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RotoBaller's NBA power rankings for all 30 teams at the beginning of November Where does each NBA team stand in our latest power rankings for the 2026-27 season?
The early season storylines in the NBA revolve around two main things: Upstart surprises and a litany of injuries. Count the Grizzlies as a surprise, currently sporting the best record in the Western Conference. The Blazers are right up there with them too, giving us some fun teams to root for early.
Meanwhile, injuries are ravaging contenders early. The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton for a couple of weeks, the Timberwolves will be without Anthony Edwards for months, and the Thunder are going to be missing what feels like a large chunk of their roster for a very extended period of time.
What does that all mean for how our rankings shake out? And did I mention we may have a new number one team? Keep on reading to find out. Note: Stats and rankings reflect games played through Sunday, November 1.
No. 30 - Sacramento Kings
Still winless on the season are the Sacramento Kings. That isn't really all that big of a surprise given their expectations coming into the season, but Kings fans want at least a touch more competitiveness. Darius Acuff Jr. at least is pouring them in, posting multiple 30-point games this week.
The front office now just needs to find ways to get reasonable returns for Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine. Their sizable contracts are going to make that tough, but that will likely be the only way to have this season be considered a success for Sacramento. If they're gone, and Acuff keeps contributing, there will be some positives for Sacramento fans to gravitate to.
No. 29 - Brooklyn Nets
Similar to the Kings, the story this season may simply revolve around finding ways to get value for Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle. MPJ and trade rumors haven't been anything new for the 28-year-old. He's been a common fixture in trade discussions since his days in Denver. But entering the final year of his contract, there's certainly going to be more pressure on the Nets' front office to move him.
There may be less pressure to move Randle, who has a player option for next season. But if Brooklyn wants to fully embrace the rebuild (further than they already have) then they'll need to entertain moving on from him. Currently sporting a -10.5 net rating, it's likely the route that Brooklyn should go.
No. 28 - Chicago Bulls
I originally thought that Chicago profiled as a team with a solid chance at making the Eastern Conference play-in. They still have a shot at being that team, but the early-season results have been ugly. The schedule hasn't done them any favors, but where is the defense? The fewest points they've allowed this season is 124. You're not winning many games with that weak of a defense.
The offense is slacking also, shooting for just a 48.2% eFG% that amounts to a 105.9 offensive rating. The roster's young and feisty, but they're clearly not reaching their full potential in the season's opening weeks.
No. 27 - Milwaukee Bucks
It was always going to be tough to be competitive with Giannis Antetokounmpo no longer on the roster, but there was certainly hope that it'd look a little better early on. The Bucks are looking awfully similar to the Bulls that we just discussed, especially in both offensive rating and defensive rating. The talent they got back from Miami in the trade wasn't bad, but they had hoped it'd yield more results early.
At the very least, Kel'el Ware is looking strong early. He's averaging 13.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG off the bench. That's some great value to be getting out of him for now, but the roster as a whole needs to find some continuity if they want to make the play-in. If the goal is to tank, though, then they're doing exactly what they need to be doing.
No. 26 - Los Angeles Clippers
It hasn't been the easiest start for the Clippers this season. The schedule hasn't been their friend, and they are still dealing with injuries. The casual fan might have even forgotten about both Bradley Beal and Brandon Ingram being on the Clippers' roster. But that's where LA is at right now.
The good news is rookie Keaton Wagler is producing at a high level off the bench, averaging 14.4 PPG off the bench. It's going to be a rough year for the Clippers, but they'll be fine if they just aim for development this season. Maybe when they get healthy, there's a chance they might vie for a tie-in spot as well.
KEATON WAGLER FROM BEYOND HALF COURT TO END THE 3Q‼️ https://t.co/sa3ZFivWf8
— NBA (@NBA) October 29, 2026
No. 25 - New Orleans Pelicans
It was an ugly first four games for the Pelicans, but back-to-back wins have officially gotten them on the board. Both being blowouts have to make things feel a lot better as well. In fact, they've gotten the Pelicans up to a positive net rating. Is that everything in the NBA? Certainly not, but it shows there's potential for this team to be decent in the coming months.
In their two wins against Atlanta and Sacramento, they've shot for an eFG% of 60% or better, showing there's plenty of punch in the offense. They need to improve on the defensive side of things, though, as opponents have shot for a 56% eFG% or better in four of six games. If the defensive side of things improves, and health stays on their side, they'll find their way back to the Western Conference play-in.
No. 24 - Utah Jazz
A bad start to the season got worse for the Jazz when they received news that Jaren Jackson Jr. was going to miss at least 6-8 weeks with a torn MCL. The Jazz are lucky that his MCL injury doesn't require surgery, but it also wouldn't be surprising to see him miss a bit more time than they're estimating right now, given that it's an MCL injury.
