NBA Report Cards: Who's Tops and Who's Failing After the First 25 Games?
NBA report cards are making their rounds with a quarter of the season already in the books.
Some teams have been complete surprises and others complete disappointments, while some are right where they were expected to be at this point in the season.
The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, in particular, have not lived up to their billing so far. But there have been some pleasant surprises with some squads making a resurgence after a memorable offseason.
30. Sacramento Kings
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Sacramento is just plain awful. Even with reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, the team sits at the very bottom in the standings with a 5-20 record.
Their head coach, Paul Westphal, is arguably the worst in the NBA and the team is in for a long rebuilding process at this rate.
Grade: F
29. Minnesota Timberwolves
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Minnesota has two breakout players in Kevin Love and Michael Beasley, but they're still ranked as the second-worst team in the NBA.
They also happen to lose by the second-widest margin at 7.7 points per game.
The team is 1-17 on the road and 6-23 overall.
It's going to be a long time before the Timberwolves are a force again.
Grade: F
28. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Cleveland was devastated when LeBron James left the team for greener pastures. They didn't make any significant moves in the offseason and the team seemed destined for failure.
While the team is not the worst team in the NBA—like many predicted prior to the start of the season—they're far from being respectable.
The Cavaliers have a 8-20 record and they just recently broke a 10-game losing streak. They lose, on average, by nine points, which is far and away the worst mark in the league.
Grade: F
27. New Jersey Nets
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New Jersey had a record-setting season in futility last year. They made some acquisitions in the offseason, but outside of Avery Johnson and to an extent Anthony Morrow, none are impact players.
The team just recently traded away a potential stud in Terrence Williams and loaded up on draft picks in the process.
If the team can make a play for Carmelo Anthony, they have a solid future in sight. But if they don't, chances are that they'll going to have to rebuild through the draft.
Right now, their 8-20 record is one of the worst in the league and their offense the third-worst in the NBA.
Grade: F
26. Los Angeles Clippers
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The Clippers started the season as the worst team in the NBA and they remained there up until a few weeks ago.
They now have an 8-21 record and while they're not the worst, they're still pretty bad. The roster is better than their record reflects and the team is underachieving under the inept Vinny Del Negro.
However, the team has shown signs of improvement and this trend may continue.
The only consolation Clippers fans have is getting to watch Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon tear down rims on a nightly basis.
Grade: D-
25. Washington Wizards
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The Washington Wizards had a promising start under rookie phenom John Wall. However, injuries have plagued his first year in the NBA and the Wizards are in bad shape.
They did just get rid of Gilbert Arenas, but they took on Rashard Lewis and arguably the worst contract in the NBA. At least with Arenas, he was productive. Lewis, on the other hand, has regressed significantly over the years.
The Wizards have a 7-19 record and if injuries continue to plague Wall throughout his career, the Wizards will be sitting in this position for years to come. The team has some nice young pieces, but their success hinges on Wall.
Grade: D
24. Detroit Pistons
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The Detroit Pistons were once the class of the East, but those days are long over.
The team is 9-19 and there is discord among the players and coaching staff.
Blowing up the roster and going into complete rebuilding mode would be the smart move, but it's difficult to do with the crippling contracts already in place.
At this pace, the Pistons will be in the basement for years to come before they return to relevance.
Grade: D
23. Golden State Warriors
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The Golden State Warriors were one of the hottest teams early in the season, but they've shown their true colors with a quarter of the season already in the books.
The injury to Stephen Curry surely has a lot to do with their skid, but in the end, this is not a surprise.
The Warriors are still an all-offense, no-defense team, and they cannot win with any consistency playing like that.
Grade: D
22. Milwaukee Bucks
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Teams no longer fear the deer.
The Milwaukee Bucks made a surge last season behind the strong play of Andrew Bogut and rookie Brandon Jennings. Many considered them a lock for one of the low playoff seeds in the East, but they're getting further and further out of contention with every game that passes.
When the Bucks were healthy, they were bad. Now, with Brandon Jennings sidelined for up to six weeks, the Bucks' playoff hopes are slipping away with every passing day.
Grade: D
21. Charlotte Bobcats
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Charlotte has been a huge disappointment this year. They made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season after going 44-38.
However, they have a 9-18 record and this is clearly not the same overachieving team from last season.
It appears that the loss of Raymond Felton is hurting the team much more than anticipated. D.J. Augustin has played well in Felton's absence, but the team has fallen flat time and time again.
Their defense is ranked No. 1 in efficiency, but they are one of the worst offensive teams in the league.
Grade: D+
20. Philadelphia 76ers
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Under new head coach Doug Collins, the Philadelphia 76ers started the season incredibly slow, but they've picked up the pace a bit since then.
Philly is at 11-16 and this is slightly lower than what was expected of the team in preseason.
