NBA Power Rankings: Where Warriors, Kings sit with one month left originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
And just like that, the 2023-24 NBA regular season ends in a month.
Apart from the still-surging Boston Celtics, every team is jostling for the best positioning possible, whether that be for playoff seeding or draft purposes.
The Western Conference summit continues to be tight. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets all have 47 wins and the race will likely go down to the wire.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors remain close to one another. If things stay the same, they could be in for another potential play-in tournament thriller.
Let’s break it all down with the 13th edition of the 2023-24 NBA Power Rankings:
The Wizards recently won two in a row — vs. Charlotte, at Miami — to end a double-digit losing streak, but that doesn’t propel them out of dead last. They’ve since lost four straight and the future remains muddy. (Last ranking: 30)
Detroit would be dead last if it wasn’t for Washington. A miraculous turnaround will be needed next season, starting with more internal growth that must be spearheaded by head coach Monty Williams. (Last ranking: 29)
Charlotte owns the league’s worst net rating and is 2-8 in its last 10 games. At least Brandon Miller has shown potential in flashes, otherwise this would’ve been another wasted year for the Hornets. (Last ranking: 28)
At least the Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, who just been a different breed as a rookie. The numbers of leaps he’s taken in just one season is absurd, but too bad he hasn’t been able to enjoy as many wins in his debut campaign. (Last ranking: 27)
Not much is new in Portland other than hoping Scoot Henderson can end the campaign on a high note now that he’s back from an injury. (Last ranking: 26)
It seems Toronto has made its decision. The Raptors have a first-round pick that is top-six protected, otherwise it conveys to San Antonio. Toronto has gone 1-9 in its last 10 games, including losing seven in a row. That pick could be huge for the team’s future. (Last ranking: 23)
Memphis climbs one spot thanks to Toronto’s drop. It’s been a season full of terrible injuries for the Grizzlies, so the main goal is just to end without additional serious ones. (Last ranking: 25)
The Nets also benefit from Toronto’s fall, but they have their own issues to worry about. Since the last edition, Ben Simmons was ruled out for the season. Brooklyn has plenty of roster construction to do in the offseason. (Last ranking: 25)
Utah has been streaky all season, but perhaps this latest fall is what ends up sticking. The Jazz have gone 2-8 in their last 10 games, but their first-round pick could be rerouted to Oklahoma City (it is protected through picks 1-10, however). There might not be another big winning streak until next season. (Last ranking: 21)
Atlanta continues to be a middle-of-the-road team and it doesn’t seem like anything will change that. Roster reshuffling, mainly via a potential Dejounte Murray trade, will be key in the offseason. Atlanta moves up, though, because of Utah’s drop. (Last ranking: 22)
The Bulls still have time to hit a new peak this season. They’ve won six of their last 10 games, but the chances of continuously improving this campaign without Zach LaVine is low. Trades should’ve been made at the deadline. (Last ranking: 19)
Houston still boasts a top-10 defense, but its 9-24 road record has put a significant dent on its ceiling. Memphis, for context, has a 15-19 road record. That, along with improved offensive play, will be key to a rise next year. Alperen Sengun avoiding a serious injury was key, too. (Last ranking: 20)
18. Golden State Warriors, 35-32
There’s plenty of parity from this spot up until around the top 10. The Warriors sink three spots from the last edition after their solid run stalled out in recent games. There’s still time to potentially avoid a play-in game, but the margins are extremely slim for where Golden State currently stands. (Last ranking: 15)
The Heat are on a shaky run at the moment, having lost five out of their last seven games. The only two wins were at Detroit. As aforementioned, the margins around this region are slim, so Miami also takes a dive. (Last ranking: 13)
Indiana had been trending down in the last edition, and that continues here. The Pacers keep fluctuating between wins and losses and need Tyrese Haliburton to rediscover his early-season magic to have a legit chance this season. (Last ranking: 14)
15. Los Angeles Lakers, 37-32
You never know what version of the Lakers you’ll get — they beat Milwaukee and Minnesota back-to-back then lost to Golden State and Sacramento — which is ultimately both good and bad and will probably be the reason for their downfall (along with coaching concerns). For now, their recent play is worth a one-spot rise. (Last ranking: 16)
The 76ers are entering a tricky stretch. They’ve lost five of their last eight games and are now going on a four-game road trip against four Western Conference playoff hopefuls. They need to stay afloat while Joel Embiid remains out. (Last ranking: 11)
The Kings have a peculiar problem in which they regularly engage in quality battles with the elite teams but completely stumble against teams they should be beating. Maybe that could be a good thing come playoff time, but they need to ensure a good seed first. (Last ranking: 18)
Phoenix hasn’t completely flamed out, but it has also fluctuated between wins and losses that sees the team fall back from the top 10. (Last ranking: 9)
The Mavericks have won five of their last six against solid opposition, with Kyrie Irving’s left-handed hook-shot buzzer beater over Nikola Jokic serving as the ultimate prize. (Last ranking: 12)
Orlando is the biggest riser in this edition having won eight of 10, but that should come with context. Those wins came against Brooklyn (x2), Toronto (x2), Detroit, Washington, Charlotte and Utah. The two losses were against New York and Indiana. But teams on the rise like Orlando should be taking care of business, something teams beneath them haven’t always done. (Last ranking: 17)
Compared to other teams above the Clippers, it’s been a small rough patch for L.A. They’ve lost four of five and were on the downward trend in the last edition, too. L.A. will need to find form again before the next month. (Last ranking: 6)
New Orleans has picked up six wins from its last seven, though it’s not quite enough to keep rising just yet. Staying healthy for this stretch is what really matters, especially with Zion Williamson at the helm. (Last ranking: 8)
The Knicks started slipping the last few editions when injuries began piling up, but they’ve since won four of five and aren’t fully healthy yet. There could be more to come from Jalen Brunson and Co. (Last ranking: 10)
Cleveland’s late January through mid-February form has worn out, with the last few weeks seeing a turbulent side in terms of results. Donovan Mitchell hasn’t quite fully returned yet, so that’s something to factor when pondering if they could reach their previous levels again. (Last ranking: 6)
Milwaukee will likely need to settle for the No. 2 seed out East and are 3-3 in its last six games. The Bucks’ next one, though, is a clash in Boston. Talk about a huge test in what could be an Eastern Conference Finals preview. (Last ranking: 5)
4. Minnesota Timberwolves, 47-21
The top three out West are nearly identical record-wise, so it’s still all to play for throughout the next month of action. Minnesota will need to do so without Karl-Anthony Towns, however, so its resilience will definitely be tested. Anthony Edwards, fortunately, doesn’t seem fazed about anything. (Last ranking: 3)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder, 47-20
Oklahoma City regains a spot having won six of its last eight. The youth of the team will be tested come playoff time, but none of that has slowed them yet. (Last ranking: 4)
2. Denver Nuggets, 47-21
Denver remains the best of the top three out West and are also in incredible form. The Nuggets have won 11 of their last 13 games, including a thriller at home versus Boston. Their next opponent? Away at Minnesota. (Last ranking: 2)
1. Boston Celtics, 54-14
The Celtics stay first for the ninth edition running. Their starting five has the perfect balance in each position, and they’re currently on a league-best six-game winning streak. As long as they stay the course, this is their premier shot at Banner No. 18. (Last ranking: 1)
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