The NBA season is about 40% of the way through the regular season, and albeit there may be 1 or 2 surprise teams that make a late push, we pretty much know exactly what every team is by now. The East has 5 teams that are legit threats, and they might be the 5 best teams in the entire NBA at the end of the season. The West, on the other hand, is WIDE OPEN, with not one dominant team.

With Kawhi back, the Clippers look like they are getting their swagger back. Phoenix is hanging on by a thread. The Rudy Gobert experiment in Minnesota is a failure. The victory beam is legendary. Luka still has no help. The reigning champs are in serious trouble. The Hornets, Bulls, and Wizards all need to blow it up. The race for Victor Wembanyama is heating up. The NBA is simply the best.

Welcome to The MVP Blog’s NBA Power Rankings 2.0. We hope you enjoy! Let us know what you think of your teams ranking!

1. Boston Celtics (22-10)

Ryan: With Robert Williams back from injury, the Celtics finally have their entire team playing. Although the results have been 3 consecutive losses to bad teams, I am not in the least bit worried. The Celtics are still my pick to raise the Larry O’Brien trophy in June.

Ben: Yeah, they’re on a three-game losing streak that includes back-to-back losses to the Magic and a home loss to the Pacers, but it’s already obvious the Boston Celtics are built for May/June basketball.

2. Milwaukee Bucks (22-9)

Ryan: Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez are both playing exceptional basketball, and that’s bad news for the East. Fear the dear.

Ben: Brook Lopez is the current frontrunner for DPOY and he should be an All-Star reserve alongside fellow Milwaukee two-way ace Jrue Holiday.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-11)

Ryan: Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland have joined forces to create one of the best backcourts the NBA has to offer. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are a very formidable foe down low. But it just feels like this team is missing that final piece. Are they really freaking good? Yes. Can they beat the Celtics or Bucks in a 7-game series as things stand right now? I don’t think so.

Ben: When Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are both healthy and getting ample touches on offense, it makes life a lot easier for the rest of the Cavs, especially Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.

4. Denver Nuggets (19-11)

Ryan: Nikola Jokic’s numbers are slightly down this season. He is only averaging 25/11/9. Let that sink in. 25/11/9 are slightly down numbers for the back-to-back MVP. This team will win the West.

Ben: Nikola Jokic has usurped Jayson Tatum as my MVP frontrunner, as there’s no other player in the NBA (and arguably in modern NBA history) who can replicate the winning basketball he manifests.

5. Memphis Grizzlies (19-11)

Ryan: Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 1 steal and 3.1 blocks per game in 14 games thus far. Those are ludicrous defensive numbers. If we can stay out of foul trouble, he will be winning DPOY, and the Grizzlies will be one tough out.

Ben: As long as the Grizzlies impressive assortment of productive role players can stay healthy, Ja Morant will have ample support in Memphis to solidify his team among the NBA’s elite.

6. Philadelphia 76ers (18-12)

Ryan: First it was James Harden. Then it was Tyrese Maxey. With both guards injured, things could’ve gone south quickly. The main reason they haven’t? De’Anthony Melton. The newly acquired Sixer has been thrust into the starting lineup and is averaging 12/5/3/2.2 steals while shooting 38% from deep.

Ben: The Sixers have quietly found their groove, even with Tyrese Maxey out injured, and it’s primarily been due to Joel Embiid ascending his already stellar play to the top of the points per game leaderboard.

7. Phoenix Suns (19-13)

Ryan: All the reports are that Phoenix is in absolute turmoil. No communication, players aren’t happy, the ownership is atrocious, so on and so forth. Albeit this may all be true, the results on the court haven’t changed much. Booker, Ayton, Paul, and Bridges are so dang talented that there is absolutely no way that this team isn’t a top-3 seed going into the playoffs. Will they make the finals? Absolutely not, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are a regular season juggernaut.

Ben: The vibes are bad in Phoenix, and even though they’re staying afloat for now, I fully expect the wheels to come off (or a major roster shakeup to occur) in the near future.

