The first half of the NBA season is officially in the books. And now that All-Star Weekend is over, we prepare for a return to the madness on Wednesday when games kick off again.
We’ve seen a lot of craziness and duct-taping this season together so far as the NBA attempts to navigate the pandemic while traveling from city to city. It’s left teams needing to make up games or even needing to make up ground in the standings as some teams have been forced to play games while barely having enough players to suit up. But the NBA is trudging through this. It makes it a little tougher to judge teams through the first half. But that’s what we do here in the Power Rankings space. We judge no matter what!
For this week in the Power Rankings, we’re grading the first half of the season for each team. You may remember some grading from the first quarter of the season. Well, now we’re updating those marks. Since there weren’t many games this past week, the movement in the rankings will be more focused toward what I’m projecting for the second half of the season. It’s not totally starting fresh there. The first half and where they were last week certainly matter. But things will shift a bit as a look forward.
Here’s how the Power Rankings work:
• It’s up to my discretion how the rankings shake out each week. For some teams, they’ll be hit in the short term. Others will be given the benefit for the long term.
• I do not believe in the transitive property with these teams. If Team X beats Team Y and Team Y beat Team Z, it doesn’t mean that Team X is automatically better than Team Z.
• If I have a team ahead of another team, there’s no reason to ask why they’re ranked above the team you like. The answer is pretty simple: I think that team is set up better for success.
• Leave a fun, snarky comment toward me, a team or a player and it will likely get picked by Wosny Lambre for our Power Rankings podcast, for subscribers only, which has Wos reading the best comments each week. Or it might even make The Restricted Area, our new NBA show on The Athletic’s YouTube channel.
• Only 15 teams will be deemed worthy of a GIF or video each week. That’s to help cut down on eating up your data and computer’s processor.
• This is supposed to be fun so let’s have fun with it.
The Power Rankings heading into Week 12 of the 2020-21 regular season begin now!
1. Brooklyn Nets (↑Previously 2nd), 24-13, +4.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Spurs, Win at Rockets
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A- | Ranked 6th
Updated first-half grade: A
How can you not be impressed by the Brooklyn Nets at this point? Maybe you don’t believe they can or will win the championship, although not thinking they’re able to is crazy to me. They’re this successful, and we’ve hardly seen this team on the court together at full strength (when it comes to the big three). The Nets aren’t going to be good defensively this season, but they just need to be good enough with their historic firepower. Adding Blake Griffin doesn’t help the defense, but it adds potential to the offense. We’ll see what else they’re able to do in the buyout market, but the Nets look like contenders to just about everybody.
Positive spin? We’ve only seen seven games from the Nets in which Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving played. They’ve only played 186 minutes together. When they get more time on the court as a unit in the second half of the season, it’s going to get even better.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
2. Phoenix Suns (↑Previously 3rd), 24-11, +6.4 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Lakers, Win over Warriors
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B | Ranked 8th
Updated first-half grade: A
The Phoenix Suns have been surging heading into the All-Star break, and it still feels like there are so many more levels this team can unlock. They’ve won 16 of their last 19 games, and they possess the two seed in the West halfway through the season. Did anybody have them ahead of either Los Angeles squad heading into the break? They’re an elite defensive team, ranking third in the NBA. They don’t allow teams to hurt them from the 3-point line, and they’re solid enough at defending the rim. I don’t know if Phoenix can keep this going, but the progression is impressive.
Positive spin? There’s nothing to really be negative about, other than maybe saying we can still see elevated versions of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. There are higher levels they can reach as this team continues to succeed.
3. Utah Jazz (↓Previously 1st), 27-9, +8.5 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Pelicans, Loss at Sixers
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A+ | Ranked 1st
Updated first-half grade: A-
Everything is still all positive for the Utah Jazz, even though they tailed off with a 3-4 record in their seven games before the break. The offense is still elite, and the shooting is often overwhelming. The defense is still stellar, as they funnel everything toward Rudy Gobert. Donovan Mitchell is playing great as the top option on one of the best teams. The concerning thing for me is their mentality after the loss to Philadelphia. To launch into a, “there is a bias against us because we’re in a small market” just wreaked of weakness to me. They blew that game, and for every contact that didn’t get called in Mike Conley’s favor in the fourth, there was something similar for Tobias Harris on the other end. The Jazz should be better than crying about the refs after a regular-season loss. I thought they were.
