The first round was exciting and fun. Minnesota shockingly swept Phoenix. Denver barely led most of their four wins against the Lakers. Dallas and the Clippers had an entertaining series. Oklahoma City had no playoff jitters as they confidently swept the more experienced Pelicans. The Thunder and Mavericks will show viewers how close they are to becoming complete teams while Denver and Minnesota have the best second round matchup in either conference. Two of the remaining four teams will advance to the next round. Time to break down which of the two have the best chance to make the conference finals.
#5 Dallas Mavericks v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder
Dallas and Oklahoma City have great guard duos. Forward and center play will determine who wins this series.
The Mavericks and Thunder have many similarities but many differences. They have great starting guards who score at will. They have young, dangerous centers starting to find their rhythm on both sides of the ball. Dallas and Oklahoma City also have starting forwards facing a lot of pressure to defend well and score better. Both coaches also know how to get the best out of their improving rosters.
The differences are in expectations. The Mavericks face growing pressure to make a championship run with star guard duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving playing their best basketball these last three months. The Thunder’s starting five is the youngest in the league and hasn’t faced adversity in the postseason. Doncic and Irving have enough experience to help center Daniel Gafford, and forwards P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. gain advantages on Oklahoma City’s center Chet Holmgren, and forwards Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort. It will be interesting to see how both teams counter each other’s strengths and styles.
Prediction: Mavericks win series 4-2
#3 Minnesota Timberwolves v. #2 Denver Nuggets
Guards Jamal Murray (blue) and Anthony Edwards (white) will have one of the best series of their careers.
This could be the best NBA playoff series of 2024. Minnesota and Denver have split their last two regular season series and have the right players to counter each other. This could be the only Denver series we see a one-on-one matchup on Nikola Jokic, as he’ll be guarded by Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert.
Nuggets guard duo Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have as much skill as Timberwolves guard duo Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards. You could go as far to say Conley’s experience and better defense presents a problem for Denver. Since Gobert can do what most teams can’t and cover Jokic by himself, Minnesota can double cover Caldwell-Pope or Murray (depending on who’s playing better each game). Roster depth will be more important since Sixth Man of the Year winner Naz Reid can play well at both power forward and center for the Timberwolves, and Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson can play both sides of the ball well when Murray rests.
The winner of this series will be decided on the play of Minnesota star forward Karl-Anthony Towns against Denver forward Aaron Gordon. Gordon’s played better each postseason series since he was traded to the Nuggets in 2021. He can play physical on both sides of the ball and is a consistent rebounding threat. Towns is a great three point shooter, but his rebounding and preference of playing away from the basket and interior poses a problem Denver can exploit further into the series.
Prediction: Nuggets win series 4-3
First round western conference playoff predictions: 2-2
The 2023-24 NBA regular season ended on a high note for the eastern conference. New York clinched the second seed in their final game before the play-in tournament. Indiana and Orlando are young teams that exceeded expectations and will use this postseason to learn how to improve for future playoff appearances. Most believe the east is Boston’s to lose. Milwaukee’s inconsistency even before hiring new coach Doc Rivers solidifies this belief. Regardless, four talented and competitive teams will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#8 Miami Heat v. #1 Boston Celtics
While Jayson Tatum (left) will have one of the best statistical series of his career, it’s up to Miami’s Tyler Herro (right) to keep the Heat close in each game.
This couldn’t be a more lopsided series. Miami’s without star forward Jimmy Butler against the league’s best team. Boston’s starting five and their dangerous scoring depth makes this a one-sided matchup. No matter how well the Heat play, the Celtics will quickly advance to round two.
Prediction: Celtics win series 4-0
#6 Indiana Pacers v. #3 Milwaukee Bucks
Tyrese Haliburton (left) and the Pacers are heavily favored to sweep Giannis Antetokounmpo (right) and the Bucks after sweeping them in the regular season.
It’s not as easy a prediction Indiana will sweep their first round opponent like Boston will, but many expect it. Milwaukee didn’t win 50 games during the regular season after they hired Doc Rivers (they had 30 when Adrian Griffin was let go). The Bucks have regressed on defense since Jrue Holiday was traded to Portland for star point-guard Damian Lillard. Lillard’s also struggled shooting from three-point range most of the season.
Indiana decisively swept their central division rivals, and this was before they traded for forward Pascal Siakam mid-January. The Pacers averaged 123 points per game and were over 50% in field goal percentage in the regular season. Indiana never faced a dip in offensive production. That’s bad news for the Bucks.
Prediction: Pacers win series 4-0
#7 Philadelphia 76ers v. #2 New York Knicks
Former league MVP Joel Embiid’s still easing back into playing full-time minutes, but Isaiah Hartenstein and the Knicks have a shutdown defense that can frustrate Philadelphia.
This series would look different if 76ers franchise star center Joel Embiid was at full health and consistently playing 40 minutes a night. Since Embiid’s easing back into his major roles, New York will take advantage of this weakness and attack both the former MVP and Philadelphia’s complimentary players. Forward OG Anunoby and the guard duo of Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo will be too much for coach Nick Nurse’s adjustments.
Prediction: Knicks win series 4-1
#5 Orlando Magic v. #4 Cleveland Cavaliers
No matter who wins the series, both Paolo Banchero (5) and Donovan Mitchell (45) should play well and give audiences the best series of the first round.
The hardest series to decide a round one winner in either conference. Both Orlando and Cleveland are young and inexperienced, but play hard and are fun to watch. They have similar stats and both excel playing inside the three-point line. This will probably be a physical, seven game series.
If any side can claim an advantage, it would be the Cavaliers with guard Donovan Mitchell leading the offense. The Magic can counter with guard duo Gary Harris or Jalen Suggs, but it won’t be enough to contain Mitchell. Cleveland can counter Orlando’s star trio of Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr. and Franz Wagner with their trio of Evan Mobley, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen. This puts more pressure on Harris and Suggs to score more than Mitchell, but that will be hard to do each game.
Prediction: Cavaliers win series 4-3
Regular season eastern conference playoffs and play-in prediction record: 6-2
The 2023-24 NBA regular season ended in anticipation for a thrilling western conference playoff race. MVP runner-up Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are the favorites to make a deep run to the championship while the young Thunder and Timberwolves want to prove they can compete and beat the best veteran teams left. No one should underestimate the resurgence of New Orleans, and Phoenix is still the team everyone wants out in order for a fair chance at the finals. Four talented squads will advance to the second round. Time to break down which four have the best chance.
#7 Los Angeles Lakers v. #2 Denver Nuggets
Fans are blessed with another LeBron v. Jokic series, but it could mirror last year’s lopsided results after Denver’s game one win.
The easiest series out west. Nikola Jokic is an MVP front runner and his supporting cast of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope outmatch LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell. Lakers coach Darvin Ham struggled to adjust against Jokic and Denver’s offense in every second half of their regular season games. Don’t expect that to change in the series.
Prediction: Nuggets win series 4-0
#8 New Orleans Pelicans v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder
If New Orleans wants to drag Oklahoma City into a long series, point-guard CJ McCollum (3) has to be their top playmaker.
Similar to Miami versus Boston in the east, New Orleans is without their star franchise player this series. Unlike the Heat, the Pelicans have a good amount of scoring depth to make their first round series fun. They’re also fortunate the west’s number one seed is both in their first playoff series and as young as the University of North Carolina’s basketball team.
If New Orleans has any chance of taking advantage of Oklahoma City’s young starting five, the veteran starters have to be their best players each game. Point-guard CJ McCollum has been phenomenal in previous playoff series, but he needs to get out of his scoring slump. Shooting guard Brandon Ingram and center Jonas Valanciunas can add more on offense and help slow down Thunder center Chet Holmgren and guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.
The number one seeded Thunder had a top three offense, but their youth will make this a longer series compared to a more experienced team like Denver or Phoenix. The Pelicans are desperate to stay in the playoffs long enough for franchise star Zion Williamson to return. It might not be enough to slow down a resurgent and determined team coached by Mark Daigneault.