8. New Orleans Pelicans (18-12)

Ryan: I will be the first to admit that I was wrong about this team. I didn’t think they could compete in the West. Looking back on it, I’m not sure what I disliked about this team. They are so solid at every position and have fantastic depth. Injuries are the only thing that may hold this team back. There is a very real chance that NOLA is representing the West in the NBA Finals if they can stay healthy.

Ben: Dyson Daniels has been one of the standout rookies so far this season, and his defensive excellence will be a key factor to any potential playoff success in the Pels’ future.

9. Brooklyn Nets (20-12)

Ryan: 7 straight wins and a team that looks as if it has put all the noise to rest. The Nets are humming, but they still need to add a quality 5 if they want to compete for a title.

Ben: Brooklyn’s offense is finally firing on all cylinders, and health permitting, they should be among the NBA’s elite offenses for the entire season, but they’re still a little ways away from being mentioned among the “real” contenders in a stacked Eastern Conference.

10. Los Angeles Clippers (19-14)

Ryan: The Clippers are so incredibly challenging to rank, because they just don’t care about the regular season. Kawhi is back and showing signs of being his old self. PG13, when he plays, has been fantastic. The Clippers have a plethora of quality players to support their 2 superstars, but the fact of the matter is that we just won’t see this team at full strength for an extended period until the playoffs. Is there a team in the league that wants to see a healthy Clippers squad in the playoffs though? Only if they are ready to begin summer vacation.

Ben: It’s remarkable that the Clippers are 5 games over .500 given their absurd injury woes so far this season, but hey, whatever works, right?

11. Portland Trail Blazers (17-15)

Ryan: In today’s NBA, there are so few superstars who have spent their entire career with one team, especially one that hasn’t been that competitive in recent years. Damian Lillard has never wavered on his loyalty to the city of Portland. He’s never thought about leaving in free agency. He’s never requested a trade, even though he has had ample reason to do so. He’s never been involved in any type of drama. He just continues to put his head down and lead. Damian Lillard is a prime example of what it means to be professional. There are very few players in professional sports that I respect more than Dame Dolla. I want this man to get a ring in Portland so badly.

Ben: The Blazers’ vets deserve a lot of props for their early season success, but keep a close eye on 19 year old rookie Shaedon Sharpe, the ultra-athletic, under-utilized wing who is lighting up Portland with an endless supply of highlight plays at a very early stage in his career.

12. New York Knicks (18-14)

Ryan: Although the 8-game win streak came to an end last night, this team has made great strides since the early season struggles. Even with these improvements, though, I think the Knicks are the 8th best team in the East, at best.

Ben: New York’s 8 game win streak was more than likely a fluke, and Thibs is still not a good coach, but the Knicks deserve a lot of credit for the way they’re playing as of late, with Quentin Grimes being a major catalyst for the team’s resurgence on the defensive end.

13. Miami Heat (16-16)

Ryan: Just reread what I said about the Clippers above, change the stars names to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and that’s how I feel about the Heat. The regular season just doesn’t matter. Any team led by Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler will be a tough out in the playoffs.

I hope you all saw the tremendous middle finger that the Heat gave the NBA last week. After being fined for not following injury reporting guidelines to a tee, the Heat listed EVERY SINGLE PLAYER on the injury report for their next game. Whoever came up with that plan deserves a nice holiday bonus.

Ben: If the Heat aren’t careful, they’ll be left with no other choice but to make major roster moves, which could include trading Jimmy Butler to jumpstart a rebuild around Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

14. Sacramento Kings (17-13)

Ryan: Domantas Sabonis is really freaking good, and he’s been putting up some absurd stat lines as of late, including his 13/21/12 triple double on only 8 shots last night in a dominant win over the Lakers.

In other news, the victory beam that shoots into the sky from Golden 1 Center is one of the greatest things I have seen in this NBA season. Whoever came up with that idea deserves a raise.

Ben: The Kings are a fun, competitive team which features a dynamic offensive approach behind the stellar (All-Star worthy) seasons of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. LIGHT THE DAMN BEAM!

15. Atlanta Hawks (16-16)

Ryan: With sky high expectations coming into the season, sitting at .500 about 40% of the way through the season isn’t going to cut it. There is still time to right the ship, but the Hawks don’t look like contenders even a little bit.

