By Law Murray | The Athletic, 2025-12-29 15:35:57
本周专辑：“The Dark Side of the Moon”，Pink Floyd (1973)
如果可以，请允许我花些时间向各位透露一件事：这是2025年的最后一期实力榜。
好了，怀旧到此为止！我们并非在为一场盛大的告别演出做准备。我们只是像每周一样，在这里享受数字与球队带来的乐趣。因为我们将为2025年画上句号，所以我们重新引入了“时间胶囊”这个概念。
圣诞节是赛季中一个有趣的时间节点。到这个时候，我们已经能分辨出哪些球队是强者，但几乎可以肯定，总会有一支目前表现不佳的球队最终会抢走一个季后赛席位：
过去四个赛季，在圣诞节前位列东部前八但最终错失季后赛的球队（及其替代者）
2024年：老鹰 (活塞)
2023年：
2022年：步行者 (热火)
2021年：骑士、奇才、黄蜂 (76人、老鹰、猛龙)— Law Murray
(@ LawMurrayTheNU) 2025年12月25日
这一年即将结束，但这个赛季才刚刚开始。
细则说明：本实力榜并非简单地对每支球队进行排名。我们将保留球队的层级划分，球队会根据表现被提升或降级。每周将分为五个层级：
- 顶级争冠者 – 固定五席，联盟的精英队伍
- 状态正佳 – 可能是一支球队，也可能是七支
- 中游徘徊区 – 别和迪士尼世界的“泡泡”搞混了。指联盟的中坚力量
- 尚有可为 – 虽然不是联盟最差，但仍有大量工作要做
- 联盟底层 – 排名垫底的队伍
实力榜看点：
- 这是我的主观排名。我会参考各种客观指标，但最终决定权在我。
- 这份排名不仅是对过去一周的回顾——我们也在展望未来，因此它是在两者之间取得平衡。
- 排名是主观的，但没有偏见。实力榜不含任何个人议程，我们力求建立一个包容的、任人唯贤的体系。
- 这份排名所具备的一个特质：“冷酷无情”。
- 请享受比赛，也请享受这份排名！
在The Athletic第11周的NBA实力榜中，我们将为每支球队挑选一件值得放入时间胶囊、用以铭记2025年的物品。胜负记录及其他统计数据截至周日比赛结束。
第一梯队：顶级争冠者
1. 俄克拉荷马城雷霆 (27-5)
上期排名： 1
上周战绩： 胜灰熊，负马刺，负马刺，胜76人
进攻效率： 118.5 (第六位)
防守效率： 104.6 (第一位)
时间胶囊： 谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大的奖杯陈列柜
我们先来谈谈那个显而易见的问题。如果这是一个只有两支球队的联盟，雷霆队不会领跑这份实力榜。他们本赛季已在三个不同的州输给了圣安东尼奥马刺队。但面对NBA其他球队，他们的战绩是27胜2负，而他们剩余的常规赛中，除了两场之外，对手也都是这些球队。俄克拉荷马城在对阵联盟其他队伍时依然表现出色，而吉尔杰斯-亚历山大是卫冕得分王、MVP、西部决赛MVP和NBA总决赛MVP。没有多少球员能在整个职业生涯中集齐这些荣誉，更不用说在一年内全部达成了。
2. 圣安东尼奥马刺 (23-8)
上期排名： 5
上周战绩： 胜雷霆，客场胜雷霆，负爵士
进攻效率： 118.8 (第五位)
防守效率： 112.5 (第五位)
时间胶囊： 维克托·文班亚马的夏日特训
“瘦长鬼影”从深静脉血栓中康复，剃了光头，见到了哈利·波特，让凯文·加内特 (Kevin Garnett) 对他大吼大叫，与哈基姆·奥拉朱旺 (Hakeem Olajuwon) 一起进入实验室训练，并宣告开启野兽模式。我希望他能打上20年。我曾强烈考虑将圣安东尼奥排在榜首，但马刺队已经两次在与雷霆交手后立刻输掉了接下来的比赛。我知道第一场失利不算数（NBA杯对阵纽约尼克斯），但这份排名讲究的是一种感觉。既然文班亚马已经从卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 手中夺回了马刺队的首发中锋位置，我愿意放手让文班大展身手。
3. 丹佛掘金 (22-9)
上期排名： 2
上周战绩： 胜爵士，负独行侠，胜森林狼，负魔术
进攻效率： 124.0 (第一位)
防守效率： 115.8 (第二十位)
时间胶囊： 第四场的鹰眼摄像机
在直觉穹顶球馆，掘金队一度面临着领先优势被挥霍、可能被拖入加时赛的窘境，这或许会让他们在与洛杉矶快船的季后赛首轮系列赛中以1-3落后。然而，阿龙·戈登 (Aaron Gordon) 抢下一个制胜的进攻篮板并完成压哨扣篮，惊险取胜。尽管在季后赛前一周解雇了冠军教头迈克尔·马龙 (Michael Malone)，丹佛队最终还是赢下了那轮系列赛，随后在西部半决赛中将最终的冠军雷霆队逼入了抢七大战。尽管尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokić) 和贾马尔·穆雷 (Jamal Murray) 本赛季表现出色，但在克里斯蒂安·布劳恩 (Christian Braun) 仍未复出、卡梅伦·约翰逊 (Cameron Johnson) 也因伤缺阵数周的情况下，丹佛队急需戈登健康归来。
4. 底特律活塞 (24-8)
上期排名： 3
上周战绩： 客场胜开拓者，客场胜国王，客场负爵士，客场负快船
进攻效率： 116.9 (第八位)
防守效率： 110.9 (第二位)
时间胶囊： 13连胜
活塞队能够占据东部榜首，得益于他们在十一月创下的队史最长连胜纪录。底特律建立起的防守水平和阵容深度足以支撑整个赛季。活塞一直很擅长避免长期连败，但他们的西部客场之旅让其防守有所松懈。圣诞节前，活塞在萨克拉门托让对手得到127分的情况下幸存下来，但在犹他，他们丢了131分，随后又被科怀·伦纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 彻底摧毁——这是活塞在2025年第二次造访直觉穹顶球馆，并且让一位未来的名人堂成员砍下超过50分。
5. 纽约尼克斯 (22-9)
上期排名： 4
上周战绩： 客场负森林狼，胜骑士，客场胜老鹰
进攻效率： 121.1 (第三位)
防守效率： 114.3 (第十五位)
时间胶囊： 杰伦·布伦森大道
尼克斯在2025年时隔25年重返分区决赛。他们的表现仿佛是既没见过大场面，又像是已经夺冠了一样，为全队成员设立了专属的街道标志，结果却在连续第二次季后赛被印第安纳步行者淘汰后，导致他们的主教练被解雇。幸运的是，尼克斯现在不必担心步行者了。他们甚至赢得了NBA杯！但那没有冠军旗帜，所以不能放进我们的时间胶囊。
第二梯队：状态正佳
6. 休斯顿火箭 (19-10)
上期排名： 6
上周战绩： 客场负快船，客场胜湖人，胜骑士
进攻效率： 121.2 (第二位)
防守效率： 112.6 (第七位)
时间胶囊： Fanatics嘉年华
火箭队在2025年重返季后赛，并在主场与金州勇士队打到了第七场，但最终因投射和轻松得分机会的匮乏而落败。从G7失利到一笔七队大交易，休斯顿队迎来了凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant)，而杜兰特本人是在纽约Fanatics嘉年华的舞台上得知这一消息的。火箭队曾经历了一段艰难时期，连续输给了西部战绩最差的五支球队，但他们在圣诞大战中轻松击败洛杉矶湖人，并在回到主场后，于阿尔佩伦·申京 (Alperen Şengün) 缺阵的情况下大胜克利夫兰骑士。
第三梯队：中游徘徊区
7. 菲尼克斯太阳 (18-13)
上期排名： 14
上周战绩： 胜湖人，客场胜鹈鹕，客场胜鹈鹕
进攻效率： 114.7 (第十三位)
防守效率： 113.5 (第十位)
时间胶囊： 德文·布克的续约合同