Prediction: Thunder win series 4-2
#5 Dallas Mavericks v. #4 Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles forward duo Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will be a great counter to Dallas guard duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
This was the first clinched matchup before the regular season ended. The series stars are Los Angeles forward duo Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, while Dallas counters with guard duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Two factors will determine the winner: coaching and which team can slow down the other’s elite duo. James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Terance Mann can counter Doncic and Irving with how their offensive playmaking, but P.J. Washington Jr. and Daniel Gafford might struggle against George and Leonard if this series goes more than five games.
Coaching favors Tyronn Lue over Jason Kidd. Lue’s been in harder situations ranging from championship finals experience to roster depth issues in previous playoff rounds. His adjustments will determine how many games the Clippers can beat Dallas.
Prediction: Clippers win series 4-2
#6 Phoenix Suns v. #3 Minnesota Timberwolves
If Phoenix wants to replicate their regular season success against Minnesota, they must attack the interior early and often.
The Suns dominated the Timberwolves during the regular season. Yet Minnesota looks different with guard Anthony Edwards and center Rudy Gobert elevating the team’s nightly performances.
There’s no doubt Phoenix forward Kevin Durant will play some of his best postseason basketball, but he’ll need more help from guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, forward Grayson Allen and center Jusuf Nurkic. The Timberwolves match up well against Phoenix’s starting five. Point guard Mike Conley and center Naz Reid bring the needed veteran presence and scoring depth. It depends on how franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns continues to ease back into heavy minutes and if he comes off the bench compared to his regular starting role. If Towns continues coming in from the bench like he did in game one, Phoenix will have a hard time winning the series.
Prediction: Suns win series 4-2
Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 5-3
(From left to right) Chet Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylin Williams and Jalen Williams are the young core that could lead Oklahoma City to a dominant run similar to the one from the 2010s.
The NBA finals are played in June and the victor of the series wins the championship. Champagne is sprayed, confetti falls and the winning team has bragging rights for almost a year with their trophy and accolades. For many viewers, the other 29 teams will be viewed as failures for coming up short. Perhaps the viewers are right; the losing teams come up short with many regrets. Runner-ups in the conference championships don’t have enough to win a few more games. The other 26 are losers separated by a few weeks or months.
Some teams exceed expectations by not just one year, but more than two or three. Last year the Sacramento Kings brought joy out of casual viewers (probably because they snapped their two decades long playoff drought) because it was a different team in California dominating opponents for a division title. One might say this year’s Orlando Magic is similar due to their myriad of misfortune since 2010. Orlando is where they should be after years of rebuilding, but the Oklahoma City Thunder is further ahead in its rebuild than anyone thought. General manager Sam Presti has impressed the league with his decision-making, and basketball fans should (mostly) love the team’s upward direction.
There’s a lot to like with this team. Let’s start with the most basic for those not familiar with the NBA; the Thunder (as of this writing) are tied for first in both the northwest division and the western conference. Point-guard and rising league star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a top choice to win league MVP and rookie (sort of) center Chet Holmgren is a close second for the Rookie of the Year award. The guard duo of Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are one of the league’s best back court threats despite their postseason inexperience.
Then there’s Jalen Williams. The sophomore leads Oklahoma City in fourth quarter scoring. He can make a three point shot or charge straight to the rim, offsetting defensive stops by opponents. His footwork, passing and vision are improving weekly, leaving many to wonder how high his ceiling is to stardom. Jalen Williams’ 19 points per game, four rebounds, four and a half assists and 54% shooting put him as one of six players in NBA history to accomplish this at the age of 22 or younger.
A team this young and inexperienced in the playoffs won’t win the championship in 2024. The veteran playoff teams are more likely to prove why in the later rounds, but it’s shocking to many how good Oklahoma City is when several saw them as a play-in prediction this year. Presti is a big part of that progress, trading away star veterans and accumulating the needed players and draft picks to build a better roster.
Presti’s roster moves make the Thunder a fascinating case for how to plan ahead for both the draft and the salary cap. Regarding the latter, the franchise isn’t spending money on big name free agents…at least not yet. ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks tweeted that Oklahoma City’s salary cap is predicted to be around $141 million after their season ends. Contract extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams don’t start until the 2026-2027 season. The team’s paying less than $95 million for a 13 man roster.
Several franchises aren’t just trying to get at the Thunder on the court, they are also playing catch-up against a team loaded with extra salary cap space, a young determined roster, and trade pieces that could upend the NBA and the winning process many organizations have used in past years. If there is an asterisk for Oklahoma City, it may be how shooting guard Josh Giddey is handled after the postseason. While Giddey’s statutory rape charges were dropped, the situation puts both him and the franchise in an uncertain place. The league could decide to step in after nothing was handled and strip the Thunder of some draft and cap assets. One does wonder how severe the punishment might be after eight months and no follow up.
That draft situation gets more interesting. In the last five years, Oklahoma City traded for picks of every round. The Thunder have three first round picks for the upcoming 2024 draft. Four of the current starting five players are first round picks who are 25 years old or younger. They also have three first round and two second round picks for 2025 and seven first round picks from 2027-2029 in case Williams, Holmgren and/or Gilgeous-Alexander sign max-contracts.
Unless the league’s front office decides what actions to take, it’s clear that after the champion of 2024 is crowned, the second winner of the 2023-2024 season is Oklahoma City.
General manager Sam Presti has a formula many teams in the league are trying to replicate. He’ll have the basketball world on edge the next few years.
Here are the NBA power rankings for March
#30 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 30)
It was difficult choosing who would have the last place rank on here. At least Detroit is showing progress and has some semblance of a future. Washington doesn’t have a quality coach or a developing franchise star. They do have Kyle Kuzma averaging 21 points a game, but that’s not something to brag about.
#29 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 29)
Since play resumed, the Pistons are playing the way many expected before the regular season began. They’ve lost by more than ten points in three games, all to serious playoff contenders. While there are roster issues, there is progress before the season ends. That was unfathomable two months ago.
#28 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)
That four game winning streak did little to calm down serious analysts who noticed front office and upper management changes after the trade deadline. It’s possible the fresh faces decide to clean out the entire roster once the regular season ends. I don’t see anyone (including LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges) staying with the new owner and general manager itching to start over.
#27 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 27)
Number one pick and league phenom Victor Wembanyama became the first player in NBA history to record 75+ made three-point shots, 150+ assists and 150+ blocks in a debut season. He accomplished all that before February ended. Wembanyama became the 15th NBA player to post the rare ‘5×5’ statline in a 123-118 loss to the Lakers last month, finishing that game with 27 points, ten rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks in the 31 minutes he played (since the league started keeping track of steals and blocks in 1973-1974). Last but not least, he is one of two players who has put up multiple triple-doubles in under 30 minutes of a game this season. The only other player who has done that is regular season MVP favorite and reigning finals MVP Nikola Jokic. Teams are starting to double-cover Wembanyama on defense due to his stellar offensive performances. He’ll be scarier when San Antonio adds better complimentary players.
#26 Portland Trailblazers (last ranking: 26)
Portland was one of two winless teams in February (the other being the Wizards). It’s the third time in NBA history two teams have accomplished that feat. Somehow, Chauncey Billups keeps his coaching job until the end of the season. It is obvious management doesn’t care about the regular season and the team doesn’t most nights. One has to wonder if the league will take notice and do something about it.
#25 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 25)
Guard DeJon Jarreau is third on Memphis in assists and leads the team in rebounds and steals. The Grizzlies found a good player to keep developing until everyone returns healthy next season.
#24 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)
Scottie Barnes is the only player in the NBA to lead his team in all stats (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks). Toronto will miss the playoffs due to blown leads and playing down to their competition, but Barnes will be their biggest star. The Raptors have to keep building around him after the season ends.
#23 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 23)
Brooklyn decided the answer to the start of their awful 2024 was firing Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn was keeping the team alive in the play-in race most of the season. Only the Nets could fully implode after acquiring another “super team” roster. There really needs to be a study of what goes on at 15 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn.
#22 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 19)
The drop off continued after the last rankings but there is hope for the franchise moving forward. Utah has played hard since new ownership and management took over. That’s a great starting point because the team knows they can have a few good months and hover around the play-in bubble. The Jazz now have to find star players the next few years who will lead the team into the play-in.
