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New NBA Power Rankings: Spurs and Cavs Surge, Lakers Confront Disaster
The 2026 NBA All-Star break is in the rearview. We have just a couple months left in the season. And the title picture is starting to come into focus.
A handful of teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack. Even more are racing toward the bottom of the standings in hopes of landing the No. 1 pick. And, as always, there's a big chunk in the middle that's running out of time to commit to one side or the other.
Today, we're sorting all of the above by our typical criteria: team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjectivity.
30. Sacramento Kings (14-47)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -10.4
It's obviously been a disastrously bad regular season for the Sacramento Kings, but at this point, it's not hard to see the silver linings.
For one thing, Sacramento should've been thinking tank since before the season. Accidentally doing it is a little embarrassing, but at least it could result in the addition of AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson.
And while it doesn't look like there's a surefire young star already on the roster, Maxime Raynaud is starting to look an awful lot like a longterm rotation player.
He had 22 in Thursday's win over the Dallas Mavericks and has four double-doubles in his last seven outings.
29. Indiana Pacers (15-45)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -7.8
The Indiana Pacers' "gap year" is in the home stretch. If fans can endure just a couple more months of losing without Tyrese Haliburton, they should be richly rewarded.
Assuming their pick stays in the top three after the draft, they'll be able to add one of AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson to a core that already includes Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac.
With their offensive engineer back in action and a potential superstar beside him, the Pacers could be back in the title hunt as soon as 2027.
28. Washington Wizards (16-42)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -10.8
The Washington Wizards had a pretty shocking win over the Detroit Pistons earlier this month, but their only victories since then came against fellow tankers, the Indiana Pacers.
Washington has been in the race to the bottom all season, but it's about to get even more pronounced. Mere days after the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 for sitting starters in a fourth quarter, the Wizards did the same.
Adam Silver can preach about upcoming tanking measures all he wants, but that won't change this season's rules or weaken the draft class that's causing all this tanking.
In fact, if the league is going to try to make tanking more difficult in coming seasons, all the more reasons for teams like Utah and Washington to do all they can to snag someone like AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson before the changes come.
27. Brooklyn Nets (15-43)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -8.0
The power rankings took a week off, thanks to the All-Star break. And even with that hint of extra time, the Brooklyn Nets haven't won a game since the last edition went up.
And yet, there isn't much room for the Nets to move down, since so many teams are now ferociously tanking for their best chance at the top pick in the 2026 draft.
You can't blame any of them, including Brooklyn, which has the chance to pair Michael Porter Jr.'s shooting with Darryn Peterson's dynamic scoring, AJ Dybantsa's all-around game or Cam Boozer's steady production.
26. Utah Jazz (18-41)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -7.6
With Jaren Jackson Jr. shut down for the season and Lauri Markkanen reportedly hurt at a recent practice, the Utah Jazz look poised to make one final push for a bottom-three record and a 14 percent chance at the No. 1 pick in 2026.
The Jazz have dropped four in a row and are now 3-12 in their last 15.
25. Chicago Bulls (24-36)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -4.9
The Chicago Bulls started stringing together losses too late in the season to meaningfully challenge wire-to-wire tankers, but they appear to be firmly in the hunt for improved lottery odds.
They haven't won a single game since trading Nikola Vučević and Coby White at the deadline. In fact, the losing started a little before then.
On January 24, the Bulls beat the Boston Celtics to sneak to a game over .500. Since then, they're 1-14.
And after seeing the Dallas Mavericks secure the first overall pick last year with just a 1.8 percent chance to do so, it's hard to blame any team for throwing its hat in this summer's ring.
24. New Orleans Pelicans (18-42)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -5.2
If the New Orleans Pelicans want to be competitive next season, Saddiq Bey looks more than ready to help them do it.
Over his last 14 games, Bey has averaged 22.9 points, while shooting 42.2 percent from deep. And more recently, his scoring has started to lead to wins.
The Pelicans are 5-2 in their last seven. And Bey just dropped 42 in a win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (21-36)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -2.8
The Memphis Grizzlies are clearly cruising toward the lottery now, but it's interesting to think about where they might be if Ty Jerome had been healthy all season.
Coming off a Sixth Man of the Year-caliber season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jerome didn't debut for the Grizzlies till just before the trade deadline, when the wheels were already falling off this campaign.
Now, with Jaren Jackson Jr. gone and Ja Morant hurt again, Jerome is third in the entire league in estimated plus-minus (behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić). He's averaging a team-high 19.6 points, to go along with 5.6 assists, 2.6 threes and a 41.2 three-point percentage.
