.jpg?w=2560)
We're a week and change into the 2026-27 NBA season, and our expectations have been completely upended by the injury bug.
Since the campaign began, we've learned that the following players will miss extended time:
- Kristaps Porziņģis (possibly out for the season, possibly retiring)
- Paolo Banchero (high ankle sprain, 4-6 weeks)
- Jalen Suggs (bone bruise, at least two weeks)
- Jalen Williams (dislocated ankle and broken fibula, POTS)
- Cason Wallace (torn labrum, possibly out for the season)
- Kawhi Leonard (swelling in his knee, out for weeks)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (torn MCL, 6-8 weeks)
- Anthony Edwards (arthroscopic knee surgery, up to two months)
- Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring strain, at least two weeks)
Somehow, that list isn't even exhaustive.
The avalanche of ailments will obviously impact this week's rankings, but our typical criteria will still control.
Based on team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjectivity, here's how the entire league stacks up right now.
30. Sacramento Kings (0-5)
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -15.7
It's hard to overstate (1) how bad the Sacramento Kings are, and (2) how bad Darius Acuff's scoring efficiency was through their first four games.
Acuff, remarkably, was getting a whopping 23.3 shots up per game and averaging just 21.5 points in those opening contests. Plenty of the attempts crossed the line between confident and maddening.
But clearly, there's also plenty of talent there. Acuff was doing a good job of getting where he wanted on the floor. And sure, a lot of those forays ended with shots that probably should've been passes. But you knew the shots would fall one of these nights, and that's exactly what happened Thursday.
In the Kings' fifth loss in five games, Acuff had 34 points, 14 assists, six rebounds and a steal. Most importantly, he was plus-three.
So, while the losses will keep adding up for the Kings, Acuff is absolutely providing some reason for optimism.
29. Brooklyn Nets (0-4)
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -8.9
Michael Porter Jr. (22.8 points with a 40.5 three-point percentage) and Julius Randle (22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists) have been their typically productive selves (at least on offense), but the young core isn't doing enough to compete night to night.
Among the 10 Brooklyn Nets who've played at least 50 minutes, only 28-year-old MPJ and 29-year-old Moritz Wagner have above-average box plus/minuses. And that doesn't really capture the ineffectiveness of Egor Dëmin, Noah Clowney, Day'Ron Sharpe, Nolan Traoré and Mikel Brown, who are all below replacement level.
Unless one or two of the up-and-comers take huge steps forward over the course of the season, it won't matter how good Porter and Randle are. The new "relegation zone" is in play for Brooklyn.
28. Milwaukee Bucks (1-4)
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -10.6
The Milwaukee Bucks' first season in the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era has, as expected, included plenty of losing. But that doesn't mean Bucks fans don't have something to look forward to.
Tyler Herro is only 26, and he's averaging 23.4 points and 4.6 assists. Jaime Jaquez is 25 and averaging 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
And several other members of the young core, including Kel'el Ware (11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in 18.8 minutes), Ryan Rollins (11.6 points), Kasparas Jakučionis (9.0 points and 4.2 assists in 22.7 minutes) and Brayden Burries (7.8 points in 14.9 minutes), have already shown flashes of real upside.
Milwaukee almost certainly isn't going to contend for a play-in spot this season, but it could do so within a year or two.
27. Chicago Bulls (1-4)
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -15.9
The Chicago Bulls look like they could spend the season in the running for a spot in the new, so-called relegation zone, but that doesn't mean they're devoid of hope.
His jump shot looks like it'll need a little more time than the summer league and preseason suggested, but Caleb Wilson is moving like a wing and scoring with confidence in every Bulls outing.
And despite being years away from understanding the nuances of the NBA game, Wilson is averaging 20.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks.
26. Phoenix Suns (1-2)
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -12.9
The Phoenix Suns may have miscalculated how important Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale were to the team's defensive identity and outside shooting in 2025-26.
The player they replaced them with, Miles Bridges, doesn't look capable of being a bona fide second star. Devin Booker appears to be carrying a heavier burden on offense. And Phoenix's lone win came against the injury-ravaged Golden State Warriors.
Barring some unexpected and rapid progression from younger players such as Jalen Green, Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach or Ryan Dunn, it's hard to imagine the Suns recreating last season's surprise success.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-3)
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -1.2
The Los Angeles Clippers deserve a little credit for emerging from an offseason about as chaotic as one could get and being better than a total walkover.
The Clippers are around the middle of the pack in net rating, and their 2026 top-five pick, Keaton Wagler, is already showing signs of being a high-end, moneyball scorer.
Wagler is shooting a seemingly impossible 20.0 percent on twos, but he's at 39.1 percent from deep, is averaging 7.8 free-throw attempts in just 26.5 minutes and is second on the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game.
