[NBA.com] Power Rankings, Week 17: Knicks, Celtics and Cavs on the move
Source: https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2025-26-week-17
The West is 142-139 (.505) against the East in interconference games, though the East was 14-7 last week.
That’s impossible, the East is garbage and needs to be relegated from the NBA.
The top teams in the West have dealt with far more injuries to stars than the East.
The Thunder have had key players in and out of the lineup all year, the Spurs have played long stretches without starters, Jokic was out, Lebron and Reeves missed time.
If anything I’d say the play in East teams are much better this year and the West playing teams are worse.
If you’re arguing the East is as good as the West I think you’re sledding up hill.
Two of the top stars in the East have played as many games this season as both of us combined.
Not to mention embiid and Giannis missing a ton of games (though I guess the former is expected).
Not to mention Cavs not having a point guard due to injuries, and Evan Mobley, Max Strus, and Dean Wade all being out for long periods of time. If injuries are a factor for the west they absolutely are for the east
Paolo, Franz, and Suggs have barely played together this season
Hornets should be higher. Cavs should be higher.
Definitely, they should be ahead of us at the very least.
Why would the hornets be higher? They’re still the 10th seed. It’ll be a different conversation if/when they crack the top 8
Because this is power rankings, measuring current form, not predictions for end of season or playoffs.
And they’re currently the 10th seed. Again, why would they be higher in the power rankings this week while still being 3 games under .500? I believe they can go up as they accumulate more wins.
Are you serious? I just explained it. Power rankings isn’t indicative of what happened at the beginning of the season, or what’s happening in 2 months, it’s supposed to take the temperature of what’s happening right now. They are on a 9 game win streak. Their seed has little to do with their power ranking.
And the thunder lost 5 of their 10 games? Do you expect the hornets to be ranked higher than the thunder? I don’t think you understand how the power rankings works. The whole purpose is to not just taking win-loss into consideration
No, but it does take momentum into account. Think of it like a big mechanical engine, like the one in Titanic, which takes a lot to slow down and be put in reverse. OKC had a lot going for them so their engine takes a long time to slow down and for them to plummet through the rankings, even with their weak showing these past couple of weeks.
Hornets are in high gear currently, going really fast, so they should move up a lot, I think past #15, more than +3. No I don’t think they should move past OKC though and automatically end up at the top, then it would be just straight win:loss, which it isn’t. If they played each other today, OKC would still be favoured, especially with Williams getting cleared to play again.
What do you think would’ve been an appropriate ranking? Because I cannot see them being ranked higher than 14
12-13.
pretty laughable that they’re higher than Gsw. Warriors are 3 games above 0.500 while Hornets are 3 under.
Assuming this is a ranking for today, and not projected for the playoffs, the Hornets are on a 9 game win streak, including wins against the Rockets and Spurs, and the Nuggets shortly before that. The Warriors dont have Curry.
Is it, though? If the Hornets played the Warriors tonight, who would win? It certainly ain’t Golden State.
When I watch the Knicks compete against other teams? They have energy, focus, and executing their actions. When they play Detroit? They look like they just want to get the game over with.
I don’t know if there’s some gamesmanship going on or not but those lulls teams go through during the season? Makes me think the season is too long.
It’s not just New York. The pistons looked lifeless at home against Cleveland in their first meeting and later on the road in Phoenix. It is what it is, but I’m more inclined to watch something else when it happens.
Pistons were near lifeless against the wizards in a game they lost
Sure. Don’t take it the wrong way. They also looked lifeless in their first matchup with Washington. They just happened to luck out a win.
i think the knicks are saving their strategies vs detroit for the playoffs, they dont want to show anything in the regular season
IDK if anyone remembers, but the Knicks were 0-10 vs the top teams in regular season last year
including 0-4 against the Celtics in regular season
who they obviously went on to obliterate in the playoffs
There’s definitely some chess being played there as far as giving Detroit the complete look at their schemes and counters
we had a better coach last year
Knicks weren’t ready for the first game at all. Those guys barely wanted to be in the same building as each other at that point of the season. They were already slumping well before that game. Meanwhile Detroit was thinking of that game for 8 months.
