With the 2025-26 season closing nearing Christmas Day, the elite teams in the NBA are separating themselves from the pack, and certain squads are surprising — for good and bad reasons. So who are the best of the best, and worst of the worst, right now? We look to answer that question with our updated NBA rankings following the close of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup.
30. New Orleans Pelicans (LW: 30)
After another ugly season, the New Orleans Pelicans moved on from veteran scorers Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. Yet, despite the endless trade speculation, they held on to Zion Williamson and continue to hope he can stay healthy and lead them back to prominence. They are still waiting.
While Trey Murphy III has played well, Williamson has suited up in just 11 of their 27 games as he again deals with injury issues, again. They are terrible on defense (122.8 opponent’s PPG) and not much better on offense (114.2 PPG). It’s why they are at the bottom of the standings and our latest NBA power rankings.
29. Washington Wizards (LW: 29)
Despite a new head coach, the Washington Wizards and prospects Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly were terrible last season. In the summer, DC shipped out Jordan Poole for an aging but still good CJ McCollum, and they also added former Bucks star Khris Middleton. It has made no difference, and DC is battling it out with the Pelicans for control of rock bottom in the standings.
They are the worst defensive team in the game (126.7 opponent’s PPG) and not much better on offense (112.8 PPG). The only bright spot is that Sarr is showing signs that he may actually have All-Star potential and is flirting with averaging 20 points and 10 boards a night.
28. Los Angeles Clippers (LW: 28)
The Los Angeles Clippers aimed to quiet the off-court noise after they became embroiled in a summer scandal about how they originally acquired Kawhi Leonard. They haven’t done any of that during an awful first couple of months, and the drama continued in December when the team surprisingly banished franchise great Chris Paul.
Even at 36, James Harden is still playing at an All-Star level, and Kawhi Leonard has been good when he is actually available to play. Nevertheless, they’ve been terrible on offense (111.3 PPG). So it shouldn’t be too surprising that trade rumors are swirling around their well-aged stars.
27. Indiana Pacers (LW: 27)
The Indiana Pacers were expected to struggle mightily this year after top star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles in the Finals, and they lost Myles Turner to the Bucks in free agency. Even at their best, they were a back-15 defensive team. However, with no serious second scorer after Pascal Siakim, even their vaunted offense is mediocre at best in 2025-26.
Unlike the other teams at the bottom of the standings, Indiana has a good reason for its awful season. One of the few positives to take away from this lost season is that with more opportunities, former lottery pick Bennedict Mathurin is having a career year and showing he must be a part of their long-term core.
26. Sacramento Kings (LW: 26)
On paper, the Sacramento Kings have a pretty good roster. They have two multi-time All-Star guards, a top-notch big man in Domantas Sabonis (when healthy), and impact veteran guards like Dennis Schroder and Malik Monk. But as some observers expected, the Kings have been a mess this season under head coach Doug Christie.
While no one expected them to be very good on defense, they are surprisingly weak on offense, despite having some high-level scorers. Entering the week, they are averaging just 110.8 PPG, which is only better than the lowly Pacers and Nets. All signs point to Sactown being a big seller with trade season officially open.
25. Brooklyn Nets (LW: 25)
In June’s draft, the Brooklyn Nets had four first-round picks and chose to use all of them instead of packaging them in trades for veteran players. They also had the most available cap space in the offseason but held off on splurging in a weak free agent market. Unfortunately, the cautious approach has not delivered results in the new season.
While new addition Michael Porter Jr. has been great thus far, and Cam Thomas has been reliable as ever as a scorer, it hasn’t mattered. The Nets simply aren’t getting enough from the rest of their young roster to be competitive this season. It has created doubt whether coach Jordi Fernandez can be the man to get them back to relevance.
24. Charlotte Hornets (LW: 24)
While LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges have been posting good numbers this season, and Kon Knueppel is looking like a serious rookie of the year candidate, it has not helped turn the Charlotte Hornets into a competitive group in 2025-26.
