.jpg?w=1280)
Fresh NBA Power Rankings See Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves Stumble
We're less than two weeks from the end of the NBA's 2025-26 regular season.
The campaign has given us perhaps the deepest and most impressive MVP race in league history. In anticipation of a potentially historic draft class, it also featured some of the most egregious tanking we've ever seen.
And throughout, we've been here to sort through and break down the entire league using our typical power ranking criteria: team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of good, old-fashioned subjectivity.
30. Washington Wizards (17-59)
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -11.4
It was a solid week of tanking for the Washington Wizards, who went 0-4 and capped things off by surrendering 153 points to the Philadelphia 76ers in Washington.
There are plenty of fun (or funny) markers that can arise from a tanking season, and Wednesday's loss added to one for Washington.
That was the eighth time this season that the Wizards have surrendered at least 140 points, a total that trails only the Utah Jazz.
29. Brooklyn Nets (18-58)
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -9.4
The Brooklyn Nets don't quite have a bottom-three record secured, especially since they beat a fellow tanker with the league's fourth worst mark this week.
Behind 17 points and six assists from Nolan Traoré, the Nets topped the Sacramento Kings, 116-99, on Sunday. And even when you're transparently chasing losses, an occasional win like this can feel pretty good.
The Nets (and their fans) need a few more performances from their five-player rookie class that might inspire some hope for the future.
And while Traoré's season-long numbers are still a little eek-inducing, his 11.0 points and 5.6 assists in 24.6 minutes over his last seven games suggest he might have a future alongside whichever potential star Brooklyn drafts this summer.
28. Utah Jazz (21-56)
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -7.9
The Utah Jazz's push for a bottom-three record continued apace this week, with four losses that moved them to 1-11 in their last 12.
And in even better news, despite all the losing, some of the young players continue to show flashes of real upside.
The youngster worth highlighting this week is Kyle Filipowski, who averaged 24.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 27.3 minutes, while shooting 43.5 percent from deep.
Next season, when Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler (who's a restricted free agent) and potentially another forward or big from the draft are all presumably healthy and available, it'll obviously be tougher for Filipowski to get on the floor, but he's proving capable of rotation minutes right now.
27. Indiana Pacers (18-58)
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -7.8
The Indiana Pacers are playing with tanking fire, especially since the Ivica Zubac trade could cost them their pick if it winds up anywhere between fifth and ninth post-lottery.
Indiana won two games this week, is now 3-2 in its last five and is within two losses of the fourth and fifth place teams in the tank race.
Right now, they have a 52.1 percent chance to stay in the top four (which is pretty nerve-wracking already), but that could drop all the way to 42.1 percent if the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz wind up with worse records.
26. Sacramento Kings (20-57)
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -9.9
This season's most aggressive losers are suddenly winning some games here and there, and no one is jeopardizing their lottery position quite like the Sacramento Kings.
After beating the Toronto Raptors (a revenge game for DeMar DeRozan!) on Wednesday, they're now 6-7 in their last 13 and in danger of finishing with the fifth worst record in the league (as opposed to one of the three worst, which come with better lottery odds).
One of the primary culprits for the little surge is DeMar DeRozan, who's averaging 21.3 points and 5.6 assists during the run.
If Sacramento wants to give itself its best shot at the top pick, it might have to look mighty hard for a soft tissue injury in its veteran scorer.
25. Dallas Mavericks (24-52)
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -5.3
Has Cooper Flagg finally hit the rookie wall?
He missed eight games in February and early March, and since then, he's shot 42.4 percent from the field and 18.2 percent from three.
But one of the marks of a great (or potentially great) player is the ability to positively impact a game when shots aren't falling, and Flagg is doing exactly that.
In the same stretch, he's averaging 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists. And it looks like he's starting to figure some things out defensively (the part of his game that was supposed to translate a little quicker). Since returning from the injury, he's at 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (30-46)
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -5.9
This is probably going to go down as one of the more painful seasons in recent memory for Milwaukee Bucks fans, especially if it immediately precedes a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
But even in a campaign as frustrating as this one, there are glimmers of hope.
One is Ousmane Dieng, who was part of a seemingly insignificant trade ahead of the deadline that only cost Milwaukee Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey.
