Week 22 of NBA basketball is done and the battle to secure a playoff spot in the East and the West is heating up with less than ten games remaining for each team in the league.
Today, we will take a look at the ranking of all 30 NBA teams after week 23.
30. Detroit Pistons (Last Week’s Rank: 30)
The foundation is there and there’s certainly hope for this young Pistons team in the future. They just want to finish this season on a high note.
29. Washington Wizards (Last Week’s Rank: 29)
Jordan Poole is on a hot streak but it came extremely late for the Wizards. This roster needs a complete overhaul in the offseason.
28. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week’s Rank: 27)
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Truly, without LaMelo Ball for much of this season, the Hornets are almost unwatchable as a team. They just went 2-8 in their last 10 games.
27. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week’s Rank: 26)
Rookie Scoot Henderson’s rookie season continues to get worse as he just posted the most infamous +/- in NBA history this past week. Can he be a franchise pillar in the future?
26. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week’s Rank: 28)
The Spurs won three straight games before falling to a close game against the Dubs in week 23. Victor Wembanyama’s future is incredibly bright and don’t be surprised if they’ll make some noise next year.
25. Toronto Raptors (Last Week’s Rank: 25)
Losers of 13 straight games, the Raptors should just call it a day and start playing their bench to assess who can help this team next season.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week’s Rank: 24)
What a sad year without Ja Morant for the Grizz. They just went from possible contenders into cellar dwellers in just a year. And the losses are piling up quickly to end the season.
23. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week’s Rank: 23)
The Nets just went 3-7 in their last 10 games and in all honesty, they failed to match the hype they had last season. It certainly looks like Mikal Bridges isn’t a budding star after all.
22. Utah Jazz (Last Week’s Rank: 22)
The Jazz now have lost nine straight games and things aren’t looking pretty for them. Injuries arguably robbed this team of their potential but they need to acquire a couple more pieces to make some noise in the West.
21. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week’s Rank: 21)
The Hawks just posted back-to-back wins against the East-leading Celtics this past week without Trae Young. Dejounte Murray has been on fire lately and that bodes well for them as they are solidifying their hold for the last play-in spot in the East.
20. Chicago Bulls (Last Week’s Rank: 20)
It certainly looks like the Bulls are going to finish the season as the 9th seed in the East. They play hard and relentlessly but there’s no doubt that this team has peaked.
19. Houston Rockets (Last Week’s Rank: 19)
The Rockets have won 11 straight games before finally bowing to the surging Mavs in week 23. They are currently chasing the Warriors’ tail right now for the 10th and final play-in spot in the West.
18. Golden State Warriors (Last Week’s Rank: 18)
The Warriors are getting some timely wins in week 23 and now have won four straight. Unless something dramatic happens at the end of the season, it looks like they are poised to participate in a couple of play-in games a couple of weeks from now.
17. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week’s Rank: 16)
The Sixers currently sit at the 8th spot in the East. The only good thing about this is that the Bulls and the Hawks are far behind them in the standings. They just need Embiid to return at full strength before the play-in tournament.
16. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week’s Rank: 17)
The Lakers are just peaking at the right time to further solidify their standings in the West. The Kings and Suns records are within reach and it’s entirely crazy to say that they may surpass them soon if their stellar play continues.
15. Miami Heat (Last Week’s Rank: 15)
The Heat still have a great chance to get themselves out of the play-in and secure a playoff spot in the East with less than 10 games remaining on their schedule. They are chasing the tails of the Magic and the Pacers.
14. Indiana Pacers (Last Week’s Rank: 14)
This will be a crucial stretch for the Pacers as they try to hold off the Heat from catching them in the standings. One bad game could end up in ramifications. They just need to execute better at crucial moments of the game.
13. Sacramento Kings (Last Week’s Rank: 13)
Losing Huerter was a huge blow for the Kings. Add Monk to that list and that should be a heartbreaker for a team with higher playoff aspirations. Those two are crucial parts of their rotations, especially Monk, who’s poised to win the 6th Man of the Year award this season.
12. Phoenix Suns (Last Week’s Rank: 11)
For a perceived contender like the Suns, they are definitely playing a tier below of their potential. With a brutal stretch to end the season, they might not be able to secure a top 6 finish in the West.
11. Orlando Magic (Last Week’s Rank: 10)
The Magic went 6-4 in their last 10 games and are looking to secure a playoff spot in the East this season. They now sit at the 5th spot but it’s far from being a comfortable position as of late.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week’s Rank: 8)
With Donovan Mitchell being non-commital to an extension for the Cavs in his upcoming free agency, it definitely has some indirect consequences on how the team has played recently. They don’t look like contenders despite sitting at the 3rd spot in the East.
9. New York Knicks (Last Week’s Rank: 9)
Even with Brunson’s 61 points, the Knicks still fell short against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs this past week. They desperately need Julius Randle in the lineup as they are currently thin at the low post area.
8. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week’s Rank: 7)
The Pelicans are peaking at the right time and are looking to secure a top 6 finish in the West this season. They will be a handful in a seven-game series in the upcoming playoffs.
7. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week’s Rank: 12)
The Mavs are the hottest team in the league right now. They now have won seven straight games and the duo of Luka and Kyrie are hard to stop. Luka clearly knows that nobody in the West could stop him in a seven-game series.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week’s Rank: 6)
After a subpar couple of weeks, the Clippers now have won three straight games to further solidify their hold at a top 4 finish in the West. A Clips vs Luka matchup in the first round of this year’s playoffs seems like a reality bound to happen(again).
5. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week’s Rank: 5)
The battle for the top spot in the West is heating up as the Wolves, Thunder and Nuggets are all playing well as of late. Minnesota now has won 7 out of 10 in their last 10 games.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week’s Rank: 4)
It’s evident that the Bucks just want to get the playoffs to start soon based on their body language on the court. Giannis is at his peak and has been playing at a high level for them towards the end of the season.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week’s Rank: 3)
With SGA missing a couple of games, it’s quite impressive to see that the Thunder has managed to hold down the fort. Giddey is playing the best stretch of basketball right now of his career and the team hopes he could carry that in the postseason.
2. Denver Nuggets (Last Week’s Rank: 2)
First, second, or third seed, the Nuggets really don’t pay attention to where they’ll end up in the Western Conference standings. They refuse to hunt any potential matchups in the upcoming playoffs as they know you have to beat everybody to become champs.
1. Boston Celtics (Last Week’s Rank: 1)
The Celtics uncharacteristically lost back-to-back games against the Trae Young-less Hawks this past week. The good thing is that they’ll arguably secure a home-court advantage throughout the playoffs if they win a couple more games.
