The 2025-26 NBA regular season continues to roll along. We’re still not even a full month into the new campaign, but the league-wide picture is getting a little bit clearer with each week. The 2025 NBA Cup continues on as group play was celebrated with unique court designs.

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to be a win machine. They dropped their first game but remain with the NBA’s best record. Other teams with similar starts have been the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. The first isn’t a surprise, but the second is.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are some fun middle teams. Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant are fun players to keep an eye on every night. The LA Clippers look ancient. They need to turn around quickly or risk nosediving in the standings.

Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies look like a team in disarray. Ja Morant looks mentally checked out. Feels like it’s only a matter of time before he’s moved. Even with the sentimental price tag that might be. The Orlando Magic are another disappointing team. Their offense remains bad, but their defense looks like it’s taken a step back.

Every week, Thunder Wire will release updated 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings. Here is the Nov. 3-9 edition:

Previous Rankings: 28

It didn’t take long for the Wizards to fall in the standings. An eight-game losing streak has them with the worst record in the NBA. But hey, this was all planned. You gotta feel good if you’re Washington with the player development they’ve seen. Alex Sarr looks miles better than he was this time last year. He had 31 points in a loss to the Celtics. He looks like a franchise cornerstone.

Previous Rankings: 30

After being the last winless team, the Nets finally tasted victory. Albeit, it took beating the injured Pacers. But hey, you get what you can take. But any Brooklyn fan worried that might spark an undoing of their tank job should have zero worries now. Cam Thomas will miss several weeks with a hamstring strain. He’s averaged 21 points as one of the only players who can get their own bucket on that team. It should help them rack up more losses.

28. Indiana Pacers (1-9)

Previous Rankings: 27

It’s a little surreal to think the Pacers were a win away from an NBA championship just six months ago. Now, they’re in the middle of a lost season filled with injuries. Shows how quickly things can change. Indiana fans rained down boos at Myles Turner when he returned to his old home for the first time. Such a sad thing to see a decade-long relationship ruined in a few months. But his comments haven’t helped mend any fences, either.

27. Dallas Mavericks (3-7)

Previous Rankings: 21

The Luka Doncic trade just won’t go away. That will be the lasting legacy of Nico Harrison. The temperature of his seat went from hot to nuclear. Mavericks fans continue to beg for them to move on. After the Dallas GM confidently said they’re going to compete, they’ve looked like one of the worst teams in the league. Anthony Davis can’t stay healthy and Cooper Flagg looks like an 18-year-old being asked to play out of position. Just bad vibes overall there.

26. Utah Jazz (3-6)

Previous Rankings: 23

Any hopes of a surprise run have been vanquished. The Jazz announced that Walker Kessler will be out for the rest of the season as he had labrum surgery. Just a brutal loss. He had a hot start as a 14-point double-double machine. Among the several young prospects they’ve added, he’s been one of their best success stories. Now, he’s out for the rest of the year. Not to get too cynical, but his absence should help Utah gain plenty of losses as it hopes to add a top draft pick.

25. New Orleans Pelicans (2-7)

Previous Rankings: 29

Well, it looks like the Pelicans will ride it out with head coach Willie Green. If they were ever going to fire him, it likely would’ve happened by now. At least New Orleans was able to steady the ship a little bit with a couple of wins over the Mavericks and Hornets. And Derik Queen has looked good in his first real rotation minutes this past week. It’s a little unfair to glue what they gave up to add him, but it’s hard not to have that conversation every time the Pelicans are brought up.

Previous Rankings: 25

Injuries have started to pile up on the Hornets. Both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are out for the next few games with their respective ailments. That has stalled any momentum of its high-scoring offense to start the season. Unfortunately, this isn’t new territory for them. At least Kon Knueppel has taken advantage of the extra reps. He scored 30 points in a loss to the Heat. That’s progress you love to see if you’re Charlotte.

23. Sacramento Kings (3-7)

Previous Rankings: 24

A little bit of a throwback week for Russell Westbrook. He tallied a 23-point triple-double in a win over the Warriors. It wasn’t that long ago that he rode that statistical feat to an MVP campaign. He then went off against his old team in a loss to the Thunder. He’s been Sacramento’s most consistent player to start the season. Which isn’t what you want to hear if you’re the Kings. Considering he was a late offseason addition on a one-year deal. They continue to have a weird group of players with no real direction.

22. Boston Celtics (5-6)

Previous Rankings: 19

Maybe the Celtics are a little bit better than most anticipated. Maybe. They should hover around mediocrity as long as Jaylen Brown plays. He’s the undisputed best player in Boston this season. The offense runs through him. But the rest of the roster is filled with question marks. Because they’re in the East, that should be good enough to be in the postseason picture. Just depends on what their goals are and if they can stomach a tank job.