Positive spin? With all that said, they’re fourth in offense, fourth in defense, have the best net rating and they’re still rocking the best record in the league after a bit of a downturn the past two weeks. The Jazz look great.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
4. Philadelphia 76ers (↑Previously 7th), 24-12, +3.3 net rating
Weekly slate: Win over Pacers, Win over Jazz
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A- | Ranked 4th
Updated first-half grade: A
They’ve been the best team in the Eastern Conference this season. Defensively, they’re good like they always are, ranking fifth on that end of the floor. They’re a little better than average on offense, but the Philadelphia 76ers will still hang their hats on what it looks like with everybody healthy for an extended stretch. They haven’t had that with Seth Curry missing time. Joel Embiid is playing like an MVP. Ben Simmons is playing like a Defensive Player of the Year. The Tobias Harris-Doc Rivers combination works. They just need to figure out if the depth is there.
Positive spin? If they need a boost at the trade deadline, they have the guy to make it happen. Daryl Morey is always the most active participant at the deadline to grab a guy for his team. I expect this team to make a move and get better.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (↑Previously 6th), 22-14, +6.5 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Nuggets, Win at Grizzlies
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B- | Ranked 7th
Updated first-half grade: B+
The Milwaukee Bucks are still trying to prepare themselves for a stronger presence throughout the playoff run. This Bucks team looks worlds better on offense, and only Brooklyn has managed to score more efficiently than them. The addition of Jrue Holiday has been huge. D.J. Augustin and Bobby Portis off the bench are big boosts as well. The biggest concern is the Bucks defensively. They have gone from best in the league to 12th as they try to make something more postseason-proof for themselves. We have to wait and see if it will work, but the Bucks are headed in the right direction, winning six of seven before the break.
Positive spin? The Bucks used to just fire a lot of 3-pointers and be just OK at making them, usually hovering in the middle of the pack for accuracy. They’re fourth in percentage this season, even without Giannis Antetokounmpo being able to shoot. This version is more equipped for shootouts in the playoffs.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
6. LA Clippers (↓Previously 4th), 24-14, +5.3 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Celtics, Loss at Wizards
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A | Ranked 2nd
Updated first-half grade: A
Obviously, people are going to have their reservations about the LA Clippers as a contender until they prove in the playoffs they can come through. But through the first half of the season, this team is damn impressive. The defense isn’t what many people hoped it would be. They’re basically a league-average defensive team, and their ridiculous offense carries them. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are playing some of their best basketball, and it feels a little under the radar. The Clippers still have to prove themselves in the postseason, but it’s a great job so far of bouncing back from bubble embarrassment.
Positive spin? The Clippers defense should get better as the season goes. They allow the fifth-highest field goal percentage at the rim, but they’re top 10 in keeping teams away from the rim. They typically don’t get hurt from the 3-point line, so I’m confident things will tip in their favor.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (↓Previously 5th), 24-13, +5.2 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Suns, Loss at Kings
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A- | Ranked 3rd
Updated first-half grade: B+
The concern for the Los Angeles Lakers rests solely on the health of Anthony Davis. That’s why there’s a bit of a dip in their grade from the first quarter to the halfway point. We went from the Lakers dominating through a sleepwalking effort to the growing concern over Davis’ Achilles tendon. This team was built for LeBron James and AD to dominate, as the supporting cast… well… supports them. Without Davis in the mix, it’s been a lot tougher, but the Lakers are still the top defensive team in the NBA. Just need to see Davis back and healthy before they climb back up.
Positive spin? This down stretch right before the All-Star break also had the Lakers missing Dennis Schröder and Marc Gasol for a few games. So LeBron and company were down three starters. They’re still capable of snatching that one seed when AD is back.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
8. Denver Nuggets (↔Previously 8th), 21-15, +5.4 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Bulls, Win at Bucks, Win at Pacers
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B | Ranked 5th
Updated first-half grade: B
It’s tough to judge the Denver Nuggets because, by the end of last season, we needed to assess them on a contender level. They made the Western Conference finals and then lost some pretty key role players. It left them on the outside looking in with contender status. It’s also left Nikola Jokic to play superhero each night to drag this team to victory. Lately, it’s been working, and things are looking better. We don’t see the bubble version of Jamal Murray, but this is still the fifth-best offense in basketball. Running off four straight on the road right before the All-Star break feels like this team is turning the corner.
