A lot is happening around the NBA past the quarter mark of the 2025-26 season, aside from teams moving up and down the NBA power rankings.
The NBA Cup will continue this upcoming week, with the winners of the knockout games heading to Las Vegas for a chance to win the third-ever in-season tournament. There are also countless trade rumors and questions beginning to form in both conferences as the Dec. 15 trade eligibility deadline approaches.
Of course, there are also two teams who are all too familiar with the championship equation and have made headlines because of their recent string of success. We all know how good Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have been, but have you been paying attention to what's happening in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics?
Yes, we are talking about the same Celtics team that is without Jayson Tatum and began the year struggling to find their new identity after appearing to take a step back in what many imagined to be a “gap year.” Well, this is certainly no longer a gap year for Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla's team, as Boston has won 10 of their last 12 games, including five straight, to take a massive leap in the NBA power rankings.
Although they are not on the same level as last year's team, which won 61 games and proved to be one of the best all-around teams in the league during the 2024-25 season, this year's Celtics squad is gritty and seems to have a lot more vibrant energy to them because of the unlikely contributions they are receiving.
Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, Josh Minott, and Payton Pritchard have all stepped into major roles alongside Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, and this year's Celtics almost have a little bit of a college-like feel because of how these young guys electrify TD Garden.
Now that they are 15-9, Boston is very much in the conversation at the top of the Eastern Conference with the likes of the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, proving that this season is anything but a step back.
Even so, the Celtics, like everyone else in the NBA, are continuing to look up and chase the Thunder.
With their 15th straight win in a 131-101 win without Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday night against the Utah Jazz, Mark Daigneault's group is now 23-1 and on pace to go 79-3 this season.
Believe it or not, this year's Thunder team is better statistically when looking at the advanced metrics compared to last season's historic team, which is unfathomable to wrap your head around.
Since their first two games of the season, both being double-overtime thrillers, the Thunder have tallied double-digit wins after double-digit wins with no competition standing in their way. Oklahoma City is one of the eight teams gearing up for their chance to punch a ticket to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup this week, and right now, it's hard to imagine that they will be stopped.
There is still plenty of basketball yet to be played this season, but the Thunder are significantly ahead of the other 29 teams ranked behind them in the NBA power rankings through the first seven weeks of the season.
Previous 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings: Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | Week 0 (Preseason) | Offseason
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (-)
2025-26 Record: 23-1 | Last Week's Schedule: at GSW (W12), vs. DAL (W21), at UTA (W30)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. PHX (12/10)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
The Thunder simply look unbeatable right now. If it weren't for a last-second two-point loss to the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this season, the Thunder would be 24-0 right now.
Even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor against the Jazz on Sunday night, this team was still able to score 131 points and hold Utah to just 101 points. Oklahoma City hasn't been fully healthy all year, yet no team has come close to proving that they have what it takes to possibly hang with this group in a seven-game series.
It would come as a shock if this group doesn't beat the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday and punch their ticket to the NBA Cup Semifinals in Las Vegas. After losing in the championship game to the Milwaukee Bucks last year, this is something Gilgeous-Alexander and his team clearly want.
2. New York Knicks (+4)
2025-26 Record: 16-7 | Last Week's Schedule: at BOS (L6), vs. CHA (W15), vs. UTA (W34), vs. ORL (W6)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at TOR (12/9)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
The New York Knicks have won seven of their last eight games, with their only blemish coming against the red-hot Celtics in Boston at the start of last week. OG Anunoby has returned after a nine-game hiatus due to a hamstring injury, and the Knicks are beginning to look like a complete project, especially on offense.
Mike Brown's team continues to find a lot of success on the offensive end of the court, as they rank third in offensive rating and are averaging 120.7 points per game, ranking fifth in the NBA. The Knicks also rank fifth in points allowed per game, an average of 112.4 points per game to their opponents.
Like the Thunder, the Knicks will be fighting for a spot in Las Vegas when they play the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
3. Denver Nuggets (+1)
2025-26 Record: 17-6 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. DAL (L10), at IND (W15), at ATL (W1), at CHA (W9)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at SAC (12/11)
Outside of a trip to Sacramento this week, the Denver Nuggets can relax, rest up, and buy themselves some extra time for Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun to possibly return before the holidays.
