Top 10 teams in the NBA right now

The NBA season is in full swing and the standings have begun to take shape in both conferences. Some teams have been hot since day one, and others have yet to find their rhythm.

With that being said, here is my take on what the top ten teams in the NBA currently are:

10. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have been one of the most confusing teams for a while now. Last season they shocked the basketball world by firing coach Adrian Griffin in favor of Doc Rivers.

Additionally, the Bucks lost in the first round, again, last season to the Indiana Pacers. All in all, Milwaukee has been disappointing in the last few seasons.

However, this team still features two of the best players in the NBA. Giannis Antetekounmpo and Damian Lillard are as talented a duo as any in the league. To win in this league you need stars. The Bucks have two of the best.

While they currently have only a few games over .500, the Bucks are still a force to be reckoned with.

9. Dallas Mavericks

After an improbable run to the NBA Finals last season, the Mavericks roster underwent many changes. Derrick Jones Jr. and Josh Green both walked in free agency but Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall were brought in.

With that said, Dallas is still gelling as a unit. Unfortunately for them, both Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving have missed time due to injury. The Mavericks, like the Bucks, are only a few games above .500.

The Mavericks are still the reigning conference champions. We know what they are capable of and they can’t be counted out.

8. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies are off to a great start this year after a forgettable 2023-24 season. Memphis currently holds a top seed in the Western Conference and seems to be dominating the regular season once again.

So why have I ranked them as low as eight? The answer is simple: they haven’t proven anything.

The Grizzlies in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons finished as the second seed. They were only able to win one playoff series, which went seven games, between both of those seasons. In other words, they’ve underachieved in the playoffs.

The Grizzlies also have quite the injury history as well. If they can stay healthy, they will surely be around the top of the conference. However, it’s been a while since they’ve been able to make it to the end of the season with their main guys actually playing.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves went on an improbable run themselves last year before losing to the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Despite the loss, the future looked promising. Their defense was regarded as one of the best in basketball and Anthony Edwards had seemingly become everyone’s favorite player.

They took a massive gamble in the offseason, however, and it hasn’t paid off yet. Trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle seemed fair at the time, but it looks currently that the Knicks have won the deal.

Both DiVincenzo and Randle’s stats are down this season compared to before the trade. Like I said before, though, we can’t forget who Minnesota is. This is still the team, with Edwards, that took out both Denver and Phoenix last year.

6. Houston Rockets

The Rockets have arguably been the biggest overachiever to this point of the season as they currently sit second in the west, well above .500. Their young core has developed nicely, and the veterans they’ve signed have complimented the roster well.

Jalen Green is currently averaging over 21 points per game and has continued to bud after his explosion late last season. The only real problem I have with the Rockets is that, unlike the other teams on this list, Houston doesn’t have a superstar player.

Again, Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, and Fred VanVleet are great players, but they are not superstars. I feel like in order to have a real shot at winning anything major, you need superstars.

5. Denver Nuggets

Despite being sluggish at times, the Denver Nuggets are still right in the mix in the standings. While they might not be the number one or two seed like they have been in years past, the Nuggets are still very dangerous.

Nikola Jokić is still the best player in the NBA, and Jamal Murray has played much better recently after struggling early on. The Nuggets lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason, but signing Russell Westbrook has been a steal.

The veteran guard has averaged 13/5/6 this season providing a spark off the bench. Winning a championship in 2023, this Denver squad is as proven as any.

4. New York Knicks

As I mentioned earlier, the Knicks won the big trade of the offseason so far by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns has averaged over 25 points per game along with nearly 14 rebounds.

Mikal Bridges, while he has slumped from time to time, is still averaging 18 points per game and remains an ideal three and D wing player. The Knicks, of course, still feature Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby as well.

The Knicks have a great defensive, hard-working system mixed with their star power too. They’re one of the last teams you’d want to play in the playoffs because they’ll beat you up physically. As of right now, they look primed to make a run at the conference.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers

After a ridiculous 15-0 start, the Cavs planted their foot down right away. Donovan Mitchell has continued to shine, but a healthy Evan Mobley and resurging Darius Garland have Cleveland on top of the east.

Despite criticism during the offseason the Cavs faced after firing J.B. Bickerstaff, Kenny Atkinson has this squad firing on all cylinders. Cleveland currently has the best record in the league, so why are they ranked third?

To me, there are still teams I trust more than Cleveland at the end of the day. Plus, they haven’t done any damage in the playoffs since their return two seasons ago.

2. Boston Celtics

The defending NBA champions and current second-seeded Celtics had to be high on the list. They were clearly and definitely the best team in basketball last year. Additionally, they’ve kept virtually the same roster from last season.

While there are currently two teams with better records, I still trust Boston to win when it matters more. They proved they could reach the mountaintop last year and I think are more than capable of reaching the summit again.

The Celtics have a star duo in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum but are surrounded by maybe the best role players you can find. They’re so good, in fact, that many just consider them stars as well.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are fast, slick, and efficient. They are everything you need a winning NBA roster to be. Despite the injury to Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City sits atop the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be an MVP front-runner as he currently averages 31/5/6.

The Thunder have looked like a machine to this point. Everyone on their roster knows their exact role, and how to play it well. Gilgeous-Alexander is the main ball-handler and scorer. He is surrounded by great defensive wings and shooters.

I think it will be hard to stop this Oklahoma City team. Yes, they haven’t won anything before either, but this team feels unstoppable at times.

So there you have it, my current top ten teams in the league. This list, of course, is opinionated but I feel it has a solid foundation behind it. Only time will tell how valid this list actually is.

Alex Harkins is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email arh6278@psu.edu.