We are at the unofficial midway point of the NBA season as the 2026 edition of the All-Star game takes place this weekend. At this point in the campaign, it is clear who the playoff contenders and pretenders are as teams look to improve their seeding or tank for more ping pong balls in May.
With that in mind, let’s run down the current pecking order in the league with our new NBA power rankings.
30. Sacramento Kings (LW: 30)
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On paper, the Sacramento Kings should have been a good team this season. They have two multi-time All-Star guards, a top-notch big man in Domantas Sabonis (when healthy), and impact players on the bench. But as some observers expected, the Kings have been a massive disappointment this season.
Their offense and defense are among the worst in the league, which is why they also have the worst record in the NBA (12-43). Their awful performance likely played a role in hurting the value of certain veterans they tried to move before the trade deadline. Now the goal is to continue the ugly play and get the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.
29. Washington Wizards (LW: 29)
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This has been another disappointing season for the Washington Wizards. Yet, there have been signs of hope from their former first-round picks, as Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George have played well this season. That is why Washington made some bold moves before the NBA trade deadline to set up a big turnaround in 2026-27.
The Wizards’ trades for Trae Young and Anthony Davis won’t help them this season, but it does mean a pair of high-level veterans can lead their young core next season. Until then, Washington will do all it can to land the No. 1 pick in June.
28. New Orleans Pelicans (LW: 28)
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It’s another season, and the New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson are among the worst teams in the league again. Despite strong play from rookie Derik Queen, the Pelicans are mediocre on offense, and even worse on defense (120.4 opponent PPG).
They did not make any notable moves before the trade deadline and are clearly playing out the string to rack up more ping pong balls in May.
27. Brooklyn Nets (LW: 27)
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In June’s draft, the Brooklyn Nets had four first-round picks and chose to use them instead of packaging the quartet in trades for veteran players. They also had the most available cap space in the offseason but held off on splurging in a weak free agent market. Unfortunately, the cautious approach has not delivered results in the new season.
While new addition Michael Porter Jr. has been great for them, the rebuild continues. Furthermore, they showed the goal is to get a high pick in June when they surprisingly waived Cam Thomas last week, despite being their second-highest scorer this season.
26. Memphis Grizzlies (LW: 26)
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The Memphis Grizzlies were always going to be different after firing Taylor Jenkins late last season and replacing him with assistant Tuomas Iisalo. However, before the trade deadline, the team officially confirmed that this season is the start of a new rebuild after they traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Jazz.
While top star Ja Morant was linked to various rumors, the team was unable to move the talented but difficult guard, with rumors claiming interested teams wanted a draft pick to take him. They reportedly will try again in the summer following a tank to the bottom for the rest of this season.
25. Dallas Mavericks (LW: 25)
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The Dallas Mavericks got off to a rough start this season as Anthony Davis struggled to stay on the court, and the absence of Kyrie Irving became blatantly obvious. Furthermore, highly-touted No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg had a steep learning curve in his first couple of months as an NBA player. It’s a major reason why GM Nico Harrison was fired in November.
However, the youngster eventually got his NBA legs under him and is showing why he will be one of the faces of the league sooner than later. Before the deadline, the Mavs moved Davis, and are among the teams fighting for the bottom to get more ping pong balls in May.
24. Indiana Pacers (LW: 23)
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The Indiana Pacers were always expected to struggle mightily this season after top star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles in the Finals, and they lost Myles Turner to the Bucks in free agency. They have lived up to those projections in 2025-26 and currently own the second-worst record in the NBA.
Before the NBA trade deadline, Indiana traded for Clippers big man Ivica Zubac to pair with Pascal Siakam for the rest of the season. However, it looks like the move was made for next season, and the team is not in a rush to get him on the floor and hurt their lottery prospects.
23. Utah Jazz (LW: 20)
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Last year, Will Hardy and his team took another step back as the Utah Jazz finished dead last in the 2024-25 NBA standings. While they haven’t been much better this season, the outstanding play of Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George offered a reason for fans to watch.
