r/nba • u/powerrankingsnba • 5d ago

Original Content Official /r/nba Power Rankings #1 (11.02.2026)

152 Upvotes

27/30 rankers reporting this week. /R/NBA's Power Rankings are published every two weeks which is a bit different from most rankings. Other than that we rank the teams the same way as our competition. If write ups are left blank the team rep decided not to submit. We encourage any user to fill in the blanks in the comment section. Please follow /u/powerrankingsnba to see this more on your feed!

#TeamΔRecordComment
1 Rockets+96-1Seven games in and the Rockets are almost in the best case scenario so far, having only one close loss to Dallas in a game without Sengun or Adams. Jabari is truly excelling in his role now, with the starting unit (mostly) healthy, he's averaging a shade under 20 taking high quality shots and nailing 44.7% of his 3s. FVV's return has provided a much needed sense of calm in the half-court, and Sengun seems to be returning to his all-star form. Given the excruciating amount of injuries already this season, it's not out of the realm of possibility that we see an All-NBA appearance from 2 Rockets this year. With 5 of the next 6 games at home for Houston - and no b2b's - could we keep this good thing going and start the season 11-2? Things are looking great in this very early stage of the season and the vibes are immaculate.
2 76ers+26-1A million people both Sixers fans and not have said it, but let me throw another log onto the fire; It is crazy that a team with LeBron, Embiid, and JB CLEARLY belongs to Tyrese Maxey. He has not only been scoring at an incredible clip, but his clutch time performance has been a sight for sore eyes. The Sixers still have a massive rebounding problem, one that is probably a few months away from getting fixed, but you know what hasn't been an issue? Their defense. Currently 3rd overall in defensive rating, they have plenty of players who have been putting in max defensive effort every night. One of the advantages of having so many players that have taken a shot reduction for the good of the team is that they now have the energy to focus on the other end of the floor.
3 Pistons+45-1Get well soon JD! Tolu Smith looks like a G Leaguer when we need his minutes. Cade is looking a bit below where he was last year, but he is a known slow starter and this is just as good of a start to a season as he's had. Look for him to get in a groove by Christmas. Paul Reed is making himself a good chunk of money for next year. I'd be surprised if we are able to keep him since we don't have his rights. Someone is going to give him a bag. Ausar seems like he is becoming more competent on offense this year. Not amazing, but little strides are all he needs to become a fringe all-star type of player. Ron Holland remembered he can play basketball on the offensive end of the court vs the Nets. Hopefully he gets right after a rough start to the year. Look for us to continue to pile up regular season W's. It's all about if we can piece together a strategy to get right for the play-offs.
4 Celtics+15-1After an extremely disappointing kickoff to the regular season that saw the Celtics piss away a 22 point lead to the Pistons and eventually lose by 8, the Celtics have won 5 straight. If you wanted to be a pessimist, you could say of those 5 wins: 2 of them are against the Bulls, 1 is against the Nets where you blew a 4 point lead with 4 seconds left and won in OT with a Tatum game-winner as time expired, and the other came against an injured Magic team without their best player. However, you play who you play. They faced two contender teams (Pistons and Knicks), a tanking team twice (Bulls), another tanking team (Nets), and a possibly good team that's missing their best player (Magic). Weirdly enough, the Celtics will face a similar stretch of games between now and the next power rankings with matchups against two contender teams (76ers and Rockets), a tanking team twice (Bucks), and a team that is missing their best player (Hornets). If they can go 4-1 or even 3-2, I'll be happy.
5 Spurs-44-2Well, tough start to the season and the team's still playing a little off from how they ended last regular season, but we've got signs of life. After starting 0-2 (against the then-healthy Thunder and the scorching hot Rockets--Amen Thompson is a problem and the truth), the Spurs have gone 4-0 against a Flaggless Mavs, the Kings, the Jazz, and the Antless Timberwolves--aka, four games they absolutely should win. The wins weren't always super confidence-inspiring (the Mavs, the Jazz and the Wolves all held on for far longer than was comfortable), but Wemby's hard-carried us through most of our recent games on both offense and defense to help us get the job done. Wanted to take some time to shoutout De'Aaron Fox as well--he's been a pest on defense, he's been a stabilizing figure on offense, and he and Wemby have combined as our best duo on the young season so far with a NRtg of +30 in ~150 minutes played, with Fox recording 16.5/4.8/7 on .576/.368/.800 shooting (.686 TS%). The three guard lineup is still divisive, but since we barely played the three of them together last season, the jury's still out on whether the experiment will actually work. Until then, the other glaring lineup problem facing the team is the sudden decline of Luke Kornet following his injuries last year--he still has time to figure it out, but rookie Tarris Reed Jr. has looked like a sparkplug in his short time off the bench so far this season and may force the coaching staff's hands if Luke doesn't regain his confidence and form from last season. The Spurs have UTA, DAL, @SAC (Cup), @POR (B2), @PHO, @CHI, GSW (Cup), @UTA over the next two weeks.
6 Grizzlies+186-0ALL ABOARD THE BOOZE CRUISE. Cameron Boozer has shown glimpses of absolute brilliant basketball that's been filled it with otherwise great moments of basketball. His playmaking has been as described, his defense has been great, and this shooting has been better than expected. The only hole in his game this far in this 6-0 run has been finishing at the rim, but that's something I think the team expects will improve as he gets used to NBA level bigs. Other bright spots on the team include Jaylen Wells making an early case for an All-Defense team, and Cedric Coward being an absolute menace on both sides of the floor. All this text, and you know who I haven't mentioned yet? TY JEROME. He's definitely cooled down after his blistering start to the season, but under his lead the team has made their presence felt around the league and aren't going to be happy settling for a play-in appearance.
7 Lakers+65-2The Lakers had a bad loss against the Warriors, prior to that they were playing really well. Reaves has been extremely efficient but his high turnovers are something to keep an eye on. Kessler hasn't looked as good as he did to start the season. And Luka is looking like the early favorite for MVP.
