NBA Insiders
Oct 29, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
We're one week into the 2025-26 NBA season, and there are already plenty of intriguing storylines to follow.
Off the court, the league has been shaken by investigations related to illegal sports betting and rigged poker games. On the court, injuries and surprising surges have dominated the first week. Following 40-point performances from the Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen, Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray and Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves on Monday, there have now been 16 40-point games, the most through the first seven days of a season in league history.
Amid the chaos, our reporters and analysts took a look at what has surprised them the most so far, some bold predictions for the rest of the season and which stars are rising. Our reporters also answered the biggest question facing the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder and six other teams in the early going.
Let's break down the best and worst from the opening days of the season.
Jump to a team question:
ATL | DAL | GS | HOU
LAL | MIL | NY | OKC | SA
What has surprised you most so far?
Brian Windhorst: I've seen superstar players take leaps in their third seasons. LeBron James finished second in the MVP vote in his third year. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks to the playoffs for the first time. Kobe Bryant made his first All-NBA team. The list goes on. But what Victor Wembanyama has displayed is next level.
He has decided, on his own, and that is a key component, that he's done bailing out teams by hoisting 3s. Yes, the world knows he's not a "center," and don't ask how tall he actually is. He's a basketball player. He's a basketball player who, with every giant step he takes toward the basket, increases an unstoppable advantage.
Wembanyama going from nearly nine 3-point attempts per game to less than three is transformational. He's already a generational defensive talent. Now, he is on the cusp of being one of the league's best offensive players.
Zach Kram: It typically takes time for rookies to adjust to the NBA game, but the 2025 draft class looks incredible in the early going -- and that's even before No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg fully finds his NBA footing.
At least a dozen rookies have already made a positive impact for their teams, ranging from high lottery picks Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and Kon Knueppel to second-rounders Sion James, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Will Richard. (Yes, there are three Charlotte Hornets on that list.) Cedric Coward was one of the best players in the league at any experience level during the first week. NBA fans should be thrilled to follow these youngsters' development over the rest of this season and beyond.
Tim Bontemps: The 76ers and the Chicago Bulls -- the two East teams everyone predicted would be undefeated a week into the season.
Philadelphia is 4-0 despite Paul George (knee) and Jared McCain (thumb) missing all three games and Joel Embiid (knee injury management) sitting out Monday against Orlando, and Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe might be the most exciting backcourt in the league. Chicago, meanwhile, has not only started 3-0, but has done so by winning against teams expected to be in the top six in the East (the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Hawks).
Now, I don't expect the Sixers and Bulls to be competing for home-court advantage in the East. Philadelphia's going to be fun to watch, but its lack of size up front, plus the ongoing uncertainty around Embiid and George, is going to catch up with it eventually. And Chicago is obviously fated to win 39-40 games -- like the Bulls are every season. But it's been a very fun start in both places for teams that didn't enter the season with much, if any, excitement around them, making for a big surprise to start the season.
Kevin Pelton: Of the four unbeaten teams entering play on Tuesday, three were in the lottery five months ago. It's not terribly surprising that the Spurs have started 4-0, given their weak early schedule (four games against 2025 lottery teams) and Wembanyama's early success, but the 76ers haven't needed much contribution from Embiid in their strong start and the Bulls have already knocked off two aspiring East contenders.
More generally, as Todd Whitehead of Sportradar pointed out Tuesday, last season's bottom 12 teams had a better record through the first week than the top 18 from a season ago. Some of that is schedule-related. Because of marquee national TV games, contenders are more likely to play each other early, leaving recent lottery teams easier slates. Even accounting for that, there has been unexpected parity.