Denver has looked vulnerable at times, but this team is still finding ways to hang around when trailing and somehow pull away in the end. That happened against the Atlanta Hawks, as the Nuggets trailed by as many as 23 points before coming back in the second half behind Nikola Jokic's 40-point effort to win 134-133 on the road.
Despite being 6-4 at home this season, the Nuggets own the second-best road record in the league behind the Thunder at 11-2 this season.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (-2)
2025-26 Record: 17-6 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. PHX (L17), at TOR (W3), at BOS (L21), at PHI (W4)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. SAS (12/10)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
Blowout losses to the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics are definitely noticeable, but the Los Angeles Lakers weren't whole this week. Luka Doncic missed some time due to a personal matter, and LeBron James sat out their matchup against Boston due to injury recovery.
Even so, James showed up in a big way against Toronto and Philadelphia. While his streak of 1,297 consecutive games with 10-plus points was snapped against the Raptors, LeBron had the game-winning assist on a Rui Hachimura three-pointer. Then, against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, James recorded a season-high 29 points to lift the Lakers to a 112-108 win.
Los Angeles, which went 4-0 in NBA Cup group play, will host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals.
5. Detroit Pistons (-)
2025-26 Record: 19-5 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. ATL (W1), at MIL (L4), vs. POR (W6), vs. MIL (W12)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. ATL (12/12)
Since winning 13 straight games, the Pistons have gone just 4-3, recently falling 113-109 to the Milwaukee Bucks this past week despite Giannis Antetokounmpo getting injured three minutes into the game. Still, the Pistons are 2.5 games ahead of the Knicks for the top spot in the East standings.
Outside of being a very average 3-point shooting team, the Pistons continue to struggle when it comes to securing their passes and taking care of the basketball. The only blemish on their offensive attack is the fact that they are turning the ball over an average of 16.1 times per game, the fourth-worst average in the league.
This has been Detroit's biggest weakness in its losses this season.
6. Boston Celtics (+10)
2025-26 Record: 15-9 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. NYK (W6), at WAS (W45), vs. LAL (W21), at TOR (W8)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at MIL (11/11)
Joe Mazzulla wants to win, and he's been coaching this year's Celtics team with even more intensity than he did a season ago. The Celtics look great right now, and they are suddenly in third place in the East.
Boston is taking high-percentage shots on offense, they rank eighth in points off turnovers, and Jaylen Brown has been electric as of late, averaging 30.6 points per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor over the Celtics' 12-game stretch where they've gone 10-2.
A short week approaches for the Celtics, as they will host a Bucks team looking to find their identity without Giannis.
7. Houston Rockets (-4)
2025-26 Record: 15-6 | Last Week's Schedule: at UTA (L8), vs. SAC (W26), vs. PHX (W19), at DAL (L13)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. LAC (12/11)
It wasn't all too surprising to see the Houston Rockets lose 122-109 on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks, as they were playing small without Steven Adams and Alperen Sengun. Against a bigger Mavs team with plenty of frontcourt depth, Houston ended up having their worst defensive performance of the season, surrendering 122 points and allowing Dallas to shoot 60 percent from the floor.
Still, the Rockets are the only team in the NBA to rank inside the top four in both offensive (fourth) and defensive rating (second) this season, and Amen Thompson continues to put together an All-Star resume.
Thompson has scored at least 20 points in five of his last eight games, including a season-high 31 points against the Suns on Friday. Defensively, he has asserted himself as arguably one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.
8. San Antonio Spurs (-1)
2025-26 Record: 15-7 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MEM (W7), at ORL (W2), at CLE (L13)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at NOP (12/8), at LAL (12/10)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
The San Antonio Spurs have now won seven of their last 10 games since Victor Wembanyama suffered his calf injury, and they are just a half-game behind the Rockets for fourth place in the West.
