ LAL, vs. MEM, @ PHX

Preseason record: 2-1

OffRtg: 109.2 (19) DefRtg: 106.9 (7) NetRtg: +2.3 (14)

The Clippers will begin the season without Brandon Ingram, Max Strus, Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, leaving Darius Garland with a pretty heavy burden on his shoulders. Continuing their streak of 15 straight seasons with a winning record will be a tough task.

Preseason takeaways

• In part because of the injuries, the Clippers mixed up their starting lineups, with Garland, Derrick Jones Jr. and Rui Hachimura as the three constants. Hachimura shot 8-for-13 from 3-point range and his 31.6 points per 36 minutes ranked sixth among 324 players who played at least 50 total minutes.

• They were outscored by 14.7 points per game in the restricted area, the worst discrepancy in the preseason by a wide margin. They were also one of two teams that ranked in the bottom five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

Something to watch in Week 1: Defense. Two years ago, the Clippers overachieved by ranking third defensively. They suffered a big fall-off on that end of the floor last season, but there are still some defenders in this rotation, and some success on that end of the floor could keep them competitive.

The Clippers are 0-4 at Crypto.com Arena since they moved out, and they’ve lost 15 of their last 16 games in Oklahoma City. Those will be the locations of their two road games this week.

Week 1: vs. SAC, @ LAL, @ OKC

Preseason record: 3-1

OffRtg: 104.5 (23) DefRtg: 104.0 (3) NetRtg: +0.5 (18)

The Pelicans are running it back, despite winning just 26 games last season. They’ve added Bennedict Mathurin, but they’re set to return 12 players who accounted for 85% of last season’s minutes, the league’s fourth-highest rate. They should get improvement from second-year players Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, but those guys are still behind the vets on the depth chart.

Preseason takeaways

• Zion Williamson attempted seven 3-pointers (making one of the seven), but, as they did last season, the Pelicans led the preseason in the percentage of their shots (54%) that came in the paint. And as they did last season, they ranked in the bottom three in field goal percentage in the paint (51.6%), with Queen just 6-for-17.

• Yves Missi started at center, but Williamson and Queen played together in all four games, and the Pelicans outscored their opponents by six points in their 30 minutes together total. That success was mainly about the defensive end of the floor, where the opponents shot just 7-for-24 (29%) from 3-point range and 12-for-20 (60%) from the free throw line.

Something to watch in Week 1: Shooting. The Pelicans were one of four teams that ranked in the top 10 in three of the four factors on offense last season. But they were 27th in the most important one: effective field goal percentage. They ranked 29th in field goal percentage in the paint, 30th in mid-range field goal percentage and 24th in 3-point percentage, and they need to improve somewhere to get back to competitiveness.

There’s a decent chance for the offense to get off to a good start, because the Pels’ first five (and seven of their first eight) games will come against teams that ranked in the bottom 10 defensively last season.

Week 1: vs. IND, @ UTA, @ DEN

Preseason record: 3-2

OffRtg: 116.9 (6) DefRtg: 109.5 (14) NetRtg: +7.3 (4)

No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson brings more excitement to Chicago than we’ve seen in a while. If new head coach Tiago Splitter can get this team to defend like his Blazers did last season, the young and athletic Bulls can get out and run … and overachieve.

Preseason takeaways

• Matas Buzelis shot 17-for-20 (85%) in the paint and just 8-for-29 (28%) outside it, passing up open 3s on occasion. Josh Giddey will drive and kick, but a frontline of Buzelis, Wilson and Nic Claxton (who didn’t play in the preseason) doesn’t complement a drive-and-kick point guard very well.

• Leonard Miller (turning 23 next month) had an intriguing preseason, averaging 30 points and 11.7 rebounds per 36 minutes while registering an effective field goal percentage of 72.0%, highest among 73 players with at least 35 field goal attempts. The Bulls played 19 minutes with all three of Wilson, Buzelis and Miller on the floor together, as rangy of a forward trio as you’re going to see.

Something to watch in Week 1: Wilson. Enjoy the show, but let’s also see how the rookie handles a matchup with Scottie Barnes (one of the best defenders in the league) when the Bulls open the season in Toronto on Wednesday.

The Bulls are playing their first nine games within the Eastern Conference and six of their first eight on the road. Matchups with the Bucks and Wizards this week will be good, early measuring-stick games.

