2024 NBA Power Rankings: Milwaukee Bucks continue resurgence after Emirates Cup win

With the 2024-25 regular season underway, our latest NBA power rankings offer an evaluation of all 30 clubs in the association. Along with an appraisal of every squad around the association, stay up to date with the upcoming slate of games on the NBA schedule and see who are the 50 best NBA players in the new season.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at where every NBA team ranks right now.

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The 10 worst NBA teams right now

30. Washington Wizards (Last Week: 30)

Even with new head coach Brian Keefe, the Washington Wizards have been an absolute mess this season and are without a doubt the worst team in the NBA right now. Jordan Poole has been better in his second season and is leading the team in scoring. However, top star Kyle Kuzma has had one of his worst seasons in a few seasons. With the duo leading the worst team in the NBA one of them is sure to be traded before the February deadline and likely will be Kuzma.

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29. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week: 29)

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green has a very talented roster. But it has been ravaged by injuries throughout the season, including to top star Zion Williamson. It has been so bad that they competing with the Wizards for the worst record in the NBA. And similar to Washington, some of their stars could be on the move heading in the new year.

28. Toronto Raptors (Last Week: 27)

On the offensive side of the ball, the Toronto Raptors are a solid group led by top star Scottie Barnes and Canadian native RJ Barrett. And they could be far better once Immanuel Quickley returns from injury — which could be early in the new year. However, their offense hasn’t been anywhere close to good enough to make up for a defense that is giving up almost 117 points a game to opponents. This young team has yet to show they have any real upside.

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27. Utah Jazz (Last Week: 28)

In year three as head coach, Will Hardy is feeling more pressure after a season and a half of poor play from the Utah Jazz. The goal from the top is to be better this year. Unfortunately, they have been one of the worst teams in the NBA over the first half. After getting a massive $195 million deal in the summer, Lauri Markkanen has disappointed in 2024-25. It is why they have been underwhelming on the offensive end. However, the 119.3 PPG they give up to opponents is among the worst in the league.

26. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week: 26)

LaMelo Ball is back healthy and playing like a no-doubt All-Star. Plus, second-year man Brandon Miller continues to grow in his second year in the association. Unfortunately, that is where the positivity ends, and despite their performances, the Charlotte Hornets have been awful on offense over the first few months of the season. If not for the awful Pelicans and Wizards, Charlotte’s 106.6 PPG would be dead last in the NBA.

25. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week: 25)

On paper, the Portland Trail Blazers roster looks like a team that should be contending for a play-in spot this season. Unfortunately, they have several players who would be better fits as the third option on a good team. The lack of a legit No. 1 or No. 2 scoring threat is why they are among the worst scoring teams in the league heading into the week (107.1 PPG). Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe looked like a pair of budding stars a year ago, but both have seemingly regressed this year.

24. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week: 23)

The Brooklyn Nets were always expected to struggle mightily in 2024-25. They are in a full-blown rebuild and punting until next summer. Nevertheless, new head coach Jordi Fernandez has done a decent job with a limited roster. Cam Thomas has continued his play from last year and could be in the running for an All-Star spot early next year.

However, a recent hamstring injury to the young star, matched with trading off Dennis Schroder is bad news for Brooklyn’s competitive level over the next couple of weeks.

23. Detroit Pistons (Last Week: 22)

The Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA last season. However, things have turned around a small bit for Motown’s favorite Bball team this year. Sure, they are again near the bottom of the standings and these rankings, but they are still better than the historically bad team from last season. And even a little progress is reason for hope heading into the new year.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week: 24)

The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA over the first half as injuries and in-fighting have led to an awful start. Despite having a trio of All-Star-level scorers, the 76ers offense has been mediocre at best. Heading into the weak they are dead last in the league as they average 105.7 PPG.

Fortunately, their defense has played at a top-10 level over the last month and it’s helped them avoid joining the worst teams in the game at the very bottom of the standings.

21. Chicago Bulls (Last Week: 21)

Over the first two months of the season, the Chicago Bulls have evolved into one of the better offenses in the game. Both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic have boosted their value if the team chooses to move them before the February trade deadline. Unfortunately, this team has been awful on defense — giving up 121.4 PPG. Nevertheless, they are in the playoff chase, and if they could even be a middle-of-the-road team on defense they could avoid the play-in tourney next spring.

