NBA Power Rankings – Warriors collapse and fall to 2nd rank



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Will the last part of the season belong to Milwaukee Bucks? Giannis Antetokounmpo & Co. is currently the most popular team in the NBA. She replaces the weak team Golden State Warriors at the top of our rankings.

Throughout the regular season, our panel (Kevin Arnovitz, Tim MacMahon and Andre & # 39; s ESPN Snellings, Marc J. Spears and The Undefeated Heroes and Chris Herring of FiveThirtyEight) will rank the top 30 teams. below. who look more like title contenders.

Previous ranking: Week 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Training Camp | Free agency

1. Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 45-14

Milwaukee has won nine of its last 10 games, the NBA's best mark in this period. These contenders will be tested starting this week in their quest to gain ground advantage during the playoffs. Their next five games are on the road and eight of their next ten games will be played outside, including in Sacramento, Utah and San Antonio. – Herring


2. Warriors of the state of the gold
Record: 42-17

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
1 2-2 @CHA, @MIA, @ORL, @PHI

Everything is not divine in the world of warriors since the break of the match of the stars. To the front Draymond Green suffered a sprained left ankle against the Rockets on Saturday, a game the Warriors lost to James Harden. After a good start after returning from an Achilles tendon injury, the frustrated DeMarcus Cousins ​​center has experienced difficulties and has not been used since the beginning. – Spears


3. Toronto Raptors
Record: 44-17

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
3 3-1 BOS, POR, @DET

Mutual love between Raptors fans and DeMar DeRozan genuinely introduced on Friday was one of the highlights of an NBA season, marked by dissatisfaction with the superstar and the transactional intrigue. After the big win, the Raptors lost to Kawhi Leonard on Sunday at home against Orlando. The Raptors have by no means an easy schedule (not with Boston coming to town on Tuesday), but they will be favored in their next 10 games. – Arnovitz


4. Denver Nuggets
Record: 41-18

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
5 4-0 OKC, UTAH, NO

The Nuggets lost three games by a total of 38 points just before the All-Star break while the defensive anchor Paul Millsap was absent and they dropped an average of 127 PPGs on these outings. The Nuggets came in this week after winning the last 10 games in which Millsap played with an average of 13.2 points per game and returned to first place in the West. – Shouts


5. Thunder from Oklahoma City
Record: 38-21

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
4 2-2 @DEN, PHI, @SA, MEM

Russell Westbrook has not had a triple-double in both games since the All-Star break, but he may have finally found his shot. Westbrook scored 88 points on 50.8% of his field shots in the first two games after the break, and he knocked out 11 3-pointers on 44% of his shots. The 11 3-point is by far the highest number of consecutive wins of the season, and the 15 points he has made in his last three games are four more than the total he has dropped in the last 12 games. –– Snellings


6. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 36-23

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
9 3-1 @CLE, @BOS, @TOR, @CHA

Monday, the custody of newcomers Rodney Hood will face Cleveland for the first time since the Cavaliers traded him on Feb. 4. Hood has scored two numbers once since joining the Blazers, averaging 8.3 points in 22 minutes in six games for Portland. – Spears


7. Houston Rockets
Record: 34-25

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
8 2-2 ATL, @CHA, MIA, @BOS

The Rockets need Chris Paul will perform at the level of stars to be serious contenders. His recent performances have been remarkably encouraging. Paul played his best ball of the season. He has averaged 18.6 points and 9.9 assists in the last seven games, with a net score of over-11.8 points per 100 possession possession over that period. "I know how to play a little, do you know what I mean?" Paul said after his performance of 23 points and 17 assists in Saturday's victory over the Warriors. – MacMahon


8. Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 38-22

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
6 2-2 @NO, @OKC, GS

Life is just not the same in Philadelphia without Joel Embiid, who has missed both matches of the Sixers since the break of the match of the stars. With Embiid on the ground, the Sixers have a better offense of 5.4 points and a defense of 7.1 points for 100 possessions. For JJ Redick, whose chemistry with the big man is transparent, the effect is even more pronounced. The Sixers offense is 23.5 points per 100 goods more effective when Redick plays with Embiid than when Redick plays without him. – Arnovitz


9. Indiana Pacers
Record: 40-20

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
ten 3-1 @DET @DAL, MIN, ENT

Indy lost her first four games after losing Victor Oladipo for the season. Since? The Pacers are now 8-1 and the only loss is to the Bucks, who have the best basketball record. The Pacers have not had a difficult schedule in this period, but give head coach Nate McMillan and his team the honor of continuing to excel after the injury of their All-Star. – Herring


10. Boston Celtics
Record: 37-23

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
7 2-2 @TOR, POR, WAS, HOU

The Celtics came out of the break from the stars with a tight defeat to first place in the Bucks and an inexplicable 10-point loss against the Bulls. Boston has lost four of its last six games to remain three games behind the Pacers and one game behind the 76ers in the race for the advantage of the field. The Celtics are in the middle of the season and will try to break their series of two defeats Tuesday on the road against the Raptors. –– Snellings


11 Utah Jazz
Record: 33-26

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
11 1-2 LAKE, @DEN, MIL

Anyone who still considers defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert, a one-way player, does not watch Jazz. Gobert is imposed as an offensive force. He averages 15.4 points per game, a career high, while leading the league in penalty shoot-out percentage (0.654) and on-screen assist (6.0 per game, generating 13, 9 points). The Jazz average is 109 points for 100 possessions with Gobert on the ground – the best of all Utah players with at least 300 minutes – and 102 points for 100 possessions when seated. – MacMahon


12. San Antonio Spurs
Record: 33-28

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
12 1-2 @BKN, DET, OKC

Well, that was not exactly what the Spurs wanted out of the break of the stars. DeRozan's reunion in Toronto ended in a nightmarish manner with Kawhi Leonard, the man the Raptors chose to replace him, tearing him midway and sneaking past a decisive dunk. Then, the Knicks ended a series of 18 home defeats by spanking the Spurs, who have only one game in front of the Kings, ninth in the standings, in the West standings. – MacMahon


13 THE Clippers
Record: 33-28

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
14 2-2 DAL, @UTAH, @SAC, NY

These are exciting times for the Clippers, who have basically gone through three lists in the last 14 months. Rumor has it that the owners would like to see the team qualify for the playoffs, even if it means giving up a first-round pick in the June draft in exchange for being a first-round sacrifice lamb. To this end, the Friday night rendezvous in Sacramento has great implications. –– Arnovitz


14 the Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 29-30

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
13 1-2 @MEM, NO, MIL, @PHX

A loss to the Pelicans without Davis on Saturday was right for Thursday's win on the back. LeBron James has publicly questioned whether a young kernel who had never gone into the playoffs might perhaps understand the magnitude of the stakes for the Lakers over the next six weeks. On the positive side, Brandon Ingram has concocted a pair of effective performances at 29 and 27 points since the break. – Arnovitz


15. Kings of Sacramento
Record: 31-28

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
15 1-2 @MIN, MIL, LAKE

Harrison Barnes is still adjusting to his new life as a member of the Kings. The veteran forward has an average of 12.2 points on 34.4% of the shots on the ground and 25% of the 3 points in his first five games. Barnes averaged 17.7 points per game with the Mavericks before going to the Kings. – Spears


16. Brooklyn nets
Record: 31-30

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
16 2-2 SA, WAS, CHA, @MIA

Caris LeVert is still finding his pace since returning from a severely handicapped right foot, recording an average of nine points and four assists in 23.6 minutes per game, with an effective percentage of 39.1. A confident spring would be a boon to the Nets this spring, giving them another perimeter striker able to defeat the defenses off the dribble, pick-and-roll and break. The Nets lead the NBA in total number of orders this season, the average efficiency of the league being lower than that of their possessions. – Arnovitz


17. Detroit Pistons
Record: 28-30

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
17 3-1 IND, @SA, @CLE, TOR

Detroit is 7-2 in its last nine games and improved guard play Reggie Jackson was one of the most important catalysts of this period. Jackson has shot 49% overall and 46% deep in the last nine games, compared to only 40% and 34%, respectively, during his heat series. – Herring


18. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 28-31

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
19 3-1 SAC, @ATL, @IND, @WAS

All-Star Forward The series of 303 consecutive starts of Karl-Anthony Towns is over when he was placed in the concussion protocol after being involved in a car accident on Thursday. Towns averages 23.1 points and 12 rebounds per game. – lances


19. Orlando Magic
Record: 28-33

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
20 3-1 @NY, GS, @IND, @CLE

The Magic took part in the All-Star break after winning seven of their last eight games with a margin of more than 15.5, a sequence that followed their defeat in seven of their last eight games with a minus mark 2.5. The Magic have been one of the strongest teams in the NBA all season, but their recent run has propelled them past the playoffs. If they manage to maintain that level, they have a good chance of getting into the playoffs in what was supposed to be a year of rebuilding. – Snellings


20 Charlotte Hornets
Record: 28-31

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
18 1-3 GS, HOU, @BKN, POR

The Hornets lead the Southeast Division despite a losing record. A losing team did not win a division since the 1975-1976 Bucks and won the Midwest Division with a 38-44 record. Since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976, three teams are tied for the worst win record in a division, 44-38: Heat 2017-18, Heat 2006-07 and Nuggets 2005-06. – Spears


21 Miami heat
Record: 26-32

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
21 1-3 PHX, GS, @HOU, BKN

The heat welcomed the injured guard Goran Dragic and forward Derrick Jones Jr. return to training after extended absences. Their return is a very good time, as the team has had difficulties, with defeats in eight of its last 10 games. The Heat have fallen to 10th in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games from last place in the playoffs, and must quickly change the game to try their luck in the playoffs. – Snellings


22. pelicans from New Orleans
Record: 27-34

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
24 2-2 PHI, @LAL, @PHX, @DEN

Give credit to the pride of the pelicans for having organized a heckuva fight without Anthony Davis. For some reason, pelicans were better without their disgruntled superstar, soon on the start. Since Davis' request for trading was made public, New Orleans got 3 to 3 without him, and they defeated the Thunder before the All-Star break, when Davis left the match at the half-time then shortly thereafter. They are 1-3 when Davis dresses and sticks around four quarters. – MacMahon


23. Washington wizards
Record: 24-36

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
22 0-4 @BKN, @BOS, MIN

Washington has lost its last four games and is suddenly only four games ahead of the Hawks, who hold the fifth record in the NBA. In what has been a mess of the season since the beginning, a high choice of lottery – especially after unloading The contract of Otto Porter Jr – would be a decent reward to offer Bradley Beal for next season. – Herring


24. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 26-33

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
23 0-4 @LAC, IND, MEM

The pursuit of Wilt Chamberlain by Dirk Nowitzki provides a fun setting for his unofficial farewell tour. Nowitzki is 92 points behind Chamberlain to move to sixth on the all-time scoring list with 23 games to play in the Mav season and possibly Nowitzki's career, though it's clear that he has not yet made a retirement decision. Nowitzki, making his first start of the season with Maxi Kleber's illness, scored the highest score of the season with 15 points in Saturday's loss to the Jazz. – MacMahon


25. Chicago Bulls
Record: 16-44

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
27 3-1 MIL, @MEM, @ATL, ATL

Chicago is playing its best basket of the season, having won four of its last six games and seventh in offensive efficiency since the Feb. 7 deadline. At the victory of the Bulls Saturday against the Celtics, Zach LaVine (42 points) and Lauri Markkanen (35 points) got the best career score, an excellent sign for the young team. – Herring


26. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 20-40

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
25 2-2 @HOU, MIN, CHI, @CHI

As promising as Young traitor watched, power forward John Collins could be the biggest revelation for the Hawks this season. Collins' 3-point accuracy is around 37%, and his actual shot percentage is over 63%. Next item on the agenda for Collins: perfect the pick-and-roll routine with Young. This is the eighth most used group in the league, but the least effective of the top 10 – although it is still respectable and it is certain that it will improve over time. – Arnovitz


27. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 14-46

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
28 3-1 POR, @NY, DET, ENT

Last week, the Cavs signed two consecutive wins for the third time of the season, beating the Suns and Grizzlies. But even before these two competitions, Cleveland began to play better. Perhaps the biggest plus point: Kevin Love has returned to himself, recording a 32-point effort and 12 rebounds in a 26-minute match against Memphis. – Herring


28. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 23-38

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
26 0-4 LAL, CHI, @DAL, @OKC

Beginner Jaren Jackson Jr. suffers from a deep bruise in the thigh that will marginalize him indefinitely, which will add to the misery of the Memphis season. It will also be extremely difficult for the Grizzlies to achieve their goal of passing the protected choice among the top eight to the Celtics. On the bright side is that it seems that the Grizzlies will have an early lottery pick to ease their rebuilding efforts, but the nightmare scenario of giving up the choice when it's not protected in 2021 is imminent. – MacMahon


29. New York Knicks
Recording: 12-48

PREV. RANK Last 2 weeks NEXT WEEK
30 2-3 ENT, CLE, @LAC

DeAndre Jordan is currently on the set with an ankle injury, replaced in the starting lineup by Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks start with two rookies and three sophomores. A third rookie at Allonzo Trier is their sixth man. The Knicks have managed to break a series of 18 home defeats on Sunday night, but they continue to look at their youth movement and are unlikely to give a lot of minutes to veterans in the far right. – Snellings


30. Phoenix Suns
Recording time: 11-50

The Suns lost 17 of their worst 17 career games in Monday's heat match. Given the wealth available in this year's project – whether it's Zion Williamson's Duke, RJ Barrett or Ja Morant's Murray State – there would definitely be an advantage to that losses persist. – Spears

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