NBA Power Rankings: How All 30 Teams Stack Up Ahead of 2024
With Christmas Day in the rearview, the main characters of the NBA's 2023-24 campaign are officially emerging. Title contenders are taking shape, and the trade rumor mill is starting to churn.
Volatility feels a little less common in the power rankings, too, now that we have pretty strong sample sizes to stabilize the list.
Of course, that doesn't mean movement is gone. Plenty of teams are still moving up and down.
With championship chances, recent performance, team and individual numbers and plenty of subjectivity as our usual guides, the entire league is sorted below.
30. Detroit Pistons (2-29)
1 of 31
Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -11.1
Twenty-eight straight losses.
I'm not sure this week's first write-up needs to be much longer than that, but in case you somehow missed the past two months (yes, two months) of NBA action, that's where the Detroit Pistons' losing streak currently stands.
It's tied for the longest losing streak in the history of the league.
Saturday, the Toronto Raptors will have an opportunity to put Detroit into its own spot atop (or on the bottom of) that dubious list.
If the Pistons play as inspired as they did against the Boston Celtics on Thursday when they took perhaps the best team in the league to overtime, they'll have a chance to finally end this skid.
In that one, Cade Cunningham went for 31 points, bringing his average to 33.0 over his past five appearances.
29. San Antonio Spurs (5-25)
2 of 31
Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -11.3
Victor Wembanyama had one of the best games of his young career in Thursday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
He went for 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting, seven blocks, six rebounds and six assists in just 24 minutes.
His wide-ranging impact was on vivid display, even without the San Antonio Spurs starting a legitimate point guard alongside him.
That's been one of the biggest stories of the rookie's season, and he's already transcending a far-from-perfect basketball situation to play like a borderline top-50 player as a teenager.
28. Washington Wizards (5-25)
3 of 31
Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -9.5
The Washington Wizards' apparent pursuit of the league's worst record continued apace this week, as the team went 0-3.
While it'd be easy to focus on one of the myriad ways things are going poorly, Jordan Poole is giving us a reason to avoid that here.
In his past seven games, Poole is averaging 22.0 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 threes while shooting 38.3 percent from deep.
That may not be enough to juice Poole's trade value, but it's at least a positive sign. If nothing else, it could give fans a sliver of hope for a potential move or that they have a legitimate building block in the backcourt.
27. Charlotte Hornets (7-22)
4 of 31
Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -10.9
The already bad Charlotte Hornets could now make a serious push for this season's well-established bottom four.
LaMelo Ball is still out with an ankle injury, and now Gordon Hayward is set to miss at least the next two weeks with a calf strain.
Without both, the Hornets got crushed by the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. For the entire season, Charlotte is a dreadful minus-15.2 points per 100 possessions when both Hayward and Ball are off the floor.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (8-22)
5 of 31
Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -6.3
One of the few things you can count on from an NBA team in the early phases of a rebuild is inconsistency.
That's certainly true of the Portland Trail Blazers.
In their past five games, they've beaten the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings but also lost to the Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs.
In the case of this rebuild, you can also count on turnovers and sub-50 percent shooting from the team's top 2023 draft pick.
Scoot Henderson was 8-of-23 with six turnovers and four assists in Thursday's loss. It was the 18th time in 21 appearances he failed to hit at least half his shots and the seventh time he had more giveaways than assists.
25. Utah Jazz (13-19)
6 of 31
Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -6.0
The trade rumors involving Lauri Markkanen died before they were able to gain any kind of traction, but Danny Ainge's track record as an executive suggests just about anyone else might be available.
There's been plenty of buzz about potential moves for Kelly Olynyk or John Collins, and now Collin Sexton may be playing his way into the market, too.
He had 26 points in Thursday's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, bringing his average over the past 10 games to 22.9.
24. Toronto Raptors (12-18)
7 of 31
Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -1.1
The Toronto Raptors may have picked up a gimme win on Wednesday with a 30-point blowout of the Washington Wizards, but that certainly shouldn't eliminate everyone's concerns for this team.
The Raptors are now 4-10 in their past 14, and the supporting cast around rising star Scottie Barnes just doesn't make a ton of sense.
They're 25th in threes per game and 27th in three-point percentage. OG Anunoby (2.3 makes with a 37.1 conversion rate) might be doing enough to be on whatever the next iteration of the team looks like, but even he should perhaps be available (depending on his leaguewide trade value).
Ideally, Barnes would be the lead, undisputed playmaker and surrounded by as much high-end shooting as possible.
23. Atlanta Hawks (12-18)
8 of 31
Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -0.6
After a ho-hum 9-9 start, the Atlanta Hawks have now dropped nine of their past 12, trail the once-flailing Chicago Bulls in the standings and are currently outside the play-in range.
