NBA Power Rankings: A goal for each team in the season's 2nd half
NBA Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's basketball editors.
In this edition, we're establishing one goal for each team for the second half of the 2025-26 campaign.
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ATL | BKN | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NOP | NYK | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX | POR | SAC | SAS | TOR | UTA | WAS
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (38-10)
Previous: 1
Keep SGA fresh: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging seven minutes in the fourth quarter, ranking 187th out of 348 NBA starters. With the Warriors' single-season wins record now out of reach, the Thunder should continue to limit their MVP's unnecessary floor time in the final frame.
2. Denver Nuggets (31-16)
Previous: 5
Get everyone healthy: The Nuggets appear to be the Thunder's biggest threat when at full strength. They can afford to be cautious with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon during their injury recoveries, especially with the recent performances from the team's supporting cast.
3. Detroit Pistons (34-11)
Previous: 2
Find a different use for Ivey: Injuries have limited Jaden Ivey's explosiveness off the bounce and ability to get downhill, but he's shooting 40.3% on catch-and-shoot 3s - a skill the Pistons need following Malik Beasley's departure.
4. San Antonio Spurs (31-15)
Previous: 3
Trade Sochan: Jeremy Sochan has virtually fallen out of the Spurs' rotation after playing a key role in his first three NBA seasons. The former top-10 pick is on an expiring deal and could be a useful trade chip for a win-now move.
5. Houston Rockets (28-16)
Previous: 10
Get more from supporting cast: We've previously noted the Rockets' road woes and overtime struggles. Now, their depth - once perceived as a strength - has become a weakness due to a series of injuries and Jabari Smith Jr.'s poor play.
6. Boston Celtics (29-17)
Previous: 6
Add a low-cost big: Despite playing Neemias Queta and Luka Garza at center, the Celtics are good. Ivica Zubac might be available, but Boston could get players like Day'Ron Sharpe or Isaiah Jackson for much less and without giving up Anfernee Simons.
7. Toronto Raptors (29-19)
Previous: 11
Address center position: Jakob Poeltl has missed more than a month with a back injury. While rookie Collin Murray-Boyles has performed admirably in his place, the Raptors would be wise to acquire an experienced center.
8. Los Angeles Lakers (28-17)
Previous: 9
Figure out LeBron's plan: How the Lakers eventually build a roster around Luka Doncic will depend heavily on what LeBron James decides to do for next season. If James wants to continue his career elsewhere, a thorough roster shuffling may be the best play.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (28-20)
Previous: 15
Don't deal Wade: Although Dean Wade's unique skill set and $6.6-million expiring deal (and Bird rights) will appeal to several contenders, his ability to defend guards and serve as a floor-spacing small-ball center is an irreplaceable asset for the Cavaliers.
10. New York Knicks (28-18)
Previous: 7
Show more defensive pride: The Knicks' defensive slippage has coincided with their worst stretch of play this season. Since Dec. 31, New York ranks 19th in defensive efficiency and has posted a 5-9 record, casting doubt on the squad's title credentials.
11. Phoenix Suns (28-19)
Previous: 8
Don't risk Green's hamstring: Jalen Green's off-the-bench return looked plenty promising until he aggravated a hamstring issue in his second game back. Phoenix is 15-7 when Collin Gillespie and Devin Booker both start, meaning Green as a sixth man could be the perfect role for him on the Suns.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves (28-19)
Previous: 4
Balance the bench scoring: While Minnesota's bench excels defensively, its offensive rating is a painfully inefficient 27th in the league. Relying solely on Naz Reid for bench scoring is unsustainable. The Timberwolves either need to add another reserve scorer or stagger a starter's minutes.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (25-21)
Previous: 12
Keep Embiid, PG healthy: Improved play from Joel Embiid and Paul George has turned the 76ers into a threat in the East without unsettling Tyrese Maxey's role as the team's focal point. George is particularly flourishing in an unfamiliar supporting role.
14. Miami Heat (25-22)
Previous: 17
Get Jovic back on track: It's been an up-and-down season for Nikola Jovic, who hasn't lived up to the $62.4-million extension he signed last October. Jovic has been an effective stretch-four in the past, but he's making only 29.8% of his threes this season.
