nba

TST’s NBA Power Rankings Week 8

The Celtics continue to be the class of the NBA, Anthony Davis has asserted himself into the MVP race, and Devin Booker has the Suns on fire in December.

30. San Antonio Spurs, 6-18

The Spurs have lost 11 straight games and are by far the worst team in the NBA. They have an offensive rating of 107.5 (ranked 29th), a defensive rating of 119.1 (ranked 30th), and a NET Rating of -11.6. Devin Vassell (20.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game with a TS% of 57.9) has been one of the lone bright spots of this team. Nonetheless, this level of tanking hasn’t occurred in years and the Spurs are making sure they have one of the best chances to get the #1 pick and select Victor Wembanyama.

29. Orlando Magic, 5-19

The Magic finished last week with an 0-4 record with losses to the Nets, Hawks, Cavaliers, and Raptors. Granted, that was a very tough schedule as all of those teams should be in the playoffs. However, the Magic welcomed back Paolo Banchero (21.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game with a TS% of 54.8) from injury and continue to witness the progression of Bol Bol (12.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game with a 3PT% of 41.3 and a TS% of 67.4).

Franz Wagner (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game with a TS% of 58.4) also continues to take a leap on both ends of the floor, and both Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz are back to solidify a decent rotation. The Magic have the 27th ranked offensive and defensive ratings of 109.4 and 116 respectively, but also have the 15th ranked team eFG% of 53.4 and 14th ranked team TS% of 57.4 in the NBA. They are a good shooting basketball team that is simply too young and inexperienced to close out games against good opponents. Nonetheless, the team has a solid young core and a bright future despite still being a couple of years away from contending.

28. Houston Rockets, 6-17

The Rockets finished last week with a 1-3 record with two losses against the Nuggets, one loss against the Warriors, and a surprising one point win over the Phoenix Suns last Friday night. Jalen Green (21.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game with a TS% of 53.4) continues to be the most inconsistent player in the NBA. In the loss against the Warriors, Green only had 13 points and was an abysmal 6-19 from the field, but in the win against the Suns, Green had 30 points and 3 steals to finish as the teams leading scorer. When Green is on his game, the Rockets are not an easy team to beat, but the second year franchise player needs to be more consistent from the field to turn into the player the Rockets envision him to become.

Alperen Sengun (15.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game with a TS% of 62.1) has taken a huge leap in year 2 and even Jabari Smith Jr. (14.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game over his past 7 games) is starting to find a groove offensively despite his atrocious start to the season. The Rockets have the 26th ranked offensive rating of 110.1, the 28th ranked defensive rating of 117, the 27th ranked team eFG% of 51.3, and the 25th ranked team TS% of 55.6 in the NBA. Furthermore, the Rockets have a bright future and will be able to get another lottery selection in next year’s NBA draft to add to their young talent.

27. Detroit Pistons, 6-19

The Pistons went 1-2 last week with losses to the Knicks and Grizzlies, and a surprising win against the Mavericks. Bojan Bogdanovic (20.6 points per game with a 3PT% of 41.6 and a TS% of 65.2) is continuing his stellar campaign as one of the most efficient shooters in the NBA, Jaden Ivey (15.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists per game with a TS% of 51.3) has established himself as one of the best rookies in the NBA, and even Killian Hayes (15.3 points and 6.7 assists per game over his past 3 games) has turned in some impressive performances recently.

However, the most impressive Piston this season has been Marvin Bagley III (15 points and 7.8 rebounds per game with a TS% of 67.6 over his last 8 games) who has completely changed the trajectory of his career this year. Bagley has been scoring at will, grabbing rebounds at a high level and playing some great defense over the last 8 games. Nonetheless, as impressive as Bagley, Bogdanovic, Hayes, and Ivey have been, the Pistons have just the 24th ranked offensive rating of 110.5, the 29th ranked defensive rating of 118.7, the 28th ranked team eFG% of 51, and the 25th ranked TS% of 55.4 in the NBA. Without Cade Cunningham, this team is one of the the five worst teams in basketball, but they could be one young star away from entering the play-in conversation next season.

