1
|
Cavaliers
|
That’s a dirty dozen for the Cavs, who have averaged a blistering 125 points per 100 possessions during the 12-game winning streak. As if they needed more help, De’Andre Hunter has averaged 15 points on 52% 3-point shooting since coming over from the Hawks. Whatever Kenny Atkinson is putting in the water out there, it’s safe to say we’d all like a glass.
|
—
|
52-10
|
2
|
Thunder
|
Nothing says dominant like 40 of your 51 wins coming by double-digits. Absolutely lights out. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may have wrapped up his MVP campaign with another 50-plus point game, his fourth of the season, in Monday’s win over the Rockets (the league’s fourth-best defense, FYI). They’ve won five in a row for like the hundredth time this season.
|
—
|
51-11
|
3
|
Celtics
|
It’s so hard to gauge the Celtics, because they can go out and lose to the Cavs at home one night (without two key players, as usual), then bounce back to beat the Nuggets and follow it up with an NBA-record performance against the Blazers from — of all people — Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. They’re the only teammates in Celtics history to score 40-plus points in the same game, and they’re probably the third- and sixth-best players on the team. Scary stuff.
|
—
|
44-18
|
4
|
Knicks
|
After starting the season 6-7 in clutch games (within five points with five minutes left), the Knicks have now won 10 straight while outscoring opponents by nearly 30 points per 100 possessions in such situations. That’s a positive sign as the team gears up for the playoffs, likely as the No. 3 seed in the East.
|
—
|
40-21
|
5
|
Nuggets
|
All this discussion about Nikola Jokić being MVP — maybe we should be talking about Aaron Gordon? The Nuggets are 24-12 this season with him but just 16-10 without him, and Denver has scored 122 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor compared to 117 when he’s on the bench. Their plus-9.7 net rating with Gordon on the court is second on the team to … well, you know who.
|
1
|
40-22
|
6
|
Lakers
|
The Lakers are blazing hot, and we now have a decent enough sample size to look at how Luka Dončić and LeBron James have played together. So far in just over 200 minutes with Dončić and James on the floor together, the Lakers have a plus-6.4 net rating. Perhaps most surprising is the pristine defensive mark of 106.5 points allowed per 100 possessions. Most expected the Lakers to struggle defensively after the trade, but instead they have the league’s third-best defensive mark since Dončić’s first game.
|
1
|
39-21
|
7
|
Grizzlies
|
Three straight losses inside the final five seconds, an injury to Jaren Jackson Jr. and then a matchup with the conference-best Thunder? Not a great run for the Grizzlies, who are in danger of slipping into the fifth spot out West amid a four-game losing streak. One bit of good news was that Ja Morant returned from a shoulder injury on Wednesday, scoring 24 points in 32 minutes in the loss to OKC.
|
2
|
38-24
|
8
|
Rockets
|
The Rockets haven’t been able to score lately, putting up the league’s fifth-fewest points per 100 possessions since Feb. 1. Ironically, the game they had no problem scoring came without the majority of their rotation against one of the best defenses in NBA history — though they still lost to the Thunder in a barnburner. Rookie Reed Sheppard finally got a healthy dose of playing time and took full advantage, setting career highs in points (25), assists (five) and minutes (31) in the loss to OKC.
|
—
|
37-25
|
9
|
Bucks
|
The Bucks have quietly won four in a row and eight of their last 10, with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing fewer than 30 minutes per game over that stretch — who would have thought? Damian Lillard has continued his bounce-back season, putting up 26 points and 5.5 assists per game over his last eight.
|
4
|
36-25
|
10
|
Timberwolves
|
Anthony Edwards cost his team what could be a crucial game by picking up his 16th technical foul and earning a suspension for Friday’s loss to the Jazz. With things packed so tightly in the West, that could mean the difference between a playoff or Play-In spot. Julius Randle has looked good in three games since his return from a month-long absence, averaging 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 51% shooting.
|
1
|
35-29
|
11
|
Pacers
|
Turns out Friday the 13th was lucky for the Pacers — since Dec. 13 they’ve gone 25-10 with the league’s seventh-best net rating, landing in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. From that date forward, Tyrese Haliburton has averaged 19 points and nine assists on astronomically efficient 50/43/87 splits.
|
2
|
35-25
|
12
|
Warriors
|
Jimmy Butler said that he’s finally starting to figure out how to play next to Steph Curry, which is a terrifying thought for the rest of the league. Golden State improved to 9-1 with Butler and shows no signs of slowing. Since he came aboard, the Warriors have the second-best defense and fifth-best offense in the NBA. They’re slowly tracking down the Rockets for the No. 5 seed, and are looking like a nightmare playoff matchup.
|
2
|
34-28
|
13
|
Pistons
|
As impressive as any of the Pistons’ stats during their miraculous year-over-year turnaround is the fact that they were 27th in the NBA in offensive efficiency last season, and they’ve catapulted all the way up to 14th. Since Feb. 1, they’re fifth in the NBA with 120 points per 100 possessions, and they’ve gone 11-4 during that stretch.
|
3
|
35-28
|
14
|
Clippers
|
Vintage James Harden swooped in to pull the Clippers out of a tailspin, scoring 50 points for the first time since he was in a Rockets uniform on Wednesday to lead the Clippers to a much-needed win without Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell, Ben Simmons and Derrick Jones Jr. They’re just two games ahead of the Mavericks in the loss column for the final West Play-In spot.
