NBA Midseason Report Card: Grades for Every Team at the 41-Game Mark
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ESPN analyst Kevin Pelton released his annual midyear assessment on Jan. 19, 2026, weighing each club’s first-half performance against preseason expectations. The study pairs opening over/under win totals with the latest Basketball Power Index (BPI) projections and factors in roster goals such as player development or draft positioning. A club that merely meets projections usually lands in the “B/C” range, while genuine overachievers receive top marks. Four organizations earned straight A’s and two more collected A-minus grades.
A
Boston Celtics — Preseason 40.5 wins; BPI 50.7. Despite Jayson Tatum’s Achilles rehab, Boston owns the NBA’s third-best point differential. Jaylen Brown is averaging 29.7 PPG, rookie Jordan Walsh has stepped in for Tatum, and Neemias Queta has handled the center spot. Head coach Joe Mazzulla is squarely in the Coach of the Year race.
Detroit Pistons — Preseason 45.5; BPI 56.1. Detroit stormed to a 15-2 start behind an elite defense (No. 2) and a top-10 offense. Cade Cunningham is in MVP discussions, Jalen Duren has an All-Star case and J.B. Bickerstaff leads Coach of the Year chatter.
Phoenix Suns — Preseason 31.5; BPI 46.4. After moving on from Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant, Phoenix reshaped the roster around Dillon Brooks’ intensity. The Suns remain No. 15 in offense and thrive on turnovers forced. Collin Gillespie has emerged as a reliable point guard, and first-year coach Jordan Ott has settled a once-unstable bench.
San Antonio Spurs — Preseason 44.5; BPI 52.2. Even with extended absences for De’Aaron Fox, Victor Wembanyama and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper, San Antonio shares second in the West and owns three head-to-head wins over Oklahoma City, signaling real title ambitions.
A-
Denver Nuggets — Preseason 53.5; BPI 53.1. Denver’s preferred lineup has played only 10 games (8-2), yet the Nuggets stay near the West’s top thanks to young depth during Nikola Jokić’s knee absence.
Oklahoma City Thunder — Preseason 62.5; BPI 64.9. A 24-1 launch set historic pace, and the plus-13.0 differential still tops last season’s record mark. Three losses to San Antonio and back-to-back defeats by Phoenix and Charlotte reveal minor vulnerabilities.
B+
Houston Rockets — Preseason 52.5; BPI 52.3. Houston has navigated Fred VanVleet’s ACL tear with sophomore Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson at the point while Kevin Durant keeps the attack top-five. A 9-12 clutch record drags the overall mark to 25-15.
Philadelphia 76ers — Preseason 42.5; BPI 45.5. Philadelphia remains in the hunt for a top-four East seed even though Joel Embiid and Paul George have shared only 15 games. Tyrese Maxey plays at an All-NBA level, rookie VJ Edgecombe excels, and Dominick Barlow has claimed a starting job.
Portland Trail Blazers — Preseason 33.5; BPI 39.0. Injuries to Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday forced Deni Avdija into a lead-creator role, where he averages 26.1-7.1-6.9. Acting coach Tiago Splitter replaced the suspended Chauncey Billups, guiding Portland to a winning record despite a minus-1.9 differential.
Toronto Raptors — Preseason 38.5; BPI 44.1. Toronto’s small-ball perimeter group has surprised; Scottie Barnes is producing All-NBA numbers and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles covers for injured Jakob Poeltl. A 15-7 clutch mark lifts the Raptors into the East’s top four.
B
Brooklyn Nets — Preseason 19.5; BPI 25.8. Brooklyn balances competitiveness with lottery odds, carrying a minus-4.8 differential while Michael Porter Jr. raises his trade value by playing like an All-Star.
Charlotte Hornets — Preseason 26.5; BPI 32.1. Rookie class headlines the season: No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel shoots 43.4% from three, while second-rounders Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner contribute as starters.
