NBA Power Rankings Shift Across 30 Teams as Early Injuries Upend 2026-27 Season

3 articles · Updated · SB Nation · Nov 4

Houston opened at No. 1 in the latest 30-team rankings, with San Antonio, Detroit, Boston and the Lakers rounding out the top five after the season’s first two weeks.
Oklahoma City fell to No. 7 after the league’s harshest injury hit: Jalen Williams is likely out for the year, while Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace are set to miss multiple months.
Injuries also dragged down several expected contenders or playoff hopefuls, including Minnesota without Anthony Edwards, Indiana with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined again, and Orlando without Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs.
Phoenix and Utah were flagged as especially poor early disappointments, while Memphis climbed into the top 10 and Portland surged to No. 8 as two of the strongest early risers.
The reshuffle underscores how quickly the 2026-27 landscape has changed, with health already separating teams merely treading water from those making a jump toward contention.