Editor’s Note: Team statistics were taken before any games occurring on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0) have proved to be a dominant force. Ajay Mitchell has emerged as a potential number two option alongside star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Mitchell averaged 22.5 points and six assists during the Thunder’s sweep of the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference semifinals. He scored a career-high 30 points and added five assists in Monday’s win over the Phoenix Suns, his first start of the season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves (3-1) have developed strong chemistry, with LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards forming a dangerous duo. The starting five of Ball, Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga and Rudy Gobert outscored opponents by 31 points in 56 minutes across four games. When Ball and Edwards shared the floor, Minnesota posted a 120.8 offensive rating, which would have ranked second in the league last season.
The Boston Celtics (3-1) opened the season with standout individual performances, highlighted by new addition Paul George scoring 36 points. Boston lost a 20-point lead in that game against Detroit but responded with Jayson Tatum scoring 36 points against the defending champions in their October matchup with the Knicks.
The Detroit Pistons (3-1) have started strong from beyond the arc, shooting 42 percent as a team in their first three games. Duncan Robinson leads the league in made three-pointers per game, averaging five and shooting 54 percent from deep. John Collins is attempting five 3s per game and converting at a 50 percent rate.
The San Antonio Spurs (2-2) opened the season with losses to both the Thunder and the Houston Rockets. Houston is 4-0 for the first time since 2014-15, boosted by the return of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet after last year’s ACL injury. Against Oklahoma City, Victor Wembanyama shot 1-for-13 from the field and missed all his 3-point attempts but finished with 12 points, scoring 10 of those at the free-throw line.
The Nuggets (1-2) have struggled to start the season, posting the league’s fifth-worst defensive rating at 119.3 and giving the Warriors their first win. Denver rallied from a 23-point deficit, led by rookie Trevon Brazile, who scored 17 points on 54.5 percent shooting.
The Warriors (1-3) have faced early injury issues, but rookie Yaxel Lendenborg stood out on opening night against the Lakers. He became the fourth player since 1986 to record at least 85 points and 35 rebounds in his first four games.
The Knicks (1-3) have started slowly. On ring night, New York’s bench struggled after halftime, shooting 3-for-13 in the second half and losing momentum whenever Jalen Brunson or Karl-Anthony Towns sat. Philadelphia took advantage and won the opener. In the loss to Boston, the Knicks could not match the Celtics’ half-court execution late and let a close game slip away. Against Orlando, they were outscored 40-27 in the fourth quarter. New York did manage to defeat Detroit to avoid an 0-4 start, but the offense needs to regain the pace and consistency shown during last season’s playoff run.
However, beyond the first week, the narrative for this NBA season has shifted, mostly because key injuries have plagued teams and will likely continue to do so as the season progresses.
Before the season started, after taking a year off from the NBA, Ben Simmons tore his Achilles tendon in a Sacramento Kings practice, sidelining him for the year. Kristaps Porzingis’s medical situation has been in question for an extended period, and he’s generally understood to be unavailable for an indefinite amount of time.
Paolo Banchero will be out for six weeks, and Jalen Suggs for two weeks. In a horrifying display, Williams will be out for an extended period with a dislocated ankle, and Cason Wallace will also be sidelined with a torn labrum. Alex Caruso was helped off the court after the Thunder’s win against the Suns on Monday and was then ruled out with an ankle sprain. Kawhi Leonard would be sidelined with a swollen knee, and Jaren Jackson Jr. would be sidelined for eight weeks with a torn MCL.
Edwards, despite the electric start, is stated to miss two months and potentially more while he undergoes a procedure for a right knee issue. This would automatically disqualify him from an All-NBA team like it did last year (for essentially the same knee issue). Tyrese Haliburton, coming off tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, has also been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
This list is not extensive. There are more, and there will continue to be more.
With all these injuries, two conversations have taken center stage. One is how different the NBA landscape is with all these injuries, and the other is the conversation around pace of play and shortening the season or potentially getting rid of the 65-game rule the NBA has instituted.
The latter, discussed in a previous article, can essentially be described as “the most valuable thing you can be is available, in the eyes of the NBA,” but conversations will need to be had regarding not only the injuries, but the rule and what that effectively means for people heading forward.