20. Sacramento Kings (Last Week: 18)

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There were big expectations for an already good Sacramento Kings team that added DeMar DeRozan in the offseason. Unfortunately, they have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA this season. Their offense is good, but it is not at the level needed to overcome their defensive deficiencies. If the playoffs started today they would shockingly be on the outside looking in. It is likely why there has been surprising speculation top star De’Aaron Fox could be traded in 2025.

19. Indiana Pacers (Last Week: 20)

There were big hopes for the Indiana Pacers heading into the season. They had two legit stars in Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam and what seemed like one of the best offenses in the league heading into the season. However, Haliburton has had a very disappointing season and it’s had a massive effect on the offense this season.

But making matters worse is their defense is as bad as it was last year (116.3 points against). The lack of an elite offense this time around is why they are under .500 heading into the week and not among the elite squads in the East.

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18. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week: 19)

The hope was that a year of experience and the help of NBA legend Chris Paul could help elevate Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs this season. After the first few months of the season, the Spurs are a competitive team and in the playoff chase. They have a middle-of-the-road offense and defense, so it should come as no surprise they have hovered around .500 this season. Nevertheless, it is still a major improvement from where they were at this time a year ago.

17. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week: 17)

The Atlanta Hawks have a very nice one-two punch in franchise face Trae Young and rising star Jalen Johnson. Both are averaging over 20 points per game, and that is why they have been far more competitive than many NBA analysts expected going into the season. The young Hawks squad even made it to the semis of the Emirates Cup tournament.

While they benefit from being in a weaker Eastern Conference, Atlanta has given fans reason for hope if they can continue to develop the high-potential players on their roster.

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16. Phoenix Suns (Last Week: 15)

Under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, the Phoenix Suns got off to a very good start. However, over the last month, they have regressed and would miss the playoffs if the season started today. The team has a trio of elite scorers when healthy. Yet, they are not among the best-scoring squads in the league right now. Their underwhelming performance on offense and a mediocre defense has led to a very disappointing first half for the Suns this season.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week: 14)

The Minnesota Timberwolves were one of the best squads in the NBA all of last season. However, their preseason move that sent Karl-Anthony Towns out of time has hurt them in a major way on offense this season. While they have slowly crept back up to being one of the best defensive teams in the league, their offense which is only averaging 109.4 points per game is a major reason they have struggled this season and are only a game over .500 heading into the week.

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14. Miami Heat (Last Week: 12)

The Miami Heat will be competitive all season thanks to head coach Erik Spoelstra. But they are still a big piece away from turning into a power player in an Eastern Conference. They are playing their usual strong defense and it makes them a formidable able group each night. However, after a recent win streak that included victories over the Lakers and Cavs, they followed it up with a three-game losing skid sums up what kind of season this has been for Miami.

13. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week: 16)

The expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this season were not high. That’s what comes with having a new head coach with no experience at any level in the job. However, the Lakers have played well at points this season. They are still very much a work in progress and are better when league legend Lebron James is on the floor. If they can make a long-rumored blockbuster before February’s deadline, LA could evolve into a team to fear out West.

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12. Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 8)

The 2024 edition of the Golden State Warriors got off to a red-hot start, and after the first month, they had one of the best records in basketball. But De’Anthony Melton’s season-ending injury sent the team into a serious slump that has continued heading into the holidays. A franchise known for scoring is not among the top 10 on that side of the ball. And they have surprisingly had to lean on their defense to keep them in playoff position heading into the New Year. It is why they have been linked to a slew of trade rumors in recent days.

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11. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week: 11)

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Ty Lue continues to show why he is one of the best in the game. Despite being without top star Kawhi Leonard due to (of course) injury, the team has played far better than anyone expected. While Leonard’s absence has been felt on offense, the Clips’ defense has been one of the best in the league this season (107.6 PPG). It has helped to keep LA above .500 for much of the season and in the thick of the playoff picture heading into the new year.

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10. Orlando Magic (Last Week: 9)

The Orlando Magic got hit with a massive blow early in the season when top star Paolo Banchero suffered a torn oblique. However, head coach Jamahl Mosley was able to help his team persevere and were among the league’s best due to an elite defense. However, Franz Wagner suffering a torn oblique could be a death blow that sends the Magic spiraling down the standings and these rankings in the weeks ahead. That possibility may have been increased when Moritz Wagner suffered a season-ending injury recently.

