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Power Rankings for NBA teams in the 2025-2026 NBA season. RotoBaller's Kevin Larson analyzes every NBA Team with Power Rankings from worst to first as of December 15, 2025.
NBA Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First
The NBA Cup Championship is set. The New York Knicks will represent the Eastern Conference after taking care of Toronto and Orlando. Meanwhile the San Antonio Spurs took down the Lakers and then proved to the league that the Thunder aren’t invincible. Who wins the NBA Cup will be decided on Tuesday. Still, the rest of the league has other games to focus on as we head towards Christmas Day. Where does your favorite team rank this week? Read on to find out.
30. Washington Wizards
The Wizards got their second win in the month of December on Sunday, surpassing their win total from November. It’s at least a nice thing for Washington fans to see as it’s been a lot of losing over the past few seasons for them. They know not to get used to it, though, as the Wizards still are looking for ways to be able to develop their young guys while also trying to build a trade market for their veterans to become rentals for contenders. So far the youngsters haven’t been that great, but there’s plenty of season left for them to be able to “build character” in a tough season.
29. New Orleans Pelicans
After Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bulls the Pelicans have now won two in a row. One more and that’s officially a winning streak! Maybe we shouldn’t go crazy here yet, but it’s at least a good sign for New Orleans. Injuries have ravaged their season, yet again, but they’re starting to get some guys back and it’s making an impact. Jordan Poole has put up 22 points and 16 points in his two games back from injury. Zion Williamson is still out, but that’s nothing new in the Big Easy. We’ll have to see if New Orleans can string together a few more wins, but at least for now it’s looking like basketball may be a bit more competitive than it has been for the Pelicans.
28. Brooklyn Nets
If something’s going right in Brooklyn right now it’s the production of Michael Porter Jr. He was averaging 34.3 PPG in December prior to Sunday’s matchup against the Bucks. Coming over in a trade from Denver in the offseason, MPJ is giving Brooklyn fans hope that there’s going to be good basketball somewhere in the future. Whether or not that future will include Cam Thomas is a question that Brooklyn’s going to have to ask itself prior to the trade deadline. Though Thomas is a force when he’s on the court, it’s his inability to stay on the court that may make teams weary of acquiring the 24-year-old.
27. Indiana Pacers
The good news for the Pacers is that the offense looks to be picking up. They’ve been able to score 116 or more points in five of their last eight games. That’s helped lead to a 4-4 record in those eight games. The injury list is starting to get a bit shorter too, so there are positive signs here for Indy. But that still didn’t stop them from getting blown out by Washington on Sunday. Better days may be ahead, but they’re more than likely going to be in the 2026-2027 season.
26. Sacramento Kings
If there’s any good news for the Kings right now it’s that they don’t have the play the Denver Nuggets again this season. They’ve already played the Nuggets four times, putting up just a 1-3 record. That’s not going to matter much going forward, though, as the Kings still have a -11.0 net rating on the season, second worst in the league. There’s too much talent on the Kings to be this bad and the likelihood of starting a rebuild midseason keeps building. Contenders will certainly have their eyes on Kings games this season as they try to see which of Sacramento’s veteran plays may make for a good rental.
25. Utah Jazz
It’s much less stressful in Utah where player development, not winning, is the goal of this season. We’ve highlighted Keyonte George a few times in these rankings and he continues to excel this season. He’s posted three games of 28+ points and 8+ assists in his last five games. That type of offensive production, both scoring and facilitation, is going to transfer to eventual success in Utah. However, the Jazz are currently tied with the Mavericks for the final play-in spot in the West. Utah may find itself playing for the play-in later in the season.
24. Charlotte Hornets
The conversation in Charlotte may start to shift from Kon Knueppel’s fantastic start to determining what LaMelo Ball’s future with the franchise may look like. Ball hasn’t been able to stay healthy in the past few seasons, playing in just 44% of Charlotte’s games since the 2022-2023 season. A trade involving the 24-year-old feels like an inevitability at times, though his value may be at his lowest now. Charlotte’s going to have questions they need to answer prior to the trade deadline about how their future roster should look.
