2014-15 NBA Power Rankings: How Every Team Stacks Up After 7 Weeks of Action
That rumbling you're feeling beneath your feet? That's just the NBA landscape shifting during the heart of the holiday season.
The Dallas Mavericks scored an early Christmas gift—or a timely one for Hanukkah, in the case of team owner Mark Cuban—by reeling in Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics. On the flip side, the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat all stumbled upon lumps of coal in their stockings, in the form of injuries to Andrew Bogut, Jabari Parker, Josh McRoberts and Chris Bosh.
The Association should see plenty more gift-giving, White Elephant and otherwise, in the weeks to come now that every player who signed a new contract over the summer can be traded. The continued separation between buyers and sellers on the court and on the market figures to facilitate that activity, as well.
But before we get caught up in too many holiday metaphors (we'll save some of those for next week), let's take some time to rank the NBA from top to bottom, based on how each team is doing and what sort of roster each is working with.
Click here for last week's edition.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
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So much for that ray of sunshine in the City of Brotherly Love. The clouds are once again covering the sky over the Philadelphia 76ers, courtesy of a four-game skid that's come on the heels of two wins in three tries for the NBA's tank squad.
There's still some cause for encouragement in Philly, though. Tony Wroten is back. Nerlens Noel's fresh off the finest performance of his budding NBA career (19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocks versus Boston). Robert Covington's been bombing away from three (44.8 percent) while chipping 18.4 points per game over his last seven.
On the whole, Grantland's Zach Lowe seems to think all this losing might not submarine the Sixers' organizational culture after all, writing, "The 'losing habits' concern isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a real thing. The Sixers think they have the culture to fight it, and the early signs are good. But the jury’s still out."
So, too, are the wins.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves
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The basketball gods must really want Andrew Wiggins to be the NBA's Rookie of the Year.
First, they wiped out just about all of Wiggins' Minnesota Timberwolves teammates of consequence, including Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic. That cleared the way for Wiggins' role to expand and his touches to skyrocket.
Then, they cleared the field of first-year competitors. Jabari Parker just joined Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, Joel Embiid and Doug McDermott among those members of the 2014 draft class who've been shelved with significant injuries.
Now, according to ESPN's Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst, the Wolves are once again shopping Corey Brewer, the only wing on Minny's roster who can consistently (and realistically) siphon off possession time from Wiggins.
Unless, of course, you consider Thaddeus Young a wing—and, really, what are the odds that the Wolves don't try to move Thad at some point too?
Wiggins has done his part to bolster his ROY case of late, as well. Over his last five games, Wiggins has averaged 17.4 points and 5.2 rebounds to go along with 6.6 free-throw attempts.
Those numbers are hardly overwhelming, but in Wiggins' circumstance they might be enough to bring home some hardware.
28. New York Knicks
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Things have gone from bad to worse for the New York Knicks. Carmelo Anthony could miss an extended period of time if he decides to give his sore knee a much-needed rest.
"I have multiple people say kind of just shut it down," Anthony said, via ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell. "Or just take time off. But at the end of the day, it's hard for me to just do that right now in the midst of what's happening with the team and this season. So just trying to be smart about that."
At this point, sitting might be the smart thing for 'Melo and the Knicks. At 5-23, New York would be hard-pressed to qualify for the postseason, even in the historically weak East. Pressuring Anthony to play on a bad knee isn't likely to change that. It certainly wouldn't help the Knicks' long-term outlook, with four more years of 'Melo left on the books.
On the other hand, if Anthony sits, the Knicks can improve their position in next year's draft while giving their resident superstar the requisite rest to recover and, thereafter, lead the franchise back from embarrassment.
Not that such a strategy will do anything to satiate the Knicks' notoriously rabid fanbase in the interim. Surely, the Big Apple's slate of tabloids will have a field day cooking up pun-tastic headlines pertaining to a team that's getting beaten by the skeleton squads of superior opponents, as was the case against the Chicago Bulls, sans Derrick Rose, on Thursday.
