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NBA Power Rankings: Every Team from Worst to First (Week 8)
We’re fresh into NBA Cup season and there’s a bit of movement happening in the Western Conference in our Power Rankings. The Eastern Conference is seeing some cellar dwellers starting to rise to. Who’s making the leap this week? Continue reading to find out.
30. Washington Wizards (3-19)
Last Week: 30
They finally did it! A win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night snapped the Wizards’ 16-game losing streak. Jordan Poole put up 39 points and DC basketball fans were finally happy. At least until they had to play the very next day and got smashed by Memphis 140-112. They’ll have decent chances at getting a couple more wins against the Charlotte Hornets in the coming weeks, but the rest of their schedule through December features too many heavy hitters. Even the most optimistic Wizards fans won’t be feeling hopeful for their team this holiday season.
29. Utah Jazz (5-18)
Last Week: 29
At just 2-8 over their last 10 games, it’s more about vibes than anything else in Utah. Just two wins in their last 10 games with a -7.4 net rating isn’t anything to get stoked about. But John Collins is averaging 18.2 PPG and is shooting 56.5% from three in his last five games. The Baptist is thriving. And as a potential trade target ahead of the February 6th trade deadline, Utah will want him to keep producing to drive up his value.
28. New Orleans Pelicans (5-20)
Last Week: 28
Since Dejounte Murray’s return from injury, the guard has averaged 16.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 6.0 APG. The rebounds and assists are nice to look at, but he’s shooting just 34.5% from the field. Not from three, where he’s shooting a lowly 27.3%, but overall. That’s a very inefficient number that’s led to just one win in his seven games back. The Pelicans have actually been worse with him on the court (-17.22 net rating) than they have with him off (-10.75 net rating) if you can believe that. It’s bad no matter how you look at it in New Orleans and it won’t get better until their starters are all healthy and rolling.
27. Charlotte Hornets (7-17)
Last Week: 24
Charlotte’s offense surprisingly hasn’t fallen off much with LaMelo Ball’s absence, posting a 110.0 offensive rating in their six games without him. They’ve actually gotten worse on defense, posting a 117.8 defensive rating, a three point increase. Their schedule hasn’t been easy, but at least Charlotte can see more of what they’ve got in players like Brandon Miller. The 22-year-old is averaging 27.2 PPG in Ball’s absence. Something to get excited about in Charlotte!
26. Portland Trail Blazers (8-16)
Last Week: 25
After looking like a team you wouldn’t be able to sleep on, the Blazers have started to fall off. Just 2-8 in their last 10 with a -13.6 net rating, only eclipsing the Wizards in that timespan. They’ve got the third worst offensive rating and the third worst defensive rating in those 10 games. It’s getting a bit messy in Portland.
25. Toronto Raptors (7-18)
Last Week: 26
The Raptors are 4-6 since Scottie Barnes returned from injury. Barnes is averaging 21.1 PPG in those 10 games while also putting up 8.7 RPG and 8.0 APG. RJ Barrett has adjusted well to having Barnes back in the lineup, averaging 24.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 5.0 APG. At a -3.0 net rating in that span it’s not super impressive overall, but the Raptors aren’t a team you can easily roll over. Their schedule through December is a tough one, but if they show they can compete they should be able to stay in range of racing for a play-in spot soon.
24. Detroit Pistons (10-15)
Last Week: 23
A big win over the Knicks helped stop a three-game slide for the Pistons who are currently tied for the final play-in spot with the Pacers and Bulls. Cade Cunningham is averaging 26 PPG and 11 APG in his last six, with one triple-double in that span, but Detroit’s just 2-4 in those games. If the pieces around Cunningham can start to pull it together then they might have a very under-the-radar team that could win the play-in.
23. Brooklyn Nets (10-14)
Last Week: 21
The Nets are 5-5 in their last 10 games. Pretty decent to look at but that’s also buoyed with a 1-4 record in their last five. That coincides with Cam Thomas’s hamstring strain that’s kept him out the past six games. There’s a chance he may be able to return to action in the next couple weeks, but Nets fans should prepare for him to be out through December. Brooklyn has a few tough tests to finish December that would look much more promising with Thomas healthy. Until then, they’ll need to hope it’s not too rough without him.
22. Indiana Pacers (10-15)
Last Week: 22
Currently on a 1-5 slide, it’s not looking great for one of last season’s surprises. The Pacers are allowing opponents to shoot for a 59.4% eFG% over their last 10 games, highest in the league over that span. They’ll need to get that fixed quick if they have hopes of staying in play-in contention as their schedule isn’t all that jolly to finish up December. Mostly on the road, they’ll have to face a mix of the Suns, Kings, Warriors, Thunder, Celtics and Bucks. Pacers fans, just sit back and brace yourselves.
21. Philadelphia 76ers (7-15)
Last Week: 27
Our biggest riser this week, Philly has won four of their last five games. Joel Embiid was able to return in Philly’s last game against Chicago and put up a traditional Joel Embiid line with 31 points and 12 boards. With the Pacers and two games against the Hornets coming up, the Sixers have a chance to get things right with a healthy Embiid and a healthy Paul George. With both healthy, and continued production from Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers should be back to their normal selves here shortly. But as I mentioned last week, it all depends on health for them. If they stay healthy then they’re set to shoot up the standings in a hurry.
20. Chicago Bulls (10-15)
Last Week: 20
Chicago’s 4-6 over it’s last 10 but has a positive net rating over that span. The offense may never be an issue for Chicago, who’s only scored less than 110 points six times this season. It’s all about defense, which has tightened up a touch but still needs work. When they hold teams under 115 points they are 5-2. Let up 116 or more and they’re just 5-13. They’ll have a couple games to try and figure things out before they face Boston twice, followed by Milwaukee.
19. San Antonio (12-12)
Last Week: 17
A three game slide has the Spurs falling a bit in our rankings. Their 50.9% eFG% over the last five games ranks just 25th in that span, showing that their offense is holding them back. Victor Wembanyama has missed two of the Spurs’ last three games, both double-digit losses for San Antonio. They’ll have chances to get things back right over their next five games with two matchups against the Blazers but they’ll need to buckle in after that. Just a half game out of a play-in spot, San Antonio needs to turn it up to stay in contention.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (13-11)
Last Week: 15
Things are starting to catch up to the Lakers. They’re one of just three teams to have a negative net rating while having a winning record with their -3.9 net rating being the worst of the bunch. In the last 10 games they have a -11.1 net rating, only outpacing the Pelicans, Blazers and Wizards. They don’t have a win against a team that currently has a winning record since November 15th against Memphis. They did look better over the weekend but they’ll need to lock in as the rest of their December schedule features all but one team with a winning record. It might start to get feistier in LA this holiday season.
17. Phoenix Suns (12-11)
Last Week: 13
The effect that Kevin Durant has on this team is wild. When active, the Suns are 11-2. Quick math says without him that means they’re 1-9, which seems bad! In his most recent absence after spraining his ankle last Tuesday the Suns went 0-3. Lucky for Phoenix, KD is trending towards returning back to the court on Friday for their game against Utah. They quite simply need him in order to be effective or else they’re one of the easier outs in the West. If he can’t stay healthy, though, get used to seeing Phoenix in the lower-mid tier of these power rankings.
16. Atlanta Hawks (13-12)
Last Week: 19
The Hawks just keep on moving up. They took down another one of the Eastern Conference’s best last week after getting Milwaukee on the second leg of a back-to-back, then took down the Lakers in OT on Friday to extend their winning streak to six. That came to an end after the Nuggets beat them on Sunday, though Jalen Johnson and Bogdan Bogdanovic were both held out of action. De’Andre Hunter has been a driving force for Atlanta’s bench production, averaging 19.3 PPG off the bench while shooting 41.7% from three in his last 11 games after returning from injury. A big game on Wednesday in the NBA Cup against the Knicks should be a telling test for where this Hawks team is truly at.
15. Sacramento Kings (12-13)
Last Week: 18
The Kings’ offense is back cooking. Scoring 120+ in four of their last five, they have the highest offensive rating in the league over their last five games (126.9). Back-to-back 140+ point performances against San Antonio and Utah. The points shouldn’t stop over their next five games either with games on deck against New Orleans, Denver, two against the Lakers and another against Indiana. Keep an eye on those overs at your local sportsbook and look out if Sacramento’s up next on your schedule. They’re heating up.
14. Miami Heat (12-10)
Last Week: 16
The Miami Heat are on a 9-5 run and working themselves to the upper tier of the Eastern Conference standings and looking like a real strong contender again, which makes Tuesday’s news all the more surprising that they’re open to trading Jimmy Butler. Well, at least listening to offers for him. If traded word is he’d prefer to go to either Houston, Dallas or Golden State. It’s strange timing given Miami’s recent streak that will make them intriguing to follow over the next couple months to see if they do pull the trigger on a Jimmy Butler trade.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-11)
Last Week: 14
Winners in four of their last five games, Minnesota may have found it’s defensive mojo again. The offense hasn’t cracked 110 points in regulation since November 17th but offense doesn’t matter much when you’re holding teams under 100. They’ve done just that in four of their last five, unsurprisingly coming out victorious in all four. If they don’t turn their offense around soon then eventually it’s going to catch up to them, but until then they’re aiming for low-scoring games as often as possible as that’s a winning strategy for them.
12. Denver Nuggets (12-10)
Last Week: 12
In Denver’s back-to-back over the weekend Nikola Jokic averaged 52 PPG, 15 RPG and 8 APG. One of those included a loss(!) to the Washington Wizards where he scored 56 points. The Nuggets were without Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray for that game, but you still expect them to come out victorious against a team like the Wizards with the performance Jokic had. The current odds-on favorite to win MVP is doing all he can to get the Nuggets back atop the Western Conference, but they won’t raise higher if the team as a whole can’t lock in mentally early in games as the Nuggets have the seventh worst net rating (-6.2) in the first half of games this season.
11. Orlando Magic (17-10)
Last Week: 9
Ask any Magic fan how things are feeling for them right now and they’ll say, “Oh…bleak.” Get it? Did you see what I did? I can’t promise that will be the last dad joke I throw at you for the rest of these rankings, but I can promise you that Orlando fans are tired of oblique injuries and want them permanently banned. With Paolo Banchero out with an oblique injury, Franz Wagner carried the Magic until he obtained an oblique injury of his own this past week. With Orlando’s two biggest offensive threats out, they’ve got a major uphill climb to stay in playoff contention.
10. Los Angeles Clippers (14-11)
Last Week: 11
3-3 in their last six after winning five of six, the Clippers have been good enough to withstand Kawhi Leonard’s absence. Which is great for them to know as Leonard was able to return to practice on Tuesday, giving them hope that they can potentially be better and more consistent once he’s active. He’s not been cleared for contact, leaving his eventual return date in a TBD stage, but he’s trending in the right direction. The Clippers have a +2.81 adjusted net rating per Basketball Reference, 11th overall. That will only get better once Leonard returns.
9. Golden State Warriors (14-9)
Last Week: 6
A bit of a drop here for the Warriors as they’ve been on the downswing of things the past couple weeks. After losing five straight, the Warriors were able to win two of their last three games. However, in two of those games, they failed to score 100+ points. They won one of those against the Rockets by holding them to a 43% eFG%, but that kind of defensive prowess is usually unsustainable. They get another shot against the Rockets in the NBA Cup on Wednesday where they’ll be 3-point underdogs in Houston.
8. Milwaukee Bucks (13-11)
Last Week: 10
The Bucks continue to rise up this list after a disastrous start. Winners of eight of their last 10 games, they sit at sixth in the Eastern Conference. They also just got Khris Middleton back, who’s been able to play 20+ minutes off the bench in each game since he’s returned. Giannis has been playing at an MVP level and Milwaukee’s on a roll. After the NBA Cup they’ve got a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it’s pretty much smooth sailing through December and into January after that. They should continue to rack up wins here in the near future.
7. New York Knicks (15-9)
Last Week: 8
It’s all about which Knicks team is going to show up on any given night. As of late, New York has been dominant. But they can be prone to slip ups against teams they should easily beat, like the Detroit Pistons. Still, they’ve got the fourth best net rating over their last 10 games (+8.8) and generally win big when they win. If they can slow down Trae Young and the Hawks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, which Knicks fans will no doubt be enthusiastic about, they’ll be on their way to the semifinals and an NBA (Cup) Finals trophy may just be in their sights.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (17-8)
Last Week: 7
With a +11.6 net rating over their last 10 games, the Grizzlies have been one of the league’s best teams. If not for one bad slip up against the Jokic-less Nuggets, and a horrendous fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks, we’d be looking at the Grizzlies being on an 11-game winning streak. A six point win on the road against Boston has easily been their most impressive win in this span where they’ve got the 7th best defensive rating in the league (108.4). Their schedule starts to get interesting soon, but it’s nothing that should hold them back too far from staying near the top of the Western Conference standings.
5. Houston Rockets (16-8)
Last Week: 4
After a big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston had a couple letdowns against Sacramento and Golden State. An 11-point victory got them right again headed into Wednesday’s NBA Cup matchup against the Warriors. Defense drives the Rockets, who are 6-4 in their last 10 besides shooting for the league’s second-worst eFG% in that same span at 49.4%. They’re 0-2 against the Warriors this season and will no doubt be hungry to prove themselves on Wednesday night in front of a national TV audience.
4. Dallas Mavericks (16-9)
Last Week: 5
These guys just continue to keep on going. Winners of 11 of their past 12 games before Tuesday night’s loss to the Thunder, the Mavs are once again a threat. Luka Doncic is nearly averaging a triple-double since coming back from injury with 31 PPG, 10.5 RPG and 9.5 APG in his four games back before Tuesday. Keep an eye out for Dallas as an underrated contender in the West.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-5)
Last Week: 3
They continue to roll and they’re only going to get better once Chet Holmgren gets back. A +10.8 net rating over their last 10 games coming into Tuesday night’s NBA Cup matchup vs the Mavs, only Memphis and Dallas have been better over that same span. Jalen Williams does a little bit of everything for OKC, averaging 22 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 5.0 APG. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to play at a near MVP level and the Thunder don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-4)
Last Week: 2
They may finally be coming back down to earth a little bit but they’re still a threat to win it all. Their 56.8% is down from when they were shooting an unsustainable 60% when they started the season, so this is likely more of the Cavs team we’ll see going forward. It’s still resulting in a 6-4 record and a +7.1 net rating. After losing back-to-back-games to the Hawks, and avenging their NBA Cup loss to the Celtics, they won three straight games by at least 12 points or more. Evan Mobley avoided an injury scare, which will be huge for Cleveland’s success going forward.
1. Boston Celtics (19-5)
Last Week: 1
They have competition at the top but it’s them above everyone else right now. At some point they’re going to be forced to shoot more twos and veer away from their 51.4 threes attempted per game, but if they keep hitting at a 37% clip it won’t matter even if it dips to 40 threes per game. They can outshoot you from all around the court and are doing it with the 10th best defensive rating in the league (110.8). Until someone succeeds in stopping them from three and forcing them to score more in the interior, if they can stop them, they’re going to continue to be a legit back-to-back champions threat.
