The Whiteboard is FanSided's daily NBA email newsletter with different perspectives coming to you from our entire team. Once a week, we get everyone together for a roundtable to answer the biggest questions of the week. With the 2025-26 season just over a week old, we're answering the biggest questions about unbeaten teams, Giannis' future, Wemby's award chances and more.
1. The 76ers, Thunder, Spurs and Bulls are still unbeaten. Who makes it the longest before taking their first loss?
Julian Fadullon: Am I a contrarian if I pick the Sixers here? The Thunder have been a buzzsaw to open up their title defense campaign, and their most dangerous matchups over the next few weeks are to the Warriors and Lakers. But the Lakers now officially have two players who can go for 50 on any given night, and I learned early this season to never discount the Warriors, especially with Jimmy Butler gracefully aging into the best old man decoy in NBA history. Plus, both teams will come in with chips on their shoulder. Meanwhile, the Sixers’ toughest matchups through the same stretch are a guard-on-guard matchup with the Cavs, and then the Bulls (frauds). Meeting up with Cade Cunningham and the Pistons worries me a bit, but with the way Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are playing together, Philadelphia will punch you hard in the mouth out the gate every night, and I don’t know if anyone on their schedule can handle that in the near future.
Eamon Cassels: It's hard not to pick the Thunder, right? Sure, all but one of their games have been decided by single digits, with two going into double overtime. However, they're the defending champs for a reason, and only two of their next seven games come against teams I could see beating them (the Clippers and Warriors). By the way, OKC is 5-0 without their second-best player, Jalen Williams, who seems to be nearing a return.
Chris Kline: The Sixers are the most fun team in basketball right now (typing that sentence was not on my bingo card a few weeks ago), but OKC is the easy and probably correct pick. The Thunder are just so deep and malleable at every position. Sam Presti’s draft wizardry continues apace, with Ajay Mitchell looking like a budding star in the backcourt. Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber haven’t even received their moments in the sun yet. Jalen Williams should return soon, too, which just adds to the deck stacked against all OKC opponents.
Bryan Toporek: I'll follow the wisdom of the crowd and take the Thunder here. The Bulls' next six games are against the Knicks (twice), the Sixers, the Bucks, the Cavs and the Spurs. There's a non-zero chance that they go from undefeated to .500 by next weekend. The Sixers could lose as early as Friday against the Celtics; at worst, they're almost certain to drop one in their road back-to-back against Chicago and Cleveland next week. If the Spurs get past Miami and Luka Dončić isn't back by the middle of next week, they may be the biggest threat to OKC. But the Thunder's next six games are against the Wizards, Pelicans, Clippers, Blazers, Kings and Grizzlies. They might mow down all six without even breaking a sweat.
Ian Levy: Our own Brad Rowland took a deep dive into this exact question yesterday and predicted the Thunder would last the longest, not losing until they face the Warriors on Nov. 11. His logic is sound and I'm going with that.
Matt Moore: Gah! I want to be contrarian here because in the NBA regular season, good teams lose to bad all the time, but the schedule says Thunder. The Spurs have games against Houston and the red-hot Lakers, the Bulls have what Bryan said, while OKC, who takes every game seriously, has cupcakes. It’s probably OKC. But the bigger thing here? When you’re winning games, but it’s taking double-overtime and wild comebacks? Your process isn’t that good. OKC will keep the good times rolling, but they need to get back to the process of last year a little more. Things are still great, but not as great as they seem.
Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided's daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend. If you hate it, share it with an enemy!
2. The Bucks are 3-1 but mostly because Giannis is doing EVERYTHING. Where are they on the panic meter right now?
Julian: I’m at a 5/10. A statement win over the Knicks is what it is, but Giannis’ greatness can only sustain a team for so long. If we’re talking about the route to an MVP campaign from him, then I’m on board — but when you’re going for 36 and 14 every night with Ryan Rollins as your second banana on offense, you’re on a time clock. Count that doubly, by the way, because Myles Turner is nowhere near performing as advertised, even as the specialist they brought him on to be. Giannis is poised to have a 2017 LeBron type of season, but the burnout is going to catch up to him sooner rather than later if this continues. And that’s even without thinking about upcoming matchups against the Warriors, Lakers — you know what, this rant about Giannis is tiring me out almost as much as his hard carry is him.
Eamon: Maybe it's recency bias, as they are coming off a statement win against the Knicks, but I'm at a 3 out of 10 on the panic meter. This isn't a championship-caliber team, which we knew heading into the season. However, with slow starts from the Hawks, Magic, and Pistons, the Bucks have a clear path to a top-five seed, perhaps even a top-three seed, especially with how great Giannis has been. I feel better about the Bucks winning a playoff series than I did before the season, so I can't panic about them.