Positive spin? Ranking 14th in defense is actually huge for the Nuggets. They don’t need to be much better than that to run off even bigger stretches of winning basketball. If they even approach top 10 in defense, they’ll look like a juggernaut again.
9. Miami Heat (↔Previously 9th), 18-18, -1.7 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Hawks, Win at Pelicans
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D- | Ranked 25th
Updated first-half grade: B+
The Miami Heat got healthier, and then the team looked a lot more like what we saw last season. Having a .5o0 record going into the break with the injuries and players they’ve missed due to health and safety protocol is actually quite impressive. The problem for the Heat is, offensively, they’re just not making 3-pointers. Their 3-point shooting wasn’t some bubble aberration last season. They were an elite shooting team prior to the pandemic shutdown. The shots just aren’t falling for them yet, as they’ve pieced together random lineups. Ranking seventh in defense despite all this should get Bam Adebayo some Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
Positive spin? Look at this team with Jimmy Butler in the lineup. They’re 14-8 when he plays. There’s a swing of about 12 points per 100 possessions when he’s playing versus not playing. With Butler back, the Heat should surge.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
10. Portland Trail Blazers (↑Previously 14th), 21-14, -0.4 net rating
Weekly slate: Win over Hornets, Win over Warriors, Win over Kings
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: C+ | Ranked 16th
Updated first-half grade: B+
It’s so impressive how the Portland Trail Blazers have responded to key injuries. A lot of us, myself included, believed they’d fall dramatically without CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic for extended stretches. Instead, the Blazers have been led by Damian Lillard to one of the better records in the West. They’ve gone 11-5 in their last 16 games, and that even includes a four-game losing streak when they lost a couple of tough ones. The Blazers can’t defend at all, but the offense has been so good that it doesn’t feel like it’s completely submarining them. If Robert Covington and Rodney Hood start making shots, the Blazers could end up with a top-three offense.
Positive spin? I don’t think there is one for the defense, unless Nurkic and Zach Collins returning to the lineup brings it all together. But think of just how insane this offense will be with Nurkic and McCollum back on the floor. The resilience is great.
11. Dallas Mavericks (↔Previously 11th), 18-16, -0.3 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Magic, Win over Thunder
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D+ | Ranked 17th
Updated first-half grade: B-
The Dallas Mavericks are headed in the right direction after a lack of continuity on the court and in their lineups left them looking pretty mediocre in the first quarter of the season. But their availability has improved considerably, and Luka Doncic’s stardom helps carry them through rough patches. The Mavs have won 10 of their last 13 games, and in that time, we’ve seen more of the offensive firepower we saw last season. The Mavericks’ role players have really stepped up over the last month and made this team look dangerous once again. They still can’t defend, but they can score.
Positive spin? The 3-point shooting prowess seems to be back for Dallas. Over their last 13 games, they’ve knocked down 38.1 percent of their deep shots. And Luka, Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jalen Brunson have combined to shoot 40.9 percent of their deep shots.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
12. Golden State Warriors (↓Previously 10th), 19-18, +0.4 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Blazers, Loss at Suns
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B- | Ranked 12th
Updated first-half grade: B-
While it feels like everything has changed for the Golden State Warriors throughout the season, we’re not seeing a change from their first-quarter and first-half grades. Everything revolves around Steph Curry on offense. Defensively, this team is actually quite good, but their offense puts a huge strain on the defense. If Curry doesn’t go nuts, the Warriors have to grind out victories. Hell, they even have to grind them out sometimes when Curry is going nuts. None of that is going to change either. They just have to hope James Wiseman keeps sopping up this experience and using it to grow for a playoff push.
Positive spin? At least Kelly Oubre Jr. isn’t a disaster anymore. He’s shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from 3-point range over his last 15 games. If they can get Oubre and Andrew Wiggins to play well at the same time, it might solve that offense issue.
