NBA Power Rankings: Lakers, Pacers Surge Up the Board and Into IST Championship Game
The NBA's inaugural in-season tournament took center stage this week, and the action did not disappoint.
If the goal was to make early-season games feel more meaningful and inspire players to bring extra competitiveness in November and December, mission accomplished.
The Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers are the last two teams standing, but they were far from the only ones who took this seriously. The leaguewide increased intensity has undoubtedly influenced our weekly NBA power rankings.
The criteria for this week's version was still championship chances, recent performance, numbers and plenty of subjectivity, but that was all impacted by teams and players hunting the cup.
On the eve of the title game that will award that trophy, here's how the entire league stacks up.
30. Detroit Pistons (2-19)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -8.9
The Detroit Pistons still don't have the league's worst net rating (and really aren't close to the worst), but they're now at the bottom of the league in winning percentage and in the middle of an ever-more-embarrassing 18-game losing streak.
Their case to be 30th is pretty ironclad.
Wednesday's loss came to the woefully shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies and included five turnovers from Cade Cunningham. And while his shooting has been a little better of late, taking care of the ball remains an issue.
On top of the five giveaways he had against Memphis, Cunningham had seven more last Thursday.
He now leads the NBA in both total turnovers and turnovers per game and is on pace for an all-time franchise high in the latter category.
29. San Antonio Spurs (3-17)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -11.9
The losses keep piling up for the San Antonio Spurs, thanks in part to Victor Wembanyama's inefficiency as a scorer.
But as the realities of this season start to set in, and the novelty that was once attached to Wembanyama wears off, it may be time to remember just how unusual he is.
After Wednesday's loss, Wemby is now at 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Lanier, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson are the only players in NBA history who've matched or exceeded all five marks for an entire season. All four are in the Hall of Fame, and Wemby's still 19 years old.
28. Washington Wizards (3-17)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -7.7
On Wednesday, Jordan Poole had one of his most encouraging games of the season, helping the Washington Wizards put up a good fight against the Philadelphia 76ers.
They eventually lost, but Poole had 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting (including 3-of-5 from deep). And really, the entire starting five looked more like the unit some expected.
Poole, Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones and Daniel Gafford have all had their NBA moments. Kuzma and Poole are former champions. Jones was one of the league's best backup 1s for years. Gafford can make an impact as a rim-runner and -protector.
But poor shooting and a lack of continuity has doomed Washington for most of this season. Perhaps what it needed is some time.
Of course, this shouldn't be misconstrued as a prediction of some kind of turnaround. The Wizards aren't likely to even sniff the play-in tournament, but they should at least be competitive, as they were in Wednesday's 131-126 loss.
27. Utah Jazz (7-14)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -8.2
Last season was the first year of the Utah Jazz' post-Donovan Mitchell and -Rudy Gobert rebuild, but better-than-expected campaigns from Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and Kelly Olynyk made them competitive through the All-Star break.
Whatever this version of the Jazz is feels a lot more like a typical rebuilder.
Utah has been dreadful for most of 2023-24. Without Mike Conley, the Jazz might have the worst guard play in the league. Injuries to Markkanen and Kessler have neutralized the front court that made last season's team, at the very least, tough.
And with losses like Wednesday's 50-point drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, this campaign is quickly becoming about flashes of upside from Keyonte George and ping-pong balls in the draft lottery.
26. Charlotte Hornets (6-13)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -8.4
With LaMelo Ball out for the foreseeable future nursing an ankle injury, the Charlotte Hornets' 2023-24 campaign has started to feel like a trade-season showcase for veterans like Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward.
The latter had 27 points, four assists and three steals in Wednesday's loss and looks like the kind of plug-and-play forward that most contenders will be after between now and February's trade deadline.
He's 6'7" and 225 pounds, can guard up a position or two and is wiling and able to create for others.
If he continues to play like he did on Wednesday, someone will give up real value for his expiring contract, which should open up minutes and opportunities for a younger player like Brandon Miller.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (6-14)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -6.7
The Portland Trail Blazers are 3-3 in their past six games, and those three losses were by a combined 15 points.
This run hasn't been good enough to suggest Portland will seriously threaten a spot in the play-in tournament, but it should at least be encouraging for Blazers fans following this rebuild.
Shaedon Sharpe, specifically, has to have Portland faithful feeling OK about the future. In Wednesday's four-point loss to the Golden State Warriors, Sharpe had 26 points and five assists.