26. Charlotte Hornets, 7-16

The Hornets are a complete mess. They went 1-2 last week with their only win being a one point victory over the Wizards and the two losses being to the Bucks and Celtics. Obviously, the Hornets can not hang with the conference’s two best teams, but without LaMelo Ball (who is still dealing with an injury) this team has no pulse. P.J. Washington (15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game with a TS% of 52.7) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (19.8 points per game with a TS% of 52.5) have been the lone bright spots for this team as Terry Rozier (21.2 points and 5.7 assists per game with a TS% of 47.7) continues to be one of the least efficient players in basketball.

The Hornets have the worst offensive rating of 107, team eFG% of 49.8 and team TS% of 53.1 in the NBA. Their defensive rating of 112.9 is only ranked 17th in the league because opposing teams don’t have to put up many points to beat their abysmal offense on a given night. Furthermore, the Hornets shouldn’t rush back LaMelo Ball and should tank this year to try to add another piece in next years NBA Draft.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder, 10-13

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game with a TS% of 61.9) continues to will the Thunder to victories with arguably the worst roster in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander is a top 10 player in the NBA this season and is a budding superstar. However, besides standout rookie Jalen Williams (10.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game with a TS% of 60.6) and lockdown defender Luguentz Dort (14.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game with a TS% of 52.7) the team has no one to turn to in big situations. Josh Giddey (14.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game with an abysmal TS% of 49.9) is one of the worst shooters and defenders in basketball and the bench unit of Darius Bazley, Kenrich Williams, Mike Muscala, and Jeramiah Robinson-Earl is one of the least feared second units in the NBA.

The Thunder have the 18th ranked offensive rating of 112.3, the 20th ranked defensive rating of 113.2, the 22nd ranked team eFG% of 52.5 and the 23rd ranked team TS% of 55.9 in basketball and will continue to stay in games because of their superstar point guard. At some point, the team should think about tanking and surrounding SGA with another lottery pick to solidify a young core that includes Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Giddey, and Chet Holmgren (who is out all season). This team would become perennial contenders in a couple of seasons with another standout young star.

24. Chicago Bulls, 9-14

The Bulls have lost 4 out of their last 5 games and are plummeting down the Eastern Conference Standings. DeMar DeRozan (25.5 points and 4.7 assists per game with a TS% of 59.4) and Zach LaVine (22 points per game with a TS% 54.2, and a 41 point game against the Kings) continue to be spectacular, but Nikola Vucevic (15.8 points and 11 rebounds per game with a TS% of 57.2) and the role players have looked lost on both ends of the floor.

The Bulls have a good defensive rating of 111.7 (ranked 10th), but offensively they are awful with an offensive rating of 110.4 (ranked 25th), and a team eFG% of 52.7 (ranked 20th) in the NBA. How a team with offensive stars of DeRozan, LaVine, and Vucevic has the 25th offensive rating in the NBA is mind-boggling. Furthermore, this team should start its rebuilding process since they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

23. Washington Wizards, 11-13

The Wizards have lost 6 of their last 7 games and just gave up 55 points and 17 rebounds to Anthony Davis in a 130-119 loss to the Lakers. The Wizards have subpar advanced metrics with an offensive rating of 111.8 (ranked 19th), a defensive rating of 113.4 (ranked 21st), a team eFG% of 53.3 (ranked 17th), and a team TS% of 56.7 (ranked 18th in the NBA).

Kristaps Porzingis (21.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game with a TS% of 59) has been on a roll recently and Kyle Kuzma (20.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game with a TS% of 55.1) has continued to progress on both ends of the floor. However, this team has fallen to 11th in the Eastern Conference and will face the Bulls, Pacers, and Clippers this week to try and get back on track.