Bobby Marks: Injuries. The regular season had not even started, and the Memphis Grizzlies were already in position to apply for a 10-day hardship exception. With Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome missing three consecutive games and out at least another two weeks, Memphis signed Charles Bassey to the exception, the earliest a player has signed since the 1999-2000 season.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers were already without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) and T.J. McConnell (hamstring) to start the season, then lost starters Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard and reserves Johnny Furphy and Taelon Peter to injuries in the first two games. To make things worse, sixth man Obi Toppin left the game early on Sunday with a right hamstring injury. Indiana signed slam dunk champion Mac McClung, but at the cost of waiving center James Wiseman.
The Lakers had just seven healthy players on standard contracts in their loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. Ironically, the defending champion Thunder lead all teams with the most missed games. In addition, 11 players, including Anthony Edwards, De'Aaron Fox and Jalen Green, are out with hamstring injuries.
What's front of mind in the league office a week into the season?
Windhorst: The gambling charges are distracting, and the league is beginning the process of looking at further overhauling its injury-reporting systems.
This is going to be unpleasant. Some teams and coaches are going to kick and scream about it, but they're going to have to drop the veil and report injury statuses when decisions are made, not when it's strategically preferred. You can have a Ted Talk about the proliferation of gambling and its effect (including on those who eventually become pro athletes), and it's a complicated issue. Of the recent allegations, insider trading on injury information, as opposed to the illegal and rigged poker ring, is something the league can much more immediately and effectively address.
What's one preseason prediction you'd like to revise?
Kram: With two of their best guards and centers injured to start the season, I thought the Grizzlies would be doomed to suffer another lost season. The competition in the West is so extreme that I foresaw Memphis falling behind early and not having enough time or talent to make its way back into the play-in picture.
But the Grizzlies have played solid basketball thus far, and Coward looks like a rising star. As long as Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. stay healthy, Memphis could -- at the very least -- tread water and stay competitive until the reinforcements arrive in another month or two.
1:18
Why Stephen A. needs to see more from Anthony Davis
Stephen A. Smith calls on Anthony Davis to step up for the Mavericks after their loss to the Spurs.
What's a bold prediction you'd like to make after seeing a week of games?
Bontemps: The Mavericks are going to miss the playoffs.
The theory entering the season was that Dallas' defense would carry it while it waited for a potential Kyrie Irving return. But through this opening week, the defense has looked far from formidable, and the lack of perimeter shooting and shot creation has been the problem it was expected to be. That's a bad combination in a loaded Western Conference, one that has the Spurs looking like they're going to impress (and surpass my expectations, among others) and plenty of other competition to deal with.
What's the most interesting early-season trend you've seen?
Pelton: Free throw rates are through the roof. The 27.7 free throws per game -- six more than last season -- would be the most since 1990-91, if maintained. Those last two words are key. Free throws typically go down over the course of the season, with an average drop of 1.5 per game from the first week to the final average during the past decade.
Beyond that, as players adjust to how referees are calling the game, free throw rates tend to regress toward the typical average (about 22 per game in recent seasons). There's no reason to expect whistles to continue so frequently. Still, they've had a massive impact on the high scoring thus far, including more than twice as many players scoring 40 points as we'd ever seen in the first week of the season, per ESPN Research. Those outings have featured an average of 13.1 free throw attempts.
What's the one contract situation fans should keep a close eye on?
Marks: Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell. Yes, there have been only four regular-season games, but he has already outplayed the three-year, $6.7 million contract he signed in July (the last year is a team option). Mitchell is averaging 18.3 points this season and scored a career-high 26 against Indiana. Per Cleaning the Glass, Oklahoma City is a plus-5.9 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court.
Mitchell's contract and on-court impact are important because Oklahoma City is a projected second-apron team next season. That's the first year the rookie max extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren will kick in. -- Marks
Which rookie has surprised you the most in the first week?
Jeremy Woo: Based on the very small sample, it's Coward. He played only six games at Washington State last season before getting injured -- before that, he spent two years at Eastern Washington -- so to hit the ground running like this with minimal high-level basketball under his belt at age 22 is special stuff.
