There’s a point every NBA season where the noise starts to quiet down.

Opening week lies don’t work anymore. “Small sample size” excuses get a little harder to sell. The rotation experiments have mostly stopped, and the standings start looking less like an accident and more like a reflection of who you actually are.

We're roughly a third of the season in. A chunk big enough to matter, but still early enough that one injury, one trade, or one heater from a role player can completely reshape the rest of a season. It's only right that we celebrate with our first power rankings of the season.

Some teams feel inevitable. Some teams feel like they’re one players-only meeting away from a fire sale. Some are clearly building something, even if the win column doesn’t show it yet.

And yes, we're looking at “championship ceiling” more than raw resume. That’s how power rankings should work. Nobody cares who was the 2-seed on December 10 if they’re going to be in the play-in come April.

The Inevitables

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder aren’t just winning — they look like they're bored doing it.

And that’s the part that should genuinely grab your attention. There’s no smoke-and-mirrors shooting run, no lucky stretches against bottom feeders. They control possessions, control the pace, and handle all the little details that cost most teams games at the beginning of the season.

It’s the kind of start that already has people whispering about the all-time wins record, and honestly, you get why. It’s early, sure, but when a team piles victories the way OKC has — just the third team to ever start 23-1 or better — it’s hard not to at least acknowledge the conversation.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear driver. He’s still that slow‑paced, unbothered scorer who gets wherever he wants on the floor, and the mid‑range has turned into his personal office. Late in games, he’s been the most steady and reliable player in the league.

But the thing that really defines OKC is how locked‑in everyone else is. They don’t drift through possessions. They don’t take stretches off. Their defensive focus is outstanding, their rotations are crisp, and they get back in transition like it actually matters every single time.

If you’re trying to take them out in a seven‑game series, you need an actual plan — not just hoping Shai has a few off nights. Through a third of the season, they’ve set the bar for everyone else, and they still look like a group with another level to reach.

2. Denver Nuggets

Denver’s season has had a few injuries, uneven stretches, and nights where the defense looks like it just didn’t get the memo — and yet they’re still 17-6 and top-three in the conference because their foundation is solid. When you have Nikola Jokić and a system that fits him perfectly, your baseline is always going to be high.

Jokić is still the biggest safety net in basketball. You can try whatever coverage you want — blitz him, switch everything, shade early, throw a second body late — he’ll just calmly work his way into the opening and make it look effortless.

What’s stood out this year is Jamal Murray’s tone-setting. When he’s assertive and locked in, Denver’s offense jumps a level. You can see the whole thing open up, and his confidence naturally spills over to everyone else.

Denver isn’t a team you want to deal with in a seven-game series. You’re not just trying to keep up with their talent — you’re trying to match their composure. They don’t beat themselves. They don’t rush. They don’t unravel when things get weird.

So yeah, they’ll coast at times. They’ll drop a random game in the middle of winter. But when you’re talking about real title chances, Denver still has that switch contenders need — and unlike a lot of teams, theirs actually works.

3. Houston Rockets

Everything about this team feels grounded in stuff that lasts. They’re physical. They compete on both ends. They win possessions. And they’ve built an identity around one simple idea: we’re getting more chances to score than you are.

They crush the offensive glass, and it changes the entire rhythm of a game. You can play perfect defense for nearly a full possession, force a tough miss, and still walk away empty‑handed because Houston snatches the rebound, sprays it out, and buries a three. That wears on teams. 

And the shooting is what brings it all together for them. Plenty of teams chase offensive boards. Very few turn those extra possessions into real firepower. Houston does. That combination of physicality and perimeter punch gives them a modern, sustainable blueprint.

Their biggest hurdle shows up when the pace slows and the game turns into execution instead of energy. They play fast, they play young, and that sometimes means turnovers pile up — especially without a real facilitator out there now that VanFleet is gone for the year. Against elite opponents, those mistakes turn into quick 10-0 runs that flip control of a game.

