The Emirates NBA Cup games brought extreme excitement in week 6, as they were intense and full of action. Despite the injury bug still sweeping across the league, plenty of teams have adjusted to how to play without their stars.
However, some still struggled despite having an intact roster, which is baffling considering these teams were ranked high in our NBA preseason rankings nearly a couple of months ago.
With all that said, here are the rankings for all NBA 30 teams after week 6 of action.
Who are the top-ranking NBA teams after week 6 of games?
30. Washington Wizards (Last Week: 30)
0-12 in the month of November. No, that’s not a typo. The Wizards infamously completed the “No Win November” challenge. The games weren’t close. What’s worse, their so-called franchise duo, Kuzma and Poole, have no trade value in the market right now. With games this week against the Mavs and the Nuggets, expect them to add the number to their current losing streak, which is now at 14 games.
29. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week: 28)
Week 6 was not a good week for the Pelicans. Even though they now have Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum back in the lineup, the wins have continued to be elusive. Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy, and Zion Williamson are all out due to injuries. Might as well wave the flag for a chance for Duke standout Cooper Flagg next season.
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28. Utah Jazz (Last Week: 26)
If you’ve watched the ending between the Lakers and the Jazz to close out week 6, you’d be convinced that this team has been seemingly tanking the games in a subtle manner. Losers of four straight, it looks like they are all in to have a chance at Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week: 29)
This Sixers team is a mess. Paul George and Joel Embiid remain out due to injuries, and even with Tyrese Maxey back, he has struggled with his shot this season. They are 10 games under .500 and went just 3-7 in their last 10.
26. Toronto Raptors (Last Week: 27)
The Raptors had a busy week, playing five games in seven nights. They went 2-3 in that span, with Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett leading the way for this young squad. One of their most impressive wins was against Jimmy Butler and the Heat. With the East surprisingly looking weak this year, they still have a chance to squeak in the play-in games in April.
25. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week: 25)
LaMelo Ball is a baller, no doubt about that. But is he a winner? That’s a hot question right now across the league. The Hornets have now lost five games in a row. The only reason they stay at the 25th spot in this week’s NBA rankings is because they’ve mostly kept their games close in their current five-game slide.
24. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week: 18)
Well…that jump to the 18th spot last week was rather short-lived. The Blazers went 1-4 this week, registering their lone win against the struggling Kings. Deandre Ayton is back, but he hasn’t moved the needle much. Their offense looks unimpressive with him on the floor.
Also Read: Ranking All 30 NBA Teams After Week 5 Games
23. Chicago Bulls (Last Week: 22)
The Bulls are a couple of tiers above the Wizards but are also a few tiers below league contenders. To explain it better, they are a mediocre team, and that’s a bad spot for an NBA franchise. Progress is almost nonexistent, but the chance to fail is at an all-time high. Orlando and Boston made quick work of them in week 6.
22. Sacramento Kings (Last Week: 19)
After six weeks of games, the Kings are 3-7 in their last games and near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. What’s baffling is that despite having a nearly intact lineup, the wins are still hard to come by for this squad. Is this the DeMar DeRozan effect? Is he truly the Carmelo Anthony of this generation?
21. Detroit Pistons (Last Week: 24)
The Pistons went 2-2 this week, which is a win for this young squad. They have a relatively easier schedule for the rest of December, and there’s hope that by early 2025, they will finally have a winning record and compete for a play-in spot at the end of the season.
20. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week: 21)
Week 6 was a tough one for the Nets, but somehow, they managed to come up with a 3-2 record. They opened the week by beating Sacramento, Golden State, and Phoenix before succumbing to the Orlando Magic in back-to-back games.
19. Indiana Pacers (Last Week: 20)
What’s wrong with this Pacers team? Since week one, their weekly rankings have been all over the place. Just when we thought that they’d turned the leaf by winning three straight games, they were inexplicably torched by the Pistons and the Grizzlies to end week 6. Tyrese Haliburton’s shot has all but abandoned him this season.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week: 15)
There’s no defending this team this year. The wheels have fallen off, BIG TIME. Even Anthony Edwards is pissed at the Wolves. Going 3-7 in their last 10 games has convinced us that their run last season was probably a fluke.
17. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week: 23)
Ever wonder who’s the only team in the NBA who has beaten the league-leading Cavs twice? Well, not too shabby for this Hawks team. What’s impressive is that they managed to do this in back-to-back games against the Cavs. Now might be the right time to sell high on Trae Young because his value has skyrocketed.
16. Miami Heat (Last Week: 16)
Even though Miami has not moved a spot in this week’s NBA rankings, they have been playing good basketball as of late. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games after a slow start to the season. Tyler Herro is slowly emerging as the number one option for this team, and he has looked comfortable playing the point guard spot lately.