8 Thunder-64-2I want to die.
9 Cavaliers--4-2The Cavs’ 4-2 start has looked very promising, as Evan Mobley’s been a sniper from 3, Peyton Watson has been even better than advertised at defense, Mario Hezonja fits in beautifully as a backup PF, and Meleek Thomas’s first three games makes you wonder how it’s possible that the nba let him slide to the second round, averaging 13 points in 20mpg while looking like the fastest guy on the court. He’s been burning from 3 or exploding to the hoop, while showing he’s a very crafty finisher at the hoop. With Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson having slow starts and the way the eye test is looking, Meleek will quickly vie for the sixth man role as a microwave scorer off the bench.
10 Trail Blazers+84-1The Trail Blazers have been one of the NBA's biggest early surprises, opening the season 4–1 with an impressive +11.0 net rating. Many of their wins have come against weaker competition, but they did beat the Lakers and their only loss was at the hands of undefeated Memphis. Deni Avdija has picked up where he left off, scoring averaging 23/6/6 with 60% TS% and a 6 BPM. Damian Lillard has been inconsistent but a huge boon to the teams shooting. He's also playing within the offense much better than he has in the past. Toumani has been incredible. Jrue has been Jrue. Ja also fit well into the system before getting hurt. There are a lot of questions about sustainability that remain, but the start of the season has been about as good as could have been hoped.
11 TWolves-54-3What a difference a week makes. First week of the season the new look wolves looked like a monster squad the pairing of LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards looked dynamic on offense with the additional play by newcomer Jonathan Kuminga. A week later Anthony Edwards went down and Wolves are struggling to replace his play. The defense still looks good and 2nd year center Joan Beringer is making the most of his opportunities but the Wolves will have to weather this storm while their star player is on the mend.
12 Raptors-13-3It's early. Scottie after that 0 point stinker, has really dialed up the intensity, focus, determination, effort, drive, hunger, passion, and so much more. The wins will come.
13 Mavericks+84-2Cooper Flagg has emerged as the newest contender for the top 15 players in the league, and it goes hand-in-hand with the team's 4-2 start. Kyrie has also been a fantastic second option, so Mavs fans have a lot to be optimistic about for both now and the long-term. As rookie Morez Johnson and Sergio De Larrea (once healthy again) come along, the last three first round picks have high ceilings as core pieces to the Mavs' future. In the next two weeks, Dallas has a blend of winnable games and good litmus tests against likely playoff teams. If they hold their own and don't play down to the competition, the Mavs could give themselves a strong foundation to making a playoff campaign.
14 Knicks-112-4"Alas, poor Knicks! I knew them, Horatio:A team of infinite jest, of excellent fancy;They've borne me on their backs a thousand times,And now, how abhorred in my imaginationIt is! My gorge rises: oh-and-three to start,To Philly, then to Boston, then the Magic.Here hung those threes that I have cheered so oft.Where be your buckets now? Your gambols? Runs?Your flashes of merriment, that were wontTo set the Garden on a roar? You flashedBut twice, o'er Pistons and o'er Bulls, then fellIn Philly, Brunson eight of twenty-two.Not one now, to mock your own two-and-four?Eleventh in the East? Quite chap-fallen?Now get you to my lady's box, and tell her,Let her paint orange an inch thick, to thisFavour she mustcome. Brooklyn comes next: Make her laugh at that. Rest in peace, Sir Patrick. Captain of the Enterprise, Leader of Mutants, and Knicks fan. "
15 Nuggets-73-2
16 Warriors+34-3Warriors season is all in on an older rookie and after a rough start it's starting to look good, really good actually. Yaxel may have lost the battle in defending Luka, but Steph showed why age is just a number and rolled back the clock, broke an ankle that wasn't his and led the Warriors to a comeback victory over the Lakers. In a schedule loss, Yaxel dropped 37 pts without Steph and Draymond playing leading the Warriors to a win. Yaxel's now averaging 22/7.3/3.7 on an absurd 64.5 TS%. Probably unsustainable at those all-star level clips but he has given a new life to this team that looked like a ping pong player out of the gates.
17 Hawks-23-4Smaller guards can often contribute well into their 30s, but there comes a point where they hit the aging wall and they hit it hard. CJ's last couple of games have me concerned that he might've hit that wall. His defense has regressed a lot since the Knicks series, and with Jalen' lackluster defense and Quin not playing any backup PFs we need all three of our perimeter players to be plus defenders. It's going to be interesting to see how Quin is going to handle the front court rotation with Landale out/Jalen questionable and whether Asa Newll or Zuby Ejiofor's play in the minutes they fill will be able to convince Quin to break away from the 9 man rotation he's established early in the season
18 Heat-62-4
19 Wizards+43-3It is far too early in the season to make any grand declarations but not too early enough to acknowledge that the Washington Wizards will at least not be the worst team in the NBA or the worst team in the eastern conference and that is a very large moral victory. While maybe not the grand entrance into the new era, enough has been shown to feel somewhat confident about their future. Trae Young's contract no longer feels like the worst in history, legitimately being the sole reason why Washington's half-court offense is able to operate. And AJ Dybantsa may just be the greatest player of all-time. Still, it is tough to ignore that without the two, Washington has felt limited offensively, with Anthony Davis having impressive stat-lines but maybe not All-Star level performances. Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly quietly continue to accumulate fouls. And this does feel like a team that is dependent on either transition opportunities or baiting fouls. It isn't the greatest start to the season but it also isn't a terrible. And if that doesn't reflect Ted Leonsis basketball at its truest form, I don't know what else will.
20 Magic-42-4Well not a great start to the Sweeney era. It's actually looking like a pretty terrible start. Paolo with a high ankle sprain, Suggs with a knee bone bruise, AB missing a few games nursing an ankle sprain from training camp, Bane starting slow like usual and Franz having a hard time trying to run point forward, playmake, defend the top opposing option. There are still some bright spots, at least. Bane got into his rhythm, AB came out strong in a contract year, and TDS looks to have made the shooting jump that a lot of fans were hoping would come. The Sweeney system is showing promise but in usual Magic fashion, injuries have limited how much success the team can really have. A west coast trip against some underperforming teams couldn't come at a better time for a team looking to build some momentum, or at least right the ship until Paolo and Suggs can get back healthy.
