NBA Power Rankings 24-25: Top 10 teams after Week 20 ft. Golden State Warriors and OKC Thunder

We've officially reached a point in which contending NBA teams are clinching their spots in the playoffs.

Two teams, the OKC Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers, have already punched their tickets to the postseason, with the latter even winning their division.

From now on, it will all be about playoff seeding. The rest of the field will go back and forth to secure a spot after the regular season and every single win counts.

With that in mind, we'll dig deep into the standings and stats to let you know about the 10 best teams in the NBA right now.

NBA Power Rankings after Week 20 of the 2024-25 season

#10 Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to avoid the Play-In Tournament, and they're playing their best brand of basketball right now. They showed that by blowing out the Denver Nuggets on the road.

They're third in the league in 3-pointers made (1,017), and Anthony Edwards' newly-found stroke from beyond the arc has made him one of the most complete scorers in the NBA. They're 38-29 and 7-3 in their last 10.

#9 Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets haven't been able to hold onto their top-three spot in the Western Conference and they're dangerously sliding down. They're just 6-4 in their last 10 and now No. 5 in the West.

Ime Udoka's team might be the most athletic in the league, but Houston needs more scoring. Right now, they're averaging just 112.9 points per game, which is good for 17th in the league.

#8 New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have alternated big wins with head-scratching losses. They've looked good against lesser competition, but not so much against contenders.

They've gone 5-5 in their last 10 games and Jalen Brunson's right ankle injury has plenty to do with that, as they're missing his 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game.

#7 Golden State Warriors

Don't look now, but the Golden State Warriors have gotten red hot since the Jimmy Butler trade. They're 9-1 in their last 10 and have only lost one game with Butler in the lineup.

Steve Kerr's team still has an uphill road to climb, but you can never count Stephen Curry out. They're 37-28 and just 3.5 games behind the No. 5 seed.

#6 LA Lakers

LeBron James' groin injury is a massive concern for J.J. Redick and the LA Lakers. The veteran forward will reportedly miss several weeks during the most crucial time in the season.

The Lakers are much improved on defense under Redick's tutelage. That has helped them climb to No. 4 in the West and they're 8-2 in their last 10.

#5 Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are back on track after a subpar couple of weeks. They might be just 5-5 in their last 10, but that has helped them get back to the second seed in the West.

They continue to boast the second highest-scoring offense in the league at a whopping 122.6 points per game, and they're also the second-best rebounding and shot-blocking team (47.6 and 6.0, respectively).

#4 Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic is on pace to average a triple-double for the season. He would then become the first big man to do so and just the third person to get those numbers in a single season.

He's played the best basketball of his career, and it's hard to disagree with those who think he should win MVP, as he's led his team to the third seed in the Western Conference.

#3 Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are struggling with injuries right now and they have often failed to get the job done against the top two teams in the Association. Even so, they're still the defending champions for a reason.

They might not be able to catch the Cleveland Cavaliers at the top of the East at this point. Still, they're leading the league in 3-pointers made (1,177) and shooting 37.0% from beyond the arc —sixth in the league.

#2 OKC Thunder

With their statement win over the Boston Celtics, the OKC Thunder have officially swept the regular-season series vs. the champions. More importantly, they've secured a postseason spot.

The Thunder have been atop the West since the beginning of the season, and they're 12 games ahead of the No. 2 team. They've gone 8-2 in their last 10 and look like a massive threat.

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers

As good as the OKC Thunder have been, no team has been more dominant than the Cleveland Cavaliers. They're just the sixth team to get multiple 15+ game-winning streaks in a single season.

They were the first team to clinch a playoff spot and they've already secured their divisional pennant again. They might not even lose 20 games this season at this rate.