Will Coward shoot 70% from the field forever? Will he turn it over 0.25 times per game the rest of the season? No. His breakout 27-point game came against the heavily undermanned Pacers. But the Grizzlies appear to have made a shrewd series of moves by dealing away Desmond Bane, then targeting Coward as his younger replacement with a cheaper contract. It's not easy whatsoever to slide right into the starting lineup and play at that level. This certainly bodes well.
More questions from around the NBA
Atlanta Hawks
How long could it take for the new Hawks roster to mesh?
Ohm Youngmisuk: The Hawks were demolished by the Toronto Raptors on opening night, 138-118. Afterward, Trae Young said the team lacked cohesion because the main rotation had barely played together in preseason games.
The Hawks have dealt with injuries and illness to starters such as Kristaps Porzingis (flu-like symptoms), Zaccharie Risacher (ankle) and Jalen Johnson (ankle). Young needs more time to develop chemistry with the team's new additions.
Quin Snyder is trying to get his team to run and push the ball up the floor while asking Young to play more off ball to create easier shot attempts, help reduce turnovers and move the ball more. The Hawks will need as many wins as they can get to reinforce these new habits. Currently on a four-game road swing, the Hawks hope a 1-3 start doesn't turn into a slide. Porzingis, Johnson and Risacher returned against Chicago on Monday and Porzingis had his best game as a Hawk with 27 points. But defense and rebounding are areas in need of improvement.
Dallas Mavericks
How big of a problem is the point guard position?
Tim MacMahon: Cooper Flagg starting his career as a point guard, a position he had never played before, might pay long-term dividends. But the experiment hasn't been pretty so far. The Mavs rank dead last in offensive efficiency, scoring only 103.8 points per 100 possessions. They were twice held under 95 points during their 1-3 start, one more time than the rest of the league combined through Monday night's games.
Coach Jason Kidd was hesitant to rely on D'Angelo Russell, playing undrafted rookie Ryan Nembhard more than the veteran in the first two games before giving Russell the sixth man role. Russell has shot the ball poorly (29.3% from the floor), but his playmaking ability is sorely needed while Irving recovers from his March knee surgery. He has a 22-to-5 assist-to-turnover ratio and the Mavs are plus-31 in Russell's 83 minutes, compared to being outscored by 71 points without him on the floor.
Golden State Warriors
What exactly is the plan at the center spot?
Anthony Slater: The Warriors spent all summer saying they don't want Draymond Green, in his 15th season as an undersized big, accumulating the regular-season wear and tear that comes with defending the mammoths of the league. Then they proceeded to start him at center in four of their first five games, including an overtime matchup with Nikola Jokic.
Here's the problem: Al Horford isn't cleared for back-to-backs and, even when he gets the green light, is limited to around 24 minutes, and Quinten Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis don't appear ready for a large role on a contending team. So it's going to be a whole lot of reluctant lineups with Green at center, especially with what seems to be a Jonathan Kuminga leap, forcing the Warriors to find ways to put him on the floor for 30 minutes every night.
Houston Rockets
Do the Rockets need to sign a true point guard?
Michael C. Wright: The Rockets at least appear to be considering making such a move. A source confirmed that Houston applied for a Disabled Players Exemption for injured point guard Fred VanVleet, which would allow the Rockets to receive a $12.5 million salary exemption (half of VanVleet's $25 million salary for this season). Even if the exemption is approved, the Rockets aren't optimistic they can add an impactful player. Complicating matters is the fact Houston remains hard capped at the first apron.
So, the Rockets would have to move out salary to use the exemption. Coach Ime Udoka told ESPN in early October that the team planned to take a "by-committee" approach to filling the void left by VanVleet's injury. But so far, that approach hasn't resulted in the success the club expected as primary ballhandling duties require energy that saps other elements of a player's game over the course of four quarters.
Los Angeles Lakers
Can Reaves keep the team's head above water while both James and Doncic are out?