Week 1: @ TOR, @ MIL, vs. WAS

Preseason record: 3-1

OffRtg: 120.3 (1) DefRtg: 112.1 (20) NetRtg: +8.3 (3)

The Nets’ most important players are the young ones, but the veterans they brought in (starting with Julius Randle) should make them a better team. There’s a ton of room for improvement on offense, where they scored 1.5 fewer points per 100 possessions than every other team last season.

Preseason takeaways

• After dealing with an ankle injury, rookie Mikel Brown Jr. came off the bench in the Nets’ preseason finale on Thursday. Keon Ellis started all four games alongside Egor Dëmin and the starting lineup scored an amazing 115 points on 82 offensive possessions (140 per 100) in its 38 minutes.

• Might they have a second useful player from their 2025 Draft class? Nolan Traore looked stronger as he averaged 26.9 points and 5.8 assists per 36 minutes. Deni Avdija, Josh Giddey and Jalen Brunson were the only standard roster players who scored more total points on drives in the preseason than the 20-year old.

Something to watch in Week 1: Michael Porter Jr.’s shot quality. Porter was assisted on 18 of his 23 preseason buckets, with 14 of those assists coming from Randle (eight) and Day’Ron Sharpe (six). And he had an effective field goal percentage of 71.8%, the second best mark among 73 players who attempted at least 35 shots. But according to tracking data, his shot quality was somehow lower than it was last season. He’s a tough-shot maker, but it would be better if he’s not taking so many tough shots.

The Nets will play their first nine games within the Eastern Conference, a stretch that includes two games each against the Hornets and Pacers. They’re one of three teams with a league-high 14 rest-disadvantage games this season, and the first is their game against Indiana on Saturday.

Week 1: vs. CHA, @ CLE, vs. IND

Preseason record: 2-3

OffRtg: 102.4 (28) DefRtg: 112.4 (22) NetRtg: -9.9 (27)

The Bucks are rebuilding, and the Antetokounmpo trade (along with the No. 10 pick) gave them some young pieces to build around. More pieces can be acquired between now and the deadline if other teams are interested in the vets remaining on the roster.

Preseason takeaways

• Brayden Burries came off the bench behind Ryan Rollins and Tyler Herro, and the rookie shot just 2-for-17 from 3-point range. But he had some tough finishes as he shot 15-for-24 (63%) in the paint, and he can replicate some of Antetokounmpo’s drive-and-kick passing.

• Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware played 26 minutes together and the Bucks scored efficiently (70 points on 55 offensive possessions), though they were outrebounded in those minutes.

Something to watch in Week 1: The results. Games against the Wizards and Bulls will tell us something about how competitive the Bucks are going to be this season. Milwaukee starters didn’t play in their preseason loss to the Bulls on Wednesday.

The schedule will get much tougher after these first two games, and the Bucks will be at a rest disadvantage in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Week 1: @ WAS, vs. CHI, @ PHI

Preseason record: 0-5

OffRtg: 96.8 (30) DefRtg: 109.9 (15) NetRtg: -13.1 (28)

Darius Acuff Jr. is the focal point as the Kings begin to turn the page. They parted ways with DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook this summer, but Zach LaVine (expiring contract) and Domantas Sabonis (two more years on his deal) are still here.

Preseason takeaways

• Ben Simmons’ Achilles tear (suffered in practice on Sunday) leaves Acuff as the only (nominal) point guard on the roster. They’ll lean on Sabonis’ playmaking skills out of the high post, but Nique Clifford should also be handling the ball more after ranking ninth on the team in time of possession last season.

• The Kings have never been good when LaVine and Sabonis have played together, and that trend continued in the preseason, when they were outscored (by the Lakers and Spurs) by 33 points in 38 minutes with both veterans on the floor. A differential like that comes with ugly numbers on both offense and defense.

Something to watch in Week 1: Defensive rebounding. The Kings saw the league’s second biggest drop in defensive rebounding percentage from 2024-25 (when they ranked second) to ’25-26 (23rd), in part because Sabonis played in only 19 games. If he’s healthy, they may be able to clean up one aspect of last season’s struggles.

With five of their first seven games coming against the Clippers, Grizzlies (x 2), Pelicans and Mavs, the Kings have the opportunity to get some wins in the first two weeks. They were 9-13 in games played between the bottom seven teams in the West last season.

Week 1: @ LAC, vs. POR, vs. MEM