The Oklahoma City Thunder are apparently beatable, but they're still the best team in the NBA by a decent margin. Beyond that, everything feels like it's up for grabs right now.
The best teams in the Eastern Conference are separating themselves from the pack and moving up the power rankings, even if they still have a lot to prove against the best in the west. Preseason contenders like the Cavs and Clippers are fighting for survival, while teams like the Suns and Grizzlies have bounced back from slow starts to jump into the playoff race.
The only other certainty is the Washington Wizards, the polar opposite of the Thunder, locked into the bottom spot for the eighth week in a row.
NBA Power Rankings, Week 10
TEAM | RECORD | LAST WEEK |
|---|---|---|
1. Oklahoma City Thunder | 28-5 | 1 |
2. San Antonio Spurs | 23-9 | 2 |
3. Detroit Pistons | 24-8 | 5 |
4. New York Knicks | 23-9 | 6 |
5. Boston Celtics | 19-12 | 8 |
6. Denver Nuggets | 22-10 | 4 |
7. Houston Rockets | 20-10 | 3 |
8. Minnesota Timberwolves | 21-12 | 9 |
9. Golden State Warriors | 17-16 | 14 |
10. Miami Heat | 15-14 | 11 |
11. Phoenix Suns | 19-13 | 16 |
12. Orlando Magic | 18-15 | 7 |
13. Los Angeles Lakers | 20-10 | 10 |
14. Toronto Raptors | 20-14 | 12 |
15. Memphis Grizzlies | 15-17 | 18 |
16. Philadelphia 76ers | 16-14 | 17 |
17. Cleveland Cavaliers | 18-16 | 13 |
18. Los Angeles Clippers | 10-21 | 27 |
19. Portland Trail Blazers | 12-16 | 19 |
20. Brooklyn Nets | 10-20 | 26 |
21. Dallas Mavericks | 12-22 | 22 |
22. Milwaukee Bucks | 14-19 | 20 |
23. Chicago Bulls | 15-17 | 21 |
24. Atlanta Hawks | 15-19 | 15 |
25. Charlotte Hornets | 11-21 | 24 |
26. Utah Jazz | 12-19 | 23 |
27. New Orleans Pelicans | 8-26 | 28 |
28. Sacramento Kings | 8-24 | 29 |
29. Indiana Pacers | 6-27 | 25 |
30. Washington Wizards | 7-24 | 30 |
The Atlanta Hawks are plummeting
The wheels have completely come off for the Atlanta Hawks, who now own a seven-game losing streak. That slide began with the return of Trae Young, who missed 22 games with a knee sprain — although he's only played in five of these seven losses. You don't want to lay everything at his feet, but ... well ... I'm not really sure how to finish that sentence.
The Hawks have been giving up 124.1 points per 100 possessions since Young returned and, across the entire season, given up 126.2 when he's been on the court. As a reference point, the worst defense in the league this season is the Washington Wizards, who have surrendered 121.9 points per 100 possessions. Even when you factor in his offensive contributions, the Hawks have been outscored by 5.9 points per 100 possessions with him on the court this season, and essentially played even with their opponents when he's been out.
The Hawks are now not-so-subtly broadcasting that they're open to trading Young, but his value has to be cratering given all of these data points, plus his ball dominant offensive style and the enormous contract he's going to be seeking. The Hawks are not also talking about trading last year's No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher, and even including him and his raw potential might not be enough to find a buyer for Young.
The good news is that Jalen Johnson is still a budding star, Dyson Daniels is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and they have the Pelicans unprotected No. 1 pick, which currently has a better than 50 percent chance of landing in the top four. There's still a bright future here, but things might get worse before they get better.
The Brooklyn Nets are looking frisky
The Nets have crawled out of the basement, maybe just briefly, going 7-4 in their last 11. Michael Porter Jr. has been phenomenal, carrying the offense and averaging 28.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists over this stretch on a 66.2 true shooting percentage. But the real key has been their improved defense.
They've benefited from playing an easier schedule, but they've only allowed 105.4 points per 100 possessions over this stretch, about the same as the season-long mark of the Thunder. They've made progress by tightening up a lot of the little things — forcing more turnovers and keeping opponents off the offensive glass. They've benefited from some cold shooting from opponents on wide-open 3-pointers, but they've done a phenomenal job defending at the arc and limiting the number of open looks.
On paper, the strength (a relative term) of this roster should be at the offensive end, with Porter Jr.'s shooting anchoring a group of budding young creators. But instead it's been the active hands of Day'Ron Sharpe (first among all centers in deflections per minute) and the rim protection of Nic Claxton providing the foundation for an aggressive, swarming perimeter defense.
The Boston Celtics are cooking
The Celtics have been overshadowed by the Pistons and the Knicks, but they're firmly in the same tier and a legit contender in the East, even if Jayson Tatum doesn't return. Since starting 5-7, they're 14-5 over their last 19 games, outscoring opponents by an average of 9.5 points per 100 possessions — a scoring margin that trails only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Their turnaround has been almost all at the offensive end. Jaylen Brown has been terrific, but the entire supporting cast is draining 3s, and keep the floor spaced around him. Seven different players are hitting better than 37 percent of their 3s so far, and frontcourt shooting has been key. Starting center Neemias Queta isn't a shooter, but the players filling in the other 24 minutes per game as a nominal center — Luke Garza, Josh Minott, Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh — are hitting a combined 44 percent from beyond the arc.
The personnel has changed, but it's largely the same system that has worked so well the past few years. After a cold start, the next guys up have just stepped in and kept knocking down those open shots.