NBA Power Rankings: Jayson Tatum, Celtics Inch Closer to the Top

Here's how all 30 teams look as we reach a month into the season.

The Bucks are no longer undefeated. The Nets continue their improved play under new coach Jacque Vaughn. And the Lakers won their third (!) game of the season. Darius Garland and Joel Embiid, meanwhile, both posted monster 50-point performances to close out an exciting week of basketball. With the NBA season nearly a month old, here’s how all 30 teams stack up.

1. Milwaukee Bucks

Record: 10–2

Previous ranking: 1

Milwaukee saw its nine-game winning streak to begin the season come to an end when the Hawks defeated the Bucks. Since that defeat, the health of the team has taken a toll. In a loss to the Spurs, the Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles and AJ Green. Milwaukee’s slate of games this week will not be easy. The Bucks start the week with two home games—one Monday against Atlanta and a Wednesday matchup against the Cavaliers—and then a road matchup on Friday against the 76ers.

2. Boston Celtics

Record: 10–3

Previous ranking: 4

Boston had a perfect 4–0 mark last week and is riding a six-game winning streak. Jayson Tatum is building his resume as one of the elite scorers in the league, averaging 32.3 points per game—third best behind only Steph Curry and Luka Dončić. If Tatum continues to hit his stride and the team’s three-point shooting remains hot—the Celtics lead the league in three pointers made—Boston could potentially take over the top spot. Boston has a matchup against the Thunder on Monday, followed by the start of a three-game road trip with stops in Atlanta and New Orleans. 

3. Portland Trail Blazers

Record: 9–4

Previous ranking: 9

The Trail Blazers added wins against the Heat, Hornets and Pelicans before losing to the Mavericks on Saturday. After both Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons missed games due to injuries, they both returned and played an integral part in last week’s wins. Jerami Grant, Portland's third 20-plus point scorer, led the way for the Blazers in their final two games that capped a six-game road trip. This week features a three-game home slate against the Spurs, Nets and Jazz. 

4. Denver Nuggets

Record: 9–4

Previous ranking: 8

Denver has won seven of its last 10 games, including a 3–1 mark in its last four games with wins over the Spurs, Pacers and Bulls (and a loss to the Celtics). In the Nuggets’ recent win against Chicago, Michael Porter Jr. dropped a season-high 31 points on 68.8% from the floor, arguably one of the best games of his career. The Nuggets have the second-best offensive rating in the league. Defensively, however, there are strides the team needs to make. Denver sits in the bottom third of the NBA in defensive rating. 

5. Utah Jazz

Record: 10–5

Previous ranking: 6

The Jazz are one of three teams in the NBA that have at least 10 wins so far this season. Utah picked up two wins last week against the Lakers and Hawks but dropped two games against the Wizards and 76ers after Joel Embiid's historic performance Sunday night. Despite the losses, Utah remains a perfect 5–0 at home and finished 4–3 on a stretch that included six of seven games away from Vivint Arena. Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson are averaging a combined 39.9 points per game. 

6. Phoenix Suns

Record: 8–4

Previous ranking: 3

Phoenix suffered two losses, one against Philadelphia and the other against Orlando, last week. However, the Suns’ loss to the Magic on Friday marked the second consecutive game that Chris Paul did not play due to a heel injury. Before its recent losses, Phoenix's only blemishes on its schedule came from Portland. The Suns, who still remain in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating, will seek to add to their win total in a road matchup Monday against the Heat. 

7. Memphis Grizzlies 

Record: 9–5

Previous ranking: 5

The Grizzlies earned two wins (Spurs and Timberwolves) and two losses (Celtics and Wizards) last week. While Memphis scores a lot of points and ranks in the top 10 in offensive rating, it currently sits in the bottom 10 of the league in defensive rating, something to keep an eye on. The Grizzlies were short-handed in the loss to the Wizards on Sunday after having defeated Washington on Nov. 6, in which Desmond Bane and Ja Morant combined for 51 points. As Memphis continues to get fully healthy, the Grizzlies will remain a viable contender in the West. 

