26/30 rankers reporting this week. /R/NBA's Power Rankings are published every two weeks which is a bit different from most rankings. Other than that we rank the teams the same way as our competition. If write ups are left blank the team rep decided not to submit. We encourage any user to fill in the blanks in the comment section.

# Team Δ Record Comment
1 Thunder — 13-1 The Thunder continue to blow teams out of the water, so much so that SGA has only played in 6 out of 14 4th quarters this season. They will eventually lose a game, though whether that's their next game or 15 games from now is TBD. But what's most impressive to me is that they have not lost a step despite having the second most injured team this season. Mark Daigneualt and SGA continue to keep this ship on course in its title defense and will not let any adversity serve as an excuse for poor play.
2 Nuggets +1 10-2 The Nuggets have been on an absolute heater since the last rankings, going a perfect 7-0 in that span. While Jokic is obviously the main driver here as he continues to shatter through his ceiling every damn year, the wins wouldn't be coming as easily without the bench (probably the best bench of the Jokic era in Denver) and the top-3 defense in points allowed this season. Whether it's the scheme shifting from exclusively man-to-man to a hybrid zone look at times, or simply the change of personnel, David Adelman has unlocked a new level with this team that's allowing them to excel on both sides of the ball and damn near sleepwalk their way to wins some nights. We'll see how big of an impact the injuries to Braun and Cam Johnson make to the team over the coming weeks, but if the depth can continue to shine as they did in Minnesota on Saturday, the team should be able to weather these injuries.
3 Rockets +1 9-3 The team continues to power on it's incredible offensive run. The twin towers of Sengun and Adams have contributed to the best rebounding team in the league, while three players are shooting above 45% from 3 to lead the league's best shooting team also. Despite early doubts, Reed Sheppard is quickly emerging as the solution at point guard. And KD, well he can do it all. If the team can keep up this kind of efficiency, the Rockets will be a problem come playoff time.
4 Pistons +6 11-2 Aided by the unexpected play of players such as Daniss Jenkins and Paul Reed, our team has been able to overcome substantial injuries to just about all of our main rotation pieces. We have been without Cade and Duren the last couple of games as well as Beef Stew (now back), Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, and Jaden Ivey. Somehow the this team of Dawgs keeps getting the job done. Sure, the strength of schedule is part of the reason why, but let's ignore that for now and enjoy the W's as we are first place in the East for now. I've said it before, and I will say it again, but we will be hovering close to 0.700 around Christmas time. Unfortunately the schedule will get tougher at that point and we will learn if we are for real or if we are pretenders in January. For now, I would argue we are the most watchable team for neutral fans given the hustle you see from this squad night in and night out. JB should be in the early discussion for coach of the year candidate given the number of injuries we have had to overcome, regardless of the opponents. Also, please Trajan, find a way to convert Daniss off of his 2 way contract to a regular one by the end of the season. Thanks!
5 Knicks +7 8-4 "YOU DONE IT. YOU DONE HIRED THE HITMAKER!" These were the words that Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, one of Jazz's greatest drummers, would post up on signs next to his drum kit when invited to studios. And by God was he right. His eponymous Shuffle became a touchstone of setting grooves from the sixies to the present day. I think of Bernard Purdie… I think of Mike Brown. What that grinning magician has done to the Knicks offense is nothing short of miraculous, and a month into the season we're seeing the band settle into the pocket. The Bench is stepping up with big performances by Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson, OG and Mikal are posting defensive masterclasses, Josh Hart- mangled finger and all- is returning to his triple-double regularity, KAT and Brunson are humming well… and Mitchell Robinson is the most dynamic rebounder in modern NBA history. The Offense is putting up 135-point games on balanced minutes and shaking off the questions that dogged the team as it settled into Brown's coaching philosophy: Shoot, Shoot, Shoot. We're firing from downtown at a historic rate, and with such strong rebounding in our roster we're feasting on second chances. I for one believe in those. True, we've had a pretty easy schedule over the past stretch, but winning 6 of our last 7 is undeniable. Can't wait until we clash with Detroit.
6 Lakers — 10-4