But there’s no denying what Houston is right now. They’re not some cute early‑season story or a team padding wins against soft competition. They look like a real threat — a team with the tools, the depth, and the confidence to take a swing at the top of the conference.

The Threats

4. San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio has been one of the most impressive stories of the season, and a lot of it comes down to them looking like a complete team. Victor Wembanyama missing time could’ve been an easy built‑in excuse, but the Spurs didn’t lean on it. They tightened things up instead.

De’Aaron Fox has been the steadying force. When you have a guard who can get downhill whenever he wants, it simplifies everything. He bends defenses, forces rotations, and makes life easier for everyone around him — even on nights where the jumper isn’t cooperating.

Devin Vassell’s shooting has been huge too. It’s not flashy, but those timely threes matter. When teams load up on Fox, Vassell is the guy who keeps them honest. And then there’s Dylan Harper. The rookie already looks comfortable in ways most first‑year guys aren’t. He’s strong, balanced, and rarely looks rushed.

What really stands out is how the Spurs handle late‑game moments. Some teams get tight when things slow down. San Antonio doesn’t. They look organized. They execute. They get to shots they actually want instead of just throwing something at the rim and hoping it lands.

Their biggest issue is pretty clear: perimeter defense and three‑point containment. When Wemby isn’t back there erasing mistakes, those gaps become a lot more noticeable.

But with Wemby back, they’re a different level of scary. And one underrated part of having a roster this young is that every week is real growth. By the time the postseason gets here, this group will have another full season of experience they didn’t have when the year started — and you can already see that foundation taking shape. 

5. Detroit Pistons

Detroit carried over everything they built last season and just kept climbing.

Cade Cunningham has been at the center of it. He’s running the offense with real command, and you can feel how much the team trusts him.

Jalen Duren has been the perfect counterpart. He finishes everything, owns the glass, and gives Cade a pressure-release option whenever defenses try to overload. His presence inside gives Detroit a steady source of easy points, and that’s huge for a young team trying to win close games.

And speaking of close games — Detroit has already banked a bunch of those grind-it-out wins that young teams usually let slip. That’s where you normally see inexperience show up. Instead, the Pistons have handled those moments with poise.

Their flaw is pretty clear: they still don’t stretch the floor enough. If you pack the paint, shrink their driving lanes, and force them to beat you over the top, you can throw them off rhythm.

But the core of why they’re winning is sustainable. They defend. They’re physical. They have a lead guard who organizes everything and can close games.

6. New York Knicks

The Knicks look every bit like a contender when things are flowing… and then have stretches where you can tell they’re still ironing out who they want to be.

The numbers love them. Their net rating is strong, and they’ve been one of the best first‑quarter teams in the league. And when Karl‑Anthony Towns is shooting with confidence, their ceiling jumps fast. The spacing opens up, the second‑side actions look cleaner, and defenses can’t load up on the primary creator the same way. Everything becomes easier.

The problem shows up when games slow down. Their clutch offense hasn’t been sharp, not because guys suddenly forget how to score, but because the process gets sticky. Possessions start to feel a little stagnant, a little too “your turn, my turn,” and good defenses don’t have to work hard to sit on it.

Even with that flaw, there’s too much here to ignore. There's reason to believe this version of the Knicks is built to last. If they clean up the late‑game structure and their defense keeps holding steady, they’re absolutely capable of making another conference finals push.

7. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are in a strange spot because when they're off, they're off. But when they're on, or the game is close, they always seem to pull it out

They have Luka Doncic, and that alone solves a huge chunk of the half-court puzzle. He bends defenses, gets to his spots, lives at the line, and forces rotations that open up real shots for everyone else. He’s leading the league in scoring, sitting near the top in assists, and running the offense with total command.

LeBron isn’t scoring the way he used to — that 19-year double-digit streak ending told us that — but the brain and passing are still elite. His timing, his reads, the way he organizes possessions… that part of his game hasn’t slipped at all.

