Welcome to my first weekly NBA recap. Every Sunday night through the end of the regular season, I will look back at the week that was: the biggest stories, my pick for Player of the Week, the standings and the games to watch next.
Catching Up: The First Two Weeks
The season tipped off on Oct. 20, and I covered that night in my Opening Night wrap-up. If you missed my season preview, the defending champion Knicks raised their banner, and plenty of teams loaded up to take it from them.
Three weeks in, the Knicks are 5-4, and the early leaders look a little different than expected. The 76ers have the best record in the East at 9-2. Out West, the Lakers are 9-2, and the Thunder and Spurs are both 8-2.
The Lakers Win Five Straight Behind Luka
The Lakers went 4-0 this week, and they have won five in a row.
Luka Doncic was the reason. He scored 53 points in Friday’s 124-118 win over Portland, going 17-of-33 from the field and 14-of-18 from the free-throw line. According to the AP, he averaged 45 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists over his last four games, all Lakers wins.
Then on Sunday in Detroit, the Lakers played without Doncic and won anyway. Austin Reaves scored 43 points on 14-of-27 shooting and made all 11 of his free throws in a 121-116 win over the Pistons. Detroit trailed by 26 in the second quarter and fought back, but Reaves hit a one-legged 3-pointer in the final minute to put it away, according to the AP.
The Spurs Have Won Eight in a Row
San Antonio went 4-0 this week and has not lost since Oct. 23. That is eight straight wins.
The closest call came Wednesday, when the Spurs edged Dallas 112-111. They followed that with road wins at Sacramento (124-109) and Portland (125-103). Victor Wembanyama was named the Western Conference Player of the Week last Monday for the week before this one, and the Spurs have not slowed down since. At 8-2, they are tied with the Thunder.
The Warriors’ Streak Hits Seven
Golden State lost its first three games of the season. The Warriors have won all seven since.
This week they beat Phoenix 116-113, Miami 120-100 and Orlando 126-119 in overtime. Stephen Curry scored 41 against the Magic on 13-of-19 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three and 10-of-10 from the line.
The Bucks Are 1-9
At the other end, Milwaukee went 0-4 this week and has lost six straight. The Bucks lost to Minnesota, Boston twice and Toronto, and they now sit last in the East at 1-9. Their only win came against Indiana on Oct. 26.
Player of the Week (My Pick): Luka Doncic, Lakers
Doncic played three games this week, and the Lakers won all three. The 53-point night against Portland was the highlight, and it came during a stretch where the AP had him averaging 45 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists over four games. He missed Sunday’s game in Detroit, but the Lakers were 3-0 with him on the floor this week.
Around the League
- Thunder (4-0 this week): Oklahoma City beat Cleveland twice, won 128-97 at Memphis and held Washington to 75 points in a 114-75 win on Saturday. The Thunder have won four straight.
- Celtics (3-1): Boston lost 109-93 at Houston on Monday, then won its next three, including a 119-80 rout at Charlotte. The Celtics are 8-2.
- 76ers (3-1): Philadelphia beat Chicago twice and won 112-106 at Detroit. Its only loss was 119-95 at Cleveland on Friday.
- Rockets (1-2): Houston handed Boston that loss on Monday, then dropped games to Minnesota and at Phoenix (102-99). The Rockets are 7-3. I lived in Houston, and you can read my Toyota Center venue review.
- Mavericks: Dallas routed Brooklyn 130-93 on Sunday.
- Raptors: Toronto won at the Clippers (125-118) and at Milwaukee (121-107).
The Standings
Through Sunday, Nov. 8:
Eastern Conference (top 6)
| Team | Record |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | 9-2 |
| Boston Celtics | 8-2 |
| Detroit Pistons | 6-3 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 7-4 |
| New York Knicks | 5-4 |
| Toronto Raptors | 5-4 |
At the bottom, the Bucks (1-9) and Bulls (1-8) have one win each.
Western Conference (top 6)
| Team | Record |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 9-2 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 8-2 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 8-2 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 8-3 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7-3 |
| Houston Rockets | 7-3 |
Portland (6-3) and Memphis (6-3) are right behind them.
Looking Ahead
- Celtics at 76ers (Tuesday, Nov. 10): The top two teams in the East meet in Philadelphia.
- Warriors at Rockets (Wednesday, Nov. 11): Golden State’s streak gets a test in Houston.
- Cavaliers at Knicks (Wednesday, Nov. 11): The defending champs host Cleveland.
- Warriors at Spurs (Friday, Nov. 13): If both streaks survive the week, this one could be special.
- Thunder at Clippers (Friday, Nov. 13): Oklahoma City is on a West Coast trip that starts with two games in Portland.
I will be back next Sunday night with Week 2.
Featured photo: Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers, January 2026 by Erik Drost, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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