{"id":532597,"date":"2026-01-12T22:16:36","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T22:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/532597\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T22:16:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T22:16:36","slug":"nba-power-rankings-time-for-the-houston-rockets-to-panic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/532597\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA power rankings: Time for the Houston Rockets to panic?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching, and that will certainly alter the balance of power within the league.<\/p>\n

But, right now, teams appear to be mostly in holding patterns, though we already saw the Hawks and Wizards make a deal by swapping Trae Young<\/a> for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. More trades are sure to follow, but look for teams who are expected to compete to leverage any assets they may have to make up for weaknesses on the roster.<\/p>\n

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One team worth watching is the Houston Rockets<\/a>, who have lost three consecutive games and who have been called out for their effort and toughness. They are this week\u2019s biggest fallers.<\/p>\n

Here are\u00a0USA TODAY Sports<\/a>\u2019 NBA power rankings after Week 11 of the 2025-26 regular season:<\/p>\n

1 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

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1 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

2 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards’ Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

3 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

4 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

5 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

6 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 24: The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

7 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 22: The New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

8 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.<\/p>\n

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings<\/p>\n

Note:\u00a0Records and stats through Jan. 11. Parentheses show movement from\u00a0last week\u2019s rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n

NBA Week 12 power rankings: Top 10<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a>, 33-7 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

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2.\u00a0Detroit Pistons<\/a>, 28-10 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0San Antonio Spurs<\/a>, 27-12 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Denver Nuggets<\/a>, 26-13 (+1)<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Boston Celtics<\/a>, 24-14 (-1)<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0New York Knicks<\/a>, 23-12 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a>, 26-14 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0Phoenix Suns<\/a>, 24-15 (+2)<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0Toronto Raptors<\/a>, 24-16 (+2)<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>, 23-13 (-2)<\/p>\n

The Thunder aren\u2019t all the way back to their previous levels of dominance from the beginning of the season, but Oklahoma City has course corrected on a three-game winning streak. The big movers are the Suns, who have the NBA\u2019s third best defensive rating (102.9) over the last six games, which include wins over teams like the Knicks and Thunder.<\/p>\n

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And the Nuggets are in an interesting spot: star Nikola Joki\u0107 remains sidelined with a knee injury and Denver is still banged up. Some recent losses have pushed the Nuggets a touch down the West, but Aaron Gordon is back, Christian Braun is nearing a return and Denver has shown it remains an incredibly tough team to beat, even in the face of these injuries.<\/p>\n

NBA Week 12 power rankings: Nos. 11-20<\/p>\n

11.\u00a0Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>, 21-16 (+1)<\/p>\n

12.\u00a0Orlando Magic<\/a>, 22-18 (+2)<\/p>\n

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13.\u00a0Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>, 22-18 (+2)<\/p>\n

14.\u00a0Atlanta Hawks<\/a>, 20-21 (+6)<\/p>\n

15.\u00a0Houston Rockets<\/a>, 21-11 (-6)<\/p>\n

16.\u00a0Golden State Warriors<\/a>, 21-19 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

17.\u00a0Miami Heat<\/a>, 20-19 (-4)<\/p>\n

18.\u00a0Portland Trail Blazers<\/a>, 19-21 (+1)<\/p>\n

19.\u00a0Milwaukee Bucks<\/a>, 17-22 (-1)<\/p>\n

20.\u00a0Chicago Bulls<\/a>, 17-18 (-3)<\/p>\n

\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks on from the bench during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings Jan 11, 2026 at Golden 1 Center.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia continues its quiet march toward contention in the East, and the Sixers<\/a> are particularly dangerous when all three of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George play. The Hawks, on a three-game winning streak, have more stability and direction after the Trae Young trade<\/a>. Atlanta was playing better without him, anyway, highlighted by an improved defense.<\/p>\n