7 Cavaliers — 9-5 A 5-2 stretch where we saw the return and setback of Darius Garland’s toe injury, along with losing an emerging Jaylon Tyson, the holes in the offense are showing whenever Donovan Mitchell has been off the court. There simply isn’t enough creating off the dribble. Craig Porter Jr. has been a two way spark plug off the bench at PG while Lonzo’s still acclimating to a new system. Considering the 3 ball isn’t falling anywhere near the rate it was last year, the Cavs 9-5 only feels bad because we started 33-4 last year. Any one of Garland, Strus or Tyson being back will be an immediate remedy of our issues on offense
7 Spurs -6 9-4 Despite the doomer opinions that come out of the woodworks any time the Spurs lose a game, this season is feeling pretty, pretty good so far. Wemby's figuring out how to handle blitzing defenses a little bit better, his rebounding is still the best I've seen it consistently in his young career, and the Spurs overall are finding ways to play solid, competitive basketball. Giving up back-to-back 40-bombs to Steph in losses hurts (especially in Friday's NBA Cup thriller), but the Warriors are a good team. Fox is still settling in to San Antonio (having only played his 22nd game here and only 9 with Wemby so far), but I'm optimistic about the future of that pairing. Excepting the Kings game where he had to leave early due to a hip injury (hopefully it's a minor one), Stephon Castle has also been making a second year leap; since our last rankings, Castle has averaged 18.1/6.6/9.4 (on .572 TS%) and 1.7 steals against 3.1 TOV (the latter a marked improvement over his 5.4 TOV during the Spurs' opening season games). Dylan Harper remains out with a calf injury that projects to likely keep him out until the end of this month/early December, and Wemby sat last night with calf tightness that I'm thinking (read: hoping) is just a one off rest game. Luke Kornet has returned from injury and remains one of my favorite Spurs pickups in recent years. A situation to keep an eye on is Jeremy Sochan's playing time; coach Mitch Johnson has inexplicably somewhat dropped Sochan from the rotation of late, even though to my eye he's looked plenty effective on defense and his offseason jump shot work seems to have translated to game pace. Hoping that Jeremy proves enough to where his spot in the rotation re-solidifies (his performance against the Kings was great); he brings great energy on defense and the glass, and he plays a great two man game with Wemby cutting off ball. The Spurs have MEM, ATL, @PHO, @POR (Cup), @DEN (Cup), @MIN over the next two weeks.
9 Hawks +10 9-5 Jalen Johnson. That is all.
10 TWolves +6 8-5 Wolves have enough talent to beat bad teams but lack roster cohesion or depth to really challenge the top flight teams in the league. One player to highlight for the Wolves this season is Jaden McDaniels whose offensive game has taken a leap this season averaging a career high in points at 17.7 ppg on 55% from the field and 50% from deep.
11 Warriors — 9-6 Curry is my GOAT.
12 Bucks -6 8-6 It's been a rocky stretch for the Bucks, going 2-3 over the last 5. Losing Prince to a neck injury for most (if not all) of the season was a huge blow to our already scant wing depth — which badly needs to be addressed somehow before the deadline. Thankfully, Kuzma has been excellent so far this year, which has allowed us to stay within 1 game of the 2 seed despite sloppy play and Giannis being a bit banged up.
13 76ers -6 7-5 The Sixers would be awesome if they were allowed to only take the best 3 out of 4 quarters. Unfortunately for them, they all count. The Sixers have a near double digit negative differential in the 3rd quarter, and somehow that still doesn't feel like enough of a description to explain how flat they come out each halftime. Their advanced shooting stats come out around the middle, and yet their offensive rating is near top 10. That can only be explained by the absolute scoring dominance of Tyrese Maxey as he shows why he's one of the best scorers in the league. It looks like PG is close to coming back (questionable for their next game against LA), but Embiid is now missing multiple games again. Can the main core hold it down while the old stars try to come back?
14 Raptors +6 8-5 Did the boys win a trap game? HELL YEAH! I hope this season is sustainable in terms of injury health and good luck. I'm having fun!
15 Suns +6 8-6 The general expectations for the Suns was a top 5 pick. Dogshit on ice. The 1-4 start didn't change any minds, but since then, we're 7-2 and straight up nuking teams. Has the schedule been tough, no. But we were expected to be in the basement, not demolishing them. Good teams take care of business, something we didn't do last year. It wasn't all bad teams with a blowout again the then undefeated Spurs, holding Wemby to 9 points. The best part, Booker doesn't need to drop 50 a night to get these results. Losing Green for ~two months sucks, but as coach Ott said, no excuses. The schedule ramps up from here. Time to see just how ⋆｡°✩ Aligned✩°｡⋆ the Suns truly are.
