The NBA, with its 30 teams competing at the highest level of professional basketball, is a dynamic and ever-evolving league. It is time to provide power rankings by tiers that offer a concise and structured way to evaluate team performance, providing valuable insights into the league’s competitive landscape.
It is time to rank each of the 30 teams in the NBA into five different tiers: Lottery Teams, Play-In Competitors, Playoff Hopefuls, Title Contenders, and Championship Favorites. Every team belongs to one of these tiers, but there are only four teams that hold the spot for being legitimate Championship Favorites while the rest are aspiring to be on that level. Without further ado, here are the power rankings by tiers in our November 2023 edition.
Lottery Teams
Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets
The first tier in the NBA ranking system is the “Lottery Teams.” These are the franchises that have found themselves at the bottom of the standings in recent seasons, often struggling to secure playoff spots, and will instead focus on building for the future during the 2023-24 season.
The Detroit Pistons have been in a rebuilding phase, aiming to develop their young talent and accumulate assets for the future in recent seasons by drafting core players such as Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Jaden Ivey. They are hoping to build a competitive team in the coming years, but they are currently a lottery-bound squad with a goal of achieving at least 30 wins after winning only 17 and finishing last in the Eastern Conference last season. Currently, they hold a 2-6 record which is indicative of a team that is rebuilding and off to a very slow start.
The Orlando Magic have been in a rebuilding mode, frequently parting ways with established players to invest in their youth. They have a promising core of young players, including Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and are looking to develop them into a competitive team as Jonathan Isaac has yet to work himself back to playing form while Franz Wagner is having an exciting season so far (18.7 points per game). A 4-3 record is good, but we don’t have a huge expectation from the Magic this season.
The Wizards have been on the cusp of playoff contention with Bradley Beal on the team, but that era is over. Trading Kristaps Porzingis was a good sign because they are trying to win in the future with a 24-year-old Jordan Poole and 28-year-old Kyle Kuzma as the leaders of the team. Nobody expects the Wizards to be very good and they will likely be in the lottery all year long, as shown by their 1-5 record.
Although the Portland Trail Blazers have had some success in recent years, the Damian Lillard era is over following the superstar’s trade to Milwaukee. Instead of being at a crossroads with Lillard on the squad, Portland has finally committed to rebuilding around No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, center Deandre Ayton, and budding guard Anfernee Simons. Fans are excited to watch Portland, but they won’t be competitive enough to get out of the lottery this year as they sit under .500 so far (3-4).
The Hornets have been gradually improving and have a young, exciting core of players headlined by All-Star LaMelo Ball and No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller. They only won 27 games last season and it is hard to see them getting close to 40 wins this season, especially since Miles Bridges continues to deal with off-court issues. Charlotte has only won two games out of six, and they need to find form soon before the losses keep piling up.
Play-In Competitors
Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs
The “Play-In Competitors” tier represents teams that are on the fringe of playoff contention. These squads are in the mix for postseason action but are not guaranteed a spot and will often have to compete in the play-in tournament for the opportunity to secure a playoff berth.
Nobody knows what to expect from the Toronto Raptors all year although it is expected that the core of Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and OG Anunoby will make them a play-in contender. The Raptors brass might not think this is good enough as the weeks go by and there could be major trades, sending their key players to other teams. So far, Toronto has been unspectacular, with a 3-4 record to start the campaign.
The Rockets have been in the process of rebuilding and are lottery-bound, tanking, and trying to find young talent. With Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. as the future and veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks coming in, Houston won’t be as bad as last year and will actually be competitive throughout the season. Hopefully, they can at least earn a play-in spot after three years of poor play and are at .500 after two straight wins against the Sacramento Kings.
The Indiana Pacers have been a consistent team over the past few seasons but have struggled to make the postseason. They are in the mix for playoff contention and are looking to make strides in the competitive Eastern Conference with Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Bennedict Mathurin leading the charge although they might not get there yet. Their 4-3 record shows that finishing above .500 would be a dream for the franchise and an improvement from last year.
The Bulls should be working on rebuilding their team despite the fact that they have made significant moves to improve their roster. They are aiming to return to playoff contention after missing out last season as DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are on the roster. If by the trade deadline, the Bulls do not hold a winning record, expect two more blockbuster deals to happen as DeRozan and LaVine head elsewhere. After all, the Bulls have only won three out of their eight games.
