The reason why Net Rating will determine who can be the 2025 NBA champion

The balance between defense and offense is crucial to succeed in today's NBA, and that is what the Net Rating measures, standing as the difference between offensive and defensive ratings. Points scored and allowed encapsulated in an NBA statistic that has been key for 14 years in determining which franchises are in contention for the championship.

Evidence of this is that no team that has finished the regular season outside the top 5 in Net Rating in the past almost three decades has gone on to win the NBA title. What is done in the 82 games that make up the season greatly influences how teams compete in the playoffs. It is clear that both attacking and defending well are necessary, as simply having a strong offense or a weak defense is not enough, considering the postseason intensifies and requires exceptional talent to score.

Currently, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers are the only teams with a double-digit Net Rating, holding a significant advantage over Boston Celtics, who are in third place. This reflects the overall standings and prevailing sentiments among fans. It is noteworthy that the fourth and fifth spots are currently occupied by Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets, two teams that continue to be viewed with suspicion by many.

For 14 straight years, a team who finished in the top-five for net rating ultimately won the NBA championship.

The current top-five in net rating with a month left in the regular season:

1. Thunder: +12.2
2. Cavaliers: +10.6
3. Celtics: +8.7
4. Grizzlies: +5.9
5. Rockets: +4.7 pic.twitter.com/4hNq5j7Tg1

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) March 17, 2025

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