Had he been healthy to start the year, Memphis could be on a dramatically different path.
22. Dallas Mavericks (21-37)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -3.1
The Dallas Mavericks are 2-3 during Cooper Flagg's absence, and they're getting some solid minutes from a pair of veterans while Flagg recovers.
Since joining the Mavs, Khris Middleton is averaging 14.5 points and shooting 38.1 percent from deep, while Marvin Bagley is at 13.0 points and 8.9 rebounds.
And though it's obviously too late to take advantage of their play by trading them, both could have real value on the buyout market.
21. Milwaukee Bucks (26-31)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -2.9
Since just before a trade deadline overrun with speculation about a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo move, the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks have been surging toward a spot in the play-in tournament.
The Bucks are 8-2 in their last 10, and they have a trio of guards to thank for it.
During this stretch, Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 21.9 poitns and 7.9 assists, Ryan Rollins is adding 21.4 point sand 5.3 assists and Cam Thomas is putting up 15.0 points in just 19.4 minutes.
Presumably, all three should benefit from the defensive attention Giannis will draw inside upon his return. And if the Bucks sneak into the postseason with a healthy Antetokounmpo, the East's top two teams could be in for a much rougher first round than those seeds typically face.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (29-31)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -2.4
Injuries have put a bit of a damper on the Portland Trail Blazers' momentum, but after Thursday's win over the Chicago Bulls, they're now 6-3 in their last nine.
Though he's struggled a bit with turnovers and his three-point shot, Scoot Henderson has played in eight of those nine games, and the Blazers are outscoring opponents when he's on the floor.
For the season, he's now averaging 13.6 points and 5.0 assists in just 22.9 minutes.
There may still be a glimmer of hope for superstardom for the former third overall pick.
19. Atlanta Hawks (30-31)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -0.6
It's fair to point out that each of the Atlanta Hawks' wins in this little three-game streak have come against tanking teams (specifically, the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards), but they're closing in on a .500 record and have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the East.
Even more encouraging (with the Wizards-shaped caveat in mind), Jonathan Kuminga debuted this week and has 44 points through his first two games with the Hawks.
The further we get from the Trae Young trade, the easier it is to see the vision for Atlanta's future. And Kuminga, with length and athleticism that looks a bit like Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels', is easy to imagine in it.
18. Los Angeles Clippers (27-31)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -xx
The Los Angeles Clippers have dropped three in a row, but those were all against above-.500 teams, and Kawhi Leonard wasn't available for Thursday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Even in the midst of this streak, though, there's reason for some optimism.
For one thing, L.A. is in 10th place. That obviously means a spot in the play-in tournament, and all five Western Conference teams behind them are angling for better lottery odds.
Even more encouraging, they've gotten some big performances from the recently acquired Bennedict Mathurin, who's averaged 23.0 points over his last five games and looks like a potential longterm backcourt partner for Darius Garland.
The Clippers almost certainly aren't going to compete for a title this year, but you can at least see the outline of a post-Kawhi future now.
17. Golden State Warriors (31-28)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: 2.0
Kristaps Porziņģis' Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) already appears to be flaring up, Stephen Curry is still out and Jimmy Butler is obviously out with his torn ACL.
By all accounts, the Golden State Warriors should be falling apart on the court, but they're managing to tread water, thanks in large part to a late-season breakout for Brandin Podziemski.
Despite standing 6'4", he's led the team in rebounding in each of its last three games (which includes a win over the Denver Nuggets). He also totaled 18 assists and seven threes in those contests.
As long as they're dealing with all these injuries, the Warriors are still going to be prone to losses like Tuesday's against the New Orleans Pelicans, but the system may be enough to keep them in play-in range till Curry gets back.
16. Los Angeles Lakers (34-24)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: -0.7
The Los Angeles Lakers' record has dramatically outpaced their point differential all season. But right now, it looks like those numbers are trending toward each other.
After losing to a Phoenix Suns team without Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, L.A. has lost five of its last seven, with both of the wins coming against sub-.500 teams.
And while the Lakers have three stars capable of taking over individual contests in Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, it appears their games are a little too duplicative. And having all three on the floor gives the defense the potential to be a disaster.
15. Miami Heat (31-29)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 2.4
Every time it feels like the Miami Heat might be generating a little momentum, they hit a snag and keep hovering around .500.
The most recent up-and-down was a three-game winning streak followed by back-to-back losses.
And though they got 40 threes up in Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, their typical lack of three-point volume may to be blame (at least in part) for their mediocrity.
