Late January is always when upsets and funky results start to surface in the NBA. It's the dog days of the season, guys have tired legs, players are distracted by the trade deadline, and they see the All-Star break coming and start acting like high school students the week before spring break. How will that impact these NBA Power Rankings?
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
(37-10, last week No. 1)
A couple of home losses this week means that chasing the 73-win NBA record for a regular season is officially off the table — and that can be a good thing, the team that went all out to set that record then blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals. What those home losses mean is the air of invincibility once around this squad is gone. They have weaknesses, including (and oddly) rebounding opponents' missed free throws. Assess just how good the Thunder are yourself this Sunday when they headline the opening night of Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock this weekend, when they travel to Denver — a more interesting game if Nikola Jokic plays, but that remains up in the air. Speaking of up in the air, here is Lu Dort.
2. Houston Rockets
(27-16, last week No. 4)
Houston moves up to No. 2 in these Power Rankings after quality wins last week, knocking off San Antonio and Detroit, reminding everyone they have to be considered one of the teams that is a genuine threat to Oklahoma City in the West. The Rockets' one loss was to the 76ers in overtime, which is another reminder, this time that the Rockets have not been a great clutch team this season. They are 10-13 in clutch games (within five points in the final five minutes) with a -8.7 net rating (24th in the league) and a high turnover rate. It's a concern. The Rockets lost Steven Adams for an extended period of time with a Grade 3 ankle sprain, something that will come back to bite them because his offensive rebounding is critical to their success (the Rockets' 36.7 offensive rebound rate is by far the best in the league).
3. Detroit Pistons
(33-11, last week No. 2)
J.B. Bickerstaff is headed to Los Angeles to coach in the All-Star Game, and it is well deserved — his steady hand and ability to get players to buy into their roles are why the Pistons have gone from a 14-win team the season before he arrived to the team on top of the East. Last week, that included a critical win over No. 2 Boston, keeping a healthy 5.5 game cushion between Detroit and everyone else in the East. With a roster that has a chance to make the Finals as it stands, don't expect a Detroit move at the trade deadline, unless something too good to be true falls in its lap.
4. Boston Celtics
(28-17, last week No. 5)
I picked Joe Mazzulla as my midseason Coach of the Year, and this sums up why: Boston lost Jayson Tatum (although his return looms after the All-Star break) and every center who struck any fear into opponents, and yet Boston still has the No. 1 offense in the NBA. Boston enters a soft part of the schedule this week, although the game on Peacock NBA Monday against a hot Portland team will be interesting — this will be the first time Robert Williams III faces the Celtics since they traded him away.
5. San Antonio Spurs
(31-15, last week No. 3)
Another reason to think these Spurs will be dangerous in the playoffs: They are very good in the clutch. Their 16 clutch wins are tied for second most in the league (with 54% of their games having clutch minutes), and the Spurs have a 14.4 net rating in the clutch, something mostly earned because of their ridiculous 129.8 offensive rating in those minutes. Victor Wembanyama will be an All-Star Game starter for the World team, but maybe we need to get Stephon Castle in the Dunk Contest.
6. Denver Nuggets
(31-15, last week No. 8)
Denver has gone 9-5 without Nikola Jokic and remains third in the West, meaning they can be patient with their MVP's return, but there is another factor at play — if he is out beyond Friday, Jan. 30, then he will have missed too many games to be eligible for postseason awards. Not that Jokic really cares much about those, but it's a factor. With or without Jokic, watch how well the Nuggets are playing Sunday when they face the Thunder as part of the first night of Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
(27-20, last week No. 10)
Darius Garland remains out, but the Cavaliers have found their identity without the point guard — they have won 4-of-5. That identity is centered around Donovan Mitchell, who is having the kind of season that can land him on a lot of MVP ballots — 29.1 points and 5.8 assists a game — and the Cavs are now 13-6 in games where Mitchell plays but Garland is out. Check out Mitchell and the hot Cavaliers for yourself on Peacock NBA Monday when they take on the Magic.