Dave McMenamin: Reaves followed up the game of his life -- a career-best 51 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists and just 2 turnovers in a win in Sacramento -- with a very good game Monday against Portland (41 points, albeit with eight turnovers). The first game L.A. won by seven; the second it lost by 14. It's one thing to expect Reaves to be very good from night to night while James (sciatica) and Doncic (sprained finger on his left hand and a lower left leg contusion) are out. The fifth-year guard has grown into a reliable, proven player in this league. It's another to expect him to be otherworldly every game.
L.A. will have to generate more offense outside of Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura if it expects to manage this upcoming stretch. Doncic is expected to miss at least another two games and James is expected to miss another two to three weeks.
Milwaukee Bucks
Do the Bucks have enough in the backcourt to support Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Jamal Collier: Through the first three games of the season, it's clear Antetokounmpo is going to do all he can to give the Bucks a chance to win on a nightly basis. He's already averaging 36 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists while shooting 68.3%, leading Milwaukee to wins in its first two games against the Washington Wizards and Raptors. And although the supporting cast has had its moments, the Bucks are still waiting to see who will emerge as their most reliable options in the backcourt to help ease some of the offensive load on Antetokounmpo.
Kevin Porter Jr. scored 10 points in the first quarter of the season, injured his ankle and hasn't played since. Cole Anthony put up 23 points and seven assists in the second game, but an illness kept him out of the third. Kyle Kuzma has embraced his role coming off the bench. All three of those ball handlers are going to be key for Milwaukee to help alleviate some of the pressure on its star, and if one of them can stay healthy and productive enough next to Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have an opportunity to ascend toward the top of the conference. -- Jamal Collier
New York Knicks
After they were one of the healthiest teams in the league last season, will bad luck catch up with the Knicks?
Vincent Goodwill: Mitchell Robinson hasn't played this season, under the mysterious guise of "load management." Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters after the season opener that he's dealing with a Grade 2 quad strain and hasn't indicated the pain has subsided in the meantime. Josh Hart is dealing with a back injury he suffered in Abu Dhabi, which cost him the season opener.
Keeping track?
The new-look Mike Brown offense is going to take some time, especially for the Knicks, who love playing a more deliberate style. A top-five unit last season is now in the bottom third after a very small sample size, with only Jalen Brunson (30.3 points per game) and Mikal Bridges (56.3% shooting) playing up to their usual efficiency. Getting Towns healthy and acclimated to playing next to Robinson has to be a chief priority, because shooting 40% as a team isn't going to cut it long term.
Oklahoma City Thunder
When will Oklahoma City's starting lineup be whole?
MacMahon: The Thunder are rolling despite the absence of All-NBA wing Williams, who is working his way back from the right wrist surgery that he delayed until after the NBA Finals. Williams wasn't able to shoot at all with his dominant hand until mid-October, and he's going through the process of regaining feel and rebuilding his jump shot. His pregame workout Monday night in Dallas, when Williams struggled shooting unguarded 3-pointers, was an indication that he needs some time. He has the luxury of not feeling the need to rush as Oklahoma City racks up wins.
In the meantime, second-year guard Ajay Mitchell is picking up a lot of the offensive slack, averaging 18.7 points off the bench during the defending champions' 5-0 start.
San Antonio Spurs
Are the Spurs the real deal?
Wright: It's easy to be swayed by the fast start. Wembanyama won Western Conference Player of the Week, averaging 31.3 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.8 blocks over the first four games and becoming the first player in NBA history to log 100-plus points, 40-plus rebounds and 15-plus blocks through the first three contests. We also witnessed a breakout performance from rookie Dylan Harper, who dropped 20 points and a team-best plus-33 on Sunday in a win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Still, in evaluating the Spurs it would be an omission not to consider the level of competition they faced in defeating a trio of struggling squads to start 2025-26 in the Mavericks, the New Orleans Pelicans and the Nets. The strength of opponents intensifies this week with matchups on deck against the Miami Heat and Lakers. The fact the Spurs were able to cobble together those wins without Fox and Jeremy Sochan is a positive sign.
