The NBA gave us buzzer-beaters in Week 2, more OT games, and another season where the Oklahoma City Thunder start 7-0. Only one team dropped out of my top 10 and one team entered, but there was a ton of movement! All Championship odds are courtesy of DraftKings.
Vaughn Dalzell’s Week 3 NBA Power Rankings
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0)
NBA Finals odds: +235
Points Leader: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33.6)
Rebound Leader: Isaiah Hartentstein (11.4)
Assist Leader: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (5.9)
Oklahoma City became the third team ever to start a season 7-0 after winning a championship and back-to-back seasons. Without Jalen Williams, the Thunder have not skipped a beat with wins over Houston, Indiana, Atlanta, Dallas, Sacramento, Washington, and New Orleans.
Not to discredit the Thunder’s start, but only a few of those teams will be playoff squads, so we will have to see how good Oklahoma City is when opponents begin to find their rhythm. For now and the foreseeable future, the Thunder are the undisputed No. 1 team in the NBA.
2. Los Angeles Lakers (6-2)
NBA Finals odds: +1600
Points Leader: Luka Doncic (41.3)
Rebound Leader: Luka Doncic (11.5)
Assist Leader: Austin Reaves (9.3)
The Lakers have won four consecutive games and have played pretty much nothing but expected playoff teams through eight games. Los Angeles has played Portland and Minnesota each twice (3-1), plus Golden State (0-1), Sacramento (1-0), Memphis (1-0), and Miami (1-0).
If you would have told me that Luka Doncic will miss four games and LeBron James be out for the start of the season and the Lakers would be 6-2, I wouldn’t have believed you. Los Angeles ranks seventh in offensive efficiency and second in effective field goal percentage, but 18th in defensive efficiency, so the Lakers will have to clean up that end of the floor to consistently be a top-five team.
3. Milwaukee Bucks (5-2)
NBA Finals odds: +4500
Points Leader: Giannis Antetokounmpo (34.0)
Rebound Leader: Giannis Antetokounmpo (13.3)
Assist Leader: Giannis Antetokounmpo (6.8)
Milwaukee has been one of the hottest teams to start the season after most media members wrote them off this season, including me. The Bucks have shown that Myles Turner can space the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo then Brook Lopez could with their fourth-rated offensive efficiency through seven games.
Antetokounmpo has been on a tear and leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Cole Anthony and Ryan Rollins have both averaged more than five assists per game and Antetokounmpo is posting a career-high in that department, so as long as they keep up this offensive flow, Milwaukee could win the East.
4. Denver Nuggets (4-2)
NBA Finals odds: +550
Points Leader: Jamal Murray (24.2)
Rebound Leader: Nikola Jokic (13.2)
Assist Leader: Nikola Jokic (11.3)
In Denver’s four wins, the offense has scored 133, 127, 122, and 130 points and have the sixth-rated offensive efficiency, but in the two losses, they are ranked second behind the Bucks. That is a good sign that the offense is strong. Last season was the same case with the fourth-ranked offense in losses and top-rated offense in wins.
Denver is in the middle of a four-game home stand that was kicked off with a 130-124 win over Sacramento. The Nuggets host the Heat, Warriors, and Pacers this week — all rank in the top-half of the league in defensive efficiency, so Denver will be put to the test.
5. New York Knicks (4-3)
NBA Finals odds: +1300
Points Leader: Jalen Brunson (29.0)
Rebound Leader: Karl-Anthony Towns (13.1)
Assist Leader: Jalen Brunson (5.6)
After suffering a three-game losing streak on the road to the Heat, Bucks, and Bulls — the Knicks bounced back with two dominant home victories versus the Bulls and Wizards by 12 and 17 points. New York has five straight home games on deck as apart of this seven-game home stand.
New York takes on Minnesota, Brooklyn, Memphis, Orlando, and Miami as the final five games of the home stand. That’s a schedule that could certainly move the Knicks up. I could see them go 5-2 or better during the seven-game home stand that already started 2-0.
Evaluating gap between Thunder and rest of NBA
Off Guard dives into the Thunder’s impressive 7-0 start, exploring what the gap is between them and the rest of the NBA’s best teams, explaining why SGA & Co. are focused on the bigger picture.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3)
NBA Finals odds: +700
Points Leader: Donovan Mitchell (29.5)
Rebound Leader: Evan Mobley (8.9)
Assist Leader: Lonzo Ball (5.3)
Cleveland has struggled offensively despite averaging 114.1 points per game (23rd). The Cavs come in at 26th in offensive efficacy, ahead of only the Pelicans, Pacers, Wizards, and Mavericks.