21. LA Clippers (3-6)

Previous Rankings: 11

The vibes are not great in LA. The Clippers have looked slow and old. Consider me surprised. All of their big-time name additions look like they’re on the verge of being out of the NBA, ala Bradley Beal. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard will miss time with an ankle sprain. They were blown out by the Thunder. That shows they’re still so far away from being at that level. It’s still extremely early, but you have to at least be frustrated with how lethargic they’ve looked.

20. Orlando Magic (4-6)

Previous Rankings: 15

A weekend back-to-back with the Celtics helped the Magic get some positive momentum. They were the biggest underachievers in the first week of the season. But Desmond Bane had one of his best games yet with 22 points in a win over Boston. Maybe they’re relying too much on him to fix their offense, but he must play better. Some frustration leaked over when he was ejected in a loss to the Hawks.

19. Phoenix Suns (5-5)

Previous Rankings: 26

Talk about brutal luck if you’re the Suns. After missing the start of the season with a hamstring strain, Jalen Green finally debuted. He scored 29 points in a blowout win over the Clippers. You saw what Phoenix envisions as he helped Devin Booker by being another go-to scorer. But then Green hurt his hamstring in their second game against LA. He needed to be helped off the court. You hope he doesn’t miss too much time.

18. Memphis Grizzlies (4-7)

Previous Rankings: 18

It’s been a chaotic start to the season. Ja Morant looks unmotivated on the court. A one-game suspension shows how unhappy he is in Memphis. The rest of the roster hasn’t really impressed, sans Cedric Coward. But this Morant situation will cloud over that franchise until a resolution happens. That’s been the case for years. They might hover around mediocrity, but that won’t be enough to hide away all of their problems.

17. Atlanta Hawks (5-5)

Previous Rankings: 20

So far, so good for the Hawks as Young misses time. A knee sprain will knock out the multi-time All-Star for at least a month. That means Atlanta has to figure out how to survive without him. Well, it’s been a committee approach. Their bench blew out the Lakers. It was a group effort where seven players scored double-digit points. That’s how they’re going to need to win games until Young returns.

16. Toronto Raptors (5-5)

Previous Rankings: 22

The Raptors have found a groove. They had a four-game win streak snapped by the Sixers. But things have gone well with a fun group of players. Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett have been Toronto’s best players. Both have averaged 20-plus points. While they don’t necessarily have a bonafide All-Star player, they have a very deep starting lineup where any five of them can go off on any night.

15. Portland Trail Blazers (5-4)

Previous Rankings: 7

The streak is over. After losing to the Thunder 16 times in a row, they finally picked up their first win over them since 2021. That’s what happens when you add veterans to this group. They know how to chip away in 22-point deficits. Jrue Holiday stepped up with his outside shot. And Deni Avdija has played like someone who could be a first-time All-Star this season. Portland has a good squad with decent depth.

14. Golden State Warriors (6-5)

Previous Rankings: 12

A lot of the early hype has slowed down. As you could probably predict, the Warriors’ old roster has dealt with injuries. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler have missed time. That has exposed Golden State’s lack of depth. Just shows what we all already knew about this veteran squad. If those two All-Star players aren’t playing, they’re one of the worst teams in the league. What’s important is getting into the playoffs for this team. That means they might look pedestrian in the regular season.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-4)

Previous Rankings: 16

After missing a week with a hamstring strain, Anthony Edwards returned. He scored 37 points in a 40-point blowout win over the Jazz. Minnesota badly needed its multi-time All-Star back. Everything starts and stops with him. After Minnesota took a step back on defense, they’ve needed to figure out its new identity. Even if they look pedestrian in the regular season, two straight Western Conference Finals runs show you can’t overlook this squad.

Previous Rankings: 17

A blowout win over the Timberwolves brought back memories. ESPN had a layup for its storyline of that matchup. Karl-Anthony Towns faced his old squad. He’s been a 20-13 machine for the Knicks in his second season there. Before the Luka Doncic trade, Towns’ deal was the blockbuster that shocked the NBA world. So far, the results have been a little mixed for both sides. If New York wants to be a dominant offense team, he’ll need to be their second-best scorer.

11. Miami Heat (6-4)

Previous Rankings: 13

Erik Spoelstra continues to reinvent himself. That’s why he’s one of the longest tenured NBA head coaches. For this year, he’s turned the Heat into an offensive juggernaut. Looking at their roster, this is a textbook example of the sum being better than the parts. Nobody stands out as an elite scorer, but a group effort has turned them into a scoring machine. They scored a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter in a win over the Hornets. Nikola Jovic scored a career-high 29 points in a win over the Trail Blazers. Miami has been fun to watch.

