NBA Power Rankings: Can New York Knicks Ride The Momentum?

The 2025-26 NBA season is well underway, and with over a quarter of the campaign complete, we have a very strong idea of which teams will be competing at the very top and which ones will be settling at the bottom of both conferences. The New York Knicks, the new Emirates NBA Cup winners, will look to push for one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference and ride their momentum after an impressive 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Obviously, other big names include the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that is expected to challenge the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and break the iconic 73-9 record for the season. Sitting at 24-2, it looks very difficult for the Thunder to break that record, but as we have seen so far, no team comes close to them when they are clicking on all cylinders. Other teams, such as the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Lakers, have flexed their star power, so let’s commence with the updated power rankings.

30. Washington Wizards – (4-20)

W/L Percentage: .167
PPG: 112.8
OPPG: 126.7

Washington is exactly where most expected them to be: deep in a rebuild and searching for structure. The Wizards can score enough to stay competitive early in games, but the defensive end has been a nightly issue, as reflected in their league-worst opponent scoring numbers. Young players are getting reps, veterans are being showcased minimally, and wins are clearly secondary to development at this stage of the season.

29. New Orleans Pelicans – (5-22)

W/L Percentage: .185
PPG: 114.2
OPPG: 122.8

The Pelicans’ season has unraveled quickly, with injuries (mainly Zion Williamson), inconsistency, and defensive breakdowns piling up. Despite respectable offensive production at times, New Orleans struggles to string together stops, often allowing games to get away from them by the third quarter. There’s still talent on the roster, but cohesion has been elusive, and their record mirrors that reality. We expected Washington to be bad, but New Orleans has been worse than they should be, considering their talent.

28. Indiana Pacers – (6-20)

W/L Percentage: .231
PPG: 110.2
OPPG: 118.3

Indiana’s up-tempo identity hasn’t translated into wins this season. The Pacers are finding it difficult to balance everything without Tyrese Haliburton, frequently giving points right back on the defensive end. While flashes of offensive rhythm appear, especially in transition, the lack of execution has kept them near the bottom of the standings. Quite frankly, Pacers fans didn’t expect anything better once their star man tore his Achilles tendon in the Finals last season.

27. Los Angeles Clippers – (6-20)

W/L Percentage: .231
PPG: 111.3
OPPG: 116.8

This has been a jarring season for a Clippers team that entered the year with playoff expectations. Injuries and lineup instability have derailed any momentum, and the offense often feels disjointed. From Kawhi Leonard’s non-stop drama and trade rumors to the surprising and sudden cut of Chris Paul, the Clippers need to blow it up and start over as soon as possible.

26. Sacramento Kings – (6-20)

W/L Percentage: .231
PPG: 110.8
OPPG: 122.4

The Kings’ fall has been one of the forgotten storylines of the season. Defensive lapses have haunted them, and close games tend to slip away late as Domantas Sabonis has been unavailable for a large part of the season. The offensive numbers don’t look disastrous on paper, but the inability to get stops has turned competitive nights into frustrating losses. No doubt, the Kings need to start getting rid of their veterans and start over.

25. Brooklyn Nets – (7-18)

W/L Percentage: .280
PPG: 110.2
OPPG: 115.9

The Brooklyn Nets might even be better than we thought they would be. There aren’t any established players on the roster outside of Michael Porter Jr and possibly Cam Thomas, but they are competing while their youngsters develop. This won’t be the Nets’ season when it comes to playoff surprises, so best we move on to the other teams.

24. Charlotte Hornets – (8-18)

W/L Percentage: .308
PPG: 114.8
OPPG: 118.4

Charlotte continues to live in the gray area between rebuilding and competing. The Hornets can score, particularly when LaMelo Ball is clicking, but defensive inconsistency has capped their ceiling. There’s promise here, yet too many lapses keep them from climbing higher. The question for them is whether they want to keep running back the same core and expecting different results.

23. Dallas Mavericks – (10-17)

W/L Percentage: .370
PPG: 112.9
OPPG: 116.8

The Mavericks have taken themselves out of the Western Conference mix since trading Luka Doncic last season, and the aim is to develop Cooper Flagg as much as possible. Flagg is likely back in the leading spot for Rookie of the Year, which is a good sign, so hopefully he can guide the Mavs back into the play-in hunt instead of falling to the lottery.

22. Portland Trail Blazers – (10-16)

W/L Percentage: .385
PPG: 118.2
OPPG: 121.9

Portland games have been entertaining but often chaotic. The Trail Blazers push the pace and score at a solid clip, but they struggle to control games defensively. For a young team, the experience is valuable, even if the results aren’t always there. We don’t see why Portland can’t climb into the top-15 among the weaker teams ahead of them in the standings right now.

21. Utah Jazz – (10-15)

W/L Percentage: .400
PPG: 119.0
OPPG: 126.1

Utah’s season has been defined by extremes. The Jazz can get hot when Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen make their jumpers, but their defensive numbers tell a troubling story. When shots aren’t falling, things unravel quickly, keeping them firmly in the lower half of the league. There is still some momentum around the Jazz right now, and they are a few wins away from trying to be a .500 team again.

20. Milwaukee Bucks – (11-16)

W/L Percentage: .407
PPG: 113.9
OPPG: 117.7

This has been an uneven season for Milwaukee, which might have to start thinking about life after Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis likely wants to play his way out of the team because he doesn’t belong anymore. The Bucks cannot compete with any above-average side, and that won’t work when Giannis is still an MVP-level talent and two-way superstar.

19. Chicago Bulls – (11-15)

W/L Percentage: .423
PPG: 117.2
OPPG: 122.4

Chicago remains competitive with Josh Giddey leading the way, but they are still somewhat unspectacular. The Bulls can score enough to stay in games, yet defensive slippage and late-game execution have cost them several winnable matchups over the last month. They’re hovering around mediocrity despite starting the season as hot as ever.

18. Memphis Grizzlies – (13-14)

W/L Percentage: .481
PPG: 114.3
OPPG: 115.4

Memphis has steadied itself after an uneven start filled with some more Ja Morant-fueled drama. The Grizzlies are starting to play hard every night, and their defensive numbers suggest progress, but offensive droughts remain an issue. They feel like a team still rounding into form rather than one peaking early, but at least they are close to climbing back to .500, and we think they will finish with more wins than losses at the end of the campaign.

17. Golden State Warriors – (13-14)

W/L Percentage: .481
PPG: 114.4
OPPG: 113.2

The Warriors should not be losing as much as they have been. Injuries to Stephen Curry aside, there is enough talent and veteran firepower to make the team a top-six seed in the brutal Western Conference. Curry is still a superstar, even if he has the off-night more often than usual, and Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green know how to win games. Unless the Warriors get back on track, look out for some roster moves that likely include Jonathan Kuminga in the mix.

16. Miami Heat – (14-12)

W/L Percentage: .538
PPG: 120.7
OPPG: 117.7

Miami continues to defy neat labels. The Heat score efficiently and compete defensively, leaning on experience and execution rather than overwhelming talent. They don’t always win pretty, but they remain a difficult out on any given night. Credit should go to Bam Adebayo, Norman Powell, and Erik Spoelstra for this identity.

15. Phoenix Suns – (14-12)

W/L Percentage: .538
PPG: 114.8
OPPG: 114.5

Phoenix has stabilized with Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks leading the charge. The Suns play balanced basketball, scoring and defending at nearly identical rates, which speaks to their consistency. The ceiling is still higher than the current record suggests, because we still haven’t seen a fully healthy and in-form Jalen Green getting shots up on the court.

14. Cleveland Cavaliers – (15-13)

W/L Percentage: .536
PPG: 118.7
OPPG: 115.9

The Cavaliers have been decent so far this season, but they were exceptional last year, so they are playing below expectations. Donovan Mitchell is one of the best pure scorers in the NBA, but the steel of the team is missing. The Cavs are lacking toughness, aggressiveness, and a killer instinct right now, and unless they can correct that, it could be another disappointing end to the season despite their raw talent pool.

13. Philadelphia 76ers – (14-11)

W/L Percentage: .560
PPG: 116.8
OPPG: 115.8

Philadelphia has done enough to stay in the mix without fully hitting its stride. The team now officially belongs to Tyrese Maxey, and to a much lesser extent, rookie VJ Edgecombe, which means the days of Joel Embiid and Paul George could be coming to an end. The 76ers seem primed to fight for a play-in seed, but if the veterans can magically stay healthy, perhaps a playoff seed isn’t out of the question.

12. Atlanta Hawks – (15-12)

W/L Percentage: .556
PPG: 118.0
OPPG: 117.4

Atlanta’s offense has carried them through much of the season, even if Trae Young has missed some games through injury. The Hawks can score with anyone, though defensive lapses keep games closer than necessary. When they lock in defensively, they look like a legitimate playoff threat, which means Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels have a heavier load to carry than we thought they would.

