Welcome back to the world’s most accurate power rankings, where every two weeks we set all 30 NBA teams into so perfect an order that you could not possibly quibble with one’s placement.
In this edition, we vibe-check the league in the days before its trade deadline.
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We have already seen a handful of moves, including a blockbuster James Harden-for-Darius Garland trade from the steadily rising Cleveland Cavaliers, who potentially repositioned themselves for additional deals. Why the Sacramento Kings swapped Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder for De’Andre Hunter nobody may ever know, except for the fact that they are the Kings, who fell into last place in our rankings.
[NBA trade deadline: The latest updates]
In first place, as they have been all season, remain the Oklahoma City Thunder, who — despite a mortal 15-10 record across their last 25 games — are still heavy title favorites, according to both me and the oddsmakers. Not one deadline move made so far has closed the gap on OKC. That became clearer when the Thunder worked the hobbled Denver Nuggets on Sunday night.
Although, the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes appear to be unfolding in real time, as both the Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves — contenders from both conferences — made deals this week that better positioned them for bigger swings. Stay tuned. In the meantime, and before we spoil the whole list, enjoy power rankings that most accurately reflect our current title picture.
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
“One of our key tenants is toughness,” said Kings coach Doug Christie, who was not laughing when he said it. “It’s not just physical toughness. It’s mental toughness as well. We got to lock in and make sure we are on point moving forward regardless of what happens.” What happened: Everyone is for sale, and they are a mess. Which came first, the mess or the firesale, is a riddle.
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If you ever want to see Trae Young in a Wizards uniform this season, try not to read too far into executive Michael Winger’s recent comments: “We are going to be better next season than we are this season. How much better remains to be seen, but I think we all would expect us to be better next season, and Trae by himself will put us in more competitive basketball games.”
“I like where our defense is at,” said Pelicans coach James Borrego, whose team ranks 27th on defense and 25th on offense. “I think the defense is giving us a shot. We said that’s where we’re going to hang our hat the rest of the year. Now we’ve got to find some more offense.” All I see: A cartoon captain running about, plugging every hole in a sinking ship, only for a next one to arise.
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We have reached the point of the NBA season where the Nets are setting more realistic goals for themselves: just try not to get blown out. “Man, we just got to learn from it. We just can’t keep getting beat by 50 though,” Nicolas Claxton said after a recent loss. “It’s really demoralizing as a group for us. We got to come together and figure out ways to, at least, keep the games closer.”
“I didn’t like anything about the first half,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “It was just a shot trade. It was brother-in-law basketball, is what it was. That’s not sustainable. We found that out three years ago, two years ago, whatever it was. The second half was more like it. That’s how it’s gotta be.” I looked up what he meant by “brother-in-law basketball,” and I’m still confused!
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In what may be one of his final messages to the fans of Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo said of their boo-off, “I’m not gonna tell them what to do or how to act when we don’t play hard, or when we lose games, or maybe not where we’re supposed to be. And I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on a basketball court after I have been here 13 years.”
Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo misses the injured Zach Edey and is running out of frontcourt options in Memphis, where Jaren Jackson Jr. is now no longer present, either: “When you’re losing the possession game time after time, I would love to put some bigger guys in there and some guys that can rebound, but we have all our biggest guys on the floor and there is no help coming.”
What precipitated the trade for Jackson? A clue, courtesy of Jazz coach Will Hardy, after a recent loss: “We were steps behind on every action tonight defensively. Their cutting had us spinning like a top the entire game and it resulted in a lot of catch-and-shoot 3s. Credit to Golden State. They played with a ton of energy and force. We looked slow, sloppy, run-down.”
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You’ve heard of coachspeak. This is GMspeak (cue “The Office” music): “We’re all in constant communication to make sure that we’re doing the best that we can to put the team in the best position to be successful. If the communication we’re having is consistent, when we talk to other teams and agents, then I think that puts us in a good position to make a deal if you have to.”
Trae Young is no longer a scapegoat in Atlanta, where coach Quin Snyder is seeking answers: “We weren’t committed to taking good shots. We weren’t committed to passing the ball. … When we play well, we’re getting in the lane and we’re kicking the ball out. When we play well, we’re running and we’re spacing offensively, and then on the defensive end, you know, we lose focus.”
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Bulls coach Billy Donovan lays out a plan in plain English for Chicago’s executive suite: “We have to keep building out with younger people. I don’t think there’s any question about that from a roster standpoint. … However those conversations take place, whether it’s in July or whether it’s at the trade deadline, I think the front office is looking to try to build it out as best they can.”
“In Brazil, we have a saying, ‘You don’t sharpen the knife of your enemy,’” said Blazers coach Tiago Splitter, before paying a backhanded compliment to Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and a forehanded slap to his own team. “We didn’t expect that game from him. … [It was] probably one of the best games of his career. So, again, poor job by our bigs, by our team, guarding him.”
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“We’re coming,” said Collin Sexton, and you get the sense he’s right about these young Hornets, who have won seven straight. “It’s going to take an everyday process. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not going to be something that just is a drastic change. You have to take baby steps.” Preach, Collin. “When we’re just playing, I feel like that’s when we’re at our best.”