Over his past five games, Sharpe is averaging 21.6 points and 4.6 assists, while shooting 40.6 percent from deep.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (6-14)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -5.1
Much has been made of the Memphis Grizzlies' struggles without Ja Morant, Steven Adams and a handful of others who've sporadically missed games, but we'll use this space to highlight one of the reasons for fans to still have hope.
In Wednesday's win over the Detroit Pistons, Desmond Bane went for a career-high 49 points.
He hasn't missed a game as his team tries to survive Morant's suspension and is now averaging 25.1 points, 5.4 assists and 3.3 threes, while shooting 37.5 percent from deep.
The Grizzlies are only four games back of 10th place and a spot in the play-in tournament. That's a more than manageable deficit with three quarters of the season to play and Morant due back in five contests.
23. Chicago Bulls (8-14)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -5.1
Well, this may not be doing much for his trade value, but the Chicago Bulls have finally strung some wins together now that Zach LaVine is out of the lineup.
The Bulls are 3-0 since LaVine left the rotation with a foot injury, with two of those wins coming against the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans.
Without LaVine on the floor, the offense sort of falls into place more naturally around DeMar DeRozan. There's less "your turn, my turn," and more minutes with Alex Caruso means more defense.
LaVine may very well be the most talented player on the roster, but talent doesn't equal fit.
22. Toronto Raptors (9-12)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -1.7
After dropping back-to-back games at home to the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, the Toronto Raptors have now lost four of their past five.
As the losses (or reasons for a rebuild) continue to mount, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are playing well enough to bring some real value from the trade market.
The former is averaging 20.5 points and 5.0 assists. The latter is averaging 15.1 points and 2.6 threes while shooting 40.9 percent from deep and continuing to provide stout perimeter defense.
Positional overlap and plenty of switchability makes sense for a lot of teams, but it doesn't seem to be clicking for this Toronto squad. And if it can turn the veteran forwards into prospects and assets who'll one day fit better alongside Scottie Barnes as a lead playmaker, the Raptors will be in better long-term shape.
21. Atlanta Hawks (9-11)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: +0.2
The Atlanta Hawks just can't seem to escape mediocrity.
Just about every time it looks like they might be starting to get some traction, they put together a disappointing stretch like the 0-2 week they just finished.
On the bright side, Trae Young's shooting numbers are recovering from an ice-cold start, and Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanoviฤ have both had their moments in the backcourt.
But Atlanta can't stop anyone right now, and it's going to continue to hover around .500 until it figures out how to scheme around its diminutive point guard.
20. New Orleans Pelicans (12-11)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: -0.5
The New Orleans Pelicans might be the most frustratingly talented team in the NBA.
The roster seemingly checks every box. It can play big or small. It has plenty of switchability and shooting on the wing. It has three natural 20-point-per game scorers in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum.
On nights like Monday, when the Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings on the road, all of the above came together beautifully. On nights like Thursday, where they looked half-asleep for most of the game and got trounced by 44 points in the in-season tournament semifinal by the Los Angeles Lakers, it's easy to wonder how this team loses focus so quickly and thoroughly.
At this point, the Pelicans can't even blame it on youth. McCollum, Ingram and Zion are all vets. Williamson in particular has to realize he's now in a position that requires him to set a standard for his teammates and that his loafing can lead to embarrassments.
On talent alone, New Orleans should be a playoff lock and maybe even a sleeper to win a round or two. But this team is a prime example that you can't get by on talent alone.
19. Golden State Warriors (10-11)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: +0.4
The Golden State Warriors squeaked by the sub-.500 and rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. The game featured an all-too-familiar scoring breakdown.
Stephen Curry had 31 points on 8-of-18 shooting. No other starter had more than 11, and Klay Thompson combined with Andrew Wiggins to shoot 6-of-25 from the field.
There have been moments this season, particularly early on, where flashes of the old Warriors shone through. But generally, the offensive responsibility for Curry is just too much, even with Chris Paul in the mix.
Curry's numbers (29.2 points and 5.1 threes with a 42.9 three-point percentage) suggest he's up to the challenge on an individual level, but this version of the team won't contend for a championship.
18. Brooklyn Nets (11-9)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: +2.3
With Cam Thomas back in the rotation and Mikal Bridges starting to look like the No. 1 option he was after last season's trade, the Brooklyn Nets have suddenly rattled off five wins in their past six games.
