Grading Every NBA Team's Starting Lineup So Far - Bleacher Report

By Google News Sports · 2026-11-05T13:18:12+01:00

A successful starting lineup will almost always dictate how well an NBA team performs. A good bench certainly helps, although the starting five sets the tone for the entire game.

Now a few weeks into the 2026-27 NBA season, we're getting a decent sample size for nearly every team. Grades will be based primarily on net rating together, although the team's record with these starters matters as well.

Injuries have certainly affected a number of starting lineups, although we're looking at every team's ideal healthy starting five while leaving out players who have yet to make their season debut due to injury (Jimmy Butler, etc).

Here's how the starting five for all 30 NBA teams grade out so far.

Note: NBA lineup net ratings via Cleaning the Glass.

ATL | BKN | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NOP | NYK | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX | POR | SAC | SAS | TOR | UTA | WAS

Starting 5: PG CJ McCollum, SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SF Dyson Daniels, PF Jalen Johnson, C Onyeka Okongwu

Net Rating/Record: plus-4.5 (201 total possessions), 3-4 overall

There's a lot to like about this starting lineup for the Atlanta Hawks, even if the end result has just been OK so far.

Johnson is the alpha of the group yet is seeing a dip in his numbers and efficiency this season while dealing with an ankle injury. Alexander-Walker is making his All-Star case with a team-high 21.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals and a 40.3 percent mark from three, proving to be one of the best values in the NBA. Daniels is leading the league in steals (3.0 per game).

This Hawks group needs a healthy Johnson to hit its peak, but has been fine so far overall.

Starting 5: PG Derrick White, SG Jordan Walsh, SF Jayson Tatum, PF Paul George, C…

Originally published by Google News Sports