16 Heat -1 7-6 Looking for a ranker, please apply here! You will need to remove the "np" (no participation in the link to apply.
17 Celtics — 7-7 The Celtics went 4-3 since the last rankings, with victories over the Wizards, Magic, Grizzlies, and Clippers, along with losses to the Jazz, Magic, and 76ers. God knows why we've already played the 76ers THREE TIMES this season, with the 4th game not happening until March 1st of 2026. Same goes for Orlando, who we'll be playing for a 3rd time next week, with our 4th game against them not until April 12th of 2026, quite literally the last game of the season. I digress though. The Celtics continue to be a team of randomness, both to the amusement and frustration of fans. Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard can go off for 30+ points on any given night, and a somewhat struggling Derrick White is starting to get his footing. As has been said multiple times, this is a year to figure things out in preparation for Tatum's return. Multiple guys are gonna be given the chance this year to prove that they deserve a roster spot next season once the Celtics are back in contender-mode, so special shoutout to Luka Garza who has had a bit of a showing out the past 4 games, averaging 13 points and just under 8 rebounds per game. Between now and the next rankings the Celtics play six times, with matchups against the Nets twice, Magic, Pistons, Timberwolves, and Cavs.
18 Magic — 7-7 That's much more like it, 6-3 since that horrific 1-4 start. Strong NBA Cup showings against the Celtics and Nets put the Magic in a prime position to win the group, particularly due to Franz protecting point differential and this wild sequence to close out against the Nets. Paolo unfortunately suffered a minor groin strain and is expected to miss a few games while rehabbing, but as expected of the "by committee" approach that Mosley has instilled, Tristan da Silva has slotted in nicely in the starting lineup with 22/9/1 and 13/6/2 and 3 steals the past two games. A back and forth affair against the Trail Blazers gave us Desmond Bane's first ever game-winning bucket and it seems to have really broken him out of that early season slump Bane was in. Tough games against the Warriors and Clippers as part of a 3 game home stand are up for the Magic before heading back on the road to finish off their NBA Cup group games during Thanksgiving week.
19 Bulls -10 6-6 The Bulls are in a very weird, unpredictable spot. On one hand, we've had one of the toughest schedules in the league; on the other hand, we've consistently been awful in the clutch. It's too hard to say what will happen in the rest of the season, but I'd still like to stay optimistic. This 5 game losing streak has had so many external factors (injuries, strength of opponents etc.) but also so many internal faults like defense and shot selection. Both the Pistons game and the Jazz game should've been wins, but because of stupid decisions by Billy Donovan and the constant switching on defense we lost. As of writing this, we just lost to the Jazz, and watching the Bulls let the Jazz run the same play over and over again was SO infuriating. Offense was and has been great, but our fast pace on defense has been the reason we're cooked. We either switch 50 times in a play, leaving someone wide open on the perimeter, or Vucevic switches from the 7'1 quick-as-shit behemoth of a man to the 5'3 tiny guy on the outside, leaving Okoro or White to pathetically attempt to tame the beast. It wouldn't be so infuriating if it wasn't happening every single play — I have no idea what Billy is telling these guys, but it has to change. Every other game — though I wasn't exactly expecting the Bulls to do well — was also quite disappointing. It seems every Bulls game these past few weeks has been: team is up by 20 (either team) – the team that is down brings the lead to within 1-3 points – Bulls lose. Normally this is due to the previously mentioned defensive problems combined with an awful rotation to close the game and shot selection that would make Denzel Valentine proud. On a much better note, Giddey has been BALLING. The Bulls really felt his absence in the games he was injured, and in the comeback against Philly he was absolutely DOMINATING. He just makes the game so easy with his crazy passing and guaranteed mismatch on any guard. I like to think he's the only reason we started 6-1 and not 1-6. Overall, there's a lot to look forward to. Giddey triple-doubles, Matas' development, whatever Coby is gonna do this year; our ceiling is through the roof. I think we just need to work on our defensive scheme and hope Billy Donovan figures his shit out.
