2026 NBA preseason standings review

When I make my standings predictions in October, they usually are bad. When we reach this point in the season I like to review what I had because it always gives me a reason to talk about every team.

West

1. Thunder

Despite all of their injuries, the Thunder have been as good as advertised. No, I don’t think they are as good as it seemed they were in November and December but they are the favorites to win the title and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should win MVP.

2. Timberwolves

Another year I picked the Wolves to finish 2nd in the west and they are going to be without home court advantage in the first round. While I still think this team is dangerous, I just don't think they can beat both the Thunder and Spurs.

3. Nuggets

We have grandfathered the Nuggets into the third best team in the west and while I don’t think that's wrong, they have been disappointing this season. Yes, I still think this team can win the whole thing but their defense needs to get better because 21st isn’t going to cut it.

4. Clippers

The Clippers are 33-16 since their 6-21 start, one of the best records in the league over that stretch. A brutal loss to Portland on Tuesday night that puts them just a half game over the Blazers for 8th in the west, however.

5. Warriors 

Injuries have killed this Warriors season but they were too old to ever be a real contender to begin with, even if I did overreact to a few games early in the season. The 10th seed and a quick exit from the play-in seems all but decided for the 2nd time in 3 seasons for Golden State.

6. Rockets

After a really good start to the season, the Rockets have settled into 6th place in the Western Conference. Injuries to Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams killed any chance they had this season but they could still be a frisky round 1 team.

7. Spurs

I said I wasn’t going to be a year too late on San Antonio and then I picked the Clippers and Warriors to finish above them, ugh. Although, I don’t think even any of the biggest Spurs optimists could have seen this coming because they are title good.

8. Lakers

Since I wrote my ‘the Lakers are average’ blog, the Lakers have been one of the best teams in the NBA. I am interested to see how the playoffs go, however, because Los Angeles did close last season like this too. Though, this team is better than the one they had a season ago.

9. Mavericks

Our first tanking team. The Anthony Davis injuries and then trade killed any chance Dallas had at being good this season (though the Dereck Lively injury didn’t help). Don’t worry Mavs fans, Cooper Flagg is as good as advertised.

10. Suns

People forget this but picking the Suns to be 10th meant I was bullish on them this season. They have even passed my wildest expectations. This has been a really fun and surprising team to watch this season and will be interesting to see what they look like should they make the playoffs.

11. Grizzlies

The Grizzlies have just entered another rebuild, in February I wrote about how we ended up here. Good news is Cedric Coward is really good and looks like a building block for the future in Memphis.

12. Trail Blazers

Give Portland credit, with all the injuries they’ve dealt with, being in 9th place is impressive. Granted, the bottom of the Western Conference is so bad they have kind of fallen into a play-in spot but still a fun team to watch.

13. Pelicans 

The Pelicans are the only team who won’t be in the postseason who isn’t actively tanking right now and that is because they traded their first round pick. It really is a brutal turn of events for the Hawks to see the Pelicans win all these games because they thought they were a lock for a top 6 pick.

14. Kings

I thought the Kings were going to be bad and yet I didn’t think they’d be THIS bad. Woof man. You know in a cruel and twisted fate that Sacramento is going to not get a top 4 pick this year because they are the Kings and they are cursed.

15. Jazz

Zach Lowe said on his podcast on Tuesday that he thinks the Jazz can win 50 games next season. In a really good conference that feels a bit out there but for all the teams trying to turn around from tanking to winning next season (not from Indiana) the Jazz probably have the best chance.

East

1. Cavaliers

Cleveland started off bad and has turned their season around, just a game behind the Knicks for 3rd place in the East. Their defense worries me for how real of a contender they are but the top end talent says Cleveland has a real chance to make the Finals, which there is a lot of pressure to do.

2. Knicks

Like Cleveland, there is a lot of pressure on the Knicks to make the Finals this season. It doesn’t seem great that Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mike Brown said different variations of ‘we aren’t clicking right now’ on Tuesday night but this team is really good and is one of the favorites to win the conference.

3. Magic

It is not going well in Orlando. I wrote all about the Magic last week so check that out but I’ll say this, a playoff berth would surprise me at this point.

4. Hawks

The Hawks were in the same boat as the Magic for disappointments but their turnaround has taken them likely out of the play-in. I don’t think this team is much of a threat in the playoffs but with a 17-3 record since the All-Star break says maybe they are.

5. Pistons

The Pistons have become underrated at this point. No, I wouldn’t pick them over the Knicks or Celtics right now but this is a really good team that is absolutely a threat to win the east, assuming they get Cade Cunningham back.

6. Bucks

The season has not gone the way the Bucks wanted it too and it seems likely that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be playing for a new team next season. The Myles Turner move could not have gone worse than it has.

7. Celtics

The Celtics have been the surprise of this season and look like a real threat to win the title with Jayson Tatum back. Joe Mazzulla should be the Coach of the Year and while he won’t win the award Neemias Queta deserves more Most Improved Player love.

8. Heat

The Heat are what we expected the Heat to be this season. A mediocre team that may or may not make the playoffs but will certainly be in the play-in. It will be weird this season not getting a Heat-Bulls game in the play-in this time around.

9. 76ers

Philadelphia has had a really nice season. Tyrese Maxey seems like a lock to make All-NBA, assuming he gets the games played, and if Joel Embiid and Paul George can stay healthy, Philly could be a frisky first round team. VJ Edgecombe is also really good.

10. Bulls

The Bulls aren’t in the play-in! Yes, they are totally outside of the postseason but that is probably better than losing to the Heat in the play-in again. The rebuild has begun and hopefully (however unlikely it is) they get it right this time because the NBA is a better place when the Bulls are good.

11. Pacers

This has become the gap year from hell for Indiana, a top 4 pick in the draft would change the way this season felt. Also, are we sure Ivica Zubac is worth all they gave up for him, especially if they lose their pick?

12. Raptors

The Raptors are better than I expected them to be but I don’t see a world in which they present any threat to any of the top 4 in a playoff series. That doesn't change that Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes have had awesome seasons and this is a big success of a season for Toronto.

13. Hornets

Since Thanksgiving, the Hornets are 36-22, have the 3rd best offense, 5th best defense and 5th best net rating in the NBA. That is a very real stretch of the season and though I won’t pick them in a first round series, it wouldn’t surprise me if they upset someone. Kon Knueppel is my Rookie of the Year pick.

14. Wizards

The Wizards, Pacers and Nets are all in a race to the bottom of the standings, currently, Washington sits in 14th place. They want to win next season but even with the additions of Trae Young and Anthony Davis, I am skeptical of that.

15. Nets

The Nets had 5 first round picks and not one of them is likely to make an All-Rookie team. That seems not good, though Egor Demin’s injury is the reason he won’t make one. The Nets owe their pick to Houston next year so this year’s lottery is going to be their biggest night in a long time.