Now Utah finds itself in the midst of a four-game slide without a major contributor. That's a lot more to ask of guys like Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George. They looked primed for the play-in coming into the season. But if this start is any indication of the future, it may be another developmental season where Markkanen's name finds itself in trade rumors, as seems to be the tradition in Utah at this point.
No. 23 - Phoenix Suns
It hasn't been the best start to the season in Phoenix, but that's going to be a product of their schedule. Their losses have come to the Nuggets, Thunder, and Blazers (who are surprisingly good this season). They'll get some breaks eventually, but it won't come until the latter half of November.
In the meantime, they may want to figure out how to get the defense locked down. Their 125.8 defensive rating is the highest in the league. Again, some credit is simply due to the strength of their opponents, but that's going to need to get locked down if they want to have a chance of repeating last year's surprising season.
No. 22 - Dallas Mavericks
Brief worries about Cooper Flagg missing time with a shoulder have easily subsided. The 19-year-old only missed one game, and now Dallas is rolling. They've won four of their last five while Flagg is averaging a smooth 26.8 PPG. He's continuing to provide the kind of production that was expected of him when Dallas took him first overall in last season's draft.
Fans have also been anxious to see just how well he pairs with Kyrie Irving. The early returns have been very promising. The Mavericks are posting a +10.2 net rating when both Flagg and Irving are on the floor. That's a huge reason they're off to a decent start. Now the goal will be to keep this up so they can return to the playoffs.
Cooper Flagg & Kyrie Irving against Houston:
Flagg: 33 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 13/19 FG | 71 TS%
Kyrie: 35 PTS | 9 AST | 12/19 FG | 5 3PT | 81 TS% https://t.co/ZMqHAxsxMs— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 31, 2026
No. 21 - Golden State Warriors
I may have gotten a bit dire about Golden State's 0-3 start last week. They've found a way to turn it around and stymie some of the worries that irked me early on. They've won two of their last three games (prior to Sunday's matchup against the Clippers) by at least 18 points. That kind of dominance is what they need in such a pivotal season.
Yaxel Lendeborg has certainly been making waves this season. Initially, it was for his comments about a matchup with Luka Doncic, but he's starting to make noise on the court. He's averaging 19.8 PPG, along with 7.8 RPG. That type of early production should get him in the Rookie of the Year conversation sooner rather than later.
No. 20 - Charlotte Hornets
Coming in at 20 is the Hornets. A nice start has been significantly stymied by a three-game losing streak. In the midst of that, head coach Charles Lee made headlines this week with his second-half benching of Naz Reid for not meeting the team's standards. Since that benching, Reid has gone under the production levels he posted in the first three games of the season.
So if the message was received, it hasn't translated into results. Charlotte now finds itself in the midst of a three-game losing streak with another tough week on deck. It gets a bit easier for the Hornets after this week, but this week is sure to be tough on the team.
No. 19 - Washington Wizards
If you're a Wizards fan, it's probably a rare occurrence to hear that they're in the top ten of anything. Well, anything positive. So they may be shocked to hear that they're currently posting a top-ten defensive rating, coming in at 109.3 for the season. They haven't been known for their defense in quite some time, so this is a very welcome development in Washington.
Top overall pick AJ Dybantsa is making a solid first impression as well. He's put up 19 points and 17 points in his first two games in the NBA. If he keeps that up alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis, then it's going to be a very fun season for Wizards fans for the first time in a long time.
No. 18 - Indiana Pacers
When I mentioned the injuries that are ravaging NBA rosters early, it hurt to see Tyrese Haliburton's name appear on the injury list. He has already sustained a hamstring strain that's going to keep him sidelined for an undetermined amount of time. After missing an entire season recovering from his Achilles injury, this is the last thing he and Pacers fans wanted to see.
That makes this season all the tougher for Indiana. The offense simply hasn't gotten going, and the defense is slacking. A loss on Sunday to the Nets only gives more reason to doubt what Indiana's got going on without Haliburton. There aren't really many breaks on the Pacers' schedule this month either, meaning it could get very contentious if they don't start hitting the right buttons.
No. 17 - Orlando Magic
The injury bug struck Orlando as well, and to another familiar face. Paolo Banchero is set to miss approximately four to six weeks with a high ankle sprain he sustained last week. With the Magic in a bit of a pivotal season, they can't face any other major setbacks.
With Banchero out, that once again puts the onus of responsibility on Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane, just as it did last season. The schedule gets easier for Orlando in about a week, but this week will still be a tough one. If Orlando can get rolling in the next few days, then they'll be able to withstand Banchero's absence and not lose much ground in the play-in race.
No. 16 - Memphis Grizzlies
It's crazy to say, and maybe crazier to believe without seeing the standings, but you're looking at the team with the NBA's current best record. They're backing it up with the league's best net rating (+14.7), the third-best defensive rating (104.1), and a top-five eFG% of 55.8%.
