Welcome to Def Pen’s NBA Power Rankings, updated every Monday. These rankings aren’t necessarily based solely on talent level or team potential.They’re about who’s better right now/who has played better as of late. If a team has lost their last 5 games, they’re probably going to drop (at least) a few spots, even if they’ve got “better” players than a team ranked above them.
Biggest Jump: Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers: Up 6
Biggest Drop: Chicago Bulls: Down 6
1. Golden State Warriors
Record: 66-7
Last Week’s Ranking: 2
The Warriors return to the top due to the Spurs dropping a game. 66-7 does not seem like a real record. This team is ridiculous
2. San Antonio Spurs
Record: 61-12
Last Week’s Ranking: 1
It may have occurred because Pop rested Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, and Many Ginobili, but a loss is still a loss. OKC unsurprisingly stomped the short-handed Spurs.
3.Oklahoma City Thunder
Record: 51-21
Last Week’s Ranking: 6
The Thunder are re-gaining their swagger at the right time. They’ve now won 7 in a row, and will hope to ride this hot streak into the playoffs.
4. Toronto Raptors
Record: 49-23
Last Week’s Ranking: 3
The Raptors went 1-2 last week, dropping games to the vengeful Celtics and Rockets. The Raps 1 win of the week came against the Anthony Davis-less Pelicans, which isn’t anything to write home about.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 52-21
Last Week’s Ranking: 4
The Raptors lost 2 games last week and the Cleveland still doesn’t pass them in the rankings. Why? The Cavs lost to the Nets. This team makes me scratch my head repeatedly. I cannot for the life of me tell how good they are/will be come playoff time. What I do know, is this team officially has the most drama of any non-Kings NBA team.
6. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 44-30
Last Week’s Ranking: 5
The Hawks are still playing well. They lost 1 game last week when John Wall went bananas on them, but exacted revenge two nights later by beating the Wizards by 21. Overall, they went 3-1 on the week. This team is looking playoff ready, unless the chemistry has been ruined by the team forgetting poor Jeff Teague.
7. Boston Celtics
Record: 43-30
Last Week’s Ranking: 10
It only took Brad Stevens 4 games to figure out how to play without Jae Crowder, and since going on a 4-game slide, the C’s have won 4 in a row. Luckily, they shouldn’t have to play too much longer without Crowder, as the forward is set to return to practice Wednesday.
8. Miami Heat
Record: 42-30
Last Week’s Ranking: 7
The Heat understandably dropped a game to the Spurs last week, but took care of business against the Pelicans and Magic. This club is still holding their breath hoping for a Chris Bosh return, but I’m wondering if he’ll be able to just slide in and make the team better, as simple as that. This team has been playing great ball recently, and that’s been without Bosh. Could his return throw off chemistry?
9 Utah Jazz
Record: 36-37
Last Week’s Ranking: 9
The Jazz maintained their strong play last week, taking down Houston and Minnesota but losing to the Thunder. The Jazz have now won 7 of their last 10, and have the 7 seed in the West.
10. Charlotte Hornets
Record: 42-31
Last Week’s Ranking: 8
The Hornets went 2-1 last week, and drop 2 spots through no fault of their own. The Jazz and Celtics just both deserved to move up. The Hornets’ 2 wins were against rather unimpressive teams — the Nets and Bucks — while their loss came to the Pistons.
11. Los Angeles Clippers
Record: 45-27
Last Week’s Ranking: 12
Blake Griffin has been cleared! Now he just has to serve his 4-game suspension, and he’ll be good to go. Clippers fans will be immensely relieved to see Griffin back on the court in time for the playoffs.
12.Detroit Pistons
Record: 39-35
Last Week’s Ranking: 18
The Pistons are getting hot at the perfect time. They went on a 5-game win streak before losing to Atlanta, and now are looking like they’ll make the playoffs, with Chicago struggling. The Pistons are currently in the 8 seed, just half a game behind Indiana.
13.Indiana Pacers
Record: 39-34
Last Week’s Ranking: 15
The Pacers lost to Brooklyn last week, but beat Houston and New Orleans. They’ve got the 7 seed with an easy schedule ahead of them, so a playoff spot seems almost guaranteed.
14. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 38-36
Last Week’s Ranking: 20
I still don’t know what to think of Portland. Last summer, if you told me that this would be a playoff team, I would have laughed. Now they have the 6 seed with just 8 games left to play. If the standings remain the same, we’d be seeing a Lillard-Westbrook matchup in the first round, which would be a lot of fun.
15. Houston Rockets
Record: 36-38
Last Week’s Ranking: 14
The Rockets picked the worst possible time to implode, but what’re you gonna do? They went 1-3 last week, although that one win was vs. the Raptors, so there’s your bright spot. Houston has 2 tough games left this season(vs. Cleveland and OKC) and other than that they’ve got a remarkably easy schedule.
16. Washington Wizards
Record: 36-37
Last Week’s Ranking: 13
The Wizards’ playoff odds are practically nonexistent at this point, which is disappointing, because who doesn’t love watching John Wall?
17. Denver Nuggets
Record: 31-43
Last Week’s Ranking: 17
Last week, the Nuggets lost to 2 very good teams(Clips, Cavs) and beat 2 very bad teams(Sixers, Lakers). This team is by no means a playoff team, but they have a plethora of exciting young talent. The future is bright for Denver.
18. Chicago Bulls
Record: 36-36
Last Week’s Ranking: 12
When Jimmy Butler struggles, the Bulls are awful. And Jimmy Butler is struggling. The Bulls won against Sacramento on Monday, but followed that up with consecutive losses to the Knicks and then a loss to the Magic. This team needs to turn things around immediately if they want any shot at a playoff berth.
19. Sacramento Kings
Record: 29-44
Last Week’s Ranking: 23
The Kings move up 4 spots as other teams around them struggle mightily to find wins. The Kings have dominated their last 2 games now, beating Phoenix and Dallas by 22 each.
20. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 35-38
Last Week’s Ranking: 19
The Mavs went 0-3 last week. This team, like several other teams(Houston, Chicago) is falling apart at an awful time. Earlier this season the Mavs looked like locks for a playoff spot, probably the 4th or 5th. Now they’re 3 games below .500 and are suddenly a lottery team(a lottery team that doesn’t have its own pick unless the pick falls into the top-7).
21. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 41-32
Last Week’s Ranking: 21
The Grizz have lost 6 of their last 8 games now. They’ll probably make the playoffs because they were a really good team when healthy. However, with so many injuries on the roster, whoever they match up against in the first round will probably essentially have a first round bye. If the playoffs started today, they’d be playing the Clippers.
22. New York Knicks
Record: 30-44
Last Week’s Ranking: 24
The Knicks beat the Bulls twice last week, which no longer seems like much of an accomplishment. They also unsurprisingly lost to Cleveland.
23. Orlando Magic
Record: 30-43
Last Week’s Ranking: 22
The Magic broke their 6-game losing streak on Saturday with a win over the Bulls. Orlando has young talent, but just struggle to win games.
24. Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 30-44
Last Week’s Ranking: 16
The Bucks looked pretty good for awhile there. I’m high on Jabari Parker and very very high on Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Bucks have now lost 5 straight.
25. Brooklyn Nets
Record: 21-51
Last Week’s Ranking: 29
God knows how, but the Nets managed to beat both Cleveland and Indiana. Trying to screw Boston over in the lottery?
26. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 24-49
Last Week’s Ranking: 24
Minnesota fans should be salivating over Towns and Wiggins while crossing their fingers for the lottery.
27. New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 26-46
Last Week’s Ranking: 25
With Anthony Davis done for the season, this team is horrendous. They’ve lost their last 3 games, but to good teams, in their defense.
28. Phoenix Suns
Record: 20-53
Last Week’s Ranking: 27
I’m liking the young talent. Eric Bledsoe(when healthy obviously), Devin Booker, Brandon Knight and Alex Len all look great.
29. Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 15-58
Last Week’s Ranking: 28
The Lakers are still in full tank mode. They’ve lost 7 of their last 8.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 9-65
Last Week’s Ranking: 30
The Sixers have lost 22 of their last 23 games. That is all.