Most of that is due to bench scoring. Cleveland is second-worst in that category as they didn’t improve this offseason. The only addition was Lonzo Ball, who leads the team in assists per game (5.3). Defensively though, Cleveland ranks sixth in defensive efficiency to start the season, so that’s been the Cavs bread and butter.
7. Golden State Warriors (4-3)
NBA Finals odds: +1300
Points Leader: Steph Curry (26.6)
Rebound Leader: Jonathan Kuminga (7.1)
Assist Leader: Draymond Green (6.1)
Golden State dropped two consecutive games, so they have to drop back on my list. Milwaukee and Indiana slowed the Warriors roll as the Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Pacers riding a five-game losing streak. Not exactly quality losses.
Al Horford has missed two games for Golden State, Jimmy Butler is on the latest injury report, and De’Anthony Melton is still out. The last thing the Warriors can afford is injuries early in the season. Golden State is the second-oldest team in the NBA (27.53).
8. Portland Trail Blazers (4-3)
NBA Finals odds: +40000
Points Leader: Deni Avidja (24.1)
Rebound Leader: Donovan Clingan (9.1)
Assist Leader: Jrue Holiday (8.3)
There is a youth movement going on in Portland and unlike Charlotte, Brooklyn, Washington, or any of those other youthful, lively and vibrant teams — Portland is winning. Eight out of 15 Trail Blazers are 25-years-old or younger, but they come in at 17th for average age. If you take a closer look at the rotation, only Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams, and Jerami Grant are veterans. There will be growing pains, but I see the vision in Portland.
9. San Antonio Spurs (5-1)
NBA Finals odds: +4000
Points Leader: Victor Wembanyama (26.7)
Rebound Leader: Victor Wembanyama (13.7)
Assist Leader: Stephon Castle (5.3)
I might be crazy having San Antonio this high, but the Spurs are hot! The Spurs opened the season at 5-0 for the first time in franchise history, which blew my mind. San Antonio did have that streak snapped against the Suns and while the stretch has been awesome to witness, the competition has been lackluster to say the least.
The five teams that San Antonio beat, Dallas, New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Miami are a combined 12-25 to start the season. Half the league could go at least 4-1 to start the season with that schedule, so I will hold the horses at little longer.
10. Philadelphia 76ers (5-1)
NBA Finals odds: +2500
Points Leader: Tyrese Maxey (33.7)
Rebound Leader: Andre Drummond (6.7)
Assist Leader: Tyrese Maxey (9.0)
Philadelphia was one of the biggest surprises to start the season at 5-0 before dropping their first game to Boston in the second meeting between them this year. The 76ers bounced back with a win to move to 5-1, tying the Bulls for the second-best record in the NBA, who are next on the schedule.
If Chicago wins, then I probably should have had the Bulls here, but if the 76ers win, then I guess I got this right. For me, it’s simple that a mixture of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe are enough most nights over Chicago and a good amount of teams in the NBA.
Out of the Top 10
Los Angeles Clippers (3-3)
NBA Finals odds: +3000
Points Leader: Kawhi Leonard (23.8)
Rebound Leader: Ivica Zubac (8.6)
Assist Leader: James Harden (9.2)
The start to the Clippers season is not turning out as expected with a 3-3 record through six games and a date versus the Thunder on Peacock next. Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal were both ruled out in the second night of a back-to-back for that meeting with Oklahoma City, so it’s clear Los Angeles will be managing both players all season long for a playoff run.
The Clippers narrowly escaped New Orleans (0-6) in their last win, and lost to Miami by one point in their previous game, so this squad is trending down.
New to the Top 10:
Portland Trail Blazers (4-3)
NBA Finals odds: +40000
Points Leader: Deni Avidja (24.1)
Rebound Leader: Donovan Clingan (9.1)
Assist Leader: Jrue Holiday (8.3)
The Trail Blazers have beaten the Warriors, Lakers, Jazz, and Nuggets this season and lost to the Clippers, Lakers, and Timberwolves — so that’s five potential playoff teams in seven games. Portland has proved they are ready to make a jump and be a sleeper to make the play-in tournament this year in a crowed West.
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
