Now that we’re virtually 20 video games into the NBA season, it’s time to replace our earlier rankings. We’re taking an optimist’s view (for the most part) and focusing on a player or two for each team.
(All records and statistics are through Monday’s games.)
Beasts of the East
Here are the best teams in the NBA through the first stretch of the season.
1. Boston Celtics: 15-3 (Previous ranking: 1)
Jayson Tatum is having the best season of his career and the Celtics are playing with that reigning champion swagger even though they have missed an integral part of the team (Kristaps Porzingis) most of the season.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: 17-1 (Previous ranking: 16)
Even after a brutal shooting night in Cleveland’s first loss of the season (3-for-21 from the field vs. Boston), Darius Garland is playing like an All-Star again and shooting career bests in field-goal percentage (48.8), three-point percentage (43.9) and free-throw percentage (93.5).
Western Conference wagons
These three teams are below the Beasts of the East by virtue of playing in a much, much better conference.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder: 13-4 (Previous ranking: 2)
What a luxury it must be to have your starting two-guard, Jalen Williams, shift to small-ball center with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein out with injuries.
4. Golden State Warriors: 12-5 (Previous ranking: 14)
It turns out that a team apparently can play a 12-man rotation in the NBA, especially when one of the greatest offensive players in NBA history (Stephen Curry) is still humming at an All-NBA level as a 36-year-old.
5. Denver Nuggets: 9-7 (Previous ranking: 5)
Increasingly serious question: If Nikola Jokic wins another MVP this season — and he’d win in a landslide at the moment — is he a top-10 player in NBA history?
Defense wins championshups
Presenting the second- and third-best defensive teams in the NBA.
6. Houston Rockets: 12-6 (Previous ranking: 17)
The franchise that brought you the Twin Towers (Hakeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson) now features the Terror Twins (Tari Eason, Amen Thompson), who come off the bench and create hell for opposing offenses.
7. Orlando Magic: 12-7 (Previous ranking: 11)
Franz Wagner has played like an All-NBA player in the 12 games without Paolo Banchero, averaging 25.4 points, 6.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds. He is keeping the Magic on the right side of .500 during this difficult stretch of the season.
Benefit of doubt
Although these teams have had their struggles, they all deserve the benefit of the doubt after their playoff runs last season.
8. Dallas Mavericks: 10-8 (Previous ranking: 6)
A sign of a good team is its ability to win games against good teams even when its best player is out, as Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks did against the Thunder and Nuggets with Luka Doncic sidelined.
9. New York Knicks: 10-7 (Previous ranking: 3)
Whether intentional or not, the ‘Nova Knicks have moved away from the rugged, defensive identity that worked so well for them last season and, instead, have played more like Karl-Anthony Towns — elite offensively and below-average defensively.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves: 8-8 (Previous ranking: 4)
Their chemistry is off and their defense isn’t nearly as good as it was last season, but trust Anthony Edwards and his Steph Curry-esque shot profile (43.8 percent from three on 11.1 three-point attempts per game).
NBA 2K title contenders
The great thing about playing NBA 2K video games is that injuries can be turned off.
11. Phoenix Suns: 9-7 (Previous ranking: 7)
This one is as easy as it gets: Phoenix’s record with Kevin Durant is 8-1. Phoenix’s record without Kevin Durant is 1-6.
12. Los Angeles Lakers: 10-6 (Previous ranking: 9)
A healthy Anthony Davis in JJ Redick’s system is proving to be an MVP candidate. He is averaging 30.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks and has excellent shooting splits (55.6-40.6-78.1).
13. Memphis Grizzlies: 11-7 (Previous ranking: 10)
The Grizzlies have the fifth-best offensive rating, sixth-best defensive score and sixth-best web score. It seems like they’re higher than their file suggests, which is spectacular as a result of they’ve had Ja Morant lower than half their video games to this point.
14. Milwaukee Bucks: 8-9 (Earlier rating: 13)
Due to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominance (32.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.4 APG, 60.8 p.c taking pictures) and the Jap Convention’s basic mediocrity, Milwaukee appears to have prevented letting go of the rope whereas they anticipate Khris Middleton to return.
Play-in event
As constructed, none of those groups are contenders, however they’re positively playoff-caliber groups.