#21 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 21)
A hilarious stat popped up near the end of February showing Atlanta finished 750-750 in their last 1,500 games. A team couldn’t achieve this level of mediocrity if they tried. Since that stat came out, the Hawks are 5-6, making them 755-756 in 1,511 games.
#20 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 22)
They probably won’t make the play-in bubble but the Rockets have improved after the last few seasons, mostly due to the coach-player duo of Ime Udoka and Alperen Sengun. Houston’s situation is similar to Oklahoma City where there’s a lot of draft capital and cap space. The only difference would be adding free agents to compete for a starting role. The Rockets will be interesting to watch the last month of the regular season due to where they place in the draft and how management wants to move forward with those assets.
#19 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)
Since the Bulls have nothing interesting going on, it’s important and refreshing to see Lonzo Ball has finally been cleared for advanced rehab activities and is nearing a return to practice. General manager Marc Eversley has an important decision on what to do with Ball after the season ends. His choice will decide the direction of the franchise.
#18 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 18)
Golden State’s end to the regular season depends on Stephen Curry’s ankle sprain. His ankle’s progressing quicker than expected but the Warriors have to be patient. If he returns for the Monday night game against the Knicks, the last spot for the play-in bubble will be Golden State’s to lose.
#17 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 17)
We need to zoom out of the inconsistent play for a moment and realize no one else has scored 40,000 points in league history until LeBron James did this month. I don’t think we will see that surpassed within the next 40 years.
Back to the part with the inconsistent play. The hilarious part with James is how the Lakers have lost every recent milestone and memorable game since the return from COVID-19. It’s ironic given that when there are GOAT debates, we know who would not lose these highlighted games.
#16 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 13)
Philadelphia won their first game of the season Sunday without either Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in what was the lowest scoring contest of the season 79-73. The Sixers need perfect defense to remain in the playoff race and that’s not enough since they might draw Cleveland or Milwaukee in the first round (if they get past the play-in). Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield and P.J. Tucker must step up and compete for leading scorer each game whenever Maxey can’t play.
#15 Miami Heat (last ranking: 9)
Just like the last few months of the 2021-2022 season, injuries are taking a toll on Miami late in the season after a championship finals series loss the previous year. Unless Orlando slumps the last month of the regular season, expect Miami to make a play-in round appearance.
#14 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 12)
A post from NBA Memes earlier this week revealed an interesting fact: Kevin Durant led the 2011-2012 Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA Finals appearance when he was 23, the same age star point guard Luka Doncic is now. We can talk about who else was on that Thunder team but let’s not forget LeBron James made it to his first finals appearance at 22. Yes the Mavericks had Jalen Brunson as a great second scoring option and failed to re-sign him multiple times, but many will question Doncic’s supposed “all-time great” legacy if Dallas doesn’t make a championship finals appearance in either the next few months or next year.
#13 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 16)
If Sacramento wants to avoid the play-in round, they have to beat every opponent not threatening for the postseason and five of the next ten versus playoff favorites. This is why losses against Detroit, Houston and Chicago the last month and a half were pains. The Kings are in a better position to clinch one of the top six seeds in the west but haven’t capitalized on those chances.
#12 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 14)
Despite the high octane offense, Bennedict Mathurin’s season ending shoulder injury could force Indiana to make the play-in yet miss out on a middle playoff seed. While he was their fourth leading scorer, having sophomore shooting-guard Andrew Nembhard immediately in the starting role throws off both the offense and defense. Coach Rick Carlisle must get creative the last month of the regular season.
#11 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 11)
The cluttered standings in the western conference means any team could wind up getting the four to six seeds. I see Phoenix as a play-in team due to both their inconsistent play each month and their remaining schedule. The Suns have a brutal last month of the regular season lined up and it wouldn’t surprise me if one or two teams surpass them in the standings.
#10 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)
Sophomore and former number one overall pick Paolo Banchero is one of only four players the last 40 years (since 1983-84) to have career averages of 20+ points, 6+ rebounds and 4+ assists at age 21 or younger. The other three were Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Luka Doncic (via Magic_PR). The young Magic core plays the game right and doesn’t focus on making three-point shots most of the time. In fact, they’re 34-11 when they shoot 35 or less three-pointers, and 5-17 when they shoot more than 35. This will be a fun team to watch the rest of 2024.
#9 New York Knicks (last ranking: 8)
There isn’t a more relieved team by Philadelphia’s fall than New York. The Knicks have been mediocre at best since that fabulous January. They’re fortunate their schedule gets easie
r before April starts. If there’s little improvement the last two weeks of the regular season, they will show viewers how far they’ll go in the playoffs.
#8 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 10)
New Orleans decided franchise star Zion Williamson should play point guard and the results are incredible. Minus a blowout home loss against Cleveland, Williamson averaged seven assists a game in those ten games (most of which he played point guard in) and the Pelicans went 7-3. It’s not just their best basketball of the season, they’re finally showing audiences how high the ceiling can be when everyone’s healthy.
#7 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 2)
Los Angeles’ spotty play since the All-Star break has been a concern but the double digit loss at home to Minnesota on Tuesday puts the Clippers in a dangerous position. Not only did the Timberwolves come back from a 22 point deficit and win by 18, but Los Angeles lost franchise and hometown star Kawhi Leonard to a back injury for what looks like a few weeks. While the west is the tighter conference, the Clippers schedule shouldn’t let them fall too far down the standings. Keep an eye on how Los Angeles handles the end of the month.
#6 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 5)
Cleveland probably won’t win the central division due to some unnecessary losses at the end of February and the beginning of March (another team in their division is also looking better) but the Cavaliers are still the third seed in the east. Cleveland should remain a favorite to make round two of the postseason no matter who they draw in the first round (barring any injuries).
#5 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 7)
The defense is slowly improving but I’m not sure how Milwaukee will perform in the later playoff rounds with Doc Rivers’ coaching. The Bucks could play their best basketball in April and use those changes to advance to the conference finals. It’s also possible Milwaukee’s defense is their downfall, especially if the offense stalls against a more defensive-minded team like New York or against division rivals Cleveland and Indiana.
#4 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 6)
It has been an incredible season for the franchise that many will forget Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally surpassed Kevin Durant with the most 30+ point games in a season with 48 (Durant had 47 in both 2010 and 2014. Right now Gilgeous-Alexander has 49). He has 94 games averaging 30+ points in not even two full seasons. Gilgeous-Alexander is the player many thought Luka Doncic would be while making his teammates better.
#3 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 4)
My long-running gripe with this team was how they’d perform closer to the postseason with two well-paid big men in Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. Since Towns was sidelined with a left knee meniscus tear, Minnesota is a better team with Anthony Edwards as the star player and Rudy Gobert sticking to defense. The Timberwolves must go with this formula moving forward and find the right complimentary players for Edwards once their season is done.
#2 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 3)
I agree with TNT’s Charles Barkley that if Boston doesn’t win the championship this June, they won’t win it anytime soon. The Celtics’ starting five and their roster depth are too good to just make conference finals and championship finals appearances. There’s so much pressure on Boston to win another title that I’m not sure they can do it if an opponent is more at ease or better coached.
#1 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 1)
MVP favorite Nikola Jokic became the third player all-time to record a triple-double against every team (joining LeBron James and Russell Westbrook) when he recorded a 21 point, 19 rebound and 15 assist statline against the Wizards on February 22nd. He’s the main reason the Nuggets are tied for first in both the northwest division and the western conference. It’s important to keep in mind if Denver gets the one seed, it will be harder for the rest of the conference to win more than two games in Ball Arena once the postseason begins. That will deflate most of the conference and drain any fun for the team that wins the eighth seed because the Nuggets will not lose four games to an undermanned play-in winner. It’s not good news for veteran teams Golden State, the Los Angeles teams or Phoenix.
MVP candidate Nikola Jokic (with ball) became the first player in NBA history to record a triple double of 15 (points, rebounds and assists), making all of his shots on the court during a 130-110 win against the Wizards February 22nd. He’s the most dangerous player the final month of the regular season.
