NBA Power Rankings: Where Do All 30 Teams Stand Right Now? (2026)

February 24, 2026

RotoBaller's NBA power rankings for all 30 teams after the All-Star Break of 2026. Where does each NBA team stand in our latest power rankings for the 2025-2026 season?

Fresh out of the All-Star break and into the unofficial "second half" of the NBA season, we go. Many of our playoff contenders are already identified, while much of the play-in is still to be decided, especially in the East.

The Cavs are cruising in the East and have a real shot at getting the two-seed. The Spurs have won eight straight and are going to give the Thunder a run for their money in the West. Has Detroit done enough to take over the top spot in our rankings?

Read on and find out.

No. 30 - Sacramento Kings

If the tank wasn't already on, then it's a full-blown tank now. Sacramento recently announced season-ending surgeries for Domantas Sabonis (knee), Zach LaVine (hand), and De'Andre Hunter (eye). The surgeries may explain why they couldn't find suitors at the deadline for Sabonis or LaVine, but it remains a painful sign of just how poorly this season has gone. The Kings will aim to move them in the offseason. In the meantime, expect their young guys like Nique Clifford to play a larger role as the season winds down.

No. 29 - Washington Wizards

With the Wizards clearly looking to next season, when newly acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis will return to action, they're just aiming to have their younger guys develop. With that, expect contributions from guys like Tristan Vukcevic, who Washington just signed to a three-year contract. The 22-year-old has been solid in February, averaging 13.6 PPG.

But the Wizards would love to see more production from their younger guys, as no one's averaging more than 15 PPG over their last 10 games. Young and Davis will drive the Wizards' success next season, but they'll need more than just them to be competitive.

No. 28 - New Orleans Pelicans

This season has been a weird one for the Pelicans. Not just because it's been a season marred by health, yet again, but because they don't own their first-round draft pick this year. That's because of a draft day trade in 2025 that got the Pelicans Derik Queen. The only pick they own in the 2026 draft is the No. 60 pick, the very last pick of the draft. That puts a lot of pressure on the current core since there won't be much new talent coming in.

So Queen will need to keep doing what he's done as a starter, which is averaging 12.7 PPG and 7.6 RPG. Dejounte Murray is also nearing closer to a debut this season after recovering from an Achilles tendon tear last season. With many teams holding out their injured stars, it may be an iffy strategy with health never being a friend in the Big Easy.

No. 27 - Brooklyn Nets

Points are all of a sudden becoming a premium in Nets games. The offense has been a struggle over their last four games, scoring fewer than 90 points twice. But the defense has been holding up OK, keeping opponents at 115 and under for six straight games. It's led to a 2-4 record, which is fine for Brooklyn, given the fact that they're just looking to develop this season. With the season simply being about development now, expect Nolan Traore and Egor Demin to get more minutes in low-stress games for the Nets.

No. 26 - Utah Jazz

The Jazz are following a bit of a similar path to the one the Kings are on regarding handling their star players. Newly acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury that required surgery.

The Jazz may have also triggered much of the tanking discussions that have happened over the past few weeks, which are apparently going to be addressed at the end of the season. That means this lackluster Jazz season is actually going to have a lasting impact on the league, depending on what the tanking solutions the league agrees upon are.

No. 25 - Indiana Pacers

The Pacers were also impacted with tanking penalties alongside Utah a few weeks ago. But maybe their efforts were a bit less egregious. One of the potential solutions to the tanking problem that the league has discussed is the inability to draft inside the top four if they made the conference finals the season prior.

That feels clearly aimed at Indiana, though much of this season's struggles have revolved around a ton of injuries. The Pacers are walking on thin ice regarding further tanking punishment from the league, but don't expect them to change much from what they've done so far this season.

No. 24 - Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies had a shot to compete for the play-in earlier this season, but it's been a rough go for them since Christmas. At that point, they were close to .500 and were in the 9-seed with a 3.5 game cushion. It's been a sharp nosedive in the standings ever since.

They've got just three wins since January 18th, dropping to 21-34 and a five-game deficit to the Blazers in the 10-seed, giving them a minuscule shot at making the play-in. That's why they traded away Jackson and have felt fine resting Ja Morant. Tanking is the right option here, but they can't be as brazen about it as Utah and Indiana were a few weeks ago.

