Updated Win-Loss Predictions for Every NBA Team
Tanking is a hot topic in the NBA these days, as close to a third of the league is looking at the stretch run of the 2025-26 season as an opportunity to lose games and improve lottery position.
Most teams are still engaged in a race to the top, but we need to account for the ones that have little incentive to win as we take another crack at predicting final records.
We'll include our preseason guesses as well as the updates we made in early December. Those will serve as reminders of where each team was at previous points in the year. Unfortunately, they'll also highlight how ridiculously wrong we were in a few cases.
Sorry, Phoenix Suns. At least we believe in you now.
Atlanta Hawks: 39-43
1 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 46-36
Dec. 1 Prediction: 45-37
Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis are both gone, which lowers the upside of an Atlanta Hawks team that has played break-even ball since Dec. 26.
Jalen Johnson, a first-time All-Star, probably isn't capable of carrying Atlanta to the 46 wins we originally predicted, particularly with the shooting drain that occurred when both Vit Krejci and Luke Kennard departed at the trade deadline. Buddy Hield should help in that regard, but it's anyone's guess as to how much or how well Jonathan Kuminga will play as he tries to rehabilitate his value down the stretch.
The Hawks have one of the easier remaining schedules, and they don't have any real reason to tank because they control the New Orleans Pelicans' 2026 first-rounder. That said, it's hard to see a ton of improvement from an Atlanta squad that has rated a bit below average in both offensive and defensive efficiency to this point.
Boston Celtics: 54-28
2 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 37-45
Dec. 1 Prediction: 36-46
If you're going to be wrong, you might as well be stubborn about it.
The Boston Celtics' strong start wasn't enough to shake our priors, which aligned with the conventional wisdom that the absences of Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and others would produce a difficult gap year.
Now that we're more than two-thirds of the way through the season, it's long past time to acknowledge that both our preseason and early December predictions were laughably bad.
Jaylen Brown barged into the MVP conversation, a center-by-committee approach got the job done and head coach Joe Mazzulla ensured the Celtics would win the math game and compete like lunatics every night. The Celtics have the second-best point differential in the East, they're among the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and they have as much chance as anyone in the conference to make the Finals.
Brooklyn Nets: 19-63
3 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 16-66
Dec. 1 Prediction: 17-65
Michael Porter Jr. somehow stayed on the Brooklyn Nets' roster through the trade deadline, and his continued presence means there'll be at least one game-ready veteran scorer on the floor whenever he plays. An All-Star snub, MPJ is averaging over 25 points per game on excellent efficiency, and Brooklyn *only* gets outscored by 3.7 points per 100 possessions during his minutes.
That's a run-of-the-mill bad net rating, different from the nauseating minus-12.4 the Nets manage without Porter Jr. on the floor.
The Nets' ability to crack 20 wins may depend on how often he plays down the stretch. Odds are, Brooklyn will prioritize draft position and take it easy with MPJ's minutes. He'll be a hugely valuable trade chip this offseason—or a potential keeper since the Nets don't control their 2027 first-rounder—but only if he stays healthy.
Charlotte Hornets: 45-37
4 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 29-53
Dec. 1 Prediction: 31-51
Who's more fun than the Charlotte Hornets right now?
LaMelo Ball is a lock to play more games than he has in any of the past three seasons, Charlotte has four players averaging between 18.4 and 20.3 points per game and a scorching 9-0 streak from Jan. 22 to Feb. 7 has this offensively dynamic group looking more dangerous than anyone else in the Play-In tier of the standings.
Kon Knueppel hasn't cooled off a bit, and though Cooper Flagg has retaken the momentum in the Rookie of the Year race, Knueppel is on track to put up one of the greatest first-year seasons by a player who didn't take home the award. Unless he suffers an unthinkably cold stretch, he'll become the first rookie in history to score at least 18.0 points per game with a true shooting percentage above 64.0 percent.
The addition of Coby White at the trade deadline could push the Hornets' electrifying offense, already in the top 10, all the way up to top-five territory.
Chicago Bulls: 32-50
5 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 38-44
Dec. 1 Prediction: 39-43
Finally acknowledging the truth they'd resisted for so long, the Chicago Bulls stripped it down at the trade deadline. Nikola Vučević, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu all headed elsewhere, replaced by a raft of guards.