CAM BOOZER TRIPLE-DOUBLE.
GRIZZLIES STAY UNDEFEATED.Boozer (18p, 12r, 12a) becomes the second-youngest NBA player to ever record a triple-double, propelling the @memgrizz to their first 5-0 start since the 2014-15 season! https://t.co/TX7La2PPTL
— NBA (@NBA) October 30, 2026
The start is fantastic, for sure. But there are going to be plenty of doubters, which is why we don't have the Grizzlies any higher than 16 this time around. We also need to consider the schedule, which has certainly been favorable to Memphis. But that doesn't mean there's not some degree of realness here. They have a few tough tests in November, but it's going to be an excellent opportunity for the Grizzlies to at least cement themselves as a Western Conference play-in team or better.
No. 15 - Miami Heat
Well, at least the disastrous start is over. Miami's won back-to-back games, and the doomsday scenarios are over, at least for now. Their wins over the Pacers and Hawks featured some incredible offense, scoring 129 and 145. That's a very easy way to get wins.
Part of what's happened is both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo showing up on the same nights. The other, at least against Indiana, is the return of vintage Klay Thompson. The vet scored 25 points and knocked down seven threes against the Pacers. That won't happen every night, but if Giannis continues to get help outside of Adebayo then Miami's going to be tough to beat.
No. 14 - Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are getting a bit of grace here in our rankings, given the fact that we know just what their roster can do, but they're underperforming quite a bit right now. Part of what's holding them back right now is an issue they had during the Trae Young era. That's a paper-thin defense that allows 120+ points per night.
Five of their seven opponents have scored 120 or more this season. Their overall defensive rating reads better than that, thanks to holding the Hornets to 81 points in the second game of the season, but overall they're looking like a team that needs to keep up with teams because they can't stop anyone. They're a solid roster, but they need to get the defense tightened up if they want to get back to being a playoff threat in the East.
No. 13 - Portland Trail Blazers
One of the better surprises so far this season has been the Blazers. Their only loss of the season has come to the red-hot Grizzlies. Other than that, they've knocked down every foe they've faced. Tests will get tougher as the season goes on, but so far it's been looking like the Blazers are for real.
WHOLE WEST COAST HEARD THIS ONE https://t.co/YwEmDXUGGo
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 28, 2026
But that injury bug is attacking Portland too. Ja Morant, who had been averaging 15.8 PPG and 5.5 APG, will miss approximately four weeks with a hamstring strain. That's rather unfortunate since the pairing of him and Damian Lillard has been working so well to start the season. The Blazers have all the looks of an upstart contender, but it's going to be much tougher without a key piece in the rotation.
No. 12 - New York Knicks
Getting a couple of wins this week was absolutely necessary for the Knicks after an 0-3 start. But a slip-up against the Sixers may start to let some doubt creep in about this team's ability to repeat. Improvements offensively would be a great way to regain some confidence, as their 109.6 offensive rating ranks 20th overall in the league.
Doubting the champs this early in the season may be foolish, so we're not going to say there are real reasons to panic here. But they certainly need to step it up in order to shake the championship hangover out of them.
No. 11 - Los Angeles Lakers
The new era of the Lakers is off to a pretty solid start. Luka Doncic is already playing at an MVP level, as we generally expect of him. He's averaging over 36 PPG so far, a very impressive number even over a six-game span. It's helped to get the Lakers the second-highest offensive rating in the game at 119.3 so far.
Defensively, they've got some work to do. But as of now, things are working. They've got an interesting week ahead of them with the Blazers, Heat, and Pistons all on deck. They'll surely be tested as Doncic aims to continue shredding through opposing defenses.
No. 10 - Cleveland Cavaliers
So far, the Cavs have done pretty much exactly what they've needed to do with their schedule. They've beaten who they're supposed to beat, but they've slacked off against some of the better teams. That's never a surprise, but fans are hoping that they'd show up a little better against the good teams to give them confidence about their playoff chances.
They've fallen in the playoffs the past few seasons and really need to find a way to come out of the East this year. Taking care of good teams on the schedule is a great way to start to build confidence with the fan base. They get a chance this week with two matchups against the Thunder.
No. 9 - Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets had been a bit underwhelming to start the season, even in their wins. A loss early last week to the previously struggling Warriors helped paint the picture that they're just not fully locked in. At times, it's been so disappointing that Denver fans have booed their home team. Let's just say that Nikola Jokic is absolutely not a fan of that.
But good wins against the Pelicans and Suns may be the turning of the tide. There's certainly championship DNA in this roster, but they need the hunger. The week kicks off with a surprisingly tough test as they host the Blazers on Monday night.
No. 8 - Toronto Raptors
The injury bug continues its way through Toronto as Kawhi Leonard is now dealing with a knee injury that's going to keep him out for multiple weeks. That's unfortunate for the Raptors, who had started off the year in a really solid fashion.