23. Los Angeles Clippers
Next to last in the Western Conference, the Clippers are going to have an interesting next couple months coming up to the trade deadline. As with the Kings, there’s way too much talent on this roster to turn in a performance this pitiful. Personally I felt like they could make a run at the West coming into the season but I, and many others, were horribly wrong. The trade chip that may make the most sense for them to get rid of may be John Collins given that he’s an unrestricted free agent next season. Collins is no stranger to trade rumors (ask anyone in Atlanta) but he may be the first domino to go if the Clippers decide to tear it all down.
22. Memphis Grizzlies
The Ja Morant talks seem to have died down a bit compared to where they were a month ago. Going 7-3 in his absence is one way to shut down that type of talk. Morant made his way back into the lineup on Friday, posting up a 21-point, 10-assist double-double against Utah. Memphis lost that game, but they still are sitting in a good spot in the play-in seeds. With the trade deadline coming up Morant’s name will undoubtedly pop up again, but we’ll have to wait and see just how serious the Grizzlies are about potentially shipping out their superstar guard.
21. Dallas Mavericks
As soon as it seemed like the Mavericks may have started figuring out some things word came out that they may be looking to trade away Anthony Davis. Perhaps that’s just a bit of noise right now given that Davis won’t become a free agent until 2028. That amount of team control should be intriguing to a decent amount of contenders willing to deal with AD and his injury history. But if nothing comes to fruition, the Mavs still look to be in a solid spot at the Western Conference play-in. They’ve won five of their last six games and hold the 10-seed with their trajectory looking upwards. There are also rumors that Kyrie Irving could potentially return around the All-Star break, making Dallas’ trajectory look even further upwards if they hold onto everyone.
20. Chicago Bulls
A much needed win over the Hornets on Friday night snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Bulls. Chicago entered this season feeling confident about where they were at as a franchise, but their recent slide has them back in familiar territory. They’re fighting for the play-in, which they very likely can make, but they don’t appear to be a team that will make real noise in the East given how strong the East has become. The lead up to the trade deadline will be really intriguing to follow to see if Chicago actually decides to move more pieces. But based off the last few seasons they may not do enough to make a real impact either way. The Bulls are somewhat stuck in mediocrity and that’s never where you want to be in professional sports.
19. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers started this season with surprising strength but it’s starting to turn the other way for them. They’ve lost six of their last seven games (the kids may go nuts reading that) before Sunday night’s matchup against Golden State and find themselves dwindling in the West. That’s despite Deni Avdija’s best efforts as his career high 25.4 PPG lead the team. But Portland has struggled on defense, giving up a 118.2 defensive rating that ranks 22nd. They can still make a run at the play-in, but the organization is going to need to decide what’s better between the play-in and a lottery pick.
18. Milwaukee Bucks
Yeah, this is starting to feel like it’s going to get a bit ugly here. A blowout loss to the Brooklyn Nets will do that when Giannis’ name keeps popping up in trade rumors. Milwaukee finds itself on the fringes of the Eastern Conference play-in picture, not a place they wanted to find themselves after being fairly active in the offseason to build a roster around Antetokounmpo that could compete. It just hasn’t come to fruition yet. And because it hasn’t, this very well may be the last season Giannis spends in Milwaukee. With his name continually popping up in rumors all around the NBA media universe, it’s only going to get more hectic in Milwaukee.
17. Phoenix Suns
You can’t really fault the Suns for their play-in performance against OKC but their fans likely had more hope that they’d keep it a bit closer. That was without Devin Booker, though, and Phoenix fans would rather focus on making the Western Conference play-in or better. As of now it’s looking like they’ll be in the play-in mix all season with an outside shot at a top-six seed. We also still are waiting to see what this team looks like at full-strength. That’s because Jalen Green’s spent nearly all season dealing with a hamstring injury. As of now he has the chance to return around early January. If his offense helps without detracting from the Suns’ current defense then the Suns may be a trendy upset pick later in the season.