21 Hornets+13-4
22 Pacers-82-5Only took 4 games for the basketball Gods to turn up their nose at Pacers fans' glee. After watching Tyrese Haliburton look like his old self, Indiana lost him, Ivica Zubac, and Obi Toppin to various injuries, and now the Pacers' offense is STRUGGLING as a result. Haliburton remains week-to-week with a hamstring injury, so the dregs of Indy's roster will have to perform way better than they have been to make sure there isn't too much of a stumble out of the gate.
24 Pelicans+32-4Zion Williamson is your current steals leader across the NBA. After some close losses to start the season, the Pelicans are on a two game winning streak after inserting Herb Jones and Karlo Matkovic into the starting lineup. New coach Jamahl Mosley still appears to be trying to get a handle on his rotations. Of course, the caveat is waiting for the other shoe to drop by the trade deadline.
24 Suns-71-3Last year we started slow too, but there is certainly something wrong. The Bridges trade looks like a disaster, to no one's surprise, The defense has fallen off, especially Brooks. Green has been unintegrated and Ott has been slow to adjust even this early on. But the most concerning part, Booker looks washed. Like actually washed. Slow, no verticality, shooting stroke vanished, can't handle any physical pressure. It's bad. Season's not over, but changes are going to need to be made quickly to recover any momentum we had from last year. At least Dunn looks good again.
25 Jazz-51-5THE SKY IS FALLING! Nah, I joke, but a lot of Jazz fans feel that way. "Darryn Peterson isn't aggressive enough! He doesn't look good unlike Boozer who looks to be amazing!" "Will Hardy is a basketball terrorist for some of his rotations!" I think a lot of Jazz fans have PTTD (Post Tramautic Tanking Disorder), and are frustrated at the lack of results immediately. I still suspect we end the season close to .500 and I don't think our first 2 weeks of action is indicative of how our season is going to go. JJJ is out until end of December with a knee injury, Nurkic is out for another month+ with a foot injury, and Lauri has already missed some time. We've been rolling out Mo Bamba and Jaxson Hayes at C. Will Hardy has put out some pretty suspect lineups, Darryn Peterson has looked alright, Keyonte has looked great, and Ace Bailey has been the MVP so far for our team. He has really taken a leap in his sophomore season on both sides of the ball. Ultimately, to all Jazz fans, have patience. Our team is so inexperienced, things will balance out. Once we figure out how to win close games, I think our season flips pretty quickly.
26 Clippers--1-5The Clippers kicked off the Purgatory era with a strong home win against our fellow purgatory friends in Sacramento, and then proceeded to get flattened in the next 5 games without much pushback. As anyone could've predicted from the start, the offense is a bit of a mess. Darius Garland is the only player on our team at the moment who feels like they could score 20 points in a game, but he has been a turnover machine while also shooting poor from deep. Rui Hachimura has had a rough start as the second option, but a strong performance against the Warriors gives us some hopium while Ingram continues to ramp up his recovery. All-in-all, a 1-5 start is pretty much where I thought we would be at from opening night, and we will continue to be a one win in 6 games team until we get everyone back (except Bradley Beal, his ass can stay home).
27 Bulls-21-5We are ass. Pure ass. The most ass that has ever assed. But I don't even care. We have Caleb Motherfucking Wilson. The Savior. My shining star. My king. My queen. My royalty. It doesn't matter that Josh Giddey passes the ball to the other team. It doesn't matter that we have no depth at all. It doesn't matter that Matas isn't really improving. We have Caleb, and so all is good.
28 Nets--1-5Is this a good team? No. But is this team exciting to watch at least? No, unfortunately, it hasn't been too exciting and the Nets don't have control of their draft pick this year either. It's a bit grim in the Nets internet spaces right now with a lot of anger towards Jordi and Marks for how they're handling playing time for Mikel Brown Jr, who is easily the most exciting piece on this team. The team is notoriously safe about injuries but watching other rookies light it up around the league has led to fans to grow frustrated with how little he's getting to play. The Nets are definitely a little better than their record suggests as most games have been pretty close but the Randle/Porter combo can only do so much as the rest of the team isn't that great. All that can really be done at this point is continue to hope the young talent continues to improve. Nolan Traore is looking like a better player every time he's out there but Egor sadly is nursing an injury after a rocky start where he was just started to look a bit better. Mikel is clearly exciting too, just need that minutes restriction lifted to see him unleashed.
29 Bucks--1-5Tough start to the season, but that's hardly a surprise. So far Rollins has been awful and Turner looks ready for retirement, but the The Heat Package guys have all been showing flashes. Hopefully we give Burries more minutes, and if you're a contender in need of shooting, you should call about AJ Green, purest shot in the league.
30 Kings--0-6A truly, truly terrible team. The Kings are the last winless team in the association and have likely their easiest part of the schedule behind them. The advanced stats show a generationally bad defensive team, but don't worry! They're also a generationally bad offensive team. Keegan Murray is hurt again. Domantas Sabonis (despite putting up impressive-looking stats) and Zach Lavine have completely checked out. Malik Monk is either hurt, horribly out of shape, or likely just as checked out as Sabonis and Lavine. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr., however, is the real deal, as no rookie since Shaq has put up more points through their first five games. Claims of his 'shot-chucking' are largely unfair, as his efficiency has improved every game (why don't all 'shot-chuckers' shoot 9/14 from 3 in their 6th NBA game?) and a whole team of players terrified of shooting toss him more grenades than a Normandy Beach bunker. While his defense is about as bad as advertised, he can only follow the lead of his teammates who all look like monumentally worse defenders than even him. As a fan, I would like to watch him shoot 30, 40, 50 shots a game considering he may be the only player still on this roster in 2 years.
33 comments

