Week 19 of NBA basketball is done and every team is gearing up for positioning in the 2024 playoffs, which will begin over a month from now. It certainly looks like the top four teams in the Western Conference are already secured but the same can’t be said in the East.
Today, we will take a look at the ranking of all 30 NBA teams after week 20.
30. Detroit Pistons (Last Week’s Rank: 29)
After going 1-4 in week 20 of basketball, the Pistons inevitably occupy the last spot again in this week’s rankings. The only good thing going on is that talented young guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey are getting comfortable playing alongside each other.
29. Washington Wizards (Last Week’s Rank: 30)
The Wizards move up a spot as they now have won two straight games to end week 20. It certainly looks like Jordan Poole will be a candidate for a trade this coming offseason as he’s nowhere near his past productions as a player.
28. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week’s Rank: 28)
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The Spurs had a bad week but they surprisingly won a game against the surging Warriors without Victor Wembanyama in the lineup. It’s all about the learning process for them and they just want to end the season on a promising note.
27. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week’s Rank: 26)
The Hornets only went 3-7 in their last 10 games and 1-3 this past week. They lost by double digits to the Magic and the Wizards. They need to take a long, hard look at this roster in the upcoming offseason.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week’s Rank: 27)
This was not a good week for the hapless Blazers as they only went 1-4 in five games. Deandre Ayton remains inconsistent throughout the season and you might wonder if he’s going to be wearing a Blazers uniform in the long run.
25. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week’s Rank: 25)
Not much is happening with the Grizzlies but at least they are giving the bench guys some decent run to evaluate their fit for the team. It certainly looks like they have found a gem or two this season.
24. Toronto Raptors (Last Week’s Rank: 24)
It looks like the Raptors’ hope for a play-in spot this season is all but lost. They are six games behind the current 10th-seed Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference standings. Going 0-3 this week did not help their cause.
23. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week’s Rank: 23)
The Nets went 2-2 this week, which was not entirely bad. However, those two losses came at the expense of the Pistons and the Hornets. Not a good look at all.
22. Utah Jazz (Last Week’s Rank: 21)
It certainly looks like that the Jazz’s bid for a play-in spot this season is all but a pipedream. They only went 2-8 in their last 10 games and have not looked competitive within the past couple of weeks.
21. Houston Rockets (Last Week’s Rank: 22)
Turkish big man Alperen Sengun went crazy this past week, scoring a career-high 45 points against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. However, things got ugly after Sengun fell awkwardly against the Kings to end the week.
20. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week’s Rank: 20)
Without Trae Young anchoring their offense, the Hawks are struggling as of late. The only good thing going on for them is that they will assuredly secure one of the play-in spots at the end of the regular season.
19. Chicago Bulls (Last Week’s Rank: 19)
The Bulls went 3-1 this past week with wins against the Kings, Jazz and Warriors. DeRozan has been great for them and the former all-star is performing at a very high level right now.
18. Golden State Warriors (Last Week’s Rank: 17)
After gaining momentum, the Warriors have taken a step back this past week due to uneven play and the possibility of Steph Curry missing some time due to an ankle injury.
17. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week’s Rank: 18)
LeBron James and the gang are just peaking at the right time. While they are still far from being considered legitimate contenders this season, they’ll still be a tough matchup once the postseason gets rolling.
16. Miami Heat (Last Week’s Rank: 16)
After winning a lot in the last couple of weeks, the Heat suddenly went cold in their recent West Coast road trip, losing to the Mavs and the Thunder. Not only that, they disappointingly ended the week 20 with a loss against the miserable Wizards.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week’s Rank: 14)
The Sixers just went 4-6 this past week and Tyrese Maxey being out just added to their recent woes. Joel Embiid is still far from returning and they are in danger of completely falling out of the top 10 in the East if they can’t find an immediate solution this season.
14. Indiana Pacers (Last Week’s Rank: 15)
After Haliburton’s miserable week 19, the Pacers are back on track again with wins against the Mavs and the Magic in week 20. But they can’t celebrate yet as Benedict Mathurin is expected to have a season-ending surgery.
13. Orlando Magic (Last Week’s Rank: 13)
The Magic just went 2-2 this past week and were not able to capitalize on their momentum after winning four straight games. They need all the luck they can get to secure a top-six finish in the East this season.
12. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week’s Rank: 12)
Luka Doncic has been on a tear the last couple of weeks and has managed to set an NBA record by recording a 35-point triple-double in his last 6 games. The only problem for them is that they are still outside the top six in the West despite Luka’s fine play.
11. Sacramento Kings(Last Week’s Rank: 11)
It’s quite obvious that the Kings have taken a step back compared to their success last season but overall they are still a respectable team in the West. They have won 6 out of 10 and just sit outside the top 6 in their conference.
10. Phoenix Suns (Last Week’s Rank: 9)
The Suns had an up-and-down week 20 of NBA basketball and that seems to be a recurring theme for them this season. We all know they just want to get the playoffs started but they need to create some good habits now.
9. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week’s Rank: 10)
The Pels have not gotten much love from the media but they are looking like a legitimate dark horse in the West this season. Once Ingram and Williamson get it going, this team is hard to stop.
8. New York Knicks (Last Week’s Rank: 8)
The Knicks are barely hanging on to their current standings in the East as the team is still without Julius Randle, who is out due to an injury. The good thing is that all-star guard Jalen Brunson is more than capable of stirring this team to some wins.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week’s Rank: 7)
The Cavs just went 5-5 in the last 10 games but still sit comfortably at the third spot in the East due to their successful run in January and February. If healthy, they might have a chance to make some noise in April.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week’s Rank: 6)
Are the Clippers becoming complacent? They might be. They just went 5-5 in their last 10 games and are struggling quite a bit on finishing games. They need to bring it on every single night in order to be taken seriously as contenders this season.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week’s Rank: 4)
With Karl-Anthony Towns out for a month due to an MCL tear, Anthony Edwards is stepping up on the plate and delivering for the Wolves as of late. Towns’ injury is really a huge blow for this team as they are trying to secure the top seed in the West this season.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week’s Rank: 5)
While Doc Rivers’ fit as the long-term head coach for this team remains 50/50, the Bucks still managed to go 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are slowly exhibiting cohesiveness on the court and that’s a good sign for a contender like them.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week’s Rank: 3)
OKC finished week 20 as the top team in the Western Conference. That is quite an impressive feat considering that they are one of the youngest teams in the entire league this season. They are certainly contenders, not just this season, but also in the future.
2. Denver Nuggets (Last Week’s Rank: 2)
Nikola Jokic is your MVP, whether people like it or not. The Nuggets have proven that they are still the team everybody needs to go through come playoff time. The Celtics clearly know it as they were defeated soundly by the Nuggets this past week.
1. Boston Celtics (Last Week’s Rank: 1)
Even though the Celtics fell against the Nuggets this past week, they still retained the top spot in this week’s rankings due to their superior regular season record over everybody else in the entire league. However, if they want teams to take them seriously, then Jayson Tatum needs to establish himself as the star of this team and not defer to his teammates when things are tough.
