NBA Power Rankings: Spurs, T-Wolves close gap on Thunder

NBA Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's basketball editors.

This week, we're assessing matters as the season approaches the midway point as the contenders and pretenders sort themselves out in the standings.

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1. Oklahoma City Thunder (34-7)

Previous: 1

Oklahoma City has looked mortal as of late. The Thunder suffered a season-worst 27-point home loss against the Charlotte Hornets and needed to erase a 21-point deficit versus the Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies. But don't expect their slump to last too long.

2. Detroit Pistons (28-10)

Previous: 2

The Pistons didn't forget their calling card in 2025. Detroit's posting a 102.8 defensive rating through five games in 2026 - the second-best mark by any team in January and a sharp improvement on their 109.7 overall rating this season.

3. San Antonio Spurs (27-13)

Previous: 4

While the Spurs may be mired in a mercurial post-Christmas spell, Victor Wembanyama's post-injury minutes restriction should bear long-term fruit, and this team is ahead of schedule. Mitch Johnson merits Coach of the Year recognition.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves (27-14)

Previous: 7

Anthony Edwards is one of just five players in January who have logged over 200 minutes while taking 32% of his team's shots when on the court. Edwards has managed the scoring load, but Minnesota can't afford to burn him out in the second half.

5. Denver Nuggets (27-13)

Previous: 5

It won't be easy to navigate life without Nikola Jokic, but the returns of Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun should help. Peyton Watson stepped up, too, with big performances in road wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics.

6. Boston Celtics (24-15)

Previous: 9

Like the Kool-Aid Man bursting through a wall, Jaylen Brown has barged into the MVP discussion, and for good reason: He's averaging a career-best 29.5 points per game on tidy 49.5% shooting from the field as the No. 1 option for the surprise Celtics.

7. New York Knicks (25-14)

Previous: 3

Fan favorite Josh Hart returned for Sunday's win over Portland and immediately reminded everyone of his all-around impact. He was a menace, recording five deflections alongside a tidy stat line of 18 points, six assists, and three rebounds.

8. Phoenix Suns (24-16)

Previous: 10

Dillon Brooks has been a culture changer. The 6-foot-7 forward is having his best offensive season, averaging a career-high 21.3 points on 45.7% shooting. Brooks' tenacity has rubbed off on his teammates, and he's helped transform the Suns into a top-five defensive unit.

9. Los Angeles Lakers (24-14)

Previous: 8

If the Lakers hope to have any chance of making some noise, they need to shore up their defense and 3-point shooting. Los Angeles ranks 23rd in threes made (11.8 per contest) and is tied for 25th in defensive efficiency (117.1 points per 100 possessions).

10. Houston Rockets (23-14)

Previous: 6

The Rockets have slumped to an 11-12 road record and dropped six of their last eight away games, including recent back-to-back defeats in Portland and Sacramento. Earning home-court advantage in the playoffs will be vital.

11. Toronto Raptors (24-17)

Previous: 11

The Raptors followed up a valiant overtime win against a good Philly team with a next-day stinker in which they trailed the 76ers by as many as 33 points. They missed Jakob Poeltl in Game 2 as a returning Joel Embiid feasted in the rematch.

12. Philadelphia 76ers (22-16)

Previous: 15

Philadelphia's two defeats in the new year were one-point overtime losses to the Nuggets and Raptors, and they responded to the latter by thumping Toronto the next day. Is hope on the horizon in the City of Brotherly Love?

13. Golden State Warriors (22-19)

Previous: 14

Jonathan Kuminga's future continues to hang over the club as the NBA trade deadline approaches. The former No. 7 overall pick hasn't played in nearly a month. He's better off being dealt prior to the Feb. 5 cutoff than continuing to ride the bench.

14. Orlando Magic (22-18)

Previous: 12

The Magic might be cursed. Jalen Suggs returned from a seven-game absence, played twice, and then got shelved again. Meanwhile, Franz Wagner remains out. Orlando is 8-8 without him, and only two of those wins were against teams with .500 or better records.

15. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-19)

Previous: 16

The Cavs' recent 146-134 victory over the T-Wolves was a reminder of how lethal their offense can be when everything is clicking. Donovan Mitchell was among five Cleveland players with at least 20 points. That's happened just nine other times in the NBA since 2000.

16. Portland Trail Blazers (19-22)

Previous: 19

Portland is starting to find its groove with wins in seven of its last 10 games. Deni Avdija is having an All-Star-caliber year and taking his game to new heights in a point-forward role with Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson sidelined.

17. Miami Heat (21-19)

Previous: 13

In what might be the most ludicrous week of the Heat's up-and-down season, Erik Spoelstra and Co. had a game canceled in Chicago due to a slippery court, bookended by blowout road losses to the T-Wolves and the lowly Pacers.

18. Atlanta Hawks (20-22)

Previous: 20

Atlanta's scoring efficiency is down in 2026 to a 109.3 offensive rating - the fifth-worst rate in the league so far in January. In the Hawks' post-Trae Young era, are CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert enough to reignite the struggling offense?

19. Los Angeles Clippers (16-23)

Previous: 26

The Clippers were widely maligned for abruptly cutting ties with Chris Paul. They're 11-7 since sending him home during an early December road trip after dropping 14 of 17 before then. Those losses weren't Paul's fault, but it's still an unfortunate look.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (17-23)

Previous: 21

The Bucks are 5-5 in their last 10 outings, but that spell included two wins over the Hornets and matchups against the Pacers, Bulls, Kings, and Wizards (and they lost to Washington). This is not a good team.

21. Chicago Bulls (18-21)

Previous: 17

Thanks to a wet court that canceled a meeting in the Windy City, the Bulls will face the Heat three times in a four-day window at the end of January. Might as well just mark that down as this year's play-in tournament.

22. Memphis Grizzlies (17-22)

Previous: 18

The Grizzlies recently dropped six of seven. Their lone victory came against the Spurs with Cam Spencer leading the way in Ja Morant's absence while Victor Wembanyama sat down the stretch due to a minutes restriction. It's been a strange season in Memphis.

23. Charlotte Hornets (14-26)

Previous: 23

Charlotte's dropped six of nine to fall five games off the play-in race, and the team faces the Lakers, Warriors, and Nuggets on a daunting road trip. If this is a make-or-break stretch, the Hornets' situation is quickly approaching irreparable.

24. Utah Jazz (14-25)

Previous: 22

A 55-point loss to the Hornets was a stark reminder of how far the Jazz are from contending, but Keyonte George's leap bodes well. The Baylor product is a leading candidate for Most Improved Player, averaging 23.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.2 boards.

25. Dallas Mavericks (15-25)

Previous: 24

The Mavericks' chances of moving Anthony Davis in exchange for much-needed draft capital to facilitate Cooper Flagg's ascension would seem to be toast after Davis' latest injury. At least Flagg is seventh in the NBA in total clutch points (72).

26. Washington Wizards (10-28)

Previous: 28

Don't expect Trae Young to make his debut any time soon, as he's dealing with a quad contusion and MCL sprain. The Wizards would be wise to hold Young out as long as possible to maximize their lottery odds in a stacked draft.

27. Brooklyn Nets (11-26)

Previous: 25

The Nets' 2025 draft class hasn't been great as a whole, but Egor Demin is growing more comfortable in a starting role. The rookie guard is averaging 14.9 points, 3.5 boards, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals over his last 11 appearances.

28. Indiana Pacers (9-31)

Previous: 30

Although it's been an appalling campaign for the Pacers, they recorded their second road win last week, allowing them to avoid tying for the worst road record in an 82-game season. They're still in a favorable position to land a great pick in a draft with lots of talent.

29. Sacramento Kings (10-30)

Previous: 29

Dennis Schroder reportedly tried to fight Luka Doncic after the Kings' Dec. 28 visit to the Lakers and missed Monday's rematch because of the resulting three-game suspension. Suffice to say, things will probably still feel a little awkward when they meet one final time March 1.

30. New Orleans Pelicans (9-33)

Previous: 27

The Pelicans appear to be prioritizing short-term results over long-term team-building after reportedly informing clubs they're not open to trading their core pieces. This could be a preventative measure, since the Hawks own their current top-three pick.