NBA Power Rankings: How Each Team Stacks Up to Start 2015
Happy 2015, everyone! The new year brings with it, among other things, a new set of power rankings, albeit in the same, old format.
The turning of the calendar from 2014 forward comes with plenty of significant change across the NBA. Kevin Durant's back from an ankle injury, LeBron James and Kevin Love are both on the shelf in Cleveland, two-thirds of the Texas Triangle are incorporating new stars, and Kobe Bryant seems to be operating with more perspective than usual in L.A.
Some things haven't changed, though. The New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers are still losing, the Golden State Warriors own the best record in basketball, and the Portland Trail Blazers aren't getting much love, despite a league-leading 26 wins to start the 2014-15 campaign.
There's much to look forward to as the Association begins its collective trek through 2015, but we're here to glance back—at the week that was and the months that have been—to get an idea of where all 30 teams stand, based on prior performance and current personnel.
Click here for last week's power rankings.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves
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Don't look now, but Andrew Wiggins is starting to run away with Rookie of the Year honors—and not just because so many of his chief competitors have succumbed to injury. He's scored 21 or more points in four of his last five games, including the 27 points he scored in the Minnesota Timberwolves' three-point loss to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
It's a good thing, too, that Wiggins is giving Wolves fans reason to watch this team right now. Otherwise, Minnesota's 10-game skid would really be depressing.
29. Philadelphia 76ers
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The Philadelphia 76ers' slim count of veterans is due for an infusion of fresh, old blood within the next few weeks. According to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears, Jason Richardson's nearly two-year recovery from a torn ACL could soon be complete—at least enough to get him back on the court, anyway.
Richardson told Yahoo Sports:
"I just want to teach them the little tricks I know. When I see something wrong, I can be a player-coach to these guys. Sometimes they might get tired of the coach and the assistant coaches. I am one of their peers, even though I am 10 [to] 12 years older than most of them.
I am still one of their teammates and still respect the things that they have to say. I will tell them things that I wanted to hear when I was a young guy.
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Considering how sloppy they've been on both ends of the floor, the Sixers could use all the advice that Richardson has to offer.
28. New York Knicks
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Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt probably wishes he had the same kind of support from his superstar that Derek Fisher's been getting from Carmelo Anthony of late.
"I think if it was anybody else in his position, I think this probably would've crumbled already," Anthony said after the New York Knicks' New Year's Eve loss to the Los Angeles Clippers (via ESPN's Ramona Shelburne). "I think he's doing a great job of keeping everybody focused on the task at hand and believing in what we're trying to do."
Leadership of that sort is crucial for a club that's lost 29 of 34 games this season, including the last nine in a row, under the auspices of a rookie head coach (Fisher) who's attempting to install an offense (i.e., the triangle) that's notoriously tricky for neophytes to pick up. Dark days like these are merely a part of a process, instigated by Phil Jackson, to purify the still-toxic waters that have long inundated Madison Square Garden.
That doesn't make the present any less painful, though it's a good thing that Anthony, in the first season of a five-year deal, seems to sport the perspective that the Knicks will need to see this thing through together.
27. Charlotte Hornets
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Things have gone from bad to worse for the Charlotte Hornets. Losing Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams to injury certainly hurt the Hornets, but there was a case to be made that Charlotte would see some addition by subtraction in the absence of its struggling free-agent signees.
There's no easy way to spin Al Jefferson's recent setback, though. According to The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell, the Hornets expect Jefferson to be out for roughly a month, though they're not placing any sort of timetable on his return.
Strange as it may seem, some of the numbers suggest that Charlotte might be better without Big Al. Per NBA.com, the Hornets have been a full nine points better per 100 possessions overall without Jefferson this season.
To be sure, Charlotte's offense has been patently awful either way. But it's tough to imagine that the Hornets will actually be better off over the long haul without their best, most consistent player.
