With the 2022-2023 season underway, our NBA power rankings are active, and here to let you know who are the top teams right now in the association.
Along with the latest pecking order around the league, you can also keep up to date with the current NBA standings, and take an early look at the NBA Draft.
Related: NBA scores – Get the latest results from last night’s NBA action
Now, let’s take a look at the NBA power rankings for all 30 teams in the top professional basketball league in the world.
30. Detroit Pistons (LW: 30)
A season-ending injury to young star Cade Cunningham put an end to any real plans that the team had to be competitive in 2022-2023. Plus, while off-season acquisition Bojan Bogdanovic has played very well, rookies Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey have not done much in their rookie campaigns.
Things have consistently stayed bottom of the barrel for this group all season, and it is shocking how terrible they have been at times. It is sure to cost their head coach his job after the season. The only positive is they will have a whole bunch of ping-pong balls at the NBA Draft lottery.
29. Houston Rockets (LW: 29)
While young stars like Jalen Green and Kevin Porter, Jr. have been solid in 2022-2023, neither they nor first-round pick Jabari Smith has done anywhere close to what is needed to make the Houston Rockets a competitive squad this season.
The team was never expected to be a playoff contender, but things have been much worse than anticipated in 2022-2023. The last few weeks of the season will be about evaluating the talent they have to see who are pieces they will need to hold on to and combine with a possible big-ticket free-agent target this summer.
28. San Antonio Spurs (LW: 28)
After a surprisingly fast start to the season, the San Antonio Spurs have regressed to where many analysts figured they would be this season. At or near the bottom of the Western Conference. It has been another unimpressive year in San Antonio as the team slogs through another rebuilding season.
The big question going forward is how long their legendary head coach is willing to stick around as this team continues to go through a rebuild, and if the organization eventually decides they need an influx of new blood and ideas for today’s players.
27. Charlotte Hornets (LW: 27)
Being without LaMelo Ball to begin the season was killer for the Charlotte Hornets. And despite the best efforts of the rest of the team, the Hornets resided in the back end of the Eastern Conference standings. Yet, even with the young star back and posting double-double games, the Hornets have remained one of the worst teams in the NBA this season.
What seemed like a roster with notable upside has become a lottery-bound team with declining potential. The final weeks of the season could be the last games for quite a few players with the organization.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (LW: 25)
Back from a season-ending injury, Damian Lillard was playing like a monster to start the NBA season and helped the Portland Trailblazer gets off to a very fast start. However, he suffered a hamstring injury recently and the team immediately went into a slump soon after.
Yet, even with their anchor back, the Trail Blazers have not played as well as they did earlier in the season. If the team can’t reach the play-in tournament despite a strong effort to improve the roster over the last six months, heads could roll on the Portland bench and in the front office.
25. Orlando Magic (LW: 26)
The young Orlando Magics, led by top pick Paolo Banchero has been inconsistent throughout the season. But that is to be expected with a team in a complete rebuild and full of prospects. While the Magic are headed to another lottery selection in the spring, they have shown some heart and hung in there with far better teams, and even have earned notable wins over powerhouse squads like the 76ers and Nuggets.
Of the bad teams in the NBA this season, the Magic have the most hope and upside. That is mostly due to the strong play and development of top pick Banchero, who is a very strong candidate to win this year’s ROTY award.
24. Indiana Pacers (LW: 24)
The Indiana Pacers were riding high for the first few months of the season, as they surprised the league and were close to the top 10 of our NBA power rankings. However, All-Star candidate Tyrese Haliburton suffered a pair of injuries in January and the team struggled mightily ever since
This will go down as a very frustrating season for Indiana after showing so much promise in the first half before they spiraled into oblivion in the second half of the season. They are no longer ahead of schedule and still are mired in a rebuild.
23. Washington Wizards (LW: 23)
The Washington Wizards were a solid squad after the first month of the season. They seemed playoff bound with their talented trio of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma playing well together. However, that changed as 2022 reached a close.
In the new year, the team battled injuries to key players and wasted a very strong showing from Kristaps Porzingis this season. While they have an outside chance at an NBA Play-In spot, it seems unlikely with the teams ahead of them playing far better.
22. Utah Jazz (LW: 22)
The Utah Jazz has been one of the best stories in the NBA power rankings this season. They’ve got off to a far better start than expected due to outstanding performances from All-Star Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson. As well as great leadership from new head coach Will Hardy.
Unfortunately, as the season progressed and the team hit the stretch run they fell into a sharp decline. What was one of the best stories in the NBA season has become what many expected. The Jazz looks much more like an organization in a rebuild instead of a surprise playoff team in 2023.
21. Dallas Mavericks (LW: 21)
The Dallas Mavericks have been an inconsistent group for much of the year. While Luka Doncic has been outstanding — including making NBA history recently — they have constantly endured hot and cold streaks. That’s why it was no surprise that Doncic uncharacteristically pushed the front office to make some moves before the trade deadline.
Before Feb. 9, they delivered with an absolute game-changer in acquiring superstar guard Kyrie Irving. Yet, despite the upside in the pairing of the two superstar scorers, the Mavericks have struggled mightily and their big risk to make themselves a contender again in 2023 has not at all paid off.
