For as a lot as Luka Doncic does for his crew on the courtroom, his crew does that a lot much less when he is not on the courtroom. The Dallas Mavericks have recentered themselves inside the Western convention playoff picture courtesy of their youthful film star, however they’ve did not understand momentum regardless of Doncic’s nightly MVP performances.
The Mavericks are one among many few teams inside the Western convention playoff picture which have not seen first place. The streaky West has seen 9 utterly different teams spend a day in first place up to now this season, per ESPN Stats & information evaluation, and a lot of of which do not boast a expertise like Doncic.
Now the door might even be closing for Dallas to make a run to the greater of the convention, as a consequence of the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies are placing their toes on the gasoline with six and 10-sport worthwhile streaks, respectively.
The Boston Celtics might be outpacing anyone inside the japanese convention. The crew that has spent a lot of the yr with the NBA’s best report has put collectively a seven-sport worthwhile streak and has returned to its early-season form.
word: all by way of the common season, our panel (Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is rating all 30 teams from prime to backside, taking inventory of which teams are taking half in the proper basketball now and which teams are trying most like title contenders.
earlier rankings: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week three | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week eight | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week eleven | Week 12 | Week thirteen
1. Boston Celtics
2022-23 report: 33-12
earlier rating: 1
After being twenty seventh in offensive rating in December, Boston has catapulted again as a lot as sixth in January, thanks partly to their taking pictures normalizing as quickly as extra. With space opening up between them and Milwaukee and Philadelphia in second and third, respectively, it is starting to appear to be the Celtics might have the prospect to run away and conceal inside the race for the best spot inside the convention. — Bontemps
2. Denver Nuggets
2022-23 report: 31-thirteen
earlier rating: 2
Nikola Jokic is making a extreme case for his third consecutive MVP with how he is main the Nuggets, however Denver proved in opposition to the la Clippers that they will nonetheless obtain success with out their triple-double machine coronary heart. that ought to make the league fearful of what the Nuggets might proceed to try this season. — Andrews
three. Memphis Grizzlies
2022-23 report: 30-thirteen
earlier rating: three
Desmond Bane needs to see how he fares when his minutes get pushed into the greater 30s earlier than declaring himself completely again from the toe damage that sidelined him for better than a month, however Bane’s taking pictures has truly returned to form. He has averaged 22 factors inside the final 5 video games whereas taking pictures fifty one.9% from the floor and fifty nine.4% from three-level differ. The scorching Grizzlies are winners of 10 in a row and have outscored opponents by 19 factors per one hundred possessions with Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bane on the floor this season. — MacMahon
4. Milwaukee Bucks
2022-23 report: 29-sixteen
earlier rating: 5
Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his fourth straight sport on Tuesday in opposition to the Raptors with left knee soreness as Milwaukee needed to protect cautious with their star, nonetheless the Bucks do not play their subsequent sport till Saturday evening time. Antetokounmpo has gone by way of his normal pregame routine regardless of not taking half in in latest video games. — Collier
5. Brooklyn Nets
2022-23 report: 27-sixteen
earlier rating: 4
It seems like deja vu one other time for the Nets, who simply aren’t the identical with out Kevin Durant. The Nets come into Thursday’s sport in opposition to Phoenix having misplaced three straight after worthwhile 18 of 20 with Durant healthful. The offensive rhythm hasn’t been there, and the protection has been inconsistent with out one among its key gamers on the floor. The Nets went 5-sixteen with out Durant final season whereas he rehabbed an MCL damage in his left knee. they seem headed for the identical destiny besides issues flip round shortly as he rehabs an MCL in his proper knee this yr. — Friedell
