NBA Power Rankings – Week 15

The NBA All-Star Game starters were announced last week, an indicator that the league is quickly approaching the unofficial midway point of the season! Exciting upsets occurred last week while people were too busy to notice because of the NFL playoffs. This week’s rankings will wrap up the eventful end of January and look ahead to the final three months of the season.

1. LA Clippers

The Clippers' rise to the top of the Western Conference took only about a third of the season. James Harden fits with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George better than anyone could have expected, and LA looks versatile and tough to stop.

2. Boston Celtics

Boston’s coach, Joe Mazzulla, made a great point about the length of time since the last Celtics’ championship and how the team must remember to chase greatness. Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown are starting to build a unique chemistry.

3. Denver Nuggets

Denver continues to pick and choose its spots throughout the marathon of the regular season. Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remain key role players that other title contenders wish they had to steady the ship during rough times.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City needs to ensure they don’t get arrogant as they approach the one seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder dropped a game to the Pistons over the weekend. Contending teams shouldn’t lose to squads with six victories.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Karl-Anthony Towns focused too much on surpassing the 70 points Joel Embiid scored on the same night as him, and the Wolves ended up losing to the Hornets. Minnesota remains in contention for the first spot in the Western Conference, but cracks of immaturity are starting to show.

6. Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee’s expectation that Doc Rivers is going to fix its issues seems laughable. The Bucks need a tactical guru with proven playoff success, such as Nick Nurse, who was available this offseason. They don’t need a choker who loses in the second round every spring.

7. New York Knicks

OG Anunoby should receive some Defensive Player of the Year votes. He’s added to the Knicks’ already devastating defensive prowess, and New York seems poised to be a semi-contender in the Eastern Conference with their hard-hat attitude.

8. Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid’s absence during big non-conference games turned into a huge story again after a last-second scratch in Denver. Philadelphia should manage Embiid’s minutes however they please, but the center deserves some criticism all the same.

9. Phoenix Suns

Kevin Durant made headlines for discussing his upcoming trip to Brooklyn and whether he’ll get a tribute video, but folks should focus on Devin Booker’s greatness at the moment. Booker took the baton from KD as Phoenix’s best regular season scoring option with 62 points in Indiana.

10. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento started to gain momentum again last week with wins against the Warriors, Hawks, and Mavericks. Harrison Barnes’ career high in points on Thursday (39) gave a preview of what the Kings would look like if he became a more consistent option.

11. Cleveland Cavaliers

Evan Mobley is supposed to return to action soon, an addition that will aid the Cavaliers in their quest to remain atop the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has won nine out of ten games, and they’re really gelling in a way few analysts expected.

12. Indiana Pacers

Tyrese Haliburton’s injury hasn’t ruined the Pacers, as role players like Bennedict Mathurin have taken up the scoring load in his place. A big matchup with the Celtics played out on Jan. 30.

13. New Orleans Pelicans

Every time it feels like New Orleans has taken a step forward, they stumble in the face of adversity. The Pelicans suffered blowout losses over the last week to contenders like the Thunder and the Bucks.

14. Orlando Magic

Paolo Banchero’s elevated play requires a second scoring option that Orlando doesn’t possess on most nights. The lack of diversity in its offense allows other teams to work around the Magic’s single star.

15. Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James should play the Warriors every night if he wants to look 25 again. He tallied 36 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists on Saturday night in San Francisco, but the Lakers still don’t have enough options on either end of the floor to contend.

16. Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic’s 73 points against Atlanta added to the young star’s resume last week. Doncic can manipulate a defense like few other people in NBA history, but the Mavs’ record still feels disappointing as they fight for a playoff spot.

17. Miami Heat

Miami’s skid has pushed them down into the play-in tournament a little past the halfway point of the year. The Heat never allow fans to make many conclusions about them in January, but another contributor would help a lot.

18. Utah Jazz

Utah cooled a little bit the last two weeks, but a soft schedule against Eastern Conference foes helped pad the win total for the Jazz. Collin Sexton’s scoring has been a vital part of the attack in Salt Lake City.

19. Chicago Bulls

Chicago stumbled upon stability at the halfway point of the season, a surprising development considering how many rumors were swirling around the franchise. Still, the Bulls are stuck in a rut and need to figure out a plan to swing one way or the other.

20. Golden State Warriors

Golden State has met the end of the line for their current roster. Multiple one-point losses show they don’t have enough scorers at the end of close games, especially because Klay Thompson is inconsistent and Andrew Wiggins continues to struggle.

21. Houston Rockets

Houston’s season is starting to tinker on the wrong end of the scale. The Rockets’ shine has worn off, and teams are loading up on key playmakers, as the lack of depth on the bench shows.

22. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta’s defense has fallen into an inescapable abyss. Trae Young can’t guard a cone, and the players around the star don’t help out much. The franchise needs to trade Dejounte Murray before it’s too late.

23. Memphis Grizzlies

GG Jackson’s emergence has helped the Grizzlies remain a fringe play-in team in the Western Conference. Memphis’ player development deserves a lot more credit than many critics might give it.

24. Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn got Ben Simmons back on Monday, but the future doesn’t look bright for the Nets. Cam Thomas definitely possesses scoring punch and the Nets should shop him for prospects.

25. Toronto Raptors

Toronto’s skid into the cellar of the Eastern Conference should give them a high draft pick. Masai Ujiri’s drafting skills will be put to the test in June, especially with no chance of signing free agents to rebuild.

26. Portland Trail Blazers

Portland probably loses too many games compared to other teams around them in the standings. Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, and Malcolm Brogdon are solid players who could be better used on contenders.

27. Charlotte Hornets

Miles Bridges seems to be in trade rumors recently, a move that should have been made immediately after the forward was accused of assaulting his girlfriend. Charlotte’s situation continues to plummet every week.

28. San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio has been entertaining, to say the least, combining bats in the arena with Wemby doing the Shammgod! Fans are still waiting for anyone else on the roster to provide some hope for the future.

29. Washington Wizards

Washington has only beaten one team that isn’t Detroit in the last month. The Wizards' entire roster was reported to be on the trade block, but rumors are nothing to care about until they turn into something tangible.

30. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have recovered from their embarrassing start to string together a few wins in the last couple of weeks. Detroit’s resolve should be credited to their young players and Monty Williams.