Week 4 of NBA basketball was full of excitement and surprises. The real contenders are starting to assert their dominance while the rebuilding teams are drastically falling in the standings.
Today, we will take a look at the ranking of all 30 NBA teams after week 4. There are some great surprises in this list so let’s get into it.
30. Detroit Pistons (Last Week’s Rank: 29)
The continued demise of this young Pistons team was inevitable. From questionable rotation and inconsistencies on the court, this was not the fresh start they had in mind for this season. There’s a ton of questions than answers at this point for this team.
29. Washington Wizards (Last Week’s Rank: 30)
Jordan Poole is quickly becoming a negative asset for the Wizards. His shooting woes continued this past week and there’s just no telling when he’ll come out of it. They went 0-4 and mostly lost by blowouts.
28. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week’s Rank: 24)
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Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are in a real slump right now. They usually start their games in a dominant fashion but whenever the second half starts, they seem to forget how to play basketball.
27. Portland Trail Blazers (Last Week’s Rank: 22)
Without Scoot Henderson, Malcolm Brogdon and Anfernee Simons, their backcourt is paper thin. Ayton is also frustrating to watch. He went from being a potential all-star with Phoenix to a non-factor on the floor almost overnight for the Blazers.
26. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week’s Rank: 26)
Charlotte’s rank could have been much worse but all of the teams after them had a terrible week too. While LaMelo Ball’s jump shot has been falling lately, the team is still losing at an alarming rate.
25. Utah Jazz (Last Week’s Rank: 27)
There’s a slight glimmer of hope for the Jazz now that Jordan Clarkson’s shots are falling and rookie Keyonte George is settling on his added responsibilities as their new starting point guard.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week’s Rank: 28)
We don’t know how they do it despite missing Morant and Smart, but the Grizzlies were able to get some much-needed wins this past week. They need to play with more urgency until Morant comes back in December.
23. Chicago Bulls (Last Week’s Rank: 25)
The Bulls are still bad but they move up a couple of spots due to their impressive win against the red-hot Miami Heat to end their week. The trade rumors surrounding the team right now are at an all-time high.
22. Los Angeles Clippers (Last Week’s Rank: 23)
While finally snapping their losing streak against the Rockets was awesome to see, let’s not jump on their bandwagon just yet. This team still has a lot of flaws and it will probably take half of the season to address all of those.
21. Toronto Raptors (Last Week’s Rank: 20)
The Raptors went 2-2 this week with both wins coming from cellar-dwelling teams. Against the top-tier squads, they failed to impress. OG Anunoby’s numbers are down and Dennis Schröder has had an inconsistent season.
20. Brooklyn Nets (Last Week’s Rank: 17)
There’s hope that the Nets will bounce back but for now, they are down two starters and things are a little bit difficult for them. It’s hard to bet against them though because they are a competitive squad.
19. Phoenix Suns (Last Week’s Rank: 21)
This team is totally different whenever Booker is playing. The Suns are slowly climbing up the standings and that’s to be expected from a team with a high pedigree. The only issue with them is that their trio of stars – Beal, Booker and Durant – has yet to play together on the court this season.
18. Golden State Warriors (Last Week’s Rank: 6)
Golden State’s slide is an ugly thing to watch. Draymond is currently suspended for five games and Klay Thompson’s inefficiency has slowed this team down considerably. They need somebody else to step up besides Stephen Curry.
17. New Orleans Pelicans (Last Week’s Rank: 18)
Despite the injuries afflicting their roster, the Pelicans managed to outlast both the Mavs and the Nuggets this past week. Brandon Ingram is recapturing his all-star form and Zion has been playing bully ball as of late.
16. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week’s Rank: 9)
After Trae Young’s magnificent week 3, his jump shots have left him again in week 4. Fighting for a spot at the play-in tournament might be Atlanta’s ceiling as a team this season.
15. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week’s Rank: 19)
Whenever LeBron has a good week, the Lakers are going to benefit tremendously from it. Even with Davis struggling, LA was able to thrive this past week because of LeBron’s stellar play. Let’s just hope he still has a lot left in the tank in the middle of the season.
14. Indiana Pacers (Last Week’s Rank: 8)
The Pacers had an up-and-down week. After upsetting the mighty Sixers, they played horribly against the Orlando Magic a few nights later. They still need to fine-tune a lot of things, especially on the defensive end.
13. Sacramento Kings (Last Week’s Rank: 16)
The Kings are on a roll right now. Domantas Sabonis is finally back to his old self and now that De’Aaron Fox has returned, they are a team to watch out for.
12. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week’s Rank: 13)
The Cavs are finally healthy and have looked dangerous on the floor. If they continue playing like they did in week 4, they will inevitably climb in the rankings sooner rather than later.
11. New York Knicks (Last Week’s Rank: 15)
Julius Randle finally snapped out of his slump and played at a high level recently. Jalen Brunson is quietly emerging as one of the best point guards this season. In addition, DiVincenzo had a couple of good games for them in the absence of Grimes.
10. Houston Rockets (Last Week’s Rank: 11)
The red-hot Rockets were temporarily doused by James Harden’s game-winner but it’s hard to dismiss their rise in the West this season. Alperen Sengun’s game is on a whole new level right now.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (Last Week’s Rank: 12)
The Shai-Chet duo has been amazing for OKC this season. They won convincingly against their opponents in week 4. Jalen Williams is also an underrated part of their success. This young team is on the rise and the league should take notice.
8. Orlando Magic (Last Week’s Rank: 7)
This young Magic team is hungry for recognition. They are on a three-game winning streak right now and are looking to extend that even with the absence of their starting point guard, Markelle Fultz.
7. Miami Heat (Last Week’s Rank: 14)
The Heat’s winning streak was snapped by Chicago but that’s just a small setback after a great start to the month of November. Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson are blazing hot right now for Miami. Plus, rookie Jaime Jaquez has become a pleasant surprise for them.
6. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week’s Rank: 4)
The Mavs experienced quite a few speed bumps this week but it’s not really a cause for concern, yet. Doncic and Irving are playing well together and they are certainly feeling that they have a chance to come out of the West this season.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week’s Rank: 10)
After three weeks of inconsistencies, the Bucks are finally battling for a top spot in the East. Giannis was unstoppable this past week and Lillard’s threes are starting to find the bottom of the net for Milwaukee. This team is a legitimate contender this year.
4. Denver Nuggets (Last Week’s Rank: 4)
After starting the season hot, the Nuggets are now in a limbo. They only went 1-3 this past week. The absence of Jamal Murray is starting to take a toll on the team. Nikola Jokic can’t do it all and he badly needs his teammates to step up their game.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (Last Week’s Rank: 2)
The Sixers went 3-2 in week 4 and they are really missing Kelly Oubre’s presence on the floor. After scoring 50 points against the Pacers, Maxey’s game has slowed down a bit this past week. The good thing is that Embiid is still as dominant as ever.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week’s Rank: 5)
Surprise! Minnesota is now sitting at the top spot in the West this season. Nobody could have predicted their rise but the trio of Edwards, Towns and Gobert has been fantastic for the Wolves so far this year. They are suddenly looking like serious contenders in the league right now.
1. Boston Celtics (Last Week’s Rank: 3)
The Celtics are back at the top spot after they dismantled every single opponent while asserting their dominance this past week. Even with injuries to their roster, this team is just on a higher level than their opponents. Jason Tatum wants to win it all this season after years of coming up short in the postseason.