Devin Vassell has been on a heater as of late for the Spurs, scoring over 20 points in four of his last six games and shooting 45.1 percent from 3-point range during the team's successful 10-game stretch. Along with Wemby being out, Vassell has stepped up in the absence of Stephon Castle, who has missed nine straight games with a hip flexor injury.
De'Aaron Fox has been the catalyst for the Spurs' new-look offense without Wembanyama, as he has scored at least 25 points in nine of the Spurs' last 10 games. Coincidentally enough, the game he only scored 15 points ended up being the 139-136 road win over the Nuggets that won the Spurs West Group C in the NBA Cup.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (+3)
2025-26 Record: 15-8 | Last Week's Schedule: at NOP (W7/OT), at NOP (W9), vs. LAC (W3)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. PHX (12/8), at GSW (12/12), vs. SAC (12/14)
The Minnesota Timberwolves have climbed their way back into the top 10 of the NBA power rankings after sweeping their easy matchup this past week. Anthony Edwards and Co. have won five straight games for the first time this season, and they have done so by outscoring their opponents by 49 points in the fourth quarter and overtime during their win streak.
However, outside of Naz Reid, the Timberwolves continue to roll the dice when attempting to find production off their bench. It will be very interesting to see if Minnesota can continue to sustain success with realistically only five players being real threats to score in double figures every night.
As long as they continue to rank just outside the top 10 defensively, the Wolves will keep finding ways to close out games in the fourth quarter.
10. Toronto Raptors (-2)
2025-26 Record: 15-10 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. POR (W3), vs. LAL (L3), vs. CHA (L25), vs. BOS (L8)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. NYK (12/9)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
Toronto has lost three straight games for just the second time this season, but what's concerning is that they have lost five of their last six overall after winning nine straight, including two losses to Charlotte.
Offensively, scoring has been difficult for the Raptors as of late. During this six-game span, the Raptors have averaged just 107.5 points per game, the third-worst scoring average in the league during this stretch.
Only Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and Immanuel Quickley have averaged double-digit scoring numbers over the Raptors' last six games, and Ingram has shot just 40.9 percent from the floor in this span. Toronto will look to turn things around quickly, entering Tuesday night's NBA Cup matchup with New York, whom they lost by 22 points to on Nov. 30.
11. Orlando Magic (-2)
2025-26 Record: 14-10 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (W5), vs. SAS (L2), vs. MIA (W1), at NYK (L6)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. MIA (12/9)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
Just when it seemed like things were turning around for the Orlando Magic with Paolo Banchero returning from his groin injury, this team now faces major concern with Franz Wagner.
The star wing left Sunday's game against the Knicks after landing awkwardly and suffering what appears to be a significant knee injury. Wagner was on the ground, grabbing his left knee after being fouled by Ariel Hukporti, and he had to be helped off the court without putting any weight on his left leg.
If this is a significant injury to Wagner's knee and he is out indefinitely, the Magic will be in trouble. This team is built around having Banchero and Wagner dictate the offense together, which is why all of Orlando is holding its breath awaiting the injury news for their star forward.
12. Phoenix Suns (+1)
2025-26 Record: 13-10 | Last Week's Schedule: at LAL (W17), at HOU (L19)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at OKC (12/10)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
The Phoenix Suns continue to be on the cusp of the top 10 in the NBA power rankings as one of the biggest surprises in the Western Conference this season, but they are now without Devin Booker as a result of a groin injury he suffered in the team's 17-point win over the Lakers.
Luckily, Booker's injury is not severe, as the team said he would be re-evaluated at the start of the upcoming week. Whether or not Booker will be available for Wednesday's NBA Cup game in Oklahoma City is yet to be determined.
In their one game without Booker, Phoenix's offense looked lost at times, and they shot just 39 percent from the floor against the Rockets on Friday. Should Booker be unavailable to play against the Thunder, it would take a miracle for Phoenix to put up a fight against the league's best.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (+4)
2025-26 Record: 13-10 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. WAS (W19), vs. GSW (W1), at MIL (W15), vs. LAL (L4)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. IND (12/12), at ATL (12/14)
The Philadelphia 76ers continue to be only as good as Tyrese Maxey is able to carry them, as he has been their leading scorer in 11 of their last 12 games. Maxey has had to do everything for the 76ers this season, especially since Joel Embiid has only played in nine games and Paul George has only been available for eight games.