20 Trail Blazers -7 6-7 Growing pains emerged for the Blazers over the past two weeks. The defense, in particular, has taken a nose dive as injuries and a perpetual full court press are starting to wear players down. The lack of ball handling, especially with Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson injured, has also been a concern. On the plus side, Sharpe has begun to show why he was given a big new contract over the off-season putting up 26.1p/6r/2.4a on 49.6/28.3/75 splits over his past seven games. Deni also continues his strong all-star bid, averaging 26p/6.5r/4.8a on 49/38/86 on the season and 28.9p/7.0r/5.3a on 48.8/36.5/90.5 splits over the past two weeks.
21 Jazz +5 5-8 Lauri Markkanen deserves to be All-NBA first team at this rate. He and Steph are the only players to score 45+ twice this season. He and Shai are the only 2 players in the league averaging over 30ppg, and less than 2tov. He is so good as an offball scorer. We've scored 150+ points twice in the last 3 games (shoutout Keyonte for the game winner), and Ace Bailey has flourished as a starter. We have a brutal stretch coming up, so we will see how our tank straightens out the next month or two.
22 Clippers -8 4-9 The Unction is in fucking shambles one month into the season. We have only won one game since Halloween, and we needed two overtimes to beat one of the only teams left in the league that are bigger dumpster fires than us (no offense Dallas I'm sorry Nico did all that). PTO demon Bradley Beal is now out for the year after 6 fucking games, and the offensive hole at the 2 has been so bad that Tyronn Lue is actually playing the limited youth that we have on the bench. Our other PTO demon Kawhi injured his ankle a week ago, which means that our offense is literally just James Harden again for the next 2-52 weeks. The defensive focus that kept us in games last year has all but dissipated; as we have somehow turned from a top-3 defense to a bottom-5 one in one summer. Things are getting bad for the Clippers fast, as we're getting pretty close to officially becoming OKC's farm team if they don't turn this around somehow.
23 Hornets — 4-9 LaMelo and Miller are injured and the team won a game! After going 3-32 last year without LaMelo Ball, having actual shot creation (and real rookies) is a huge help. We are not good, and won't make the play-in let alone playoffs, but the future actually feels bright.
24 Grizzlies -2 4-10
25 Mavericks -1 4-10 Nico Harrison has been fired, which has quickly become one of the few bright spots of the season. Dallas' defense is still strong (4th in DRTG), but are still in the basement off ORTG, sitting at 29th. This season is quickly looking like a tanking season, but Cooper Flagg + a potential top pick in a loaded class feels like a good reason for optimism.
26 Kings -1 3-11 Looking for a ranker, please apply here! You will need to remove the "np" (no participation in the link to apply.
27 Nets +2 2-11 The Nets are truly horrendous at basketball – which is why it's a shock that they busted Washington's ass the other night. There's tanking and then there's a perenniel losing culture that permeates into every aspect of the team. As of now, the Nets are tanking but they can't compete with the legends of the game in teams like Washington. Based on the upcoming schedule, the Nets may not win another basketball game until January but hey, MPJ is shooting lights out and the coaching staff would rather play the older journeyman than the "developing" rookies so we'll see. Demin's progress so far is exciting, Drake Powell looks like a legit NBA player, and Danny Wolf is genuinely destroying the G-league competition. It's weird having 5 rookies and trying to keep up with them but as of now, 3 of them are already looking better than I thought they would. Choo-choo, the tank chugs on.
28 Pelicans +2 2-11 The Pelicans won two games, in a row! Derik Queen is looking like everything Joe Dumars hoped he would be, though the trade will forever live in infamy. His vision and touch are impeccable for a rookie big man. The big question remains as to whether DQ and Z can play together. Long term that will hinge on whether Queen can defend the 5. If he can't, it may hasten Zion's departure from the Crescent City. The bad man is gone!! The bad man is gone!!
29 Pacers -2 1-12 It's not as bad as you think is….it's worse. Indiana's nightmarish start to the 2025 season continues, as the vast amount of injuries plaguing the team have already forced them to sign two different players to 10-day hardship contracts. Adding insult – or, more injury, I guess – to injury, Aaron Nesmith has sprained his knee and is expected to miss about a month of playing time. The lack of available playmakers has seriously hindered Indiana's offense, to the extent that they have BY FAR the worst eFG% of any team this season. Diving even further, the Pacers have the worst eFG% in the restricted area by any team over the last 11 seasons. So yeah, it's bad. REALLY bad.
30 Wizards -2 1-12 We ass.

