Ranking Every NBA Team's Starting 5, Post-2015 Trade Deadline
Starting fives aren't all that matters in the NBA, but they're pretty darn important.
After all, the five men who begin the game on the court tend to play the most minutes. They make the first impression and often close games, with some notable exceptions. Here's looking at you, Manu Ginobili and Jamal Crawford.
Teams can use depth to be great, and savvy rotations are a fantastic way to win games. But if you're truly going to be an elite squad, you better have one of the league's best starting fives. And that's what we're interested in here, especially after 37 players changed locations on Feb. 19 prior to the league's trade deadline.
Surely, some of the starting fives will be altered.
Do note that not all of these will align perfectly with lineups you've seen in recent games. In some cases, I've made slight adjustments to make the groups more ideal, predicting changes that should occur in the near future. Injured players who won't return in the near future are also left out of the starting lineups, and players who would otherwise be included are marked with asterisks at the bottom of each slide.
So, which starting five would you most like to throw out onto the court if your life depended on winning the game? Coaching doesn't matter, but every other factor that impacts performance does. Whether it's achieved through defensive potency, offensive excellence, great work on the boards or—as is most often the case—a balance of those factors and more, we simply want the starting fives most likely to outscore the opposition.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
1 of 30
PG: Isaiah Canaan
SG: Robert Covington
SF: Jason Richardson
PF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
C: Nerlens Noel
When the Philadelphia 76ers were throwing Michael Carter-Williams out at the point guard position, this lineup was significantly better. But now that the former Rookie of the Year is with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Philly starting five is rather easily the worst in the league.
Yes, even with the New York Knicks still functioning as a part of the NBA.
Isaiah Canaan simply isn't a starting-caliber point guard at this stage of his career. And neither is Tim Frazier if he turns a 10-day contract into a permanent starting gig. And at such an important position with an abundance of talent throughout the Association, that's hugely problematic.
The other four players are all serviceable (or better), though it will take a long time for Jason Richardson to shake off the rust associated with a multiyear absence. But even when Robert Covington is racking up points and Nerlens Noel is playing great defense, Philly is going to be overmatched against any other NBA starting five.
Other Players: Furkan Aldemir, Joel Embiid*, Tim Frazier, Jerami Grant, Andrei Kirilenko, JaVale McGee, JaKarr Sampson, Henry Sims, Malcolm Thomas, Hollis Thompson, Tony Wroten*
29. New York Knicks
2 of 30
PG: Jose Calderon
SG: Langston Galloway
SF: Cleanthony Early
PF: Lou Amundson
C: Jason Smith
For these New York Knicks, it's an achievement to finish anywhere other than the very bottom spot in the rankings. This is ragtag band of journeymen and young, unproven players who will spend the season fighting to win even a single game now that Carmelo Anthony has gone under the knife.
In fact, the Sixers even win a few individual matchups here in our hypothetical head-to-head battle. But the difference comes at point guard, where Jose Calderon is far superior to any of Philly's options.
Even during a down season, the 33-year-old floor general is averaging 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from beyond the arc. His player efficiency rating may only be 12.1, but he's at least capable of finding open teammates and knocking down some floor-spacing shots from deep.
Throw in the surprising play of Langston Galloway, and the Knicks squeeze out a narrow victory over their fellow bottom-feeders in the Eastern Conference.
Other Players: Quincy Acy, Cole Aldrich, Carmelo Anthony*, Andrea Bargnani, Tim Hardaway Jr., Shane Larkin, Alexey Shved, Travis Wear
28. Los Angeles Lakers
3 of 30
PG: Jordan Clarkson
SG: Wayne Ellington
SF: Ryan Kelly
PF: Tarik Black
C: Jordan Hill
If only injuries hadn't decimated the Los Angeles Lakers lineup...
With Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant and Julius Randle all out for the season, the Purple and Gold have lost three potential starters, and this was already a rather thin unit without too much talent. Now, the Lakers are left experimenting with Ryan Kelly at small forward and Tarik Black, who was already let go by the Houston Rockets, at power forward.
Fortunately, Jordan Clarkson has been a nice spark in recent weeks. Since stepping into the starting lineup on Jan. 23 against the San Antonio Spurs, the rookie out of Missouri has averaged 13.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He's struggled with his shot, but at least he's kept his turnovers under control and improved his defensive work rather significantly.
"Something interesting emerging as tomorrow's trade deadline approaches: Lakers are reluctant to part with rookie PG Jordan Clarkson," Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reported before the Feb. 19 deadline. Lately, it's been much easier to see why they'd be stubborn on that front.
But even still, this starting five isn't exactly something you want to brag about.
Other Players: Carlos Boozer, Kobe Bryant*, Ed Davis, Wesley Johnson, Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash*, Ronnie Price, Julius Randle*, Robert Sacre, Nick Young
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27. Denver Nuggets
4 of 30
PG: Ty Lawson
SG: Randy Foye
SF: Wilson Chandler
PF: Kenneth Faried
C: Jusuf Nurkic
Some teams are more than the sum of their parts, with the Atlanta Hawks serving as the primary example this season. Others are far less than what they should be, and the Denver Nuggets have most certainly fallen into that category throughout the year.