16. Miami Heat
Their foray into the NBA Cup didn’t last long this week as they couldn’t get by the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. That loss now extends their losing streak to four games, something they will need to get turned around. They face off against the similarly strong but struggling Toronto Raptors on Monday, kicking off a five game stretch against the Atlantic division that’s going to be a rather tough stretch. If Miami can’t get it turned around then it will be at risk of falling down to the 9-seed in the East.
15. Golden State Warriors
Golden State is certainly certainly at its best when Stephen Curry back in their lineup. After missing nearly three weeks due to injury, he returned on Friday night and put up 39 points against Minnesota. Unfortunately, that was in a losing effort. It got even worse on Sunday when Curry put up a ridiculous 48 points in a 136-131 loss to Portland. It raises questions about the roster when its best player is putting up massive numbers, yet the team can’t find a way to pull out a win. Golden State is nearing the end of its era, and they know it, but they’d prefer a lot more wins before turning the page to a new chapter.
14. Atlanta Hawks
It may not be much longer until the rest of the NBA world knows about Jalen Johnson. He’s the one that’s taken charge of Atlanta’s offense in Trae Young’s absence. And over each of Atlanta’s last four games, including their 120-117 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, he’s posted up a triple-double in each game. That gives him five triple-doubles on the season. If not for Johnson then Atlanta could potentially be looking at a sub-.500 record on the fringe of the Eastern Conference play-in. Instead, he’s kept them alive and in great shape for when Young returns.
13. Philadelphia 76ers
Speaking of health, the 76ers are starting to get their with two of their big three as Joel Embiid and Paul George are starting to get back to game action and getting real minutes in the starting lineup. At the same time, Tyrese Maxey has now been absent for the past two games for Philly. That’s been because of an illness, though, and he shouldn’t be out much longer. Once he returns then the Sixers will finally have their big three back together. And with their current positioning they’ll be in a great spot to aim for the Eastern Conference playoffs.
12. Toronto Raptors
After Toronto went on a really solid run after the season’s start, they’ve now dropped six of their last seven games (let the kids go crazy again). That included an NBA Cup loss to the New York Knicks, though that one may be forgiven with how strong the Knicks have been this season. Still, Raptors fans aren’t going to be all that happy with the slide they’re currently on and want to see it turn around. But with five of their next six games on the road, the Raptors may find it tougher than anticipated to get pack on the winning path.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves
Don’t look now but the Timberwolves are cruising. Winners in seven of their last eight, Minnesota is starting to make its run in the Western Conference. As they look to break the Western Conference Finals ceiling they’ve yet to surpass in the last few seasons, this is a very welcome development. Though the standings say they’re just sixth in the West, they’ve got the fourth best net rating of any Western Conference team. That’s impressive, especially considering the top three teams in the West (OKC, Denver, Houston) are all behemoths. Watch out when the Timberwolves show up on your schedule.
10. Boston Celtics
After a string of 10 wins in 13 games, the Celtics lost to the Bucks by 15 points on Thursday. That’s a bit unfortunate for them, especially with how good they’ve been as of late, but Boston will hopefully just see that as a blip in the radar. They’ve surpassed early season expectations, at least, and are looking to be a strong team in the East regardless of them losing three of their five starters this offseason through various methods. There’s a tough week ahead with Detroit, Miami and Toronto on the schedule, but the Celtics should certainly be able to hold their own.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland needs to figure out who it wants to be. Maybe they over-exerted themselves in the regular season last year and they’re trying to conserve energy, but they don’t feel like the same team. After all, this Cleveland team wouldn’t be the ones to blow a game at home against the Charlotte Hornets if it were last season. But this year that’s a reality. They’ve not been the same dominant force and, until they show that same dominance again, they’ll not seem as intimidating as they used to be. With the Bulls on the schedule twice this week, followed by a rematch against Charlotte, they’ll have a chance to get back on the right path.
