Teams and analysts can preach the old “it’s about who closes, not who starts” line as much as they want, but the prestige of being in that first five is something every basketball player intrinsically wants (at least at some point in their careers).

The NBA teams with the best starting units have an inherent advantage in every game. When you win the first five or six minutes of each half, your opponent often struggles to erase the gap over the rest of the contest.

Who has been the best at that equation this season?

After just a few weeks, a number like Net Rating (net points per 100 possessions when a given player or lineup is on the floor) isn’t definitive. One or two great (or terrible) performances can flip that mark. We’ll still use it as a guide, but most of the placements below require some judgment.

The same goes for which lineups are analyzed on a number of these teams. Most squads have deployed multiple starting fives. Some, such as the Khris Middleton-less Milwaukee Bucks, have yet to play the starting five they’ll likely feature for most of the season.

Each slide doesn’t simply contain the most-used starting five. That’s a factor, but recency and future primacy were also considered.

As always, sprinkled over the top of all of the above is a healthy dose of subjectivity, which is almost impossible to avoid in any ranking exercise.

The Indiana Pacers have eight players who’ve started at least two games. They don’t have a single five-man lineup that has logged more than 40 minutes. Deciphering their starting five right now isn’t possible.

Three players have been fixtures in each of the team’s 10 games, though, so we can analyze the foundation (at least until the seemingly inevitable Buddy Hield trade comes down the pike).

Indiana is minus-2.5 points per 100 possessions with Tyrese Haliburton, Hield and Jalen Smith on the floor, and the guards in that trio have both been very good. The inexperience (and inefficiency) of Smith isn’t entirely responsible for the losing minutes (some stability at the other two spots would go a long way), but it’s not helping either.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are another team that doesn’t really have set starters. Through 10 games, they’ve had seven different starting fives. Ten individual players have made at least one start. And they don’t have a five-man lineup with over 30 total minutes.

Given the nature of this season (that should turn into a full-fledged pursuit of lottery odds and Victor Wembanyama), this trend probably won’t change anytime soon. It might contribute to another early shutdown for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s almost single-handedly making OKC competitive.

The Thunder are plus-2.4 points per 100 possessions with SGA on the floor and minus-10.1 when he’s off.

Dennis Smith Jr., Kelly Oubre Jr., Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington and Mason Plumlee

Net Rating: -18.4

This group will include LaMelo Ball at some point, but it’s hard to analyze what we haven’t seen. The group above with Ball in place of Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t even play together last season.

What we do have is a Dennis Smith Jr.-piloted lineup that is getting obliterated by opponents, and it’s not his fault. In fact, Charlotte is significantly worse when DSJ is off the floor.

Everyone else in this lineup has been various shades of mediocre.

If you don’t count Terry Rozier (who has played 140 minutes in four games), Kelly Oubre Jr. and Gordon Hayward are nearly tied for the team lead in scoring at 17.6 and 17.4 points per game, respectively. P.J. Washington is adding 16.5. And Mason Plumlee is posting a near double-double at 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds (not to mention 4.1 assists).

But there’s no star power (sorry, Gordon). It’s hard to win NBA games (or even minutes) without it.

Patrick Beverley, Troy Brown Jr., Lonnie Walker IV, LeBron James and Anthony Davis

Net Rating: -17.4

The Russell Westbrook-featured starting five still has more minutes than the one above, but his move to the bench feels permanent (he has been a reserve since Oct. 28).

While the adjustment seems to have helped Russ (he has shot 51.3 percent from the field and 48.0 percent from three as a sub), it hasn’t fixed the first five.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Patrick Beverley are shooting a combined 22.5 percent from three, and that alone would be difficult to overcome.

But putting Troy Brown Jr. in Westbrook’s spot may have also compromised the one strength this team seemed to have. The first starting five was surrendering a paltry 91.1 points per 100 possessions (but it couldn’t score). This one has opened the floodgates to 132.2 points per 100 possessions from opponents.

On the bright side, Lonnie Walker IV is averaging a career-high 15.3 points and shooting a career-high 44.3 percent from the field. If this starting lineup plays like this much longer, bright spots from the younger players might be all Lakers fans have left to cling to.

Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, Eric Gordon, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün

Net Rating: -12.9

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Houston Rockets have one of the youngest starting fives in the league, and it’s predictably getting trounced.

The Rockets have reasons for optimism, though. Kevin Porter Jr. is showing decent playmaking chops. Jalen Green has explosive scoring upside. And Alperen Şengün looks like he could be the game’s next point center.

The early question marks may come in the form of No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr. (who’s averaging 10.0 points on 30.3 percent shooting) and Eric Gordon.

It’s good to have a veteran presence like Gordon around a rebuilding roster, but he’s played well enough since the start of last season to inspire some trade machine tomfoolery. Over that span, Gordon has averaged 13.4 points and hit 41.0 percent of his three-point attempts.

If that’s good enough to warrant a first-round pick from a contender, Houston might have to think about it.

Reggie Jackson, Norman Powell, Paul George, Marcus Morris Sr. and Ivica Zubac

Net Rating: -30.5

Nailing down a starting five (which should include Kawhi Leonard at some point) for the Los Angeles Clippers is tough. Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Marcus Morris Sr. and Ivica Zubac have all started every game they’ve played, but the fifth spot has become a game of musical chairs involving Norman Powell, Terance Mann and Luke Kennard.

We’ll default to the group that has the most minutes, and that’s the one with Powell.

That lineup’s inability to score consistently (it has a 94.7 offensive Rating and a below-average 52.8 true shooting percentage) makes it easy to see why L.A. has dabbled with other configurations (the Kennard lineup is plus-22.6), but it’s too early to declare it doomed.

Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving, Royce O’Neale, Kevin Durant and Nic Claxton

Net Rating: -14.2

The sample size on this one is small, and a suspension for Kyrie Irving means it won’t get bigger anytime soon.

The limited minutes have generated plenty of takeaways, though. Most of them are bad.

Simmons looks more timid as a scorer than he ever has. He’s averaging 5.3 field-goal attempts and 4.1 fouls per game. And he doesn’t get a ton of playmaking opportunities to make up for that since the Brooklyn Nets offense is mostly a my-turn, your-turn affair when Irving and Kevin Durant are on the floor. Royce O’Neale is doing what he can to fill in the gaps, but there are just too many.

If you’re looking for a reason for optimism, it might be developing chemistry between KD and Nic Claxton. Brooklyn is plus-3.2 points per 100 possessions when both are on the floor (a far cry from the starters’ net rating above), Claxton leads the league in dunks, and Durant has assisted him more than he has any other Net this season.

Luka Dončić, Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, JaVale McGee

Net Rating: -18.6

Following the offseason, starting JaVale McGee over Christian Wood (or even Dwight Powell) always felt like a head-scratcher. It went so poorly (and predictably) that coach Jason Kidd is already experimenting with different arrangements.

The same group with Powell in McGee’s spot is plus-28.4. The two-man lineup of Wood and Luka Dončić has a plus-7.7 net rating.

Luka and shooting has always made sense. Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith work in that regard. At least one secondary creator has typically helped, hence the promotion of Spencer Dinwiddie to Jalen Brunson’s old spot. Adding the years-in-the-making chemistry Dončić and Powell have in the pick-and-roll or the shooting of Wood is an easy fix.

Jalen Brunson, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson

Net Rating: -9.2

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau deviated last week from his longstanding tradition of starting Evan Fournier, come hell or high water, but that change hasn’t been in place long enough to tap one of the non-Fournier lineups for analysis.

The group above started each of New York’s first seven games and has significantly more minutes than any other lineup. Even with Jalen Brunson, who has been good, in place of last season’s rotating cast of characters at the 1, the starting five is soundly losing its minutes.

Fournier is an obvious scapegoat. The team’s net rating is 15.5 points better when he’s not on the floor. But for the second season in a row, Julius Randle is part of the problem, too. His ball-dominant and inefficient game makes the team worse when he’s in the game (though the swing is nowhere near as dramatic as Fournier’s).

Moving forward, this team may need to shift its focus to younger Knicks like RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson (or, in an ideal world, a new starting 4 in Obi Toppin).