And then there’s Austin Reaves, who’s gone from “nice role player” to a serious scoring problem for everyone else. He’s creating advantages, handling the ball, manipulating defenders, and punishing mismatches with veteran-like control.

The concern is the defense. They can clamp down in key moments, and when the game hangs in the balance their clutch numbers are absurd, but they give up too many clean looks throughout the night. And when teams start hunting matchups, the Lakers can get stretched thin.

Still, being undefeated in the clutch matters. Having Luka to close games matters. That combination alone wins you a lot of nights where the overall performance isn’t perfect.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota is one of the few teams that genuinely feels balanced.

They defend. They have size. They have shot creation. They can win games ugly or win games with shotmaking.

Anthony Edwards is doing Anthony Edwards things — a walking highlight, but also a more complete offensive engine than he was a couple seasons ago. He’s not just scoring. He’s dictating.

Julius Randle has been a huge part of this. When he’s playing under control, he’s a nightmare: big enough to bully, skilled enough to pass, and confident enough to hit tough shots.

The main concern is the Rudy Gobert on/off reality. With Gobert, Minnesota’s defense looks like a brick wall. Without him, they can bleed points because the rim protection drops, the rotations get later, and the opponent starts living in the paint.

That’s not a deal-breaker — every team has a “this falls apart when our guy sits” issue. But it’s something playoff opponents will try to exploit with tempo and spacing.

Still, Minnesota is one of the teams I trust the most from an identity standpoint. You know what you’re getting.

One-third takeaway: They’re not flashy, but they’re sturdy — and that’s how you stick around deep into the spring.

The Cluster in the East

9. Orlando Magic

Orlando is everything you want from a young team on the rise — physical, competitive, and totally fine winning games in the mud.

When Jalen Suggs is healthy, their defense takes on a different level of intensity. They pressure the ball, rotate with urgency, and use all that length to make every possession feel like work. Nothing comes easy against them.

The free-throw gap is a big part of their identity too. They lead the league in attempts because they attack the rim with purpose and defend without giving away freebies. That’s not luck — that’s discipline and buy-in.

And then there’s the Paolo Banchero wrinkle. Orlando played some of its cleanest basketball during his absence because the offense sped up. The ball moved quicker. More guys touched it. The decisions were sharper.

That’s not a criticism of Paolo — he’s the franchise piece. It’s just the natural balance every young team has to figure out. How do you feature your star without slowing down the rhythm that makes everyone else better?

If they can blend Paolo’s creation with that quicker pace they showed without him, this offense has another level waiting.

10. Toronto Raptors

When their perimeter guys are healthy, the Raptors can be a real matchup headache — long, athletic wings everywhere and enough downhill pressure to keep defenses honest.

Scottie Barnes has taken another step, filling up every part of the box score without forcing anything. Points, rebounds, assists, threes, steals, blocks — he’s doing a bit of everything, and that kind of versatility quietly raises your floor on nights when the offense isn’t totally in rhythm.

But the free‑throw battle is still their biggest issue. They don’t get to the line enough, and they give up too many freebies on the other end. Over time, that’s the kind of thing that swings close games away from you, no matter how hard you defend or how well you move the ball.

11. Boston Celtics

Even with Jayson Tatum out, the Celtics have kept their identity — pace, spacing, and a whole lot of threes. Their offense still hits stretches where it feels like everything is perfectly synced, and it’s never just one guy taking over. It’s the system doing what it’s supposed to do.

Jaylen Brown deserves a ton of credit for that. He’s scoring efficiently, making smarter reads, working out of the mid-post, and doing all the little things that round out his game instead of just hunting shots.

But the one thing Boston still hasn’t solved is scoring from the paint. They live on the perimeter, and when the threes aren’t falling, there aren’t many easy points to fall back on. That’s how you end up dropping games you should probably win.