How Chicago constructs lineups with newcomers Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton and Rob Dillingham (not to mention Josh Giddey, Isaac Okoro and Tre Jones) remains to be seen. But winning enough games to make the Play-In will no longer be the objective.
Chicago entered the All-Star break on a 1-9 stretch that should be viewed as a signal of things to come.
"We know where we are in the standings, and we are not satisfied with being in the middle," vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas told reporters after the deadline. If that doesn't cause you to downgrade your expectations, nothing will.
Cleveland Cavaliers: 52-30
6 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 57-25
Dec. 1 Prediction: 51-31
James Harden is going to give the Cleveland Cavaliers more than Darius Garland was, as the latter's persistent toe injuries had him on track to post his worst season since 2019-20.
Say what you will about Harden's playoff track record and penchant for trade demands. At least he's durable and reliable as a night-to-night offensive engine. He looked great in his Cavs debut and hit a clutch three to tie the game in the late going during an eventual win over the Denver Nuggets in his second.
If Evan Mobley returns from his calf injury soon, he'll find himself enjoying spoon-fed setups like he's never had before. And with his offensive load lightened by the high-usage Harden, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year should also have the juice to get back into top form on that end.
Don't forget about new addition Keon Ellis, the ongoing rise of Jaylon Tyson and the possibility that another trade acquisition, Dennis Schroder, could make an impact down the stretch.
Dallas Mavericks: 26-56
7 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 42-30
Dec. 1 Prediction: 33-49
The Mavs traded Anthony Davis for a giant nothing-burger of a return and now seem poised to do what they can to maximize their 2026 first-round pick. That's the only one they control for the rest of the decade, so it's pretty important that they use it to find another running mate for surefire superstar Cooper Flagg.
The Mavs have the point differential of a team that should be expected to finish with a win total in the low 30s, but part of that owes to a solid 7-3 stretch in January. Dallas has no incentive to put together another run like that, and it also probably won't put any urgency into getting Kyrie Irving back on the floor this season.
Don't be surprised if the Mavericks also throttle back on Flagg's playing time. He's in the middle of his second extended stretch playing point guard, and while he's done everything to justify the hype of his draft slot and pedigree, Dallas already knows what it has in him. There's no reason to wear him down in meaningless losses, so the Mavs will slow-play his recovery from a foot injury.
Denver Nuggets: 49-33
8 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 53-29
Dec. 1 Prediction: 57-25
Injuries haven't relented since we tabbed the relatively healthy Denver Nuggets for an upgraded 57 wins in early December. Though Nikola Jokić is back after missing time with a hyperextended knee, both Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon are currently out with hamstring strains.
This is the second extended hamstring-related absence for Gordon, who is a good bet to be treated very conservatively going forward. The Nuggets know he's integral to any championship aspirations and could play him sparingly, even when healthy, ahead of the postseason.
As long as Jokić is in uniform and first-time All-Star Jamal Murray is at his side, Denver will be capable of beating anyone. And it should also be motivated to hold onto its current position in the West's top four for home-court-advantage purposes.
The Nuggets will compete—within reason—over the final two months. But they'll do it against the toughest remaining schedule and will have to outperform expectations to crack 50 wins.
Detroit Pistons: 60-22
9 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 45-37
Dec. 1 Prediction: 53-29
The Detroit Pistons are where tempered expectations go to die.
After tripling up their 2023-24 win total by amassing 44 victories last season, the Pistons were subject to some minor skepticism. Maybe they could repeat that level of success, but surely they weren't going to keep building. And they definitely weren't going to turn this season's scorching start into a rugged, fisticuff-fueled surge to top-seed status.
So much for that.
Cade Cunningham is a no-questions-asked superstar, Jalen Duren is an All-Star and this group plays with a nasty edge that turns every regular season game into a battle for survival.
The Pistons have won 75 percent of their games to this point, added a little shooting by trading for Kevin Huerter at the deadline and show no signs of turning down the defensive intensity. We're done managing enthusiasm. Detroit is a contender.
Golden State Warriors: 44-38
10 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 47-35
Dec. 1 Prediction: 44-38
The Warriors keep finding ways to survive with starting lineups led by the likes of Pat Spencer and Gui Santos, which is how they're somehow still on the same pace we predicted back in early December.
Stephen Curry's tussle with runner's knee kept him out of the lineup during the entire pre-break portion of February, Jimmy Butler's torn ACL ended his season and Jonathan Kuminga never contributed anything of consequence before finally (mercifully!) being traded at the deadline.