死亡、税收和布克留在菲尼克斯，是世上三件 неизбежных 的事。然而，他周围的一切都已改变。詹姆斯·琼斯 (James Jones) 离任。乔丹·奥特 (Jordan Ott) 成为布克四年来的第四位主教练，也是他职业生涯的第八位。布克现在的队友中，没有一人曾为蒙蒂·威廉姆斯 (Monty Williams) 在菲尼克斯效力过。杜兰特被交易，布拉德利·比尔 (Bradley Beal)（以及他的交易否决权）被裁掉。但布克拥有一份2029年的球员选项，因此他致力于带领这支太阳队，在经历了多年的表现不佳之后，于本赛季继续超越预期。
8. 明尼苏达森林狼 (20-12)
上期排名： 7
上周战绩： 胜尼克斯，客场负掘金，负篮网
进攻效率： 116.4 (第十位)
防守效率： 112.7 (第八位)
时间胶囊： “信者得胜”颁奖礼
安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 有自己的颁奖典礼，他还邀请了玛拉·威尔逊 (Mara Wilson)（即电影《玛蒂尔达》的主演）领取传奇奖。这绝对要放进时间胶囊。这又是明尼苏达表现起伏不定的一周，他们先是利用了尼克斯的人员不整，接着在圣诞大战的加时赛中于丹佛崩盘，然后又在主场完全输给了布鲁克林篮网。
9. 波士顿凯尔特人 (19-12)
上期排名： 8
上周战绩： 胜步行者，客场胜步行者，客场负开拓者
进攻效率： 120.8 (第四位)
防守效率： 114.2 (第十四位)
时间胶囊： 米卡尔·布里奇斯的抢断
在东部半决赛中，波士顿看似遇到了一个绝佳的对手——一支他们在常规赛横扫的尼克斯队。但凯尔特人未能卫冕，系列赛的胜利几乎是从球星杰伦·布朗 (Jaylen Brown)（第一场）和杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum)（第二场）手中被硬生生夺走的，随后他们还不得不承受塔图姆跟腱断裂的灾难。球队的重建本在预料之中，但来得太快了。至少本赛季凯尔特人仍在前进，尽管周日在波特兰遭遇了一场糟糕的失利。
10. 洛杉矶湖人 (20-10)
上期排名： 9
上周战绩： 客场负太阳，负火箭，胜国王
进攻效率： 117.6 (第七位)
防守效率： 117.4 (第二十五位)
时间胶囊： 卢卡·东契奇的《男士健康》杂志封面
湖人队收到了萨克拉门托国王队这份大礼（不只是普通的国王队，而是一支休息不足、人员短缺且前一天刚在主场打过比赛的国王队），从而终结了本赛季的首次连败。湖人拥有东契奇，这有助于终结连败。卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Dončić) 成为湖人球员是所有重磅交易中的重磅，他终于被促使以一种前所未有的动力水平来认真对待自己的身体状态。尽管他在十二月的表现并非最佳，但有时确实能感受到这一点。或许他需要再登一次GQ封面才能真正找回状态。
当杰伦·萨格斯不在场上时，魔术队判若两队。(内森·雷·西贝克 / Imagn Images)
11. 奥兰多魔术 (18-14)
上期排名： 10
上周战绩： 客场负勇士，客场胜开拓者，负黄蜂，胜掘金
进攻效率： 115.0 (第十一位)
防守效率： 113.5 (第十二位)
时间胶囊： 杰伦·萨格斯的颈带
我是萨格斯的欣赏者，你也应该是。他基本上是奥兰多的常驻NFL球员，伪装成一名控球后卫，而他赛前将头带戴在脖子上的做法，是对迪昂·桑德斯 (Deion Sanders) 的致敬，这简直是一个不错的点缀。杰伦·萨格斯 (Jalen Suggs) 正遭遇又一次伤病，这次是臀部挫伤，自从魔术队抵达拉斯维加斯以来他就一直缺阵，而在他缺席期间，奥兰多队的战绩仅为五成。
12. 多伦多猛龙 (19-14)
上期排名： 12
上周战绩： 客场胜热火，客场负奇才，胜勇士
进攻效率： 113.9 (第十八位)
防守效率： 112.6 (第六位)
时间胶囊： 斯科蒂·巴恩斯出任中锋
我之前不确定该把什么放进去，然后斯科蒂·巴恩斯 (Scottie Barnes) 在雅各布·珀尔特尔 (Jakob Poeltl) 受伤的情况下，与伊曼纽尔·奎克利 (Immanuel Quickley)、回归的RJ·巴雷特 (RJ Barrett)、交易来的布兰登·英格拉姆 (Brandon Ingram) 以及常规替补奥侪·阿巴基 (Ochai Agbaji) 一同首发出场，并担任中锋。巴恩斯打出了一场永生难忘的比赛，他一人抢下25个篮板，比金州勇士队整个首发阵容的19个篮板还要多，并贡献了23分10助攻的三双数据。巴恩斯还锦上添花了三次抢断。虽然在对阵华盛顿的比赛中，巴恩斯在场时猛龙净负29分，但他用这样的表现证明了自己对多伦多成功的重要性。
13. 迈阿密热火 (17-15)
上期排名： 13
上周战绩： 负猛龙，客场胜老鹰，胜步行者
进攻效率： 114.2 (第十七位)
防守效率： 112.0 (第四位)
时间胶囊： 吉米·巴特勒的快乐
吉米·巴特勒 (Jimmy Butler) 在2025年的头两天为迈阿密热火队打了比赛，然后说他可能无法在这支球队找到他失去的快乐，随后立即被禁赛，一个月后被交易。从那时起，迈阿密就一直在处理后续问题。这并不容易，热火作为第十号种子进入季后赛，结果被克利夫兰队彻底摧毁。本赛季开局不错，但本月的一波五连败让热火的胜率回到了五成。各队都知道热火现在打得很快，但迈阿密是否有足够的天赋来维持赛季初的成功，目前尚无定论。
14. 克利夫兰骑士 (17-16)
上期排名： 15
上周战绩： 胜黄蜂，胜鹈鹕，客场负尼克斯，客场负火箭
进攻效率： 116.4 (第九位)
防守效率： 114.7 (第十六位)
时间胶囊： 泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿的进攻篮板
上赛季东部半决赛开始时，骑士队常规赛和季后赛的总战绩为68胜18负，并且刚刚完成了NBA季后赛历史上分差最悬殊的四场横扫。然而，从对阵步行者系列赛开始至今，克利夫兰的战绩仅为18胜20负。自从泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿 (Tyrese Haliburton) 在第二场比赛中抢下自己罚失的篮板，然后在已离队的泰·杰罗姆 (Ty Jerome) 面前后撤步命中制胜三分后，骑士队的锐气就再也未能恢复。看起来，本赛季越来越有可能是这支已并肩作战四个赛季的克利夫兰核心阵容的最后一年。
15. 费城76人 (16-14)
上期排名： 11
上周战绩： 负篮网，客场负公牛，客场负雷霆
进攻效率： 113.8 (第十九位)
防守效率： 113.7 (第十三位)
时间胶囊： VJ·埃奇库姆的首秀球衣
76人队不得不刻意摆烂，以增加保住2025年乐透签的机会。就连前76人球员托拜厄斯·哈里斯 (Tobias Harris) 都指出，费城在最后31场比赛中输掉了27场（幸运的是，费城老鹰队的超级碗游行掩盖了这种恶臭）。但费城运气不错，拿到了探花签，然后VJ·埃奇库姆 (VJ Edgecombe) 在他的首场比赛中就砍下34分，创造了76人队史NBA首秀得分纪录。此后，埃奇库姆再未单场得分超过30，在俄克拉荷马城更是16投仅3中。但对费城来说，这总比埃奇库姆去了别处要好。
16. 金州勇士 (16-16)
上期排名： 16
上周战绩： 胜魔术，胜独行侠，客场负猛龙
进攻效率： 113.4 (第二十一位)
防守效率： 111.5 (第三位)
时间胶囊： 乔纳森·库明加的悬而未决