Bridges, specifically, has been unstoppable of late.
Tack one contest onto the aforementioned stretch, and Bridges is putting up 28.9 points and 2.6 threes while shooting 50.0 percent from deep over his past seven appearances.
17. Cleveland Cavaliers (12-9)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: +0.1
The Cleveland Cavaliers are slowly but surely starting to look more like the team that earned home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs last season. They've won four of their past five and eight of their past 11.
While last season's biggest contributorsโDonovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allenโhave all had moments during this 11-game run, their new fifth starter deserves credit for being the difference.
In 2022-23, that fifth spot often felt like a basketball carousel. This season, they're getting 14.5 points, 4.1 assists, 3.0 threes and a 38.5 three-point percentage from Max Strus, who's consistently held down that role.
When he's on the floor, Cleveland is plus-4.4 points per 100 possessions. When he's off, the Cavs are minus-9.6, giving him the biggest positive swing on the team.
16. Houston Rockets (9-9)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: +2.9
After beating the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, the Houston Rockets are now 9-1 at home (and 0-8 on the road).
The team seeming to have two distinct versions of itself was the subject of last week's blurb, though. This one focuses on perhaps the biggest reason the Rockets are so good at homeโand so much better overall.
Alperen ลengรผn is averaging 21.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists while doing his best nightly impression of Nikola Jokiฤ. He even has his own signature, slow-developing shot in the same genre as Jokiฤ's Sombor Shuffle.
With a dynamic playmaker at the 5, the game is significantly easier for scorers like Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. They can focus more on finishing plays, relieved from the burden of creating, and they get more catch-and-shoot opportunities (typically more efficient than pull-ups).
Eventually, this group will figure out how to win some road games. But in the meantime, ลengรผn is giving Rockets fans plenty to be excited about.
15. Sacramento Kings (11-8)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: -0.7
The Sacramento Kings have had their moments this season. Many of them have been authored by De'Aaron Fox, who's averaging 30.3 points, 6.4 assists and 2.9 threes.
But if they truly want to recapture some of the "Light the Beam" level magic of last season, they're going to have to figure out how to defend more consistently.
Sacramento has a negative point differential because it's flirting with a bottom-third-of-the-league defensive rating, allowing 115.1 points per 100 possessions. And that number swells to 117.2 when starting center Domantas Sabonis is on the floor.
He, at the very least, has to figure out how to more effectively take up space around the basket. He'll never be a game-changing rim protector, but he's big enough to at least offer some resistance, and a 23rd percentile defensive estimated plus-minus (one of the most trusted catch-all metrics in NBA front offices) suggests he isn't right now.
14. Dallas Mavericks (12-8)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: +2.6
Because he's been at or around this level for most of the past five seasons, we've sort of become numb to Luka Donฤiฤ's otherworldly production.
But maybe we shouldn't be.
He had another 40-point triple-double in a 50-point win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, and he's now averaging 32.9 points, 9.5 assists and 9.4 rebounds over his past eight games.
That's bonkers. It's worth noting just how wild it is from time to time.
Still, Luka's brilliance and the massive blowout over the flailing Jazz sort of hides the fact that Dallas had a losing week and remains one of the more up-and-down teams in the top half of the power rankings.
The Mavs are 4-6 in their last 10 games.
13. Los Angeles Clippers (10-10)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: +3.4
It took him a little longer to find his role with the Los Angeles Clippers than it did with the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, but that's exactly what appears to be happening for James Harden.
L.A. went 0-5 in his first five contests there, but it's 7-3 since then. And in the latter 10-game stretch, Harden is deferring plenty to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, averaging 16.5 points, 8.0 assists and 2.6 threes and shooting 42.6 percent from deep.
Perhaps most importantly, his total plus-minus of 74 over those 10 games is higher than any other Clipper.
12. Miami Heat (12-9)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: +1.7
In thoroughly Miami Heat fashion, the organization didn't seem too concerned about the summer loss of two starters from last season's playoff rotation.
Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are gone, but the Heat have more than made up for their absences with a Jaime Jaquez Jr. breakout and a career resurrection from Duncan Robinson.
The former got the spotlight in last week's power rankings. The latter had 21 points and seven assists in Wednesday's road win over the Toronto Raptors.
