NBA standings ordered by Net Rating: SGA and OKC are blowing teams out in historic fashion

The Oklahoma City Thunder... might be underrated.

I understand how crazy that sounds; everyone knows the Thunder are really, really good. Perhaps unbeatable in the Western Conference. But this team isn't just heads above everyone else in the NBA this season, they're statistically one of the best NBA teams of all time.

Yes, the Thunder still have 38 games left to play in the regular season and then the playoffs to prove if they can finish the job — I believe they can — but at this moment, about 54 percent of the way through the season... OKC's statistical company is basically all the greatest NBA teams of all time. Net Rating — a team's point differential per 100 possessions — is one of the stats that shows off OKC's dominance so far in 2024-25.

NBA standings ordered by Net Rating

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If outscoring your opponent by 12 points every 100 possessions sounds impossible to you, that's because it is nearly impossible. As in, only one other team in NBA history posted a net rating that good — the 1995-96 Bulls, who went 72-10 and lost just three games in the playoffs en route to the most dominant NBA season ever. If Oklahoma City keeps this up, that's their only company; Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson. Not bad.

Cleveland isn't too far behind

Perhaps the wildest part about these Cavs is they're posting the 15th-best Net Rating of all time, right up there with some of the best teams ever... and they're still more than two points behind the Thunder.

Cleveland has cooled a bit since its blistering start — in January, the Cavs are No. 10 in net rating. But they were so far in front of everyone else to kick off the season that a lesser 2025 so far has only dropped them down to No. 2 in net. I'll venture to say things are going to be just fine in Cleveland.

Denver is surging up the standings

Are you having fun yet, Nuggets fans? You should be! Over the past month, Denver is No. 2 in net rating, more than a whole point per 100 better than Boston at No. 3. The Russell Westbrook experiment has gone better than anyone could have predicted (Denver is 18-5 with Russ in the starting lineup) and Nikola Jokic has added 75-foot shots to his arsenal. Why not?

Dallas somehow remains in the top 10

No Luka Doncic, no Kyrie Irving, no Dereck Lively II... no problem? Eventually, that probably will be a very big problem, but as of this second, Dallas remains a top 10 team in Net Rating (and just beat OKC last night!)

Jason Kidd's team is pretty solid on both ends — No. 8 in offense, No. 11 in defense — and setting a foundation on offense and defense is the best way to stay near the top of the Net Rating (and general) standings.

Lakers are stumbling around in the bottom third of net rating

If you're wondering where the Los Angeles Lakers are on the table above, they're just a little bit below the top 10... okay, they're kind of far below the top 10. Right now, the Lakers are No. 20 in Net Rating, with a -1.6 point differential per 100 possessions. Somehow, they are also fifth in the Western Conference with a record of 24-18?

JJ Redick's team has the No. 13-ranked offense, the No. 21-ranked defense... and has the ninth-best record in basketball. Is that really good coaching, and he's making the most of his roster? Is it really good play from the roster to overcome a subpar roster? I don't have the answers for that right now, but... this team is odd.

LeBron is still throwing down monster dunks at 40, though, so at least one thing is consistent.

Clippers have massive gap on both sides of the ball

Among teams in the Net Rating top 10, the biggest gap between offensive production and defensive production belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers, who are No. 2 in defensive rating and No. 23 in offensive rating.

Ty Lue's team doesn't mind winning games in the mid-90s. If you're one of those NBA fans who thinks the early 2000s was the best era for hoops, this is your team right here.