For a team that was supposed to look better after a year of continuity-building between Trae Young and Dejounte Murray and a full offseason and training camp with coach Quin Snyder, things look pretty bleak.
On the bright side, there's obviously plenty of time to get back around a .500 record, which should be good enough to at least finish in the top 10. There are signs of life when Young plays without Murray (the Hawks are plus-4.3 points per 100 possessions with those lineups). Murray, who's averaging 20.2 points, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 37.4 percent from deep, is playing well enough to get something for him on the trade market. And Jalen Johnson returned this week.
Hawks fans may be running low on hope, but it shouldn't be spent entirely.
22. Memphis Grizzlies (10-20)
9 of 31
Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -6.1
The Memphis Grizzlies got shellacked by the Denver Nuggets on Thursday in a game Ja Morant missed with an illness, but his return has to have fans thinking about a surge back to the play-in tournament.
The Grizzlies are 4-0 when Ja is in the lineup. He's averaging 28.8 points, 8.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. Tenth place in the West is currently occupied by a .500 team.
With Ja's slashing dragging defenses into the paint and opening up the perimeter for Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., a 31-21 closing kick to finish .500 doesn't feel completely out of the question for the Grizzlies.
21. Brooklyn Nets (15-16)
10 of 31
Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: 0.0
The Brooklyn Nets are mired in a 3-7 stretch. They've scored three fewer points than they've allowed all season. And after getting blown out by the Milwaukee Bucks at home, they're a game below .500.
Suddenly, despite a solid start to the campaign, the Nets look like this season's picture of mediocrity.
Mikal Bridges was probably more suited to the role he had with the Phoenix Suns, and he might still be the closest thing the team has to a bona fide star. Cam Thomas is averaging 22.8 points, but Brooklyn is getting rocked during his minutes. Ben Simmons will have missed two months of the season with a back injury by the time he's evaluated again.
20. Chicago Bulls (14-19)
11 of 31
Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -2.9
The Chicago Bulls went 1-2 this week, but things are still undeniably better than they were earlier this season.
They're 9-5 since Zach LaVine left the rotation with an injury, and they're currently clinging to 10th place and the final spot in the play-in tournament.
While it may be unfair to attribute all the improved play to LaVine's absence, there is something to having one less ball-dominant player on the floor with DeMar DeRozan.
Whether it's Alex Caruso's ball-moving and perimeter defense or Coby White's catch-and-shoot explosiveness, LaVine's replacements have just sort of uncomplicated the offense.
19. Golden State Warriors (15-16)
12 of 31
Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: +0.7
The Golden State Warriors seemed to be establishing some good vibes in the wake of Draymond Green's suspension with a five-game winning streak, but they closed this week with back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.
For the second year in a row, they've gotten off to a 15-16 start.
With each passing game, losing streak, month, etc., it feels more and more like Stephen Curry may be shouldering too heavy a burden.
He had 13 points on 3-of-15 shooting in Thursday's loss, bringing Golden State's record to 5-13 when he doesn't play or fails to reach 30 points (they're 10-3 when he gets to at least 30).
18. Los Angeles Lakers (17-15)
13 of 31
Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: 0.0
The Los Angeles Lakers have been darn-near tailspinning since winning the In-Season Tournament this month.
Immediately after the title game, they lost seven of nine. But they may have had something of a get-right game on Thursday, when Rui Hachimura was inserted into the starting lineup and was a game-high plus-34.
For much of the season, coach Darvin Ham seems to have been struggling with confidence in the starting lineup, but Hachimura's combination of size (6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan) and outside shooting ability could land him some.
17. Indiana Pacers (16-14)
14 of 31
Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: +1.4
The Indiana Pacers had been slumping since the In-Season Tournament, but they closed the week with back-to-back road wins over the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls. Tyrese Haliburton completely dismantled the division-rival Bulls in Thursday's tilt.
With 21 points and 20 assists, Haliburton had just the 91st 20-20 game (with points and assists) in NBA history. Since he didn't turn the ball over a single time, he joins Chris Paul as the only player to register a 20-20 game without a giveaway.
With a defense as bad as Indiana's, losing six of seven like the Pacers did earlier in December isn't surprising. But Haliburton is the kind of one-man offensive engine who also gives them a chance on any given night against anyone.
16. Houston Rockets (15-14)
15 of 31
Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: +2.5
The good vibes from the Houston Rockets' 13-9 start may be wearing off a tad. As the losses pile up (Houston's 2-5 in its past seven), it's harder to ignore that Jalen Green may not be developing at the same rate as the rest of the young core.