8. Phoenix Suns
(27-19, last week No. 7)
This could be a rough week for the Suns, as Devin Booker is out with a sprained ankle. How much he means to this team was clear Friday in the game in which he got injured: The Suns were up seven on the Hawks entering the fourth (Booker tweaked his ankle late in the third), and they shot 5-of-21 in the fourth, scoring just 12 points and losing the game. Phoenix is 1-4 in games Booker has missed this season, and has a -1.1 net rating when he is off the court. Will Booker hear his name called on Sunday when the All-Star Game reserves are announced?
9. New York Knicks
(27-18, last week No. 11)
The Knicks may have had the most successful players-only meeting in the history of player-only meetings last week, with the veterans calling one after a blowout loss on MLK Day, only to bounce back the next game and beat the Nets by 54. Something to watch out for in the Knicks' struggles of late: If this season doesn't end as ownership envisions (with this team in the Finals), the scapegoat may be Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite some recent speculation, he will not be traded during the season, league sources confirmed to NBC Sports, but other teams are monitoring the situation and will want to revisit it this summer.
10. Toronto Raptors
(29-19, last week No. 13)
The Raptors found their offensive groove this week and rattled off four wins in a row — all on the road, and the last one of those over the Thunder. Two things sparked that: RJ Barrett getting healthy, and Immanuel Quickley finding his shot, going off, and hitting clutch shots. The winning streak vaulted the Raptors up to the No. 3 seed in the East, and they host the No. 4 seed Knicks on Wednesday in what should be a good test for both teams.
11. Golden State Warriors
(26-21, last week No. 9)
Golden State was in Minneapolis this weekend, seeing first hand what was happening on the ground in a city where protests have only grown louder and larger in the wake of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
"There's a lot of change that needs to happen, and when you're here, you feel it..." Stephen Curry said after the Warriors won on Sunday. "It was amazing to watch the turnout and the peaceful protests and the unified voice that was there. You feel that would kind of turn the tide into a more positive direction … and then you wake up and see what happened. So obviously, there was no need to have a game yesterday [Saturday's game between the Warriors and Wolves was pushed back to Sunday after the Pretti killing]."
12. Minnesota Timberwolves
(27-19, last week No. 6)
"For the second time in less than three weeks, we've lost another beloved member of our community in the most unimaginable way," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said pregame Sunday. "As an organization, we are heartbroken for what we are having to witness and endure and watch, and we just want to extend our thoughts, prayers, and concern for Mr. Pretti's family, all the loved ones, and everyone involved in such a unconscionable situation in a community that we really love, full of people who are by nature, peaceful, and prideful."
"Nobody deserves to lose their life, and especially for it to happen in our community is tough," Julius Randle said Sunday. "So my prayers for that situation and everybody involved, and everybody in Minneapolis, obviously, it's tough times right now."
13. Los Angeles Lakers
(27-17, last week No. 14)
In what continues to be an up-and-down season for the purple and gold (they are 12-13 following a 15-4 start), last week's win against Denver is a reminder of just how dangerous a playoff team the Lakers can be (even if they did this with Jokic out). When the game slows down, LeBron James and Luka Doncic will be more comfortable, they both make smart decisions and tough shots, key factors in winning in the postseason. While there are defensive issues, the Lakers will be a tough out come the playoffs. Also, we were reminded in that Denver game that LeBron can still do this.
14. Philadelphia 76ers
(24-20, last week No. 12)
Joel Embiid is a problem again — and that's a good thing for Philly. The former MVP has looked as close to his vintage form in recent weeks as he has in a long time. In his last 10 games, Embiid is averaging 28.8 points per game, shooting 53.9% from the floor, with 8.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists a game, and the 76ers are +6.9 per 100 possessions in his minutes. The 76ers have dropped 4 of 6 but enter a soft part of the schedule and have a chance to turn things around this week.
15. Miami Heat
(25-22, last week No. 18)
The Heat went 3-2 on a brutal five-games-in-seven-days road trip and, with that, moved past the Magic into the No. 7 seed in the East. On Wednesday, they have the chance to really secure that spot when they face Orlando. Miami is entering a soft spot in the schedule, with 4-of-5 at home, and it's a chance to climb up the standings in a compact East. Will Bam Adebayo be named an All-Star reserve on Sunday? A rough couple of weeks for him may have hurt his cause.
16. Los Angeles Clippers
(21-24, last week No. 15)
When the Clippers were 6-21, Tyronn Lue publicly challenged his team to meet a goal — be .500 by the end of the season, a record that would be good enough to get them to the play-in. Well, that didn't take long. The Clippers have gone 15-3 and are now just three games below .500 and in the play-in if it started today (and they’re now forcing a fan to “eat his Tweet”). In the last 15 games, they have gone 12-3 with the fourth-best offense in the league over that stretch. The Clippers went 2-1 while Kawhi Leonard was out with knee irritation, and when he returned he dropped 24 points on the Lakers in a Clippers win, then added 28 in a blowout of the Nets Sunday.
17. Chicago Bulls
(23-22, last week No. 20)
Josh Giddey is back in the lineup, and with that the Bulls picked up a couple of quality wins, beating the Timberwolves and Celtics. Giddey is one of those players on the bubble to be an All-Star Game reserve (and his recent injury did not help): He's averaging 18.8 points, 8.9 assists and 8.8 rebounds a game, while shooting 37.3% from beyond the arc. The big test comes starting Thursday, when the Bulls and Heat — two teams fighting for seeding in a crowded East — play three games in a row against each other.
18. Portland Trail Blazers
(23-23, last week No. 16)
It's time to take Portland seriously. In January, the Trail Blazers are 9-3 with a +5 net rating, and for the month they rank in the top 10 in both offense and defense. Give Donovan Clingan credit for a lot of that defensive improvement, he has become a quality rim protector inside. Deni Advija remains the heart of the offense — if he's not named an All-Star reserve next Sunday, it's a crime — and that was evident when he was out and the Blazers struggled in a loss to the Raptors.
19. Orlando Magic
(23-21, last week No. 17)
What we have learned through all the injuries this season in Orlando is that Jalen Suggs is the most important player to this Magic roster — he is the glue that makes the entire thing work. While there is a lot of noise in these numbers, Orlando is 9-11 with a -3.7 net rating when he is off the court this season, but it jumps to a +8 net rating when he is on, with most of that improvement coming on the defensive end of the court. The bottom line in Orlando is that there have been just 11 games with Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero all on the court together, we don't really know yet what this team is. Hopefully, we find out in the second half of the season.
20. Charlotte Hornets
(18-28, last week No. 19)
Charlotte is 5-5 in its last 10 games, with the second-best offense in the NBA over that stretch (a 120.6 offensive rating), but what is wild is that when the Hornets win, they win in a blowout. Those five wins in the last 10 were by 55 (vs. Utah), 18, 23, 27, and one close one over the Wizards by four. Keep an eye on the Miles Brides trade rumors, quality wings are in demand around the league and a lot of teams are calling Charlotte (although it would take an impressive offer for them to trade him).
21. Dallas Mavericks
(19-27, last week No. 21)
Dallas is heading into the trade deadline thinking long-term, and that includes the search for a new general manager (to replace the fired Nico Harrison). A report in The Athletic last week said the Mavericks have started to vet candidates to take over basketball operations, but they wouldn't hire anyone until the spring (meaning they are leaving the door open for candidates let go by other teams). The Mavericks need to nail this hire, so taking their time is good, l as long as the person is in place long before the draft and the start of free agency. Also, take seriously the idea that Dallas may ask Kyrie Irving to sit out the season if Anthony Davis is going to miss extended time with his hand injury. Don't forget this is the last year the Mavericks control their own first-round pick until 2031.
22. Memphis Grizzlies
(18-25, last week No. 23)
Ja Morant will be out at least three weeks, likely through the All-Star break with a sprained elbow. That doesn't really impact his trade market just because there wasn't much of one anyway (at least at the price the Grizzlies are asking, there are teams looking for a buy-low steal but the Grizzlies want a real return). The bigger question may be whether a Grizzlies squad that has been basically a .500 team without its biggest name can climb back into the postseason mix with him out. Memphis is two games out of the play-in heading into this week.
23. Atlanta Hawks
(22-25, last week No. 24)The Hawks are 4-4 since the Trae Young trade, with their offense struggling (25th in the league over that stretch), but their defense improved (eighth in the NBA in January). The Hawks seemed destined to return to the play-in this year (they sit 10th in the East, but the teams chasing them are the shorthanded Bucks and the inconsistent Hornets). Tough middle of the week ahead for Atlanta, with a back-to-back against Boston and Houston, but that is sandwiched by two games against Indiana.
24. Milwaukee Bucks
(18-26, last week No. 22)
I know what you keep reading (because it drives traffic, plus there are a lot of teams with wishful thinking out there), but the Bucks continue to shoot down teams that call them about a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, league sources confirmed to NBC Sports. The Bucks continue to look to add a key player at the deadline, not trade away the best player in franchise history. Doc Rivers has said there is no timeline for an Antetokounmpo return (shutting him down for the season is not out of the question). Remember, if the Bucks tank (and are worse than the Pelicans), their pick goes to Atlanta; if they are mid-lottery, they likely keep the pick (which becomes a trade asset this summer). Milwaukee has three games on the road this week, including at Philadelphia and Boston.
25. New Orleans Pelicans
(12-36, last week No. 29)
It's not a coincidence that the Pelicans won two games last week once Herb Jones returned to the rotation — he is the glue they need on both ends of the court. What was impressive in those wins was the Pelicans' clutch play: a 9-0 run late against the Grizzlies, then a 15-1 run on Sunday with the game on the line against the Spurs. Can they do that again against the Thunder on Tuesday?
26. Utah Jazz
(15-31, last week No. 27)
While part of this is how much they miss Walker Kessler protecting the paint, Utah has the worst defense in the NBA — its 123.7 defensive rating is 3.3 worse than last season, which was statistically the worst defense in NBA history. Utah "improved" to 1-11 without Lauri Markkanen on the court last week with a win over Minnesota, but the Finnish big man remains sidelined (and it's fair to ask how much we will see of him the rest of this season as Utah angles for better lottery luck this year).
27. Sacramento Kings
(12-35, last week No. 25)
Crazy stat of the week (courtesy of The Athletic Saturday podcast): Russell Westbrook is 25th in the league in spot-up attempts per game at 4.3, and his shooting a ridiculously good 59.6 eFG% on those (mostly wide open ones because teams want him to take that shot). Expect the Kings to be active at the trade deadline, with guard Keon Ellis and center Domantas Sabonis two of the most-discussed names in the league (Zach LaVine could be traded as well, with a few teams interested; the market for DeMar DeRozan is much slimmer).
28. Brooklyn Nets
(12-32, last week No. 26)
Having sat in the Intuit Dome Sunday, watching Brooklyn fall behind 47-14 to the Clippers and go on to lose in a game where if felt like garbage time started in the second quarter, we'll focus on the only thing that really matters for the Nets: Where might they trade Michael Porter Jr. and what is the likely return for him? The issue is Porter's $38.3 million salary, which makes trading him in-season to a playoff team difficult in the tax apron era (the Warriors and Lakers are reportedly out of the mix now). Milwaukee is desperate but lacks the draft capital Brooklyn would want. Plus, with the latest Antetokounmpo injury, they may pivot and shut it down this season. Any return at the deadline may be unimpressive, which could have the Nets holding on to Porter until the summer.
29. Indiana Pacers
(11-35, last week No. 28)
When we said in the introductory paragraph to these rankings that January is "when upsets and funky results start to show up," this is what we mean: Indiana, with the worst offense in the NBA, upset Oklahoma City and the best defense in the NBA last week. It was good to see Jarace Walker step up with a career-high 26 in that game.
30. Washington Wizards
(10-34, last week No. 30)
Losers of nine in a row, which not so coincidentally is when they traded for the injured Trae Young — this team is in full tank mode. Alex Sarr should get a chance to show he's having a good season at the Rising Stars game All-Star weekend, he deserves a trip to Los Angeles.
Kurt Helin
