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NBA Power Rankings and New Year's Resolutions for All 30 Teams
We've made it to 2026! And that means we're in the thick of another NBA season.
As we head into January, we have plenty of games, numbers and video to base our takes and rankings on. And given the spirit of the holiday, we also have enough information to dole out some reasonable New Year's resolutions for all 30 teams.
They'll be sorted by the same criteria that's guided us for years (team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjectivity), but each organization also has something to shoot for below.
30. Sacramento Kings (8-26)
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -11.0
New Year's Resolution: Start Over... For Real
Welcome to the 30th spot in the power rankings, Sacramento Kings.
Just under three years after the De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis-led Kings seemingly broke a curse and got the organization back into the playoffs after a drought that lasted over a decade, they are arguably the worst team in the league.
Their top two scorers are post-prime versions of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Thirty-seven-year-old Russell Westbrook leads them in assists per game. They don't have a single obvious foundational talent under 25 years old.
It's hard to imagine a more thorough and effective destruction of a once-promising team. And it wasn't even for the purpose of rebuilding.
Now, the Kings have no other choice but to move every veteran they can, horde picks and hope to land promising young players in the next few drafts.
29. Indiana Pacers (6-28)
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -8.8
New Year's Resolution: Survive
For a team that made back-to-back conference finals and was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals just over six months ago, this campaign has to be a little painful.
But if they can just survive without any collateral damage that carries into 2026-27, it could well be worth it. Adding someone from this incoming rookie class to Tyrese Haliburton could set the Indiana Pacers up for a very bright future.
Right now, four of the top eight freshmen box plus/minuses since 2002-03 (as far back as the catch-all is tracked for NCAA basketball) are playing this season. And the other four names on that list with Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson are Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and Chet Holmgren.
28. Washington Wizards (8-24)
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -11.5
New Year's Resolution: Play Tre Johnson More
Somebody break up the Washington Wizards!
After going 3-1 this week, they're now within striking distance of the 29th-best net rating in the NBA. And this little run comes with a bonus source of optimism.
Rookie Tre Johnson has finally forced his way into Washington's starting five, and he's showing flashes of star upside there.
In his three games since reclaiming that role, the 19-year-old is averaging 17.3 points in just 26.3 minutes, while shooting 64.7 percent from deep. And for the entire season, he's now averaging 14.6 points and shooting 55.6 percent from three as a starter.
27. New Orleans Pelicans (8-27)
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -7.1
New Year's Resolution: Reach the Play-In
The New Orleans Pelicans enjoyed a little surge ahead of last week's power rankings, but it looks like that may have been a bit of a mirage.
The Pelicans are now in the middle of a five-game losing streak and back into the bottom four in net rating.
And while Zion Williamson is starting to dominate (he's averaged 26.3 points in 26.3 minutes over his last seven games), there just might not be enough talent on the rest of the roster to make a push for the play-in.
That'd be a shame for most teams in most years, but it's especially tough for the Pelicans, who sent an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Derik Queen.
There's no incentive to tank. All that does is improve the Hawks' prospects. So, even against overwhelming odds and in the loaded Western Conference, New Orleans can at least try to keep that pick out of the lottery.
26. Utah Jazz (12-21)
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -6.4
New Year's Resolution: Keep Losing
The Utah Jazz had a pair of impressive wins over the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs this week.
And it's easy to get excited about the way Keyonte George is playing in some of these surprising victories. Over his last nine games, he is putting up 30.8 points, 7.0 assists and 4.1 threes.
But among plenty of Jazz fans, there had to be some sense of relief after finding out he would miss Thursday's game with an illness, while Lauri Markkanen would sit to manage a knee injury.
Utah needs losses. It needs a talent like AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer to pair with George. And sporadic absences like Thursday's can help get the Jazz there.
25. Charlotte Hornets (11-22)
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -3.0
New Year's Resolution: Extended Minutes for the "Big Three"
The Charlotte Hornets lost to the Golden State Warriors on New Year's Eve, but Kon Knueppel made some very specific (but still impressive) history.
Not even halfway through the season, he passed Stephen Curry for the most games by a rookie with 20-plus points, a 50-plus field-goal percentage, a 40-plus three-point percentage and a 90-plus free-throw percentage.
It's becoming increasingly clear the 20-year-old will be more than just a great floor spacer. He has superstar upside. And now, Charlotte just has to hope for better durability from his teammates, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
When those two are on the floor with Knueppel, Charlotte is plus-10.0 points per 100 possessions. And it's not hard to see why the combination works. Surrounding Ball with two volume shooters who can also operate as secondary creators and punish closeouts makes the Hornets a nightmare to defend.
