1. Boston Celtics (19-5)

The Celtics did lose to the Pacers in the In-Season Tournament, but they are back to rolling now, winners of 7 of the last 8 and a perfect 13-0 at home.

Boston has the No. 6 offense and No. 4 defense, good for the No. 2 net rating behind only the Sixers.

Tatum is still shooting a pristine 60.3 percent on 2s. It’s a great sign that his volume is slightly down, but his efficiency is up while the C’s keep on winning.
Jaylen Brown’s usage has ticked back up. When Brown scores 20+ points, the Celtics are 13-2. JB has also become one of the most consistent power dunkers in the entire league, throwing them down on what seems like a nightly basis.
Sam Houser has remained the white 3-point shooter who was promised, shooting a crisp 45.8 percent (!!) on 6.0 attempts per game. Derrick White is also above 40 percent (42.7%) while the Celtics as a team are surprisingly just No. 14 in team 3-point percentage.

It’s a rubber match against the Magic back at the Garden on Sunday afternoon. Then a tough West Coast roadie: at Golden State, at Sac, at Clippers and at the Lakers on Christmas Day.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (17-7)

The Sixers have won five straight games, however, the competition hasn’t been the stiffest with the Wizards twice, Pistons twice and Hawks. Not the stiffest at all. But hey, the Sixers are winning games they are supposed to win and they have the best net rating in the league (10.3).

Embiid is absolutely putting up MVP numbers once again. He’s already scored 35+ points nine times in just 21 games played. Embiid’s full numbers are very similar to last season, but both his assists and rebounds are up.
Maxey’s had some games where he didn’t have his best stuff and Tobias Harris seems to always step up when he’s really needed.
The ageless wonder, Nic Batum has sure played a lot more in Philly than we envisioned. Batum is playing 25 minutes per game, his most since the 2020-21 season. And he’s currently shooting 51.2 percent from 3 (!!) as a Sixer.

The Sixers’ schedule seems quite favorable over the next few weeks. They don’t have a trip out west until late January and then again in late March.

3. Milwaukee Bucks (17-7)

The defense in Milwaukee still isn’t pretty (bottom 10 at No. 22), but the offense is humming, up to No. 3 in the league and the No. 2 offense over the last two weeks.

Giannis’ new career high of 64 points on the Pacers (avenging the Bucks loss in the In-Season Tournament semis) was marred by the game-ball incident. Not the first time that Giannis has been involved in post-game hoopla (laddergate!). Something to monitor. Perhaps just fuel on the fire.
Dame’s defense has looked terrible a lot of nights. And yet, when he scores 25+ points, the Bucks are 12-1. Taking that a step further, when Dame scores 20+ points, the Bucks are 15-2. In all other games, they are 2-5.
Malik Beasley’s heater continues. He’s No. 4 on this team in minutes per game and they are important. Beasley is shooting 45.8 percent from 3 on 6.5 attempts a night.

Milwaukee is surprisingly top 5 in 3-point percentage but unsurprisingly top 5 in free throws made and attempted with Giannis and Dame averaging 19.8 free throw attempts a night.

4. Orlando Magic (16-8)

The Magic rattled off a 9-game win streak, which included wins over the Nuggets and Celtics in back-to-back games, but the Celtics got them back on Friday night at the Garden.

Orlando’s offense has improved while the defense has stayed a top-5 unit, currently at No. 3. Over the last month, Orlando has a top-10 offense and top-10 defense.

Paolo and Franz are doing it again. The young duo is back to both averaging 20 points a night and both can rebound and pass, too. In fact, this team has five players averaging 3.4 or more assists per game.
The Magic have done all of this without Wendell Carter Jr., out since Nov. 2 after surgery on his left hand. Big props to Goga Bitadze who has started 19 games for the Magic after being waived by the Pacers.
The bench unit here is strong, No. 2 in bench points per game with Coley Anthony and Moe Wagner leading the way. Anthony can lead the team in points, rebounds or assists on any given night.

