First 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings Includes Surprises and Scares
We're now a week and change into the 2025-26 NBA season.
And while samples are still small, we've seen more than enough action to dispense some takes. Today, we're doing that through the lens of power rankings (and with some seasonal scares for all 30 teams).
Based on the same criteria we've used for years—team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjectivity—here's how the entire league looks on Halloween.
Brooklyn Nets | New Orleans Pelicans | Washington Wizards | Phoenix Suns | Toronto Raptors | Sacramento Kings | Utah Jazz | Charlotte Hornets | Indiana Pacers | Dallas Mavericks | Atlanta Hawks | Boston Celtics | Portland Trail Blazers | Orlando Magic | Chicago Bulls | Memphis Grizzlies | Philadelphia 76ers | Miami Heat | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Clippers | Minnesota Timberwolves | Milwaukee Bucks | Los Angeles Lakers | Golden State Warriors | New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | Houston Rockets | Denver Nuggets | Oklahoma City Thunder
30. Brooklyn Nets (0-5)
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
Halloween Scare: Defense
Really, for fans who appreciate high-level NBA basketball, just about everything about the Brooklyn Nets is pretty scary.
We're only five games into their season, but their finishing in the bottom three already feels like a foregone conclusion.
And if we have to focus on a single reason for the winless start, it's the completely disengaged defense that's giving up over 130 points per 100 possessions.
Just about every time an opponent brings it down the floor, multiple Nets look lost. And after shots go up, they're getting killed on the glass.
On the bright side, Michael Porter Jr. (21.6 points and a 41.0 three-point percentage) may be doing enough to juice his value before February, but fans are going to have to endure a lot of losing before they win any trades.
29. New Orleans Pelicans (0-4)
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Halloween Scare: Zion's Health
Given his injury history, any absence from Zion Williamson generates some trepidation. And he's already missed a game this season and been listed as questionable for another.
The 25-year-old wound up playing against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, but he had just 11 points and no rebounds.
And if Williamson is anything less than full strength, the chances of the New Orleans Pelicans competing for a playoff spot are slim to none.
28. Washington Wizards (1-4)
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
Halloween Scare: The Trade Market
The Washington Wizards are getting some encouraging signs from Kyshawn George (18.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists), Alexandre Sarr (18.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 blocks) and rookie Tre Johnson (13.8 points and a 39.4 three-point percentage), but the losses are still piling up.
And one of the ways they can win without actually adding wins is by getting real value back in trades for veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton.
Through five games, though, both are shooting under 35 percent from three and struggling to leave meaningful imprints on the outcomes.
Some team in a playoff chase might still make some offers before February's deadline, but the vets might need some bigger performances for those offers to be worthwhile.
27. Phoenix Suns (1-4)
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
Halloween Scare: The Future
Things can change quickly in the NBA, but the start of this campaign has to have Phoenix Suns fans at least a little worried about the future.
Devin Booker is 29, and he may be the only clear-cut, starting-caliber talent on the team. The rest of the roster is devoid of truly exciting young talent. Much of the draft asset stash was spent in previous trades.
And using the waive-and-stretch provision on Bradley Beal means Phoenix will have $19.4 million in dead money against its cap in each of the next five years (including this one).
The present is bleak for the Suns, but barring a Booker trade that returns a huge haul, the future might be even worse.
26. Toronto Raptors (1-4)
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
Halloween Scare: Three-Point Shooting
The Toronto Raptors are in the middle of the pack in three-point percentage. That's not the scary part.
The problem is they're just not taking enough. Coming into Wednesday's action, they were 26th in threes per game and 28th in three-point attempts per game. Even in the East, for a team with playoff aspirations, that just might not be enough.
On the bright side, they went 21-of-40 from deep in their latest game against the Houston Rockets. The bad news is that their defense didn't show up that night, and they lost, 139-121.
If they can't put those things together soon, the play-in is far from a given.
25. Sacramento Kings (1-4)
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
Halloween Scare: Existential Dread
Good luck trying to figure out what the executives in the Sacramento Kings front office have been doing the last few years.