Elton Brand seems to have found a new lease on life, but if the team ships Andre Iguodala out of town, expect their record to tank.
Grade: C-
19. Toronto Raptors
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The loss of Chris Bosh was expected to send the Toronto Raptors to one of the five worst records in the league.
However, the Raptors have played above expectations with a 10-18 record. This isn't an admirable record by any means, but the team isn't nearly as bad as expected.
They allow the 26th-most points, but they also score the ninth-most in the league. This isn't a recipe for success, but the franchise isn't in as of bad shape as expected.
Grade: C
18. Memphis Grizzlies
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Memphis had a strong season last year, making a playoff push early in the season, but they finished with a 40-42 record.
Some were expecting them to potentially make one of the lower seeds in the West, but they've had a slow start and their 12-16 record is disappointing.
Rudy Gay has been phenomenal and Mike Conley is playing well, but O.J. Mayo's poor play is likely the biggest culprit of the team's downfall.
The team's offense is nearly equal to its defense, and both are middling at best. Not what is required to take the team into the postseason.
Grade: C
17. Houston Rockets
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The Houston Rockets are a pretty deep team, but they've been pretty disappointing thus far.
Yao Ming is out for the season once again and his future in the NBA is in serious doubt.
Houston has a 13-15 record and they've been better recently after struggling mightily early in the season. They've won seven out of their last 10 games and Aaron Brooks returning plus the addition of Terrence Williams will give the team a shot in the arm.
Grade: C+
16. Orlando Magic
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Orlando has been out of sorts this season. They were expected to contend for one of the top three spots in the East, but they wouldn't even have home-court advantage in the playoffs if they started today.
The Magic have a 16-11 record and they've been a massive disappointment so far. The defense is still there, but their offense has been rather unimpressive.
The team just recently made a blockbuster deal that brought them a number of new offensive weapons. The trade could potentially make them the class of the East, but up until this point, this is not what many were expecting from Orlando.
Grade: C+
15. Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers may be the unluckiest team in the league. The team is marred by injuries and their once-promising roster may get blown up at some point this season.
Greg Oden is missing yet another season, Brandon Roy's knees are in shambles and he may never be the same player again, and the team is not where many expected them to be.
The team is 15-14, and while they currently have a winning record, this is not the dark horse team that many thought had a chance to join the elite of the Western Conference.
Grade: B-
14. Phoenix Suns
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The loss of Amar'e Stoudemire has been evident for a team that greatly overachieved last season in making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
Phoenix has a 13-14 record, and even though it isn't great, the team is playing slightly better than expected.
Their biggest offseason acquisition was trading for Hedo Turkoglu, who was a huge disappointment for the team.
Luckily, they managed to rid themselves of Turkoglu's bloated contract and they brought in a few promising pieces with the recent trade they just made with Orlando.
They sit just outside the playoff picture and they may even fight for the eight spot by season's end.
Grade: B
13. Indiana Pacers
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The Indiana Pacers have been a bit of a surprise this season with a 13-14 record. They finished with a 32-50 record last year and they were awful on defense.
Most of the Pacers surge can be attributed directly to the improvement and play of Roy Hibbert. He's been a defensive force for the team and they went from one of the worst defenses last year to a respectable one this year.
The addition of Darren Collison has also helped the team. While he hasn't played up to expectations, he's made an impact for the team.
Grade: B
12. Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets are at a crossroads. Their star player reportedly wants out of town and the team has had a lot of injuries up until this point.
The Nuggets have a 16-10 record and they sit in the sixth spot in the West. With the way this team is playing, they're looking like a first-round exit if they manage to maintain the roster.
They have the offensive firepower, scoring the third most points per game, but their defense is essentially the opposite, allowing the 25th-most points per game.
However, give the team credit for playing through all the trade rumors swirling around Carmelo Anthony.
Grade: B
11. New Orleans Hornets
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The New Orleans Hornets were at one point the hottest team in the league. They won their first eight games and they were the last team to go undefeated.
However, the team has come back down to Earth and they've lost 12 out of their last eight games.
The Hornets are still playing above expectations, as many predicted them to miss the playoffs. They just happen to no longer be the big surprise team of the NBA.
Grade: B
10. Los Angeles Lakers
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Coming into the season, many predicted the Lakers to sweep up the West and head into the playoffs with a stranglehold atop the Western Conference.
Well, two teams decided to defy the odds and give the Lakers a run for their money, and they're succeeding in that battle.
The Lakers have been anything but dominant with a 21-7 record. This is all while starting the season with a very favorable schedule and only two wins coming against winning teams.
Regardless, with Kobe Bryant leading the way and Andrew Bynum coming back, the team will be looking to make a push to regain the top spot.
Like their rivals, the Boston Celtics, the Lakers are deeper than ever before and this team is all about the playoffs.
Grade: B
9. Miami Heat
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The Miami Heat were being prematurely crowned as the team to beat after Pat Riley pulled off the coup of the decade by getting LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade on South Beach.