The Magic get another crack at the Celtics in Boston on Sunday afternoon. Then it’s six more Eastern conference foes (Heat, at Milwaukee, at Indiana, at Washington, Sixers and Knicks) before a tough West Coast roadie to start the New Year.

5. Indiana Pacers (13-10)

The Pacers run to the In Season Tournament Final featured some mighty impressive wins against the top of the East (Sixers, Celtics and Bucks) and they were rightfully the talk of the town.

The Vegas hangover has sure been a doozy, though, giving up 140 points to the Bucks (64 to Giannis) and 137 to the Wizards in back-to-back games.

We know they can LIGHT IT UP with the No. 1 offense in the NBA. Pacers games remain track meets of the highest variety, breaking the record for highest totals in NBA history every week now. But the lack of defense is becoming a concern, the No. 28 defense in the league…
It wouldn’t be a Pacers power rankings post without singing the praises of our guy Haliburton, averaging an insane 12 assists per game while running this show and putting up the best shooting numbers of his career, which is saying a lot.
Obi Toppin has been the perfect transition weapon for Hali and it’s still crazy that the Pacers only had to give up two second-round picks for him.

Eight players averaging double-digit points is freaking nuts. But at what point do they look to add some defense or change up their scheme in some way?

6. New York Knicks (14-10)

The Knicks had put together a stretch of winning 10 out of 13 games, but then they dropped 3 of 4 before bouncing back with a huge win in Phoenix on Friday night.

The main culprit of the Knicks recent struggles was the defense bleeding points profusely, giving up an average of 131.5 points over that 4-game stretch, the No. 30 defense over the last two weeks.

The Knicks defense started stout as a top-5 unit, but losing Mitchell Robinson for 8-10 weeks to ankle surgery is such a drastic blow. They need the offense to step up, which it certainly has. The No. 1 offense over the last two weeks. Jalen Brunson popped off in the desert on Friday night with a career-high 50-burger, shooting a perfect 9-for-9 from beyond the arc.
Julius Randle has had some big scoring games lately, pouring in 28+ points in five of the last nine games. The Knicks actually appear at their best when Randle is dishing the rock, a 7-1 record when Randle has 7+ assists.
RJ Barrett’s hot shooting start from 3 has sure cooled off. Since the middle of November when he missed three games, Barrett has eight games of shooting at or below 25 percent from 3. WOOF.

The schedule the rest of the year doesn’t get any easier: at Clippers, at Lakers, at Brooklyn, Bucks x2, at OKC, at Orlando and at Indiana. Gulp.

7. Miami Heat (14-11)

The Heat had a 7-game winning streak in November that included winning 9 out of 10 games. Since then, the Heat are 4-6 in the last 10. In other words, it’s been a typical up and down season for the Heat so far.

The Heat’s recent slide has a lot to do with Bam being out of the lineup with a hip injury. Apparently there is no timetable for his return. The Heat are 10-6 with Bam and 4-5 without him.
Something flying too far under the radar is the fact that Jimmy Butler is averaging a career-high 39.6 percent from 3. However, his percentage from 2 at 47.5 is his worst since 2013-14. Go figure.
- The offense (No. 13) in Miami has been a lot better than expected while the defense (No. 14) has slipped and has even been bottom 10 (No. 22) over the last two weeks without Bam. The biggest reason for the hot Heat offense? They are the No. 1 3-point shooting team in the NBA at 39.2 percent!
Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. is continuing to impress us on a nightly basis. He plays like a seasoned vet, always at the right place at the right time.

A Christmas night game against the Sixers proceeds a gauntlet of Western Conference opponents: at Golden State, at Utah, at Clippers, at Lakers, at Phoenix and then home for the Rockets and Thunder. Goodness.

8. Brooklyn Nets (13-11)

The Nets are spunky! Since Thanksgiving, the Nets are 7-3 with a top-5 offense and top-10 defense, good for the 2nd-best net rating in the league (!!) over that stretch.

