NBA Power Rankings: Zion Williamson and the Pelicans Are on the Rise

The surging Pelicans jump a few spots. Plus, the Warriors, Nets, Lakers continue to trend in the right direction.

The Celtics, Bucks and Suns all had one slipup last week, but nothing that jeopardized their status as the definitive top teams in the league. The Cavaliers had more than one mishap to fall out of the top five, where the surging Pelicans now find themselves. Elsewhere around the league, the Kings shot into the top 10 and the Warriors, Nets and Lakers are all still trending in the right direction.

See how the league looks from the best teams to the worst in the first power rankings of December.

1. Boston Celtics

Record: 19–5

Previous ranking: 1

The Celtics began the week by laying waste to the Hornets in a 35-point rout. Next up was the Heat, who they beat for the second time this season behind 49 from Jayson Tatum. But when those teams met again a few nights later, Miami knocked off the best team in basketball in overtime amid Tatum’s struggles. Jaylen Brown stepped up with 37 points that night and 34 on Sunday against the Nets to lead Boston to victory. That game at Brooklyn began a stretch of six in a row on the road for the C’s, and the main event is Saturday against Golden State, the first meeting between the two since the Finals.

2. Milwaukee Bucks

Record: 16–6

Previous ranking: 1

More important than the Bucks’ 2–1 mark last week was the return of Khris Middleton. The three-time All-Star made his debut after wrist surgery held him out for the first quarter of the season. His first game back against the Lakers was Milwaukee’s lone loss, and it was a rare home defeat in spite of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 40-point outing. The Bucks also downed the Knicks on the road and won in Charlotte without Antetokounmpo, Middleton or Jrue Holiday.

3. Phoenix Suns

Record: 16–7

Previous ranking: 3

The Suns dropped a game they shouldn’t have against the Rockets at home. Otherwise, they kept on rolling to maintain their perch atop the conference. Devin Booker went scorched Earth with a 39-point average across a 3–1 week for Phoenix. That included 44 in a win over the Kings, 51 to beat the Bulls, 41 in a losing effort versus Houston and 20 in limited minutes of a blowout against the Spurs. The schedule picks up this week with games against Dallas, Boston and New Orleans (twice).

4. New Orleans Pelicans

Record: 15–8

Previous ranking: 7

The Pelicans put an exclamation mark on a 4–0 week on Sunday when perennial defensive nuisance Jose Alvarado exploded for 38 points to down the Nuggets. In New Orleans’s previous three games, it was Zion Williamson who led the team in scoring in victories over the Thunder, Raptors and Spurs. Willie Green’s team, which is now third in defensive rating, has a pair of can’t-miss games against the first-place Suns this weekend.

5. Memphis Grizzlies

Record: 14–9

Previous ranking: 5

Memphis dropped a grudge match against Minnesota last week and then got back to winning over the weekend. The Grizzlies took care of the 76ers at home and then Ja Morant scored 33 to beat the Pistons on the road. With Desmond Bane still out, the offensive burden falls to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Morant, both of whom are having career-best scoring seasons. Miami is in Memphis on Monday for a game that kickstarts five in a row for the Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 15–9

Previous ranking: 4

It was a weird week for Cleveland, which had two absolute stinkers on offense. Across two road games, the Cavaliers managed 88 points against the Raptors and a season-worst 81 versus the Knicks in double-digit losses. Back in Ohio, they handed the 76ers a 28-point loss and beat the Magic by 11. It was surprising to see a top-10 offense crater, especially with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland on the floor, but perhaps it shouldn’t be read too much into. The Cavs are home for all three games this week where they are 10-1 on the year.

7. Denver Nuggets

Record: 14–9

Previous ranking: 6

Denver picked up a pair of wins early last week against Houston and then folded against tougher competition. Over the weekend, the Nuggets lost to Atlanta without Trae Young and then ran into New Orleans on Jose Alvarado’s career night. Denver was already in the upper echelon of the Western Conference, so two losses didn’t do much to damage its standing, but upcoming games against the Mavericks, Trail Blazers and Jazz—all of whom have already beat the Nuggets once—are important.

