Only two teams currently meet the '40-20 rule,' where a team wins 40 games before losing 20: the Oklahoma City Thunder (42-14) and Detroit Pistons (40-13). While the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics have outside shots, traditional powers like the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks do not qualify under this strict standard.
NBA Power Rankings: Where all 30 teams stand entering the second half of the season
As teams enter the second half of the season, Yahoo Sports applies the '40-20 rule' to identify legitimate NBA championship contenders.