13. New York Knicks (↓Previously 12th), 19-18, +0.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Spurs, Win over Pistons
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A- | Ranked 20th
Updated first-half grade: A
As I stated in a column this past week, the New York Knicks are a good team. They sport the second-best defense in the NBA, and they’re not doing it with a bunch of guys who resemble the Ben Wallace Detroit Pistons. Tom Thibodeau has this team playing on a string on that end of the floor. A lot of detractors will point toward their schedule in the second half of the season as a sign of bad things to come. Maybe that’s the other shoe dropping so many people want to forecast. But so far this Knicks team has been one of the best surprises in the season. Their young guys are fun, and Julius Randle’s All-Star campaign has been good in every facet of the game.
Positive spin? RJ Barrett is having a very nice second season in the NBA. He’s still not shooting quite as efficiently as some would want, but we’re seeing Barrett find more and more of a groove attacking. They just need to surround him with some more shooting, and shooting that fires those 3-pointers more regularly. Having Barrett and Immanuel Quickly in the mix makes Knicks fans very optimistic.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
14. Boston Celtics (↑Previously 15th), 19-17, +0.9 net rating
Weekly slate: Win over Clippers, Win over Raptors
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B | Ranked 9th
Updated first-half grade: C+
The Boston Celtics look nothing like the team we saw last season. Adding Tristan Thompson to the mix has been a dud. They don’t really have a reliable big man rotation. Kemba Walker was hurt or playing poorly for most of the season. And Marcus Smart getting hurt sent them into a spiral. With all that said, the Celtics still find themselves in the four seed in the East. They’re within striking distance of being a top-three seed. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been brilliant most nights, and not many teams can make that kind of tandem. Plus, Walker is playing much better basketball. Maybe the Celtics can pull through in the second half.
Positive spin? As bad as everything has been for the Celtics, they won four games going into the All-Star break and look a lot better out of nowhere. We’ve wanted to see them make a run and establish themselves in a positive way. This stretch may finally get that going.
15. Toronto Raptors (↓Previously 13th), 17-19, +1.4 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Pistons, Loss at Celtics
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D+ | Ranked 18th
Updated first-half grade: B
Things improved dramatically for the Toronto Raptors after a rough start. Oddly enough, the Raptors are winning with offense and not so much with defense. Their defense has fallen below league average because they’re a terrible rebounding team and they send their opponents to the free throw line more than anybody in the NBA. The Raptors shoot a ton of 3-pointers, and they make them. They also make their free throws (third). I’m not quite sure where the Raptors go from here the rest of the season. Some people believe Kyle Lowry could be moved before the deadline, but I just don’t see the benefit for Toronto. Unless it wants to punt on trying to avoid the play-in tournament.
Positive spin? OG Anunoby and Norman Powell have been phenomenal on the wings. Both guys are knocking down 3-pointers, and they do a great job of attacking the basket. They’ve helped Pascal Siakam immensely on the wings.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
16. Indiana Pacers (↑Previously 17th), 16-19, +0.1 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Sixers, Win at Cavs, Loss to Nuggets
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B+ | Ranked 10th
Updated first-half grade: C+
The Indiana Pacers have been kind of a mess over the last month and change. They’ve dropped 12 of their last 17 games. This team is normally quite solid, but they’ve had so many guys in and out of the lineup. Plus, the T.J. Warren injury really hurt their chances of being consistent on offense. Losing him and Victor Oladipo and not getting Caris LeVert to play yet have kept this offense from really exploding as it did early in the season. The Pacers are awful against winning teams at just 5-14. If they don’t solve that problem, they might find themselves trying to scrape their way through the play-in tournament.
Positive spin? It appears LeVert will return to the court after undergoing surgery for kidney cancer, as our Shams Charania has reported. The best news the Pacers could have received this season. It’ll be great to see him back on the court.
17. New Orleans Pelicans (↑Previously 22nd), 15-21, -0.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Win over Jazz, Loss to Bulls, Loss to Heat
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D+ | Ranked 19th
Updated first-half grade: C+
I’m choosing to believe in the New Orleans Pelicans in the second half. I’ll admit I don’t have a great reason for doing so. It’s possible I’m being blinded by the potential of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. This Pelicans team can’t defend at all. They’re great at offense, but the defense is pelican droppings at best. Stan Van Gundy has to be frustrated with trying to get these young guys to stay in front of somebody most nights. But the offensive firepower is crazy impressive. I think they’re going to figure it out and find themselves running off a good chunk of wins. Fly, pelicans, fly!
