November 21, 2025 — Preseason projections favored the Western Conference as the NBA’s deeper, more competitive side, but the first month of the 2025/26 campaign has shifted that narrative. Injuries to Eastern stars such as Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton were expected to thin the East, yet several clubs have outperformed forecasts, creating a tightly packed standings board behind the early-season leaders.
Eastern Standings Tight Behind Detroit
The Detroit Pistons hold the league’s best Eastern record at 13-2 and feature the NBA’s second-ranked defense after finishing just inside the top 10 a year ago. The Toronto Raptors, 10-5, sit three games back in second place after vaulting from 26th in offensive efficiency last season to eighth this fall.
Seeds two through eleven in the East are separated by only 2.5 games. The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers follow Detroit and Toronto, while the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers share 9-6 marks. Miami’s new uptempo attack has produced the league’s fastest pace despite the absence of All-Star guard Tyler Herro. Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey, currently the NBA’s No. 2 scorer behind Luka Doncic, has carried the offense amid availability questions surrounding Joel Embiid and Paul George.
Play-In Picture and Notable Performances
The Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and Boston Celtics occupy the conference’s four play-in positions. Chicago has seven players averaging at least 13.3 points per game, while Boston remains competitive without Tatum as Jaylen Brown posts career highs of 27.5 points and 50.3% shooting.
Milwaukee sits at 8-8 outside the top ten, though three of the Bucks’ recent defeats came in games Giannis Antetokounmpo missed or left early. When the two-time MVP plays, Milwaukee has resembled a solid playoff contender.
Western Depth Not Meeting Projections
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder (15-1), Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets (three losses each) headline the standings, with the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and Minnesota Timberwolves at least five games over .500. However, the expected depth has yet to materialize. The Portland Trail Blazers hold ninth place at 6-9, and other hopefuls — the Memphis Grizzlies (5-11), Los Angeles Clippers (4-11), Dallas Mavericks (4-12), Sacramento Kings (3-13), and New Orleans Pelicans (2-13) — trail preseason expectations.
Inter-Conference Results
Eastern teams have a combined losing record against the West, but that deficit stems largely from the conference’s bottom group. Charlotte, Brooklyn, Indiana, and Washington are 3-19 versus Western opponents, while the East’s other 11 clubs are 30-17 in those matchups.
In the West, a 5-9 record currently places Utah in the final play-in slot. By contrast, Milwaukee’s .500 mark is not enough for the same position in the East, highlighting the early difference in conference depth.
Source: Hoops Rumors