From left to right: T.J. Oshie, Max Pacioretty and John Carlson celebrating after a goal in Florida February eighth.
A new month begins and one can see which teams will clinch playoff seeds and which ones could make a championship run. NHL Network analyst Brian Laughton said three years ago most teams are usually a few plays to a few players away from being postseason contenders each year. Four out of five times, that’s the correct analysis. Anything can happen on the ice. Viewers have seen so many upsets and what-if scenarios on who even makes the playoffs (we’re looking at you 2022-2023 Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers) that an entire series can change in the blink of an eye.
The remaining one fifth is easy to predict and at times unanimous. The 2021-2022 eastern conference comes to mind. Once the all-star weekend started, everyone knew which eight teams in the conference were going to make the playoffs. There was no pushback from any of the bottom eight teams once the second half began. The 2022 regular season ended with the eighth seeded Capitals finishing ahead of the ninth ranked Islanders by 16 points. Both teams were in no shape to win a first round series, but the points margin was eye opening even to a casual viewer.
The NHL’s 2023-2024 eastern conference is starting to mirror that result. If one looks at the eastern conference standings today, it’s a given the top five teams (all have 76 points or more) will make the playoffs. All five have good coaches, at least three quality goal scorers and solid roster depth. The bottom three trio of Philadelphia, Detroit and Tampa Bay have faced multiple issues this season and despite slumps, trade talks or not enough veteran presence are still in a good position to clinch a playoff spot a week or two after the trade deadline.
This is why it’s important to watch how every team plays once the calendar year begins. The remaining five teams on the outside (Columbus, Ottawa and Montreal are pretty much eliminated from contention) will have a hard time getting one of the top eight spots. The Capitals, Devils, Penguins and Islanders are the closest teams that could upset one of the three under 76 points. Washington’s defense is surprisingly better than previous years and captain Alex Ovechkin is heating up at the best time. However they also lost T.J. Oshie and still don’t have Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals have the third worst scoring offense in the league and not enough depth to average three goals a game against quality contenders. They have a brutal schedule this month with almost every game against a top team close to clinching a playoff spot or a western conference team trying to stay relevant and jump past other rivals in the postseason standings.
New Jersey is on the opposite end. Forward Jack Hughes is back and the offense looks great but the defense is one of the league’s worst. Many believe the Devils will trade for a star netminder by the March eighth deadline. If the plan is to get a goalie such as John Gibson, Juuse Saros, Elvis Merzlikins or Anton Forsberg, then New Jersey has to give up at least one important player on offense. The Devils aren’t the only team wanting to get into the playoffs that would like goalie help and there’s also no guarantee any of the four names would fix the nagging defensive issues many teams have exploited all season.
Pittsburgh could be the most threatening of the four on paper. They’ve played only 57 games and can add more offensive-minded pieces with tradable players such as Erik Karlsson, Brian Rust and Rickard Rakell. The Penguins will have to contend with a heavy March schedule that features eleven games against playoff hopefuls (including two against Edmonton). Their “easier” games against Ottawa and Columbus will also be hard. There’s no guarantee they’ll find a trade partner who will exchange offensive talent without wanting more in return, and Pittsburgh isn’t in a position to trade away draft picks or any of their core three players.
The Islanders might be the worst of the four. They’re historically bad on the penalty-kill, have only two twenty goal scorers and are in the bottom half of the league in both total offense and defense. Like Washington and Pittsburgh, New York has a rough schedule the last four weeks of the regular season. They didn’t even score their first empty net goal of the season until Leap Day.
Keep in mind that if any of these four wind up getting the eighth or seventh seed, it means one or two of the Tampa Bay-Detroit-Philadelphia trio has to implode their nine point lead. This presents other problems. Despite Pittsburgh having the extra games to play compared to Washington, could the general managers of both franchises decide to give up more assets at the trade deadline instead of coming up short of a playoff spot and a few extra weeks of play?
Many teams believe the trade deadline is the last chance to make necessary changes and want to head into April as postseason favorites. Florida had that mindset last year and wound up representing the conference in the Stanley Cup finals. However the Panthers had more than just luck heading into that championship appearance. Unless any of the Lightning, Red Wings or Flyers trio believes they can’t go any further, we should assume the only serious issues in the east will be seeding for the top eight teams.
The Devils have won some important games since 2024 began but are too inconsistent to make the postseason. They might be sellers at the trade deadline and not buyers.
Here are the power rankings for March.
#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)
Former players Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane scoring the game tying and winning goals on former Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios’ jersey retirement night is another stain on the franchise. Chicago didn’t retain the necessary players after winning their third championship this century and the front office blunders continue to show in meaningful games. One has to wonder how much of the rebuild around franchise star Connor Bedard gets botched after this season.
#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)
Until he got hurt, Tomas Hertl was considered the big name San Jose could move by the trade deadline. A team last in goals for and against won’t have many attractive assets available to postseason contending teams unless it’s solidifying depth or fleecing a franchise trying to clinch a lower playoff spot. The Sharks might be stuck with this whole roster another two months.
#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)
The past month was a net positive for the Ducks despite having four wins to show for it. However three of the four came against the Sabres, Senators and Devils. Those eastern conference teams needed the two points for a better position in the wildcard race. Anaheim also has better trade options than San Jose while their younger core players get better.
#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 29)
The firing of the league’s longest tenured general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has ripple effects. February hadn’t ended and Emil Bemstrom was traded to Pittsburgh on the 22nd. This means Columbus will have multiple purges next week and the following months.
#28 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 25)
What a tailspin. Analysts went from watching Arizona’s potential to wondering if they’ll deal a lot of the core roster. What a disastrous February for the Coyotes and at the worst possible time.
#27 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 27)
It was brought up by Jamison Coyle and Bruce Boudreau on the NHL Network this past week that Martin St. Louis could be relieved as head coach at the end of the season if Montreal doesn’t feel there’s enough progress with the current young core. That’s an impulsive move. Anyone watching the NHL knows the Canadiens are re-building a roster that doesn’t have a top tier goalie or a dangerous goal scorer. St. Louis would be a coveted coaching name should he be fired.
On a positive, it’s good to see someone showed the power rankings to Juraj Slafkovsky. He had the best month of his young, professional career.
#26 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 28)
Ottawa’s progress depends on how well they improve on total defense. Their struggle this week (starting at Washington) was due to a return of the run-and-gun offensive style of play they were used to under former coach D.J. Smith. That cost them needed points. It’s too late for the Senators to make a playoff run but new management should have a good idea of who’s worth keeping and who should be traded by the March eighth deadline.
#25 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 24)
Buffalo is capable of beating quality playoff teams but not two or three times a week the next month and a half. The Sabres don’t have a 20+ goal scorer on the team and have already played 60 games. There couldn’t be more pressure on general manager Kevyn Adams to determine how closer the team is in their rebuild and a new coach after this month.
#24 New York Islanders (last ranking: 20)
After one month of Patrick Roy’s return to coaching New York has:
Retained a historically bad penalty kill at 71%.
Been shutout against a mediocre Blues team that scored three goals in 32 seconds February 22nd.
The fourth worst win percentage when leading after the second period at .720 (ahead of only Chicago, San Jose and Columbus).
You know who wouldn’t have the Islanders playing some of the worst defense in franchise (and at times league) history? Barry Trotz. Someone has to pick general manager Lou Lamoriello’s brain into why firing him was a bright idea.
#23 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 18)
What a breakout year for Jared McCann. He leads the team in goals and points while being third in assists and second on power-play points. He’s on the first line with Matty Beniers, so it’s important Seattle keeps him around not just for Beniers to keep growing into his star role, but for depth if both end up in a scoring slump.
#22 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 22)
Just as I predicted, Alex Ovechkin is back to where we thought he’d be on offense once other players either returned from personal matters, injuries or stepping into their needed roles. Yes Pittsburgh has more games to play and could sneak up on the current eighth seed, but if any of the eight teams had to pick which one on the outside they don’t want to see get hot this month, I assure you at least six teams would pick the Capitals. Washington would threaten many postseason dreams if they somehow get a top eight spot in the east.