One player that I said needed to respond last week was Scottie Barnes. He was coming off an 0-12 performance when I mentioned that, and he followed it up with two games of 28 and 41 points. That's quite the response from the 25-year-old. The Raptors have work to do, but they're going to be a threat in the East when they're back to being fully healthy.
No. 7 - Minnesota Timberwolves
The injuries just don't stop with this league. Anthony Edwards joins the list of league stars who are hampered by injuries this season. He's set to miss multiple months with a knee injury that requires an arthroscopic procedure to fix. If there's a silver lining for Wolves fans, at least it's happening this early in the season instead of March, April, or May?
It's certainly unfortunate for Minnesota, especially after the combination of Edwards and LaMelo Ball had started off on such a perfect foot. Now it will be Ball's responsibility to keep this team moving back up in the standings so that they're in a solid spot once Edwards is able to return.
No. 6 - Oklahoma City Thunder
Dropping to number six is the Thunder. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I ranked them this low. But the injury bug has hit them the hardest. They're going to be without both Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace for a large majority of the season, at the very least. Chet Holmgren is going to be out for eight to ten weeks with a knee injury, and Alex Caruso doesn't have a timetable for his return from an ankle injury.
The only good news for the Thunder is that they have always played excellent team ball. That type of style should help keep them in the running for things. It's a larger load for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to carry, but it's all the more opportunity for him to prove why he was given the MVP award the last two seasons.
No. 5 - Boston Celtics
The opening night (well, afternoon) loss to the Pistons has been the only blemish on Boston's record so far. They've rattled off five straight wins and are starting to look like the Eastern Conference threat they've always been. Jayson Tatum is averaging 27.6 PPG, which we expect, but he's also averaging 7.8 APG. Both lead the Celtics, and the assists would be a career high for Tatum if he's able to keep it up.
JT DOES HIS THING, 5 STRAIGHT WINS FOR BOSTON!
☘️ 32 PTS
☘️ 4 REB
☘️ 7 AST
☘️ 2 BLK@jaytatum0 joins Larry Bird (1987-88) and John Havlicek (1970-71) as the only @celtics players to average 28+ PTS and 7+ AST through the first six games of a season! https://t.co/5Cw5HK1ooR
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2026
Paul George is fitting in perfectly with Boston's system, averaging 21.4 PPG while shooting 41% from three. Behind both of them, Boston is rolling. They'll have a real test on Monday night as they visit the Rockets in their toughest test since they faced the Pistons.
No. 4 - Detroit Pistons
Jumping up to number four are the Pistons. I asked last week if I was underrating them, and all they've done since then is just continue to roll. If not for being the Knicks' first win of the season, they'd be undefeated. Their success is certainly fueled by their league-best 103.2 defensive rating.
That's going to help get you a ton of wins in today's NBA, which is driven so much by offense. If Detroit keeps up its formula, they'll find themselves sitting in a pretty position come playoff time. The only question will be if there's enough to get them through the playoffs.
No. 3 - Philadelphia 76ers
Our number three team is the Sixers. Similar to the Celtics, the only blemish on their record is a loss to the Pistons. They've been every part of the "super" team that we expected them to be after adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, though there may be some questions about how dominant they actually are.
That's because they're posting just a +3.7 net rating. You're never going to hate on a positive net rating, but Philly fans wouldn't mind seeing a few more blowouts to help balloon that number upwards. With a pretty weak schedule coming up for the Sixers, it's a great chance for them to get those stats padded a bit.
No. 2- San Antonio Spurs
Our number two team is the Spurs. It's been a surprisingly quiet start for them, but you'll never apologize when your two losses are to the Thunder and our new top-ranked team (more on them on the next slide). Regardless, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are still a force to be reckoned with.
Speaking of Wemby, he's put up 79 points combined in his last two games. With just ten points from free throws in those two games, that's a crazy number to consider. San Antonio is fighting for a chance to get back to the NBA Finals, especially after how last season's Finals finished, and Wemby performing above his traditional norms is a great place to start.
No. 1 - Houston Rockets
Our top team is the Houston Rockets. Amongst all the chaos happening in the NBA right now, Houston has the most stability. They've done very well with the schedule in front of them, and they have potentially the best signature win of the season. That would be when they beat the Spurs, thanks to a last-second block from Amen Thompson on Victor Wembanyama.
Perhaps the most impressive part about the Rockets right now is the fact that they have eight players averaging at least ten PPG so far. Some of those players have only played in four games this season, but the element of team ball is working out perfectly for them.
wait for Amen's reaction 😂 https://t.co/avpEzfqWuZ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 1, 2026
The Rockets take the top spot in our rankings. We'll see how long they can hold onto it with the chaos the NBA is in this season.
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