Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAYMon, December 1, 2025 at 9:46 PM UTC·4 min readThe NBA schedule is marching on as the NBA Cup knockout rounds are set to kick off later this month.
Three of the Top 5 teams by standing in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences are in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, but there is one team that has dominated and stands well beyond all other squads. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been dominating opponents so thoroughly that many of their stars, namely Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, aren’t even playing fourth quarters.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEveryone is chasing the defending champs, who may be poised for a dominant season.
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 6 of the 2025-26 regular season:
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards' Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.
Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.
Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns' Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.
Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.
Oct. 24: The Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.
Oct. 22: The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.1 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.1 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.2 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards' Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.3 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.
4 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns' Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.5 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.6 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.7 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.8 / 8Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings
Note: Records and stats through Nov. 30. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings
NBA Week 6 power rankings: Top 5
1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 20-1 (—)
2. Los Angeles Lakers, 15-4 (+2)
3. Detroit Pistons, 16-4 (-1)
4. Houston Rockets, 13-4 (+1)
5. Denver Nuggets, 14-5 (-2)
Oklahoma City just got Jalen Williams (wrist) back, and the Thunder are the most complete team in the NBA, and one that may put forth the most prolific season in league history. The Lakers have won seven consecutive, but their competition since LeBron James returned has a combined winning percentage of .260. And the Nuggets (123.9) and Rockets (122.3) are battling for top offenses in the NBA.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 6-10
6. New York Knicks, 13-6 (+7)
7. San Antonio Spurs, 13-6 (+1)
8. Miami Heat, 13-7 (+2)
9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 12-8 (-2)
10. Toronto Raptors, 14-7 (-1)
On a four-game winning streak, the Knicks have found their rhythm on offense, being deliberate in the half-court, but ranking third in offensive rating (120.5). San Antonio continues to shine, even in the absence of Victor Wembanyama (calf) and Stephon Castle (hip), including a key NBA Cup victory Friday, Nov. 28, over the Nuggets. And the Raptors are on a two-game losing streak, but have been one of the surprises in the NBA and lead the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.08).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 11-15
11. Atlanta Hawks, 13-8 (+1)
12. Phoenix Suns, 12-9 (-1)
13. Cleveland Cavaliers, 12-9 (-7)
14. Orlando Magic, 12-8 (—)
15. Boston Celtics, 11-9 (+1)
The Suns continue to outperform, and Dillon Brooks’ offensive game — he’s averaging career-bests points per game (21.7) and shooting percentage (45.1%) — is a key reason why. The Cavaliers have lost three in a row and Cleveland’s offensive rating (115.7; 14th) is 5.3 points off of last year’s league-leading mark. Orlando, without Paolo Banchero (groin) have steadied their play as Desmond Bane’s usage has increased.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 16-20
16. Philadelphia 76ers, 10-9 (+1)
17. Golden State Warriors, 11-10 (-2)
18. Memphis Grizzlies, 9-12 (+3)
19. Milwaukee Bucks, 9-12 (-1)
20. Chicago Bulls, 9-10 (-1)
Whereas the Bucks have floundered without Giannis Antetokounmpo (going 2-8 over their last 10), the Grizzlies have been steady without Ja Morant (winners of three consecutive). Nikola Vučević’s frustration with his young teammates shows the Bulls might be headed toward an inevitable rebuild, and the Warriors are also facing tension and drama, with Stephen Curry (quad) sidelined.
NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 21-25
21. Portland Trail Blazers, 8-12 (-1)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement22. Dallas Mavericks, 6-15 (+1)
23. Charlotte Hornets, 6-14 (+2)
24. Utah Jazz, 6-13 (—)
25. Indiana Pacers, 4-16 (+3)
The early-season success has faded for the Trail Blazers, whose pace has slowed significantly. The Mavericks are starting to find a rhythm as Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 35 points, breaking the mark previously held by LeBron James. And the Pacers are finally starting to get (a little) healthier.
NBA Week 6 power rankings: Nos. 26-30
26. Los Angeles Clippers, 5-15 (-4)
27. Sacramento Kings, 5-16 (-1)
28. New Orleans Pelicans, 3-18 (+1)
29. Brooklyn Nets, 3-16 (-2)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement30. Washington Wizards, 2-16 (—)
It’s time to wonder whether Tyronne Lue’s job is in trouble and if the Clippers are about to embark on a full rebuild. The Kings posted solid consecutive victories against the Timberwolves and Nuggets, but have since lost three in a row. And the Wizards beat the Hawks in a 46-point gem from CJ McCollum, but they continue to hold the NBA’s worst net rating (-12.2).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Week 6 power rankings: Lakers chasing down dominant Thunder
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