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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 22, 2025.
NBA Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First
The unofficial “start” to the NBA season happens this week with Christmas Day games on deck. There’s been plenty of nice this season, especially in places like Detroit and San Antonio who are being rewarded for their roster construction over the past couple seasons, reaping the rewards of smart moves. There’s been plenty of naughty too, especially with the Clippers and the Kings. The league’s heating up and the Christmas Day slate shows a lot of promise with plenty of competitive teams facing off. But who’s near the top of our rankings now? Let’s find out.
30. Washington Wizards
The Wizards are our lowest ranked team yet again, but they’re at least starting to see some promise from guys on their roster. That specifically relates to Kyshawn George, who put up 28 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. The 22-year-old is shooting particularly well from deep, posting up a 42.8% three-point percentage on the season. It’s still rough in Washington, but glimmers of hope can be seen if you look close enough.
29. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have finally gotten Zion Williamson back and active. He’s coming off the bench to limit his minutes, which is going to be fine for New Orleans. As long as they can keep him healthy then the basketball will soon be better. At the same time, they’re happy seeing the development from Derik Queen in the starting lineup. He’s posted up two double-doubles and one triple-double in the last five games, in which the Pelicans have posted a 4-1 record. Things could be looking better for the Pelicans real shortly.
28. Sacramento Kings
It’s probably not going to get better any time soon for Kings fans. Domantas Sabonis will be out for the next 4-5 weeks, Zach LaVine is still dealing with an ankle issue and they have just one win since Thanksgiving. The roster construction project since acquiring DeMar DeRozan has been a massive failure and will lead to a major rebuild that most expect to start by the trade deadline. There’s a ton of disappointment in Sacramento and there’s no end to it in sight until the rebuild starts.
27. Indiana Pacers
For a short while it seemed like the offense was back on line, but the last four games have been very underwhelming offensively. They’ve shot for just a 47.1% eFG% over those four games, obviously not a mark they want to be setting. Defensively they’ve been slacking as well, but that’s not a surprise based on the season they’re having. Indiana’s not sweating it much, though, as a lottery pick to pair with Tyrese Haliburton’s return next season is likely going to be the best scenario for their future.
26. Brooklyn Nets
Don’t look now but the Brooklyn Nets are hot. Well, as hot as this Nets team can be. They’ve won four of their last seven games prior to Sunday’s tilt against the Raptors. They’re shooting for a 55.2% eFG% in that span, which would put them at 11th overall behind the Rockets from a season-long perspective. That’s good news for Nets fans who just want to watch fun basketball. It’s at least happening right now. A play-in appearance may be unlikely, especially with this roster’s current needs, but basketball is fun for the moment in Brooklyn.
25. Los Angeles Clippers
It’s not all that fun in LA, though. Well, at least if you’re a Clippers fan. A win over the Lakers on Saturday night is great regardless of how many players the Lakers had missing. But it’s still just their second win of December. As much as we’ve harped on the Kings in these rankings this season, the Clippers are just one game better than them. While Sacramento faces an inevitable rebuild, the Clippers may have to take a good hard look in the mirror as ask themselves the same question. The roster has major issues and getting rid of Chris Paul isn’t going to fix all of them.
24. Utah Jazz
If you ask LeBron James about Keyonte George he’s going to tell you he hasn’t spent much time watching him because he’s way too consumed with YouTube Golf these days (same here, my man). But George has been having a stellar season, averaging 24.0 PPG and 6.9 APG. Over the last four games he’s averaging 34.3 PPG and 7.8 APG, elevating it even further. If you squint hard enough you may be able to see a shot for the Jazz to make the play-in conference. And if they do then George’s recent success will be a major reason why they end up there.
23. Charlotte Hornets
With good health the Hornets can be another team that looks like a play-in contender. When they have their starting five all healthy on the court (LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, Ryan Kalkbrenner) they have a +4.6 net rating. Overwhelmingly good? No, but enough to show that there could be something here. But Charlotte’s got to put together a few streaks before they can jump Chicago or Atlanta and get into the play-in bracket. They’re also going to need to overcome any LaMelo trade rumors. They’ve died down recently but expect them to pick up again as we get closer and closer to the trade deadline.
22. Milwaukee Bucks
This just isn’t the season Milwaukee envisioned. Sure, you don’t plan for Giannis Antetokounmpo to miss a ton of time, but you do expect the roster you put together to be competitive even if he’s out. The Bucks just haven’t been able to stay competitive. They’ve posted a few good wins in December, but they really need to get a good streak going before fans can start to have any confidence in them going forward. On top of that, the Giannis trade rumors are only going to get louder. A potential trade that seismic is sure to cause waves throughout the organization. The Bucks’ weird season is going to continue through at least the trade deadline.