8. Sacramento Kings

Record: 13–9

Previous ranking: 14

The Kings are good, very good, even. They went 3–1 last week and would comfortably have a top-six spot in the West if the playoffs began today. Perhaps even more impressive is their No. 6 net rating in spite of their middling defense. Sacramento dropped a close one to the Suns, throttled the Pacers and Clippers and then took care of the Bulls despite not getting much from De’Aaron Fox, the team’s top scorer. The tough tests continue for Mike Brown’s squad when they head East this week to play the Bucks and Cavaliers.

9. Atlanta Hawks

Record: 13–10

Previous ranking: 9

Atlanta went 2–1 last week, and though it might sound impressive that one of those victories came without Trae Young, the reason he missed is cause for concern. The All-Star point guard reportedly sat out of Friday’s game against the Nuggets due to a disagreement with coach Nate McMillan. Dejounte Murray took the reins in the win against Denver with Young out and piled up 34 points. Young led the way in a win over Orlando with 30 points and 14 assists in the prior game. He’s expected to return to the lineup Monday against the Thunder.

10. Dallas Mavericks

Record: 11–11

Previous ranking: 12

Dallas bounced back from its winless week to go 2–1 with an impressive victory over the Warriors, a confounding loss to the Pistons and a dominant showing in New York. The Mavericks are teetering on the edge of play-in range with upcoming games against three of the best teams in the NBA: Phoenix, Denver and Milwaukee. It took a 40-point triple-double by Luka Dončić to lift the Mavs past the Warriors. Jason Kidd will need more magic out of his heliocentric star in the coming days to avoid falling below .500.

11. Golden State Warriors

Record: 13–11

Previous ranking: 15

After the Mavericks bested the Warriors in a tight rematch of the West finals, Golden State got back to its winning ways. The Dubs had won three in a row prior to that game and they scored back-to-back wins afterward at the Chase Center. Jordan Poole led the way with 30 points in the win against the Bulls and then Andrew Wiggins scored a season-high 36 to lift the team past the Rockets. Golden State continues to climb the standings and is playing its best basketball of the season with a Finals rematch against Boston on Saturday.

Kevin Durant and the Nets have stepped up their play.  :: Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports

12. Brooklyn Nets

Record: 13–12

Previous ranking: 16

The Nets have largely dug themselves out of the hole their 1–5 start put them in and they have Kevin Durant to thank. Brooklyn just completed a 3–1 week with its single loss coming against the first-place Celtics. Before that, the Nets had won four in a row, including wins against the Magic, Wizards and Raptors last week. Ben Simmons (calf) left early Monday against the Magic and missed the next three games. The Nets’ schedule is relatively light until Christmas and their seven-game homestand resumes Wednesday.

13. Portland Trail Blazers

Record: 13–11

Previous ranking: 8

Portland kept its head above water with Damian Lillard out and now its All-Star guard is back. He returned Sunday and added 21 points in a win against the Pacers, the team’s second in a row. Anfernee Simons lit up the Jazz for 45 points in a win the night before. Prior to that, the Blazers dropped both games against the L.A. teams. With Lillard healthy once again, Portland has a two-game week in front of it with visits from Denver and Minnesota.

14. Philadelphia 76ers

Record: 12–11

Previous ranking: 11

Joel Embiid powered the 76ers to their third win in a row last Monday in his return from a four-game absence. He scored 30 to get Philadelphia past Atlanta at home with James Harden and Tyrese Maxey both still out. Then in a pair of difficult road games against the Cavaliers and Grizzlies, Philly just didn’t have enough. A Monday night game in Houston concludes the road trip and Harden could make his return against his former team. After that, the 76ers are home for their next seven until Christmas.