Golden State is still on track to win in the mid-40s, and it's entirely possible it could nudge that total higher if Kristaps Porzingis is healthy enough down the stretch to provide the best rim-protecting, floor-spacing center play the team has ever had.
Any additional missed time by Curry will doom this projection, but it's remarkable that the team has held up as well as it has without him to this point. A top-10 defense and league-leading three-point volume tends to set a pretty high floor.
Houston Rockets: 53-29
11 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 52-30
Dec. 1 Prediction: 56-26
Steven Adams' season-ending ankle injury means the Houston Rockets' greatest strength, offensive rebounding, will be seriously diminished over the last third of the season. They'll still be good in that area, but they may no longer be great.
That'll make Houston's turnover issues sting a little more, as it'll be tougher to offset those mistakes with second-chance points.
Alperen Sengün is an All-Star, and the defense should continue to hang in the top five. But the Rockets didn't make a move at the trade deadline to address their shooting and late-game playmaking issues. A bottom-five offense over the last two weeks is a troubling sign, but at least the schedule is relatively easy the rest of the way. Cleveland is the only playoff lock with a softer closing stretch.
Indiana Pacers: 20-62
12 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 34-48
Dec. 1 Prediction: 26-56
Early-season injuries across the roster eliminated any shot of the Indiana Pacers threatening a Play-In spot. They were never going to make any real noise with Tyrese Haliburton out for the year, but all those absences made a tanking gap year the obvious and correct play.
Indy is going to struggle to crack 20 wins, but it'll muddle through the rest of the year with real hope on the horizon. It owns its own 2026 first-rounder after a prescient swap to reclaim it during the Finals last year, and its deadline deal for Ivica Zubac is a sign Indiana intends to hit the ground running as a refreshed contender in 2026-27.
Currently ranked dead last in offensive efficiency, the Pacers are a good bet to stay there as they find frequent rest nights for Zubac and All-Star Pascal Siakam.
LA Clippers: 34-48
13 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 45-37
Dec. 1 Prediction: 37-45
What a rollercoaster ride this LA Clippers season has been!
An absolutely horrid start that featured a 2-13 record in November seemed to extinguish all hope of postseason relevance (although we deserve credit for only knocking eight wins off of our preseason prediction), but then a thrilling surge led by Kawhi Leonard rekindled hope of at least a .500 record.
The twists didn't end there.
LA dealt away Ivica Zubac and James Harden at the deadline, effectively announcing its intention to throw this season away and focus on a rebuild. Darius Garland and the picks acquired for Zubac give the Clips something close to a foundation, but the former's toe injury could keep him from contributing this season, and those future picks won't materialize for a while.
Though currently on pace to finish with a win total in the high 30s, nothing about the Clippers' recent decisions suggests they're interested in pushing that hard between now and April.
Los Angeles Lakers: 45-37
14 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 47-35
Dec. 1 Prediction: 50-32
LeBron James doesn't view the Los Angeles Lakers as contenders, and he's probably right about that.
The most charitable assessment of the Lakers is that they could continue to ride a borderline top-10 offense to a high-40s win total. That's roughly where we've had them since the preseason. On the other, more ominous hand, Los Angeles has the point differential of a team that should have about six fewer wins than it currently does. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Lakers have performed to this point like a 39-win team.
Luka Dončić is the league's scoring leader, and his presence ensures a very high floor. James could be playing out his final year with the team and might want to end with a bang. As long as both are healthy, we should expect the Lakers to overcome their shoddy defense and hang around the race for a top-six spot in the West. But don't be surprised if serious regression hits. Some numbers are pointing pretty strongly to that outcome.
We'll spit the difference and knock them down to 45 wins.
Memphis Grizzlies: 27-55
15 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 46-36
Dec. 1 Prediction: 38-44
Ja Morant is still around because the Memphis Grizzlies couldn't trade him without attaching assets, but the rest of the core that posted back-to-back 50 win seasons is gone. Desmond Bane's departure lowered expectations in the preseason, but Jaren Jackson's exit for a pick-heavy package completely torpedoes any chance of competitive basketball from here on out.
The Grizzlies are rebuilding, and they've got the tools to do it effectively. With 13 first-rounders in the next seven drafts and a young core led by Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells and a handful of prospects acquired in the Jackson deal, Memphis' distant future is bright.
