It's an NBA Power Rankings Thursday!
The 2023-24 regular season resumes today with 12 games. What better way to prep than inhaling the latest 1-to-30 ladder from The Committee (of One)?
There are 1,230 games in a full NBA regular season.
There are 410 left on the schedule entering Thursday night’s 12-game slate and the resumption of the 2023-24 campaign after the All-Star break.
The Committee (of One) isn’t as good in math as we used to be in our youth, but we are more than capable of calculating what those numbers mean: Exactly two-thirds of the regular season is behind us.
Or to put it another way (like we used to do it another lifetime ago in Bristol, Conn.): The NBA’s third Trimester is about to begin.
And the perfect way to do tip it off is with a fresh assemblage of NBA Power Rankings exclusively and directly from The Committee.
As explained in our previous edition of the rankings on Jan. 2 and established during our maiden season on this platform in 2021-22, our new rhythm calls for publishing rankings on a monthly basis. These are broader periodic looks at the league as opposed to our old weekly ESPN pulse takes.
Yet the overall mission remains unchanged: Establish an order independent of the standings that measures big-picture potential and expectations alongside short-term results. Injuries and other off-court developments, positive and negative, are factored in as well — with some sprinkles of Committee whim mixed in. The goal is to publish an updated 1-to-30 ladder around the same time each month throughout the regular season.
We ask, as always, that you register your questions, quibbles or any other pertinent thoughts in the comments section below so we can respond and expound upon our thinking.
PS — Rankings posts, remember, are incredibly long. So click on the headline to get the web or app version instantly if it proves too unwieldy to consume as an email.
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1️⃣ Boston Celtics
As prone as The Committee is to harp on the Celtics' crunch-time flaws, there's no denying that this has been the league's best team to this point, as evidenced by Boston's standing in both offensive (first) and defensive (third) efficiency and a nightly average point margin of +10.1. Further evidence: Teams like Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Miami have continued to search for moves to try to keep up with the 43-11 Celtics, who made a couple helpful additions (Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer) of their own before the trade deadline.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 1
2️⃣ Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves' 39-16 record is No. 2 in franchise history at the All-Star break, trailing only the 2003-04 team that started 37-15 and went on to win the only two playoff series that Minnesota has ever won in its 35 seasons of existence. The Committee, though, gets offended whenever someone says that no one on the NBA map expected the Wolves to be this good. Excuse me? Do you not remember the Strat-O-Matic simulation we did in October that projected huge things for this team?
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 3
3️⃣ Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers, especially Coach J.B. Bickerstaff and star guard Donovan Mitchell, haven't received sufficient praise for the 23-5 record they've posted since a 13-12 start. They've displayed a lot of resilience along the way — weathering long-term injury absences for both Evan Mobley and Darius Garland — and they've had some fun along the way, too. The best example: The Cavs recently invented a team stat they refer to as "suffocates" … three defensive stops in a row equals one "suffocate."
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 13
4️⃣ Oklahoma City Thunder
The very young Thunder sport the league's fourth-ranked offense. They boast the league's fourth-ranked defense. They also enjoyed a very productive trade deadline by acquiring Gordon Hayward from Charlotte and then signing Bismack Biyombo to a rest-of-the-season deal to add some needed size. Things are lining up for Oklahoma City — with its strongest team since Kevin Durant's final season in town in 2015-16 (55-27) — to be a playoff factor.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 2
5️⃣ Denver Nuggets
After his stunning game-winner off the glass from nearly 40 feet out in early January to complete a ridiculous comeback at Golden State, Nikola Jokić joined TNT's Inside The NBA crew and essentially acknowledged that the defending champions aren't quite playing up to last season's standards (see video). "We are chasing [the] Denver Nuggets, too" Jokić said. The difference between now and a year ago, of course, is that we've seen Jokić and Co. go all the way. So they get the benefit of the doubt even when someone brings up the relative inexperience of Christian Braun and Peyton Watson or points out that Denver is currently looking up at three teams in the West standings.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 4
6️⃣ LA Clippers