26. Boston Celtics
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Come Friday night, Rajon Rondo will be the latest former champion to be treated to a hero's homecoming by the Boston Celtics and their fans, when his Dallas Mavericks roll into the TD Garden. They've lost four of six since Danny Ainge swapped the C's All-Star point guard for a bundle of young players and draft picks. As painful as it was for the Celtics to see Rondo go, the move will probably prove to be in Boston's best interests over the long term.
"Waiting isn't the answer," Ainge told ESPNBoston.com's Jackie MacMullan. "Teams who are in the running are far less reluctant to make major changes in late February."
That trade also freed the C's to make some major changes of their own. With Rondo gone, head coach Brad Stevens can begin to hand the reins of his squad over to rookie guard Marcus Smart, who scored 11 points in 28 minutes off the bench during Boston's blowout win over the Sacramento Kings.
25. Detroit Pistons
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It's been nearly two weeks since the Detroit Pistons paid Josh Smith to go away. They haven't lost a game since then, with a signature blowout win in Cleveland highlighting this 3-0 stretch.
Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.
What isn't in doubt is the Pistons' improved perimeter shooting and the effect that's had on their on-court outcomes. Detroit has been red-hot from beyond the arc sans J-Smoove, hitting 45.6 percent of its 30 three-point tries per game.
Chances are that won't last, though another key change to this team—Brandon Jennings' emergence as a more mature floor general—just might.
"Brandon has noticeably gotten back to probably what is his natural personality," Van Gundy told MLive's Brendan Savage. "He's really having fun. He's talking a lot, joking with guys, things like that. I think he had been suffering. He hadn't been playing real well, we hadn't been winning. He had gotten really quiet."
According to Savage, the fact that Jennings is stepping up now, without Smith soaking up touches in Motown, probably isn't merely coincidental: "Without Smith, the Pistons have gotten everyone more involved in the offense and Jennings has taken more of a leadership role on the floor - exactly what a team needs from its point guard."
And exactly what the Pistons will need if they're to finally turn the corner.
24. Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz got some unfortunate but not unexpected news this past week when it was announced that Alec Burks' season had come to an end on account of shoulder surgery. Burks first went down with the injury after a hard foul from Denver's Arron Afflalo on Dec. 1. As it happens, though, this particular issue has bothered Burks for much longer than that.
When asked about whether the team was aware of Burks' condition when the 23-year-old signed his four-year, $42 million extension prior to the 2014-15 campaign, Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey told The Salt Lake Tribune:
"We knew because we knew about it during the draft. This is an inure [sic] that predated Alec and the Utah Jazz. … Really, I think as much as anything, the reason why he was so durable is a credit to Alec, [trainer Gary Briggs and strength coach Mark McKown] and all the pre-hab.
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A curious development, indeed, though perhaps a cleaner, healthier shoulder will allow Burks to truly blossom once he gets back next season. For now, though, the Jazz will need more from their other young wings—including rookie Dante Exum, who played a career-high-tying 27 minutes in Utah's recent road loss to the Clippers—if they're to grow as a team without Burks.
23. Los Angeles Lakers
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In all likelihood, Kobe Bryant's pass-happy play since returning from a much-needed rest period, including his second triple-double of the season (vs. the Denver Nuggets), has more to do with his desire to lift up the Los Angeles Lakers and ease his own burden than anything else.
But maybe, just maybe, the possibility of Steve Nash spending some time around the team has had something to do with it as well, if only on the margins. Nash, who's been ruled out for the season and is expected to retire as a result, took some time to see the Lakers off before their Christmas Day trip to Chicago. According to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi, head coach Byron Scott thinks this could be the beginning of a renewed relationship between the 40-year-old point guard, who hadn't been around the team since it was announced that he wouldn't play this year, and the Lakers.
If Nash's presence can coax Kobe into fewer errant shots, more facilitation and more competitive play, L.A. would do well to keep its future Hall of Famers around each other as much as possible.