Despite having a budding All-Star Mikal Bridges, the Nets find themselves in the play-in tier due to various factors, including tough competition in the Eastern Conference and a roster filled with decent but unspectacular talent. They are still a formidable team but must secure their playoff spot through the play-in tournament because they might not be able to get in otherwise, evidenced by their 3-4 start to the season.
The Utah Jazz have been a solid regular-season team in recent years but have faced challenges in the playoffs despite having Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. The team is currently led by 2023 All-Star Lauri Markkanen and youngsters such as Collin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Walker Kessler are expected to make bigger jumps in 2024. With a putrid 2-6 start, Utah has not come out of the gates hot enough but their fans understand it is a rebuild.
The Thunder have been in a rebuilding phase for years since trading Russell Westbrook and Paul George, accumulating draft assets and young talent. Finally, they are ready to start winning games and pushing legitimately for the playoffs although they are not considered strong playoff contenders at this time (4-3 record so far). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a superstar, Josh Giddey is getting better, and Chet Holmgren is proving to be a future All-Star, averaging 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Led by young phenom Zion Williamson and All-Star Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans have potential but are still developing. They are looking to compete for a playoff spot in a competitive Western Conference although they will need Zion healthy. Zion has been healthy enough so far, averaging 21.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in six games played. If the big man stays on the court, New Orleans will make the play-in seed at least, and look decent so far at 4-3.
The Spurs, known for their consistency and championships in the past, are currently in a transitional phase and did not seem to have a direction until superstar Frenchman Victor Wembanyama fell into their lap in the 2023 Draft. Wembanyama is absolutely the real deal and is a future superstar since he is currently posting 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. Thanks to Wembanyama’s presence, the Spurs feel they belong in the playoffs again but need to keep adding wins to their 3-4 record.
Playoff Hopefuls
Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks
Playoff Hopefuls are teams that have superstar talent or enough depth and coaching talent to make the playoffs with the goal of getting out of the first round. They won’t be winning a championship but these teams are doing their best to see what happens.
The 4-3 Atlanta Hawks made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2020-21 season, showcasing their potential. However, they still have work to do to establish themselves as perennial contenders and may face first-round exits against tough competition with only Trae Young acting as the superstar. Young will likely be in contention for an All-NBA selection and he will guide the team into the playoffs, most likely, although they will struggle in the first round.
The Timberwolves have struggled in recent years but have a promising young core, including Karl-Anthony Towns and more importantly, Anthony Edwards. Edwards is a budding superstar and is having an excellent season, posting 28.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Thanks to the superstar, Minnesota holds an impressive 4-2 record as the goal is to make it out of the first round of the playoffs.
The Sacramento Kings have been in a playoff drought for an extended period until De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis led them to the 2023 playoffs and forced a Game 7 against the Golden State Warriors in the first round. While the Kings have shown flashes of potential, they face stiff competition in the Western Conference and are not quite ready to make it further even if Fox and Sabonis are one of the best duos in the league. After three straight losses, the Kings hold a 2-4 record and need to get firing soon to get back to their normal level of play.
The only reason the Memphis Grizzlies are not contenders and have to settle for playoffs hopefuls is that Ja Morant is missing 25 games through suspension and is facing immaturity issues. Memphis has had an atrocious start to the season, holding a putrid 1-6 record, but we can’t be too quick to write them off yet. It is expected that the Grizzlies start playing better and once Morant is back, they will get more wins on the record although a first-round exit still looks likely.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a roster good enough to contend but last season was a warning that massive improvements are needed from their core players. Donovan Mitchell had a career year by averaging 28.3 points per game, but he was not able to make it out of the first round against the New York Knicks by only posting 23.2 points per game on 43.3% from the field and 28.0% from three. Unless Evan Mobley arrives as an All-Star, the Cavaliers are not ready to contend yet and there are doubts about Mitchell’s long-term future as well. Their 3-4 record suggests there is still work to do for the Cavs.
The New York Knicks have made a resurgence in recent years, led by a tenacious defense and a passionate fan base at Madison Square Garden. While they may not be the favorites, they made it to the second round of the playoffs last year because the addition of Jalen Brunson has been a blessing. However, there is noise about somewhat of a “civil war” brewing in the locker room and that won’t help the Knicks ascend into contention at all. At 3-4, the Knicks have not shown the play that they had last season.
Title Contenders
Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers
The “Contenders” tier is reserved for teams that have established themselves as serious playoff contenders with the potential to make deep postseason runs. These teams are considered strong competitors and have the talent, depth, and experience to challenge for an NBA championship.
