We are roughly halfway into the 2023-24 NBA season. Let’s dive into Driscoll’s sixth installment of power rankings.
Stats Glossary
All stats updated as of Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. EST.
10. Phoenix Suns (Not Previously Ranked)
I have been as critical of the Suns as the next guy since the beginning of the season, but they have been red hot lately. They have won five in a row while ranking 11th in offense and 12th in net rating. While the advanced stats for the full year suggest they are probably not a top-10 team quite yet, they are well on their way.
9. New York Knicks (-1)
It’s not necessarily that the Knicks are trending downward but rather that everyone ahead of them is trending upwards. They have won three in a row, ranking ninth in offense, seventh in defense, seventh in net rating, and eighth in SRS. Jalen Brunson is looking better than ever and is a front-runner to be an All-Star starter. While they are ninth now, the Knicks have an argument for as high as seventh.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (Not Previously Ranked)
There are very few (if any) teams as hot as the Cavaliers right now. They have won seven in a row and are third in defense, ninth in net rating, and ninth in SRS. Their main weakness is that they are currently 18th in offense. However, Donovan Mitchell has missed nine games, which has likely affected these ratings. Mitchell is averaging 28 points and six assists per game. The Cavs are looking even better than they did last year, so it will be interesting to see how they perform the rest of the season and in the playoffs.
7. Milwaukee Bucks (-3)
This one seems too low, and it might be, to be honest. Even though they blew out the Celtics and Damian Lillard hit the buzzer-beater against the Kings, they are only 5-5 in their last 10 games. They are currently second in offense, 10th in net rating, and 10th in SRS. They are also second in the East but only half a game ahead of the Sixers. Their main issue is their defense, which ranks 23rd in the league. Defense wins championships, and where the Bucks are now will not nearly cut it unless they make some moves at the deadline.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (-3)
As was the case with the Knicks, it is not so much that the Wolves are trending downwards but rather that everyone else is trending upwards. For the whole season, they rank first in defense, fifth in net rating, and fourth in SRS. They have been a top-five team for most of this year, perhaps even sneaking into the top three. However, the five teams I have ahead of them seem to have a better idea of what they are as a team. In my opinion, those teams also have a higher ceiling.
5. Los Angeles Clippers (+2)
At this point, you can’t have the Clippers any lower than I do right now. They are fifth in offense, fourth in net rating, and fifth in SRS. Yes, they still have their concerns on the defensive end (where they rank 14th), but even with it, they have been the hottest team in basketball. Kawhi Leonard is playing better than ever, James Harden feels at home, and their depth has been super solid, too. The Clippers were my pick to come out of the West before the Harden trade. That prediction is looking good as of now, though it is way too early to make any guarantees.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (+2)
Previously, I said the Sixers were hard to rank. However, this team is far more simple to evaluate than I initially thought. When Joel Embiid plays, they win. When he doesn’t, they lose. They are 25-6 with him and 3-7 without him. The Sixers are 8.32 points per 100 possessions better with Embiid on the court than off the court. Is a team that is extremely reliable on Embiid going to work out in the long run? Only time will tell.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (-1)
The Thunder continue to impress. They are tied for second in the West (only a game behind the Wolves), fourth in offense, sixth in defense, third in net rating, and second in SRS. They are only third on the list because the teams ahead of them have either been more consistent or are more on the rise. Also, their ceiling is questionable due to their lack of experience. They probably will not get the full trust of the league until the playoffs, which will be awesome to watch.
2. Denver Nuggets (+3)
The Nuggets have been on fire the past couple of weeks. Not only did they beat debatably the best team in the league, but they are also tied for second in the West and only one game behind first. They are seventh in offense, 11th in defense, sixth in net rating, and sixth in SRS. The advanced stats suggest they might be a tad too high, but everything from the eye test to their track record shows there are very few teams you trust more in the playoffs. This is especially true with Nikola Jokic not playing to his full potential (even though he’s still been filthy this year.)
1. Boston Celtics (No Change)
While it might seem tough to put the Celtics at No. 1 after they were blown out by the Bucks and fell to the Nuggets in heartbroken fashion, they are still the best team in the league. The gap between the Wolves (second-best record in the league) and the Clippers (seventh-best) is as big as the gap between the Celtics (best) and the Wolves. The Celtics also remain the only team in the top three in both offense and defense. There are certainly reasons to question the Celtics at this point, but as of today, they are still the best team in the league.
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