8. Atlanta Hawks

Record: 8–5

Previous ranking: 12

The Hawks began the week with a victory against the Bucks before losing to the Jazz and splitting a pair of games with the 76ers. The Dejounte Murray–Trae Young pairing has been great for Atlanta as the two are averaging nearly 50 points per game combined. Meanwhile, the Hawks’ four-man lineup of Young, Murray, John Collins and De'Andre Hunter is currently averaging the fifth-most points per game in the league. In the Hawks’ last outing against the 76ers, they struggled to shoot the ball well from beyond the arc. This team will go as far as Young and Murray can take them. 

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 8–5

Previous ranking: 2

Last week, the Cavs’ eight-game winning streak ended with four consecutive losses to the Clippers, Kings, Warriors and Timberwolves by an average margin of fewer than five points. This should help the Cavs get a feel for how tough things will be as they continue to build chemistry. Cleveland, a team with the second-highest net rating, has the pieces on offense and defense to be among the elite in the league. The Cavaliers will get tested again this week with a road matchup against Milwaukee on Wednesday followed by home games against the Hornets and Heat.

10. Dallas Mavericks

Record: 7–5

Previous ranking: 7

Dallas notched both a pair of wins (Brooklyn and Portland) and a pair of losses (Orlando and Washington) last week. The Mavericks' success begins and ends with Luka Dončić, who is averaging 34.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.1 assists this season. In the Mavs' 117–112 victory against the Trail Blazers, the sixth-best defensive-rated team in the league, Dončić logged his fourth 40-point, triple-double performance. For a team that plays at the slowest pace in the league, the Mavericks are fifth in the league in effective field goal percentage and eighth in three pointers made per game. They have the eighth-best offensive-rated team in the Association.

11. Washington Wizards

Record: 8–6

Previous ranking: 24

Washington orchestrated four consecutive wins—defeating the Hornets, Mavericks, Jazz and a limited Grizzlies’ squad—without Bradley Beal, who is still working his way back into shape after going through health and safety protocols. Players like Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porziņģis and Deni Avdija posting career-highs in three consecutive games bodes well for the Wizards. If Washington can maintain its success as Beal returns, watch out. Washington has three home games this week against the Thunder, Heat and Hornets. 

12. New Orleans Pelicans

Record: 7–6

Previous ranking: 10

The Pelicans earned two wins, against the Bulls and Rockets, and suffered losses against the Pacers and Trail Blazers last week. Offensively, New Orleans is averaging the sixth-most points per game and holds the ninth-best offensive rating in the league. While a good portion of the Pelicans' success is attributed to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson—the team's two 20-plus point per game scorers—the play of CJ McCollum, Jonas Valančiūnas, Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado has been equally important. The Pelicans' slate this week includes three home games against the Grizzlies, Bulls and Celtics. 

13. Los Angeles Clippers

Record: 7–6

Previous ranking: 19

The Clippers have won two of their past three games, with wins against the Cavaliers and Lakers and a loss to the Nets. Operating without Kawhi Leonard, who has not played since the Clippers' third game of the season, places a ton of responsibility on Paul George offensively. In L.A.’s last outing, against the Nets, George did not shoot the ball well, which coincides with the team’s offensive struggles and its 29th-ranked offensive rating. While the Clippers' defense has been stout (they are the fourth-best defensive-rated team), L.A. will need to continue building on its offensive chemistry going forward. 

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14. Toronto Raptors

Record: 7–7

Previous ranking: 11

Coming off a week in which Toronto won three of its four games while pouring on a ton of points, the Raptors followed that up by losing three of four, with their only win coming against the league's worst team in the Rockets. Toronto’s losses to Chicago, Oklahoma City and Indiana combined for an average margin of nearly 16 points. The Raptors will start the week with a road game Monday against the Pistons, followed by a home game Wednesday against the Heat and a matchup Saturday against the Hawks.