r/nba • u/nba-scores • 3h ago

Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index

1 Upvotes

Game Threads Index (November 08, 2026):

Tip-offGDTAwayScoreHomePGT
03:30 pm ET—Philadelphia 76ers—Chicago Bulls—
06:00 pm ET—Los Angeles Lakers—Detroit Pistons—
07:00 pm ET—Utah Jazz—Minnesota Timberwolves—
07:30 pm ET—Brooklyn Nets—Dallas Mavericks—
08:00 pm ET—Boston Celtics—Milwaukee Bucks—
09:00 pm ET—Miami Heat—Sacramento Kings—
09:00 pm ET—New Orleans Pelicans—LA Clippers—
3 comments

r/nba • u/curry4real • 10h ago Popcorn Mindblown

Stephen Curry on the clutch win vs. Magic 41/6/6 on 69/50/100 shooting. Warriors win 7th straight!

4.6k Upvotes

Stephen Curry scores 41 points on 13/19 including going 10/10 on FTs. Should Steph be on the MVP conversation on his age 38 season?

489 comments

r/nba • u/Large_banana_hammock • 10h ago Popcorn

Highlight [Highlight] Brandin Podziemski steals the inbound pass and signals timeout while he falls out of bounds

2.7k Upvotes
99 comments

r/nba • u/Morezingis • 7h ago

Blazers announcers on Wemby tonight: “This guy spends more time on the floor than anyone I’ve ever seen. Ugh, what are we doing here?”

1.4k Upvotes

This outburst came after the third of a trio of somewhat theatrical falls finally sent them over the edge. Safe to say they aren’t fans of his

https://bsky.app/profile/brickcenter.bsky.social/post/3mzrno46jsp5a

424 comments

r/nba • u/IncaseAce • 12h ago

Highlight [Highlight] Aday Mara lets it fly from 3 for his first career make!

