Finally, it is time for the third and final part of our mid-season NBA power rankings.
Full disclosure: since I wrote the blurbs for all 30 teams, the order is already messed up. Dallas looks like it could be in serious trouble, Sacramento is flying, and Golden State looks much better already. Oh well.
Without further ado, here are the remaining teams in our rankings:
We’re Okay Just Making The Playoffs
9. Dallas Mavericks
As long as Luka Dončić is on this team, the Mavs will be expected to make the playoffs. There’s no reason for that not to be the case with a perennial MVP candidate on the roster.
His supporting cast, however, is about as bleak as it gets. After Luka, Dallas only has three other players averaging double figures in scoring.
The Mavericks currently rank 18th in the league in field goal percentage, which doesn’t seem awful, but in a slow offense that takes the least shots of any team in the NBA, it becomes a problem. They essentially put a limit on themselves in terms of the amount of chances they give themselves to score, which is baffling to say the least.
Unless Dallas makes a trade, it will likely depend on Luka to carry them into the playoffs. However, given how strong the west is and how unreliable the rest of the roster is, it looks unlikely that the Mavs will be able to repeat last year’s run to the conference finals.
In terms of a trade, there are a few options but not many. Dallas probably doesn’t have the ammunition to go after a truly top-tier target, but a package of Josh Green, a first round pick, and other contracts could net them a decent second option behind Luka.
It really feels like they need a player like… I don’t know… Jalen Brunson. Oh, wait! They had him and let him walk.
8. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers land in this tier because I really don’t trust Joel Embiid’s health or James Harden’s consistency. Placing any amount of serious responsibility on Harden’s shoulders especially seems like a big risk.
For me, ranking them 8th really comes down to that lack of trust. I know they have a better record than teams ranked ahead of them, and I know Embiid and Harden are actually having pretty good years. I just don’t see it coming together for them when push really comes to shove.
Not only do they have to pray that Embiid stays on the court and Harden doesn’t screw anything up, but they also have some decisions to make with the rest of the roster. Harden of course figures as a locked starter, but the other backcourt spot is up in the air. Tyrese Maxey is the obvious choice due to his offensive prowess, but you’re better off putting me in his spot on defense.
De’Anthony Melton is another option. He brings defensive consistency and durability to the table, and I would argue that you don’t really miss Maxey’s scoring in the lineup as long as Harden and Embiid are on. Could Maxey be a trade candidate if Melton is the answer?
A package surrounded by Maxey could definitely yield Philly the kind of player that puts them over the top in the east and convinces me they are serious title contenders. We’ll see what happens with that, but the ceiling is definitely there.
We Think We Are Contenders
7. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are just a fun team. You let them put Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Jonas Valančiūnas on the same team? Watch out, NBA!
Only, those guys haven’t gotten much time together on the court, and that’s my main concern with them. Individually, each of those pieces is really good, but they likely won’t get time to figure out how to play together before the playoffs.
New Orleans has an incredibly deep bench as well, including guys like Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy (who is shooting the lights out, by the way). This kind of depth can certainly help remedy the injury concerns, but you still need your best guys in best shape to compete in the playoffs.
Even with their stars in and out of the lineup, the Pelicans rank in the top-third of the league in both offensive and defensive rating, which is a good omen for things to come once they get everyone back.
However, if those puzzle pieces don’t fit, they might struggle against more cohesive teams in the postseason.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland took a big swing in the offseason by acquiring Donovan Mitchell, but it’s safe to say the gamble has worked out. Mitchell is averaging 28 and 5 this season, carrying them on the offensive end. His defensive game, which disappeared at the end of his time in Utah, is back as well.
The Cavs get their scoring from a variety of places outside Mitchell, which certainly helps. However, the pieces don’t seem to quite fit together yet. Last year, this was clearly Darius Garland’s team, and it showed through his confidence and all-star appearance.
This year, Garland’s numbers are only slightly down, but Mitchell’s arrival has thrown off Cleveland’s ball distribution quite a bit. Mitchell and Garland both want the ball in their hands, and they’ve had to figure out how to make that work. Don’t get me wrong: It’s a great problem to have, but it’s still something to work out.
Evan Mobley hasn’t taken the big step forward that many expected, but he still anchors a stout defensive unit that rates second in the entire league. Even when the offense is off, it will be hard to score on them.
It might still be a bit too early for this team to be considered a serious contender, but Cleveland will still be a tough out in the playoffs. We’ll see how they’ll ultimately end up, but things are definitely looking up in The Land.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
This is where things get really tough. By all appearances and riding an 11-game winning streak, Memphis looks like a bonafide title contender. However, I have a few reservations when it comes to a playoff series, which is why I have the Grizzlies slightly behind the remaining four teams.
