NBA grades for every West team at the one-quarter mark, plus each squad's early MVP

We gave you the Eastern Conference’s first-quarter grades. For free, believe it or not.

Now, it is time to unveil our report card in the West, where the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-1) are running away with another No. 1 seed. The defending champions have a single loss, and even on our grading scale against expectations they are acing this test. Can anyone in the conference compete with the Thunder?

This is the question that must be asked by the Denver Nuggets (15-6), Houston Rockets (14-5), San Antonio Spurs (15-6), Los Angeles Lakers (15-5), Minnesota Timberwolves (13-8) and whichever other teams imagine themselves contenders. Can any of those teams win the title as currently constituted?

(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The Nuggets have enough, if they get healthy. The Rockets might need another ball-handler, even if they have managed just fine without a traditional point guard. The Spurs could take a big swing for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who does not seem especially satisfied on the Milwaukee Bucks (10-13). The Lakers have a LeBron James question to answer, too. And the Wolves will go as far as Anthony Edwards carries them.

But all of them pale in comparison to the Thunder, who would get an A++ if we gave them out here. As it is, we hand out flat letter grades based on how a team has met its expectations. The Utah Jazz (7-13), for example, could be doing a little bit better job at tanking but are otherwise developing talent and get solid marks.

Here goes …

Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • Los Angeles Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

1Q MVP: Cooper Flagg (17-7-3 on 48/26/80)

Best lineup: Flagg • Klay Thompson • PJ Washington • Anthony Davis • Dereck Lively (+2 in 24 minutes)

Worst loss: vs. Washington, 117-107 (lost as 9-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 2-9 • Against losing teams: 6-6

Comments: Hey, maybe don’t trade Luka Dončić. … Cooper Flagg, despite being played out of position to begin his career, has developed nicely in Dallas. This should be his team. … Anthony Davis is back. For now. And he had a monster night in a win over the Nuggets. A good sign for any team eyeing a trade for him. … Why, again, did the Mavs sign D’Angelo Russell? Is it a coincidence they have the worst offense in the league? Who could have seen this coming? … Dallas needs a playmaker. A healthy Kyrie Irving would do wonders. He cannot elevate them into contention. But he would change the complexion of this team.

Grade: F

1Q MVP: Nikola Jokić (29-13-11 on 62/43/86)

Best lineup: Jokić • Jamal Murray • Christian Braun • Cam Johnson • Aaron Gordon (+42 in 159 minutes)

Worst loss: vs. Dallas, 131-121 (lost as 11.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 7-2 • Against losing teams: 8-4

Comments: Nikola Jokić is incredible. He is averaging another 30-point triple-double and doing it easily, better than he has ever been. The Nuggets have the best offense in the league because he is the best offensive player of a generation. … Their core lineup — the one with Cam Johnson in place of Michael Porter Jr. now — is still a bear. They will be a monster once everyone is healthy. … The defense is a concern, though. Denver cannot be this mediocre there and expect to compete with Oklahoma City. … How do we get Jamal Murray on an All-Star team? It is hard in the West, but he is quietly enjoying the best start of his career.

Grade: B

1Q MVP: Stephen Curry (28-4-4 on 47/39/92)

Best lineup: Curry • Brandin Podziemski • Jimmy Butler • Jonathan Kuminga • Draymond Green (+25 in 65 minutes)

Worst loss: at Indiana, 114-109 (lost as 11-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 5-6 • Against losing teams: 6-5

Comments: The Warriors looked at the start of the season like I thought they would, which is to say good. Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Al Horford, though old in the NBA sense, have experienced enough winning to figure this out, so long as they can stay healthy. … But they look old, even as they present a top-10 defense. … Youth has not filled the gaps, and Jonathan Kuminga might be the most available player in the league. … The Warriors, who usually beat up on bad competition, have a lot of bad losses. They are not a good team, or even a relevant team, by Stephen Curry’s own definition.

Grade: D

1Q MVP: Alperen Şengün (23-9-7 on 51/39/74)

Best lineup: Şengün • Amen Thompson • Josh Okogie • Kevin Durant • Jabari Smith Jr. (+31 in 141 minutes)

Worst loss: at Utah, 133-125 (lost as 11.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 6-4 • Against losing teams: 8-1

Comments: I had questions about how Houston’s offense could perform in the absence of Fred VanVleet, and the Rockets have answered them with flying colors. They didn’t even need a point guard, so long as they could continue bludgeoning opponents on the offensive glass. … And now Reed Sheppard is coming along. His confidence is growing by the outing. … Kevin Durant was the perfect antidote to what ailed the Rockets’ isolation offense. … Alperen Şengün is amazing at basketball. The Baby Jokić nickname is earned. … Amen Thompson, what else can you say? The Rockets are stacked with talent.

