Every NBA Team, Ranked Based On Readers’ Opinions

DISCLAIMER: The rankings presented in this article are entirely based on the opinions of NewsCool Chronicle readers (more about the ranking system later). They in no way reflect my own personal views about the NBA teams. All quotes and reasoning will be provided from the anonymous user responses. In addition, any information about the win-loss records of the teams is as of the time of writing, and will soon be outdated. The bottom line is that I am a 13-year-old, and while it’s okay to get mad if your favorite team is ranked atrociously low, don’t shoot the messenger and send me hate mail or something. I’m looking at you too, parents. Speaking of parents, while a few did reach out to me individually and ask for access to the survey, unfortunately there were technical difficulties in allowing people without an NSSF email to complete the poll. That means that these opinions come from students (I’m still unsure whether the parents who emailed me directly ever filled out the form). I hope to fix that next time I put out a ranking survey. I would also like to note that this article was originally written nearly a month ago, but was unable to be published at that time, so thank you all for your great patience.

THE RANKINGS: The survey allowed participants to rank their top five NBA teams, along with the option to write reasons explaining why they voted for their preferred teams. Any quotes you see in this article were harvested from these blurbs. Every time someone ranked a given team (say the Warriors) as first, that team was awarded 5 points. If somebody ranked a team as second, the team was awarded 4 points, and so on (if a team was ranked fifth, it was awarded a mere one point). The survey also gave the participants the optional opportunity to rank their least favorite NBA team, which would receive NEGATIVE 3 points.

So without further ado, I present to you a reader-based ranking of each of the 30 teams in the National Basketball Association. 

30. BOSTON CELTICS (-10 points)

In the words of one passionate Boston Celtics fan, this team is the best in the NBA because “[the Celtics] have 18 championships! More than any other team in the NBA.”

While this may be true, many other participants did not agree that the Celtics were the best. In fact, FAR from it. The Celtics were ranked last by five different participants, more than any other team. Most of them stated that their hatred stemmed from an annoying fanbase, but one respondent went so far as to say that Celtics basketball was “rigged.” 

People had a lot of other bad stuff to say about the Celtics, including:

“The team only wins when they have 7+ first-round draft picks on the roster.”

“Celtics basketball is as rigged as Kansas City Chiefs football,” (this is true, neither are rigged).

“I have never had a single good encounter with a Celtics fan.”

My heart goes out to our one singular Celtics diehard, but the relentless shaming of the team by others leads to this back-of-the-pack spot.

29. UTAH JAZZ (-6 points)

The Utah Jazz have not had a terrible season so far. With a 10-15 record, they’re certainly below average, but they’re actually doing pretty well in their home games. The reason I think this team was ranked so low (with no participants placing it in their top 5) is because there’s nothing that stands out about this team, nothing to make it pop. A low-level team in the middle of Utah doesn’t exactly attract fans (unless you live in Utah or love Lauri Markannen).

28/27. BROOKLYN NETS / WASHINGTON WIZARDS (-3 points)

I’ll try to keep it simple when we come to teams like the Nets and the Wizards, because nobody had much to say about them on the survey. They both are traditionally low-performing teams, and the Nets for one are overshadowed by their more star-laden neighbors, the Knicks. The Wizards do have a promising center in Alex Sarr, but it’s worth noting that these teams have the worst and 3rd worst records in the Eastern Conference this season (7-18 for the Nets and 4-20 for the Wizards). But gosh, that Wizards logo might just be the cleverest in the NBA.

26. DETROIT PISTONS (-1 point)

Despite their outstanding current record (21-5, second best in the league!) and amazing season so far (Did you catch Cade Cunningham’s career-high 46-point game?), opinions on the Pistons were mixed. People advocating on their behalf cited the reasons that I have provided, while those against the Pistons did so due to their below-average history. One respondent justified their choice to rank the Pistons as last because “they have not won a championship since 2004.”

25/24/23. MIAMI HEAT / NEW ORLEANS PELICANS / CHARLOTTE HORNETS (0 points)

Nobody had anything to say about these three teams. No haters or fans. I’m honestly kind of relieved, because I was worried for a second that kids would promote the Hornets due to the LaMelo Ball 6’ 7’’ meme.

