.jpg?w=1280 "Power rankings")
Final NBA Power Rankings After Regular Season's Epic Finish
That's all (at least until the playoffs), folks.
After packed, 15-game, 30-team slates on both Friday and Sunday, every organization in the NBA has logged its 82 games. The 2025-26 regular season is over.
And now, it's time to sort through the entire league with the same criteria that has guided us through this weekly exercise for years: team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of good, old-fashioned subjectivity.
30. Washington Wizards (17-65)
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -11.8
The job is done. At least for now.
For the third straight season, the Washington Wizards have reached the finish line with one of the three worst records in the NBA.
Two years ago, that led to the second overall pick (and Alex Sarr). Last year, their reward was dropping to sixth in the draft.
The need to move up doesn't feel quite as extreme this time around. Washington should be more competitive in 2026-27, with Trae Young and Anthony Davis presumably healthy.
But if the Wizards could add any of Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson to that duo, the future would obviously be much brighter.
29. Brooklyn Nets (20-62)
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -10.0
The Brooklyn Nets' five-rookie class had its moments, but with the possible exception of Egor Dёmin, it's hard to see superstar upside in any of them.
That makes this lottery absolutely critical for the organization. They regained control of this pick in a trade two years ago. They angled for losses throughout 2025-26 and shut Michael Porter Jr. down to help ensure a bottom-three record.
They now have a 52.1 percent chance to stay in the top four and a 14 percent chance to pick first overall.
A slide after the lottery would be devastating and could lock Brooklyn into a few more years of losing.
28. Utah Jazz (22-60)
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -8.2
Roughly a third of the league spent roughly a third of the season hoping to lose and angling for better lottery odds.
The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers (though to a lesser extent in Indiana's case) were the only teams the league punished for it.
And now that we've reached the end of the campaign, Utah doesn't even have a bottom-three record.
Fans won't care if Utah's 11.5 percent chance to land the top pick comes through, but plenty are surely wondering if the Jazz could have tanked even more aggressively.
Regardless, like Washington, the team will almost certainly be more competitive next season. It traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. and has a chance to bring Walker Kessler back in free agency.
If the Jazz can stay relatively healthy, they won't be the easy out they were for most of 2025-26.
27. Indiana Pacers (19-63)
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -7.8
The Indiana Pacers' gap year is finished. Now, they await the results of perhaps the most important draft lottery in team history.
Indiana gave itself a 52.1 percent chance to stay in the top four of the draft, but the pick goes to the Los Angeles Clippers if it winds up fifth, sixth or seventh.
Right now, it's basically a coin flip.
Whether they keep the pick or not, the Pacers will come back with Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac (the player who might cost them that draft pick). They should instantly be competitive again.
But adding one of this draft class' potential superstars to that group would dramatically alter the long-term outlook.
26. Sacramento Kings (22-60)
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -9.7
The Sacramento Kings entered the season thinking they were going to compete for a playoff spot, were bad enough for a few months to get in the mix for a bottom-three record (and the best possible odds for the top overall pick) and then oddly got sort of feisty again to close the season.
It was just a spectacularly Kings-ian Kings campaign.
The basketball gods could still smile upon them and send that first pick their way, but the chance isn't as good as it could (or should) have been.
Beyond needing to nail this draft, Sacramento also needs to be gearing up for a total overhaul this season. DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis all need to be traded, even if the Kings can't get good deals for them.
It feels like we say this about this organization every couple years, but it's time to start over. And that might even include the coaching staff and front office (again).
25. Memphis Grizzlies (25-57)
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -6.0
Last offseason's trade of Desmond Bane suggested the Memphis Grizzlies might've at least been willing to entertain a rebuild.
After a slow start and more injuries to Ja Morant, they ripped the band-aid off, traded Jaren Jackson Jr. and tanked like this was the last year to possibly tank (and it may well be, if Adam Silver gets his way!).
Memphis had a whopping 33 different players appear in games this season. Eighteen of them played fewer than 500 minutes.
The organization turned into a revolving door of NBA hopefuls on two-way and 10-day contracts.
And if it results in the Grizzlies coming back next season with a top pick from this draft, Cedric Coward and Zach Edey as the core of their team, great. That's a core Memphis can potentially build around.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (32-50)
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -6.1
What an absolute mess this Milwaukee Bucks' campaign has been.
For most of it, all fans and media could really worry about was whether Giannis Antetokounmpo would be traded. It's something he's seemed to want for years, while also steadfastly refusing to ask for it.
The funky middle ground he claimed put the Bucks in a tough position, where they spent the bulk of their assets on one failed win-now move after another. That included, of course, the hire of Doc Rivers, who clearly didn't help steer the organization in the right direction (or really, any direction).
