When Al Horford made the surprising decision to spurn the Atlanta Hawks in favor of the Boston Celtics in early July, it was billed as the next step for one of the league’s flagship franchises. Seemingly on cue, Brad Stevens’ team was victimized by injuries during the early stages of the 2016-2017 season, resulting in a 13-12 start over the first 25 contests.
Since then, though, the Celtics have been everything the NBA world wanted them to be. Boston has accumulated a 20-6 record that includes an active seven-game winning streak and that includes a net rating (+4.7) that would rank fourth in the league over that time period. While Horford has simply been what he has always been, the biggest jump for the Celtics has come from Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas is averaging a comical 29.9 points (and 6.4 assists) per game on the season, shooting a career best 46.9 percent from the floor, and generally lighting the world on fire in clutch situations. To some degree, his preposterous first half of the season is likely unsustainable, but Boston’s full complement of assets has been available for only a handful of games this season. With that in mind, Thomas can sustain the almost inevitable (slight) regression while the rest of the roster rounds into form.
With some late January struggles from LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to aid them, the Celtics now stand only 2.5 games out of the top spot in the East, and for the first time there’s some legitimate buzz about a run at the No. 1 seed. That perch would go a long way toward crediting the notion that Boston could seriously threaten Cleveland in a playoff series.
Before that possibility arrives, however, the Celtics can simply take solace in the fact that a 50-win season is in view. Given the future assets (including those tantalizing draft picks from the Brooklyn Nets), the sky is the limit in Boston.
Where do the Celtics fit in the overall mix with the league this week? Let’s find out.
1. Golden State Warriors (43-8, Last week — 1st)
The Warriors were on the wrong end of their last basketball game. That is about the only negative thing I can say about Golden State right now. That loss to the Sacramento Kings was interesting on a number of levels, but that doesn’t change the fact that there is a chasm between No. 1 and No. 2 yet again this week. Ho-hum.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-15, Last week — 4th)
LeBron James is (still) absurd, and the game-tying shot that he knocked down against Washington on Monday was abject insanity. With that shot and the completion of an overtime win over a scorching hot opponent, the Cavs have won three straight and five of six. In short, order has been restored and their January swoon feels a lot like an afterthought already.
3. San Antonio Spurs (39-12, Last week — 2nd)
Without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, the Spurs floundered in a 74-point performance against the Grizzlies in their last game. In other words, Kawhi Leonard might be important. Before that, San Antonio reeled off three straight wins and they remain terrifying and boring. They’re the same old Spurs. I promise that is a compliment.
4. Boston Celtics (33-18, Last week — 5th)
We could learn more about Boston’s ceiling after a four-game west coast road trip beginning on Wednesday. If they can navigate that without a big-time hiccup, watch out.
5. Houston Rockets (38-17, Last week — 3rd)
Houston allowed Tim Hardaway Jr. to singlehandedly sink them in a home game this week but, aside from that, everything is fine for the Rockets. James Harden is (very) good, they have defended reasonably well, and their record reflects both.
6. Utah Jazz (33-19, Last week — 6th)
Gordon Hayward and company just blew through the middle of the East, trampling the Bucks, Hornets, and Hawks in succession. That was much needed after a little bit of a lull previously, but the Jazz appear to be at full strength (here’s looking at you, Derrick Favors). That’s got to be fairly terrifying for everyone else.
7. Washington Wizards (30-21, Last week — 7th)
Washington had won seven straight and 11 of 12 before running into the buzzsaw that is LeBron James on Monday. There is zero shame in losing an overtime game to the Cavs, though, and the Wizards are playing excellent basketball. Can they stay healthy? Will depth become an issue as the season moves along? There are questions, but this has been a fun stretch.
8. Toronto Raptors (32-21, Last week — 8th)
After a stretch in which they lost 8 of 10, the Raptors bounced back with back-to-back wins. It should be noted that those victories came against the lowly Nets and the Chris Paul-less Clippers, but there are signs of life. Toronto’s defense (16th in the NBA) is an issue long-term but they are still right there in the mix for the No. 2 seed in the East.
9. Memphis Grizzlies (32-22, Last week — 11th)
Memphis just keeps doing what they do. The Grizz have won five of six, including wins over the Jazz (on the road) and Spurs, and they put a top-five defense on the floor each night. As usual, no one in the casual NBA world is paying much attention, but they’ll be a tough out in the playoffs … again.
10. Indiana Pacers (29-22, Last week — 13th)
With a ton of attention on Boston and Miami, Indiana’s seven-game winning streak isn’t receiving much love, but it probably should. The Pacers have recent wins over the Thunder and Rockets and, quietly, Indiana has cracked the top 10 in defensive efficiency (104.7 points allowed per 100) for the season. It smells a bit like smoke and mirrors, but that kind of run in the East can make a real dent and this one has done just that.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-23, Last week — 9th)
The Pacers claimed the No. 10 spot by virtue of a second-half comeback to topple the Thunder on Monday, and OKC has been shaky recently. Russell Westbrook continues to be absurd, but the Thunder do miss the injured Enes Kanter offensively and there are nights in which OKC feels punchless.
12. Los Angeles Clippers (31-21, Last week — 10th)
The Clippers are 27-9 with Chris Paul in the lineup this season. The Clippers are 4-12 without Chris Paul in the lineup this season. Chris Paul isn’t playing right now. Any questions?
13. Atlanta Hawks (30-22, Last week — 12th)
Dwight Howard, Paul Millsap, and company have posted a 6-5 record over their last 11 games and that keeps them afloat. However, those five losses were ugly. Four of the defeats came by 23 points or more, with the fifth loss coming to the Clippers by 10 at home on a night they were playing without both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Your guess is as good as mine with the Hawks.