The 6'9" forward isn't even 23 yet. And after dropping 36 in his last game, Dieng is averaging 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists over his last nine games.
23. Chicago Bulls (29-47)
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -5.0
The Chicago Bulls are tanking to a degree that might even make the season-long tankers a little jealous.
This week, they lost to both the Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers. And they're now 6-25 since mid-January, when they snuck to a game over .500.
On the bright side, Matas Buzelis, one of the only intriguing young talents on the roster, is averaging 21.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks over his last 17 games.
22. Memphis Grizzlies (24-51)
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -4.5
One of the benefits of a tanking season is the opportunity to discover some young talent who may not have otherwise had a chance to showcase himself.
For the Memphis Grizzlies, that young talent may be Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
The three-and-D forward has averaged 14.4 points and 1.7 threes in 25.1 minutes, while shooting 41.7 percent from deep over his last 25 games.
Whatever the next good version of this team looks like, it's likely to need floor spacing and switchable defense, and OMax is proving capable of providing both.
21. New Orleans Pelicans (25-52)
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -4.4
The chances of the New Orleans Pelicans' infamous draft-night trade for Derik Queen aging well are slim. If they had the pick they sent out in that deal, they'd have a 32.0 percent chance to be in the top four of the draft and a 7.5 percent to land the first overall pick.
Instead, they were awful for no reason other than being awful. And barring another trade, they don't have a shot at a draft class loaded with talent.
But on Thursday, we got another reminder that Derik Queen (who came over in that trade) has a chance to be pretty solid in his own right.
He had 12 points and seven assists and was a plus-two in a 12-point loss. And after that performance, he has a 21.5 assist percentage and 15.1 rebounding percentage. Victor Wembanyama is the only rookie in league history who matched or exceeded both marks.
20. Golden State Warriors (36-41)
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -0.3
This week, we learned that Stephen Curry is eyeing Sunday's matchup with the Houston Rockets for his long-awaited return to action.
But even for the greatest shooter of all time, who was having a heck of an age-37 campaign, it's just far too late to meaningfully change the Golden State Warriors' outlook.
They're nearly locked into 10th place and the toughest road out of the play-in. And even if they're successful in two win-or-go-home games, their prize would be a matchup with the much younger, much more athletic and much better Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
Ending up in the lottery is the preferable outcome, and Golden State tanking the play-in to get there would be in its best interest.
19. Miami Heat (40-37)
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 1.9
A win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday may have eased concerns a bit, but the Miami Heat followed that up with a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics in which they surrendered 147 points.
And they're now 2-8 in their last 10.
With the way the Charlotte Hornets have played the last couple months, a spot in the bottom half of the play-in is very much in play for Miami. And that almost never leads to a playoff berth.
If the Heat don't get in, they'll have to seriously consider big moves this summer.
18. Phoenix Suns (42-35)
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: 1.3
The Phoenix Suns beat a couple tanking teams this week, but they ended it with back-to-back losses and are now 3-8 in their last 11 and nearly locked into the play-in tournament.
They'll almost certainly be in the top half of that bunch, so they'll have two chances to punch their ticket to the playoffs, but a return to the postseason isn't the given it appeared to be earlier this season.
Still, it's hard to see this season as anything but a rousing success. The Suns smashed their preseason over-under of 30.5 wins. And on the eve of the postseason, they finally have all of Devin Booker, Mark Williams, Dillon Brooks and Jalen Brooks available.
17. Orlando Magic (40-36)
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -0.2
On Wednesday, Franz Wagner played in his first game since February 11, but his return did not stem the tide for an Orlando Magic team that looks to be falling apart in real time.
After losing 130-101 on Wednesday, Orlando is now 2-8 in its last 10. It's slipped into the bottom of the East's play-in tournament, and still has games against the Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics.
The bottom five have all been mathematically eliminated, but Orlando can absolutely finish 10th and need to win two road games just to get into the playoffs. Given the expectations for the Magic prior to this season, that kind of result might welcome dramatic offseason changes.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (40-38)
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -0.6
Much of the attention for the Portland Trail Blazers has understandably made its way to younger stars (or potential stars) like Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan, but Jrue Holiday deserves some credit for what he's done for this team.
