Nov. 4, 2025 — Two weeks into the 2025-26 NBA calendar, several unexpected developments are already shaping conversation around the league.
San Antonio’s 5-0 Opening Raises Contender Questions
The San Antonio Spurs opened the season with a 5-0 record, the best start in franchise history, highlighted by an opening-night rout of the Dallas Mavericks. Center Victor Wembanyama ranks second in Kevin Pelton’s wins above replacement player metric and holds a 30.7 player efficiency rating through six games. San Antonio owns the league’s No. 2 defense, allowing the second-fewest points in the paint while opponents shoot 39 percent from three.
Offensively, the Spurs sit ninth despite injuries to guards De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper and front-court contributors Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk and Jeremy Sochan. Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle is averaging 20 points with improved efficiency. San Antonio’s first matchup against a 2025 playoff team came Thursday against Miami, and a group-stage NBA Cup game with Houston awaits next week.
Hawks and Magic Seek Fast Turnarounds
Preseason expectations placed the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic among the East’s up-and-coming contenders, yet each club is 3-4. Atlanta’s minus-2.9 net rating accompanies the league’s 25th-ranked offense, hampered by injuries throughout the lineup. Trae Young is sidelined at least one month with a sprained right knee, leaving Dyson Daniels as the only starter without missed time. Young, Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis have shared only 42 minutes this season.
Orlando ranks 22nd in offensive rating and last in made threes despite acquiring Desmond Bane. GeniusIQ shot-probability data indicates the Magic generate higher-quality looks than their opponents, but Bane is shooting 26 percent from deep, and Tyus Jones has a 42 percent effective field-goal rate after posting 57 percent over the previous two seasons.
Paolo Banchero averages fewer potential assists (7.7) than a year ago (9.4), and Orlando’s on/off numbers remain stronger when Franz Wagner plays without Banchero. Analysts cite improved ball movement and shooting as keys to an Orlando rebound.
Lakers Thrive Behind Austin Reaves While Stars Rest
The Los Angeles Lakers are 6-2 even though Luka Doncic and LeBron James have appeared in only four games combined. Guard Austin Reaves, entering unrestricted free agency next summer, has filled the scoring void with 31.1 points and 9.3 assists per contest. He delivered 51 points against Sacramento, 41 against Portland and a 28-point outing capped by a buzzer-beating winner against Minnesota.
NBA Advanced Stats lists Doncic first (8.7 minutes) and Reaves sixth (7.5) in average time of possession; James averaged 5.4 minutes last year. Pelton notes James has converted 39 percent of his threes over the past two seasons, suggesting the veteran could spend more time as a play finisher while Reaves and Doncic handle creation. Reaves ranks third league-wide with 9.3 made free throws a night, trailing only Doncic and one other player.
Rookie of the Year Race Opens Up
No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe has moved in front of preseason favorite Cooper Flagg in early Rookie of the Year projections. Edgecombe is logging 39 minutes per game — the highest rookie workload since LeBron James’ 38.6 in 2003-04 — while producing 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and better than 40 percent accuracy from long range.
Flagg, the No. 1 selection, is averaging 3.0 assists as a point guard for a Mavericks team ranked last in offensive efficiency. He recorded 40 points and 10 assists combined in two games opening weekend but now trails Edgecombe, Cedric Coward, Harper and Kon Knueppel in the combined points-rebounds-assists metric that has predicted 35 of the past 38 Rookie awards.
Source: ESPN