27. Detroit Pistons
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It's getting mighty drafty in the Motor City, what with the NBA's trade winds sweeping up the Detroit Pistons.
And expectedly so. At 5-21, and with Stan Van Gundy coming in this past spring to right the Pistons' sunken ship, Detroit was due for an overhaul. No surprise, either, that Greg Monroe's name was the latest to be bandied about, after Josh Smith's got some run during the offseason.
What is surprising, though, is how Monroe found out about the rumors first dispersed by Sporting News' Sean Deveney. "It was news to me, like it was news to everybody else. I was on Instagram when I read it," Monroe said, via yours truly. "A little kid said something to me, you know what I’m saying?"
Chances are Monroe will be out the door soon enough. He already looks like the odd man out of Detroit's frontcourt crush, if his nine stints off the bench in his last 10 games are any indication. But until the Pistons are served their divorce papers from Monroe's representatives, they'd do well to take advantage of having a bona fide 15-point-per-game scorer plying his trade among their reserves.
26. Boston Celtics
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It's over. It's all over.
Well, the Boston Celtics' 2014-15 season had pretty much been a wash from the get-go. But now that Rajon Rondo is gone, the C's have vacated any last vestiges of their most recent title-contending era.
No Doc Rivers. No Kevin Garnett. No Paul Pierce. No Ray Allen. And now, no Rondo.
What Boston does have, though, is a bevy of young players and draft picks to show for Danny Ainge's extreme makeover. Brandan Wright and Jae Crowder will join Tyler Zeller, Marcus Smart, James Young and Kelly Olynyk among an intriguing crop of youngsters who've come to Beantown since the teardown began.
Don't expect the C's to hang onto all of those guys over the long haul, though. And certainly don't count on Ainge keeping all, or even most, of the eight first-round picks he'll have at his disposal between now and 2018, including the three that Boston can spend this coming June.
Those endless possibilities will come as cold comfort to those C's fans seeking solace this season. In time, though, the brushfire that's rendered Boston's last champion little more than ashes and memories will give way to a lush landscape of competitive basketball.
25. Utah Jazz
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Rebuilding teams rarely grow in straight lines. Rather, the process is one of zigs and zags, fits and starts, until a squad's young constituents can make the leap from promising prospects to consistent contributors. That's certainly been the case for the Utah Jazz so far in 2014-15.
Gordon Hayward might go for 31 points one night and six the next, as he has this season. Alec Burks may seem done on account of a shoulder injury, only to return with a protective sleeve. Enes Kanter can dominate on offense but struggle defensively, only to see one of his peers—like, say, Rudy Gobert—step in to offer pointers.
Which is exactly what happened during Utah's recent loss in New Orleans. Gobert tried to nudge Kanter into proper defensive position. Kanter seemed to take exception, and a heated discussion between the two ensued, much to the delight of head coach Quin Snyder.
"That was great. I was so glad to see them. I don’t care if they yell at each other. I like the communication," Snyder told Deseret News' Jody Genessy. "Once you start talking to each other like that, now you’ve got a chance to grow and to stretch."
There should be plenty more growing and stretching to come before the Jazz jump up from the depths of the West.
24. Charlotte Hornets
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Apparently, 25 games is all the Charlotte Hornets needed to determine that Lance Stephenson was not, in fact, a good fit for their team. According to the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell, the Hornets are fielding trade calls for their big free-agent prize, with the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers among the early inquirers.
The Hornets can hardly be blamed for putting Stephenson on the market. He's struggled out of the gate, shooting 38.6 percent from the field while proving an uneasy fit alongside Kemba Walker in Charlotte's all-New York backcourt. Meanwhile, the Hornets, fresh off a 43-win season, are just 6-19, a full five games behind where they were at this same point in 2013-14.
Still, it seems a bit early to be abandoning a 24-year-old talent on a favorable contract like Stephenson, doesn't it? Sure, there's something Josh Hamilton-esque about Stephenson, a gifted guy who can thrive so long as he's got the proper organizational support system in place.
