NBA Power Rankings: A song to describe each team's regular season
NBA Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's basketball editors.
This week, we're taking a creative approach and identifying one song to describe each team's respective regular seasons.
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ATL | BKN | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NOP | NYK | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX | POR | SAC | SAS | TOR | UTA | WAS
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (65-14)
Previous: 1
"Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction (1990)
The Thunder lead the league in deflections (21) and loose balls recovered per game (5.7), so it should be no surprise that Mark Daigneault's hands-in-the-cookie-jar bandits also top the NBA with 10.3 steals. Check the security cameras because there's a five-finger discount in progress. I enjoy stealin', it's just as simple as that/Oh well, it's just a simple fact.
2. Boston Celtics (59-20)
Previous: 2
"We Three Kings" by John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1857)
It's a Boston Three Party. The Celtics are the NBA's "three kings" with 48.3 attempts per contest, 5.9 more than the next-closest team. They've recorded three of the 10 highest all-time single-game marks for chucking this season, including an absurd 63 attempts from deep versus the Thunder in March. Boston also broke the NBA's single-season mark with its 1,364th triple April 4 against the Phoenix Suns.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (64-14)
Previous: 3
"Patience" by Guns N' Roses (1988)
The buildup to the current iteration of the Cavaliers has been a slow burn. Said, sugar, make it slow/And we'll come together fine. Lean years led to sage moves and savvy draft picks as the organization took a pragmatic approach to constructing a winner. Like GNR frontman Axl Rose surmised, you can't rush a good thing. All we need is just a little patience, yeah, yeah.
4. Houston Rockets (52-27)
Previous: 4
"Back Then" by Mike Jones (2005)
The premise of Jones' Houston anthem "Back Then" focuses on the rapper's newfound fame and how it garnered attention from a particular demographic. Now that the Rockets threaten the balance of power in the West, Jalen Green and Co. can channel this energy in the playoffs. And I ain't trippin' 'cause my pockets stick out more than my belly. So true.
5. Indiana Pacers (48-31)
Previous: 11
"Attention" by New Jeans (2022)
The Pacers are a year removed from the conference finals, have won 13 of their last 16, are healthy, and play in a middling conference. Is it possible we're underselling a team poised for another run? Does Indiana prefer operating in the shadows, or does it Want attention/Wanna, want attention? This offering from the K-pop quintet is a certified hit. The Pacers might be as well.
6. New York Knicks (50-29)
Previous: 8
"Welcome to New York City" by Cam'ron (2002)
There are countless hip-hop gems about New York City, but Cam'ron's post-9/11 rallying cry featuring Jay-Z and Juelz Santana serenaded its beloved Big Apple amid the process of a rebuild. New York City was back, and now the Knicks are too. At the Knick game, big chain in all my splendor/Next to Spike if you pan left to right/I own Madison Square. Bing bong.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (48-31)
Previous: 7
"Arms Wide Open" by Creed (1999)
Who could have foreseen post-grunge rockers Creed's smash hit about the father-son dynamic becoming an accurate soundtrack for LeBron James' influence in drafting Bronny James? Welcome to this place, I'll show you everything. To Bronny's credit, he's shown flashes in his first season, but he shouldn't expect to see much of the ball, even if he's wide open.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (47-32)
Previous: 12
"Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie Money (1986)
What better way to validate the virtues of the swanky $2-billion Intuit Dome than by playing underwhelming basketball away from home? The Clippers are 18-21 on the road, trailing only former fellow Crypto Arena occupants, the Lakers, for the NBA's worst home-road split among playoff teams. Take me home tonight/I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light.
9. Golden State Warriors (47-32)
Previous: 5
"A Little Less Conversation (JXL Remix)" by Elvis Presley (2001)
There's no escaping the endless, ill-thought-out soundbites from Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Green alleged that Karl-Anthony Towns ducked a rematch with Butler because he was scared when he missed out due to a death in the family. Yikes. And then there was Butler denying his role in the Heat divorce. A little less conversation/A little more action, please.