22/21. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS / SACRAMENTO KINGS (2 points)

The Clippers and the Kings both landed just inside positive-point territory. Fans promoted these teams mostly out of respect for Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Domantas Sabonis, and Russell Westbrook. These two are also both Californian teams, which may have drawn fans to vote for them because of their semi-locality.

20/19. TORONTO RAPTORS / ORLANDO MAGIC (3 points)

Despite ending up in the same place, the Raptors and the Magic had very different stories when it came to the voting. Raptors fans cited Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, R.J. Barrett, and their respectable record (16-11) as reasons for their vote. One participant explained that he had family in Toronto. No negative votes were cast for the Raptors.

The Magic, however, brought in an intriguing mix of responses. Several participants promoted the Magic because of the rise of promising power forward Paolo Banchero, while another simply stated “I like the name.” 

But the Magic fell down to only 3 points due to respondents ranking them as their least favorite NBA Team. Our passionate Celtics fan from earlier in the article claimed that “they injure my Celtics on purpose.”

Well, at least they landed in the positive.

18/17. PHOENIX SUNS / HOUSTON ROCKETS (4 points)

Our first Texas team and good old Arizona. Fans chose the Suns not just for their 14-12 record and elite guard Devin Booker, but also because of their powerful legacy from the 2000s led by legend Steve Nash. No reasons were given by Rockets fans as to why they voted for the team, but likely reasons include former Warrior Kevin Durant, center Alperen Șengün, and an impressive 16-7 record.

16/15. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS / CHICAGO BULLS (5 points)

Take the Trailblazers logo, the only one in the league not featuring a basketball, mascot, city symbol, or aspect of the name. It represents the five players from either team, offense and defense, coming together in a dynamic spinning motion. Like their logo, the Trailblazers are a team that flows beautifully on the court, guided by star players Deni Avdija and Damian Lillard. The team did lose points with fans, however, for having a slightly subpar record of 10-16.

The Bulls, on the other hand, gained points for their unbeatable legacy as the main team Michael Jordan played for in the ‘90s. Although they’re not doing so hot today, they still have a decent record this season, led by point guard Josh Giddey.

It also might be worth mentioning here that the Trailblazers are one of only two teams so far (the other being the Spurs) to have beat the Thunder this season.

14. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (6 points)

The Timberwolves’ 17-9 record may have placed them on the better half of teams in the league, but they still rank near to the middle of our list. This seems to come from an apparent disdain for the team harbored particularly by 8th graders (which may stem from the fact that the team is the favorite of Social Studies teacher, Mr. DeVries). Arguments for the Timberwolves cited Anthony Edwards and having family in Minnesota, while one survey participant who ranked the T-Wolves dead last stated that they did so because “Mr. DeVries likes them.”

13/12. NEW YORK KNICKS / DENVER NUGGETS (7 points)

While they may not be “America’s Team” (that title belongs to the Lakers), the New York Knicks are the professional basketball team of America’s most populated city, with a whopping population of 8 million people and over twice that in its entire metropolitan area. That certainly must score some points with fans, as must having Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (both unfortunately injured). 

The Nuggets, meanwhile, have Nikola Jokić. That alone should speak to why they achieved such a high ranking. Jokić is widely considered one of the best, if not the best, players in the NBA. The 6’ 11” center hosts an otherworldly 190 career triple-doubles and three MVP awards.

11. INDIANA PACERS (8 points)

This one genuinely came as a surprise to me. As a Pacers championship hopeful last year, I was shocked to discover that (gasp) other Pacers fans actually exist. That being said, the Pacers are doing terribly this year, mostly because star point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in the final game of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. They have the third worst record in the league (6-20, gross), which was the main reason I was confused to see them so high. Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard are good, but they’re just not cutting it.

Hey, at least we won some games.

10. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (9 points)

Ah, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Along with the Warriors, the Cavs were one of the defining championship teams of the late 2010s, with the two locked in an eternal struggle for the title (they won once, in 2016). However, without superstar LeBron James, the Cavaliers have seen a decline in their performance since those glory days.