Grade: A

1Q MVP: James Harden (27-6-8 on 44/37/91)

Best lineup: Harden • Kris Dunn • Kobe Sanders • John Collins • Ivica Zubac (+10 in 66 minutes)

Worst loss: at Utah, 129-108 (lost as 9.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 1-13 • Against losing teams: 5-3

Comments: We’ve been over this. The Clippers are old, bad, expensive, and they owe their first-round draft pick to the Thunder. It is about as dire as it gets, even for the Clippers. … So long, Chris Paul. … James Harden has been good, at least statistically. Same goes for Kawhi Leonard when he has been in the lineup. Neither impacts winning in the manner he once did. … Ivica Zubac has not been the player he was. … The Clippers are the kings of bad losses. … Is it possible the alleged Aspiration scandal is impacting the Clippers more than we thought possible? What other explanation is there for this team being this bad?

Grade: F

1Q MVP: Luka Dončić (35-9-9 on 48/34/81)

Best lineup: Dončić • Austin Reaves • Marcus Smart • Rui Hachimura • Deandre Ayton (+27 in 76 minutes)

Worst loss: at Atlanta, 122-102 (lost as 5.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 4-4 • Against losing teams: 11-1

Comments: The Lakers were good, added LeBron James, and got even better, which makes sense, since James is one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. … Luka Dončić is as good as advertised in Men’s Health. Which we should have known. He, too, is on his way to the pantheon. … He and Austin Reaves might be the most dangerous offensive duo in the game. And then they have LeBron. It is quite the embarrassment of riches. … On offense. … The defense still sets a sub-championship ceiling on this team, but the Lakers are closer to serious title contention than I thought possible. Thanks, Nico Harrison.

Grade: A

1Q MVP: Jaren Jackson Jr. (18-5-2 on 47/35/80)

Best lineup: Jackson • Cedric Coward • Jaylen Wells • Vince Williams Jr. • Zach Edey (+32 in 84 minutes)

Worst loss: vs. Miami, 146-114 (lost as 3-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 1-13 • Against losing teams: 8-0

Comments: You know what isn’t helpful? When your best player, in this case Ja Morant, publicly makes clear he is in a quarrel with the coaching staff. It does not appear Morant is long for the Grizzlies. … You know what is helpful? The Grizz are outscoring opponents by 20.7 points per 100 possessions whenever Zach Edey is on the floor. … Cedric Coward seems to be a good draft pick, too. It is what the Grizzlies do best. … Underneath the Morant drama, Jaren Jackson Jr. is just kind of floating out there as a really good player who is gettable for another team. What might it take from Boston to get Jackson out of Memphis?

Grade: D

1Q MVP: Anthony Edwards (30-5-4 on 49/41/82)

Best lineup: Edwards • Donte DiVincenzo • Jaden McDaniels • Julius Randle • Rudy Gobert (+71 in 213 minutes)

Worst loss: at Sacramento, 117-112 (lost as 10.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 2-7 • Against losing teams: 11-1

Comments: Beat a good team, will you, Minnesota? … Anthony Edwards is an incredible offensive player. He is solving everything opposing defenses are throwing at him and doing so at career-best efficiency. It is hard to dominate defensively for sustained stretches at the same time, but he is only 24 years old. … Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels are having themselves a year, too. … Seems like they should be better than they are. … They could use a point guard. Though Mike Conley is giving them everything he has got, what he has got at 38 years old is not the answer. Nor is Rob Dillingham. How might they get Coby White?

Grade: C

1Q MVP: Trey Murphy III (20-7-3 on 47/38/94)

Best lineup: Murphy • Jeremiah Fears • Herb Jones • Zion Williamson • Yves Missi (+16 in 34 minutes)

Worst loss: vs. Boston, 122-90 (lost as 4.5-point underdogs)

Against .500+ teams: 0-14 • Against losing teams: 3-5

Comments: The Pelicans traded their unprotected 2026 first-round draft pick to the Hawks for the right to draft Derik Queen, somehow believing they might make the playoffs this season. … Queen is good. It is too bad he has to live with the weight of that trade — and the possibility that New Orleans could deliver a top pick in a loaded draft to Atlanta — on his shoulders. … Jeremiah Fears looks like a good pick, too. … Trey Murphy III, what a player he would be elsewhere. A perfect wing for a team in need of one, and lots of teams are in need of one. … Tell me again how Joe Dumars thought this was going to be a good team.

Grade: F

1Q MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33-5-7 on 55/43/88)

Best lineup: Gilgeous-Alexander • Cason Wallace • Lu Dort • Chet Holmgren • Isaiah Hartenstein (+42 in 112 minutes)

Worst loss: at Portland, 121-119 (lost as 3.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 7-0 • Against losing teams: 14-1

Comments: You know one reason why the Thunder have the easiest schedule? Because they do not have to play the 21-1 Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team in the league — by far. … How did they do most of this without Jalen Williams, the league’s best co-star? … Chet Holmgren is better, and that is the thing about these Thunder. They are young, and they keep getting better. … And they have a great coach. Mark Daigneault is a great motivator, though he will tell you his players have all the motivation they need. … Can you imagine if Oklahoma City gets a high-end draft pick from the Clippers? Dynasty here we come.

