NBA Power Rankings: Can the Pistons or Spurs catch the Thunder for top spot? - ESPN

We're one week from the 2026 NBA trade deadline, with the market staying relatively quiet up to this point. However, there have been major developments across both conferences as we narrow the second half of the regular season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have dropped five games this month — the same number they lost all season before the start of the new year. The previously invincible looking team now looks more human than before. However, it still remains at the top of the West, holding a six-game lead on the surging San Antonio Spurs.

In the East, the standings are still tightening, especially around the play-in positions. Back in the conversation are the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are climbing the conference standings, riding a four-game winning streak and looking more like the No. 1 team it did last season than the struggling troupe it has been so far.

As the Feb. 5 deadline approaches, our NBA insiders broke down where all 30 teams stand in the last power rankings of January.

Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Anthony Slater, Dave McMenamin, Jamal Collier, Kevin Pelton, Michael C. Wright, Bobby Marks, Tim Bontemps, Tim MacMahon, Vincent Goodwill and Zach Kram) think teams belong.

Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 29 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 12 | Nov. 19 | Nov. 26 | Dec. 3 | Dec. 10 | Dec. 17 | Dec. 24 | Dec. 31 | Jan. 7 | Jan. 14 | Jan. 21

Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS

2025-26 record: 38-10

Previous ranking: 1

Next games: @ MIN (Jan. 29), @ DEN (Feb. 1), vs. ORL (Feb. 3)

The Thunder have made 30.8% of their 3s in their 10 losses this season