Power Rankings: Undefeated Grizzlies Surge into Top 5
Memphis, Dallas and Golden State make major leaps in the Power Rankings before Week 3 of the 2026-27 season.
John Schuhmann | Archive
November 2, 2026 ¡ 9:19 PM
Rookie forward Cameron Boozer and the Grizzlies are 6-0 before Week 3 of the regular season.
The last undefeated team in the league is ⌠the Memphis Grizzlies?
The Grizzlies finished 12 games out of the Play-In Tournament last season. Theyâre led by a guard whoâs averaged 9.7 points per game over his career and a forward who made his NBA debut just 12 days ago. Now theyâre the 21st team in the 22 years since the league expanded to 30 teams to begin the season with six straight wins.
Of those 20 other teams that were 6-0:
- All 20 went on to make the playoffs.
- 19 of the 20 finished as a No. 5 seed or higher, with 10 earning the No. 1 seed in their conference.
- 18 of the 20 won a playoff series, 12 reached the conference finals, seven reached the Finals, and four won the championship.
The two teams that started the season 6-0 and didnât win a playoff series were the 2010-11 New Orleans Hornets (No. 7 seed) and the 2022-23 Bucks, who were the No. 1 seed but lost to the No. 8 seed Miami Heat in five games. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 after leaving Game 1 with a back injury.
All in all, those are good numbers for the Grizzlies. But how much longer can they keep this streak going? Their November schedule begins with home games against the Pelicans and Pacers before they host the Thunder in Emirates NBA Cup action on Friday.
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
Right Way: Jabari Smith Jr. (HOU) was a plus-59 in four games last week.
Wrong Way: Zach LaVine (SAC) and Leonard Miller (CHI) were both minus-68 in three games last week.
Teams of the Week
Make It Last Forever: Golden State (4-0) â The Rockets and Warriors are the only teams with three wins over teams currently over .500, and all three of the Warriorsâ wins came last week.
Something Just Ainât Right: Indiana (0-4) â Tyrese Haliburton is great, but the Pacers shouldnât be losing to both the Bucks and the Nets (teams that are a combined 0-10 otherwise), whether heâs in the lineup or not.
East vs. West
The West is 10-2 (.833) against the East in interconference games after going 5-1 last week.
Movement in the Rankings
High jumps of the week: Memphis (+12), Golden State (+11)
Free falls of the week: Indiana (-10), Minnesota (-9)
Week 3 Team to Watch
Cleveland â The Cavs are off to a solid but unconvincing 4-2 start. They could use some signature wins, and this weekâs schedule â four games against the Thunder (x2), Sixers and Knicks â gives them an opportunity to prove theyâre a serious contender.
Previous Power Rankings
Last week: Pistons, Timberwolves climb into Top 3
The archive: NBA.com Power Rankings
Key Stats to Know
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league has averaged 111.9 points scored per 100 possessions and 101.2 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.
A rest-advantage game (or rest-disadvantage game) is one where one team played the day/night before, but the other (the team with the advantage) did not. Teams are 8-8 in rest-advantage games, 6-3 at home and 2-5 on the road this season.
* = Emirates NBA Cup game
NBA.comâs Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one manâs opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky.
#1 Houston Rockets
Last Week: 4 â | Record: 6-1
OffRtg: 121.2 (1) | DefRtg: 108.9 (9) | NetRtg: +12.3 (2)
The Rockets lost for the first time when they played without Alperen Sengun and missed some critical free throws in Dallas on Friday. But Sengun was back in the lineup the following night, when they beat the Thunder by 21 points.
Two takeaways
- According to tracking data, the Rockets have seen the leagueâs biggest improvement in shot quality, jumping from 22nd last season to seventh through the first two weeks. Kevin Durantâs shot quality is his highest mark in the 14 seasons for which we have tracking data, and heâs also registering a career-high free throw rate of 63 attempts per 100 shots from the field. But he went 0-for-2 from the line with the Rockets down two and less than two minutes left in Dallas on Friday.
- The Rockets held the Bucks to fewer than one point per possession without Sengun last week, but the defense has still been at its best (99.4 allowed per 100) with him on the floor. Some of that is opponent 3-point shooting (25%), but itâs also about free throws and rebounding.
Coming up: The road team has won the last five meetings between the Rockets and Celtics, with both of last seasonâs games decided by more than 20 points. Their meeting in Houston on Monday will be the Rocketsâ fourth game against an Eastern Conference opponent.