They just need a lot more minutes from the trio to push toward the top of the play-in mix.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (14-20)
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -2.8
New Year's Resolution: Move Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is back from injury, but the Milwaukee Bucks' long-term prospects don't feel any better.
They beat the Chicago Bulls in his return, but his garbage-time windmill was the biggest story from that game.
And then they closed out their week with a home loss to the Washington Wizards.
As good as it is to have Giannis back in the rotation, this team is nowhere near a contender. And without a trade for the nine-time All-Star, it doesn't have the assets necessary to get better.
Oh, and the cap hit for Damian Lillard's stretched contract is $22.5 million a year for each of the next four seasons after this one.
It's looking dire. And every loss, especially ones like Wednesday's against Washington, makes a Giannis move feel a little more likely.
23. Brooklyn Nets (10-21)
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -4.4
New Year's Resolution: Keep Juicing Trade Value
Michael Porter Jr. missed the Brooklyn Nets' blowout loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday with an illness, but he's averaged 28.3 points, 4.8 threes and 3.8 assists, while shooting 47.5 percent from deep, over his last 10 appearances.
And when he shares the floor with Nicolas Claxton and Noah Clowney, the Brooklyn Nets are more than a handful.
When Brooklyn has that jumbo frontcourt in games, the Nets are outscoring opponents by 6.5 points per 100 possessions.
And other teams around the league have to be taking notice. Porter and Claxton could be valuable trade assets ahead of the deadline, if Brooklyn chooses to lean even harder into a rebuild, but they're also young enough to reasonably expect them to be a part of the next good Nets team.
22. Dallas Mavericks (12-23)
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -3.9
New Year's Resolution: Trade Anthony Davis
For a brief stretch in early and mid-December, it looked like the Dallas Mavericks might have an outside shot at a play-in spot. Heck, the back half of the West is bad enough this year that they might still sneak in.
But after going winless this week and stretching their record to 1-6 in their last seven, it's fair to wonder: To what end?
One or two high-stakes games for Cooper Flagg might be nice, but even if Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are available for a postseason, the Mavs would likely get rocked by someone like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Houston Rockets in the first round.
Instead of chasing mediocrity, Dallas should keep Kyrie off the floor for the rest of this season, trade AD and lean into lottery odds the rest of the way.
If the end result is the chance to pair Flagg with someone like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer or Darryn Peterson, the losing will have been well worth it.
21. Portland Trail Blazers (14-20)
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -3.9
New Year's Resolution: Get Deni Avdija into the All-Star Game
The Portland Trail Blazers could make the play-in tournament. They're currently in 10th place, and there's plenty of incentive for at least one of the teams in their vicinity (the Utah Jazz) to tank.
But no one is going to mistake this team for anything close to a contender. Even advancing from the play-in to the playoffs could be a stretch.
That doesn't mean fans can't look at this season as a success, especially if they get a Trail Blazer into the All-Star Game.
Deni Avdija is the obvious candidate. Catch-all metrics suggest he's been a top-25 player this season. He's averaging 25.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists. And under the new All-Star format, there has to be at least eight international representatives.
20. Memphis Grizzlies (15-18)
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: -0.9
New Year's Resolution: Get and Stay Healthy
The Memphis Grizzlies may not have a ton of control over who's healthy (and when), but it feels like a worthy goal, nonetheless.
Ja Morant and Zach Edey have both missed significant time already this season, and both have shown flashes of brilliance when available.
Morant turned back the clock with 40 points in an overtime loss on Tuesday.
And just before he left the rotation with an ankle injury, Edey had a six-game stretch in which Memphis went 5-1 and he averaged 16.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.
At least in theory, the combination of both would give Memphis a dynamic guard-big combo that could dominate the middle of the floor, especially when surrounded by floor spacers such as Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Spencer and rookie Cedric Coward (who's cooled off since his hot start but still has plenty of shooting upside).
19. Atlanta Hawks (16-19)
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -0.7
New Year's Resolution: Trade Trae Young
The "Atlanta Hawks are better without Trae Young" takes picked up even more steam this week, as the Atlanta Hawks picked up another win without him in the lineup on Wednesday.
On the season, they're now 2-8 when the 27-year-old plays and 14-11 when he doesn't.
That second record isn't all that exciting, but it's obviously a lot better than the alternative. And when you watch the Hawks, it feels almost indisputable that they're better when Young doesn't play.
The offense takes a meaningful hit without him, but the gains on defense are more than enough to make up for that. Atlanta is allowing a whopping 13.1 fewer points per 100 possessions without the four-time All-Star.
