usatoday
The NBA schedule paused on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to encourage Americans to vote, giving teams a moment to reflect on the first two weeks of the 2026-27 regular season. With no games on the docket, it served as a brief reset to assess early trends. The injury wave that swept through the league has largely subsided, and while the season is still young, the initial action has produced significant shifts in the power rankings. A new No. 1 and No. 2 have emerged.
Week 2 Power Rankings: Nos. 30-21
30. Sacramento Kings (1-6): The Kings rank second-to-last in net rating (-13.2) and are prime candidates to sell off assets before the trade deadline.
29. Chicago Bulls (1-6): No team plays faster than the Bulls, who lead the league in pace (105.86), but their offense has been wildly inefficient, shooting just 41.6% from the field, second-worst in the NBA.
28. Brooklyn Nets (1-6): The addition of Julius Randle hasn't been enough to stabilize the offense, and 3-point defense (15.0 conversions allowed per game) has been another Achilles heel.
27. Utah Jazz (1-6): The Jazz, who were looking to take a step forward, have been one of the more disappointing teams. Utah doesn't force enough turnovers and its transition offense is basically nonexistent.
26. Milwaukee Bucks (1-6): Tyler Herro has been pretty solid, but too many Bucks players have been far too inconsistent, starting with Kel'el Ware.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-6): The Clippers still are the only team to average at least 20 turnovers per game.
24. Phoenix Suns (1-4): They're the only NBA team to have played just five games, but Phoenix has been getting killed on the glass, where they rank 29th in rebounding (39.6 per game).
23. Indiana Pacers (2-6): Indiana is banged up, but without Tyrese Haliburton, this offense lacks a catalyst and identity.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (3-4): Winners of three consecutive, the Pelicans have been a nice story so far and are dominating down low; New Orleans leads the league with 62.6 points in the paint per game, which is 7.5 points more than the next team.
21. Orlando Magic (2-5): Since Paolo Banchero (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (knee) have been out, Orlando has been unable to find consistent offense and turnovers (17.3 per game; tied for 25th) are a massive issue.
Week 2 Power Rankings: Nos. 20-11
20. Miami Heat (2-5): No team is allowing more 3-pointers per game (17.3). The defense has been a nightmare, with players even saying they're not trusting each other on the court.
19. Charlotte Hornets (3-5): They've lost four consecutive and the warning sign is an offense that is drastically underperforming; Charlotte ranks dead last in offensive rating (100.4), which is nearly four full points below the next closest team.
18. Washington Wizards (4-3): Are the Wizards finally a player in the East? The early returns on this group look good, but the schedule hasn't exactly been a slog.
17. Denver Nuggets (3-3): They look older and slower, but the more curious issue is the sweeping dip across Nikola Jokic's stats: 22.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game.
16. Dallas Mavericks (4-3): They've won three of four, but became the first team to lose to the previously winless Kings. The Cooper Flagg-Kyrie Irving partnership, however, has been a fun watch.
15. Atlanta Hawks (4-4): They've had five different leading scorers through eight games and lead the NBA in assists per game (30.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.08). The results have nonetheless been uneven.
14. New York Knicks (3-4): Are we in championship hangover territory? The Knicks are a bit of a rarity, ranking dead last in pace (96.5). They've struggled against marquee opponents.
13. Toronto Raptors (4-3): No team has been hauling in more offensive boards per game (15.3), but losses in three of their last five have stunted their progress up the standings. And they got good news: Kawhi Leonard (knee swelling) might be back soon.
12. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3): They share the ball well and protect it, but the Cavs have had an uneven start to the season. A loss against an extremely short-handed Thunder team was a missed opportunity.
11. Golden State Warriors (5-3): They've won five consecutive, some against top-level teams (Lakers, Timberwolves, Nuggets). And Stephen Curry, at 38 years old, is playing his way into the MVP conversation.
Week 2 Power Rankings: Top 10
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-3): Minnesota's two victories this week were against the Clippers and the Bucks, which is fine. But the Timberwolves will need to show that they can beat some of the league's better teams without Anthony Edwards. The saving grace will be the defense.
9. Memphis Grizzlies (6-1): The overtime loss against the Pelicans was a setback, but Memphis remains the biggest surprise in the NBA, and Ty Jerome (28.2 points per game; seventh in the NBA) has been a revelation.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-1): Losing Ja Morant (hamstring) is certainly a blow, but Portland has been doing a great job on the glass, limiting teams to 10.0 second-chance points per game.
7. Boston Celtics (5-2): The move to add Mitchell Robinson is paying off so far, as pairing him alongside Neemias Queta has Boston ranking third in the league in opponent points in the paint per game (39.4).
6. San Antonio Spurs (5-2): Recent competition hasn't been as robust, but the Spurs have won five consecutive and are taking care of the ball, ranking second in turnovers per game (13.4).
5. Los Angeles Lakers (6-2): Luka Doncic is flaming opponents, averaging an absurd 38.3 points per game and orchestrating the NBA's best offense (121.9 points per 100 possessions).
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-2): They've dropped two of their last three, as the injuries keep piling up. The latest, to Chet Holmgren, means OKC will be without three starters for the foreseeable future.
3. Detroit Pistons (3-1): It's rather unfair to drop a team one spot even though it won all three games this week. This is more about how good the 76ers have been and the quality of opponents Detroit faced. But can the Pistons sustain this level with Duncan Robinson (a career-high 17.9 points per game) as their second-leading scorer?
2. Philadelphia 76ers (7-1): Interestingly, it's the defense that has been Philly's strength. The Sixers have the league's third-best defensive rating (105.1 points allowed per 100 possessions).
1. Houston Rockets (7-1): They own the NBA's top net rating (+12.8), Alperen Sengun is anchoring the offense and Jabari Smith Jr. is breaking out.
Key Analysis
The Rockets and 76ers have surged to the top behind strong defense and efficient offense, while traditional powers like the Knicks and Nuggets are still searching for consistency. Early-season injuries have shuffled rotations, but the emergence of young talent and unexpected contributors has reshaped the league's hierarchy. As the season progresses, maintaining health and chemistry will be crucial for teams looking to climb the rankings.
Originally reported by usatoday.