NBA Power Rankings: The OKC Thunder Are Officially Chasing History
Nearly a month into the 2025-26 NBA campaign, some things are becoming clear all over the league.
The Oklahoma City Thunder could have a legitimate shot at 70 wins. Nikola Jokić is still the best player in the world, and we already know a handful of teams that will be in the mix for the best lottery odds this summer.
As the NBA gives us clarity on a number of other topics and players, we're here to sort the entire league by the same criteria that has guided us for years: team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjectivity.
30. Washington Wizards (1-11)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -15.7
The losses are piling up mighty fast for the Washington Wizards, which is fine in the long term. Better lottery odds should be the primary goal right now.
However, we're still several months away from that drawing. And in the meantime, juicing the trade value of veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton would help too.
If either or both can go for real trade value before February's deadline, the rebuild will look even better.
This week, McCollum seemed the likelier candidate, as he dropped 42 in an overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons and raised his average to 16.3 points.
29. Brooklyn Nets (1-10)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -14.8
For traditional purposes of this season only, the Brooklyn Nets are a full-fledged disaster. A bottom-three record almost feels like a foregone conclusion.
More losses equal better draft lottery odds, though, and that obviously does more for the team in the long term than wins do. And if, along the way, they get the occasional flash of upside from one of the young guys, even better.
Egor Dёmin is giving Brooklyn fans exactly that, with averages of 11.3 points and 5.0 assists over his last three games (16.8 and 7.4 per 75 possessions) and a season-long three-point percentage of 37.5.
The 19-year-old still looks a little too timid inside the three-point line, but he clearly has a good feel for the game and his 6'9" frame is going to help him develop into a plus, see-over-the-top playmaker.
28. Indiana Pacers (1-11)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -14.3
If it wasn't already obvious, this week made it so: The Indiana Pacers should chase lottery odds for the rest of this campaign.
Several injuries beyond the season-long absence of Tyrese Haliburton have put them in a deep hole to open 2025-26. And now, even as some of the bigger names are starting to filter back into the rotation, things aren't getting any better.
On Thursday, Indiana was annihilated by the Phoenix Suns, despite having all three of Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith available.
Expect plenty of rest and conservative timelines from here on out.
27. New Orleans Pelicans (2-9)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -12.4
It'll be tough for Derik Queen to turn the New Orleans Pelicans' draft-night trade for him into a win.
The unprotected first-rounder his team surrendered to the Atlanta Hawks has a good shot of being the top overall pick in 2026, when AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer could all be available.
However, Queen is at least doing his part to make the front office look smarter. In Wednesday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, he played 38 minutes off the bench and went for 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
And though he's a long way away from putting up similar numbers, his style of play is making the "Baby Jokić" nickname sound less crazy with each passing game. Queen has a good handle for a rookie big, sees the floor well and is a willing passer.
Again, he'll have to smash expectations to wind up better than the top of the 2026 draft class, but that potential outcome looks slightly more realistic than it did a few weeks ago.
26. Utah Jazz (4-8)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -5.4
The Utah Jazz will get the occasional win here and there. Lauri Markkanen, who had 40 points on 15-of-25 shooting Thursday, is probably too good for Utah to be the kind of doormat Washington, Brooklyn and Indiana currently are.
They still appear to be headed to solid lottery odds, though. They're 2-7 in their last nine. And, as they did last season, they might find ways to keep Markkanen off the floor. Before February's trade deadline, they might even be able to move him for a sizable haul of assets.
Either way, Utah is headed for another sub-.500 season that will hopefully be highlighted by flashes of upside from young talents. This year's roster may have a better chance at those, too.
This year's No. 5 pick, Ace Bailey, has now reached double figures in each of his last four games, has started the last three and scored a career-high 21 in Thursday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Perhaps even more than he did as a freshman at Rutgers, Bailey suddenly looks like a potential star, with his length, shotmaking ability and defensive upside.
25. Dallas Mavericks (3-9)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -6.0
Well, it finally happened. After another home game packed with "Fire Nico!" chants, the Dallas Mavericks did it.