2nd one was just a bad injury night. They’re not surviving half the rotation being out and a bad Brunson game (credit to Ausar). I don’t think it’s gamesmanship but I definitely think the Pistons care about it more than the Knicks. Knicks have their eyes on a bigger end goal, so I don’t think they care as much about proving something to Detroit compared to the other way around.
I think they know after last season they’re capable of that extra gear when push comes to shove, because Boston smoked them multiple times and they won in the end. Brunson is the competitive freak that tries to lead by example to the others through those lulls in focus, because he’s always locked in.
If you are going to defend like it’s the playoffs then both teams need to play like it’s the playoffs to get a good look at how they both would look in a series.
Detroit legit defends Brunson like it’s game 7 of a series. To be fair that’s how any team tends to defend him in the playoffs and the refs just let it happen. But if the Knicks rest players and don’t run a full starting lineup it really just isn’t worth the effort to debate which team is better. Detroit is much better than the previous year, but spending a ton of energy in the regular season is more of a practice in locking in. While the good teams will manage their resources and just accept occasional loses.
Cavs are a bad matchup for Detroit. We have the size to harass your frontcourt and make life hell for Cade. The problem is we have to stay healthy.
Could be true but Detroit was on the second night of B2B and just looked out of it. From the starters to the bench.
I’d argue the Cavs also looked flat as I think they were also on the second night of a B2B. I just remember Mitchell being the only player with any bounce in their step that night.
nah it isn’t just that it runs deeper. cade genuinely has struggled w efficiency vs the cavs for a long time now. there was a stat floating around recently about best defenders on cade by cades ts% when guarded by them and dean wade was number 1 holding cade to like 26% true shooting which was like nearly 10% below the second best defender. the cavs just have seemed to guard cade particularly well
I’m not going to disagree with what you’ve said. But I will say multiple things can be true here. The Cavs being a bad matchup for the Pistons and both teams looked flat that night.
Your completely right, Detroit is a team you can’t make mistakes against if you want to win, and we just seem to make every mistake possible. It’s the same way against the Pacers. Hopefully we turn it up in the playoffs, it doesn’t help that we match up terribly against you guys.
With no OG or Towns, I think that game was doomed from the start. I love JB, but he can only do so much, especially with a team as physical as yours. Definitely felt a bit like “let’s let the young guys get minutes and take the L” set in pretty early.
We were also missing two starters and our sixth man for the last game.
The Pistons were without Tobias and Duren in their first matchup. On the second night of a B2B and looked like they had more life than the Knicks in the first meeting.
Was just sad to see tbh.
I mean y’all are a young team with crazy bounce to their steps, don’t really know any better, and clearly hate the Knicks (watching that Wizards game it was clear from the jump your team was looking a game ahead). Knicks are a veteran team with nothing to prove in the regular season, that also matches up terribly against you guys (not to mention the guys that got minutes off the bench are terrible and won’t sniff a playoff minute). It sounds like excuses but I promise you it’s not. Detroit plays with consistency and consistency is incredibly important in this league.
I get what you mean and I agree with your perspective on this (young team vs veteran team). It’s just, man, I’d rather watch something else. Especially when the media is hyping up a matchup, and it’s on national TV.
That first game was during the Cup Curse period. Team was like that for a while against everyone. I think it’s psychologically hard to get back into good energy after celebrating an accomplishment. It’s happened to all three cup winners so far.
It’s also weird how Mike Brown has set up against you guys. Resting players and then he only played Mitch like 16mins against y’all and giving some 3rd stringers a decent run in that game. He let Jordan Clarkson get a good run too and that’s just a disaster waiting to happen against your defense. Idk it’s just been really weird with the way the Knicks have played yall this year. Not an excuse but just an observation
The first matchup was during a period the Knicks looked lifeless against everybody, so it wasn’t just yall. The second matchup Knicks were shorthanded and just played an awful game. Doesn’t help that you guys clearly get up for the Knicks matchup and the Knicks (call it arrogance or veteran gamesmanship) couldn’t care less. 100% a playoff series will look a lot different than these games but it’s a repeated pattern for the Knicks to not show up for big regular season games. I don’t like it but this is a veteran group and I trust them to show up when the time comes.