And now, over the coming weeks and months, it feels almost inevitable that dramatic changes are coming for all levels of the organization.
Fortunately, the Bucks will have a pick in this upcoming first round (just not the first one, thanks to the Jrue Holiday trade). And Giannis, despite his age and injury history, is still good enough to command a pretty massive haul in a trade.
But barring some kind of stunning and unforeseen development, Milwaukee fans are in for some short-term pain.
23. Chicago Bulls (31-51)
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -5.3
The Chicago Bulls moved on from Artūras Karnišovas this week. Based on years of mediocrity, it's another move that may have been a bit overdue.
The team went 224-254 under his leadership. It made the playoffs once. And that appearance ended in five games.
The roster he left behind is uninspiring. The only potential star is probably Matas Buzelis, and he's far from a sure thing.
For one of the biggest markets and most storied franchises in league history, it's an awkward spot to be in.
The Bulls ended the season with a 20.3 percent chance to jump into the top four. Doing so would dramatically change the outlook for the franchise. Otherwise, the new regime is going to have to be radically different (and more effective) in adding talent through free agency, trades and player development.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (26-56)
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -4.4
It's impossible to look at this New Orleans Pelicans' campaign without looking back on the potentially disastrous trade that landed them Derik Queen.
On draft night, New Orleans moved up by sending its pick and an unprotected first in 2026 to the Atlanta Hawks.
That doesn't just carry New Orleans' odds for the top pick with it. Because it was a pick swap with the Milwaukee Bucks (thanks to the aforementioned Holiday trade), Atlanta has about a 10 percent chance to win the lottery.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, just had another sub-.500. This one was seemingly for nothing.
Yes, there are varying levels of upside for Jeremiah Fears and Queen. Zion Williamson playing in over 60 games feels like a win too.
But the end of this season would be an awful lot sweeter for New Orleans fans if it came with a chance to crash this much-hyped draft party.
21. Dallas Mavericks (26-56)
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -5.2
It took them a little longer than it should've, but the Dallas Mavericks did the right thing when they decided to embrace a tank, traded Anthony Davis and focused on developing and building around Cooper Flagg.
He is, without question, a potential superstar. He had four 40-point games. He even topped 50 once. He got to eight assists 10 times and hit double-digits twice. He's more than a potential No. 1 option on a good team. There's real point forward potential here.
And even if he never reaches Luka Dončić's level on offense (few in history have), Flagg might still be able to approximate the overall impact with his advantages on defense.
This obviously wasn't Nico Harrison's vision. He thought last year's Luka trade was going to lead to a playoff berth.
But what's left of Dallas' front office has made due with the hand it was dealt (including an ace, which is ironically, Flagg's brother's name). The future is bright. And this upcoming draft could make it even brighter.
20. Golden State Warriors (37-45)
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -0.5
This Golden State Warriors team felt like it was on the fringe of the fringe of the title contenders' tier before Jimmy Butler went down with a torn ACL.
The moment that injury happened, this campaign was effectively over.
Hope was rekindled to a degree, when it looked like there was an outside chance of landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, but that obviously never happened.
So, one of the last near-prime seasons of Stephen Curry will have happened for naught. And as he enters his age-38 campaign in 2026-27, Golden State may soon have to start prioritizing the post-Curry era.
19. Miami Heat (43-39)
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: 2.1
There were moments this season when it felt like the vaunted #HeatCulture had done it again, but closing the campaign with a 5-10 record over its last 15 games sent the Miami Heat back to the play-in, where they'll have to win two road games just to make the playoffs.
That's far from the likeliest outcome, which means this season may best be remembered as the one in which Bam Adebayo had his 83-point game.
And honestly, that's not too bad. Better to have a historic achievement in an otherwise underwhelming campaign than to just have the underwhelming campaign on its own.
18. Phoenix Suns (45-37)
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: 1.4
They lost a lot of momentum in recent weeks. And assuming they advance beyond the play-in, the Phoenix Suns are likely to get beat quickly and handily by the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
But there's really no way to see this season as anything but a smashing success.
Their preseason over-under was 30.5, which was tied for the fifth lowest number on the board. They smashed it, while getting a breakout campaign for Collin Gillespie and solid ones from Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams.
If nothing else, first-year coach Jordan Ott absolutely established a new, gritty and far more serious culture than the one that existed during the brief Kevin Durant era.
And even without a lot of top-flight young talent on the roster, the future seems a lot brighter than it did six months ago.