D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert

Net Rating: -11.6

In a league that continues to emphasize speed and positional versatility, especially in the playoffs, acquiring Rudy Gobert (especially for the price the Minnesota Timberwolves paid) was a bold move. We knew that at the time.

We also knew the frontcourt with Karl-Anthony Towns and Gobert would require an adjustment period, but seeing it in action is more concerning than expected.

The defense is fine (thanks in part to the length and defensive versatility of Jaden McDaniels), but Minnesota’s offense never gets off the ground with this starting five. And it’s easy to blame that on the frontcourt. On the year, Minnesota is minus-6.7 points per 100 possessions when both bigs are on the floor, minus-4.6 when KAT plays without Gobert and plus-3.3 when Gobert plays without KAT.

Coach Chris Finch may have to do more to separate the two All-Stars, play Towns with Anthony Edwards (who has expressed his desire to play in more space) and play Gobert with D’Angelo Russell (a natural pick-roll-and-lob pairing).

Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanović, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart

Net Rating: -4.2

On paper, the Detroit Pistons’ starting five makes sense, is well balanced and features at least one potential star in Cade Cunningham. On offense, all of that has led to a passable attack.

On defense, this lineup is getting rocked. It ranks in the 7th percentile in points allowed per 100 non-garbage-time possessions.

The lineup doesn’t really have an individual culprit either. Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanović and Saddiq Bey all struggle to contain on the perimeter, and Isaiah Stewart doesn’t offer much resistance at the rim.

Things should get better. This is a young group (outside of Bogdanović), and learning to play NBA defense often takes time, but they may have more of a learning curve than we anticipated.

Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Bol Bol and Wendell Carter Jr.

Net Rating: -5.9

Like a lot of the other teams near the bottom of the standings, the Orlando Magic have done a decent amount of shuffling with the starting five. The lineup above is one of four that has started a game this season. Orlando will surely have plenty more before the season ends.

The last few games have featured this group, and it’s already second among Magic lineups in minutes played. Though it has a comfortably below-zero net rating, you can see plenty of upside.

Jalen Suggs, Bol Bol, Wendell Carter Jr. and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Franz Wagner all play (or have the potential to play) solid defense. Putting as much grit as possible around Paolo Banchero, who is averaging 23.5 points and already looks like a veteran lead scorer, makes plenty of sense.

Tre Jones, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Jakob Poeltl

Net Rating: -1.6

This season has been packed with surprises, but none measure up to what the San Antonio Spurs are doing. That’s especially true of this starting five.

With a nice balance of floor generalship from Tre Jones, outside shooting from Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell and defense from Jeremy Sochan and Jakob Poeltl, this group is easily winning its minutes.

The preseason criticism that the team lacks superstar power may be true, but that also lends itself to the kind of team-first, egalitarian offense that made the Spurs unstoppable in the organization’s prime.

Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam

Net Rating: -6.1

This lineup logged over 300 minutes last season, and its plus-0.5 net rating was a little underwhelming.

This season, with Fred VanVleet’s struggles from the field (he’s at 39.4 percent overall) and Scottie Barnes perhaps not taking the leap he was expected to, that number has cratered to way below zero.

Of course, two or three strong performances could swing that (the same can be said for any of these lineups), and the group has more than enough talent and versatility for Toronto to remain hopeful.

Some individual numbers help, too. Pascal Siakam looks primed for another run at an All-NBA nod with 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists (all career highs). Gary Trent Jr. is putting up a career-high 18.5 points per game. And OG Anunoby is leading the league in steals with a whopping average of 3.1.

Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vučević

Net Rating: +2.7

The Chicago Bulls miss Lonzo Ball. Last season, in a very limited sample, they were plus-9.6 points per 100 possessions (with a wicked defense) when the lineup above featured Lonzo in Ayo Dosunmu’s spot.

The second-year guard deserves some credit, though. He’s averaging double figures and shooting 38.3 percent from three. When he gets a chance to play a supplementary role alongside the other four starters, he’s a plus (though he has one of the worst individual net ratings on the team).

The rest of the group is the same as last season’s starting unit. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have looked like a more natural fit than expected since the start of 2021-22. Nikola Vučević seems more like his pre-2021-22 self (thanks in large part to the return of his three-point shooting). Patrick Williams brings the untapped potential that could push the group over the top.

