Ranking All 30 NBA Teams Into 6 Different Tiers

Every season, the NBA has 30 teams that have a chance of winning a championship. As the season progresses, teams usually fall into place with some competing for the coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy, while the others are hoping for the best with the Draft Lottery.

For the 2024-25 season, it is important to look into the teams being separated into multiple tiers. The tiers are: Title Favorites, Serious Contenders, Dark Horses, Play-In Teams, and Lottery Teams.

This tier list will give you a good look into the league and what has transpired in the 2024-25 season. It is important to look at the overall competitive landscape in the NBA, as it could help fans see the highs and lows of the world’s best basketball league. Let us take a look at the teams and how they fall into place in this tier list:

Title Favorites

Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks

As the defending champions from the 2023-24 season, the Boston Celtics are near the top of the Eastern Conference at 21-6. They have maintained their championship core from the previous year and are already one of the top teams in the 2024-25 campaign.

The combination of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continues to be the superstars, averaging 28.3 points, nine rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game and 23.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists a night respectively. Combined with an elite supporting cast, expect the Celtics to remain the heavy favorite to win it all come June 2025.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have gradually built a title contender through the NBA Draft and some smart trades, and are at the top of the Western Conference at 22-5. Trading for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was one of General Manager Sam Presti’s best-ever moves because he has turned out to be an All-NBA player. The Canadian guard has a stat line of 30.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and two steals per game, as he continues to blossom into among the league’s finest.

With the league’s best defense, the Thunder deserves to be a title contender. They have a defensive rating of 103.1, far and away, the best in the NBA. They have the versatility to guard any kind of play style because Sam Presti built a team filled with athletic wing players like Jalen Williams and Lu Dort with elite rim protectors like Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

After starting the 24-25 season with a 15-game winning streak, the Cleveland Cavaliers have cooled down. But, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen are still one of the best core groups in the league. They have it all from the offense to the defense, as Coach Kenny Atkinson has crafted an excellent system to carry this Cavaliers team into contention and a strong Eastern Conference-leading 24-4.

Lastly, the Dallas Mavericks have gone slightly under the radar but are among the favorites to win the championship. They are motivated to compete for the trophy again after coming close in the 2024 Finals against Boston. Coach Jason Kidd's team has a 17-10 record, and are gradually improving as the season progresses.

With Luka Doncic averaging 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists a game, the team already has a superstar. Add Kyrie Irving’s 23.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per night, and you get one of the best duos in the league. The Boston Celtics might be the overwhelming favorite but do not be surprised when the Mavericks run it back in the 2025 Finals.

Serious Contenders

Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies

Anything is possible with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic on the roster, but the Denver Nuggets have been a level below the best teams in the league in the 24-25 season. They can always elevate themselves to the next level, but Jamal Murray is struggling with his stat line of 18.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists per game, and just 42.8% from the field. Thankfully, Jokic is still playing at an MVP level with averages of 31.0 points, 13 rebounds, and 9.8 assists a night on excellent efficiency, leading the Nuggets to a 14-11 record.

The New York Knicks doubled down on their roster when they pulled off trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges in the summer. Towns, in particular, has been the Knicks’ best player, averaging 25.0 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, even if he's still shocked he's not in Minnesota anymore. With a Jalen Brunson-led roster, the Knicks have a good chance of competing for the title with a record of 17-10.

After a horrible start, many wrote the Milwaukee Bucks off. It was a fair conclusion because winning only two games out of the first 10 is a red flag. That did not happen with the Bucks because Giannis Antetokounmpo has been stellar, averaging 32.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 61.4% from the field.

He also has a co-star in Damian Lillard, posting 25.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. Bouncing back from a horrible start has been awesome for the Bucks, winning the Emirates NBA Cup, and propelling them to title contender status again with a 14-12 record.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a sleeping NBA giant because they have always focused on development. Most of their players have grown in-house, but Ja Morant remains the superstar. After playing only nine games in the 23-24 season, Morant is back and is averaging 21.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists.

The supporting cast also deserves some love because they have productive players across the whole roster like Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Marcus Smart, Santi Aldama, and more spearheading the charge to a 19-9 record.

Dark Horses

Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns

Coach Ime Udoka has made the team into one of the best defensive teams in the league. They have the second-best defensive rating in the league at 105.6 just behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Rockets is near the top of the Western Conference with an 18-9 record.

Amen Thompson and Tari Eason have been a nightmare for opposing teams because of their suffocating defense and boundless energy. Alperen Sengun is still a steady center with 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, while Jalen Green provides a scoring punch with 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a night.

After a superb 23-24 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been set back after the blockbuster trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The progress is still encouraging due to Anthony Edwards’ star power and his production of 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and four assists per game. However, they are only dark horses after being contenders in the previous campaign with a 14-12 record.

The Golden State Warriors have been an impressive team in the 24-25 season despite losing one of their pillars, Klay Thompson. Of course, Stephen Curry remains among the NBA’s best players with averages of 22 points, five rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. Coach Steve Kerr has maintained a strong defensive unit with Draymond Green as the anchor, making them among the toughest teams to play against, as evidenced by their 14-12 tally so far.