22. Orlando Magic
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The Chicago Bulls aren't the only ones probably kicking themselves right now over failing to sign one of their young studs to a rookie-scale extension prior to the Halloween deadline. With every quality game that Tobias Harris puts together, the Orlando Magic must expect that their future financial flexibility will shrink that much more.
Harris has been outstanding for the Magic so far this season. The fourth-year forward has posted career highs nearly across the board—including points (18.5), field-goal percentage (.476), three-point percentage (.400), rebounds (7.0), assists (2.1) and steals (1.0).
According to Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy, Orlando had a clear opportunity to ink Harris to a new deal but opted to take its chances in restricted free agency instead:
"Harris wants to remain in Orlando, according to league sources, and was hoping to sign an extension prior to the Oct. 31 deadline, but the two sides couldn’t reach a deal. In fact, the two sides didn’t even have advanced talks. According to sources close to the situation, Harris’ camp talked with Magic brass in September about the upcoming negotiations and agreed to talk numbers at a later date, but that conversation never happened. It seems that Orlando didn’t want to extend Harris, choosing instead to let the market set Harris’ price instead.
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That might've put the Magic in a long-term predicament if not for the coming deluge of national TV money and the expected explosion of the salary cap. Either way, Harris seems like he'll be worth the investment— given how good he already is, how much he's improved as a pro and how much better he figures to become, still well shy of his 23rd birthday.
21. Miami Heat
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The simultaneous struggles of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat had Grantland's Zach Lowe wondering, however facetiously, what might've been had LeBron James not taken his talents back to his home state this past summer: "Somewhere in sunny Miami, Erik Spoelstra and Chris Bosh are shaking their heads — and fighting to reach .500 in the LeBron void."
It would make sense if that sentiment were permeating Miami's organizational structure after the miserable December it just endured. The Heat won just five of their 17 games last month, with a three-game losing streak to finish out 2014.
Let's not forget, though, that Miami's problems are too multifarious for one man, even one as great as James, to solve on his own. LeBron couldn't have healed Chris Bosh's balky calf any faster or fixed Josh McRoberts' knee.
Nor could he single-handedly solve the Heat's dearth of depth. Pat Riley had plenty of trouble finding cap space with which to restock his roster this past summer, even after wiping James' salary from Miami's books and bringing back Dwyane Wade at a more reasonable number.
Wade told The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds of his decision to opt out of the remainder of his contract last summer:
"It cost me a lot. But it wasn't The Decision that cost me. It was my decision. I opted out for the better of the team, not for any individual. I opted out for the better of the team and it cost me some money. I'm not concerned about it. Not overly concerned, anyway.
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20. Denver Nuggets
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You can bet there are more than a few general managers around the NBA who are keeping close tabs on the Denver Nuggets these days. The Cleveland Cavaliers, for one, have been tied to Timofey Mozgov by trade rumors since the opening tip of the 2014-15 season, if not earlier.
According to The Denver Post's Chris Dempsey, several teams have been hot after Wilson Chandler, who "is probably their best two-way player, and has been arguably the most consistent player on the roster."
"The Nuggets' preference, actually, is to hold onto Chandler, and my understanding of the situation is they've told him so. And yet, I think it would be naive to think it means a trade wouldn't occur — especially if the Nuggets are getting attractive offers and they are slipping down the Western Conference standings.
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Five losses in their last six games, including three in a row, only figure to fuel that gossip further.
19. Sacramento Kings
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DeMarcus Cousins' recovery from viral meningitis hasn't spelled the end of the Sacramento Kings' on-court struggles. They've won just three times in the seven games Boogie has played since mid-December, including a too-close-for-comfort three-point win over the woeful Wolves on Thursday.
Cousins hasn't had the best run of things himself. He earned an ejection after picking up technical fouls for yelling at referee Danny Crawford and throwing Celtics rookie Marcus Smart to the floor in separate instances during Sacramento's loss in Boston.
"I did have an issue (with Smart)," Cousins explained after the game (via the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett). "It didn’t start with the box-out. It was the pick. He tried to run through my chest, then he came and I felt he took a cheap shot on the box-out, and that’s what resulted to what happened."