15. Golden State Warriors (26-22)
Previous: 13
Map it out: Jimmy Butler's ACL tear dramatically shifted the Warriors' short-term outlook. Four first-rounders in the next four drafts can help prep for the post-Stephen Curry era, or Golden State can trade the picks for a potential final push together. But it's one or the other.
16. Chicago Bulls (23-23)
Previous: 21
Fire Karnisovas: Harsh? Perhaps. Fair? Entirely. Arturas Karnisovas, the Bulls' top decision-maker, is running this team into the ground, and attempts to move Nikola Vucevic follow an alarming trend of holding onto players who don't fit until their value plummets.
17. Orlando Magic (23-22)
Previous: 14
Acquire a sharpshooter: Orlando's floor spacing has been an issue for years. The Magic are 28th in threes (11.1) despite the offseason addition of Desmond Bane and could use another outside threat to help their mediocre half-court offense.
18. Portland Trail Blazers (23-25)
Previous: 16
Solve the Scoot dilemma: Portland still hasn't gotten a great look at how Scoot Henderson fits with this core, and he's due for an extension this summer. Both sides need a solid, extended run from the former No. 2 pick soon.
19. Los Angeles Clippers (22-24)
Previous: 19
Maintain the pace in February: The Clippers' league-high 10 wins in January mark an impressive season turnaround, though one arguably boosted by multiple wins over the Nets and Wizards. Their West-heavy schedule over the next month will be a true test of their resurgence.
20. Atlanta Hawks (23-25)
Previous: 18
Point guards don't matter: The Hawks lead the league in assists (31.1), even though they're operating without a point guard. Jalen Johnson has assumed primary ball-handling duties, and Quin Snyder's unconventional approach is giving Atlanta more balance on offense.
21. Charlotte Hornets (19-28)
Previous: 23
Force more turnovers: Though the Hornets have transformed into the sixth-ranked offensive unit, they haven't shown much improvement on defense. Charlotte has particularly struggled to induce miscues, ranking 26th in points off turnovers (15.6) and 30th in steals (6.8).
22. Dallas Mavericks (19-27)
Previous: 25
No rushing: Despite a nightmare campaign, only a couple of games separate Dallas from a play-in spot, mainly due to Cooper Flagg's stellar rookie season. If a blockbuster offer doesn't surface for Anthony Davis, the Mavs should ease Kyrie Irving back and regroup with a high-value pick in the offseason.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (18-26)
Previous: 22
Send out the scouts: Thanks to their haul for Desmond Bane, Memphis will likely own two solid mid-first-round picks just as the current core has seemingly run its course. Getting those draft selections right will make a drastic difference if a rebuild's on the way.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (18-27)
Previous: 20
Embrace the freefall: Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury could be a blessing in disguise for a team nowhere near contention. The Bucks are probably retaining their 2026 first-round pick and could land a potential franchise cornerstone if they plummet toward the bottom in his absence.
25. Utah Jazz (15-32)
Previous: 24
Put a lid on the rim: Walker Kessler appeared in just five games before being ruled out for the season due to a torn labrum. The Jazz's rim protection has been woeful with him on the sidelines, as they sit last in the NBA with 3.5 blocks per game.
26. Brooklyn Nets (12-33)
Previous: 27
Trust the kids: It's a miracle that rookies Drake Powell and Nolan Traore are both averaging 20 minutes a contest in January after their abysmal starts to their pro careers. Credit Jordi Fernandez's exemplary nurturing of a budding core.
27. New Orleans Pelicans (12-37)
Previous: 30
Make a core decision: Derik Queen has been an illuminating presence on the Pels in what's otherwise yet another drab year. But without a first-rounder this summer, is Queen's emergence enough to stick with the rest of this core for another season?
28. Indiana Pacers (11-36)
Previous: 28
Stay in tank mode: This has been a rough year for the Pacers following last season's thrilling run to the Finals. All of the losses could net them a blue-chip prospect to aid Indiana's push back into contention next campaign upon Tyrese Haliburton's return.
29. Sacramento Kings (12-36)
Previous: 29
Blow it up: No team needs a facelift more than the dysfunctional Kings. With a quintet of veteran players resembling pieces from five different puzzles incapable of fitting together, the trade deadline provides an impetus for change.
30. Washington Wizards (11-34)
Previous: 26
Don't rush Trae back: There should be no urgency to insert newcomer Trae Young into the lineup. Washington has a top-eight protected pick in this year's draft and could add a difference-making prospect to its fledgling young core.