Under the benchmark that requires winning 40 games before losing 20, the Thunder (42-14) and Pistons (40-13) are the only true contenders. The Spurs (38-16) are close, and the Celtics (35-19) have an outside shot.
M meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks fail the standard, sitting near the bottom alongside the Kings, Wizards, and Nets.