Don’t get me wrong: This team is awesome. Ja Morant is probably one of my favorite players to watch, and with the rest of the core composed of Bane, JJJ, and Brooks, the Grizzlies at their best can beat anyone.
However, Ja is almost too fun to watch at times. He’s wreckless to say the least, and he is one bad fall or awkward landing away from missing a lot of time. God forbid it happens in a playoff series, but it is definitely a possibility we have to consider, especially after Morant missed chunks of time last year (granted, they were really good without him for some reason).
Another issue I could see arising in a seven-game series is Jaren Jackson Jr.’s availability. I feel like every time I watch Memphis, he only lasts a few minutes before getting hurt or falling into foul trouble. He’s gotta be available when it matters most, because his contributions are vital for them. If he has three fouls after the first quarter in every game in a series, that could become a serious problem.
In the roster’s current composition and health, the Grizzlies are definitely a team with a high ceiling. I just question how composed and how healthy they’ll be when it matters most.
We Are Contenders If Kyrie Doesn’t Do Anything Stupid
4. Brooklyn Nets
This is a complete wild card, which is why Brooklyn has a tier all to itself.
Any team with Kevin Durant playing at this level can’t be ignored as a contender, and Kyrie has behaved himself pretty well this year (which seems nuts to say given his indefinite suspension earlier in the season).
Durant is averaging 30 points per game, but the Nets really need Kyrie’s 26 and 5 to be serious about winning a title. We saw it last year: Durant and the rest of the Nets roster isn’t nearly good enough to win in the playoffs without Kyrie in the picture.
The only thing keeping them from being confirmed contenders is just that: Is Kyrie going to be in the picture? Or is he going to say/do something that disqualifies him from playing? Who knows? I’d question whether God himself even knows what goes through that man’s head.
Durant, Irving, and Co. is good enough to do whatever it wants, exemplified by a recent 12-game winning streak. However, Durant and Co. is just Durant, a few decent pieces, and a bunch of scrubs. Not good enough in that case.
We Are Contenders
3. Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is simply too good for this team not to be considered a serious threat to win the finals. 31/12/5 on 52% shooting is ridiculous.
Even scarier is that the Bucks are this high in the standings without their second-best player. Khris Middleton has been out most of the season after also missing the playoffs last year. The argument could certainly be made that Milwaukee would have made it back-to-back championships if Middleton had been healthy.
Instead, Giannis has carried the Bucks up to this point, but it hasn’t been all about him entirely. I love Jrue Holiday’s contributions on both ends of the floor, and the rest of the supporting cast has been decent to say the least. They are tough to score on and have a knack for controlling the pace and tone of their games.
If Middleton comes back firing at full strength, his offensive contributions likely put the Bucks in prime position to win the east. How they compare to Boston completely depends on whether or not he can come back.
Giannis is a generational player, and the rest of the roster is good enough to get them deep in the playoffs. Whether they can really threaten the title, however, depends on Middleton’s health.
2. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have ridden a high-powered offense to the best record in the west, and by all appearances, they are the safest bet to come out of the west in the playoffs.
Everything for Denver of course flows through Nikola Jokić, who in my opinion is the toughest individual matchup in the entire league. You want to keep him from scoring? He’ll rack up the assists. You want to make him beat you? He’ll score 45 without blinking an eye. He’s averaging a triple-double and effortlessly tears defenses apart on a nightly basis.
Even more notable is that Denver built a roster around him that makes perfect sense. Jamal Murray’s return from his knee injury has been great, giving Jokić a clear second option. Beyond that, Aaron Gordon, KCP, and Bruce Brown have been sensible pieces in the rotation (KCP is shooting 47% from three).
With Jokić’s playmaking and scoring ability, the Nuggets are really hard to defend. There are definitely questions about their defense, however, which is where they might have a serious flaw. Without legitimate rim protection and with sketchy perimeter play, they aren’t that hard to break down.
Luckily for Denver, it can probably outscore pretty much anyone it plays.
1. Boston Celtics
It shouldn’t be a surprise to see Boston at number one here. With the best record in the league and the best duo in the league, they look like a difficult proposition for anyone in any type of one-off game, back-to-back, or playoff series.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both averaging over 27 points per game, and the entire team works incredibly hard on defense no matter who they play (I’ll mark that massive loss to OKC as an abomination).
It felt like last year’s finals was one step too far for them last year, but the loss to Golden State seems to have really fueled them. Tatum in particular is a man on a mission this season, elevating his game to become an undisputed top-tier player in the league.
There hasn’t been a better offense in the league so far, and the defense has room to improve. Once Robert Williams gets back into the rotation consistently, the Celtics will have much stronger interior resistance. A number-one offense AND an improving defense? It sounds like Boston can only get better.
There are some tough outs in the east, but I struggle to see a safer bet than Boston to make it to the finals and win it.
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