NBA regular-season report card: how all 30 teams measured up in 2025-26
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The 2025-26 NBA regular season is in the books, and ESPN has issued grades for every franchise based on how each club performed against preseason forecasts released last fall. Below is a breakdown of the results announced on April 15, 2026.
A and A-minus range
Boston Celtics (A) — 56-26 record versus a 43-39 projection. Despite losing Jayson Tatum for most of the year, Joe Mazzulla’s group secured the East’s No. 2 seed behind Jaylen Brown’s career year.
Charlotte Hornets (A) — 44-38 against a predicted 26-56. An 18-9 post-All-Star surge pushed Charlotte into the play-in and delivered the franchise’s best season in a decade.
Detroit Pistons (A) — 60-22 after a 47-35 outlook. Cade Cunningham became an MVP candidate, Jalen Duren blossomed, and Detroit posted only its third 60-win campaign ever.
Phoenix Suns (A) — 45-37 compared with 30-52. Rookie head coach Jordan Ott fostered a hard-working culture that carried a roster once picked for the bottom of the West to seventh place.
San Antonio Spurs (A) — 62-20 versus 44-38. A healthy Victor Wembanyama powered the Spurs to the NBA’s second-best record one season after a blood-clot scare.
Los Angeles Lakers (A-) — 53-29 against 50-32. Luka Doncic produced an MVP-level campaign, LeBron James settled in as a third scoring option, and L.A. earned a top-four seed before late injuries struck.
Oklahoma City Thunder (A-) — 64-18, exactly matching ESPN’s forecast. The defending champions weathered injuries and leaned on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to remain on pace for a title repeat.
B and B-plus range
Portland Trail Blazers (B+) — 42-40 against 39-43. Amid a coaching change and ownership transfer, interim coach Tiago Splitter and breakout forward Deni Avdija clinched the No. 7 seed.
Toronto Raptors (B+) — 46-36 versus 33-49. Brandon Ingram stayed healthy, Scottie Barnes leaped to All-NBA form, and Toronto reached the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Atlanta Hawks (B) — 46-36 compared with 47-35. After trading an injured Trae Young, first-time All-Star Jalen Johnson led a late push that lifted Atlanta to sixth in the East.
Denver Nuggets (B) — 54-28 against 53-29. Denver landed where expected, healthy enough for another West run despite maneuvering to avoid Minnesota in the bracket.
Houston Rockets (B) — 52-30 versus 54-28. Losing Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear stalled the offense, yet a talented young core kept Houston on track for its first series win since 2020.
Philadelphia 76ers (B-) — 45-37 after a 40-42 forecast. A rebound season was clouded late by Joel Embiid’s appendectomy, though rookie VJ Edgecombe and All-NBA hopeful Tyrese Maxey shined.
C and C-minus range
Brooklyn Nets (C) — 20-62 versus 23-59. A bottom-three finish secured maximum lottery odds while Michael Porter Jr. delivered a career year.
Cleveland Cavaliers (C) — 52-30 against 59-23. Title hopes faded amid roster changes that swapped Darius Garland for James Harden; a deep postseason would be needed to redeem the year.
Minnesota Timberwolves (C) — 49-33 compared with 51-31. An uneven season ended favorably with a first-round matchup they prefer, yet the club fell short of top-four expectations.
New York Knicks (C) — 53-29 versus 54-28. High hopes following a coaching change cooled as the roster looked less than the sum of its parts heading into the playoffs.
Utah Jazz (C) — 22-60 against 19-63. Utah kept its pick while adding Jaren Jackson Jr. and absorbing a league fine for tanking concerns.
Washington Wizards (C) — 17-65 versus 20-62. The league’s worst record guaranteed a top-five pick; midseason trades for Trae Young and Anthony Davis set up an intriguing summer.
Indiana Pacers (C-) — 19-63 compared with 39-43. Tyrese Haliburton’s season-long Achilles absence triggered a gap year that still yielded center Ivica Zubac and prime lottery odds.
Miami Heat (C-) — 43-39 versus 39-43. Bam Adebayo wanted to escape the play-in, but Miami landed there for the fourth straight season and fell short of another late surge.
D and D-plus range
Golden State Warriors (D+) — 37-45 against 48-34. Early miscues and major injuries to Jimmy Butler III, Stephen Curry and others dropped the franchise to the edge of the play-in.
LA Clippers (D+) — 42-40 versus 50-32. A 6-21 start and trades of James Harden and Ivica Zubac left L.A. short of the home-court advantage many predicted.
Chicago Bulls (D) — 31-51 after a 36-46 outlook. Organizational turnover began, but Chicago failed to climb the lottery ladder after falling out of play-in contention.
Dallas Mavericks (D) — 26-56 compared with 44-38. Anthony Davis appeared in only 29 games before being traded, and the club pivoted to maximizing lottery position.
Memphis Grizzlies (D) — 25-57 versus 42-40. Heavy late-season tanking moved Memphis to sixth in lottery odds amid another quiet year from Ja Morant.
Orlando Magic (D) — 45-37 against 50-32. A four-pick deal for Desmond Bane failed to cure offensive woes, and the franchise’s 16-year series-win drought remains in jeopardy.
Milwaukee Bucks (D-) — 32-50 versus 46-36. Injuries, Doc Rivers’ resignation and ongoing questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo made this season the league’s biggest letdown.
New Orleans Pelicans (D-) — 26-56, matching the projection. Offseason moves aimed at contention instead landed the Pelicans deep in the lottery.
Sacramento Kings (D-) — 22-60 against 37-45. An investigation cleared the club of tanking, but the Kings still finished among the NBA’s worst and slipped out of a top-three draft slot.
ESPN issued no failing grades, reserving its harshest marks for teams that significantly underperformed while acknowledging clubs that exceeded projections in a season defined by surprise turnarounds, key injuries and late-year positioning for the 2026 draft.
Source: ESPN
