"Two of the prospective contenders in the East are flailing, while two in the West are scorching hot. Meanwhile, an important awards race has already turned upside-down. The 2025-26 NBA season is a mere two weeks old, but that's a perfect time to start diving into the most important numbers and narratives surrounding these early surprises. ESPN national analysts Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton debate the biggest early-season questions about Victor Wembanyama, Paolo Banchero, Trae Young, Austin Reaves, Cooper Flagg and more."
"Pelton: The Spurs appear to be the young team that is taking the leap. Starting with an opening-night drubbing of the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio started 5-0 for the first time in franchise history, and Victor Wembanyama rates as the league's second-best player on a per-possession basis in my wins above replacement player metric. The caveat here is the schedule. Thursday's showdown with the fast-starting Miami Heat was the Spurs' first matchup against a 2025 playoff team."
Two Eastern prospective contenders are flailing while two Western teams are scorching hot, and an awards race has already shifted dramatically. The 2025-26 NBA season is two weeks old, revealing early surprises in team form and analytics. San Antonio began 5-0 for the first time in franchise history, with Victor Wembanyama posting a 30.7 PER through six games and ranking among the league's top players on a per-possession wins-above-replacement metric. The Spurs' opponents so far lack significant playoff success, with a first matchup against a 2025 playoff team arriving against Miami and an NBA Cup opener against Houston forthcoming. Several high-profile players — including Paolo Banchero, Trae Young, Austin Reaves and Cooper Flagg — factor into evolving narratives.
Read at ESPN.com
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