Nico Harrison is gone, and it's time to fully lean into a rebuild around Cooper Flagg. Winning the lottery was a gift from the basketball gods, and it gives the Mavericks a chance at a future they might not otherwise have.
A post-prime Anthony Davis, who's extension-eligible next summer, makes little to no sense next to Flagg. Even Kyrie Irving, who's still out with a torn ACL, should probably have his trade value explored.
Dallas needs to add a high-level young talent to Flagg. Another top draft pick is the best way to get that, and 2026 is the last year when the Mavs control their own first-rounder till 2031.
It's time to move Davis and possibly Irving (who can't really impact a tank one way or another). It's time to explore the trade value of just about every other veteran on the roster.
Dallas needs a core around Flagg that makes sense, and it has an immediate opportunity to chase it.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -7.8
Things keep looking worse and worse for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ja Morant missed Wednesday's loss with an ankle injury, but the team isn't playing any better when he's on the floor. On the contrary, Memphis' already poor point differential dips when he is on the floor.
And over his last six games, the 2019 No. 2 overall pick has fewer field goals (28) than turnovers (30).
If this keeps up much longer, the Grizzlies might have to consider leaning into lottery odds.
23. Sacramento Kings (3-9)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -10.3
News broke this week that the Sacramento Kings may be angling toward a rebuild soon. And the only real surprise is that it didn't take longer for them to come to this conclusion.
We've known for years that building a championship-caliber defense around Domantas Sabonis would be tough. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine was a pairing that didn't work in the NBA's less competitive conference. In the last few years, the Kings traded two All-Star-level point guards in Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox.
There was no way this roster was ever going to work, especially in the West. And after this 3-9 start, it's more than clear Sacramento needs to explore the trade value of everyone above (and then some).
22. Charlotte Hornets (4-7)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -1.1
LaMelo Ball has missed the last five games, the Charlotte Hornets have dropped three of their last four, and the team is firmly back into the lottery range of the standings.
In other words, things are getting back to normal.
The difference this year could be Kon Knueppel, who's suddenly flashing genuine star potential in the absence of Ball. In the five games without the Charlotte superstar, the rookie is averaging 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while shooting 37.0 percent from deep.
21. Los Angeles Clippers (3-8)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: -5.9
After a winless week, the Los Angeles Clippers' losing streak is up to six games, and it's starting to feel like this team might simply be too old to contend.
That line probably reads a little hyperbolic, after L.A. won 50 games and had one of the league's best defenses in 2024-25, but the dropoff can happen quickly for NBA players. And when you enter a season with the league's oldest roster, this is a risk you run.
And beyond just the way the Clippers look, Kawhi Leonard is out with an ankle injury and Bradley Beal has to have season-ending hip surgery.
Even if Leonard is back soon, it's hard to imagine the oft-injured superstar will make it through the rest of the campaign unscathed. And he may not be able to lift this roster to contention anyway.
20. Phoenix Suns (8-5)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: 4.5
After an undefeated week, we may already have enough evidence for a verdict on the rebuilt Phoenix Suns. At the very least, it seems clear the "surround one superstar scorer with grit, defense and shooting" model is working better for Phoenix than the "cram a superteam together" model.
Devin Booker is averaging 28.5 points and getting just enough contributions from the rest of the roster to survive on the offensive end. And there are enough plus defenders, like Mark Williams, Royce O'Neale and Dillon Brooks to keep the point differential in the black.
The formula isn't likely to lead to contention any time soon, but the Suns looks like a far tougher night-to-night out than the 2024-25 squad.
19. Boston Celtics (6-7)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: 4.9
The Boston Celtics aren't contenders without Jayson Tatum, but they have enough institutional know-how to at least stay in the mix for a play-in spot.
On the defensive end, Boston's rotations have been tight enough to have the team in the top 10 in points allowed per 100 possessions. And the sheer volume of threes it's getting gives it a chance against most opponents.
