Who are the biggest surprise teams of the early 2025-26 NBA season?

The 2025-26 NBA season began 2 weeks ago from last night. Each NBA team has played at least 8 games to start the new season. 8 games is a very small sample size. The small sample size sometimes says a lot about NBA teams' seasons, whether it's progress or regression. With that said, it is time to point out the biggest surprise team two weeks into the season. These surprise teams will be discussed based on their recent success or sudden decline. The Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers are the biggest early success stories in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls, led by rising star Josh Giddey and re-emerging star Nikola Vucevic, have carried the franchise to a 6-1 start. The Bulls have not made the playoffs in four seasons and have lost in the play-in tournament in 3 consecutive seasons. The Philadelphia 76ers are aiming for a bounce-back season after a miserable 2024-2025 season. The Sixers are 5-3, led by the return of former MVP Joell Embiid, rising star Tyrese Maxey, and potential rookie of the year V.J. Edgecomb. The disappointing surprise teams in the Eastern Conference include the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic. Both teams were expected to take leaps in the standings after making several moves during the 2025 offseason. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs are the biggest surprise team in the Western Conference. The Spurs, led by their young superstar Victor Wembanyama, began the season 5-0, the first time in franchise history. The Spurs had not made the playoffs since 2019 and have a chance to take a huge leap in the Western Conference standings. Lastly, the Dallas Mavericks are the biggest early disappointment of the season. The Mavericks had won the NBA 2025 Lottery during the spring and drafted the number 1 draft pick, Cooper Flagg. It was believed that adding Flagg following the departure of franchise superstar Luka Doncic could save the organization. That is very far from the truth, as the Mavericks sit with the worst record in the Western Conference at 2-6. There is time for the Mavericks to turn things around, but injuries to stars Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving and the very early development of Cooper Flagg could hold the team back from contention. So who are the biggest surprise teams of the early 2025-2026 NBA season? Were there any other honorable mentions? A small sample size will never tell the full truth to a team's early start. It is best to take the early start with a grain of salt and let the chips fall as the season grows.