Come playoff time, their ceiling is going to depend on health and having the full group. Even short-handed, though, they’re still one of those teams that can bury you from deep if you let them fire away uncontested.

12. Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland is a team I respect more than I trust.

They take care of business against the teams they’re supposed to beat, and in a year where the middle of the league is packed, that’s not nothing. But when they run into top-tier competition, things can get a little shaky, and the offense starts to feel predictable.

A lot of that swings on Darius Garland. When he’s rolling, Cleveland looks layered — multiple creators, multiple threats, and a whole lot harder to guard. When he’s off, the offense tightens up and too much lands on Donovan Mitchell’s shoulders. Even with Mitchell leading the league in made threes, you don’t want him carrying that kind of load every night.

Defensively, they’re solid. The structure is sound. The coaching is strong. There’s a real foundation here.

The question is whether they have that extra playoff gear — the one that lets you win a chess match over a two-week series. Cleveland absolutely has the talent to win a round, but if they want to beat the elite, they need Garland playing like a true second star.

13. Miami Heat

Miami is still Miami, which means the record never tells the full story.

There are nights where the offense looks clean, the ball moves, and Tyler Herro can’t miss. And then there are stretches where everything bogs down, the pace crawls, and every basket feels like it needs three screens and a prayer.

Norman Powell has quietly been one of the guys who tilts their lineups in the right direction. When he’s out there, the spacing looks much better and the offense feels more intentional instead of just hanging on.

The real problem is consistency. The pace slows too often, the offense gets methodical, and when they’re not generating easy points, the whole thing can feel like a grind.

But Miami has lived in this lane for years — winning ugly, dragging teams into their kind of game, and punching above their weight when it matters. It’s hard to dismiss that kind of track record.

The Messy Middle

14. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix has been one of the nicer surprises of the season. A new coach, new structure, and suddenly a defense that looks far more organized than anyone expected. They’re not lighting the world on fire, but they look connected. And for a team that spent most of last year searching for an identity, that’s a real step.

The depth has shown up in a way that matters. They’re getting real minutes from guys who weren’t supposed to be nightly impact players, and that’s how you survive an 82-game season.

The issue is still the same one it’s been for years: too much isolation when things bog down. When the ball sticks, the offense becomes predictable. It turns into a lot of "Booker, go make something happen" basketball, and that only takes you so far against defenses that are locked in.

15. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta’s season has quietly shifted into the Jalen Johnson breakout tour — and honestly, it’s been one of the most fun developments of the year.

With Trae Young missing time, Johnson has stepped into the centerpiece role and looked completely at home. He’s scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and carrying defensive attention like it’s nothing. Triple-doubles, big scoring nights — he’s playing with a confidence that makes you rethink what his long-term ceiling might be.

That emergence has real implications. If Johnson is this level of player, the Hawks suddenly have options they didn’t before — including tough conversations about the Trae Young era and what direction the franchise wants to take.

They’re still a weird team, though. Better on the road than at home. Not a ton of size. Rebounding issues that show up in all the wrong moments.

16. Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are living in two realities at once.

On one hand, Tyrese Maxey has been a full-on franchise centerpiece. He’s scoring like a superstar, creating like a lead guard, and carrying the kind of usage that usually breaks teams.

On the other hand, the roster construction still feels like it’s missing the physical answers you need in the playoffs. Joel Embiid has been an issue. Third quarters have been an issue. And the offense has had stretches where it looks like it’s searching for a second consistent creator.

The defensive improvement is the reason they’re not lower. When you can defend at a high level, you give yourself a chance every night.

But if we’re talking ceiling, Philly still feels like a team that needs another move — or another layer of growth from someone — to be more than a “tough out.”

17. Golden State Warriors

Golden State being in this range feels wrong, but it’s where they belong.

They’re still surviving on defense and experience, but the offense has been too choppy for too long — slow starts, turnovers, and long stretches without any real pressure on the rim.