#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 21)
After their Sunday thrashing against Tampa Bay, TNT’s Paul Bissonnette dropped an interesting stat: the Devils give up the first goal in 72% of their games. That means not only is New Jersey playing rush offense hockey most of the time, they’re not improving on defense due to how they’re not used to playing from behind. The studio panel mostly agreed with me that coach Lindy Ruff and upper management should be more concerned about developing the defense the rest of this season instead of making a playoff push.
#20 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 23)
Who knew trading away players like Elias Lindholm would result in the best month of the season? Outside of one winless week, Calgary won all their games and dominated against Boston, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Los Angeles. The Flames have nothing to lose and for the first time this season, that makes them a threat to veteran teams trying to play their best.
#19 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 19)
St. Louis is ahead of Calgary due to how much more talent they have but that could evaporate next week. Their defense gave up four goals or more in all but one of their losses in February. The Blues more than likely end the season with fire sale cap shedding from general manager Doug Armstrong.
#18 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 19)
To follow up on last month’s commentary with Pittsburgh, more rumors are saying defenseman Erik Karlsson could be traded back to Ottawa. This is a great idea for both teams. Karlsson would balance out and add needed veteran leadership back to the Senators now that Daniel Alfredsson is an assistant coach, but more importantly the Penguins need high scoring offensive players who can open up the power-play. Vladimir Tarasenko is a possibility since he’s won a championship within the last five years and was rumored to be on the trading bloc. Be on the lookout for how this develops.
#17 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 26)
That’s more like it. Minnesota is finally playing like the team we expected to see this year. In their last eleven games, they averaged four goals on offense, had a 30% power play and a 79% penalty kill. If the defense allows fewer than three goals a game this month, they’ll definitely make the playoffs and give fits to whoever becomes the one or two seed.
#16 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 15)
Anything was an improvement over January. Interim coach Jim Hiller is off to a solid start after taking over. There are still serious concerns about how this team plays and how bad some of the February losses are, but there’s stability and veteran players aren’t disgruntled. Los Angeles needs all the wins it can get on and off the ice.
#15 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 16)
General manager Barry Trotz is the man of the hour in Nashville and no one would want to be in his position right now. After giving up nine goals to division rival Dallas, the Predators have surged for a seven game winning streak. Yet the Juuse Saros trade (and contract extension) talks, what direction this team wants to go in and how much roster talent will be retained brings uncertainty. Serious hockey analysts are aware that whatever happens, the team is in good hands with Trotz’s decisions.
#14 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 11)
Another general manager to keep an eye on at the trade deadline is Julien BriseBois. The Lightning’s defensive struggles were exposed every week in February, peaking in an embarrassing 6-2 loss in Philadelphia that shocked many in the hockey world. BriseBois has to find at least one quality defenseman who can take the pressure off Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak. Without a pivotal trade, Tampa Bay’s path to the playoffs gets harder.
#13 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 17)
I believe Philadelphia isn’t just ahead of their roster rebuild, but they’re in a position where they could seriously threaten to, or eliminate whoever is the one or two seed in the east should they stay at their current points pace. The question then becomes how much do both coach John Tortorella and general manager Daniel Briere improve both the roster and the power-play while retaining the deadliest penalty kill in the league? The Flyers have added a good number of players the last year and a half who fit the organization’s attitude almost perfectly, so this will be interesting to watch.
#12 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 12)
One of the best things I did when creating these power rankings was how to evaluate a team’s overall, season performance. This is not a power rankings constantly swayed by in-the-now mindsets and hot takes due to flashy stats.
Many analysts had Edmonton as the best team in the league due to their winning streak. As many read last month, it was more important to see what team showed up once the streak snapped. The Oilers are 6-5 since their loss to Vegas and captain Connor McDavid scored his first goal after an eleven game drought. We’ll have a better idea of which Edmonton team we’ll get for the playoffs throughout the month.
#11 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 6)
The championship luster has worn off for the reigning champions. After ending Edmonton’s historical winning streak, Vegas went 3-6 the rest of February. Two of those wins were against Arizona and San Jose. Not having captain Mark Stone is part of it but the defense is mediocre at best. It’s possible the Golden Knights become an active trade partner at the deadline.
#10 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 13)
If one was in a coma for the last 20 years and woke up this month and didn’t see the numbers nor names on the jerseys of the active players, they would think the Russian Five were still on ice. During Detroit’s impressive six game winning streak they outscored opponents 28-10. The goalies averaged a .947 save percentage, while the power-play is at 31% and the penalty kill at 80%. The scariest part of the Red Wings improvement is how general manager Steve Yzerman will probably be active at the trade deadline.
#9 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 10)
The Leafs had a great February highlighted by a seven game winning streak. All they have to show for it is a four point lead over Detroit for the third playoff spot in the atlantic. Toronto still deserves credit for playing well in close games and getting better defense and goaltending presence.
#8 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 7)
We’re in the serious part of the power rankings now and Dallas has to be kicking themselves again after another month of mediocre play. Instead of a sizable first place lead in the central division, they’re only two points ahead of Colorado, who spanked them 5-1 on Tuesday. The Stars have to play more seriously and consistently against quality playoff teams. The trade for Flames defenseman Chris Tanev could help determine how much of a division lead they retain.
#7 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 8)
While the franchise should feel good Jacob Slavin is tied for first in franchise history with most points by a defenseman, it’s gone under the radar how the Hurricanes have the league’s second lowest team save percentage at .890 (ahead of only Ottawa’s .885). This is worrying when they also allow the second fewest shots per game with 25.5. Carolina’s a really good team but when they aren’t scoring three goals a game, defensive errors show. The Hurricanes could benefit with a trade or two at the deadline for an extra goaltender wanting to prove themselves.
#6 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 2)
Most analysts are enamored with Nathan MacKinnon’s point streak and for good reasons. What should be the main conversation is Colorado’s 5-7 February record. They desperately miss their scoring depth and captain. The Avalanche need help by the trade deadline if they want to make a deep playoff run. There’s no reason for panic yet. The Avalanche are two points out of first place in the central and Valeri Nichushkin is close to returning.
#5 New York Rangers (last ranking: 9)
Igor Shesterkin is 100% back and that’s not good for the east. He’s undefeated in his last seven starts giving up 1.72 goals a game with a .953 save percentage. He also recorded a shutout on national t.v. and allowed one goal or fewer in five of those seven starts. Shesterkin’s a big reason the Rangers won every game he started in February and why New York has one of the league’s best records.
#4 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 5)
A good number of hockey fans (especially Rangers fans) will be perplexed with Boston’s ranking especially with the analysis that will be provided. Keep in mind New York had a great month, but anything can happen in March with how they’ll play a lot more games. Fatigue could set in early, so it’s better to be consistent as I have been with other teams the past few months.
Boston has to figure some things out. They got bullied by more physical teams touting larger defensemen. It’s one thing to split games with Vancouver, but getting shutout at home to Washington and losing both games to Seattle and Calgary have to be addressed. It also doesn’t help that the Bruins have the sixth worst win percentage when leading after the second period (.758). General manager Don Sweeney might want to acquire an extra defenseman or two at the trade deadline.
#3 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 3)
I won’t address the surprising financial issues because that’s beyond any of us. For now, the on-ice play is what matters most.
Connor Hellebuyck tied Martin Brodeur for fifth in most consecutive games with three goals or fewer with 31. After the streak snapped he’s mostly continued like nothing happened. It would be stunning if Hellebuyck doesn’t win the Vezina this season.
#2 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 1)
Again, a good number of readers might be surprised by this ranking when Vancouver went under .500 for February. It also didn’t help that strong rumors of Elias Pettersson being traded at the deadline due to an impasse over contract negotiations flared up again. Despite the subpar play, the Canucks are ten points ahead of the next challenger in the pacific and they haven’t slipped out of first in the west despite the slump. While coach Rick Tocchet has to make sure the defense fixes their mistakes, Vancouver will keep the one spot in the west until Winnipeg, Dallas or Colorado go on another major winning streak.
