NBA Power Rankings: Warriors suffer biggest loss of season
Updating our NBA power rankings, where the Golden State Warriors have suffered the biggest loss of the season.
All-Star break has come and gone and so too has the trade deadline. While the Sacramento Kings decided DeMarcus Cousins wasn’t worth a 200-plus million-dollar extension –judging by the return they got in the trade they might not have thought him worth 200-thousand dollars– Boogie was the only big name to be moved. Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics decided to once again sit on their assets. Jimmy Butler and Paul George’s name were discussed but the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls did not find the right deal to move on from their superstars.
Elsewhere, the Toronto Raptors went all-in acquiring Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker. The Washington Wizards fortified their bench by adding Bojan Bogdanovic in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets and securing Brandon Jennings after he was waived by the New York Knicks. The defending champs were active in the buyout market as well. They scooped up Andrew Bogut and Deron Williams from the Dallas Mavericks.
However, the biggest story since the season has gotten back underway is the injury to Kevin Durant. The Golden State Warriors forward is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 MCL sprain and tibial bone bruise in his left leg. Durant got hurt when his teammate fell back into his leg while tussling for position against Marcin Gortat. The word is the team expects Durant to be back for the postseason, maybe even a couple games to close out the regular season, but the question is whether or not he’ll be playing at 100 percent when he does suit up again.
February brought numerous notable injuries (Durant, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith), but it’s March now and that means madness is right around the corner. To get you prepped for the final push let’s take a look at where all 30 teams stand now.
Brooklyn Nets 9-49
Last week: 0-6
Last rank: 30th
I mean, at least they got that Caris LeVert guy right?
Philadelphia 76ers 22-37
Last week: 4-2
Last rank: 25th
After teasing us with a potential Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid tandem takeover, both players are being shelved for the rest of the season. Is that a tank I hear driving around the streets of Philadelphia?
Orlando Magic 22-38
Last week: 2-4
Last rank: 28th
After failing to turn him into Paul George 2.0, Frank Vogel has finally come to his senses and is playing Aaron Gordon at power forward again. Now Vogel just needs to figure out the right way to use Mario Hezjonia and this team might be on to something.
Los Angeles Lakers 19-42
Last week: 1-6
Last rank: 26th
Magic Johnson has taken over and we at The Step Back were able to unearth this secret tweet he sent out just before taking the job: “Lakers Nation: The Lakers mean everything to me and that is why I will give it my all to keep OUR team at the top!”
Phoenix Suns 18-41
Last week: 2-5
Last rank: 29th
Devin Booker is an up-and-coming star AND an irritant to opposing players. Draymond Green and Reggie Miller approve.
Minnesota Timberwolves 24-36
Last week: 5-3
Last rank: 25th
Again it’s worth noting that this team has looked better since Zach LaVine went down for the year. Minnesota will have an interesting choice this summer with LaVine and Wiggins both eligible for contract extensions.
New Orleans Pelicans 23-37
Last week: 3-5
Last rank: 24th
Positive: Cousins and Anthony Davis have been nothing short of spectacular in their first three games together. Negative: the Pelicans have lost all three of the games in the Boogie-Brow Productions era.
Sacramento Kings 25-35
Last week: 5-3
Last rank: 22nd
Vlade Divac said that if the team is not in a better place in two years that he will step down. Does anyone else think that Divac has some inside information about how good Coachella 2019 is going to be?
New York Knicks 24-36
Last week: 2-5
Last rank: 23rd
Kristaps Porzingis is piling up the injuries in year two, an ankle injury has seen him play sporadically in February. However, Carmelo Anthony will still hit the occasion game-winner. That’s got to count for something to the Big Apple faithful right?
Dallas Mavericks 24-35
Last week: 4-3
Last rank: 21st
Mark Cuban thought he wouldn’t have to bat an eyelid as he watched his team secure a top three pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Then Harrison Barnes, Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell happened. Now Cuban is trying to jettison any excess talent in hopes of recouping the high pick that once looked like a guarantee.
Portland Trail Blazers 24-34
Last week: 1-4
Last rank: 18th
Jusuf Nurkic has been a really good pick-up for this team. With an easier schedule in the second half of the season the Portland Trail Blazers should make a run for the eighth seed in the West in the coming weeks.
Charlotte Hornets 25-34
Last week: 1-6
Last rank: 16th
The wheels have really fallen off the train in the Queen City. The Charlotte Hornets have not been stinging opponents like they were to begin the year. [Insert another bad bee/hornet/wasp pun here].
Milwaukee Bucks 26-32
Last week: 4-4
Last rank: 19th
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton might end up being all the Milwaukee Bucks need to get back into the postseason. Then again, with his play this year, they might be able to make it just because of Antetokounmpo.
Denver Nuggets 26-33
Last week: 3-5
Last rank: 17th
Mason Plumlee and Nikola Jokic have yet to transform the Denver Nuggets into the Mile High version of the Harlem Globetrotters yet, but offensively this team is looking very elite. The defense is probably making Mike Malone cry himself to sleep at night.
Detroit Pistons 28-31
Last week: 4-3
Last rank: 15th
This team has the pieces, but not the chemistry. The Detroit Pistons were the team that most needed to make a move at the deadline, yet they were unable to get the right deal even after offering Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Andre Drummond as bait.