But this decline may be over. As one fan points out, the Cavaliers “have had a great start to the 25/26 NBA season,” with an initial record of 10-5 (second in the Eastern conference) as of November 16. Since then, their win ratio has declined, but they still boast an above-average record of 15-13. Armed with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, this season may finally bring an answer to the timeless question of “Will the Cavaliers ever be great again without LeBron?”

9. ATLANTA HAWKS (10 points)

The Hawks have made a recent name for themselves through strategic offseason planning and loads of promising young talent, including a breakout season for 23-year-old small forward Jalen Johnson (averaging 20 points per game). In addition, stellar performances by Trae Young have helped build a 15-12 record for the team. One Hawks fan says they support the team because of “The Great Barrier Thief, Dyson Daniels.”

8/7. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES / PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (11 points)

In 8th and 7th place are two teams I honestly did not expect to see ranked in the top 10: the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers. The surprisingly large army of Grizzlies fans taking the survey gave varying reasons for the choice. Many mentioned either point guard Ja Morant or towering, 7’ 4” Canadian center Zach Edey. The Grizzlies have only a middle-of-the-road record of 13-14 this season, but apparently the New School fanbase remains strong.

We also have the Philadelphia 76ers, led by remarkably injury-prone center Joel Embiid. However, when the 31-year-old big man is healthy, he scores highly, with a career average of 27.6 points per game. This season, the 76ers are also backed by Bahamian rookie V. J. Edgecombe, and as always have a powerful point guard in the form of Tyrese Maxey. One survey participant voting for the 76ers claimed that “they have had a perfect start to the season, and are contenders every year for the NBA championship.”

Another 76ers fan would like you to know that they definitely didn’t vote for the team because of “6-7.”

6/5. DALLAS MAVERICKS / SAN ANTONIO SPURS (14 points)

Our remaining two Texas teams ended with 14 points each, resulting in a spectacular tie for 6th and 5th place. Respondents nominated the star-laden teams for both their legacies and current seasons.

Despite a record of only 10-17, the Mavericks hold promise for the 2025/2026 season. Voters for the team mentioned Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, recently traded-away Warrior Klay Thompson, and P.J. Washington, as well as All-Star and MVP Dirk Nowitzki, who played for the Mavs from 1998 to 2019. But the real highlight of the Mavericks this year is rookie Cooper Flagg, drafted by the team in the first round. Flagg has become the fifth-youngest player to score at least 20 points in a game in NBA history.

In contrast, the Spurs have had a powerful start to the new season, with an outstanding record of 18-7. Their lineup, led by 21-year-old, 7’ 4” French center Victor Wembanyama (unfortunately recently injured), and containing point guards Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox, was a focal point for voters of the team.

4. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (16 points)

When it comes to the survey, the Lakers were the biggest and most controversial mixed bag of all. Originally pulling 22 points, good for second place, they were dragged down by several negative votes. Negative voters referred to the Lakers as “opps,” criticized the fanbase as pretentious, and played into the sentiment that in being the other major Californian team besides the Warriors, the teams were automatically mortal enemies. This attack opened up second and third place for other teams to sneak in and steal spots on the podium.

The Lakers, often referred to as “America’s Team,” is the single most popular NBA team in the States. National polls have found that in areas where there is no nearby prevalent team, basketball fans turn to Lake Show. Most participants praised the team due to its star forward LeBron James, who holds 4 MVP titles and 151 career triple doubles. James was out due to sciatica for the first few months of the current season, but has recently returned, making his debut on November 18 against the Jazz. One Lakers fan was so enthusiastic about LeBron that when asked why they voted for the Lakers 4th they simply typed his name into the answer box fourteen times. Other Lakers fans explained that they voted because of Slovenian guard Luka Dončić, who helped bring the team’s record to 11-4 during LeBron’s absence, and 18-7 now, averaging a whopping 34.6 points per game.

3. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (17 points)

Well, here we are. Thanks for sticking with me. The podium… in third place, we have the Milwaukee Bucks.