To his credit, Cousins quickly assumed responsibility for his actions thereafter. "But even with that being said, I’ve got to make better decisions. The team depends on me every night, and I just can’t do things like that."
Nor can the Kings afford him to if they're to turn things around under Tyrone Corbin, who's officially had the "interim" tag lifted from his title for the rest of the season.
18. Indiana Pacers
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The Indiana Pacers must be thanking their lucky stars that George is back.
George Hill, that is. Paul George is still out for the rest of the season.
Hill's been pretty darn good himself, though. Through his first five games since returning from a bruised knee and strained quad, Hill has averaged career highs in points (14.2), field-goal percentage (.481) and three-point percentage (.455) while helping the Pacers to three wins in five games.
Now, Hill isn't about to transform Indy into a team capable of reaching a third straight conference finals, but given both the weakness of the East and the middling talent the Pacers currently have available at guard, his mere presence may be enough to nudge this squad into the playoff picture.
17. Brooklyn Nets
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The Brooklyn Nets have looked much pluckier since head coach Lionel Hollins overhauled his starting five. They've won four of five games since moving Deron Williams and Brook Lopez to the bench in favor of Jarrett Jack and Mason Plumlee, with Sergey Karasev joining Joe Johnson and Kevin Garnett in Brooklyn's chief lineup.
Lopez actually got to start in Garnett's place against the Chicago Bulls and came through with a season-high 29 points to propel the Nets to victory.
Either way, Lopez and Williams seem amenable to their new roles—which is vital if Hollins is to keep this club competitive and get his guys to buy in, despite persistent trade rumors.
"We have lots of starters," Lopez explained (via ESPNNewYork.com's Mike Mazzeo). "We have more than five starters, so it’s no big deal."
Added Williams:
"I’ve never really been a guy that has an ego as far as I’m better than the team. Whatever [Lionel] wants me to do, I’m a team player, so I’m going to do it. Do I want to play more? Yeah, of course. I’m a competitor. But coming off the bench, starting, it don’t matter.
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So long as the Nets keep winning, anyway.
16. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Maybe the sky is falling on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As if things weren't bad enough, with Anderson Varejao out for the year and head coach David Blatt reportedly under fire, the Cavs are now down two of their Big Three. LeBron James is out for two weeks with a sore knee, while Kevin Love remains day-to-day with back spasms.
That leaves Kyrie Irving, who's not quite right physically himself, to carry the Cavs through a stretch that includes dates against Dallas, Houston and Golden State.
Meanwhile, the world will have to wait for its first glimpse of James as a 30-year-old basketball player.
15. Milwaukee Bucks
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NBA.com's David Aldridge sure picked a perfect time to interview Giannis Antetokounmpo for his weekly Morning Tip column. Since their chat hit the Interwebz, the Greek Freak has put together two of his best all-around games of the season: 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 10-point win over the Hornets, followed by 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and a steal to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on New Year's Eve.
Not bad for a 20-year-old kid whose running mate, Jabari Parker, is done for the year after tearing his ACL.
"I definitely see the future, especially with Jabari," Antetokounmpo told Aldridge. "He's a great teammate. So of course you see the future with him. Hopefully everything is good and everything goes well, we keep winning and the future is brighter."
The present is pretty bright, too, with the Bucks breathing down the Cavs' collective neck in the standings.
14. Phoenix Suns
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This past week wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for the Phoenix Suns' postseason hopes. They finished off 2014 with back-to-back road losses to the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder, their chief competition for the final playoff spot out West.
As a result, Phoenix's cushion on the No. 8 seed has shrunken to a single game. The Suns' margin for error may be even slimmer than that, though, now that Kevin Durant is back on the court in OKC and Eric Gordon is due back soon in New Orleans.
