The Emirates NBA Cup is in its final leg after week 8. The Milwaukee Bucks, a team that struggled heavily at the start of this season’s NBA rankings, came out on top of the Eastern Conference to challenge the best team in the West right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
For the rest of the teams who came up short in the league’s in-season showcase, it was business as usual. The West is pretty loaded, as it has 12 teams with a record of .500 and above. As for the East? It’s not comparable, to say the least. The struggle is real over there.
Let’s take a look at the ranking for all 30 NBA teams after week 8 of games.
Who are the top-ranking NBA teams after week 8 of games?
30. Washington Wizards (Last Week: 30)
The Wizards had a relatively quiet week, playing only two games. They were outclassed by the Cavaliers and were decimated by the Celtics. 1-9 in their last ten games; it would be a miracle if this team wins at least ten games at the end of the season.
29. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week: 29)
Is this Pelicans team really that bad? Losers of four straight games, it might be time to consider trading a few assets instead of competing for a playoff spot this season. They are at the bottom of the west despite having Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum back in the lineup. Even former Pelicans player Dyson Daniels voiced his own theory on why this team struggles year after year.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
28. Utah Jazz (Last Week: 28)
The Jazz played only one game this past week and managed to push the Suns to the brink before losing their 19th game of the season. In all honesty, the playoffs are out of the picture right now despite the fact that the season is still young.
27. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week: 26)
Losers of six straight games, the Blazers’ season is sinking fast. They haven’t won a single game this month and are seriously on the path to a “No Win December.” The best chance they’ll win a game this December is their showdown against fellow cellar-dwellers, the Utah Jazz, after Christmas.
26. Toronto Raptors (Last Week: 25)
The Raptors are on a four-game losing streak and just went 3-7 in their last ten games. Despite Scottie Barnes’s brilliance, this team has steadily fallen in the weekly NBA rankings since opening day. We genuinely thought they could qualify for at least a play-in spot in April. Boy, we were wrong.
Also Read: Ranking All 30 NBA Teams After Week 7 Games
25. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week: 27)
With LaMelo Ball still out, the Hornets have been in a hurried free fall since late November. 1-9 in their last ten games, this looks like another losing season for this lowly franchise. The biggest highlight they had this month was a close win against the struggling Pacers.
24. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week: 24)
Just when we thought the Sixers had started to turn their season around, Joel Embiid goes down again, and promising rookie Jared McCain follows with his own injury. It’s like the Pelicans and Sixers share the same curse this season when it comes to bad luck.
23. Detroit Pistons (Last Week: 23)
The Pistons only went 3-7 in the last ten games after starting the season strong. After week 8 of games, their ranking has stayed the same due to an uneventful recent loss against the mighty NBA titans, the Boston Celtics.
22. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week: 20)
It certainly looks like the Nets are on a fire sale right now. Who can blame them? They are 4-6 in the last ten games and are going nowhere fast. Dennis Schroder is off to the Warriors, while Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith are on the trade market.
21. Chicago Bulls (Last Week: 22)
The Bulls are a bit of a wildcard team. Some nights, they play at an insanely high level and then play badly in their next game. With how the East has been underperforming so far this season, don’t be surprised if they can make their way into a guaranteed playoff spot in April.
20. Indiana Pacers (Last Week: 21)
It’s refreshing to see that this much-hyped but underperforming Pacers team has managed to win in back-to-back games. While they are still three games behind .500, for the first time this season, there’s hope that they can build momentum going forward.
19. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week: 16)
It’s not that the Spurs are playing badly. We have to remember that despite having an all-world talent like Victor Wembanyama, this is still a rebuilding team with a goal of becoming competitive in the next couple of years. 5-5 in their last ten games, they are looking to finish the year with a record above .500.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week: 14)
Without LeBron James for most of week 8, the Lakers have looked miserable on the court. LBJ’s absence fueled a ton of rumors, and fans were skeptical if he was truly nursing an injury or had been dealing with off-court problems. They have been falling rapidly in the weekly rankings since the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season.
17. Sacramento Kings (Last Week: 19)
Since inserting Malik Monk in the starting lineup, the Kings have started to climb up in the Western Conference standings. Winners of three straight games, you can expect this team to extend their winning streak with a relatively easier schedule for the rest of December.
16. Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 9)
This is such a drastic fall in the rankings for an NBA team as proud as the Warriors. Their hot start this season is all in the rearview mirror right now, and the wins are starting to become elusive. They just went 2-8 in their last ten games.
15. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week: 13)
The Hawks had an admirable run in the NBA Cup in week 8. They surprised everybody after their upset win against the loaded Knicks before bowing to the Bucks in the semifinals of the in-season showcase.
14. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week: 12)
Losers of three straight, the Clippers are fumbling right now. James Harden looks gassed, and his age is showing. They have a tough schedule for the rest of December, and the possibility of ending up with a record below .500 is high before 2025 hits.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week: 17)
The Wolves have been playing well lately, and as a result, this NBA squad has slowly willed its way near the top 10 of the weekly rankings. It has been a collective effort, though. While Anthony Edwards remains the star, he is now getting some solid contributions from the rest of the team.
12. Phoenix Suns (Last Week: 18)
See how Kevin Durant impacts the overall game of this Suns team? With the superstar back in the lineup, the Suns are on a roll again. But are they title contenders? That’s a question for another day.
11. Denver Nuggets (Last Week: 15)
With Nikola Jokic back in top form, the Nuggets are slowly getting back on their feet and climbing up in the Western Conference standings. It’s crazy to think that with him on the floor, they are the best team in the league, and whenever he’s out, the Nuggets are the weakest team when we talk about advanced statistics.
10. Miami Heat (Last Week: 10)
Winners of four straight, this Heat team is starting to look like the old 2022-2023 squad that made the NBA Finals. While the drama of whether or not Jimmy Butler wants a trade to get out in Miami continues, other Heat players are emerging as leaders on the floor and guiding the team into wins.
9. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week: 11)
The Bucks went 8-2 in their last ten games and are looking like a title-contending team with each passing week. After their dominant win against Trae Young and the Hawks in the semifinals of the NBA Cup, the Bucks will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the in-season showcase final this week.
8. Orlando Magic (Last Week: 6)
Orlando’s recent slide is understandable, as both of their stars remain out due to similar shoulder injuries. Week 8 was not kind for them, as they have now lost two straight games. Jalen Suggs has been playing well as of late due to the absence of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. He’s trying his best to keep this young team afloat.
7. New York Knicks (Last Week: 8)
Fans around the league were surprised when the Knicks inexplicably failed to win their semi-final matchup against the Hawks in the NBA Cup in week 8. Different pundits heavily favored them to win the game. Though the loss stings, this squad has been steadily climbing up the weekly rankings since their so-so start in the 2024-2025 NBA season.
6. Houston Rockets (Last Week: 7)
The Rockets went 6-4 in their last ten games and are currently in third place in the Western Conference. It looks like this is going to be the year they will end their playoff drought. Give coach Ime Udoka props on how he navigated the murky waters from the rebuilding phase to a potential playoff birth.
5. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week: 4)
This Grizzlies team is for real, not gonna lie. Even though they’ll struggle against other teams with a winning record, they’ll find a way to grind out wins. The only glaring problem with them is the play of their wings. Once that is sorted out, other teams should watch out.
4. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week: 5)
The Mavs are on a roll right now. It’s not just Luka Doncic running the show; it’s a collective effort from the rest of the team. They sit in the top four in this week’s NBA rankings and will have a chance to climb up further before the end of 2024.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week: 2)
Even though the Cavs still have the best overall record in the entire league, we can’t help but notice that a couple of teams right now are producing a much better brand of basketball on the court. Cleveland went 7-3 in their last ten games after starting the season 15-0. Convincing, probably. Are they for real? That’s a question reserved for another day.
2. Boston Celtics (Last Week: 1)
As good as a team like the Celtics, it baffles me why they weren’t good enough to make it into the NBA Cup semifinals. Sure, it’s quite different than the Larry O’Brien trophy, but still, winning the in-season showcase should prove to the naysayers that they are the team to beat this season.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week: 3)
This is about giving credit when credit is due. The Thunder is the best team in the Western Conference and is on a five-game winning streak right now. They went 9-1 in their last ten games. What’s scary is that they are all doing this without Chet Holmgren, who is arguably the second-best player on this young squad.
Also Read: Grading 30 NBA Teams’ After Week 7 Games Of The 2024-25
