After an exciting start to the 2024-2025 NBA season, it’s time to hand out the grades for each team’s performance through week one of action. While the legitimate contenders were expectedly outclassing their opponents due to the difference of talent in their roster, quite a few of them struggled to perform right out of the gate. Whether it’s a combination of injuries to star players or underachieving off-season player transactions, the reasons widely vary at this point.
But one thing’s for sure: the talent isn’t as one-sided compared to last year. The race to the Larry O’Brien trophy will be a long and perilous journey for all the teams across the league. One great way to monitor each team’s chances to win it all is by looking at their weekly progress this season.
Which NBA teams had the highest grades after week one of games?
Atlanta Hawks: B+
Now that Dejounte Murray is off to the Pelicans, it was widely expected that Trae Young would be back in his old self, shooting and dishing the ball for the Hawks this season without restrictions. And boy…he did! The Hawks are 2-1, with Young averaging 30 & 10 after week one.
Boston Celtics: A+
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been terrific for the Celtics this past week, leading the team to a 3-0 record. The more we look at it, the more we are convinced that they are still the team to beat this season with how they are performing on the court. Due to their continued onslaught, this team truly deserves to be handed out the rare A+ team grade.
Brooklyn Nets: C
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Cam Thomas is a scoring machine. Whether his offensive exploits will result in a lot of wins remains to be seen. Ben Simmons is…still Ben Simmons. Those offseason hype videos coming from his camp are worthless at this point. It’s quite interesting to see that they have relegated Nic Claxton to the bench and opted to start Dorian Finney-Smith at the center spot to start their campaign.
Charlotte Hornets: C
Watching LaMelo Ball play again has been a pleasure. He hasn’t missed a beat after missing most of last season due to an injury. But regardless of how good he is, the Hornets just went 1-2 in week one. One positive thing, though, is that they managed to stay poised down the stretch against the Rockets in their season opener.
Chicago Bulls: C
Josh Giddey’s playmaking has opened a lot of shooting opportunities for Chicago. The only problem right now is that they need to hit them at a consistent rate. Coby White needs to be consistent with his shot selections. He can’t go 7-13 on threes in a game and then proceed to shoot 0-9 the next game.
Also Read: All 30 NBA Teams’ Win-Loss Predictions For The 2024 Season
Cleveland Cavaliers: A
After a perfect week, it’s easy to anoint the Cavs as one of the best teams in the East. But don’t judge too quickly, as they also had probably one of the easiest schedules to open the 2024-2025 season. The real test begins soon for them as they are up against playoff-caliber teams in week two.
Dallas Mavericks: B
Klay Thompson’s first game as a Maverick was a rousing success. He just broke the record for most threes made in a game in his Mavs debut, sinking six haymakers in their win against the Spurs. Despite missing the preseason games, Luka Doncic is well on his way to another MVP-worthy campaign.
Denver Nuggets: D
Surely, this was not the start the Nuggets had in mind. While Nikola Jokic continues to gather otherwordly numbers, his teammates have failed to match his intensity on the floor. As a result, the Nuggets are 0-2 after week one. Losing KCP to the Magic was a huge blow for them, as Christian Braun, the team’s new starting two-guard, has struggled with his shots from downtown.
Detroit Pistons: D-
While a 0-3 start should discourage any Pistons fan right now, it’s not that bad if you look at the numbers. They only lost an average of 8.5 PPG during their first three contests, which is an encouraging sign that there’s still room for improvement. Plus, Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey are balling right now.
Golden State Warriors: B+
It’s quite weird that the Warriors were overlooked throughout the summer, but solely relying on the brilliance of an aging Stephen Curry to carry this team is risky. 2-1 is a great start for them, not going to lie. However, it’s hard to picture if the Warriors can sustain their momentum, as Curry had another bad-looking ankle injury at the end of week one.
Houston Rockets: C-
For a young team with playoff aspirations, especially in the loaded Western Conference, a 1-2 start is unacceptable. Losing to lowly teams like the Hornets and the Spurs should not happen. Jabari Smith Jr. and Dillon Brooks are shooting bricks right now. Coach Ime Udoka will have his work cut out for him this year.
Indiana Pacers: C+
After week one, the Pacers had a chance to prove to everybody that they were one of the best teams in the East. Instead, they failed to do so, with losses from the Knicks and the Embiid-less Sixers. Tyrese Haliburton has struggled mightily with his shot-making capabilities, which affected the overall performance of the team.
Los Angeles Clippers: B
Kudos to the Clippers for going 2-1 this week. For how long they can keep this going without Kawhi Leonard is anybody’s guess. Aside from the descending play of James Harden, who surprisingly held his own as the team’s number-one option, Ivica Zubac has been an early favorite to win the Most Improved Player award this season.
Los Angeles Lakers: A
3-0. Impressive. Who would have thought they could pull it off? Nobody in the world thought the Lakers could do it except maybe for themselves and first-year head coach and former Duke star JJ Redick. Their strong start is a testament that perhaps the best course of action to improve a team is to hire a brilliant coach who knows the ins and outs of the game.