Embiid scored 59 points against the Jazz on Sunday night.  :: Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports

15. Philadelphia 76ers

Record: 7–7

Previous ranking: 17

Embiid was unstoppable in the 76ers’ 105–98 win against the Jazz on Sunday. The five-time All-Star lit up Utah with a massive stat line of 59 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocks. Not only did Embiid accumulate more points than Utah’s starters (53), 26 of his points came in the fourth quarter. Embiid became one of three players in Sixers history—along with Wilt Chamberlain and Allen Iverson—to post a 55-point game. The win also put the Sixers at .500 and made them winners of three in their last four with James Harden still out due to injury. 

16. Indiana Pacers 

Record: 6–6

Previous ranking: 22

The Pacers have won two of their past three games, with victories over the Pelicans and Raptors and a three-point loss to the Nuggets. Keep an eye on rookie sensation Bennedict Mathurin. The former Arizona star is averaging 19.9 points and 2.8 three pointers while recording .456/.453/.831 shooting splits. While much attention has been placed on Paolo Banchero’s rookie season, Mathurin already has two games of at least 30 points or more and three games with 20 or more points. The Pacers will seek to get above .500 with a road game against the Hornets on Wednesday.

17. Sacramento Kings

Record: 6–6

Previous ranking: 25

Four days before Halloween, the Kings were 0–4. But since the rough start, Sacramento has won six of its last eight games, including three consecutive wins over the Cavaliers, Lakers and Warriors. The Kings’ offense is clicking behind the play of Domantas Sabonis—who became the first Sacramento player with a 25/20/5 game in under 35 minutes of action since the NBA merger in Sunday’s win—and De’Aaron Fox. Statistically, the Kings sit at No. 6 in offensive rating but No. 26 in defensive rating, something that will need to improve if the franchise plans to continue its upward trajectory. 

18. Miami Heat

Record: 6–7

Previous ranking: 23

Miami’s victories have not been the most glamorous, but the Heat have found a way to win. After winning two of three—a victory over the Warriors and a controversial win over the Kings—before entering the week, Miami duplicated its success. The Heat added two more wins against a disappointing Hornets squad after losing in Portland on Nov. 7. Jimmy Butler has improved his play, and it appears as though the Heat could be putting things together. Miami’s recent success will be put to the test on Monday against the Suns. 

19. Oklahoma City Thunder

Record: 6–7

Previous ranking: 21

Oklahoma City started the week with a disappointing loss to the Pistons, then fell to the Bucks in a thrilling 136–132 double-overtime defeat. But the Thunder rebounded with a win against the Raptors and an offensive explosion against the Knicks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the focal piece in OKC’s early-season success. The Thunder will open a three-game road trip Monday against the Celtics, Wizards and Grizzlies. 

20. New York Knicks

Record: 6–7

Previous ranking: 15

The Knicks split four games last week, but their losses came against Brooklyn, a game that was lopsided in favor of the Nets, and against Oklahoma City, which scored a whopping 145 points. New York looks every bit of a middle-of-the-road type team right now and will be tested with a five-game road trip against the Jazz, Nuggets, Warriors, Suns and Thunder. 

21. San Antonio Spurs 

Record: 6–7

Previous ranking: 18

The Spurs handed the Bucks their second loss of the season Friday but lost two close games to the Nuggets and Grizzlies. Teams have not struggled to score against San Antonio, as the Spurs currently sit 28th in the league in defensive rating, something that has been an emerging factor this season. San Antonio starts a grueling five-game road trip Monday against the Warriors, followed by matchups with the Trail Blazers, Kings, Clippers and Lakers. 

22. Brooklyn Nets

Record: 6–8

Previous ranking: 16

The Jacque Vaughn era got off to a nice start. Brooklyn secured his first win after his interim tag was lifted against the cross-borough rival Knicks, then picked up another win in the first of a four-game West Coast road trip, defeating the Clippers on Saturday. On Sunday, the Nets lost to a Lakers team that was fueled by Anthony Davis in the absence of LeBron James, but it was good to see them put together a string of wins despite all the circumstances and issues that have surrounded the team in recent weeks. 