The Celtics are currently second in the league in three-point attempts per game, and they're only shooting 33.5 percent from deep. That number is likely to come up, and when it does, they might even have a chance to finish in the East's top six.
18. Atlanta Hawks (8-5)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: 3.4
After a pretty rocky start to the campaign, the Atlanta Hawks may have stumbled into a new identity in the absence of Trae Young.
If you count the game in which he played just seven minutes before leaving with an injury, Atlanta is now 7-2 without him.
Their defense is clearly better, and there's enough firepower spread throughout the rest of the roster to make due on the other end.
On nights like Thursday, that description doesn't do the attack justice. Against the Utah Jazz, Atlanta dropped 132 points, got 32 from Onyeka Okongwu and another 31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists and seven steals from Jalen Johnson.
Performances like that don't necessarily mean the Hawks should be shopping Young in the trade market. Utah's a rebuilding team, and each of the last three Atlanta wins have come against sub-.500 teams. But Johnson's versatility on both ends of the floor, could make him an easier cornerstone to build around than the current face of the franchise.
17. Toronto Raptors (7-5)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: 3.6
After a 1-4 start that included a loss to the now-reeling Dallas Mavericks, the Toronto Raptors have quietly gone 6-1 in their last seven, have had four different players lead them in scoring this season and may be getting another All-Star-level campaign from Scottie Barnes.
After going for 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks on Thursday, Barnes is now averaging 20.2 points and putting up a career-high box plus/minus.
His defense looks as disruptive as it was during his last All-Star campaign. And even on a team with multiple capable ball-handlers, such as Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, he's still making an impact as a playmaker too.
Most importantly, despite a lack of historical evidence to say he's an outside shooter, the fit between he, Ingram and Barrett appears to be working. All three are getting plenty of on-ball opportunities. The floor doesn't feel too cramped when they're all on it. And having that many high-level scoring options has made Toronto's offense less predictable than it's been in the past.
16. Orlando Magic (6-6)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: 1.3
After a disappointing 1-4 start, the Orlando Magic are starting to look more like the team many expected them to be.
They're 5-2 in their last seven games. And this summer's big acquisition, Desmond Bane, looks like he's finding a rhythm with his new team.
Over his last four games, he is averaging 18.8 points and a team-high 7.0 assists. And against the Portland Trail Blazers, he had about as big a confidence boost as a player can have in November with a fallaway, buzzer-beating, game-winning triple.
And, as if that wasn't good enough for the vibes, Orlando followed that performance up with a national TV beatdown of the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden.
It may be too early to start talking about Orlando as a contender to win the East again, but a few more weeks like this one could change that.
15. Chicago Bulls (6-5)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: -0.6
The Chicago Bulls went 0-4 this week and had their net rating drop by more than five points. It may be tempting to simply chalk the slide up to "this is who we thought they were," but it's too early to give up on these Bulls.
During the hot start, they collected victories over the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic (who are getting on track now) and New York Knicks. Three of the four losses in this streak were on the road. And most importantly, Josh Giddey missed the last two games with an ankle injury.
When Giddey, who's averaging 21.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 9.3 assists, is on the floor, Chicago is outscoring opponents by 3.0 points per 100 possessions.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (6-5)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 2.4
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is turning into a bona fide star before our eyes.
After dropping 32 points in Wednesday's win, he is up to 26.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists on the season. And Portland is dominating in his minutes.
With Avdija's production and plenty of defensive grit from players like Toumani Camara and Jrue Holiday around him, it looks like the Blazers are going to be in the mix for a play-in spot (at least) all season.
13. Miami Heat (7-5)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: 3.4
The Miami Heat just split a mini two-game series with the Cleveland Cavaliers and are 4-2 in their last six. The other loss was on the road and against the Denver Nuggets.
They're also steadily working toward an above-.500 record despite multiple absences from both Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo.
Well-rounded contributions from all over the rest of the roster are among the reasons why Miami is still winning.