It’s definitely worth mentioning that the schedule has been favorable, and they just got absolutely shellacked by the Nuggets in Denver on the second night of a back-to-back. The night before? They beat the Suns in the Big 3 debut. SPUNKY!

After missing a couple of weeks with an ankle sprain, Cam Thomas is back to doing his thing: getting straight buckets. Cam Thomas leads this team in scoring at 22.7 a night, just ahead of Mikal Bridges 22.5.
And guess what? Bridges has, of course, still yet to miss a game. MR. IRON MAN. At what point does A.C. Green start to get worried?
If you are wondering how the Nets are pulling this off, it does have a lot to do from their hot 3-point shooting, No. 3 in the NBA in 3-point percentage. Above 40 percent from 3 includes Lonnie Walker, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale.

The Nets, rather surprisingly, are also the No. 1 rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 47.7 a night.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-12)

The Cavs had won 5 of 6 games and seemed to be finding themselves whole, but then a knee injury sidelined Evan Mobley and the Cavs have lost three straight. (Albeit two in Boston.) And now Garland has a fractured jaw and will be out several weeks AND Mobley is undergoing knee surgery, sidelining him for 6-8 weeks. Some teams just stay snake bit.

The offense here has not been good (No. 25) while the defense has improved to a top-10 mark (No. 8). A stingier defense is expected, but the offense needs some work. That’s going to be tough without Garland and Mobley.
Cavs games already feature a lot of Donovan Mitchell chucking and then him standing around wanting the ball… Hate to say it, but it’s true. D-Mitch is also shooting his worst percentage from 3 at 34.5 percent since his rookie season.
With a huge uptick in minutes, Max Strus is averaging career highs across the board. But it still feels like the Cavs have too much overlap at the key positions. When they are healthy anyway.

The Cavs do get the next four games at The Rock: Hawks, Rockets, Jazz and Pelicans.

10. Atlanta Hawks (10-14)

The Hawks have been freefalling, losing 7 of 8 games (and 5 in a row) with an atrocious defense (a bottom-5 defense on the season after starting somewhat decent), but the Hawks did get a big win in Toronto on Friday night, avenging their loss to the Raptors on Wednesday.

The Hawks recent slide and mid offensive output has coincided precisely with Jalen Johnson’s left wrist injury. The Hawks miss both Johnson’s scoring and energy which were fueling them over the first month of the season.
The Trae Young and Dejounte Murray backcourt is still averaging 47 points and 16 assists a night. But the efficiency has dropped (after it was up). Trae is shooting a career-low on 2s (46.7 percent) while Dejounte has scored less than 15 points seven times, six of which resulted in losses.
Quin Snyder’s short and concise rotation has already started to backfire a bit. The Hawks high usage and high-minute players get gassed down the stretch, especially with the high frenzy style that they like to play with.

Good news for Hawks fans: the Pistons and Wizards are on the schedule before the New Year.

11. Chicago Bulls (10-16)

The Bulls started the season 5-14 and were left for dead, everyone clamoring for them to blow it up, including this here blog.

Then the Bulls ripped off a 4-game winning streak and have won 5 of the last 7. LIFE.

Since LaVine went out with a foot injury that will keep him out several more weeks, Coby White has taken over with the best ball of his career. An insane 6-game run averaging 26/6/6 on 53 percent shooting from 3 (!!). He’s led the team in scoring in 4 of the last 6 games, three of those being Chicago Ws.
The big uptick in scoring is much needed because this team only has four players averaging double-digit points: White, DeRozan, LaVine and Vooch.
No. 18 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Dalen Terry, is still getting ZERO run. WHY?!

The Bulls started the first month of the season with a bottom-10 offense, but over the last two weeks? They’ve been top-10 at No. 8, turning the ship around.

12. Toronto Raptors (10-15)

Since their Black Friday win over the Bulls, the Raptors have lost 7 of the last 9, a stretch that has seen them post a bottom-10 offense and bottom-10 defense, a net rating ahead of only the Hornets, Jazz, Wizards and Pistons.