No. 23 - Dallas Mavericks

Right alongside Memphis in the Western Conference standings, Dallas actually has a worse chance to jump into the play-in with a seven-game deficit to Portland. But it's been clear for a while now that the Mavericks aren't looking to compete. Instead, they just want Cooper Flagg to be healthy.

The No. 1 overall pick is currently dealing with a foot sprain that has caused him to miss three straight games. He was also seen wearing a walking boot during the All-Star break. Dallas certainly won't rush him back, knowing his importance to the team, but they may still want to get him out there so that voters don't punish him too harshly in Rookie of the Year voting.

Dawg Cooper Flagg just might be a 1 of 1 pic.twitter.com/MKyzkzr1Lr

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) February 11, 2026

No. 22 - Chicago Bulls

Bulls fans had to appreciate the front office's commitment to blowing it up this season since it's so obviously held Chicago back in the past. But at the same time, they have to be sick of losing. The Bulls haven't had a win in the month of February and have just one win in their last 13 games after losing to the Knicks on Sunday night. On average, they're being outscored by almost 18 points per night.

Though they're close to the play-in race in the East, it's clear that the play-in isn't something they want to participate in this season. Expect them to push for better draft positioning as the season winds down over the next eight weeks.

No. 21 - Milwaukee Bucks

A team that does have a chance to still sneak into the play-in is the Milwaukee Bucks. They looked to be down and out after Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a calf injury in late January. But they've rallied to win six of their last eight games, keeping them within striking distance of Atlanta and Charlotte. But a tough upcoming stretch may hold them back in the race.

Antetokounmpo says he feels 100 percent, but the Bucks haven't given a timeline for his return. They'll have to make a decision on him soon, which is going to show just how much of a shot they feel they have at snagging a play-in spot.

No. 20 - Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have found themselves in a bit of a precarious situation. They've certainly underachieved this season compared to preseason expectations, mostly thanks to the absences and trades of Young and Kristaps Porzingis. But they've found themselves near the bottom of the play-in bracket with not a whole ton of room to breathe.

If not for a four-game win streak near the end of January, they'd potentially be on the outside of the play-in bracket looking in. It's going to take a bit for them to climb into the seven or eight seed, so they're going to have to outpace a hot Charlotte team to have home court in the first round of the play-in.

No. 19 - Portland Trail Blazers

So about that Friday night 50+ point loss to the Nuggets, let's just not look at it, alright? Because outside of that, the Blazers have been pretty solid. Coming into Sunday's game against the Suns, they had won four of their last six games, with three of those wins coming by at least 16 points. Portland's essentially locked into the play-in and has a five-game lead in the 10-seed.

The rest of the season should focus on preparing to face the Clippers, their likely opponent in the first round of the play-in. For a young Portland team, they'll want home court advantage for that and need to rack up as many wins as they can.

No. 18 - Los Angeles Clippers

Speaking of those Clippers, they've been a bit surprising since dealing James Harden to Cleveland. They'd won four of their last six games prior to Sunday's action against Orlando. Saturday provided a bit of a scare as Kawhi Leonard had to exit the game against the Lakers early with an ankle injury, but he was able to play on Sunday.

John Collins did not, though, as he took a rough fall that caused him to hit his head on the floor. Collins may miss some more time, so guys like Bennedict Mathurin are going to have to provide additional production. After a 38-point outburst against the Nuggets, Mathurin certainly can be the spark plug that the Clippers need.

No. 17 - Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets were finally cooled off this week with back-to-back losses against the Rockets and Cavaliers. But they bounced back on Sunday with a win against the Wizards, giving them a 16-9 record since the calendar turned to 2026. They currently hold the 10-seed in the East and seem pretty primed to make the play-in, especially if Milwaukee starts falling in the standings and decides to hold Giannis out.

On Charlotte's side, they're happy to see just how good this roster is when it's healthy. If they stay healthy and are able to get through the play-in bracket, there's a very good chance they could surprise some teams in the playoffs.

No. 16 - Miami Heat

Miami came out of the All-Star break the same way they went into it: With the offense on fire. After handling both Atlanta and Memphis, they've now scored 123 points or more in four of their last five games. Unsurprisingly, all four of those games were Miami wins. That's gotten them within reach of the 6-seed and escaping the play-in altogether.

That's got to be something they aim for and would be an accomplishment for a roster that looked potentially lost after the Jimmy Butler III trade. Without Tyler Herro for much of the season, they've certainly gotten everything they can out of this roster. But now with Herro back active, the ceiling is even higher for Miami.

