B/R NBA Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stack Up as Trade Deadline Looms?
The Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are establishing themselves as the class of the NBA.
While other teams around the league are likely scouring the trade market for possibilities that might bring them closer to the Suns' and Warriors' level, those two teams could probably justify settling for moves that only affect the fringe of their rosters.
After role players supported him through a weeks-long slump, Stephen Curry finally seems to be heating up. In his last four appearances, he's averaged 27.0 points and 5.0 threes while shooting 48.8 percent from deep.
And despite the gaudy numbers from Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, Chris Paul is doing what he can to force his way into the MVP conversation. In his last nine games, CP3 is averaging 20.0 points, 12.9 assists and 1.8 steals.
While those two and their teams have been torching just about every opponent in their paths, the rest of the league (with the possible exception of the Memphis Grizzlies) remains at the mercy of a level of parity the NBA rarely sees.
30. Detroit Pistons
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
Record: 12-39
Net Rating: -9.3
The tank rolls on for the Detroit Pistons, who've lost two straight and six of their last seven. But in that lone win, Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey offered an entertaining glimpse at the potential ceiling of this group.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were without Darius Garland on Sunday, but the two most important players for their top-three defense (Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley) were in action. And Cunningham and Bey still went off.
Cade went for 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while Bey dropped 31 points on 20 shots. Nights like that are few and far between, but fans and the organization can take solace in the fact that talented NBA players generally grow more consistent with age and experience.
29. Orlando Magic
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
Record: 12-41
Net Rating: -7.8
The Orlando Magic have won three of their last four (and four of their last six). Yes, that Orlando. And over the last six games, the Magic have gotten contributions from all over the young roster.
In this stretch, rookie Franz Wagner is averaging 20.0 points and 3.7 assists. Wendell Carter Jr. is putting up 16.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists. And Chuma Okeke has reminded everyone of his presence with a 39.3 three-point percentage.
Improved play from veteran Gary Harris could help supplement that group too. In his last 20 appearances, Harris is averaging 15.0 points and shooting 42.9 percent from three. A team in need of some shooting might be willing to give up some draft assets for him now.
28. Houston Rockets
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
Record: 15-36
Net Rating: -8.1
The Houston Rockets had an action (and loss)-packed week in which they fell to the Golden State Warriors (twice), San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers before ending with an upset win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the victory, rookie Jalen Green went for 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Kevin Porter Jr. added 16 points and seven assists.
Though the rare nights when the two young guards both play well are fun, it's the contributions of the veterans that may earn more attention right now.
With the trade deadline right around the corner, teams around the league are surely eyeing Christian Wood and Eric Gordon. Over the last 10 games, Wood is averaging 19.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.7 threes and 2.3 assists. And despite a recent cold streak, Gordon is still shooting 42.0 percent from three.
27. Sacramento Kings
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
Record: 19-35
Net Rating: -5.2
The Sacramento Kings took time out of their own losing ways to beat the reeling Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, but they went right back to registering L's on the next night. After losing to the Golden State Warriors, the Kings have now dropped eight of their last nine.
And as they continue to slide down the standings, members of the front office have to at least be considering the idea of a rebuild.
If Sacramento was to make veterans Richaun Holmes, Harrison Barnes or even De'Aaron Fox available (assuming the Kings haven't already), there would surely be suitors.
And though none of the above would likely fetch a massive trade haul, altogether they could yield a solid bunch of prospects and assets with which to build around Tyrese Haliburton.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Record: 16-34
Net Rating: -6.6
Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out for both games, the Oklahoma City Thunder closed this week out with back-to-back wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks.
During this mini-streak, Luguentz Dort is averaging 24.0 points and 4.0 threes while shooting 44.4 percent from three. Josh Giddey is putting up 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists.
Those two, aged 22 and 19, are proving themselves worthy complements to SGA for whenever OKC decides to shift out of asset-accumulation mode.
25. Portland Trail Blazers
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Record: 21-31
Net Rating: -4.3
After showing signs of life in mid-January, the Portland Trail Blazers have now lost three straight and five of their last six. The latest came in something a revenge game when Carmelo Anthony dropped 24 off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers.
With Portland once again sliding down the Western Conference standings, it's natural to wonder if the longtime backcourt pairing of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum will be broken up.
The former is out with an abdominal injury. The latter has averaged 20.9 points while shooting 42.1 percent from three in 10 games since returning from a collapsed lung. That should be good enough to drum up some interest on the trade market and steer the Blazers further into a rebuild.
24. Indiana Pacers
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
Record: 19-34
Net Rating: -2.0
The wheels were falling off before injuries and health and safety protocols ravaged the roster, but the Indiana Pacers look like a borderline tanking team without Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner.
Those still in action deserve credit for the effort with which they're playing, but the lack of talent has been apparent during the current 2-5 stretch.