You guys completely sucked the life out of us quickly that second game. First quarter was pretty competitive and we got shaky at the end which you pounced on and went up 11 with that 3 to end the quarter, then opened the 2nd with 4 different guys hitting 5 threes. From that point we were just playing from way too far behind. You guys were on fire from 3 for a while too, some of it was poor defense on our part but a few of them I feel we defended them as well as one can outside of sending a double and you were still just nailing them. And you can’t really send doubles when everyone is hitting like that.
The Knicks played exactly like this against OKC, Boston & Cleveland last year… non-competitive… I don’t know why when we’re playing the absolute top of the top, the Knicks just don’t show up (in the regulare season, at least).
It’s a very long season. Almost every team has rough stretches and off-games every once in a while.
Is this the most competitive the NBA has been as a whole in a bit?
I looked at the east and west standings the other day and was shocked at how similar the win counts were. Obviously the Thunder are ahead of everyone but the Pistons are only a few games behind them and are significantly ahead of everyone else. The lower part of the standings favor the West slightly but the 2-7 spots across conferences are all really close in wins.
[removed]
Gotta respect someone who will beat their chest over their team even when they’re in a bit of a skid
Wait what did he say, his comment got removed by a mod?
“Remind me abt that when OKC have won their fourth in a row”
lol that’s it? How that get removed by a mod? lol
I feel so!
Hornets top 15 wasn’t on my bingo card
You’re right, they should be higher.
If Charlotte beats Detroit tonight the conversations are gonna get hype. Top 10 wouldn’t be ridiculous.
why are knicks +4, insane
Dude you are the most miserable Knicks fan on the planet lol. They won a double OT game over the Nuggets with Jokic back in the lineup and playing a ton of minutes, and they smoked Boston. And they were on an 8 game win streak before Detroit.
They got obliterated by Detroit, but based on those other two games that should be more a nod to how good Detroit is playing.
Jokic back from an injury and playing way more minutes than was safe or smart. Either way, I’m not going to pretend this team is infallible like you and so many other Knicks fans do. So.
Nobody said they’re infallible. They just had a great week and beat two of the teams you’re seemingly upset about them jumping.
everyone who disagrees with me is uPsEt!!!
You’ve been miserable all season, man. I’m not just saying it about that one comment. You can’t even take satisfaction in a double OT win at home to win their 8th straight game because Jokic was too hurt for you to feel satisfied by it.
But fair enough. Which teams to you disagree with the Knicks jumping and why?
now you want to try to have a discussion? really?
I’m giving you the floor to tell the truths nobody wants to hear.
giving me the floor lmao. you come in hot and insult/complain about me, then “give me the floor” in a discussion you somehow expect me to now want to be a part of. no thanks. have fun watching basketball. ill do the same.
Because they have won 9 out of their last 10 games and have the highest rated defense over that span?
9-1 in their last 10 dumbass
against mostly shit teams, but go off little bro
Number 5 and number 6 team on this list
how many teams is that
1+1=2 my king.
You’ll learn numbers next year in kindergarten bro don’t worry
sorry your argument sucks so bad you have to resort to little kid insults
Damn Lakers at 11
The Hornets are in the top half of the league in power rankings. Let’s fucking go.
How are Celtics up 3? We just had an ass game
You won the other ones. We got blown out by Detroit and moved up too. The eastern conference as a whole is on fire
No you don’t understand, those two games mean neither team is any good
Cavs have not yet reached their final form
How can the pistons lose to the Wizards and stay at #1? No East team deserves that spot.
Kings legitimately are the worst run organization in the league right now. They somehow managed to make the worst trade at the deadline, again.
Hornets in everyone’s rear view, closer than they appear
Boston being this good without Tatum is so impressive.
OKC > Pistons
Knicks > Spurs
Knicks>spurs is the biggest joke i heard this week
did you watch the NBA Cup lol
Yeah a game from December (we are in February) and a wemby who was playing knowing that his grandma died in the morning and cant go back to France
Wemby’s mourning that day.
Now did you watch champagnie rained 3 pointers on yo asses?
A Wemby that was clearly not in the right headspace
lol cmon
my point exactly. newborn pups don’t usually get it done in the playoffs or big games because they aren’t experienced.
look at Choker Cade last year. …
Ok bro u are just hater get out here
Those “newborn pups” just beat okc in the same cup game.
And what freaking experience are you bragging about? 2nd round exit? Choking to haliburton?
im not bragging about anything weirdo
my argument is regarding playoff performance so you reiterating a good regular season performance is still irrelevant to the hypothesis.
Knicks whole starting 5 has years and years / multiple series of experience.
Spurs have almost none.
Long running pattern of ECF loser winning it the next year BTW, just a trend but worth consideration
and if you watched the NBA for decades you’d know there’s a pretty clear pattern re: top seeded RS puppy teams in the playoffs not meeting their RS standard
Knicks were 0-10 vs top teams in RS last year including 0-4 vs Celtics and you know how that playoff series went…
You keep bragging beating a tatum-less celtics little punk. Go to school.
Celtics were already going down 3-1 with Tatum when he got injured with under 3 min to play .. on a play that was putting NY up by 9 with all the momentum ….
Game was over, series was basically over too.
everyone who watched the series knows that, do better LOW IQ little wench.
GO TO SCHOOL little bch
What happened the last time the Spurs played the Knicks?
they barely squeaked out a 2 point win in a game NY was missing 3 of its top 7 in Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, and Landry Shamet?
and in which Julian Champagnie had a career shooting game the likes of which he is unlikely to ever reciprocate?
You’re acting like Wemby didn’t get hurt early in the 4th when he had 31 in 24 minutes on 10⁄12 shooting lol
Anyone with a modicum of NBA IQ knows that historically, a brutally inexperienced team like Spurs does not go as far as a vet team like the Knicks
Spurs also have vets fox barnes kornet KJ …
they don’t have much in the way of playoff experience and Fox is the only leadership piece you mentioned and his total experience is one series that he lost
We dont fking care if they have vets or not , they have a big talent the starting and the bench , knicks have only the starting five the others are shit
I’m not sure how you watched the Cup Finals in a game Brunson and KAT didn’t even play well and your takeaway was the bench sucks.
dude is apparently experiencing PTSD related amnesia lol
15 total /10 offensive rebounds from Robinson in 18 minutes 😂, 15 and 14 points each from Clarkson and Kolek,
McBride and Shamet were both injured
KnIcKs OnLy HaVe FiVe PlAyErZ!
I don’t even really care about arguing which team is better. I just think it’s an insane take to suggest the bench actually completely sucks and they only played that well cause Wemby’s grandma died. Even if the Knicks lost that game the bench clearly showed their strength.
Knicks literally have 7 NBA level starters on their team what are you smoking?
they bring the best offensive rebounder per minute of all time off the bench in Mitchell Robinson
and Miles McBride is injured now but will be back - was in contention for 6MOY, 42% from 3, great defense …
Clarkson, Alvarado, Diawara, Kolek … they have some nice pieces you should level up your ball IQ
EDIT: How did I forget Landry Shamet …
Knicks losing by almost 40 to the pistons (despite a bunch of guys sitting) probably dropped that
no OG, Deuce, or KAT (might’ve actually been a positive) makes it hard to stay motivated and competitive against a top team
Thunder > Pistons > Knicks > Spurs > Thunder
“Knicks > Spurs” 🤣 Not really when champagnie sinked 11 threes on brunson’s head 🤣
Hornets should be in the top 6 imo
Hornets are legit. Looking forward to watching them vs the pistons tonight
Last 10 games, #4 off rtg/#2 def rtg/#2 net rtg. Should be way higher.
Fixed:
Boston above san antonio means you know nothin about hoop
Boston’s defense is better, they have a better point differential, they have more experience, and they have a coaching edge.
By beating the poverty stricken eastern teams? Did you watch when boston played the spurs? wemby casually sleepwalked to a W
Come on eastern teams. Don’t be silly.
Boston above New York is laughable
Says the Knicks fan. Look, we can disagree, but ranking BOS 1 spot above NYK when they have identical records is far from “laughable.” Boston’s defense is better, they have a better point differential, and Jaylen Brown is better than anyone on the Knicks’ roster.
Spurs have the most recent head to head against 3 of the four teams you placed above them and they’ve won 4 in a row. Laughable take.