24. New Orleans Pelicans (1-4)
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -1.8
The New Orleans Pelicans are better than their record suggests.
That may sound silly to say of a 1-4 team that had 47 total wins over the two previous seasons, but New Orleans has individual talents (like Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III) and has been within striking distance for most of three of their four losses.
They just aren't able to effectively close right now. That's more of a leadership issue than a talent deficit.
23. Utah Jazz (1-4)
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -8.0
With Jusuf Nurkić still sidelined with a foot injury, Lauri Markkanen day-to-day with a wrist sprain and Jaren Jackson out for at least six weeks with a torn MCL, it'll be up to the young core to try to live up to lofty preseason expectations (at least for the immediate future).
And while Keyonte George (24.4 points, 6.8 assists and a 41.2 three-point percentage) has been good and others have shown flashes, it looks like the time without the vets could be rough.
Rookie Darryn Peterson is barely averaging more points (12.8) than field-goal attempts (12.6). Ace Bailey is shooting 32.0 percent from three. Isaiah Collier has yet to hit a three. And Kyle Filipowski can barely get off the bench.
22. Orlando Magic (1-3)
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -10.8
Few teams have been as well acquainted with injuries as the Orlando Magic over the last few years. And the bug started biting early in 2026-27.
Just this week, the Magic lost Paolo Banchero for 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury. And, as if that wasn't bad enough, just two days later, Jalen Suggs suffered a bone bruise on his knee that will keep him out for at least the next two weeks.
Now down two starters, Orlando is suddenly and woefully short on playmaking. Not having Suggs means the defense is in trouble, too.
And with games against the Toronto Raptors (in Toronto), Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards coming up, the Magic could easily be 1-6 before starting a four-game Western Conference road trip.
21. Miami Heat (1-4)
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: -9.6
The Miami Heat finally got off the schneid with a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, but it looks like the adjustment period for this team could be tougher than anticipated.
Miami lost its first four games. The fit with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo on offense looks, to put it mildly, crowded. Adebayo had 24 on Wednesday, but he's only averaging 12.8 for the season. And as a team, the Heat are barely making over 30 percent of their three-point attempts.
If that last number starts to come up, plenty of other things could fall into place. But starting games with two high-volume scorers who don't command a ton of respect outside the three-point line could make it tough to find a consistent offense.
20. Golden State Warriors (2-3)
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -2.0
An 0-3 start had NBA analysts and Golden State Warriors fans in "sky is falling" mode, but they ended this week by blowing out the Denver Nuggets and riding a 44-point outing from Stephen Curry to another victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves (both wins were on the road).
And while Kristaps Porziņģis' health and trade prospects, the injury-related absences of Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, and Draymond Green looking very much like a player entering his late-30s are all real concerns, Golden State's rookie might already be good enough to keep the Warriors in play-in range until Butler returns.
Yaxel Lendeborg is averaging 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.2 threes. The Warriors are routinely running offense through him. And he and Curry already look like one of the more dynamic inside-out combos in the NBA.
19. Indiana Pacers (2-3)
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: +0.8
With averages of 21.8 points and 9.5 assists, Tyrese Haliburton has looked very much like the player he was prior to his Achilles injury, but his return hit a speed bump this week.
Haliburton will be out for at least the next two weeks with a hamstring strain, and it'll be tough for the Indiana Pacers to avoid looking like they did last season without him.
It's early, but Indiana is minus-4.4 points per 100 possessions when Haliburton is off the floor.
18. Washington Wizards (2-3)
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -1.5
After missing the first four games with an ankle injury, AJ Dybantsa made his long-awaited NBA debut on Wednesday.
And though the Washington Wizards fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dybantsa's appearance offered plenty of reason for optimism.
He was his team's leading scorer with 19 points. He got there with just 12 field-goal attempts (eight of which were made). He made a three. And he looked like a polished scorer who'd been in the league for years, rather than a 19-year-old playing in his first regular-season game.
At some point, it'll be nice to see some more contributions around the box score (he only had two rebounds and two assists). But on balance, it was undoubtedly a successful first night out.
17. Charlotte Hornets (3-2)
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -7.5
We haven't seen the Charlotte Hornets anywhere near their complete form.
Kon Knueppel and Coby White still haven't made their season debuts, and that means more minutes and bigger roles for players like Grayson Allen and Dennis Schröder.
Both have been solid filling in and will be even more dangerous spending more time against second units once Knueppel and White are back.
But the biggest reason the Hornets are above .500 while missing two starters is very clearly Brandon Miller. The fourth-year wing is embracing his run as an alpha, averaging 25.6 points and taking 11 triples a game.
16. Denver Nuggets (2-2)
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: -3.7
The Denver Nuggets are off to a rough start.