13. New Orleans Pelicans
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If not for Omer Asik's mistaken tip-in, the New Orleans Pelicans might be 3-0 against the mighty Spurs this season. As expected, Anthony Davis has risen to the occasion (and then some) in each of his matchups against Tim Duncan and company. The All-Star forward has averaged 23.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 steals and four blocks while hitting 61.6 percent of his shots against San Antonio.
Fortunately for Davis, he has more reinforcements on the way against all competition. According to Nakia Hogan of The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), Eric Gordon will be back at practice this weekend and should return to live game action shortly thereafter.
To be sure, Gordon wasn't setting the nets ablaze prior to tearing the labrum in his shoulder. The 26-year-old shooting guard had converted just 39.8 percent of his field-goal attempts to start the season.
Still, Gordon is a clear upgrade over the likes of Austin Rivers and Luke Babbitt, who've both been spotty in Gordon's stead.
12. Washington Wizards
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The Washington Wizards got their first look at Trevor Ariza in a Rockets uniform again this past week during a trip to Houston. Ariza enjoyed a career year in D.C. in 2013-14, hitting a personal-best 40.7 of his three-point tries before jumping to Space City as a free agent over the summer.
"My time last year was great," Ariza told the Houston Chronicle's Jenny Dial Creech. "I enjoyed it. We had a great year. I really grew a lot of bonds. That organization was great to me.
"It was hard to leave. It was a tough decision to make, but it was a decision that I am happy about."
His percentages (.361 from the field, .320 from three) would suggest otherwise, though the success of his old squad seems to suit him just fine.
The Wizards have moved on quite seamlessly themselves. Their 22-9 start is identical to Houston's, with Paul Pierce providing plenty of bang for less of a buck than Ariza ultimately commanded.
11. San Antonio Spurs
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Another week without Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard, another slew of topsy-turvy adventures for the San Antonio Spurs.
They began the last seven days with a seven-point loss in New Orleans and ended 2014 with an overtime win over the Pelicans—on a tip-in officially credited to Tim Duncan but actually coming courtesy of Omer Asik's hand. In between, San Antonio edged past the Josh Smith-infused Rockets and fell to the Zach Randolph-less Grizzlies in Memphis.
The fact that the Spurs have been so competitive without two of their three resident Finals MVPs is a testament to their recipe for success under head coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford. But even San Antonio can only do so much to hang with the West's best in the standings in the absence of Parker, the team's current fulcrum, and Leonard, the future of the franchise.
10. Los Angeles Clippers
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Donald Sterling is out of the picture for the Los Angeles Clippers these days, but the drama that's marked this organization for decades may not have left with him. An anonymous source familiar with the organization told NBA.com's David Aldridge that the Clippers "don't like each other," for whatever that's worth.
Spencer Hawes refuted that assertion somewhat during a recent appearance on L.A. sports radio. Hawes said (via Clippers.com's Rowan Kavner):
"Any team over the course of any season, there’s going to be stuff like that. But as far as I’m concerned, this team, off the court, on the court, gets along with each other as well as any that I’ve been a part of. I think there’s a lot of competitive guys, a lot of guys that just want to win. Sometimes you see that side of it, but you don’t see the everyday of how we get along with one another.
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Hawes may not be the best person to ask about this particular topic. After all, he just joined the Clippers this past summer, and there have been rumblings about locker room discord for some time.
Hawes' more important point, though, came later in the conversation. "Winning obviously helps all that other stuff, but in our situation, guys on our team do get along," Hawes added. "I think that’s part of what helps us continue to be successful."
Indeed, success is often the product of a positive feedback loop. The same goes for the opposite. If anything's going to undo the Clippers this season, it'll probably be their inconsistent defense long before any more amorphous concerns crop up.
9. Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors' loss in Portland was just their fifth in 16 games without DeMar DeRozan, and it might've been their most impressive result sans their All-Star swingman yet. In the fourth game of a six-game swing, the Raptors took the NBA's second-best home team to overtime before faltering a bit down the stretch.