Chris: Panic is relatively low for me. The Bucks are not going to sustain this run forever, as even Giannis needs someone to share the burden with, but the East is rather feeble and Giannis alone, assuming good health, gives the Bucks a half-decent shot at not only the postseason, even home court advantage. The Cole Anthony synergy has been fun and Myles Turner will find a higher gear eventually, so Milwaukee should remain at least relevant. Giannis’ ongoing commitment to Milwaukee, while not exactly full-throated, feels strong enough to survive at least this season.
Bryan: Now that the season has started, they're probably a 2 out of 10. Giannis seems content with putting the team on his back for now. The questions about his future will come rushing back with another early playoff elimination, though. If Ryan Rollins' early-season production isn't a mirage, that'd be a huge development for a Milwaukee team that's sorely lacking in young, controllable talent.
Ian: Giannis' elite performances so far just underscore how shallow this roster actually is. But as long as they're winning, it's going to be hard to rock the boat. I'm not sure their start makes him more likely to stay in Milwaukee long-term, but it's exactly what they need to kick the can down the road through the trade deadline.
Moore: 0/10. That’s how this roster was built, and Kevin Porter Jr. (who should not be in the NBA but has played very well for them) has been out. They are still figuring out the rotation and identity, but Kyle Kuzma hasn’t been a complete sack of wet flour, and they are getting a few other guys doing their job. Yes, they need to add a second star, but hey, the Kings are right there!
For more FanSided content directly in your Google feed, add us as a preferred source!
3. Which Western Conference surprise is more likely to hang around for the Play-In race — the Trail Blazers or the Jazz?
Julian: Portland is likely the correct answer — their defense is legit, as are wins against Golden State and the Lakers. Deni Avdija has really blossomed beautifully into a true number one for the team, and Jrue Holiday looks determined to turn back the clock. And just like a few other teams who have x-factors that are still in stasis to begin the season, Toumani Camara still has yet to wake up. But let this be my platform to say that I adore Brice Sensabaugh, and that I wouldn’t be surprised if Utah makes a little run themselves once he and Ace Bailey wake themselves up too.
Eamon: I predicted the Trail Blazers to be a Play-In team before the season started, and I remain confident in this prediction. Even though the Jazz have won a couple of games early, I think they will bottom out and finish last in the conference. The Blazers' defense is legit, and they are difficult for any team to match up against. It wouldn't shock me if they outright make the playoffs.
Chris: Definitely the Trail Blazers, especially after upgrading from Chauncey Billups to Tiago Splitter on the bench. Portland has incredible defenders up and down the lineup, with significant offensive upside between Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Scoot Henderson. Jrue Holiday should bring a bit of veteran wisdom to the locker room (and the court), and Portland was already moving in the right direction over the second half of last season. Utah is fun, and Will Hardy is one of the best coaches in the NBA for my money, but that team will intentionally bottom out eventually.
Bryan: I'm also taking the Trail Blazers here. They quietly reeled off 15 wins in 21 games in the second half of last season before fading down the home stretch, and the offseason addition of Holiday gave them another lockdown defender to pair with Toumani Camara. Although Damian Lillard isn't going to play this year, having him around to mentor Sharpe and Henderson already appears to be paying dividends, too.
Ian: It's probably going to be the Blazers, but I'm rooting for the Jazz. Lauri Markkanen is the best player on either team, and their mega-big starting lineup with him Kyle Filipowski and Walker Kessler is an incredibly fun creation. They're starting three 7-footers, who are shooting a combined 27-of-43 (43 percent) from 3 on nearly 16 attempts per game — an entirely novel problem for defenses to solve.
Moore: I’ll go the other way here and say Jazz. The Blazers got the dub last night, but it was tough all the way, and Utah was right there. This Jazz team has more guys than you’d expect. Everyone thinks they’ll trade Markkanen, but what if they don’t? He’s the best player between the two rosters, and they have guys like Keyshawn George playmaking, Kessler rebounding, and good shooters almost everywhere. Portland I think is on the edge of a cliff a little bit, even with good vibes after the coaching change amid the turmoil.
