The 2025-26 NBA season is still in its early stages, but with most teams having crossed the 10-game threshold, we now have a decent sample size to evaluate who’s exceeding expectations and who’s falling flat.
From surprise contenders to massive underachievers, these first few weeks have offered a revealing indication of what might unfold over the next several months. Based on early performances, here are the three most impressive and three most disappointing teams so far in the 2025-26 NBA season.
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3 Most Impressive Teams
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Detroit Pistons
Team Record: 9-2
Team Stats: 118.0 PPG (16th), 112.7 OPPG (6th), +5.2 Net Rating (8th)
The Pistons are the league’s breakout story, storming out to a 9-2 record and claiming the top spot in the East. Cade Cunningham has officially transitioned from rising star to full-blown superstar (27.5 PPG, 9.9 APG) as he impacts the game beyond the stat sheet.
More importantly, Detroit has established a clear identity built on toughness and unselfishness, traits that carry across all five positions and radiate through their bench units. Their defensive commitment (allowing under 113 PPG) is evident in every matchup, and their physicality has overwhelmed veteran teams who didn’t expect Detroit to be this good, this quickly.
Equally impressive is the balance throughout the roster. The front office’s investment in high-IQ wings, switchable defenders, and multipositional role players has created a group that fits seamlessly beside Cade.
There’s no sense of overachieving luck. This is a team playing fundamentally sound, sustainable basketball. The Pistons are imposing their style, showing a maturity and cohesion usually reserved for established playoff teams.
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San Antonio Spurs
Team Record: 8-2
Team Stats: 119.3 PPG (11th), 111.3 OPPG (4th), +8.0 Net Rating (5th)
Everyone anticipated a leap from the Spurs in year 3 of Victor Wembanyama (25.7 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 3.9 BPG), but few expected this level of dominance. Even with De’Aaron Fox missing significant time with only two appearances so far, San Antonio has looked dangerous on both ends. Wemby’s emergence as a legitimate MVP candidate is the centerpiece of the story, but the rest of the roster deserves equal praise.
Their ball movement, spacing, and defensive discipline look miles ahead of where they were even a year ago. This is no longer a developmental team, but a team ready to compete every night. Part of the Spurs’ surge stems from internal growth because their youngsters are coming into their own.
Stephon Castle, once labeled a defensive specialist, has grown into a far more capable playmaker (18.5 PPG, 7.7 APG), giving the Spurs a secondary creator who takes pressure off Wembanyama’s shoulders. The supporting cast, from shooters to bigs, has embraced their roles, resulting in a unit that feels like it’s been together far longer than it actually has.
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Chicago Bulls
Team Record: 6-4
Team Stats: 119.2 PPG (13th), 118.4 OPPG (19th), +.8 Net Rating (18th)
If Detroit is the league’s biggest revelation, Chicago might be the most unexpected. Few projected the Bulls to hover in playoff position after 10 games, yet here they are playing with energy and a sense of purpose that has eluded them in recent seasons. Josh Giddey’s breakout (21.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 9.3 APG) has been especially critical.
Fresh off signing a $100 million contract, he has validated the investment with strong playmaking, improved leadership, and scoring that has galvanized an evolving roster. Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic (17.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG) has rediscovered All-Star form, posting double-doubles with ease.
Chicago’s early success feels earned. The team plays hard, defends with commitment, and relies on balanced contributions rather than star dependency. Whether they sustain this level of play remains to be seen, but through the early stretch, the Bulls have been one of the NBA’s most refreshing surprises.
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3 Most Disappointing Teams
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Dallas Mavericks
Team Record: 3-8
Team Stats: 107.2 PPG (30th), 113.5 OPPG (8th), -6.2 Net Rating (24th)
Few teams have looked more directionless than the Mavericks, who made one of the most controversial moves of last season when they traded Luka Doncic and reoriented the franchise around Anthony Davis. The plan was risky but theoretically viable: pair Davis with Kyrie Irving, add Cooper Flagg as the young centerpiece, and build a flexible contender.
Instead, Davis has struggled with injuries, Kyrie hasn’t played a single game, and Flagg (15.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.1 APG) has been thrust into responsibilities well beyond what any teenage rookie should carry. The result: a lottery-level record and a team that appears lost. The struggles extend beyond injuries.
Klay Thompson, expected to provide veteran shooting and spacing, has been benched due to poor play (7.4 PPG on 26.7% 3-PT FG) and defensive liabilities. The roster construction now looks disjointed, lacking the stability and structure needed to survive in the West. Dallas made a franchise-altering bet by dealing Luka, and so far, it appears they pushed all their chips in only to lose the hand.
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Orlando Magic
Team Record: 5-6
Team Stats: 115.9 PPG (19th), 115.8 OPPG (14th), +.1 Net Rating (20th)
The Magic entered the season with enormous expectations after trading for Desmond Bane and assembling a starting lineup that, on paper, looked like a top-three unit in the East. But the actual on-court product hasn’t matched the promise.
Orlando currently holds a losing record under .500, struggling to find a consistent offensive rhythm despite its firepower. What should have been a seamless lineup has instead looked disjointed, with turnovers, inconsistent scoring runs, and defensive breakdowns undermining their potential.
The broader concern is that the team’s identity has become muddled. Paolo Banchero (23.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG) and Franz Wagner (22.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG) have flashed brilliance individually, but the integration of Bane (14.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.4 APG on 27.7% 3-PT FG) hasn’t yet produced the expected results. The Magic have the pieces to be great, but the chemistry and execution simply aren’t there yet. In an open East, that shouldn’t be the case.
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Los Angeles Clippers
Team Record: 3-7
Team Stats: 108.9 PPG (27th), 114.0 OPPG (11th), -5.3 Net Rating (23rd)
The Clippers’ offseason moves were bold on paper. They traded Norman Powell, brought in John Collins, and added Brook Lopez and Chris Paul, but the combination has produced a team that feels outdated and sluggish in a league increasingly driven by speed, versatility, and youth.
Built around aging stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, the Clippers have struggled to keep up with more dynamic opponents. Their losing record reflects the reality that this roster construction no longer fits the demands of the modern NBA.
And of course, the inevitable happened: Kawhi is injured again, creating familiar uncertainty that has hovered over the franchise for years. Without him, the Clippers lack the star power and leadership needed to compete.
Collins has been inconsistent (12.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG in 25.3 MPG), Lopez looks a step slower, and Paul is past the stage where he can elevate flawed lineups off the bench (2.3 PPG, 3.6 APG). The idea of the Clippers as a contender is fading fast, and unless something drastically changes, this season could mark the official end of their window.
