Following the All-Star break, NBA power rankings from USA TODAY Sports and Thunder Wire place the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs at or near the top of the standings. The Pistons maintain a strong position with a 42-13 record after five straight wins, while the Thunder lead at 44-14 despite injuries to key players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's absence has opened discussions about Cade Cunningham emerging as an MVP contender.
The 2025-26 NBA regular season has entered its final third, with teams jockeying for playoff positioning or draft lottery odds. USA TODAY Sports' Week 17 power rankings, based on records through February 8, rank the Detroit Pistons first at 42-13, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder at 44-14 and the San Antonio Spurs at 40-16. The Pistons solidified their spot with a victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, boasting the league's second-ranked defensive rating of 108.3. Cade Cunningham scored 40 points in that blowout, fueling talk of his MVP candidacy as Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander misses time due to an abdominal strain.
Thunder Wire's rankings for February 16-22 invert the top two, placing the Thunder first and Pistons second, with the Spurs third. Both outlets highlight the Spurs' eight-game winning streak, during which Victor Wembanyama has averaged 25.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks. The Boston Celtics sit fourth in USA TODAY's list at 37-19, up one spot, while Cleveland Cavaliers rise to sixth at 36-22.
Injuries continue to impact contenders. The Phoenix Suns suffered a blow with Dillon Brooks' broken left hand, potentially sidelining him for the stretch run. The Orlando Magic remain without Franz Wagner due to an ankle sprain, and the Miami Heat have gained from Tyler Herro's recent 24-point bench performance in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. Lower-ranked teams like the Sacramento Kings (12-46) have lost 16 straight and shut down players, while the Chicago Bulls (24-34) have dropped nine consecutive. The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers faced fines for tanking efforts.
The race for the No. 1 seed intensifies, with the top teams showing consistency amid a quarter of the season left before playoffs.