Positive spin? Zion is a monster. He’s as good as advertised. Some people will focus on his deficiencies, but nobody can keep him from scoring at the basket, it seems.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
18. San Antonio Spurs (↓Previously 16th), 18-14, +0.1 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Nets, Win over Knicks, Loss to Thunder
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A- | Ranked 15th
Updated first-half grade: B+
The San Antonio Spurs have been everything you’d hope they can be. Their young core has played really well, and DeMar DeRozan should have been an All-Star in the West. But as positive as all this sounds, the Spurs may end up doing something pretty uncharacteristic for them: make a bunch of in-season trades. The Spurs are seventh in the West, but they’re also taking calls on a lot of these veteran guys. They’d love to unload LaMarcus Aldridge, or maybe they’ll settle for buying him out. DeRozan can be had. Rudy Gay and even Patty Mills might make it into these trade rumors soon. The Spurs look good, but trading off their veterans would certainly tank their playoff hopes.
Positive spin? If the Spurs don’t trade off their vets, they’ll be in great position to make the playoffs and even avoid the play-in tournament. They’re the best team in the NBA at taking care of the ball, and they don’t foul their opponents. The Spurs just keep playing smart basketball forever.
19. Chicago Bulls (↓Previously 18th), 16-18, -0.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Nuggets, Win at Pelicans
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: C+ | Ranked 22nd
Updated first-half grade: B
For much of the season, it seemed like the Chicago Bulls were only getting by with offensive firepower. All-Star Zach LaVine was leading the charge on that end of the floor. Their attack wasn’t balanced on both ends of the court, but the Bulls were at least looking like they enjoy playing again. Lately? The Bulls are playing some pretty good defense. They’re 10th in defensive rating over their last 13 games, and they find themselves middle of the road with offense and defense. This is a more balanced attack under Billy Donovan, and the players are buying what he’s selling. Chicago looks steady for the first time in a long time.
Positive spin? Their rookie Patrick Williams is pretty damn good. They don’t ask him to do too much most nights, and we’re seeing him knock down shots with consistency. Give him a couple of years, and he’s going to look like an absolute foundational piece.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
20. Memphis Grizzlies (↓Previously 19th), 16-16, +0.8 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Wizards, Loss to Bucks
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: A+ | Ranked 14th
Updated first-half grade: B
The first quarter of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies were resilient as they survived life without Ja Morant for a few weeks. After the first half of the season, this team is still pretty solid for the most part. They still haven’t seen Jaren Jackson Jr. on the court at all, and their defense is eighth in the NBA. Memphis finds itself right in the thick of the play-in tournament race in the Western Conference. But I still worry about how the Grizzlies are going to be able to score consistently. They’re the second-worst shooting team in the clutch this season, and they’re going to need Morant to be a hero for them to grind out those wins.
Positive spin? Their defense is pretty remarkable. Taylor Jenkins has done a great job coaching them up on that end of the floor. A lot of it comes from forcing turnovers (best in the league). They’re just so active and persistent on defense.
21. Charlotte Hornets (↓Previously 20th), 17-18, -0.5 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Blazers, Win at Wolves
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B | Ranked 21st
Updated first-half grade: B+
This Charlotte Hornets team is pretty average on both ends of the court so far. And that’s actually a great thing for them. They’ve just been solid all season long, and it’s a big reason why they never seem to get too low. They even got through a recent six-game road trip by going 3-3. The Hornets’ steadiness has been a result of Gordon Hayward leading, Terry Rozier knocking down shots and LaMelo Ball just being the guy they need him to be. It will be interesting to see if this team can keep itself in the mix for the play-in tournament, and how the young guys on the roster respond to that pressure. So far, they don’t seem to feel much of anything when it comes to pressure.
Positive spin? Ball is every bit the franchise player people were projecting him to be prior to the draft. He isn’t just good too; he’s the type of guy who galvanizes teammates because he’s always looking to move the ball to make the smartest decision for his team.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
22. Atlanta Hawks (↑Previously 23rd), 16-20, +0.3 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Heat, Win at Magic
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B | Ranked 11th
Updated first-half grade: D+
Things got so bad for this franchise that it cost Lloyd Pierce his job. The Atlanta Hawks haven’t been what they wanted to be, and you can chalk a lot of that up to the injuries. But some of the young guys, including franchise player Trae Young, didn’t want Pierce as the coach moving forward. The dissension from within didn’t help them overcome the injuries, and I’m not sure how Nate McMillan is going to be the guy they get behind if they didn’t like Pierce. Regardless, the Hawks now have to find their groove. They miss De’Andre Hunter and hopefully get him back soon. At some point, they’re going to need to show improvement on defense or become an elite offense.