Miami Heat — Preseason 38.5; BPI 45.4. Miami’s plus-1.6 differential and the NBA’s easiest remaining schedule suggest a climb from eighth in the East. A top-five defense keeps the club afloat while Tyler Herro returns from 30 missed games.
B-
Minnesota Timberwolves — Preseason 49.5; BPI 50.3. A favorable schedule and good health mask depth concerns, especially with 2024 first-rounders Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. struggling to replace Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
New York Knicks — Preseason 53.5; BPI 49.1. An 11-2 surge and the NBA Cup title faded into a four-game slide, dropping New York behind Detroit. The plus-3.5 differential is third in the East.
C+
Washington Wizards — Preseason 20.5; BPI 19.1. Washington’s minus-11.2 differential remains the league’s worst, and Trae Young has yet to debut post-trade as the franchise safeguards top-eight pick odds.
C
Chicago Bulls — Preseason 33.5; BPI 33.9. Early 5-0 burst evaporated; Josh Giddey and sophomore Matas Buzelis show promise, but Chicago hovers near .500 with a minus-3.4 differential.
Golden State Warriors — Preseason 46.5; BPI 46.3. A 10-4 spurt coinciding with Al Horford’s return pushed the Warriors back on pace, yet health for the league’s second-oldest roster and potential trades loom.
Memphis Grizzlies — Preseason 40.5; BPI 39.5. With Ja Morant trade talk swirling, Memphis is 11-10 without him. Rookie center Zach Edey averages 13.6 points and 11.1 boards in limited action.
Orlando Magic — Preseason 51.5; BPI 45.8. Injuries to Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner coincide with a dip in Paolo Banchero’s scoring (21.1 PPG). The anticipated Banchero-Desmond Bane offense has yet to click.
Utah Jazz — Preseason 19.5; BPI 24.5. Keyonte George’s breakout clashes with the need to keep a protected pick; strategic rest for Lauri Markkanen, Kevin Love and Jusuf Nurkic reflects that balancing act.
C-
Indiana Pacers — Preseason 38.5; BPI 22.9. Losses of Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner preceded more injuries, pushing Indiana into a likely top-five lottery slot despite Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker struggles.
Los Angeles Lakers — Preseason 46.5; BPI 44.7. A perfect 13-0 clutch start masks a minus-0.8 differential and 26th-ranked defense. Luka Dončić carries the offense while LeBron James and Austin Reaves navigate injuries.
D+
Atlanta Hawks — Preseason 46.5; BPI 41.1. The Trae Young era ended after a 2-7 stretch. Atlanta is above .500 without him, highlighted by Jalen Johnson’s 22.1-10.5-8.2 averages in Young’s absence.
Cleveland Cavaliers — Preseason 56.5; BPI 47.7. Darius Garland’s toe surgery and Max Strus’ absence stalled momentum. Cleveland must rally to regain home-court advantage.
D
Dallas Mavericks — Preseason 40.5; BPI 32.7. Dereck Lively II is out for the year, Anthony Davis is sidelined six weeks, and rookie Cooper Flagg’s move back to forward spotlights a lost season.
LA Clippers — Preseason 47.5; BPI 41.0. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are productive, yet depth issues and failed veteran bets leave the Clippers clawing for a play-in berth. Oklahoma City owns their draft pick.
New Orleans Pelicans — Preseason 30.5; BPI 22.3. Rookie big man Derik Queen and guard Jeremiah Fears shine, but weak shooting (29th in made threes) and rim protection (29th in opponent 2-point %) led to Willie Green’s November dismissal.
Sacramento Kings — Preseason 34.5; BPI 26.0. An aggressive push to stay competitive backfired after Domantas Sabonis’ injury. Rebuild talk is unavoidable as veteran trade value dwindles.
D-
Milwaukee Bucks — Preseason 42.5; BPI 35.4. Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed 14 games (3-11 record without him), but even at full strength Milwaukee is being outscored by 1.1 PPG and faces a fight just to reach the play-in round.
The second half of the 2025-26 season will determine whether early surprises hold and if struggling contenders can regroup before the postseason.
Source: ESPN
