Unbeaten Celtics, Cavs & Thunder in action tonight

It’s early but three teams are still undefeated after a week of NBA action. Expected juggernauts like the defending champion Celtics and the ascending Thunder have yet to drop a game while the Cavaliers have surprised some by starting 4-0. 
The Celtics go for 5-0 tonight as they head to Indiana to face the Pacers (7 ET, ESPN). Boston has mostly dismantled the opposition thus far and boasts an average points differential of 15.0 points. It began with a statement win over the Knicks on opening night when they tied the NBA single-game record for made 3s with 29. The Celtics coasted by the Wizards before being challenged by the Pistons in a six-point win on the road. The 119-108 win over the Bucks was an important one earlier this week as it banked a head-to-head win over a team expected to be a legitimate contender in the East.
Though the Pacers are off to a 1-3 start, they are still a tough team with the ability to put a scare into the Celtics. Boston will have to put a lid on Indiana’s frontcourt headlined by Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, which has been one of the tougher tandems in the league thus far.
The Cavaliers also made a statement early this season, jumping out to a 4-0 start. They’ll look to stay undefeated tonight but it’ll be a tough task with the LeBron James and the Lakers coming to town (7 ET, NBA League Pass).
Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season and looks to go even further this season. So far, so good as Cleveland has the highest points differential in the Eastern Conference at 16.8 points per game with wins over the Raptors, Pistons, Wizards and Knicks. 
LeBron James’ return to Cleveland will of course be a storyline tonight, but there’s a lot more to this matchup. Cleveland ranks first in effective field goal percentage in the NBA. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are all off to great starts and the team is playing suffocating defense on the interior. That will be tested with Anthony Davis playing at an MVP level thus far.
Rounding it out, the Thunder are vying to get to 4-0 as they host Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs (9:30 ET, ESPN). Oklahoma City has looked every bit the favorite to win the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company have steamrolled their way to 3-0 with a 19.3 average points differential with each win coming by at least 17 points. The big feather in the Thunder’s cap thus far has been the season-opening 17-point win in Denver when Chet Holmgren held his own and chipped in 25 points and four blocks. 
Holmgren’s ability to slow Wembanyama will be key to getting the win at home tonight. The Thunder’s top-end talent may still be too much for the Spurs even if Wembanyama gets the advantage over Holmgren.