The first few games of the NBA season have given us an insightful look into which teams are better or worse than a year ago. One telling metric is defensive rating.

Our writers share their early predictions for how the Eastern Conference standings could take shape in the 2025-26 season. NBA.com Staff The Magic are a favorite among our writers to rise into the East’s upper tier in 2025-26. From time to time, NBA.com ...

The Bucks have faced the Cavs and the Knicks in the first 4 games of the season and managed to come out with a 3-1 record. After beating the Knicks, Giannis now has the most games in NBA history with 35/5/5 on 70% FG.

The Celtics hung on late, this time needing the 76ers to miss at the buzzer. The end result was a 109-108 Boston victory Friday from Philadelphia. The C’s won their third straight game, getting to 3-3,