NBA Power Rankings: The curious case of the Knicks; red-hot Magic surging in East

The New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic are the subject of this week's NBA Power Rankings.

Charlotte Hornets v Orlando Magic
Charlotte Hornets v Orlando Magic | Julio Aguilar/GettyImages
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6. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the bigger surprises in the Western Conference so far this season and they've been a great story. The big question surrounding this team is whether or not they have enough veteran experience and maturity to maintain this level of consistency into the second quarter of the season. There's no question the Thunder are talented. Can they sustain this?

Of note, the Thunder was the only team in the NBA with a top 5 offense and defense heading into the weekend. That suggests this team is having much more than just a hot start to the season. While it's still too early to say if the Thunder are a legit contender in the West, there's evidence to suggest this team has sustainability.

The young Thunder are certainly a team to keep an eye on heading into the middle of the season. If the Thunder are still in the top 4 of the West standings in January, it's going to be difficult to ignore what's happening in Oklahoma City. At that point, Chet Holmgren may be running away with the NBA Rookie of the Year award.