The NBA isn't very predictable, at least not for long. The 2026-27 season looks like it will test even last year's established contenders. New York may start as the incumbent, but San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Detroit, and several other teams have statistical cases for belonging near the top. We've ranked some using NBA team stats, playoff performance, and roster strength rather than reputation alone. That means we're looking at the best NBA teams right now, not the best franchises in the league's history.
Key Takeaways
- The New York Knicks enter 2026–27 at No. 1 after turning a 53–29 season into an NBA championship.³
- San Antonio and Oklahoma City remain the strongest Western Conference contenders after combining elite efficiency with 62 and 64 regular-season wins.⁸
- Philadelphia's No. 4 ranking reflects the potential of its rebuilt roster more than its 2025–26 results.⁶
- Boston and Los Angeles remain two of the best NBA franchises of all time with 18 and 17 championships, respectively.⁴
Which NBA Teams Rank Best Right Now?
The teams ranking highly right now reached our list through different paths. We have teams here for regular-season dominance, deep playoff runs, or offseason changes. Offensive rating, defensive rating, net rating, wins, and playoff results give a fuller picture than the standings alone.⁷
The 2026–27 NBA regular season begins on October 20, so this opening ranking uses 2025–26 regular-season results, playoff performance, offensive and defensive efficiency, net rating, and major offseason roster changes to judge the strongest teams entering the new season.¹
The ranking is an opening snapshot, not a permanent order. The regular season starts on October 20. As the 2026-27 season progresses, results will become more useful than projections based on the previous campaign.¹ That said, the completed 2025–26 season provides the strongest comparable sample for the moment.
Offensive rating measures points scored per 100 possessions, while defensive rating measures points allowed per 100 possessions. Net rating shows the difference between the two, making it especially useful when comparing teams that play at different speeds.⁷
| Rank | Team | 2025–26 Record | OffRtg | DefRtg | NetRtg | 2026 Playoff Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Knicks | 53–29 | 118.7 | 112.3 | +6.4 | NBA champions |
| 2 | San Antonio Spurs | 62–20 | 118.7 | 110.4 | +8.4 | NBA Finals |
| 3 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 64–18 | 117.6 | 106.5 | +11.1 | Western Conference Finals |
| 4 | Philadelphia 76ers | 45–37 | 114.3 | 114.4 | −0.1 | Eastern Conference semifinals |
| 5 | Detroit Pistons | 60–22 | 117.3 | 108.9 | +8.4 | Eastern Conference semifinals |
| 6 | Denver Nuggets | 54–28 | 121.2 | 116.0 | +5.2 | First round |
| 7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 52–30 | 118.3 | 114.1 | +4.1 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| 8 | Boston Celtics | 56–26 | 120.0 | 111.7 | +8.3 | First round |
| 9 | Houston Rockets | 52–30 | 117.5 | 112.1 | +5.4 | First round |
| 10 | Los Angeles Lakers | 53–29 | 117.0 | 115.5 | +1.5 | Western Conference semifinals |
1. New York Knicks
53–29
118.7
112.3
+6.4
NBA champions
Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby
Historic franchise and defending NBA champion
New York starts at the top after turning a strong 53–29 regular season into an NBA championship.³ The Knicks were effective at both ends of the court, which gives their title run a solid statistical foundation rather than making it look like a playoff surprise.⁷ Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby now have the challenge of proving they can stay ahead of an increasingly competitive group of contenders.⁵ Brunson is building his own legacy in New York, although the most famous basketball players in NBA history have set an exceptionally high bar.
2. San Antonio Spurs
62–20
118.7
110.4
+8.4
NBA Finals
Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle
Five-time NBA champion and historically elite franchise
San Antonio backed up 62 regular-season wins with a run all the way to the NBA Finals.⁸ Their strength came from both ends of the court, making them one of the league's most balanced teams rather than one built entirely around scoring.⁸ Victor Wembanyama now leads a young core that has already shown it can contend for a championship.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
64–18
117.6
106.5
+11.1
Western Conference Finals
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren
Recent NBA champion and one of the strongest teams of the current era
Oklahoma City has a strong statistical case. With the NBA's best defensive and net rating, they finished 64-18. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren give the Thunder an elite core on both ends. They're still below San Antonio for now, but that's just because of their Western Conference Finals defeat. Similar statistical comparisons help separate the top WNBA teams and shape the title picture, where regular-season records and efficiency also matter.
regular-season wins.⁸
4. Philadelphia 76ers
45–37
114.3
114.4
−0.1
Eastern Conference semifinals
Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James
Historic championship franchise entering a major new era
Philadelphia is the biggest projection in this ranking because its 2025–26 numbers didn't reflect an elite team. The Sixers finished 45–37 with a slightly negative net rating, leaving them well behind several rivals statistically.⁷ Their rebuilt roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is why expectations are considerably higher entering 2026–27.⁶
5. Detroit Pistons
60–22
117.3
108.9
+8.4
Eastern Conference semifinals
Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson
Multiple-time NBA champion returning to contention
Detroit's 60-win season showed this wasn't a short-term rise. A strong offense and one of the NBA's best defenses helped them secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference.⁷ Cade Cunningham is going to be a central figure, but their challenge is to ensure that regular-season dominance actually turns into a deeper playoff run.