#1 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 4)
Florida being the top team shouldn’t surprise anyone. From an eleven road game winning streak (tied for NHL second best all-time), to Matthew Tkachuk being the NHL point leader most of the calendar year, to throttling almost every opponent faced in February, there’s no doubt the Panthers are the hottest and scariest team to start March. Sam Reinhart wasn’t a goal-scoring threat and the team still averaged three goals in each of their wins while losing two games with a combined score of 3-1. Good luck to whoever draws this team in the first round.
Florida’s 9-2 beatdown of Tampa Bay is one of many reasons they’re the best team to start March.
What an interesting first half of the season. Most teams are close in the standings with good chances of making the NBA playoffs. The reigning champion Denver Nuggets feel pushback in their division and conference. The MVP race has a half dozen candidates while coaching remains inconsistent. The second half is set up for a fun, intense finish.
Here are some important topics and questions after the first half of the season.
It was a mistake for most of last year’s playoff contenders to not tank for Victor Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama (1, black) has the best coaches helping him through his first NBA season. He’ll easily win rookie of the year.
Remember last year’s season when almost every NBA team was fighting for a playoff spot before the All-Star break? The teams who had no shot at getting into the playoffs missed out on tanking for a one-of-a-kind talent in Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio has won a dozen games and will not see the postseason, but teams are finding it hard to guard and attack the rookie on both sides of the ball. His dunk over 6’10 Marvin Bagley III showcases his intimidating height and talent over the average player. Someone this big, athletic and threatening make teams such as Washington, New Orleans and Detroit regret not tanking for the draft sooner (funny how all three are also the league’s worst teams right now).
Last season there was conversation on reducing the number of games. The league’s done the opposite and added more with an in-season tournament. Will this add to the concerns more players will suffer more long-term injuries?
No one is having more injuries than Memphis. They had eleven players out on January 29th’s game against Sacramento and lost by double digits because of limited available talent.
Last year’s league MVP Joel Embiid is probably out for the rest of the season after ignoring a nagging leg injury because of national pressure he play in as many games possible. While it’s a blow to Philadelphia, nothing compares to what the Grizzlies have gone through the first half of the season. Memphis entered October with franchise star Ja Morant on suspension. He returned in late autumn and gave the team a spark, but he suffered a tear in his right shoulder on a Saturday practice. Desmond Bane, former Grizzly Steven Adams and at least eight other players on the roster have missed time due to injuries. It peaked when 13 players were ruled out for a game at Boston this month against the Celtics. Memphis had no chance and lost by 40.
If the league wants to expand play and add more games and tournaments, then they have to let teams increase roster space and expect more injuries to star players to dent their ratings at some point during the year. It doesn’t seem most of the approved rules were well thought out.
Just as was written in the NHL first half analysis article, there are at least a half dozen candidates for MVP in this year’s NBA season. Who has the best chance to win the award (unless injuries plague the nominees)?
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2, blue) is a frontrunner to win MVP this season. The Thunder are second in the western conference due to his play and leadership.
You could go even further and say almost ten players could be in the MVP race due to how close most teams are in the standings. Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are fringe candidates, but they could gather more interest if Minnesota and Indiana continue stunning audiences. They’re also on the outside due to spectacular play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic.
While the latter three names will probably remain the favorites, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell stand out in unique ways that will keep this a closer race. Some of the candidates will be considered due to the changes in MVP voting this year. We’ll find out which names will be favored more by Easter.
Here’s the second ever NBA power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These show where all 30 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.
#30 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 29)
If there’s any team that could’ve tanked more for Victor Wembanyama last year, it should have been Washington. The defense would be better and the offense would be in the top ten with his rebounding. He also could’ve been their second player averaging over 20 points a game. The Wizards will regret that decision for the next two decades.
#29 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 30)
The Pistons are slowly getting better since January. They’ve collected five wins the last month of play and had their first winning streak last week. The trade deadline helped them get some future assets but there’s still a lot of work to be done.
#28 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)
You know a team’s bad midway through a season when the only major news doesn’t involve players, but management and executive hirings. While new owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin were going to make changes after grading current management, the early changes signal how bad it’s been top to bottom.
#27 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 27)
Can you imagine if San Antonio didn’t trade Dejounte Murray to Atlanta in 2022? Another key player would probably have Wembanyama in a better position to score more and not defend as hard every night despite his smooth transition into the league. The Spurs should have kept another player averaging 20 points a game and someone to maybe consider trading for better players in the future. Instead the franchise will have to eliminate most of the roster for nothing once the regular season ends.
#26 Portland Trail Blazers (last ranking: 26)
I have no idea how Chauncey Billups wasn’t fired after that choke to Detroit at home on the eighth. The Blazers shouldn’t have lost after a 49 point performance from Jerami Grant. Portland’s lost every game this month after winning in Milwaukee. Talk about a sharp decline.
#25 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 25)
As of this publishing, Memphis has lost nine of their last eleven. It’s a disappointing season for the Grizzlies but the only positive is finding quality depth players for next season for when star players need the rest after solid performances.
#24 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)
The Raptors are five games out of a play-in spot and it’s because they’ve lost to inferior opponents or blown double digit leads. Losses to Memphis, Detroit, Charlotte, Oklahoma City and division rivals Boston and New York are the differences in having an extra week of play. This will be a good theme to keep up with the following months to see how Toronto makes a push for the postseason.
#23 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 21)
Brooklyn’s won one more game than the Pistons since 2024 began. Curious on how that’s slipped serious basketball conversations.
#22 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 19)
Despite Steven Adams done for the season with a PCL injury, one should like Houston trading for him. The roster is young and needs more veteran leadership, even if those veterans can’t play. We’ll see how it pays off next season.
#21 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 23)
It’s fitting the Hawks flips with the Nets after last power rankings. Since that publishing they’ve had winning streaks of three, four and two. They’ve beaten the playoff hopeful Magic, Heat, Lakers, Suns, Warriors and 76ers. They also lost close games to the Mavericks and Clippers. Atlanta could get hotter after the All-Star break.
#20 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)
The mediocre Bulls did nothing at the trade deadline and just…sit at ninth in the east.
#19 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 17)
After winning eight of nine games to start 2024 the Jazz are 4-10 in their last 14. The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time. If Utah doesn’t finish February strong, there could be a steeper drop off.
#18 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 22)
The most baffling part of Klay Thompson’s slump is how he’s still the team’s second leading scorer with 17 points a game. If Golden State moves forward with having Thompson coming off the bench, that’s fine. It’s more important Jonathan Kuminga continues his growth as a reliable scorer. Kuminga’s a reason for the Warriors resurgence.
#17 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 18)
The Lakers played nervous during the trade deadline. Since the deadline passed Los Angeles is playing arguably their best basketball of the season, losing only to the reigning champion Nuggets this month. The next power rankings in March could reveal how dangerous this team is in the west.
#16 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 9)
One has to wonder if the Kings peaked too soon last year. That dominant division-winning season put a target on their back and it seems to be taking a toll. Sacramento in the bottom half of the league in rebounds despite starting Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes at center and both forward positions. It’s also possible they need the rest despite the number of players in their prime ages. Coach Mike Brown’s great at getting the best out of his players, so we won’t find out their trajectory until next month.
#15 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)
No matter what happens, it’s been a memorable season for the Magic. While they did retire Shaquille O’Neal’s jersey (the first number retired in franchise history), there’s been a lot more progress on the court. They’re tied for first in the southeast with Miami. A Florida rivalry is brewing and it’s possible Orlando wins the division due to their young core having more energy and positive inexperience. If the Magic win the division and clinch the fifth or sixth seed, it would be very interesting to see how a team like Milwaukee or the Knicks fare against a team with nothing to lose.
#14 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 12)
How is coach Rick Carlisle doing this? Indiana’s tied for first in points per game (124) and field goal percentage (51%) while being the second worst rebounding team in the league. It’s unsustainable for the second half of the season but the Pacers are defying expectations on every level.
#13 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 3)
What a blow to the 76ers championship aspirations. I’m not a doctor but Embiid’s lateral meniscus injury probably ends his season and with it Philadelphia’s hopes for a deep playoff run another year. If there’s any positive, it’s finding out how good Nick Nurse will be coaching a deflated team that knows they’re outmatched almost every game.