乔纳森·库明加 (Jonathan Kuminga) 在整个2025年都因各种原因成为话题人物。不，库明加没有被交易。不，上赛季在巴特勒加盟后，勇士队开始打得极好时，库明加并没有融入球队。不，库明加的合同问题没有得到及时解决，导致勇士队基本上错过了夏季的交易期，只签下了患有坐骨神经痛的艾尔·霍福德 (Al Horford) 和塞思·库里 (Seth Curry)，此外别无收获。而现在，库明加独自坐在金州勇士的板凳上，自11月12日以来，只有一次出场时间超过21分钟，而勇士队则在（再次）等待一个合适的时机来促成他的交易。我期待在2026年不必再谈论这件事。
第四梯队：尚有可为
17. 孟菲斯灰熊 (15-17)
上期排名： 18
上周战绩： 客场负雷霆，客场胜爵士，胜雄鹿，客场负奇才
进攻效率： 112.7 (第二十三位)
防守效率： 113.5 (第十一位)
时间胶囊： 华盛顿州立大学美洲狮队
孟菲斯本赛季起起伏伏。在有机会重返五成胜率时被奇才队横扫，是一个新的低谷。至少灰熊队从那些仿佛球队仍在温哥华（顺便说一句，让超音速队回来吧）一样在太平洋西北地区球探的家伙那里得到了真正的帮助。今年年初，二轮秀杰伦·威尔斯 (Jaylen Wells) 险些夺得年度最佳新秀，尽管只是第39顺位，最终排名第三。然后灰熊队故技重施（抱歉），与波特兰交易向上选秀，选中了尽管在肩部手术恢复期的塞德里克·考沃德 (Cedric Coward)。现在，这两位侧翼球员一起首发。希望孟菲斯能让他们的理想首发阵容真正地持续超过一周：威尔斯和考沃德本赛季与扎克·埃迪 (Zach Edey)、贾·莫兰特 (Ja Morant) 和小贾伦·杰克逊 (Jaren Jackson Jr.) 一同在场的时间总共只有五分钟。
18. 密尔沃基雄鹿 (13-19)
上期排名： 23
上周战绩： 客场胜步行者，客场负灰熊，客场胜公牛
进攻效率： 112.6 (第二十四位)
防守效率： 115.7 (第十七位)
时间胶囊： 阿德托昆博家族团聚
雄鹿队在2025年进行了一系列重大交易，同时一直没有进行那个任何会用交易模拟器的人都想用扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 来做的交易。就在这一年，密尔沃基送走了2021年的冠军成员克里斯·米德尔顿 (Khris Middleton)、布鲁克·洛佩斯 (Brook Lopez) 和帕特·康诺顿 (Pat Connaughton)。雄鹿队还裁掉了达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard)，这位球星是密尔沃基用朱·霍勒迪 (Jrue Holiday) 换来的，但在季后赛跟腱撕裂后被放弃。密尔沃基签下迈尔斯·特纳 (Myles Turner) 作为洛佩斯的替代者，却让他被孤立在三分线外。当然，密尔沃基还将扬尼斯的兄弟萨纳西斯 (Thanasis)（本赛季出场29分钟）和亚历克斯 (Alex)（G联赛出场319分钟）加入了阵容。对于这支本赛季在他缺阵时战绩仅为3胜11负的球队，扬尼斯·阿德托昆博目前所能做的，就是希望一记风车扣篮能为球队带来火花。
19. 芝加哥公牛 (15-16)
上期排名： 19
上周战绩： 客场胜老鹰，胜76人，负雄鹿
进攻效率： 113.6 (第二十位)
防守效率： 117.2 (第二十三位)
时间胶囊： 约什·吉迪的半场压哨绝杀
当约什·吉迪 (Josh Giddey) 在三月份命中那个对阵湖人队的三分球时，我以为斯泰西·金 (Stacey King) 真的会让伊丽莎白女王起死回生。整个结局是混乱中的狂喜。芝加哥这个充满起伏的赛季再次迎来上升期，他们在周五对阵76人的比赛中将连胜扩大到五场，一度达到五成胜率，直到周六晚被扬尼斯的大风车扣篮终结。
特雷·杨已伤愈复出，但这对于亚特兰大来说并非好消息。(布雷特·戴维斯 / Imagn Images)
20. 亚特兰大老鹰 (15-18)
上期排名： 17
上周战绩： 负公牛，负热火，负尼克斯
进攻效率： 114.6 (第十五位)
防守效率： 115.8 (第十九位)
时间胶囊： 附加赛
事到如今，老鹰队就像是东部附加赛这个深渊里的永恒存在。去年春天，老鹰队作为8号种子在附加赛中失利。尽管在特雷·杨 (Trae Young) 缺阵期间取得了13胜10负的战绩，但自从特雷·杨从膝伤中回归后，老鹰队就遭遇了一波六连败。当杨在场上时，亚特兰大完全无法防守，而且本赛季的情况比以往任何时候都更糟。
21. 犹他爵士 (12-19)
上期排名： 24
上周战绩： 客场负掘金，负灰熊，胜活塞，客场胜马刺
进攻效率： 115.0 (第十二位)
防守效率： 121.3 (第二十九位)
时间胶囊： 球员参与政策罚款
我们在2025年看到了一些因违反球员参与政策而开出的罚单——克利夫兰本赛季就被罚了两次——但爵士队在三月份因轮休劳里·马尔卡宁 (Lauri Markkanen) 而被罚款时，他们正在积极摆烂。本赛季，马尔卡宁的表现让强队希望他能多休息几场。他继续以从未有过的水平得分，并在背靠背战胜活塞和马刺的比赛中场均得到29.5分。他只缺席了四场比赛。如果爵士队不摆烂，那么犹他至少在附加赛的争夺中会有一席之地。
22. 布鲁克林篮网 (10-19)
上期排名： 22
上周战绩： 客场胜76人，客场胜森林狼
进攻效率： 112.4 (第二十五位)
防守效率： 115.8 (第十八位)
时间胶囊： 五个首轮签
篮网队走出选秀夜时的派头，就像勒布朗·詹姆斯在热火“三巨头”见面会时一样。他们用掉了所有选秀权！但同时，篮网现在也成了一个麻烦。他们是十二月联盟防守最好的球队，将对手的投篮命中率限制在44%，本月场均仅让对手命中9.9个三分球。即便在卡梅伦·托马斯 (Cam Thomas) 回归并得分的情况下，篮网队在周六客场大胜明尼苏达的比赛中，还是为他们的全部五名首轮秀找到了上场时间。
23. 洛杉矶快船 (10-21)
上期排名： 26
上周战绩： 胜火箭，客场胜开拓者，胜活塞
进攻效率： 114.4 (第十六位)
防守效率： 117.7 (第二十六位)
时间胶囊： 三分雨
快船本赛季的表现实在糟糕，以至于一波四连胜后，他们依然稳居西部倒数前五。而且他们赢得这些比赛的方式相当不可持续，比如湖人队几乎投丢了所有能投丢的三分球，连续两场比赛命中20记三分，布鲁克·洛佩斯在波特兰命中生涯新高的九记三分，然后科怀·伦纳德在他生涯第900场比赛（包括季后赛）中首次砍下50分。但这支快船队的意义就在于拥有能够打出惊人表现的天赋。迟到总比不到好，但他们还有很长的路要走。显然，联盟于九月份开始的调查也同样如此。
24. 夏洛特黄蜂 (11-20)
上期排名： 25
上周战绩： 客场负骑士，胜奇才，客场胜魔术
进攻效率： 114.7 (第十四位)
防守效率： 117.3 (第二十四位)
时间胶囊： 6-7
拉梅洛·鲍尔 (LaMelo Ball) 是一名身高6英尺7英寸的篮球运动员，他效力的黄蜂队在实力榜上的排名远低于第六或第七位。我们需要在2025年告别“6-7”这个梗，但我得称赞黄蜂队取得了一些微小的进步。提醒一下，他们仍然不算强队。但如果你让他们纠缠下去，他们也能击败强队。
25. 波特兰开拓者 (13-19)
上期排名： 20
上周战绩： 负活塞，负魔术，负快船，胜凯尔特人
进攻效率： 112.9 (第二十二位)
防守效率： 116.2 (第二十一位)
时间胶囊： 扑克
现在可能感觉不到，毕竟蒂亚戈·斯普利特 (Tiago Splitter) 一直在执教这支开拓者队，他们能做到像每隔几周就爆冷击败凯尔特人这样的事情。但昌西·比卢普斯 (Chauncey Billups)——他在四月份同意了一份多年续约合同——并没有在执教这支球队，因为他正面临联邦赌博相关的指控。这虽然不是开拓者队日常关注的焦点，但它是今年最大的丑闻和体育新闻之一，并且随着2025年接近尾声仍未解决。