He had 23 points in Wednesday's blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns, but he was 8-of-20 from the field and minus-17 for the game. He's now had a field-goal percentage under 50 in 21 of his 29 appearances and has a team-low, seasonlong plus-minus despite starting alongside Fred VanVleet, the team leader in that category.
It's obviously too early for any dramatic rotational changes, but Green needs to show some progress as a defender and decision-maker soon. More attention both on and off the ball, and fewer long twos would go a long way.
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (18-13)
16 of 31
Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: +0.4
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a terrible news day two weeks ago. It was reported that Evan Mobley and Darius Garland would both miss several weeks for surgeries, and analysts from all over the media understandably wondered if it was time to blow things up.
Shortly after that, Donovan Mitchell left the rotation with an illness.
But the Cavaliers have somehow responded to this tidal wave of adversity by going 5-1 behind inspired play from the supporting cast and the last star standing.
Jarrett Allen had 24 points and 23 rebounds in Wednesday's road win over the Dallas Mavericks, bringing his averages for this six-game run to 18.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
14. Phoenix Suns (15-15)
17 of 31
Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: +0.4
The Phoenix Suns needed Wednesday's blowout win over the upstart Houston Rockets something fierce.
They'd lost nine of 12 in a stretch that ended with Luka Dončić dropping 50 points and 15 assists on them on Christmas Day. They're still dealing with the fallout of reports that Kevin Durant may be frustrated, and Bradley Beal has played just 151 total minutes all season.
But on Wednesday, shots were falling, the ball was popping, and the Suns looked fine.
KD had 27 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. Eric Gordon had 27 points and went 7-of-11 from deep. Devin Booker went for 20 points and seven dimes against a solid defensive unit in Houston.
There's still plenty of time for these pieces to click together and look like this more consistently between now and the spring.
13. Sacramento Kings (17-12)
18 of 31
Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: -0.3
Just when it was starting to feel safe to nudge the Sacramento Kings into the top 10, where they spent much of last season, they rattled off a 1-3 stretch that most recently included a loss to the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers.
Having that happen in a game in which De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis combined for 77 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists underscored what has to be a growing concern.
The Kings' depth could be a problem.
Sacramento is plus-12.9 points per 100 possessions when all five starters are on the floor and minus-3.9 when it's any fewer than five.
Things are particularly bad (like, minus-9.2 bad) when Sabonis plays without Fox.
12. Dallas Mavericks (18-14)
19 of 31
Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: +1.0
Luka Dončić missed Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, leading to one of the season's more predictable (though relatively competitive) losses.
But before that absence, Luka had emphatically joined the MVP conversation in recent weeks (if he wasn't there already).
Luka's come in under 30 points just once since November 22. In that 15-game stretch, he's putting up 36.7 points, 10.3 assists, 8.8 rebounds, 3.9 threes and 1.6 steals.
11. New Orleans Pelicans (18-14)
20 of 31
Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: +2.8
The New Orleans Pelicans certainly aren't flying up the standings, but their 4-6 start also feels like a distant memory as they start to get healthy.
They're 6-3 in their past nine games, and the scoring balance makes them one of the game's least predictable attacks.
Over this nine-game run, Brandon Ingram (23.8 points and 5.3 assists), Zion Williamson (22.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists) and CJ McCollum (20.0 points and 4.0 assists) are all over 20 points per game.
10. Orlando Magic (18-12)
21 of 31
Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: +2.3
The Orlando Magic are starting to show their age a bit. They're 4-7 in their past 11 games and 2-5 in their past seven. The most recent loss was a 20-point blowout in Orlando at the hands of a Philadelphia 76ers squad without Joel Embiid.
But no one should be anywhere near the alarm bells yet. Some perspective may be in order. They were 10-20 with a minus-4.1 net rating through 30 games last season.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are 22 and 21, respectively, and both are averaging at least 20 points and four assists.
Even if the arrow's temporarily pointed down, the overall trajectory is undeniably going the other way.
9. New York Knicks (17-13)
22 of 31
Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: +2.6
After an encouraging start to the campaign, RJ Barrett has steadily worked his way back to a familiar statistical profile.
He's posting below-average marks in both effective field-goal percentage and true shooting percentage. The team's point differential is worse when he plays for the fourth time in five seasons. His assist rate is barely outpacing his turnover rate, and he's third on the team in shots per game.
In Wednesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Barrett had 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting and was minus-9 in a game decided by nine points.
For the season, New York is comfortably outscoring opponents when Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle play without Barrett.
