Final 2019-20 Record Projections for Every NBA Team
NBA teams are constantly thinking about the future.
We're no different. Whether it's a can't-miss matchup on an upcoming weekend or free-agent and draft classes years down the road, we're always considering what's next.
Forgive us, then, for wanting a sneak peek at the final standings roughly six weeks before they actually solidify. It's not that we want to fast forward the stretch run, but admit it: We're all curious how this will play out, right?
Luckily, our trusty crystal ball—powered both by present production and future projections—is here to paint that picture, free of charge. From the bottom-feeders to the heavyweight contenders, we have final 2019-20 record predictions for all 30 teams, ordered from fewest to most projected wins regardless of conference.
Cavaliers, Warriors, Pistons, Hawks, Hornets
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T29. Cleveland Cavaliers: 21-61
Collin Sexton is building on his All-Rookie second-team debut, Kevin Porter Jr. keeps hinting that he's a draft heist, and Larry Nance Jr. is doing a little bit of everything on both ends of the court. Cleveland's latest post-LeBron James rebuild is progressing in other words, but not enough to help the franchise escape the bottom.
This roster remains bizarrely assembled. It's heavier than needed at the point guard and center spots, but this isn't a great rebounding, distributing or shot-blocking team. The wings are underwhelming. The defense is almost as bad as it gets.
The Cavs are already in experimentation mode. That's a smart way to handle a young roster with a new coach, but it's not exactly conducive to instant success.
T29. Golden State Warriors: 21-61
The Dubs haven't had many reasons to smile this season, but Stephen Curry's upcoming return on Thursday against the Toronto Raptors will supply overdue respite. It will add a few notches to the win column, too, since the two-time MVP remains the lifeblood of this reshuffled franchise.
"He's the type of player that single-handedly, he's going to come and change the way everyone plays for the better," newcomer Andrew Wiggins said, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole. "So, I'm excited. He's a gamechanger."
But Curry isn't a miracle-worker, and Golden State's ultra-cautious approach with him ensures it won't ask him to be one. Sure, he'll liven up pregame workouts, spark a handful of rainstorms from distance and help the club pick up the pace. But he should have his minutes (and games) restricted, and he might need to learn how to play while enveloped in bubble wrap.
The Warriors can embark on their best stretch of the season and still finish with the West's worst record.
28. Detroit Pistons: 22-60
To spare everyone the math, this would give the Pistons two more wins on the season, and that might be generous.
Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Markieff Morris are gone. Blake Griffin is out for the year, Derrick Rose could be, too. Whenever Luke Kennard returns, he'll be shaking off two-plus months of rust. But hey, at least the Christian Wood breakout has been fun, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has carved a niche, and Sekou Doumbouya does something interesting every now and then.
The Pistons should come out of this with a prime draft pick, though that's only significant if you think more of this draft class than most experts do.
27. Atlanta Hawks: 25-57
Ever catch the Hawks' non-Trae Young minutes? We would not recommend it. The offensive efficiency plummets by—brace yourselves—16.5 points per 100 possessions when the All-Star point guard takes a breather.
The defense, of course, improves—Young is, after all, the second-worst player in ESPN's defensive real plus-minus—but not enough to even things up. The Hawks are objectively bad with him (minus-4.9 points per 100 possessions), but they are statistically abysmal without him (minus-12.9).
Young will fireball this team to a few victories, John Collins will occasionally pop for 30-plus points, and the young wings will show enough flashes to keep hope alive for the future. But Atlanta is playing the long game, and its record will reflect as much.
T24. Charlotte Hornets: 26-56
The Hornets lost Kemba Walker in free agency last summer. On a directly related note, this may be the Association's least impressive team when it comes to star power.
Devonte' Graham is still a fun story (and productive playmaker), but he's just a 35.1 percent shooter since Dec. 1. Terry Rozier is fine (his 39.0 three-point percentage is a pleasant surprise), but he doesn't distinguish himself as a scorer or table-setter. Miles Bridges and PJ Washington look like solid complementary pieces, but their ceilings may never reach any higher.
The Hornets have more depth than some other cellar-dwellers, which could nudge the win total into the upper 20s by season's end. But quantity over quality is hardly the path to substantial success in this league.
Knicks, Timberwolves, Wizards, Bulls, Suns
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T24. New York Knicks: 26-56
Welcome to the spotlight, RJ Barrett. Duke's other top-five draft pick is starting to piece his bright spots together, most recently sinking James Harden and the Houston Rockets with 27 points, five assists and five rebounds.
"From the time we started working with him in Las Vegas since summer league, he's never wavered his confidence," Knicks interim coach Mike Miller said, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. "He wants to make plays. He has that in him."
New York's roster still features multiple logjams and somehow still no starting spot for sophomore center Mitchell Robinson. But with Barrett picking up steam and Julius Randle flirting with star-level production (19.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game), the 'Bockers have enough to snag a handful of wins down the stretch.
T24. Minnesota Timberwolves: 26-56
If we're getting antsy to see Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell in action together again, we can only imagine how the Gopher State feels.
But we know enough about each player to guesstimate the fit.
The Timberwolves could be scary good on offense. The 2015 draft classmates are both three-level scorers, so their connections on pick-and-roll/pop plays could force defenses to pick their poisons. Unfortunately, Minnesota's defense might be every bit as leaky as the offense is explosive.
The Wolves have no reason to rush Towns back from his fractured wrist, but they'll want a clearer picture of what their new duo can accomplish. They seem like the kind of squad that will play to its competition, perhaps sinking a contender with an offensive outburst one night then failing to defend a bottom-feeder the next.
23. Washington Wizards: 30-52
Bradley Beal sits second on the season's scoring list at 30.5 points per game. If only the John Wall-less Wizards could do more with that kind of elite production.
Beal has scored 37-plus points a dozen times this year; Washington lost 11 of those games—three by double digits. Having someone pump in 50-plus points on back-to-back nights and failing to win either contest feels like it should disqualify a team from playoff consideration, but the Wizards somehow remain within arm's reach of the eighth seed.
Their 30th-ranked defense—second-least efficient in NBA history—will prevent them from ever closing that gap. Beal surely has some massive outings left in him, but as we've seen time and again, that's often not enough for this team.
T21. Chicago Bulls: 32-50
The Bulls have encountered one disappointment after another this season, but we're forecasting (slightly) brighter days ahead.
Otto Porter Jr., Wendell Carter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are all back in action. Zach LaVine hopefully won't miss too much time due to a quad strain. Coby White, last summer's seventh overall pick, is playing the best basketball of his young career and just claimed the franchise's first Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honor since March 2015 (Nikola Mirotic).
Things are looking up in the Windy City. Sort of. This is still the same squad that went just 3-6 before Porter's injury, Markkanen has struggled to get himself going, and the offense sits a woeful 27th in efficiency.
The Bulls theoretically have the talent to push for a playoff spot, but our crystal ball can't see it. Considering how the campaign has played out, though, going .500 during the final stretch could still qualify as progress.
T21. Phoenix Suns: 32-50
The Suns aren't allowed to have nice things. That may sound brutally unfair, but we don't make the rules. We just report them.
Seriously, how else are we supposed to read this season? Devin Booker makes his All-Star leap, Ricky Rubio stabilizes the league's worst point guard rotation, Cameron Johnson quiets his draft-night critics one three-ball at a time...and none of it matters. Deandre Ayton served a 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy, Kelly Oubre Jr. went on the shelf with a torn meniscus, and now Ayton is having his ankle X-rayed.
Deep sigh.
So, even while more has gone right for Phoenix than it has in years—hiring Monty Williams as head coach was a huge step in the right direction—it's not enough to snap a playoff drought nearing a full decade of existence.
Spurs, Nets, Magic, Kings, Blazers
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20. San Antonio Spurs: 33-49
Welcome to the victory circle, acting head coach Tim Duncan. The Big Fundamental secured the first win of his coaching career Tuesday night as he stepped into Gregg Popovich's seat and steered the Spurs to a 104-103 comeback win over the Hornets.
"It's night and day to be in the big boy chair," Duncan told reporters. "Truth be told, though, I wasn't in the big-boy chair. I had [other assistant coaches] making the calls, and I was the one standing there screaming at people."
The Spurs, who had lost eight of their last 11, needed a pick-me-up, and Duncan helped provide it for one night. But with a middle-of-the-pack offense and a bottom-five defense, there aren't enough pinch-hit singles in Duncan's bat to keep San Antonio's 22-year playoff streak intact.
19. Brooklyn Nets: 34-48
Before firing up any think pieces on whether the Nets might be better without Kyrie Irving, let's opt for a brake-pumping reality check instead. Unless Caris LeVert's 51-point outburst means he's stumbled onto Uncle Drew's secret binge-scoring stash, this isn't a roster built for substantial success.
Which should surprise no one—Brooklynites included. Irving is down for the count. Kevin Durant is essentially medically redshirting this season after rupturing his Achilles in last year's Finals. Pull multiple All-Stars off any roster and it won't survive. Just ask Durant's last employer.
This projection still puts the Nets in the playoff field, which is no minor victory given the star-studded injury report. LeVert could be big-time. Spencer Dinwiddie can be a statistical juggernaut any given night. Jarrett Allen keeps improving. These things matter, both for the upcoming postseason push and the ways in which they can assist this franchise in realizing its loftier goals down the road.
T17. Orlando Magic: 37-45
Snagging one of the East's final playoff berths for the second year in a row would sound like a drag to most teams, but that's not the case in the Magic Kingdom.
Orlando was gentlemanly swept out of the 2019 first round, then it doubled down on its current roster by committing $154 million to Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross in free agency. The Magic probably didn't plan on their win total falling, but with Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu both on the shelf, this is by no means a worst-case-scenario record.
The Magic can't occupy the NBA's midsection forever. This roster seems overdue for a shakeup, and it might be rebuilt around Isaac and Markelle Fultz (and maybe Aaron Gordon and Mo Bamba) sooner than later. But for now, this is the path the organization chose, and it will lead back to the playoffs.
T17. Sacramento Kings: 37-45
Bogdan Bogdanovic's promotion to Sacramento's starting five has finally helped this core enjoy consistent success. Since making the switch on Jan. 24, the Kings have gone 12-5 while posting the league's ninth-best net rating (plus-3.3 points per 100 possessions).
But this feels like too little, too late for a club that ranked among the biggest disappointments earlier this season.
The Kings are below average on both ends of the court, so they don't have something to fall back on when the game isn't going their way. They miss Richaun Holmes' energy on the interior, and they really could've used a breakout from the oft-injured Marvin Bagley III.
They'll battle for the No. 8 seed, but our projections see them landing a few spots back.
16. Portland Trail Blazers: 38-44
Injuries are the worst.
The Blazers coaxed the best campaign to date out of Damian Lillard. They saw CJ McCollum unleash his latest display of offensive brilliance. They covered injury absences as best they could with better-than-expected efforts from Hassan Whiteside, Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza.
But when Jusuf Nurkic hasn't played a second, Rodney Hood won't suit up again and Zach Collins last saw the court in October, Portland's hands were tied by the injury bug.
The Blazers could've been a fun playoff participant—if Lillard and McCollum heat up simultaneously, they can outscore anyone—but it's just not happening. They have the league's fourth-worst defense, and their bench has the third-worst point differential (minus-153).
A team might be able to cover for one of those deficiencies, but their coexistence is a fatal flaw.
Grizzlies, Pelicans, Pacers, Thunder, Mavericks
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15. Memphis Grizzlies: 39-43
Ja Morant and Zion Williamson sprinting toward a photo finish in the playoff and Rookie of the Year races? Someone cue a popcorn-eating GIF, please.
The Grizzlies might be this season's biggest overachiever. Despite having a first-year head coach in Taylor Jenkins and giving a majority of their minutes to 25-and-under youngsters, they have fast-forwarded their rebuild after miraculously recovering from a 6-16 start. Dating back to Dec. 9, this group has a 24-15 record with a plus-2.0 net rating (13th overall).
So, why do we have Memphis falling short of the postseason? Two reasons.
First, this team faces the second-toughest schedule going forward, per Tankathon.com. Second, injuries struck Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Brandon Clarke (quadriceps) at the worst possible time. That's a lot to overcome for a coach and a core that has never been in this position before.
14. New Orleans Pelicans: 40-42
The Pels could've tanked—or strategically sold veterans, at least—at several points this season. Their resolve was surely tested amid both their 1-7 start and the 13-game losing streak that spanned big chunks of November and December.
But they've always had both eyes on the playoffs. Rather than rerouting their seasoned pros, they've kept them around to assist this young nucleus of Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart. With a top-10 net rating since Williamson's debut and the third-softest schedule going forward, their patience could soon be rewarded with their first post-Anthony Davis playoff berth.
Oh, and we probably shouldn't gloss over the fact that Williamson is 16 games into his NBA career and already looks like a generational talent. He's learning how to play at this level and still providing a whopping 29.9 points per 36 minutes on 58.8 percent shooting.
"It's scary to see how good he is this early," Hart said, per The Athletic's William Guillory. "... He's going to be a problem."
If New Orleans can stay healthy, it has the star power, depth and schedule to surge into the West's No. 8 spot.
13. Indiana Pacers: 48-34
Hopefully, Victor Oladipo's knee soreness is nothing more than a minor setback. But if the Pacers have to push forward without him again, at least they've learned how to work around his absence.
Domantas Sabonis' All-Star emergence plays a huge part in that resiliency. Ditto for Malcom Brogdon throwing his name into the Most Improved Player race, T.J. Warren transforming from a defensive liability to an asset and Doug McDermott splashing most everything he launches (career-high 43.9 percent from range).
Indiana still seems more good than great, and even if it has become a two-star squad, neither Oladipo nor Sabonis grades out as a full-fledged superstar. The Pacers landed fifth in the Eastern Conference standings last season, and we see them falling one spot back this time around.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: 48-34
No one runs through the tape better than Billy Donovan's bunch.
The Thunder—yes, the same team ditched by Paul George and Russell Westbrook last summer—are the Association's best fourth-quarter club with a plus-9.3 net rating in the final period. They have won a league-high 15 games when trailing after three quarters; no one else has more than eight such victories. In clutch situations (final five minutes, margin of five points or less), this offense owns an incredible 52.8/38.0/86.5 shooting slash.
But maybe it makes sense the execution is so precise since Donovan had the bold vision to unleash his top three point guards all together. The quintet of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dennis Schroder, Danilo Gallinari and Steven Adams is objectively the league's best lineup to play 100-plus minutes with a staggering plus-29.0 net rating across 173 minutes.
"I hoped it would work," Paul said of the three-point guard look, per ESPN's Royce Young. "We all have different personalities—you never know what different guys' goals are and whatnot—but I was excited about it. ... Thankfully all of us are giving up a little bit here and there for the success of the team."
The Thunder are clearly a playoff team, and they'll be a tricky first-round opponent for whomever they draw.
11. Dallas Mavericks: 49-33
Forget about the big threes from yesteryear. This NBA is all about dynamic duos, and Dallas has one of the most talented two-man tandems in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.
The former is a jumbo playmaker who doubles as an elite scorer. The latter is a 7'3" shooter and shot-blocker. Would you believe it if we told you they're tough to handle together?
They have a 116.7 offensive rating and plus-7.0 net rating across 904 minutes together. Both are dominant marks, but they still have substantial growth potential given how little time this partnership has actually been in practice.
Dallas' defense can get it in trouble (17th in efficiency), but that's only so much of a concern when the offense is literally the best we've ever seen. As long as their best players don't show their inexperience, they have the top-level talent and depth to claim the No. 6 spot and potentially avoid a first-round date with either L.A. team.
10. Philadelphia 76ers: 50-32
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The Sixers are strange.
Catch them on the wrong night and it seems their formula is broken: not enough shooting, not enough bench scoring, too awkward of a fit between Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Tune in on the right night, though, and they can take down anyone. They already have at least one win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics.
Would it shock anyone if Philly suddenly embarked on a double-digit winning streak? No one has an easier remaining schedule. Then again, how surprised would you be if the Sixers lost one winnable road game after another? They don't have Embiid, Simmons or Josh Richardson right now, and who knows how long those absences will last.
Philly might have a ton to think about this summer. Brett Brown's future feels like an annual talking point, and USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt reported the club could consider unloading Al Horford for more shooting over the offseason. But maybe the Sixers are the kind of team that won't peak until the playoffs. If nothing else, the shortened rotations should alleviate some of their depth concerns.
It's been a season-long search for consistency, and the stretch run probably doesn't change that, leaving the Sixers seeded fifth in the East.
9. Utah Jazz: 51-31
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There isn't a marketing department around that would green-light the slogan "consistently inconsistent." But if you were tasked with branding this season's Jazz, what else would even fit?
In just their last 19 contests, they have a pair of four-game winning streaks and two losing streaks of at least the same length. They have downed the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks (twice) and the Miami Heat in that stretch, but they also lost to the San Antonio Spurs (twice), the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns (by 20).
The typically dominant defense sits just 11th in efficiency. The offense, at least, has entered the top 10, but it hasn't received nearly what was expected from Mike Conley, has seen the usually steady Joe Ingles struggle to find a niche and recently watched Bojan Bogdanovic stumble out of the All-Star break.
This is a good team, obviously, but is there any reason to believe a jump to championship contention is taking place? Granted, this group underwent a significant overhaul last offseason, but even in March, it feels like this team is still figuring itself out.
Maybe the Jazz find their footing in the second season, but this last leg of the marathon will probably play out like the previous ones did.
8. Miami Heat: 52-30
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Something is happening with the Heat. They're either playing to their level of competition again, or they're stabilizing after substantial changes at the trade deadline.
Miami lost six of eight games after the deadline, and only one opponent had a winning record. The Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves were among the clubs to get the better of the Heat during that stretch. But Miami has reeled off three victories in a row since, most recently dealing the Bucks a 16-point loss.
"This is how we want to play all the time," Jimmy Butler said after the latest win, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. "Unfortunately, we do not do that."
Could Miami make that a habit after getting newcomers Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder up to speed? Or is this a mediocre team, as it has been the past two-plus months (15-14 since Dec. 30)?
The Heat can be something better than they've been.
Butler has been everything they hoped for and more, and Bam Adebayo deserves Most Improved Player consideration. But there might be too many specialists—shooters and scorers who struggle to defend, stoppers who can't space the floor—for this team to go on the kind of huge streak that would dramatically change its playoff positioning.
7. Denver Nuggets: 54-28
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The Nuggets have the record of an elite (41-20), but do they belong in that weight class?
Net rating isn't buying it. Denver's good-not-great mark of plus-3.3 ranks just ninth overall and sixth in the Western Conference. Based on point differential, the Nuggets' expected record is only 38-23.
If you're reading this from somewhere in or near the Rocky Mountains, you might wonder why this matters. After all, it's not like the NBA playoffs are seeded by analytically expected outcomes.
But the conference playoff picture is cluttered behind the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets are only a game back of the second-seeded Los Angeles Clippers, sure, but they're also only 2.5 up on the fifth-seeded Utah Jazz. There is no breathing room in this traffic jam, and the advanced numbers suggest the Nuggets' margin for error is slimmer than most.
Maybe that won't matter. Maybe Nikola Jokic has a string of triple-doubles left in him. Maybe Jamal Murray is about to embark on a heater after feeling he let the team down during its stunning loss to the Golden State Warriors. Maybe Michael Porter Jr. can punctuate his long-anticipated freshman campaign with all kinds of pyrotechnics.
Or maybe, like we're predicting here, the Nuggets will regress a tad and claim the fourth spot in the West's race.
6. Toronto Raptors: 56-26
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After being dealt multiple injury blows and navigating around a recent 2-4 skid, the Raptors needed a break. The schedule has provided a bit of a reprieve. It started with Tuesday's trip to Phoenix (resulting in a nine-point win for Toronto) and features four opponents with sub-.500 records over the next five games.
That helps, but the bigger lift could come internally. The Raptors need Pascal Siakam to be special, and after some rocky performances of late, he returned to form Tuesday with 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting, plus seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.
Minus Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet, Toronto is facing an uphill battle, but it has defied odds throughout its first Kawhi Leonard-less campaign. This team just finds a way—Tuesday, it was Chris Boucher and Norman Powell combining for 45 points—and it must continue that to build up a cushion before the challenging road ahead.
Immediately after this stretch come four straight games against the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. In early April, the Raptors draw the Milwaukee Bucks twice and the Houston Rockets once in a five-day span. That could be just enough to bump them off course from securing the No. 2 spot, but they won't fall behind No. 3.
5. Houston Rockets: 57-25
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The Rockets dreamed big by going small, and the results have mostly been spectacular.
Since abandoning Clint Capela (and, by extension, all traditional centers) at the trade deadline, Houston has gone 7-3 with a plus-5.8 net rating. Having a fully spaced offensive end has been a cheat code for the Russell Westbrook-James Harden backcourt, with the former particularly sizzling since the switch. Over his last eight outings, Westbrook has averaged 33.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists while posting a 56.3/42.1/72.5 shooting slash.
"One thing he can do and one thing he's great at is driving to the rim," Jeff Green said, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "When you're spacing the floor and you're taking [defenders] out the middle, you're allowing him to access the lane whenever you want. You're playing right into his hands. Credit [head coach Mike] D'Antoni and the front office for the way he's orchestrated it. It's maximizing what he's able to do."
Houston loses something on the glass, but it gains so much in spacing and defensive versatility that it's betting it will come out ahead. So far, so good on that front.
Houston's small-ball quintet of Westbrook, Harden, Robert Covington, Danuel House Jr. and P.J. Tucker owns a plus-23.2 net rating across 132 minutes, the second-highest mark among the 85 lineups to play 100-plus minutes together.
The speedy, well-spaced Rockets are poised to sprint through the stretch run and snag the West's No. 3 seed.
4. Los Angeles Clippers: 58-24
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It's happening, isn't it?
Slowed at different points by roster alterations, injuries and load management, the Clippers appear on the verge of becoming the colossal contender everyone expected to see once Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joined forces. L.A. is riding a five-game winning streak, with four of those triumphs coming against teams occupying playoff spots.
The Clippers haven't lost a game when fully healthy (9-0). They steamroll opponents by 10.2 points per 100 possessions when Leonard and George share the floor. They found an impact addition at the deadline with Marcus Morris Sr., and they possibly found another on the buyout market in Reggie Jackson. They haven't even seen George at his best, so their upward mobility is through the roof.
"When healthy we can beat anybody—and it's no disrespect to any other NBA team," Patrick Beverley said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
L.A. can overwhelm opponents with offense or silence them at the other end. This group can shapeshift from a bruising, burly lineup to a speedy, well-spaced small-ball look. Leonard and George can carry the offense, share the responsibility or let someone like Morris, Lou Williams or Montrezl Harrell get behind the wheel.
This team is terrifying, and it could look the part throughout the stretch run.
3. Boston Celtics: 59-23
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Just when the Celtics were trending toward a clean bill of health, the injury bug is back. During Tuesday's head-scratching loss to the Brooklyn Nets—one in which Boston blew an 18-point fourth-quarter lead—the Shamrocks saw both Gordon Hayward (knee) and Jaylen Brown (hamstring) exit with injuries.
Obviously, should either ailment prove serious, Boston may not sprint through the closing stretch we're projecting. But if this team is healthy, it's our pick to claim the East's No. 2 seed.
That's not a minor distinction, either. It would not only grant the Celtics home-court advantage in a potential second-round matchup with the Toronto Raptors, but it would also allow a much easier matchup for the first round (think: Brooklyn Nets or Orlando Magic instead of Indiana Pacers or Philadelphia 76ers).
Boston just went 9-3 in February despite Kemba Walker missing eight of those contests. Jayson Tatum's superstar leap made it all possible. The East's Player of the Month averaged 30.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 48.1 percent from deep. The C's were 9.3 points better per 100 possessions with him than without.
"That kid is special," LeBron James said, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.
If Tatum continues his ascension and the rest of this roster heals, Boston has a chance to cement itself as the second-best team in the conference.
2. Los Angeles Lakers: 61-21
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It was easy to let expectations run rampant upon discovering Anthony Davis would, in fact, be joining LeBron James in L.A. But no matter how high you set the bar, there's a good chance this duo has surpassed it.
James is his usual age-defying self. He's on pace to capture his first assists title. He has never averaged more triples. He has a chance to take home his first MVP award since 2012-13. Have we mentioned he's a 35-year-old playing in his 17th NBA season? Ridiculous.
Davis is maybe as good as he's ever been, which is saying something for No. 2 on the all-time player efficiency rating leaderboard. His 61.5 true shooting percentage is a personal best. His 0.264 win shares per 48 minutes are the second-most he's ever contributed. He should be right in the thick of the Defensive Player of the Year race.
"It's everything I expected and more," James said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Obviously, that's why I wanted him here. When you get a generational talent like that and you got an opportunity to get him, you just try to do whatever you can to get him."
The Lakers are cruising at a 64-win pace, and there's no reason to expect a major change in either direction. If they had a more serious threat for the top seed—and felt they really needed it—they might race to the finish line, but they can afford to let off the gas and rest their stars for the postseason.
1. Milwaukee Bucks: 68-14
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Two teams in NBA history have reached 70 wins: the 1995-96 Bulls (72-10) and the 2015-16 Warriors (73-9). How badly do the Bucks want to join that group?
Co-owner Marc Lasry wants to shoot for it, per ESPN's Eric Woodyard, and his team will have a chance. Even after falling to the Miami Heat on Monday, Milwaukee remains on a 70-win pace. With Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially racing toward a second straight MVP, Khris Middleton emerging as a legitimate co-star and three-balls flying all around them, this group can answer any regular-season challenge.
But that's not the main mission.
Milwaukee paced everyone in wins last season but ultimately wilted with four straight losses in the Eastern Conference Finals. Maybe some will say the Bucks are another year older and another year wiser this time, but Antetokounmpo is also another year closer to potentially reaching the 2021 free-agent market.
Milwaukee has no better negotiating chip than winning big—the colossal supermax extension is a close second—but it's a different kind of winning than making regular-season history. The Bucks should be careful not to burn themselves out, especially when no one is in their air space in the conference standings.
If Milwaukee opts for rest down the stretch, look for the Bucks to land just short of the 70-win total. This would still be their best record in franchise history, and that's saying a ton since they once employed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson on the same roster.
All stats, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference and accurate through games played March 3.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