One starter (Cameron Johnson) and two potential rotation players (Julian Strawther and Alpha Diallo) are already hurt. Their two wins are against the 1-4 New Orleans Pelicans. One of their losses was a blowout in Denver at the hands of the injury-ravaged Golden State Warriors. And the biggest story of their season so far is Nikola Jokić's chastisement of home fans for booing the team.
On the bright side, one of their best players in this young season is second-round rookie Trevon Brazile, whose contributions feel like found money.
The 6'10" Brazile already looks like the most explosive vertical athlete on the Nuggets, plays with the kind of energy this team has now lacked for years and has already stepped into the starting lineup in the wake of all the injuries.
15. Atlanta Hawks (3-3)
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: +4.5
Five of the Atlanta Hawks' first six games came against teams widely expected to make the playoffs, so the 3-3 start is encouraging, especially after closing the week with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
New pickup Aaron Wiggins is offering reason for hope, too.
While Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20.5 points and 3.7 threes, with a 40.0 three-point percentage) and Jalen Johnson (19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.5 assists) have seemingly picked up right where they left off last season, Wiggins has added length and scoring spark off the bench that could prove crucial.
After dropping 20 points in Thursday's win over Cleveland, Wiggins is now averaging 15.5 points in just 26.0 minutes per game.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-2)
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: +12.4
The Minnesota Timberwolves' bet on LaMelo Ball is about to be tested.
They looked like a title contender in their first few games of the season, thanks to MVP-like production (33.3 points, 4.5 threes, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals) from Anthony Edwards, but he is going to miss up to two months while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Without him, Ball is going to have to do more as a scorer. The 40.0 percent he's shooting from the field won't be good enough. He'll need to take better care of the ball. Right now, he's averaging 3.8 turnovers.
Yes, others will have to step up too. And Jaden McDaniels, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jonathan Kuminga are all capable of providing a little more. But the heavy lifting will have to be done by Ball.
13. Dallas Mavericks (3-2)
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: +2.2
Cooper Flagg's apparent ascension to superstardom is happening much faster than even the most optimistic fans could've imagined.
Still a couple months shy of his 20th birthday, he is getting wherever he wants on the floor, scoring inside and from mid-range and putting up All-NBA numbers through his first four games of the season.
Flagg is at 25.3 points, 6.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 blocks. And here's the kicker. He's doing all that in 30.8 minutes.
His outside shot still isn't falling consistently, but that'll come. And in the meantime, he can keep kicking out of drives to reliable shooters like Kyrie Irving.
12. Portland Trail Blazers (3-1)
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: +7.5
The Portland Trail Blazers were on the wrong end of a blowout against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, but early returns on the Ja Morant-Damian Lillard pairing (and how it works with Deni Avdija) have been good.
The worst raw plus-minus between the three of them is Lillard's plus-30, and the threat of his shooting is making the floor feel much more open for Morant and Avdija's drives. Those two, meanwhile, are dragging defenses toward the rim and giving Lillard and the rest of Portland's shooters more time outside.
All of the above will be tested a bit more than it has so far during an upcoming four-game Western Conference road trip, but we at least have a little proof of concept with the team's most important players.
11. Memphis Grizzlies (5-0)
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: +9.7
The Memphis Grizzlies were sort of the hipsters' pick to exceed expectations this season. But after a 5-0 start led by Ty Jerome, rookie Cameron Boozer and a well-rounded supporting cast, that take is about as mainstream as it gets now.
Jerome, a 29-year-old guard who spent the beginning of his career on the NBA fringes and averaged 9.3 points in his first seven seasons, put up 34.7 points and 5.7 assists over his first three games.
And while he's had a hard time getting his shot to fall, Boozer's impact in every other category has been obvious. That was true even before he registered his first career triple-double in Thursday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Memphis is huge and skilled, and it shares the ball. Much of the rotation is made up of still-developing players. This isn't just a flash in the pan.
10. Toronto Raptors (3-1)
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: +14.6
Swelling in his knee has already forced Kawhi Leonard to the sidelines, and it looks like he'll be out for weeks.
But in the two games Kawhi played, he shot just 32.4 percent from the field. And the team's net rating has actually been better without him, thanks to a suffocating defense led by Scottie Barnes.
Barnes has also struggled to hit shots, but he's averaging 5.0 defensive rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2)
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: +0.3
The Cleveland Cavaliers' first five games were bookended by losses, but both of those were on the road and against teams that will likely be in the playoffs (the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks).
In between, Cleveland looked capable of 50 wins again. And some subtle development from Evan Mobley is a key reason why.
Mobley has streamlined his game. He's making quick decisions. His catch-and-shoot jump shooting is suddenly a real weapon. And through this early portion of the season, he's averaging 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 blocks, while shooting 57.1 percent from deep.