Now in his fourth year at the helm, it might finally be time for Tom Thibodeau to think about a lineup change.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (18-12)
23 of 31
Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: +4.0
The Los Angeles Clippers are 1-2 in their past three, and they couldn't cover the spread in that lone win, which came against the lottery-bound Charlotte Hornets.
The obvious context there is that Kawhi Leonard missed all three of those games, and this little stretch is far from concerning for a team that had won nine straight prior to it.
We're now almost two months removed from the James Harden trade that was panned by much of the media and fans who follow the game. While they may have some victory laps to run after the playoffs, the move is clearly working right now.
L.A. is plus-10.5 points per 100 possessions when Harden shares the floor with Leonard and Paul George. He's also averaging 17.7 points, 7.7 assists and 2.8 threes while shooting a career-high 43.4 percent from deep.
7. Miami Heat (19-12)
24 of 31
Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: +2.2
There's been some questioning of Tyler Herro's impact since the Miami Heat made the Finals without him this past June, and his net rating swing has been negative this season.
But he's potentially putting that narrative to bed right now.
Jimmy Butler has missed Miami's past four games. The team's 4-0 in that stretch, with Herro averaging 26.5 points.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (20-9)
25 of 31
Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: +7.8
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are 25, 22 and 21, respectively. And they might already be in the discussion for best trios in the NBA.
SGA is a legitimate MVP candidate, with averages of 31.1 points, 6.5 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.0 threes. Chet's already one of the league's best rim-protectors and is averaging 17.5 points and 1.6 threes while shooting 37.2 percent from deep. Williams has looked like an ideal, gap-filling second scorer with 18.3 points, 3.7 assists and solid, multipositional defense.
If you sort every player in the league with 100-plus minutes by the average of their ranks in various catch-all metrics, those three are third, 20th and 69th.
5. Denver Nuggets (23-10)
26 of 31
Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: +6.3
The Denver Nuggets are emerging from an objectively absurd early schedule overloaded with back-to-backs, road games and an extended absence for Jamal Murray.
Now that he's finally a fixture in the rotation again, the Nuggets look like a full-fledged contender again.
Murray's played in Denver's past eight games, and the Nuggets are 7-1 in those games. For the entire season, when he and Nikola Jokić (who just had 26 points on 11-of-11 shooting, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in the most recent win) are both on the floor, the Nuggets are plus-18.0 points per 100 possessions.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (21-9)
27 of 31
Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: +11.2
The Philadelphia 76ers were missing Joel Embiid for their last two games of the week, and things were predictably uneven.
They lost to the Miami Heat on Christmas Day after Tyrese Maxey went 4-of-20 from the field. Two days later, they blew out the Orlando Magic in their building behind 23 for Maxey.
In general, though, Philadelphia's improved depth and Maxey's star turn have the team more than surviving non-Embiid minutes.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (23-7)
28 of 31
Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: +5.7
Anthony Edwards must've avoided a serious injury when Jaylin Williams slid under his dunk attempt earlier this month.
The ensuing fall cost him a few games, but he's been outrageously productive of late.
Over his past seven, Edwards is averaging 32.3 points, 5.6 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 threes and 2.0 steals.
To be a legitimate contender, you almost have to have someone in the league's top 5-10 players. This version of Edwards might be there (or at least close enough to put the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA's top tier).
2. Milwaukee Bucks (23-8)
29 of 31
Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: +5.6
You might not know it by listening to fans and analysts of the NBA, but there's a real argument that the Milwaukee Bucks have been the best team in the NBA for over a month now.
Since November 13, they're first in winning percentage, first in offensive rating, first in true shooting percentage and third in net rating.
While the improving chemistry between superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard is obviously the driving factor behind the surge, the supporting cast deserves a nod too.
Khris Middleton (15.5 points), Brook Lopez (14.0), Bobby Portis (13.4) and Malik Beasley (13.2) are all averaging double-figures during this 18-4 stretch.
1. Boston Celtics (24-6)
30 of 31
Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: +10.0
The Boston Celtics survived a scare from the spiraling Detroit Pistons on Thursday, but they've generally looked dominant throughout the season.
They're 9-1 in their past 10 games, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to argue against them having the best top six of any roster in the league.
When at least three of Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford are on the floor, Boston is plus-11.7 points per 100 possessions.
Stat of the Week
31 of 31
As noted on the Denver Nuggets slide, Nikola Jokić closed the week with a triple-double and perfect shooting night.
It was the third time in his career that he checked both boxes in a single game. There's a reason Nuggets fans and analysts have started referring to him as "Not Since Wilt."
Jokić's 116th triple-double was a doozy, a timely reminder of his upside and perhaps his re-entry into the MVP race.