They've jettisoned two All-Star-caliber point guards in Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox. They reassembled a star duo that failed in a lesser conference. They traded Jonas Valančiūnas, straight up, for Dario Šarić, so they'd be able to sign Dennis Schröder.
And after all of that, unsurprisingly, the Kings are 1-4.
The sooner Sacramento realizes this team is likelier to end up in the lottery than it is to contend, the better. The Kings need to do whatever they can to move Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine and start over.
24. Utah Jazz (2-2)
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
Halloween Scare: Purgatory
For the third time in the four seasons since the Utah Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, they look better than they were supposed to be.
And for a team still in the early phases of a rebuild, that's not necessarily a good thing. What Utah wants (or should want) right now are good lottery odds. Too many wins may have cost them a chance at Victor Wembanyama.
With Lauri Markkanen (who's averaging 34.0 points and shooting 40.0 percent from deep) on the roster, that could happen again, in a year when Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa might be available at the top of the draft.
23. Charlotte Hornets (2-3)
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Halloween Scare: Defense
The Charlotte Hornets are lighting up the nets to the tune of 119.0 points per 100 possessions (good for seventh in the league).
And several individual players are contributing. LaMelo Ball is putting up 24.4 points and 10.2 assists. Collin Sexton is averaging 18.6 points in just 26.5 minutes. And rookie Kon Knueppel is shooting 50.0 percent from deep.
However, even four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner hasn't been able to cover for the defensive shortcomings of all of the above. And despite that blistering net rating, Charlotte is still rocking a negative net rating.
There's probably enough raw talent here for the Hornets to stay in the play-in mix, but they'll have to do a better job of containing on the perimeter to get much further than that.
22. Indiana Pacers (0-4)
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Halloween Scare: The Injury Report
As if it wasn't bad enough that the Indiana Pacers were going to be without Tyrese Haliburton this season, they've already lost Johnny Furphy, Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin to other injuries.
None of the above will be out as long as Haliburton, but the sheer volume of absences could doom this campaign before it really gets started.
There's only so much Pascal Siakam can do.
21. Dallas Mavericks (2-3)
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
Halloween Scare: Growing Pains
There are plenty of opinions about the Dallas Mavericks' experiment of starting Cooper Flagg at point guard.
On the one hand, his lack of experience at the position has almost certainly contributed to the team's sub-.500 record. He's a good playmaker relative to other rookie forwards. Starting at the 1 for a team with playoff aspirations is a whole different ask. And it might take a while before the experiment yields any positive results.
On the other hand, those potential results could change the trajectory of this franchise. Jason Kidd famously played Giannis Antetokounmpo at the point early in his career, and that accelerated his development as a playmaker. The same could happen for Flagg.
Again, it'll just take some time.
20. Atlanta Hawks (2-3)
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
Halloween Scare: Health
Much was made of the depth-improving moves the Atlanta Hawks made this past offseason. And just over a week into the campaign, that depth is already being tested.
Kristaps Porziņģis, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher have all missed games already. And just seven minutes into a tight win over the tanking Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, Trae Young left with a sprained knee.
All of the above haven't even played 100 possessions together, which makes it tough to gauge just how good this team might be.
19. Boston Celtics (2-3)
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
Halloween Scare: Frontcourt
The Boston Celtics started this campaign 0-3, and it looked like the absence of Jayson Tatum and departures of Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford might doom them to miss the play-in.
However, they had a confidence-boosting performance against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, and they closed out their week with a blowout win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the potential to represent the East in the Finals.
Swings like this could be the norm for Boston all season, given the makeup of the roster and its reliance on three-point shooting.
Most games, they're at a clear disadvantage in the frontcourt, but on any given night, they can get hot from deep and run away from bigger teams. Wednesday, they went 21-of-56 from deep.
18. Portland Trail Blazers (3-2)
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
Halloween Scare: Too Many Cooks
The Portland Trail Blazers are quietly exceeding expectations under Tiago Splitter, with wins over the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, and three young players establishing themselves as long-term starters.
Deni Avdija is averaging 22.6 points and 4.2 assists. Donovan Clingan is at 10.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 blocks. And Toumani Camara is adding 11.0 points and 3.8 assists to go with his typically stout defense.