Steph Curry is still Steph. When he’s rolling, he changes everything — the spacing, the pace, the confidence of everyone around him. He’s still capable of turning a tight game into a double‑digit lead in a blink.

But outside of him, this roster is in that tricky in‑between stage. A little older, a little thinner, and trying to figure out how to win now while also giving the younger guys enough runway to develop. Jonathan Kuminga is at the center of that tug‑of‑war. He needs minutes to grow, but the team also needs stability.

18. Dallas Mavericks

Dallas might be the toughest team in this tier to get a clean read on because the trajectory has zig‑zagged all season.

They’ve looked better lately, and Cooper Flagg has been a huge part of that spark. He plays with confidence, takes shots that matter, and never looks overwhelmed — exactly what you want from a rookie stepping into a real role.

Ryan Nembhard stabilizing the offense has been just as important. When the ball moves, Dallas looks like a functional team instead of one searching for answers.

But the big‑picture issues haven’t changed since the Luka trade. They still struggle to create shots consistently, and the spacing isn’t strong enough to make life easier on their playmakers. When you’re not a great shooting team, every half‑court possession feels tight.

19. Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis has had a very Memphis kind of season — physical, chaotic, sloppy one week, locked in the next. They’ll look like a lottery team for 10 days and then turn around and rip off a run that makes you wonder if they’ve figured something out.

Zach Edey has been the biggest turning point. When he’s rolling, the Grizzlies suddenly have a real identity again: bully-ball in the paint, second‑chance points, rim protection, and a size advantage most teams just don’t have answers for.

But 11-13 tells you the truth. They handle bad teams. They get outclassed by good ones. That’s usually the mark of a team that’s competitive, not dangerous.

And everything eventually circles back to Ja Morant. What does the long-term roster look like if Edey is real? How do the timelines match? Who are they building around, and how fast?

20. Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee’s season has been rough, no way around it.

When Giannis is on the floor, you still see flashes of the team that can beat anybody. But he hasn’t been able to drag this group where it needs to go.

And when he’s not available? The bottom falls out fast. The offense loses its structure, the spacing disappears, and the body language gets tight.

Kevin Porter Jr. giving them scoring punch has helped, but that’s a Band‑Aid on a much bigger problem. This is a roster searching for an identity, not just points.

Milwaukee feels like it’s standing at a fork in the road. Either they stabilize and find a way to re-center the team around what works… or the noise around trades and long-term direction gets louder.

And honestly, the only reason they’re not lower is because Giannis is the kind of trade chip that can flip a franchise if it did come to that.

The Bottom

21. Portland Trail Blazers

Portland’s season has basically been a case study in “good process, bad results.” They run real offense. They generate clean looks. They compete. But when the shots keep clanking, everything gets harder.

Deni Avdija has been the bright spot. He's really good at attacking the rim and drawing fouls, and can pass it well enough to add to the offense. He’s the guy who keeps them in games even when the shooting goes sideways.

But the three-point struggles are suffocating. When a team can’t hit open threes, the floor shrinks and driving lanes disappear. It’s like trying to score in a phone booth — there’s just no room to breathe.

22. Utah Jazz

Utah is living the full development-season experience — and you can see the flashes that make the future exciting.

Keyonte George looks more confident as a scorer and playmaker. Ace Bailey has moments where he looks like a future star — the kind of athlete and shot-maker you can actually build around.

But the defense… it’s rough. Not just young-team rough. It's historically bad. When opponents are running layup lines, it doesn’t matter how many fun offensive possessions you string together.

For Utah, this year is about building good habits, figuring out which young guys are real long-term pieces, and making sure the defensive identity doesn’t completely fall apart before the next phase of the rebuild kicks in.

23. Chicago Bulls

Chicago started the season with good vibes and then the floor completely fell out from under them.

It’s been one of the more dramatic slides in the league, and the hardest part is the offense. It’s devolved into isolation, turnovers, and tough shots — the exact stuff that makes a team feel miserable to watch.

