NBA power rankings: Does No. 1 spot belong to Lakers, Clippers, Bucks or the Jazz?
1. Los Angeles Lakers (14-6)
LeBron James is averaging 25.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists in his 18th NBA season. The Lakers are coming off back-to-back losses going into Saturday’s game against the Celtics, but they still have the second-best point differential in the league at +8.0.
2. Los Angeles Clippers (14-4)
Led by Kawhi Leonard (25.8 ppg) and Paul George (24.0 ppg), the Clippers won nine of 10 after going 6-4 to start the season. They are shooting 41.8% from 3-point range.
3. Utah Jazz (15-4)
After some early struggles, the Jazz have won 11 in a row with victories over the Bucks, Nuggets and Mavericks (twice). Donovan Mitchell had a season-high 36 points in a win over the Pelicans.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (11-7)
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s averages are down slightly to 27.5 points and 11.0 rebounds. More alarming is his 59.5% free-throw shooting. He hit 74.2% over his first six NBA seasons before losing his touch last season, when he shot 63.3%.
5. Philadelphia 76ers (14-6)
Joel Embiid has been a monster, averaging 27.7 points while shooting a career-high 54.6% from the field. He’s also hitting 40% from 3-point range, way up from his career average of 32.3%.
6. Brooklyn Nets (12-8)
Kyrie Irving joined Kevin Durant and James Harden after two weeks away and promptly jacked up 52 shots in his first two games in back-to-back losses to the Cavaliers. The Nets have won four in a row since then with Irving taking fewer shots.
7. Boston Celtics (10-7)
Despite some big performances from Jaylen Brown, who had a 42-point game against the 76ers, the Celtics have lost four of their last six going into Saturday’s showdown with the Lakers at TD Garden on ABC.
8. Denver Nuggets (11-8)
The Nuggets dialed up their defense to hold the Mavericks to 19 points in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 117-113 win. Michael Porter Jr. came off the bench to score 30 in the third game of his return following a 10-game absence due to COVID-19 protocols.
9. Indiana Pacers (11-8)
Malcolm Brogdon had a career-high 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in Monday’s win over the Raptors. The Pacers will need more from him with Victor Oladipo in Houston and Caris LeVert (kidney) potentially out for the season.
10. Portland Trail Blazers (9-8)
The Blazers are 1-3 since losing CJ McCollum, who is expected to miss at least four weeks with a fractured left foot. McCollum was averaging a career-high 26.7 points while shooting a career-best 44.1% from 3-point range.
11. Atlanta Hawks (10-9)
The Hawks have won five of their last seven despite the absence of Bogdan Bogdanovic.
12. Phoenix Suns (9-8)
The Suns lost four of five, including tough back-to-back overtime and double-overtime losses to the Nuggets, before blasting the Warriors on Thursday.
13. Memphis Grizzlies (7-6)
Here come the Grizzlies, who have won five in a row with wins over the Nets, 76ers and Suns.
14. Golden State Warriors (11-9)
Steve Kerr is leaning heavily on Stephen Curry, whose average minutes (33.7) and field-goal attempts (20.0) look a lot like the 2015-16 season.
15. San Antonio Spurs (11-8)
Patty Mills has been big off the bench, averaging 14.5 points while shooting 41.6% from 3-point range.
16. Dallas Mavericks (8-11)
The Mavs might have to make a move. They’ve lost four in a row, including a tough loss to the Nuggets despite 35 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds from Luka Doncic.
17. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-10)
Collin Sexton is averaging 24.6 points per game and shooting 43.9% from 3-point range.
18. Houston Rockets (8-9)
John Wall, Victor Oladipo and DeMarcus Cousins all feel like they have something to prove, and with Harden out of the picture, they’ve helped the Rockets win four in a row.
19. Toronto Raptors (7-12)
Pascal Siakam has really struggled from 3-point range, shooting 25.4% this season after connecting on 36.9% and 35.9% over the past two seasons.
20. New York Knicks (9-11)
Rookie Immanuel Quickley poured in a career-high 31 points against the Blazers, but he was held to six points on 1-of-11 shooting in the next game against the Jazz.
21. Orlando Magic (8-11)
The Magic shot 41.7% in a loss to the Kings, who have been one of the worst defensive teams in the league.
22. Charlotte Hornets (7-12)
Rookie LaMelo Ball is averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists, but he’s shooting just 41.2% from the field and 28.6% from long distance.
23. Chicago Bulls (7-10)
Zach LaVine is averaging career highs of 27.0 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds, and shooting a career-best 39.7% from beyond the arc.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-10)
The Thunder had a couple of nice wins over the Blazers and Suns but were trounced by the Nets on Friday.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (7-10)
The Pelicans snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over the Wizards, then toppled the Bucks on Friday night.
26. Sacramento Kings (8-10)
The Kings had lost four in a row and nine of 11 before posting three straight victories.
27. Miami Heat (6-12)
Depleted Heat has lost five in a row going into Saturday’s game against Sacramento.
28. Washington Wizards (3-12)
Bradley Beal poured in 47 points against the Pelicans on Wednesday, but the struggling Wizards still lost by 18.
29. Detroit Pistons (5-14)
The Pistons are bad but they posted two 15-point wins over the 76ers and Lakers in a span of four days.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-14)
Karl-Anthony Towns has appeared in only four games for the T-Wolves, who have lost 14 of 16 since opening the season with wins over the Pistons and Jazz.
