The 2025-26 regular season has officially started. The first few days of the new NBA year have happened. While it’s still in its infancy stage, there are plenty of things to take away from the first week of the marathon.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had a must-watch start to their season with two 2OT wins. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up right where he left off as the best scorer. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic looks like he’s ready for his first MVP award.

The San Antonio Spurs have also been a surprise team. Victor Wembanyama has finally arrived. He’s looked like a top-five player through the first week with monster performances.

On the flip side, you couldn’t have thought of a worse way to start the Portland Trail Blazers’ season. They likely lost head coach Chauncey Billups for the rest of the season, as the FBI arrested him for rigged gambling allegations. The news has shocked the NBA world.

Every week, Thunder Wire will release updated 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings. Here is the Oct. 21-26 edition:

Previous Rankings: 30

The Nets are off to a great start with tanking. They’ve had double-digit losses. As expected, Cam Thomas has enjoyed a plate full of shot attempts. He’s had a 40-point game already. It’s still early in the season, but expect them to be in the basement. Brooklyn has a roster filled with young players.

Previous Rankings: 29

Both losses have been close games. Zion Williamson had 27 points in an overtime loss to the Spurs. That’s all you can hope for. The Pelicans are in a weird situation with zero direction. But if Williamson can have a healthy season, that’ll go a long way for them.

Previous Rankings: 28

The Mavericks. Sheesh. It’s ugly. Cooper Flagg had his NBA debut overshadowed. Victor Wembanyama showed the difference between a real generational prospect and others. And then Anthony Davis has looked a step slow. A lack of a true point guard has already shown its ugly head. They need to figure out their offense quickly.

27. Phoenix Suns (1-2)

Previous Rankings: 27

They had a dramatic Opening Night with a 20-point comeback, but the Suns have gotten slapped back to reality. Devin Booker is back to the days when he’ll score 30 points in losses. Talk about coming full circle. It’ll be interesting to see how long Phoenix pretends to be a competitive team.

26. Portland Trail Blazers (1-2)

Previous Rankings: 26

Talk about a disastrous way to start your season. Near apocalyptic. After just one game, the Trail Blazers have lost their NBA head coach for the foreseeable future. The FBI arrested Chauncey Billups as part of an ongoing federal gambling investigation. He’s on leave for the immediate future. Tiago Splitter is the interim coach. Just a bombshell story that completely alters a season filled with excitement and hope.

25. Atlanta Hawks (1-2)

Previous Rankings: 25

A lot of offseason hype centered on the Hawks. They made several offseason moves that complement Trae Young. But through three games, two of them were blowout losses. It’s still extremely early in the season, but Atlanta will need some time to form chemistry. Also doesn’t help that Kristaps Porzingis has already missed time.

Previous Rankings: 24

After almost a year, Brandon Ingram has finally made his debut for his new squad. The Raptors added him at last year’s trade deadline. But an ankle sprain cost him the final two months of the regular season. So far, he’s lived up to his scoring talents. He’s led Toronto in points and gives it a definitive top guy when needed.

23. Charlotte Hornets (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 23

As expected, the Hornets have had a fun offense. And as expected, their defense remains absent. That’s what happens when you build around LaMelo Ball. He can be a fun player to watch, but has had little success in his career. But 38 points and 13 assists against the Wizards is something you can’t buy. That’s pure talent. At least Brandon Miller has looked good as he hopes to have a bounce-back season.

Previous Rankings: 22

Everything will eventually even out, but you have to like what the Wizards have shown. They’re filled with young and interesting prospects. And now, it looks like at least one of them has separated himself from the rest. Kyshawn George scored a career-high 34 points in an upset win over the Mavericks. The 21-year-old has been Washington’s best scorer.

21. Boston Celtics (0-3)

Previous Rankings: 21

It could be a long season for the Celtics. They will rely on Jaylen Brown to be their best player, but the rest of the roster has plenty of question marks. They were at least competitive in their losses. Let’s see how Boston handles a gap year. It could be a year where they could find some decent role players for their next contention window.