After a slow start to the season, the Miami Heat have gradually picked themselves up and are competing for a high seed with a 13-12 record. Tyler Herro has been the star player during the 24-25 season, averaging 24.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Bam Adebayo has been disappointing on offense with 16.2 points per game on 44.3% from the field, but thankfully, his defense is still solid, which makes the Miami Heat a challenging opponent.

The Phoenix Suns are always dark horses as long as they have Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the roster. The former is playing at a high level, posting a stat line of 26.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on solid efficiency. Devin Booker is close behind with 25.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists a night. As long as their supporting cast can play well, this team has the potential to compete for a title come Playoff time, especially as they sport a 14-12 record.

Play-In Teams

Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets

The Sacramento Kings are benefiting from another fantastic De’Aaron Fox campaign because he is averaging 26.2 points, five assists, and 6.1 assists per game. Unfortunately, the DeMar DeRozan experiment is not working out because they are not the same team that continuously said “Light the Beam” a couple of seasons ago due to their constant wins, but they only have a 13-15 record now.

Cade Cunningham has been superb for the Detroit Pistons, averaging 23.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 9.6 assists. They have the potential to compete because of their burgeoning star, but he needs more help from the rest of the Pistons roster if they want a shot in the Play-In race with their record of 11-17.

The Chicago Bulls have been surprising because they are a decent team in the 24-25 season. Zach LaVine is healthy, as seen in his averages of 22.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Nikola Vucevic has also been good with a stat line of 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Expect this Bulls team to remain competitive in the Play-In Race with a record of 13-15, but that could change with all the trade rumors surrounding this team.

With Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs roster, anything is possible. The 7’5” Frenchman has a stat line of 24.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and a league-leading 3.5 blocks per game. This team is a good mix of youngsters like Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan, but veterans like Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes have helped the team compete for a spot in the Play-In Tournament or even an outright spot in the Playoffs due to their 14-13 record.

Before the 24-25 season, the Brooklyn Nets were projected as one of the worst teams in the league. First-year head coach Jordi Fernandez has been superb because he has taken this unlikely group into the Play-In Tournament race with an 11-16 record. Unfortunately, this might not last long because the Nets would be the most active team in the trade market, as seen with the deal they made sending Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors.

Lottery Teams

Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards

The first tier is called “Lottery Teams”, an apt term for the teams that do not have a chance of making it into the Playoffs. They are teams that will get involved in the Draft Lottery, where they could get high-value selections. These teams are focused on developing their young talent or are failing miserably in their quest to compete for a Playoff spot.

The Philadelphia 76ers are difficult to gauge because they have some of the league’s most talented players. They have an MVP player in Joel Embiid, but unfortunately, he continues to deal with injuries. He has only played six games this season, and he is only averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and one block per game.

New signing Paul George has been underwhelming with his stat line of 17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. They had a bright spot with rookie Jared McCain scoring 15.3 points per game, but he tore his meniscus, taking him out of the Rookie of the Year race. Some are concerned that this might lead to the 76ers tanking again if the need arises due to their 9-16 record.

Like the 76ers, the New Orleans Pelicans have also suffered many injuries this season, influencing their 5-23 record. That has made them one of the worst-performing teams in the league, especially because Zion Williamson has only played six games. He has been good in those six games with a stat line of 22.7 points, eight rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

Brandon Ingram has been a bright spot for the Pelicans with a stat line of 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Unfortunately for New Orleans Pelicans fans, that has not translated to wins, and the struggles could lead to a full-on rebuild with the potential fire sale.

The Utah Jazz are firmly in the “Capture the Flagg” race for projected 2025 #1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. They are not a good team, and it also does not help that star player Lauri Markkanen has regressed. He has a stat line of 19 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, all down from the 2023-24 season. With the Jazz’s disappointing campaign continuing, they will stay among the worst teams in the league and firmly in the Lottery tier since they already have a 6-20 tally.

The Portland Trail Blazers have shown signs of life with their development, but sophomore Scoot Henderson has struggled with averages of 10.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and five assists, His inefficiency from the field at 38.8% and from three at 27.3% is also an issue. Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons are bright spots with a combined 35 points per game, which has led to a few wins against good teams, but they are well within the race for Cooper Flagg at a 9-18 record.

Despite LaMelo Ball's promising season with averages of 30.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, the Charlotte Hornets continue to struggle. Brandon Miller is another bright spot with his 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game stat line. However, the rest of the team is not up to par, which means they are in the Lottery with their 7-21 record.

Even though they are in the Lottery tier, the Toronto Raptors have been competitive in most of the games they have played. They are a lottery-worthy team with their 7-21 record, but Scottie Barnes has looked encouraging with 20.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. But, the team does not have the same firepower as other Eastern Conference teams, especially with Barnes’ injury.

The Washington Wizards are probably the NBA’s worst team because they do not have the talent to keep up with other teams, as evidenced by the 4-21 record. Thankfully, they have some promising young players, headlined by Bilal Coulibaly. He is averaging 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, but the upside is there, especially with his physical gifts.