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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 November 5, 2025.
NBA Power Rankings: Every Team From Worst to First
A few weeks into the season and we already have a bit of chaos happening. The toughest part of these rankings is figuring out who’s real and who isn’t. Is Chicago’s ascent to the top of the East something that we should buy into? Are the Magic going to get into a spot where they reach a level their offseason hype was at? Do the Lakers even need LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves? It’s a bit like predicting a roulette spin here this early. But that’s what we’re here to do. Now let’s dive into the rankings.
30. Brooklyn Nets
One of the few things we can say with certainty this season is the Nets are at the bottom of the barrel. Coming into Tuesday night’s action they have the second worst net rating in the league and a 128.5 defensive rating, worst in the league. Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. are both averaging 20+ PPG, but that’s clearly not enough. Brooklyn had tough decisions with Cam Thomas’s future this offseason and if the year doesn’t improve they may be looking at trading him to a contender that needs a high motor rental at the deadline.
29. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans finally aren’t injury ravaged, but that hasn’t helped their season. Sure, they’ve had likely one of the toughest schedules to start in the entire NBA. But the defense has been way off. They’ve allowed 120 or more points in each game prior to Tuesday night’s tilt against the Hornets. Whether they’re healthy or not, you can’t win basketball games consistently giving up that many points. When the schedule lightens up we may see a little more spark out of them, but for now it’s a bit gloomy.
28. Washington Wizards
Coming into the season I felt the Wizards needed to get veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton into a good enough groove so that Washington could position them as valuable trade chips at the deadline. But at 12.9 PPG for McCollum and 11.3 PPG for Middleton, that doesn’t appear to be the plan any longer. They’re getting their younger guys quite a few more minutes, which is a solid plan for a rebuild. But the veterans being there in the starting lineup clogs up the plan to truly develop them. Additionally, no Wizard’s player is averaging 20 or more points. That’s leading to a 105.5 offensive rating, second worst in the league. It’s been a weird start to the season for Washington.
27. Utah Jazz
Don’t look now but Keyonte George has been cooking. So far this season he’s averaging 23.1 PPG and 8.1 APG, helping both facilitate and drive Utah’s offense. He’s been a great secondary option to Lauri Markkanen, who’s averaging 31.1 PPG and 7.0 RPG this season. Unfortunately that’s where it all ends for the Jazz as they have just one other player averaging more than 10 PPG and are posting a 112.7 offensive rating, 23rd in the league. The Jazz are playing better than expected to start the season, but they need more options outside of George and Markkanen in the instance a play-in berth is their goal. But in a likely rebuilding year, they may just opt to keep trying out new things as they go.
26. Indiana Pacers
The injuries keep piling up for the Pacers. Playing this season without Tyrese Haliburton was going to be a chore, but they’re now down Bennedict Mathurin, TJ McConnel and Andrew Nembhard as well. That’s too many key contributors to keep playing the type of competitive ball that got them to the Finals last year. A fairly tough schedule to open the season hasn’t helped things either, but they may be looking at trying to avoid the play-in altogether to start the process of building themselves up for the 2026-2027 season when they’ll be back at full health.
25. Phoenix Suns
Are wins over the Jazz and Spurs enough to get things going? We’ll see soon enough. The offense is starting to get going but the defense just isn’t there. That was going to be a known issue coming into this season and one that the Suns likely accepted as fate. As of now the play-in is within reach for them, but they’re going to need the offense to be top-notch in order to overcome their lack of defense. Maybe Jalen Green helps that issue once he’s back healthy, but it’s still an uphill climb in Phoenix.
24. Dallas Mavericks
So far this new era of Mavericks basketball doesn’t exactly look fun. Anthony Davis is already missing games, Cooper Flagg has been just OK and the record isn’t great. Their -7.7 net rating is fifth worst in the league. There’s obviously a lot of time to turn things around, but Mavs fans may not have the patience for it after how last season ended. If they have aspirations for the playoffs, or at least the play-in, they’re going to need to get some things turned around somewhat quickly.
23. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are making it clear this season that they want to play at a high pace and they’re going to be all offense. It’s a formula that can work, but they’re going to be held back by injuries. Brandon Miller is already expected to be out for a couple more weeks and LaMelo Ball has missed multiple games with an ankle issue. Missing both of your best players isn’t a recipe for success. If Charlotte can keep them healthy then the Hornets could surprise a bunch of people in the league, but if injury issues persist then their depth they added in the offseason will greatly be tested.
22. Sacramento Kings
The Kings could be feeling a bit better about how they started this season if only they hadn’t blown a 20-point lead to Phoenix on opening night. But they did and that only adds to the questionable start for this shaky Kings squad. In five of their seven games this season they’ve given up 120 or more points. You can’t win often giving up that many points. At the same time, Domantas Sabonis has seen his offensive production drop and is averaging his fewest PPG and APG since the 2018-2019 season. Sacramento needs to see some changes before they have another contentious season.
