Things are shaking up at the top of the rankings this week. Some of these positions may be a bit controversial, but there’s no denying the Wolves have earned their spot after a strong week.
NBA Power Rankings: Wolves Climb, Thunder Reign, and Chaos at the Top
The Power Rankings are back, and let me tell you, this week brought more chaos than a family Monopoly game on Thanksgiving. Normally, this is the time of the season when the top teams start settling into their spots, but not this year. Cleveland and Boston, two of the league’s powerhouses, stumbled. Meanwhile, the Rockets are playing like a team that spent the last three months loading up on Space Jam’s secret stuff, and the Knicks… yes, the New York Knicks… are rising like they’re auditioning for a sequel to “Gotham’s Finest.”
As always, this list isn’t just about records—if you want that, go check the standings. This is about the storylines, the vibes, and who’s got the juice right now. With that, let’s dive into this week’s rankings.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-8) — Last Week: 1
The Thunder remain kings of the hill. Sure, they dropped a couple of games to the Mavericks, but they’re still rolling. OKC is balanced, deep, and terrifying, like the NBA equivalent of a Swiss Army knife. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the most dangerous weapon in OKC’s arsenal and is leading the MVP conversation.
2. Houston Rockets (31-14) — Last Week: 3
The Rockets are hotter than the Houston summer right now. Sweeping Cleveland in back-to-back games and following it up with a win over Boston? That’s like hitting a walk-off homer, then doing it again the next day.
3. New York Knicks (31-16) — Last Week: 7
Knicks fans, you’ve waited long enough—your team is legit. A four-game win streak, including blowout wins over the Grizzlies and Kings, has New York climbing fast. Karl-Anthony Towns is thriving, Jalen Brunson is cooking, and Madison Square Garden is buzzing like it’s 1994 again.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-9) — Last Week: 2
The Cavs stumbled, dropping three of their last four, including a puzzling loss to Philly. Is it a slump, or are cracks starting to show? Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are still electric, but they need to lock it down if they want to reclaim the top spot.
5. Boston Celtics (32-15) — Last Week: 4
What’s up with Boston? They beat the Warriors, Clippers, and Mavericks but lost to the Lakers and Rockets. They’re coasting through January like a high school senior who already got into their dream college. You know they’ll show up when it matters, but right now? Meh.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (31-16) — Last Week: 6
The Grizz are a gritty, scrappy team that no one wants to face in the playoffs. But after getting destroyed by the Knicks, they’ve got some soul-searching to do. Still, they’re firmly in the mix out West.
7. Milwaukee Bucks (26-18) — Last Week: 8
The Bucks are finally looking like themselves again. Winners of nine of their last 11, they’ve been steady, if not spectacular. Giannis is doing Giannis things, and Khris Middleton seems to be finding his groove. Fear the deer? Maybe not yet, but they’re getting there.
8. Denver Nuggets (28-18) — Last Week: 5
What happened, Denver? Blown out by the Timberwolves, then losing to the Bulls? Nikola Jokic is still doing MVP-caliber work, but the supporting cast has been inconsistent. Denver better figure it out fast before they start sliding down the standings.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (26-18) — Last Week: Not Ranked
Welcome back to the rankings, Lakers. They’re riding a four-game win streak, including a shocking win over the Celtics. LeBron continues to defy Father Time, and the team’s supporting cast is stepping up.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-21) — Last Week: 12
Don’t look now, but the Wolves are climbing. Three straight wins against the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Hawks have fans cautiously optimistic. Anthony Edwards is a superstar, Julius Randle is finding his groove, and Rudy Gobert is quietly having a strong stretch. A win in Phoenix tomorrow would give the Wolves a four-game win streak, tied for the longest of the season—fingers crossed.
11. Indiana Pacers (25-20) — Last Week: 11
The Pacers cooled off a bit, but they’re still hanging tough in the East. Tyrese Haliburton has been excellent, but they’ll need more consistency from the supporting cast to keep pace with the top teams.
12. Los Angeles Clippers (26-20) — Last Week: 10
The Clippers are impossible to figure out. One week, they look like title contenders. The next, they’re dropping winnable games. Kawhi Leonard’s health will determine how far this team can go, but for now, they’re just barely hanging on in the rankings.
Falling Off: Sacramento Kings (24-22) — Last Week: 11
Final Thoughts
So there you have it: chaos at the top, the Knicks and Rockets surging, and the Timberwolves making a solid case for being taken seriously. The second half of the season is officially here, and every game matters more than ever.
For the Wolves, this next stretch is critical. Games against Phoenix, Utah, and Washington are all winnable. Stringing together a few more wins would put them in prime position to climb the Western Conference standings and avoid the dreaded play-in.
As for the rest of the league, keep your eyes on Houston, New York, and OKC. The Cavs and Celtics might have the pedigree, but there’s a new wave of contenders making noise. Let’s see if they can keep it up.