nba team highest defensive rating rankings in a single season before 2020

Before 2019-20, the Cleveland Cavaliers had the highest defensive rating by a team in a season, with a 117.6 rating in 2018-19.

Showing:

Regular season

	TEAM	DRTG	SEASON	GP	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	OREB	DREB	TPG	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF
1	Cavaliers	117.6	2018-19	82	240.9	104.5	42.7	20.7	6.5	2.4	38.9	87.6	44.4	10.3	29.1	35.5	16.4	20.7	79.2	54.0	10.7	31.9	13.5	19,755	8,567	3,498	1,698	534	195	1,106	1,642
2	Suns	115.1	2018-19	82	242.4	107.5	40.4	23.9	9.0	5.1	40.1	87.4	45.9	9.6	29.3	32.9	17.6	22.7	77.9	55.2	9.1	31.3	15.6	19,880	8,815	3,311	1,957	735	418	1,279	1,932
3	Mavericks	114.7	1992-93	82	240.6	99.3	42.7	20.5	7.9	4.3	38.6	88.7	43.5	3.5	10.2	33.8	18.7	26.5	70.5	49.5	15.0	27.6	17.8	19,730	8,141	3,499	1,683	649	355	1,459	2,302
4	Nuggets	114.7	1990-91	82	240.6	119.9	49.4	24.5	10.4	5.0	47.6	108.1	44.0	3.7	12.9	28.3	21.0	27.6	76.3	49.8	18.5	30.9	16.2	19,730	9,828	4,050	2,005	856	406	1,332	2,235
5	Kings	114.7	2008-09	82	242.7	100.6	39.1	19.7	6.9	4.3	36.5	81.5	44.7	7.1	19.4	36.8	20.5	25.7	79.8	54.2	10.2	28.9	15.4	19,905	8,248	3,206	1,619	569	349	1,266	1,910
6	SuperSonics	114.4	2005-06	82	241.8	102.6	39.6	20.7	7.6	3.7	37.5	81.8	45.9	7.4	19.9	37.1	20.1	25.7	78.5	55.1	12.4	27.2	14.7	19,830	8,411	3,246	1,696	622	306	1,208	1,933
7	Magic	114.3	1989-90	82	241.5	110.9	46.0	24.3	7.5	3.6	42.2	91.8	45.9	1.4	4.8	29.5	25.1	33.2	75.6	52.1	15.9	30.1	17.2	19,805	9,090	3,769	1,993	617	294	1,407	1,975
8	Wizards	113.9	2018-19	82	243.0	114.0	42.4	26.3	8.3	4.6	42.1	90.1	46.8	11.3	33.3	34.1	18.4	23.9	76.8	56.7	9.7	32.7	14.1	19,930	9,350	3,473	2,154	683	379	1,154	1,701
9	Hawks	113.9	2018-19	82	242.1	113.3	46.1	25.8	8.2	5.1	41.4	91.8	45.1	13.0	37.0	35.2	17.6	23.4	75.2	55.5	11.6	34.5	17.0	19,855	9,294	3,780	2,118	675	419	1,397	1,932
10	Nuggets	113.9	1981-82	82	241.8	126.5	43.8	27.7	8.1	4.5	48.5	93.4	52.0	0.5	1.8	26.8	28.9	36.3	79.6	57.8	14.0	29.8	17.9	19,830	10,371	3,592	2,272	664	368	1,470	2,131
11	Clippers	113.8	1981-82	82	240.9	108.5	40.6	22.9	7.8	3.6	43.3	86.6	50.0	1.2	4.1	29.3	20.6	28.5	72.3	54.7	13.8	26.8	19.1	19,755	8,896	3,327	1,878	636	299	1,570	2,353