Toronto will have two more opportunities to impress—at Golden State and at Phoenix—before the team heads back to Canada for a six-game homestand. DeRozan could return during that time, which figures to be huge for the Raptors, particularly against premier competition, as the National Post's Eric Koreen noted:
"The team is 22-3 when holding a lead after three quarters. The three defeats, in Cleveland, Chicago and Portland, have all come without DeRozan. His absence was felt acutely on Tuesday in Portland, when the Raptors seemed to run out of offensive options with Lou Williams struggling. The Raptors averaged 29.4 free throw attempts per game with DeRozan to start the year, and have taken just 22.4 per game since his injury. They were second in the league in that category to start the year, and are 20th since.
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The sooner DeRozan is back at shooting guard, the better a time Toronto will have fending off hard charges from Atlanta, Chicago and Washington in the East.
8. Chicago Bulls
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Would it be blasphemous to suggest that Jimmy Butler is now the better of the Chicago Bulls' backcourt starters?
Certainly not if recent results matter. Butler has been the Bulls' best and most consistent player this season, and he once again demonstrated as much during Chicago's 106-101 win over the Nuggets. The fourth-year guard poured in 26 points—on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting, no less—to go along with eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block against Denver. Rose, on the other hand, suffered through his third straight poor shooting night, missing 18 of his 25 attempts on Thursday.
Of course, it doesn't really matter who, between Rose and Butler, is the better player, so long as the Bulls keep piling up victories.
At least, that's the case for now. Once Butler becomes a restricted free agent this summer, his performance in comparison to the handsomely paid Rose figures to be a topic of tremendous import to both his representatives and Chicago's front office.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
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Watch out world: Kevin Durant is back...again. The reigning MVP announced his return from a sprained ankle in typical KD fashion: 44 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to an overtime win against the Suns.
"It felt good. My teammates were running plays for me and getting me open shots," Durant said afterward (via ESPN). "I just tried to finish for them. My shots felt good and that win felt better."
There should be plenty more of those good feelings to come now that OKC's core is whole again. Remember, the Thunder had been on a seven-game streak when Durant's ankle buckled at the end of the first half of a loss at Golden State.
Durant's recovery couldn't have been much more timely, either. OKC will play 10 of its 14 January games on the road, with a tough trip to the Bay Area on tap for this week after a home date against the Wizards.
6. Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks' results with Rajon Rondo have thus far been mixed. As ESPNBoston.com's Jackie MacMullan pointed out, Dallas' offensive output has slipped since Rondo arrived, though its defense has improved in some respects:
"In 28 games without Rondo, Dallas' offensive rating was 113.6. With him, it is 106.3. With Jameer Nelson (a notoriously poor defender) at the point, the Mavs had a defensive rating of 105.1. That has dropped to 100.6 with Rondo in the lineup.
Where Rondo has really shined has been guarding the 3-point line. Players are shooting 14.2 percentage points below their 3-point averages against Rondo in a Mavericks uniform. Yet once they get inside that 3-point line, opponents are shooting 11.6 percentage points above their average. Overall, in the six games Rondo has played with Dallas, opponents are shooting 51.6 percent against him.
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As unsteady as those indicators may be, the Mavs have still managed to win games with Rondo—four of six since he came into the fold, including their last three in a row. So long as that overarching success persists, Dallas should be able to buy time as it figures out how best to use its shiny, new toy at point guard.
5. Houston Rockets
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The Josh Smith era has gotten off to a so-so start for the Houston Rockets. They've split their four games since acquiring J-Smoove, with consecutive losses to the Spurs and Wizards by a total of five points therein.
Smith hasn't been any picture of perfection himself. The veteran forward has hit just 34.1 percent of his attempts and turned the ball over 2.8 times per game in a Houston uniform.
There's no need for folks in Space City to panic, though. It's not at all unusual for a player, even one as gifted and experienced as Smith, to struggle to find his footing on a new team in a new city, especially when the switch comes midseason.