#12 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 14)
The Sixers tumble means a lot of teams will rise and stay clustered in the top 15 that normally wouldn’t have a chance.
That said, Dallas has played better since February began. They’ve lost only one of their last seven. Backup center Daniel Gafford is becoming a reliable option on both offense and defense. The team hopes this ascent continues after the All-Star break.
#11 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 16)
Another injury to Bradley Beal slows down an important hot streak for Phoenix. They’ve won almost a dozen games since the debut power rankings, but they’ve followed up some impressive victories with head-scratching losses. One does wonder how that pattern would be addressed if Monty Williams was still the coach.
#10 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 10)
I’m going to have New Orleans in these power rankings what I’m doing with Toronto in the NHL ones; securing their spot as the benchmark team to see which teams can be separated from the good to great ones. The Pelicans have only lost to teams many see having deep playoff runs since the start of January. New Orleans also hasn’t been injury plagued, solidifying this choice.
#9 Miami Heat (last ranking: 8)
It’s a bummer Terry Rozier was injured shortly after Charlotte traded him to Miami. Star forward Jimmy Butler also getting hurt would make any other team crater and decide to let up before the All-Star break. This is Erik Spoelstra’s team though, so naturally the Heat have won their last six of eight.
#8 New York Knicks (last ranking: 11)
There’s some overreactions about New York’s shabby start to February. Usually a Tom Thibodeau coached team that lost only two games in January doesn’t play the following month without some fatigue. Once the second half of the season starts, the Knicks should pick up where they left off.
#7 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 5)
I’m going to play this smart and keep the Bucks in the top ten but not top five until they show genuine improvement. Milwaukee is 3-7 in their last ten to start the Doc Rivers era. There are major flaws with this team including blowing double digit leads. Add the loss to a Grizzlies team with ten players injured and the Bucks have too many issues no one will be ignoring nor forgetting any time soon.
#6 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 6)
For anyone hoping the Thunder hit a wall in the second half of the season, you’re in for a rude awakening. Oklahoma City will probably win four of their five remaining February games, and while their March schedule does pose a challenge, they don’t have the pressure to win almost every game like Phoenix, Dallas or the Lakers will. People should think ahead to who would be in the best position to play the Thunder before Easter. No matter how their regular season ends, it’s tough to discourage an opponent who knows they’re going nowhere but up after the playoffs.
#5 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 13)
Philadelphia falling or not the Cavaliers deserve to be a top five ranked team. Cleveland also had a two loss January and lost by two to the 76ers Monday. They’ve blown out playoff hopefuls in both conferences, and the discussions of Donovan Mitchell being an MVP candidate will continue after the All-Star break.
#4 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 4)
If you want to know why the Timberwolves aren’t higher, consider this: they ended January with a loss to San Antonio, followed up by wins against Oklahoma City and Dallas. They began February with losses to Orlando and Chicago, then won against Milwaukee and the Clippers. It adds to the speculation of how predictable this team could be in the playoffs.
#3 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 1)
I’ll also be consistent in analyzing Boston sports teams and say just because they have the league’s best record, doesn’t mean they’re the league’s best team. The Celtics deserve credit for being the first team to 40 wins, but the’re 17-6 in their last 23 games after starting 26-6 the first 32 of the season. Their wins are also determined by how good they are from three-point range (via ESPN). All of their 2024 losses contain valid criticism to wonder how far this team can go in the playoffs.
#2 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 7)
I expect many people won’t be happy with Los Angeles being this high. This is again consistency that’s been given to other teams such as New York and Cleveland. It’s not just the Clippers are winning, they look good. Right now, Los Angeles isn’t the type of team that would lose to non-contenders. If they do lose a game it’s usually close. The Clippers also have a benefit the longer this season goes: Minnesota and Oklahoma City will struggle some games due to inexperience while Kawhi Leonard raises his play. That means Paul George and James Harden will have more open looks. Last but not least, Los Angeles isn’t facing an injury crisis right now. That could get them far in the western conference.
#1 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 2)
It makes sense to have the current champions here due to how Boston and Los Angeles have showed some weaknesses. Yes, Denver has lost more games than either since 2024 started, but if Denver plays both at full health in a seven game series, do you see the Clippers or Celtics taking four games? I don’t think so either.
Jamal Murray (27, blue) is the Denver’s second leading scorer and rebounder at the All-Star break.
Before continuing, let’s all admit not every obstacle Durant’s faced is because of him. The Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City because owner Clay Bennett decided on a different, friendlier venue. Kevin Durant left Golden State because of an incompetent medical staff that made certain leg injuries worse and lied about them. Any player in any sport would’ve made the same move.
Anyways, how would you feel if Los Angeles Lakers and league star LeBron James did even half of what Kevin Durant has done? James has faced constant criticism no matter the media outlet. Most of it borders on or is absolute hatred stemming from his 2011 decision to leave Cleveland and play in Miami. Durant’s goal mirrored LeBron’s where he teamed up with certain superstars to create a championship dynasty.
While both James and Durant won two championships with the second team they played for, one went back to his home state and played for the team that drafted him, while the other wanted to create a new legacy on the opposite coast. Hilariously, the player that did the first option is still the most criticized and hated player in the league despite him winning his hometown team’s first ever NBA championship. The latter blew a 3-1 series lead against the 73-9 Golden State Warriors and then signed with them in free agency. Can you imagine if LeBron James was embarrassed by the Boston Celtics or San Antonio Spurs in a seven game series when he was in Cleveland, and then signed with them in free agency? Basketball fans would do more than scorn NBA leadership.
This isn’t even half of what Kevin Durant’s done. We can understand the decision to start fresh with a far away east coast team but only if there’s a well, thought-out plan. Reuniting with close friends and doing whatever you want is a bad look, especially if that friend causes the most drama and doesn’t play at least 41 games each year they’re on the roster. Don’t forget that close friend took an anti-vaccine stance during the first worldwide pandemic of the 21st century. Again, how would LeBron James be viewed if this happened to him?
Predictably, Durant’s time in Brooklyn didn’t live up to the expectations. So he forced his way back to the western conference via trade to Phoenix. At the time, the Suns’ coach was Monty Williams. Phoenix had a dual guard threat in Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Since Durant’s arrival, the highlights include a first round playoff series win against the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (they both sprained their right knees), a lopsided 4-2 second round playoff series loss to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets, Williams being fired, Paul signing with the Warriors in free agency and a trade for Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal. The latter move hasn’t worked so far because Beal’s injuries have limited team chemistry with the other two stars. Phoenix has lost a lot more games than expected, posting a 21-17 record as of this publishing. Now there’s a report saying Durant is, “disgruntled and losing patience.”
To those reading this: when do we hold Kevin Durant to the same threshold many have branded on LeBron James? James has been bashed in the media for numerous reasons, but not for bailing on a team midseason. Everyone would remember an epic 3-1 postseason series collapse against a historically great team had James been on that end. If LeBron cost his team a trip to the championship because half of his foot was behind the three-point line to tie or take the lead in a game seven, it would be branded as a stain on his legacy of being a top 4 player (minimum) of all-time. All of this has happened with Kevin Durant. Yet many aren’t as quick to criticize him as they are the league’s all-time scorer. Let’s be objective and understand the athlete most of us have watched since being drafted second overall may be more of a problem than a solution.
Phoenix’s Kevin Durant blows past Utah’s Talen Horton-Tucker (5) in a November win. Many wonder if Durant will finish out the year in Arizona.
Here’s the first ever NBA power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These will show where all 30 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.
30. Detroit Pistons
There are so many things to say about Detroit but here’s the most objective one: while nobody expected them to make the playoffs, almost everyone had them improving and having a better record before the All-Star break. The 2023-2024 Pistons might be historically awful, which is saying a lot.
#29 Washington Wizards
I’ll add that if there was a prediction on which team would have four wins by mid-January, Washington would be the easy choice due to their awful roster and free agency spending. The Wizards are lucky Detroit’s mind-bendingly bad.