For me, this was the biggest shocker on the list. Sure, the Bucks have the endlessly incredible Giannis Antetokounmpo as their power forward, but I didn’t think that would lead it to beat out the Lakers. In fact, it barely did, clinching a victory by a single point. The other surprise was that only one respondent ranked the Bucks as first, meaning that the team secured the bronze in a similar way to both the Lakers and our second-place team (still to come!): earning small wins whenever people ranked it as 4th or 5th for lack of a better team. In a way, the Bucks are the true winner of the survey, as the remaining two teams could be seen coming twenty miles away.

But anyway, about the Bucks. What did voters like so much about the Wisconsin team? The answer, predictably, was usually Antetokounmpo, sometimes followed by Myles Turner, Ryan Rollins, or Kyle Kuzma. One voter explained that they were born in Milwaukee. The Bucks have maintained a solid start to the new season, and are definitely an easy playoff contender.

Also, props on that logo. That is one scary deer.

2. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (19 points)

There’s a lot to be said about the Thunder. As the newest team in the NBA (if you don’t count their years as the Seattle SuperSonics), the Thunder reached newfound levels of popularity after they won the 2025 NBA championships and their star player, point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was named MVP. This made it fairly predictable that the Oklahoma team would rocket into second place, but what wasn’t as predictable was how close it would end up being. The Thunder finished only two points ahead of the Bucks, and would have lost to the Lakers if they weren’t placed in last place by multiple respondents.

Thunder fans mostly cited Shai and the playoffs as the main reason for their votes. This was, of course, understandable, as he has averaged a remarkable 31.9 points per game this season as well as leading the team to a phenomenal 24-2 losing only twice to the Portland Trailblazers and San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder sit comfortably at the very top of the league, with the best record as of now in the entire NBA.

Shai wasn’t the only reason Thunder fans promoted their team. In the words of one survey participant, the Thunder not only “have the best point guard in the league” (referring to Shai) but also “have the second best shooting guard in the league” (which I assume is referring to Jalen Williams). Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein have also proved valuable assets for what is probably objectively the “best” team in the NBA right now (and this is coming from a reluctant Pacers fan). The Thunder are riding high.

But they’re not #1, simply because you’re not reading this from Oklahoma.

1. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (55 points)

Honestly, you and I both know it couldn’t have ended in any other way.

We live in the Bay Area. That is what brings us together as a school, and to an extent, as readers of the NewsCool Chronicle (unless there’s some kid reading this in Jacksonville, in which case, more power to you). The Warriors stand for us, for our lives, for everything we do in every second of every day. It’s hard not to support them. In addition, many kids have spent their whole lives here and have never known any team but the Warriors.

Of course, it helps that the Warriors are also an amazing team. They were the undisputed championship kings of the late 2010s, locked in battle yet almost always defeating LeBron’s Cavaliers. The winners of seven championship titles, including four in the last decade, and home to the elite point guard Stephen Curry, the Warriors are by no means a low-level team. Despite losing Klay Thompson recently, they still hold a decent record of 13-14, and Curry’s efforts are consistently supplemented by those of Jonathan Kuminga, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.

Many voters chose the Warriors because of their Bay Area Citizenship, but some also analyzed the team itself. One particularly opinionated respondent claimed that the Warriors have the “best shooter, one of the best defenders, and the second best power forward in the league.” I won’t pretend to know for sure who they are referring to in this case, but it can safely be guessed that the shooter is Curry (the power forward could either be Kuminga or Green).

I would like to point out that not everybody likes the Warriors, or voted for them on the survey. Many respondents placed the team in second, third, or fourth place, with some leaving it out of their top five altogether. One Milwaukee-born voter ranked them as their least favorite team in the league, stating “I hate Bay Area Sports (I have no sympathy) because y’all won 6 championships combined between the Giants and the Warriors since 2010.” Just like our Celtics fan at the beginning of the article, my heart goes out to you, because it’s pretty dang hard to be a sports minority.

Well, I guess I should have known what would happen from the moment I put out that survey. Everything has been predestined from the beginning, everything has been biased. But, maybe, sometimes, bias is good.

Go Dubs.