Pascal Siakam’s 3-point shot has been dreadful at a lowly 26.6 percent, but Scottie Barnes has been the exact opposite: 38.6 percent after being down at 28.1 last year. If Barnes can hold his newfound stroke and if/when Siakam improves, the Raptors offense should rise.
Like Barnes, OG Anunoby’s 3-ball has also been dialed in lately. OG already has four games of 5+ made 3-pointers after having just three all of last season. However, Toronto is currently No. 28 in 3-point percentage as a team.
Dennis Schroder has been the bellwether player for the Raps. When Schroder scores 17+ points, the Raptors are 8-3. In all other games? 2-12.

Toronto’s offense has improved to No. 19 after being bottom-5 over the first month, but the defense has regressed, down to No. 18 after a top-10 start. The Raptors offense has improved because their halfcourt numbers have ticked WAY up, No. 21 after being worst in the league.

13. Charlotte Hornets (7-16)

The Hornets’ top-10 offense over the first month of the season has dropped to No. 20, a result of not having LeMelo since just after Thanksgiving. And the Hornets’ defense has stayed pat at No. 29.

Before he went down with yet another ankle injury, LaMelo was on absolute fire, averaging 32/9/7 on 43.6 percent from 3 in the nine games prior.
Mark Williams has missed some games with a back injury as well, but Brandon Miller has increased his scoring as the Hornets’ bright spot. Miller can shoot the rock, already with eight games of at least three made 3s.
Terry Rozier has also ripped the nets in a few games, including seven 3s in a Hornets win over the Nets and eight 3s in a narrow 2-point loss to the Heat.

The Hornets’ 3-point shooting has increased drastically from their slow start, up to No. 12 in the league after being No. 29 in 3-point percentage over the first month.

14. Washington Wizards (4-20)

The Wizards had three wins against the Grizzlies, Hornets and Pistons, but Friday night was their best win and game of the season, racking up 137 points on the Indiana Pacers.

Checking in on Jordan Poole in D.C… it still hasn’t been a Poole Party, 30 percent from 3 and a constant appearance on Shaqtin’ a Fool. But perhaps J. Poole’s 30-ball on Friday night will be the turning point.
Kyle Kuzma remains the bright spot and by far the best player on this team, 23-6-4. Will the Wiz look to cash in on their best asset before the deadline? They might want to leave their fans something.
Rookie Bilal Coulibaly has had some moments. Through the first 24 games of the season, he’s already had more than Johnny Davis all of last season. In fact, over the last six games, Coulibaly is averaging 13.8 points and shooting 43.5 percent from 3.

The Wizards bench unit is still putting up numbers, No. 3 in bench points per game. But you could argue it’s because they get so much run. The Wiz are also No. 2 in points in the paint.

15. Detroit Pistons (2-22)

The Pistons started 2-1 but have now lost 22 straight. Twenty. Two.

The record? The Process Sixers lost 28 in a row across 2014-15 to 2015-16, but the record for a single season is 26 by the 2010-11 Cavs and the 2013-14 76ers.

An interesting stat from @MotorCityBanter on Twitter: Cade Cunningham is the 6th player in NBA history to record 1800 points, 600 assists and 500 rebounds in their first 100 career games. (Joining LeBron, Magic, Oscar Robertson, Luka and Steve Francis.) — However, Cade’s career true shooting percentage of 50.5 is the worst among that group by a country mile.
Bojan Bogdanovic returned at the beginning of the month and he’s boosted the Detroit offense as expected… but the Pistons still have the worst offense in the league over the last two weeks.
Because it’s the Pistons, we might as well bring out the ole WHO HE!? segment:
- Jared Rhoden has suited up in five games this season (and 15 last season). He’s a second-year player from Seton Hall.
- Malcolm Cazalon, a rookie France got two minutes of action on Nov. 5 and pulled a Tony Snell. Welcome to the blog, Calzone!

You know it’s bad when Wingstop offers to give out free wings for every loss “because you guys deserve a W.” YOIKES.

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New Power Rankings dropping every month.

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