Before the NBA trade deadline, they made a bold move when they acquired two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. While it seemed like the move could help them sneak into their play-in tourney later this year, recent actions by the coaching staff show Utah is part of the new tanking battle for ping pong balls in May.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (LW: 24)
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The Milwaukee Bucks made some big changes in the summer when they moved on from future Hall of Famer Damian Lillard and signed Myles Turner to keep top star Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. The moves didn’t work, and they have been one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments this year.
It led the team to take offers on the Greek legend before the deadline. However, in the end, they held on to him and will revisit a trade closer to the draft. They have now seemingly pivoted back to trying to make the play-in after signing talented scorer Cam Thomas after he was shockingly cut by the Nets last week.
21. Chicago Bulls (LW: 22)
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Late last season, the Chicago Bulls offered fans hope after the trade that brought Josh Giddey to town. However, despite a formidable offense, their defense giving up 120.6 points a night (27th in the league), is why they are currently outside the playoff picture this week.
Chicago was one of the most active teams before the NBA trade deadline to make use of the many expiring contracts it had. In the various deals, they landed a bunch of second-round picks and former 2022 first-rounder Jaden Ivey from Detroit. The big question is, will they try to get in the play-in or join the horde of tanking teams in the second half?
20. Portland Trail Blazers (LW: 21)
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The Portland Trail Blazers have a roster of respectable veterans and youngsters with upside, including Shaedon Sharpe. That upside has helped after a dark cloud was placed over their season from day one, when former head coach Chauncey Billups was implicated in a wild poker game rigging scheme.
Despite the drama, Portland is in the thick of the play-in race, mostly due to a career year from former Wizards lottery pick Deni Avdija. He leads the teams in scoring and assists (25.5 and 6.7) and is adding 7.2 rebounds a night. After losing six straight, a recent three-game win streak has righted the ship.
19. Atlanta Hawks (LW: 18)
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For the Atlanta Hawks, this season has been about building for the long-term. The best proof is Jalen Johnson’s emergence as a new star. Which set up the bold trade that sent the long-time face of the franchise, Trae Young, to Washington.
Along with the Young trade, Atlanta made a couple of other moves, including a deal for Jonathan Kuminga. The Hawks have a young, very athletic team with upside. However, a defense that is giving up 119.3 PPG (28th in the NBA) is why they have a ceiling this season.
18. Los Angeles Clippers (LW: 17)
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The Los Angeles Clippers were a mess over the first couple of months of the season. It’s why rumors circulated that they might move some of their veteran talent in the hopes of getting draft picks and cap flexibility this summer. But when they got red-hot in January, that seemed less likely.
Well, LA ended up being one of the biggest sellers before the trade deadline. Moving both James Harden and (surprisingly) Ivica Zubac. Despite being in the playoff chase, the Clippers could look to join this season’s massive tank-a-thon nonetheless.
17. Golden State Warriors (LW: 14)
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Last spring, the Golden State Warriors looked like a serious dark horse to reach the Finals. However, Stephen Curry’s hamstring injury threw ice water on those aspirations. Another stunning injury has again derailed their championship plans when Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending ACL tear in January.
With their season in limbo, Golden State was one of the most aggressive clubs in the Antetokounmpo trade market. Unfortunately, that pursuit failed, and they pivoted to adding sickly veteran big man Kristaps Porzingis. Making matters worse, a recent knee injury for Curry has added to a notable backslide for the team over the last few weeks.
16. Charlotte Hornets (LW: 19)
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While LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges posted good numbers, and prospect Kon Knueppel is a serious ROTY candidate, the Charlotte Hornets looked headed to being a lottery team again this spring. However, it seems like everything is finally coming together.
The Hornets are, arguably, the hottest team in the NBA right now after winning nine of their last 10. Because of the strong play from their young core over the last few weeks, they are just four games out from the seventh seed in the East.
