Welcome to Sporting Zone's Power Rankings. The basis for our rankings will include record, the eye test and star talent on each NBA roster.
30. Detroit Pistons
This is no surprise for anyone who has watched the pistons play this season. Their 28 game losing streak during this season is the longest span of consecutive losses in NBA history, surpassing the 2015-2016 76ers, who had just 10 wins that year. On the bright side, Cade Cunningham has proven to be a Top 50 player in this league and their promising young players such as Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey have shown some promise, but the Pistons are nowhere close to the 2004 glory days.
29. Washington Wizards
Unlike the Pistons, the Wizards were expected to be at the bottom of the league. Even though their young players such as Deni Avdija and Bilal Coulibaly have shown signs of amazing potential, they still need some time to fully develop as both of them are still "raw" prospects. Kyle Kuzma has been really their only reliable scorer up to this point, and his future with Washington is questionable to say the least. Hopefully, the Wizards can make some moves this deadline to acquire much needed draft capital and good talent.
28. San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama has everything NBA fans have expected from him and more. In his most recent game, he tallied his first triple double while only playing for 21 minutes. As a rookie, Wembanyama has a usage rate of 30.4% (Rotowire), which is very impressive, especially considering he has other solid players such as Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson playing alongside him. However, despite the spectacular performances we have seen from Wemby, the rest of this team is not playing up to the level they need to be to be considered Play-In contenders. I think Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson are good players, but they have not been able to effectively contribute to the success of the team. Their 6-30 record is the 3rd worst in the league, only in front of the before mentioned Wizards and Pistons.
27. Portland Trail Blazers
After moving on from Damian Lillard this offseason, the start of Portland's rebuild has not gone as expected. Shaedon Sharpe has emerged into a top 5 prospect from his draft class, but their 3rd overall pick Scoot Henderson has been nothing but disappointing. Even though I am not giving up on him as a player, the 27 game sample size we have of him is not promising or should make Blazers fans ecstatic with his play. In a tough Western Conference, the Trail Blazers may be at the bottom for a while.
26. Memphis Grizzlies
With the recent season-ending injury to Ja Morant, the Grizzlies immediately fall back down the rankings. Without Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies are 8-20. Desmond Bane and JJJ are still great players, but without Ja, this team is easily bottom 5 in the NBA.
25. Charlotte Hornets
The record does not tell the full story of this team. Star Lamelo Ball has only played 15 games this season, and when the Hornets have Ball, they are much better than their 8-27 record. Also, Brandon Miller has looked great in his rookie year, even though he has not been as good as of late. The Hornets major issue is there defense, as they are bottom three in defensive rating this season, only ahead of the two worst teams in the league, the Pistons and Wizards. Mark Williams looks like the future center to pair with Lamelo, and if they can draft right, this team could be a play-in contender next year.
24. Toronto Raptors
Although the Raptors have excelled with their new acquisitions in R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley from the Knicks recently, they are still in the bottom half of the league in my opinion. Scottie Barnes has the potential to be a franchise cornerstone for this organization, but their other star Pascal Siakam could be traded at the deadline. On the bright side, this team just needs to get a good package for Siakam and kickstart their reconstruction.
23. Golden State Warriors
This season may officially mark the end of the Warriors dynasty in the 2010s and early 2020s. Curry is aging like fine wine, but the same sentiment cannot be said for Klay Thompson or Draymond Green. Brandin Podziemski has impressed many Warriors fans, but the mix of old and new guys is starting to hurt the organization. However, I believe the Warriors can still make a turnaround this season.
22. Brooklyn Nets
While Mikal Bridges and Nicolas Claxton are performing like two future stars this season, the Nets are 24th in defensive rating and are subpar on the offensive side of the ball. Cam Thomas has had two 40+ point performances and is emerging as a diamond in the rough for the Nets, but they are far from championship contenders.
21. Chicago Bulls
With Lavine being rumored to be traded before the deadline, The Bulls are in a weird position. Demar Derozan is still playing at a high level, but nowhere near his 2021-2022 campaign with the Bulls where he averaged just under 28 points per game. Coby White has been one of the few bright spots this season, but I think the Bulls will enter full rebuild mode.
20. Utah Jazz
The Jazz sit at just under .500 as of January 12th, and they have some positive things going for them. Walker Kessler continues to prove that he is an elite rim protector, and Lauri Markkanen is building upon his breakout year last season. Even though their rookies have been shaky to say the least, the Jazz actually have a bright future.
19. Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young has been spectacular, averaging a 25+ point double-double this season. They are top 5 in PPG as a team scoring just above 122 points a night, but have the second worst scoring defense in the NBA, allowing 124 points per night. Jalen Johnson is in the mix for Most Improved Player, as he has been excellent this season on both offense and defense. This team could easily make a run for the Play-In if they start finding success.
18. Houston Rockets
Jabari Smith Jr. has played much better in his sophomore campaign, averaging 13 points and 9 boards a night, while shooting an impressive 38.8% from 3. Despite their rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore not playing up to par with their expectations, Alperen Sengun looks like he has hit his breakout this season. Another Play-In contender in the Western Conference, but are about 2-3 years away from being classified as "Championship Contenders".