22. New York Knicks, 11-13

The Knicks are a very odd basketball team. They started off last week with a win over the Pistons, then they lost two straight to the Mavericks and Bucks, then they finished the week with their best defensive performance of the season in a 92-81 win over the Cavaliers. Despite only giving up 81 points to a top 11 offense last game, the Knicks’ defensive rating is still just 113.6, ranked 24th in the NBA. Jalen Brunson (21 points and 6.3 assists per game with a TS% of 58.7) continues to will the Knicks to victories but they have a defensive coach in Tom Thibodeau and somehow have the 24th ranked defense in the NBA.

The Knicks offensive rating of 112.3 is ranked 17th, while their team eFG% of 51.2 and team TS% of 55.3 are both ranked 27th in the NBA. Despite having bottom of the pack metrics all around, the Knicks somehow pull out victories against good teams on occasion. Therefore, despite the advanced metrics inferring they are a worse team than their record, they continue to defy odds and stay close to .500.

21. Minnesota Timberwolves, 11-12

The Timberwolves will be without their best player, Karl Anthony Towns (20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists with a TS% of 62.5) for at least 4 weeks and Rudy Gobert (13.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game with a TS% of 68.7) continues to be the downfall of this team as he ruins the offensive spacing. Anthony Edwards (23 points and 5.6 rebounds per game with a TS% of 56.8) has been the Wolves only consistent player over the last two weeks and it shows. The Wolves went 1-2 last week with brutal losses to the Thunder and Wizards, and an 8 point win against the Grizzlies (believe me I don’t know how they did it).

Their 11-12 record is misleading as the Wolves have lost 4 of their last 5 games and have an offensive rating of 111.7 (ranked 20th) and a defensive rating of 112.9 (ranked 16th in the NBA). Just to put it into perspective, last year’s Timberwolves had an offensive rating of 113.8 (ranked 7th) and a defensive rating of 111 (ranked 13th in the NBA). The Rudy Gobert trade will go down as one of the worst trades in NBA history and the Wolves will regret it more every single day that passes.

20. Miami Heat, 11-12

The Heat are coming off their most impressive win of the season as they beat the Celtics 120-116 on Friday night. Jimmy Butler had 25 points and 15 rebounds, Tyler Herro had 26 points, and Bam Adebayo had 28 points and 7 rebounds. On both ends of the floor it was the Heat’s most complete game of the season and they will be looking to continue their momentum against the Grizzlies, Pistons, Clippers, and Spurs this week.

However, the team still has an offensive rating of 110.6 (ranked 25th), a team eFG% of 52.1 (ranked 25th), and a team TS% of 56.7 (ranked 20th in the NBA). Their offense is concerning despite their elite defense (defensive rating of 111.4, 7th in the NBA) and they will have to get into a rhythm and see more consistency from Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo to improve their offense over the next few weeks. Until they improve their offense, the Heat are relying too much on their defense to win basketball games and it certainly won’t be sustainable.

19. Indiana Pacers, 12-11

After an impressive comeback win against the Lakers earlier in the week, the Pacers lost 3 straight games to the Kings, Jazz, and Trailblazers to end last week. The Pacers have an offensive rating of 112.2 (ranked 18th), a defensive rating of 113.5 (ranked 22nd), a team eFG% of 52.7 (ranked 19th), and a team TS% of 56.7 (also ranked 19th in the NBA).

Without Tyrese Haliburton (19.1 points, 10.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per game with a TS% of 57.8) this team wouldn’t even have 5 wins and their advanced metrics show that this team is worse than their record. After 3 losses in a row and a week where they play the Warriors, Wizards, Wolves, and Nets, I would be surprised if the Pacers even went 2-2 this week.

18. Portland Trailblazers, 13-11

Anfernee Simons (24.7 points per game with a TS% of 59.1) had 45 points in a win against the Jazz on Saturday night and even when Damian Lillard came back on Sunday night, Simons still put up an efficient 22 points and 6 assists. The Trailblazers have won back-to-back games against the Jazz and Pacers and now have their best player in Lillard back.