15. Miami Heat (LW: 16)
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The Miami Heat have underwhelmed this season despite Norman Powell having an even better season than his All-Star year for the Clippers in 2024-25. A major reason why is that the defense is among the worst in the league (117.3 PPG) and is giving up close to eight more points than a year ago.
That is why they were linked to both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant trades before the deadline. However, the deadline came and went without a big move. Erik Spoelstra hopes he can use his coaching magic and turn back the close 12 months or potentially miss the playoffs this spring.
14. Orlando Magic (LW: 15)
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The Orlando Magic have been a very weird team this season. They have a lot of strong young talent, especially after giving up a boatload of draft picks for Desmond Bane in the summer. However, they have not lived up to expectations and are now in a fight to avoid being a play-in team this spring.
Their usually reliable defense has regressed in 2026, and opponents are scoring 10 more points a game, and Bane has not turned the offense into a top 10 unit. The Magic probably needed to make a big trade before the deadline, but chose to stand pat on Feb. 5.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (LW: 12)
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The Philadelphia 76ers were the biggest letdown in the NBA last season as injuries to their top two players destroyed any plans for an NBA Finals run. The only positive was Tyrese Maxey confirming he is a legitimate star in the league. He has continued that in 2025-26 and may have a new long-term running mate in rookie VJ Edgecombe.
The 76ers have played better over the last month and a half and are back in the top six of the conference. But a surprising drug suspension for Paul George and Joel Embiid‘s nagging knees has led to a recent slump.
12. Phoenix Suns (LW: 10)
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Outside of the 76ers, the Phoenix Suns were the NBA’s biggest letdown in 2024-25. However, after going with an addition by subtraction approach in the offseason, they have emerged as one of this season’s pleasant surprises. And it is partially thanks to 3-and-D expert Dillon Brooks, who is having a career year (21.0 PPG) in the desert this season.
Top star Devin Booker has, of course, played great, but the emergence of Grayson Allen into a high-impact player in his eighth year has been major. New head coach Jordan Ott has also turned this group into one of the league’s fewest-point-giving teams (111.4 PPG). This is a very different Suns team from the past two seasons.
11. Toronto Raptors (LW: 13)
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Last season was disappointing for the Toronto Raptors. However, they played the long game and hoped that year two for head coach Darko Rajaković, and the addition of veteran scorer Brandon Ingram, could lead to far better results in the 2025-26 season. They were right.
The Raptors were an offense-driven team that became a top-10 defense in 2026. They are giving up 112.2 PPG — seventh best in the NBA. It’s a major reason why they have been a top-five team in the East all season.
While they didn’t make the big move some speculated they would, the addition of future Hall of Famer Chris Paul before the deadline will be a plus for this young team.
10. Los Angeles Lakers (LW: 9)
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There were big expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. They got a full training camp with young superstar Luka Doncic, and head coach JJ Redick impressed during his rookie year. Plus, they still have one of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James, still playing at a high level.
While fan-favorite Austin Reaves has had the best season of his career, LA has a clear weakness: its defense. The team that is giving up 115.9 points a night and has a bottom-10 defensive rating. For as formidable as they are on offense, that’s why they fall into that second tier of playoff contenders in 2025-26.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (LW: 8)
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With top star Anthony Edwards leading the way and Julius Randle playing well, the Minnesota Timberwolves are having another productive season. They are also among the five best scoring teams in the league (119.4 PPG). However, the defense that carried them to back-to-back Conference title games has regressed this season (114.9 opponents PPG).
It is why they are in a fight to avoid being in the play-in this spring. To improve their title hopes, Minny was a serious contender in the trade chase for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, that pursuit failed. They will now hope this team can recapture its previous form in the second half.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (LW: 11)
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Last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the East’s best team during the regular season. However, for much of this season, Cleveland has been one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments. Despite having one of the league’s better offenses (119.6 PPG), they understandably chose to shake things up and ship Darius Garland to LA for future Hall of Famer James Harden.