17. Phoenix Suns
Although they have been hurt by the injury bug with Beal and Booker already missing a chunk of games, I still believe this team does not have the depth to compete with the teams above them. Even at full strength, the Suns have proven to be a below-average defensive team and a mediocre offensive team. However, there is still time for them to turn things around.
16. Indiana Pacers
Even though they have outperformed their expectations this season by being a 4-seed in the Eastern Conference, I don't see them in this position by the end of the year. Haliburton is proving to be a Top 20 NBA player this season, and Myles Turner has been very good this season for their offense. The Pacers lead the league in offensive rating and are a very good 3pt shooting team. With saying that, I expect them to experience a dip in the performance as the season goes on.
15. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers started off the season extremely hot, but have been inconsistent throughout the season. They have had multiple 4-game losing streaks and do not have the consistent performance night in and night out for us to put them any higher. Lebron is doing Lebron things, and AD has been incredible, but there are still issues with their bench lineup and scoring production from their second unit.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are a solid team this year. Obviously, their trio of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley will put you in a very good position to succeed. The Cavs are top 10 in defensive rating, due to their duo of shot-blockers in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Overall, there is nothing much to say about the Cavs, they are just a good basketball team.
13. Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season. Paolo Banchero has been nothing short of unbelievable. He has improved his three ball by almost 10 percent this season, and has averaged just under 23 points a night. He is also the Magic's main source of offense, having a 29.1% usage rate (StatMuse). Jalen Suggs has beaten the bust allegations that once were upon him and is now a solid contributor to this team. Easily one of the teams with the best future in the NBA.
12. Miami Heat
Jaime Jaquez Jr. has played better than anybody expected this season. The Heat are one of those teams that are always in the upper echelon in the league, and once again, they find themselves in the top 8 seeds in their conference.
11. New York Knicks
Man, oh man, has the OG Anunoby trade paid off for the Knicks. They are 5-0 since acquiring him from the Raptors. Brunson and the Knicks have been firing on all cylinders this year, earning them a top-5 seed so far and have been amazing on both ends of the floor. This team, if consistent with their recent play, could easily win a championship this season.
10. Sacramento Kings
The success of the Kings last season picked up right where it left off this year. Keegan Murray has been stellar alongside their duo of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis leads the league in rebounds per game at just under 13, and Malik Monk has emerged as another scoring threat for the Kings. The advanced stats don't love them, but the Kings could make some serious noise in the playoffs.
9. Dallas Mavericks
The Luka and Kyrie experiment is proving to work in Dallas. The Mavericks are second in total three-pointers made across the league with 592, fueling their high-powered offense. Even though they have a dynamic duo in Luka and Kyrie, they need to make some trades for surrounding role players in order to be considered championship contenders.
8. New Orleans Pelicans
Brandon Ingram is arguably the most underrated player in the entire league, who quietly averages 20+ points a game alongside stars like C.J. Mccollum and Zion Williamson, when healthy. The Pelicans are sixth in defensive rating and are tied for fourth in 3pt percentage at 38.2%. (NBA and StatMuse)
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
Chet Holmgren could is in a two-man race for Rookie of the Year with Victor Wembanyama and continues to prove that he was worth the 2nd overall pick. Shai is a top 10 player in the NBA at this point, and guess what, they still have Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey. The Thunder lead the league in the following categories: Blocks Per Game, Field Goal Percentage, Three Point Percentage and Free Throw Percentage. Sam Presti's strategy of accumulating as many draft picks as possible is starting to pay dividends for the Thunder.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid is leading the league in points per game with just under 35 a game. Tyrese Maxey legitimately has an argument to win the Most Improved Player of the Year award, and they are still in the top 3 in the east without James Harden. Philly is both top 10 in Offensive and Defensive rating this year, and they could still improve at the deadline.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
It turns out, when Kawhi and PG13 are both healthy at the same time, the Clippers are a top 5 team in this league. The Clippers are second in 3pt percentage at 39.1% (Statmuse) and have a top 10 offensive rating team as well. Come playoff time, they could be a serious threat in the west.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards is a top 15 player currently, and the Timberwolves have benefited from his success. They have the best defensive rating in the entire league and have an elite starting five. This team is the definition of a championship contender.
3. Boston Celtics
The Celtics lead the league in total three's made and rebounds per game this season. Jayson Tatum has solidified himself as a top 10 player in this league. The Holiday and Porzingis trades have definitely helped them out with their starting five and lineup flexibility. Not only that, but with the emergence of Derrick White, this team could easily win the NBA Finals.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
The duo of Giannis and Damian Lillard has been nothing short of spectacular so far this season. Brook Lopez leads the league in total blocks this season, contributing to their high-powered defense. Despite losing an all-defensive team caliber player in Jrue Holiday, their offense has benefited tremendously from that.
1. Denver Nuggets
Although the Nuggets do not have the best record, there is no team that can compete with a trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Aaron Gordon is a very solid piece for this Nuggets team and they rank inside the top 10 in both Offensive and Defensive rating this season. The Nuggets should be the early favorites for the NBA title.
- Alex Bailey
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