They are terrible on defense and have not been much be on the other side of the ball. If not for somehow being kryptonite for the Raptors, they’d have one of the worst records in the NBA.
23. Portland Trail Blazers (LW: 22)
The Portland Trail Blazers have a roster with respectable veterans and youngsters with high upside, including Shaedon Sharpe. However, a dark cloud was immediately placed over their season from the start when head coach Chauncey Billups was implicated in a wild poker game rigging scheme.
Portland got off to a better-than-expected start to the season because of Deni Avdija and Sharpe taking another leap in their development. However, while they are a solid team on offense (scoring 118.2 PPG), their defense is bottom five in the league (121.9 PPG). It is why they are also in the bottom five of the Western Conference standings.
22. Chicago Bulls (LW: 20)
Late last season, the Chicago Bulls surprised many around the league by actually getting better after moving Zach LaVine. Josh Giddy flourished under head coach Billy Donovan, and Coby White had a breakout season. The big question is whether it was a hot streak or proof that they are a team on the rise in the East?
To begin the season, Chicago looked like it could be the breakout team of 2025-26. However, over the last few weeks, they have fallen back to earth because of a defense that is among the worst in the NBA — 122.4 points per game. They have solid pieces on the roster, but need some help. That’s why they have been unsurprisingly linked to various deals with the trade season now underway.
21. Utah Jazz (LW: 23)
Last year, Will Hardy and his team took another step back as the Jazz finished dead last in the 2024-25 NBA standings. It’s why hopes are not high in Salt Lake City. Especially after a season-ending injury to talented big man Walker Kessler. But a pair of players are keeping the Jazz in the play-in hunt.
Lauri Markkanen and 2023 first-round pick Keyonte George are playing great this season, and why Utah isn’t an easy out each night. If the reports are true and they have interest in trading for some impact players this season, they have upside with better pieces around their top scorers.
20. Dallas Mavericks (LW: 21)
The Dallas Mavericks should be better than they are, even without Kyrie Irving. Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are future Hall of Famers who can still play at a high level, and Cooper Flagg is one of the most hyped rookies of the last 20 years. However, Davis’ injury woes have been a major problem and likely played a major role in GM Nico Harrison getting fired in November.
But there is renewed hope with AD back on the court and Flagg getting more and more comfortable at the NBA level. Recent wins over the Rockets, Heat, and Nuggets show this team is playing much better, and it may not be a lost season in Dallas this year.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (LW: 19)
The Milwaukee Bucks made some big changes in the summer. They moved on from future Hall of Famer Damian Lillard, and in an attempt to keep top star Giannis Antetokounmpo happy, they made one of the boldest moves of the offseason by luring Myles Turner away from Indiana.
Unfortunately, Milwaukee has been worse. Despite Antetokounmpo’s amazing play — when he was healthy — they have fallen well below .500, and trade rumors continue to swirl around them as they must consider if they should add or blow it all up.
18. Memphis Grizzlies (LW: 18)
The Memphis Grizzlies were always going to be a bit different after firing Taylor Jenkins late last season and replacing him with assistant Tuomas Iisalo. But few expected a team with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant to struggle this much or the star guard to so poorly mesh with his new head coach.
Morant’s points are down significantly compared to his best seasons, and Jackson has not been as dominant as he was last year. A defense that is hovering near the top 10 is a major reason why they aren’t looking like a lottery team as we near Christmas.
17. Golden State Warriors (LW: 17)
Entering last season’s playoffs, the Golden State Warriors were seen as a serious dark horse to go all the way. However, Stephen Curry’s first-ever hamstring injury came at the worst possible time, and they were ousted early in the postseason. Yet, the Warriors have struggled to regain that strong play in the new season.
After a quick start to the year, they have slumped over the last couple of weeks and are now an under .500 team. Veterans Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler have questioned their defense and heart. However, statistically, they have been a good defensive team. It is their offense that has surprisingly struggled, and they are bottom-10 in offensive rating (113.4) this season.