The Committee can still remember how things were going in early November, when the Clippers came to Dallas soon after acquiring James Harden and got blasted 144-126 by the Mavericks. The Clippers lost their next two games, too, only to respond by winning 33 of the next 43 games to fashion the West's third-best record at 36-17. "I'm telling you, it's going to be good," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that night in Big D on Nov. 10. "We'll be all right. They better take advantage of it now." He apparently wasn’t kidding.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 7
7️⃣ New Orleans Pelicans
If you believe in the power of point differential, New Orleans might be your Western Conference sleeper. The Pelicans are the fourth-best team in the West when it comes to nightly average scoring margin (+4.3) and have quietly settled into the league's top 10 defensively at No. 7. The Pels, though, didn't have an All-Star and still leave you wondering sometimes about how their best players (Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum) mesh offensively.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 10
8️⃣ Dallas Mavericks
Luka Dončić is headed for his first scoring title with a league-leading average of 34.2 points per game this season. My fellow Substacker
says only three other players over the past 50 seasons reached the All-Star break with a higher scoring average: Michael Jordan (twice), James Harden (twice) and Kobe Bryant. That should help explain why Dallas was willing to pay such high trade prices to acquire P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford earlier this month. Team officials know Dončić is ready to win now and desperately needed upgrades to his supporting cast.Last ranking (Jan. 2): 15
9️⃣ Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal have managed to play in only 22 games together (14-8) in their first season as a superstar trio in the desert, which is both a worrisome amount and, amazingly, more games than Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden played together in Brooklyn (16). Another potential obstacle in the Suns' title quest after a promising 19-7 response to their Christmas Day humbling at home inflicted by Dallas: They face the league's hardest remaining schedule in terms of opponent winning percentage (.564) according to Tankathon.com.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 16
🔟 Milwaukee Bucks
All eyes are on the Bucks after a 3-7 start since Doc Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin ... especially since Milwaukee, according to Tankathon, has the league's third-hardest remaining schedule. Damian Lillard just became the first player in league history to win both the 3-point contest and All-Star Game MVP honors on the same weekend, so let's see if that kickstarts Lillard's season. One suggestion: Maybe Milwaukee should look into flying The Committee to more of its games. The first of Rivers' three wins so far occurred in our presence and featured a comeback from 25 points down in Dallas.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 6
1️⃣1️⃣ New York Knicks
The Knicks went 15-2 immediately after acquiring OG Anunoby on Dec. 30 but have since lost Anunoby (elbow) and All-Star forward Julius Randle (shoulder) to long-term injuries after losing center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) early in the season. Although they're still one of just three teams leaguewide that ranks in the top 10 in both offensive (eighth) and defensive (ninth) efficiency — Boston and Oklahoma City are the only others — there's no denying that the Madison Square Garden vibes are suddenly well shy of immaculate thanks to a 1-5 skid heading into the All-Star break and the uncertainty surrounding Randle’s return.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 8
1️⃣2️⃣ Miami Heat
Something I never expected to see: The Heat losing seven straight games not long after giving a monster contract extension to Erik Spoelstra. Miami’s 6-2 rebound before the break was encouraging, but the regular season has been bumpier than expected on South Beach after last season's Cinderella run to the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed. Spoelstra has been forced to use 29 starting lineups already this season, which trails only Memphis (32) and Dallas (30). The Committee concedes that, in a nod to last season and our Jimmy Butler fandom, we probably have the Heat higher than most.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 12
1️⃣3️⃣ Sacramento Kings
Still can't believe that Domantas Sabonis didn't make the West All-Star team. He leads the league with 18 triple-doubles — more than Nikola Jokić (15) or Luka Dončić (10). He's averaging 20.1 points, 13.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists while shooting a ridiculous 62.2% from the floor. The problem: Even with Sabonis playing as well as he ever has, Sacramento is on pace for 47 wins and sits at No. 8 in an improved West. A 48-34 record last season put the Kings at No. 3 in the West.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 9
1️⃣4️⃣ Los Angeles Lakers