Jerami Grant (23 points per game with a 3PT% of 46.1 and a TS% of 61.5) should be an All-Star this season, and the Blazers have an offensive rating of 113.2 (ranked 11th), a defensive rating of 113.9 (ranked 24th), a team eFG% of 54 (ranked 13th), and a team TS% of 58 (also ranked 13th in the NBA). The defensive metrics are a bit concerning, but with three possible All Stars this season in Simons, Lillard, and Grant, this team is tough to beat on a nightly basis and should be in the playoffs by the end of the season.

17. Utah Jazz, 14-12

After starting the season 12-6, the Jazz have lost 6 of their last 8 games and are now in the 8th spot in the Western Conference. Without Lauri Markkanen (22.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game with a TS% of 65.4) and Jordan Clarkson (19.7 points and 4.8 assists per game with a TS% of 54.9) this team would maybe have four or five wins at most.

Those two guys have catapulted the Jazz to the 5th ranked offensive rating of 116.6, the 6th ranked team eFG% of 55.9, and the 7th ranked team TS% of 59.2 in the NBA. Their defensive rating of 114.5 ranks 24th in the NBA and they normally have to outscore opponents to win. Nonetheless, this team has to get more production from role players to take pressure off of Markkanen and Clarkson to stay in the top 8 of the Western Conference.

16. Los Angeles Clippers, 13-11

The Clippers got steamrolled at home to the Kings on Saturday losing 123-96. Granted, their two best players, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, continued to be out, but it was still an embarrasing showing on all fronts. The Clippers already struggle to score 100 points on a nightly basis (offensive rating of 108.4, ranked 28th in the NBA) and rely on their defense to win them games (defensive rating of 110.2, ranked 5th in the NBA).

Norman Powell (14.8 points with a 3PT% of 37.1 and a TS% of 57.8) and Ivica Zubac (averaging 17 points, 16 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game with a TS% of 79.4 over his past 4 games) have been fantastic in Leonard and George’s absence, but more guys need to step up in big games. Reggie Jackson had 6 points and went 1-12 from the field with 5 turnovers against the Kings in the loss Sunday. That can’t happen, especially since the team relies on Jackson to be a spark-plug for the offense.

Robert Covington has been awful this season (5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game with a 3PT% of 34.1 and a TS% of 54) despite signing a 2 year-24 million dollar extension this offseason. His roster spot could be used for someone else right now and if Covington doesn’t improve, his contract could haunt the Clippers for the next two years. Furthermore, we know what the Clippers can become if Kawhi Leonard and Paul George come back and look like themselves. However, that is a big if and the team’s whole season comes down to that.

15. Brooklyn Nets, 13-12

The Nets have won 4 of their last 5 games and are clicking on all cylinders. Kevin Durant (29.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game with a TS% of 66.2) is still a top 5 player and an MVP candidate, Kyrie Irving (24.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game with a TS% of 58) is locked in and playing great basketball, and even Ben Simmons (11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game over his last 6 games) is looking more like himself.

The Nets have an offensive rating of 112.6 (ranked 13th), a defensive rating of 111.8 (ranked 11th), a team eFG% of 56.5 (ranked 3rd), and a team TS% of 59.9 (ranked 4th in NBA). What we can take away from those advanced metrics is that the Nets are a very balanced basketball team that shoot lights out from the floor. As a result, they have a high upside and should continue to climb up these rankings as the season goes on.

14. Dallas Mavericks, 11-11

Luka Doncic (33.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.6 assists per game with a TS% of 60.8) has been spectacular, but it hasn’t translated to victories for the Mavericks. Perhaps that is because the supporting cast has been disappointing with Spencer Dinwiddie (16.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5 assists per game with a TS% of 59.2), Christian Wood (16.8 points and 7.7 rebounds with a TS% of 63.8), and Tim Hardaway Jr. (25.3 points and 5.3 assists per game over his past 3 games) being the only reliable secondary options on this team.