第五梯队：联盟底层
26. 达拉斯独行侠 (12-21)
上期排名： 21
上周战绩： 客场负鹈鹕，胜掘金，客场负勇士，客场负国王
进攻效率： 109.4 (第二十八位)
防守效率： 112.9 (第九位)
时间胶囊： 交易后“葬礼”上的棺材
独行侠的2025年真是跌宕起伏。他们在2024年圣诞节东契奇小腿受伤后，于2025年没有让他打一场比赛就交易了他。如果你以为达拉斯能安然度过2025年圣诞节而没有新的软组织伤病，那你就大错特错了。安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis) 在金州勇士的比赛中离场，并因右内收肌酸痛缺席了输给萨克拉门托的比赛。
27. 萨克拉门托国王 (8-24)
上期排名： 28
上周战绩： 负活塞，胜独行侠，客场负湖人
进攻效率： 109.1 (第二十九位)
防守效率： 119.0 (第二十八位)
时间胶囊： 德阿龙·福克斯致敬视频
这支球队仅仅三个赛季前还赢得了赛区冠军。两个赛季前他们还有着赢球的记录。那时福克斯是控球后卫，迈克·布朗 (Mike Brown) 是主教练，约迪·费尔南德斯 (Jordi Fernandez) 是助理教练。即使是去年，他们也连续第三个赛季取得了40场胜利。按照现在的速度，萨克拉门托可能要到四月才能拿到20场胜利。国王队曾经拥有他们所需要的所有控球后卫，包括哈利伯顿和达维恩·米切尔 (Davion Mitchell) 在内的三人组中，德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 是最后一个离开的。德文·卡特 (Devin Carter)，外面的世界更精彩！
28. 新奥尔良鹈鹕 (8-25)
上期排名： 27
上周战绩： 胜独行侠，客场负骑士，负太阳，负太阳
进攻效率： 111.9 (第二十六位)
防守效率： 118.8 (第二十七位)
时间胶囊： 德里克·奎恩的三双
由于鹈鹕队在选秀日通过交易获得中锋德里克·奎恩 (Derik Queen) 的操作，新奥尔良将在很长一段时间内面临审视。这并不是球队在六月份做出的唯一一笔可能令人遗憾和质疑的交易，当时鹈鹕队在哈利伯顿正遭受严重小腿伤病的情况下，将他们的首轮签还给了印第安纳。那笔交易也是奎恩来到新奥尔良的原因。但如果奎恩能在同一场比赛中以精英水平得分、抢篮板和助攻，那么或许这一切都是值得的。
29. 华盛顿奇才 (7-23)
上期排名： 29
上周战绩： 客场负黄蜂，胜猛龙，胜灰熊
进攻效率： 110.2 (第二十七位)
防守效率： 122.0 (第三十位)
时间胶囊： 2025年乐透抽签
这支球队输了64场比赛，结果连一个前五顺位签都没拿到。并非不尊重华盛顿最终用六号签选中的特雷·约翰逊 (Tre Johnson)，他作为一名射手表现如预期（三分命中率37.9%，罚球命中率87.9%），但这确实是时运不济。奇才队在每个位置上都需要升级，但他们已经有太多年轻球员，其中一些人注定会被挤掉。
30. 印第安纳步行者 (6-26)
上期排名： 30
上周战绩： 客场负凯尔特人，负雄鹿，负凯尔特人，客场负热火
进攻效率： 107.7 (第三十位)
防守效率： 116.8 (第二十二位)
时间胶囊： “高估了。”
本媒体曾询问球员谁最被高估，结果足够多的人提到了泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿，让他成为了讨论的焦点。从那时起，哈利伯顿横扫整个东部的方式，甚至还有一首专属歌曲相伴，堪称奇观。唯一能阻止哈利伯顿或步行者队的，只有篮球之神了。他让雷霆队的震动比天上的任何乌云都强烈。2026年再见，泰瑞斯。
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：NBA Power Rankings: Suns make a leap; time-capsule items to remember 2025
NBA Power Rankings: Suns make a leap; time-capsule items to remember 2025
Album of the Week: “The Dark Side of the Moon,” Pink Floyd (1973)
If I may take a moment and let you in on something: This is the final Power Rankings of 2025.
And that’s enough reminiscing now! It’s not like we’re preparing for a great gig in the sky or anything. We’re just here to do what we do every week, and that’s to have fun with numbers and teams. Because we’re putting 2025 to bed, we’re bringing back the idea of a time capsule.
Christmas is an interesting marker in the season. We can tell who is good by now, but there’s also a team not doing so hot now that is almost guaranteed to steal a playoff spot:
East teams in top 8 previous four seasons entering Christmas that missed playoffs (replacement)
2024: Hawks (DET)
2023:
2022: Pacers (MIA)
2021: Cavaliers, Wizards, Hornets (PHI, ATL, TOR)— Law Murray
This year is ending, but this season is just beginning.
Fine print: these Power Rankings won’t just rank every team. We’ll retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers each week:
- Top Contenders – Locked at five, these are the class of the league
- In a Good Place – Could be one team, could be seven teams
- The Bubble – Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack
- Not the Tier to Fear – Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do
- Basement Floor – Bringing up the rear
What to expect from Power Rankings:
- These are my subjective rankings. I will consider a variety of objective measures, but it’s my final call.
- These rankings are not just a review of the past week — we are projecting forward as well, so it is a balance of the two.
- These are subjective, but not biased. There are no agendas in the Power Rankings, and we strive for an inclusive meritocracy
- The one quality that these rankings possess: “Ruthless aggression.”
- Enjoy the games, and enjoy the rankings, please!
For Week 11 of The Athletic NBA Power Rankings, we will explore an item for each team to remember 2025 by. Win-loss records and other statistical data are through Sunday’s action.
Tier 1: Top Contenders
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (27-5)
Last ranking: 1
In the last week: W vs MEM, L at SA, L vs SA, W vs PHI
Offensive rating: 118.5 (sixth place)
Defensive rating: 104.6 (first place)
Time Capsule: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s trophy case
Let’s address the elephant in the room first. If this were a two-team league, the Thunder would not be leading these Power Rankings. They’ve lost to the San Antonio Spurs in three states this season. But they are 27-2 against the rest of the NBA, which is who they will complete all but two of their remaining regular-season games against. Oklahoma City is still really good against the rest of the league, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning scoring champion, MVP, Western Conference finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP. There aren’t many players who can claim that over a career, let alone do it in one year.
2. San Antonio Spurs (23-8)
Last ranking: 5
In the last week: W vs OKC, W at OKC, L vs UTA
Offensive rating: 118.8 (fifth place)
Defensive rating: 112.5 (fifth place)
Time Capsule: Victor Wembanyama’s summer training
The Slenderman healed from deep vein thrombosis, shaved his head, met Harry Potter, let Kevin Garnett yell at him, went into the lab with Hakeem Olajuwon and declared beast mode. I hope he plays for 20 years. I strongly considered having San Antonio top this list, but the Spurs have lost their games immediately after playing the Thunder twice now. I know the first one didn’t count (NBA Cup vs New York Knicks), but these rankings are a vibe, and I’m willing to let Wemby cook now that he has the Spurs starting center position back from Luke Kornet.
3. Denver Nuggets (22-9)
Last ranking: 2
In the last week: W vs UTA, L at DAL, W vs MIN, L at ORL
Offensive rating: 124.0 (first place)
Defensive rating: 115.8 (20th place)
Time Capsule: Hawk-Eye camera from Game 4
The Nuggets were staring at a blown lead and a possible overtime at Intuit Dome that could have put them down 3-1 in their first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers before Aaron Gordon narrowly beat the buzzer with a game-winning offensive rebound and dunk. Denver wound up winning that series despite firing champion head coach Michael Malone a week before the postseason, then pushed the eventual champion Thunder to seven games in the West semifinals. As great as Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray have been this season, Denver needs Gordon back healthy, especially with Christian Braun still out and Cameron Johnson dealing with his own multi-week injury as well.