The Philadelphia 76ers, led by 2023 MVP and two-time scoring champion Joel Embiid and a strong supporting cast led by expected first-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, have consistently been among the top teams in the Eastern Conference. James Harden is gone, but Embiid and Maxey will be good enough to push the team to a top-four seed in the East with a magical chance to somehow get past the second round. Everybody is ignoring the 76ers, but they are still in contention and their 5-1 start is putting teams on notice.
Luka Doncic and the Mavericks have quickly risen to prominence in the Western Conference over the past few seasons but struggled last year missing the play-in tournament with Kyrie Irving coming on board. Dallas (mainly Luka) has been red-hot to start the year and they hold an impressive 6-1 record. Doncic is the leading candidate for MVP right now and if he continues this, the Mavericks will be a problem in the West.
Miami missed out on Damian Lillard and has struggled as a result. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are clearly good enough to make the NBA Finals together but actually winning it is an entirely different story. The thing is, as we have learned since the 2020 season, we can’t ignore how good Miami can be when they are locked in. Ignore their 3-4 record because the Heat can beat anybody on any given night now that Tyler Herro is healthy.
The Clippers, led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, are perennial contenders in the Western Conference. They have the star power and depth to challenge any team in the league and aim to secure their first NBA championship, especially after the arrival of James Harden. However, injuries have thwarted the team’s chances and it would be unfair to ignore them in the 2023-24 campaign. There are also major doubts about how Harden can fit in with Russell Westbrook and there might be other factors that prevent the Clippers from reaching that different level. The Clippers lost on Harden’s debut and their 3-3 record does not show what to expect just yet.
The Phoenix Suns are going all-in with their core of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, and Eric Gordon. There is no doubt Phoenix has the top-heavy talent to win it all, the only questions are, can they maintain chemistry, remain healthy, and get support from their role players? Time will tell because they have had an awful start to the year since Booker has only played two games and Beal has yet to play a game. Their 3-4 record won’t tell the entire story although their bench is extremely weak.
The Lakers, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are championship contenders once again. It does not matter how old LeBron James is, he has the intangibles to make the difference for the Lakers as long as he is healthy. Davis holds the cards because he must play at least 60 games for chemistry’s sake, and if the duo is healthy, the rest of the roster looks solid led by Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and Christian Wood. The issue is that James is nearly 39, Davis is already nursing an injury, and the lights of Los Angeles might affect the role players by the time the playoffs arrive. At 3-4 so far, the Lakers have shown the inconsistencies that have plagued them in the LeBron era.
Championship Favorites
Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors
The “NBA Finals Threats” tier represents teams that are not only strong contenders but are also viewed as legitimate threats to reach the NBA Finals and potentially win the championship. These teams have the star power, depth, and overall quality to compete at the highest level of the playoffs. Expect one of these four teams to lift the trophy at the end of the year.
Led by the dynamic Nikola Jokic and the playoff star Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets have emerged as a Western Conference powerhouse and finally broke through to win the NBA championship in 2023. They must be respected as title contenders this season because the core is back and they deserve respect. So far, other than the Boston Celtics, the Nuggets have been the most impressive team in the NBA with a fantastic 7-1 record. Make no mistake, Denver is considered the favorite to make the Finals again and win it all.
Following the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade, the Milwaukee Bucks are one of the absolute favorites to win the NBA championship. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a dominant force in the league thanks to his size, basketball IQ, and two-way play, but he has a chance to form one of the best duos ever with Lillard beside him. There might not be a better duo in terms of fit in the NBA right now, and the presence of Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis only makes the Bucks look scarier. The Bucks will take time to mesh since Lillard is an entire system on his own, so ignore their slow start to the season although their record is strong at 4-2.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are not fearing any team and they felt confident making the trade that shipped out former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis. The trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis looks difficult to contend with Jrue Holiday only makes them better. Boston is 5-1 to start the year and it seems that the only thing standing in the way of their potential is their star players’ lack of calmness in clutch situations and perhaps more learning pains from coach Joe Mazzulla.
Golden State, once dominant with multiple championships, is back in the mix with the return of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green from injuries. They have a winning culture and the ability to make deep playoff runs, especially with Jordan Poole gone and future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul coming to town. Golden State has been terrific with their 6-2 record and Curry is an MVP candidate right now, posting 30.9 points per game on 53.0% from the field, 47.5% from three, and 91.3% from the stripe. Don’t be shocked if the Warriors end up in the Western Conference Finals this year.