Holiday had 27 points and nine assists in Thursday's win. In his age-35 campaign, he now has 19 performances with at least 20 points (almost four times as many as he had last season).
And when he's on the floor, Portland has a point differential around that of a 54-win team (compared to one around that of a 30-win without him).
If the Blazers are going to escape the play-in and put a first-round scare in the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs, Holiday's experience, defense and playmaking will have a lot to do with it.
15. Toronto Raptors (42-34)
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 2.1
The Toronto Raptors have had a solid season. They're above .500 and have a top-12 net rating.
But for anyone counting on a first-round upset, a little more momentum heading into the playoffs would've been nice.
After going 2-2 this week (and ending with a loss to the Sacramento Kings!), Toronto is now 3-5 in its last eight.
On a cheerier note, Scottie Barnes' playmaking upside has maybe never been on more vivid display. He's totaled at least 10 assists in each of his last six outings. And despite the team losing three of those games, its won Barnes' minutes.
14. Los Angeles Clippers (39-38)
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 1.1
They ended their week with back-to-back losses, but the Los Angeles Clippers have already secured a spot in the play-in tournament.
After starting the season 6-21, that, in itself, is an accomplishment.
But there's still work to do. If the Clippers are going to get into the playoffs, it'll be a lot easier to do it from the upper half of the play-in.
Fortunately, the team that's a half-game ahead of ninth-place L.A. in the standings, the Portland Trail Blazers, is on the schedule a week from today.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (42-34)
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -0.1
It's probably not quite time to put the Philadelphia 76ers on Cinderella watch. They're 7-3 in their last 10, but the only high-quality win in that stretch came against the Charlotte Hornets.
Still, that win was in Charlotte and against one of the hottest teams in the NBA. And it was a showcase of what could make this team dangerous for a higher-seeded opponent in the first round.
Joel Embiid looked spry in that one, particularly on defense. And he, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey all scored at least 26 points. The raw talent in that trio can stack up against just about any team in the NBA. It just has to have all three standing for an entire series.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-30)
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 3.5
Anthony Edwards was a late scratch on Thursday, and his absence means he won't get to 65 qualified games or be considered for any postseason awards.
The Minnesota Timberwolves lost that game, too, bringing their record to 6-7 over their last 13 games.
In the West, and at this point in the season, every win can be crucial. And this stretch could doom the Timberwolves to a first-round matchup against Luka Dončić instead of the Denver Nuggets.
Minnesota beat Luka last postseason, but this is a better Los Angeles Lakers team that is more accustomed to playing his style of ball. And the T-Wolves have had the Nuggets' number in recent years.
11. Atlanta Hawks (44-33)
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 2.1
It was fair to side-eye the Atlanta Hawks' 11-game winning streak in February and March. The quality of the opponents in that stretch was dreadful, but that has blossomed into a 17-2 run that now includes wins over the Detroit Pistons (without Cade Cunningham, but still) and Boston Celtics.
Wednesday, they may have driven the nail in the Orlando Magic's coffin with a 130-101 victory.
And over this 19-game run, the one-two punch of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson has developed into one of the East's best. In these contests, NAW is averaging 22.6 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 threes, while Johnson is at 21.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
10. Houston Rockets (47-29)
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 4.6
The Houston Rockets went undefeated this week and got even more evidence that they might just need to embrace sophomore Reed Sheppard as their starting point guard.
Sheppard had 27 points in Wednesday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Rockets moved to 13-4 when Sheppard starts.
9. New York Knicks (49-28)
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 6.1
The New York Knicks are still fifth in the league in net rating. And they got a triple-double from Karl-Anthony Towns in Wednesday's win over the tanking Memphis Grizzlies.
But reasons for concern may be emerging.
Jalen Brunson missed that game with an ankle injury. They'd lost three straight before that win. And each of the seven opponents they beat immediately prior to the losing streak had a losing record.
All of the above underscores a potential issue that could plague this team in the playoffs. For the entire season, New York has a defense that ranks in the 51st percentile when KAT and Brunson are both on the floor.
That duo could be exploitable by smart postseason opponents.
8. Denver Nuggets (49-28)
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 4.8
The Denver Nuggets picked a good time for a seven-game win streak, and their superstars are putting up huge numbers in this stretch.