9. Denver Nuggets (Last Week: 13)

When you have the best player on the planet, Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets will always be a very competitive squad. However, so far this has not been a vintage Denver team in 2024. While they are an elite scoring group (119.9 PPG), their defense is a serious problem (117.3 points against), and No. 2 star Jamal Murray continues to have a nightmarish season. It is why the Nuggets have been linked to trade speculation in recent weeks as they look to better compete in a tough Western Conference.

8. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week: 10)

The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the biggest stories in the NBA this season. The team with a pair of superstars and a Hall-of-Fame-worthy coach struggled badly over the first month of the season. It added to speculation that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be moved this season. However, they have turned things around in a major way over the last month.

They hit a peak moment this month when they won the second edition of the Emirates Cup. After being near the bottom of the standings earlier in the year they are creeping up into the top four of the Eastern Conference.

7. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week: 5)

While the Dallas Mavericks had some bumps in the road early in the season, they have caught fire over the last month. They have won 12 of their last 14, including a big revenge win for Klay Thompson back in Golden State. They can fill it up, Luka Doncic is his usual superstar self and they have rock-solid defense. The Mavs will remain in the thick of the chase for the top spot in the West over the months ahead.

6. New York Knicks (Last Week: 7)

The New York Knicks have a ton of potential. But the first half was always going to be about building chemistry among their retooled starting five. Especially on defense. The team continues to be an efficient beast on offense and one of the league’s best, led by Karl-Anthony Towns. The further we get into the season the more synergy shows among the Knicks stars. If they can avoid injuries this group has everything necessary to compete for a top two spot again in the East.

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5. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week: 4)

The Memphis Grizzles were expected to be far better this season with superstar Ja Morant back. And so far, the results have been very good. They had a recent streak where they won 12 of 15 and have flown up the standings led by their league-leading offense (123.1 PPG). If not for the time Morant missed in November, the Grizzlies very well could have the best record in the NBA and be making a case for the top spot on this list.

4. Houston Rockets (Last Week: 6)

The Houston Rockets showed some late-season promise in year one for head coach Ime Udoka. They have continued that momentum in 2024 by kicking off the season with a 20-9 start. What is exciting is that the strong showing is led by young stars Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun and backed by a top-three defense (106.5 points against). Like the Kings and Thunder the last two years, The Rockets are the new “it” team for this season and making a case as a serious threat to the Mavs and Thunder.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week: 3)

The Oklahoma City Thunder have twice been hit by huge injuries this season. However, they have endured and remained one of the best squads in the NBA this season. They could be better on offense, but Chet Holmgren will improve that area upon his eventual return from injury. Until then, they will remain an elite defensive team (103.1 points against per game) that is led by one of the best players on the planet, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

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2. Boston Celtics (Last Week: 1)

The defending champion Boston Celtics were one of the top teams in our NBA power rankings throughout last season and will remain there all of this year — barring a major injury. They have one of the best-scoring teams in the league (119.6 PPG), and big man Kristaps Porzingis has only recently started playing. He has looked solid thus far and has slotted in again as an elite third option for the Cs. But most importantly his return will improve a defense that is already among the 10 best in the league (109.6 points against per game).

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1. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week: 2)

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ start to the new season was one of the biggest stories in the NBA. Some around the league were confused by JB Bickerstaff’s firing after leading a strong team last season. However, Kenny Atkinson has proven to be a tonic that has taken Cleveland’s play to new heights. They are among the best-scoring teams in the league (121.7 PPG) and are backed by a rock-solid defense that is giving up 110.1 per game.

NBA stats leaders

Below our stats app offers a full rundown of the leaders in every major statistical category from the 2024-25 NBA season.

NBA Power Rankings FAQ

What is the best NBA team right now?

After starting the season with a 26-4 record, there is no doubt the Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the league right now. They are the best offense in the NBA to start the season and have an underrated defense that makes them one of the most complete teams in the league.

Who is the highest-rated NBA player?

There are many amazing players in the league today. However, after winning a third MVP award this past season, it is hard to argue that Denver star Nikola Jokic is not the best player in the league right now.

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What is the best NBA team all time?

Picking the greatest NBA team of all time is very subjective. However, if there were two popular options, it would be the Michael Jordan-led Bulls team from 1995-96 that won 73.

Another top choice would be the Warriors squad from 2015-16 which also won 73 games.

Which NBA team is most popular?

It is debated which NBA team is most popular. However, the Lakers have always had a very strong fanbase. Likewise for the Warriors and Celtics. But with the Knicks expected to be a serious title contender this season, New York’s favorite team is likely to drive a lot of interest in the 2024-25 NBA season.