17. Portland Trail Blazers (42-40)
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -0.4
The Portland Trail Blazers are another team that cruised past their preseason over-under and made their way into the play-in tournament.
But unlike Phoenix, which doesn't have any control of its first-round pick, the Blazers can keep theirs if it ends up in the lottery.
That'll make Portland's approach to the play-in interesting. The high-leverage experience could be good for young(ish) players like Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan, but there's probably more longterm value in getting in on this specific draft.
16. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37)
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: -0.1
The Philadelphia 76ers closed the season with back-to-back wins over the tanking Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks, but that likely offers little solace after this week's big news.
Former MVP Joel Embiid has another late-season ailment that could contribute to an early playoff exit. And you don't hear about his one often in the NBA.
Embiid had to undergo an emergency appendectomy that will likely sideline him through the first round (assuming Philadelphia gets past the play-in).
In a first-round matchup with the Detroit Pistons or Boston Celtics, not having Embiid will almost certainly doom the Sixers.
15. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29)
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 1.5
Losing Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves to injuries in the closing weeks of this season was a full-fledged disaster for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Without them, the team is almost certainly a first-round out.
But their absences also present an opportunity for LeBron James to pull off one of the greatest feats of his storied career.
At 41 years old, could the all-time great really author a first-round upset and buy enough time for Reaves and Luka to get back onto the floor?
Some numbers suggest he can.
This season, when Dončić and Reaves were off the floor, LeBron averaged 30.7 points and 10.9 assists per 75 possessions, while posting an above-average true shooting percentage and positive plus-minus.
14. Los Angeles Clippers (42-40)
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 1.1
The 2025-26 campaign has been a roller coaster for the Los Angeles Clippers.
It started with the bombshell reporting on Kawhi Leonard's endorsement deals with Aspiration and a 6-21 record through December 18. Over the next couple months, the Clippers were one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They surged to 34-32 by mid-March and to 39-36 by March 29.
Along the way, they traded both James Harden and Ivica Zubac in deals that seemed aimed at the future, but the post-deadline team had some hot stretches too.
Ultimately, though, L.A. lost a handful of games down the stretch, including two to Portland that locked the team into the bottom half of the play-in.
The vibes from the midseason turnaround are mostly gone, but solid play from Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin at least generated a little hope for the near future.
13. Orlando Magic (45-37)
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: 0.6
They can probably chalk it all up to injuries again. Franz Wagner, who most now have to admit is the Orlando Magic's best player, only appeared in 34 games. That would doom most teams in the league.
But Orlando also made a borderline desperate, win-now move last summer when it traded for Desmond Bane. And Paolo Banchero just wrapped up his fourth straight campaign with both a below-average true shooting percentage and a negative net rating swing.
The Magic are moving up this week, thanks to some solid recent wins, residual hope from before the season and injuries to other teams, but if they're quickly eliminated from the postseason, as their spot in the play-in suggests they might be, big changes (including a Banchero trade) could be in store.
12. Toronto Raptors (46-36)
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 2.9
The Toronto Raptors had a 4-2 closing kick to ensure their spot above the play-in and in a first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Toronto went 3-0 against Cleveland. And while all of those games were back in October and November (and before the James Harden trade), that might inspire a little confidence.
Win or lose, at this point, any postseason experience is a good thing. Scottie Barnes hasn't been there since 2022. For the sake of he and the Raptors' future, he needs a little seasoning, and he's about to get it.
11. Atlanta Hawks (46-36)
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 2.2
The Atlanta Hawks went 1-3 in their last four games. And while they sat the regulars in the finale, two of those losses were to the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
And most of the wins they had during the late-season surge that helped them finish above the play-in tournament came against sub-.500 teams.
On the other hand, since March 25, they have wins against the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Cavs.
And the Trae Young-for-CJ McCollum trade, paired with the subsequent embrace of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson as the team's best players clearly changed this team's culture for the better.
The Knicks will be favored in the first round, but Atlanta has the talent to give them a real push.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33)
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 3.1
Consistency has been a problem for the Minnesota Timberwolves for most of this season. They finished 9-10 over their last 19 games and have a right-around-the-middle-of-the-league offensive rating.
But the standings shook out pretty well for the T'Wolves, who will face a familiar foe in the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
Since Denver knocked them out of the first round in 2022-23, Minnesota is 11-8 against the Nuggets (when you include the playoffs). The Wolves knocked the '23 champs out in '24.
For years now, their length and aggression on defense has caused serious problems for Denver. With the exception of the injury-plagued Los Angeles Lakers, this was probably the best draw Minnesota could've hoped for.