4. Detroit Pistons (24-8)
Last ranking: 3
In the last week: W at POR, W at SAC, L at UTA, L at LAC
Offensive rating: 116.9 (eighth place)
Defensive rating: 110.9 (second place)
Time Capsule: 13-game win streak
The Pistons’ spot at the top of the Eastern Conference was built on the strength of the longest winning streak in franchise history in November. Detroit established a level of defense and depth that could sustain all season. The Pistons have been good at avoiding extended losing streaks, but their Western Conference road trip has seen their defense falter somewhat. The Pistons survived allowing 127 points in Sacramento before Christmas, but they gave up 131 in Utah before being demolished by Kawhi Leonard — the second time the Pistons visited Intuit Dome in 2025 and allowed more than 50 points to a future Hall of Famer.
5. New York Knicks (22-9)
Last ranking: 4
In the last week: L at MIN, W vs CLE, W at ATL
Offensive rating: 121.1 (third place)
Defensive rating: 114.3 (15th place)
Time Capsule: Jalen Brunson Boulevard
The Knicks made their first conference finals in a quarter-century in 2025. And they acted as if they both had never been there before and had already won a championship, giving the whole squad their own street signs just to get their head coach fired after a second-straight postseason exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. Fortunately for the Knicks, they don’t have to worry about the Pacers now. They even won the NBA Cup! But there’s no banner for that, so it can’t go in our time capsule.
Tier 2: In a Good Place
6. Houston Rockets (19-10)
Last ranking: 6
In the last week: L at LAC, W at LAL, W vs CLE
Offensive rating: 121.2 (second place)
Defensive rating: 112.6 (seventh place)
Time Capsule: Fanatics Fest
The Rockets returned to the postseason in 2025, and they earned a Game 7 at home against the Golden State Warriors, only to succumb due to a lack of shooting and easy buckets. Houston went from that Game 7 to a seven-team trade, landing Kevin Durant, who found out about the move while on stage in New York during Fanatics Fest. The Rockets hit a rough patch while losing games to each of the bottom-five teams in the West, but they ran circles around the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas while coming home and blowing out the Cleveland Cavaliers without Alperen Şengün.
Tier 3: The Bubble
7. Phoenix Suns (18-13)
Last ranking: 14
In the last week: W vs LAL, W at NO, W at NO
Offensive rating: 114.7 (13th place)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (10th place)
Time Capsule: Devin Booker’s extension
Death, taxes and Booker staying in Phoenix. Everything else has changed around him, though. James Jones is out. Jordan Ott is Booker’s fourth head coach in four years and eighth overall. None of Booker’s teammates played in Phoenix for Monty Williams. Durant was traded, and Bradley Beal (and Beal’s no-trade clause) was released. But Booker has a 2029 player option, so he’s committed to a Suns team that is looking to continue overachieving this season after years of underachievement.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-12)
Last ranking: 7
In the last week: W vs NY, L at DEN, L vs BRK
Offensive rating: 116.4 (10th place)
Defensive rating: 112.7 (eighth place)
Time Capsule: The Believe That Awards
Anthony Edwards has his own award show, and he had Mara Wilson (aka Matilda) receive a Legacy Award. That is definitely going in the time capsule. It was a typical uneven week from Minnesota, as it took advantage of the short-handed Knicks, melted down in overtime in Denver on Christmas then laid a complete egg at home against the Brooklyn Nets.
9. Boston Celtics (19-12)
Last ranking: 8
In the last week: W vs IND, W at IND, L at POR
Offensive rating: 120.8 (fourth place)
Defensive rating: 114.2 (14th place)
Time Capsule: Mikal Bridges’ steals
Boston looked like it had a great matchup in the Eastern Conference semifinals against a Knicks team that it swept in the regular season. But the Celtics failed to defend their championship, basically getting the series snatched out of the bare hands of stars Jaylen Brown (Game 1) and Jayson Tatum (Game 2) before having to sustain the disaster that was Tatum’s Achilles tendon rupture. The teardown was expected but commenced all too soon. At least the Celtics continue to ship along this season, bad loss Sunday in Portland aside.
10. Los Angeles Lakers (20-10)
Last ranking: 9
In the last week: L at PHO, L vs HOU, W vs SAC
Offensive rating: 117.6 (seventh place)
Defensive rating: 117.4 (25th place)
Time Capsule: Luka Dončić Men’s Health cover
The Lakers received the gift that is the Sacramento Kings (not just any Kings — a rest-disadvantaged, short-handed Kings team that played the day before at home) to snap their first losing streak of the season. The Lakers have Dončić, so that helps snap losing streaks. Dončić becoming a Laker was the blockbuster of all blockbusters, and he was finally moved to take his fitness seriously in a way to suggest that his level of motivation was higher than ever. It has certainly felt like that at times, even if he hasn’t been at his best in December. Perhaps he needs a GQ cover to really get going again.
The Magic are a different team without Jalen Suggs on the floor. (Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)
11. Orlando Magic (18-14)
Last ranking: 10
In the last week: L at GS, W at POR, L vs CHA, W vs DEN
Offensive rating: 115.0 (11th place)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (12th place)
Time Capsule: Jalen Suggs’ neckband
I am a Suggs appreciator, and you should be as well. He’s basically Orlando’s resident NFL player masquerading as a point guard, and his Deion Sanders homage of wearing his headband around his neck before the game gets going is simply a nice touch. Suggs is dealing with another one of his injuries, this time a hip contusion that has had him out of commission since the Magic made it to Las Vegas, and Orlando has been a .500 team in his absence.
12. Toronto Raptors (19-14)
Last ranking: 12
In the last week: W at MIA, L at WAS, W vs GS
Offensive rating: 113.9 (18th place)
Defensive rating: 112.6 (sixth place)
Time Capsule: Scottie Barnes at center
I wasn’t sure what I was going to put here, and then Scottie Barnes started at center in place of the injured Jakob Poeltl next to Immanuel Quickley, a returning RJ Barrett, trade acquisition Brandon Ingram and usual reserve Ochai Agbaji. Barnes had a game to remember forever, outrebounding the entire Golden State Warriors starting lineup 25-19 by himself as part of a 23-point, 10-assist triple-double. Barnes added three steals for good measure. The Raptors were outscored by 29 points in Barnes’ minutes at Washington, but then he does things like this to show how critical he is to Toronto’s success.