16. Miami Heat (LW: 13)
The Miami Heat will be drama-free this year, with the Jimmy Butler drama far behind them. In this offseason, they looked to fill that scoring void when they made a trade for All-Star Norman Powell, and he has been outstanding to begin his career in South Beach.
With Tyler Herro finally back, the hope was that a roster that was already among the best scoring teams in the league would really catch fire. However, they have slumped recently, losing six of their last 10. It’s due to a defense that is bottom 10 in the league, giving up 117.7 PPG. This is not your usual Erik Spoelstra Heat team.
15. Phoenix Suns (LW: 11)
Outside of the 76ers, the Phoenix Suns were the NBA’s biggest letdown in 2024-25. Their awful performance got head coach Mike Budenholzer fired, and it is why they moved on from both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in the offseason. In the deal for Durant, they got 3-and-D expert Dillon Brooks. He has been a revelation in his first season in Phoenix.
The big changes have paid off, and Phoenix has been a pleasant surprise this year. They are on the cusp of being a top-six team in the conference, and surprisingly, it is because of a defense that is giving up the ninth fewest points in the league. Devin Booker has looked great, and Grayson Allen is having the best season of his career.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (LW: 15)
The Cleveland Cavaliers were a dominant team in the East last season. Coach Kenny Atkinson was given one of the league’s better defenses and added the offensive efficiency they lacked. If not for Donovan Mitchell being banged up, they could have made the conference finals. However, they are becoming one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season, and for the wrong reason.
This season, the Cavs have been an inconsistent group. They have shown moments of brilliance, and Donovan Mitchell is off to a stellar start. But they have hit a recent slump that is sure to fire up trade speculation for a team that severely lacks a second scorer deserving of respect.
13. Atlanta Hawks (LW: 16)
Led by the face of the franchise, Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks were a handful for opposing defenses last season. Unfortunately, they were terrible on the other side of the ball. But after the emergence of youngsters Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels last season, plus the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker this summer, the Hawks are a sleeper team in the East.
The depth of their roster has really shown this season. Despite losing Young for multiple weeks, ATL has played far better than many expected. Thanks almost exclusively to Johnson, who leads the team in points (22.8), rebounds (10.5), and assists (8.2). The youngster is making a case to be an All-Star Game starter and is showing if they wanted to move on from Young, they could.
12. Philadelphia 76ers (LW: 14)
The Philadelphia 76ers were the biggest disappointment in the NBA last season as injuries to their top two players destroyed any plans to be an NBA Finals contender. The only positive from the lost campaign was that Tyrese Maxey confirmed he is a legitimate star in the league and is the new face of the franchise.
That has continued in 2025-26, and the sixth-year talent is among the league’s top scorers to begin the final month of the year. Plus, Quentin Grimes has continued his strong finish to last season. While Joel Embiid and Paul George are starting to get into a groove, they are a middle-of-the-road team on offense and defense.
11. Orlando Magic (LW: 9)
The Orlando Magic dealt with major injuries to key players for large parts of last season, but battled through with their elite defense. To improve the offense, they added playmaker and three-point ace Desmond Bane. However, it remains the far weaker side of the floor for the Magic.
After some early struggles and top star Paolo Banchero missing a notable amount of time, the Magic have played very well over the last few weeks. They are a problem in the East, but seem another good scoring playmaker away from being a serious Finals contender.
10. Toronto Raptors (LW: 12)
Last season was a major disappointment for the Toronto Raptors. However, they played the long game and had hope that year two for head coach Darko Rajaković, and the addition of veteran scorer Brandon Ingram, could make a difference in 2025-26. They were right.
However, instead of being an elite scoring team as many expected, they have been a top-three group in the East, due to better-than-expected defense. They are giving up just 113.2 PPG, which is seventh best in the league. Last season, they gave up the 22nd most points in the NBA.
9. Boston Celtics (LW: 8)
Jayson Tatum’s season-ending injury in Game 5 of the semifinals completely altered the trajectory of the Boston Celtics this season. Plus, trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, and letting Al Horford walk to cut costs, was always going to mean 2025-26 would be a fight to be a play-in team. Or maybe not?
