Grading EVERY NBA Team Going into 2026…
After a very interesting 2025 NBA offseason, the 2026 NBA season is just 60 days away and everyone is trying to decide how their team will perform. So, I went ahead and ranked all 30 NBA teams on a tierlist based on my prediction for how I think they will perform this upcoming season. Whether it’s teams like the Thunder, Rockets, Cavaliers, Knicks, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Clippers, Lakers or Warriors competing for the championship or teams like the Celtics, Bucks, Pacers, Sixers, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Spurs, and more fighting to be playoff teams, there’s a lot to talk about when it comes to this season. So, let’s talk about it.
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0:00 – Intro
0:55 – Boston Celtics
1:55 – Brooklyn Nets
2:24 – Atlanta Hawks
2:49 – Oklahoma City Thunder
3:16 – Houston Rockets
4:20 – Denver Nuggets
5:07 – Charlotte Hornets
5:45 – Golden State Warriors
6:43 – Chicago Bulls
7:19 – Orlando Magic
7:56 – Detroit Pistons
8:55 – Washington Wizards
9:24 – Phoenix Suns
10:07 – Philadelphia 76ers
11:04 – Memphis Grizzlies
11:55 – Los Angeles Lakers
12:44 – San Antonio Spurs
13:41 – Dallas Mavericks
14:33 – Indiana Pacers
15:19 – Los Angeles Clippers
16:24 – Cleveland Cavaliers
17:33 – Miami Heat
18:05 – New Orleans Pelicans
18:57 – Milwaukee Bucks
19:32 – Minnesota Timberwolves
20:33 – New York Knicks
21:32 – Toronto Raptors
22:18 – Portland Trailblazers
23:13 – Sacramento Kings
23:52 – Utah Jazz
24:19 – Outro
![Houston Rockets Full Schedule Breakdown [Rockets Retro Radio Ep. 002]](https://www.lovenba.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1756052168_maxresdefault-150x150.jpg)
27 Comments
not having the spurs as playoffs locks is embarrassing
Teams shouldn't be rewarded for being terrible, NBA should fix the lottery system
"I'm a lot lower on the Bucks than other people"…. who are these people high on the Bucks?
I don't buy the Mavericks as a tier above Playoff Contender. DLo is a huge dropoff from Kyrie, and they're depending a lot on Flagg transitioning to NBA basketball as quick as, say, Chet or Wemby
That was fun. I think the spurs are a playoff lock this year.
Grading the Lakers C is pretty much unfair. Period.
Clippers take is definitely going to age poorly
NBA has three powerhouse: OKC,Denver and Houston.. All other teams are support cast….
Ngl outsiders feel more confident about my heat than our own fanbase 😂
kings want JK because he is 22 and we want to get younger. 76ers are a lock??? for what injuries?
Move the Cavs down. They’re chokers.
I think you knew you fucked up when you put 76ers as a lock 😂
How can 8 teams in the west and 7 teams in the east can be a playoff lock ? Tbh I wouldn’t put the Mavericks as playoff lock. I think they are more of a play in team considering how tough the west is. Hawks are unproven and were a play in team for the last 4 years. Yes they improved but I don’t know if they are a lock. Sixers are a lock ? I’m not sure. Not even sure of the Pistons since they lost 2 of their best offensive players. Like these teams can make the playoffs but none of them scream lock to me.
Agree with everything but mavs and 76ers being a lock
Celtics not in lotery? Warriors playoff lock in the West (btw, big-3? Buttler isn't an all-star since 2022, and Draymon??? Where do you see a big-3?)? 76rs Playoff lock with Embbid and PG still not healthy? Mavs Playoff lock in the West (even crazier take than the Warriors)? Wolves real contenders?
BTW, do you realize that you did just put 8 teams on the West and 7 on East on playoff lock or higher when there are only 6 direct playoff spots on each conference? Math…
This is the kind of year that anything can happen and there will be a few teams that surprise.
MY LIST
contenders: thunder
nuggets
rockets
cavaliers
knicks
cusp of contention: timberwolves
clippers
magic
playoff lock: lakers
warriors
hawks
pistons
playoff caliber: spurs
mavericks
76ers
bucks
pacers
celtics
play in hopeful: trailblazers
pelicans
grizzlies
kings
raptors
heat
bulls
lottery: jazz
suns
wizards
hornets
nets
Gsw n Lakers r not a lock look at the West u tripping n Mavs r better than most teams healthy they could b a contender
let’s not forget the mavs were whooping the thunder all year without our best players
11:25 yeah…right
Consistent😂
MAVS higher than Grizzlies? With Kyrie being injured and AD being injury prone?
Okay😁
Raptors the 7-8 seed for sure
Mavs 😂 Dumbass
Suns > Mavs
This 2026 tier list will age wildly
Hawks disrespect is insane
You have “serious concerns” about the Lakers defensively but not at all concerned with the Clippers (who in your opinion is on the cusp of contention) defense who will be starting Harden, Beal, John Collins- who is NOT known as a defender, and Kawhii who obviously is not the defender he once was. Makes sense. Besides- if the Lakers put Smart AND Vando on the court to defend together, they’re locking up most lineups. Both those dudes are that good defensively- iso and switching.