So what's the problem? Well, Portland may have to integrate a couple other prospects, including a lead ball-handler (Scoot Henderson) into this system that's currently running pretty well.
Henderson and Kris Murray could both be back soon. And while this is one of those "good problems to have," figuring out where those two fit in the Blazers hierarchy could take some time.
17. Orlando Magic (2-4)
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Halloween Scare: Defensive Regression
The Orlando Magic got a desperately needed road win and avoided a five-game losing streak on Thursday, but they've rarely looked like the defense that finished second on that end last season.
That may have something to do with sporadic absences for Jonathan Isaac and Jalen Suggs, but Orlando's defensive identity survived several injuries in 2024-25.
More than anything, it feels like the effort level on that end needs to bounce back to last season's standard. And if Thursday's win over the Charlotte Hornets is any indication, there's certainly a chance that can happen.
The Magic still rank in the bottom third of the league in points allowed per 100 possessions, but they only gave up 107 to the Hornets.
16. Chicago Bulls (4-0)
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Halloween Scare: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
Yes, you read that record in the subheader right. The Chicago Bulls are indeed undefeated. And several members of the young core are off to strong starts.
Josh Giddey is averaging 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists. Matas Buzelis is averaging 16.8 points. Tre Jones is putting up 12.5 points and 7.5 assists. And Coby White hasn't even appeared yet.
However, Chicago currently has one of the weakest marks for strength of schedule in the league. And its next seven games are against above-.500 teams.
We may have to see how the Bulls perform through this stretch before we really have a feel for how good this team might be.
15. Memphis Grizzlies (3-2)
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
Halloween Scare: Defense
Maybe it's still just some kind of nostalgic leftovers from the grit-n-grind era. Maybe it's Jaren Jackson Jr.'s fairly recent Defensive Player of the Year nod. Whatever the reason, it feels like the Memphis Grizzlies should have a pretty good defense.
However, they rank in the bottom third of the league in points allowed per 100 possessions. And in their two losses, they gave up a whopping 146 points to the Miami Heat and 131 to the Golden State Warriors.
Still, for a team that clearly needs some time to come together on that end of the floor, plenty is going right for the Grizzlies elsewhere.
Ja Morant has appeared in all five games and cleared 20 points thrice. Jaren Jackson Jr. came back earlier than expected from an injury that was supposed to have him sidelined into the regular season. And most importantly, rookie Cedric Coward looks ready to take a spot in the starting lineup right now.
After scoring 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting in Wednesday's win, Coward is averaging 16.0 points and shooting 64.7 percent from deep.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (4-0)
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
Halloween Scare: Joel Embiid's Knees
The Philadelphia 76ers really don't have much to be worried about right now.
Yes, Joel Embiid looks slower and more ground-bound than he was in the past. He's often not even pretending to challenge opposing slashers at the rim. And even in his best game so far (when he had 25 points in 23 minutes on Tuesday), he was moving gingerly and seemingly checking his knee (or the equipment on it) during the first quarter.
But when Embiid, who's currently playing on a minutes restriction, is off the floor, the offense gives way to one of the most explosive and dynamic backcourts in the league.
When Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are on the floor without the big man, Philadelphia scores 138.6 points per 100 possessions. And regardless of lineup context, Maxey is dropping 37.5 points per game, while Edgecombe is at 22.3.
If, over the course of the season, Embiid's body loosens up and he's able to keep up with the young guards a bit better, great. If not, the Sixers can simply lean into a new identity.
13. Miami Heat (3-2)
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
Halloween Scare: Bam Adebayo's Efficiency
This one may seem hyper-specific, but with Jimmy Butler gone and Tyler Herro out with an injury, Bam Adebayo's offense is much more important for this team than it's been in the past.
And though the Heat are surprisingly in the top 10 in points per 100 possessions, their offensive rating is actually a little better when Adebayo is off the floor. And after going 12-of-27 from the field on Thursday, he is shooting 43.3 percent for the season.