But if the Hornets are really intent to dump Stephenson, they'd do well to wait until he's at least recouped some of his former value. Perhaps it's a blessing for Charlotte, then, that the market for Stephenson's services is "lean" at the moment, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
23. Los Angeles Lakers
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The Los Angeles Lakers milked Kobe Bryant's chase of Michael Jordan in the all-time scoring column for all they could. In addition to the myriad hagiographies from the media, the Lakers put together their first bona fide winning streak of the season by beating the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves while watching the Mamba overtake His Airness.
So what if the Kings were without DeMarcus Cousins, or the Spurs without Kawhi Leonard, or the Wolves without their three best players? Wins of any kind have been hard to come by for the Purple and Gold, who sit at 8-17 through their first 25 games.
And if L.A.'s latest loss, a 110-91 annihilation at the hands of the shorthanded Indiana Pacers, was any indication, one player's pursuit of history won't be enough to keep this club afloat for long.
22. Orlando Magic
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The Orlando Magic probably wish they'd played their latest game against the Boston Celtics a day later than they did. Their own lackluster effort on both ends of the court aside, the Magic would've benefited handsomely from Rajon Rondo's departure, in addition to Marcus Smart's absence.
Instead, Orlando was all but helpless as Rondo ripped apart Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton and the rest of its young guards for yet another near-triple-double: 13 points, seven rebounds and 15 assists.
Fortunately for the Magic, they'll have a chance to redeem themselves against the Rondo-less C's two days before Christmas.
21. Indiana Pacers
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It shouldn't come as any shock that the Indiana Pacers are open to the idea of bringing back Lance Stephenson.
"I'd be OK with it, but it's not up to me. Larry (Bird) has to decide if he fits," team owner Herb Simon told The Indianapolis Star's Candace Buckner.
And why wouldn't Simon be OK with it? His squad could certainly use the dose of ball-handling and shot creation that Stephenson would bring to the table, seeing as how well he brought it during his previous stint in Naptown.
As one Pacers official mentioned to Bleacher Report, Stephenson's return would make sense for both parties, assuming Indiana doesn't have to give up too much to get him. For one, the support system on which Stephenson previously leaned is still in place in Indianapolis. Having Larry Legend and Frank Vogel back in his corner could help to restore Stephenson's confidence.
On the Pacers' end, they'd be getting a 24-year-old swingman whose current contract (three years, $27.4 million, a team option for the third year) is more appealing than the five-year, $44 million pact to stay in Indy that he reportedly turned down over the summer.
And if the Pacers can squeeze a draft pick out of the Hornets in the process, all the better.
20. Brooklyn Nets
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The Brooklyn Nets have yet to make good on their threats to dump their three most expensive assets—Brook Lopez, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson—though, as ESPN's Chad Ford explained, that may have more to do with the way most teams manage their rosters these days than anything else:
"The market is very, very limited. Lopez is probably the easiest of the three to trade. But so many teams have become experts on the cap and the CBA that they are unwilling to take the mistakes that Billy King has made over and over again. Very few teams are willing to blatantly mortgage their future the way the Nets have been.
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That being said, the trade deadline is still two months away. That leaves ample time for general manager Billy King to scour the market in search of potential trade partners and for those players on the block to boost their value.
Except, of course, for Lopez, who's been out since Dec. 5 with a back injury and will remain so indefinitely.
19. Miami Heat
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NEWSFLASH: Dwyane Wade is still really, really, really good at basketball.
The 32-year-old has been on a tear since returning to the Miami Heat's rotation in late November. Over his last 11 games, Wade has averaged 24.5 points while shooting 53.1 percent from the field, including a 42-point outburst against the Jazz.
Trouble is, the rest of the Heat's roster has been sapped by injuries, as Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick pointed out:
"The squad wasn't supposed to look so lifeless, the defense wasn't supposed to be so toothless, and a shot at the Southeast Division wasn't supposed to seem so hopeless—at least, not quite so soon. The projected starting lineup of Chris Bosh, Josh McRoberts, Luol Deng, Dwyane Wade and Norris Cole wasn't supposed to start just two times and play just 34 minutes together, teasing with a plus-13, before losing one of its components (McRoberts) for months, if not the season, and the other four members missing 14 games between them.