These two stars were available alongside Maxey on Sunday night against the Lakers, but Philadelphia fell 112-108, snapping their first three-game win streak since beginning the season 4-0.
Following a home game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, the 76ers will play five of their next seven games on the road to close out 2025.
14. Golden State Warriors (-)
2025-26 Record: 13-12 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. OKC (L12), at PHI (L1), at CLE (W5), at CHI (W32)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. MIN (12/12), at POR (12/14)
Without Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors have actually been very competitive, and they have found a lot of success defensively. This team put up a really strong fight against the Thunder, they came back after being down by as many as 24 points to the 76ers, and Pat Spencer has been the focal point behind Golden State's last two wins over Cleveland and Chicago.
In their last five games without Curry, the Warriors are holding their opponents to just 100.8 points per game, 41.7 percent shooting from the floor, and 29.3 percent from 3-point range. Golden State held Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago all under 100 points.
Now that they get four days of rest before their next game, the Warriors' confidence is riding high, especially since there is a strong possibility of Curry returning from his quad injury on Friday against Minnesota.
15. Miami Heat (-5)
2025-26 Record: 14-10 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. LAC (W17), at DAL (L10), at ORL (L1), vs. SAC (L16)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at ORL (12/9)*, TBD
*NBA Cup Game
Three straight losses have resulted in the Miami Heat falling out of the top 10 of the NBA power rankings. Even so, this team is still tied with the Magic for the fifth-best record in the East.
Despite ranking third in scoring and averaging over 120 points per game this season, Miami has failed to score over 110 points in four of their last seven games. A slower pace and Tyler Herro landing back on the injury report with his toe injury have resulted in the Heat taking a step back on offense as of late.
16. Cleveland Cavaliers (-5)
2025-26 Record: 14-11 | Last Week's Schedule: at IND (W16), vs. POR (L12), vs. SAS (W13), vs. GSW (L5)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at WAS (12/12), vs. CHA (12/14)
Who are the Cleveland Cavaliers right now, outside of Donovan Mitchell. This is something Kenny Atkinson and his group are trying to discover, as the Cavs have been a mess at times on offense when their perimeter shots aren't falling.
The Cavaliers have lost five of their last seven games, resulting in them falling into the bottom half of the NBA power rankings for the first time all season.
With six straight games against teams with a losing record, the Cavs now have an opportunity to correct their recent mistakes and get things going in the right direction.
17. Atlanta Hawks (-2)
2025-26 Record: 14-11 | Last Week's Schedule: at DET (L1), vs. LAC (L23), vs. DEN (L1), at WAS (W15)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at DET (12/12), vs. PHI (12/14)
Jalen Johnson has been sensational for the Atlanta Hawks this season. In the absence of Trae Young, Johnson has kept the Hawks afloat, as he's now averaging 23.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor and over 40 percent from 3-point range.
The only other player in the league averaging these unique numbers is Nikola Jokic, and he is in the running for the MVP award. Johnson has proven to be worthy of an All-Star selection this season, and he recently became the second player in Hawks history to record a triple-double on back-to-back nights against Denver and Washington, joining Bob Sura in 2004.
As long as Johnson is playing like this, the Hawks can remain a sneaky team in the NBA power rankings, capable of moving up at any moment.
18. Memphis Grizzlies (-)
2025-26 Record: 11-13 | Last Week's Schedule: at SAS (L7), vs. LAC (W9), vs. POR (W23)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. UTA (12/12)
Since snapping their five-game losing streak, the Memphis Grizzlies have won seven of their last nine games. At the same time, none of these wins have come against a team with a winning record, and their sole win this season against a top team was in their fifth game of the season against Phoenix.
Still, the Grizzlies' confidence is definitely growing, and they are hoping to get Ja Morant back on the floor sometime soon.
Second-year big man Zach Edey has been on a tear as of late, as he's averaging 16.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game over his last six matchups. Memphis has gone 5-1 in this span.