21. Dallas Mavericks
With a 5-3 record in December, the Mavericks may just be starting to get some things turned around. They’re shooting for a 57.0% eFG% in December, a real solid mark to have. Rookie Cooper Flagg (have you heard of him) is having a stellar month as well, averaging 24.0 PPG. That’s all gotten Dallas to the 11 seed in the West, just behind the Blazers for the final play-in spot. With Dallas’ resurgence it’s easy to see that they’ll be able to make a run at the play-in as long as their offensive improvements continue.
20. Portland Trail Blazers
A nice little three game win streak has hopefully gotten the Blazers back on the right track after a really underwhelming November. As we just mentioned with Dallas, Portland holds the 10-seed as the final play-in team in the West. But that could quickly change if they revert to their November ways. While Deni Avdija has done the heavy lifting on offense, Shaedon Sharpe (24.1 PPG) and Jerami Grant (22.3 PPG) have been major helpers in the month of December. Portland’s goal the rest of the season will be to make the play-in and they’ll need these three to keep it up if that’s where they want to end up.
19. Memphis Grizzlies
You can’t quite excuse a loss to the Wizards on your home court this season, but prior to that Memphis had been having itself a solid December. Their 5-3 month is part of a 9-4 stretch that they’re on, helping to get themselves right after a bad start to the season. Most impressive is only two of those games in that stretch have involved Ja Morant, who’s still dealing with an ankle issue that may force him to miss the Grizzlies’ upcoming back-to-back. That may not be the worst thing for the Grizz as their younger guys can continue to develop. They’ll finish the month hoping to stay in the play-in bracket in the West.
18. Chicago Bulls
A weird scheduling quirk in Chicago’s schedule had them face Cleveland twice in a row followed immediately by two matchups against Atlanta in a row. Lucky for Chicago, it’s working well for them. They swept the Cavs and took the first game against Atlanta on Sunday in a 152-150 win where defense was optional. This three game swing may not completely change the Bulls’ image after a horrendous November, but it’s a step in the right direction. They need quite a few more steps in that direction, though, if they want to avoid having to make major roster construction questions at the trade deadline.
17. Phoenix Suns
The highs from a surprising start to the season are starting to disappear as reality is setting in a little more on Phoenix. Not that where they’re at is a bad spot. After all, they’re positioned solidly to be in the play-in in the West. With the turmoil and major changes from the offseason, that’s better than expected. But wins are now becoming tougher to come by. Devin Booker missing time earlier this month hasn’t helped. Phoenix also is still waiting on Jalen Green to return. That could happen before the calendar year is over, though Phoenix will likely monitor his playing time so he doesn’t aggravate that nagging hamstring injury.
16. Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young returned to the lineup this past week, playing in two games while sitting out a Friday night matchup against San Antonio. That should generally mean good things for Atlanta but both games he played in resulted in losses. A 35-point, nine assist night on Sunday against Chicago should usually result in a win but that wasn’t the case. Atlanta has faltered in December, posting just a 2-7 record in the month. And while Jalen Johnson has done all he can it hasn’t been enough. Atlanta needs to get things kickstarted to become the sneaky threat in the East they were advertised to be after this offseason.
15. Golden State Warriors
While the Warriors’ 14-15 record isn’t exactly what they were envisioning this season to be, it’s a very underwhelming record in the fans’ eyes. Owner Joe Lacob’s response to a fan e-mail this week gained traction online, stating that though the fan was frustrated that, “You can’t be as frustrated as me.” That at least hints towards major potential changes coming to this Warriors’ roster. A change with Jonathan Kuminga seems inevitable as that situation continues to draw attention. The front office is sure to be active as we head towards the trade deadline in February with frustration mounting from all angles.
14. Miami Heat
The standings have Miami as the 8-seed in the East. Their +2.3 net rating on the season has them as the 10th best team in the league. But they’re just 2-7 in December and sputtering. Part of this has been their deficiency from three. They’d shot just 31.6% from three in their last seven games prior to Sunday’s matchup with the Knicks. They did much better against New York, shooting 49% from deep. But that still wasn’t enough as they gave up 132 to the Knicks in a seven point loss. Miami has to find a way to turn things back around and become competitive again.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s about time we have a discussion about what’s happening with Cleveland. With a 15-14 record, they sit at the seventh seed in the East. The Cavs had just 18 losses total last season, making this quite the year-to-year decline even if it doesn’t mean they’re bad now. But this is not the same Cleveland team we’re used to. They rank 18th in both eFG% and FTA Rate while being just about average across the board in the other main advanced stats. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just not what this Cavaliers team aspires to be. Luckily, it’s still somewhat early in the season. But they can’t lollygag around for much longer before it becomes a real issue.
12. Toronto Raptors
At one point the Raptors looked like they could be a real threat in the East. They still may be, but the month of December has not inspired any confidence in their fans. After Sunday’s loss to the Nets they’re now 3-7 in December. Their starters combined for just 51 points in that game, a game in which they only scored 81 points. With how Toronto’s November went, that’s not going to fly much longer up north. They’re aiming for the playoffs and they can’t afford to keep performing at this low of a level.
