NBA Standings 2025: Surprising Shifts After Last Night’s Games—Where Does Your Team Rank Now?

The 2025-26 NBA campaign is barely a week old, yet the early standings are already turning heads. Here’s a snapshot of where every team sits after games through October 29 and the storylines pushing them up—or down—the table. Eastern Conference: Philly and Chicago set the pace • Philadelphia 76ers (4-0) have opened perfect behind MVP-candidate Tyrese Maxey’s 29.3 ppg and a defense allowing just 123.8 ppg. Their +5.5 differential isn’t gaudy, but crunch-time execution keeps them unbeaten. • Chicago Bulls (3-0) boast the conference’s best net rating (+7.0) thanks to a revitalized Zach LaVine–DeMar DeRozan duo. Their road win in Milwaukee hinted this start may be sustainable. • Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers (both 3-1) lurk one game back. Miami’s league-leading +15.7 margin shows Erik Spoelstra’s club is steam-rolling lesser opponents, while Cleveland’s three-game streak features statement victories over Boston and Brooklyn. • Milwaukee Bucks (3-1) shook off an opening-night stumble and have Giannis Antetokounmpo looking every bit an MVP candidate again. • New York Knicks (2-2) round out the early top 6; Charlotte, Detroit, Toronto and Atlanta presently occupy the East’s play-in spots. Western Conference: Thunder roll, Spurs shock • Oklahoma City Thunder (5-0) are the NBA’s lone five-win team. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31-6-7 and the Thunder’s stingy 110.8 opp ppg anchors a +7.4 point differential. • San Antonio Spurs (4-0) own the league’s best differential (+16.5). Victor Wembanyama’s Year 2 jump—24.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.3 bpg—is real, and Gregg Popovich’s rotations are maximizing a deep supporting cast. • Golden State Warriors (4-1) sit third, powered by a resurgent Klay Thompson and the NBA’s top three-point rate. • Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz (both 2-1) haven’t played the schedule volume of their rivals yet, but Nikola Jokić’s triple-double average keeps Denver within striking distance. • LA Clippers (2-1) are leaning into defense; the Lakers (2-1) and Timberwolves (2-1) currently hold the final two guaranteed playoff berths. Portland and Memphis lead the early chase pack for the West play-in. Key trends to monitor 1. Perfect starts: Only four teams remain undefeated—Thunder, Spurs, 76ers and Bulls. History says squads opening 4-0 or better make the playoffs 93 percent of the time. 2. Point-differential kings: San Antonio’s +16.5 is unsustainable long-term but underscores how complete their performances have been. 3. Play-in shuffle: With seeds 7-10 headed for the play-in tournament, every win carries weight. Charlotte and Detroit have surprised so far, while preseason favorites Boston (1-3) and Phoenix (0-3) find themselves in early holes. 4. Rookie impact: No. 1 pick Stephon Castle (Orlando) is putting up 17-5-5, but the Magic’s 1-3 record shows how steep the learning curve is out East. Looking ahead Tonight’s national double-header—Lakers at Timberwolves, Celtics at Heat—could shake up both conferences, and Friday’s Spurs-Thunder clash in Oklahoma City will guarantee at least one perfect record falls. Keep this page bookmarked; we’ll update the standings and storylines daily as the race to April’s play-in tournament heats up.