When he's not in the game, the Hawks suddenly become one of the longer, more athletic defenses in the league, with Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker surrendering far fewer wide-open driving lanes.
Young has been, pretty clearly, one of the best players Atlanta has ever had. He's sixth in franchise history in wins over replacement player. But to really contend, the Hawks might have to turn him into a couple role players and focus the future on Johnson.
18. Chicago Bulls (16-17)
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -3.8
New Year's Resolution: Pick a Lane
The Chicago Bulls feel like perhaps the single biggest staple of the play-in tournament. And all indications are they'll fall somewhere in that 7-10 range again this season.
That is, unless, they unload some veterans such as Nikola Vučević or Coby White ahead of this year's trade deadline.
Neither figures to draw a huge return, but unloading them for anything and experiencing a little short-term pain in the win column in exchange for better lottery odds would make sense.
Chicago has some intriguing young talents, including Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, but it still doesn't look like there's a sure-fire future star on this roster.
A shot at the top pick in 2026 could give them that.
17. Los Angeles Clippers (12-21)
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -1.9
New Year's Resolution: Embrace What's Working
Two weeks ago, the Los Angeles Clippers might have been the most disappointing team in the NBA.
But with Kawhi Leonard healthy and Brook Lopez starting in place of the injured Ivica Zubac, L.A. has rattled off six straight wins in a stretch that includes matchups with the Los Angeles Lakers (there was a real temptation to have the Clippers leapfrog their in-town rivals), Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons.
The most important factor in the turnaround is the play of Leonard, who had 45 points in Thursday's win and is averaging 39.0 during this run. But the injury-forced adjustment at the 5 has helped too.
Even after shooting 1-of-12 from deep in the last victory, Lopez has made 38.6 percent of his three-point attempts in the streak. And the attention he commands from opposing bigs outside has helped keep the paint clearer for slashing from Leonard and James Harden.
The contrast between L.A.'s recent play and what it was doing before is so stark that the team has to consider sticking with Lopez even after Zubac gets healthy.
16. Los Angeles Lakers (20-11)
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: -0.6
New Year's Resolution: Find Perimeter Defense
Despite being 20-11, the Los Angeles Lakers are in the bottom half of the league in net rating and are giving up a whopping 117.8 points per 100 possessions on the defensive end.
Tuesday's home loss to the Detroit Pistons offered several vivid descriptions of the problem.
Against younger, more athletic teams like the Pistons, L.A.'s perimeter defense, headlined by Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and now-41-year-old LeBron James can look completely overwhelmed. Any of the above being dusted from the outside is routine.
And while Deandre Ayton has had a solid offensive campaign in his first year with the Lakers, he's hardly the kind of rim protector who can overcome wings and guards being this bad at containment.
Barring a dramatic move involving Reaves (or maybe even, *gasp*, LeBron), L.A. has to do something to shore up the defense. Even if it's some under-the-radar move to add one perimeter defender, that's better than standing pat between now and the trade deadline.
15. Miami Heat (19-15)
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: 3.0
New Year's Resolution: Keep the Pedal to the Metal
Especially while Tyler Herro continues to deal with injuries (he's appeared in just six games all season), the Miami Heat are just a little light on offensive talent.
That's why, even after a four-game winning streak in which the Heat scored 133.3 points per game, they rank just 15th in points per 100 possessions.
And that's why they should continue to sort of disguise that shortcoming by generating as many possessions as they can. Miami leads the league in pace, field-goal attempts per game and possessions used out of transition per game.
14. Phoenix Suns (19-14)
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 1.1
New Year's Resolution: Stay the Course
The Phoenix Suns ended their four-game road trip with a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it's hard to be anything but encouraged by this season.
Phoenix had a four-game winning streak prior to that game against the Cavs, and it's already about two-thirds of the way to its preseason over-under of 30.5 wins.
Changing a culture this quickly and thoroughly is impressive, and new coach Jordan Ott and face-of-the-franchise Devin Booker deserve a ton of credit for that.
And since the Suns don't have control of their first-round pick in 2026, there's no reason to even think about lottery odds. This campaign isn't likely to end with real title contention, but there's value (especially to fans) in being competitive and crushing expectations.
13. Toronto Raptors (20-15)
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 1.2
New Year's Resolution: Consistency
Every time it starts to feel like the Toronto Raptors might be a fixture in the top 10, they have a week like this one.
They had quality wins against the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic, but they bookended this stretch with losses to the Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets down four starters (including Nikola Jokić).
For this team to be taken seriously as a potential first-round winner, it has to find some level of consistency over the next several weeks.
