In ESPN's latest power rankings, the OKC Thunder maintained their top dog status.
Right behind them was the San Antonio Spurs, a team that critics may have severely underestimated coming into the season.
No one considered San Antonio a top-tier team before the year started. ESPN had them ranked 16 in their preseason power rankings, citing inconsistent perimeter shooting as their main possible concern.
The Spurs have shot out of the gate with a 6-2 record, though, forcing experts to wonder if they had simply overlooked such an athletic team.
Spurs right on tail of OKC Thunder in ESPN ranks
Led by unicorn Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio claims the youngest team in the NBA when factoring in usage. They embarrassed the Mavs in their season opener and have impressive victories over the Heat and Rockets.
San Antonio features seven players scoring in double figures and ranks in the top ten in both offensive and defensive rating. They dominate the glass, ranking second in rebound differential, and they are tough to shoot over, as they are third in the NBA in blocks.
The Spurs have truly knocked their recent drafts out of the park.
Forget drafting Wemby as the obvious choice with the first overall pick in 2023. Stephon Castle is looking like a steal from 2024's draft class, as he's averaging 19.4 points and 5.7 assists to begin the year while shooting over 50.0 percent from the field.
Dylan Harper, their number two overall draft pick from this year, looks to be catching on quickly as well.
He shot roughly 50.0 percent and averaged 14.0 points in his first six games before getting ruled out for a couple of weeks with a strained left calf.
Potentially the scariest part about this team is that they've been doing all this without their star point guard in the mix.
De'Aaron Fox has been sidelined to begin the season and could make his debut as early as Saturday against the Pelicans. Add his 20-plus points per game averages into the mix, and this San Antonio offense could be the most feared in the league.
Thunder could have their hands full with stopping Spurs
ESPN said the Spurs have to knock down their shots when opposing teams swarm Wemby. So far, they've done exactly that, hitting 35.8 percent of their threes. Spot-up shooters Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson are both shooting over 44.0 percent from downtown.
This could present serious problems for OKC, as they have made a living off hounding an opposing team's best players and forcing them to get rid of the basketball. Especially when Fox is healthy, the Spurs have so many offensive weapons, it could be hard to determine where the ball will go once it leaves Wemby's hands.
The Thunder's biggest advantage might be the very thing that makes the Spurs so intriguing -- their youth.
The Spurs have a tendency to get sloppy. As of Friday, they are turning the ball over 15.4 times per game, the 12th most in the league. Meanwhile, OKC has given teams nightmares with their points off turnovers.
It could be interesting to see how coach Mark Daigneault exploits their youth with their collection of pesky defensive guards.
The Thunder visit the Spurs on December 23rd, only to turn around and host them on Christmas Day. These back-to-back matchups could serve as the ultimate litmus test for a hungry team that wishes to cement itself as one of the Western Conference's most dangerous contenders.