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Another year means another iteration of NBA 2K. With the launch of NBA 2K22, fans will experience arguably one of the best basketball simulators in quite some time. The developers at 2K have gone above and beyond to ensure realistic player ratings and an upgraded shooting feature to create a better experience.
Before stepping onto the court, it’s important to know which teams to suit up as and which teams to avoid. In some cases, certain teams’ ratings might be a bit of an embellishment, but ultimately, these are the teams you’re going to want to select to exert your dominance in NBA 2K22.
Updated May 30, 2022, by Avery Lawrence Feyrer: As the 2021-22 NBA season wraps up, many teams that were once thought to have been championship contenders have fizzled out in the playoffs, while other teams rose up to the challenge. We've updated this post to reflect the latest player and team updates for NBA 2K22, to present who the best teams are in the Association.
10 New Orleans Pelicans - 91
Projected starting lineup:
- C.J. McCollum 87
- Brandon Ingram 85
- Herb Jones 78
- Zion Williamson (89)
- Jonas Valanciunas 83
No team started the 2022 season worse than the New Orleans Pelicans. Under new-hire Willie Green, the Pelicans started 1-12, and signs were quickly turning toward a full rebuild. With superstar Zion Williamson (89) still recovering from injury, it was clear the Pelicans weren't going to amount to much. However, the team rallied around Green, swung a big-time trade at the deadline for C.J. McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. (77), and against all odds, pushed the team to the playoffs.
While the Pelicans failed to upset the Phoenix Suns in the first round, they showed immense grit and resilience in even reaching the postseason. New Orleans has a pair of defensive specialists in rookies Herb Jones (78) and Jose Alvarado (76) who can disrupt even the best offensive players. If Zion is able to fully return to the court, there's no question that the Pelicans can be a dark horse contender in the Western Conference in the very near future.
9 Brooklyn Nets - 92
Projected starting lineup:
- Kevin Durant 96
- Kyrie Irving 92
- Seth Curry 78
- Bruce Brown 77
- Andre Drummond 81
Ever since Brooklyn assembled their own super team in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, it's only been problems for the Nets. Firstly, the team had to wait for Durant to recover from his Achilles injury. Then, COVID-19 restrictions prevented Irving from playing, because of his stance against the vaccine. This caused internal conflict, that resulted in the team trading Harden to the 76ers for the injured Ben Simmons (84). Although Irving was eventually able to play on a full-time basis, his time away from the team ultimately sabotaged the Nets, and their season ended prematurely against the Boston Celtics.
Although Simmons never returned to the court in 2022, his presence on the team in NBA 2K22 can fully unlock their offensive potential. Brooklyn isn't short of offensive playmakers in Simmons, Irving, and Durant, plus a trio of sharpshooters in Seth Curry (78), Bruce Brown (77), and Joe Harris (76). Aside from his offensive capabilities, Simmons is a high-profile defender and rim protector. If Simmons is able to finally get healthy, the Nets are certainly one of the most dangerous teams out there.
8 Philadelphia 76ers - 92
Projected starting lineup:
- Joel Embiid 96
- James Harden 92
- Tobias Harris 83
- Tyrese Maxey 84
- Danny Green 73
No team has been subject of as many trade rumors as the Philadelphia 76ers. Since their inexcusable exit from the 2021 playoffs, internal and external discussions took place about the long-term duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. As the 2022 season progressed, it was clear Simmons wasn't going to play anytime soon due to his lingering back injuries, and with the Brooklyn Nets dealing with their own turmoil, the two teams came together for a blockbuster trade involving Simmons and James Harden.
While both teams failed to reach their goals of winning a championship, the trade was ultimately more of a win for Philadelphia than Brooklyn as the 76ers advanced past the first round, while the Nets were swept. It remains to be seen if the 76ers will retain Harden and build around him and Embiid, with the offense spurting at times in the playoffs. In NBA 2K22, however, the 76ers have one of the best offensive units (96) in the league, especially with the outside shooting of Tyrese Maxey (84) and overall dominance of Embiid (96).
7 Boston Celtics - 93
Projected starting lineup:
- Jayson Tatum 90
- Jaylen Brown 86
- Marcus Smart 79
- Al Horford 80
- Robert Williams 82
For a team that possesses premium individual talent on the roster, the Boston Celtics haven’t been able to put it all together for a championship run. Since 2016, the Celtics have reached three Eastern Conference Finals, but have always fallen short. As the calendar flipped to 2022, it appeared that Boston was heading toward a critical juncture — with rumors swirling of the team possibly breaking up the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown duo. But the team rallied tremendously in the second half of the season, finishing with the second seed in the Eastern Conference and finally reaching the NBA Finals.
The offseason saw plenty of change for the Celtics. Long-time Head Coach Brad Stevens was promoted to President of Basketball Operations, and his first order of business was bringing back All-Star center Al Horford to solidify the interior defense and provide consistent scoring. Boston acquired quality depth at the trade deadline in role players Derrick White (79) and Daniel Theis (75). As such, the Celtics are one of the best defensive teams (93) in the game.
6 Memphis Grizzlies - 94
Projected starting lineup:
- Ja Morant 93
- Desmond Bane 84
- Dillon Brooks 81
- Jaren Jackson Jr. 84
- Steven Adams 83
Each year, there's a young, up-and-coming team that captivates everyone as they discover how talented they really are. In 2022, that team was the Memphis Grizzlies. With superstar Ja Morant fully recovered from a knee injury, the team blitzed the NBA with their high-powered offense (96) and secured the second seed in the Western Conference. However, they weren't able to overcome a playoff injury to Morant, and they fell to the Golden State Warriors.
