Tuesday, November 27, 2018

NBA Power Rankings: Raptors Back on Top With Warriors Close Behind

Cover Photo: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images

With most NBA teams having played at or around 20 games so far this year, it means we're at the quarter pole of the season. While most teams are what they are at this point, others seem to have improved vastly in recent weeks. There's a new No. 1 in this week's Power Rankings with lots of movement in the Warriors Wannabes category as well as the top of the Lottery Leaders.

Tanking Teams: These teams are are fighting for the No. 1 pick.

30 – Atlanta Hawks (4-16) – (Last Week: 30)

29 -- Phoenix Suns (4-15) – (Last Week: 28)

28 – Cleveland Cavaliers (4-14) – (Last Week: 29)

27 – Chicago Bulls (5-15) (Last Week: 26)


​26 – Brooklyn Nets (8-13) – (Last Week: 24)

The Nets are tied for the longest current losing streak in the NBA, having dropped three in a row. They're also 3-7 in their last 10 and 2-5 since Caris LeVert dislocated his ankle. It's clearly another rebuilding year for Brooklyn. 

25 – Miami Heat (7-12) – (Last Week: 23)

24 -- Washington Wizards (7-12) – (Last Week: 25)

23 -- Minnesota Timberwolves (9-11) – (Last Week: 22)

22 -- New York Knicks (7-14) – (Last Week: 27)

The Knicks have won three straight and seem to have found something in rookies Mitchell Robinson and Allonzo Trier. Coach David Fizdale looks to be setting the Knicks up real nice for next summer when they'll go after two max-contract players.

21 – Orlando Magic (10-10) – (Last Week: 21)

Lottery Leaders: These could make the playoffs, or they could land in the lottery.

20 – Charlotte Hornets (9-10) – (Last Week: 19)
19 – Dallas Mavericks (9-9) – (Last Week: 20)

18 – Sacramento Kings (10-10) – (Last Week: 18)

17 – Utah Jazz (9-11) – (Last Week: 10)


16 – Detroit Pistons (10-7) – (Last Week: 17)

The Pistons are a really streaky basketball team. After a hot start, they then lost five straight only to come back and win six of their last eight. It's hard to tell exactly what Blake Griffin and the Pistons are, but they currently sit as the four-seed in the Eastern Conference.

15 – San Antonio Spurs (9-10) – (Last Week: 11)
14 – New Orleans Pelicans (10-10) – (Last Week: 14)
13 – Indiana Pacers (11-8) – (Last Week: 13)
12 – Houston Rockets (9-9) – (Last Week: 5)

11 -- Los Angeles Lakers (11-8) – (Last Week: 12)

We haven't heard much about LeBron James and the Lakers recently, and all they've done is win seven out of 10. This team has the young talent and veteran moxxy to make a run in the West, but they'll only go as far as The King can carry them.

Warriors Wannabes: Likely playoff teams and possible title contenders.

10 – Memphis Grizzlies (12-7) – (Last Week: 15)

We said ​last week that the Grizz should "stop being a surprise and start being looked at as a Top 8 West team very soon" -- and very soon is now. They've won seven of 10, but with games against the Raptors at home and the Nets and 76ers on the road this week, we'll see if Memphis can keep up their winning ways. 

9 – Boston Celtics (10-10) – (Last Week: 9)

8 – Los Angeles Clippers (13-6) – (Last Week: 16)

The Clippers make the biggest jump of the week going from 16 last week into the top 10 this week. An 8-2 record in their last 10, along with an 8-1 record at home, and a virtual tie for the top spot in Western Conference makes the "other" team from LA a likely playoff team a quarter of the way through the season.

7 – Oklahoma City Thunder (12-7) – (Last Week: 7)

6 – Portland Trail Blazers (12-8) – (Last Week: 1)

5 – Philadelphia 76ers (14-8) – (Last Week: 6)

4 – Denver Nuggets (13-7) – (Last Week: 8)

3 – Milwaukee Bucks (14-5) – (Last Week: 4)

The Bucks have won four of their past five, including a 43-point win over ​a Portland Trail Blazers team that was rolling just a week ago. While everyone thought the West would be dominant again this season, the East has three of the top five teams in the NBA right now.

2 – Golden State Warriors (14-7) – (Last Week: 3)

Things seemed to have settled down on the home front and the Warriors have started winning again. Just wait until Stephen Curry comes back as that's when we start talking about the team winning their four title in the past five seasons again.

1 – Toronto Raptors (17-4) – (Last Week: 2)

When the Raptors traded for Kawhi Leonard, we knew they'd be good, but not 17-4 good. Having won five straight including seven of their last 10, a Thursday game at home against the Warriors will be a true test of who should be No. 1.


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