15. Utah Jazz

Record: 14–12

Previous ranking: 10

Utah got back in the win column last week and put an end to its skid. A loss to the Bulls made it five in a row. A few nights later, Jordan Clarkson went for 33 in a 12-point win against the Clippers and then Lauri Markkanen finished with 24 points and 13 boards in a 20-point victory over the Pacers. The Jazz came up short against the Trail Blazers over the weekend and now their focus shifts to the Warriors and Timberwolves, which concludes their homestand.

16. Los Angeles Clippers

Record: 13–11

Previous ranking: 13

The Clippers had their first losing week since October as they await the return of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. That L.A. is above .500 with 21 combined games played by its All-Star duo is a testament to Tyronn Lue’s coaching and this roster’s depth. Norman Powell contributed 32 points off the bench in a win against the Trail Blazers and then the Jazz and Kings got the better of the Clippers. Los Angeles begins a four-game road trip Monday night in Charlotte and George and Leonard could both be back on the court this week.

17. Toronto Raptors

Record: 12–11

Previous ranking: 18

Toronto got a boost last week when Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes returned to the lineup. The Raptors responded with a statement win against the Cavaliers and flexed its defensive chops by holding Donovan Mitchell to just eight points. Then they dropped a pair of road games to the Nets and Pelicans and returned to Toronto to down the Magic. The Raptors have somehow yet to win or lose more than two games in a row this season as they continue to hover around .500. Up next is a visit from the Celtics and then the Lakers, followed by two in a row in Orlando over the weekend.

18. Miami Heat

Record: 11–12

Previous ranking: 20

Miami had only two games last week and it split with Boston. Tatum saw to it that the Heat dropped the first game, then Jimmy Butler returned and lifted his team to an overtime win. Butler, playing for the first time in two weeks, finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds and helped hold Tatum to a season-low 14 points. Miami has now won four of its last five and a newly aggressive Bam Adebayo paced the team in scoring in four of those contests.

19. Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 10–12

Previous ranking: 22

The Lakers’ turnaround is going swimmingly. All they needed was for Anthony Davis to play like an MVP, and that’s just what he’s done across this 8–2 stretch to get his team back on the cusp of .500. If it weren’t for a loss at the buzzer to Indiana, L.A. would’ve been 4–0 last week. Still, 3–1 with wins against the Trail Blazers, Bucks and Wizards has Los Angeles looking like a completely different team. LeBron James has been able to take a backseat to Davis, who has 99 points in his last two games, and Russell Westbrook is distributing the ball masterfully from his sixth-man spot.

LeBron James Point Tracker: Follow his chase for top scorer. 

20. Indiana Pacers

Record: 12–11

Previous ranking: 17

Indiana cooled off last week on its West Coast road trip. After a tight win against the Lakers thanks to rookie Andrew Nembhard’s big-time shot, the Pacers lost by 15 or more to the Kings, Jazz and Trail Blazers and gave up big spots to Sacramento and Utah. The league’s assist leader, Tyrese Haliburton, sat out Sunday against Portland due to a groin injury and will miss Monday’s game against Golden State as well. There’s one more road game after that for Indiana before it heads home.

21. Washington Wizards

Record: 11–13

Previous ranking: 19

The Wizards put together their best offensive outing last Monday when Kristaps Porzingis poured in 41 of the team’s season-high 142 points in a win against the Timberwolves. The offense didn’t muster enough in the three ensuing games to cover for its shaky defense; Washington lost to the Nets, Hornets and Lakers and yielded big individual performances to Durant and Davis. It’s been a struggle for the Wizards outside of the capital and they’re back on the road this week against the Bulls and Pacers.