15. Los Angeles Clippers: 11-8 (Earlier rating: 20)
Thanks partly to a breakout by 31-year-old Norman Powell, who’s averaging a career-best 23.3 factors on 49-48.7-81.7 taking pictures, the Clippers have outperformed expectations and will see if they’ll flip the perpetually injured Kawhi Leonard for property to extend their trajectory.
16. San Antonio Spurs: 9-8 (Earlier rating: 23)
“Space 51,” the nickname for defensive standouts Stephon Citadel and Victor Wembanyama, is likely to be even higher than the Houston’s “Terror Twins.”
17. Sacramento Kings: 8-10 (Earlier rating: 19)
The Kings could be an fascinating five- or six-seed within the Jap Convention with De’Aaron Fox enjoying like an All-NBA level guard. He scored 109 factors in back-to-back video games in November.
18. Miami Warmth: 7-7 (Earlier rating: 18)
Stranger issues: The Warmth have solely performed 14 video games and Bam Adebayo is taking pictures 42.4 p.c from the sphere.
19. Indiana Pacers: 8-10 (Earlier rating: 15)
What a tough begin for Indy, however Bennedict Mathurin’s making a pleasant leap, averaging 18.3 factors and 6.8 rebounds and placing up 49.1-40.3-84.5 taking pictures splits.
20. Detroit Pistons: 8-11 (Earlier rating: 28)
The Pistons are one of many nice surprises within the NBA this season, and Cade Cunningham is rising as an All-Star participant, averaging 23.5 factors, 8.9 assists and seven.2 rebounds.
21. Atlanta Hawks: 7-11 (Earlier rating: 21)
If a crew makes a strong provide for Trae Younger (21.9 PPG), the Hawks ought to strongly think about it as a result of Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels are two-way constructing blocks for a greater future.
22. Brooklyn Nets: 8-10 (Earlier rating: 30)
The Cam Thomas Present is significantly better than anticipated (24.7 PPG and 46.1-38.9-86.6 taking pictures splits) and so are the Nets!
23. Chicago Bulls: 7-11 (Earlier rating: 22)
At the very least they’re enjoyable and play with the quickest tempo within the league.
These groups may simply stink
At a sure level, because the legendary NFL coach Invoice Parcells as soon as stated, “You might be what your file says you’re.”
24. Philadelphia 76ers: 3-13 (Earlier rating: 8)
Jared McCain’s Rookie of the Yr marketing campaign is the one brilliant spot from the pathetic Sixers.
25. New Orleans Pelicans: 4-14 (Earlier rating: 12)
In contrast to the 76ers, the Pelicans don’t have the posh of enjoying within the weak Jap Convention, so the brutal string of accidents they’ve suffered could have the merciless impact of forcing what needs to be a good crew into tanking.
Tuning into the Maui Invitational
Pump some {dollars} into that scouting funds and ensure this misplaced season yields an incredible draft return in 2025.
26. Portland Path Blazers: 7-11 (Earlier rating: 27)
Regardless of having the worst offensive rating in the league, the Blazers have received a number of video games due to third-year guard Shaedon Sharpe, who has had two video games over 30 factors in solely 10 appearances.
27. Charlotte Hornets: 6-11 (Earlier rating: 26)
It’s a disgrace this crew is so crushed by accidents as a result of LaMelo Ball is placing up All-NBA-level numbers (31 PPG, 6.9 APG, 5.1 RPG and 44-35.6-86 taking pictures splits).
28. Utah Jazz 4-12 (Earlier rating: 24)
Utah stinks, however Collin Sexton is taking pictures lights out (16.5 PPG on 47-46.2-88.2 taking pictures splits) and goes to get the Jazz an incredible return on the commerce deadline.
29. Toronto Raptors: 4-14 (Earlier rating: 25)
Though it’s unclear what the plan is in Toronto, Gradey Dick (18.1 PPG) has emerged as a cornerstone piece in regardless of the future could maintain.
30. Washington Wizards: 2-13 (Earlier rating: 29)
When you ignore the truth that Wizards are dangerously near having the triple crown of worst offensive rating (29th), worst defensive rating (30th) and worst net rating (30th), you may get enthusiastic about second-year swingman Bilal Coulibaly’s second-year leap (14.3 PPG).