12	Knicks	113.7	2018-19	82	241.2	104.6	44.7	20.1	6.8	5.1	38.2	88.3	43.3	10.0	29.5	34.0	18.1	23.9	75.9	52.9	10.5	34.3	14.0	19,780	8,575	3,668	1,646	557	422	1,151	1,713
13	Wizards	113.6	2008-09	82	240.3	96.1	40.1	20.0	7.5	4.5	36.5	81.2	45.0	4.8	14.6	33.0	18.2	23.8	76.7	52.4	11.7	28.4	14.0	19,705	7,877	3,286	1,641	619	365	1,146	1,679
14	Warriors	113.3	2008-09	82	242.4	108.6	42.0	20.9	7.8	6.4	39.4	86.0	45.8	6.7	18.0	37.3	23.1	29.2	79.1	54.9	11.6	30.4	14.6	19,880	8,905	3,445	1,711	638	527	1,201	1,842
15	Bulls	113.2	2018-19	82	242.7	104.9	42.9	21.9	7.4	4.3	39.8	87.9	45.3	9.1	25.9	35.1	16.2	20.7	78.3	54.1	8.8	34.1	14.1	19,905	8,605	3,517	1,796	603	351	1,159	1,663
16	Raptors	113.2	2009-10	82	241.2	104.1	40.4	22.0	5.7	4.7	39.0	80.9	48.2	6.3	17.0	37.1	19.7	25.8	76.4	56.4	9.8	30.6	13.4	19,780	8,534	3,313	1,804	469	384	1,100	1,819
17	Warriors	113.0	1984-85	82	242.1	110.4	42.3	21.5	9.8	3.5	42.7	92.1	46.3	1.4	4.8	28.2	23.7	30.9	76.8	52.2	16.2	26.1	17.8	19,855	9,052	3,466	1,759	803	284	1,460	2,136
18	76ers	113.0	1995-96	82	240.6	94.5	38.9	19.9	7.8	5.1	34.1	78.3	43.6	6.0	17.5	34.2	20.3	27.6	73.4	52.2	12.6	26.4	17.2	19,730	7,746	3,192	1,629	643	420	1,414	1,777
19	Lakers	113.0	2016-17	82	240.3	104.6	43.5	20.9	8.2	3.9	39.3	87.4	45.0	8.9	25.7	34.6	17.0	22.6	75.4	53.7	11.4	32.1	15.2	19,705	8,575	3,569	1,716	674	320	1,243	1,698
20	Pistons	112.9	1994-95	82	240.6	98.2	38.6	22.8	8.6	5.1	37.3	80.9	46.1	6.0	17.0	35.4	17.5	23.7	74.1	53.8	11.7	26.9	16.1	19,730	8,053	3,162	1,872	705	420	1,318	2,151
21	Timberwolves	112.9	2018-19	82	241.8	112.5	44.8	24.6	8.3	5.0	41.6	91.3	45.6	10.1	28.7	35.1	19.1	24.3	78.7	55.2	11.3	33.5	13.1	19,830	9,223	3,673	2,018	683	411	1,074	1,664
22	Warriors	112.9	1987-88	82	241.2	107.0	41.4	24.5	9.0	3.5	42.2	90.3	46.8	1.1	3.8	29.2	21.4	26.9	79.6	52.4	13.9	27.5	17.0	19,780	8,771	3,392	2,005	741	283	1,395	2,155
23	Raptors	112.9	2010-11	82	241.2	99.1	40.3	21.9	7.1	4.3	38.3	82.4	46.5	4.2	13.3	31.6	18.2	24.1	75.5	53.3	11.7	28.6	14.7	19,780	8,124	3,306	1,795	581	350	1,206	1,807
24	Suns	112.9	2017-18	82	240.3	103.9	44.1	21.3	6.9	4.5	38.5	87.1	44.2	9.3	27.9	33.4	17.7	23.9	74.1	53.2	10.3	33.9	15.7	19,705	8,522	3,618	1,743	569	370	1,289	1,807
25	Spurs	112.8	1987-88	82	241.5	113.6	42.9	28.6	9.0	5.7	45.2	92.2	49.0	1.6	5.0	32.3	21.6	29.4	73.3	54.0	14.4	28.5	17.3	19,805	9,314	3,519	2,344	739	468	1,418	1,991