Positive spin? Even with all the problems for the Hawks so far, they are a very good offense. They rank 11th in the NBA in offensive rating and aren’t even a very good 3-point shooting team (18th). A few more shots fall, and they might become that elite offense.
23. Washington Wizards (↓Previously 21st), 14-20, -3.9 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Grizzlies, Win over Clippers
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: F | Ranked 29th
Updated first-half grade: C+
The Washington Wizards are in much better shape than we saw five weeks ago. The Wizards have a significant number of players back, they’ve been able to get their games in and they even found a winning stretch of basketball. They won five straight at one point and eight of their last 11 games. All of this winning takes the pressure off dealing with Bradley Beal trade ideas for the time being. Things will certainly heat up a bit as we head toward the trade deadline, but the pressure to move him any time soon has been alleviated thanks to this success on the court. Surprisingly during this good stretch, the Wizards have actually been winning with defense.
Positive spin? Don’t look now, but the Wizards are only 1.5 games out of the play-in tournament. Even with as bad as this team can be at times, you have to imagine they’d feel pretty confident with Beal in a play-in situation.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (↑Previously 25th), 15-21, -5.7 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss at Mavs, Win at Spurs
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B- | Ranked 24th
Updated first-half grade: C
They say that net rating is the best predictor of future success or failures. As the Oklahoma City Thunder hovered around .500 for most of the season, they did so with a terrible net rating. They could win some decently close games, but when they lost, they were getting shredded. It looks like the net rating might have predicted this downward slide. The Thunder haven’t fallen apart, but they’ve won just seven of their last 19 games. How much longer can they stay competitive and win games? Or does that even matter for them? The biggest bright spot for the Thunder continues to be their treasure chest of future first-round picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Positive spin? The Thunder don’t really need to win games. They’ve got a lot of young talent on the roster to develop and potentially a couple of key veterans to deal at the deadline. The Thunder season is mostly icing from here.
25. Cleveland Cavaliers (↓Previously 24th), 14-22, -7.5 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Rockets, Loss to Pacers
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: C+ | Ranked 23rd
Updated first-half grade: C+
The Cleveland Cavaliers winning four of their last five before the break saved their grade here because prior to that, the Cavs were awful. They lost 10 straight games prior to that good stretch, and they looked pretty lost out there. But overall for the entire season, we’ve seen great efforts out of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. That’s really the most important thing for them to have this season. They were never going to be good enough to challenge for the playoffs, even with the play-in tournament, unless something miraculous happens for them. The Sexland backcourt showing steps forward gives them a better idea of what to expect for this franchise’s future.
Positive spin? It’s not just Sexland that has them looking good for the future. Grabbing Jarrett Allen in the James Harden trade was a monster acquisition. He’s a legitimate rim protector with a whole lot of game on offense too.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
26. Detroit Pistons (↑Previously 27th), 10-26, -3.7 net rating
Weekly slate: Win at Raptors, Loss at Knicks
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D- | Ranked 26th
Updated first-half grade: C-
It’s slow, but the Detroit Pistons do look so much better and more competent than what we saw a few weeks ago. Dwane Casey has done a good job of getting these guys to be competitive. And rolling the dice on Dennis Smith Jr. seems to be yielding some decent results so far. Jerami Grant was a brilliant addition by Troy Weaver. There are some good bones for the structure of what’s to come. But with all that said, there is still a desperate need for some top talent down the line. This team is competitive but bad. It would have been nice to see more Killian Hayes. Also, what happened to Sekou Doumbouya?
Positive spin? The young talent on this roster hasn’t done a ton, but they still look pretty good. Saddiq Bey has had some nice moments. Rolling the dice on Josh Jackson looks good. Isaiah Stewart should probably earn more minutes now that Blake Griffin is gone.
