NBA Power Rankings 2024-25: Top 10 teams after Week 9 ft. OKC Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks
The first two months of the 2024-25 NBA season are in the books. We've already seen the Milwaukee Bucks win the Emirates NBA Cup with a undefeated run and some teams look out of the playoff race already.
It's still early in the season but a handful of teams seem to be getting an edge atop both conferences. Others still have time to turn things around and salvage their seasons.
With that in mind, here's an in-depth look at what happened the past week, sharing our weekly update of the top 10 teams.
NBA Power Rankings after Week 9 of the 2024-25 season
#10 Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are no longer the same struggling team from earlier in the season. Quin Snyder's team is finding its groove, and the Hawks could be a dangerous matchup in the playoffs.
The Hawks have won six of their past 10 games and are flirting with .500 basketball. They're now seventh in the Eastern Conference and are just two games away from the fifth spot.
#9 Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets continue to struggle to be at their best. They have had a tough time getting past lesser teams, but Nikola Jokic's MVP-caliber season still has them afloat.
Jokic is almost averaging a triple-double at 30.9 points, 13.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game on 56.3% shotting from the floor and 50.5% from beyond the arc, and they will reportedly be very active in trade talks.
#8 Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have left their slow start behind them. They've won eight of their last 10 games to take their record to 18-10, which is good for fourth in the West.
They currently have the fifth-best offense in the league, scoring 118.0 points per game on 48.6% shooting. The Southwest division has four teams above .500, and the Mavs are just 1.5 games away from the top.
#7 New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have looked much better over the past week or so. They're winners of eight of their last 10 games, including three in a row. They went undefeated in a short week.
Tom Thibodeau's team is knocking down 3-pointers at the second-highest percentage in the league (39.6%), while also making the seventh-most 3s overall (403).
#6 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have only lost nine games all season. Their hardnosed defense has them as the kind of gritty team no one wants to come across on any given night.
They've won seven of their last 10 games, and they're 11-3 at home. They're just 3.5 games away from the top spot in the West, and it wouldn't be shocking to see them there by the end of the season.
#5 Milwaukee Bucks
A couple of weeks ago, people were talking about how the Milwaukee Bucks might have to blow up their roster. Now, they're talking about the moves they could make to add even more talent.
This is what happens when you are in a roll. The Bucks are now 15-12 for the season and have won seven of their last 10 games. That's eight games if you add the win in the Emirates NBA Cup final.
#4 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics continue to have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, creeping in on the best team in the league. The defending champions have only lost two games away from home all season long.
The Celtics are leading the league in 3-pointers made by a significant margin. So far, they've knocked down 523 triples. Their efficiency, however, hasn't always been there, as they rank 15th in 3-point shooting percentage (36.6%).
#3 Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are once again proving that they just need to stay healthy to be one of the most dangerous teams in the game. With that being the case, they've now won eight of their last 10. The Grizzlies have a 13-3 record at home.
#2 Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the league for yet another week. Kenny Atkinson's team has lost just four games all year long, and they have a league-best 16-1 record at home.
The Cavaliers are scoring the second-most points per game (122) while boasting the second-highest shooting percentage (50.5%). They also have the highest 3-point shooting percentage (40.5%).
#1 OKC Thunder
The OKC Thunder couldn't get the job done in the Emirates NBA Cup final, but they continue to hold onto the top spot in our rankings. They've won nine of their last 10 games.
Mark Daigneault's team is 22-5 after nine weeks, including 10-2 at home and 12-3 on the road. They average the fewest turnovers per game (11.3) and have the best assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3).