|
2
|
33-29
|
15
|
Kings
|
The Kings’ four-game winning streak came to an end on Wednesday, but they’re playing good basketball overall since the tongue-lashing they received from Doug Christie following an embarrassing loss coming out of the All-Star break. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have combined to average nearly 50 points over the last five games, while veteran Jonas Valanciunas has averaged 16.5 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 assists in two starts filling in for injured center Domantas Sabonis.
|
1
|
32-29
|
16
|
Mavericks
|
Ugh. There’s not much more to say. Kyrie Irving is done for the season (and likely a large chunk of next year), and there are already cries to trade Anthony Davis this offseason despite him only suiting up for one Mavericks game. With Luka Dončić and the Lakers thriving, Nico Harrison may have executed a trade that turns out even worse than it looked when it went down.
|
1
|
32-31
|
17
|
Heat
|
The Bam Adebayo Heat fans expected to see all season has come alive in Jimmy Butler’s absence, with the big man averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 57/40/80 shooting splits since Butler’s “indefinite” suspension began at the end of January. Three of Adebayo’s five 30-plus point performances this season have occured since Feb. 1.
|
1
|
29-32
|
18
|
Magic
|
Consecutive losses to the Raptors by three combined points pretty much sums up the second half of the season for the Magic, who have gone 14-27 since Dec. 1 — the sixth-worst record in the league over that stretch. On top of that, Jalen Suggs is now out indefinitely and the Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner minutes have been disappointing all season long.
|
1
|
29-34
|
19
|
Suns
|
Reports are that the Suns are going to make major changes, possibly trading Kevin Durant, if they don’t make a deep run in the playoffs. Right now that’s not looking likely, as they’ve lost eight of their last 11. Durant was also seen having a little tiff with Mike Budenholzer on the sideline during Tuesday’s win over the Clippers, so … yeah … not great.
|
—
|
29-33
|
20
|
Hawks
|
By virtue of Orlando’s struggles, the Hawks have a realistic shot at getting into the No. 8 spot in the East, which would give them two cracks at advancing from the Play-In Tournament. Trade deadline acquisition Caris LeVert is making himself at home, averaging 17 points and four rebounds on 51% shooting in 10 games.
|
—
|
28-34
|
21
|
Trail Blazers
|
If Portland is still holding out hope for the final Play-In spot, its antennae certainly went up when Kyrie Irving went down for the season. Nobody roots for injuries, but Dallas could steadily slip from the No. 10 spot, leaving room for the Blazers to potentially sneak in. Stay tuned.
|
—
|
28-35
|
22
|
Spurs
|
San Antonio snapped a four-game losing streak with a thrilling win over the Grizzlies on a game-winning pull-up jumper by De’Aaron Fox, then made it two of their last three with Tuesday’s victory over Brooklyn. Devin Vassell broke out with a career-high 37 points and 11 rebounds against the Nets, showing flashes of the type of sidekick the Spurs hope he can be for Victor Wembanyama once he returns.
|
—
|
26-34
|
23
|
Bulls
|
It’s a strange existence for the Bulls, who can seemingly lose as many games as they want and still hold onto the final Play-In spot out East. They’re 2-8 over their last 10 games with a dismal minus-eight net rating, but at least Zach Collins has been a revelation in a Chicago uniform, averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds on 56% shooting in eight games.
|
—
|
24-38
|
24
|
76ers
|
The Sixers got a much-needed win over the Warriors on Saturday thanks to a career-best 44 points from Quentin Grimes, but the losing started right back up again against the Blazers and the Wolves. You have to wonder how much longer Tyrese Maxey and Paul George will play before being shut down for the season, since any hope of a surprise postseason push has long since been abandoned.
|
1
|
21-40
|
25
|
Raptors
|
The Raptors have 20 wins this season, and seven have come by three points or fewer. They added two to the tally in the last two games with consecutive close wins over the Magic on the road. That being said, Toronto is 28th in the NBA in clutch efficiency.
|
1
|
20-42
|
26
|
Nets
|
Cam Thomas is back and he’s still, well, shaking off the rust with every jumper he takes. The explosive scorer has averaged 20 points in 24 minutes in his first to games back from nearly two months on the shelf, but he’s shooting 42% from the field and is 4 for 17 from 3-point range.
|
2
|
21-40
|
27
|
Pelicans
|
The Pelicans have won four of their last six games, a tiny sign of momentum in what has otherwise been a throw-away season. Zion Williamson has been dominant, averaging 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 63% shooting over his last five games.
|
—
|
17-45
|
28
|
Jazz
|
Utah beat the Wolves on Saturday (without Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert) and the front office was like, “we’ll have no more of that!” Walker Kessler, John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton have hardly played since, and the result is three straight losses. High fives all around.
|
—
|
15-47
|
29
|
Hornets
|
Well, the upside is they aren’t losing by 40-plus anymore. The downside is they’re still losing … a lot … eight in a row to be precise. Nothing is working on either end of the floor, and even LaMelo Ball has been terrible in the five games he’s played during the skid.
|
—
|
14-47
|
30
|
Wizards
|
The Wizards are threatening to not be the worst team in the NBA for basically the first time all season after wins over the Hornets and Jazz this week. But let’s not call them up from the basement just yet. Bub Carrington is rounding out a solid rookie year on a strong note, averaging 12 points, five assists and five rebounds over his last 10 games on 37% 3-point shooting.
|
—
|
12-49
|
