Toronto and Memphis top their respective conferences

It was an action-packed week in the NBA. With most teams playing their 10th game of the 2014-2015 season, there are some surprising winners as well as a team that still hasn't been able to earn its first victory.

The Toronto Raptors lead the Eastern Conference this week with eight wins and two losses, followed by the Washington Wizards who are currently riding a three-game winning streak. This fact is surprising because many fans and experts believed that the Chicago Bulls, who acquired Pau Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers and finally have a healthy Derrick Rose, or the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, would dominate the East. Chicago and Cleveland are currently placed third and fourth, respectively, and are projected to improve throughout the season. Other notable teams include the Miami Heat, placed fifth in the East behind an MVP-caliber performance from Chris Bosh, who is receiving more playing time after LeBron's departure, and the Philadelphia 76ers, who have yet to win a game this season.

In the Western conference, the Memphis Grizzlies are blazing hot with 10 wins and only one loss. While the squad doesn’t have a single marquee star, its roster has extreme depth and experience. Mike Conley and Tony Allen form one of the best defensive backcourts in the league. Add Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, two big, strong presences in the frontcourt at power forward and center, respectively, and the result is a very talented defense. Vince Carter and Courtney Lee add some athleticism in the guard positions and Tayshaun Prince brings in experience and talented defensive ability to the team.

Memphis may be on the top of the West thanks to its tough defense and balanced offense, but Houston is right behind them in second place. Behind superstars Dwight Howard and James Harden, Houston is getting fruitful results. Dwight Howard is fifth in the league in rebounds per game and James Harden is third on the scoring list. Houston has been able to create numerous second-chance opportunities, and also gets quick offense from Harden, who can both shoot from long distance and take it to the rim. Harden is continuously proving his skill, not only showing off his talented scoring abilities but also racking up averages of more than six rebounds and almost seven assists per game.

The Golden State Warriors, led by the “Splash Brothers,” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, are third in the West. Curry and Thompson are fourth and fifth in points per game this season, respectively. They are both among the most consistent shooters in the league and form one of the NBA's best backcourt duos. While Andrew Bogut is not playing at his usual level, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes make up for it at the offensive end.

The Lakers are struggling mightily this season, boasting just three wins. Kobe Bryant made history this week, but not for good reason. He set the NBA record for most missed shots in an NBA career during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. After missing a fadeaway jump shot, Kobe passed Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek with 13,148 missed shots. Bryant didn’t seem to care much and said he wasn’t aware of it.

“Well, I’m a shooting guard that’s played 19 years,” Bryant said in an interview.

Essentially, after playing as long and taking as many shots as he has, it's bound to happen.

While it is just the beginning of the season, it's always entertaining to predict the MVP race. This year, some experts believe Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans is a strong candidate due to his surreal athletic ability, height and ball handling skills -- a set of traits rarely found in such a strong combination. Davis is currently leading the league in blocks with almost four per game. But the MVP conversation also includes numerous superstars, including LeBron James, James Harden and Marc Gasol. As the season progresses, at should become clearer who is the most valuable player this year.