We are not supposed to worry about 38-year-old Stephen Curry’s “runner’s knee,” but consider me worried as I listen to Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s most recent diagnosis: “I would imagine it’s something that we have to really monitor here, especially before the All-Star break. … Does he need to miss a game here or there? That’s something we all have to figure out.”
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“I’ve said it time and time again: We weren’t ready to play,” said Desmond Bane. “We were a step slow, especially on the defensive end. They were getting whatever they wanted. … You’re playing the second-best team in the league so you can’t afford to have moments like that. I talk about our growth and stuff like that, but we’ve got to start putting it into action and being better.”
This, from Bam Adebayo, explains a lot about both the Heat’s mentality and what’s wrong with them, all at the same time: “It’s not about talent. It’s about who wants to do the little things. You know, 50-50 balls, crashing the glass, getting the extra possessions, and then obviously live with that type of result. And I feel like they did the little things that got them the W tonight.”
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James Harden is out in L.A., where Clippers coach Tyronn Lue had some thoughts ahead of the trade deadline: “If a team’s trying to trade for you, somebody wants you. You could be in other guys’ shoes, where nobody wants you, nobody wants to trade for you, and then you’re out of the league. I mean, it’s part of the business. You never want to see your guys go.”
“While we’re talking about Scottie [Barnes], I feel disappointed that [Brandon Ingram] did not make it to All-Star as well,” said Raptors coach Darko Rajaković. “I think he definitely deserved it.” Coach, as always, Rule No. 1 about discussing All-Star snubs: You have to name who needs to be removed to make room for Ingram. Does Toronto think Pascal Siakam doesn’t deserve it?
Philadelphia fan Robert Phillip pegs the Paul George suspension perfectly: “That’s the Sixers for you. We pick up a little traction and we’re doing our thing and something always bad happens. We have some sort of bad luck. But, we’re going to push through it. That’s how we is. [Tyrese] Maxey’s hooping. [Joel] Embiid’s hooping. The whole team is hooping. So, we should be good.”
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The Lakers are surviving a negative net rating and the absence of Austin Reaves for one reason and one reason only: Luka Dončić. As Lakers coach JJ Redick said, “It’s hard to describe because most of us can’t fathom being that good.” Added LeBron James: “He’s beyond special.” Reminder in case anyone forgot: Nico Harrison traded the 26-year-old they are talking about.
You know the list of All-Star snubs has gotten too long when Suns center Mark Williams is arguing, “Dillon [Brooks] got robbed.” Still, Brooks has set a tone in Phoenix, one that had left the Suns with 30 wins before the calendar turned to February. As Phoenix coach Jordan Ott said, “That’s growth, that’s leadership, and that’s who we want to be.” And that’s who they are.
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“After careful evaluation and a clearer view of the East landscape, we believe adding Dennis [Schroder] and Keon [Ellis] strengthens our depth, expands our flexibility, and positions us to keep building a championship-caliber team now and into the future,” argued Cavs GM Koby Altman. And then he traded Darius Garland for James Harden. Are even more moves coming?
It is good to have defensive principles, to know them, and to understand them, and it appears — finally, with a slight adjustment, funneling ball-handlers to the baseline, rather than the middle — the Knicks are on the same page. “Our defense has been so much better,” said Mikal Bridges. “Everybody’s been on a string, knowing what we’re doing.” Knowing is, of course, half the battle.
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The Celtics own the league’s best record — by more than 25 games — in the four years since Jaylen Brown tweeted on the last day of January 2022, “The energy is about to shift.” As he said after Sunday’s inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic, “As you continue to progress throughout the journey, legacy is something you think about. … And the best legacy you can leave is winning.”
How are the Rockets managing without the injured Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams? They are rallying around their depth, at least according to Jabari Smith Jr.: “Everybody is ready to play, no matter if you’re in the rotation, out of the rotation. Everybody is cheering guys on. You don’t see it often. You see guys pouting and waiting for their turn. … That just doesn’t go on around here.”
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If it seems like the Timberwolves have been playing to the level of their competition, it is because they have, according to Donte Divincenzo: “We just have to respect our opponent for a full 48 and stop getting up for the big games and not getting up for the teams we have to respect night in and night out. … We’re supposed to be sitting second or third [in the West] right now.”
The Pistons are hardly satisfied with a 5.5-game lead on the Eastern Conference, according to Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff: “We never expect to start the season as good as we expect to finish it. And for us, it’s always about taking steps to continue improving. You find different ways and different areas where you need to improve, and I think our guys have continued to do that.”
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What is it like to have Nikola Jokić back from injury? “He was very impactful. He’s incredible,” said Denver coach David Adelman. “It’s special to have Jokić back in all the ways that he is — the best basketball player in the world.” Now, if only Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson were not also injured for the Nuggets, they might have a shot at the No. 1 spot here.
“I think the good thing is that nothing makes you learn and makes you mature like failure or losses,” said Victor Wembanyama, who has not had a lot of either this season, before adding something that should terrify the rest of the league: “We need to mature a little bit, I think.” The Spurs are not your average young team. They know who they are, and who they need to be.
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Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, as with all things, put Chet Holmgren’s first All-Star selection into proper context: Of course the Thunder deserve two All-Stars. “It’s a team accomplishment,” he said. “In our case, our success on the defensive end of the floor highlights a player like him. So, it’s a point of pride for all of us when we have multiple guys go to the All-Star Game.”
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