Tuesday night’s matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns could provide a preview for the Western Conference Finals next summer. The Warriors have won seven in a row and have the NBA’s best record at 18-2. The Suns have not lost in more than a month, with a streak that is now just one away from matching the club record of 17 in a row. In the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks seem to have broken out of their Finals hangover (and gotten some key players back from injury). Winners of seven in a row, the Bucks next face Charlotte on Wednesday night.
We have your updated power rankings with insights about each team, this way you can understand the NBA odds for the season.
NBA News: Updated Power Rankings
#1 Golden State Warriors (18-2)
The Warriors are 18-2 — and they still don’t have Klay Thompson back. He seems to be only a few weeks away from coming back. Stephen Curry appears set on his third MVP, and Draymond Green is turning back the clock on defense. With games against Phoenix on Tuesday and Friday, we will see what the top of the West looks like.
#2 Phoenix Suns (17-3)
Did you know that the Suns’ 16-game winning streak is tied for the third longest winning streak in league history for a team that fell in the previous year’s NBA Finals?
#3 Brooklyn Nets (14-6)
Yes, the Nets have the East’s best record. They also have only played three other elite teams — Milwaukee, Golden State and Phoenix. In each of those games, the Nets have lost badly.
#4 Milwaukee Bucks (13-8)
With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton in the starting rotation, the Bucks are 9-0 so far.
#5 Miami Heat (13-7)
Miami beat Chicago on Saturday without Tyler Herro, as Gabe Vincent came off the bench and dropped 20 on the Bulls. Miami plays MIlwaukee on Saturday.
#6 Utah Jazz (13-7)
The Jazz have sagged a bit this week, blowing leads at home to lose to Memphis and New Orleans. The Jazz did bounce back by routing New Orleans the next night.
#7 Chicago Bulls (13-8)
Chicago lost three of four games last week, and the main culprit is that halfcourt offense. From pbpstats.com, Chicago is 27th in the league in offensive efficiency after made field goals by the opponent.
#8 Washington Wizards (13-7)
Washington got drilled in New Orleans but then won a squeaker at Oklahoma City and came back in the fourth quarter to win at Dallas. Davis Bertans is back from injury, and Rui Hachimura could return next month.
#9 Dallas Mavericks (10-8)
Kristaps Porzingis had seven straight 20+ point games until Saturday’s home loss to Washington. KP put up 55 in a pair of games in L.A. against the Clippers. His numbers are up, but Dallas’ defense continues to fail to get key stops.
#10 Charlotte Hornets (13-9)
This is an intriguing young team, but they followed up a win over Minnesota with an overtime loss to Houston. Consistency is the key if this team wants to do more than make it to the first round of the playoffs.
#11 L.A. Clippers (11-9)
Marcus Morris Sr is back off the shelf, along with Serge Ibaka. Now the Clippers are just waiting for Nic Batum to return.
#12 Philadelphia 76ers (10-10)
Joel Embiid is back after almost three weeks off the court because of COVID-19, and he had big numbers against Minnesota in his return, but the Sixers still lost in double overtime. His return is much bigger news than that one result, though.
#13 Atlanta Hawks (11-10)
Atlanta had won seven in a row until Saturday’s loss to the Knicks, but Clint Capela continues to dominate, with 16 points and 21 boards in that setback. Since the start of the 2020-21 season, he has put up 22 15-point, 15-board games.
#14 N.Y. Knicks (11-9)
Kemba Walker is still struggling at the point, and the whole starting rotation has been outscored by more than 15 points per 100 possessions — so it looks like time for a shuffle.
#15 Portland Trail Blazers (10-10)
Portland beat Denver by 19 last week…but then lost to Sacramento and then to Golden State by 15. The .500 record shows the difficulty the Trail Blazers are having finding consistent play.
#16 Denver Nuggets (9-10)
The Nuggets have lost six in a row, including four straight without Nikola Jokic (wrist). Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter Jr (back) are both out without a timetable for return, and then P.J. Dozier blew his ACL and is done for the season.
#17 Boston Celtics (11-10)
Boston beat Toronto on Sunday to peek above the .500 line, but December brings 15 games, and all 15 games are against opponents with winning records.
#18 L.A. Lakers (11-11)
The Lakers have a star-studded roster and are still struggling to play consistent basketball. They did beat Detroit on Sunday to get back to .500.
#19 Minnesota Timberwolves (10-10)
The Timberwolves have now won six of seven, including that 2OT thriller at Philadelphia. The Timberwolves are tenth in the league in defensive efficiency — could they hang on to a play-in tournament spot?
#20 Cleveland Cavaliers (10-10)
The Cavs had dropped five straight before rookie Evan Mobley returned to the lineup. In Saturday’s 13-point win over Orlando, he had 13 points, nine boards and four blocks.
#21 Memphis Grizzlies (10-10)
Ja Morant will miss a few weeks with a left knee sprain, but there was no significant structural damage. However, the Grizzlies were able to go 4-4 last season when he went down with a sprained ankle.
#22 Indiana Pacers (9-13)
The Pacers cruised to wins at Chicago and at home against Toronto, but they also lost to the Lakers in overtime and got routed by the Bucks. Which team will show up this week?
#23 Toronto Raptors (9-12)
The Raptors started 6-3…and have dropped nine of 12. The loss of O.G. Anunoby has drained the Raptors of their physicality and stamina.
#24 Sacramento Kings (8-13)
Sacramento erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth and a seven-point hole in the first overtime to beat the Lakers on the road in triple overtime. Marvin Bagley III has returned to the rotation, and he has 11.5 points per game since coming back.
#25 Oklahoma City Thunder (6-13)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a pair of games last week (ankle sprain), and he has scored under 20 points in five straight games for the first time in almost two seasons.
#26 San Antonio Spurs (5-13)
The Spurs are last in three-point shots made and attempted, last in free throws made per game and next to last in free throws attempted to game. This has taken a significant toll on the Spurs’ offensive output.
#27 Detroit Pistons (4-16)
Detroit is on a season-high six-game losing streak, and their shooting has been the biggest culprit. They are dead last in the NBA in three-point percentage (29.7 percent).
#28 New Orleans Pelicans (5-17)
The Pelicans got buzzer-beaters at the end of the first half and at the end of regulation, with both coming from downtown, as they beat Utah. That was the first time since 2013 that a team had nailed three-balls at the buzzer in both halves to take the lead.
#29 Orlando Magic (4-17)
Orlando has lost six straight and heads on a four-game West Coast road trip this week. Markelle Fultz has started practicing with the Magic’s G League and may be back with the team soon. With Mo Bamba and Cole Anthony still on the shelf, this team needs bodies.
#30 Houston Rockets (3-16)
John Wall wants to play…but the team needs to develop Kevin Porter Jr. He had 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game in the Rockets’ two-game winning streak against Chicago and Charlotte.
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