8. Detroit Pistons (4-1)
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: +6.3
With Jalen Duren out for at least the next couple weeks with a hamstring strain, the Detroit Pistons' frontcourt depth will be tested.
But through five games, their defense looks stout and the bigs who'll have to fill in for Duren have the advantage of playing with Cade Cunningham.
With their All-NBA playmaker leading, Paul Reed is averaging 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds, while John Collins is adding 10.2 points and shooting 41.2 percent from deep.
7. New York Knicks (2-3)
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: -0.2
The New York Knicks opened their 2026-27 campaign with three straight losses, but they look like they're getting right now.
New York beat a hot Detroit Pistons team on Tuesday and then dropped 133 points on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday.
In their last contest, Jalen Brunson had 38, bringing his total for 35-point games as a Knick to 67. He trails only Patrick Ewing in that category, and New York is 45-22 when he hits that benchmark.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1)
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: +3.4
The Oklahoma City Thunder are 4-1, but the first week and change of their season couldn't have been much more devastating.
In just their third game of the season, Jalen Williams suffered a gruesome leg injury that was later diagnosed as a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula. In the same contest, Cason Wallace was lost to a torn labrum.
Both could miss the entire season, and now Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso are out too.
Depth has been a calling card for the Thunder for years, but surviving the long-term loss of two starters will be their biggest test of this era.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (4-1)
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: +10.2
He sat out Wednesday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers, and availability is often a question (he's averaged under 65 games per season for his career), but Luka Dončić is off to the races in what could be his first MVP campaign.
His Los Angeles Lakers are 4-1 and have the third-best offense in the league. And after dropping 52 in his last outing, he is putting up an absurd 36.0 points, 8.3 assists and 5.3 threes per game.
There are still serious concerns about L.A.'s defense, but it can win shootouts against anyone. And if the Lakers get to a mid-50s win total while Dončić is putting up numbers anything like the ones above, he could crash the party dominated by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić over the last couple seasons.
4. San Antonio Spurs (3-2)
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: +6.0
The San Antonio Spurs lost their first two games of the season, but they've now rattled off three straight and their star-studded trio is starting to jell.
Now a fixture in the starting lineup, Dylan Harper is averaging 17.2 points and 4.6 assists, while Stephon Castle is at 17.4 points and 5.4 assists.
And the extra playmaking in that first five is opening up plenty of scoring opportunities for Victor Wembanyama, who's off to an MVP-caliber start with averages of 25.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals.
All three young stars need to shoot better. And the team's offensive numbers will rise if or when that happens. But the early returns for these three are strong.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (4-1)
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: +3.3
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the season with plenty of fanfare thanks to the star power they'd acquired over the offseason. Those stars built their reputations primarily on the offensive end.
With Jaylen Brown and LeBron James joining Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia was supposed to have as much firepower as anyone, but that's not how the team is winning games right now.
Embiid, James, Brown and Edgecombe are shooting a combined 42.1 percent from the field, and the Sixers have a bottom-five offense.
So, how are they winning? Philly is stifling opponents on the other end, particularly when Brown and Embiid are on the floor. And if the 76ers maintain their level of play on that end of the floor while getting more shots to fall on the other, they could quickly become a nightmare for the rest of the league.
2. Boston Celtics (3-1)
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: +8.6
The Boston Celtics surrendered a big lead (and eventually lost) against the Detroit Pistons on opening night, but they've rattled off three straight wins since then and now have a top-10 offense.
And more important than the wins and losses, at least at this point in the season, is the fact that Jayson Tatum looks more like his pre-injury self than he did at any point last season.
Tatum's three-pointers aren't consistently falling (he's at 24.1 percent from deep), but he's averaging 28.0 points and 8.0 assists while covering multiple positions on the other end.
1. Houston Rockets (5-0)
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: +14.1
The Houston Rockets have charged hard enough out of the gate to change our preseason notions on the Western Conference. And that would have been true with or without the devastating injuries to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Led by Alperen Şengün (24.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists), Houston has seven players averaging double figures (and Bogdan Bogdanović not far behind at 8.0). They have loads of length and defensive tenacity. And they're third in the league in three-point percentage right now.
There will be tougher stretches of the schedule, but San Antonio, Dallas and Atlanta (twice) are all quality wins. And it's not too early to declare the Rockets bona fide contenders.
.jpg?w=2560 "Love's Take on Watson's Return")
.jpg?w=2560 "Re-Drafting 2026 NFL Draft Entering Week 8")
.jpg?w=2560 "Jordan Love Goes Off 🔥")
.jpg?w=2560 "Christian Watson Returns vs. Panthers")
.jpg?w=2560 "Latest NFL Trade Rumors 🐝")
.jpg?w=2560 "Predicting Every NFL Team's Trade Deadline Strategy")