4. How many of these awards will Victor Wembanyama win this year — MVP, DPOY, MIP, Comeback Player of the Year, ASG MVP, Conference Finals MVP, Finals MVP
Julian: I was going to hedge my bets on health, but if he meets the 65 game minimum, Victor Wembanyama is likely a lock for both the MVP and DPOY, especially with Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle playing as well as they are early on. Throw in Comeback Player of the Year as well, as Joel Embiid has shown almost no signs of life early on. Most Improved will likely go to Austin Reaves (who knew he had 50 in him!?), the All-Star Game MVP is basically a coin flip, and the last two depend on if the Spurs can continue to stack wins, as they’ve yet to play a truly dangerous team as of me writing this. I’ll play it safe and stick to MVP, DPOY, and the Comeback Player of the Year.
Eamon: I'll go with MVP and DPOY. Assuming health, Wembanyama is a lock for DPOY. Admittedly, I don't love early-season MVP debates early, but if Wemby maintains his general production and gets the Spurs to a top-five seed, MVP feels very much in play for him. The Spurs have been a lot of fun, and Wemby is dominant, but they are still likely a year away from winning a loaded Western Conference. While it's possible Wemby wins MIP out of principle, I can't predict it. I mean, he was already a clear top-10 player and a top-five player in some people's eyes.
Chris: He has my tentative preseason vote for MVP, which I’ll stand on. DPOY is a given if he reaches the 65-game threshold. Most Improved Player will depend a lot on the individual psychology of each voter, but Wemby has clearly made significant strides. His work ethic is well documented. Comeback Player of the Year sure feels like a possibility, unless Joel Embiid can put together a full season and operate anywhere close to full speed. All-Star Game MVP is impossible to predict, but sure. Totally possible. I don’t think San Antonio is quite ready for the West Finals (or the NBA Finals), however. So I’ll guess three, give or take.
Bryan: DPOY is already in the bag if he plays 65-plus games. He was a commanding favorite for it at the All-Star break last season. MVP is more up in the air, as he figures to face stiff competition from Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić, among others. But no player in the league can rival his two-way impact, which should give him a realistic shot if he guides the Spurs to 45-plus wins. I think the Spurs may still be one year away from going on a deep playoff run, so I wouldn't pencil him in for Western Conference Finals or Finals MVP. But I could absolutely see him winning All-Star MVP as well.
Ian: I'll let Gary Oldman say it.
Moore: None, because his home planet will request him home to battle in the Great Intergalactic Wars against the Bug People.
5. We’ve already seen 50-point games from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but also Austin Reaves, Lauri Markkanen and Aaron Gordon. Who will be the next unlikely player to drop 50 this season?
Julian: I like Bennedict Mathurin. Before going week-to-week, the man put up 36 and then 26. And what’s more impressive is that it was against Oklahoma City’s defense. He played an insane 45 minutes in that game, and was looking like it against the Grizzlies too, until he sprained his toe. I don’t think Indiana will play Pascal Siakam overmuch while their second-best scorer is out, limiting his scoring potential, and of the two, Mathurin’s explosion potential is much higher.
Eamon: Sticking with my Blazers propaganda, I'll go with Deni Avdija. For as great as the Blazers' defense is, they need some extra offense. So far, though, Deni has answered the call, averaging 23.5 points. I can see him getting hot one night and ripping off a 50-piece. The 24-year-old forward scored 43 points back in 2024, making a 50-point game in reach.
Chris: VJ Edgecombe! [Cane emerges from stage left and yanks me off the mic.] Fine, on a more serious note, I think we could get a 50-ball from Joel Embiid this season, basketball gods willing. Does that qualify as “unexpected” given the circumstances? If you just want me to shut up about the Sixers, I’ll throw out Kyshawn George or Cam Thomas. The latter is almost inevitable, and it will probably occur in a 20-point loss.
Bryan: Michael Porter Jr. The Nets are awful, and he already has two 30-point showings in his first five games with them. He never had more than 39 in a game with Denver, but I wouldn't be surprised by multiple 40-pieces and his first 50-point outing as he bides his time on the rebuilding Nets this year.
Ian: I'm going with Bam Adebayo. He has just one 40-point game in his career, nearly six years ago, but he looks like a different player this year — averaging a career-high 21.0 points per game with a career-high usage rate. He just looks much more aggressive in looking for his own shot, and the biggest development is that he's suddenly become a 3-point shooter. Through four games, Adebayo has hit 39.1 percent on nearly six attempts per game. He's clearly inspired by watching partner A'ja Wilson's dominant WNBA season, and I think we could really see him pop off for 50 one night.
Moore: Here’s an out-of-the-box answer: Norman Powell. The Heat offense hasn’t been great, but it’s been good enough for a great start, and they are playing at the league’s fastest pace. It only takes one hot start to get Powell rolling and against some of the other division teams they play, I think Powell can go off and remind everyone that on any given night, he’s a tremendous scorer.