Before the deal, the Cavs were already playing much better. It will be interesting to see if Harden can help with the momentum behind one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
7. Denver Nuggets (LW: 6)
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When you have the best player on the planet, the Denver Nuggets will always be a very competitive squad. However, this season is different. First, former assistant David Adelman is leading the bench and overseeing the No. 1 scoring team in the NBA (120.3 PPG). However, Jamal Murray’s resurgence has been their biggest story this season.
After a pair of years where it looked like he was actually in a decline at only 28 years old, the guard has earned All-Star honors for the first time. He came up huge when Nikola Jokic missed a month, and he is why Denver is looking very similar to their title team of a few seasons ago.
6. Houston Rockets (LW: 7)
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The Houston Rockets were one of the best stories in the NBA last season, as they evolved into an elite team in the West with strong defense and the emergence of Alperen Sengun. Now with NBA legend Kevin Durant, the Rockets have the talent to be a serious threat to the Thunder in the spring.
While it wasn’t obvious early in the season, their lack of a proven floor general is a clear weakness for Houston and why they are a middle-of-the-road offensive team this season. Fortunately, that elite defense remains, and the 110.0 points they give up to opponents per night is why they are a top 10 group in our new NBA power rankings.
5. New York Knicks (LW: 4)
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After coming up short in the East Finals, the New York Knicks took the bold step of firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and replacing him with veteran coach Mike Brown. The move has led to an up-and-down season and fears about the team’s defense and Karl-Anthony Towns‘ fit in the offense.
Yet, over the last few weeks, the Emirates NBA Cup winners have caught fire, winning nine of 10 at one point. Unsurprisingly, it is thanks to MVP-level play from top star Jalen Brunson. However, their one struggling D has also improved, and they are now giving up 111.8 PPG, sixth best in the NBA.
4. Boston Celtics (LW: 5)
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Jayson Tatum’s season-ending injury last year completely altered expectations for the Boston Celtics this season. Or so we thought. Despite being without him for most of the season and moving on from Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford in the summer, the Celtics are one of the East’s elite again.
Coach Joe Mazzulla continues to show why he is one of the best in the NBA as he has Boston playing some stifling defense (108.4 opponents’ points). Plus, Jaylen Brown is getting serious MVP buzz with his performance this season (Fourth in the NBA in scoring). Their trade deadline addition, Nikola Vucevic, is sure to help, and there are rumblings that Tatum may be closing in on a return.
3. San Antonio Spurs (LW: 3)
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The assumption at the start of the season was that the San Antonio Spurs were primed to take a big leap forward with Victor Wembanyama back healthy, a full season of De’Aaron Fox, and year two for ROTY Stephon Castle has a lot of promise. Well, few expected them to be this good.
Even though Wemby has missed around 15 games, San Antonio has the third-best record in the league, and a major reason is a top 10 defense that is giving up 112.2 PPG. They are well ahead of schedule and could be a serious problem in the playoffs if they stay healthy.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (LW: 1)
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The Oklahoma City Thunder were the best team in the NBA throughout last season. Posting 68 wins with elite defense and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earning MVP honors for the first time. Things haven’t changed in 2025-26 as the team is on pace to win well over 60 games again.
OKC has been even more dominant for much of this season, and not only are they giving up the fewest points in the league (108.0), but they also lead the NBA in scoring (119.9). However, an abdominal injury to SGA has led to some recent injuries and opened the door for Detroit to take the No. 1 spot in our NBA power rankings this week.
1. Detroit Pistons (LW: 2)
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The Detroit Pistons were the No. 1 feel-good story of last season as they went from being the worst team in the league to a top-six group in the conference. Well, this year they have evolved into an elite squad that is once again surpassing expectations in 2025-26.
Unsurprisingly, the Pistons are again getting All-NBA play from top star Cade Cunningham. However, along with a top-five defense (109.6 opponent’s PPG), the maturation of Jalen Duren into one of the game’s best centers has been a massive story in Detroit.
With OKC stumbling over the last couple of weeks, it has opened the door for the Pistons to rise into the No. 1 spot for the first time this season.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos