30. Houston Rockets, 10-33
After a 21 point loss to the Clippers on Sunday, the Rockets have now lost ten games in a row and are positioning themselves in a prime position to, yet again, have a top 3 pick in the NBA Draft. The Rockets have the worst offense in basketball (offensive rating of 109.4), but have seen some promising development from rookie Jabari Smith Jr. (12.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block per game) and second-year big Alperen Sengun (14.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game with a TS% of 60.5).
On Friday night against the Kings, Smith Jr. put together arguably his best game all season finishing with 27 points and 3 blocks, continuing to show his versatility on both ends of the floor. Sengun has been productive on offense all season long and has drawn comparisons to a young Nikola Jokic because of his elite passing skills at the center position (has an AST% of 17.4, which ranks in the 90th percentile for bigs). Furthermore, even with the efficiency struggles from Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. this season, the Rockets have a tantalizing young core that will further improve with another top 5 pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
29. San Antonio Spurs, 13-31
The Spurs have lost five games in a row and have the worst defensive rating (119.9) in basketball. As I have mentioned in previous power rankings articles, the Spurs don’t mind losing every single game since they want a coveted top pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
On the bright side, Jakob Poeltl (12.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game with a TS% of 63) continues to be one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Poeltl can dish the ball out at a high level for a center, is one of the better interior defenders at the center position, and boasts an offensive rebounding percentage of 12.9 (ranked in the 89th percentile for bigs).
28. Detroit Pistons, 12-35
Prized rookie Jaden Ivey has been putting it all together recently averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game with a 3PT% of 38.5 and a TS% of 53.8 over his last 6 games, and third-year guard Killian Hayes has been thriving in increased minutes with Cade Cunningham out for the season, averaging 14.2 points and 7.4 assists per game with a TS% of 55.3 over his last 10 games.
The Pistons also have an extremely valuable trade piece in Bojan Bogdanovic (21.2 points per game with a 3PT% of 41.5 and a TS% of 62.9) where they could accumulate even more draft capital and assets to accelerate this rebuild. They may be going nowhere this season as they have an offensive rating of 111.6 (ranked 24th) and a defensive rating of 119 (ranked 29th in the NBA), but with a probable top 5 pick in next year’s draft and an already talented young core in place, the Pistons may not be too far away from contention in the coming years.
27. Charlotte Hornets, 11-33
The Hornets have lost four games in a row and have the second-worst offensive rating (109.6) in basketball. However, the progression of LaMelo Ball (24 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 8.6 assists) into arguably one of the league’s top 15 players has been special to watch.
Ball has not only taken his scoring up a notch, but his efficiency on 3-pointers as well, indicative of his 3PT% of 37.2 on a whopping 11 3PT attempts per game. Another positive in an otherwise disappointing season for the Hornets is Mason Plumlee (11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game with a TS% of 65.9), who has an impressive PSA of 132 (ranked in the 79th percentile for bigs) and an even better AST% of 17.7% (ranked in the 92nd percentile for bigs).
26. Washington Wizards, 18-25
The Wizards have lost four out of their last five games and Bradley Beal (22.9 points and 5.2 assists per game with a TS% of 61.7) hasn’t played since January 3rd and has only played 24 games all season. Even with Kyle Kuzma (21.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game with a TS% of 55.5) and Kristaps
Porzingis (21.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game with a TS% of 59.4) playing fantastic basketball this season, the Wizards can’t seem to string together many wins despite boasting a defensive rating of 113.8 (ranked 15th) and an offensive rating of 112.3 (ranked 22nd).
The Wizards have the second-worst Win Differential of -2.1 in the NBA as they should have a better record based on their efficiency differential of -1.1. Either way, the Wizards will be back in the lottery with a chance at a top pick in next year’s draft.
25. Orlando Magic, 16-28
The Magic may have just lost two games in a row, but they shouldn’t be considered typical losses. They only lost by 4 to the Jazz in Utah, then only lost by 3 to the Nuggets in Denver. The Magic are competitive in just about every game and have separated themselves as the best of the league’s “worst” teams.
Paolo Banchero (21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game with a TS% of 55) and Franz Wagner (20.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game with a TS% of 59.3) continue to be the NBA’s best young frontcourt duo (though Banchero’s efficiency still needs to improve as he owns a PSA of 108.6, ranked in the 31st percentile for forwards). Wendell Carter Jr. (15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game with a TS% of 62.2) looks like himself again and Jonathan Issac should be returning soon as well, which will undoubtedly improve the team’s defensive rating of 114.9 (ranked 23rd in the NBA).
24. Los Angeles Lakers, 19-24
The Lakers boasted a five game win streak heading into last week’s power rankings, which is why they ranked #15. However, last week the Lakers came back to earth losing all three of their games to the Nuggets, Mavericks, and 76ers. The first loss to the Nuggets was without LeBron James (29.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game with a TS% of 58), but the other two losses were simply gut-wrenching.
The Lakers led late in the game against both the Mavericks and the 76ers, then proceeded to lose to the Mavs in double overtime by 4 and to the 76ers by 1. James has done everything he can do to put this team in a position to win on a nightly basis, but they simply don’t have the talent and depth to win games against good basketball teams without Anthony Davis (27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game with a TS% of 66.2).
Russell Westbrook (15.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.9 points per game with a TS% of 49.7) has also stepped up recently, but with Lonnie Walker IV and Austin Reaves out, the Lakers’ depth is even more depleted than before. Still, even on a three game losing streak, the Lakers are only 3 games back of the 6th seed in the Western Conference and Davis could return as soon as this week.
Rumors have surfaced about a possible Bojan Bogdanovic deal being in the mix, but even if they pull a trade like that off, they still lack a perimeter defender that can guard the other team’s best player. Whether or not the Lakers do make moves before the deadline, there are still a lot of holes to fix and this team only has an offensive rating of 112.8 (ranked 20th) and a defensive rating of 114 (ranked 17th) over halfway into the season.
23. Portland Trailblazers, 21-22
The Trailblazers won back-to-back games against the Mavericks, one where Luka Doncic played, and one when he didn’t. Nonetheless, Damian Lillard (28.8 points and 7.1 assists per game with a TS% of 62 and a remarkable PSA of 123.1, ranked in the 92nd percentile for point guards) has scored 40+ points in two out of his last three games (he scored 50 in a loss against the Cavaliers last Thursday night) and is anchoring the league’s 9th ranked offense (offensive rating of 115.2).
Even with a talented starting lineup that includes Lillard, Jerami Grant (21.7 points per game with a TS% of 62.3), Anfernee Simons (21.9 points per game with a TS% of 58), and Jusuf Nurkic (14.7 points and 10 rebounds per game with a TS% of 60.9), the Blazers continue to struggle defensively (defensive rating of 114.5, ranked 22nd in NBA). The team also lacks depth as their second unit consists primarily of Drew Eubanks, Gary Payton II, and rookies Shaedon Sharpe and Jabari Walker. Furthermore, as talented as the Blazers are, they don’t have the defense or the depth to hang with the elite teams in the NBA.
22. Phoenix Suns, 21-23
The Suns have lost twelve out of their last fourteen games and are barely competitive without Devin Booker (27.1 points and 5.6 assists per game with a TS% of 58.5 and a PSA of 118.8, ranked in the 74th percentile for wings), who has been out since Christmas. As I have mentioned in previous power rankings articles, Chris Paul (13.1 points and 8.3 assists per game with a TS% of 55.6) has lost a step as evident in his 109.2 PSA, ranked in the 46th percentile for point guards. Just last season, Paul’s PSA was still 116.4, which ranked in the 82nd percentile for point guards.
One of the bright spots for an otherwise disappointing season so far is Mikal Bridges (15.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game with a TS% of 57) who continues to be one of the league’s best perimeter defenders and has stepped up on the offensive end of the floor in Booker’s absence. The Suns had a top 10 offensive and defensive rating on Christmas and since then, their offensive rating has dropped to 113.5 (ranked 14th) and their defensive rating has dropped to 114.7. Until Booker comes back, the Suns will continue to struggle just to stay competitive.
21. Toronto Raptors, 19-24
The Raptors are much better than their 19-24 record, and their core of Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet , and Gary Trent Jr. is still one of the best cores in basketball. Siakam is averaging an absurd 25.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game with a TS% of 57.8 and the highest AST% of 28 for forwards, all while playing some of the best defense in the NBA.
At this point, Siakam may be the most underrated player in the league, and Anunoby is a DPOY candidate averaging 18.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game with a TS% of 56.9, a block percentage of 1.1 (ranked in the 96th percentile for wings), and a steal percentage of 2.6 (the highest mark in the NBA for a player averaging over 12 minutes a game).
The Raptors have offensive rating of 114.1 (ranked 14th), which seems about right, but for a team with so many elite defenders, their defensive rating of 113.8 (ranked 16ht) is unacceptable. Last season, the Raptors had the 9th best defensive rating of 109.9 in the NBA, and unless they get back close to that mark, the team could struggle to even get 40 wins despite their obvious talent.
20. Indiana Pacers, 23-21
The Pacers have lost two straight games without their star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who will be out for at least two weeks with an elbow sprain and a knee bone bruise. Haliburton is the primary reason this team has won a lot already this season as he’s averaging 20.2 points, 10.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game with a TS% of 61.3, a PSA of 124.4 (ranked in the 88th percentile for combo guards), and an AST% of 46.4 (the highest mark of any player in the NBA).
The Pacers have an offensive rating of 113.7 (ranked 15th), a defensive rating of 114.2 (ranked 18th), and a win differential of 3.1, which is the second best in basketball meaning they are outperforming their efficiency differential of -1.6, which ranks 22nd. This team will rarely be competitive until their star point guard returns, and that could prove costly for seeding in the Eastern Conference down the stretch.
19. Chicago Bulls, 20-24
After losing three games in a row, the Bulls ended last week on a high note with an impressive 132-118 win over the Warriors. Nikola Vucevic (17.5 points and 10.9 rebounds per game with a TS% of 61.1) had 43 points and 13 rebounds, while Zach LaVine (23.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game with a TS% of 58.9) had 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Both Vucevic and LaVine have stepped up in a big way in DeMar DeRozan’s absence and as a result, they are keeping a lot of games close. With an offensive rating of 113.6 (ranked 18th) and a defensive rating of 114.2 (ranked 20th), this team still has a ways to go before being able to compete against the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder, 21-23
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game with a TS% of 62.1, and a PSA of 125.4, ranked in the 97th percentile for point guards) continues to be a Superstar and one of the league’s 10 best players.
Jalen Williams (11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1 steal per game with a TS% of 57.5 and a PSA of 116.5, ranked in the 67th percentile for wings) and Luguentz Dort (14.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1 steal per game with a TS% of 52.9) continue to be solid secondary options for this Thunder team, which boasts an offensive rating of 113.6 (ranked 16th) and an even better defensive rating of 112.9 (ranked 11th in the NBA). Second-year guard Josh Giddey has averaged 20.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game with a TS% of 59.3 over his last 10 games and the Thunder have won five out of their last six games and are just one game back of the 7 seed.
17. Utah Jazz, 22-24
Lauri Markkanen (24.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game with a TS% of 66.3 and an incredible PSA of 133.6, which is the highest mark in the NBA for a forward) is a borderline NBA Superstar now, and Jordan Clarkson (21.1 points and 4.4 assists per gamer with a TS% of 57) is playing the best basketball of his career.
As a result, the Jazz have the fourth-best offense in basketball (offensive rating of 116.4), but still struggle on the defensive side of the ball (defensive rating of 115.7. ranked 26th in the NBA). Nonetheless, the Jazz have a good young core and will stay competitive in almost every game because of their prolific offense.
16. Minnesota Timberwolves, 22-22
Anthony Edwards (23.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game with a TS% of 56.6 and a PSA of 114.4, ranked in the 56th percentile for wings) has taken over for this team offensively recently and has an impressive AST% of 18.4, ranked in the 90th percentile for wings.
Edwards has a lot on his plate and the only primary shot creator on the roster besides D’Angelo Russell (17 points and 6.2 assists per game with a TS% 58.7 and an impressive PSA of 118, ranked in the 84th percentile for point guards). The Wolves have won six out of their last seven games and have improved their defensive rating of 113.5 to the 13th best mark in the NBA.
Rudy Gobert (13.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game with a TS% of 69.6) has been playing great defense recently, but it has been Jaden McDaniels that has locked down the opposing team’s best player and has sured up this improving perimeter defense. It is still too early to fully judge this team, but they are playing good basketball right now.
15. Atlanta Hawks, 21-22
The Hawks have won three out of their last four games and Trae Young (27.5 points and 9.8 assists per game with a TS% of 56.4) is starting to get more efficient from the floor as his PSA has improved to 113.1, now ranked in the 62nd percentile of point guards, his eFG% has improved to 47.9 from 43, and his 3PT% has slightly improved to 33% from 28% earlier this season.
Still, the Hawks have an offensive rating of 112.5 (ranked 21st) despite having the second-best offensive rating of 115.4 in the NBA last season. To get where they want to be, the Hawks will need to drastically improve their offense and though Young is starting to improve, he needs to do much more.
14. Los Angeles Clippers, 23-22
The Clippers have hobbled to a 23-22 record, but it hasn’t been easy. They have only won two out of their last eight games and have dealt with an injury to Paul George (23.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game with a TS% of 58.8 and a PSA of 119.1, ranked in the 78th percentile for wings) that has kept him out since January 5th.
On the bright side, Kawhi Leonard has averaged 23.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game over his last 10 games, and Ty Lue is finally giving crucial minutes to Terance Mann (who had 31 points against the Rockets on Sunday) and Robert Covington. If the Clippers can get their defensive rating back in the top 5 (its 111.7 right now, ranked 7th), and cant stay healthy, they will be dangerous.
13. Golden State Warriors, 21-22
The Warriors welcomed Stephen Curry (28.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game with an NBA best for point guards PSA of 136.5) last week but they still only have an offensive rating of 113.6 (ranked 17th) and a defensive rating of 114.2 (ranked 19th in the NBA). In comparison, last year’s Championship team had an offensive rating of 112.1 (ranked 16th), but a dominant defensive rating of 106.6 (ranked 2nd in the NBA).
Regardless of their struggles on the road (4-17 record on the road this season), the Warriors will need to improve their defensive rating dramatically to get back to the Finals. Right now, the Warriors aren’t even a top 5 team in their conference, but with Curry and Andrew Wiggins back and healthy, perhaps things will change.
12. Miami Heat, 24-20
The Heat have won three straight games and are now four games over .500 heading into week 14. The team still has a concerning offensive rating of 111.5 (ranked 25th) and virtually no depth besides Victor Oladipo.
However, they have a dominant defensive rating of 111.2 (ranked 4th in the NBA) and enough stardom to win big games with Jimmy Butler (21.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game with a TS% of 61.3 and a PSA of 125, ranked in the 86th percentile for forwards), Bam Adebayo (21.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game with a TS% of 58.6), and Tyler Herro (21.2 points per game with a TS% of 58.1). Despite some flaws that still need to be fixed, this team is starting to put it all together to become at the very least a playoff team.
11. Sacramento Kings, 24-18
The Kings have won four straight games and have one of the third-best offense in the NBA (offensive rating of 118). Domantas Sabonis (18.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game with a TS% of 67.1, a PSA of 134.4, ranked in the 83rd percentile for bigs, and an AST% of 29.2, ranked in the 98th percentile for bigs) and De’Aaron Fox (23.8 points and 6 assists per game with a TS% of 59.5 and a PSA of 120.2, ranked in the 86th percentile for point guards) are both All-Stars and are playing the best basketball of their careers.
Despite a concerning defensive rating of 115.1 (ranked 25th in the NBA), the Kings have such a good offense that they can outscore opponents on most nights. The lack of defense won’t come back to bite them until the postseason, where defense matters most.
10. Dallas Mavericks, 24-21
The Mavericks have lost three out of their last four games, but still hold the 6th seed in the Western Conference. Though Luka Doncic didn’t have his best game on Saturday against the Trailblazers and sat out on Sunday, he is still averaging 33.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game with a TS% of 60.8, a remarkable PRA of 122.8 (ranked in the 89th percentile for point guards), and an incredible AST% of 44.3 (ranked in the 97th percentile for point guards). Doncic is also knocking down 50% of his mid range shots and 73% of his shots at the rim this season.
As a result of Doncic’s greatness, the Mavs have an offensive rating of 115.4, the 6th best mark in the NBA. However, without defensive anchor Maxi Kleber, the Mavs defensive rating of 115.1 now ranks 24th in the NBA. Last season, the Mavs had a defensive rating of 109.1, the 7th best mark in the league. In conclusion, because of Doncic, the Mavs can never be counted out, but they drastically need to improve their defensive rating before the year’s end to have any shot at a deep run in the playoffs.
9. New York Knicks, 25-19
The Knicks have won seven out of their last eight games and boast the 5th-best offensive rating of 115.4 and the 10th-best defensive rating of 112.4 in basketball. Julius Randle (24.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game with a TS% of 58.3, and a PSA of 116.9, which ranks in the 65th percentile for forwards) is playing the best basketball of his career, not even one year removed from being booed at Madison Square Garden for “underperforming”.
As good as Donovan Mitchell has been for the Cavs, Jalen Brunson (22.3 points and 6.4 assists per game with a TS% of 58 and a PSA of 116.3, ranked in the 81st percentile for point guards) may have been the best addition for any team this offseason. What he’s brought to the Knicks on both sides of the floor and from a culture and leadership standpoint is remarkable. The Knicks are starting to enter the the elite teams tier and they’ll be a team no one wants to play in May if they can keep this up.
8. New Orleans Pelicans, 26-17
The Pelicans have won two out of their last three games and are continuing to tread water without Stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy III being able to alleviate pressure off of C.J. McCollum (29.4 points and 5.2 assists per game with a TS% of 61.5 over his last 5 games) and Jonas Valanciunas (22 points and 10.4 rebounds per game with a TS% of 72.2 over his last 5 games) on the offensive end has been instrumental to this team’s success, but can that continue?
With the 8th ranked offensive rating of 115.4 and the 6th ranked defensive rating of 111.4 in the NBA, the Pelicans have a very balanced basketball team with some of the best depth in the league. Once they get fully healthy, this could be the team to beat in the Western Conference.
7. Philadelphia 76ers, 27-16
The 76ers have won four out of their last five games and Joel Embiid (33.4, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game with a TS% of 64.3 and a PSA of 128.9, ranked in the 70th percentile for bigs) and James Harden (22.3 points and 11.2 assists per game with a TS% of 61.3 and a PSA of 123.5, ranked in the 95th percentile for point guards) are playing their best basketball in a 76ers uniform, and Tyrese Maxey (20.8 points and 3.9 assists per game with a 3PT% of 39.1 and a TS% of 56.1) is still getting acclimated back into this offense.
The 76ers are one of the few teams with a top 10 offense (offensive rating of 114.9, ranked 10th) and defense (defensive rating of 111.3, ranked 5th) in the NBA, which puts them in a prime position to make a playoff run if they can keep it up. However, even with how great this team has been, Doc Rivers is still their head coach, which automatically comes with skepticism when this team starts playing meaningful basketball games in May.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers, 27-17
The Cavaliers have gone 2-2 in their last four games with wins against the Suns and Trailblazers, and surprising losses to the Jazz and Timberwolves. Donovan Mitchell (28.8 points and 4.9 assists per game with a TS% of 62.4 and a remarkable PSA of 126.9, the best mark in the league for a combo guard with a high usage percentage) is the only consistent offensive player the Cavs have right now, and defenses are starting to exploit that. Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen continue to be inconsistent on a nightly basis, allowing defenses to let Mitchell get his and key on other players since they aren’t producing and Mitchell is the whole offense in many games.
The only thing keeping the Cavs toward the top of the Eastern Conference is their second-best defense (defensive rating of 110) in the NBA. Perhaps once Ricky Rubio (who returned last week) is fully implemented into the offense as another high end shot creator and playmaker, the team will turn it around on offense.
5. Brooklyn Nets, 27-15
Since Kevin Durant (29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game with a TS% of 67.3) went down with an injury last week, the Nets have gone 0-2 with losses to the Celtics and Thunder. Though Kyrie Irving (25.6 points and 4.8 assists per game with a TS% of 59.3) is continuing to anchor the offense while Ben Simmons (7.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game with a TS% of 57.1) is doing a fantastic job anchoring the defense, they are coming up just short without Durant.
Still, the Nets are one of very few teams that boasts a top ten offense (offensive rating of 115.4, ranked 6th) and defense (defensive rating of 112.1, ranked 9th) and should be able to tread water and not fall down too far in the Eastern Conference standings until Durant returns.
4. Milwaukee Bucks, 27-16
The Bucks have lost two straight games going into this week, both to the Miami Heat without their Superstar big man Giannis Antetokounmpo (31 points,11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game with a TS% of 58.4) and Khris Middleton. You can’t blame the Bucks for losing those games, and there isn’t much of a concern about this team considering Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday (18.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game with a TS% of 56.2) have barely played together so far this season.
The offensive rating of 111.3 (ranked 23rd in the NBA) should improve once Middleton returns, but skepticism remains about Bobby Portis (14 points and 10 rebounds per game with a 3PT% of 32.2 and a TS% of 56.4) returning to the 40+% 3PT shooter he was the last two-seasons and Antetokounmpo improving his efficiency (his PSA of 116.8 is ranked in the 31st percentile for bigs in comparison to his 127 PSA in the last two years which ranked in 77th percentile for bigs). Nonetheless, the Bucks defensive rating of 110.8 is the third-best mark in the NBA and should continue to carry them until their offense gets back on track.
3. Denver Nuggets, 30-13
Nikola Jokic (24.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game with a TS% of 69.1) is the MVP frontrunner with a PSA of 139.4 and AST% of 41.8, both of which are the best marks for a big with a high usage percentage in the NBA. Jokic also owns the best PER of 31.9 and the third best RPM of 8.16 in the NBA. Nonetheless, the Nuggets didn’t even need Jokic to secure a big win on the road against the Clippers last Friday night, as Jamaal Murray finished with 24 points and Michael Porter Jr. finished with 22 points.
Murray and Porter Jr. have been stars in their roles this season, but the team’s second-best player has arguably been Aaron Gordon (16.7 points and 6.8 rebounds with a TS% of 65.2), who is getting All-Star consideration. The Nuggets have an offensive rating of 118.3 (2nd in the NBA) and team eFG% of 59 (1st in the NBA) and should be considered as one of the top tier Finals contenders despite their 21st ranked defensive rating of 114.3 (which has actually improved from being ranked 27th just a few weeks ago).
2. Memphis Grizzlies, 29-13
It seems like Ja Morant (27.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game with a TS% of 55.8) is putting an opposing player on a poster every single game. The fourth-year Superstar continues to dominate on the offensive end and Desmond Bane (21.4 points per game with a 3PT% of 41.7 and a TS% of 58.1) is back and healthy, alleviating some pressure off of Morant offensively. As a result, the Grizzlies offensive rating of 114.7 (now ranked 10th in the NBA) continues to improve each week, but defense has been this team’s calling card this season.
The Grizzlies had the 24th ranked defensive rating just over 6 weeks ago and now boast the best mark in the entire NBA with a defensive rating of 109.4. Jaren Jackson Jr. (16.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game with a 3PT% of 37.5 and a TS% of 62.7) has been the catalyst for the dominance on defense, as he boasts the highest block percentage of 6 in the NBA. With 9 wins in a row and being just a half game behind the Nuggets for the best record in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies are sitting in a fantastic position heading into week 14.
1. Boston Celtics, 32-12
The Celtics have won six straight games and own the best record in basketball. With one of the more prolific offenses in NBA history (offensive rating of 118.3). With Robert Williams III now back and getting into a rhythm, the Celtics continue to improve their defensive rating, which now is 112 (ranked 8th in the NBA).
Jayson Tatum (30.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game with a TS% of 60.6 and a PSA of 122.9, ranked in the 79th percentile for forwards) and Jaylen Brown (27.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with a TS% of 59.5 and a PSA of 119.6) are by far the best duo in basketball, and even Marcus Smart, who has been criticized for his offensive liabilities in the past, is averaging a career high 7.4 assists per game. Furthermore, if the Celtics continue to stay healthy and look this dominant, it will be hard for any team in the Eastern Conference to prevent them from getting back to the Finals.
Note: Advanced Statistics used in this article are gathered from Cleaningtheglass.com, Statmuse.com, and NBA.com and are updated as of Monday, January 16th, 2023.