14. Denver Nuggets (23-28, Last week — 14th)
My torrid love affair with the Nuggets continues. To be fair, landing in the No. 8 spot in the West would only be fodder for a 4 or 5-game romp by the Warriors in round one, but Denver is (very) fun to watch with Nikola Jokic at the center of it all. If you are a detractor, though, the Nuggets currently sport the worst defense in the league. That greatly limits their ceiling.
15. Detroit Pistons (24-28, Last week — 23rd)
All the Pistons have done recently is beat three teams (Philly, Minnesota, New Orleans) that they are supposed to beat. That’s an extremely low bar to clear in the East right now. Detroit’s talent has always been vastly superior to their overall level of play this season but maybe, just maybe, they are coming around.
16. Miami Heat (22-30, Last week — 21st)
The Heat just don’t lose anymore. Erik Spoelstra deserves all the credit in the world for what is a preposterous 11-game winning streak and, even if I don’t buy it long-term, Miami’s recent play deserves recognition in this space. It has been a very fun ride over the past couple of weeks.
17. Chicago Bulls (26-26, Last week — 16th)
I’m a broken record on this, but the Bulls are extremely interesting off the court and extremely boring on it. With that said, Chicago has the pleasure of traveling to Oakland for their annual visit on Wednesday and playing the Warriors on the road is bad for, well, every team in the NBA.
18. Portland Trail Blazers (23-30, Last week — 17th)
C.J. McCollum’s gorgeous game-winning floater on Tuesday is the reason the Blazers are in this spot instead of the Mavericks. Portland continues to disappoint on the whole, but snatching a road win in Dallas was huge. Somehow, thee Blazers still remain in position to make a run. Whether it ever materializes is another discussion entirely.
19. Charlotte Hornets (24-28, Last week — 18th)
Kemba Walker’s team (finally) stopped the bleeding with a home win over Brooklyn on Tuesday. Prior to that, the Hornets had dropped seven straight. To be fair, five of those losses were in the very respectable category in terms of opponent and situation, but Charlotte being four games under .500 seemed unfathomable just a few weeks ago. This might be a kind ranking.
20. Dallas Mavericks (20-32, Last week — 20th)
After rattling off four straight wins, the Mavs fell short against Portland (see above) on Tuesday to drop their second straight. Losing to the Nuggets and Blazers in back-to-back games doesn’t seem awful perception-wise, but Dallas needs to beat teams like the Nuggets and Blazers. It feels like there will be a lot more shuffling before all is said and done in the West, though, and that is the bright side.
21. New Orleans Pelicans (20-32, Last week — 22nd)
The most interesting thing happening with the Pelicans this week involves Jahlil Okafor and a potential trade. Until that goes down, the Pelicans are simply a mediocre team that is being victimized by a brutal start to the season. Since then, New Orleans has been just fine but it might not matter in the end.
22. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-33, Last week — 15th)
Zach LaVine’s absence for the remainder of the season might not sink the Wolves on its own, but it certainly won’t help. Minnesota’s biggest weakness has always been defense, though, and LaVine’s injury won’t be felt there to the same degree. For now, the Wolves are simply a team that has dropped four in a row at a time when they couldn’t afford to do just that.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (22-28, Last week — 19th)
The Bucks have been brutal in the recent past, with just two wins in their past 12 games overall. Milwaukee did stop the bleeding with a 137-point explosion against Phoenix earlier in the week but Khris Middleton’s pending return must cover up widespread ills elsewhere or this once-promising season might end poorly.
24. Sacramento Kings (20-32, Last week — 26th)
Boogie Cousins was ejected on Monday evening and that was a fitting end to a stretch with four losses in five games. Hilariously, the one victory came against the best team in the League, but that small blip on the radar was only a distraction to just how ugly things have been recently. The one (tiny) blessing is that Sacramento remains only 3.5 games out of the playoffs in the West. What a world.
25. Orlando Magic (20-34, Last week — 27th)
The Magic aren’t as extravagant in their incompetence as some other NBA teams, but this has been a mesmerizing season. Orlando is now 4-14 over the past 18 games, and it honestly feels worse than that. Toss in the murmurs about moving on from Serge Ibaka just months after trading both Victor Oladipo and a lottery pick for him? That’s how we get here.
26. New York Knicks (22-31, Last week — 25th)
The Carmelo Anthony rumor mill churns and that is easily the most interesting thing happening for the Knicks. On the floor, New York has dropped four of five and that, if anything, provides more fodder for blowing it up completely. Paging Phil Jackson.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (18-33, Last week — 24th)
The harsh reality has set in for the Sixers. Joel Embiid has been absent in nine of the past ten games and, non-coincidentally, Philly is just 3-7 over that same stretch. Brett Brown’s team is better than this when Embiid is on the floor but there has to be a middle ground for evaluation purposes and here we are.
28. Los Angeles Lakers (18-36, Last week — 29th)
The Lakers are bad, but they just won on the road in New York and that means elevation in the rankings this week. Los Angeles puts forth the second-worst defense in the league (110.1 points allowed per 100) but at least Luke Walton has this team playing better basketball when compared to last season. It’s the little things.
29. Phoenix Suns (16-36, Last week — 28th)
Just a few weeks ago, there was some legitimate optimism surrounding Phoenix. Now? Not so much. The Suns have dropped seven of eight and, when you are already starting from a less than stellar place, that type of run doesn’t help in the slightest.
30. Brooklyn Nets (9-43, Last week — 30th)
Normally, teams that are this bad are solely focused on ping-pong balls by mid-February. With the Nets, that isn’t an option by virtue of trade obligations to the Celtics. There is plenty of sadness already as a result and ten consecutive losses isn’t helping.