11. Philadelphia 76ers
With a 6-2 December, there are a lot fewer issues happening in Philly than there are with the prior Eastern Conference teams we’ve highlighted. About the only thing wrong right now with the Sixers are the refs’ definition of a backcourt violation and a bug that’s going through the locker room that’s forced Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to miss games. But outside of that, they’re currently the 4-seed in the East and feeling good about their chances this year. After all, it’s hard not to feel good when Andre Drummond is hitting three three-pointers in the same game.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves
A nice run in December has Timberwolves fans starting to feel good about their team. You could question the strength of their wins this month but they put much of that to rest after handing the Thunder a loss, something only three teams have done this season. Anthony Edwards has been especially good from deep this month, shooting 46.7% from three. That’s going to be needed on Christmas night when they face the Nuggets, a team the Timberwolves will be seeking revenge against after losing to them twice this season already.
9. Los Angeles Lakers
The injuries are piling up in LA. Austin Reaves has missed the past week with a calf strain. Luka Doncic had to be removed from Saturday’s game with leg contusion. Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura are also dealing with their own ailments. That leaves LeBron James as the only one of the main starting five that’s healthy. He’ll have a heavy load to lift this week if the others aren’t able to return in a timely manner. That’s going to make their Christmas Day game against the Houston Rockets even tougher than it needs to be for LA.
8. Boston Celtics
The Celtics’ record is finally starting to look like what the advance stats say it should be. Their 17-11 record has them as the three seed in the East. Their +6.6 net rating is sixth best in the league. The two finally match after their net rating far exceeded their record. Derrick White has been driving much of the offensive success in December, averaging five threes made per game. That adds up to 23.5 PPG. Combined with Jaylen Brown’s 32.7 PPG in December, that’s a real tough one-two punch for opponents to deal with when facing Boston.
7. Orlando Magic
Orlando has to be fed up with injuries by now as the past two seasons have been filled with them. After losing to the Knicks in the NBA Cup, the Nuggets smacked them on the road. The Magic were able to muster up a win against the Jazz on the road, but that was just by one point. This week’s schedule won’t be all that easy. Magic fans would love to see them get things turned around so that they don’t have to worry about Wagner’s absence hindering their chances this season.
6. Detroit Pistons
Outside of a couple questionable losses this month, Detroit has been rolling. As the number one seed in the East they’re showing last season’s emergence wasn’t a fluke. They mean business this season and are going to aim much higher than they did last year. Their 109.7 defensive rating ranks second in the league, making them a tough team that you can’t just “outscore” when you play. That defense is going to continue to drive their success and they’ll ride it as far as it will take them.
5. San Antonio Spurs
Their upset NBA Cup win over the Thunder helped put them on the map for most casual fans. Those in the know were aware of just how good they could be, but their recent play (outside of the championship against the Knicks) show just how dominant they can be. They rebounded from that loss to the Knicks by stomping the Hawks 126-98 and then took care of the Wizards easily on Sunday. Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle are proving to be a very dynamic big three that’s will give them a shot against any team in the league. Watch out when San Antonio shows up on your schedule.
4. New York Knicks
With just two losses since Thanksgiving, the Knicks are starting to really come into form. Sure, they’re not at the top of the East quite yet but their +7.7 net rating ranks fourth overall in the league. They’ll have some tough tests coming up soon, including a visit to Minnesota on Tuesday, but for now they’ll keep knocking down whoever’s put in front of them. After last year’s failure in the Eastern Conference Finals, they’ll be looking to represent the East in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
3. Houston Rockets
It was nearly a disastrous week for the Rockets after losing to the Nuggets and the Pelicans. But they faced the Nuggets in Denver a second time on Saturday and avenged that loss. The big goal this week, though, will be making a statement on Christmas Day against the Lakers. They’ll probably have a chance to face the Lakers with a weakened roster thanks to injuries, but making a huge statement in front of a national audience will help them really put their name out there this season. They’re going to be a threat in the West and they want the nation to believe they could be one of the ones to dethrone the Thunder.
2. Denver Nuggets
December has been pretty solid for the Nuggets so far as they’ve posted up a 6-1 record with the only loss coming to the Rockets on Saturday. As they get ready for a big test against the Timberwolves on Christmas night, they’ll have a back-t0-back starting on Monday. That makes the game against Minnesota even tougher, but this year’s Nuggets are already 2-0 against the Timberwolves so they know just how to find success against them. Oh yeah, Taco Bell brought the Quesarito back which is a big thing in Nikola Jokic lore, so it’s been a very eventful week in Denver.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Are there cracks in the armor? With two losses in their last three games that drops their regular season record to a paltry 25-3. Yuck! The big thing to point out with both of their losses, though, is their opponents being able to keep their offense below 110 points. In seven of their last nine games they’ve been able to score 120 or more, all seven of those as wins. They’re going to look to do just that against San Antonio this week as they try to exact revenge. Not only will they face them Tuesday, but they’ll see them again on Christmas Day. They’ll look to get them back on a national stage as the top-ranked team in our power rankings yet again.