12. Philadelphia 76ers (18-14)
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 0.8
New Year's Resolution: Keep Joel Embiid Upright
There was something fun and exciting about the guard-centric, fast-paced Philadelphia 76ers without Joel Embiid.
But Tyrese Maxey's superstar turn and VJ Edgecombe's rookie breakout don't have to be curbed by the return of the old Embiid (or at least something close to it), and this recent stretch from the Sixers is proof.
In his last six appearances, Embiid has averaged 29.2 points in 33.0 minutes. And he's had a positive plus-minus in four of those contests.
In the same stretch, Maxey is at 29.1 points and Edgecombe has a game-winner.
Everyone can eat, and the more these three (and Paul George) play with each other, the more they'll figure out the balance.
The East has some powerhouses (or at least borderline powerhouses), but there's an opportunity for someone like the 76ers to crash the conference finals (and maybe even get a bit further).
If this version of Embiid is around for the playoffs, and Maxey can spare him some of the heavy lifting he's done in the past, Philadelphia could take advantage of that opportunity.
11. Orlando Magic (19-15)
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 1.5
New Year's Resolution: Turn Paolo Banchero Into a Slasher
Paolo Banchero already does a fair bit of driving, but it might be time to lean even harder into that part of his game.
He's having a historically bad jump shooting campaign, and he's never been particularly close to an average effective field-goal percentage in any season prior to this one.
The latter shouldn't be a regular occurrence for a player with his size (6'10", 250 pounds) and athleticism. And if he simply tossed some of the long twos and contested threes from his shot diet, it wouldn't be.
The contrast between how he does play and how he should play was on vivid display this week, when Banchero had opportunities to win two different games at the buzzer.
In the first, he settled for a stepback three.
Two days later, he didn't settle and secured the win for Orlando.
Banchero could be a dominant interior presence if he simply chose to be. And the sooner he does, the better off the Magic will be.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-16)
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 2.4
New Year's Resolution: Keep Darius Garland on the Floor
They aren't likely to finish anywhere near the 64 wins they had last season (or the 56.5-win over-under they had before this one), but the Cleveland Cavaliers are slowly starting to look a little more like the team we expected them to be.
They're 4-2 in their last six, with the losses both on the road and against potential title contenders in the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. The last two wins were over the San Antonio Spurs (on the road) and the surprising Phoenix Suns.
The biggest difference has to be the recent play of Darius Garland, who's either been out or looked compromised for much of this season. In his last nine games, he is averaging 19.9 points and 7.7 assists, while shooting 46.6 percent from deep.
And if this version of Garland can stick around, the Cavs will have one of the best and most dynamic backcourts in the NBA.
9. Golden State Warriors (18-16)
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 2.5
New Year's Resolution: Find a Jonathan Kuminga Trade
It took a while, and it's not happening against the stiffest portion of the schedule, but the Golden State Warriors finally seem to be gaining a little traction.
They're 5-1 in their last six, and the stretch coincides pretty well with the return of Stephen Curry. Since he came back from a quad injury, he is putting up 30.1 points, 4.9 threes and 4.8 assists per game, while shooting 40.0 percent from deep.
Winning at this rate against better opponents is almost certainly going to require a roster shakeup. Jonathan Kuminga hasn't played a minute during this 5-1 run, and $22.5 million in salary is just sitting on the bench.
It almost doesn't matter how much value Golden State can get for him in a trade. Having anyone who can contribute just about anything would be better.
Almost a half-decade into the 23-year-old's career, it's clear head coach Steve Kerr simply doesn't see Kuminga as a meaningful part of the rotation. Whether or not he can be is irrelevant.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (21-13)
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 3.7
New Year's Resolution: Consistency
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been prone to some of the wilder swings in the NBA this season.
Since Thanksgiving, they have wins over the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks. But in the same stretch, they've lost to three sub-.500 teams, including two this week.
The inconsistency might doom the T-Wolves at some critical moment in the playoffs, but this team also has the ceiling of a bona fide contender.
With Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid, they have the kind of size and physicality inside that can bully most opposing front lines. And Anthony Edwards is one of the only guards in the league who can exchange haymakers with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and occasionally come out on top.
7. Denver Nuggets (23-10)
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 7.1
New Year's Resolution: Survive
As if this season didn't already feel cursed enough, Nikola Jokić and his backup, Jonas Valančiūnas, joined Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun on the injured list this week.
And although the Denver Nuggets surprised the Toronto Raptors in their first game without Jokić, his absence (which could last at least four weeks) may be a nightmare.
