NBA power rankings: Is Sixers’ slow start cause for concern?

Christian Wood looks great. He won’t be coming off the bench for long. Luka Doncic, also great. He’s on the shortlist of MVP favorites for a reason. The Mavs have been through a couple tough losses, but they also walloped Ja Morant and the Grizzlies by 40. It’s early, so you accept the good with the bad and embrace the positive indicators.

After the immense disappointment of last season, the Hawks might be back. Trae Young is ice-cold from the field right now and the Hawks have still managed to start the season strong. Dejounte Murray’s impact has been felt on both sides of the ball, while the lob duo of John Collins and Clint Capela continue to service the frontcourt well. Bogdan Bogdanovic’s looming return will only bolster the Hawks’ rotation further.

The Pelicans are currently without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, which will undoubtedly hurt in the short-term. But there aren’t many deeper teams in the NBA right now and it at least appears as though Williamson’s return will come sooner than later. When healthy, the Pelicans pack one hell of an offensive punch.