21. Boston Celtics
So are they going to be OK without Tatum, Porzingis and Holiday while beating Eastern Conference c0ntenders like the Cleveland Cavaliers? Or are they going to be the team that can’t even get past the Utah Jazz at home? Something’s got to give with this roster soon. They certainly could use some more efficient shooting as their 51.3% eFG% ranks as fourth worst in the league. A huge part of that is their 31.2% three-point FG%. Shooting a ton of threes can be very effective on offense, but it doesn’t work all that well when the players shooting them can’t make them.
20. Memphis Grizzlies
It’s all about Ja Morant in Memphis right now, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. The relationship between Morant and head coach Tuomas Iisalo is more than evidently contentious as Morant’s response to Iisalo in the locker room on Friday resulted in Morant getting suspended for a game. All that this is going to bring is constant trade rumors the more the relationship deteriorates. So if Memphis can’t find a way to improve their -4.7 net rating then expect the flames to continue getting fanned. It’s only just beginning in Memphis.
19. Portland Trail Blazers
If you view the Blazers as underdogs then don’t tell them. Portland’s posting the league’s 10th best net rating at +3.5 coming into Tuesday’s action, tied with the Pistons. Their 4-3 record should look a little more impressive too given their opening schedule. Deni Avdija has to be the biggest surprise in Portland, averaging 24.1 PPG after have a career average of 11.5 PPG. There may be a bit more to prove in Portland, especially since they couldn’t get past the Lakers missing their big three, but there’s enough going on with the Blazers to know you shouldn’t overlook them.
18. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors haven’t exactly looked the part of a potential playoff team quite yet but maybe things are going to start turning soon. After a four game losing streak they’ve been able to rattle off three straight wins, including a blowout win over Milwaukee. That’s going to help build the confidence that Toronto can compete with the best in the East. And with the East being wide open this season, that list of the “best” is shorter than ever. With six of their next seven games on the road, we’ll be learning a lot about the Raptors shortly.
17. Atlanta Hawks
Losing Trae Young is obviously a big blow to Atlanta’s hopes. Young hadn’t been performing at his normal levels yet but neither had most of the other Hawks. They’re going to have to figure out a way to win without him for at least the next four weeks. Jalen Johnson will likely be the Hawks’ best all-around player and asked to take the lead going forward. Expect him to lead the Hawks as far as he’ll take them while they wait on better news for Young.
16. Miami Heat
Coming in with the league’s sixth best net rating, the Heat are back to their winning ways like they never really left. The difference with Miami this season, though, is they’re playing with pace and they’re a high-scoring team. That switch-up may be catching teams offguard. Either way, the Heat will take it. Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell are leading the way offensively, both averaging over 20 PPG. They’re stepping up while Tyler Herro recovers from ankle surgery. When he’s back Miami may very well be a force in the East.
15. Orlando Magic
Maybe the preseason hype was way too much. Maybe it’s just a bit early. Orlando’s underwhelming start clearly isn’t what they pictured in the offseason. Their defense is still solid, posting a 112.7 rating that ranks as 10th best in the league, but the offense’s 113.0 offensive rating is 22nd overall. Bringing in Desmond Bane was supposed to be an offensive boost but he’s shooting just 25.8% from three to start the season, well below his career average of 40.8%. Orlando needs him to step up or else they may start to feel weary about overpaying for the 27-year-old.
14. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers entered the season with championship aspirations but that clearly hasn’t come to fruition for them. They’ve gotten themselves into a small hole, but it’s nothing they can’t dig themselves out of. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden continue to lead the Clippers on offense but it’s the defense that needs improvement. Their 116.0 defensive rating ranks 11th worst in the league and needs to be picked up for them to return to being a team that the league fears.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Things could be going worse without Anthony Edwards in their lineup. The Timberwolves have gone 2-2 without their star active. Lucky for them he may be able to return on Wednesday night against the New York Knicks. That’d be a great boost to their roster who will need him to get a win against a very competitive team. Beyond that, Minnesota really needs to set themselves up well for postseason success as they’ve continuously found themselves falling just a bit short. If they don’t break through this season then there will be a lot of roster questions that need answering.
12. Golden State Warriors
A solid start for the Warriors has been stunted a bit after a couple unsavory losses, especially one to the Pacers. But overall it’s decent in Golden State. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler lead the offense in scoring, unsurprisingly, while Draymond Green is taking lead facilitating responsibilities. Golden State’s posting the 10th best defensive rating in the league, helping them stay afloat while the rest of the offense outside of Curry and Butler figures it out. The Warriors are positioning themselves well for yet another playoff appearance.
11. Detroit Pistons
Maybe very under the radar, Detroit is having yet another solid start to the season at 5-2. They have the 9th best net rating in the league, driven by the league’s 10th best defensive rating. Their only hiccups have come against division rivals in Chicago and Cleveland. But other than that Pistons fans have very much enjoyed this season. Only Cade Cunningham is averaging 20+ PPG this season but six other main contributors have averaged 10+ PPG, giving them a very well-rounded feel. Detroit’s looking to prove last season wasn’t a fluke and they’re well on their way to appearing in the playoffs for the second straight season.