The return of Robinson's scoring and shooting would've been enough to encourage fans, but it's that second number that should really have them excited. Robinson is now trusted to do more off the dribble than ever before, and he's rewarding the Heat with a career-high 2.9 assists per game.
Still, a .500 week with a negative point differential and a couple other teams surging made Miami's top 10 spot feel precarious, at best.
11. Indiana Pacers (12-8)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: +3.8
Frankly, Tyrese Haliburton's superstar showcase has been long overdue, but he's finally getting (or forcing) one with the in-season tournament.
Haliburton ended his week with a semifinal win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Las Vegas, where he went for 27 points, 15 assists and zero turnovers.
Over his last seven games, he's now averaging an absurd 32.3 points, 12.7 assists and only 2.1 turnovers.
If he isn't already in the MVP conversation, capping off this run by winning the first in-season tournament in league history should get people talking about Haliburton's case.
He's engineering a dominant offense that's on track to smash the all-time record for points per 100 possessions, he's leading the league in assists per game and he's knocking on the door of the top 10 in scoring.
10. New York Knicks (12-8)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: +4.2
The New York Knicks may have lost their In-Season Tournament quarterfinal game to the Milwaukee Bucks, but Julius Randle had his best game of the season. And getting him on track isn't a bad consolation prize.
Over his first six games, Randle dug himself a statistical hole by averaging 13.7 points while shooting 27.1 percent from the field and 22.5 percent from deep. After dropping 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting on Milwaukee on Tuesday, Randle is at 24.8 points on 49.0 percent shooting in his last 14 appearances.
In that latter stretch, the Knicks are plus-7.6 points per 100 possessions when he and Jalen Brunson are both on the floor.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (14-9)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: +1.1
The first quarter and change of the season hasn't been perfect for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they're now 11-4 since their 3-5 start.
They're currently the fourth seed in the West, and LeBron James is somehow still playing like an MVP (he's sixth in the league in box plus/minus) with less than a month to go before his 39th birthday.
All in all, things are definitely looking up for the Lakers, who annihilated the New Orleans Pelicans in the in-season tournament semifinal to move on to a date with Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in Saturday's championship game.
If they move the ball and cut to the basket with same intensity they had Thursday, they should carve up an Indiana defense that's been near the bottom of the league all season.
8. Orlando Magic (14-7)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: +3.7
The Orlando Magic closed out their week with back-to-back road losses to the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers, but that mini-skid came on the heels of a nine-game winning streak.
And though Wednesday's loss obviously wasn't the preferred result, it did offer a glimpse of Paolo Banchero's superstar upside.
He scored a career-high 42 points on 16-of-26 shooting, and his buckets came in a variety of ways.
Franz Wagner going 3-of-16 in the same game was part of Orlando losing, but he's capable of similar heights (his career high is 38). Having two forwards with All-NBA potential gives the Magic one of the league's most exciting young cores, regardless of how this individual week ended.
7. Phoenix Suns (12-9)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: +2.8
The Phoenix Suns, particularly Kevin Durant, gave a valiant effort in their In-Season Tournament quarterfinal loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
KD was plus-six on the night, finished with 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting and handed out four assists. He was instrumental in leading a comeback that was halted in bizarre fashion.
Phoenix was down two with less than 10 seconds to play when a typically Austin Reaves attempt to draw a foul went awry and caused him to lose the ball. As it rolled across the lane, right in front of the Suns' basket and with no one in possession, L.A. was granted a game-saving timeout.
Of course, there were plenty of other moments over the course of the game that could've shifted the outcome one way or the other, but that one had to hurt. Even Devin Booker couldn't help but post about it after the game.
Obviously, that won't change the outcome. Nor will any form of retelling here. In the end, this was one of 82, and it shouldn't define the Suns' campaign.
It is their third loss in four games, though. And their defense ranks in the bottom half of the league, something not likely to be rectified by Bradley Beal's return (whenever that might happen).
Phoenix has loads of offensive firepower and superstar talent at the top of the roster, but it'll have to figure out how to be more competitive on the other end to avoid another disappointment in the league's next tournament.
6. Milwaukee Bucks (15-7)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: +3.2
It sort of failed them down the stretch in their in-season tournament semifinal loss to the Indiana Pacers, but the Milwaukee Bucks seem to be finding the right balance between Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the rest of their sweet-shooting supporting cast.