In some respects, Smith is already adapting to the Rockets' analytics-driven schematics. He's already cut down considerably on his regrettable long twos, eschewing them for more looks in the three- to 10-foot range, per Basketball-Reference.
Smith's overall percentages would probably be better if a greater share of his attempts came right at the hoop, but those will be tough to come by with the range-challenged Dwight Howard manning the middle. That's not ideal for Smith individually, but if he's going to boost Houston's championship prospects, it's something he'll have to live with.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
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The Memphis Grizzlies have won their last two games against the San Antonio Spurs, after dropping 15 of their previous 17 meetings with the defending champs.
It's still too soon, though, to suggest that the Grizzlies have exorcised their San Antonian demons. The Spurs squad that Memphis has taken down of late has been far from whole, with Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard both sitting out those two games.
Then again, the Grizzlies have overcome issues of their own to beat the Spurs. Tony Allen, the team's best perimeter defender and locker room leader, didn't play in the triple-overtime thriller in mid-December. Zach Randolph, one of Memphis' two interior titans, took the night off during the Grizzlies' penultimate game of 2014.
Of course, wins are wins, regardless of who's in the lineup, and the Grizzlies can't be faulted for taking care of business against a shorthanded opponent. Even so, it's tempting to wonder whether those tilts would've turned out differently had both teams had their respective cores intact.
With any luck, we'll all get a chance to see just that in the playoffs this spring.
3. Atlanta Hawks
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If not for Jared Dudley's fluky 10-of-10 shooting night, the Atlanta Hawks might be in the midst of an eight-game winning streak. And if not for Tobias Harris' buzzer-beater in mid-December, the Hawks could be riding a 17-gamer into 2015.
Instead, Atlanta will simply have to settle for being arguably the East's best team. Just a half-game stands between the Hawks and the top spot in the standings.
That gap could grow in the week to come, with dates against the Blazers, Clippers and Grizzlies chief among those on the docket for the Hawks.
Not that Atlanta has struggled against winning teams. In fact, the Hawks are currently a solid 9-5 against opponents with a winning percentage of .500 or better.
2. Golden State Warriors
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The Golden State Warriors took full advantage of home games against the Wolves and Sixers to find their footing again. Upcoming dates against the Raptors and Thunder figure to be better tests of just how well Golden State is coping without Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli.
David Lee's physical improvement should help the Dubs survive in the absence of their top two centers. Lee, who sat out 24 of Golden State's first 25 games with a hamstring injury, is no longer operating on a minutes restriction, though he still has a ways to go as far as his conditioning is concerned.
"Each game I feel like I'm getting better and better," Lee told the Bay Area News Group's Jimmy Durkin. "I still felt a little tired out there. I'm still getting my game cardio back, but that's to be expected."
Lee's nowhere near the impact defender or jarring screen-setter that Bogut and Ezeli are, but he could be key to keeping Golden State's offense afloat whenever Stephen Curry needs a rest.
1. Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers have a way of flying under the radar, don't they? Few saw their 54-win season in 2013-14 coming, and little fuss has thus far been made of the fact that Portland's current record (26-7) is identical to the one it owned through 33 games a year ago.
More importantly, a four-game winning streak now has the Blazers within a half-game of the Warriors, who've slipped a bit without their top two centers.
Despite the team's continued success, its two cornerstones, LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, haven't been getting much All-Star love at the ballot box. The former is currently sixth among the West's forwards in votes, while the latter ranks fifth for guards in the conference.
Neither seems all that concerned about it.
"I never really gotten into that type of stuff," Aldridge told The Oregonian's Mike Richman.
"I'm not going to do a campaign to try to start anything. It ain't that serious," Lillard added.
Both pointed to their prior All-Star selections coming courtesy of the league's coaches as cause for confidence in booking tickets to New York in February. The general basketball public may not pay much attention to what's brewing in Portland, but you can bet opposing coaches are, if only to prepare their respective squads for tough times against one of the West's very best.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