23. Chicago Bulls

Record: 6–8

Previous ranking: 13

The Bulls opened the week with a win against the Raptors but then dropped two home games to the Pelicans and Nuggets. Chicago has now lost four of its past five games. While its defense has remained strong, the offense has presented a different picture, as the team currently sits in the bottom third of the league (24th) in offense rating. Chicago will get a couple of days off before a road game against the Pelicans on Wednesday.

24. Minnesota Timberwolves

Record: 6–8

Previous ranking: 14

It has been an up-and-down start to the 2022–23 campaign for Minnesota. The Timberwolves have suffered recent losses to the Knicks, Suns and Grizzlies. But then D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 59 points against the Cavs to lift Minnesota to its first win against a team with a winning record this season, all while Darius Garland torched the T-Wolves for 51 points. Rudy Gobert returned last week after missing action due to being placed in health and safety protocols. Outside shooting and the production from Russell will be key aspects to watch going forward.

25. Golden State Warriors

Record: 5–8

Previous ranking: 20

After one of the more grueling road trips for the Warriors, the reigning NBA champs ended a five-game skid with two wins against the Kings and the Cavaliers over the last week. Stephen Curry scored 40-plus in both of the Warriors' latest victories. The question remains: Who else will step up? The Warriors suffered a 122–115 loss to the Kings on Sunday and have yet to win a game on the road this season. Golden State has not started a season 0–7 away from home since 1989. The Warriors will face the Spurs on Monday before getting another chance for their first road win Wednesday against the Suns. 

26. Orlando Magic

Record: 4–9

Previous ranking: 27

While the Magic have not been able to pile up victories, they have been exciting to watch and have added two games—against the Mavericks and the Suns—to their win column last week. Despite some close losses, it has been a true spectacle to watch the brilliance of Paolo Banchero, who already has nine 20-point games in his rookie season. He is tied for the sixth-most in the NBA and trails only Durant, Tatum, Dončić, Morant and Curry.

27. Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 3–10

Previous ranking: 28

The Lakers ended the week on a high note Sunday, earning a much-needed win against the Nets in the absence of LeBron James. After losing to the Jazz, Clippers and Kings, Anthony Davis played like he was on a mission. But will this version of AD be consistent? Shooting struggles still remain an issue at the core. Los Angeles gets four days between its next game, against the Pistons, one in which James could be back for.

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28. Charlotte Hornets

Record: 3–11

Previous ranking: 26

It has been a rough start to the season for the Hornets, which added four more losses last week and remains the league's only winless team in the month of November. Charlotte has dropped eight consecutive games and has not earned a win since spoiling Curry’s homecoming in an overtime victory two nights before Halloween. LaMelo Ball, who missed the team's first 13 games (sprained ankle), made his season debut in Saturday’s loss to Miami, finishing with 15 points, six assists and six rebounds. Charlotte needs a win. A Monday-night road matchup against the Magic might help with that. 

29. Detroit Pistons

Record: 3–11

Previous ranking: 29

The Pistons’ lone win against the Thunder last week will be overshadowed by three losses (two against the Celtics and one against the Knicks). It also did not help Detroit that it will be without Cade Cunningham (shin) for its West Coast road trip against the Clippers, Lakers and Kings. Detroit remains at the bottom of the league in defensive rating and net rating. Cunningham’s absence provides the opportunity for Bojan Bogdanovic and the Pistons’ young players—Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey and Killian Hayes—to step up. 

30. Houston Rockets

Record: 2–11

Previous ranking: 30

Houston earned a victory last week—against the Magic—but turnovers and mistakes continue to be the Achilles’ heel for the Rockets. Against the Pelicans, Houston committed 26 turnovers. That's not a recipe for success. On the bright side, Jalen Green notched his third 30-point game of the season. The Rockets, who have lost nine of their last 10 on the road, will seek to add more wins on the season, with five of their next six games at home.