The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Of Week 2 Of The 2025-26 Season

The second week of the 2025-26 NBA season brought more drama both on and off the court, from historic achievements to unfortunate setbacks. From Nikola Jokic's record-tying triple-double streak to Ja Morant's latest suspension, here's a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from around the league. 

The Portland Trail Blazers did something that no other team has been able to accomplish during the first five games of the 2025-26 NBA season. Stop Nikola Jokic from recording a triple-double. With a 21-point, 14-rebound, 9-assist effort in a 109-107 loss to Portland, the Nuggets superstar fell short of starting the season with five straight triple-doubles. 

Before Halloween night’s near miss against the Trail Blazers, Jokic’s start to the season with four consecutive triple-doubles matches an accomplishment that has happened just twice in NBA history, joining Oscar Robertson (1961-62) and Russell Westbrook (2020-21). Jokic matched the historic feat on October 29 in a blowout victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, sitting out the entire fourth quarter, playing just 28 minutes, recording 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. 

The Atlanta Hawks were supposed to be on to something this year, adding key players to their roster with the hopes of becoming a contender in the Eastern Conference. Starting the season 2-3 wasn’t exactly as planned. Unfortunately, the news worsened when the team traveled to Brooklyn on October 29. 

While they managed to squeak out a 117-112 victory, they suffered a bigger loss seven minutes into the first quarter. When Nets forward Noah Clowney pushed Mouhamed Gueye during a Nets inbound play, the Hawks forward fell into All-Star guard Trae Young’s leg, resulting in an MCL sprain to his right knee. After undergoing an MRI, it was confirmed that Young will miss at least the next four weeks, leaving the Hawks trying to make up for 25 points and 9 assists per night.  

Just six games into the season, the Memphis Grizzlies have a Ja Morant situation. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come as much of a shock. Following Friday’s loss to the LA Lakers, Morant received a one-game team suspension for conduct detrimental to the team after he and head coach Tuomas Iisalo got into a post-game verbal altercation. 

When Iisalo questioned Morant’s leadership and effort, the All-Star guard responded with an attitude that was deemed inappropriate and dismissive.  When asked by reporters about his current performance, Morant replied, "According to [the coaching staff], probably don't play me, honestly," Morant said. "That's basically what the message was. It's cool."

Considering the number of fines and suspensions Morant has accumulated over the past few years, one has to wonder how long he will remain a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. Somewhere, former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins is thankful he doesn’t have to deal with this issue anymore.