I stand by what I said on the Monday after the trade deadline: Holding on their 2029 first-round draft pick to with an eye toward a potentially bolder trade swing after the season was the right call for the Lakers. In the short term, though, there are some ominous signs — even with D'Angelo Russell playing so well since the calendar flipped to 2024. LeBron James is dealing with an ankle injury that will keep him out Thursday night against Golden State and the prospect of a second-half boost from new arrivals this season depends on buyout market signee Spencer Dinwiddie making a difference and/or Gabe Vincent rebounding from a season of injury woe.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 18
1️⃣5️⃣ Philadelphia 76ers
Foiled in its attempts to pry Andre Drummond away from the Bulls, Philadelphia still had a productive month in terms of upgrading the roster by trading for Buddy Hield and signing Kyle Lowry via the buyout market. Yet there's no dodging the reality that Joel Embiid's health status hangs over everything in the City of Brotherly Love. Embiid has scored a ridiculous 1,201 points in 1,157 minutes, but he's played in only 34 games and no one knows how soon he can return from his latest round of knee issues. The Sixers are 6-14 without him.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 5
1️⃣6️⃣ Indiana Pacers
I recently did a video essay on the league's top duos for Bally Sports Southwest (see below) and did not include Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam because they were too new as a tag team when the piece was published. One presumes they will feature in that conversation going forward, but the immediate priority in Indy now that All-Star festivities are in the rear-view mirror is preserving the Pacers’ tenuous top-six status in the East. Professor Kubatko has informed us that the Pacers’ league-best scoring average of 123.7 points per game has been eclipsed at the All-Star break by only three teams in league history: Philadelphia (76ers) in 1966-67 (125.1), Philadelphia (Warriors) in 1961-62 (124.8) and Denver in 1983-84 (124.3). The trouble, of course, is at the other end: Of the six teams this season allowing at least 120 points per game, only Indiana has a winning record.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 14
1️⃣7️⃣ Golden State Warriors
The Warriors look smart now for all the trade interest in Jonathan Kuminga that they've batted away over the past 12 to 18 months. Expanded roles for Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, as well as Draymond Green’s return from suspension to quarterback the defense, have helped the Warriors to an 8-2 start to February that clawed them back to 27-26 entering the break. The challenge: Golden State is only up to No. 10 in the West and plays 16 of its remaining 29 games on the road.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 19
1️⃣8️⃣ Orlando Magic
The Magic and their new All-Star Paolo Banchero remain on course for just the club’s second winning record in a span of 12 seasons ... and the only other one in that span was a modest 42-40 campaign in 2018. The story of this campaign, for the record, hasn't changed much along the way: Orlando will begin the stretch run Thursday in Cleveland with the league's fifth-ranked defense (as predicted by no one I can remember coming into the season) and the 24th-ranked offense (which has been the primary concern for months). A potential boost: Orlando’s remaining schedule in terms of opponent winning percentage (.435), according to Tankathon, is the league’s easiest.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 11
1️⃣9️⃣ Houston Rockets
The Rockets, not surprisingly, have gradually faded from playoff contention in the brutal West despite Alperen Şengün's breakout season and a surprising defense that remains top-six leaguewide. A groin injury that has sidelined Fred VanVleet since Feb. 4 hasn't helped, but the real culprit has to be Houston's 5-21 road record. That's the worst in the West and better only than Detroit's 4-23 mark.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 17
2️⃣0️⃣ Chicago Bulls
The Bulls yet again decided against making any trades before the Feb. 8 trade deadline because (I guess) they'd rather hang on as long as they can in the Eastern Conference Play-In zone and see if they can sneak into the playoffs proper that way. The focus in the Windy City has been on trade possibilities since early November, when Zach LaVine quickly emerged as a potential candidate to be dealt, which kept us from noticing (until now) how the Bulls have been undone by their struggles in one-possession games. In games decided by three points or fewer, Chicago is 1-6 and tied with New Orleans for the league's worst record in those situations.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 20
2️⃣1️⃣ Utah Jazz
It was clearly unpopular in Utah's locker room that three rotation players (Kelly Olynyk, Simone Fontecchio and Ochai Agbaji) were traded at the deadline, but the Jazz continue to adhere to a long-term approach founded upon patience (and stockpiling draft assets) rather than chasing a seed in the lower reaches of the West's playoff bracket. They were a .500 team later in the season than anyone expected, just like last season, and now appear poised to focus on lottery position from here.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 21
2️⃣2️⃣ Memphis Grizzlies
