We’re just past the 25% mark of the NBA season, and the league’s updated win totals tell the story of a winter filled with surprises, breakout teams, and a pair of Los Angeles franchises trending in opposite directions.
According to the latest projections, several teams have seen significant swings since the preseason numbers were posted on October 16. Daily updates will continue throughout the year, but the Dec. 1 snapshot shows dramatic momentum shifts—none bigger than the rise of the Lakers and the fall of the Clippers. If you are a fan, you can follow all basketball predictions today to make the most out of your bets.
The Lakers, who opened with a projected 46.5 wins, have rocketed upward to 54.5, an eight-win jump that ties for the second-largest positive movement in the league. Only the Raptors’ nine-win increase (+9) tops them. Chicago and Miami also share an +8 spike, but the Lakers’ leap is especially notable given their uneven start and the strength of the Western Conference.
Toronto leads the NBA in increased expectations, moving from 38.5 to 47.5 wins (+9) as the young roster continues to outperform early forecasts. Oklahoma City (+7), Detroit (+7), and a rising Thunder group highlight the list of teams outpacing their preseason evaluations. Four franchises—Boston, Atlanta, New York, and Philadelphia—remain unchanged from opening night.
But while optimism is surging for several contenders, few teams have fallen harder than the Clippers.
After opening at 47.5 wins, the Clippers’ updated total has plummeted to 38.5—a drop of nine wins that ties Sacramento for the second-biggest decline league-wide. Only Indiana, now projected to win 24.5 games after beginning at 37.5 (-13), has taken a steeper downturn. Dallas (-11), New Orleans (-7), Memphis (-6), Washington (-5), and Brooklyn (-4) are among the teams trending sharply downward.
The contrast between the two L.A. franchises is striking, as the latest predictions show. The Lakers sit comfortably in the group of season’s biggest over-achievers—Raptors (+9), Bulls (+8), Lakers (+8), Heat (+8), Pistons (+7), Thunder (+7)—while the Clippers anchor a growing list of underperforming teams—Pacers (-13), Mavericks (-11), Clippers (-9), Kings (-9), Pelicans (-7).
As the season marches forward and daily win-total updates continue to shift, one storyline is already clear: the Lakers and Clippers, projected as near-equals in mid-October, are now heading in dramatically different directions.