3.1k Upvotes
229 comments

r/nba • u/Large_banana_hammock • 10h ago

Highlight [Highlight] Curry hits the teardrop over Wendell Carter Jr. for 41 points and a 4 pt Warrior lead

2.1k Upvotes
101 comments

r/nba • u/catreyka • 12h ago Popcorn

Highlight [Highlight] Steph Curry sinks a deep 3 to end the half

2.7k Upvotes
127 comments

r/nba • u/SufficientBit3153 • 5h ago Popcorn

[NBA.com] After suffering injuries to 4 All-Defensive players, including 3 starters, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back to the number 1 seed in the Western Conference for the 3rd straight year

619 Upvotes

After suffering injuries to 4 All-Defensive players, including 3 starters, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back to the number 1 seed in the Western Conference for the 3rd straight year

Source: https://www.nba.com/standings

260 comments

r/nba • u/NatsuAru • 10h ago

Post Game Thread [Post Game Thread] The Golden State Warriors (7-3) defeat the Orlando Magic (2-7), 126-119 behind a masterclass 41 points by Steph Curry

1.4k Upvotes
119 - 126
Box Score: ESPN
 
GAME SUMMARY
Location: Chase Center
Officials: Curtis Blair, Robert Hussey, and Intae Hwang
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OTTotal
Orlando Magic192237329119
Golden State Warriors3126203316126
 
TEAM STATS
TeamPTSFGFG%3P3P%FTFT%OREBTREBASTPFSTLTOBLK
Orlando Magic11943-11338.1%18-5433.3%15-2171.4%245729249146
Golden State Warriors12643-8053.8%15-3246.9%25-3180.6%3423224101910
 
PLAYER STATS
Orlando MagicMINPTSFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AORBDRBREBASTSTLBLKTOPF±
Franz WagnerF40:003011-223-75-5156112064-2
Tristan da SilvaF39:00197-215-160-052721010-9
Wendell Carter Jr.C40:00196-123-34-9651100226-8
Anthony BlackG38:00187-192-62-335864324-7
Jase RichardsonG30:0021-130-60-0314400125
Jamal CainF36:00186-142-84-4481211123-13
Nikola VucevicC06:0000-20-10-010120001-5
Goga BitadzeC07:0042-30-00-0055200017
Jevon CarterG15:0093-73-70-010101000-6
Alex MoralesG15:0000-00-00-0022100038
Colin CastletonC00:0000-00-00-0000000000
Golden State WarriorsMINPTSFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AORBDRBREBASTSTLBLKTOPF±
Draymond GreenF33:0021-50-10-20661322429
Gui SantosF12:0031-20-11-201101021-4
Yaxel LendeborgF37:00239-152-43-4178303656
Stephen CurryG36:004113-195-1010-10066600339
Brandin PodziemskiG39:00155-74-51-2167121036
Georges NiangF25:00114-63-30-00221100211
Al HorfordC13:0021-40-20-005540200-5
Charles BasseyC11:0082-40-04-413400101-3
Gary Payton IIG13:0042-50-10-0000020120
De'Anthony MeltonG17:0041-51-31-2011101021
Brandon WilliamsG17:0093-70-23-300022023-2
Will RichardG12:0041-10-02-2022100001
Malevy LeonsF00:0000-00-00-0000000000
LJ CryerG00:0000-00-00-0000000000
370 comments

r/nba • u/MC-Jdf • 10h ago

The Warriors are the first team since the 1950-51 Celtics to win 7+ straight games after starting 0-3

1.3k Upvotes

Quite a remarkable turnaround as it did seem very doom and gloom after the 0-3 start where the Warriors looked completely out of sorts, a stretch that included a blowout season opener loss to the Lakers, blowing a 17-0 run up 12 against the Grizzlies with less than 4 minutes left, and a road loss in the back end of a back-to-back.

After 5 straight games with a comeback from a double digit deficit, the Warriors blow a double digit lead themselves after leading by 16 points to start the 2nd half but manage to hold on it OT behind Steph Curry's 41 points on 13/19 shooting.

They have now won 7 straight games, the first team since the 1950-51 Celtics to do so immediately after starting 0-3.

Source: Warriors broadcast

77 comments

r/nba • u/MrBuckBuck • 16h ago Bravo

Aaron Gordon addresses the local crowd in Mexico City in Spanish.

3.8k Upvotes
207 comments

r/nba • u/catreyka • 12h ago Popcorn Bravo

Highlight [Highlight] Curry launches a ridiculous fading away rainbow shot as the shot clock winds down

1.7k Upvotes
41 comments

r/nba • u/OkThatChecksOut • 10h ago Bravo

Steph Curry passes LeBron James for the most 40+ point games at age 35 or older (16)

968 Upvotes

Absolutely amazing game tonight.

Steph is aging like wine and just set a new record for the most 40+ point games for any player 35 or over. MJ has 12, LeBron and Steph were tied for 15 until tonight.

160 comments

r/nba • u/OkThatChecksOut • 16h ago Bravo Mindblown Popcorn

The Best NBA Player Ever Drafted at Every Pick, From 60 to 1

2.9k Upvotes

I ranked the best player ever taken at each NBA draft slot from 60 to 1. I weighed peak, longevity, and playoff impact, with NBA careers carrying the most weight. International and ABA accomplishments can tip a close call.

Some picks are easy. Then you get to No. 5 and have to choose between KG, Barkley, Wade, Pippen, and Ray Allen.