None of those assets will have much impact during the rest of this season as the Grizzlies pivot into full tank mode, hoping to improve the quality of their own 2026 first-rounder.
Miami Heat: 44-38
16 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 42-40
Dec. 1 Prediction: 49-33
Time for an admission: We got a little too caught up in the hype when the Miami Heat surged out of the gates behind an innovative offense and an extremely fast pace. Miami was 14-7 when we made our Dec. 1 prediction, and that was as far over .500 as the team would get at any point this season—barring a remarkable run between now and the end of the year.
The Heat are still hanging around .500, but they're not doing it with offense. After that eye-opening start, they're scoring at a clip below the league average. Fortunately, the trend of Miami posting a defensive rating inside the top 10 continues. The Heat are actually narrowly within the top five on that end and should be expected to stick there.
Bam Adebayo was an All-Star snub, teammate Norman Powell's scoring earned him an invite to the game and Andrew Wiggins continues to provide high-end play on both ends. As usual, this team is well-coached, plays hard and has no interest in tanking.
The Heat are a Play-In lock at the very least, but they're not going to threaten for a top-four spot like it appeared they might a few weeks ago.
Milwaukee Bucks: 32-50
17 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 42-40
Dec. 1 Prediction: 39-43
Giannis Antetokounmpo lasted through the deadline and is again professing his undying loyalty to the Milwaukee Bucks. Stay tuned for the offseason when we'll undoubtedly re-enter the "will he, won't he?" cycle of trade agitation that never quite rises to the level of a demand.
Antetokounmpo's calf strain is a wild card. Nobody's sure how long he'll be out or how the Bucks will react if he says he wants to go full throttle whenever he returns. They need to maximize their draft position, and Giannis has proved this season that he can lift this mess of a team to respectability when healthy. They're 15-15 with Antetokounmpo in the lineup but perform like one of the two or three worst teams in the league when he isn't.
This downgraded record is a bet on Antetokounmpo playing relatively little down the stretch, and on Milwaukee looking completely overmatched for most of the games he misses.
Minnesota Timberwolves: 52-30
18 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 55-27
Dec. 1 Prediction: 52-30
The Minnesota Timberwolves' low point came in January, when they dropped a season-worst five straight games to fall to 27-19. The last two-plus seasons have shown us that the Wolves are prone to skids like that, but we've also learned during that same multiyear stretch that this group tends to play up and down to the competition.
In that sense, it might actually be a good thing that Minnesota has one of the five toughest schedules the rest of the way.
The Wolves added Ayo Dosunmu at the deadline, a high-energy defender who thrives in transition. He's a major upgrade over Rob Dillingham and Mike Conley, who circled back to the Wolves' bench after being involved in what seems like predetermined deadline shuffling.
As long as Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels anchor the defense, and as long as Anthony Edwards provides the superstar punch on the other end, Minnesota should have little trouble meeting the expectations we set in December.
New Orleans Pelicans: 27-55
19 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 27-55
Dec. 1 Prediction: 25-57
This might seem like a rosy prediction for a New Orleans Pelicans team currently on track to win only 22 games. But unlike many of the league's other cellar-dwellers, the Pels have no reason to lose on purpose.
Rest assured they can fail without any shenanigans, which they've proved throughout the year by ranking 25th on offense and 26th on defense. But the Pelicans don't control their 2026 first-rounder and have nothing to gain by sticking at the bottom of the standings. Others—like the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards—have good reason to engineer losses.
Plus, Herb Jones returned from injury on Jan. 23, and New Orleans is playing roughly break-even ball since then. On the year, three of the Pels' four most-used lineups featuring Jones have positive net ratings. That may not continue, but it's pretty clear the fully healthy Pelicans have the roster and incentives to win more than the league's deliberate tankers.
New York Knicks: 53-29
20 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 53-29
Dec. 1 Prediction: 51-31
If the New York Knicks feel disappointing, maybe it's because expectations entering the season, led by optimism about new head coach Mike Brown's ability to get more out of mostly the same core talent, were a little too high.
We never bought the Knicks as a 60-win juggernaut, and that's proven to be the right stance.
Quietly, though, New York has a higher point differential this year than last and has a great chance of improving on the 51 wins it logged in 2024-25. Nobody in any of the five boroughs will celebrate that feat, but it's important to keep perspective. The Knicks are actually better than they were a year ago.