The Heat are in the bottom third of the league in three-point-attempt rate and below average in effective field-goal percentage. If players like Norman Powell, Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins could each get off one more three per game, Miami would have a better chance of keeping pace with their opponents.
14. Orlando Magic (31-27)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: 0.2
Relative to preseason expectations, there's no doubt this has been a disappointing campaign for the Orlando Magic. And the injury timeline being extended for Franz Wagner doesn't help on that front.
But even after Thursday's home loss to the Houston Rockets, Orlando has quietly gone 6-3 in its last nine. And a dramatic uptick in Paolo Banchero's scoring efficiency is a big reason why.
He's still one of the absolute worst shooters in the NBA this season, but in a stretch that dates back to before the wins started piling up, Banchero has averaged 23.1 points, while shooting 39.7 percent from deep, since mid-January.
If he maintains that level into the postseason and Wagner can get back up to speed before then, Orlando could still surprise a first-round opponent.
13. Toronto Raptors (34-25)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 1.8
The Toronto Raptors are a ho-hum 5-6 in their last 11, and all six of those losses are to above-.500 teams.
On the season, they're now 11-18 in such games. And while having a losing record in those games is no great shame, it may be an indication of Toronto's playoff prospects.
The Raptors are 3-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers (who they'd play if the postseason started today), but all of those games happened before Thanksgiving, and Cleveland is much tougher now. And of course, if Toronto loses any more ground, a first-round matchup against the Detroit Pistons or Boston Celtics could be in store.
Seeding is crucial for every team, but Toronto, especially, may not be able to afford falling out of fifth place.
12. Phoenix Suns (34-26)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 0.7
Injuries are starting to take a toll on the Phoenix Suns.
Devin Booker's played in just three games since January 23, and now Dillon Brooks is out for four to six weeks with a broken hand.
The absences and a general "return to earth" trend for a team that was wildly outperforming expectations has contributed to Phoenix going 4-7 in its last 11.
But on Thursday, in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Suns reminded us that they're a classic "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" team that will always play hard and be connected on the defensive end.
And, assuming Booker and Brooks are fully healthy before the playoffs start, Phoenix should be far from a picnic in the first round.
11. Philadelphia 76ers (33-26)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 0.8
After beating the Miami Heat on Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers are now 21-12 when Joel Embiid is in the lineup. When he scores at least 25 points, as he did against Miami, they're 15-6.
It's not exactly a shock that when one of the greatest scorers in NBA history is on the floor, the Sixers are a dramatically different team. The key, of course, is keeping him upright.
So far this season, Philadelphia has done a good job of balancing between protecting Embiid's health and staying in the East's top six. If both of those boxes remain checked when the playoffs start, the 76ers will be a tough out.
10. Charlotte Hornets (29-31)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 2.9
The Charlotte Hornets had a little hiccup in their surge toward a .500 record, but the operative word there is "little."
After losing to the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers (all contenders or fringe contenders) earlier this month, Charlotte is back on a little winning streak (three in a row) and is now 13-3 since mid-January.
During this run, and thanks in part to Cooper Flagg missing some time with an injury, Kon Knueppel has made it awfully hard to ignore his Rookie of the Year case.
In these 16 games, he's averaged 20.3 points on just 13.1 field-goal attempts, while shooting a blistering 47.8 percent from deep. Beyond an all-around steady game on both ends of the floor, Knueppel is already one of the most dangerous floor spacers in the NBA.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (37-23)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: xx
The Minnesota Timberwolves sliding one spot has more to do with the teams in front of them than it does with them.
They're 5-1 in their last six, but the pack of teams between ninth and fifth in this exercise feels about as tight as it ever has. Subjectivity goes a long way here.
But Minnesota eventually rising above all of them in the playoffs (including perhaps the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder) wouldn't be remotely surprising.
The T'Wolves have an superstar-level leading scorer, a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber anchor and tons of grit around them.
8. Houston Rockets (37-21)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 5.6
The Houston Rockets are 6-2 in their last eight and have surged into third place in the West.
And though it's taken a while for head coach Ime Udoka to trust Reed Sheppard, the second-year guard has topped 30 minutes in each of the last two games and has 44 points between them.
When he's on the floor with Kevin Durant (who had 40 in Thursday's win), Houston's point differential is better than when KD plays without Reed.
And if Udoka and the Rockets want an offensive identity that goes beyond Durant and second-chance points, he'll keep playing the Kentucky sharpshooter.