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Despite all those absences, and the seven losses in their last eight home games that the Heat have suffered as a result, Miami remains firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot. That might be even more remarkable than Wade's ongoing dominance.
18. Sacramento Kings
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Good news, Sacramento: Boogie's back! The Kings' studly center returned from his 10-game absence looking like his pre-viral meningitis self, posting 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
Bad news: The Kings still lost, 108-107, with DeMarcus Cousins missing a long jumper at the buzzer that would've won it.
Worse news: Cousins and Co. will have to proceed this season with Tyrone Corbin as their head coach in the wake of Mike Malone's untimely ouster.
"We had a Sousa marching band, which was needed when there was chaos, but now we need to shift to a jazz band, where people can be individually showcased and improvised," team owner Vivek Ranadive said in explaining the change, via ESPN.com's James Ham. "What we need is a jazz director. I think that’s the kind of leadership moving forward."
Or, maybe just a coach who knows how to Boogie, which Malone certainly did.
17. Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets don't figure to generate much interest for their on-court exploits, not with seven losses in their last eight games.
Unless, of course, you're talking about what that futility could do to Denver's role as a facilitator on the NBA's recently expanded trade market. As Bleacher Report's Howard Beck wrote, the Nuggets' stock of quality players on reasonable contracts would qualify as feast-worthy fodder for contenders seeking to solidify their rosters:
"Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov, both acquired in the Carmelo Anthony trade in 2011, have garnered a ton of interest, per rival executives. Any number of playoff teams could use Kenneth Faried's rebounding, or Nate Robinson's scoring punch.
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Then again, Beck also noted that Denver, per one anonymous executive, is "very happy" with its team as is. Perhaps an extension of the Nuggets' current slide will shift the front office's perspective.
16. Milwaukee Bucks
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Losing Jabari Parker to a torn ACL is a devastating blow to the Milwaukee Bucks, but it shouldn't be a death knell for their playoff hopes. This Bucks squad isn't lacking for weapons, and head coach Jason Kidd has already proved creative enough to concoct new and different ways to compete when his team is shorthanded.
The Bucks got by without their star rookie on Thursday, riding five double-digit efforts to a one-point win over the Kings in Sacramento. They should be able to do the same over the long haul, thanks in no small part to the weakness of the East.
Still, Parker's absence, after being the second player off the board in the 2014 draft, will be a sad one for Milwaukee. But as The Washington Post's Michael Lee noted, the Chicago native's sturdy values and uncanny maturity should serve him well through the hard times that lay ahead.
15. Phoenix Suns
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Things have not gone so swimmingly for the Phoenix Suns so far this season. They struggled to snap their recent six-game skid, needing a big fourth quarter to put away the hapless Hornets on the road.
Despite the slide, the Suns remain within striking distance of a playoff spot, just a game back of the Pelicans for eighth place out West. But now that the Thunder are back to being, well, the Thunder, neither Phoenix nor New Orleans figures to find much permanence within the Western Conference playoff picture.
Unless, of course, the Suns sort out some way to get their three point guards to all play well together more consistently.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
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In our latest edition of Anthony Davis Watch, we find The Brow not only playing like an MVP but outdueling others in that discussion.
Davis' line against the Houston Rocket was 30 points (10-of-17 from the field, 10-of-12 from the line), 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals, five blocks, one turnover and no fouls.
That's right, no fouls. Not even while anchoring a defense that had to contend with Dwight Howard and James Harden, two of the most frequently fouled players.
And contend that defense did. Davis' New Orleans Pelicans held the home team to a mere 90 points on 38.4 percent shooting on the way to a nine-point win—their first in Houston in their last seven tries.
"When you hold a team like that to 90 points, that's a great job," Davis said afterward, via Pelicans reporter Jim Eichenhofer. "When we defend, we're a tough team to beat."