Ben: Trae Young is being accused of being a locker room cancer, and while I’m not going to believe those anonymous reports, I’m certainly skeptical of the current situation in Atlanta.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-16)

Ryan: The Timberwolves have some difficult decisions to make as the trade deadline approaches. The Timberwolves have been better with only one of Rudy or KAT in the lineup, and they were playing their best basketball of the year when both were sidelined. I don’t know what the answer in Minnesota is, but one thing is clear: The offense MUST run through Ant.

Ben: The Timberwolves look a whole lot better with KAT and Gobert sidelined, and while it’s certainly an awkward situation to be in for the Wolves’ front office, Minnesota should let Ant cook (at least for now).

17. Utah Jazz (18-16)

Ryan: After an unexpected scorching hot start, the Jazz lost 8 of 10 and have been trading wins and losses ever since. The feel-good story is over, and I fully expect the Jazz to miss the playoffs.

Ben: The Jazz came crashing down to earth in recent weeks as a result of stiffer competition, but Lauri Markkanen has still been brilliant and is more than worthy of the first All-Star appearance in his young career.

18. Dallas Mavericks (16-16)

Ryan: Get Luka some help. Luka is second in the NBA in usage rate at 37.7%. But unlike the rest of the top 4 (Giannis, Embiid, Morant), Luka doesn’t have the option to take a back seat some nights. If Luka isn’t playing and playing well, the Mavs have very little chance at staying close.

Ben: Watching this team is a chore for way too many reasons, and it’s taking a toll on Luka Doncic, who looks disengaged and frustrated with the situation in Dallas, despite the fact that he’s still putting up monstrous numbers on a nightly basis. In other words, same old story.

19. Golden State Warriors (15-18)

Ryan: With Curry out for the next 3-4 weeks, the Warriors season that was already disappointing is on the verge of imploding. This team may very well be 8-10 games under .500 by the time Curry returns. The play-in may be the best possible outcome for the reigning champs.

Ben: Curry’s injury is absolutely devastating to the floundering Warriors, and the only reason that their season isn’t dead in the water is because the Western Conference is still wide open.

20. Indiana Pacers (16-16)

Ryan: Tyrese Haliburton is a superstar in this league, and despite what Wally Szczerbiak says on the Knicks broadcast, Hali is 100% deserving of making his first all-star appearance this season.

Ben: It will be interesting to see if the Pacers choose to ride out the season with their experienced players still on the roster, or whether they choose to blow it up and embrace the tank to add to their tantalizing young core of Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin.

21. Los Angeles Lakers (13-18)

Ryan: Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook had both found a fountain of youth and were playing the best basketball of their Lakers careers. It sure looked like the Lakers were about to ascend the Western Conference standings. Now with AD out a month and Russ missing his second straight last night, LeBron is left playing with a bunch of nobodies and it sure looks like it will be another Lakerless postseason.

Ben: Heavy is the head that wears the crown, or in this case, the heads. AD and LeBron have been their typical brilliant selves as of late, but there’s very, VERY little help to speak of, so the Lakers just keep losing.

22. Toronto Raptors (14-18)

Ryan: Riding a 6-game losing streak, the Raptors marched into MSG last night and watched in awe as Pascal Siakam single handedly got them back into the win column, putting up 52/9/7 on 17-25 shooting. This was just the spark they needed from their all-star to right the ship.

Ben: Raptors GM Masai Ujiri will no doubt be fielding calls for just about everybody on the roster as the trade deadline approaches, and with Pascal Siakam playing at an All-Star level despite Toronto’s disappointing season thus far, this might be the perfect time to cash in on the team’s obvious talent and hit the reset button.

23. Oklahoma City Thunder (14-18)

Ryan: SGA is a superstar. Giddey is going to be very good. The rest of the roster is a bunch of young guys with talent that could be something, but they have way too many guys like that. Coach Mark Daigneault is seemingly changing the rotation every other game as he struggles to get all these young talented pieces ample playing time.