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StatMuse has team, season-level data for defensive rating going back to the 1973-74 season.

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More Cavaliers Stats

Team Leaders

PPG

27.9

Mitchell

RPG

9.0

Mobley

APG

5.7

Mitchell

Team Rankings

ORTG

119.2

6th

DRTG

115.1

15th

NETRTG

4.1

9th

3P%

36.0

13th

2025-26 Conference Standings

	TEAM	W	L	PCT	GB
2	Celtics	56	26	.683	4.0
3	Knicks	53	29	.646	7.0
4	Cavaliers	52	30	.634	8.0
5	Raptors	46	36	.561	14.0
6	Hawks	46	36	.561	14.0

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Thu 10/22	CLE	@	PHI	7:00 PM
Sat 10/24	BKN	@	CLE	7:30 PM
Mon 10/26	MIN	@	CLE	7:00 PM
Wed 10/28	WAS	@	CLE	7:00 PM
Thu 10/29	CLE	@	ATL	7:00 PM

Last Game

Knicks

4 - 0

130

Final

Cavaliers

0 - 4

Mon 25 May 2026

NBA 2025-26 Leaders

PPG Leaders

33.5

Dončić

31.1

Gilgeous-Alexander

28.8

Edwards

RPG Leaders

12.9

Jokić

11.9

Towns

11.6

Clingan

APG Leaders

10.7

Jokić

9.9

Cunningham

8.3

Dončić

SPG Leaders

2.0

Thompson

2.0

Daniels

1.9

Wallace

BPG Leaders

3.1

Wembanyama

1.9

Holmgren

1.9

Huff

3PM Leaders

4.0

Dončić

3.8

Ball

3.4

Knueppel

TS% Leaders

68.8

Duren

67.6

Ayton

67.4

Queta

NBA 2025-26 Rankings

ORtg Rankings

122.6

120.8

119.8

119.6

119.4

119.2

DRtg Rankings

107.7

109.7

111.3

112.7

113.0

113.2

NetRtg Rankings

11.1

8.3

8.2

8.1

6.5

5.4

Tank Leaderboard

17-65

19-63

20-62

22-60

25-57

NBA Fantasy 2025-26

FanDuel Points Leaders

4,039.7

Jokić

3,694

Dončić

3,474

Johnson

DraftKings Points Leaders

4,298.5

Jokić

3,909.3

Dončić

3,685.5

Johnson

USG% Leaders

38.0

Dončić

36.1

Brown

33.4

Leonard

MPG Leaders

38.0

Maxey

37.4

Thompson

36.4

Durant

FanDuel PTS/MIN Leaders

1.78

Jokić

1.61

Dončić

1.52

Gilgeous-Alexander

DraftKings PTS/MIN Leaders

1.90

Jokić

1.71

Dončić

1.52

Gilgeous-Alexander

NBA 2025-26 Betting

Best Record ATS

50-34

61-44

50-37-1

51-38

47-36

57-44

Worst Record ATS

33-49

41-59

36-48

38-50

36-46

NBA 2025-26 Standings

	Eastern	W	L	PCT	GB
1	Pistons - z	60	22	.732
2	Celtics - x	56	26	.683	4.0
3	Knicks - x	53	29	.646	7.0
4	Cavaliers - x	52	30	.634	8.0
5	Raptors - x	46	36	.561	14.0
6	Hawks - x	46	36	.561	14.0
7	76ers - x	45	37	.549	15.0
8	Magic - x	45	37	.549	15.0
9	Hornets	44	38	.537	16.0
10	Heat	43	39	.524	17.0
11	Bucks - e	32	50	.390	28.0
12	Bulls - e	31	51	.378	29.0
13	Nets - e	20	62	.244	40.0
14	Pacers - e	19	63	.232	41.0
15	Wizards - e	17	65	.207	43.0

	Western	W	L	PCT	GB
1	Thunder - z	64	18	.780
2	Spurs - x	62	20	.756	2.0
3	Nuggets - x	54	28	.659	10.0
4	Lakers - x	53	29	.646	11.0
5	Rockets - x	52	30	.634	12.0
6	Timberwolves - x	49	33	.598	15.0
7	Suns - x	45	37	.549	19.0
8	Trail Blazers - x	42	40	.512	22.0
9	Clippers	42	40	.512	22.0
10	Warriors	37	45	.451	27.0
11	Pelicans - e	26	56	.317	38.0
12	Mavericks - e	26	56	.317	38.0
13	Grizzlies - e	25	57	.305	39.0
14	Kings - e	22	60	.268	42.0
15	Jazz - e	22	60	.268	42.0