Works around multiple defenders while in the air...

What a play by Norman Powell! https://t.co/Qwr3CJ7o2l pic.twitter.com/i3gvAZRYsW

— NBA (@NBA) February 22, 2026

No. 15 - Orlando Magic

The Magic just haven't seemed to get things clicking 100% this season, at least to the degree they want to. Their recent form is a bit more of what they aspired to be when they made big moves in this offseason, going 4-2 in their last six games prior to Sunday night's matchup against the Clippers. But this has come against a rather underwhelming stretch of opponents.

No doubt that a "get right" spot is needed for the Magic, but they need to be better against tougher competition. They're 12-17 against teams .500 or better, which is par for the course for teams around the play-in bracket, but Orlando's expectations in themselves are higher.

No. 14 - Phoenix Suns

Phoenix has overachieved all season, compared to preseason expectations, and has been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA. They've gotten to a great spot without Jalen Green, who has been creeping back from multiple hamstring injuries. But as soon as he came back, Devin Booker went down with a hip strain that's caused him to miss the last two games.

He's set to be re-evaluated in a week. But the Suns also lost Dillon Brooks to a broken left hand on Saturday. The injuries keep piling up. The Suns' other guys, like Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen, are going to need to help Green keep the Suns afloat until Booker returns.

No. 13 - Golden State Warriors

Speaking of injuries, Golden State is still working to find its way without Stephen Curry. He's missed seven games with a knee injury and is set to be re-evaluated in a week. On top of that, the Warriors have both Porzingis and Draymond Green dealing with their own issues. All three missed Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets, but that didn't matter as the Warriors won by 11 on Sunday.

We've mentioned all season that this is a make-or-break type of year for the Warriors, given the aging roster, and they're going to need to continue to reach their best form once everyone's healthy and the playoffs arrive, as this could be the last big run for Curry and Green.

2️⃣ with the dagger@Chase || Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/dgkPxv70AI

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 23, 2026

No. 12 - Los Angeles Lakers

Speaking of last runs this season, let's talk about LeBron James. He's not talked about enough these days, right? James has been a great facilitator for the Lakers' offense over the last five games, putting up 10+ assists in each of those five games. That excludes Sunday night's loss to the Celtics, but still shows James' ability to feed guys like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves is driving success for LA.

The Lakers are now in the 5-seed, tied with the Timberwolves, and are in a fight to get home court for at least the first round. A negative net rating has been pointing towards negative regression, but they keep finding a way to stave it off just a little bit longer every single time.

No. 11 - Philadelphia 76ers

The good thing about having to play so many games without Joel Embiid in the past is that when the Sixers need others to step up in his absence, they are easily able to do so. Embiid has missed Philly's last five games, which had been a hindrance to the Sixers until Sunday's 27-point win against the Timberwolves.

Tyrese Maxey has been the one to carry the load in most situations, and that's pretty much expected now. VJ Edgecombe has been dynamite at times and can help get that production going. But they need Embiid healthy to succeed in the playoffs. Philly knows that, and they'll do what they can to preserve him until then. But if they slip up too much, they may find themselves in the play-in bracket.

No. 10 - Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have been very solid in February, posting a 5-2 record that's gotten them up to the five-seed in the East. But, as we discussed with the Magic, that hasn't been against the best competition. So yes, Toronto absolutely should be crushing their current opponents.

They're really going to be put to the test over the next week or so with upcoming matchups against the Thunder, Spurs, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Rockets. The Raptors took a big step forward this season, and they're right where they need to be, but this stretch is going to test just how good they may be able to be in the playoffs.

No. 9 - Minnesota Timberwolves

It wasn't too long ago that Minnesota was flirting with dropping into the play-in bracket. They were dangerously close to the Suns in the seven-seed. But they've started to play a little better and have just a touch more breathing room between them and Phoenix now. They're not exactly in the clear, but given the Suns' injuries, the Timberwolves have a little bit better of a shot to stay out of the play-in.

That's going to be massive for them, but they'd prefer home court for at least a series if they can snag it. Just one game separates them from the Nuggets in the 3-seed, so there's plenty of opportunity for them to jump towards the top.

No. 8 - Houston Rockets

The Rockets got caught in a bit of a .500 "slide" in December that seemed a bit weird for a team as talented as Houston is. That hasn't fully carried into 2026, where they've done better, but at 14-11 in 2026, they still aren't performing at a level that we really expect from them after acquiring Kevin Durant.

