1
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Spurs
|
San Antonio has won nine straight, a stretch that includes wins over both conferences’ top seeds. The Spurs are one of two teams with a top-six offense and defense with the other being the Thunder, whom they’ve beaten four out of five times.
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—
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41-16
|
2
|
Pistons
|
Detroit is neck and neck with OKC for the best record in the league. The Pistons blasted the Knicks (again) without Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart. Cade Cunningham may very well end up winning MVP. Tough, old-school defense is their backbone, but as we saw in the loss to San Antonio on Monday, when Cade isn’t dominating they don’t really have any other way to create offense.
|
2
|
42-14
|
3
|
Thunder
|
OKC has come way back to earth since its 24-1 start, going 21-13 since. Still good, but injuries have hit the Thunder hard. Jalen Williams missed the first month of the season and has played just three times over the past five weeks. SGA has missed eight straight games. Still, the Thunder took care of the surging Cavs without J-Will or SGA and have the best record in the league thanks to that dominant start through the easiest portion of their schedule.
|
1
|
45-14
|
4
|
Celtics
|
The Celtics have won nine of their last 10. They took apart the Lakers for their 11th win of the season by 20 or more points (only the Thunder have more). Jaylen Brown has played like an MVP even if he has no chance of winning the award. Jayson Tatum could still be coming back.
|
1
|
38-19
|
5
|
Cavaliers
|
The Cavs have won six of seven with James Harden in the lineup. The highest-scoring third-quarter team in the league, they took apart the Knicks coming out of halftime on Tuesday and rolled to their 15th win in their last 18 games. …But then news broke Wednesday afternoon that Harden has a fractured thumb on his non-shooting hand. We’ll see how long he’s sidelined, but it could be a blow for a team that’s finally clicking.
|
1
|
37-22
|
6
|
Timberwolves
|
Minnesota held off Portland on Tuesday and has now won four of its last five. Jaden McDaniels is balling, averaging better tan 16 points on 55/48/81 shooting splits in February with premium perimeter defense. The Wolves are three up on the seventh-seeded Suns, who just lost Dillon Brooks to a broken hand. A top-six seed feels pretty likely at this point, and top-four is there for the taking.
|
2
|
36-23
|
7
|
Rockets
|
The Rockets blew a 16-point fourth-quarter lead to lose the Knicks on Saturday. The point guard hole has become more and more glaring as the season has gone on. It too often feels like the stagnant offenses we’ve seen from Kevin Durant teams in the past where he’s relied on to make too many tough shots over the long haul. All the ratings look like a contender, but I’m losing trust in this team at that level.
|
2
|
35-21
|
8
|
Nuggets
|
The Nuggets put 157 on the Blazers on Friday after coming out of the All-Star break with a one-point loss to the Clippers. They have lost six of 10 since Nikola Jokić returned for the final game of January, and have lost their last seven games against plus-.500 teams. Aaron Gordon’s absence is huge. They can’t truly contend without him.
|
5
|
36-22
|
9
|
Knicks
|
The good news is Karl-Anthony Towns has found his stroke for the moment. He’s shooting 63% over four games since the All-Star break and has made nine of his last 13 3s. The bad news is he only took five shots in the loss to Cleveland on Tuesday, when you would’ve been forgiven for forgetting he was even on the floor at times. Had the Knicks not rallied from 16 down in the fourth to beat the Rockets they would be 1-3 post-All-Star, but they have also won 12 of their last 16. Tough to call this team a contender, but tough to fully dismiss them, too.
|
2
|
37-22
|
10
|
Lakers
|
Luka Dončić had a look at a game-tying 3 in the waning seconds vs. Orlando Tuesday night, but it was a bit too deep for his taste, By the time he hesitated and stepped in the shot was no longer available and LeBron had to hoist up a prayer that never had a chance. The Lakers have lost two of three coming out of the break, including a beating at the hands of the Celtics, and four of six overall.
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1
|
34-23
|
11
|
Raptors
|
Toronto has won four of six and is just two losses back of a top-four seed, but among the top 10 teams in the East only the Heat have fewer wins against plus-.500 teams.
|
2
|
34-24
|
12
|
76ers
|
Philly scored a big win over Minnesota (with 63 points from Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe) after a terrible loss to New Orleans coming out of the All-Star break. They’re sitting right on the playoff line, tied in the loss column with No. 7 Orlando with the tiebreaker sealed in Philly’s favor.