19. Dallas Mavericks (+4)
2025-26 Record: 9-16 | Last Week's Schedule: at DEN (W10), vs. MIA (W10), at OKC (L21), vs. HOU (W13)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. BKN (12/12)
Are the Dallas Mavericks finally starting to turn things around? With three double-digit wins this past week, Dallas has climbed out of the bottom 10 in the NBA power rankings, and they are suddenly a half-game behind Portland in the West play-in region of the standings.
Anthony Davis' injury return has sparked the Mavs' recent string of success, as they look more comfortable on both ends of the floor with him.
Each of Dallas' three wins over Denver, Miami, and Houston was impressive, and they marked the first wins the Mavericks have put together against a team with a winning record since defeating Toronto on Oct. 26.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (-1)
2025-26 Record: 9-15 | Last Week's Schedule: at TOR (L3), at CLE (W12), at DET (L6), at MEM (L23)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at NOP (12/11), vs. GSW (12/14)
Deni Avdija has been the only positive for the Portland Trail Blazers as of late, as their inability to close out games in the fourth quarter has led to their recent demise.
The Trail Blazers now find themselves in the bottom half of the NBA power rankings, and they are six games below .500 after their 5-3 start to the season.
After a quick stop in New Orleans, Portland will return home for seven of its next eight games. This will be a chance for the Blazers to get back on track before the calendar flips to 2026.
21. Utah Jazz (+3)
2025-26 Record: 8-15 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. HOU (W8), at BKN (W13), at NYK (L34), vs. OKC (L30)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at MEM (12/12)
Perhaps the most dangerous team with a losing record this season that doesn't really have a shot at making the playoffs is the Utah Jazz.
This team has been extremely competitive with some of the better teams in the NBA power rankings this season, and they have proven to be a much-improved offensive team this year. Still, Will Hardy's group struggles with consistency, which is why he blew up on them in their 131-101 loss to the Thunder on Sunday.
The Jazz have won three of their last six games, and they will now get their first look at the Grizzlies in one of their fill-in NBA Cup games.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (-2)
2025-26 Record: 10-15 | Last Week's Schedule: at WAS (L3), vs. DET (W4), vs. PHI (L15), at DET (L12)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. BOS (12/11), at BKN (12/14)
Without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the court, the Bucks have gone 1-7, including their 12-point loss to the Pistons on Saturday.
The Bucks simply aren't the type of team that can win without their star player, and that has become very clear. Now, Milwaukee will play the waiting game to see not only when Antetokounmpo can return but also whether he will ultimately request a trade with all the rumors about his future swirling around the NBA.
Nothing is getting easier for the Bucks with Giannis out, as six of their next eight games are on the road, where they have gone just 3-8 this season.
23. Chicago Bulls (-1)
2025-26 Record: 9-14 | Last Week's Schedule: at ORL (L5), vs. BKN (L10), vs. IND (L15), vs. GSW (L32)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at CHA (12/12)
A 5-0 start to the season has suddenly turned into the Chicago Bulls being 9-14 overall. A 32-point stomping against a Curry-less Warriors team has now seen the Bulls lose seven straight games, and they are desperately in need of some changes.
Although the Bulls have not been all that terrible defensively, for the most part, their offense has looked really sluggish.
Chicago is averaging just 109.4 points per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and 34.0 percent from deep over their last seven games. The Bulls must find a way to snap their losing streak in Charlotte on Thursday, or else this season will slip away from them quickly.
24. Charlotte Hornets (-3)
2025-26 Record: 7-17 | Last Week's Schedule: at BKN (L13), at NYK (L15), at TOR (W25), vs. DEN (L9)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (12/12), at CLE (12/14)
Charles Lee and the Hornets have seemed to figure something out about Toronto, as they are now 2-0 against the Raptors this season after winning 111-86 on Friday.
LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are back on the court alongside Kon Knueppel, which has allowed the Hornets to begin forging their identity, especially on offense. Charlotte has won three of their last six games, averaging 110.8 points per game during this stretch.
