Oklahoma City Thunder
The Champs look more aggressive than last year, walking opponents with a brutal combination of shooting, length, and agility. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays like the best player in the world, and his depth gets teams fired up at night.
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The Denver Nugget
Nikola Jokic is on offense again, and Denver’s starting lineup is like a cheat code when it’s healthy. They kept pace with OKC in the west and rarely looked stressed during the playoffs, which is exactly what you want from a veteran contender.
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Houston Rockets
Houston has become a buzzsaw, combining the kevin durant clinic of late with the award for getting all the power with fearlessness and urgency. They have won most of their recent games and are building a superior offense that moves on the road and sticks to an exceptional defense.
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The Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were in shock at the time, riding an 11-game heater and locking in an identity built on length, physicality, physicality, and dynamic offense. Cade Cunningham is on full display in Command, and their young players are getting all the best fights.
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Los Angeles Lakers
The return of LeBroni and the improved Luke Doncic turned the lakers into one of the most heated teams almost overnight. When those two share the floor with talented shooting and effective defense, they look like a team that can challenge for the title.
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San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembonyama has dragged San Antonio out of the bottom and into the real conversation to play faster than anyone expected. Their offense is still learning to live with his unique set, but the combination of rim protection and stretch play has made them a big night game on many nights. {index = 5}
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland doesn’t always look smooth, but they put up a win and still boast one of the unique features of the East Point. DONVAN MITCHL’s Shotmaking and Evan Mobley’s Devivent Harden keeps his ceiling high even when the offense goes down.
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Toronto raptors
After a 1-4 start, Toronto exploded, going ahead with as many turnovers as the leading scorers. Scottie Barnes looks like an all-star again alongside Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett, and the offense finally has enough creation to complement its disruptive defense.
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Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards has fully embraced the mantle of franchise player, and Minnesota’s offense has followed suit. Paired with solid defense around the rim, the Wolves have quietly played like the top team of the past few weeks.
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The heroes are in the golden car
The Warriors are no longer an overnight juggernaut, but when Stephen Curry gets on board, they still look like world beaters. A recent strong expansion, including a statement win against ranked opponents, pushed them firmly back into the first year’s tier.
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The Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid is working his way back to top form on the minutes limit, and whenever he plays the veneers look effective. The supporting cast has always been good enough to win the bank even if they stay, long-term health bodies.
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The Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have been good but not dominant, mostly because Giannis Antetokounmpo has already missed time and non-Giannis minutes still look decent. In support, however, Milwaukee’s offense and Spike’s efficiency are exceptional levels, keeping them firmly in the top tier of threats in the East.
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Miami Heat
Miami also overcame injuries and lineup injuries to grind out a win in a tough contest. They don’t open anyone up, but the defense, the shooting, and that “next man up” feel very familiar come spring.
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Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have settled in quietly after a rocky start, relying on advanced defense and the creation of a cracking approach to their young backs. Even with little trae in and out of the line, they put up wins and showed steady ownership at both ends.
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New York Knicks
Janen Brunson continues to be the heartbeat of the Knicks team that causes people at home but they still want consistency on the road. Their defense is playoff-caliber, yet they still feel they are one reliable experience away from pushing for the top ten.
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The Phoenix Suns
The new Sun that was built around Devin Booker Plus Defense and shooting is starting to make more sense than last year’s superteam. They’ve been putting together wins of late and look like a strong contender, even if their true ceiling still feels a step below elite opponents.
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The Magic of Orlando
Orlando shook off a sluggish start and looked like the rising power many expected, with Paolo Banchero setting the tone. Their defense is long and sweet, and new addition Desmond Bane is starting to find a rhythm as a secondary.
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Boston Celtics
Even without Jayson Tatum for a stretch, Boston has done well enough to hover around .500 and stay in the mix. The offense relies heavily on the three and system play, so when the shot falls it looks good – but the margin for error is smaller than in the past.
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The Dallas Mavericks
Post-Luka, this version of MAVS is limited defensively but still struggles to produce quality night after night. When their stars are healthy they can beat anyone, however the lack of consistent shooting creates a tier below the true opposition right now.
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The Chicago Bulls
Chicago came crashing back down to earth after a hot start, but the overall body of work looks respectable. If they can live up to their full potential and keep up the advanced ball movement, they will be the size of a Parloff mid-level race.
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Portland Trail Blazers
Deni Avdija blossomed into an official move, giving Blazers fans a new star to meet sooner than expected. They’re still learning to close out games and protect leads, but their energy and defense suggest this won’t be a typical tank year.
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Sacramento Kings
It has been a brutal month for the Kings, their defenses have been cleaned up and their offense no longer feels strong enough to compensate. Major structural changes have already been discussed, and the team is built to win now, which is a worrying sign.
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New Orleans pelicans
When Zion Williamson is on the floor, the Pelicans can look like a top 10 offense; The problem is that the lineups around him keep changing. The lack of continuity in defense has left them stuck in that precarious place between “dangerous” and “reliable.”
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Memphis grizzlies
Memphis still competes hard every night and shows flashes of its old defensive identity, but the offensive firepower just isn’t consistently there. Unless they get healthy and get high burn points, they look long on the wrong side of playing.
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Utah Jazz
The jazz has completely embraced the rebuild, giving heavy minutes to young guards and living with mistakes. There are fun offensive bursts here and there, but the Defense and Tense-Game Experience scream for an “improvement year” rather than a playoff push.
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Los Angeles Clippers
The age of the Clippers and the risk of injury quickly caught up, with a long losing streak and the absence of important stars. Even if Kawhi Leonard is available, the roster no longer looks deep or strong enough to pose a major threat out west.
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Charlotte Horny
Lamelo Ball’s absence has pushed the Hornets back into the lottery field, just as rookie Kon Knueppel is hurting the power of the field. They compete in rushing, but defensive issues and a lack of veteran toughness continue to turn a promising night into a loss.
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Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn sits next to the East with one of the League’s Ulight Point Unique and unstoppable defenses. The silver lining is that their new wings are getting real reps, but for now this looks like a long-term project rather than a quick reset.
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Indiana Pacers
The panels are completely limited by injuries, with Tyrese Haliburton’s Achiloles problem decorating the brutal start. Despite their offensive engine, they have fallen down the pecking order and rarely looked competitive for 48 minutes.
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Washington Wizards
Washington remains dead last with just one win, a double-digit losing streak, and the defense that comes out proves every night. This is full development and lottery season, with the front office clearly more focused on future picks than today’s results.
