Residing right behind the OKC Thunder with the usual suspects hovering around the top of the Western Conference standings is one particular squad that no one saw coming.
The Portland Trail Blazers have quietly been bullying teams during these early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, and it doesn't look like they are going away anytime soon.
Portland is coming off a two-year stretch where they lost a combined 105 games. More recently, they were seen giving up on reclamation project Deandre Ayton in the offseason and lost their head coach within the first few days of the season.
NBA.com ranked the Blazers 22 in their preseason rankings and specifically noted their tough opening schedule over the first few weeks of action.
In an odd turn of events, however, now halfway through the first month of play, Portland has seemingly turned this projected cellar dweller narrative completely on its head. Instead, they're proving themselves to be the real deal.
Blazers surprisingly added to list of Thunder threats out West
Portland has already claimed wins against several playoff teams from last year, including the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors, and they proved tough matchups for the T-Wolves and LA Clippers (both single-digit losses).
This Blazers squad might make Thunder fans reminisce about an Indiana Pacers team that nearly overtook them through elite team basketball and gritty individual performances during the 2025 NBA Finals.
Like Indiana, Portland lacks a bona fide superstar, but has tremendous talent up and down the roster. They play fast (rank third in the NBA in pace), but they also lock down on the defensive end (rank fifth in defensive rating).
Journeyman and former Thunder favorite Jerami Grant has found a home in his three years in Portland and is excelling in his new role as the sixth man.
Deni Avdija impressed in Portland last year and has elevated his game even more to begin this season. He's currently the Blazers' points leader, averaging 22.7 points on just 15.3 shot attempts per game.
Many cringed when they traded sharpshooter Anferee Simons for 35-year-old Jrue Holiday this past summer, but he's playing like he did in his mid-20s, averaging 18.2 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.0 rebounds through the first six games.
Along with these established veterans, young assets like Donovan Clingan and Shaedon Sharpe are seen leading Portland's defensive attack, ranking one and two on the team in defensive rating (among players who average 15 or more minutes).
The hobbled Thunder will get their first shot at taking on this surprisingly surging Blazers team on Wednesday.
Despite Jalen Williams' ongoing absence, Holmgren's nagging back ailment, and Lu Dort's ankle injury, Oklahoma City still finds itself bringing an undefeated record with them on the road, as they've fully embraced the "next man up" philosophy to begin their title defense tour.
In this matchup, the Thunder will need to hone in on stopping an opposing team's elite scorers. In June, we saw this very club struggle with the Pacers, a team that didn't have a number one option.
The Blazers are similar in that aspect. It should be interesting to see who OKC keys in on defensively and how Portland adjusts.
Portland's on-court speed could also prove to be quite problematic for the Thunder, as the latter plays at a bottom-five pace thus far into the year.
Wednesday's outcome will likely depend on who establishes their brand of basketball early. We could see Portland having an advantage in a semi-chaotic game flow, where fastbreak points and turnovers come at a premium.
If OKC can establish a more controlled half-court offense, though, they'll likely be able to stifle any desire to run the floor.