#28 Charlotte Hornets
The good news is LaMelo Ball’s back, so there should be improvement. The bad news is there’s nothing Charlotte’s good at without him.
#27 San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio leads the fantastic four of awful basketball teams. Victor Wembanyama is wonderful to watch and Gregg Popovich has a passion to coach again. The Spurs must build around their league changing center once the season ends.
#26 Portland Trailblazers
Once their regular season ends, we’ll probably look back at Portland’s hiring of Chauncey Billups as the franchise’s lowest point since the Jail Blazers era. There’s no way the Trailblazers should be last in points per game.
#25 Memphis Grizzlies
Much of Memphis’ awful 2023 season will be centered on Ja Morant, but a former second overall pick are and should not be the main reasons. The injuries to Desmond Bane, Steven Adams and Marcus Smart have taken a toll on the offense, making it one of the worst units in the league.
#24 Toronto Raptors
After trading Pascal Siakam, it’s official Toronto’s rebuilding and has given up on the season. Take a look at the roster outside Siakam and make an argument this team can compete for the playoffs.
#23 Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta has to be relieved there are other bad teams dominating news headlines. Quin Snyder was hired and given more freedom to improve the Hawks both on and off the court. They’ve had one winning streak of more than two games since the season began and that was at the end of October.
#22 Golden State Warriors
I don’t know if the championship window has closed but there are two moves that have to be made before the All-Star break. The first is management trading players and improving the roster. The Warriors can’t ignore the issues at center anymore. They’re in need of better scorers and team defense. The second move is firing coach Steve Kerr. When you have multiple players saying they aren’t being developed right, it’s a coaching issue. Kerr got Golden State to six finals appearances and won four of them. He deserves the praises for making the team a dynasty. Unfortunately, the stars of those teams are older and the younger players aren’t seeing improvement. The changes would bring more confidence to a team struggling to hold fourth quarter leads.
#21 Brooklyn Nets
If the playoffs were held today, the Nets would be in the play-in due to their tiebreaker over Atlanta. This is another reason Snyder should be scrutinized more. He has Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, a good guard duo while coach Jacque Vaughn has led three, three game winning streaks with Mikal Bridges as the team’s leading scorer.
#20 Chicago Bulls
As a Chicago native, it brought me a certain amount of personal satisfaction hearing the Bulls faithful boo Jerry Krause’s Ring of Honor induction. Krause was very good at the job for which he was hired and paid handsomely for. He was also a petulant, childish, jealous and egotistical little man who knew he would never have the regard or respect of the great players he bullied and punished time and again. Despite the elite statuses of both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, neither were paid what they were worth because the Jerrys (Krause and the team owner Reinsdorf) were notorious in being cheap businessmen. Phil Jackson (who received a standing ovation and cheers right after Krause’s booing) was told he was being relieved from his job no matter how the 1997-1998 season ended. NBA legends such as Kevin Garnett were adamant they’d never play for Chicago due to how those in Illinois witnessed management’s treatment towards the best sports dynasty of the 1990s. So unless it’s former players or Illinois residents saying otherwise, anyone standing up for Jerry Krause has no idea who they’re talking about. In the 29 years I’ve lived in Chicago, there have only been three people in sports business where sports analysts (especially radio) cheered when news broke of their deaths. Krause was one of them.
That being said, it’s hilarious Jerry Reinsdorf’s hiring of current executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has done almost nothing. As soon as Karnisovas left Denver, the Nuggets became a complete team and then won their first championship in franchise history. Well done Jerry.
#19 Houston Rockets
Ime Udoka was a great hire for the Rockets, who are a top ten rebounding team. There isn’t enough star talent to push this team into the play-in but they’re much better and it shows each night.
#18 Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are fortunate Golden State is imploding because if not, there would be a lot more heat on both coach Darvin Ham and general manager Rob Pelinka. Los Angeles is inconsistent and part of that is due to the roster Pelinka’s built. If anyone should get fired from the organization, it has to be him.
#17 Utah Jazz
Funny what winning six games out of seven will do in a conference packed together with teams one or two wins apart from each other. Coach Will Hardy is getting the most out of a roster many expected would be lower in the standings by mid-February.
#16 Phoenix Suns
While above was centered around Kevin Durant, Phoenix is just as inconsistent as the Lakers, but with more stars. They’re 5-3 this month and one of those wins was a 22 point fourth quarter comeback against Sacramento. They shouldn’t have been in that position against a division rival. How the Suns perform on their seven game road-trip starting next Wednesday will tell us where this team is mentally.
#15 Orlando Magic
The Magic are where I thought they’d be when I made my 2023-2024 season picks. They’ve learned from the past few years of blowout losses how to play better offense and defense, but they’re still young and inexperienced compared to most playoff-bound teams. They’re losing closer games but teams see the maturity.
#14 Dallas Mavericks
Another streaky team that fits where they’re ranked. Dallas is playing well without Luka but it’s debatable on how long that lasts.
#13 Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s wild to see how this team has a lot of talented players and keeps maturing but could wind up being the third best team coming out of the central once the playoffs begin. Cleveland’s won six straight and is one game ahead of Indiana.
#12 Indiana Pacers
Wow. They really got Pascal Siakam. Starting with the hiring of Rick Carlisle, Indiana’s upside is fantastic. They’ve already swept the season series against Milwaukee and have the best scoring offense and field goal percentage in the league. Siakam playing with Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner will make this a more dangerous team and a hard out once the playoffs start.
#11 New York Knicks
New York has only two losses this month for a combined eight points (four point losses to the Mavericks and Magic). Outside of back-to-back games against last season’s finals teams, the Knicks should win out the rest of the month.
#10 New Orleans Pelicans
This team really needs the best out of Zion Williamson because the next month and a half (minus the All-Star break) will test how ready the Pelicans are to take the next step and show they’re at least a playoff contender who can make it to the second round.
#9 Sacramento Kings
Mike Brown’s a great coach but the blown leads against Milwaukee, Phoenix and Indiana could damage the team’s confidence especially when there’s no consistency in the pacific division. They can’t have any more fourth quarter collapses the rest of January.
#8 Miami Heat
Bam Adebayo is the second leading scorer, top rebounder and averages the third most assists for Miami’s offense mid-January. That might be why the Heat are starting to pull away from the southeast division race.
#7 Los Angeles Clippers
The big question with the Clippers always is, “are they ever going to reach their max potential?” when the playoffs start. We’re months away from that being answered but viewers have to appreciate how better team chemistry between Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and James Harden has led to a 23-7 record since November 7th (the best stretch in the NBA in that span).
#6 Oklahoma City Thunder
I really wanted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win last year’s MVP because you never know if a player can replicate a season quite like he could for Oklahoma City. Thankfully, he’s gaining a lot more attention and more people want him to win an MVP this season. The Thunder are dangerous when he takes charge. Gilgeous-Alexander has led OKC to the second best record in the western conference. That’s a phenomenal accomplishment.
#5 Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee should be higher on this list but their defense is atrocious. Of course when you trade for Damian Lillard, someone of Jrue Holiday’s caliber has to go. It’s still mind-boggling to watch how easily opponents score on the Bucks.
#4 Minnesota Timberwolves
I know, they’re the best team in the west but there’s a lot with this team to question. My critique is how Minnesota will perform the closer we get to the postseason. Will Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns play more aggressive when it matters most or will they shrink away?
#3 Philadelphia 76ers
Anyone keeping up with the NBA knew Nick Nurse was going to be a great hire for Philadelphia to take the next steps towards a finals appearance. It’s shown with point guard Tyrese Maxey. Reigning MVP Joel Embiid finally has a reliable second option when he has off-nights. If Nurse is able to find a third option before the postseason, the 76ers could become the east’s top team.
#2 Denver Nuggets
The reigning champions picked up where they left off and are one of the hardest units to beat. Michael Porter Jr. being the third main scoring option is a nightmare for the other 29 teams to work through.
#1 Boston Celtics
Everything is going right for coach Joe Mazzulla in his second season. Free agent signing Kristaps Porzingis leads in averaged block shots and is third in total scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. That takes pressure off stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
JD's Sportscorner 