Week 21 of NBA basketball is done and the would-be participants in this year’s playoffs and play-in tournament are getting clearer as the 2023-2024 NBA regular season is nearing its end.
Today, we will take a look at the ranking of all 30 NBA teams after week 22.
30. Detroit Pistons (Last Week’s Rank: 29)
While the Pistons might think that they want to finish this season on a strong note, the opposite is completely happening. Losers of 6 in a row, it’s safe to say that they would want their nightmare season to end soon.
29. Washington Wizards (Last Week’s Rank: 30)
The Wizards surprisingly ended week 22 on a bit of a high note, winning two straight games and overtaking the Pistons from the bottom spot of the Eastern Conference.
28. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week’s Rank: 28)
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It’s quite admirable that despite the Spurs losing a ton, they are still hunting for wins at this stage of the year. They want to build a winning culture and they opted to play rather than tank and rest Wembanyama.
27. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week’s Rank: 27)
There’s not much that could be said for the lowly Hornets. Rookie Brandon Miller is struggling with his shots and the rest of the team are playing uninspired basketball too.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week’s Rank: 26)
The Blazers now have lost six in a row and by the looks of it, they just want their season to end sooner rather than later. How they’ll approach the next phase of their rebuild will certainly be an interesting watch.
25. Toronto Raptors (Last Week’s Rank: 25)
Losers of 10 straight games, it’s safe to say that the Raptors are never going to reach the play-in tournament this season. However, another year of maturity might do some good for this young squad.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week’s Rank: 24)
The Grizzlies are still putting up a fight despite their fate this season has long been sealed. A couple of young guys are showing their true worth and could become major contributors next season.
23. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week’s Rank: 23)
Losers of six straight, it’s quite a shame that the Nets never truly got their acts together as a team despite having a ton of promise early this season. Unless something dramatic happens, it definitely looks like they’ll never catch Atlanta for the last play-in slot in the East.
22. Utah Jazz (Last Week’s Rank: 22)
The Jazz went 2-8 in their last 10 games and now have lost six straight games. Lauri Markkanen is shooting bricks as of late and that’s bad news for the entire team.
21. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week’s Rank: 21)
Despite Trae Young’s absence, the Hawks remain a competitive bunch, going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Dejounte Murray may reap all the credit but bench guys like Bruno Fernando and Wesley Matthews are making a huge difference in keeping this team afloat.
20. Chicago Bulls (Last Week’s Rank: 19)
Chicago already knows that no matter what they’d do, it will be nearly impossible to get out of the 9th spot in the East with less than a month remaining in their schedule. They have been playing well as of late.
19. Houston Rockets (Last Week’s Rank: 20)
Out of the blue, the Rockets are surprisingly now on an eight-game winning streak. They are just one game behind the Warriors for the 10th spot in the West and the play-in tournament. Jalen Green’s shots are finally falling.
18. Golden State Warriors (Last Week’s Rank: 17)
After gaining some momentum in recent weeks, the Warriors have lost a bit of steam in week 22 of NBA basketball. The red-hot Rockets are now on their tail for the 10th spot in the West. If they’ll lose more games, it’s going to be a long offseason for this once-proud franchise.
17. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week’s Rank: 18)
The Lakers now have won three straight games and they are still optimistic about securing a playoff spot this season. Do they have the potential to reach the 6th seed at the end of regular season play? It’s still plausible.
16. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week’s Rank: 16)
Philadelphia only went 4-6 in their last 10 games and now sits at the 8th spot in the East. Still without Embiid, Tyrese Maxey is doing everything he can to keep this team from falling further in the standings.
15. Miami Heat (Last Week’s Rank: 15)
The Heat are closing in on the Pacers for a secured playoff spot in the East but due to their inconsistent play all season long, it’s fairly hard to imagine that they could somehow replicate their improbable Finals run last year.
14. Indiana Pacers (Last Week’s Rank: 14)
Haliburton is still struggling but the good news is that Pascal Siakam and the rest of the team are picking up the slack for the Pacers as of late. Losing Ben Mathurin was definitely a big blow for them at this stage of the season.
13. Sacramento Kings (Last Week’s Rank: 13)
The Kings now have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games and are actively trying their best to secure a top-six finish in the West. Their conference is pretty much loaded this season from 1 to 10.
12. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week’s Rank: 11)
The Mavs are on a three-game winning streak and went 7-3 in their last 10 games. The duo of Luka and Kyrie are clicking at the right moment and they are going to do the best they can to secure a top 5 finish in the West.
11. Phoenix Suns (Last Week’s Rank: 12)
Whenever Durant is on a tear, it’s not a coincidence that the Suns are also winning. Phoenix is just peaking at the right time, going 7-3 in their last 10 games.
10. Orlando Magic (Last Week’s Rank: 10)
With the Cavs struggling and the Knicks still waiting for Randle’s return, the Magic are pouncing at the opportunity to secure a top-three finish in the East this season. Most importantly, their long playoff drought will assuredly end this season.
9. New York Knicks (Last Week’s Rank: 9)
This is not the right time for the Cavaliers to play poorly, but yet, here they are. They only went 3-7 in their last 10 and now have lost three straight games. If they can’t find the solution to their woes, the Knicks and the Magic are inevitably going to pass them in the standings.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week’s Rank: 7)
This is not the right time for the Cavaliers to play poorly, but yet, here they are. They only went 3-7 in their last 10 and now have lost three straight games. If they can’t find the solution to their woes, the Knicks and the Magic are inevitably going to pass them in the standings.
7. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week’s Rank: 7)
The Pelicans are just a half-game behind the fourth-placed Clippers in the Western Conference standings. The team is playing superbly as of late and now has gone 8-2 in their last 10 games.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week’s Rank: 6)
Since Westbrook’s injury, the Clippers have struggled on the court. They only went 5-5 in their last 10 games and are in real danger of sliding down the standings if they can’t get their act together.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week’s Rank: 5)
The Wolves are nearing their 50th win of the season – their first since Kevin Garnett’s days. Anthony Edwards and the rest of the squad are holding the fort admirably sans Karl-Anthony Towns, who is still out due to an injury.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week’s Rank: 4)
The Bucks are legitimate title contenders this season. Despite the inconsistent play of Damian Lillard, it’s quite known to everybody that he’s capable of switching to a higher gear in the playoffs. It certainly looks like the 2nd seed in the East is secured for the Bucks.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week’s Rank: 3)
Due to a slip this week, the Thunder fell to the 2nd spot in the West because of Denver’s emergence. It’s safe to say that everybody is just anticipating how this young team will fare in the upcoming playoffs.
2. Denver Nuggets (Last Week’s Rank: 2)
Just like that, the Nuggets are now at the top spot in the Western Conference standings. This team is just heating up at the right time and is more than capable of repeating as champs this season.
1. Boston Celtics (Last Week’s Rank: 1)
Winners of nine straight, the Celtics continue to wreak havoc in the league with their superb play and crisp ball movement. In all honesty, there are probably only a couple of teams in the East that are capable of challenging them in the playoffs this season.