There's been no cohesiveness or identity in the Mile High City, and that's bound to get worse after the Nuggets shipped off Arron Afflalo—a lock in the starting lineup—for some young pieces and draft picks.
Victor Claver and Thomas Robinson have already been waived, leaving Will Barton as the sole new acquisition. Randy Foye is a decent option at the 2, but he's far less of a two-way player than the man he's replacing.
Do note that, while Danilo Gallinari was in the starting five right out of the break, it's more than likely Foye steps in for the purposes of extra facilitation in the near future.
Ty Lawson is a great point guard, capable of single-handedly carrying the Denver offense on many a night. Kenneth Faried, even if he's been underwhelming since signing a massive contract extension, is an energy guy at the 4 who can dominate on the glass. But even those two can't get the rest of a lackluster starting five out of the Association's basement.
Not until Jusuf Nurkic gains more experience, at least.
Other Players: Darrell Arthur, Will Barton, Danilo Gallinari, Gary Harris, J.J. Hickson, Joffrey Lauvergne, Jameer Nelson
26. Utah Jazz
5 of 30
PG: Dante Exum
SG: Elijah Millsap
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: Derrick Favors
C: Rudy Gobert
The Utah Jazz's starting five may still be struggling to replace Alec Burks at the 2. Elijah Millsap deserves this opportunity after years of hanging around on the fringe of the NBA, but he doesn't bring as much to the table as the original starter, who's still out for the year with a shoulder injury.
Fortunately, the newest change is going to be a positive one.
Rudy Gobert needed more minutes, and he'll have them now that the Jazz have cut ties with Enes Kanter and shipped him off to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In smaller minutes, he's flat-out excelled, averaging 11.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per 36 minutes. Plus, he's statistically been the best rim-protector in the NBA.
According to NBA.com's SportVU data, no player facing at least five shots per game at the rim has held opponents to a lower field-goal percentage. Gobert is suffocating his men to the tune of 37.8 percent shooting, and no one else is even below 40.
It's time for the 22-year-old with the Pterodactyl wingspan to prove he's no mere flash in the pan.
Other Players: Trevor Booker, Trey Burke, Alec Burks*, Ian Clark, Jeremy Evans, Carrick Felix, Rodney Hood, Joe Ingles, Grant Jerrett, Chris Johnson, Kendrick Perkins
25. Minnesota Timberwolves
6 of 30
PG: Ricky Rubio
SG: Kevin Martin
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Gorgui Dieng
C: Nikola Pekovic
Losing Thaddeus Young to the Brooklyn Nets is going to hurt this lineup, even if it's been much stronger with Ricky Rubio running the show and both Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic healthy.
With the departed forward on the floor, the Minnesota Timberwolves had scored an additional two points per 100 possessions while posting a defensive rating that was 5.3 points lower than when he was using his posterior to warm up the pine.
Kevin Garnett going back to his original team might be more than a nostalgic move, as Bleacher Report's Joel Cordes broke down so brilliantly. But he's not going to be a savior for what's still a fairly nondescript starting five.
At least there's lots of potential, right?
Andrew Wiggins is trending toward a Rookie of the Year nod, and he seems to be improving nightly. Gorgui Dieng could experience some sort of breakout now that he's set to get starter's minutes. Ricky Rubio is still just a jumper away from possible stardom.
But right now, there's a mix of potential and veteran presence that doesn't figure to top the starting units boasted by too many other teams. Just five of them, in fact.
Other Players: Anthony Bennett, Lorenzo Brown, Chase Budinger, Kevin Garnett, Robbie Hummel, Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad, Gary Neal, Adreian Payne, Glenn Robinson III
24. Boston Celtics
7 of 30
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Evan Turner
PF: Brandon Bass
C: Tyler Zeller
If Jared Sullinger were healthy and filling in the power forward spot instead of Brandon Bass, the Boston Celtics would be in much better shape. But alas, a stress reaction in his foot will keep him out for quite some time, thus lowering the level of this starting five.
But at least Isaiah Thomas raises it.
The newly acquired point guard was finding some success off the bench with the Phoenix Suns prior to deadline day, averaging 15.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc. Now, he figures to have an even bigger offensive role with a team that's in dire need of a point-scoring spark—particularly one who can shoot from the perimeter.
Plus, as Bill Simmons noted in Grantland's email exchange on Feb. 19, "Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley grew up in Tacoma together. They're best friends."
It shouldn't take long for the C's to acquire some chemistry with their new floor general.
Other Players: Jae Crowder, Gigi Datome, Jonas Jerebko, Kelly Olynyk, Phil Pressey, Shavlik Randolph, Marcus Smart, Jared Sullinger*, Gerald Wallace, James Young
23. Orlando Magic
8 of 30
PG: Elfrid Payton
SG: Victor Oladipo
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Channing Frye
C: Nikola Vucevic
The Orlando Magic are the first starting five to show up in these rankings with a solid player at each and every spot in the lineup. However, they don't have any star power, which ultimately keeps them in the bottom third.
Nikola Vucevic was a legitimate All-Star snub this season, but he's still a limited center. Though he might dominate on the glass and put up points in bunches, the big man is a lackluster defender on his good nights. And he's not alone in that regard.
If there's going to be star power, it'll inevitably come from the young backcourt. Both Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo have shown flashes of brilliance at various points throughout the year, though neither are consistently excellent. And that's understandable, considering their lack of experience at the NBA level.
Grantland's Zach Lowe explained how you can make out a promising vision earlier this season:
"Watching the Magic is like looking at a blurry painting: You can kind of make out what they are trying to be, and in the brief moments when everything comes together, it looks pretty. But sometimes the portrait just stays blurry, and sometimes—as in their embarrassing home loss to the Hornets two weeks ago—it looks like the artist barfed all over the canvas.
"
A year or two down the road, this exact five-man group could rank a lot higher. Just not yet.
Other Players: Dewayne Dedmon, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Ben Gordon, Willie Green, Moe Harkless, Roy Devyn Marble, Andrew Nicholson, Kyle O'Quinn, Luke Ridnour
22. Indiana Pacers
9 of 30
PG: George Hill
SG: Rodney Stuckey
SF: Solomon Hill
PF: David West
C: Roy Hibbert
Fear not, faithful Indiana Pacers fans.
When Paul George is eventually back in the lineup—whether that happens this season or at the beginning of the next one—the two-way ceiling of this starting five will be raised rather dramatically. But that's not the case while he continues to rehab his broken leg.
Fortunately, the point-preventing ability of this five-man unit is still rather strong. That's the primary reason the Pacers fall just outside the top 10 in defensive rating coming out of the All-Star break. The frontcourt in particular is quite adept at holding down the opposition, with David West using his toughness and Roy Hibbert his verticality skills.
But offense is much more of a struggle. George Hill has been fighting to change that, but with just 15 games under his belt prior to the Pacer-free Midseason Classic, he's only been able to have a limited impact.
In slightly over 350 minutes, Indiana has scored 111.1 points per 100 possessions when Hill is on the floor. That mark would leave it at No. 5 in the league-wide standings, were it maintained throughout the season.
If the now-healthy point guard can keep up that level of production for a while longer, it'll be time to do some re-evaluating. But until then, well, there's a reason the Pacers are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Even in the NBA's weaker half.
Other Players: Lavoy Allen, Chris Copeland, Paul George*, Ian Mahinmi, C.J. Miles, Damjan Rudez, Luis Scola, Donald Sloan, C.J. Watson, Shayne Whittington
21. Charlotte Hornets
10 of 30
PG: Mo Williams
SG: Gerald Henderson
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF: Cody Zeller
C: Al Jefferson
Even though Mo Williams was brought over in a deal that went down well before the deadline, we still don't really know how he's going to mesh with the Charlotte Hornets' core. He was dealt on Feb. 10, just in time for the All-Star break, and he hasn't spent even a single minute on the floor with his new squad.
Of course, even if he brings his outside shot to the honeycombed court, it'll be tough for him to replace Kemba Walker.
The incumbent starting point guard, who's out recovering from lateral meniscus surgery, brought an entirely new offensive element to the Hornets when healthy. He was uniquely able to create his own shots and watch as the ball splashed through the net.
If Williams regresses when he's no longer quite as heavily featured as he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves, it'll be tough for Charlotte to score. Al Jefferson is a great talent in the paint, but the rest of the starters simply don't bring as much to the table.
When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist stays healthy for a prolonged period and Walker is back in the starting five, the Hornets will have a more dangerous sting to them. But that's not the case right now, and it might not be for quite some time.
Other Players: Bismack Biyombo, Troy Daniels, P.J. Hairston, Jason Maxiell, Brian Roberts, Lance Stephenson, Jeff Taylor, Noah Vonleh, Kemba Walker*, Elliot Williams, Marvin Williams
20. Brooklyn Nets
11 of 30
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Joe Johnson
SF: Alan Anderson
PF: Thaddeus Young
C: Mason Plumlee
The Brooklyn Nets got a shiny new toy to play with when they acquired Thaddeus Young without giving up anything more than the shell of Kevin Garnett, but that doesn't change the fundamental truth of this lineup: It's old.
Deron Williams rarely reminds viewers of his old self—the one who was competing with Chris Paul for the "best point guard alive" title. Joe Johnson and Alan Anderson are aging commodities on the wings. And while Mason Plumlee—who should continue to start at Brook Lopez's expense—is a young center, he hasn't yet reached all of his potential, thriving almost solely on easy opportunities around the basket.
Young should help. He'll infuse some athleticism, and he's shown in the past that he can be a stretch power forward in the right system.
But he's not going to save a failed, overpriced experiment.
Other Players: Bojan Bogdanovic, Markel Brown, Jarrett Jack, Cory Jefferson, Jerome Jordan, Sergey Karasev, Brook Lopez, Darius Morris, Mirza Teletovic
19. Sacramento Kings
12 of 30
PG: Darren Collison
SG: Ben McLemore
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Jason Thompson
How can a starting five that only steered the Sacramento Kings to 18 wins during the first half of the season possibly rank this favorably?
Lots of reasons. Thank you for asking.
First, George Karl should do a much better job of squeezing production out of these players than Tyrone Corbin did. But, of course, Mike Malone was the head coach at the start of the season, and let's not forget about the record he led them to before DeMarcus Cousins went down with viral meningitis. At the time of the illness' onset, the Kings were 9-6.
This collection of players is far better than the team's record would indicate. With a coach to motivate them properly and when taking the bench out of the equation, they're a respectable bunch that can beat most teams if they're playing at their best levels.
Need more evidence? According to my FATS projections (based on historical comparisons and explained in full here), this group, in its 427 minutes together, has played like a 59-win team. They haven't all stayed healthy, so that's partially a product of sample size, but it's impressive all the same.
Other Players: Omri Casspi, Reggie Evans, Ryan Hollins, Carl Landry, Ray McCallum, Andre Miller, Eric Moreland, Nik Stauskas, David Stockton, Derrick Williams
18. Milwaukee Bucks
13 of 30
PG: Michael Carter-Williams
SG: Jared Dudley
SF: Khris Middleton
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: John Henson
Losing Brandon Knight is going to hurt. A lot.
Even if Khris Middleton and John Henson are underrated, we can sum up what happened during the deadline in one series of pictures from Grantland's Kirk Goldsberry, though you'll have to scroll through a lot of text to see them.
Trust me, you'll know you're at the right place when you get there.
As the master of explanatory shot charts details, Knight is hitting 41 percent of his three-point attempts, and he's been red-hot from the right wing. Michael Carter-Williams, who was just acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers, isn't knocking down more than 33 percent of his triples from any zone.
The offense is going to struggle rather significantly until Michael Carter-Williams undergoes a lot of development with Jason Kidd's supervision. And that process will take a long time. He's not nearly at the same level as Knight right now, even if he helps give Milwaukee a wingspan monopoly.
The Bucks weren't content to be good and underrated. In order to remedy that, they're taking a major step back with the hope that they'll eventually make an ever bigger one going forward.
Other Players: Jerryd Bayless, Tyler Ennis, Jorge Gutierrez, Ersan Ilyasova, Damien Inglis, O.J. Mayo, Johnny O'Bryant, Jabari Parker*, Miles Plumlee
17. New Orleans Pelicans
14 of 30
PG: Norris Cole
SG: Eric Gordon
SF: Tyreke Evans
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Omer Asik
Anthony Davis can't do all the heavy lifting.
The New Orleans Pelicans superstar single-handedly lifts this starting five up into the middle of the pack, but he's being held down by nearly everyone around him. Tyreke Evans is an exception, though his lack of floor-spacing ability at the 3 is problematic. When healthy—which lately, has been almost never—Jrue Holiday classifies as an exception too.
But Eric Gordon still hasn't rekindled the magic he experienced with the Los Angeles Clippers a few years back, and Omer Asik is too limited to draw nearly any defensive attention. Plus, Norris Cole isn't much to write home about at point guard, and NOLA will soon find that out after acquiring him from the Miami Heat.
In the entire history of this sport, there have been plenty of players with career PERs in single digits. Out of all of them, Cole has already played the 53rd-most minutes, and he's only been in the league since 2012.
Unless Cole was just held back by Erik Spoelstra's system (which would be strange, as it's shifted dramatically over the years he's been playing at South Beach), he's not going to do much good before Holiday returns.
Other Players: Alexis Ajinca, Ryan Anderson, Luke Babbitt, Dante Cunningham, Jimmer Fredette, Jrue Holiday*, Quincy Pondexter, Ish Smith, Shawne Williams, Jeff Withey
16. Detroit Pistons
15 of 30
PG: Reggie Jackson
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: Jodie Meeks
PF: Greg Monroe
C: Andre Drummond
Losing Brandon Jennings to an Achilles rupture was painful for the Detroit Pistons (though probably not as painful as it was for the southpaw himself). But the negative impact is now being mitigated by the arrival of Reggie Jackson, who was acquired just before the trade deadline in a surprise move with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Now, the Pistons have another shot-creating offensive threat at the point. Jackson was scoring 12.8 points per game with the Thunder and shooting 43.2 percent from the field, but what makes him so appealing is the fact that he was solely responsible for 85.4 percent of his two-point makes and half of his triples.
Now, the Pistons have an isolation scorer, two floor-spacing threats and a headlining pair of big men who complement each other nicely. Greg Monroe can score creatively around the basket, while Andre Drummond is an unquestioned master of feasting on the offensive glass and finishing lobs with athletic flushes.
Defense is going to be a bit of a concern for this group—Jackson was a negative contributor on that end for OKC—but Stan Van Gundy should help them continue to form walls.
Other Players: Joel Anthony, Caron Butler, Spencer Dinwiddie, Brandon Jennings*, John Lucas, Cartier Martin, Quincy Miller, Tayshaun Prince, Anthony Tolliver
15. Miami Heat
16 of 30
PG: Goran Dragic
SG: Dwyane Wade
SF: Luol Deng
PF: Udonis Haslem
C: Hassan Whiteside
First, best wishes to Chris Bosh. We're all hoping for a speedy recovery.
And let's put aside the impact of his injury news for a second. The most important part of this medical situation is that he's healthy, and the news that his potential pulmonary embolism isn't life-threatening is fantastic. As Dwyane Wade said, via Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald, that "was more important than basketball."
While basketball is indeed less important than the life of a well-respected player—or any player, for that matter—we still have to think about it. And that's not good for the Miami Heat.
Especially with Josh McRoberts out for the season, there's no way to replace Bosh. Udonis Haslem will have to do, and that makes Miami even shallower than it already was. Even if Hassan Whiteside continues his out-of-left-field breakout, the Heat are going to struggle to remain in the postseason picture.
And yes, that's true even after they acquired Goran Dragic.
The former Phoenix Suns floor general may be one of the top point guards in the NBA—and thoughts of a Dragic-Bosh pick-and-pop were drool-inducing ones—but it's going to be tough for him to single-handedly help the team recover from potentially losing its best player for the season.
Dragic, Wade, Whiteside and Luol Deng form a nice four-man unit, but health and depth are still quite concerning for just about everyone.
Other Players: Chris Andersen, Mario Chalmers, Chris Bosh*, Zoran Dragic, James Ennis, Tyler Johnson, Josh McRoberts, Shabazz Napier, Henry Walker
14. Phoenix Suns
17 of 30
PG: Brandon Knight
SG: Eric Bledsoe
SF: P.J. Tucker
PF: Markieff Morris
C: Alex Len
Get ready for the Kentucky Wildcats Phoenix Suns. Sorry, it's easy to get confused now that the three-headed monster of Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and Eric Bledsoe has been shaped into a backcourt comprised of two John Calipari products.
And boy are they going to work well together.
Knight was having a fantastic season for the Milwaukee Bucks, thriving on both ends of the court and showing off some impressive touch from the outside. Now, the uber-athletic Eric Bledsoe is going to be unleashed next to his floor-spacing teammate, and he was already sneakily serving as the Suns' best player prior to the deadline.
It's not as if P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris and Alex Len are too shabby, either. Morris has been a huge commodity, and the big man in particular has improved rather significantly during his sophomore season. He now ensures that the desert is blessed with a quality player at each and every position in the starting lineup.
Dragic dealt Phoenix a terrible hand with his requests just prior to the deadline, nearly killing all the leverage the Suns may otherwise have possessed. It may have gotten a bit messy, but the Suns managed to salvage the situation and maintain a starting five that belongs in the top half of these rankings.
Other Players: Reggie Bullock, Archie Goodwin, Danny Granger, Gerald Green, Justin Hamilton, Kendall Marshall, Marcus Morris, John Salmons, Marcus Thornton, T.J. Warren, Brandan Wright
13. Houston Rockets
18 of 30
PG: Patrick Beverley
SG: James Harden
SF: Trevor Ariza
PF: Donatas Motiejunas
C: Joey Dorsey
Losing Dwight Howard hurts quite a bit, and there's still no telling when he'll return from his latest knee-related woes.
But with Howard on the floor, the Rockets have outscored the opposition by 7.2 points per 100 possessions. When he's been out—whether with an injury or due to Kevin McHale's rotations—that number drops to just 0.9. Replacing him with Joey Dorsey in the starting five is akin to getting your Ferrari repaired and traveling around on your bike before it's out of the shop.
Fortunately, the Rockets still have some guy named James Harden. You know, the bearded shooting guard who's been unstoppable all year and has emerged as the MVP front-runner during the first half of the season. So long as he's part of the starting unit, it's going to rank in the top half.
Plus, it's not as if Houston's other starters are too shabby. Patrick Beverley is a defensive ace who can splash in spot-up three-pointers. Trevor Ariza is a "three-and-D" menace. Donatas Motiejunas has enjoyed a bit of a breakout this year, averaging 11.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game with a 14.4 PER.
It's not the same without Howard. But this five-man crew still isn't anything to sniff at.
Other Players: Corey Brewer, Clint Capela, Dwight Howard*, Nick Johnson, Terrence Jones, K.J. McDaniels, Kostas Papanikolaou, Pablo Prigioni, Josh Smith, Jason Terry
12. Washington Wizards
19 of 30
PG: John Wall
SG: Otto Porter
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Nene
C: Marcin Gortat
Much as is the case for so many other teams, the Washington Wizards are dealing with injuries. But it's not as if the D.C. residents are trying to overcome a minor malady to a role player, as it's Bradley Beal who's out indefinitely with yet another stress reaction.
No, he's not suffering from panic attacks because he's scared of an upcoming matchup. Not that kind of stress. His leg has just taken too much of a physical toll lately, and it's the third time he's experienced that type of injury in his young career.
Without Beal, the Wizards simply aren't the same team. No one can replicate what he brings to the table, whether Randy Wittman is plugging in Rasual Butler, Garrett Temple, Martell Webster or Otto Porter.
The rest of the starters are still humming along—especially John Wall, who's having a ridiculous two-way season and has truly become one of the game's very best point guards. But without the final piece in the starting five, the ceiling is much more limited in the nation's capital.
Other Players: Bradley Beal*, DeJuan Blair, Rasual Butler, Drew Gooden, Kris Humphries, Glen Rice Jr., Kevin Seraphin, Ramon Sessions, Garrett Temple, Martell Webster
11. Los Angeles Clippers
20 of 30
PG: Chris Paul
SG: J.J. Redick
SF: Matt Barnes
PF: Spencer Hawes
C: DeAndre Jordan
Injuries remain the theme. This time, Blake Griffin is the culprit, thanks to surgery on his staph-infected elbow.
To put the meaning of this malady in perspective, the Los Angeles Clippers had been stubbornly resisting the Spencer Hawes era prior to Griffin going down. He was playing only 17 minutes per game before being thrust into the starting five, averaging just 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest. The problem? A disappearing shooting stroke.
But Hawes still isn't a terrible option, and his floor-spacing ability (when that stroke works) should complement DeAndre Jordan's interior game quite nicely. After all, the big man is a dominant force on the glass and a constant threat to rack up points off lobs.
With Chris Paul still in the conversation centered around the best point guards in the world, J.J. Redick spacing the court with his perimeter shooting and Matt Barnes drilling threes, despite receiving a puzzling lack of attention and respect from the defenses, this is still a strong starting five.
Just not as strong as it could be with a certain power forward back in business.
Other Players: Jamal Crawford, Glen Davis, Blake Griffin*, Dahntay Jones, Austin Rivers, Hedo Turkoglu, Ekpe Udoh, C.J. Wilcox
10. Dallas Mavericks
21 of 30
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
The Rajon Rondo trade earlier this season hasn't had the desired effect. In fact, we're already seeing retroactive looks at the deal that question whether the Dallas Mavericks would've been better off waiting until the deadline and then springing for a different point guard.
Here's ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon:
"The harsh reality, though, is that Rondo hasn't had many good nights since arriving in Dallas as the featured attraction in a blockbuster deal on Dec. 18.
After seeing point guards fly all over the league in the final hour before the trade deadline, it's worth asking whether the Mavs would have been better off exercising patience instead of pulling the trigger on the Rondo trade.
"
Since Rondo arrived in Dallas, the offense has taken a turn for the worse, while the defense has been much better. And that shouldn't be surprising, especially since the Mavs had to regress to the mean after their torrid scoring start to the season.
Even though Rondo has missed a lot of time with injuries, this starting unit is already Dallas' most used five-man bunch. And, per FATS, it's played like a 46-win team during those 307 minutes.
Give them time to jell. As Rondo told MacMahon after he and the Mavs were trounced by the Oklahoma City Thunder to kick off the second half of the season, "Missing two weeks in the NBA is a lot. Coming back first game with this type of tempo, these type of guys who run the floor and be in a bunch of pick-and-rolls is challenging. But that's what it's about."
Other Players: Al-Farouq Aminu, J.J. Barea, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Bernard James, Richard Jefferson, Dwight Powell, Greg Smith, Amar'e Stoudemire, Charlie Villanueva
9. Chicago Bulls
22 of 30
PG: Derrick Rose
SG: Jimmy Butler
SF: Mike Dunleavy
PF: Pau Gasol
C: Joakim Noah
It's all about Derrick Rose.
Sure, Pau Gasol is having a fantastic season, though his numbers admittedly give him a misleading amount of value, as he sometimes hinders the flow of the offense and plays lazy defense. Joakim Noah isn't at full strength, but he's still a uniquely impactful center. Jimmy Butler has been the team's best player, and Mike Dunleavy opens up the offense with his shooting.
But when Derrick Rose is playing like his old self, Chicago is just so much better.
In losses this season, the dynamic point guard is averaging 16.6 points, 4.9 assists and 3.8 turnovers per game while shooting 35.5 percent from the field and 24 percent from beyond the arc.
But when the Bulls have been victorious, he's produced 20.3 points, 5.1 dimes and 3.1 cough-ups per contest while spending slightly less time on the floor. Plus, he's hit 45.2 percent of his field-goal attempts and knocked down triples at a 33.6 percent clip.
The Bulls are going to go as he does, even if he's not necessarily their best player on every single night.
Other Players: Cameron Bairstow, Aaron Brooks, Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich, Doug McDermott, Nikola Mirotic, Nazr Mohammed, E'Twaun Moore, Tony Snell
8. Toronto Raptors
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PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: DeMar DeRozan
SF: James Johnson
PF: Amir Johnson
C: Jonas Valanciunas
Injuries kept them apart at the beginning of the year, but Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have worked quite well when they're on the floor together. According to my FATS projections, the Toronto Raptors have played like a 50-win team when the two starting guards are lining up next to one another, and that was before the utter destruction of the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
And it's not like the rest of the starting five is filled with lackluster options.
Jonas Valanciunas may not be developing as quickly as the Raptors hoped when they drafted the Lithuanian big man, but he's posting strong per-minute numbers and is growing more efficient by the day. On the season as a whole, he's now shooting over 56 percent from the field.
When DeRozan was out earlier in the campaign, the Raptors became the most efficient offense in the NBA. Now, they have more balance, with the defense beginning to catch up to the high level of the point-scoring unit.
It's hard to complain about that for one of our top-10 lineups.
Other Players: Bruno Caboclo, Landry Fields, Tyler Hansbrough, Chuck Hayes, Lucas Nogueira, Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez, Terrence Ross, Greg Stiemsma, Lou Williams
7. San Antonio Spurs
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PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Tiago Splitter
Don't doubt the San Antonio Spurs. Ever. Just don't. The basketball god isn't going to pick against them this year, so why should you?
Depth ultimately carries this team into the realm of championships contenders every year, as Gregg Popovich is a wizard capable of sucking positive production out of everyone under his supervision, but it's not as though the starting five is anything but strong. And that's especially true with Kawhi Leonard in the lineup.
Sadly, this group has played only 65 minutes together all season, as injuries have plagued the defending champions. It's tough to draw any statistical conclusions, even though nothing was shaken up during trade season.
Nonetheless, Tony Parker—even during a down season that might signal the beginning of the end for the French floor general—is a high-quality point guard. Tim Duncan is, well, Tim Duncan.
It would be a travesty to have this group outside of the top 10 when it's at full strength.
Other Players: Kyle Anderson, Jeff Ayres, Aron Baynes, Marco Belinelli, Matt Bonner, Boris Diaw, Manu Ginobili, Cory Joseph, Patrick Mills, Reggie Williams
6. Atlanta Hawks
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PG: Jeff Teague
SG: Kyle Korver
SF: DeMarre Carroll
PF: Paul Millsap
C: Al Horford
The Atlanta Hawks' starting five may have been the first in NBA history to be named Players of the Month. That happened in January, with the team in the midst of a 19-game win streak that included a 17-0 stretch during the first month of 2015.
But that still doesn't make it one of the five best starting groups in the Association, surprising as that may seem. Not only did the Hawks overachieve a bit during the undefeated stretch, but their depth also helped them win games, as Mike Budenholzer has been getting strong contributions from just about every player on the roster.
The combined efforts of Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll, Paul Millsap and Al Horford have resulted in them playing like a 56-win team, per FATS. And that's despite an adjusted offensive rebounding percentage that would be worse than any team in NBA history, save the 2011-12 Boston Celtics.
It's extraordinarily difficult to find flaws with this bunch. The Hawks don't have as much star power as the remaining teams, but they complement each other so well and play with ridiculous amounts of that all-important intangible known as chemistry.
Other Players: Pero Antic, Kent Bazemore, Elton Brand, John Jenkins, Shelvin Mack, Mike Muscala, Dennis Schroder, Mike Scott, Thabo Sefolosha
5. Memphis Grizzlies
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PG: Mike Conley
SG: Courtney Lee
SF: Jeff Green
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Marc Gasol
Jeff Green provides some athleticism and the occasional bit of successful long-range shooting. Courtney Lee is a strong perimeter marksman.
It's still all about the trio of established Memphis Grizzlies stars.
Mike Conley has had yet another impressive season, and he's quickly becoming one of the better players in NBA history who's never made an All-Star team. Marc Gasol is scoring like never before, and that's just one of many elements to his multifaceted game. And Zach Randolph, when healthy, has been a ferocious monster on the boards while scoring from the blocks quite well.
Much like the Atlanta Hawks, the Grizzlies thrive off their chemistry. With the gritty defense that has become nearly synonymous with these bears of Beale Street, they've established themselves as one of the league's true title-contending squads.
And, as is so often the case, it begins with the starting five.
Other Players: Jordan Adams, Tony Allen, Nick Calathes, Vince Carter, JaMychal Green, Kosta Koufos, Jon Leuer, Russ Smith, Jarnell Stokes, Beno Udrih
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
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SG: Andre Roberson
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Enes Kanter
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant should be healthy at the same time soon, though the latter's ongoing battle with foot soreness may keep him from playing lengthy strings of games in the near future. Regardless, the NBA should be scared, because that's two top-10 players joining forces and putting the league on notice.
And it's not just about Westbrook and Durant, either.
Serge Ibaka may not be capable of becoming a primary option when his two superstar teammates are out of the lineup, but he's a shot-blocking big man who eats rebounds and can space the court with his three-point shooting. Andre Roberson has been an athletic addition as well, though his offense lags well behind his defense.
