NBA Power Rankings 24-25: Top 10 teams after Week 8 ft. OKC Thunder and Boston Celtics
We officially have eight weeks of NBA basketball in the record books already. The season is flying by, and we're about to find out who's going to win this year's edition of the NBA Emirates Cup.
That means that as much as there's still more than enough time to turn things around, some teams are already starting to slide far away in the standings. They might not be able to recover from this slow start.
Conversely, other teams are getting red-hot, and it'll be interesting to see if they can maintain that momentum for when it actually matters the most. With that in mind, we'll share our list of the top 10 teams in the NBA right now.
NBA Power Rankings after Week 8 of the 2024-25 season
#10 Miami Heat
The Miami Heat continue to fly under the radar, yet they've won seven of their last 10 games. That's the third-best record in the league during that span.
Erik Spoelstra's team has now won four games in a row, and while there are rumors about them moving on from Jimmy Butler, that might not be the case if they get on a run.
#9 Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks have officially put their slow start behind them. They're finally above .500, and they almost made it to the NBA Emirates Cup final. They would even be a Play-In team now.
Trae Young is finally starting to look like himself, and while his offensive efficiency still isn't quite there, he's still leading the league with 12.1 assists per game. Also, they're averaging the 7th most points in the league.
#8 New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are starting to look more like the team analysts and fans thought they would look like to start the season. They've climbed all the way to the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Tom Thibodeau's team has won seven of their last 10 games, and they're 8-4 at Madison Square Garden for the season. They have the second-highest field goal percentage (49.7%), free throw percentage (80.8%) and 3-point percentage (38.4%) in the league.
#7 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have become an absolute pest on defense. Ime Udoka's team might not exactly play a modern brand of basketball, but they're definitely one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the league.
They've won six of their last 10 games, and their 10-3 home record ranks among the best in the game. They're 17-9 for the season and have the second-best defensive rating in the NBA at 105.6.
#6 Memphis Grizzlies
Now that they're healthier, the Memphis Grizzlies have emerged as a force to be reckoned with once again. They've lost just two of their last 10 games, although their 6-6 road record has room for improvement.
They have the fourth-best net rating in the league (+8.1) and the best-scoring offense in the entire NBA at 122.1 points per game. They're now No. 2 in the Western Conference.
#5 Boston Celtics
The defending NBA champions fell to No. 5 in the rankings, but not because they're not playing well or something like that. If anything, they've won eight of their last 10 matchups.
The Celtics have only lost five games all season, three at home and two on the road. They're just one game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they currently boast the third-highest scoring average in the game at 120.0 points per game.
#4 Dallas Mavericks
Jason Kidd's team has gotten healthier, and as a result, they've also gotten much more scary. They have the fourth-best offensive rating (119.4) and rank in the top-10 in most offensive stats.
Luka Doncic continues to be an MVP candidate, averaging 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 3.6 3-pointers per game on 45.9% from the floor.
#3 Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are no longer the vulnerable team we saw at the beginning of the season, and all the rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo or Doc Rivers have gone away.
The Bucks will compete for the NBA Emirates Cup final, with assistant coach Darvin Ham never losing a game in the competition. They're now sixth in the East after winning eight of their last 10 games.
#2 Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers aren't looking back or slowing down at all. They still have the best record in the league at 22-4, and they've won seven of their last 10 games.
Kenny Atkinson's team boasts the best home record in the league at 14-1. They currently have six players averaging double digits in scoring, including two coming off the bench.
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder are scary good right now. Even without Chet Holmgren, they've managed to win nine of their last 10 games.
Mark Daigneault's team made the NBA Emirates Cup Final and continues to hang onto the top spot in the Western Conference. They can win shootouts or play lock-down defense, and they don't have a glaring flaw right now.