1. Golden State Warriors (24-1) —
    The Warriors finally lost their first game to a Bucks team that seems eerily responsible for Golden State’s rise in the first place. Still, it’s clear that Curry’s Dubs are the team to beat league-wide. This is still a historically great team that has a very real possibility of breaking the wins record.
  2. San Antonio Spurs (21-5) —
    The Warriors’ loss opened up the window for people to finally start talking about the Spurs, who in any other season would be touted as the best team in the NBA. With three straight commanding wins and a defense that lets up less than 88 PPG, the Spurs pose a very real threat in the West.
  3. Oklahoma City Thunder (16-8) +2
    Winners of five straight, the Thunder now see themselves right where they should be in the Western playoff picture. They haven’t let up 100 points in six straight games, which was a serious problem in their 3-3 start to the season. With KD back, this team is virtually unbeatable against teams not from places not starting with “San”.
  4. Cleveland Cavaliers (16-7) -1
    With Kyrie’s return looming, the Cavs are hanging on to the 1-spot in the East by a thread. That will likely change, but for the time being the team is managing itself well. A sour three-game losing streak was snapped with a close win over the upstart Blazers and a commanding 111-76 blowout of the Magic.
  5. Chicago Bulls (14-8) +2
    All the concern from last week has seemed to disappear as the Bulls have now won three straight. Sure, they’re “inconsistent”, but Jimmy Butler and his crew are winning close games despite the lagging “return” of Derrick Rose. Pau Gasol, who’s averaging a double-double, is the glue that ultimately keeps this team together.
  6. Los Angeles Clippers (16-10) +3
    Winners of five of their last six, the Clippers are also moving into a comfortable position in the top half of the Western playoff picture. JJ Redick may not want to dance, but team management might: after the maddening DeAndre Jordan drama over the summer, he’s averaging a cool 11 and 13 on 69% shooting from the field through 26 games.
  7. Charlotte Hornets (14-9) +1
    The Hornets are managing to win games with balance, something that certainly can’t be said of the six teams above them in this list. Kemba Walker seems like the default leader, but the next five guys behind him are averaging at least 10 PPG as well, and the top nine scorers on the team are all shooting at least 41.5% from the field. Al Jefferson’s injury doesn’t help, but Cody Zeller is serving as a fine replacement in the time being.
  8. Toronto Raptors (16-10) +5
    A loss to the Pacers snapped a solid four-game win streak that included a win over the Spurs. After years of relative mediocrity, the Raptors seemed poised to make at least a semi-lengthy playoff run. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry may be the most explosive 1-2 duo in the league.
  9. Boston Celtics (14-11) +2
    The scrappy Celtics are top 10 in both scoring offense and defense 24 games into the season. R.J. Hunter is practicing again, but this team has proven to be resilient. Their last two wins have come against the Bulls and the Hornets, proving that the Celtics can compete in the East.
  10. Indiana Pacers (14-9) -6
    The Pacers finally came back down to Earth after a six-game win streak, and have now gone 2-4 in their last six. A 42-8 run against the Raptors sealed a solid 106-90 win against the Raptors on Monday night. If Indiana wants to make a postseason run, they may want to find some presence down low.
  11. Miami Heat (14-9) -5
    There’s trade talk of Carmelo going to Miami, but then again, there’s trade talk of Carmelo going everywhere always. The Heat snapped a three-game skid with wins over the Grizz and the Hawks, and now have four straight game where they’ve allowed less than 100. Their 93.6 PPG allowed is 2nd to the lockdown Spurs.
  12. Dallas Mavericks (14-11) -2
    The Mavericks seemed poised to continue an impressive streak of solid seasons, as they now stand at 14-11, good for 5th in the West. Chandler Parsons, fresh off of major knee surgery, looked impressive against the Suns, scoring 17 – 15 in the second half alone.
  13. Orlando Magic (13-11) +3
    The Magic’s last four wins have all come against sub-.500 opponents, and are just 2-6 on the season against teams that are currently at or above .500. This could signal a decline in the near future – 16 of Orlando’s first 24 games have come against lowly opponents. Still, names like Nikola Vucevic and Elfrid Payton are scrapping their way to a decent record thus far.
  14. Detroit Pistons (14-12) +3
    It’s been a tough stretch for the Pistons after a four game winning streak, but the Pistons still stand relevant in one of the hardest divisions in the NBA. Andre Drummond’s crossover against CP3 was particularly fun to watch.
  15. Memphis Grizzlies (14-12) -3
    Despite the 14-12 record, the Grizzlies’ -4.4 point differential is third worst in the West, pointing to near-certain decline in the future. The annual Gasol-Gasol matchup hits us on Wednesday, and it should be pretty fun to watch – Marc leads the team in minutes and points per game.
  16. Houston Rockets (12-14) -1
    The Rockets aren’t fully there as a team yet. Bad losses to the Nuggets, Nets and Kings exploited a weaker team, and Dwight Howard trade talks certainly aren’t helping. Perhaps a few trades could give Houston some depth – Harden is currently the league leader in minutes played per game.
  17. Atlanta Hawks (14-12) -3
    Three straight losses aren’t great, but they came against three very good teams. Kent Bazemore is back in the starting lineup, but Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha are still ailing. Good thing the 76ers are coming up on Wednesday.
  18. Portland Trail Blazers (11-15) +2
    Yes, the 11-15 record isn’t great. But the Blazers are at a 5-5 clip over their last ten and are getting a better feel for the game. C.J. McCollum is playing a well-earned leadership role on this team, and along with Damian Lillard should put the Blazers in the playoff picture soon if the current streak can continue.
  19. New York Knicks (11-14) +4
    The Knicks finally got a close win against the Blazers to break a four-game losing streak, of which the Mavs were the best team. There’s no doubt that the management is patting themselves on the back for drafting Porzingis, but the perpetual Carmelo trade talks have been drummed up yet again.
  20. Phoenix Suns (11-15) +2
    Make it 10 games in a row that the Suns have been within 10 of their opponent by the end of the game. They’re 4-6 in those games, which is not totally discouraging. A trade down the road could go a long way in helping Phoenix with its upward mobility.
  21. Washington Wizards (10-13) -2
    Make that 3 losses in their last 4, and all three to team under .500. The tailspin in Washington continues, and a fibula injury to Bradley Beal is exactly what they didn’t need. The last thing the Wiz need is a game against the Spurs, which is exactly what they’ll get on Wednesday.
  22. Utah Jazz (10-13) -4
    Yes, the Thunder and the Spurs are both top 3 teams right now, but three straight losses now put the Jazz at 10-13. At a 2-6 clip over their last 8, the team that started the year with the best defense is now 5th overall, while still in the bottom few for scoring offense. They’ll need more shooting off the bench.
  23. Milwaukee Bucks (10-16) -2
    The Warriors win highlights a season of relative disappointment, but there’s reason to be optimistic in Milwaukee. O.J. Mayo is back and playing relatively well. Still, the Vazquez injury deals a major blow to a team that lost by 18 to the lowly Lakers Tuesday night.
  24. Denver Nuggets (11-14) +1
    The Nuggets have won three in a row and five of their last six to drag themselves out of the bottom few ranks in the West. They’ve been getting contribution across the board, and Will Barton provided some particularly entertaining moments this week. More scoring is needed, though.
  25. Sacramento Kings (10-15) +1
    The Rajon Rondo debacle was an absolute lowlight this week. Sacramento’s still hanging around in the dredges of the West, and unfortunately the should-be power trio of Cousins, Gay and Rondo has not been stepping up. As the story typically goes, Sacramento is struggling.
  26. Minnesota Timberwolves (9-15) -2
    Make that 7 losses in their last 8, which could have easily been 8 without the one-point win over the Lakers. Minnesota is falling apart after a good start to the season, and while the prospect of Towns, Wiggins and another rookie is nice, Wolves fans wanted more than this.
  27. New Orleans Pelicans (6-18) —
    New Orleans needs to get over the hump and starting playing better. They’ve lost their last two by eight points total and will get another chance in Utah on Wednesday. Could there be a possibility that Anthony Davis leaves?
  28. Brooklyn Nets (7-17) —
    Brooklyn got obliterated by Orlando on Monday, bringing their record to 10 under below .500. This team will have a chance at a lottery pick, and desperately needs one. No leaders seem to be popping out – Brook Lopez certainly hasn’t stepped up/
  29. Los Angeles Lakers (4-21) —
    It’s nice knowing the Lakers will get at worst a top 5 pick in the draft – this team has a fairly bright future so long as Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell stay in town. Their offense and defense both rank in the bottom five now, and Kobe’s shooting remains absolutely abysmal.
  30. Philadelphia 76ers (1-25) —
    The Celtics, on November 26th, were the last above-.500 team the 76ers got within 10 of. If Jahlil Okafor is traded, which still exists as a possibility, there’s truly no hope for Philly to improve in the next few years. Jerry Colangelo inherited an absolute mess.

    Image from NBA.com

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