To this point, Miami has overcome the lack of efficiency of a high-paced, creative new offense that shuns the use of ball screens. But if Adebayo doesn't start making shots more regularly, more nights like Thursday's (when the Heat were limited to 101 points) could be on the horizon.
12. Detroit Pistons (3-2)
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Halloween Scare: Turnovers
Heading into Wednesday's matchup with the Orlando Magic, the Detroit Pistons were averaging more turnovers per 100 possession than all but five teams.
Cade Cunningham alone had 22 giveaways in those first four games. But in that game against the Magic, he didn't have a single one. And the Pistons rolled to a 135-116 victory.
That certainly won't be the norm. Cunningham's aggression as a playmaker is part of what makes him so good, and he only had one zero-turnover game last season.
But taking a bit better care of the ball should lead to plenty of wins for this Detroit squad.
11. Los Angeles Clippers (2-2)
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
Halloween Scare: Age
It's too early to be looking for any kind of panic button, but the Los Angeles Clippers' two wins came against a pair of potential lottery teams (the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers). And their losses were blowouts.
One came against the rebuilding Utah Jazz. And while there's no shame in losing to the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center, mustering only 79 points is almost unheard of in today's game.
Beyond the results, this team has, at times, looked very much like the oldest one in the league. And if the Clippers are starting the campaign that way, it's fair to at least wonder how slow they'll be in the spring.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-3)
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Halloween Scare: Point Guard Play
We could go with Anthony Edwards' injury as the "scare" here, but it doesn't seem to be serious. And it looks like he could be back sometime around mid-November.
Instead, we'll zero in on what could be a weakness whether Edwards is available or not.
Mike Conley is 38, and prior to the Edwards injury, had been demoted to the bench. Given his size and the age-induced decline in explosiveness, it was probably the right call, but Donte DiVincenzo is more of a 2 than a 1. And neither Rob Dillingham nor Bones Hyland looks ready to pilot the offense of a title contender.
One of the above may grow into the player Minnesota needs before the postseason, but it's certainly not guaranteed.
9. Milwaukee Bucks (4-1)
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Halloween Scare: Non-Giannis Minutes
We have to get nitpicky to find any legitimate "scares" for the Milwaukee Bucks.
This is one of the best early stories of the season, with Giannis Antetokounmpo averaging 36.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists and his remade supporting cast pitching in ably.
On Thursday, they even managed a win over the Golden State Warriors without Giannis, who was nursing a sore knee, thanks in large part to 32 points from Ryan Rollins.
Prior to that contest, though, Milwaukee was minus-6.2 points per 100 possessions when Giannis was off the floor. And if occasional absences from nagging injuries is going to be the norm, that supporting cast could bear a little more responsibility than originally anticipated.
8. Los Angeles Lakers (3-2)
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
Halloween Scare: Shot Distribution
In the first two Los Angeles Lakers games of this season, with LeBron James out, Luka Dončić averaged an unfathomable 46.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists.
After Dončić went down with a finger sprain and leg contusion, Austin Reaves went off for 51 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a win over the Sacramento Kings. He followed that up with 41 against the Portland Trail Blazers. And on Wednesday, he had 28 points and 16 assists that led the Lakers to a one-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
We already knew Dončić and James were capable of being the offensive engine for a good team. Now, it seems pretty clear Reaves is too.
And when all three are available, head coach JJ Redick will have a bit of a puzzle to solve. Who'll do most of the initiating? And from where? Who's best off the ball? Can anyone get LeBron to accept a super-Draymond Green-like role?
Given what we've seen from each member of this trio individually, finding the right answers to the questions above could mean L.A.'s a real title contender.
7. Golden State Warriors (4-2)
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
Halloween Scare: Age
The Golden State Warriors are on pace for over 50 wins, but they suffered an alarming loss on Thursday.
Despite the Milwaukee Bucks missing Giannis Antetokounmpo (who was out with knee soreness), Golden State surrendered 120 points and often looked a half-step slow on the defensive end.
A similar struggle was excusable in an earlier loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. That was on the second night of a back-to-back. This one's a little tougher to explain away, and it puts a spotlight on the need for younger players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to provide bursts of energy on defense.
6. New York Knicks (2-2)
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Halloween Scare: Offense
The New York Knicks' 2025-26 campaign got off to a strong start, when they beat their fellow Eastern Conference contender, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on opening night.
Since then, it's been rocky.
New York only managed 105 points in a win over the gap-year Boston Celtics, and it followed that up with back-to-back losses to the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.
And though we're still early enough in the season for a game or two to drastically change numbers, it's fair to have some concern over the Knicks ranking in the bottom third of the league in both pace and offensive rating.
New coach Mike Brown was supposed to get the ball popping and juice this team's attack a bit. But outside of Jalen Brunson (who's averaging 31.8 points), things look pretty stagnant right now.
5. San Antonio Spurs (5-0)
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
Halloween Scare (for the rest of the NBA): Victor Wembanyama
While we've focused on issues (or scares) that could haunt the teams themselves throughout the rest of these power rankings, the San Antonio Spurs require a different approach.
They're undefeated, and their 7'4" basketball titan, Victor Wembanyama, is dominating in a way we've truly never seen before and cruising toward a potential MVP at just 21 years old.
After Thursday's win over the Miami Heat, Wemby is averaging 30.2 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.8 blocks, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals.
And it feels like there's absolutely nothing that anyone, from any team, can do with this man on either end of the floor. He covers an absurd amount of space on defense and almost singlehandedly gives the Spurs perhaps the best backline in the league on that end. On the other, he seems to have embraced his otherworldly size and is leading the league in dunks.
Add to his dominance the fact that Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper look ahead of schedule and De'Aaron Fox hasn't even played yet, and the Spurs already look like a fringe title contender.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2)
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Halloween Scare: Injuries
The Cleveland Cavaliers don't look anything like the juggernaut they were for much of last season, but they have a pretty good reason for the slow-ish start.
Neither Darius Garland nor Max Strus (a star and a presumed starter) have played a single game. And now, even Donovan Mitchell may be banged up. He played in Wednesday's loss to the Boston Celtics, but he was questionable with hamstring tightness heading into that one.
For now, if the Cavs can just survive this stretch, they should be fine. But there's value to establishing rhythm early, as they did last season.
3. Houston Rockets (2-2)
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
Halloween Scare: Point Guard Play
The Houston Rockets started 0-2, but one of those losses was a double-overtime thriller on the road against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
They've stabilized a bit since the cold opening, with a couple wins over sub-.500 teams, but there could be some real concern about point guard play.
When Fred VanVleet went down with a torn ACL, the natural reaction was to think Houston could piece together enough playmaking from Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard and Kevin Durant.
But there's just something about the steady presence of a true point guard who can get and keep everyone engaged and involved.
It's too early to say Thompson and/or Sheppard can't grow into that kind of player, but it does look like it might take longer than anticipated.
2. Denver Nuggets (3-1)
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
Halloween Scare: Adjustment Period
Now four games into the season, new Denver Nuggets starting forward Cameron Johnson has only reached double-figures once.
And unsurprisingly, comparisons between Johnson (8.0 points on 38.5 percent shooting) and Michael Porter Jr. (21.6 points and 3.2 threes, with a 41.0 three-point percentage) are already floating around the internet.
While most of the rest of the roster is clicking on all cylinders, it looks like it's going to take some time for Johnson to figure out his new role and how to play alongside Nikola Jokić.
Given how well they're playing during this adjustment period, that's probably fine.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-0)
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Halloween Scare: The No-Repeat Curse
Even without their second-best player (Jalen Williams) and their offensive rating ranking in the bottom half of the league, the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder have quietly raced out to a 6-0 start and a top-four net rating.
And their superstar is already building a solid case to repeat as MVP. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.2 points, 5.7 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals.
Right now, it feels like the only thing that might doom their quest for a second straight title is a budding superstition. After decades of dynasties dominating the NBA, the league hasn't had a repeat champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2019.
And while several teams seemed primed to break the streak (like the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics), no one's done it yet.
Can SGA and OKC get it done? Based on what we've seen so far, and with some emphasis on the word "can" in that question, the answer has to be "yes."
