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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 January 5, 2026.
NBA Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First
With us fully into 2026 it means the NBA season is about to start getting real. The trade deadline is closer than it seems. The halfway mark is less than two weeks away. The playoff picture is becoming clearer and we’re about to start seeing desperate teams make desperate moves. Will either of the LA teams show desperation at the deadline to correct the course? Will the Nuggets and their suddenly decimated roster try to add depth? Or will a rather healthy team like the Celtics look to improve on an already impressive season? We’re about to find out shortly. In the meantime, read on to find out where your team ranks in our latest NBA Power Rankings.
30. Indiana Pacers
A low season continues to get lower for Indiana. After Sunday’s loss to Orlando, they’ve now lost 11 straight games. Losing Tyrese Haliburton was expected to make an impact but this is even larger than anyone expected. They’ve dealt with quite a few more injuries than just him, but the downfall has to start being a bit of a concern for next season’s chances too. Part of the plan was likely to pair a high lottery pick with Haliburton’s return next season, but now the question has to be whether or not they need to find a true replacement for Myles Turner. A bad season is fine, but the Pacers need to find some other silver linings here very shortly.
29. New Orleans Pelicans
Similar to the Pacers, it’s been a bit ugly for New Orleans as of late. That’s unfortunate for them as it had started to look like maybe things were turning around after the return of Zion Williamson to the lineup. The defense has been a major issue, giving up 120 points or more pretty routinely over the past couple weeks. That’s hard for any team to keep up with, but when you’re as offensively inefficient as New Orleans is then it makes it near impossible. Better days may be coming for the Pelicans soon, but it doesn’t look like they’ll be coming this season.
28. Sacramento Kings
At the bottom of the Western Conference alongside New Orleans, Sacramento fans are simply waiting for the impending rebuild to begin. Those desperate teams we mentioned in the intro will no doubt be focused on the talent on the Kings’ roster. Expect them to be active leading into the trade deadline. After that, look for Sacramento to stay developing its younger talent as it aims for a top lottery pick. That’s pretty much the only silver lining for Kings fans right now.
27. Washington Wizards
Don’t look now but the Washington Wizards are rolling! Well, whatever the definition of rolling is for them at the very least. Coming into Sunday’s game against Minnesota they had won four of their last five games, nearly doubling their win total prior to the streak. It’s a nice little boost for them in a season where not much is expected. CJ McCollum should be a solid rental for any of those desperate contenders willing to bite as he averaged 19.5 PPG in December. At least for now, basketball is somewhat fun in DC.
26. Brooklyn Nets
After losing three straight games it looks like their run as an Eastern Conference juggernaut is over. Still, their +8.1 net rating in December was third best in the league. That’s pretty impressive and has gotten them within range of the play-in bracket if you squint close enough. Will that be a realistic goal for this squad? Probably not, especially as they figure out what they’ll do with Cam Thomas. Brooklyn has been monitoring his minutes as he returns from from injury, but with him becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season the conversations surrounding him getting traded will only intensify.
25. Utah Jazz
Utah had been another team recently that looked like it could be a play-in contender if you squinted close enough. That’s still a possibility, but three straight losses in the midst of a 2-7 slide makes it feel a whole lot less likely. If the Jazz don’t compete for the play-in that’s probably fine with them as they weren’t expected to do much of anything this year with the lowest projected win total accord to the oddsmakers in Vegas. They’ll be an interesting team to watch at the trade deadline, though, as some of their guys would gauge a lot of interest from around the league but would have a high price tag (Lauri Markkanen).
24. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets may be another interesting team to watch as we get closer to the trade deadline. LaMelo Ball would be the biggest name they could ship off and his name has popped up multiple times over the years, but moving him is unlikely. Collin Sexton would be an intriguing name for contenders needing more guard depth and a “full steam ahead” type of mentality as a rental. However, Charlotte may be content as well given some recent improvements in its play. They’ll have to decide in the next six weeks whether they want to make a run for the play-in or focus more on development. That will determine how they move at the deadline.
