We are now 11 weeks into the season and it has been three weeks since our last NBA power rankings.
Stats Glossary
Offensive Rating: Points Scored Per 100 Possessions
Defensive Rating: Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions
Net Rating: Point Differential Per 100 Possessions
Simple Rating System (SRS): Combination of Strength of Schedule and Net Rating)
All stats updated as of Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. EST.
10. New Orleans Pelicans (Not Previously Ranked)
I have yet to write about the Pelicans, but they have been super solid lately. For the season, they are sixth in defense, eighth in net rating, and seventh in SRS. They are only 6-4 in their last 10 games, but they have a ton of potential with how great their defense is. The Big Three of Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram have been great together. It is unknown what their ceiling is, but their advanced stats suggest they have been better than what their record suggests.
9. Indiana Pacers (Not Previously Ranked)
The Pacers are tough to ignore at this point. Despite being 26th in defense, they are 7-3 in their last 10 games (one of those losses came to the Celtics), first in offense, 10th in net rating, and 11th in net rating. They will not likely make any noise in the playoffs given the fact that the Celtics, Sixers, and Bucks are significantly above them, and the Knicks and the Cavs are either on the same level or slightly better. Nevertheless, they can light up pretty much any defense in the league when they are hot, largely thanks to probable All-Star starter Tyrese Haliburton.
8. New York Knicks (+2)
The Knicks’ trade for OG Anunoby has been working out perfectly. They are 4-0 with him on the team, and he is averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and one steal per game since the deal was made. This trade probably did not move the needle too much, but New York needed to shake things up, and as of now, things are working out.
7. Los Angeles Clippers (+1)
The Clippers have been a top-four team since James Harden settled into his role. I would not be surprised if he made the All-Star Game. They are eighth in offense, 10th in defense, sixth in net rating, and sixth in SRS. They are coming off a tough loss to the Lakers on Sunday, but part of that is because Kawhi Leonard was a shell of themself. With the Clippers, people will always be skeptical about injuries until they go a full playoff run with Leonard and Paul George. For now, just lay back and watch some awesome basketball be played.
6. Philadelphia 76ers (-3)
The Sixers are pretty tough to rank at this point given that Joel Embiid has missed five of their last seven games. With this being said, as the saying goes, the best ability is availability. Embiid has proven that he is not too reliable come playoff time and a lot of it has to do with the fact that he keeps getting injured. I think they can win a championship with Embiid healthy, but he has yet to prove me right. For the entire season, they are fifth in offense, third in defense, second in net rating, and third in SRS. These types of numbers should get you higher on this list, but given their question marks, it is tough to put them in the top five as of now.
5. Denver Nuggets (+2)
The Nuggets have been a much better team as of late. They are 8-2 in their last 10 and are 18-6 with Jamal Murray. Big picture, they are seventh in offense, ninth in defense, fourth in net rating, and fifth in SRS. Their ceiling remains a championship, and I would honestly pick them to make the NBA Finals at this point. As long as Murray and Nikola Jokic stay healthy, I’m not sure how many teams could beat them in a playoff series.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (No Change)
The Bucks are a relatively tough team to rank. On one hand, they have the second-best record in the East, ranking third in offense, seventh in net rating, and eighth in SRS. However, they have been held back by their defense. The absence of Jrue Holiday has been showing for the past couple of weeks for sure. Did their ceiling rise by trading for Damian Lillard? Absolutely. However, when you have one of the worst defenses in the league, it is tough to overcome that.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (-1)
The Timberwolves are in a weird position now and they were the toughest to rank. Even though they are first in the West, they are 5-5 in their last 10 games. They rank first in defense, fifth in net rating, and fourth in SRS. Their biggest issue is that they can’t seem to get their offense together; the unit ranks 19th. Still, I have them this high because, despite popular belief, defense does indeed win championships. Pretty much every championship team in the past 50 years (except one of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, the 2017 Warriors, and last year’s Nuggets) had a top-10 defense, and they are the best. The next couple of weeks will be critical to see what their ceiling is.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (+3)
The Thunder are first in NBA.com’s Power Rankings, and for great reason. They just beat the team I currently have ranked at No. 1. They are also fourth in offense, seventh in defense, third in net rating, second in SRS, and third in the West. The Thunder just lost two in a row, but this certainly is not a ton to worry about given how awesome they were before. Their ceiling is still questionable given their lack of experience, but this team has been especially fun to watch as of late.
1. Boston Celtics (No Change)
Of course, no surprise here. Despite losing to the Thunder, the Celtics have been the best team in the league this year. They have the best record, net rating, point differential, and SRS, rank among the top two in both defense and offense, and are undefeated at home. The Celtics also have four players up for consideration for the All-Star Game. That doesn’t include Jrue Holiday, who made the All-Star Game last season but is probably not up for consideration this year. That’s a testament to how stacked this starting lineup is. This is all with their best player, Jayson Tatum, having what many are calling a “down season.” The Celtics haven’t been this good since the early Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce days, so anything less than a championship would be a disappointment.
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