Jose Alvarado was the team's "big" deadline addition, and he should change a handful of games with his defensive pressure. Ultimately, the Knicks are still defined by the same core factors as always: Jalen Brunson's high-volume scoring, Mitchell Robinson's offensive rebounding and a defense that generally figures out how to hide Karl-Anthony Towns just well enough.
Oklahoma City Thunder: 62-20
21 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 62-20
Dec. 1 Prediction: 71-11
Well, at least we didn't get as caught up in predicting the Oklahoma City Thunder would shatter the all-time wins record like everyone else did in December.
We still overestimated OKC's ability to win at historic rates by juicing their win total from 62 to 71, but at least we didn't put them on the same level as the 2015-16 Warriors.
Oklahoma City was fading a bit before injuries wrecked the roster in January, and it is only now getting healthy. Jalen Williams is back in the lineup, as is Isaiah Hartenstein. The former missed 10 straight contests from Jan. 19 to Feb. 7, and OKC went 5-5 during that stretch. The latter played only a single game in January, and the Thunder were just 10-6 with him out in that month.
Even the metronomically consistent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fell prey. He went down with an abdominal strain on Feb. 3 and won't be re-evaluated until after the All-Star break.
As such, the Thunder are only on a 62-win pace, though they have the point differential of a 67-game winner. Assuming they'll prioritize health ahead of the playoffs, that first number, which we offered before the season, feels about right.
Orlando Magic: 45-37
22 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 49-33
Dec. 1 Prediction: 51-31
There are several teams that rate as more disappointing than the Orlando Magic, but it's not great that they're in the conversation.
Far from making the superstar leap many expected, Paolo Banchero is regressing. He's on pace to post his lowest scoring average and effective field-goal percentage since his rookie year and is now facing questions about his fitness as the key piece of a respectable NBA offense.
Franz Wagner has missed close to half the season, Jalen Suggs will struggle to reach 60 games and Desmond Bane's relative durability has come with a mere 35.7 percent hit rate on threes. Overall, the Magic are again on track to post an offensive rating in the bottom 10 (that'll make it 10 straight years), and their defense, once a calling card, is now in the middle of the pack.
We're pricing in some desperation-fueled improvement in our prediction, as Orlando's point differential is only that of a 39-win team.
Philadelphia 76ers: 44-38
23 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 43-39
Dec. 1 Prediction: 41-41
Joel Embiid isn't what he was at his apex, but he's also nothing like the immobile non-factor he was in 19 appearances last year. That's a big deal, and his minor resurgence pairs with the Philadelphia 76ers' stellar guard play to keep them on track for something around the 43 wins we foresaw back in October.
Minutes-per-game leader Tyrese Maxey will need to continue his seeming indestructibility, and VJ Edgecombe has to keep avoiding that rookie wall, but as long as those two are in the backcourt, the Sixers are a tough matchup every night.
It helps that Quentin Grimes is continuing to play a key role after the offseason's messy contract negotiations led to him accepting the qualifying offer, and it's also a huge plus that recently converted two-way forward Dominick Barlow is reliable enough to offset Paul George's 25-game suspension.
Philadelphia isn't a contender, but it's going to finish in the top six and easily stay above .500.
Phoenix Suns: 47-35
24 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 26-56
Dec. 1 Prediction: 35-47
The Phoenix Suns went 12-9 across their first 21 games, and we still didn't buy them as anything more than an early-season overachiever fueled by unsustainable defensive pressure and a spin-cycle offense that created enough collective juice to offset Devin Booker's surprising inefficiency.
As you can tell from the preseason prediction, we've been wrong about this team at every turn.
The Suns are on a 48-win pace and have a point differential that aligns exactly with that number. In other words, we've seen too much of Collin Gillespie's elite shooting, Dillon Brooks' undeniable impact on winning and Phoenix's collective toughness to keep questioning the results.
This was supposed to be one of the most hopeless teams in the league, but they've got every chance of winning 50 games and finishing among the West's top six.
Portland Trail Blazers: 41-41
25 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 43-39
Dec. 1 Prediction: 40-42
Deni Avdija fought through a back injury in January, but a few missed games wasn't enough to derail a breakout season that is now officially All-Star worthy. He'll benefit from the shooting help deadline acquisition Vít Krejčí should provide, and Scoot Hederson's long-awaited return from a hamstring injury gives Avdija another ball-handler to lighten what's been a very heavy offensive load.