Week 3: vs. BOS, vs. MIN, @ PHX
#2 Detroit Pistons
Last Week: 2 | Record: 5-1
OffRtg: 111.3 (17) | DefRtg: 103.2 (1) | NetRtg: +8.1 (6)
The Pistons were outscored by 38 points (63-25) in the second and third quarters in New York on Tuesday, losing to the Knicks for the first time in almost 18 months. But they took care of business against the Hornets and Nets and are off to their best six-game start (5-1) in the last 11 years.
Two takeaways
- The Pistons held their opponent to fewer than one point per possession just twice through Dec. 31 last season. Theyâve already done so three times this year, even with Isaiah Stewart in Memphis and Jalen Duren having played just 38 total minutes. Theyâve allowed just 91.3 per 100 in 78 minutes with Ausar Thompson and Paul Reed on the floor together. But their current starting lineup (with Reed in place of Duren) has struggled offensively, scoring just 62 points on 79 possessions (78.5 per 100).
- After some terrific first quarters on their three-game road trip, the Pistons trailed by double digits in the first half against both Charlotte and Brooklyn last week.
Coming up: The Pistons have two games left on a stretch where theyâre playing six straight against teams that rank in the bottom 11 offensively. Theyâve played a role in where those teams rank, of course, with their Week 1 win in Philadelphia being the Sixersâ worst offensive game of the season. They were without Joel Embiid, who could be available in Detroit on Wednesday.
Week 3: @ CHA, vs. PHI, vs. LAL
#3 Philadelphia 76ers
Last Week: 5 â | Record: 6-1
OffRtg: 108.6 (23) | DefRtg: 104.9 (3) | NetRtg: +3.7 (11)
The Sixers are 6-1, even though they have just the leagueâs 11th-best point differential (plus-3.9 per game). All six wins were within five points in the last five minutes, while the one loss (a rest-disadvantage game without Joel Embiid against Detroit) was not.
Two takeaways
- VJ Edgecombe is just 8-for-27 (29.6%) on non-clutch 3-pointers, but heâs 2-for-4 in the clutch, having given the Sixers 4-point leads in almost identical scenarios against New York (a catch-and-shoot 3 with 32.6 seconds left) and Charlotte (a step-back 3 with 35.4 seconds left).
- Tyrese Maxey is tied for the league lead with 21 total points scored in the clutch, and the Sixers have scored 59 points on their 45 clutch offensive possessions (131 per 100). Maxey is averaging nearly 38 minutes per game (second in the league), and the offense has struggled (94.4 points scored per 100) with him off the floor. But Anfernee Simons has averaged 20 points off the bench over the last three games, and he was on the floor down the stretch in both games of their weekend back-to-back.
Coming up: The Sixers wonât have another back-to-back until Nov. 15-16, and theyâll have a pair of marquee rematches when they visit the Pistons and Cavs on the three-game trip that begins Wednesday in Detroit.
Week 3: vs. CHI, @ DET, @ CLE*, @ CHI
#4 San Antonio Spurs
Last Week: 6 â | Record: 4-2
OffRtg: 115.2 (9) | DefRtg: 108.5 (8) | NetRtg: +6.7 (8)
The Spurs lost their first two games of the season, but have since won four straight. Theyâve scored 119.2 points per 100 possessions over the streak, with Victor Wembanyama totaling 79 points over the last two games.
Two takeaways
- Not surprisingly, Stephon Castle has had the biggest offensive adjustment with Dylan Harper moving into the starting lineup this season. Castle has gone from a team-high 5.7 minutes per game of possession (19% of his minutes on the floor) last season to 3.9 per game (third on the team and 13% of his minutes) this season. His efficiency is down and he had his first scoreless game in almost two years on Saturday. But Castleâs overall scoring and usage rate isnât down significantly. Heâs just playing more off the ball and averaging 6.3 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game, up from just 2.9 per game last season.
- The Spurs are in the top six in both ball and player movement and lead the league by a wide margin in the percentage of their 3-point attempts (84%) that have been off the catch.
Coming up: The winning streak includes wins over the Jazz, Mavs and Kings, who the Spurs will face again in the next five days. The Mavs were without both Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg when the Spurs won in Dallas in Week 1.
Week 3: vs. UTA, vs. DAL, @ SAC*, @ POR