The Hornets have a big opportunity approaching them after their matchup with Chicago, as they will play five of their next six after Thursday's game against teams with a winning record. This is a chance for the Hornets to prove that they can be threats in the bottom half of the East standings.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (+1)
2025-26 Record: 6-18 | Last Week's Schedule: at MIA (L17), at ATL (W23), at MEM (L9), at MIN (L3)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at HOU (12/11)
It may finally be time for the Los Angeles Clippers to make some major roster decisions. Tyronn Lue's group has not won back-to-back games since the second and third games of the season, and they continue to invent new ways to blow games in the second half.
That happened in their most recent loss to the Timberwolves, as the Clippers, who led by 18 points at one point in Minneapolis, were outscored 67-50 in the second half.
James Harden looks defeated, Kawhi Leonard simply isn't his All-Star self anymore, and the Clippers' confidence continues to deteriorate with every loss. Oh, and Chris Paul is no longer with the team after being sent home, and the drama surrounding his departure continues to make waves across the league.
26. Sacramento Kings (-1)
2025-26 Record: 6-17 | Last Week's Schedule: at HOU (L26), at MIA (W16)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. DEN (12/11), at MIN (12/14)
The Sacramento Kings are now in the bottom five of the NBA power rankings despite ending their four-game losing streak by defeating the Heat.
Without Domantas Sabonis, the Kings have gone 4-8 this season, which may be a hint at what possible moves this organization will look to make on the trade market. Rookie Maxime Raynaud seems capable of stepping up at center for Doug Christie, which is why Sabonis' time in Sacramento could be coming to an end.
27. Brooklyn Nets (+2)
2025-26 Record: 6-17 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. CHA (W13), at CHI (W10), vs. UTA (L13), vs. NOP (W18)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at DAL (12/12), vs. MIL (12/14)
All of a sudden, the Brooklyn Nets have doubled their win total in one week with three wins over teams with losing records.
This young team in Brooklyn is moving the ball well, and they seem to be developing this tough-minded, gritty persona. Rookies Egor Demin and Danny Wolf have been showing steady progress in their development, and Noah Clowney has been a bright spot for the Nets in the frontcourt.
It will be interesting to see if the Nets can pull an upset or two against a team with a winning record over the next few weeks.
28. Indiana Pacers (-1)
2025-26 Record: 5-18 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. CLE (L16), vs. DEN (L15), at CHI (W15)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: at PHI (12/12), vs. WAS (12/14)
Finally, the Indiana Pacers' road woes came to an end in their 120-105 win over the Bulls on Friday. This was Indiana's first win away from Indianapolis this season.
Unfortunately for Rick Carlisle's team, winning isn't something they will do a whole lot of this season after making the NBA Finals a year ago because of their inability to effectively move the ball and knock down high-percentage shots.
Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, and Andrew Nembhard are their only real sources of production, given the injury struggles this organization faces.
29. Washington Wizards (+1)
2025-26 Record: 3-19 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MIL (W3), at PHI (L19), vs. BOS (L45), vs. ATL (L15)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. CLE (12/12), at IND (12/14)
The Washington Wizards are not the worst team in the NBA power rankings for once, as their recent win over the Bucks moved them up one spot. Still, the Wizards are near the bottom of the league in virtually every metric, and their offensive woes are very concerning.
If it weren't for CJ McCollum, the Wizards would have trouble reaching 100 points every night consistently.
Washington has won only once on the road this season, and four of their next five games following their next matchup at home against Cleveland will be on the road.
30. New Orleans Pelicans (-2)
2025-26 Record: 3-21 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MIN (L7/OT), vs. MIN (L9), at BKN (L18)
Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. SAS (12/8), vs. POR (12/11), at CHI (12/14)
The New Orleans Pelicans have lost 15 of their last 16 games, including six straight. However, it is worth noting that this group was competitive in back-to-back games against Minnesota, losing both matchups at home by single digits.
Zion Williamson is now out indefinitely, and it appears as if his time in New Orleans could be nearing its end before the trade deadline.
Unlike most teams receiving plenty of rest this upcoming week due to the NBA Cup, the Pelicans have a normal week with three games.