10. Denver Nuggets (47-32)
Previous: 6
"Help!" by The Beatles (1965)
I need somebody/(Help) not just anybody. Nikola Jokic was, at times, a one-man army for a Nuggets team that got sporadic contributions from a supporting cast of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and the bench. The solution? Fire Mike Malone, apparently. Help me if you can, I'm feeling down/And I do appreciate you being 'round.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-33)
Previous: 10
"Money Ain't a Thang" by Jermaine Dupri (1998)
Anthony Edwards racked up a modest $320,000 in fines during the 2024-25 season for using profane language during interviews, making obscene gestures on the court, and other general displays that make him the unpolished marketing savant he is. Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings/With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang.
12. Milwaukee Bucks (45-34)
Previous: 13
"How to Disappear Completely" by Radiohead (2000)
A rational person would attribute the Bucks' campaign to Khris Middleton's ankles, a bad supporting cast, and, recently, Dame Lillard's absence. But only a real "ball knower" realizes it's because Thanasis Antetokounmpo wasn't with the team this season. Imagine Doc Rivers crying while listening to Thom Yorke's emotive, I'm not here/This isn't happening.
13. Memphis Grizzlies (47-32)
Previous: 9
"So Long, Farewell" by Rodgers and Hammerstein (1959)
Few songs capture the sadness of departures and a sense of hope for the future better than this banger performed by the von Trapp children in "The Sound of Music." When the Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games left, one can picture Jenkins singing, "I leave and heave/A sigh and say goodbye," in Kurt von Trapp's high-pitched squeal. Auf Wiedersehen, Taylor.
14. Detroit Pistons (43-36)
Previous: 14
"We Right Here" by DMX (2001)
I can go away for a minute, do some other shit, but bounce right back. The Pistons averaged under 19 wins across the previous five seasons, but they're back in the playoffs and looking to be giant killers thanks to the inspired play of Cade Cunningham and others. Get used to it. We're not goin' anywhere/We right here.
15. Orlando Magic (39-40)
Previous: 18
"Hurt" by Johnny Cash (2002)
I hurt myself today/To see if I still feel. With all due respect to industrial rock savants Nine Inch Nails, the Man in Black's version of this song adds an extra layer of sadness. The Magic are experts at being hurt. Key long-term injuries to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs were insurmountable, leaving Jamahl Mosley to reflect on a lost season and his empire of dirt.
16. Sacramento Kings (39-40)
Previous: 17
"Can't Win" by Pup (2016)
I've been blessed with shit luck/There are some things that'll never change. Two seasons removed from finishing third in the West to snap a 16-year playoff drought, the Kings are in a play-in spot and set to finish ninth or worse for the 18th time in 19 years. Different faces, same results. The more things change ... And it feels like I can't win/I'm growing up, and I'm giving in.
17. Miami Heat (36-43)
Previous: 27
"Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
You can go your own way/Go your own way. Stevie Nicks' bitter and spiteful break-up song about ex-partner and bandmate Lindsey Buckingham is about rejected proposals and forever being linked with a former fling. The Heat know a thing or two about that in the wake of fan-favorite-turned-outcast Jimmy Butler's messy exit. You can't help who you love or who you don't. Very true.
18. Dallas Mavericks (38-41)
Previous: 23
"All My Ex's Live in Texas" by George Strait (1987):
But it brings to mind another time/Where I wore my welcome thin. According to reports likely meant to absolve Mavs GM Nico Harrison of any wrongdoing in the blockbuster trade, Luka Doncic's conditioning issues may have worn his welcome thick. Either way, the Slovenian is loving life in Los Angeles while all his exes live in Texas.
19. Chicago Bulls (36-43)
Previous: 19
"Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen (1975)
DeMar DeRozan's offseason trade to the Kings was akin to deactivating the speed limiter in your car, with the Bulls' new transition-oriented approach vaulting the team from 28th to third in pace of play this season. Oh honey, tramps like us/Baby, we were born to run! With a long-awaited rebuild finally in motion, Arturas Karnisovas and the Bulls brass have no place left to hide.
20. Atlanta Hawks (37-42)
Previous: 15
"Why Won't They Talk to Me" by Tame Impala (2012)
I don't need them, and they don't need me. Trae Young might be the NBA's most under-appreciated star. After another season as arguably the league's most gifted playmaker paired with being an All-Star Game injury replacement, Young fits the profile of an unloved loner. Kevin Parker's one-man band meticulously captures this feeling. One day, I'll be a star, and they'll be sorry.