Dorian Finney-Smith (8.7 points per game with a 3PT% of 32.8, and a TS% of 53.2) and Reggie Bullock (5.1 points per game with a 3PT% of 28.4 and a TS% of 44.2) have been awful offensively as they haven’t been able to take pressure off of Doncic. Still, the Mavericks are better than their record indicates with an offensive rating of 114 (ranked 10th), a defensive rating of 111.6 (ranked 9th), a NET Rating of 2.4 (ranked 7th), the 7th ranked team eFG% of 55.4, and the 10th ranked team TS% of 58.4 in the NBA. Once Finney-Smith and Bullock can knockdown even some shots to take pressure off of Doncic, Dinwiddie, Wood, and Hardaway, this team will start piecing together a lot of wins.

13. Los Angeles Lakers, 10-12

In a season that many people including myself thought was finished, Anthony Davis said not so fast. Davis has single-handedly taken over for the Lakers, averaging 35.3 points, 15.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game over his past 9 games. The Lakers have won 8 of their last 10 games (tied for the best record in the league at that span) and their offensive rating has skyrocketed to 111.4 (22nd in the NBA when they were 30th just a couple of weeks ago). Their defensive rating of 111.7 is ranked 11th in the NBA, and the team has shot 41.2% from 3PT range in their last five games.

Obviously, there is a lot of work to be done for them to seriously contend this season, but a tough road win over the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference on Friday was a step in the right direction. If Davis continues to play like this for the rest of the season alongside LeBron James (29.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists over his past 5 games), Lonnie Walker IV (16.7 points per game with a TS% of 59.9), and Austin Reaves (10.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game with a TS% of 70.1), the Lakers could be right where they want to be come playoff time.

12. Toronto Raptors, 12-11

The Raptors went 2-2 last week with wins against the Cavaliers and Magic, and losses against the Pelicans and Nets. The Raptors have an offensive rating of 113 (ranked 12th), a defensive rating of 111.6 (ranked 8th), and a NET Rating of 1.4 (ranked 11th). Pascal Siakam (24.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game with a TS% of 58.3) returned from injury, but the team is still figuring out how to play with him again (hence the two blowout losses against the Pelicans and Nets).

OG Anunoby (19.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game with a TS% of 57.8) continues to be fantastic, but the team will need more consistency from Gary Trent Jr. (who had 35 points the other day), Fred VanVleet (who some games scores 30 and other games scores 5) and Scottie Barnes (14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game with a TS% of 51.1) to start piecing together wins against good basketball teams.

11. Philadelphia 76ers, 12-11

The 76ers went 1-2 last week with a win against the Hawks and losses against the Cavaliers and Grizzlies. This team is just trying to stay afloat without their second and third best players in Tyrese Maxey and James Harden and they are doing just that. Despite being injury ridden, the 76ers have a defensive rating of 109.8, which is the 4th best mark in the NBA this season. Their offensive rating has fallen to 111.6 (21st in the NBA), but that was expected without Maxey and Harden.

Joel Embiid (31.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game with a TS% of 62) continues to put the team on his back, but both Tobias Harris (19.2 points and 7 rebounds per game over his past 6 games) and De’Anthony Melton (12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists over his past 6 games) have stepped up and helped take pressure of of Embiid offensively. Right now the 76ers are an above average basketball team, but when they get Maxey and Harden back they should become one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.

10. Atlanta Hawks, 13-10

The Hawks started last week with a 3 point loss to the 76ers, but they came back and beat the Magic by 17 and the Nuggets by 8 to end the week. What is even more impressive is that the 8 point win against the Nuggets happened without their star player Trae Young. Dejounte Murray stepped up and had 34 points and 8 assists, while rookie A.J. Griffin continued his stellar rookie season pouring in 24 points and adding in 3 steals.

When Young returns, he will need to improve his efficiency from the field (an abysmal 30.3% from 3PT range and an eFG% of 46.3) but the team is moving in the right direction on both ends of the floor with an offensive rating of 112.5 (15th in the NBA) and a defensive rating of 111.8 (13th in the NBA). The Hawks showed that they could beat an elite basketball team without their best player, and their depth should scare other teams in the Eastern Conference.

