Applying Phil Jackson's '40-20 rule'—winning 40 games before 20 losses—only the Oklahoma City Thunder (42-14) and Detroit Pistons (40-13) currently qualify as legitimate contenders. Teams like the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets fall short of this standard.
The San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics are also mentioned, with the Spurs likely joining the contenders soon and the Celtics holding an outside shot. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards, and Brooklyn Nets round out the lower end of the rankings with struggling records.