The 2024-25 NBA season has almost reached its midpoint. We’re 30+ games into the season, and the trade deadline continues to loom large. Teams peaking right now might have a smooth road down the stretch, but those that start falling apart might want to reconsider their plans and try to make some trades or go for a full-blown rebuild.
With that in mind, we’re going to dig deep into what happened last week and look at the biggest risers and the ten best teams in the Association right now.
NBA Power Rankings after Week 11 of the 2024-25 season
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#10 Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are getting the old Tyrese Haliburton back, and that’s scary news for the rest of the league. They’ve won seven of their last ten games, and are now back to .500.
The Pacers have the fourth-highest shooting percentage in the league (48.4%) and are currently sixth in total assists this season (1,015). If Haliburton keeps his recent play up, they will be very dangerous.
#9 Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers lost star rookie Jared McCain for the season, but their other stars are getting healthier. Their slow start to the season is in the rearview mirror now.
Nick Nurse’s team has won seven of their last ten games, and they’re slowly but surely creeping their way into playoff contention. They’re still five games below .500, but they’re trending upwards.
#8 Detroit Pistons
For the first time this season, the Detroit Pistons have officially made their way into the top ten. J.B. Bickerstaff’s team is turning the corner, and that’s despite losing Jaden Ivey to an injury.
The Pistons are officially in playoff contention now. They’ve won seven of their last ten games, and if they win their next game, they will reach .500. They’re No. 9 in the East and would be a play-in team if these standings hold.
#7 Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant continues to struggle to stay healthy, and that has obviously been an issue for the Memphis Grizzlies for most of the season. Additionally, they’re not as good on the road as they are at home.
Nevertheless, the Grizzlies are still 23-13 for the season and are holding onto the third spot in the West. They hold highest scoring average in the league at 123.2 points per game.
#6 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets just lost a key piece in Jabari Smith Jr., who’ll be out for at least 4-6 weeks with an injury. They’ve won six of their last ten games and are second in the Western Conference.
Ime Udoka’s team has hung their hat on getting the job done on the defensive end of the floor. They lead the league in total rebounds per game (48.9) and have seven players averaging double figures.
#5 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have been inconsistent over the past two weeks. They’ve split their last ten games, going 5-5 in that span. Even so, they’re still the defending NBA champions and have shown why they took the title last season.
Their 26-10 record is good enough for them to have the second-best mark in the Eastern Conference, but they need to get back to their dominant ways if they don’t want the rising Knicks to get past them.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to straighten their ship’s course. They’re five games over .500 after 34 games, boasting three more wins than they had at this same point last season.
Moving on from D’Angelo Russell has allowed Austin Reaves to serve as the de facto point guard more often, and the results have been encouraging. They’re now No. 5 in the West.
#3 New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have four players in the top seven for the most minutes played this season, including the top three. In addition to this, Karl-Anthony Towns leads all big men in minutes played.
That’s not unusual for a team coached by Tom Thibodeau, and the Knicks are showing some early signs of exhaustion. Even so, they’ve won eight of their last ten and are No. 3 in the East.
#2 Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won their last ten games. More importantly, they’ve won all of those games by double digits. It’s been nearly a month since they lost their last game, to the Miami Heat.
They have a key matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, and could solidify their No. 1 spot in the league with a win in that game. The Cavs have the highest offensive rating in the league (122.06) and rank sixth on the defensive rating charts (110.31). They have the second-highest net rating in the league (11.74), only behind the team sitting in first place in these rankings.
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to be the best team in the league. They have the second-best record in the league at 30-5 and sit one game behind the Cavs. They’ve beaten multiple championship contenders including the Boston Celtics along the way.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should draw strong MVP consideration with the way he’s playing right now. He’s averaging 31.1 points, 6.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game on 52.4% from the floor while also playing elite defense. The Thunder have the highest net rating in the league at 12.14. They also top the defensive rating charts with a 103.42 defensive rating.
Edited by Saishyam Srikanth