The two-time MVP's season-long usage percentage is 32.8, but it slips to 25.6 in "clutch" time (defined as the last five minutes of games within five points). Meanwhile, Lillard is at 27.3 overall and 38.2 in the clutch.
Generally trusting Lillard more when games tighten up is helping Milwaukee climb up the standings, Thursday's loss notwithstanding.
The Bucks have won 10 of their last 13 games and are second in the league in clutch net rating.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (13-7)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: +7.6
It took a while, but Chet Holmgren is finally in the middle of something of a rookie slump.
After scoring four points on 2-of-9 shooting in Wednesday's loss to the Houston Rockets, Holmgren is averaging 12.3 points on 13.5 shots in his past four games.
But this run is hardly a reason for serious concern.
Holmgren often looked like a Kevin Durant impressionist prior to this stretch, but he was never forecast to impact the game most as a scorer. His six blocks on Wednesday were a reminder of that.
As long as he keeps helping in other areas, he and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should keep the Oklahoma City Thunder in the hunt for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
4. Denver Nuggets (14-8)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: +4.1
Something just isn't quite right with this season's Denver Nuggets, and that can't entirely be chalked up to various injuries to Jamal Murray.
Aaron Gordon seems to be taking more jumpers and has seen his shooting numbers plummet to 49.3 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from deep. Michael Porter Jr.'s defense hasn't been quite as consistent as it was in the postseason. Murray has missed 13 of the team's 22 games.
After a dismal 9-of-32 shooting performance in Wednesday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Nikola Jokiฤ has a 61.4 true shooting percentage. That's still well above the league average, but it would be his lowest mark since 2019-20.
Perhaps most importantly, at least on the road, Denver's status as the reigning champs doesn't seem to intimidate anyone.
That may simply be a function of increased parity and talent distribution throughout the NBA. Similar warning bells were rung about the Nuggets' seeming lack of focus toward the end of the 2022-23.
But it's safe to say this team hasn't quite lived up to the expectations it set for itself with a 16-4 playoff run.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (13-7)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: +7.0
Joel Embiid is playing better than he has at any point in his career.
Despite leading the league in usage percentage, he's posting his first 30-plus assist percentage. Partly because of the increased passing numbers, he's also posting the first double-digit box plus/minus of his career.
The trips to the free-throw line and defensive presence inside are still there, but new coach Nick Nurse has empowered Embiid to create for others, which has made him a far less predictable offensive engine.
That, in turn, makes the Philadelphia 76ers feel like a more serious playoff threat than they've been at any point during Embiid's career.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-4)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: +6.5
The Minnesota Timberwolves now have the best record in the NBA, and it's safe to say the concerns about the fit between Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns can be put to rest (at least for now).
When both bigs are on the floor, Minnesota is plus-12.3 points per 100 possessions with a dominating defense anchored by Gobert.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 2.4 blocks and 8.4 defensive rebounds while getting more help on that end than he typically did with the Utah Jazz (where he won those awards).
Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels can stifle opponents on the perimeter, giving Minnesota an inside-out defensive combination likely rivaled only by the Boston Celtics.
1. Boston Celtics (15-5)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: +8.5
The Boston Celtics ended their week with an In-Season Tournament quarterfinal loss to an offensive juggernaut, but they still lead the NBA in net rating and are second in win percentage.
And they're cruising along without having many sustained stretches at full strength. Jaylen Brown has missed a game. Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Al Horford have all missed more than one. Kristaps Porziลฤฃis has been absent for the last five because of a calf strain.
Of course, that last one could simply be part of the bargain. Porziลฤฃis has struggled to stay healthy for much of his career. If he's unavailable for the Celtics' biggest games down the stretch, as he wasn't against the Indiana Pacers in the In-Season Tournament, their campaign could end sooner than they'd like.
But when the five above are availableโalong with Jayson Tatum, of courseโBoston looks like as safe a bet as any to be playing in May and June.
Stat of the Week
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Stathead is able to track per-possession stats all the way back to 1973-74. That's half a century of NBA history and data.
Up until this season, there were 46 campaigns in which a player qualified for the minutes leaderboard and averaged at least 30.0 points per 75 possessions (a pace-adjusted estimate of about the amount of playing time a starter gets).
That's an average of just under one such campaign per year, but 2022-23 produced an all-time-high six of them.
Now, in 2023-24, seven playersโGiannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Luka Donฤiฤ, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokiฤโare on track to add to that total.
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