6. Denver Nuggets
54–28
121.2
116.0
+5.2
First round
Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon
2023 NBA champion and one of the defining teams of the current era
One of the NBA's most dangerous offensive teams, Denver's Nikola Jokić continues to drive an attack that led the league in offensive rating last season.⁸ Defensively, the Nuggets were far less convincing, which is partly the reason that their regular-season numbers didn't turn into a long playoff run. Many future NBA players first develop in programs counted among the nation's best college basketball teams, where strong play can put prospects on the professional radar.
| Team | Key Players | 2025–26 Defining Point | Historical Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | Jalen Brunson; Karl-Anthony Towns; OG Anunoby | Won the 2026 NBA championship | Historic franchise and defending NBA champion |
| San Antonio Spurs | Victor Wembanyama; De’Aaron Fox; Stephon Castle | 62 wins and NBA Finals appearance | Five-time NBA champion and historically elite franchise |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Jalen Williams; Chet Holmgren | NBA-best 64 wins and +11.1 NetRtg | Recent NBA champion and one of the strongest teams of the current era |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Joel Embiid; Tyrese Maxey; Jaylen Brown; LeBron James | Major offseason transformation after a 45-win season | Historic championship franchise entering a major new era |
| Detroit Pistons | Cade Cunningham; Ausar Thompson | 60 wins and one of the NBA’s best defenses | Multiple-time NBA champion returning to contention |
| Denver Nuggets | Nikola Jokić; Jamal Murray; Aaron Gordon | League-best 121.2 OffRtg | 2023 NBA champion and one of the defining teams of the current era |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Donovan Mitchell; Evan Mobley | Reached the Eastern Conference Finals | 2016 NBA champion with a strong current contender roster |
| Boston Celtics | Jayson Tatum; Derrick White; Paul George | 56 wins and elite two-way efficiency | NBA-record 18 championships and one of the best franchises of all time |
| Houston Rockets | Kevin Durant; Amen Thompson; Alperen Şengün | Strong two-way season and elite rebounding | Back-to-back NBA champion in the 1990s with a new contender emerging |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Luka Dončić; Austin Reaves | 53 wins and a Western Conference semifinal appearance | 17-time NBA champion and one of the league’s defining historical franchises |
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
52–30
118.3
114.1
+4.1
Eastern Conference Finals
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley
2016 NBA champion with a strong current contender roster
Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference Finals after a strong regular season. Donovan Mitchell provides high-level scoring, while Evan Mobley offers a presence on both ends of the court.⁷ Now they need to be consistent against the best teams, especially after the sweep at the hands of New York at the conference-final stage.²
8. Boston Celtics
56–26
120.0
111.7
+8.3
First round
Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George
NBA-record 18 championships and one of the best franchises of all time
Boston's first-round playoff exit was disappointing, but it followed another 56-win regular season with elite efficiency.⁷ The Celtics have been one of the NBA's most consistently strong two-way teams in recent seasons, even if roster changes make 2026–27 harder to predict. Their 18 championships also secure their place among the best NBA franchises of all time.⁴ The NBA is the country's highest-profile professional competition, but it sits within a much broader network of basketball leagues in the US at professional, developmental, college, and amateur levels.
9. Houston Rockets
52–30
117.5
112.1
+5.4
First round
Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün
Back-to-back NBA champion in the 1990s with a new contender emerging
Houston is one of the most complete teams outside the championship favorites. Their strong offensive and defensive numbers help them rank among the league's best rebounding teams.⁸ They have multiple ways to create offense with Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, and Alperen Şengün. Still, they need to show that their regular-season strengths can carry over into the playoffs.
10. Los Angeles Lakers
53–29
117.0
115.5
+1.5
Western Conference semifinals
Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves
17-time NBA champion and one of the league’s defining historical franchises
Los Angeles won 53 games last season, but the Lakers' underlying numbers were less convincing than that record suggests. Their +1.5 net rating was comfortably below most teams ranked ahead of them, which helps explain why they open at No. 10.⁸ Historically, 17 championships make the Lakers one of the most successful franchises in NBA history.⁴ Future NBA rosters will also be shaped by the top college basketball players in 2026, many of whom are already building cases for the next draft cycle.
NBA championships, leaving the Lakers one title behind Boston's all-time record.⁴
References
- NBA.com. “Key Dates for 2026–27 NBA Season.” NBA.com, updated 2 Oct. 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/key-dates. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- NBA.com Staff. “2026 NBA Play-in Tournament, Playoffs & Finals Schedule.” NBA.com, updated 14 June 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/2026-nba-playoffs-schedule. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- NBA.com Staff. “List of NBA Champions.” NBA.com, updated 14 June 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-champions. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- NBA.com Staff. “Which NBA Teams Have the Most Championships?” NBA.com, updated 14 June 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/most-championships-nba-history. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- Schuhmann, John. “2026–27 Season Preview: New York Knicks.” NBA.com, updated 22 Sept. 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/2026-27-season-preview-nyk. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- Schuhmann, John. “2026–27 Season Preview: Philadelphia 76ers.” NBA.com, updated 22 Sept. 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/2026-27-season-preview-phi. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- Schuhmann, John. “Offseason Power Rankings: Knicks Lead the Way in the East.” NBA.com, updated 28 Sept. 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/offseason-power-rankings-east-2026. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
- Schuhmann, John. “Offseason Power Rankings: Spurs and Thunder Rule the West.” NBA.com, 3 Aug. 2026. https://www.nba.com/news/offseason-power-rankings-west-2026. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.
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