All of that said, and despite this group’s positive net rating, Chicago has been significantly better when at least two bench players are on the floor.

Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkić

Net Rating: +0.6

This version of the Portland Trail Blazers features some of the same strengths as the best CJ McCollum teams without as many defensive weaknesses.

Anfernee Simons is far from clamps on the wing, but his wingspan is longer (6’9″, compared to McCollum’s 6’6″), and he’s a more explosive athlete. In combination with Josh Hart and Jerami Grant (two high-end defenders), he’s passable. And Jusuf Nurkić has always been an underrated anchor on that end.

With that extra grit around Damian Lillard, Portland should be back in the mix for a playoff spot. The upside of Simons (the 23-year-old is averaging 22.4 points and 3.8 threes while shooting 36.6 percent from deep) could make them a contender for home-court advantage in the first round.

De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis

Net Rating: +5.9

Things stabilized quickly for the Sacramento Kings following the insertion of Keegan Murray into the starting five (they’re 3-3 since then). It’s not that Murray is playing like a superstar (he’s not), but his mistake-free game and threat of his shooting have opened things up for the rest of the starters.

With the floor spread by Murray, Kevin Huerter (16.9 points and a 51.5 three-point percentage this season) and Harrison Barnes (38.6 percent from deep since the start of 2018-19) around the De’Aaron Fox-Domantas Sabonis two-man game, Sacramento is suddenly difficult to stop.

But surprisingly enough, the real reason for the big point spread is the defense (thanks in large part to the length and switchability of Barnes and Murray) and Sabonis’ dominance on the boards.

Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, Jarred Vanderbilt and Kelly Olynyk

Net Rating: +4.5

The Utah Jazz have been one of the best and biggest surprises of the 2022-23 campaign, and their seemingly ragtag bunch of starters is a big part of why.

Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, Jarred Vanderbilt and Kelly Olynyk are all averaging career highs in assists per game. A whopping three-quarters of the team’s makes when those five are on the floor are assisted. With the ball flying all over the court and everyone a threat to score, this group has become one of the least predictable in basketball.

At some point, the other shoe may drop. Danny Ainge may lean further into the reboot and move Conley, Clarkson or some other vet. But right now, starting fives don’t get much more fun than this.

Monte Morris, Bradley Beal, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis

Net Rating: +21.6

A recent three-game demotion (for lack of a better term) to the bench for Deni Avdija limited the sample size for this lineup. And while his individual offensive numbers have been dreadful, it didn’t make a ton of sense to keep him there.

Avdija is probably the best perimeter defender on the Washington Wizards, and he barely takes away any usage from Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis.

If he could merely become an average three-point shooter, spreading the floor around a Beal-KP two-man game with Avdija, Kyle Kuzma and Monte Morris would be difficult to defend. And the steady contributions of Morris, Avdija and Porzingis on the other end might be able to cover for Beal.

Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen

Net Rating: -14.1

The playing time of this group has been severely limited by an eye injury to Darius Garland, so it’s probably fair to withhold judgment (even if the same group with Dean Wade in Garland’s spot has an off-the-charts-good net rating).

Still, despite not having a huge sample to evaluate, it looks like the lineup above may have one too many ball-dominant players, and the obvious candidate to move to the bench would be Caris LeVert.

The dynamic between Donovan Mitchell and Garland hasn’t felt as “my turn, your turn” as you might have expected. And Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen make up the backbone of one of the game’s best defenses.

Adding a floor spacer to that mix in Wade, and allowing LeVert to cook second units, could benefit everyone involved.

Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin and Bam Adebayo

Net Rating: +6.2

Much was made of the loss of P.J. Tucker this offseason. Failing to directly replace him was a roll of the dice, but it hasn’t landed on a one.

Last season, the Miami Heat were plus-9.2 points per 100 possessions with Tucker, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on the floor. In 2022-23, with Caleb Martin in place of Tucker, the Heat are plus-6.0.

Figuring out how to integrate Tyler Herro’s on-ball offense with three other players who need the rock (at least at times) has dragged the group down, but not enough to hastily move Herro back to the bench.

James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker and Joel Embiid

Net Rating: +5.2

A foot injury for James Harden means we won’t see this lineup for at least the next month.