Grade: A

1Q MVP: Devin Booker (25-4-7 on 46/32/87)

Best lineup: Booker • Grayson Allen • Ryan Dunn • Royce O’Neale • Mark Williams (+25 in 71 minutes)

Worst loss: at L.A. Clippers, 129-102 (lost as 10-point underdogs)

Against .500+ teams: 4-6 • Against losing teams: 9-3

Comments: If the Suns can keep shooting like this, they could be in the play-in tournament hunt for good. I have my doubts. … News of Devin Booker’s hamstring strain, which could have been worse, still does not bode well. He was back to earning his reputation as a winning player. … Speaking of which, Dillon Brooks is a culture-setter. Not everyone outside of that culture is going to love how he does it. But he tries, and his teammates try for him, and that goes a long way in this league. … It will be fascinating to see how well Jalen Green reintegrates with these Suns, as he will have to try, too, to contribute to wins.

Grade: A

1Q MVP: Deni Avdija (26-7-6 on 47/37/81)

Best lineup: Avdija • Jrue Holiday • Shaedon Sharpe • Toumani Camara • Jerami Grant (+17 in 44 minutes)

Worst loss: vs. Phoenix, 127-110 (lost as 2.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 6-10 • Against losing teams: 3-3

Comments: Well, their coach, Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Fame player, was arrested for his alleged involvement in a gambling scandal, so things did not start out great for the Blazers. … Deni Avdija, man. Heck of a ballplayer. And Bub Carrington was the only cost of doing that business with the Wizards. What a steal. … When Donovan Clingan is on the floor, the Blazers allow 112.9 points per 100 possessions, equivalent to a top-10 defense. Unfortunately, they are also only scoring 111.9 points per 100 possessions themselves, equivalent to a bottom-10 offense. I would like Clingan to connect at a higher efficiency clip on that end.

Grade: C

1Q MVP: DeMar DeRozan (18-3-3 on 50/38/91)

Best lineup: DeRozan • Russell Westbrook • Zach LaVine • Keegan Murray • Precious Achiuwa (+14 in 20 minutes)

Worst loss: vs. Atlanta, 133-100 (lost as 4.5-point underdogs)

Against .500+ teams: 3-13 • Against losing teams: 2-4

Comments: The poor, poor Kings. Can’t they have anything nice? The Light the Beam team seems like just yesterday and forever ago at the same time. … This is a roster that once had De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton and is now in desperate need of a point guard. Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schröder have not, shockingly, been the answers. … Give DeMar DeRozan all the grief you want for not being able to carry a team, but he is a midrange maestro. He could play for my team any day, even at 36 years old. … What do you even do with this roster? Fire sale? But for what? It is not like Zach LaVine has any takers.

Grade: F

1Q MVP: Victor Wembanyama (26-13-4 on 50/35/86)

Best lineup: Wembanyama • Stephon Castle • Julian Champagnie • Harrison Barnes • Devin Vassell (+33 in 110 minutes)

Worst loss: at Phoenix, 130-118 (lost as 5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 6-6 • Against losing teams: 9-0

Comments: When Victor Wembanyama is on the floor, the Spurs allow 105.5 points per 100 possessions, better than any defense but the Thunder’s. When he is off the court, that rating jumps to 117.3, a bottom-10 figure. He is a walking top-five defense. To state the obvious: They need him back from his calf strain in short order. But not too soon. … In the meantime, the Spurs have held up nicely, thanks to the return of De’Aaron Fox. Can’t wait to see the Fox-Wembanyama pairing. … Dylan Harper was a great pick. So was Stephon Castle. Would have to give up one or both to get Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it still might be worth it.

Grade: B

1Q MVP: Lauri Markkanen (28-6-2 on 47/36/90)

Best lineup: Markkanen • Keyonte George • Ace Bailey • Svi Mykhailiuk • Walker Kessler (+34 in 51 minutes)

Worst loss: at Charlotte, 126-103 (lost as 1.5-point favorites)

Against .500+ teams: 3-10 • Against losing teams: 4-3

Comments: The Walker Kessler injury, in retrospect, is an even bigger bummer than it already was. The Jazz sure could use his rim protection. … This team plays hard; they just don’t know how to close games. Part of having a 22-year-old Keyonte George at the helm, I guess. … He has a lot of potential, as do most of Utah’s recent draft picks. One of them needs to pop. … Could it be Ace Bailey? Some recent signs of life from him. … What to do with Markkanen. Make the Pistons pay a king’s ransom. That is what to do.

Grade: B

NBA grades for every West team at the one-quarter mark, plus each squad’s early MVP

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