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—
|
32-26
|
13
|
Hornets
|
Winners of 12 of their last 15. Played Houston and Cleveland to the wire coming out of the All-Star break. Kon Knueppel is on the verge of breaking the rookie 3-point record.
|
1
|
28-31
|
14
|
Magic
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Two wins in L.A., over the Clippers then the Lakers, by a combined three points. The Magic, who have won four of their last six, have done this all season. They’re 10-3 in games decided by one possession, and it’s keeping them right in the top-six hunt even through all their injuries and overall struggles.
|
1
|
31-26
|
15
|
Suns
|
Super tough beat losing Dillon Brooks to a broken hand. They need Jalen Green to replace a good chunk of that scoring, but he’s 17 for his last 60 and has been more or less terrible since returning to the lineup, his buzzer-beating 3 against Orlando notwithstanding. The Suns are going to have to win ugly the rest of the way, which they are also less equipped to do without Brooks.
|
5
|
33-26
|
16
|
Trail Blazers
|
Portland is still trying to climb back to .500 after a six-game losing skid at the end of January. They won three straight to right the ship, but have now lost three of their last five again. Shaedon Sharpe being out potentially through mid-March is a blow, and Deni Avdija isn’t looking good to be healthy any time soon as he was only able to last a minute against Phoenix before leaving with the same grimacing back discomfort that has been ailing him for some time.
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—
|
28-31
|
17
|
Heat
|
The definition of a mediocre NBA team. Not good. Not bad. 5-5 in their last 10. They survive on wins against bad teams. Somehow only two losses back of a top-six seed.
|
5
|
31-28
|
18
|
Warriors
|
The Warriors managed to beat the Nuggets without Stephen Curry on Sunday, but they’ve lost six of their last nine. They just aren’t a good team without Jimmy Butler, and certainly not without Curry, too. Take out Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford on top of it, as was the case Tuesday, and you lose to the Pelicans.
|
1
|
30-28
|
19
|
Clippers
|
The Clippers won coming out of the break thanks to Jamal Murray missing the last of three free throws with under a second to play, but they’ve dropped two close ones since despite Kawhi Leonard scoring a combined 68 points against the Lakers and Magic.
|
—
|
27-30
|
20
|
Hawks
|
Jonathan Kuminga broke out for 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 9-of-12 shooting in his Hawks debut. Atlanta has won three of four out of the All-Star break but remains right on the lottery line — tied in the loss column with No. 10 Charlotte and No. 11 Milwaukee.
|
2
|
29-31
|
21
|
Bulls
|
The losing streak has hit 10. Jaden Ivey, acquired at the trade deadline, is out for a couple weeks. Josh Giddey hasn’t shot well since coming back. The Bulls are four losses back of the last play-in spot. I admit, I still think about that 6-1 start to the season.
|
1
|
24-35
|
22
|
Bucks
|
What are the Bucks doing winning seven of their last 10 games? The only positive thing that can come out of this season is as high a lottery pick as possible. This team loses when it needs to win and wins when it needs to lose.
|
2
|
25-31
|
23
|
Mavericks
|
Dallas beat the Pacers to end a 10-game losing streak on Sunday and followed that up with a win against Brooklyn. Cooper Flagg (foot) hasn’t played since Feb. 10. If the season ended today, Dallas would have the league’s seventh-worst record and a 7.5% chance to landing the No. 1 overall pick.
|
2
|
21-36
|
24
|
Pelicans
|
The Pelicans, who have no reason to tank as they don’t own their 2026 first-round pick, have won four of their last six and three of them have come against plus-.500 teams. Weirdest team ever. Zion Williamson is the best player nobody even thinks about anymore. DeAndre Jordan is starting. Jordan Poole didn’t play for basically a month, and not because he was hurt. It still sort of feels like this team is talented, doesn’t it?
|
4
|
17-42
|
25
|
Grizzlies
|
The Grizzlies pulled off a great tank loss against the Kings on Monday. They’re safe in the lottery with the league’s eighth-worst record entering play on Wednesday. That would give them a 6% chance at the No. 1 pick.
|
—
|
21-35
|
26
|
Jazz
|
Utah has lost three straight and 15 of its last 19. Excellent stuff. Currently the sixth-worst record in the league, which should allow them to keep their top-eight protected pick, which would otherwise go to OKC.
|
3
|
18-40
|
27
|
Wizards
|
Five losses in their last seven, but two wins over Indiana was a missed opportunity. I guess the Pacers are just better at this game!
|
2
|
16-41
|
28
|
Nets
|
Brooklyn has lost five straight and 15 of its last 18. The Nets are fighting with New Orleans (which owes its picks to Atlanta) — tied in the loss column for a bottom-three record and the 14% chance at the No. 1 pick.
|
1
|
15-42
|
29
|
Pacers
|
Indiana has lost four straight and eight of its last 10. Second-worst record in the league to Sacramento. The turnaround next year is going to be huge.
|
3
|
15-44
|
30
|
Kings
|
Worst record in the league. Aiming to keep it that way.
|
—
|
13-46
|
