ClutchPoints’ 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings Week 16: 76ers, Hornets becoming real threats in East

News

Finance

Sports

Mail

Story by

Story by
ClutchPoints’ 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings Week 16: 76ers, Hornets becoming real threats in East

Brett Siegel, ClutchPoints

Mon, Feb 9, 2026 ·

19 min read

About Our Ads

ClutchPoints' 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings Week 16: 76ers, Hornets becoming real threats in East appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

With the NBA trade deadline behind us and no team having more than 32 games left on its schedule, we are officially entering the part of the regular-season schedule where teams either prove their championship worth or show their flaws. That is why it's very important to assess the current state of all 30 teams in the NBA power rankings, especially with the All-Star break upon us.

You never know which teams will kick things into a higher gear coming out of the NBA All-Star break, but both the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets are surging and drawing the attention of the entire league.

The last time the Hornets won 10 straight games, Allen Iverson was leading the league in scoring, and LaMelo Ball wasn't even two years old yet. Charlotte can possibly accomplish this feat with a win on Monday against the Detroit Pistons , which would put them on a list with the Pistons and the Oklahoma City Thunder as the only teams in the NBA this season to win at least 10 straight games.

Over their last nine games, the Hornets rank second in offensive rating and third in defensive rating, and they have outscored their opponents by an average of 12.7 points per game. It is not hard to say that Charles Lee's team has completely flipped the script on their season and become one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference.

Maybe the Hornets aren't real title contenders like others, but nobody, including the Pistons, New York Knicks , and Boston Celtics at the top of the East standings, will want to see this young, emerging group in a seven-game playoff series.

The Philadelphia 76ers have also been kicking things into a higher gear right before the All-Star break, as they've won six of their last seven games and now find themselves inside the top 10 of the NBA power rankings.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of this run for the Sixers is that star big man Joel Embiid has only missed one game during this stretch. Embiid is the key to the 76ers' success and postseason aspirations, which is why it's certainly good news to see him playing at an MVP-like level with a full week's worth of rest approaching.

However, can Embiid continue this level of play for the next two months, especially regarding his overall knee health? This will be the biggest question in Philadelphia that their fans will continue to ignore and simply focus on the success they see on the court.

But overall, there is no denying that the 76ers are right behind the hierarchy of the East and certainly have a chance to make a run for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs during the stretch run of the season. As for the Hornets, this team is playing playoff-quality basketball right now and is only three games back from the 7-seed in the East.

That is why these are the two featured teams making the biggest jump in the latest NBA power rankings.

1. San Antonio Spurs (+2)

2025-26 Record: 36-16 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. OKC (W10), at DAL (W12), vs. DAL (W13)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at LAL (2/10), at GSW (2/11)

With the Thunder struggling and losing for the fourth time this season to them, the San Antonio Spurs have jumped back into the pole position in the NBA power rankings. Between their physicality on defense and steady play on offense, the Spurs have cemented themselves as true title contenders in the Western Conference.

As good as Victor Wembanyama is, especially when he steals the show with his dazzling dunks or monstrous blocks, Stephon Castle has been the biggest difference for the Spurs this season. Recently, the second-year guard recorded a 40-12-12 game, becoming the youngest player to produce such a game in NBA history .

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (-1)

2025-26 Record: 40-13 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. ORL (W36), at SAS (L10), vs. HOU (L6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at LAL (2/9), at PHX (2/11), vs. MIL (2/12)

Amid several injuries, notably to Jalen Williams , the Thunder have dropped five of their last eight games. Now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out through the All-Star break with an abdominal injury, which opens the door in the West.

Earlier this season, it seemed like the defending champions were far better than the rest of the league. That is something nobody is discussing now, as the Thunder's lead for the best record in the NBA is seriously in jeopardy, especially with the Spurs just 3.5 games back of them. This is danger time for Oklahoma City before the All-Star break, as they are very vulnerable right now.

3. Detroit Pistons (-1)

2025-26 Record: 38-13 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. DEN (W3), vs. WAS (L9), vs. NYK (W38)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at CHA (2/9), at TOR (2/11)

After a shocking loss to the Washington Wizards right after the trade deadline, the Pistons responded in a huge way with a 38-point win against the New York Knicks. This team has not dropped back-to-back games in 2026, and the Pistons have ranked among the best in the league offensively since the start of the new year.

Daniss Jenkins , who has been a breakout performer for the Pistons on a two-way contract this season, recently had his deal converted to a two-year, $8 million contract, the highest single-season conversion amount for a two-way player in league history.

4. New York Knicks (+1)

2025-26 Record: 34-19 | Last Week's Schedule: at WAS (W31), vs. DEN (W7/2OT), at DET (L38), at BOS (W22)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. IND (2/10), at PHI (2/11)

Ever since their skid at the end of December and start of January, the Knicks have been one of the hottest teams in the league. If it weren't for their blowout loss in Detroit, this team would find itself on a 10-game winning streak right now.

Jalen Brunson , OG Anunoby , and Mikal Bridges have all been playing exceptionally well on offense during this stretch of success, and the Knicks have only allowed over 100 points four times in their last 10 games. If New York plays with this type of intensity on defense, it will win the Eastern Conference.

5. Denver Nuggets (-1)

2025-26 Record: 34-19 | Last Week's Schedule: at DET (L3), at NYK (L7/2OT), at CHI (W16)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. CLE (2/9), vs. MEM (2/11)

Nikola Jokic is back for the Denver Nuggets, which is good news given how many injuries this team has dealt with all season. However, Jokic's return has only led to someone else hitting the injury report, and this time it's Peyton Watson .

Watson suffered a hamstring injury in the team's double-overtime loss to the Knicks last week, and he will now miss at least a month with a hamstring strain. This is a major blow to the breakout wing and the Nuggets as a whole, especially since they are still without Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson.

6. Boston Celtics (+3)

2025-26 Record: 34-19 | Last Week's Schedule: at DAL (W10), at HOU (W21), vs. MIA (W2), vs. NYK (L22)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (2/11)

Will Jayson Tatum actually return to the court this season? It seems like such a decision would be rushed, even if he is cleared by medical personnel by the end of the regular season, but Tatum has been working hard and is progressing in his rehab.

The Boston Celtics' star still doesn't have a timetable for his eventual return, yet ESPN reported on Sunday that Tatum has started controlled 5-on-5 scrimmaging with coaches. Without Tatum, Jaylen Brown continues to play at an All-Star level, as he has scored at least 20 points in 15 straight games, including five double-doubles and a triple-double during this stretch.

7. Houston Rockets (-1)

2025-26 Record: 32-19 | Last Week's Schedule: at IND (W4), vs. BOS (L21), vs. CHA (L10), at OKC (W6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. LAC (2/10), vs. LAC (2/11)

Back-to-back double-digit losses to Boston and Charlotte were leading the Houston Rockets down a dark path. However, Kevin Durant and his team got back on track with a six-point win on the road against the Thunder, becoming just the fifth team this year to beat Oklahoma City on their home floor.

The Rockets have struggled over the last few weeks on offense, as they surprisingly rank 26th in offensive rating over their last eight games. On the other side of the court, Houston ranks ninth in defensive rating during this stretch.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers (+2)

2025-26 Record: 32-21 | Last Week's Schedule: at LAC (W33), at SAC (W6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at DEN (2/9), vs. WAS (2/11)

James Harden is the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, forming a strong-looking one-two punch with Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt. Even before Harden arrived, the Cavs have been one of the hottest teams in the league, as they have now won 15 of their last 20 games and have just one loss in their last nine games.

Mitchell has been sensational this season, and he's scored over 25 points in six of his last eight games. Cleveland is just two games back of Boston for the 3-seed in the East.

9. Los Angeles Lakers (+3)

2025-26 Record: 32-19 | Last Week's Schedule: at BKN (W16), vs. PHI (W4), vs. GSW (W6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. OKC (2/9), vs. SAS (2/10), vs. DAL (2/12)

Luka Doncic will miss his second straight game on Monday night against Oklahoma City due to a left hamstring injury, which will mark his 10th absence of the season. In order to qualify for end-of-season honors, the Los Angeles Lakers star must miss no more than 17 games.

The Lakers have been finding their groove on offense lately, averaging 116.9 points per game over their last eight games. Doncic and LeBron James have obviously contributed to this success, but as a team, Los Angeles is shooting 51.9 percent from the floor during this stretch, the best shooting percentage in the NBA.

10. Philadelphia 76ers (+3)

2025-26 Record: 30-22 | Last Week's Schedule: at LAC (W15), at GSW (W19), at LAL (L4), at PHX (W6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at POR (2/9), vs. NYK (2/11)

Since a rough stretch where they went 3-6, the 76ers have won six of their last seven games and are just 1.5 games back of the Cavs for the 4-seed in the Eastern Conference. As long as they remain healthy, the Sixers can contend not just for a top-4 spot in the East standings, but potentially a spot in the Eastern Conference championship.

However, health remains a concern for this group, as Paul George's suspension leaves little room for error. Embiid is essential to this team's success, and they will need him available for almost every game down the stretch to have a shot at claiming home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

11. Phoenix Suns (-3)

2025-26 Record: 31-22 | Last Week's Schedule: at POR (W5), vs. GSW (L4), vs. PHI (L6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. DAL (2/10), vs. OKC (2/11)

Both Jalen Green and Devin Booker have missed some games lately due to injury, leaving the Phoenix Suns without their two best dynamic scorers. Even so, Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie have stepped up in a big way to prove that the Suns are more than just their standout guards.

Phoenix ranks inside the top 10 defensively this season, and head coach Jordan Ott has really set the tone for Suns basketball. This team is gritty, physical, and wear down their opponents for 48 minutes every night. No team will want to face the Suns come playoff time.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves (-5)

2025-26 Record: 32-22 | Last Week's Schedule: at MEM (L9), at TOR (W2), vs. NOP (L4), vs. LAC (L19)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. ATL (2/9), vs. POR (2/11)

One week, the Minnesota Timberwolves go on a hot streak. and they rise into the top 10 of the NBA power rankings. The next week, as was illustrated in their last few games, the Wolves look like a completely different team that gives no effort and drops three games to those with a losing record.

That is why it's really hard to view Minnesota as a legit title contender this year, and this team's lack of effort some nights is concerning. It seems like this frustration has reached the locker room too, as Rudy Gobert recently called out some of his teammates by stating head coach Chris Finch needs to bench those not giving an effort.

13. Toronto Raptors (-2)

2025-26 Record: 32-22 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MIN (L2), vs. CHI (W16), vs. IND (W18)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. DET (2/11)

Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram continue to pave the way to success for this growing Toronto Raptors organization, as they have now won seven of their last 10 games to move a half-game behind the Cavs for the 4-seed in the East.

The Raptors are beginning to find their form on offense, scoring at least 120 points in four of their last five games. A win over the Pistons before the All-Star break would build a lot of confidence for this group, which currently finds itself 10 games over .500 on the season.

14. Golden State Warriors (-)

2025-26 Record: 28-25 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. PHI (L19), at PHX (W4), at LAL (L6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. MEM (2/9), vs. SAS (2/11)

Stephen Curry has missed three straight games as a result of right knee soreness , and the Golden State Warriors' offense has been abysmal without him. However, the Warriors were able to steal a game on the road in Phoenix as a result of their defense and fast-paced transition play.

Without Curry, Golden State has no chance to win any games or be a real threat in the postseason. That is why the Warriors are making sure he is 100 percent ready to go before returning this season, and they will take a similar approach with newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis . Even with all of their ailments, the Warriors are a team nobody will want to see fully healthy in the postseason.

15. Charlotte Hornets (+2)

2025-26 Record: 25-28 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. NOP (W7), at HOU (W10), at ATL (W7)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. DET (2/9), vs. ATL (2/11)

How good are the Hornets? This team currently owns the league's longest active win streak at nine games, and all of a sudden, Charlotte is in the play-in discussion. Gives Charles Lee a ton of credit for what he's done with this young group, as the Hornets are one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA.

During their current nine-game win streak, the Hornets rank second in offensive rating and third in defensive rating. It's not like the Hornets are beating up bad teams either, as wins over San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Houston stand out. If Charlotte can keep this momentum going in Detroit on Monday night, then look out!

16. Miami Heat (-)

2025-26 Record: 28-26 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. ATL (L12), at BOS (L2), at WAS (W31)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. UTA (2/9), at NOP (2/11)

The Miami Heat did not make a move for Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, nor did they strike a deal for Ja Morant . In fact, this team didn't make any moves whatsoever, and it seems like the Heat are content being a play-in tournament team yet again.

Without Tyler Herro , who continues to deal with injuries this year, Norman Powell has been Miami's only consistent source of scoring. He alone is not enough to make the Heat a real threat, which is why this franchise is stuck in a purgatory-like state in the NBA power rankings.

17. Los Angeles Clippers (-2)

2025-26 Record: 25-27 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. PHI (L15), vs. CLE (L33), at SAC (W3), at MIN (W19)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at HOU (2/10), at HOU (2/11)

It is quite remarkable to look at the LA Clippers being just two games below .500 this year when they were 6-21 before the holidays in December. Tyronn Lue and Kawhi Leonard deserve a lot of credit for turning things around, and now the Clippers seem to have a new direction.

After trading Harden and Ivica Zubac at the deadline, the Clippers are entering a new era, one highlighted by young, dynamic talents like Darius Garland , Bennedict Mathurin , Isaiah Jackson , and others. Although many think this team will take a step back for the remainder of the year, the Clippers may actually be better with more depth and speed to push the pace in transition.

18. Atlanta Hawks (+1)

2025-26 Record: 26-28 | Last Week's Schedule: at MIA (W12), vs. UTA (W2), vs. CHA (L7)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at MIN (2/9), at CHA (2/11)

As good as Jalen Johnson has been, this has been a disappointing year for the Atlanta Hawks. Dyson Daniels has not really built off his Most Improved Player campaign, and Zaccharie Risacher has yet to really emerge either. These two must be focal points alongside Johnson for the Hawks to take that next step as a franchise.

Now that Jonathan Kuminga is entering the mix, it should be interesting to see what this team looks like at full strength. Kuminga has a lot of potential and explosiveness, but is he the right fit for this team? We will soon find out after the All-Star break.

19. Orlando Magic (+1)

2025-26 Record: 27-24 | Last Week's Schedule: at OKC (L36), vs. BKN (W20), vs. UTA (W3)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. MIL (2/9), vs. MIL (2/11)

Unfortunately, the Orlando Magic have yet to prove they are anything threatening because they haven't been whole this entire season. When Paolo Banchero is healthy, Franz Wagner is not. When Wagner has been healthy, Jalen Suggs has not. And the cycle goes on and on and on.

Finally, Wagner is back, and the Magic's injury report is clean, so hopefully this is the case for the remainder of the regular season. At full strength, Orlando can be a sneaky threat in the East.

20. Portland Trail Blazers (+1)

2025-26 Record: 25-28 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. PHX (L5), vs. MEM (W20), vs. MEM (W7)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. PHI (2/9), at MIN (2/11), at UTA (2/12)

The Portland Trail Blazers snapped their recent six-game losing streak, and they picked up back-to-back wins over the Memphis Grizzlies . Still, Portland seems like a lock to be one of the final teams in the West's play-in tournament this season, and that is likely its ceiling.

However, the Blazers have proven to grow in a lot of ways this season outside of just Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe . One example is second-year center Donovan Clingan , who ranks second in rebounding this season and is averaging 14.0 rebounds per game over his last 12 games, the most in the league during this span.

21. Milwaukee Bucks (+4)

2025-26 Record: 21-29 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (W16), vs. NOP (W4/OT), vs. IND (W6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at ORL (2/9), at ORL (2/11)

Giannis is still with the Bucks past the trade deadline, which adds more drama to all the questions about his future in Milwaukee. The Bucks are in a weird spot because while they could punt this season and try to lose games, Giannis will want to come back and play, as he isn't one to sit out games when healthy and available.

What the next few months look like in Milwaukee entering the summer is the biggest mystery in the NBA, as GM Jon Horst and his staff will need to be very creative to persuade Antetokounmpo not to leave.

22. Chicago Bulls (-4)

2025-26 Record: 24-29 | Last Week's Schedule: at MIL (L16), at TOR (L16), vs. DEN (L16)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at BKN (2/9), at BOS (2/11)

What are the Chicago Bulls doing? Not only did this organization trade away Nikola Vucevic , Coby White , Ayo Dosunmu , and Kevin Huerter , but they got like six or seven guards for these guys and no first-round picks.

At this point, we might as well expect to see the Bulls near the bottom of the NBA power rankings moving forward. This franchise has no sense of direction, and they have been trapped in a rebuild since Michael Jordan retired in 1998.

23. Memphis Grizzlies (-)

2025-26 Record: 20-31 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MIN (W9), at SAC (W4), at POR (L20), at POR (L7)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at GSW (2/9), at DEN (2/11)

Now that Ja Morant will finish the 2025-26 season with the Memphis Grizzlies, will they shut him down for the remainder of the season? The Grizzlies are clearly entering a rebuild, and they will focus on developing their young talents for the remainder of the season.

Do not expect to see many wins from here on out, as the Grizzlies would love to land a high lottery pick and escalate their rebuild, one that is likely to result in Morant being traded in the summer.

24. Dallas Mavericks (-2)

2025-26 Record: 19-33 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. BOS (L10), vs. SAS (L12), at SAS (L13)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at PHX (2/10), at LAL (2/12)

The Dallas Mavericks have now lost seven straight games, their longest losing streak of the season. Many more losses are coming for the Mavs, as they have hit the reset button after their failed Anthony Davis experiment.

Cooper Flagg is the future of this organization, and the Mavs now have plenty of cap space to sort through their mess in the summer.

25. Utah Jazz (+4)

2025-26 Record: 16-37 | Last Week's Schedule: at IND (W9), at ATL (L2), at ORL (L3)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at MIA (2/9), vs. SAC (2/11)

Keep an eye on the Utah Jazz. Although they are clearly tanking and will throw games to keep their draft pick this year, the Jazz have a really strong-looking core after adding Jaren Jackson Jr. next to Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George .

In his debut against the Magic, before he was benched so the Jazz could throw the game, Jackson had 22 points, three rebounds, and three steals in 25 minutes. Jackson will fit in just fine in Will Hardy's system.

26. New Orleans Pelicans (-)

2025-26 Record: 14-40 | Last Week's Schedule: at CHA (L7), at MIL (L4/OT), at MIN (W4)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. SAC (2/9), vs. MIA (2/11)

Trey Murphy III is a rising star for the New Orleans Pelicans, and he proved this on Wednesday night when he had 44 points with 12 made threes in a 141-137 overtime loss to the Bucks.

Before Murphy, there had only been 13 times in league history that a player had made at least 12 threes. Stephen Curry has done so five different times, and the Pelicans' forward added his name to this illustrious list.

27. Indiana Pacers (-3)

2025-26 Record: 13-40 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. HOU (L4), vs. UTA (L9), at MIL (L6), at TOR (L18)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at NYK (2/10), at BKN (2/11)

The Indiana Pacers aren't "bad" this season. Well, they kind of are, but the fact of the matter is that the Pacers have dealt with a lot of injuries, and without Tyrese Haliburton , they have lost a lot of games late in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, there is a lot to like about the Pacers' chances of regaining relevance during the 2026-27 season, especially now that they have their long-term center in Ivica Zubac. He will fit in perfectly as a double-double machine who can elevate the Pacers' defense.

28. Brooklyn Nets (-)

2025-26 Record: 14-37 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. LAL (L16), at ORL (L20), vs. WAS (W14)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: vs. CHI (2/9), vs. IND (2/11)

Now that Cam Thomas is gone, the Brooklyn Nets will continue to let Michael Porter Jr. perform at his All-Star level, while also giving elevated opportunities to breakout rookie guard Egor Demin .

It is clear that the little spurt of success the Nets had in December was simply a glimpse into the future of this franchise. For the remainder of the 2025-26 season, Jordi Fernandez's job is keep developing his youthful talents while also only winning a few more games to maintain draft position.

29. Washington Wizards (-2)

2025-26 Record: 14-38 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. NYK (L31), at DET (W9), at BKN (L14), vs. MIA (L31)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at CLE (2/11)

Trading for Trae Young and Anthony Davis were two fantastic moves by the Washington Wizards, simply because they gave up nothing of value. With these two stars and plenty of young, athletic talents on their roster, it's not hard to believe that the Wizards can become threats in the East next season.

As far as this season goes, the Wizards have been very competitive as of late, winning four of their last eight games, with wins over Detroit and Portland in this stretch.

30. Sacramento Kings (-2)

2025-26 Record: 12-42 | Last Week's Schedule: vs. MEM (L4), vs. LAC (L3), vs. CLE (L6)

Upcoming Week's Schedule: at NOP (2/9), at UTA (2/11)

The Sacramento Kings are what their record says: bad.

At this point, the Kings need to shut down Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis for the rest of the season, as this organization literally has no incentive to win any more games.

Doing so would simply cost this franchise draft lottery odds, which is something they cannot afford since the Kings need a lot of good luck to avoid a four-to-five-year rebuild.

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: