Official /r/nba Power Rankings #8 (2.12.2024)

[27/30 rankers reporting this week.](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17bF–yJIj8G5O32Ii3aQ5QYAsUf45P6q46mKE4JZbKg/edit?usp=sharing) /R/NBA’s Power Rankings are published every two weeks which is a bit different from most rankings. Other than that we rank the teams the same way as our competition. If write ups are left blank the team rep decided not to submit. We encourage any user to fill in the blanks in the comment section.

\# | Team | Δ | Record | Comment |
–: | :– | :– | :-: | :– |
1 | [](/BOS) Celtics | — | 41-12 | “The Celtics are the first team in the league to hit 40 wins on the season, and they did in the most typical Celtics way possible. Facing the Wizards at home, they won a nail biter 133-129 to a team that has 9 wins on the season. The Celtics are currently 5 games up on the red hot Cavs for 1st place in the East, with a March 5th matchup in Cleveland. With only 2 games remaining until the All-Star break, they for whatever reason have a back-to-back against the Brooklyn Nets on the 13th and 14th. One game in Brooklyn, the next day in Boston. Great scheduling there NBA. ” |
2 | [](/LAC) Clippers | — | 35-16 | The Clips go 5-2, beating the teams who they were supposed to beat (shoutout to Detroit for keeping it close both times), but struggle against the tougher competition in Cleveland and New Orleans. Kawhi Leonard has pretty much been phenomenal all season, but he’s really picked it up recently in lieu of our other stars struggling (26/7/4 on 56/45/94 shooting in his last 10). Big shoutout to Amir Coffey btw; he was stuck on our bench for 3 years because of our previous depth at the forward slots, but since giving up said depth for James Harden he has answered the call. His uptick in play is most likely the reason why we didn’t trade for another forward at the deadline (that and our assets our Bones Hyland and like 2 cents), so here’s to hoping he continues to ball out. |
3 | [](/CLE) Cavaliers | +6 | 35-16 | The Cavaliers had a perfect 8 games in 14 days stretch since the previous rankings, and have won 17/18. Dean Wade has the best defensive rating in the league of qualified players, Isaac Okoro eliminates any point of attack threat, and if you get by them, you have to deal with one of Allen & Mobley… or both. JB is getting 48 minutes at PG between Garland/Mitchell and 48 minutes at C between Mobley/Allen, with both offensive and defensive gunners all around them. We’ve gone from 20th in rebound % last year to 8th this year, and our players beyond Garland, Mitchell and LeVert have made 430 threes in 51 games. That same group made just 421 threes last year *including* the playoffs series… safe to say, if rebounding and spacing was our issue last year, it’s fixed |
4 | [](/MIN) TWolves | +2 | 36-16 | “Wolves maintain their lead in the West and are sending 3 representatives to the All Star Game in Ant, KAT, and coach Finch. Wolves have been able to maintain their league leading defense but have found a way to improve in their offense and been having pumped up their 3 point shooting attempts the last few games. Big second half push to try to achieve heights the franchise hasn’t been to in a long time. |
5 | [](/DEN) Nuggets | — | 36-17 | Another solid 2 week stretch for the Nuggets, highlighted by wins against the Bucks at home and the Lakers on Kobe Night at the Cryptodome. KCP has missed the last 3 games with a nagging hamstring injury, and MPJ is also nursing a knee issue, so expect to see a few more rest days built in for the starters after the All-Star break. As expected, given their cap situation, the Nuggets didn’t make any roster moves at the trade deadline. Although the bench has struggled at times this year, they have become more consistent in recent weeks and there is no urgency to change what has worked for this team this year. The top 4 teams in the West (MIN, LAC, OKC, DEN) have started to separate from the rest of the pack, however there’s still a ton of basketball left to be played, and the Nuggets can’t afford to coast into the playoffs and risk losing home-court advantage in the first round. |
6 | [](/OKC) Thunder | -3 | 36-17 | Happy NBA Trade Deadline to all who observe. Sam Presti made his annual mid-season move taking calculated gambles on future draft compensation as well as making a much awaited move trading players. OKC moves the much beloved Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic and Davis Bertans to get Gordon Hayward who should slot in nicely as a rotation wing for us who has an ideal Thunder skillset and make us more competitive in the playoffs. The Thunder also acquired Bismack Biyombo 5 minutes before I wrote this, so now people can shut up about getting a backup big LOL. I don’t expect Biyombo to play many meaningful minutes on this team, but we have an extra roster spot so why not I suppose. |
7 | [](/NYK) Knicks | — | 33-20 | ASB can’t come soon enough, we’re down to the bottom of the rotational barrel with injury |
8 | [](/MIL) Bucks | -4 | 34-19 | It’s been a weird start under Doc so far with Dame, Khris and and Brook all missing games on a west-coast road-trip. This has lead to a poor record, but the majority of our fans agree we’ve looked significantly better than we did under Griffin, especially on defense. Dame and Brook are both back to being available now, but it seems likely Middleton will be out with a sprained ankle until after the all-star break. |
9 | [](/PHX) Suns | +3 | 31-22 | Suns are 17-8 since Christmas. In that timespan, the team is #3 in offensive net rating, #10 in defensive net rating, and #7 overall. The Suns Big 3 has now played more games together than the Nets Big 3 in a little over half a season. |
10 | [](/NOP) Pelicans | +3 | 31-22 | The Pelicans have been beating the teams they should beat now. But they seem to have lost the spark they had earlier in the season when punching up. Zion is maintaining good momentum and playing efficiently. Trey Murphy has finally knocked off the rust which is a welcomed boon on Zion’s nights off. BI and Zion have to start consistently asserting themselves if the Pelicans are going to have a chance of making it out of the first round. |
11 | [](/DAL) Mavericks | +4 | 30-23 | The Mavs showed out as a winner of last week’s trade deadline by addressing the glaring need of frontcourt depth by adding center Dan Gafford and forward PJ Washington. In their first game (without a practice) Dan Gafford looked great and the promising upside of PJ Washington as a two-way forward was on display. Ideally, when this team is healthy they should be able to hang with anyone given their depth at every position. Look for the Mavs to trend up in February given a favorable remaining 6 games (Washington, San Antonio, Phoenix, Indiana, Cleveland, Toronto). The Cleveland, Phoenix, and Indiana games will be great tests for this Mavs team to see truly how good they are post-deadline. |
12 | [](/SAC) Kings | -2 | 30-22 | Kings not making a move at the trade deadline cemented they will be just another team getting eliminated in the first round.. if they make it to that stage. |
13 | [](/IND) Pacers | -2 | 30-24 | Indiana approaches the All-Star break on – you guessed it- a rather uneven stretch. The sendoff of Buddy Hield coincided with the Pacers’ most lackluster performance of the year in a home blowout loss to Golden State. The good news is, Tyrese Haliburton looks to be almost 100% back from his hamstring injury and set Twitter on fire with his ridiculous off-the-backboard assist against New York. A much needed respite this upcoming weekend will help Indy prepare for the home stretch towards the playoffs. |
14 | [](/PHI) 76ers | -6 | 31-21 | This season, the Sixers have done a really good job of getting all the players I wanted them to get… about 2-3 years too late. However, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth as they say. I am very impressed with Buddy Hield so far and I think he’s the perfect player to have in the backcourt with Embiid. Hield will probably never see as many open 3s as he will see if/when he plays with Embiid. Payne and Lowry are also interesting pickups, though I hope that Lowry can bring a lot to the table in the backup role that seemed to evade him at points this season. I’m still unsure if Embiid comes back this season (and the Sixers seem unsure too), but I can say with 100% faith and certainty that these moves make a lot of sense if he is. I hope this is Morey tipping his hand. |
15 | [](/ORL) Magic | +2 | 29-24 | Came out of a tough 5 game road trip with a 3-2 record, fully healthy and with no trades made at the deadline. The Magic look to solidify their playoff chances with a 4 game homestand before the All-Star Break, which Paolo Banchero is looking to have a busy weekend ahead of him, participating in the Rising Stars game, Skills Challenge and the All-Star game itself. Franz has his shot back, Isaac is showing why he’s arguably one of the most impactful defenders in the league and the bench is starting to find its groove again too. Maybe friendship and vibes really can get it done. |
16 | [](/MIA) Heat | +2 | 28-25 | The losses have finally ended for the Heat but we have lost Jimmy Butler to bereavement today (2/11/24). The Heat have looked much better since the 7 game losing streak and got some quality wins against some good teams in the past 2 weeks. However, with Butler going on bereavement leave it may become dicey once more. We also lost the new acquisition Scary Terry to a knee injury but maybe the remaining players can pick up and carry the missing production. The Heat are still safe for postseason hopes but another serious losing streak might see them fall to the bottom of the play-in. |
18 | [](/GSW) Warriors | +3 | 25-25 | Warriors have gone 6-1 since last rankings with Curry averaging 32/6/4 on 72.5 TS% and quietly have slid into the last play in spot. Their only L was Curry’s 60 point game. In addition to Curry’s play, Kuminga has emerged averaging 22/6 since last ranking. Obviously Draymond’s impact is noticed but also Wiggins has looked better and Klay’s playtime has been reduced, especially in games when his shooting is off. Not sure if any of this is sustainable but it’s happening at the right time |
18 | [](/LAL) Lakers | -2 | 28-26 | The Lakers continue their haphazard season as they beat Boston, New York and Golden State on the road but lost to Atlanta and Houston to round off their 6-game Grammy trip. It feels like Darvin Ham has finally started to soak in the criticism as he’s benched Prince and upped Rui’s minutes and touches which seems to slot both players into more ideal roles. Hayes has been giving good backup minutes averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds in February, which is ‘big’ during the non-AD minutes. D’Angelo ‘X-Factor’ Russell in his last 14 appearances, has notched 24.4/2.6/6.4 shooting 46.5% on 9.2 3PA per game. The team looks so much composed when he’s on because everyone else pretty much delivers on a consistent basis, he does have limitations when physicality comes into play but if he can at least keep up the shooting when games go there would alleviate so much pressure. The team also is missing arguably their top 4 perimeter defenders in Vando, Vincent, Christie and Reddish, specially Vando who was on such a roll on both ends. Lakers added Dinwiddie in a move that should consolidate the bench, hopefully a strong close to the All-Star break and using the break to tinker up the injuries could set the team for a stronger push up the standings. |
19 | [](/UTA) Jazz | -5 | 26-27 | |
20 | [](/ATL) Hawks | +2 | 24-29 | So, #Feb8 came and went and the Hawks made… zero moves. If you look at each of the individual potential moves, then it makes sense why they didn’t happen (Capela/Hunter were hurt at the deadline, Bogi is loved by the front office and likely wouldn’t get the godfather offer they wanted, Dejounte also didn’t get the offers the front office was looking for). However, even with each individual trade being unlikely it’s shocking that zero moves were made. I’m personally mixed on the matter. On one hand, you don’t want a repeat of the Collins situation where you wait to trade a player until their value has completely diminished. On the other, making a panic move (sending 2 unprotected FRPs + an unprotected swap for Murray) was a big part of how we got into the situation we’re currently in, so it’s good that the front office didn’t get into that urge. The biggest problem this team faces is that they have no leverage in trade talks. Teams know that they’re in a bad spot asset-wise, teams know that while Trae and Dejounte are both great players they aren’t maximized together, teams know that the front office is likely working under an imperative to stay below the tax until proven otherwise. The end result is that teams know we need to make a move and can use that leverage to drive down the value. That isn’t going to change until one of those facts change (Ressler, if for some reason you’re reading this the easiest thing to change would be the tax one just saying). I still have a lot of hope for this front office and I think that the summer could lead to a lot of trade action in Atlanta, but that’s in spite of the clearly bad situation the team finds itself in. Pivoting to the on court results, the Hawks have rather sneakily gone 6-2 in their last 8, with those two losses being to the Celtics and Clippers. The team has been playing well; Trae and Dejounte have been falling into a better rhythm together, Okongwu has been playing well in Capela’s absence, Jalen’s been doing his thing, and (most importantly imo) Kobe Bufkin made his rotation debut this most recent game against Houston. Kobe’s box score doesn’t stand out that much, but he was rather good on defense and showed flashes of why he was our first round pick. |
21 | [](/CHI) Bulls | -2 | 25-28 | In a not so shocking turn of events, the Bulls decide to trade absolutely nobody, in hopes of obtaining that coveted play in spot. Just like last year, we are settling for mediocrity with an aging core. Andre Drummond and Alex Caruso are solid role players who could’ve netted a first round pick or two from a contender, but instead we will keep them until their value deteriorates and the walk in free agency. Can’t wait to see the high stress play-in game though. |
22 | [](/HOU) Rockets | -2 | 23-29 | The Rockets always find a way to get close, but unfortunately this is not a horseshoe or hand grenade league. Udoka needs to find a way to get the team to wake up early in the game and not give up a big lead before it’s insurmountable. |
23 | [](/BKN) Nets | — | 21-31 | The Nets are still struggling to find an identity on offense but it does seem Cam Thomas is the best scorer on this team. While Mikal has improved throughout the year, he still lacks a scoring punch that many Nets fans thought he’d bring on a nightly basis for the team. Cam, however, is proving to be among the best scorers in the entire NBA but he’ll have to hone his other skills if he wants to break out of the prison that is Jacque Vaughn’s doghouse. In limited time so far, Dennis Schroder looks like he is a better fit for the roster than Dinwiddie but there’s enough season left to see if that is true |
24 | [](/TOR) Raptors | +1 | 19-34 | More Canadians! It was nice seeing Olynk for three. There are a few positives but this season is a wash ultimately. We’ll see where they end up but playing for the future is what we’ll be seeing going forward. |
25 | [](/POR) Trail Blazers | +1 | 15-37 | Injuries continue to plague the Blazers. As do losses. Times like these you cling to whatever positives you can, which at the moment is Ayton’s play. Over his last eight games he’s averaging an impressive 18.9/10.9/2.1 on 61/0/100 splits. |
26 | [](/MEM) Grizzlies | -2 | 18-35 | Less than 30 games to go before this season from hell is over. My personal wish list is that this team takes our first round pick, and take a player like Nic Claxton or other top 15 center. This team doesn’t need another project wing and our guard rotation is as solid as ever with Ja, Bane, Smart, and Kennard. We need a center, and outside of Sarr (who I’m not convinced would be a good fit) I don’t see a center in this draft that can help us from day 1. |
27 | [](/CHA) Hornets | +1 | 11-41 | Owners and Kupchak finally blew it up. Thank you. Thank you. Mann, Micic, Williams, Bertans, Curry – and multiple first round picks – what a turnaround. This team has gone from being literal G league team and utter garbage is watchable and has a future. Still bottom 3 in power rankings but we have direction now. |
28 | [](/SAS) Spurs | -1 | 10-43 | The kids are tired, boss. All of their last 9 games have been a part of a dreaded 3-games-in-4-nights stretch. The first two were 6-games-in-8-nights, then we had a three day break followed immediately by another 3-in-4 on the road. Not too much else to report really (maybe Devin Vassell’s scoring heater of late?), the team’s just been noticeably gassed and the ASB can’t come soon enough for them. The Spurs have @TOR, @DAL, ASB, @SAC, @LAL, @UTA (those last 3 are another 3-in-4 smh) over the next two weeks. |
29 | [](/DET) Pistons | +1 | 8-44 | KILLIAN HAYES IS GONE!!! HE’S REALLY AND TRULY GONE! We were active around the deadline shipping out pretty much our entire support cast. Bojan and Burks offensive talents (and defensive inadequacies) were sent to the Knicks for Quentin Grimes and filler. We shipped Kevin Knox and change to Utah for Simone Fontecchio – they promptly waived Knox. We also sent Monte Morris to the wolves for journeyman Troy Brown Jr and filler. Nothing of value was lost. It’s pretty apparent that we have a core 4 (Cade, Ivey, Duren, and Ausar) with value placed on Stew and Sasser also. Quentin Grimes should be a big lift with his defensive skills and Simone Fontecchio looked solid in his debut against the Clippers. TBJ is a mystery, but probably will continue his journeyman path. We are 4-6 over our last 10 and there’s little reason to think we will continue playing at a historically poor rate with all of those moves. WE’RE FUN BAD NOW! I may piss some Pistons fans, but this is looking more and more like Ivey’s team with Duren riding shotgun – although Cade, when not used in a heliocentric role with Ivey, has looked good at times (e.g. first 3 quarters against the Clippers). |
30 | [](/WAS) Wizards | -1 | 9-43 | Life does not feel good as a Wizards fan. The first trade deadline from Winger and Dawkins was more of a fizzle than dramatic swings of Tommy Sheppard’s past. In a season where it has been preached as a changing of the guard and shaping the future, holding onto players in pursuit of higher offers does feel a little strange. And the loss of Daniel Gafford — even for a first round pick — is a surprise, especially with the lack of depth in the center position. It is still the first year for a new front office that was tasked with a large rebuild yet so far, there isn’t a lot to be inspired by. Bilal Coulibaly is experiencing the NBA version of the “freshman fifteen.” Despite start to the month of February, Deni Avdija stans continue to act like this is his second year in the NBA and he has so much more to prove (when he’s actually in his four year of NBA play and we have a good understanding of who he is at this moment, probably the fourth best player on a contending team). The common theme for this Wizards’ iteration is to look at things that simply aren’t there — how a good fourth quarter performance against a depleted Sixers that handshook not playing a center means Avdija and Kuzma are the staples of the franchise going forward. The Wizards’ aren’t playing good basketball and they should be recognized as the worst team situation in the NBA right now. |

by powerrankingsnba