The non-Jokić minutes have been a little better this season, but Jonas Valančiūnas suffered a calf strain in the win over Toronto, and over the last five seasons, Denver is minus-8.2 points per 100 possessions without the three-time MVP.
On the bright side, the Nuggets may have built enough of a buffer to stay in the top six until Jokić returns. And the absence of all these regulars could force the supporting cast into some seasoning.
6. Boston Celtics (21-12)
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 7.0
New Year's Resolution: Hold the Line
Even without Jayson Tatum and after jettisoning three key role players this past offseason, the Boston Celtics are a full-fledged offensive juggernaut on pace for 50-plus wins.
And with a relatively easy remaining strength of schedule, it's starting to feel like an eventual return is inevitable for Tatum.
Had the Celtics entered this season flat, it would have been easy to look at this as a gap year, shed more money and hope for a top pick in this draft. In that case, a full season of recovery for Tatum would have been obvious.
But Joe Mazzulla, Jaylen Brown and his supporting cast obviously had different ideas about this campaign. And by the time the playoffs roll around, we could see Tatum playing the minutes currently going to players such as Josh Minott and Baylor Scheierman.
5. Detroit Pistons (25-9)
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 6.2
New Year's Resolution: Trade For Another Scorer
For really the first time all season, the Detroit Pistons have hit a bit of a rough patch. After losing to the Miami Heat on Thursday, they're 1-3 in their last four.
And while they're still in the top 10 in points per 100 possessions, they're quite a ways behind the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics.
This recent slide could be just the motivation Detroit needs to combine some of its movable salary and a draft pick (or a few) for another weapon such as Michael Porter Jr. or Lauri Markkanen.
Realistic shots at a Finals appearance don't come along often, and a trio of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and one more star-level talent would have a real chance to get there.
4. San Antonio Spurs (24-9)
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 5.5
New Year's Resolution: Have Wemby for the Playoffs
Immediately after ascending to the top spot in the power rankings for the first time this season, the San Antonio Spurs lost back-to-back games against the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaleirs (both by double digits).
And though they ended their week with a win over the New York Knicks, Victor Wembanyama suffered a knee hyperextension in that one.
There's no indication of how long he'll be out and San Antonio is actually a slight plus in the non-Wemby minutes, but they can't hit their ceiling without him available for the postseason.
So, it's probably safe to expect another very conservative approach to this latest injury, including multiple games missed and a possible return to the second unit when he's back in action.
3. New York Knicks (23-10)
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 6.5
New Year's Resolution: Finish First in the East
With another above-.500 week, the New York Knicks are within striking distance of the East's top seed and have a matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
It will be the first of three meetings between the two after their hard-fought, first-round series this past spring.
In that six-game matchup, Jalen Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 8.2 assists, but Ausar Thompson has another year of experience defending high-end guards and wings under his belt.
The Boston Celtics could have something to say about this, but New York and Detroit have a chance to be a part of the East's defining rivalry of the next couple years.
2. Houston Rockets (21-10)
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 9.0
New Year's Resolution: Embrace Reed Sheppard at Point Guard
After an undefeated week of games against the Eastern Conference, the Houston Rockets have put some distance between their second-place net rating and the Denver Nuggets' third-place mark.
And in the most recent victory, they showed off just how deep and well-balanced their attack is.
Houston had six players hit double figures in its 120-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, three hit 20 and two hit 20 points and five assists.
For the season, six different Rockets have had 20-and-5 games, with Alperen Şengün and Kevin Durant leading the way with 15 and 13, respectively.
That kind of depth and the fact that Houston is currently second in the league in points per 100 possessions makes it tough to find fault with the offense, but there's a chance Reed Sheppard could supercharge it even further.
Houston is currently in the bottom 10 in threes per game while having the second worst turnover percentage in the league. Sheppard is averaging 3.8 threes and 1.7 turnovers per 75 possessions.
There may be a bit of a learning curve for both him and the starters left around him, but going through that a few months before the playoffs could pay off in a big spot.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (29-5)
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 14.2
New Year's Resolution: 74 Wins
After a one-week interregnum brought on (mostly) by two straight losses against the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the top spot after another undefeated week.
And though the recent slippage has their pace down to 70 wins, the Thunder can still realistically aim for the all-time, single-season record.
Their schedule is going to stiffen, but it's worth noting they got to this point with Jalen Williams missing over half their games and not quite looking like his old self in the ones he's played.
After posting a 4.2 playoff box plus/minus on the way to the 2025 title, Williams is at 1.9 this regular season.
He's almost certainly going to get better over the coming weeks and months, and that will make the already dominant Thunder terrifying.
