NBA Power Rankings – Our group of experts rank the 30 teams in the league before week 7

It remains less than a month before Christmas Day in the NBA, and two contenders for the final – the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets – are stuck at .500 while surprise teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and first place the LA Clippers sit in first place. the upper level in the west. What are the real starts?

Throughout the regular season, our panel (Kevin Arnovitz, Tim MacMahon and Andre Snellings of ESPN, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated and Chris Herring of FiveThirtyEight) will rank the top 30 teams down, taking the list of teams playing the best basketball now. and who most closely resemble title contenders.

Previous ranking: Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | Camp | Free agency

1. Toronto Raptors
Record: 17-4

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
1	4-0	@MEM, GS, @CLE

The Raptors had four games during which they were the big favorites in the program this week. They have won four victories, making it the only undefeated team in the badociation in this sequence. Toronto's 17 to 4 score is the best of the franchise, and the Raptors are one of only two NBA teams to have sustained an effective goal percentage below 50% (Clippers). The return of C.J. Miles only adds to the incomparable depth of Toronto. – Arnovitz

2 Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 14-5

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
2	3-1	@CHA, CHI, @NY

We finally saw the potential disadvantage of Milwaukee's three-point shootout last week, while Bucks Brook Lopez scored a 0-012 record in the NBA after a two-point loss to Phoenix. Nevertheless, coach Mike Budenholzer said he was encouraged by the fact that Lopez was continuing to shoot, sign that a night or two of cold shooting would not thwart the broader plan of the team. team consisting of spacing the ground. – Herring

3. Warriors of the state of the gold
Record: 14-7

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
3	2-1	ENT, @TOR, @DET

The warriors are 4-5 with Stephen Curry has injured his left groin, but they hope he can come back on the next car trip. The Warriors are 42-64 of all time without the NBA MVP twice in the regular season games. Golden State is also 25-23 in the 2014-15 season with Curry off the list. The two defending champions, however, seem to have recovered from their slippage and drama, having won two consecutive home games against Portland and Sacramento. – spears

4. THE Clippers
Record: 13-6

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
8	3-1	PHX, @SAC, @DAL

The NBA is perhaps a superstar league, but with a quarter of the season in the books, the non-superstar Clippers sit at the top of the Western Conference. They clinched another couple of heart wins over the holiday weekend in Memphis and Portland. One of the ways that an egalitarian team can thrive in the NBA without a talent among the top 10? On the defensive side, and the Clippers maintain their opponents with a conceded percentage of .488, the best of the league. – Arnovitz

5 Oklahoma City Thunder
Record: 12-7

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
4	2-2	CLE, ATL

The Thunder was disappointed by the home defeat by the Nuggets on Saturday, which prompted Russell Westbrook is scheduled for a late-night shoot, but other than that, they continue to walk at a steady pace. The Thunder has won 12 of its last 15 games and is in the six-team group in two first-place games in the West. – Snellings

6. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 12-7

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
11	2-2	TOR, @BKN, @PHI

Beginner Jaren Jackson Jr. was lightning during a disappointing weekend for the Grizzlies, who lost two straight games after an unexpected rise to the top of the Western standings. At 19, he averaged 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 badists against the Clippers and Knicks. "He's going to be a special player in this league," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "There is no doubt." – MacMahon

7. Denver Nuggets
Record: 13-7

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
12	3-1	LAL, @POR

The Nuggets seem to have ended their fall after winning three straight games after losing six of their previous seven. Their winning streak came with a balanced team effort, as Nikola Jokic has averaged 9.7 points per game with 27.5% of his shots in the last three games, but he led the team with an 8.7-hour lead to keep his teammates alive. – Shouts

8. Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 14-8

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
7	3-1	NY, WAS, MEM

Oh, you know, just another mundane week for the Sixers: a mysterious turning point in the The story of Markelle Fultz, their first home defeat in the regular season since mid-March against … Cleveland and another dagger set back from Jimmy Butler. In the first quarter of the season, the Sixers posted a neutral point differential (with and without Butler). But optimists would note that, in their current composition, the Sixers have the necessary staff to be much better than the 16th best NBA defense. – Arnovitz

9. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 12-8

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
5	1-3	ENT, DEN, @SA

Keep an eye on the center of the blazers Jusuf Nurkic, victim of a bruise on the right shoulder during the defeat against the Clippers Sunday and who did not play in the second half. Once Nurkic eliminated, the Blazers turned to Meyers Leonard in the top five positions and were outclbaded 38-16 in the third quarter. Leonard had nine points and 16 rebounds, but if the Blazers hope for more offense without Nurkic, Zach Collins is the best choice. The 7-foot, 235-pound sophomore averaged 8.4 points and 37.8 points on the bench. – spears

10. Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 11-8

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
13	2-1	@DEN, IND, DAL, PHX

The Lakers did not lose a match against another team than the Orlando Magic in over three weeks. It is an indignity that purple and gold can bear, especially during a week in which they posted the best defense in the league. The Lakers are now ranked 10th in the season and positive trends are emerging. First, there is the Tyson Chandler effect: the Lakers report 94.6 points per 100 goods when on the ground. Second, the Lakers defend without fail, ranking fourth in the league for the rate of free throw attempts. – Arnovitz

11. Indiana Pacers
Record: 11-8

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
ten	1-2	@UTAH, @PHX, @LAL, @SAC

Indiana has adopted a committee-based approach to replace the Victor Oladipo, who has missed the last three games due to injury. Bojan Bogdanovic has been more aggressive and efficient than usual lately, recording an average of nearly 21 points on less than 13 shots per game since Oladipo left the squad. – Herring

12. Boston Celtics
Record: 10-10

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
6	1-3	@NO, CLE, @MIN

The Celtics have lost four of their last five games to .500 after 20 games and six games behind the Atlantic Raptors. They fight absolutely at the attack, ranked 27th in the NBA offensive rankings, without clear order among their perimeter talent. Their No. 2 ranked defense has kept them competitive, but they need to get the O player back in the race. –– Snellings

13 Detroit Pistons
Record: 10-7

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
18	3-1	NY, CHI, GS

Detroit have avenged a two-point loss Wednesday in Houston with an overtime victory over Friday's Rockets home. Dwane Casey called Andre Drummond scored in this victory the best – and most disciplined – 23 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks. He saw the big man play. – Herring

14. Houston Rockets
Record: 9-9

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
9	1-2	@WAS, DAL, @SA, CHI

Assistant head coach Jeff Bzdelik, the Rockets defensive guru, joined the team full-time on Friday after a brief retreat. His return did not have an immediate impact, as Houston gave 119.5 points for 100 possessions in two consecutive road losses against Detroit and Cleveland. The Rockets are ranked 23rd on the defensive (110.7), down 16 places from last season. – MacMahon

15 New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 10-10

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
14	1-3	BOS, WAS, @MIA, @CHA

Pelicans are 10-6 with Anthony Davis and 0-4 when he sits due to an injury, including Saturday's loss to the Wizards, which the big All-NBA man lost due to a contracted hip . The average loss margin of New Orleans without Davis is 12.5 points. (The Hawks have the worst points differential in the league, minus 11.5.) As much as the Pelicans miss the 27.0 Davis points per game, the biggest problem is that they are the worst defense of the game. league (114.5 points for 100 possessions) without protecting the rim. – MacMahon

16. Charlotte Hornets
Record: 9-10

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
20	2-2	MIL, ATL, UTAH, NO

It seems that sitting on the bench during Friday's loss against the guard motivated by the Thunder, the Hornets Malik Monk. He shot 32.3% on the field in November and 22.6% to 3 points. But the former Kentucky star responded by stepping off the bench and coming out of failure by scoring 26 points, the highest of the season, with seven points in a loss to host Hawks on Sunday. Monk is certainly a feast or starter marker, since he has scored at least 15 points four times this month and six or fewer times four times. – spears

17. Kings of Sacramento
Record: 10-10

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
22	2-2	LAKE, IND

Rookie Kings Marvin Bagley III has scored twice in five consecutive games, having scored 18 goals on Sunday against Utah. There's another Kings rookie with Duke to watch, Harry Giles, knee injured last season. Giles had a career-high 20 minutes against Utah, scoring 10 points, and career highs of eight rebounds and six badists. – spears

18. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 9-9

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
19	2-1	@HOU, @LAL, LAC

J.J. Barea, 34, the driving force behind one of the league's elite stadiums, is becoming a sleepy candidate for the sixth man of the year. The six-foot underfoot was one of the main reasons why the Mavs have won seven of their last nine games, with Barea averaging 14.9 points and 5.3 badists while shooting 53.4. % of ground floor during this period. "He's a pick-and-roll master," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Very experienced, and he is a winner." – MacMahon

19. San Antonio Spurs
Record: 9-10

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
16	1-3	@CHI, @MIN, HOU, POR

It seems that the 6-2 start of the Spurs was a long time ago. San Antonio has lost eight of its 11 games since and it is reasonable to ask how long the coach Gregg Popovich can stay. Dante Cunningham as input. Cunningham has the worst Net Spurs score in this 11-game series with a sizeable margin, as San Antonio was outscored by 16.2 points for 100 possessions with him on the ground. – MacMahon

20. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 9-11

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
17	2-1	@CLE, SA, BOS

Andrew Wiggins was 0-on-12 off the ground and had his first goalless draw of his NBA career Saturday night, while Robert Covington, at 1-of-18, was hardly better in this win over the Bulls. But what Minnesota has won despite everything, despite the fact that two key players fired so badly, is something that the Wolves can live with, knowing that they will need every victory to be a tight race in the playoffs of the Western Conference. – Herring

21. Orlando Magic
Record: 10-10

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
21	1-2	@GS, @POR, @PHX

The Magic have come off a tough week with their second win over the Lakers, who have been formidable in the last five games, to stay at the top of the Southeast Division. The Magic lost a broken heart by the Raptors, then were defeated by the Nuggets in Denver, but with their win in Los Angeles they have won four of their last six games as they prepare for the third match from a turn on the road to six games. on Monday at Golden State. – Snellings

22 Utah Jazz
Record: 9-11

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
15	1-3	IND, @BKN, @CHA, @MIA

Coach Quin Snyder made a big change after losing five of the Jazz's six games. Jae Crowder instead of Derrick Favors when the power striker Sunday against the Kings. Utah responded by scoring 133 points, a top all season, despite the absence of Donovan Mitchell (bruised ribs). Crowder with regular starters scored at the elite level (115.9 points for 100 possessions). The starting formation with Favors was an offensive group (96.9). – MacMahon

23. Washington Wizards
Record: 7-12

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
25	2-1	HOU, @NO, @PHI, BKN

One of the Wizards' biggest problems is their difficulty shooting above 3 points, while they rank 28th in the NBA with 31.8%. Famous marksman Bradley Beal tries a score of 7.1 to 3 points per game, but reduces it to 32.8%. The NBA All-Star 2018 achieved 37.5% of its 3 points last season and 40.4% two seasons ago. John Wall captures 32.3% of his 3-point shots so far this season, while Kelly Oubre averages 27.6%. – spears

24. Miami Heat
Record: 7-12

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
23	1-2	ATL, NO, UTAH

The Heat has not recorded a winning week since October, and an offense featuring some pure creators has sometimes seemed unsightly. Josh Richardson was the only exception, one of the reasons Dwyane Wade said this week that Richardson "picked up the phone every time we call him." Richardson responded to the call in Heat's only win this week against Chicago and posted a real shot percentage of 61.1% in the remaining time this season. – Arnovitz

25. Brooklyn nets
Record: 8-13

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
24	1-3	UTAH, MEM, @WAS

The Nets have lost four of their last five and seven of their last nine games, slipping into the basement of the Eastern Conference. The nets are just missing game leaders with Caris LeVert has been ruled out and her 25th ranked defense is not enough to keep her competitive if she does not score in big pieces. – Snellings

26. New York Knicks
Record: 7-14

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
26	3-1	@DET, @PHI, MIL

The Knicks, who debuted last week in the doldrums of a series of six defeats, put an end to this crisis with three straight wins over their strong opponents. The Knicks seem to have a different star each game. Five players have scored 20 points at least once in the last five games. – Snellings

27 The Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 4-14

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
30	2-2	MIN, @OKC, @BOS, TOR

It was easily the best week of the season for the Cavaliers, who have more than just their own match LeBron James' return to Cleveland on Wednesday before earning two ends of a back versus two with the Sixers and Rockets. The Philly win in particular was impressive as the 76ers were 10-0 at home. These are all positive developments for a Cavs club that has not had a lot of good news lately. – Herring

28. Chicago Bulls
Record: 5-15

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
27	1-2	SA, @MIL, @DET, @HOU

His defense is still nothing to boast about, and will probably never be, but Jabari Parker found an offensive rhythm. He has averaged close to 21 points and nine rebounds, while shooting close to 49% of the total and 40% of the distance of 3 points in his last five games. – Herring

29. Phoenix Suns
Record: 4-15

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
28	1-3	IND, @LAC, ENT, @LAL

The Suns receive a boost from the veteran guard Jamal Crawford leaves the bench. The 38-year-old has averaged 13 points and two three-point markers have played in the last three games. Phoenix also got a winning rider with 0.8 seconds in a rare victory in a 116-114 triumph against the Bucks. While Crawford, Devin Booker and rookie center Deandre Ayton are all playing well, the Suns are still struggling as they are the only team in the conference to have fewer than nine wins. – spears

30. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 4-16

PREV. RANK	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK
29	1-3	@MIA, @CHA, @OKC

The Hawks broke a 10-game losing streak Sunday against Charlotte when Kent Bazemore found an open lane on the ledge five seconds from the end. The losses have not been hopeless, including Trae Young's 25-point effort and 17 badists and the comeback under the spell of John Collins. But the highlight of the week was Vince Carter with 25,000 career points on a two-handed dunk with 0.5 seconds to play in Wednesday's game. – Arnovitz