7. Denver Nuggets (37-22)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 4.9
Injuries have sort of given the Denver Nuggets an ongoing pass for rough patches. We're not too far removed from Nikola Jokić's 16-game absence, and now, Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson are both out.
But they only alleviates (as opposed to eliminates) the concern over Denver being 5-6 since Jokić came back.
Several of those losses came in games Denver led late, including one against a Golden State Warriors team missing Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porziņģis and Draymond Green.
After years of being a well-oiled crunch-time machine, the Nuggets continue to lose close contests with poor execution and sloppy defense in fourth quarters. Their minus-0.7 net rating in fourth quarters ranks 15th. They're minus-9.9 in the clutch (defined by the league as the final five minutes of games within five points), which ranks 26th.
If the Nuggets don't figure out how to get stops and take care of the ball in the game's highest-leverage moments, it'll be hard to take them seriously as a contender.
6. New York Knicks (37-22)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 5.4
The New York Knicks are third in the East and on pace for 51 wins. By those indicators, this season has been a success to this point.
But this month alone, they were crushed by 38 points by the Detroit Pistons and then lost by double-digits to the Pistons again and Cleveland Cavaliers.
New York has a top 10 net rating against teams with top-10 overall net ratings, but being winless against the East's top team is concerning. And beyond being winless, the average margin in those three games is a whopping 28.0 points.
New York rightfully fancies itself a title contender, but it'll have to figure out how to counter Detroit's physicality before another playoff series.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-23)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 4.4
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 15-4 since mid-January. And in their most recent loss, a two-pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden were both out.
When whole, following the acquisition of Harden, this team once again looks like a bona fide title contender.
But "when whole" may be a tough qualifier for the foreseeable future. Harden broke his right thumb in Tuesday's win over the New York Knicks. And though it's on his non-shooting hand, and he plans to play through it, it's an injury that could require an adjustment period.
4. Boston Celtics (38-20)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 7.6
The Boston Celtics were blown out by the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, but it's more than fair to write that one off. It was the second night of a back-to-back, at altitude and on the tail end of a Western Conference road trip.
That's about as "schedule loss" as losses get, and Boston went 3-1 on that trip, bringing their overall record to 9-2 in their last 11.
This team is rolling with the second-best offense in the league and the potential addition of Jayson Tatum to the rotation on the horizon.
Even if Tatum's not 100 percent of his old self—and no one should expect him to be for a bit—plugging him into some of the minutes currently occupied by Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman and/or Hugo González almost certainly raises Boston's ceiling.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (45-15)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 11.2
The biggest talking point on the Oklahoma City Thunder is how mortal they've looked since their 24-1 start, but injuries obviously have a lot to do with that.
And despite Wednesday's loss to the Detroit Pistons, they're actually 5-4 during Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's current, abdominal strain-induced absence.
And while plenty of players deserve credit for staying competitive, we'll highlight Isaiah Joe (who suffered his own injury, a glut contusion, against the Pistons).
In the eight SGA-less games prior to Wednesday, Joe averaged 16.9 points, while shooting 52.5 percent from deep. His performance was a reminder of how absurdly deep this team is. And once it's healthy, it'll be tough to pick anyone to beat them in a series.
2. Detroit Pistons (43-14)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 8.1
The Detroit Pistons lost a home game to the San Antonio Spurs this week, but that team is red hot, and Detroit has passed just about every other test it's faced.
After another double-digit win over the New York Knicks in their first game after the All-Star break, they're 3-0 against that Eastern Conference contender. And since the calendar flipped to 2026, they also have wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers (on the road), Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets (at home and on the road) and at the red-hot Charlotte Hornets.
All the while, Cade Cunningham's averages have crept up to 25.4 points and 9.8 assists. And if Nikola Jokić (who can only miss one more game and still qualify for MVP) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who has five allowable more absences), Cade could have a very real MVP argument.
1. San Antonio Spurs (43-16)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 6.9
Phil Jackson's "40 wins before 20 losses" theory has been all over social media the last couple weeks.
And along with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons, the San Antonio Spurs fulfilled the criteria over the last couple weeks.
As pointed out by the Action Network's Matt Moore, over 90 percent of NBA Finals winners picked up their 40th win of the championship season before losing their 20th game.
And San Antonio's success is about a lot more than Victor Wembanyama (though the Spurs' surge could make him a legitimate MVP candidate).
They've won their last two games, despite Wemby scoring only 12 in each. For the season, San Antonio is now 5-2 when Wembanyama plays and has 15 or fewer points.
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