23. Dallas Mavericks
Another team on the fringe of the play-in, Dallas has now lost six of its last eight games. Ironically the two wins have come against two of the West’s best in Denver and Houston, but they haven’t been able to capitalize otherwise. Most games have finished close, but they’re losses regardless. That’s led to Anthony Davis’ name popping up in trade rumors, bringing up the question yet again of what Dallas wants its future to look like. There’s potential for the play-in but they need to decide what they want to chase the second half of the season.
22. Los Angeles Clippers
If the only game you’ve watched of the Clippers’ lately was them getting beat down by the Celtics on Saturday you may assume they’re still in a slump. But prior to Saturday the Clippers actually had been looking like a team that’s righted the ship. They’d won six straight before that and have gotten themselves back in the play-in picture. They’re still outside of it, but there’s at least a lot more hope for LA than it’s had for much of the season. There’s still a long ways to go, but maybe the Clippers have finally woken up and realize the season has started.
21. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers have quietly won four of their last five games, two of those over real tough tests with Boston and San Antonio. They find themselves at the bottom of the play-in bracket in the West but in the bracket nonetheless. Deni Avdija, current favorite for Most Improved Player, has led the way over these five games with 26.2 PPG. Three other Blazers are averaging at least 15 PPG in this streak, including Caleb Love. The rookie is seeing increased minutes off the bench and is putting up 18.0 PPG in this streak. Portland is quietly building themselves up as a play-in threat. The only question is if this time it’s actually for real.
20. Milwaukee Bucks
After returning to the lineup just after Christmas, I am ready to make an incredibly bold statement: Giannis Antetokounmpo is an impact player and I believe the Bucks are thankful he’s on their roster. Since returning the Bucks are 4-1 (prior to their Sunday night matchup against the Kings) and it feels like the franchise’s season has been brought back to life. They’re still on the outside of the play-in picture, but with Atlanta and Chicago not exactly looking solid Milwaukee could find themselves inside the bracket very shortly.
19. Memphis Grizzlies
It looked like Memphis had gotten things turned around but their recent cold streak has shown us otherwise. Prior to Sunday’s rematch against the Lakers, they’d lost five of their last seven games. Two of those have come at the hands of the Wizards, making them the only team that the Wizards haven’t lost to this season (so far). It looks like offensive rebounding has been a key in these losses in that Memphis’ defense is allowing a pretty high percentage of them. But everything else is close between them and they’re opponents. They’re close to turning it around, but they can’t let the trends continue.
18. Atlanta Hawks
Have the Hawks finally gotten out of their terrible December funk? With two big wins over the Timberwolves and Knicks they are certainly hoping so. The unfortunate coincidence for Atlanta is that both of those wins came without Trae Young, who’s now dealing with a quad injury. They were able to survive at the beginning of his prior absence but that started to go very wrong in December. They’ll need more from Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to keep the offense moving. Kristaps Porzingis returning on Monday night will help as well. But will it all be enough to keep Atlanta in the play-in?
17. Chicago Bulls
Losing Josh Giddey for multiple weeks due to a hamstring strain looked initially to be a terrible thing for Chicago. But they’re 2-1 without him and looking honestly pretty decent, putting up 134 against New Orleans and 121 against Orlando. Consider the fact they’ve also been missing Coby White for those games and the offensive outputs look even more impressive. But how long can Chicago keep it up? They’ll face massive tests this week as they head to Boston and Detroit before hosting Miami. Any shorthanded win against those three teams will go a long way with this Bulls roster.
16. Golden State Warriors
It wasn’t all that long ago when a Warriors’ fan sent an e-mail to owner Joe Lacob, airing his frustrations with the team who was under .500 at the time. Lacob responded saying no one could be as frustrated as he was and that he was working on it. Since then the Warriors have gone 6-3 and are starting to once again look the part of Western Conference contender. Offensively they’ve turned it up a notch. They’ve scored 119+ in six of their last seven games. That makes it a whole lot easier to win when the offense is cooking. And when Chef Curry’s on your side that’s more likely to happen than not.
15. Phoenix Suns
The Suns keep waiting for Jalen Green to return from his hamstring injury and each time he gets close to returning it seems like there are setbacks. That would be unfortunate for most teams, but it’s actually been a bit of a blessing in disguise for the Suns as it’s gotten Collin Gillespie a bunch of extra experience he may not have gotten otherwise. Since becoming a consistent starter at the beginning of December he’s averaged 16.2 PPG while shooting 43% from three to go along with 5.4 APG. Phoenix is sitting pretty in the play-in and Gillespie’s ascendance is a huge reason why.
14. Miami Heat
All it took for Miami to get things turned around was for Christmas to pass. They had a horrible December, but since Christmas they’ve gone 5-1 with an offense that’s absolutely clicking. Norman Powell is crushing it, averaging 27.1 PPG during this streak. That’s helping Miami flirt with a top six seed in the East. With Orlando struggling there’s a chance that Miami snags a top six seed sooner rather than later. They’re in a great spot for now with a clear goal to avoid the play-in.
13. Orlando Magic
Speaking of the Magic, they would like to find a way to get a winning streak put together. Even consecutive wins would work great. They haven’t won multiple games in a row since a three game streak from November 25th to December 1st. But they also haven’t lost consecutive games since mid-December. So they just keep alternating wins and losses. With Miami hot on their heels, and a clear goal to avoid the play-in based off their offseason moves, a nice winning streak would be very welcome in Orlando if they can get one going.
12. Toronto Raptors
Is Toronto out of its funk yet? It would seem they just about are but there are still some issues they need to get figured out. Lucky for them, they get a game on Monday against Atlanta. They’re 3-0 against the Hawks this season, all wins by at least 12 points. If all their games were against the Hawks then we may have them as the top team in our rankings. But they still have to play the rest of the league. And recent losses to Washington, Brooklyn and Denver’s bench lineup still show there’s plenty of things left for the Raptors to try and correct.
11. Los Angeles Lakers
Last week we highlighted that the Lakers were the only team above .500 with a negative net rating. That was still the case headed into their matchup Sunday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. For reference, their -0.4 net rating is just ahead of the Atlanta Hawks and their -0.9 net rating. The Lakers are 21-11 while the Hawks are 17-20. That shows that the Lakers may be overachieving this season, but their success in close games, particularly early in the season, has gotten them where they’re at. With Austin Reaves out until at least late January, they’re going to have to hope for more close game magic before negative regression bites them.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland may finally be out of its funk. They’ve now won five of their last seven games with one of those being an impressive victory over the San Antonio Spurs. For the most part the offense looks to have finally gotten going again, though there are still some hiccups they’ve got to deal with. Evan Mobley’s return from a calf injury has led to a 3-2 record with the three wins coming with him back in the starting lineup and not with a minutes restriction. As Cleveland looks to get healthier, and stay healthier, they will aim to return to the top of the Eastern Conference where we’re used to seeing them.
9. Philadelphia 76ers
Another team that is getting healthier is the Sixers. Joel Embiid has played in five of the last six games, averaging 28.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG. He even recorded his first dunk of the season against the Knicks on Saturday. That shouldn’t be news given his traditional style of play, but his injuries have held his abilities back that much this season. But as he and the rest of the Sixers get healthier they will continue to be a threat in the East. And if Embiid can return to his form when he was in his prime then they’ll be one of those teams that no one wants to face in the playoffs.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Quietly in the distance, the Timberwolves are building themselves up as a threat in the West. A slow end to December looks to have been righted recently. They’re 11-5 since the start of December and sit at sixth in the West. But a couple slip-ups from the teams in front of them and they can very easily jump to third. Anthony Edwards is doing all he can, averaging 31.2 PPG over the last 10 games. Minnesota doesn’t need the spotlight on them and that’s just fine. They’ll continue working in the background and look to finally break through the Western Conference Finals barrier they’ve been caught behind the past few seasons.