If things break right, and if Portland takes advantage of the league's easiest remaining schedule, a .500 record and a Play-In spot feel like safe bets.
Perhaps more importantly, the Blazers shouldn't exactly have to fight off challengers from beneath them in the standings. The Clippers, one spot back at No. 10 in the West, lost major talent at the deadline. Everyone below that is either actively tanking or too far behind to pose a threat.
Sacramento Kings: 17-65
26 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 33-49
Dec. 1 Prediction: 25-57
The trend line continues steadily downward for the Sacramento Kings, a team that has virtually no chance of cracking 20 wins despite not trading away any of its expensive veterans at the deadline.
The only moves the Kings made involved sending out Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder for De'Andre Hunter, a perplexing choice that sets up the league's worst team to be a taxpayer while arguably surrendering the best player in the deal in Ellis.
Sacramento controls its 2026 first-rounder and should lose as often as possible to maximize the value of that pick. Fortunately for the Kings, it doesn't even really matter if they rest healthy players or hand 40 minutes a night to Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan. They've been dreadful all year, regardless of who's been on the floor.
The Kings are on a 14-game losing streak, the longest winless run since they came to Sacramento. Considering all the losing this franchise has endured, it cannot be overstated how hard it is to set any new futility-related records.
San Antonio Spurs: 56-26
27 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 42-40
Dec. 1 Prediction: 48-34
If Victor Wembanyama keeps putting up 25-point quarters like he did against the Lakers on Feb. 10, we may need to adjust this win prediction upward even more. As it is, the Spurs are on pace to smash our preseason expectations while also handily surpassing the ones we set earlier in the year.
Though San Antonio's offense still qualifies as its relative weak point, that has more to do with its dominant defense (which is otherworldly with Wemby in the game) than anything else. Overall, the Spurs are all the way up to seventh in offensive efficiency, and they're inside the top five over the last couple of weeks.
Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are combining to make less than 30 percent of their threes, and it has hardly mattered because of the scoring depth provided by Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell.
Toronto Raptors: 48-34
28 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 41-41
Dec. 1 Prediction: 48-34
We were too low on the Toronto Raptors ahead of the season but dialed things in by December. Fueled by a pair of All-Stars in Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, Toronto is scoring just enough to make its sixth-ranked defense count.
Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles' versatility on D has made him a viable starting center against most lineups, and the point guard combo of Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead assure the Raps have real depth that goes beyond their rangy wings and forwards.
If Toronto can work its way to the foul line more often while scaling back its foul-happy ways on the other end, it could go a long way toward making a 50-win season possible. So far, the Raptors have allowed over 100 more opponent free-throw makes then they've collected themselves.
Utah Jazz: 20-62
29 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 17-65
Dec. 1 Prediction: 24-58
Surely a team that traded three first-rounders and a handful of prospects on their rookie-scale deals for former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. should be expected to boost its win total.
That's a cute assumption, but it ignores Utah's incentives and recent behavior on the court.
The Jazz owe their 2026 first-rounder to the Thunder if it lands outside the top eight, and they're doing everything possible to keep it. Jackson's season is now done following knee surgery, and Utah was already benching him and anyone else who might be helpful (Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkić, to name two) in fourth quarters. Despite that egregious sabotage effort, the Jazz still went 1-1 in back-to-back games against the Magic and Heat earlier this week.
If the Jazz manage to crest the 20-win mark, it'll be by accident—or because whoever they're playing is trying to tank even harder.
Washington Wizards: 17-65
30 of 30
Preseason Prediction: 19-63
Dec. 1 Prediction: 18-64
The Washington Wizards closed an actual NBA game in 2026 with Will Riley, Skal Labissiere, AJ Johnson, Sharife Cooper and Anthony Gill on the floor. And they won!
The Wizards took those drastic measures because the starters and regular rotation players had built a first-half lead that grew to 17 points against the Kings on Feb. 1. It was an emergency, and though the basketball gods intervened and punished them with their 13th victory of the year, do not expect the Wizards to ease up on the tanking.
Anthony Davis is almost certainly not going to play this season, and neither is Trae Young. Even if either of them happens to start a game or two late in the season, they'll probably be sent to the bench after a handful of performative minutes.
Whatever it takes, Washington and its league-worst minus-11.0 point differential will finish the tank job it started in October.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