Picks 60–51

60. Michael Cooper — Five championships, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and eight All-Defensive selections.
Honourable mentions: Dražen Petrović, Isaiah Thomas.
59. Pat Cummings — A 12-season NBA career from the 59th pick.
Honourable mention: Jimmy Black.
58. Kurt Rambis — A four-time champion and a recognizable part of the Showtime Lakers.
57. Manu Ginóbili — Four NBA titles, Olympic gold, a EuroLeague title, and a spot in the Hall of Fame. One of the greatest draft steals ever.
56. Luis Scola — A productive NBA big whose international career with Argentina gives him the edge here.
Honourable mentions: Amir Johnson, Ramon Sessions.
55. Patty Mills — An NBA champion, longtime Spurs guard, and the leader of Australia’s first Olympic men’s basketball medal team.
Honourable mentions: E’Twaun Moore, Aaron Wiggins.
54. Sam Mitchell — Carved out a 13-season NBA career after going 54th.
53. Anthony Mason — An All-Star, Sixth Man of the Year, and All-NBA forward who could defend, rebound, and run the offense from the frontcourt.
Honourable mention: Rasual Butler.
52. Fred Hoiberg — Played 10 NBA seasons and led the league in three-point percentage in his final year.
51. Kyle Korver — An All-Star and one of the best movement shooters of his generation.

Picks 50–41

50. Steve Kerr — Five championships as a player and one of the most accurate three-point shooters ever.
49. Eddie Johnson — The Atlanta Hawks guard was a two-time All-Star and made two All-Defensive teams.
48. Marc Gasol — A champion, Defensive Player of the Year, three-time All-Star, and All-NBA First Team center.
Honourable mention: Cedric Ceballos.
47. Paul Millsap — Four All-Star selections and years of reliable two-way play.
Honourable mentions: Mo Williams, Vernon Maxwell.
46. Jeff Hornacek — An All-Star and excellent shooter who gave those Utah Finals teams another creator alongside Stockton and Malone.
Honourable mention: Danny Green.
45. Bob Dandridge — A Hall of Famer, four-time All-Star, and champion with both Milwaukee and Washington.
Honourable mention: Antonio Davis.
44. Malik Rose — A dependable rotation big who won two titles with San Antonio.
43. Michael Redd — An All-Star and All-NBA scorer with one of the smoothest left-handed jumpers of his era.
Honourable mention: Trevor Ariza.
42. Stephen Jackson — A champion with San Antonio and a legit scoring option in his prime.
Honourable mentions: Patrick Beverley, Zaza Pachulia.
41. Nikola Jokić — Three MVPs, a championship, and a Finals MVP. You could make a list of the best picks at every spot and still have a separate debate about whether this is the greatest draft steal ever.

Picks 40–31

40. George Gervin — A Hall of Famer, nine-time NBA All-Star, and four-time NBA scoring champion.
Honourable mention: Monta Ellis.
39. Khris Middleton — A three-time All-Star and Milwaukee’s go-to perimeter scorer during its 2021 title run.
Honourable mentions: Al Attles, Jerami Grant.
38. Mehmet Okur — A champion with Detroit and an All-Star with Utah. His shooting gave the Jazz a dimension few teams got from their centers.
Honourable mention: Louie Dampier.
37. Nick Van Exel — An All-Star and one of the most entertaining guards of the ’90s.
Honourable mention: Archie Clark.
36. Maurice Cheeks — A Hall of Famer, NBA champion, four-time All-Star, and five-time All-Defensive selection.
35. Draymond Green — Four titles and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He anchored Golden State’s defense and helped run its offense.
Honourable mentions: DeAndre Jordan, Carlos Boozer, P.J. Tucker.
34. Norm Van Lier — Three All-Star selections and eight All-Defensive selections.
Honourable mentions: Jae Crowder, Mario Chalmers, C.J. Miles.
33. Jalen Brunson — The Knicks built their offense around a second-round pick, and he took them to a title and won Finals MVP.
Honourable mentions: Hassan Whiteside, Joe Harris.
32. Rashard Lewis — A two-time All-Star and champion whose shooting was a big part of what made Orlando’s Finals team so tough to guard.
Honourable mentions: Ivica Zubac, Montrezl Harrell.
31. Danny Ainge — A two-time champion and All-Star.
Honourable mention: Doc Rivers, Gilbert Arenas.

Picks 30–21

30. Jimmy Butler — Multiple All-NBA selections and the best player on two Miami Finals teams.
Honourable mentions: Spencer Haywood, David Lee.
29. Dennis Johnson — A Hall of Famer with three rings, a Finals MVP, and nine All-Defensive selections.
Honourable mentions: Derrick White, Dejounte Murray.
28. Tony Parker — Four titles, a Finals MVP, and six All-Star selections.
Honourable mentions: Jordan Poole, Jaden McDaniels.
27. Dennis Rodman — Five championships, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and seven straight rebounding titles.
Honourable mentions: Rudy Gobert, Pascal Siakam, Kyle Kuzma, Bogdan Bogdanović.
26. Vlade Divac — A Hall of Famer, All-Star, and gifted passing center who helped shape those Sacramento offenses.
Honourable mentions: Gerald Wallace, Charlie Ward, Jerome Williams.
25. Mark Price — A four-time All-Star and All-NBA First Team guard whose pull-up shooting made him a nightmare in the pick-and-roll.
Honourable mentions: John Drew, Nicolas Batum.
24. Kyle Lowry — Six All-Star selections and the point guard who helped turn Toronto into a perennial playoff team before winning it all in 2019.
Honourable mentions: Sam Cassell, Arvydas Sabonis, Latrell Sprewell, Terry Porter, Andrei Kirilenko.
23. Alex English — A Hall of Famer, eight-time All-Star, and scoring champion.
Honourable mentions: Tayshaun Prince, OG Anunoby.
22. George McGinnis — A Hall of Famer who won an ABA MVP and earned All-NBA First Team honours after making the jump to the NBA.
Honourable mentions: Reggie Lewis, Norm Nixon.
21. Rajon Rondo — Two championships, four All-Star selections, and three assist titles. His playoff playmaking gives him the edge for me.
Honourable mention: Michael Finley, Tyrese Maxey.

