NBA Standings: Lakers and Celtics Lead the Way

With less than a month into the season and teams having played between 10 and 13 games, the NBA standings are beginning to take shape. While it's still early to draw firm conclusions, there's already a clear picture of who's hot, who's struggling, and who's leading each conference.

The West: A Tale of Two Streaks

The Los Angeles Lakers lead the Western Conference with an 11-2 record and are riding a seven-game winning streak. Luka Dončić has been playing at an elite level since his return, and the team has been dominant on the road with a 6-1 record away from home. Their latest victim was the Bucks on Wednesday in Milwaukee.

Half a game behind are the San Antonio Spurs, who have rattled off ten consecutive wins after dropping two of their first three games. They're the only team in the league with ten straight victories, and they remain undefeated at home (6-0). On Wednesday, they mounted a remarkable 22-point comeback against Chicago. With Victor Wembanyama playing at this level, the battle for first place could go on for weeks.

Just behind, five teams are separated by only one game. The Minnesota Timberwolves have won five straight after defeating the Mavericks by 39 points and sit at 9-3, tied with the Houston Rockets. The Portland Trail Blazers (8-3) are the surprise story of the early season. The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder are both 8-4, but in very different situations: Golden State lost their eight-game winning streak on Wednesday and also lost Stephen Curry, who left the game in Houston with abdominal soreness. The Thunder, led by Aday Mara, has dropped two straight but remains perfect at home (5-0), though they've won just three of seven games on the road.

Read also:

• Cade's 52-Point Night and Timberwolves Record in NBA Action
• Spurs Mount 22-Point Comeback in Chicago, Extend Winning Streak to Ten (124-119)
• Dončić and Mamukelashvili Extend Lakers' Streak in Milwaukee (123-112)

Aldama's Mavericks in the Play-In Zone

The battle for the play-in tournament is equally tight. The Memphis Grizzlies (7-4), Denver Nuggets (6-4), and Dallas Mavericks (7-5) occupy the eighth through tenth spots, separated by half a game. The Mavericks, featuring Santi Aldama and Sergio de Larrea, had won three straight before Thursday's loss in Minneapolis and sit in tenth place. There's a clear gap below them: the Phoenix Suns (5-6) are eleventh, a game and a half back.

At the bottom of the West, the LA Clippers (2-8), Sacramento Kings (1-10), and Utah Jazz (1-11) have combined for just five wins. Utah is on a ten-game losing streak and hasn't won a game on the road.

Hugo González's Celtics Lead the East

Boston leads the Eastern Conference with a 10-2 record and a five-game winning streak. The Celtics remain undefeated at home (5-0) and have won nine of their last ten games. Hugo González plays an important role in Joe Mazzulla's rotation.

The Philadelphia 76ers (10-3) are half a game back and have responded to each loss with a win: on Thursday they rallied against Toronto without LeBron James. With Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown, they're the Celtics' most serious challenger. The Detroit Pistons (8-3) sit third after Cade Cunningham's 52-point performance in Washington, and they've won five of their last six games on the road.

The Atlanta Hawks (7-5) and New York Knicks (6-5) round out the direct playoff spots. The Cleveland Cavaliers (6-6) open the play-in zone, which also includes the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. Toronto, without Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes, has lost three straight. The Orlando Magic, winless at home (0-4), sit ninth with a 4-7 record.

Bucks and Bulls: No Answers

The most alarming situation in the East is in the Central Division. The Milwaukee Bucks (1-11) and Chicago Bulls (1-9) are both on eight-game losing streaks and sit at the bottom of the conference. Milwaukee hasn't won a game on the road, and Chicago hasn't won at the United Center. The Washington Wizards (4-9) are also struggling with a six-game losing streak, their latest loss coming in double overtime against Detroit.

Eastern Conference

Western Conference