6. Philadelphia 76ers
2022-23 report: 28-sixteen
earlier rating: 7
do not look now, however Philadelphia is sitting at third inside the East, and has gone 27-12 since a 1-4 start to the advertising campaign. What was purported to be an limitless sport in opposition to Brooklyn subsequent week has misplaced some luster with Kevin Durant taking place with an MCL sprain, nonetheless the 76ers are trying like every little bit of the risk to make a deep playoff run they hoped to be when the season started. — Bontemps
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
2022-23 report: 28-17
earlier rating: 6
Darius Garland‘s 30 factors and eleven assists in a win over an excellent, albeit Zion Williamson-much less New Orleans Pelicans crew, was spectacular, nonetheless the proper second from Monday’s sport was hilariously captured by Richard Jefferson’s Instagram account. i suppose that is what reminiscing with regard to the 2018 NBA Finals run appears like between Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. — McMenamin
eight. Miami warmth
2022-23 report: 24-21
earlier rating: 14
Miami picked up again-to-again wins in opposition to the Bucks earlier than dropping Monday’s sport to Atlanta — inside the midst of a troublesome week which incorporates two video games in opposition to the Pelicans and a gathering with each the Celtics and Mavericks. Jimmy Butler seems to be discovering a groove as quickly as extra as evidenced by the 23 factors he is averaging in January and the 34 factors he scored in Monday’s loss to the Hawks. — Friedell
9. Sacramento Kings
2022-23 report: 24-18
earlier rating: 12
The Kings obtained all 4 of their video games final week and scored no fewer than 132 in any of their wins, which is clever since their offense leads the league in factors per sport. Their scoring makes up for his or her protection, however after they will decide that out, the Kings’ beam might shine even brighter. — Andrews
10. Dallas Mavericks
2022-23 report: 24-21
earlier rating: 9
With half of the rotation injured, the Mavs have been engaged on fumes by the prime of a 5-sport avenue journey. The lone win on the journey bought here in double overtime over the l. a. Lakers, when Doncic performed a profession-extreme fifty three minutes. He was held to a season-low 15 factors in a loss in Portland two nights later and sat out the second finish of the again-to-again, as he is accomplished 5 occasions this season. — MacMahon
eleven. the new york Knicks
2022-23 report: 25-20
earlier rating: thirteen
the new york was a quantity of inches away from an splendid 4-zero week, with Jalen Brunson‘s sport-worthwhile three-pointer ending up simply prolonged in Monday’s wild matinee loss in overtime to Toronto. nonetheless, the Knicks proceed to sit down in sixth inside the japanese convention, and Jalen Brunson is averaging extra factors than anyone however Joel Embiid amongst East gamers inside the month of January. Brunson might even be representing the new york inside the All-Star sport subsequent month. — Bontemps
12. New Orleans Pelicans
2022-23 report: 26-18
earlier rating: eight
regardless of Brandon Ingram not taking half in since Nov. 25, and Zion Williamson and Herb Jones being restricted to merely 29 video games this season as a consequence of accidents, the Pelicans are nonetheless 26-18 and in third place inside the Western convention. Staying shut to the greater of the standings has rather a lot to do with the play of CJ McCollum. inside the final sixteen video games, McCollum is averaging 27.zero factors per sport and taking pictures forty seven.9% from deep. In that stretch, McCollum has hit 70 three-pointers. solely Buddy Hield and LaMelo Ball (each at seventy one) have hit extra. — Lopez
thirteen. LA Clippers
2022-23 report: 23-23
earlier rating: 15
The Clippers bought Paul George again from a hamstring damage that price him 5 consecutive video games. however George’s return was not ample for the Clippers to beat the Sixers or a quantity of of the factors they’ve had in dropping eight of their previous 10 video games. The Clippers’ offense stalls, they flip the ball over an extreme quantity of, can not rebound at occasions and lack continuity. With John Wall (stomach) out a minimal of two weeks and Luke Kennard (calf) nonetheless out, the Clippers want Reggie Jackson, whose again tightened up Tuesday, to protect healthful. — Youngmisuk
14. Golden State Warriors
2022-23 report: 22-22
earlier rating: eleven
the troopers are caught in a cycle: Put collectively an okay sport and uncover a possibility to close out inside the fourth quarter, then lose the following sport and repeat. When requested why they’ve not been in a place to string collectively fixed play, nobody seems to know the reply. till they decide that out, they might proceed to hover round .500 and simply hope they flip a nook quickly. — Andrews
15. Indiana Pacers
2022-23 report: 23-22
earlier rating: 10
Indiana is already discovering out how tough life with out Tyrese Haliburton goes to be. they’ve dropped three video games in a row since Haliburton injured his elbow final Wednesday and the Pacers are going to be with out their rising star level guard for a minimal of two weeks. — Collier
sixteen. Atlanta Hawks
2022-23 report: 22-22
earlier rating: 20
With Clint Capela dealing with a calf damage, Onyeka Okongwu made most seemingly the most of his minutes in his absence. On Friday in opposition to the Indiana Pacers, Okongwu tied his season extreme with 18 factors and set a mannequin new profession extreme with 20 rebounds, besting his earlier profession mark by 5. Okongwu had 18 factors and thirteen rebounds inside the important half, marking the important time in his profession he had a double-double in a single half. — Lopez
17. Utah Jazz
2022-23 report: 23-24
earlier rating: 21
in response to the Elias sports activities Bureau, rookie coronary heart Walker Kessler is the important participant to common a double-double whereas taking pictures a minimal of 70% from the floor in his first 10 begins since starters have been first tracked on subject scores in 1970-seventy one. collectively with his efficiency Monday in opposition to the Timberwolves — the crew that traded him to Utah inside the Rudy Gobert deal — Kessler joined Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning as a consequence of the one rookies since 1990 to have 20/20 nights whereas taking pictures a minimal of sixty five% from the floor. — MacMahon
18. Oklahoma metropolis Thunder
2022-23 report: 21-23
earlier rating: 25
Oklahoma metropolis has obtained 5 of its final six video games, and Josh Giddey has performed a quantity of of his best basketball up to now all by way of that stretch. The 20-yr-outdated is averaging 20.2 factors, eight.2 rebounds and seven.eight assists inside the final six video games and capped that off with a 28-level efficiency in Sunday’s win in opposition to the Nets. The 28 factors ties Giddey’s profession extreme which he set final February in opposition to the Knicks. — Lopez
19. Phoenix Suns
2022-23 report: 21-24
earlier rating: sixteen
The wheels are starting to return off for final season’s chief in wins by way of the eighty two-sport slate. Phoenix has misplaced 9 out of its final 10, collectively with a 29-level drilling in Denver and a 30-level blowout loss to Memphis. As if it wasn’t already pressing for the Suns to discover a commerce companion for Jae Crowder, assist can not come quickly ample. — McMenamin
20. Minnesota Timberwolves
2022-23 report: 22-23
earlier rating: 17
The Timberwolves are nonetheless figuring it out, however they’ve obtained six of their final eight video games. The factor is, they’re nonetheless with out Karl Anthony-cities. sure, he is their franchise participant, nonetheless the chemistry between him and Rudy Gobert was absent to start out the yr. So, how will they mesh as quickly as he is returned? — Andrews
21. Portland path Blazers
2022-23 report: 21-23
earlier rating: 18
The Blazers halted a 5-sport skid on the again of Damian Lillard, who led them to again-to-again wins at dwelling in opposition to Dallas. Lillard is heating up with 35 or extra factors in 4 straight video games. nonetheless, Lillard’s forty 4-level sport wasn’t ample to upset Jokic in Denver. With the following six video games at dwelling, Portland has an alternative to make up for its slide. — Youngmisuk
22. l. a. Lakers
2022-23 report: 20-24
earlier rating: 19
It wasn’t the loudest of endorsements, and it virtually went unnoticed, as a consequence of it bought here inside the aftermath of a disappointing final-second loss to Philadelphia, however LeBron James acknowledged some development inside the Lakers this week. “We’re greater than the start of the season,” James mentioned. The Lakers are 18-14 since their 2-10 start and will even be getting Anthony Davis again inside the lineup in a pair of week. maybe the canine days are over. — McMenamin
23. Chicago Bulls
2022-23 report: 20-24
earlier rating: 22
DeMar DeRozan, who missed the final three video games with a proper quad stress, mentioned he plans to play by way of the Bulls’ lone sport this week in Paris on Thursday in opposition to the Detroit Pistons. Chicago went 1-2 with out their main scorer, who’s placing up one other season worthy of All-Star consideration, averaging 26-5-5 on fifty one% taking pictures. — Collier
24. Toronto Raptors
2022-23 report: 20-25
earlier rating: 23
Toronto’s topsy-turvy season continued over the weekend, with disappointing losses in winnable video games in opposition to Atlanta and a depleted Milwaukee crew, sandwiched round an thrilling overtime win over the Knicks throughout the previous few days. Time is working out for the Raptors to salvage their season earlier than some arduous selections should be made forward of subsequent month’s commerce deadline. — Bontemps
25. Washington Wizards
2022-23 report: 18-26
earlier rating: 24
The Wizards have dropped 5 of their final six since Bradley Beal injured his hamstring early in Milwaukee on Jan. three. Beal was dominated out earlier than the Wizards’ final sport in opposition to Golden State, so he might even be nearing a return. Washington wants Beal again quickly with six of the following seven video games on the avenue. — Youngmisuk
26. Orlando Magic
2022-23 report: sixteen-28
earlier rating: 26
Orlando is lastly dwelling as quickly as extra after an up-and-down 5-sport West Coast swing. whereas Jokic broke their hearts by knocking a sport-worthwhile three on the buzzer on Sunday, the Magic proceed to level out indicators of enchancment. Markelle Fultz had 20 factors in Sunday’s loss and is averaging 14.1 factors, 6.three assists and 4.1 rebounds over seven video games in January. — Friedell
27. Charlotte Hornets
2022-23 report: eleven-34
earlier rating: 28
The losses simply preserve piling up in Charlotte. The Hornets have dropped 5 straight video games and have given up a imply of 124.eight factors per sport over that stretch. A small brilliant spot? LaMelo Ball is averaging 28 factors over his final 4 video games. — Friedell
28. San Antonio Spurs
2022-23 report: 14-31
earlier rating: 27
The Spurs set a mannequin new NBA attendance report on Friday evening time with sixty eight,323 people contained in the Alamodome — the crew’s former dwelling. sadly for Spurs followers, the troopers have been on the metropolis and performed spoiler to San Antonio’s homecoming. The one hundred forty 4-113 loss narrowly averted being the Spurs’ worst loss ever inside the Alamodome (33 factors to the Raptors in Feb. 1997), however it absolutely was most seemingly the most factors the crew had ever allowed there in 354 video games. — Lopez
29. Detroit Pistons
2022-23 report: 12-35
earlier rating: 29
Pistons guard Killian Hayes grew up in Cholet, France, and performed professionally in France for two years earlier than getting drafted in 2020. He returns to the courtroom in his dwelling nation for Detroit’s sport in opposition to Chicago in Paris on Thursday. — Collier
30. Houston Rockets
2022-23 report: 10-34
earlier rating: 30
Alperen Sengun has been a extreme brilliant spot for the Rockets inside the midst of an eleven-sport dropping streak. a quantity of video games after altering into the youngest participant in franchise historic previous to report a triple-double, the 20-yr-outdated huge man had 33 factors on 14-of-17 taking pictures, 15 rebounds, six assists and 4 blocks in Monday’s loss to the Lakers. He joined Kevin Garnett, Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing as a consequence of the one gamers to publish 30-15-5 traces on eighty% taking pictures since 1995, in response to ESPN Stats & information evaluation. — MacMahon
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