13. Miami Heat (17-15)
Last ranking: 13
In the last week: L vs TOR, W at ATL, W vs IND
Offensive rating: 114.2 (17th place)
Defensive rating: 112.0 (fourth place)
Time Capsule: Jimmy Butler’s joy
Butler played the first two days of 2025 with the Miami Heat, said he probably won’t find his missing joy playing for the franchise, then found himself suspended immediately and traded a month later. Miami has had to deal with the fallout ever since. It hasn’t been easy, with the Heat making the playoffs as a 10th seed only to get annihilated by Cleveland. This season began with a jolt, but a five-game losing streak this month brought the Heat back to .500. Teams know the Heat are playing fast now, but the jury is still out on whether Miami is talented enough to sustain the success it had to begin this season.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-16)
Last ranking: 15
In the last week: W vs CHA, W vs NO, L at NY, L at HOU
Offensive rating: 116.4 (ninth place)
Defensive rating: 114.7 (16th place)
Time Capsule: Tyrese Haliburton’s offensive rebound
When last season’s East semifinals began, the Cavaliers had a regular-season and postseason combined record of 68-18 and had just finished the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA postseason history. Cleveland is 18-20 dating back to the start of the Pacers series, though, and the Cavs’ swag has never recovered from Tyrese Haliburton rebounding his missed free throw in Game 2 and stepping back on the departed Ty Jerome for a game-winning 3-pointer. It’s looking more and more like this season will be the last of Cleveland’s star core that has been together for four seasons.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (16-14)
Last ranking: 11
In the last week: L vs BRK, L at CHI, L at OKC
Offensive rating: 113.8 (19th place)
Defensive rating: 113.7 (13th place)
Time Capsule: VJ Edgecombe’s debut jersey
The Sixers had to tank extra hard to improve their chances of keeping a 2025 lottery pick. Even former Sixer Tobias Harris noted how Philadelphia lost 27 of its last 31 games (and had the good fortune of a Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl parade to mask the stench). But Philadelphia lucked out and got the third pick in the draft, and then Edgecombe went out and scored a Sixers NBA debut record 34 points in his first game. Edgecombe hasn’t scored 30 in a game since, and he missed 13 of 16 shots in Oklahoma City. But for Philadelphia, that’s better than Edgecombe going somewhere else.
16. Golden State Warriors (16-16)
Last ranking: 16
In the last week: W vs ORL, W vs DAL, L at TOR
Offensive rating: 113.4 (21st place)
Defensive rating: 111.5 (third place)
Time Capsule: Jonathan Kuminga’s holding patterns
Kuminga was a talking point all of 2025 for one reason or another. No, Kuminga didn’t get traded. No, Kuminga did not fit in last season once Butler was acquired and the Warriors started playing extremely well. No, Kuminga’s contract situation was not resolved in a timely manner, leading the Warriors to basically sit out the summer transaction period and come away with sciatica patients Al Horford and Seth Curry and not much else. And now Kuminga is alone on Golden State’s bench, having played more than 21 minutes once since Nov. 12, while the Warriors wait (again) for a date to facilitate his trade. I’m looking forward to not talking about this in 2026.
Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear
17. Memphis Grizzlies (15-17)
Last ranking: 18
In the last week: L at OKC, W at UTA, W vs MIL, L at WAS
Offensive rating: 112.7 (23rd place)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (11th place)
Time Capsule: Washington State Cougars
Memphis has had its ups and downs this season. Getting swept by the Wizards with a chance to get back to .500 is a new low. At least the Grizzlies are getting a real lift from whoever is scouting the Pacific Northwest as if the franchise is still based in Vancouver (bring back the Sonics, by the way). The year started with second-round pick Jaylen Wells nearly snatching Rookie of the Year honors, coming in third place despite being the 39th pick in the draft. Then the Grizzlies went back to the well (sorry), trading up with Portland to select Cedric Coward, despite Coward recovering from shoulder surgery. Now, the two wings are starting together. Hopefully, Memphis can actually get its ideal starting lineup to last more than a week: Wells and Coward have played a total of five minutes this season with Zach Edey, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
18. Milwaukee Bucks (13-19)
Last ranking: 23
In the last week: W at IND, L at MEM, W at CHI
Offensive rating: 112.6 (24th place)
Defensive rating: 115.7 (17th place)
Time Capsule: Antetokounmpo Family Reunion
The Bucks have had a series of significant transactions in 2025, all while holding off on the one that anyone with access to a trade machine keeps trying to make with Giannis Antetokounmpo. This was the year that Milwaukee parted ways with 2021 champions Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton. The Bucks also waived Damian Lillard, the star whom Milwaukee traded Jrue Holiday to acquire, after Lillard tore his Achilles tendon in the postseason. Milwaukee signed Myles Turner as a Lopez replacement and has marooned him outside the 3-point line. And, of course, Milwaukee added Giannis’ brothers Thanasis (29 minutes this season) and Alex (319 G-League minutes) to the roster. All Giannis can do for now is hope a windmill provides a spark for a team that is 3-11 without him this season.
19. Chicago Bulls (15-16)
Last ranking: 19
In the last week: W at ATL, W vs PHI, L vs MIL
Offensive rating: 113.6 (20th place)
Defensive rating: 117.2 (23rd place)
Time Capsule: Josh Giddey half-court game-winning buzzer-beater
When Giddey hit that 3 against the Lakers in March, I thought Stacey King was actually going to bring Elizabeth back to life. The whole ending was chaotic bliss. Chicago’s season of runs is back on an upswing, as it used a win streak that reached five games Friday against the 76ers to reach .500 before Giannis’ Saturday night windmill.
Trae Young is back from injury, but that hasn’t been good news for Atlanta. (Brett Davis / Imagn Images)
20. Atlanta Hawks (15-18)
Last ranking: 17
In the last week: L vs CHI, L vs MIA, L vs NY
Offensive rating: 114.6 (15th place)
Defensive rating: 115.8 (19th place)
Time Capsule: The Play-In Tournament
At this point, the Hawks are an eternal fixture in the abyss that is the East Play-In Tournament. The Hawks failed in it as a No. 8 seed this past spring, and despite a 13-10 record without Trae Young, the Hawks find themselves on a six-game losing streak that commenced as soon as Young returned from his knee injury. Atlanta can’t defend at all with Young on the floor, and it’s worse this season than it’s ever been.