On Wednesday, the Pacers led the cellar-dwelling Orlando Magic by as much as 17 points. But despite a solid performance from Caris LeVert, who scored 26, Indiana wasn't able to hold off the upstart Magic.
23. Washington Wizards
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Record: 24-27
Net Rating: -2.5
The Washington Wizards closed the week with an encouraging win over Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, but that certainly didn't erase the pain of their six-game losing streak.
Since January 19, when the latest slide started, Bradley Beal has hit just 42.5 percent of his shots. He was a negative in the plus-minus column in all but one of his appearances.
All of this is coinciding with what is starting to feel like an annual tradition: the amplification of Beal rumors around the trade deadline.
"For the first time in a long time, sources close to Beal indicate he's not rejecting out of hand the notion of trade elsewhere—even though his preference is to remain with the Wizards," David Aldridge and Josh Robbins wrote for The Athletic. "Neither Beal nor his representatives, though, have officially asked for him to be moved with a week left before the deadline."
22. New Orleans Pelicans
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
Record: 19-32
Net Rating: -3.8
The New Orleans Pelicans had lost four straight before taking advantage of Tuesday's opportunity against the lottery-bound Detroit Pistons. Behind 26 points from Brandon Ingram and 54 from the bench, New Orleans cruised to a 111-101 victory and stayed within striking distance of the play-in tournament.
And though he didn't add a ton to the box score in that win, rookie Herbert Jones deserves much of the credit for New Orleans still having a shot at the postseason.
Jones does a little bit of everything, as evidenced by his per-game averages of 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.9 blocks in 29.6 minutes. Those wide-ranging contributions, particularly on defense, have made him one of the most impactful Pelicans.
New Orleans is plus-0.9 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor compared to minus-9.7 when he's off.
21. New York Knicks
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Record: 24-28
Net Rating: -1.2
The New York Knicks crept above .500 with a win on January 15 that made them 22-21. They've been in a bit of a tailspin ever since.
New York is 2-7 in its last nine games, and inefficiency from its highest-usage players remains a significant problem.
During these nine games, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle have combined to shoot 40.1 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from three.
Over the course of the entire season, the Knicks are minus-6.8 points per 100 possessions when both are on the floor.
20. San Antonio Spurs
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
Record: 19-34
Net Rating: -0.3
The San Antonio Spurs opened the week with a win over the Chicago Bulls, but they followed that up with three straight losses. Though they've hung around the play-in tournament for much of the season, a 10th-place finish is starting to feel less likely.
Dejounte Murray missed Thursday's loss to the Miami Heat with a sprained wrist. The injury doesn't sound serious (he was questionable ahead of tipoff), but any absences from him are tough to recover from.
The Spurs are plus-1.1 points per 100 possessions with Murray on the floor and minus-4.3 without him.
His absences provide more on-ball opportunities for younger players like Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, which may help in the long term. But right now, every tally in the loss column dims the lights on any postseason hopes.
19. Los Angeles Lakers
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
Record: 25-28
Net Rating: -1.5
The day the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook, plenty saw the issues coming from a mile away. But even the most pessimistic probably didn't foresee L.A. being three games under .500 one week before the trade deadline.
Though this time of year is often an opportunity for disappointing teams to shake things up, the Lakers almost feel stuck. They're not trading LeBron James or Anthony Davis. And, given his season and what's left of his massive contract, they probably can't move Westbrook.
With those three making up the bulk of L.A.'s payroll, there isn't much else to move. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported the Lakers are "...calling teams offering a future first, Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker, who has underwhelmed this season, and no one is biting yet."
18. Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
Record: 27-27
Net Rating: -0.7
The battle of L.A. doesn't quite have the cachet it has had in previous seasons. If the season ended today, the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers would both be in the play-in tournament. But in Thursday's matchup, Reggie Jackson helped the crowd forget all this season's struggles with a game-winning flip shot with less than five seconds to play.
The win brought the Clippers back to .500, an impressive mark given the number of injuries they've had to deal with. Kawhi Leonard has yet to play a minute (and after Thursday's win, coach Ty Lue suggested he may not all season), and Paul George has logged fewer than 1,000.
That means a collection of players who were acquired to support the stars have all had to carry extra responsibility. With a platoon approach in which almost everyone has had to outperform expectations at some point, L.A. is keeping itself in the playoff hunt.
17. Brooklyn Nets
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Record: 29-22
Net Rating: +1.6
The Brooklyn Nets have been a mess since Kevin Durant left the rotation with an injury, and that includes the away games in which Kyrie Irving is allowed to play.
Brooklyn has now lost six straight and seven of its last nine. Kyrie has played in five of those losses.
Individually, Irving's numbers are fine. He struggled his way to 14 on 15 shots in Wednesday's loss to the Sacramento Kings, but he's averaging 23.6 points and shooting 48.2 percent from the field.
The problem may be the lack of cohesion between Irving and James Harden. The Nets' point differential is better when either plays without the other than it is when they're together. Kyrie's part-time playing status also means it could be a while before that chemistry is developed.
16. Charlotte Hornets
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
Record: 28-24
Net Rating: -0.2
The Charlotte Hornets have lost four of their last six, and the 115.9 points per 100 possessions they've surrendered during this stretch has nudged their defense down to 24th on the season.
There's plenty of firepower on this team, as evidenced by a top-five offense and the 158 points it dropped on the Indiana Pacers last week, but Charlotte isn't likely to escape play-in tournament range without more consistent defense.
Of course, that could be the aim for the front office at the trade deadline. And last month, the Hornets were reported to have interest in Pacers center Myles Turner, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
15. Atlanta Hawks
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
Record: 25-26
Net Rating: +0.6
The Atlanta Hawks have won eight of their last nine, and they capped off this week with 124 points and a win over the West's top-seeded Phoenix Suns.
In a game that featured one of the league's premier backcourts with Chris Paul and Devin Booker, Trae Young was the best player on the floor. He finished with 43 points on 16-of-25 shooting.
During this stretch, Young has put up 30.3 points, 8.5 assists and 4.4 threes while shooting 43.8 percent from three. Seven other Hawks are averaging between 9.0 and 15.2 points.
14. Toronto Raptors
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
Record: 27-23
Net Rating: +1.1
After a 4-0 week that included two wins over the Miami Heat (one in triple overtime), one in Atlanta and one over the Chicago Bulls, the Toronto Raptors are on the verge of escaping play-in tournament range.
While mainstays Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby have had plenty to do with the recent success, 23-year-old Gary Trent Jr. may deserve the most credit.
Prior to his 16-point outing in Thursday's win over the Bulls, Trent had topped 30 points in five straight games. Over Toronto's last six games, he's putting up 29.5 points and 5.7 threes while shooting 50.0 percent from deep.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Record: 27-25
Net Rating: +1.6
The Minnesota Timberwolves, winners of three straight and seven of their last 10, seem to have found a bit of a groove. And ever since D'Angelo Russell left the lineup with a shin injury, staying in the groove has been dependent upon more playmaking from Minnesota's stars.
Since January 27, Russell's last appearance, Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 6.4 assists. Anthony Edwards' mark hasn't taken off quite as dramatically, but his 4.6 dimes in this stretch are almost a full assist over his season average.
The Timberwolves will surely be glad to have Russell back (their point differential is much better when he plays), but this shift in offensive responsibility could pay off in the long run. It's hard to have too much playmaking in a lineup, so the more options Minnesota can trust on that front, the better.
12. Utah Jazz
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
Record: 31-21
Net Rating: +5.7
January was absolutely brutal for the Utah Jazz. They went 4-12. Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell both missed significant time with injuries. And Joe Ingles was lost for the season to a torn ACL.
So, on Wednesday, the Jazz needed a win in a bad way. And it's hard to imagine they were too bent out of shape that they caught the Denver Nuggets on their second night of a back-to-back, at the end of a six-game road trip and without Nikola Jokic.
Utah took advantage of all of the above on the way to a 108-104 win. And any tally they can put in that column without Gobert and Mitchell (who is set to return on Friday) is huge.
11. Boston Celtics
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
Record: 28-25
Net Rating: +3.4
It feels like the Boston Celtics may finally be turning the corner. They've won five of their last six, and their record is starting to look like a closer reflection of their top-10 net rating.
The most obvious contributors to the improved play are Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. During this six-game stretch, Tatum is averaging 30.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Brown is putting up 24.8 points.
But the most important factor may be consistent point guard play from Marcus Smart. In the same run, he's averaging a team-high 6.7 assists while shooting 37.0 percent from three.
10. Dallas Mavericks
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Record: 29-23
Net Rating: +2.7
Just when the Dallas Mavericks seemed poised to threaten the top four in the Western Conference, they lost back-to-back games to the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder.
While Luka Doncic has certainly looked more like the First Team All-NBA version of himself since returning from injury, a troubling trend with him resurfaced on Wednesday.
Luka went off for 40 points and 10 assists against OKC, but he was a team-worst minus-17. On the year, Dallas is now plus-1.2 points per 100 possessions with Doncic on the floor and plus-4.6 with him off.
That negative swing has improved over the last few weeks, but Dallas might be wise to inject some of the ball and player movement that exists without Luka into the lineups he leads.
9. Denver Nuggets
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
Record: 28-23
Net Rating: +1.6
After a five-game winning streak that included a 136-100 drubbing of the healthy Milwaukee Bucks, the Denver Nuggets gave up a bit of momentum by closing their road trip with back-to-back losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz.
The second is easily forgivable. Nikola Jokic was out with toe soreness. And the Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the game's best five-man lineups.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Record: 31-21
Net Rating: +4.5
The Cleveland Cavaliers trail only the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz in net rating, but a 1-2 week that included losses to the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets may be cause for mild concern.
For most of the season, Cleveland has won with a stout defense led by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. But the presence of those two wasn't enough to prevent both Detroit and Houston from going for 115 points.
Considering the absence of Darius Garland and the 49-game sample that preceded this week, these losses are probably minor road bumps.
7. Chicago Bulls
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
Record: 32-19
Net Rating: +1.8
Despite the loss of defensive stalwarts Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, the Chicago Bulls have managed to reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference behind the improving play of Nikola Vucevic.
Over his first 38 games, Vucevic averaged a solid 16.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists, but his shooting (43.1 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three) left a lot to be desired.
Since the start of their current 4-2 stretch, though, Vucevic is putting up 22.8 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three.
Of course, this is a limited sample size, but this kind of production is much closer to what Vucevic did with the Orlando Magic. Even if he's somewhere in between the two versions of himself detailed above, that should be enough to support the high-volume scoring of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
Record: 31-20
Net Rating: +2.6
Joel Embiid has forced his way into the MVP race over the last several weeks. In his last 20 games, he's put up 33.7 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. During the same stretch, Philadelphia's plus-7.5 net rating trails only the Phoenix Suns.
But this kind of production, as absurd as it is, almost feels like a given from Embiid. What may be just as encouraging is the recent play of 21-year-old Tyrese Maxey.
On Monday, against the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies and in a game that Embiid rested, Maxey led the Sixers to victory with 33 points and eight assists. And though his team lost in Embiid's return on Wednesday, he added another 22 and seven in that game.
Whether it drives up his trade value or solidifies him as a legitimate Ben Simmons replacement, this run from Maxey is good for Philadelphia.
5. Milwaukee Bucks
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Record: 32-21
Net Rating: +3.1
Sandwiched in between comfortable wins over the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, the Milwaukee Bucks were blown out by a Denver Nuggets squad without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
All season, it's seemed like the defending champs are prone to these kinds of mortality-revealing performances. This was just their fifth loss in a game in which all three of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday played, though.
And two nights later, Giannis helped remind everyone of the ceiling of that group. In a 112-98 win over the reeling Wizards, Antetokounmpo tallied 33 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists and two blocks.
4. Miami Heat
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
Record: 33-20
Net Rating: +4.1
The Miami Heat finally hit a bit of a snag this week, posting their first three-game losing streak since early November. But there probably isn't much cause for concern.
Two of those losses came against above-.500 teams on the road. Kyle Lowry has been out since January 17. And Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and P.J. Tucker were net positives in plus-minus for the week.
If the Heat can get everyone healthy before the playoffs, they feel like a bona fide contender. Lowry, Butler and Adebayo have played just over 500 non-garbage time possessions together.
3. Memphis Grizzlies
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Record: 36-18
Net Rating: +3.5
An overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers without Joel Embiid feels like a bit of a disappointment, but that's nitpicking, which is about the only way to be down on the Memphis Grizzlies.
They went 3-1 this week and continued to establish themselves as a legitimate Western Conference threat with one of the game's best backcourts.
Prior to his 23-point performance in Wednesday's win over the New York Knicks, Ja Morant had eclipsed 30 points in each of his seven previous games. And his backcourt partner, Desmond Bane, has averaged 20.6 points while shooting 40.0 percent from three in his five games since returning from health and safety protocols.
2. Golden State Warriors
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
Record: 40-13
Net Rating: +8.2
The Phoenix Suns may have the best record in the league, but the Golden State Warriors lead in net rating. And their margin there grew this week, despite much of the rotation resting on Tuesday.
In a win over the San Antonio Spurs, Jordan Poole helped to make up for the absence of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson by dropping 31 points, including a lead-seizing three with less than 20 seconds to play.
Another member of Golden State's young core, 19-year-old Jonathan Kuminga, went for 19 in that victory. Since he returned from a two-game absence in mid-January, Kuminga has averaged 11.6 points while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three.
His size (6'8" and just an inch shorter than starting center Kevon Looney) and athleticism make him a dynamic change-of-pace option in the frontcourt. And the more he and Poole play, the easier it is to understand why there doesn't seem to be much Warriors action in the trade rumor mill.
1. Phoenix Suns
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Record: 41-10
Net Rating: +7.6
The Phoenix Suns finally suffered their 10th loss of the season on Thursday, but not before rattling off another double-digit winning streak.
The Suns strung together 18 straight wins from late October through early December. And this most recent run ended at 11 victories. The Memphis Grizzlies are the only other team in the NBA with a single double-digit win streak.
A road loss to the surging Atlanta Hawks certainly won't erase the good vibes Phoenix has spent the entire season building.