7. Denver Nuggets
If you heard that noise earlier this week it was everyone from Denver to Serbia exhaling very loudly when news broke that Nikola Jokic only hyper-extended his knee instead of something much more serious. That timeline to return is close to four weeks, putting his return probably sometime in early February. But a Jokic-less Nuggets team hasn’t been formidable in the past. Much less one that’s had injuries to four of five starters. They made a big effort to improve their depth this offseason. And those bench and role players are now going to have to come together in a big way like the Power Rangers back in the day screaming, “It’s morphin’ time!” But even then, that may not be enough to keep the Nuggets near the top of the West.
6. Boston Celtics
Who needs Jayson Tatum? Who needs Kristaps Porzingis? Who needs Jrue Holiday? Who needs any of them when you’ve got Jaylen Brown and Derrick White? Brown is averaging 32.7 PPG over the last 10 games while White is at 21.4 PPG in that same span, leading to a 7-3 record for the Celtics. That’s gotten them up to the three-seed in the West and they’re dangerously close to taking over the top spot shortly if the Knicks and Pistons slip up. With many assuming they’d be closer to the play-in after missing three of their starters from the past few seasons, they’re showing they’re good no matter who’s out there. Look out for the Celtics because they’re absolutely humming.
5. New York Knicks
The Knicks being a string of teams near the top of our rankings who are all struggling. But the gap between them and the rest of the league is large enough to warrant them not dropping, though the Celtics are hot on their heels. They’re 5-5 in their last 10 games, excluding the NBA Cup, and have posted a -2.2 net rating in that span. Josh Hart is dealing with an ankle injury that’s caused him to miss the last five games in which the Knicks are 5-5. The offense hasn’t fallen off but the defense is paper thin right now. The Knicks aren’t in danger of losing a terrible amount of ground in the East, but they need to find a way to slow down their opponents at least a touch more.
4. Detroit Pistons
It’s hard to say a team with a 26-9 record is struggling, but losing three of their last five games pretty much qualifies as struggling relative to their record. They’re the top seed in the East with a three-game lead over the Knicks, well in control. Their defense has helped cover up almost any issue they’ve had on offense, posting a 109.2 defensive rating over their last 10 games. But with injuries to Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris they may have some hurdles to overcome in the next couple weeks. They’ve built themselves a good cushion to stay atop the East but they can’t slip up too much.
3. Houston Rockets
Recently they haven’t been struggling but December was a bit of an adventure if Rockets fans are being honest. They started out cold, losing six of ten games. But since then they’ve gone 4-1 and are starting to look like the Rockets team we expected them to be. Kevin Durant has been an expected focal point during the last five games, averaging 28.2 PPG. But Houston’s also getting major contributions from Amen Thompson, who’s put up 20.4 PPG and 8.0 RPG in the same five game span. It’s working well in Houston currently as they aim to get back to the two-seed in the West.
2. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have been one of the biggest surprises, if you can call them that, of the 2025-2026 season. Their consistent domination of the Thunder have earned them this high of a rating and they sit at second in the West. But as of late they’re struggling, losing three of their last five games. De’Aaron Fox has been fighting through an adductor injury while Victor Wembanyama recently suffered a knee injury, though he won’t be out for very long. The Spurs have everything you need to be a very competitive team and they know they can beat the best in the West. But they’ve got to be able to keep their positioning to maximize their potential. If they can fix these slip-ups and get back to the dominant Spurs team they are then they’ll do just that.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder come in as our top seed yet again. But even the top seed is struggling some. For starters, anyone talking about them overtaking the Warriors for the best regular season record is being disingenuous. But they’re still on pace to absolutely roll in the West. Even saying they’re struggling is just a relative term. After starting 24-1 they’ve gone 6-5 in their last 11. They’re human, but they’re rolling. Their strength of schedule may still be a bit questionable, but there’s not much reason to assume they won’t pass many of those tests. They’re our top seed yet again and it’s going to take something really special to knock them out of the throne.