Coach Joe Mazzulla continues to show why he is one of the best coaches in the NBA right now as he has Boston among the top three teams in the East. And the major reason why is a defense that is giving up 110.8 PPG. It also helps that Jaylen Brown is playing some of the best basketball of his career.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (LW: 10)
7. Los Angeles Lakers (LW: 5)
There are big expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. They got a full training camp with young superstar Luka Doncic, and head coach JJ Redick is expected to get better following an impressive first season. Plus, they still have one of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James.
Interestingly, LA is one of the best teams in the league right now because of none other than Austin Reaves. The undrafted star is averaging close to 30 points a game (27.8 PPG) in year five. The big question is, will their defense hold up against the elites of the NBA in the spring? It has shown some leaks in recent upset losses to the Suns and Celtics.
6. Houston Rockets (LW: 6)
The Houston Rockets were one of the best stories in the NBA last season, as they evolved into an elite team in the West with strong defense and the emergence of Alperen Sengun as a new star in the league. In the summer, the Rockets traded for Kevin Durant, with the hope that the league could help their offense be as dominant as their defense.
Despite being without their floor leader, Fred VanVleet, the Rockets are one of the best scoring teams in the game (120.8 PPG) because of the rise of Amen Thompson. However, while Durant was meant to improve their offense, they haven’t lost a step on defense and are holding opponents to just 111.2 PPG. Along with the Nuggets, they are the biggest threat to the Thunder in the West.
5. San Antonio Spurs (LW: 7)
The assumption at the start of the season was that the San Antonio Spurs were a team primed for a breakout season. Victor Wembanyama was back healthy from his blood clot scare — and taller. They’d get a full season of De’Aaron Fox. Year two for rookie of the year Stephon Castle has a lot of promise, and they added a very talented rookie, Dylan Harper.
Wemby is playing like a sure-fire All-Star game starter when healthy, but one of the most impressive things about this young group is that they have also held their great and remained a top team when the young star was sidelined.
4. Denver Nuggets (LW: 3)
When you have the best player on the planet, the Denver Nuggets will always be a very competitive squad. Yet this season is different than recent years after the organization shockingly fired Michael Malone late last year and replaced him with David Adelman. So far, Adelman has maintained the high standard set by Malone, and Denver has been the NBA’s best unit on offense.
A major reason why is more amazing play from Nikola Jokic, who is top five in scoring and leads the league in rebounds and assists (!). However, most importantly, Jamal Murray is also looking like the player who co-starred in their run to a championship two years ago.
3. New York Knicks (LW: 4)
After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks took the bold step of firing Tom Thibodeau in the spring despite being one of the winningest coaches in team history. That’s why there were always going to be some early bumps in the road with his replacement, Mike Brown. However, New York has started to build serious momentum and is one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
This year’s crew is evolving into a scoring machine (121.0 PPG), and their usually strong defense is starting to finally get back to business and is top five in the league. Jalen Brunson is also playing like an MVP candidate again, and Mikal Bridges has been very good on both sides of the ball.
2. Detroit Pistons (LW: 2)
The Detroit Pistons were the top feel-good story in the league last season as they went from the worst team in the league to being a top-six team in the conference and reaching the playoffs. Well, they have now become one of the best teams in the NBA in year two under head coach JB Bickerstaff.
Not only are they playing elite defense — giving up just 119.3 PPG — they also have a top-10 offense because of some All-NBA play from Cade Cunningham. It’s why Detroit owns the best record in the East (21-5) as we near Christmas.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (LW: 1)
The Oklahoma City Thunder were the best team in the NBA throughout last season. Posting 68 wins with elite defense and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way. Things haven’t changed one bit in the new season, and the group is on pace to surpass the Warriors and set a new single-season win record in 2025-26.
Not only are they the best defensive team in the league, giving up just 106.3 PPG, but their offense is nearly as good. OKC is second in the league with 123.1 PPG. While they suffered their second loss of the season over the weekend to the Spurs, the Thunder still seem unstoppable right now.