This will be recorded as a nightmare season in Memphis thanks to the 25-game suspension Ja Morant carried into the season ... and the shoulder injury that derailed Morant just nine games into his comeback ... and the numerous injuries that the Grizzlies have sustained on top of Morant's limited availability. Yet there was a consolation prize: GG Jackson's emergence certainly makes you wonder what the Grizz are capable when they get Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, etc., back on the floor together.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 25
2️⃣3️⃣ Atlanta Hawks
The Committee recently wrote many words on the Hawks and their murky future here. Bad losses last week to Chicago and Charlotte only underlined Atlanta’s status as one of this season’s most disappointing teams, but it was nice to see Trae Young go to Indianapolis for his third All-Star appearance … especially after I insisted to Chris Haynes on a recent edition of our #thisleague UNCUT podcast that Young would indeed make it as an injury replacement selection by the league office. While a 24-31 record is hard to ignore, you can say the same for Young when he’s averaging 26.7 points and 10.9 assists per game.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 24
2️⃣4️⃣ Toronto Raptors
The Raptors beat Cleveland on New Year's Day. The Cavaliers are 18-2 since. Maybe that's a reach from us in the hunt for Raptors positives, but I suspect that Canadians everywhere will prefer we talk about that rather than the Dec. 30 loss at Detroit than enabled the Pistons to bring a halt to their NBA record 28-game losing streak. Or the Raptors’ bizarre 0-11 record against fellow Atlantic Division residents. Rankings humor aside: Toronto’s rebuild is in its early stages and obviously starts with Scottie Barnes, who recently become just the ninth All-Star in franchise history (H/T
).Last ranking (Jan. 2): 22
2️⃣5️⃣ Brooklyn Nets
The Nets just doubled this season's count of in-season coaching changes by firing Jacque Vaughn and replacing him with Kevin Ollie, who thus begins a 28-game audition to try to convince Brooklyn management to give him the job full-time. Under Vaughn, remember, Brooklyn was 15-15 entering a Dec. 27 game against Milwaukee. The Nets sat several regulars for that game, absorbed a $100,000 fine from the league office for violating the new Player Participation Policy ... and have gone 6-18 since.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 23
2️⃣6️⃣ San Antonio Spurs
There are four games left on Victor Wembanyama's first Rodeo Road Trip — San Antonio is 1-4 so far — and 27 games in total remaining for Wemby to salvage a Rookie of the Year trophy from his loss-filled maiden NBA season. Should we hold the Spurs' 11-44 record against him in the ROY debate when Chet Holmgren gets to play on a nightly basis with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort? I'm frankly leaning Wemby’s way, records be damned, when the 20-year-old is averaging 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots in less than 30 minutes per game (28.4).
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 27
2️⃣7️⃣ Charlotte Hornets
LaMelo Ball has only played in 22 of 54 games. Mark Williams has only played in 19. The Hornets, without those two, have little hope of being competitive. Yet they are 3-0 since acquiring Charlotte native Grant Williams and, even better, No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller has played quite well in February (averaging 23.5 points and shooting 42.9% on 3-pointers this month) after a tepid start to NBA life. Let long-suffering Hornets fans enjoy those recent developments.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 29
2️⃣8️⃣ Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers' comment section will read a lot like Charlotte's. After a really rough start to NBA life — rougher than Brandon Miller's — Scoot Henderson has perked up some in February, averaging 18.6 points, 6.0 assists and 7.3 trips to the foul line per game through four games this month. It’s a modest measure of progress, true, given that Henderson continues to struggle with his shot, but the Blazers will surely take it.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 26
2️⃣9️⃣ Washington Wizards
Yikes. The Wizards have allowed at least 130 points in 21 of their first 54 games this season — 38.9% of the time. Professor Kubatko informs us that the only other team in league history to allow more 130-point games at this stage of the season (51.1% somehow) was the infamously defenseless Denver Nuggets of 1990-91. More on the Wizards (specifically via Kyle Kuzma) here.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 28
3️⃣0️⃣ Detroit Pistons
The last time we did rankings, Detroit had just three victories. At 8-46 now, it would appear that the Pistons are a reasonably safe bet to win at least two of their remaining 28 games to ensure that they finish with at least 10 victories and avoid matching the 9-73 infamy that belongs to the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers. All that said: Maybe the Pistons picked the right season to flirt with infamy given that the Lions and Michigan football soaked up so much local oxygen by thriving the way they have.
Last ranking (Jan. 2): 30
Let the real season commence
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