Now, Enes Kanter is going to be thrown into the mix after he was acquired from the Utah Jazz just before the deadline. He should supplant a healthy Steven Adams in the starting five, and he was already averaging 18.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per 36 minutes.
There will be lots of pressure on Kanter to improve his defense, but his offensive ability should lighten the burden that the stars shoulder on a nightly basis.
Other Players: Steven Adams, D.J. Augustin, Nick Collison, Perry Jones III, Jeremy Lamb, Mitch McGary, Anthony Morrow, Steve Novak, Kyle Singler, Dion Waiters
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
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PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: J.R. Smith
SF: LeBron James
PF: Kevin Love
C: Timofey Mozgov
Scarily enough, the Cleveland Cavaliers haven't figured everything out yet, and they're already tearing apart nearly everyone they face. Sure, they may have gotten off to a slow start, but after LeBron James' sabbatical and some timely additions, they've been a completely different beast.
Heading into the season, offense wasn't an issue; defense most certainly was. Now, neither is particularly problematic for a squad that's suddenly starting to look like a bona fide title contender.
Small-sample warnings apply here, as Kyrie Irving (who, it's worth noting, is playing the best defense of his career), J.R. Smith, James, Kevin Love and Timofey Mozgov have only spent 209 minutes on the court together this season. They're still not quite caught up to the total reached by Irving, James, Love, Shawn Marion and Anderson Varejao.
But in those minutes, they've played like a 60-win team, according to my FATS projections.
Now, imagine what happens when Smith and Mozgov are even more comfortable in their new digs. Think about what will come to pass when Love is completely adjusted to his role with the Cavs.
This team is only going to continue rising.
Other Players: Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Harris, Brendan Haywood, James Jones, Shawn Marion, Mike Miller, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao
2. Portland Trail Blazers
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PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Nicolas Batum
C: Robin Lopez
During the 2013-14 season, only one lineup spent more time on the floor than Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez did for the Portland Trail Blazers. The Rip City bunch logged 1,373 minutes, second to only Paul George, Roy Hibbert, George Hill, David West and Lance Stephenson of the Indiana Pacers.
Injuries have kept this quintet from ascending to the top of the 2014-15 leaderboard. They're "only" third, trailing the starting five of the Atlanta Hawks and healthy Blake Griffin version of the Los Angeles Clippers. But damned if they don't know how to play with one another.
FATS showed that the Cleveland starters played like a 60-win team. Well, these Blazers have performed well enough that they've been the equivalent of a 57-win squad, and they've done that in far more minutes. We know this isn't a fluke, as they've been here before and thrived.
Oh, and the top historical comparison? Based solely on the numbers, these five Rip City standouts compare most favorably to the 1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers, a team that went 67-15 during the regular season before taking home the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The Cavs match up with another title-winning team—the 2007-08 Boston Celtics—but the millennium-spanning Lakers were even better. We'll give a slight edge to the Blazers, though that's subject to change if Cleveland keeps up its torrid pace as of late. Or even if it improves.
Other Players: Arron Afflalo, Steve Blake, Allen Crabbe, Joel Freeland, Alonzo Gee, Chris Kaman, Meyers Leonard, C.J. McCollum, Dorell Wright
1. Golden State Warriors
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PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Harrison Barnes
PF: Draymond Green
C: Andrew Bogut
Let's stick with FATS one more time, though I can tell you right now, even without using the projection system, that there's a fairly sizable gap between the Golden State Warriors and every other team in the NBA.
The five-man combination of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut has played like a...drum roll, please...58-win team.
Lower than you thought? That's because the Warriors have been so ridiculously good that they literally break the model. There are no good comparisons to them, so the system is scrambling to find ones that kind of work.
Many factors go into these projections, and the Dubs are superior to the Portland Trail Blazers in each of the four characteristics that correlate most closely to victories. That's how wonky it is that they're "only" projected at 58 wins. Each of their five closest historical similarities advanced to the NBA Finals, and the Warriors blow them out of the water in most every crucial category.
This is a dominant offensive team that plays with ridiculous levels of cohesiveness. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have both gone for 50 points, and somehow the Splash Brothers aren't relied on as a crutch.
But Golden State's starting five is even better at preventing points than it is at scoring them.
These guys might shoot ridiculously well. Their adjusted effective field-goal percentage is a scorching 118.1, meaning they're 18.1 percent better than the league average. For perspective, the 2012-13 Miami Heat currently have the top mark of all time, and it's just 111.3. But they struggle with turnovers, rarely get to the line and don't produce many second-chance opportunities.
On defense, they're good at everything. This starting group is historically adept at avoiding fouls, but it also registers as one of the best shot-contesting and turnover-forcing bunches we've ever seen.
It's not possible to be perfect at basketball. But on some nights, this group of five makes you doubt that.
Other Players: Leandro Barbosa, Festus Ezeli, Justin Holiday, Andre Iguodala, Ognjen Kuzmic, David Lee, Shaun Livingston, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com and are current heading into Feb. 20's games.
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