The NBA doesn't care about your feelings. It especially doesn't care about the preseason projections we all obsessed over back in October. Right now, as we push past the midway point of the 2025-26 season, the standings look like a glitch in the matrix. If you told me last year that the Detroit Pistons would be leading the Eastern Conference while the Milwaukee Bucks are fighting just to stay in the play-in conversation, I would’ve assumed you were playing a very buggy version of NBA 2K.
But here we are.
Power rankings for NBA teams aren't just about who has the most wins. Honestly, it's about who is actually scary to play on a Tuesday night in January. It's about point differential, health, and whether or not your superstar is currently eligible for postseason awards under that 65-game rule.
The Absolute Giants: Oklahoma City and... Detroit?
Let’s be real. The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing a different sport than everyone else. They’re sitting at 35-8 with a net rating that makes them look like the '96 Bulls. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the betting favorite for MVP (at roughly -400 in most spots) for a reason. He’s averaging nearly 32 points a game without breaking a sweat, and more importantly, he’s leading the league in Win Shares. They aren't just winning; they’re demoralizing people.
✨ Don't miss: Oklahoma University Football Score: What Really Happened This Season
Then there’s the East. This is where things get weird.
The Detroit Pistons are currently the top seed. Read that again. J.B. Bickerstaff has turned a team that used to be the league's punchline into a defensive meat grinder. Cade Cunningham has taken "the leap" we’ve been waiting for, and honestly, his playmaking has become elite. They’ve won 30 games already. If you’re still waiting for the "regression" to hit Detroit, you might be waiting until the parade in June.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: The clear #1. Best defense, best point differential.
- Detroit Pistons: The biggest surprise in a decade. 1st in the East.
- New York Knicks: Just won the NBA Cup and look like a freight train.
The Knicks are interesting because they’re only half a game behind Detroit. Jalen Brunson is still doing Brunson things, but the depth is what's keeping them afloat. They have their sights set on a Finals run, something they haven't done since 1999. It feels different this time.
The Wemby Era Has Officially Arrived
If you haven't watched the San Antonio Spurs lately, you’re missing the evolution of the sport. Victor Wembanyama is a nightmare. He’s the DPOY favorite, but his offense has caught up to his defense. The Spurs are currently 4th in most power rankings for NBA teams, which is a massive jump from where they were even two months ago.
They just beat the Celtics. They beat the Nuggets. People are starting to realize that "scary" doesn't even begin to describe a 7'4" guy who can shoot step-back threes and block your center's jumper at the same time.
The "What Is Happening?" Tier
The Milwaukee Bucks are a mess. There’s no other way to put it. At 17-24, they’re 11th in the East. Injuries to Damian Lillard have been brutal, but the defense is the real culprit. They’re giving up points like they’re being paid to do it. On the flip side, the Houston Rockets are the analytics darling of 2026. Their record is good, but their point differential says they should be even better.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Stuck at #6 in the West, but their defense is still top-tier.
- Boston Celtics: Playing without Jayson Tatum for a stretch but still 2nd in offensive rating.
- Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic is dealing with a knee issue, which has dropped them to 3rd in the West.
The Nuggets' situation is the perfect example of why standings are a lie. Without Jokic, they look lost. With him, they’re still the only team that can truly push OKC in a seven-game series.
The Bottom of the Barrel
It’s a bad year to be a Washington Wizards fan. They’re 10-31. They’re the second-worst team of the 30-team era through 40 games. The only reason people are even watching is to see if Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington can develop into something.
But it’s not just Washington. The bottom 10 teams in the league right now are statistically the worst bottom 10 we’ve ever seen collectively. The gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" is more like a canyon.
Why These Rankings Matter for Your Bets
If you’re looking at the betting markets, the Thunder (+110) are heavy favorites for the title. But look at the Spurs (+1300) or Rockets (+1500). The value is starting to shift toward these young, high-variance teams that are actually winning games they used to lose.
The Most Improved Player race is basically a lock for Deni Avdija in Portland. He’s increased his scoring by over 9 points per game. Meanwhile, the Rookie of the Year race has turned into a duel between Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. Flagg had a slow start in Dallas but has been averaging 21.7 points since December. He’s the real deal.
What You Should Do Next
Stop looking at the preseason win totals. They’re dead. If you want to actually understand where the league is heading, watch the point differential. It’s the most predictive stat we have. Teams like Houston and San Antonio are actually better than their records suggest, while teams like the Lakers (who have a negative net rating despite being 6th in the West) are due for a massive slide.
Keep an eye on the February trade deadline. Teams like the Nuggets and Celtics are desperate for bench depth, and with the bottom of the league being so bad, there will be a lot of "fire sales" happening soon. If a team like OKC uses their mountain of picks to grab one more vet, the race for the Larry O'Brien trophy might effectively be over before the playoffs even start.
Check the injury reports daily. With the 65-game rule, we are going to see stars pushing through "minor" injuries in February and March just to stay eligible for All-NBA honors. That’s going to lead to some very unpredictable results on the court.