Andrew Wiggins is putting up 17.8 points and shooting 40.0 percent from deep. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is at 17.0 points and 5.1 assists. Simone Fontecchio is at 11.5 points with a 50.0 three-point percentage. And rookie Kel'el Ware, with 10.5 points and 9.2 rebounds, is nearly averaging a double-double in just 23.0 minutes.
12. Golden State Warriors (7-6)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 0.6
The Golden State Warriors had been spinning their wheels for a couple weeks leading up to Wednesday's matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.
The 2-5 stretch included losses to the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings and a handful of uninspiring performances from Jimmy Butler (who averaged 15.7 points and shot 11.1 percent from three) and Jonathan Kuminga (14.0 points with a 25.0 three-point percentage in the same stretch).
It may have been a window into this season's reality, but then games like Wednesday's happen, when Stephen Curry turned back the clock and dropped 46 points on the road.
In a seven-game series against one of the West's top contenders, the Warriors might simply be too old. But on any given night during the regular season, Curry gives them a puncher's chance.
11. Milwaukee Bucks (7-5)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 0.6
The Milwaukee Bucks closed out their week with a loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but Giannis Antetokounmpo missed that one with left knee patellar tendinopathy.
When he's available and on the floor, Milwaukee is comfortably outscoring opponents by 8.7 points per 100 possessions.
What's more, the team's true shooting percentage is almost 10 points higher when Giannis is playing.
Beyond the boost that his own shots have on that number, the attention Antetokounmpo commands in the middle of the floor, and his willingness to find the shooters around him, makes life significantly easier for the rest of the Bucks.
The concern, of course, is the non-Giannis minutes, but we knew that could be a problem going into this campaign.
10. Philadelphia 76ers (7-4)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 3.9
When available, Joel Embiid is starting to look a bit more like his old self.
In his six minutes-restricted appearances, he's putting up 30.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per 75 possessions, but it's probably inaccurate to say he's all the way back.
First of all, the minutes restriction is still in place. He doesn't look as vertically explosive, on either end, as he once was. He's reportedly dealing with right knee soreness now (his surgery in the spring was on his other knee). And maybe most concerning, Philadelphia's point differential is significantly better when he's off the floor.
When the Sixers are oriented around their high-octane backcourt of Tyrese Maxey (32.1 points and 8.3 assists, with a 44.4 three-point percentage) and VJ Edgecombe (15.4 points and 4.3 assists as a rookie), they're faster, less predictable and more exciting.
And to Philadelphia's credit, it seems like the organization is aware of the different dynamics and leaning into the younger, more malleable one.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (8-4)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: -1.6
The Los Angeles Lakers got a painful wakeup call on Wednesday. They entered the contest with the Oklahoma City Thunder having won six of their last seven games, but they were annihilated in that one. OKC won, 121-92, and it wasn't even that close.
This doesn't necessarily mean the Lakers aren't contenders. Luka Dončić has beaten OKC in a postseason series before. And this week, we learned LeBron James has started practicing with L.A.'s G-League affiliate. His return could be around the corner.
Even with Dončić averaging 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.9 assists, though, it's hard to see what the Thunder's defense did to the Lakers without thinking the latter would need some lucky breaks to make a deep playoff run.
8. Detroit Pistons (10-2)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 5.8
It's time to stop slow-playing the Detroit Pistons' rise up these rankings.
We're now midway through November. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team in the league with a better record. And with each passing game, it's becoming clearer that Detroit has one of the best young duos in the NBA.
On the year, Cade Cunningham is averaging 27.5 points and 9.9 assists, while Jalen Duren is adding 19.4 points and 12.0 rebounds. And the Pistons are plus-10.7 points per 100 possessions when both are on the floor.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (7-4)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 4.8
The Minnesota Timberwolves got off to a slow start that included Anthony Edwards missing four games due to injury.
However, they started piling up wins before he even came back. They're now 5-1 in their last six. And Julius Randle deserves a lot of credit for getting the team on track without its superstar.
Randle leads the T-Wolves in wins over replacement player and is averaging 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and a team-high 6.2 assists.