9. Sacramento Kings, 13-9

The Kings continued to light the beam and play great basketball as they went 3-1 last week with a 5 point loss to the suns then 3 straight wins against the Pacers, Clippers, and Bulls. They even had light the beam chants going at Crypto.com arena, home of the Clippers. The Kings have a dominant offense, with an offensive rating of 116.3 (ranked 4th in the NBA), a team eFG% of 57.1 (ranked 4th), and a team TS% of 60.8 (ranked 2nd).

Domantas Sabonis (16.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game with a TS% of 66.7) has held this offense together while De’Aaron Fox (15 points and 4.8 assists per game over his past 4 games) has struggled to get going. Kevin Huerter (15.5 points per game with a 3PT% of 42.3 and a TS% of 62) and Malik Monk (14.7 points per game with a 3PT% of 36.8 and a TS% of 61.7) continue to be stars in their roles and the Kings look to be a solid playoff team 1/4 into the NBA season.

8. Golden State Warriors, 13-11

The Warriors went 2-1 last week with wins over the Rockets and Bulls, and a 2 point loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The team’s defensive rating of 112.8 (17th in the NBA) has skyrocketed up the rankings despite being the 25th defensive rating just over 3 weeks ago. The Warriors offensive rating of 114.1 (ranked 8th in the NBA) is also continuing to move up the rankings as Stephen Curry (30.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game with a TS% of 67.7) and Andrew Wiggins (19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game with a TS% of 62.2) are playing arguably the best basketball of their lives.

Jordan Poole (16.7 points and 4.5 assists per game with a TS% of 56.4) hasn’t even hit his stride offensively yet this season and the team just has so many offensive weapons that can beat you in a variety of ways. The Warriors ball movement is also unmatched (30 assists per game, 1st in the NBA) and their shooting is paralleled by very few teams as they rank 2nd in team eFG% (57.8) and 3rd in team TS% (60.5). At their current pace, the Warriors will be up there with the Suns, Nuggets, and Pelicans at the top of the Western Conference Rankings very soon.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers, 15-9

The Cavaliers had a strange week, losing to the Raptors by 12, defeating the 76ers and Magic, then losing to the Knicks by 11 on Sunday. Somehow, despite an inconsistent week, the Cavaliers overtook the Bucks as the best defense in basketball (107.1 defensive rating).

At the same time, the Cavaliers failed to score over 90 points in their two losses and their offensive rating fell to 113.9 (10th in the NBA after being top 6 last week). Nonetheless, Donovan Mitchell (28.4 points and 4.9 assists per game with a TS% of 62.9) continues to be superb and Evan Mobley (16.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2 blocks per game over his past 5 games) is starting to produce at an elite level on both ends of the floor. Despite an up and down week, the Cavaliers continue to prove they are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

6. Memphis Grizzlies, 14-9

The Grizzlies lost to the Timberwolves to start last week, but finished with two wins against the 76ers and Pistons. Offensively, the team looks off without Desmond Bane, but Ja Morant (28.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game over his past 5 games) is doing everything he can to keep this team afloat in Bane’s absence. Jaren Jackson Jr.’s impact on the defensive end of the floor has been incredible (6.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game), but he’s also stepped up on offense (19.4 points per game with a TS% of 61.2) so far this season.

The Grizzlies have the 7th ranked offensive rating of 114.2 (which will undoubtedly further improve once Bane returns) and the 16th ranked defensive rating of 112.6 (their defensive rating ranked 22nd just two weeks ago and has already improved since Jackson Jr. returned). This team will continue to be a force in the Western Conference as long as Morant stays healthy and Bane returns relatively soon.

5. Denver Nuggets, 14-9

Nikola Jokic (27.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game over his last 6 games) has returned to his MVP form and Jamaal Murray (21 points and 6 assists per game over his past 6 games) looks like himself again. The Nuggets have the 5th ranked offensive rating of 116.1, the 26th ranked defensive rating of 115, the 3rd ranked team eFG% of 57.1, and the 5th ranked team TS% of 59.8 in the NBA.

