Thunder Own the Preseason Metrics, But Spurs and Pistons Are the Real Sleepers

The scoreboard says everyone's 0-0, but the efficiency numbers are already screaming. Oklahoma City enters the regular season with a preseason net rating of +10.9—best in the league by a comfortable margin—coupling elite offense (117.0) with suffocating defense (106.0). The Thunder aren't just good on paper; they're lapping the field before tipoff even arrives.

Right behind them, though, lurk two genuine surprises. San Antonio posted a +8.2 net rating with the league's second-best offensive output at 117.5 points per hundred possessions, while Detroit's +8.0 net split features the stingiest defense in preseason at 107.3. Both teams outperformed the Celtics' +7.9, and Boston's supposed to be the defending contender. If you're hunting value before the public catches on, the Spurs and Pistons are flashing neon.

Boston and New York still deserve respect—the Knicks' +6.4 net rating and 117.8 offensive efficiency are legit—but Denver's +5.1 feels underwhelming given their pedigree, especially with a defense bleeding 115.2 per hundred. Cleveland and Houston both cracked +5.0 net ratings, making them sneaky plays in a muddled Eastern and Western middle class.

At the bottom, it's a horror show. Washington's -11.5 net rating pairs the league's worst offense (108.7) with its worst defense (120.2). Brooklyn (-10.1) and Sacramento (-9.9) aren't far behind, and both are hemorrhaging points on the defensive end. The Bucks' -6.2 net rating should terrify anyone who bet Milwaukee futures—117.5 points allowed per hundred is a disaster for a team with title expectations.

Philadelphia sits dead even at -0.2, which is either cautious optimism or a red flag depending on your faith in Joel Embiid's health. For now, the Thunder, Spurs, and Pistons are the sharpest bets on the board. Everyone else is just hoping the preseason was lying.