Every team in the NBA is chasing the Golden State Warriors in some form or fashion. For the rebuilding squads, the Warriors are used as the template for how to approach team building and, even if Golden State’s roster construction is virtually impossible to replicate, teams are right to aspire to greatness. For the teams near the top of the league, though, the Warriors are seen as the team to beat and the defending champions sit with a 41-12 record despite operating on pure cruise control to this point in the campaign.
In a normal season, the Houston Rockets would be that team. James Harden, Chris Paul and company emerge from Super Bowl weekend with a dazzling 38-13 record and, if anything, the team has been even more impressive than that mark dictates. Houston has compiled only three losses all season with both Harden and Paul in the lineup and, without the Warriors operating as the super team to end all super teams, the Rockets would likely be seen as a significant title favorite.
Houston lands second in the NBA in both net rating (+8.0) and offensive rating (112.5) and, while the Warriors are significantly better on the defensive end, the Rockets have made great strides to the tune of becoming a top-10 unit. That combination is devastating to the point where many are openly whispering about the Rockets and at least the potential to provide Golden State with a worthy adversary in the Western Conference Finals. Frankly, that sentiment doesn’t exist anywhere else, especially given the immense struggles of the only Eastern Conference team (Cleveland) that has proven the ability to scare the Warriors.
Until the Rockets operate at this level in the playoffs, it is reasonable to be skeptical. In the same breath, more than half of the 2017-2018 season is in the rear view mirror and, at the moment, it is quite clear that Houston is the second-best team in the league and the gap between them and the rest is significant.
The Rockets won’t be catching the Warriors (at least this week) in our Dime Power Rankings but the rest of the list can be found here. Let’s roll.
1. Golden State Warriors (41-12, Last week — 1st)
It is big news whenever the Warriors lose and it is even bigger news when they lose two out of three games. Can you tell I’m not worried? Well, I’m not worried.
2. Houston Rockets (38-13, Last week — 2nd)
The Rockets have won eight of nine and everything is fine in Houston. Can we fast-forward to May?
3. Boston Celtics (39-15, Last week — 5th)
The top three isn’t always in the order of the NBA standings but that is the case this week. Boston just rattled off four straight wins, including a stretch without Kyrie Irving, and they’ve been impressive for most of the season.
4. Toronto Raptors (36-16, Last week — 4th)
Toronto and Boston square off on Tuesday evening and that will likely decide their head-to-head battle in this space for next week. For now, Boston is playing slightly better but that isn’t a knock on a Raptors team that continues to shine.
5. Washington Wizards (31-22, Last week — 14th)
This is officially getting weird. The Wizards just won five straight games without John Wall and, by all accounts, the team is playing some of its best basketball of season. I’m just going to leave that here for now but I have questions.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22, Last week — 11th)
After some shakiness (including a loss in Atlanta), the Wolves have won back-to-back games to provide stability. This feels high for Minnesota but this entire tier is kind of a mess and the Wolves have the best claim to the top spot in it.
7. San Antonio Spurs (34-21, Last week — 6th)
The Spurs allowed 34 points to Ricky Rubio in their last outing and that capped a home back-to-back that ended with two defeats. None of that is ideal but, as always, San Antonio displays a trust factor that isn’t matched by many teams around the NBA. They’re fine.
8. Milwaukee Bucks (29-23, Last week — 8th)
Giannis and company have picked up six wins in the last seven games and there are positive vibes emanating from Milwaukee right now. This team feels dangerous in the post-Jason Kidd era and that is almost undeniable at this point. Their biggest issue will be holding up as injuries deplete their backcourt rotation.
9. Denver Nuggets (29-25, Last week — 15th)
It’s suddenly hot in Denver. The Nuggets just won three in a row at home, including wins over the Warriors and Thunder, and the looming return of Paul Millsap in the next couple of weeks makes this team very intriguing the rest of the way.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-24, Last week — 3rd)
Just one week ago, everything looked to be rosy in OKC. After four straight losses, that is no longer the case and Billy Donovan is even thinking about lineup changes. The loss of Andre Roberson matters in a big way with the team’s lack of fill-in options for that role but the sudden issues go well beyond that.
11. Cleveland Cavaliers (30-21, Last week — 7th)
The 32-point home drubbing against the Rockets sent observers into a panic and with good reason. The Cavs just aren’t very good right now. There is a certain floor to where Cleveland can drop with a healthy LeBron but, unfortunately, we might be reaching it soon.
12. Utah Jazz (25-28, Last week — 18th)
Watch out for Utah. The team has won six in a row and, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the Jazz are within three games of the final playoff spot out West. To complicate things even further, only the Pelicans (without Boogie Cousins) and Clippers (in a period of transition) are between Quin Snyder’s team and the playoffs.