Ben: SGA has made yet another leap, cementing his superstar status as the efficient engine of the Thunder’s offense while also being a capable defender, and while the rest of the team isn’t close to being ready to contend, the future is still bright in Oklahoma City.

24. Orlando Magic (12-21)

Ryan: The Magic are still 2-3 years away from competing, but all the pieces are already in place. Franz Wagner, Banchero, and Carter, along with a great supporting cast, will have this team competitive in no time.

Ben: The Magic have quietly ripped off 6 of their last 7 behind the stellar play of their frontcourt centerpieces Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Banchero is the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award, while Wagner looks like a future All-Star in just his second NBA season.

25. Chicago Bulls (13-18)

Ryan: The Bulls are a disaster. They are stuck in mediocrity with this current roster. There is very little quality young talent. Lavine is unhappy, and apparently him and DeRozan aren’t getting along. It’s gone from bad to worse. If the Bulls front office doesn’t blow it all up at the deadline, they should all be fired.

Ben: To say the vibes are bad in Chicago is a vast understatement. Zach LaVine, fresh off a supermax extension, is already sick and tired of the Windy City and is apparently angling hard for a move to LA, so it seems like yet another rebuild is imminent in the Windy City.

26. Washington Wizards (12-20)

Ryan: The Wizards have lost 13 of 15 games, and in a stacked Eastern Conference, their season is slipping away very quickly. The play-in is the ceiling for this team, but even that seems unlikely at this point.

Ben: When Kristaps Porzingis is healthy, this team can be mediocre, but when he’s not, the Wizards are forced to rely on Kyle Kuzma and Bradley Beal to play winning basketball with a poor supporting cast. This is a bad team in a bad spot for the future, all things considered.

27. San Antonio Spurs (10-20)

Ryan: After losing 16 of 17, the Spurs have responded by winning 4 of 6. I’m confused. Do they want Victor Wembanyama or not?

Ben: Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are a great young duo which provides efficient 3-level offensive production, but there’s very little else on that side of the ball in San Antonio. The quest for Wembanyama continues.

28. Charlotte Hornets (8-24)

Ryan: LaMelo Ball is finally back and healthy, and he’s starting to find his groove. He registered his first triple double of the season last night with a 25/11/12 performance in a blowout loss to the Clippers. Even with Ball back, it’s too little too late, and the Hornets should focus all their attention on restructuring this roster for 2023-24.

Ben: The Charlotte Hornets are the most obvious choice for the team which will be the most eager “sellers” at the trade deadline, as they’ll be desperate to trade away their solid veterans to contenders in order to fully embrace the tank.

29. Houston Rockets (9-22)

Ryan: Much like the Magic, the Rockets are just oozing with young talent. KPJ, Green, Sengun, Smith, and Eason are going to have this team competing in the West sooner rather than later. Just be patient, Rockets fans. Your time is coming.

Ben: Stephen Silas is the worst coach in the NBA. His rotations are truly baffling given the exciting young roster in Houston and the low risk, high reward situation they’re in right now.

30. Detroit Pistons (8-25)

Ryan: Since being thrust into the starting lineup, rookie Jalen Duren is averaging 10 points and 13 rebounds. With the young talent of Ivey and Cunningham in the backcourt for the considerable future, Duren looks like he will solidify the middle for this young core.

Ben: With Cade Cunningham expected to be out for the whole season due to a shin injury, it’s time for young guard Killian Hayes to prove he isn’t a draft bust in the extended playing time he’ll receive as a result of Cade’s absence. So far, it seems like he’s taking his chance.

Which teams are ranked too low? Which are ranked too high?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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Authors: Ben Pawlak and Ryan Macdonald

Published: 12/22/22 at 3:30pm EST

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Sources/Works Cited:

Google Images, Google, https://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en.

“NBA.com.” The Official Site of the NBA for the Latest NBA Scores, Stats & News. | NBA.com, https://www.nba.com/.

Sports Reference LLC. Basketball-Reference.com – Basketball Statistics and History. https://www.basketball-reference.com/. 7 February 2022.

StatMuse, https://www.statmuse.com/.