Oklahoma City Thunder have the best defensive rating in the NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder have the best defensive rating in the NBA in the 2025-26 season at 107.7, against a league average of 115.7, as of October 5, 2026.
One number, the league’s average beside it, and the top 25. Every figure here is from the 2025-26 season.
The number
8.0 below the league average of 115.7. Points allowed per 100 possessions. Lower is better. On its own a figure is only a size, which is why the league's number sits beside it.
| # | The rest of the board | Defensive rating | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder 64-18 | 107.7 | 64-18 |
| 2 |  Detroit Pistons 60-22 | 109.7 | 60-22 |
| 3 |  San Antonio Spurs 62-20 | 111.3 | 62-20 |
| 4 |  Boston Celtics 56-26 | 112.7 | 56-26 |
| 5 |  Toronto Raptors 46-36 | 113.0 | 46-36 |
| 6 |  Houston Rockets 52-30 | 113.2 | 52-30 |
| 7 |  New York Knicks 53-29 | 113.3 | 53-29 |
| 8 |  Minnesota Timberwolves 49-33 | 113.5 | 49-33 |
| 9 |  Atlanta Hawks 46-36 | 113.7 | 46-36 |
| 10 |  Phoenix Suns 45-37 | 113.9 | 45-37 |
| 11 |  Orlando Magic 45-37 | 114.3 | 45-37 |
| 12 |  Charlotte Hornets 44-38 | 114.4 | 44-38 |
| 13 |  Miami Heat 43-39 | 114.5 | 43-39 |
| 14 |  Portland Trail Blazers 42-40 | 114.7 | 42-40 |
| 15 |  Cleveland Cavaliers 52-30 | 115.1 | 52-30 |
| 16 |  Philadelphia 76ers 45-37 | 115.5 | 45-37 |
| 17 |  Golden State Warriors 37-45 | 115.6 | 37-45 |
| 18 |  Los Angeles Clippers 42-40 | 116.1 | 42-40 |
| 19 |  Los Angeles Lakers 53-29 | 116.4 | 53-29 |
| 20 |  Dallas Mavericks 26-56 | 116.5 | 26-56 |
| 21 |  Denver Nuggets 54-28 | 117.4 | 54-28 |
| 22 |  Chicago Bulls 31-51 | 118.1 | 31-51 |
| 23 |  Memphis Grizzlies 25-57 | 118.8 | 25-57 |
| 24 |  Indiana Pacers 19-63 | 118.8 | 19-63 |
| 25 |  New Orleans Pelicans 26-56 | 118.9 | 26-56 |
Source: Basketball Reference, 2025-26 season. League average across all 30 teams. Lower is better, so the table runs lowest first. The lead is 2.3 standard deviations (sd) above the field: the unit the directory ranks leads by, because it lets a rate and a speed share one list. Measured (); the boards refresh twice a day.