9. Houston Rockets (52-30)
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 5.4
The Houston Rockets were dealing with two problems for much of this season: needing an offensive identity beyond offensive rebounding and needing their coach to trust Reed Sheppard a little more.
By Game 82, they appeared to have both things figured out. And the answers work together.
Sheppard became a more regular starter down the stretch of the season. After Sunday's blowout over the aggressively tanking Memphis Grizzlies, Houston is now 17-4 when Sheppard starts.
And having him on the floor with Durant gives the superstar precious extra time and space to break down his one-on-one matchups.
That duo will be crucial in beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round and potentially pulling off an upset in the next.
8. New York Knicks (53-29)
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 6.4
The New York Knicks had a three-game losing streak in March that was a little concerning. And plenty of their late-season wins came over sub-.500 or tanking teams.
But when you zoom out a bit, they closed with a 12-4 record over their last 16 games and are entering the postseason with a little momentum and pretty good health.
They also have a recent win over their first-round matchup, the Atlanta Hawks, to lean on for a little confidence.
7. Charlotte Hornets (44-38)
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 4.9
The Charlotte Hornets' half-season tear through the NBA is over. And the numbers could put a little scare in either potential first-round opponent (assuming they can win two play-in games).
Charlotte went 28-10 since mid-January. Their net plus-10.8 net rating in that stretch ranked second in the NBA.
For the entire season, Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball finished first and second in total threes made. And when those two were on the floor, the Hornets were plus-10.8 points per 100 possessions.
This is one of the most explosive teams in the NBA. And even if they don't get to the playoffs or author a first-round upset, they've put the league on notice about what their future might hold.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30)
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 4.1
The Cleveland Cavaliers got off to a sort-of ho-hum 24-20 start that had fans wondering if blow-it-up moves could be coming this summer.
But they finished 28-10, got another All-NBA caliber season from Donovan Mitchell and quickly integrated James Harden after trading for him.
This team is firmly in "talk to me in the playoffs" territory, though. Regular-season success is almost a given now. They have to prove capable of a deep playoff run to truly feel safe from a dramatic offseason.
5. Detroit Pistons (60-22)
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 8.4
It's worth reflecting on just how remarkable the last few seasons have been for Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons.
In 2023-24, they went 14-68. It was the worst record in the league and one of the 14 worst single-season winning percentages in league history. A year later, they more than tripled that win total. And this season, they got to 60 wins and finished first in the East.
Cunningham and Jalen Duren were on all three of those teams.
Regardless of what happens in the postseason, this is an organizational turnaround the likes of which we've never really seen before.
4. Denver Nuggets (54-28)
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 5.2
No team is entering the postseason with quite as much momentum as the Denver Nuggets.
By beating the Victor Wembanyama-less San Antonio Spurs on Sunday (in a game missing most of Denver's regulars, including Jokić in the second half), the Nuggets extended their season-ending streak to 12. And they picked up a bunch of rest in the last two games.
Heading into the first round, Denver will be confident, fresh and led by the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both rebounds and assists per game in a season.
3. Boston Celtics (56-26)
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 8.3
The Boston Celtics were supposed to have a gap year. Jayson Tatum would spend it recovering from his torn Achilles. And unloading Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday would help them reset their luxury tax.
But Joe Mazzulla, Jaylen Brown and a rock-solid supporting cast had other ideas.
With another high-volume three-point shooting campaign on offense, and thanks in large part to a Derrick White-led defense, Boston already looked like a title contender before Tatum's earlier-than-expected return.
And now that he's back and looking pretty close to his old self, it's almost hard to imagine any other team emerging from the East.
2. San Antonio Spurs (62-20)
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 8.4
The San Antonio Spurs dropped two games to the Denver Nuggets in the closing week and change of the season, but Victor Wembanyama sat the second one.
And even with those hiccups, they went 30-4 over the last two and a half months of the season.
With that kind of momentum and their 4-1 record against the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, it's more than fair to consider this team a title contender.
That they got here by Wemby's third season should be terrifying for the rest of the NBA.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18)
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 11.1
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished this campaign with averages of 31.1 points and 6.6 assists, an effective field-goal percentage of 59.7 and an NBA-best (by over 100 points) plus-minus of plus-788.
And he did all of that with Jalen Williams only appearing in 33 games and Jay Mitchell, Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso all missing over 20.
His second MVP is just an announcement away. And if he follows that up with another championship and Finals MVP, we're going to start pushing him pretty high up the legacy ladder.
Whether fans realize it or not, we're witnessing all-time stuff from SGA.
.png?w=600 "NBA Playoff Bracket After 76ers Win")
.png?w=600 "20 Biggest Playoff Upsets of All Time 🤯")