Over their last 15 games, they have just a +0.4 net rating. The defense is holding up really well (110.3 defensive rating), but that means the offensive rating is at 110.7, which usually isn't enough to succeed in the playoffs. Last year, their biggest holdup was offensive inefficiency, which Durant was brought in to help. That offensive switch is going to need to flip once the playoffs come around, or Houston may be looking at an early exit if they get lined up against an offensive powerhouse.

No. 7 - Denver Nuggets

Maybe the Nuggets' injury issues are catching up with them. After excelling with many of their starters unable to go, they're at a point where everyone's trying to find that rhythm, but it just hasn't fully clicked. That's not the case on offense, but they're struggling to find their way on defense.

That's certainly influenced by two of their best defenders, Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson, being out with injuries. But it's still feeling underwhelming for a Nuggets team that has championship expectations. Their upcoming schedule leaves no margin for error. This Nuggets team may be in trouble if they can't lock in very quickly.

No. 6 - Boston Celtics

Look out. After winning eight of their last nine games, the Celtics have jumped back into the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference. They've been making nearly every win look easy (except against Miami, who they love to go down big to early). Their net rating in these nine games is +13.4, which ranks third in that span (more on the two teams ahead of them later).

Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.1 PPG in that span, leading the Celtics as he should. Payton Pritchard is supplying a lot of support, putting up 22.3 PPG in the same span. That's well above his 17.4 PPG he's averaging on the season. Boston's continuing to excel, regardless of who's in the starting lineup, and is a real threat in the East yet again.

No. 5 - Cleveland Cavaliers

It's always a little bit of a risk whenever you trade for Harden, but the early returns for Cleveland look to be really favorable. That's sometimes the norm with Harden trades, but they've gone 5-1 with him in the lineup. Add that to the fact they're 14-3 since mid-January, and they're finally looking like the team we expected them to be after last season. Now, for Cleveland to stay healthy for the playoffs and make up for their very lackluster showing in last season's semifinals.

JAMES HARDEN LOB TO Donovan Mitchell —

MY GOODNESS. 🔥🔥🔥

pic.twitter.com/0JK6vVo0o4

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 20, 2026

No. 4 - New York Knicks

After a really solid run prior to the All-Star break, the Knicks have gone pretty back-and-forth with wins and losses. That's not a huge issue, but given how hot the Celtics are, it's made them fall into the 3-seed. Now add in the Cavaliers and their hot streak, and the Knicks could be in danger of falling down to the 4-seed if they're not careful. They have what it takes to win the East, and maybe some of it is just them saving it for the playoffs, but they'll want to turn it on sooner rather than later.

No. 3 - San Antonio Spurs

The first of the two teams with a better net rating in the last nine games than the Celtics (their +14.3 net rating ranks second in that span), the Spurs have won eight straight games, with every one of them being by nine points or more. Victor Wembanyama has, unsurprisingly, been playing at an MVP-type level in this span. He's averaged 24.3 PPG and 11.0 RPG during this streak.

Six other Spurs are averaging at least 10 PPG in this span, making them really hard to stop. At just three games back of the Thunder, there's a chance that the Spurs could snag the top seed if enough things go right for them.

No. 2- Detroit Pistons

Detroit leads our trio of smoking hot teams over the past nine games with an 8-1 record and a +17.2 net rating. Everything is looking easy for the Pistons right now. Cade Cunningham is driving so much success that he's now generating a bit of MVP buzz, averaging 26.4 PPG and 10.0 APG over this nine-game span. Jalen Duren is putting up 17.7 PPG and 9.5 RPG in the same span, giving Detroit multiple double-double threats in their lineup. They're creeping up really close to being our top-ranked team.

CADE CUNNINGHAM IS SO SMOOTH. 😮‍💨

pic.twitter.com/WlTCwbi8zq

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 20, 2026

No. 1 - Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder come in at the top of our rankings yet again, but the gap between them and Detroit is as close as ever. A lot of that is because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out with an abdominal strain that has forced him to miss seven straight games. He's set to be re-evaluated later in the week, but the Thunder need to be prepared to play without him.

They're also missing Jalen Williams, who's going to be out a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury. That didn't stop them from taking down one of the East's best in Cleveland on Sunday. That's a big reason they stayed as our top seed, but there's a lot of work to be done (with or without SGA) if they want to keep the top seed going forward.

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