13. Detroit Pistons (26-26, Last week — 23rd)
The Pistons are undefeated in the Blake Griffin era. There are still complications with the trade itself but, in the short term, it looks to be “working” in Detroit.
14. Indiana Pacers (30-25, Last week — 10th)
Indiana is 30-19 in games involving Victor Oladipo and 0-6 in games not involving Victor Oladipo. It’s almost as if he’s a very good basketball player.
15. Los Angeles Clippers (27-25, Last week — 13th)
It doesn’t seem fair that Los Angeles would win four of five and drop in the rankings. If anything, the Clips should be credited with how they’ve played recently. Still, other teams just feel more dangerous and, well, last week may be the high-water mark as the trade deadline looms.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (29-25, Last week — 12th)
It’s been a weird stretch for Portland. The Blazers followed four straight wins with three straight losses and, even if those defeats came to playoff-caliber opponents, it would have been nice to see Dame Lillard and company sneak away with a win.
17. Philadelphia 76ers (25-25, Last week — 16th)
Philly’s dropped four of five but the win came against a Miami team that we haven’t reached yet on this list. This feels a lot like a .500 team, even if not when it comes to coverage, and the highs and lows are befitting of a (very) young club.
18. New Orleans Pelicans (28-25, Last week — 17th)
The post-Boogie returns haven’t been great, with four losses in five games. New Orleans did make a “win now” deal to add Nikola Mirotic but the team’s playoff hopes are anything but secure and the ship must be righted with haste.
19. Miami Heat (29-25, Last week — 9th)
Good luck trying to figure out the Miami Heat. After a top-10 perch a week ago, the Heat dropped four in a row, including a ghastly home loss to the Magic on Monday. Just throw your hands up at this juncture.
20. Los Angeles Lakers (21-31, Last week — 20th)
Six wins in eight games for the Lakers? Optimism on the horizon? Alright then.
21. Charlotte Hornets (23-30, Last week — 19th)
Kemba Walker and company are better than their record suggests, especially when the All-Star point guard is on the floor. That only carries you so far, though, because he has to rest sometime.
22. New York Knicks (23-31, Last week — 22nd)
New York’s home loss to Atlanta on Sunday afternoon was the stuff of tanking legend, with referee malfeasance and utter incompetence by the team with the lead. That isn’t necessarily a full-blown indictment of everything with the Knicks but it’s a reminder of what the team has been for a while now.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (18-34, Last week — 21st)
It is weird to consider Memphis as a tanking team but they are absolutely that right now. In fairness, the recent skid for the Grizz is coupled with strong competition but, in the same breath, this is also a bad basketball team and it likely will be the rest of the way.
24. Brooklyn Nets (19-35, Last week — 27th)
Brooklyn executed a sneaky smart trade on Monday evening but that can only distract so much from the poor product on the floor. Cavs fans have a close eye on the Nets for obvious reasons but, elsewhere, there isn’t much buzz to speak of outside of die-hards.
25. Dallas Mavericks (17-37, Last week — 25th)
Rick Carlisle still leads a team with (much) better peripherals than most of the bottom tier but the Mavs have lost six of seven anyway. Every time you think Dallas will emerge from doldrums, they fall right back down the pecking order.
26. Atlanta Hawks (16-37, Last week — 26th)
The Hawks got a win in New York on Sunday but it came under strange circumstances and on an afternoon in which the Knicks had no interest in actually winning. Atlanta is definitely improved from the start of the year, though, and they’re competitive on most nights.
27. Phoenix Suns (18-36, Last week — 28th)
The Suns aren’t very good and this recent stretch of seven losses in eight games reaffirms that stance. It isn’t a lack of talent right now but Phoenix has some pivotal months ahead.
28. Orlando Magic (16-36, Last week — 30th)
The Magic have won two out of three! That is, somehow, an accomplishment for this squad at the moment and, aside from maybe the Hawks, no team is getting more “complete fire sale” buzz than Orlando right now.
29. Sacramento Kings (17-36, Last week — 29th)
The loser of Monday’s Kings-Bulls game was going to be at No. 30 regardless and, well, the Kings emerged with a victory. It’s simple sometimes.
30. Chicago Bulls (18-35, Last week — 24th)
The Bulls probably aren’t the worst team in the league, even if I projected them to be before the season. Losing seven in a row, including a loss to the Kings on Monday, will send you to this spot anyway. After dealing Mirotic, though, the tank appears to be fully operational in Chicago.