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The Heat are on a three-game losing streak and their offense has lost its momentum. The struggles of captain Bam Adebayo, who\u2019s averaging just 10.9 points per game over his last eight, are a big reason why. But it\u2019s the Rockets, losers of three in a row, who are this week\u2019s biggest sliders. Houston\u2019s skid has come against the Trail Blazers (twice) and the Kings, and coach Ime Udoka has challenged his team\u2019s effort and toughness.<\/p>\n

NBA Week 12 power rankings: Nos. 21-30<\/p>\n

21.\u00a0Los Angeles Clippers<\/a>, 15-23 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

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22.\u00a0Memphis Grizzlies<\/a>, 17-22 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

23.\u00a0Charlotte Hornets<\/a>, 14-25 (+2)<\/p>\n

24.\u00a0Utah Jazz<\/a>, 13-25 (-2)<\/p>\n

25.\u00a0Dallas Mavericks<\/a>, 14-25 (-2)<\/p>\n

26.\u00a0Washington Wizards<\/a>, 10-28 (+1)<\/p>\n

27.\u00a0Brooklyn Nets<\/a>, 11-25 (-1)<\/p>\n

28.\u00a0Indiana Pacers<\/a>, 8-31 (+2)<\/p>\n

29.\u00a0Sacramento Kings<\/a>, 9-30 (\u2014)<\/p>\n

30.\u00a0New Orleans Pelicans<\/a>, 9-32 (-2)<\/p>\n

The Clippers are starting to make their push up the standings, but they still have a long way to go. Kawhi Leonard is on a heater and James Harden is playing better, but the biggest thing is L.A. is limiting turnovers; after starting the season committing 15.6 turnovers in November, the Clippers have averaged just 13.0 turnovers per game over their last 10, tied for best in the NBA.<\/p>\n

The Pacers climb out of the cellar after consecutive wins over the Hornets and Heat.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA power rankings: Houston Rockets fall as coach questions effort<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching, and that will certainly alter the balance of power within the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":532598,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3794],"tags":[877,73498,1179,7,75,247,473,329,561,7046,193,6339,149,187,188,164,677,292,194,4066,126,560,936,529,135,150,177,189,121,152,6,2828,470,191,253,475,179,76,526,678,207,472,471,10831,211,477,474,476,494,1263,427,683],"class_list":{"0":"post-532597","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston-rockets","8":"tag-aaron-gordon","9":"tag-balance-of-power","10":"tag-bam-adebayo","11":"tag-basketball","12":"tag-boston-celtics","13":"tag-brooklyn-nets","14":"tag-charlotte-hornets","15":"tag-chicago-bulls","16":"tag-christian-braun","17":"tag-cj-mccollum","18":"tag-cleveland-cavaliers","19":"tag-corey-kispert","20":"tag-dallas-mavericks","21":"tag-denver-nuggets","22":"tag-detroit-pistons","23":"tag-golden-state-warriors","24":"tag-hawks","25":"tag-houston","26":"tag-houston-rockets","27":"tag-houstonrockets","28":"tag-indiana-pacers","29":"tag-james-harden","30":"tag-joel-embiid","31":"tag-kawhi-leonard","32":"tag-los-angeles-clippers","33":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","34":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","35":"tag-miami-heat","36":"tag-milwaukee-bucks","37":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","38":"tag-nba","39":"tag-nba-trade-deadline","40":"tag-new-orleans-pelicans","41":"tag-new-york-knicks","42":"tag-nikola-jokic","43":"tag-oklahoma-city","44":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","45":"tag-orlando-magic","46":"tag-paul-george","47":"tag-philadelphia","48":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","49":"tag-phoenix-suns","50":"tag-portland-trail-blazers","51":"tag-power-rankings","52":"tag-rockets","53":"tag-sacramento-kings","54":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","55":"tag-toronto-raptors","56":"tag-trae-young","57":"tag-tyrese-maxey","58":"tag-utah-jazz","59":"tag-wizards"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=532597"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532597\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/532598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=532597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=532597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=532597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}