Week 11 of NBA basketball is done and a few contenders are starting to climb towards the top of the East and the West standings.
The young OKC squad is seriously challenging Minnesota at the top spot in the West and the Nuggets aren’t too far behind. The Bucks lost ground against the Celtics in the East after playing sluggishly recently.
Today, we will take a look at the ranking of all 30 NBA teams after week 12. There are some surprises so let’s quickly get into it.
30. Detroit Pistons (Last Week’s Rank: 30)
It feels like Detroit is headed for another uninspiring losing streak as they now have lost seven straight games. They recently traded for a washed-up Danilo Gallinari from the Wizards in the hopes of a veteran presence.
29. Washington Wizards (Last Week’s Rank: 28)
This Wizards team is nearly unwatchable but they managed to surprise the struggling Hawks this past week by blowing them out. That rare win might be the highlight of their season.
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28. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week’s Rank: 27)
Even with LaMelo Ball back in the lineup, the Hornets kept losing. There’s really nothing they could do this season to turn the ship around. Maybe it’s time to trade the vets in order to get a head start for next season.
27. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week’s Rank: 29)
The Spurs managed to win back-to-back games this season, which is a rarity for them. Victor Wembanyama’s first career triple-double was an encouraging sight to see. The personal milestone came against the hapless Pistons.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week’s Rank: 26)
Portland just went 1-4 this past week with the lone win against the struggling Brooklyn Nets. Rookie Scoot Henderson was a -83 in his plus/minus for two straight games – by far the worst in NBA history within a two-game period.
25. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week’s Rank: 25)
Ja Morant’s comeback was short-lived as he is now expected to miss the entire season after a shoulder injury. His surgery was successful. Without him in the lineup, there’s no chance that the Grizzlies can turn their season around.
24. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week’s Rank: 24)
The Hawks went 1-4 this past week and one of their loss was against the cellar-dwelling Wizards. They are engaged in talks with multiple teams right now as they are actively trying to move Dejounte Murray before the trade deadline.
23. Toronto Raptors (Last Week’s Rank: 23)
After winning multiple games after acquiring Barrett and Quickley from the Knicks, the Raptors now have lost three straight games. With a relatively tough schedule for the rest of this month, it’s interesting how they’ll respond against adversity.
22. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week’s Rank: 22)
Brooklyn only played two games this past week. The result? They went 0-2 against the Cavaliers and the Blazers. Rumor has it that they might become sellers before February’s trade deadline.
21. Golden State Warriors (Last Week’s Rank: 20)
The Warriors are just 3-7 in their last 10 games and they are looking like an exasperated team. At 35 years old, it’s quite unfair for Stephen Curry to do all the heavy lifting for this team. He needs help but his teammates have not yet delivered consistently.
20. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week’s Rank: 18)
The Lakers went 2-2 this past week but were just 3-7 in their last 10 games. Their fans are getting restless and they are all blaming one guy: Head Coach Darvin Hamm. Anthony Davis needs to be a consistent contributor for this team to have a chance this season.
19. Chicago Bulls (Last Week’s Rank: 21)
The Bulls surprisingly went 3-1 this past week, posting wins against Houston, Charlotte and San Antonio. They could have gone 4-0 had they performed better in the fourth quarter against the Warriors.
18. Houston Rockets (Last Week’s Rank: 17)
This Rockets team can get hot and cold in an instant and in week 12, they went cold. Most of the losses were downright ugly and their lone win was against the Pistons – a game in which they almost lost.
17. Phoenix Suns (Last Week’s Rank: 16)
The Suns inexplicably lost against a Morant-less Grizzlies team and got humbled by the Clippers this past week. They need to have a decent run from now on in order to be considered as contenders this season.
16. Utah Jazz (Last Week’s Rank: 19)
The Jazz is one of the hottest teams in the league in 2024. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games and defeated contenders like Denver, Philadelphia and Milwaukee in a three-game span. This is a team with playoff aspirations.
15. Orlando Magic (Last Week’s Rank: 10)
After a long stay in the top 10 in the rankings this season, it’s hard to deny their struggles within the last couple of weeks. Their inexperience has begun to show and their recent demise is proof of it.
14. Miami Heat (Last Week’s Rank: 15)
Miami has slowly adjusted without Jimmy Butler and after a couple of lineup changes, it seems that they have found the winning formula again. But can they sustain their recent surge?
13. Indiana Pacers (Last Week’s Rank: 14)
The Pacers went 3-1 this past week with wins against Boston, Washington and Atlanta. Even without Tyrese Haliburton – who remains out due to an injury – the team has continued their impressive play.
12. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week’s Rank: 9)
When the Mavs play against strong teams, they might convince us that they could be real contenders this season. However, they will inexplicably underperform against non-contender teams whenever they play against them.
11. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week’s Rank: 11)
New Orleans remained hot in week 11 and as a result, they won 3 out of four games. What’s impressive is that they’ve managed to get some wins even though some starters were out due to load management.
10. New York Knicks (Last Week’s Rank: 13)
The Knicks are 6-1 since acquiring swingman OG Anunoby from the Raptors. Coach Thibodeau is loving his lineup right now as everybody from the roster is solid defensively. This is a dangerous team in the East.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week’s Rank: 12)
The Cavs are on a four-game winning streak right now even with a couple of starters still missing time due to injuries. They now sit at the 4th spot in the East but several teams below also post similar records with them.
8. Sacramento Kings (Last Week’s Rank: 8)
Sacramento had a relatively mediocre week. The wins were impressive but the losses were very concerning too. They are currently looking at different avenues to improve their roster without sacrificing much in their rotation.
7. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week’s Rank: 6)
The Sixers just went 5-5 in their last ten games. Embiid is still out due to an injury and his absence has heavily contributed to their recent struggles. They need him as soon as possible to prevent a further slide in the standings.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week’s Rank: 7)
The Clippers went 8-2 in the last ten games and are looking like legitimate contenders in the West as of late. Kawhi Leonard is back in the lineup and he is showing everyone that he’s still one of the top players in the game right now.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week’s Rank: 2)
The Bucks just went 5-5 in their last 10 games. Just a couple of weeks ago they were knocking at Boston’s door. They are beginning to get some wins again but they might need to polish up their games from now on.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week’s Rank: 3)
The Wolves still sit at the top of the West but OKC is just right behind them. They are struggling a bit right now with a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. But the team is still confident that they are one of the teams to beat this season.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week’s Rank: 5)
This young OKC team is something else. They are on a four-game winning streak right now. They will be tested promptly this week as they are set to take on the Lakers, Clippers, Jazz, and the Timberwolves.
2. Denver Nuggets (Last Week’s Rank: 4)
The Nuggets may just sit at the third spot in the West but they are still the team to beat in their conference. Their recent showing has proved that last season’s title was no fluke and they are on the hunt again to win another one.
1. Boston Celtics (Last Week’s Rank: 1)
The Celtics are 19-0 at home and are still the number-one team in the league. Head coach Joe Mazzulla made an unprecedented move this past week against the Bucks – opting to rest his starters at the start of the second half against Milwaukee. It was done due to Milwaukee’s insurmountable lead in the first half and on the second day of a back-to-back.