22. Oklahoma City Thunder

Record: 10–13

Previous ranking: 24

Oklahoma City went 2–1 last week after a 1–4 record over its previous five games. The Thunder dropped a close one in New Orleans against a hot Pelicans team and rebounded with a win over the Spurs (without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and then scored a victory in Minnesota in SGA’s return. Rookie Jalen Williams went for a career-high 27 points against San Antonio and the entire offense was in sync against the Timberwolves, led by Gilgeous-Alexander’s 33 points.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves

Record: 11–12

Previous ranking: 21

The Timberwolves won the big one last week. Minnesota held the Grizzlies to 101 points, a shocking stand for a defense that has otherwise offered little resistance. Just a few days prior, the Wizards went for 142 points and then the Thunder finished with 135 later in the week. The T-Wolves lost both. It’s been a difficult stretch for Rudy Gobert, who was ejected early against Oklahoma City and was not impactful in the Memphis game. With Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) out, coach Chris Finch will need more from his man in the middle.

24. New York Knicks

Record: 11–13

Previous ranking: 25

The Knicks emerged from a difficult week in better shape than expected. Julius Randle channeled his 2020 self and went for a season-best 36 points in a dominant win in Detroit. The Bucks and Mavericks then downed New York at Madison Square Garden—no shame in that. It looked like the Knicks were headed toward a third consecutive loss against Cleveland on the second leg of a back-to-back. Instead, they suffocated the Cavaliers and held them to just 82 points in a quality win.

25. Chicago Bulls

Record: 9–14

Previous ranking: 23

Chicago’s brutal road trip came to a merciful end over the weekend. The Bulls went 1–3 last week and 2–4 overall outside of Illinois. After a win in Utah last Monday, they ran into a buzzsaw of Phoenix, Golden State and Sacramento—all losses. Zach LaVine lit up the Kings for a season-best 41 points and it wasn’t enough. The offense, which attempts the fewest threes in the league, continues to sag behind a league-average defense. The Bulls are back at the United Center Monday to host the Wizards.

26. Charlotte Hornets

Record: 7–16

Previous ranking: 26

The Hornets’ two-game win streak ended abruptly in Boston with a season-worst 35-point loss. They rebounded promptly with a one-point win a few days later at home against the Wizards and then lost to the Bucks, who were without their star trio. Charlotte is still a ways away from being fully healthy and has a tough schedule in front of it over the coming days with the Clippers, Nets, Knicks and 76ers.

27. Houston Rockets

Record: 6–17

Previous ranking: 27

Houston gutted out a surprising win in Phoenix for its lone victory last week against a gauntlet schedule. The Rockets also suffered back-to-back blowouts to the Nuggets and a one-sided loss to the Warriors, but their win over the Suns quietly has them 3–3 over their last six. They still rank in the bottom five in offensive and defensive rating, though great individual outings by Jalen Green have propelled Houston to its recent stretch of .500 basketball.

28. Detroit Pistons

Record: 6–19

Previous ranking: 28

Other than a surprising win against the Mavericks, it was same old, same old for the Pistons. They were on the receiving end of a blowout at home against the Knicks and dropped another game at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday against the Grizzlies. Killian Hayes has flashed his playmaking skills as of late and Bojan Bogdanovic lit up Dallas for 34 points and five threes, but there’s not much more to get up for right now in the Motor City.

29. Orlando Magic

Record: 5–19

Previous ranking: 29

Orlando began December the same way it ended November: Losing. The Magic dropped all four of their games last week to extend their streak to eight games. None of their games against significantly better Eastern Conference competition were particularly close. They lost to the Nets, Hawks, Cavaliers and Raptors and a seven-point loss in Brooklyn was their best showing. Orlando begins a five-game homestand on Monday against Milwaukee and its upcoming schedule is not conducive to getting back in the win column.

30. San Antonio Spurs

Record: 6–18

Previous ranking: 30

The Spurs’ losing streak has officially reached double digits. They dropped three games last week and have now lost 10 in a row. Their most recent run of defeats include a trip to Oklahoma City and two home games against the Pelicans and Suns—Phoenix won by 38 points, which wasn’t even the largest margin of defeat this season for San Antonio. Monday’s game against the Rockets will decide which team takes sole possession of last place in the West.