The NBA All-Star break is officially over, and we are now headed into the second half of the season. Plenty of teams have impressed us, but several others have left a lot to be desired.
NBA Stats Glossary
10. New Orleans Pelicans (-1 from last ranking)
9. Phoenix Suns (Not Previously Ranked)
8. Milwaukee Bucks (No Change)
The Bucks, in my opinion, are one of the top teams to watch for the second half of the season. They have the seventh-best record (third in the East), are fifth in offense, 17th in defense, 11th in net rating, and 10th in SRS. The Bucks are a disappointing 3-7 since Doc Rivers took over as head coach. In addition to all of this, the Bucks have statistically one of the most difficult schedules remaining. Despite being super disappointing and having a steep hill to climb, I still have a ton of faith in them.
Their two stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, have a 9.42 net rating when they are on the floor together. Even though it seems nothing else is working out, the success of the Antetokounmpo-Lillard tandem has been steady. This is especially the case when a new head coach comes into the mix. Do not be surprised if the Bucks make the Eastern Conference finals and give their opponent a run for their money.
Giannis Antetokounmpo says the Bucks are Damian Lillard’s team
“I am his biggest fan. Good or bad, I ride with Dame until the f—ing end. I ride with Dame. Like I’ve been saying this over and over again. This. Is. His. Team. Down the stretch, he’s going to get the ball. There’s… pic.twitter.com/W9kxCQ7RPo
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 21, 2024
7. New York Knicks (-1)
After being the hottest team in basketball for about a month, the Knicks lost a bunch of their main guys to injury and finished off the first half on a four-game losing streak. They have the eighth-best record (fourth in the East), are eighth in offense, ninth in defense, sixth in net rating, and seventh in SRS. When everyone is healthy, the Knicks can go toe to toe with just about anyone in the league. Their big three of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby are certainly nothing to scoff at, and they made some great trades to beef up their bench. When they get their guys back in a few weeks, don’t be surprised if you see them return to the top five.
6. Denver Nuggets (-1)
The defending champs have been a slight disappointment lately. They have the sixth-best record (third in the West), are 13th in offense, 11th in defense, ninth in net rating, and ninth in SRS. These are super underwhelming numbers to their standards, but similar to the Bucks, their stars have not at all been disappointing. Nikola Jokic is putting together another MVP-type season, and Jamal Murray has continued to complement him fantastically. However, the fact that the Nuggets are at a +8.68 net rating with Jokic on the floor and -8.32 with him off the floor is alarming, to say the least. The sky’s the limit with the Nuggets, but they have some things that need to be figured out.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (-1)
The Thunder have continued to be one of the more impressive teams this year. They have the third-best record (second in the West), are fourth in offense and defense, and second in net rating and SRS. I, for one, was expecting them to be a play-in team again. And even though most people expected them to be higher than that, they probably didn’t expect them to be this good. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is currently second in MVP odds, Chet Holmgren is in a neck-and-neck Rookie of the Year race with Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Williams has become one of the better young players in the game, and their depth has been super solid. As with every young team, people are skeptical about how it will translate in the playoffs. Only time will tell, but they will be a fun team to watch for the second half.
Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are the only rookies in NBA History to average:
1.5 BPG
1.5 3PM(Via: @statmuse) pic.twitter.com/oCQHSGsrqF
— Kicks (@kicks) February 21, 2024
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (+3)
Perhaps the hottest team in the league for the past two months comes in at No. 4. Since the new year, the Cavs have been fourth in offense, first in defense, and first in net rating. To put it in simpler terms, they have won 18 out of their last 20 games. Donovan Mitchell has phenomenally led the team this year after his Darius Garland went down with an injury for a couple of weeks. Can they make a push for the finals with a team led by a smaller guard? To be determined. Mitchell has delivered key production in the playoffs in the past and could certainly do so again.
3. Los Angeles Clippers (-2)
The team that was previously No. 1 has fallen a few spots. Have they collapsed in the past couple of weeks? Not really, but the other two teams have stepped it up big time. Since Dec. 1, 2023, when Russell Westbrook requested to come off the bench, the Clippers are first in offense, 17th in defense, and fifth in net rating. Though their stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been fantastic on both ends of the floor lately, their lack of rim protection is a concern. This will especially be the case against teams like the Timberwolves, or even the Lakers. With this being said, a team led by Leonard, George, and James Harden on offense will be tough to stop, especially when Leonard is known to be a different animal in the playoffs.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (+1)
The Wolves fell off towards the middle of the season, but they have stepped it up the past couple of weeks. They have the second-best record (first in the West), are 17th in offense, first in defense, and third in net rating and SRS. They will need to find other ways to score besides their star Anthony Edwards getting his own and Karl-Anthony Towns’s three-ball. However, I have a feeling things have an easier way of falling into place when you have a foundation of two elite scorers. People are also concerned with how their defense will translate in the playoffs given Rudy Gobert’s history. However, this is the best-supporting cast he has had on that end, by far. Do not be surprised at all if the Wolves are the team to come out of the West.
1. Boston Celtics (+1)
No surprise here. Remember when the Celtics had that couple of weeks of “cold streak?” Well, they have won six in a row, have the best record in the league, and are first in offense, third in defense, and first in net rating and SRS. Not only do they have the best record, but the gap between first and second is bigger than the gap between second and sixth. This is easily the best chance for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to lead the team to their first ring since 2008. If they do not win it this year, people will begin to wonder whether they ever will.
Jayson Tatum on his relationship with Jaylen Brown:
“Over the last few years, we’ve taken strides of co-existing together, getting the best out of each other, while being the best version of ourselves and being the leaders our team needs us to be… this is our time.” pic.twitter.com/wHyYHtxior
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) February 20, 2024
