Tag: nba

2023-2024 NBA First Half Analysis, Questions, Power Rankings and Much More

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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.

It’s understandable a sports league led by at least 31 men wants to make as much money while making competition better, but an added in-season tournament is a horrible move. Then a rule was passed last offseason that states players must be on the floor for 20 minutes in at least 65 games to be eligible for regular season honors such as MVP and All-NBA honors.

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.

January 2024 NBA Power Rankings: We Need to Talk About Kevin

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Kevin Durant (35) wondering how to attack Minnesota’s defense.

Earlier this month, Yahoo Sports’ Ben Rohrbach wrote a thought provoking article on Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and his roller coaster career. The respected writer listed many of Durant’s accomplishments on all four franchises he’s played with, but also the drama and negative storylines that have followed.

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.