10. Chicago Bulls (6-3)

Previous Rankings: 3

Even though they’ve had a few recent losses, the Bulls remain the biggest Cinderella story in the first month of the regular season. They mounted a 24-point comeback win a shocking win over the Sixers. Josh Giddey passed it out to Nikola Vucevic for the game-winning corner 3-pointer. Giddey finished with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. He’s found himself on the NBA’s MVP ladder. He’ll likely be a first-time All-Star. Just shows you can’t give up on young prospects just because of one down season. Chicago has found one of its franchise cornerstones.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (6-4)

Previous Rankings: 8

It was quite a week for Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he wants to win a third MVP award, he’s off to a decent start to his campaign as he fights an uphill battle. He hit a game-winner against the Pacers. That helped his new teammate Turner enjoy some sweet revenge as he’s Indiana’s new villain. Antetokounmpo then scored 41 points in a win over the Bulls. They’re the reigning NBA Cup winner. It’s an important season for Milwaukee, and it’s been a solid start with some surprise contributions.

Previous Rankings: 4

A new era for the Sixers has started. You’re seeing Tyrese Maxey comparisons to Philadelphia legend Allen Iverson. He’s averaged 33 points and has been their undisputed best player. He headlines the Sixers’ surprising start. But let’s see if they’re as good as their stats indicate. Or if this is a classic example of taking advantage of a cupcake schedule to start the year. Either way, things look much better now than they did last season.

7. Houston Rockets (6-3)

Previous Rankings: 5

The Rockets had a five-game win streak snapped by the Spurs. It’s always must-watch TV when Alperen Sengun and Victor Wembanyama clash. Both centers serve as contrasting styles. Sengun is an old-school throwback as a post-up player. But has modern-day skills of being a decent playmaker. Houston will rely on that even more without a true point guard on their roster. Sometimes, that might result in turnover-prone outings. But those are growing pains you’ll live with.

6. Los Angeles Lakers (7-3)

Previous Rankings: 9

Even though the Lakers lost a hilariously bad game against the short-handed Hawks, you can’t erase a previous five-game win streak. Luka Doncic has put up monster statline numbers, but the inefficiency shows he has room for improvement. There’s also a little concern with Los Angeles’ meh peripheral numbers being dolled up by their record. Maybe they’ll be due for some regression eventually. But if Doncic can play like an MVP candidate, they should be a decent team that threatens for a top-four seed.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-3)

Previous Rankings: 14

It took a little bit to get going, but the Cavaliers are back to being a win machine. In the same way as last year, too. Scoring a bunch of points. They’ve won four in a row in a good vibes week. Darius Garland finally debuted after he had toe surgery. And Donovan Mitchell dropped a season-high 46 points in a win over the Sixers. Cleveland also rocked its throwback uniform that everybody loved. Everything is going well over there in a now-or-never year with this group.

4. Detroit Pistons (8-2)

Previous Rankings: 10

Don’t look now, but the Pistons sit at the top of the East. They’ve won six in a row to reach that point. Everybody knows what Cade Cunningham does. The 2021 No. 1 pick has turned into a 25-point scorer. Detroit’s ascension starts and stops with him. But Jalen Duren has played his way into All-Star conversations. He’s been the Pistons’ second-best player. He had a 30-point performance and a 22-22 double-double this past week alone. You have to love what Detroit has done with its young core. Not that long ago from when they were the laughingstock of the NBA.

3. San Antonio Spurs (7-2)

Previous Rankings: 2

After missing the first two weeks of the season with a hamstring strain, De’Aaron Fox made his season debut. He scored 24 points in a close win over the Pelicans. There have been a lot of concerns about how he fits next to Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. But San Antonio isn’t worried about positional overlap. Instead, it’s all about adding talent. The Spurs remain one of the NBA’s best teams. Their point differential is in the double-digits. Let’s see if they can keep it up the rest of the way, but they’ve been one of the biggest surprise teams.

2. Denver Nuggets (7-2)

Previous Rankings: 6

If Nikola Jokic is set to win a fourth MVP, they’ll need to push his triple-double production. He’s averaging a 25-13-12 stat line on the season. While the scoring has dipped a bit, the all-around game remains the league’s best. The Nuggets have been a winning machine. All that while Cam Johnson has been pretty irrelevant so far. They also sport a double-digit point differential. Denver was seen as OKC’s biggest threat and has lived up to the part so far.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (10-1)

Previous Rankings: 1

The reigning NBA champion didn’t take long to be a regular-season machine. A franchise-best 8-0 record was snapped when they barely lost to the Trail Blazers, despite several OKC players out. The Thunder always have a chance to get a win as long as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suits up. Doesn’t matter if Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren or somebody else is out. They’re the team to beat. And that’ll be the case until someone knocks them out in the playoffs.