20. Utah Jazz (1-1)

Previous Rankings: 20

Penciled as the league’s worst team, the Jazz have had a surprising start. They blew out the Clippers on Opening Night and barely lost to the Kings. Lauri Markannen has played like his All-Star form, with 33 points in his second game of the season. He could be the top trade target this year. At least, that’s what Utah hopes for.

19. Orlando Magic (1-2)

Previous Rankings: 19

Maybe the offensive woes haven’t been entirely fixed. You could point to that side of the ball for both of their losses. Specifically, Paolo Banchero has had an awful start. He’s averaged 19 points on 34% shooting. Small sample size, of course, but you need your All-Star to play a lot better than that. Everything starts and stops with him.

18. Indiana Pacers (0-3)

Previous Rankings: 18

Losing a heartbreaker, the Pacers are likely glad they won’t have to deal with the Thunder for a while. Indiana’s season opener was a 2025 NBA Finals rematch. Of course, a lot of the main cast was changed. But that didn’t stop both sides from providing an entertaining matchup. Bennedict Mathurin had 36 points in a 2OT loss to OKC. He’ll be given plenty of chances throughout the year to have a breakout year as their top scorer.

Previous Rankings: 17

It hasn’t been pretty. The Rockets entered the season with a clear void at point guard. They tried to lean into their size, but a lack of a playmaker has uglified their halfcourt offense. Kevin Durant has been awesome, but the rest of Houston needs to catch up. He couldn’t spoil OKC’s Ring Night in a 2OT loss. The Thunder showed them they still need to catch up to their level.

16. Sacramento Kings (1-2)

Previous Rankings: 16

It’s a weird batch of characters. One night, Domantas Sabonis scores a game-winner on a second-chance look. The next night, Zach LaVine goes off for 31 points. Who knows if they’ll be a winner, but Sacramento should be fun. Plenty of household names and future Hall-of-Fame players populate their roster.

15. Miami Heat (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 15

The Heat were another team affected by the NBA gambling investigation bombshell. The FBI arrested Terry Rozier as part of a betting probe. The league put him on immediate leave. Fair or not, this will hover around Miami for the rest of the season. He was expected to be a bench player for them. It’s not as drastic as losing your head coach, but the distraction will remain.

Previous Rankings: 14

Speaking of distractions, the Clippers can put the Aspiration fraud sponsorship investigation to bed for now. They’re rolling into a new season filled with hope. That said, they had about the worst season opener. The Jazz blew out LA. They bounced back as James Harden had 30 points in a blowout win over the Suns, but every game counts in the standings.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 13

Everybody expects Anthony Edwards to eventually break out. If this is the season for that, he’s had quite the start. He scored 41 points in a close win over the Trail Blazers to start the year. Off the court, his shoe company, adidas, took a shot at Gilgeous-Alexander. Now, he needs to back up the trash talk with on-court results. He’s been a budding star. Let’s see if he can finally enter the MVP conversation.

Previous Rankings: 12

In a matchup of twin brothers, Ausar Thompson got the best of Amen Thompson. The Pistons picked up an impressive win over the Rockets. They’re an NBA media darling as a team that could take advantage of all the star injuries littered throughout the East. Let’s see if they can build off their most successful season in a decade from last year, where they made the playoffs and put up a fight.

11. Chicago Bulls (2-0)

Previous Rankings: 11

After lengthy contract negotiations, Josh Giddey has looked like a guy ready to prove the Bulls were right to sign him to a long-term deal. He had 21 points and eight rebounds in a blowout win over the Magic. Chicago brought back mostly the same roster from last season, but hopes to see internal development to avoid another year in the play-in tournament.

10. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 10

The Cavaliers have run it back with mostly the same roster that went 64-18 last season. This could be a make-or-break year with this group. So far, it’s been a pedestrian start. Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points in a close win over the Nets. But regardless of how they do in the regular season, everybody will wait until the playoffs before they cast judgment on this group.

