nba

NBA Power Rankings: 40-20 Rule Contenders

Entering the second half of the NBA season, a new 40-20 rule helps identify true championship contenders by requiring teams to win 40 games before losing 20.

Under this metric, only the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons currently qualify as legitimate contenders, with the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics close behind.

Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks fail the standard, while the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards sit near the bottom of the updated rankings.