NBA power rankings 2025-26: Thunder, Knicks on top as we hand out Christmas gifts to every team

The weather outside is frightful (well, maybe not in Miami and Los Angeles, but most places) so let’s focus on seeing what’s in Santa’s bag for the 30 NBA teams.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

(25-3, last week No. 1)
The hardest person to buy gifts for is the person you know who has everything. What Oklahoma City really wants for Christmas is not handed out until June. Do they also want to win 73 or more games this season and challenge the Warriors’ record? “Absolutely,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Winning matters, and no matter what form it looks like to me. So absolutely.” SGA is also in the mix for another MVP award because of all those wins and how he is playing — he has scored 30+ points in less than 30 minutes of play 10 times this season, already an NBA record (and he’s played in just 27 games).

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2. New York Knicks

(20-8, last week No. 2)
What the Knicks want for Christmas can’t be handed out until June — a ring. A championship they would actually host a banner for. That said, the NBA Cup title showed why this team has to be considered the favorite to come out of the East. It’s not simply that they have Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, it’s that when Towns’ calf is sore, he takes an extended rest in the game, Mitchell Robinson comes in and grabs 10 offensive boards. It’s the Spurs’ length keeping Brunson in relative check much of the night (although he fully deserved the Cup MVP award), it’s Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek coming in with energy and big games off the bench. The Knicks showed real depth and grit, which is exactly what they will need in May and June. Jalen Brunson dropped a personal MSG-best 47 on the Heat on Sunday. New York is once again playing the opening game on Christmas Day, taking on Cleveland.

3. Detroit Pistons

(22-6, last week No. 3)
Do the Pistons need one more ball handler and shot creator for Christmas? Cade Cunningham has taken a step forward and looks like a guy who could end up on the MVP ballot this season — 27 points, 9.2 assists and 6.5 rebounds a game — while Jalen Duran is now a lock All-Star in the East and earned himself a big payday this summer. This…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-power-rankings-2025-26-201029342.html

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Publish date : 2025-12-22 20:10:00

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