And the weirdest part? They’ve held up against good teams more than you’d expect. But against the bottom tier, they’ve stumbled.

That usually tells you a team’s problem isn’t talent. It’s focus and consistency.

At some point, Chicago has to answer the obvious question: what is the plan? Because being stuck in the middle with a messy offense is the NBA’s worst place to live.

24. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have been in constant turmoil to start this season. The Chris Paul situation set the tone early, and you can still feel the ripple effects in how they play — a little tense, a little disjointed, and never quite on the same page.

There was also the investigation into them trying to circumvent the salary cap for Kawhi Leonard.

On the court, the transition defense has been rough, and the bench minutes have been even worse. Any time Ivica Zubac heads to the sideline, they have no real rim protection. That’s not just a rotation hiccup — that’s a system getting exposed.

25. Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte has some pieces you can talk yourself into, but they’re still miles away from putting the whole thing together.

Kon Knueppel has popped in a good way, and Brandon Miller is taking the kind of steps you want from a young scorer. There’s skill here.

But LaMelo Ball’s efficiency slide has dragged everything down. When your lead guard isn’t finishing plays cleanly, the offense is bound to steuggle. The spacing suffers. The shot quality dips. Suddenly you’re chasing the game instead of dictating it.

They rebound. They stay disciplined. But they don’t create enough turnovers to make up for LaMelo's mistakes.

26. Indiana Pacers

Indiana plays hard, moves the ball, and makes the extra pass — all the things coaches love. But at some point, those touches have to turn into points; and without Tyrese Haliburton, that just hasn't been happening.

Right now, the Pacers feel like a group focused on taking steps forward, not stacking wins. And for where they are developmentally, that’s fine — just not enough to lift them out of this tier.

The Unravelling

27. Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn has been a tough watch, but there are at least a couple bright spots.

The defense has ticked up lately — not enough to swing the record, but enough to show they’re buying into something. Offensively, whenever they get anything going, it usually comes from one guy catching fire and carrying them through a stretch.

The worst part of it all, is they still havent won a game at home this season. You can feel guys pressing, trying to force the spark instead of letting the game come to them.

There’s some growth happening, but it’s wrapped inside a whole lot of turbulence.

28. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento’s season has felt like one long uphill walk in bad shoes. With the amount of individual talent they have, you’d expect the offense to at least look smooth in stretches — but nothing has clicked. That’s usually a sign that the pieces don’t quite fit.

They’re constantly digging out of early holes and trying to get back into games with tough, contested shots, and that grind wears on you over a season. Even when someone pops — like Maxime Raynaud dropping 25 off the bench — it feels more like a temporary spark than something the team can build around.

The question now is less about what this group is and more about what they’re willing to move to reset the direction at the deadline. But big decisions are coming.

29. New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans has had a season full of frustration. Every year seems to circle back to the same issue: will Zion be healthy long enough for the franchise to build real stability around him? And when the answer leans toward “probably not,” everything else starts feeling temporary.

Derik Queen has been a legit bright spot. His touch, feel, and offensive instincts jump out right away, and you can picture what he might become in a better environment.

But the rest of it? Rough. The defense has fallen apart on the inside, and when teams are scoring at the rim whenever they want and splashing threes on top of it, you’re stuck trying to outscore problems you were never built to solve.

30. Washington Wizards

Washington is sitting at the bottom because everything that could go wrong has gone wrong — and most of it’s self‑inflicted.

The defense has been brutal, not just from a talent standpoint but from a focus standpoint. They’ll defend for a possession or two, lose track of the game plan, and all of a sudden the opponent is on a run without breaking a sweat.

There are vets here who can still play. CJ McCollum can get you buckets. Khris Middleton can still manipulate defenses in the mid‑range. Those guys will have some value as the deadline gets closer.

But this season is about the future — reps for the young guys, figuring out which pieces can stick long‑term, and putting themselves in the best spot for the draft. That’s where their energy has to go now.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.

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