27. Orlando Magic (↓Previously 26th), 13-23, -6.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Mavs, Loss to Hawks
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D | Ranked 28th
Updated first-half grade: D-
The Orlando Magic are really bad. I know that’s not in-depth analysis here, but I don’t know another way to put it. Nikola Vucevic is playing out of his mind most nights, and it doesn’t matter. Sure, there are injuries. Markelle Fultz being lost for the year was a big blow to their anemic backcourt. Jonathan Isaac won’t play this year with the ACL tear. Al-Farouq Aminu only recently got back. But this team is awful. The Magic need to look at moving Aaron Gordon for some assets. Vucevic is probably here to stay for a while, but the supporting cast around him needs to change dramatically.
Positive spin? Vuc has been a monster this season. He’s four 3-point makes away from becoming the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 24 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and make 100 3-pointers in a season. His production is insane.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
28. Sacramento Kings (↔Previously 28th), 14-22, -5.6 net rating
Weekly slate: Win over Lakers, Loss at Blazers
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: D+ | Ranked 27th
Updated first-half grade: D-
Didn’t think it could get much worse for the Sacramento Kings after that first quarter of the season, but even after winning seven of eight games at one point, it’s hard to feel better about this team. They’ve lost 11 of 13 heading into the break and still hold the worst defense in NBA history by a significant margin. Luke Walton’s seat keeps getting hotter by the day, and it doesn’t feel like the Kings have any actual progress to make between now and the rest of the season. This is a massive step backward from where we thought they were headed two years ago. Monte McNair has a lot to fix here.
Positive spin? They nailed the Tyrese Haliburton pick. Throughout the years, all of those redraft podcasts and story ideas will have Haliburton going far higher than No. 12 where he fell to the Kings. That’s at least one building block.
29. Houston Rockets (↔Previously 29th), 11-23, -4.7 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Cavs, Loss to Nets
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: B | Ranked 13th
Updated first-half grade: D
Things fell apart for the Houston Rockets after the Christian Wood ankle injury. But really, this Rockets season can already be dissected into three parts. There’s the part prior to the James Harden trade, in which the team was struggling through a lot of malaise from the efforts by Harden to force the Rockets’ hand. Then they had the post-Harden trade section of the season as their camaraderie rose before Wood hurt his ankle. Then there was the post-Wood ankle debacle they currently find themselves in. Here’s the breakdown of those three sections:
- Pre-Harden trade: 3-6 record (14th in West), 109.2 offensive rating (17th in NBA), 111.1 defensive rating (t-21st), -1.9 net rating (21st)
- Post-Harden trade until Wood ankle injury: 8-4 record (3rd in West), 108.4 off. rating (22nd in NBA), 102.2 def. rating (1st), +6.2 net rating (4th)
- Post-Wood ankle injury: 0-13 record (15th in West), 100.8 off. rating (30th in NBA), 117.5 def. rating (27th), -16.7 net rating (30th)
Obviously, there is quite a bit of noise in all three of those cross-sections of their season in regards to strength of schedule and just the league dealing with COVID in general, but those are some wild swings across the board. With Victor Oladipo possibly looking to leave, flipping him for LeVert may look foolish short and long term.
Positive spin? The cloud of the Harden trade is long gone. They can be hopeful for when Wood gets healthy and back on the court. Also, their draft pick should be pretty high to help kick off the rebuild.
GIF ON THE BEAT:
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (↔Previously 30th), 7-29, -8.4 net rating
Weekly slate: Loss to Hornets
Previous first-quarter grade/ranking: F | Ranked 30th
Updated first-half grade: F
The Minnesota Timberwolves were terrible at the quarter mark of the season, and they’re terrible at the halfway point of the season too. Plenty of reasons you can cite for this. Karl-Anthony Towns missed 20 games due to a wrist injury and COVID. D’Angelo Russell has missed 15 games and is out for a couple more weeks following the break. And even when healthy, the Towns-Russell duo has only logged 90 minutes on the court together (out of nearly 1,750 played). Minnesota is plus-0.8 points per 100 possessions in those 90 minutes. Minnesota fired Ryan Saunders to fix the problem by bringing in Chris Finch from the Raptors. But it looks like the roster is still a major problem for the Wolves.
Positive spin? They owe their first-round pick in 2021 — a loaded draft class — to the Warriors. Unless it lands in the top three. They currently have the worst record in the NBA and have a solid chance of retaining that pick.
(Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)
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