That’s obviously a tough break for the Philadelphia 76ers in the sense that they’ll be without their lead playmaker and third-leading scorer, but it’s also a potential problem from a chemistry standpoint.

Early returns on this lineup suggested it had more of a learning curve than anticipated. Harden has looked slightly more intent on getting his own offense, Tyrese Maxey looks ready for a bigger scoring role, and Joel Embiid remains one of the game’s most ball-dominant stars. Figuring out the right balance between those three was going to take time, and this injury prolongs that.

Still, even when things didn’t look perfect, Philly’s first five was comfortably outscoring opponents, which is a pretty good indication of its upside. And a brief absence from Harden might actually give Tobias Harris and P.J. Tucker a confidence boost.

Both forwards are getting fewer shots than they did last season (6.0 per game for Tucker in 2021-22 to 4.0 this season; 14.0 to 11.7 for Harris). Without Harden’s 15.9 shots accounted for, they have a chance to dabble with some higher usage now.

Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, De’Andre Hunter, John Collins and Clint Capela

Net Rating: +10.2

There was supposed to be a bit of an adjustment period for the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray pairing. Things certainly aren’t perfect, but the early portion of the schedule has featured plenty of what made people optimistic about this backcourt.

Murray isn’t just an elite perimeter defender. He’s among the league’s best out there. And partnering him with De’Andre Hunter spares Trae Young from pretty much ever being assigned to a top option.

On the other end, Murray’s slashing has meshed well with Young’s ability to space the floor. John Collins’ ability to check both of those boxes (though he’s started cold from three) also helps. And the gravity of Clint Capela’s rim runs pulls defenses away from everyone (though Onyeka Okongwu may be on his heels for that role).

CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas

Net Rating: +6.0

Various injuries to Herbert Jones, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have limited the playing time of the New Orleans Pelicans starting five, but it looks like a potential juggernaut when in action.

Few lineups can unleash as much firepower as New Orleans with CJ McCollum, Ingram, Zion and Jonas Valanciunas. And if those four are merely average on the other end, having a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Jones can give them a solid defense, too.

Whether it’s a guard or a wing, Jones is capable of at least bothering most teams’ top scoring options, which frees up the rest of the bunch for lesser assignments and heavier lifting on offense.

Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford

Net Rating: +9.4

This group with the injured Robert Williams III in place of Derrick White was one of the best lineups in the league last season. And though the smaller, White-featured version isn’t performing to quite the level of last season’s regulars, it brings a different dynamic with playmaking versatility and perhaps even more switchability on defense.

Even as Al Horford creeps toward his late 30s, he remains one of the game’s better bigs at chasing guards and wings on the perimeter, and that allows Boston to switch all over the floor and blow up ball screens.

The other three in the lineup include the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Smart, a noted wing defender and scorer in Jaylen Brown and an MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum.

Even with the slight wrinkle brought on by Williams’ injury, this feels like one of the most trustworthy lineups in basketball.

Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Santi Aldama and Steven Adams

Net Rating: +19.0

Even without Jaren Jackson Jr. (who’s still out with a foot injury), the Memphis Grizzlies starting five is rolling over opponents.

A slight boost in Ja Morant’s already stellar production obviously helps, but it’s Desmond Bane’s leap that should be making waves. He’s up to 24.0 points and 3.9 threes with a 45.9 three-point percentage. His assists have gone from 2.7 in 2021-22 to 4.6 in 2022-23. At this point, he should probably be in the “best shooting guard in the league” conversation.

Of course, Steven Adams’ typical toughness, rebounding and defense deserve some credit, too. It helps that Dillon Brooks is shooting 40.5 percent from deep. And Santi Aldama’s versatility as a defender has made JJJ’s absence easy to ignore.

Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic

Net Rating: +16.5

Even with Jamal Murray still seemingly knocking off some rust, and Nikola Jokic readjusting to life with Murray and Michael Porter Jr., the Denver Nuggets are dominating the minutes with their starters on the floor.

And it’s not hard to see why.

This lineup makes sense on many levels. Surrounding the Murray-Jokic two-man game with the shooting of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and MPJ makes that action prett