Even though the Grizzlies dreamt of loftier accomplishments, finishing with the second seed and a playoff round victory is a great stepping stone for this young team. Aside from Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. (84), Desmond Bane (84) has shown he's one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the league, while also showcasing the resurgence of backup point guard De'Anthony Melton (80). With a pair of young, promising frontcourt players in Ziaire Williams (74) and Xavier Tillman (76), the Grizzlies have built a young team that's set up to contend for a championship for many years to come.
5 Miami Heat - 94
Projected starting lineup:
- Jimmy Butler 92
- Bam Adebayo 87
- Kyle Lowry 82
- Max Strus 75
- P.J. Tucker 76
Coming off their surprise NBA Finals run in the bubble down in Orlando, the Miami Heat were swept in the first round of the playoffs last season by the eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks. Already having a solid foundation in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat made a huge offseason splash by acquiring long-term Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry. This acquisition, plus the emergence of Max Strus (75), Gabe Vincent (73), and Caleb Martin (77), helped the Heat overcome various injuries throughout the season to claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
With how fickle the Eastern Conference is each year, the Heat knows it’s possible to contend from virtually any seed (evident by their Finals run as a four-seed). But when it comes to NBA 2K22, there’s little to be excited about with the Heat. Lowry is a streaky player and Adebayo struggles against any adequate interior defender. Butler can still transform into "Jimmy Buckets", and there are a few offensive spark plugs in Tyler Herro (85), Victor Oladipo (76), and Strus to generate some points, but you could do a lot better elsewhere.
4 Golden State Warriors - 94
Projected starting lineup:
- Stephen Curry 96
- Klay Thompson 83
- Andrew Wiggins 83
- Draymond Green 83
- Jonathan Kuminga 79
As quickly as the Golden State Warriors rose to glory in the NBA, the team found themselves slumming it with the bottom feeders in a blink of an eye. After losing the NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors in 2019, Kevin Durant left the Warriors in favor of the Brooklyn Nets. The team also dealt with major injuries to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, that resulted in the Warriors securing the number two pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. However, with the return of Thompson and Curry, the Warriors have reclaimed their spot among NBA royalty and reached the NBA Finals in 2022.
Returning from a torn ACL injury isn't exactly easy, but Thompson did his best to make it look so. The shooting guard is the healthiest he's been in two years, so it's not necessarily a surprise that Golden State is back in the NBA Finals. But at only an 83 overall, Thompson is severely underrated in NBA 2K22. Curry remains one of the best players in the game (96), and the team sports a plethora of young, promising players in Jordan Poole (81) and Jonathan Kuminga (79).
3 Los Angeles Lakers - 95
Projected starting lineup:
- LeBron James 96
- Anthony Davis 92
- Russell Westbrook 78
- Austin Reeves 74
- Stanley Johnson 74
For a team that followed up a first-round playoff exit with a season that ended without even making the playoffs, it's quite a surprise to see the Los Angeles Lakers rated so highly. But we suppose that's the LeBron James effect hard at work. Despite acquiring star point guard Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards, and bringing in former key role players Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, and Carmelo Anthony, the Lakers regressed in 2022. It didn't help that James dealt with sporadic injuries, cementing the notion that Father Time is finally turning the tables on the once indestructible player.
People shouldn't feel sorry for the Lakers and their bad injury luck in 2022. Los Angeles sported the oldest roster in the NBA, so it was only a matter of time before the injury bug bit this team in the end. But even though James is now 37-years-old, he's still one of the best players in the league and can still perform herculean efforts to power his team to a victory. The Lakers have a pair of young prospects in Austin Reeves (74) and Talen Horton-Tucker (74), who could develop into prominent contributors in the waning years of James' career in Los Angeles.
2 Milwaukee Bucks - 96
Projected starting lineup:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo 97
- Khris Middleton 86
- Jrue Holiday 85
- Grayson Allen 76
- Bobby Portis Jr. 81
For the first time in 50 years, the Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Champions. Proving that he is, in fact, superhuman, Giannis Antetokounmpo overcame what looked to be a gruesome knee injury against the Atlanta Hawks in the second round to dominate the Phoenix Suns. Antetokounmpo averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, and five assists in defeating the Suns in six games, despite losing the first two games of the series.
As is the case with most champions, the Bucks weren’t able to retain everyone. Defensive specialist P.J. Tucker found a new home with the Miami Heat, but Milwaukee will have Donte DiVincenzo returning from his foot injury, and they acquired Grayson Allen from the Memphis Grizzlies. Milwaukee's goal of becoming the first back-to-back champion since 2017-2018 evaporated, with a game seven loss to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics in the second round. The Bucks are one of the few teams featured with a higher-rated defense (97) than offense (95).
1 LA Clippers - 97
Projected starting lineup:
- Kawhi Leonard 95
- Paul George 88
- Reggie Jackson 77
- Nicholas Batum 76
- Ivica Zubac 78
Entering the season, the LA Clippers were one of the few teams in the league to never reach a Conference Finals, let alone an NBA Finals. While they didn’t achieve the latter, the Clippers did make franchise history by reaching the Western Conference Finals — despite losing superstar Kawhi Leonard in the second round. Led by Paul George, the Clippers showed extreme determination and resilience, pushing the Phoenix Suns to six games before falling.
Entering the 2022 season, the Clippers hoped for Leonard to return from his knee injury, but it never came to be. With too many injuries to contend with, the Clippers still managed to reach the play-in tournament as the ninth seed, but fell to the New Orleans Pelicans. However, if the Clippers return fully healthy next season, they're projected to be one of the best teams in the NBA. For now, fans will have to be satisfied with the fact that not only are the Clippers the kings of Los Angeles, but also the kings of NBA 2K22.