ESPN’s weekly NBA Power Rankings, published early Wednesday, hold the Oklahoma City Thunder in first place for a seventh consecutive week and identify the “biggest weakness” for all 30 clubs as the league pauses for the Emirates NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.
The voting panel — Anthony Slater, Dave McMenamin, Jamal Collier, Kevin Pelton, Michael C. Wright, Ohm Youngmisuk, Tim Bontemps, Tim MacMahon, Vincent Goodwill and Zach Kram — based its order strictly on 2025-26 performance through games of Dec. 9.
Top 10
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (23-1) – The historic start leaves little to nit-pick, but three-point accuracy remains the soft spot after a 33.8 percent postseason showing last spring. The figure is 37.4 percent so far this year.
2. Denver Nuggets (17-6) – Health is the concern. Denver is 10-3 with Aaron Gordon, 4-3 without him, and Christian Braun is also sidelined. Nikola Jokić is logging 35.8 minutes per game, nearly matching last season’s career high.
3. Detroit Pistons (19-5) – Ranked 19th in long-range percentage and 28th in attempts, Detroit has shot 33 percent or worse from deep in each of its five defeats.
4. Houston Rockets (15-6) – Turnovers are piling up. At 16.1 percent, the club sits 28th in turnover rate and surrendered 34 points off 20 miscues in Saturday’s loss at Dallas.
5. New York Knicks (17-7) – Point-of-attack and interior defense trail the offense. Mitchell Robinson’s minutes are vital, while wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges carry a heavy load.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (17-6) – Overall defense, particularly in transition, is lagging. Opponents score 24.3 fast-break points per night and shoot 38.2 percent from three.
7. Boston Celtics (15-9) – Free-throw generation has plummeted with Jayson Tatum injured. Boston is last in attempts, threatening the league’s No. 2 offensive rating.
8. San Antonio Spurs (16-7) – Opponents are hitting 38.3 percent from three, tied for 27th. Victor Wembanyama’s absence has amplified the issue.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (15-9) – When Rudy Gobert sits, the defensive rating balloons from 108.6 to 118.3, a swing that would drop the club into bottom-tier territory.
10. Orlando Magic (15-10) – Staying healthy is the priority. Franz Wagner’s left ankle sprain could keep him out up to four weeks, just as Paolo Banchero returns from a groin strain.
Middle of the pack
11. Miami Heat (14-11) – Offensive production has cooled; 120-point nights have disappeared during a four-game slide.
12. Toronto Raptors (15-10) – A minus in free-throw differential: bottom-10 in attempts and makes allowed, with no player averaging five tries a game.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-11) – The league’s top offense last season now sits 10th, hindered by poor transition play and a cold perimeter night against Golden State.
14. Phoenix Suns (14-10) – Ball distribution lags. Phoenix ranks 22nd in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.62-to-1.
15. Golden State Warriors (13-12) – Offensive efficiency is bottom-10 despite a winning record. Turnovers are fifth worst, and the team scores just 22.1 points off drives.
16. Philadelphia 76ers (13-10) – Lack of interior size shows even when Joel Embiid plays, highlighted by LeBron James’ dominant outing Sunday.
17. Atlanta Hawks (14-11) – Rebounding and rim protection worry coach Quin Snyder. Kristaps Porziņģis’ availability is key.
18. Memphis Grizzlies (11-13) – Short rotations under new coach Tuomas Iisalo required adjustments. The club is 7-2 in the past nine games, aided by Zach Edey’s return.
19. Dallas Mavericks (9-16) – Shot creation has improved since rookie Ryan Nembhard joined the starting five, but long-term defensive concerns remain for the 5-11 guard.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (9-15) – A league-low 33 percent from three drags the offense. Jrue Holiday’s calf strain coincided with a 3-9 skid.
21. Milwaukee Bucks (10-15) – The offense falls from a 126.3 rating with Giannis Antetokounmpo to 109.0 without him; he is currently out with a calf strain.
22. Chicago Bulls (9-14) – A seven-game losing streak has pushed the offense to 24th. Isolation play and turnovers erased the early-season optimism.
23. Utah Jazz (8-15) – Defensive rating of 120.8 is tracking toward another historically poor season. Walker Kessler is out for the year after shoulder surgery.
24. Charlotte Hornets (7-17) – Forcing turnovers is a major issue. Charlotte owns the fourth-lowest takeaway rate and second-fewest steals per 100 possessions.
25. LA Clippers (6-18) – Transition defense lags despite preseason emphasis. Opponents average 17.5 fast-break points, fourth worst in the league.
26. Sacramento Kings (6-18) – Surprisingly, offense ranks just 27th at 109.0. Defensive shortcomings were expected; scoring struggles were not.
27. Indiana Pacers (6-18) – Three-point accuracy is 29th at 33.2 percent, although core players are connecting at 38.1 percent.
28. Brooklyn Nets (6-17) – Finding a second scorer next to Michael Porter Jr. is the task while Cam Thomas nurses a hamstring injury.
29. Washington Wizards (3-19) – The league’s worst defensive rebound rate and second-worst turnover-creation rate leave opponents with 5.7 extra shots per game.
30. New Orleans Pelicans (3-22) – Opponents are converting 61 percent on two-point attempts, the highest figure ever recorded over a full season.
The rankings will be updated after the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 13, in Las Vegas.
Source: ESPN