Especially when Davis is the one doing the damage.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Defense remains a grave concern for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They've lost three of their last four games, allowing each of those opponents to score more than 100 points—some easily so.
The Cavs' defensive issues were laid particularly bare by the Hawks in a 127-98 home loss. Time and again, they fell behind Atlanta's crisp ball movement, to the point where the Hawks seemed to generate wide-open looks with ease while knocking down 16-of-28 from three.
Among the many culprits in Cleveland, Kyrie Irving proved particularly lackadaisical on defense, too often allowing Atlanta's Shelvin Mack (24 points, 6-of-6 from three) to get up shots without so much as a token contest.
There's no simple solution to what's ailed the Cavs at times on that end. Their personnel isn't all that apt defensively, sure, but success on that end is predicated as much on effort and execution as on talent, if not more so.
These issues could fade in time, as the Cavs continue to build the caliber of chemistry and camaraderie required of any team that aspires to so much as sniff the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"The guys in the locker room are who we have, and I think we can compete against anybody when we're playing at our best," James said after Cleveland's most recent defeat, via Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico. "But it's going to take us to maintain our focus every single day. We cannot afford to take a step backwards, because a lot of teams are just better than us as far as chemistry, as far as the camaraderie they have over the years, and we don't have that."
Not yet, anyway.
12. Chicago Bulls
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No need to pull the alarm, Chicago Bulls fans. Derrick Rose missed Thursday's game not with any knee or hamstring issues, but rather with an illness.
What's more, the Bulls fared just fine without him anyway. The Carmelo Anthony-less Knicks didn't offer much resistance, least of all to Jimmy Butler, who carried Chicago to a 103-97 win with a career-high 35 points.
With any luck, Butler will get a shot to shine on the Knicks' home floor in February, when the All-Star Game comes to Madison Square Garden. The Bulls certainly wouldn't mind, either, if Butler were joined there by Rose, assuming his health and performance afford that opportunity.
11. Washington Wizards
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Surprise, surprise: The Washington Wizards have taken off since Nene returned from injury. They've won five games in a row, the last four of which have featured Nene off the bench.
His statistical contributions therein (10.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 61.3 percent shooting) have been solid, as has his lane-clogging defense on the other end. But where Nene is most valuable is in the locker room, where the big Brazilian has long served as a sage voice in the young ears of John Wall and Bradley Beal.
"The real friend, he say things you like in the right time, and he say things you don't like in the right time, too, especially when you want to win," Nene told NBA.com's David Aldridge. "I'm a competitor. I want to win. If we lose the right way, I take it. But when you win the wrong way, I get mad.
"So when we play wrong, especially when we have young guys and you want to teach them how to play, you need to say things."
That's never been a problem for Nene, despite the fact that English isn't his first or his strongest tongue.
10. Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors are getting along well without DeMar DeRozan. They've won their last four in a row and now stand at 7-3 since the All-Star swingman went down with a groin injury.
Of course, if there's any spot at which the Raptors can take a hit, it's on the wing, where Terrence Ross, Landry Fields, Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams have all chipped in to fill the void.
Not to mention the borderline MVP level at which Kyle Lowry has performed.
Where Toronto could really stand to improve is on the interior. Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson haven't always performed up to par, but according to The Globe and Mail's Cathal Kelly, the Raptors may seek free-agent-to-be Marc Gasol in the summer.
He wrote, "The Spaniard is a free agent this summer. The greatest lack on the Raptors roster is a truly dominant big man. Gasol is a Jungian figure that features prominently in GM Masai Ujiri’s bedside dream diary."
Prying Gasol from the Grizzlies will be a tall order, but if Toronto can pull it off, it'll have a bona fide contending team on its hands.
9. Atlanta Hawks
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Could the Atlanta Hawks be the best team in the East?
They certainly looked the part in their 127-98 takedown of the Cavs. The Hawks racked up a season-high-tying 36 assists on 49 makes, including 16-of-28 from beyond the arc and 58 points in the paint. More impressive still, Atlanta pulled off this particular pounding without starting point guard Jeff Teague, who sat with a sore hamstring.
