BPI projections rank all 30 NBA teams and name the top Finals favorites

Ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, new Basketball Power Index projections have been released, offering a statistical ranking of all 30 teams and identifying which franchises are seen as the strongest contenders for the league title.

How the projections are built

Basketball Power Index, commonly known as BPI, uses statistical modeling to project team strength based on factors such as roster composition, projected performance and historical data, producing a projected ranking across the entire league before the season tips off.

At the top of the projections sit the teams considered the clearest Finals favorites, typically franchises combining strong rosters with favorable depth and continuity from the previous season. At the other end, teams undergoing rebuilds or facing significant roster turnover tend to project toward the bottom of the rankings.

Preseason projections such as these are intended as a statistical starting point rather than a guarantee, with injuries, trades and in-season development often reshaping the competitive picture significantly by the time the playoffs arrive.

As the season gets underway, these projections will serve as an early benchmark against which actual team performance can be measured, with updates expected as the BPI model incorporates real game data throughout the year.