NBA announces the latest power rankings! The Thunder is ranked first, the Clippers are eighth, and the Lakers' ranking soars.
Recently, the NBA officially announced the latest issue of the team's power rankings. In this issue, the Thunder surpassed the Cavaliers to top the list, while the Nuggets and Lakers returned to the top ten. Let's take a look at the specific ranking situation.
The Thunder currently has a record of 30 wins and 6 losses, while the Cavaliers have 32 wins and 4 losses. The two young teams' records rank at the top of the Eastern and Western Conferences, and it is unquestionable that their strength ranks in the top two. Moreover, it should be noted that the Thunder is not yet fully formed. If Chet returns, their overall strength will inevitably rise to another level.
The Celtics overtook the Knicks to rank third, with a current record of 27 wins and 10 losses, while the latter has 25 wins and 13 losses. The Rockets and Grizzlies are ranked fifth and sixth on this list, both with 24 wins, but the former leads by 0.5 games.
The Nuggets are ranked seventh, up six places from the previous period. After experiencing a slump at the beginning of the season, Jokic led the team back on track, with a current record of 21 wins and 15 losses, ranking fourth in the West. The Clippers, who welcomed back Leonard, also rose in the rankings, ranking eighth with a current record of 20 wins and 17 losses. It is believed that as Leonard gradually regains his form, the Clippers will continue to rise.
After the two core players, Doncic and Irving, were injured successively, the Mavericks' ranking dropped three places from the previous period, currently ranking ninth. However, thanks to Thompson's stable performance and the excellent play of the bench lineup, the Mavericks still rank fifth in the West with a record of 21 wins and 16 losses.
The Lakers have performed well recently, sweeping the Kings in the season, defeating the Grizzlies and Warriors, but they made consecutive mistakes in the game against the Rockets, losing the chance to turn the tide. Later, they lost by 21 points to the weakened Mavericks. Currently, the Lakers rank sixth in the West with a record of 20 wins and 16 losses, just 0.5 games ahead of the Clippers. However, compared to the previous ranking, the Lakers still rose five places. Of course, this is largely due to the acquisition of Finney-Smith, a 3D player, which improved the team's defensive performance. However, in the view of many media and fans, if the Lakers want to return to the championship contention, they still need to get an inside player to reduce the pressure on Davis.