However, things were rocky in the early going with the Heat stumbling out of the gate. After a late November loss to Dallas, the team has started to look like the squad we all expected to see, and they've been dominating most of the competition since.
Miami has had a pretty tough schedule and they've come out on top with a 21-9 record. They're second in the NBA with a 9.4 margin of victory.
The Heat are still a work in progress, but they'll continue to be a dangerous team all season long and only get better as we near March.
Grade: B
8. Atlanta Hawks
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Atlanta really dug themselves into a hole after they overpaid Joe Johnson by a wide margin.
Even so, you could argue it was a necessary move in order to retain their star player. The move may work for them now, but when Johnson starts to decline and they're paying him a massive contract, it won't look so pretty down the road.
The Hawks are actually outplaying their projected fifth seed in the East with an 18-12 record.
Mike Bibby has seen a resurgence and the team is playing well under first-year head coach Larry Drew.
Grade: B+
7. New York Knicks
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The New York Knicks have turned from one of the bottom-dwelling teams of the East to a surefire playoff team.
They are the second-most potent offensive team in the league, but their defense is still a work in progress.
New York at one point had a 13-game stretch where they lost only one game. Even though they're in the midst of a three-game losing streak, the team is over .500 with a 16-12 record and they sit just behind the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference.
This is a remarkable turnaround for the Knicks and Amar'e Stoudemire will garner MVP consideration by year's end if the Knicks can maintain their pace and winning record.
Grade: B+
6. Chicago Bulls
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The Chicago Bulls have fallen on hard times, yet they still have a 16-9 record and they're third in the Eastern Conference.
First, Carlos Boozer missed nearly the first two months of the season, and when he finally returned, Joakim Noah went down only a few games later with a wrist injury.
Even so, Derrick Rose is playing like a man on a mission and he has a shot to take home the MVP award.
Grade: A-
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
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After Oklahoma City's late-season surge into the playoffs last year, they gave the Lakers a run for their money in the first round.
Kevin Durant finished the season with the scoring crown and the Thunder became the hot young team to watch out for.
Coming into this season, expectations ran high for the group. They were even being predicted as high as the second seed in the West.
The Thunder are fifth in the West with a 19-9 record and the team has not made the jump many were anticipating. This isn't to say they're bad—they're still one of the best teams in the NBA—they just haven't broken that plateau of being an elite team.
Russell Westbrook has exploded this season picking up the slack for Kevin Durant after his slow start. Look for the team to really start to flow as the season progresses.
Grade: A-
4. Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz may have lost Carlos Boozer in the offseason, but they managed to improve their front line by adding Al Jefferson and promoting Paul Millsap.
The Jazz have a 20-9 record and they sit just behind the Lakers in the fourth spot in the West.
Early in November, the Jazz were the most exciting team to watch after their string of late-game comeback wins. They've faced plenty of adversity and have come out a better team as a result.
With Jerry Sloan calling the shots and Deron Williams at the helm, the Jazz will be dangerous to contend with on any given night.
Grade: A
3. Dallas Mavericks
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Dallas finished with the second-best record in the West last season, but they were bumped out in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.
The biggest difference for the team this season has been the resurgence of Tyson Chandler. He's been a dominant defensive force and he's in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Mavericks have the second-best record in the West at 22-5, and at this pace, they'll avoid another meeting with the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
Grade: A+
2. Boston Celtics
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Business as usual for the Boston Celtics. The team reloaded over the summer and this is arguably their deepest team yet.
Boston is the hottest team in the NBA right now, riding a 13-game winning streak, and they sit comfortably atop the Eastern Conference with a 22-4 record. They're steamrolling opponents, winning by a league-leading 9.6 point margin of victory.
Rajon Rondo, while currently sidelined, has been playing out of his mind, averaging a league-leading 13.8 assists per game. The next closest distributor is Steve Nash, but he's behind Rondo by 3.6 assists per game.
Kevin Garnett looks rejuvenated and he's playing like the Hall of Famer we all know him to be.
The team is known for their defensive laurels, and it's no different this season. They're tied with the Lakers for fifth place in defensive efficiency and they're allowing the second-least amount of points to opposing teams.
Grade: A+
1. San Antonio Spurs
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In preseason, many wrote off the San Antonio Spurs as old, washed up and past their prime. Well, apparently the Spurs didn't get the memo, as they've returned to dominance.
The Spurs have the best record in the NBA at 24-3, and this is with Tim Duncan in the midst of his worst season as a pro. The team is 15-2 at home and 9-1 on the road, and they're beating teams, on average, by 9.1 points.
San Antonio is generally known for their defense, but this season it's their offense that's carrying them. The team is currently ranked fourth in the league in points per game and they're ranked ninth in offensive and defensive efficiency.
Grade: A+