On the whole, the Hawks appear to be the most well-rounded outfit in their conference. In fact, they're the only Eastern team that can claim top-10 status in both offensive and defensive efficiency. And it's not as though they're particularly reliant on any one player. Having Al Horford back from injury helps, but he's just one of five starters averaging double figures in scoring.
All of which is to say, these Hawks are balanced and experienced, which can't really be said for any of the other top teams in the East.
8. Los Angeles Clippers
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This past week was a rough one for the Los Angeles Clippers. Their nail-biting win over the shorthanded Pacers in Indy portended trouble for the Clippers, who dropped back-to-back games against the Wizards and Bucks to end what had been a nine-game winning streak.
The Clippers were able to get their house back in order somewhat upon returning home. They stomped the rumor-racked Pistons, but needed some clutch free throws from J.J. Redick just to fend off those same pesky Pacers.
And if that weren't enough, the Clippers will now have to forge ahead with a thinned-out frontcourt while Spencer Hawes, their big get this past summer, recovers from a left knee bruise.
Fortunately, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are healthy and playing fantastic basketball, as arguably the NBA's best pick-and-roll pairing.
"I don't know if there's a better combination," head coach Doc Rivers told NBA.com's David Aldridge. "They were laughing after the game the other night. I was like, 'We should be great.' I'm telling them that. And they were like, 'We are pretty good.' But I think we should be even better."
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
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The good times the Oklahoma City Thunder had been enjoying with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back in the fold hit a disconcerting snag Thursday night. OKC saw its seven-game winning streak snapped in Oakland after Kevin Durant, who went full supernova in the first half with 30 points, went down with an ankle sprain.
Fortunately for the Thunder, Durant's ankle sprain seems to be a mild one. "They had to convince me (not to play)," Durant said after not playing the second half, via The Oklahoman's Anthony Slater.
Assuming KD isn't hindered too harshly by this latest setback, the Thunder shouldn't have any trouble convincing the rest of the league that they should be taken seriously as title contenders. And if Durant has to sit for a bit, Westbrook can seize the moment to thrust himself into the MVP conversation, just as he did with 33 points and eight assists against the Warriors.
6. Houston Rockets
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The Houston Rockets must be pleased to know that the Pelicans probably won't be participating in the playoffs come spring.
New Orleans did a number on the Rockets in Houston on Thursday, holding the home team to 38.4 percent shooting from the field, including an abysmal 6-of-25 from three. The Rockets' 99-90 loss also saw Omer Asik frustrate Dwight Howard into a relatively rough shooting night, and the long arms of Asik and Anthony Davis hound James Harden into an 8-of-23 evening.
Houston will find out soon enough if this was merely the result of a bad matchup or the start of something more troubling to come. The Rockets will play their next five games against the Hawks, Blazers, Grizzlies, Spurs and Wizards.
At the very least, it's a good thing for Houston that Asik and Davis don't play for any of those teams.
5. San Antonio Spurs
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It's strange to see the San Antonio Spurs lose four times in six outings, especially when two of those defeats come against two of the West's worst (Jazz and Lakers). Such struggles are to be expected when key pieces of the team's core—namely, Tony Parker (hamstring strain) and Kawhi Leonard (bruised hand)—are battling injuries.
Still, considering how cutthroat the West has been this year, every result matters. The Spurs, then, can ill-afford an extended slide if they're to stay in the hunt for home-court advantage come playoff time.
Then again, a veteran team like San Antonio probably isn't (and shouldn't be) overly concerned with a stumble here and there in December. Moreover, the Spurs, even when shorthanded, are good enough to compete with the league's elite, as seen in their narrow triple-overtime loss to Memphis.
That notion will be put to the test through the end of the year, with San Antonio set to face the Blazers, Mavericks, Clippers, Rockets, Grizzlies and Pelicans (twice).
4. Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks fired the first meaningful shot in the wild, wild West. The Mavs have taken Rajon Rondo off the C's hands, sending Brandan Wright, Jameer Nelson, Jae Crowder and a pair of draft picks to Boston and getting the All-Star point guard and rookie Dwight Powell in return.
Rondo represents a clear upgrade at point guard for the Mavs over Nelson, Devin Harris and Raymond Felton. The 28-year-old is a tremendous passer and ball-handler. He has long been an impact defender at the point, where pretty much every other Western Conference contender boasts no worse than a borderline All-Star.
But Rondo's arrival brings with it a ton of risk. For one, Wright's departure leaves Dallas thin up front, with Greg Smith and Charlie Villanueva remaining as the Mavs' top backup bigs.
As for Rondo himself, he's far from the sort of shooter who would succeed in Rick Carlisle's equal-opportunity offense. Unless Rondo has the ball in his hands most of the time, he doesn't figure to be all that more effective.
On the other end, Rondo may not be the quite the lockdown defender he's often made out to be, as NBA.com's John Schuhmann noted.
Even if Rondo works out, he's not likely to elevate Dallas above the fray of fantastic teams in the Western Conference. At best, the Mavs can now count themselves among the likes of Golden State, Memphis, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Portland and the Clippers.
All for a guy who can walk via free agency this summer.
That being said, if the Mavs felt they had a chance to win a championship this year, they could've done worse than cast their lot with a floor general who's been there and done that.
3. Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers are being put to the test now that Robin Lopez is slated to miss the next six to seven weeks with a broken hand.
Thomas Robinson did a bang-up job in Lopez's stead, piling up 15 points and 16 rebounds against the Bucks. Chris Kaman, Joel Freeland and Meyers Leonard will get plenty of run while Lopez is out as well. The Blazers will need all they can squeeze out of those guys while Lopez is out, lest they lose ground in the race to the top of the Western Conference.
This stretch could also prove crucial to Portland's thinking long term. Lopez will be a free agent come July, and he has done plenty during his time in Oregon to merit a significant raise. The Blazers will have more than enough financial flexibility to bring him back, though they'll also have to leave room in their budget to reward LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews.
If the Blazers find a workable solution at center sans Lopez, they may be able to clear up what would otherwise be a cap crunch for general manager Neil Olshey.
2. Golden State Warriors
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Don't pity the Golden State Warriors and their banged-up frontcourt. They're certainly not sulking about the absences of David Lee and Andrew Bogut, the latter of whom is expected to sit out the next few weeks after undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy on his balky right knee.
Those injuries, while troubling, haven't exactly impeded the Dubs' march through the Western Conference. Sure, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were able to beat Golden State up inside to end the Warriors' 16-game streak, but that run extended from 13 onward without Bogut. And on Thursday, Golden State tipped off what could be yet another spurt by beating the streaking Thunder, once again sans Lee and Bogut.
To be sure, the Warriors will need those two in uniform if they're to survive and advance through the treacherous West come playoff time. For now, though, they're strong enough everywhere else—particularly at guard, where Stephen Curry popped off for 34 points and nine assists against OKC—to hang at or near the top of the conference while their gifted big men heal up.
1. Memphis Grizzlies
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This past week has been the grit-n-grind writ large for the Memphis Grizzlies. They've gone to overtime three times in their last four games, including a triple-overtime thriller against the Spurs.
Not surprisingly, these recent outings have been anything but pretty for the Grizzlies. They needed 15 more minutes to put away a San Antonio team that was without Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. It took a miraculous comeback for Memphis to take the Sixers to extra time. The night before that, the Grizzlies needed two additional periods to put away the ho-hum Hornets. Even Memphis' win over the streaking Warriors (sans Andrew Bogut and David Lee) can be picked apart.
But there's no faulting the Grizzlies for beating the teams in front of them, regardless of the quality and/or health of the opponents. If anything, the fact that they are pulling out all these close contests could bode well for them down the line, when they inevitably have to navigate high-pressure situations late in meaningful games.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