16 comments

  2. BIAS RANKINGS!

    Team | Rank | Ranks Above Avg | Lover | Ranks Below Avg | Hater |
    :– | :-: | :-: | :– | :-: | :– |
    [](/ATL) Hawks | 9 | 4 | [](/WAS) /u/TopOfTheKey | -5 | [](/MIL) /u/Short_Bus_ |
    [](/BOS) Celtics | 17 | 4 | [](/MIN) /u/flyingscissor | -3 | 2 Tied |
    [](/BKN) Nets | 27 | 1 | 2 Tied | -2 | 3 Tied |
    [](/CHA) Hornets | 23 | 3 | 2 Tied | -5 | [](/CHI) /u/crugreddit |
    [](/CHI) Bulls | 19 | 6 | [](/CHA) /u/NotManyBuses | -3 | [](/PHX) /u/ajteitel |
    [](/CLE) Cavaliers | 8 | 5 | [](/OKC) /u/AnkitPancakes | -4 | [](/WAS) /u/TopOfTheKey |
    [](/DAL) Mavericks | 25 | 4 | [](/ATL) /u/not-a-potato-head | 0 | 6 Tied |
    [](/DEN) Nuggets | 2 | 0 | 23 Tied | -1 | 3 Tied |
    [](/DET) Pistons | 4 | 2 | [](/BOS) /u/walterdog12 | -2 | 2 Tied |
    [](/GSW) Warriors | 11 | 3 | 3 Tied | -4 | 3 Tied |
    [](/HOU) Rockets | 3 | 1 | 2 Tied | -3 | [](/DAL) /u/rps215 |
    [](/IND) Pacers | 29 | 3 | [](/ORL) /u/albinorhino21 | -1 | 4 Tied |
    [](/LAC) Clippers | 22 | 5 | [](/ORL) /u/albinorhino21 | -4 | [](/CHA) /u/NotManyBuses |
    [](/LAL) Lakers | 6 | 2 | 6 Tied | -4 | 3 Tied |
    [](/MEM) Grizzlies | 24 | 5 | 2 Tied | -2 | [](/PHI) /u/JerKroSRL |
    [](/MIA) Heat | 16 | 5 | [](/CHA) /u/NotManyBuses | -4 | [](/GSW) /u/swollencornholio |
    [](/MIL) Bucks | 12 | 3 | 2 Tied | -6 | [](/ATL) /u/not-a-potato-head |
    [](/MIN) TWolves | 10 | 3 | 4 Tied | -3 | [](/SAS) /u/Uncle_Freddy |
    [](/NOP) Pelicans | 28 | 5 | [](/CHA) /u/NotManyBuses | -1 | 4 Tied |
    [](/NYK) Knicks | 5 | 2 | [](/MIN) /u/flyingscissor | -3 | 5 Tied |
    [](/OKC) Thunder | 1 | 0 | 26 Tied | 0 | 26 Tied |
    [](/ORL) Magic | 18 | 5 | [](/OKC) /u/AnkitPancakes | -4 | [](/MIN) /u/flyingscissor |
    [](/PHI) 76ers | 13 | 3 | 2 Tied | -4 | [](/PHX) /u/ajteitel |
    [](/PHX) Suns | 15 | 7 | 3 Tied | -3 | [](/MIL) /u/Short_Bus_ |
    [](/POR) Trail Blazers | 20 | 9 | [](/PHX) /u/ajteitel | -1 | [](/WAS) /u/TopOfTheKey |
    [](/SAC) Kings | 26 | 5 | [](/CHI) /u/crugreddit | -1 | 3 Tied |
    [](/SAS) Spurs | 8 | 4 | 2 Tied | -11 | [](/CHA) /u/NotManyBuses |
    [](/TOR) Raptors | 14 | 7 | [](/IND) /u/imkunu | -8 | 3 Tied |
    [](/UTA) Jazz | 21 | 1 | 3 Tied | -4 | 4 Tied |
    [](/WAS) Wizards | 30 | 1 | 4 Tied | 0 | 22 Tied |

    * Boring ranker of the week is [](/CLE) /u/PootieTooGood with a 0.93 standard deviation
    * Crazy ranker of the week is [](/PHX) /u/ajteitel with a 2.69 standard deviation

  11. Clippers ranker here, ask me about my favorite bradley beal clippers moments and ill rank them here!

  12. hawks too high.. other than that seems pretty good but I feel like the pistons will come back down to earth eventually

  13. This is the first time my Hornets have been above #25 in the power rankings in the last 3 years iirc

  15. As a massive Iowa basketball fan I search Luka Garza’s on reddit about once a week to check his box scores and see if he’s managed to get any playing time. Have been since he was on the Pistons.

    Did not think he’d ever receive a shoutout in the power rankings. Hope he does enough to stick in the league as it’d be a shame if Iowa’s goat couldn’t last even as a bench piece.

  16. Detroit’s schedule begins to tighten up significantly with matchups against the Bucks (2x), Hawks (2x), Magic and Blazers. It’s been a fun ride while it lasted, but it’ll be interesting to see how the Pistons come out of November.

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