As the NBA reaches its halfway point, the competition is wide open.

Despite many teams having played over 41 games, it’s not too soon to review how everyone is performing this season.

Since the 2017-18 season, when the Golden State Warriors repeated as champions, there hasn’t been another defending champion. Currently, the Boston Celtics, the reigning champions from last season, face serious competition from teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, both of whom are having strong seasons. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets have also begun to find their rhythm.

The Celtics find themselves in a solid position but have encountered some setbacks lately, which raises questions about their ability to defend their title.

Below are grades for each NBA team at the midway stage of the 2024-25 season.

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics (29-13)

As the champions, the Celtics possess the third-best winning percentage in the league but have faltered recently, losing eight of their last 16 games due to an over-reliance on the three-point shot. Still, they have the potential to be the first team in six years to defend their title successfully.

Grade: B

New York Knicks (27-16)

Integrating new players into an established team isn’t easy, yet Tom Thibodeau has transformed the Knicks into a high-scoring team, and Karl-Anthony Towns is enjoying a career-best season.

Grade: A-

Philadelphia 76ers (15-26)

Things looked promising when Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George played more together, but the 76ers have now lost six straight games and nine of their last 11, compounded by yet another injury to Embiid.

Grade: D+

Brooklyn Nets (14-29)

It appears the Nets are unlikely to be a contender this season, and with a valuable collection of draft picks, they seem focused on future prospects instead.

Grade: C

Toronto Raptors (10-32)

The Raptors’ most noteworthy storylines have revolved around Scottie Barnes and the aftermath of the Jontay Porter gambling incident, alongside their poor performance highlighted by a 54-point loss to the Celtics on New Year’s Eve — the worst defeat in franchise history. However, just last week, they managed to beat Boston by 13 points.

Grade: D+

Central Division

Cleveland Cavaliers (35-6)

The Cavaliers boast the best record in the NBA, leading with the top offense and second-best net rating, backed by a strong starting lineup, depth on the bench, and an excellent coach.

Grade: A

Indiana Pacers (24-19)

After starting slow, the Pacers have turned things around, winning eight of their last nine games and are closing in on fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Grade: B

Milwaukee Bucks (24-17)

The Bucks find themselves battling Indiana and Detroit for second in the division, which wasn’t their expectation. Nevertheless, a recent four-game winning streak shows they are moving in the right direction.

Grade: B

Detroit Pistons (21-21)

The Pistons are on track to participate in the play-in tournament, possibly even securing a top-six seed, with Cade Cunningham’s performance being a significant positive factor.

Grade: B+

Chicago Bulls (18-25)

The Bulls find themselves in a challenging situation, not performing poorly enough to secure a high draft pick yet not good enough to be a playoff contender, jeopardizing their 2025 first-round pick if it falls outside the top 10.

Grade: C-

Southeast Division

Orlando Magic (23-21)

With a solid defense and the rise of Jalen Suggs, the Magic have successfully navigated injuries to key players like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference.

Grade: A-

Miami Heat (21-20)

Despite the ongoing drama surrounding Jimmy Butler, the inconsistent Heat have kept their playoff hopes alive. However, as they enter the sixth year of the Butler-Bam Adebayo-Tyler Herro trio, change is becoming necessary.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks (22-19)

Several young players, especially Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, have shown considerable development, but the Hawks’ offense remains inefficient despite good ball movement.

Grade: B

Charlotte Hornets (10-28)

LaMelo Ball is on the verge of being an All-Star, but Charlotte’s offense is struggling; Ball leads the NBA in shot attempts and three-point attempts, making the Hornets one-dimensional and ineffective. They have the two players with the most attempts in the league, with Brandon Miller following Ball closely at 10.9 attempts. The team needs reinforcements.

Grade: D+

Washington Wizards (6-35)

The Wizards remain at the bottom in both offensive and defensive ratings, as well as net rating. However, they do have some promising young talent that offers hope for the future.

Grade: D

Northwest Division

Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7)

Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are the top team in the West, showcasing a talented starting lineup, solid bench strength, and one of the best coaches in the league. Their success has continued even with the absence of key player Chet Holmgren due to a hip injury.

Grade: A

Denver Nuggets (26-16)

After a shaky 11-10 start, the Nuggets have rebounded significantly, going 15-6 and winning six of their last seven games.

Grade: B

Minnesota Timberwolves (22-20)

Winning in the Western Conference is challenging, and the Timberwolves exemplify this struggle. After reaching the conference finals last year, they now find themselves battling for a play-in spot.

Grade: C

Portland Trail Blazers (14-28)

While still undergoing a rebuild, the Blazers have made some progress under fourth-year coach Chauncey Billups compared to last season.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz (10-30)

The Jazz are in for a tough few seasons as they plan for the future.

Grade: C-

Pacific Division

Los Angeles Lakers (22-18)

As a mid-tier team, the Lakers might end up as high as fourth in the West or might miss the playoffs entirely.

Grade: B-

Los Angeles Clippers (24-17)

The Clippers were hindered by Kawhi Leonard’s 34-game absence at the beginning of the season.

Grade: B-

Sacramento Kings (22-20)

The Kings made the surprise decision to fire Mike Brown after extending his contract in the offseason and are clinging to a play-in spot.

Grade: C

Phoenix Suns (21-20)

With a record hovering around .500, the Suns are not making much headway this season.

Grade: C

Golden State Warriors (21-20)

The Warriors quickly fell from their strong start of 12-3, now facing 17 losses in their last 26 games.

Grade: C

Southwest Division

Houston Rockets (28-13)

While still very young and developing their identity, the Rockets’ athleticism and defense have carried them thus far. However, they need to enhance their offensive efficiency, as they rank 25th in the league for true shooting percentage at 54.8%.

Grade: A

Memphis Grizzlies (27-15)

Another youthful team, the Grizzlies have received excellent contributions from standout rookies Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey. With Ja Morant back to full health, they are a team to watch in the second half of the season.

Grade: A-

Dallas Mavericks (23-19)

Injuries have pushed the Mavericks back, with Luka Dončić out indefinitely and Kyrie Irving just returning from his injury. It looks unlikely they will repeat as Western Conference champions, even though Klay Thompson has been solid but not spectacular in Dallas.

Grade: B-

San Antonio Spurs (19-22)

The Spurs have discovered a gem in Stephon Castle, while Victor Wembanyama continues to impress. At the season’s halfway mark, San Antonio is almost at their win total from last year and now seeks to strengthen their roster.

Grade: B

New Orleans Pelicans (11-32)

Encountering the worst injury luck at the start of the season, the Pelicans might look to trade some players at the deadline. However, they have recently won three games in a row but must address the ongoing issue with Zion Williamson, who has only played ten games this season.

Grade: D