Memphis Grizzlies: B+
The Grizzlies are fun to watch again with Ja Morant back in the lineup. Without him, they are not even close to being a play-in team. He just affects the game differently whenever he’s on the court. In addition, give Zach Edey time to adjust. He’s fouling a ton right now, but he’ll make the adjustments to become a better contributor on the court.
Miami Heat: C
There’s no other way to put it: the Heat’s performance in week one was subpar. Sure, the win against LaMelo Ball and the Hornets was nice, but getting embarrassed by the Orlando Magic in their season opener was hard to watch. That lone loss has shown their multiple weaknesses as a team. They definitely need to improve in a lot of areas before we can give them a higher grade in our weekly NBA team list.
Milwaukee Bucks: D
Losing to the Bulls and the Nets by double digits? That is unacceptable for an NBA contender like the Bucks; thus, their team grade after week one is a solid D. Hiring Doc Rivers as their head coach has not brought any fruitful results to this franchise. Adding Darvin Hamm to Doc’s staff wasn’t a great move, either. What’s concerning is that both Antetokounmpo and Lillard played well in week one, but the wins were still elusive.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B+
After their season opener loss to the Lakers, the Wolves have now won two straight games. The pairing of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle has been wonderful so far, with each of them alternating at the scoring department on almost every possession. Randle has proven that he’s a much more aggressive scorer than ex-Wolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, who was traded to the Knicks before training camp.
New Orleans Pelicans: B
While 2-1 after week one was nice, losing Dejounte Murray for a month or more due to a hand injury is a devastating blow for the Pelicans. This team can’t get a break from injuries. That has been the recurring theme for them since the arrival of Zion Williamson in 2020.
New York Knicks: B
The Knicks are not at the level of the Celtics yet, especially after the trashing they had suffered at the hands of Jayson Tatum in their season opener. But NY fans don’t need to worry, as this team, at least on paper, has the right mix of players to challenge Boston in a seven-game series come playoff time.
Oklahoma City Thunder: A+
This young Thunder squad is for real. In their first three games, they handily crushed their opponents in double digits. No single game came close. We all knew this was coming, but yet, we’re all in awe. The trio of SGA, Holmgren, and Williams are fun to watch. The entire league should be scared of their potential. This team has a much higher ceiling than other Thunder teams in the past.
Orlando Magic: B+
The Magic aren’t the new kids on the block anymore – they are a legit Eastern Conference contender. Their lone loss to the Grizzlies was just a temporary setback in the early part of their campaign. They will be better, and rightfully so. Watch out for Franz Wagner to have an all-star-worthy season for them this year.
Philadelphia 76ers: C-
If it weren’t for Tyrese Maxey’s 45-point explosion against the Pacers in their overtime win to end week one, the Sixers would have fallen 0-3 to start their campaign. With both Paul George and Joel Embiid out, Maxey has been carrying the scoring load for the weary Sixers, averaging 31.3 PPG in three games. Can he keep this team afloat until either one of their stars returns from injury?
Phoenix Suns: B+
It seems like hiring Mike Budenholzer to coach this star-studded Suns team is working out so far after three games into their 2024-2025 campaign. Garnering a 2-1 record against the Clippers, Lakers, and Mavericks is no easy task. They’d have Kevin Durant to thank for that.
Portland Trail Blazers: C
It’s hard to gauge the ceiling of this Blazers team. After a 1-2 week, it certainly got more confusing. They got blown out by the Warriors in their opening game, lost to the Pelicans by a small margin, and blew out the same team a couple of days later. We need a few more weeks to see what they can really do as an NBA team before we make any firm grades for them moving forward. For now, they can settle on a C.
Sacramento Kings: D-
Having two of the most clutch players in the NBA last season certainly did not help the Kings during the clutch moments in both of their games in week one. How embarrassing. Now, they are sitting at 0-2 to start the season. On a positive note, we know they are capable of turning things around in the upcoming weeks.
San Antonio Spurs: C
For those who are expecting that Chris Paul might capture his old magic and become a nightly double-double threat for the Spurs, it’s time to put those expectations to rest. While the 8.5 APG is nice, Paul’s 3.0 PPG is worrisome. He’s on a fast decline right now. Let’s just hope that Victor Wembanyama continues to entertain us this season with his otherworldly plays.
Toronto Raptors: D
The Raptors are feeling the effects of not having Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett on the floor after week one. Scottie Barnes can’t do it all, no matter how good he is as a young player. On the bright side, sophomore Gradey Dick has been a revelation for Toronto.
Utah Jazz: D-
Ugh…the Jazz were just horrible to watch. Aside from Lauri Markkanen, the team has been mediocre at best after week one. As a result, they are among the few NBA teams who notched a low grade this week. Not counting them out this early, though, as they are capable of turning it around if all the pieces click on the court. The problem right now is when it will click.
Washington Wizards: D
Not going to be harsh on the lowly Wizards on their grade after week one, as the team’s performance was expected even before the NBA season began. You’d have to admire their fight, though, especially during the first half of their games against Boston and Cleveland. Jordan Poole seemingly woke up from his season-long flunk last year and shot the ball well in their first couple of games.
Also Read: Ranking All 30 NBA Teams Starting Centers From WORST To FIRST For The 2024-25 Season
