NBA Power Rankings Based on Championship Odds (Pelicans Team to Beat in the West?)
By Peter Dewey
The Western Conference standings have been shaken up by Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, who have won seven straight games heading into Tuesday night's action.
Zion has been on fire, leading the Pelicans to back-to-back wins over the Phoenix Suns, who have fallen down to fourth in the conference. The West is competitive as ever this season, with 10 different teams over .500 at this point in the season.
In the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks are dealing with another injury to Khris Middleton, but they've moved to within one game of the Boston Celtics for the top spot.
Plus, both New York teams, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are on four-game winning streaks to propel them into the top six in the conference.
With all of these teams making surges, how does it alter the power rankings in the NBA? Here's a look at how each team stacks up, and their odds to win the NBA Finals this season:
1. Boston Celtics (+340) Last Week: No. 1
Boston still holds the No. 1 spot this week, but the team has lost back-to-back games and looks a little more human after an insane start.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (+600) LW: No. 2
The Bucks are still playing great basketball with or without Khris Middleton, but they may come to regret Sunday's loss to Houston...
3. New Orleans Pelicans (+2000) LW: No. 4
The Pelicans have seen a huge jump in their odds to win the NBA Finals, going from +3200 to +2000 because of their recent winning streak. Just wait until Brandon Ingram is back in the lineup.
4. Memphis Grizzlies (+2100) LW: No. 5
Ja Morant and the Grizzlies are just half a game behind the Pelicans in the West, but they may not get Desmond Bane back until the new year.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (+2500) LW: No. 6
Can the Cavs just play every game at home? The team is 12-2 in Cleveland this season, one of the best home records in the league.
6. Denver Nuggets (+1400) LW: No. 8
The Nuggets are still in the top-3 in the West, and they are starting to see Jamal Murray play like this old self, hitting a game-winner against the Blazers last week.
7. Brooklyn Nets (+1600) LW: No. 11
Four straight wins have moved the Nets in the No. 4 spot in the East, and they should be a dangerous team, if healthy, the rest of the season.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (+950) LW: No. 7
Is Kawhi Leonard back? He had by far his best game of the season in win over Boston, a good sign for the Clips going forward.
9. Phoenix Suns (+1100) LW: No. 3
The Suns are good, but they don't seem like a serious title contender right now, struggling on the road and losing to other top teams (New Orleans) in the West.
10. Golden State Warriors (+750) LW: No. 10
A win over Boston, and a commanding one at that, keeps Golden State in the No. 10 spot.
11. Philadelphia 76ers (+2400) LW: No. 14
Philly is so close to being healthy, and the team is 2-1 since James Harden returned to the lineup, moving into the No. 5 spot in the East.
12. Sacramento Kings (+13000) LW: No. 12
The Kings need De'Aaron Fox to be OK, but they are still the No. 5 seed in the West, a lot better than many thought they'd be entering this season.
13. Portland Trail Blazers (+7000) LW: No. 13
Damian Lillard went nuclear on Monday against the Wolves, and he's showing that the Blazers are a playoff-caliber team as long as he's healthy.
14. Atlanta Hawks (+5500) LW: No. 9
With Dejounte Murray and John Collins hurt, the Hawks could be in trouble for the next few weeks...
15. Dallas Mavericks (+3500) LW: No. 15
Just how far can Luka Doncic carry this Dallas team before the wheels fall off?
16. New York Knicks (+25000) LW: No. 23
Tom Thibodeau's team is defending at a high level on a four-game win streak, and Julius Randle looks much more like he did when he went second team All-NBA two seasons ago.
17. Utah Jazz (+25000) LW: No. 16
Utah is just 3-7 in its last 10 games and barely clinging to a spot in the play-in tournament in the West.
18. Toronto Raptors (+5000) LW: No. 17
The Raptors may be an interesting team to watch in the trade market, especially if a player like Zach LaVine or... DeMar DeRozan (!) becomes available.
19. Miami Heat (+4000) LW: No. 20
Erik Spoelstra's team has gotten off to a slow start, but as more players get healthy, the Heat should make a run up the standings in the East.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (+12000) LW: No. 22
The Wolves are doing their best to weather the storm with Karl-Anthony Towns, but they have a very thin bench with him sidelined.
21. Indiana Pacers (+40000) LW: No. 18
Similar to the Jazz earlier this season, the Pacers are coming back to earth, losing seven of their last 10 games.
22. Los Angeles Lakers (+6000) LW: No. 19
You can't count out the Lakers, but the team really needs to make a trade if it truly wants to compete for a title this season.
23. Chicago Bulls (+20000) LW: No. 25
Do the Bulls blow things up at the deadline? If the team keeps losing, it's going to become more and more likely this season...
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (+100000) LW: No. 24
The Thunder have one of the best players in the NBA in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but the supporting cast has been hit or miss all season.
25. Washington Wizards (+40000) LW: No. 21
The regression has finally come for the Wizards, who have lost seven straight to fall way out of the playoff picture in the East.
26. San Antonio Spurs (+100000) LW: No. 29
The Spurs have won three straight, picking up impressive upset wins over the Heat and Cavs. There's a lot of fight in this young team.
27. Houston Rockets (+100000) LW: No. 27
Houston may be in line for some positive regression, as the team is 5-5 at home but has started the season with a road-heavy schedule.
28. Orlando Magic (+100000) LW: No. 30
A three-game winning streak has pulled Orlando out of the No. 30 spot this week.
29. Charlotte Hornets (+100000) LW: No. 26
The Hornets now have the second worst record in the NBA, losing five straight games and ranking dead last in offensive rating.
30. Detroit Pistons (+100000) LW: No. 30
This season is a disaster for the Pistons, as they have the worst record in the NBA and have lost Cade Cunningham for the season due to surgery on his shin.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.