15. Phoenix Suns (Last Week: 13)
With Kevin Durant back, the Suns truly are a different team on the court. As a result, they went 2-1 in week 6, suffering their only loss to the Nets. They manhandled the Lakers and won a close one against the Warriors this week. Now might be time for them to gain some ground in the standings again.
14. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week: 17)
Here comes the Bucks! Winners of six straight and eight games in their last ten, Milwaukee has shot back to title contention talks after their struggles to start the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level again, and Damian Lillard is beginning to flourish at dishing the ball to his teammates instead of taking ill-advised 30-footers off the bounce.
13. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week: 14)
In all honesty, the NBA would be much better if all three Texan teams were having a good year. After nearly a decade of rebuilding, the Spurs are actively hunting for a playoff spot this season, all thanks to Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama. 7-3 in their last 10 games, the Spurs have been playing impressive basketball so far this season.
12. Denver Nuggets (Last Week: 8)
It’s quite hard to put a solid spot for this NBA squad’s weekly rankings. On some nights, they look like the 2023 champs, but on others, they are a team that’s just cruising without a care in the world. While Nikola Jokic is still the best player in the league, his teammates have been playing subpar this season. As a result, the Nuggets are just 5-5 in their last ten games.
11. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week: 9)
In a busy five-game slate in seven days, the Clippers managed to go 3-2. In two of those games, James Harden went supernova. We mean the 2018 Harden-like supernova. It’s quite refreshing to see that he still can put up great numbers even though he’s lost a step or two on the court.
10. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week: 7)
For the longest time, week 6 has shown us that LeBron James is no longer one of the top 10 players of the game today. In his last four games, he has failed to crack the 20-point mark. That’s an anomaly if I’ve ever seen one. The good news for all Lakers fans is that even though LBJ has struggled, the team still managed to go 6-4 in their last 10.
9. New York Knicks (Last Week: 11)
The Knicks are playing good basketball as of late and are starting to separate themselves from the middle of the pack to the upper part of the East after week 6. They are 7-3 in their last 10, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading them on most nights.
8. Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 3)
After their surprisingly hot start this NBA season, which had them ranking in the top five almost every week, the Warriors have stumbled as of late, going 5-5 in their last 10 games, and are now on a four-game slide. Stephen Curry’s age is starting to show. Not here to bash, though. This team had a legendary 10-year run. Let’s just enjoy the ride while Curry’s still near the top of his game.
7. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week: 12)
How about the Mavs? Even without Luka for nearly a couple of weeks, the team went 8-2 in their last ten games. Offseason additions Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall have been impressive for them so far this season. And oh…Doncic played superbly on his return to close out week 6.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week: 10)
Ja Morant is dunking again. That’s a sight to behold, as he’s been extremely reluctant to dunk this season. Due to his newfound aggressiveness, the Grizzlies are a fun squad to watch again. They have been winning and climbing to the upper echelon in the Western Conference standings.
5. Houston Rockets (Last Week: 5)
The Rockets are a problem. They are out to create some serious noise in the league this season. The team is 8-2 in their last 10 games and is now on a three-game winning streak. They are all doing this despite the continued struggle of mercurial shooting guard Jalen Green. Is it time to move him to a sixth-man role and start Amen Thompson at the two?
4. Orlando Magic (Last Week: 6)
Winners of 12 in their last 13, this Magic squad is for real. What’s impressive is that they are doing this without Paolo Banchero, who remains out due to an injury. Franz Wagner’s ascension from the second to the first option has gathered some intrigue in the league. He is a star in his own right.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week: 4)
Isaiah Hartenstein has filled up Chet Holmgren’s spot admirably for the Thunder. Ever since he was inserted in the starting lineup, he finished each game with a double-double, much to the delight of all OKC fans. While SGA has not gotten some MVP love this season compared to last year, his game has continued to mesmerize fans across the league.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week: 1)
The Cavs had no business in losing to Trae Young and the Hawks in back-to-back games. Does Atlanta have their number? Wouldn’t it be exciting if both teams met in the playoffs in April? They still have the best record in the NBA today, but Boston and OKC are just lurking nearby to snatch that prestigious spot, which generally translates to homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.
1. Boston Celtics (Last Week: 2)
Okay….I get it. The Celtics lost to the Cavs to end week 6. Then why are they the number one team in this week’s NBA rankings? Well, to start things off, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown were out due to injuries when they played the Cavs. Plus, they went 3-1 this week, posting wins against the Bulls, Wolves and Clippers. This is still the team to beat this season, regardless of what the pundits say.
Also Read: Ranking All 30 NBA Teams’ Head Coaches From WORST To FIRST For The 2024-25 Season