21. Phoenix Suns (35-44)
Previous: 16
"Joke" by Chastity Belt (2015)
A year after finishing sixth and getting swept in the first round, the Suns have become a laughingstock. Nothing's serious/Everything's a joke. That's comedic stuff from the NBA's most expensive roster. And now the cyclical Kevin Durant trade rumor has emerged from its burrow in search of its shadow. We laugh so hard, and then we cry/Let's light everything on fire.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (35-44)
Previous: 20
"Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield (2004)
The Blazers started the season with the fourth-youngest roster and exceeded most expectations. Staring at the blank page before you. The next step is to jettison deals for DeAndre Ayton and Jerami Grant. Open up the dirty window. It's time for Chauncey Billups to grab a pen and let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find. Because the rest is still unwritten.
23. Toronto Raptors (29-50)
Previous: 22
"The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World (2001)
Hey, don't write yourself off yet/It's only in your head, you feel left out. Are the Raptors tanking or fighting for a play-in spot? Whichever route they've chosen, they're not doing a good job at either. Resting players only to remain mildly competitive is a recipe for mediocrity. Leave it to a song about growth and adolescence to capture a team trapped between two worlds.
24. San Antonio Spurs (32-47)
Previous: 21
"Get Lucky" by Daft Punk (2013)
Iconic masked French electronic duo Daft Punk combined with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers to weave a tale about a team that has won the draft lottery on three previous occasions despite not having the best odds, only to land a generational player with the first pick. I'm up all night to get some/She's up all night for good fun/I'm up all night to get Cooper Flagg.
25. Brooklyn Nets (26-53)
Previous: 24
"Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. (1992)
The Nets lead the league with 754 days missed due to injury. While some of that may be due to some strategic tanking down the stretch, 24 players have suited up for Jordi Fernandez this season. It's not quite as dire as another R.E.M. classic, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I'll be Fine)." But the Nets probably won't be fine.
26. New Orleans Pelicans (21-58)
Previous: 28
"I Bet on Losing Dogs" by Mitski (2016)
I bet on losing dogs/I know they're losing, and I pay for my place by the ring. Singer-songwriter Mitski's got a deep bag of sorrowful songs, but none better to describe the Pelicans' five-year fling with oft-injured forward Zion Williamson than this tale about continued involvement in toxic relationships despite knowing better. I'll be on their side, I'm losing by their side.
27. Washington Wizards (17-62)
Previous: 26
"The Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston (1985)
The Wizards set a new standard for ethical tanking in pursuit of Flagg. Players who contributed to winning, like Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas, were traded, putting the onus on a blossoming core of Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George, who rank among the top four in rookie minutes. I believe the children are our future/Teach them well and let them lead the way.
28. Philadelphia 76ers (23-56)
Previous: 25
"Holding Back the Years" by Simply Red (1985)
I've wasted all my tears/Wasted all those years. Few things capture the 76ers' disastrous, wasted season and the fleeting prime of Joel Embiid and Paul George like the pre-chorus of this tune from the English soul band. Nothing had a chance to be good/Nothing ever could, yeah, oh well. It's the oh well that turns the knife.
29. Charlotte Hornets (19-60)
Previous: 26
"Breed" by Nirvana (1991)
I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. Few songwriters have captured apathy and callousness like Kurt Cobain, and the Nirvana frontman hit the nail on the head with this portentous ode to the Hornets. Bottom-three in turnovers, assist-to-turnover ratio, and net rating: the Hornets do not care. On behalf of all NBA fans, please Get away, get away, get away.
30. Utah Jazz (16-63)
Previous: 30
"Linoleum" by NOFX (1994)
A lot went wrong for the Jazz this season. They're by far the league's sloppiest team, with their 17.2 turnovers topping the NBA by a margin of 1.3 per game. They also have the fewest steals per contest (6.7). Possessions never meant anything to me/I'm not crazy/Well, that's not true, I've got a bed. Please don't let this team win the lottery.