20. Oklahoma City Thunder (LW: 20)
Despite not having first-round pick Chet Holmgren all season long, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been much better than expected. Thanks to head coach Mark Daigneault and budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA has been a revelation in ’22-’23 as the first-time All-Star has turned the Thunder into a far more competitive team than they should be. March was been one of their best months yet but they stumbled into April and are barely holding on to a postseason spot.
19. Chicago Bulls (LW: 19)
The Chicago Bulls’ poor showing thus far has been a product of several issues hindering the team. Certainly, Lonzo Ball’s absence has hurt, but no one expected the chemistry from last season between Demar DeRozan and Zach Lavine to completely disappear.
Now, with Ball out for the rest of the season the Bulls must figure out a way to hold on to their spot in the play-in tournament, and it seems they have figured things out in recent weeks as Patrick Beverley has proven to be a major benefit after being added to the roster after a buyout from the Orlando Magic.
18. Brooklyn Nets (LW: 17)
After being an absolute dumpster fire for more than a month to start the season, the Brooklyn Nets made some key adjustments in their coaching staff and mindset and have returned to prominence in the NBA power rankings. As head coach, Jacque Vaughn was able to tap into the best of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and the duo was dominant at times since.
Then the drama returned in February and the team was forced to move both superstars in shocking blockbuster deals. Now, they are going with a far less star-studded group, however, Jacque Vaughn seems to still be getting the best out of his roster and Mikal Bridges has taken several steps forward in his game under his tutelage.
17. Atlanta Hawks (LW: 16)
The Atlanta Hawks have been hit by a plague of drama this season and its shows in their place in the NBA standings and in recent rankings. It came to a head recently when the team fired head coach Nate McMillan in February. Since the dismissal, the team has seemingly played a bit better as they tried to salvage a disappointing 2022-2023 season.
They are set up for an NBA Play-In Tournament game and need to build some momentum to improve on their quick exit from the postseason last year.
16. Toronto Raptors (LW: 18)
While the Toronto Raptors were solid for the first few months of the season, they struggled mightily heading into 2023. They have battled injuries to key players and it had an effect. Nevertheless, their overall play has not been where they expected despite having an elite coach in Nick Nurse.
While they were the epicenter of trade rumors, the Raptors did not ship off any of their top players at the deadline and instead added sought-after big man Jakob Poeltl. That move has helped to lift the team in the final month of the season as Poeltl and Fred VanVleet have been a dynamic combo since the trade.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (LW: 15)
At the deadline, the Minnesota Timberwolves chose to go with age over youth in swapping out D’Angelo Russell and bringing in veteran floor general Mike Conley to lead the offense. It took some time, but the Timberwolves have been trending in the right direction to kick off March.
Now, with Karl-Anthony Towns back from months away with a calf injury, this group needs to try and find some quick chemistry before their NBA Play-in Tournament matchup.
14. New Orleans Pelicans (LW: 13)
The New Orleans Pelicans were one of the biggest stories in the NBA this season. Zion Williamson, CJ McCollom, and Brandon Ingram all hovered around averaging over 20 points a game and were a three-headed monster that flew up the Western Conference standings. Unfortunately, that old injury bug hit Williamson and everything was derailed.
If Williamson can get back and return to form in time for the last few games of the season, New Orleans could end up making some big noise this spring as a dark horse in the Western Conference.
13. Los Angeles Lakers (LW: 14)
After a disastrous start to the season the Los Angeles Lakers slowly but surely rounded into a far more competitive squad. But, they unsurprisingly had to battle injuries to their top players and needed to revise the roster during this year’s trade deadline to finally get some consistently effective lineups.
When Lebron James and D’Angelo Russell went down with injuries, it seemed likely the team would again suffer setbacks in the standings. However, Anthony Davis was outstanding in their absence. Now, with both back in the fold, the Lakers are hitting their stride and could be very dangerous over the next few weeks.
12. Los Angeles Clippers (LW: 12)
More than any team in the NBA, health is the biggest story surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers. The talent is there for the Clippers to be serious title contenders this season, but both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George dealt with injuries off and on this season.
However, they have played better recently and Leonard seems to be finding his vintage form with several 30-plus point outbursts in February. But, just when they and their trade deadline additions seemed to be gelling, Paul George suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season.
Nevertheless, some of the trade deadline and after additions — like Russell Westbrook — have proven beneficial and the team heads down the stretch and into the postseason playing very well. If George can return, they will be a dark horse team in the playoffs.
11. Golden State Warriors (LW: 11)
The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors struggled big time early in the season. They were bad on the road and their usually solid defense was one of the worst in the league. Yet, they seemed to circle the wags on their season and were headed in the right direction until a pair of injuries sidelined superstar Stephen Curry and threw things back into disarray.
With their team icon finally back, the team has caught fire at just the right time and has steadily been climbing up the NBA power rankings. The unit that looked highly unlikely to go far in the playoffs seems to be rounding into form at just the right time, and this is a very scary thing from the league’s current dynasty team.