8. Los Angeles Lakers
Maybe their NBA Cup loss to the Spurs on Tuesday will be a bit of a wake up call to LA. Not because they haven’t been good, but maybe they’ve overrated themselves a touch. They’re generally a team that’s going to outscore you rather than stop you and San Antonio showed how that can have its flaws. With the Spurs’ 132 outburst, the Lakers have now given up 120+ points in five of their last seven games. Lower the bar slightly to 118 points and it’s seven of their last nine. They’re going to need to tighten things up on defense if they want to elevate into the upper echelon of the Western Conference.
7. San Antonio Spurs
Maybe some people were surprised with how easily the Spurs handled the Lakers in the NBA Cup but if you’ve been paying attention to them it shouldn’t have been all that shocking. If you’ve been paying attention to how good they’ve been with Wembanyama active then them beating the Thunder may not be all that shocking. San Antonio is looking to make a name for itself when it faces off against the Knicks on Tuesday for the NBA Cup title. Don’t be surprised if Wemby and Co are holding up the trophy on Tuesday night.
6. Orlando Magic
Orlando is so close but it looks like the Knicks may just be the biggest thorn in their side. Sure, the injuries have been an issue and Franz Wagner being absent is going to hurt them, but there’s enough talent on this roster that they’re going to be able to stay competitive until he returns. That should be at some point in January, but Orlando should be able to hold its own until then. Once he’s back they’ll finally be at full strength and they’re going to be a real force in the East, which is what they intended when they traded for Desmond Bane in the offseason.
5. Detroit Pistons
Free of any NBA Cup worries over the past week, Detroit has won 18 of their last 21 games. That’s gotten them currently at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Their +6.3 net rating ranks fifth overall in the league. Their 112.1 defensive rating over the last 15 games ranks seventh in the league, showing that their defense is helping to push them to the level of success they’re seeing. Their strength is going to be tested as seven of their next eight games are on the road. Detroit has a higher eFG% on the road, though, so it may not be the worst test for them over the next couple weeks.
4. New York Knicks
New York will look to show it’s a dominant force as it takes on the Spurs in the NBA Cup Championship on Tuesday night. The Knicks have won nine of their last 10 games, mostly because of two things. First, the offense has put up 116 points or more in eight of those 10 games. Additionally, the defense has held teams to fewer than 110 points in seven of those 10 games. It’s a pretty easy recipe when you look at it. That’s going to be put to the test on Tuesday against San Antonio, though, who presents its own special task with Victor Wembanyama on the other side of the court. New York will have its hands full on Tuesday night.
3. Houston Rockets
The Rockets will embark on a tough week as it’s set to face the Denver Nuggets twice this week, both times in Denver. This is all part of a six game road trip. Luckily for Houston, they get a few easy games in this trip outside of two games against the Nuggets and one against the Lakers. If they’re able to steal one of these three games then that should lead to at least a .500 road trip or better. Expect the Rockets to be looking for revenge against the Nuggets as Denver took one from Houston a few weeks ago. With two shots against Denver, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rockets steal at least one.
2. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets will start a four-game homestand on Monday night, though that may not be the advantage that you think it would normally be for most teams. For starters, they’re going to be facing rather stout competition with two games against the Rockets and another against the Magic. Secondarily, they’ve had their struggles at home this season. They’re significantly better on the road, posting a 12-2 record on the road compared to just a 6-4 record at home. That’s sure to change with homestands that are lengthier than they have been so far, but Denver likely would prefer to have easier competition at home to “get right” with rather than the Rockets and Magic gauntlet they’re going to face this week.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Our top team yet again but maybe there are some cracks in the armor here. San Antonio showed the NBA world that the Thunder aren’t quite invincible like they may appear. That should spark a little more confidence in the Thunder’s tougher opponents once they start to show up on the schedule. The flaw with OKC, though there aren’t many, is that their schedule has been relatively weak. You can’t fault them for who’s on their schedule, but it does cause some doubt with how they’ll handle the stronger competition. They’ll have plenty of chances to avenge their loss against the Spurs, though, as they face San Antonio three more times in the next month plus.