Previous Rankings: 9

Talk about a start for Luka Doncic. He scored 43 points in a loss to the Warriors on Opening Night. As a follow-up, he exploded for 49 points in a win over the Timberwolves. It’s the most points a player has totaled in the first two games of a season. If he’s expected to have these types of monster stat lines, he’ll definitely return to the MVP conversations. Los Angeles will lean hard on him when he returns from injury, as LeBron James misses time to start the year. Perhaps Austin Reaves can help, too. He had a career-best 51 points in a win over the Kings.

8. Denver Nuggets (1-1)

Previous Rankings: 8

Aaron Gordon had probably the biggest surprise of Opening Week. In an overtime loss to the Warriors, he scored a career-high 50 points. The 30-year-old showed he can still put up monster numbers even though his role has downsized since he arrived in Denver. What made his half-century mark even more jaw-dropping is how he got there. He made a career-high 10 3-pointers. Yep, that’s right. 10. What a way to start the season for him.

7. Memphis Grizzlies (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 7

Considering how depleted the Grizzlies already are, you couldn’t have asked for a better start. Cedric Coward showed why he was a late draft riser. He scored 27 points off the bench in a blowout win over the Pacers. The rookie part of a new youth movement by Memphis, as it hit the reset button this past offseason. Let’s see if the new faces could add some much-needed energy to the franchise.

6. Philadelphia 76ers (2-0)

Previous Rankings: 6

Speaking of youth, how about VJ Edgecombe? The Sixers were blessed by the lottery odds when they kept a No. 3 pick this past draft. They added Edgecombe. He provided Philadelphia with some much-needed new energy after such an awful season last year. He scored 34 points in his debut in a win over the Celtics. The most since Wilt Chamberlain in 1957. He’s exactly who the Sixers can build around if Joel Embiid can’t stay healthy.

5. Milwaukee Bucks (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 5

Well, Giannis Antetokounmpo has had an MVP-esque start to his season. This could be his final year on the Bucks, depending on how the playoffs shake out. Milwaukee needs a deep run if it wants a miracle for him to stay. But first, they need a consistent regular season. He’s been a 30-point machine so far. If he puts up monster numbers and carries his roster, he’ll be in the conversations again. It isn’t too far-fetched to think he’ll do that.

4. Golden State Warriors (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 4

You couldn’t have drawn up a better Opening Week for the Warriors. They beat the Lakers on Opening Day. They then survived Gordon’s 50-ball with an overtime win thanks to Stephen Curry’s 42 points. Those are two solid wins against teams that many people group you with. If Golden State is expected to have one last voyage of contention with its older roster, this is a good starting point.

3. New York Knicks (2-1)

Previous Rankings: 3

Battling through injury, Karl-Anthony Towns has helped the Knicks get off to a fast start. A lot is riding on this season. With the East wide open, everybody thinks New York has a great chance to finally make the NBA Finals. They enjoyed a fun win over the depleted Celtics. Jalen Brunson looks like he’ll have another year as one of the top scorers.

2. San Antonio Spurs (3-0)

Previous Rankings: 2

The inevitable may have finally arrived. Wembanyama looks destined to be in MVP conversations this season. He’s led the Spurs to a 3-0 start. He had a loud arrival with a 40-point performance in a blowout win over the Mavericks. The seven-footer has refined himself as a scorer. Nobody in the NBA has an answer for him. It’s scary to think what San Antonio could be one the rest of the roster catches up a bit. But for now, he’s arguably been the best player through the first week of the season.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0)

Previous Rankings: 1

After four months of celebration, the Thunder finally had their pregame ceremony. They kicked the 2025-26 regular season off when they handed out rings and raised their championship banner. They’re off to a 3-0 record, but that includes two 2OT classics that make them the first team in NBA history to have that start. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 55 points in a win over the Pacers. He looks like a guy who could win another MVP award if they have similar success.