But these seven opponents don't exactly combine to make a murderers' row. The last four wins have come against sub-.500 or outright tanking teams.
And even with middling-to-bad competition, Denver has a middling-to-bad defense. During the streak, they're 15th in points allowed per 100 possessions.
The Jamal Murray-Nikola Jokić duo probably still has this team on the fringes of the title conversation, but the defense will have to be worlds better for a deep playoff run.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (50-27)
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 1.3
In maybe the most stacked four-player MVP race in NBA history, Luka Dončić had a shot at a statement game against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
Instead of stamping his candidacy, the Lakers were completely and utterly embarrassed, 139-96.
And to make matters worse, Luka had to leave the game early with a hamstring injury. The potential implications there are massive.
Dončić has played in 63 games. A strain could knock him out till the playoffs. And if it lingers into the postseason, L.A.'s chances of advancing are obviously and significantly worse.
On multiple levels, the timing of this is just awful.
6. Charlotte Hornets (41-36)
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 5.0
The Charlotte Hornets being one of the hottest teams in the NBA is sort of old news at this point, but we shouldn't take how dramatic this turnaround is for granted.
This team was 16-28 in late January. Just making the play-in seemed like a long shot. But even at that point, there were some eye-opening wins. They'd already blown out the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. They just couldn't string those performances together.
Now, they are. And with just over a week left in the season, the Hornets are sixth in the NBA in net rating and have a shot to finish in the East's top six.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-29)
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 4.1
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a good shot at entering the postseason with a fair bit of momentum.
After their come-from-behind victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, they're now 7-2 in their last nine. And three of their final games are against the Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards.
The other two are against the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks, but Cleveland may already have enough of a buffer (four games right now) to hold them off and hang onto homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
4. Detroit Pistons (56-21)
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 8.1
There are strong cases for Joe Mazzulla, Jordan Ott, Mitch Johnson and Charles Lee, but J.B. Bickerstaff has added a lot of evidence to his during this Cade Cunningham absence.
After beating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Detroit is now 12-4 when Cade isn't in the lineup. And the defensive identity established by Bickerstaff is a big reason why.
Undrafted sophomore guard Daniss Jenkins certainly deserves some credit too. He had 26 points and eight assists in Thursday's win, bringing his season average up to 9.3 points and 3.6 assists in just 19.9 minutes.
3. Boston Celtics (51-25)
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 7.8
It's gotten a fair bit of attention, but Jayson Tatum's return timeline really is remarkable.
It's been less than a year since he ruptured his Achilles, and he's already been back in action for weeks.
After registering a 25-point, 18-rebound, 11-assist triple-double in Wednesday's blowout win over the Miami Heat, he's been over 30 minutes in each of his last nine appearances. He's scored at least 20 points in eight of his 12 total appearances.
With Tatum looking more and more like his old self, and Jaylen Brown continuing to pile up All-NBA-caliber performances (he had 47 on Wednesday), it's getting easier and easier to imagine Boston making another run to the Finals.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (61-16)
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 11.3
After blowing out the Los Angeles Clippers (without Victor Wembanyama) on Thursday, the San Antonio Spurs are 27-2 since the calendar flipped to February.
And remarkably, they've only gained three games on the Oklahoma City Thunder over that stretch.
This is just another remarkable season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who've battled injuries throughout (they've had 30 different starting lineups) and look poised to finish with the league's best record again.
1. San Antonio Spurs (59-18)
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 8.6
The San Antonio Spurs maintained their grip on the top spot this week, despite the Oklahoma City Thunder's surge and Victor Wembanyama missing Thursday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
During their aforementioned 27-2 stretch, it has become increasingly clear that this team is about far more than Wemby.
The dynamism of the De'Aaron Fox-Stephon Castle-Dylan Harper guard corps and the versatility of wings like Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson make the Spurs unpredictable on the offensive end and stout on the other.
But come on, the Spurs' very real title chances rest on the shoulders of their 7'4", convention-smashing superstar. He is a defense unto himself, and recent performances suggest he's nearing a similar ceiling as a scorer.
After scoring 41 in each of his last two games, Wemby is averaging 29.1 points in just 30.0 minutes over his last 14 appearances.