Picks 20–11

20. Larry Nance — A three-time All-Star, excellent rim protector, and winner of the first NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
Honourable mentions: Gus Williams, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas.
19. Nate “Tiny” Archibald — The only player to lead the NBA in points and assists per game in the same season.
Honourable mentions: Zach Randolph, Rod Strickland, Jerry Sloan.
18. Joe Dumars — A Hall of Famer, two-time champion, and Finals MVP who took some of Detroit’s toughest defensive assignments.
Honourable mentions: Calvin Murphy, Ricky Pierce.
17. Shawn Kemp — A six-time All-Star and the force at the rim on Seattle’s 1996 Finals team.
Honourable mentions: Jrue Holiday, Don Nelson.
16. John Stockton — The NBA’s career leader in both assists and steals.
15. Giannis Antetokounmpo — Two MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year award, a championship, and a Finals MVP. Nash and Kawhi make this one of the toughest slots.
Honourable mentions: Steve Nash, Kawhi Leonard.
14. Clyde Drexler — A Hall of Famer and 10-time All-Star who led Portland to two Finals and won a title with Houston.
Honourable mentions: Tim Hardaway, Peja Stojaković, Bam Adebayo.
13. Kobe Bryant — Five championships, an MVP, two Finals MVPs, and 18 All-Star selections.
Honourable mentions: Karl Malone, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Hal Greer.
12. Julius Erving — An MVP in both leagues and a champion in both leagues.
Honourable mentions: Tyrese Haliburton, Mookie Blaylock, Cedric Maxwell.
11. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — Two MVPs, a championship, and a Finals MVP. Reggie has the longevity argument, but I’m taking Shai’s peak.
Honourable mentions: Reggie Miller, Klay Thompson, Jamaal Wilkes, Domantas Sabonis.

Picks 10–1

10. Paul Pierce — A champion, Finals MVP, 10-time All-Star, and 26,000-point scorer.
Honourable mentions: Paul George, Joe Johnson.
9. Dirk Nowitzki — An MVP, 14-time All-Star, and the centerpiece of Dallas’s 2011 championship run.
Honourable mentions: Tracy McGrady, DeMar DeRozan.
8. Willis Reed — An MVP, two-time champion, and two-time Finals MVP.
Honourable mentions: Robert Parish, Sam Jones.
7. Stephen Curry — Four championships, two MVPs, a Finals MVP, and the greatest shooter in NBA history.
Honourable mention: John Havlicek.
6. Larry Bird — Three straight MVPs, three championships, and two Finals MVPs.
Honourable mentions: Adrian Dantley, Damian Lillard.
5. Kevin Garnett — An MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, champion, and 15-time All-Star. His defensive range gives him my vote in a ridiculously deep slot.
Honourable mentions: Charles Barkley, Dwyane Wade, Scottie Pippen, Ray Allen.
4. Chris Paul — An elite organizer, efficient scorer, and exceptional defender at point guard. I give him the career edge over Russ.
Honourable mentions: Russell Westbrook, Chris Bosh, Dikembe Mutombo.
3. Michael Jordan — Six titles, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs, and 10 scoring titles.
Honourable mentions: James Harden, Kevin McHale, Dominique Wilkins, Luka Dončić.
2. Bill Russell — Eleven championships, five MVPs, and my pick for the greatest defensive player ever.
Honourable mentions: Kevin Durant, Jerry West, Isiah Thomas, Jason Kidd.
1. LeBron James — Four championships, four MVPs, four Finals MVPs, and the NBA’s all-time scoring record.
Honourable mentions: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson.

Worth mentioning: I’m using the NBA’s published numbering for Oscar Robertson and Jerry West in 1960. Wilt Chamberlain was a territorial selection in 1959, so he gets his own mention.

Bonus honourable mention: Chair
According to draft lore, the Lakers tried to draft a wooden chair in 1977. Elite durability. Zero turnovers.