Perhaps even more impressive, he's at 29.6 points per 75 possessions when playing without Edwards.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-5)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 3.9
The Cleveland Cavaliers had to cram a whopping five games into this week, and the effects of the schedule started to show up during Thursday's loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Against a team with lots of length and defensive versatility, and without Darius Garland (who recently reaggravated a toe injury) to alleviate some pressure, the Cavs looked worn down. Donovan Mitchell was 7-of-18 from the field, while Evan Mobley was 2-of-7.
However, it's hard to take too much from any of this early portion of the season for the Cavs, other than perhaps Mitchell's overall play. He's averaging 30.5 points, but he's only been on the floor with all three other members of the core four (Garland, Mobley and Jarrett Allen) for 37 minutes.
And all four stars have already missed time this season.
5. San Antonio Spurs (8-3)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 6.0
The San Antonio Spurs ended their week with a loss, but Victor Wembanyama offered another reminder of his absurd, wide-ranging upside in that one, tallying 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
In the same game, Wemby also showed there's still room to grow. With eight turnovers, his triple-double was almost the not-so-helpful quadruple-double. And he was a minus-nine for the game.
That could be how much of this season goes. Wembanyama is already a spectacular player, but he's still 21. And while his immense talent (and size) is going to have San Antonio in the mix for a 50-win season, inexperience could keep the Spurs just shy of the legitimate contenders' tier.
4. New York Knicks (7-4)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 7.2
The New York Knicks ended their week with a loss to the Orlando Magic, but they had won five in a row before then. And the offense is rolling.
Despite scoring only 107 points on Wednesday, New York is up to third in the league in points per 100 possessions, with some room to improve in front of it.
Three members of the core four (Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges) are off to hot starts, but Karl-Anthony Towns is shooting just 42.9 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from deep.
Once his numbers start creeping closer to his career norms (52.3 and 39.9), the Knicks could be nearly impossible to slow down.
3. Houston Rockets (7-3)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 11.0
The Houston Rockets are bludgeoning their way to the best offensive rating in the league, the most second-chance points per game and, by far, the best offensive rebounding percentage.
In Wednesday's win alone, Houston grabbed 20 of its 45 misses. Steven Adams had five offensive boards in 17 minutes. Alperen Şengün added another five.
It looked, as it often does, like the Rockets, when challenged in an individual possession, could simply send the ball toward the rim and have plenty of confidence that they'll come away with it.
That and just enough shotmaking from Kevin Durant, Şengün and the rest of the core has Houston looking like a uniquely dominant contender.
2. Denver Nuggets (9-2)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 13.3
The "best in the world" discussion hasn't been this easy since Michael Jordan was in the NBA.
Eleven games into this campaign, Nikola Jokić is averaging 28.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, 10.9 assists and 1.8 steals. His true shooting percentage is 77.3.
There are only four players in NBA history (Doc Rivers, Magic Johnson, Draymond Green and Michael Jordan) who managed a single game with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals and a 77 true shooting percentage. Jokić has done it for roughly an eighth of the season.
What's more, his complete control of every aspect of the game is the primary reason the Nuggets are off to a 9-2 start (that could easily be 11-0). An improved bench and solid starts from Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are obviously part of the recipe, but no one in the league comes close to affecting the outcome of individual games like Jokić does.
And given the way the Oklahoma City Thunder have started the season, it's starting to feel like Jokić may be the only player who might get in the way of a repeat championship.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-1)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 15.6
Jalen Williams hasn't even played a single game yet. Chet Holmgren has missed almost a third of the season to this point. Five other rotation players have missed at least one game.
And yet, the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing like even more of a juggernaut than they were last season. They set the single-season point differential record in 2024-25, and they have a higher net rating in 2025-26.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP in 2024-25, and he has a higher box plus/minus in 2025-26.
This season, once again, they have an unsung young player having a huge breakout. Ajay Mitchell has gone from 6.5 points and 1.8 assists as a rookie to 16.9 points and 3.8 assists as a sophomore.
It's hard to imagine a much more successful campaign than the one OKC just had, but they somehow just keep getting better.