10. Chicago Bulls
Don’t sleep on the Chicago Bulls. After I was down on them in the offseason, and again in our preseason power rankings, the Bulls have done nothing but crush the hopes and dreams of nearly everyone in their path. A big comeback win against Philadelphia on Tuesday night shows that maybe their identity crisis I harped on this offseason isn’t a crisis at all. They’re shooting efficiently and they’re playing very solid defense. If they keep this up they may just be a real threat in the East.
9. Los Angeles Lakers
No LeBron? No problem. No Luke? No problem either. None of those two and also no Austin Reaves? Well that’s ambitious but apparently no problem as well. The Lakers have been succeeding without their star power, which could potentially be scary to the rest of the teams in the league once they come back. Regardless, their offense is shooting lights out with a 59.2% eFG%, second best in the league. The Lakers might be a problem once James and Doncic return.
8. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have gotten just the exact start that they needed after last season’s injury-riddled debacle. With a 5-2 record they’re feeling good about things in the East. Maybe there’s a bit of a question about their strength of schedule, which has been less than inspiring, but Philly is doing what they need to. Joel Embiid is slowly working his way back while VJ Edgecombe is showing Philadelphia they found a dude in the draft this season. Philly needs to show its worth against more stingy opponents, but they’re doing everything they need to with the start of this season.
7. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have had their issues to start the season, but for the most part they’re looking the part of an Eastern Conference contender. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been doing his part, as always, while Ryan Rollins was the talk of the town last week after putting up 25 and 32 against New York and Golden State respectively. Milwaukee needs to prove to itself this season that they can win with the current roster. That may prove to Giannis that this is the place he wants to stay at for the rest of his career. The more they win, the better the case is for the Bucks.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
After a couple hiccups against Boston and Toronto it looks like maybe the Cavs may be back on the right track after defeating Atlanta 117-109 on Sunday. Cleveland has a lot of competition in the Central division this year, potentially the best division in basketball from top to bottom. On offense the Cavs are cooking with five players averaging 14+ PPG so far this season. Unfortunately they’re still dealing with a few injuries, giving much more of a workload to Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. The two should be able to continue driving this team’s success, though, as they look to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
5. New York Knicks
The Knicks are finally getting a real rotation together with none of their starters averaging over 36 minutes per game (three were over 36 MPG last season). It’s been solid for the starters, but the bench is still lacking in offensive production. New York only has four players averaging double-digits in PPG. That may make the bench a bit of an issue still which is something they’ll need figured out come playoff time. But that’s still a long ways away so Mike Brown and company can tinker with the bench rotation until they find something that’s going to work without their starters on the floor.
4. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs, behind Victor Wembanyama, may be one of the biggest surprises this NBA season. And it’s not as if we haven’t expected a Victor Wembanyama led team to succeed, but they’ve been very impressive. Their +8.8 net rating ranks fourth in the league. The defense may be the most impressive part as their 108.2 defensive rating is second in the league. Beyond Wembanyama, Stephon Castle has continued to impress after his Rookie of the Year campaign, posting 20.0 PPG while leading the Spurs with 5.3 APG. Those numbers may drop once De’Aaron Fox returns, but as for now Wembanyama, Castle and Co. are looking very impressive.
3. Houston Rockets
Forget the 0-2 start. The Rockets have won four straight and have looked very impressive while doing so. Sure, the competition hasn’t been the best, but they’ve won three of those four games by 18 points or more. That level of domination shows just how well they’re playing. Alperen Sengun has stepped up in Fred VanVleet’s absence, averaging 22.8 PPG while leading the team with 7.3 APG. His progression from “good player with a lot of potential” to “dominant force on the court” is going to be needed for Houston to make a deep run in the playoffs.
2. Denver Nuggets
If not for a questionable jump ball call in Portland then the Nuggets would be looking at a 5-1 start. If any other Nuggets showed up on opening night outside of Aaron Gordon they’d be undefeated. But that’s not how the NBA works. Regardless, Denver is doing its best to mow down everyone in front of them behind first year head coach David Adelman. Jamal Murray’s early season success has been a welcome surprise given he’s normally a slow starter. Denver would love for him to keep up the production so that Nikola Jokic’s workload can remain rather easy before the heavy requirements of the playoffs.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Still our top seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to look impressive on their quest to repeat. An underrated piece of their performance so far is that they’ve done it without Jalen Williams, a key piece to their development and success over the past few seasons. Chet Holmgren has helped provide offensive support to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by averaging 23.0 PPG. But the more welcome surprise has been the performance of Ajay Mitchell, putting up 17.3 PPG off the bench. OKC has always thrived off of a team ball vibe and that’s helped them with their hot start again this season. They are, yet again, our top seed in our power rankings.