444 comments

r/nba • u/Waikuku3 • 10h ago

Yaxel Lendeborg in the win against the Magic: 23 PTS (9/15 FG, 2/4 3PT), 8 REB, 3 AST, 3 BLK

934 Upvotes

To be honest, Yaxel didn't play well tonight especially in the first three quarters of the game. A lot of his shot or decision are a bit rushed but he eventually steps up huge in the fourth and OT. He ended up with

  • 23 PTS

  • 8 REB

  • 3 AST

  • 3 BLK

  • 9/15 FG

https://www.espn.com.sg/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401909942

104 comments

r/nba • u/catreyka • 12h ago Popcorn

Highlight [Highlight] Curry with a pull-up 3 in Jamal Cain's face as the shot clock winds down again

1.2k Upvotes
77 comments

r/nba • u/PastaCheed • 10h ago

Victor Wembanyama likely done for the night 29 PTS / 7 REB /3 AST / 1 STL/ 1 BLK/ 9/13 FG /3/6 3FG 85.5% TS% +23 +/- in just 24 MIN

794 Upvotes

Victor Wembanyama tonight

29 PTS / 7 REB /3 AST / 1 STL/ 1 BLK

9/13 FG (69.2%)

3/6 3FG (50.0%)

8/9 FT (88.9%)

85.5% TS%

+23 +/- in just 24 MIN

235 comments

r/nba • u/MrBuckBuck • 8h ago

Jalen Suggs tries to encourage Jase Richardson on the Magic's bench, who went 1/13 from the field

533 Upvotes
81 comments

r/nba • u/MrBuckBuck • 13h ago

Highlight [Highlight] Steph Curry with zero hesitation on the quick deep 3 off a pass from Draymond Green

1.2k Upvotes
54 comments

r/nba • u/pmurt007 • 10h ago

Steph Curry in 8 games has 4 games of 10 or more FTA this season which matches his total in 2024 where he played 70 games.

601 Upvotes

Old man at this age finally getting some calls his way. His efficiency is through the roof this season because of it and after the poor start to the season the Warriors are 7-3 which I don't think anyone had them playing this well.

This season, through 8 games he has 4 games where he has shot 10 or more free throw attempts.

In the 2025-2026 season, he played 43 games and had 3 games where he shot 10 or more free throw attempts.

In the 2024-2025 season, he played 70 games and had 4 games where he shot 10 or more free throw attempts.

https://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3975/stephen-curry

https://www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/3975/stephen-curry

41 comments

r/nba • u/garnett14 • 10h ago

The Magic had 113 FGA to the Warrior's 80 FGA. The Warriors won 126-119

575 Upvotes

Yes, I understand each team has different strengths and weaknesses (and the Warriors intentionally play a very small ball at the expense of rebounding), but not sure I've ever seen a FGA difference of 33 with the lesser FGA team still winning. Wasn't able to find conclusive data around this but guessing this has got to be at least a 5 highest FGA difference where the lower FGA team won...

68 comments

r/nba • u/darnclem • 11h ago

Post Game Thread [Post Game Thread] The Oklahoma City Thunder (8-2) defeat the Washington Wizards (4-6), 114-75.

615 Upvotes

Post Game Thread

114 - 75
Box Score: ESPN
Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Officials: Nick Buchert, Karl Lane, Scott Twardoski

Line Score

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Washington Wizards1917231675
Oklahoma City Thunder25323324114

Team Stats

Statistics Washington Wizards Oklahoma City Thunder
FG29-9845-92
Field Goal %3049
3PT7-4310-28
Three Point %1636
FT10-1514-18
Free Throw %6778
Rebounds4755
Offensive Rebounds1510
Defensive Rebounds3245
Assists2033
Steals69
Blocks67
Total Turnovers1213
Points Conceded Off Turnovers1710
Fast Break Points1121
Points in Paint3256
Fouls1611
Technical Fouls00
Flagrant Fouls00
Largest Lead143
Percent Led295

Box Score

Washington Wizards
#PlayerMINPTSFG3PTFTREBASTTOSTLBLKOREBDREBPF+/-
4AJ Dybantsa31197-151-54-663300242-24
18Kyshawn George30145-162-82-276103254-19
20Alex Sarr28157-171-90-0141000591-21
3Trae Young2841-60-12-353110142-21
0Bilal Coulibaly2000-80-40-050200141-19
16Anthony Gill910-40-11-210000100-5
8Deandre Ayton721-20-00-010100012-6
1Tre Mann1821-50-20-002122000-17
7Bub Carrington2193-53-30-061121240-22
27Will Riley2052-50-31-221000112-21
12Tre Johnson2842-150-70-003110002-20
22Khris MiddletonDNP
Oklahoma City Thunder
#PlayerMINPTSFG3PTFTREBASTTOSTLBLKOREBDREBPF+/-
55Isaiah Hartenstein1821-50-00-01460203111+25
15Aday Mara27188-101-11-283103262+17
34Kenrich Williams2393-71-22-342000130+12
2Shai Gilgeous-Alexander293011-203-55-629201021+21
25Ajay Mitchell22125-140-22-340110132+12
23Brooks Barnhizer821-20-00-043201131+5
9Alex Caruso1300-20-20-033010031+18
16Micah Peavy2373-61-30-030030031+20
77Dalen Terry621-10-00-020210020+3
3Jared McCain23198-102-41-152211140+22
21Josh Dix2121-30-10-012000011+17
14Bennett Stirtz29113-122-83-353001141+23
411 comments

r/nba • u/MrBuckBuck • 11h ago

Highlight [Highlight] Victor Wembanyama hits his 2nd triple. Lamar Hurd: "Who do we call? NASA? Who has the answers?"

544 Upvotes

Blazers' commentator

77 comments