NBA power rankings top 10
10. Miami Heat (LW: 10)
After a rough couple of months to start the season, the Miami Heat are looking much more like the team that went all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in the spring. Bam Adebayo has played very well this season and has been key in getting them back among the eight best in the conference.
The Miami Heat will be a tough out in the NBA Playoffs due to the talents of Jimmy Butler and the improved play of Adebayo. But Kevin Love won’t be enough to make them a serious Finals threat in a deep east.
9. New York Knicks (LW: 8)
After an inconsistent start, the New York Knicks caught fire in December, stumbled a bit in January, and righted themselves in February with another strong finish to the month. While they don’t have a superstar-level player on the roster, they have a well-rounded starting five led by Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson and have legitimate upside to be even better than they have been so far this season.
The end of Feb. and early March has looked much like Dec. with the team playing some of their best basketball of the season as they have clinched a second playoff birth in three seasons. However, with Randle having a sprained ankle that could keep him out a couple of weeks, New York’s run in the postseason could be short in 2023.
8. Phoenix Suns (LW: 9)
What head coach Monty Williams and the Phoenix Suns were able to do early this season, despite the Jae Crowder drama and with Chris Paul in a sharp decline, was remarkable. But then MVP candidate Devin Booker was sidelined with a groin injury for nearly a month and they plummeted in the standings.
However, they made a massive jump in the NBA power rankings not just for their improved play after Booker’s return, but by swinging the biggest deal of the 2023 NBA trade deadline for MVP candidate Kevin Durant. While another injury to Durant recently has to make one wonder about his durability for the rest of the season, the team has been dominant with him on the roster.
7. Sacramento Kings (LW: 7)
After a slow start to the ’22-’23 season, the young gun Sacramento Kings have become one of the best stories in the league this season. Both De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are playing like an All-Stars, and it has led to Sacramento being a top-10 team in the NBA. It’s been a long time since that was a reality, but this team and their high-powered offense are legit and unlikely to slip from this lofty perch.
The Kings have been the best scoring team in the league all season and in this era of the NBA, that makes them a very dangerous team in today’s game.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (LW: 6)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been strong all season with a deep and talented starting five. While they didn’t swing a major trade at the deadline they are well ahead of schedule as an elite squad in the East. Donovan Mitchell has been everything they expected and more as he has seemingly taken his game to a new level this season.
They have flown under the radar all season as a consistent elite-level team that has played well over the last few weeks. Maintaining their spot in the top three in the conference will be the goal to finish the season for this ultra-talented group.
5. Memphis Grizzlies (LW: 5)
Ja Morant has become one of the best players in the league and that automatically gives the Memphis Grizzlies a leg up on most teams every night. While they dominated and were near the top of our NBA power rankings for much of the early winter, they have stumbled often in 2023.
Things got rough in March with Morant embroiled in several off-the-court scandals that landed him a suspension and investigation. Despite the off-the-court drama the team rallied around each other and have gotten on a roll just in time for Morant’s return for the stretch run of the season.
4. Denver Nuggets (LW: 3)
It’s been another year of MVP-level performances from reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. The big man is a triple-double machine again in ’22-’23, however, the big difference compared to last season is the play of secondary stars like Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon.
All season long they have been the cream of the Western Conference crop. The big question with just a few games left. Can they show the same dominance in the postseason and finally be the first Denver Nuggets squad to storm through the conference to the finals?
3. Philadelphia 76ers (LW: 4)
The Philadelphia 76ers have dealt with a lot so far this season. Joel Embiid got off to a slow start. James Harden was playing terrifically before a foot injury knocked him out for a month. Then Tyrese Maxey was forced to the sideline for weeks as well after his own hot start.
However, in the new year, the group has been healthy and clicking on absolutely every cylinder. They have established themselves among the elites in the Eastern Conference by playing strong defense and having an MVP candidate leading the way.
Like the Nuggets, they must not prove that their big man is talented enough to reach the NBA Finals. However, Joel Embiid will have a far tougher route than Nikola Jokic.
2. Boston Celtics (LW: 2)
Even without suspended head coach Ime Udoka, the Celtics are having another fantastic season. Their offense is one of the best in the league and the combo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are playing like a pair of All-Stars who learned a lot and got better from their NBA Finals defeat earlier this year. That is why the team gave an extension to interim coach Joe Mazzulla.
However, in March the Cs struggled a bit early before picking up steam late in the month. It hasn’t been enough to overtake the Bucks for the top spot, but they are getting back on track just in time for the NBA Playoffs.
1. Milwaukee Bucks (LW: 1)
Unsurprisingly, the Milwaukee Bucks are again an elite squad again this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level and the team’s defense is one of the best in the league. At and after the trade deadline the team has also made little tweaks to strengthen their chances of a serious playoff run.
In February they were the hottest team in the league as they reeled off 14 straight wins and they maintained that in March and were the first team in the league to lock up a 2023 playoff spot. The Bucks are playing their best at just the right time.
This article was originally published on Sportsnaut.com and is republished here with permission.