11. Orlando Magic – (15-11)

W/L Percentage: .577
PPG: 117.9
OPPG: 114.1

The Orlando Magic started slowly but are riding a 10-4 home record as they sit happily in a playoff spot. The Magic are closer than ever to a top-three seed in the East, and we cannot discount what they are capable of on both ends of the court. As long as the Magic play hard and don’t lose their identity, they will be a problem in the East.

10. Boston Celtics – (15-11)

W/L Percentage: .577
PPG: 116.2
OPPG: 110.8

Don’t discount the Boston Celtics because they can win enough games to make the playoffs and potentially do enough to welcome Jayson Tatum once the regular season ends. That is obviously looking too far ahead, but so far, the Celtics are showing championship heart, and they are competing in every matchup, even if they are outmanned at the moment.

9. Toronto Raptors – (16-11)

W/L Percentage: .593
PPG: 115.4
OPPG: 113.2

Toronto has quietly put together a strong first quarter of the season thanks to Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. The Raptors defend well, play with pace, and consistently win the effort battle. They’ve earned their place in the top third of the league, and we are very happy to see how a big trade can make a sudden difference in a team’s playoff outlook.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves – (17-10)

W/L Percentage: .630
PPG: 119.8
OPPG: 114.5

Minnesota’s balance has stood out, even if they haven’t been as convincing as they should be. The Timberwolves score efficiently and defend with purpose, making them a tough matchup night after night. Their record reflects a team that knows its strengths and weaknesses, but they are aware that keeping out of the play-in tournament will be key for them in a stacked Western Conference.

7. Houston Rockets – (16-7)

W/L Percentage: .696
PPG: 120.8
OPPG: 111.2

The Houston Rockets are legit this season, but some ugly losses against the Jazz and Mavericks hurt their standing. The lack of a dominant floor general has hurt them in some big games, including twice against the Nuggets, but they will be just fine for most of the season. Pay attention to Houston because they could make a move for a new starting guard in the New Year.

6. San Antonio Spurs – (18-7)

W/L Percentage: .720
PPG: 119.7
OPPG: 115.2

San Antonio continues to impress behind Victor Wembanyama and a growing sense of structure. The Spurs score at a high level and defend well enough to close games. Even in losses, including the NBA Cup Final against the Knicks, they look like a team built for sustained success. Make no mistake: the Spurs are making a case that they are a top-three team in the West.

5. Los Angeles Lakers – (18-7)

W/L Percentage: .720
PPG: 118.2
OPPG: 116.7

The Lakers have found a strong rhythm with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the way as All-Stars. Their offense is clicking, their stars deliver, and they’ve embraced a physical style that travels well. When locked in, they look capable of beating anyone. However, the Lakers might be one bad stretch of games away from being the most criticized team in the league, so they are working on fine margins right now.

4. New York Knicks – (18-7)

W/L Percentage: .720
PPG: 121.0
OPPG: 112.2

The Knicks are riding real momentum. Fresh off their NBA Cup victory, New York has paired elite scoring with consistent defense, creating a formula that feels sustainable. They play with confidence, toughness, and a clear identity, positioning themselves as a serious threat in the East. If they can keep it together, they might be the favorites to make the Finals.

3. Denver Nuggets – (19-6)

W/L Percentage: .760
PPG: 125.6
OPPG: 116.2

The Nuggets are deeper than ever. Their bench is no longer a weakness, Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world, and Jamal Murray is having the best season of his career. The team is stacked from top to bottom, and there is no reason why they can’t believe this is the year to win another championship. We need to see how the Nuggets handle the Thunder, the only team ahead of them in the West right now.

2. Detroit Pistons – (21-5)

W/L Percentage: .808
PPG: 119.3
OPPG: 113.0

The Pistons’ rise has been one of the season’s most incredible stories. The Pistons defend at a high level, score efficiently, and play with maturity beyond their years. They’ve earned every bit of their record, and it’s time we start pushing the narrative that Cade Cunningham belongs in the MVP conversation alongside Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder – (24-2)

W/L Percentage: .923
PPG: 123.1
OPPG: 106.3

Oklahoma City stands alone as the best team in the NBA by a very wide margin. The Thunder dominate both ends of the floor, suffocating opponents defensively while overwhelming them offensively. At 24-2, they haven’t just been the best team in the league, but they’ve been in a class of their own. Based on how dominant they have been, don’t be surprised if they end up getting very close to the Warriors’ iconic 73-9 record.