The 2026-27 NBA season has started with some surprising outcomes, and unbeaten teams and changing expectations in both conferences.
The newest NBA Standings 2026 image focuses on the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies in the West, and Philadelphia and Detroit impress in the East.
But you don’t win championships with first-round wins. More meaningful measure of defensive consistency, scoring efficiency, and opponents’ strength.
NBA Standings 2026: Western Conference Leaders
Portland had a 3–0 undefeated record, while Houston, Oklahoma City and Memphis started their season with a 4–0 record. The Rockets have made some big points, but will need some difficult games to see how sustainable they are.
Eastern Conference Ratings and Early Contenders
Detroit and Philadelphia tied at 4–1 and Boston, Cleveland and Toronto were 3–1 in new rankings. The Eastern Conference looks pretty tight, and the defense could be the key to the difference between contenders and the inconsistent bunch.
Lakers, Warriors and Other Western Conference Challenges
The Lakers started off 3–1 but Golden State’s 1–3 start left some doubts about consistency. The early results were also sluggish in Denver, as they started off 1–2, only to offer an unfavorable message for long-term prospects.
Why Opening-Week NBA Rankings Can Be Misleading
Four or five games is just part of the 82 game regular season. The importance of Net rating and opponent quality should be considered more analytically than the conference positions for a short amount of time, as should injuries and schedule difficulty.
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