Obviously the defensive metrics are concerning and they will have to improve for this team to reach its ceiling, but the offense has been a juggernaut. The Nuggets started last week with back-to-back wins over the Rockets, but finished the week with losses to the Hawks and Pelicans (two playoff teams). Once Michael Porter Jr. returns, this team should be able to pick up wins against elite teams. The defense has to improve, but I am confident it will and this team will be dangerous in the playoffs.

4. New Orleans Pelicans, 15-8

The Pelicans have solidified themselves as the 2nd best team in the Western Conference with 4 straight wins against the Thunder, Raptors, Spurs, and Nuggets. Zion Williamson has averaged 27.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 3.6 blocks+steals per game with a TS% of 69.1 over his past 4 games and Jose Alvarado is coming off of a 38 point masterclass in a huge win against the Nuggets on Sunday. Trey Murphy III (13.2 points per game with a 3PT% of 41.1 and a TS% of 65.1) has taken a huge sophomore leap and has stepped up over the last week when C.J. McCollum and Brandon Ingram have missed games.

The Pelicans have the 6th ranked offensive rating of 115.9, the 3rd ranked defensive rating of 109, the 4th ranked NET Rating of 6.9, the 10th ranked team eFG% of 54.8, and the 8th ranked team TS% of 58.5 in the NBA. Furthermore, if Williamson can stay healthy, the depth and talent of this team will prevail and they will be poised for a deep playoff run.

3. Milwaukee Bucks, 16-6

The Bucks suffered a tough 133-129 home loss to the Lakers on Friday night, but bounced back and defeated the Hornets on Saturday to secure their 16th win of the season. Despite giving up 133 points to the Lakers, the Bucks defensive rating fell to 107.8, now 2nd in the NBA vs being 1st last week. Khris Middleton coming back has already taken this offense to another level (offensive rating up to 112.5, 16th in the NBA).

Giannis Antetoukounmpo (31.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game with a TS% of 58.7) continues to dominate the NBA, while Brook Lopez (15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game with a TS% of 63) is arguably the leading candidate for DPOY so far. The Bucks should continue to be one of the best teams in the NBA all season and no one will want to face them in the playoffs.

2. Phoenix Suns, 16-7

The Suns have won 7 out of their last 8 games behind Devin Booker (29.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game with a 3PT% of 38.9 and a TS% of 60.4), Mikal Bridges (16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while playing some of the best defense in the NBA), and Deandre Ayton (17 points and 9.7 rebounds per game with a TS% of 64.3). The Suns have an offensive rating of 118.6 (ranked 2nd), a defensive rating of 110.1 (ranked 5th), and a NET Rating of 8.5 (ranked 1st). Even without Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson this team is the best team in the Western Conference right now.

1. Boston Celtics, 19-5

The Celtics are by far the best team in the NBA and its not close. They have the best record (19-5) in the NBA, arguably the league MVP in Jayson Tatum (30.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game with a TS% of 62.6), and their second best player is averaging 27 points and 7 rebounds per game with a TS% of 61.4 (Jaylen Brown) . Let that sink in…the Celtics second best player is averaging 27 points per game with a TS% of 61.4, not even the teams best player.

The Celtics are on pace to have the best offensive rating in the history of the NBA (120.7) and they sport an unreal team eFG% of 59.1 and a team TS% of 62.9 (both of those marks also 1st in the NBA). If the league didn’t already have enough worries about the Celtics, their defensive rating of 112.6 is now ranked 15th, when just two weeks ago they had the 23rd ranked defense in basketball. Robert Williams III is one of the biggest game changers in the NBA and when he returns, teams may have the toughest opponent on a nightly basis since Kevin Durant’s Warriors.

Note: Advanced Statistics used in this article are gathered from Statmuse.com and are updated as of Monday, December 4th, 2022.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x