21. Utah Jazz (12-19)
Last ranking: 24
In the last week: L at DEN, L vs MEM, W vs DET, W at SA
Offensive rating: 115.0 (12th place)
Defensive rating: 121.3 (29th place)
Time Capsule: Player Participation Policy fine
We have seen some Player Participation Policy fines in 2025 — Cleveland was fined twice this season — but the Jazz were actively tanking when they were fined in March for sitting Lauri Markkanen. This season, Markkanen is making good teams wish he sat more. He continues to score at a level he has never scored before, and he averaged 29.5 points in wins over the Pistons and Spurs defenses on back-to-back nights. He’s only missed four games. If the Jazz are not tanking, then Utah is going to be relevant at least in the Play-In Tournament hunt.
22. Brooklyn Nets (10-19)
Last ranking: 22
In the last week: W at PHI, W at MIN
Offensive rating: 112.4 (25th place)
Defensive rating: 115.8 (18th place)
Time Capsule: Five first-round picks
The Nets really walked out of draft night like LeBron James at the Heatles pep rally. They used all of the picks! But also, the Nets are kind of a problem right now. They’re literally December’s best defense, holding foes to 44 percent shooting from the field while permitting only 9.9 3s per game this month. Even with Cam Thomas back and getting buckets, the Nets found time for all five of their first-round picks in a blowout win Saturday at Minnesota.
23. LA Clippers (10-21)
Last ranking: 26
In the last week: W vs HOU, W at POR, W vs DET
Offensive rating: 114.4 (16th place)
Defensive rating: 117.7 (26th place)
Time Capsule: Trees
It’s been such a nasty season for the Clippers that a four-game win streak still has them squarely in the bottom five of the West. And they have won these games with some fairly unsustainable outcomes, such as the Lakers missing just about every 3 they could, back-to-back games of 20 trees, er, 3s, Brook Lopez hitting a career-high nine 3s in Portland, and then Kawhi Leonard notching his first 50-point game in his 900th appearance (including postseason). But the point of this Clippers team was to have the kind of talent capable of putting up preposterous performances. Better late than never, but they have a long way to go. Apparently, so does the league’s investigation that commenced in September.
24. Charlotte Hornets (11-20)
Last ranking: 25
In the last week: L at CLE, W vs WAS, W at ORL
Offensive rating: 114.7 (14th place)
Defensive rating: 117.3 (24th place)
Time Capsule: 6-7
LaMelo Ball is a 6-foot-7 basketball player for a Hornets team that ranks significantly lower than sixth or seventh in the Power Rankings. We need to leave 6-7 in 2025, but I’ll credit the Hornets for making some incremental progress. They’re still not good, mind you. But they can beat good teams if you let them hang around.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (13-19)
Last ranking: 20
In the last week: L vs DET, L vs ORL, L vs LAC, W vs BOS
Offensive rating: 112.9 (22nd place)
Defensive rating: 116.2 (21st place)
Time Capsule: Poker
It may not feel like it now, given that Tiago Splitter has handled the head coaching duties for a Trail Blazers team that can do things like upset a team like the Celtics once every couple of weeks. But Chauncey Billups, who agreed to a multi-year extension in April, isn’t coaching this team as he faces federal gambling-related charges. It’s not a Trail Blazers focus on the day-to-day, but it is one of the biggest scandals and sports stories of the year, and it is unresolved as 2025 draws to a close.
Tier 5: Basement Floor
26. Dallas Mavericks (12-21)
Last ranking: 21
In the last week: L at NO, W vs DEN, L at GS, L at SAC
Offensive rating: 109.4 (28th place)
Defensive rating: 112.9 (ninth place)
Time Capsule: Casket from the post-trade funeral
What a 2025 for the Mavericks. They really traded Luka Dončić, who did not play a single game for them in the calendar year after his Christmas 2024 calf injury. If you thought Dallas could get through Christmas 2025 without another soft tissue injury, you’d be sadly mistaken, as Anthony Davis left the game in Golden State and was held out of the loss in Sacramento due to right adductor soreness.
27. Sacramento Kings (8-24)
Last ranking: 28
In the last week: L vs DET, W vs DAL, L at LAL
Offensive rating: 109.1 (29th place)
Defensive rating: 119.0 (28th place)
Time Capsule: De’Aaron Fox tribute video
This team really won its division just three seasons ago. They had a winning record two seasons ago. Fox was at point guard, Mike Brown was the head coach, and Jordi Fernandez was an assistant. Even last year, they hit 40 wins for the third straight season. Sacramento might not hit 20 wins until April at the rate it’s going. And the Kings had all the point guards they could have ever needed, with Fox being the last to go among a trio that included Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell. Devin Carter, the grass is greener on the other side!
28. New Orleans Pelicans (8-25)
Last ranking: 27
In the last week: W vs DAL, L at CLE, L vs PHO, L vs PHO
Offensive rating: 111.9 (26th place)
Defensive rating: 118.8 (27th place)
Time Capsule: Derik Queen’s triple-double
New Orleans is going to endure scrutiny for a long time due to the draft-day trade the Pelicans maneuvered to acquire center Derik Queen. It wasn’t the only potentially regrettable and questionable June trade the franchise made, as the Pelicans gave Indiana its first-round pick back while Tyrese Haliburton was dealing with a serious calf injury. That trade is why Queen is in New Orleans as well. But if Queen can do things like score, rebound and assist at an elite level in the same game, then perhaps it is worth it.
29. Washington Wizards (7-23)
Last ranking: 29
In the last week: L at CHA, W vs TOR, W vs MEM
Offensive rating: 110.2 (27th place)
Defensive rating: 122.0 (30th place)
Time Capsule: 2025 lottery
This team lost 64 games and still didn’t get a top-five pick out of it. No disrespect to Tre Johnson, whom Washington wound up drafting sixth and has been as advertised as a shooter (37.9 percent 3s, 87.9 percent free throws), but that’s unfortunate work. The Wizards could use upgrades at every position, though they have so many young players already that some of them are going to get squeezed out.
30. Indiana Pacers (6-26)
Last ranking: 30
In the last week: L at BOS, L vs MIL, L vs BOS, L at MIA
Offensive rating: 107.7 (30th place)
Defensive rating: 116.8 (22nd place)
Time Capsule: “Overrate that.”
This media outlet asked players who was the most overrated, and enough said Tyrese Haliburton that he led the discussion. The way Haliburton ripped through the entire East from that point on, with his own song to match, was a sight to behold. The basketball gods were the only thing that could stop Haliburton, or the Pacers, for that matter. He had the Thunder shaking more than any cloud in the sky. See you in 2026, Tyrese.
By Law Murray, via The Athletic