The Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder face the final stretch of the 2026 NBA regular season as dominators of the East and West, respectively, after months at the top of their conferences. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a dozen franchises are looking to the draft and tanking. Detroit went into the All-Star break, with a third of the regular season still to play, with a 40-13 record (75.5% win rate), while Oklahoma City is 42-14, equivalent to a 75% win rate.
The dominance of the Pistons and Thunder has been such that Detroit has led the East since November 7, while Oklahoma City has led the West since October 24. Among the other 28 franchises, only the San Antonio Spurs, second in the West, exceed 70 % of wins, with 38-16 (70.4 %).
In the hunt for the Thunder
With the ring glistening on their fingers, the Thunder, with the same block that won the championship, started the NBA season with a 24-1 run.
Targeting the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors’ all-time record (73-9) and plunging their rivals into pessimism.
Until they crossed paths in Las Vegas with Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs, who knocked them out of the 2026 NBA Cup in the semifinals and have become their bête noire:
San Antonio has beaten them four out of five times this season.
Since that semifinal on December 13, the Thunder have accumulated an inconsistent 18-13 record.
“You don’t lose to a team three in a row unless they’re better than you,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Christmas night after adding the third straight loss in 12 days to San Antonio.
Behind the Thunder and Spurs, the Denver Nuggets (35-20), Houston Rockets (33-20), Los Angeles Lakers (33-21) and Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22) occupy the playoff spots.
The Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers will play in the playoffs.
The return of the ‘Bad Boys
Just two seasons ago they were the worst team in the NBA.
They now lead the East with an iron fist, surpassing even the Thunder in winning percentage.
Cade Cunningham, along with Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson or Ausar Thompson have given Detroit back the identity of the ‘Bad Boys’.
Boston Celtics (35-19) and New York Knicks (35-20) have alternated second place in the East.
Still without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics have weathered last summer’s restructuring.
While the Knicks, with Mike Brown, seem to burn their last cartridge in an East that next year is expected to be very competitive.
Hot on the heels of the Celtics and Knicks are the Cleveland Cavaliers (34-21), who have been bolstered by James Harden and have won five straight.
Toronto Raptors (32-23) and Philadelphia 76ers (30-24) occupy the other two playoff positions.
Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, a surprising Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks are all in the NBA 2026 playoffs right now.
Exciting weeks are coming
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The plague of tanking
“It’s time to look at this with a fresh perspective and see if that’s an old-fashioned way of doing it,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Referring to the system that rewards underperforming teams with better draft positions.
The truth is that this season, with the arrival of a very promising crop of college players, more teams than ever have turned to tanking.
This is the practice of intentionally fielding uncompetitive teams in order to lose.
The Sacramento Kings (12-44) have lost 14 straight and are the worst team in the league.
But Indiana Pacers (last season’s league finalists), Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz or Washington Wizards are also vying for the best positions in the draft.
The Wizards themselves, who acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis in the last trade market, do not appear to intend to field them until next season.
Silver’s statements acknowledge the growing concern that this system, which rewards poor results, is de-normalizing the NBA regular season.
With information from EFE
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